Already a Vezina Trophy winner, Braden Holtby has achieved another first in his already stellar career.After stopping all 30 shots against in Saturday's 1-0 win over Ottawa, the Washington Capitals goalie has kept the opposition off the scoreboard in two straight games.

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, January 8 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Goalie Breakdown

The line between buyers and sellers remains undefined, thereby stalling talks in advance of the NHL's trade deadline.So says one NHL executive, who told Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun there's "no question" the market is heating up, but no moves are imminent because "too many teams are in it.""It" refers to the Stanley Cup Playoff race, where only the Colorado Avalanche and Arizona Coyotes sit more than 10 points out of wild-card spot. As such, names like Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog, and Martin Hanzal are dominating the rumor mill at present.In the Eastern Conference, teams like the New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings, and Buffalo Sabres could probably be added to the list of sellers, but might be unwilling to add themselves to that group just yet as hope remains for a turnaround.Seeds may have been planted in recent weeks with team representatives gathered in Toronto and Montreal for the 2017 World Junior Championship, but there's no harvest to reap on the trade front quite yet.The trade deadline is set for 3 p.m. ET on March 1.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The introduction of 3-on-3 overtime last season has resonated positively with just about everyone in hockey circles, especially the Los Angeles Kings.Needing extra time to down the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on Saturday, Los Angeles improved to 8-1 in overtime games this season. Tanner Pearson scored his second overtime winner in three games, and more importantly, the Kings moved back into a wildcard spot in the West.Since 2015-16, the Kings have a 3-on-3 record of 20-4, best in the NHL, according to Jon Rosen of Fox Sports West. Considering their combined 3-6 record in shootouts dating back to last season, it's safe to assume Los Angeles prefers to get it done before the skills competition.The Kings win in overtime the same way they win in regulation: dominating possession. Los Angeles owns an NHL-best 67.39 corsi-for percentage in nine extra periods this season (corsica-hockey).With the likes of Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, and Drew Doughty among the names Darryl Sutter can choose from to start the extra frame, it's no wonder they're so tough to beat.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Much like the nature of the situation surrounding his trade, Taylor Hall felt the absence of control Saturday night.In his first game versus the Edmonton Oilers - the team that dealt him to the New Jersey Devils six years after selecting him first overall - Hall admitted that the moment affected his performance."You want to show yourself so well that you almost kind of forget how to play hockey and what you need to do out there," Hall said after the 2-1 overtime loss, according to Andrew Gross of the Bergen Record.Hall certainly didn't make a statement, but was still reasonably effective under the circumstances. He fired three shots on Cam Talbot, and had the top possession numbers among Devils skaters in a game which they were out-attempted 77-34.Since the deal, Hall has spoken candidly about the disappointment of leaving Edmonton, and the bruising feeling of being singled out as a scapegoat for his former team's shortcomings. He told Gross he's still "a bit bitter," but is now happy to be a member of the Devils.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This one's (partly) on coach.Mike Babcock conceded he was culpable after the Toronto Maple Leafs' 5-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, saying it was a mistake to start Frederik Andersen again on the second night of a back-to-back."Obviously I didn't make the right decision there," Babcock said after the game. "In saying that, the last time we did it we thought it was the right decision. This time it wasn't the right decision. It's amazing how winning and losing goes into those things."Andersen was wobbly early on, and allowed two goals on the first four shots he faced, but stayed in for the full 60 minutes despite not ever looking settled. The Leafs quickly erased their two-goal deficit, which likely factored into the decision to keep Andersen in goal.Toronto's 13th consecutive loss versus the Canadiens snapped a seven-game point streak. The club is now 12 points back of division-leading Montreal, and fell out of the Atlantic Division's top three seeds.The Maple Leafs are 2-6-1 on the second half of a back-to-back this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

OTTAWA, Ontario - Braden Holtby made 30 saves for his second straight shutout and fifth of the season and the Washington Capitals beat the Ottawa Senators 1-0 on Saturday night for their fifth straight victory.T.J. Oshie scored 1:38 into the game to help the Capitals improve to 25-9-5.Mike Condon made 19 saves for Ottawa. The Senators have lost four straight to drop to 20-14-4. They played for the first time falling 2-1 to the Capitals on Jan. 1.On the goal, the Capitals broke into the Senators' zone and Oshie released a one-timer off a pass from Nicklas Backstrom past Condon.Ottawa had a late power play in the third period after Karl Alzner was called for boarding Mark Stone. The Senators had some solid chances during the advantage, but were unable to beat Holtby.They pulled Condon with 1:20 to play, but could only manage one shot on goal.Early in the second period, Oshie took a hard hit from Senators defenceman Dion Phaneuf at the Ottawa blue line. Oshie slowly made his way to the Washington bench favoring his left shoulder. After a few moments on the bench, Oshie went to the locker room. He returned later in the period, but sat out the third.Notes: Bobby Ryan was scratched for the Senators. Taylor Chorney and Liam O'Brien were scratches for the Capitals. ... Senators forward Curtis Lazar has yet to register a point in 18 games this season.UP NEXTCapitals: At Montreal on Monday.Senators: Host Edmonton on Sunday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When the NHL reveals the remaining names on the 100 Greatest Players list at the All-Star Game in Los Angeles later in January, the league plans to have the active players included represent All-Star rosters, Nick Kypreos reported on Hockey Night in Canada's "Headlines" segment Saturday.Kypreos added that six active players are expected to be included on the list compiled to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the NHL.Sidney Crosby was already named Metropolitan Division captain, but this means we should likely expect Alex Ovechkin to participate in the three-on-three tournament, too.Kypreos did mention an important caveat, indicating that Jaromir Jagr - an obvious shoe-in for selection - may not necessarily have to skate, but would still be expected in Los Angeles.Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Drew Doughty, Duncan Keith, and Zdeno Chara were the other possible names mentioned by the Hockey Night in Canada panel.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mitch Marner just wants to make his linemates' lives easier.After scooping the puck on the half boards, Marner circled the offensive zone before finding James van Riemsdyk for a tap-in goal.Related: Watch: Marner's no-look, backhand pass sets up perfect tic-tac-toe goalThe play marked Marner's third primary assist of the night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

