A good cause finally brought some champions together.For the first time since Pittsburgh's trio of Phil Kessel, Carl Hagelin, and Nick Bonino was dubbed the 'HBK' line during the run to the 2016 Stanley Cup, the Penguins forwards met former WWE Champion Shawn Michaels, the Heartbreak Kid himself.

There are limits to what Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion is willing to do prior to the NHL trade deadline.Speaking on TSN 1200 on Monday, Dorion acknowledged he's spoken to his counterpart in Colorado, and while he didn't refer to the likes of Gabriel Landeskog or Matt Duchene by name, it's clear the Senators won't meet the asking price being set by Avalanche GM Joe Sakic for either."Joe (Sakic) and I talked and, at this point in time, I can’t see us going in that direction. It wouldn’t make sense," Dorion said, according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia."We want to do something to try to improve the team and making deals is very difficult to do," Dorion continued. "But I can’t see us mortgaging everything in the future and some stuff in the present to get one or two or whatever players that are out there. I think we have to be realistic that we want to improve but to give up three, four, or five assets would be something that would be very difficult to do."Dorion recently pulled off a deal with San Jose that saw Tommy Wingels find a new home in Ottawa, and a similar depth deal - whether up front or on the blue line - is probably more in line with what the Senators might do in advance of the March 1 trade deadline.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alexandre Burrows is trying to tune out the noise.The Vancouver Canucks forward is detaching himself from the chatter on social media and TV as trade rumors swirl with just over two weeks left until the March 1 deadline."I’ve cut off my Twitter,” Burrows told Iain MacIntyre of the Vancouver Province. “I’ve cut off TSN and Canadian websites. I watch ESPN right now. I’m more aware of the Charles Oakley incident and what happened in the NBA last night (than in the NHL). I’m a huge sports fan; I have to follow sports. But right now, I’m staying away from anything where my name could be.”Related: 3 teams that could benefit by adding BurrowsThe 35-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent, but he has a full no-trade clause that could make dealing him difficult. The Canucks aren't completely out of the playoff race thanks to the parity of the Western Conference, but Burrows said he'll talk to management when the time comes to make a decision.“If they think they’ve got to rebuild and they can get an asset for me, I’d feel … not an obligation, but I’d think about it,” he told MacIntyre. “Deep down in my heart, I want to make the playoffs with this team. And if something else happens, we’ll think about it. We’ll have a discussion for sure.”Burrows boosted his trade value over the weekend, scoring the game-winner and adding an assist in a victory Sunday over the Buffalo Sabres, one day after notching a goal and an assist in a loss to the Boston Bruins.His offensive production certainly isn't what it once was, but with 20 points in 50 games, he's only two points away from tying his output from all of last season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without Scott Hartnell for at least the rest of Monday's game against the New York Rangers, and possibly more.The forward was injured in the first period upon crashing into the end boards.

Robin Lehner took some time Monday to clarify statements made after a loss to Vancouver the night before.Following the 4-2 decision, Lehner made some bold statements about his Buffalo Sabres teammates, saying, "We win one game and we think we're Chicago ... We haven't done anything in this league." He also mentioned how some Sabres will try to do a deke or try to be fancy instead of sticking to the system.Lehner now wants it to be made known he wasn't calling out Jack Eichel, or any one specific player for that matter."What I said yesterday was to be aimed at us as a group starting with myself all the way through the lineup," Lehner said, according to Paul Hamilton of WGR550. "We’ve got to take more responsibility. It’s not certain lines, it’s not certain people, it’s literally all of us on a day-to-day basis."Lehner continued:

Gustav Nyquist won't be pleading his case in-person.The Detroit Red Wings forward waived his right to an in-person hearing and a phone hearing will instead take place Wednesday afternoon, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Monday.Nyquist is facing likely supplemental discipline for a forceful retaliatory high-stick to the face of Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon on Sunday.Related: Nyquist catches Spurgeon with blatant, dangerous high stickA player is offered an in-person hearing when the league determines that he might be suspended for six games or more. Turning down the face-to-face session doesn't mean he won't still be banned for that length of time.

Jake Allen took some time to thank one of his biggest supporters.Mired in a tough stretch of play earlier this season, the St. Louis Blues goaltender saw a letter of encouragement written by a young fan that was posted on Twitter last month:

For a second straight season it looks as though the Winnipeg Jets will be taking in the postseason from the comfort of their own homes.The club has fallen six points out of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference on the back of four straight defeats.With that, you can count on the Jets to be sellers at the deadline as the team has a number of contracts that they would be better without.The club already has nearly $6 million in cap space - the fourth-most in the league - and with a few more contracts moved, they could free up a lot more money, cash that could be used to chase pending unrestricted free agents such as Ben Bishop - but that's discussion for another day.Nevertheless, the deadline gives the Jets the opportunity to deal players that could be looked at as assets for potential playoff teams and set themselves up nicely for some offseason acquisitions.Toby EnstromToby Enstrom might be one of the few players that miss the days as an Atlanta Thrasher.That's because it was during his final two years in the Georgia capital that the Jets defenseman put up his most productive seasons in the NHL.During the 2010 and 2011 seasons Enstrom put up 50 and 51 points respectively, adding up to the fifth-highest point total for a rearguard over those years, behind only Duncan Keith, Lubomir Visnosvky, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Dan Boyle. Not bad company.Since then his production has dropped significantly. He amassed 16 points last year and is on pace to hit just 20 this time around.His $5.75-million cap hit is less than ideal and with him owed as much next year as well, the Jets might be forced to eat salary in a potential deal. It's not the scenario the Jets had hoped for, but it could still be a deal worth making regardless.Mathieu PerreaultIf Kevin Cheveldayoff could go back, he probably wouldn't have signed Mathieu Perreault to four-year, $16.5-million extensionPerreault was coming off a third straight 40-plus point season last year and looked to be trending upward, despite a drastic drop in goals scored.However, after 41 games this season and just four goals and 17 points to his name, things clearly aren't looking good.To make matters worse, the extension hasn't kicked in yet. It will do so at the conclusion of this season, meaning four years at $4.125 per season is on the books for Winnipeg going forward.It gets worse.His new deal includes a modified no-trade clause in which the 29-year-old gives the Jets a list of just five teams that he can be traded too.Perreault may still have value and could resurrect his career, but with such a limited window in which to make that decision, it could be in the team's best interest to trade him if a worthy adversary presents itself.Drew StaffordSuch as the Jets did with Drew Stafford when they acquired him during the 2014-15 season, the team should now deal him to a playoff hopeful club.Stafford is on an expiring contract and after potting 21 goals a season ago, he has just four in 37 games, meaning the club is unlikely to resign him.With the insertion of Patrik Laine into the lineup on the right side, Stafford has been pushed down the Jets' totem pole. He currently resides on the fourth line and for that is now averaging just 13:31 of ice time per game, the fewest minutes since his rookie campaign.Stafford could be a great depth option if given a few more minutes of ice time, but with no future aspirations with the Jets, the team would be smart to get whatever they can for him at the deadline.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's amazing how looking at things from a different angle can lend a new perspective.That appears to be the case in Florida, where Panthers general manager/interim head coach Tom Rowe is raving about the play of Jonathan Huberdeau."No way did we think he'd jump in and produce the way he is, but he's in phenomenal shape," Rowe said, according to Harvey Fialkov of the Sun-Sentinel. "He's a terrific hockey player. Being on the bench with him every day he's a lot better than I thought he was."Rowe, of course, began the season upstairs as general manager, but jumped behind the bench after the Panthers fired Gerard Gallant when Huberdeau was injured.Huberdeau, who suffered an injury in training camp, has recorded two goals, three assists, and 13 shots in three games, averaging 16:14 of ice time like he never missed a beat.The different vantage point is helping Rowe see exactly what his team has in the 23-year-old, and the hope is Huberdeau can keep it going as Florida attempts to make a late push for a playoff spot.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You didn't forget that tomorrow is Valentine's Day did you?Well rest assured if you did, the San Jose Sharks have you covered.The club released it's collection of tweetable Valentine's Day cards on Monday and they are sure to keep you in your sweetie's good graces.

Count Stan Bowman among those intrigued by the idea of changing the NHL's point system.The Chicago Blackhawks general manager offered an interesting counter-argument to those who believe a shift to a three-point regulation win would create too much separation in the standings.“The other side of it, which nobody really talks about, is if you have three points, you can make up a lot of ground,” Bowman told Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times.“They always talk about how it’s going to separate the teams, but you can make up ground quicker. If you win seven games in a row in regulation, that’s a lot better than seven games in a row in overtime," Bowman said."I think it would give teams a hope that you could get hot. There would be more separation, but there also would be hope. Right now, it’s just so hard to make up ground on anybody. Because every night, you can win five in a row and really not move up because other teams are getting points when they’re losing.”As of Monday afternoon, only 10 points separate 11 teams in the Eastern Conference, from the last-place Detroit Red Wings to the Ottawa Senators, who occupy second place in the Atlantic Division. In the West, all but two teams (the abysmal Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche) are in a playoff position or within six points of a theoretical postseason berth.The lack of separation in the standings has also clearly cooled much of the typical trade chatter, because many teams still can't determine whether they're buyers or sellers with just over two weeks left until the March 1 deadline.Much of this parity can be directly attributed to the much-debated "loser point," or the league's practice of awarding a single point to teams for failing to win a game in overtime or a shootout.There's been plenty of talk in recent years about adopting the IIHF format, which awards three points for a regulation win, two for a win in overtime or shootout, one for losing in the defacto skills competition or in the extra frame, and zero for a regulation loss.The NHL awards two points for a win regardless of whether it comes after three periods or in either of the extra sessions, in addition to the single point for an overtime or shootout loss.Coaches like the San Jose Sharks' Peter DeBoer are understandably reluctant to criticize the current system because parity - genuine or otherwise - likely increases his job security, but he does see the benefits of adding incentive toward winning before overtime.“When it got brought up a few years ago, I initially wasn’t a fan,” DeBoer told Lazerus. “But I’m becoming more and more a fan of it."I really like the parity that the two-point system has, where nobody’s really out of it. And having coached some teams that legitimately should have been out of it, it was nice to be able to walk in your room and say, ‘Hey we’re only three or four points out,’ when really, you’ve got six teams to climb over. I like that part of it. But on the flip side, I think there should be a bigger reward for winning and winning in regulation. Because typically the best teams can do that. And they should be rewarded for that.”Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nick Foligno claims a mountain has been made out of a molehill.A report from Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos and Elliotte Friedman during "Hockey Night in Canada" on Saturday stated Columbus Blue Jackets players held a private meeting with head coach John Tortorella in which it was requested he be more positive while the team muddles through a rough patch - their recent record is 8-9-1.Team captain Foligno acknowledged the meeting did take place, but downplayed the affair."This whole story is blown out of proportion," Foligno told Tom Reed of the Columbus Dispatch via text. "We talked about a lot of things in the meeting. Meetings happen all the time, and I'm not sure why this one was turned into something way more than what it was."Tortorella, of course, has a reputation as a fiery and demanding coach, a style that he is believed to have reverted to since things haven't been going all that smoothly following the team's 16-game win streak."The feeling amongst the players is maybe some of that old style of Tortorella had crept in on the bench," Kypreos reported. "We were told that there was a closed-door meeting amongst the players and Tortorella."Usually it’s the coach giving it to the players but in this instance I think they were looking for Tortorella to go back and find a few more positive things to find the last few games.”Overall, Tortorella remains leading candidate for the Jack Adams Trophy as the NHL's coach of the year as a result of Columbus' successful season to date, and a couple wins in a row should make it easier to focus on the positives once again.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

His team might not be playing this week, but Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin won't be resting.The Habs are stuck in their worst stretch of the season, and rumors are swirling about what will come next. A rabid fan base awaits.Some are calling for a new coach, while others plead for a big splash, drawing, say, Matt Duchene or Kevin Shattenkirk to don le bleu, blanc, et rouge.What seems more likely, though, is Bergevin assessing his club's needs. First and foremost, Carey Price needs to re-gain his touch in goal, and then Montreal needs to remember how to score.Over their last 18 games, the Canadiens are averaging 2.3 goals per contest, with Max Pacioretty and Alexander Radulov carrying the workload.Alas, the need for secondary scoring is glaring. Here are three players Bergevin can target:Patrick Sharp - StarsHis price tag is hefty, but Sharp could be a suitable rental.He's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, and has more than enough postseason experience, winning three Stanley Cups during his tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks.Sharp's been hampered by concussions this season, amassing just 13 points in 31 games, but the 35-year-old has scored 20 or more in a season eight times in his career.Cap management would be required, but it could be a worthy risk.Mathieu Perreault - Jets(Photo Courtesy: Action Images)As the losses continue to mount, the Jets are inching closer and closer to becoming sellers by March 1, and Perreault is rumored to be expendable.Under contract for another four seasons at $4.125 million, Perreault might not present the most attractive scenario for Bergevin and the Canadiens, but he is an interesting case.He's scored 17 points in 41 games, and can't crack the Jets' talented top-six, but, despite this, consistently moves the needle in terms of shot generation and suppression.Brian Boyle - LightningLike Winnipeg, Tampa Bay is trending toward selling, and as a pending UFA with a cap hit of $2 million, Boyle is a piece that could draw a lot of attention at the deadline.Boyle possesses the size and strength Bergevin covets, and is a seasoned postseason veteran, reaching the Stanley Cup Final twice.The 32-year-old has 13 goals and seven assists in 50 games for the Lightning this season and would surely be an upgrade - at even strength and on the penalty kill - among the Canadiens' bottom-six forwards.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Covers.com is the biggest and best source for sports betting information, providing unrivaled and original content sports bettors cannot live without.Our Covers NHL cheat sheet breaks down the best NHL betting notes so you can handicap the week like a pro, including the Edmonton Oilers who are a surprising Under team thus far in 2016-17.Getting Low in EdmontonYou might think that a Edmonton Oilers-Arizona Coyotes matchup would yield a solid goal total given both teams' propensity to play wide-open hockey - but that simply hasn't been the case as the Pacific Division rivals prepare to meet for a fifth time this season Tuesday night at Rogers Place. The teams have split the first four meetings, with each game going Under - though that won't come as much of a surprise to savvy bettors, considering that both Arizona (19-27-7 O/U) and Edmonton (20-32-4 O/U) have been solid Under plays so far this season. The Oilers have been a particularly solid option at home, going 7-18-1 O/U to date.No King of the IslandNew York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist hasn't been his usual dominant self, and that has been especially true when facing the rival Islanders. The two teams do battle for the third time this season Thursday night at Barclays Center - and it will be interesting to see what transpires after the teams played to the Over in each of their first two meetings. Lundqvist was in goal for both games, and surrendered seven goals on just 60 shots while going 1-1.Predators Facing Wild TaskOnly ten teams have turned a profit against the spread entering this week's action - and no team has been better at rewarding bettors than the Minnesota Wild, who tangle with the Central Division-leading Nashville Predators in a Saturday night showdown. The Wild have earned a whopping $2,677 - nearly $800 more than the second place Montreal Canadiens - on the strength of a 34-21 ATS mark and 37-12-6 overall record. The Predators rank sixth among teams that have taken a loss so far this season, losing 246 units. Minnesota has won two of three meetings between the teams so far.Injury Updates- The Dallas Stars are still without veteran center Jason Spezza, who is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury suffered in a Feb. 2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. The Stars are 1-4 in their first five games without Spezza, including a brutal third period collapse Sunday against the Predators.- The Anaheim Ducks have struggled without defenseman Sami Vatanen, who has missed four games with a lower-body injury and has no timetable for a return to action. Anaheim is just 1-2-1 without him, allowing 14 goals over that span.Player Notes- It has been a surprisingly lean stretch for Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby, who has been held without a point in back-to-back games. The Penguins are 5-5-2 SU and 7-5 O/U in games in which Crosby doesn't record a point this season.- Sabres forward Jack Eichel is on a roll, coming off a three-assist game in a 3-1 win over the rival Maple Leafs over the weekend. Big nights from Eichel mean big things for Buffalo, which is 10-0-0 this season when Eichel records multiple points.- Eastern Conference teams continue to fear defenseman Brent Burns, who scored twice Sunday as the San Jose Sharks cruised past the New Jersey Devils 4-1. Burns has 11 goals and 18 assists in 26 games against East foes in 2016-17.Stanley Cup Futures- Forget prior playoff stumbles: oddsmakers believe the Washington Capitals are the team to beat this season, installing them as a +450 favorite to take home the Stanley Cup. The Capitals enter the week with the best record in the NHL at 39-11-6.- Not only are the Edmonton Oilers not looking at a prominent seat at this summer's NHL Draft table - they're actually in great shape to make the playoffs. The Oilers are featured as +2,000 longshots to capture the sixth Stanley Cup in franchise history.- Those who made a preseason bet on the Dallas Stars are probably wishing they had pocketed that money instead. The Stars, who continue to struggle on defense and in net, are now +5,000 to claim the NHL championship.Over/Under Trends- The Sharks just keep on pushing, hitting the total three times in their last six games - including Sunday's triumph over New Jersey. San Jose has pushed a league-high 18 times on the season, with 11 of those coming on the road.- The Wild are giving Under bettors fits, playing to the Over seven times in their previous eight games. That surge has pushed Minnesota to 28-19-8 O/U for the season, with nearly identical marks at home (14-9-3) and on the road (14-10-5).Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Capitals netminder and You Can Play ambassador Braden Holtby will wear a special mask for "Hockey Is For Everyone" night on Feb. 24 as part of his mission to support and advocate for diversity, equality, and inclusion in hockey.

A diminished Uber passenger rating is a small price to pay for a free lift - and a chance to make new fans.Curbside on Sunday as the Washington Capitals enjoy their bye week, forward Andre Burakovsky hopped inside the wrong vehicle, mistaking it for the Uber he'd scheduled to drive him to a local Top Golf.A name drop and a selfie later, and off they went. Free of charge.

Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat appears to have avoided a potentially serious injury, as an MRI performed Monday revealed only a deep bruise, Sportsnet's John Shannon reports.Horvat blocked a shot from Jack Eichel in the closing moments of Sunday's win over the Buffalo Sabres.He was clearly in discomfort, but was able to complete his shift.The All-Star continues to lead the Canucks, currently seeded fourth in the wild-card chase, with 17 goals and 38 points.It's unclear if he'll be in the lineup Tuesday in Pittsburgh.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Burrows had himself a weekend.The Vancouver Canucks forward put up four points in two games against the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres - snapping a 13-game pointless skid.Sure, his production is not what it once was, but rest assured that he still has value and is on pace to best last season's 22-point output.The Canucks are starting to slip out of the playoff picture and Burrows is on the final year of his four-year, $18-million contract. The team should, in turn, be looking to sell off expiring assets and set their sights on next season.Related: Canucks must sell high on Miller, move on from Burrows at deadlineWith 34 points in 70 career playoff games, a knack for killing penalties, and a skill set built for playoff hockey, Burrows is the perfect candidate for a contending team looking to add depth for a Cup run.Burrows would have to agree to waive his no-trade clause, but in the event he does, here are three teams who would benefit from Burrows' services:Penguins(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Could the Pittsburgh Penguins be loading up for a repeat? Why not.The team would be smart to add a defenseman at the deadline, but could also benefit from picking up Burrows.Carl Hagelin was diagnosed with a concussion last week, Evgeni Malkin is nearing a return from a lower-body injury that has kept him out since Jan. 24, and Conor Sheary remains sidelined. The team could use some insurance and someone capable of chipping in both offensively and defensively, while aiding their porous penalty kill.Burrows might not be a game-changer for the Penguins, but if Hagelin, Nick Bonino, and Bryan Rust proved anything last year, it's that championship teams need their role players.BlackhawksIt might shock you to know that the Chicago Blackhawks currently boast the third-worst penalty kill in the NHL. The team is killing off infractions just 76.8 percent of the time, with only the Dallas Stars and Sabres managing worse.The Blackhawks' forte over the last few seasons has been adding depth to their roster ahead of the postseason and they may be up to their old tricks again.Chicago could use the penalty-killing services of Burrows, while a couple more goals from their bottom six forwards would be great.The club should know first hand that when the playoffs begin, Burrows steps up his game, as it was Burrows who eliminated the Blackhawks during the quarterfinals in 2011 with a Game 7 overtime tally.Wild(Photo courtesy: Action Images)The Minnesota Wild don't need to do much to make themselves a contender, they can already been considered as such.Nevertheless, adding that extra piece can work wonders for a team that has reached the third round of the playoffs just once in its previous 16 seasons.A team with the fourth-best offense and second-best defense - in terms of goals for and goals against - needs to add very little, but some depth on the fourth line could help give the team a fully capable four-line unit.The line currently boasts the likes of Chris Stewart, Erik Haula, and Jordan Schroeder. Burrows could replace Schroeder giving some added experience and a more reliable offensive option.Small tweaks are all the Wild should be looking for ahead of the trade deadline and Burrows sounds like the perfect option for them.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Steering clear of the sellers' market.In their chase for a fourth Stanley Cup in eight seasons, the Chicago Blackhawks don't have plans to land a major rental asset, GM Stan Bowman revealed to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun."I'm not saying 100 percent we're not going to make a trade, but I'm not expecting to make a significant trade," he said last week.When Bowman was asked if that could change, he responded: "Yeah, anything can happen. But we've had (internal) meetings and that's not our focus at all as we get ready for the trade deadline."The reason is likely twofold. First, Chicago is limited in its ability to swing a deal based on its position under the salary cap. The situation will only be further complicated next season when Artemi Panarin's raise surfaces on their books.But second, and maybe most importantly, the value that Chicago has received in return for its assets in recent seasons has not matched the price paid.In loading up during the last two seasons, the Blackhawks have parted with five picks, including two first-round selections, as well as forwards Marko Dano and Phillip Danault, in exchange for rentals Kimmo Timonen, Antoine Vermette, Andrew Ladd, Tomas Fleischmann, and Dale Weise.Timonen and Vermette were healthy scratches for portions of the championship run in 2014-15, though the latter did score an overtime goal in the conference final. Ladd, Fleischmann, and Weise were largely ineffective in the club's early playoff exit last spring.Regardless, Bowman felt the need to shoot down the suggestion that standing pat signifies that Chicago's intentions lie elsewhere."We're trying to win the Cup this year, absolutely, but it's not predicated upon a rental. So I think that narrative is just false.''Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

An unselfish Jason Pominville captured the first star in the latest weekly honors.The Minnesota Wild forward was named the top star of the week after leading all players with six assists and eight points, helping his club go 3-0-1 in four games.Pominville's week was highlighted by a two-goal, two-assist night against the Winnipeg Jets. The 34-year-old now has points in 11 of his last 12 games and 17 points over that span.St. Louis Blues goaltender Jake Allen earned the league's second star. Allen was perfect in three games with a 1.00 goals-against average, a .967 save percentage, and one shutout.Allen has helped the Blues bounce back after the firing of Ken Hitchcock, having gone 4-1-0 with a .953 save percentage in those games.Nashville Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson was named the third star after matching a league-high with five goals and finishing second with seven points in four games.Arvidsson's week included two three-point games, including his first career hat trick in a 7-4 loss to the Florida Panthers on Friday night. The 23-year-old now leads the Predators with 18 goals and is one point back of Ryan Johansen's 40 for the team lead.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was the perfect juxtaposition.Here were the Boston Bruins, energized since the switch to interim coach Bruce Cassidy, slicing through the Montreal Canadiens, who can't score, can't defend, can't stop the puck, and have begun process of circling the drain once over - in danger of wasting another sensational start under Michel Therrien.Connecting these dots didn't require mental gymnastics.Five weeks ago, when the Canadiens emerged from the holiday break with four wins and 10 points from their first six starts, they had the look of runaway champions in the Atlantic Division. They were 10 points ahead of Boston with a couple games in their pocket, and on the heels of Columbus for the NHL's best record.They were a bit banged up, and Carey Price was uncharacteristically shaky, but they were winning. Life was grand.And they've been in the doldrums ever since.Montreal's attack, which averaged over three goals a game in the first half, has sunk to the league average; its defense has become readily permeable, having conceded a seismic shot total; its goalies are stopping pucks at a subverting .895 rate, on the hook the third-most goals allowed.The result? Montreal's taken six wins from 18 starts over the last five weeks, and has fashioned a win rate that exceeds only the Avalanche.Ottawa now owns the division's top points percentage.Swept by the currentWe often arrive at the decision that a coach needs to be axed far too easily. In many respects, it serves as default recourse for the simple reason that players and executives are simply far less vulnerable. But while Marc Bergevin's decision-making is subject to debate, the bottom line is that he has routinely handed Therrien capable rosters.And the directive ends up failing them.Therrien would fall short of being considered a brilliant tactical mind, and that resolute certainty the great coaches typically maintain isn't a quality most would assign to the Canadiens bench boss.But while Therrien's record suggest he's been nothing short of a proficient head coach over the last decade, he's failed at one of the most critical aspects of the profession. His teams have commonly been unable to resist and manage the challenges that come up over the course of the year.Once the fire starts, it burns uncontrollably.This lack of resolve was most evident last season when Price was injured, and the house of cards fell. It was clear Therrien was without the ability to organize push back. But Bergevin passed the buck and spared his coach, resulting in another jeopardized season inside Montreal's window of opportunity.The team has six games remaining before the trade deadline in the second-to-last season before the best netminder on the planet can write his own ticket in free agency.Clock's ticking.Bergevin can't let this linger. Either he stays with Therrien, issuing the coach another vote of confidence this week with conviction that he can finally get this team to dig in, or he introduces a new voice when the players return from their beach destinations at the end of the week.A bump similar to the response Boston has provided its new coach will assist the Habs in the postseason chase. But they can't arrive at a determination on a whim; the immediate future is only half the equation.Montreal must commit to a resolution now, because spring is far too important for the disruption that comes with indecision.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli isn't a flawless front office executive. The veteran roster architect has carried out his fair share of maligned decisions - the trades that sent away Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin being at the top of that list - but every once in a while, he comes up with a game-changer.Such is the case with Patrick Maroon, one of the Oilers' most astute acquisitions as of late, and now one of the best bargains of 2016-17.The big-bodied winger came to town as the embodiment of everything Chiarelli built during his time in Boston - heavy and menacing, but with deceptive skill. Maroon has exceeded all expectations this season, meshing well with the Oilers' top young talents and outshining the club's more high-profile acquisitions.Through 56 games, Maroon ranks second on the team with 19 goals, bested only by Leon Draisaitl's 20. His 27 points rank fifth, with only the team's most notable stars - Connor McDavid, Draisaitl, Jordan Eberle, and Milan Lucic - sitting above him.A closer look at Maroon's production makes it clear just how valuable he's been in Edmonton.Stellar at even strengthWhile Maroon is among the team's top offensive weapons overall, he's even higher on the list when it comes to 5-on-5 play. His 17 even-strength goals are the most of any Oiler this season, while his 23 even-strength points are third on the team. Only McDavid and Draisaitl have put more points on the board at 5-on-5.Adding to that unexpectedly high-end production, Maroon also boasts a team-leading Corsi rating of 56, and he's laid down 131 hits thus far, which is second among all Edmonton forwards.There are two mind-blowing aspects of Maroon's 2016-17 season to consider.The first is that the heavy-footed former Anaheim Ducks rumbler came into the season with career highs of just 12 goals and 27 points.The second? Maroon is bringing all of his aforementioned value to the table for an absurdly low cap hit of only $1.5 million.Where's Milan?His bargain-bin impact would make Chiarelli look like a contractual genius if it wasn't for a few other names on the roster. The biggest elephant in the room: Milan Lucic's $6-million annual cap hit.Lucic hasn't been terrible - he does have 30 points on the season thus far. But he hasn't been nearly as offensively useful as Maroon, and the former Boston Bruins bruiser commands a salary four-times greater than his fellow free-agent signing.Making matters worse, Lucic is only in the first year of his contract, which is on the books until 2023. It's an inconvenience in any case, and could potentially be a colossal mistake with key names like McDavid and Draisaitl needing to be re-signed over the next few summers.While other stumbling veterans like Benoit Pouliot - who takes home $4 million per year - at least have the excuse of not getting as much ice time alongside McDavid as Maroon, Lucic has no such out.Lucic and Maroon have each spent over 200 even-strength minutes on their captain's wing, and the more inexpensive player has simply been a more effective option.It's not a good look for Lucic, or the manager who handed him the heftiest of free-agent deals. But it's certainly a welcome plot twist for the now crucially important Maroon, who's set to cash in once he reaches free agency in 2018.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While new head coach Doug Weight has deservedly been given plenty of credit for turning around the New York Islanders' season, his best player is worthy of some recognition, too.Since Weight took over on Jan. 17, the Islanders are 8-2-2, surging into the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race thanks in large part to the production of captain John Tavares.Over those 12 games, Tavares leads the club with 14 points. He's put together six multi-point efforts across that span - the latest coming in Sunday's win over the Avalanche.Finally, Tavares looks like Tavares. Based on his own extremely high standards, the 26-year-old was in the midst of a down season, amassing only 32 points in 42 games under former coach Jack Capuano.His linemates, not surprisingly, have enjoyed a production spike as well, as wingers Anders Lee and Josh Bailey have recorded 13 and nine points, respectively, over the last dozen games.A big reason for the uptick in Tavares' scoring - and the Islanders' success - is a red-hot power play. New York's man advantage is firing at a 25 percent clip in 40 opportunities under Weight, compared to 13.6 percent for Capuano. Spearheading the turnaround, of course, is Tavares, who's notched six of his eight power-play points on the season during this torrid stretch.The Islanders are on some kind of roll at the moment, and if they manage to reach the playoffs, don't look past No. 91 as the reason why.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's new series, "The Noise," is published every Monday. It kicks off each week with a quick look at three teams or players making headlines, good or bad.Times are RuffBased on positive early returns from the mid-season head coach replacements in New York and Boston, front offices across the league might be thinking of accelerating any potential plans to make a change behind the bench.Doug Weight has galvanized the Islanders and led them to an 8-2-2 record since taking over in mid-January, while Bruce Cassidy, who took over the Bruins last week, has won three straight to start his new gig.As the playoff race continues to - slowly - thin out the pretenders from the contenders, Stars boss Lindy Ruff has to be feeling the heat.Dallas lost a heartbreaker Sunday, blowing a 3-0 lead to the Predators to fall six points back of a wildcard spot.Ruff is a 19-year veteran, but, as evidenced by the Claude Julien situation in Boston, relieving a coach of his duties even if the team's biggest detriment is out of his control has become the norm.Flying LowMirroring Ruff's situation in Dallas, Paul Maurice and the Jets are underachieving.Hindered by disastrous goaltending and shoddy team defense, two factors constantly outweighing the club's auspicious talent up front, Winnipeg sits in a tie with Dallas at 54 points, having played one extra game.After appearing to take a leap forward with the Jets in 2014-15, Maurice has yet to lead his club back to the playoffs. A current four-game losing streak certainly isn't lengthening his leash.So it begs a couple questions: Is there enough time to name Maurice's successor? And will it help a push to the playoffs? The change gave the Bruins and Islanders a jolt, but a decision to pull the trigger won't go quietly for Jets' brass.Perhaps all of this will become clearer Wednesday, as Maurice, Ruff, and their respective teams have a crucial, potential last-straw inducing Valentine's Day date in Winnipeg.Sid's spotlightGiven all he's accomplished in the past calendar year, it feels like an eternity since the hockey world has celebrated a Sidney Crosby achievement.However, we're on the verge of a special one, as the Penguins' captain sits at 998 career points, somewhat shockingly, the same number he was at before playing the Avalanche and Coyotes last week.Crosby was held pointless in consecutive contests for the first time in nearly a full year as onlookers awaited the milestone, but he will get his next crack at it Tuesday versus Vancouver.With just 755 games played, Crosby can become the fastest active player to reach 1,000 points and the 86th in NHL history to hit the mark. It sure would be something if he could be the 87th, but don't count on him waiting that long.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Another ugly high-sticking incident.Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Galchenyuk spent four minutes in the box Sunday night after whacking Boston Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller in the face in the third period, but he may be in store for further discipline.Miller left to be looked at by trainers and did return to the game, which the Bruins won 4-0.Earlier Sunday, Gustav Nyquist landed a vicious high stick to the face of Minnesota Wild defender Jared Spurgeon, and the Detroit Red Wings forward will be suspended as a result.The incident involving Galchenyuk appeared more accidental in nature, as the Canadiens forward lost his balance after Miller lightly cross-checked him toward the boards.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres came up with a loss for the sixth time in nine games Sunday night, dropping a 4-2 decision to the Vancouver Canucks.And according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News, goaltender Robin Lehner wasn't having any of it.The 25-year-old sounded off on his team's performance after the game."We haven't done anything," Lehner told Harrington after the loss. "We win one game and we think we're Chicago ... We haven't done anything in this league. (Gionta) has won a Cup. All respect to him, he's done something. The rest of us haven't."Lehner pointed specifically to the Sabres' lack of structure throughout, going so far as to call his mates "disrespectful" for ignoring the coaching staff's game plan.

The Montreal Canadiens have some soul searching to do during their bye week.So says goaltender Carey Price, who lamented the team's recent struggles following a 4-0 loss to the Boston Bruins."We seem to have lost our identity," Price said, according to Amanda Stein of TSN 690.Since starting the season with a record of 13-1-1, the Canadiens have gone 18-18-7, and things have been quite dire over the past month or so.

The Dallas Stars were feeling pretty good Sunday morning, and most of Sunday evening.Lindy Ruff's squad snapped a four-game losing streak Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Stars were up 3-1 on the Nashville Predators after 40 minutes Sunday. And then it all fell apart.Six minutes into the third period, it was 4-3 Nashville, the final result a 5-3 Predators decision. And for the Stars, more frustration."You go into a third period with a 3-1 lead with your lives on the line, and that's the effort and the result that we get? It's unacceptable," captain Jamie Benn said, according to The Dallas Morning News' Mike Heika. "We're fighting for our lives, and that's what we put out there for 20 minutes."Benn had a goal and an assist in over 22 minutes of ice time, but the ice was tilted in Nashville's favor for most of the final 40 minutes. The Predators outshot the Stars 30-13 in periods two and three combined."I don't know what to say," Benn added. "We've got to know by now."The Stars could have moved without four points of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with a win, but remain six points back of the Kings, and now eight points back of the Predators. Both teams have games in hand on Dallas, so Sunday's loss is undoubtedly a big one."It really stings," said head coach Lindy Ruff. "That's a tough one. That hurts."There's been too many painful losses for the Stars this season, who saw goaltender Kari Lehtonen turn in another subpar performance, finishing with a .886 save percentage.Another big game is on deck: Dallas is in Winnipeg on Tuesday night to face the Jets, and both teams are tied in the standings with 54 points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If you're the head coach of an underwhelming NHL club, you're probably not too excited about the new trend taking the league's coaching landscape by storm:New coach, instant success.That's certainly been the case for the most recent trio of clubs who swapped out their head coaches. The New York Islanders, St. Louis Blues, and Boston Bruins have all been flying high since parting ways with their former bench bosses, with only three regulation losses coming in their combined 21 games since Doug Weight, Mike Yeo, and Bruce Cassidy took over.

Tuukka Rask could not have picked a better time to mark a first.After posting a record of 0-9-3 in 12 previous regular-season home games against the Montreal Canadiens, the Boston Bruins goaltender finally earned a win over the team's fierce rivals within the friendly confines of TD Garden.Rask, of course, had beaten the Canadiens twice on home ice back in the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs.The victory came courtesy of a 25-save shutout performance in Boston's final game heading into their bye week, and capped a perfect record of 3-0-0 for the Bruins under head coach Bruce Cassidy.

It's that time of year.With the trade deadline slightly over two-and-a-half weeks away, who's where and who's talking to who will take on added significance. And on Sunday, Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic decided not to watch his team lose in Brooklyn, instead attending the Bruins-Montreal Canadiens tilt in Boston.Sakic caught up with Bruins GM Don Sweeney during the second intermission, according to The Boston Globe's Fluto Shinzawa.What's that? Pics or it didn't happen? Here:

Hear that? It's the New York Islanders. They're coming.The Brooklynites on Sunday won their eighth game in 12 since Doug Weight took over behind the bench, spanking the Colorado Avalanche by a score of 5-1. The Isles are 8-2-2 since Jack Capuano was fired, and Weight may have this whole coaching thing figured out.Weight's crew will go to bed Sunday night one point out of a playoff spot, trailing the Maple Leafs for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Toronto's got 61 points and a plus-4 goal differential in 54 games, while New York's got 60 points and is plus-3. And the two teams will play Tuesday in Toronto, a Valentine's Day affair with a lot on the line.The Islanders' playoff chances shot up eight percent after Sunday's win, according to Sports Club Stats, and their odds to make the postseason now sit at 45.7 percent.There is some bad news: While the Islanders improved their home record to an impressive 18-8-6 after beating Colorado, the rest of the schedule isn't kind. New York will play 19 of their final 28 games on the road, and so far have only seven wins in 22 games away from home.More bad news: The Islanders have a nine-game road trip commencing on Feb. 21, taking them to: Detroit, Montreal, Columbus, Dallas, Chicago, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and St. Louis. The journey will be broken up by the club's bye week, which begins on Feb. 26. But that's a brutal trip and will undoubtedly define the Isles' season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Filip Forsberg scored a short-handed goal 6:02 into the third period and the Nashville Predators rallied from a three-goal deficit to beat the Dallas Stars 5-3 on Sunday night.Roman Josi scored twice, Calle Jarnkrok got the tying goal 4:40 into the third and Mike Fisher added an empty-netter with 1:38 left. James Neal and P.K. Subban each had two assists, and Nashville snapped a two-game skid.The Predators can breathe a little easier during their upcoming five-day break after avoiding a second loss in two days on home ice. Embarrassed in a 7-4 defeat to Florida on Saturday, they came out feisty from the opening faceoff, only to give up the first three goals.Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist, Patrick Sharp and Devin Shore had a goal apiece and Tyler Seguin had three assists. Dallas has lost five of six.With the win, Nashville evened up the season series between the Central Division teams at 2-2. The Predators will visit Dallas on April 6.The Predators came out very chippy against another team that likes to fight. The result was a pair of fights within the first minute and a third midway through the period. Dallas got a full two minutes of 5-on-3 off the second fight that also featuring penalties on Subban and forward Austin Watson just 45 seconds into the game.The Stars only had Esa Lindell hit the post.With the Predators racking up eight penalties in the period, the Stars got plenty more chances. Benn scored his 18th this season on the man advantage at 12:24 of the first with a wrist shot from the left circle. Dallas took advantage of its second 5-on-3 late in the period when Sharp beat goalie Pekka Rinne with a wrist shot from the left side at 15:46 for a 2-0 lead.Shore gave Dallas a 3-0 lead with the Stars' third power-play goal at 12:02 with a snap shot from the right on a nice pass from Brett Ritchie.Nashville finally got on the board at 15:25 when Josi scored his eighth this season on a wrist shot unassisted. Then Craig Smith had a chance off the ensuing faceoff, earning his first career penalty shot. But Kari Lehtonen, playing for the second straight night, easily stopped Smith's shot off his pad.Josi scored his second of the game on a 5-on-3 45 seconds into the third period, but the Predators failed to score on the remaining 1:37 of the man advantage. It didn't matter as Jarnkrok skated up the right side and beat Lehtonen stick-side for his 11th, and Forsberg gave Nashville its first lead with his goal off a breakaway. Forsberg beat Lehtonen's glove with a wrist shot at 6:02.The Predators are 12-1-2 this season when Forsberg scores.NOTES: Subban reached 300 career points with his two assists. ... Before the game, Nashville put F Cody McLeod on injured reserve and activated F Harry Zolnierczyk. ... Josi now has a goal in three straight games for the first time in his career. ... Stars D Jamie Oleksiak played his 100th NHL career game. ... Seguin has 10 points (four goals, six assists) over his last 10 games. ... Predators F Viktor Arvidsson had an assist and now has nine points (six goals, three assists) in his last six games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild have drawn praise all season long for their diversified approach to offensive dominance. But as the club heads into the home stretch of the season, they're finally getting the star power they need to truly contend for a championship.Minnesota boasts 10 players with 10 goals or more this season. What's more, not a single one of those players has reached the 20-goal plateau, a pretty astounding fact considering nearly 30 NHLers have topped that number so far.That depth has undoubtedly been one of the driving factors behind the Wild becoming one of the league's best this season. But it can't be the full story come playoff time.Zach Parise's disappearance this season has helped cause his team's odd offensive situation. The former New Jersey Devils standout is the club's clear favorite to reach the 20-goal benchmark. He has eight seasons of 20-plus goals on his resume, once registering a dominant 45 tallies in a single campaign. He posted a team-leading 25 goals just last season, despite missing 12 games.But 2016-17 has been a different animal for Parise. The former Team USA captain posted only two goals in each of the first three months of the season before upping that output to three goals over 13 January games.Luckily for Minnesota, Parise's reclaimed his elite skill in the new year's second month and looks primed to do some serious damage over the final third of the season.With two goals against the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday night, Parise now has four in his past six games, all of which have come in February. It's already his best month of the season, with 16 days left before the turn of the calendar. Stretching back a few more games, he's put up six points over his past eight contests.That's excellent news for the Wild, as the surging club will need Parise at his best if they hope to continue its dominant 2016-17 effort into the postseason.Minnesota's diverse approach is surely a huge advantage, giving it the depth to create matchup nightmares for opposing clubs every night. But that might not be quite as effective when they get a few rounds into the playoffs.When things boil down to those tooth-and-nail postseason battles - where there isn't an inch given that's free of sacrifice - it's top-tier talent that leads the way.Ask last year's champs, the Pittsburgh Penguins. They had exceptional four-line depth heading into the home stretch as well, but the determining factor that pushed them all the way to a Stanley Cup was their otherworldly star power. The young guns and the "HBK" line were all well and good, but the team's top three playoff scorers when all was said and done? Phil Kessel, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin.Simply put, you can't replace extraordinary.So while the Wild have seen several names step up and prove their worth - and a few stars, like Mikael Granlund, climb into that elite tier - they need Parise doing what he's always done in the big leagues to take the next step.Because when the gaps close up and the game turns into a playoff grind, that star power could be the difference between an early exit and a meaningful run at the Cup.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Burrows didn't see it coming.The Vancouver Canucks forward was tackled by Buffalo Sabres defenseman Justin Falk after he went toe-to-toe in a shoving match with goaltender Robin Lehner.For the record, all three players received minor penalties for roughing. Burrows and the Canucks got the last laugh, however, by scoring on the ensuing power play.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist has been offered an in-person hearing for high sticking Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon, the NHL's Department of Players Safety announced Sunday evening.The date and time of the hearing has yet to be determined, but the announcement means Nyquist is in line for a lengthy suspension of six games or more:

Torey Krug and Andrew Shaw settled a score, and the referee seemed pretty fired up about it.After the two players kicked off the latest meeting between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens with a round of fisticuffs, referee Wes McCauley made the penalty call with much enthusiasm.

Unless his production falls off a cliff between now and the final game of the regular season, Auston Matthews will finish as one of the most prolific teenage snipers in NHL history.Through 54 games this season, the rookie Toronto Maple Leafs centerman has racked up 25 goals - tops among his fellow first-years and tied for eighth-best among all NHL skaters. Matthews' ranking among this season's best is impressive enough, but his current trajectory has him in line to flirt with a much loftier crowd.If he continues to score at his current pace, Matthews will amass 38 goals by season's end, a sum that would tie Ilya Kovalchuk as the 10th-most ever posted by a 19-year-old NHLer.That would put the new Leaf in some elite company - here's the list of history's top 10 goal-scorers at Matthews' age:NameSeasonGoalsJimmy Carson1987‑8855Wayne Gretzky1980‑8155Steven Stamkos2009‑1051Mario Lemieux1984‑8543Owen Nolan1991‑9242Brian Bellows1983‑8441Eric Lindros1992‑9341Rick Nash2003‑0441Dale Hawerchuk1982‑8340Ilya Kovalchuk2002‑0338Considering the context of who he would pass and who he's outshone lately - none of the past seven No.1 draft picks managed to alter this top-10 list at age 19 - climbing up those ranks would be a noteworthy achievement for the young pivot.Adding in the 18-year-old crowd, Matthews' production still projects to rank among the best. Only five players managed to post 39 goals or more at that age. Two are on the list above (Gretzky and Hawerchuk), with the others being Sylvain Turgeon (40 goals), Sidney Crosby (39 goals), and Steve Yzerman (39 goals).Matthews' end-of-season production isn't easy to pin down, though.If there's one thing the rookie star has made clear this season, it's that he's got a flair for the dramatic. Four goals in his debut, a thrilling overtime winner to clinch the Centennial Classic - he does his best work when the spotlight's bright and his back is against the wall.That's going to be the Leafs' reality for the rest of 2016-17, as Toronto is caught in a tooth-and-nail battle for a playoff spot that won't be resolved any time soon.Currently holding onto a wild-card position - just a point away from a top-three divisional ranking and in fact tied with the top playoff outsider trying to get back in - the Leafs are going to need every bit of Matthews' goal-scoring talent down the stretch.His efforts thus far suggest he'll deliver. And if he does, the American sniper could find himself flirting with the 40-goal range by game 82, and likely a spot among history's most impressive teenage performances.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NBA wants its teams to be nicer to each other on Twitter, but the NHL isn't having it.Prior to Sunday's game between the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators, the former poked fun at basketball's crackdown on disparaging tweets from official team accounts by calling out the latter.

Gustav Nyquist might want to keep his phone charged.The Detroit Red Wings forward caught Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon with a blatant and dangerous high stick in the first period of Sunday afternoon's game.The incident was sparked by a cross-check delivered by Spurgeon moments prior.After the game, Nyquist said the play was accidental.

NEWARK, N.J. - Brent Burns, the NHL's leading offensive defenseman, scored two goals as the San Jose Sharks snapped a season high four-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.Joe Thornton had a goal and an assist for the Sharks and Kevin Labanc added two assists. Tomas Hertl had an empty-net tally late in the third period.Martin Jones made 21 saves as San Jose bounced back from a 2-1 overtime loss to Philadelphia on Saturday.P.A. Parenteau scored for the Devils and Cory Schneider made 34 stops as New Jersey lost for the eighth time in the last nine home games.Burns wiped out the Devils' lead with a pair of second-period tallies.The defender ripped a wrist shot over Schneider's glove at 2:27 to knot the score.Burns unleashed another of his laser wristers, this time off the left post and into the net, at 7:46 to give the Sharks the lead. He has 24 goals and 59 points to pace all blueliners.Thornton added a third Sharks goal in the period at 11:22.The Devils tried to rally late in the period as Taylor Hall and Stefan Noesen had close-in chances denied by Jones.San Jose played an efficient third period, holding New Jersey to only 7 shots.The Sharks peppered the Devils with shots over the first 20 minutes, holding a 19-3 advantage, but New Jersey got the only goal.Parenteau scored on the Devils' first shot at 11:42 as Jacob Josefson made the key play, riding Sharks defenseman Brenden Dillion off the puck behind the San Jose net.Parenteau knocked in his 13th of the season on the goalmouth scramble that ensued.The Devils, coming off a five-day bye, were a beat slow at the start and the Sharks pressed hard.San Jose had a golden opportunity with a 5-on-3 power-play for 1:43 when Ben Lovejoy joined Joseph Blandisi in the penalty box at 8:28.Schneider made two stellar stops against Burns on the penalty kill - one with the glove, the other with his pads - to hold off the Sharks.NOTES: New Jersey recalled Blandisi from Albany of the AHL on Saturday. The Devils also activated D John Moore from injured reserve after missing 17 games with a concussion. C Logan Couture was back for the Sharks after missing one game with an upper-body injury. The Devils scratched D Kyle Quincy and RW Devante Smith-Pelly. The Sharks' scratches were RW Marcus Sorensen, D Tim Heed and RW Joonas Donskoi.UP NEXTSharks: Return home to host Florida on Wednesday.Devils: Host Colorado on Tuesday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was only a matter of time.After recording five shots in just the first period Sunday, San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns finally broke through early in the second, whipping a shot off the crossbar and in past Cory Schneider.The goal helped knot the game at 1-1, and for Burns it was his 23rd of the season - snapping a rare four-game goalless skid. Unfortunately, for the New Jersey Devils, Burns wasn't done there as he picked up No. 24 just minutes later.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings have placed forward Devin Setoguchi on waivers, as first reported by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.After making the club out of training camp - while on a professional tryout contract - things haven't quite gone as planned for Setoguchi.In 45 games this season, the 30-year-old has put up just four goals and 12 points and has gone goalless in his last 18 games.Prior to this season, Setoguchi's last NHL ride was with the Calgary Flames in 2015 where he went pointless in 12 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are well on their way to shattering their previous franchise mark of points in a season.The club has jumped out to a stellar 75 points in 54 games on the back of an incredible 16-game winning streak that stretched from November through into January.The team is on pace to collect 113 points, and, even if they don't fire completely at the same clip, they should have no problem besting the franchise-record of 93 points, reached during the 2013-14 season. That is to say, they should achieve this as long as something doesn't happen to Sergei Bobrovsky.As of Sunday, Bobrovsky has started 44 of the team's 54 games. He's been a work horse and is responsible for 30 of the team's 35 wins this season.He's performing at a pace similar to his Vezina Trophy winning season during the 2012-13 campaign, but if for any reason he is forced to miss some time, the Blue Jackets could be in trouble with their sudden lack of a capable backup.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)The club was fine just a month ago, until after one questionable start by then-backup Curtis McElhinney, saw the club place the veteran netminder on waivers.In a desperate situation of their own, the Toronto Maple Leafs pounced on the opportunity, picking up the 33-year-old.The move left the Blue Jackets with Joonas Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg, two young goaltenders who - despite combining for three wins (all by Korpisalo) in five starts - have put up miserable numbers.Here's how all the goaltenders who have suited up for the Blue Jackets this season have fared:GoalieGPWSV%G.A.ABobrovsky4430.9262.17McElhinney72.9242.39Korpisalo53.8933.57Forsberg10.8524.07To recall, the Blue Jackets waived McElhinney after he gave up five goals in a game against the New York Rangers on Jan. 7. The game was - and remains - the only game this season where he has conceded more than three goals.To that point, McElhinney has now gone 2-2-0 with a .935 save percentage and a 2.11 goals-against average with the Maple Leafs.Back to Bobrovsky. He is now on pace to start 66 games this season - which would surpass his previous career-high of 58, which he hit back in 2014.On seven occasions Bobrovsky has started on back-to-back nights. Bobrovsky has won over 68 percent of the games he has played this season, while backups have just a 50 percent success rate.The Blue Jackets have gone 8-9-1 in the 18 games since their 16-game winning streak was snapped. The team has scored 50 goals in that span and given up 59 against, meaning the offense isn't quite firing on the same cylinders it was earlier in the year.Getting over anxious about McElhinney appears to have been a mistake by the club. In turn, the Blue Jackets should make it their top priority to acquire a capable backup, because as it stands now it appears Bobrovsky could be the key to a successful playoff run.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It has all lined up wonderfully for the Minnesota Wild.Under Bruce Boudreau's instruction, and anchored by veritable Vezina Trophy front-runner Devan Dubnyk, the Wild appear as formidable as they've ever been in a season in which the Western Conference seems oddly susceptible.The stars have aligned, presenting an opportunity that comes around only ever so often - and one that shouldn't be mismanaged.It's why we should expect inactivity from the first-place club leading up to the March 1 trade deadline.Citing lessons learned from his time with the Washington Capitals, Boudreau indicated that introducing a new element, however talented, could throw the system out of whack."We made four deals because we thought we were going to go so far we needed the depth,” Boudreau said of his 2010 Capitals, speaking with Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune."The thought process was great, but the realism was that we had a lot of good hockey players sitting out every game and that ruined a little bit of the thing that we had going for us."All of a sudden the chemistry is uprooted. We're always striving to get better, but sometimes doing nothing means you're getting better as well."In seasons past, Wild management has used this time to attempt to fill holes in the roster. But as general manager Chuck Fletcher explained, they see no such need."There's a lot less urgency this year just to add. In years past, we've looked to add goal-scoring, we've looked to add size or some different elements we lacked," Fletcher said."This year, we have pretty good depth and we're getting contributions throughout our lineup. You want to be careful you're not taking somebody out of the lineup that's helped you get to this place."The Wild have remained remarkably healthy, which has contributed to the top nine's progression into a stable and highly efficient attack, and prevented the back end from being overworked.Management could nitpick at the margins, but barring unforeseen circumstances, there's no need to disrupt an arrangement that has the Wild humming along at plus-55 goal differential through 54 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.