Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk's RendezVous LeBreton was granted preferred status on Thursday, winning the bid to redevelop LeBreton Flats - the coveted slice of real estate close to the downtown core.It's now up to him and his team to negotiate with the National Capital Commission, which recommended his bid over another submission, to broker a deal that will bring the Senators a new arena.Melnyk said this move "solidifies" the team, and hopes it's a step toward bringing the modern incarnation of the franchise its first Stanley Cup to Ottawa.

Former Toronto Maple Leafs agitator Colton Orr announced his retirement from the NHL on Thursday.The 34-year-old made the announcement after 13 professional seasons, nine of which he spent in the NHL."I feel privileged to have played for a decade in the NHL and to have had the support of four great organizations in Boston, New York, Toronto and Calgary," Orr said in a release. "I am grateful to have had the opportunity to play with great teammates and against great players, many of whom have become great friends. It has been an amazing journey that would not have been anywhere near as fulfilling as it was without the love and support of fans, friends, agents, GMs, coaches and family."Orr spent time with the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers, but struck a chord with Maple Leafs fans for his skill in the fisticuffs.He finishes his career with 12 goals, 12 assists, and 1,186 penalty minutes.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings announced the name of their new arena on Thursday, one which left many cheesed.The Red Wings' new home will be Little Caesars Arena, and fans are clearly up in arms about it - in the best way possible.

If the ping-pong balls had landed just right last year for his hometown, Connor McDavid would, in least a figurative sense, be at the very height of the city of Toronto.But, because the Edmonton Oilers have that lottery locked, Maple Leafs fans will just have to settle for a little Photoshop.McDavid posted this photo to his Twitter on Thursday, showing that he too is excited for fellow local product Drake's new album to drop.

John Torchetti could have a leg up on the competition.Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher told reporters Thursday that the interim boss, after his work in recovering a postseason berth, has emerged as a "very serious candidate" for the full-time role"Torchetti was able to push and pull this team into a playoff position," Fletcher said.The former Iowa Wild boss inherited Mike Yeo's floundering roster in mid-February, taking a team that lost 13 of the 14 games that preceded his arrival, and performing above the .500 mark the rest of the way.Torchetti sparked some of the younger members of the Wild, namely Nino Niederreiter, Erik Haula, Mikael Granlund, and Matt Dumba. But significant injuries and ultimately a general scoring dearth resulted in the club backing into the postseason with 87 points before bowing out to the top-seeded Dallas Stars in six games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While viewership for the NHL playoffs is down in Canada, Saturday's draft lottery is sure to pique interest up north.Heading into the lottery, Canadian clubs hold a collective 68.5-percent chance of snatching the illustrious first overall selection. The top pick is difficult for any club to attain, and in recent time has been near impossible for all Canadian clubs to acquire, outside of the Edmonton Oilers.In the last 20 years, the Oilers are the lone Canadian team to own the draft's first pick. While they've seemingly hoarded top picks, selecting first in four of the past six drafts, the other Canadian clubs have endured first-pick droughts.Here's a look a look at each Canadian team's last go round with the 1st overall pick:Edmonton Oilers (last 1st pick: 2015)While the Oilers didn't start accumulating first overall picks until 2010 when they selected Taylor Hall, the team has since come out on the winning side of the draft more often than not.They've been the envy of the league - in terms of draft position - and even managed to muscle away "The Next One" in Connor McDavid from the Buffalo Sabres last year.Ottawa Senators (last 1st pick: 1996)The last Canadian team other than the Oilers to pick first overall was the Senators. And, like the Oilers, they enjoyed a string of bad seasons that saw them pick first in 1993, 1995, and 1996.They used the picks to select Alexandre Daigle, Bryan Berard, and Chris Phillips, with the latter two turning out slightly better than the first.Quebec Nordiques The Nordiques - the now-Colorado Avalanche - were the third to last Canadian team to have the first pick.As part of the trend, they too enjoyed three straight No. 1 selections from 1989-1991, but what a haul they got. The team used the picks to draft Mats Sundin, Owen Nolan, and Eric Lindros. Although we all know what happened to Lindros.Toronto Maple Leafs (last 1st pick: 1985)While fans of the Maple Leafs have felt the agony of no Stanley Cup since 1967, and just one playoff appearance in the last 12 years, they've also had just one first overall selection in 30 years.In 1985, the Leafs selected Wendel Clark. Though he became a fan favorite, he didn't help put an end to the team's Cup drought. Until this season, the team hasn't been bad enough - or they traded away their pick (Scott Niedermayer; Tyler Seguin) - to select a potential franchise player.Winnipeg Jets (last 1st pick: 1981)While the Jets went on hiatus when the team moved to Phoenix in 1996, and returned in 2011 after the relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers, the city hasn't seen the likes of a first overall pick since Hall of Famer Dale Hawerchuk was picked in 1981.Hawerchuk would capture the Calder Trophy during the 1981-82 season and hit the 100-point plateau in six of his nine seasons with the team.Montreal Canadiens (last 1st pick: 1980)The Canadiens' first overall pick drought runs deep, but to be fair, they've also captured a Stanley Cup in the last 23 years, which no other Canadian team has done.Not all first overall picks are studs, though.In 1980, the club selected Doug Wickenheiser ahead of Denis Savard and Paul Coffey. Unfortunately, he played only four seasons with the team, never hitting more than 25 goals or 55 points in a season.Credit where credit is due, though: they did draft Guy Lafleur first overall in 1971 and he turned out pretty well.Vancouver Canucks/Calgary Flames (zero 1st overall picks)And while the teams above may sulk at the fact they've had long dry spells between first overall selections, the fact is those picks are luxuries and not owed.The Canucks and Flames have gone their entire existences without ever picking first, dating back to 1970 and 1972, respectively.However, with another draft lottery just days away, hope once again springs eternal with yet another chance at hockey's ultimate last-place prize.This season marks the best chance Canadian teams have had at adding raw talent. There's collective 55-percent chance a team not named the Oilers will be awarded such a rare opportunity.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A clash of Central Division titans is locked into place as the St. Louis Blues get set to take on the Dallas Stars in what promises to be a high-octane series.Fresh off slaying the postseason beast that is the Chicago Blackhawks, the Blues enter the second round feeling confident, while the Stars eliminated the Minnesota Wild by a matter of millimeters in Game 6.Both teams battled for the division crown all the way down to the wire, with the Stars ultimately edging the Blues by a single win.Although Dallas claimed the NHL's toughest division, St. Louis convincingly took the season series 4-1, and Ken Hitchcock's crew has the recipe to do the same in the playoffs.Here's why:ConfidenceWinning a Game 7 on home ice is a confidence boost for any team, but perhaps even more significant for the Blues than defeating their biggest rival was reminding themselves they're capable of winning.With at least 107 points in each of the last four non-lockout seasons, the Blues are consistently labeled contenders, but they've only made it out of the first round once in that time ... and then got swept by the Los Angeles Kings.Ahead of Game 7, naysayers all but guaranteed St. Louis would lose another opening-round series, especially after failing to vanquish the defending champions on two occasions. But this season is different. The Blues won, and overcame their most difficult opponent: themselves.BalanceIt's no secret the Stars can put the puck in the net, averaging 3.5 goals per game versus Minnesota, but the Blues run much deeper than the Wild.Piloted by Jamie Benn and Jason Spezza - with 10 and nine points in the opening round, respectively - the Stars will face a stronger defense corps in St. Louis, the same one that held Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane to a single goal combined. Tyler Seguin's uncertain health also hinders Dallas' attack.Dallas' offense has carried the team to this point, but an inability to keep the puck out of its net separates the Stars from true contending status. Dallas ranked 19th in the NHL with 2.78 goals allowed per game in the regular season.Although St. Louis doesn't pack the same scoring punch as Dallas, the Blues have their fair share of game-breakers. Vladimir Tarasenko goes without saying, but forwards Jaden Schwartz, Robby Fabbri, and Alex Steen provide enough additional options to give opposing defensemen nightmares.Overall, the Blues' depth provides them a chance to neutralize the Stars' greatest asset - and also expose their greatest weakness.X-factor: Alex PietrangeloWhile everyone bantered over Tarasenko's ice time, Pietrangelo put together a rather productive series against Chicago.The anchor of the Blues' back end is usually coveted more for his stabilizing defense than his offensive prowess, but the 26-year-old scored six points versus the Blackhawks.Not to mention the 30:33 of ice time he averaged in the opening round.Pietrangelo will be pitted against Dallas' top line, and will surely be used in both even-strength and special-teams scenarios. Look for him to step up versus some of the league's most elite scorers once again.ScheduleGameDateTime (ET)LocationNetworksGame 1Friday April 298 p.m.DallasNBCSN/TVA SportsGame 2Sunday May 13 p.m.DallasNBC/TVA SportsGame 3Tuesday May 38 p.m.St. LouisUSA/TVA SportsGame 4Thursday May 58 p.m.St. LouisNBCSN/TVA Sports*Game 5Saturday May 7TBDDallasTBD*Game 6Monday May 9TBDSt. LouisTBD*Game 7Wednesday May 11TBDDallasTBD* If necessaryCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Erik Condra wasn't at practice Thursday, one night after exiting Game 1 dazed when sent crashing into the endboards by New York Islanders forward Casey Cizikas.Lightning coach Jon Cooper was, however, able to offer an encouraging update on the status of the depth forward."He's doing a lot better than the actual hit looked. Whether he's going to skate in the next couple days I'm not too sure," Cooper said, according to Bryan Burns of NHL.com.Condra hasn't been ruled out from practicing Friday.Tampa Bay hosts Game 2 on Saturday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After offering up second-round predictions earlier this morning, On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, stays busy, re-visiting the glory that was Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs one last time.Tavares steals spotlight in New YorkSean O'Leary: The face of the franchise, captain John Tavares, delivered the finest hockey moment an entire generation of Islanders fans has ever seen when his Game 6 wraparound clinched the team's first series win in 23 years.Handed the keys to a beleaguered organization when he was drafted first overall in 2009, Tavares was selected to turn the franchise around, and he's strapped his teammates onto his back time and time again when it matters most.At only 25 years old, Tavares has 20 points in 19 career playoff games, and if he can lead his Islanders to another series win, there's no denying he belongs in the upper echelon of elite centerman, a la Crosby, Toews, and Kopitar.Watching a thoroughbred leader thrive in the limelight, and provide pure elation to one of the most rabid - and perennially tortured - fan bases in the league was easily the highlight of the first round.Sharks' weekJosh Gold-Smith: The Sharks dispatched the Kings in what began as a shining example of playoff hockey but ended in decisive fashion.It was a cathartic statement