The Vegas Golden Knights dominated the Dallas Stars 6-0 in Monday's Game 6 to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.Vegas had dropped consecutive games after taking a commanding 3-0 series lead. It's the second time the Golden Knights will play for the Stanley Cup; they lost the 2018 finals against the Washington Capitals in their inaugural season.The Florida Panthers await the Golden Knights in the finals. Florida completed its sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final on Wednesday. Neither franchise has won the Stanley Cup.William Carrier's goal 3:41 into the opening frame proved to be the eventual winner. William Karlsson netted two goals to reach 10 in the playoffs, setting a new Golden Knights franchise mark in a single postseason.Head coach Bruce Cassidy was full of praise for his fourth line of Carrier, Nicolas Roy, and Keegan Kolesar, which contributed two goals in the contest."These are great stories," Cassidy said, according to The Athletic's Jesse Granger. "They don't get the ink of the talk, but you don't win without them."Adin Hill made 23 saves for his second shutout of the series."I thought (the Golden Knights) played a perfect elimination game," Stars head coach Peter DeBoer said. "If we're not going to win, there are a lot of guys in that dressing room that I hope can win a Cup."DeBoer spent three seasons as the Golden Knights' head coach. He was fired last summer after missing the playoffs.The Stanley Cup Final begins Saturday in Las Vegas at 8 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault is keeping a levelheaded perspective after Vegas whiffed on its first two chances to eliminate the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final."Closing series, it's hard. But if you told me a few months ago that you would be up 3-2 playing a Game 6 in Dallas, I would take it any time," Marchessault said ahead of Monday's contest. "We're still in a good position. We're going to come out here and play one of our best road games."Vegas went 26-7-8 on the road during the regular season - good for a sterling .732 point percentage - and is 5-2 away from home during these playoffs.The Golden Knights won the first three games of the series to put Dallas in a deep hole, but the Stars took Games 4 and 5 to stave off elimination.When asked if there's now more pressure on the Golden Knights in the series, Dallas head coach Peter DeBoer quipped, "How couldn't there be, right?"Golden Knights bench boss Bruce Cassidy emphasized that his squad is unfazed by the sudden tightness of the matchup."I don't think our players are looking at pressure in any way, shape, or form," he said. "We're playing a game we love, we're in a very enviable position. ... We've got an opportunity to close out and get to the Stanley Cup Final. So, I think that's what our guys are focused on."The Golden Knights have probability on their side.Only four teams in NHL history have won a playoff series after trailing 3-0: The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, 1975 New York Islanders, 2010 Philadelphia Flyers, and 2014 Los Angeles Kings.If the Stars take Monday's Game 6 in Dallas, Vegas will have to hand DeBoer the first Game 7 loss of his career to advance to the final round.Marchessault has led the way for the Golden Knights in the conference finals with six points (three goals, three assists) through five games.The puck drops on Game 6 at 8 p.m. ET in Dallas.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Stars won both contests of Jamie Benn's two-game suspension to hang tough against the Vegas Golden Knights, and the captain said he's "feeling energized" and ready to re-enter the fold with the momentum on Dallas' side."I was praying we were going to play two solid games just to give me that chance, another kick at it here," Benn said prior to Monday's must-win Game 6. "I'm really proud of the guys."Benn earned the ban for cross-checking Golden Knights captain Mark Stone in the early goings of Game 3.The Stars took Game 4 thanks to Joe Pavelski's overtime winner, while Ty Dellandrea's two-goal performance in a 4-2 victory cut the Golden Knights' hold on the Western Conference Final to 3-2.According to Stars head coach Peter DeBoer, Benn wasn't "a really good spectator" throughout his absence."He's an angry bear walking around waiting to play again," DeBoer said Sunday. "I think he's on pins and needles. ... I think he'll be excited to play."Benn has three goals and eight assists in 16 games this spring. He was the Stars' second-leading scorer (78 points in 82 contests) during the regular season.On Monday, DeBoer stayed mum on who would come out of the lineup to accommodate Benn's return, but he announced Evgenii Dadonov would miss a third straight game due to a lower-body injury.When Dadonov and Benn were both out of the lineup, the Stars leaned on Fredrik Olofsson, who performed admirably in his first taste of playoff action. The 27-year-old didn't record a point in Games 4 and 5, but Dallas controlled 63.3% of the shots and 80.4% of the expected goals with Olofsson on the ice at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick."It's a good problem to have," DeBoer said Sunday of his impending lineup decisions. "Your captain's coming back in the lineup, guys have battled their ass off to give him a chance to play again."For Stars defenseman Thomas Harley, Benn's mission in his return should be simple."We just need him to be himself," he said. "He's got a couple extra days of rest, which I think is huge. He's our leader out there, he's our captain, so you know he's going to bring the intensity, and we're just going to follow him."Puck drops on Game 6 in Dallas at 8 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Players choke in every sport. They brick shots, botch kicks, muff passes, flub catches, blow coverages, forget assignments, and misread the scoreboard at the worst times. Some balk at handling the ball, dishing it off like a hot potato and placing the onus on a teammate to triumph or fail. Coaches perplex and enrage fans with the weird decisions they make as stress mounts and the clock tick, tick, ticks …Certain kickers and fielders are best remembered for screwing up royally in the postseason. Some player is bound to make a costly mistake in the upcoming NBA Finals or Stanley Cup Final.Choking is inescapable elsewhere in life too. Public speakers stammer. Test takers freeze. Even monkeys wilt under pressure. Scientists in Pittsburgh found those animals acted cautiously and consequently performed worse when the reward they were offered for nailing a complex reaching task became monumentally big.Neuroscience explains this is inevitable: Brains are wired to choke."If you have a system that works optimally in the usual circumstance, it's going to work suboptimally in exceptional circumstances," said University of Pittsburgh bioengineering professor Aaron Batista, who was part of the research team that studied choking in monkeys. G Fiume / Getty Images Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesChoking is a paradox. When the incentive to perform peaks, execution worsens. To probe the roots of this phenomenon, Batista and his colleagues devised a kinematic experiment.The researchers trained monkeys to control a cursor on a screen, as if the animals were playing a Wii game, and reach when prompted for a small target that appeared somewhere beside, above, or below their hand's starting point. The monkeys were shown a cue that indicated the size of the reward - small, medium, large, or "jackpot," delivered in the form of sips of juice or water - they'd receive if they hit and held the target before a timer expired.The monkeys' success rate over thousands of trials followed an inverted-U arc, the researchers first noted in the scientific journal PNAS in 2021. Each animal was imprecise with the small reward at stake, often overshooting the target seemingly out of carelessness. Locking in, the monkeys performed better when the medium reward was obtainable. They were maximally accurate with the large reward on the line.The jackpot reward rattled the monkeys, though: The prize appeared for 5% of the trials, and when it did, their performance cratered. Suddenly, the motivation to succeed was debilitatingly high."There's a whole spectrum where incentives can help you dial in precise behavior," Batista said. "But at either end, things go awry."Data from: Monkeys exhibit a paradoxical decrease in performance in high-stakes scenarios Every monkey in the study showed the propensity to choke, said researcher Steven Chase, a biomedical engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon University. They choked consistently, faltering at the beginning, middle, and end of sessions. The monkeys frequently didn't reach far enough on jackpot attempts, betraying their apparent overcaution, though they occasionally erred for other reasons."Some of them would try to cheat toward the target slowly. Some of them wouldn't be able to hold the target when those jackpot rewards came up. They were jittery at the end," said Adam Smoulder, a Carnegie Mellon biomedical engineering PhD candidate who was one of the study's lead authors."There were (these) weird little idiosyncrasies that we saw, which is something I like relating to humans."Concluding that monkeys and people might share neural mechanisms that spur choking, the researchers set out to chart what happens in the brain when a huge reward is proffered.They conducted more reaching trials, tracking how reward magnitude influenced the activity in a monkey's motor cortex. Their observations, posted online in April, have yet to be peer-reviewed by independent experts. The scientists posit that monkeys choke when reward cues cause a deficit in the information they use to plan their movements. G Fiume / Getty Images Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThe researchers reported seeing neural activity conform to the same inverted-U arc as performance. The monkeys' brains processed more information about the target as the reward increased from small to medium to large.That changed when the jackpot reward surfaced. Motivational signals appeared to overload the system, clouding the information the monkeys used to plan their reach, before they reliably undershot the target."On those jackpot reward trials, those planning signals are weaker. They have less information about what's about to happen than if the reward is just large," Chase said. "If the reward is large, those planning signals are as big as they get."What does this mean for mankind - and for how we perceive chokers?For one thing, maybe fans ought to be more lenient in their treatment of players who fold in the clutch. Their brains set them up to fail.On the other hand, a key difference separates us from the animals: Monkeys always choke, but that isn't true of people. Some players, Chase said, seem to be able "to outwit the system - to think of strategies or ways to approach those high-pressure events that allow them to be calmer and succeed."The scientists' choking research continues. They received grant funding to investigate if dopamine is the neurotransmitter that floods the motor cortex and inhibits motor planning. In the meantime, they'll applaud any athlete who enters the zone and is able to hit the jackpot."There's majesty and power and beauty to being someone who's managing all these feelings and still performing at the absolute top of their game," Batista said. As a viewer, he added, "It keeps you riveted."Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Once looking like a snoozer of a series, the Stars have fought their way back into the mix and have the ability to force a Game 7 with a win over the Golden Knights.Let's take a look at a few of my favorite ways to attack what should be an exhilarating affair.Golden Knights (+110) @ Stars (-130)The Golden Knights and Stars have consistently played low-scoring games. Of their eight meetings this season, six featured five goals or fewer. These teams just don't score a ton against one another.I don't expect that to change in Game 6. For one, the Stars have actually done a very good job of limiting chances in this series.Jake Oettinger was among the team's problems over the first few games. With his performances back to norm and settled, we shouldn't expect fireworks.On the other end of the ice, the Golden Knights have done a nice job of limiting expected goals. Of the teams to crack the final four, only the Stars fare better in that regard.These teams can defend. Oettinger has it in him to steal games, and Adin Hill has played much better than anybody could have anticipated.Not to mention, this is an elimination game. Those tend to be played tighter to the vest, with neither team wanting to get overly antsy and make a mistake when the stakes are so high.Through the last game of each series thus far, the Stars and Golden Knights' closeout affairs have combined for five goals or less in three of four contests.I expect that trend to continue on Monday night.Bet: Under 5.5 (-110)Jonathan Marchessault over 0.5 points (-135)Marchessault is scorching hot. Dating back to the last series against the Oilers, the highly skilled offensive winger has registered at least one point in seven of nine games - including four in a row against these Stars.He has been extremely prolific during that period, producing 14 points. That's good for an average of 1.55 per contest.Win or lose, I like Marchessault's chances of getting involved offensively in this game. He has registered at least three shots on target in nine of the past 10 games, giving him a real chance at finding the back of the net each night.He also plays on a line with the Golden Knights' most talented player - Jack Eichel - at five-on-five and on the top power play. There's no role that would serve him better in an effort to find the scoresheet.Look for Marchessault to stay hot in Game 6.Jason Robertson over 3.5 shots (-105)It took a while but Robertson has finally come alive as a shooter. Normally reliant on the power play, Robertson has been pretty quiet in these playoffs as extra-man opportunities have continued to dry up. Until now.We're not seeing a bunch of power plays - quite the contrary - but Robertson is starting to fire from anywhere and everywhere at even-strength. Even more so on home ice, where Game 6 will be played tonight.The Stars have played two home games in this series. Robertson attempted double-digit shots in each of them, combining for 12 shots on 24 attempts.Home cooking has been the theme of Robertson's season. Playoffs included, he has a 61% hit rate in Dallas. That number drops to 40% on the road.With home ice in his back pocket, and the Stars' season on the line, you can bet they'll be trying to get the puck in the hands of their top finisher as much as possible. Expect a handful of shots.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes were just minding their own business, likely lamenting another lengthy offseason and wondering about the future of their franchise. Then, Bruce Cassidy caught them with a stray."To me, the (biggest indicator of our lack of) desperation was we had 24 giveaways tonight," the Golden Knights head coach said after the Dallas Stars defeated his club 4-2 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final to cut Vegas' series lead to 3-2."I'm not sure you're beating the Arizona Coyotes in January with 24 giveaways," Cassidy continued. "No disrespect to Arizona, but it's not the right way to play. ... We're trying to go to the Stanley Cup Final against a desperate team, so to me, that's the whole game right there."Vegas committed 15 more giveaways than Dallas on Saturday night, with defenseman Zach Whitecloud coughing up a game-high four. Forward Chandler Stephenson, who scored in the second period, made three.Jason Robertson - who answered Stephenson's goal with one of his own - committed two giveaways for the victors. No other Stars skater committed more than one.The Golden Knights took a pair of leads in the loss, but the Stars tied it quickly both times - first on Luke Glendening's first-period tally less than two minutes after Ivan Barbashev opened the scoring, and then on Robertson's marker two minutes and nine seconds after Stephenson gave Vegas a 2-1 advantage.Ty Dellandrea then potted a pair of goals in under 90 seconds midway through the third period to propel the Stars to victory.Vegas did have more takeaways than Dallas in the game, winning that category 14-7.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Latvia shocked the United States 4-3 in overtime in Sunday's bronze medal game at the IIHF World Championships.Kristians Rubins fired home the game-winning goal 1:22 into the extra frame to capture Latvia's first medal at an elite-level IIHF event.

Ty Dellandrea scored two goals in under 90 seconds to break a third-period tie as his Dallas Stars prevailed 4-2 over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final on Saturday night.The Stars cut the Golden Knights' series lead to 3-2, with Game 6 scheduled for Monday. Dallas will have Jamie Benn back, as the captain has now served his two-game suspension for cross-checking Vegas captain Mark Stone in Game 3.Dellandrea gave the Stars a one-goal advantage just over halfway through the final frame before burying a loose puck to pad the lead.

It required a comeback, but Canada survived a scare from Latvia to book its spot in the gold-medal game at the 2023 IIHF World Championship during Saturday's first semifinal.Top 2023 NHL Draft prospect Adam Fantilli netted the game-winner in the third period as Canada tamed the underdogs in a 4-2 victory.

Four were selected in the 2017 NHL expansion draft; two were acquired via trade on the same day. Four are now in their 30s; two are in their late 20s.Together, Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson, Reilly Smith, William Carrier, Shea Theodore, and Brayden McNabb represent the past and present of Golden Knights hockey. Despite all of the chaos swirling around a franchise that's become known for its cutthroat decision-making, the remaining members of the "Golden Misfits" still call Las Vegas home and are one win away from a second Stanley Cup Final in just six years.The incredible part: Marchessault and Karlsson have been essential to this particular playoff run, while the other four have proved to be valuable assets in their own unique, less glamorous ways. Rich Lam / Getty ImagesMarchessault, the rare dressing room "glue guy" who's also vitally important on the ice, is up to eight goals - three of them game-winners - plus six assists. He and star center Jack Eichel have been the offensive drivers through 15 games. Marchessault has accumulated a team-high 5.86 expected goals thanks to an insane 28 quality scoring chances, according to Sportlogiq.Karlsson's bagged eight goals himself to go along with three assists. Most notably, he's been on the ice for 12 goals for and five against over 189 minutes of five-on-five action. The Swede's most common forward opponent against the Winnipeg Jets? Kyle Connor. Edmonton Oilers? Connor McDavid. Dallas Stars? Jason Robertson. Talk about acing three difficult assignments.Turnover is inevitable in every NHL organization. But cores that win enough tend to stay largely intact, a decade zooming by relatively quickly. Not in Vegas, though.The Golden Knights are bold. They make blockbuster trades and landmark signings to bring in the likes of Eichel, Mark Stone, and Alex Pietrangelo. They fire head coaches, with Bruce Cassidy counting as the third bench boss.Six originals remain, and the front office deserves credit for choosing the right ride-or-die players. Especially in the cases of Marchessault and Karlsson.2023 NHL draft FAQ Dave Sandford / NHL / Getty ImagesWith the June 28-29 draft fast approaching, I checked in earlier this week with an Ontario-based amateur scout for an NHL team, a Europe-based amateur scout, and Dan Marr, the vice president of the league's in-house Central Scouting bureau. Here are a few takeaways from those discussions.Quality of draft class: The 2023 class is generating loads of hype. So much, in fact, that some have labeled it exceptionally deep or excellent overall. The two team-affiliated scouts, who were granted anonymity because they're not permitted to speak with reporters, aren't quite buying the hype."After the top five, the draft becomes rather average," the Europe scout said.In no particular order, those consensus top-five players are forwards Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, Matvei Michkov, Leo Carlsson, and Will Smith."You could make the argument that any of those five guys could have gone first overall last year," the scout added. "That's where all of the hype comes from, or should come from. After them, it drops off pretty significantly. The 6-10 range is not that strong compared to the better drafts of recent memory."The Ontario scout says the depth in 2023 is "nowhere close" to the vaunted 2003 and 2015 classes."You've got Bedard, Fantilli, and a few others at the top. So it seems really, really good at first glance," the scout said. "But the impression I've gotten from talking to people in the industry is that it's not that great, overall."Marr, who scouted for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Thrashers for two decades prior to joining the league in 2011, is a bit higher on 2023. But he too stopped short of comparing it to 2003, which produced 48 players with at least 500 NHL games played, or 2015, McDavid and Eichel's draft year."The top 10 is strong," Marr said, before noting teams slotted between 15th and 20th overall in Nashville next month will be "very happy" with their picks. Minas Panagiotakis / Getty ImagesHigh-level trends: Forward is the class' strongest position, and the first few tiers feature a variety of player types: goal-scoring forwards, pass-first forwards, two-way forwards, physically mature forwards, raw forwards, etc.According to the Europe scout, there's a small chance consensus top defenseman David Reinbacher goes off the board within the first five picks. However, Reinbacher is more likely to be selected between sixth and 10th, and there's a sizable gap between him and the class' second-best blue-liner.The goaltending crop is nothing special, either.As for top leagues and countries, the Western Hockey League, led by Bedard, Zach Benson, and Nate Danielson, has a big presence. The U.S. National Team Development Program should have at least four first-round picks - forwards Smith, Ryan Leonard, Oliver Moore, and Gabriel Perreault - in a good-but-not-great year for the Michigan-based team. Sweden, as usual, is Europe's powerhouse, while Marr points out Czechia and Slovakia have truly revived their pipelines.Marr's fairly certain the first two, perhaps three, defensemen picked will be from Europe or Russia. Austrian Reinbacher; Swedes Axel Sandin Pellikka, Tom Willander, and Theo Lindstein; and Russian Mikhail Gulyayev are the top names on Central Scouting's final ranking of international skaters. Monika Majer / RvS.Media / Getty ImagesPlayers of intrigue: Central Scouting expects 106 draft-eligible players at the scouting combine, which goes June 4-10 in Buffalo. Marr says eight or nine Russian players would've been invited but can't attend because of visa issues.The "Russian factor" always lingers around the draft. It's more pronounced this year because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the exclusion of Russian teams from international tournaments. These variables could cause the country's best prospects to slide on draft night. Michkov, who's under contract with his KHL team through 2025-26, is the class' ultimate wild card.The Europe scout would "probably recommend Michkov" as the top prospect outside of North America. "Michkov's ceiling is quite a bit higher than Carlsson's. I still love Carlsson as a player, but he's more of a potentially really good player than a potentially elite player."The upside: Michkov's eventual arrival in the NHL could change the course of a franchise, like fellow Russian Kirill Kaprizov did with the Minnesota Wild."Everything about him is legit," Marr said of Michkov's on-ice abilities.Eduard Sale, a forward from Czechia, is another interesting case. He entered the season with top-10 hype, the Europe scout notes, but was "sliding really, really hard throughout the year" due to concerns over his compete level and work ethic. And these concerns weren't limited to only a few talent evaluators.Cam Allen, a defenseman from Canada, also saw his stock drop, though not because of a low compete level, the Ontario scout says. He just didn't produce or live up to expectations after winning the OHL's Rookie of the Year award in 2021-22. NHL teams are left wondering which Allen is the real Allen.VR company making inroads Bill Wippert / Getty ImagesBuffalo Sabres rookie Devon Levi is a huge proponent. Seattle Kraken prospect Joey Daccord has been using it throughout the AHL playoffs. Other pro goalies and skaters are on board. Same goes for coaches and managers.Virtual reality company Sense Arena has carved out a niche for itself in the hockey world over the past few years. With only a headset and handheld controllers required, the "completely immersive experience" can help players fine-tune read-and-react skills through a series of drills.The objective is to expose oneself to different on-ice scenarios - off the ice."The more you are in situations where you need to make decisions, your brain creates a pattern. Then, when you get into the same situation on the ice, and you have been there a thousand times before, you just react. You don't think," said Sense Arena CEO Bob Tetiva, a former professional basketball player who founded the Prague-based company in 2018. Sense ArenaSense Arena is making inroads at an opportune time, as coaches have begun to come around to the idea that hockey sense can be taught. While some players are naturally better at reading the game, expert teaching - whether it's on-ice instruction, video sessions, or VR - can lead to notable improvement."Is it easier to learn a language at three years old than at 23? Absolutely. But can you still learn a language? Yeah," Montreal Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis told Sportsnet earlier this season.He added, "We can make (players) better. You're not going to get him fully there versus a kid who already has that. But if you improve him 10% or 15%, how much more productive and efficient can he be on the ice?"Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson, who'd be nowhere without high-end hockey sense and IQ, seems to have a similar view."There are players who have it more than others. Some are very cerebral," Robertson told me last fall. "They just know what's going to happen, know how pucks are going to come off the boards - or wherever - so they get into the right spot. But you can teach how to play predictably, too. You can teach players to get to specific areas of the ice. People can learn that and adjust."For goalies, VR is especially useful for learning how to better read shot releases off sticks and anticipating the puck's trajectory toward the crease. Both goalies and skaters can keep the mind sharp during injury and rehab periods. Heck, even when a player is healthy, VR can be a substitute for on-ice work, since there's less wear and tear on the body.Parting shotsSam Bennett: Bennett is endlessly fascinating for his habit of flipping the switch come playoff time. Over an eight-season career split between the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers, he's averaged 0.63 points and 3.8 hits per game in the playoffs versus 0.45 points and 1.8 hits per game in the regular season. Bennett, a bearded 26-year-old centering an all-agitator top-six line with Matthew Tkachuk and Nick Cousins, has certainly earned his increased production. As of Thursday morning, the Holland Landing, Ontario, native was first or tied for first in inner-slot shots (20), scoring chances generated off the forecheck (seven), and chances off rebounds (seven), according to Sportlogiq.

Dallas Stars head coach Peter DeBoer believes his team has life after avoiding the sweep with a dramatic overtime win in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights."We don't have much choice but to believe in it, right? That's where we're at," DeBoer said Friday, according to NHL.com's Tracey Myers. "I do believe in it, and I think there's always a team that puts itself in this spot and climbs out of it. Doesn't happen all the time, but it happens enough that - why not us?"Only four other clubs in NHL history have won a series after trailing 3-0: The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs against the Detroit Red Wings, the 1975 New York Islanders against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers against the Boston Bruins, and the 2014 Los Angeles Kings against the San Jose Sharks.Stars forward Joe Pavelski, who scored the OT winner in Game 4, was on that infamous Sharks team in 2014 that was on the wrong end of history against the Kings."They're not fun when you're on the other side," Pavelski said."The one against L.A., yeah, you never think it could happen. … There were a couple of tight games. And you don't want to be in those situations, but when you're on the other side, you understand it can happen. It's happened before. It's such a fine line this time of year."If the Stars are going to live to fight another day, they'll have to do so once again without captain Jamie Benn, who's set to serve the second contest of a two-game suspension, and winger Evgenii Dadonov, who remains out with a lower-body injury.Game 5 of the Western Conference Final goes down Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET in Las Vegas.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Hurricanes have a plethora of pending unrestricted free agents, but two of them - captain Jordan Staal and goaltender Frederik Andersen - expressed their intent Friday to remain in Carolina."I don't plan on going anywhere," Staal said two days after the Florida Panthers swept the Canes out of the Eastern Conference Final. "Obviously been here long enough, no reason to leave. I'm sure we'll find a way to get a deal done. ... We'll hopefully check off some unfinished business."He added, "I wanna finish my career off here."Staal, 34, has been with the Hurricanes since 2012-13 and was named captain in 2019. He just played the final season of a mammoth 10-year, $60-million extension.The veteran forward put up 17 goals and 17 assists in 81 regular-season games while averaging just over 16 minutes of ice time per contest. Staal added two tallies and six helpers in 15 playoff matchups this spring.Andersen, who just finished his second season in Raleigh, shared a similar sentiment."My priority is to be back here. … I definitely believe in this group. We can do something special next year," he said.The 33-year-old netminder was limited to 34 appearances in the regular season due to injuries, but he shone in his first taste of the playoffs since 2020.Andersen went 5-3 this postseason and backstopped the Hurricanes with an impressive .927 save percentage and 1.83 goals-against average. He was unable to participate in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs because of an MCL tear.The Dane just wrapped up a two-year, $9-million pact he signed with the Hurricanes as a free agent in July 2021.Andersen's running mate, Antti Raanta, is set to become an unrestricted free agent as well. Young netminder Pyotr Kochetkov is signed through 2026-27.Shayne Gostisbehere, Jesper Fast, Paul Stastny, and the injured Max Pacioretty can also test the open market this summer. The Hurricanes have just over $24 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly.Carolina finished the 2022-23 campaign with the second-best record in the NHL (52-21-9) and made the playoffs for the fifth straight year.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Golden Knights and Stars went to overtime Thursday for the third time in four Western Conference Final games. But for the first time in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Vegas lost a game in overtime - after three wins - and Dallas won in OT - following four failed tries.There isn't enough disparity between playoff-caliber NHL teams to not consider any matchup that's a draw after 60 minutes something of a coin flip once it gets to overtime. You'll rarely see a live moneyline outside of -130 (56.5% implied win probability) for the favorite once the game enters OT.Winning or losing three-to-four overtime contests in a row is a true lesson in variance. How much different might the Eastern Conference playoffs look if the Panthers went 3-3 in overtime instead of 6-0 on their run to the Stanley Cup Final? What if the Golden Knights had lost one of their previous overtime games? This Western Conference Final would potentially look a lot different had the Stars managed a split in Vegas.When Joe Pavelski scored in Thursday's Game 4 to break the dueling overtime goose eggs, the Stars kept their season alive, and we get playoff hockey this weekend. But should we expect this series to return to Dallas? If we've learned anything, there's no such thing as expectation - just value.Stars (+115) @ Golden Knights (-135) The Golden Knights are up 3-1 in the series, and Stars captain Jamie Benn is out for one more game due to suspension. Vegas is still converting even-strength high-danger chances at an absurd clip with a 2-for-10 performance in Game 4, while the Stars still need more opportunities than usual to get a goal (1-for-15 Thursday). With all that considered, the Game 5 moneylines aren't all that different than where they were ahead of Game 1 when Dallas took enough money to close +105.Every contest - and this series as a whole - has come down to three things:

Joe Pavelski once again proved himself to be timeless Thursday.The 38-year-old Dallas Stars stalwart overtook the illustrious Alex Ovechkin as the league's active leader in playoff goals Thursday with his overtime marker in Game 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights.RankPlayerGPGoals1Joe Pavelski180732Alex Ovechkin147723Sidney Crosby180714Evgeni Malkin17767T-5Nikita Kucherov14253T-5Patrick Kane14353T-5Brad Marchand14653T-5Corey Perry19653"He's ageless, you know? What do you say about him?" Stars head coach Peter DeBoer said postgame. "I've seen that movie over and over again - it never gets old."He lives for those moments. He wants to be in those situations ... and delivers almost every time."Additionally, Pavelski has 18 career playoff game-winners, including four this postseason, tying him for fifth all time.RankPlayerGPGame-winning goalsT-1Brett Hull20224T-1Wayne Gretzky20824T-3Joe Sakic17219T-3Claude Lemieux23419T-5Joe Pavelski18018T-5Maurice Richard13218Pavelski also became the oldest player to have a four-goal game earlier this postseason. He's recorded nine tallies and 13 points across 12 playoff games this year.The Stars are hoping to become the fifth team to erase a 3-0 deficit after their Game 4 victory. Pavelski has experience being on the other side of one of those historic comebacks, falling to the Los Angeles Kings while with the San Jose Sharks in 2014."You never think it can happen. ... You don't want to be in those situations, but when you're on the other side, you understand it can happen," he said.Pavelski added: "You just have to keep putting your game out there and having the belief that you can buy more time and earn more time. … Keep trying to put a little doubt in their minds."Puck drops on Game 5 in Vegas on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Even though the Western Conference champion is yet to be determined, the NHL released its two scheduling scenarios for the Stanley Cup Final.The Dallas Stars staved off elimination in Game 4 of the West final with an overtime victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night. On Wednesday, the Florida Panthers swept the Carolina Hurricanes to prevail in the Eastern Conference Final.If the Golden Knights win Game 5 on Saturday, the Cup Final would play out as follows, with all puck drops taking place at 8 p.m. ET:*If necessaryGameDateHome1May 31Golden Knights2June 3Golden Knights3June 5Panthers4June 8Panthers5*June 10Golden Knights6*June 13Panthers7*June 16Golden KnightsIf the Stars take Game 5 to prolong the series, the Cup Final would look like this, pending the eventual winner (and, again, with all games beginning at 8 p.m. ET):GameDateHome1June 3Golden Knights/Stars2June 5Golden Knights/Stars3June 8Panthers4June 10Panthers5*June 13Golden Knights/Stars6*June 16Panthers7*June 19Golden Knights/StarsAll of the games in both scenarios would be broadcast on Sportsnet, CBC, and TVA Sports in Canada. In the United States, every game will be on TNT and truTV, with TBS also airing all but Game 1 and 6 in the first scenario and all but Game 5 in the second.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Canada took down Finland 4-1 during Thursday's quarterfinal at the 2023 IIHF World Championship to advance to the semifinals for the eighth straight tournament.The clash was a rematch of the previous three gold-medal showdowns, with Finland winning in 2019 and 2022 and Canada ascending to the top of the podium in 2021 (the 2020 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic).Netminder Sam Montembeault was named Canada's player of the game after making 27 saves against the tournament co-hosts and reigning gold medalists.Jack Quinn's first goal of the tournament started the action for the Canadians. His quick shot snuck under Finnish goalie Emil Larmi before the midway mark of the opening period.Sammy Blais padded the lead in the middle frame with a nifty snipe off of a three-on-one, while Michael Carcone was responsible for the dagger in the third period.Teemu Hartikainen got Finland on the board in the game's final minutes with the goalie pulled - much to the excitement of the crowd in Tampere - but it was ultimately too late. Canadian captain Tyler Toffoli restored his team's three-goal lead with an empty-netter.The Canadians finished the preliminary round in second place in Group B, while Finland took the third spot in Group A.Standing in the way of Canada's fourth straight gold-medal game appearance is Latvia, which pulled off a major upset in a 3-1 victory over Sweden. The underdogs were outshot 41-15 by a talented Swedish squad, but Latvian goalie Arturs Silovs was outstanding throughout his 40-save performance.The teams will square off on Saturday, with Latvia competing for a medal at an IIHF event for the first time.Team USA - which is undefeated at the Worlds so far - will face Germany in the other semifinal after blanking Czechia 3-0.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a brand-new one-year extension in hand, Buffalo Sabres captain Kyle Okposo is already trying to set the tone for his up-and-coming squad's 2023-24 campaign."We can't be scared of the expectations ... next year," he told the media during a press conference Thursday. "Last year, there (were) no expectations. Everybody's writing rosy articles: 'This group is a good team, it's becoming a good team.' And that's great, but how do you do that with expectations?"There's guys that are starting to get bigger contracts, there's guys that are starting to get noticed nationally. There's going to be lofty expectations next year, and I think that we can't run from that."The Sabres recorded their highest win and point totals (42 and 91, respectively) since the 2010-11 season, finishing just one point behind the Florida Panthers for a playoff spot.Those Panthers have since gone on a shocking Stanley Cup Final run, upsetting the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Carolina Hurricanes. With Buffalo looking to snap a 12-year playoff drought, Okposo is looking to Florida for inspiration."I think that it's pretty evident by what's happened in the playoffs this year that we're not very far from reaching the top of the mountain. ... I think that we're extremely close," he said.Okposo added: "Should our goal be to make the playoffs? Should our goal be to be two points better than we were this year? No. That's expected now. ... Our window - I think it's opening, and we have to be prepared for that. Everybody's got to come better, starting with me."The 35-year-old veteran winger chipped in with 11 goals and 17 assists in 75 games during his seventh season in Buffalo.Okposo has competed in 24 playoff contests over three seasons, all with the New York Islanders.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night with a dramatic win over the Carolina Hurricanes.The Vegas Golden Knights will hope to do the same and complete a sweep of their own Thursday in Dallas.Let's take a look at the best ways to attack the game.Golden Knights (+105) @ Stars (-125)The Stars and Golden Knights have met six times this season, including the playoffs. Five of those games featured five goals or fewer.The lone exception came in the opening contest of the series, where the Stars tied the contest late in regulation to push the game over the number and force extra time. Both teams generated 35-plus shots in that contest and had more than their fair share of scoring chances.The past two games haven't played out that way. These teams recorded just 52 shots on goal in Game 2 and only 50 in Game 3.I expect we'll see the same this time around. With Jake Oettinger struggling mightily and a key weapon out of the lineup in Jamie Benn, I very much doubt the Stars will try to open the game up and turn things into a track meet.The same can be said of the Golden Knights. They've gotten this far playing structured, grind-it-out hockey. Getting away from that and trading chances with Adin Hill between the pipes is probably not the optimal path to victory.With the extremely high stakes present in a 3-0 situation, I expect both sides to play pretty close to the vest, taking this to an under for the sixth time in seven meetings.Bet: Under 5.5 (-120)Tyler Seguin over 2.5 shots (-132)Seguin is a Golden Knights killer, at least when it comes to generating shots. He leads the entire series with 22 attempts through three games, good for an average of more than seven per.This kind of volume is nothing new for Seguin. For whatever reason, he's feasted on the Golden Knights for quite some time.Seguin has piled up 29 shots on goal through six meetings against Vegas this calendar year, which is an average of nearly five.There's no reason to expect anything different in Game 4. Seguin led all Stars forwards in ice time last game, logging over 20 minutes despite the blowout.He should once again get all he can handle this time around, especially with Benn sidelined due to suspension. Look for Seguin to take advantage.Wyatt Johnston over 2.5 shots (+110)Johnston is another player who should benefit greatly from Benn's absence. He played close to 19 minutes last time out, which was his highest total since Game 1 of the Seattle series.Johnston made the most of his ice time, generating four shots on goal and a pair of scoring chances while helping the Stars win the attempt battle 14-5 at five-on-five.Johnston's strong form goes beyond last game. He's registered at least four shots on goal in four consecutive contests and gone over his total in four of the past five against Vegas.With Johnston creating shots in bulk and seeing a boost in usage sans Benn, we should expect another lively offensive effort.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2023 Memorial Cup begins Friday as the CHL's league champions converge in Kamloops, B.C., to battle it out for junior hockey supremacy.From a numbers perspective, the Memorial Cup may be the hardest trophy to win in hockey. Sixty CHL teams are down to four: host Kamloops Blazers, QMJHL's Quebec Remparts, OHL's Peterborough Petes, and WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds.Rosters are stacked across the board. Twelve members from Canada's gold-medal-winning team at January's world juniors and nine first-round picks from the past two drafts are on display.The Saint John Sea Dogs, last year's hosts, were victorious as the tournament was held for the first time in three years. The QMJHL has captured three straight Memorial Cups dating back to 2018, with the OHL winning most recently in 2017 and the WHL back in 2014.Here are 12 prospects to watch over the coming 11 days at the Memorial Cup.Kamloops' dynamic duo Andy Devlin / Getty Images Sport / GettyThere's a strong case to be made that Kamloops has the two best players at the Memorial Cup.The hockey world was introduced to Olen Zellweger and Logan Stankoven at the past two World Junior Championships. Both were named among Canada's top three players at the 2022 tournament, with Stankoven also landing on Canada's list this January.The duo's playoff performance is nothing short of remarkable. Despite losing in the conference finals to Seattle, Stankoven and Zellweger still finished first and second, respectively, in WHL postseason scoring.Stankoven also led the WHL in playoff scoring last spring when Kamloops was again eliminated by Seattle in the conference finals. The Dallas Stars second-rounder has simply thrashed junior competition at every step and now has a chance to complete his U20 career with a championship on home ice.Most were astonished when the Blazers traded a stunning 10 draft picks to land Zellweger at the WHL trade deadline, along with Washington Capitals selection Ryan Hofer. Even with that massive price tag, Zellweger has more than lived up to the hype.Zellweger led the Blazers with 11 postseason goals, which also ranked third league-wide. Between the regular season and playoffs, Zellweger has tallied 43 goals in 69 WHL games this season. Reminder: He's a defenseman.The Anaheim Ducks second-rounder is worth tuning in for by himself, let alone with his running mate Stankoven. Kamloops' two-headed monster will be among the top challenges for opposing coaches at the Memorial Cup.Guenther's shot at redemption Jonathan Kozub / Getty Images Sport / GettyDylan Guenther won the WHL championship last season with the Edmonton Oil Kings - where he led the team in scoring during the regular season and playoffs - but an injury prevented him from playing in the Memorial Cup. A year later, he has a chance at redemption with the Thunderbirds.It didn't appear that Guenther would get this opportunity when he made the Arizona Coyotes out of camp. Even when he was loaned to Team Canada for the world juniors - a tournament in which he scored seven goals, including the gold-medal winner - it looked like Guenther would complete the 2022-23 campaign in the NHL.That's until Seattle made a splash at the WHL trade deadline to acquire his rights in a blockbuster move that featured significant conditional draft picks. Guenther played 11 more games with the Coyotes before ultimately being sent back to the WHL at the beginning of February.Since then, Guenther and the Thunderbirds have dominated. Seattle won its first 12 games with Guenther in the lineup and has lost just six games total since his arrival.Guenther's 16 goals in 19 games led the WHL playoffs, and his 28 points paced the Thunderbirds. He's looked every part of the dominant goal-scoring prospect that made him the ninth overall pick in 2021.Over the past three seasons, Guenther has scored 99 goals against WHL competition. He'll be hoping to push past 100 en route to a Memorial Cup title in Kamloops.1st-round picks on display Andy Devlin / Getty Images Sport / GettyBrad Lambert has his mojo back.Once considered a top-five prospect in the 2022 class, Lambert's abysmal season in Finland saw him plummet on draft day. The Winnipeg Jets ended his fall at 30th overall and decided a move to North America this season was best for his development.Following a lackluster 14-game stint in the AHL and a fairly pedestrian world junior performance, the Jets demoted Lambert to the WHL. Having played against much older competition for the better part of four years, Lambert finally had the chance to regain his form playing against his peers. And he's thrived.Lambert was immediately a dominant force upon arriving in Seattle. He tallied 17 goals and 38 points in 26 regular-season games and has remained an elite offensive threat in the postseason. His 26 playoff points are second on the Thunderbirds, only behind Guenther.The flashy Finnish forward is joined by Kevin Korchinski in Seattle. The highest-drafted player at the 2023 Memorial Cup, having been selected seventh overall by the Chicago Blackhawks last summer, Korchinski's 1.35 points per game is the second-highest scoring rate by a WHL defenseman in their post-draft season since 1996.Korchinski's scoring has dipped in the postseason, but he remains a pivotal presence on the Thunderbirds' blue line and among the highest potential players on display this week.Brennan Othmann has won at every level; the New York Rangers prospect has two world junior gold medals, a U18 gold, an OHL Cup, and now an OHL Championship in his trophy case. After leading the Petes in playoff scoring with 25 points, he'll be looking to end his junior career in style out west.Unlike the previous three first-rounders, Zachary Bolduc hasn't had the same international opportunities to become a recognizable name. On the heels of back-to-back 50-goal seasons, the St. Louis Blues prospect is finally primed to showcase his talents on a big stage with the Remparts.Depth prospects turning heads Jonathan Kozub / Getty Images Sport / GettyThomas Milic made a name for himself at the 2023 world juniors, where he backstopped Canada to a gold medal. The undrafted netminder has only gained momentum since returning to the Thunderbirds.His performance this year has surely done enough to put him on NHL draft boards this summer, despite his undersized 6-foot frame. He went 27-3-1 in the regular season, 5-0-0 at the world juniors, and 16-3-0 in the WHL playoffs. His combined record from 2022-23 heading into the Memorial Cup is an astounding 48-6-1.Milic isn't the only depth prospect catching scouts' attention throughout the CHL postseason. Despite playing on a team with two first-round forwards, it's been a pair of fifth-rounders in James Malatesta and Justin Robidas racking up points in Quebec.Robidas - a Carolina Hurricanes draft pick and the son of former NHLer Stephane - led the Remparts in playoff scoring with 27 points in 18 games, while Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Malatesta earned the nod for QMJHL playoff MVP thanks to his 14-goal postseason.Seattle Kraken fourth-rounder Tucker Robertson was a major piece of Peterborough's underdog run through the OHL. After leading the Petes in scoring in the regular season, he tallied 22 points in the playoffs. Robertson has nine postseason goals, none bigger than his OHL Championship-winning deflection in Game 6 against the London Knights.Out west, Stars sixth-rounder Matthew Seminoff feasted upon WHL netminders prior to Kamloops' exit in the conference finals. He tallied 10 goals and 19 points in just 14 games. He'll need to be a key scorer behind Stankoven and Zellweger if the Blazers are going to upset the league champions on home ice.Kamloops and Quebec kick off the tournament Friday at 9 p.m. ET.(Statistics source: Elite Prospects)Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour feels his club deserved a friendlier outcome than the harsh reality of a four-game sweep at the hands of the Florida Panthers.Despite leading several key statistical categories for the duration of the Eastern Conference Final, Carolina saw its season end Wednesday after Matthew Tkachuk's dramatic series winner with four seconds left on the clock."That's the unfortunate part of this, (people are) going to look back and everyone's going to say you got swept," Brind'Amour said, per The Athletic's Mark Lazerus. "That's not what happened. I watched the game. I'm there. I'm cutting the game. We're in the game. ... It could have been four games the other way."He added: "Did we deserve better? I think so."The Hurricanes controlled 56.15% of shot attempts, 53.28% of scoring chances, and 57.35% of expected goals in the series, according to Natural Stat Trick, but they only solved Sergei Bobrovsky six times in four games.Each game was separated by a single goal, but the Panthers were the ones to find the back of the net when it counted. Florida secured overtime victories in Games 1 and 2 in Carolina, then grabbed a 3-0 series chokehold Monday with a narrow 1-0 win before an unforgettable series finale."It didn't feel like a 4-0 series to me," said Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal.Sebastian Aho, who tied veteran Jordan Martinook for the team lead with 12 points in 15 games this spring, was incredulous after Carolina's season-ending loss."It sucks. It's almost confusing," he said, according to NHL.com's Walt Ruff. "Like, what just happened? It's tough."Martinook was similarly downtrodden."It shouldn't be like this. It's hard. There's been eight, nine of us here for five years," he said, per the News & Observer's Luke DeCock. "This one felt different. It still feels different, and we're done. It hurts. It hurts a lot."It feels like you got run over by a bus, emotionally."The Hurricanes have now lost 12 consecutive conference final games (2009, 2019, 2023) since winning the Stanley Cup in 2006.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin exited Game 4 against the Florida Panthers in the first period after a huge hit from Sam Bennett behind the net.Slavin was in clear distress before being helped to the dressing room by Hurricanes staff.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn was suspended two games for cross-checking Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone in the head in Game 3, the league announced Wednesday.

The Buffalo Sabres have signed captain Kyle Okposo to a one-year contract worth $2.5 million, the team announced Wednesday.The 35-year-old was set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer. He signed a seven-year, $42-million deal with the Sabres in 2016 and was named captain of the up-and-coming club this past October.Okposo recorded 28 points in 75 games this season while averaging 14:40 per contest. In 455 appearances with the Sabres, he's notched 91 goals and 132 assists.Buffalo finished two spots outside the playoff cutline this spring with 91 points, its highest total since 2010-11.With Okposo signed, the two most notable UFAs remaining on the Sabres' books are Vinnie Hinostroza and Zemgus Girgensons. Buffalo is projected to have nearly $17 million in cap space this summer, according to CapFriendly.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn will have a hearing Wednesday after he cross-checked Mark Stone in the head during Tuesday's contest against the Vegas Golden Knights, the NHL Department of Player Safety confirmed.Benn was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the play.

The Dallas Stars are one loss away from their season being over, but head coach Peter DeBoer made it clear they'd be sticking with No. 1 netminder Jake Oettinger for Thursday's Game 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights."Jake Oettinger is playing tomorrow night. So we'll put that to rest," DeBoer told the media Wednesday, according to The Dallas Morning News' Joseph Hoyt.Oettinger struggled mightily in Game 3. He was pulled after allowing three goals on five shots just 7:10 into the contest in what was the shortest start of his NHL career.Backup Scott Wedgewood made 10 saves on 11 shots in relief.Oettinger dazzled during last year's postseason, posting a sterling .954 save percentage and 1.81 goals against average during the Stars' first-round loss to the Calgary Flames, which featured a 64-save outing in Game 7.It's been a different story for Oettinger this spring. He's started all 16 of the Stars' playoff games and owns an 8-8 record to go along with an .895 save percentage and 3.02 goals against average.The 24-year-old has allowed 6.97 goals above expected at all strengths, according to Natural Stat Trick, and he's surrendered at least three goals in each start against the Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final.Despite Oettinger's uncharacteristically shaky performance, the Stars made sure to have their goalie's back after Tuesday's 4-0 loss."He's been the backbone all year," forward Tyler Seguin said. "(We have) so much confidence in him. When goals go in, I mean, there's five of us on the ice that could've helped stop it."We'll look at the clips, we'll flush it, and get ready for the next game."Wedgewood, meanwhile, wasn't sure what Oettinger could have done differently on a few of the Golden Knights' opportunities in Game 3."They make some elite shots and some elite plays. ... Their first (goal), it's a heads-up play, and that one-timer got back to (Jonathan Marchessault)."They're scoring that on all 64 (goalies) in this league. Break it down that way, it happens. ... We have to be a little bit more dialed as a group, but I'm not worried about that kid."Oettinger was one of seven goalies to make over 60 starts during the regular season. He backstopped the Stars with a .919 save percentage while ranking among the top 10 in goals saved above average (23.59) and goals saved above expected (21.65), per Evolving-Hockey.Puck drops on Dallas' must-win Game 4 Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov will return to the lineup in Game 4 with a chance to sweep the Carolina Hurricanes, head coach Paul Maurice confirmed Wednesday."Ready to roll," Maurice said, per NHL.com's Jameson Olive. "Freshest guy on the ice."Barkov was a full participant in the morning skate.The 27-year-old sustained a lower-body injury in the first period of Monday's Game 3 after taking a hit from Hurricanes forward Jack Drury and was unable to return to the contest.

I didn't think either side would be looking at elimination after just three games, but that's the reality the Hurricanes will face tonight.Let's take a look at the best ways to attack what could be their last game of the season.Hurricanes (-105) @ Panthers (-115)We successfully played the under in Game 3 of the series, and we're going right back to the well in Game 4.The Panthers have been an under machine for weeks on end. All they do is play in tight, low-scoring affairs. In fact, seven consecutive Florida games have featured five goals or fewer.Just 27 goals have been scored in that time, good for an average of less than four per contest. What's crazy is four of the seven games have gone to extra time. If we focus only on regulation, we're looking at 23 goals over seven games - an average of 3.28 per. Those are mind-numbing numbers.In theory, regression should be coming for Sergei Bobrovsky. He isn't going to play this well forever. But there's reason to believe he can do it for a while longer.Bobrovsky is in the best form of his career, and the Panthers are defending well in front of him.Not to mention, the Hurricanes are known for generating chances in bulk but having a tough time converting.We shouldn't expect any different with Andrei Svechnikov and Max Pacioretty - the two best scorers on the team - out of the picture due to injury.Even in victory, there isn't a whole lot there with the way the Panthers play offensively. They slot 11th among playoff teams in expected goals, and they're averaging only 2.08 goals per 60 at five-on-five. For perspective, only the Blue Jackets scored goals at a lesser rate during the regular season.The playoffs are a completely different animal - I'm not suggesting the two teams are on the same level - but it helps illustrate how the Panthers have played and won games.They've relied on great goaltending and scored just enough when necessary. The formula isn't going to change now, especially against a potent Hurricanes defense.Look for another tight, low-event game in this elimination affair.Bet: Under 5.5 (-120)Sebastian Aho over 2.5 shots (-120)The Hurricanes have a scoring problem. They've scored three goals through the first three games of their series against the Panthers, with only one of them coming at five-on-five. Not ideal.Who might they turn to with their season on the line? Perhaps the highest-paid and most-skilled player in the lineup: Aho.He's been the team's most threatening player in the series. Aho has attempted 28 shots through three games and leads the Hurricanes in shots on goal, scoring chances, and high-danger opportunities.While he hasn't scored, Aho has enjoyed success in the shot prop market. He's hit in two of three games this series and four of his last six against the Panthers dating back to the regular season.The Hurricanes have absolutely no margin for error. They have to win to keep their season alive, which should mean a healthy dose of ice time for their $8.4-million man.Win or lose, expect an active offensive performance from Aho.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In a bizarre twist - given the usual parity of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the tight pre-series odds in both conference finals - the Hurricanes and Stars are on the brink of being the first two sweeps of the 2023 postseason.More to our expectation of a close series, it took until the sixth cumulative game of Round 3 for any team to take a two-goal lead. When the Golden Knights chased Jake Oettinger in the first period on Tuesday, that was the first real inclination of a one-sided game result despite the decisive series leads.What's left for bettors to do with two series that could go the minimum but involve matchups where no team has been given even a 60% chance to win an individual game based on the moneylines?Series: Hurricanes (+900) vs. Panthers (-1600)Even-strength numbersTEAMxGHDCHDGHurricanes10.99511Panthers7.82432If this were a blind-resume test, it would take a while before you got to "Panthers 3-0" for your guess as to the status of this series - even though unusual results aren't out of the question for a matchup that was priced tightly. The Panthers have essentially won three straight coin-flip games - two overtime finishes and via a lone power-play goal in Game 3.Florida has taken a commanding lead thanks to Sergei Bobrovsky. Even with the assistance of four extra periods of scoreless action in Game 1, Bobrovsky's 11.14 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx), according to Evolving-Hockey, and the Hurricanes' 1-for-51 high-danger chance conversion rate are both jaw-dropping stats. In 2833 regular-season minutes, Bobrovsky totaled 2.92 GSAx.Could Bobrovsky's fortunes turn at any moment? It's not impossible, which means the possibility exists for a Canes comeback. If that's something you're interested in, we have to compare the current series price to rolling over the Carolina moneyline for the remaining four games.GAMEML (*Projected)ROLLOVER ODDS4-105-5-140*+2356-105*+5507-140*+1020Even with two potential weighted coins in favor of the Hurricanes (-140) at home, you may get a better price by taking an initial stake and continuing to add profits from each moneyline win to the following game's bet.Don't want to commit to a full-blown Canes comeback? You can lock in fair prices on Carolina +2.5 games at +240 or Carolina +1.5 games at +550. But rolling over moneylines allows the bettor a chance to pull their money off the table should something change in either team's available personnel.Series: Stars (+900) vs. Golden Knights (-1600)Even-strength numbersTEAMxGHDCHDGStars6.88222Golden Knights5.91236I've joked about how - all postseason - it feels like if the Golden Knights get a high-danger scoring chance, it's going in the net. Just 71 seconds into Game 3, Vegas got its only even-strength high-danger chance, and Jonathan Marchessault converted.Then 42 seconds later, Jamie Benn took an unconscionable five-minute cross-checking major. For a moment, it looked like the Stars might get a crucial penalty kill and even had a scoring chance short-handed. Seconds later, Vegas got its one good chance on the extended power play, and sure enough, the Golden Knights converted. While not an even-strength situation, Ivan Barbashev's goal exemplified how the Golden Knights have put the "danger" in high-danger chances this postseason.In fairness to Vegas, after a soft goal on an innocuous backhanded shot that was the last straw for Oettinger and his minus-6.02 postseason GSAx, the Golden Knights didn't need to press the Stars late, only getting six shots in the final two periods.In the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Golden Knights converted even-strength high-danger chances at a seemingly unsustainable 22.4% rate. They haven't just sustained that rate through three games versus Dallas - they've stretched it.According to Natural Stat Trick, the Golden Knights have converted six of 23 even-strength high-danger chances through three games - a 26% rate. By comparison, here's how three teams fared in this category during the regular season:

Former Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving is "very high" on the Toronto Maple Leafs' list to replace Kyle Dubas, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported during Tuesday night's edition of "32 Thoughts."Friedman added that Treliving is expected to be in Toronto this week to meet with the team.Treliving and the Flames agreed to part ways in April ahead of his contract expiring on June 30. Calgary trailed the Winnipeg Jets by two points this campaign to miss out on the playoffs for the third time in six seasons.The executive was one of the league's busiest general managers last offseason.With Matthew Tkachuk unwilling to sign a long-term pact in Calgary, Treliving was forced to send his superstar packing. Treliving was lauded for acquiring talented winger Jonathan Huberdeau, blue-liner Mackenzie Weegar, and prospect Cole Schwindt from the Florida Panthers in the summer's biggest blockbuster deal.Treliving also signed unrestricted free-agent forward Nazem Kadri to a seven-year, $49-million pact.The Flames hired Treliving in 2014. In nine seasons with him at the helm, Calgary never advanced past the second round of the playoffs and went through five head coaches - most recently, Darryl Sutter, who was fired in early May.Calgary owned a regular-season record of 362-265-73 under Treliving.Prior to joining the Flames, the 53-year-old spent time as the assistant general manager of the Arizona Coyotes.Toronto, meanwhile, moved on from Dubas on Friday.Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said he would keep an open mind about potential candidates but noted that experience would be an "attractive quality," per TSN.Dubas held the position since 2018. The Maple Leafs won just one playoff series during his tenure.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former New York Rangers bench boss Gerard Gallant will be considered a "prime candidate" for the Calgary Flames' head coaching vacancy, TSN's Darren Dreger reported Tuesday.Gallant coached the Rangers for the last two seasons. He guided them to the Eastern Conference Final in 2022 but was fired after they lost in Round 1 this season.The 59-year-old spent parts of three seasons as head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights from 2017-20, leading them to a historic Stanley Cup Final appearance in their inaugural campaign.Gallant also coached the Columbus Blue Jackets (2003-06) and Florida Panthers (2014-2016) for parts of three seasons. In Florida, he helped a young Jonathan Huberdeau find his footing in the NHL. Huberdeau is now the Flames' highest-paid player and struggled mightily in his first season in Calgary under Darryl Sutter, who was fired in May.Mitch Love, the head coach of the AHL's Calgary Wranglers, is expected to get a good look for the job as well, according to Dreger.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan informed the club's core forwards they're unlikely to be moved, TSN's Chris Johnston reported on "Insider Trading."The futures of John Tavares, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander have been in question since they failed to make an impact in Toronto's second-round disappointment against the Florida Panthers, but they're all expected back for the 2023-34 campaign, Johnston adds.Speculation of a potentially franchise-altering trade whirled after former general manager Kyle Dubas said nothing is off the table for the Leafs this offseason, but the direction of the organization is now in limbo after Shanahan announced last week that Dubas won't be re-signed.The Leafs are in the process of finding a new GM, and whoever is brought in would have to work swiftly to orchestrate a trade. Matthews and Marner have full no-move clauses as of July 1, while Nylander will submit a 10-team no-trade list.Tavares has had a full NMC since signing with Toronto in 2018 and has been considered the least likely to be moved as the eldest of the bunch. He's under contract for two more seasons at $11 million per.Matthews and Nylander are entering the final years of their respective contracts before hitting unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2024. Matthews said in his end-of-season media availability that he hopes to ink an extension with the Leafs before the start of next season.Marner is a free agent in 2025.The star quartet occupy nearly 50% of the Leafs' salary-cap structure, and keeping them together was a defining trait of Dubas, who famously stated "we can and we will" retain Matthews, Marner, and Nylander after inking Tavares to a seven-year, $77-million contract.Tavares, Matthews, Marner, and Nylander have been the Leafs' top four scorers each season since 2019-20, but they have only won one playoff series together - this year against the Tampa Bay Lightning.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Craig Conroy is aware that he has his work cut out for him as the new general manager of the Calgary Flames.Several key Flames players are entering the final year of their contracts before they can become unrestricted free agents, including Elias Lindholm, Tyler Toffoli, Mikael Backlund, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev. Conroy needs some clarity before the start of the 2023-24 campaign."We can't go into a season with seven UFAs," Conroy said during his introductory press conference Tuesday. "It just doesn't make sense."Conroy, who's been the Flames' assistant GM for the last nine seasons, said that Johnny Gaudreau's exit in free agency last summer taught him a valuable lesson."I was hoping Johnny was going to come back," Conroy said. "I thought Johnny was going to come back, but I don't think I would let that happen again."He added: "You just lost an asset, one of your best players of all time, and you didn't get anything for him. That was a real eye-opener for me."Extending all of his key upcoming free agents would be highly difficult, so Conroy isn't opposed to shaking the team up. One way he plans to do so is by injecting some youth."I think we're going to change the core a little bit," Conroy said. "Not the core pieces, but I think we're going to add some youth to the lineup."He added: "It's easier to play veteran players, but we need to move forward. We have a salary cap. Young players definitely help the salary cap."The Flames boasted a veteran-heavy roster last season under previous GM Brad Treliving. Head coach Darryl Sutter, who was fired in May, was particularly reluctant to count on his young players in feature roles. But that won't be the case under the next head coach, whom Conroy still has to hire.Conroy said he intends to keep roster spots open for young players to earn in training camp instead of filling them up with veterans."There's going to be an opportunity next year - come to training camp and earn a spot," Conroy said. "Take a jersey."AHL standouts Jakob Pelletier, Connor Zary, Matthew Phillips, Jeremie Poirier, Dustin Wolf, and 2021 No. 13 pick Matt Coronato will be among the many youngsters vying for NHL jobs next year.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Craig Conroy is the Calgary Flames' new general manager, the team announced Tuesday.Conroy has been a part of the Flames' front office since 2010 and has held the assistant GM title for nine years. He also spent parts of nine seasons as a player in Calgary."It is rewarding for the organization to learn that the most qualified individual for the position has been preparing in house," Don Maloney, the team's president of hockey operations, said in a statement. Maloney added, "His passion for the Flames and the community are unmatched. Craig is ready for the challenge to lead our team to the Stanley Cup."Conroy said, "Over the past 12 years, I've put in the time in every aspect of our hockey operations to prepare myself for today. I'm ready to accept this challenge and promise our fans that our team will do the work required to make them proud on the journey to deliver a championship."Brad Treliving mutually parted ways with the Flames in April after nine years as the team's general manager. His contract expires June 30.In addition to Conroy's promotion, the team hired veteran executive Dave Nonis as senior vice president of hockey operations and assistant general manager. Calgary also extended assistant GMs Brad Pascall and Chris Snow.Nonis owns over six years of experience as an NHL general manager, spending four years with the Vancouver Canucks from 2004-08 and two with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2013-15. He's spent the past three campaigns as assistant GM of the Anaheim Ducks."Given the complex nature of the business and the decisions required to be made in this area, we believe David will be a valuable addition in assisting Craig and our hockey operations team," Maloney said.Among the new front office's first tasks will be hiring a head coach. Recently promoted president of hockey operations Maloney fired Darryl Sutter earlier in May.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Several days after the Toronto Maple Leafs fired him, former general manager Kyle Dubas broke his silence Tuesday, saying he wouldn't address the details of his exit from the franchise."While I understand there is interest surrounding the circumstances of my departure, I will not get into the specifics of what I consider to be reasonable and consistent but private discussions," Dubas wrote in a statement on behalf of his family. "In the days that I felt I needed to assess and evaluate my own view to the future, both with respect to the necessary direction of the club and ensuring that I had the full support of my family for what I knew would be required in the offseason and years to follow, the organization, as is their right to do, decided to go in a different direction."He added: "It was an honor to be able to work in such an inspiring place with dedicated, loyal people and an extremely passionate fan base. The impact of that and the relationships with all of the people at MLSE, from the board of directors through to the ushers at Scotiabank Arena, will forever hold a dear place in our hearts. ..."We will roll from here," the statement concluded.The Maple Leafs parted ways with Dubas on Friday following five seasons as the team's general manager. His contract expires June 30.The Pittsburgh Penguins reportedly already received permission to speak with Dubas regarding their open front-office positions.In a candid press conference Friday, Maple Leafs team president Brendan Shanahan outlined contract negotiations with Dubas dating back to last summer. Shanahan said the club had decided to bring the GM back and was nearing the completion of an extension prior to Dubas' end-of-season media availability Monday."While watching Kyle's (press conference), there was a dramatic shift in my thinking," Shanahan said. "Because Kyle might not want to be GM, and I have to take that very seriously."Before Dubas was fired, he spoke openly about his undetermined future and unwillingness to move elsewhere."I definitely don't have it in me to go anywhere else," he said. "It'll either be here (with the Leafs) or it'll be taking time to recalibrate and reflect on the seasons here. You won't see me next week pop up elsewhere; I can't put (my family) through that after this year."The Maple Leafs set franchise records for single-season wins and points with Dubas at the helm but failed to break through in the postseason. Toronto won its first playoff series since 2004 in May against the Tampa Bay Lightning only to be brushed aside in five games by the Florida Panthers in the second round.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour was frustrated by a missed high-sticking call late in Monday's 1-0 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final.Panthers forward Sam Reinhart clipped Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere in the face with his stick with just over two minutes remaining in regulation and Carolina's net empty. There was no penalty on the play.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov exited with a lower-body injury in the first period of his team's 1-0 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final and did not return.Barkov missed the last seven minutes of the first frame of Monday's contest after taking a hit from Hurricanes forward Jack Drury. He didn't come out for the start of the second period.

The Florida Panthers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 1-0 on Monday in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final to take a 3-0 series chokehold, moving within one victory of their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 27 years.Sergei Bobrovsky earned a 32-save shutout - the first of his postseason career - for his 10th victory in 11 starts dating back to the first round against the Boston Bruins.The 34-year-old has posted a .978 save percentage in the conference final along with a 0.69 goals against average and 11.57 goals saved above expected."It's been great, I thought guys did a great job in front of me (the) whole series, whole playoffs," Bobrovsky told TNT after the win. "They box out, they work so hard to get that result. It's a team effort. You get (a) lucky bounce, you get lucky here and there, and you come out with this result. So I'm just fortunate and humbled to be in this spot."The Hurricanes were thoroughly in control of the contest but failed to convert an array of opportunities. Carolina commanded 73.49% of shot attempts, 75.61% of scoring chances, and 77.83% of expected goals at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.The Metropolitan Division champions have just one even-strength goal in the series, a first-period tally from defenseman Jalen Chatfield in Game 2.Panthers forward Sam Reinhart scored the game's only goal - his seventh of the playoffs - on the power play midway through the second period.Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday in Florida. The Panthers' lone Stanley Cup Final appearance came in 1996 when they lost in a sweep against the Colorado Avalanche.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nikolaj Ehlers expects a busy offseason for the Winnipeg Jets after a rocky finish to the 2022-23 campaign."I can't tell you what's going to happen or what needs to happen, but I'm guessing that something is going to happen, yes," Ehlers told NHL.com's Aaron Vickers.The Jets tumbled out of the Central Division race late in the campaign, finishing in the Western Conference's second wild-card spot after leading the conference earlier in the season. The Vegas Golden Knights eliminated Winnipeg in five games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.A disappointing finish to the year grew messier after Jets head coach Rick Bowness said he was "disappointed and disgusted" with his team's effort in the playoffs. The comments sparked a public response from veteran Blake Wheeler, who said he disagreed with Bowness' handling of the situation.Ehlers didn't have any insight to offer regarding the team's early exit."I can't tell you what went wrong," he said. "It's just part of the playoffs. We would still like to be playing right now, but we just weren't good enough. Vegas beat us, and they should've."The Jets have made the playoffs in five of the last six seasons but face a critical offseason: Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, and Connor Hellebuyck are among the players set to enter the final year of their respective contracts.Ehlers, 27, registered 12 goals and 26 assists this season, playing in just 45 games due to injury. He's under contract through 2024-25 at a $5-million annual cap hit.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were given permission to speak with former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on Monday's edition of "32 Thoughts."Toronto decided to part ways with Dubas on Friday. His contract expires June 30, so teams wanting to talk to the 37-year-old before that date must get the Maple Leafs' permission.Pittsburgh fired general manager Ron Hextall and president of hockey operations Brian Burke in April.The Penguins were very close to the end of their search for a new head of hockey operations before Dubas became available, Friedman added.Buffalo's Jason Karmanos, Carolina's Eric Tulsky, Dallas' Steve Greeley, New Jersey's Dan MacKinnon, and Tampa Bay's Mathieu Darche are among the candidates believed to have been a part of Pittsburgh's second round of interviews for their GM vacancy, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Dubas was in the Maple Leafs' front office for nine years, operating as the team's GM for the past five. Toronto made the playoffs each year during his tenure at the helm and set single-season franchise records for wins and points. Despite the regular-season success, the Maple Leafs managed just one postseason series victory, which came this year against the Tampa Bay Lightning.Prior to being let go, a candid Dubas spoke about his uncertain future and a lack of interest in moving elsewhere."I definitely don't have it in me to go anywhere else," he said. "It'll either be here (with the Leafs) or it'll be taking time to recalibrate and reflect on the seasons here. You won't see me next week pop up elsewhere; I can't put (my family) through that after this year."Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In a shocking upset, Norway defeated Canada 3-2 in a shootout at the men's World Championships on Monday.The victory is Norway's second win ever against Canada at the Worlds, with the first coming in 2000. Norway's roster has no active NHL players.Thomas Olsen scored the decisive goal in the shootout for Norway.

After back-to-back overtime victories, the Florida Panthers are two wins away from competing for the Stanley Cup. Easier said than done, of course, with the Carolina Hurricanes staring back in a tightly contested Eastern Conference showdown. Games 3 and 4 go Monday and Wednesday in Sunrise. Here are three questions the Panthers must answer to secure a Cup Final spot.Can Bobrovsky hold off Carolina's charge? Josh Lavallee / Getty ImagesThe Panthers and Hurricanes played all 201:38 of the first two games - the equivalent of 10 full periods, thanks to overtime - with the score tied or with one team leading by a single goal. Despite what the win-loss counter might suggest, neither club has felt entirely comfortable or been in complete control.This is both good and bad for Carolina, who can't afford to fall behind 3-0.It's good because the Hurricanes are generating enough offense to win, with 23 quality scoring chances per game to the Panthers' 17, per Sportlogiq. It's also good because Rod Brind'Amour's squad is process-driven and rarely takes its foot off the gas - especially after losses, as evidenced by the 12-1 shot advantage to kickstart Game 2."I thought we had the better of it. We just haven't found a way to score," Brind'Amour said after Saturday's 2-1 loss in front of a raucous home crowd.It's a virtual guarantee the Hurricanes, arguably the NHL's most predictable team in terms of playing style and effort level, will continue to push hard. Michael Chisholm / Getty ImagesOn the flip side, the tightness of this series is bad for Carolina because, well, the opposing goalie is on a heater and, now armed with a 2-0 series lead, has a wider margin of error. Among the 10 goalies who've logged 400 playoff minutes, Sergei Bobrovsky is first in goals saved above expected (7.53, according to Sportlogiq) and tied for second in save percentage (.931). In this series alone, he's rocking an incredible 5.56 goals saved above expected rate.It's also bad because Andrei Svechnikov and Max Pacioretty, the Hurricanes' purest finishers, are unavailable due to injury. After capitalizing on their opportunities just fine in Rounds 1 and 2, Carolina's hit a wall, producing only one five-on-five goal against Florida. Sophomore Seth Jarvis, who scored on the power play in Game 1, seems particularly snakebitten at even strength.This series has yet to feature a "greasy" goal, which is surprising and probably not a sustainable trend given both teams' preference for dump-ins and heavy forechecking. During chaotic moments of blanketing screens, jam attempts, and strange bounces, all three goalies have been perfect - so far, anyway. Dialing up the greasiness would be the most feasible way to cool Bobrovsky's heater.Can Barkov continue to outduel Staal? Josh Lavallee / Getty ImagesIt's undeniable: The Panthers' top skaters have outperformed the Hurricanes' top skaters in head-to-head battles through two games.The first layer: Florida captain Aleksander Barkov outdueling Carolina captain Jordan Staal. Barkov and linemates Carter Verhaeghe and Anthony Duclair hold a 2-0 edge in 39 minutes thanks to two snipes from Barkov, who on Saturday displayed his world-class poise and reach with a gorgeous net drive.Staal was also an offensive catalyst in Game 2. He and linemates Martin Necas and Teuvo Teravainen created a handful of point-blank looks in Florida's zone, but they had nothing to show for them. Staal hasn't been the issue - Necas doesn't look his dynamic self, while Teravainen is rusty and/or still hurt after getting injured in Round 1.Will Panthers coach Paul Maurice let the Barkov-Staal matchup cook in Games 3 and 4 - even though he could get Barkov away from Staal with the home-team benefit of last change? Letting it cook is certainly worth a try. Claus Andersen / Getty ImagesThe gamesmanship from Maurice might actually appear in the second layer. The Nick Cousins-Sam Bennett-Matthew Tkachuk line has fared well overall (14-9 in high-danger attempts, 1-0 in goals) while mostly facing Carolina's best blue-liners, Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns. Yet the agitating trio can really feast on the third pairing of Shayne Gostisbehere and Jalen Chatfield.On top of potting both overtime goals and making a clutch defensive play on a Hurricanes counter midway through the third period in Game 2, Tkachuk's been his usual pesky self. He's accidentally-on-purpose collided with the goalie multiple times, partaken in post-whistle scrums, and yapped many ears off. Tkachuk is deploying every trick in his bag, and damn, he's getting results.Consider this, too: Florida has scored within five seconds of a five-on-five turnover a whopping 10 times in 14 playoff games. No. 10 was Tkachuk's Game 1 winner, and while Barkov's Game 2 tally missed the five-second cutoff, it too was scored after a five-on-five turnover (roughly 10 seconds).It almost goes without saying, but Carolina must manage the puck properly.Can everybody stay out of penalty box? Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesHistory is on Florida's side here. The team with a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series in the round before the Cup Final has gone on to win 91% of the time.If Carolina is able to mount a comeback, one or both of Frederik Andersen (who started Game 1 and will likely start Game 3) and Antti Raanta (Game 2 starter) will need to be steady. They've done their part so far, and the Hurricanes' system is friendly enough to goalies that it's not a huge series-tilting factor.What might tilt the series is the Panthers' discipline level.Florida led the league in minor penalties during the regular season. They co-led the league again during the first round. They smartened up (and received some help from the officials) during the second round. Against Carolina, the Panthers' discipline has been … somewhere in the middle of the extremes.The Hurricanes capitalized on two of six power-play opportunities in Game 1, then went zero-for-three in Game 2. Bennett has been the No. 1 culprit. He was penalized three times - for delay of game (puck over glass) and boarding in the opener and for holding in the second game.This isn't a sky-is-falling scenario for the Panthers or Bennett. They can rein it in. If they don't, the Hurricanes, starved for five-on-five goals, could make it a competitive series by making hay on the power play.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings forward Joe Veleno was suspended for five IIHF games Sunday after stomping on Winnipeg Jets winger Nino Niederreiter with his skate at the 2023 IIHF World Championship.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing a period of uncertainty after parting ways with general manager Kyle Dubas, ending a five-year saga that featured a plethora of regular-season success but just one playoff series win.After Friday’s headline-grabbing breakup between Dubas and Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, it's only natural to perform an autopsy on the executive's tenure in Toronto.Here are the seven main things that defined Dubas' time at the helm of the Maple Leafs.Unwavering loyalty to the Core 4 Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyThis is what Dubas' tenure as Leafs GM will be most remembered for: He lived and died by the team's core.Dubas inherited William Nylander, Mitch Marner, and Auston Matthews, who were all drafted before he became GM in May 2018. But it was Dubas who signed John Tavares to a seven-year, $77-million contract as his first major move in July 2018.People fairly questioned how the Tavares signing would impact negotiations for Dubas' upcoming restricted free agents. How could he get them all signed and have enough leftover money to build a strong supporting cast? But Dubas was adamant to make it work. Remember the "we can and we will" line?The idea of getting them signed for as long as possible was sensible. The longer the contract, the better it ages over time as the salary cap (presumably) rises, even if it means overpaying in the short term.Then came the pandemic and the flat cap, which made life difficult for all NHL teams. But the Leafs were among the hardest hit since Dubas had recently locked up the entire core. Remember, before the pandemic, the cap was expected to rise between $2.5 million-to-$6.7 million for the 2020-21 season.If there was no flat cap, Tavares' $11-million hit looks much better than it does today. And the cap hits for Nylander, Marner, and Matthews would've aged like fine wine over time.But even knowing there would be a flat cap for at least three seasons, Dubas didn't deviate from his plan and his top-heavy cap structure. That was probably a mistake, especially after the group's signs of fragility from the playoff collapse against the Montreal Canadiens in 2021. Dubas never even seemed open to the idea of a shake-up until his press conference Monday.Matthews, Marner, and Nylander all blossomed into stars. And Tavares, even with his declining foot speed, has remained productive into the back half of his mammoth contract. So, it's easy to understand why Dubas was willing to put his job at stake for this group. But despite moments of looking like the core could carry the team to the promised land, it failed time and time again when it mattered most.Firing Mike Babcock and bringing in Sheldon Keefe Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyDubas brought the hammer down on Mike Babcock in November 2019, firing the curmudgeonly head coach on the heels of a six-game losing streak that pushed Toronto outside of a playoff spot. The move ushered in Sheldon Keefe, who was promoted from his post with the AHL's Toronto Marlies.The Maple Leafs have enjoyed regular-season bliss since Keefe took over the helm, amassing a 166-71-30 record to go along with a sparkling .678 points percentage, the fourth-highest in the league in that span. Keefe also guided the Leafs to their two best seasons in franchise history in terms of points (111 in 2022-23 and 115 in 2021-22). Unfortunately for Toronto, that success hasn't translated in the playoffs: Keefe's Leafs are 13-17 in the postseason with one series win under their belts.What's next for Keefe - who's under contract for one more campaign - was already uncertain after the Maple Leafs were unceremoniously ousted from the second round by the surprising Florida Panthers this spring. However, his future is downright muddy with Dubas no longer in his corner.Trading Nazem Kadri Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThere was some sense behind trading Kadri, but it ended up as one of Dubas' worst moves. After all, Kadri was just coming off his second straight playoff suspension, and the Leafs had Matthews and Tavares as their 1-2 punch down the middle. Kadri was an overqualified third center.But the return of Tyson Barrie and Alexander Kerfoot ended up being insignificant. Barrie wasn't the type of defenseman Toronto needed, as his defensive shortcomings were exposed with the Leafs before he walked as a free agent a year later. Kerfoot never developed into anything more than a versatile bottom-six caliber forward.Kadri, meanwhile, ended up becoming an integral piece for the Colorado Avalanche's 2022 Stanley Cup victory.Unearthing hidden gems Claus Andersen / Getty Images Sport / GettyThis is one of Dubas' best traits as a GM, and a necessary one given his devotion to the top-heavy cap structure. One of his first - and best - moves came while he was the interim GM in June 2015, trading Greg McKegg to the Florida Panthers for an unsigned fifth-round pick named Zach Hyman.Dubas also made some savvy adds in free agency. Michael Bunting (two years, $950K AAV), David Kampf (two years, $1.5M AAV), and Ilya Samsonov (one year, $1.8M), in particular, stand out.While many of Dubas' draft picks are still developing, he's made some good selections despite being a buyer his entire tenure. Snagging Matthew Knies in the second round in 2021 looks like a steal.Acquiring Nick Foligno Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / GettyIn a post-mortem of Dubas' Maple Leafs tenure, it'd be an oversight if we didn't mention his biggest flop.Prior to the 2021 trade deadline, Dubas forked over a first-rounder and a pair of fourth-round selections to acquire Foligno from the Columbus Blue Jackets as part of a three-team trade. Foligno only suited up for 11 games as a Maple Leaf - including four in the playoffs - due to what he later referred to as a "debilitating" back injury.Of course, Dubas had no way of knowing that Foligno's time as a Maple Leaf would be so limited, but that first-rounder was always a steep price to pay for a banged-up veteran forward on an expiring deal. Adding insult to injury, the Boston Bruins acquired Taylor Hall and forward Curtis Lazar from the Buffalo Sabres soon after in exchange for a second-round pick and Anders Bjork.It wasn't Dubas' finest hour.The expansion draft debacle Joel Auerbach / Getty Images Sport / GettyJustin Holl or Jared McCann? That was essentially the decision Dubas had to make for the 2021 Seattle expansion draft. If Toronto used the 7-3-1 format, Seattle likely would've taken Holl. Instead, the Leafs went 4-4-1 and let the Kraken scoop up McCann.Dubas had just acquired McCann from Pittsburgh for pennies on the dollar because the Penguins didn't want to lose him in expansion for nothing. But instead of taking the asset and running with it, Dubas sacrificed McCann.Holl had just established himself as a serviceable top-four defenseman and was still signed for two more years at a bargain $2-million cap hit. McCann's best season at the time was only 14 goals and 32 points in 43 games, but he was also just 25 at the time, four years younger than Holl.The two players have gone in completely different directions since. McCann led the Kraken with 40 goals and 70 points this past season, while Holl was a healthy scratch at times during the playoffs.The 2023 trade deadline Claus Andersen / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Maple Leafs finally managed to make it out of the opening round of the playoffs in Dubas' final season with Toronto. Their long-awaited series win was largely possible due to the moves the executive made prior to the 2023 trade deadline.In what might've been his biggest swing, Dubas picked up Conn Smythe Trophy winner Ryan O'Reilly and physical forward Noel Acciari from the St. Louis Blues. Dubas wasn't done there, further injecting some grit into his roster by acquiring forward Sam Lafferty, rearguard Jake McCabe, blue-liner Erik Gustafsson, and bruiser Luke Schenn.Whether it was Schenn providing a stable presence on a pair with the offensively minded Morgan Rielly, or O'Reilly netting the equalizer in Game 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, many of Dubas' acquisitions made a sizeable impact in the playoffs.Dubas has long had a penchant for acquiring aging, tenacious veterans on expiring contracts around the deadline (see: the aforementioned Foligno deal and the swap that brought Mark Giordano to Toronto in 2022). This season was no different. Of the Leafs' six new players, four of them - O'Reilly, Acciari, Gustafsson, and Schenn - are pending unrestricted free agents. It'll be up to a new GM to decide who of the bunch he wants to let walk.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After a work week bookended by candid press conferences and endless speculation, the Toronto Maple Leafs are on the hunt for a general manager.Team president Brendan Shanahan announced Friday the club and GM Kyle Dubas - who was on an expiring contract - decided to "part ways." Also gone are AHL coaches Greg Moore, A.J. MacLean, and John Snowden. Meanwhile, Jason Spezza, Dubas' special assistant, reportedly resigned.All of this turbulence comes with several franchise-altering decisions coming to a head over the next six weeks. The future of head coach Sheldon Keefe is to be determined, the draft goes June 28-29, and, on July 1, free agency opens and trade protection kicks in for multiple core players."I want to be very thoughtful and thorough, but I do think it is a priority and it needs to happen rather soon," Shanahan said of the timeline for hiring a GM.Here's a non-exhaustive list of potential candidates.Brad Treliving Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesTreliving, a 53-year-old longtime executive who recently parted ways with the Calgary Flames following nine seasons as GM, checks off a lot of boxes.Shanahan noted previous GM experience would be an "attractive quality" - check; experience managing a Canadian franchise - check; history of pulling off a bold, complicated, star-studded trade in the offseason - check, thanks to the Jonathan Huberdeau-Matthew Tkachuk blockbuster in late July 2022.TSN's Chris Johnston believes Treliving is actually the favorite to win the job.Where Treliving's candidacy takes a hit: The Flames failed to make it past the second round of the playoffs during his tenure. Now, just like the Huberdeau-Tkachuk trade not working out for Calgary in Year 1, a lack of playoff success isn't entirely Treliving's fault. As with Dubas and the Leafs, players and coaches must execute. Nevertheless, Treliving deserves some blame.Brandon Pridham Mark Blinch / Getty ImagesPridham, one of four assistant GMs under Dubas, is, for all intents and purposes, the Leafs' interim GM. He's the new point of contact for rival executives, and Shanahan will be considering him for the permanent job.Hired out of the NHL's head office early on in Dubas' run, then promoted to AGM in 2018, Pridham was Dubas' right-hand man. The 49-year-old is a salary-cap wiz who's well-connected in the hockey operations and player agency worlds.In other words, Pridham is the leading internal option. Hiring from within would have its benefits, given the short runway to complete a lengthy to-do list, which includes potentially trading Mitch Marner or William Nylander and figuring out what to do with 11 free agents, including RFA goalie Ilya Samsonov.It's fair to say Pridham and Dubas were probably on the same page for a lot of managerial decisions. They're that tight. Would hiring Pridham then mean the Leafs are essentially extending the Dubas era? Or, conversely, would the new guy be able to assess and correct Dubas' missteps better than anyone else?Eric Tulsky Carolina HurricanesWhile Shanahan revealed little about the selection process, he did say he'll keep an open mind. That should be music to Tulsky's ears.Tulsky, a pioneer of the hockey analytics movement and self-described "data-driven thinker," will be an NHL GM somewhere, someday. It's a mere formality. He was a finalist for the Chicago Blackhawks' opening last year and is reportedly in the running for the Pittsburgh Penguins' job.Despite being an assistant GM in Carolina, Tulsky yields plenty of power within the Hurricanes, a final-four team this season. He oversees the analytics and pro scouting departments and helps out with contract negotiations and other CBA matters. Most notably, he has a direct line to owner Tom Dundon.Tulsky is a scientist by trade. He has a bachelor's degree in chemistry and physics from Harvard and a Ph.D in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to turning a hockey writing side hustle into a career, he worked in the nanotech industry, where he holds more than a dozen patents.In hiring Tulsky, the Leafs would be investing in another young high achiever.Marc Bergevin NHL Images / Getty ImagesNo hockey market is identical to Toronto, but Montreal is close, and Bergevin spent nine years as the Canadiens' GM. All of his moves were scrutinized by the massive fan base and hefty media contingent - in two languages, no less.Bergevin, a former NHL defenseman, was extremely active on the trade market over his Habs tenure, pulling off deals small, medium, and large. He's shown a willingness to trade stars (P.K. Subban, Max Pacioretty) and high picks (Alex Galchenyuk, Mikhail Sergachev), winning some and losing others.That swing-for-the-fences track record would be the pitch from the 57-year-old Bergevin, whom Montreal fired in November 2021. Currently a senior adviser for the Los Angeles Kings, he's reportedly a finalist for Calgary's GM job and has interviewed for either the president or GM job in Pittsburgh.John Chayka Dave Sandford / Getty ImagesWhat did Chayka learn from his first twirl in a GM's chair?Surely, Shanahan would ask just that if Chayka earned an interview with the Leafs. Chayka, the youngest GM in NHL history, made a few savvy personnel moves in Arizona. However, he also ended the four-year run in awkward fashion, butting heads with Coyotes ownership on his way out in 2020 before getting suspended by the league for a scouting snafu.The 33-year-old served his suspension and subsequently interviewed for the vacant roles in Pittsburgh. He values data, and Toronto has a robust research and development department.In tapping the exceptionally bright Chayka, Shanahan would be trusting that time away from the game offered the white-collar executive some perspective.Jason Botterill Bill Wippert / Getty ImagesBotterill, 47, brings a little bit of everything to the table.He's held various titles in NHL front offices - scout, director of hockey ops, assistant GM, associate GM, and GM. He's worked for four clubs over 17 years - the Dallas Stars, Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, and Seattle Kraken, where he's currently an assistant GM under Ron Francis. As an executive, Botterill has hoisted the Stanley Cup three times, all with Pittsburgh. A former NHLer armed with a master's degree in business administration from the University of Michigan, he's viewed as a mix of old and new school.At the very least, Botterill's resume should be piquing Shanahan's interest.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

No one would blame you if you dozed in and out of consciousness during the nearly four full periods of overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final on Thursday night. The fourth-longest game ever televised didn't just provide many of us with a rough wake-up on Friday morning, it also gave us the gift of a larger sample size.We use this space after each initial game of a Stanley Cup Playoff series to assess where each matchup stands after a first look at the two teams regardless of outcome. Normally that means around 50 minutes of even-strength play, but thanks to the Panthers and Hurricanes' epic, we've got more than 124 minutes of action to work with. All for the price of one game and a couple hours of sleep.Panthers (-170) vs. Hurricanes (+140)Game 2: Saturday, 8:00 p.m. ESTAlready on record as thinking that we're headed for a long series, potentially concluding with a the seventh game in Raleigh, nothing from Game 1 gave us reason to change that mindset. We saw almost seven periods of dead-even hockey where, as usual, the Hurricanes had the edge in expected goals at even-strength, but the Panthers had more high-danger chances (26-21). The Canes went 0-for-21 on those even-strength chances thanks to an epic performance from Sergei Bobrovsky, so they're theoretically due for some positive regression in that department.Truthfully, had Carolina got the difference-making goal before Matthew Tkachuk fired one top corner, we probably would be looking at the Panthers at an inflated payout for the rest of the series. Essentially, a series assumed to be even was just that for seven periods, and since it was priced pretty fairly beforehand, taking whatever plus-price we can get on the Hurricanes should yield some value by the time an elimination game is played.Stars (+190) vs. Golden Knights (-230)Game 2: Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ESTThe Western Conference final opener also went to overtime, but just after you put on a pot of coffee, the Golden Knights scored 95 seconds in. Vegas' four goals featured a semi-intentional back-board pass, a fanned wrist shot, a semi-accidental crease-crash rebound, and the winner from behind the goal line that was pinned under Jake Oettinger's pad as he spun into the net. This all might have been weirder than the totality of four overtimes.From an even-strength metrics standpoint, the Golden Knights were decidedly better than the Stars. Vegas carried the play to a 2:1 ratio in both expected goals (3.07-1.57) and high-danger chances (11-5). But scoring three times on those HDC continues what we believe to be unsustainable conversion rates.We liked the Stars in the series at an underdog price of +120 on Tuesday, and from a market-analysis standpoint, that was a good instinct since they closed as low as +105 by puck-drop on Friday. As much as one game gives us a hint about the matchup, if we liked the Stars before, one uneven game in favor of the home team shouldn't dissuade us. We're getting almost 2-to-1 on a series that is still just as likely to come down to a Game 7 - where Dallas has the head coach who's perfect in eight winner-take-all events.Game 1 winners have gone on to win just five of 12 series this playoffs - something we've taken advantage of. While that stat doesn't predict anything going forward, with a pair of teams at a plus-price, getting at least one of the Hurricanes and Stars to come back and win would earn a profit, and both are certainly live to do it.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Coyotes top prospect Logan Cooley will return to the University of Minnesota for the 2023-24 campaign, the school announced Friday.The Coyotes drafted Cooley third overall in 2022. The 19-year-old dominated the NCAA last season, tallying 22 goals and 60 points in 39 games. He was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.Minnesota lost the championship game in heartbreaking fashion, as it was upset by Quinnipiac seconds into overtime.Cooley's commitment is a major boost for the Golden Gophers, who will again be among the NCAA's top teams. Minnesota has lost top contributors Matthew Knies, Brock Faber, and Jackson LaCombe to the NHL.The Golden Gophers previously announced the returns of fifth-year senior forward Jaxon Nelson and goaltender Justen Close. Minnesota's recruiting class is headlined by projected 2023 first-round pick Oliver Moore and Chicago Blackhawks first-rounder Sam Rinzel.Cooley is eligible for the 2024 world juniors, where he will almost certainly star for Team USA again. He tallied seven goals and 14 points en route to a bronze medal in January. Cooley is four goals and seven points away from matching the all-time American record for each statistic.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames are in the final stages of their general manager search, and Marc Bergevin, Stan Bowman, Craig Conroy, and Dave Nonis are among the candidates, reports Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.Bergevin, Bowman, and Nonis all visited Calgary last week for in-person interviews, Seravalli added.Conroy is the lone internal candidate of the four, but he also comes with the least experience. He's worked in the Flames' front office for 13 years, the last nine seasons spent as assistant GM. The 51-year-old played nine of his 16 NHL seasons in Calgary.Bergevin served as GM and executive vice president of hockey operations for the Montreal Canadiens from 2012-2021, leading the team to a Stanley Cup Final berth in 2021. He's been working as a senior advisor with the Los Angeles Kings over the last couple of seasons.Bowman oversaw three Stanley Cup championships during his 13 seasons as GM of the Chicago Blackhawks from 2009-2021. He resigned in October 2021 following an investigation into the organization's handling of the sexual abuse of former player Kyle Beach in 2010. Bowman hasn't worked in an NHL front office since.Nonis owns over six years of NHL GM experience, spending four years with the Vancouver Canucks from 2004-08 and two with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2013-15. He's worked in the Anaheim Ducks' front office since then, including the past three campaigns as assistant GM.The Flames and former GM Brad Treliving parted ways in April after nine seasons together. Calgary's president of hockey operations, Don Maloney, is currently serving as interim GM.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are parting ways with general manager Kyle Dubas, the team announced Friday."I would like to thank Kyle for his unwavering dedication over these last nine seasons with the organization, including his last five as general manager," Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said in a statement."Kyle fostered a great culture within our dressing room and staff and consistently pushed to make our team better season over season. We wish Kyle and his family the best moving forward and thank him for his valuable contributions."Dubas' contract with the Maple Leafs expires June 30. The 37-year-old was visibly emotional while discussing his future during Monday's end-of-season media availability, raising the possibility he'd take some time away."I definitely don't have it in me to go anywhere else," he said at the time. "It'll either be here or it'll be taking time to recalibrate and reflect on the seasons here. You won't see me next week pop up elsewhere; I can't put (my family) through that after this year."Shanahan spoke candidly to the media Friday, outlining the timeline of Dubas' contract negotiations dating back to last summer.The president noted the two sides had "pretty much a finished deal that reflected what (Dubas) wanted" before Monday's press conference. Shanahan said he began reconsidering after hearing what Dubas told the media."While watching Kyle's (press conference), there was a dramatic shift in my thinking," Shanahan said, according to The Athletic's Joshua Kloke. "Because Kyle might not want to be GM, and I have to take that very seriously."Shanahan added that Dubas' representation submitted a new financial package Thursday, with Dubas emailing him the same day to express his interest in returning to the team. But Shanahan said he was "in a different place" by that point regarding who he wanted leading the organization, according to Kloke."I felt the long-term future of the Leafs GM had to change," Shanahan said.Shanahan also addressed the impending search for a new GM, where he'll place an emphasis on experience but remain open-minded to all candidates, according to the Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan.Jason Spezza, former NHLer and special assistant to the general manager, is also no longer with the team and tendered his resignation prior to Shanahan's press conference, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Spezza was hired to the Maple Leafs' front office following the 2021-22 campaign, his last as a player. He put up 363 goals and 632 assists in 1,248 NHL games.Morgan Rielly, the Maple Leafs' longest-tenured player, expressed support for Dubas on Monday."I think the world of Kyle," Rielly said, adding: "I'm not in charge of what happens with his contract, but everything he did was in the team's best interest, and he put us in a position where we had a chance to play and to win and to succeed. Ultimately, the players are the ones that were on the ice at the end of the season."Dubas made numerous significant splashes as general manager. He added the likes of John Tavares and TJ Brodie in free agency and was active on the trade front, acquiring Jake Muzzin, Jack Campbell, Nick Foligno, and Ryan O'Reilly while notably dealing away Nazem Kadri.He also signed Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and Rielly to their current contracts.The Maple Leafs set franchise records for points and wins in a regular season under Dubas but failed to win a playoff series in his first four years at the helm. After finally advancing past the first round this year, Toronto was unceremoniously beaten by the Florida Panthers in five games.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We started the third round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on a high note Thursday night, winning two of three best bets. Both player props cashed, while the Hurricanes had no shortage of opportunities to give us a clean sweep with a win.At any rate, we'll happily take the profit and look to build on it with three plays for the weekend ahead.Stars (+100) @ Golden Knights (-120)

Carolina Hurricanes forward Teuvo Teravainen returned to the lineup for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers on Thursday.Teravainen had been sidelined with a broken hand since Game 2 of the opening round against the New York Islanders. He was slashed by Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who wasn't penalized.Carolina went 6-2 without Teravainen, eliminating the Islanders in Game 6 before taking care of the New Jersey Devils in five.Here's how the club lined up for Thursday's series opener: