John Tortorella and his Columbus Blue Jackets have come upon difficult times to close out the most successful season in franchise history.With Saturday's 4-2 loss in Philadelphia, Columbus has dropped six games in a row - the club's longest losing streak since dropping its first eight of 2015-16. But its head coach is trying not to overthink the backslide."I'm not going to pick apart what my team is right now, because it's so hard to judge in these types of circumstances," Tortorella said following Saturday's defeat, according to Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch.The circumstances are by no means dire, as Columbus is locked into a first-round matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins.The Blue Jackets have one more chance to right the ship before the postseason begins, as they'll travel to Toronto on Sunday for a matchup with the Maple Leafs.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins are losing defensemen at the worst possible time.Already playing their regular-season finale without an injured Torey Krug, the Bruins lost Brandon Carlo on Saturday - at least for the final two periods of their game against Washington. This as a result of an unpenalized hit into the boards by Alex Ovechkin that forced Carlo to leave during the first.Prior to the start of the second period, the Bruins announced Carlo - who's averaging more than 21 minutes a night as a rookie - wouldn't return to the game due to what's been labeled an upper-body injury.The Capitals won 3-1, and are absolutely on fire as the playoffs approach, winners of four straight and nine of 10.Boston finishes its season 44-31-7, playoffs bound, its 95 points good for third in the Atlantic Division, for now. Should the Bruins fall to the second wild card, they'll face the Capitals in the first round.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks will get a key member back in the lineup when the playoffs begin next week.Artem Anisimov, who last played March 14, will be ready for Game 1 of the opening round, head coach Joel Quenneville confirmed Saturday, according to Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times.It's a big addition for the No. 1 seed, as Anisimov was primarily deployed centering Artemi Panarin and Patrick Kane throughout the regular season.In 64 games, he contributed 22 goals and 23 assists.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators will start the playoffs on home ice.With Saturday's 3-1 defeat of the New York Rangers, the Senators climbed to 98 points and clinched the second seed in the Atlantic Division.The Senators' playoff opponent is not yet determined as the final seed in the Atlantic is still up for grabs, with the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs both in contention.The Senators will close out the regular season Sunday against the New York Islanders.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Bryan Bickell will retire from the NHL after playing in Carolina's final two regular-season games, he told NHL.com on Saturday.Bickell was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis on Nov. 11, 2016. He battled back from the disease to play 10 games in the AHL this season, followed by a recent two-game stint back up with the big club in Carolina, where he was overcome with emotion during a postgame interview.The 31-year-old proved to be an invaluable role player during his time with the Chicago Blackhawks, winning three Stanley Cups. He scored a career-high 17 goals in 2010-11.Bickell will most likely be remembered by Blackhawks fans for stepping up his play in the postseason. In 75 career playoff games he tallied 20 goals and 19 assists, including a 17-point effort during Chicago's 2013 run.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Joe Biden approves.The former U.S. vice president attended Saturday's contest between the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets, giving his own personal seal of approval following Pierre-Edouard Bellemare's game-opening goal.

It beats a bobblehead.Fans in attendance for the Detroit Red Wings game at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday will receive a mini replica of the arena itself:

Loyalty and leadership.Few words better describe Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan, who may play the final game of his 21-year career Saturday night against the Minnesota Wild.The 40-year-old Doan had a career renaissance last season, potting 28 goals, making it an easy decision for him to return for 2016-17. But he hasn't been as successful this season, tallying just six goals and 20 assists, all while battling a nagging groin injury in recent weeks.That struggle has made it more difficult for Doan to decide whether to call it a career."I really don't know," Doan told Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports. "I truly wish I did. It would make everything so much easier to be able to give a definitive answer. There's a chance I come back and play; there's a chance I don't."It's amazing how quickly you go from thinking you have lots of time to realizing you have no time. This whole year, you wish you had a do-over on, but you don't get them so you want to make sure you finish them off the right way."Doan's leadership in the locker room is where the Coyotes captain has been as valuable as ever. He is the guiding light on a team featuring a crop of young players, from last year's rookies Max Domi and Anthony Duclair, to the new fresh faces in Christian Dvorak, Jakob Chychrun, Lawson Crouse, and Brendan Perlini, among others.Coyotes coach Dave Tippett told reporters that Doan's value is more than what he provides on the ice, noting his leadership, personality, and commitment to the organization."All those things rub off, especially when you have as many young players as we have. It's great that they all get a little bit of a taste of that from him," Tippett said. "Shane is more than willing to help out in those things. There is sometimes when guys get a little older, they tend to back away from a lot of the young players. Shane is engaged with the young players all the time."Now with 20 seasons under his belt in the desert, Doan has become the face of the game in the southwest, beloved for his dedication to the organization, having stuck with the club through its lean years. Through it all, he's made his mark on the franchise and etched his name across the record books, holding eight individual team-high marks:RecordShane DoanRunner UpGames1539Teppo Numminen - 1098Goals402Dale Hawerchuk - 379Assists569Thomas Steen - 553Points971Dale Hawerchuk - 929Powerplay Goals128Dale Hawerchuk - 122Even-strength Goals268Dale Hawerchuk - 245Game-winning Goals69Keith Tkachuk - 40Shots3942Dale Hawerchuk - 2494The Coyotes captain is also one of just six players to play more than 1,500 games with one franchise, an accomplishment that puts him in a category with Steve Yzerman, Ray Bourque, Alex Delvecchio, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Gordie Howe.Named captain of the Coyotes in 2003, the most memorable season came nine years later, as Doan and the Coyotes eliminated the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators to advance to the Conference Finals. The series win over the Blackhawks was the franchise's first playoff series victory in 25 seasons.Whatever his decision, Doan will still be lacing up the skates somewhere, telling Ben Kuzma of The Province, "The day I retire, I'll be playing in a men's league somewhere because I love the game."(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs' bid to secure a playoff berth won't come easy Saturday.Captain Sidney Crosby will be in the lineup for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have opted to dress the superstar ahead of the playoffs, according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.The Penguins have already locked up the second seed in the Metropolitan Division, so the possibility existed the team could rest some players in preparation for the postseason.Evgeni Malkin, who has missed the last 11 games with a shoulder injury and is close to returning, will not play Saturday. Marc-Andre Fleury gets the start in goal for the Penguins.The Maple Leafs are battling the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders for the final wild-card seed in the East. Two points in its final two games guarantees a playoff spot for Toronto.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for the 11-game main slate on Saturday, April 8 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

Despite the team's struggles this season, Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill doesn't plan on going through a rebuild with his team anytime soon."Is it a major rebuild? No. I guess that is the bright light in all this. We've got a lot of major pieces here, and we're going to get this back together. It's going to be a quick turnaround," Nill said during an interview with Bruce LeVine and Owen Newkirk of The Ticket.After finishing with 109 points in 2015-16 - the second-highest total in the NHL - the Stars have regressed significantly in 2016-17, as they stand only 77 points with just one game remaining in the regular season.The fall of the Stars has been quite shocking, considering the only major departure from the club in the offseason was winger Valeri Nichushkin, who left for CSKA Moscow of the KHL.The rest of the team has remained relatively the same, though injuries were a major factor in lack of lineup continuity.The oft-injured Jason Spezza missed some time. So too did fellow veterans Patrick Sharp and Ales Hemsky. Even when this trio was healthy, their production fell off a steep cliff compared to last season.Sharp and Hemsky are both unrestricted free agents following the season and likely won't be back. The departure of these two veterans will free up $9.9 million in cap space.Superstars Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin still had stellar campaigns, but they were unable to carry to the team like they did at times in 2015-16.Yet, perhaps the major reason the Stars took a step back this year was their goaltending. Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi have combined for an .894 save percentage - the second-worst in the NHL.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)The Stars were able to hide this glaring weakness last season thanks to a league-best offense and the third-highest 5v5 Corsi For percentage, per Corsica.Hockey. This season, though, they have ranked in the middle of the pack in both goals for and CF percentage."You have to have good goaltending in this league. If you don't have good goaltending, you are not winning," said Nill. "The goaltending has to take their share of the blame. But it is the play of the team that hasn't helped them out. It's a family affair."Unfortunately, both Lehtonen and Niemi are each under contract for one more season. The tandem has a combined cap hit of $10.4 million in 2017-18.Nill could turn to a free-agent goaltender such as Ben Bishop, Ryan Miller, or Brian Elliott to solve his team's issues in the crease, but all three will likely cost a pretty penny.Nill will have to find a way to ditch one of Lehtonen or Niemi, or, ideally, both. That won't be easy.He could try to convince Golden Knights GM George McPhee to take on one of their salaries while also sending a prospect to Vegas as compensation. The other option would be buy out one goaltender.Regardless, Dallas won't be going far with its current tandem between the pipes.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Despite the foggy forecast in net, there is still plenty of hope for the Stars. Seguin is just 25 years old and Benn is only 27. There is still a large window to win while these two are still in their prime.In fact, the injuries and poor play this season have forced the Stars to see what they have in some younger players, which could be beneficial down the road."Our young guys have been good. You have to give them credit," said Nill, speaking of players such as LW Remi Elie, D Julius Honka, and C Jason Dickinson, who are all just 21. "They have been competing hard, and they have been probably the bright light in what isn't a very bright situation right now."Though a "retooling" almost never works, it might be possible for Nill and the Stars given the dynamic duo of Benn and Seguin and the influx of young talent on the way.There are still holes to fill all through the roster, but the departures of Hemsky and Sharp will leave Nill with some money to play with this coming offseason. How he intends to spend it is up to him.