Auston Matthews' popularity is second to none.More people bought the Toronto Maple Leafs' rookie sensation's jersey than that of any other player in the month of October, the NHL announced Tuesday night.Here's the full list:Rank Player1Auston Matthews2Sidney Crosby3Connor McDavid4Patrick Kane5Jonathan Toews6Henrik Lundqvist7Claude Giroux8P.K. Subban9Alex Ovechkin10Anze KopitarMatthews' feat is especially impressive considering his jersey wasn't even available for two whole days after his historic four-goal NHL debut Oct. 12 against the Ottawa Senators.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray will make his season debut on Wednesday night.The 22-year-old will be between the pipes for the first time this season - since breaking his hand while backstopping Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey last month - when the Penguins take on the Anaheim Ducks, the team confirmed.Murray was medically cleared and returned to serve as Marc-Andre Fleury's backup last week. The Penguins have collected wins in three straight games, even with Fleury currently riding a subpar 3.09 GAA and .909 save percentage.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Rickard Rakell will likely play for the first time this season Tuesday night.The Anaheim Ducks forward told reporters he's ready to face the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center, according to Kyle Shohara of the club's official website.Rakell missed Ducks' training camp and the first nine games this season due to both a contract impasse and health concerns.He has been practicing with the Ducks for the last week after clearing up visa issues that arose after he signed a six-year contract extension with Anaheim on Oct. 14.The 23-year-old was hospitalized in September with a stomach virus that resulted from appendix surgery in March.Rakell scored 20 goals in his second full season with Anaheim in 2015-16.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin, San Jose Sharks fan?Such appears to have been the case for the Washington Capitals superstar, who disclosed as much in advance of Tuesday's game in Winnipeg.

A Toronto Maple Leafs forward has been named the NHL's rookie of the month for October, but not the one who scored four goals on opening night.The distinction instead goes to William Nylander, whose four goals and seven assists in nine games topped the six goals and four assists recorded by teammate Auston Matthews in the same span.Nylander leads all rookies in assists and total points, and his 31 shots on goal rank second only to Matthews. Only Matthews, Patrik Laine, and Jimmy Vesey have recorded more goals.Drafted eighth overall by Toronto in 2014, Nylander scored six goals and added seven assists in 22 games for the Maple Leafs last season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While the rest of the NHL waits for the Edmonton Oilers to come crashing down from their perch atop the Western Conference, Las Vegas isn't willing to take chances.Edmonton is now listed at 10-1 to lift the Stanley Cup, which is only fractionally behind the favored Pittsburgh Penguins, and on par with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, and Washington Capitals.Here are the complete odds courtesy of Bodog:TeamOddsPenguins9-1Oilers10-1Lightning10-1Capitals10-1Canadiens10-1Blackhawks10-1Blues12-1Sharks14-1Rangers16-1Wild18-1Stars20-1Panthers22-1Predators25-1Red Wings25-1Kings25-1Ducks25-1Devils33-1Bruins40-1Islanders40-1Avalanche40-1Flyers40-1Senators40-1Flames40-1Jets40-1Canucks50-1Maple Leafs66-1Blue Jackets66-1Sabres66-1Coyotes100-1Hurricanes100-1Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Craig Anderson will be in net again Tuesday night as the Ottawa Senators host the Carolina Hurricanes.Anderson is coming off an exceptional, and incredibly emotional, 37-save shutout of the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night. The start - his second consecutive shutout - came after his wife Nicholle gave him her blessing to play just days after she was diagnosed with cancer.It's the Senators' first home game since the Andersons learned of Nicholle's diagnosis.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber, and Florida Panthers forward Jonathan Marchessault were named the NHL's three stars for the month of October on Tuesday.McDavid leads the NHL in total points through the first few weeks of the season, recording five goals and seven assists for an Oilers team that sits first in the Western Conference and second overall in the league standings.Weber made a good impression with his new club by leading all defensemen with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in nine games while helping the Canadiens get off to a first-place start with a record of 8-0-1.The surprising name here, of course, is third star Marchessault, who shares the league lead with six goals and is tied for third overall with 11 points through nine games with the Panthers.Marchessault recorded a career-high 18 points in 45 games with Tampa Bay last season.Not bad for a player making only $750,000 this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As a self-described hockey nerd, the appointment-viewing contest between Connor McDavid's Edmonton Oilers and Auston Matthews' Toronto Maple Leafs would surely fascinate Mark Scheifele.Unfortunately, Scheifele's Winnipeg Jets are also in action Tuesday night, meaning that for him, the first matchup between the pair of No. 1 picks will have to be viewed through highlights. That's unless he manages to avoid spoilers along his beeline to the PVR.For Scheifele, though, that won't diminish a contest that he predicts carries more significance than either McDavid or Matthews would ever let on."Oh, 100 percent there will be,'' Scheifele told ESPN's Pierre LeBrun when asked if pride will be on the line. "You could even tell what happened with Patrik Laine and Matthews when they played."You see them both downplay it - 'It's just a regular hockey game' - but at the end of the day, both of them want to prove to everyone that they're the big shot. Obviously it's not the No. 1 thing on their mind, but all pro athletes have that extra gear. They want to be that clutch player who comes through in the crunch. There will be more on the line for them Tuesday.''The studious Scheifele has seen both superstars raise their games to that next level. While sharing a line with them at the World Cup, he gained both an appreciation for their talent and picked up on certain tendencies that have contributed to both players achieving superstar status so early in their careers."I've got the dirt on all of them."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You know it's a hot ticket when the greatest of all time wants to be in the house.That's the case for Tuesday's game in Toronto between Connor McDavid's Oilers and Auston Matthews' Maple Leafs, as Wayne Gretzky himself couldn't stay away from the NHL's new marquee matchup.

Whether it's the extra shot of adrenaline from friends and family planted in the seats, or because the Maple Leafs have, well, struggled throughout the better part of the last decade, local boys do seem to feast in their returns to Toronto.After missing his chance last season with injury, Connor McDavid will finally play his first NHL game in the metropolis he grew up adjacent to when the Edmonton Oilers and Maple Leafs meet at Air Canada Centre on Tuesday.Related: 3 reasons why Matthews vs. McDavid Round 1 is must-see hockeySo we ask: Who better to carry on the tradition of torching the Maple Leafs?For future visual representation on broadcasts, we investigated how the NHL's four Ontario-born No. 1 picks over the last two decades (excluding defenseman Aaron Ekblad) have fared across their careers in Toronto:Joe ThorntonHaving visited Toronto long enough to have scored at Maple Leaf Gardens, Thornton has the most games on this list despite less frequent trips since being traded to the San Jose Sharks in 2005.Thornton's first game - and goal - in Toronto came in the legendary barn-turned-supermarket, in a Boston Bruins uniform. He recorded six goals and six assists across 17 games in Toronto as a member of the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 1997. Thornton has since added one goal and seven assists across six visits with the Sharks, collecting at least one point in each.GamesGoalsAssistsPoints2371320Rick NashNash has been limited to just a handful of appearances in Toronto, during a career split between the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers. Unfortunate, as Air Canada Centre is the only rink where he's averaged better than a point per game.GamesGoalsAssistsPoints84610John TavaresTavares has been the most dominant of the four No. 1 draft picks - or pretty much every pick for that matter. He's averaged a little better than 1.5 points per game in 13 starts, despite going pointless in four of them.GamesGoalsAssistsPoints1381220Steven StamkosIn the same way we suspect the environment has positively impacted returning talent, it's at times had an opposite effect on Stamkos.The Tampa Bay Lightning captain was held pointless in Toronto last season, across three games against possibly the worst iteration of the Leafs over the past half-decade, while speculation was running rampant that he could sign with Toronto in free agency.This season - his first on a new eight-year contract with the Lightning - Stamkos turned in a dominant performance with two goals and two assists to accelerate his scoring pace at Air Canada Centre - back beyond a point per game.GamesGoalsAssistsPoints169817Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers are set to welcome Chris Kreider back to the lineup after the winger missed four games due to neck spasms.The club went 3-1 in his absence and finished October as the second-highest scoring team in the NHL, giving Kreider a specific goal upon hitting the ice.

Every Tuesday, theScore's editors will examine the fortunes of the north's seven NHL franchises. Welcome to "O Canada."Calgary FlamesPlus: Johnny Gaudreau finally seems to be finding his feet and has assumed his expected spot atop the Flames' scoring list after recording four points in his past three games.Minus: Sean Monahan, on the other hand, continues to struggle, with only four goals to his name. His assist totals jumped from 12 to 31 to 36 over the past three seasons, but he has yet to notch a helper through 10 games.The take: It's no coincidence that Calgary appears to have turned a corner as Brian Elliott has found his game with his new club. Wins over Chicago and St. Louis are encouraging, and an upcoming four-game road trip will show more of what a Glen Gulutzan-coached team is made of.Edmonton OilersPlus: The Edmonton Oilers began last week with a win over the Washington Capitals, the most impressive of their seven victories to date. The Oilers finished October first in the Western Conference and with the second-highest point total across the league.Minus: While Cam Talbot has been nothing short of a sensation in net, that he has started all nine games is cause for concern. At some point, backup Jonas Gustavsson will need to give Talbot a break, lest the Oilers' star goalie burn out before he's needed most.The take: Edmonton could not have asked for a better October, but a hot start means nothing if they're not among the eight playoff teams come April.Montreal CanadiensPlus: Carey Price. Enough said.Minus: With only two goals in nine games, captain Max Pacioretty is on pace for 18 on the season, well down from the 35 he's averaged over the past three campaigns. His shot rate is also down, as Pacioretty is on track for 240 after topping 300 in each of the past two seasons.The take: General manager Marc Bergevin's offseason moves appear to be paying off, but make no mistake, it's a healthy Price - who boasts a perfect 5-0-0 record and a .954 save percentage - who's proving to be the Canadiens' most valuable player.Ottawa SenatorsPlus: Craig Anderson's shutout win over Edmonton in his first start since his wife's cancer announcement is a prime example of why we watch and love this game.Minus: The defensive pairing of Dion Phaneuf and Cody Ceci has been a disaster, and needs to be broken up immediately.Take: The Ottawa Senators rallied around their goalie when he needed them most, both on and off the ice, and that's really all that matters.Toronto Maple LeafsPlus: The kids have been much more than alright for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team is led in scoring by William Nylander (11 points) and Auston Matthews (10 points), while Mitch Marner holds a share of third spot with six points of his own.Minus: Toronto's goaltending has been nothing short of awful, and the Maple Leafs rank 28th in team save percentage (.875).The take: Despite sitting last in the Atlantic Division, the Maple Leafs rank fifth in terms of Corsi For in five-on-five play, a strong indicator of potential success down the road. If Frederik Andersen can pull it together, Toronto could very well be a bubble team in the playoff race.Vancouver CanucksPlus: Ryan Miller has been terrific, posting a .939 save percentage for the Canucks, good for eighth among all goalies.Minus: Vancouver is having trouble putting the puck in the net, averaging only 1.78 goals per game. Major free-agent acquisition Loui Eriksson has yet to record his first for his new club and is becoming the poster boy for the offensive struggles.The take: The shine is quickly disappearing off Vancouver's 4-0 start, and Canucks fans might want to start getting familiar with the name Nolan Patrick.Winnipeg JetsPlus: Patrik Laine is drawing the lion's share of the attention, but Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor, Joel Armia, and Josh Morrissey are proving the Jets are being fueled by a host of impressive young talent.Minus: The Jacob Trouba situation continues to hang over Winnipeg, leaving a gaping hole on the blue line. The Jets are being patient and not forcing a move, but Trouba's return, or an infusion of assets in his stead, is desperately needed.The take: The Jets are hanging in there in the midst of hockey's toughest division, and a home-and-home series with the Capitals this week will be a good measuring stick.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews versus Connor McDavid. It's time.Tuesday night marks the first meeting of the phenoms, and all eyes will be on Toronto on a busy night in the NHL as the Maple Leafs host the Edmonton Oilers.Matthews and McDavid are both 19, the last two first overall picks, and tasked with bringing once-great franchises out of the darkness. It's the first of what will be many head-to-head matchups, the first in a potential cross-country rivalry, and who knows, maybe we'll look back on this one when Toronto and Edmonton face each other in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final.Here are three reasons why Matthews-McDavid Round 1 is far more than another Tuesday night game in November.HomecomingMcDavid, born just north of Toronto in Richmond Hill and who grew up in the region, missed the Oilers' only visit to the Air Canada Centre last season due to injury. There's no doubt this one's circled on No. 97's calendar.The league's co-leading scorer with 12 points, McDavid's averaging five points a game against Toronto in his career. Sure, that's misleading, but in the one game McDavid did play against the Leafs last season, in Edmonton, he put on a show, scoring twice and adding three assists.It's going to be fun to watch what he does at home, with family and friends in the stands.1 and 2If it wasn't for an arbitrary end date, Matthews would have been in the NHL last season, competing for the Calder Trophy along with McDavid and Artemi Panarin.Here's the deal: All players who are 18 years old on or before Sept. 15 and not older than 20 on Dec. 31 of a draft year are eligible to enter the draft. Matthews is born on Sept. 17 - he missed the cut-off date by two days and spent what should have been his rookie season dominating dudes in Switzerland.In fact, had Matthews been draft eligible in 2015, he would have likely been picked second overall by the Buffalo Sabres - who drafted Jack Eichel - and had his legacy forever tied with McDavid, selected before him.Ask yourself: How fortunate are the Maple Leafs? Timing has never been the franchise's strong suit, but Toronto finally bottomed out, won the draft lottery, and landed California-born and Arizona-raised Auston, the No. 1 center the club's been looking for since Mats Sundin left town.Matthews is already a veteran when it comes to the media, never veering far from the script, but you have to believe he wants to show McDavid - and the hockey world - that he's just as good at the same age.The Maple Leafs and Oilers won't play each other often in the coming years, but each game between Edmonton and Toronto will be about McDavid and Matthews, the faces of each franchise, each's top center, and each's most talented and best player.McDavid's got the "C" on his sweater. The longer Toronto goes without a captain, the louder the noise will be over Matthews' candidacy. The parallels are many. This is already a rivalry.An Oilers game that mattersThe Rebuild Bowl is no more. This one matters - for the Oilers, at least. It's the start of a five-game road trip and, in general, a road-heavy schedule. Edmonton will play eight of its next 10 games away from home, and 10 of 15 in hostile environments in November. This is a crucial month - there's no other way to put it.Playoff spots aren't won in October, but they can certainly be lost during the first 20 games, which makes Edmonton's 7-2-0 start all the more important. Here are the facts: The Oilers are in first place, scoring at will (29 goals in nine games), and playing stingy defense.Edmonton's allowed a Western Conference-fewest 19 goals, thanks mostly to the stellar early season play of Cam Talbot, who's started all nine games and has a .936 save percentage.For so many years, goaltending was the Oilers' demise. This time around, they've got the stud up front and a rock in goal. And they don't miss Taylor Hall, but thanks for asking.Edmonton's top scorers are its best players: McDavid, Talbot, Milan Lucic (seven points), Jordan Eberle, and Leon Draisaitl (six points each). It's early, but so far so good.The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, haven't gotten the goaltending they need for them to even be a bubble playoff contender, but the rookies are leading the way, with Matthews and William Nylander proving to be a most dynamic duo. Much like last season, the club's competing, it's in games, and is a positive possession team.The results haven't yet translated to the wins column, and there is still much pain - to quote Mike Babcock - to come. But Toronto can look across the ice Tuesday night and see that there may in fact be light at the end of the tunnel. The Oilers, as difficult as it may be to believe, are finally proof.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild are in a bind, as injuries, illnesses, and cap issues could force the team to play shorthanded Tuesday versus the Buffalo Sabres.The Wild, who sit less than $1.5 million below the salary cap, have been hit with a slew of injuries that will challenge the team's ability to ice a full lineup.Four forwards are hurt, and the Wild have only enough cap space for two call-ups, according to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune.To make matters worse, forward Chris Stewart left practice Monday with an illness, sent home by coach Bruce Boudreau, who hoped the bug wouldn't spread to more members of his lineup."I was really grumpy this morning because coaches like to have really good practices," said Boudreau, according to Dan Myers of NHL.com reporters. "I know the reasons why we only had eight forwards and six defenseman out there, but it doesn't make practice any easier if you want to keep getting better, especially earlier on in the season."Defenseman Nate Prosser skated as a forward at practice Monday, simply to provide the team with three forward lines.It's been a rough few days for the Wild, as the team continues to sort through its injury concerns. Fortunately, the team has a light schedule to start November, with just three games in 11 days.On Saturday, the Wild announced that star forward Zach Parise has been sidelined week to week with a lower-body injury. Parise has scored six points in eight games this season.Meanwhile, Boudreau believes forward Erik Haula will be out longer than expected, pegging his return in the 7-to-10 day timeframe. Haula has appeared in four games this season, missing the last five with a lower-body injury.Boudreau also updated the status of winger Zac Dalpe, who will miss "multiple weeks" with a lower-body injury. Dalpe sustained the injury Saturday vs. the Dallas Stars, playing just 5:53."When you're not able to practice full bore because of numbers, it's sort of irritating," Boudreau added. "We're obviously going to call up a couple of guys (from AHL Iowa) for tomorrow, and hopefully some of our injured guys are a little quicker on the mend than initially thought."Our goal is to get through tomorrow and then hopefully by Saturday (when the Wild play the Colorado Avalanche) we've got some of the walking wounded back."It's not unprecedented news in NHL circles. During the 2010 season, a host of cap issues saw the New Jersey Devils often skate with as few 17 skaters.As for the Wild, a 4-0 win over Dallas on Saturday pushed the team's record to 6-2-1 through nine games. With 13 points, Minnesota sits atop the Central and just a single point behind the Western Conference's top seeded Edmonton Oilers.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's Halloween. The most frightening night of the year.In the spirit of Oct. 31, here are five chilling statistics as the season approaches its three-week anniversary.1 - .864That's the Carolina Hurricanes' save percentage through eight games. It's not good - lowest in the league, actually - and Cam Ward is still bad.It's a shame because Carolina's been a solid possession team in October, coming in at 52.75 percent, seventh in the NHL.It's early, and 10 teams are below .900, but Carolina's got extra reason to be concerned: The club finished at .902 last season; only the Calgary Flames were worse.2 - 45.17%The Minnesota Wild are sitting pretty at 6-2-1, with a Western Conference-best plus-13 goal differential, but they may not want to get too comfortable - because they don't often have the puck.Minnesota's 45.17 percent Corsi For rating - possession at five-on-five in over 400 minutes - is 30th out of 30 in the league. It must improve.Goaltending can make up for a lot of mistakes - ask Devan Dubnyk. His stellar play to start the season - a .952 save percentage and three straight shutouts - is masking many of the Wild's issues.3 - 1.78One of the more intriguing storylines early in the season is increased scoring across the league, but don't talk to the Vancouver Canucks about it.After opening the season with four straight wins - three of them coming in extra time - the Canucks have lost five in a row, managing to score only seven goals on the slide.Vancouver's averaging 1.78 goals per game, and is the only team not scoring at least two a night. Loui Eriksson's the poster boy. The big-ticket free-agent signing is yet to score in nine games.4 - .954This one's the furthest from scary if you're a Montreal Canadiens supporter, but the rest of the league should be petrified.While Carey Price put to bed any questions of a dip in form after a lost season during the World Cup, one of the more interesting storylines of the season was how he'd fare in Montreal after last season's collapse and P.K. Subban's departure. Despite the spin, the pressure was on in Montreal for Marc Bergevin and Michel Therrien.So far, so stupidly good. Price has stopped 144-of-151 shots through five games, all wins, and he looks everything like the best goalie in the world - much like last October.Price is back, Shea Weber has everyone in Montreal saying, "P.K., who?", and the Canadiens have yet to lose in regulation. Be afraid.5. 53.1%The Chicago Blackhawks can't kill penalties anymore. They had a good run.The club's at a remarkable 53.1 percent "success" rate on the kill so far, having allowed 15 power-play goals in 32 times shorthanded. To put that in perspective, the Blackhawks allowed 46 goals last season while down a man. They're already at 32.6 percent of 2015-16's total - in nine games.And don't think about blaming Corey Crawford. The Stanley Cup winner has a .976 save percentage at five-on-five - he's allowed only four goals on 167 shots. On the kill, though, he sits at .683. The Blackhawks have to help him out, and fast.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's Halloween, and the NHL has the night off, so all we can think about is candy. Sweet, delicious candy.Our sugar-induced ruminations got us pondering which treats best represent various NHL players.Here's a bite-sized taste of what we came up with:TwixHenrik and Daniel Sedin are a package deal, and have been inseparable since they were drafted together in 1999.The twins are also the most reliable and beloved Vancouver Canucks players, and, much like the chocolate bar, they have few detractors.Mr. BigZdeno Chara is the NHL's tallest player at 6-foot-9, and is listed at 250 lbs.If the Boston Bruins captain is Mr. Big, we can only wonder what that makes Brad Marchand.Laffy TaffyNo NHL player is funnier than Roberto Luongo, and the Florida Panthers goaltender is the embodiment of silliness, even at age 37.Related: Is Luongo's Halloween costume a sandwich?Luongo's sense of humor and social media prowess make him a perfect choice for the Willy Wonka brand of taffy.Werther's OriginalJaromir Jagr is the NHL's elder statesman, and, well, people of a certain vintage have been known to enjoy Werther's Original.Candy fans of all ages can appreciate a good caramel-flavored treat, though, just as everyone loves old, reliable Jagr.Dum DumsRadko Gudas was suspended six games for a headshot on Boston Bruins forward Austin Czarnik earlier this month, and that came after he avoided supplemental discipline for a hit on New York Rangers rookie Jimmy Vesey in the preseason.Gudas has been called by the league about dangerous incidents more than a handful of times over the last couple of seasons, so, much like the reckless Philadelphia Flyers defenseman, this one's a no-brainer.ChicletsOkay, we admit it, Chiclets rarely get handed out on Halloween, but nobody fits the bill better than Drew Doughty.Try finding a picture of the Los Angeles Kings defenseman without his trademark gap teeth and you'll come up empty. Like a true hockey player, he's embraced the missing-teeth look, even if it gives him trouble chewing gum.PayDayNikita Kucherov and Johnny Gaudreau cashed in as restricted free agents on the eve of the season.Gaudreau inked a six-year, $40.5-million extension with the Calgary Flames on Oct. 10, and Kucherov signed a three-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning one day later.Junior MintsYoung talent has been the best storyline of the 2016-17 season, as teenagers like Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, and a healthy Connor McDavid are already looking like seasoned veterans.Much like the candy in question, the influx of youth has been both refreshing and satisfying, particularly given how quickly the new crop of phenoms has adjusted to the NHL game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper isn't ready to panic.The Bolts bench boss threw cold water on the notion that his team had cause for concern after the Lightning dropped three consecutive games in the midst of a six-game road trip."This is a test. Let's pump the brakes for a second here, it's Game 9. You know, Game 79, there might be a little alarm," Cooper told reporters following Sunday's 6-1 blowout loss to the New York Rangers. "This is a test, so we'll see how these guys pull themselves out of this."Tampa Bay kicked off the road trip with victories over the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs. Since then, the Lightning dropped a pair of contests to the Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils, losing both affairs by a 3-1 score. Then came Sunday's loss to the Rangers.The Lightning have been limited to just three goals - one in each loss - over the skid. Notably, greater offensive support is needed from key contributors like Jonathan Drouin and Ondrej Palat, who have been held scoreless over the stretch. Captain Steven Stamkos has just one point in the last three games.Tampa Bay now sits fourth in the Atlantic, with a 5-4-0 record, and will look to end the road trip on a high note Tuesday versus the New York Islanders.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Roberto Luongo is ready for Halloween, and his costume certainly cuts the mustard.

It appears Pavel Zacha is in for the long haul.The New Jersey Devils' top prospect will stay with the club beyond the nine-game cut off, ultimately burning one year of his entry-level contract, head coach John Hynes reportedly told Andrew Gross of The Record on Monday.The 19-year-old was drafted sixth overall by the Devils in the 2015 draft, and is already slated as the team's first-line center, anchoring wingers Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri.Zacha appeared in the Devils' final game last season, recording two assists, and has notched five helpers in nine career games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Well, this is both adorable and creative.A Washington Capitals fan dressed her young child up as Tom Wilson in a penalty box for Halloween.

Ales Hemsky may not play for the rest of the regular season.The Dallas Stars forward will miss five-to-six months after having surgery to repair a labral tear in his hip Monday morning, Stars general manager Jim Nill announced.Hemsky suffered the injury at the World Cup of Hockey and only played in one of the Stars' first eight games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mihail Sergachev's first foray into the NHL is over.The Montreal Canadiens have assigned the defenseman to the OHL's Windsor Spitfires, the NHL club announced Monday.He played in three of the Canadiens' first nine games after making the team out of training camp along with fellow rookie Artturi Lehkonen.Montreal selected Sergachev ninth overall in June's draft.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Fittingly, Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson was named the NHL's first star of the week, the league announced Monday.Anderson recorded two shutouts, and was the center of attention Sunday night, as he posted a courageous 37-save shutout versus the Edmonton Oilers, only one day after his wife's cancer diagnosis was the club revealed.Another netminder took home second-star honors, as Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk's remarkable week earned the nod. Dubnyk has recorded three consecutive shutouts, turning away all 94 shots he faced and setting a franchise record in the process.Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber earned the third star after recording five points in four games for the first-place Habs. Weber leads the NHL in game-winning goals with three and owns a league-leading plus-12 rating.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

BUFFALO, N.Y. - A judge will dismiss the charges against Buffalo Sabres forward Evander Kane stemming from scuffles with women in a bar if he stays out of future trouble.The arrangement is contingent on the 25-year-old player avoiding legal issues for the next six months. Kane didn't speak during or after his brief appearance in a Buffalo court. Kane's lawyer says Monday's action doesn't include an admission of guilt, and Kane still denies the allegations.Kane was arrested in July, a month after allegedly grabbing three women by the hair and neck in separate encounters on the same night in a downtown Buffalo bar. Kane was removed from the club by bouncers. He was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct, trespass and noncriminal harassment.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaroslav Halak might be staying put for a while, after all.After Halak's agent, Allan Walsh, took to Twitter Saturday to criticize the Islanders' deployment of three goalies, general manager Garth Snow officially put the 31-year-old netminder on the market.Walsh believes the Islanders' three-goalie system, featuring Thomas Greiss and Jean-Francois Berube, has stripped his client of quality practice time.With the news of Halak's availability circulating the league's front offices, no one appears to be taking Snow's bait, as the Islanders haven't received any offers, Newsday's Arthur Staple reports.Halak has one more season on his current contract at a $4.5-million cap hit.In five starts this season, Halak has posted a 2-3 record, accompanied by a 3.04 GAA and .901 save percentage.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's new series "The Noise" will be published every Monday, and kick off each week with a quick look at teams or players making headlines, good or bad.Time to flip the calendar.The first month of the NHL's regular season has come and gone in the blink of an eye, and what an entertaining October it was. You may recognize it's not actually November yet, but in a clear effort to ruin all your Halloween plans, there's no games on the docket tonight, so just play along here.Anyway, as all 30 teams take the day off, here's a look at three clubs that have made some noticeable noise over the past week:New York RangersChosen by many to regress this season, the Rangers have jumped to a 6-3 record out of the gate. The Blueshirts seem refreshed, and perhaps a longer offseason has helped the strong start. New York's played as much hockey as anyone over the past few seasons due to multiple deep playoff runs.The Rangers have beaten strong opponents in Washington, Boston, and Tampa Bay for their past three wins, and are producing 31.8 shots per game (third in the NHL), while allowing only 26 - the league's fourth best mark.Henrik Lundqvist is Henrik Lundqvist, and backup Antti Raanta has been strong in two starts. What's most impressive about the Rangers, though, has been the offensive balance, as 10 skaters already have at least six points.Oh, and it turns out that Jimmy Vesey kid is pretty good, too. The Harvard product has five goals and one assist.Minnesota WildAnother team that apparently pays attention to their supposed expectations.The Wild's biggest offseason acquisition is paying early dividends. The new guy behind the bench, Bruce Boudreau, has led the team to a Central Division-leading 6-2-1 record.Devan Dubnyk has been the Wild's best player, riding a remarkable three game shutout streak. But the success isn't just coming from the crease, as Minnesota has notched nine goals over the three blank sheets, and rank third in the NHL with 32 tallies. These aren't your dad's North Stars.Minnesota is allowing more shots than they're producing, which will need to be rectified, but all Boudreau does is win division titles - eight in nine years, in fact.Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh is the outlier here, as no one expected them to struggle this season, but the reigning Stanley Cup champions have won three in a row. Coincidentally, Sidney Crosby came back three games ago.Crosby already has five points, while Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel have 10 and nine, respectively.Goaltending has been the Pens' main question mark, with Marc-Andre Fleury failing to take advantage of his opportunity as the early-season starter. But with Kris Letang on the mend, and Matt Murray possibly stepping back between the pipes, there isn't much to worry about in Steel Town.Honorable Mention: Craig AndersonThis couldn't go unmentioned.Only one day after the Ottawa Senators announced Anderson's wife, Nicholle, was diagnosed with cancer, the 35-year-old joined the club in Edmonton and earned the first star with a 37-save shutout versus the Oilers.A truly moving moment.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The incredible courage of Craig Anderson and his wife, who after being diagnosed with cancer encouraged him to join them on the road, brought something different, brought something special, out of the Ottawa Senators.They rallied around Craig Anderson on Sunday night, putting forth a resolute defensive effort in support of their netminder.The result: a 37-save shutout, and an unforgettable night in Edmonton."The players wanted to defend so well," Guy Boucher said in his media scrum. "That was the whole mindset. We could hear our offensive players the whole game on the bench talking about defending and paying the price. That they weren't giving away any freebies."And as the game went on, you were watching Craig and you couldn't help but be inspired by him."Related: Senators' emotional net-front celebration after Anderson shutoutThe support wasn't limited to the Senators' bench. In addition to applauding his team, Boucher singled out the respect and support of the Oilers' organization, as well as its players and fans."We love hockey - it's a great game. But there's things that are bigger. I think there was a lot of people that showed that tonight."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The home side lost, but the result on Sunday night was perfect in Edmonton.In his first start since it was discovered that his wife Nicholle has cancer, Craig Anderson made 37 saves for the Ottawa Senators, recording a shutout of the Edmonton Oilers.When the horn sounded, his teammates, his counterpart Cam Talbot, and every remaining fan in attendance showed they were behind Anderson and his family in a moment that was both beautiful and heart-wrenching all at the same time.

Craig Anderson went back to work, and did his job to the very best of his abilities.The end result was a 2-0 win for the Ottawa Senators over the Edmonton Oilers in Anderson's first start since rejoining the club following the announcement of his wife's cancer diagnosis.Anderson stopped 37 shots to earn his 35th career shutout, and was mobbed by his teammates in an emotional celebration at the final buzzer. He was named the game's first star, and came back out on the ice to a raucous ovation from the knowing Oilers faithful.The win also marked Anderson's second straight shutout after he stopped all 22 shots against in Vancouver on Oct. 25.Anderson missed the Senators previous game - a loss in Calgary on Oct. 28 - having traveled back to Ottawa to be with his family.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the Toronto Maple Leafs fell behind and eventually stumbled to the finish in likely their worst performance of the season - a 5-1 beatdown from the New York Islanders - the substandard ice quality in Brooklyn was a factor brought up among certain onlookers.There is no doubt: the ice is an issue at Barclays Center, and one that obviously affects the Islanders most. But it in no way excuses Toronto's performance in the eyes of its head coach."No it isn't," Babcock said, rebuffing the suggestion that it was hard to mount a comeback with the poor ice conditions. "Let's not go there. This is on us."Instead, Babcock said the reason the Leafs were outclassed on the second night of a back-to-back is they didn't have an entire roster "on board" and competing. He didn't point the finger, but admitted when asked that Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk - who were on for all four goals against at even strength - have to be a lot better."(They) gotta lead."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Second sources of income across the NHL may be lost as soon as Monday, as the parent company for equipment manufacturer Bauer prepares to file for bankruptcy protection, TSN's Rick Westhead reports.Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Auston Matthews are among athletes who have signed endorsement deals with Bauer.Westhead reports Performance Sports Group Ltd. expects a $424-million debt by the end of 2016. In addition, its shareholders filed a lawsuit against the company, accusing it of inflating revenue and sales reports and deceiving the market.NHL players could lose deals valued at upwards of $500,000.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It felt like it took forever, but ultimately a decision was made rather quickly.That Jimmy Vesey became a free agent deep in the dog days of summer and took a few days to make a decision helped put the hype machine into overdrive, raising questions as to whether he was really worth all the attention.Through nine games at the NHL level, the answer seems to be yes.The processHere's how it went down.In choosing to exercise his right to hit the open market, the 2016 Hobey Baker Award winner decided against signing with the Nashville Predators - who selected him in the third round (66th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft - as well as with the Buffalo Sabres, who had acquired his rights in exchange for a 2016 third-round pick.Vesey then became an unrestricted free agent on Aug. 16, and following a host of meetings with the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers, he chose to sign an entry-level contract with the Blueshirts on Aug. 19.Over the course of those four days, and especially in markets spurned by the Harvard graduate, whispers of doubt seemed to grow exponentially, making it imperative that Vesey get off to a decent start, lest he be labeled as a quickly forgotten footnote from the summer of 2016.The results, so farThrough the opening weeks of the season, the Rangers really couldn't ask for much more out of Vesey.GamesGoalsAssistsPower-Play PointsShots+/-951216+3Vesey's fifth goal, scored Sunday in a win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, puts him one back of the rookie lead, behind only Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine, both of whom have scored six.Four of his goals have come against the likes of Braden Holtby, Ben Bishop, and Martin Jones, and he's also the only rookie to record two game-winning goals, for whatever that stat is actually worth.Yes, he's scoring at a success rate of over 30 percent, but he's posted positive shot-attempt differential numbers and has been seeing time on the power play, and was recently promoted to the Rangers' top line alongside Derek Stepan and Rick Nash.In short, he's earned the trust of the Rangers' coaching staff in short order, and is making the most of his opportunity to shine on Broadway.That Vesey didn't make his NHL debut until age 23 and took four days to make a decision on which team to begin his career with should not be held against him. It's still early days, but he's proving to be worth the wait, much to the Rangers' delight.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

CHICAGO - Corey Crawford made 32 saves, Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa each had a power-play goal and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-0 on Sunday night.Artem Anisimov also scored to extend his career-best point streak to seven games. He has six goals and five assists during the run.Toews got his first goal of the season - the Chicago captain had just three assists in the Blackhawks' first eight games. Hossa scored into an empty net with 1:10 remaining.Hossa was honored in a pregame ceremony for becoming the 44th player with 500 goals, a milestone he reached on Oct. 18.The Blackhawks killed both of Los Angeles' power plays and for the first time in nine games didn't allow a power-play goal.Crawford earned his 20th shutout, and the Kings were blanked for the second straight game. Los Angeles concluded a two-game Midwest swing after losing 1-0 in regulation at St. Louis on Saturday.Los Angeles' Peter Budaj made 26 saves.Crawford wasn't heavily tested in this one, but stopped Kyle Clifford point blank with 2:35 left following a turnover. Tyler Toffoli had two good chances in the third.Kings coach Darryl Sutter remained stuck on 599 wins. Sutter launched his coaching career with the Blackhawks following eight seasons with them as a forward and ranks 14th in NHL coaching victories and fifth among active coaches.Sutter has more than 100 wins with each of the four teams he's coached - Los Angeles, Chicago, San Jose and Calgary.The Blackhawks had four power-play chances in the first period and Toews connected on the first one at 6:54 to give Chicago a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.Toews' wrist shot from the top of the right circle beat Budaj on the glove side while Kings defensemen Jake Muzzin and Tom Gilbert screened Budaj.Anisimov made it 2-0 from the left edge of the crease with 6:30 left in the second, set up after Hossa threaded a pass across the crease. Anisimov didn't quite handle the feed cleanly but controlled the puck with a quick move and chipped it over Budaj.NOTES: Hossa held his daughter Zoja while being honored and got a big reaction from the crowd when the 2-year-old pinched his nose and then waved while the scoreboard camera zoomed in. ... Los Angeles D Brayden McNabb, who suffered an upper body injury in Saturday's 1-0 loss in St. Louis, sat out Sunday. Kings D Matt Greene, a healthy scratch since the second game of the season, was in the lineup. ... Blackhawks rookie D Gustav Forsling missed his second game with an upper body injury. ... Chicago rookie C Vincent Hinostroza, a scratch for the last four games, returned. ... Blackhawks F Andrew Desjardins, out since blocking a shot in Chicago's exhibition finale on Oct. 8, has resumed skating.UP NEXT:Kings: Host Anaheim on Tuesday to start a three-game homestand.Blackhawks: Host Calgary at the United Center for the second time in eight days.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NEW YORK - Brock Nelson and Shane Prince each had a goal and an assist, Thomas Greiss stopped 33 shots, and the New York Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1 Sunday night.Travis Hamonic, Casey Cizikas, and Josh Bailey also scored, and Nikolay Kulemin, Nick Leddy, and Dennis Seidenberg each had two assists to help the Islanders snap a two-game skid.Jake Gardiner scored for the Maple Leafs and Jhonas Enroth finished with 30 saves. Toronto lost its sixth straight on the road (0-3-3).After Gardiner scored 50 seconds into the third to pull the Maple Leafs to 2-1, Prince and Bailey scored 2:39 apart to stretch new York's lead to three.The Islanders honored former fan-favorite Matt Martin with a video tribute during a stoppage in the opening period. It was the first time Martin played against them since signing with Toronto in the offseason.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You remember Cash, the fan decked out in Washington Capitals gear in Edmonton who Alex Ovechkin dumped a stick over the glass for? Well, he and his family have taken the 8-year-old's birthday celebration out on the road with the Capitals.Because a game-used stick simply wouldn't suffice for a loyal supporter (who could just as easily lay his allegiances with that Connor McDavid fella), Ovechkin invited Cash and his family a couple hundred miles or so south to be in attendance for Sunday's game versus the Calgary Flames.

Though he's at the end of one of the least productive first months to a season of his career, Jonathan Toews will carry momentum into November.The Chicago Blackhawks captain stepped in and whipped a wrist shot over the shoulder of Peter Budaj on a power-play opportunity versus the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday, scoring his first of the season in his ninth game.Toews' maiden goal last season came in his eighth game. He ended up with 28.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Prior to Sunday's game against Los Angeles, the Chicago Blackhawks honored Marian Hossa for the winger's recently notched 500th career goal.It was his daughter, however, who stole the show, honking daddy's nose just like they were hanging out at home.

There's rarely been a shortage of personality among Vancouver Canucks goalies.The latest example is Jacob Markstrom, who donned an inflatable 7-foot-tall dinosaur costume and caused a little havoc behind the scenes.Markstrom's trick is a treat for us all.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are welcoming two forwards back to the lineup for Sunday's game against the New York Rangers.Ryan Callahan makes his season debut following offseason hip surgery, while Nikita Kucherov joins him in the forward ranks after missing one game with an upper-body injury.Callahan was originally penciled in for a mid-November return, and Kucherov was considered day to day.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Someone check what Colton Sceviour had for Sunday brunch.The Florida Panthers forward jumped on the Red Wings for two goals in the span of 23 seconds during the first period in Detroit, marking his third and fourth tallies of the season to date.The first came courtesy of a nifty redirection.

It doesn't quite measure up to two Halloweens back, when he "thrilled" as a Michael Jackson zombie, but P.K Subban's take on another music icon is pretty impressive nonetheless.Here's P.K. as Prince for his first Halloween bash with the Nashville Predators.

Detroit Red Wings forward Thomas Vanek will be out longer than expected, as head coach Jeff Blashill announced Sunday that he's now week-to-week with an unspecified injury.The injury, initially announced Tuesday, has already kept Vanek out of two games.Vanek, 32, is tied for the team lead with eight points.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

One day after the announcement of his wife's cancer diagnosis, Craig Anderson will be in goal for the Ottawa Senators versus the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night, head coach Guy Boucher confirmed.The Senators announced Thursday that Anderson was taking time to deal with a personal matter, followed by news of Nicholle Anderson's cancer diagnosis Friday. After goaltender Andrew Hammond was injured in Friday's game, Nicholle reportedly suggested her husband rejoin the team in Edmonton.Anderson is 4-1 on the season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings forward Steve Ott was fined $2,222 - the maximum allowed by the CBA - for spearing Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara on Saturday night, the league announced Sunday.Here's the play:It's no mystery why Ott's been summoned to pay up.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Over the last few years, the Chicago Blackhawks have earned all the glory in the Windy City, capturing three Stanley Cups since 2010.At the moment, however, the Blackhawks' popularity has taken a back seat to the Chicago Cubs' first run to the World Series in 71 years.The Cubs are in an unfavorable position, facing a 3-1 deficit, and the Blackhawks know that feeling well.In their recent run of dominance, the Blackhawks have forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-1 in a postseason series four times, so they're offering the Cubs some advice as they gear up to stave off heartbreak on Sunday night."It’s one game at this stage of the series, that’s the focus, that’s the concentration," head coach Joel Quenneville told Mark Lazerus of the Chicago-Sun Times. "They have to win big games. They’ve won a lot of big games and that’s how you’ve got to look at it. You can’t look past it."The Cubs will play one more game at home before possibly returning to Cleveland, and Blackhawks forward Marcus Kruger believes winning at Wrigley could put some pressure on the Indians."If you change the perspective on it, it’s going to be the toughest game for Cleveland to win, too, to get the fourth win," Kruger said. "It’s more pressure on them maybe now than on the Cubs, and if (the Cubs) can win this one at home now, they don’t have as much pressure maybe on the road."The Blackhawks escaped only one of their four 3-1 deficits, storming back against the Detroit Red Wings in 2013 en route to their second of three championships.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The dream of 82-0 is long gone.After winning their first four games, the Vancouver Canucks have quickly fallen from grace, currently riding a five-game losing streak after Saturday's 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals.The Canucks' 4-0 start was fool's gold, though, as they managed to win three of those games without even leading, repeatedly squeaking out victories in overtime.Since losing 4-3 to Los Angeles in a shootout Oct. 22 - their first loss - the Canucks have been held off the scoreboard twice, and have only scored four goals in their last four contests.Vancouver sits dead last in the NHL with only 16 goals for. Even more troublesome, the Canucks are hardly generating chances, averaging a league-worst 25 shots per game.Strong goaltending provided Vancouver's hot start, but as the season wears on and percentages even out, the Canucks seem likely to continue the downward trend.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.