The thing is, the Tampa Bay Lightning don't have time for Ben Bishop to get back into form.The Lightning began a very crucial stretch of their schedule Monday, defeating the Kings 2-1 in Los Angeles, the first of six games on the road that will take them through California, Arizona, to Chicago, and back to Florida to face the Panthers. And Bishop was stellar, ensuring the trip began on a high note, even though All-Star Victor Hedman was forced to miss the game with an illness.Playing in his second game since returning from a lower-body injury, Bishop stopped 31 of 32 shots. He's 2-0 in the new year and has stopped 55 of 58 shots, good for a .948 save percentage. The strong games have Bishop back at .910 on the season.Tampa Bay went into Monday's game ranked 25th in the league with a .903 team save percentage. The Lightning's goaltending must be better for Tampa Bay to get back into the playoffs.Last year's Eastern Conference finalists are 21-20-4, and their 46 points trail the Toronto Maple Leafs' 48 for third place in the Atlantic Division. Problem is, Toronto has four games in hand.With the Metropolitan Division on another level, and both wild-card teams likely to come from the division, Tampa Bay must catch Toronto or the Boston Bruins, who have 51 points but have played a conference-high 47 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Never say never.That appears to be Shane Doan's stance in advance of the NHL's upcoming trade deadline, and in response to a recent report from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman suggesting the longtime Arizona Coyotes captain would be open to being moved to a Stanley Cup contender.Doan was made aware of the report and has validated it, but with major caveats."People have texted and talked to me about it," he told Tim Campbell of NHL.com. "I never said I wouldn't go anywhere. I've always wanted to stay here. If there was ever an opportunity, the Coyotes have always been incredible to me and respectful to me in every way."I'd talk about (possible trade) with my family and make a decision on that if it was to come up but it would have to be so perfect and so right that it's pretty hard for it to all line up perfectly. It would have to be exactly perfect and that just doesn't happen too often in our sport."Doan, who recently turned 40 and who's on a one-year deal with the Coyotes, has a no-move clause built into his contract, meaning he'd have to approve any trade attempted by John Chayka, and a move likely wouldn't even be considered by the Coyotes without Doan's knowledge and permission.For his part, Doan let it be known the report didn't originate from his side of things, even with the Coyotes languishing near the bottom of the standings."It wasn't me saying it," he said. "I've been frustrated with the year, with us not winning and stuff, that's always tough. I haven't said it to them, to management, or said anything to them, but I've also never said I wouldn't (agree to be traded)"If it comes to that point, we'll sit down and talk about it. It's happened in the past, it's just that no one's ever heard about it. We've had the discussion and said yes or no and for the most part it's been no."Doan added it's difficult to assess a clear-cut contender in the NHL this year, meaning there's no guarantee a trade would pay off with a championship.The No. 7 pick at the 1995 NHL Draft when the team was known as the Winnipeg Jets, Doan has played his entire career with the organization, and he's the team's all-time leader games played, goals, assists, and total points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You've heard this one before.The Philadelphia Flyers have a goaltending problem.Following weekend contests against the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals in which the Flyers allowed a combined 11 goals, Philadelphia is once again the league's weakest between the pipes.The Flyers own an awful .892 save percentage as the team enters its bye week. Meanwhile, those same Capitals, a team the Flyers are chasing in the Metropolitan Division, sit atop the rankings, coming in at .931.RankTeamGoaliesSave %26WPGHellebuyck & Hutchinson.90127DALLehtonen & Niemi.89928COLVarlamov & Pickard.89829STLAllen & Hutton.89530PHIMason & Neuvirth.892But concerns in the crease are nothing new to the Philadelphia faithful.Beyond Mason and Neuvirth, the Flyers have shuffled through six other netminders (minimum 10 games played) since the team advanced to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals.That list includes Ray Emery, Rob Zepp, Ilya Bryzgalov, Sergei Bobrovsky, Brian Boucher, and Michael Leighton. That's eight goaltenders in eight seasons.All but Bobrovsky are gone from the league. Bobrovsky, of course, is a 28-year-old Vezina Trophy winner who is putting up another stellar campaign this season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and is once again in the mix as the NHL's best netminder. But he wasn't good enough for Philadelphia, sent off to Columbus for a package of three draft picks.By comparison, and with the same 10-game standard, the cross-state rival Pittsburgh Penguins have used six netminders since 2010, though Marc-Andre Fleury has held down the majority the games - playing 445 - while the other five have primarily taken the backup role.GoalieGPRecordGAASV% ShutoutsMason3714-15-62.95.8970Neuvirth136-3-03.30.8770Here's the good news: both Mason and Neuvirth are unrestricted free agents at season's end, and given their play, neither has shown why a new contract should be in the works.That means Philadelphia will have a clean slate to enter the offseason and repair its goaltending position once and for all.Of course, the last time that happened, the Flyers bungled the situation, when it acquired Bryzgalov from the Arizona Coyotes, only to hand the 31-year-old a nine-year contract extension.Bryzgalov accumulated 130 victories over four seasons in the desert, but lasted only two years in Philadelphia before he was delivered a compliance buyout. Two years, $51 million, five playoff wins. Not what the Flyers had in mind.In all, the Flyers have been guilty of instilling goaltending half-measures, with no defined or legitimate No. 1 since the days of Ron Hextall, who has since left the crease for the general manager's seat.Young netminder Anthony Stolarz got a preview of the big leagues this year when he made his NHL debut, winning both of his starts, but it's unlikely that the 22-year-old is ready for prime time just yet.Of note, there are slim pickings available in free agency - unless the Flyers want to bring in another question mark - and save for a Bizarro World where the Flyers can acquire Fleury from their arch rival, the best option could be Ben Bishop, as the Tampa Bay Lightning netminder headlines the best names available this summer. Bishop is the one free agent worth the price.It will take a big contract to land the 31-year-old, but the good news is that Bishop has a far better track record than that of Bryzgalov, so the Flyers wouldn't be repeating their history of past mistakes.Bishop has been a key figure for the Lightning since arriving in Tampa Bay in 2012, a resume that includes a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2015 and last year's run to the conference finalsBut perhaps the bigger question is can the Flyers afford to wait to fix their goaltending concerns?After rattling off a 10-game win streak through mid-December, the Flyers' fortunes have since veered in the opposite direction. The team has gone 3-8-3 since Dec. 17, grabbing just nine of a possible 28 points. That's left the Flyers barely holding down the final playoff spot in the East.Then again, it's been years of iffy goaltending, so what's one more?Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

J.T. Brown was presented with another chance to meet Willie O'Ree prior to Monday's game in Los Angeles.The Tampa Bay Lightning forward, who was not in the lineup due to injury, shared a few words with the man who broke the NHL's color barrier almost 59 years ago after O'Ree dropped the puck in a ceremonial faceoff to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The Los Angeles Kings marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day by having Willie O'Ree drop the puck in a ceremonial faceoff prior to Monday's game against Tampa Bay.O'Ree, 81, made history by breaking the NHL's color barrier as a member of the Boston Bruins on Jan. 18, 1958.Jeff Carter and Brian Boyle stood in in the absence of both team's injured captains.The Kings offered the following introduction prior to O'Ree's moment at center ice.

Jamie Benn's gonna require a new batch.In a fit of rage as the Stars trailed the Sabres 3-1 in the second period Monday, Benn took out his frustration on his misfiring weapons, snapping one stick over his knee on the ice before heading to the bench for more catharsis, and Bo Jackson-ing a couple more.It's a been a tough season for Benn, the leading point producer in the previous two seasons combined. He's scored one goal in his last 10 games for a Stars team on the outside of the postseason bracket after earning the No. 1 seed in the West last year.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time.Since the calendar turned to 2017, no player has scored more goals than Edmonton Oilers forward Patrick Maroon, who's potted seven since Jan. 1.It's Maroon's second season in Alberta since arriving on a quiet deal from the Anaheim Ducks at last year's trade deadline. At the time, eyes were focused elsewhere. Mikkel Boedker was dealt to Denver, Lee Stempniak was off to his ninth team in Boston, and the Dallas Stars sent three pieces to Calgary for hard-nosed blue-liner Kris Russell.In Edmonton, there was once again disappointment, as the Oilers extended their playoff drought to 10 seasons, matching an NHL all-time record of postseason futility. In the midst of it all, the Oilers shipped AHL defenseman Martin Gernat and a fourth-round pick to the Ducks to bring Maroon to Edmonton.The deal barely garnered a headline, as Maroon seemed like a project for the Oilers. He had a lowly 13 points on the season, after averaging 32 points over the previous two campaigns.SeasonTeamGPG-A-PtsPts/GPG/GP12-13ANA132-1-30.230.1513-14ANA6211-18-290.470.1814-15ANA719-25-340.480.13*15-16ANA564-9-130.230.07*15-16EDM168-6-140.880.5016-17EDM4518-7-250.560.40That all changed once he arrived in Edmonton, where he played out the remaining 16 games of 2015-16, and where this year he has lined up alongside alongside phenom Connor McDavid.Fans of the Philadelphia Flyers will recall when fellow left-winger John LeClair came to town following a deal with the Montreal Canadiens. In Philadelphia, LeClair teamed up with dominant center Eric Lindros and Swedish winger Mikael Renberg to form hockey's Legion of Doom line.The trio made instant magic. During the 1995-96 season, Renberg, Lindros, and LeClair combined for 257 points - a preview of what was to come when the Flyers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final a year later.SeasonTeamGPG-A-PtsPts/GP92-93MTL7219-25-440.6193-94MTL7419-24-430.58*94-95MTL91-4-50.55*94-95PHI3725-24-491.3295-96PHI8251-46-971.1896-97PHI8250-47-971.18*LeClair was traded to the Flyers midway through the 1994-95 season.LeClair virtually doubled his production following his trade to Philadelphia. Through his final 155 games in Montreal, he recorded 92 points, or 0.59 points per game. That number grew to 1.21 in his first 201 games with his new club.Maroon has seen a similar uptick. After posting 0.39 points per game through his time in Anaheim, that number has climbed to 0.64 through his early goings with the Oilers.With 18 goals on the season, he leads his team in scoring. Fellow linemate Leon Draisaitl is the next closest at 16, but Maroon is also ahead of the likes of McDavid, Milan Lucic, Jordan Eberle, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.In Anaheim, it took Maroon 204 games to find the back of the net 26 times. He accomplished that same feat in Edmonton in just 61 matches.Not a bad return for a mid-round pick and a defenseman now playing in the Czech League.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers will have a major boost in their lineup when they face the Dallas Stars on Tuesday as center Mika Zibanejad is set to return.Zibanejad has missed the last 25 games after suffering a broken fibula in mid-November.The Rangers acquired Zibanejad in an offseason deal that returned fellow center Derick Brassard to the Ottawa Senators.In his first season on Broadway, Zibanejad has recorded 15 points in 19 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been showered with praise in recent weeks, particularly since defeating New York and Ottawa in consecutive nights over the weekend.So, in an effort to manage expectations and alleviate pressure from his rookie-laden team, head coach Mike Babcock worked to pacify the excitement swelling around his club when he met with media Monday afternoon."Just chill," he said, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.Babcock added that plenty can change from one half season to the next, saying, "Let's not get carried away here."Alas, it might be too late.The thinking has shifted from progress to postseason-or-bust for many people who follow the Maple Leafs closely. The numbers that support them as a viable top-three team in the Atlantic Division are too strong to ignore.This is a club on an 8-1-1 stretch, and which now has the 12th-best points percentage in the NHL and rising. Toronto has outscored the competition 40-26 over that span.And, the Leafs have displayed positive signs over course of the season: Just one of their 20 wins has come in the shootout. They're one of seven teams averaging more than three goals each night. Six teams have a better goal differential in the East. Two teams average more shots in the NHL. They're a top-10 score-adjusted possession team. And only the Capitals and Blue Jackets have held the lead for longer.These are positive signs worth talking about for the Maple Leafs.Just keep it down around Babcock.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers announced Monday that backup goaltender Antti Raanta will be sidelined 7-to-10 days with a lower-body injury.Raanta suffered the injury Saturday versus the Montreal Canadiens, with starter Henrik Lundqvist entering the game in relief after the first period.Raanta has been impressive for the Blueshirts this season, posting a 10-4-0 record through 18 games, alongside a .923 save percentage.In a related move, the Rangers recalled netminder Magnus Hellberg from the Hartford Wolfpack, the club's AHL affiliate.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

More accolades for Nicklas Backstrom, the Washington Capitals set-up man who bagged his 500th career assist last week.Backstrom was named the NHL's weekly first star with three goals and 10 points as the Capitals won all four of their games. He moved into the top 10 in league scoring with 42 points.Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand also vaulted into the top production tier, scoring four goals and eight points. He matched a career-high with five points in his 500th career game Saturday.Finally, Brock McGinn of the Carolina Hurricanes was recognized as the NHL's third star. He had four goals and three assists, helping the Hurricanes to three wins in as many outings. He has 12 points total on the season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang is officially week to week with a lower-body injury suffered Saturday versus the Detroit Red Wings, head coach Mike Sullivan announced Monday.It's believed he suffered a left knee injury while being tangled up with Thomas Vanek.Letang exited the ice in distress, unable to bear weight on his leg. He took one short shift a little later on, but did not return after that.Staying healthy has been a challenge for Letang throughout his career. He's made 70-plus starts once in the last five 82-game campaigns, and has wound up on injured reserve twice already this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We should have a clearer idea of whether the Tampa Bay Lightning will live up to expectation this season in, oh, 10 days.The Lightning, seated seventh in the wild-card race in the Eastern Conference with 44 points from as many starts, are in California to begin a critical six-game road trip Monday afternoon against the Los Angeles Kings.They'll meet the Anaheim Ducks on a back-to-back Tuesday before completing the California gauntlet Thursday versus the San Jose Sharks. From there, the Lightning travel to Arizona and Chicago before making a pit stop in Sunrise on the way home, closing out the road trip versus the Panthers, who are up four points on their in-state rivals.The Lightning failed to take advantage of five home dates in the first six games of the new year, winning once as they officially crossed the halfway point on the season.They've felt the absence of befallen sniper Steven Stamkos, collecting 10 wins from 27 games, but keeping pucks out of their own net has been the greatest concern to this point. Tampa Bay's 130 goals allowed - nearly three a game - is sixth-worst in the NHL.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.Wild rideThe Wild won't give an inch.Bruce Boudreau's Central Division leaders prevailed in the third with go-ahead markers in consecutive nights this weekend. They beat Dallas after coughing up a lead, and then extended their remarkable winning streak over the second-place Blackhawks to eight games Sunday. More important than winning in ways that precede Boudreau's arrival, the Wild now sit two points up on Chicago with four games in their pocket.Minnesota has 17 wins, one shootout loss, and one regulation loss in its last 19 games. Wild. Its NHL-best plus-46 scoring margin is greater than the combined goal differential of every Western Conference team that's outscoring the competition this season.Still, Minnesota isn't running away with the Central, let alone the President's Trophy and top record in the NHL. Despite their run, the Wild have the league's third-best points percentage. The absence of complacency should bode well for a team that hasn't advanced past the second round in 14 years.Flyers shook?For a while, Philadelphia ran with the lead pack in the NHL's top division. The Flyers were one of five Metropolitan teams sprinting ahead in the Eastern Conference, their pace established with 10 consecutive wins into the middle of December.Philadelphia was two points from both first and fifth at the end of its streak. So when the Flyers inevitably cooled, they immediately lost ground while the other four teams challenging for three postseason seeds - the Blue Jackets, Capitals, Penguins, and Rangers - kept a relentless pace.Now, with just a single regulation win in 14 games, and having been outscored 51-27 since their hot streak, the torpedoing Flyers are fortunate to have taken nine of a possible 28 points.Philadelphia still clings to a wild-card spot, largely due to the weakness of the Atlantic Division, but when it return from the mandated bye week, the task will almost certainly be regaining the postseason spot it's lost.Useful JuuseOne trend in this compressed NHL season has been the scramble for capable support in net. Too many teams have dropped points because backups haven't given them a chance while its starter catches their breath.There has been no such dilemma for the Predators.Juuse Saros' arrival, and his sterling contributions behind Pekka Rinne, have been the difference in Nashville becoming the eighth-best puck-stopping team after finishing in the bottom tier a season ago.With 35 saves in a 2-1 win over the Bruins last week, Saros now sports a 1.25 goals-against average and .957 save percentage across eight starts. He's let in one goal for every 23.4 shots faced in his first taste of NHL action.Fresh, having not been used in consecutive nights since Saros' recall, Rinne's offered one of his better statistical seasons.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's a reason Taylor Hall immediately skated over to Travis Zajac before embracing the rest of his teammates Sunday night.Zajac's impressive backcheck nullified a chance by Vancouver Canucks forward Sven Baertschi, and Zajac then fed Hall, who went end-to-end for the game-winner in overtime.It was Hall's 11th goal of the season, but it wouldn't have been possible without Zajac's play in the Devils' defensive zone.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Blink and you'll miss Patrick Kane's goal scoring.The Chicago Blackhawks star pounced on the loose puck in the faceoff circle off an offensive-zone draw and roofed a wrist shot over Devan Dubnyk for his second goal of Sunday's game against the Minnesota Wild.Kane opened the scoring on a knuckler less than five minutes into the game. The goals were his 13th and 14th of the season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning aren't planning to have Ryan Callahan back in the lineup until mid-February.The veteran forward will be out for about another month with what the Lightning are calling a lower-body injury, the club announced Sunday.Callahan hasn't played since Jan. 7, and he's only appeared in 18 of Tampa Bay's 44 games this season.He underwent hip surgery in June that prevented him from representing the United States at the World Cup of Hockey.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nathan MacKinnon won't elaborate, but says he's learned his lesson.The young Colorado Avalanche center confirmed he was benched by head coach Jared Bednar for several shifts in Saturday's loss to the Nashville Predators, adding that the matter has been resolved."I wasn't playing that (well) and just needed to sit down for a bit and regroup," MacKinnon told reporters, including The Denver Post's Terry Frei, on Sunday. "I played a good second half."The 21-year-old also had a short discussion with Bednar before Sunday's practice."