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens will have some reinforcement Saturday night.The club announced that it has recalled defenseman Mikhail Sergachev on an emergency basis from the OHL's Windsor Spitfires.The Canadiens drafted Sergachev with the ninth overall pick last year. He began the season with Montreal, appearing in three games before being returned to junior.Sergachev recorded 43 points in 50 games with the Spitfires this season.The Canadiens currently have a banged up blue line, with defensemen Shea Weber, Alexei Emelin, and Jordie Benn all dealing with day-to-day ailments.None of three played Friday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Weber and Emelin will not play against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, but Benn could return to the lineup.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kendall Coyne likes winning.The USA Hockey forward added to her gold medal collection Friday, as Team USA downed the Canadians for their fourth straight gold at the world championships.The win marked the fifth gold medal for Coyne, who also captured victory in 2011. Coyne won silver with Team USA in 2012. The tournament was shelved two years later for the Sochi Olympics, where Coyne picked up a silver medal."We were our best today and we were the best team on the ice," Coyne told reporters following the victory. "We're only going to get better from here moving forward, so it's really exciting."The Illinois native tied for first in tournament scoring, registering five goals and seven assists in five games. Coyne picked up two assists in Friday's gold medal game, including a key set up on Hilary Knight's overtime winner.That's not all of Coyne's success on the world stage, either, as she previously won two gold medals at the under-18s before a silver medal win in 2010.Leading up to the tournament, Team USA threatened a boycott due to a wage dispute. Training camp was wiped out as negotiations stalled, and while replacement players were considered, an agreement was eventually reached.Next up for the squad? The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Through the remainder of the regular season, we'll take a look at how the night's action impacts the playoff race, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.Think of it this way, Maple Leafs supporters: At least the final weekend of the regular season matters. A lot.After play Tuesday night, with both Toronto and the Tampa Bay Lighting losing, the Maple Leafs' playoff chances were great, at 97.6 percent. Tampa's? Not so good, at 2 percent. Well, things have changed.The Lightning, fresh off a 4-1 win in Toronto on Thursday, beat the Montreal Canadiens on Friday to move within a point of the Maple Leafs for the final playoff spot up for grabs in the NHL.Here's what the math looks like:Team Result Playoff Chances ChangeLightningW 4-211.5%+7.3%Maple LeafsOff81.6%-6.9%IslandersOff6.9%-0.4%(Data courtesy: Sports Club Stats)Toronto controls its own destiny, with home games Saturday against Pittsburgh and Sunday against the Blue Jackets.The Lightning have one game left, Sunday evening at home versus Buffalo. Their only hope is that it matters.The Islanders are in New Jersey on Saturday and home to Ottawa on Sunday.Enjoy the final weekend of the season. And remember, Leafs fans: 81.6 percent is a hell of a lot better than zero.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

MONTREAL - Rookie Yanni Gourde scored twice, Nikita Kucherov got his 40th of the season, and the Tampa Bay Lightning kept their playoff hopes alive with a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night.Alex Killorn also scored for the Lightning. They need to win their final regular-season game Sunday against Buffalo and have Toronto and the New York Islanders lose to take the final spot in the Eastern Conference.Dwight King and Artturi Lehkonen scored for the playoff-bound Canadiens.The desperate Lightning faced a Canadiens team that had already clinched first place in the Atlantic Division and rested three banged up starting defensemen - Shea Weber, Jordie Benn and Alexei Emelin.Kucherov could have had three goals in the first period.The 23-year-old Russian was robbed by Carey Price 3:59 into the game, then froze the Montreal defense on a rush and hit a post from the slot at 11:42, but Gourde fired in the rebound to open the scoring.At 19:50, Ondrej Palat flipped a pass into the neutral zone that the speeding Kucherov controlled with a quick slap of the stick before beating Price inside the near post.Lehkonen found King coming off the bench with a stretch pass. He went in alone to beat Andrei Vasilevskiy between the pads for his first goal in 16 games as a Canadien at 9:59 of the second.Killorn got it back at 14:19 on a rush after Cory Conacher forced a turnover at the Tampa Bay blue line.Lehkonen saw his pass go in off a skate at 4:36 of the third but, only 21 seconds later, Gourde was left alone on the left side and put Conacher's pass into an open side for a fifth goal in his last seven games.UP NEXTLightning: Host Buffalo on Sunday in their regular-season finale.Canadiens: At Detroit in their regular-season finale Saturday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With their season on the line, the Tampa Bay Lightning watched Andrei Vasilevskiy make arguably his most important save of the season.Vasilevskiy robbed Alexander Radulov of what seemed like a sure goal with a desperation save that saw him lose his stick in the process.And with every passing game, Vasilevskiy continues to prove general manager Steve Yzerman made the right choice by entrusting him with number one status.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are feeling loose ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.On Thursday, with the Pens low on locker-room space in New Jersey and Evgeni Malkin not in the lineup, the club set up his "stall" in the hallway. And Phil Kessel was all over it.

