After watching his team more than double the shots on goal of their opponent in a losing effort, head coach Mike Sullivan suggested his Pittsburgh Penguins just needed a little more luck to come away with a victory Thursday."It was just one of those nights where we couldn't find that goal," Sullivan said post-game. San Jose Sharks goalie Martin Jones would steal the show with 44 saves on the night while his team only sent 22 pucks towards Penguins starter Matt Murray.Game 5 certainly didn't begin how the Penguins hoped as Brent Burns and Logan Couture both found the net for the Sharks in the opening three minutes, but Sullivan admits his team recovered nicely after the rough start."I thought our team as a whole was a little bit unsettled in the first part of the game but we settled in fast," he added, per Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "We knew it wasn't going to be easy. These are two really good teams playing against one another."Among the players to recover nicely was Murray - who was solid after allowing three goals on five shots to start the game. Sullivan said he never considered pulling the rookie after the third goal, according to Wes Crosby of NHL.com.

PITTSBURGH - Martin Jones stopped everything.The seemingly endless barrage of shots the Pittsburgh Penguins threw his way. Pittsburgh's long-awaited house party more than five decades in the making and - most importantly - his team's breakthrough season from serving as mere fodder to a coronation for Sidney Crosby and company.The San Jose Sharks goaltender made 44 saves, including all 31 over the final two periods in a 4-2 victory in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night. Outplayed but not outscored, San Jose will host Game 6 on Sunday after jumping on Pittsburgh rookie Matt Murray early and holding on behind the spectacular Jones late.''This team hasn't quit all year and we're not going to start now,'' Jones said. ''We still have a long way to go. It's still an uphill battle.''Logan Couture had a goal and two assists in the first period for the Sharks. Brent Burns, Melker Karlsson and captain Joe Pavelski also scored for San Jose, which was outshot 46-22 but held firm after surviving a chaotic opening five minutes and playing capably after getting the lead in regulation for the first time in the series.Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin scored for Pittsburgh but the 22-year-old Murray, whose postseason play helped fuel Pittsburgh's return to the final after a seven-year break, faltered early and his high-profile teammates struggled to get to Jones.San Jose coach Peter DeBoer preached patience with his team in a hole only one club in NHL history has climbed out of to raise the Cup. He pointed to the Sharks' own first-round collapse two years ago against Los Angeles - when a three-game lead became a 4-3 loss that took an entire season to get over - as proof of how quickly the tenor of a series can change.The Penguins stressed the final step in the long slog from the tumult of December - when Mike Johnston was fired and replaced with Sullivan with the team languishing on the fringe of the playoff picture - would be the most difficult. Yet the prospect of celebrating the first title captured within the city limits in 56 years sent thousands into the streets around Consol Energy Center and ticket were going for more than $1,000.Things were no different inside, with the largest crowd in the arena's brief history - a group that included Pirates Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski, whose epic ninth-inning blast in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series at Forbes Field marked the last time a championship season ended in Pittsburgh - in a frenzy from the opening faceoff.It took all of 64 seconds for the Sharks to quiet them and 2:53 to leave them stunned. Burns' first goal of the final, a wrist shot from the circle that didn't look unlike Joonas Donskoi's overtime winner in Game 3, put San Jose in front in regulation for the first time in the series. Couture doubled San Jose's advantage less than two minutes later with a redirect in front of the net.The momentum evaporated nearly as quickly as it appeared. Malkin scored on the power play 4:44 into the first and Hagelin followed 22 seconds later to tie it, the fastest opening four-goal sequence in the history of the final.Things settled down - at least a little - until Karlsson's shot from in front with just under five minutes left in the first, set up by a pretty backhand feed from Couture.The advantage set the stage for Jones, who spent a large portion of the second period fending off one odd-man rush after another as Pittsburgh's relentless speed pinned the Sharks in their end for long stretches. Yet the goalie who watched as a backup behind Los Angeles star Jonathan Quick two years ago as the Kings roared back to stun San Jose on their way to a championship gave the Sharks the spark they needed to extend their season for at least three more days and keeping its slim hopes of raising the Cup alive.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks didn't have half as many shots as the Pittsburgh Penguins midway through the second period, but Martin Jones - as he has done all series - is keeping his team in the game.Nick Bonino looked to have a golden chance as a rebound bounced out to his backhand, but Jones robbed the Penguins forward with an incredible toe save.The 26-year-old headed to his dressing room with 30 saves and a 3-2 lead heading into the second intermission.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's been a fairly civil Stanley Cup Final, but it might not remain that way if this sort of nasty is permitted.San Jose Sharks defenseman Roman Polak escaped penalty after a clear, and outwardly reckless, shove through the back of Brian Dumoulin on a rare venture deep into the offensive zone.Dumoulin picked himself up unscathed.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

History has been made.A record-setting whirlwind of offensive activity from both the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins kicked off Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday.The two clubs combined for the fastest four goals to start a game in Stanley Cup Final history, with each team scoring a pair within the opening 5:06.

Kentucky's John Calipari traded in the hardwood for the ice Thursday night, as the Wildcats coach was in Pittsburgh for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.Calipari was cheering on the hometown team as the Penguins looked to capture Lord Stanley's mug with a victory over the San Jose Sharks.

Logan Couture's been a terror in Game 5.After giving the San Jose Sharks a short-lived two-goal lead with his first of the Stanley Cup Final, Couture landed a wildly skillful one-touch backhand feed onto the stick of Melker Karlsson, who then fooled Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray with his best changeup.Karlsson's goal was the difference through one period, and after the Sharks and Penguins combined to score the fastest four goals to start a Stanley Cup Final game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Before he was picking corners in the first period of Game 5, San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns had a different enemy during pregame warmups - an angry fan.Donning a cape and a long, gold and black wig, the Pittsburgh Penguins supporter was seen screaming at Sharks players through a camera hole in the glass. Burns then startled the fan by shooting a puck at him - barely missing the opening.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Heartbreak, kid.Pittsburgh's "HBK" line erased the San Jose Sharks' early two-goal lead 22 seconds after Evgeni Malkin cut it in half, capping a feverish five-minute stretch to begin Game 5.Watch as Nick Bonino intercepts Brenden Dillon's clearing attempt before brushing linemate Carl Hagelin with a wrist shot that dropped in behind Martin Jones.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks finally scored first.And they did so early in a must-win Game 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, courtesy of a Brent Burns wrist shot over Matt Murray's right shoulder.109 seconds later, Logan Couture doubled the lead.The goals were the first of the series for both players.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Peter DeBoer is shaking up his forward lines for his team's critical Game 5 on Thursday as Joonas Donskoi will start Thursday's game with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski on the San Jose Sharks' top line.Donskoi has been one of the Sharks strongest players in the series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, recording three points in four games, including the overtime winner in Game 3.Melker Karlsson, who began game 3 and 4 with "The Joes" after Tomas Hertl was sidelined with a knee injury, will play on the second line with Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cam Ward's tenure in Carolina may not be up.The veteran Hurricanes goaltender is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, but general manager Ron Francis may be intent on retaining his services."Cam takes a lot of criticism, but Cam from December to the end of the year was one of the top five goaltenders in the league in goals-against and save percentage," Francis told reporters Thursday. "I think there’s some merit to revisiting that as we move forward."While Ward did not see a heavy workload in the time frame cited by Francis, he did indeed have stretches of solid play.MonthAppearancesRecordShots AgainstSave %December84-3-0189.905January53-0-2134.925February104-4-2280.914March84-1-3220.914April21-1-067.925While Eddie Lack is under contract for two more seasons at a cap hit of $2.75 million, Francis doesn't appear overly confident in his abilities to be a full-time starter, while the price for acquiring another goalie via trade or free agency may not be worth the loss of a familiar, albeit aging commodity like Ward."I think we’ll make a decision fairly soon in that regard," Francis said. "When we look at Cam, part of my job is making sure I go through the meetings with my pro (scouting) guys and assessing what’s out there in the free-agent market and then talking to all the other GMs to see which goaltenders may or may not be available and for the ones that are, what the price is."As I sit here today, do I want to give up a first-round pick for a goaltender that may have a year or two left on his deal and then we lose him, an older guy? Not really the plan I’m looking for."The 2006 Conn Smythe Trophy winner has appeared in 564 regular season games with the Hurricanes, posting a career record of 269-208-68 with a .910 save percentage.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For a chance to witness Pittsburgh's first major North American championship won at home in over a half century, it'll certainly cost you.Tickets for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks are hitting staggering units on the resale market.As of just a few hours before puck drop, the cheapest seats are being valued at a minimum of $1,500, while tickets along the glass are available for just short of $10,000 a pop.(Courtesy: Stubhub)Meanwhile, an estimated 30,000 fans (who evidently don't have that sort of coin) flooding the streets outside Consol Energy Center and Market Square in anticipation of the franchise's fourth Stanley Cup.

It's not so much that the San Jose Sharks haven't been able to secure a lead - not a single one - through four games of the Stanley Cup Final. It's that the Pittsburgh Penguins refuse to trail.In fact, NHL Public Relations informs us that the Penguins last trailed in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning, when they lost 4-3 in overtime. At no point during regulation in that game were the Penguins behind.The last time the Penguins trailed in regulation was in Game 4 against the Lightning, when they were down 4-0. They made a game of it, scoring three times in the third period, but fell a goal short. In other words, the Penguins are on a dominant six-game stretch right now.That's bad news for the Sharks. And here's more:

If it wasn't his day job, we'd say he had too much time on his hands.Vin Masi, an ESPN research specialist, decided to see if he could recite every Stanley Cup-winning goal of the expansion era.When prompted by co-worker Mark Simon, Masi not only listed every winner, he even added details about many of the championship-deciding markers.For his next trick, we'd like to see him do every winner ever.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh's been waiting a long time. And the city's ready. It's actually never been more ready.Penguins faithful were gathering outside Consol Energy Center early this morning, some lining up as early as 9 a.m., to view the game outdoors on a jumbotron.

While pregame cliches may peg Thursday's night's Game 5 as just another game, Matt Cullen knows that is not the case.The Pittsburgh Penguins lead the Stanley Cup Final 3-1 over the San Jose Sharks. One more win will crown new champions and Cullen admits that's all that is on his mind."You can’t fool yourself and say this is just another game. It doesn’t work. Your body knows it. Everybody knows it," said Cullen, according to Pens Inside Scoop. "It’s not like you can show up in the morning and say it's Game 40 in December or whatever. We understand how big this game is."For Cullen a victory in one of the final three games would give him his second-career Stanley Cup after claiming his first as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006."I think you can share those experiences," Cullen said, recalling the 2006 postseason, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli. "Really, it comes down to try to make the most of each moment. It’s a bit more of a challenge to keep your focus here. That’s the test for all of us. You’re close to the end of the road here. It’s exciting, but it’s about using that excitement as energy. We’re really happy with the position we put ourselves in, but now the work really begins."Cullen has contributed four goals and two assists on his latest Cup-run.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

