The Los Angeles Kings are heading back to the postseason, clinching a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Saturday night.The Kings needed only a point against the Bruins to clinch, following the Arizona Coyotes' loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.Los Angeles became the first team in the Western Conference to book a playoff spot this season, doing so for the sixth time in the last seven campaigns.The Kings won their fourth consecutive game and sixth in the last seven.They lead the Pacific Division with a 44-22-5 record and 93 points.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs' offense erupted for four goals Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres, but head coach Mike Babcock was critical of the team's post-whistle shenanigans.

The Montreal Canadiens made history Saturday, but they'd rather not have.The shorthanded-happy Ottawa Senators scored three times while down a man, something that hadn't been done against the Canadiens. Ever.

The Toronto Maple Leafs appear to have their eyes on James Reimer's potential replacement.Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported during "Saturday Headlines" that the Maple Leafs are the front-runner for goaltender Mantas Armalis.According to Friedman: "A couple teams, Toronto believed to be among them, and Carolina, but Toronto is believed to be the favorite, for a Lithuanian, Swedish trained goaltender named Mantas Armalis."The 23-year-old currently resides with Djurgardens IF of the Swedish Hockey League. In 34 games this season, Armalis has a 2.42 GAA and a .918 save percentage.

The New York Rangers left San Jose on Saturday evening a mix of embarrassed and humbled.The Sharks pounded the Blueshirts 4-1, and the Rangers were saying the right things after the game, which saw Henrik Lundqvist mercifully pulled in the third period.The Rangers were outshot 52-26, and the score was respectable only because of Lundqvist, who stopped 43-of-47 shots before Alain Vigneault gave him a breather - it was a 1-1 game after 40 minutes due to Lundqvist, after all."That type of game at this time of year ... is garbage," Marc Staal said, according to Newsday's Steve Zipay. "It was ugly. We're trying to make plays and they're not there. Just fighting it all over the ice."Captain Ryan McDonagh, Staal's teammate on the blue line, went even further."It seemed guys weren't willing to compete hard, and that's a very hard thing to say, but you have to admit it sometimes, our group gave away two points, it's very uncharacteristic," he said. "We left (Lundqvist) out to try. The way he was competing for pucks, we weren't nearly as good as he was."Lundqvist, the ultimate teammate, refused to throw his fellow Rangers under the bus."I need to make more saves, if that's the only way. There were so many big changes," he said, "I don't know what to say."Lundqvist was asked about McDonagh's comments, and all but agreed."There's only one way to win hockey games and that's to play hard and smart," he said, "and if you're missing that a little bit against a good team, it's going to be tough."The Rangers are two points up on the Pittsburgh Penguins for second in the Metropolitan Division. They've got to forget about Saturday and move on. Up next: the Florida Panthers on Monday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Keep your head up, kid.Montreal Canadiens rookie Sven Andrighetto looks to have escaped injury after being run over by Ottawa Senators defenseman Dion Phaneuf midway through the second period of Saturday's game.The hit came just hours after it was reported that Phaneuf had avoided being disciplined by the league for a crushing hit on Buffalo Sabres forward Sam Reinhart.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's draft lottery will take place Saturday, April 30, Sportsnet's Damien Cox reported during Saturday's "Headlines" segment on Hockey Night in Canada.Under the league's new format, three draws will be conducted to determine the top three picks - a departure from the old method of a single draw determining the first overall selection.The team with the fewest points in the regular season will no longer be guaranteed a top-two pick. Each of the 14 non-playoff clubs will be eligible for the three lotteries, and the 11 teams not selected will be assigned picks four through 14, in reverse order of regular-season points.All seven Canadian teams entered Saturday's action outside the playoff picture.The 2016 NHL Entry Draft will be held June 24 and 25 at First Niagara Center in Buffalo.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Will the real Kevin Spacey please stand up?The "House of Cards" star and mysterious source of inspiration for the Florida Panthers did exactly that during a second-period stoppage Saturday night, and the crowd at BB&T Center went nuts.Related: Panthers step up their Spacey gamePanthers fans were presented with cardboard cutouts of Spacey's face before the game, and the actor used one of them to conceal himself before being revealed on the scoreboard.Between this and the longstanding plastic rat tradition, this team certainly has a knack for memorable motivational material.In the end, Spacey's presence was historic. The Panthers set a regular-season attendance record Saturday night with 20,817 fans in the building.

The Dallas Stars are welcoming John Klingberg back to the lineup for Saturday's game against the New York Islanders.

The Florida Panthers are at it again.The team brought their love of Kevin Spacey to another level Saturday, with fans being given cutouts of the "House of Cards" star's face ahead of the game against the Detroit Red Wings.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are rounding into form. Their head coach thinks so, at least.After a big 4-1 win over the Flyers in Philadelphia on Saturday, Mike Sullivan called his team's effort "the most complete game we've had," according to NHL.com's Adam Kimelman."I thought when the time came to have to defend, we defended hard. Our attention to detail was really good," Sullivan said. "I thought everybody trusted one another out there. And when we play that way, we're hard to play against. This was obviously an important game for both teams; we're playing against a very good team that's won a lot of games recently."With the win, the Penguins jumped the New York Islanders in the Metropolitan Division, knocking the Brooklynites into the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Isles are in action Saturday in Dallas, so could hop the Penguins with a win.More importantly for the Penguins, they moved six points up on the Flyers, though Philadelphia has a game in hand.Sullivan's Penguins are 24-14 since he took over as head coach, and he signaled out Phil Kessel after the game, who made a key play on a forecheck that led to what ended up being the game-winning goal."I thought that was a big part of the game, and when Phil engages like that down low, he's a big body," Sullivan said. "He's strong. And when he engages like that, he's hard to play against. I thought he made the whole play. I mean, it was a terrific play all around, but I thought Phil made the whole play as far as creating that turnover. And that's what we need more of from everybody for us to be the type of team that we want to become."I've said this from day one since I've taken this team over that we have to be a team that can generate offense different ways. We have some talented players that I think can create off the rush with their instinctive play and their sheer talent. And when we add that other element to our game and we create offense off of our puck pursuit and end zone, just relentless pursuit on the puck, I think we're a harder team to play against."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Martin Brodeur and Ron Hextall, eat your hearts out.Stuart Skinner, a goaltender for the WHL's Lethbridge Hurricanes, shot the puck the length of the ice from behind his own goal and scored on the empty net Friday night in a 9-3 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers.We're not sure what's better - Skinner doing the goal-scorer's fly-by past the bench, or the announcer's hilarious reaction.Either way, there's nothing better in hockey.- With h/t to DeadspinCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The celebration put it over the top.Lethbridge Hurricanes goaltender Stuart Skinner scored an empty-net goal Friday, making it look easy.Head to the 0:27 mark to watch Skinner skate by his bench and receive congratulations from his teammates, much like a regular skater would.Goalies: They're just like us.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella will make history when he steps behind the bench Saturday.The contest against the New Jersey Devils will make him the first American-born bench boss to coach 1,000 regular-season games, an achievement he credits to the many chances he's been given over the years."I'm very fortunate in having some people around me who have given me the opportunities that I've been given, where some very good coaches have not been given the chance," Tortorella told the Blue Jackets' official website, according to NHL.com's Craig Merz."A thousand games means you been given chances. People have entrusted you with their teams, and obviously I've been around some really good people to be involved in so many games."Tortorella was given such a chance this season, when the Blue Jackets named him head coach after firing Todd Richards due to the team's brutal 0-7 start to the season.Things haven't panned out very well for the Blue Jackets so far, however, as the team holds the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference."I know people don't want to hear it because they've heard it for a number of years here, but we're going through a process with the team," he said. "The amount of teaching that goes into this is what grabs you. I think it's going to be fun."Tortorella has a Stanley Cup and a Jack Adams Trophy to his name, and will have 475 career victories with a win Saturday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will have one less star to worry about Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres.Rookie Jack Eichel will miss the contest as he battles the flu, head coach Dan Bylsma announced.The 19-year-old was impressive in his first visit to the Air Canada Centre earlier in March, scoring a goal in a 4-3 shootout victory.Eichel has been on fire of late, with eight points in his last eight games. His 49 points are good enough for second in league scoring among rookies.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The wait is finally over.Goaltender Niklas Backstrom will be between the pipes for the Calgary Flames for the first time in 14 months when they take on the Montreal Canadiens, and he is relishing the opportunity."It's fun," Backstrom told Aaron Vickers of calgaryflames.com. "Playing … that's the most fun part about this game and you want to go out there and compete and compete against other teams, but compete against yourself too to see where you are. For sure it's fun to have a date now."The 38-year-old, whose last game came as a member of the Minnesota Wild back on Jan. 13, 2015, was a victim of multiple injuries, and the Wild's solid one-two combo of Devan Dubnyk and Darcy Kuemper.Backstrom was acquired by the Flames at the trade deadline, along with a sixth-round pick, in exchange for forward David Jones. And while he hasn't made a start in more than a year, he isn't ready to hang up the skates just yet."He still wants to play," Flames coach Bob Hartley said. "As soon as we made the trade we sat with him, and he doesn't want to retire, he wants to keep playing. He came in with a great attitude, lots of energy, lots of work on the ice, in the gym. He works relentlessly, so we felt that we needed to be honest with him also, and that's why he's going to get the start in Montreal."Backstrom has 409 career games under his belt, boasting a 194-142-50 record with a .915 save percentage and a 2.48 goals-against average.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kris Letang's empty-net goal that was, then wasn't, then still wasn't, then was, might not have been the strangest thing that happened to him in Saturday's 4-1 statement win over the Philadelphia Flyers.Watch the Pittsburgh Penguins blue-liner, after having gathered the puck below his goal line, attempt to clear the zone with both hands and his stick behind his back.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tales of Sidney Crosby's demise were greatly exaggerated.After an uncharacteristically slow start to the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar extended his point streak to 11 games with an assist on a Chris Kunitz goal Saturday in Philadelphia.

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Curtis McElhinney will undergo surgery on his knee Monday and miss the remainder of this season, the team announced.McElhinney suffered his injury at practice Friday.Coming off his best season, the long-time backup appeared in 18 games, won twice, and authored a forgettable .890 save percentage in 2015-16.He's got one more year on his deal, and is schedule to earn $800,000 next season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin is on the road to recovery, and continues to provide photos to prove it.After undergoing a procedure to mend a rather gruesome Achilles injury, Seguin addressed the media for the first time since the announcement was made that he'll be out of the lineup for three-to-four weeks."Yesterday was a little bit better than today," he told reporters. "(I'm) starting to get a bit more feeling in the foot today after the surgery."Seguin admitted he was concerned following the incident, especially as he thought of scenes from the horror flick "Hostel." He considers himself both unlucky that it happened and lucky that it wasn't worse. While there's no firm timeline for his return to the lineup, he has an idea of when he'll be back."I can't really picture myself missing Game 1 (of the playoffs)," he said. "Even if I come back for the last game of the regular season, that'd be quite the goal for me. There's a long way to go until then and I'm looking forward to getting better."Seguin later shared a visual update on his Achilles injury, which he said looks a bit more gnarly than the first:

After being placed on the trade market via press release, waived, and then banished to the American Hockey League, Chris Higgins is on his way back to the NHL.The Vancouver Canucks recalled Higgins on Saturday, momentarily ending the veteran forward's two-month stint with the AHL's Utica Comets.Higgins scored nine goals and added four assists in 22 games with Utica after laboring through 25 games with the Canucks.Vancouver tried, unsuccessfully, to deal the 32-year-old winger at the trade deadline. There were ultimately no takers for the three-time 20-goal scorer, who tallied three points before his demotion and has another season at $2.5 million on his contract.Higgins is expected to fill in for Radim Vrbata, who's out with a lower-body injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jakub Voracek has arrived at the chase for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.After missing nearly a month with a lower-body injury, Voracek has returned to the Philadelphia Flyers lineup for Saturday's marquee matinee clash with the Pittsburgh Penguins.The Flyers have seized control of their postseason destiny in the absence of Voracek, their leading scorer from a season ago. They took 15 from nine games over a stretch that included wins over the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, and two victories over the Tampa Bay Lightning.He began skating on a line with Nick Cousins and Matt Read, leaving Sam Gagner in a top-six role.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche have tapped their contingency scorer.Mikko Rantanen, the Avalanche's 10th-overall draft selection last summer, was recalled by the club Saturday, ostensibly in response to Nathan MacKinnon's questionable injury status.MacKinnon suffered an apparent knee injury late in Colorado's comeback win over the Calgary Flames, and will be re-evaluated Sunday.Matt Duchene is also absent from the Avalanche's top six. He's dealing with a knee injury and is considered day to day.Rantanen made the Avalanche out of camp, but was sent down to San Antonio of the American Hockey League after failing to impact through six starts.Since then, he's perhaps been the most dominant farmhand in the AHL, scoring 21 goals, contributing 1.18 points per game, and ascending to fourth in league scoring with 52 points.Rantanen will burn the first year of his entry-level contract should he appear in four games down the stretch.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pierre-Luc Dubois, a projected lottery pick at this summer's draft, has been suspended by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League until further notice for an ugly hit thrown Saturday night.At top speed in pursuit on the forecheck, the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles forward placed his hands on the back of Luke Green, and shoved the Saint Johns Sea Dogs defenseman into the boards from several feet out.

On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, continues. This week, we look back at what's been one of the prevailing themes this season: Superstars who, after rotten starts, turned their seasons around.Sidney CrosbyJosh Gold-Smith: Crosby's supposed demise was nothing more than an early-season slump.The Penguins captain has been on a torrid pace since being snubbed from the All-Star festivities, including 16 points during his current 10-game point streak. He's also averaging more than a point per game for the season.​The 28-year-old center has played in all but one of the Penguins' 70 games, and he ranks second on the team among all skaters - including defensemen - in average time-on-ice at 20:21. He's playing a ton, and doing it at a characteristically elite level.Crosby has done most of his damage alongside his usual linemate, Chris Kunitz, but Patric Hornqvist has also clicked with him on the top line, notching 18 goals and 44 points.Any first-half panicking about Crosby's game is simply laughable now.Ryan GetzlafJustin Cuthbert: "How [insert player] goes, the [insert team] goes" is a tired cliche in a sport for which fans are tired of cliches, but it's one that so plainly applies to Getzlaf and the Ducks. So, our apologies.There isn't a date or discrete moment to pinpoint the beginning of Anaheim's turnaround. But it's not as blurred for Getzlaf. Two months ago - when the Ducks were scoring at a league-low rate hovering at about 1.9 goals per game - the fanbase let out a collective groan when the captain committed another brainless turnover (the sort that became representative of his struggles), leading to a goal versus the Senators.Thankfully, that gaffe came early. Because while Getzlaf was stapled to the bench for much of that game, his number was eventually called, and with a smooth zone entry, he teed up Shea Theadore for his first NHL goal and what proved to be the game-winner.Since that helper - one of 44 on the year - Getzlaf has contributed 1.07 points per game - a rate only Patrick Kane and Jamie Benn have been able to exceed, and maintain, throughout the season. More importantly, though, the Ducks have 46 points in the 29 games since, while shooting up into comfortable postseason seeding.Whether it was an injury or a lack of game shape (as some have speculated) that plagued Getzlaf in the early going, that doesn't matter much any longer. The captain, and the team that mirrors his successes and failures, appear prepared to bring their best to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.Jakub VoracekNavin Vaswani: Voracek had only three points - all assists - in Philadelphia's first 10 games. He scored once through the first two months of the season, and it came in his 17th game. Not good enough, especially considering he's going to make $10 million next season.While 10 goals are far below what was expected, Voracek's saved his season by being a consummate teammate. His 38 assists are the third-highest total of his career, one short of his 39 in 2013-14, and down from a career-high 58 last season.And while he's been out of the lineup with a foot injury, he's been the Flyers' biggest cheerleader, going over the math on what the Flyers need to do to make the postseason, and rooting for his team using what's become his go-to tweet: "What a f****** game!!!!!"Voracek's had a disappointing season - he'd be the first to admit that. But his 0.80 points per game is the third-highest of his career, and he's done well to make the best of a bad situation. And if the Flyers do make the playoffs, expect Voracek's redemption story to continue.Tuukka RaskBen Whyte: After starting the season's first 13 games with five wins and an embarrassing .890 save percentage, it appeared Rask salvaged his season in December, posting a 6-2-2 record and two shutouts. But in January, the Finn's struggles resurfaced, as he won just three of 10 starts, and the Bruins headed into the All-Star break clinging to a wild-card spot.The weekend off seemed to cure whatever ailed Rask, whose 11 wins since early February trails only Braden Holtby. By March 10, Boston jumped past the Panthers and Lightning to take a surprising Atlantic Division lead, surpassing any and all preseason expectations.Though inconsistencies may make some wary of his $7.5-million cap hit, his knack for being at his best when facing a high number of shots has been a key for the surprising Bruins. Rask owns an incredible 7-0-1 record with a .957 save percentage on the nights he faces at least 35 shots.The overall team performance has improved in recent weeks as well, but the Bruins aren't in the chase for a division title without their veteran backstop.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators defender Dion Phaneuf will avoid further discipline for Friday's open-ice hit delivered to Buffalo Sabres center Sam Reinhart, Sportsnet's John Shannon reports.Phaneuf was flagged for a two-minute minor penalty for an illegal check to the head of the unsuspecting Reinhart, plus an additional minor for roughing. Reinhart had his head turned while preparing to receive a pass in the neutral zone.It appeared Phaneuf grazed Reinhart's back shoulder before following through, and making contact with the rookie's chin.Phaneuf was suspended two seasons ago for a hit from behind on Kevan Miller.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Well this is a record that may never be broken.With a 4-0 win over Winnipeg on Friday, Scott Darling of the Chicago Blackhawks made NHL history by becoming the first goalie to record his first two career shutouts exactly one year apart.His previous shutout came on March 18, 2015, when he stopped all 25 shots fired at him by the New York Rangers.Ever the team player, all Darling cared about was securing the two points.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to make another young hockey player's dreams come true.With the recall of forward Frederik Gauthier from the AHL's Marlies ahead of Saturday's game against the Buffalo Sabres, the 20-year-old is set to become the 11th player to make his NHL debut with the club this season.He joins Brendan Leipsic, Byron Froese, Zach Hyman, Kasperi Kapanen, Viktor Loov, William Nylander, Nikita Soshnikov, Connor Brown, Rinat Valiev, and Garret Sparks.And it's all part of the plan.

With only eight games remaining on the schedule and another bottom-five finish on the horizon, the Edmonton Oilers are in evaluation mode, assessing which players can be relied upon to serve as the foundation moving forward.Somewhat unexpectedly, forward Zack Kassian has emerged as a key piece in the bottom-six ranks, having taken advantage of a chance at redemption after landing in the NHL's substance abuse program prior to the start of the season.Set to become a free agent on July 1, there appears to be mutual interest in keeping Kassian around for the long haul."I've liked the things he's brought to the table," head coach Todd McLellan said before Friday's win over the Vancouver Canucks, according to Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Sun. "There's a lot to play for in the Oilers world, in the NHL world, and in their careers. A lot of judgements will be made. Zack will be no different."We'll sit down at the end of the year and we'll figure out if he can continue to fit. And he has to figure out if he thinks he can fit with us as well. Right now, I think it's been a good marriage."Kassian has recorded three goals and four assists in 28 games for the Oilers while displaying his brand of physicality and tenacity. Over that span, he's grown optimistic about the Oilers' potential, and wants to be part of the solution."To get a chance here, when you look around the room with all the skill here, the new rink, the future is so bright here that I'm excited to get the opportunity," he said, adding, "For me, personally, your eyes have to kind of light up. I think if I do my job I can have a job here for a long time moving forward."To that end, he has clear objectives in mind over the balance of the regular season."Offensively, I'd like to be a little more productive, but when you're playing bottom six you don't want to be getting scored on, you want to be hard to play against and I feel I've done that," he said. "I want to be physical every night. I've played with Connor (McDavid), I've been up and down the lineup, but no matter who I play with I have to bring that physical edge."Kassian is nearing the end of a two-year, $3.5-million contract signed with Vancouver, and he and the Oilers appear set to try to come to terms on a new deal in the coming months.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If the Colorado Avalanche qualify for the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs, it'll be due, in part, to a healthy measure of resilience.Colorado's 4-3 shootout win over Calgary on Friday marked the fifth time the club has overcome a multi-goal deficit en route to victory this season, tying the Avalanche for the league lead with Dallas, Detroit, and Pittsburgh.The Flames amassed a 3-1 lead by the 5:47 mark of the second period, only to witness a tying goal from Carl Soderberg midway through the third and the eventual shootout winner from Mikkel Boedker that capped the comeback.The win puts the Avalanche three points ahead of Minnesota in the race for a wild-card spot, albeit with one more game played. They now have a greater than 50-50 chance of making the playoffs, according to Sports Club Stats.TeamGPPointsPlayoff Chances (%)Colorado727852.5Minnesota717546.8The victory may have come at a cost, however, as Nathan MacKinnon suffered an apparent knee injury that will be properly evaluated Saturday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Beleskey's return to Anaheim was less than ideal.The Bruins forward, who spent six seasons with the Ducks prior to signing with Boston as a free agent last summer, was on the wrong end of a high stick early in Friday's 4-0 loss.Thankfully, he was able to return after suffering a fairly standard injury."It was a little scary at first, but vision's good and all that," he said postgame. "So just another black eye."While Beleksey has had better nights, he was grateful for the warm welcome back to Anaheim.

Following his team's overtime win over the Calgary Flames on Friday, Colorado Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy announced defenseman Eric Gelinas will be out indefinitely with an elbow injury.The blue-liner left for the dressing room in obvious pain after being hit into the boards. Gelinas was acquired from the New Jersey Devils in a trade-deadline deal in exchange for a third-round pick.Star forward Nathan MacKinnon also left the game after suffering a knee injury. He will be re-evaluated Saturday. Meanwhile, Matt Duchene was scratched before puck drop due to a knee injury suffered Wednesday. He is considered day-to-day.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Dion Phaneuf drew the ire of the Buffalo Sabres with a hit to the head of Sam Reinhart on Friday night.Phaneuf caught Reinhart as the rookie was receiving a pass in the neutral zone in the third period.The Senators blue-liner was given a minor penalty for an illegal check to the head and also received a roughing minor, while Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian got a four-minute roughing penalty for going after Phaneuf.Reinhart stayed on his feet and remained in the game, but the league is expected to take a look at the incident.

After receiving a video tribute and saluting the MTS Centre in his first return to Manitoba since being dealt by the Winnipeg Jets, it was back to business for Andrew Ladd.The Chicago Blackhawks forward found the back of the net in his first game against his former team, burying a feed from captain Jonathan Toews to give his team a 3-0 lead.Ladd's goal was the second of the night from a newly-formed line with Toews and Patrick Kane. It also helped the former Jets captain reach the 20-goal mark for the fifth time in the past six seasons.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

That's an emphatic way to break a scoreless tie.Patrick Kane cruised in and flipped a backhand shot over Winnipeg Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec to open the scoring Friday night.Kane's 39th goal of the season moved him to within three of Alex Ovechkin's league-leading total, and Kane's 91st point gave him an 11-point cushion on Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn for the NHL lead.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin's goal-scoring and Braden Holtby's goaltending are often seen as the major factors in the Washington Capitals' success, but it can't be ignored that the team also possesses two of the best playmakers in the NHL.One is forward Nicklas Backstrom, who ranks fifth in the league with 45 assists, while the other moved into the top three in NHL scoring after an incredible performance Friday.Evgeny Kuznetsov now leads the league with 41 primary assists after setting up three Capitals goals as his team downed the Nashville Predators 4-1.

The Winnipeg Jets honored former captain Andrew Ladd with a video tribute during Friday's game, his first in Winnipeg since being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks before the deadline.Ladd raised his stick and saluted the crowd at the MTS Centre after the video ran during a stoppage in the first period.The 30-year-old spent parts of six seasons with the Jets franchise, joining the Atlanta Thrashers in 2010-11.He ranks fourth in goals scored (139) and fifth in points (305) in franchise history.Ladd is in his second stint with the Blackhawks after playing with Chicago from 2007 to 2010, a tenure that concluded with a Stanley Cup championship.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Daniel Winnik, the only forward acquired ahead of the trade deadline by the Washington Capitals, has struggled to contribute with the league's best team, being held pointless through his first seven games since being dealt from the Toronto Maple Leafs.That all changed Friday against the Nashville Predators, as the 31-year-old scored his first two goals as a Capital to record his first multi-goal game in more than three seasons, with his last one coming as a member of the Anaheim Ducks.

The Buffalo Sabres don't have a playoff run to prepare for, but they should have plenty to be excited about in the future.Sam Reinhart netted his 20th goal of the season Friday night against the Ottawa Senators, giving the franchise its first duo of rookie 20-goal scorers since 1974-75.Jack Eichel entered the game with a team-leading 22 goals, ranking second on the Sabres with 48 points and sixth on the club in average time-on-ice at 19:09.

After playing just three games since returning from suspension, Dennis Wideman's season is over due to injury.The Calgary Flames defenseman will miss his team's final 12 games after suffering a triceps tear during Wednesday's game against the Winnipeg Jets, the team announced Friday.The 32-year-old was injured in a collision with teammate Joe Colborne following a first-period goal from Michael Frolik.General manager Brad Treliving said he was unsure if the defenseman would require surgery, according to Wes Gilbertson of Postmedia.Wideman returned to the Flames' lineup on March 11 after being suspended 20 games as a result of his collision with linesman Don Henderson. His suspension was appealed, and ultimately reduced to 10 games, after the blue-liner had already sat out for 19.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Robin Lehner is dealing with an ankle injury again.The Buffalo Sabres goaltender will be kept off the ice for two or three days, head coach Dan Bylsma said Friday, according to John Vogl of The Buffalo News.That means Lehner won't play Friday against the Ottawa Senators or Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.Bylsma said there has been no thought of shutting the netminder down for the season with 11 games remaining.Chad Johnson will start Friday and will likely go back-to-back against the Leafs on Saturday.Lehner injured his ankle in the season opener and returned in mid-January. He's 5-9-5 with a 2.47 GAA and .924 save percentage in 21 games.The Sabres recalled goaltender Nathan Lieuwen from the AHL's Rochester Americans, and Bylsma said Lieuwen will remain in the NHL for at least the next two games while Lehner is out.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: This one isn't for the squeamish.Tyler Seguin, who underwent surgery Friday for a 15 percent tear of his Achilles tendon, showed off the damage on Twitter on Friday afternoon. And, seriously, it's gross.Related: Seguin injury could stick Stars with daunting 1st-round matchupThe Dallas Stars forward is expected to be out of action for three-to-four weeks, and based on the evidence - the gross evidence - below, the timeline makes sense.

John Carlson's return is apparently imminent.The Washington Capitals defenseman declared himself "pretty darn close" to making a return to the lineup, according to Mark Giannotto of The Washington Post.Carlson took part in the morning skate Friday for the first time since having a procedure to repair a nagging injury on Feb. 27. He's eligible to be activated off long-term injured reserve for Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.Head coach Barry Trotz said there's no timetable for Carlson's return, and Trotz is still deciding whether to bring the blue-liner on Washington's upcoming three-game road trip.Carlson suffered what the team called a lower-body injury in December, then returned about a month later for 13 games before missing the last nine following the undisclosed procedure."I felt better when I got on the ice than the last time, so that's obviously a huge positive," he said Friday."There were some trying times where it seems like you're never going to skate again and then as soon as you get on the ice, you get that excitement back. … It's exciting to feel good on the ice again and get ready for the rest of the year."The 26-year-old has 31 points in 47 games and ranks second on the Capitals behind Matt Niskanen in average time-on-ice at 24:09.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's relatively new wild-card playoff format isn't for everyone, and you can count Sidney Crosby among its critics."I'm not a big fan of it," the Pittsburgh Penguins captain said in a Q-and-A with ESPN, "but what are you going to do? That's the way it is. I don't like it just because I'd love to see just the top eight teams (in each conference) make it. There are definitely divisional rivalries, but at the same time, there are more teams in each division. That's the way it's done, but I prefer the top eight."Crosby's Penguins hold down the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, with their 84 points three up on Detroit's 81, and four up on Philadelphia's 80.The wild-card format sees the top three teams from each division make the playoffs, and the two best teams after that, regardless of division. Right now, the Penguins, as the first wild-card holder, are scheduled to face the Florida Panthers in the first round of the playoffs. Were the playoffs to feature the top eight teams in the conference, the Penguins and Panthers would still face off in the first round, as the Penguins have the seventh-best point total in the East, while the Panthers rank second.The division's best teams face the wild-card teams, with the division leader with the most points (the Washington Capitals, in this season's case) facing off against the wild-card team with the fewest points (currently the Detroit Red Wings).Check out the rest of the Q-and-A for Crosby's thoughts on fighting in the game, performance-enhancing drug use, the World Cup of Hockey, and more.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars' road to a Central Division title got a whole lot tougher, as it was announced Friday that forward Tyler Seguin would miss three-to-four weeks after his right Achilles tendon was cut by the skate of defenseman Anton Stralman during Thursday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.Despite the major loss, general manager Jim Nill was just relieved the injury wasn't worse, as he gave an update to reporters."It's a 15-percent cut of the Achilles tendon, probably the best case scenario," Nill said, per Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News. "They operated on him this morning, stitched him back up. He will be out 3-4 weeks and should be back for the playoffs. It's as good a case scenario as it could be considering how he got cut where he got cut."Without the team's second-highest scorer, head coach Lindy Ruff will look for his depth forwards to step up as they have all season, helping the team net an NHL-best 233 goals in 72 games."We've got (Patrick) Sharp stepping back in. We lose one, we get one," Ruff said, as Sharp returned from a six-game absence Thursday. He added that the team has "good depth" with forwards Mattias Janmark, Travis Moen, and Brett Ritchie - who were all scratches Thursday - available to step in."I think we're fortunate that it is diagnosed what it is," Ruff said of Seguin's injury. "It shouldn't be as tough to come back from, but it will be a tough time of year to come back, I can tell you that. It'll be tough to catch up and get in playoff mode."The Stars will take the ice without Seguin on Saturday against the New York Islanders, as they hope to remain in their current position atop the Western Conference standings.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brian Elliott is ready to return to the St. Louis Blues' crease.The goaltender will be activated off injured reserve to start Saturday's game against the Vancouver Canucks.Elliott has been on the shelf since leaving a loss to the San Jose Sharks on Feb. 22 with what the team called a lower-body injury.Jake Allen assumed the starter's role in Elliott's absence, but Allen has allowed 13 goals over his last three games.The Blues have lost two straight, allowing 17 goals as a team over their last three.Elliott, who is 17-7-6 with a 2.14 GAA and a .929 save percentage in 34 contests, won five consecutive games before suffering the injury last month.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Chris VandeVelde has been suspended two games for elbowing Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Friday.VandeVelde's out $7,661 due to the suspension. He'll miss games Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Monday against the New York Islanders.The incident occurred in Philadelphia's win over the Blackhawks on Wednesday, and Toews stayed in the game, apparently suffering no ill effects from the elbow.

Even without Tyler Seguin, the Dallas Stars have enough firepower to produce beyond the offensive standard for a contender.Jamie Benn has been filling the net separate from his customary pivot of late. Jason Spezza suddenly cannot miss. A four-time 30-goal man in Patrick Sharp skated on the fourth line in Thursday's come-from-behind win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.The problem is, the Stars aren't constructed like any other Stanley Cup hopeful.Dallas announced Friday that Seguin, the team's second-leading scorer (and the league's third-leading point producer), underwent surgery to repair a slice to his Achilles tendon and will likely miss the remainder of the regular season.Seguin's expected to be ready for the start of the playoffs, albeit perhaps slightly hindered. But his absence has significant implications, and over the next 10 games, will illuminate a titanic concern for the organization.The Stars require the league's No. 1 offense to veil their inefficiencies on defense and an overpriced goaltending duo that, despite being designed to endure, is fading down the stretch and primed to be exposed without Seguin's point-per-game production.With an .880 save percentage since the All-Star break, Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen are chiefly responsible for the NHL's sixth-most permeable defense, having conceded just seven goals fewer than the league-worst Calgary Flames.Yet, despite allowing 3.6 goals per game and owning a slightly negative goal differential through February and March, Dallas managed 26 points from 22 games and a record above .500.But what does that look like without Seguin and his contribution to every third goal?The Stars remain two up on the St. Louis Blues in the Central Division, while the Chicago Blackhawks lurk five points back with a game in hand. But despite rising to the top of the Western Conference in 72 games, it's the final 10 that will decide whether the Stars clash with one of those juggernauts or instead meet one of the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, or Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs.Without improved play in goal down the stretch, the team that rivals have been chasing all season could very well enter the tournament as an underdog.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.