Nikita Kucherov is carving a path towards becoming one of the top Russian goal scorers in NHL history.The Tampa Bay Lightning winger recorded his 40th goal of the season during Friday's game against Montreal, reaching that mark for the first time in his career just two months shy of his 24th birthday.Related - Watch: Kucherov rifles 40th past PriceHere's the list of Russian-born players to reach 40 goals at age 23 or younger, per StatsCenter: Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Pavel Bure, and Alexander Mogilny.Pretty good company to be keeping, especially for a player drafted 58th overall (2011).Kucherov also become only the second player to hit 40 goals in the NHL this season, with Sidney Crosby being the first.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mobile app users - expand the banner below to view more on the race to the playoffs.It's a good story. It could have a fairy-tale ending.The New York Islanders, thought for dead multiple times this season - most recently and especially after John Tavares was hurt a week ago, in a 2-1 win over New Jersey - are somehow still standing in the race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. And they have Jaroslav Halak, their once-banished goalie, to thank.Recalled from the AHL on March 23, Halak's won four straight, allowing only four goals during the streak, and if the Islanders do get into the playoffs - still a very slim possibility - it will be on the 31-year-old's back.Now owning a higher save percentage than New York's starting goalie, Thomas Greiss, albeit in half as many games, it can easily be argued that Halak's earned the team's most important start. Check out the difference in where the Islanders are allowing shots from when Halak's in net compared to Greiss:HalakGreiss(Images courtesy: Hockey Viz)The Islanders aren't exactly helping Halak out back there.Two games to gloryNew York's got two games left, a back-to-back over the season's final two days. Put simply, the Islanders need to win both. And head coach Doug Weight ain't thinking about anything but Saturday night."The plan is Jaro's starting," Weight said about Saturday's game in Newark, according to Newsday's Arthur Staple. "That's the extent of it."Greiss, with 25 wins in 48 starts, will watch from the bench with the season on the line. Signed to a three-year extension in late January, the 'tender appears to be the goalie of choice in New York moving forward (Halak still has a season left on his deal), though he's also 31. Problem is, he's stunk in the second half.Greiss posted an .891 save percentage in February, followed by an .895 in March. Halak had a .925 save percentage in the minors, and has only lost one game since being recalled. And, hell, for what it's worth, he beat the Devils in his only start against them this season, stopping 26 of 27 in the game that Tavares was injured. Right now, you're damned right the small sample size matters.New Jersey put three goals past Greiss on only 21 shots on Feb. 18.Greiss has the better 5-on-5 save percentage, but has been poor on the penalty kill compared to Halak.Goalie5 on 5 SV%SH SV%Greiss.919.876Halak.915.907The numbers are the numbers, but this couldn't have been a hard decision for Weight. Halak's the guy. He has to be.Halak's redemption story continues. The Islanders are hoping the next chapter's written in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.Mobile app users - expand the banner below to view more on the race to the playoffs.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators want to make sure Erik Karlsson is as healthy as possible for the postseason.The Norris Trophy candidate is not expected to suit up for the team's final two regular-season games, after missing Thursday's playoff-clinching win over Boston with a foot injury."Most likely Erik will not play until the end of the regular season," Senators general manager Dorion said Friday, per NHL.com. "(But) if tomorrow was Game 1 of the playoffs … he would be playing."The Senators sit second in the Atlantic Division and remain in a fight for home-ice advantage in the opening round.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

University of Denver defenseman Will Butcher has been named the 2017 winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the top NCAA men's hockey player.The 22-year-old captain of the Pioneers recorded seven goals and 30 assists in 42 games this season, while also displaying a rock-solid defensive game and leading his team to the NCAA men's hockey championship game to be played against Minnesota-Duluth on Saturday.Butcher beat out fellow finalists Mike Vecchione (Union College) and Zack Aston-Reese (Northeastern).Butcher, a fifth-round pick of the Colorado Avalancahe back in 2013, is the sixth defenseman to take home the honor in the 37-year history of the award.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Keep the octopus on ice, not the playing surface.That's the message PETA is sending to the Detroit Red Wings and their fans with two final games to be played at Joe Louis Arena, a building wherein many a cephalopod mollusc has been thrown from the stands over the years.In a letter to team president and CEO Chris Ilitch, PETA suggests a $5,000 fine against anyone who brings an octopus into the arena, as well as a permanent ban from all future Wings games.More from the letter, via Kukla's Korner:

Anaheim Ducks forward Nick Ritchie has been suspended two games for roughing Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Michal Rozsival, the NHL has announced.As the video shows, Ritchie was assessed a match penalty for punching Rozsival during Thursday's game in Anaheim. The incident occurred after Rozsival delivered a cross-check to Corey Perry, and another to Ritchie after being confronted for his actions.The league, however, deemed Ritchie's punch on a unsuspecting Rozsival to be inexcusable and disproportionate, especially in light of the officials being in the process of penalizing the defenseman.The Ducks have only one game remaining in the regular season, meaning Ritchie - who has recorded 14 goals and 28 points in 77 games - will miss the opening game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A former member of the Vancouver Canucks does not think highly of current team president Trevor Linden.Speaking on TSN 1040 on Friday, Williams - who played five seasons with the Canucks in the early 1980s - said anyone but Linden would be a better choice to lead the club into the future."You know, Linden was loved by all the fans in the Lower Mainland and in British Columbia, but he's the worst guy you could have running the Vancouver Canucks," Williams said, per TSN. "He's had no experience, and to throw him into that job that was a bad decision by the ownership group and it's still a bad decision."If the ownership group, if they don't know what they're doing either, they're hiring the wrong people, then you've really got an issue. And I think they've really got an issue."Williams then lauded head coach Willie Desjardins as a winner, adding the team's failures over the past few seasons boil down to Linden's inexperience and ownership's decision to put him in charge.The Canucks currently sit 29th in the NHL after finishing 28th a year ago, while Linden - who played 16 seasons with the Canucks - has served as president of hockey operations since April of 2014.Williams appeared in 962 career NHL games with the Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, and the Hartford Whalers.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Tucson Roadrunners forward Craig Cunningham was named the recipient of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award on Friday, recognizing the AHL player who best exemplifies sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to hockey.The Roadrunners then-captain suffered an on-ice medical emergency prior to a Nov. 19 game. He was rushed to a Tucson, Ariz., hospital where the expert care of the medical team saved his life. Cunningham suffered acute cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation.The 26-year-old Cunningham lost part of his left leg as a result of the cardiac arrest. While his playing days are over, Cunningham returned to the ice in late March, skating with a prosthetic foot while continuing his rehabilitation.When the Arizona Coyotes, the parent club of the AHL Roadrunners, close out their season Saturday against the Minnesota Wild, Cunningham will be on hand to drop the puck in a ceremonial faceoff.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien is picking his spots as the club heads toward the playoffs.Ahead of Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Julien laid out plans for his goaltender and a number of players who are dealing with various injuries:

Bob Murray is less than impressed.The Anaheim Ducks general manager isn't too happy with Calgary Flames blue-liner Mark Giordano after his knee-on-knee hit to Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler.The play occurred in the third period of Tuesday's contest. Giordano was not whistled following the incident, but that didn't negate a response from the Ducks' Josh Manson, who dropped the gloves with the Flames captain.

Cam Talbot's record-breaking win on Thursday night didn't go unnoticed.The Edmonton Oilers netminder recorded his 41st win of the season, setting a new franchise record. The 29-year-old surpassed Grant Fuhr's previous mark of 40, and on Friday the Hall of Famer offered his congrats and best wishes for Talbot heading into the postseason.

