Nolan Patrick wants to make it known he's ready for the next level.The potential first overall pick of the 2017 NHL Draft recently missed the Western Hockey League playoffs with a lower-body injury, but maintains he'll be ready to hit the ground running next season."I'm 100 percent healthy," Patrick told Mike Morreale of NHL.com. "I'm confident I can play a full season without getting injured; I'm confident in my abilities."As to his feelings on possibly being selected by the New Jersey Devils with the first pick or falling to the Philadelphia Flyers at No. 2, Patrick said, "Honestly, I'd be honored to go anywhere."Patrick also missed several games - along with the world juniors - this past season due to an upper-body injury, but still recorded 20 goals and 26 assists in 33 appearances with the Brandon Wheat Kings.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former NHL player, coach, and general manager Mike Milbury has found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons over the years, be it for his questionable decisions while running the New York Islanders or for attacking a fan with a shoe as a member of the Boston Bruins.Now an NBC analyst, Milbury attracted controversy again after calling Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban a clown for daring to do a little dance during warmups prior to Friday's Game 2 in St. Louis."When I see this I start to think maybe (Predators coach) Peter Laviolette ought to give him a rap on the head and say, 'Hey, P.K., we've got a game tonight, focus in. You don't need to be a clown out there,'" Milbury said, according to Joe Rexrode of The Tennessean. "And he will. He's been a clown in the past, and we've seen him act like a clown. When he's serious and focused, he's one hell of a player."Milbury regrets using "rap on the head" and "clown," he told Rexrode on Monday, adding that he only meant to start a discussion about whether Subban was a distraction to his Predators teammates."This shouldn't be about 'Mike Milbury doesn't like P.K. Subban,'" he said. "This was just a question of, does behavior like this impact the rest of the team in a circumstance where it's pretty serious for everybody but you can get away with that attitude."I mean, God bless him. But the question, does it impact anybody else as a coach, does it distract, I think was legitimate. And that's what it was meant to be. It's turned into something far different, and that was not my intention."Milbury admitted the traditional hockey establishment is rather conservative, and agreed with Rexrode's assertion that the sport needs more personality and character, but reiterated his concern."The game is supposed to be fun and I'm glad that P.K. Subban is part of the game. I'm glad he’s a personality," Milbury said. "I think it's wonderful that he has that kind of approach. At the risk of repeating myself, the only question was, does that distracting kind of behavior impact anyone else?"Subban has recorded one goal and five assists in seven playoff games for the Predators, while Nashville has posted a record of 6-1 so far this postseason.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It took a little longer than some expected, but getting Brad Treliving's signature on a new contract is an overwhelmingly positive outcome for the Calgary Flames.There was some mild uncertainty about whether the general manager - whose contract was due to expire at season's end - would stay with the organization, but that was put to rest Monday when the club revealed Treliving agreed to a multi-year extension.The GM's fingerprints are all over the Flames' roster, and he deserves credit for both assembling and securing the club's core since being hired by Calgary in the spring of 2014.He's shown little reluctance to make blockbuster trades, acquiring Dougie Hamilton from the Boston Bruins for a few picks in 2015, and landing goaltender Brian Elliott from the St. Louis Blues for a second-rounder at last year's draft.The signing of backup netminder Chad Johnson last July 1 didn't make waves at the time, but it made Treliving look like a genius when Elliott struggled, allowing Johnson to step in and play well.Then there's the slew of extensions Treliving has negotiated, including deals for Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Hamilton, Mark Giordano, Mikael Backlund, and T.J. Brodie.This work has been well documented, but an unheralded aspect of Treliving's tenure has been his ability to turn expendable players into future assets.

Matt Niskanen says he didn't mean to catch Sidney Crosby the way he did."Absolutely not. It wasn’t intentional," the Washington Capitals defenseman told reporters postgame Monday, via Sportsnet. "I’ve seen the replay. In super slo-mo, it looks really bad. I caught him high."Niskanen was tossed early in Game 3 of the Capitals' second-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins for cross-checking Crosby after the Penguins star was knocked off balance by Alex Ovechkin."He's coming across trying to score, (and) as he's doing that he's lower and lower, and when it's happening that fast, my stick and his head collided," Niskanen said."I wasn't extending (or) trying to hit him in the head. It happened quickly. I wasn't even trying to cross-check him with a serious amount of force."The Washington blueliner expressed concern over Crosby's condition."I hope he's okay," Niskanen said. "I certainly didn't mean to injure him. It's an unfortunate play that happened really quick."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chris Kunitz was less than impressed.The Pittsburgh Penguins forward called out Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen after his hard cross-check ended the night early for Penguins captain Sidney Crosby."It's obviously gut-wrenching," Kunitz told Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. "A guy that is the best player in the world playing in his prime, just dominating game, it's one of those things that you look at it once and you see what actually happened and I think the next thing is watching how deliberate it was when the guy cross-checks him in the face."Crosby left the game at the 5:24 mark of the first period. Niskanen was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct on the play.Kunitz added, "I thought all of that was kind of out of this league, but I guess not."Penguins coach Mike Sullivan wasn't nearly as adamant, at least publicly, as the veteran forward. Asked about the hit, Sullivan told Devin Heroux of CBC News, "I'd rather not share my opinion," adding, "It really doesn't matter what either coach's opinion is on it."The Capitals took Game 3 with a 3-2 overtime victory and will have a chance to even the series Wednesday in Pittsburgh.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Barry Trotz is downplaying Matt Niskanen's controversial hit on Sidney Crosby."I thought it was a hockey play," the Washington Capitals head coach told reporters following a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 3 on Monday night. "Crosby (was) coming down. (Niskanen) just sort of ran into him."The Capitals blueliner was given a major penalty and ejected early in the first period for cross-checking Crosby as the Penguins captain was falling after being whacked by Alex Ovechkin on a scoring chance.Trotz wasn't happy about being asked repeatedly about the hit after the game."You want me to defend Ovechkin's hit (on Crosby)? Do you want me to defend (Chris) Kunitz's predatory hit on (T.J.) Oshie?"Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said Crosby will be evaluated overnight.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

He wasn't perfect, but he did his part.Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby allowed two goals in Game 3 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, as the Capitals came back for a 3-2 overtime victory.Holtby had a shutout in the works until the 18:07 mark of the final frame, when Penguins center Evgeni Malkin brought his team within one before defenseman Justin Schultz evened the score just 48 seconds later.Holtby wasn't overly busy on the night, stopping 28 of the 30 pucks that came his way, but it was enough as the Capitals won their first game of the series after dropping the first two contests on home ice.In Game 2, Holtby was pulled after allowing three goals on just 14 shots. But he stepped up to the challenge in Game 3, in part due to the encouraging words from coach Barry Trotz, who stated his netminder would be the difference-maker in the series.Holtby also spoke with his sports psychologist after Game 2, who told the netminder, "The puck doesn't know it's a big game."

Kevin Shattenkirk was called out by his head coach, and he responded.The Washington Capitals defenseman fired home the winner in overtime Monday night, propelling his club to a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 3 of their second-round matchup.Washington cut Pittsburgh's series lead to 2-1 and overcame a late-game rally in which the Penguins scored twice in a 48-second span to tie it up.Capitals head coach Barry Trotz was critical of Shattenkirk's play when asked about it on Sunday, saying, "that's not good enough for what we need in that third pairing right now."The blueliner was critical of himself Monday afternoon when asked about his less than stellar Game 2 performance, but playing the hero in Game 3 should help restore his confidence.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's time to go to the polls.Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby left early in the first period of Game 3 following a cross-check by Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen. You can watch it here.The question remains: was it a clean hit by the Capitals blue-liner or not? What say you?Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Marc-Andre Fleury with a late entry for the save for the year.The Pittsburgh Penguins netminder made a game-breaking save late in second period of Game 3, diving back to knock away a sure goal by Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov.The Capitals led 1-0 at the end of the second, with Fleury's key save keeping the Pens in striking distance.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sidney Crosby was forced to leave Game 3 against the Washington Capitals after taking a hard cross-check from Matt Niskanen.The Capitals defenseman was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the hit.Crosby was helped off less than six minutes in. Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan didn't have a definitive update postgame, saying Crosby would be evaluated overnight.He has a well-documented history of head injuries, missing time earlier this season with a concussion and suffering one in the Winter Classic back in 2011 that forced him to miss the second half of that season and much of the next.The more concerning aspect of this injury might have been the way Crosby fell, though.

The man whose quick thinking led to one of the most viral moments of the Edmonton Oilers' season is tipping his Stetson to the fans."I don't know if there are many (fan bases) in the 30 teams in the National Hockey League that would be able to do what Edmonton and the Oilers did last night," Country music artist Brett Kissel told The Canadian Press on Monday."My cowboy hat goes off to them."Kissel improvised amid microphone issues Sunday night, coaxing the Rogers Place crowd into singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in unison before the start of Game 3 between the Oilers and the Anaheim Ducks.Related: Ducks owners applaud Oilers crowd for singing anthems ahead of Game 3Kissel was caught off guard, but said he didn't have time to panic."Im thinking to myself, Youve got to be kidding me! Is this for real? And that's when the nerves set in," Kissel recalled. "There was this split second of worry, but the reality is there was no Plan B, so it was either going to work or it wasn't."The Oilers appreciated Kissel's effort."Brett knew the mic was gone," Patrick Maroon said. "As an American, for a Canadian to sing the (U.S.) national anthem was pretty special to me. (It) certainly got me going. That was pretty cool."Like many fans watching at home, Edmonton head coach Todd McLellan didn't initially know what was going on."I didn't realize, to be quite honest, that it was a mic problem," he said. "I thought it was a 'Hey, let's get everybody involved' and as it turns out, a glitch can produce a great moment. The people of Edmonton showed their respect to our neighbors down south."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Fans will soon know who was this season's most valuable player.Columbus Blue Jackets netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid are this year's finalists for the Hart Trophy.Bobrovsky was the NHL's top goaltender this season, owning a league-best 2.06 goals-against average and .931 save percentage, leading the Blue Jackets to their best season in franchise history, as they finished with 108 points.Crosby ended the season as the NHL's leading goal scorer, as the Penguins center finished with 44 goals. He was second in league scoring with 89 points, behind only McDavid. Crosby is a two-time winner of the Hart Trophy, last capturing the award in 2013-14.McDavid was the league's top scorer, finishing the season with 100 points, doing so in only his second NHL campaign. The Oilers captain led the team to a 47-26-9 record, as Edmonton qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2006.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cross one of the most intriguing names on the potential general manager market off the list.The Calgary Flames have inked GM Brad Treliving to a multi-year contract extension, the club announced Monday."We are striving to create a level of continuity and stability, as all successful teams do,” Flames president of hockey operations Brian Burke said in a release."Today's announcement is another step forward for our organization on that path," Burke added. "Under Brad's leadership, we have seen progress over the past three seasons and look forward to building on that growth in the coming years."Calgary has gone 125-103-18 in his GM tenure, qualifying for the playoffs in two of Treliving's three campaigns.He's shown little hesitation shaping and securing the team's talented core since taking over in April 2014.Treliving signed dynamic young star Johnny Gaudreau to a six-year extension in October, less than two months after getting 21-year-old center Sean Monahan signed to a seven-year pact.He also locked up captain Mark Giordano through 2021-22, and got defensemen T.J. Brodie and Dougie Hamilton secured through 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively.Treliving got Hamilton from the Boston Bruins in exchange for three picks at the 2015 draft.The GM acquired veteran goaltender Brian Elliott from the St. Louis Blues at the draft last June. He selected promising center Sam Bennett fourth overall in 2014 and took physical young forward Matthew Tkachuk sixth overall in 2016.Before joining the Flames, Treliving spent seven years with the Arizona Coyotes as their assistant general manager and vice-president of hockey operations.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A kind gesture by the Edmonton Oilers faithful was not lost on the opposition.Anaheim Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli released a statement congratulating Oilers fans who sang both the American and Canadian National anthems ahead of Game 3 after country music star Brett Kissel's mic suffered a malfunction.Related - Watch: Oilers fans sing 'Star-Spangled Banner' after apparent mic issue"Congratulations to the Edmonton fans for creating such a special moment last night by singing both of the national anthems. To hear the audience passionately sing both the Canadian and United States anthems was inspiring and powerful. Well done, Edmonton!"Oilers fans will have the opportunity to show off their pipes again on Wednesday for Game 4.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings could be following in the Chicago Blackhawks' footsteps.After Chicago dealt backup goaltender Scott Darling - who will become an unrestricted free agent July 1 - to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, a couple of teams have reportedly inquired about acquiring Ben Bishop's rights, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Bishop was acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning this season in the Kings' last-ditch effort to reach the playoffs and to act as insurance with Jonathan Quick returning from an injury that kept him out for the majority of the season.Ultimately, the trade did very little for the team, as Bishop went just 2-3-2 in seven games, posting a forgettable .900 save percentage and a 2.49 goals-against average.Nevertheless, Bishop remains an elite netminder and is just three years removed from a Vezina Trophy nomination.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers agreed to terms Monday with free-agent defenseman Neal Pionk.The Rangers secured his services amid much interest around the NHL, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.The 21-year-old played 42 games for the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs this season, registering seven goals and 27 assists for 34 points. He also helped the team reach the National Championship, where the Bulldogs lost to the University of Denver.In 82 total NCAA games, Pionk - who went undrafted by NHL clubs - scored 11 goals and added 40 assists.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kevin Shattenkirk doesn't need anyone to tell him he had a poor game on Saturday night.The Washington Capitals defenseman spoke to the media Monday and admitted that his Game 2 performance was not up to snuff."Not well. Last game was really bad, but I’m focused on tonight," Shattenkirk said, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "That’s all I can worry about."Related: 3 things that need to happen for Capitals to come back vs. PenguinsCapitals head coach Barry Trotz called out Shattenkirk following the team's 6-2 shelling by the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 2, saying the 28-year-old needs to be better.Despite the comments, Shattenkirk asserts that he is his biggest critic."I’m my hardest critic so I’m not really listening to a lot of what people are saying, but I know it hasn’t been good," Shattenkirk said. "I think the most important thing for me to do is to have fun and I think that’s something that I’ve lost along the way here."After posting 14 points in 19 games down the stretch with the Capitals, Shattenkirk has managed just three assists in eight postseason contests. The veteran blue-liner must be better for Washington to stand a chance of rebounding in the second-round series.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Stealing the first two games in Washington has made the Pittsburgh Penguins the team to beat as they attempt to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions.Westgate Las Vegas Superbook released their updated Stanley Cup odds Monday, and the Penguins hold the best odds after claiming a 2-0 series lead over the Capitals.Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, the Nashville Predators and Edmonton Oilers share the same odds as both own 2-1 series advantages in their respective matchups.Stanley Cup favoritesTeamOdds on 5/1/2017Penguins7/4Predators9/2Oilers9/2Senators7/1Capitals8/1Ducks9/1Rangers14/1Blues16/1Eastern ConferenceTeamOdds on 5/1/2017Penguins5/6Senators11/4Capitals9/2Rangers7/1Western ConferenceTeamOdds on 5/1/2017Predators3/2Oilers7/5Ducks9/2Blues7/1Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The former head coach of the Montreal Canadiens may not be out of work for long.Michel Therrien is among the candidates interviewing for the Florida Panthers head coaching job, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels.Engels adds Therrien may not be at the top of the list of candidates, but he's certainly on it.In 814 career NHL games coached in both Montreal and Pittsburgh, Therrien has compiled a record of 406-303-23-82, and his greatest playoff success came with the Penguins, coaching the team to the 2008 Stanley Cup Final.Therrien, of course, was fired by the Canadiens on Feb. 14 and replaced with Claude Julien.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens have signed one prominent KHL free agent, but appear to have swung and missed on another.Russian forward Vadim Shipachyov will not be signing with the club, as he's believed to be "fielding some big offers" from other teams instead, according to Eric Engels of Sportsnet.

Nashville has Predators fever.The club earned its highest ever local television ratings in Sunday’s Game 3 win over the St. Louis Blues:

The Montreal Canadiens are hoping to strike gold again with another high-profile KHL signing.The team inked defenseman Jakub Jerabek to a one-year contract, the club announced on Monday.

Different year, same story.Once again, the Washington Capitals find themselves in grave playoff danger at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins, this time after losing two games on home ice to begin the second round.As the series moves to Pennsylvania, things are not looking great for the Presidents' Trophy winners, although there's reason to believe a comeback is indeed possible.Here are three ways the Capitals can overcome the Penguins.Holtby in the spotlightAfter pulling his star goalie in Game 2, head coach Barry Trotz maintained the belief that Braden Holtby - the reigning Vezina Trophy winner - can and will be the difference in the series.The good news for the Capitals is Holtby has been able to bounce back quite positively after being yanked this season, per Katie Brown of NHL.com.

Things are getting saucy between the Nashville Predators and the St. Louis Blues.Ahead of Sunday's Game 3 - a 3-1 Predators victory - St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson and Nashville Mayor Megan Barry agreed to a friendly wager, putting a collection of local delicacies on the line.If the Blues are victorious, Barry has agreed to present Krewson with a gift basket including a country music compilation album, an assortment of local BBQ sauces and rubs, Nashville-made Goo Goo Clusters, and a special Predators jersey.Meanwhile, if the Predators are victorious Krewson will package Barry with a gift basket containing a blues compilation album, BBQ sauces and rubs from the St. Louis area, St. Louis-made gooey butter cake, and a special Blues jersey.Of course what's a wager without a little trash talk?"The Preds are primed and ready to go all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, and as much as I like Mayor Krewson and her great city, they are going to be singing the blues this year," said Barry."There's only one thing I can say - let's go Blues!" said Krewson.Next to the goodies above, both the Nashville Predators Foundation and the St. Louis Blues Foundation have agreed to donate $1,000 to the winning city's music museum.After Sunday's win, the Predators have a 2-1 advantage.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A quick look at the NHL's playoff goals leaderboard may cause some to do a double take.That's because an unexpected Pittsburgh Penguins forward sits atop the list, namely Jake Guentzel. Through seven playoff games, Guentzel has recorded seven goals, with the latest two coming in a Game 2 win over the Washington Capitals.In fact, only two players have scored at least seven goals in their first seven playoff games in the NHL's modern era.

Phil Kessel is a bit of a hot dog when the playoffs come around.The 29-year-old, in his second season with the Pittsburgh Penguins after being dealt from the Toronto Maple Leafs, played a critical role in the Penguins' Stanley Cup victory last season and is quickly gaining a reputation as an elite playoff performer, which hasn't gone unnoticed by head coach Mike Sullivan."I just think he shows an ability to elevate his game," Sullivan said, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "I think that's what's necessary at this time of year. It's a hard game out there in the playoffs and you have to fight for every inch and the teams that are still playing are very good teams at both ends of the rink. Phil has shown an ability to elevate his games at key times and he's been a difference maker for us in my tenure here."Last season, Kessel paced the Penguins in the playoffs with 10 goals, 22 points, and 98 shots on goal. This year, he's kept his foot on the gas, putting up another 11 points through seven games - good enough to tie captain Sidney Crosby for second place on the team, two points behind Evgeni Malkin.That's some good company. In fact, among active players with at least 20 playoff games, Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel sit one, two, and three in playoff points per game, respectively. But as for Kessel, he's done more than just put up points, according to Sullivan."His playoff performance speaks for itself," Sullivan said. "I think the numbers are obvious, but his overall game has been really strong and he's another one of those players that we have on our roster that brings his best game when the games are most important."Kessel's a nice guy, who tries hard, and loves the game - especially come playoff time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

William Nylander isn't done playing hockey this season.The Toronto Maple Leafs forward will play for Sweden at the World Championship, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.Nylander has represented Sweden at several international tournaments in the past, most recently at the World Junior Championship in 2016 where he suffered a concussion in the opening game. This, however, will be his first appearance at the senior men's level.He'll join fellow Maple Leafs rookie Mitch Marner as a tournament participant.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When the games matter most Jakob Silfverberg rises to the occasion.The Anaheim Ducks forward helped propel his club to a 6-3 win in Game 3 over the Edmonton Oilers with two goals and an assist on Sunday.For Silfverberg the three-point outing helps stretch his goal-scoring streak to three games, puts him just one goal back of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel for the most goals in the playoffs, and pushes his point total to eight in seven games.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Jakob Silfverberg scored twice to lead the Anaheim Ducks to a 6-3 victory over Edmonton on Sunday night, cutting the Oilers' series lead to 2-1,Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and an assist, and Rickard Rakell, Chris Wagner and Ryan Kesler also scored for Anaheim, which lost the first two games at home. John Gibson stopped 24 shots.Connor McDavid scored his first of the series for Edmonton. Patrick Maroon and Anton Slepychev also scored and Kris Russell had two assists. Cam Talbot finished with 22 saves.Wagner scored the tie-breaking goal midway through the second period, firing a shot that deflected off Talbot's arm and in.Silfverberg knocked in a feed from Josh Manson at 4:56 of the third to make it 5-3. The Oilers challenged the play for offside, but the goal stood after a video review. Kesler swept in a rebound with 9 1/2 minutes left to cap the scoring.Game 4 is Wednesday night.Talbot was stellar in Game 2 with 39 saves, but the Ducks got to him early scoring on two of their first three shots of the game.Rakell got a long pass from Getzlaf behind the Edmonton defense and scored on a breakaway 25 seconds in for the fastest playoff goal to start a game in franchise history.Silfverberg got his stick on a loose puck to make it 2-0 at 5:33 when Oilers defenseman Adam Larsson failed to clear it away from Talbot.Maroon was in the penalty box for knocking down Gibson when Getzlaf beat Talbot with a wrist shot from the hashmarks with 8:09 remaining in the first. Getzlaf had corralled Darnell Nurse's clearing attempt around the boards to gain possession of the puck.Russell finally gave the Rogers Place crowd something to cheer about when his shot from the point deflected off Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Maroon and past Gibson with 40 seconds left in the opening period.The Oilers pulled within a goal at 1:28 of the second when David Desharnais' centering pass from beside the net deflected off Slepychev's skate and in.McDavid tied it at 8:40 as he spun and cut back to lose defender Sami Vatanen and rifled a shot over Gibson's left elbow.NOTES: The U.S. national anthem got a unique rendition before the game when the microphone didn't work Canadian country singer Brett Kissel. Decked out in an Oilers jersey and guitar, Kissel attempted twice to sing the anthem before throwing his hands in the air and encouraging the crowd to sing with him. The microphone resumed working in time for Robert Clark to perform the Canadian anthem. ... Vatanen was in Anaheim's lineup for the first time in the playoffs. He sat out the first six games with a knee injury . . . Ducks D Kevin Bieksa sat out a second straight game with a lower-body injury.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Todd McLellan has a two-word assessment of Jordan Eberle's recent play."Not enough," the Edmonton Oilers head coach told reporters Sunday, following a 6-3 defeat to the Anaheim Ducks in Game 3 of their second-round playoff series.McLellan then elaborated by describing the challenge Eberle is facing in these playoffs."This is a new experience for him, and he's learning as he goes as well," the coach said. "It's great to be making strong plays on the boards and checking well ... but you also have to find a way to contribute on the power play."McLellan hasn't lost sight of the entire team's struggles amid Eberle's woes."He's not the only one, but he's one that stands out right now," McLellan said. "I think the day off will help him as well. It will allow us to work on some things in practice. We all expect him to be better, but more importantly, we expect the whole group to improve."McLellan juggled his lines when the Oilers fell behind 3-0, sliding Connor McDavid down between Eberle and Milan Lucic, but it wasn't an entirely successful move.Despite McDavid's spectacular goal that tied the game at 3-3, McLellan benched the trio for the final nine-plus minutes after they were on the ice for the fifth and sixth goals by the Ducks.Eberle fired three shots on goal in the game, but failed to notch a point for the seventh time in nine playoff contests this spring.The winger played 14:52 in Sunday's loss, and he's logged more than 15 minutes only twice in this postseason.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was a big night for Anaheim Ducks forwards on Sunday.The club's crop of wingers and centermen combined for all six goals scored on the way to halving the Edmonton Oilers' series lead to 2-1 with a commanding 6-3 victory.The win saw some great individual performances from the likes of Ryan Getzlaf and Jakob Silfverberg, who combined for three goals and five points, but once again, the Ducks were left wanting more from Corey Perry.For the fifth time in seven games this postseason, Perry was a non-factor offensively, going pointless in Game 3. Through seven playoff games, he now has just one goal and two assists, with all three of those points coming in the team's first-round series against the Calgary Flames.Perry has failed to significantly aid the Ducks' offense during the postseason, and his struggles have been reflected in a diminished workload.He finished with just 12:28 of ice time on Sunday night, his second-lowest mark of the season since playing 11:59 against the Toronto Maple Leafs back on March 3 and ranked eighth among Ducks forwards.Perry is averaging only the 13th-most ice-time per game on the Ducks at 14:22 per game, also ranking 13th in even-strength time on ice (12:06).If there is one thing Perry can possibly hang his hat on as a sign that things are about to change, it's that despite his diminished minutes, he's still fired 19 shots on goal, tied for second-most on the team.While Perry has struggled in the playoffs, it should be noted that he wasn't necessarily his dynamic self during the regular season, either. While playing in all 82 games, Perry posted 19 goals and 53 points, his lowest totals in a full season since the 2006-07 campaign - his second in the league.Nevertheless, the 31-year-old has the ability to be a difference-maker, with a lethal shot that's earned him a Rocket Richard Trophy in the past, and the Ducks would love to see that version of Perry make a return to the lineup sooner rather than later.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor McDavid is unreal.The Edmonton Oilers captain scored a tremendous goal Sunday night in Game 3 against the Anaheim Ducks, cutting back to leave Sami Vatanen in the dust, then firing a perfect shot past John Gibson to tie up the contest.Anaheim scored less than a minute later to re-take the lead, but that shouldn't take anything away from McDavid's eye-popping play.The Ducks blew a 3-0 lead before restoring the one-goal edge midway through the second period.Vatanen made his return to the Ducks' lineup Sunday after missing the final three contests of Anaheim's four-game sweep over the Calgary Flames and the first two games against the Oilers with an injury.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators regained a one-game advantage in their second-round series Sunday against the St. Louis Blues with a gutsy 3-1 victory.While Pekka Rinne was big, turning in another solid outing, the story of the game was the play of the team's impeccable blue line.In what has become a common theme in these playoffs, the Predators' defenders flexed their offensive muscles, with goals by Ryan Ellis and Roman Josi.The markers were just two of the four points collected by the Preds' defensive core which now paces all postseason clubs with seven goals and sits tied with the Anaheim Ducks with 21 points.

This ought to silence the critics.P.K. Subban broke up what would have been a near-automatic goal with a stellar defensive play late in Sunday's win over the St. Louis Blues in Game 3 of their second-round playoff series.The Nashville Predators defenseman stretched out to get his stick on a pass headed through the crease toward Paul Stastny, preventing the Blues forward from getting off a clean shot at the virtually wide-open net with about three minutes left in the contest.The Predators held on for a 3-1 victory and took a 2-1 series lead.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Guy Boucher isn't keeping his sense of humor in check.The Ottawa Senators head coach had the perfect one-liner ready when asked about a potential Game 3 adjustment from New York Rangers bench boss Alain Vigneault.Vigneault said earlier Sunday that he might have to "put a checker on their checker," to neutralize Jean-Gabriel Pageau, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "He's supposed to be their checker and he scored four goals."Boucher's response was terrific.“I'm going to check his checkers and he'll check my checkers," he said, via TSN 1200's Chris Stevenson. "I guess it won't be a chess match then. It'll be a checkers match.”Well played, Guy.Pageau capped off his four-goal outburst in Game 2 with the overtime winner that gave the Senators a 2-0 series lead heading to New York.As the matchup shifts to Madison Square Garden, the pressure's on Vigneault and the Rangers to make the next move.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres continue their search for a new general manager.Their latest interviewee is Columbus Blue Jackets assistant GM Bill Zito, who reportedly met with the Sabres on Saturday, according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN. The interview was also reported by Aaron Portzline of the Post-Dispatch.Zito was named AGM of the Blue Jackets in August 2013. According to the team, Zito is responsible for contract negotiations, scouting and player evaluation, salary cap management and budgeting, and serving as GM of the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters.Prior to joining the Blue Jackets, Zito helped build Acme World Sports into one of the top hockey agencies.Los Angeles Kings AGM Mike Futa is also believed to be among the candidates for the Sabres GM job.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brought in to bolster the blue line, Kevin Shattenkirk has proven to be more of a liability for the Washington Capitals.That appears to be the conclusion reached by head coach Barry Trotz, at least, after the defenseman - who was acquired from St. Louis prior to the trade deadline - was called out following a Game 2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Braden Holtby has the full support of his head coach.The morning after pulling his star goalie from a Game 2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals bench boss Barry Trotz maintained the belief that the reigning Vezina Trophy winner will help the team climb out of a deep and troublesome series hole.Related: Trotz doesn't regret pulling Holtby"There's no question he's our starting goaltender," Trotz said, per Katie Brown of NHL.com. "He'll be the difference in the series."Holtby allowed six goals on 35 shots over the first two games of the series, and sat out the third period of Game 2 in lieu of Philipp Grubauer after posting a save percentage of .829.He'll need to be at his very best in order for the Capitals to win four games and snatch the series away from the Penguins.Game 3 is set for Monday in Pittsburgh.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Just like that, the New Jersey Devils are set to be the center of attention this summer.Coming off a season in which the Devils finished well down in the NHL standings, the team's fortunes appear to be shifting, as evidenced by Saturday's NHL draft lottery win. Couple that with the possible return of Ilya Kovalchuk, and New Jersey general manager Ray Shero is primed for a franchise-altering offseason.Here's what's on deck for the Devils.First for everything(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Thanks to the lottery win, the Devils will select first overall for the first time in team history.While this year's draft doesn't feature the likes of Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews, general manager Ray Shero is set to have his choice between two pretty good young centers in Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier.Related: Shero never thought he'd get chance to draft Patrick or HischierAnd thanks to some other wheeling and dealing in recent years (and pending any moves made before the draft), the lottery pick will be the first of nine New Jersey selections in Rounds 1-6, per Cap Friendly.Those prospects will be added to a haul of nine reeled in at last year's draft, and another five the year before.All of this since Shero took over the job in 2015, leaving no doubt as to what his strategy is for revamping the Devils' lineup: build through the draft and add all the young talent.Kovalchuk windfall(Photo courtesy: Action Images)In an interview with Sportsnet's John Shannon in advance of Saturday's draft lottery, Shero confirmed he plans to reach out to Ilya Kovalchuk's agent to see if the "retired" Russian forward - who's been playing in the KHL for the past four seasons - is indeed interested in returning to the NHL.Seeing as the Devils are indeed deep into the rebuilding process, it seems unlikely that Kovalchuk would want to resume playing in New Jersey.As TSN's Bob McKenzie recently explained, in order for Kovalchuk to play for another team, he would first have to sign a new deal with the Devils and then be traded, according to the protocol laid out by the Voluntary Retirement List.A sign-and-trade scenario, then, would allow the Devils to work out a deal with the highest bidder, with draft picks and prospects - and perhaps a much-needed young defenseman - no doubt serving as the base asking price.The Devils, of course, already have some big pieces in place, namely Cory Schneider, Taylor Hall, and Pavel Zacha. But as a result of the lottery win and with a potential Kovalchuk deal on the horizon, an influx of talent appears imminent, thereby bringing Shero's Devils to a place of relevance faster than expected, if the cards are played right.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's the wins that matter most.The Edmonton Oilers will host the Anaheim Ducks for Game 3 on Sunday after building a 2-0 series lead on the road, victories in which superstar center Connor McDavid was limited to a single assist.As far as head coach Todd McLellan is concerned, McDavid is doing all the little, less glamorous things that help teams win in the playoffs."He's the leader of the team that has two wins," McLellan said, per Marc Ciampa of the team's website. "He's drawn numerous penalties throughout the series and we've only played two games. He has taxed the other team's checking forwards and put their D under stress. He's opened up ice for his teammates."His will to fight through it rubs off on our group throughout the lineup. I think he's doing a very good job of dealing with playoffs, dealing with checking. ... He's adapting to it. He's adjusting to it. He's figuring out ways."In eight postseason games, McDavid has recorded two goals and three assists, with four of the five points coming either on the power play or shorthanded.That the Oilers are winning despite the dip in McDavid's numbers is a testament to their depth, and fair warning to Anaheim and potential future opponents to be wary of a breakout.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sidney Crosby is doing it all for the Pittsburgh Penguins.In helping his team win Game 2 of a series against the Washington Capitals, the captain recorded a pair of assists, one of which was sparked by a key blocked shot that led directly to what would stand as the decisive strike.Here's how it happened.With Washington down by a goal late in the second period, center Marcus Johansson (90) entered the offensive zone in search of the equalizer. Crosby (87) can be seen as the first forward back, about to cross the blue line with a view to lending support to his defensemen.Johansson stopped along the boards and decided to drop the puck back to Justin Williams (14). Crosby, with an eye on Johansson, put himself in position to quickly pivot and turn his attention from the center to the winger.And as Williams prepared for a shot attempt, Crosby dropped to his knees to block it.Williams' shot bounced off Crosby's knees, at which point the latter looked to get back to his skates in pursuit of the puck. Crosby, however, appeared to be tripped up by the Capitals forward, who clearly sensed danger.Undeterred while laid out on the ice, Crosby poked the puck to Jake Guentzel (59), who was then able to cleanly exit the zone and fly down the ice on an odd-man rush with Bryan Rust (17).Guentzel ultimately decided to hold on to the puck, firing it past Braden Holtby (30) and prompting a Capitals goalie change at intermission.The full replay can be seen here.Ever the humble superstar, Crosby didn't see anything special about his effort to set up what stood as the game-winning goal."Everybody knows that's part of it," he said of blocking shots, per Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. "Everyone's got to kind of do their part, depending upon their position and the situation. I don't think anybody overlooks that. I think we all understand how important it is to do different things and those details. A number of guys were blocking shots and doing all those things, so that's great to see."Crosby's willingness to battle at both ends of the ice isn't lost on head coach Mike Sullivan, however."He's the best 200-foot player in the game, in my estimation," Sullivan said after the win. "He plays at both ends of the rink. He defends as well as he plays with the puck and creates offense."I've gained so much respect for him as a person in the time that I've been coaching him. That's something that I think you don't really gain an appreciation for a guy unless you get to see him on a daily basis."The Penguins now head back to Pittsburgh with a 2-0 series lead, following two road wins, with Crosby and Co. well on the way to defending their 2016 Stanley Cup championship.(Images courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Barry Trotz isn't second-guessing his decision to remove Braden Holtby from Saturday's Game 2 defeat."I probably would regret if I didn't do it," the Washington Capitals head coach said, according to NHL.com's Katie Brown, after a 6-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins that put his club in a 2-0 series deficit heading on the road.Holtby was replaced by Philipp Grubauer to begin the third period after surrendering three goals on 14 shots, including a soft one to Penguins forward Jake Guentzel late in the second period.The Capitals now travel to Pittsburgh facing the possibility of being put on the brink of elimination after winning the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's best regular-season club.Washington has lost eight of nine series against the Penguins in their history, and Trotz knows rallying against the defending Stanley Cup champions won't be easy."We're going to have to go places we haven't gone before to beat this team," Trotz said.Game 3 is scheduled for Monday night in Pittsburgh.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Niskanen got a bit testy with reporters Saturday night.The Washington Capitals defenseman wasn't in the mood to divulge how his team reacted in the dressing room after losing 6-2 on home ice, surrendering a 2-0 series lead to the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 2 of their second-round matchup."None of your business," Niskanen said when asked about the postgame mood in the room, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post.The Capitals took a little longer than usual to open up the dressing room after the blowout loss that ensured they'll be headed to Pittsburgh in a 2-0 hole.Justin Williams said it was Nicklas Backstrom who spoke up in the room, but like Niskanen, Williams wasn't interested in revealing what was talked about, according to NHL.com's Katie Brown.T.J. Oshie also declined to specify what was discussed, but said it was made clear from the Capitals' leaders how the club needs to move forward, according to ESPN's Craig Custance."No one in this room needs a lesson on how to go home early, we've done that," Oshie added, per The Washington Post's Missy Khamvongsa.Washington's star goaltender, Braden Holtby, was pulled to start the third period after giving up three goals on 14 shots in the first 40 minutes. However, Niskanen isn't too concerned with how the reigning Vezina Trophy winner will handle it."He's an adult," the blue-liner said, according to Chris Gordon of Russian Machine Never Breaks.Game 3 goes Monday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After the most dreadful season in the shootout era, Saturday's draft lottery was supposed to provide the lone glimmer of hope this year for the Colorado Avalanche as they look to the future.It didn't. In fact, it provided the exact opposite.Owning 18 percent odds to win the first overall pick, general manager Joe Sakic sat and watched the New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers, and Dallas Stars leap into the top three, pushing Colorado into the worst possible outcome of selecting No. 4.Despite the disappointment, Sakic isn't viewing it as a negative result."I don't think it's a setback," Sakic said according to Terry Frei of The Denver Post. "When you're picking one to four, you're going to get a good player. We had 18 percent, we knew there was just as good a chance of not being picked (in any of the three lotteries), and that's how it turned out."Sakic and the Avalanche don't appear to be missing out on a Connor McDavid or an Auston Matthews, as this year's draft isn't said to be nearly as star-studded, but with a chance to catch a break, Colorado was dealt one extra, painful blow heading into the first offseason of the impending organizational tear-down.The rebuild could have been kickstarted at the trade deadline, with star forwards Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog said to be on the market. Sakic wanted a king's ransom for either of them, and a top pick in the fold this June surely would accelerate the possibility of pulling trigger on a deal in the offseason.Of course, it's a long-term picture. Colorado has much bigger problems than picking No. 4, and a slightly later pick doesn't slam any window of opportunity to get better in a few years.It's no guarantee, but it's highly likely Nolan Patrick or Nico Hischier would have a better chance of slotting into Colorado's roster in October over whoever the Avalanche grab at No. 4. And now, whatever lies ahead in the future of Duchene and Landeskog, the pressure on Sakic to orchestrate an appropriate, highly-beneficial deal for either player grows with less ammunition at his disposal.There's no quick fix for this Avalanche roster, and after the way the lottery balls fell on Saturday, it may take a little longer yet.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Braden Holtby took an unexpected seat on the bench Saturday night.The Washington Capitals' unquestioned starter was replaced by backup Philipp Grubauer to start the third period in Game 2 of the second-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.Holtby allowed three goals on 14 shots in his 40 minutes of work. He didn't look like his usually stellar self on Jake Guentzel's marker, which made it 3-1 for the Penguins with less than four minutes left in the second period.Grubauer didn't fare much better than his netminding teammate, allowing two goals on nine shots as the Capitals lost Game 2 by a 6-2 margin.Holtby is a finalist for the Vezina Trophy this season, and he won the award - given annually to the NHL's top goaltender - in 2016.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ray Shero was just as shocked as many fans were when he found out his team landed the first overall pick in June's draft.Related: Devils win draft lottery; Flyers, Stars move into top 3The New Jersey Devils general manager admitted afterwards that he enjoyed watching Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier this season, but "never did I really think we'd be in a position to draft one of these guys," according to TSN's Mark Masters.Shero will have the opportunity to choose one of the two phenoms after the Devils went from having the fifth-highest odds to the top spot Saturday night."(It's) surprising," he said. "You know what your odds are."The Devils haven't made the playoffs since losing the Stanley Cup Final to the Los Angeles Kings in 2012, but Shero believes New Jersey's lottery luck will help the organization get back to its previous winning ways."A franchise like us, this is what we need," he said. "The Devils haven't won anything in a little while ... we have to take advantage."New Jersey wasn't the only team to make an unexpected leap Saturday night. The Philadelphia Flyers made the most significant jump, going from having the 13th-highest odds of getting into the top three to securing the second overall selection.Shero wore a tie to the lottery that Devils forward Adam Henrique apparently thought was red.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau's gameday began with what he thought was too much chicken parm. It ended with his name in the history books.The Ottawa Senators forward performed in grand fashion Saturday in Game 2, netting four goals - including the overtime winner - to give his club a 2-0 series lead over the New York Rangers.Pageau got the Sens on the board in the first, then cut his club's two-goal deficit in half with 3:19 to go in the third. He followed up with a hat-trick tally with 1:02 to go, and then iced it in double overtime.Suffice to say, he was the hero."What can I say? The kid is a legend," defenseman Marc Methot told TSN's Ian Mendes postgame.Methot wasn't alone: