NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Shea Weber scored the go-ahead goal and had an assist and the Nashville Predators beat the San Jose Sharks 4-1 Tuesday night to pull within 2-1 in their Western Conference second-round series.James Neal and Filip Forsberg each scored on the power-play, Colin Wilson had a goal, and Pekka Rinne made 26 saves for Nashville.Patrick Marleau scored for the Sharks, who lost for the first time away from San Jose this postseason and first since a loss at Arizona on March 17.Game 4 is Thursday night.The Predators not only lost the first two in San Jose, but were facing the NHL's best regular-season road team. The Sharks also went 4-2 in Nashville in winning first-round series in both 2006 and 2007.Nashville has not lost a game in regulation on home ice to San Jose since Feb. 25, 2012, with the lone defeat in seven games a shootout loss April 2. This time, the Predators shut down the Sharks' power play, killing four penalties after San Jose went 3 of 5 in the first two games.Predators coach Peter Laviolette switched up his lineup with Mike Ribeiro a healthy scratch in place of Pontus Aberg making his NHL debut. Ribeiro had only one assist in nine postseason games and a minus-3 rating. Laviolette also put Craig Smith, Forsberg and Ryan Johansen together on the top line and moved Neal with Mike Fisher and Wilson.For a little extra mojo, the Predators brought Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota onto the ice before the puck dropped to rally the fans.The Sharks scored first. Marleau got the puck and skated past the Nashville defense for an easy wrister into an open net, catching Rinne too far from the crease at 13:13. But San Jose failed to convert on two man-advantages in the period.In the second, Sharks right wing Joonas Donskoi got a double-minor for high-sticking Neal at 2:19. Neal finally scored on the power play at 5:11 with a one-timer from the edge of the right circle off a pass from Mattias Ekholm. With Matt Nieto in the box for hooking Johansen, Smith joined him a minute later setting up 60 seconds of 4-on-4 play.Weber gave the Predators their first lead since the opening goal of Game 1 with a blast from the slot that beat Martin Jones high to his glove side with 13 seconds left in 4-on-4. Then, Nashville killed off the ensuing power play.Nashville forward Colton Sissons had to be helped off the ice at 6:09 of the third after his left knee crashed into the post while he was chasing down a loose puck. No penalty was called, and went to the locker room after coming off. He was back on the bench late in the game.Wilson then padded the Predators' lead at 6:55, scoring off the rebound of Ryan Ellis' shot. Forsberg added his power-play goal and just second goal of the postseason at 15:49.NOTES: Weber's goal tied him with David Legwand for most in Nashville postseason history with 13. Weber reached that mark in his 55th game, while Legwand did it in 47. ... The Sharks now are 5-4 in Game 3s when leading a series 2-0 and snapped a streak of three straight wins in such situations.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After watching Brian Boyle score the overtime winner for the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 3 shortly after he crushed defenseman Thomas Hickey, New York Islanders head coach Jack Capuano said the hit should have been penalized.

It looked like Jonathan Drouin's night might be over after he took a crushing hit from Thomas Hickey earlier in the game, but the Tampa Bay Lightning forward came back to save his team late in Game 3.Related: Islanders' Hickey flattens Jonathan Drouin with huge hitWith goalie Ben Bishop pulled in the final minute, the 21-year-old picked up his seventh assist of the playoffs by setting up Nikita Kucherov, who scored his team-leading seventh goal to tie the game at four with 39 seconds remaining.The game would remain tied through 60 minutes. Tuesday marked the Lightning's first overtime game of the playoffs, while the Islanders won all three games that needed extra time during their first-round series against the Florida Panthers.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nashville Predators head coach Peter Laviolette is shaking up his offense with his team down 2-0 in its second-round series, scratching veteran forward Mike Ribeiro for Game 3 against the San Jose Sharks.Ribeiro recorded 50 points in 81 games in the regular season, but his struggles so far in the playoffs are hard to ignore:

A half-dozen members of the Minnesota Wild will play in the upcoming World Hockey Championship.Mikko Koivu and Mikael Granlund will represent Finland, Nino Niederreiter and Christoph Bertschy will play for Switzerland, Matt Dumba is donning the maple leaf for Canada, and Jordan Schroeder will suit up for the United States, the club announced Tuesday.Dumba's participation was revealed last month.The World Championship exhibition schedule is already underway, and the tournament officially begins Friday in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang has been suspended one game for interference on Washington Capitals forward Marcus Johansson in Game 3.The Department of Player Safety handed down their decision Tuesday, noting that Letang's hit came outside the allowable time in which a player may finish a check.The department also noted that Johansson's head was not the main point of contact.Related: Capitals' Johansson not skating following Letang hitDuring Monday's game, Letang was only issued a two-minute minor for interference, while Johansson also returned to the game.Letang will miss Game 4, dealing a heavy blow to the Penguins' back end as the 29-year-old ranks third among remaining players in the postseason in ice time, averaging 29:14 a night.The Penguins blue-liner will be eligible to return Saturday for Game 5 in Washington.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Given the chance, Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson would like to hand out his own kind of discipline to Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang.The defender will have a hearing Tuesday in reference to his high hit on Capitals forward Marcus Johansson in Game 3, but Wilson still appears vengeful."I'd love to be able to go out there and drop the gloves and grab Letang, but it's a new age," Wilson said, according to Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post.The chance to do so will depend on whether or not Letang is dealt a suspension.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bob Hartley did all he could, but ultimately it wasn't enough.The Calgary Flames dismissed the 55-year-old Tuesday after his fourth season with the team, a decision general manager Brad Treliving insists wasn't made lightly.Related: Flames fire head coach Bob Hartley"This decision was not based solely on this season," Treliving said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "Bob has taken this team as far as I feel he can take it."Bob built a foundation and put his heart and soul into this team every day, he bled for this team."

Ryan Strome will watch Game 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning from the press box.The young New York Islanders forward will sit as a healthy scratch Tuesday after being similarly benched by head coach Jack Capuano in two games during the opening round. Josh Bailey will draw into the lineup in his stead.Strome hasn't yet spoken with the coach about the decision."Last series (the message was) I needed to be a little harder to play against," Strome said, according to Arthur Staple of Newsday. "Points don't always tell the whole story. I'm always confident in my game, but unfortunately I don't make the decisions. I have to live with it."But it's an important time here and no matter what I'm thinking right now, it's all about the team. I'm sure Bails will do a great job."Strome has recorded one goal, three assists, and 10 shots in six playoff games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Any rumors regarding a potential P.K. Subban trade to the Edmonton Oilers can be put to rest.TSN's Darren Dreger was on TSN Radio 690 on Tuesday where the topic of a potential trade between the Montreal Canadiens and Oilers involving the club's star defenseman was discussed. Dreger was quick to note a discussion with Oilers' general manager Peter Chiarelli, who told him such a deal was not in the works."Peter Chiarelli told me point blank there's been no conversation, there likely wouldn't be any conversation," said Dreger, adding Chiarelli told him: 'this is all industry fodder that you guys (media) want to talk about when things are slow".Subban finished tied for ninth in points by a defenseman this season with 51, despite missing the team's last 14 games with a neck injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

"They won a god-damn lottery."A little more than four years after Brian Burke offered that boorish response to the suggestion that Toronto should tumble into position to nab a potential generational prospect, he sat scowling in a stool behind Brendan Shanahan's right shoulder, watching the new man in charge of the Maple Leafs earn the opportunity to select Auston Matthews at the 2016 NHL Draft.Matthews is not just the first indisputable top-six center the Leafs will have deployed since Mats Sundin, but after a season receiving polish in the Swiss pro ranks, the Scottsdale, Ariz., native, who will turn 19 before making his NHL debut, could be the most NHL-ready prospect the league has seen since Alex Ovechkin.1. Toronto Maple Leafs: Auston Matthews, C, Zurich (Swiss)With Matthews idle, Patrik Laine was able to stir up a little momentum with his incredible postseason highlight tape over in Finland, but with the Maple Leafs' prospect nucleus primarily at wing, and their current No. 1 center potentially destined for a shift, Shanahan's group really has zero reason for pause here.2. Winnipeg Jets: Patrik Laine, LW, Tappara (Finland)Saturday's big winner in terms of jump, the Jets will do just that at the chance to aid the league's worst power play with a decorated marksman. Laine does not just score; he does it in ways only a handful can do with regularity.3. Columbus Blue Jackets: Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Karpat (Finland)At 6-foot-3 and 200-plus pounds with blazing speed and offensive skills, Puljujarvi is a dream addition for the Jackets, who covet heavy top-six talent. There will be worse gigs than centering Puljujarvi and Brandon Saad on a first line down the road.4. Edmonton Oilers: Olli Juolevi, D, London (OHL)It behooves the Oilers to either trade out or down, but if Edmonton does select at No. 4, it will have a chance to pluck the top defender off the board. Scouts see Juolevi as a smooth-skating, efficient puck-mover who should be able to effortlessly send those talented forwards away in transition.5. Vancouver Canucks: Pierre-Luc Dubois, LW, Cape Breton (QMJHL)Vancouver fell haplessly from the top three, but may still have choice among North American skaters barring a deal involving Edmonton. Benning has already expressed a fondness for Dubois, who's more versatile and perhaps more complete than Matthew Tkachuk.6. Calgary Flames: Matthew Tkachuk, LW, London (OHL)The center-ice position is already adorn with lottery talent, so the Flames should spring for Tkachuk - a strong, sandpapered winger with a nose for the net and who could complement Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau quite well.7. Arizona Coyotes: Jakob Chychrun, D, Sarnia (OHL)Patchwork defense doesn't work out west. The Coyotes need to insert a high-ceiling defensive prospect into the system - something they haven't done over the last four drafts. Chychrun has the toolbox to perhaps one day fill out a top pair with Oliver Ekman-Larsson.8. Buffalo Sabres: Alexander Nylander, LW, Mississauga (OHL)The Nylanders might remain connected by highway if Alex is around at No. 8. With Ryan O'Reilly and Jack Eichel locked into the center-ice slots for the foreseeable future, Alex satiates a need on the flank.9. Montreal Canadiens: Logan Brown, C, Windsor (OHL)Montreal can really go any direction here, but mustn't need to be coerced into taking the second center down off the draft board. Brown models his game around Joe Thornton, and in his draft season, distributed like him, too.10. Colorado Avalanche: Mikhail Sergachev, D, Windsor (OHL)The swiftly rising Sergachev, who was named the OHL's top defenseman