The Tampa Bay Lightning eliminated the New York Rangers with a 2-1 victory in Game 6 on Saturday to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the third consecutive season.Tampa Bay will take on the Colorado Avalanche in the final looking to become the first NHL team to three-peat since the New York Islanders' dynasty of the early 1980s.Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored both goals in the dramatic win. His second came 21 seconds after the Rangers' Frank Vatrano tied the contest with 6:53 remaining in the third period."It's just going out and just playing as hard as you can for the next guy that sits beside you in that locker room," Stamkos said, per NHL.com's Chris Krenn. "That's why this group is so special."Stamkos added: "We trust every guy that goes over those boards to do his job. Whether you score a goal or not, it's the little things that you do. It's the defending. It's the blocked shots. It's the sacrifice. It's not complaining about your role."Superstar goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 stops in the win to continue his postseason dominance. In his last eight series-clinching games, the reigning Conn Smythe winner has a .991 save percentage along with a 0.25 goals-against average and six shutouts.The Lightning became just the third team in league history to win at least 11 consecutive playoff series. The Islanders (19 from 1980-83) and Montreal Canadiens (13 from 1976-79) are the only teams to have won more.The Stanley Cup Final is set to begin Wednesday in Denver.Colorado finished the regular season as the top team in the Western Conference with 119 points. The club is 12-2 so far in the playoffs."Probably the best team in the league," Stamkos said of the Avalanche, according to The Athletic's Joe Smith. "We’re going to have our hands full."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point is "extremely probable" to play in the Stanley Cup Final, head coach Jon Cooper told reporters after his team ousted the New York Rangers in Game 6 on Saturday night, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Cooper added he isn't sure of Point's availability for Game 1 on June 15.Point hasn't suited up since suffering a lower-body injury in Game 7 of the first round of the playoffs against the Toronto Maple Leafs.Cooper didn't rule out the possibility of Point's return when asked if a decision had been made about his availability ahead of Saturday's game."If you see him in (pregame) warmups, then it's probably a game-time decision," Cooper said, according to team reporter Chris Krenn. "If you don't see him in warmups, that pretty much tells you what's going on with him. We'll see how he's feeling after the (morning) skate."Point, who was one of the last players off the ice at the Lightning's early practice session, didn't participate in pregame warmups prior to Game 6.The 26-year-old center has returned to skating with full equipment for close to a week as he nears a return.The Calgary native scored 28 goals with 30 assists in 66 games during the regular season. He added two goals and four points this postseason before his injury.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL revealed the Stanley Cup Final schedule shortly after the Tampa Bay Lightning eliminated the New York Rangers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final on Saturday night.Waiting for the Bolts are the Colorado Avalanche, who sealed their spot in the final after sweeping the Edmonton Oilers.The Stanley Cup Final is set to begin June 15 at 8 p.m. ET in Colorado. A potential Game 7 is slated for June 28.GameHomeAwayDateTime (ET)1Colorado AvalancheTampa Bay LightningJune 158 p.m.2Colorado AvalancheTampa Bay LightningJune 188 p.m.3Tampa Bay LightningColorado AvalancheJune 208 p.m.4Tampa Bay LightningColorado AvalancheJune 228 p.m.5*Colorado AvalancheTampa Bay LightningJune 248 p.m.6*Tampa Bay LightningColorado AvalancheJune 268 p.m.7*Colorado AvalancheTampa Bay LightningJune 288 p.m.* - if necessaryThere'll be one day off between each game, except for a two-day break between Games 1 and 2.The Avalanche will have home-ice advantage after finishing higher than the Lightning in the regular-season standings.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman was able to return to Game 6 after taking a high hit from New York Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere midway through the second period Saturday.Hedman headed to the locker room shortly after the incident and missed the remainder of the middle frame, but he was back on the bench to start the third period.

New Jersey Devils pending restricted free-agent forward Jesper Bratt met with general manager Tom Fitzgerald, and the two sides are trying to make a deal work this summer, his agent told NJ.com's Ryan Novozinsky.That sentiment echoes what Fitzgerald told the media during his end-of-season availability in early May."He's a big part of our future. He's a tremendous young player," Fitzgerald said, according to Devils beat reporter Amanda Stein. "We want Jesper here long term. That's my job, to work out a deal with his agent."Bratt enjoyed a breakout season in 2021-22 and was the Devils' most productive skater with 73 points in 76 games. He also saw his role increase, playing a career-high 17:26 per contest, 1:21 more than his average time in 2020-21.The 23-year-old just wrapped up the last season of a two-year deal with a $2.75-million cap hit and is likely due for a substantial raise. Evolving Hockey projects him to sign for four years and an average annual value of $5.6 million, but that figure can get closer to $7 million if he goes for term, according to The Athletic's Shayna Goldman.Bratt's agent stayed mum on salary expectations, noting they will discuss those details with the Devils soon and the young star "loves" playing in New Jersey.Bratt has arbitration rights so the Devils will have to qualify him at $3.3 million to maintain those rights, per CapFriendly. New Jersey currently has $25.3 million in projected cap space but also has decisions to make on restricted free agents Jesper Boqvist, Pavel Zacha, and Miles Wood.Unrestricted free-agent defenseman P.K. Subban's $9-million cap hit is coming off the books, but star forward Jack Hughes' eight-year, $64-million deal kicks in for 2022-23.Bratt has 70 goals and 133 assists in 307 career NHL games since the Devils drafted him in the sixth round in 2016.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Facing a potential 11-day break in between games, the Colorado Avalanche are making a point to stay sharp leading up to the Stanley Cup Final."I think our guys were pretty dialed in," Avalanche blue-liner Devon Toews told NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika. "We got some five-on-five stuff in today that guys didn't get in yesterday. I think our guys are ready to go, and we're excited, but we'll take the rest as well. You can't really hope for a certain amount or a set number of days off before you start playing again, so we'll just take it day by day. We're using these days to recover and reset."The Western Conference champions face a minimum of eight days off after finishing the Edmonton Oilers in four games on Monday. The final starts June 15 if the Tampa Bay Lightning eliminate the New York Rangers on Saturday. If the series goes to Game 7, Colorado will have to wait until June 18 to retake the ice.Toews said he doesn't believe the Avalanche have a preference on who they face in the next round."I think most guys are tuning in, at least," he said. "I don't know how much guys are looking into it, and we'll do our deep dive when we figure out who we're playing."Colorado is 12-2 in these playoffs. The club earned home-ice advantage in the Stanley Cup Final after posting a 119-point regular season, the league's second-highest total.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars traded former goaltender Ben Bishop's contract and a 2022 seventh-round pick to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for future considerations, both teams announced Friday.Bishop, 35, hasn't suited up for a regular-season NHL contest since March 2020. He started three games for the Stars in the 2020 playoff bubble in August.The veteran hung up his pads in December due to a knee injury. He underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in October 2020 and was sent to the AHL's Texas Stars on a rehab assignment in 2021-22. He allowed eight goals on 34 shots in his only appearance.Bishop has one year remaining on his deal and carries a $4.9-million cap hit. The trade helps the Sabres get closer to the salary-cap floor, while the Stars gain more roster flexibility by getting Bishop off their long-term injured reserve.The three-time Vezina Trophy finalist authored a career .921 save percentage and 2.32 goals-against average in 413 appearances. Bishop was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the third round in 2005 and also played for the Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Los Angeles Kings.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have just one hockey game to look forward to this weekend, and it's a big one.With a win, the Tampa Bay Lightning could advance to their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final - an absurd feat in today's NHL.Can the Bolts put the New York Rangers away, or will the latter find a way to bring it home for Game 7?Let's examine that, and the prop markets, and pick our three best bets for Game 6.Rangers (+155) @ Lightning (-190)The Rangers put together a heck of a run, but I don't see their fairy-tale story ending happily.This Lightning team - even without Brayden Point - is simply too good. They have smacked the Rangers around at five-on-five throughout the series, progressively getting better each game.New York has controlled just 39.69% of the expected goal share at five-on-five. That is astronomically bad. Their results have aligned with the numbers as well, especially over the last three games.They have netted just one five-on-five goal in that time, with the lone exception coming from defensive defenseman Ryan Lindgren. Not ideal!Giving up chances at a pretty high rate is not the end of the world when Igor Shesterkin is there to clean up most of the messes in front of him. Failing to generate them against a goaltender of Andrei Vasilevskiy's caliber is borderline impossible to overcome.That's the issue the Rangers are dealing with, and their best players are at the forefront of it.Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and Chris Kreider have combined for only four high-danger chances at five-on-five over the last three games. That's an average of 1.33 per game - combined.They can't muster up anything outside of the power play, which makes it very difficult to win games.The Rangers are clearly on the ropes. I expect an experienced winner like the Lightning to take advantage of that and put them away on home soil.Bet: Lightning in regulation (good to -130)Nikita Kucherov over 3.5 shots (play at +100 or better)Kucherov lost in Game 5 but it wasn't for a lack of effort. He attempted eight shots, which was actually the game high. That's nothing new for Kucherov, who is generating just under eight attempts per contest in this series.The Lightning are back at home so they can get him, and the team's best weapons, out in the matchups they want. With the opportunity to put the Rangers away, and advance to the Stanley Cup, it feels safe to assume Kucherov will see his usual workload of 20-plus minutes; perhaps even more.Look for Kucherov to make his mark felt once again.Chris Kreider under 2.5 shots (play at -125 or better)Those who have followed my work for this series will not be surprised to see Kreider's name mentioned again.He's had a miserable time generating shots in this series. He's averaging just 3.5 attempts, which includes the power play, where he is one of the key cogs as the netfront finisher.He and New York's top players are struggling mightily to create offense at five-on-five. That's where the vast majority of every game is spent. I don't see that changing when a potential advancement to the Stanley Cup Final is on the line.With such low shot volume, Kreider has no room for error. He has to get all of his attempts on target to hit, and even then it sometimes isn't enough.Kreider has recorded two shots or fewer in six of eight vs Tampa Bay this season and yet the under is consistently priced near even money. Take advantage of that one last time.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers' parent company punished a fan for attacking a spectator wearing a Tampa Bay Lightning jersey after Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final."(On Thursday night), an abhorrent assault took place against a Tampa Bay fan at the conclusion of the game - followed by a second assault against an individual who bravely intervened," Madison Square Garden said in a statement."First, we ensured the victims received appropriate medical care and have followed up to provide support from our guest services team," the facility's statement continued. "Equally important, we are cooperating fully with law enforcement as this is now a criminal matter."The Garden said the fan in question is banned for life from all venues the company operates.Twitter user Scott Kaplan captured video of the incident, in which a fan in a red shirt can be seen striking a person in a Lightning sweater with an unexpected punch to the face as the crowd filed out of the building. The victim laid motionless as he was attended to by other fans.Police said James Anastasio, a 29-year-old Rangers fan, threw the punch, according to WTSP's Claire Farrow. The Lightning fan was knocked unconscious but is now in stable condition, law enforcement added.Anastasio was charged with two counts each of assault, disorderly conduct, and harassment.A witness tried to stop Anastasio from leaving, at which point the latter punched the witness in the face as well, according to police. The witness was bruised and in pain but refused medical treatment."All guests - no matter what team they support - should feel safe and respected in The Garden," MSG's statement said. "This has and always will be our policy."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres will raise Ryan Miller's No. 30 to the rafters in 2022-23.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are one win away from returning to the Stanley Cup Final after beating the New York Rangers on Thursday night to nab a 3-2 series lead.The home team had won every game in the Eastern Conference Final heading into Game 5, but the Bolts bucked that trend with a 3-1 win at Madison Square Garden."It definitely stings. ... It was a tight game that could have gone either way," Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba told reporters postgame, per USA Today's Vince Z. Mercogliano. "I think that's what makes it more frustrating for us. It's not like we're getting the doors blown off."Ondrej Palat scored the game-winner for Tampa Bay after he got a piece of defenseman Mikhail Sergachev's shot with less than two minutes remaining in regulation. Forward Brandon Hagel sealed the victory with an empty-netter.Sergachev led the way for the Lightning, recording the team's first goal of the contest and a helper.Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said he's been pleased to see his team make improvements defensively as the series has progressed."We didn't like the first two games for sure, very uncharacteristic plays and sloppy hockey," he said, per Bally Sports' Gabby Shirley. "I think toward the end of that second game, the third period, we tried to build off that, that was more our style."He added: "We found a recipe here. Game 3, it was two goals (against). Last game, one. Tonight, one. Those are the types of games you have to win come playoff time."Rangers blue-liner Ryan Lindgren opened the scoring midway through the second period. That was the only time New York put the puck past Lightning star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who dazzled with a 24-save performance.Igor Shesterkin also played well, making 24 stops on 26 shots.Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said his team is ready for a fight in Game 6 with the Rangers' season on the line."I expect their best game with the guy they have leading the charge behind the bench," he said, per team beat writer Chris Krenn. "(Gerard Gallant's) a hell of a coach. He'll have them going. The New York Rangers are a better team today than they were (the) opening night of the playoffs."Cooper continued: "I would expect nothing less than an outstanding effort from them. In saying that, just because we're going home, it would be naïve for us to think that now we're going back here and we're just going to win this game. Not a chance."Game 6 is set for Saturday as the Lightning will attempt to get one step closer to claiming their third consecutive Stanley Cup.This is the third time the Rangers have been in a 3-2 hole in these playoffs. They clawed their way back against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes in the first and second rounds, respectively.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar will take more time to determine who will start in goal for his club in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final."It's a tough decision," Bednar said Thursday, per NHL.com's Ryan Boulding. "There'll be conversations about it. We'll make a decision and go from there."Usual No. 1 netminder Darcy Kuemper suffered an injury in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final and didn't play for the rest of the series as Colorado cruised to a four-game sweep. He dressed as the backup for the series finale and said he's fully recovered from the upper-body injury that sidelined him.Pavel Francouz filled in admirably in Kuemper's absence, posting a .908 save percentage with one shutout in four games against the Edmonton Oilers.Kuemper has a .897 save percentage and 2.65 goals-against average in 10 playoff games this spring.The Avalanche await the winner of the Eastern Conference Final between the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Three years after his Columbus Blue Jackets shocked the hockey world, John Tortorella remains the last coach to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in a playoff series.Tortorella's scrappy Blue Jackets squad pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in NHL history in 2019, sweeping the top-seeded Bolts in the opening round following Tampa Bay's 128-point regular season.The Lightning have won 10 straight series and two Stanley Cups since the loss and are currently battling in the Eastern Conference Final for a chance at a three-peat. Tortorella said he believes Columbus' triumph transformed Tampa Bay into a juggernaut."We created a monster," Tortorella told The Athletic's Joe Smith.He added: "I don't think it was Xs and Os. I think it was a mindset. That (2019) Lightning team was all-world when they came into the playoffs, and I don't think they respected us. Sometimes you've got to eat it, and when you eat it, you might still be stubborn and not want to change anything. They ate it and realized they had to change and play a little differently. They changed some personnel. It's a true credit to their organization that was willing to swallow a little bit and say, 'You know, we've got to change.'"Tortorella added that the Lightning, who he coached to a Stanley Cup in 2004, started dedicating themselves to a more all-around play style after the Blue Jackets bested them."Back then, we felt they were going to play one way. They'd try to beat us offensively," Tortorella said. "They were that good. I don't want to disrespect that team. They were that good. But we just concentrated on basically not giving them odd-man rushes and see if they'd get stubborn."Tampa Bay has shown its resiliency throughout the 2022 playoffs. The defending champs erased three series deficits to the Toronto Maple Leafs and climbed out of a 0-2 hole against the Rangers in Round 3 with Game 5 set for Thursday.Tortorella and the Blue Jackets agreed to part ways after six seasons last spring. He's since become an analyst for ESPN and recently interviewed for the Philadelphia Flyers' head coaching vacancy.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bruce Cassidy's dismissal from the Boston Bruins on Monday raised some eyebrows around the hockey world, but nobody was more surprised than Cassidy himself.The former Bruins head coach says management told him during his season-ending exit meeting that his job was safe."The end-of-the-year meeting was that I would be coaching on this year of my deal," Cassidy told reporters Thursday, including Conor Ryan of the Boston Sports Journal. "That's how it would be proceeding forward. And that was it. Sometimes there are talks after every year of - right away, there are coaches let go, there are extensions, there's status quo. So that was the message: It would be status quo."Cassidy led the Bruins to the playoffs in all six years at the helm, including a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2019. However, Boston was ousted in the first round of the postseason by the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7 this year."The Bruin is basically tattooed to me. That's the difficult part," Cassidy said. "I feel I did my job. We can always get better; we can always be better."Cassidy's career points percentage of .635 ranks 20th all time. With his resume, he likely won't have any issues finding work. In fact, he's already spoken with multiple teams."In respect to the teams, I'm not going to go through them," Cassidy said. "But yes, I have talked to a number of teams."He added: "I want to get back to work. Hopefully, it's a really good fit - best fit possible. That's not always the case, but that's what I'm hoping for both sides. And we'll see where it gets to."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers are interviewing Jeff Blashill and David Quinn for the team's head coaching job, sources told Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.The Detroit Red Wings are also interviewing Quinn for their opening.Quinn was the head coach of the New York Rangers for three seasons before he was replaced by Gerard Gallant after 2020-21. He failed to record a playoff win during his tenure in the Big Apple. The former Boston University bench boss served as head coach of Team USA at the Olympics and World Championship this past season. The Americans failed to medal in both events.Blashill spent the last seven years as head coach of the Red Wings. He made the playoffs just once - in his first season - and failed to post a points percentage above .500 in any following campaign.The Flyers previously spoke to Barry Trotz and John Tortorella for their vacancy. Tortorella is expected to receive another interview, according to Seravalli.Elsewhere around the coaching carousel, the Chicago Blackhawks have sought permission to interview Montreal Canadiens assistant coach Luke Richardson and Vancouver Canucks assistant coach Brad Shaw for their head coaching job. Derek King, who took over for Jeremy Colliton on an interim basis last season, is still a strong candidate for the gig, Seravalli reports.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a huge game to look forward to on Thursday after a night without any action on the ice.Let's take a look at where the value lies with our three best bets.Lightning (-130) @ Rangers (+110)This series started with a blowout victory for the New York Rangers, one that wasn't nearly as one-sided as the scoreline suggested.The Tampa Bay Lightning have really flipped the script since that point. They were the better team in Game 2, controlling nearly 60% of the expected goal share at five-on-five while spending more time on the front foot.In Game 3 their xG share was 68.53% and they were rightfully rewarded with their first win of the series. They followed that up with another great showing, posting a 62.59% xG share at five-on-five en route to a 4-1 win.Though it's tied up at two, seemingly everything is pointing toward a Lightning victory. They have controlled at least 59% of the five-on-five xG share in three straight games.New York hasn't scored once in that game state over the last two games, nor have they mustered up many chances.The Rangers are also dealing with injury issues to Ryan Strome and Filip Chytil. If one, or both, of those players are unable to play, Barclay Goodrow will be forced into a much larger role - one he doesn't look capable of playing.Goodrow was more or less played off the ice in Game 4, logging 12:43 of ice time at five-on-five. In that time, the Rangers attempted only three shots, controlled less than 7% of the expected goal share, and were outscored. Not ideal.Tampa Bay looks like the much superior side. If the Rangers are missing bodies, or fail to convert on multiple power plays, they're going to have a tough time regaining their footing in Game 5.Bet: Lightning (-130)Nikita Kucherov over 3.5 shots (+120)Kucherov is feasting on the Rangers in this series. Through four games he has amassed six points, 18 shots on goal, and 31 shot attempts. He leads the Lightning in each category.With an average of nearly eight attempts per game, it is no coincidence he has gone over his shot total in three of four contests thus far.The volume is there on a nightly basis. He's playing over 20 minutes per game; the Rangers, although a good team, do not suppress shots well.There's not much reason to believe Kucherov can't sustain these kinds of outputs as the series continues to progress, especially with key members of the Rangers banged up or outright unavailable.Chris Kreider under 2.5 shots (-114)We have been burned twice in a row by Kreider, but the underlying numbers suggest the process is still strong. He still isn't generating many shot attempts, particularly at five-on-five. They've just seemingly all hit the net of late.Kreider has only attempted eight shots at five-on-five in this series and 14 overall. That's 3.5 attempts per game. It takes three shots on goal to hit the over, of course, so I'm happy to fade a guy who has absolutely no margin for error based on the volume he is generating.His track record against the Lightning is also alarming, to say the least. He has only recorded three shots or more in two of seven meetings this season. He is 0-4 in New York.Kreider attempted more than two shots in just one of those four games. Put another way, he'd be failing even if each shot made its way to Andrei Vasilevskiy.He's averaged 3.1 attempts against the Bolts this season. Priced at nearly a coin flip, I'll take my chances on Kreider failing to convert each into a shot on target.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the Oilers still licking their wounds two days after being swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final, general manager Ken Holland was noncommittal on Jesse Puljujarvi's future in Edmonton."That's what I've gotta sort out," Holland told reporters Wednesday when asked if he thinks Puljujarvi is part of the team's solution moving forward."The second half of the year, it was a real struggle. ... I think he lost his confidence. Then when he lost his confidence, he obviously was in the top six, and then he worked his way down to the bottom six. ... I've gotta sort out Jesse."Puljujarvi, 24, is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. He put up 14 goals and 22 assists in 65 regular-season games in 2021-22. His production wilted in the playoffs, registering just two goals and one helper in 16 contests.Interim head coach Jay Woodcroft said injuries and illnesses disrupted Puljujarvi's momentum this past season while pointing out that he posted a career-high 36 points."He never lost the belief of his teammates or his coaching staff," Woodcroft said, per TSN. "I thought he had some good moments, scored a couple big goals for us - one in the L.A. series, one in the Calgary series. ... He's a good, young hockey player."He added: "He is not dissimilar (to) Ryan McLeod, Evan Bouchard, Stuart Skinner, Dylan Holloway. Some of our young players, that's where the growth on this team is going to come from, and they got some really good experience during our playoff run to aid that growth."We have a strong belief in the next wave of young players coming through our organization, and Jesse's one of them."Holland said he spoke to Puljujarvi on Tuesday and will contact his agent within the next 10 days.Edmonton drafted Puljujarvi fourth overall in 2016. He has 46 goals and 52 assists in 259 career NHL games.Puljujarvi's underlying numbers remained solid this campaign. The Oilers controlled 58.6% of the shot attempts and 59.8% of the expected goals with Puljujarvi on the ice at five-on-five in the regular season, according to Natural Stat Trick.He just wrapped up a two-year deal with a $1.175-million cap hit. Edmonton will have to qualify him at $1.4 million to maintain his rights, per CapFriendly.Holland also said Puljujarvi sustained a shoulder injury in Game 4 against the Avalanche and needs four-to-six weeks to recover, according to The Athletic's Daniel Nugent-Bowman.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have turned the tables on the New York Rangers, tying the Eastern Conference Final series 2-2. Yet the Rangers have been stellar at home this postseason (8-1) and the two teams next meet Thursday at Madison Square Garden. Here are four storylines to watch ahead of a pivotal Game 5.Lightning's giveaways, discipline Mark LoMoglio / Getty ImagesPuck management is a hallmark of this dynasty-chasing Lightning core. When a Tampa Bay skater has the puck on his stick, he doesn't give it up easily. The team ranked last in the entire NHL in giveaways during the regular season.The Lightning's giveaway numbers in this series are ... interesting. In Games 1 and 2, they turned the puck over 28 and 22 times, respectively, before recording just six and nine giveaways in Games 3 and 4.It's hard to tell exactly how much of that discrepancy is rooted in rink bias (the Rangers' giveaway numbers also plummetted in the Florida games) and how much of it is Nikita Kucherov and Co. slowly getting their act together.Realistically, it's probably a mix of both factors, as there's no question the Lightning have played a more precise, detailed game in victories. On a micro level, Kucherov's dominance from shift to shift has only increased as the series has developed. The superstar winger uses his unparalleled vision to keep the Rangers guessing off the rush and when Tampa Bay has sustained pressure.The result: Kucherov and linemates Ondrej Palat and Steven Stamkos account for nine of the squad's 11 goals. Palat leads the series in individual expected goals for, while Stamkos is second, and Kucherov is tied for third with Mika Zibanejad of the Rangers. Simply put, New York won't advance to the Stanley Cup Final unless it finds a way to limit that killer trio.If the Lightning can stay out of the penalty box, as they managed to do in a Game 4 that featured just two power-play opportunities for the Rangers, there's a solid chance they'll advance. New York's power play is clicking at a playoff-high 32.1% rate through 53 opportunities this postseason.2nd act of goaltending duel Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesNeither goalie has recorded a shutout. Game 1's final score was 6-2; Game 4's was 4-1. On the surface, this series hasn't been the all-out goaltending duel many predicted. Yet Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin have both played well overall and a showdown is still very much a possibility heading into Game 5 - especially with Vasilevskiy once again looking like his all-world self."He's getting his mojo back," Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters after Vasilevskiy stopped 34 of 35 shots, including all 27 at five-on-five, in Game 4.The nine-day layoff between the second and third rounds seemed to affect Vasilevskiy more than anybody else on the Lightning. Since that debacle of a Game 1 (six goals against on New York's 34 shots and 3.12 expected goals), Vasilevskiy's gotten progressively sharper. His elite puck tracking is back.That said, Shesterkin's .934 save percentage through four games towers over Vasilevskiy's .906%. Against Tampa Bay, Shesterkin, the presumed Vezina Trophy winner, has bailed out his teammates as he so often did in the regular season. Recent history suggests he'll also shine in Game 5.At home this postseason, Shesterkin has been superb, posting single-game SV% rates of .935, .949, .949, .968, .977, .929, .906, .951, and .952.Adam Fox's 3-zone impact Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesNew York rallied back from a 3-1 deficit in the first round and a 3-2 deficit in the second round. Fox, only 24, was a major contributor in both comebacks.One of the headliners in a postseason filled with Norris Trophy-caliber defensemen, Fox has an opportunity to put the Rangers on his back in what's turned into a best-of-three series. Not overly big or fast, Fox is extremely effective in all three zones of the ice because of his smarts and poise. Regardless of the situation, he always seems to facilitate for his teammates.What's shown up in the box scores through a team-high 105 minutes against the Lightning - five assists, including four primary helpers - is notable. But it doesn't fully capture his overall impact. Fox has also drawn even at 3-3 with Kucherov, the deadliest offensive player in this series, in 33 minutes of head-to-head action at five-on-five. In total, he's 4-4 at even strength, which is pretty impressive considering all of Tampa Bay's firepower.Fox must continue his strong play in Game 5.Rangers' growing injury list Jared Silber / Getty ImagesBrayden Point's health is the biggest question mark of the series. According to Cooper, the stud center hasn't been ruled a "definite out" for the remaining games, but there are no promises about his return. The Lightning are otherwise healthy.The Rangers, on the other hand, are not so lucky.Second-line center Ryan Strome missed Game 4 with a lower-body injury. Filip Chytil - who's been an offensive catalyst on the so-called Kid Line and scored a pair of goals in the series opener - didn't return after leaving Game 4 at the end of the second period to tend to an upper-body injury. Gallant said Wednesday that both forwards are "game-time decisions" for Thursday.New York isn't a particularly deep team at full health. Even the best-case scenario (Strome and Chytil in the lineup and taking regular shifts) is far from ideal since both players are clearly ailing. And let's not forget: Another forward, Sammy Blais, is still out, and a fourth forward, Barclay Goodrow, took a wicked Victor Hedman slap shot off the ankle in Game 3.Could these injuries be the Rangers' undoing?John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins management and star forward David Pastrnak will sit down in early July to discuss a contract extension, his agent told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Pastrnak is entering the final season of a six-year, $40-million contract before he can become an unrestricted free agent.The 26-year-old is due for a sizable raise after massively outplaying his $6.67-million cap hit. He's averaged 44 goals and 49 assists per 82 games through the first five campaigns of the deal.Pastrnak re-upping in Boston is no guarantee, though. He was apparently unhappy that general manager Don Sweeney let Torey Krug walk as a UFA in 2020 and didn't persuade David Krejci to stay in Boston, who instead left for his native Czechia in 2021."(Pastrnak) had seen how Don has treated his two best friends," a source close to Pastrnak told The Athletic's Fluto Shinzawa in a text. "No chance he comes back with (Sweeney) as GM."Sweeney made the bold decision to fire head coach Bruce Cassidy on Monday. Cassidy led the Bruins to the playoffs in all six years on the job, including a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2019.The Bruins could undergo further changes, too, as captain Patrice Bergeron remains undecided on his playing future.Boston will also be without Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy to begin 2022-23 as the two pillars recently underwent offseason surgeries.There's been plenty of speculation the Bruins could undergo a rebuild if Bergeron opts to retire. If Pastrnak chooses not to re-sign, they'd be forced to trade him, Friedman noted.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl labored through a high-ankle sprain during the majority of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, general manager Ken Holland told reporters Wednesday, including The Athletic's Daniel Nugent-Bowman.Draisaitl suffered the ailment during a tussle with Los Angeles Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson in Game 6 of Round 1.

Nikita Kucherov netted the eventual winner as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New York Rangers 4-1 to tie the Eastern Conference Final at two games apiece.Pat Maroon opened the scoring less than three minutes into the game, while Steven Stamkos and Ondrej Palat provided insurance markers in the third period as Tampa Bay won its second straight contest after dropping the first two of the series.Artemi Panarin tallied for the Rangers, who outshot the Lightning 35-31 in Game 4. Bolts goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 34 of the 35 shots he faced.Game 5 is scheduled for Thursday night in New York.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Smith has one year remaining on his contract, but that doesn't mean the 40-year-old veteran is committed to returning in 2022-23."It's too early to tell," Smith told the media Tuesday while disputing rumors that he's considering retirement, per TSN.He added: "To look ahead now after you just get ousted out of the conference finals, it's hard to see where you're gonna be in the next two days, let alone four months from now."I think there's a lot of things to deal with mentally and physically, and that doesn't have to be decided in the next three minutes."The Colorado Avalanche swept the Oilers out of the playoffs Monday. Smith started every postseason contest for Edmonton, authoring a .913 save percentage and 3.37 goals-against average across 16 appearances en route to the team's Western Conference Final appearance. He was pulled twice this postseason."I was just telling some of the guys, the letdown today is real life," Smith said. "When you come up short, obviously, it's very disappointing, especially as you get older and you realize your chances are getting narrower and narrower to accomplish that ultimate goal."Smith battled a myriad of injuries during the regular season and was limited to just 28 showings."(It's) obviously fun to make the playoffs and go on a run like we did, but playing through injuries for the majority of the season is not easy," he said. "I don't know where I'm gonna be four months from now but got a lot of stuff to deal with."Backup goaltender Mikko Koskinen wrapped up the final season of a three-year deal and is an unrestricted free agent. Stuart Skinner, 23, showed promise in little action during the 2021-22 campaign, logging a 2.62 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in 13 appearances.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hockey Canada higher-ups could soon be asked to answer for the governing body's decision to settle a sexual assault lawsuit in late May.Conservative MP Kevin Waugh, who's serving on the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage in the House of Commons, told TSN's Rick Westhead the lawmakers could vote as early as Wednesday to determine whether to ask Hockey Canada executives to testify before the subcommittee about the abuse allegations and provide evidence regarding the settlement.In a lawsuit filed in April, a woman said eight CHL players, including several members of Canada's 2017-18 world junior team, sexually assaulted her in June 2018 in a London, Ontario, hotel after a Hockey Canada event."We have to get into this right away and summon witnesses," Waugh said. "This just brings back so many memories of Graham James. I thought we cleaned this up after Sheldon Kennedy and Theoren Fleury, but I guess not.""We’re now talking about an allegation of gang rape that may involve every third guy on that Team Canada roster," Waugh continued. "How the hell did Hockey Canada keep this quiet for four years? I'm appalled by the organization, and I'm appalled that this story is still now mostly buried by the Canadian media.”Waugh added that any testimony would be public, and the subcommittee can subpoena anyone who declines invitations to do so.Canada's sports minister, Pascale St-Onge, said last week that she's ordering an audit of Hockey Canada's financial activity to determine whether it used taxpayer funds to pay out the settlement. St-Onge also said she'd summon the organization's executives to testify.The woman asked the judge to award $3.55 million, but the settlement amount isn't known, according to Westhead.The subcommittee tabled a motion Monday to put aside other work to focus on Hockey Canada's case.The NHL said in late May that it would investigate the allegations and determine punishment for those involved, if necessary.Taxpayers partially fund Hockey Canada, giving the Canadian government jurisdiction over the federation.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Veteran defenseman P.K. Subban is this year's recipient of the King Clancy Trophy.The NHL hands out the honor annually to "the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community."Subban has been a King Clancy finalist for three straight years and four times in his career. The 33-year-old has been a longtime advocate for racial and social justice, and he's made significant financial contributions to numerous charitable causes. Those most recently include COVID-19 relief and donations for Ukrainian cancer patients."I know that whenever you do charity work, when you do work in your community, you don't do it for these types of accolades," Subban said, according to NHL.com's Jon Lane. "But when I look back at all the finalists and the players who have won this award it's a pretty special group. I think when you have a platform in the NHL, I've been very lucky to have one, when you use it the right way you can have an impact."He's the first New Jersey Devils player to win the award. Recently retired Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse were the other finalists.A committee of league executives led by commissioner Gary Bettman and his deputy, Bill Daly, chose the three finalists and the winner. The 32 clubs each nominated one player for the award.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets signed forward Jack Roslovic to a two-year contract extension carrying an average annual value of $4 million, the team announced Tuesday.Roslovic was set to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.The 25-year-old set career highs with 22 goals, 23 assists, and 45 points in his first full season with the Blue Jackets in 2021-22. He skated in 81 games and averaged 14:17 per contest.Roslovic was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets in January 2021 along with Patrik Laine in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois and a third-round pick. He recorded 34 points in 48 games upon joining the Blue Jackets last season.The Columbus, Ohio, native was chosen 25th overall by the Jets in the 2015 draft.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche won 6-5 in overtime on Monday to sweep the Edmonton Oilers from the playoffs and advance to the Stanley Cup Final. Here are three takeaways from the riveting conclusion to the Western Conference title series.Colorado's many weapons delivered Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesAfter Colorado's usual suspects continued to one-up Mike Smith, a newcomer ended the club's long wait to return to the final.Deadline acquisition Artturi Lehkonen scored the OT winner in Round 3, just as he did in 2021 as a member of the Montreal Canadiens. Lehkonen's eye-level tip produced a rebound that he wired past Smith, and the goal was upheld upon review. Colorado's now set to play for the Cup for the first time since 2001.Lehkonen's Game 4 winner followed goals from Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen - five of the Avalanche's top seven scorers in the regular season. Lehkonen, J.T. Compher, and Valeri Nichushkin all beat Smith multiple times this round; Nazem Kadri added four points before Evander Kane boarded him from behind.Although Kadri had thumb surgery and might miss the final, Colorado's scoring depth remains elite. Wrap your mind around these nuggets:

Monday night was a tough one on the ice. We split the shot props but a 1-0 game nearly halfway through turned into a 6-5 shootout, leaving our under bet in the dust.We'll look to rebound with three more plays for Tuesday night's pivotal Game 4.Rangers (+150) @ Lightning (-180)Although they still trail in the series, the Tampa Bay Lightning have progressively gotten better with each passing game.The scoreline in G1 certainly didn't suggest it, but the Lightning actually had the better of the scoring chances. Igor Shesterkin was fantastic while Andrei Vasilevskiy struggled mightily. It was pretty much as simple as that.In Game 2, the Lightning's share of the expected goals at five-on-five rose to 59.11%. They failed to beat Shesterkin once in that game state and fell just one puck short. Progress!The Lightning followed that up with their best showing of the series. They controlled a whopping 68% of the expected goals and blanked the New York Rangers at five-on-five.While the end result was still in doubt until the very end, the Lightning were rightfully rewarded for being the better side.They have bounced back from losses - and less than ideal circumstances - whenever they've faced them throughout the postseason. This team will fight tooth and nail for everything. They know how big this game is and I expect they'll rise to the occasion to even things up.Look for the Lightning to pick up a scrappy win inside 60.Bet: Lightning in regulation (-110)Chris Kreider under 2.5 shots (-114)Kreider is not generating shots with any consistency at all. He has mustered up just nine attempts through three games. While he burned us by coming through last time out, that was because all three of his attempts hit the net; generally not something that can be relied upon.His line has caved in at five-on-five, which is part of the reason he was held to just one attempt in that game state. With the Lightning still in possession of home ice, there's reason to believe it'll be another tough game for him at full strength.Kreider isn't the featured shooter on the man advantage either. The Rangers have funneled anything and everything through Mika Zibanejad, and for good reason. The way Kreider gets his touches is by standing on top of the crease and banging at loose change if and when it becomes available. That's not a reliable way to generate high shot volume, especially against a team like the Lightning.That's why Kreider has only hit three shots once through six games against the Lightning. He failed to record even two shots in four of the six meetings.Priced at a near coin flip, there's value in playing the under.Nikita Kucherov over 3.5 shots (+115)Kucherov has been the standout shooter in this series. He's attempted 26 shots through three games, good for an average of 8.66 per contest. Steven Stamkos (23) is the only other player on either side with more than 19 attempts, so Kucherov is the guy you want to back if you're chasing heavy volume.He has fared very well against the Rangers this season, generating at least seven shot attempts in three of the four meetings to date. Seven is about the sweet spot as far as confidently backing a player to hit the net four times in a game.What I also love about Kucherov is the workload. He has played at least 20 minutes in nine of the last 10 games. With the team struggling to score on Shesterkin, they're even more reliant on the big guns to keep them in the series.Look for Kucherov to be heavily involved offensively once again.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens hired three-time Olympic gold medalist Marie-Philip Poulin as a player development consultant Tuesday.Poulin will work for the Habs on a part-time basis as she continues her playing career."It is a privilege to add someone as competent as Marie-Philip Poulin in our ranks. She is the best in her field, and her accomplishments will help us build a winning culture within the Canadiens," owner Geoff Molson said. "Her arrival is another step towards achieving the diversity that we want to establish within our organization."Poulin will be tasked with developing players' individual and collective skills on the ice and in video sessions, among other responsibilities."We are thrilled with the addition of Marie-Philip Poulin to our hockey development department," general manager Kent Hughes said. "Marie-Philip is one of the best players on the planet, and she has won at the highest level, which will be very beneficial for our players. Her knowledge, leadership, and vision of the game certainly make the Canadiens a better organization."Poulin is widely considered the greatest active female hockey player, and she's one of the sport's most decorated. In addition to her three Olympic gold medals, the 31-year-old has two World Championship golds, six World Championship silvers, an Olympic silver, and two Clarkson Cups.She scored the game-winning goals in the Olympic gold-medal games in 2010, 2014, and 2022. She was handed the "C" for the Canadian women's national team in 2015 and is known as Captain Clutch.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse revealed he played through a torn hip flexor during his club's Western Conference Final run, according to The Athletic's Daniel Nugent-Bowman.The injury occurred in the final week of the regular season. The 27-year-old played in 15 of the Oilers' 16 playoff games - he missed one due to a suspension - before they were swept by the top-seeded Colorado Avalanche on Monday night.Nurse managed two goals and three assists during the postseason while averaging over 21 minutes per contest - nearly four full minutes less than what he logged in the regular season.He wasn't the Oilers' only impact player fighting through injury, though. Superstar Leon Draisaitl was visibly laboring throughout Game 4 on Monday but wouldn't divulge specifics."There are lots of guys who play through things," Draisaitl said, per TSN's Jason Gregor. "I won’t make this about me."However, Draisaitl's mystery ailment didn't slow his production. The German playmaker put up 32 points in 16 playoff games, including four in Monday's loss.Draisaitl became the second player in NHL history, along with Wayne Gretzky, to have seven three-point efforts in a single postseason, according to Sportsnet Stats.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche are off to the Stanley Cup Final after completing a sweep of the Edmonton Oilers with a 6-5 overtime win Monday night.Artturi Lehkonen scored the goal that sent Colorado to its first final since 2001. Remarkably, it's the second year in a row Lehkonen's been the hero in Round 3. He scored the overtime winner as a member of the Montreal Canadiens to send the Habs to the championship series last spring."I'd trade 10 first-rounders for him right now," teammate Nathan MacKinnon said of Lehkonen, who Colorado acquired at the trade deadline in March.Monday's contest was an instant classic. Cale Makar opened the scoring in the first period, but the Oilers answered back with three consecutive goals in the middle frame.Chaos ensued in the third, as the teams combined for six tallies. Mikko Rantanen put the Avalanche up 5-4 with just over five minutes to go, but Zack Kassian answered back less than two minutes later to send the high-octane contest to overtime.Lehkonen's winner came at 1:19 of the extra stanza.Colorado will now await the winner of the New York Rangers-Tampa Bay Lightning series, which New York currently leads 2-1.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets star Kyle Connor won the 2022 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy on Monday night, beating out fellow finalists Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes and Jared Spurgeon of the Minnesota Wild.The award is given annually to the "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability." It's voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.Connor had a career season with 47 goals and 93 points. He ranked fourth among all forwards in average ice time (21:47) but only logged four minutes in penalties all season.The 25-year-old was named on 181 of the 195 ballots cast and earned 122 first-place votes.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers summoned one of their top prospects with their season on the line Monday.Dylan Holloway made his NHL debut in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final against the Colorado Avalanche.The youngster started the must-win contest in the Oilers' top six on a line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman.Edmonton selected Holloway 14th overall in the 2020 draft. The forward recorded eight goals and 14 assists in 33 games with the AHL's Bakersfield Condors this season.During his final year at Wisconsin in 2020-21, Holloway was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, an AHCA West second-team All-American, and a Big Ten first-team All-Star after tallying 35 points in 23 games. The Calgary native also took home a silver medal with Canada at the 2021 world juniors.Kailer Yamamoto missed a second straight game with an upper-body injury, and Evander Kane is suspended for Game 4, necessitating Holloway's debut on the big stage. Journeyman Brad Malone remained in the lineup.The Oilers trail the Avs 3-0 in the best-of-seven series.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins have fired head coach Bruce Cassidy, the team announced Monday.Cassidy took over behind Boston's bench during the 2016-17 season and guided the club to the postseason each year. The Bruins went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019 and had a 245-108-46 regular-season record under the 57-year-old's guidance."After 14 years working with Bruce, this was an extremely difficult decision," general manager Don Sweeney said. "I want to thank and acknowledge Bruce for all his work and success with the Bruins organization. His head coaching record for the Bruins is impressive, and we are appreciative of Bruce both professionally and personally."After taking some time to fully digest everything, I felt that the direction of our team for both this season and beyond would benefit from a new voice."Following the Bruins' elimination at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening round of the playoffs in May, team president Cam Neely was noncommittal on Cassidy's future with the franchise, suggesting Boston needs to change some aspects of how the team plays.The Bruins are facing a critical offseason. On top of a search for a new head coach, captain Patrice Bergeron is unsure if he's retiring. Additionally, stars Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy won't be ready for the start of the 2022-23 season after undergoing surgery.Barry Trotz is considered to be the most attractive head coaching option on the market.Five NHL teams - the Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, Philadelphia Flyers, Detroit Red Wings, and Vegas Golden Knights - are seeking a new bench boss, while two clubs - the Florida Panthers and Chicago Blackhawks - currently have interim coaches in place.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

*Editor's note: This piece was published prior to Boston's decision to fire head coach Bruce Cassidy.With only four teams remaining in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the majority of the NHL is in offseason mode. And while the coaching carousel is usually spinning vigorously at this time, it's slower than usual this year.None of the five official head coaching vacancies have been filled yet. The future of two interim coaches (Florida Panthers' Andrew Brunette and Chicago Blackhawks' Derek King) hasn't been decided, so we're excluding them from this exercise. This is also the case with Jay Woodcroft of the Edmonton Oilers, who isn't technically an interim coach but was only guaranteed the job through 2021-22.It's possible Barry Trotz, the top free agent, is holding up the process as he weighs his options. But there are plenty of other experienced candidates available, including Mike Babcock, Peter DeBoer, Claude Julien, Paul Maurice, Dave Tippett, Rick Tocchet, John Tortorella, Alain Vigneault, and several others.Below, we'll rank these five coaching jobs by appeal. This is not just based on how good the team is at this point in time, but how stable the organization's ownership and front office is, how the club is set up for the future, and the off-ice living environment.5. Philadelphia Flyers Christopher Mast / National Hockey League / GettyPros

Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri is unlikely to return during the playoffs after undergoing surgery on his thumb, though he isn't being officially ruled out, TSN's Darren Dreger reports.Kadri was injured in the early stages of Game 3 on Saturday after being boarded by Evander Kane. The hit from behind earned the Edmonton Oilers forward a one-game suspension.Kadri was initially ruled out for the remainder of the Western Conference Final, which Colorado leads 3-0 and can close out with a victory Monday.The Avalanche haven't reached the Stanley Cup Final since winning the franchise's second championship in 2001.Kadri had a career year in 2021-22, registering 87 points in 71 games. His production carried into the postseason with six goals and eight assists in 13 contests this spring.The 31-year-old is bound for unrestricted free agency this offseason.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, we checked on the series after four games, often finding a split series or a 3-1 advantage that was potentially precarious. This time, we're doing our check-in before Game 4 of the Conference Finals for fear of seeing one series close out after the minimum number of games.Avalanche @ Oilers5-on-5 playTEAMxGHDCHDGAvalanche6.63275Oilers6.35363The Avalanche seem poised to make quick work of the Oilers, something that we saw conceptual value in before this high-variance series started. The Avs have won the three games in three decidedly different ways - high-scoring thrill-ride, shutout, and theft.Saturday's game saw the Oilers score immediately to get ahead, kill a 5-minute major penalty, and rack up 14 high-danger scoring chances at even-strength to just three for the Avalanche. They lost anyway. Colorado converted one of those three chances, while Edmonton went 0-for-14.Using just the scoring chance creation metrics from Game 3, the team with the Oilers' profile would win that game 72.8% of the time. Had Edmonton won that contest, we'd likely think more highly of the team's chances to force this series back to Alberta for Game 6.The market gives the Oilers about a 50% chance to win Game 4 as it is, but claiming that victory - plus Game 5 back in Colorado - just to go back to Edmonton means there's nothing worth adding for the Oilers in any of the in-series markets.Rangers @ Lightning5-on-5 playTEAMxGHDCHDGRangers5.76264Lightning9.08401The even-strength play in this series might surprise, given the sharp-shooting Rangers' success in converting their high-danger chances (HDC) overall. If you look at each power play as a high-danger chance in and of itself, New York has seven goals on 36 prime scoring opportunities - a moderately high rate.Having given up 11 goals in three total games of this series, Andrei Vasilevskiy has let four non-HDC/PP goals slip past him. But he turned things around on Sunday, improving his -3.1 GSAx (goals saved above expectation) in New York to 1.21 GSAx in Game 3.Meanwhile, Igor Shesterkin is holding up his end of the goaltending duel bargain, limiting Tampa Bay's shooters to a 2.5% conversion rate on their high-danger chances at even-strength. Luckily for the Lightning, their power play saved the day in Game 3, launching them into a tie after going down 2-0, and Ondrej Palat's game-winner kept this series up in the air.Game 4's moneyline price again sees the Lightning as significant favorites, priced at higher than 60% to win the game and even the series at two. Given the discrepancies in the expected goals (XG) that favor Tampa, it's easy to see why the team's favored despite the Rangers getting the best of the goalie matchup.The same logic applies now as from the before the series, and it's comforting for the Lightning that Game 3 was the type of matchup that many expected before Game 1. If Tampa can get goaltending from its all-world netminder to match the goaltending from New York's all-world netminder, then the Lightning should prevail - especially since we know not to dismiss Vasilevskiy as a series progresses.The only thing that's changed since the first game of this series is that there's less time for the Lightning to come back and win, but that's reflected in the price that's now being offered at plus-money. If the Lightning take Game 4 at home - a probability if the averages remain consistent - there will be a massive swing back towards the pre-series betting line of Tampa Bay -175.Bet: Lightning to win series (+120)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have an elimination game to look forward to on Monday night. While nothing stands out in terms of a side, there appears to be value with the total and player props.Let's dig deeper with three best bets for Game 4.Avalanche (-125) @ Oilers (+105)This series started off in the most explosive way possible. The Colorado Avalanche piled up the goals and took a huge lead over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1, only for the latter to fill the net in the third period and make things interesting before an empty-netter eventually put the game away at 8-6.The last two games have been much, much, different. Colorado followed that up by blanking Edmonton 4-0 while holding them to just 1.22 expected goals across all situations. Game 3 also went under the number and the two sides combined for only 3.75 expected goals at five-on-five.Simply put, they haven't been trading chances and displaying the fireworks we thought we were going to get, especially after Game 1.I'm not sure that's going to change now. Edmonton is playing for their season on home soil. Win or lose, they'll surely be trying to tighten the screws and make things muddy as opposed to letting the Avalanche rip them apart in transition.Each side is also missing real firepower. Nazem Kadri is out for at least the series after being boarded by Evander Kane. Kadri has amassed 91 points through 84 games this season, so that's a huge blow to their second line.Kane was suspended a game for the hit. He's netted 13 goals through 15 playoff games this season.Considering it is an elimination game, both teams are missing key offensive contributors, and Pavel Francouz hasn't skipped a beat after taking over for Darcy Kuemper, I don't see this one going nuclear.Bet: Under 6.5 (+115)Mikko Rantanen over 3.5 shots (+115)Rantanen figures to be one of the prime beneficiaries of Kadri's absence. Kadri is such a key figure for the Avs: he can help navigate through the neutral zone and facilitates a lot of the offense as a shooter and a passer. With him out of the lineup, more responsibility falls on Rantanen's shoulders.He doesn't have a star to help him anchor the second line, which surely means more of the offense will flow through him at even strength. There will also be more shots to go around on the man advantage as we saw last time out. Rantanen played a team-leading 8:28 on the power play and was a key trigger man. He recorded five shots on goal on the PP alone, which also led the Avalanche.Rantanen also has an impressive track record against the Oilers. He has generated at least four shots in four of five meetings this season, and he attempted six in the lone game he fell short.Evan Bouchard over 2.5 shots (-106)Bouchard continues to be a prime target each and every night. He is one of the most efficient shot generators in the NHL and the Avalanche have given up volume to the position all season long.He has averaged 3.3 shots and 6.8 attempts against the Avalanche through five meetings while seeing somewhat inconsistent ice time. He played fewer than 14 minutes last time out and still led the team in shot attempts (seven) while hitting his over.That's nothing new for Bouchard; no player on the Oilers has generated more attempts in this series.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens have signed pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman Chris Wideman to a two-year contract.The pact is worth the league minimum of $750,000 per season, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels.Wideman tallied four goals and 23 assists in 64 games last season, tying Jeff Petry for the lead among Habs defensemen with 27 points.The 32-year-old shoots right and stands at 5-foot-10, 183 pounds.Ottawa drafted Wideman in the fourth round in 2009, and he played the first four years of his career with the Senators, Edmonton Oilers, and Florida Panthers. He spent 2019-20 in the AHL and 2020-21 in the KHL before signing a one-year deal with Montreal last offseason.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Moments after Ondrej Palat prevented the Tampa Bay Lightning from going down 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers, praise poured in for the man of the hour."I'll call (Palat) a star in my eyes," forward Pat Maroon said after the Bolts' dramatic 3-2 victory, according to team beat reporter Chris Krenn. "He's a big-time player who steps up in big-time moments, and that's what stars do."Palat received a slick pass from Nikita Kucherov and potted it short side past star netminder Igor Shesterkin with less than a minute remaining in regulation to give the Lightning their first victory of the series.The goal also made franchise history: Palat passed Tyler Johnson to become Tampa Bay's all-time leader in playoff game-winners with his 10th timely tally.PlayerPlayoff GWGOndrej Palat10Tyler Johnson9Martin St. Louis8Brad Richards7Brayden Point7Nikita Kucherov7Joe Pavelski (14), Evgeni Malkin (13), Jonathan Toews (11), and Patrick Kane (11) are the only active players with more postseason game-winners.Five of Palat's 10 goals came during the Lightning's back-to-back Stanley Cup runs in 2020 and 2021."That's the stat of a player that elevates his game at the time the team needs him the most. … It's not surprising to us to see him come up clutch in those moments," Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said, per Bally Sports."Huge, huge moment for us, for this series, for the momentum going into Game (4). Pally's a guy that - no matter what situation, no matter what stage - he's Mr. Reliable."Head coach Jon Cooper praised the understated Palat's consistent effort and versatility."He's been doing it in his career, and he's usually the third guy talked about on the lines he plays on. ... It's much deserved, and all his linemates would say the same thing," he said, according to Krenn.The Lightning drafted Palat in the seventh round in 2011. He has 43 goals and 40 assists in 129 career playoff games.Tampa Bay will look to even up the series in Game 4 on Tuesday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers will be without Evander Kane for their must-win Game 4 against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.The winger was suspended one game for boarding Avalanche center Nazem Kadri during Game 3 of the Western Conference Final on Saturday, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced.Kane cross-checked Kadri from behind into the boards. He received a five-minute major for boarding, although the officials decided not to eject him from the game.Kadri will miss at least the remainder of the series due to injury.The Department of Player Safety found Kane delivered the hit on Kadri at a dangerous distance from the boards while both players were traveling at speed.The league acknowledged Kane's argument that Kadri lost his footing while approaching the boards but determined that was a direct result of the shove.Kane has been suspended five previous times in his career - once each for boarding, cross-checking, elbowing, physical abuse of officials, and violating the NHL's COVID-19 protocol.The 30-year-old has been productive this postseason, recording 13 goals and four assists in 15 games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche star Nazem Kadri will miss the remainder of the Western Conference Final at minimum after he was boarded by Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane in the early stages of Game 3 on Saturday night, head coach Jared Bednar announced, according to The Athletic's Peter Baugh.

The Colorado Avalanche are on the verge of reaching the Stanley Cup Final after defeating the Edmonton Oilers 4-2 on Saturday night to grab a 3-0 series lead.Colorado is seeking its first Stanley Cup Final berth since it won the trophy in 2001.Saturday's contest started with a bang, as Oilers captain Connor McDavid opened the scoring 38 seconds in. Less than a minute later, Evander Kane was assessed a five-minute major for a hit from behind that knocked Nazem Kadri out of the game. Kadri will miss the rest of the series.Valeri Nichushkin scored a pair of goals to put the Avalanche ahead before Ryan McLeod temporarily tied it up near the midway point of the third period. Forward J.T. Compher put Colorado up for good with seven minutes to go, and Mikko Rantanen deposited an empty-netter in the dying seconds."Obviously not a great situation to be in, down three. Series isn't over, obviously. Gotta go one at a time here," McDavid said after the game."It’s not an ideal spot, but we’re not quitting on each other yet," added defenseman Cody Ceci.The Avalanche outshot the Oilers 43-29 in Game 3 but did much of their damage on the power play. At five-on-five, Edmonton had 75.68% of scoring chances and 60.62% of expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick.Colorado is a perfect 6-0 on the road in the playoffs, and superstar center Nathan MacKinnon believes his team has the perfect recipe for success away from home."You don't gotta please anybody. We're here to make it boring and gross," he said, per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.Game 4 is slated for Monday night in Edmonton.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz started Game 3 of the Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night.Francouz replaced an injured Darcy Kuemper in Game 1 and stopped 18 of 21 shots as Colorado hung on to an 8-6 victory. Francouz then pitched a 24-save shutout in Game 2.Kuemper is dealing with an upper-body injury. Justus Annunen is backing up once again.Francouz has been stellar over his brief NHL career. The 32-year-old Czech netminder owns a .921 save percentage and 2.46 goals-against average in 57 regular-season contests across three seasons.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers handed the Tampa Bay Lightning their first back-to-back playoff loss since 2019 with a 3-2 Game 2 win Friday night.Prior to falling into a 2-0 series hole in the Big Apple, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions had won 17 straight playoff games immediately following a loss within the same postseason.The last time the Bolts lost two consecutive playoff contests was when the Columbus Blue Jackets swept them in the first round three seasons ago."It's been a heck of a ride in terms of responding after losses in the past couple of years. It shows the character of this group. It's the hardest trophy to win," Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said, according to Bally Sports' Gabby Shirley. "You're going (to) come across some adverse moments, and this is certainly one of them."New York recorded its franchise-best eighth consecutive home playoff victory in the 2022 postseason.The Lightning made it interesting after Nick Paul scored to draw them within one with two minutes remaining, but the Rangers shut the door and sent the Madison Square Garden faithful home happy.Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad's snipe early in the third period stood as the eventual game-winner.Bolts star Nikita Kucherov opened the scoring on the power play in the first frame, but Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller responded just over three minutes later. Kaapo Kakko gave his team a 2-1 edge heading into the first intermission, and New York didn't relinquish the lead for the remainder of the contest.Rangers veteran Chris Kreider and defenseman Adam Fox chipped in with two assists each.Fox noted that the Lightning's impressive run wasn't on his teammates' minds entering Game 2."We're not thinking about what streaks teams have. ... We're just trying to bring it, day in and day out," Fox said, per USA Today's Vince Z. Mercogliano.The Eastern Conference Final was largely billed as a goaltending battle, and so far, Igor Shesterkin is outperforming Andrei Vasilevskiy.Shesterkin stopped 29 of the 31 shots he faced for a .935 save percentage in Game 2. Vasilevskiy uncharacteristically struggled, stopping 25 of 28 shots to author an .893 clip."We get a chance to come back in front of our fans, and let's start with next game, and we'll go from there," Stamkos said, according to Shirley. "This is a resilient group, and we need to get back to our identity. ... We got to buckle down a little bit defensively."Puck drops on Game 3 at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday as the series shifts to Tampa Bay.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy is expected to miss approximately six months after undergoing a left shoulder arthroscopic stabilization procedure, the team announced Friday.Under that recovery timeline, the Bruins may not get their star blue-liner back until December.McAvoy isn't the only Bruins defenseman who went under the knife Friday. Matt Grzelcyk received a right shoulder open stabilization procedure and is expected to be sidelined for five months, while Mike Reilly's recovery is set to take three months after he underwent a procedure to repair his right ankle tendon and remove bone fragments.In addition to McAvoy and Grzelcyk, the Bruins will likely also start the season without star forward Brad Marchand. The 34-year-old underwent successful surgery on both hips May 27 and is slated to miss approximately six months.McAvoy led his team in ice time (24:38) this regular season while pacing all Boston blue-liners with 56 points in 78 games. He also topped the B's in average ice time (24:54) during the playoffs.The Bruins managed to direct the majority of the play with McAvoy on the ice at five-on-five this campaign, controlling 57.8% of the shot attempts and 62.8% of the expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick.Grzelcyk's 24 points in 73 regular-season contests trailed only McAvoy among the Bruins' defense corps in 2021-22, and the 28-year-old averaged almost 19 minutes per game.He didn't play in Games 6 and 7 of the Bruins' first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes due to an undisclosed issue.Reilly, meanwhile, contributed four goals and 13 assists in 70 regular-season games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers enforcer Zack Kassian was fined $2,500 on Friday for his unsportsmanlike conduct during Game 2 against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.Kassian ripped off Bowen Byram's helmet after the Avs defender was hit into the Oilers' bench by Josh Archibald.

Thursday night was another good one on the ice as we won two of three plays, pushing our record to 7-2 through the first few days of the third round.We'll look to keep the train chugging along with three more plays for the weekend ahead.Lightning (-130) @ Rangers (+110)

Darryl Sutter of the Calgary Flames is the Jack Adams Award winner for 2021-22.Sutter transformed the Flames after taking over in March 2021. He turned an underachieving club into one of the NHL's best squads this season.The 63-year-old spent three years away from coaching before beginning his second tenure with the Flames last year. Sutter guided Calgary to the Pacific Division title by a seven-point margin over the Edmonton Oilers in 2021-22, and the Flames boasted the NHL's second-best goal differential at plus-85.The Alberta-born former forward claims this honor for the first time in his 19-year coaching career. His teams have made 15 playoff appearances, and he led the Los Angeles Kings to Stanley Cup championships in 2011-12 and 2013-14.New York Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant and Florida Panthers interim bench boss Andrew Brunette were the other Jack Adams finalists this season. Gallant won the award in 2017-18 with the Vegas Golden Knights.Here's how the voting broke down:Head CoachTeamPoints1st-2nd-3rdDarryl SutterCalgary Flames35354-22-17Andrew BrunetteFlorida Panthers24931-26-16Gerard GallantNew York Rangers14212-21-19Dean EvasonMinnesota Wild1117-20-16Jared BednarColorado Avalanche656-8-11Todd McLellanLos Angeles Kings655-8-16Rod Brind'AmourCarolina Hurricanes412-7-10Mike SullivanPittsburgh Penguins192-3-0John HynesNashville Predators141-2-3Jon CooperTampa Bay Lightning121-1-4Sheldon KeefeToronto Maple Leafs60-1-3Bruce BoudreauVancouver Canucks50-1-2Jay WoodcroftEdmonton Oilers50-1-2Craig BerubeSt. Louis Blues20-0-2The NHL Broadcasters' Association conducts a poll to determine who wins the honor at the end of each regular season. The award recognizes the coach who "contributed the most to his team's success."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Smith started Game 2 of the Western Conference Final against the Colorado Avalanche.Woodcroft was initially noncommittal on who would get the nod for the contest after Mikko Koskinen replaced Smith in Game 1 when the latter conceded six goals.Koskinen stopped 20 of 21 shots in relief, but the Oilers lost an 8-6 barnburner in the series opener.Edmonton also pulled Smith in Game 1 of its Round 2 matchup with the Calgary Flames. He responded with four consecutive wins and a .922 save percentage for the rest of the series.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz started Game 2 of the Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers in the absence of starting netminder Darcy Kuemper.Kuemper left Game 1 with an upper-body injury and was unable to return. The specifics of his ailment are still unknown.Justus Annunen served as backup.Heading into Thursday's contest, Francouz made three appearances this postseason, two in relief and one start. He managed to win each contest but logged an .889 save percentage. The 31-year-old went 15-5-1 in the regular season with a .916 clip.The Avalanche won the series opener 8-6.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.