The Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers quietly disposed of one another in forgettable five-game first-round series victories in the Stanley Cup Playoffs over the last two seasons.These dispirited matchups have helped lend support to the factions opposed to the NHL's current postseason format, which covets engineered rivalry over outcome.But after the Rangers and Penguins exchanged 14 goals and lopsided wins in a contentious early season home-and-home this week - remaining sardined at the apex of the Metropolitan Division standings - there's reason to wish for this previously ill-fated first-round matchup for a third straight season.We know about the Penguins. It's the championship iteration from last season - all season. Leading a championship roster brought back in full, Sidney Crosby has been at the very height of his game since returning from a concussion suffered prior to the season.He leads the NHL with 14 goals, performing at an 82-goal pace through his first 14 games.The Penguins are skilled, fast, and deep. They're the model for most teams to build around - the Rangers included.Working wonderfully at the margins, the Rangers changed their identity over the summer without implementing widespread changes to the roster. They've trampled teams with their emphasis on speed, and with scorers on all four lines, have emerged as the most dominant offense in the league thus far.With Rick Nash healthy and once again producing at a high rate, and Michael Grabner delivering a season's worth of offense in six weeks, the Rangers lead the league with 82 goals, and were averaging over four per game before their 6-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday night.It's early, but if the Penguins and Rangers stay on their current trajectories, and remain two of the most appetizing teams in the league, they appear primed to deliver on the playoff matchup that hasn't lived up to the billing over the last two seasons.That, however, doesn't mean the Washington Capitals won't interject.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With family surely on his mind, Mike Cammalleri turned in a truly inspiring performance Wednesday.The New Jersey Devils forward cashed in a goal and three assists in helping the club to a 5-4 shootout victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.The story of the night was his return to the lineup after he missed six games to be with his 5-year-old daughter, Chloe, who was battling severe pneumonia."One of the things underestimated about (Cammalleri) is his personality and leadership," head coach John Hynes said postgame, according to TSN's Mark Masters. "He has moxie."

The Calgary Flames added two goaltenders this past offseason, and the supposed backup is emerging as the number one option.The movesOn June 24, the Flames acquired Brian Elliott from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a pair of draft picks. The veteran had one year remaining on his contract at a cap hit of $2.5 million, and appeared set to prove that he's a bona fide starter after splitting time with different goalie partners with the Blues."I've wanted this opportunity and am ready for it," Elliott stated after the trade.As a bit of insurance, though, general manager Brad Treliving prudently signed Chad Johnson to a one-year, $1.7-million contract with a view to giving Elliott some nights off throughout the season.The results so farElliott has, in a word, struggled.In 12 appearances with the Flames, he's posted a record of 3-9-0 with a save percentage of .882, well below his career average of .913.Most recently, Elliott has recorded losses in five November appearances, wherein his save percentage dropped to .858.This has opened the door for Johnson to get a crack at the starting gig, and he's taking full advantage of the opportunity.Here's a look at Johnson's November performances, capped by a shutout win over the previously hot-shooting Columbus Blue Jackets.OpponentResultSavesSave %SharksW 3-2.26.929DucksL 4-117.810WildW 1-0271.000CoyotesW 2-1 (OT)20.952BlackhawksL 3-221.874Red WingsW 3-221.913Blue JacketsW 2-0341.000The numbers are one thing, but Johnson is also earning the trust of his teammates and giving them the confidence to stick to what they do best."It's easy to play when you know if you make a mistake, your goalie is going to be there," Troy Brouwer said after Wednesday's win.For Johnson, it's always team results first.

Alex Ovechkin continues to prove he's one of the greatest goal scorers of all time.The Washington Capitals' superstar winger recorded a hat trick against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday, marking the 16th three-goal game of his career.The 16 hat tricks puts Ovechkin one ahead of Jaromir Jagr among active NHL players, according to Hockey Reference.Here's a look at the goal that caused the hats to rain down from the stands.

Hockey bonds run deep.Vancouver Canucks forward Sven Baertschi is paying tribute to former junior teammate Craig Cunningham by putting the latter's nickname on his stick tape for Wednesday's game.

Welcome back, Kris.Returning from a nine-game absence, Kris Versteeg immediately made his presence felt in Columbus. The 30-year-old took advantage of a Seth Jones giveaway, then beat the Blue Jackets with a lethal between-the-legs dangle, before setting up Troy Brouwer for a tap-in.The goal - which gave Calgary a 1-0 lead - was Brouwer's fifth of the season, while the assist was Versteeg's fifth point.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

J.T. Brown appears to be feeling the effects of a heavy hit from Ryan Ellis on Monday night.After the Nashville Predators defenseman took a retaliatory hit on Brown, which resulted in a brawl, the Lightning announced that the 26-year-old is day to day with an upper-body injury, ruling him out of Wednesday's contest against the Philadelphia Flyers.Related: Lightning's Brown smashed fan's phone after ejection in NashvilleBrown has managed just two goals and an assist in 19 games to date.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews can breathe a huge sigh of relief.The Toronto Maple Leafs rookie has seen his 13-game scoring drought come to an end with a pair of goals during the first period Wednesday in New Jersey.The first came on some tough work in front of the net.

NHL teams, including the newly minted Vegas Golden Knights, have reportedly received the list of 66 players exempt from the expansion draft to be conducted in late June.Four of them - the Flames, Sharks, Blues, and Capitals - aren't constricted in any fashion, as they're without a single full no-movement pact on their payroll. While others, namely the Blackhawks, essentially have their protected lists established by these conditions.But it's not the number of exempt players set to punish teams at the draft. It's misses with these no-moves, and over-saturation of talent at certain positions on depth charts.Here are four teams facing the toughest decisions - or who must pull the trigger on a trade sooner than later - based on the exemption list:Anaheim DucksKevin Bieksa's no-movement agreement will almost certainly see Vegas bag a valuable asset from Anaheim.To protect the maximum 10 skaters, the Ducks must expose either Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen, or Cam Fowler as a result of Bieksa's insurance policy. But if they choose to keep four defenders, they would in turn be limited to four protected forwards, meaning they would likely have to expose Jakob Silfverberg.Solution: Move Fowler.Winnipeg JetsThe Jets aren't being forced to protect a rapidly diminishing asset like Anaheim, but are in a similar position. With Dustin Byfuglien and Toby Enstrom safe, the Jets cannot max out their protected roster without leaving either Tyler Myers or Jacob Trouba vulnerable.In this event, the Jets will keep Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, and presumably Bryan Little, meaning they can only protect one player from a group that includes Mathieu Perreault, Adam Lowry, Marko Dano, Joel Armia.Solution: Stomach the loss - because they can't cough up a defender. There are talented forwards on the way.Tampa Bay LightningThe only real blemish on Steve Yzerman's record - locking up Ryan Callahan long term - could see the Lightning lose a very talented player.With Steven Stamkos, Valtteri Filppula, and Callahan secure, the Lightning will have to expose two players from a list that includes Nikita Kucherov, Alex Killorn, Tyler Johnson, Jonathan Drouin, Ondrej Palat, and Vladislav Namestnikov.Tampa Bay could retain each forward in the event they hold on to Ben Bishop, and successfully use him as bait at the expansion draft. That, however, could backfire, as Vegas could overlook Bishop, pluck a top-six forward, then attempt to sign the Vezina-caliber netminder in unrestricted free agency.Solution: Hold firm. Sure, explore those options to move Callahan or Filppula - perhaps in a package with Bishop. But winning a championship should be the Lightning's top priority.Pittsburgh PenguinsPut simply, if the Penguins can't convince Marc-Andre Fleury to waive his no-movement clause to facilitate a trade at some point this season, Matt Murray will be wearing steel grey with his gold next season.Solution: Convince him.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nick Foligno is in the clear.The Columbus Blue Jackets winger drew a high-sticking call on Nicklas Backstrom that led to a game-winning power-play goal Sunday, after which Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz called for an embellishment fine.The NHL did indeed review the play and ruled there was no embellishment on Foligno's part, according to Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Post-Dispatch.As a result, John Tortorella appears justified in indirectly telling Trotz to quit whining.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Now that they have a name, the focus will shift as to what the roster of the new Vegas Golden Knights will look like.The NHL issued a memo Tuesday to all teams that noted which players will be forced to be protected by their clubs due to no-trade or no-movement clauses in their contracts or because of long-term injuries, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.As a reminder, each team has the option to protect seven forwards, three defensemen, and a goaltender, or eight skaters and one goaltender.Here is the full list of the 66 players who are not likely to be members of the Golden Knights next season:TeamPlayerDucksKevin Bieksa - Ryan Getzlaf - Ryan Kesler - Corey PerryCoyotesAlex GoligoskiBruinsDavid Backes - Patrice Bergeron - Zdeno Chara - David KrejciSabresKyle OkposoHurricanesJordan StaalBlue JacketsSergei Bobrovsky - David Clarkson - Brandon Dubinsky - Nick Foligno - Scott HartnellBlackhawksArtem Anisimov - Corey Crawford - Niklas Hjalmarsson - Marian Hossa - Patrick Kane - Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook - Jonathan ToewsAvalancheFrancois Beachemin - Erik JohnsonStarsJamie Benn - Jason SpezzaRed WingsFrans NielsenOilersMilan Lucic - Andrej Sekera - Cam TalbotPanthersKeith YandleKingsAnze KopitarWildMikko Koivu - Zach Parise - Jason Pominville - Ryan SuterCanadiensJeff Petry - Carey PricePredatorsPekka RinneDevilsRyan CloweIslandersJohnny Boychuk - Andrew Ladd - John TavaresRangersDan Girardi - Henrik Lundqvist - Rick Nash - Marc StaalSenatorsDion PhaneufFlyersClaude GirouxPenguinsSidney Crosby - Marc-Andre Fleury - Phil Kessel - Kris Letang - Evgeni MalkinLightningRyan Callahan - Valtteri Filppula - Victor Hedman - Steven StamkosMaple LeafsNathan HortonCanucksLoui Eriksson - Daniel Sedin - Henrik SedinJetsDustin Byfuglien - Toby EnstromNote: Flames, Sharks, Blues, Capitals have no players that require protectionCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With their team name unveiled, the Vegas Golden Knights now shift to the next steps of building an expansion franchise.That includes preparing for next June's expansion draft. And, before that, hiring the team's first head coach."George (McPhee) has a list of six or seven primary candidates," Golden Knights owner Bill Foley told Sportsnet's David Amber. "A number of them are currently employed. We'll just see how the season ends and we'll see who is available or who we have permission to talk to and who is not under contract."According to Foley, general manager McPhee expects to hire his bench boss by March or April.In the meantime, Vegas will continue to host monthly mock selections in the leadup to next summer's expansion draft.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Cammalleri is likely to play for the New Jersey Devils against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night after missing six games with a personal matter.

It's not the most appetizing creation, but Ben Bishop's cake does have bite.The Tampa Bay Lightning made Bishop a tooth-themed cake for his 30th birthday, which he celebrated Monday.

The Vegas Golden Knights' unlikely collection of minority owners apparently includes an NFL star, an MLB slugger, a former NHLer, and a model.New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski and Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista own shares in the NHL expansion franchise, according to ESPN's Darren Rovell.The group is also said to include Alexei Yashin, his longtime partner Carol Alt, and Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Prince Amukamara.Former NHL forward Mark Recchi was originally granted a small stake in the team, but he will now relinquish it because of his role as a Pittsburgh Penguins development coach, Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.The Penguins were apparently unaware of Recchi's financial interest in the Golden Knights until being informed by the publication.Majority owner Bill Foley revealed the name and logo of the franchise Tuesday night.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Sean Couturier will be sidelined four-to-six weeks with a lower-body injury, general manager Ron Hextall announced Wednesday. CSN Philly's Tim Panaccio reports the injury is a sprained knee.Couturier suffered the injury Tuesday versus the Florida Panthers, leaving after just seven minutes of ice time.The 23-year-old has appeared in all 20 games this season, scoring five goals and collecting three assists.It's a familiar injury for the Flyers. Earlier in November, the team announced that injured goaltender Michal Neuvirth would miss four-to-six weeks, which Panaccio also reported was due to a sprained knee. Neuvirth has missed the last four games.The Flyers sit sixth in the Metropolitan Division with a 9-8-3 record through 20 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames will have some added firepower Wednesday night when they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets.Forward Kris Versteeg is set to return to the lineup after missing nine games with a groin injury, the team announced Wednesday.Versteeg has battled inconsistency when healthy this season, recording four points in 12 games. His struggles mirror those of the Flames, which are looking to find the win column after posting a 8-12-1 record through their first 21 contests."The guys have been really going pretty good here for the last five, six games," Versteeg said in a statement. "Obviously the record not being what we wanted but 3-2 in the last five is a positive. It's something to build on."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona State has scored a magnificent addition.Austin Lemieux, son of former NHL superstar Mario, will join the NCAA's Arizona State Sun Devils next season, reports Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports, citing sources.

After months of speculation, the NHL knighted its 31st franchise Tuesday, as it unveiled the Vegas Golden Knights.In the end, franchise owner Bill Foley, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, couldn't move away from a name similar to that of his alma mater, the Black Knights.As for some of the other names that were considered?"I liked Nighthawks, we had that name. I liked Desert Hawks. I kind of liked Sidewinders," Foley told Nicholas J. Cotsonika of NHL.com. "But I wanted a name that was more team-oriented and being about the warrior class, which is what hockey players are."Vegas also considered other variations of the Knights name."Silver Knights was an option because this is the Silver State, but Nevada is the largest gold producer in the country," Foley told Case Keefer of the Las Vegas Sun. "Gold is a precious metal, the No. 1 metal versus silver. I didn't feel Desert Knights had character to it."

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 Wednesday, November 23:Triple Threat

Brent Burns is off the market, but that doesn't mean there won't be other attractive blue-liners that could be available come July.When the free-agency pool opens, alongside general managers' wallets, a host of top-notch defenders could be up for grabs. Here are five defensemen to keep your eye on next summer:Kevin ShattenkirkSt. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk is the cream of the crop, and the best available option after Burns re-upped in San Jose.

Vegas' big unveiling wasn't without an unexpected victim.The University of Central Florida, which went from using Golden Knights to Knights as its team nickname in 2007, tried to make that clear after the NHL's newest expansion franchise announced Tuesday night that it was adopting the former.

Thomas Hickey's shootout goal wasn't the winner in Tuesday's marathon shootout victory by the New York Islanders, but the Anaheim Ducks couldn't help but question it after the game.Two rounds before Nick Leddy's 14th-round snipe ended the longest shootout of the young season, Hickey beat Ducks goaltender Jonathan Bernier by nudging the puck in and appearing to push the netminder's pad."I think it was pretty obvious," Bernier told reporters postgame. "I made the save, my skate was going right to the post where I wanted it to be, and he pushed me in."The play was called a goal on the ice, and the NHL's hockey operations department then conducted a review, as it is required to do in overtime and the shootout. The league deemed no goaltender interference occurred before the puck crossed the goal line."I was (of) the understanding that you cannot score a goal in the NHL today by pushing a goaltender's pad with the puck underneath it over the line," Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle told reporters."But I guess I was (proven) wrong again tonight and to much of our surprise, the explanation I was given was (that) they (had) called it a goal on the ice, so they couldn't determine that the puck wasn't in the net under his pad and it was inconclusive, that they couldn't tell if the puck was in the net or not."Even Anaheim's social media staff weighed in.

The identity of the NHL's newest franchise was revealed Tuesday night, but not without a significant hiccup.Related: Twitter reacts to bungled Vegas franchise name, logo revealOwner Bill Foley quickly got on the mic and promised the team would do better on the ice, continuing his run of pledges that included expecting a Stanley Cup championship within six years.The big moment didn't exactly go off without a hitch, but at least the logo looks good.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Unlucky at 13.Auston Matthews' much-publicized scoring outage reached 13 games Tuesday night, as the Toronto Maple Leafs fell by a score of 2-1 for a second consecutive game, this time at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes.Matthews directed four shots on goal with seven attempts, boosting a shot total surpassed only by Brent Burns, Vladmir Tarasenko, and Alex Ovechkin. But because Cam Ward put padding on each, the No. 1 draft pick has now gone four weeks without scoring.In the locker room afterward, and sticking with the theme of the ill-fated No. 13, Matthews was asked if he needed to change his own luck."I'm not crazy like that I guess. Not too superstitious," Matthews told Jonas Siegel of the Canadian Press. "I have my own things that I do, that I've done since I was younger and I kind of just stick with it. It's worked for me until this point so why change."Though his shooting percentage dropped another couple decimal points to 8.5 percent, Matthews' performance continues to support the underlying data that he recently admitted to paying attention to. Matthews finished at almost 60 percent possession - best among Maple Leafs.These signs and more continue to point to Matthews breaking out sooner than later. But his teammates don't seem to need revealing data to pick up on that."I'm sure he's going to crack this very soon," Mitch Marner told TSN's Mark Masters. "And when that happens it's going to be scary."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens had some good news to report after a loss on home ice to the Ottawa Senators Tuesday night.Defenseman Nathan Beaulieu was taken to hospital during the contest after taking a puck to the neck or throat, but Michel Therrien was able offer a encouraging update.

MONTREAL - Mark Stone and Erik Karlsson scored 2:24 apart in the third period, helping Ottawa Senators rally to beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Tuesday night.Stone tied it at 3 early in the third from the slot after three Canadiens players got caught behind their own net.Karlsson then scored at 5:37, the visitors' first lead of the evening, on a fluke no-look shot from the blue line after a bad giveaway by Jeff Petry.Mike Hoffman and Derick Brassard also scored and Craig Anderson made 36 saves for Ottawa.Shea Weber, Alexander Radulov and Alex Galchenyuk scored for Montreal. Andrei Markov had three assists, and Carey Price stopped 19 of 23 shots.The Sens scored more than two goals in regulation for the first time in 12 matches.Montreal played with five defensemen in the third after Nathan Beaulieu left at the end of the second. Beaulieu took a shot from Brassard to his neck and went straight to the dressing room.The Canadiens later confirmed Beaulieu was taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons.With Beaulieu's absence came extended ice times for Weber and Markov, Montreal's veteran blue liners.After a sloppy first period by both teams, the goals came in quick succession in the second.Weber got the Habs on the board 56 seconds into the period on the power play. Hoffman took a penalty late in the first period for closing his hand on the puck, and Weber made him pay after the intermission with a thunderous slap shot from the point.Seven of Weber's eight goals this season have been scored with the man advantage. Weber also has seven of Montreal's 15 power-play goals.Hoffman got his redemption five minutes later. With Ottawa on the power play, the wing beat Price above the shoulder from an extremely tight angle to make it 1-1.The Canadiens regained the lead at 7:29 when Radulov scored after an impressive effort. The Russian dangled around Hoffman along the boards, cut to the net, shot on Anderson once then scored on his own rebound while falling to the ice.Brassard tied things 2-2 late in the second before Galchenyuk answered back at 2:08 of the third.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier suffered a potential serious left knee injury in Tuesday's win over the Florida Panthers.Couturier will leave the club, which is halfway through its mid-week two-game road swing through Florida, in order to undergo examination Wednesday in Philadelphia, according to Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer.It will be determined then if Couturier will require surgery on the injury CSN's Tim Panaccio reports is an MCL sprain.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Babcock is expecting his team to bounce back with haste.Following Tuesday's loss on home ice to the Carolina Hurricanes, the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach believes his team has to beat the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday."I expect us to find a way to win (Wednesday). The bottom line is we have to," Babcock said. "I think we have 19 points if I'm not mistaken and you've got to keep yourself in the hunt, or else you get in trouble fast in this league. It's important to bounce back. We haven't won on a back-to-back this year, it's time we win in a back-to-back and go from there."Through 19 games, the Maple Leafs have indeed amassed 19 points by posting a record of 8-8-3. It's still early, but Toronto sits four points behind Ottawa for third place in the Atlantic Division, and three points behind Boston in the race for the second wild-card spot.A mid-week loss to the Devils on the second half of a back-to-back in November would not be disastrous, per se, but Babcock is correct in asserting every point matters.His plan?"We'll get on the plane and we'll watch the game. We'll get up tomorrow and get ready for the next game. Where we play next or any of that doesn't concern me much. It's how we play and how we prepare and so we'll have to flush this and get ready for tomorrow."Wednesday will be Toronto's first game against New Jersey this season; the Devils have two more points than the Maple Leafs with one fewer game played.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Unfortunately, technical problems prevented the NHL's incoming Vegas Golden Knights from revealing their identity in the manner they had hoped. But through the power of the Internet, we have that hype video now.Bill Foley and George McPhee provided the rationale behind the name, and the work that went into the design of the Golden Knights logo.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A reunion with ulterior motives?That's what David Backes joked after his Boston Bruins lost to the Blues on Tuesday, as the former St. Louis captain hosted some of his old teammates for a Thanksgiving meal the night before.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Nathan Beaulieu was taken to hospital as a precaution after leaving Tuesday's game, the team announced.Beaulieu appeared to take a puck to the neck or throat area after it rolled up his stick while he was defending a Derick Brassard shot attempt.Beaulieu had recorded one goal and five assists in 19 games prior to Tuesday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Branded at last, the NHL's incoming Vegas Golden Knights have finally pulled back the curtain, unveiling official logos and color schemes in an announcement Tuesday night.Related: NHL expansion team unveiled as 'Vegas Golden Knights'The Knights' theme has always been the vision of owner Bill Foley and the ownership group - but the official reveal certainly offered a few surprises.So we ask you, how did Vegas fare with its official branding?Related: Twitter reacts to bungled Vegas franchise name, logo reveal

Hockey fans have a new NHL team to boost with an array of apparel.Shortly after the Vegas Golden Knights name and logo were revealed, a variety of team merchandise was made available.

Well that didn't go as planned.With the hockey world on the edge of its collective seat, a technical difficulty put the Las Vegas NHL's franchise's name and logo reveal on hold.Related: NHL expansion team officially unveiled as 'Vegas Golden Knights'After a few speeches, owner Bill Foley cued up a video that did not play.

The NHL's 31st franchise has its identity.With league commissioner Gary Bettman on hand to provide his endorsement, (and after an unplanned delay), Bill Foley, George McPhee, and the executive team assembled in Las Vegas revealed Tuesday night that the NHL's incoming expansion franchise has been named the "Vegas Golden Knights."

Alexander Radulov continues to prove Marc Bergevin right.The Russian winger took matters onto his own stick, scoring a sensational goal against the Ottawa Senators - at the expense of Mike Hoffman - on Tuesday.The move to get to the net was one thing, but Radulov's ability to stick with the puck and jam home the rebound is a testament to the faith the Montreal Canadiens placed in him with a one-year contract this past offseason.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

David Backes scored against his old team and made history for his new team all at the same time.Appearing in his first game against the St. Louis Blues as a member of the Boston Bruins - with whom he signed as a free agent in the offseason - Backes jammed home a rebound past Jake Allen for his fourth goal of the season.The goal was also a milestone for the Bruins organization:

A trade involving Evander Kane isn't completely off the table in Buffalo.Sabres general manager Tim Murray could flip the winger in a deal, but only in exchange for much-needed help on the blue line, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.From Tuesday's "Insider Trading":

Averse to being filmed while being escorted off the ice after laying somewhat of a whooping on Ryan Ellis in a dustup Monday night, an incensed J.T. Brown smacked a phone out of a fan's hand as he headed down the tunnel, smashing its screen.The fan told TMZ that he won't pursue legal action against Brown, but would appreciate a functioning phone.

The San Jose Sharks and defenseman Brent Burns have agreed to terms on a maximum eight-year contract extension, the team confirmed Tuesday.Financial details were not disclosed, but ESPN's Pierre LeBrun reports that the Sharks' rover will earn around $8-million each season throughout the life of the deal, valuing the agreement at roughly $64 million.LeBrun also notes that Burns will take in $54 million in the first six seasons of the front-loaded agreement, which is paramount considering that he will turn 40 before the contract expires. Also, his annual income will be safeguarded with signing bonuses, but he will not have the benefit of no-movement protection, instead settling for a limited no-trade condition.Burns is in line to be the highest-paid member of the Sharks next season and beyond, and will cost more annually than any defenseman save for Nashville's P.K. Subban. His current $5.76-million salary is the highest among the club's current fleet of blue liners.The previously-converted defender is coming off a career season in which he posted 27 goals, 75 points, and put the second-most shots on target league-wide, earning his first Norris Trophy nomination.He's contributed seven goals and 16 points in 19 games this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals had a special visitor at practice on Tuesday when baseball's "Iron Man" and Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. paid the team a visit.Ripken was spotted behind the team's bench during practice, before stepping into the film room to share some knowledge with the club.

The San Jose Sharks and stud defenseman Brent Burns have made serious progress on a contract extension, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

Games and practices can get a little boring for goaltenders when there's no one around their crease, but this Traktor Chelyabinsk goalie has found the perfect way to fill the lull in action.If you look closely, you'll notice he switches skates before performing the routine, so it's possible this is really just a figure skater in disguise. Either way, it's entertaining.- With h/t to Reddit user OGGSmithCopyright © 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 Tuesday, November 22:Triple Threat

The Tucson Roadrunners' upcoming games Tuesday and Wednesday have been postponed as the team awaits news on captain Craig Cunningham, who collapsed prior to Saturday's game.Cunningham has since been hospitalized and is in critical condition but stable, according to the Arizona Coyotes, the parent club of the Roadrunners."(Craig) is receiving excellent medical care but out of respect to Craig and his family we are refraining from further comment or discussing any details at this time," Roadrunners general manager Doug Soetaert said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Craig and his family."

There will be no John Scott Cinderella story at the 2017 NHL All-Star Game, and he's OK with that.Related: NHL creates new rules for post-John Scott All-Star Game eligibilityScott was the toast of the town in Nashville last season after controversially earning a captain's role due to a flawed fan voting system.After an overwhelming reception from fans and a memorable two-goal effort, Scott was named MVP, and won over even the harshest of critics as his teammates carried him off the ice in celebration.However, the NHL made sure Scott's saga was a one-time thing by changing the voting rules to ensure more skilled players are chosen.Scott, now out of hockey, was asked about the changes, and he's fine with what the league decided."Yeah I expected something to come about," Scott told Sportsnet's Jeff Marek. "It's good, I think something had to happen. I don't think they want a situation like me to happen again."He added, "It's a good rule."Starting this season, eligible players must be on an NHL roster as of Nov. 1, and AHL players - which Scott was at the time of his nomination - aren't permitted to receive votes, unless their time in the developmental league is for a conditioning stint.All-Star weekend begins Jan. 28 in Los Angeles.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.