The Duke is headed to Chicago.Reid Duke, the first player to sign with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, will join the AHL's Chicago Wolves on a professional tryout agreement, the Golden Knights announced Friday.Duke, 21, signed with the Golden Knights after playing parts of six seasons in the WHL. Duke spent the 2016-17 campaign with the Brandon Wheat Kings, posting 71 points in 59 games."We are appreciative of the Wolves organization for affording Reid this opportunity, which will be beneficial for his development as a player," Golden Knights general manager George McPhee said in a statement.The Wolves are the minor-league affiliate of the St. Louis Blues. The Golden Knights have not yet made an announcement about their own minor-league club.The team could share an affiliation during its first few seasons, with owner Bill Foley noting the eventual plan is for Vegas to have its own AHL club. Possible locations include Reno, Nev., Fresno, Calif., and Salt Lake City, Utah.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A pair of netminders picked up their first wins in the NHL on Thursday night.More impressively, it was the first start in the big leagues for both goaltenders.Jon Gillies came away with the victory for the Calgary Flames, defeating the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. Gillies turned aside 27 shots in the win, with the lone goal coming from Kings winger Trevor Lewis."That was an unbelievable effort by our team. It was fun to be behind and fun to play behind," Gillies told reporters. "When you play behind an effort like that, it's easy to see why they've had so much success this year."It's been a long road to the NHL for Gillies after the Flames selected him with the 75th pick in the 2012 draft. He spent the following three seasons at Providence College before turning pro with the AHL's Stockton Heat, the Flames' minor-league affiliate.Gillies has appeared in 38 games with the Heat this season, posting a 17-14-1 record alongside a .909 save percentage and 2.95 goals-against average.No doubt he made the most of his opportunity, joining the Flames on an emergency recall after backup Chad Johnson was lost to a lower-body injury.Meanwhile, Eric Comrie got the call for the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, putting up a huge effort in his NHL debut. He made 35 saves as the Jets defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets on the road."He was very, very good, as you saw," Jets coach Paul Maurice told reporters following the victory. "The little things though - rebound control, the number of quick shots that came to him that he got off into the corner - so we didn't have to fight for (the pucks). A smaller goalie has to be positionally really sound to play in this league, and there were three or four that he got with his shoulder or blocker that was all technique."Canadian hockey fans will recall Comrie from his performance at the 2015 World Junior Championship. The Edmonton native appeared in two games at the tournament, winning both contests and posting a .933 save percentage in the process. Comrie was a part of that year's gold medal-winning squad.Drafted 59th overall by the Jets in 2013, Comrie completed two more seasons with the WHL's Tri-City Americans before moving on to the AHL.He owns a 17-25-2 record with a .906 save rate and 2.98 GAA in 48 games this season with the Jets' minor-league affiliate, the Manitoba Moose.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thanks to a Tampa Bay Lightning win over the Toronto Maple Leafs and a New York Islanders victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, we are no closer to figuring out who will claim that second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.The Maple Leafs had their second chance to punch their ticket to the postseason, but dropped a 4-1 decision to the Lightning just 48 hours after a similar result against the Washington Capitals.As for the Islanders, they got up 3-0 before the second period was a minute old against the Hurricanes and shut things down after that, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive.Related - Playoff percentages: Door ajar for Bolts, Isles after Leafs fail to clinchWith the Lightning and Islanders both coming out victorious, the race continues. Heading into the weekend, here's how each of these three playoff hopefuls will need to conclude their season in order to claim that final spot.Brace yourselves, this might get confusing:Maple LeafsQuite simply, the Maple Leafs control the fate of the final spot, and those of the Lightning and Islanders as a result.A victory in one of their final two games against the Pittsburgh Penguins or the Columbus Blue Jackets would secure the spot for Toronto. Meanwhile, a single point in the final two games would force both New York and Tampa Bay to go nearly perfect in their final two games.A single regulation loss by the Lightning or the Islanders would also send the Maple Leafs to the postseason.LightningIt's quite simple for the Lightning: beat both the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres in regulation and hope the Maple Leafs get no more than a single point over their final two games.The Maple Leafs currently have two more combined regulation and overtime wins than the Lightning, which is the first tiebreaker in the standings. In other words, the Lightning must win both their contests before they reach a shootout.Luckily, the Lightning hold the second tiebreaker against the Maple Leafs, as a result of collecting more points against them in the regular-season series.IslandersAs for the Islanders, they must win both their games - against the New Jersey Devils and Ottawa Senators.The Maple Leafs hold every tie-breaking scenario against New York, meaning the Islanders must surpass the Maple Leafs either in points or in ROW (in the event they are tied). Anything less than perfection won't do.Islanders/LightningCover your eyes Maple Leafs fans, but in the case both the Islanders and Lightning go perfect down the stretch and the Maple Leafs fail to record a single point, New York would have the edge in ROW over Tampa Bay.However, if the Lightning can make up that single regulation or overtime win on the Islanders, Tampa Bay would head to the postseason, having gone 3-0-0 against the Islanders during the regular season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the NHL playoffs less than a week away, "On the Fly," theScore's NHL weekly roundtable series, looks at four postseason newcomers we're excited to watch.David PastrnakMcLaren: 2016-17 has been Pastrnak's coming-out party, and there's a sense the 20-year-old is just getting started.In his first full NHL season, the Czech winger has given the Boston Bruins near point-per-game production, with 34 goals and 36 assists in 74 games. Impressive numbers to be sure, but the manner in which he's done it suggests a further breakout could be coming.Pastrnak possesses game-breaking ability unseen in Boston since Tyler Seguin, and has demonstrated an ability to put the game on his stick, as evidenced by team-leading two overtime winners.That he plays in a Bruins top six comprised of savvy veterans who've made numerous playoff treks should boost not only his confidence but his production, as the likes of David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron, and Brad Marchand have a knack for setting the table.Pastrnak has had a formidable regular season, but don't be surprised if he makes an even better first playoff impression.Connor McDavid(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Gold-Smith: It's hard enough to look away when McDavid is on the ice in the regular season. Good luck doing it in the playoffs.The NHL's points leader will soon get his first taste of postseason action, and there's no doubt it'll be appointment viewing.McDavid has had no trouble adjusting to the speed of the league as a 20-year-old in his first full NHL campaign, and while the playoffs require another gear, it shouldn't take the youngest captain in league history much time to make an impact.He's already one of the NHL's most dynamic playmakers as well as one of its most dangerous scorers, and he has a realistic shot at hitting the 100-point plateau before the regular season wraps up.McDavid will surely collect some individual accolades as the probable Art Ross Trophy winner and a likely nominee for the Hart, but his shifts will be can't-miss entertainment come playoff time with the ultimate team prize in his sights.Jordan EberleO'Leary: Doubling up on the playoff-bound Edmonton Oilers, it's hard not to feel good for Eberle.With 505 NHL games and numerous rebuilds under his belt, Eberle will appear in the postseason for the first time in his career, and while he's shifted to more of a depth role since the arrival of No. 97, keep an eye on the Oilers veteran.If you're familiar with his world juniors resume, or have seen his first NHL goal, you're well aware of Eberle's reputation for enjoying the big moments. Unfortunately for him, the gap between opportunities to shine on the sport's grandest stages has dragged on longer than he probably expected, but now's his chance. Expect him to take advantage.Alexander Wennberg(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Wilkins: It's not often a team trades its top center, but the Columbus Blue Jackets cashed in on Ryan Johansen, knowing they had their next middle man around the corner in Wennberg.The 22-year-old stepped into the top job last season after Johansen was dealt to the Nashville Predators, a trade that brought defenseman Seth Jones to Columbus. Not only did the deal strengthen the team's back end, but Wennberg has played a pivotal role down the middle with fellow center Brandon Dubinsky.Wennberg leads the Blue Jackets with 45 assists this season. His production has played a big part in the team locking down just its third-ever playoff berth. The dynamic center will soon have the chance to showcase his skill on a bigger stage when he makes his postseason debut.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anaheim Ducks forward Nick Ritchie will go before the NHL's Department of Player Safety for sucker-punching Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Michal Rozsival, the league announced Friday.The play occurred in the third period of Thursday's contest between the Ducks and Blackhawks. Ritchie was assessed a match penalty as a result of the incident.Ritchie has appeared in 77 games with the Ducks this season, registering 28 points and 62 penalty minutes.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It took Milan Lucic just over 12 minutes to score three goals in the third period of Thursday's game against the San Jose Sharks.Lucic's third career hat trick propelled the team to a 4-2 win over the Sharks helping them keep pace with the Anaheim Ducks for top spot in the Pacific Division.It was a big night for Lucic, who pushed his goal-scoring streak to three games while hitting his highest regular-season total in three years. As for the hat trick coming in a single period, that was a bit of an oddity for him."First time I've scored three in one period that's for sure and when it's one of your nights it's one of your nights," Lucic told Sportsnet's Gene Principe postgame.Nevertheless, the Oilers will take it. They'll also hope to see more of it, as with just a single point over their next two games, they can guarantee home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Move over, Grant Fuhr.With a victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night, Cam Talbot earned his 41st win of 2016-17 to establish an Edmonton Oilers record for most wins in a single regular season.The win came in Talbot's 72nd appearance of the season, and put the Oilers two points up on San Jose for second place in the Pacific Division.Talbot owes Milan Lucic a dinner after the rugged winger recorded a natural hat-trick to propel the Oilers to the goalie's historic win.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nick Ritchie may find himself in hot water with the Stanley Cup Playoffs quickly approaching.The Anaheim Ducks forward was assessed a match penalty after dropping a defenseless Michal Rozsival with a punch to the face during Thursday's game against the Blackhawks.Rozsival earned a minor for cross-checking Corey Perry, an act that drew the disproportionate reaction from Ritchie.A call from the NHL's Department of Player Safety may be forthcoming.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

