TAMPA, Fla. -The Pittsburgh Penguins are headed home for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final.Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist, and Phil Kessel, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust and Nick Bonino also scored Tuesday night in a 5-2 victory that evened the best-of-seven series at three games.Game 7 is Thursday night, with the Penguins hoping to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2009 and the Lightning looking to advance to the Cup Final for the second straight year.Crosby assisted on Kessel's 5-on-3 power-play goal in the opening period and skated around Tampa Bay defenseman Anton Stralman into the clear before sending a wrist shot between goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy's legs for a 3-0 lead in the final minute of the second period.Rookie goaltender Matt Murray returned to the lineup after being replaced as the starter for Game 5 by Marc-Andre Fleury, but his 10th playoff victory did not come without a bit of suspense.Brian Boyle scored twice in the third period for Tampa Bay, with one of the goals bouncing off Kessel before getting past Murray, who finished with 28 saves. The second score drew the Lightning within one goal with 7:17 remaining.Rust's breakaway goal gave Pittsburgh breathing room and Bonino added an empty-netter to finish it off.Kessel's goal was his team-leading ninth of the playoffs. Crosby had the primary assist, his first point since delivering game-winners in Games 2 and 3, and Evgeni Malkin also had an assist to extend his point streak to four games after a slow start in the series.The Lightning had an apparent goal by Jonathan Drouin waived off a little more than five minutes into the game, when Penguins coach Mike Sullivan successfully challenged that the young Tampa Bay winger was offside on the play before tapping in a rebound off Ondrej Palat's shot that bounced off Murray's pads.Sullivan announced the decision to go back to Murray following Tuesday's morning skate, with the Penguins facing elimination for the first time this postseason.Murray started the first four games of the series. Fleury replaced him during the third period of Game 4, then made his first start in nearly two months in Game 5, which Tampa Bay won 4-3 in overtime.Sullivan said he was switching back to Murray because ''just like we make all our lineup decisions, we try to put players on the ice that we think give us the best chance to win.''Before Game 5, Fleury had not started a game since March 31, when he suffered a concussion.Tampa Bay entered the game determined to not come out flat in Game 6 of the conference final for the second straight year.The Lightning beat the New York Rangers on the road to go up 3-2 in that series, but were badly outplayed at home the next game and had to return to Madison Square Garden to finish the series.Now, they'll have to win on the road again to make the third Stanley Cup appearance in franchise history.NOTES: The Penguins were 1 for 3 on the power play and are 4 for 19 in the series. The Lightning were 0 for 1, dropping to 2 for 12. ... Malkin was penalized in the first period for slashing Tampa Bay Bay's Ryan Callahan in what appeared to be retaliation for the Lightning forward whacking him across the wrist with his stick. ... Murray improved to 4-0 following a loss. He's 10-4 overall in the playoffs.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bryan Rust crushed any hopes of a Tampa Bay Lightning comeback.After Brian Boyle responded with two third-period goals to narrow the Pittsburgh Penguins lead to 3-2, Rust halted the club's rally, beating Andrei Vasilevskiy with a gorgeous breakaway effort.The goal was Rust's sixth point of the postseason and third of the series.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The naysayers are awfully quiet right now.Sidney Crosby scored a critical goal Tuesday night in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final, and he did it in typical highlight-reel fashion.The Pittsburgh Penguins captain gained the puck in the neutral zone, shook two Tampa Bay Lightning defenders, and buried a lethal shot five-hole on Andrei Vasilevskiy to give the Penguins a 3-0 lead late in the second period.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Stanley Cup Final will begin in six days.Game 1 of the championship round will be played Monday, May 30. Here's the complete schedule, as announced by the NHL on Tuesday:GameDate Start Time (E.T.)1May 308 p.m.2June 18 p.m.3June 48 p.m.4June 68 p.m.5*June 98 p.m.6*June 128 p.m.7*June 158 p.m.*If necessaryThe team with the greatest number of points during the regular season gets home-ice advantage for the series.The Tampa Bay Lightning lead the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Final, while the San Jose Sharks hold the same advantage over the St. Louis Blues in the West.The Blues had the most points (107) among the four remaining clubs.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche signed defenseman Anton Lindholm to a three-year entry-level contract Tuesday.The 21-year-old spent this past season with Skelleftea AIK of the Swedish Hockey League where he posted four assists in a limited 30 games - due to an injury - and added another helper in 16 playoff games.Lindholm was drafted by the Avalanche in the fifth round in 2014 and most recently suited up in three games for Sweden at the World Hockey Championship.