Baily was not a fan this play being called dead.Following a hit that caused a stanchion to come loose as well as an apparent hand pass, the Los Angeles Kings' mascot became visibly frustrated and offered the referee a pair of glasses.It seems as though he was able to calm down and gain some perspective after the Kings' Game 2 loss.

We've seen this play before.After a 2-1 win Saturday over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 2 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series, the San Jose Sharks hold a 2-0 lead, seemingly well positioned to knock off their state rivals and punch their ticket to the Western Conference semifinals.The problem is, they were in an even better position two years ago, but proceeded to blow a 3-0 series lead to these very Kings in a scarring opening-round collapse.Here's three reasons why history won't repeat itself in 2016:Road warriorsIn 2014, the Sharks won Games 1 and 2 in convincing fashion, outscoring the Kings 13-5. Those performances, however, came on home ice, where teams are expected to hold court in a seven-game series.This year, San Jose squeaked out a pair of one-goal road wins, stealing home-ice advantage from the Kings. That the Sharks were able to take care of business in L.A. should come as no surprise; San Jose posted a 28-10-3 away record this season, tops in the NHL.Their regular-season home record (18-20-3) left something to be desired, but the Sharks are traditionally a strong home team, and that they were able to win a pair in Los Angeles with three of a possible five games to be played in San Jose bodes well for shutting the door on another Kings comeback.Kings' banged-up blue lineThe Kings were forced to play Game 2 without defenseman Alec Martinez, who averaged over 21 minutes a night during the regular season. Jamie McBain was called into action in his stead, while Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin were both given even heavier than usual workloads.Brayden McNabb is the only other Kings defenseman to see an average of over 20 minutes through the first two games, with Rob Scuderi, McBain, and Luke Schenn seeing four to five fewer minutes.Should Martinez not be able to return immediately, the Sharks should continue to wear down Los Angeles' top pair and take advantage of the weaker half of the defensive lineup, leaving goaltender Jonathan Quick more exposed than usual.Luck is a huge factor in the playoffs, and health is on San Jose's side.Mr. JonesAntti Niemi was San Jose's number one goalie in 2014, but he finished only three of the six games he started, posting an .884 save percentage over the course of the series. Alex Stalock played well in relief, but in the end, it was a matter of too little, too late.Last summer, San Jose paid a premium to acquire Martin Jones - Los Angeles' former backup - and he's proving to be well worth giving up a first-round pick early on this postseason, allowing only four goals on 51 shots, good for a .922 save percentage.Should he falter, James Reimer, who sparkled after being acquired from Toronto prior to the deadline, is ready to step in and help close the door.Jones is proving to be a star on the big stage, with Hollywood ready to be conquered.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

LOS ANGELES - Captain Joe Pavelski scored his third goal in two games, Martin Jones made 27 saves and the San Jose Sharks took a 2-0 series lead on the Los Angeles Kings with a 2-1 victory in Game 2 on Saturday night.Logan Couture also scored for the Sharks, who largely dominated their California rivals in their second straight road victory.Jones made several key stops against his former Los Angeles teammates and hung on after losing his shutout bid on Vincent Lecavalier's power-play goal with 5:01 to play.Jonathan Quick stopped 21 shots while losing to his former backup again.Neither team has forgotten the Kings lost the first three games of their first-round series with San Jose in 2014, only to win four straight.Game 3 is Monday night at the Shark Tank.This is familiar territory: The Sharks went up 3-0 on Los Angeles in the first round in 2014, only to become the fourth team in NHL history to blow that lead when the Kings roared back.While the Sharks' core is largely the same, the addition of several complementary players and coach Peter DeBoer suggest things could be different this year.The Sharks led the NHL with 28 road victories this season, and they've snagged two more at Staples Center. But now they've got to go back to San Jose, where they were a sub-.500 team.Pavelski was dominant in the series opener, scoring on the Sharks' first shot before adding the go-ahead goal early in the third period. He scored on the Sharks' first shot again in Game 2, slipping it through traffic past Quick, his U.S. Olympic teammate.When Los Angeles took simultaneous penalties in the second period, Couture scored during 5-on-3 play after Quick got far out of position.The Kings struggled for offense despite a boost from the return of Marian Gaborik, who missed the past two months with a knee injury. Top goal-scorer Tyler Toffoli was shut out again, and top scorer Anze Kopitar made little impact as the Sharks largely confined the Kings to the perimeter of the ice.Lecavalier finally ended the Kings' 77:41 scoreless stretch with a rebound goal, but they couldn't equalize with Quick pulled in the final seconds.Gaborik had missed 29 straight games since Feb. 12, but he returned to the Kings' starting lineup for Game 2. The Slovak scorer had a phenomenal postseason in 2014, contributing 14 goals on the way to his first Stanley Cup title.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Antoine Roussel felt like a certain Pittsburgh Penguins star after scoring a strange but crucial goal Saturday night."I was trying to kick it in back on my stick, and (it was) just perfect," the Dallas Stars forward told reporters following a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild in Game 2 on Saturday night. "Looked like a Crosby goal or something."Roussel was credited with the opening goal of the game after the puck caromed off his skate, then off Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk and in, as the netminder lifted the net off in an attempt to keep the puck out.Related: Roussel's trick shot could be the strangest goal scored this season"I wasn't sure it totally crossed the line, but I had a feeling it might get reversed," Roussel said.It was ruled no goal on the ice, but that call was indeed overturned by the NHL's Situation Room in Toronto.Related: Dubnyk sounds off on controversial Roussel goal"(Dubnyk) just pushed the net off, and in that circumstance, that (was) good for us and that was a big goal for us," Roussel said.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On a play that was originally waved off by on-ice officials, Dallas Stars forward Antoine Roussel was credited with a miraculous goal after video review, helping the Stars grab a 2-1 win and a 2-0 series lead over the Minnesota Wild.Related: Roussel's trick shot could be the strangest goal scored this season​With some arguing the goal was kicked in, and others arguing the net was knocked off its moorings before the puck crossed the line, goaltender Devan Dubnyk was understandably frustrated with the ruling.

Steve Mason is owning up to his mistake.The Philadelphia Flyers goaltender took full responsibility Saturday night after allowing Washington Capitals forward Jason Chimera to score a 100-foot goal that held up as the winner in Game 2.Related - Watch: Steve Mason allows goal on 100-foot deflection by Jason Chimera"I tried to put it to the corner. I messed up," Mason told the Courier-Post's Dave Isaac. "(I) can say it over and over again, 'It’s a bad goal.'""You just have to have a short memory," he added, according to Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "It sucked. It's a crappy feeling. I just completely messed up on it. It should have been a simple play for me. I messed up."It wasn't good. My fault, obviously. I put the team in a tough position after that. Just a bad goal."Flyers captain Claude Giroux wasn't concerned about having to say the right thing to his netminder after the goal that ultimately put Philadelphia down 2-0 in the series."Mase bailed us out so many times. I’m not too worried about that," Giroux said.Mason allowed four goals on 23 shots in the 4-1 loss Saturday, after conceding the only two goals of Game 1 in a 2-0 defeat Thursday night.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals are feeling pity for the Philadelphia Flyers. This, of course, is not a good look for the Flyers.After backing up his Game 1 shutout with a dazzling 41-save performance in Game 2, Braden Holtby admitted that he lamented seeing Steve Mason - his goaltending counterpart - let in a goal from center ice."I couldn't even watch the replay of it," Holtby said of Mason's blunder, according to Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press."You never want to see it as a goalie." he added. "As a competitor, you don't want to see it."Defenseman Karl Alzner shared in that sentiment, saying carefully: "You feel bad, kind of, for the other team. Not so much in the playoffs."Holtby, meanwhile, has stopped better than 98 percent of the shots he's faced in the series. And he's been perfect from the red line out.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After a disappointing 4-1 Game 2 loss that saw goaltender Steve Mason allow a goal from 100 feet away, Philadelphia Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol knows his team needs to pick up their game, as they now sit in a 2-0 series deficit."We've got our butts on the line and I think that's a pretty comfortable spot for this group," Hakstol said, according to Sports Illustrated's Alex Prewitt.The first-year coach saw his team make an incredible late-season run to grab the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot, winning 25 of their final 44 regular-season games.They'll now need a similar run to knock off the Presidents' Trophy winners but Hakstol noted "confidence on our team is not an issue," according to CSN's Jen Daniels.After Mason's major gaffe, Hakstol would not say whether he would stick with the 27-year-old in goal for Game 3, according to ESPN's Joe McDonald.This leaves a possibility Michal Neuvirth could start against his former team. He made his first career start against Washington in January, making 27 saves in an overtime victory. He has made just one start since March 16, when he suffered a knee injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Gabbo is back.Marian Gaborik is in the Los Angeles Kings' lineup for Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks.He took part in the pregame warmup alongside Anze Kopitar and Milan Lucic.The veteran forward was activated off injured reserve before the game after being out since Feb. 12 with a knee injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

WASHINGTON - Washington's Braden Holtby made 41 saves, Philadelphia's Steve Mason gave up a goal from 101 feet away and Alex Ovechkin scored on the power play and the Capitals beat the Flyers 4-1 in Game 2 Saturday night to take a 2-0 series lead.Ovechkin's 37th Stanley Cup playoff goal was as predictable as Jason Chimera's goal from beyond the red line was unexpected. Mason whiffed at the puck on what turned out to be the game-winner.Related: Steve Mason allows goal on 100-foot deflection by Jason ChimeraThe Flyers outshot the Capitals 42-23 and dominated for much of the game, but came up empty as John Carlson scored his second power-play goal in as many games and Nicklas Backstrom added one at even strength late. Jake Voracek scored the Flyers' only goal.The series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Monday night.Mason did the splits to stop Carlson from point-blank range early in the second period and was slow to get up. He remained in the game, but less than a minute later made the mistake that will be shown on bad-goal blooper reels for decades.After Karl Alzner backhanded the puck from his goal line, Chimera tipped it from the Capitals' side of the red line. It slid five-hole on Mason, who wrenched his head back in dismay.The goal 2:26 into the second led to derisive ''Ma-son'' chants as the Flyers looked noticeably deflated. Voracek's goal at 9:37 cut the Capitals' lead to 2-1 and served to show that Holtby is indeed human after he stopped the first 44 shots in the series.Ovechkin was throwing his body around like few NHL superstars of his caliber can. He drilled Michael Raffl in the first minute and later dumped Brayden Schenn into the Flyers' bench.Back in the crease, Holtby picked up where he left off after shutting out the Flyers in Game 1 Thursday. The NHL's all-time playoff save percentage leader made 19 saves in the first period, the same amount he had in the entire opener.The Capitals didn't have much going for themselves until Evgeny Kuznetsov drew a holding-the-stick penalty on Brandon Manning. Carlson used a screen to beat Holtby from the point on the power play 14:09 in to make it 1-0.Carlson's goal livened up a tense crowd at Verizon Center that roared as Washington killed off 1:07 of 5-on-3 Philadelphia power play and then again as the first period came to an end. The goaltender was again the Capitals' best penalty-killer, earning chants of ''Holtby, Holtby.''After Voracek's goal, Holtby went back to his usual dominance, turning away Schenn on a 4-on-3 Flyers power play and then stopping Claude Giroux as it expired. Then, Ovechkin made Philadelphia pay for Mark Streit's holding penalty.Ovechkin was wide open with nothing but ice around him when Backstrom passed the puck through teammate T.J. Oshie's legs to the Capitals' captain for his trademark one-timer on the power play. It was his first point of the series.The Capitals improved to 3 for 8 on the power play in the series after going 3 for 28 in the 2015 playoffs. The Flyers are 0 for 7 on the power play through two games.Holtby kept making highlight-reel saves, robbing rookie Shayne Gostisbehere with his glove in the third period before Backstrom scored the insurance goal with 2:13 left.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Even in the midst of a playoff game, Jamie Benn is able to have a little fun.The Dallas Stars captain stopped to pose for a photo after drawing a tripping call on Minnesota Wild defenseman Ryan Suter late in the first period of Game 2.The photo atop this post is the one taken Saturday night.- With h/t to SB Nation(Courtesy: FOX Sports Southwest)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin is out there collecting bodies.After ending Sean Couturier's series with a crushing body check in Game 1, the Washington Capitals' scoring machine dumped Brayden Schenn into his own bench with another heavy hit along the boards.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is not the goaltending you need when facing the NHL's best team.Steve Mason let in one of the worst goals in recent memory, and Washington Capitals forward Jason Chimera was credited with the marker after his neutral-zone deflection of a Karl Alzner clearing attempt beat the Philadelphia Flyers goalie five-hole.That goal came just moments after Mason made an incredible pad save to rob John Carlson from what would've been his second goal of the game. The 27-year-old netminder was slow to get up after dropping into the splits to make the stop, but he did remain in the game.

The rivalry between the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders clearly extends to the AHL.Tempers flared between the Albany Devils and Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Saturday, as the affiliates engaged in a massive brawl late in the second period.When the dust settled, the clubs had more than 200 combined penalty minutes, while multiple players and coaches were ejected.(Courtesy: AHL)The melee left the benches a little thin.

Tyler Seguin is fit to return to the Dallas Stars lineup for Game 2 on Saturday versus the Minnesota Wild.The proficient top-line scorer has been out since suffering a 15 percent cut of his Achilles in a March 17 game versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.Seguin - who totaled 33 goals and averaged better than a point per game - appears likely to ease back into the lineup for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He did not skate with a normal forward line at Dallas' morning session, or work out of the top unit in warmup.Mattias Janmark will sit to facilitate his return.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

PITTSBURGH - Keith Yandle and Derick Brassard scored 18 seconds apart in the second period and Henrik Lundqvist looked just fine dealing with an eye injury and the New York Rangers stopped the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 on Saturday to even their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series at one game.Mats Zuccarello and Chris Kreider also scored for the Rangers. J.T. Miller added three assists and New York handed Pittsburgh just its third loss in its past 18 games.Lundqvist finished with 29 saves and showed no ill effects after getting accidentally slashed in the right eye by a teammate in Game 1, forcing him to leave after the first period.Game 3 is Tuesday in New York.Phil Kessel scored his first two playoff goals in three years, but the Penguins' defense broke down in front of backup goaltender Jeff Zatkoff, who made 24 saves.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Phil Kessel was responsible for both Pittsburgh Penguins goals in Saturday's Game 2 loss to the New York Rangers, padding his commendable - and at the same time perhaps a touch surprising - scoring record in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.The previously-maligned sniper now has 15 goals in 24 postseason games, or a 0.63 goal-per-game that almost doubles his regular-season career average.But here's the rub: His 24 games have been accrued over his decade in the league. Kessel's former Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs teams qualified for the playoffs in just three of his nine previous seasons - and advanced past the first round once - before he moved on to the Penguins last summer.All of this only adding to his polarity.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Derick Brassard and Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers certainly love playing hockey in the spring.With a three-point effort Saturday in Game 2 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Brassard has joined some impressive company on New York's all-time postseason scoring list.

Just days into the NHL postseason, many are calling for the end of the coach's challenge for offside calls - especially after a successful challenge overturned a go-ahead goal for St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko on Friday - but one head coach is surprisingly speaking out in support of offside reviews.Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz said he's 'confident' that 99 percent of calls are correct after off-side challenges, which he believes is better for the game."I'd rather have them get it right 99% of the time than 77% of the time," Trotz said, according to Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. "I think it's the right thing."It didn't take long for the rule to affect a game Saturday, as a go-ahead goal in the second period by New York Rangers forward Derick Brassard was challenged by the Pittsburgh Penguins. This time, the goal was not overturned as Brassard was ruled onside.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Josh Manson played only 4:44 against the Nashville Predators on Friday night before leaving the game with an injury.On Saturday, head coach Bruce Boudreau said it's a head/upper-body injury, according to the Los Angeles Times' Curtis Zupke, but wouldn't divulge any further details, including a timeline as to how long the 24-year-old may be out of the lineup.Manson's been a regular on the Ducks' blue line, averaging 18:47 in ice time per game during the regular season, and tallying five goals and 10 helpers in 71 games.Manson didn't skate Saturday, and the Ducks recalled forward Nick Ritchie from the AHL. Kevin Bieksa, dealing with an upper-body injury of his own, didn't play Friday, and said he's a game-time decision Sunday, according to The Tennessean's Adam Vingan."We'll see (Sunday)," Bieksa said. "You know the drill."The Ducks dropped a 3-2 decision in Game 1 at home. Game 2 goes Sunday night at 10:30 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

These Penguins are lethal with their march.Phil Kessel finished off one of the more eye-popping plays you'll see in these playoffs, driving home a one-touch feed from Trevor Daley off the backhand saucer from Nick Bonino in transition.That's Kessel's 14th goal - and 23rd point - in his 24th career postseason game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Geno's back.Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Evgeni Malkin is playing in Game 2 of his club's first-round series against the New York Rangers, his first action since mid-March, when he suffered an upper-body injury that cost him the final month of the regular season.

Marian Gaborik is on the verge.The Los Angeles Kings right winger, out since Feb. 12 with a knee injury, has been medically cleared to play and will be a game-time decision Saturday night for Game 2 against the San Jose Sharks, head coach Darryl Sutter said."It becomes a coach's decision (and) a player's declaration of whether he's ready or not," Sutter said, according to Kings Insider's Jon Rosen.It was a supremely disappointing regular season for Gaborik, the 34-year-old scoring 12 goals in 54 games and finishing with only 22 points. However, the Kings have fond memories of Gaborik's 2014 postseason, when he scored 14 goals and added eight assists in 26 games to play an integral role in the club's Stanley Cup win.Meanwhile, on the blue line, Sutter confirmed that Alec Martinez will not play due to an undisclosed injury, and Jamie McBain will suit up in his place, according to NHL.com's Shawn Roarke.Martinez played only 11 minutes in Game 1 - none in the third period - and that meant Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin saw a ton of ice. The two will be relied upon heavily again, regardless of how many minutes McBain can go. Martinez's loss is a big one, as he averaged more than 21 minutes a game during the regular season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Joe Colborne is a pending restricted free agent, and if he could have it his way, he'd remain a member of the Calgary Flames for a long time."I'd like to spend the next 10-to-12 years here," Colborne said. "I'd love to be part of the group that brings a Stanley Cup back."The 26-year-old Calgary native was traded to the Flames in 2013 and enjoyed a career-best season this year, scoring 19 goals and 44 points."I just think confidence-wise, it was huge," Colborne said. "I thought I came into my strength and my offseason commitments have really started to pay off. My comfort level as a guy who can go to the front of the net, win battles, go to the corners and control the puck has started to come to fruition."Calgary's front office faces plenty of important decisions this offseason, including new contracts for forwards Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau, plus a chance at a top-five pick in the draft.Colborne understands general manager Brad Treliving has his own priorities."I would like to get it done sooner rather than later, but I understand there are some other guys that will be getting pretty good raises here that are probably the most important thing for them to take care of," Colborne said.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning can see the effects of Justin Abdelkader's handiwork.The Detroit Red Wings' super agitator left forward Mike Blunden with nine stitches during a brawl - which Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper called "mild" - and up 2-0 in the series, the Lightning may think they have some breathing room for retribution.Cedric Paquette, asked if he expects the Lightning to retaliate, was honest: "Probably," he said, according to Lightning website writer Bryan Burns."That's not smart from (Abdelkader)," Paquette added. "When there's a guy laying on the ice like that, you respect your opponent."Abdelkader disagrees, clearly. With Blunden beneath him in the melee, Abdelkader let his fists fly.After the game, both teams said what was expected: It's hockey. It's the playoffs. There's a lot of emotion out there.The bad blood will carry over. Because it's hockey. Because it's the playoffs. But Cooper's not worried about it."I hope our compete carries over," he said. "That's all that matters."Game 3 should be fun to watch.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hockey - sports in general - was always thought to be a game of inches. Until video review came along. Now we're dealing with the smallest units of measurement, when the stakes are at their highest.The talk of the hockey world Saturday was Vladimir Tarasenko's go-ahead goal for the St. Louis Blues on Friday night, which was disallowed after it was ruled Jori Lehtera was offside. The goal would have made it 3-2 St. Louis. Instead, the Chicago Blackhawks rallied for a late goal of their own, which review upheld, and won the 3-2 to tie the series at 1-1.New blue line cameras were used to determine Lehtera was, in fact, offside. Kay Whitmore, a former NHL goalie and now senior director of hockey operations for the league, said without those cameras, Tarasenko's goal counts."The blue line cameras situated right on the blue line gives you a true sight line of what's actually happening," Whitmore said, according to NHL.com's Amalie Benjamin. "Without those cameras, this would have been a tough call to make. You could probably say that the skate might have been in, but if there's any doubt on the ice, then the original call has to stand."To be honest, this was one of the closest ones we've had. You're looking at a puck - not just when it enters the zone. You're actually looking at when the skate comes off the ice and if it stays on the ice when the puck enters the zone."

The King is in.New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist started Game 2 on Saturday afternoon against the Pittsburgh Penguins.Lundqvist was forced out of Game 1 following the first period after he took a high stick and suffered an eye injury."He's good to go," said Vigneault before the game.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward J.T. Brown is out indefinitely after suffering an upper-body injury in Game 2 against the Detroit Red Wings, the team announced Saturday.Brown exited Friday's game in the first period after blocking a shot, and didn't return.

Florida Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck is on the mend, but whether he suits up in the first round still remains to be seen.The 25-goal man took to the ice Saturday to test out his injured ankle, a positive step in his recovery, according to the Miami Herald's George Richards."He's getting better," said head coach Gerard Gallant.Trocheck's with the club as it heads to Brooklyn, but whether the 22-year-old can play in Game 3 or Game 4 is up in the air.The Pittsburgh native broke out in a big way in 2015-16, scoring 25 goals and adding 28 assists, both career highs. He played almost 18 minutes a game, had 13 power-play points, and contributed four game-winning goals. He finished fifth in team scoring, one of six Panthers to record 50 or more goals, in what was a very balanced attack.The Panthers and Islanders split the first two games of their series.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin was ruled a game-time decision for Game 2 on Saturday night versus the Minnesota Wild, head coach Lindy Ruff confirmed earlier in the day.Seguin skated Saturday morning, and said he feels good to go, but it's up to Ruff.The 24-year-old missed Game 1, and hasn't played since March 17 due to an Achilles injury.The Stars, however, fared well without Seguin in the series opener, taking down the Wild 4-0.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While Game 2 between the Chicago Blackhwaks and St. Louis Blues was thrilling, a lengthy stoppage in play had a huge role in the outcome.With eight minutes remaining, it looked as though St. Louis had taken a 2-1 lead on a goal by Vladimir Tarasenko, but after a drawn-out review following a coach's challenge, the play was determined offside, reversing the call on the ice.The change of fortunes took the air out of the Scottrade Center, and the arena fell silent minutes later after Andrew Shaw's goal - which was also challenged and reviewed - gave Chicago the lead. The Blackhawks ultimately prevailed 3-2 to tie the series.The coach's challenge was introduced to the NHL this season, and although the right call was made Friday, neither captain was thrilled by the length of process."It's not easy," Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said, according to Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune. "It definitely is frustrating for both teams to have to wait that long. If we're going to get the bounce we'll wait as long as we have to, I guess. There's no doubt that to a certain degree it takes a little bit away from the energy of the building."He added, "It's been predicted and talked about that that might happen in the playoffs. We were the benefactors in that situation."In the other ear of the referee awaiting a decision was Blues captain David Backes."It was a five- or six-minute review," Backes said. "It felt like forever. ..."When it goes your way, you love it. When it doesn't go your way, it's the worst rule created. But it's one of those things where you want it called right. I don't know if they need the football (way) under the hood and a time limit and (if) they haven't had evidence after the time limit, you move on with life and you keep playing."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Spring must be Tyler Johnson's favorite time of year.Scoring 23 points in 26 games, Johnson was instrumental during the Lightning's march to the Stanley Cup Final last postseason, and the Tampa Bay forward is off to a similar start a year later.Johnson has six points in two games against the Detroit Red Wings, propelling Tampa Bay to a commanding 2-0 series lead, and his team has taken notice."You're learning that last year's playoffs were not a fluke," Lighting head coach Jon Cooper told Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "Time and time again, playing in the big games, (Johnson) continues to rise to the occasion. Definitely glad he's on our bench."Lightning forward Brian Boyle praised Johnson's performances as well."The kid has got a lot of heart. He's a huge part of our team and he's leading the way right now," he said.Johnson's ability to step up in the absence of captain Steven Stamkos, especially after a disappointing regular season for himself, has been the difference in the series thus far."What we focus on the most is the playoffs," Johnson said. "That's what we play for, that's what we train for, that's the fun part of the year. It's been a frustrating year up to this point, but it's just getting ready for this."Johnson scored just 38 points in 69 games this season, a year after notching a career-high 72.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If you didn't peg the Detroit Red Wings or Tampa Bay Lighting as bitter rivals before the playoffs, the first two games of their first-round series have proved you wrong.In the closing seconds of Game 2 on Friday night - a 5-2 Lightning victory - the teams engaged in a melee that would make the Hanson brothers proud, ultimately producing six 10-minute misconducts and a game misconduct.Related: Watch: Abdelkader busts open Blunden with brutal ground-and-poundThe brawl was instigated by Red Wings forward Brad Richards, who slashed Lightning defenseman Andrej Sustr.Detroit rookie Dylan Larkin had an understated assessment of the situation after the game."Both teams don't like each other very much," he told Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. "Maybe we sent a message we're here to battle."Lightning head coach Jon Cooper wasn't concerned by the ending."Just imagine if it was the '70s," Cooper said. "It's 2016. To me, I thought that was pretty mild. It's two teams that want to win a hockey game and guys are going at it. If there was anything wrong about it, I'm sure the league will look into it. It was a hard-fought hockey game and emotions got the best of both teams in the end."Veteran Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall shared the same view as the opposing coach."There's a lot of emotions in the playoffs," Kronwall said. "Stuff like that happens."Tampa Bay forward Mike Blunden, who said he required nine stitches after a vicious attack from Justin Abdelkader, shrugged it off."It's hockey," Blunden said. "We're in a battle. We're battling out there. Just part of the game."After a chippy Game 1, Cooper said he'd expected both teams to cool off in Game 2."Clearly wrong," Cooper admitted, according to Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times.Game 3 goes Sunday in Detroit. Buckle up.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Filip Forsberg got credit for the tiebreaking goal with 9:35 to play, and the Nashville Predators opened their first-round playoff series with a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.Pekka Rinne made 27 saves for the Predators, who got the early jump on the Pacific Division champion Ducks with a gritty road effort.James Neal and Colin Wilson also scored, while Forsberg scored the go-ahead goal when his cross-ice pass to Craig Smith hit defenseman Shea Theodore's skate and trickled past John Gibson.Forsberg was dangerous all night, and not just with the puck. His open-ice hit on Josh Manson at the first-period buzzer knocked the Anaheim defenseman out of the game.Game 2 is Sunday night in Anaheim.Captain Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler scored for the Ducks, who lost an opener for just the second time in seven playoff series under coach Bruce Boudreau.Five years after Nashville eliminated Anaheim in six games for the franchise's first playoff series victory, the Predators again took away home-ice advantage from the Ducks in the opener.Gibson stopped 30 shots, but Nashville's speed repeatedly hurt the NHL's stingiest regular-season defense. Neal tied the Nashville postseason record with nine shots, while defenseman Ryan Ellis had an assist and several big plays.Anaheim had a raucous crowd for its first home game since claiming its fourth straight division title. The Ducks rallied from a putrid start to this season into the playoffs with a dominant run since Christmas.The Ducks have advanced an extra round in the past two postseasons, only to drop a Game 7 at home every year, culminating in last summer's Western Conference finals loss to Chicago.Now they'll have to play Game 2 with a series deficit for the first time since their second-round loss to Los Angeles in 2014.Just 35 seconds into Game 1, Neal jumped between two defenders and put a puck under Gibson's arm for his 16th career playoff goal. The Ducks evened it during a 5-on-3 advantage later in the period, with Getzlaf earning his club-record 95th playoff point.Kesler put the Ducks ahead 48 seconds into the second period with a shot through Jakob Silfverberg's screen for the fourth goal in his last five playoff games, but Wilson evened it later in the period with a remarkable one-handed poke of Ryan Ellis' pass.Manson made his playoff debut for the Ducks, but didn't return after incurring an upper-body injury on an open-ice hit from Forsberg. Theodore also made his playoff debut in the absence of Kevin Bieksa, who missed his 10th straight game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan Ellis has something for Drew Doughty and Danny DeKeyser.The Nashville Predators defender may have outdid Doughty's pad stack and trumped DeKeyser's butt save, using a combination of both to deny Anaheim Ducks forward Jamie McGinn in Game 1.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If you were expecting a meltdown from Ken Hitchcock after video reviews for on-ice goals went against the St. Louis Blues in succession - thus preventing them from perhaps taking a 2-0 stranglehold on the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks - prepare to be disappointed.Hitchcock, who some believe may be on the chopping block should the Blues fail to topple the Blackhawks, took the potentially-calamitous misfortune quite well."It's always going to seem like it's one-sided. Big deal. Fight through it," Hitchcock said, almost smiling."And if we expect to beat Chicago in this series we're going to have to fight through more than just Chicago. They're a hell of a hockey club."They've got a lot of information on how to win. There's other elements there that we're going to have to fight through. And we're going to have to find a way to do it. If we expect to beat them, we're going to have to be better in a lot of elements, and know that we're going to get calls that aren't going to go our way."St. Louis came undone when Vladimir Tarasenko's go-ahead goal with a little less than eight minutes left was disallowed. He took a slashing penalty moments later, leading to a power-play goal from Andrew Shaw that withstood additional inspection.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was a historical playoff win for Corey Crawford and the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night. And we're not talking about instant replay.Crawford made 29 saves, exceeding Tony Esposito on the franchise's all-time wins list, and, with a little help from video review, helped his team to a controversial split through two road games in their first-round series with the St. Louis Blues.

For whatever reason, Game 1 between the Anaheim Ducks and Nashville Predators on Friday night will serve as the 11th game of the NHL's second season.So, to acknowledge the NHL's odd scheduling, we present three important happenings from the first 10 games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs waged in the absence of the Ducks and Predators.Review rescues the defending champsAll right, so technically the puck was dropped (and James Neal did score) in Anaheim before the Blues and Blackhawks completed Game 2. But how could we omit the wild turn of events in St. Louis?After winning the opener in extra time behind a brilliant 35-save shutout from Brian Elliott, the Blues appeared to have the Blackhawks backed into a corner with a go-ahead goal from Vladimir Tarasenko late in Game 2. But after Joel Quenneville issued a challenge, it was determined Jori Lehtera was offside, if only fractionally.

Vladimir Tarasenko thought he had his second goal of the night after a beautiful feed from linemate Jori Lehtera, until the Chicago Blackhawks challenged the goal to see if the Finn was offside.

SUNRISE, Fla. - Roberto Luongo made 41 saves for his first playoff win in five years, and the Florida Panthers evened their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series by beating the New York Islanders 3-1 on Friday night.Reilly Smith and Nick Bjugstad each had a goal and an assist for Florida, which salvaged a split in the series-opening back-to-back. Dmitry Kulikov added an empty-netter with 9.3 seconds left to clinch the win.John Tavares scored a goal for his sixth consecutive game going back to the regular season, denying Luongo the shutout with 3:33 left. Thomas Greiss stopped 28 shots for the Islanders.The series now shifts to Brooklyn, for Game 3 on Sunday and Game 4 on Wednesday.It was Luongo's first playoff win since Game 5 of the 2011 Stanley Cup finals. He had lost his last seven postseason starts - giving up at least three goals in every one - and had been part of eight consecutive playoff losses in all, counting a relief stint in 2013. And all that came after he was victimized by Florida defensive breakdowns in Game 1 on Thursday night, which played a big role in him giving up five goals on 26 New York shots.What a difference a day made.And after 456 appearances for Florida, Luongo finally has a postseason win for the team. Some of his saves were spectacular, like when he denied the Islanders' Ryan Strome from point-blank range in the slot midway through the second period, and another when he managed to deflect a shot off the stick of Cal Clutterbuck - who was getting hauled down by Florida's Alex Petrovic early in the third.Petrovic was sent to the box and Luongo stopped three more shots on the ensuing power play, including a pair from Tavares - who had a three-point night in Game 1.Luongo got all the scoring help he needed early.Smith scored at 4:32 of the first, getting his third goal of the series, and Bjugstad's first career playoff goal came early in the second period when he one-timed a pass from Smith past Greiss for a 2-0 lead.The Panthers wasted three one-goal leads in Game 1. Nothing slipped away in Game 2.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TAMPA, Fla. - Tyler Johnson scored a pair of third-period goals Friday night, helping the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.Ben Bishop had 30 saves for the defending Eastern Conference champions, who took the first two games at home despite playing without injured leading goal scorer Steven Stamkos and defenseman Anton Stralman.A bloody brawl involving several players capped this one, with 14 penalties called - including a game misconduct on Justin Abdelkader - with 54 seconds left.Game 3 is Sunday in Detroit, where the Red Wings won both regular-season meetings between the teams.Johnson put Tampa Bay ahead for good barely two minutes after Detroit's Brad Richards made it 2-2 with a power-play goal. Nikita Kucherov and Brian Boyle also scored for the Lightning, who tacked on Alex Killorn's empty-netter with 2:14 remaining.Johnson also had two assists, the first on Kucherov's 5-on-3 power-play goal. Kucherov and Killorn had the primary assists on Johnson's goals, and Jonathan Drouin got his first career playoff point, setting up Boyle to give Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead.Rookie Dylan Larkin scored a first-period goal for Detroit, which outshot the Lightning (32-31) for the second straight game.The line of Johnson, Kucherov and Killorn had three goals and three assists for Tampa Bay in Game 1, with Killorn scoring the winner to finish a comeback from a 2-1 deficit.Kucherov's third goal of the series, on a shot from the right circle that skipped over Howard's left shoulder, got the Lightning off to another strong start. Victor Hedman and Johnson assisted after Kucherov hit the crossbar from the left circle with Red Wings Gustav Nyquist (slashing) and Abdelkader (tripping) in the penalty box.Larkin's first career goal made it 1-1 at 3:30 of the second period, but the Red Wings failed to take advantage of three power-play opportunities and entered the final period trailing by a goal after Boyle scored from the slot off a pass from Drouin, who has played a bigger than expected role for the Lightning since being recalled from the minors on April 7.The 21-year-old Drouin has gone from being benched, demanding a trade and eventually being sent to the minors, where he also served a suspension for refusing to play for Syracuse of the AHL. He scored in his first two games after being recalled and had more than 18 minutes of ice time - second among Tampa Bay forwards - in Game 1 on Wednesday night.Detroit pulled even again, with Richards scoring on the team's fifth power-play opportunity of the night. The Red Wings were 0 for 8 in the series before that goal.NOTES: Bishop, who led the NHL in goals-against average and was second in save percentage, set the tone early for the Lightning, stopping 15 shots in the opening period. ... Larkin went from not being sure he'd be on Detroit's roster in the preseason to scoring a team-high 23 goals and tying for third on the team with 45 points. ... This is only the third time in 18 series that Tampa Bay has taken a 2-0 lead.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Justin Abdelkader unleashed a series of vicious, uncontested punches - including an MMA-style hammerfist - on Tampa Bay Lightning winger Mike Blunden as part of a melee late in the Detroit Red Wings' Game 2 loss Friday night.Blunden, clearly defenseless throughout the scrum, was left busted open as a result of the attack. He told reporters after the game that he required nine stitches.The NHL's Department of Player Safety will most certainly review the incident, which earned Abdelkader a game misconduct.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks were just 3.2 seconds away from heading into the third period of Game 2 against the St. Louis Blues still seeking their first goal of the series, but they were saved by their star defenseman who returned to the lineup Friday.Duncan Keith, back from a six-game suspension that included the Blackhawks' playoff opener, ripped a point shot over the shoulder of Brian Elliott after Jonathan Toews won the key draw.The pair of Blackhawks led the team in scoring during last year's Stanley Cup-winning run with 21 points each. Keith took home the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the postseason.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Casey Cizikas has made himself a marked man.During a scrum in the waning moments of the second period in Game 2, Cizikas folded an unsuspecting Aaron Ekblad with a punch that appeared to land below the belt.Ekblad was clearly stung by the sharp blow, but was able to pick himself up and rejoin the scrum.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After getting tangled up with Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, Pavel Datsyuk's hopes of escaping what may be his final NHL postseason in one piece ended, as the Detroit Red Wings forward lost a tooth after getting high-sticked in the mouth.Thankfully, Datsyuk's long-time teammate and captain, Henrik Zetterberg, was there to support him, skating to the sideboards to retrieve the lost tooth.To add insult to injury, Datsyuk was given a two-minute minor for roughing on the play, and Hedman was not penalized.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.