Brian Campbell won't be taken out of the lineup after all.The Chicago Blackhawks defenseman was expected to be the odd man out on Friday when the club takes on the Columbus Blue Jackets, but it appears the veteran blue-liner will suit up, the team confirmed via Eric Lear of chicagoblackhawks.com.Campbell was expected to be a healthy scratch after coach John Quenneville said Thursday he wanted Trevor van Riemsdyk back in the lineup.It turns out both players will dress Friday, and there's no word on who will sit, according to Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On Sunday, the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers will kick off the first of the NHL season's three scheduled outdoor games.The Jets host the first outdoor game in franchise history and - with the star-studded alumni game plus other celebrations throughout the city - it's clear organizers are hoping this matchup can rival some of the best outdoor games we've seen since the NHL started making them an annual affair in 2008.With that in mind, let's take a stroll down memory lane as we recall three of the most unforgettable outdoor classics.Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings, 2014It wasn't until the 2014 season that the NHL finally decided to let the Toronto Maple Leafs take part in the outdoor festivities.In turn, the league created just the second Original Six matchup to be played outdoors, with the club pitted against the Detroit Red Wings at Michigan Stadium.The game set a NHL record for largest attendance, with a certified 104,173 fans braving the frigid temperatures.The game itself was also thrilling, aided by the blizzard conditions - it truly was a Winter Classic. When all was said and done, the Maple Leafs claimed a 3-2 shootout victory thanks to a winning goal by Tyler Bozak.Penguins vs. Sabres, 2008The inaugural Winter Classic will surely go down as one to remember.The introductory game - which has now become a mainstay - was played in conditions that brought hockey fans back to their days as kids, playing on the local pond while snow fell.The Penguins and Sabres endured more blizzard-like conditions at Ralph Wilson Stadium and ultimately it was Sidney Crosby who stole the show.The teams played to a 1-1 score, but Crosby would seal the Penguins victory with a goal on the final shootout attempt - a shootout that saw both goalies share the same net because the snow and winds were so fierce.Red Wings vs. Blackhawks, 2009The 2009 Winter Classic was the perfect follow up to the first installment, providing fans with a classic goal-scoring onslaught.The Blackhawks and Red Wings - in the first outdoor game to include two Original Six clubs - combined for 10 goals in a matchup that saw Detroit claw their way back from an early 3-1 hole.The game set a still-standing record for most goals scored in a Winter Classic - though the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils combined for 10 of their own in a 2014 Stadium Series game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, will be published every Friday throughout the season. We're kicking things off with a look at those teams and players that have surprised or disappointed us since hockey returned on Oct. 12.Failing FreddieVaswani: You could make a "Groundhog Day"-style movie about the Toronto Maple Leafs' goaltending troubles. The latest to star in the leading role:Frederik Andersen.It's early, yeah, but an .876 save percentage through three games is not what Lou Lamoriello and Co. had in mind when they traded for the Dane and signed him to a long-term, big-money extension. Among active Maple Leafs, Andersen is tied with Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk, and Morgan Rielly as the club's highest-paid player at $5 million annually.While Toronto is the furthest thing from a defensive juggernaut and still rebuilding, what's most troublesome about Andersen's play is the fact he hasn't come up with a save - any save - when his team needs it most. Toronto blew 1-0, 3-2, and 4-3 leads against Ottawa on opening night, wasting Auston Matthews' superhuman maiden effort. On Wednesday, Toronto was up 4-0 on Winnipeg with half the game over. The Leafs outshot the Jets 13-12 in the third period and 4-1 in overtime, but were outscored 4-0. Not good enough. (There's your title, by the way, for that movie about Toronto's woes in the crease.)The easiest way for Andersen to un-endear himself to Maple Leafs fans was by blowing a 4-1 lead in the third period. It's too soon, Freddie. It will always be too bloody soon.Guy Boucher HockeyCuthbert: So, about that structure.Guy Boucher was hired to implement a scheme to control the randomness by which the Ottawa Senators score, and are scored against, yet the team that recklessly exchanged shots throughout all of last season is as unpredictable as ever.There have been 32 goals scored in four games involving the Sens, an average of 2.5 more than the average throughout 2015-16. The leader in shots against last season is still conceding more than 30 per game, but has averaged five pucks on net more than the opposition so far. The result: Ottawa has six points through three games, including two secured in either overtime or the shootout.The opposition, and certainly Boucher, will make adjustments that will be reflected on their shot charts. But at least for now the Senators are playing some thrilling hockey, and aiding that spike in overall scoring.So the question begs: Why isn't anyone in the seats?Low-Flying DucksO'Leary: Sticking with the "Groundhog Day" theme, the Anaheim Ducks are facing a familiar nightmare scenario.After going 1-7-2 last October, the Ducks have started the new Randy Carlyle era with a whimper, going 1-3-1 through their opening five games.Strangely, Anaheim hasn't played a home game yet, and arguably its best defender is awaiting a contract, circumstances that surely aren't helping the cause.Yet the Ducks' start under Carlyle has clearly left something to be desired, as the outdated structure he implemented in Toronto is beginning to seep into Anaheim's style of play, evidenced by being outshot in three losses thus far.Fizzling FlamesHagerman: The Calgary Flames seem to have successfully addressed their needs this offseason, but a 1-3-1 record suggests the club is seeing little value for doing so.The club acquired Brian Elliott from the Blues in the hopes he would duplicate his stellar 2015-16 season, but so far things have gotten off on the wrong foot. In his first two games with his new club, Elliott gave up 10 goals while posting a save percentage of just .818. Leaving him now with a 4.72 goals-against average and a .839 as of Friday.The team's offense hasn't been horrid, but still has question marks. The Flames' power play is firing at just 4.5 percent efficiency through five games, the worst mark in the NHL, and star Johnny Gaudreau has just one goal through five games.The team's poor play may have even trickled over to the practice rink.Lucky CanucksGold-Smith: The Vancouver Canucks' historic start has certainly been surprising. They've reeled off a four-game win streak to begin the season, including two victories in overtime and one in a shootout, leading to a slew of 82-0-0 jokes and half-sincere playoff predictions.The Canucks' streak is shocking in part because they didn't lead for a single second in their first three games. That doesn't bode well for the rest of the season, and it's a dangerous trend for a squad that will likely be playing from behind more often than not in 2016-17.Then again, it's such a small sample size that judgments either way are premature. Let's see where they are at the end of November.Whenever You're Ready, NashvilleWilkins: Many expected the Nashville Predators to be among the West’s best this year, and while that’s still very much a possibility, the team has gotten off to a slow start, posting a 1-2-0 record through three games.While the big-ticket offseason addition of P.K. Subban has delivered as promised - scoring in his Music City debut and grabbing a pair of points thus far - many of his new teammates have underwhelmed.The Preds have been rebranded as a high-octane offensive team, but a number of their scoring threats have struggled early. Of particular note is Filip Forsberg, who scored 33 goals last year, but has failed to find the back of the net this season.With just two points, Nashville currently sits last in the Central. The good news is that there is still plenty of time for coach Peter Laviolette and the Predators to turn this around.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 Friday, October 21:Line Stacks

The New York Islanders will be short-handed on the blue line Friday when they face the Arizona Coyotes.Nick Leddy won't play due to what Islanders head coach Jack Capuano previously classified as an upper-body ailment. He's listed as day to day.Leddy leads the Islanders with an average time-on-ice of 23:52 through four games.Ryan Pulock will take his place in the lineup after being recalled Thursday on an emergency basis from the AHL.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Dale Weise will have a hearing Friday with the NHL's Department of Player Safety after delivering a check to the head of Anaheim Ducks defenseman Korbinian Holzer.The hit took place Thursday in the second period of the Ducks' 3-2 victory, but a penalty wasn't called on the play.

On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, will be published every Friday throughout the season. We're kicking things off with a look at those teams and players that have surprised or disappointed us since hockey returned on Oct. 12.Failing FreddieVaswani: You could make a "Groundhog Day"-style movie about the Toronto Maple Leafs' goaltending troubles. The latest to star in the leading role: Frederik Andersen.It's early, yeah, but an .876 save percentage through three games is not what Lou Lamoriello and Co. had in mind when they traded for the Dane and signed him to a long-term, big-money extension. Among active Maple Leafs, Andersen is tied with Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk, and Morgan Rielly as the club's highest-paid player at $5 million annually.While Toronto is the furthest thing from a defensive juggernaut and still rebuilding, what's most troublesome about Andersen's play is the fact he hasn't come up with a save - any save - when his team needs it most. Toronto blew 1-0, 3-2, and 4-3 leads against Ottawa on opening night, wasting Auston Matthews' superhuman maiden effort. On Wednesday, Toronto was up 4-0 on Winnipeg with half the game over. The Leafs outshot the Jets 13-12 in the third period and 4-1 in overtime, but were outscored 4-0. Not good enough. (There's your title, by the way, for that movie about Toronto's woes in the crease.)The easiest way for Andersen to un-endear himself to Maple Leafs fans was by blowing a 4-1 lead in the third period. It's too soon, Freddie. It will always be too bloody soon.Guy Boucher HockeyCuthbert: So, about that structure.Guy Boucher was hired to implement a scheme to control the randomness by which the Ottawa Senators score, and are scored against, yet the team that recklessly exchanged shots throughout all of last season is as unpredictable as ever.There have been 32 goals scored in four games involving the Sens, an average of 2.5 more than the average throughout 2015-16. The leader in shots against last season is still conceding more than 30 per game, but has averaged five pucks on net more than the opposition so far. The result: Ottawa has six points through three games, including two secured in either overtime or the shootout.The opposition, and certainly Boucher, will make adjustments that will be reflected on their shot charts. But at least for now the Senators are playing some thrilling hockey, and aiding that spike in overall scoring.So the question begs: Why isn't anyone in the seats?Low-Flying DucksO'Leary: Sticking with the "Groundhog Day" theme, the Anaheim Ducks are facing a familiar nightmare scenario.After going 1-7-2 last October, the Ducks have started the new Randy Carlyle era with a whimper, going 1-3-1 through their opening five games.Strangely, Anaheim hasn't played a home game yet, and arguably its best defender is awaiting a contract, circumstances that surely aren't helping the cause.Yet the Ducks' start under Carlyle has clearly left something to be desired, as the outdated structure he implemented in Toronto is beginning to seep into Anaheim's style of play, evidenced by being outshot in three losses thus far.Fizzling FlamesHagerman: The Calgary Flames seem to have successfully addressed their needs this offseason, but a 1-3-1 record suggests the club is seeing little value for doing so.The club acquired Brian Elliott from the Blues in the hopes he would duplicate his stellar 2015-16 season, but so far things have gotten off on the wrong foot. In his first two games with his new club, Elliott gave up 10 goals while posting a save percentage of just .818. Leaving him now with a 4.72 goals-against average and a .839 as of Friday.The team's offense hasn't been horrid, but still has question marks. The Flames' power play is firing at just 4.5 percent efficiency through five games, the worst mark in the NHL, and star Johnny Gaudreau has just one goal through five games.The team's poor play may have even trickled over to the practice rink.Lucky CanucksGold-Smith: The Vancouver Canucks' start has certainly been surprising. They've reeled off a four-game win streak to begin the season, including two victories in overtime and one in a shootout, leading to a slew of 82-0-0 jokes and half-sincere playoff predictions.The Canucks' streak is especially shocking because the Canucks didn't lead for a single second in their first three games. That doesn't bode well for the rest of the season, and it's a dangerous trend for a squad that will likely be playing from behind more often than not in 2016-17.Then again, it's such a small sample size that judgments either way are premature. Let's see where they are at the end of November.Whenever You're Ready, NashvilleWilkins: Many expected the Nashville Predators to be among the West’s best this year, and while that’s still very much a possibility, the team has gotten off to a slow start, posting a 1-2-0 record through three games.While the big-ticket offseason addition of P.K. Subban has delivered as promised - scoring in his Music City debut and grabbing a pair of points thus far - many of his new teammates have underwhelmed.The Preds have been rebranded as a high-octane offensive team, but a number of their scoring threats have struggled early. Of particular note is Filip Forsberg, who scored 33 goals last year, but has failed to find the back of the net this season.With just two points, Nashville currently sits last in the Central. The good news is that there is still plenty of time for coach Peter Laviolette and the Predators to turn this around.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carey Price had arguably the best view.Back in the crease for the Montreal Canadians, the goaltender made 27 saves in his first regular-season game since November 25, 2015. But he had more fun watching his team's offensive exploits against the Arizona Coyotes."I thought we were skating well and moving the puck," Price told the club's website, "but it's always a bonus to put up a five-spot."Price improved to 8-0 lifetime against the Coyotes, with a .949 save percentage. Any questions about his health - whether it's the flu or his knee - can be put to bed."I felt fine. I wasn't going to go if I wasn't 100 percent. It's nice to get back into the routine and get the feel of the regular season again."The Habs are 3-0-1 to start the season and have allowed only seven goals in four games."For a guy who hasn't skated for a while, because of his flu, he looked sharp," head coach Michel Therrien said, according to the CBC. "Very encouraging to see."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This wasn't Lindy Ruff's first experience with a controversial goal, but that didn't seem to quell his frustration.The Dallas Stars head coach laid into the officials Thursday night after Los Angeles Kings defenseman Alec Martinez scored the winner in overtime, alleging Tanner Pearson nudged Kari Lehtonen on the play."I think that was a terrible call at the end of the game," Ruff told reporters, according to Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News."I thought our goaltender was interfered with, he was elbowed in the head before the puck went in the net. Terrible. Someone is going to have to explain why that goal counts. I want an explanation."He's in the paint, he's elbowed in the head before the puck gets there and it goes in our net. They look at it for five seconds and they call it a good goal. Take a look at the replay. Elbowed in the head, in the paint before the goal was in. I got a call in London, in preseason, where the referee came over and said, he's in the paint, it's no goal, and we didn't even touch the goaltender. Terrible call."Jason Spezza tied the game with 2:07 remaining in the third period, but Martinez ended it 80 seconds into the extra frame.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What a difference a year makes.As the fourth edition of the Heritage Classic draws near, the celebration of Canadian hockey arrives at a time when fans north of the border suddenly have a multitude of reasons to be excited.Last season, when all seven Canadian clubs missed the playoffs, "Hockey Night in Canada" ratings dwindled.Carey Price's knee injury derailed the Montreal Canadiens' season, and the Edmonton Oilers' No. 1 pick, Connor McDavid, suffered a broken collarbone that cut his rookie campaign down to 45 games.The rebuilding Toronto Maple Leafs posted the worst record in the league, and the four western Canadian franchises finished in the basements of the Central and Pacific divisions.Now, as the Winnipeg Jets prepare to host the Oilers outdoors at Investors Group Field on Sunday afternoon, the Canadian outlook has drastically improved.The Leafs landed Auston Matthews with the first overall pick in June, and he's made an immediate impact, scoring a record four goals in his debut and looking more than comfortable in the NHL.McDavid is lighting it up for Edmonton after being named the youngest captain in league history to start the season.Patrik Laine, the Jets' second overall pick behind Matthews, outshone his counterpart by capping a hat trick with the overtime winner in their first meeting earlier this week.Price made his season debut Thursday after missing the first three games with the flu. The Calgary Flames ended a preseason contract dance with dynamic young forward Johnny Gaudreau, signing him to a six-year extension two days before the start of the 2016-17 campaign.The Leafs, Flames, and Jets all boast impressive crops of up-and-coming talent. The Ottawa Senators, who've been mired in mediocrity of late, maintain their promising core built around Erik Karlsson, Mike Hoffman, Mark Stone, Bobby Ryan, and newcomer Derick Brassard.The Vancouver Canucks, who many still expect to be among the worst teams this season, became the first club in NHL history to win its first three games despite never leading. Take that as you should, but even the Canucks have been interesting so far, and they also have a number of skilled prospects on the way.The Oilers moved into Rogers Place - a brand-new, state-of-the-art arena - to begin the 2016-17 season, and back in April, Senators owner Eugene Melnyk won the initial bidding to redevelop the LeBreton Flats area in downtown Ottawa. If it's finalized, that deal will literally pave the way for a new arena in the nation's capital.So while it might still be a while before the majority of Canadian NHL teams are Stanley Cup contenders or perennial playoff participants again, almost every market in the Great White North has a reason to believe it's possible sooner rather than later.As the league prepares to once again celebrate Canadian hockey, the present and future look much better for most of the nation's franchises than they appeared only one season ago.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews put a little scare into Wayne Gretzky.An NHL Network interview with "The Great One" aired Thursday, which you can watch on Sportsnet, and No. 99's reaction to Matthews' Toronto Maple Leafs debut was great."I'm thinking, 'OK, my (50 goals in 39 games) is in jeopardy, and maybe the 92 (goals in a single season record) is in trouble.' I had all these thoughts," he said, jokingly."It's hard to score in the NHL," Gretzky added. "And it's really hard today, with the goaltenders being as good as they are and the players as good as they are. So what he did was remarkable. Good for him. It's great for Toronto."Gretzky also touched briefly on Toronto's rebuild, while also sharing some thoughts on Connor McDavid and Patrik Laine."What's more important about (the rise of extraordinary young talent), too, is how they're respecting the game and how they treat people and how much enjoyment you can see they're bringing to their clubs, and how much fun they're having."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins are off to a fiery start to begin the season.The club is 3-1-0 and the top line is firing on all cylinders, benefiting from the productive starts of usual suspects Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. But it's the third piece of the puzzle, David Pastrnak, who's impressed coach Claude Julien the most."He's a young player who's matured into the player we thought he was going to be," Julien said of Pastrnak following Thursday's win.The 20-year-old picked up an assist on Bergeron's game-winner against the New Jersey Devils, and early on has tallied four goals and seven points in the Bruins' first four games.After being plucked 25th overall in 2014 and enjoying marginal success in 97 games spread over two seasons, Pastrnak appears to finally be unleashing his offensive prowess, but Bergeron insists he's done much more than that."He's been tremendous from Game 1," Bergeron said, according to NHL.com's Eric Russo. "His compete level, but also the way he creates space for himself and for us, and he's using his speed as well. That's a perfect indication on that play that he used his body, but also he used his speed to kind of create some space for himself and keep the puck in their zone."Pastrnak's production has likely been a relief for the Bruins brass, which has been waiting for his true potential to be realized.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Jacob Markstrom made 26 saves and Daniel Sedin scored the game-winner in the third period Thursday night as the Vancouver Canucks downed the Buffalo Sabres 2-1.With the victory, the Canucks (4-0-0) are the NHL's only undefeated team after Colorado blanked Tampa Bay 4-0 on Thursday.Jannik Hansen had the other goal for Vancouver, which won its fourth straight game to open the season, tying a franchise mark set in 1992-93. Brandon Sutter had two assists.Nicholas Baptiste scored his first NHL goal for Buffalo (1-2-1) while Robin Lehner stopped 18 shots.The Canucks led 1-0 through two periods and stretched that lead to two at 9:10 of the third when their power play - 0 for 12 up to that point - finally connected. Lehner robbed Sutter at the side of the net, but Loui Eriksson fed a nice pass to Sedin, who buried his second.After Buffalo's Ryan O'Reilly had a great chance that Alexander Edler swept off the goal line, Baptiste scored on a strange play. Baptiste threw the puck in front and it struck Vancouver's Jake Skille as he battled with Nicolas Deslauriers. The puck caromed toward Markstrom's net, off Edler's stick and in at 11:23. Deslauriers was originally given credit for the goal before it was changed.The Sabres had a couple of looks from there, but a late too many men on the ice penalty took the wind out of their sails, and they were unable to find the range with Lehner out of the Buffalo goal for an extra attacker.Markstrom, 3-0-0 on the season, made his second straight start in place of Ryan Miller, who served as the backup after sitting out last game with general tightness.Following shootout and overtime victories in their first two games, the Canucks beat St. Louis 2-1 in OT on Tuesday to become the first team in league history to win its first three outings of a season while never holding a regulation lead in any of those games.Vancouver was just 3-30-1 when trailing after 40 minutes last season, and each victory in 2016-17 before Thursday came after the club trailed through two periods. The Canucks didn't require a comeback Thursday after Hansen scored the 100th goal of his career at 11:10 of the second, the Canucks' first lead in 218:22 this season.NOTES: The Sabres were once again without injured Fs Jack Eichel (ankle) and Evander Kane (ribs) as they wrapped up a three-game road trip through western Canada that also included a 6-2 win over Edmonton and a 4-3 overtime loss in Calgary.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist as the Edmonton Oilers won their second straight game in a strong start to the season, defeating the St. Louis Blues 3-1 on Thursday night.Tyler Pitlick and Milan Lucic also scored for the Oilers, who improved to 4-1-0 on the season.Nail Yakupov scored for the Blues in his first trip to Edmonton since being traded to St. Louis earlier this month.There was no scoring in the first period, with the Blues getting 10 shots on Oilers goalie Cam Talbot and Edmonton directing eight shots on Jake Allen.The Blues got on the board 3:37 into the second as a scramble allowed Joel Edmundson to feed it in front to Yakupov. It was the second goal of the season for the former Oiler.The Oilers pulled even three minutes later as Pitlick made a nifty deflection off a shot by Andrej Sekera while being knocked flying to score his third of the season.Edmonton made it 2-1 just 36 seconds into the third period as McDavid broke out of a two-game scoring drought by threading a pass through to Lucic in front. It was the big wing's second goal of the year.Both goaltenders made big saves before the Blues came close to tying it up midway through the third. Yakupov had Talbot beat on a backhand shot, but hit the post.McDavid put the game away with his fourth goal of the season into an empty net.NOTES: It was the first of three meetings between the teams this season. . Yakupov spent four seasons with the Oilers, recording 111 points in 252 games. ... Blues F Jaden Schwartz played his first game of the season after recovering from a hyperextended elbow. ... Talbot made his fifth start of the season one day after his wife, Kelly, gave birth to twins.UP NEXT:Blues: Conclude a three-game road trip in Calgary on Saturday.Oilers: Are off until Sunday, when they play the Jets in the Heritage Classic outdoor game in Winnipeg.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars forward Patrick Sharp is dealing with concussion-like symptoms after leaving Thursday's contest versus the Los Angeles Kings.Head coach Lindy Ruff said Sharp will be out "a while" following the game, according to Mike Heika of The Dallas Morning News.Sharp was hit cleanly by Kings defenseman Brayden McNabb in the second period, but fell awkwardly as he went headfirst into the boards.Stars forward Patrick Eaves also left the game with a lower-body injury, and will be further evaluated on Friday.The loss of Sharp comes at a terrible time for the Stars, as they deal with a slew of injuries to key forwards, including Ales Hemsky and Jiri Hudler.Through four games this season, Sharp has recorded one assist.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars forward Antoine Roussel is no stranger to the penalty box.Commandeering a one-man parade to the sin bin all night long, Roussel finally snapped, and took out his frustrations on some unsuspecting Gatorade bottles.Roussel earned 18 penalty minutes in the game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Eric Staal scored twice and the Minnesota Wild recovered from another deficit to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Thursday night.Staal has three goals in his first four games with his new team, and his game-winner with eight minutes left kept Minnesota unbeaten in its three-game homestand despite allowing the first goal in each game.Zac Dalpe scored his first for the Wild, and Devan Dubnyk stopped 31 shots.Toronto let another third-period advantage slip away as No. 1 overall draft pick Auston Matthews continued his scorching rookie season with his fifth goal in four games. The Maple Leafs surrendered a four-goal lead in a 5-4 overtime loss a night earlier at Winnipeg.Roman Polak also scored for Toronto. Jhonas Enroth made 24 saves in his Maple Leafs debut.Minnesota hasn't started well in its games, but led by newcomer Staal and new coach Bruce Boudreau the Wild have been able to pull themselves out of the early deficits.Polak opened the scoring nine minutes into the second period with a shot from the point that found its way past Dubnyk's shoulder. Staal answered with his first goal 56 seconds later when Charlie Coyle took a loose puck and spun around to find Staal streaking to the net for a breakaway.Matthews, the rookie who debuted with a four-goal game last week, added a power-play goal for the Leafs.The Wild entered the game one of three teams yet to allow a power-play goal this season. The penalty kill reached a perfect 12-for-12 before Matthews' tally. Minnesota was 27th in the NHL last season in penalty kill at 77.9 percent a year after leading the league at 86.3 percent.NOTES: Polak replaced D Martin Marincin, who missed the game with a lower-body injury. ... Wild D Marco Scandella was scratched before the game with an illness. Matt Dumba took his spot in the lineup after he was a minus-2 in the first three games. ... Minnesota was 5-25-6 last season when giving up the first goal. ... Coyle has a point in every game this season. ... Kadri reached 200 career points with his assist.UP NEXT:Maple Leafs: Finish its road trip on Saturday at Chicago.Wild: Begin a four-game road trip on Saturday at New Jersey.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

That one has to feel good.Just weeks after being traded from the team that drafted him first overall in 2012, Nail Yakupov made the most of his return to Edmonton, burying his second goal of the season in a game against his former club.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

PHILADELPHIA - Ryan Garbutt's goal broke a tie in the third period and sent the Anaheim Ducks to their first win of the season, 3-2 over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night.The Ducks opened 0-3-1 and had failed to score more than two goals in any of those games. Chris Wagner and Corey Perry also scored to help the Ducks spoil Philadelphia's home opener.Korbinian Holzer's angled pass from behind the net led to Garbutt's one-timer that stunned Steve Mason for the winner.Wayne Simmonds and Matt Read scored for the Flyers. The Flyers have lost all three games since winning on opening night and dropped to 27-16-6 lifetime in home openers.John Gibson stopped 20 shots for the Ducks.The Flyers opened their 50th anniversary celebration with a tribute to their founder and owner Ed Snider, who died of cancer in April. The Flyers raised a banner to the rafters with his name, team crest and 1967-2016 (years owned) on the memento. Snider's banner was sandwiched between the one celebrating the 1975 Stanley Cup championship and one for Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke. Clarke - widely considered the greatest Flyer.Members of Snider's family walked a black carpet and helped raise the banner that joined the same row that included ones for two Stanley Cup championships and five retired numbers.Snider was arguably the most influential executive in Philadelphia sports history. He was chairman of the 76ers basketball team, was once a part-owner of the Eagles football team, and had a hand in founding Comcast's local sports channel and the city's largest sports-talk radio station.''Ed Snider will forever be a part of the Philadelphia Flyers,'' announcer Lou Nolan told the crowd.Snider received the loudest ovation during a memorial tribute to some of the franchise's greatest names. Pelle Lindbergh, Barry Ashbee, Roger Neilson, and ''God Bless America'' singer Kate Smith all were included. The video included a clip of the late voice of the Flyers Gene Hart saying his Philly famous phrase, ''Good night and good hockey.''Nolan had scolded fans during last season's playoffs when they hurled promotional bracelets on the ice during a lopsided loss. He had urged fans to ''show some class'' during the first wave of band tossing. The Flyers issued a similar warning before the opener when they tried another bracelet giveaway as the attraction of a glitzy pregame show. The fans heeded the warning this time and keep the bracelets on their wrists instead of on the ice.On opening night, it still didn't take much to anger Flyers fans.Wagner scored the only goal of the first and the Flyers failed to convert on late power plays that let them get booed off the ice headed into intermission.Simmonds scored his third goal of the season and Read followed with his surprising fourth in the second to lift the Flyers to a 2-1 lead. Simmonds' goal came on the power play but the Flyers missed on six other attempts through two periods.''We have to do a better job 5-on-5. We turned the puck over too much in the neutral zone,'' Simmonds said. ''Obviously, we got power a power play goal but five-on-five is where it starts.''Perry tied the game 2-all with 3:18 left in the second to match anemic Anaheim's highest goal total for a game this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrice Bergeron is back, and once again making a world of difference for the Boston Bruins.In his first start of the season after missing a trio of games with an upper-body injury, Bergeron placed an expert shot through a maze in front of Cory Schneider with 75 seconds left, giving Boston its first lead Thursday versus the New Jersey Devils.Bergeron was then called upon to help kill the remaining ticks on a man advantage for the Devils; the captain ensured Boston would improve to 3-1 on the season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

PITTSBURGH - Evgeni Malkin, Scott Wilson and Patric Hornqvist scored during a furious third-period rally to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night.The Penguins trailed by two goals after two largely lifeless periods in a rematch of last June's Stanley Cup Final before catching fire late. Hornqvist and Malkin both finished with a goal and an assist. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 32 shots and bought the Penguins time until the offense finally got going.Tomas Hertl and Patrick Marleau scored for the Sharks, who controlled the first 40 minutes and appeared well on their way to a one-sided victory before falling apart late. Martin Jones made 17 saves but saw the play in front of him break down in the third.The Penguins captured the franchise's fourth Stanley Cup in an entertaining final last June, finishing off the Sharks in Game 6 in San Jose. If the Sharks wanted a glimpse at just how close they came to their first title, they need only look toward the rafters at PPG Paints Arena during warmups to get a look at the banner the Penguins raised last week.San Jose insisted Thursday had nothing to do with revenge or any sense of payback. Last June is gone. For now the Sharks are still trying to find an identity even with nearly the same roster back for another run.They're off to a hot start and certainly looked fresh playing for the third time in four days on the road. Not so much Pittsburgh, which struggled to generate much of anything in a shutout loss in Montreal on Tuesday and did little to get to Jones during the first two periods on Thursday with captain Sidney Crosby (concussion) and defenseman Kris Letang (upper body) out of the lineup.San Jose tilted the ice for long stretches, working extensively in the Pittsburgh zone while the Penguins went through several lengthy droughts in which they failed to put the puck anywhere near Jones.The Sharks eventually took a 1-0 lead 5:04 into the second thanks to a strange sequence in which Fleury lost control of his stick when a shot from Burns smacked off the handle. The puck was briefly cleared but as Fleury tried to chase the stick down, the Sharks rushed back into the zone and Hertl eventually jammed a rebound off a shot by Joe Pavelski past the stickless goaltender.San Jose's lead doubled shortly after Hornqvist's goal was overturned, stripping Chris Kunitz to create a 2-on-1 that ended with him taking a pass from Logan Couture and burying it by Fleury with 3:45 left in the second.Things changed quickly. Malkin's second of the year - a shot from in between the circles 6:47 into the third got Pittsburgh started. Wilson tied it 2:15 later when he collected the puck from the corner and darted to the net before slipping a backhand by Jones.Hornqvist completed the comeback 14:02 into the third by slamming a rebound by Jones on the power play to give the Penguins an unlikely lead.NOTES: Pittsburgh played the third period with just four defensemen after Olli Maatta and Derrick Pouliot left with injuries. ... Crosby did not skate Thursday, a scheduled day off. ... The Penguins also scratched Conor Sheary (eye). ... San Jose scratched Fs Michael Haley and Ryan Carpenter and D Dylan Demelo. ... The Penguins went 1 for 5 on the power play. The Sharks were 0 for 3.UP NEXTSharks: Wrap up a five-game road trip Saturday at Detroit.Penguins: Visit Nashville on Saturday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Capitals forward Daniel Winnik left Thursday's game versus the Florida Panthers after taking a slapshot to the back of the head.Sprawling out to block a shot on a third-period penalty kill, Winnik came within mere inches from disaster, but luckily was able to skate off the ice under his own power. He ultimately returned to the contest.However, Winnik did not escape completely unscathed.

Absolutely perfect.Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand scored his third goal of the season in impressive fashion, unloading a laser through the legs of Andy Greene and over the shoulder of Cory Schneider.Shoot the puck, kids.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's a new right-handed one-timer in town.Shea Weber, from P.K. Subban's old spot, absolutely ripped his first goal in a Montreal Canadiens uniform on Thursday night.Get used to it, Habs fans.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ed Snider wasn't present for a Philadelphia Flyers home opener for the first time in the franchise's half-century history, but the late former owner - and revered community member - was there in spirit.The Flyers saluted Snider in a pregame ceremony on the home portion of the 50th anniversary season schedule, raising a banner to the Wells Fargo Center rafters to hang alongside the club's Stanley Cup keepsakes and retired numbers.A builder in the adopted city that he brought the NHL to back in 1966, Snider transcended ownership with the Snider Foundation, and other philanthropic ventures.Snider succumbed to his battle with cancer in April at age 83.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What a moment.The Boston Bruins allowed a pair of legends to take center stage - or ice - in their home opener Thursday night, as Bobby Orr and Milt Schmidt were on hand for the ceremonial puck drop.Schmidt, 98, is the oldest living former NHL player.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Zach Redmond's tenure with the Montreal Canadiens isn't off to a great start.The 28-year-old defenseman will miss six weeks after suffering a broken foot in practice, the Canadiens announced on Thursday.Redmond signed a two-year, $1.225-million contract with the club July 1, and has yet to crack the starting lineup in regular-season action.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brian Campbell on a bargain-bin salary hasn't solved the Chicago Blackhawks' defensive woes. At least not yet.The veteran defender, who hasn't missed a game in a half-decade, is expected to be a healthy scratch Friday versus the Columbus Blue Jackets.The reason? A substandard performance in a win over the Philadelphia Flyers, coupled with the opportunity to get Trevor van Riemsdyk in live action after his own recent string of scratches."We don't want to see the same guys sitting out for extended periods of time." head coach Joel Quenneville told Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times. "He's a player we think we want in the lineup."Van Riemsdyk is also a player other teams would like to see in their lineup. So while Campbell sits, the 25-year-old believed to be available in the trade market could potentially be auditioning for a more permanent role elsewhere.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The first place St. Louis Blues will get an added boost on Thursday.The team will welcome forward Jaden Schwartz back to the lineup when the club tangles with the Edmonton Oilers, the team announced.Schwartz was originally supposed to miss upwards of four weeks after going down with a elbow injury on Sept. 30, but is feeling good ahead of the original timeline and will return one week early."It feels good, so the plan is for me to play tonight," Schwartz said, according to the team. "I got a couple practices in and I feel good, and we were looking at this date all along. No setbacks, so I'm obviously really, really excited to join the group again."The 24-year-old was limited to just 33 games last season, but still produced 22 points while adding another 14 in 20 playoff games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks will be without the newest member of the 500-goal club Friday when they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets.Marian Hossa has been ruled out due to a lower-body injury, head coach Joel Quenneville confirmed, according to Judd Sirott of WGN 720. Hossa suffered the injury Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers after he blocked a shot, reports CSN Chicago's Tracey Myers.Hossa recently netted his first goal of the season which was also the 500th of his career, making him the 44th player in NHL history to reach the milestone.The 37-year-old has four points in four games to start the year.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford is pleading for people not to over analyze the signing of Matt Murray.The team announced a three-year, $11.25-million contract extension with Murray on Thursday that will kick in at the end of this season, but with the expansion draft coming in June, Rutherford insists the new deal doesn't mean the team will be letting go of Marc-Andre Fleury."Let's not presume that Marc is automatically out," Rutherford said after practice. "He's been the franchise goaltender here. Let's let this play out."

Kris Letang won't be able to take part in the Stanley Cup Final rematch.The Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman was ruled out of Thursday's game against the San Jose Sharks.He was hurt late in Tuesday's loss to the Montreal Canadiens on a hit by Brendan Gallagher, and Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan would only classify Letang's ailment as an upper-body injury when prompted Wednesday.Sullivan described both Letang and forward Conor Sheary as day to day, and neither will play Thursday.Letang leads the Penguins in average time-on-ice and ranks eighth in the NHL at 26:09 through the first four games. He was limited to 18:55 on Tuesday.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 Thursday, October 20:Line Stacks

The wait is over.Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price will make his season debut Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes as he returns after a lengthy battle with the flu, head coach Michel Therrien announced.Price missed the club's first three games of the season after a flu bug left him quarantined in his own home and caused him to lose between seven and eight pounds.The former Vezina Trophy winner returned to practice on Wednesday where Therrien admitted he couldn't wait to have Price back in the net.Al Montoya took on the starting roll in Price's absence and fared admirably posting a 2-0-1 record with a 1.3 goals-against average, a .962 save percentage, and one shutout.Price's start will mark his first with the Canadiens since Nov. 25 of last year after he suffered a devastating MCL sprain that caused him to miss the rest of the season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrice Bergeron is ready to go.The All-Star center will make his season debut for the Boston Bruins on Thursday night against the New Jersey Devils, Bruins coach Claude Julien confirmed after the morning skate.Bergeron missed the first three games of the season after suffering an injury in the preseason.He posted four goals and three assists in six games for Canada's championship-winning squad at the World Cup of Hockey.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Each week, theScore looks at the teams, players, and other hockey figures trending upward and taking a step back.â–² Patrik LaineLaine 1, Matthews 0.The first round of the manufactured "rivalry" between No. 1 overall pick Auston Matthews and second selection Patrik Laine went to the latter, and while it was only one game, the Winnipeg Jets prospect made an emphatic statement Wednesday night.Laine scored the tying goal with under a minute remaining, then the overtime winner to cap off a hat trick and stun the Toronto Maple Leafs, who coughed up a four-goal lead.The 18-year-old showed he's just as deserving of the spotlight as his counterpart and served notice to both his team and the rest of the league that he's ready to lead by example.â–¼ Kris Russell apologists(Photo courtesy: Edmonton Journal)When Kris Russell recorded three assists in his first four games with the Edmonton Oilers, you just knew he'd be praised despite going unsigned for nearly the entire summer.The Edmonton Journal's Jason Gregor authored a column Tuesday arguing that Russell's solid start proves analytics don't tell the whole story, but no one who understands the relationship between numbers and sports believes analytics are the only way we should study the game.What the numbers do is help confirm or disprove hunches made without quantitative evidence, like the hot take Sportsnet's Roger Millions was skewered for when he touted the defenseman's intangibles one day later.

Patrik Laine? Or Auston Matthews?Matthews? Or Laine?Get used to this debate for the next 10 to 15 years, at least. Forever, actually.The Toronto Maple Leafs' and Winnipeg Jets' prized rookies - drafted first and second overall in June - faced each other for the first time Wednesday and the matchup did not disappoint. Laine, the catalyst of an impressive Jets third-period comeback, had a hat trick - capped in overtime after Matthews was stopped on a breakaway, no less. Matthews finished with an assist and seven shots.Each player has four goals and one assist after a week of NHL hockey. Laine's played four games to Matthews' three.We've taken the liberty of scientifically ranking the eight goals the teenagers have scored so far. Shall we?1. Matthews' 2ndThe gold standard, so far. The skill on display was simply sublime.2. Laine's 1st vs. TorontoWatch from the 0:33 mark - it's the best angle to see how ridiculous Laine's first of probably hundreds of goals against Toronto was. For Laine to be able to take a puck off his skate, turn and fire, and put it where he did is unfair.3. Laine's 1st NHL goalIt's insane where Laine put that puck with all the traffic in front of the net. His wrist shot is probably already top 10 in the league.4. Matthews' hat-trick goalIf you count how long the puck was on Matthews' stick, you wouldn't hit one second. Incredible release and accuracy.5. Laine's OT winnerFrederik Andersen is 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, yet Laine had no problem putting the puck exactly where he wanted to - glove side upstairs.6. Matthews' 4thMatthews makes finishing a saucer pass on a two-on-one look awfully easy. And he gets marks for his lack of a celebration. Kid scores four goals in two periods in his NHL debut and not only acts like he's been there before, he acts like he knows he's going to do it again.7. Laine's one-timerLaine's going to score a lot of goals on the power play from one knee at the top of the left circle.8. Matthews' 1stA "cleaning up the garbage in front" tally, but you never forget your first.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins locked up goaltender Matt Murray on a three-year, $11.25-million contract extension Thursday, the team announced.The 22-year-old inked the deal, which will pay him an annual average of $3.75 million, after proving his worth in his first real taste of the NHL last season.The club's third-round pick in 2012 made his debut playing in 13 regular season games, posting a 9-2-0 record with a 2.00 goals-against average and .930 save percentage.However, it's in the postseason where Murray proved he could be the Penguins' goalie of the future. The Thunder Bay, Ontario, native carried Pittsburgh to a Stanley Cup win thanks to a 15-6 record with a 2.08 goals-against average and .923 save percentage.Murray, who's recovering from a broken hand suffered while backstopping Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey, had his first practice with the team since going down with the injury on Wednesday, and, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie, should be in game shape within the next couple of weeks.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray appears set to cash in on strong showings in the playoffs and World Cup of Hockey.The Penguins and Murray are closing in on a multi-year contract extension, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie. McKenzie notes the extension is likely to be for three years - kicking in after this season - and estimates it will average out to less than $4 million per season.The 22-year-old backstopped the Penguins to their first Stanley Cup win since 2009 last season with a 2.08 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage in 21 games. He also turned in a great showing at the World Cup as a member of North America before going down with a broken hand, which he continues to nurse.Murray practiced with the Penguins on Wednesday for the first time since suffering the injury, and is expected to return to game action over the next couple weeks, according to McKenzie.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Experts Series is a multi-part project which delves into the mindset of athletes who've reached the pinnacle of their profession, offering insight on the philosophy and fundamentals that led to their most memorable moments.​The MomentMichigan Stadium holds attendance records for NCAA football, NCAA hockey, and for a soccer game played in the United States.The announced attendance for the 2014 NHL Winter Classic between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings at The Big House was 105,491 - shattering the previous record for attendance at an NHL game by more than 30,000 fans.Sixty minutes were not enough to decide a winner in that game, nor were the five minutes of 4-on-4 that followed.Pavel Datsyuk of the Red Wings and Joffrey Lupul of the Maple Leafs exchanged tallies in the shootout to leave the teams level through four shooters. When Jonathan Bernier denied Tomas Tatar on the Red Wings' third attempt, the fate of both sides was planted firmly on the stick of Leafs center Tyler Bozak."To be honest, I was pretty nervous," Bozak told theScore. "I don't really get nervous in those situations, but it was a big game. And it was for the win."Bozak started out wide to the right, moved back to the middle of the ice and snapped a low shot past Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard's blocker, finding the twine."The amount of fans that were there. It was snowing. It was a pretty special moment," Bozak said. "I'd have to say I was pretty nervous, but once you grab the puck and start going down, you forget about all that and it just comes back to normal."The PhilosophyBozak has established himself as one of the NHL's premier shootout specialists during his time in the league. Entering the 2016-17 season, he'd converted on 14-of-35 attempts.While many shootout artists like to go into their attempts with a gameplan, Bozak prefers to let the situation dictate his method of attack and take what the goaltender gives him."I don't really set up a move, or anything before I go down," he said."I just try to come with some speed, push the goalie back in the net, take a look and see what's open and try and pick a spot and shoot it there."With the NHL adopting 3-on-3 overtime for the 2015-16 season, shootouts have made fewer appearances at NHL rinks, but a shooter's ability to beat a goaltender 1-on-1 remains as valuable a skill as ever.Bozak has found a style that works for him, but he understands there are multiple methods of attacking these situations."Everyone's different," Bozak said. "Some guys have really good hands and great moves with dekes. For me, I think the chances of me scoring are a lot better if I shoot, rather than deke. There's a lot more room for error when you go in and then try to put a move on the goalie."While Bozak prefers to keep things simple, he understands that the shooter's ability to influence the goaltender's positioning has always been the key to a successful scoring attempt."I think you mainly have to read the goalie," Bozak said. "If I come in and he's out really far it's gonna be tough to beat him with a shot in certain areas. If he's out far, if I'm gonna shoot it, it'll probably be 5-hole. Or you have to deke."But if I'm able to come in with a lot of speed and then slow down, it pushes him back in the net and then you have a lot more area to shoot at."Previous editions of The Experts SeriesMike Weir on putting under pressure

Winnipeg Jets fans were unkind to Auston Matthews in his first visit to MTS Centre, mercilessly hollering the name of the top-two draft pick they believe is the better player throughout.And they were correct in their assessment, at least on Wednesday night, as No. 2 overall selection Patrik Laine scored a hat trick in a thrilling come-from-behind overtime victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.But for their shouts, and the first glimpse of hostile territory they provided Matthews in his brief history in the NHL, they don't have the Maple Leafs star dreading his next visit to Winnipeg."You just got to block it out, have fun with it," Matthews told TSN's Mark Masters of the deafening "Laine's better!" chants heard throughout the third period."Winnipeg is a great hockey city, so that's what you get when you go to play these types of teams."Matthews had a glorious opportunity to net a silencer in overtime, but struck the pad of Michael Hutchinson on his breakaway. The puck then immediately was sent up ice, where Laine, the preferred choice in Winnipeg, collected and fired his third goal of the game into the roof of the net.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrik Laine successfully suppressed the emotion bubbling underneath the surface when he met with reporters after scoring a hat-trick goal in overtime to defeat the team that decided in June that another prospect - Auston Matthews - was more talented than him.But we can hazard a guess at how he really feels.Or better yet, we can turn to Mark Scheifele."He should be over the moon right now," Scheifele told reporters.Laine called the moment "amazing," and couldn't help but chuckle to himself after labeling it a "normal regular-season game," but balked at attempts to lead him into admitting that he relished this performance even more because it came against the Toronto Maple Leafs."It's always nice to score," he said. "Everyone knows that. It's the best league in the world, and I scored three goals. It was amazing to help my team win with those goals."It was so cool."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

"Laine's better!"The chants reverberated true at MTS Centre on Wednesday night.Patrik Laine outshone Auston Matthews in the first meeting between the top two selections from last summer's draft, completing a hat trick in overtime with a bullet shot over the shoulder of Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen.

NEW YORK - Jimmy Howard made 32 saves to lead the Detroit Red Wings to a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Wednesday night.Thomas Vanek and Drew Miller scored for Detroit, which improved to 2-2-0.After beginning the season with two straight losses, the Red Wings have won consecutive games.And they have Howard to thank for their latest win as New York had the better of play for wide stretches. The Rangers outshot Detroit 33-18 for the game and Howard was forced into making highlight reel stops to keep the Red Wings in the game.New York led 1-0 as Mika Zibanejad redirected Ryan McDonagh's slap shot from the right point past Howard 1:09 into the game. The Rangers carried the 1-0 lead into the first intermission, following an opening 20 minutes in which they outshot the Red Wings 14-7.Zibanejad's goal accounted for all of New York's offense, and the Rangers have alternated wins and losses through their first four games.Their lead could have been larger as Jimmy Vesey and Brady Skjei had shots that hit goal posts late in the first, and Michael Grabner, Rick Nash and Mats Zuccarello all misfired on quality scoring chances in the first three minutes of the second period.New York's inability to convert and Howard's play proved costly when Vanek tied the game 6:15 into the second with a power-play goal.The game remained tied until 59 seconds into the third period. Luke Glendening's forecheck forced Henrik Lundqvist into committing a turnover behind his net, and Miller fired a shot into the net before the New York goaltender could fully recover for his first goal of the season.Jester Fast appeared to tie the game with 3:38 left in regulation by redirecting Kevin Klein's shot from the point, but the goal was immediately disallowed as the New York wing had played it with a high stick.Lundqvist made 16 saves on 18 shots.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Thursday's game between the St. Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers will mark a few homecomings.All eyes will be on Nail Yakupov, who the Oilers traded to the Blues before the start of the season. Yakupov has been widely regarded as a draft bust; the first overall pick in the 2012 draft, the Russian right winger got only 50 goals in 252 games as an Oiler.In four games with the Blues, Yakupov has a goal and an assist."It is weird," Yakupov told Oilers play-by-play man Jack Michaels in a 630 CHED interview. "When I was here, I didn't expect that I would stay in a hotel in this city, because I lived in this city. But, it's different. But, it's really good, now, we have a good team and a good group.""He is fitting in," said Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo of his new teammate. "It's a different environment coming in -- and new linemates. I think he's playing a pretty hard game. He's created some really good chances. It's new systems for him ... but he's adjusting pretty well."But it's another Russian who is lighting it up for St. Louis. Vladimir Tarasenko is tied for the league lead with four goals.And, Thursday will also mark the final time Ken Hitchcock will coach an NHL game in his hometown.Unless he has a change of heart, Hitchcock, an Edmonton native, is in his final season as a head coach. The Blues visit Rogers Place only once this season.The Blues have started Hitchcock's final season in blistering fashion. Despite losing 2-1 in overtime in Vancouver on Tuesday night, the Blues are 3-0-1. It marks only the second time in team history that the Blues have earned points in the first four games of a regular season.Meanwhile, the Oilers have won three of their first four, and scored 17 times in the process. Thursday's game, though, is the team's fourth home game of the season already -- the Oilers have played just one road date.Because October is filled with so many home games for the Oilers, coach Todd McLellan said a good start to season isn't a want, it's a need."Having home games, and needing to put some points in the bank, knowing eventually you've got to go out on the road, we've been able to do that," he said. "I don't think anybody is comfortable yet, so we got some things we really need to work on. It keeps us on our edge, maybe I'm being too critical of our group."The issue is that the Oilers have scored 17 (most in the Western Conference), but given up 15 (also most in the Western Conference). Each of the four games played so far this season have felt like a return to the Air Hockey Era of the 1980s.But Oilers goalie Cam Talbot turned in his best performance of the season Tuesday, stopping 31 of 33 shots after giving up six goals in a loss to Buffalo on Sunday ."I need a big bounce-back game, after the game I had last. As a team, I think that sometimes we let those losses kinda snowball in the past."On Wednesday, Talbot and his wife welcomed twins to their family.Oilers defenseman Mark Fayne left Tuesday's win over Carolina with a lower-body injury. He was placed on injured reserve Wednesday and the Oilers called up defenseman Ben Betker from their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, Calif. The Oilers did not practice Wednesday.The Blues placed Jori Lehtera, who hurt his hip Saturday in a win over the New York Rangers, on injured reserve Wednesday, which opens up a roster spot.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It would appear Erik Karlsson has established a standard for costumes that NHLers will wear at Halloween parties over the next few weeks.There was not a single shortcut taken in the planning and audacious execution of Karlsson's getup, which is making the rounds on Instagram.(Image courtesy @melindacurrey)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.