P.K. Subban's no-trade clause kicks in July 1. Until then, things may get a bit silly.TSN's Darren Dreger was on TSN Montreal 690 radio Thursday, and revealed that a Western Conference general manager who recently inquired about the availability of Subban was "flat-out told that (Subban) wasn't going to be available."Subban's a lightning rod for criticism, even though he's put up more than 50 points from the blue line in each of the past three seasons. He had six goals and 45 assists in 2015-16, but the Canadiens collapsed, eventually missing the playoffs, which led to a lot of finger pointing in Montreal.Dreger added that while circumstances can certainly change, he doesn't believe an offer that makes sense for Montreal will present itself.Subban's under contract through 2021-22 at a cap hit of $9 million. He turned 27 on May 13.- With h/t to Today's SlapshotCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks have plenty of concerns as they prepare for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night.The Penguins lead the series 3-1, and aside from allowing Joonas Donskoi's overtime winner in Game 3, Pittsburgh hasn't trailed at any point in the final.Here's a handful of questions facing the Sharks as they attempt to extend the series.Can the stars break through?San Jose's offensively gifted players have dominated the 2016 playoffs, but they've been shut down by the Penguins.Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture and Brent Burns have combined for only one goal in the final - Marleau's marker in Game 1.Pavelski is still at a point-per-game pace in the postseason, but he's been held off the scoresheet entirely in all four Cup Final games. Couture was on a historic pace through three rounds, but has only a pair of assists in the last four contests.The Sharks need more production from their top point producers.Can the NHL's best road team win a game in Pittsburgh?San Jose's 28-10-3 record away from SAP Center was the best regular-season road mark in the NHL, and the series shifts back to Pittsburgh for Game 5.The Sharks defeated the Penguins in their only regular-season meeting at Consol Energy Center in November, but the Penguins held serve at home in Games 1 and 2 of the final.Without the benefit of home-ice advantage, the Sharks needed to win on the road at some point in the series, and after losing Game 4 in San Jose, a win away from the Shark Tank is now even more imperative.Can they overcome the odds?Since the Stanley Cup Final went to a best-of-seven format in 1939, only one team - the 1941-42 Toronto Maple Leafs - has come back from a 3-1 series deficit to win, falling behind 3-0 in the series before stunning the Detroit Red Wings in seven games.Teams that have held a 3-1 series lead in the Cup Final have won the championship 31 out of 32 times.That doesn't bode well for the Sharks, but they do have a couple of more recent sources of inspiration, including one involving their opponent.

New hockey cards, posters, and plaques are sure to be developed if Sidney Crosby raises the Stanley Cup for the second time in his career Thursday.The Pittsburgh Penguins are a single win away from capturing hockey's ultimate prize, fitting as Crosby's first known hockey card has recently surfaced.(Photos courtesy: puckjunk.com)The card was included in a magazine called Rookie Review and while it references Shattuck-St. Mary's, it includes a picture from the 2002-03 season where Crosby played for the Dartmouth Subways as a 14-year-old, according to puckjunk.com's Sal Barry.That season Crosby would go on to score 95 goals and 193 points in 74 games while adding 24 points in seven playoff games, according to Barry. Maybe then it's no surprise he became arguably the best player in the world.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There is a price to be paid for young talent.On Wednesday TSN's Darren Dreger reported that there has been 'aggressive offers made' for the Columbus Blue Jackets' No. 3 pick in the NHL Draft.While Dreger doesn't believe that the Blue Jackets are 'even remotely close' to trading away the pick - that is expected to be used to select Finnish forward Jesse Puljujarvi - the fact is nothing is ever absolute.The right deal can always turn the tide for a diligent franchise and with that, here are three teams that should consider dealing for the pick and the opportunity to draft Puljujarvi.Montreal CanadiensTo put it bluntly, the Montreal Canadiens are thin on the right side.Behind Brendan Gallagher, the Canadiens boast the likes of Mike Brown, Sven Andrighetto, Michael McCarron, Daniel Carr, and Brian Flynn - players who are either designated right wingers or have spent time playing on that side.The latter five players combined for just 40 points this season. So, bringing in a talented and sizeable right winger would be invaluable to the franchise. Heading into this season the Canadiens dressed the third-shortest club in the league, averaging just over 6-feet, according to The Globe and Mail's James Mirtle.Puljujarvi stands at 6-foot-4 and 203 pounds. He is a towering force whose size hasn't hampered his speed. It wouldn't be easy for management, but coupling in the club's ninth overall pick with assets might be able to secure the right to draft the right-winger the club demands.Carolina HurricanesThe Carolina Hurricanes find themselves in the midst of a rebuild and like the Canadiens, find themselves without a bona fide right-winger.The club is very young and is just beginning to take strides - finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference - and continues to acquire assets, as the Eric Staal trade proved.While the team's assets in terms of players might not be as alluring as other clubs, what makes the Hurricanes appealing is their copious amount of stocked draft picks.The team has a combined 20 picks in the next two drafts, 13 of which are in the first three rounds. While the allure of having so many picks is the increased chance of landing a big fish, they could also exercise prudence by nabbing a player who already appears NHL-ready.St. Louis BluesThe St. Louis Blues might not be the most needing of Puljujarvi's services, but acquiring them could also aid the team in other places.The club's right side has the chance to grow drastically thin with Troy Brouwer and David Backes both hitting unrestricted free agency in less than a month and there are no certainties that either will be returning.The club is also up towards the cap and as has become expected, rumours surrounding the Kevin Shattenkirk's future have arisen once again. If the Blues could package Shattenkirk in a deal they might be able to acquire the pick and in turn solve their dilemma with his impending free agency while filling a possible void left by Backes and Brouwer.The Vancouver Canucks are another team that could benefit from the likes of Puljujarvi, but with the fifth overall pick and the chances of drafting either Matthew Tkachuk, Pierre-Luc Dubois, or a big time defender, it seems more likely the club will stand idle.A trade for a top-three pick would not be easy, but it would certainly be one worth mulling over.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

No Tomas Hertl.The forward won't be in the San Jose Sharks' Game 5 lineup Thursday, head coach Peter DeBoer announced. Hertl remains day to day.The forward's status has been the topic of much conversation after the Sharks refuted a report out of the Czech Republic that the 22-year-old is done for the Stanley Cup Final with a lower-body injury.Hertl has a goal in two games. But if the Sharks prolong the series, they'll do so without him.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns knows all about desperation.And according to the bearded one, it's about time he and his mates got desperate. Burns dropped the money quote ahead of Game 5 on Thursday morning:

Jeff Blashill's got his staff.The Detroit Red Wings announced the hiring of John Torchetti as an assistant coach Wednesday, with the 51-year-old agreeing to a two-year deal. He'll work with the club's forwards and oversee the power play, which ranked 13th in the league this past season at 18.8 percent.Torchetti was interim head coach of the Minnesota Wild in 2016, taking over after Mike Yeo was fired. He went 15-11-1, and his club was eliminated in six games by the Dallas Stars in the first round.Torchetti's had two other stints as an interim head coach, and has a career 30-30-4-2 record. He won a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sidney Crosby is the talk of the hockey world Thursday.The Pittsburgh Penguins captain, all-world superstar, and arguably the face of the NHL is on the verge of his second Stanley Cup, his club one win against the San Jose Sharks away. So it's obviously time to reflect, especially since it took seven years and a devastating concussion to get back to the Cup Final."In (2009), you felt like it was something that might be an annual thing," Crosby said of his first Cup victory, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Sam Werner. "And it's not that easy."Crosby was only 21 when he lifted the Cup; he was "Sid the Kid," the youngest captain to win a Stanley Cup in NHL history. Then the injuries and playoff defeats - three in the first round and two in the second round - began."The concussion was tough," Crosby said Wednesday, writes the Toronto Star's Bruce Arthur. "I mean, at (23), when you feel pretty good and you miss a year of hockey, it's not ideal, but everyone goes through different things. I think that’s probably something that has given me more appreciation of certain things after going through that. At the time it’s really tough, trying to get back into things is tough, but once you get over it I think you try to take the positives from it. That’s what I try to do."Crosby, no longer a kid at 28, says he appreciates the game more today because it was taken away from him.Back in 2009, Crosby wasn't on the ice in the latter stages of Game 7 against the Detroit Red Wings. A knee injury kept him on the bench, and he watched. While he was reduced to a cheerleader, he lifted the Cup."It's not the way you think about it or the way it kind of goes on in your head, but that being said it worked out that way," Crosby said, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "I think I look back with just as fond memories as I would if I finished the game."Crosby's looking to create some new memories Thursday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Pirates left town for a one-day trip to Denver on Wednesday night, and manager Clint Hurdle left a simple message for his squad with respect to their travel attire, writes Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" has been roasting NHL players throughout the playoffs, so it was only right that the program took one last shot before the end of the season.Wednesday night, Fallon took aim at San Jose Sharks forwards Logan Couture (who he previously anointed "Sexy Gilbert Gottfried"), Melker Karlsson, and Patrick Marleau, as well as Pittsburgh Penguins defensemen Ben Lovejoy, Justin Schultz, and Ian Cole, along with forward Oskar Sundqvist.Marleau is never going to live down that photo.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The AHL's Lake Erie Monsters are one win away from a Calder Cup championship, and the hope is it means big things for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the not-too-distant future.General manager Jarmo Kekalainen assigned a slew of young players to the minor-league affiliate at the end of a disappointing season for the parent club, and it's played out as well as he could have hoped."When we sent our guys back down at the end of the season, this is what we were hoping for," Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch. "What you're seeing now, is the best-case scenario. We hoped they'd go deep and have a great experience."What's most encouraging is that it is indeed the prospects leading the way, meaning a wave of young talent - a group includes of Oliver Bjorkstrand, Zach Werenski, Sonny Milano, Kerby Rychel, and Anton Forsberg, among others - is nearing shore.The AHL team is drawing comparisons to the 2013 Syracuse Crunch, a championship club made up of many players who contributed to the Tampa Bay Lightning's recent string of success."In 2013, we lost to Syracuse in the second round, and you could just tell there was something different about that team," Kekalainen said. "Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat ... those guys were a notch above everybody else and they were ready to be part of the NHL."Success at the AHL level guarantees nothing, of course, but a monster effort from even a couple of these prospects could make a big difference.Finding room on a roster in need of a few salary dumps may be an issue, but the GM doesn't appear to be sweating that."It might take a little while, but we'll make it happen. If somebody deserves to play in the NHL, they're going to make it."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tyler Seguin is back at it.The Dallas Stars center, who was limited to one playoff appearance with separate Achilles and calf injuries, has resumed skating with a view towards being at the top of his game come training camp.

The NHL still wants a piece of Dennis Wideman.Almost three months after a third-party arbitrator reduced the Calgary Flames defenseman's suspension for cross-checking linesman Don Henderson from 20 games to 10 - and also long after Wideman returned to play - the NHL has filed a lawsuit against the NHLPA, wishing to vacate the ruling.In its complaint the NHL writes that its ruling was supported by "substantial evidence," and that the third-party review - which it signed off on - is "limited" in its determining of supplemental discipline.With Henderson having suffered significant injuries from the unsuspecting blow that have prevented his return to officiating, as per the complaint, the NHL's insistence is understandable. The timing, however, is not.The lawsuit reintroduces a black mark on the season, and the NHL, on the eve of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, and a night in which the Pittsburgh Penguins can raise the Stanley Cup.Wideman played in three games after serving his suspension before being sidelined for the remainder of the season with injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Things could get quite interesting once Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine are plucked off the NHL Draft board.TSN's Darren Dreger reported Wednesday that the Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, and Vancouver Canucks, who hold the third, fourth, and fifth picks, respectively, at the NHL Draft later this month, are listening, or at least willing to listen to offers for the lottery selections."I know that there are aggressive offers being made for the Blue Jackets' third pick overall," Dreger told TSN 1260. "I don't believe the Blue Jackets are even remotely close to considering moving that pick, but they have to listen, right?"He qualified: "But it would take an unbelievable deal for Jarmo Kekalainen to move the third pick overall."Dreger said that the Oilers and Canucks aren't shopping the selections, but having made it clear they want to ice a more competitive team next season, they could be more inclined to pull the trigger."Edmonton is more eager to move. They're not shopping the fourth pick overall, but certainly willing to listen. And obviously they would want a defenseman in return, whoever that might be," Dreger said."Vancouver is similar. Vancouver likes fifth overall. They know they're getting a very, very good player, but Jim Benning did not like being part of the non-playoff picture in the National Hockey League. He's going to do whatever it takes to make sure that doesn't happen again."Jesse Puljujarvi, Matthew Tkachuk, and Pierre-Luc Dubois are the top-rated forward prospects after Matthews and Laine.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A lawsuit involving Carolina Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos and his three adult sons has no bearing on the state of the franchise, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman maintains.Speaking with SiriusXMNHL's Scott Laughlin and Boomer Gordon on Wednesday, Bettman said while the family dispute is unfortunate, it doesn't mean the club is in any jeopardy."It's led to unfortunate speculation about the Hurricanes and that speculation is really unfounded," said Bettman. "People are opining on things they don't know anything about. The fact of the matter is that franchise has been in good hands, remains in good hands, and we don't see that changing in the near future."And frankly, we don't see the franchise relocating anywhere, which has been part of the speculation. We like the Carolina market, we like the fan support, and they're working very hard to make sure that franchise can be successful."Bettman's statement comes two days after a report emerged citing two NHL executives who suggested the Hurricanes could be relocated to Las Vegas, putting expansion on hold for the time being.The commissioner concluded by saying the speculation "just isn't right."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kevin Shattenkirk is no stranger to the business side of hockey.Already traded once his career, the St. Louis Blues defenseman - who's set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2017 - is fully aware that he could be on the move this offseason."It was a wild year with all the (trade) rumors going on," Shattenkirk told Jeremy Rutherford of the Post-Dispatch. "It might plant the seed of doubt in your head but that's not my decision. I have a year left and this is where I want to be next year, so that's out of my hands unfortunately. It's the nature of the salary-cap league and it's tough."You hear (trade) rumors and you wonder what's going to happen and now you get into the offseason and you wonder what's going to happen again. We'll have to see what happens the next few weeks."Shattenkirk, along with forward Chris Stewart, was acquired by the Blues in early 2011 in a trade involving Erik Johnson. Since that time, Shattenkirk has averaged 0.59 points per game in St. Louis, and will most certainly command more than the $4.25-million cap hit he's carried since signing his current deal in 2013.General manager Doug Armstrong is expecting Shattenkirk to be part of the team come training camp, but it's certainly not a sure thing."I view him as a top player, not only on our team, I view him as a top player in the game," Armstrong said. "But he falls into the jigsaw of the salary cap. Do I expect him back here in September? Sure."(But) it's a business decision, and Shatty's going to have to make one and we're going to have to make one. But he's a hell of a hockey player and he's a big part of our team."Shattenkirk scored two goals and added nine assists in 20 playoff games, with a Corsi rating of 50.2 percent in all situations, according to Hockey Reference.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks aren't panicking.The Stanley Cup will be at the Consol Energy Center on Thursday, but only the Pittsburgh Penguins will have a chance to touch it. Staring the end of their season and their Cup dreams in the face, the Sharks are a relaxed group."We're going to the dance with the girl we brought to the dance," head coach Peter DeBoer said. "This is our group."DeBoer was in fine form Wednesday, as evidenced by his quip about injured Tomas Hertl:

At this point, the San Jose Sharks will take, well, anything.While a lead - any lead - in the Stanley Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins would be nice, down 3-1, the Sharks will look to do what they've done all spring: play some of their best hockey late in playoff series.

Sweden's presence in the NHL is reaching unprecedented levels.A record 87 Swedish players - or 8.8 percent of the league - played at least one game this season, according to the IIHF.That's the highest figure ever by a European nation in league history, and the number of European NHL players this season (263) is also the highest of its kind in 10 years.Canada accounts for 49.2 percent of NHLers, a figure that leads all nations but also represents the lowest Canadian participation level in the history of the league.There are 241 players from the United States, or 24.3 percent of the 993 NHL players.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrik Elias isn't quite ready to hang up his skates.The New Jersey Devils' franchise leader in goals, assists, and points was limited to just 16 games last season, and according to his agent Allan Walsh, would like to return for another year."He desperately wants to play one more year," Walsh said, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox. "We’re not talking to other teams. If Patrik is able to play at the level he expects himself to play, if he can contribute to a team, I think New Jersey would very much love to have him back."The decision will most certainly come down to Elias' health. The 40-year-old missed the majority of this season dealing with a significant right knee injury and underwent surgery at season's end on the same knee.Walsh feels Elias' current predicament is similar to the one Teemu Selanne had during the 2013 offseason before he and the Anaheim Ducks agreed to a one-year contract - the last of his career."I would say it’s a similar situation to what Teemu Selanne went through with Anaheim for several years," Walsh said. "When he felt his knee would hold up and he felt good, he told Anaheim, 'I'm ready to commit to another year.' And then they worked out a deal."Elias has amassed 408 goals and 1,025 points during his illustrious career.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur has never been afraid to speak his mind.The Montreal Canadiens legend is at it again, and this time the facial hair of San Jose Sharks Stanley Cup finalists Brent Burns and Joe Thornton is his target."I think it's a disgrace for hockey," Lafleur said, according to the Montreal Gazette's Stu Cowan. "I hate it. It's not a good image for the NHL. I don't mind a guy wearing a beard, but to his belly ... enough is enough. The team's managers should put their foot down."Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer is three wins from a Stanley Cup. It's safe to say he's cool with whatever is on Burns' and Thornton's faces."They can't see the puck. That's why they're struggling," Lafleur added, tongue-in-cheek.Burns and Thornton have four assists between the two of them in the Cup Final. Joe Pavelski's much shorter beard has him pointless.- With h/t to Today's SlapshotCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Murray's one win away from the Stanley Cup.His next spring win, should it come, will also put the Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender into the NHL record books. It would be his 15th, tying him with Patrick Roy, Ron Hextall, and Cam Ward for the most wins in a postseason by a rookie 'tender. Heady company.Murray turned 22 on May 25, during his miraculous playoff run. He's been stellar in the Penguins' crease, seemingly too young to understand the magnitude of his situation. He has a .925 save percentage, stopping 495 of 535 shots he's faced, and one shutout. He's won 14 of 19 starts. He's a legitimate Conn Smythe Trophy candidate.Yet Murray's numbers, impressive on their own, also serve as a reminder of how incredible Roy was for the Montreal Canadiens in the spring of 1986, when he won 15 of 20 starts to lead the Habs to the Cup.Roy finished the playoffs with a .923 save percentage, having stopped 467 of 506 shots he faced. He had one shutout and a 1.92 goals-against average. The difference between Murray and Roy is the era in which Roy's heroics occurred.During the 1985-86 regular season, 3.97 goals were scored per game. In 2015-16, that number was 2.71. In '85-86, Wayne Gretzky won the Art Ross Trophy with 215 points. The league's 10th-place scorer had 105 points.Sure, games always tighten up during the playoffs. Doug Gilmour led the league in scoring in the postseason with 21 points in 19 games. Mats Naslund was Montreal's leading scorer, with 19 points in 20 games. But the numbers that most clearly show how good Roy was may be Hextall's stats from the 1987 playoffs, when the Philadelphia Flyers lost the Stanley Cup Final in seven games to the Edmonton Oilers.Hextall won 15 games, but finished the postseason with a .908 save percentage in 26 contests.Roy's counterpart in the crease in the 1986 Cup Final was the Calgary Flames' Mike Vernon, who had a .897 save percentage in 21 games when all was said and done.Roy put up Murray-esque numbers in arguably the highest-scoring era hockey's ever seen. It's unlikely there will ever be another such performance.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's best won't be the only stars to take the stage at this year's NHL Awards.Alternative rock band X Ambassadors will perform live at the event recognizing the best of the 2015-16 NHL season, the league announced Wednesday.Actor and comedian Will Arnett will host the awards that are set for June 22.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When the regular season ended on April 10, the Boston Bruins found themselves out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight season - and the Bs aren't often watching in the spring. In fact, the Bruins missed the postseason only once from 1968 through 1999.Boston finished this season with a 42-31-9 record. Claude Julien's club won more games than it lost and recorded one more win than Detroit and Philadelphia, but it was the Red Wings and Flyers who took part in the playoffs.That isn't right.For 11 years, the NHL has used a convoluted points system to determine the standings - two points for a win of any kind, one point for an overtime or shootout loss, and zero points for a regulation-time loss. That means two overtime and/or shootout losses equate to a win.To incentivize teams to avoid the shootout, the NHL introduced a new column in the standings ahead of the 2010-11 season: Regulation plus Overtime Wins (ROW). Its sole purpose is to serve as the first tiebreaker in the standings.The Bruins and Red Wings finished with 93 points this season. Boston won 42 games to Detroit's 41, but since the Red Wings won 39 games in regulation and overtime to the Bruins' 38, Detroit got to play for the Cup.Across the pondThe International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) employs a different three-point system. Teams are awarded three points for a win in regulation, two points for an overtime or shootout win, one point for an overtime or shootout loss, and no points for a regulation loss. This system ensures the same amount of points are up for grabs every night, and it provides the best incentive to win - and win in 60 minutes.Outside of North America, all professional hockey leagues use the IIHF system. We decided to apply the IIHF's point system to every season since the NHL eliminated ties ahead of the 2005-06 season, and got some interesting results.2015-16Eastern Conference, Metropolitan DivisionTeamWOT/SO WLOT/SO LPTSWashington Capitals*4511188165Pittsburgh Penguins*3810268142New York Rangers*397279140New York Islanders*34112710134Philadelphia Flyers*28132714124Carolina Hurricanes2693116112New Jersey Devils2711368111Columbus Blue Jackets268408102Eastern Conference, Atlantic DivisionTeamWOT/SO WLOT/SO LPTSFlorida Panthers*398269142Tampa Bay Lightning*3610315133Boston Bruins339319126Detroit Red Wings*30113011123Montreal Canadiens308386112Ottawa Senators2612359111Buffalo Sabres2963611110Toronto Maple Leafs209421189Western Conference, Central DivisionTeamWOT/SO WLOT/SO LPTSDallas Stars*428239151St. Louis Blues*3613249143Chicago Blackhawks*3611269139Nashville Predators*3562714131Minnesota Wild*3443311121Colorado Avalanche336394115Winnipeg Jets296398107Western Conference, Pacific DivisionTeamWOT/SO WLOT/SO LPTSAnaheim Ducks*3972511142Los Angeles Kings*3414286136San Jose Sharks*379306135Arizona Coyotes296398107Calgary Flames2411407101Vancouver Canucks229381397Edmonton Oilers201143890* denotes playoff teamsWe've established the Bruins should have qualified for the playoffs over the Red Wings, who would have seen their consecutive postseason streak end at a very impressive 24 seasons.With Boston officially on the outside looking in, there was all kinds of speculation as to Julien's status and whether he'd return for a 10th season. He will, with management electing to keep him behind the bench. Perhaps that's because Don Sweeney and Co. realized the Bruins' season was quite good - the club was the seventh-best team in the East based on the international system - despite missing the playoffs.2014-15Pacific DivisionTeamWOT/SO WLOT/SO LPTSDucks*3516247144Canucks*3612295137Kings3732715132Flames*3213307129It was considered a shock when the Los Angeles Kings, the defending Stanley Cup champions, failed to make the postseason in 2015. Under the IIHF system, it would have been the Kings and not the Calgary Flames who made the playoffs. One wonders what Los Angeles might have accomplished had the club had the chance to defend its crown.As for the Flames, head coach Bob Hartley won the Jack Adams Trophy as Coach of the Year in 2014-15, and it's safe to say he doesn't take home the hardware if Calgary misses the playoffs. Hartley and the Flames parted ways last month.2013-14The right 16 teams made the playoffs in 2014, but in the race for the bottom, Edmonton and Florida would have finished tied for 29th with 87 points under the international system. The Oilers would've owned the tiebreaker, thanks to one fewer regulation win than the Panthers. That means the Oilers would've finished second last and won another draft lottery, likely selecting Aaron Ekblad first overall a year before landing Connor McDavid. Imagine.Based on the NHL's standings in 2014, the Panthers finished 29th with 66 points, while the Oilers finished 28th. The Buffalo Sabres had the best odds at the first overall pick, but the Panthers won the lottery, and Ekblad.2010-11 through 2012-13The data from 2010-11 through the shortened 2012-13 season shows the best 16 teams made the playoffs each year.2009-10Eastern ConferenceRankTeamWOT/SO WLOT/SO LPTS1Capitals*431115131642Devils*4082771433Sabres*351027101354Penguins*33142871345Senators*34103261286Flyers*3563561237Rangers34433111218Bruins*251430131169Atlanta Thrashers296341311210Canadiens*24153310112Remember that magical run the Montreal Canadiens went on in 2010? First they upset Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals in seven games. In Round 2, they did the same to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, before it all came to an end against the Flyers.Well that doesn't happen under the international three-point system. The New York Rangers not only take Montreal’s spot, but the Canadiens actually fall to 10th, behind the Atlanta Thrashers.Montreal’s magical 2010 spring and its short love affair with Jaroslav Halak should never have happened.2008-09Peter DeBoer signed on to coach the Panthers for what was his first-ever NHL head coaching gig. They narrowly missed the playoffs, but under the international system, Florida not only makes it, but does so as the seventh seed, bumping the Canadiens from postseason play. Eight years and two Stanley Cup Final appearances later, things seem to have worked out for DeBoer.In the West, Minnesota would've snatched the last playoff spot away from Anaheim. The eighth-seeded Ducks upset the San Jose Sharks in the first round that spring. Would the Wild have done the same?2007-08RankTeamWOT/SO WLOT/SO LPTS1Penguins*3982781412Canadiens*371025101413Hurricanes3673361284Senators*3763181315Flyers*36629111316Devils*31152971307Rangers*301227131278Capitals*32113181269Bruins*3292912126A few things stand out from the 2007-08 data. Not only do the Carolina Hurricanes earn a postseason berth over the Bruins, they actually end up third by virtue of winning the Southeast Division. The Canes' advanced stats showed they deserved a better fate - they had the league's fifth-best Corsi at 52.7 percent.The Thrashers would have been the last-place team in 2007-08, not the Tampa Bay Lightning, who finished last under the NHL's points system, and won the draft lottery thanks to having the best odds. If Stamkos became the poster boy in Atlanta, the Jets may have never returned to Winnipeg.2006-07Eastern ConferenceRankTeamWOT/SO WLOT/SO LPTS1Sabres*38152271512Devils*36132491433Thrashers*291428111264Senators*4442591495Penguins*311624111366Canadiens3483461247Rangers*301230101248Maple Leafs32831111239Hurricanes34634812210Islanders*3010301212211Lightning*2915335122Who can forget the dramatic end to the 2006-07 season? The Maple Leafs were at home against the Canadiens on the second-last day of the schedule. Montreal needed only a point to clinch a playoff spot. Toronto needed a win in regulation to stay alive.The Maple Leafs prevailed in a wild 6-5 regulation affair, only to watch Wade Dubielewicz help the New York Islanders defeat the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, knocking Toronto out of contention and sending New York to the playoffs.Under the IIHF system, Toronto and Montreal would have made the playoffs, while the Islanders and Lightning wouldn't have.2005-06Western ConferenceRankTeamWOT/SO WLOT/SO LPTS1Red Wings*5171681752Stars*38152361503Flames*42425111454Predators*4092581465Ducks*37627121356Sharks*341027111337Avalanche*3763091328Canucks3573281279Oilers*28132813123Remember that glorious and improbable run by the Oilers in 2006? It was fun to watch it all unfold, but it was the Vancouver Canucks who actually recorded more victories. Like Boston and Detroit in 2016, Vancouver had 42 wins to Edmonton's 41.Looking back over a decade's worth of data, it's clear some teams have the right to wonder what could have been. The international points system ensures the best teams make the playoffs. The teams that win the most games should make the playoffs. Period.It's time to give the international system, the true three-point system, a look on this side of the pond.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues aren't planning to make any changes in the crease.Brian Elliott and Jake Allen are expected to share netminding duties again next season."I can see us coming back with both goaltenders,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong told Tom Timmerman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.“I thought when I looked at it at the end of the season, we were very fortunate to have two goaltenders that were there to grab the ball when it hit the floor. We had those significant injuries to both guys, and both guys took the challenge and then ran with it and then didn’t let the other guy back in the net until an injury.”Elliott finished the season as the starter following the Blues' run to the Western Conference final, but he'll once again have to compete for the job.It will be an open competition for the No. 1 role, just as it was last fall, and according to Timmerman, Allen likely has a leg up after starting more than Elliott when both goalies were healthy.“I like our goaltending,” Armstrong said. “I think Jake is still pushing towards being an upper-echelon goalie. He lost the net this year, Brian took it, Brian didn’t give it up. Kudos to Brian for that. I know what’s happening now (is) Jake is preparing to wrestle it back in September, and we’re going to see how it goes down. But I would have zero issue if both of these guys came back and were asked to compete and fight.”Elliott outplayed the younger Allen in the playoffs, but the 31-year-old veteran isn't sure how the starts will be divided next season.“You want to play, that’s what it all comes down to,” Elliott said. “That’s the predicament of pretty much every NHL team. So I don’t know what will happen.”Allen is the Blues' goaltender of the future, but he's embraced the two-headed monster approach for the time being.“You do (want to play every game), but you need a break,” the 25-year-old said. “There’s only a couple guys in the league that can still play 70 games and teams are very fortunate to have them, but I think teams in the West, with the travel, the grind of the schedule, two goalies is crucial. I think we’re pretty fortunate.”Unlike the Dallas Stars, who are paying their goalie tandem of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi a combined $10.4 million next season, the Blues' duo comes at a much more reasonable price. Elliott's hit is $2.5 million, and Allen will count for only $2.35 million against the cap.The Blues ranked fourth in the league with a 2.40 GAA in the regular season, but that figure rose to 2.80 in the playoffs.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's one thing to say the Pittsburgh Penguins have shut down the San Jose Sharks in the Stanley Cup Final. It's another to look at who's done what on the Sharks through four games.Look at the NHL's playoff scoring leaders and the top three are all Sharks: Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski, and Brent Burns. The Penguins didn't get that memo. The trio have a combined four assists in this series, with Pavelski scoreless heading into Game 5.Here are the Sharks' leading scorers in the final. If you had Joonas Donskoi atop the list in the pool, you're lying.PlayerGAPJoonas Donskoi123Justin Braun202Joel Ward112Brent Burns022Logan Couture022Joe Thornton022Chris Tierney022Tomas Hertl101Melker Karlsson101Patrick Marleau101Brenden Dillon011Marc-Edouard Vlasic011Burns, Couture, Pavelski, Joe Thornton, and Patrick Marleau have a combined one goal in the series - Marleau's in Game 1. The Sharks' best players have been completely neutralized after ripping up the Western Conference through three rounds.Another way to put it: Pavelski has as many points as Roman Polak in the Stanley Cup Final. Unless that changes, and fast, the Penguins will hoist the most beautiful trophy in pro sports - perhaps Thursday night.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A generation later, it's the no-call that still haunts Toronto Maple Leafs supporters: Wayne Gretzky's high stick to the face of Doug Gilmour, in overtime of Game 6 of the Western Conference Final on May 27, 1993, the Maple Leafs up 3-2 in the series over the Los Angeles Kings.Former NHL referee Kerry Fraser, who worked the game that fateful spring night in Hollywood, opened up about the play Tuesday in The Players' Tribune, saying if he had one do-over, it would be to get that call right."I was uncertain but I thought I had it right," Fraser writes about the incident, which he admits he's still asked about to this day. "I'm sorry."Here's an excerpt from Fraser, describing his perspective on the ice:

Guy Boucher appears to be the missing piece of the puzzle that is the Ottawa Senators.Related: Karlsson aiming to take game to next levelCaptain Erik Karlsson met with the club's new bench boss three weeks ago, and after picking the brain of good friend and Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, Karlsson is confident in what Boucher can bring to the club."I know a lot of players that have played for him in the past and I’ve heard a lot of good things about him," Karlsson said, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. "From the type of person that he is, to the type of coach and what he believes in."He’s a very passionate and intense guy which I think, for the type of team that we have, is going to fit very good. He’s a young mind, we have a younger team and I think what he brings to the table and the way that he believes things work is going to match up with everything that we have in the room."After an incredible Cinderella run last season scored the Senators a playoff spot, the team regressed during the 2015-16 campaign, finishing 11 points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.However, Karlsson still believes the Senators have what it takes, and believes Boucher has what it takes to get the best out of the team."Things are going to change and it’s going to take awhile for everybody to figure each other out," said Karlsson. "But that’s why we have training camp. The group is still the same. We know each other, what we can do, and what to expect from each and every individual. The way that he wants to play is going to suit our team well."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After adding Scott Stevens to his staff Tuesday, Minnesota Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau said he thought the Hall of Fame defenseman would have "instant respect" from his players.He thought right.Boudreau told AP's Steven Whyno that star forward Zach Parise immediately texted his new bench boss to tell him adding Stevens was an "awesome move.""He's the quietest and humblest Hall of Famer you'll ever meet," Parise told Michael Russo of the Star Tribune of Stevens - who he knows from his time with the New Jersey Devils. "He's going to be so good for us and our D and PK."With Stevens locked up, Boudreau is hoping to announce the hiring of a second assistant that will help run the power play early next week. Russo reports former NHLer Steve Thomas may be among those considered."You don't get an opportunity to get somebody of Scott's ilk every day, Boudreau said. "If I'm starting with a team that's new, I want everybody to come in thinking, 'Wow this is a great staff.'"Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Through four games of the Stanley Cup Final, the stars who carried the San Jose Sharks through the Western Conference are no longer having their way with opposing defenses.Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer suggested the solution may be getting more production from their depth forwards."There is no magic answer. They get a ton of attention," DeBoer said referring to forwards Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton, according to NBC's Pro Hockey Talk's Cam Tucker. "I think our support group has to take a little bit of pressure off them."After recording 22 points in the opening three rounds of the playoffs, the Sharks captain has been held off the scoresheet in the Final, while sporting a minus-3 rating. Thornton meanwhile, is also struggling to find the back of the net and sits a minus-3 with just two assists, both recorded in his team's Game 3 victory."You have to give Pittsburgh some credit for the job they've done on them," DeBoer continued. "The stars on both sides would tell you there's not a lot of room out there."The Sharks have received contributions from the bottom-six in their last two games with Joel Ward and Melker Karlsson both lighting the lamp, but more production is needed if San Jose hopes to counter the high-powered offense of the Penguins.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After 15 years with the Colorado Avalanche, former general manager Greg Sherman is leaving the organization, a team spokesman told The Denver Post on Tuesday.Sherman served as GM from 2009 to 2014, with his team reaching the playoffs in two of five seasons before being replaced by Joe Sakic, and subsequently demoted to the role of assistant GM.He was promoted to senior vice president of business and team operations last June, but has now decided to "move on" from the franchise.The team has not reached the postseason since Sakic took over as general manager.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.