Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson is scheduled to undergo surgery on his wrist next week and will miss the remainder of this season, general manager Ken Holland said Friday, according to MLive's Brendan Savage.Ericsson fractured his wrist when he crashed into the boards due to a shove from behind by Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom on Thursday night.Backstrom was penalized on the play, but it will not come under scrutiny from the NHL.Ericsson averaged the third-most minutes among Red Wings defensemen this season, trailing Mike Green and Danny DeKeyser. He's contributed a goal and nine points, and leads the club with 63 penalty minutes.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Six points behind the Boston Bruins for the second of two wild-card slots, the Buffalo Sabres are technically as close as they've been to a postseason berth at this point in a season in quite some time.Such is existence in the bunched bottom tier inside the Eastern Conference, where fans and executives, if not careful, can be easily deceived by the false parity tied to more and more games distributing three points.But the reality is this: the Sabres need to outperform eight teams in the final two months just to earn the right to run into the Washington Capitals' buzz saw in the first round.Instead, the Sabres should look to unload in this season's sellers' market. But what can they realistically accomplish?Projected cap space: $1.46 million

Knowledge is power.That's why it would appear a handful of NHL general managers are reaching out to the management team of the Vegas Golden Knights, in an attempt to gather as much of it as they can.At least six teams have made contact with Vegas' brass to try and gain as much information as possible, intelligence that can help determine how a team might approach the trade deadline, according to ESPN's Craig Custance.Custance explains why such information can be so important for a team:

It's no secret the Toronto Maple Leafs need to upgrade their blueline, ideally adding a right-shot defenseman to play the top pairing alongside Morgan Rielly.At their disposal, the Maple Leafs have a prime winger in James van Riemsdyk to offer up for that much-needed piece. With that in mind, here are three teams who boast the defensive depth but could use a boost to their scoring ranks to make such a move possible:Anaheim DucksThe Ducks own arguably the league's deepest blueline, headlined by Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler, and Sami Vatanen.The 25-year-old Fowler is in the midst of career year, already with 11 tallies on the season, while Lindholm remains the team's top defender on the left side. At the same time, young and affordable blue-liners like Shea Theodore and Brandon Montour are pushing for more minutes, and moving out another defender like Vatanen could create that space.With just 147 goals on the season, ranking 19th league-wide, the Ducks lack secondary scoring, and could cash in on offense if the team is willing to strip a piece from its blueline. Adding van Riemsdyk could reinvigorate Anaheim's scoring punch, as his 19 tallies would be the best on the Ducks behind only Rickard Rakell.Minnesota WildThe Wild are too good for their own good. That's because the team faces a crunch ahead of the summer expansion draft, when the Vegas Golden Knights will get to pick off a piece of the Wild roster.Teams can protect either three defensemen and seven forwards from the expansion, or a combination of eight skaters, the latter option being likely for Minnesota, given that the Wild have at least four blue-liners they will want to keep in the fold. Ryan Suter is an automatic, plus he has a no-movement clause, while the likes of Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, and Marco Scandella are also worth keeping around. That means the odd man out could be young defenseman Matt Dumba.Up front, Minnesota has three more no-move deals, but could the team approach a veteran winger like Jason Pominville to waive his clause ahead of the expansion to give the team some more flexibility? Doing so would give the Wild another two protection slots, one it will need for Finnish forward Mikael Granlund, while the other could go to van Riemsdyk, should he be acquired from Toronto.New York IslandersIt's been a turnaround season for the Islanders, where after months of sub-par play the team has found its game under new bench boss Doug Weight.While early season losses displayed some of the Islanders' weaknesses, one area where the team is strong is its blueline, featuring a depth of talent including Johnny Boychuk, Nick Leddy, and Travis Hamonic. A season ago, Hamonic asked for a trade to be closer to his Manitoba home, and while that request has since been rescinded, the Islanders may still be open to a move.While the team's blueline is strong, New York's forward ranks aren't nearly as deep, where the club has shuffled through a host of players to skate alongside captain John Tavares, a free agent after next season. In recent weeks, the captain has paired with Anders Lee and Josh Bailey, though neither player is on the same level as van Riemsdyk. This season, the Maple Leafs winger sits just one point shy of Tavares, who has 44 points on the year.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What may have cost Ken Hitchcock his job is now making Mike Yeo look like a genius.After a tailspin down the standings that forced general manager Doug Armstrong to take action, the St. Louis Blues' goaltenders have pulled the chutes and helped the club go 4-1-0 in five games since Hitchcock was dismissed.The Blues' offense has also awoken after a stretch of five games that saw the team average 2.6 goals per game while going 1-4-0 prior to Yeo's promotion. Since then, the team has put an average of 3.2 goals past opposing netminders.The biggest change in the team's play, though, has clearly been on the other side of the puck, where - compared to the five games that preceded Hitchcock's firing, which saw the Blues give up 4.4 goals per game - the goalies have allowed just 1.2 per game.Jake Allen and Carter Hutton have been stellar. Other than a 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the club hasn't allowed more than a single goal per game, shutting out the Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators.GoalieGamesShots againstSavesSave percentageAllen4119114.958Hutton126261.00The stretch of strong play has helped the Blue not only pump the breaks on their previous skid, but also edge out the Nashville Predators for third spot in the Central Division.Of course, it shouldn't go without mentioning that on the day Yeo took over as bench boss, future Hall of Fame netminder Martin Brodeur extended his duties beyond assistant general manager, taking over as a goalie coach alongside former 'tender Ty Conklin.Not a bad voice to have in one's ear.Allen holds a 2.69 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage, while Hutton has posted 2.65 and .902 marks, which both need to improve going forward. But if the goalies can continue to kick out pucks at a similar clip, the Blues, who give up the fifth-fewest shots against per game and boast a top-10 offense, might not be in trouble after all.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals announced Friday that forward Andre Burakovsky will be out of the lineup until at least mid-March after he suffered a hand injury.Burakovsky sustained the injury Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings.The Austrian-born forward has been a key cog for the Capitals this season, recording 11 goals and 18 assists in 52 games.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.Statistics as of Thursday, Feb. 9. All advanced stats courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations.Get Sebastian Aho on your teamCarolina's 19-year-old Finnish phenom has really come on in the second half, recording 12 goals and six assists in his last 24 games. He is averaging nearly three shots on goal per game during this stretch.He is still available in many leagues. If this is the case, add him immediately. If not, try and pry him from his current owner. Carolina plays 13 games during fantasy playoffs, the most of any team, including five during championship week.Look to Paul Stastny for assistsIf you're in need of some assists, or a center, turn to St. Louis Blues C Paul Stastny as a temporary fix. The veteran is currently playing on a line with RW Vladimir Tarasenko and LW Alexander Steen. Tarasenko had previously been stuck on a line with offensively challenged C Jori Lehtera.St. Louis doesn't play a bunch of games over the next week, so consider Stastny as a streaming option or a strong value play in daily fantasy.Add Chris Kunitz in banger leaguesKunitz has been reunited on a line with C Sidney Crosby, thanks to several injuries to Pittsburgh Penguins forwards. Kunitz and Crosby have chemistry dating back to 2008-09 and it has been on display.The 37-year-old doesn't have the pep in his step he used to, but he has picked up five points in his last five games while averaging over 16 minutes of ice time. He has 145 hits on the season, making him a very valuable commodity in banger leagues, especially when you factor in Pittsburgh playing four games this coming week.Take what you can get for Mikko KoivuKoivu is having a superb season with 38 points in 52 games. However, if you can acquire a semi-valuable asset for him, do so now. Koivu may be drop-worthy in a few weeks.He has 16 goals, despite a career high of just 22. His shooting percentage of 18.4 is highly unsustainable, considering his career mark is just 9.4.In regard to his assist totals, they are also flawed. Of his 22 helpers, 16 of them have been secondary assists. Regression is on the way, and it could be coming fast.Hold onto Mikael GranlundOn the other hand, Koivu's linemate Granlund is the real deal. The 24-year-old has already set a career high with 15 goals and 48 points.Sure, his shooting percentage is slightly higher than his career average, but he is also taking more shots than he ever has before. He is also second in the NHL behind Edmonton Oilers C Connor McDavid with 25 primary assists.Granlund has always been a highly skilled player, but he has bloomed a bit later than most expected. A big part of the reason for his ascension this season has been his move to the wing, where can spend more time focusing on offense and less about defense. Head coach Bruce Boudreau is great at putting players in situations geared for success.Sell Taylor HallHall is having a stellar season with his new club, but now may be the time to ship him away. He has four points in his last four games and has plenty of name value.The reasoning for trading him away is because as much as Hall can help you get to a fantasy finals, he can't really help you once you get there. New Jersey will play just two games during the week of the fantasy championship.With Hall, the injury risk always needs to be factored in. You should have no problem getting good value in return for the former first-overall pick.Give Connor Hellebuyck another chanceHellebuyck has started just one game since Jan. 9. His ownership has plummeted because of it. If you're in need of some goaltending help or simply have an open roster spot and want some potential trade bait, scoop him up immediately.Ondrej Pavelec has started eight of Winnipeg's last nine games, but will now miss at least a week with a concussion. Pavelec didn't play well at all during his brief sting as the club's starter.If Hellebuyck can find his confidence and play solid between the pipes during this coming week, he could find himself as the Jets' guy once again. Winnipeg has seven games in the next 12 days, so he will have plenty of chances to prove himself.Buy-low on Erik KarlssonBy his standards, Karlsson is having a down season. He has 44 points in 51 games, but just eight goals. He is taking far fewer shots than in the past, largely due to reduced ice time. He averaged nearly 29 minutes per game last season, but just 26 minutes this season.As Ottawa tries to hold onto a playoff spot, head coach Guy Boucher could begin to ramp up Karlsson's playing time down the stretch, therefore increasing his fantasy value.Sell high on Viktor ArvidssonArvidsson has been one of the biggest surprises of the entire season. He has 14 goals and 34 points, including four points in his last three games. The 23-year-old has even greater trade value in keeper leagues.Why Arvidsson needs to be dealt now is because he has been moved from the top line with C Ryan Johansen and LW Filip Forsberg to the third line with C Calle Jarnkrok and LW Colin Wilson. Yikes.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Don't discount the Ducks.Not often named among Stanley Cup contenders, Anaheim has been one of the most consistent clubs this season.With a 29-17-10 showing through 56 games, the Ducks sit second in the Pacific and just two points back of the division-leading San Jose Sharks. They also rank among the best in nearly all statistical categories.It starts on the blue line, where Anaheim boasts one of the league's most impressive units. Veteran Kevin Bieksa is the lone rearguard older than 25, with a young core of Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler, and Sami Vatanen leading the way. The next wave, including Shea Theodore and Brandon Montour, has also made critical contributions.The team's commitment to a strong defensive game has been key to its success this season, and it's paid off for netminders John Gibson and Jonathan Bernier, who have allowed just 141 goals - sixth-lowest league-wide.That dominance extends to special teams. The St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames are the only teams in the West firing better on the man advantage than Anaheim, which is converting at a 20.8 percent clip. It also sits seventh on the penalty kill, negating 84 percent of its calls against.Anaheim's only true weakness is its trouble finding the back of the net. Seven skaters have double-digit goal totals, but the trio of Rickard Rakell, Ryan Kesler, and Jakob Silfverberg have combined for more than one-third of the tallies. With just 147 goals this year, Anaheim sits 19th league-wide, but still sports a plus-six goal differential, thanks to its strong defensive game.With the trade deadline less than three weeks out, it may be worthwhile for the Ducks to dip into their depth of riches on the blue line to build up their scoring arsenal. Boosting the offensive touch of a team that sits third-best since the turn of the calendar could set them up for a return to the winner's circle.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A new coach has breathed new life into what was previously a struggling New York Islanders team.With a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night, New York improved to 7-1-2 since Doug Weight replaced Jack Capuano and now sits just two points back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.However, if the Islanders are serious about this season and their future, they need to rid themselves of certain horrendous contracts that continue to hamper the team's ability to acquire high-end assets that could aid John Tavares and company.With that considered, here are three contracts the Islanders should be pushing to get off their books:Jaroslav Halak A goaltender making over $4.75 million to play in the minors - those don't come along too often.However, that's exactly what Jaroslav Halak has become. The 31-year-old has struggled mightily this season - no one can dispute that - but he's also not been given the chance to redeem himself.The Islanders carried three goalies for a long stretch of the campaign, usually leaving Halak as the odd man out. The veteran's agent voiced his displeasure earlier in the season, and Halak was later assigned to the American Hockey League after clearing waivers.Related: Halak impressing with Sound TigersDespite Halak thriving in the minors, he's also taking up cap space while Thomas Greiss has established himself as the Islanders' No. 1 goalie.It's time to deal the veteran.Casey CizikasIt's hard to understand what exactly Casey Cizikas did to push Garth Snow to sign him to a long-term deal.The 25-year-old notched a career-high 30 points in 80 games last season, while his previous career mark in goals was nine, set in 2015.This season, he's on pace for 34 points and nine goals once again - hardly an improvement.Factor in his Corsi-for percentage of just 47.86, and it's hard to understand why the team committed five years and nearly $17 million for a fourth-line center.Cal ClutterbuckWhen Cal Clutterbuck is doing his thing - scoring in addition to strong physical play - he can be a valuable asset.However, this season he's not scoring at his usual clip, and therefore his value is certainly decreasing.After recording a commendable 15 goals last season, Clutterbuck has managed just three to date - on pace for just five, which would be his lowest mark in a full 82-game season.Of course, that drop in goal production comes after the 29-year-old inked a five-year, $17.5-million extension in December.Combined, Cizikas and Clutterbuck will make just under $7 million for each of the next four seasons. That's for two skaters who play just over 14 minutes per game and whose major contributions have been killing penalties.Those dollars would be better spent elsewhere.Andrew Ladd, not so fastWith such a list, it's hard to ignore Andrew Ladd and his monstrous seven-year, $38.5-million contract.In an ideal world, this would be off the books, but with no-movement and no-trade clauses littered throughout the contract - along with money, which is largely owed in signing bonuses - it's not an easy deal to get rid of.It's also worth considering that despite his slow start, the 31-year-old is now chipping in offensively on a more consistent basis.Ladd has four goals and six points in his last six games, and could be one of the many players who thrives under new leadership behind the bench.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning bagged consecutive victories for the first time since before the holiday break with wins over the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings this past week.Now, as they ready for an enormous back-to-back on the road beginning with the Minnesota Wild on Friday night, the club's eager to discover if it has finally found some traction before heading into its mandatory bye week."I'm excited for this," head coach Jon Cooper told Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "I want to see where we're at. This will be a good gauge."A win over the Western Conference leaders would be a tremendous boost for the Lightning, who emerged from the basement of the East on Thursday night - but only by virtue of a superior goal differential.However, this club's in no position to trade points. If the Lightning fail to consolidate a win over the Wild with another versus the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday, they would only be spinning their wheels into the break - which in itself could sap them of any momentum.But if they earn four points in the space of two nights, and welcome the added benefit of banged-up forwards Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn, and Ondrej Palat taking several days of rest (not to mention moving another week closer to the return of Steven Stamkos), the Bolts could put themselves in a position to make a run.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Max Pacioretty willed the Montreal Canadiens past the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night, putting up a four-point effort that included a pair of goals and a key assist on Alex Galchenyuk's overtime winner.The performance by Montreal's captain certainly wasn't lost on his coach, Michel Therrien."Patch was a true leader tonight, a true captain," Therrien told reporters following the win. "He took charge, he played a hell of a game, and he deserves a lot of credit."Pacioretty's 27 goals this season are now nearly double the next highest scorer on the Canadiens; both Alexander Radulov and Paul Byron have found the back of the net 14 times.Thursday also marked the second time this season that Pacioretty has recorded at least four points in a game, having tallied four goals and an assist in Montreal's lopsided victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 10.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Don Sweeney's Boston Bruins might have defeated one of the best teams in hockey - the San Jose Sharks - in their first game without Claude Julien behind the bench. But at least one supporter still needs to be convinced the grass will indeed be, at the very least, green, in the Bruce Cassidy era.

Four months after failing to earn a contract because his injured shoulder hadn't fully healed, Ryan Carter will try again.Carter is expected to join his old Minnesota Wild teammates on the ice Friday, and will skate with the team for the rest of the month on a tryout basis of sorts, sources told Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.If the Wild deem that Carter isn't suffering ill effects from his surgically repaired labrum, and think he can assist them over the final few months of the season and into the playoffs, they will have the opportunity to sign him for the stretch run.They'll have to make the decision before March 1 in order for him to be included on the postseason roster.Carter underwent shoulder surgery at the recommendation of the Wild, an agreement established in good faith."(General manager Chuck Fletcher) was really good and fair," he told Russo in September. "He just told me to get surgery, get healthy, and depending where we both stand when I get healthy enough to play, we can go from there. He just said it's not fair to me to play hurt and it's not fair to the coach and team to not know if I can play through it."He said they'd help me with surgery, and I don't think they have any responsibility to take care of me, so I appreciate that."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the schedule steaming toward the stretch run, "On the Fly," theScore's NHL roundtable series, takes a look at four potential can't-miss first-round playoff series.Battle of OntarioO'Leary: It's been a while since the rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators meant something other than pride, but a renewal of hatred could be in the cards come April.From 2000 to 2004, the Leafs and Sens met four times in the postseason, building an everlasting feud with a list of antics as long as the stretch of Highway 401 that separates the cities.It can be linked all the way back to then-Senator Marian Hossa clipping former Leafs defenseman Bryan Berard with an errant high stick, which nearly ended the latter's career. From then, an uncalled hit from behind, a broken-stick mockery, a bench brawl, and almost everything imaginable in between developed immense animosity between the division rivals - and even more entertainment.Toronto won all four series in the early 2000s, but has yet to reach the playoffs in a full season since Patrick Lalime's leaky Game 7 performance pushed the Maple Leafs to round two in 2004.As of now, Toronto and Ottawa are scheduled to meet in the opening round, which would reignite one of the best rivalries of the modern era.Metropolitan madnessGold-Smith: The rivalry between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets is one of the NHL's newest, but it's also one of the best.The cities are only a few hours apart, the two teams will have spent the entire regular season jockeying for position as mutual members of the Metropolitan Division, and most importantly, Sidney Crosby and Brandon Dubinsky clearly don't care for each other.Throw in John Tortorella's disdain for the Penguins (who could forget his classic "Pittsburgh whines enough for the whole league" rant in 2015?), which dates back to his New York Rangers days, and you have the recipe for another can't-miss postseason battle.Their 2014 playoff clash didn't even go seven games, but was still one of the most entertaining series of the last few years. There's a long way to go, but the standings have them on course to meet again, and we can only hope they do.Albertan supremacyHagerman: You'll have to go back 26 years to remember the last postseason Battle of Alberta.If you were lucky enough to be around then (I was not), you might recall the first-round matchup between the two clubs - won by Calgary - turned out to be Mark Messier's last series as an Oiler.The matchup featured the likes of Al MacInnis, Theo Fleury, Doug Gilmour, Joe Nieuwendyk, Glenn Anderson, Grant Fuhr, Gary Roberts, and Gary Suter - a who's who of Alberta hockey legends.Now we have the likes of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Johnny Gaudreau, and Sean Monahan. And while both clubs are young and exciting, this matchup goes to the next level based on their respective fan bases, which go ballistic when the teams clash at either rink.Some movement in the standings would be required over the next couple months, but these rivals going head-to-head would be quite the spectacle.We meet againWilkins: If the playoffs started today, hockey fans would be treated to the latest rendition of one of the game's greatest rivalries: the Montreal Canadiens taking on the Rangers.The sides met in the third round of the 2014 postseason, battling it out in a six-game series with the Rangers ultimately emerging for a Stanley Cup Finals date against the Los Angeles Kings.The Rangers opened that series with a pair of victories in Montreal, while Canadiens fans can't forget what happened to star goalie Carey Price, injured in the series opener following a hit by Rangers forward Chris Kreider. That left backup Dustin Tokarski to carry the load between the pipes.The two Original Six franchises have met on 14 other occasions in the postseason, winning seven apiece.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Galchenyuk helped the Montreal Canadiens make a less than clean getaway in the desert.The 22-year-old forward fired home the winner in overtime to defeat the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night, ending a back-and-forth affair in which Montreal allowed the home team to rally from a two-goal deficit, take the lead, then later tie the game late in the third period.It was Galchenyuk's 12th goal of the season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Say it ain't so, Ovi.Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was held without a shot on goal in Thursday's win in Detroit, an incredible rarity.In fact, it hasn't happened in nearly four years, dating back to March 12, 2013, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post.Ovechkin had just one shot attempt, per hockeystats.ca, and saw his lowest ice-time total of the season at 13:54.Not to worry, though, the Capitals still earned their 11th straight win on home ice, and sit comfortably atop the Metropolitan Division with one more game before their league-mandated bye.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

WASHINGTON - T.J. Oshie scored twice and set up John Carlson's go-ahead goal in the third period for the NHL-leading Washington Capitals, who collected their 11th consecutive home victory by beating the Detroit Red Wings 6-3 Thursday night.Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg made it three-all less than 1 1/2 minutes into the final period. But Oshie stole the puck deep in the offensive end, skated out front and slid the puck over to Carlson, whose slap shot sailed past goalie Petr Mrazek at the 4:15 mark.Oshie's 21st goal had put Washington ahead 3-2 just 76 seconds into the second period, and his 22nd added insurance on a power play with a little more than 5 1/2 minutes remaining in the game.He has 23 points in the last 19 games, and Washington is 20-0-1 when the right wing earns a point this season.Marcus Johansson, Brett Connolly and Nicklas Backstrom also scored for the Capitals, who have produced at least five goals in each of their past 10 home games. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, they are only the second NHL team to do that, joining the 1970-71 Boston Bruins, who did that in 11 consecutive games at home.Andreas Athanasiou had two goals in the first period for the Red Wings.Detroit, which entered tied for the fewest points in the Eastern Conference, managed only 17 shots against goalie Braden Holtby. Washington had 31 shots.The Capitals have outscored opponents 55-15 during their home winning streak, which began on New Year's Day.The opening period ended with the score 2-all, thanks in part to Athanasiou's 12th and 13th goals. On the first, he swept all the way around from a corner to the slot before shooting, fending off Alex Ovechkin the whole time. The second came on a power play, putting the Red Wings up 2-1 at about the 16 1/2-minute mark.That rare lead for a visiting team in the nation's capital didn't last long. Connolly evened things with 1 1/2 minutes left in the period, hopping up after being down on the ice near the boards and flicking a shot past Mrazek.NOTES: Capitals F Andre Burakovsky was struck by a puck in the first period and headed toward the locker room; the Capitals announced early in the second period that he would not return because of an upper-body injury. ... Detroit D Jonathan Ericsson also left the game with an upper-body injury. He was slammed into the boards in the first period by Backstrom, who was sent to the penalty box. ... Carlson's 59th NHL goal moved him one ahead of Al Iafrate for eighth-most by a Capitals defenseman. ... Connolly's three-game goal streak matches his career high. ... A hockey-playing woman from the United Arab Emirates, 26-year-old Fatima Al Ali, handled the ceremonial puck drop before the game, then snapped a selfie with the two team captains, Ovechkin and Zetterberg.UP NEXTRed Wings: Go from the Eastern Conference's No. 1 team to its No. 2 team, playing at Columbus on Saturday.Capitals: Host Anaheim on Saturday before heading to their bye week.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Max Pacioretty's goal Thursday night against the Arizona Coyotes was notable for several reasons.The Montreal Canadiens captain busted the club's 138-minute scoring drought less than a minute into the game, notching his 200th career marker in the process.The Canadiens had been shut out in their two previous games, suffering a 4-0 defeat at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday and falling 1-0 to the Edmonton Oilers in a shootout on Sunday.Their last goal before Pacioretty's tap-in came last Saturday in a loss to the Washington Capitals, and it was Pacioretty who scored that one, too.Thursday's goal gave him 26 on the season, increasing his team lead in the category while padding his club lead in points at 45.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's been a tale of two seasons for Sergei Bobrovsky.Chapter 1 included a promising start, accompanied by a 16-game winning streak for his Columbus Blue Jackets. The second chapter, however, has been much the opposite, as Bobrovsky hasn't been the same since his club's historic streak.The number's don't lie:DatesRecordSv%GAAOct. 13 - Jan. 525-5-20.9341.92Since*4-5-10.8983.03*Does not include Thursday's statsBobrovsky's performance was imperative to Columbus' meteoric rise up the standings, and since he's regressed and the streak ended, the Blue Jackets have put forth a 7-9-1 record.Jockeying for position in the Metropolitan Division, Bobrovsky rediscovering the form that earned him the NHL's first star for December would be a major boost down the stretch.Now, especially, is as good a time as ever, as Columbus plays five consecutive games at home before their bye week.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Things are not going well for the Dallas Stars.Losers of three straight, Dallas' misfortunes hit a new low Thursday night in Ottawa, as an ill-advised drop pass off the stick of Jiri Hudler drifted all the way into the Stars empty net during a delayed penalty.

Fatima Al Ali's dream week continues.The United Arab Emirates' national women's hockey team member conducted the ceremonial faceoff Thursday night before the Washington Capitals played the Detroit Red Wings at Verizon Center in D.C.She took a selfie with captains Alex Ovechkin and Henrik Zetterberg before dropping the puck.

Andreas Athanasiou isn't yet on Alex Ovechkin's level, but even the greats can be bested from time to time.The young Detroit Red Wings center took the Washington Capitals star for a skate Thursday night, then faked him out and fired a bullet past Braden Holtby to tie the game.Athanasiou scored again on a power play less than three minutes later, giving him 13 goals this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

That one's got to feel good.Joe Thornton scored his fourth goal of the season Thursday night in Boston, but this one was the first with a goalie between the pipes, as his previous three tallies came on empty nets.Don't fret, though, the Sharks' playmaking aficionado still has 30 assists to his name this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers are honoring the life of former Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez before the team's game on Thursday night by auctioning off warmup jerseys with his name and No. 16 on the back.