by the Sharks, who exacted revenge for 2014, when they lost to the Kings in seven games after holding a 3-0 series lead.Two years after that improbable comeback, Los Angeles was simply out-matched by San Jose, thanks in large part to Sharks captain Joe Pavelski, an improved defense corps, and former Kings goaltender Martin Jones.Despite playing a relatively short series, the Kings and Sharks provided must-see TV in their opening-round clash, which served as another showcase for California's ongoing hockey renaissance. Four of the five contests were decided by a single goal, and the first four games were akin to rounds in a heavyweight bout.Another playoff matchup between the Pacific Division rivals would be more than welcome.Rookies BlueIan McLaren: While Doug Armstrong has built a competitive roster laden with veteran talent long thought capable of contending, it was two rookies that played a huge part in the St. Louis Blues' vanquishing of the Chicago Blackhawks.Defenseman Colton Parayko scored and forward Robby Fabbri assisted on Troy Brouwer's Game 7 winner, capping impressive playoff debuts for the youngsters."I thought Robby was one of our best players in the series," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock told Lou Korac of NHL.com. "He was outstanding, he was a threat, a dangerous player. So competitive offensively, great patience. He's really emerged as a top offensive player now."That kind of contribution from a forward other than Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz is a boon for a Blues team that might be in line to get over a much bigger hump than the Hawks.Murray dethrones the KingBen Whyte: Starting their first round without Marc-Andre Fleury, a goaltending matchup against Henrik Lundqvist looked like the worst-case scenario for the Penguins. But after Jeff Zatkoff kept things even through two games, it was Matt Murray who stole the spotlight - and the series.The 21-year-old boasts a perfect record in his young postseason career, winning all three of his starts - including a 31-save shutout in Game 4. His best performance, though, came in the series-clincher, when Murray made a career-best 38 saves in a 6-3 victory.The Rangers' star netminder, meanwhile, had the worst playoff performance since his rookie year, finishing with a 4.39 goals-against average and an .867 save percentage while being pulled from the final two games of the series - where he allowed 10 goals in just over 66 minutes of action.While the Penguins' offense looks unstoppable, the Capitals will prove to be a far tougher opponent in Round 2 - but if Murray can continue his stellar play, the decision to go back to Fleury will only become tougher.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League announced a six-year affiliation extension on Thursday.The deal will see the Lightning's prospects continue to develop with the AHL organization through the 2021-22 season."We are pleased to be extending our affiliation with the Syracuse Crunch," Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said in a statement. "The Crunch and Howard Dolgon, along with the city of Syracuse and Onondaga County, have been, and continue to be, an excellent place to develop our prospects. We look forward to what will hopefully be many successful years to come on and off the ice."A total of 14 players on the club's current NHL roster - including Jonathan Drouin, Tyler Johnson, and Nikita Kucherov - have had stints with the Crunch, as well as head coach Jon Cooper.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pillars in the post-lockout era, Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin form the prism through which we view the Pittsburgh Penguins-Washington Capitals rivalry.Transcendent talents who at their cores offer dramatic juxtaposition, Crosby - the squeaky clean archetypal force - and Ovechkin - the previously brash, incomparable pure sniper - have, with a friction only partially engineered, helped lift the NHL to its comparatively healthy standing within the sports landscape.For this reason, when we revisit this upcoming clash years down the road, we will unfairly gloss over Washington's near-flawless roster reconstruction and Pittsburgh's in-season awakening. Instead, the focus in this foremost second-round series will be on the NHL's long-standing chief protagonists, whose legacies may change forever over the course of the next few weeks.This is why it means so much:AlexThe most decorated individual in the sport, Ovechkin has won three MVPs, six Rocket Richards, a scoring title, and the Calder, and has been named to the NHL's first or second team in nine of his 10 completed seasons. He's without equal as it pertains to scoring goals; the greatest of a generation, and perhaps ever.This mastery has helped the Capitals reach new heights. He's been on two Presidents' Trophy winners, five 100-point iterations, and made the playoffs for the eighth time in 11 years this spring. But for the 564 goals scored over the course of his career, Washington's six-game dispatching of the Flyers in Round 1 was just the fifth time he's had to prepare condolences when approaching a handshake line.Ovechkin's championship shortfalls extend to country. In fact, he might consider his greatest on-ice tragedies as those that have come while wearing the double-headed eagle on his chest. He hasn't medaled in three Olympics for Russia, failures typified by a mortifying quarterfinal loss in Sochi.Now, it's patently absurd to suggest this is on Ovechkin. Not even slightly. He's the active leader in goals per game in the playoffs, and a player who's production from the regular season tails off only slightly, like most. But for Ovechkin, who could one day leave the game with more goals than anyone save for Wayne, winning the Stanley Cup is a requisite to make certain that he's lionized in the same vein as legends before him.This stands to be his greatest chance to cement that legacy.SidCrosby, too, is decorated as an individual, but at the same time is precisely Ovechkin's opposite, having earned his lasting plaudits at the team level. The Triple Gold Club member won the Cup in his senior season in the NHL, and a little more than eight months before scoring the Golden Goal - a moment that fits in the same class as the greatest scored in Canada's hockey-mad history. It took five seasons for Crosby to have accomplished it all. But now, more than a decade into his career, it doesn't feel as though he's fulfilled that boundless potential he brought to this league.In recent springs, we've seen indignation replace celebration; more protests than parades. We've seen opponents, ones worthy and others not, get the better of the best in the world. We haven't seen the kid who rescued a franchise, the kid who ushered in the new NHL, the kid who still carries the torch. That was until recently.Pittsburgh played some of the best hockey of Crosby's tenure over the final four months of the regular season, and appear more prepared than ever to win the championship that wouldn't just pad its captain's legacy, but quell whispers of what could have been.But perhaps above all, this team, this run, poses an immensely therapeutic opportunity for Sid, as it would be borne through hardship. He'd have a championship moment to slot in front of those back-to-back concussions, his lost season, his broken jaw, the mumps, the five straight seasons losing to an inferior opponent, the rumor mill that only churns when things aren't going well, the moronic notion he's finished.Another coronation for the kid means surrounding the plight neither he, or us, could have ever forecast with silver bookends. But he must overcome his greatest adversary again first.ScheduleGame DateTimeLocationNetworks1Thursday April 288 p.m.Pittsburgh at WashingtonNBCSN, CBC, TVA2Saturday April 308 p.m.Pittsburgh at WashingtonNBC, CBC, TVA3Monday May 28 p.m.Washington at PittsburghNBCSN, CBC, TVA4Wednesday May 48 p.m.Washington at PittsburghNBCSN, CBC, TVA*5Saturday May 7TBDPittsburgh at WashingtonTBD*6Tuesday May 10TBDWashington at PittsburghTBD*7Thursday May 12TBDPittsburgh at WashingtonTBD* If necessaryCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues have legions of championship-starved fans, but it's one that knows no heartbreak reveling in this experience most.Tony X, who goes by the Twitter handle @soloucity, became an overnight sensation on social media when by happenstance he found the sport at the perfect moment: Game 7 between the Blues and Chicago Blackhawks."White people been hiding hockey from us for years bruh," he tweeted, "this shit lit."Within moments, Tony X's running commentary was trending throughout the hockey sphere, and, just as quickly, he was picking up important aspects of the game.

It's not always easy placing blame.Just ask this disgruntled Philadelphia Flyers fan, who was up in arms with Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan following the three-game suspension handed out to Flyers forward Brayden Schenn.The fan appeared to be unaware that Shanahan is no longer employed with the NHL's Department of Player Safety.

For the fourth straight year, the Anaheim Ducks choked in Game 7 on home ice.The club came up short in its first-round series against the Nashville Predators, leaving many visibly distraught, especially forward Corey Perry."No (way to explain it), I have nothing for you," said Perry. "It's hard to swallow right now."

The Nashville Predators proved many wrong with their first-round victory over the Anaheim Ducks.The club bounced the heavily favored Ducks and in turn broke many playoff brackets, including the brackets of all 10 of ESPN's hockey experts who each predicted a Ducks victory in round one.That obviously didn't happen and the Predators made their feelings felt.

On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, continues with predictions for each of the second-round playoff series, which, for the sake of this post, rather inconveniently began a few hours before the first round concluded Wednesday night.The path's been cleared for a new champion.theScore's NHL editors had mixed-bag results after the Stanley Cup Playoffs experienced a collective role reversal in Round 1. We correctly predicted the Blues dethroning the Blackhawks, but also whiffed on consensus selections of the Kings, Panthers, and Ducks.Here's who we like in Round 2:Western ConferenceStars vs. BluesEditorPickCuthbertBluesGold-SmithBluesHagermanBluesMcLarenBluesO'LearyBluesVaswaniBluesWhyteBluesTotal: 7-0 BluesA series that appears incredibly close on paper yields a unanimous result. St. Louis needed an extra game to bury the Blackhawks, but quite clearly had the more impressive of the two holds in Round 1. The Stars might have earned more detractors with their six-game victory over Minnesota.Sharks vs. PredatorsEditorPickCuthbertSharksGold-SmithSharksHagermanSharksMcLarenSharksO'LearySharksVaswaniSharksWhyteSharksTotal: 7-0 SharksWith the state of California suddenly their responsibility to defend, the Pacific Division runs through the Sharks and San Jose. We, like Anaheim, ESPN, and everyone else, appear to be underestimating the Predators.Eastern ConferenceCapitals vs. PenguinsEditorPickCuthbertPenguinsGold-SmithCapitalsHagermanCapitalsMcLarenCapitalsO'LearyPenguinsVaswaniCapitalsWhytePenguinsTotal: 4-3 CapitalsThe only thing that can really separate the Capitals and Penguins are the first two months of the season, which, of course, hardly matter now. A seven-game series deserving of hardware handed out at the end earns a split decision from us.Lightning vs. IslandersEditorPickCuthbertLightningGold-SmithLightningHagermanLightningMcLarenLightningO'LearyLightningVaswaniLightningWhyteIslandersTotal: 6-1 LightningThe Bolts appear primed to come out of their side of the bracket and return to the Eastern Final even without captain Steven Stamkos (or so we thought). But if the pucks continue to bounce favorably for the Islanders (or Ben Bishop can't recover his Vezina form) the Isles could be that first crossover, moonlighting as an Atlantic Division entity.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jack Capuano said he's fine after being struck in the face by the puck Wednesday night."I'm good," the New York Islanders head coach said postgame, according to NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika. "A little bit of a headache, but other than that, it's a good victory for our team."Capuano was forced to leave the bench before returning late in the third period of the Islanders' 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of their second-round series.

The San Jose Sharks will have home-ice advantage in the second round.They'll host the Nashville Predators in Game 1 on Friday night. Here's the complete schedule for the series:GameDateTime (ET)LocationNetworks1Fri. April 2910:30 p.m.San JoseNBCSN/TVA Sports2Sun. May 18 p.m.San JoseNBCSN/TVA Sports3Tues. May 39 p.m.NashvilleUSA/TVA Sports4Thu. May 59 p.m.NashvilleCNBC/TVA Sports*5Sat. May 7TBDSan JoseTBD*6Mon. May 9TBDNashvilleTBD*7Thu. May 12TBDSan JoseTBD*If necessaryCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Colin Wilson and Paul Gaustad scored in the first period and the Nashville Predators hung on to win the franchise's first Game 7, advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 2-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night.Pekka Rinne made 36 saves for the wild-card Predators, who rallied from a 3-2 series deficit and ousted the Pacific Division champion Ducks with a gritty road victory. Nashville earned just the third playoff series victory in team history - the first since 2012, and the second over Anaheim.Nashville will travel up the California coast to face the San Jose Sharks on Friday night.For the fourth consecutive season, the Ducks blew a 3-2 series lead and lost a Game 7 at home.Frederik Andersen made 18 saves and Ryan Kesler scored a power-play goal early in the third period for the Ducks. They had numerous late chances to tie it while largely dominating the final two periods, but a redirected shot clanked off Rinne's post in the final minutes, and nothing went in during a frantic final minute.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan Kesler is on fire.The veteran Anaheim Ducks forward finished off a pretty tic-tac-toe passing sequence, firing home a one-timer on the power play to cut into the Nashville Predators' lead in Game 7 on Wednesday night.Kesler scored for the third consecutive game and notched his fourth goal of the series.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thomas Greiss continues to make his presence felt for the New York Islanders.After jumping out to a 4-1 lead, the Islanders escaped with a 5-3 win, much thanks to a 33-save performance from Greiss as the Tampa Bay Lightning tilted the ice for the third period.Greiss has dazzled thus far in the postseason, posting a 5-2 record with a 1.94 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage. His teammates have taken notice."You don't want to rely on him as much as we had to, but he's been fantastic," said Islanders forward Ryan Strome.Kyle Okposo knows the outcome of Game 1 could have been much different if it weren't for his netminder."They made a good push," Okposo said. "But Greisser stood tall and as a team we were able to weather the storm."Game 2 goes Saturday afternoon in Tampa Bay.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jon Cooper called out his team for a lack of toughness after the Tampa Bay Lightning allowed a pair of late first-period goals and dropped Game 1 of their second-round series against the New York Islanders on Wednesday night.The Lightning head coach said the game was lost in the final two minutes of the opening frame, that his club was "too soft" during that stretch, and the breakdown was "inexcusable," according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times.Islanders forward Shane Prince scored twice in a span of 2:29 to give New York a 3-1 lead before the intermission. Prince's second goal came with 2.1 seconds left in the period.Related - Watch: Islanders' Prince strikes twice in less than 3 minutesThe Lightning rallied from a 4-1 deficit to cut the lead to one on Valtteri Filppula's goal with less than three minutes left in the third, but Cal Clutterbuck sealed it with an empty-netter.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TAMPA, Fla. - Shane Prince scored twice during a three-goal first period and John Tavares had a goal and an assist in the New York Islanders' 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series.Taking up where he left off in helping the Islanders advance beyond the first round for the first time in 23 years, Tavares assisted on Travis Hamonic's goal that erased an early deficit and later scored his sixth postseason goal on a blistering shot from the left circle to give New York a 4-1 lead midway through the second.The Islanders needed overtime to get three of four victories against the Florida Panthers in the opening round. This one was never seriously in doubt after New York wiped out the 1-0 lead Tampa Bay took on Ondrel Palat's goal just over three minutes into the game.Tampa Bay pulled to 4-3 on third-period goals by Nikita Kucherov and Valtteri Filppula before Cal Clutterbuck's empty-netter sealed the victory in the final minute.Thomas Greiss, who won one game in overtime and two in double overtime against Florida, finished with 33 saves for the Islanders. They were outshot 28-10 over the last two periods.Game 2 is Saturday at Amalie Arena.Lightning goalie Ben Bishop was superb in allowing no more than two goals in any of Tampa Bay's five games against Detroit in the opening round, but he yielded four in 13 shots to the Islanders before replaced by Andrei Vasilevskiy.Tampa Bay entered the series following a six-day layoff, but the benefit of the extended rest was debatable after the Islanders overcame the early deficit to take a two-goal lead into the first intermission.Prince scored twice in the final 2:32 of the opening period, camping out alone in front of the net to deflect a pass from Strome through Bishop at 17:28 and beating the Vezina Trophy finalist again with a wrist shot from the right circle with 2.1 seconds remaining .New York built the 3-1 lead despite failing to take advantage of its first two power play opportunities. Given a third chance with a man-advantage, the Islanders struck with Tavares to make it 4-1.That ended Bishop's night.Notes: Islanders coach Jack Capuano took a puck to the face during the third period, but returned to the bench before the end of the game. ... The Islanders' three-goal opening period ended Bishop's streak of allowing two or fewer goals in eight consecutive playoff games, dating to last year. New York C Josh Bailey did not play after leaving the team's first-round clinching victory with an upper body injury. ... The Lightning are still without injured captain Steven Stamkos, D Anton Stralman and RW J.T. Brown.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times for Ben Bishop.Not long after being named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, the Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender was yanked from Wednesday's Game 1 against the New York Islanders.Related: Bishop, Holtby, Quick named Vezina Trophy finalistsBishop allowed four goals on 13 shots - two of which were scored late in the first by Shane Prince - before being replaced by Andrei Vasilevskiy.In five games during a first-round series win over Detroit, Bishop posted a save percentage of .950.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The artist known as Shane Prince is putting on a show.The New York Islanders center scored a pair of first-period goals in rapid succession during Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.Prince tapped in his first of the game on a pass by Ryan Strome to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead late in the opening frame.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Two minutes and 29 seconds later, Prince scored from the faceoff circle on another one-timer before the period expired.Prince became the first Islanders player to score two first-period goals in a playoff game since Mike Bossy in 1985.He was traded to New York by the Ottawa Senators on deadline day, along with a seventh-round pick in exchange for a third-round selection.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Islanders bruiser Casey Cizikas made it his mission to set the tone early.Unfortunately for Lightning forward Erik Condra, he was the victim.Condra was escorted to the Tampa Bay dressing room, clearly dazed by the collision.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have drawn first blood in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.At the 3:05 mark of the first period, Ondrej Palat blasted a one-timer past Thomas Greiss of the New York Islanders to open the scoring in Game 1. Jonathan Drouin recorded the primary assist, his fifth helper in six playoff games.The goal was Palat's second of the postseason.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ben Bishop of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals, and Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings were announced as the three finalists for the 2016 Vezina Trophy, voted on by NHL general managers, on Wednesday.Here's a look at how the trio stacked up during the regular season.GoalieRecordSv%GAAShutoutsBen Bishop35-21-4.9262.066Braden Holtby48-9-7.9222.203Jonathan Quick40-23-5.9182.225Holtby, who tied a league record set by Martin Brodeur (2006-07) with 48 wins, is the likely favorite after backstopping the Presidents' Trophy-winning Capitals to regular-season excellence.Bishop, however, ranked first in goals-against average and second in save percentage.Quick's inclusion is a bit less obvious, although he did play quite a bit of hockey.

The Washington Capitals scored more goals than everyone but the Dallas Stars this season, and boasted six 20-goal scorers.Among those to reach the 20-goal plateau was winger Jason Chimera, who rebounded nicely after only finding the back of the net seven times in 2014-15.Chimera, who turns 37 in May, attributed his success to his status as an elder statesman."I'm like fine wine, I get better with age," Chimera told reporters Wednesday.After the wisecrack, Chimera admitted the key was actually spending time on the power play with the team's leading scorer, Evgeny Kuzsnetsov.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tyler Seguin's return to the Dallas Stars lineup is far from imminent.The star center hasn't been able to resume skating yet and will need another four-to-five days after he does hit the ice before he returns to game action, general manager Jim Nill told Mike Heika of the Dallas News on Wednesday.Still, Seguin is considered day to day.The update comes two days before the Stars are set to host the St. Louis Blues in Game 1 of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.Seguin appeared in one game of the opening round, wherein he suffered an undisclosed injury after being sidelined since March 17 with an Achilles issue.Based on this timeline, it appears as though he could miss at least the first two games of the series.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thomas Vanek's season came to an early end as a result of broken and displaced ribs, and his relationship with the Minnesota Wild may be permanently fractured this summer.Owed $7.5 million next season, Vanek could be bought out by the club, meaning his $6.5 million cap hit would shrink to $1.5 million in 2016-17 and $2.5 million the following year.It's a scenario Vanek knows could very well play out in the offseason, provided he's medically cleared by June 15 (or two days after the end of the Stanley Cup Final). It's also one he hopes to avoid."I signed here not because this is where I live. I signed here because I truly love it here and I want to win here," Vanek said Wednesday, according to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune. "That would be a dream come true."I do understand the business side of it. Again, I'm not happy with my year, but at the same time, I truly still believe that I'm a 30-goal scorer in this league. I'll worry about myself, have a good summer and be ready to go."The business side suggests the Wild would be well served by using that money elsewhere, especially after Vanek recorded only 18 goals and 23 assists in 74 games this past season, his lowest output in years.Even if he can hit the 30-goal mark - something he hasn't done since 2010-11 - it's a hefty price to pay for one aging player when youth and depth are key to building a winner.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Evgeny Medvedev was reportedly arrested early Wednesday on suspicion of DUI, police confirmed to Vince Lattanzio from NBC Philadelphia.Medvedev was released from custody in Montgomery County, Md., and charges have not been laid as police await toxicology results.The 33-year-old rookie played sparingly down the stretch for Philadelphia, and did not appear in the club's six-game run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.Medvedev came over from Kazan Ak-Bars last summer after seven seasons in the KHL.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After clinching a second-round berth with a five-game defeat of the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer is now one step closer to what would be a surprising Stanley Cup Final appearance.It wouldn't be his first Cinderella playoff run, though, as DeBoer led the sixth-seeded New Jersey Devils to an Eastern Conference title in 2012 - his only other postseason appearance. With his past success in mind, the first-year Sharks coach admits he feels far more comfortable this time around."I was just winging it last time. I really was. That's the truth," DeBoer said, according to Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area. "I feel much more prepared this time around, and hopefully we have to deal with those issues."The 47-year-old led the team back to the postseason after a one-year absence. The Sharks have missed the playoffs in just six of 24 NHL seasons, and will hope DeBoer can finally lead them to their first Clarence S. Campbell Bowl win in franchise history.San Jose awaits the results of the series between the Anaheim Ducks and Nashville Predators, who face off in a Game 7 on Wednesday night.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the first time in four seasons, the cost of winning arrives without winning a playoff round for the Chicago Blackhawks.Nine players on the Blackhawks playoff roster require new deals this summer, with none more important than the sandpapered Andrew Shaw - a player head coach Joel Quenneville called "irreplaceable" Wednesday.Shaw also spoke as the Blackhawks cleaned out their lockers, expressing his fervent desire to stay "home." But while he may be willing to make concessions on a new deal, he's most certainly in line to command a number greater than the $2 million he accounted for on Chicago's books this season.General manager Stan Bowman was noncommittal on Shaw's status, waiting instead on final cap numbers. He was, however, willing to acknowledge that buying out the final $4 million on Bryan Bickell's contract was an option.Elsewhere, Andrew Ladd, who the Blackhawks paid a steep price to acquire at the deadline, said he's looking to make decisions based on situation before dollars, but didn't divulge too much deeper into his playing future.Dale Weise, Tomas Fleischmann, Brandon Mashinter, Michal Rozsival, and Christian Ehrhoff are all unrestricted free agents as well.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After his most taxing season, Artemi Panarin is springing for more hockey.Panarin told reporters Wednesday in his season-end scrum that he'll make his way back to Russia to represent the host nation at next month's World Championship.The Calder Trophy front-runner had a wildly successful debut season on this side of the Atlantic, reaching the 30-goal plateau and finishing in a tie for ninth league-wide with 77 points.Panarin was part of Russia's silver medal-winning roster from last year in the Czech Republic, and won a gold as a world junior in 2011.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrik Laine's draft crusade will have an additional chapter.The surging No. 2-rated draft prospect is likely to represent Finland at the World Championship next month in Russia, Jouni Nieminen reports.Laine has been invited by the coach but the final roster will not be set until early next week.Auston Matthews - the top-rated prospect all season - will also partake in the tournament, representing the United States.Laine has already enjoyed success on the international stage this season. He scored seven goals and added six assists in seven games at the world junior tournament, helping Finland win gold.Nieminen's report comes one day after Laine won MVP honors for his leading Tappara Tampere to the Finnish club championship. He scored 10 goals and 15 points in the playoffs, adding to his impressive 33-point regular-season output.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After his Minnesota Wild were knocked out of the playoffs by the Dallas Stars, star forward Zach Parise discussed the back injury that kept him sidelined for the entire round with reporters Wednesday."It's been really scary," Parise admitted. "It was a little eye-opening. I'm not worried about the start of next year."The 31-year-old added that rehab for the injury is going "really well," and that it's too early to tell if he will require surgery.Parise is dealing with a herniated disc that's pinching a nerve, causing him to have little feeling in his left leg and foot, according to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune. However, he expects to be ready to represent the United States at the World Cup in September.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Wild netminder Devan Dubnyk said Wednesday he played with broken index finger throughout their opening-round loss to the Dallas Stars.He broke the digit in the morning skate prior to Game 1.Dubnyk will be the only one who really knows how much the injury affected his performance, but he didn't have a banner series. He allowed 20 goals, which stands to be the most in Round 1.And while some of those goals can be ascribed to chance, there was no excusing his over-read late in Game 6 - a decision that halted the club's valiant third-period comeback attempt.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The second career playoff meeting between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin may be the most meaningful series of the 2016 postseason, according to oddsmakers.Despite being set to begin a second-round series against each other Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals are co-favorites to win the Stanley Cup, according to Bodog.TeamOddsPittsburgh Penguins15/4Washington Capitals15/4St. Louis Blues19/4Dallas Stars5/1San Jose Sharks25/4Anaheim Ducks9/1Tampa Bay Lightning10/1New York Islanders14/1Nashville Predators20/1There is little love for the other two remaining teams in the East, as the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders' odds are only better than the Nashville Predators, who are set to play Game 7 of their first-round series against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.It's a similar situation in the West, as the dueling St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars are both favored over the San Jose Sharks, Ducks, and Predators.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens forward Tomas Plekanec and Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak are heading to Russia, as they will suit up for their native Czech Republic at the upcoming IIHF World Championship, according to the national team's Instagram account.Plekanec will captain the squad, according to Zdenek Matejovksy of TV Nova Sport. The 33-year-old recorded 14 goals and 40 assists in 82 games this season.Meanwhile, the 19-year-old Pastrnak scored a career-high 15 goals and added 11 assists in 51 games.It is believed Plekanec and Pastrnak will play on the same line alongside former Calgary Flames forward Roman Cervenka.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed defenseman Lukas Bengtsson to a two-year entry-level contract, general manager Jim Rutherford announced Wednesday.The 22-year-old recently helped his SHL club, Frolunda, win the league championship with an impressive postseason, posting seven points and a plus-7 rating in 12 games.The 5-foot-10, right-handed blue-liner recorded seven goals and seven assists in 30 regular-season games.It is believed Bengtsson also received interest from the New York Rangers, who were eliminated from the playoffs by the Penguins earlier in the week.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For only the second time in NHL history, the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning will meet in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.The two clubs met in the first round of the 2004 postseason, with the Islanders serving as the first of four to fall by the wayside during the Lightning's first and only Cup win.This time around, the teams will face off after having already won a series, as the Islanders knocked off the Florida Panthers in six and the Lighting - the current defending conference champions - took care of the Detroit Red Wings in five.The Islanders took the season series 2-1, outscoring Tampa Bay by a margin of 12-11.Here's why the Lightning will return to the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight season.Triplets 2.0The Lightning line of Alex Killorn, Tyler Johnson, and Nikita Kucherov - dubbed "Triplets 2.0" - straight-up dominated in the first round, combining for 20 points over the course of five games.And it's the talented Russian winger who's leading the way.PlayerGoalsAssistsNikita Kucherov53Tyler Johnson25Alex Killorn32This trio played together sporadically during the regular season, and it was Ondrej Palat who was featured on the first iteration of the Triplets line in lieu of Killorn.Steven Stamkos remains a massive loss, but Kucherov and Johnson have proven to be able to carry the team, and the league's hottest line will remain near impossible to contain, especially for an Islanders team that's allowed a playoff-high 39.2 shots per game.Goliath in netBen Bishop was one of the best goalies back in the regular season, and is showing no signs of being less dominant when it matters most.He stands 6-foot-7, and certainly stood tall against Detroit, posting a .950 save percentage, while allowing just eight goals on 160 shots against. That success rate is up from .926 in the regular season, where he ranked second in that category among goalies with at least 41 appearances.Bishop has also proven to lock it down in critical situations.

Not unlike most teams that remain standing, the Anaheim Ducks must overcome a hurdle that's induced more than just a few postseason face plants.When Anaheim hosts the Nashville Predators in the terminal clash of its first-round series Wednesday, it'll be looking to snap a three-season run of having its postseason bid end in a Game 7 on home ice.Historical context is most often overblown. And it's important to note that just four players - Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Andrew Cogliano, Cam Fowler - were around to experience each previous defeat. But without question, every player in the room feels the weight of those failures.And for that, they're the wiser."Safe is going to get you nowhere," Cogliano said, according to Curtis Zupke of the Los Angeles Times. "Being ... timid, or hoping for something, is going to get you absolutely where it does, and that's where we've lost the last couple of years. We need to come out and be willing to out-compete them."The Ducks were paralysed by two Jonathan Toews goals within the first 12 minutes of last season's culminating clash in the Western Conference Final versus the Chicago Blackhawks before falling behind 4-0. Just 11 months removed, those memories are still vivid, and an important reminder to force the issue."You can't go out there and play not to lose," Fowler said. "You have to play aggressive. You have to play on your toes. You have to do the things that got you here as a team and, for us, that's playing aggressive, that's (being) physical, because any time we sit back and we wait for teams, that's when we get in trouble."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking forward to Saturday's NHL Draft lottery results, they seem to have already scored a major victory on the prospect front.With two goals and two assists in a London Knights playoff game Tuesday against the Erie Otters, Mitch Marner leads the OHL with 14 goals and 21 assists, and is averaging almost three points per game this postseason.

It was going to take a lot to separate Sean Couturier from a Game 7 against the Washington Capitals.The Philadelphia Flyers center admitted Monday to suffering a Grade 2-3 shoulder separation after being leveled into the boards by Alex Ovechkin in Game 1 of the first-round series, but said he was going to try to suit up for the series-deciding game if it had gone that far.The risk of re-injury would have been high, and in the long run, perhaps it's better to have not tested the shoulder in such a high-pressure situation.The Flyers lost in six, meaning the possibility is off the table, and Couturier can start focusing on next season while probably also thinking what could have been had he not been injured so early in the series.

Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk needed help. The Detroit Red Wings knew that. Unfortunately, they didn't get enough of it.A future in which the club belongs to Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar - and Dylan Larkin - is getting ever closer, especially if Datsyuk leaves for Mother Russia, and Nyquist and Tatar know they must be better next season and beyond."We can't throw everything on Pavel and Hank; those guys need help from us," Tatar said, writes The Detroit News' Ted Kulfan. "Last season me and Nyke stepped up and helped them. This year was a little bit different, a little tougher for me."PlayerSeasonGoalsAssistsPointsNyquist2014-15272754Nyquist2015-16172643Tatar2014-15292756Tatar2015-16212445Nyquist iwill be 27 on Sept. 1, while Tatar will turn 26 on Dec. 1. They're in their prime."I have to do better," Nyquist said. "I didn't score as much as I wanted to. That's on me, and I just have to find a way to do better."Tatar is heading into the last season of his contract, earning $2.75 million. He'll be a restricted free agent next summer, so if he's looking for more motivation, he knows where to find it. Nyquist, meanwhile, is locked up through 2018-19 at a cap hit of $4.75 million. At that price, he's got to produce at least 50 points.Tatar, for his part, expects changes in Detroit, saying the Red Wings "have to do something different to get back on track."The Red Wings' defense needs help - Detroit finished with a minus-10 goal differential, the only playoff team of 16 to allow more goals than it scored.It's going to be an interesting offseason in Detroit, beyond the massive Datsyuk decision. Jimmy Howard is clearly the backup goalie to Petr Mrazek, but he's signed long term, while Mrazek is a restricted free agent. There are pieces in Nyquist, Tatar, Larkin, Justin Abdelkader, Andreas Athanasiou, and Anthony Mantha.The Red Wings ranked 23rd in goals, scoring 2.5 per game. Problem is, they allowed 2.7. Shoring up the situation in goal, getting rid of Howard's contract, and fixing the defense should be priority number one for general manager Ken Holland, who has his work cut out for him.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.