That's some effective puck movement.Upon receiving a pass from James van Riemsdyk, Maple Leafs rookie Mitch Marner deftly tapped a backhand pass to Tyler Bozak in the slot for a power-play goal Saturday.The eye-popping helper was Marner's team-leading 20th.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alexander Radulov's first shift at Air Canada Center in nearly a decade was an assertive one.The high-skilled battering ram with the Montreal Canadiens dropped Nazem Kadri with a puck-protective bump on the boards before retrieving a rebound, circling the net, and setting up Max Pacioretty for a goal just 20 seconds into Saturday's game versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.It was his fifth assist in two games and 20 seconds against the Leafs this year, with his previous contributions coming on home ice.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After a summer where everything went right, the regular season has been quite the opposite for the Tampa Bay Lightning.General manager Steve Yzerman out-waited all the pressure, and re-signed captain Steven Stamkos, before providing No. 1 defenseman Victor Hedman a long-term and team-friendly contract extension.Yzerman kept the team intact, and a lineup that looked poised to contend for the Stanley Cup again. Now, however, the Lightning are outside the playoff bubble, and Yzerman is looking to make a move."If there was something I could have done to this point that would make our team better, I would have done it," Yzerman told Joe Smith of The Tampa Bay Times. "We'll keep trying."Salary-cap restrictions, an air-tight playoff race, and the upcoming expansion draft are all factoring in an underwhelming trade market ahead of the Feb. 28 deadline, Yzerman believes."It's been very, very, quiet," he said.Exactly halfway through their season, the Lightning sit two points back of a playoff spot in the Atlantic, and five back of a wild-card position.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After their acrimonious come-from-behind victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday afternoon, the Buffalo Sabres were feeling good about themselves, and the prospects of what's to come.Head coach Dan Bylsma suggested after the game that the emotional win was one the club can build on."It has the feel of a turnaround game," Bylsma said, according to John Vogl of The Buffalo News. "We needed that in the game, and we got it, but it's a big comeback for the boys. ... We left it all out there."We played hard in the third period and came all the (way) back to get the win. It feels like a big game for us."Bylsma's outlook was echoed in the room when players were asked about the line brawl at the end of the game, which nearly featured a bout between netminder Robin Lehner and Jets bruiser Dustin Byfuglien."They came in and started s---," Lehner said. "You've got to stick up for each other. It's too bad the ref came in between."Marcus Foligno added: "It's fun. It was a good way to end it."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jakub Voracek is so much more than Travis Konecny's teammate. He's also a fan.Voracek, always a good quote, was at it again Saturday after his Philadelphia Flyers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.Philly was down 1-0 after 20 minutes despite dominating possession and play, and it was Konecny who tied the game up, with Voracek drawing the primary assist. The Flyers wouldn't trail again.

Robin Lehner was an unlikely participant in Saturday's late-game brouhaha between the Buffalo Sabres and Winnipeg Jets.The Sabres goaltender shoved Jets forward Bryan Little, drawing the ire of imposing Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien. A scrum broke out in front of Lehner's crease immediately after the final horn sounded, with Byfuglien reaching over a dislodged net to land a punch on the goaltender.It was the second melee of the day between the two clubs, the first of which erupted after Jake McCabe's clean but devastating hit on Patrik Laine, which knocked the Jets star out of the game.It was a very costly loss for the Jets, who in addition to losing Laine blew a 3-1 lead in the third period and lost 4-3.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Things got heated in Buffalo on Saturday afternoon.With the score tied 3-3 midway through the third period, the Sabres and Winnipeg Jets got into a line brawl after Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe caught Patrik Laine with a devastating open-ice hit.Laine was helped off the ice by trainers, and was wobbly on his way to the dressing room, according to NHL.com's Joe Yerdon. He didn't return to the game, which Winnipeg lost 4-3, and head coach Paul Maurice offered no update on his star rookie's condition.

