Curtis Lazar is expected to make his debut with the Calgary Flames on Sunday night with the Los Angeles Kings in town for a divisional clash.Lazar's expected to replace Micheal Ferland, who has fallen ill.Sam Bennett and Lance Bouma were Lazar's linemates at the morning skate, indicating he'll slot in there.Lazar's been held out of the lineup in seven straight games since his acquisition from the Ottawa Senators at the trade deadline. He contributed one assist and recorded 24 shots in 33 games for Ottawa before being acquired for a second-round draft selection.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2016-17 campaign needed to be a big one for Columbus Blue Jackets defender Seth Jones.After a blockbuster mid-season swap last year sent the 2013 fourth overall pick to Columbus in exchange for top-line centreman Ryan Johansen, all eyes were on the young Jones to prove he could be the top-tier rearguard the Blue Jackets have long craved.He finished 2015-16 with 20 points through 41 games with his new club, a mediocre offensive showing to match his uneven defensive play.But Columbus knew what they had in Jones, and proved their faith in him by way of a six-year, $32.4-million extension, paying the 22-year-old $5.4 million per year.So when Jones took the ice for his first game of 2016-17, he did so knowing it was his turn to produce, and in doing so validate the Blue Jackets' ambitious swing for his services.Living up to the hypeWith the first of those six seasons nearly complete, Jones has rewarded the Blue Jackets' faith, coming through with a career year and playing a key role in spurring the club's dominant campaign.Through 64 games this season, Jones has already posted a career-best 10 goals and 39 points, putting him on par with Drew Doughty and Nick Leddy for the 15th-most points among NHL defenders.But that ranking doesn't tell the full story.While he's been productive overall, and much better on the defensive side, the key to Jones' importance to Columbus this season has been his dominance during even-strength play.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Even-strength excellenceWhile teammate Zach Werenski leads the team's blue-liners with 46 points, nearly half his sum has come on the man advantage, with the ice tilted in the Blue Jackets' favor.There's no denying Werenski has been an exceptional offensive force this season, but it's worth noting the heights Jones is reaching at even strength, where the majority of the game is played and the chips are stacked more evenly.In this context, Jones is the far superior offensive option, as 33 of his 39 points have come at even strength, which ties Duncan Keith and Dustin Byfuglien for third-most in the league among blue-liners, bested only by Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson.The same goes for Jones' goals count. All 10 have come during even-strength play, and only three defensemen have tallied more when teams send out equal numbers.Keeping Columbus in the mixOf course, meanwhile, the Blue Jackets have become one of the NHL's most dominant clubs, scoring the fourth-most goals per game (3.17), and sitting just two points behind the Washington Capitals in the Presidents' Trophy race.There's no denying Jones has been crucial to that success. And his reasonable cap hit is going to be key to the Blue Jackets' ability to contend past this season as well.With talented prospects like Alexander Wennberg and Josh Anderson due for extensions this summer, and Columbus already paying a pretty penny to its starting netminder and top forwards, the club will need every spare dollar it can find.Jones is doing his part - with his 39 points, he's outscored 27 of the 34 defensemen earning salaries bigger than his this season.Not a bad start to that six-year deal.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NCAA has revealed its men's hockey championship bracket for 2017 with Denver, Harvard, Minnesota, and Minnesota-Duluth tabbed as No. 1 seeds in their regions.Denver officially enters as the No.1 overall seed.Here's the path to the Frozen Four in Chicago.East Region Dunkin' Donuts Center, Providence, Rhode Island1. Harvard (24-5-2)

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 Sunday's slate of games beginning at 7 p.m. and later (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

The Ottawa Senators lost a nail-biter on Saturday night, their 4-3 shootout loss leaving the Montreal Canadiens two points up in the clubs' battle for the Atlantic Division title.Though the match featured its fair share of drama, and a full 65 minutes plus a shootout to decide, Senators head coach Guy Boucher wasn't impressed.It's not that it wasn't an intriguing one, but the theatrics were far from the level Ottawa will see once the regular season concludes."Playoffs - I know what it is," Boucher said after the loss, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels. "I've lived it to the seventh game of the conference finals. It's something different than this."Boucher would know, as the 2011 conference finals run he referenced - which came during his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning - was about as tumultuous as they come.First up was a seven-game battle with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who at the time were just one season removed from a Stanley Cup. An absurdly close 1-0 win - on the road, no less - decided the series in the final tilt.That gave Boucher's club Alex Ovechkin and the then-top-seeded Washington Capitals, who Tampa Bay rolled over and swept in four quick decisions.Then, finally, another seven-game grind, this time against the Boston Bruins - the eventual champs. Another 1-0 contest decided the series, again on the road, though this time it was the Lightning's opponent that claimed the series-clinching victory.Needless to say, the Senators' division-title battles don't quite compare."Everybody’s getting excited for first place (in the division), and I keep saying it's not a positive thing," Boucher said. "It's a match where we're trying to play our best so we shouldn't be changing our focus. Focusing on the division doesn’t help us."We want to make the playoffs, no matter who we're playing."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the Edmonton Oilers approach the final leg of their resurgent 2016-17 campaign, netminder Cam Talbot continues to cement his place among the best to ever suit up in the team's crease.The 29-year-old's second season as a full-fledged starter has gone exceptionally well, as Talbot is the only Oiler who could make a case for having played a bigger role in the Oilers' ascent than young captain Connor McDavid.With just 120 games in Edmonton colors under his belt, Talbot is already tied for the third-most shutouts in Oilers goaltending history, his nine clean sheets tying him with Grant Fuhr in this regard.The former New York Rangers backup's 36 wins this season are also tied for the second-most ever posted by an Oilers goaltender in one campaign, with Tommy Salo the last to reach that mark, back in 2000-01.Talbot's ranking among this season's crop of netminders is no less impressive. He sits second in wins, tied for sixth in save percentage (.921), ninth in goals-against average (2.35), and is tied for the third-most shutouts in the league with six this season.That top-10 positioning easily confirms Talbot as the No.1 option Edmonton was long searching for. But it also bolsters his case as one of the best bargains in the game, at any position.Talbot's performance may have launched him into the upper echelon of professional goaltenders, but his paycheque has yet to catch up. He carries a cap hit of just $4.17 million per season, with 22 other NHL netminders earning more than him annually.Looking at the rest of the field, it's clear Edmonton is getting plenty of bang for its buck in net - a crucially important point, as the club is going to have to spend heartily over the next two summers with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl set to outlast their entry-level contracts.Talbot's former partner in net, Henrik Lundqvist, leads the pack in terms of goaltender pay, doubling his former backup with an $8.5-million cap hit. Three other 'tenders hold annual cap hits over $7 million, while five top the $6-million mark and nine sit above $5 million.And yet, only a handful from that group have better numbers than Talbot heading into the home stretch of 2016-17.Edmonton has two more years of Talbot punching in at only $4.17 million per season, and considering his performance thus far and his current trajectory, it's fair to assume that bargain-bin value will only continue to climb.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.The Washington Capitals became the first team to earn a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with their win Saturday, and in the process dealt an enormous blow to a potentially dangerous opening-round opponent in the Tampa Bay Lightning.Tampa's second consecutive loss in regulation has seen its postseason odds cut in half over the space of 48 hours. Though it could have been much worse, as the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Islanders only managed one point apiece in their games.Here's a look at the rest of the postseason picture after Saturday's action:Eastern ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeBruinsidle90.0%+2.3%Maple LeafsL 2-1 (OT) vs. Blackhawks62.8%+1.4%IslandersL 3-2 (OT) vs. Blue Jackets25.1%+1.5%LightningL 5-3 vs. Capitals19.5%-7.6%Western ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeOilersW 2-0 vs. Kings99.4%+0.5%BluesW 3-0 vs. Coyotes97.6%+2.3%PredatorsL 4-2 vs. Hurricanes89.6%-4.5%Kingsidle18.2%+0.6%To see percentages for the entire NHL, visit Sports Club Stats.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A couple of milestones for a pair of lifelong Anaheim Ducks.With an assist on Patrick Eaves' first-period goal Saturday, captain Ryan Getzlaf recorded the 800th point of his NHL career.Only one other man has hit that milestone as a Duck: Teemu Selanne. That's the company you want to keep, kids.

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Jake Allen stopped 31 shots for his fourth shutout of the season to lead the playoff-contending St. Louis Blues to a 3-0 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday night.Scottie Upshall, Alex Pietrangelo and David Perron scored to help the Blues win for the seventh time in eight games overall and beat the Coyotes for the ninth straight time. It was St. Louis' fifth shutout since Feb. 2.Allen improved to 6-0-0 in his career against the Coyotes and earned his 15th career shutout. He stopped Teemu Pulkkinnen's breakaway shot at 12:23 of the second period to keep the Coyotes scoreless.The Coyotes failed to earn a point from a game for the first time since a March 5 loss to Carolina. Mike Smith stopped 37 shots.Upshall extended the Blues' lead to 2-0 at 2:52 of the second period. He took the puck from behind the net back up the ice, turned around and shot the puck into traffic and past Smith for his ninth of the season.Smith's saves included a fairly easy one when the Blues' Vladimir Tarasenko was awarded a penalty shot with 45.6 seconds left in the second. But Tarasenko held the puck for too long and didn't shoot until he was almost behind the net.Perron scored a short-handed empty-net goal with 1:03 to play in the game.The Coyotes played without captain Shane Doan for the first time this season. Doan missed some time early in Thursday's game to be checked for a concussion after a collision with a teammate during pregame warmups, but returned to the ice and played. He was listed as day-to-day with a lower body injury.Doan, 40, is the all-time franchise leader in games played, goals, assists and points, and had played in all 70 games this season. He remains on pace to play the most amount of games he has since the 2009-2010 season, when he appeared in all 82 games.The Coyotes lost defenseman Anthony DeAngelo less than two minutes into the game when he was called for boarding and given a five-minute penalty and a game misconduct. DeAngelo checked the Blues' Zach Sanford into the boards face-first.Sanford went to the locker room and missed the rest of the first period, but returned in the second.The Coyotes were three seconds away from killing DeAngelo's penalty when Pietrangelo fired a long-range shot that eluded Smith for the game's first goal. Paul Stastny provided the pass that set up Pietrangelo's 10th of the season.NOTES: The Coyotes held a pregame ceremony to honor veteran C Radim Vrbata, who recently played in his 1,000th career game. Vrbata's gifts for his achievement included a silver stick, a painting and a pair of tickets to the 2018 Wimbledon final. ... C Jori Lehtera (upper body injury) and F Dmitrij Jaskin (upper body) were scratched for the Blues, along with healthy scratches Jordan Schmaltz and Nail Yakupov.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks kept the Edmonton Oilers off the scoresheet for nearly two periods Saturday, but Connor McDavid wasn't going to let it go on any longer.The Oilers captain took a feed from Andrej Sekera, cut across the middle and whipped one past Canucks goaltender Richard Bachman for his 25th goal of the season.It was also McDavid's 80th point, which moved him past Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand and back into top spot in the NHL in the Art Ross Trophy race.The goal held up as the winner, the Oilers taking a 2-0 decision.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

500 games and 179 goals for Logan Couture.The San Jose Sharks forward skated in his 500th career game Saturday, taking the opportunity to net his 25th goal this season, and 179th of his career.Late in the first period against the Anaheim Ducks, Couture accepted a feed from Joe Thornton before flinging the puck behind netminder Jonathan Bernier.The goal extended Couture's point streak to four games, where he's tallied two goals and four assists.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The "loser point" doesn't have a huge fan club, but Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock was proud of his team for securing one by making it to overtime in a loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday."That's a huge point for us (tonight), an absolutely huge point," Babcock told reporters following the 2-1 defeat, according to TSN's Mark Masters."Every day you talk about how big the game is, but that's what we're going to do right to the end, obviously," Babcock added.Auston Matthews ended his seven-game point drought when he opened the scoring in the first period, but John Hayden potted his first career marker in the second and Ryan Hartman tallied the winner for the Western Conference-leading Blackhawks with 17 seconds left in overtime.Despite the loss, the Leafs restored their one-point lead over the New York Islanders for the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot. The Islanders earned a point of their own earlier Saturday in an overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.Toronto has a game in hand on both New York and the Tampa Bay Lightning, who fell 5-3 to the Washington Capitals on Saturday night and now sit two points behind the Leafs.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

They may reside at the "World's Most Famous Arena," but the New York Rangers prefer life on the road.The Blueshirts made the trek to Minnesota on Saturday to close out the second portion of their weekend back-to-back, and eked out an important 3-2 win over the Wild.This shouldn't come as a surprise, though, as the Rangers have been the NHL's best road team all season long, leading the league in wins away from home.Thanks to a foolish playoff system and a ridiculously competitive Metropolitan Division, the Rangers are slated to begin the playoffs as a wild-card seed. As it currently stacks up, New York would begin the postseason on the road in Montreal - a draw that sounds particularly unfavorable, until you look at the numbers.LocationRecordGFGAPPPKHome19-15-3 (41 pts)11610815.24%76.60%Away26-9-0 (52 pts)1127821.90%83.30%The splits are inexplicably staggering, but in the long run, New York's trend of getting it done away from The Garden could pay dividends come Spring time, although they'd like find some consistency before then."We try to figure out why we are so good on the road and why it changes at home," forward Rick Nash told Jessi Pierce of NHL.com prior to the win in Minnesota. "It seems like we play straight lines on the road, get pucks deep, and at home we try to make the cute plays and not get as many shots on net. We are trying to bring that road game home."However, perfecting the home game will have to wait, as four of the Rangers' next five games come on the road - something they probably aren't too upset about.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

OTTAWA - Paul Byron and Alexander Radulov scored in the shootout to give the Montreal Canadiens a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night in the first half of the teams' home-and-home series.Andrew Shaw, Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher scored in regulation for Montreal, and Carey Price finished with 28 saves. Montreal extended its lead in the Atlantic Division to two points over second-place Ottawa.The teams meet again Sunday at Montreal.Derick Brassard, Ryan Dzingel and Erik Karlsson scored for the Senators. Craig Anderson, who had missed the past two games with a lower-body injury, stopped 29 shots.There had been some debate in the morning as to who would start in goal for the Senators as it remained questionable whether Anderson was fit to play.The Senators had a chance to win in overtime when Max Pacioretty took a penalty, but were unable to capitalize on the power play.Trailing 2-1 to start the third, the Canadiens scored twice within 31 seconds.Danault tied the game as he was able to beat Anderson through the legs at the 6:15 mark - it was Montreal's first shot of the period despite having just come off a power play. Then, Gallagher gave the Canadiens the lead, beating Anderson over the shoulder from a sharp angle.With just under five minutes remaining Karlsson tied the game with a shot from the point.After 40 minutes the Senators held a 2-1 lead after scoring twice in a span of 76 seconds.Montreal opened the scoring at the two-minute mark of the second period after a defensive breakdown by Ottawa that allowed Danault to find Shaw all alone at the side of the net.The Canadiens took advantage of the momentum and held the edge in play until the Senators tied things with a power-play goal with 7:24 to go in the period as Kyle Turris found Brassard streaking through the slot and was able to beat Price stick side.Just over a minute later, Dzingel gave the Senators the lead as he battled for the puck at the side of the net and was able to squeeze it behind Price.NOTES: Ottawa D Mark Borowiecki was back in the lineup after missing the last four games with a lower-body injury. ... Senators RW Mark Stone remains sidelined with a lower-body injury, missing his fourth straight game. ... Montreal D Alexei Emelin, LW Andreas Martinsen and RW Michael McCarron were healthy scratches.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Not so fast, Brent Burns.Erik Karlsson is making his case as the league's top defenseman.The Ottawa Senators blue-liner has been the team's most valuable player this season, and he's now picking up his production through the most crucial part of the calendar.While Burns has gone ice-cold in his last 10 outings - unable to find the back of the net after scoring 27 through his first 60 - Karlsson's offensive touch has only picked up steam:DefensemanGamesGAPointsPts/GPBrent Burns1-602737641.07Brent Burns61-700660.60Erik Karlsson1-601044540.90Erik Karlsson61-7047111.10The offensive numbers are close - Burns outpaces Karlsson by five points. But the stat line isn't as even in the defensive zone. There, Karlsson ranks as the NHL's best with 187 blocked shots, far ahead of Burns' 119.But it's truly Karlsson's dominance in the opposition's end that has the two-time Norris winner once again in the conversation for top defenseman honors.Karlsson, who last captured the trophy in 2015, has at least one former winner in his corner. Edmonton Oilers great Paul Coffey, who twice won it with the Oilers, and then repeated the feat a decade later with the Detroit Red Wings, evidently sees a lot of his own game in the Senators defenseman."I'll tell you one thing, a guy like Karlsson, not everybody can do it or they'd be doing it," Coffey told Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. "No disrespect to anybody in the game or the way they play but the other side isn't hard. It's just commitment."Coffey's second Norris with the Oilers came in the 1985-86 campaign, when he finished with a career-high 48 goals and 90 assists."Do you want Karlsson to stay back and be defensive or do you want him to play? You want him to play," Coffey added. "That's not easy. That's a talent."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TAMPA, Fla. - T.J Oshie had three goals and an assist, Justin Williams and John Carlson had early third-period goals, and the Washington Capitals clinched a playoff spot by beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3 on Saturday night.Oshie scored twice, including an early power-play goal, as the Capitals took a 2-0 lead midway through the first. He completed the hat trick with an empty-netter during the final minute. Oshie has 10 goals and 19 points in 14 games against Tampa Bay.Williams had a redirection goal 3:14 into the period before Carlson swatted a thigh-high puck home to make it 4-2 at 5:30.Washington also got four assists from Nicklas Backstrom, and Braden Holtby stopped 26 shots.Nikita Kucherov had two goals, and Alex Killorn had the other goal for the Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 30 saves.Kucherov got Tampa Bay within a goal with 4-3 with 1:30 left, but Oshie sealed it with his third goal.The Lightning tied it at 2 late in the first as Kucherov, on a power play set up by Oshie's high-sticking penalty, and Killorn had goals 16 seconds apart.Killorn stopped a 16-game goal drought, while Kucherov got his 32nd goal this season and 100th overall.Alex Ovechkin assisted on Oshie's goal and tied Florida's Jaromir Jagr for the most points against Tampa Bay with 83. He has played the Lightning 63 times.Ovechkin, who has one goal in his last 13 games, had a couple of quality chances stopped by Vasilevskiy during the first.NOTES: Capitals LW Andre Burakovsky returned after missing 15 games with a hand injury. ... Tampa Bay played without with centers Tyler Johnson (five games), Cedric Paquette (five games) and Vladislav Namestnikov (three games), who are all out with lower-body injuries. Center Steven Stamkos, out since right knee surgery in November, went through a full practice Friday but is not ready to play. ... Washington LW Marcus Johansson left due to illness. ... The Capitals have outscored their opponents 73-33 in the first period.UP NEXT:Capitals: Play the first of three straight at home against Calgary on Tuesday night.Lightning: Complete a three-game homestand against Arizona on Tuesday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Unlike some of his U.S.-born NHL brethren, the player many consider the face of American hockey chose to sit on the proverbial fence when asked about the ongoing struggle between USA Hockey and its national women's team."It's tough for all parties involved," Patrick Kane told Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune before Saturday's game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Toronto Maple Leafs."I'm sure it's tough for those women to be doing that in the first place. I'm sure they love playing, especially when the World Championships are going to be on home soil this year and they have to give that up because of some rights they believe in," Kane added."At the same time, I've played for USA Hockey for a long time and you feel bad for them from their perspective too. You kind of understand both sides and hopefully there's a resolution quick."Kane has represented his country for more than a decade, beginning with the Under-18 World Championship in 2006.The women's team is threatening to boycott the upcoming worlds unless significant progress is made in their negotiations with the governing body over what they consider to be unfair wages.A trio of Washington Capitals defensemen who've played for the U.S. on the international stage - Kevin Shattenkirk, John Carlson, and Brooks Orpik - weighed in on the dispute earlier in the week, offering comments in support of their female counterparts' cause.USA Hockey and the female players have exchanged salvos in the form of critical press releases, succinct tweets, and even near-dares over the last few days.Training camp for the World Championship starts Tuesday, and the tourney opens 10 days later in Plymouth, Mich.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Contenders aren't created with the flick of a switch.Buffalo Sabres center Ryan O'Reilly believes that's why his squad still has something to play for in the season's final weeks, although the Sabres haven't made a satisfactory amount of progress in the 2016-17 campaign."You don't just wake up one year and decide you're going to win a Stanley Cup or decide you're going to be a competing team for it," O'Reilly told Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News. "It's tough to jump in the standings. Each year you have to make a push."Buffalo's current pace would see the team finish one point shy of last year's 81-point effort. That season's squad didn't include the likes of free-agent addition Kyle Okposo, a reborn Evander Kane, or a more seasoned Jack Eichel, who has built on his freshman year.The Sabres appeared to be surging in recent weeks, putting together five wins in seven games through mid-February, only to follow it up by going 3-8-2 in their past 13. Through a recent California road swing, the Sabres went 1-for-3, their lone victory coming in a shootout win over the Anaheim Ducks, and managed only two goals in three contests.On Feb. 18, Buffalo sat just two points back of a wild-card position and was within striking distance of its first postseason berth since 2011. After collecting just seven points in March, the Sabres have all but fallen out of the mix. Now eight points outside the playoff picture, this spring will mark six straight years without postseason play in Buffalo.Still, the Sabres can look to the positives in their final 10 games to begin next season on a high note."To us, it's not over yet. We've got a lot to prove that we can play and beat these teams," O'Reilly added. "We have to show we should be better, that we should be in the playoffs and that this should be our run this year. That's something we have to prove constantly."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The slump is over.Auston Matthews snapped his seven-game pointless skid Saturday night, converting on a pretty give-and-go with William Nylander to open the scoring against the Chicago Blackhawks.It was Matthews' 32nd goal of the season, pulling him within one of Patrik Laine for the rookie scoring lead.

The Washington Capitals haven't had to sweat much in their quest to secure the NHL's top seed, but the Columbus Blue Jackets are cranking up the thermostat down the stretch.Cam Atkinson's overtime-winner Saturday gave the Blue Jackets their third straight victory and sixth win in their last seven games. It also drew them even with the Capitals for top spot in the Metropolitan Division, the Eastern Conference, and the league as a whole, albeit with an asterisk.

Jonathan Bernier to the rescue.After a sluggish start to the season, the Anaheim Ducks goaltender became the starter in February when John Gibson was lost to a lower-body injury.Bernier has excelled with the busier workload. He's undefeated in regulation over his five starts since March 7, and no netminder has performed better than Bernier over his last five games:GoalieRecordGAASV%Jonathan Bernier4-0-11.36.955Calvin Pickard3-2-01.81.939Frederik Andersen4-1-02.06.936Cam Talbot2-2-12.38.922Bernier chalks up his improved performance to his increased usage."I think when you play a lot, you just see the play before it happens, and the game just seems a lot easier," Bernier told Curtis Zupke of the Los Angeles Times. "You don't think, you just execute, and that's what happens when you start playing a lot more."Then you build confidence off those games, and by playing more, you feel confidence in yourself and your abilities to makes those saves."Bernier's appeared in 31 games in his first season with the Ducks, putting together a 13-7-3 record with a .915 save rate. His recent showing has pushed Anaheim to second in the Pacific, just six points back of the division lead.Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle is also confident that Bernier can hold down the fort while Gibson inches closer to a clean bill of health."The way Bernie's played - Bernie's earned that opportunity and he's given us real solid goaltending here over the last little while," Carlyle said. "Right now, why would you look in any other direction?"Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Even if you have your eyes on the puck, freak accidents can happen.A fan found that out the hard way at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit on Saturday, when Colorado Avalanche defenseman Francois Beauchemin's attempt to clear the puck went through the small hole in the glass designated for photographers.Beauchemin immediately went to the bench and sent a towel over the boards to help out the fan, who appeared to avoid serious injury. The veteran blue-liner also gave his accidental victim a souvenir.

Auston Matthews may be mired in a scoring drought, but the young Toronto Maple Leafs pivot's overall body of work is still worth plenty of praise. Just ask Jonathan Toews.Ahead of the Saturday-night tilt that will see the two pivots line up across from each other at center ice, Toews dished on what he's seen from the 2016 No.1 pick's rookie effort.Count the Chicago Blackhawks captain a fan."You compare (Matthews) to guys like Malkin and even Kane, the way he handles the puck with his feet moving," Toews told TSN. "For a guy that size, it's not that easy."High praise, to say the least, given the fact that Evgeni Malkin and Patrick Kane have combined for five Stanley Cups, two Hart trophies, and three scoring titles thus far, among a slew of other awards.Matthews has a long way to go before he's truly in the same conversation as those two stars, but Toews believes the potential is clearly there."You knew he had the talent but sometimes it's a matter of time before it translates to the NHL, and he's wasted no time," Toews said."You wonder, if that’s how he comes out of the gate, what’s he going to be like in a couple years from now?"Matthews has racked up 31 goals and 55 points through 69 games this season, both marks ranking second among all rookies behind 2016 No. 2 pick Patrik Laine.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In case you missed it, Rasmus Ristolainen netted an extra point for the Buffalo Sabres on Friday with a version of the breakaway move many associate with the great Peter Forsberg.The move seemed to come out of nowhere given the simple fact that rangy defenders like Ristolainen commonly lack that sort of expert coordination. And besides, it was the first shootout attempt of his career.But what's interesting is that it was precisely the move those privy to his training would have expected. Ristolainen apparently promised at a skate last summer that he would try the move when he finally got his shot in the shootout.Check out this video posted Saturday.

Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen will pay tribute to Pat Quinn as part of the team's St. Pats festivities Saturday night.Andersen's custom green-and-white mask features an image of the legendary coach and general manager, nicknamed "The Big Irishman," painted on the side.

Evidently, Barry Trotz hears the footsteps.The Washington Capitals head coach, who has seen his team's lead atop the Eastern Conference cut to one point, categorized Saturday's matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning as an "absolute must win," according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times.There was concern the Capitals would potentially struggle with motivation after a disappointing second-round exit following their dominant President's Trophy campaign last season. That hasn't necessarily been the case, but they have hit the skids over their last 10 games, winning just four.Trotz called their play over this stretch "unacceptable."Conversely, the Lightning have played very well of late. The Toronto Maple Leafs currently occupy the second wild-card position, one point up on the Lightning and New York Islanders.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After dominating the league for much of 2016-17, the Minnesota Wild have come back to Earth.The club still ranks second in the Central Division - in little danger of losing that position - but it's clear something has changed for the former league leader.Minnesota has earned just 10 points in the past month, tied for fourth-least in the league, after netting a league-leading 21 points one month prior. Previously the toast of the town with their 12-game win streak in tow, the Wild have now lost six of their past eight.Charlie Coyle hasn't helped matters, as the fourth-year winger's season has taken a similar trajectory - indomitable at first, decidedly mediocre as of late.Coyle tore through the first three months of 2016-17, getting on the board at nearly a point-per-game pace initially:CoyleGPGAPOctober-November-December36121830But since the calendar turned to 2017, things haven't gone quite as smoothly. Coyle's overall production has been nearly halved since Jan. 1st, while his goal-scoring has fallen off a cliff:CoyleGPGAPJanuary-February-March3331316The 25-year-old has just one tally in his past 14 games, and just two in his past 31 appearances. He still has a career-high 46 points in the bag this season, but after starting the year off on track for his first 30-goal effort, Coyle now looks unlikely to even match last year's mark of 21.He's sitting at 15 goals at the moment, having barely moved the needle since December.Needless to say, the timing couldn't be worse for Minnesota. The Wild have just 13 games remaining on the schedule, their formerly unstoppable offense drying up as they prepare for the postseason.Mikael Granlund, Minnesota's leading scorer, has yet to slow in his ascent towards league-wide stardom, and the Wild still have 2016-17's best netminder in Devan Dubnyk.But the driving force behind the team's exceptional season thus far has been their depth.The recent drop in secondary scoring has clearly impacted the Wild's ability to claim victory, with wins drying up as Coyle and a few others - Nino Niederreiter similarly has one goal through his past 14 games - continue to come up short.All hasn't been lost just yet, as Minnesota still has the tools to make waves come playoff time. But if Coyle and Co. can't right the ship before the postseason begins, the Wild will head to the dance without what might be their greatest strength - the dominant depth that has carried them all season long.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Corey Hirsch is a former NHL goaltender who spent parts of seven seasons with the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals, and Dallas Stars.As far as the recent fishing charter that the young and naive Toronto Maple Leafs players went on in Florida, and the subsequent spanking the next evening, the only crime I see is that the ding-dongs posted it on social media. I can picture the look on Lou Lamoriello's face after learning of this, and I'm assuming all Leafs players will be banned from social media for eternity.

Joel Quenneville sees his own in the Toronto Maple Leafs, who, like the Chicago Blackhawks accomplished previously, seem to be in the process of fashioning a highly competitive roster after a stretch of difficult seasons.Before their marquee matchup Saturday night, Quenneville told his coaching counterpart Mike Babcock that the Maple Leafs remind him of his team before they reeled off three championships in the space of seven years.Babcock understands the Blackhawks represent the standard to which they aim to achieve, but was quick to acknowledge that comparisons don't promise similar riches."Everybody has a plan," he said, according to David Alter of the Athletic. "When you have a plan and you keep adjusting that plan, and you stick to it, you have an opportunity. But not many teams win three Cups in the period of time they have."Lets just get better here today."What's more important than measuring up to a team from almost a decade ago is presenting a challenge to the current iteration of the modern-day dynasty, which happens to boast the NHL's best record since Feb. 1.The Blackhawks have won 15 of their last 18, and in the process vaulted up to first in the Central Division.Toronto, meanwhile, shuffled back into a wild-card spot with an enormous win over Tampa Bay earlier in the week, but must continue to take points with the Lightning and New York Islanders still just a point back.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As is the case seemingly every season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have found themselves mired in injury trouble.Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Carl Hagelin, Bryan Rust, Trevor Daley, Olli Maatta, and Ron Hainsey are all out of the lineup, with a few other key names having just returned - a staggering list considering each of those players are key contributors to the Penguins' cause.It's this annual trend that makes general manager Jim Rutherford's decision to bring in Phil Kessel in 2015 all the more crucial.While the quick-footed winger has been a game-changer offensively - posting 48 goals and 121 points through 152 games in Pittsburgh colors - it's Kessel's durability that makes him an invaluable piece for the Penguins.Iron man in the Steel CityJust how durable is Kessel? He hasn't missed a single game in the past six seasons.That's good for 598 consecutive appearances, a streak stretching back to the early parts of 2009-10, when Kessel missed time to recover from shoulder surgery. But that impressive iron-man run doesn't seem to be a big deal to the 29-year-old."I just keep playing," Kessel said to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "You get some bumps and bruises. You try to keep going no matter what. I like to play the game."Kessel's knack for avoiding injury is impressive in its own right, but it's downright miraculous when viewed in the context of the rest of the Penguins' roster.All three of Pittsburgh's top stars - Sidney Crosby, Malkin, and Letang - have dealt with enough lengthy injury absences to warrant little surprise when they're forced out of the lineup. And the Penguins faithful have become accustomed to seeing various other members of the lineup drop out for parts of each season as well.Ignoring the injury bugIt isn't a groundless feeling of familiarity either. The Penguins' injury issues aren't just tied to those top stars - team-wide, they've long been one of the most-injured clubs in the league:

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 Saturday's games beginning at 7 p.m. ET and later (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

There's no shortage of potential culprits for the Florida Panthers' derailing this season, but it's safe to say Aleksander Barkov's lengthy absence was a key contributor.The 21-year-old pivot broke out with a career campaign in 2015-16, posting 28 goals and 59 points through 66 contests. He started 2016-17 off fairly well too, putting 27 points on the board through the first 36 games.That progress was stalled in late December, however, when a back injury forced the young forward out of the lineup, keeping him on the shelf for more than a month.In early February, he returned. And he's had more than a slight impact.Through 19 games since that Feb. 3 return, Barkov has paced the Panthers with 10 goals and 19 points. That impressive point-per-game pace has him on track to match his 2015-16 totals - a welcome change after his season seemed a write-off in late January.With 12 games remaining on Florida's schedule, Barkov's scoring pace would have him amass six more goals and 12 more points before the season's end. Doing so would take his yearly totals to 25 goals and 58 points through 67 contests - just a shade below his impressive numbers from last season.Given his recent play, it's fair to assume he'll hit those marks, perhaps even bumping it up a notch and reaching the 60-point plateau for a career high.He certainly isn't slowing down. Barkov played the hero for Florida once again Friday night, first coming up with a dazzling one-timer to net his 19th goal of the season:Then clinching the win in the shootout, adding his league-leading seventh shootout tally of the year:The 2016-17 campaign has been one to forget for Florida. But while the club's playoff hopes continue to dwindle, its young leader has once again proven to be among the cream of the NHL's crop.Barkov may have to settle for an early finish in 2016-17, and another campaign limiting him to fewer than 70 appearances, but the young Finn has proven once again he's the focal point upon which the Panthers' offensive hopes hinge.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers have now lost six home games in a row, with their latest defeat at Madison Square Garden coming on Friday against the Florida Panthers - but don't blame Antti Raanta for the mounting losses.Despite Aleksander Barkov going backhand shelf - the only goal Raanta gave up in a shootout that lifted the Panthers to a 4-3 win - the Rangers goaltender could actually be credited for New York getting a point out of the game at all. After goals by Mats Zuccarello and J.T. Miller in the first five minutes of the game, the Rangers all but went to sleep for two-plus periods. New York's lull allowed Florida to surge ahead before Zuccarello's second of the night - midway through the third period - sent the contest to overtime.While Raanta took a third loss in four games - two by one goal - since taking over in net for the injured Henrik Lundqvist, his 34-save performance, including a breathtaking stop on Jonathan Huberdeau in overtime, illustrated why the Rangers have such confidence in a backup filling in for a legend."Every time he plays, he plays really well for us," Zuccarello told theScore. "He gives us a good chance to win. It's really nice to have him there. We have the same feeling when he's in goal as with Hank. It's safe and calm, and it's good to have goalies like that. I wouldn't say they have the same style, but they give us the same feeling, the calmness in the team that we know we have a good one back there."How good? Raanta's .921 save percentage this season is eight points better than Lundqvist's and only five behind reigning Vezina Trophy winner Braden Holtby. Granted, Raanta has made only 22 starts, tying his career high, but you can only stop the shots you face. Raanta has done a good job of that, and given the Rangers the ability to avoid having to feel like they need to rush Lundqvist back, even if the Swede's recovery from a lower-body injury that was projected to keep him out two-to-three weeks is going better than expected.Having previously backed up another star goalie, Corey Crawford, in Chicago, Raanta knows that no matter how well he plays, he will cede the starting duties as soon as Lundqvist is healthy. That won't change anything about the way he works, just as this run hasn't. It's part of that calm demeanor, but also the mindset necessary to succeed in a role in which there are only a handful of opportunities each season to make a real contribution on the ice."You always have to be ready," Raanta said. "If it's not your start, you still have to prepare yourself. You can't come to the games and just eat hot dogs and chill."Raanta has one more year on his deal with the Rangers before reaching unrestricted free agency. He'll be 29 then - in his prime, but yet to be a full-time starter. It will be an interesting juncture in the Finn's career, having played admirably while mostly watching two of the best in the game - which is experience-building in its own way."You always try to watch different situations in the game and how they will do it, and sometimes you think how maybe I would do it a little differently or like that," Raanta said. "Crawford and Hank, both are really competitive. I remember Crawford was one of the best in the league to make the timely saves ... Hank, if you've been 10 years and every year 20 or more wins, he's doing something right - his work ethic is No. 1 in the league, probably, so I try to follow pretty much everywhere he goes and get that patience and challenge like he does, challenging always the shooters."That was what Raanta did to stop Huberdeau on the two-on-one in overtime that gave the Rangers a chance to pull out a win Friday, even if his teammates ultimately failed. He'll get some more action before Lundqvist returns, and each time Raanta is in the crease, New York will remain confident, knowing that even with Lundqvist injured, there's still a steady presence there."He's just a happy-go-lucky guy that comes here, works real hard, and does the extra that a backup needs to do," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "He was here (on an off day) stretching, doing a little bit of extra. I like his attitude. I like his mindset. He comes here, he tries to get better, and in my estimation, he's certainly done that since he's been with our team."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Another day, another win for Brian Elliott.The Calgary Flames netminder set a personal best in Friday's 3-1 victory over the Dallas Stars, notching his 10th straight win.The veteran goaltender has experienced a resurgence after a slow start to his first season in Calgary. The Flames have rebounded in a big way in recent weeks, winning 13 of their past 15 to climb back into the playoff picture.Calgary has been the hottest team since the start of February, putting together a 15-3-1 record for an NHL-best 31 points, with Elliott leading the way:Time FrameRecordGAASV%October - January6-3-12.33.904February - March13-1-11.87.936The Flames' next game comes Sunday against the Los Angeles Kings. Should Elliott get the game, and the win, he'd tie the franchise record for consecutive wins, which Mike Vernon set in 1988-89.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaromir Jagr bested Gordie Howe, and now he wants to do it again.The Florida Panthers forward joked that he had another record in his sights after passing "Mr. Hockey" on Friday night for the most points in NHL history after turning 40 with a pair of helpers in a win over the New York Rangers."I'm going to pass him for most points after 50," Jagr quipped postgame, according to Harvey Fialkov of the Sun Sentinel.Jagr collected his 268th and 269th points in 378 games since becoming a quadragenarian, padding his career total of 1,907 points in 1,699 contests.Injuries to Roberto Luongo and Aaron Ekblad have put a dent in the Panthers' playoff hopes, but the 45-year-old Jagr - who once said he'd like to play until he's 50 - continues to defy Father Time in his 23rd NHL season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kyle Palmieri's season has been a classic case of Jekyll and Hyde.For the first half of the 2016-17 campaign, it didn't seem at all likely that the New Jersey Devils forward would replicate the 30-goal, 57-point effort that earned him a five-year extension last July.Then came the second half.Palmieri hit the 25-goal mark with a pair of markers in a loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night, notching a third straight multi-point game and his second multi-goal outing in the last three contests.The 26-year-old winger has been one of the lone bright spots in an otherwise disastrous season for the Devils, leading the club in goals and points.Palmieri has been on fire since the latter half of the 2016-17 campaign officially began.PalmieriGPGAPS%Since Jan. 13271782518.1It's been like an entirely new season for him compared to his first-half production.PalmieriGPGAPS%Oct. 13 - Jan. 12418152310.3It initially appeared as though the Devils' five-year commitment might have been a mistake, but Palmieri is now on pace to score about 29 goals and 56 points, which would all but equal his output from 2015-16.New Jersey has lost 11 of its last 12 games, and the Devils sit dead last in the Eastern Conference, but at least they can take comfort in knowing a major part of their core has rediscovered his stellar form.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Move over, No. 9.Jaromir Jagr continued his remarkable assault on the record books Friday night, collecting a pair of assists against the New York Rangers to pass Gordie Howe for the most points in NHL history after turning 40 years old.

