Jamie Benn is putting together the makings of a remarkable playoff scoring portfolio.The Dallas Stars point-piling captain collected two assists in Thursday's 3-2 overtime win over the St. Louis Blues, running his league-leading total to 14 points in 10 games.He has 19 points in 16 career playoff games, or a 1.19 point-per-game average, which ranks higher than the NHL's active leader (among those with 50 games), Sidney Crosby.This isn't outlying production, of course, as Benn's 176 points over the last two regular seasons ranks as most league-wide. But unlike most players, who see their rates tail in the second season, Benn's postseason scoring (albeit a small sample) represents a higher rate than his inflated totals over his previously prolific regular seasons.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cody Eakin's overtime winner drew the Dallas Stars even with the St. Louis Blues, but it was significant for another reason.

Jonathan Drouin remains untaught as a professional; it's been just a few months since he was exiled for failing to report to the minor league affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning.But if there's a handbook he received, and skimmed through, then Drouin's got the section on reparation down pat.The second-year man has reserved his talking for the offensive zone since placing an apologetic call to Steve Yzerman and returning to the big club. But the point-per-game postseason performer did speak Thursday between Games 3 and 4, permeating working maturity."Every day is better and better, every day I feel more confident about myself," Drouin said, according to Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun. "Let's just make sure that keeps going and we'll be fine. Since I came back, I'm just playing the game, not thinking about who's on the ice, just playing hockey."For as long as Tampa lasts in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Drouin will have more and more opportunity to not just contribute, but continue to earn the trust of his teammates, coaches, and hockey operations after nearly throwing his future with the organization away.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's coaching carousel could welcome in a new rider.Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Thursday on the "Headlines" segment that it's believed long-time NHLer and current Utica Comets coach Travis Green is among the list of candidates in consideration to succeed Bruce Boudreau as head coach of the Anaheim Ducks.Friedman noted that Green has connections inside the organization, and Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province has since reported that Green has previously been linked to the job.Green has completed his third season in charge of the Vancouver Canucks' American Hockey League affiliate in Utica. He guided the team to a Calder Cup Final last season.He has one year remaining on his contract, which includes an out clause.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Back-checking is evidently overrated.With six Dallas Stars skaters unlawfully transitioning into the St. Louis zone, sniper Vladimir Tarasenko's curious decision to not exit the opponents' half paid off in a major way for the home side.That's Jaden Schwartz who gobbled up the turnover and fed Tarasenko, who had all the time in the world to spot an opening in Kari Lehtonen's protection.Amazingly, the sixth Stars skater didn't join the rush - he was defending in his own zone.(Courtesy: NBCSN)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bruce Boudreau has landed in Ottawa and will reportedly meet with the Senators about their coaching vacancy before the end of the week.The former Anaheim Ducks head coach arrived in Canada's capital Thursday night in preparation for a face-to-face interview with Senators general manager Pierre Dorion on Friday, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen reports."My daughter lives here, my granddaughter who I don't get to see too often and she's only (18 months) and actually all my family is back East," Boudreau told Garrioch from his Ottawa hotel Thursday night."That's always a really compelling thing. Ottawa itself is compelling itself because (the Senators have) the opportunity to be a pretty good team and they've got a lot of pretty good pieces in place."Boudreau, who has already interviewed with the Minnesota Wild, said it's been a hectic week."It really has. Since it's last Friday it's been pretty crazy, just with the phone blowing up, but I've gone through it before so I know the phone blows up a lot when these things happen."Senators owner Eugene Melnyk said Wednesday that he expected the list of coaching candidates to be narrowed down to two by Friday.Bob Hartley, Mike Yeo, Guy Boucher, Randy Carlyle, Marc Crawford, Benoit Groulx, and Kevin Dineen are also on Dorion's list, according to Garrioch.At least six of the candidates have reportedly already been interviewed.Boudreau was fired by the Ducks last Friday, two days after Anaheim was eliminated in Game 7 of its first-round playoff series against the Nashville Predators.The Senators fired former head coach Dave Cameron on April 12 after missing the playoffs with a record of 38-35-9.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Two top seeds and another division champion make up the three nominees for the Jack Adams Award.Barry Trotz of the President's Trophy-winning Washington Capitals, Lindy Ruff of the 109-point Dallas Stars, and Gerard Gallant of the Atlantic Division champion Florida Panthers were voted as the three finalists for the NHL's Coach of the Year on Thursday.Trotz guided the Capitals to a franchise-best 56 wins in his second season at the helm. His team finished second in both goals for and goals against, and finished top five in both power play and penalty kill.The Stars, owners of the league's most prolific offense, finished five points off the club's franchise-best point total from their Stanley Cup season in 1998-99. Ruff's third Jack Adams nomination comes in his third season with Dallas.Florida set franchise records in wins and points, and established franchise marks for home and overall win streaks under Gallant's organization. He's a first-time nominee.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

So Jaromir Jagr does rest. And isn't always asleep for selfies.Shortly after signing a one-year deal to return to the Florida Panthers - a contract that will make for a 28th season of pro hockey - Jagr traded in his weighted vest for a beach towel, and used a selfie to explain his rationale.Facebook translates Jagr's caption to: "In Florida we love it. That's why I'm glad I made a deal with the Panthers on the renewal of contracts for another year."Jagr will earn at least $4 million next season in a bonus-laden agreement that will see him play through his 45th birthday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The National Hockey League will match the donations made by two of its clubs to aid wildfire relief in Fort McMurray, Alberta.The league announced Thursday that it is donating $100,000 to the Canadian Red Cross relief efforts in the region, where more than 80,000 residents have been forced to evacuate."The National Hockey League family stands with all who have been affected by the devastating fires in Fort McMurray," commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement."We send thoughts of support and encouragement to our neighbors as they confront the physical and emotional impacts of this disaster."Alberta's NHL teams, the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, pledged Wednesday to donate $100,000 each to the cause, encouraging fans and business partners to contribute.The St. Louis Blues announced Wednesday that proceeds from their 50/50 raffle and a silent auction will go towards families displaced by the fires.Blues forward Scottie Upshall is from Fort McMurray and is among several NHLers affected.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A pair of Philadelphia Flyers will be representing their home countries at the upcoming World Championship.Pierre-Edouard Bellemare will play for France, while Christian Marti is joining team Switzerland, the Flyers announced Thursday.Bellemare led all Flyers forwards in shorthanded ice time and collected 14 points in 74 games this season. Since 2003, he's only missed one opportunity to represent France in the tournament, and that was due to injury last season.Marti spent most of his 2015-16 campaign with the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms, appearing in 27 games. He also played in two contests for the ECHL's Reading Royals.The World Championship begins Friday in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaromir Jagr isn't going anywhere.The legendary forward has agreed to a one-year deal to remain with the Florida Panthers, the club announced Thursday.The extension is worth $4 million with another possible $1.5 million in bonuses for games played, reports Sportsnet's Chris Johnston."Jaromir is a Hall of Fame player and had an excellent season playing alongside Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau," said general manager Dale Tallon. "His track record speaks for itself, ranking third all time in points and goals. He has been a great fit with our organization and we are excited to have him back for next season.""Jaromir has had a tremendous influence on our younger players and has been a key offensive contributor on our team," added head coach Gerard Gallant. "We are happy to have him back as we look to build off this year’s playoff appearance."The 44-year-old led the Panthers with 66 points (27 goals, 39 assists) in 79 regular-season games. He also passed Gordie Howe (1,850) to claim third all time in points, and sits only 19 points back of Mark Messier for second.Jagr is also a finalist for the 2016 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.He recorded only two assists in six games as the Atlantic Division winners fell in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, perhaps providing further impetus to return and try to go out on the highest of notes - unless, that is, he makes good on his ambition to play into his 50s.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Chayka was officially named the new general manager of the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.Chayka, 26, joined the club last season as assistant general manager/analytics, and, under Don Maloney, was involved in all areas of hockey operations."We're very pleased to name John as our new general manager," said Gary Drummond, who was also appointed president of hockey operations Thursday. "John is among the best and brightest minds in hockey. He is knowledgeable and driven and has an incredible passion for the game. He brings an innovative approach to assessing talent and looking at player development and combined with his strong analytics expertise, we feel that he's the right choice for the direction we want to go with our franchise.""I am extremely grateful for this opportunity," Chayka said. "(The Coyotes) are excited about the challenge ahead and focused on taking our team to the next level. We have a great core of players and prospects here and a very bright future ahead of us."Chayka comes from a heavy analytics background, which will likely be evident in how he goes about his role.

The Arizona Coyotes signed Dave Tippett to a five-year extension, the team announced on Thursday. He'll serve as the club's head coach and executive vice president of hockey operations. The Coyotes announced the deal as they introduced new general manager John Chayka.In addition to his duties behind the bench, Tippett, who has been with the organization since the 2009-10 season, will be involved in the team's hockey personnel decisions as well.Arizona owns a 193-126-57 record in the five years with Tippet at the helm.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome is bribing fans in an attempt to land former junior teammate, Connor McDavid, on the cover of NHL 17.Strome took to Twitter on Thursday asking fans to retweet him 2,500 times in an effort to score McDavid some votes to be on the cover of the next installment of the popular hockey video game.Strome promised that if he hit his target of retweets, he would post an embarrassing picture of the Edmonton Oilers' star.Just over an hour later Strome hit his goal and below was the result:

The St. Louis Blues don't impress them much.In advance of a huge Game 4 on Thursday, the Dallas Stars spent part of the day blaring Shania Twain jams in the dressing room.The players enjoyed an audience in the form of waiting media members.

Brad Richards plans to clear his head before deciding if he wants to give it another go in the NHL.The Detroit Red Wings forward is coming off his 15th season in the league and admits the last three years have been draining."Going to go get away and relax for a bit," Richards said last week, according to MLive.com's Brendan Savage. "Three teams in three years, a lot of hockey, so I think mentally I think I need to just go recharge the batteries."Richards had 10 goals and 28 points in 68 games in his first season with the Red Wings - a team that faltered in the first round of the playoffs, but that he still felt honored playing for."It's an honor to play for this organization," said Richards. "I think it's one of the Original Six great traditions. But I'm talking to you today and I've been fortunate the last two years to play 'til June and you get spoiled. Watching playoff games now and there's nothing like that time of year."As far as playing for the Wings and wearing the jersey, all that stuff's been an honor. But obviously the season didn't go the way I wanted it to or the team wanted it to."Richards' totals with the Red Wings were the lowest of his career and marked the sixth-straight season in which his points per game has declined.The 2004 Conn Smythe Trophy winner enjoyed his 36th birthday Monday and admits the thought of retirement is looming."Guys that I grew up and started my career with are retiring," said Richards. "It's probably going to creep into my mind here in the next month a little bit too in what I want to do. I'm not there yet where I want to say I'm retiring. I need to get away and kind of see mentally how I feel and where I'm at."It's a young man's game now and it's hard to start a family and all that stuff and put in the time and effort it takes to stay in shape against some of these young guys. You do have to make sure you're 100 percent all in mentally. The offseasons so big at this age."If Richards calls it a career, he'll conclude his time in the league with 298 goals and 932 points.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan Reaves doesn't get why his blown kiss is a big deal to the Dallas Stars.The gritty St. Louis Blues forward directed the gesture towards the Stars' bench after a fight with Curtis McKenzie in Game 3, and Dallas captain Jamie Benn took great exception.No big deal, says Reaves.

There's nothing quite like an endorsement from the game's all-time greatest defenseman.Trevor Daley can now boast about this distinction after Bobby Orr repeatedly praised his game to Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford.And when the opportunity to add the blue-liner by way of Chicago presented itself earlier this season, Rutherford jumped.Related: 4 trades paying huge dividends for the Penguins"I've liked Trevor his whole career," Rutherford said, according to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. "My friend Bobby Orr had been telling me for five years how good he is. I've always agreed with him, but just could never swing a deal for him. It's our good fortune that things didn't work out for him in Chicago. He became available; we were looking for more speed to our defense and (to) get a better transition game."Daley, who never fit in during his limited time with the Blackhawks, played a huge role in Pittsburgh's Game 4 overtime win over the Washington Capitals.Called to step up in the absence of a suspended Kris Letang, Daley saw almost 29 minutes of ice time, scored once on three shots, and was on the ice for all of Pittsburgh's goals.Orr apparently knows good defensemen when he sees them.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Everybody loves Patric.Related: Watch: Hornqvist's OT winner puts Capitals on brink of eliminationThe Pittsburgh Penguins have the Washington Capitals on the ropes thanks to a Patric Hornqvist overtime goal in Game 4 on Wednesday, giving Pittsburgh a commanding 3-1 series lead. The goal was the 29-year-old's second of the series and the latest accolade to get his coach's attention."It's hard not to love this guy," Sullivan said of Hornqvist, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby. "He just loves hockey. He loves being around it. He loves to compete. He's full of energy. He wears his emotions right on his sleeve, sometimes to a fault, but we love him."It's no surprise that the young Swede is garnering such affection, his goal Wednesday night increased his team playoff lead by two.In fact, Hornqvist's five goals through nine playoff contests has him tied for fourth in postseason goal scoring, just two tallies behind Tampa Bay Lighting forward Nikita Kucherov for top spot.Continued production from Hornqvist adds to an already potent lineup that includes superstars Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, making the Penguins a legitimate threat to capture Lord Stanley's Mug.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thanks to an overtime win in Game 4 on Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins are one win away from eliminating the Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington Capitals and advancing to the Eastern Conference finals.And much of the credit goes to the Penguins' depth.Upon assuming the role of general manager in 2014, Jim Rutherford inherited a roster built around Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Marc-Andre Fleury. Three of them continue to make a huge impact, while rookie Matt Murray has risen up to steal the show in net.Rutherford pulled off a blockbuster deal last summer that added star winger Phil Kessel to the mix, but that's only one of a handful of savvy moves that helped the club get where it is today.Here's a look at four other acquisitions paying huge dividends for the Penguins.Patric HornqvistIn one of Rutherford's first moves as GM, James Neal was sent to Nashville in exchange for Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling.Currently slotted to Crosby's right on the Penguins' top line, Hornqvist has quietly been an effective scorer for Pittsburgh, scoring 47 goals in 126 regular-season games.Hornqvist scored the overtime winner in Wednesday's Game 4, marking his team-leading fifth of the playoffs - tied for third among all players.His previous single-postseason high in points was four in 10 games with Nashville back in 2012, which he's already doubled in one fewer contest. With at least another round likely on tap, Hornqvist appears set to fully justify Rutherford's decision to jettison a former 40-goal scorer.Trevor DaleyAcquired straight up from Chicago in December for Rob Scuderi, Trevor Daley has proven to be an effective and mobile puck-moving defenseman for the Penguins.In nine playoff games, he's recorded one goal, four assists, and 18 shots while averaging over 23 minutes of ice time a night.Daley also stepped up huge Wednesday in the absence of Kris Letang, who was serving a one-game suspension.

Barry Trotz knows his club missed a golden opportunity.Related: Hornqvist's OT winner puts Capitals on brink of eliminationThe head coach acknowledged his Washington Capitals blew a chance to even their second-round series in Game 4 against a Pittsburgh Penguins team missing their best defenseman, Kris Letang."We didn't take advantage of it," Trotz said after the 3-2 overtime loss. "When Kris got the suspension, (we knew) they were going to rally ... (the Penguins) knew that everybody (on their team) had to step up on their side and I thought they did."Letang was suspended one game for his hit on Capitals forward Marcus Johansson in Game 3.The Penguins were also without defenseman Olli Maatta, who's still recovering from a hit by Capitals blue-liner Brooks Orpik that drew a three-game suspension.Earlier Wednesday, Trotz made a point of emphasizing the need to seize the moment in Game 4.

It all appeared to be unraveling when Sidney Crosby took a slash across the hands from Alex Ovechkin in a tie game in the third period, resulting in him taking his stick to the walls that line the tunnel, and hack off paint with every swing.But after recovering feeling in his hand, returning to the ice, and watching Patric Hornqvist lift the Pittsburgh Penguins to a Game 4 win and series stranglehold over the Washington Capitals, the captain was able to see the humor in his off-ice explosion."I was a little scared there for a little bit," he laughed in an interview with CBC's Scott Oake. "It didn't feel too good."He explained that wasn't all frustration at the time; he was genuinely worried that his counterpart's slash had done a little damage."When it initially happened I didn't think it was good," he said, according to Jonas Siegel of the Canadian Press. "I didn't know if I was going to be coming back or not."He was even willing to let Ovechkin's stick work slide."I don't think there was any intention there. He was trying to clear it. I'm trying to keep the puck in. He's trying to make sure that I don't. He caught me there but that's part of it."An ice bag and a 3-1 series lead will do.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals are in trouble.Pittsburgh Penguins forward Patric Hornqvist took advantage of a miscue by Capitals defenseman Mike Weber and buried the overtime winner Wednesday night to give the Penguins a 3-1 lead in their second-round series.Pittsburgh snapped a streak of eight consecutive playoff overtime losses and improved to 8-3 all time in postseason overtime games against the Capitals.The series now shifts back to Washington for Game 5 on Saturday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We reached the halfway mark of the Penguins-Capitals second-round series without Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin feeding the narrative of a bitter rivalry. But in the third period of Game 4, we may finally have the antecedent for discord.After taking a slash across the hand from Ovechkin, Crosby headed down the tunnel in considerable pain, smashing his stick on the wall on his way to the room.He returned after a few shifts, but continued to have his left hand and wrist looked at by the medical team on the bench.

Corey Perry seemed like an obvious choice among Anaheim Ducks when the Canadian brain-trust released its initial roster for this summer's World Cup of Hockey.He boasted team highs with 26 goals and 41 primary points at the time, and, unlike Ryan Getzlaf, wasn't competing with Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, and Patrice Bergeron for one of the center-ice positions on the roster.But when it was the Ducks' captain named to the team, not Perry, and after the club was eliminated in the first round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the talented scoring winger is now in Russia, continuing his World Cup campaign at the World Championship."Oh definitely it's in the back of your mind," Perry told TSN's Ryan Rishaug when asked about the World Cup factoring in his decision to come overseas. "You want to prove yourself any chance that you get. That's another stepping stone and everybody in that dressing room is probably doing the same thing."You gotta go out, do the right things, and prove yourself all over again."He added: "When your country calls, you don't turn down these opportunities too often. You want to play for your country."Taylor Hall, Matt Duchene, Brad Marchand, Ryan O'Reilly, and Brendan Gallagher are also in Russia, and thought to be in consideration. It's a scenario that's ostensibly contributed to Canada bringing over an immensely talented roster.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The principal point of contact remains, but no one's getting suspended for this collision.At a high rate of speed, and with a bump from trailing defender Dmitry Orlov, on-rushing Pittsburgh Penguins forward Carl Hagelin toppled over Braden Holtby as he crashed into the Washington Capitals crease, spiking head-first into the ice.Hagelin picked himself up off the ice unscathed.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin doesn't have to win a championship to add something entirely new to his trophy case this summer.The Washington Capitals sniper was named one of three finalists for the Mark Messier Leadership award, joining John Tavares of the New York islanders and Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators.The recognition, which has been awarded nine times previously, is reserved for the player who denotes superior leadership within their sport through on-ice performance, motivation of team members, and dedication to community activities.Jonathan Toews was selected by Messier for the honor last season.Neither Tavares, Weber, or Ovechkin, whose leadership has been a contentious topic in the past, have won the award previously.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers are relocating the farm.Florida's American Hockey League outfit - the Portland Pirates - has signed a letter of intent to relocate the franchise, the team announced Wednesday.The filed paperwork officially ends a 23-season run in Maine.According to Glenn Jordan of the Portland Press Herald, the Pirates will resurface in Springfield, Mass., and replace the Falcons, who were purchased last month by the Arizona Coyotes with the intent to move to Tucson, Ariz.The Panthers released this statement via executive chairman Peter Luukko:

The Ottawa Senators have been busy whittling down the candidates for their vacant head coaching position.Senators owner Eugene Melnyk told Prime Time Sports on Sportsnet 590 The Fan on Wednesday that he expects GM Pierre Dorion to present a shortlist of two candidates by Friday.Melnyk added that he will talk to the two finalists, but likely ultimately side with Dorion's recommendation.Bruce Boudreau, the highly successful regular-season coach only recently fired by the Anaheim Ducks, is expected to interview later this week and Bob Hartley, who received his walking papers Tuesday from the Calgary Flames, is also expected to receive a call.Mike Yeo, Guy Boucher, Randy Carlyle, Kevin Dineen, and Benoit Groulx have already held discussions with Dorion, Bryan Murray, and the Senators, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Chayka is reportedly about to become the youngest general manager in NHL history.The Arizona Coyotes are expected to name the 26-year-old assistant general manager their new GM at a press conference Thursday, as first reported by ESPN's Craig Custance.Head coach Dave Tippett is also expected to receive a larger role in the organization, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie and Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.The Coyotes fired former general manager Don Maloney last month.Chayka and Dallas Stars scouting director Les Jackson were reportedly the final two candidates, with Chayka being the most likely, as Friedman and McKenzie reported in April.Arizona hired Chayka as assistant GM last June. The analytics expert co-founded and ran Stathletes, Inc., an Ontario-based company that provided hockey statistics and touted itself as having "professional hockey's deepest performance data and analytics."He was involved in all areas of hockey operations in his role as assistant GM, including player evaluation at the NHL, minor-league, and amateur levels, as well as player development and coaching support.The youngest GM in league history was Gord Stellick, who was hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs as a 30-year-old in 1988 before resigning the following year.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Shane Doan couldn't pass up an opportunity to show some Canadian pride.The Arizona Coyotes captain took a playful jab at the film "Miracle" - which depicts the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's hockey team that pulled off the improbable "Miracle On Ice" - during a radio appearance Wednesday afternoon.

Jonathan Toews might have the captaincy and Cup rings, but he lacks social media savvy - at least in the eyes of Patrick Kane.In response to Kane wishing him happy birthday over Twitter, Toews had to call out his fellow $10.5-million teammate on the social media platform in order to gain his follow.

Most NHL dreams are forged on the rinks in small towns considered the backbone of Canada and the United States. Few towns are more representative than Fort McMurray, Alberta - the province's northeastern natural resource hub currently being engulfed by sweeping wildfires.Chris Phillips is one NHLer who's roots trace back to Fort McMurray. His sister and her immediate family have been safely evacuated from the area, but that doesn't make the harrowing visuals of the town that gave him his start much easier to digest.

Justin Schultz is being called upon to play for, but not replace, Kris Letang.Letang will sit Game 4 against the Washington Capitals after being suspended one game, and while tabbing Schultz to fill a hole in the lineup, Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan expects a team effort in the absence of one of their best players."I don't think anybody's going to try to become Kris Letang because we don't have him tonight," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told reporters after the morning skate. "We're just going to be ourselves. We're going to play our game. We're going to try to play to our strengths and we'll see where it goes."Schultz hasn't played since Game 1 of the first round (three weeks ago), and will look to keep things simple."I'm not going to replace him by no means," Schultz said of Letang. "I haven't played for a while so just try to move my feet, jump up when I can, and have fun."Schultz was paired with Ian Cole in practice. He recorded a goal and seven assists in 18 regular season games with the Penguins.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Katie Lamb will be providing preview content for the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes for theScore this season. Katie's horse-racing coverage has appeared in The New York Times and the Toronto Star.If J. Paul Reddam had his way, two Nyquists would be battling it out for the headlines in the sports pages.The Windsor, Ontario native and lifelong Detroit Red Wings fan is also the owner of the Kentucky Derby favorite, Nyquist, who Reddam named after Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist.But after a stinging loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the NHL Playoffs, in which Gustav Nyquist only managed to score a single goal in five games, Reddam can only hope the right winger’s big, bay namesake can prevail in the Run for the Roses on May 7.“There's a story that the Stanley Cup is going to be at the barn on Saturday morning,” Reddam said over the phone from Los Angeles. “I don’t know if we’ll be so frivolous to have the horse drink out of it and get a photo. He’ll be the only Nyquist drinking out the Cup - that’s for sure.”Reddam gave the horse its name as a way to rib friend Eric Johnson, a defenseman for the Colorado Avalanche, who refused to join the Red Wings. He also races Mrazek, named after his beloved team’s goaltender, Petr Mrazek.Based in California with trainer Doug O’Neill, the 3-year-old colt rolls into the big dance undefeated in his seven starts to date, having most recently won the Florida Derby on April 2 at Gulfstream Park in Florida. A $400,000 purchase as a 2-year-old, Nyquist won four stakes races that first year on the track - Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile - and was voted Eclipse Award champion 2-year-old.Nyquist is by the white-hot sire Uncle Mo, who has two other Derby entrants in Outwork and Mo Tom, a remarkable accomplishment considering these individuals are a part of his first crop of 3-year-olds.Mario Guiterrez, who has ridden Nyquist in all of his starts, will pilot him on Saturday.Four years ago, Reddam, Guiterrez, and O’Neill arrived at Churchill Downs with 12-1 shot I’ll Have Another, and left Kentucky Derby victors. Two weeks later, they won the Preakness, too. Then, a day before Belmont Stakes and a bid for the Triple Crown, I’ll Have Another suffered an injury to his tendon and was scratched. He subsequently retired.This time, Reddam has the favorite and there is pressure that comes with racing an undefeated champion in the world’s most important race for 3-year-olds.“The playoffs you can make mistakes in the final and still win the Cup," he said. "In the Derby, all this anticipation that’s been building and will continue to build to Saturday, boom they pop the gate and it’s over in two minutes and you’re either a hero or a goat.“Here for us running second would just be a loss.”There are questions if Nyquist will have the stamina for the 1-mile-1/4 distance of the Derby, as it will be the farthest he’s ever run. But more concerning to Reddam is the post. In addition to running the longest race of his career, Nyquist will have to navigate the track amid 19 others, more foes than he’s ever faced in his life. Reddam said he’d like a stall in the gate “toward the outside,” that way he hopes his colt can stay out of trouble and sail home.“We just want a clear trip. And if he’s the best horse, he’ll win, and, if he’s not, he won’t versus having an excuse,” he said.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Steven Stamkos will not be supplanted as the face of the Tampa Bay Lightning anytime soon.So believes Dave Andreychuk, the club's vice president of corporate and community affairs, who said as much on Sportsnet's Hockey Central on Wednesday."I still believe that (general manager) Steve Yzerman is trying whatever he can do to sign Steven Stamkos, and I believe it will happen," Andreychuk said."Even with all this going on, I think it will happen. He's been around the team, he's obviously on the trip here to New York. He's been very positive with the guys, so he's doing what he can do as the captain of this team.""All this" refers to a blood clot and subsequent surgery that has kept Stamkos off the ice during the playoffs. Several players have stepped up in his absence, most notably Nikita Kucherov, who leads the postseason with seven goals.The Russian's performance has led some to believe the Lightning would be fine without Stamkos, taking that cap savings and spreading it elsewhere.Andreychuk, who won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2004, disagrees, fully believing it's Stamkos that the team must continue to be built around.From Hockey Central:

Marcus Johansson appears set to resume play following a day off with an apparent upper-body injury.The Washington Capitals forward will be available for Wednesday's Game 4 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, a day after being held off the ice with an injury suffered from a Kris Letang hit delivered in Game 3.Letang was slapped with a one-game suspension and will make his return to the series in Game 5.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jonathan Drouin is writing quite a redemption story.The eccentric Lightning forward found himself in the spotlight again Tuesday after Tampa Bay won Game 3 in overtime by a score of 5-4.First, Drouin was victim of a colossal hit courtesy of New York Islanders defenseman Thomas Hickey. After leaving the contest, the winger returned to set up the game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation, much to the delight of head coach Jon Cooper."Pretty cool he was the guy that set up the game-winner," Cooper said postgame.The 21-year-old has turned into a focal point for the Lightning due to his play, rather than the off-ice antics that soured his regular season."He came back to be a hockey player, and it's been a pleasure to coach him," Cooper said. "He's injected some life into our team. He's been great to be around."Drouin has recorded eight points in eight games during his postseason emergence, and he's just getting started, according to his coach."The story's not over," Cooper added. "We're in the first couple chapters. This guy is going to write one heck of a hockey story for himself."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brian Boyle will not face a hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety after a hit levied on Thomas Hickey of the New York Islanders moments prior to scoring an overtime game winner in Tuesday's Game 3.Hickey, who laid a thunderous hit on Jonathan Drouin earlier in the game, will also not face a hearing.Here's a look at the two hits in question, beginning with Boyle on Hickey, which Islanders head coach Jack Capuano called "a direct shot to the head":And here's Hickey on Drouin:Drouin was able to return to the game and set up a late, tying goal, while no update was given on Hickey by Capuano on Wednesday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the time being, the Pittsburgh Penguins are Matt Murray's team.The 21-year-old has emerged as the story of the playoffs, posting a 5-1 record thus far. His most recent performance was his best: a 47-save winning effort in Game 3 versus the Washington Capitals.Related: Penguins must stick with Matt MurrayAlthough Murray was the center of attention after the game, Marc-Andre Fleury was the story prior to puck drop. The Penguins' franchise goaltender was cleared to play for the fist time since suffering a concussion March 31.Fleury served as Murray's backup Monday night and will likely remain in that spot going forward, which he's okay with."That's fine. I haven't played in a month now," Fleury told Jenn Menendez of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "What's important is us winning. Matty's giving us a chance to win every night he's been in there. I'll stay ready. I'll encourage him. It's not a personal game. It's a team game."Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan is happy to have Fleury available and both goalies ready to go."He's a good person, he understands the circumstance and he rolls with it," Sullivan said. "As players, all that you can do is control that which is in your control. Good for us that we have a healthy Marc-Andre Fleury right now. ... He's going to do everything he can to make sure that he's sharp when the time comes, and we need him to help us win. In the meantime, he's doing a great job with Matt."The Penguins' second-round series continues Wednesday night with Murray between the pipes for Game 4.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

David Backes is stepping up when it matters most.Not only has the St. Louis Blues captain played a major role in getting the team to within two wins of the Western Conference Finals, he's also putting himself in position to pull in a nice paycheck at season's end.First, the presentFollowing a two-goal performance in Tuesday's Game 3 against the Dallas Stars, Backes is on the verge of setting a team record for game-winning goals in a single postseason.

Following a surprise run to the playoffs in 2014-15, the Calgary Flames regressed this season, failing to qualify for the playoffs and plummeting two spots to the No. 6 selection in June's draft as a result of Saturday's draft lottery.After winning the 2015 Jack Adams Award for leading Calgary to the postseason, head coach Bob Hartley was fired Tuesday and now Flames brass is focused on turning the page.Team president Brian Burke and general manager Brad Treliving share a familiar vision for the Flames.As a guest on Sportsnet's "Prime Time Sports," Burke spoke on behalf of Treliving to outline their ideas for the team."He wants a physical team," Burke told Bob McCown and John Shannon. "A big, aggressive team. And a truculent team. I hate to use that term because it'll make everyone laugh but our vision is that we want that kind of team. We like that kind of hockey. Our fans like it and we think it's essential to winning in the West."Truculence, of course, is a staple of Burke's lexicon. It was his vision for the Maple Leafs during his tenure as GM in Toronto, but the dream never came to fruition.That could change in Calgary."We want to be a black and blue team," Burke continued. "A top six, bottom six type (of) team that likes it rough. A puck possession team. So plenty of skill in the top six. We think we have that core group here."Calgary has skilled core pieces to build around up front in Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau, but shoddy goaltending hindered the Flames all season long. Burke believes size was just as much of a factor in his club's struggles."We think puck possession is hard to come by and we prefer puck possession play to what we played, which was chip it in and go get it," he said. "We didn't have a big enough team to back it up."A busy offseason lies ahead for Burke and Treliving, as the coaching market continues to grow and the draft approaches.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars aren't pinning a Game 3 beat down on poor goaltending.The St. Louis Blues dominated Dallas to the tune of a 6-1 win en route to a 2-1 series lead on Tuesday, out shooting the Stars 39-26.It marked the second game in a row in which Stars head coach Lindy Ruff was forced to make a change in net, but defenseman Alex Goligoski was sure to emphasize the loss should not be pinned solely on the goalies."It hasn't been a goalie issue, really," Goligoski said after the loss, according to Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com. "We're giving up some big chances at bad times, early in games. We're putting pucks in places we're not supposed to, and they've been a little harder on some battles and put them in the back of our net. Give (the Blues) a little credit."But losing confidence in our goalies is not an issue. It's our game. It's been that way all season."The Stars have indeed struggled in their own end all season long, ranking 19th in goals against during the regular season while boasting the league's top offense. The defensive woes have carried over to the playoffs, and it certainly doesn't help that star center Tyler Seguin remains sidelined, further hindering the Stars from controlling play.Still, there's no denying the dual-goalie setup - with Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi continuing to split starts - isn't working, as evidenced by the Stars' .889 save percentage, the lowest among the eight teams remaining in the playoffs.The starter for Game 4 is anyone's guess at this point, but it doesn't seem to matter to Jamie Benn."We should be better as a group," Benn said. "That's the bottom line."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ST. LOUIS - Alexander Steen and David Backes had two goals apiece and the St. Louis Blues' defense put the clamps on the Dallas Stars in a 6-1 victory that put them up 2-1 in the second-round series Tuesday night.Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and two assists, Troy Brouwer had a goal and assist and Brian Elliott was strong when he needed to be for the Blues in their first lopsided triumph of the postseason. Their other five wins were decided by one goal.The Blues finished two points behind Western Conference champion Dallas in the regular season and have control of the series heading into Game 4 Thursday night in St. Louis. Despite a late start - more than 1 1/2 hours past the usual puck drop - the vast majority of a standing-room crowd of 19,323 stuck around to the finish.St. Louis scored six unanswered goals after Colton Sceviour gave Dallas the early advantage, three coming in a breakaway second period. Steen capped the big second period with a power-play goal, matching his postseason career high for goals in a game.Antti Niemi was the lone major lineup change for Game 3, replacing Kari Lehtonen in the Stars' net after playing effectively the last two periods plus overtime in Game 2. That switch didn't last long, and it didn't matter.Lehtonen was back early in the second after Niemi allowed three goals on 12 shots.The third period turned nasty when Stephen Johns boarded Alex Pietrangelo with 3:01 to go, leading to a pummeling of Curtis McKenzie by Blues regulator Ryan Reaves. Backes scored his fifth of the postseason during the 4-on-4, giving the captain his first career multi-goal game.Tarasenko also had a three-point game in the first round against Chicago. He's the first St. Louis player with multiple three-point games in the postseason since Doug Weight also had two in 2003. He has 15 goals in 23 career playoff games.Sceviour tapped in his own rebound for the Stars' lone goal at 4:44 of the first. Just 1:07 later, Steen tied it on a play that developed off a turnover by Alex Goligoski.Backes, who got the winning goal on an overtime power play in Game 2, put St. Louis ahead on another power play on a deflection at 16:10.The Stars just missed a chance to tie it late in the period. Jason Demers' shot off the crossbar was ruled a goal on the ice but was waved off after video review.The rest was all St. Louis.Brouwer skated in alone for his third goal of the postseason, Tarasenko scored off Goligoski's skate and Steen scored on a power play.NOTES: The Blues' margin of victory matched their largest in the playoffs since a 6-1 decision in Game 4 of the first round last season at Minnesota. ... Earlier in the day, Stars coach Lindy Ruff said F Patrick Eaves (lower body) could return for Game 4, and should be back by Game 5 at the latest. ... Counting the postseason, Blues D Kevin Shattenkirk has 25 points in 25 games against Dallas. ... Steen also had two goals against the Kings on April 30, 2013.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan Reaves just wants your extra time and your ... kiss.The St. Louis Blues agitator directed a show of affection toward the Dallas Stars bench after fighting Curtis McKenzie in the waning moments of Game 3 on Tuesday night.Teammate Kevin Shattenkirk then imitated Reaves on the Blues bench, as the game operations crew at Scottrade Center played Prince's "Kiss."Reaves fought McKenzie in response to Stars defenseman Stephen Johns' hit from behind on Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.You can watch the full sequence here.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nashville Predators head coach Peter Laviolette wasn't interested in going into detail about his decision to scratch Mike Ribeiro for Game 3 against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night."It's just a lineup decision that I made," Laviolette told reporters following the Predators' 4-1 win, according to Adam Vingan of The Tennessean.Ribeiro recorded only one point in nine playoff games before sitting Tuesday, and managed only three combined shots on goal in the first two games of the second-round series.Pontus Aberg made his NHL debut in Ribeiro's absence, logging 8:27 of ice time with no points or shots on goal.The Predators defeated the Sharks 4-1 to cut San Jose's second-round series lead to 2-1.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.