The Philadelphia Flyers may indeed bring two viable options in goal to the Stanley Cup playoffs - if they do indeed make it that far.Michal Neuvirth, out since early March, skated for the first time since suffering a knee injury at an optional skate on Monday, and was quite pleased with how the joint held up."I felt pretty good," Neuvirth said, according to Dave Isaac of the Courier Post. "I thought it was a good skate and another good step in moving forward."Right now I am just going day-by-day, but I am very excited about how the skate went today. I believe I am relatively close to practicing with the team."A free-agent addition last summer, Neuvirth has played a critical part in Philadelphia boasting the NHL's best 5-on-5 save percentage. His .925 clip ranks fourth among goaltenders with at least 30 appearances.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

William Nylander is done with Twitter, or at least with his Twitter handle.The Toronto Maple Leafs prized rookie deactivated his account at the request of the club after it was brought to light that "Snizzbone" can be considered a derogatory term, Yahoo's Dhiren Mahiban reports.Nylander, 19, unaware of any crude second meaning, has stated previously it was a nickname given to him when he was younger.There's no timeline for his return to the social media website.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bill Peters will be coaching a different shade of red all summer.After a second consecutive season of squeezing strong underlying numbers from a retooling roster, the Carolina Hurricanes coach has earned the chance to guide Canada at next month's World Championship in Russia, TSN's Darren Dreger reports.It will be an international tuneup of sorts for Peters, who will also work on Mike Babcock's staff for the World Cup in September.With a 52.1 Corsi For percentage, Peters has engineered the NHL's eighth-best possession team since being appointed to the Hurricanes bench.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Having already locked up the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed with weeks to spare, the Washington Capitals have the opportunity to rest, heal, and preserve bodies before embarking on what they hope will be a long, fruitful playoff run.And they're taking advantage of such luxury with "banged up" pivot Nicklas Backstrom."If he's not 100 percent, he probably will not play," Capital coach Trotz said when assessing Backstrom's chances of returning Tuesday, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post.That, of course, will be different when the postseason rolls around. Backstrom didn't take line rushes, but was once again a full participant at practice Monday, seemingly unimpeded by whatever's ailing him."We're in a good position right now," he admitted. "And we don't want to rush anything. It's probably smarter decision for now, I'd say."He's missed the club's last two games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For Shane Doan, the NHL's draft lottery system hits close to home.It was literally a topic of conversation around the family dinner table last season after his son, a die-hard Arizona Coyotes fan, began cheering for the team to lose in order to increase its chances of landing the first overall pick."My son (Josh) is literally the biggest Coyotes fan that you'll ever meet," Doan told Sarah McLellan of azcentral sports. "He lives, breathes - he, until very recently, would be physically upset when we lost, and it'd break your heart. And I remember him cheering after games, being mad, but being happy we lost - like cheering against us."And it was awful, and I hated it and I thought it was the stupidest thing in the world because here's a guy who's the most passionate Coyotes fan cheering against us."Doan's solution? Reward teams who keep winning even after being eliminated from the playoffs."The day you're mathematically eliminated, you start accumulating points," Doan explained. "When you get to the end of the year, whoever's accumulated the most points gets the first overall pick."This would keep fans of non-playoff teams engaged to the very end of the regular season, cheering for the accumulation of points instead of hoping for losses. The finer details would need to be ironed out, but Doan believes it's an ideal starting point."You should always be cheering for your team or have something to look forward to in your team, and so I've been a big proponent of this system and trying to give your team something to play for because ... every fan could be behind you," he said."These next (four) games would be huge for us, huge for us, because you'd have the ability to dictate where you're going to be. Your coaches would be coaching to win. Your management would be managing to win, and there'd be immense pressure to keep winning and it'd help you."As it stands, the Coyotes have a 6 percent chance of landing local boy Auston Matthews with the first overall pick this June.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You can forgive Steven Stamkos' teammates for thinking it was an April Fool's joke.The Tampa Bay Lightning lost their captain to a blood clot in his arm Friday, and he underwent successful surgery Monday, the club announced. It's unknown how long Stamkos will be out - anywhere from one-to-three months - and he will be re-evaluated in two weeks. His teammates, meanwhile, are still digesting the news on both a hockey and a personal level.Brian Boyle, who considers Stamkos a close friend, was blindsided by the news."Completely shocked, really, almost in disbelief. You feel for the guy so much," Boyle said, as quoted by The Tampa Tribune's Erik Erlendsson. "On a personal level it makes you sick to your stomach, almost. The passion and drive that kid has for this team and the game, the way he conducts and handles himself, he does everything the right way, it seems a bit unfair. It's something that you don't really understand and you just feel for the guy."Valtteri Filppula echoed Boyle."It's a big, huge loss, and first of all you worry about the health, that’s the most important thing to put hockey aside," he said. "On the hockey side, it's tough having that kind of guy who's been playing well for a while now out, so we just need guys to step up a little bit more."According to head coach Jon Cooper, it's up to the guys who are healthy to ensure Stamkos and injured defenseman Anton Stralman play hockey again this season."... the one thing we can't do is say our two big guns are out and now our season is over," Cooper said. "We've come way too far to have anything like that try to get in to our mind-set. So it stings, it hurts and it's clearly not ideal. But we have to be pros. ... So that has to be our mind-set, let's get them back and not make this the end of their season."The Lightning can clinch a playoff berth - their third straight - with a point against the New York Islanders on Monday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues will be without captain David Backes and goaltender Jake Allen for the rest of the regular season, the club announced Monday. Both have lower-body injuries.Allen has struggled with injuries throughout the season, and left injured after one period Sunday, stopping all 11 shots he faced. His injury is unrelated to his previous one. Backes has yet to miss a game this season. Both will be re-evaluated once the regular season ends.Backes finishes the season with 21 goals and 24 assists in 79 games. He's a free agent on July 1.

New York Islanders head coach Jack Capuano had some choice words for a trio of forwards in advance of Monday's game against Tampa Bay.In order for his club to secure a playoff spot, Capuano said he needs more from Ryan Strome, Josh Bailey, and Brock Nelson."There's no surprises. We need Strome to be better. We need Brock to be better. We need Bailey to be better. We need guys to be better if we're going to have any chance at all," Capuano told reporters Monday. "They see it, it's black and white. The video doesn't lie. It doesn't come down to X's and O's, it doesn't come down to systems. It comes down to how hard you want to compete."We've struggled with a few guys, for sure, about their compete level and their work ethic. It has to be better. ... The guys mentioned need to pick their shit up and start playing."Capuano's roster appears top-heavy as a result of star performances from John Tavares and Kyle Okposo. More was expected from the supporting cast - especially Strome, a fifth overall selection by the Islanders in 2011.The results, however, leave much to be desired.PlayerGamesGoalsAssistsBrock Nelson762513Josh Bailey761220Ryan Strome66818With five games remaining, the Islanders have a three-point advantage over Boston and two over Philadelphia in the race for the Eastern Conference's wild-card spots.Capuano's statements come after Tavares himself said Saturday he was embarrassed by the team's effort in a shutout loss to Pittsburgh.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers will have to make the playoffs without Andrew MacDonald.MacDonald won't play Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings, the club announced Monday. He's considered day to day with an upper-body injury after being hit from behind Sunday. Based on the evidence, it's likely a head injury.The 29-year-old defender has seven assists in 24 games, playing 20:16 a game. He'll be missed, as the Flyers look to overcome a slow start and qualify for the playoffs.According to the Flyers' website, "head coach Dave Hakstol will likely return to Evgeny Medvedev, who has been a healthy scratch recently."Medvedev has three goals and eight assists in 44 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Roy hates missing the playoffs.The Colorado Avalanche head coach will be watching the postseason along with the rest of us this spring, and it doesn't sit well with him. After watching Matt Duchene whoop it up for reaching the 30-goal mark in a blowout loss in a must-win game, Roy let the 25-year-old have it."Are you kidding me?" Roy asked after the game. "What is that?"The Avalanche were down 4-0 at the time.Roy continued after the game, calling out his top players, according to the Denver Post's Mike Chambers."Our core hasn't proved that they have the leadership to bring this team to another level," Roy said, though Chambers points out Roy wasn't including captain Gabriel Landeskog in the discussion. "Eventually, we have to admit, (right)? We need more from these guys. These guys need to prove to us that they're capable of carrying this team."Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon, 20, are the club's leading scorers, with 57 and 52 points, respectively. Landeskog is third with 51, while Carl Soderberg reached the 50-point mark for the first time in his career.Tyson Barrie is one of the more underrated defensemen in the league, while Francois Beauchemin and Jarome Iginla provide veteran presence. In goal, it has been an up-and-down season for Semyon Varlamov.The Avalanche can still get into the playoffs by winning their final three games and watching the Minnesota Wild drop their final two in regulation. It's possible, but Roy knows the reality of the situation - the Avalanche simply haven't gotten the job done. Again."We need to change the mindset," Roy said. "I think we have a losing mindset right now. I think we have to find ways to believe more in ourselves."It's not good enough. At this point of the year, you're supposed to win five out of six, not lose five out of six. It's just not good enough. I don't have the answers right now, but I know one thing: It's not good enough and it's embarrassing what happened out there (Sunday)."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Scott is getting one shot with the Montreal Canadiens, but he's not approaching it as his final act.Acquired from Arizona in a much-talked-about trade ahead of the All-Star Game and then sent down to the AHL, Scott is set to cap his NHL season by appearing in a single game for the Canadiens, a home date with the Florida Panthers on Tuesday."John's been a professional since coming on board with the organization," said head coach Michel Therrien. "We wanted to give him a chance to play a game."