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After a deal was reported Monday, the Chicago Blackhawks officially signed Czech defenseman Michal Kempny to a one-year contract, the team announced Tuesday.Kempny recorded 21 points in 59 games in the KHL last season, and has already been named to the Czech Republic's team for September's World Cup of Hockey.The Blackhawks also signed two players from Sweden - goaltender Lars Johansson and forward Martin Lundberg - to one-year contracts.Johansson, 28, led the Swedish Hockey League with a 1.74 goals-against average this past season, while Lundberg, 25, recorded 13 goals and eight assists in 44 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins announced a pair of signings Tuesday, including a one-year two-way contract with premier American Hockey League scorer Seth Griffith.Related: Bruins sign Kevan Miller to 4-year, $10M extensionGriffith racked up 24 goals and led the league with 53 assists in 57 games for the Providence Bruins last season, also appearing in four games with the big club.His numbers indicate that he has the capacity to translate his scoring to the NHL level. In a limited sample - 34 games across two seasons - he's scored six goals and 11 points.The fifth-round draft selection in 2012 was a first-team AHL All-Star in 2016.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After spending much of the World Championship gold medal game shutting down Finland's top line, Canadian forward Mark Scheifele couldn't help but compliment a young forward on the opposing team - who may be his future Winnipeg Jets teammate - Patrik Laine."He's pretty unbelievable," Scheifele said, via Luke Fox of Sportsnet on Tuesday. "He's obviously young, and sometimes you can tell that, but his skill level (and) his shot is outrageous. He skates really well."Scheifele saw a lot of the teenager in Sunday's final, where Canada finished the tournament with a 2-0 win, but it was Laine who was later name the tournament's Best Forward and MVP.The Jets are widely expected to select the Finnish winger with the second overall pick at the NHL draft, with the Toronto Maple Leafs likely to pick Auston Matthews with the first selection."You can tell he's going to be a very special player," Scheifele said. "I know if we end up getting him, he'll definitely be a huge improvement to our team. He'll fit in well for sure."In order for him to play alongside Laine, Scheifele still requires a new contract for next season, and the restricted free agent said there was nothing new to report regarding negotiations.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brian Elliott will be back in net when the St. Louis Blues attempt to stave off elimination for a third time in these playoffs Wednesday in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final versus the San Jose Sharks.Head coach Ken Hitchcock confirmed Tuesday that Elliott will return to the starter's role after Jake Allen started Games 4 and 5.Hitchcock said fatigue factored into his decision to turn to Allen, but affirmed his commitment to the veteran starter."We got the jolt we needed from Jake," he said. "These are Brian's playoffs. We'd like to see him finish the job."Elliott made 17 consecutive starts for St. Louis to begin its postseason run, and was integral in the club's seven-game victories over the two highest-scoring teams in the Western Conference.He's 9-8-2 with a .925 save percentage in his postseason appearances this spring.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins and defenseman Kevan Miller have agreed to a four-year, $10-million contract extension, general manager Don Sweeney announced Tuesday.In his first full NHL campaign, the 28-year-old set career highs in goals (five), assists (13), and games played (71). The stay-at-home defenseman was second on his team in both hits (164) and blocked shots (123) this season.Miller will now avoid unrestricted free agency, after publicly sharing his hope to remain in Boston at the end of the regular season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The sprint to have Vadim Shipachyov put pen to an NHL contract could be all for naught.The high-volume scorer may have to satisfy the existing option on his KHL contract with SKA St. Petersburg and report for one more season before being permitted to sign with an NHL club, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.There was speculation the Montreal Canadiens were - if not closing in on an agreement - pushing hard toward a pact with Shipachyov before Friedman's report.On the heels of a 60-point season, the most productive of his eight-year KHL career, the 29-year-old led the World Championship in scoring with six goals and 12 assists in 10 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears Pittsburgh Penguins forward Beau Bennett will be heading back to the press box after being a minus-2 in his team's Game 5 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, his postseason debut.Conor Sheary, who was scratched during Sunday's game, was back on the Penguins' top line with Sidney Crosby and Patric Hornqvist during line rushes at Tuesday's game-day skate, and also spent time with the team's second power-play unit.Bennett, meanwhile, was left without a line.

With their season, and survival in their quest for a second Stanley Cup in the Sidney Crosby era, in the balance, the Pittsburgh Penguins are turning back to rookie goaltender Matt Murray.Penguins coach Mike Sullivan confirmed after the team's morning workout that after being unseated by Marc-Andre Fleury in Game 5, Murray would get the start Tuesday versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.Sullivan said this about his decision, via NHL.com's Dan Rosen, "At this particular point in the season, we don't have the luxury of allowing players to play through things."We have to win."Murray's performance has tailed off in the Eastern Conference Final after he spearheaded series wins over the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals in the first and second rounds. He has an .888 save percentage and has looked fatigued against the Bolts, dragging his overall postseason clip down to .923.Meanwhile, Fleury played well enough to give Pittsburgh a chance in Game 5, but at the same time showed he went more than 50 days between starts because of a concussion suffered late in the season.Murray's start will be his 14th of the postseason, which would give him one more than his career regular-season total.The 21-year-old has a career 18-6-2 record with a .926 save rate in the regular season and playoffs combined.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hours and hours spent planted in front tipping rubber is paying dividends for Joe Pavelski and the San Jose Sharks.Pavelski's league-leading 12th postseason goal, scored on a masterful tip, stood as the eventual game winner Monday night in Game 5, as San Jose moved to within one victory of reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the first time ever.It's obviously plenty more complex, but the difference in the contest, and in turn so far in the Western Conference Final, is ascribed in part to the captain's dedication to his craft."It's incredible," remarked head coach Pete DeBoer. "You think back to some of the best scorers ever. His ability to get his stick on pucks in the offensive zone, in front on the net, different angles, is as good as anybody I've ever seen.""But it's a great lesson. He works at it. He works at it every day. He gets (Brent Burns) or one of the other (defensemen), gets them to fire 100, 200 pucks. I'll watch him from the boards with the other coaches. He'll get a piece of every single one."DeBoer added, "His biggest asset is he works at it."Pavelski's persistence is really part of a overarching theme in these playoffs for the Sharks, who can close out the series on home ice Wednesday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Claude Julien will share his bench with some new faces next season.Former NHLers Jay Pandolfo and Bruce Cassidy joined the Boston Bruins' coaching staff as assistants, the team announced Tuesday. Meanwhile, Joe Sacco and Bob Essensa will remain as assistants.Doug Houda (now with the Detroit Red Wings) and Doug Jarvis will not be retained.Pandolfo, 41, played the first 13 seasons of his 15-year NHL career with the New Jersey Devils, winning Stanley Cups in 2000 and 2003.Since finishing his playing career with Julien's Bruins in 2013, Pandolfo has been a member of the team's front office - serving as Director of Player Development last season.Cassidy, 51, has coached with the Bruins' AHL affiliate in Providence since 2008, serving as head coach since the start of the 2011-12 season. His last stint in the NHL came as an assistant with the Chicago Blackhawks from 2004-2006.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Win or go home. It's that time of year for the St. Louis Blues.The San Jose Sharks won a massive Game 5 on the road Monday to push the Blues to the brink, and the biggest question heading into Game 6 is: who will be in the Blues' crease?"I don't know," Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock said after Game 5.The answer should be Brian Elliott, even though he's watched the last two games from the bench. Here's why:Average AllenJake Allen did his job in Game 4. He played well, stopping 31 of 34 shots, and deserves full credit for helping bring the Blues back home in a series tied 2-2. But he wasn't good Monday.While Blues head coach Ken Hitchock said Allen was "fine," the goalie stopped only 21 of 25 shots in Game 5, and has now allowed seven goals in two games on 59 shots. It's the smallest of small sample sizes, but a .881 save percentage in two games simply isn't good enough.Elliott got the Blues to the third round, winning two Game 7s to do so. If the Blues go down, he deserves to be out there when it happens.Elliott can't scoreElliott went 1-2 through the first three games of the Western Conference Final. He was stellar in Game 1, stopping 31 of 32 shots, but struggled in Games 2 and 3. Elliott stopped only 20 of 23 shots in Game 2, and was pulled from Game 3 after 46 minutes after allowing three goals on just 14 shots.Here's the thing, though: the Blues didn't score in Games 2 and 3. They were shut out twice in a row before scoring six in Game 4, so Elliott's play wasn't really the problem. You can't win if you can't score, and the Blues' offense left them in two crucial games.The Blues have nine goals in their past two games. They'll get their goals. And they owe Elliott some.Play the percentagesElliott's the better goalie. He was all season. Facing elimination, the Blues must play the numbers.Make no mistake, the Blues have two very good goalies in Allen and Elliott. Both had excellent regular seasons, and both played an integral role in the Blues' 107-point season. But Elliott had the better save percentage (.930 compared to Allen's .920), and started three regular-season games against San Jose, posting a .929 save percentage and one shutout (although he was pulled in one of those games after allowing three goals in only 13 minutes).Allen's only appearance against the Sharks in the regular season was a relief effort, and while he's 1-1 in this series, Elliott's proved to be the better 'tender in 2015-16. With potentially only one game left in the Blues' season, Hitchock and Co. must go with the guy who got them into late May.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the third consecutive playoff series, the St. Louis Blues have lost a pair of games on home ice after Monday's Game 5 loss to the San Jose Sharks. Now one game away from elimination, the team is trying to figure out why it's struggling at Scottrade Center."I said we're a little cuter at home than we are on the road," captain David Backes said, according to NHL.com's Lou Korac. "We've just got to stay simple and stay on the page and get a task done. I don't know if that's a trend in Game 5s; I don't keep track of that."The Blues hold a 4-6 record at home during this postseason, but their 6-3 record on the road has kept them alive. Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo wishes he knew what was ailing his team in its own arena."If I had the magic answer, I'd give it to you," he said. "I'm not too sure. It's something that we really need to take a hard look at and figure out why we're doing that. That's on us players."Meanwhile, head coach Ken Hitchcock, who has said home ice doesn't mean what it used to, suggested the pressure of playing in front of your own fans can be dangerous."It's hard to describe," he said after the game. "The pressure to win at home is greater, and so is the discouragement if you're not doing well. Winning at home right now in the playoffs is either feast or famine. You either look like you're a million dollars, or you get frustrated at times."I think from that standpoint there's a few times we've been frustrated. Our expectations are high and we want to do well for the fans. Sometimes that cocktail doesn't mix very well."If the Blues hope to end their home struggles in a Game 7, they'll need to continue their dominance on the road with another road win in San Jose on Wednesday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pavel Datsyuk's torn.On one hand, he clearly desires a return to his native Russia to play out the twilight of his professional career close to home. But at the same time, Datsyuk's contrite, not wanting the Detroit Red Wings - the club he helped win two Stanley Cup titles - to be severely impaired by the salary penalty that comes with his exit."He wants to make sure the Wings have options," his agent, Dan Milstein, told Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. "He wants to help the team any way he can with the salary cap issue."Datsyuk's expected to return to Detroit in the coming weeks to sit down with GM Ken Holland and the Red Wings' brain trust. The dialogue isn't expected to center around his staying; more of a brainstorming session focused on how the two sides can draw up a harmonious split.As of now, Datsyuk's departure means the Red Wings will be on the hook for his entire $7.5-million salary, because the contract was signed after he turned 35.The only obvious way to circumvent the problem is trade Datsyuk's rights to a team with sufficient cap space.A trade will require Datsyuk's blessing, but it appears as though he's more than willing to provide it.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With seven vacant slots remaining on Canada's World Cup roster, an eager group of first-rate talents considered to be in the conversation to wear the red and white again descended on Russia for the worlds with a different international showcase - one set to directly precede the NHL's 2016-17 season - in mind.So, after more than a month overseas and gold now draped around their necks, who was able to improve their standing with Hockey Canada before the final rosters for the World Cup are cemented this week?Corey Perry -- Widely considered a lock for preliminary selection, a trying postseason motivated the Ducks' scoring pest to go overseas and captain his country. Perry did his job, scoring four times, finishing two points off the team lead, and becoming the 27th member of the Triple Gold Club. But at the same time, he was fairly silent in the knockout round, registering only an assist and three shots. Perry didn't hurt his chances per se, but failed to drive home presumed participation at a tournament that's essentially the only thing he hasn't won in hockey.Taylor Hall -- Hall was certainly one of the tournament's more threatening players, finishing a goal off the tournament lead and firing more shots on target than any Canadian. Hall's efficiency, too, dipped in the knockout round, having collected seven of his nine points versus the tournament's clearly inferior opponents. That said, Hall proved something perhaps more important to Canada's brass, emerging as a reliable defender in key spots - even finding himself guarding the middle of the ice in the waning moments of the gold medal final.Matt Duchene -- Five goals, five assists, and a team-best plus-10 rating among forwards, Duchene was a force up front, exceedingly threatening on the attack, and also a contributor when it mattered most. The Olympian in 2014 continues to be a willing participant, and provided no reason for him not to be included again.Brad Marchand -- After the season of his life, in which he scored more goals than any Canadian winger aside from Jamie Benn, Marchand lent his two-way talent to the national team, and to great effect. He scored four times, including once shorthanded, to go along with three assists, and showed just how dangerous he is in open ice while still anchoring his top-six unit defensively. He didn't eradicate disciplinary concerns, having taken the second-most penalty minutes, but was never a liability.Ryan O'Reilly -- He did all the little things, like winning defensive-zone faceoffs, and spearheading a near-flawless penalty kill as he carved out a top-nine role with Mark Scheifele and Mark Stone. O'Reilly's versatility, which includes playing the wing, is important considering Canada's surplus of centers, but it behoves Doug Armstrong to fill in the gaps with natural wingers.Mark Stone -- Stone enjoyed an excellent tournament, capitalizing on the opportunistic offense that's made him the Senators' leading point producer among forwards over the last two seasons. He finished near the top of every major statistical category, and scored on almost every fourth shot he put on target. A World Cup selection, though, would remain a surprise.Brendan Gallagher -- Gallagher tumbled into the fourth-line rotation, but still found a way to contribute. His quintessential goal to open the scoring in the semifinal versus the United States was a significant moment for the team. He'll likely have to beat out Marchand and O'Reilly to make the squad, which will be difficult considering the need for reliable penalty killing.Bonus: Auston Matthews -- Not Canadian, nor eligible for his country's entry, but few players made a stronger World Cup statement. In Russia, he clearly showed he was polished enough, and will likely carve out a role on the young guns. But it should be noted that the North American roster has few center-ice positions available, and two pivots in Scheifele and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins who are certainly qualified.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jake Allen was straight and to the point after the St. Louis Blues dropped Game 5 at home to the San Jose Sharks Monday night."I didn't get the job done," Allen said, according to NHL.com's Lou Korac.The goaltender, starting in his second straight game of the Western Conference Final in place of Brian Elliott, allowed four goals on only 25 shots. He didn't have much of a chance on Joe Pavelski's game-winning goal in the third period, the Sharks captain deftly tipping the puck into the net only 16 seconds into the frame. But Allen acknowledged what a back-breaker the marker was."Took the juice out of us right away," he said. "Not the way we wanted to start."Blues head coach Ken Hitchock characterized Allen's play as "fine," and wouldn't commit to Allen or Elliott for a do-or-die Game 6. He said he'd discuss it with his staff Tuesday before making a call.The decision on which Blues goalie starts will be a major talking point over the next 24 hours. Game 6 is Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vladimir Tarasenko's dynamic scoring punch has completely disappeared in the Western Conference Final.The St. Louis Blues sniper was held without a point for the fifth consecutive game in Monday night's Game 5 loss to the San Jose Sharks.Tarasenko managed only one shot on goal in nearly 19 minutes of ice time during the 6-3 defeat that gave the Sharks a 3-2 series lead.He's been neutralized by Marc-Edouard Vlasic and the Sharks' defense.

ST. LOUIS - Joe Pavelski scored two goals, including the go-ahead score in the opening minute of the third period, and the San Jose Sharks beat the St. Louis Blues 6-3 to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference final on Monday night.Joel Ward also scored twice including one of two empty-netters in the final minute for San Jose, which can close it out at home on Wednesday night. The Sharks have never reached the Stanley Cup Final. Joe Thornton had three assists for the Sharks.Pavelski leads the playoffs with 12 goals and has three two-goal games, one in each series. The Sharks' captain added an assist and is tied with teammate Logan Couture for the postseason points lead, each with a franchise-record 21 points.Related: Watch: Pavelski reclaims goal-scoring lead with nifty tipRookie Robby Fabbri scored and David Backes had an assist for St. Louis. Both were questionable coming off injuries in Game 4.The Blues are just 4-6 at home in the postseason, and failed to hold leads of 2-1 and 3-2 in Game 5. They're 6-3 on the road.The Sharks were 2 for 3 on the power play in the win.Troy Brouwer batted in a rebound from midair for St. Louis and Ward also scored a similar goal for San Jose with his first of the game.Related: Watch: Blues' Brouwer bats in 8th goal of playoffsBrouwer leads St. Louis with eight goals in 19 games this postseason after totaling seven in his first 78 playoff games.Pavelski was left alone in the slot on a power play at 18:33 of the second and beat Jake Allen to tie it at 3-3. He redirected Brent Burns' drive from the point 16 seconds into the third to put the Sharks in front to stay.San Jose goalie Martin Jones allowed three goals on the Blues' first 13 shots, but stopped all seven shots in the third.The Sharks scored first on Marc-Edouard Vlasic's first goal of the postseason from the point at 3:51 of the first period.Jaden Schwartz snapped a 13-game goal drought to tie it on a rebound at 7:04 of the first.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Joe Pavelski and Nikita Kucherov appear to be in a heated game of H-O-R-S-E.A day after the Tampa Bay Lightning forward scored twice to take the postseason lead in goals, Pavelski responded with two of his own to reclaim his rightful spot on top.After firing home a one-timer late in the second period to knot Monday's game at 3-3, the San Jose Sharks captain found the back of the net again early in the third period, deflecting a Brent Burns shot past Jake Allen for his 12th of the playoffs.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues forwards David Backes and Robby Fabbri will play in Game 5 against the San Jose Sharks on Monday.Both forwards were question marks heading into Game 5 after Backes left Game 4 after the first period with an apparent upper-body injury and Fabbri left early in the third period with a lower-body injury.Fabbri leads the Blues in scoring in the postseason with 14 points, while Backes sits tied for second with 13.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks have signed defenseman Michal Kempny, according to ESPN's Craig Custance.The 25-year-old spent last season with Omsk Avangard of the KHL where he posted five goals and 16 assists in 59 games. Prior to that, the Czech defender spent six years in the Czech League.Kempny was one of first four defensemen named to the Czech Republic's World Cup of Hockey roster. He most recently represented his country at the World Hockey Championship where he had two assists in eight games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings will take any opportunity to shell out jabs at the expense of the Colorado Avalanche.The Red Wings put their own spin on an internet holiday after seeing the NHL's official account make a reference to San Jose Sharks forward Tomas "Ninja" Hertl.

The Carolina Hurricanes have taken the first step in locking up forward Victor Rask.The club has reached out to Rask's agent regarding a contract and are now awaiting a response, general manager Ron Francis told Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News and Observer.Rask is coming off his second season with the club where he finished second on the team with 21 goals and tied for second with 48 points in 80 games. He will become a restricted free agent if not signed before July 1.Francis also noted the 23-year-old underwent shoulder surgery at the end of the season, and according to Francis, "The surgery went really well and he'll be ready for training camp."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock will decide on the status of his injured players after the pre-game skate before Game 5 of the Western Conference finals against the San Jose Sharks on Monday night.Captain David Backes and rookie Robby Fabbri, both forwards, were injured in Game 4. Backes missed the final two periods and Fabbri had just two shifts in the third period of a 6-3 victory that knotted the series at 2-2.Hitchcock said he'll have the same number of players dressed for the warmup as in Game 4, when he had two extra forwards and one extra defenseman on the ice.Sharks coach Peter DeBoer indicated he'd have no lineup changes.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bruce Boudreau is hiring.The Minnesota Wild have informed longtime assistants Rick Wilson and Darryl Sydor that they won't be retained to serve on Boudreau's staff next season, Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.Russo notes that it's unclear whether Wilson or Sydor will be reassigned within the organization.Elsewhere, Andrew Brunette is expected to shift from the bench to a position in hockey operations, while coaches Darby Hendrickson and Bob Mason have renewed their contracts.Boudreau signed a reported four-year contract to coach the Wild less than two weeks after being fired from his post with the Anaheim Ducks, whom he guided to a fourth straight division title.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are following Patric Hornqvist into the foxhole.After sleeping on their Game 5 letdown, a loss that prompted Hornqvist to all but guarantee a win in Tampa Bay in their elimination Game 6, the Pittsburgh Penguins stars shared a similar sentiment."I believe in my team. I believe in myself. We're coming back to Pittsburgh for sure," Malkin said Monday, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen.Letang, meanwhile, suggested that the Penguins know "the recipe" to beat the Lightning. Mind you, this was just a few hours after Letang was on the ice for all four Lightning goals.That blueprint may or may not include turning back to rookie goaltender Matt Murray. Head coach Mike Sullivan will announce his decision between the 21-year-old and veteran Marc-Andre Fleury, who took the loss Sunday in his first start in seven weeks, Tuesday in advance of Game 6.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are making the hockey world hold its breath on their Game 6 starter.Mike Sullivan said Monday that the decision between goaltenders Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray will be announced Tuesday.The coach continued on about his "imperfect" situation in net, saying, "We wish the circumstances were different, but they're not."Fleury gave the Penguins a chance to win, but also showed rust in his first start in more than seven weeks in Sunday's 4-3 loss in Game 5. His performance, however, did not keep up to the standard Murray has maintained throughout his run in goal since Game 3 of the first round.The 21-year-old Murray secured nine wins on a .923 save percentage in 13 playoff starts before being lifted for the veteran.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Brophy, former head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, died Monday morning at 83.A legend in his native Nova Scotia and known for his passionate, often over-bearing leadership style, Brophy accrued 1,027 coaching wins over the course of his career - a total second only to Scotty Bowman.Brophy's time in the NHL was limited to two-plus seasons behind the bench of the Maple Leafs in the late 1980s, his playing and coaching accolades having been primarily achieved in the East Coast Hockey League.He was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2009.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers have made a change at the draft table.On the heels of a complete restructuring of the front office, the Panthers have fired longtime director of scouting and player personnel Scott Luce - a scout that's received plaudits for his work in recent seasons.Newly-appointed general manager Tome Rowe told George Richards of the Miami Herald that simply, "we wanted a different voice."Luce prepared the selections of Aaron Ekblad, Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Erik Gudbranson in the lottery position over the last several years, but his finest work may be overseeing the selections of Nick Bjugstad 19th overall in 2010, and Vincent Trocheck 64th overall a year later.Pundits expect Luce to be in demand.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The opponent has "quiet calm;" Patric Hornqvist has stern conviction.After the Pittsburgh Penguins lost consecutive games for the first time since mid-January - a letdown that has them within a loss of elimination with the Stanley Cup Final nearly within reach - Hornqvist is confident his club won't suffer a third."We're in a tough position," Hornqvist said after Sunday's loss in Game 5 to the Tampa Bay Lightning, per Sportnet's Chris Johnston, "but there's no doubt in my mind we're going to come back (to Pittsburgh) for a Game 7."There's been virtually no margin for error in the Eastern Conference final, as Tyler Johnson's off-the-rear end overtime winner is the only thing that separates the two teams in the series and the aggregated scoreboard.But Hornqvist's rallying cry might be required on an emotional level, as the Penguins dominated the run of play throughout the series until the teams' overall performances seemed to level out in Game 5.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Before attrition sets in, beginning to work against teams taxed well into spring, accumulated know-how specific to the Stanley Cup Playoffs is often the difference against an opponent still on its way up the ladder.This is true for experienced entities missing their captain or starting goalie; or who played catch-up against the hottest team in hockey for the last five months; or were down to their last 70 seconds to score before being pushed to elimination for the first time in the postseason.The Tampa Bay Lightning have tapped their own brand of resiliency - or as head coach Jon Cooper coined it, their "quiet calm" - to overcome all of the above, all over again, Sunday night."The more times you get put in these situations and you're behind the wheel navigating what's going out there, the better you are to handle them, and I think our guys are doing a heck of a job handing all sorts of situations, whether it's injuries, being down, being up, just the list goes on," Cooper said."The guys have really matured as a group on how to win hockey games."Tampa Bay's latest win, a come-from-behind triumph in Game 5 versus the Pittsburgh Penguins, moved them to within one more victory of returning to the Stanley Cup Final for a second straight season.In a vacuum, though, it was just another obstacle overcome.“We got hit was adversity a couple of times, but nothing really changed for us. We kept doing the right things, and were rewarded at the end,” said Anton Stralman, another player who missed postseason spells."I don't think we get hit by panic or anything like that."The Penguins will have to share in the Lightning creed to avoid elimination when the puck drops Tuesday in Tampa Bay for Game 6.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Marc-Andre Fleury was not thrilled with his Game 5 performance.Related: Sullivan not ready to name Game 6 starting goalieThe Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender allowed four goals in his club's 4-3 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday and admits he wasn't quite himself."It wasn't the best I've felt in a game, but still I've been practicing a lot," Fleury said, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "I should be better, especially on that first one."

The Pittsburgh Penguins won't make any rash decisions regarding their starter for Game 6.Head coach Mike Sullivan was asked after Sunday's game if he was willing to ride Marc-Andre Fleury as the team's No. 1, and said he'll "digest" Game 5 before making a decision, according to the Associated Press' Will Graves.Fleury made his first start since March 31 on Sunday, but was shaky from the second period onward, allowing four goals on 25 shots for the loss.Rookie Matt Murray has gone 9-4-1 for the Penguins in the postseason with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in an unfamiliar spot.Having bulldozed their way through the final three months of the regular season and into the playoffs, the Penguins' loss in Game 5 marks the first time since Jan. 15 that they've lost consecutive games.Ironically, the Tampa Bay Lightning were the ones to deliver the second of back-to-back losses in January as well.Head coach Mike Sullivan believes his team can bounce back from a rare bit of adversity.

The Tampa Bay Lightning can book their second straight trip to the Stanley Cup Finals on home ice.Thanks to a Jason Garrison point shot that deflected off Tyler Johnson's back, the Lightning topped the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 in overtime Sunday to take a 3-2 series lead.At 53 seconds, it was the fastest overtime winner in Lightning playoff history.

Brian Dumoulin's first career playoff goal was a timely one.The Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman opened the scoring in Game 5 with just 0.7 seconds left in the first period, sliding a rebound past Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy after an incredible solo effort from forward Bryan Rust.Dumoulin's first playoff goal came in his 21st game and marks just his second career NHL goal.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

At last, Shawn Michaels is in the house."The Heartbreak Kid" made his highly anticipated appearance in Pittsburgh on Sunday night, after accepting an invitation to personally cheer on the Penguins "HBK" line of Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino, and Phil Kessel.Michaels was featured in a video to excite the home crowd, and as usual, he flexed to get the fans excited. Thankfully, no one faced any Sweet Chin Music.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will welcome forward Beau Bennett and defenseman Olli Maatta back into the lineup for Game 5 on Sunday.Bennett's been out since April 5, thanks in large part to an upper-body injury, while Maatta is making his second appearance of the series after serving as a healthy scratch the last three contests.The two will take the spots of Conor Sheary - a healthy scratch - and defenseman Trevor Daley. The latter suffered a broken ankle in Game 4 and will miss the remainder of the playoffs.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Canada's execution was nearly flawless Sunday, except in one way.The team captured gold at the World Championship with a 2-0 victory over Finland, but the performance on the ice was almost overshadowed by the team's performance of "O Canada" following the game, which was questionable at best:The Simon Cowell's of the internet clearly found the team's rendition atrocious:

Patrik Laine concluded Sunday's World Championship with one heck of a consolation prize.The Finnish forward - expected to be selected in the top-2 at this year's NHL Entry Draft - was named the tournament's most valuable player even though his team was shutout 2-0 to Canada in the gold medal game.