The U.S. women's hockey team dismissed its governing body's latest claims in a pointed statement Friday night."USA Hockey has issued a press release with patently false information about the status of its negotiations with the players of the women's national hockey team," the players fired back, via TSN's Bob McKenzie."The players are disheartened by the response, which fails to distinguish between funds from the U.S. Olympic Committee and funds from USA Hockey."Management released a long FAQ-style statement earlier Friday, detailing what it claims are the differences between what the players are asking for and what it's providing.U.S. team member Hilary Knight piled onto the players' official response, lobbing another shot at the governing body."There's a reason why we haven't won a(n Olympic) gold medal in 20 years," Knight told Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press. "They need to step up. Who does USA Hockey aspire to be?"Related: Hilary Knight tweets 3-letter word after USA Hockey's lengthy statementThe players' latest reply alleges USA Hockey only offers financial support during a six-month period surrounding the Olympics, and that the organization pays the players "virtually nothing" outside that time frame."Noticeably absent from USA Hockey's press release is a breakdown of what it has offered the players for its commitment during the 3.5 years out of the Olympic period," the latest retort reads. "The players encourage the public to seek clarity on this issue."It also points out that USA Hockey disregards the non-Olympic period while expecting women's national team members to train on their own time and play in tournaments like the upcoming World Championship, which the players are threatening to boycott if significant progress in negotiations over wages doesn't occur.Training camp for the upcoming tourney begins Tuesday, and the tournament opens March 31 in Plymouth, Mich.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kyle Palmieri can't stop scoring.The New Jersey Devils forward potted his 24th goal of the season Friday, beating Pittsburgh Penguins netminder Matt Murray with a nifty deke.The tally marked the fourth goal in three games for Palmieri, who scored versus the Flyers on Thursday and twice against the Coyotes on Saturday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes will have fewer tickets to sell next season.That's because the team will section off the four upper corners of Gila River Arena for most home games in 2017-18, a move that will reduce seating capacity to 15,869. Only the MTS Centre of the Winnipeg Jets and the Barclays Center of the New York Islanders have smaller capacities."Removing some of this excess inventory and concentrating our great fans closer together represents an opportunity to improve the fan experience," Coyotes spokesperson Rich Nairn told Brahm Resnik of 12 News on Friday.It's familiar territory for the NHL. In 2010, the Florida Panthers closed off nearly 2,500 seats in Sunrise's BB&T Center, described as an effort to create a more intimate fan experience.The Coyotes have the league's second-lowest attendance, according to ESPN, averaging just under 13,000 fans per game, ahead of only the Carolina Hurricanes. Arizona also ranks 29th in percentage capacity, at 75.7 percent.The Coyotes have a lease agreement at Glendale's Gila River Arena through next season, while efforts continue to build a new arena in the East Valley or downtown Phoenix.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

One of the U.S. national women's hockey team's most vocal members tweeted a familiar three-letter acronym Friday in what surely seemed like a response to USA Hockey's latest offering.The governing body of American hockey issued a long, detailed statement earlier in the day in the latest effort to publicly negotiate with members of the women's team who are threatening to boycott the upcoming World Championship over what they consider unfair wages.USA Hockey's statement laid out what it claims are the differences between what the players are asking for and what the organization is providing, while reiterating its intent to continue discussions.Knight and the rest of the players let management's deadline to revoke the boycott pass without action Thursday, saying afterward they stand by their intention to stay home from the tournament - for which training camp begins Tuesday - unless significant progress is made in their quest for equitable compensation.This isn't the first time Knight has voiced her opinion about the ongoing struggle. On Wednesday, she all but challenged USA Hockey to go to the tourney without the players involved in the dispute."Good luck getting a suitable No. 1 competition to represent our country on a world stage," Knight said. "I kind of dare them."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.