Nino Niederreiter received a rare five-minute major and game misconduct for interference late in Thursday's game against Dallas.The Minnesota Wild forward caught Patrick Sharp in open ice, causing the Stars forward to do a midair flip.A closer look shows Niederreiter appeared to be tripped up moments prior, causing him to stumble and make contact with Sharp.No word on whether Niederreiter will face a hearing for the incident.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ST. LOUIS - Vladimir Tarasenko and Alexander Steen scored third-period power-play goals to lift the streaking St. Louis Blues to a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.Magnus Paajarvi and Jori Lehtera also scored, and Kevin Shattenkirk had three assists for the Blues, who won their sixth straight game. Jake Allen made 18 saves.St. Louis improved to 7-1 since Mike Yeo took over as coach, which is the best start for a coach in Blues history.Bo Horvat, Henrik Sedin and Brandon Sutter scored for the Canucks, who dropped their third game out of their last four. Jacob Markstrom made 17 saves.Tarasenko gave the Blues a 3-2 lead with a power-play goal 58 seconds into the third period. It was the Blues first goal with the man-advantage in four games.Steen's power-play goal five minutes into the period made it 4-2 and stood as the game-winner. It came on the second man-advantage of a double-minor given to Sedin for high-sticking.Less than two minutes later, Sutter deflected Alexander Edler's shot past Allen to cut the deficit to one.Paajarvi backhanded Shattenkirk's shot off the end boards to give the Blues a 1-0 lead at 4:30 of the first period. It is the sixth straight game in which the Blues have scored first.Horvat tied it for the Canucks midway through the opening frame. Nikita Tryamkin intercepted Jay Bouwmeester's pass at the blue line and found Horvat alone in front of the net.Lehtera scored his first goal since Jan. 14 to give the Blues a 2-1 lead late in the first. The Canucks unsuccessfully challenged the goal, claiming the Blues were offside.Sedin scored off a nifty pass from his brother Daniel Sedin to tie the game at 8:27 of the second period. The goal was scored 19 seconds after Shattenkirk's shot trickled in past Markstrom that appeared to give the Blues a two-goal lead, but the referees had blown it dead believing that Markstrom had stopped it.NOTES: The Blues improved to 7-2 in the second game of back-to-back sets. ... With their win Wednesday at Detroit, the Blues swept a five-game road trip for the first time in franchise history. ... Horvat (bone bruise) and C Brandon Sutter (wrist) returned to the Canucks' lineup after each missing a game.UP NEXTCanucks: host Calgary on Saturday.Blues: travel to Buffalo on Saturday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If you needed any evidence proving the Colorado Avalanche are the NHL's worst team, well, here it is.In a sequence best described as a Shakespearean comedy of errors, the Avalanche struggled mightily to simply advance out of their own defensive zone against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night.First, the breakout was foiled by a Ryan O'Reilly forecheck, then another by Sabres forward Justin Bailey, and then Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie hilariously mishandled a pass.Colorado required nearly 30 seconds to get the puck to center ice, and when they finally managed to enter the Sabres' zone, they immediately went offside.The draft lottery can't come soon enough in Denver.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

To say Mike Condon has been the Ottawa Senators' saving grace this season would be an understatement.The Senators netminder recorded his fifth shutout of the year Thursday against the New Jersey Devils, becoming the fastest goalie in Senators history to hit the mark, doing so in just his 32nd game of the season.Condon improves to 17-9-5 on the season with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.The victory also puts the Senators two points up on the Boston Bruins for second spot in the Atlantic Division and sees them just four points behind the Montreal Canadiens for top spot with three games in hand.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A questionable hit from an unlikely perpetrator set off a yard sale in Pittsburgh.Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin leveled Blake Wheeler with a bodycheck that caught the Winnipeg Jets forward's head midway through the third period Thursday night.Wheeler's teammates predictably came to his defense, challenging the Penguins in a slew of individual bouts.Here's the sequence in its entirety, including the ensuing brouhaha.Malkin was called for interference and for roughing in the aftermath, while Jets defenseman Mark Stuart took a slashing minor.Wheeler left the game but eventually returned.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Well that's one way to keep the puck out.Marc-Andre Fleury resorted to making a crazy kick save on Mark Scheifele as the Pittsburgh Penguins netminder did whatever he could to foil the Winnipeg Jets sniper.The save helped to keep the Penguins' one-goal lead intact.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This Penguin just keeps marching on.Sidney Crosby recorded his 1,000th career point by assisting on a Chris Kunitz goal against Winnipeg on Thursday.Here's a look at some interesting numbers related to the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar center's feat:1 - Players from 2005 NHL Draft to reach 1,000 points2 - Players drafted in 2000s to reach 1,000 points (Crosby and Alex Ovechkin)7 - Active players to reach 1,000 points prior to Crosby0 - Active players to reach 1,000 points in fewer games than Crosby (757)85 - Players in league history to record 1,000 points, prior to Crosby11 - Players in league history who recorded 1,000 points in fewer games than Crosby368 - Career goals - 254 at even strength, 111 on the power play, and three shorthanded; 13 into empty nets632 - Career assists548 - Points recorded in Pittsburgh452 - Points recorded on the road100 - Points recorded against the New York Islanders, highest among all teams10/5/2005 - Crosby assisted on a Mark Recchi goal for his first NHL point10/8/2005 - Crosby's first goal was scored against the Boston Bruins1.32 - Crosby's point-per-game average since entering the NHL, highest among all active playersA full eight-page booklet detailing Crosby’s journey to 1,000 points can be seen here.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Zdeno Chara wasn't all that surprised to see former Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julien snapped up by the rival Montreal Canadiens.From a zoomed-out, non-emotional perspective, it actually made all kinds of sense to the Bruins captain."First off, he's a very good coach," Chara said Thursday, according to Mike Zeisberger of Postmedia. "He's bilingual, which is important for that market. He's coached in Montreal before, so he knows the pressures involved. And he helped us win a Stanley Cup and go to another final, so he has a strong resume."It makes sense. (Canadiens general manager) Marc Bergevin and Claude worked together with Team Canada at the World Cup last September and, from what I read, they seemed to see things the same way."Chara added he knew Julien would not be out of work for long, with some openings around the league and the addition of a 31st team.The Bruins and Canadiens aren't scheduled to play again this season, barring a playoff series matchup. For now, Chara is intent on making sure his team gets to the postseason, where the fondest of memories were formed with his old coach."Claude and I went through a lot together. He joined the organization a year after I did and we had some success. You never forget the people you win a Stanley Cup with."But it's a business. That's all part of it."As such, there'll likely be no love lost next time Boston plays Montreal.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues goaltenders have been stellar since Mike Yeo took over behind the bench, but that could be thanks to a certain goalie coach.On the day Ken Hitchcock was relieved of his coaching duties in St. Louis, the club also made assistant general manager Martin Brodeur one of the team's new goalie coaches and the move appears to be paying dividends, with Brodeur calling the shots between the pipes.

Antoine Vermette will attempt to have his 10-game suspension for abuse of an official reduced.The 34-year-old will appeal the suspension and - along with the Anaheim Ducks - will not comment on the matter until the process has been completed, reports Eric Stephens of the Orange Country Register.Related: Ducks' Vermette suspended 10 games for abuse of officialVermette's suspension comes after he slashed an official following a faceoff Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A former NHL pest put Gustav Nyquist's six-game suspension in perspective as only he could.Boston Bruins farmhand Zac Rinaldo had a strong yet predictable response when someone suggested the Detroit Red Wings forward should've been suspended four additional games for spearing Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon in the face.

Tomas Hertl hasn't forgotten where he came from.The San Jose Sharks' overtime loss Wednesday to the Florida Panthers didn't stop Hertl from joining a big gathering of fans from his native Czech Republic for a photo after the game, and he shared the moment Thursday.

Anaheim Ducks forward Antoine Vermette has been suspended 10 games - without pay - for abuse of official, the league announced Thursday.The suspension stems from an incident Tuesday versus the Minnesota Wild that saw Vermette slash a linesman after losing a faceoff.

The Carolina Hurricanes could take a bit from Column A to stabilize Column B.That's the message being affirmed by general manager Ron Francis, who knows where colleagues are focusing in on his depth chart."I think everyone is always looking for D and we feel comfortable with our depth there," Francis told Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. "We're always looking at all options to make our team better; if that's an area of strength and you can address an area of weakness, we'd certainly look at those possibilities."To be sure, the Hurricanes boast one of the most impressive crops of young defensemen in the NHL: Justin Faulk (24), Ryan Murphy (23), Jaccob Slavin (22), Brett Pesce (22), Noah Hanifin (20), Haydn Fleury (20), and Jake Bean (19).LeBrun adds the Hurricanes could potentially move one of the defensemen in a trade involving a front-line center, that being the area of weakness Francis seems to be referring to.With less than two weeks to go before the trade deadline, the Hurricanes sit next-to-last in the Eastern Conference, eight points out of a playoff spot.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have money to spend if they want to be buyers at the trade deadline.The club reportedly placed injured players Nathan Horton, Joffrey Lupul, and Stephane Robidas on long-term injured reserve earlier this season, which wasn't reported, according to The Athletic's James Mirtle and Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.The three haven't played a game this season, with Horton and Robidas all but officially retired. The moves provide Toronto with $13,387,834 in cap relief, according to Cap Friendly, meaning the club has a lot to work with ahead of March 1.As Mirtle notes, though, the situation is complex due to potential overages Toronto will have to pay some of its star rookies. He writes:

With the NHL playoff picture beginning to take shape, the next two months will be pivotal for several teams on the cusp of a postseason berth. The Eastern Conference currently hosts four teams within five points of the second wild-card spot, leaving little room for comfort and plenty of opportunity to push up the standings.The Rangers have skated to the fourth-best record in the conference, and they own the most expensive tickets in the East through the end of the season. With the team looking to clinch a seventh straight playoff berth, fans will be paying up to see the Blueshirts at Madison Square Garden through April.On TicketIQ, a ticket aggregator that collects data from over 90 percent of the resale market, Rangers tickets at home average $309. Credit several marquee games to that high price (the Penguins, Capitals, and Canadiens all hit MSG through March). Their most expensive remaining game comes against the Penguins on March 31 at an average price of $378.Will playoff hockey return to Toronto this season? The Maple Leafs currently own the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and have every intention of keeping their postseason hopes alive at Air Canada Centre. Fans will be paying up for the push, though, as Maple Leafs tickets on TicketIQ average $288 through the end of the year. They’ll welcome the Canadiens on Feb. 25 in their most expensive remaining game at a $519 average price.On the other side of the financial spectrum, the Blue Jackets are the cheapest Eastern team in line for a playoff berth. Blue Jackets tickets are averaging just $86 at Nationwide Arena. They have 22 games remaining against East opponents, and a Feb. 17 matchup with the Penguins is the most expensive ($170 average).The Panthers trail the Blue Jackets closely in average ticket price, but their situation is slightly more concerning as they sit five points out of a playoff spot. Panthers tickets on TicketIQ average $88 at BB&T Center. Their priciest game comes against the Blackhawks on March 25 ($162 average).For the best deals on all NHL tickets this season, download the TicketIQ app. Helping fans up to 10 percent on all IQ Certified listings, the TicketIQ app offers the most transparent buying experience in the marketplace. Download the TicketIQ app and start saving today!TicketIQ is a leading event ticket search engine with one simple goal: providing consumers with the most transparent and affordable buying experience. We aggregate listings from hundreds of certified sellers across every major sporting, music, and theater event - including deals from Ticketmaster's Official Exchanges and our Low Price Guarantee listings. Start discovering and saving now.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Paul Maurice respects his opponent.The Winnipeg Jets bench boss openly praised Sidney Crosby on Thursday, prior to his team's matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins.Crosby sits at 999 career points and will look to reach the millennial mark in the contest against Winnipeg.But that didn't stop Maurice from giving the Penguins captain a few early accolades."He's been the face of the NHL from the day he came into the league. He was exceptional at a very young age and then also not an easy story for him with the injuries," Maurice told Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. "Then, to his credit and character and will, he pushed himself back to be the elite player."That approach reminds Maurice of many past greats who have graced the NHL."Every interview that you ever see, he's just been a wonderful ambassador to the game," Maurice continued. "You listen to him talk and you flip over and listen to Gretzky talk and any of the legends and they have that same presence, that same character with the game. They take care of the game."In 30 career games versus the Jets franchise, Crosby has come away with 47 points. He hopes to push that total to at least 48 on Thursday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Don't expect Connor McDavid and Brandon Manning to be non-to-nose again when the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers rematch at Rogers Place on Thursday.McDavid, who Manning triggered a rare emotional response from in their first meeting since a collision between the two left the Oilers captain with a broken collarbone, said his focus lies on the two points at stake."I said my spiel last game," McDavid said. "Tonight is a big two points for both teams. They're looking for a playoff spot and we're trying to hold one down."McDavid said that he will have to do a better job containing his emotions if, or perhaps when, Manning gets in his ear. But if the temperature of the game rises, whether or not it's fueled by the friction between the two, McDavid believes his team is ready for that challenge."We're a big, strong team, and (we have) a lot of different guys who can play that game."Or, as his linemate Patrick Maroon put it: "Our meat is strong. We can go up against any team, I think, if it gets physical. We have the meat in here to do it."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After the team's hopes of an outdoor game held at Parliament Hill were dashed, the Ottawa Senators have gone all in on a winter match hosted at TD Place Stadium, home of the CFL's RedBlacks."We're done as far as the Senators are concerned, we're all in. We've made our deals," Senators owner Eugene Melnyk told the Canadian Press. "I think all the other parties, which includes the city, Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, the NHL, they have to do their deal. That's the only reason. We're done. We're in. I want to do it. I'm excited about it."The plan is for the game to be held in December, with the rival Montreal Canadiens as the anticipated opponent. TD Place Stadium will host the Grey Cup next year, so a quick transition for an outdoor game is possible as expanded seating will already be in place.The outdoor game would be a celebration on many levels for the Senators, as well as the city of Ottawa: a recognition of the 100th anniversary of the first NHL game held in the city by the original Senators franchise, 150 years since Canadian confederation, and 25 years since the Senators returned to the NHL in 1992.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Call it sticker shock.If the reported asking price for Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Duchene is what's needed to pry the center out of Denver, don't expect the Ottawa Senators to be part of the bidding.On Wednesday, Senators owner Eugene Melnyk commented on the trade speculation surrounding his club and its link to the Avalanche forward."Did you see what they want for Duchene and stuff? Oh my God," Melnyk told the Canadian Press. "It's going to be silly because there's so many competitive teams, especially in our conference. From bottom to top, even if I was at the bottom I'd still have hope."Related: Senators owner willing to expand budget if deal makes senseThe Senators hold down the second seed in the Atlantic but are just one point above the last wild card position, held by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Five Eastern teams are also within five points of the final spot.RankTeamGPRecordPointsWC1Rangers5637-18-175WC2Maple Leafs5626-19-11633Flyers5727-23-7614Islanders5525-20-10605Panthers5525-20-10606Devils5624-22-10587Sabres5724-23-1058The Senators are believed to be looking for an upgrade at forward prior to the March 1 trade deadline, but are cautious on the price to make an addition."I think it will be way too expensive and we're not going to jeopardize our future. Everyone wants our young stars and I don't blame them," Melnyk added. "I think we're going to be smart about it to build a long-term base and a long-term team, but we're urgently wanting to win of course."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets will be without defenseman Toby Enstrom for the next 2-to-3 weeks after he underwent surgery on a lower-body injury Thursday, announced coach Paul Maurice.Enstrom suffered the injury Saturday versus the Tampa Bay Lightning and left the game early in the first period.The Swedish blue-liner has appeared in 55 games with Winnipeg this season, recording a goal and 13 assists.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a comment that lends itself well to his netminder's down-on-his luck, self-deprecating online persona, Florida Panthers coach Tom Rowe assessed the recent struggles of Roberto Luongo on a conference call Thursday."Lu has been the most unlucky goalie I think I've ever been around. I mean, a lot of these goals are going off our shin pads, off of our sticks. We're not doing a good job at all of tying sticks up in front of our net."Luongo let in at least three goals for seventh time in eight appearances in the Panthers' 6-5 overtime win over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday. But he wasn't beaten clean once in the contest, seeing countless attempts change direction off bodies and sticks immediately in front of him."That's something that's going to be addressed in short order," Rowe said."If you're going to be in front, if you're going to be standing in front of our goaltender, you better block the shot," he added. "We're not doing a good job of that at all."Heaping onto his misfortune, Luongo exited with cramps after allowing the game-tying goal. James Reimer entered the contest and was the netminder of record, making two saves before Jonathan Huberdeau's winner.Rowe confirmed that Luongo's fine, and will be available Friday in Anaheim.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Michel Therrien broke his brief silence Thursday, two days after his surprising dismissal as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens.He extended his gratitude to ownership and management, thanked the fans and media in Montreal, and wished the best to his successor, Claude Julien.Here's his complete statement via TSN's Frank Seravalli, as translated by RDS.

Alright. Now Dylan Strome's done everything at the major-junior level.The former No. 3 overall selection of the Arizona Coyotes scored one of the stranger goals you'll ever see in an Ontario Hockey League game Wednesday night.The Erie Otters center had his stick ripped away by a defender who had lost his own, and Strome began protesting to officials while his team kept possession in the offensive zone. He finally gave up when he spotted his opponent's stick, and skated over to collect it. Within seconds, he had the puck on his (opponent's) stick, executed a quick give-and-go, and snapped an insurance tally into the back of the net.Strome celebrated emphatically, raising the stick as high as he could while sitting back on one leg. But when the captain realized he wanted his own back, he carefully approached the opposing bench to initiate an awkward exchange.It was Strome's 107th goal and 326th point over the space of four seasons with the Otters, but certainly one of a kind.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 Thursday, Feb. 16 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

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.Whether it's in daily or season-long fantasy, owners are trained to follow ice time in search of value. While the two are often directly tied together, exceptions always exist with several factors combining to handicap production. Here are five players grossly underperforming despite ranking near the league leaders in average TOI (advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey):Colorado Avalanche LW Gabriel LandeskogThe Avalanche captain ranks 30th among NHL forwards in average ice time, logging 19:15 per game. This isn't an ideal situation for a forward from the team with the league's worst goal differential at minus-75. Landeskog has bounced between the Avalanche's first and second lines, with his most common linemates at 5v5 being C Nathan MacKinnon and RW Mikko Rantanen.The three have a positive Corsi For rating, as do all but one of Landeskog's line combos with at least 50 minutes played together. Still, this most common threesome is expected to be outscored 2.46 to 2.01 per 60 minutes of 5v5. Landeskog is shooting less than in years past, and he's on pace for full-season lows in hits and blocked shots. It's a sunken season for the captain and his team.Vancouver Canucks D Alexander EdlerEdler ranks 20th in average TOI at 24:06 per game. He plays mostly on the second power-play unit, but he has just four power-play units on the year, including both of his goals. He has added a meager nine assists at even strength, just two of which were primary.The lack of production isn't shocking with the Canucks ranking 27th in goals scored. Edler has upped his totals in both hits and blocked shots but with roughly two per game of each he still isn't being a difference maker.Florida Panthers RW Reilly SmithSmith is a surprising name ranking 33rd in average ice time among forwards at 19:08 per game. It's an average he has fallen short of in each of his past five games, as the returns of C Aleksander Barkov and LW Jonathan Huberdeau cut into his ice time and offensive opportunity.Smith starts an equal 32.56 percent of his shifts in the offensive and defensive zones, even though he has a much more lopsided 40.56 percent finish in the offensive end to just 32.31 on defense.Smith recorded a moderate 31 penalty minutes last season, but he has dropped to just eight through 53 games this year. He's hitting and blocking shots at similar rates to last season, with neither contribution really moving the needle in any fantasy format.Ottawa Senators D Cody CeciCeci ranks 28th among all NHL skaters and is second to Erik Karlsson among Senators defenders with 23:15 of ice time per game. He has played on the second power-play unit for much of the season, but he has failed to pick up a single point with the man advantage.Ceci is useful for blocked shots but it's not near enough production to warrant a roster spot in any format. After showing some progression with back-to-back 20-points seasons, he'll fall well short of the mark in 2016-17, despite defense partner Dion Phaneuf already having eight goals and 23 points.(Photos courtesy Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If the price is right.That's the stance of Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, who says he's willing to open his wallet if the right deal comes along."I would be fully supportive if (general manager) Pierre (Dorion) came to me and recommended that we add to our payroll by bringing in players from other teams at this point of the season - as long as its reasonable," Melnyk told Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen.Dorion is believed to be seeking extra offensive arsenal, as Ottawa sits 21st league-wide in goals for. In late January, the Senators added winger Tommy Wingels from the San Jose Sharks, but he's more of a depth skater, having scored just one point in eight games since his arrival.As it stands, Ottawa sits second in the Atlantic, six points behind the Montreal Canadiens, but with four games in hand. The Senators last qualified for the postseason in 2015 but have won just one series since 2007.Dorion has the green light to make a deal, as the Senators have about $5.5-million in projected salary cap space and now the support of team ownership, to a degree."If they want (Thomas) Chabot or (Colin) White, they can forget it," Melnyk added. "We're going to be smart about it."Key pieces of the Senators' future, Chabot and White starred at the recent world juniors. Chabot, a native of Quebec, finished the tournament with 10 points and was the first defenseman to be named MVP. As for White, he was a key cog in Team USA capturing the gold medal, tallying seven goals in as many games. He's scored 26 points in 27 games this season with Boston College.In the meantime, with the March 1 trade deadline less than two weeks out, Dorion's window to complete a deal is closing. But that constraint doesn't have Melnyk concerned."Maybe when you get really close and there’s still players available, people start doing some reasonable deals," he added.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Is poor goaltending preventing the Florida Panthers from taking off?Roberto Luongo allowed five goals before exiting with cramps in Wednesday's thriller versus the San Jose Sharks, marking the eighth time in 11 appearances since the new year that he's conceded at least three.He has executed at an .902 save rate in those games, earning four wins and a shutout while seeing 357 total shots.Meanwhile, James Reimer, who was credited with the victory for two minutes of work in relief of Luongo in San Jose, now has more wins than his partner since the calendar's turn. He's performing at a .915 rate across eight appearances, which is right in line with his season average.Reimer's numbers aren't spectacular by any means, but he's allowed just one goal in three of his seven starts, spearheading a win in each, while Luongo has allowed one or fewer twice in 11 appearances.What's either most concerning or encouraging, depending on how you look at it, is the fact Tom Rowe's system has been relatively seal-tight over this span. Florida's allowed quite a few shots, but is one of four teams to concede fewer than 100 scoring chances since Jan. 4, according to Corsica.That means Panthers netminders have not only performed below the league standard, but they've done so under less stress.Despite this, and while also waiting idle during the bye week that fell over this time period, Florida's managed to slightly improve its standing in the Eastern Conference. The club's still slotted fifth in the wild-card chase, but now sits just three points back of eighth with a game in hand.The Panthers have scored 18 goals in four games since finally returning to full strength offensively with the return of star winger Jonathan Huberdeau. They seem to be adapting to the coach's system and appear menacing in a susceptible Atlantic Division.It's up to the netminders to do their part to push this team over the finish line.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Each week, theScore looks at the teams, players, and other hockey figures trending upward and taking a step back.▲ Alexandre BurrowsFew play the agitator role better than the Vancouver Canucks forward. Picking up a pair of goals in back-to-back games, Burrows wrapped the weekend with four points and kick-started his offensive game heading toward the deadline.It's a nice change after Burrows scored just 16 points through his previous 48 contests, and while the streaky winger hasn't produced as he did in years gone by, he's an attractive asset as a pure rental. Burrows carries a $4.5-million cap hit, but it's a manageable contract, as his deal expires at season's end.A key piece in the Canucks' run to the Finals in 2011, Burrows scored 17 points in 25 games and could be the final piece needed for clubs with similar aspirations this spring.▼ Brian GiontaThe Buffalo Sabres captain could be marketed as a veteran voice, but that would be selling him short on his offensive game, which has remained consistent over the last several seasons.With 27 points in 57 games, Gionta is on pace to complete the campaign with 39 points, topping his last two seasons and just one point back of his 2013-14 finish in his final year with the Montreal Canadiens. Gionta also brings Stanley Cup experience, as he lifted the Silver Mug with the New Jersey Devils in 2003.The difficulty is his contract, and the limits within it. The veteran forward's deal restricts his movement to only five clubs, and while he could always expand on that list, there is no telling if that's a possibility, as Gionta stated his preference to continue his career with the Sabres.▲ Martin HanzalNo player has scored more goals in the last week than the Arizona Coyotes center, who picked up four markers in his past three outings, including two tallies in an overtime victory over the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins.That's good news for Coyotes general manager John Chayka, who hopes to sell high on the prime pivot, who stands at 6-foot-6 and is desired for his strong checking game and heavy presence down the middle. That strength continues in the faceoff dot, where Hanzal ranks sixth league-wide at 55.8 percent (min. 900 faceoffs).Throw in a scoring touch and Hanzal's value increases. With 14 goals on the season, the Czech center is just two back of his career-high, set in 2010-11, and on pace for a 22-goal campaign this year.▼ Curtis LazarA one-time first-round pick and former junior star, the Ottawa Senators forward entered the NHL with high hopes, but hasn't been able to meet those expectations in his career's early going.Lazar has recorded a single point in 29 games this season, and when demoted to the minors with the goal of getting his game back on track, the results weren't much better, as he tallied just four points through 13 games in the AHL. In all, Lazar has scored 36 points in 172 games over three seasons in Ottawa.But the Senators haven't given up hope, and that's reflected in the team's curiously-high asking price, as reports indicate that it could take as much as a first- or second-round draft choice to pry Lazar from the Senators.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

CALGARY, Alberta - Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and an assist, Brian Elliott made 33 stops and the Calgary Flames beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1 on Wednesday night.The 19-year-old Tkachuk pulled Calgary even at 1 with a goal 4:28 into the first period, then assisted on T.J. Brodie's go-ahead goal 12:45 into the second. Mark Giordano added an empty-net goal with 39 seconds left for the Flames.Nick Cousins scored for the Flyers, and Michal Neuvirth stopped 20 of 22 shots.Tkachuk got his goal shortly after winning a faceoff in Philadelphia's end. He got open in front of the net and stuffed in Mikael Backlund's centering pass for his 11th goal.Brodie got his fourth goal of the season with a wrist shot from the high slot. The puck slid just inside the post with Sam Bennett screening Neuvirth.Calgary got a big bounce-back win after an ugly outing Monday, when they lost 5-0 to Arizona in their return from a five-day bye week.The two points move Calgary back into the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference - the Los Angeles Kings, one point back, hold three games in hand.The Flyers squandered an opportunity to pull even with Toronto for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.Elliott has won four of his last five starts and was excellent all night. One of his best stops was a sharp glove save against Jakub Voracek just minutes before Brodie gave Calgary the lead. The veteran improved to 12-13-2 on the season.Flames right wing Alex Chiasson was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct for spearing Cousins long after the whistle during the first period. Sean Monahan then lifted a puck over the boards from his own end to give Philadelphia a 5-on-3, but Elliott made an acrobatic glove save against Cousins to help kill off both penalties.NOTES: The Flames improved to 21-0-1 when leading after two periods. ... Calgary adjusted its second defense pairing, putting Brodie with Deryk Engelland. Brodie had been with Dennis Wideman since November 15. ... Matt Bartkowski, 28, has signed a PTO with Calgary. The defenseman played 80 games with Vancouver last season. He was playing for Providence (AHL). ... Tkachuk moves into second on the team with 36 points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nick Bjugstad had trouble staying on his feet Wednesday, but had no problem beating Martin Jones.The Florida Panthers forward took advantage of a pristine pass by Aaron Ekblad, corralling the puck before firing a shot past the San Jose Sharks netminder as he lost his footing.The goal was just Bjugstad's third of the season, but helped extend his personal point streak to three games.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A little time away from home may have been exactly what the St. Louis Blues needed.Only two games into Mike Yeo's tenure as head coach, the Blues were presented with a five-game road trip that could've either boosted or sunk their chances of getting back into the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.The end result was, in a word, perfect.

As Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic considers potential roster moves, one thing is certain: first-year head coach Jared Bednar is safe.The club has stumbled to a league-worst record of 15-37-2, but Sakic sees Bednar as part of the solution, not the problem."Everybody's disappointed, from myself, to ownership, coaches, to players, and I know (Bednar) is frustrated as well," Sakic told Terry Frei of The Denver Post. "But the direction I want to go with this team, as a young team, I think he's going to be great for this team."Sakic has said he wants to reboot the roster with emphasis on youth and speed, and forwards Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog have been oft-mentioned in trade rumors as of late.For the record, Sakic - who also serves as team president - still sees himself as the man for the job."I enjoy what I'm doing," he said. "As frustrating as this year is, and we have to get through it, there's a lot of good things we can do to turn this thing around and go in the right direction."Exactly which players Sakic keeps on the roster for Bednar to coach remains to be seen.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Another player is paying the price for a stick infraction.Calgary Flames forward Alex Chiasson was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct Wednesday for spearing Philadelphia Flyers forward Nick Cousins.The infraction itself doesn't look to be very vicious, but a spear is a spear.Luckily the Flames were able to kill off the penalty and a subsequent two-man advantage after Sean Monahan took a delay of game penalty.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were forced to finish Wednesday's eventual loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets without rookie Mitch Marner.Marner, who leads all NHL rookies with 48 points, went in for a hit on Boone Jenner, but missed and fell into the boards.He went to the locker room and came back to the bench on two separate occasions, but was eventually prompted to call it a night.Toronto is off until Saturday, and Marner's status will be updated as it becomes available.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks appear to have mined a gem in Alex DeBrincat.The 19-year-old winger, who was selected 39th overall at the 2016 NHL Draft, assisted on a goal by Dylan Strome on Wednesday, giving him his third straight 100-point season for the OHL's Erie Otters.

The Detroit Red Wings officially said farewell to late owner Mike Ilitch, who passed away at age 87 on Feb. 10.Related: Red Wings add Ilitch patch to jerseyAll who visited Joe Louis Arena for the team's first home game since Ilitch's passing were greeted with a giant banner in Ilitch's honor.

In another life Joonas Korpisalo must have been a gymnast.The Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender showed off some incredible flexibility Wednesday, doing the splits to rob Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov of what looked like a sure goal.The save kept the Blue Jackets' one-goal lead intact. As a thank-you for his efforts, the Blue Jackets would reward their netminder with a second goal before the first period was out.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brian McGrattan is making no secret of the fact he strongly disagrees with the NHL.His beef, more specifically, is with the Department of Player Safety, after it was announced Detroit's Gustav Nyquist had been suspended only six games for a dangerous and deliberate high stick that caught Minnesota's Jared Spurgeon close to the eye.

The Montreal Canadiens have made one significant move ahead of the trade deadline.However, that deal didn't include players. Rather, the team exchanged head coaches by swapping Michel Therrien for Claude Julien. With a new bench boss in place, eyes will now be on the team to see if it will make a move to aid the team's roster.Related: Bergevin happy to have 'superstar' JulienGeneral Manager Marc Bergevin spoke on Wednesday and insists that while a deal is possible, he will not sacrifice the team's high-end prospects - such as Mikhail Sergachev - for a short-term fix."Personally, I believe we have the tools necessary," Bergevin said, according to NHL.com's Arpon Basu. "In terms of trades, the state of things right now, I want to be clear on this, of giving young players like Sergachev for a fix is not happening. I will always look to improve the team, but if the price to pay is our young players who will be in the organization for the next 10, 15 years, I won't do that."So we won't be making a big trade like that; it won't happen. If the price drops and it's something that is reasonable for the organization in the short and long term, I'll do it. Otherwise nothing's going to happen. I want to be clear on that."However, Bergevin didn't completely close to the door on such a deal, appearing more open to the thought if the returning player was on a contract with term."Depends on which player and it depends on the term," Bergevin said.It has been long reported that the Canadiens have had interest in Arizona Coyotes forward Martin Hanzal, but that the asking price was prospect Michael McCarron, a first-round pick, and a conditional draft pick.With Hanzal on an expiring contract and McCarron believed to be among the team's top forward prospects, Wednesday's comments now make it pretty clear why such a trade was not made.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist has been suspended six games for high-sticking Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Wednesday.

He would know.Few have done better behind the Montreal bench than the legendary Scotty Bowman, who coached the Canadiens to five Stanley Cup championships, including four straight from 1976-79.As Bowman sees it, new coach Claude Julien has the track record to push the the team back into the winner's circle. He won the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011, while the Canadiens haven't captured Lord Stanley since 1993 - the longest championship drought in franchise history."Claude did a good job with the Canadiens when he began his career, and he did a good job in New Jersey and won a Stanley Cup in Boston," Bowman told Dave Stubbs of NHL.com. "He knows the city and the expectations. He's a good coach. You don't coach 10 years with one team and win a Stanley Cup unless you can do the job."Despite coaching the team for just 634 games, Bowman racked up 419 wins in Montreal, ranking him third in franchise history:RankCoachTenureGamesWins1Toe Blake1956-689145002Dick Irvin1941-558964313Scotty Bowman1972-796344194Michel Therrien2000-03 & 2012-17542271Currently a senior advisor with the Chicago Blackhawks, where Bowman has since won another three Stanley Cups, it's no doubt he understands how to win. His 1,244 victories are the most in NHL history, more than 400 ahead of second-place Joel Quenneville.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Claude Julien planned to wait until spring before making a decision on his next coaching gig. That was, until his old team came calling.A week after being fired from his post with the Boston Bruins, Julien agreed to a five-year contract to coach the Montreal Canadiens, which runs through the 2021-22 season.As Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman notes, Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin, who pulled the trigger on the move, is working under the same timeline.Julien began his conference call Wednesday by expressing sympathy for Michel Therrien, who he'll officially replace when the Canadiens return from their bye this weekend."I was a guy who was let go a little over a week ago," Julien said. "I know the feeling when you're let go and it's not fun."Julien noted that Montreal has the best netminder in the world in Carey Price, along with good puck-movers and a talented group up front. He said the team needs to remember all the positives from the start of the year, and that he plans to determine whether Montreal's issues are rooted in style, or a sudden lack in confidence."When you play with pride, it makes a big difference," Julien said. "We're going to try to create that from inside the dressing room."Julien's second tenure with the organization will officially commence Saturday against Winnipeg. Montreal will not meet the Bruins - who Julien coached for 10 seasons - again in the regular season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This isn't how Anthony Duclair had it drawn up.After potting 20 goals in his rookie campaign a year ago, the young winger has struggled through his second season with the Arizona Coyotes, so much so that he's found himself in the AHL in recent weeks.Duclair tallied just three goals and six assists through the first 41 games in Arizona, leaving the Coyotes to send him to their minor-league affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, but the results haven't been much better since his Jan. 19 demotion.A noted sniper, Duclair has recorded seven points in 10 games with the Roadrunners, but has scored just a single goal."It's been an awful year for myself and I take full responsibility for that," Duclair told Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports. "The chances are there but the puck is not going in for me right now. Confidence is a big factor and when the puck isn't going in, confidence goes down a bit."It's been such a disastrous season for the young winger that he's been the frequent subject of trade speculation throughout the year. The Coyotes acquired Duclair from the New York Rangers at the 2015 trade deadline.Still, Coyotes general manager John Chayka noted that he has seen progress in Duclair's game in recent days, telling Morgan, "He just has to earn that recall. He's as talented a player as we have in the organization. It's about doing it consistently and we need him to drive some of his own offense and not be as reliant on other players to do some of those other things."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.