Tim Murray insists he's not actively looking to move Evander Kane."I wouldn't rule it out, (but) I'm not pursuing a trade with him," the Buffalo Sabres general manager told WGR 550's Mike Schopp on air Friday evening."I haven't made a call with regard to him to other teams," Murray added. "I'm a big fan of his game. He plays in our top six, (and) he plays a hard, gritty, heavy game with speed, and that's a rare combination."The GM reiterated that there's always the chance he could be blown away by an offer, but stressed again that he isn't initiating talk with respect to Kane."Is there a crazy deal that somebody could throw at me that would force me to do it? I guess there is, (and) I've said that all along about every player," Murray said."So I'm not going to back down on that now, but I can tell you that I'm not making calls trying to trade him. I'm not throwing rumors out there or getting a media guy to help me out and say, 'Evander is available,' (or) that type of thing. Not at all. He's the type of guy I think we need if we want to be competitive every night and be a playoff team."Kane scored twice including the game-winner in overtime to beat the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night, and he ranks second on the Sabres behind Kyle Okposo with 16 goals in 10 fewer games than his teammate.He's also been embroiled in several controversies away from the rink, but Murray says the club has addressed them."The off-ice stuff, we've worked through that, we continue to work with him and work through that. It'll never be forgotten ... but on the ice, what I see now is what we traded for, and I'm a fan of his game," said the GM.Kane carries a $5.25-million cap hit this season and next, before potentially becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2018.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec will be sidelined "about a week" with a lower-body injury, coach Paul Maurice told Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun.Pavelec suffered the injury Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild, after which Connor Hellebuyck relieved him midway through the second period.Pavelec has appeared in eight games since his recall on Jan. 17. The veteran netminder has posted a 4-4-0 record in that time, alongside an .888 save percentage and 3.55 goals-against average.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle has been slapped with a $2,000 fine for diving/embellishment, the league announced on Thursday.As per the league, Yandle was issued a warning after an incident during the team's game against the New Jersey Devils on Nov. 3 and was slapped with a second citation - resulting in the fine - after an offense on Jan. 31 against the Ottawa Senators.If Yandle is caught diving for a third time he will be assessed a fine of $3,000.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tom Rowe isn't looking to give up his spot as head coach of the Florida Panthers.The team's interim head coach - who took over for Gerard Gallant - is 30 games into his first NHL coaching stint and enjoying the new job."I would be lying if I said I didn't," Rowe said, according to George Richards of the Miami Herald.Love it as he may, with Claude Julien now on the market after the Boston Bruins fired him Tuesday, the Panthers present a potential landing spot.Rowe confirmed Thursday that the team hasn't asked permission to speak to Julien yet, but a Panthers source told Richards that the team will do so at the end of the regular season."It will be a group decision," Rowe said of whether or not he would return as coach next season.In January, Panthers owner Doug Cifu said Rowe would remain the team's head coach through the rest of the regular season and "then we'll see how things shake out."Of course, all this speculation depends on Julien remaining unemployed by season's end, which might not be the case given his track record.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Coyotes are committed to Arizona.That was the message from co-owner Anthony LeBlanc, who also serves as team president and CEO, on Thursday.LeBlanc was responding to a local report that team officials had recently scouted Seattle's KeyArena and Portland's Moda Center, foreshadowing a relocation to the Pacific Northwest."It couldn't be farther from the truth. It is 100 percent false," LeBlanc told the "Doug and Wolf" show on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. "There is absolutely no facts whatsoever in that story."The Coyotes' search for a new arena was back on the front burner Friday after Arizona State University announced it would not go forward with a proposal to build a new facility at its Tempe campus.But the Coyotes aren't without other opportunities for a new home in the Valley of the Sun."The good news for us, as we've said over the past year, is we have a number of options. (Phoenix) mayor Greg Stanton has been incredibly forthright in his statements that he'd like to see us downtown, and that's something we're very interested in," added LeBlanc, who also described a site in nearby Mesa as "intriguing."In the meantime, the Coyotes believe their current home in Glendale is only a short-term option."The decision to build the facility in Glendale was prior to our ownership group. The honest answer is it was a mistake. It was the wrong location for this franchise," LeBlanc said. "We're OK staying in Glendale if we know that there is certainty of a new facility coming online and shovels in the ground."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.If you're either firmly in a playoff spot or cemented at the bottom of the standings of your fantasy hockey keeper league, it's time to seek out some value for next year. Excellent trade targets are owners who are desperately in win-now mode and focused solely on the 2016-17 season. Give them a piece to help with their goals this season, in order to acquire a much better player for the years to come.Here are five targets who will almost certainly see their value grow next season:D Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia FlyersGostisbehere has gone from putting up 46 points in just 64 games last season to being a semi-regular healthy scratch for the Flyers in 2016-17. After a plus-8 rating in his shortened NHL stint last year, he is minus-19 this season. He is shooting more often than he did as a rookie, but his shooting percentage has collapsed from 11.2 to just 3.5 percent. His average time on ice has dropped by 15 seconds.Owners desperate to make the playoffs or win this season will be getting frustrated with Gostisbehere's occasional and unpredictable scratches. Give them a steady provider with guaranteed ice time in exchange for a defender who'll spend the next few seasons playing behind C Claude Giroux, and RWs Jakub Voracek and Wayne Simmonds.LW Max Domi, Arizona CoyotesInjuries caused Domi to miss most of December and all of January, but he has returned for both of his team's first two games of February. He has played just 28 games, scoring five goals and totaling 16 points. His shooting percentage had dropped last season, but he is shooting slightly more often.Though it's status quo for the Coyotes, they are again expected to be big sellers at the trade deadline. C Martin Hanzal and RW Radim Vrbata are highly expected to leave town, opening up more ice time for Domi for the remainder of this season. He's the best of the Coyotes' young forward corps which includes Ws Anthony Duclair and Lawson Crouse. Grab him before his upcoming breakout season.(Photo courtesy Getty Images)C Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red WingsLarkin was 2015-16's breakout star until the late season emergence and surge of Gostisbehere. Like his counterpart, his 2016-17 season has been a shell of the predecessor. He has stayed healthy, playing 51 games, but he has totaled just 12 goals and a paltry seven assists. His ice time has dropped nearly 30 seconds per game from his rookie average. He's shooting similarly often and converting at a near-equal rate.His linemates have been highly variable this season, spending similar portions with Gustav Nyquist, Frans Nielsen, Riley Sheahan, Tomas Tatar and Thomas Vanek at 5v5, per Corsica.Hockey. These combos have sub-50% Corsi For ratings. Last season he played exclusively on the wing with LW Justin Abdelkader and C Henrik Zetterberg. While they still had a negative CF%, they averaged more scoring chances per 60 minutes than any of this year's trios.LW/RW Andre Burakovsky, Washington CapitalsBurakovsky has played most of his 5v5 minutes with Capitals C Lars Eller and RW Brett Connolly this season. He has been limited to just 65 minutes with LW Alex Ovechkin at 5v5, spending similar amounts of time with Cs Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov. As it is, he's having a fine season with 11 goals and 29 points through 51 games played.Burakovsky's role stands to grow dramatically next season, as RWs Justin Williams and T.J. Oshie are both set to become unrestricted free agents. The Capitals have plenty of young talent on the wings, and they should be expected to let one or both depart this summer. This will assure Burakovsky of significant minutes in a top-six role, playing beside either Backstrom or Kuznetsov at 5v5.(Photo courtesy Action Images)D Roman Josi, Nashville PredatorsJosi entered 2016-17 off a 61-point season and a third consecutive year scoring at least 13 goals. His career progression was still on the upward swing as a 26-year-old, and he was expected to reach new career highs playing primarily with new defense partner P.K. Subban.While Subban's extended injury absence has capped some of the production, it's Josi's own 3.8 shooting percentage seriously capping any upside. He is taking 2.98 SOG per game, the highest game average of his career, but he is converting at nearly half his career rate. Though his offensive production has tailed off this season, he'll be an anchor on the Predators' blue line for a long time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Babcock is doing his best to avoid starting another goalie controversy in Toronto.Despite the fact goaltender Frederik Andersen has given up 19 goals in his last four starts - including one that saw him pulled after 11 minutes - and Curtis McElhinney was nearly perfect in the team's 3-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, the Maple Leafs bench boss will turn to his No. 1 on Thursday night against the St. Louis Blues."It hasn't been good enough. But there are times in the year when you have little dips and you just have to make sure you work hard every day and those dips are shorter and they don't happen as often and that's the challenge for him," Babcock said, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton. "He was in a situation last year where I think he played around 42 games last year. We want him to play a lot more, so the challenge for him is to be able to handle that."(McElhinney) did a really good job for us last game. Freddie goes tonight with an opportunity to bounce back. Our team was no good against St. Louis, we weren't competitive, so this should be a better opportunity for Freddie because our team will play better, and now he has to do his start."Exactly a week ago Thursday, the Blues demolished the Maple Leafs 5-1 in St. Louis' first game since Ken Hitchcock's firing, with Andersen giving up all five goals on 31 shots.Andersen started the regular season by allowing 22 goals in his first five games, but followed that up with one of the most consistent stretches of quality performances from any goalie this season, allowing two or fewer goals in 18 of his next 24 games.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. 9 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

Build it and they will come.That seems to be the approach of Connecticut governor Dannel Malloy, who proposed that his state invests $250 million to renovate the XL Center - the former home of the Hartford Whalers - in an effort to return the NHL to the state capital.Partial funding for the proposed project was included in Wednesday's state budget announcement. The project would add a second concourse to the XL Center and increase its seating capacity from the current number of 14,750.Connecticut made headlines on Friday when Malloy and Hartford mayor Luke Bronin offered use of the city-owned facility to the New York Islanders after it was reported the Brooklyn club may need to vacate Barclays Center following the 2018-19 season.The XL Center was home to the Whalers until 1997, when the NHL franchise uprooted for Raleigh and became the Carolina Hurricanes. The arena currently houses the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack, the minor-league affiliate of the New York Rangers.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Claude Julien is leaving the Boston Bruins with his head held high.Two days after being dismissed from the club he spent the last 10 years coaching, Julien penned a letter thanking the entire organization and its fans, via Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe:

The clock is ticking.With each passing day, the NHL trade deadline gets closer and closer. Early speculation suggests a number of big-name players could be packing their bags in the coming weeks.It would be a welcomed sight, especially after last year's deadline produced very few moves, and little of significance.While a couple of clubs - namely the Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers - did their best to boost their squads for long playoff runs in 2016, neither saw their deals pay dividends.In fact, looking back, it's quite clear that sellers walked away all the richer.The big boys failedAfter the dust settled on last year's deadline, it became clear that only two big names had traded spots - Andrew Ladd and Eric Staal.The deals were supposed to make the Chicago Blackhawks (Ladd from Winnipeg) and New York Rangers (Staal from Carolina) contenders in their respective conferences, but both lost in the first round.On the flip side, the Jets received a 2016 first-round pick - which they used to move up in the draft - a conditional 2018 third-round pick, and forward Marko Dano.As for the Hurricanes, they received two second-round picks - one in 2016 and one in the upcoming draft - along with forward prospect Aleksi Saarela.Ladd and Staal would combine for just two points in 12 playoff games (both by Ladd), so you can chalk those up as wins for the sellers.Canadian teams get bang for their buckWith all seven Canadian teams failing to make the playoffs last season, nearly all were active in one way or another at the deadline. In nearly every case, those teams sold off assets and received favorable compensation in return.CanadiensCanadiens acquireBlackhawks acquirePhillip Danault / 2018 2nd-round pickDale Weise /Tomas FleischmannFlamesFlames acquire Panthers acquire2016 2nd-round pick / 2018 4th-round pickJiri HudlerFlames acquireStars acquireJyrki Jokipakka / Brett Pollock / 2016 conditional 1st- or 2nd-round pickKris RussellOilersOilers acquire Penguins acquire2016 3rd-round pickJustin SchultzOilers acquire Panthers acquire2016 3rd-round pickTeddy PurcellOilers acquire Ducks acquirePatrick MaroonMartin Gernat / 2016 4th-round pickSenatorsSenators acquire Islanders acquire2016 3rd-round pickShane Prince / 2016 7th-round pickMaple LeafsMaple Leafs acquireCapitals acquireBrooks Laich / Connor Carrick / 2016 2nd-round pickDaniel Winnik / 2016 5th-round pickMaple Leafs acquire Sharks acquireAlex Stalock / Ben Smith / 2018 conditional 4th-round pickJames Reimer / Jeremy MorinNote: there were a few other minor deals made by Canadian clubs, while the Jets' trade for Ladd was already mentioned above.Looking at the trades, it's clear that Canadian teams made off pretty good.Danault and Maroon have both produced more than either franchise would have predicted this year.Meanwhile, Justin Schultz is having a great season in Pittsburgh, but it should be noted he produced very little during the Penguins' playoff run.Elsewhere, Kris Russell didn't help the Stars like they'd hoped, the Panthers didn't capitalize on their deals with the Oilers and Flames, while the Maple Leafs opened up cap space and have Connor Carrick and Ben Smith playing regularly this season.Top teams didn't need additionsIn closing, it's clear that deadline moves had almost no impact on playoff outcomes.As mentioned above, Schultz contributed just one goal and seven assists in 18 regular-season games for Pittsburgh, and just four assists while playing in 15 of the team's 24 playoff contests.Meanwhile, the Sharks rode Martin Jones the entire way - leaving James Reimer on the bench - while their only other pickups ahead of the deadline were Roman Polak - who served on the team's third pairing - and Nick Spaling.This season, it appears asking prices around the league for potential rentals are high once again. So if 2016 is any indication, buyer beware.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)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.▲ Petr MrazekIt's been a bounce-back week for the Detroit Red Wings netminder, who made three straight starts since Feb. 3. Mrazek went undefeated in regulation over that stretch, owning a 2-0-1 record alongside a .933 save percentage.It's a stark difference from what's been a difficult season for the 24-year-old. He grabbed the top job in Detroit a year ago en route to 54 nights in the crease, but the Czech goaltender has struggled in his third full campaign with the Winged Wheel.Through 31 games this season, Mrazek's save rate has dipped to .899, while his 3.07 goals-against average needs improvement. That's led to greater workloads for Jimmy Howard and Jared Coreau. In the meantime, the second week in February was an encouraging one for Mrazek.▼ Peter BudajIt's not often you sit tied for first in shutouts only to be recognized in the trending down category. But that's the case with the Los Angeles Kings and Budaj.The veteran goaltender has done an admirable job filling in for Kings starter Jonathan Quick, coming away with a 25-16-3 record through 47 games this season. Not bad for a netminder who found himself on the waiver wire following a poor training camp.But after recording three shutouts in four games ending Feb. 4, Budaj followed up that performance with a pair of ugly nights against the Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning. In those two matches, Budaj stopped just 27 of the 36 pucks that came his way, while his GAA reached 5.44.▲ Cory SchneiderThis is the Schneider that we remember. The New Jersey Devils netminder is undefeated in regulation in his last three outings, picking up wins over the Columbus Blue Jackets and Buffalo Sabres, while losing in OT to the Calgary Flames.After last season, in which Schneider was the Devils' most valuable player on many a night, his game has dropped off this year. His save rate's fallen from .924 to .912, while his GAA has ticked up from 2.15 to 2.66.But in the past three games, Schneider tallied 87 saves and allowed just six goals, good for a .935 save percentage with a GAA a notch below 2.00. The Devils sit three points outside of the East's final playoff spot, and strong performances down the stretch from Schneider will be key to New Jersey making its first playoff appearance since 2012.▼ Andrew HammondThe good news is it can't get much worse. Hammond, the Ottawa Senators' backup goaltender, struggled through his lone start this week, a 6-0 shelling at the hands of the St. Louis Blues.Hammond made 24 stops against the Blues, but it wasn't enough, as the B.C. native struggled through his sixth appearance this season. Hammond has yet to find the win column, and his .837 save percentage and 4.08 GAA are among the league's worst.He appears to be a shell of the goaltender who captured a 20-1-2 record with the Senators in 2014-15 and dragged Ottawa into the postseason. The good news for Senators fans is that Craig Anderson's return to the crease is not far off, and he'll share netminding duties with interim starter Mike Condon while Hammond goes back to the minors.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan Hartman keeps producing, and the Chicago Blackhawks keep winning.The rookie scored for the third straight game Wednesday night against the Minnesota Wild, helping the Blackhawks earn their third consecutive victory.Hartman's goal was his 13th of the season, maintaining his position as the Blackhawks' fifth-leading scorer behind Marian Hossa, Artemi Panarin, Artem Anisimov, and Patrick Kane.The 22-year-old also ranks fifth on the Blackhawks in shots on goal with 113 in 50 games.This would be impressive enough if Hartman was skating in Chicago's top six, but he's been doing it lately while lining up on the fourth line with Tanner Kero and Vinnie Hinostroza.Hartman is on pace to have a 20-goal season, and while he's not quite in the Calder Trophy conversation thanks to one of the best rookie classes ever, he's still making a name for himself while contributing to one of the league's best teams.All of Hartman's goals have come at even strength, but he's in impressive company nonetheless.

What a game for Jonathan Toews, and what a finish for the Chicago Blackhawks.The center followed up a pair of assists with the game-winner in overtime Wednesday night, banging home a rebound on the power play and lifting the Blackhawks to a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild.Related: Toews sets up Schmaltz goal with perfect centering passToews had five shots on goal in the contest, an output surpassed only by teammate Patrick Kane and Wild forward Zach Parise.The Blackhawks captain posted a 55.56 percent Corsi For in all situations and a 50 percent figure at even strength, according to HockeyStats.ca.Toews also passed teammate Marian Hossa and former Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp to become the franchise's all-time leader in regular-season overtime winners with nine, according to TSN StatsCentre.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild appeared to catch a major break Wednesday against the Chicago Blackhawks.It all started when Zach Parise scored to tie the game in the second period.But hold the phone ... literally. The Blackhawks challenged the play, claiming Parise was offside while Charlie Coyle had the puck on his stick entering Minnesota's offensive zone.The officials used a smartphone to communicate with the league office in Toronto during an extensive review of the play.Here's the sequence in its entirety, at the end of which the NHL upheld the on-ice crew's ruling due to inconclusive evidence to the contrary:"Review was not conclusive in determining whether Parise had tagged up at the instant the puck touched Charlie Coyle's stick," the league explained in a statement shared by Chicago Sun-Times' Mark Lazerus."According to Rule 78.7, 'If a review is not conclusive and/or there is any doubt whatsoever as to whether the call on the ice was correct, the on-ice official(s) will be instructed to confirm their original call,'" the NHL added.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues understand this whole Twitter thing.One of the better team social media accounts was at it again Wednesday, as the club prepares to play the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Thursday, while riding back-to-back - the title of one of Toronto icon Drake's songs - shutouts.

The Boston Bruins still haven't improved their backup goaltending situation, and Don Sweeney knows that's a major reason why the club has underachieved.“It’s an area that has put a tremendous amount of pressure on our group," the general manager said Tuesday, according to CSNNE's Joe Haggerty, at the press conference addressing the firing of former head coach Claude Julien.The revolving-door crew that's played behind starter Tuukka Rask is comprised of veteran Anton Khudobin as well as rookies Zane McIntyre and Malcolm Subban. The trio is a collective 1-10-2 with respective goals-against averages over 3 and save percentages south of .900.GoalieGPGSRecordGAASV %Khudobin871-5-13.06.885McIntyre830-4-13.96.858Subban110-1-05.81.813Sweeney admitted that expediting McIntyre's and Subban's development wasn't in the original plans."Anton didn’t get off to a great start, and then got injured," Sweeney said. "That hurt us a little bit. We weren’t looking to accelerate either Zane or Malcolm in that situation. We’ve always had an eye towards the development for both of those players.“Malcolm('s) injury last year impacted him a little bit, I believe, and where he is at today. But that’s the depth of the organization. That’s what you want to see. Is there a right time? You’ve seen players from the American Hockey League have the success they’ve had, and they’ve been able to do it at the next level. It hasn’t necessarily materialized at this point for Zane, but he’s undefeated (in the AHL) going in."The Bruins' backup woes have been an issue for months, but Sweeney said Tuesday their inability to fix the problem is not due to a lack of trying. He told reporters that he has looked outside the organization to address the problem, but a sensible solution hasn't presented itself.Rask has played 44 of Boston's 55 games so far, and he's allowed nine goals combined in his last two starts - both losses - after reeling off three straight wins."Tuukka is our No. 1 and he’s established that," new head coach Bruce Cassidy said at the same press conference Tuesday."(But) it would be great if your No. 2 (goalie) can come in and push your No. 1. (Giving) him the appropriate and that internal competition I think is always great,” said Cassidy. “We haven’t had that as much as we’d like this year, and we’re all aware of that."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's a new day.The Boston Bruins bench now belongs to Bruce Cassidy, who was promoted from assistant coach to head coach after Claude Julien was fired Tuesday. And it appears things are going to be different, beginning Thursday.First, a bit about Cassidy:

Paul Maurice has an interesting sense of humor, particularly when it comes to the status of his rookie superstar, Patrik Laine.“Pat's been sent down to the minors today,” the Winnipeg Jets head coach joked to reporters Wednesday, according to Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun. “He's been returned to the Moose.”Laine won't be demoted, but he struggled in Tuesday's loss to the Minnesota Wild, making a costly giveaway that led to a Wild goal and watching as Minnesota scored another while he was on the ice.Maurice placed the 18-year-old on the fourth line after his first-period woes, but the coach insisted Wednesday the move shouldn't be blown out of proportion.“He had a rougher night. That's going to happen,” Maurice said. “I love the guy. I also know what he's going to mean to this franchise. If I shaved three minutes off his game, I apologize to Manitoba.”Laine understands why he was banished to the bottom six.“It was a tough game,” he said. “I wasn't playing my best. So it was a good decision from him. I've been sitting on the bench before. It's not new to me. That kind of stuff happens."Laine ranks second among rookies with 23 goals to Auston Matthews' 25 markers. He also sits third in the rookie class, narrowly behind Mitch Marner and Matthews with 43 points despite playing four fewer contests than both of them due to a concussion he suffered earlier in the season.More importantly for Jets fans' collective sanity, Laine's logging more average ice time than every rookie forward not named Mikko Rantanen, even taking into account the 12:58 he played Tuesday night.That was his lowest ice time of the season, and judging by Maurice's sarcastic remarks, it's clearly an anomaly that isn't likely to continue.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thomas Vanek still prefers that his services aren't put up for auction.The Detroit Red Wings winger, who would be considered one of the top rentals on the market if made available before the March 1 deadline, maintains that his intention is to play his way out of a trade."It's obviously something I'm aware of," he told Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, when asked about his name circling the rumor mill."I signed a one-year deal, so it can happen for sure. But I'm focused right now on putting a couple wins together and get ourselves in the (playoff) picture, and make it hard (general manager Ken Holland) to do something and hopefully stay here and make a run with this team."This is typically the time of year that the Red Wings gear up for another postseason run, often exploring the market to plug holes. But after 25 straight berths, the club may be resigned to the fact that a championship simply isn't in the cards this spring.If they make that determination, there's no reason to retain Vanek, who's one of 20 players contributing at least three points per hour - and doing so on an expiring deal.His value hasn't been higher in some time. Detroit must take advantage of that, despite how much he might be enjoying his time."I think it's a good team with a lot of upside," Vanek said. "There's a lot of young guys playing some good minutes and you can see they are getting better. Our veteran leadership is great. I like the community here. My boys, my family likes it. It's definitely a place that's been comfortable right away."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jim Nill should have seen this coming.Surely the general manager of the Dallas Stars watched as his team and its goaltending imploded in the second round of last year's playoffs.In Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues, the Stars were embarrassed on home ice as the tandem of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi allowed six goals on just 18 shots. Lehtonen got the call for the Stars, allowing three on eight shots through one period, while Niemi didn't much fare better in the final two frames.It was a sombre end to an exciting season in Dallas. The combination of Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn united to provide the Stars with offensive flair - the team's 267 goals for were the most the Stars recorded since arriving in Texas in 1993, and Dallas finished with a best-in-the-West 109 points.Then, Nill decided to bring back the same two netminders who'd sunk the previous season. Rumored deals for Marc-Andre Fleury from the Pittsburgh Penguins or Ben Bishop from the Tampa Bay Lightning never happened. The Stars' reward for sticking with the status quo? This year, Lehtonen and Niemi have combined for a laughable .896 save percentage - only the Blues are worse at .892.Several netminders traded creases this offseason, including Frederik Andersen, now with the Toronto Maple Leafs after three seasons with the Anaheim Ducks.The Maple Leafs paid the price to bring in Andersen, but Toronto now has what appears to be its first legitimate starter since Ed Belfour last donned the blue and white a decade ago. On Tuesday, Andersen watched his Maple Leafs take down the Stars 3-1 in a rare strong game for Niemi, who allowed three goals on 34 shots in the loss.Andersen wasn't the only option. Both Calgary's Chad Johnson and Ottawa's Mike Condon have new addresses this season, were acquired on the cheap, and are performing better than the duo in Dallas.Leaky goaltending has left the Stars chasing on too many nights. Now 54 games into the season, Dallas sits nine points out of the playoff picture, poised to miss the postseason and fail to build on its impressive campaign a year ago.GoalieAgeTermCapSalaryBuyoutLehtonen331$5.9M$5M$1.67M x 2 yearsNiemi331$4.5M$4.5M$1.5M x 2 yearsThe worst part is that both Lehtonen and Niemi are signed through next season. But neither has earned an invite back.It'd be in the Stars' best interest to start anew. That means buying out each netminder - it'd cost about $3.2 million combined over each of the next two seasons - but a clean slate would grant Nill the opportunity to find a more reliable solution between the pipes.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.