(We talked for) 15 seconds," MacKinnon said. "I get it. It's all good."It was a good reminder to stay focused," he added. "It's just in-game stuff that happens in sports. It was like three or four shifts. It wasn't a big deal."The 2013 first overall pick played 16:32 on Saturday, his third-shortest ice time of the season and his least since Dec. 10 when he played a season-low 15:12 against the Montreal Canadiens.MacKinnon took a stick to the hand in the first period against Nashville, but Bednar confirmed his forward's brief absence wasn't injury related."Well, certainly it wasn’t because he got dinged up," Bednar said. "He played a good game for us. He missed a few shifts there in the second period."MacKinnon had scored in back-to-back games before Saturday's benching. He ranks second on the struggling Avalanche with 11 goals and leads Colorado with 28 points in 41 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's the Washington Capitals' turn to ride a magnificent wave in the Metropolitan Division.The Capitals won their ninth consecutive game Sunday afternoon, crushing the Philadelphia Flyers 5-0 to move back into top spot in the Metro.While based on length, that doesn't quite measure up to the Columbus Blue Jackets' 16-game ride, or even Philadelphia's 10-game run a few months back, but it may already be as impressive.Because they're destroying everything in their path.

WASHINGTON - Justin Williams and Matt Niskanen each scored two goals and Philipp Grubauer stopped all 24 shots he faced and the Washington Capitals extended their winning streak to nine in authoritative fashion by crushing the Philadelphia Flyers 5-0 on Sunday.The Capitals lead the NHL with 63 points.Despite a sluggish start, the Capitals came alive with four goals on seven shots in the first seven minutes of the third period to turn the game into a laugher.Washington has outscored its opponents 40-11 during the streak and passed the Columbus Blue Jackets for first place in the Metropolitan Division, Eastern Conference, and the league.Andre Burakovsky also scored a power-play goal for the Capitals, who haven't allowed an even-strength goal in six games.Making his first start of 2017 in place of Vezina Trophy winner Braden Holtby, Grubauer was sharp especially early and on five successful penalty kills.The Flyers outshot the Capitals 13-5 in the first period, but couldn't crack Grubauer, who picked up the second shutout of the season and his career.Burakovsky took advantage of a brutal turnover by Philadelphia defenseman Michael Del Zotto to score the first goal midway through the second period.Williams and Niskanen each beat Flyers starter Steve Mason twice in the first 6:36 of the third period to make it a blowout.Mason was pulled after allowing five goals on 17 shots and replaced by former Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth, who made five saves in relief.NOTES: Capitals D John Carlson left after the first period because of a lower-body injury. ... D Shayne Gostisbehere returned to the Flyers' lineup after being a healthy scratch Saturday in Boston. ... Philadelphia RW Matt Read was out after getting cut in the loss to the Bruins. ... The Capitals recalled F Chandler Stephenson to be their 13th forward with road games coming up. ... Washington C Nicklas Backstrom was honored before the game for picking up his 500th assist on Jan. 7 in Ottawa. Owner Ted Leonsis presented him with a golden stick to commemorate the achievement. ... The Capitals improved to 24-3-3 when scoring first.UP NEXT: Flyers: Go on their bye week, which ends when they host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.Capitals: Try to make it 10 consecutive wins when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday. Holtby is expected to start in the finale of the teams' season series.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With tap-ins off two gorgeous no-look passes, Justin Williams bookended a four-goal outburst across five minutes for the Washington Capitals in Sunday's third period versus the Philadelphia Flyers.Here's Williams' first goal, set up with a deceptive Marcus Johansson feed from behind the net.Then Nicklas Backstrom (appropriately honored pregame for his 500th helper) teed up the second, knocking a puck back between his legs to Williams at the back post.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Include St. Louis Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock in with the list that believes the NHL would have a better product without the "loser point."Hitchcock admits that in the final stages of tight games, the mindset shifts from pursuing the full freight, to ensuring his team secures at least one point to avoid losing ground."I like when you are playing all out, all the way," Hitchcock told Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe. "But I've got to tell you as a coach, if there's five minutes left in the game, and it's tied, I'm not necessarily thinking about winning it. I want at least a point."A lot of coaches think like that. We have to think like that. Because to get zero points in a tie game with 10 minutes left is devastating."This counterproductive feedback loop is arguably killing the NHL. The more overtimes and shootouts, the tighter teams remain bunched in the standings. Meanwhile, because nearly every team is in contention, they must continue to err on the side of caution, as more often than not coming away with nothing will result in a slip in the standings.Many believe there's an easy fix to this conundrum. If regulation wins become valued at three points, suddenly the payoff obscures the consequence. For this reason, teams would be much more willing to attack.The Blues included."If you can put more value in (a regulation win), I am all for it," Hitchcock said. "But to me, right now when there's 10 minutes left in a hockey game I want that one point, at least."I've got to have it. That's how you get in the playoffs."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andrew Shaw argues not guilty.Speaking with Amanda Stein of TSN 690 on Sunday, the Montreal Canadiens forward admitted his blindside hit on New York Rangers forward Jesper Fast was "maybe half a second late."Related: Andrew Shaw's laundry list of transgressionsShaw also noted that he disagreed with being tossed from the game following the hit, before adding that he has yet to receive a call from the NHL Department of Player Safety.

To say Eric Staal has found his game in Minnesota would be an understatement.After agreeing to a three-year deal with the Wild, Staal headed to St. Paul in search of a fresh start after a few stale seasons in Carolina and a flop on Broadway following a late-season trade to the New York Rangers.Wild coach Bruce Boudreau, also in his first season in Minnesota, raised the eyebrows of many with his offseason proclamation that Staal was due for a rebound with his new club."Maybe I'm out in left field, but I think Eric is going to have a great year," Boudreau said in August. "I think there's been circumstances for the last two years that haven't been well, but I am pretty sure that he is really excited about coming to Minny, and he is really excited about playing."As it turns out, Boudreau was exactly right.With an assist against the Dallas Stars on Saturday, Staal tallied his 39th point on the season - the same production as a year ago, except he did it 42 games earlier.SeasonTeamGamesG-A-Pts2011-12CAR8224-46-702012-13CAR4818-35-532013-14CAR7921-40-612014-15CAR7723-31-542015-16CAR/NYR8313-26-392016-17MIN4115-24-39Staal played one extra game last season following his trade to New York.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Batten down the hatches. Here come the Carolina Hurricanes.The Raleigh hockey club has climbed its way back into the postseason picture in hockey's toughest division. As of Sunday, the Hurricanes are just one point back of a playoff position. No easy feat, considering both wild-card slots are occupied by Metropolitan Division foes.But this wasn't the case not long ago. As the calendar turned to December, the Hurricanes owned a 9-9-5 record through their first 23 games, outpacing only the New York Islanders in the East, as the team looked poised to extend its postseason drought to eight years.The Hurricanes have not qualified for the playoffs since 2009, their lone appearance since winning it all in 2006.But on Saturday, the Hurricanes pasted those same Islanders, sinking New York 7-4 before the Carolina faithful, as the Hurricanes pushed their record at PNC Arena to 15-4-1. Five forwards had multi-point nights, including winger Lee Stempniak, one of many key players for Carolina this season.After scoring 51 points a year ago, a season split between Boston and New Jersey, Stempniak is on pace for another 40-plus point campaign. Not a bad free-agency bargain, coming in at $2.5 million.There are several Hurricanes forwards to speak of, including winger Jeff Skinner. The 2011 rookie of the year is having a bounce-back season after a few so-so years in the Tar Heel State. With 35 points in 42 games, Skinner is on pace to top his career-best production set in his freshman campaign.Related: It's time to appreciate what Jeff Skinner is doing for the HurricanesIndeed, things have turned around in Carolina in the past two months, with just six regulation losses through December and January. Collectively, the Hurricanes are 21-15-7, good for 49 points.Skinner isn't the only Hurricane playing like his old self. After a slow start to the season, in which he captured just a single victory in his first six outings, netminder Cam Ward has found his game and has appeared in all but one game since the start of December. With an 18-12-6 mark on the season, alongside a .915 save percentage and 2.34 goals-against average, Ward is seeing his best numbers in five seasons.The Hurricanes are the NHL's fifth-youngest team, a fact no more apparent than on the Carolina blueline, which features four regulars under 24 years old. Veteran defender Ron Hainsey, 35, is the lone elder statesman on the back end.DefensemanAgeGamesG-A-PtsNoah Hanifin19432-13-15Jaccob Slavin22431-15-16Brett Pesce22432-9-11Justin Faulk24368-12-20Ron Hainsey35432-8-10Given that overall adolescence, it makes the Hurricanes' impact on the penalty kill even more impressive. If you're facing Carolina, you best score 5-on-5, as the Hurricanes are the NHL's best when down a man, allowing a goal against just 11.3 percent of the time when shorthanded. That ranks more than a full two points above the next best club, with the Bruins holding a 86.2 percent success rating.While the play of Carolina is a surprise to many, don't count Hurricanes bench boss Bill Peters among those blown away."Our team has gotten better as we've gone along," Peters told reporters. "We're a better team now, whether we're on the road or at home. As the calendar clicks off, we're getting better as we go."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers content team had some fun ahead of the latest Battle of Alberta, filming a spoof starring Craig MacTavish and the club's terrifying new mascot, Hunter.In the short clip, MacTavish - who famously tore the tongue from the mouth of Calgary Flames mascot Harvey the Hound - prepares Hunter for the clash between the two mascots.Of note: No mascots were violently beaten with a bat. At least, not on camera.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 Sunday, Jan. 15 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

Once again, Andrew Shaw's provided an act of indiscretion for frame-by-frame inspection.The Montreal Canadiens winger delivered a high, late, and outwardly malicious hit on New York Rangers forward Jesper Fast on Saturday. As it does in these situations, the NHL will review the tape to determine if the action warrants a suspension or fine.And in addition to scrutinizing the hit, Stephane Quintal's team at Player Safety will take Shaw's body of work into consideration when deciding on a course of action.Here is that historical context:

The Nashville Predators should be better than average.Sitting fourth in the Central Division with a 20-16-7 record through 43 games, the Predators have yet to live up to their preseason billing where many saw a team with Stanley Cup potential.As of Sunday, the Predators sit outside of the West playoff picture, one point back of the second wild-card slot and a pair behind the division's third seed."Statistically everything is just OK," Predators general manager David Poile told Kevin Allen of USA Today. "We might have only one or two players who are having a career year. If we are going to be a playoff team and believe we can win rounds in the playoffs, we are going to need more exceptional individual play."Nashville hoped to build on last season, when the club made the second round of the postseason for just the third time in its 17-year history. The Predators pushed the San Jose Sharks, who later advanced to the finals, to seven games before being eliminated. That performance earned head coach Peter Laviolette a two-year contract extension.In an offseason effort to remake the look of his club, Poile dealt former captain Shea Weber to the Montreal Canadiens, a move which returned exuberant blue-liner P.K. Subban to Tennessee.But for a team built on speed and scoring, the Predators have struggled this season, as the club sits in the middle of the pack, ranked 17th league-wide with 119 goals. No Predators skater is close to a point per game, with the top five scorers coming in as:PlayerGamesGoalsAssistsPointsRyan Johansen4372330Filip Forsberg43111627Mike Fisher39121426Viktor Arvidsson41101525Roman Josi4251722The numbers are average across the board - certainly not exceptional. On the special teams, the Predators' power play rings as the NHL's 15th-best, firing at a 18.2 percent success rating, while the penalty kill hasn't fared much better, sitting 11th at 82.7 percent.Things have been so-so through the early goings of January, as the team has posted a 4-2-1 mark. Nashville was strong through November, but posted losing records in both October and December:MonthRecordGFGADifferentialOctober2-5-11928-9November9-3-24627+19December5-6-33642-6January4-2-11714+3Like most teams, the Predators have dealt with their share of injuries, though most of the ailments have come to the team's top players.Subban has been sidelined since mid-December with a herniated disc. Forward James Neal is back in the lineup, but has missed nine of the last 23 games as he dealt with an upper-body injury. Most recently, the team lost defenseman Roman Josi, out with an upper-body ailment."There are a lot of reasons we are where we are," Poiled added. "But my belief is that if we get healthy we can move up and be one of the better teams in the league."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings are good at this overtime thing.Jeff Carter ripped home the game-winner against the Winnipeg Jets in the 3-on-3 session Saturday night, continuing his terrific season and extending the Kings' run of success in the new format.They picked up their league-best 21st win in 3-on-3 overtime since the new method was instituted last season, and Carter notched his league-leading eighth game-winner of 2016-17, according to TSN StatsCentre.Carter also tied teammate Anze Kopitar for the most regular-season overtime goals in franchise history (eight) and drew even with four other players for 14th-most in that category in the history of the NHL.He ranks second in the league with 23 goals in 43 games this season. He has nine goals and seven assists in his last 12 contests.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This isn't something we typically see from Joe Thornton.The veteran San Jose Sharks forward was banished from Saturday's game for spearing Paul Stastny of the St. Louis Blues in the midsection in the second period.Thornton was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the incident.It was his first ejection since November 2010, when he delivered a headshot on Blues forward David Perron that eventually earned Thornton a two-game suspension.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A Canadian hockey legend was honored prior to the latest chapter in the Battle of Alberta.Hayley Wickenheiser, who announced her retirement from hockey a day earlier, was introduced by none other than Wayne Gretzky, who lauded her heart, desire, finesse, speed, and skill as a player.She then dropped the puck for a ceremonial faceoff between Connor McDavid and Mark Giordano, who presented her with commemorative Oilers and Flames jerseys.Wickenheiser, who lives in Calgary, followed it all up with a touching speech, reiterating it was the greatest honor of her life to play for Canada.Wickenheiser ends her playing career with four gold medals and one silver from the Winter Olympics, along with seven gold medals and six silvers from the Women's World Championships. She's also the all-time leading point scorer in both tournaments.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

OTTAWA, Ontario - Nazem Kadri scored twice and Curtis McElhinney made 35 saves, leading the Toronto Maple Leafs past the Ottawa Senators 4-2 on Saturday night.It was McElhinney's first start with the Leafs after being picked up off waivers earlier in the week from the Columbus Blue Jackets.Tyler Bozak and Connor Brown also scored for the Maple Leafs, who moved into a tie with the Senators for third in the Atlantic Division at the halfway point of the season.Dion Phaneuf and Kyle Turris had goals for Ottawa, and Mike Condon made 23 saves.Kadri's second goal of the game gave the Leafs a 3-2 lead just 2:31 into the third period.The Senators got their first power play of the game when Frederik Gauthier went off for tripping at 4:01. Ottawa looked to have the equalizer, but McElhinney made a sprawling save to deny Mike Hoffman on his one-timer.Minutes later, Erik Karlsson hit the post behind McElhinney and, within seconds of that, Brown gave the Leafs a 4-2 lead with a quick shot after Auston Matthews won a faceoff in Ottawa's zone.The teams were tied at two through 40 minutes after the Leafs had jumped out to a 2-0 lead.Kadri opened the scoring on the power play when he tucked a rebound underneath Condon at 6:26 of the opening period.Bozak gave the Leafs a 2-0 advantage just 1:07 into the second when he intercepted a clearing attempt from Bobby Ryan, moved in on the Ottawa goal and waited for Condon to make a move before beating the netminder.The Leafs were carrying the momentum through the period, but that changed when Phaneuf got the Senators on the board at 9:15 of the second. His point shot hit Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner before eluding McElhinney.The Senators tied it at 18:50 when Turris beat McElhinney with a shot far side to the top corner.NOTES: Fredrik Claesson was scratched for Ottawa. Josh Leivo and Garret Sparks were scratches for the Maple Leafs. ... Chris Wideman became the 100th player to play in 100 games for the Senators when he suited up against the Leafs. It was also the 100th game of his NHL career. ... Senators F Mark Stone remains one assist shy of 100 for his career.UP NEXT: Senators: play their next three games on the road, starting with the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.Maple Leafs: host the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It took a while, but the Montreal Canadiens' offense erupted in a flash Saturday night against the New York Rangers.Alexei Emelin, Max Pacioretty, and Paul Byron each scored goals in a span of 1:02 midway through the third period as the Canadiens overcame a 3-2 deficit and hung on for a 5-4 victory.Emelin fired a wrist shot through traffic from the point that found its way past Henrik Lundqvist to tie the game.Less than 40 seconds later, Max Pacioretty turned on the jets and scored on a breakaway to give the Canadiens the lead.Then, less than 30 seconds after that, Paul Byron gave Montreal a crucial insurance marker when his backhand flick on goal somehow eluded the Rangers' veteran netminder.Byron's goal was critical because Derek Stepan brought the Rangers within one about three minutes later, but the Canadiens held on for a 5-4 victory.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews appeared to display hockey smarts beyond his years Saturday in Ottawa.Presented with a faceoff opportunity in the offensive zone, the Toronto Maple Leafs teenage rookie sensation lost the draw, only to use that to his advantage en route to setting up an important third-period insurance marker.Here's how it happened.With the Maple Leafs already up by a goal 12:10 into the final frame, Matthews (34) and Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) set up at the dot for an important draw to goaltender Mike Condon's (1) left.Pageau won the draw cleanly - too cleanly - and Matthews immediately darted for the loose puck heading to no-man's land, with Ottawa defenseman Cody Ceci (5) and winger Tom Pyatt (10) stationed in front of Condon, and defenseman Mark Borowiecki (74) lined up at left wing.Matthews was indeed able to scoop the puck, and drew the attention of both Ottawa defensemen and its center. Meanwhile, Toronto winger Connor Brown (12) - unchecked by Pyatt - waited expectantly in front of the Senators' net.Matthews was able to whip a backhand pass to Brown, who promptly fired a one-timer that sailed past Condon's blocker side.In went Brown's 11th goal of the season, while Matthews recorded his 16th assist and drew an impressive comparison in the process.

RALEIGH, N.C. - Brock McGinn had a goal and three assists, linemates Jordan Staal and Elias Lindholm each had a goal and two assists and the Carolina Hurricanes pulled away late to beat the New York Islanders 7-4 on Saturday night for their fourth straight victory.The Hurricanes overcame a 3-1 deficit with three straight goals in the second period and improved to 14-1-1 in their last 16 home games.Carolina scored three more times in the third to make it a rout, including Lee Stempniak's goal 5:42 into the final period that broke a 4-4 tie.McGinn has scored in three straight games and has seven points overall in that span.Justin Faulk, Brett Pesce and Teuvo Teravainen also scored for Carolina. Cam Ward made 28 saves.John Tavares scored twice for the Islanders a night after recording a hat trick against the Panthers. Thomas Greiss gave up all seven goals on 43 shots before being pulled.Carolina outshot New York 45-32.The Islanders appeared in control early. Tavares and Anders Lee scored in the first period, and Jason Chimera made it 3-1 early in the second when he came streaking down the middle uncovered and buried a slick pass from Anthony Beauvillier in the left corner.Then Lindholm, McGinn and the rest of the `Canes jumped into gear, with a kick start from the Islanders defense.Shortly after Chimera's goal, Faulk unleased a wrist shot from the faceoff circle that was saved by Greiss, but Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield inadvertently kicked the rebound through Greiss' legs and into the net.The miscue in their favor got the Hurricanes rolling, and they took off from there.McGinn and Lindholm teamed up to tie it with a brilliant rush down the ice, with McGinn dishing a perfect cross-ice pass for Lindholm to bury past Greiss along the far post with 11:02 left in the second.Pesce gave the Hurricanes their first lead after another quick rush up ice. Pesce outskated defenseman Thomas Hickey to get behind him at the net and then redirected McGinn's saucer pass on the move along the far post.Tavares briefly pulled the Islanders back into a tie, but Stempniak collected the loose puck off a faceoff in the right circle and fired a pristine wrist shot just under the crossbar over Greiss' shoulder to give Carolina the lead one final time.NOTES: Teravainen and Staal closed out the scoring for Carolina. ... It was McGinn's first career four-point game. ... Lindholm has five points in his last three games since returning from an upper-body injury. ... Staal has points in four straight games and Faulk in three straight. ... The Hurricanes improved to 5-0-0 this season when wearing their black alternate home jerseys. ... Tavares appeared to have a hat trick for the second straight night, but his second goal was credited instead to Lee after multiple revisions. ... There were no penalties called in the game.UP NEXT: Islanders: Finish a three-game trip at Boston on Monday before returning home to start a six-game homestand.Hurricanes: Visit the NHL-best Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night, exactly one week after beating them 5-3 at home.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here's a stat line one rarely sees.Dallas Stars goaltender Antti Niemi was pulled from Saturday's game against Minnesota after allowing three goals on three shots in the opening 4:01. Add it all up, and he finished with a save percentage of zero and a 44.81 goals against average.Kari Lehtonen did stop 26-of-28 shots in the eventual 5-4 loss, but the early goals allowed proved too much to overcome.It's only a somewhat exaggerated look at Dallas' state of affairs in net.As a team, Dallas entered the game with a .900 save percentage, good for 26th in the NHL. And unlike in past seasons, the offense isn't firing enough to compensate for shoddy play in the defensive end.To be fair, Niemi watched as Johnny Oduya knocked the puck into his own net on Minnesota's first goal, and didn't exactly get strong defensive support on the other two. Prior to Saturday's game, Niemi had posted a January save percentage of .938, offering signs he could be relied upon down the stretch.Still, more than a season and a half into the Niemi / Lehtonen dual starter system crafted by general manager Jim Nill, it's clear neither option is really the answer. And with the Stars sitting outside the Western Conference playoff picture, it's high time to look for a more permanent solution.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andrew Shaw didn't waste much time getting up to his old tricks.The Montreal Canadiens pest was kicked out of his first game back from injury Saturday night after catching New York Rangers forward Jesper Fast with an ill-timed, ill-aimed hit that forced Fast out of the game late in the first period.Shaw hit Fast behind the play and after the Rangers winger had passed the puck. J.T. Miller came to his teammate's defense and fought Shaw in the aftermath.When the dust settled, the Canadiens agitator was assessed a five-minute major for interference, five more for fighting, and a game misconduct.Shaw missed 14 games recovering from a concussion and was playing his first game since Dec. 12.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bill Daly doesn't seem too concerned about the possibility of the NFL invading hockey's new turf.The NHL deputy commissioner said his league isn't worried about the Oakland Raiders' potential relocation affecting the expansion Vegas Golden Knights when reached via email by Yahoo Sports' Josh Cooper on Saturday.Related - Report: Raiders to submit relocation papers for Vegas moveDaly took a predictable stance when asked whether the NHL views the NFL franchise's possible arrival in Sin City as positive, negative or neutral."I would say overall, it's neutral," he told Cooper. "We were certainly aware of the talk and the possibility of the NFL locating a franchise in Vegas at the time we made the decision to expand into Las Vegas."So, obviously, we felt an NFL team - if it transpired (and certainly time will tell on that) - wouldn’t materially affect the business of the hockey team. That continues to be our feeling. I think while fan bases undoubtedly overlap, the sports ‘buy’ for sponsors is materially different as between football ‎and hockey.”Las Vegas was granted an NHL expansion franchise last summer, and the Golden Knights' name and logo were awkwardly revealed in November.They'll take the ice for the first time this fall following the expansion draft in June.Raiders owner Mark Davis has said that if the team's relocation is confirmed when NFL owners vote on the matter in the spring, the club will still need to play in Oakland for several additional seasons while a new stadium is built in Las Vegas.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cody McLeod sure made his presence felt against his old team.Traded by the Avalanche to the Nashville Predators on Friday, McLeod debuted for his new club Saturday, and proceeded to drop the gloves with Jarome Iginla early in the second period.If that wasn't enough, McLeod also recorded just his second goal of the season later in the middle frame.

Brad Marchand had two goals and three assists to lift the Boston Bruins to a 6-3 win over the slumping Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.The win improved Boston's record to .500 at home (10-10) in its first game of a stretch of five of seven at TD Garden heading into the All-Star break at the end of the month.Tuukka Rask was back in goal for Boston after leaving the previous game - a loss at Nashville on Thursday - because he was hit in the throat area by a shot in the opening period. He made 21 saves.The Flyers lost for the eighth time in 10 games (2-6-2).Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Torey Krug, and David Krejci also scored for the Bruins. Krejci's was his 500th point.Marchand had an empty-net goal with 54 seconds left.Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller was helped off the ice with what the team called an upper-body injury after he crashed into the backboards hard following a check by Jakub Voracek, who was given a major for boarding.Wayne Simmonds, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, and Brayden Schenn had Philadelphia's goals. Michal Neuvirth stopped 33 shots.Playing in his 500th game, Marchand stole the puck from Sean Couturier near the blue line in the defensive zone and skated in while being hooked by defenseman Ivan Provorov. The puck slid off Marchand's stick for a short-handed goal and under Neuvirth, tying the game 1-1 at 7:48 of the first period.Krejci fired a wrist shot into the top far corner of the net from left wing to move Boston ahead for good two minutes into the second. Austin Czarnik jumped to keep the puck in at the point before sending a cross-ice pass to Krejci for his power-play score.Krug scored four minutes later when he redirected Marchand's cross-ice pass from the edge of the slot.The Flyers cut it to 3-2 on Schenn's goal five seconds into a power play before Marchand set up Bergeron for a power-play goal at 13:04.Chara one-timed David Pastrnak's pass by Neuvirth to make it 5-2. Marchand made a drop pass to Pastrnak, setting up the play.Simmonds' goal came with 3.2 seconds left in the second. The Flyers were skating with a two-man advantage.NOTES: Flyers D Mark Streit was activated off long-term injury before the game and F Boyd Gordon was waived. Streit was rehabbing a sprained left shoulder and missed 13 games. . It was the second of three games between the teams this season. Philadelphia won the first, 3-2 in a shootout at home on Nov. 29.UP NEXTFlyers: At Washington on Sunday in their second game of a stretch of four of five on the road.Bruins: Host the New York Islanders on Monday afternoon.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Score one for David Krejci.The Boston Bruins center notched his 10th of the season Saturday, beating Philadelphia Flyers netminder Michal Neuvirth top shelf following two failed attempts to exit the zone by the Flyers.The tally, which put the Bruins ahead 2-1, marked Krejci's 500th career point.With the goal, Krejci has now collected 28 points in 46 games this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Make room for Mark Streit.The Philadelphia Flyers activated the veteran defenseman from the injured reserve Saturday. The 39-year-old had been sidelined since Dec. 14 after suffering a shoulder injury.To make room for Streit's $5.25-million cap hit, the Flyers loaned center Boyd Gordon to Lehigh Valley (AHL) after he cleared waivers earlier Saturday.Streit is expected to be in the lineup Saturday when the Flyers take on the Boston Bruins. He has scored five goals and 11 assists in 31 games this season.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 Saturday, Jan. 14's main 10-game slate (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

The Battle of Alberta once again has meaning.The Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers will reconnect Saturday for the 232nd rendition of their historic rivalry. With both clubs holding down a playoff spot through mid-January, it's sure to bring some added fuel to what's already a special game."(It's) probably the biggest game in the Battle of Alberta this far into a season in about 10 years," Oilers forward Milan Lucic told Jason Gregor of the Edmonton Journal. "There will be a buzz. We have to be ready."Edmonton leads the season series 2-0 so far, winning a pair of early season games. Forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had three-point outings in the most recent meeting, a 5-3 Oilers win.Given the NHL's return to the postseason divisional format, there remains the possibility that Edmonton and Calgary could match up this spring. The teams have met five previous times in the playoffs, most recently in 1991. The Oilers have taken four of those series.The Flames last qualified for the postseason in 2015, their first berth since 2009, while the Oilers have not made the playoffs since 2006. That 10-year playoff drought is tied for the NHL's all-time longest mark with the Florida Panthers.The Flames hold the upper hand in the Battle of Alberta with a 117-91-23 all-time record.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens will have an added boost to their lineup Saturday as center Alex Galchenyuk makes his long-awaited return from injury.Galchenyuk last played Dec. 4 and has missed the past 18 games with a knee injury.The Canadiens feared the worst with the injury, but have held their own in the meantime, posting a 9-5-4 record in Galchenyuk's absence.Galchenyuk has been a key cog for the Canadiens this season, posting 23 points in 25 games, with his offensive game taking off since coach Michel Therrien elected to shift the young forward from wing to center.Canadiens forward Andrew Shaw will also return to the lineup Saturday after missing the past 14 games with a concussion.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.