Call it Throwback Saturday.The Buffalo Sabres presented an incredible pregame production before their matinee game against the Winnipeg Jets, editing together countless clips from nearly every hockey video game ever made.From well known EA titles like "NHLPA Hockey '93" and its more recent incarnations to lesser known titles like "Hit the Ice" and "NHL Stanley Cup," the video sets up the Sabres-Jets matchup and then incorporates Sabres history, including the likes of Pat LaFontaine, Dominik Hasek, and Maxim Afinogenov.Now if you'll excuse us, we're going to dust off our old consoles.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's only one NHL team with fewer points than the Colorado Avalanche. Only thing is, the Vegas Golden Knights aren't playing any games yet.It's a lost season in Denver, and general manager Joe Sakic is looking towards the future.That future includes Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Tyson Jost. They'll be part of Sakic's solution for his last-place team, whatever that solution may be.It's no secret the Avalanche are looking to the trade market to help right the ship, and that's going to continue."The only thing I'm going to do is what helps this franchise down the line," Sakic said Friday, writes the Denver Post's Terry Frei. "We're not going to be looking to doing anything just for this year. ... We have to get younger."I don't plan on moving a guy like MacKinnon, Jost, (and/or) Rantanen," Sakic added. "We have a lot of good pieces here. Will I be listening to different ideas on how to improve us and maybe get us younger and get more depth here? Yeah, we're going to do that."Player Age Drafted 2016-17 statsJost1810th overall in 201620 points in 18 GP (North Dakota)MacKinnon211st overall in 201327 P in 39 GPRantanen2010th overall in 201518 P in 34 GPJost had a goal and three assists in seven games for Canada at the world juniors, which wrapped up Thursday.That means the obvious trade candidates are: Matt Duchene, Jarome Iginla, and Gabriel Landeskog.Related: Report: Avalanche could trade Duchene, Landeskog for young defensemenPlayerAgeCap HitContract's final yearDuchene25$6M2018-19Iginla39$5.33M2016-17Landeskog24$5.57M2020-21Related: 3 teams that should trade for Duchene, LandeskogIt's going to be an interesting couple of months in the Mile High City as the trade deadline approaches, and even an interesting couple of years as Sakic tries to get his team back on track.While the former Avalanche captain and Hall of Famer hates to lose, he's happy with first-year head coach Jared Bednar, and has no plans to leave his post."No, no, no," Sakic said about rumors he may follow Patrick Roy out the door. "No one's having fun going through this. You can't. But from my chair, I'm also looking to the future and it's pretty bright. We'll have some options."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Babcock doesn't think the NHL's new bye weeks are in the players' best interest."I think it's 100 percent wrong for player safety," the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach told reporters Saturday, according to The Canadian Press."You've got so many games in such a short period of time and you're jamming in more. To me, the more days' rest you can have by not playing back-to-backs and jamming it in, the healthier you have a chance to be I believe."The Leafs will play a league-high 18 back-to-backs this season. That includes the three they play this month, beginning with this weekend's 48-hour trek that put them in New Jersey on Friday night and now at home against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.NHL commissioner Gary Bettman admitted last week that he's heard complaints from other clubs and players about how the new bye week condenses the rest of the schedule and takes a toll over the course of the season.After this weekend's double dip, the Leafs won't play again until Friday, when they'll begin another back-to-back - this one exclusively on the road - against the New York Rangers and the Ottawa Senators.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nick Bjugstad is headed back to the injured reserve, the Florida Panthers announced on Saturday.The forward was forced from Friday's game against the Nashville Predators due to a groin injury, and will be out two weeks, the Panthers announced.The injury is more bad news for the 24-year-old as Bjugstad was forced to miss the first 19 games of the season with a fractured hand. Since returning to the lineup, the young American has struggled to rekindle his offensive touch.After averaging over 18 goals and 38 points over the last three seasons, Bjugstad has just one goal and one assist in 21 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor McDavid is a magician.The Edmonton Oilers prodigy has taken the NHL by storm since entering the league at 18. In only 85 games, McDavid's proven one of the most prolific passers in hockey, his 2.23 assists per 60 minutes ranking third since 2015-16. In 40 games this season, his 18 primary assists rank second only to Evgeni Malkin's 19.No. 97 uses his deft hands, innate decision-making skills, perfect passing, and unparalleled vision to make his teammates better - and he's going to be doing it for a long time.A prime example of said talents came Thursday night, when McDavid set up Patrick Maroon's game-opening goal in Boston.Here's how Thursday's dazzling primary assist went down:The play begins with Edmonton defenseman Oscar Klefbom blocking a weak wrist shot from the point and leading the breakout, with two Bruins trapped behind him. Here come the Oilers:Klefbom passes to his defense partner, Adam Larsson, with McDavid and Maroon turning up the wings:Larsson sees McDavid on his runway, preparing for takeoff, and attempts to get the puck to No. 97 for what can become, at least, a two-on-two rush. Unfortunately, his pass isn't a good one, heading for McDavid's skates:Don't worry about it, Adam - Connor's got you. In a split second, McDavid decides not to take the pass, knowing Leon Draisaitl is providing support up ahead, between the red and blue line. Instead, McDavid doesn't break stride, and lets the puck go through his legs, turning a bad Larsson-to-McDavid pass into an excellent Larsson-to-Draisaitl pass (it's a small play, a minor decision, the furthest from showing up in a box score, but one that serves as a perfect example of how McDavid makes those on the ice with him better):Draisaitl, recognizing McDavid has taken off and is about to hit top gear, uses a smart, short one-timer