It's been a long time since we've seen Bobby Orr round the net, picking up top speed in the opposite end as he prepared to attack an opposing defense.But we can see a superimposition coming on.To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Orr's debut with the Boston Bruins, TSN's Bob McKenzie sat down with the defenseman that revolutionized the game, and asked whether he could hang with client and current transcendent star Connor McDavid.Perhaps, he'd explain. But only if the race was on his conditions."I'd give him a run if I had a little start," laughed Orr. "But from a standstill - this kid is quick. And with the puck."For the full interview with the hockey great that refuses to age, click here.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For now, its existence is only in the mind of Patrik Laine. But that doesn't make it any less real to him.Ahead of his first meeting with the only player chosen ahead of him at the draft last summer, Laine perked up at the thought of forming an authentic head-to-head rivalry with Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs, wishing to be a part of moments that he enjoyed while watching the NHL as a youngster."(Alex) Ovechkin was my idol," Laine told TSN's Mark Masters. "He had that kind of rivalry against (Sidney) Crosby so it was quite awesome to watch those Penguins-Capitals games. There was just so much, so much between those teams and between those two players and it would be quite awesome to feel that, feel that moment, and I think we could have that kind of moment today against Auston and Toronto."Related: Why everyone should stop talking about a Matthews-Laine rivalryLaine has picked his spots since the lead-up to the draft, when he promised he was the better of the two prospects. He took a team-first mentality when asked about Matthews' four-goal debut, and recently told Sportsnet's Chris Johnston: "I don't need a rivalry between us. I just focus on my own job."Yet on game day, he can't help but daydream about starring in his own rivalry - much like the duels that once piqued his interest - and being entrenched in the narrative that makes this game the one to watch.And perhaps having the opportunity to validate what he continues to believe, as well.Problem is, the stone-faced Matthews is as proficient in avoiding the bait as he is in debuts. He's never indulged the second overall draft pick that considers him the Crosby to his Ovechkin, and is putting no extra stock into his first trip to Winnipeg."I don't think either side is making too much of it," Matthews told Jeff Hamilton of the Winnipeg Free Press. "We came here to get two points."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

PHILADELPHIA - Ed Snider created a Philadelphia Flyers franchise stocked with so many great moments, all it takes is a simple crane of the neck toward the banners hanging from the rafters to rekindle 50 years of memories.Banners celebrate division titles (remember the Patrick Division?), conference championships and numbers of retired greats. Bernie Parent. Mark Howe. Bobby Clarke. All among the Flyers immortalized with one of sport's highest honors.Two banners have been raised for each of the Flyers' Stanley Cup championships.Walk around the Wells Fargo Center and see concourses stuffed with history; every hat - and even a bra or two - tossed on the ice for a hat trick, plaques, newspaper clippings, a scroll in honor of all 112 individual and business season ticket holders of the Flyers' first season in 1967-68 are on display. The Flyers have long been known for their ode to the past, yet what's in public view barely scratched the ice of what the team has preserved.''Ed Snider was very proud of the history of the Flyers from Day 1,'' said archivist Brian McBride. ''They saved and collected stuff from the get-go. You don't often think of things as history when it's happening, and then it's history, and you think, we should have saved that.''Take a winding staircase to reach what employees dub ''the bat cave,'' and Flyers history is stacked floor-to-ceiling with programs, magazines, slides, photos and sports sections that have documented 50 years of history.The Flyers (1-1-1) open the home slate of their 50th anniversary season Thursday against Anaheim for the first time in team history without Snider. Snider died of cancer in April.His foresight to save, save, save, helped turn space inside the arena into a sort-of sports edition of ''Hoarders,'' only with a tinge of nostalgia sweeping through every step of would could stand for the franchise's cluttered Hall of Fame.''He was always appreciative of the history,'' McBride said.Only the Flyers save more than Bernie Parent.Snider, who enjoyed greeting his players with a handshake in the locker room, ordered cameras for players and employees so they could snap photos during the Flyers' 1970s heyday. Flip through one of the piles of photo albums and find plastics sheets holding shots of Clarke hoisting the Stanley Cup trophy, but also of Snider shaking hands with fans during the parade and candid snapshots like late announcer Gene Hart swimming in a pool.Think the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto would want some of this gear: An All-Star game jersey from Eric Lindros, and, a full Clarke equipment set from the 1977-78 season with jersey (with Barry Ashbee patch), stick, pads and gloves.Clarke, the greatest Flyer, has spent 45 years in various roles with the team. He's the career leader in games played and points and delivered a poignant speech about what he hoped happened to him when he died at Snider's funeral.''I really hope that when I get there, I get another chance to play one more game in the orange and black under Mr. Snider's Philadelphia Flyers,'' he said.The Flyers don't have their first game on tape. The earliest recording in possession is the first two periods of the Jan. 4, 1968 game against Boston.But who needs TV in what could be a fan cave?Pull up a chair (plucked from their old home, the Spectrum), flip through the record collection and put the needle on a vinyl album of ''God Bless The Flyers.'' Forget video clips or games stored on the DVR. The album includes ''exciting play-by-play action, highlights and interviews of the `73-'74 championship season.'' Thirsty? There are unopened cans of soda from decades ago stamped with the Flyers logo on the shelf.And for the brave man who wants to smell like a champion today, there's even a bottle of ''Bully'' cologne.Duck! But don't worry, if a loose puck bops you on the head, the Flyers still have plaques for ''The Loyal Order of the Unducked Puck.''''To you, brave fan, who courageously stopped a puck without leaving the stands, the Philadelphia Flyers award full membership in the loyal order of the unducked puck, with all the rights and privileges appertaining thereunto.''None of the sprays, plays and collector's items would be stored without that need for the first score sheet.California Seals 5, Flyers 1. Oct. 11, 1967. The lineup: Jean Gauthier and John Miszuk on defense; Lou Angotti at center; Brit Selby at left wing; Wayne Hicks at right wing; and Parent in net.The Flyers have simply saved most of the memorabilia, though many pads, pucks and Polaroid's have been donated from players or employees.There's no guarantee the Flyers will add another banner for this season.But that bobblehead, yearbook, and foam finger will surely be preserved for decades to come.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan Miller appears to be doing better than he was 24 hours ago.The Vancouver Canucks netminder sat out Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues after arriving to the morning skate with "tightness." In turn, the Canucks were forced to dress University of British Columbia goalie Matt Hewitt as the backup.Miller returned to practice Wednesday and said he feels good and the tightness is an issue he deals with roughly 10 times a season.The 36-year-old will back up Jacob Markstrom on Thursday when the club takes on the Buffalo Sabres.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Michael Raffl isn't expected to play for the next 10 days and could miss up to two weeks due to an injury sustained Tuesday night, general manager Ron Hextall said Wednesday.Hextall would only classify it as an "upper-body" ailment.Raffl left Tuesday's 7-4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks and didn't return.He scored in Philadelphia's loss Saturday to the Arizona Coyotes.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hockey players: they're just like us.With a day off before the San Jose Sharks face the Penguins, Joe Thornton and Brent Burns were spotted taking in the sights and sounds of Pittsburgh:

That didn't take long.Three games, or more telling, one loss into his tenure as captain, folks were openly questioning Connor McDavid's capacity as leader of the Edmonton Oilers. What lit this inevitable fuse, or presented the wedge with which some cannot wait to drive? The postponement of an off day to 48 hours after it was initially promised.The impetus was simple. After a nightmarish performance versus a Buffalo Sabres team that limped into Edmonton on Sunday, the call was made to get the game tape out of the way, then work to shore up those deficiencies on the ice before repeating them Tuesday when another pair of points were on the line versus the Carolina Hurricanes.Seems sensible enough.What's dragged McDavid into it, and what has some questioning his authority, is conjecture. How exactly did this go down? And better, did McDavid, the youngest captain ever, have the courage to say no?Talking about practiceSo then let's go down that path. A livid Todd McLellan storms into the locker room, tears an absolute strip off his club (beginning and ending with Benoit Pouliot), and in that rage, tells them to cancel those trips to the pumpkin patch, demanding sweat in the morning. This scenario is possible, assuming that a smart, reasoned, aware, experienced hockey mind picked to work with young talent like McLellan would gleefully be willing to place his phenomenal talent under the microscope, prompting discussion online and on the radio about his authority in the room.Maybe it went another way. Perhaps it was McDavid doing the screaming, and when he was through with the just concussed Jonas Gustavsson (sorry about that, Jonas), he marched into the coach's office and scratched down on the whiteboard the time he expects the pucks and cones to be on the ice in the morning.Or, in the much more likely, far less rah-rah scenario which players and coach have since alluded to, there was a quiet, commonsensical discussion between members of the team who make these sorts of decisions. And off to the side, the many pros came to outweigh any potential cons. At the end of the chat, Milan Lucic, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and coach McLellan turned to McDavid to make it official, and with an approving nod it was settled: practice Monday.Losing to the Sabres on the third night of the regular season falls short of the "compelling circumstances" required to wipe out a mandated day carved onto the calendar at the beginning of the month, as detailed in the CBA. For this reason, Edmonton will almost certainly face some sort of sanction for the decision.But spinning this in a way that questions McDavid's integrity, or suggests that McLellan was taking advantage of his star pupil, is both contrived and absurd. The superstar who didn't become the next best on the planet by racking up lieu days was presented an idea, chose the option with the betterment of his club in mind despite what inconveniences it may cause, received full backing from his teammates, and against the Hurricanes, had the antecedents of this saga (and potential sanctioning) justified by a win and a 3-1 record to start the season.Sounds captain-like.McDavid wasn't handpicked to head up a labor union. He was named Oilers captain for his immense talent that naturally commands respect. And second, because the habits that got him to another level as an individual, and his endless desire to be great, is the precise example that needs to be set inside a locker room that hasn't sniffed the postseason in more than a decade.The Ten10) Florida - The Lightning and Panthers have combined to take the maximum amount of points through three games after needing a shootout to decide their first meeting of the season.9) Richard Panik - The winger who didn't belong in the Maple Leafs rebuild has a home in the Blackhawks' top six. Panik recorded his first career hat trick in a win over the Predators.8) Thomas Vanek - Trending toward an exit from the league, Vanek has found new life in Detroit. He scored twice in the Red Wings' first game, and then racked up a trio of assists in the club's home opener.7) Gary Bettman - There's no way he resisted reaching for the good bottle while watching Auston Matthews on NBCSN in prime time Saturday. Even with his persistence in the market, even he likely couldn't have ever envisioned his next star hailing from Scottsdale, Ariz.6) Scoring defensemen - Scoring is up across the board, and hopefully it stays that way as more and more teams uncover ways to activate their blue liners. Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns are the model rovers, and are setting up for some scoring race. Each has at least one point in their four respective games, with Burns leading Karlsson (and the rest of the NHL) with eight points.5) Rangers - Ten different goal scorers and a league-best 4.67 goals per game, the Rangers are off to a flying start. With an emphasis on tempo, and scorers littered throughout the lineup, this team looks capable of outscoring the flaws once again.4) Al Montoya - Go ahead and invest in some furniture, Al. The well-traveled Montoya has been massive in Montreal with Carey Price out, making at least 30 saves in three straight games and taking five out of six possible points.3) Marian Hossa - The 44th player in league history to reach the milestone, 500 goals is no small feat. What's also remarkable about Hossa was both his willingness and ability to transform himself into a dominant two-way player after his prime scoring seasons were over.2) Maple Leafs - Based on a week, the next 100 years look promising. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have the look of genuine franchise players to build a championship team around.1) The league - Positivity! With Matthews leading a spike in goals with four in his sensational debut, and McDavid the league's No. 1 star with six points in his first two games, it was a tremendous opening week for the suits.More Takes1) In Joe Colborne, the Avalanche may have the wisest free-agent acquisition. The versatile forward, who became the second player in Avalanche franchise history to debut with a hat trick, has 50-point potential (to go along with his steadying defensive prowess) in that talented top six. That's a bargain at $5 million over two years.

The New York Rangers will receive a boost to their blue line on Wednesday.The Rangers will welcome Kevin Klein back to the lineup when they host the Detroit Red Wings, head coach Alain Vigneault announced. Klein missed the first three games of the regular season while battling back spasms.The 31-year-old played in 69 games last season, contributing nine goals and 26 points.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings are preparing to be without Jonathan Quick for the long haul.General manager Dean Lombardi said Wednesday he expects the goaltender to be out for "about three months," according to Lisa Dillman of The Los Angeles Times.A Kings' hockey operations staffer told Dillman Quick didn't have surgery, instead opting for a minor procedure Tuesday.The goalie's timetable is now indefinite - which differs from his original week-to-week timetable - and there are no immediate plans to place him on long-term injured reserve.Related: 3 goalies the Kings should target in Quick's absenceOn Friday, Lombardi said Quick's injury is in the same area as the groin strain he dealt with in 2013.The 30-year-old was forced to depart in the second period of the season opener last Wednesday.Jeff Zatkoff has allowed nine goals in two starts since Quick's injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jim Byrnes ran into some technical difficulties while performing the U.S. and Canadian national anthems at Tuesday night's game between the St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks. Fortunately, the crowd came to his rescue.After Byrnes' microphone cut off, fans at Rogers Arena helped him finish "The Star-Spangled Banner" and then launched into "O Canada."- With h/t to For The WinCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A much lighter Carey Price took to the ice with teammates Wednesday.The Montreal Canadiens netminder practiced in full for the first time since being sidelined with a flu bug, which he said caused him to drop between seven and eight pounds, according to TSN's Amanda Stein.The sickness forced Price to stay away from his family:

Dean Lombardi's phone could start getting a little busier.The Los Angeles Kings are already aware that goaltender Jonathan Quick will be out long term, even though the team looks to have received some goods news in that Quick will not need surgery.The club lost a dreadful 6-3 contest to the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, where relief netminder Jeff Zatkoff allowed five goals - many of them of the questionable variety - on just 16 shots through 40 minutes.In turn, it looks as though the Kings could be forced to make a deal to find a goalie capable of keeping the team afloat in the Western Conference.With only $1.5 million in cap space available, the team must be frugal in its search. Here are three potential candidates.Karri RamoRamo certainly wasn't a rock for the Calgary Flames last season. But he's proven capable of manning the crease full time in the past.The 30-year-old is also a free agent, so the Kings won't have to worry about giving up a potential asset for what could be just a few months of service, and they should be able to dictate his asking price.Ramo posted a modest .909 save percentage and a 2.63 goals-against average in 37 games last season. He's no stud, but could be worth the risk.Darcy KuemperThis past June - following the signings of Frederik Andersen with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Cam Ward with the Carolina Hurricanes - clubs began kicking the tires on Kuemper.The Minnesota Wild netminder has sat in the backup position for the past handful of seasons, waiting for his moment to claim a starting position.With Devan Dubnyk in the mix for the Wild, that seems unlikely, so a spot with the Kings could be a perfect fit for both parties. The 26-year-old played just 21 games last season, but posted a respectable .915 save percentage and a 2.43 goals-against average.He comes in at a cool $1.55 million - good for the Kings' budget - and, at just 26 years of age, Kuemper has the potential to grow with the club if they choose to keep him long term.Michal NeuvirthNeuvirth would be an ideal fit for the Kings.The 28-year-old has a cap hit of $1.625 million and has more games under his belt than the two men above.What could make a deal tough, however, is Neuvirth has provided great value to the Flyers over the past couple seasons, and it wouldn't be surprising if the club wanted to hold on to him.Last season, Neuvirth bested teammate Steve Mason with a .924 save percentage and a 2.27 goals-against average. He also took over for Mason in the postseason, where he was nearly unbeatable with a shining .981 save percentage, while allowing just two goals in three games.Neuvirth is off to a mediocre start to the year, but he is capable of taking on a starter role and would surely welcome as much given the opportunity.Honorable MentionsScott Darling - The Blackhawks backup has posted solid numbers in relief for Corey Crawford when needed over the past few seasons.Eddie Lack - He has had stints as a starter and over his career has played his best hockey as a member of the Western Conference.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A week of hockey is in the books. Yeah, time flies. Here's what we learned:Goals are funScoring is - to quote the inimitable poet Fat Joe - all the way up. And it makes the game a little bit more fun to watch.Through 48 games, teams are averaging 3.18 goals a night. The last time we hit three - and the only time in the last 20 years - was in 2005-06, coming out of the lockout, when everyone and their mother was on the power play.It won't last. Goaltenders are at .900 (save percentage) and 2.96 (goals-against average). They're better than that. They're too good, in fact. So enjoy the offense while it's here.Hockey is booming in FloridaFlorida: Hockey hotbed.This isn't so much a surprise after the Panthers won the Atlantic and the Tampa Bay Lightning were again Eastern finalists, but neither team's lost in regulation through six games, and Tuesday night's in-state affair between the rivals was a back-and-forth thriller.These are the halcyon days of hockey in the Sunshine State. Enjoy them, too.Youth is servedIt's a young man's game.Eleven players have six or more points. Three of them - David Pastrnak, Leon Draisaitl, and Connor McDavid - are 20 and younger.

Who says you need a lead to win games?Thanks to Tuesday's overtime victory over the St. Louis Blues, the Vancouver Canucks became the first team in NHL history to win their first three games without ever leading in regulation.Related: Sedins help Canucks stay perfect with 3rd straight OT winThe Canucks needed a shootout to defeat the Calgary Flames in their season opener Saturday, then erased a three-goal deficit and got an overtime winner from Brandon Sutter to stun the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.Vancouver will look to keep its fortunate streak going at home against the banged-up Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The hockey world loves to hype a great rivalry, even when there's really no justification for it.These days, it seems as though individual players are pitted against one another based simply on their draft years and at which point in the proceedings their names are called, with inevitable tales of antagonism beginning weeks or months prior to the selection process.Think back to Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin (2004 and 2005), Taylor Hall vs. Tyler Seguin (2010), Connor McDavid vs. Jack Eichel (2015). Based on a limited definition of "rivalry" as "a competition for the same objective or for superiority in the same field," the pairings of these players - highly touted top draft picks who concurrently entered the NHL - as instant rivals seems justified, if not downright savvy from a marketing perspective.Who will rack up the most points, and who will lead their teams to glory first?Crosby and Ovechkin fit the billing by virtue of the bevy of awards and accolades earned respectively over the past decade, as well as a pair of playoff meetings en route to two Stanley Cup wins for Crosby's Penguins. That Crosby and Ovechkin were drafted by Eastern Conference clubs and therefore see each other with regularity also certainly helped the matter.But Taylor-Tyler and McDavid-Eichel? There's not much to speak of there, quite frankly, with rivalry talk peaking on draft day, for the time being at least.Up nextWhich brings us to Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine, the next great "rivals" based solely on being selected first and second overall at the 2016 draft.Except they're not.Not really, and not yet, at least.Sure, the outspoken Laine sparked a potential fire by arguing the Toronto Maple Leafs - who owned the No. 1 pick this past June - had a tough decision to make, saying, "He's (Matthews) better than me at some stuff and I'm better than him at some things."In the end, it was really no decision at all, with Matthews - the longtime consensus top pick - being snagged by Toronto, and Laine going to the Winnipeg Jets in the No. 2 spot.Excellent startsIt's in those two Canadian cities, on teams in separate conferences, where the two have kicked off their careers - and in Matthews' case, in spectacular fashion.Laine responded to Matthews' four-goal debut with one goal of his own in three games, but his comments off the ice said more about how he's approaching the first meeting between the two at the NHL level."He's playing his game and his career," Laine said of Matthews' debut, according to Mike Morreale of NHL.com. "I don't want to match my game to his. He can score 20 goals in a game, I don't care. It's good for him. I'm just going to help my team to win with my things."And that's how it should be: two young, likely great players, both forging their own paths while aiming to help their teams win.Maybe laterReally, it's only two points that will be on the line when the Maple Leafs visit the Jets on Wednesday. While the MTS Centre will serve as the setting for what could be the first chapter of the next great individual rivalry in hockey, one regular-season game, much less one draft, isn't enough to determine that.Should Matthews and Laine go goal for goal and point for point in this season's rookie scoring race, then maybe we can talk. Ideally, they'll lead their teams to glory at some point down the road, and, even better, battle it out in a Stanley Cup Final one day to really cement the thing.Until then, let's resist the temptation to compare these two young talents ad nauseam, and rather appreciate, in Laine's words, the "things" they bring to the game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Sedin twins are up to their old tricks.Daniel Sedin and brother Henrik teamed up for Vancouver's overtime winner against St. Louis on Tuesday, finishing off a 2-1 comeback victory in style.The Canucks have now won all three of their games this season - two in overtime and one by way of a shootout.

(Courtesy: NHL.com)Sean Monahan played the part of the hero by scoring an overtime goal against Buffalo on Tuesday, but the Sabres took exception to the apparent cross-check levied on Sam Reinhart that led to the winning play.

From that angle, the puck really had no right to find the inside of the net.But this is Steven Stamkos we're talking about, and he can do things the average hockey player can't.The goal, Stamkos' second of the season, tied the game with just six seconds remaining in the third, and his Tampa Bay Lightning went on to overcome a controversial shootout tally, beating the Florida Panthers 4-3.All as a result of a tying goal that seemed impossible to score.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to the NHL, Matthew Tkachuk.The 18-year-old first-round pick of the Calgary Flames scored his first career goal during Tuesday's game against Buffalo, tying the game in the early half of the final frame.Matt Stajan drew the assist, as the Flames remind us Tkachuk has one of the best Twitter handles in the game.

MONTREAL - David Desharnais scored twice and Al Montoya made 36 saves as the Montreal Canadiens won their home opener, 4-0 over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.Off-season signing Alexander Radulov got his first goal as a Canadien - with Montoya picking up an assist - while Max Pacioretty also scored for Montreal, which has started the season 2-0-1. Montoya, signed from the Florida Panthers this summer, picked up his sixth career shutout.The Penguins, coming off an overtime loss at home Monday night, played their first road game of the season.While the ailing Carey Price got a huge ovation from the Bell Centre crowd in pre-game introductions, his replacement Montoya was spectacular in goal as Pittsburgh outshot the Canadiens 36-32. Of note were saves a minute apart in the first period on close range attempts by Justin Schultz and Matt Cullen.There were 30 shots taken in the first - 17-13 for Pittsburgh - but was on only the second of the period that Pacioretty opened the scoring at 23 seconds as he took a feed in the slot from Jeff Petry and beat Marc-Andre Fleury with a wrist shot.Desharnais was parked alone in front of Fleury when he slammed in Pacioretty's blind, backhand pass from the corner 12:07 into the second.Radulov scored 4:31 into the third as he burst down the right wing and cut in front. The Penguins challenged, claiming goaltender interference by Brendan Gallagher, but the goal stood.Desharnais was alone at the side of the net to tap in a cross-ice pass from Jeff Petry at 13:44 after sustained pressure in the Pittsburgh zone.NOTES: The Canadiens made one lineup change, sending in Brian Flynn for Daniel Carr. ... Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby (concussion) did not play. ... The Penguins went with Fleury in goal for a second consecutive night rather than use backup Mike Condon, who they claimed off waivers from Montreal two weeks ago. Condon lost the backup job in camp to Montoya. ... In pre-game introductions, former coach Jacques Demers, recovering from a stroke, brought out a torch in his wheelchair to pass to Pacioretty. Shea Weber, obtained in the deal for P.K. Subban, got the loudest applause of the players on the ice.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ho-Hum, another two-point night for Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson.Tuesday's multi-point effort versus the Arizona Coyotes - a 7-4 win - marked extra significance, though, as the 26-year-old set the franchise record for goals by a defenseman with his 102nd career tally.

OTTAWA, Ontario - Tom Pyatt, Mark Stone, and Chris Kelly had a goal and an assist each as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Arizona Coyotes 7-4 on Tuesday night in front of a sparse crowd of 11,061 at Canadian Tire Centre.Bobby Ryan, Zack Smith, Kyle Turris, and Erik Karlsson, into an empty net, also scored for the Senators, who have won three of four. Mike Hoffman had three assists and Craig Anderson made 31 saves.Jordan Martincook scored twice, including his second at 18:43 just 30 seconds after Turris gave the Senators a 6-3 lead.Tobias Rieder and Oliver Ekman-Larsson had the other goals for the CoyotesArizona lost the services of starting goalie Mike Smith seven minutes into the third period when he suffered an injury to his left leg during a scramble in front of the net.Smith, who had stopped 27 of 30 shots before getting hurt, was replaced in the goal by Louis Domingue, who surrendered two goals on the first three shots he faced less than a minute after entering the game.Kelly capitalized on a giveaway and beat Domingue from in close at 7:30 and then Stone scored on a rebound at 8:11, giving the Senators a 5-2 lead.Domingue finished with eight saves.Martincook pulled the Coyotes within two at 10:07.Ekman-Larsson had cut the Senators' lead to 3-2 with a power-play goal just 61 seconds into the third period.Zack Smith scored a shorthanded goal to give the Senators a 3-1 lead.On his goal Smith got a great backhand pass from Pyatt and scored with a quick shot at 13:04. It was Smith's second goal of the season as he works to try and duplicate his career-high 25 goals from last season.The Coyotes had opened the scoring in the first period when Rieder beat Anderson on a rebound from the slot.The Senators are 3-0-0 at home this season and will host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday before heading out on a three-game Western swing.The Coyotes continue their season-long six-game road trip in Montreal on Thursday.NOTES: Senators scratches were Matt Puempel and Phil Varone while Jacob Chychrun, Jamie McGinn, and Christian Dvorak were scratches for the Coyotes. ... The Senators' first goal Tuesday snapped an 0-for-9 start to their power play this season. ... Along with Strome, Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot was also making his NHL debut Tuesday night.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Give the referee credit for trying to ease the pain.After an apparent goal by Luca Sbisa was called back after it was deemed he'd used a distinct kicking motion, the official made it clear there was good news to come for Vancouver Canucks fans, as a penalty was called on the visiting St. Louis Blues.Greatest "however" in hockey history? Maybe.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Well, that was weird.In need of a goal to extend Tuesday night's shootout between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, forward Vincent Trocheck provided a rather head-scratching moment.After losing control during his deke, referees deemed the play was dead, as NHL rules state the puck cannot travel backwards during a shootout attempt.Upon review, it was determined the puck only traveled sideways, and Trocheck was awarded the goal.Five shooters later, Tampa Bay ultimately went on to win the shootout, and the game 4-3.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alexander Radulov has already endeared himself to the Montreal Canadiens faithful.The winger scored his first for the club, and his first in the NHL since 2012, in Tuesday's home opener against Pittsburgh, and it was a lovely one to boot.The Penguins challenged the call, but to no avail.

NEWARK, N.J. - Taylor Hall made his new fans in New Jersey very happy with two power-play goals in a 4:11 span in the second period and the Devils posted their first win, a 2-1 decision over the road-weary and penalty-plagued Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.Related: Watch: Hall pounces on rebound for 1st goal with DevilsCory Schneider had 23 saves and forced the Ducks' Chris Wagner to lose control of the puck on a second-period penalty shot as New Jersey snapped a five-game losing streak against Anaheim in its home opener.Sami Vatanen scored on a power play for Anaheim, which is 0-3-1 in its five-game trip to start the season. John Gibson made 26 saves for Ducks, who played shorthanded seven times.Hall, the former No. 1 overall draft pick who was acquired in a major trade with Edmonton in late June, tied the game at 1-all, putting the rebound of a shot by Mike Cammalleri into an open net at 12:35. It came after Anaheim killed off the opening part of a two-man advantage only to see New Jersey score 5-on-4.Hall's second goal came on a great deflection of a point shot by defenseman Damon Severson at 16:41. Gibson never had a chance.Wagner got his penalty shot near the end of the period but lost control of the puck after making a move on Schneider.Anaheim got a late power play but could not convert.Vatanen had given Anaheim the lead at 9:03 of the first period with a shot from the right circle. The Ducks never let the Devils clear the puck out of their zone after Kyle Palmieri was called for tripping at 7:15.New Jersey was 0-for-5 on the power play in its first two games in Florida against the Panthers and Lightning.Devils rookie defenseman Yohann Auvitu lost an apparent game-tying goal early in the second period when Reid Boucher was whistled for a high stick against defenseman Kevin Bieksa seconds before the puck went in the net.NOTES: Devils F Sergey Kalinin (illness) is practicing again. He was placed on IR before the season. ... Vatanen's goal gave him 100 NHL career points. ... The game opened with a short fight between the Devils' Vernon Fiddler and the Ducks' Ryan Kesler. ... Adam Henrique and Devante Smith-Pelly seemed to hit goal posts in the first period.UP NEXT:DUCKS: at Philadelphia on Thursday night before heading home.DEVILS: visit Boston Thursday night.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

(Courtesy: NHL.com)That didn't take long.Mere moments after taking the franchise's fabled torch from former Montreal Canadiens head coach Jacques Demers, captain Max Pacioretty opened the scoring early in Tuesday's home opener, setting a team record in the process.

The Montreal Canadiens added an extra special moment to their always emotional season-opening ceremony.Jacques Demers, the last Canadiens coach to win a Stanley Cup (1993), took part in the traditional torch ceremony, handing it to captain Max Pacioretty prior to Tuesday's home opener against Pittsburgh.

Taylor Hall has officially arrived in New Jersey.The winger, who was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers this past offseason, tapped home a rebound on the power play for his first goal with the Devils during Tuesday's tilt with Anaheim.Mike Cammalleri drew the assist, and Hall was clearly fired up over getting that first goal on the board.It didn't take long to add to that total, as Hall notched his second of the game just over four minutes later.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The P.K. Subban trade is still on the mind of several Montreal Canadiens fans, so much so that one incredibly generous Habs supporter will donate $250,000 to P.K.'s Helping Hand Fund, according to The Canadian Press.Dr. Charles Kowalski, the same fan that took out a full-page ad to renounce his seasons tickets and thank Subban for his Canadiens tenure last week, will present the check along with his wife at the Montreal Children's Hospital on Wednesday in the P.K. Subban Atrium.Subban's influence is still deeply rooted in the Montreal community, as the defenseman pledged $10 million over seven years to the hospital in 2015.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vincent Lecavalier has proven you can go home again.The former Tampa Bay Lightning captain, who announced his retirement from the NHL this past offseason, was welcomed back by the club and its fans prior to Tuesday's game against the Florida Panthers.Lecavalier played 1,037 regular season games for the Lightning before his contract was bought out in 2013.He helped the team win its only Stanley Cup back in 2004. He remains the franchise's leading goal scorer with 383.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Just like the good ol' days.Washington Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov sent Matt Duchene for a ride on Tuesday night, leveling the speedy forward with a vintage hip-check.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andrew Shaw and the NHL's Department of Player Safety have become well acquainted through his six seasons in the league.The agitating Montreal Canadiens forward most recently met with DOPS vice president Stephen Quintal to discuss his latest mishap, a slew foot on Buffalo Sabres forward Johan Larsson in the Habs' season opener."He knows the type of player I am," Shaw said of Quintal, according to Frank Seravalli of TSN. "I play on that edge. I play on that line. He wants to make sure I don't cross it. I'll continue to do what I do to have success, but I want to make sure everyone is safe out there."Shaw's been suspended his fair share, but didn't believe his stunt versus Buffalo warranted supplemental discipline."“Yeah, I tripped the guy, but it wasn’t vicious," Shaw said. "No one got hurt."While it might be to save face among many fans and teams around the league, Shaw doesn't want the reputation of a dirty player."I don’t want that rep. I’m not that kind of guy," Shaw said. "I play hard, I play an in-your-face kind of style, but if you got to know me, I’m a pretty nice guy. I don’t want to hurt anyone out there. I want to learn. I want to get better from it."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the Winnipeg Jets play on, defenseman Jacob Trouba awaits a solution to his trade demand stalemate.In order for the 22-year-old to be eligible this season, Trouba must be dealt before Dec. 1, a seemingly imposing deadline.Apparently not for his agent, Kurt Overhardt."There's obviously a lot of time between now and then, Overhardt told The Winnipeg Free Press. "We’re going to continue to keep working in good faith and try helping to facilitate a positive transaction so everyone can benefit."It's not really an issue at this point."While nothing substantial has developed on the trade front, Overhardt iterated that confidential negotiations between his client and the Jets are ongoing."We have to contemplate everything, but it’s not something we are going to discuss as it involves our client and it’s a private matter," Overhardt said. "Any of the conversations we have with (the Jets) are very amicable and those are private, too."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Coming off a 6-5 loss to Colorado on Saturday, Dallas Stars head coach Lindy Ruff is tinkering with his lineup.Most notably, Ruff will deploy Jason Spezza on the wing Tuesday versus Nashville, flanking a line featuring Radek Faksa and Antoine Roussel.Ruff insists the move isn't a demotion."For me, I got some great play out of playing him on the wing last year," Ruff said, according to Mike Heika of The Dallas Morning News. "He should be a good fit over there."Spezza, held pointless through the opening two games, is hoping the move will result in some consistency in the offensive zone."I'm fine with it," Spezza said. "Two years ago, I would have been asking myself why I'm playing the wing, but I understand. One, Faksa is a really good player, so it's great to play with him. And two, I think our line has been a little too perimeter. I'm minus-four, but I actually think the defensive part of my game has been the best part. We have been bad offensively, we've created no shot attempts, no possession, and we can't play that game. I think he's looking to fix that more than anything defensively."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan Miller will be unavailable for Tuesday's contest against the St. Louis Blues.The Vancouver Canucks netminder showed up to the rink suffering from tightness, but after skating alone after practice to stretch things out, it was announced that University of British Columbia netminder Matt Hewitt will serve as Jacob Markstrom's backup.Miller has dressed in just one game this season, but was perfect in a 2-1 shootout win over the Calgary Flames, with the lone goal coming when Loui Eriksson put a puck into his own net during a Flames delayed penalty.Meanwhile, Markstrom has gone 1-1-0 with a 3.00 GAA and a .864 save percentage.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jiri Hudler will not be in the lineup Tuesday when the Dallas Stars play the Nashville Predators, the team announced.Stars coach Lindy Ruff previously confirmed that Hudler is battling an illness.Hudler, 32, has appeared in two games with the Stars this season, but has been held off the scoresheet in both matches. The Czech winger signed with Dallas as a free agent this summer.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Skill kills - just ask the many goaltenders who've suited up early this season.The 2016-17 campaign is nearly two weeks old and early on teams are scoring in bunches. Teams are averaging 3.25 goals per game, a mark not seen since the 1992-93 campaign.So what's the deal? According to Tampa Bay Lighting head coach Jon Cooper, the league's abundance of skilled youth are the culprits."The one thing, I think if you look at the youth that has been injected into the National Hockey League and the skill, that in itself is going to raise the scoring and coaching is not going to be able to take that out of it because the guys are too good," Cooper told reporters."So I believe in that sense there is going to be more scoring just because of the talent level that these young kids possess, It's unreal to watch."But eventually when the goalies start getting into their rhythm - they're a big part of why goals aren't scored - and when that starts to roll goal scoring is going to go down. I don't expect it to dip (like) last season, I expect it to be on the rise."Goaltending has certainly been a question mark early this season. After goalies matched a league record by averaging a .915 save percentage last season, netminders are averaging an .898 mark through 36 games - the worst mark since the 1995-96 season.Meanwhile, the league average 3.02 goals-against per game is also the highest mark since the '95-96 campaign.However, the season is still early and numbers are sure to even out, even if Cooper and his coaching colleagues must take it upon themselves to do so."I think defense is lax, what really happens is myself and the 29 other coaches in the league will just suck the fun out of the game and play 'D' and then games will be 2-1," said Cooper.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alexei Kovalev is making a comeback of sorts.The one-time NHL sniper will suit up for the Visp EHC of the Swiss B League, according to Szymon Szemberg of Elite Prospects.Kovalev, 43, has not played pro hockey in two years. He last appeared in the NHL in 2012-13 with the Florida Panthers, scoring five points in 14 games.The Russian-born Kovalev had a decorated career that included stops with the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and two stints with both the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring 1,029 points in 1,316 games.Kovalev won the Stanley Cup with the Rangers in 1994.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers coach Todd McLellan has juggled his lines, and it appears that 2016 fourth overall pick Jesse Puljujarvi will not be in the lineup when the Oilers play the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, according to TSN 1260's Jason Gregor.The Finnish winger did not participate in line rushes Tuesday morning.The 18-year-old Puljujarvi scored in his NHL debut versus the Calgary Flames, but has been held off the scoresheet in the following two games.In the Oilers' last game against the Buffalo Sabres - in which McLellan derided his team's "stupidity" following a 6-2 loss - Puljujarvi tallied two shots and was a minus-one in 12:16 of ice-time.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dylan Strome won't be the only rookie making his NHL debut Tuesday night.The Ottawa Senators will give defenseman Thomas Chabot his first true taste of the NHL when Strome and the Arizona Coyotes visit Canadian Tire Centre.After squeezing out a 5-4 season-opening win over the Toronto Maple Leaf, and a 4-3 shootout victory over the Montreal Canadiens, the Senators are looking for a jolt following a 5-1 shelling by the Detroit Red Wings.Chabot was drafted 18th overall in 2015 and made the club out of camp following an impressive 45 points in 47 games last season with the QMJHL's Saint John Sea Dogs.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Tortorella's job could be in jeopardy, according to oddsmakers.Online betting website Bodog released their list of head coaches most likely to be fired during the 2016-17 season, with the Columbus Blue Jackets bench boss leading the way with 13/4 odds.Related: 3 NHL coaches already on the hot seatTortorella is in just his second season with the Blue Jackets after taking over seven games into the 2015-16 campaign. Unfortunately for the veteran coach, his team is already off to a 0-2-0 start.Here is the full list of coaches to make the list:

The wait is over, as Arizona Coyotes rookie Dylan Strome will make his NHL debut Tuesday versus the Ottawa Senators, the team announced.Strome, 19, was scratched for the Coyotes' season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers, in which the team won 4-3."It's exciting for him. He's such a great player," Coyotes captain Shane Doan told Todd Walsh of Fox Sports Arizona. "He's been awesome in our room. Enjoy it, you only get to play your first one once."The Coyotes drafted Strome third overall in 2015. He scored 111 points in 56 games with the OHL's Erie Otters last season.Coyotes coach Dave Tippett confirmed that rookie center Christian Dvorak, who recorded an assist against the Flyers, will come out of the lineup in place of Strome.The team also announced that defenseman Kevin Connauton will make his season debut in place of first-year blue-liner Jakob Chychrun.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every Tuesday, theScore's editors will examine the fortunes of the north's seven NHL franchises. Welcome to "O Canada."Calgary FlamesPlus: Chad Johnson's .968 save percentage. Sure, he's only played one game, but it's the only one in which the Calgary Flames earned a point.Minus: Brian Elliott's .818 save percentage and 5.07 goals-against average. The good news is that those numbers are so awful, they can only improve.The Take: The Flames' 14 goals against lead the league - no bueno. Elliott's going to get better and Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan will get going, but October isn't easy, and is a pivotal month. Up next for Calgary: Buffalo, Carolina, St. Louis, Chicago, St. Louis, Ottawa, and Washington. November's first seven games - the first four on the road - are all against 2016 playoff teams: Chicago, San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Dallas, the Rangers, and Minnesota. The Flames risk blowing up their season with a slow start.Edmonton OilersPlus: The Oilers boast the NHL's first star of the week in Connor McDavid, and are tied for the league lead in scoring (14 goals in three games) thanks to No. 97 and Co. Edmonton's best players have been just that: McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Jordan Eberle, and Milan Lucic have a combined 18 points already.Minus: Cam Talbot's .869 save percentage, and Benoit Pouliot's penalty box parade.The Take: Talbot began last season poorly too, but the difference this time around is that the Oilers have the skill and depth up front to outscore their defensive and goaltending issues. That's not a recipe for long-term success, though, so practicing Monday on what was supposed to be a CBA-mandated day off was the right call. It's too early in the season to not be putting in the work.Montreal CanadiensPlus: Points in two games without Carey Price thanks to two solid efforts from Al Montoya, who has a .942 save percentage. In front of Montoya, Shea Weber is averaging 26:46 in ice time and has two assists.Minus: Alex Radulov is the only Canadiens forward without a point. Terrible free-agent signing, clearly.The Take: Marc Bergevin deserves credit in shoring up the backup goaltender position. Montoya has had a save percentage of .919 and .920 in two of his last three seasons, and he made over 20 starts in both those campaigns.Ottawa SenatorsPlus: Kyle Turris' two goals in three games. The Senators need him healthy if they want to make the playoffs. As for Erik Karlsson, he's already doing Karlsson-like things. And Ryan Dzingel's three points are a pleasant surprise.Minus: Dion Phaneuf - he's bad - and the play of Craig Anderson (.887) and Andrew Hammond (.800). Ottawa's allowed the most goals in the East (12) and you know that's driving Guy Boucher insane, even though the season's only three games old.The Take: Boucher is yet to put his stamp on the team. It's difficult to judge what exactly the Senators are until that happens.Toronto Maple LeafsPlus: Six of the Maple Leafs' eight goals through two games have been scored by rookies, and lord knows there's not much else to say about Auston Matthews' phenomenal debut. He's a dream. While Nikita Zaitsev hasn't scored a goal, his contributions on the back end are arguably more important for a team desperately in need of another top-four defenseman.Minus: Have you seen or heard from Nazem Kadri? And while Frederik Andersen bounced back Saturday, he's off to a rough start. It's so important he has a strong opening month, because he's the guy, for better or worse - probably worse - in Toronto.The Take: Yeah, Matthews potted four in two periods, but there's an argument to be made that Mitch Marner has been Toronto's most impressive rookie through two games. His offensive talents are so far above average that he may already be among Toronto's top three skilled players. Marner will hit a wall at some point, but he's not going anywhere.Vancouver CanucksPlus: The Canucks trailed after 40 minutes in each of their two games, yet sit 2-0. Even more impressive: A combined 47 shots against through six periods and a couple of overtimes.Minus: The top line's been quiet, and Henrik Sedin and Loui Eriksson have a combined one shot (it's Loui's, if you're wondering). The power play is also 0-for-6.The Take: Vancouver was awful when playing from behind last season, which made erasing Sunday's 3-0 deficit all the more impressive. The Canucks don't have an identity yet, and their lineup is full of question marks due to youth being served, so let's enjoy the good times while they're here, yeah?Winnipeg JetsPlus: The big boys - Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Dustin Byfuglien, and Mathieu Perreault - are doing their jobs early, combining for 12 points. That Patrik Laine's on the board already is big, too. The teenager looks every bit the NHLer.Minus: Bryan Little is out indefinitely with what appears to be a knee injury. Life isn't fair. And after the Jets waived Ondrej Pavelec, Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson have to do better than allow 11 goals in three games.The Take: Goals against was an issue last year because the Jets don't have the firepower up front to make up for their issues in their own zone. That can't be the case again this season - it's as simple as that.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tragically Hip-inspired mask Team Canada goaltender Braden Holtby donned at the World Cup has been auctioned for more than $27,000.Proceeds will go to the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research and the Gord Downie Secret Path Fund for Truth and Reconciliation.The mask shows various illustrations of the singer and the band in front of a white maple leaf.Downie, 52, was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor in May. Over the summer, Downie and The Hip went across Canada as part of a farewell tour.Like many Canadians, Holtby grew up as a fan of the band and their many hockey-themed songs, and as such chose to honor Downie with his mask design."I am very proud to have been a part of supporting these two important funds in Mr. Downie's honour," Holtby said in a release, "and I appreciate everyone's help in making this auction a success."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 Tuesday, October 18:Line Stacks