No Sidney Crosby. No Conor Sheary. No problem.The Pittsburgh Penguins didn't dominate in Game 4 of their second-round series against the Washington Capitals, but they now have their opponents on the brink of elimination despite playing without their all-world superstar and his talented young linemate Wednesday night.Pittsburgh was out-played for much of Game 4, but the Penguins continued to show they're capable of succeeding even without multiple difference-makers.Both Crosby and Sheary were concussed - the captain in more controversial fashion - in Game 3, but their linemate, Jake Guentzel, stepped up his game in their absence.Guentzel scored a goal and added an assist on the winner, continuing his remarkable run of playoff production. He became the first rookie since Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand in 2011 to notch at least eight goals in a single postseason."He's a guy (who) finds ways to have success," Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said of Guentzel postgame. "He plays with courage. He's a smart player that can adapt his game."Marc-Andre Fleury has also been delivering amid an injury to a positional counterpart, and he excelled Wednesday night, stopping 36-of-38 shots to earn another win."He has elevated his game at an important time," Sullivan said of Fleury. "He's a Stanley Cup-winning goaltender, and he's showing it."Pittsburgh has played the entire postseason without goaltender Matt Murray, who got the lion's share of the starts in the regular season but was hurt during the warmup before Game 1 of the Penguins' first-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets.Compounding matters, the Penguins have also been without their best defenseman, Kris Letang, who had season-ending neck surgery in early April.Yet somehow, some way, Pittsburgh finds itself within a single win of knocking out the Presidents' Trophy-winning Capitals for the second straight year, and for the ninth time in 10 playoff series in their history.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

T.J. Oshie could have easily called out Nick Bonino for embellishing the late high-sticking call he drew on Oshie, but the Washington Capitals forward chose to take responsibility instead."Tough time to get a penalty," Oshie told reporters postgame, according to Chris Gordon of Russian Machine Never Breaks. "It's kind of an amateur play by me there."Oshie was called for high-sticking with 1:52 left in the third period of Game 4, putting the Penguins on a power play for the rest of regulation with a 3-2 lead.Replays showed Bonino jerking his head back after Oshie's stick caught him on the arm. Despite the apparent case of embellishment by his opponent, the Capitals winger continued to look inward."You (have to) check your feet in those big moments," he said following the 3-2 defeat that put Washington on the brink of elimination, down 3-1 in the series.Oshie didn't blame Bonino for the theatrical reaction."I didn't think I hit him that hard, but I've been on the other side," he said. "The natural reaction when you get hit is your head snaps back a little bit. It's unfortunate. Tough to be in that situation. I'm still positive we're going to be able to pull it out, but (it's) tough (to play) 5-on-5 with the goalie pulled."Game 5 goes Saturday night back in Washington.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With Sidney Crosby on the sidelines, the stage was set for Alex Ovechkin.But the Washington Capitals captain failed to deliver in Game 4. Ovechkin was held off the scoresheet in Crosby's absence, later taking responsibility for his poor performance."I didn't play my game at all tonight. Me personally, I have to play much better," Ovechkin told ESPN's Craig Custance. "I didn't control the puck well. I make stupid decisions. Unfortunately it happened."Ovechkin finished the night with just two shots on goal. He was twice whistled for minor penalties.After finishing the regular season with an NHL-best record of 118 points, the Capitals now trail 3-1 in their second-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.The Capitals must win Game 5 on Saturday to keep their Stanley Cup dreams alive.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

And the Oscar goes to ...A late high-stick penalty on Washington Capitals winger T.J. Oshie, who appeared to clip Pittsburgh Penguins center Nick Bonino, negated a last-minute comeback for the trailing Capitals.A replay later showed that Bonino's face was not struck on the play and that Oshie's stick in fact made contact with Bonino's shoulder. Oshie was whistled with 1:52 remaining.At the time of the call, Washington was down 3-2, with netminder Braden Holtby soon headed to the bench for the extra attacker. Instead, the Capitals' would-be 6-on-5 advantage turned into a power play for the Penguins in the game's final minutes.Pittsburgh did not capitalize with the man advantage, but held on for a 3-2 victory to push their series lead to 3-1.The Capitals will fight for their playoff lives Saturday in Washington.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dmitry Orlov is going to want a do-over.The Washington Capitals defenseman scored an own goal early in the second period of Game 4 on Wednesday night when Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel's centering pass deflected in off his skate.The gaffe gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead, and the Capitals quickly tied it up with two goals in just over a minute, but Justin Schultz's power play goal restored the lead to 3-2.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Niskanen's status as persona non grata in Pittsburgh apparently extends to the Penguins' starting goaltender.Marc-Andre Fleury blocked out the Washington Capitals defenseman's nickname on his mask with tape following Niskanen's hit that concussed Sidney Crosby in Game 3 on Monday night.Fleury originally had the names of several former teammates painted on his headgear, later adding "Nisky" and "Neal" for former Penguins forward James Neal.Here's what the mask looked like beforehand:And here's how it looks now:If there's any consolation for Niskanen, at least Fleury didn't paint over it.(Images courtesy: CBC)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

From one Cole Harbour native to another.Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon is upset that his fellow Nova Scotian, Sidney Crosby, is once again dealing with concussion issues."It's really sad because that guy has been through wars and people don't know how much of a warrior he really is," MacKinnon told CBC News. "That's very unfortunate and it makes me upset. I don't like hearing that stuff. I'm really feeling for him."Crosby is sidelined with a concussion after taking a hard cross-check from Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen. It marks the fourth head injury of Crosby's 12-year career.The Penguins captain suffered his first concussion during the 2010-11 season and was limited to 41 games. Crosby played just 22 games the following year after he was diagnosed with another head injury.Crosby has appeared in eight games this postseason, recording 11 points. He trails only teammates Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel in playoff scoring.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Just how good has Pekka Rinne been this postseason?The Nashville Predators netminder has put up numbers that put him ahead of the best in the NHL's 100-year history.Allowing just 11 goals on 232 shots, no goaltender has ever posted a higher save rate through eight games. Rogie Vachon of the Montreal Canadiens owned an equal save percentage during the 1969 playoffs:Goalie Team Playoffs GP Record GAA SV%Pekka RinnePredators201787-11.33.953Rogie VachonCanadiens196987-11.42.953Jacques PlanteCanadiens196088-01.35.950Jacques PlanteCanadiens1969108-21.43.950Johnny BowerMaple Leafs1963108-21.60.949Gerry CheeversBruins196996-31.68.947Jonathan QuickKings20122016-41.41.946Patrick LalimeSenators2002127-51.39.946J.S. GiguereDucks20032115-61.62.945Ron TugnuttPenguins2000116-51.77.945Meanwhile, Rinne's goals-against average, coming in at 1.33, also keeps him in the top 10 all time. The best number in that category is held by Terry Sawchuk, who allowed just five goals in eight games for a 0.63 GAA in the 1952 postseason.Rinne will dress for his ninth game Friday, while Predators fans hope his performance this spring stays sustainable.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Who's whining now?Asked about Anaheim Ducks coach Randy Carlyle's critique that Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid receives the white-glove treatment from referees, rival bench boss Todd McLellan offered his own opinion."I heard that and I was surprised because I thought we were supposed to be the team whining," McLellan told reporters prior to Game 4. "That threw me off a little bit."As far as Connor goes, I think there are maybe two, three, maybe four players in the league ... Connor, the guy who isn't playing in Pittsburgh tonight, and some others that have to play through that hooking, holding, and mauling and all that type of stuff that goes on."McDavid has drawn a penalty in each of the three games so far, while the Oilers' power play has gone 3-for-12 in the series.Edmonton leads the series 2-1 and has a chance to take a stranglehold Wednesday on home ice."The white glove part of it," McLellan continued, "I think that's questioning the integrity of the officiating, so I'm going to stay out of that and let (Anaheim) do that."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

An injury to Patrick Eaves will likely bring two prominent Anaheim Ducks back together.Eaves, who's doubtful for Game 4 against the Edmonton Oilers with a lower-body injury, has been playing on a line with Ryan Getzlaf, bumping a struggling Corey Perry down the depth chart.In advance of a game the Ducks need to win in order to tie the series, head coach Randy Carlyle put Perry back on Getzlaf's wing, along with the first power-play unit, hoping the familiarity will spur some much-needed offense."I’m comfortable there obviously," Perry said, per Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register. "I was there for a long time. It’s something that if it ends up that way, it’s a good thing for me. I just got to embrace it and roll with it."Perry has scored one goal in seven playoff games after managing only 19 over 82 regular-season games, well below his normal output. He does have 19 shots and plenty more attempts this postseason, and feels like it's only a matter of time before he gets going."I’ve had my chances to score," he said. "The puck hasn’t gone in the net. I’ve had my shots. You look at my shot totals and they’re up there where they normally are. My shooting percentage is way down. That’s all it is."Getzlaf leads the Ducks with nine playoff points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thought to be foes, a measure of respect exists between Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby.In advance of Game 4 between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins, the Russian winger addressed the concussion suffered by Crosby in the previous contest, wishing him a speedy return.Related - Niskanen: Retaliation from Penguins possible as 'hockey players are emotional'"It's hard to see a player go down, and it's hard to see he get hurt," Ovechkin said Wednesday, per Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post. "He's a player you don't want that stuff to happen (to), so it's sad. I hope he's going to be fine and come back in the series."The injury was caused by a hit to the head by Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen, an event immediately preceded by a hard slash by Ovechkin on the Penguins captain."It's hockey, you know?" Ovechkin said of the play. "We move forward, and they are. I'm pretty sure they're going to be strong on the puck, they're going to play physical, and it's going to be interesting game."Ovechkin added he expects coutryman Evgeni Malkin to step up in Crosby's absence, as he's done in the past.Game 4 is set for Wednesday in Pittsburgh.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola is looking for the next head coach of his beleaguered NHL team - but he'll take a break from his search this Saturday, when he'll watch a couple of members from his other sports franchise compete in the Kentucky Derby.Viola and partners own the aptly-named Always Dreaming, a top contender in the Derby. The 3-year-old colt, who races for Viola's St. Elias Stable, is also owned by Viola's wife Teresa, MelB Stables, Brooklyn Boyz Stable, and West Point Thoroughbreds. Always Dreaming won the Florida Derby last month, a respected prep race for the Derby.Always Dreaming is the second co-favorite at 5-1 on the Wednesday morning line. He will run from post position 5.Viola and partners weren't messing around with their intentions for the colt when they purchased Always Dreaming two years ago for $350,000; Always Dreaming was purchased with the Derby in mind. He has not disappointed, winning three of his five races, while finishing no worse than third. The horse is trained by Todd Pletcher, who has entered three other horses in the Derby.Despite Viola only taking a serious interest in race horses six years ago, his stable has already earned more than $1.7 million, not including its partnerships. The billionaire trader was a candidate for President Trump's Secretary of the Army, but turned down the role due to business conflicts.Always Dreaming is Viola's first Derby starter.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Earlier this week, Viola added to his stake in this year's Run for the Roses - purchasing stallion interests in another Derby favorite, Irish War Cry. Viola does not own the horse yet, but will own shares when the colt - listed at 6-1 on the morning line - retires to the stud barn.Should Irish War Cry run well in the Derby and subsequent races, the investment could prove to be a lucrative one. Stud fees can exponentially eclipse what is earned on the racetrack - which could mean big things for both Viola and celebrity chef Bobby Flay, who is also a part of the deal.There has been a long history of NHL team owners and horse racing. For decades, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk had a formidable stable, as did hockey legend Conn Smythe. Bruce McNall owned horses with his star player Wayne Gretzky, while George Strawbridge, a shareholder in the Buffalo Sabres, breeds and races thoroughbreds all over the world.Viola is not the only notable sports figure with a horse in the Derby. Olympic champion skier Bode Miller owns part interest in 50-1 longshot Fast and Accurate, who will open from post position 3.A West Point graduate and native of Brooklyn, Viola is talking tough coming into the big race.He has said that a win in the Derby will not make up for the Panthers' dismal season, calling it a "simple failure." He was chastised in the media for the way in which he fired head coach Gerrard Gallant and assistant coach Mike Kelly, and he's allegedly courting the likes of former Montreal Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien for the vacancy. He also reportedly said he would be disappointed with anything less than a victory in the Derby.Given the success of his stable to date, it wouldn't be wise to bet against him.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Niskanen is prepared for anything.The Washington Capitals defenseman is Public Enemy No. 1 in Pittsburgh after levying a hit on Sidney Crosby that will cause the Penguins captain to miss at least Game 4 with a concussion.Retaliation, Niskanen believes, is not out of the question."Possibly," he admitted, per Mark Masters of TSN. "It's a hockey game. Hockey players are emotional guys."While he feels bad about the play, he isn't sure how it could have been avoided.

Matt Niskanen is prepared for anything.The Washington Capitals defenseman is Public Enemy No. 1 in Pittsburgh after levying a hit on Sidney Crosby that will cause the Penguins captain to miss at least Game 4 with a concussion.Retaliation, Niskanen believes, is not out of the question."Possibly," he admitted, per Mark Masters of TSN. "It's a hockey game. Hockey players are emotional guys."While he feels bad about the play, he isn't sure how it could have been avoided.

Nice guy, tries hard, defends his teammates.Penguins sniper Phil Kessel didn't mince words when responding to a quote from Capitals forward Jay Beagle."It should be nasty," Beagle had told Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. "It's the playoffs. That's the way we like to play. That's the way they like to play - you know, hard hits, going after each other. These are two teams that don't like each other."Khurshudyan noted that Beagle's quote wasn't in reference to Matt Niskanen's crosscheck in Game 3 that gave Sidney Crosby a concussion - it was just about the physical tone of a series between two rival teams.Yet, when the quote was passed on to Kessel, he didn't take it lightly."If he thinks that's a clean hit, he's an idiot," Kessel said, according to Chase Williams of WPXI.Beagle sarcastically responded by saying, "It hurts, deeply," according to Nora Princiotti of the Washington Times.Beagle also added that he and Kessel could settle their differences over a game of Mario Kart. Who wouldn't pay to see that?Beagle is clearly unafraid to display humor during serious times, but when asked about Niskanen's hit on Crosby, he agreed with Kessel that "it wasn't a clean hit," per TSN's Mark Masters.Game 4 is set to take place Wednesday night in Pittsburgh, where there should be no shortage of fireworks.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nice guy, tries hard, defends his teammates.Penguins sniper Phil Kessel didn't mince words when responding to a quote from Capitals forward Jay Beagle."It should be nasty," Beagle had told Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. "It's the playoffs. That's the way we like to play. That's the way they like to play - you know, hard hits, going after each other. These are two teams that don't like each other."Khurshudyan noted that Beagle's quote wasn't in reference to Matt Niskanen's crosscheck in Game 3 that gave Sidney Crosby a concussion - it was just about the physical tone of a series between two rival teams.Yet, when the quote was passed on to Kessel, he didn't take it lightly."If he thinks that's a clean hit, he's an idiot," Kessel said, according to Chase Williams of WPXI.Beagle sarcastically responded by saying, "It hurts, deeply," according to Nora Princiotti of the Washington Times.Beagle also added that he and Kessel could settle their differences over a game of Mario Kart. Who wouldn't pay to see that?Beagle is clearly unafraid to display humor during serious times, but when asked about Niskanen's hit on Crosby, he agreed with Kessel that "it wasn't a clean hit," per TSN's Mark Masters.Game 4 is set to take place Wednesday night in Pittsburgh, where there should be no shortage of fireworks.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A Buffalo judge has officially dismissed charges against Sabres winger Evander Kane stemming from alleged incidents at a local bar last June.The dismissal Tuesday was based on a plea agreement reached in late October that required Kane to avoid legal issues for six months."The time period expired and so the charges were dismissed and the record sealed," Kane's lawyer, Paul Cambria, told The Buffalo News' Harold McNeil.Kane was charged with misdemeanor trespass and separate noncriminal violations of disorderly conduct and harassment after two female patrons and a bouncer at the bar alleged he had grabbed the women, pulled their hair, and then refused the bouncer's orders to leave.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A Buffalo judge has officially dismissed charges against Sabres winger Evander Kane stemming from alleged incidents at a local bar last June.The dismissal Tuesday was based on a plea agreement reached in late October that required Kane to avoid legal issues for six months."The time period expired and so the charges were dismissed and the record sealed," Kane's lawyer, Paul Cambria, told The Buffalo News' Harold McNeil.Kane was charged with misdemeanor trespass and separate noncriminal violations of disorderly conduct and harassment after two female patrons and a bouncer at the bar alleged he had grabbed the women, pulled their hair, and then refused the bouncer's orders to leave.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are where names are made.On the big stage, with the hockey world watching - that's when players want to come though for their teams.But as the second round continues, a few notable names have yet to hit the back of the net.Here are five that stand out.Not striking OilThe Oilers are winning, but so far, they're doing it without any goals off the sticks of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle.While Nugent-Hopkins has been lauded by head coach Todd McLellan as an effective two-way player, Eberle - who's perceived primarily as an offensive weapon - was recently called out for not doing enough to help the team win.Out of all the players remaining in the postseason yet to record a goal, Nugent-Hopkins' 24 shots lead the way. In fact, he ranks first on the Oilers in this category. Eberle, however, is well behind with 17 in nine games, which he admits is cause for concern."I want to score, put the puck in the net," he said, according to Mark Spector of Sportsnet. "The thing that sucks is, the last two games I haven't had too many chances, and that's when you start to worry. ..."I'm an offensive guy, and my own worst critic. You can be great defensively, do good board work and all that. But I'm a goal-scorer. I've got to put the puck in the net."Eberle scored 20 goals during the regular season, and Nugent-Hopkins chipped in with 18. It's time to dig deep and strike while there's still a chance to do so.Alex Pietrangel-0Coming off a regular season in which he scored a career-high 14 goals, St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has yet to hit the back of the net, despite 23 shots on goal through nine games.Six of those strikes came on the power play, which is not clicking for the Blues at the moment. St. Louis has recorded two goals on 24 opportunities, ranking seventh among the remaining eight teams with a success rate of 8.3 percent. That can't all be pinned on Pietrangelo, but his lack of production isn't helping the cause.The weird thing is that fellow Blues defenseman Joel Edmundson has scored three playoff goals, matching his regular-season total.If the captain can't start scoring from the back end, the Blues' season could be done as soon as the end of Game 5.No red lights for these BlueshirtsThe New York Rangers received high marks when college standouts Kevin Hayes and Jimmy Vesey decided to take their acts to Broadway as free agents. But in six games against the Montreal Canadiens and three against the Ottawa Senators, the Blueshirts have yet to benefit on the scoresheet from either player.Hayes has registered 16 shots without hitting the back of the net, while Vesey's 12 shots have proven equally as ineffective.Hayes (17 goals) and Vesey (16 goals) ranked sixth and seventh among Rangers scorers during the regular season, and provided a healthy measure of depth that's necessary to succeed in the playoffs.One or both needs to get it going in order to help erase the Senators' 2-1 series lead.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are where names are made.On the big stage, with the hockey world watching - that's when players want to come though for their teams.But as the second round continues, a few notable names have yet to hit the back of the net.Here are five that stand out.Not striking OilThe Oilers are winning, but so far, they're doing it without any goals off the sticks of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle.While Nugent-Hopkins has been lauded by head coach Todd McLellan as an effective two-way player, Eberle - who's perceived primarily as an offensive weapon - was recently called out for not doing enough to help the team win.Out of all the players remaining in the postseason yet to record a goal, Nugent-Hopkins' 24 shots lead the way. In fact, he ranks first on the Oilers in this category. Eberle, however, is well behind with 17 in nine games, which he admits is cause for concern."I want to score, put the puck in the net," he said, according to Mark Spector of Sportsnet. "The thing that sucks is, the last two games I haven't had too many chances, and that's when you start to worry. ..."I'm an offensive guy, and my own worst critic. You can be great defensively, do good board work and all that. But I'm a goal-scorer. I've got to put the puck in the net."Eberle scored 20 goals during the regular season, and Nugent-Hopkins chipped in with 18. It's time to dig deep and strike while there's still a chance to do so.Alex Pietrangel-0Coming off a regular season in which he scored a career-high 14 goals, St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has yet to hit the back of the net, despite 23 shots on goal through nine games.Six of those strikes came on the power play, which is not clicking for the Blues at the moment. St. Louis has recorded two goals on 24 opportunities, ranking seventh among the remaining eight teams with a success rate of 8.3 percent. That can't all be pinned on Pietrangelo, but his lack of production isn't helping the cause.The weird thing is that fellow Blues defenseman Joel Edmundson has scored three playoff goals, matching his regular-season total.If the captain can't start scoring from the back end, the Blues' season could be done as soon as the end of Game 5.No red lights for these BlueshirtsThe New York Rangers received high marks when college standouts Kevin Hayes and Jimmy Vesey decided to take their acts to Broadway as free agents. But in six games against the Montreal Canadiens and three against the Ottawa Senators, the Blueshirts have yet to benefit on the scoresheet from either player.Hayes has registered 16 shots without hitting the back of the net, while Vesey's 12 shots have proven equally as ineffective.Hayes (17 goals) and Vesey (16 goals) ranked sixth and seventh among Rangers scorers during the regular season, and provided a healthy measure of depth that's necessary to succeed in the playoffs.One or both needs to get it going in order to help erase the Senators' 2-1 series lead.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The National Hockey League and the Players' Association have come to an agreement on a list of players that will be exempt from being selected by the Vegas Golden Knights at the upcoming expansion draft.Here's the list, per Craig Custance of ESPN:

The National Hockey League and the Players' Association have come to an agreement on a list of players that will be exempt from being selected by the Vegas Golden Knights at the upcoming expansion draft.Here's the list, per Craig Custance of ESPN:

One penalty during Game 4 between the St. Louis Blues and the Nashville Predators changed the complexion of the entire series.A scrum between multiple Blues and Predators players led to offsetting minors for Joel Edmundson and Cody McLeod, but Blues tough guy Ryan Reaves - who joined the scrum as the odd man in - received an extra two minutes for roughing.A penalty such as this - especially in the playoffs - usually requires the referee to provide an explanation to the coach or one of the players with a letter on his jersey. However, Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo received no such explanation."It's the first time I've ever seen a ref not even let the captain talk to him," Pietrangelo told Lou Korac of NHL.com. "I'm sure that's what the C's for."It's highly unlikely Pietrangelo could have convinced the referee to send an even amount of Blues and Preds to the box for the scrum, but he has every right to plead his case.There may be no evidence to prove such theory, but the more a well-respected captain such as Pietrangelo questions each call, the more likely his team is to get the benefit of the doubt on a future call.The Predators, of course, would go on to score on the ensuing power play, giving them a 1-0 lead. It didn't wind up being the game-winner in the 2-1 contest, but it was no doubt a series-altering goal.Reaves himself, was not pleased with the call."I completely disagree with that call. I think it's garbage in a playoff game like that," Reaves said in a postgame interview with Fox Sports Midwest. "You got a 10-man scrum and all of a sudden you're just picking one guy. You can't do that in a playoff game."The difference between regular-season officiating and playoff officiating has been well documented. The refs are far more lenient in the postseason, not wanting a single penalty call to decide the game.Unfortunately for the Blues, Reaves' penalty was a deciding factor in Game 4. They will begin their quest to win three straight games on Friday in St. Louis.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

One penalty during Game 4 between the St. Louis Blues and the Nashville Predators changed the complexion of the entire series.A scrum between multiple Blues and Predators players led to offsetting minors for Joel Edmundson and Cody McLeod, but Blues tough guy Ryan Reaves - who joined the scrum as the odd man in - received an extra two minutes for roughing.A penalty such as this - especially in the playoffs - usually requires the referee to provide an explanation to the coach or one of the players with a letter on his jersey. However, Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo received no such explanation."It's the first time I've ever seen a ref not even let the captain talk to him," Pietrangelo told Lou Korac of NHL.com. "I'm sure that's what the C's for."It's highly unlikely Pietrangelo could have convinced the referee to send an even amount of Blues and Preds to the box for the scrum, but he has every right to plead his case.There may be no evidence to prove such theory, but the more a well-respected captain such as Pietrangelo questions each call, the more likely his team is to get the benefit of the doubt on a future call.The Predators, of course, would go on to score on the ensuing power play, giving them a 1-0 lead. It didn't wind up being the game-winner in the 2-1 contest, but it was no doubt a series-altering goal.Reaves himself, was not pleased with the call."I completely disagree with that call. I think it's garbage in a playoff game like that," Reaves said in a postgame interview with Fox Sports Midwest. "You got a 10-man scrum and all of a sudden you're just picking one guy. You can't do that in a playoff game."The difference between regular-season officiating and playoff officiating has been well documented. The refs are far more lenient in the postseason, not wanting a single penalty call to decide the game.Unfortunately for the Blues, Reaves' penalty was a deciding factor in Game 4. They will begin their quest to win three straight games on Friday in St. Louis.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

An epic photo taken at a bar in downtown Buffalo is making the rounds after it was shared to Deadspin on Tuesday.An observer caught former Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley and former Buffalo Sabres general manager Tim Murray sharing a conversation at a bar. Whaley was fired on Sunday and Murray was dismissed 10 days prior to that.

An epic photo taken at a bar in downtown Buffalo is making the rounds after it was shared to Deadspin on Tuesday.An observer caught former Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley and former Buffalo Sabres general manager Tim Murray sharing a conversation at a bar. Whaley was fired on Sunday and Murray was dismissed 10 days prior to that.

The St. Louis Blues were clearly unhappy with the officiating following a pivotal Game 4 loss to the Nashville Predators.The contest was scoreless in the third period when the Blues were tagged with an extra penalty following a post-whistle scrum. Cue Ryan Ellis, who scored on the ensuing power play, leaving Blues head coach Mike Yeo to backhandedly compliment the Predators in the wake of an eventual 2-1 loss."I'll be the first to admit I know that we could have killed the penalty, but I thought that they did a really good job lobbying for that," Yeo said, per Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch."Every stoppage, they're yelling at the refs, talking to the refs and it worked there. It's worked all series, let's be honest. We had one game where we've had more power plays than them and the other three, they're winning that category, clearly."The Predators have indeed been awarded more power plays than the Blues in three of the four games so far, with the final results falling in line with that advantage.GameNSH PP STL PPFinal Score12-30-1NSH 4 - STL 320-01-5STL 3 - NSH 230-30-1NSH 3 - STL 141-40-2NSH 2 - STL 1The Blues did get a power-play opportunity later in the third period Tuesday, but it was nullified by a call for too many men on the ice shortly thereafter, much to Yeo's frustration."That was not good on our part," Yeo conceded. "We get down and it was obviously frustrating to be down the way we were competing ... the way that we went down with the penalty call and it took us a while to regroup after that."The Blues, now down 3-1 in the series, will have an extra day to regroup in an attempt to salvage their season, with Game 5 set for Friday back in St. Louis.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - James Neal scored the game-winning goal with 6:57 left, and the Nashville Predators beat the St. Louis Blues 2-1 Tuesday night to take a 3-1 lead in their Western Conference semifinal.Pekka Rinne outdueled St. Louis' Jake Allen with 32 saves, and the Predators are a victory away from reaching the Western Conference final for the first time in franchise history.Ryan Ellis scored at 5:09 of the third to break up a scoreless game. Neal then scored with 6:57 left to crank up the Nashville celebration.Joel Edmundson scored with 3:49 left as St. Louis avoided the shutout. Blues coach Mike Yeo pulled Allen late, but they couldn't beat Rinne again. Allen finished with 23 saves as the Blues lost consecutive road games for the first time since Feb. 28 and March 3.Game 5 is Friday night in St. Louis.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators hope it serves as a wake-up call.Put away 4-1 in Game 3 of their second-round series against the New York Rangers, the Senators came out flat, squandering an opportunity to push their series lead to 3-0."We knew. It was about living it. Now we have lived it. We got a good slap in the face," Senators coach Guy Boucher told Dan Rosen of NHL.com. "They wanted it so badly and we didn't match that. Period. Period. The whole team was off."The Rangers carried a 2-0 lead into the first intermission after outshooting the Senators 15-5 in the initial frame. The final 40 minutes were closer, with Ottawa ahead on the shot clock 22-15, but it was too little, too late for the Senators.New York pushed its lead to 4-0 in the second period before Senators forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau broke Henrik Lundqvist's shutout bid.Senators captain Erik Karlsson and forward Mike Hoffman were a team-worst minus-three on the night. It marked the first time in the playoffs that Karlsson had been on the ice for more than one even-strength goal against.Tuesday was the Senators' ninth game this postseason, and the first to be decided by more than one goal.The series continues Thursday in New York.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers desperately needed a win over the Ottawa Senators in Game 3 Tuesday night, and their big guns delivered it.Back on Broadway, the Blueshirts came absolutely flying out of the blocks, the relentless attack spearheaded by linemates Mats Zuccarello and Mika Zibanejad.Just 5:31 into the opening frame, Zibanejad took the play deep, circled the net, and found Zuccarello in the slot with a perfect setup. 1-0.

The fate of the Anaheim Ducks' season will be heavily influenced by the performance of Connor McDavid. That goes without saying.As if his remarkable footspeed, awe-inspiring hands, and cunning hockey IQ, aren't enough to deal with, Ducks coach Randy Carlyle believes his club is battling the refs when it comes to No. 97, too."To me, it seems like there is somewhat of a white-glove treatment for Mr. McDavid," Carlyle told reporters, according to Frank Seravalli of TSN. "The restrictions on anybody touching him seem to be a little bit higher than normal. It's fact. Simple. We review the tape numerous times."He does draw penalties because of his speed. But if you don't get close to him and you're not inside of him, you're going to watch him or you're going to try to impede his progress."Through three games of the second-round series, McDavid has two points and has drawn a penalty in each contest.Despite allowing him to score a highlight-reel goal, the Ducks got the best of McDavid in Game 3, as he was also on the ice for three goals against. They'll look to do the same Wednesday night in Game 4.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Could Martin Brodeur be as great a general manager as he was a goaltender?The Buffalo Sabres won't get to find out for sure, as their attempt to speak with Brodeur about the team's open GM position was rebuffed, John Shannon told WGR 550.Brodeur currently serves as assistant GM of the St. Louis Blues, a position he's held since May 2015. He moved into a management position with the club after finishing his playing days with the Blues during the 2014-15 season.The search for the next GM in Buffalo has been a far-reaching effort, with reports indicating the Sabres have contacted Los Angeles Kings assistant GM Mike Futa, Columbus Blue Jackets assistant GM Bill Zito, as well as Jason Botterill and Bill Guerin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, among other potential candidates.The Sabres fired GM Tim Murray on April 20.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The votes are in.San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, and Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid are this year's finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award.The award is presented to the league's most outstanding player as voted by the players' association.Crosby has won the award three times, while it'd be a first for both Burns and McDavid.Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane was last year's winner.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and defenseman Nikita Zaitsev put pen to paper Tuesday, inking a seven-year contract extension worth $31.5 million after the initial report of a proposed deal broke in March.There's plenty of intriguing components to the deal, so without wasting any time, let's get into them.The pastZaitsev, 25, just concluded his first NHL campaign after joining the Maple Leafs last offseason. He suited up in all 82 games as a rookie, and logged the second-most ice time (22:01 per game) among all Toronto defenders.Additionally, he chipped in with 36 points (four goals, 32 assists) and quarterbacked the Leafs' top power-play unit.Despite solid offensive numbers, Zaitsev struggled possession-wise. Deployed primarily with Morgan Rielly until a switch to Jake Gardiner's pairing late in the season, Zaitsev - though not alone on Toronto's roster - was not on the right end of the shot count.PairingTOI (minutes)CF%Scoring Chances For-AgainstZaitsev-Rielly80349.45%141-141Zaitsev-Gardiner35447.23%41-37(All stats at five-on-five, courtesy of Corsica-Hockey)Zaitsev was assigned mostly unfavorable matchups as a freshman against opponents' top lines on Toronto's No. 1 pairing, so with more time to adjust to the league, the Leafs are hoping for positive development in that area.The present and immediate futureWhile seven years is undoubtedly a lot of term, at this point, Zaitsev is Toronto's best right-handed shot.Roman Polak is an unrestricted free agent July 1, and at 31, is coming off a gruesome leg injury suffered in the playoffs. Elsewhere, Toronto's depth chart isn't particularly flattering.When it comes to salary, Zaitsev's AAV of $4.5 million ranks second among Leafs blue-liners, ahead of Gardiner ($4.05 million through 2019) and below Rielly ($5 million through 2022).That said, upgrading the Maple Leafs' blue line will be a priority this offseason for general manager Lou Lamiorello.

Randy Carlyle is in the Washington Capitals' corner.The Anaheim Ducks coach stood behind Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen, noting the blue-liner's cross-check to Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby on Monday night was simply part of the game."It was a hockey play that went wrong," Carlyle told Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal.Related: Trotz defends Niskanen's hit on Crosby: 'It was a hockey play'Niskanen was handed a major penalty and a game misconduct following the incident. It was announced Tuesday he will not receive supplemental discipline, while Crosby is sidelined with a concussion.The Capitals took Game 3 with a 3-2 overtime victory, bringing the series to 2-1 Pittsburgh.The Penguins, meanwhile, likely don't care for Carlyle commenting on their series, but he's speaking from experience. Prior to his coaching career, he starred as an NHL defenseman for 17 seasons, spending the majority of his playing days with the original Winnipeg Jets.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators (6-1) and Pittsburgh Penguins (6-2) have been arguably the two most dominant teams this postseason. A major reason for that success has been their ability to generate quality shots on goal, despite ranking lower in terms of overall shot count.Among the 16 teams that qualified for the postseason, Pittsburgh ranks 11th in shots per game, while Nashville ranks 12th. Five of the top six were eliminated in the first round, providing further evidence that quality is more important than quantity.And interestingly enough, the Predators and Penguins have generated their quality shots in very similar manners.Avg.DISTFAccording to Corsica Hockey, Avg.DISTF is a team's average distance of unblocked shots. Obviously, the team taking shots closer to the net has a greater chance of scoring goals.As you can see, Pittsburgh and Nashville rank first and second, respectively, when it comes to the closest Avg.DISTF thus far in the postseason. Only teams that are still active are included in the chart.TeamAvg.DISTF (5v5)PIT32.18NSH32.19EDM33.51NYR34.06ANA34.57WSH35.49STL37.25OTT39.66Stat junkies often get caught up in the amount of shots a team has taken, while the actual quality of those shots flies under the radar.Thru%Thru% is the percentage of a team's shot attempts that actually make it on goal. A stat such as Corsi, for example, is helpful, but it gives a team credit if it attempts a shot, even if it gets blocked or misses the net completely.Both Pittsburgh and Nashville have done an outstanding job of getting pucks through to the net so far in the postseason.TeamThru% (5v5)PIT54.2NSH52.8STL51.6NYR51.1ANA50.1OTT49.9WSH47.9EDM45.3Nashville has been especially impressive when you consider that much of their shot generation comes from Roman Josi, P.K. Subban, and Ryan Ellis - all defensemen. The three-blue liners rank second, fourth, and sixth on the team in shots on goal during the playoffs, respectively.One-timersPart of why Nashville and Pittsburgh are able to get shots through with success is that they may be the two best teams at executing the one-timer. A one-timer not only gives defenders minimal time to get in the shooting lane to block the shot, but also gives goaltenders less time to find the puck and react.Unfortunately, the statistical evidence for one-timers is bare, but anyone who has watched either team play this postseason with regularity would likely agree.The Penguins have the skill up front to take one-timers off the rush. They lead the postseason with 75 snapshots, according to NHL.com. The next most? Washington with 56.Furthermore, both of Pittsburgh's goals in the waning minutes of Game 3 came off one-timers from Evgeni Malkin and Justin Schultz. Those goals came on a six-on-five man advantage with the goalie pulled - not off the rush - but nonetheless, the one-timers still count.The Predators, as mentioned, like to take shots from the point with their defensemen. As a team, they lead the playoffs in slapshots per game with 5.57.If you've tuned into many Predators games this postseason, you'll routinely find Josi, Subban, or Ellis blasting one-timers from their off-hand side - at even strength and on the power play.If both the Predators and Penguins continue to find ways to get quality shots through to the net, it wouldn't be surprising at all if they meet in the Stanley Cup Final.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without Sidney Crosby for Game 4 against the Washington Capitals as a result of a concussion suffered by the superstar center in the previous contest.While there's no timetable for his return, his absence from the Penguins' lineup and from the game as a whole can't be understated, with nary a silver lining to be found.Related: Crosby diagnosed with concussion, won't play Game 4Perhaps the only positives here for the Penguins are that they maintain a 2-1 series lead over the Capitals, and the steady presence of another superstar center in Evgeni Malkin, who's been quite brilliant when Crosby has been forced out of the lineup in the past.According to Craig Custance of ESPN, Malkin has played 118 games without Crosby, registering 66 goals and 88 assists for a total of 154 points. That works out to a point per game average of 1.31, which is higher than his overall career regular-season mark of 1.18.In these playoffs, Malkin leads all players with 15 points through eight games (four goals, 11 assists), including a strike and a helper within the final two minutes of Game 3 to send it to overtime, where Washington eventually came out on top.Malkin will need to continue at that clip for however long Crosby is out in order for the Penguins to defend their Stanley Cup title, and history suggests that should not be a problem.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was a very costly Game 3 defeat for the Pittsburgh Penguins.In addition to losing Sidney Crosby to a concussion, head coach Mike Sullivan announced that forward Conor Sheary was also concussed Monday night after a collision with teammate Patric Hornqvist.Sheary skated Monday on his own, but it appears he'll be watching Game 4 with Crosby. The 24-year-old has two assists in eight playoff games.The Penguins lead the best-of-seven series over the Washington Capitals 2-1, with Game 4 set for Wednesday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sidney Crosby has been diagnosed with a concussion following a hit to the head delivered by Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen in Game 3, Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan announced Tuesday.Crosby will miss Game 4 and will be evaluated from there, Sullivan added."(Crosby is) very upbeat and positive," Sullivan said. "We're very optimistic and hopeful we'll have him back in a timely fashion."Niskanen will not face any further discipline after being assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct at the time of the incident.Crosby missed the opening six games of the regular season due to a concussion. In eight playoff games to date, he'd recorded four goals, seven assists, and 21 shots.Game 4 is set for Wednesday in Pittsburgh with the Penguins holding a 2-1 series lead.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We're convening an emergency session of "On the Fly" after the cross-check seen across the hockey world Monday in Pittsburgh, where Sidney Crosby was forced from Game 3 after taking Matt Niskanen's stick to his head. Our takes on whether it was clean or dirty, and whether there was intent to injure, are below.Josh Wegman: There was zero intent to injure on Alex Ovechkin or Matt Niskanen's part. Crosby had an excellent scoring chance, so Ovechkin intended to give him a whack on the hands to prevent it. He was willing to take a two-minute slashing penalty to do so. It's part of hockey. I've been slashed harder in men's league. It's just unfortunate that Crosby turned his body into Ovechkin to shield the puck as he was about to be slashed.As for Niskanen, he was simply protecting himself. Crosby came flying into him, and it's the natural human reaction to raise your hands and shield yourself. Anyone who's played hockey knows this. In fact, Niskanen barely even raised his hands. Crosby was already falling down when he crashed into Niskanen's stick. If he was really trying to injure him, it would have been a much more deliberate cross-check in which his stick was cocked back and then shoved forward.It's a shame the league's best player was hurt, but the NHL got it right by not dishing out a suspension to Ovechkin or Niskanen.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Navin Vaswani: The only premeditated act on the play was Ovechkin's two-handed slash to Crosby's right arm. In fact, Crosby was slashed so significantly that Ovechkin's stick bounced off 87's arm, off Ovechkin's shoulder pad, and then whacked Crosby on the back of his helmet. No penalty, of course, #BecauseItsTheCup.Ray Ferraro knows what's up:

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed defenseman Nikita Zaitsev to a seven-year, $31.5-million contract extension on Tuesday, the team announced.Zaitsev is coming off his first season in the league after signing in the offseason as a free agent following seven seasons in the KHL.The 25-year-old played in all 82 games during the regular season, finishing third in rookie points by a defenseman and second among Maple Leafs blue-liners with 36.

Erik Karlsson is apparently fine to abide by the Allen Iverson workout routine.Ottawa's captain was missing from practice Monday, but returned Tuesday, and while his presence is undoubtedly a welcome site, it appears head coach Guy Boucher is indifferent."To be honest, I don't think he needs to practice. And I've never said that about a player in my life," Boucher said, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.Indeed, with a Norris Trophy nomination, the third-most points among defenseman in the regular season, and a share of the lead for points at his position in the postseason, maybe Karlsson's practiced enough.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a majority of the focus on Matt Niskanen's cross-check to the head of Sidney Crosby early in Game 3, Hall of Fame defenseman Paul Coffey wants to talk about what happened immediately before the incident.Namely, Alex Ovechkin's slash on the Pittsburgh Penguins captain"The thing everybody’s overlooking - and we’ll never, never know because Sid got hit twice - is the two-hander he took to the back of the neck and the head by Ovechkin," Coffey, a former Penguin, said Tuesday on 590 The Fan, per Luke Fox of Sportsnet."When Crosby was falling down, that could’ve been the initial blow that hurt him. Nobody knows, and nobody’s talking about that. That was a brutal two-hander by Ovechkin to Crosby when he was going to the net."Here's the incident:

Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be commissioner of the National Hockey League for a day? What would you keep? What would you change?The on-ice product is absolutely awesome right now. I applaud the NHL for making the game great again, as rule changes over the last few years have put the focus on skill and talent.So, what would I change? My beef is with the playoff format.The NHL playoff setup, to me, is confusing at best. A team can have a great regular season, and still find itself with a daunting early-round matchup.In the Eastern Conference, the Washington Capitals (118 regular-season points and the Presidents' trophy) having to play the Pittsburgh Penguins (111 points) in the second round of the playoffs, while the Ottawa Senators (98 points) face the New York Rangers (102 points) makes no sense to me. Then you have the Columbus Blue Jackets (108 points) truly getting the shaft, facing the defending Stanley Cup champion in the first round.How does this even begin to make sense? What’s the point of the regular season?Washington scratched and clawed and beat itself up during an 82-game schedule to finish as the best regular-season team in the NHL. The reward? A second-round matchup against the reigning champ and the second-best team in the league.Meanwhile, two teams with fewer points than either Washington or Pittsburgh are playing each other for the same payoff: a trip to the conference final.So basically, Washington and Pittsburgh are being punished for playing in the more difficult Metropolitan Division, while Ottawa is being rewarded for competing in the less-competitive Atlantic.If that's the case, why try so hard during the regular season? As a team, you might as well focus instead on staying healthy and just getting into the playoffs. Let the other teams beat the crap out of each other beforehand, because it doesn’t matter as long as you get in.My solution?I say rewarded your division winners as is, and scrap the wild card. Then, reseed after the first round.With my method, the first round would have looked like this:Washington (118 points, division winner) vs. Toronto (95)Montreal (103, division winner) vs. Boston (95)Pittsburgh (111) vs. Ottawa (98)Columbus (108) vs. N.Y. Rangers (102)It’s a simple change and rewards teams for better regular seasons. Columbus doing what it did, and then being punished by having to play Pittsburgh in the first round isn’t right.Some might not like this, but hey, that’s the benefit of having a better regular season. If you don’t like it, then don’t complain to me about how the regular season means nothing.Actually, maybe playing commissioner isn’t as fun as I thought. I can hear the booing and name-calling now.So, Mr. Bettman, you can have your job. It will never matter who the head of the National Hockey league is - you’re definitely going to get booed.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks have dipped into the European free-agent pool, signing Czech forward David Kampf to a two-year deal, the club announced Tuesday.

The second round of the NHL playoffs is nearly one week old, and through 11 games the New York Rangers are the only club without a win.It's a sign that things are tight in the second round and every team has gotten strong contributions from somewhere. However, it's not always the big goal or even the strong performances that impact a series most.Here are five players making their marks on the second round:Braden HoltbyHoltby's rollercoaster three games against the Pittsburgh Penguins have made this Eastern Conference matchup a compelling one.Holtby had a forgettable Game 1, giving up three goals on 21 shots - including two to Sidney Crosby in less than a minute - and followed that up with an even worse Game 2 that saw him replaced to start the third period.However, he rebounded in a big way Monday, going nearly perfect until a late Penguins surge. In the end, he helped the Capitals earn an overtime win and get back into the series.Jean-Gabriel PageauEven if Pageau doesn't do another thing the rest of the postseason, he can still be credited with a game for the ages.The Ottawa Senators forward scored four goals Saturday, including the double-overtime winner in a wild 6-5 comeback. Pageau scored two goals in the final 3:19 to send the game to overtime where he finished it off just over 23 minutes later.A Rangers win would've halved the series and given New York home-ice advantage, but now the pressure is on the Metropolitan club to respond at Madison Square Garden. All thanks to a kid they call the "Honey badger."Jakob SilfverbergSilfverberg might be public enemy No. 1 in Edmonton.The Anaheim Ducks forward has scored in each of the first three games and was monumental in the Ducks' 6-3 win Sunday.Related: Silfverberg proving to be playoff hero with DucksSilfverberg posted two goals and an assist to give him six tallies and eight points in seven playoff games. He's gaining a knack for elevating his play in the postseason and the Ducks are all the better for it.The Ducks are still in a 2-1 hole, but things could quickly even up if Silfverberg keeps doing his thing.Ryan EllisAs everyone predicted, the Nashville Predators are cruising along in the second round thanks to their leading scorer, Ellis.Wait, what?Yes, the Predators defender paces the club with eight points in seven games and has not gone pointless since Game 1 of Round 1. He's posted two goals and four points in the first three games against the St. Louis Blues and helped his team jump out to a 2-1 series lead.The Predators are getting incredible contributions from their defense this postseason and Ellis is leading the pack.Sidney CrosbyCrosby was riding a six-game point streak before being knocked out of Monday's contest by Matt Niskanen just 2:11 in.He netted two goals in 52 seconds in Game 1 to help the Penguins cruise to a 3-2 victory and followed that up with two helpers in Game 2.However, his biggest impact was likely felt in his absence in Game 3, as the Penguins chased the game for nearly 52 minutes before an epic comeback. In the end, though, the Capitals prevailed, but we could be talking about a 3-0 series deficit had Crosby been given the opportunity to extend his point streak.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL has so much talent in the game today, making it difficult to select just three finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded to the "player judged most valuable to his team."Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, Edmonton's Connor McDavid, and Columbus' Sergei Bobrovsky were nominated for the honor this year, and while all of them had spectacular seasons, the following three players were well deserving of a finalist nod, too:Brent Burns, D, SharksBurns' season was absolutely insane when you really think about.He led the league in shots on goal with 320, becoming the first defenseman to do so since Ray Bourque in the lockout-shortened season of 1994-95.He also finished first among NHL defenseman with 76 points - which led the Sharks - and his 29 goals tied Joe Pavelski for the club lead. He was invaluable to his team.Burns did lead the league in giveaways, but that's what comes with playing such a high-risk game. He still finished plus-19 with an expected plus/minus of plus-9.6.Burns also finished with a league-best 15.3 point shares. To put that into perspective, here are the top 10 point share leaders, per Hockey Reference:RankPlayerPS1.Brent Burns15.32.Sergei Bobrovsky14.93.Cam Talbot14.04.Frederik Andersen13.15.Devan Dubnyk13.16.Erik Karlsson12.97.Robin Lehner12.98.Connor McDavid12.89.Carey Price12.610.Brad Marchand12.6Perhaps most important, though, is that Burns carried a Sharks team amid Joe Thornton's dramatic decline and a less drastic one from Pavelski.The Sharks finished 19th in goals after ranking fourth a year ago, but Burns still managed to increase his own point total. And the club finished with more points in the standings this year than the one that went to the Cup Final last spring, largely because Burns put it on his back.Erik Karlsson, D, SenatorsKarlsson's point total fell from a team-high 82 last season to a still-team-high 71 this year, but his offensive decline was for the betterment of the Senators.Guy Boucher was hired as the club's head coach this past offseason, and he implements a very defensive style of play by trapping up the neutral zone in the 1-3-1 setup.Karlsson bought in immediately.His ice time dipped over two minutes per game in order to conserve some energy for later in the year (he still averaged 26:50), but he improved his defensive play.Karlsson finished with a plus-10 rating and an expected plus/minus of plus-7.0. He set a career high with 5.7 defensive point shares and finished second in the entire league with 201 blocked shots.Karlsson also carried the Senators to the postseason, as Ottawa finished second in the Atlantic Division despite playing without its starting goaltender for almost half the campaign.Nikita Kucherov, RW, LightningThere are two main reasons why Kucherov wasn't a Hart Trophy finalist:1) He's a winger.

Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen will not face a hearing for a hit on Sidney Crosby that knocked the Pittsburgh Penguins captain out of Game 3, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post.Niskanen received a five-minute major and a game misconduct at the time of the incident, which occurred at 5:24 of the first period.After the game, Niskanen insisted the cross-check was not intentional, while Pittsburgh's Chris Kunitz declared it to be deliberate.Crosby was unable to return to Game 3, which the Penguins lost in overtime.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.