The only future Pavel Datsyuk's concerned about is his immediate one.The Detroit Red Wings superstar wouldn't confirm or deny a weekend report stating he'll likely return home to Russia after this season, according to MLive.com's Ansar Khan. The 37-year-old said he's only concerned about his team's final three games."It's hard to say," Datsyuk said, according to the Detroit Free Press' Helene St. James. "Never know what's going to happen."A Saturday report from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman says there's a "legitimate chance" Datsyuk foregoes the final season of his contract and finishes his career in the KHL, which the center has discussed as he's gotten older."I hear a lot of rumors," general manager Ken Holland said Saturday night, while Datsyuk's agent didn't tip his hand about his client's future.What complicates matters for the Red Wings is that Datsyuk's salary will count against the team's cap should he in fact head back to Russia.Datsyuk has 48 points in 63 games, and will need a big week to ensure Detroit continues its streak of making the playoffs. At 24 seasons, the run is in jeopardy, with the Red Wings holding the third and final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division as of Monday.On Wednesday, the Red Wings host the Philadelphia Flyers, who hold the wild-card spot, in a massive game before playing an even bigger one Thursday night in Boston. The Bruins are a point behind the Red Wings in the standings as of Monday, with 90, and a win by Boston on Tuesday will put the Bruins back into an Atlantic playoff spot, and bump Detroit back behind the wild-card holders.It's going to an interesting week in Detroit, and the stakes are even higher now that these may be Datsyuk's final seven days in red and white.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A heavily bearded defenseman is sandwiched between two fresh-faced rookies in the NHL's three stars of the week ending April 3.Chicago Blackhawks winger Artemi Panarin, Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks, and Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray earned the honors, the league announced Monday.Panarin, a likely Calder Trophy finalist, led the league with eight points (three goals, five assists) in three games, helping the defending Stanley Cup champions clinch a playoff berth.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri has been suspended four games for cross-checking Detroit’s Luke Glendening, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Monday.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The suspension ends Kadri's regular season, as the Maple Leafs have only four games remaining on the schedule.It also marks his fourth punishment from the league in 2015-16, carrying a hefty hit to the wallet.

For the third time this season, John Tortorella is relegating Scott Hartnell to the press box.As the Columbus Blue Jackets prepare for the final four games of the season, the veteran winger will sit as a healthy scratch for Monday's game against the New York Rangers.

Dallas Stars winger Ales Hemsky sealed a win with an empty-net goal.The problem was, the puck - seemingly intended to be passed back to a defenseman - went into his own net, giving the Anaheim Ducks some much-needed insurance in a game that ended 3-1 in their favor.Oops.The goal was credited to Ryan Getzlaf.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders are hurting in net.The club recalled goaltender Christopher Gibson on an emergency basis Monday in light of injuries to Jaroslav Halak and Jean-Francois Berube.Halak has been sidelined since early March with a groin injury, and, at the time, was ruled out for at least six weeks. Thomas Greiss was then thrust into the starting role, with Berube backing him up.Berube played the entirety of the Islanders' last game, a 5-0 loss Saturday to Pittsburgh, but has been listed as day to day with a lower-body injury.Enter Gibson, the fourth-string option who's made one appearance at the NHL level and carries a .909 save percentage in 42 AHL games this season.With five games remaining, the Islanders hold the first wild-card spot, two points ahead of Philadelphia and three points up on Boston.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Players are worried the NHL isn't clamping down hard enough on blows to the head.So says Florida Panthers captain Willie Mitchell, whose career is on hold after suffering his seventh concussion earlier this season."There's a concern with players. Guys are worried about it. Guys talk about it - the league isn't doing enough to protect the players," Mitchell told Arash Madani of Sportsnet."A couple of years back, a 20-game suspension was a message. You'd be missing games, you get a big chunk of money taken from your pocket - a quarter of your (annual) salary gone. Those suspensions had gotten the game safer - still physical, still fast. Shanny (Brendan Shanahan, former Department of Player Safety head) did a great job. But it's not like that now."Mitchell's comments followed the league's decision to suspend Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith six games after he swung his stick at an opponent's face. The apparent "star treatment" doesn't seem to be sitting well with some players."Players are worried and guys talk about it here in the dressing room, but don't say much (publicly) because they think they're going to get fined," Mitchell said. "But I can tell you: players are worried about it."I'd like to think I'm a rational guy. I'm not an F-U guy. I'm not criticizing the league as a whole. If my game slips, a coach will come tell me, it's slipping. Well, on trying to protect us, the league is slipping."It remains up in the air whether Mitchell will be able to rejoin the Panthers for the playoffs. He's cleared to play, but there's great concern over what could happen if he suffers another head injury.Whether or not he's able to make an impact on the ice, he's intent on speaking out and ensuring others don't meet the same fate."I want to make sure this guy and that guy doesn't have to go through this," he said. "Even if I'm not playing, I can show leadership within the situation. I'm talking to the kids about it. I want them to be thoughtful and educated, and God forbid they're in the same situation as me."Mitchell, 38, has appeared in 46 games for the first-place Panthers this season, and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here's what postseason matchups look like after play on Sunday, April 3:Eastern ConferenceTeamTeamSeason SeriesA1 PanthersW1 Islanders1-1-1A2 LightningA3 Red Wings2-2M1 CapitalsW2 Flyers2-0-2 CapitalsM2 PenguinsM3 Rangers3-1 Penguins

Patrick Roy was unimpressed by Matt Duchene's milestone moment.The Colorado Avalanche head coach ripped his leading scorer for celebrating emphatically after reaching the 30-goal plateau for the first time in his career late in a blowout loss to the St. Louis Blues."The thing I have a bit of a hard time with is the reaction of (Duchene) after he scores," Roy said at his postgame scrum. "It's a 4-0 goal. Big cheer. Are you kidding me? What is that? It's not the (reflection) that we want from our guys. Not at all."Roy, who went on to openly question the leadership capabilities of his core, saw Mikkel Boedker scramble to collect the 30-goal puck.Duchene was less enthusiastic in the locker room."(The playoffs) is all we care about, all I care about," he said. "Obviously it's a nice milestone, but I'm not thinking about it at all right now. I'm just very disappointed about this loss tonight."The loss is their fifth in six games, and although the Avalanche have squandered another opportunity, the Minnesota Wild have lost three straight themselves, keeping Colorado breathing in the wild-card chase.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues netminder Jake Allen exited Sunday's victory over the Colorado Avalanche after an 11-save first period.It remains unclear what forced Allen from his start, as he was able to finish out the period and wasn't in obvious distress at any point. But head coach Ken Hitchcock did confirm with the NBC broadcast that he suffered an injury.There was no update after the game. He will be evaluated further Monday.Allen missed 17 games beginning in early January with a knee injury, whereas his partner, Brian Elliott, has missed stretches throughout the season, as well.St. Louis' third-string goaltender, Anders Nilsson, finished the game, preserving Allen's win.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andrew Copp has one for the highlight reel.The Winnipeg Jets center scored for the fifth time in his rookie season Sunday, blasting through the Minnesota Wild defense pairing with a burst of speed through center before finishing with a silky backhand deke.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In lacing up his wheels Sunday, Anaheim Ducks winger Andrew Cogliano became just the second player in NHL history to begin a career by dressing in 700 consecutive games.Cogliano is the sixth player to skate in 700 straight, but joins long-time Montreal Canadiens center Doug Jarvis, who survived his first 964, to do so at the outset of his career.

The Pittsburgh Penguins trampled the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, scoring six times to reach 100 points for the seventh time in the Sidney Crosby era.The loss for the Flyers comes at considerable consequence, as they failed to distance themselves further from the ninth-place Boston Bruins. But much of the postgame chatter didn't center around the dropped points, but a strange sequence late in the game that saw defender Andrew MacDonald heading down the tunnel after Pittsburgh scored a creative fifth goal.MacDonald lost his balance stopped up at the boards, and right before Penguins winger Tom Kuhnhackl closed the gap and finished his check.

Nazem Kadri versus the NHL's Department of Player Safety wages on.Merely hours after detailing his frustration with the league's decision to fine him $5,000 for embellishment, Kadri has been booked for a hearing with the disciplinary committee for a cross-check Saturday on Detroit's Luke Glendening.It was a nasty bit of stick work as Kadri, who had his helmet pulled off while wrestling with Glendening, chased down the forward and delivered a retaliatory and unsuspecting blow up high.

All-Star John Scott is returning to the show.A little more than two months after playing in what many believed to be his final NHL game - an MVP performance at the 2016 NHL All-Star event - Scott has earned a recall from the Montreal Canadiens.Should Scott indeed dress for Montreal over its last three games, it will mark the seventh NHL sweater he's worn across eight seasons in and out of the league.He appeared in a handful of games for the Arizona Coyotes, in the process earning the All-Star fan vote, before being dealt to Montreal in the lead-up to the event.The opportunity to represent the Pacific was preserved despite reporting to St. John's of the American Hockey League - a decision that turned out to be a coup for the NHL.Michael McCarron will return to St. John's to facilitate the pugilist's recall.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pavel Datsyuk's agent, Dan Milstein, failed to offer anything concrete when asked about the decorated Detroit Red Wings center's NHL future one day after it was reported he was considering a return to Russia next season."Pavel has one more year left on his NHL contract," Milstein wrote in an email to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. "We will sit down with Ken Holland at the conclusion of the season for our annual year-end meeting."Pavel is very determined to play and show his best game while helping, assisting, and motivating his team into the playoffs and another Stanley Cup."While Datsyuk's focus is on the present - which could very well be limited to three games despite the Red Wings' current third-place standing in the Atlantic - fans and onlookers can't help but look ahead to what it means beyond this spring.Detroit will be on the hook for Datsyuk's $7.5-million cap hit (he's set to earn $5.5 million in real dollars) if he decides to return home to tend to personal matters, or otherwise.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In NHL history, only two men have recorded 800 regular-season wins as a head coach - and both of them currently work for the Chicago Blackhawks.Joel Quenneville reached the mark on Sunday when his team picked up a 6-4 win against the Boston Bruins, joining Scotty Bowman - who currently serves as Senior Advisor of Hockey Operations with the Blackhawks - in the exclusive 800-wins club."This one was a little crazier than I envisioned at one point," Quenneville said when asked about win No. 800, according to Mark Lazerus of the Sun-Times. The Blackhawks watched a six-goal lead shrink to just two in the third period, but were still able to hold on for the win.CoachWinsScotty Bowman1244Joel Quenneville800^Al Arbour782Ken Hitchcock754^Lindy Ruff700^Quenneville picked up his first 307 wins over eight seasons with the St. Louis Blues, and another 131 over a three-year stint with the Colorado Avalanche. His greatest success has come with the Blackhawks, where he has won another 362 games, as well as three Stanley Cups.His milestone comes just one day after Lindy Ruff became the fifth coach in NHL history to win 700 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers are heading to the postseason for the fifth time in their 23-year history, clinching a playoff berth after the Boston Bruins lost 6-4 to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday afternoon.

With Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos sidelined for up to three months due to a blood clot in his arm, general manager Steve Yzerman said recalling Jonathan Drouin would be "something we have to consider," but now it appears the young forward is dealing with an injury of his own in the AHL.The 21-year-old has been scratched from the Syracuse Crunch's afternoon game against the Utica Comets on Sunday, as head coach Rob Zettler says he's dealing with a minor lower-body injury."He's had some issues with it in the past, kind of creeped up," Zettler said of the injury in an interview Sunday, per Crunch broadcaster Dan D'Uva. "We played six games in nine nights last week ... He just tweaked something, lower body, and he shouldn't be too long."Drouin has 13 points in 17 games with Syracuse this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Kane is having a historic afternoon in Chicago.With over five minutes remaining in the second period, the 27-year-old picked up his fourth point of the game by completing his second career regular-season hat trick. In doing so, the Blackhawks winger reached the 100-point plateau for the first time in his career, while giving his team a 6-0 lead against the Boston Bruins on Sunday.

Jaromir Jagr kickstarted a three-goal comeback in the Florida Panthers' 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, scoring his 26th of the season in front of some of his biggest fans.For the second game in a row, 'The Travelling Jagrs' watched the 44-year-old and his team pick up two points, and members of the group were all able to meet their hero after the game. The group attended the Panthers' win over the New Jersey Devils two days earlier, when Jagr recorded two assists on "Mullet Night."

Sidelined since March 14 with a head injury, there may not be a rush to bring Corey Crawford back into the lineup with the Chicago Blackhawks already clinching a playoff spot, but head coach Joel Quenneville still hopes he'll play in one of the team's last four regular season games."Better than none," Quenneville said, adding that Crawford skated again Sunday and "felt good," but will not be available for their game against the Boston Bruins. Scott Darling will make his ninth consecutive start.Crawford is the midst of the best season of his NHL career, ranking among the top five goaltenders in both wins (35) and save percentage (.926), while posting a league-leading seven shutouts.The Blackhawks will have Marian Hossa back in the lineup Sunday after missing one game due to illness. He'll replace Andrew Shaw - who Quennevile says will miss Tuesday's game against the Arizona Coyotes as well, but should also return from his upper-body injury before the regular season ends.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite being told he was too small to play hockey since childhood, Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau keeps putting up big numbers.The 22-year-old scored his 30th goal of the year in just his second NHL season Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers, and the diminutive winger is just as surprised by his production as anyone."I never thought I was going to score 30 goals in the NHL," Gaudreau admitted, according to Postmedia's Kristen Odland. With the power-play marker, the 5-foot-9 New Jersey native became the 24th player in Flames history to reach the 30-goal mark in a season.He also became just the second Flames player to score 30 at age 22 or younger, joining his linemate Sean Monahan, who scored 31 goals last season at age 20.After putting up 64 points in his rookie campaign, Gaudreau is averaging close to a point per game this season, and is currently tied for seventh in league scoring with 75 points in 76 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Though a touch paradoxical, tanking ethically is a real thing in the NHL.The Toronto Maple Leafs tore their roster down to the studs over the course of this season, but that didn't stop the organization, from upper levels of management down throughout the farm system, from learning, working, improving. The season's been about more than just lottery balls.And it's shown on the ice. The Maple Leafs have made massive gains to their overall structure, schemes, and overall performance, despite who's in or out of the lineup, as their entire rank and file continues to learn, and execute the Mike Babcock possession-friendly brand.For this reason, and also because of the fact that they aren't guaranteed a generational talent with a last-place showing, the Leafs haven't really been dragged through the mud and accused of doing wrong by the sport.Of late though, Toronto's been guilty of not putting its best foot forward. And its weakness is not-so accidentally at the most important position on the ice.Since James Reimer was dealt to the San Jose Sharks, Jonathan Bernier and Garret Sparks have pretty much split duties down the middle and have yielded markedly different results.GoalieRecordGASV%Bernier4-5-0190.931Sparks3-6-1290.888We're paraphrasing, but Babcock suggested throughout the season that he wanted one of his goalies to take the ball and run. But while Bernier has been sprinting downhill since Reimer's departure, stopping pucks at an .952 rate over the last six games and continuing to balance out his horrific start, he's taken fewer carries.As they set out to do, Lou Lamoriello and the Leafs have figured out what they have, right now, in Garret Sparks, in his 10 starts since Reimer was shipped away. And that's a minor-league goalie not performing at a level on par with the rest of the team, in turn preventing them from making strides in the standings.That's OK, really. Even if keeping Bernier planted on the bench may challenge the greater ethical good.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Members of the Philadelphia Flyers' power-play unit must have been happy to see the month of March come to an end. The team converted on eight of 56 (.143) opportunities with the man advantage in March, closing the month on a 4-for-32 (.125) run - well below their season average.The unit came alive Saturday afternoon in a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators, with all three goals coming on the man advantage.Flyers coach Dave Hakstol noted the importance of the team's power play after the game."They did a great job today and that was the difference in the game for us," Hakstol said.It looked like it would be more of the same for the Flyers' power-play unit Saturday. After failing to convert on their first opportunity with the man advantage, the group looked disorganized following a high-sticking call on the Senators' Alex Chiasson.The group's fortunes changed when a bad clearing attempt by the Senators landed right on the tape of Jakub Voracek's stick. Voracek immediately spotted Wayne Simmonds speeding toward the goal mouth and threw the puck on net where it was re-directed home.The next goal began with Simmonds (17) stealing the puck behind the Ottawa net and sending it in front where a mad scramble ensued, with Sean Couturier (14) winning the puck battle and flipping it over an outstretched Andrew Hammond.The Flyers' presence in front of Hammond paid off again on the eventual game-winner. A trio of Flyers were in position to jump on the rebound from a Brayden Schenn point shot.When the puck fell to Simmonds, he was able to fire an uncontested shot into the back of the net for his second tally of the game.For Simmonds, the goals are his 27th and 28th of the season, with 13 of his goals coming on the power play. The Flyers finished 3-for-4 on the power play Saturday, with all three of those goals scored from just outside the blue ice."Other than their power-play goals it was probably a 50-50 game, up for grabs," Senators forward Mike Hoffman said. "Sometimes special teams can win you games."(Images courtesy: NHL)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers have won just once in the past six games after suffering a 5-0 blowout loss to the rival Calgary Flames on Saturday, but they may be primed for another win on April 30.That is the date of the NHL's draft lottery, in which the Oilers now have the best odds at securing their fifth No. 1 pick in the past seven years, with just two games left on the schedule - both against the Vancouver Canucks.TeamOddsPointsGPOilers20%6780Maple Leafs13.5%6778Blue Jackets11.5%7078Jets9.5%7078Canucks8.5%7178Flames7.5%7279Sabres6.5%7779Coyotes6%7778Canadiens5%7879Senators3.5%8179Devils3%8279Avalanche*2.5%8278Hurricanes2%8479Bruins*1%9078* - Still in playoff contentionThe Toronto Maple Leafs are tied with the Oilers in the standings but have two games in hand, limiting them to the second-best odds. The Columbus Blue Jackets round out the top three, and have the best chance of bringing presumed No. 1 pick Auston Matthews to an American market.Meanwhile, Matthews' hometown Arizona Coyotes now have a six percent chance at the first selection. The 18-year-old watched them play in Glendale on Saturday, and shared he had always been a Coyotes fan to Todd Walsh of FOX Sports, who gave him weighted ping-pong balls with the team logo on it to take to the lottery.The 2016 NHL draft will take place from June 24-25 in Buffalo.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers are going out with a whimper. Again.The club was spanked 5-0 in the Calgary Flames' final visit to Rexall Place, and the Oilers played with little emotion and even less pride. After the game, head coach Todd McLellan gave a memorable presser, ripping his team and its effort to shreds.McLellan couldn't believe what he saw from his group in game 80 of the season, saying there wasn't a number big enough to describe how unhappy he was with the Oilers' display."That's the exact crap we're trying to eradicate from this group," he said. "That's really disappointing after 200 days together."Forget about the win and the loss, just the effort. That's frickin' embarrassing. That's the exact attitude and bullshit we're trying to eliminate here."

Music to Gary Bettman's ears.Auston Matthews remains a long shot to be drafted by his hometown team, but regardless, the Arizona Coyotes will stay close to the projected No. 1 overall draft selection's heart."(The) Coyotes are the reason I started playing hockey," Matthews said while in attendance Saturday at Gila River Arena. "We're pretty fortunate to have them in the Valley."Matthews, a native of Scottsdale, Ariz., scored 24 goals and 46 points in 36 games for the Zurich Lions in Switzerland's top division, emerging as one of the very best players in the high-skilled division and on his unconventional path to the NHL.He'll be the first of what the league hopes will be a steady stream of talent to come out of the area, reflecting meaningful growth in the market.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here's what postseason matchups look like through April 2.Eastern ConferenceTeam Team Season SeriesA1 PanthersW1 Islanders2-1 PanthersA2 LightningA3 Red Wings2-2M1 CapitalsW2 Flyers2-2M2 PenguinsM3 Rangers3-1 Penguins

Ken Holland doesn't sound too worried about the prospect of losing one of his star players.On Saturday night, the Detroit Red Wings' general manager addressed a report that Pavel Datsyuk may be headed home to Russia after this season."I haven't talked to Pavel," Holland said, according to The Detroit News' Ted Kulfan. "He has a year to go (on his contract). Are the rumors news to me? I hear a lot of rumors."I'll sit down with all of our players at the end of the year, one by one, and talk to them all."According to Saturday's report from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Datsyuk may head for the KHL for family reasons, forgoing the final season of his contract, which pays "The Magic Man" $5.5 million and accounts for $7.5 million against Detroit's salary cap.Datsyuk had an assist Saturday, giving the 37-year-old 48 points on the season. Detroit moved into a playoff spot - temporarily, at least - with its win in Toronto.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning cannot catch a break.A season full of adversity was dealt its biggest blow Saturday, when general manager Steve Yzerman announced that captain Steven Stamkos will have surgery Monday for a blood clot in his arm and miss one-to-three months. The timing, of course, is brutal, as the playoffs are set to begin on April 13.But Stamkos' injury may mean the return of exiled forward Jonathan Drouin, who is playing in the AHL after asking for a trade earlier this season.Calling up Drouin is "certainly something we have to consider," Yzerman said Saturday night, according to the Tampa Bay Times' Joe Smith.Drouin scored his 11th goal of the season for the Syracuse Crunch on Saturday, and is playing his best hockey right now. He has goals in five straight games, and six over that span. He'll turn 22 on March 28, and has 11 goals and two assists in 17 games in the AHL.The disgruntled forward, drafted third overall in 2013 by Tampa Bay, has two goals and six assists in 19 games with the Lightning this season. He suited up in six playoff games on Tampa Bay's run to the Stanley Cup Final last season, going pointless.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain and star winger Steven Stamkos has been diagnosed with a blood clot in his arm, general manager Steve Yzerman announced Saturday.He will undergo vascular surgery Monday and miss one-to-three months."Obviously this situation is extremely disappointing because I wanted to help my team clinch a playoff spot and prepare for the start of the postseason," Stamkos said in a statement. "During my recovery I will do all I can to help my teammates, and I hope to rejoin them soon in the Stanley Cup Playoffs."Stamkos, who leads the Lightning with 36 goals and 64 points, did not practice with the team Friday and was ruled out of Saturday's win over New Jersey with what was called an upper-body injury.The reigning Eastern Conference champions are already without defenseman Anton Stralman, but Yzerman is trying to stay positive."For us, it's an opportunity for others," Yzerman said. "It's something we'll have to rally around."No one is going to feel sorry for us."If Stamkos is indeed out for the full three months, that rules him out of the Stanley Cup playoffs and brings him to July 2, the day after he's set to become an unrestricted free agent.

Boone Jenner wasn't drafted to be a goal scorer.The Columbus Blue Jackets chose Jenner 37th overall in 2011, a few months after the two-way center totaled 25 goals in his draft season - or 32 fewer than OHL leading goal scorer, Tyler Toffoli.Fast forward almost five seasons, and Jenner, 22, has joined Rick Nash, Geoff Sanderson, Ryan Johansen, and Nick Foligno in becoming just the fifth player in Blue Jackets' history to record 30 or more goals in a single season.His milestone marker on Saturday versus the Carolina Hurricanes moves him into the upper-echelon of NHL scorers (only 12 have more this season). Jenner's not just ahead of Toffoli, but out-pacing Brandon Saad, who signed for $36 million this summer with expectations to hit 30 with regularity.So if for a moment, he might live to regret the bridge contract he signed on trade deadline day - even if more than 50 percent of his production has come this season.But while the eight goals and 13 points he's compiled since signing the deal might have helped him squeeze a few extra dollars in negotiations, leading the team in goal scoring in a contract season isn't enough to cash in restricted free agency or arbitration.Mike Hoffman knows that.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Goaltender Alex Lyon's future will be a lot clearer in 48 hours.A free agent after three years at Yale University, Lyon had a stellar 2015-16 season, posting a .936 save percentage and 1.64 GAA in 31 games."Word is his decision's coming down in the next 48 hours," reported Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on Saturday's "Headlines" segment. "Edmonton and L.A. (are) among the favorites, not apparently Calgary," Friedman added.Lyon's 23 years old and is from Baudette, Minn. He stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 200 pounds.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Henrik Lundqvist isn't playing like Henrik Lundqvist.The New York Rangers' all-world goaltender was pulled Saturday after allowing three goals on nine shots to the Buffalo Sabres, marking the seventh time he's hit the bench early this season. The Sabres defeated the Rangers 4-3, keeping New York from clinching a playoff spot. And there's no doubt "The King" is in a slump.Lundqvist had a March to forget, winning only two of nine starts and posting very un-Lundqvist-like numbers: a .906 save percentage and 3.38 GAA. And those stats came on the heels of a .922 January and .934 February.Interestingly enough, Lundqvist left his first start in March with a neck injury, after he was injured against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh collided with Lundqvist in that game, and the Swede lost it, tossing the net off its moorings in frustration. He left after 40 minutes and didn't return to action until nine days later, when he was stellar against the Detroit Red Wings, stopping 40 of 43 shots in a 3-2 overtime loss.Since then, though, Lundqvist has allowed three or more goals in six of eight starts.Lundqvist turned 34 on March 2. He's getting up there in age, though he went into action Saturday with a .921 save percentage - the seventh straight season he's been at .920 or better. As he goes, so too the Rangers.The Rangers probably aren't worried. Lundqvist has played some of his best hockey in the spring, posting a .927 save percentage in 25 playoff games in 2013-14, and a .928 save percentage in 19 playoff starts last season. He'll find his game when they matter.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.