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 career. This edition focuses on Bill Ranford, who earned 240 regular-season victories over 15 NHL seasons and backstopped the 1989-90 Edmonton Oilers to a Stanley Cup.On what he remembers from his first NHL game:The first one, I didn't even know I was going to play. They didn't tell me.It was an afternoon game against Buffalo. I had just come out of junior hockey and came to the rink, and a jersey with my nameplate and No. 30 was sitting in the stall. And (Bruins head coach) Butch Goring called me into the office and told me I was starting.It was a little bit of a shocker, but he felt he didn't want me to lose sleep and be nervous about my first start. It kind of happened quick.On making his playoff debut in the Montreal Forum:It was crazy. You walked in there and saw all the wooden banners ... I was a Ken Dryden fan growing up, and obviously Montreal had won a ton of Stanley Cups. So it was quite an experience to go in there, and your first-ever game at the Montreal Forum is a playoff game.On when he realized he was in the NHL to stay:I think you always question yourself, especially as a young player. But I would say it was the year that (starting netminder Grant Fuhr) was either suspended or got hurt, and I played 60-something games as a starter for the Oilers, I felt that I had finally come into my own. I was ready to compete.I know my first year in Boston, when I played 40-some games, it was all a blur. I don't really remember it happening. But I think once I settled in with the Oilers, I started to realize I had the capability to play in the league and hopefully play there for a long time.On the funniest player he encountered:I played with Marc Bergevin, who's now the GM in Montreal, at the World Championship, and I think he's one of the funniest guys I've ever played with. He always kept us on edge with his humor and his "Frenglish." He kept everybody laughing.He had bad jokes that kept us all loose, and he'd imitate different guys in morning skates. He brought a lot of fun to the game in pressure times. It's good to have somebody to keep you loose.On Bergevin's best impression:He would imitate Brian Skrudland in a breakaway situation. It was pretty funny. He got his stride in there, too. (laughs)On his most memorable referee encounter:I think mine was probably a bad situation, but I grew up real quick.It was in Buffalo in the (Memorial Auditorium) with the short glass. I got scored on, and the puck was in the crease; I went to flip it off to the side, and I caught all of it - right over the glass. It hit a kid in the stands.Ray Scapinello was the linesman at the time, and he just laid into me. He said, "Next chance you get, you get one of your spare goalie sticks and you get it over to that kid." So there was a real learning aspect of it for me, just to respect the game. Ray put me in my spot right off the bat, and it's something that I never forgot.On the greatest game he ever played:I think probably the one that sticks out is when we had the overtime game with all the delays with the fog in Boston in 1990. It was Game 1, but it set the stage for the rest of the series.There were some lucky bounces, there's no doubt, but I think it was just one of those games where I made the right saves at the right times, and under the bright lights of the Stanley Cup final.On the most underrated player from his era:Boy, there's lots. But for me, Kevin Lowe was probably the one. He was a leader not only on the ice, but off the ice; a really good manager of the dressing room. But he was also a fierce competitor. He played hurt a lot.I think it was in '90 that he played the last three rounds with his ribs frozen. If anybody has had a rib injury, it's probably the most painful injury you can have as a player. He was just a warrior.On who had the greatest influence on him:As a kid moving around in the military, being in a lot of different places growing up, my midget coach, Dave Manning, had a big part in teaching me to stand up for myself.Ron Low also had a big influence on me - not only as an assistant coach when we were going through the playoffs in '90, but also as a head coach. He always seemed to have my back. I guess being an ex-goalie probably had a lot to do with it. Just very supportive throughout my career.On when he knew it was time to call it quits:I think the biggest thing for me was that I was always a No. 1 guy, and I went back to Edmonton as a No. 2 - and didn't like it. A No. 1 guy has to have the mentality to be a No. 1 guy, and I just didn't like being a No. 2.The year that I retired (after the 1999-2000 season), I had already decided. I hadn't told my teammates or management. I didn't know exactly when it was going to be. The last month, I knew in my mind I was done but didn't want it to be about me. We were battling for a playoff spot. It was more about looking back at my career, and the fact that it lasted close to 15 years, and the opportunities it gave me.On his most memorable story from the 1990 Stanley Cup run:We won Game 1, and then about eight of us had the flu going into Game 2. None of us skated until the morning skate. And because the Boston Celtics were in the playoffs, we actually had two days between games, which was unheard of back then. You were basically playing every second night until the playoffs were done.It ended up being a little bit fortunate for us that we had two days in between, and had an extra 24 hours to recover. But a lot of us lost a lot of weight, which, at that time, wasn't a good thing. And because we won in the Garden, we didn't fly back that night, so we all got together at a pub in Faneuil Hall.Back then, coaches didn't really talk to you very much. But I remember the coaching staff calling me over saying they basically didn't think I was going to make it; I was probably 10 pounds lighter by the time that series ended, just because of not having the opportunity to gain that weight back. They were quite concerned with my health.You just went and played, so you never thought anything of it, but I was pretty run down by then, and just trying to struggle through it. You don't think your coaches notice sometimes, but they were very aware of what was going on.Rapid FireThe greatest player he ever played with: Wayne GretzkyThe greatest player he ever played against: Mario LemieuxThe best coach he ever had: Dave ManningThe player with the best wrist shot: Tom FergusThe player with the best slap shot: Al MacInnisThe hardest player to move from the front of the net: For me? Everybody. (laughs)(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The only NHL team yet to lose in regulation will reportedly be without one of its most potent offensive weapons for a while.Jeff Carter will be out for multiple weeks after being cut by a skate blade Wednesday night, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.The Los Angeles Kings forward was checked into the boards by Jeff Petry, whose left skate then caught Carter's left leg late in the first period of a 5-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.Carter led the team with 32 goals and 66 points last season. The Kings are 5-0-1 through their first six games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Love 'em or hate 'em, the Toronto Maple Leafs have used the early portion of the new NHL campaign to propel themselves to the top of the league standings, doing so in the way many anticipated - scoring a ton of goals.Thirty-four goals, to be specific, in just seven games - six of which being wins - is an astronomical number in a small sample size, but it makes one wonder, could the Leafs' offense be even more dangerous than we anticipated?After pouring in 250 goals last season, the fifth-highest sum in the league, Toronto added Patrick Marleau in the summer to further bolster an offensive unit that was already a nightmare to defend. Despite the addition of a Hall of Fame resume to the lineup, the caveat to the Leafs' championship aspirations this season was team defense, and while things can certainly be tightened up on the back end, Toronto's torrid start has made it look like it might not matter.The personnelFollowing Wednesday's 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto now has five players averaging at least one point per game to begin the season. Auston Matthews leads the way with 10, Nazem Kadri has eight, while William Nylander, James van Riemsdyk, and Morgan Rielly have put forth seven apiece.Now, nobody is realistically expecting Rielly, or really any of the other skaters outside Matthews to maintain such a high pace until April, but the early indication is that this team will receive contributions from the entire roster - a lineup filled out with the likes of Mitch Marner, Tyler Bozak, and the aforementioned Marleau, who've each had fine starts, yet are being overlooked by the sheer firepower at the top.Why it's such an asset(Photo Courtesy: Action Images)In the latter half of a back-to-back, the Leafs came out flat versus the Red Wings, frequently playing in their own end and struggling to generate or maintain any consistent pressure in the offensive zone.Yet they still scored four goals in the opening 20 minutes.Detroit out-attempted Toronto 45-29 at 5-on-5, and 56-38 in all situations (hockeystats.ca) but because of the Leafs' offensive talent, they came away with two points and a convincing score line, despite an effort nowhere near their best.The long-term pictureHead coach Mike Babcock will continue to adjust in hopes his team can cut down on the chances his team is giving up down the road, but if the Leafs can manage six goals on an off night, what's going to stop them when they're firing on all cylinders?And while Wednesday's performance reared some ugly possession numbers, it was an outlier when looking at the Leafs' analytical output thus far. The Leafs are averaging 34.7 shots per game this season - a mark good for sixth-highest in the NHL, while their power play is operating at 30 percent.Additionally, their expected goals-for percentage (xGF%), which measures goal expectancy to shots based on shot types and distance, among other factors, was at 59.97 percent entering Wednesday's win, ranking third in the NHL, per Corsica.We all knew the Leafs would rely on their offense again this season, and considering what they've demonstrated so far, perhaps we underestimated how powerful it can be.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

LOS ANGELES (AP) Adrian Kempe had his first career hat trick to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.Michael Cammalleri scored the other two goals for the Kings, who have opened their season with their best six-game start (5-0-1) in franchise history.Montreal (1-5-1) still hasn't won in regulation this season.Jonathan Quick made 36 saves for the Kings.The 21-year-old Kempe scored the go-ahead goal on a 2-on-1 breakaway for the Kings at 7:34 in the third period. He scored again at 16:42 and added another at 18:24 as hats were thrown onto the ice.The game was tied heading into the third period before the Kings scored four times.Paul Byron scored his first goal of the season midway through the first period, capitalizing on Derek Forbort's turnover, to give the Canadiens a 1-0 lead.On his first goal, Cammalleri batted the puck out of the air to score on a power play and tie the game at 1 in the first period. It was Cammalleri's first goal of the season and first goal as a King since 2008. The 35-year-old Cammalleri is in his second stint with the Kings. He scored the second goal midway through the third period.Al Montoya made his first start of the season in goal for the Canadiens. Montoya relieved Carey Price on Oct. 7 and played 40 minutes but that was his only work of the season prior to Wednesday.Alex Galchenyuk started on Montreal's top line with Max Pacioretty and Jonathan Drouin. He was called for two penalties in the first period, an illegal check to the head and slashing. The latter led to the Kings' power-play goal by Cammalleri.The Canadiens last won on Oct. 5 in overtime.NOTES:Jeff Carter sustained a lower-body injury after a collision near the end of the first period and didn't return ... Canadiens defenseman David Schlemko had surgery Wednesday to remove a bone fragment in his right wrist and is expected to miss 3-4 weeks ... Right winger Justin Augler, 23, made his NHL debut for the Kings on Wednesday ... ''It was Hockey Fights Cancer Night'' in Los Angeles and the Kings auctioned their purple jerseys used in warmups online to benefit the cause ... It was also ''Ontario Reign Night,'' the American Hockey League franchise of the Kings. Reign players were in attendance and shown on the JumboTron.UP NEXT:Canadiens: Finish their three-game roadtrip by playing the Ducks Friday in Anaheim.Kings: Head out on their longest roadtrip of the season, a six-game, 11-day trek that starts Saturday in Columbus and ends in St. Louis.---For more NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ST. LOUIS (AP) Jaden Schwartz had his third career hat trick to help the St. Louis Blues beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 on Wednesday night.Schwartz has four goals and six assists this season and has at least one point in six of the Blues' first seven games. It was his 51st career multi-point game and fourth this season.Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and an assist, Kyle Brodziak also scored, and Jake Allen made 22 saves. The Blues snapped a two-game losing streakDuncan Keith and Ryan Hartman had late goals for Blackhawks, and Corey Crawford made 28 saves.Schwartz opened the scoring at 4:46 of the first period, tucking in a backhander off Tarasenko's feed.Schwartz left the game eight minutes later after going awkwardly head-first into the boards after getting tangled with Richard Panik on a partial short-handed break.Schwartz returned in the second period, and gave the Blues a 2-0 lead at 5:59. Allen's outlet pass off the boards created a 2-on-1 with Schwartz and Sammy Blais. It was Allen's fourth career assist.Tarasenko made it 3-0 two minutes later, scoring his fifth of the season by stripping Artem Anisimov in front of the Chicago net.St. Louis outshot Chicago 26-8 in the first two periods, including 17-4 in the second. The four shots in each of the first two periods were a season low for the Blackhawks in a period.Brodziak scored at 7:01 of the third. It was the first time this season the Blues' third or fourth line scored.After Keith and Hartman scored for Chicago, Schwartz completed the hat trick with an empty-net goal.NOTES: Blackhawks television analyst Eddie Olczyk, who is battling colon cancer, received a standing ovation from the crowd of 18,752 after being recognized late in the first period. Olczyk was back in the booth for the first time since his diagnosis in August. ... Blues F Alexander Steen (broken left hand) was activated from injured reserve and made his season debut. To make room, the Blues waived F Wade Megan. ... Blues F Paul Stastny is one point shy of 600 for his career. ... Blackhawks C Nick Schmaltz (upper body) returned after missing four games.UP NEXTBlackhawks: Host Edmonton on Thursday night.Blues: Travel to Colorado 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.

The NHL offered up only a pair of early games Wednesday, but the highlights were plentiful nonetheless.Here are three goals you simply should not miss:1. More magic from Auston MatthewsToronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews showed off his sharp shooting skills against Jimmy Howard and the Detroit Red Wings, quickly and accurately firing the puck between Trevor Daley's legs and into the back of the net.

The Philadelphia Flyers are paying homage to one of wrestling's greats after every game this season.The player of the game will now don a Ric Flair model robe, as seen here in Michal Neuvirth's locker.

An ex-NHL player agent has been charged by police in Winnipeg, Manitoba for allegedly defrauding former Ottawa Senators players Chris Phillips and Dany Heatley out of a combined $12 million.Stacey McAlpine is charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000, two counts of theft over $5,000, as well as laundering proceeds of crime, according to The Canadian Press.McAlpine served as both agent and business adviser for both former players, and the alleged fraud occurred between January 2004 and June 2011."During this time, the victims provided the accused with funds for the purposes of making investments on their behalf," said Const. Tammy Skrabek. "The accused used these funds for personal business, disguising its true source."Heatley was awarded $6.5 million in a civil suit filed against McAlpine back in August.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins will be without center Ryan Spooner for four-to-six weeks, as he nurses a right groin adductor tear suffered in Sunday's loss in Vegas, general manager Don Sweeney announced Wednesday.It's a tough loss for the Bruins, as the club is already dealing with an injury to top-line pivot Patrice Bergeron, who has yet to play this season.Spooner had only recorded one assist in five games before his injury, but has recorded 49 and 39 points, respectively, in the past two seasons. He signed a one-year, $2.825-million contract in the offseason to remain in Boston.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

David Schlemko's debut with the Montreal Canadiens will have to wait.The veteran defenseman underwent surgery to remove a bone fragment in his right hand and is expected to be on the shelf for three-to-four weeks, the team announced Wednesday.Schlemko suffered the injury early in training camp, and the surgery comes after he appeared in one game for Montreal's AHL affiliate on a conditioning stint.Selected by Vegas from San Jose in the expansion draft, Schlemko was traded to Montreal on June 22. He recorded two goals and 16 assists in 62 games for the Sharks last season.The injury means the Canadiens will continue to rely on Victor Mete, Jordie Benn, Brandon Davidson, and Joe Morrow to round out the bottom half of the defensive depth chart.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

J.T. Brown is done raising his fist, but he's far from finished trying to affect change.On Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Lightning forward provided an update on his efforts in the community since silently protesting during "The Star-Spangled Banner" earlier this month:

The St. Louis Blues will welcome back forward Alexander Steen on Wednesday, as the club announced he's been activated from injured reserve and will suit up against the Chicago Blackhawks.Steen missed seven exhibition games and the first six contests of the regular season after sustaining a hand injury in St. Louis' first preseason game on Sept. 19.In accordance with Steen's activation from injured reserve, the Blues placed forward Wade Megan on waivers.Steen is coming off his fourth straight season of at least 15 goals and 50 points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets might be 3-3-0 through six games, but it's about time for head coach Paul Maurice to put his foot down and make Connor Hellebuyck the team's No. 1 goalie.Early on, the Jets have been hampered by one glaring weakness: Steve Mason. The club inked the netminder this offseason, believing he could bring some balance to the position that's plagued the team for a handful of seasons.However, that experiment, albeit through just three games, is off to a disastrous start, as Mason is 0-3-0 and has given up 16 goals (including at least five in each game) while posting a 5.96 goals-against average and .846 save percentage.Meanwhile, his counterpart, Hellebuyck, has been the polar opposite, going 3-0-0 with a 2.11 GAA and .937 save percentage.Comparing the Jets' play through six games, there doesn't appear to be a dramatic discrepancy in their wins versus losses:In winsStatIn losses28Shots for per game30.3333.33Shots against per game38.33-5.33Shot differential per game-8.33With no back-to-back scenario Tuesday, Maurice elected to go with Mason, likely in an attempt to get him back on track, but a 5-2 defeat to the Columbus Blue Jackets was the end result."I feel for (Mason) because I think he kept it right for as long as he could," Maurice said postgame, according to NHL.com's Scott Billeck. "We didn't have enough going for us in this game. Just too darn slow to give him a chance to win us a game."The question is, how many chances can the Jets afford to give Mason before he finally wins a game? The answer should be none.It's not quite panic time yet, but in a stacked division that includes the Blackhawks and Blues, who are off to hot starts, the surprising Avalanche, the reigning Stanley Cup finalists in Nashville, a rejuvenated Stars club, and the Wild, who are too good to finish last in the division, there's not much room to stumble.It's time for Hellebuyck to take a run at the No. 1 position for a prolonged stretch, beginning Friday when the Jets host the Wild. From there, Winnipeg will enjoy a five-day break before a back-to-back against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets.If Hellebuyck can shine in Pittsburgh, it doesn't make sense to go back to Mason against the Blue Jackets. Hellebuyck should realistically be able to play the next nine games before another set of back-to-backs.With four of those games coming against division rivals (two each against the Wild and Stars) it's imperative the Jets get ahead of the competition, and that's best done with their strongest option between the pipes.The Jets are still in the thick of it in the early going, and have the offense to contend with anyone, but the club can't let goaltending continue to be their Achilles' heel.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Marleau is on the verge of a major milestone.The veteran forward will appear in his 1,500th regular-season game Wednesday when the Toronto Maple Leafs face the Detroit Red Wings.He sits 18th all time in games played and third all time among active players behind Jaromir Jagr (1,714) and Jarome Iginla (1,554), who's technically still active but remains a free agent.Now in his 20th season, and first with the Leafs after leaving the San Jose Sharks over the summer, Marleau has 1,087 points in his 1,499 contests, and he's been remarkably durable throughout his career.

Hockey fans clamoring for a book celebrating Doug Gilmour's Hall of Fame hockey career have finally been granted their wish.Gilmour's memoir, titled "Killer: My Life in Hockey," hit bookstores Tuesday. It chronicles Gilmour's journey from undersized seventh-round pick to eventful 20-year career in which he recorded 1,414 points in 1,474 games with seven NHL teams, won a Stanley Cup championship, and became one of the most beloved players in Toronto Maple Leafs history.The decision to share his biggest moments and fondest memories from his hockey career wasn't at the forefront of Gilmour's mind in the initial years following his retirement at the conclusion the 2002-03 season."I've been 14 years retired, and I've been asked pretty much every year to do a book," Gilmour told theScore earlier this week. "And I said no. I didn't want to, I didn't feel like it at the time. I didn't think anybody would be interested. But you're thinking all the time, and as time passes ... when my dad (Don) passed away five years ago, I started thinking about it."As I say that, about a year and a half, maybe two years later, my mom (Dolly) was diagnosed with dementia. And that's when I really got serious about it. When my marketing (rep) called me and said 'HarperCollins wants to do it,' and I said, 'Let me think about it.' I might have thought for half a day. I knew it would be work; I mean, it's my life, from growing up to where I am now."Gilmour teamed with Rogers Sportsnet senior writer Dan Robson, who had previously co-written "Crazy Game" with one-time NHL netminder Clint Malarchuk and penned a biography of Pat Quinn, one of Gilmour's former coaches. Gilmour said those associations, among other reasons, made Robson an easy choice as co-writer."I met with Dan ... I knew his background," Gilmour said. "I know Clint Malarchuk, I obviously knew Pat Quinn, and after getting to know Dan in person, it was like, yeah. He was right on it, walking me through it. Honestly, it was a fun time ... Dan's a great guy, and it was fun to work with him."The book opens with Gilmour, now the general manager of the Ontario Hockey League's Kingston Frontenacs, sharing intimate details from his childhood - including an incident in which his sister, Donna, nearly drowned after falling through thin ice on Lake Ontario. Gilmour says he wouldn't have told the story at all if not for Donna having reminded him of it."The part about my sister? I forgot about that," he admitted. "It never left my mind, but I didn't bring it up. Because I would never go back onto lake ice. People would ask me to go ice fishing. No."I grew up on Loughborough Lake (12 miles outside Kingston, Ontario); we moved out there when I was 13. Did I skate on the ice? Yes, I did. But it was only 3 feet deep underneath. I wasn't going out in the middle of the lake; it just terrified me. My sister was the one that brought the story up, and I was talking to Dan, and he said, 'You didn't tell me this.' and I said, 'I had kind of forgotten about it.' You don't want to remember certain things."(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)From there, the book mostly focuses on Gilmour's hockey career - from winning the Memorial Cup with the Cornwall Royals to being the 134th overall pick in the 1982 entry draft ("I had a chip on my shoulder. I was pissed."). From there, Gilmour shares a parade of career highlights with readers, including winning a 1989 Stanley Cup title with Calgary and leading the Leafs to back-to-back Western Conference final appearances in the early 1990s.Yet, for all the great stories Gilmour tells - and there are a lot - he didn't get to share everything."There was probably another 150 pages that we had to take out," Gilmour said. "Dan had a good vision on where he wanted to go with it and what we were doing with it. It would have been great to get some other guys to tell stories, people who have passed on or other people who we really didn't get to. We really had so much in there."Among the omissions are details of his personal life, which Gilmour made a conscious decision to leave out - though he doesn't mind discussing certain aspects. The 54-year-old has been married three times and has four children."This is not my personal life - this is my life in hockey," he explained. "And this is where I wanted to go with it. Dan asked me some questions about other things as far as my relationships, and I said no."A lot of that stuff with (his two ex-wives), there are things that are my business and their business. We're all friends to this day. You don't get married to get divorced, but it happens. I'm not here to say whose fault it is, it's nobody's business."I'm not ashamed of it. It's life, and it's my life. I made mistakes, they made mistakes. We're at the stage of our lives where I'm not going to worry about it. I don't live in the past. I still love my relationships, and I have great kids, and that's the most important thing to me."That focus on family is clear throughout the book, particularly in an emotional final chapter in which Gilmour shares the experience of going through his father's garage shortly after he passed. As Gilmour comes across newspaper clippings his father had saved over the years, a song comes on the radio - "Big League" by Tom Cochrane, the same song that was played at Don's funeral a few days earlier."He always played it," Gilmour says in the book.And in some bittersweet symmetry, Gilmour shared a similar story of the moments prior to his mother's death earlier this month."About 10 minutes before my mom passed away, we had the TV on for her, we're playing oldies music. Her name is Joan, but she was called Dolly before she had kids ... and 'Hello Dolly' came on. It was really sentimental."I was happy I wrote it, just to be able to thank her."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Gord Downie's death resonated deeply Wednesday morning.The Tragically Hip frontman and devoted Boston Bruins fan died after his battle with brain cancer Tuesday night with his children and family close by, according to a statement on the band's website, and his passing brought out memories, tributes, and condolences from all corners of the hockey community.

Fear not, fans of the winless Arizona Coyotes: The desert club is simply adjusting to a new approach that will eventually lead to long-term success, according to general manager John Chayka."Could we have more points playing a different style if we trapped it up, slowed it down, and just played safe? Yeah, maybe, but we're not going to reach that threshold of where we want to get by playing that way," Chayka told Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports on Monday. "This is the way we're going to reach it and there's an adjustment period. We're going through it."To say it has been tough sledding for the Coyotes in the early going of the season would be an understatement. Through six games, Arizona has failed to record a win - the lone NHL team to do so - and picked up just one of a possible 12 points.The team's most recent defeat came Tuesday, as the Coyotes fell 3-1 to the Dallas Stars. But there was at least one bright spot - rookie netminder Adin Hill turned aside 31 shots in the loss.The 21-year-old was recalled Monday and stepped in for a struggling Louis Domingue as starter Antti Raanta remains sidelined with a lower-body injury. The Coyotes acquired Raanta from the New York Rangers in an offseason deal, but injury concerns have limited him to just five periods of on-ice action."Adin Hill was solid," Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet told reporters Tuesday. You're just looking for somebody to make a play and score a goal. Guys worked hard, just couldn't score."Tocchet joined the Coyotes this offseason following back-to-back Stanley Cups as an assistant with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and is looking to implement a similar playing style with his new club.Arizona's next chance to deliver its first win of the season comes Thursday in a rematch with the Stars.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) Teuvo Teravainen had a pair of goals and Jordan Staal a goal and three assists to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-3 on Tuesday night.Elias Lindholm and Jaccob Slavin also scored for the Hurricanes (2-1-1), who snapped a two-game losing skid.Mark Letestu, Ryan Strome and Milan Lucic tallied for the Oilers (1-4-0), who have now lost four in a row.Teravainen elected to shoot on a two-on-one break, beating Oilers backup Laurent Brossoit stick-side for the first goal of the game just 20 seconds into the game.He staked his team to a 2-0 lead five minutes later on the power play, blasting a shot from the top of the circle up high and past Brossoit.Carolina took a three-goal lead on another power play with 1:20 remaining in the opening period. Staal made a nice feed across the crease to Lindholm, who had a wide-open net to deposit the puck into.Edmonton actually outshot the Hurricanes 15-8 in the first.Letestu banged in a rebound in tight past Carolina goalie Cam Ward, who was making his first appearance in net this season, to make it 3-1.The Hurricanes regained their three-goal edge four minutes into the third period as Staal picked off a pass and scored on a short-handed breakaway.Strome tipped in his first goal as an Oiler past Ward to make it 4-2. The power-play goal came a minute after Staal's.The Oilers pulled to within a goal eight minutes into the third as Lucic beat Ward with a slapshot.Carolina ended the comeback bid two minutes later as Slavin undressed Brossoit with a deke. Staal picked up his fourth point of the night and of the season on the play.Ward was credited with 48 saves in the win, as the Oilers outshot Carolina 51-21.NOTES: Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl remained out with an eye injury/concussion symptoms. ... Center Martin Necas, selected by 12th in the 2017 NHL Draft by Carolina, made his NHL debut.UP NEXT:Hurricanes: visit Calgary on Thursday.Oilers: play at Chicago on Thursday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers are taking the positives from a loss. Well, one positive.Following a 5-1 defeat to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, Panthers coach Bob Boughner didn't like much about his club, save for rookie Owen Tippett's NHL debut."I thought he was our best player," Boughner said following the loss, according to FOX Sports Florida. "That's great for him, but I think other guys have got to check themselves in the mirror."If an 18-year-old playing his first game is your best player, then you're not going to have a chance to win many games, especially on the road."The loss dropped the Panthers to 2-3-0.Tippett, who was scratched in the previous four games, skated for more than 11 minutes against the Flyers. He finished with a team-leading seven shots.Selected 10th overall in the 2017 draft, Tippett was a surprise pick to make the immediate jump to the NHL after completing just two seasons in junior. He scored 44 goals and collected 31 assists in 60 games with the OHL's Mississauga Steelheads last season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators may have suffered their first regulation loss of the 2017-18 NHL campaign Tuesday night, but at least they got their captain and No. 1 defenseman, Erik Karlsson, back in the fold.A 3-0 shutout loss to the Vancouver Canucks soured what should have been a generally positive night for the Sens as Karlsson took the ice in game action for the first time since May.He showed flashes of his former Norris-winning self, but also struggled at times, displaying some of the rust expected from a player coming off ankle surgery.Here are three things we learned from Karlsson's return.He hasn't missed a beat offensivelyKarlsson may have been held off the scoresheet, but he still demonstrated his offensive touch.He threw two shots on net, hit a post, and turned in a beauty end-to-end rush that left multiple Canucks defenders searching for their jockstraps.Check out this play from the first frame:

Sidney Crosby remains on a different level.The Pittsburgh Penguins superstar center displayed a crazy amount of wherewithal in order to score a game-tying goal late in the third period against the New York Rangers, and from behind the goal line no less.Let's take a quick look.With Matt Murray on the bench in order to get an extra attacker on the ice, the Penguins - down by a goal - looked to create a scoring chance.Crosby (87) stationed himself to the left of Henrik Lundqvist (30), and Evgeni Malkin (71) positioned himself near the boards to assess his options.Malkin attempted to work the puck to a cutting Patric Hornqvist (72), but it went off the defender's stick and up into the air.Hornqvist batted it down with his glove, swung and missed on a shot attempt, and watched as the puck headed towards Crosby.Crosby knew he was unable to play the puck off the unintentional hand pass, and therefore waited for Kevin Shattenkirk (22) to touch it.He immediately regained possession and threw a shot toward the front of the net.Fortuitously, it bounced off Lundqvist and into the back of the net.Now, to be clear, it wasn't Crosby's intention to bank the puck in for a goal.

Nikita Kucherov is on one heck of a roll to start the season.The Tampa Bay Lightning winger scored Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils, keeping his early-season goal streak alive and putting himself alongside one of the greatest in hockey history.

A seat is open at the negotiation table if the Calgary Flames are willing to talk.That's the stance from Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi, who was re-elected for a third term Monday, and who remains open to discussing a new arena with the club."As I've said for many, many weeks, the city has never left the table," Nenshi said in his victory speech Monday, per Donna Spencer of the Toronto Star."When they're ready to come back to the table and have a discussion understanding this mandate from Calgarians, we are ready and willing to have that discussion with them."Last month, the Flames walked away from negotiations after president and CEO Ken King declared talks with the city as "spectacularly unproductive."Both sides have since disclosed their proposals to the public, with the city offering a three-part model to be funded by the team, public dollars, and ticket surcharges. The Flames' proposal included a $275-million payment from the team.With negotiations at a standstill, the Flames now consider the file closed, stating the team will play out of the 34-year-old Scotiabank Saddledome for as long as it is deemed feasible.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The ban has finally been lifted.When the Arizona Coyotes square off against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, they will do so with a little reinforcement in the lineup, as agitating winger Zac Rinaldo is set to make his season debut.It marks Rinaldo's first game since Feb. 28, 2016, a contest in which the former Boston Bruins forward delivered an illegal hit to the Tampa Bay Lightning's Cedric Paquette. Rinaldo was subsequently suspended for five games following the play.It appeared as if it would be Rinaldo's final NHL game. The 27-year-old spent all of last season with the AHL's Providence Bruins and hasn't skated in the big leagues since the incident.But another shot in the NHL came this offseason, when Rinaldo inked a deal with the Coyotes. The expectation was that Rinaldo would toil in the minors, but a strong performance in training camp saw him earn a spot with the big club.Rinaldo was scratched through Arizona's first five games of the season, effectively - and finally - serving his five-game suspension. The ban now lifted, combined with a slow start to the season for the Coyotes, has left the team looking for a spark. Enter Rinaldo."He's an energy guy," Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet told reporters Monday. "He's the type of guy that can get some life on the bench and he doesn't hurt you on the ice."Rinaldo is penciled into the team's fourth line for Tuesday's contest, where he will line up with fellow forwards Mario Kempe and Jordan Martinook."A year and a half is like the longest five-game suspension in NHL history," Rinaldo said. "You can laugh about it, I laughed about it, but now it's not a laughing matter."I worked my (butt) off to be here and I'm going to stay here. I'm going to do whatever I can every day, every practice, and every game to stay here."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks winger Loui Eriksson will miss four-to-six weeks with a knee sprain, head coach Travis Green announced.Eriksson was forced to leave Saturday's game against Calgary after being bumped into the net by Tanner Glass. He remained on the bench for a bit but was eventually ruled out of the remainder of the contest with a knee injury, the extent of which is now known.In the second season of a six-year deal that carries a $6-million cap hit, Eriksson recorded one assist in four appearances this season. He underwhelmed last season as well, with 11 goals and 13 assists in 65 games.The Canucks are already without defenseman Alex Edler, who's also been shelved four-to-six weeks with a knee injury of his own.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's always at least one manager in fantasy hockey leagues willing to make an overreactive trade after losing their Week 1 matchup. The first player on their team they'll be looking to move is the player they had relatively high expectations for but has gotten off to a cold start. This is where the savvy and patient managers can take full advantage.Here are five potential bargains:LW/RW Rick Nash, RangersNash has gotten off to a forgettable start, with just one goal and no assists in six games. It wouldn't take much to convince his fantasy owner the 33-year-old is washed up.However, not only is Nash on pace for a career high in shots on goal, but those shots have been of high quality. He's tied for first in the NHL with nine individual high-danger scoring chances at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick.He isn't in his prime, but with his goal-scoring pedigree, he's bound to start capitalizing on his chances.C/RW Charlie Coyle, WildIf you have an IR spot available, look to acquire Coyle. The 25-year-old forward is out six-to-eight weeks, so his trade value is essentially at rock bottom.Coyle was off to a strong start before going down with a right fibula fracture. He was playing a career-high 18:35 per night and had two assists and eight high-danger scoring chances in just three games.If he can pick up where he left off when he returns, he could be a top-75 player for the remainder of the season. Given it would likely cost next to nothing to acquire him, it's worth the risk.C/RW Jordan Eberle, IslandersMany thought Eberle would flourish with the Islanders alongside John Tavares, but that potential has yet to materialize, as he has no goals and three assists thus far.In fact, the trio of Eberle, Tavares, and Anders Lee have combined for just four goals and four assists, but their line ranks sixth in the NHL in expected goals at five-on-five, per Corsica.Moreover, Eberle is averaging what would be a career-high 3.17 shots per game. The points are bound to start flowing for the Isles' prized offseason acquisition.D Justin Faulk, HurricanesFaulk has been held without a point through Carolina's first three games, so his owner may be willing the pull the trigger on a deal. However, the 25-year-old is is averaging a career high in ice time, and an astounding - yet unsustainable - 4.67 shots per game. Nonetheless, the fact that he's throwing tons of pucks on net is encouraging.From 2014-15 to 2016-17, he ranks sixth among NHL defensemen in goals, despite missing 25 games over that span. The Hurricanes are as good as they've ever been in the Faulk era, and he's poised for a huge season.G Devan Dubnyk, WildDubnyk is off to a rough start, as he currently owns a 3.71 goals-against average and an .894 save percentage. That shouldn't last long, though.The towering netminder ranks fifth in the NHL with an expected save percentage of 91.78, meaning improvement is on the way.Over the past three seasons, only Carey Price owns a better save percentage, so expect Dubnyk to turn things around.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We've been spoiled by Alex Ovechkin's talents over the years.The Washington Capitals captain has surpassed the 50-goal plateau seven times, but last season hit his lowest goal total in a full 82-game season since 2010-11.However, he still scored 33, and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri thinks it's incredible that having a season of that ilk can be considered a down year."It seems like if the guy scores 35 goals it’s an off year for him, which is absolute insanity," Kadri said, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.Early in the 2017-18 campaign, Ovechkin looks to be on his way to another 50-goal season (123 at his current pace). He's scored a league-high nine goals in six games - or better than a quarter of the way to 35 - so it doesn't look like Ovechkin is heading for an "off year" this time around.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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 career. This edition focuses on Kris Draper, who won four Stanley Cups in a 20-year playing career spent almost exclusively with the Detroit Red Wings.On what he remembers of his first NHL game:It was actually memorable. I made the Winnipeg Jets as a 19-year-old; it was definitely not expected. I was going into my first pro training camp, I had no expectations whatsoever, and all of a sudden things were going well for me.I started looking at some newspapers and I saw some positive articles, so I was kind of thinking I might have a chance to make this team. And I made the opening roster, and the first game was in Winnipeg against the Maple Leafs. I grew up in Toronto and grew up a Leafs fan as a kid, so my mom and dad jumped on a plane and came out. It was unreal.I know I couldn't sleep; I certainly remember that. I was trying to embrace the moment. And it was unreal. I ended up scoring in my first game, and I ended up getting in a fight in my first game. It was a pretty eventful debut for me. But after that game, I figured out two things: I wasn't going to be a scorer in the NHL, and I wasn't going to be a fighter in the NHL.On that first career goal:It was the all-important seventh goal in a 7-1 victory. (laughs)Pat Elynuik, a shifty right-winger, I remember him coming over the blue line. He kind of cut from right to left and I was coming up, and he dropped the puck. I ended up taking a wrist shot and it deflected off the Toronto defenseman's stick and it ended up beating Jeff Reese for my first NHL goal.On how the infamous Claude Lemieux hit in the 1996 Stanley Cup playoffs (seen below) affected his play afterward:(Video courtesy: YouTube)To be honest with you, that was the only thing I could control from that; coming back and making sure that I played the way that I had always played.I was a third-, fourth-line player, I was a role player. I kind of had to play on the edge. I knew how I had to play to stay in the NHL, and that was with "controlled chaos," which is how I describe my style of play. That's one thing I wanted to make sure of: That when I came back, I played the same way.We lost out in Game 6 of the conference finals, so I had the whole summer (to recover). And it was a tough summer; my jaw was wired shut for six weeks, I ended up losing a lot of weight. But when I got back, I wanted to play as many preseason games as possible to get back into it.It was a tough summer and a tough hit, but in the end I came back and was able to the way I wanted to. That was something very important that I wanted to do. I couldn't hesitate, I couldn't think about it, because otherwise it was going to limit me as a hockey player.On the biggest trash-talkers in his day:I would probably say that Kirk Maltby was one of the best trash-talkers. Maltby had some really good one-liners; he frustrated and pissed off a lot of players with the way that he played. I remember hearing Malts chirp a lot.Steve Ott was really quick-witted and had great one-liners, too. He was a Red Wing last year and I kind of got to get to know him; you could just kind of see that dry humor and quick wit that he had.Another good one I played with and played against was Sean Avery. I'd say those guys always had a lot of things to say. Those are the type of players that, when you think of the Maltbys and the Steve Otts ... Brad Marchand probably would be a guy now that can frustrate teams with the way he plays and how competitive he is, and he backs it up with the points he produces.On his favorite referee/linesman story:So one night we're playing at Joe Louis Arena, and you have to remember: A big part of what I did for the Red Wings involved taking a lot of faceoffs. I took a lot of defensive zone and penalty kill faceoffs, took a lot of faceoffs at the end of the game. And in this game, (linesman Ray Scapinello) kept tossing me out. And I'm looking at him and saying, "Scampy, you can't do this to me."And he said, "You gotta stop cheating. You gotta stop cheating." And I kind of told him, "I'm not cheating. I'm anticipating the drop, but you gotta drop the puck faster. We gotta work together here." And he kind of smiled a little bit.So there was a stoppage in play, a commercial break, and (Red wings head coach) Scotty Bowman asked Scampy, "What do you have against Draper? Why do you keep throwing him out? That's what he's gotta do for us." And I was a little worried about the answer that was coming. And Scampy says to Scotty, "I'm going to tell you right now: He's the biggest cheater on faceoffs I've ever had."Scotty kind of looked at him, and looked at me, and said, "Draper, you're a cheater! He said it! You're a cheater!" And the three of us are going around and around in this conversation, and Scotty's like, "The biggest ever?" And he's asking about all the games Scampy has worked, and Scampy says, "The biggest ever!" And I'm just thinking, "This is not good."On what made him such a good defensive forward:My best years were playing with Kirk Maltby and Darren McCarty; we were known as the "Grind Line." We played against Wayne Gretzky when he was with St. Louis, we played against Sakic, Forsberg, Modano, Nieuwendyk ... we had some really big responsibilities. And we knew that if we could shut down the other team's top line, we were going to put our team in a good spot.Everyone wants to be the go-to guy, but I knew what my role was with the Red Wings. And I embraced it. I had Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov ahead of me, so I had to find that third- and fourth-line role. And from there, I knew that if I could do it right and be the best at it, I would be the kind of player Scotty Bowman trusted a lot.On the greatest game he ever played:One of my greatest moments was when I scored the overtime winner against Washington in Game 2 of the 1998 Stanley Cup Final.It's kind of a funny story: We're at the pregame skate, and we're up 1-0 in the series, and I was actually the only forward who hadn't scored a goal all playoffs. And Scotty being Scotty, he comes up to me in the pregame skate and says, "Are you ever going to score a goal?" And I had a big smile on my face, and I said, "Tonight, Scotty. I'm gonna get one tonight for you."I remember it was a wild game. We ended up down 5-2 going into the third period and we tied it up 5-5; Doug Brown scored late to tie it up.It's something I'll never forget. Igor Larionov comes on a line change. Brendan Shanahan and Marty Lapointe are still out on the ice. Shanny causes a turnover and the puck comes to the half-wall on the right side, and Marty, being a right-handed shot, just fires it toward the net as I'm driving back post.The puck ended up right on my stick. It was a bang-bang play, and I put it in the open net past (Washington netminder) Olie Kolzig. And I remember doing a little bit of a dance, a little bit of a celebration as everyone comes out.So we're skating off the ice, and sure enough, Scotty's standing right by the door, and Scotty being Scotty, he asked, "Who got the goal? Who got the goal?" (laughs) And I said, "Scotty, I told you I was going to get one for you tonight." And he gave me a little pat on the back.On the most underrated player he encountered:It's tough to call Joe Nieuwendyk an underrated player because he's in the Hall of Fame, but the way Joe played the game, the guy was just a winner. He was a big, strong center, played a 200-foot game, and his hockey sense was unreal. He always had a knack to score big goals or make big plays.When you think of the Dallas Stars, you think of Mike Modano. When you think of the New Jersey Devils, you think of Martin Brodeur. But those teams won Stanley Cups with Joe Nieuwendyk - and he brought so much to those hockey teams. You can't call a Hall of Famer underrated, but to me, you just didn't hear a lot about Joe Nieuwendyk.On what he remembers from his last NHL game:It's funny, because I didn't realize it was going to be my last game. Even though I was 39 at the time, I thought I had more hockey in me; I guess that's the way that we're wired, we feel we're going to play forever.It was Game 7 against San Jose in the 2011 playoffs. We were down 3-0 in the playoffs and ended up forcing a seventh game. For so many reasons, you want to win this game because you want to extend your season, because you're one step closer to the ultimate prize. So that was my preparation going into that game - another opportunity to extend our season.I was never thinking it was going to be my last game played in the NHL. And then you lose the game, and everything kind of sets in. And to be honest, I still thought I was going to be playing the following year. I take my usual 10 days off and start training, and then the realization started to come that I might never play again. And it hit me hard.For me, and my family, we were hockey players. My wife loved going to the game, my kids loved that their dad was a Deroit Red Wing. So this decision wasn't just about me retiring - it was impacting my entire family, from my mom and dad driving from Toronto to Detroit hundreds of times to watch me play to my wife getting the kids ready and putting on their Draper jersey and watching me play at Joe Louis Arena.It was a very, very emotional time for me and my family. I'm almost glad that I didn't know it was my last game. I probably would have been an absolute mess going to the rink and would have been a non-factor in the game.On his favorite visiting arena:It has to be Maple Leaf Gardens. Being a Toronto kid, I remember wearing my Don Mills Flyers black leather jacket and going down to watch the Leafs play with my dad. And all of a sudden, I'm in an Original Six rivalry, Detroit-Toronto, playing at Maple Leaf Gardens.To me, the most memorable rink to walk into was Maple Leaf Gardens, just because I did it so many times as a kid, and then here I was, playing for another Original Six team, so many great games and rivalries, and I was a part of it. So walking into that rink was the best for so many reasons.On his favorite Stanley Cup playoff story:In 2002, we started against the Vancouver Canucks. We lost both games at home and left right after we lost Game 2. And this was the 2002 team that, from the day training camp started, if we didn't win the Stanley Cup, it was going to be a major disappointment.I just remember when we got on the bus, there was a huge cavalry of Vancouver Canucks fans, following the bus, heckling the bus, they had the brooms out, yelling "Sweep!" and all this stuff. I remember when we got to the hotel, we all met in a conference room and had a team meal and a casual conversation; it was players-only.Stevie just kind of came up and said, "You know what? All we gotta do is win Game 3. We do that, we're back in the series, and we go from there. We're gonna win Game 3, and we're gonna win this series." And it was just the way he said it. There was no doubt that this was going to happen. And sure enough, we end up winning Game 3.When you think about one of the greatest leaders in the game ... Stevie Y comes in and addresses the team, and it was just how he said it. It's something that I never forget, sitting in that hotel and having that team meal. And sure enough, we won Game 3 and went on to win the Stanley Cup.Rapid FireThe best players he ever played with: Steve Yzerman, Pavel DatsyukThe best players he ever played against: Wayne Gretzky, Joe SakicThe best goaltenders he ever faced: Ed Belfour, Patrick Roy(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tuesday is the new Saturday, at least as far as the NHL schedule goes.It might be mid-week, but with 11 games on the docket, there's no shortage of intriguing matchups. Among them will be a rematch between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals, plus the return of Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson.With so many games on the slate, here are the three you can't miss:Maple Leafs vs. CapitalsIt was arguably the most intriguing matchup of the first round last spring, and the Capitals and Maple Leafs will renew acquaintances when they go head-to-head for the first time this season.The Capitals got by the Maple Leafs in six games in a series that saw every game decided by a single goal, including five that needed overtime.Both clubs boast top-10 offenses to begin the year, including the Maple Leafs who are averaging a league-best 5.2 goals per game. Meanwhile, the Capitals have the league's top-three scorers in Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Alex Ovechkin.This one could be a track meet.Lightning vs. DevilsAt first glance, the Tampa Bay Lightning battling the New Jersey Devils in mid-October might not seem that appealing, but given the starts the teams are off to, this is certainly a game to keep your eyes on.Both are thriving after missing the playoffs last season and lead their divisions, as the Lightning pace the NHL with a 5-1-0 record, while the Devils have gone 4-1-0.The Devils are getting great contributions from rookie defenseman Will Butcher and wunderkind Jesper Bratt. Meanwhile, Nikita Kucherov is a man possessed, having scored in each of the Lightning's first six games.Don't sleep on this one.Canucks vs. SenatorsErik Karlsson is back.After enduring the season's first two weeks without him, the Senators welcome their captain back when they host the Vancouver Canucks. Karlsson will make his season debut after recovering from offseason foot surgery.Related - Senators' Boucher: Karlsson the 'best player in the world'The Canucks are off to a mediocre 1-2-1 start, while the Senators have weathered the storm of being without their top player and are one of two clubs - the Los Angeles Kings being the other - that haven't lost in regulation this season.With a 3-0-2 record, the Senators sit tied with the Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings for second in the Atlantic Division and with Karlsson back in the fold, it'll be interesting to see how much better the club can be.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

DETROIT (AP) Nikita Kucherov scored his second goal of the game with 18:13 remaining in the third period, lifting the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night.Tyler Johnson also scored for the Lightning, who now have the NHL's top record after winning their fourth game in a row. Justin Abdelkader and Mike Green scored in the second period to help Detroit erase a 2-0 deficit, but Kucherov broke the tie early in the third with his seventh goal of the season.Kucherov reached out with one hand on his stick and barely got a piece of a loose puck in front of the net, deflecting it under Jimmy Howard and slowly into the net.Kucherov had exactly one goal in each of Tampa Bay's first five games this season, and he added two more Monday. He's now second in the league in goals, two behind Washington's Alex Ovechkin.Johnson opened the scoring with a short-handed goal in the first period, collecting the puck near his own blue line and outskating Trevor Daley the other way before beating Howard. Kucherov scored on a power play 101 seconds later with a wrist shot from the right circle.Abdelkader's goal came after some extensive deliberation by the officials. He was hooked from behind by Victor Hedman on a breakaway, but he was able to get a shot off. Andrei Vasilevskiy made the save, and Abdelkader went sliding into him. Detroit's Darren Helm, who was trailing the play, put the rebound into the net.After a review, officials took the goal away, ruling that Abdelkader had interfered with the goalie and Hedman was guilty of a hooking penalty. After additional discussion, Abdelkader was given a penalty shot, which he converted.Green's tying goal was set up by Tomas Tatar, who started a rush with some impressive stickhandling in his own zone, and then eventually passed to Green, who followed his own shot and scored on the rebound.UP NEXTLightning: Visit New Jersey on Tuesday night.Red Wings: Visit Toronto on Wednesday night.---For more AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtristerCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Step aside Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid.Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson is the NHL's top player, or so says his coach."I think he's the best player in the world," Senators bench boss Guy Boucher told reporters Monday. "He has an impact on everything. Your breakouts, your transition, your offensive zone, your power play, your defensive play. (He's) your leader. He is who he is. He is such a presence."Karlsson - who missed the Senators' first five regular-season games as he's continued to recover from offseason foot surgery - will be back in the lineup Tuesday when Ottawa takes on the Vancouver Canucks.His return comes on the heels of what many pundits projected to be a tough go for the Senators without their captain in the lineup. But just the opposite occurred, as Ottawa holds a 3-0-2 record on the season and is one of just two clubs to remain undefeated in regulation time.That includes the club's recent Western Canadian road swing, where the Senators went a perfect 3-0 for the first time in franchise history, a trip that was highlighted by back-to-back blowout wins over the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers."It's time. We did well without him," Boucher added. "A lot of people talked about the word 'survive' before he gets back, but I think the players should get all the credit for not just surviving but growing and every day wanting to get better."Erik comes in and the first thing he said, 'Let's just keep getting better.' I think we have everybody on the same page. Erik coming in is going to continue to help us do that."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minor-league sports fans are accustomed to seeing their teams use gimmicks in order to drive interest.But the Southern Professional Hockey League has taken things a step further, implementing a new initiative that will impact the on-ice play.The SPHL announced its new playoff format Monday, which will see the top three teams in the standings hand pick their postseason opponent. The league is home to 10 teams, with the top eight clubs qualifying for the postseason.The new arrangement, known as the Challenge Round, will see the top three teams select from the other five playoff clubs, with the team with the most points earning the right to pick first. The remaining two teams will then face off against each other in the opening round of the playoffs.The SPHL was founded in 2004 and is three tiers below the NHL. In 2014, Carolina Hurricanes netminder Scott Darling - who once played for the SPHL's Louisiana IceGators and the Mississippi RiverKings - became the first league alumnus to make it to the NHL.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL on NBC color commentator Eddie Olczyk is set to make his return to the broadcast booth just two months after being diagnosed with colon cancer.Olczyk will be part of Wednesday's broadcast, a rivalry-night showdown between the Central Division's Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues.Olczyk, 51, has completed three rounds of chemotherapy, and will work when his health allows."We have some dates that we have highlighted and hopefully I will be strong enough to do the job," Olczyk told Kevin Allen of USA Today. "If I am not feeling good, I just have to be honest with everyone and tell them I can't do it."Doing what I love to do will help me pass the time. Looking at the calendar hour by hour, day by day, week by week, month by month gets a little long."Prior to becoming a broadcaster, Olczyk spent 16 seasons in the NHL, lacing up the skates for six different clubs prior to his retirement in 2000. He later coached 113 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights' social media department hasn't been shy about pushing the envelope since arriving in the NHL, but on Monday, they admitted they went too far."Before Sunday's game against the Boston Bruins, we issued a series of tweets quoting a Boston-based movie with a bear as its main character that were in poor taste," the Golden Knights wrote to USA TODAY Sports via email."By no means were the tweets intended to disparage females or female hockey players in any way. We do not condone sexism in any form and fully support the inclusive culture of hockey that makes our sport great. We accept full responsibility for our actions and apologize to those who were offended."Here were the tweets, before they were deleted:The female names are apparently referenced in the movie "Ted," a Seth MacFarlane comedy from 2012 starring Boston native Mark Wahlberg and featuring a talking teddy bear.Athlete Ally, which "educates and activates athletic communities to eliminate homophobia and transphobia in sports," wrote in a statement that, "These (sexist) acts have no place in sport or society."The organization's founder and executive director, Hudson Taylor, added the following:

Nikolaj Ehlers is the NHL's latest recipient of its first star of the week distinction.The Winnipeg Jets forward racked up five goals - including a natural hat trick and two game-winners - to go along with two assists in three victories.Toronto Maple Leafs sophomore sensation Auston Matthews picked up second star of the week honors with four goals - including two overtime winners - in three games.Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom claimed the third star of the week after piling up nine points in four games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mark Streit's reunion with the Montreal Canadiens is officially over.The club revealed Monday that a mutual agreement was reached with the veteran defenseman in order to terminate his contract.Streit was waived last week after Montreal was reportedly shopping him. He chose not to report to the AHL after going unclaimed by all other NHL clubs on the wire.The 39-year-old signed a one-year deal to return to the Canadiens in July.He played his first three NHL seasons with the organization from 2005-06 to 2007-08, after being selected by Montreal in the ninth round of the 2004 draft.Streit's return to the Canadiens lasted only two games, during which he was held off the scoresheet while averaging a mere 14:13 in ice time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings are doing their best to dispel most preseason predictions, but there are several signs that the club's encouraging start is unsustainable.Let's get the obligatory "it's early" disclaimer out of the way, because that's always a critical caveat when looking at standings or statistics through five games, or what amounts to six percent of the Red Wings' regular-season schedule.It's not just the notion of typical early-season wackiness that should curb Detroit's enthusiasm over its 4-1-0 record.Here are three other reasons why the Red Wings aren't likely to maintain the success they've enjoyed so far:Their opponentsDetroit opened its season with an impressive win over the Minnesota Wild, a consistently competitive club many expect to challenge for the Central Division crown.But then, they needed a shootout to beat the Ottawa Senators and lost to a Dallas Stars team that's still trying to gel, while their two other wins came against the Vegas Golden Knights - a terrific story, but another likely mirage - and the Arizona Coyotes.The reality check will begin Monday night, when the Red Wings battle the Tampa Bay Lightning - a team many have pegged to win the Stanley Cup in the spring - followed by a road date with the dynamic Toronto Maple Leafs, and then a meeting with the explosive Washington Capitals on Friday.How the Red Wings fare in those three contests will be telling, regardless of the remaining schedule.The underlying numbersOn the surface, there's a lot to like about Detroit's first handful of games. The Red Wings boast the NHL's fourth-most effective penalty kill (91.3 percent), and the 11th-best power play (22.2). They're in the top 10 in goals per game (3.4) and rank seventh in goals allowed per contest (2.4).But a closer look at more meaningful figures shows the club is not as good as it appears.The Red Wings are 16th in Corsi For percentage at even strength (49.77), according to Corsica Hockey. That tells us that while their special teams play has been effective, they're being outplayed at even strength.Detroit has a plus-6 goal differential through five games, a mark bested so far by only five clubs, but a team shooting percentage of 9.73 and a PDO of 101.9 (via FirstLineStats) indicate regression is likely coming.Howard isn't this good, even if Mrazek isn't this badAgain, we're dealing with an extremely small sample size here, but that doesn't mean we can't put things in context.Jimmy Howard is 3-0-0 with a .955 save percentage in three games, which is above average in a limited time frame, but a quick glance at his career numbers and his age give reason to believe it's not sustainable.The 33-year-old's career save percentage is .916, and while he posted a stellar .927 figure last season, that was in only 26 games. The .955 mark is bound to come down.Petr Mrazek is better than the .898 save percentage he has through two appearances, but his career mark of .913 shows he's not better by much.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Erik Karlsson is back.The Ottawa Senators' superstar defenseman will make his season debut Tuesday night against the Vancouver Canucks, head coach Guy Boucher confirmed Monday.Karlsson missed the Senators' first five games recovering from offseason foot surgery.The two-time Norris Trophy winner didn't join Ottawa on last week's road swing, a three-game Western Canadian tour on which they defeated the Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Edmonton Oilers.On Monday, Boucher attempted to allay any concerns that his all-world defenseman was going to play before being fully healthy."One-hundred percent he's ready," Boucher said, according to TSN's Ian Mendes. "He will play (Tuesday)."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 NHL 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 Jeremy Roenick, who became one of the best power forwards of his generation while tallying 1,216 points over his 20-year NHL career.On the memory of his first NHL game:I remember how scared I was in the locker room.I remember I was 158 pounds, and I should have been a senior in high school - and here I am starting my first NHL game. I remember just being so in awe of the size of the guys, and how intimidated I was. They were like gladiators, and here I am, a scrawny little kid trying to survive. It was exciting, but it was extremely scary at the same time.On his first NHL goal:It was a pretty cheap goal - but you go to the net, and good things happen.Brian Noonan and I had played together in the summer leagues, so we were on the same team for three or four summers. And it just so happened that we would be playing together in Minnesota (where the Blackhawks were facing the North Stars.)I got called back up from junior in February - it was Valentine's Day - and I remember almost missing the flight because of a snowstorm. I remember getting into Minnesota just before the pregame skate, so I didn't even get to participate. I hadn't skated in a month and a half because of a knee injury; I had everything going against me.I remember Brian throwing the puck into the crease, and it slipped through (North Stars goaltender) Kari Takko's feet and was sitting right on the goal line. And all I had to do was skate by and tap it in. That was my first goal. It wasn't anything pretty, but it was memorable because of who assisted on it and because of the circumstances.On playing a physical game as a small forward:I was really afraid. I was forced to do it by Mike Keenan. He grabbed me by the throat on the bench in Kalamazoo in one of my first preseason games, because I wouldn't hit anybody. I would always swing by and wouldn't finish my check - and that's just not acceptable for Mike Keenan. So he said I wouldn't play a single game for him as long as I continued to swing by checks.I was fearful of what would happen if I didn't finish my check, even though I was small and weak. So I used my speed to turn myself into a human torpedo. I would have ice packs all over my body after games. But the fans seemed to like it, and I seemed to enjoy it, and then I would score goals and make big hits all at the same time, so it was pretty cool.It probably took a few years (to feel comfortable playing a physical game). I started putting on some weight, and felt much stronger. I totally enjoyed it, but I took a real beating on my body. It was just getting into that mentality of having to hit everybody that was pretty scary.On who hit him the hardest:Jim Johnson hit me with an elbow one time and knocked me out. That was 15 minutes of my life that I don't even remember anymore, so that was scary. Scott Pearson hit me in Toronto, and it stopped me in my tracks. All the wind got blown out of me.I've been hit hard by a lot of guys. Darcy Tucker absolutely launched his entire body at me and hit me as hard as he could. But I loved the competition with those guys. I would go around and hit people, and they would do it to me. That's just what the game was all about.On the best trash-talkers he encountered in his career:Kevin Stevens was a great trash-talker. Dallas Drake was a phenomenal trash-talker, as was Keith Tkachuk. These guys were just so funny to listen to. Stu Grimson, Mike Pleuso, they always threw out funny one-liners.I remember Dallas Drake commenting as (Red Wings teammate) Darren McCarty was skating off the ice. Drake said he told him to get off the ice and go to the locker room before he scared all little kids in the stands. He was so ugly that he was scaring kids out of the building. (laughs) Just stupid little one-liners that come out when you're not expecting it.On his favorite referee memory:I have a bunch. And I really respected the referees, even though I didn't show it a lot of times because I was a whiner, complainer, bitcher.I remember one time I was skating down the ice, and I was flying. And I got tripped by an opposing player. Kerry Fraser was the referee. And I turned around and yelled at him, "What the fuck, Kerry? How could you not call that a tripping penalty?" And Kerry goes, "Tripping? You fell. You fell on your own."I said, "What? Are you kidding me? I'm one of the best skaters on the planet. You think I would just fall for no reason?" And he looked right at me and started laughing his ass off. He's told that story to so many people. We both got a good chuckle out of that.On players he considers underrated even to this day:People don't understand how really good competitive guys like Chris Chelios and Tkachuk were. Not only were they great, but they did so many little things and the competitive effort was so far off the map that you wouldn't believe it watching it day by day.There were defenseman that were flashier, that were better goal scorers or offensive threats, guys like Paul Coffey and Ray Bourque - guys like that who took the spotlight away from Chelios because they had better offensive prowess or looked like better skaters. Chelios was not a good-looking skater - he had to work for everything he had. He had to dig harder than most guys.He wasn't the biggest guy, but his heart and his dedication and his commitment were triple that of most guys I've ever seen. With Coffey, he would be behind his own net and next thing you knew, the puck was in the back of the net. Chelios didn't look graceful, or look like he was dominating, but he did a lot of little things that helped win games.Justin Williams is another guy that I think was under the radar. He scored more Game 7 goals and points than anybody in history. He was a guy who found a way to get it done.On the greatest game he ever played:I think I'd have to pick my first year, in 1989, in the playoffs against St. Louis, where I lost my teeth and had 15 stitches. I had a skate blade that hit my nose in the first period, and Glen Featherstone cross-checked me in the mouth and knocked out three teeth.I got a two-minute penalty, and he got a five-minute major. I came out of the box and scored the game-winning goal in that game. That was kind of like a coming-out party for me. It's where my reputation was kind of written out and created. I always have that in the back of my mind.The 2002 Olympics, playing the Canadians in the gold-medal game, is probably one of my proudest, favorite moments as an athlete. Even though we lost, that put a stamp on USA Hockey being a world power, playing on such a large stage for the gold medal against our archrivals. It was pretty cool.On what stands out from the last NHL game he ever played:How pissed off I was, and how much I hated (Ducks goalie Jonas) Hiller.We (the San Jose Sharks) were one of the best teams in the league again; we won the Presidents Cup in 2009 and we lost in the first round to the Ducks because of Hiller. He just stood on his head; he was invincible. He pretty much beat us by himself. I think I won the Presidents Cup trophy three or four times and lost in the first round twice.I think that frustration and disappointment, and that hatred for that goaltender because of how well he played, is what sticks with me.On his favorite hockey story that he hasn't shared much:I remember my second year, we were playing the Edmonton Oilers in the conference finals. And I was having so much fun playing the game and competing through the playoffs; I remember it was the time of my life.Before our elimination game at home, right before the game started, I was filled with so much emotion and fear that the season could be over that night that it overcame me. I ran into the changing room where we put all our clothes, and I sat in my stall and literally cried my eyes out because I was so afraid that the season could be over that night, and I didn't want it to be over.I loved playing so much that the fear of the season ending was the end of the world to me. And then I went out and watched one of the best performances I've ever seen by an NHL player. Mark Messier beat us pretty much single-handedly and ended our season. I've seen some pretty good individual efforts in my time, and Messier's was one of them.On which active player reminds him most of himself:I think in watching Jamie Benn play ... fierce, hard-hitting, he'll fight, scores beautiful goals, I think his mentality probably is the closest to the way I played. I think I hit a lot more than Jamie does. I think I hit a lot more than any player does these days.I've been asked this question before, and I really can't think of anybody that hit as much as I did, or ran around and threw the body as much as I did and scored as much as I did, points-wise. That might sound egotistical, but not to the level and extent that I did.Quick HitsThe greatest player he ever played with: Chris CheliosThe greatest player he ever played against: Mark MessierThe best goaltender he ever faced: Martin BrodeurThe best coach(es) he ever had: Mike Keenan, Todd McLellan(Special thanks to the NHL Alumni Association for its assistance.)(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The month of October usually has very little effect on how the NHL standings and player stat lines look come the end of the season, but at this point, it's all we have.So even though it's still way too early, let's put the small sample sizes aside, and take a look at five players who haven't had the impact we expected in the early stages of the new campaign.Brent BurnsComing off a dominant season that earned him a Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman, Burns has struggled to be the offensive catalyst the Sharks need to generate consistent offense.Burns has produced just one assist through four games, while the Sharks only have one win. The 32-year-old blue-liner is still getting pucks on net (18), and is logging heavy minutes (26:04 per game), but in order for San Jose to find its footing, Burns will need to lead the charge.Cam TalbotThe Oilers are facing numerous early-season problems, but perhaps even more surprising than their lack of scoring punch has been Talbot's sluggish play thus far.After posting a .919 save percentage across 73 starts for Edmonton last season, Talbot owns an .880 clip and a 3.96 goals-against average in four games to start the campaign. Goaltenders frequently go through ups and downs over the course of the NHL schedule, so the Oilers are surely hoping their workhorse begins his upward trend sooner rather than later.Max PaciorettyPacioretty is by no means the only player on Montreal's roster in need of an offensive jolt, but only one point through five games has left something to be desired from the team's captain.As a perennial 30-goal threat, Pacioretty rightfully earns top-line minutes, but after being blanked for four consecutive games, it's about time to get things going.Ryan O'ReillyThe Sabres are off to a dreadful start in a season that was supposed to be a step forward, in large part because nearly their entire offensive output has come from Jack Eichel and Evander Kane.O'Reilly, on the other hand, has contributed just one assist during Buffalo's early slide, and has a relative Corsi For percentage of minus-4.4. For a player who's relied upon heavily at both ends of the ice - and also earns $7.5 million per season - it's been an underwhelming showing so far.Alexander RadulovRadulov hasn't endeared himself to the Stars faithful quite as quickly as he did in Montreal last season, producing just two assists in five games to begin the season.Linemates Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn each have four points, and while Radulov by no means looks out of place, we've yet to catch a glimpse of his electrifying abilities. Odds are it occurs sooner than later, but until then, we're left pining for a little more.(Photos Courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With each win, the Vegas Golden Knights keep making history.The Knights became the third team in NHL history to record four wins in the first five games of their inaugural season, according to NHL Public Relations. The only other franchises to do so were the 1917-18 Montreal Canadiens and the 1926-27 New York Rangers.Though a road tilt with Dallas to begin the season was certainly a challenge right out of the gate, Vegas' matchup against the Bruins on Sunday night represented its first meeting with a 2016-17 playoff team.The Golden Knights controlled the better part of the game, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the second period and never looking back, winning 3-1 and outshooting the Corsi-darling Bruins 26-22.They could very well be favored to win their next matchup (against the Sabres), but the Golden Knights will then face the Blues and Blackhawks - legitimate tests for the early-season Cinderella.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights' scorching-hot start is the most surprising storyline of the NHL season thus far. And while Marc-Andre Fleury and James Neal have deservedly drawn most of the attention, the following three players have been integral to the team's 4-1 record.Nate SchmidtEven with Neal's six goals, Schmidt has arguably been the Golden Knights' most complete player. Going from being the sixth/seventh defenseman in Washington to the No. 1 in Vegas has brought out the best in the smooth-skating blue-liner.Heading into the Golden Knights' tilt with the Bruins, Schmidt led all Vegas players in ice time, and then went on to play a team-high 22:39 in their 3-1 victory Sunday night.In five games, Schmidt has one goal, two assists, a plus-2 rating, nine shots, 11 blocked shots, three takeaways, and just one giveaway.Luca SbisaWhile Schmidt has been sensational, so has his defense partner, Sbisa. The former first-round pick has played nearly 500 NHL games, but seems to finally be coming into his own now at 27 years old.Sbisa ranks second on the Knights in ice time and has collected three points with a plus-2 rating. While Schmidt is the more offensive player, Sbisa has brought a physical presence, dishing out a team-high 13 hits.As a duo, Schmidt and Sbisa had the 18th-best Corsi For percentage and the sixth-best penalty differential (at five-on-five) among all NHL defense pairings heading into Sunday night, per Corsica.David PerronWhile Neal has been scoring all of Vegas' goals, his linemate Perron has been setting him up; the latter has three assists, with two of them being primary helpers, per Natural Stat Trick.Here's a look at some of Perron's handiwork:

LAS VEGAS (AP) Alex Tuch and Vadim Shipachyov made the most of their debuts with the Vegas Golden Knights, as they each scored a goal in a 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday.It was just the seventh career game for Tuch, who played in six games with Minnesota last season, while Shipachyov was making his NHL debut. Both players were recalled from Chicago of the AHL to fill roster spots for the suddenly banged-up Golden Knights.Also making his Vegas debut was goalie Malcolm Subban, who stopped 21 shots for the win against his former team.Subban, claimed off waivers Oct. 3 from the Bruins, got the nod when No. 1 goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was placed on injured reserve earlier in the day.Subban had started only two NHL games, both for Boston. He spent most of his time in Providence, where he played in 127 minor league games over four seasons. His best year statistically was during the 2014-15 season, when he finished with a .921 save percentage. In his only two previous NHL starts, Subban had a .727 save percentage for the Bruins.Tuch, who had four goals and an assist in three AHL games, poked the puck away from Sean Kuraly, skated past Kevan Miller and beat Boston goalie Tuukka Rask with a shot in the upper left corner to give the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead with 5:21 left in the second period. It was Tuch's first NHL goal.Three minutes later, after Rask stopped Tuch's attempt and fell on his back with traffic around the net, Shipachyov slid the puck past the scrum in front to make it 2-0 with 2:14 left in the period.Rask made 25 saves for the Bruins. With their goalie pulled for an extra skater, David Pastrnak scored Boston's goal with 30 seconds left.Golden Knights center Oscar Lindberg added an empty-net goal with 14 seconds remaining.The Bruins, who completed their first of 14 sets of back-to-back games after winning 6-2 in Arizona on Friday, were 4-8-2 in the second game of back-to-backs last season.Boston now returns home for a four-game homestand after completing a 1-2 road trip.NOTES: After playing only four games in its inaugural season, the dinged-up Golden Knights also placed forward Erik Haula on injured reserve on Saturday. In addition to Tuch and Shipachyov, goalie Maxime Lagace was recalled from Chicago to fill the roster spots. ... The Golden Knights continued to struggle with power-play opportunities, failing on four attempts in the game. They are 1 for 21 this season on the power play. ... Three Bruins will celebrate milestones in their next game, with Patrice Bergeron approaching his 900th game played, Rask set to play the 400th of his career, and Tim Schaller one short of 100 in his career. ... Boston center Ryan Spooner left in the third period and did not return.UP NEXTBruins: Off until Thursday, when they host Vancouver.Golden Knights: Host the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.---More AP hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Malcolm Subban will have a chance to stick it to his former team when he starts in goal Sunday night versus the Boston Bruins, head coach Gerard Gallant confirmed.Subban was waived by the Bruins on Oct. 3 and was subsequently claimed by the Golden Knights. Due to Marc-Andre Fleury's concussion diagnosis, the 23-year-old has been thrust into the starter's role in Vegas.Since being drafted 24th overall in 2012, Subban has only made two NHL starts, both of which were losses. He showed signs of promise by posting a .917 save percentage in 32 AHL games last season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas honeymoon may be over.After going 3-1-0 to begin their inaugural season, the Golden Knights announced starting goalie and face of the franchise Marc-Andre Fleury has been placed on injured reserve with a concussion.The timetable is murky for this type of injury, but we know Fleury will be out at least a week, meaning he'll miss a minimum of three games.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has been placed on injured reserve with a concussion, the team announced Sunday.Fleury took a bump to the head during Friday's loss to Detroit, but remained in goal for the duration of the game.

Mark Streit's brief reunion with the Montreal Canadiens is coming to an end.The club has reportedly placed the veteran defenseman on waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.Streit was signed to a one-year contract on July 25, bringing him back to the team that drafted him in 2004.

Let's be clear. It's still very early in the season. Several teams have played a maximum of six games, and one (Carolina) has played only three.Within all the games played to date, 19 players have registered at least eight points, with the scoring leader board headed by a trio of Washington Capitals - Evgeny Kuznetsov (11), Nicklas Backstrom (11), and Alex Ovechkin (10).Among the other 16 players in that range, there are some rather surprising names. Here are five that stand out: Mike GreenIn the final year of his contract with the Detroit Red Wings, Green is proving he still has value on the blue line.Through five games, he's recorded eight assists, four of which have come on the power play, and three serving as the primary helpers.The 32-year-old is averaging almost 23 minutes of ice time per game and sits tied among all defensemen in points. He's also serving as a catalyst for a Red Wings team that wasn't expected to be all that competitive.Will ButcherThe 2017 Hobey Baker award winner as the top player in men's NCAA hockey was the focus of this year's college free-agent class after choosing not to sign with Colorado, who drafted him 123rd overall in 2013.Butcher decided to sign with the New Jersey Devils, and it's working out just fine for both parties. In five games, the rookie defenseman has matched Green's eight assists, making NHL history in the process.

By now, the hockey world is well aware of Nikita Kucherov's penchant for scoring goals, and after netting 40 in 2016-17, it appears the mystery on how to slow down the Russian sniper is yet to be solved.Kucherov, who's potted five goals in five games to start the new campaign, is a strong possession player, has great linemates, fires a ton of shots on goal, and gets top minutes at both even strength and on the powerplay - all of which are key ingredients to producing a high number of goals.However, no matter how you boil it down, the bottom line when it comes to Kucherov is he can score from anywhere, in any way. Below, we'll take a look at multiple examples of his unique goal-scoring versatility.Backhand magicHere's a look at Kucherov's latest goal, the game-winner in Saturday's contest versus St. Louis.

Rick Tocchet is sorry.The Arizona Coyotes head coach apologized to fans of his team following Saturday's 6-2 loss to the Boston Bruins. It was the fifth-straight defeat for the Coyotes, as Arizona remains winless on the season, holding an 0-4-1 record."I'm embarrassed," Tocchet told Sarah McLellan or The Arizona Republic. "I apologize to the fans."Tocchet is in his first year behind the Coyotes' bench following an eight-year run by former head coach Dave Tippett. His hiring was part of a major offseason makeover by the club, which has failed to qualify for the playoffs in each of the past five years.But the team's summer acquisitions - including Derek Stepan, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Jason Demers, and goaltender Antti Raanta - have yet to deliver in the early goings of the new season."When pressure hits this team for some reason, adversity, they just forget where to go and then they just starting running around," Tocchet added.Tocchet's next opportunity to win his first game with Arizona comes Tuesday when the Coyotes take on the Dallas Stars.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.