Slow starts to the season are one thing, but prolonged lack of production can affect a team's chances of success.Here are five players that need to start producing ... and quick:Evgeny KuznetsovThe Washington Capitals waited almost four years for Evgeny Kuznetsov to make his NHL debut after drafting him 26th overall in 2010, and their patience was rewarded with a 20-goal, 77-point performance in 2015-16 - his second full season.Unfortunately, that breakout hasn't carried over, and with only three goals and six assists through 23 games, Kuznetsov is on pace for 11 goals and 32 points, meaning a 45-point drop off from last season.It's not due to a lack of opportunity, as Kuznetsov is seeing basically the same amount of ice time among Washington's top-six forwards.Kuznetsov's lack of production is certainly one reason why the Capitals have fallen from first place in the league standings to the second-wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.Patrice BergeronThe NHL's prototypical two-way center scored a career-high 32 goals last season, but through 22 games, Patrice Bergeron is on pace for less than half of that total.Bergeron has recorded four goals and three assists for the Boston Bruins, and while he plays on one of the league's best trios in terms of possession, it's linemates David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand who are putting up the numbers.Related: 5 of the NHL's most dominant linesThe Bruins rank fifth in the NHL with 55 goals allowed, but 23rd in goals for.A boost from Bergeron would go a long way towards lifting the latter, as well as securing the team's first playoff spot in three years.Ryan Nugent-HopkinsWhile Connor McDavid is proving to be worth every ounce of hype that followed him throughout his junior career and into the pro ranks, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins hasn't quite lived up to expectations for the Edmonton Oilers."There is no doubt that (Nugent-Hopkins) is one of those players that needs to pick his socks up and give us better performances," head coach Todd McLellan recently said.Nugent-Hopkins ranks sixth on the Oilers with four goals and eight assists, and is on pace to fall 20 points shy of his career high 56, which he has hit in two separate seasons.Andrew LaddAfter allowing Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen to depart as unrestricted free agents this past summer, general manager Garth Snow attempted to fill the void by signing Andrew Ladd to a seven-year, $38.5-million contract.To say he's not living up to that commitment would be a massive understatement. In 24 games with the Islanders, Ladd has scored two goals, and has chipped in three helpers.For his career, Ladd is averaging 49 points for every 82 games played, but is currently on pace for 17.It's no wonder the Islanders have fallen to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.Anthony DuclairThe Arizona Coyotes are trying to build something special around a group of talented young players, with Anthony Duclair seemingly an integral part of that group.The last-place club, however, is suffering from Duclair's sophomore slump.The 21-year-old scored 20 goals last season, but has managed to net one in 23 games to date, with three assists to his credit. Altogether, he's on pace for a grand total of four goals and 14 points.Some sort of regression was expected, considering Duclair's 20 goals were scored on 105 shots, but this near disappearance has to be troubling for the Coyotes, who would reportedly be willing to part ways with the winger if the price is right.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Extenuating circumstances prevented John Gibson from trotting onto the ice in relief of Jonathan Bernier during a lopsided 8-3 loss to the Calgary Flames on Sunday."We had to leave Bernier in the net because Gibson had diarrhea and had the flu all day," Anaheim Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle candidly admitted after the game, per Kristen Odland of Postmedia.Had Gibson been available, Bernier would have been yanked at the 12:55 mark of the second period.

Connor McDavid wasn't pleased about missing part of Sunday's overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild.After the Edmonton Oilers center tripped over a stick and banged his face on the ice, he was pulled from the contest after the designated concussion spotter deemed it necessary to put him through the head injury assessment test.Related: McDavid goes through concussion protocol after smacking face off ice"I was pretty shocked, to be honest," he told reporters after the game. "I hit my mouth on the ice. You reach up and grab your mouth when you get hit in the mouth. It's a pretty normal thing. Obviously the spotter thought he knew how I was feeling and pulled me off."Sh--ty time of the game too, I guess, where it's little bit a partial five-on-three and going into a power play after late in the second period where if you capitalize it could change the game."He added that the concussion spotter was simply doing his job looking out for the players' well-being according to league guidelines. The test took about 20 minutes, and McDavid, still clearly frustrated with the night's events, said the it was "a bit of a process and inconvenient."He was able to return in the third period and was denied a great chance to give his team the lead late in regulation, finishing the game with four shots in 20:38 of ice time.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It wasn't without protest, but the NHL's concussion spotters were able to haul Connor McDavid off the bench to initiate mandated protocol after he slammed his mouth on the ice while tripping over the stick of Jared Spurgeon.McDavid missed a brief two-man advantage, and subsequently the balance of the period, when he walked down the tunnel with six minutes and 28 seconds left in the middle frame.He returned for the start of the third period.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames changed the game in the blink of an eye.In the second period of Sunday's game versus the Anaheim Ducks, four Flames forwards - Troy Brouwer, Alex Chiasson, Matt Stajan, and Sam Bennett - plus defenseman Dougie Hamilton rallied to score five goals in 6:04.It was a rough second period for Ducks netminder Jonathan Bernier, who stopped just 14 of the 20 shots he faced.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the injury bug finally behind him, Mike Smith is back. Bigly.The Arizona Coyotes goaltender has battled consistency through his time in the desert, but he's also been no stranger to the injury ward.No ailment was more significant than last year's double hernia, which sidelined the veteran netminder for 40 games, an injury he tried to play through before ultimately undergoing core muscle surgery last December.Making his return on March 12 - a 4-0 shutout win over the Edmonton Oilers - Smith has since appeared in 20 games. He's faced 680 shots in the stretch, allowing just 43 goals, good for a .937 save percentage.Related: Mike Smith turns in career-high 58 saves in loss to Blue JacketsCoyotes goalie coach Jon Elkin, who has coached Smith since he was 12 years old, attributes a clean bill of health to the rebound performance."Apart from the minor setback with the (left) knee earlier this year, he's the healthiest he has been in a long, long time," Elkin told Arizona Sports reporter Craig Morgan last week. "Technically, with all the work he has put in a little more than a year, he's as sound as he’s ever been."We've got him low again. The puck comes from the ice and he's a big guy to begin with so by getting low, it gets you dialed in, it allows you to track the puck so much better and it helps you move that much better because you're in an athletic stance."Smith's strong play has continued through the current season, and aside from that knee injury that kept him out of the lineup for 12 games, he's back to performing as he did his first year in Arizona.Season GP Record GAA SV%2016-17104-2-32.64.9302015-163215-13-22.63.9162014-156214-42-53.16.9042013-146227-21-102.64.9152012-133415-12-52.58.9102011-126738-18-102.21.930In that 2011-2012 season, Smith won 38 games and posted a .930 save percentage - he's now matched that figure this season - and pushed the Coyotes to their first playoff series win since the franchise left Winnipeg in 1996."I've always stressed that health is pretty important and since I came back from my injury I've felt like I could do things I haven't been able to do for a few years," Smith told Morgan. "The knee injury was frustrating earlier this year because coming into camp I felt like I was in my best shape maybe in three to four years, but having been through it before I knew how to get back and I feel good now."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

An early return on, well, his early return.With his first shot on goal on the first shift of his accelerated return from a broken finger, Johnny Gaudreau gave the Calgary Flames the lead over the Anaheim Ducks.Gaudreau's sixth of the season came about three weeks ahead of schedule. He was expected to miss six weeks after having a procedure to repair the digit, but ended up missing just 10 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kane to Panarin. We'll never get sick of that.With less than seven minutes remaining in Sunday's match between the Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets, the Hawks top line made magic.Gaining the Winnipeg zone, Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane set up linemate Artemi Panarin with a quick cross-ice pass, who fired the pretty feed by Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck for his 10th goal on the season.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Henrik Zetterberg's recent roll has carried him beyond Pavel Datsyuk.While extending his goal streak to three games in a win over the New York Islanders on Sunday, Zetterberg passed his long-time teammate on the Detroit Red Wings' all-time goal-scoring list with the 315th of this career.He now ranks alone in seventh on the all-time list after entering the season tied with Brendan Shanahan for eighth.Somewhat surprisingly, Zetterberg surpassed Datsyuk in fewer games, though the two late-round steals that epitomize what made the Red Wings great for so many years share a near-identical per-game scoring rate.Zetterberg is 63 points behind the recent NHL retiree on the club's all-time points list. He made his debut with the Red Wings one season after Datsyuk's arrival.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Luckily for Artemi Panarin, he makes his living as an artist on the ice, not one with an easel and palette.As part of a recent initiative supporting Blackhawks Charities, several Hawks traded in their hockey sticks for paint brushes. A handful of players took part in the effort, including Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, and Brian Campbell.

Clarke MacArthur has unfinished business.The Ottawa Senators winger had hoped to make a healthy return this season, only to suffer a head injury in training camp following a nasty hit by farmhand Patrick Sieloff.The veteran winger has missed the entire season and was limited to just four contests last year as he continues to deal with post-concussion issues.No doubt his return would be a boost to the Senators, a team seeking offensive depth. Ottawa has scored just 59 goals on the season, the seventh-worst tally in the league."I want to play for sure," MacArthur told Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. "Things are slowly getting better. We've got to do the tests but if I'm medically cleared, I'm for sure playing."While MacArthur understands the risks after suffering four concussions in the past year-and-a-half, that hasn't stopped his plans for a return to the ice. Retirement certainly isn't on MacArthur's mind, as has been the path of many others who have dealt with post-concussion symptoms."The way things kind of ended, I don't want it to end like that. I feel like I can still play," MacArthur added. "I haven't been able to fulfil anything in this contract I've signed, and that's a kind of cloud over top of me. You want to come back and earn your money and do what you're supposed to do. That's something that has been bugging me for some time here so I definitely want to get back out there and do whatever I can."MacArthur joined the Senators as a free agent in 2014, scoring 55 points in his first season with the club. He is signed through the 2019-20 season and carries a $4.65-million AAV.In the meantime, MacArthur continues to skate and hopes to lose his 'no-contact' jersey soon as he continues to progress toward a return. MacArthur has circled early January as his target date to return to game action."After the bye week (from Jan. 2 to Jan. 7) would be ideal for me," MacArthur said. "To get back in it full swing. That's what I’m shooting for. I'm sure when I get back it's going to be an adjustment early. But I feel when I get in real game shape and back at it, I have full confidence that I'll be able to get back to what I was before."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Top Montreal Canadiens center Alex Galchenyuk suffered an apparent right leg injury in Sunday's win over the Los Angeles Kings.Though the club was quick to announce he would not return after the accidental collision with Anze Kopitar left him hobbled, it did not provide an update on the severity the injury after the game.It's expected the Canadiens will have more information Monday.In tandem with Alexander Radulov, Galchenyuk has fueled Montreal's offense this season, accounting for a team-high nine goals and 23 points.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Michel Therrien and the Montreal Canadiens may have rescued more than just a win on their final stop during an unsuccessful tour through California.In his first meaningful minutes with leading scorers Alexander Radulov and Alex Galchenyuk, and with speculation about his future again beginning to bubble underneath the surface, captain Max Pacioretty recorded his first multi-goal effort this year and finished with three points in a shootout win Sunday over the Los Angeles Kings.Pacioretty scored just his sixth of the season with Montreal's first shot on goal, then notched his second on a new-look No. 1 power-play unit in the second period before recording the primary assist on a power-play marker from Radulov, who also had three points.Before we conclude that saturating the top line with the most talented attacking players on the roster will put Pacioretty back on a direct path to another 30-goal season and snap the entire roster out of its recent goal funk, there are a few things to consider.First, though they scored at even strength and threatened at times throughout, the possession-dominant Kings more often than not drove the unit back into their own end to defend at five on five. And furthermore, Galchenyuk exited the game in the third period with an undisclosed injury.Still, an apparent solution that seemed to exist in plain sight helped Pacioretty and the Canadiens make a minor breakthrough at an important time.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jonathan Toews will be off skates for a few days.Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville said Sunday that Toews' back injury is "not getting better," reports the Chicago Tribune's Chris Hine.Toews will miss his sixth straight game Sunday, and the Blackhawks will assess his status in the middle of next week.The Blackhawks can afford to be patient with Toews, as the club is playing solid hockey, leading the Central Division with 35 points.No. 19 has clearly been slowed by the injury, with only four goals and 12 points in 21 games. He's shooting 7.4 percent, and that's notable because Toews has never shot lower than 12.4 percent, and has scored 20 or more goals in each season of his remarkable career.Season Goals Shooting Percentage2007-082416.7%2008-093417.4%2009-102512.4%2010-113213.7%2011-122915.7%2012-132316.1%2013-142814.5%2014-152814.6%2015-162815.6%2016-1747.4%Chicago is home to Arizona, the Rangers, and Dallas next week, so Toews will be rehabbing at home.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders wanted a reunion with former winger Thomas Vanek.After his contract was bought out by the Minnesota Wild this offseason, the veteran forward signed on with the Detroit Red Wings, but not before his former club threw in their two cents.According to Newsday's Arthur Staple, the Islanders reached out to Vanek in free agency prior to his signing with the Red Wings.Vanek, of course, spent a partial season with the Islanders in 2013-14 following an early-season trade with the Buffalo Sabres. As fans recall, Vanek found success on the Island, scoring 44 points in 47 games, often seeing shifts alongside captain John Tavares.But Vanek's tenure with the Islanders was short lived, as he was shipped to the Montreal Canadiens at that season's trade deadline.Not long after, the Islanders saw a move of their own, shifting from Nassau Coliseum to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn - the often slagged arena that has been criticized for its poor sight lines and its long distance from the Long Island fan base."When I was here a few years back, I would've stayed in a heartbeat if we'd stayed on the Island," Vanek told Staple prior to Sunday's match between the Islanders and Red Wings. "It was a good team, they're still a good team. Every team loses guys, what I know is (the Islanders) moving (to Brooklyn) had turned some guys off."Part of what convinced Vanek to sign in Detroit was the chance to reunite with Frans Nielsen, who also signed with the Red Wings this summer. Nielsen made his NHL debut with the Islanders in 2006 and spent the next 10 seasons with the club."Franny signing (in Detroit) made it an even easier choice," Vanek told Staple.As for Vanek, he's rediscovered his scoring touch in Motown, notching 11 points in 14 games so far this season, while the club in Brooklyn is left to wonder what could have been.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Josh Gorges will be out of the lineup for the long term.He's out "weeks" with a non-displaced fracture in his foot, head coach Dan Bylsma told reporters Sunday.Gorges was hurt blocking a shot in Thursday's win over the New York Rangers, and missed Saturday's loss to the Boston Bruins.The veteran ranks fifth on the Sabres in average time on ice, and has just a single point in 23 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Johnny Hockey is a quick healer.Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau said he's ready to return to the lineup Sunday night against the Anaheim Ducks, less than three weeks after having surgery to repair his broken finger.Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan confirmed the decision moments after Gaudreau's proclamation.

Toronto Maple Leafs farmhand Garret Sparks returned to action Saturday after being suspended by the team for making violent and sexist remarks on Facebook."It's been a lot to deal with," Sparks said, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton. "I understand what I did."Toronto Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe said what happened was part of the education of a professional athlete. Sparks started for the club Saturday, stopping 27 of 30 shots in a 3-2 loss.While the Marlies and Leafs believed Sparks' intentions were in the right place, the goaltender acknowledged his mistake and the lessons he learned."I should know the difference between what I can and can't say. It's just holding myself to a higher standard of professionalism."Copyright © 2016 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, Dec. 4 (advanced stats courtesy of Corsica.Hockey):Triple Threat

Few expected the Columbus Blue Jackets to be within striking distance of the NHL's best record more than a quarter of the way through the season, but here we are.John Tortorella's club now sits three points back of the league-leading New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks, with three games in hand on both following a 58-shot performance and shootout victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday night.The Blue Jackets have gotten a little bit of luck early on, but much of their success has been well deserved.Here's how they've done it:Scoring aplentyThe cannon has been getting a workout.Related: Blue Jackets set franchise record with 10-goal destruction of CanadiensOnly the Rangers have scored more goals per game (3.65) than the Blue Jackets, who've poured in an average of 3.13 in 23 contests. It's been a marked improvement from 2015-16, when Columbus ranked 18th with 2.6 goals per game over the full season.The Blue Jackets also boast the league's second-best power play so far, scoring at a 23.8 percent clip. Columbus' power play is the NHL's best on home ice, where it's converted 10 of 30 opportunities.Strong play in their own endSergei Bobrovsky struggled last season and was limited to only 37 games due to injury, but he's been one of the NHL's best goaltenders early on this season.Bobrovsky is 13-5-2 with a 2.08 GAA, a save percentage of .929, and three shutouts, all while shouldering a heavy workload by appearing in 20 of Columbus' 23 games.He's had help, too. The Blue Jackets have allowed the 11th-fewest shots on goal per game, and the sixth-fewest goals per contest at just 2.22.Respectable possession numbersTortorella has Columbus playing a different game than in seasons past - and it's paying off.The Blue Jackets rank ninth in the NHL in 5-on-5 shots for percentage (51.66), meaning they're out-shooting opponents and controlling play.They're eighth in the league in shots per game (30.9) and 12th in even-strength Corsi For percentage (50.64), which shows they're not only generating shots on net, but also creating more shot attempts than they've allowed.The Blue Jackets also have the fifth-best offensive zone-start percentage, meaning only four teams are taking faceoffs in the opponent's end more often than Columbus.There is one concerning trend amid the Blue Jackets' hot start, however. Their PDO is sixth in the NHL (101.75), and that figure - which combines the primarily luck-driven categories of shooting percentage and save percentage - typically regresses over time when it's above 100.Still, there are some definite signs of improvement in Columbus, and if they can be sustained over the full 82-game schedule, a playoff berth could certainly be within reach.(Statistics courtesy: Corsica.hockey, NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the first time in 10 days, the Tampa Bay Lightning won a game. And they're feeling pretty good about it.Led by Ben Bishop - who hasn't done much leading so far this season - the Lightning defeated the Washington Capitals 2-1 in a shootout. Bishop stopped 34-of-35 shots, finishing with a save percentage above .910 for only the second time in eight games."(Saturday) was a big step in the right direction," Bishop said. "Now we have to take another one."The Lightning were losers of four in a row and five of six before taking down Washington."Big win," Brian Boyle said, according to The Tampa Bay Times' Joe Smith. "Stop the bleeding."Victor Hedman said the Lightning finally played the way they know they're capable of, calling the game one of the team's most complete of the season."Just the effort, the compete level, desperation - everything was outstanding," he said.Tampa Bay's right back at it Sunday at 5 p.m. ET against the Carolina Hurricanes. And Jon Cooper's club is likely thinking that's a good thing.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anders Nilsson is a lot more than a Buffalo Sabres goaltender.The 26-year-old is enjoying a strong season - he has a .934 save percentage in eight games and seven starts - but he's making headlines for sporting a pride flag in support of the LGBT community on the back of his helmet.Nilsson spoke about the flag with The Buffalo News' John Vogl, saying gay friends and witnessing their struggle was the impetus behind the decision."Life hasn't been easy for them growing up," Nilsson said. "It's time that hockey starts to pay some attention to that."This summer, I thought, why not be the first goalie to put (the pride flag) on the helmet and raise some awareness?"

Eric Semborski feels like he owes the Chicago Blackhawks some money.The 23-year-old had the Saturday of all Saturdays, after it appeared to be any other regular Saturday. Working at the Philadelphia Flyers' practice facility in Voorhees, N.J., Semborski got a call from a member of the Chicago Blackhawks - they needed a goalie.Corey Crawford couldn't make the club's 1 p.m. ET start against the Flyers - he had appendicitis. Chicago's minor-league team was in Grand Rapids, Mich., and the Blackhawks had no salary cap space to work with.Enter, Semborski."Oh, Chicago needs a goalie," is what Semborski was told on the phone, writes NHL.com's Adam Kimelman, after he was asked about his time in the crease over the years."Go home, get your stuff, and if they're going to use you, they'll call you," Semborski was told.His phone rang shortly after, and that's when Semborski realized he had to get his gear and head to the Wells Fargo Center; to the Blackhawks' dressing room, specifically. And he showed up late, not wearing a suit or tie, after being stuck in traffic, Kimelman writes.Sleeping with the enemy - in a good way"We let him slide," said Blackhawks goalie Scott Darling, who got the start against Philly, adding the digs at Semborski's expense were meant to lighten the mood and make him feel welcome. Semborski's a Flyers fan, after all.Watching the Blackhawks beat the Flyers in the 2010 Stanley Cup Final "was one of the hardest things I ever watched," Semborski told The Chicago Sun Times' Mark Lazerus."That's all forgotten," Semborski added. "I'm a Hawks fan today."Yeah, there are no more hard feelings."They put my number on the board and said I was throwing in 200 bucks for the holiday party," Semborski said about his tardiness. "That was pretty good. I told them, 'You'd better take credit, because that's all I've got.'"On the topic of money: Semborski didn't collect a dime from the Blackhawks. Hopefully he got to take home Corey Crawford's No. 50 jersey, which had Semborski's name sewn on it before the former Temple University goalie took to the rink for pregame warmup."I should be paying them," Semborski said of "the best 20 minutes of my life."And as those 20 minutes came to an end, he stopped a wrist shot by Patrick Kane, the 2016 Art Ross Trophy winner, one of the few pucks not to find the net. That's a story to keep in your back pocket."Dream come true," Semborski told CSNPhilly.com's Jordan Hall.And it happened on Semborski's father's 58th birthday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson will miss the next six-to-eight weeks after breaking his fibula in Saturday's loss to the Dallas Stars.It's believed Johnson suffered the injury blocking a shot from Tyler Seguin.The club's best possession defender through 23 games, Johnson has taken a team-high 30 shifts per game for the Avalanche. He has a goal and a share of the team lead in assists with 10.A mid-January return is the best-case scenario for the 28-year-old top-pairing defenseman.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nobody earned their paycheck more on Saturday than Mike Smith.The Arizona Coyotes backstop turned in the goaltending performance of the season making an ridiculous 58 saves against the Columbus Blue Jackets - the most of any goaltender this year - through 65 minutes of play.Unfortunately, he couldn't keep it going in the shootout allowing both shots he faced as this club ultimately fell 3-2 in an unfortunate losing effort. Meanwhile the 60 shots fired his way subsequently set a new franchise record for the Blue Jackets.The performance also sets a career high for Smith, who has been no stranger to busy nights, having averaged 42 shots against per game over his last five starts.

There were (actual) pleasantries in lieu of death threats after Erik Gudbranson and Matt Martin settled their dispute with an exchanging of fists Saturday in the highly-anticipated rematch between the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs."I have a lot of respect for him," Martin said of Gudbranson after Vancouver's shootout win, according to TSN's Mark Masters."He wears his heart of his sleeve. He's a guy I'd have in my corner any day."Instead, the two came out of separate corners. And with a nod of approval, the heavyweights effectively put a stop to the acrimony between the two clubs after combining for 171 penalty minutes in a Maple Leafs win last month."I think we kinda both knew it was going to go down at some point," Gudbranson said. "Then it went."It did appear as though the two were still yapping at one another while serving their five-minute majors, but as Gudbranson explained, the two were actually talking strategy."I asked him why I couldn't hold onto his shoulder pads, if he has them sewn shut or something," Gudbranson said. "That was about it."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Markus Granlund and Bo Horvat scored in the shootout, Ryan Miller was solid at the end of a busy night in goal and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Saturday.Miller had 38 saves and stopped 2 of 3 attempts in the shootout, backing regulation goals from Daniel Sedin and Sven Baertschi.James van Riemsdyk and Auston Matthews scored for Toronto. Frederik Andersen turned away 22 shots.Mitch Marner scored in the shootout for Toronto, but Miller stopped Matthews and Tyler Bozak to clinch it.Down 2-1 after 40 minutes, the Leafs came out flying in the third period and tied it on Matthews' 11th of the season after the Canucks were punished for successive icings. Zach Hyman collected a deflected point shot behind the Vancouver net and fed the 2016 No. 1 overall draft pick in front. Matthews fired a quick wrist shot past Miller for his fifth goal in the last five games at 1:56.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Don't expect the Vancouver Canucks to tear it down as long as Henrik and Daniel Sedin are in town.Canucks president Trevor Linden did a Q-and-A with Sportsnet's Luke Fox where he admitted that his loyalty to the franchise's all-time leading scorers takes priority over a potential rebuild."We have Daniel and Henrik Sedin here, who are very important to this organization and icons in the city. They're not going anywhere. I don't know how I walk into the room and tell these guys, 'Strip it down.' I'm not sure it's fair to these guys," said Linden. "There's different circumstances, be it in Toronto or Carolina or Vancouver, that require different routes. It's not perfect, but I'm encouraged by the young players we've introduced, and we've got some young prospects."After amassing 101 points in 2015, the Canucks took a dive in the standings finishing with 75 points last season, a total they are on pace to only slightly edge with 78.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrik Laine can do more than score.After nabbing a share of the league-lead with his 16th snipe, Laine delivered the Winnipeg Jets the extra point in overtime with a silky smooth backhand dish to Bryan Little, who scored the game winner versus the St. Louis Blues.Laine now has 16 goals and 23 points in 27 games, keeping his nose out in front in the Calder Trophy race.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Like father, like son.St. Louis Blues forward Alexander Steen hammered his 200th career goal past Winnipeg Jets goaltender Michael Hutchinson Saturday night, matching a rather unique milestone.With the goal, Steen joins his father Thomas - who ironically played his entire NHL career with the Jets - becoming just the third father-son duo to both score over 200 goals.The Steens join the likes of Bobby and Brett Hull, and J.P. and Zach Parise as the only pairs to complete the feat. As for who reigns supremacy in the Steen household, Alex will need 64 more goals to match his father's career output.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Don Cherry didn't just go out and pick his latest threads off the rack, did he?After the polarizing talking head wrapped up his weekly segment on Saturday, a Reddit user shared a photo of himself in the same Christmas-themed getup.

Watch out Sid.Winnipeg Jets forward Patrik Laine beat St. Louis Blues netminder Carter Hutton for his 16th goal of the year on Saturday and his fourth in three games.With the goal, Laine now has a share of the league lead with Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby.Not bad for a rookie.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Erik Gudbranson didn't kill Matt Martin (yet, at least) Saturday night, but he did land several punches to his adversary's face.In a fight as preordained as they come, the two settled the score after Gudbranson failed to get his hands on Martin during the venomous meeting between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks last month.What initially infuriated Gudbranson - and prompted him to shout death threats in the hallway after the game - was Martin engaging rookie Troy Stecher in a fight after Derek Dorsett apparently turned him down.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's safe to say outspoken hockey broadcaster Don Cherry doesn't agree with the firing of Gerard Gallant.Related: Rowe advocated for Gallant 'numerous times' during tenureCherry spoke during his usual Coach's Corner segment on Hockey Night in Canada Saturday where he was very blunt about how he felt about the Florida Panthers' decision to abruptly fire Gallant earlier this week."I've been involved a long time in hockey. I've seen bad firings, I've been fired myself - I thought in Colorado was rather bad. I have never seen anything like this, this is the worst firing in the history of the world," Cherry said. "Here's a guy that got 103 points last year, he was second for coach of the year, they get rid of the equipment manager - Mike Kelly, they get rid of him too - and this is how he gets fired."Since the firing the Panthers have gone 1-0-1 in two games under interim head coach and general manager Tom Rowe, collecting three of a possible four pointsCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Many in the hockey world believed that Tom Rowe replacing Gerard Gallant as head coach of the Florida Panthers was predetermined long before ownership made the controversial switch last weekend.Now that may or may not be the case. But as Rowe tells it, he wasn't involved in hatching such a plan."I told Vinnie Viola numerous times that Gerard Gallant was the perfect guy (to coach) this team," Rowe said in an exclusive interview with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. "The players loved him. I think with the millennial generation, he was a great guy, because he held them accountable but didn't go overboard with it."I had no intention of coaching."Rowe expressed regret for how things played out, even beyond the optics of Gallant having to wait curbside for a taxi moments after his dismissal. But at the same time, he understood, and was able to articulate why a change had to be made."We've spent an awful lot of money on the team - $250 million in the offseason. Vinnie locked up all the young guys, made no bones about it. He expects excellence. And if you don't know him, or never worked for anybody like Vinnie, (he's) never satisfied. Regardless of where we are record-wise. And it wasn't a terrible spot, I get it. But he expected an awful lot more."Rowe also was willing to offer Friedman insight on the process of tapping into analytic data in preparation for games. He explained that himself and assistant general manager Eric Joyce will look at the underlying numbers of players on the opposition and attempt to devise potential mismatches."From a coaching perspective, that's how we use it."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What could have been.Related: Blackhawks call on unlikely emergency backup with Crawford outFollowing the Chicago Blachawks 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers that saw former Temple University netminder Eric Semborski serve as backup, head coach Joel Quenneville admitted that if the Flyers had scored an empty-net goal to make the score 4-1, Semborski may have taken the net for the final minute of the game, according to Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times.Despite missing the chance to come in at the end of the game - or even during the second period as Quenneville also hinted at, according to Lazerus - Semborski was ecstatic of the chance he was given."I can't explain it, it was awesome," Semborski told reporters post-game. "A dream come true, it was so awesome hanging out with those guys, they made me feel welcome right away, joking around, good group, and it was a lot of fun."Unfortunately, Semborski will not be paid for his services, but, as he insisted, there is another way the Blackhawks could make it up to him.

It's as if Mike Cammalleri can't help himself.The New Jersey Devils forward chipped in another two goals against the Nashville Predators on Saturday, including the overtime-winner, adding to his recent offensive onslaught.With his two goals Saturday, the 34-year-old is now up to nine on the season and has six in six games since his return from a six-game absence. On top of that, Cammalleri also has five assists in that span, putting him on a pace for nearly two points per game.Of course, with Taylor Hall - who assisted on Cammalleri's OT winner - now in the fold, Cammalleri's production might not ease up anytime soon.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Corey Crawford will likely miss two-to-three weeks following surgery on his appendix, Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville announced Saturday.The 31-year-old underwent an appendectomy on Saturday in Philadelphia ahead of the club's 3-1 loss to the Flyers.In response to the injury news, the club signed Eric Semborski to an amateur tryout contract to serve as backup to Scott Darling.The injury to Crawford will surely be a blow to the club as Crawford had dressed in 20 of the team's 25 games going 12-6-2 with a 2.27 GAA and a .927 save percentage.Despite Saturday's loss, the club remains in top spot in the Western Conference with 35 points.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ivan Provorov scored a pair of goals in less than a minute against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.The Philadelphia Flyers defenseman teed up a slap shot and beat Scott Darling to tie the game early in the second period.The 19-year-old struck again to give Philadelphia the lead just over 30 seconds later.The goals were Provorov's second and third of both the season and his NHL career. They were his 10th and 11th points in his 26th game.(Videos courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers will be without defenseman Darnell Nurse for the foreseeable future, head coach Todd McLellan announced Saturday.While unable to provide specifics, McLellan said the injury occurred in Thursday's win over Winnipeg, and general manager Peter Chiarelli will provide an update in the next day or two.Nurse, 21, has registered three goals and two assists this season, averaging 17:40 of ice time in 25 contests.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators nabbed forward Reid Boucher off waivers from the New Jersey Devils, the club announced Saturday.The two clubs meet Saturday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.Boucher collected a pair of assists in nine games with the Devils this season.He split 2015-16 between New Jersey and its AHL affiliate in Albany, posting 19 points in 39 NHL contests with New Jersey and scoring 19 goals in 34 AHL games.Boucher was a fourth-round pick of the Devils in 2011.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford had an appendectomy performed in Philadelphia after being diagnosed with acute appendicitis, the club announced Saturday.The club is anticipating a full recovery and a return to play for Crawford, but the timeline won't be determined until they have more information.Earlier Saturday, Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville ruled his starter out of playing against the Flyers due to illness.The Blackhawks signed former Temple University goaltender Eric Semborski to an amateur tryout agreement after scrambling to find a goalie to back up Scott Darling in time for the matinee contest.After Saturday's game, the Blackhawks will travel home to face the Winnipeg Jets at the United Center on Sunday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every coach uses the blender.On nights when things are running smooth, there's an opportunity to invent and experiment with new forward lines and defensive pairings. Sometimes this leads to a spark, potentially changing the outcome, while other times it leads to the discovery of the next dominant line in the NHL.Some of which should then be exempt from the pureeing process.Here are five units that have dominated in the NHL this season:Marchand-Bergeron-PastrnakCF%SF%SCF/60SH%GF%65.065.66.377.4866.7A constant when all three are fit, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak have come together this season to form a dominant No. 1 line for the Boston Bruins.Among regular lines, they're the league's top possession unit at 65 percent, and conceding fewer shots than any line.The quality of their chances hasn't quite measured up to the volume of shots they've put on target. But with a low shooting percentage as a group (even despite Pastrnak's scorching start), we should expect this unit's play to result in a rush of goals.Sheary-Crosby-HagelinCF%SF%SCF/60SH%GF%71.1772.8811.249.3100Determining who's best fit to flank Sidney Crosby hasn't been as hot a topic of late, the captain's sizzle being omnipresent since the midpoint of last season.But has the answer all along been as simple as speed?Patric Hornqvist, Carl Hagelin, and Conor Sheary have been Crosby's primary wingers, with his best numbers coming with the latter speedsters. The Crosby-Hagelin-Sheary unit is up over 71 percent possession, are out-shooting the competition nearly 3-1, and haven't been on the ice for a goal against in 64 minutes at even strength.This is a small sample, and Crosby's numbers are comparably superb when on a line with Hornqvist. (Let's face it, the data is going to be impressive regardless of who's at his hip right now). But with the speed and finish Sheary possesses, he's brought more upside.Tkachuk-Backlund-FrolikCF%SF%SCF/60SH%GF%56.357.811.67.4866.7For another season the Flames are relying on one line. But this year it's the middle-six unit of Mikael Backlund, Michael Frolik, and rookie Matthew Tkachuk driving percentages.Scoring two goals to one against at evens, the trio have close to identical on-ice rates to the Bruins' top line mentioned above. And at a team-best 56.3 percent, they're not the puck hoarders Bergeron's line has been, but they're creating a higher volume of top-grade chances.Neal-Johansen-ArvidssonCF%SF%SCF/60SH%GF%57.958.812.166.2562.5As predicted, Viktor Arvidsson's influence has contributed on a larger scale in an increased role in Peter Laviolette's system.Ryan Johansen's top-line unit has been at its best with Arvidsson on one side, and either James Neal of Filip Forsberg on the other. It's been Forsberg's turn lately, perhaps in an effort to energize the 30-goal scorer from last season. But the Predators have a reliable option to fall back on.Neal, Johansen, and Arvidsson created more shots per 60 minutes than any unit with at least 100 minutes at even strength this year, but broke it up before the shooting clip could catch up to the NHL average.Skinner-Rask-StempniakCF%SF%SCF/60SH%GF%53.354.413.61580Conversely, the Hurricanes tweaked their ultra-efficient top line before it could begin to revert.Jeff Skinner, Victor Rask, and Lee Stempniak were outscoring the competition 12-3 at even strength before Elias Lindholm was bumped up onto the right side in place of the veteran Stempniak.Those 12 goals (scored on a heavily inflated shooting clip) remain second only to Toronto's second line of Mitch Marner, Tyler Bozak, and James van Riemsdyk.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks found their backup goaltender for Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers.Eric Semborski signed an amateur tryout agreement with the Blackhawks, who had to scramble to secure a netminder ahead of the matinee contest.The 23-year-old backed up Scott Darling, who's starting because Corey Crawford underwent an appendectomy Saturday.

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, December 3 (games starting prior to 7 p.m. ET are not included; advanced stats courtesy of Corsica.Hockey):Goalie Breakdown

Twenty-six games into the Patrik Laine era, and it's pretty safe to say the Winnipeg Jets are happy with their second overall pick.Laine's been remarkable, with 15 goals to his name already and a two-point advantage in the rookie scoring race.After all the pre-draft hype, the Jets were excited to land the Finnish sniper, but they never imagined this sort of production."When we got the pick, everyone was excited at the prospect of having Patty," Jets captain Blake Wheeler told ESPN's Pierre LeBrun. "You heard all the stories about his shot and the dynamic things he could do. That's all well and good, but he's 18. You expect there to be a learning curve, you expect to be some speed bumps along the way."All of a sudden, he's leading the NHL in goals, and it's not by mistake. It's crazy. He gets the puck in areas (where) you don't really feel like (he has) a scoring chance. All of sudden, it's in the back of the net. You just kind of shake your head."Laine has thrived in the spotlight, currently on pace for a whopping 47 goals and already netting two hat tricks in his young career.Emphasis on young - even the Jets sometimes forget their most dynamic scorer is only 18."It kind of blows your mind. You watch them play, and then they're back in the hotel room playing video games all day. You pinch yourself, and you say, 'Right, they're kids,'" Wheeler said of Laine and his cohort of youthful talent across the league.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Corey Crawford is sick, and his head coach doesn't seem very interested in talking about it.

Two of the NHL's most competitive teams have more in common than being perennial Stanley Cup contenders.The Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in eerily similar situations when it comes to their goaltenders.Here are three ways the Eastern Conference powerhouses' respective creases resemble each other:Struggling veteransThe two teams have plenty in common, and it starts, appropriately enough, with their longtime starting goaltenders.GoalieGPRecordGAASV%Marc-Andre Fleury (PIT)167-5-33.29.904Ben Bishop (TB)167-9-02.99.902Marc-Andre Fleury has accomplished plenty for the Penguins throughout his career, but he's no longer consistently dependable.The 32-year-old took a back seat to Matt Murray last spring, and that trend has resumed now that the latter is back to full health. Fleury hasn't exactly made a strong case for more starts, and he failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity to wrestle the crease back with Murray on the shelf earlier in the season.Ben Bishop's early mediocrity has been a bit more surprising, but his numbers are strikingly similar to that of his Pittsburgh counterpart. The 30-year-old Lightning starter is in the final year of his contract, but he hasn't played like a pending unrestricted free agent.Sonic youthBoth clubs have the luxury of possessing encouraging young netminders.GoalieGPRecordGAASV%Matt Murray (PIT)97-2-02.02.929Andrei Vasilevskiy (TB)106-2-12.24.930Murray's ascent has been well documented, but that doesn't make it any less impressive. The 22-year-old helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup after usurping the starting job last season, and he's been stellar so far in 2016-17 after returning from injury.Andrei Vasilevskiy is also 22 years old, and his stat line is almost a mirror image of that of his Penguins equivalent, although he hasn't yet been able to steal the starting job in Tampa Bay.Oddly similar contractsIt's not just the statistics and the ages of the four netminders that are similar.Bishop and Fleury both carry hefty cap hits, with the Lightning goalie on the books for $5.95 million and the Penguins net-protector coming in at $5.75 million for this season and the following two campaigns.As if that's not enough, Murray and Vasilevskiy signed nearly identical extensions prior to this season:Goalie 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20Murray$3.75M$3.75M$3.75MVasilevskiy$3.5M$3.5M$3.5MSo what do the two clubs do about their shared dilemma?The Lightning tried to trade Bishop at the draft and the Penguins have entertained the idea of dealing Fleury, but neither netminder has much value at the moment.It's a sticky situation for both teams, but at least Penguins GM Jim Rutherford and Lightning GM Steve Yzerman can understand each other's predicament.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks are good; we've known that for a long time. But after their most successful season in franchise history - one that saw the club fall two wins shy of the Stanley Cup - San Jose has maintained that success into the new campaign, but in a different way:Smothering their opponents.Led last season by Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, and Brent Burns, who notched 82, 78, and 75 points respectively, the Sharks had the fourth-most prolific offense, accompanied by a sturdy defensive game.This time around, improved defense has propelled them to a 15-9-1 record through 25 games, good for first in the Pacific.SeasonGF per gameGA per gameShots Against per game2015-162.94 (4th)2.52 (10th)27.4 (2nd)2016-172.40 (21st)2.04 (1st)26.2 (2nd)San Jose has only allowed four or more goals twice this season. For comparison's sake, the Dallas Stars, the team with the most goals against, has earned that dubious distinction seven times.Goaltender Martin Jones deserves plenty of credit for the turnaround, too, as the 26-year-old is tied for the league lead in wins (13) and sits fifth in goals-against average (1.99) in 22 starts.The Sharks' quest for the Cup fell short due to an inability to contain the potent attack of the Pittsburgh Penguins, but more than a quarter through this season, they seem to have steadily improved in that aspect.If they can keep the trend going, combined with the offensive prowess of the aforementioned All-Star core, expect San Jose to be right back in the mix come springtime.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.