in his rookie season in North America, seems like an obvious jump point for the Avalanche, who have a persisting need for back line help.11. New Jersey Devils: Tyson Jost, C. Penticton (BCHL)Jost finished with 104 points in 48 BCHL starts and broke Connor McDavid's scoring record at the U-18 Championship. Could be a fit there for a team that scored the fewest goals league-wide.12. Ottawa Senators: Clayton Keller, C, USA U-18 (USHL)After selecting Colin White in the first round last year, the Senators should tap into the U.S. development program again, taking the volume-scoring Keller. He was immensely productive in all levels of competition this season, and possesses the creative element the Senators require up front.13. Carolina Hurricanes: Michael McLeod, C, Mississauga (OHL)Scouts may not see superstar potential, but the quick, multi-use pivot should be a quality pro for a long time. And a safe bet for the Hurricanes.14. Boston Bruins: Charles McAvoy, D, Boston University (NCAA)The BU product was regarded as one of the best freshman defenders in Division I. With Jakub Zboril, Brandon Carlo, and perhaps another first-round talent like McAvoy, the Bruins may be able to transition from the Zdeno Chara era after all.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Marcus Johansson may not have escaped injury after all.The Washington Capitals forward will not skate Tuesday due to an upper-body injury and will be re-evaluated Wednesday, the team has announced.The update comes the morning after Johansson was helped off the ice after a late hit from Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 3.Johansson returned in the second period and was able to record six shots and dole out nine hits in 18 minutes of ice time.The nature of head injuries, however, means symptoms can show up later.

The Calgary Flames fired Bob Hartley on Tuesday, adding his name to the list of NHL head coaches to be relieved of their duties in recent weeks.Also looking for work are Mike Yeo, Bruce Boudreau, and Dave Cameron after having been deposed by Minnesota, Anaheim, and Ottawa, respectively.While the four teams mentioned above look to fill their vacancies, others around the league could or should be considering making a change behind the bench.Here are three head coaches next in line to be fired:Michel Therrien - Montreal CanadiensDeclared safe at the end of a disastrous regular season by Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin, Therrien shouldn't get too comfortable about his long-term future in Montreal.The loss of Carey Price to injury for much of 2015-16 is a handy fallback for a team that completely went off the rails following a perfect 9-0-0 start, but that's only part of the story in Montreal last season.Not only did the Canadiens power play continue to struggle, but questions abounded in regards to Therrien's deployment of defenseman P.K. Subban and forward Alex Galchenyuk, both of whom are key pieces of the puzzle for the bleu, blanc, et rouge.If the Canadiens struggle out of the gate next season with a healthy Price, replacing the coach should be the first step towards righting the ship.Patrick Roy - Colorado AvalancheLike Hartley, Roy is a recent Jack Adams Trophy winner (2014), having dined out on high save and shooting percentages recorded by the Avalanche during his first season as head coach.Instead of taking further steps forward, and with luck no longer on their side, Colorado's growth has stagnated, a troubling trend from such a young and potentially dynamic group.Last season, the Avalanche recorded a Corsi rating of 44.2 at even strength, dead last in the NHL. What that means is they regularly allowed more shot attempts against than they recorded, which is not a recipe for success. They ranked 29th in that category in 2014-15, and 25th during Roy's coach of the year season, so their inability to out-attempt the opposition is a clear, self-destructive pattern.If Roy can't figure it out soon, Joe Sakic will have no choice but to axe the legendary former goalie.Ken Hitchcock - St. Louis BluesYes, the St. Louis Blues are still alive and well in the Stanley Cup Playoffs under the guidance of veteran coach Hitchcock.As good as the team has been since he took over the job in 2011 (regular-season record of 224-103-36), the Blues' playoff woes are well documented.This is the second year he's been able to take the team past the first round, and the first time the Blues have won a second-round game under Hitchcock. Beating the Dallas Stars to advance to the Conference Finals, however, is certainly no guarantee.Boudreau was let go by the Ducks for failing to win when it matters most, and if the Blues fail to make good on a prime opportunity to advance deep into the postseason, a change behind the bench is probably in order.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames relieved Bob Hartley of head coaching duties, the club announced Tuesday.The firing comes less than a year after Hartley won the Jack Adams Award for the NHL's top coach, having guided the team to a 45-30-7 record (97 points), a playoff berth, and a first-round win over Vancouver in 2014-15.This past season, however, the Flames finished 26th in the NHL standings.Calgary is now one of four teams looking for a new head coach, along with Ottawa, Anaheim, and Minnesota.Hartley had served as Calgary's bench boss since 2013, posting a record of 134-135-25 over four seasons.Associate coach Jacques Cloutier will also not be returning to the club.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang will have a hearing for interference on Washington Capitals forward Marcus Johansson in Game 3, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday.Related: Watch: Capitals' Johansson helped off ice after late hit by LetangThe hit in question came in the the first period when Letang caught Johansson with a high hit even though the Capitals forward had already passed the puck.Letang appeared to make contact with Johansson's head. The hit has the Capitals calling for similar discipline to Brooks Orpik's three-game suspension for a high hit on Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta in Game 2.Luckily for the Capitals, Johansson didn't seem to suffer any serious injuries as he returned to play the rest of the game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On Monday Connor McDavid, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Artemi Panarin were nominated for this season's Calder Trophy, re-sparking an age old question, should the age limit of the award be changed?This year's nominees see just one teenager up for the award in the Edmonton Oilers phenom McDavd. Chicago Blackhawks forward Panarin is 24-years-old and will turn 25 next October and has been at the helm of the debate with some questioning whether at his age, should he still be considered a rookie.Related: Blackhawks' Panarin credits Anisimov with his line's successThe current criteria for the award states, a player must be 26-years-old or younger on Sept. 15 of their rookie year and cannot have played more than 25 games in any preceding NHL seasons or six or more games in any previous major professional leagues.The rule was changed following the Calder-win by Calgary Flames forward Sergei Makarov who captured the title after coming over from Russia tallied 24 goals and 86 points as a 31-year-old in 1990.Still a sour note hangs over the rule as Panarin - should he win - will do so with roughly five years on most NHL rookies.Panarin entered this season having played the last nine years in the KHL turning heads in his final campaign in the league posting 26 goals and 62 points in 54 games while also going a point per game in 20 playoff contests.The NHL - for reasons not entirely known - doesn't consider the KHL as a major professional league, as on-lookers might question why a player such as Panarin can be nominated in such a case.His past hockey experience aside, the question still remains whether the age of nominees should be younger. Since Makarov's win during the 1989-90 season the next oldest rookie of the year winners have been Ed Belfour and Evgeni Nabokov who both won as 25-year-olds.In fact the last Calder Trophy winner to be over the age of 20 was Steve Mason who captured the award in 2009 at 20. Meanwhile the average age of winners since Makarov's victory is 19.7 years.A new rule might be warranted and given the history of previous winners, only in rare occasions would a seemingly "older rookie" be impacted. Perhaps a player should only eligible for a certain amount of years after their draft year?Getting back to this year's nominees, it should also be noted that while Panarin enters as a 24-year-old, Gostisbehere is a 23-year-old himself.Panarin paced all rookies this season in goals and points with 30 and 77 respectively, finishing 21 points ahead of the next high-scoring first-year player. He is undoubtedly deserving of the title, but it remains to be seen if moral disagreement in the award's criteria will hurt his chances.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In what was billed as the latest chapter in the supposed rivalry between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, it's 21-year-old goaltender Matt Murray who's stealing the show.In a Game 3 win over the Washington Capitals on Monday, Murray made a career-high 47 saves, the most in a regulation playoff game by a Pittsburgh Penguins goalie.Without that performance, Penguins forward Patric Hornqvist said, “There’s no way we win this game.”

A Game 3 defeat can't kill Barry's vibe.After watching his team direct 85 shots toward the target in comparison to the opponents' 36, and yet still lose 3-2 to fall behind 2-1 in their second-round series with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz spoke glowingly about his team's emotional state."We've got a good vibe coming from this game," Trotz said.Staying quotable, he added: "The mountain never looks too big for us."The climb appears as though it'll be much more manageable in Game 4.There's a strong chance Pittsburgh will have to make up the 27 minutes taken by Kris Letang - the Penguins' best defender and arguably most important skater - after he delivered a suspension-worthy open-ice blow on Capitals forward Marcus Johansson.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Following his team's Game 3 loss, Washington Capitals forward Marcus Johansson told reporters his neck was sore from whiplash suffered after a first-period hit by Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang, but that he is OK after finishing the night with over 17 minutes of ice time.Related: Watch: Capitals' Johansson helped off ice after late hit by LetangDespite not being injured, Johansson told reporters postgame that he believes Letang should face discipline from the league.

PITTSBURGH - Patric Hornqvist and Tom Kuhnhackl scored a minute apart in the first period, Matt Murray stopped 47 shots and the Pittsburgh Penguins took control of their Eastern Conference semifinal with a 3-2 win in Game 3 on Monday.Carl Hagelin added his third goal of the playoffs for Pittsburgh, which took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series on another contentious night guaranteed to keep the NHL player safety office busy. Two days after Washington's Brooks Orpik earned a three-game suspension for an illegal hit on Pittsburgh's Olli Maatta, Penguins defenseman Kris Letang took a shot at Capitals forward Marcus Johansson sure to be reviewed before Wednesday's Game 4.Alexander Ovechkin and Justin Williams scored in the third, but the Capitals find themselves in a deficit against a franchise they have beaten just once in eight previous playoff meetings.The Penguins were hardly crisp but turned Washington mistakes into goals while Murray did the rest. The 21-year-old rookie outplayed Vezina Trophy finalist Braden Holtby to move Pittsburgh within two wins of a spot in the conference finals.Playing with the urgency they lacked early in a 2-1 loss in Game 2, the Capitals outshot Pittsburgh 49-23 and outhit the Penguins 58-25. It hardly mattered.The NHL's best team during the regular season has just one goal in the last six periods against Murray, who is playing so well Marc-Andre Fleury - who dressed for the first time since suffering a concussion on March 31 - might want to get used to the view on the bench.Wearing the same Pittsburgh gold uniforms that team owner Mario Lemieux wore during the club's consecutive Stanley Cup runs in 1991 and 1992 - runs that included victories over Washington - it seemed like old times for the Penguins. The defense in front of Murray was steady even with Derrick Pouliot making his playoff debut while replacing Maatta, who is out indefinitely after taking a shot to the head from Orpik.Pittsburgh's depth at the blue line could be tested in Game 4 after Letang made a run at Johansson that had some of the hallmarks of the elbow Orpik threw at Maatta. Johansson was skating into the offensive zone when he was headed off by four Penguins. The puck was steered away and long gone by the time Letang turned toward Johansson and launched himself into the forward. Letang earned a penalty for interference and Johansson remained on the ice for several moments before skating away.Unlike Maatta, Johansson returned. By then, however, the Capitals were already on their heels after the Penguins counterattacked brilliantly. Sidney Crosby keyed a rush that ended with Conor Sheary chasing down a blocked shot in the corner and feeding it to Trevor Daley at the point. Hornqvist reached out and expertly smacked the puck off the ice, allowing it to skid right by Holtby to give Pittsburgh a lead perhaps it didn't deserve just 6:37 into the game.A minute later Washington's deficit doubled when Nicklas Backstrom whiffed while trying to intercept Letang's long stretch pass to Cullen. The ensuing 2-on-1 ended with the puck smacking off Kuhnhackl's back and into the net.Murray hardly appeared phased by having his team's franchise goaltender active for the first time in more than a month. He withstood whatever Washington threw at him, everything from heavy blasts from the point to chaos from in close.When the Capitals weren't firing away they were giving it up.Nate Schmidt opened the door for the Penguins to make it 3-0 late in the second period, flipping a blind backhand pass deep in the Washington end into the slot. Two passes later Hagelin was tipping in a slick feed from Nick Bonino, who drew Holtby out, and then tucked the puck around the sprawled goaltender to Hagelin in front of the open net.Ovechkin's fourth of the postseason, a blur that whizzed by Murray's mask 8:02 into the third, gave Washington momentum, but there wasn't enough time to catch up.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals will be reeling after losing Game 3, and falling behind 2-1 in their second-round series with the Pittsburgh Penguins after an incredible 47-save performance from opposing netminder Matt Murray.But while it won't soothe the defeat, they have two important moments to build on.Alex Ovechkin and Justin Williams broke out of five- and 15-game goal-less droughts as a third-period comeback bid spurred by their captain fell just short.Here's Ovechkin's goal - a blistering shot among 18 attempted in the contest:

It was an unlikely candidate with the best lick on public enemy No. 1.Kris Letang, who drew the Washington Capitals' ire even before he delivered an illegal check to the head of Marcus Johansson in Game 3, has been on the receiving end of a handful of hits in Game 3, but none more crushing than this collision with Nicklas Backstrom.This type of crash is obviously worrisome for the Penguins and Letang, who has suffered concussions previously. He did stay in the game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After losing in a Game 7 for the fourth consecutive year, Bruce Boudreau's tenure as head coach of the Anaheim Ducks came to an end Friday, and the 61-year-old admitted he wasn't surprised by the decision."I always had the sense that something was going to happen unless we actually won the Cup," Boudreau told The Orange County Register. "The worrywart in me is always worried about that. I didn't know where it would go. I had let some people know that it was great working with them before it happened. And I thought it was going to happen."Boudreau admitted he was glad general manager Bob Murray made the decision quickly, and said he was happy to get the chance to help the team turn its season around after a rough start through the first couple months.Now, Boudreau is already looking ahead to where he will work next, admitting he's already had conversations about future opportunities. He is hopeful he won't have to wait long before he finds another job."I love the game," he said. "I love the people involved in the game. There's no place I'd rather be than a hockey arena. I just know that's me."The only current coaching vacancies in the league belong to the Ottawa Senators and Minnesota Wild.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury will serve as the backup behind Matt Murray for Monday's Game 3 against the Washington Capitals, the Penguins announced.

Competition for top rookie honors in the NHL is down to a talented trio.Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, Chicago Blackhawks winger Artemi Panarin, and reigning No. 1 overall draft selection Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, were named Calder Trophy finalists Monday.McDavid's nod comes despite being limited to 45 games because of a broken clavicle suffered a month into his professional career. He was, however, the only rookie to average better than a point per game, scoring at a rate that exceeded Sidney Crosby and Tyler Seguin, with his 16 goals and 32 assists. He finished just eight points behind No. 2 overall selection Jack Eichel, who appeared in 81 games.The 24-year-old Panarin, too, had no trouble producing in his debut season. The dynamic winger hit the jackpot with 30 goals and 47 assists in 80 games, triggering the bonuses built into his contract with a top-10 finish in NHL scoring.Finally, Gostisbehere was a puck-moving catalyst for the Flyers, who turned around their season when he was called up in mid-November. The 23-year-old scored 17 goals - including four in overtime - and totaled 46 points in his 64 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Artemi Panarin took the NHL by storm in his rookie season with the Chicago Blackhawks, leading all first-year players with 30 goals and 47 assists on a line with the Art Ross winner Patrick Kane.Though playing with the league's leading scorer certainly helped his numbers, Panarin credited his center, Artem Anisimov, for their success in an interview with sport-express.ru's Igor Eronko.

Though nothing will be official until June 24, Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning appears to have an idea of who he wants to build his team around.The Canucks entered the lottery Saturday with the third-highest chance at landing a top-three pick, but ultimately wound up fifth in the order.The fall, admittedly, was tough to swallow for Benning."I won't lie, I was disappointed," he told TSN 1040 Vancouver.Forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois and Matthew Tkachuk, as well as defensemen Jakob Chychrun and Olli Juolevi are projected to be the best fits at the No. 5 slot, and Benning revealed he's more enticed by adding a forward at this point."I think that sounds more realistic to me," Benning said when asked if he's leaning towards picking a forward such as Dubois or Tkachuk."I don't know if there's a true No. 1 defenseman in the draft," he added. "If you look through the league right now, there's maybe eight or 10 No. 1 defenseman in the whole league."The talent level of defensemen, as well as the Canucks aging roster, contribute to Benning's reasoning."If we felt there was a true No. 1 defenseman ... then that's where our focus would be," he said. "But having said that, with Henrik Sedin getting older now, we have to look at the future, too."The Edmonton Oilers' selection at No. 4 will likely have an impact on what Benning and the Canucks choose to do, as the Oilers are largely in the market for a blueliner, whether it be via the draft or a trade.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tyler Seguin is making progress in his return to the Dallas Stars.The injured center skated Monday for the first time since suffering an undisclosed injury in Game 2 of Dallas' first-round series against Minnesota.He won't, however, travel with the team to St. Louis for Game 3 against the Blues, although head coach Lindy Ruff joked there are plenty of flights available if he's needed.Prior to the start of the second round, general manager Jim Nill indicated Seguin would need four-to-five days after resuming skating before he could return to game action, meaning it's possible he could play Game 5 on Saturday if all goes well.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed defenseman Nikita Zaitsev to a one-year entry level contract.The 24-year-old Russian recorded eight goals and 18 assists in 46 games for KHL club CSKA Moscow this past season, with an additional four goals and nine assists in 20 playoff games, tied for most points among defensemen in the postseason.A fellow defenseman sees loads of potential in Zaitsev:

Brooks Orpik is owning up to his actions.Suspended three games by the NHL for a late and high hit on Olli Maatta of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Washington Capitals defenseman didn't try to cast a silver lining around the incident.Related: Penguins' Maatta ruled out of Game 3 with upper-body injury"I think (the suspension) was fair," Orpik told reporters. "It was a bad hit. It was intended to be a hard hit, definitely not at his head, but I don't think there's anything you can argue that it was definitely late. That was pretty black and white. I said that during my hearing yesterday. I'm just disappointed. It's a split-second decision you make, and you've just got to live with it."That's about all I've got. It was a bad decision, it was late. There was obviously no intention to hit him in the head. That was the result, that's why I'm not playing."Capitals head coach Barry Trotz wasn't quite as comfortable with the league's ruling.

The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with goaltender Antti Raanta, the club announced Monday.The deal is worth $2 million over two years, according to General Fanager.Raanta was dealt to Broadway from Chicago last offseason, and the 26-year-old started 25 games for the Rangers this season, posting a record of 18-11-6, with a 2.24 goals against average and .919 save percentage.He also appeared in three playoff games in relief of Henrik Lundqvist.The deal is the start of a busy summer for general manager Jeff Gorton, with key decisions to make surrounding impending free agents Keith Yandle, Chris Kreider and Eric Staal, among others.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers find themselves in unfamiliar territory - picking outside of the top three in the NHL draft.For only the second time in six seasons, the Oilers will have to select someone outside the top trio of prospects, and although they fell two positions to No. 4 in the newly designed lottery, general manager Peter Chiarelli has made it clear he has options.Chiarelli indicated Sunday that the Oilers pick is "definitely in play," and on Monday, he re-affirmed his statement."There's a real legitimate chance to look to move this pick, to improve our team - to get bigger or to get a D and get something else," Chiarelli told Reid Wilkins of CHED. "There's also a chance, as I said in my previous comments, that we could move the pick to get an NHL defenseman, too. That is a top four defenseman. We're going to look at a lot of different things."Considering the forward depth the Oilers already have, selecting a defenseman seems like the obvious choice at No. 4, but Chiarelli is enticed by the entire field of prospects - if he opts to keep the pick."In that next cluster of players there's some nice, big forwards, wings and centers, and there's like three really solid defensemen ... If we choose to move it and/or move down or move the pick, if we move down we're going to get a really good player. So the options are still available."Finding a suitor for the fourth overall pick shouldn't be too tricky for Chiarelli, as long as it's for the right price. But if he opts to keep the pick and targets a defenseman, he should have his choice of Olli Juolevi of the London Knights or Jakob Chychrun of the Sarnia Sting - both considered the top blueliners available.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Olli Maatta will miss time following a suspension-worthy hit from Brooks Orpik in Game 2 of the Pittsburgh Penguins' second-round series with the Washington Capitals.The defenseman has been ruled out of at least Game 3 with an upper-body injury, head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed Monday.

Andrew Ladd appears to be prioritizing winning and familiarity over money as he gets set to hit unrestricted free agency.As such, he's willing to re-sign with the Chicago Blackhawks at a discounted rate."I'm at the point in my career where I can make decisions based on being in a good situation and at the end of the day, I don't think it's all about money for me," Ladd said, according to Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune."It's about being in a good place for my family and being on a team that's going to contend every year. You'd be crazy not to want to be a part of this group, this organization and we'll see what happens."Ladd's coming off a five-year, $22-million contract he signed with the Winnipeg Jets in 2011, and is in line for a hefty raise on the open market.Winger Andrew Shaw is a restricted free agent and the Blackhawks are usually right up against the salary-cap ceiling, so it remains to be seen how much of a discount Ladd would actually be willing to take to stick with the club.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Pietrangelo continues to blossom into one of the game's elite defenseman.An offensive outburst saw him score six points in seven games against the Chicago Blackhawks, but the stalwart Blues defender is making his presence felt in other ways versus the Dallas Stars.Pietrangelo didn't score any points in Game 2 Sunday, but he logged 35:37 of ice-time, and his teammates are always comfortable when he's on the ice."He's the captain of the back end," Blues goaltender Brian Elliott told ESPN's Craig Custance.The 2008 fourth overall pick is tasked with the opponent's top forwards every game, and Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock - who's worked with Pietrangelo in St. Louis and at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 - believes he thrives under pressure."Petro is always a good player when the stakes are the highest," he said.On a defensive corps that features veteran Jay Bouwmeester, rookie standout Colton Parayko, and offensive threat Kevin Shattenkirk, it's Pietrangelo's tendencies in the defensive zone that stick out to Blues captain David Backes."We'll call them short plays, but they're not small, they're huge," Backes said. "He gets into a corner, he can dig a puck out and start the breakout, that takes the pressure off a little bit. We're able to get the puck up the ice rather than being occupied by them."Pietrangelo's stable defensive play has garnered the attention of his fellow blueliners as well."You see it being done and you think to yourself, 'If I'm in that situation, I can make that play.' He's just leading that way for us on the back end," Shattenkirk said. "It's tremendous."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild appear willing to take the interim tag off head coach John Torchetti.General manager Chuck Fletcher is set to meet with Torchetti sometime this week about the head coaching position, which the latter filled over the final weeks of the season.According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Torchetti will get the first crack at the job, with former Anaheim Ducks bench boss Bruce Boudreau also reportedly in consideration.

For a team that finished second in the NHL in goals, the Washington Capitals offense has been relatively tame to begin their second-round series versus the Pittsburgh Penguins.Evgeny Kuznetsov, who led the Capitals in scoring, and Justin Williams, who Washington acquired for his accolades in the postseason, have two points each in eight playoff games, and they know they need to be better."We need to be a little firmer and (more) confident in our abilities," Williams told Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post. "You can't second guess if you don't score for a few games or you're not as productive as you were in the regular season. You just need to simplify it and do the same things you were doing when you were successful and trust your instincts. And for us to win, we know that we have to be a big part of it. So we're putting a lot of pressure on ourselves to be productive."Williams has scored one goal in his last 15 games, and had a simple answer when asked if it's not the postseason production he's looking for."That's a nice way of putting it," Williams said.Kuznetsov, meanwhile, has one goal in his last 28 games, but his teammates believe he's bound to snap the drought."He's still working hard. He's still doing some sick plays out there," Capitals forward Andre Burakovsky said. "I mean, we need him here in playoffs and I'm not worried. I still think he's doing really good plays out there and working hard and winning battles and beating his guys one-on-one. The only thing that's missing is points, but it's going to come. There's no question about it."Pittsburgh has carried the play for most of the first two games, and production from Washington's second line could certainly help turn things around.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A win is a win, but some aren't hoped to be repeated.That's the sentiment of Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello after his club won the 2016 NHL Draft lottery and the right to select first overall come June 24 in Buffalo."Never wanted the opportunity and hope it never happens again. How’s that?" he said in an interview with Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun."Let me put it this way,” Lamoriello added. “Having the opportunity to do it is not something you feel good about. But being able to select the player your organization thinks is the best player is what you look forward to."Having said that, he's well aware that drafting a player like Auston Matthews - the expected top pick - doesn't amount to a quick fix."There is a lot of work to be done," Lamoriello said. "This is not something that is going to happen overnight."We are going to acquire a player who is going to be solid in that foundation, whenever that might be, for a long time. That has been the whole process here, putting something together that is going to be able to be sustained, not getting ahead of ourselves, not being teased by doing something for today without tomorrow in sight. We are going to need the same patience we have had and hopefully everyone understands that."The Maple Leafs also hold the Pittsburgh Penguins' first-round pick, as well as 10 additional picks in rounds two through seven. Lamoriello and co. have a busy couple of months ahead of them in preparation for a franchise-altering day.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Joey Hishon is Finland-bound.The 24-year-old forward has signed with Finnish club Jokerit Helsinki.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Joe Pavelski scored the tie-breaking goal with 2:40 left in regulation and Martin Jones stopped 37 shots to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Sunday night and a 2-0 lead in their second-round playoff series.Logan Couture added a power-play goal and Joe Thornton scored an empty-netter to put the Sharks in control as the series shifts to Nashville for Game 3 on Tuesday night.Mattias Ekholm tied the game earlier in the third and Ryan Johansen also scored for Nashville.After San Jose blew a one-goal lead earlier in the third, the top line delivered when it mattered most. Joe Thornton slid a cross-ice pass to Matt Nieto, whose initial shot was stopped by Pekka Rinne. But Pavelski batted the rebound in for his sixth goal of the playoffs to give the Sharks the lead.Thornton scored an empty-net goal that proved crucial when Johansen scored with 3.6 seconds left for Nashville.Rinne had helped keep Nashville in the game long enough to get the equalizer midway through the third. With San Jose leading 1-0, Rinne robbed Nick Spaling with a pad save on a 2-on-1 with San Jose short-handed.A few minutes later, Ekholm got the equalizer when his shot from the high slot got past a screened Jones to make it 1-1.The Sharks scored first following an odd penalty late in the second period. Nashville defenseman Roman Josi tried to rush off the ice after a bad line change to avoid a too many men penalty, but jumped into the Sharks bench because he couldn't reach his own in time.That move shocked the San Jose players but didn't avoid the penalty and the Sharks made Nashville pay for the mistake. Early on the ensuing power play, Brent Burns fired a point shot on net that Rinne stopped with his pads. But Couture jumped on the rebound and knocked it in with 1:24 left for his third goal of the series.Burns and the rest of the Sharks had struggled to get shots on net before that with Nashville blocking five shots by Burns before he finally got one to Rinne off a deflection by Pavelski.Even when they did manage to get shots through the defense, Rinne was there to stop them. His best sequence came early in the second period when Joonas Donskoi slid a pass to Couture, whose shot from the slot was stopped by Rinne. Donskoi got the rebound and appeared to have an empty net to shoot at but Rinne slid over to make another save.The power-play goal by Couture was San Jose's third in its first five chances with the man advantage this series as special teams have played a major role in the Sharks' success the past two gamesSan Jose even killed a penalty for too many men in the ice shortly before Couture's goal as Nashville fell to 2-for-31 on the power play this postseason.NOTES: The Predators have lost all six postseason games they have played in San Jose, getting outscored 23-12. ... F Craig Smith returned to the lineup for Nashville after missing Game 1 with a lower-body injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.