You don't see this very often.Sidney Crosby squandered a golden opportunity with a wide-open net late in the second period against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night.Crosby set up Kris Letang's first-period goal that tied the game, but this one might haunt him.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Kane has reclaimed what is rightfully his.The Chicago Blackhawks forward beat Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender James Reimer twice in the second period on Friday to give himself 27 goals on the season, which pushes him one ahead of Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin for the league lead.His second goal was all thanks to a fantastic cross-ice feed from rookie Artemi Panarin.Kane now has a 12-point cushion over Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn in the Art Ross Trophy chase.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bo Horvat is playing the best hockey of his career.The Vancouver Canucks sophomore extended his point streak to six games - a career high - with a sizzling bar-down snipe on Carolina Hurricanes netminder Cam Ward.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Horvat has now punched in eight points in his last six games, giving him 18 on the year.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anaheim Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau thinks Ryan Getzlaf's mental lapses could be the result of him overcompensating for the team's struggles."Maybe he’s trying to do too much because we haven’t been winning, I don’t know," Boudreau told reporters Thursday, according to Janis Carr of the Orange County Register. "He wants to make the great plays, he wants this team to win. He takes a lot of pride in this team, so sometimes you try too hard to make the right play."Getzlaf's giveaway gave Ottawa Senators forward Curtis Lazar an easy breakaway goal Wednesday night, and Boudreau benched his captain until midway through the third period, when he inserted him into the fourth line."I was more upset with myself on the (goal) than anything," Getzlaf said. "We’re all accountable for what we do. It’s not often I get (benched), and sometimes the message needs to be sent. I did my best to stay up on the bench and made sure the guys are ready and be sure I was ready when my turn came again."Getzlaf got back in Boudreau's good graces when he set up defenseman Shea Theodore's first NHL goal, which held up as the winner in a 4-1 victory."He sure redeemed himself," Boudreau said Thursday. "It was nice to see when you get there and redeem yourself like that."A similar gaffe by Getzlaf allowed Arizona Coyotes forward Mikkel Boedker to score the overtime winner in a 4-3 victory over the Ducks in November.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Coyotes general manager Don Maloney apparently wasn't considering the All-Star Game when he traded away forward John Scott, who was set to captain the Pacific Division after being voted in by fans.Related: Canadiens acquire All-Star Scott for Tinordi in 3-team tradeFollowing the hectic sequence that saw a three-way trade unfold Friday between the Coyotes, the Nashville Predators, and the Montreal Canadiens, a report from TSN's Bob McKenzie suggested the enforcer's unlikely All-Star status may have been a factor in the move.

Four wins in succession for the Philadelphia Flyers have now put them in a pursuit of a playoff spot, and with the trade deadline looming the team is now contemplating how to make themselves a contender.General manager Ron Hextall would like to acquire an offensive forward, but has put parameters in place about doing so, insisting a deal will not be made that comes at the expense of the team's young blood."If we can improve our team in any way without mortgaging the future, we'll look at it," Hextall said, according to Philly.com's Sam Carchidi. "I mean, if young players can make us better, of course we'll look at it."My job is to look at everything that's out there, look at the whole landscape, and to the best of my ability, make our team better. So you can never say never with everything, but we're not going to deal our young players for middle-aged or older players."Hextall appears to have already been testing the waters, but refused to comment on a report by Comcast Sportsnet's John Boruk that suggested the Flyers were in the mix for forward Ryan Johansen - who was shipped from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Nashville Predators on Jan. 6.One other potential option that has been discussed is Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jonathan Drouin, who has been subject of all sorts of rumors since his agent Allan Walsh went public that the 20-year-old asked the Lightning for a trade in November.Hextal was quick to shut that down, expressing that, "We're not supposed to talk about another team's players."Whatever Hextall and the Flyers plan to do, what is clear is that if the team is serious about contending this season they will need an offensive upgrade as they sit 29th in the league with just 93 goals for.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The blood might just boil at the NHL Stadium Series Alumni Game between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche on Feb. 26.Peter Forsberg, Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Nicklas Lidstrom, Tomas Holmstrom, Kris Draper, and, yes, Claude Lemieux have confirmed their participation and will revisit their bitter rivalry at Coors Field.Here are the rosters for what will be a throwback to one of the fiercest playoff conflicts in recent memory.For a little refresher of their history:Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens, losers of 14 of their last 18 games, took to the trade market Friday. And wouldn't you know it, they found themselves an All-Star.All-Star John Scott.Naturally, Twitter had a grand 'ol time with the trade (a deal that also saw two depth defensemen swap sweaters).

A three-way trade was completed Friday between the Arizona Coyotes, Montreal Canadiens, and Nashville Predators - and an All-Star is headed for Quebec.Related: Coyotes GM insists Scott deal had nothing to do with All-Star GameIt was originally reported by TSN's Bob McKenzie that the Coyotes traded forward - and All-Star tournament captain - John Scott and defenseman Stefan Elliott to the Canadiens for defenseman Jarred Tinordi, with Montreal then flipping Elliott to the Predators for defenseman Victor Bartley.But instead of two separate moves, the deal is now being reported as a three-team trade:

Brian Elliott is Curtis Joseph. Curtis Joseph is Brian Elliott.The St. Louis Blues goaltender recently showed off his 'Cujo'-inspired goalie pads for Goalies Night, and on Friday revealed his '90s-era 'Cujo' mask.

Ron Hextall continues to work his magic.The Philadelphia Flyers general manager showed off his latest addition Friday, Houston Texans defensive end and all-around beast, J.J. Watt:

James van Riemsdyk is apparently part of the solution in Toronto.Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman discussed the Maple Leafs winger's future on Sportsnet 590 The Fan radio Friday morning.

Erik Karlsson's in, and Drew Doughty's likely built up enough momentum in his campaign to hold down a Norris Trophy nomination, at least through the halfway point of the season.So right now, the likes of John Klingberg, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Duncan Keith are splitting statistical hairs, jockeying for one final spot on the ultra-competitive Norris ballot.But the position runs deeper than that, and two high-scoring, often forgotten blue-liners are building a case. Let's dive into whether Brent Burns or Justin Faulk may warrant a Norris nod.On attackRanked first and second in goal-scoring among defensemen, the argument for both Burns and Faulk begins in the offensive zone. And it's a good place to start, as the last six Norris winners finished no worse than second in points.Burns in particular had a truly historic first half, which goes well beyond his incredible 180 shots on goal - second only to Alex Ovechkin. With 18 goals (double that of Karlsson), the San Jose Sharks rover is on pace to score more goals than any defenseman in the last 30 years, and the eighth most all time in a single season. Only Paul Coffey, Bobby Orr, and, coincidentally, Sharks general manager Doug Wilson scored more than 35.Burns trails Karlsson by five points, but with 18 goals and 12 first assists, he holds a slight edge in primary points.Faulk, too, is having a career-best season in terms of scoring, but his mastery comes on the power play. He scored 12 of the Carolina Hurricanes' first 20 goals with the man advantage, requiring only 30 games to match the franchise record. And though he doesn't have a power-play goal in more than a month, he trails only Patrick Kane, by one, in that department.His 32 points rank fifth among defensemen, but he's been in on a greater percentage of his team's goals than Klingberg and Ekman-Larsson, who are slotted third and fourth, respectively.In defenseFaulk's scoring is limited, in part, to special teams because at even strength, his primary responsibilities fall elsewhere. He might be the only true top-four defenseman on the Hurricanes' roster, and while he has experience on his side in Ron Hainsey, the onus is on him to keep the opposition at bay, and in turn, keep his team competitive.Faulk drives Carolina's commendable possession rate with his 25 minutes a night, and his three-zone contributions are entirely responsible for the team, against all odds, having crept into a postseason position.Burns helps control shots at a similar rate, and like Faulk, needs the power play to prop up the fact the Sharks are outscored when he's on the ice at even strength despite an edge in shot attempts. He yields a negative with his high-risk, high-reward style, but his apparent volatility is overblown.PlayerGF/60GA/60GF%Justin Faulk1.982.7142.2Brent Burns1.832.2944.4VerdictBurns is more than a niche player, but he likely has a better shot at earning a Norris nomination based on his idiosyncratic contributions. If he's able to keep pace with Karlsson, his defensive shortcomings will be cast aside.But if it's importance to one's team that warrants consideration, Faulk leading the Hurricanes to an unlikely postseason appearance might see him second only to Karlsson and Doughty.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Richards' return to NHL ice could come this weekend.Head coach Barry Trotz said Friday that Richards could get into a game, or perhaps two, when the league-best Washington Capitals take on the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers on back-to-back nights.If Richards does get in, it will mark his first NHL game in more than nine turbulent months. And for that reason, he might soon find himself in another league.Trotz indicated the plan is to have Richards spend the All-Star break conditioning with the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Hershey.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seth Jones may soon be taking first- and second-pairing minutes for the Columbus Blue Jackets.The club has lost David Savard, again, this time long term, as coach John Tortorella revealed Friday that the defenseman will miss "weeks" with an upper-body injury.Savard missed two-and-a-half weeks in the latter half of December with an ankle injury.He has a goal and 16 points in his 39 appearances.The Jackets lost blue-liner Kevin Connauton through waivers to the Arizona Coyotes earlier this week.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien will dress Friday versus the Minnesota Wild despite a distressing exit from Thursday's win over the Nashville Predators, head coach Paul Maurice announced.Byfuglien was writhing in what appeared to be considerable pain in the third after becoming entangled and pulled down to the ice by hard-charging Predators forward Cody Bass.He didn't return, but Maurice quickly tempered concerns in telling reporters postgame that Byfuglien would travel.He had two goals and a plus-3 rating, having already logged more than 20 minutes prior to his exit.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin is doing what he does best: score.Now 30, not much has changed - he still leads the NHL in goals and he remains arguably hockey's most exciting player to watch.The Washington Capitals sniper is worth the price of admission. He keeps fans on the edge of their seats for two hours and 10 minutes - the average length of an NHL game. Halfway through the season, here are Ovechkin's six best games - his finest 13 hours.1. Joining the clubWhen Ovechkin looks back on his career, he'll remember Jan. 10, 2016. He scored his 500th career goal that night - from the far circle on the power play, of course. He's the 43rd player in NHL history to reach the milestone, but more importantly, the fifth-fastest and the first Russian to hit the mark.Only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mike Bossy, and Brett Hull scored 500 quicker than Ovechkin, who needed 801 games - a stupendous number considering the era he's played in.Whether Ovechkin is the greatest goal-scorer of all time is up for discussion, but there's zero doubt he's in the conversation.2. 484Fact: Ovechkin is the greatest Russian goal-scorer ever. On Nov. 19, 2015, he made sure the world knew it.Ovie snapped a four-game goalless drought that night, passing Detroit Red Wings legend Sergei Fedorov for the most goals by a Russian-born player. It took Fedorov 1,248 games to reach that mark. Ovechkin needed only 777.The best part: Ovechkin's entire family was in attendance to watch him make history. And the goal was set up by Nicklas Backstrom, who remarkably enough assisted Fedorov's record-setting goal in 2008.Ovechkin called the goal "a special moment." One of many.3. Opening nightOvechkin is an entertainer. And he put on a show when the curtain opened on the 2015-16 season on Oct. 10.RELATED: VIDEO - Ovechkin's 1st of the season one to rememberIn a 2-2 game in the third period, Ovie went end to end, down the left wing, and, once over the blue line, passed the puck through his own legs to himself as he went outside poor New Jersey Devils defenseman John Moore. The spectacular move brought Ovechkin below the left circle - and seemingly out of real estate. But he put the puck to his forehand in a flash and went roof, glove side, on Cory Schneider from a near-impossible angle.Washington wouldn't relinquish the lead.4. Taking overThe Capitals were down 3-0 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Dec. 18. Halfway through the game, Ovechkin decided he'd had about enough.Ovie's 15th goal of the season made it 3-1 in the second period, and T.J. Oshie drew Washington within one at 7:54 of the third. Ovechkin did the rest from there, tying the game with 9:58 to play, and assisting on the game-winning marker and the insurance goal.Related: VIDEO - Ovechkin dummies Stralman before scoring on BishopTwo goals and two assists in slightly over 26 minutes against the 2015 Stanley Cup finalists. Yup.5. 15 shotsEven in defeat, Ovechkin is incredible to watch.On Nov. 10 in Washington, sitting on 483 goals, tied with Fedorov for the most by a Russian-born player, and with Fedorov in attendance, Ovechkin did everything he could to score the historic goal with his idol in attendance. But it wasn't to be.The Capitals lost 1-0 to the Red Wings, but Ovechkin was an utter force, firing a career-high-tying 15 shots on goal - 11 more than any player in the game. He played 24:43, and somehow didn't register a shot on goal in the second period. He had more shots in one game in November than some players had taken all season. Salute, Petr Mrazek.Ovechkin was recently asked about his secret to goal-scoring. He shared."Shoot the puck - that's all," he said.6. Through 4 legsOvechkin, as he's proven throughout his career, has a flair for the dramatic. He was at it again only last week against the New York Rangers.After the Capitals scored the game-tying goal with five seconds to play in the third period, goaltender Braden Holtby's heroics led to Ovechkin's.Holtby made a stunning pad save on Derek Stepan in overtime, and Ovie found the rebound in the slot. He took the puck behind and around his own net, and did exactly what everyone at Madison Square Garden knew he would: streak down the left wing.Related: Capitals' Holtby saves game, Ovechkin wins it with goal No. 499Ovechkin made quick work of Rick Nash at the New York blue line, before cutting into the slot. He opened up Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh with the move to the middle, and fired the puck not only through the defender's legs but also goaltender Henrik Lundqvist's.The goal - his second of the game - was Ovechkin's 16th career overtime winner, his 499th career goal, and was all the more impressive considering three of the Rangers' best players were dummied on the play.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Tortorella will have a trio of peers with him behind the bench at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey next fall.USA Hockey announced Friday that Jack Capuano, John Hynes, and Mike Sullivan, head coaches of the New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, and Pittsburgh Penguins, respectively, will serve as part of Tortorella's staff.Nashville Predators assistant coach Phil Housley and Scott Gordon, who coaches Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League, round out general manager Dean Lombardi's group."We're extremely pleased with the coaching staff we've assembled," Lombardi said, via press release. "It's a group that not only brings great experience on multiple levels, but is in lock step with where we're going and how we're going to get there."The selections are consistent with the NHL's aim to maximize representation. Gordon will be the only non-NHL head coach on either the U.S. or Canadian staffs, but has previous NHL and international experience.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kasperi Kapanen's game-winning goal in overtime of the gold medal game at the World Junior Championship won't soon be forgotten in Finland, not like the local mailmen will be afforded that option.The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect has his own stamp, already, to commemorate the biggest goal of his career so far.

A Jonathan Drouin trade could be imminent. Or not.Much has been speculated about the future of the Tampa Bay Lightning forward over the past 12 hours. TVA's Renaud Lavoie reported Thursday night that a trade for Drouin could happen in the next 24 hours, though he backed off that Friday morning.Also on Friday morning, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Jeremy Rutherford reported that the Blues' "talks with Tampa Bay have been speculated for weeks and appear focused on Drouin."That brought in the heavy hitters. TSN's Bob McKenzie said on radio Friday that he doesn't "have any concrete knowledge that the Drouin deal is imminent with St. Louis."

St. Louis remains in mourning over the loss of its football team, the Rams.On Thursday night, the healing continued, as Blues owner Tom Stillman and Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III took part in a ceremonial faceoff before the Blues played the Carolina Hurricanes.Team owners are rarely celebrated the way Stillman and DeWitt were, before a "Kroenke Sucks!" chant broke out, in reference, of course, to Rams owner Stan Kroenke:

You would never know Nail Yakupov has been out of the lineup for nearly two months judging by the speed he showcased Thursday.The 22-year-old returned to the Edmonton Oilers' lineup after missing 22 games with a sprained ankle and was flying. He scored the lone goal in his team's 2-1 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Yakupov played 11:30 in his return and with his goal, he now has 13 points in 23 games this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Danny DeKeyser netted the overtime winner Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes, but not before a dazzling display by rookie Dylan Larkin.Larkin was stopped by Phoenix goaltender Louis Domingue after ripping through the Coyotes' defense with ease, but the 19-year-old regained the puck on the end boards and set up DeKeyser's game-winning snipe after wheeling around the circle.Larkin's 30th point of the season ties him with captain Henrik Zetterberg for the team lead.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A scary incident brought an abrupt end to Dustin Byfuglien's night Thursday.After tallying two goals in the Winnipeg Jets' 5-4 overtime win over the Nashville Predators, Byfuglien fell awkwardly midway through the third period.Byfuglien - who was writhing on the ice - was forced from the game, but will make the trip to Minnesota where he will be further evaluated before Friday's contest.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Calvin Pickard recorded the 1st NHL shutout of his NHL career Thursday, making 27 saves in a 3-0 win against the New Jersey Devils.

With another poor outing in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets, it's now time for the Nashville Predators to sound the alarm about No. 1 netminder Pekka Rinne.Rinne gave up five goals on just 24 shots Thursday as the Predators dropped their fifth straight game, which - thanks to a Colorado Avalanche win - pushed them outside of the playoff picture.Rinne has been somewhat of a tire fire of late, conceding three or more goals in six of his past seven games and only once finishing with a save percentage above the .900 mark during that stretch.

Winners of four straight after a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes now find themselves in a three-way tie for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot with the New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins at 47 points.After entering the season with lottery expectations, here's three reasons the Hurricanes have been able to creep up the standings:Balanced attackWhile All-Star defenseman Justin Faulk leads the team in scoring, the Hurricanes have counted on offensive contributions throughout their forward lines, and a number of players look to be hitting their stride in recent weeks.After recording multiple points in only two of his first 38 games, Jordan Staal managed the feat on three consecutive outings ending Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets - when he scored the game-winning goal.While Elias Lindholm and Kris Versteeg both saw three-game point streaks come to an end Thursday, Jeff Skinner picked up the slack with a goal and an assist as he appears to have put his disappointing 31-point campaign from a year ago behind him.Yet to mention strong seasons from Eric Staal and the surprising Victor Rask, the Hurricanes depth up front will need to continue its strong play as the season winds on.Blue-line developmentAs TSN's Travis Yost noted earlier this week, the performance from the Hurricanes' young defensemen is one of the biggest reasons to watch this team as they look to keep playing beyond the regular season.Faulk, 23, has certainly been a revelation with 14 goals and 32 points so far, but a number of defensemen younger than the power-play specialist have all logged considerable minutes so far - including first-round picks Ryan Murphy and Noah Hanifin.Whether the back end will be able to hold up through a long 82-game campaign is yet to be seen, but if Faulk keeps scoring and the other young blue-liners continue to develop, a wild-card spot is certainly within grasp.Consistent goaltendingA position of great frustration through 2015, the Carolina goaltenders appear to have turned a new leaf in January.Cam Ward is yet to lose in regulation through four starts in 2016, and in the past week he's strung together three consecutive wins for the first time since last February.Meanwhile, after needing almost two months to pick up his second win in Carolina, offseason acquisition Eddie Lack has four wins and just one regulation loss since Dec. 11. He's also maintained a perfect career record against the Blues by improving to 6-0-0 with 23 saves in Thursday's win.Time will tell if Bill Peters' squad can truly contend in the Metropolitan Division, but its recent play should certainly have fans in Raleigh optimistic about the team's future.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford turned away 39 shots helping head coach Joel Quenneville move to No. 2 on the league's all-time wins list with a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.Quenneville collected his 783rd career win, moving ahead of long-time New York Islanders head coach Al Arbour. The 57-year-old remains 461 wins shy of Scotty Bowman who sits first on the list with 1,244 career victories.

Braden Holtby extended his streak without a regulation loss to 22 games, and Evgeny Kuznetsov recorded three points for the fifth time this season as the Washington Capitals picked up their fifth straight victory with a 4-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Ben Scrivens is using his new mask design to pay tribute to a fallen rock hero.Scrivens' newest mask includes the picture of Motorhead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister who died Dec. 28 of cancer.

After opening the scoring with a beautiful goal early in the second period, Evgeny Kuznetsov picked up an assist on the Washington Capitals' third goal of the night with a no-look backhand pass from behind the Vancouver Canucks' net to set up Tom Wilson.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Kuznetsov now has 13 points in his past 12 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan Miller returned to action for the Vancouver Canucks after missing eight games with a groin issue, and it's a wonder he didn't aggravate the injury on his first goal allowed.Washington Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov sent Evgeny Kuznetsov in all alone on Miller, who ended up in the splits after the young forward potted the puck into the open net for Thursday night's first goal.Jenny taught me how to climb. And I taught her how to dangle. #CapsNucks #RockTheRedThe goal was Kuznetsov's 14th of his breakout season but despite having a long career ahead of him, the 23-year-old discussed his retirement plans with Sportsnet's Dan Murphy:

Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin found out that it doesn't take much to fit in in Brooklyn.The New York Islanders forwards starred in a skit produced by The Fourth Period where the two did their best to fit into their new home - by becoming hipsters.Though, to be fair, you're not likely to fit in anywhere donning those retro Fisherman jerseys.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kevin Fiala might be the answer for the Nashville Predators.The 19-year-old picked up his first career goal against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, just 59 seconds into his first game of the season.Playing in just his second career game, Fiala picked up a Ryan Johansen rebound and lifted the puck over the blocking glove of goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The Predators are looking to snap a four-game losing streak.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Prior to Thursday's game versus the Vancouver Canucks, the Washington Capitals honored their captain for scoring his 500th NHL goal in a game against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.The Capitals played a video featuring a number of NHL legends who are also members of the 500-goal club - including Brett Hull, Phil Esposito, and Wayne Gretzky - congratulating Alex Ovechkin for reaching the milestone.After the video, Ovechkin's family joined members of Capitals management as owner Ted Leonsis presented the 30-year-old with a golden stick.

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello shared some positive news regarding the recovery of prospect William Nylander from a concussion suffered at the World Junior Hockey Championship."Before you know it he'll be back," Lamoriello said, adding that Nylander's nearing the end of concussion protocol, according to TSN's Jonas Siegel. He said the 19-year-old will return to play with the AHL's Marlies as soon as he's released for full contact.Though it was reported Saturday that a potential call-up to the Maple Leafs was "off the table," Nylander could soon continue his domination in the minors as he sits just two points behind the league scoring lead despite missing 12 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Feeling a different sort of pressure, the Anaheim Ducks opened the second half of their previously prognosticated Stanley Cup season with two points earned with a better-late-than-never three-goal surge on the Ottawa Senators.It was the start they needed, but it's not as if they kicked their bad habits to the curb. In fact, the man perhaps at the heart of their struggles, Ryan Getzlaf, was benched and relegated to the fourth line for portions of the third period.It's wins though, not the safeguarding of certain egos that can bring them above water.In shortNinety-five points is considered the barometer that separates playoff and non-playoff teams in the NHL. But with the Pacific Division sagging well behind its Western Conference divisional brethren in the Central, there just might be a little leeway this season for the lucky third team.With Anaheim having averaged one point per outing in the first half, a 50-point latter portion of the schedule is needed to have a shot at making the playoffs.So with the two points earned versus the Senators, Anaheim will need, at the very minimum, 24 wins in its 40 remaining dates. That means they must collect the full freight in 60 percent of games to enter the conversation.In further detailWhether it's John Gibson or Frederik Andersen in goal, or Shea Theodore and Josh Manson plug-and-playin' on the blue line in place of Cam Fowler and Simon Despres, preventing goals has not been a major concern. In fact, the 100 goals they've allowed trails only three division leaders, and they have the best penalty kill in the league.Their woes are almost exclusively felt in the offensive end.Getzlaf's miserable season is well documented. He's served up more goals to the opposition than he's scored this season, at least at even strength. But he's not the only one sputtering, not even close.Corey Perry, having a down season by his per-game goal-scoring standard, accounted for more than 20 percent of the team's offense before being shut out versus Ottawa. Most fingers should be pointed first at second-line wingers Jakob Silfverberg and Carl Hagelin, paid far too well to have eight goals between them.The players paid to score must ignite if this team is to have any chance at breaking the 95-point threshold.But, how?If there was a simple answer to scoring 0.88 fewer goals per game from one season to the next, you would like to think Bruce Boudreau would have uncovered it already. It's been a historical offensive free fall, having scored at a top-five rate in the West one season, to having 32 fewer goals than the last-place Columbus Blue Jackets the next.It would be only natural for Bob Murray, noted free-wheeler, to be tempted to make a move. His core group of forwards, certainly get up there in age, needs to win, and soon. But on the same token, his offseason tinkering might be largely responsible for his offense being now off-kilter.PDO (team shooting plus save percentage) is a contentious stat, but it certainly helps illustrate the Ducks' haplessness, and further reason to be patient.The Ducks have the league's lowest PDO despite a total save percentage that ranks in the top half of the league. Lack of polish in the offensive zone (though very apparent) is one thing, but to expect this Ducks team to finish with the worst shooting percentage of any team over the last decade is another.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers will welcome a first overall pick back into their lineup Thursday.No, not Connor McDavid, but the club's surely glad to have Nail Yakupov back on the squad. He hasn't played since Nov. 25, after a linesman took him out.The 22-year-old was expected to only miss 2-4 weeks with a high ankle sprain.Yakupov has two goals and 12 assists in 22 games. He started the season hot, with 10 points - and both goals - in 12 games in October. He then hit a wall. He heads into Thursday's game against the San Jose Sharks having gone 16 games without a goal.Joining Yakupov in the lineup will be forward Zack Kassian, head coach Todd McLellan confirmed. Earlier in the day, forward Rob Klinkhammer was placed on waivers.The game is McLellan's first in San Jose since joining the Oilers. He spent seven seasons behind the Sharks' bench.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tales of discord among the Pittsburgh Penguins' ownership group appear to be without merit.So says the team itself, who released a statement Thursday in response to a New York Post report claiming the sale of the team was called off due to a disagreement between owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle in relation to the asking price.From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:"Contrary to a media report regarding the potential sale of the Pittsburgh Penguins, there is no disagreement between us and we remain completely aligned in both approach and philosophy. We continue to explore all of our strategic options, including a possible sale."There is not, and has never been, an established price for the team, and we are still in conversations with potential buyers. It is unfortunate that we even have to respond to a story based on anonymous quotes."Word of the team being up for sale came down this past June, with a reported asking price of $750 million.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Predators defensemen Shea Weber and Roman Josi recently went undercover on the streets of Nashville as "Jeff Biddle" and "DJ Amadio" to interview the good citizens of Music City about - what else? - Shea Weber and Roman Josi.The results were pretty amazing.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Shout out to the kid who picked Rick Nash as his favorite player. And to Josi for using the mic to get him out of the conversation.The NHL 3-on-3 All-Star tournament hits Nashville later this month and the people are excited, as you can see.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The good news keeps rolling in for the Philadelphia Flyers.Winners of four in a row, the club will welcome Shayne Gostisbehere back to the lineup Saturday afternoon against the New York Rangers. The rookie defender left last Thursday's game with a lower-body injury and has been day to day since.A third-round pick in 2012, Gostisbehere's emergence has coincided with the Flyers' turnaround after a slow start to the season. The 22-year-old made his debut on Nov. 14, and has seven goals and nine assists in 23 games, while averaging 17:51 in ice time and running the power play.

Braden Holtby's first-half dominance could amount to a historic season.Through 42 games of the Washington Capitals season, Holtby has made 34 starts, posting a 27-4-2 record with a .932 save percentage and two shutouts.Should he continue at this pace, he'll have a great shot at breaking Martin Brodeur's record of 48 wins set in 2006-07.Here's a look at how Holtby's projected pace holds up against Brodeur's benchmark season:PlayerSeasonGPRecordSavesSave %Martin Brodeur2006-077848-23-72011.922Braden Holtby2015-167459-9-41939.932While it's quite possible Holtby will appear in that many games after playing 72 last season, keeping up the win and save rates is another matter entirely.The Capitals, however, appear to be the class of the NHL, ranking first in points, goals allowed, and goal differential.If anyone's ever going to challenge Brodeur's win total, the man between the pipes in Washington is as good a bet as any.Either way, Holtby's the favorite to win the Vezina Trophy, and could even get some consideration for NHL MVP.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Hoffman isn't waiting by the phone, but he certainly wouldn't mind if he got a certain phone call.When the new year began, so too opened up the window for the Ottawa Senators to negotiate a new contract with their soon-to-be restricted free-agent winger. And while Hoffman's heard nothing with respect to contract talks, he knows where his head and his heart are at."I'll just worry about the on-ice performance," Hoffman said, according to the Ottawa Sun's Don Brennan. "That's pretty much all I can do at this point."The on-ice performance has been great. Hoffman leads the Senators with 20 goals and his 36 points are second to only Erik Karlsson. He's up there with the big boys in terms of goal-scoring, tied for sixth in the NHL with Steven Stamkos and Tyler Toffoli. And he doesn't generate half the press those guys do.Hoffman isn't paid like those guys, either, not yet, at least, earning $2 million after a stellar 2014-15 saw him blossom into a 27-goal scorer. He finished with 48 points and is on track to easily surpass those totals. And he doesn't want a change of scenery."I like the city, I like the team, I want to stay here," Hoffman said. "That's my number one goal. Hopefully that will be the end result."The 26-year-old's looking for long-term security in his next deal, but knows the process has to play out the way it needs to."Not sure what they're thinking," he added. "Just have to wait and see."And keep scoring, in the meanwhile."Sure there is pressure but you can't really control it too much," Hoffman added. "Just go out there and do the best effort you can and at the end of the day, hopefully everything else takes care of itself."- With H/T to Pro Hockey TalkCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Too big for their typically modest britches?The Florida Panthers were humbled Wednesday in Calgary as their 13-game point streak was snapped as a result of a 6-0 whooping in their second-to-last stop of a six-game road trip.Related: Flames' Bennett makes history with 4-goal gameIt was obviously a letdown, having tasted a fruitless defeat for the first time in a month, but it was an important reminder."There was a little bit of arrogance to our game towards the end of that streak. We got our butts handed to us tonight. It was well deserved," defenseman Erik Gudbranson told FOX Sports."At the end of the day, it's a good thing. I don't think anybody's felt really good about our game over the past 4-5 games."We needed a good spanking like that."It might be an overstatement to call it complacency, but it wouldn't have been too difficult to follow the trajectory and successfully predict the wheels coming off when they did. Florida (outshot in seven straight games) mustered 14 shots in an emotional, but hardly stellar outing in Edmonton to make it 12 straight wins before having the franchise-best streak snapped in an overtime loss to the Canucks.The Panthers are back in Florida and will pick up their road stretch with a short trip to Tampa Bay on Sunday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jordin Tootoo's wallet is $2,000 lighter.The New Jersey Devils forward has been fined and given supplementary discipline under Rule 64 (diving/embellishment), the NHL announced Thursday.Tootoo was issued a warning following an incident flagged by the league during a Devils game back on Oct. 18. The second incident, which triggered the $2,000 fine, was issued in a loss to Detroit on Jan. 4.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The next occurrence would carry a $3,000 fine.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues will have Paul Stastny back in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes.The center, who hasn't played since Jan. 8 after taking a puck to the face, will don a cage and a wicked scar on his left cheek.

A pair of captains and another former 30-goal scorer are underperforming as they prepare to negotiate new deals.All three forwards are impending unrestricted free agents earning at least $4 million in the final year of their respective contracts, and each has failed to match last season's production.Here are three players underwhelming in contract years:Blues' David BackesThe St. Louis Blues captain has 12 goals and 13 assists through 46 games, after notching 26 goals and 58 points in 2014-15, and 57 points in 2013-14.Backes is on pace for only 44 points, which would be his lowest output over an 82-game schedule since his first full NHL season in 2007-08.The 31-year-old is still on the positive side of puck possession with a 50.6 even-strength Corsi For percentage, but he's averaging only 2.09 shots per game and scoring at a 12.5-percent clip, the latter of which is bound to regress.Backes is likely looking to finish his career in St. Louis, but he might be playing his way out of a lucrative deal.Flames' Jiri HudlerJiri Hudler has struggled to build on last season's breakout performance, in which he racked up a career-high 31 goals and 45 assists.The Czech center has only five goals and 15 assists in 35 games, and his lack of consistency mirrors the Calgary Flames' struggles as a team. Calgary (19-20-2) is two points from the Pacific Division basement after qualifying for the playoffs a season ago.Hudler is making $4 million in the final year of his deal, and he'll be hard-pressed to earn a raise if he continues at this pace.Jets' Andrew LaddThe Winnipeg Jets captain's production is declining at the most inopportune time.Andrew Ladd has 10 goals and 14 assists in 43 games, and only two goals and four helpers in his last 16 contests. His 50.6 even-strength Corsi For percentage isn't bad, but it's his lowest since his rookie season in 2005-06.The 30-year-old collected a career-high 62 points last season and topped the 50-point mark in each of the last four 82-game campaigns.Ladd is one of several Jets with expiring deals, and he may not get what he wants if he doesn't regain his form.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nazem Kadri has a fan in Lou Lamoriello.The Toronto Maple Leafs center, who's set to become a restricted free agent at season's end, certainly appears to boast the kind of game valued by the long-term NHL executive and the franchise's first-year general manager.Into the foxhole"I love the way he competes," Lamoriello said in an interview with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on Wednesday. "I've seen him get hit at different times and he just comes right back. He's not afraid to give it, and what you respect the most about him is he can take it. He's not a retaliatory type of player, but he'll get you at the right time, and at the right place."He's one that I wouldn't mind going in a foxhole with."At the halfway point of his one-year, $4.1-million contract with the club, and in light of Lamoriello's assessment, it's worth considering what Kadri's next deal might look like, be it of the one-year bridge variety or a long-term commitment between player and team.What are the 'insiders' saying?Speaking on Sportsnet590 The Fan on Thursday, Nick Kypreos pointed to the bevy of pending free agents on Toronto's plate, and argued the Maple Leafs either need to pony up or move on when it comes to Kadri."There's no question they're a lot happier with Kadri than this time last year," he said. "The Leafs next move now is make that commitment to him and buy unrestricted free-agent years. Or, they just cut ties and move him."The question is now, how deep do you want to go? How much of a commitment are you going to make to Kadri moving forward? Because I can tell you he's looking for a five- or six-year deal, and if it's not over $30 million he's looking for, it's pretty darn close."Let's pause here and look at the numbers.Kadri, 25, was drafted seventh overall in 2009, and has 291 NHL games under his belt. He set career-highs in goals (20), assists (30) and total points in 2013-14, but was playing at a 30-goal, 75-point pace during the lockout-shortened season the year before.Through 41 games this season, Kadri has recorded eight goals and 14 assists, production that belies his actual performance. With 147 shots on goal to date - putting him 10th among all players - he's on pace for 294, which would smash his personal high (176) set in 2014-15.On top of that, his shooting percentage sits at 5.4 percent, less than half his career mark of 11. Add it all up, and were it not for a measure of bad luck, he'd be on pace to eclipse 30 goals once again.Here's where things get really interesting.Kadri = Bozak?In Kypreos' estimation, the Maple Leafs will need to determine whether Kadri has another level to his game, or if he's simply another version of Tyler Bozak, who's already signed at a cap hit of $4.2 million through to the end of 2017-18.PlayerAgeGPGoalsAssistsShotsPoints Per GameTyler Bozak294151041556490.62Nazem Kadri25291721026570.58Considering the age gap and the fact Bozak spent years playing on Toronto's top line with the likes of Phil Kessel on his wing, it's not a leap to suggest Kadri not only has significantly more upside, but is straight up a more productive player based on the numbers he's put up in a lesser role.A good point of comparison is Tomas Plekanec of the rival Montreal Canadiens, who, at age 28 signed a five-year, $30-million contract after posting a 70-point 2009-10 season. Up to that point, he had averaged 0.62 points per game while averaging major minutes and without ever reaching the 30-goal mark.A similar deal, in accordance with what Kypreos suggests he's asking for, seems more than fair for Kadri at this point in his career.Seen Stamkos?The X-factor here is whether the Maple Leafs are bent on pursuing Steven Stamkos, should he not be re-signed by the Tampa Bay Lightning. If they can make a play for the superstar on the open market, it seems unlikely that they would make a significant commitment to Kadri.With that option not yet on the table in reality, the final word here goes to Lamoriello, who offered the following response when asked by Friedman if Kadri is the kind of player the Maple Leafs could commit to long-term."Let me put it this way: I'm a fan of the way he plays, and there's no question you want Nazem Kadri in your lineup," he said.Whether the rest of the Maple Leafs' brain trust agrees is yet to be determined.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals aren't fully healthy, and it might be best it stays that way.Brooks Orpik returned to the practice ice Wednesday, skating at the Capitals' facility for the first time in five weeks, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post.A return of a defenseman with a top-pairing salary would normally be more than welcomed, but for the Capitals, who have won 20 of their last 24 games, Orpik's health ties their hands a little bit.The 35-year-old's $5.5-million cap hit, which is currently being cancelled out by his placement on long-term injury reserve, will push the Capitals' payroll past the allowed ceiling, according to generalfanager.com.Washington has more than $4 million to work with right now, so Orpik's return would only require shedding a minor contract. But it will prevent the bona fide Stanley Cup contenders from continuing to bulk up for the stretch run.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers' point streak had to end, and it did Wednesday. Calgary Flames rookie Sam Bennett took it upon himself to ruin it, actually. But what a run it was.Florida won 12 in a row beginning Dec. 15 and took points in 13 straight games before Wednesday night's loss. By taking 25 out of a possible 28 points, Florida vaulted to the top of the Atlantic Division. The Panthers have a six-point cushion over the Detroit Red Wings heading into Thursday's action, and they have Roberto Luongo and their penalty kill to thank.Still got itLuongo didn't go to Florida to retire.The 36-year-old remains the most consistent - and one of the best - goaltenders in hockey, and aside from the blitz the Flames put on him and his teammates Wednesday, Luongo has been stellar.He stopped 285 of 304 shots over the past 14 games, good for a .9375 save percentage. Over the record 13-game point streak, Luongo had a .948 save percentage and two shutouts. He stopped a remarkable 274 of 289 shots.Luongo finished December with a .929 save percentage and is working at .939 in January. His .927 number on the season is his best since 2010-11, when he backstopped the Vancouver Canucks to the Stanley Cup Final.Jaromir Jagr gets most of the press in Miami, nationwide, and in Canada, and rightfully so, but Luongo's arguably more integral to the Panthers' success. Florida may really have a fountain of youth down there.The KillA team's penalty kill is only as good as its goaltender, so it comes as no surprise that the Panthers were dominant when down a man while streaking.DatePKDec. 15 (W)4/4Dec. 17 (W)2/3Dec. 18 (W)2/2Dec. 20 (W)2/2Dec. 22 (W)1/2Dec. 27 (W)3/4Dec. 29 (W)2/3Jan. 2 (W)5/5Jan. 3 (W)4/4Jan. 5 (W)4/5Jan. 7 (W)4/4Jan. 10 (W)3/3Jan. 11 (OTL)3/4Jan. 13 (L)2/2Florida's killed 41 of its last 47 penalties, good for an 87.2 percent success rate. And the penalty kill is a big part of the Panthers' game - they've been shorthanded 142 times, seventh-most in the league.On the season, the Panthers' 82.4 percent success rate on the kill ranks eighth in the NHL and sixth in the Eastern Conference.Florida scored 42 goals during its 13-game run, more than three per game. Impressive, for sure. But come playoff time, which it appears the Panthers will be taking part in, keeping the puck out of the net matters most. If the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016 are any indication, Florida's in good hands.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.