That's one way to redeem yourself after taking a penalty.Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman left the box, took a breakout pass, and managed to beat Ben Bishop on a rare breakaway opportunity during Thursday's game against the Kings.The goal was Wideman's fifth in 56 games this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Babcock was understandably disappointed after the Toronto Maple Leafs squandered a chance to clinch a playoff berth Thursday night."We made it way harder than it should (have been)," the head coach told reporters after the 4-1 win by the Tampa Bay Lightning, according to TSN's Mark Masters. "We didn't play like we normally do."The Leafs never led in the game, which ultimately kept Tampa Bay's playoff hopes alive, moving them within three points of Toronto for the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot."We never established the game we normally play," Babcock said. "We got to go back to the drawing board and get re-energized."Morgan Rielly also lamented the missed opportunity."We knew what was at stake," the defenseman said. "We didn't do our job. Not very pleased with the game and it just puts more pressure on the next one."James van Riemsdyk took a more optimistic view."We're in a good spot," the Leafs forward said. "Great spot, actually. We control our own destiny still ... we'll be ready to go for Saturday."Toronto hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins that evening in their penultimate regular-season game before Sunday's clash with the Columbus Blue Jackets.Both the Lightning and the New York Islanders sit three points back of the Leafs with two games to play.The Islanders will play the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, then the Ottawa Senators on Sunday. The Lightning travel to Montreal to face the Canadiens on Friday night, then host the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday in their regular-season finale.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brad Marchand is sending some mixed signals in regards to a spear on Tampa Bay's Jake Dotchin that resulted in a two-game suspension.Speaking prior to Thursday's game against Ottawa - an eventual loss that Marchand missed as a result of the suspension - the Boston Bruins winger acknowledged the play was selfish and undisciplined, and he now has no choice but to live with the decision and do all he can to get ready to help his team in the playoffs.Still, he left some room for doubt as to whether he's finally learned his lesson."Things happen quick out there," Marchand told reporters, courtesy of NESN. "If any of you have ever been out there in the NHL on the ice, you realize how quick things happen. Until you're in that position, you don't really understand."Marchand clearly doesn't care all that much what people think of his failure to stay in line."I'm not really concerned about how anyone feels outside of the room. Things happen in hockey, and again, the only people I care about in this world are my teammates and my family, and I think they have different thoughts about me. Everyone's entitled to their opinion."Marchand will be eligible to return for the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where his absence would be more deeply felt.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan Galloway's night ended less than four minutes into the game between the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night.The linesman was struck by Martin Hanzal's attempt to keep the puck in near the blue line early in the first period.Galloway didn't emerge for the start of the second period, and an NHL official said he was getting precautionary tests but was "OK," according to the Star Tribune's Michael Russo.Another league official later told Russo that Galloway suffered a jaw injury and was taken to a local hospital, but the severity was unknown.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks are breathing a sigh of relief.This after rookie forward Ryan Hartman was the victim of a post-whistle slash from Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks, one that appears to have not caused serious injury.The incident wasn't caught in real time, with the only replay coming from a bird's eye view:

Through the remainder of the regular season, we'll take a look at how the night's action impacts the playoff race, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly."So you're saying there's a chance ... " - Lloyd ChristmasThe Toronto Maple Leafs have left the door open for a somewhat dramatic final weekend of the regular season.Presented with an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot on home ice, the Leafs proceeded to drop a 4-1 decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, keeping the latter's slim playoff hopes alive.Meanwhile, the New York Islanders are still in the running thanks to a shutout win over the Carolina Hurricanes.While Toronto's still in the driver's seat, Thursday's results made things a bit more interesting, as the table shows:TeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeIslandersW 3-0 vs. Carolina7.4+4.5LightningW 4-1 vs. Maple Leafs4.2+2.2Maple LeafsL 4-1 vs. Lightning88.5%-9.2(Courtesy: Sports Club Stats)The Ottawa Senators, by the way, clinched a spot Thursday, leaving these three teams to battle it out for the 16th and final berth.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.