pass to get the puck to No. 97 for the zone entry:Draisaitl's pass means McDavid enters the Boston zone on what is now a two-on-three rush, with Maroon way over on the far wing, hardly in position to provide much help. Keep in mind, one of the three Bruins below - the one right in front of McDavid - is Zdeno Chara, who is the size of two normal humans and uses a stick as long as a small tree:Now things get ridiculous. Again, McDavid's up against Chara, who has support from Patrice Bergeron - one of the best defensive players in hockey - and his defense partner Brandon Carlo. Everyone's forgotten about Maroon, because how can Maroon possibly get the puck? That is, everyone except McDavid, who, using his otherworldly stickhandling abilities, dangles around and embarrasses one of the game's most challenging one-on-one defenders:It gets better. This is where we again marvel at McDavid's hockey instincts and raw talent. After using his forehand to dangle Chara and evade his absurd reach - McDavid, a left-handed shooter, draws the puck to his right on the deke, passing it to himself under Chara's stick - No. 97 uses his right skate to kick the puck back up to his stick, with three Bruins now in striking distance. In fact, there are four Bruins closer to McDavid than Maroon:With the three-time Selke Trophy winner Bergeron now closer to McDavid than Chara, and Chara never truly ever far away, McDavid knows he's in the tightest of tight quarters. So, after kicking the puck back up to himself, he uses his backhand to get the disc toward the net, knowing a backhand saucer pass, just barely off the ice, is the only way he's going to avoid both Bruins - and especially Chara's stick. And, keep in mind, not once has McDavid shown any sign he's aware of Maroon's presence. And that means Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask isn't thinking about Maroon, either. But McDavid knows his winger's going to the net. Maroon's got one job:Guess what? The pass is placed perfectly atop Rask's crease, ensuring the Bruins goalie can't reach out and deflect it away, and slides under the stick of the 6-foot-5 Carlo, who is rudely reminded of Maroon's existence. All Maroon (who actually has two jobs) has to do is put the puck - placed right on his stick - into a half-empty net. And he does.Sixty-eight seconds into the game and the Oilers have a lead on the road:Maroon's smile when he finds his center after the goal is a telling example of how much fun it is to play with McDavid:Watch video of the incredible goal on the NHL's website, and notice on the tighter replay, beginning at the 0:35-second mark, that not once - not through the neutral zone, not at the blue line, and not while deking to avoid multiple Bruins - does McDavid acknowledge Maroon's presence on the left wing.It's McDavid's ability to make brilliant split-second decisions at full throttle, stickhandle around some of the game's best in close quarters, and make passes to himself and his teammates without looking that sets him apart. You want to play with No. 97. Ask Maroon.Not even 100 games into his career, this much is certain: There's only one Connor McDavid.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights have a lot of preparation to do in the coming months.Behind closed doors the club is prepping for June's long-awaited expansion draft.The team will have the ability to treat the league's player pool like their own personal grocery store, adding goods to their basket, with a price tag obviously in mind.Of course, many moves are hard to predict before hand, but one name that should be a slam dunk to end up on the Golden Knights' roster is Chicago Blackhawks goalie Scott Darling.Goaltending has been largely the most discussed position in terms of the draft, with the chances of so many high-end netminders being exposed as several clubs currently hold two capable starters.In Detroit, the Red Wings have Jimmy Howard and Petr Mrazek, Tampa Bay has Ben Bishop and Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Pittsburgh has Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray.It's intriguing, but whether in a backup role or not, Darling makes the most sense for the infant franchise.Thanks to an injury to first-stringer Corey Crawford earlier in the season, Darling has seen a heavier work load and in turn is now on pace to play a career-high 37 games. Though to be fair, with a return of Crawford to the lineup, there's a good chance that number doesn't quite pan out.Nonetheless, while playing in roughly half the Blackhawks' games this season, Daring has marveled. The 28-year-old has gone 11-4-2 in 17 games while posting a .925 save percentage and a 2.31 goals-against average.He's been as strong of a backup as one could ask for.Where it gets interesting - more so for the Golden Knights - is Darling's startling value. The Blackhawks' second-in-command has posted a 32-16-6 record over parts of three seasons in the league while never making more than $590,000 in a season.Talk about a bargain.Come June 21, when the NHL will hold its expansion draft, Darling will be exposed one way or another. Darling is in the final year of his contract and whether the Blackhawks re-sign him or not, the team will undoubtedly protect Crawford who holds a modified no-trade and no-movement clause in his contract.That gives the Knights many options. They can negotiate a contract with Darling if he remains an unrestricted free agent, or, they can take him and whatever contract the Blackhawks give him - which they could be forced to do.As per the expansion rules, each team must expose a goaltender who is either signed through the 2017-18 season or who is a restricted free agent and has been offered a qualifying offer. Given that Darling will become a UFA, he would either need to be signed or once again general manager Stan Bowman would have to do some wheeling and dealing to meet this requirement.Despite his great numbers, it's unlikely Darling will command a steep contract from either the Blackhawks or the Golden Knights. How he would be used by the Knights if plucked, that's another question.However, what is certain is that Darling holds fantastic value. And whether he steps into a more important role or continues to act as one of the league's premiere backups remains to be seen.But the fact still holds true: He's a piece that Vegas should be all over when roster construction finally kicks off.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 xxx (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Goalie Breakdown

Boy, that escalated quickly.We're at the official halfway point of the NHL season, according to Sportsnet's David Amber, and look what we have here.(Courtesy: NHL.com)There's still a very long way to go, but for the time being, six of Canada's seven NHL teams are in playoff position.Granted, the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Calgary Flames are the only ones with records above .500 when you consider shootout and overtime losses as true defeats, but it's still a vast improvement over last season, when none of the nation's squads qualified for the playoffs.The Canadiens have been resurrected by the return of a healthy Carey Price, as well as the play of newcomers Alexander Radulov and Shea Weber. Likewise, the Edmonton Oilers are benefiting from having a healthy Connor McDavid again.The young Toronto Maple Leafs have seen their rebuild accelerated due to the unworldly play of phenoms Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander, while the Vancouver Canucks have overcome a disastrous first quarter of the season and now boast the league's longest active win streak at six.It's been a roller-coaster season so far for the Flames, who withstood the early-season struggles of supposed goaltending savior Brian Elliott and the loss of Johnny Gaudreau to a broken finger earlier in the campaign.The Senators, meanwhile, have performed reasonably well without starting netminder Craig Anderson, who's been away from the club for about a month while attending to his wife, Nicholle, who was diagnosed with cancer in late October.Even the Winnipeg Jets, Canada's seventh franchise, are within striking distance of a playoff berth, sitting two points behind the Canucks for the second and final wild-card spot in the Western Conference - albeit with two other teams to leapfrog and two more games played than both of them.Whether or not the standings hold the way they're currently constructed, it's a positive sign for Canadian franchises, and it's clear that optimism has returned north of the border.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You can't blame Taylor Hall for sometimes wondering whether he's the problem, even though he knows he's not.Hall recognizes the irony ahead of his first-ever game against the Edmonton Oilers, and it is rich. His old team, which never made the postseason in Hall's six seasons, is in playoff position. His new team, the New Jersey Devils, is all but dead in the Metropolitan Division, sits six points back of a wild-card spot, and owns the Eastern Conference's worst goal differential (minus-25).It's the story of Hall's career.The hockey spotlight will be on Hall on Saturday night, when the Devils host the Oilers in Newark for the first time since a shocking June 29 trade sent the 25-year-old to New Jersey and Adam Larsson to Edmonton."Definitely going to be a strange feeling playing the orange and blue," Hall said Friday after New Jersey dropped a 4-2 decision to Toronto, writes NHL.com's Dan Rosen.Hall was honest after he was dealt, saying it was hard for him to accept he was traded, and he was critical of the Oilers and the light he was cast in. But he approached the changes he was forced to make in his life as a new beginning. Only problem is, his time in New Jersey feels - hockey-wise - a lot like it was in Edmonton."I wanted to prove (Edmonton) wrong in more of a team sense than anything, more of, 'How much can I do to help my team?' I'm obviously disappointed in that factor," Hall said of the Devils' struggles. "We're one game below .500. We're not in a playoff spot and Edmonton is. I don't think that falls all on my shoulders, but certainly I think I have another level to get to and I think I will."Injuries have limited Hall this season, causing him to miss 10 games. He has nine goals and 16 assists - tops on the Devils - in 30 games.Drafted first overall in 2010, Hall scored 132 goals and had 328 points in 381 games with the Oilers."It's going to be a super strange atmosphere for me, but the quicker I put that aside and just focus on playing hockey and focus on my contribution to the team, I think that's the best way to go," he said.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There are times in a hockey game when a goaltender should just cover up the puck, and as Mike Smith found out the hard way Friday night, this was one of those times.The Arizona Coyotes netminder gifted the Anaheim Ducks with an easy game-winner in overtime when he insisted on making a pass attempt with no teammates in the immediate vicinity, and with a pair of opponents lurking in front.It went right to Ducks forward Ondrej Kase, who made no mistake, giving Anaheim a 3-2 victory with about 35 seconds left in the extra frame.Smith made 32 saves on the night, but none of them mattered after that costly turnover.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild's historic winning streaks now over, it's the Vancouver Canucks riding the biggest wave.Vancouver won its sixth consecutive game, and now hold a wild-card position in the Western Conference after doubling up the Calgary Flames 4-2 on Friday night.Ryan Miller was spectacular in the win, making 44 saves, as the Canucks were responsible for just 22 percent of the total on-target shots in the contest. It was the largest shot deficit Vancouver has overcome for a win in club history, according to the team's Public Relations.Vancouver has outshot its opponent just once during the six-game ride, edging the Arizona Coyotes by a 24-22 margin in a 3-0 victory Wednesday.Courtesy of hockeystats.ca, this is how the Canucks' win versus the Flames looked in chart form:Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Michael Matheson's mind was still on the tragic events at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport after Friday's win over the Nashville Predators.Matheson commented on his decision to honor the victims and first responders affected by the attack by writing the airport's acronym on his skates, and encouraging his teammates to do the same.Via Jameson Olive of FloridaPanthers.com:"I was sitting in my apartment when I heard about the news. It's pretty crazy when you think of what happened. I just felt like I wanted to do something to recognize the people that were affected by what happened and obviously the people that stepped in and probably saved a lot of lives."I think we're a pretty strong community. I've only been here for a little over a half year now and I think that everyone is South Florida is a tight-knit community. It's tough to see something like that happen anywhere, but especially five minutes away from where I live."The Panthers held a moment of silence to honor those affected by the tragedy prior to the game.

The Florida Panthers had to dress account executive Bobby Segin on Friday after Roberto Luongo went down in warmup.Fortunately for the Panthers, Segin wasn't thrust into action, as James Reimer made all 28 saves in a win over the Nashville Predators. And more importantly, the Panthers starter isn't expected to miss significant time.Panthers coach Tom Rowe told reporters after the 2-1 win that Luongo is day to day with an apparent upper-body injury.Center Nick Bjugstad was also banged up Friday. Rowe didn't have a definite report on his status.By the way, Segin spent three years manning the net at UConn. Where was he two seasons ago when goaltending coach Robb Tallas was almost forced out of retirement?

There are score effects, and then there's the Toronto Maple Leafs with a multi-goal lead.After a four-goal outburst in the opening frame, the Maple Leafs coasted into a top-three seed in the Atlantic Division on Friday in New Jersey. They mustered just 14 shots in the game, five in the final 40 minutes, and none in the third, but held on to a 4-2 win over the Devils.Nazem Kadri, Connor Brown, Auston Matthews, and Tyler Bozak provided the goals less than six minutes apart in the first.Nevertheless, Toronto improves to 6-0-1 over the last two weeks, the franchise taking points from seven straight games for the first time in almost three years.The Maple Leafs are also now 6-0-2 in their last eight games on the road.Bumping the Boston Bruins, the postseason seeds in the Atlantic are occupied by the three Canadian teams in the conference. Neither the Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators - or any Canadian team, for that matter - qualified for the tournament last season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators will keep Matt Irwin around for another season.The defenseman has signed a one-year, $650,000 contract extension that will keep him in Nashville through the 2017-18 season, the club announced Friday.Irwin's appeared in 32 games this season, and chipped in offensively with eight points. He's also had a positive effect on on-ice shot attempts in a depth role, ranking second among Predators defensemen in most metrics.He's seen an uptick in ice time in the absence of P.K. Subban.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Gift-wrapped.Connor Brown scored his ninth of the season with his team short-handed Friday night when New Jersey Devils netminder Cory Schneider tried to stickhandle the puck as the penalty killer zeroed in on the blue paint.Schneider's nightmarish start ended when the Leafs scored a third marker 87 seconds later.Toronto scored four goals on seven shots to begin the game, with its fourth beating backup Keith Kinkaid.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NEWARK, N.J. - New Jersey Devils captain Andy Greene is missing his first regular-season game since 2012.The 34-year-old defenseman sustained an upper-body injury in the Devils' game at Carolina on Tuesday night, when he was struck on the left wrist by a Jordan Staal shot. He had played in 350 consecutive games dating to March 6, 2012.Greene was not in the lineup for Friday's game against Toronto. Coach John Hynes says Greene is uncertain for Saturday's game against Edmonton.The streak was the third longest in franchise history. Travis Zajac played in 401 consecutive games between Oct. 26, 2006 and Apr. 10, 2011. Defenseman Ken Daneyko played in 388 straight from Nov. 4, 1989-March 28, 1994.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers defenseman Michael Matheson wore the initials "FLL" on his skates Friday versus the Nashville Predators, honoring the victims and first responders involved in the tragedy at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

BOSTON - The Boston Bruins' plane was diverted to Miami International Airport on Friday because of a shooting at the Fort Lauderdale airport.An arriving airline passenger with a gun in his luggage opened fire in the baggage-claim area at the Fort Lauderdale airport, killing five people and wounding eight before surrendering to authorities.The Bruins' plane landed in Miami shortly after 5 p.m. They are scheduled to play the Florida Panthers on Saturday.In a statement the team said ''the thoughts and prayers of the Bruins organization are with the victims of today's shooting and the entire Fort Lauderdale community.''Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Attendance was a concern for much of the world junior tournament - but not on couches in Canadian homes Thursday night.TSN announced that 11 million Canadians tuned in for the extraordinary gold-medal final between the United States and Canada - more than 30 percent of the country's population.The title game, won by the United States in a shootout, was the most-watched English-language hockey broadcast on any network since the world junior final between Canada and Russia in 2015.There were 7.2 million Canadians watching when U.S. forward Troy Terry scored the only goal in the shootout.Bell estimates that 40 percent of Canadians watching television were tuned in to TSN or RDS.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The countdown is on.A day after the Montreal Canadiens announced that forward Alex Galchenyuk would return to practice on Friday, head coach Michelle Therrien insisted that the 22-year-old could return to the lineup as early as next week, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.Galchenyuk - who has been out of the lineup since Dec. 4 with a knee injury - was expected to miss upwards of two months with the ailment, but now looks to be on the road to a speedy recovery.Therrien insisted that he wouldn't be making his return to the lineup on Saturday, when the club visits the Toronto Maple Leafs, but with four games on tap for next week, Galchenyuk will have plenty of opportunity to get back into action.

It's still sinking in for Canadians across the country.A day after Canada was bested by the United States in the gold-medal game of the World Junior Hockey Championship, many Canadians were left feeling shock, heartache, and a deep hatred for the overtime format.After a spirited 20-minute extra period - to no avail - the game was decided with a shootout, as American Troy Terry scored the lone goal to claim the victory.One day later, Montreal Canadiens captain - and proud American - Max Pacioretty, gave his two cents on the tournament's format, insisting Canada might be playing the role of sore loser.

Does Auston Matthews prefer Cabernet Sauvignon, or is he more of a Pinot Grigio type?That's what Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock will be asking his star forward after they made a bet on the outcome of Thursday's gold-medal game between Canada and the United States at the World Junior Hockey Championship.Babcock was asked Friday about the stakes in the wager made before the U.S. defeated Canada in a shootout to claim gold."Well, it cost me a bottle of wine," the coach told reporters, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton.Matthews is looking forward to receiving his winnings."It's going to feel really nice to get that from him," the 19-year-old said.The No. 1 overall pick is underage in the U.S., but he can legally drink it in Canada.Everything's coming up Matthews these days.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 are the fantasy repercussions of Montreal Canadiens RW Brendan Gallagher being ruled out for the next two months due to a broken hand:Gallagher joins Canadiens Cs Alex Galchenyuk and David Desharnais, RW Andrew Shaw, and D Andrei Markov on the sideline. They represent the teams fifth, sixth, ninth, 11th and 15th-leading scorers. While the team's top-four point-getters in LW Max Pacioretty, RW Alexander Radulov, D Shea Weber, and C Paul Byron are all active, there isn't much further depth.A top line of Pacioretty, Radulov and C Phillip Danault will remain in tact, but the second line of LW Artturi Lehkonen, C Tomas Plekanec and RW Sven Andrighetto isn't overly attractive. The pass-first Plekanec is never an ideal daily fantasy target due to his basement-level floor. His seasonal value exists only in extremely deep leagues when he doesn't have the privilege of centering the team's top wingers.Any forward outside of Pacioretty and Radulov can be dropped in season-long leagues. Byron had five goals and six assists in December, but he tallied just 21 shots on goal in 14 games. He doesn't provide enough production in the other categories to warrant a constant roster spot with such inconsistent offensive production.Galchenyuk participated in his first team practice Friday, but he remains a long way out from returning to game action.Waiver Wire Options

Craig Cunningham's life changed on Nov. 19, when he suffered an acute cardiac arrest ventricular fibrillation that came very close to ending his life.The incident occurred moments before Cunningham was to play in a game for the Tucson Roadrunners, the AHL affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes. Trainers and firefighters - who were at the game to play the national anthem using bagpipes - literally saved his life.The 26-year-old's hockey career is over, but he's alive, and thankful, and revealed to ESPN's Craig Custance that his recovery included having part of his left leg amputated.Custance writes:

The Washington Capitals really enjoyed ending the Columbus Blue Jackets' 16-game winning streak on Thursday.Like, a lot."I think 16's a fluke, 17 would have been the streak," defenseman John Carlson said - likely tongue-in-cheek - after his team's 5-0 win, in which he scored and registered an assist, according to the Washington Times' Tommy Chalk.Columbus finished one victory short of tying the all-time record for most wins in a row, set by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins.Andre Burakovsky, who said before the game his team would have fun ending the Jackets' run, put his money where his mouth was, scoring his fifth of the season.Justin Williams was all about it, too."I wanted to stop the streak," he said. "Who wouldn't want to stop a streak? I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about it, for sure. And we did, pretty good game."The Blue Jackets disagree.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL is coming for China.Or at least that is the goal in mind as NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly gets set for a business trip to the Asian nation.With China boasting the largest population in the world and a hockey market that remains largely untapped - though the KHL did expand to China in 2016 - the NHL is hoping to enter the region with the hopes of hosting preseason and eventually regular-season games in the country."I think it’s fair to say we hope to be in a position to stage NHL games there, probably initially preseason games and then potentially on a longer-term basis, regular-season games," Daly said, according to Puck Daddy's Josh Cooper. "We’re working on that possibility potentially as early as next year and with this visit, we’ll know a lot more about whether we can pull that off or not."Daly plans to visit the country and set the ground work before NHL commissioner Gary Bettman pays a visit in the spring. All things considered Daly admits nothing is set in stone at this time."I think the hope is certainly we’d like to do it for next year, but I’m not in a position as I sit here right now that it’s definitely going to happen for next year and again part of what we’ll be doing when we’re over there is seeing whether it can happen as early as next year," Daly said. "That’s where I’ll leave it. We have a certain scenario in mind with respect to what can be done, we just have to make sure it can be done before we make any announcements."To add to the allure of hockey in China is the fact that the country will host the 2022 Winter Olympics, which will take place in the capital of Beijing."I think (the Winter Olympics) has created an emphasis on building winter sport in China and obviously we’re a primary winter sport," Daly said. "I think there’s interest and appetite within kind of the governmental circles to make efforts at building hockey infrastructure and we want to be helpful, as the premier professional hockey league in the world, we want to be helpful in building that infrastructure."It will be interesting to see if such a deal has any pull on the Pyeongchang games with South Korea and China separated by just a short two-hour flight. A decision on whether NHLers will participate at the 2018 Olympics has still not been made.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brendan Gallagher is dealing with another significant hand injury.The Montreal Canadiens forward will likely be out for a minimum of eight weeks after having surgery on his fractured left hand Thursday night in Montreal, the club announced Friday.Gallagher was struck by teammate Shea Weber's shot in a win over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night. He returned to Montreal to be evaluated after the game.The winger missed six weeks last season after breaking two fingers on the same hand.Gallagher's injury is obviously devastating for the Canadiens, and the announcement of his diagnosis comes one day after the club revealed both Alex Galchenyuk and Andrei Markov are nearing returns from their respective ailments.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Kane didn't follow Joel Quenneville's instructions, but it all worked out in the end.The Chicago Blackhawks head coach wanted his star to come off the ice just before Kane scored the overtime winner to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 on Thursday night."As I was backchecking some of the boys were telling me 'Q' was yelling at me to change," Kane said postgame, according to The Chicago Tribune's Chris Hine. "I don't know if I kind of blew him off but I figured we had a chance there and decided to take it."Quenneville wasn't upset about it afterward."The time I wanted him to come off was the right time, then it was too late and he had to stay," the coach said. "Give him credit. He knows the game and opportunities. It was a great play."The Blackhawks won for only the second time in their last seven games, and for the first time in their last four contests at United Center in Chicago."That could be (a) huge win for us here, especially when you look at halfway point of the season," Kane said. "You lose that one, maybe you start losing a little confidence."The Hart Trophy winner certainly isn't lacking in that category, and thankfully for Kane, Quenneville gets it.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

America: Great again. And a true hockey power.The United States beat Canada in what's being called one of the greatest gold-medal games ever played at the World Junior Hockey Championship on Thursday, coming out on top 5-4 in a shootout. The U.S. finished the tournament a perfect 7-0.It's the Americans' third gold in eight tries at the event this decade, tops among all participating nations. Finland's won twice, and Canada, Russia, and Sweden once.It's the fourth gold medal for the U.S. at the world juniors overall, and the Americans improved to 3-1 against Canada with everything on the line - including 2-0 on Canadian soil.Here are three reasons why the U.S. got it done Thursday:Parsons was better than HartJoseph Woll was in goal - and played very well - when the Americans beat Canada on New Year's Eve. On Thursday, it was Tyler Parson's turn.The U.S. went into the final with a marked advantage in goal, and Parsons outplaying Hart is the most critical reason why the Americans woke up smiling Friday morning, while the Canadians got no sleep.Related: The Mid-Week Take: Canada needs a goaltending summitParsons was brilliant, especially late in the game and in overtime. He finished with 46 saves on 50 shots - good for a .958 save percentage - including 17 in the extra 20 minutes.Hart stopped 31-of-36 shots, an .861 save percentage, and finished the tournament at a disappointing .9057, sixth among goalies who played at least four games. Parson's final line of .9167 ranked third.Up 2-0 and 4-2, Hart wasn't able to make the big save when his team needed it most. And while the Canadian 'tender was strong in the shootout, stopping four of five shots, Parsons was better, perfect in fact, stopping all five Canadian shooters.Gold medal on the line, and Parsons stepped up and grabbed it.USA: The comeback kidsCanada blew a pair of two-goal leads. That fact makes what the U.S. accomplished - on Canadian ice, no less - that much more impressive.And as Charlie McAvoy, the U.S.' player of the game, noted, not once did the U.S. think or display any signs that it was going to lose. Not when it was down 2-0, the U.S. coming out determined to start the second period, and not when it was down 4-2, after Canada scored two in just over two minutes less than five minutes into the third period.And the U.S. came back fast. Down 2-0, its first two goals were scored in six-and-a-half minutes in the second period, and it struck for two in the third period in just over two minutes when facing a 4-2 hole.It's cliche, but, backs against the wall, the U.S. responded. Twice. On the road. In what was for many of the kids the biggest game of their lives.No panic, no quit. Full marks to the U.S. for getting to overtime, staying alive, and doing what it needed to do - scoring one goal to Canada's none in the shootout - to get the job done.Canada faltered when it mattered mostYou can't blow a two-goal lead in a gold-medal game. And you really can't blow two of them.And yet, after watching its 4-2 lead evaporate in the third period only three minutes after again going up by two, Canada still had many chances to win it.U.S. defenseman Casey Fitzgerald gifted the Canadians a power play with a delay of game penalty with less than nine minutes to play, but Canada was unable to convert. Looking at you, third overall pick in 2016, Pierre-Luc Dubois: