SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF

NHL 11/25/2011

Anaheim Ducks
590386 590387 590388 590389 590390 590391 Up next for Ducks: Friday vs. Chicago Bobby Ryan misses practice, should be back Friday

Edmonton Oilers
590423 590424 590425 590426 590427 590428 590429 590431 590432 Oilers pleasantly surprised by Smyth, Nugent-Hopkins Dynamic Whitney returns to Oilers lineup Wild bunch leader of the pack Ryan Whitneys Baaacckk Oilers aim for Minny break Size no issue with Oilers' RNH Oilers' Whitney on second comeback

Boston Bruins
Bruins' streak sends the mind racing NBC carves out a piece of holiday with NHL Red Wings thumbnails Bruins stick to plan

Buffalo Sabres
590392 590393 590394 590395 Former No. 1 draft pick gets the call Highs and lows define Sabres Kassian apparently gets call from Sabres Sabres' injuries piling up, Ruff ready to proceed with limited manpower

Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers want goal opportunities for more players Panthers Look For Scoring from Other Places ... Tomas Fleischmann Seems OK ... Downtown Jason Garrison Bombing Surging Panthers seek to extend winning streak to four

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Calgary Flames
590396 590397 590398 590399 590400 590401 590402 590403 590404 590405 590406 590407 590408 590409 Flame complains penalty call likely only in Detroit Game Day: Calgary at St. Louis Flames finish last season was misleading: team president Flames' Stempniak has fond memories of Blues Flames rebuilding ... slowly Flames winger late Blue-mer

Minnesota Wild
Wild, Oilers enjoying success with youth on their side Wild-Edmonton game preview Backstrom practicing today, could start vs. Oilers Wild keeps winning: "Let Sidney Crosby do his thing, and well do ours Wild's young defensemen key to team's success

Carolina Hurricanes
Canes seem to be back on track

Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens: Scott Gomez out with groin injury Montreal Canadiens: Some parallels between Travis Moen and Maurice Richard An honor and anniversary for Scotty Canadiens get early wake-up call Hurricanes' Skinner still learning

Chicago Blackhawks
Blackhawks at Ducks Blackhawks' Carcillo unhappy with his play Seabrook still a maybe for Blackhawks As John Scotts minutes grow, so does his mojo Blackhawks game day Hawks look to build on 'moral' victory

Nashville Predators
590444 Former Predators assistant Brent Peterson picks surgery to fight Parkinson's

Colorado Avalanche
Lack of offense weighs heavily on Avs

New Jersey Devils

590445 590446 590447 590448 590449 590450 590451 590452 590453 590454 590455 590456 590457 590458 590459 590460 590461 590462 590463 590464 Devils' Martin Brodeur puts rough start in his rearview mirror Devils send forward Nick Palmieri to Albany Devs, Isles off on opposite paths

Columbus Blue Jackets

590410 590411 Blue Jackets notebook: Shootout losses leave points on table Michael Arace commentary: Jackets' Prospal proved his worth, and somewhere a GM has some shoes to eat

New York Islanders

Devs, Isles off on opposite paths Islanders lose to Flyers in OT Islanders put struggling Comeau on waivers

Dallas Stars
590412 590413 590414 590415 590416 590417 590418 590419 590420 590421 590422 590430 Brenden Morrow will probably miss next three games Shots on goal don't tell Stars' whole story Stars analyst on what fans are missing if they're not watching Dallas' hockey team Stars-Maple Leafs preview

New York Rangers

NY Rangers' Andre Deveaux likely to be suspended for illegal check to head Team play Rangers Rx for skid Rangers at Capitals Blueshirts look to end slide Rangers look to snap two-game skid

Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins take win streaks into today's matinee Daily list: What we're thankful for What to watch today: Red Wings vs. Bruins Black Friday matinee is a big game to Red Wings Red Wings look to snap Bruins' 10-game streak; Johan Franzen productive in wins, not losses Red Wings allow expectant dad Fabian Brunnstrom to stay home while team heads to Boston Hectic schedule won't keep some Red Wings from enjoying Thanksgiving WINGS NOTEBOOK: Bruins will be tough challenge

NHL
Minnesota Wild calls on 51-year-old beer league goalie

Ottawa Senators
Hockey players must chose between fighting, quality of life: researcher Scanlan: Sens Cyborg shy on Calder chatter Woes continue for Scott Gomez No easy matchups for Senators rookie against Penguins Senators practice update: Neil skating again, Anderson starts against Pittsburgh Senators take a noisy break from routine Sens hope to roar back into action How do Senators stop Sid the Kid?

Philadelphia Flyers
590465 590466 590467 590468 590469 590470 590471 590472 590473 590474 590475 590476 590477 590478 590479 590480 590481 590482 590483 Giving thanks for Flyers' blessings Flyers likely to be without Pronger again vs. Canadiens HBO's 24/7 Winter Classic preview tomorrow Jagr likely to miss Flyers' next two games Jagr likely out for the weekend Flyers earn good first-quarter grades Briere comes alive as Flyers beat Islanders in overtime Around the Web: Giroux atop MVP race Flyers' best and worst of the week Evaluating the Flyers at the quarter mark 590502 590503 590504 590505 590506 590507 590508 590509 590510 590519 590520 590521 590522 590523 590524 590525 590526 590527 590528 590529 590530

Washington Capitals
Capitals still stressing accountability, but have the stars accepted it? Cody Eakin practices, says hes okay after hit from Winnipegs Zach Bogosian Jason Chimera is the Capitals leading goal-scorer through 20 games Alexander Semin: Im just happy that I didnt pick up a penalty NHL rules no supplemental discipline for Zach Bogosians elbow on Cody Eakin Capitals Jason Chimera enjoying early-season scoring prowess Caps Brooks Laich ready, willing and able NHL hopes to make 'Black Friday' telecast a tradition Knuble's having little luck

Phoenix Coyotes
Coyotes' Boyd Gordon takes small-town values with him

Pittsburgh Penguins
Stubborn penalty-killing unit lifts Penguins Penguins are tired of playing catch-up lately Dupuis not just riding shotgun

Websites
NBCSports.com / Sidney Crosby selling his house was almost a salary cap issue NBCSports.com / It might be time to blow up the Avalanche NBCSports.com / Jagrs wonky groin to cost him two more games at least NBCSports.com / David Perron would love to follow Sidney Crosbys example to the fullest NBCSports.com / Jimmy Howard on Tim Thomas: He just continues to amaze NBCSports.com / Gronkowski agrees to spike puck at AHL game NBCSports.com / Yzerman on Lightning: Were not as deep as we were last year NBCSports.com / Anaheim defenseman says Ducks are scared of winning NBCSports.com / Happy Thanksgiving: Isles put Comeau on waivers Sportsnet.ca / New Sheriff in town Sportsnet.ca / Seizing the moment YAHOO SPORTS / Crosby makes a good Penguins team truly great

St Louis Blues
Shattenkirk, Jackman a strong pairing for Blues' defense Blues-Flames preview box Pietrangelo strikes in overtime

Tampa Bay Lightning

Weekend series could be pivotal for Bolts With long road stretch beginning, Tampa Bay Lightning power play in focus

Toronto Maple Leafs

590484 590485 590486 590487 590488 590489 590490 590492 590493 590494 590495 590496 590497 590498 590499 590500 590501 Stars fear Leafs speed Leafs take in Cowboys game Leafs Lupul one of NHLs early success stories Whos the second-best player in the NHL? Can Leafs start printing playoff tickets? Recent history says, Yes Maple Leafs stuff themselves on Americana Cautious Wilson pegs Reimers return at 10 days Leafs winners, not fighters Leafs Locker: Kessel No. 1, still Reimer leaps into action

Winnipeg Jets
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Vancouver Canucks
Canucks' Schneider shuts out Avs Turris may have signed a contract, but his future is far from clear Vigneault and Canucks learned how to win together Meet The Provinces new hockey bloggers Once the toughest ticket in town, Colorado Avalanche have trouble filling $15 seats Turris has no regrets over demanding trade, holding out until deal signed Amid gloom of a sorry stretch for the Avalanche, theres a silver lining in OBriens play

Verdict delivered on Bogosian hit against Eakin Bogosian meets with Shanahan after head-hit on Eakin Jets Report Burmistrov needs 'coaching' Bogosian dodges iron fist of Shanahan Bouncing back from the blows Benched Burmistrov vows to get back on track, points Bogosian avoids suspension for head shot

SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129

Anaheim Ducks

Up next for Ducks: Friday vs. Chicago Anaheim will try to break a five-game losing streak when it faces the Blackhawks at Honda Center.

November 25, 2011

When: 1 p.m. Where: Honda Center. On the air: TV: Prime Ticket. Radio: 830 Records: Ducks 6-11-4; Blackhawks 12-7-3. Update: Bobby Ryan did not skate Thursday because of a bruised hip, the Ducks said. The expectation was that he would be able to play some against Chicago, though he sat out the third period against the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday night because of the injury. Anaheim has lost five games in a row and 14 of its last 16. The five consecutive losses coincide

with the injury that knocked defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky out of the lineup. Visnovsky broke a finger on his right hand against Vancouver on Nov. 11. Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook, who has sat out the last four games because of a lower-body injury, did not practice Thursday in Anaheim and will be a game-time decision. The Blackhawks have lost their last three games. Lisa Dillman LA Times: LOADED: 11.25.2011

Bruins' streak sends the mind racing

By Kevin Paul Dupont

The Bruins are Causeway Street fightin men, and they will never lose again. Thats how it looks this morning, with the 10-wins-in-a-row Stanley Cup champions poised to take on the Red Wings in an NBC matinee today at the Garden. Asked to answer the bell Wednesday night in Buffalo, where the Sabres attempted to win back some of their dignity, the Bruins knuckled down a couple of Buffalos braver souls (Paul Gaustad, Robyn Regehr), then scaled their way back from a 2-0 deficit to put another 2 points in the win column, via a shootout. The Bruins havent lost since Eddie Shore was strapping whale bones to the bottom of his work boots, and they are the hottest team in the NHL, the first defending Cup champions to click off 10 in a row since the Devils rattled off 13 straight wins during the 2000-01 season. Its all impressive in and of itself, but all the more when considering the stumblebum, sleepy-headed, job-entitled way in which the Black-and-Gold began the season. For those with short memories here in these fast-paced Twitter-and-blog times, they were 3-7-0 in October, looking far more like the NHL team that moved from Atlanta to Winnipeg over the summer than the one that in June moved past the burdensome legacy of its Big, Bad Bruins heritage. We kind of kissed away that first month, coach Claude Julien noted Wednesday night after his squad scribbled SWAK on the 2 points at the First Niagara Center. Is this a better team than the one that won the franchises sixth Cup in June? The 10 in a row would say so, but its worth remembering that the glare and intensity of November hockey are daguerreotype versions of those that shine like no other in April, May, and June. As heightened as senses were in Buffalo, where the Sabres needed to make right for their apathy after a Milan Lucic hit on star goalie Ryan Miller 11 days earlier, it still wasnt playoff hockey. Oh, and is there a bigger dud in sports than settling an intense, hard-fought, 65-minute barn-burner with a shootout skills competition? There is a lot of good in the New NHL, but the shootout remains a poor excuse for getting off the dial well ahead of the 11 p.m. nightly news. Shootouts are to a good hockey game what those paltry pineapple chunks, stuck with a toothpick, are to the dessert menu of a gourmet restaurant. Really, a bottle of fine wine, escargot, a cut of melt-in-your-mouth filet mignon and . . . a cube of Doles Hawaiian De-Lite? Come on. But I digress. From a Boston perspective, Benoit Pouliots shootout game-winner, a wrister over Jhonas Enroths left shoulder, certainly wasnt all that distasteful. I guess. Every win has its beauty, as we heard myriad NHL coaches preach during hockeys Dead Puck Era, the decade or so leading up to the 2004-05 lockout. Still, there has to be a better way to settle the W-and-L thing, an issue the NHL has struggled with since its inception. Personally, as I have stated for years, I would make it strictly a W-L sport that ends in 60 minutes during the regular season. No overtime. No shootouts. And if it is tied after 60? Then both teams go home with nothing. Sure, a big ol zero sounds harsh in these everyone-gets-a-trophy times. It even sounded harsh to NHL team owners at the turn of the 20th century. But imagine how the teams would play in the closing minutes of a tied or one-goal game. Seems to me wed really have a hockey game, and not a staged breakaway contest. I bring this up, in part, because the NHL held 13 games on Wednesday night and seven went to overtime, with three of those reaching the shootout. Ten of the 13 games were settled by a single goal. The biggest spread of the night came in Colorado, where the Avalanche lost yet again, 3-0, to the Canucks.

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Anaheim Ducks

Bobby Ryan misses practice, should be back Friday

By JEFF MILLER 2011-11-24 19:24:09

ANAHEIM Forward Bobby Ryan didn't practice with the team Thursday because of his hip contusion, but the Ducks are optimistic about his chances of contributing Friday. "We felt it was best for him to not skate today ... and we'll see how he looks for tomorrow," Coach Randy Carlyle said Thursday. "In all probability, we think he should be able to make a contribution (vs. Chicago)." The Ducks host the Blackhawks at 1 p.m. at Honda Center. Ryan was injured Wednesday in a 4-2 loss at Phoenix. He left the game for good late in the second period, with the Ducks trailing, 2-1. As Ryan exited the ice, defenseman Francois Beauchemin also was coming off for a change. The result was a Phoenix goal. "Him leaving the ice surface and Beauchemin leaving the ice surface was the cause for the (Radim) Vrbata breakaway," Carlyle said. "Both guys vacated that side of the ice." Vrbata's goal, his second of the game, came at 17:31 of the second period. LOSING COOL The Ducks remain a frustrated group, that word coming up often after Thursday's practice at Honda Center. At the end of the loss in Phoenix, both Ryan Getzlaf and Teemu Selanne received unsportsman-like conduct penalties. Selanne, though, attempted to bring some perspective to things about 15 hours later. "You know, nobody died," he said. "We still have to realize how lucky we are. We have to use the passion and fun to (fix) this problem right now. There's no other way. You can't just cry and cry and cry. You just have to find a way to do this together." The Ducks have lost five in a row and have only two victories in their past 16 games. They are 14th in the Western Conference and already eight points out of the top eight. "This is a very fragile team right now," Selanne said. "When anything negative happens, it's harder to face the issue. The frustration level is pretty high right now." MORE MEETINGS The Ducks have held several meetings during their slide. The meetings continued Thursday, Carlyle gathering Getzlaf, Ryan and Corey Perry in the locker room following the workout. The coach, however, knows the talking only goes so far. "There's been lots of talk," Carlyle said. "There's been lots of speeches, lots of meetings. I think it's time for action. Collectively, I think that our group has to act out the reality of going out and competing to a higher level." Orange County Register: LOADED: 11.25.2011 590388 Boston Bruins

When it comes to parity, the NHL is perfection. The separation between the clubs is less than the space betweenthesewords. But I contend that so many close games are due, in part, to the seduction of overtime. Its always out there, safe harbor, the 3-point temptress, where even a loss isnt really a loss. They are a coachs institutional binky. Can I prove this? Of course not. If I could, I wouldnt be going to this length to convince you, dear readers, or trying to wake up the misguided Lords of the Boards. Ive simply seen enough now to believe the game would have more pulse and meaning if you removed the everyone-gets-a-trophy concept. The idea of doing more with 60 minutes gets me far more excited than figuring out how to spice up five minutes of OT or, worse, selling me a phony-baloney skills competition. I know, I know, the Bruins have won 10 in a row and the Red Wings, an Original Six band of brothers, are here today on Causeway Street. If you are reading this, you are most likely a dyed-in-the-woolen-sock Black-andGold fan who simply wants to know if emerging wunderkind Tyler Seguin (eight goals in this 10-game streak) is going to blow the feathers off that Winged Wheel logo this afternoon and whether the Bruins will keep on winning like its the spring of 2011. I dont have those answers, either, but I do know Seguin is turning into one of the games best takes, the release of his shot nearly as fast and deadly as his legs. Im not sure the Bruins ever have had his likes in the lineup. Game time, 1 p.m. Enjoy the show. Heres hoping it doesnt come with a pineapple. Boston Globe LOADED: 11.25.2011

Plus, he adds with a laugh, I live just 20 minutes away [from the Garden]. While todays telecast doesnt require the long-term preparation or bring the production challenges of the New Years Day Winter Classic, its not just another regular-season game. It is clear that NBC wants to claim the day after Thanksgiving for the NHL. There will be bells and whistles, including a microphone on one of those who will be blowing the whistle. Referee Kelly Sutherland will be miked up, the first time a regular-season game on NBC will feature on-ice audio. Seguin, Bruins goalie Tim Thomas, and Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom will be given the feature treatment during pregame and intermissions. NBC has promoted the game nearly to the extent it does the Winter Classic. One clever spot running during Sunday Night Football the past few weeks features a wife who roots for the Bruins duping her husband, a Red Wings fan, into thinking shes going shopping, only to go to the game. The jig is up when her husband spots her in the crowd while watching the game on TV. Good thing its not Bruins-Canadiens, joked Flood, proving once again that he gets it. Because the promo wouldnt have worked. Growing up in Massachusetts, you learn Bruins fans dont marry Canadiens fans pretty early. After Watney, what? Based on an unscientific tally of reader e-mail and social media correspondence, the reaction to last weeks news that Red Sox reporter Heidi Watney and NESN were parting ways was sharply divided among gender lines. The consensus among men: Say it aint so, Heidi!

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Boston Bruins

NBC carves out a piece of holiday with NHL

Women were quicker to suggest that baseball knowledge was not primary among the reasons Watney, a onetime Miss California runner-up, was hired by NESN in May 2008. Such a divide probably does not qualify as breaking news, but it is relevant in regard to the search for her replacement. Based on information gathered from multiple sources with knowledge of NESNs interview process, the network is trying to find a replacement with appeal similar to Watneys. It would be a major upset if the network hired a male reporter in the mold of Tom Caron, Eric Frede, or Dan Roche, all of whom served very capably as Red Sox in-game reporters at one time or another. NESN has at least three qualified female candidates under consideration, and all have some background in sports broadcasting. The front-runner is believed to be Molly Sullivan, a Las Vegas native and graduate of the University of North Carolina, where she was an Atlantic Coast Conference champion swimmer. Sullivan has covered mostly college basketball and football for the MountainWest Sports Network the past five years, and has been a color analyst on the Big Ten networks swimming coverage. Another candidate might be familiar to Boston viewers. Erin Hawksworth worked as a news reporter at Channel 25 from 2008-10 before the Vancouver native returned to the Pacific Northwest as a sports anchor and reporter for the Fox affiliate in Seattle. Shes no baseball rookie; her brother Blake is a relief pitcher for the Dodgers. Also in the mix is Mansfield native Jen Royle. She has a strong baseball background and is particularly plugged into the American League East, having covered the Yankees (for the YES Network from 2003-06) and Orioles (for MASN in 2010). At the moment, she is not considered as likely to be hired as Sullivan or Hawksworth, but she might be the candidate who appeals to the widest range of demographics among NESN viewers. Boston Globe LOADED: 11.25.2011

By Chad Finn

His collection of 15 Emmy Awards stands as evidence of Sam Floods extraordinarily successful career producing sports on television, a run that includes the 2002 and 2006 Olympic closing ceremonies, all of NBCs Winter Classic NHL games, and the networks Football Night in America studio show. So perhaps it should come as little surprise that Flood, currently executive producer of NBC Sports and Versus, also has a knack for promotion. But its nonetheless impressive that the Dedham native and former Williams College hockey captain was as on-target as a Tyler Seguin slapshot when discussing the appeal of this afternoons Bruins-Red Wings matchup on NBC. The Bruins are one of the major reasons this game exists, said Flood, referring to the teams tradition of playing a matinee game the day after Thanksgiving, which began in 1990. We want to make it a national tradition, too, because it really is a wonderful way to showcase the NHL. Its our way of getting people to take a break from their shopping, to enjoy a malt beverage or two, and watch a matchup of Original Six teams. Who wouldnt enjoy that? No argument here. And, for once, none from Mike Milbury. The outspoken former Bruins player and coach will be at his usual post alongside Liam McHugh as the studio analyst on todays telecast. The superb trio of Doc Emrick, Ed Olczyk, and Pierre McGuire will handle the call of the game. Milbury, who has as much familiarity with Boston hockey lore as just about anyone, appreciates NBC trying to make the post-Thanksgiving matinee a leaguewide tradition. Oh, yeah, I like it, said Milbury. Football, the NFL, owns Thanksgiving, and I dont know why we cant own the next day. You have sort of a captive audience on that Friday. The kids are home from college, the crowds tend to be younger and lively, so the Friday game can be a really festive atmosphere.

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Boston Bruins

Red Wings thumbnails

Staff Report When, where: Today, 1 p.m., TD Garden. TV, radio: Ch. 7, WBZ-FM (98.5). Goals: Johan Franzen 10, Nicklas Lidstrom 6, Niklas Kronwall 6. Assists: Pavel Datsyuk 13, Valtteri Filppula 11, Franzen 11. Goaltending: Jimmy Howard (11-5-1, 1.92 GAA), Ty Conklin (1-2-0, 3.33). Head to head: This is the only meeting this season. Miscellany: Lidstrom played his 1,514th game Wednesday, which ties him with Steve Yzerman for 13th all-time and third in team history . . . Datsyuk has three goals and four assists in his last three games. Boston Globe LOADED: 11.25.2011

Thats the way the Bruins have approached this entire winning streak methodically, one game at a time and with remarkably little attention or buzz. In the past when there have been these long streaks, theres been a lot more hoopla around the team, Chiarelli said. I actually feel pretty good about that. Its not like the guys are riding a real high. Theyre just going about their business. Indeed. I mean, I like to think a wins a win, Shawn Thornton said. I try not to get too high or too low, you know? It did earn the Bs a day off, Thornton was reminded. Oh yeah, thats true, he said. But now the wifes gonna make me clean the house because Ive got all the kids coming over for Thanksgiving. I was kind of hoping wed skate, so I wouldnt have to vacuum. The only flaw in an otherwise perfect plan. Boston Herald LOADED: 11.25.2011

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Boston Bruins

Bruins stick to plan 590392 By Stephen Harris Former No. 1 draft pick gets the call Just under four weeks ago, a sense of panic was growing among Bruins fans and, even, in some corners of the front office. There were calls for drastic solutions as the Stanley Cup champions stumbled out of the gate 37-0. But as some were ready to blow up a championship team, general manager Peter Chiarelli and coach Claude Julien (among others) were taking a more rational approach. They envisioned a plan by which the Bs would get back on track before it was too late. As plans go, not many work out this well. When we were 3-7, we kind of mapped out where we wanted to be by this coming weekend, Chiarelli said on Wednesday. Weve exceeded that. I didnt expect us to do what weve done. Who in their right mind could have? All the Bruins have done since then is win 10 consecutive games, their longest streak in nearly three years. It has been a remarkable showing thats lifted the team from last place to third in the Eastern Conference. The emotional and intense 4-3 shootout win Wednesday night over the fired-up Sabres in Buffalo capped a 3-0-0 trip and earned the players Thanksgiving Day off, even with the strong Detroit Red Wings visiting the Garden this afternoon for a much-hyped national TV showdown. I think now were comfortable with where we are, Chiarelli said, in a bit of an understatement. Its still a real tight conference, and we have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but were in a decent spot now. The victory in Buffalo was among the finest this season, as the Bs battled back from deficits of 2-0 and 3-1 victimized, they felt, by some questionable penalty calls that led to two early power-play scores by the Sabres. The arena was an emotional cauldron as the locals thirsted for revenge against Milan Lucic for his Nov.?12 hit that injured star Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller at the Garden. The Buffalo folks got some satisfaction 1:23 into the game when Paul Gaustad dropped the gloves with Lucic. It didnt seem to matter to them that Gaustad got his butt kicked. Anyhow, the refs appeared to get caught up in the emotion, whistling some strange penalties. And the Sabres cashed in two PPG. Then the Bruins retreated to the visitors locker room, took a deep breath and came back to outplay the hosts the rest of the way. We know how to win, Gregory Campbell said. This is an experienced group. We settled down and got back to our game. When youre down 2-0, youve got to take it one goal at a time, one shift at a time, one period at a time. Thats what we did. Buffalo Sabres

By John Vogl

The Sabres' top prospect is set to make his NHL debut. Zack Kassian, Buffalo's first-round pick in the 2009 draft, has been summoned from Rochester by the injury-plagued Sabres to face Columbus tonight. The 6-foot-3, 228-pound Kassian leads the Amerks with seven goals and 14 points in 18 games. He showed his potential last season with Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League, recording 26 goals and 77 points in 56 games. The need for a forward was obvious Thursday. The Sabres practiced with only 11 healthy forwards. Left wing Tyler Ennis was well enough to fill out the fourth line, but he ruled himself out for tonight's game in Columbus. Patrick Kaleta missed practice with the lower-body injury that forced him to skip Wednesday's game against Boston, and there is no timetable for the return of right wing Brad Boyes, who suffered an ankle injury against the Bruins.xleg T.J. Brennan felt bad for his sister. Cortney was set to be the talk of the family on Thanksgiving, with the Brennan clan scheduled to come together in Rochester for the holiday. "I didn't want to steal her thunder," Brennan said Thursday. "She called me and was like, 'I got engaged.' I was like, 'I got better news. I got called up.'" This week's summoning of the defenseman from Rochester altered the family's plans, with the Philadelphia- and New Jersey-based group gathering in Buffalo instead of the Flower City. Not only did they have Brennan's Sabres debut to discuss, the defenseman upped the ante even more when he scored in his first NHL game during the 4-3 shootout loss to Boston. "Everyone is here," Brennan said after a short holiday practice in First Niagara Center, "and only my mom, my dad and one of my sisters, Alexis, came [Wednesday] night. It's great to have at least one family member and my sister here, which was awesome. It doesn't happen too often for your first NHL game, so it's really exciting to share it with them." Long-term injuries to Tyler Myers and Mike Weber have cemented Brennan's spot in the lineup for at least a week or two, but his goal and solid play in 13 minutes of ice time have made the 22-year-old feel like he belongs. "It was great to score, but I thought I was pretty solid defensively," Brennan said. "I tried to keep it really simple, just keep the puck out of our net. I think we did a good job there. It was a plus to get a plus with the goal."

Unbridled celebration followed Brennan's shot. Thomas Vanek yelled and hugged his new teammate, while Brennan's old minor-league defense partner, Marc-Andre Gragnani, chased down the keepsake puck and then jumped into Brennan's arms. "I'm probably the guy that knows him the most here," Gragnani said. "I know how hard he's been working to get here. I know how much it means to him playing here. I know exactly what he's going through. I was there not long ago, so yeah, I was absolutely pumped for him." Brennan became the first Buffalo defenseman to score in his NHL debut since Lindy Ruff did it against Washington on Oct. 11, 1979. "I should've kept him off the ice, and I would've had that record to myself," Ruff said. "It's a great thrill to get your first NHL goal, and I was happy for him. He's battled hard to get to this point. Your draft picks, you work with them, you develop them, you like to see them play. You like to see them be rewarded." The good news on the injury front came with the return of Jochen Hecht. The center skated in the middle of left wing Thomas Vanek and right wing Jason Pominville in his first game of the season. He had four shots and two hits in 18:15 of ice time. "Jochen, for the first game back, gave us one heck of a game," Ruff said. "Jochen can skate and defend as good as anybody." Buffalo News LOADED: 11.25.2011

The Sabres have also bottomed out so much that the lows have almost overshadowed everything else: They are just 4-6-1 in Buffalo, the most home losses in the Eastern Conference. Miller was lost to a concussion during a collision with Boston's Milan Lucic, and the Sabres' lack of response was an utter disappointment to nearly everyone who watches hockey. Scoring behind Vanek and Pominville has been inconsistent or nonexistent, with potent forwards such as Drew Stafford and Ville Leino on pace for just 15 and eight goals, respectively. "They need help from secondary scoring," Leino said of Vanek and Pominville, who have combined for 49 points while the other 13 forwards have just 80. "We're relying too much on our first line. Hopefully, we'll get some help now from other lines, too." Miller struggled when healthy, with the former Vezina Trophy winner losing starts to the rookie. The fact they hold a playoff position despite the significant negatives has the Sabres hopeful they can achieve more if things start clicking. "We've got a decent record for how we've played," Gerbe said. "We haven't played our best, and I guess that's a positive sign. We know we haven't really played up to our capabilities, but we still are near the top of the standings for the Eastern Conference. "If we can be more consistent, we'll be a very good team. I think we'll get there." The team has struggled to find chemistry, particularly up front. Now they lack continuity, with forwards Patrick Kaleta, Brad Boyes, Cody McCormick and Ennis joining Miller and defensemen Mike Weber and Myers on the injury list. "With a couple new players, obviously it takes time to get used to those things," Gragnani said. "Overall, we did pretty good. Now we want to be better. You always want to be better than you were." Buffalo News LOADED: 11.25.2011

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Buffalo Sabres

Highs and lows define Sabres

By John Vogl

The first quarter of the Sabres' schedule is over. If the next three quarters are anything like it, fans in Buffalo should grab the motion-sickness pills. The roller coaster-like peaks and valleys can certainly churn the stomach. The Sabres ended their opening 21-game run in the middle of the Eastern Conference. They enter tonight's game in Columbus in seventh place with 25 points and a 12-8-1 record. Along the way, they've won on the road and lost at home. They've won with rookies and lost their franchise goaltender. They've lost respect and won some back. Now they've got to compete with a significant chunk of their lineup on the sidelines. Seven players from the opening-night roster are injured, including goalie Ryan Miller, defenseman Tyler Myers and forward Tyler Ennis. "We're really going to have to grind through a session here where we're down a lot of manpower," coach Lindy Ruff said Thursday after a short Thanksgiving practice session. "Playing against a healthy team last night, a full lineup against six guys out, that effort was worthy of a win [during a 4-3 shootout loss to Boston]. We didn't get it. We're disappointed. But I'm just telling you, we play that way, play that hard, we'll get the W's." The Sabres have started the year with their share of high points: Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville have been offensive stars, ranking fifth and seventh, respectively, in NHL scoring. "They've led this team right away," left wing Nathan Gerbe said. "Watching Van, the way he's played the beginning of this year has been pretty inspiring. He's been one of the best players in the league, and it really carries through the team." They've been rude guests, spoiling the home team's fun en route to a 7-2 record away from Buffalo. The victory total is tied for most in the league. Their special teams have been impressive, with the team ranking fourth in penalty killing at 88.3 percent and seventh in power play at 20.5 percent. Rookies Jhonas Enroth, Marc-Andre Gragnani and Luke Adam have shined, building on their brief appearances last year. "There was a lot of buzz entering the year, and I think we managed that pretty good," Gragnani said of the team as a whole.

590394

Buffalo Sabres

Kassian apparently gets call from Sabres

John Vogl

The Sabres' top prospect appears set to make his NHL debut. Zack Kassian, Buffalo's first-round pick in the 2009 draft, has been summoned from Rochester to play for the injury-plagued Sabres, according to the Twitter accounts of Kassian's friends and teammates. "Congrats to my best friend zack kassian on getting the call up with the Buffalo Sabres!#lighterup!!" wrote Daniel Maggio, a junior player who lives in Kassian's hometown of Windsor, Ont. Neither the Sabres nor Amerks have announced a transaction. Kassian leads the Amerks with seven goals and 14 points in 18 games. An ankle injury to right wing Brad Boyes suffered during Wednesday's 4-3 loss to Boston coupled with a lower-body injury that kept right wing Patrick Kaleta out of practice today created the need for a forward. ---John Vogl Buffalo News LOADED: 11.25.2011

590395

Buffalo Sabres

Sabres' injuries piling up, Ruff ready to proceed with limited manpower

John Vogl

In fact, theyve been shorthanded just 72 times. To put that into perspective, only five squads Florida, San Jose, Phoenix, Chicago, New York Islanders have deployed their penalty-killers less often than the Flames. Speaking of penalties, Brendan Morrison didnt exactly plead innocence in the aftermath of his diving infraction. In the third period, the centreman, embellishing, had been hauled down by Detroit defender Jakub Kindl. Both players were assessed minors. I think thats the first diving call I ever got, said Morrison. I might have gone down a little easy I cant really argue with it but I didnt think he was going to call a penalty unless I did. He impeded me, but, whatever, we cant worry about that. Turkey dinner for the team

Somewhere in Rochester today, one of the Amerks forwards will get a telephone call with his turkey. The Sabres are hurting up front, and they're going to need another reinforcement. Buffalo practiced with only 11 healthy forwards today during a short holiday session in First Niagara Center, and they'll need to boost that number to 12 before they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. Tyler Ennis, who is still recovering from Oct. 22 ankle sprain, practiced on a line but said he is not ready to return. Patrick Kaleta (lower body) was unable to skate again after missing Wednesday's 4-3 shootout loss to Boston, so he's out. Brad Boyes got hurt against the Bruins, and he's not expected back for sometime. That leaves Amerks forwards Colin Stuart, Zack Kassian and Derek Whitmore among the likely candidates to join the Sabres, who return home after the trip to Columbus to host Washington on Saturday. "Were really going to have to grind through a session here where were down a lot of manpower," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said today. "Playing against a healthy team last night, a full lineup against six guys out, that effort was worthy of a win. We didnt get it. Were disappointed. But Im just telling you, we play that way, play that hard, well get the Ws." The Sabres' lines were: Thomas Vanek-Jochen Hecht-Jason Pominville; Ville Leino-Derek Roy-Drew Stafford; Nathan Gerbe-Paul Gaustad-Corey Tropp; and Ennis-Luke Adam-Matt Ellis. The sixth healthy defensemen were joined by injured Mike Weber, who can skate with the team but has an upper-body injury that will keep him out for weeks still. ---John Vogl Buffalo News LOADED: 11.25.2011

The timing worked. And everyone embraced the idea. So Martha Butler got busy in the kitchen. After all, its not every day that her son is home for dinner and its certainly not every day he brings an entire hockey team home for Thanksgiving. My mom and dad love having people over and hosting, said Chris Butler, Flames defenceman and native of St. Louis. I think this is the first time Ive been home for Thanksgiving since I left for junior hockey. We thought that since tons of places are closed (for the holiday), so we might as well have everyone over and enjoy a nice team dinner. And its fun for my family to meet the guys in a casual setting. But how do you feed a pile of hockey players? Start with four turkeys, nine kilograms each. I think itll be enough, with the sides and everything, Butler said after Thursday afternoons practice at the Scottrade Center. Ill doubt well run out of food, knowing my mother. I dont know if well have enough table space for the amount of food thats going to be there. Sweet-potato casserole. Turkey. Cranberries. Green-bean casserole. Rolls. Maybe a dessert or two. C-NOTES: Not participating in practice were four players G Miikka Kiprusoff, D Derek Smith, D Scott Hannan, C Olli Jokinen.

590396

Calgary Flames

Flame complains penalty call likely only in Detroit

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 11.25.2011

Scott Cruickshank

590397

Calgary Flames

ST. LOUIS One day and heaps of deserved criticism later, Curtis Glencross was still fussing about the call. In Wednesdays third period against the home-ice Detroit Red Wings, Glencross had been whistled for a retaliatory chop on Henrik Zetterberg. The resulting minor gave the Wings a two-man advantage, on which they capitalized. The hosts added another goal just as Glencross was stepping onto the ice to cap their 5-3 triumph over the Calgary Flames. Its obvious we were in Detroit because the ref missed the first one on them and called the second one, said Glencross, who, with Anaheims Corey Perry and Carolinas Tuomo Ruutu, tops the National Hockey League with four slashing minors. If we were playing any other team in the league, they probably wouldnt have called it. Flames coach Brent Sutter, however, made it very clear in his post-game remarks that discipline not officiating was the costly issue. Its a penalty that I cant take, said Glencross. The biggest thing is, it was a learning thing not only for myself, but the whole team. Hopefully, we learned a lesson out of it. I learned my lesson. And Im sure the team knows how I felt. Given the post-game chatter by Sutter and players alike, youd think the Flames were one of the unruliest mobs in the land, running out of control. Not the case at all.

Game Day: Calgary at St. Louis

By Scott Cruickshank

Calgary Flames (8-11-1) at St. Louis Blues (11-8-2) 6 p.m., Scottrade Center, The SN 960, Sportsnet West Flames player to watch T.J. Brodie Young defender is starting to show his assertive side, rushing the puck and sparking the offence. Teams best player in Detroit. The Lines A. Tanguay M. Backlund J. Iginla C. Glencross O. Jokinen R. Bourque P. Byron R. Horak L. Stempniak T. Kostopoulos B. Morrison T. Jackman The Pairings C. Butler J. Bouwmeester M. Giordano S. Hannan D. Smith T.J. Brodie

The Goalies M. Kiprusoff H. Karlsson The Injuries D Brett Carson (back), D Anton Babchuk (hand), RW David Moss (foot) Blues player to watch Coach Ken Hitchcock Some insisted that Davis Payne was sacked too soon. But the steady hand of Hitchcock has guided Blues to a 5-1-2 record. The Lines A. Steen D. Backes T.J. Oshie C. Stewart P. Berglund M. DAgostini V. Sobotka J. Arnott J. Langenbrunner C. Porter S. Nichol R. Reaves The Pairings I. Cole A. Pietrangelo B. Jackman K. Shattenkirk K. Russell R. Polak The Goalies B. Elliott J. Halak The Injuries D Carlo Colaiacovo (hamstring), D Kent Huskins (ankle), RW David Perron (concussion), RW B.J. Crombeen (shoulder), LW Andy McDonald (concussion) Calgary Herald: LOADED: 11.25.2011

King does admit that last seasons brisk trot through the middle stages 22-6-6 in one stretch may have been misleading, may have led to unrealistic expectations. I think we were all teased a little bit from Dec. 28 onward, he says of the sterling record following Darryl Sutters dismissal a general manager. I think we thought we were further advanced than we actually were. Maybe we should have been smarter. Maybe we should have been able to see that that wasnt quite as firm as we thought it was. Nevertheless, so be it. The owners, according to King, are prepared to tolerate the ups and downs of the sports business. These are very mature, seasoned, veteran business people, who understand the world, right? he says. Theyre not sycophants who are trying to chase a dream for the sake of a dream. Theyre pragmatists . . . and I think thats a great benefit. I dont think anybody can do much in an environment of fear or panic. But make no mistake, the sense of urgency that is necessary and appropriate is a fact of life, too. Some observers do wonder how a poorly faring squad can command a new arena or even generate enough interest to need one. King insists that the two issues on-ice success, rink raising are not related. The building, were talking about several hundred million dollars and years of preparation says King. You cant take a daily event (such as a hockey teams fortunes) and correlate that to a five- or six-year program to build a new building. A new building is a 30-year concept, right? Long before anybodys cutting ribbons or digging holes in the ground, there will be a lot more known about the success of the team . . . than we know now. With the Flames floundering, King goes out of his way to emphasize that the organization is more than just 20 chaps on the ice 82 times a season. The team is going to great lengths to shore up things from top to bottom. It sounds like a bunch of window dressing, he says. (But) in a parallel universe, works being done all over the world Craig Conroy and John Weisbrod in Europe . . . Jay leaving to go to Kalamazoo (Michigan) to look at prospects. With emphasis on the college ranks, with emphasis on Europe, this is the whole notion that, You know what? We got thinner than we should have when it came to prospects. Theres only two ways to fix that one way is through the draft and that takes time, the other is through hard work and creativity. Generally speaking, if you look at the broader picture, it is promising. And that is always against the backdrop of the last good act or the last bad act. Thats just the business were in and we understand that. Calgary Herald: LOADED: 11.25.2011

590398

Calgary Flames

Flames finish last season was misleading: team president

By Scott Cruickshank 590399 ST. LOUIS The brain trust of the Calgary Flames go together on Thursday as the teams early season stumbles continue. Head coach Brent Sutter, general manager Jay Feaster and team president Ken King chatted prior to the teams practice at Scottrade Center. The details of their conversation wont be made public but its worth asking. Not nearly as romantic or as mystical as you think, says King. Its just a real good chance to get a real good understanding of where everybodys at. King is asked to describe his role at this moment. Support, he replies. This is just getting an understanding of where theyre at. It is not telling them what to do or how to do it or why to do it. They need to know that theyre in control and they have support. Thats what I was doing there. Thats what I would do on the bus. Thats what I would do on the plane. King, in a carefully worded 30-minute interview, touches on a number of issues including his underperforming Flames, who, at 8-11-1 are well off the playoff pace. I think thats obvious to everybody, including the people that are on that team, says King. Thats not part of the plan, thats not part of the program, right? Were not giving up on that. But you cant put lipstick on anything until you have consistent results. Flames' Stempniak has fond memories of Blues Calgary Flames

By Scott Cruickshank

ST. LOUIS Ivy League graduate and pro-hockey rookie, Lee Stempniak tried to process this information. Yes, the St. Louis Blues were telling him to find permanent lodging for the winter. But not in St. Louis. Instead, Stempniaks bosses ordered him to get a place in Peoria, Illinois., home of their American Hockey League affiliate. Not what any rookie wants to hear. But the news was hardly devastating mainly because Stempniak didnt know any better. The good thing I didnt read too much into it, said the Calgary Flames right-winger, chuckling. I went down and said, Oh, this is what happens. Truth of the matter is that hed already made an impression.

Drafted out of Dartmouth College as a 20-year-old, following his sophomore season, in the fifth round Stempniak was little known. But upon graduation and in his first stab at Blues tryouts, 2005, he hung tough. Played pretty well. Came out of nowhere that training camp, says the 28year-old. I think I caught the coaches eyes. There was no rookie camp and I just jumped in. That was probably good for me, not much time to think. And, thanks to injuries, he saw NHL action immediately season-opener against Detroit. I started against Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom, says Stempniak. And I was like, Oh, this is really fast. Stempniak got into a handful of games before the inevitable demotion, which kicked off a hectic season. This was the roller-coaster for the West Seneca, New York, native: Down for three weeks, up for two months, then back down for three weeks. Up till the Olympic break, then down for the Olympic break. Up for the rest of the year, then back down for the playoffs. But with 27 points in 57 appearances in St. Louis, another 15 points in 26 appearances in Peoria, Stempniak proved his offensive worth. Prior to the second season, Mike Kitchen called him into the coachs office. There, they went over the depth charts. It was hard for Stempniak not to notice where hed been pencilled in. He said, Youre going to play on the first line with Pete Cajanek and Keith Tkachuk. Youre definitely not staying there, but youve earned it. Just take advantage of it, says Stempniak. That was a moment when they saw some promise and potential. I got off to a pretty good start . . . and sort of rolled from there. Rolled, in fact, all the way to 27 goals. With nary a whiff of Peoria. Thats a pretty special mark to hit as a player, Stempniak says of the 20goal plateau. I kept the puck from that. I look back on that and cherish the memory. I really enjoyed my time there. My first team in the NHL. Everything was new, everything was exciting. Youre just living out a dream every day. In St. Louis, prior to the November 2008 trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs, he made lasting friendships Thursday, for instance, he enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with Tkachuk and his family and heard words to live by. Mike Kitchen always said, Youve got to be in the league for three years before youre an NHL player, says Stempniak. Thats something that really stuck with me. I dont know if its true, but its something that rung true in my ears. It definitely motivated me to keep playing well, keep establishing myself. In 2009-10, a season split between the Leafs and the Phoenix Coyotes, he poured in 28 goals, 14 in the final 18 dates. Last winter, he potted 19. I think its easy to play one year and have some success and be like, Ah man, Im in the NHL, says Stempniak. Theres a lot of guys that play and play well and dont sustain it. If you want to make a career of it, youve got to really stick with it and solidify yourself as an NHL player. Its hard to be a young guy in the NHL its hard to be in the NHL, period. Calgary Herald: LOADED: 11.25.2011

Not all of it is above the surface, and it doesnt mean a blockbuster trade is imminent. But make no mistake, the men running the Flames hockey club are not sitting idly by. Most people define rebuilding by losing frequently for years in order to get high draft picks. You will then get them and you will live happily ever after, team president Ken King said Thursday during a nearly half hour chat at the Scottrade Center as the Flames got set to practice. Youre always rebuilding. Weve done transactions. Jays talked about Meritocracy I think its pretty clear thats there hes talked about giving young people a chance I think its pretty clear thats been done. I think you will continue to see activity and transactions take place which in aggregate will be an improvement to the team. Were not naive. Were not saying were going to stand pat and see what happens. It is forever a work in progress every team is. So far the Flames have been a disappointment. Part of the reason for that is the way they played during the last half of the year. Fans, coaches and management believed that was a sign of things to come. They havent yet been able to recapture that magic. I think we were all teased a little bit from Dec. 28 onward. I think we maybe thought we were further advanced than we actually were, admitted King. Maybe we should have been smarter, maybe we should have been able to see that wasnt quite as firm as we thought it was, but nevertheless, so be it. So while young guys like Paul Byron, T.J. Brodie and Roman Horak are getting their opportunities to help on the ice at the moment, more efforts are taking place all over the globe to re-stock the cupboards. They have eyes (Craig Conroys currently) in Europe. Feaster just returned from Kalamazoo. Theyre putting an emphasis on scouting overseas and the college ranks. We got thinner than we should have when it came to prospects. There are two ways to fix that. One is though the draft, which takes time. The other is through hard work and some creativity, King said. Theres a vast amount of work going on on a parallel basis. And that doesnt matter to a lot of people. But I think everybody understands it takes a while for a new philosophy, a new approach, a new plan, to do it. And when youre doing it on the fly ... they are doing, in my view, a superb job of ensuring that our near future and our longer term future has a greater likelihood of success than not. Organizationally, were pretty happy about that. It sounds like a bunch of window dressing when you talk, so we dont like to talk about that much. He talked at length Thursday, upon request. And while some may not agree with him or the ownership group, they feel the broader picture of the club is promising. Of course, they all realize that big picture is always against the backdrop of the last game or last period played. There havent been many great ones this year. Thats obvious to everyone, including the people that are on that team. Thats not part of the plan. Thats not part of the program, said King. Its getting closer to a (tipping point). But King also mentioned the coach and GM are not giving up on that shortterm mission of making the playoffs. The three of them had a long conversation on the visitors bench Thursday, with Sutter doing much of the talking. Expect those three to remain in charge of this team as they give the plan presented when they put Feaster in control last December time to come to fruition. Continuity wasnt always important in the organizations eyes four coaches have been employed since the lockout but it is key at the moment. There are also times when you need to stay the course when all others maybe think differently, said King. In terms of organizational determination, to get this right, thats kind of where were at. We will persevere and well see where it gets to. All I want is for those people to have the kind of success they deserve given the hard work that they put into it, and the team. And the fans to enjoy the benefit of that.

590400

Calgary Flames

Flames rebuilding ... slowly

By Steve MacFarlane

Dont fool yourselves into thinking the Calgary Flames arent rebuilding. Its happening.

The sooner that happens, the better for everybody. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 11.25.2011 590401 Calgary Flames

He texted me the other day. We missed (each other) last time we were in town. Ive got a really good relation with their family, said Stempniak, who lived with Tkachuk while searching for a house during his third year in the league. Its a friendship for life. It was someone that really went out of their way to make you feel welcome in the NHL when you were a young guy.

Flames winger late Blue-mer

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 11.25.2011

By Steve MacFarlane

590402

Carolina Hurricanes

Lee Stempniak was a late discovery. The Ivy League student was already 20 when his name was called in the fifth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He wasnt there, of course. And he didnt skip out on school early, either, graduating from Dartmouth with an economics degree. Impressing as a 22-year-old hopeful in his first St. Louis Blues camp, the timing of the wingers arrival was pretty much perfect for a team in transition. He stuck around late in camp, adapting as the game got quicker. It worked out really well. It happened to be a year they lost a lot of players like (Pavol) Demitra and (Chris) Pronger and there were some spots for younger guys, said Stempniak, who is now part of a rebuilding Calgary Flames team. I was able to grab one and play 55 or 60 games. But the words he heard at the end of his tryout werent the ones a rookie wants to hear as the season is set to kick off. There were a few of us (freshman). It was me, Jay McClement and Dennis Wideman. They told those two guys to get a place and I got sent down, Stempniak recalled with a laugh. I actually got a place in Peoria when I got sent down. I was in a hotel for a long time in St. Louis and had a place in Peoria. It was the opposite for me. He might have pulled the trigger on the place in Peoria, Ill. where the American League affiliate was located a little too early. Although he got sent down after training camp, injuries (including Keith Tkachuks broken ribs) led to a quick re-call. And Stempniak was already in the Detroit area while playing for the AHLs Rivermen. Instead of driving down I stayed in and played the next day, and played four or five games, he said. Our first game was against Detroit. I started against Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom. His first thoughts after enjoying a promising pre-season? Yeah, this is really fast, he said. I was probably a little bit overwhelmed, I think, early on, the first couple of games. The two-game visit ended, but he thrived with the Rivermen and earned another promotion a few weeks later, sticking around for a couple of months this time. The points came this time. He scored in his second game back his first NHL goal and racked up three tallies and seven points in a span of 10 games. Plenty of optimism helped Stempniak deal with the ups and downs. I played pretty well and just sort of came out of nowhere in that training camp. I think I caught the coaches eyes, he said. Its gratifying to know the hard works paying off. Seven years and four teams later, the West Seneca, N.Y., product still looks back at his start in St. Louis fondly. He reminisced with former teammate Keith Tkachuk over turkey Thursday night, celebrating American Thanksgiving with his former landlord.

Canes seem to be back on track

By CHIP ALEXANDER - calexander@newsobserver.com

Carolina Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice calls them small steps, and small they have been. But necessary steps. And, Maurice and the Canes hope, in the right direction. After losing six of seven games, all in regulation and some by an embarrassing margin, Maurice asked his team to be more disciplined defensively. The Canes were one of the NHL's worst in goals allowed and shots against, a troubling trend that had Maurice's job in jeopardy and the Canes' season possibly near implosion. A 2-1-1 record in the past four games is an improvement but not a dramatic turnaround, by any means, and the 4-3 shootout loss Wednesday to the Montreal Canadiens was disappointing. The Hurricanes say four games isn't enough to say a team identity -- a gritty, defense-first style -- has been formed. "I think we need a few more games to make it really sink in, but I think we've seen how it can be effective," defenseman Bryan Allen said Wednesday. For the Canes the tipping point was the 4-0 loss in Montreal last week. Maurice said the last 10 minutes of the second period were "the poorest hockey we've ever played," and the coaches huddled on the plane ride back that night to talk things over and prepare for practice the next day. "It was all sliding downhill and we were neck-deep," Maurice said. "We had to tilt it." Allen said not much was said among the players on the plane but most sensed changes would be coming. "(Maurice) said that game was almost like rock bottom for us," Allen said. "We couldn't keep going the same way. "It's hard in those situations. As a player you have no idea what's going to happen. You can be traded, waived, whatever." At practice the next day, Maurice told the Canes they would seek to create more offense through better overall team defense. The forecheck would not be as aggressive, but that would leave forwards in better position to get back defensively, reducing the odd-man rushes that were hurting the Hurricanes. "Regardless of what we were doing, the most important thing was that we came together and had one idea," Maurice said. But more offense through defense? "If I was 17, 18 or 19 and the coach said you play better defense and can get better offense, I would say no, that's not what's going to happen," forward Jussi Jokinen said. "But I've been around long enough to understand that's exactly what happens and that's what we've been able to do. In this league you have to keep the other team to two goals or less to win constantly." The Hurricanes lost to the Buffalo Sabres 1-0 last Friday, then topped the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Sunday and Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 on Monday. After generating just 26, 20 and 25 shots in their previous three games, the Canes had 34, 41 and 31 shots.

"I thought it was very smart what (Maurice) did," Allen said. "He took all the pressure off trying to score goals and get offense. There are so many guys who want to score goals and contribute. What he did was took that focus away and said let's focus on not allowing any goals. Play good without the puck, play good in our own end and focus on being good in front of our goaltenders." Goalie Brian Boucher faced just 20 shots against Buffalo and Cam Ward faced 25 against the Leafs. The Flyers had 32 shots and the Canadiens 34, including three in the overtime. The Canes jumped to an early 2-0 lead Wednesday with goals from Jiri Tlusty and Anthony Stewart but at times were too loose defensively. Maurice switched lines and the defensive pairings during the game. He split up Allen and Tim Gleason, putting Allen with Jamie McBain and Gleason with Tomas Kaberle, while sticking with the pairing of Jay Harrison and rookie Justin Faulk. "They have to figure out a way to do it on nights when it's not easy for them," Maurice said. "It can't just be (that you) throw your hands up and say, 'Well, we'll play harder defensively the next night.'" Defenseman Joni Pitkanen, sidelined the past seven games with a foot injury, returned to practice Thursday and could play Sunday in Ottawa, Maurice said. The Hurricanes (8-11-4) host the Winnipeg Jets (8-9-4) today at the RBC Center. News Observer LOADED: 11.25.2011

With scoring down, he knows he has to provide energy and physical presence

By Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune reporter 8:17 PM CST, November 24, 2011

ANAHEIM, Calif. There wasn't a whole lot of holiday cheer surrounding the Blackhawks as they spent Thanksgiving mired in a three-game losing streak. Winger Daniel Carcillo was subdued as he left the ice following practice, a few hours before the players gathered for a team meal in Los Angeles. In addition to the team's woes, Carcillo has been quiet offensively as the Hawks have dropped the last three games of their six-game trip that continues Friday afternoon against the Ducks at the Honda Center. "I'm not happy," Carcillo said. "I haven't been contributing offensively the last couple of games. It would be nice to help the team and get some scoring from different areas, but it's been a tough stretch." Carcillo has no points and is a minus-3 during the span, having recorded two shots on goal while seeing a drop in playing time. Averaging 12 minutes, 18 seconds of ice time per game, Carcillo played 8:48 during a 9-2 drubbing by the Oilers on Saturday and 9:49 as the Hawks fell 1-0 to the Sharks on Wednesday night. After a strong start to the season, Carcillo is stuck on two goals and five assists while leading the Hawks with 39 penalty minutes. He had been skating on the second line with Patrick Sharp and center Patrick Kane, but during Thursday's practice was on the fourth line. Carcillo said if he's not scoring, he needs to provide energy and a physical presence. "I need to play a certain way to be effective and maybe I've gotten a little bit away from that, so I'll try and get it back the next two games," said Carcillo, who has 1,025 penalty minutes in 300 career NHL games. Moral of the story: Despite playing a strong game after losing the two previous by a combined 10 goals, Hawks coach Joel Quenneville wouldn't call the hard-fought loss to the Sharks a moral victory. "We're in the winning business," Quenneville said. "You're not going to win every game, but playing like that, that's what we want. Part of the process of being a good team is playing consistently well. That's as a good as we've played all year maybe defensively. That's positive, so we'll go from there." Away games: Since his rookie season in 2008-09, Kane has spent every Thanksgiving on the road as the holiday falls during the Hawks' annual circus trip. "I've been gone for every road trip and I still get messages from all my buddies and family back home asking if I'm coming home for Thanskgiving," the Buffalo native said. "It would be nice to do that once but it doesn't look like it will happen anytime soon." One-timer: Brent Seabrook missed Thursday's practice and is "possible" to play against the Ducks, according to Quenneville. The defenseman hasn't played since suffering a lower-body injury Nov. 13 when Seabrook lost an edge and slid skates-first into the boards during a game against the Oilers. "We keep thinking that hopefully we can get him in on this trip," Quenneville said. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 11.25.2011

590403

Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks at Ducks

8:28 PM CST, November 24, 2011

TV/radio: 3 p.m. Friday; WGN-Ch. 9, WGN-AM 720. Series: First meeting. Last meeting: Hawks won 3-2 in a shootout Oct. 25 at the United Center. Probable goalies rec gaa Hawks: Corey Crawford 9-6-2, 2.74 Ducks: Jonas Hiller 5-9-4, 3.01. Team comparison Averages per game (NHL rank) HAWKS (12-7-3) CATEGORY DUCKS (6-11-4) 3.14 (4) Goals for2.00 (29) 3.00 (20)Goals against2.95 (19) 16.5 (16)Power-play pct.14.8 (21) 73.5 (30)Penalty-kill pct.87.1 (6) Statistics through Thursday. Storyline: The Hawks are playing the fifth of a six-game trip and the first of back-to-backs to close out the journey. Marian Hossa leads the Hawks in scoring with nine goals and 14 assists. The Ducks, who have lost three consecutive home games, are 1-8-3 overall in their last 12 games. The Hawks haven't had much success in Anaheim, posting a 4-19-2 mark in their last 25 games there. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 11.25.2011

590405

Chicago Blackhawks

Seabrook still a maybe for Blackhawks

By Chris Kuc 590404 Chicago Blackhawks Tribune reporter 4:56 PM CST, November 24, 2011 Blackhawks' Carcillo unhappy with his play

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Chicago Blackhawks hit the ice for practice in California prior to gathering for a team meal to celebrate Thanksgiving. Defenseman Brent Seabrook missed practice and is "possible" to play against the Ducks on Friday afternoon in the first of back-to-back games to close out the Hawks' six-game road trip. The veteran hasn't played since suffering a lower-body injury Nov. 13 when he lost an edge and slid skatesfirst into the boards during a game against the Oilers. "(Seabrook's) possible for (Friday)," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said following practice in Anaheim. "I know I said that the last couple of games but we keep thinking that hopefully we can get him in on this trip." Quenneville added that it will be a gametime decision as to whether Seabrook, who has missed four consecutive games, returns to the lineup. Meanwhile, Dave Bolland also missed practice but is scheduled to play against the Ducks. Corey Crawford will make his second consecutive start in goal for the Hawks. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 11.25.2011

credit to John, hes played very well. Thats what you hope for. Lets just hope it continues. Last season, Scott saw ample time at forward. Now, thats not the case. He also knows Quenneville will play the matchups and put him in advantageous positions against third or fourth lines. When I played forward, Id just be looking for hits and fights. Basically, thats all Im doing, Scott said. But when you play defense, you have more responsibilities and playing a steady shift. Im still looking for fights and I cant find any, but I have to be more responsible. What does it mean to player when a coach shows faith in you? It says a lot because it hasnt happened a lot in my career, Scott said. Im usually kind of the bubble guy, where Im in and out and I dont play too many minutes. Ive been working my [butt] off this year, so its nice to get a little -recognition and confidence instilled in me from Joel. I just dont want to let him down. NOTE: Defenseman Brent Seabrook (leg) sat out practice Thursday in Anaheim, but there is still hope that he will play Friday against the Ducks. Hes possible for [Friday], coach Joel Quenneville said. I know I said that the last couple of games, but we still keep thinking that hopefully well get him in some time on this trip. Dave Bolland also sat out practice, but he will play against the Ducks, Quenneville said. Corey Crawford will get the start in goal. Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 11.25.2011

590406

Chicago Blackhawks

As John Scotts minutes grow, so does his mojo

By Adam L. Jahns ajahns@suntimes.com Last Modified: Nov 25, 2011 02:16AM Blackhawks game day ANAHEIM, Calif. John Scott gets all the attention. The giant-sized enforcer knows he is playing more than he ever has with the Blackhawks. Considering what I used to play, Scott said. Coach Joel Quenneville said he wanted to give Scott a chance to -prove that he can handle full-time responsibilities on the blue line and be more than just a fighter. As a result, he has played in eight consecutive games, including all four so far on the -circus trip, and has surpassed 11 minutes in five of them. Before this stretch, Scott was a healthy scratch in 10 of the first 14 games, averaging barely three minutes. Now its either Sami Lepisto or Sean ODonnell who is often the healthy scratch. So this is all new for Scott, especially with the Hawks. I think Ive been doing OK, said Scott, who is a minus-1 with four shots and four penalty minutes in the last eight games. Im not making many mistakes. Im starting to feel comfortable. My passes have been pretty good, and my defense has been pretty strong. The jump in minutes has helped Scotts confidence, and its shows on some shifts. For the most part, he is making simple plays and avoiding bad situations. But he said that its always in the back of the head that you might get sat out. Quenneville said Thursday that Scott was all right against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday. From seven [minutes] to 12 to 13 or 14, you really notice a difference, Scott said. If you play five or six minutes, youre really only getting three shifts a period. Its nice to get a regular shift and get in a groove. You play a lot better when youre in the mojo and flow of the game. General manager Stan Bowman has no problem with Scott as the Hawks sixth defenseman, especially considering that Scott spent substantial time during the summer working on his skating and defensive work. Joel has been saying awhile, I want to give this guy a chance to see what he can do,?? Bowman said. Weve always played him in -limited roles in the past, and [Joel] said, I think he can do more. Lets give it a shot. And a Hawks look to build on 'moral' victory Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center, 3 p.m. TV: Channel 9 Radio: WGN 720-AM 590407 Chicago Blackhawks

What to watch: If the Hawks are going to have a decent road trip, they need this one. The Ducks have won only twice in their last 14 games (2-8-4) and are reeling. The Hawks have lost three in row and are 1-3 on their trip, but they were encouraged by Wednesdays 1-0 loss at San Jose when they mostly outplayed the Sharks. Thats the standard for how we want to work, Jonathan Toews said. Season series: Hawks lead 1-0. Next: Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center, 9:30 p.m. Saturday Tim Sassone Daily Herald Times LOADED: 11.25.2011

590408

Chicago Blackhawks

November 24, 2011, 5:17 pm

ANAHEIM, Calif. The Blackhawks got their we-played-better game on Wednesday night against the San Jose Sharks. Better, but not quite victorious. Thats all fine and good. But as coach Joel Quenneville reiterated on Thursday, teams are in the business of winning. And the Blackhawks need

those Friday in Anaheim and Saturday in Los Angeles to make this trip more of a success. The Blackhawks are currently 1-3-0 entering this final weekend of their circus trip. The moral victory on Wednesday was a boost, considering how brutal their games were in Calgary and Edmonton. But they nevertheless need points more. The recipe for winning is a lot of the things we did last night: the willingness to check, the willingness to play a strong game, Quenneville said. We get one (goal) last night we get something out of the game. So lets focus on one more game tomorrow and lets be better than we were last night; things in our thought process are in the right place, so lets go. The Blackhawks will start with an Anaheim Ducks team thats probably not too happy right now. The Ducks, like the Blackhawks, are riding a threegame losing streak, but their overall month has gone much worse. They have won just one game in November and are 1-6-3 in their last 10 games. The long road stretch is almost over before the Blackhawks return home, where theyve been very successful this season. But if they capitalize on Wednesdays outing, theyll wrap this trip up the way they want. We played the way we needed to play, Daniel Carcillo said. We had a lot of chances, a couple breakaways and (Antti) Niemi made some good stops. But thats how we have to play: hard in all the puck areas and hard on the forecheck. Tracey Myers Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.25.2011

Johnson did not play Wednesday. He tried to skate Wednesday morning, but left the ice after about 15 minutes. Matt Hunwick, who had played in only one previous game, took Johnson's spot in the lineup against Vancouver and was singled out by Sacco as one of the few players who played well. Sacco also praised goalie Semyon Varlamov, who stopped 26-of-28 shots and was hung out to dry on one of the two Canucks goals. "It was good to see him bounce back. He gave us a chance to win," Sacco said. Denver Post: LOADED: 11.25.2011

590410

Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets notebook: Shootout losses leave points on table

By Shawn Mitchell

Twice in the past eight days, the Blue Jackets played to 1-1 ties in the rinks of tough Eastern Conference opponents. On each occasion the Blue Jackets lost in a shootout. Afterward, they patted their backs (road point) and kicked themselves (one point, not two). Obviously, I have to improve on the shootouts, said goaltender Curtis Sanford, who failed to save the two shootout attempts he faced on Wednesday in New Jersey. The Devils won the shootout 2-0 and the game 2-1. The visiting Blue Jackets tied Boston 1-1 in regulation and overtime on Nov. 17. But Sanford saved just one of three Bruins shootout attempts and the Blue Jackets took only one point from a 2-1 loss. Sanford has made four consecutive starts and has been outstanding in regulation. He is 2-0-2 with a 1.33 goals-against average and a .946 save percentage.

590409

Colorado Avalanche

Lack of offense weighs heavily on Avs

By Adrian Dater The Denver Post Posted: 11/25/2011 01:00:00 AM MST

It is with a heavier sense of responsibility that Milan Hej- duk feels for the Avalanche's latest losing ways. Not that he ever took them well before, but being the team captain has imbued a deeper feeling of answerability following losses. It was a grim-faced Hejduk who answered questions following the Avs' latest setback, 3-0 at home to Vancouver on Wednesday night. "It's very difficult to win hockey games when you're not scoring goals," said Hej- duk, named the Avs' third team captain last week. "It just puts too much pressure on the goalies. We have to find a way. But it's very frustrating right now. We're in a slump." Many fans are pointing the fingers at coach Joe Sacco. Players publicly criticizing a coach is exceedingly rare, but Hejduk answered quickly and decisively when asked if Avs players aren't being coached well enough. "No, there are definitely no problems there. It was a bad game, though. We're squeezing the sticks right now. We're all in the same boat coaches, players, everybody," Hej- duk said. "We all want to do well. But we're just not doing it right now, and it's frustrating, it definitely is." Sacco, in the third year of a three-year contract, has tried just about every line combination possible to get his team going offensively, especially on home ice. But through the first 11 games at the Pepsi Center, the Avs have yet to score more than three goals and have been shut out twice. "I'll continue to tweak things to try and find the right (combinations), but after a while you can only change so much," Sacco said. "Sooner or later, you have to go out and you have to do it." Johnson out. Defenseman Erik Johnson is sidelined with a groin injury, and his status for Saturday's game with Edmonton is uncertain.

But he is 3-10 with a .475 save percentage in shootouts since beginning his NHL career in 2002-03. That ranks 74th among active goalies. Those numbers might be better if the Blue Jackets were more potent at the other end of the ice. The Blue Jackets, winless in their past four shootouts dating to last season, have converted just 2 of 8 shootout attempts. Rick Nash (1 of 3) and Mark Letestu (1 of 2) were denied by Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur on Wednesday. I do my homework on everybody, Brodeur said. Jeff Carter, Vinny Prospal and Antoine Vermette also have failed to score. The Jackets lost to Colorado in a shootout on Oct.?12 with Steve Mason in net. The three points theyve lost in shootouts are costly but not worth dwelling over. There is more important work to be done. Were bringing a consistent game to the rink every night, Sanford said. If we want to be regarded as a solid team, thats what we need to keep doing. Stay the course The Blue Jackets will play host to the Buffalo Sabres tonight. Buffalos Lindy Ruff the longest tenured coach in the NHL told the Olean (N.Y.) Times Herald that he has shared some words of encouragement with Blue Jackets coach Scott Arniel during the their 5-13-3 start. Arniel was an assistant on Ruffs staff from 2002 to 2006. Its been a tough start, Ruff said. Theyve had some pretty significant injuries, too.

Those are tough times. Those make you better as a coach. Sometimes when it goes sideways its hard to get out of. Recently theyve played a lot better and they got their personnel back and theyre a better team right now than they were a month ago. The Sabres (12-8-1) beat the Blue Jackets 4-2 on Oct.?27. The Sabres have since suffered a slew of injuries and are without goaltender Ryan Miller (concussion). Miller was knocked out of a loss to Boston when he was run over by Bruins forward Milan Lucic on Nov.?12 Short view The Blue Jackets won back-to-back games for the first time this season when they beat Nashville last Saturday and Calgary on Monday. Big deal, Carter said. Were happy with the way things are going the last few games, he said. But its only a few games. You try not to get too caught up in it. The Blue Jackets are playing better lately with Sanford in goal but remain at the bottom of the Western Conference. Its just the importance of each game, Arniel said. Some teams can lose a game here and there and continue to stay in the mix. But weve got to win two of three. Weve got to win four of five. It just has to be a constant. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 11.25.2011

all, the general manager said if I ever played one game in the NHL he was going to eat his shoes. I do not feel bad about that. I can only thank the people who were running the team at the time. I was 18 years old, just drafted, and I basically had nowhere to play hockey. That sort of situation really shapes you as an individual. It was a great life lesson. The situation was akin to dropping a lamb into a lions den. Prospal crossed the ocean and landed in Hershey, Pa., where the Flyers American Hockey League affiliate was located. He had never lived anywhere but under his parents roof, knew little English and had yet to play in a mens league. He was tossed into a circuit riddled with head-hunting opponents waiting at the end of seven-hour bus trips. Prospal stuck it out for three years and more than 300 games. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me, he said. Now I can really appreciate what I have here because I know how hard it is to play down there. I had nowhere else to go so I stayed. Im just proud about the way that Ive been able to remain with the game. I get to do for a living what I love to do. On March 5, 1997, Prospal was called up by the Flyers. He centered a line with John LeClair on the left and Mikael Renberg on the right. He began a process of studying the habits of teammates such as Eric Lindros, Eric Desjardins, Ron Hextall and Rod BrindAmour especially BrindAmour, a born leader and consummate teammate. Prospal has had many stops Ottawa, Florida, Tampa Bay, Anaheim, Tampa Bay again, Philadelphia again, Tampa Bay yet again, New York. He has had as linemates Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, Petr Sykora and Marian Gaborik, and now he has Rick Nash and Jeff Carter. Everyone loves playing by his side. He has been bought out once and written off more than once, most recently by the Rangers, who did not know whether his surgically repaired knee could last. Here he is, helping pull the Jackets out of a horrific funk, leading the team in scoring with six goals and 19 points in 21 games. Here he is, with 233 goals, 466 assists and 699 points in 999 games over 14 NHL seasons. What will he think when he skates out on the ice for No. 1,000 tonight? How fortunate I am to be here, he said. How many years it has been, because this isnt just about being here right now its about being a little kid and starting to play. Its a long process to get up to this point. Im pretty sure Ill try to take it like any other game, but Ill be very, very proud to achieve this. Somebody out there want some ketchup with that shoe? Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 11.25.2011

590411

Columbus Blue Jackets

Michael Arace commentary: Jackets' Prospal proved his worth, and somewhere a GM has some shoes to eat

By Michael Arace

Theo Fleury, in his book Playing with Fire, writes that if he were an NHL general manager he would draft Canadian juniors exclusively because they get it. Although the league is less Canada-centric than it was in the previous century, Fleurys line of thinking still runs on the edges of mainstream thought. Vinny Prospal is the perfect counterargument. Nobody gets it like he gets it. Tonight, Prospal will play the 1,000th game of his NHL career when the Blue Jackets play host to the Buffalo Sabres. Let us put this in perspective. More than 7,000 men have played in the league since it was formed in 1917. Prospal will be the 268th to play 1,000. He will be the sixth Czech to do it, and that is something, too. Bobby Holik, Roman Hamrlik, Jaromir Jagr, Radek Dvorak and Petr Svoboda have played 1,000 games. Petr Nedved, Martin Straka, Robert Lang and Dominik Hasek have not and never will. I am very proud of this accomplishment, Prospal said. I also know you have to be lucky. You have to be a lot of things. Prospal is smart, tough, well-respected and exuberant still, at the age of 36. Yesterday, as he sat in the dressing room after an off-ice workout, he alluded to another trait. What is the word for it? Resolute fits. Well go with that. Resolute. Prospal grew up in Ceske Budejovice when it was part of communist Czechoslovakia. Censorship meant he had little idea of the NHL as he was being groomed to play for his local club, as his father did before. Although he was groomed well, there was no room for him on the roster when he came of age to play in the Czech Extraliga, and his team was more interested in the transfer fee being paid by the Philadelphia Flyers than it was in hanging on to its young prospect. My agent, Ritch Winter, had a Czech colleague named Jaromir Henys, who passed away from cancer just a couple years ago, Prospal said. Henys helped so many guys. Before he passed, he wrote a book, and in the book he explained the story with me how the club was happy that I actually decided to leave. It was because of the transfer fee and, second of

590412

Dallas Stars

Brenden Morrow will probably miss next three games

Mike Heika / Reporter mheika@dallasnews.com | Bio 2:29 PM on Thu., Nov. 24, 2011

Stars captain Brenden Morrow will probably miss the next three games, coach Glen Gulutzan said. Morrow, who sat out Wednesday's 3-2 (OT) win against Los Angeles with an upper body injury, will not be ready to play Friday against Toronto and is not expected to go on the two-game road trip to Phoenix (Saturday) and Colorado (Monday). He could be ready to return Thursday at home against Ottawa. Gulutzan said that Morrow has a couple of upper body issues he is dealing with, and they want to get him completely healthy. Gulutzan said Mike Ribeiro is fine after getting hit hard by Jack Johnson in overtime against the Kings.

Gulutzan said Kari Lehtonen will play Friday against the Maple Leafs. He said they will read and react after that game, but that Lehtonen might get his first back-to-back games of the season and also play at Phoenix. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 11.25.2011

Morrow is bothered by a couple of nagging injuries, Gulutzan said, and can benefit from an extended rest. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 11.25.2011

590414 590413 Dallas Stars

Dallas Stars

Shots on goal don't tell Stars' whole story

Stars analyst on what fans are missing if they're not watching Dallas' hockey team

MIKE HEIKA mheika@dallasnews.com Published: 24 November 2011 11:37 PM

Published: 24 November 2011 11:26 PM

Stars coach Glen Gulutzan has said this season that hes not that worried about excessive shots-against totals or about his team allowing a lot more shots than it takes. The key to winning and losing, he said, can be determined more by which team has the better Grade A scoring chances and which team is playing the more complete game. And the first quarter of the NHL season will tell you he has a point. The New York Rangers are getting outshot by 6.6 a game and are 10-5-3. Minnesota is getting outshot by 5.0 a game and has a 13-5-3 record. The Stars are getting outshot by 5.0 a game and are 12-8-0. And Fridays opponent, Toronto, gives up 3.2 more shots per game and is 12-8-2. But more recent anecdotal evidence shows that maybe the Stars are a better team when they have more shots. In wins over Edmonton and Los Angeles, Dallas had a 73-42 advantage in shots on goal. The Stars decided that a good strategy on the forecheck is to simply fling the puck on net. A hard shot can force the goalie and the defense to start scrambling and set up a good opportunity in transition or on the cycle. And even if the goalie has to hold the puck, the Stars will get a faceoff in the offensive zone. In following that strategy, the Stars not only took some of the pressure off their own goalie, but they also wore down two very good opposing goalies and made them break from the consistent pressure. I think we can still put more pucks on net, Gulutzan said, pleased with the turnabout from a five-game losing streak where the Stars were outshot by an average of 11.6 shots per game. We worked real, real hard, and when youve worked as hard as we have the last two games, you are going to outshoot your opponent. Now, that sounds like a bit of a change from his earlier philosophy, but it isnt. Gulutzan has a structure that allows shots on goal from distance, and thats something we saw in a lot of Stars wins earlier in the season. He still believes the Stars can win in a game in which they are outshot. But he knows that you cant just spend two-thirds of the game in your own end of the ice. In addition to the fact youre inviting disaster on any fluke bounce when you allow 40 shots against, theres also the point that its really tough to score when you dont have the puck. And so, expect the Stars to strive for a more traditional formula going forward. When you do the right things and play the right way, a lot of times youre going to end up on top, defenseman Stephan Robidas said. The more you do the right things, the better the results are going to be. And that will generally mean an advantage in the shots on goal department. Morrow sidelined: Stars captain Brenden Morrow missed Wednesdays 3-2 overtime win against Los Angeles with an upper body injury, and Gulutzan said Thursday that he expects Morrow to probably miss the next three games. Dallas plays at home Friday against Toronto, at Phoenix on Saturday and at Colorado on Monday. Thats a tough run, and Gulutzan said the Stars plan to allow Morrow to rest and be healthy for Thursdays home game against Ottawa.

Daryl Reaugh has been through the good times and bad since signing on as the Stars television and radio analyst in 1996. In their 16th season together, Reaugh and play-by-play voice Ralph Strangis comprise the longest running, uninterrupted hometown broadcast team in Dallas-Fort Worth. This season, Reaugh, a long-time analyst for cables Versus, has been added to CBCs prestigious Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts. Does it hurt that the bottom has dropped out on Stars television ratings? It always does. When you work hard at something you want it to be viewed. Ralph and I are a movie that is critically acclaimed but doesnt resonate at the box office. If Im not watching the Stars what am I missing? The infancy to a return on what people here were weaned on way back when. There is a real similarity here to the mid-1990s when some really good players were coming into the organization. Which player do you look most forward to watching game after game? Its a default for me to love the goalies. Kari Lehtonen is world class. Hes so big and agile and quick and athletic. Im jealous. We are about the same size (6-4), and I was a Neanderthal in comparison. How about skater? Jamie Benn. He encompasses a lot of different things. He can take over a game with his skating and scoring. Hes only 22 and already he is the most feared player on the team for opponents. He is, however, a terrible interview. But hes working on that. What is it that Stars fans should be most thankful for at this time of year? That this team is not going anywhere. This is not Atlanta or potentially Phoenix. This town will swing around and again be what everyone in the league thinks it is, the Jewel of the South. Tom Gaglardi will see to that. Around the Horn Astros radio broadcaster Milo Hamilton has hinted to the Houston Chronicles David Barron that 2012 will probably be his 57th and final season in the booth. Hamilton, who previously plied his trade for the St. Louis Browns, Cardinals, White Sox, Braves, Pirates and Cubs, has been with the Astros since 1985. George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN since 1998, is moving on in the corporate order and is being replaced by John Skipper, who will assume responsibility for day-to-day operations of the self-proclaimed Worldwide Leader on Jan. 1. Bodenheimer came up through the sales side. Skipper, whose current title is executive vice president, is a content guy. Skipper was the champion of the highly acclaimed 30-for-30 documentary series. Dallas-Fort Worth turned in a 5.1 rating for Foxs UFC debut a couple of weeks ago. Only Las Vegas (5.3) showed more interest in the 60-minute Saturday night mixed martial arts show that featured one 64-second bout. Barry Horn Dallas Morning News LOADED: 11.25.2011

590415

Dallas Stars

Stars-Maple Leafs preview

Posted Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011

The Bruins have outscored their opponents, 47-17, as they've won their way through November. "They've got real good balance," coach Mike Babcock said, "Six D that can play and then outstanding goaltending. It's a good team. You don't win by accident. It's a good opportunity for us. I'm excited to play them. It'll be good for our group." NOTEBOOK: The Wings called up Fabian Brunnstrom on Wednesday night (after sending down Brendan Smith) but re-assigned him Thursday; Brunnstrom wasn't going to Boston, anyway, as his wife is due with their first baby, a boy. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 11.25.2011

Maple Leafs at Stars 7:30 tonight American Airlines Center TV: FSSW Radio: KTCK/1310 AM Records: Maple Leafs 12-8-2, 22 points; Stars 13-8-0, 21 pts Notable: Toronto boasts the league's leading scorer in forward Phil Kessel, who has 16 goals and 14 assists in 22 games. ... Both teams got off to surprisingly hot starts before cooling. Toronto was 9-3-1 but has gone 3-5-1 since. The Stars were 11-3, then lost five in a row, but have rebounded to win their last two games, including Wednesday night's 3-2 overtime win at Los Angeles. ... The Stars trailed 2-0 in the first period before Loui Eriksson tied the game with 20.3 seconds left in regulation and Steve Ott knocked in the game-winner 2:56 into overtime. ... Kari Lehtonen made 22 saves against the Kings to improve to 13-4-0 with a 2.32 goals-against average but is only 2-6-0 with a 3.00 GAA in eight appearances against Toronto. ... Stars LW Brenden Morrow (upper body injury) was scratched from Wednesday's game. -- From wire reports Star-Telegram LOADED: 11.25.2011

590417

Detroit Red Wings

Daily list: What we're thankful for

As we work off our turkey hangover, we pause to celebrate our favorite area sports teams at the moment (sorry locked-out Pistons, you didn't make the cut): The Lions Sure, the Packers made them look like lambs Thursday, but we'll gladly take the 7-4 record entering December. MSU football A win in the inaugural Big Ten Championship game would push Mark Dantonio's troops to the top spot on this list. U-M football

590416

Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins take win streaks into today's matinee

Thanks to Brady Hoke and Denard Robinson, the Wolverines are favorites to beat Ohio State on Saturday. The Wings With Jimmy Howard's star on the rise, Hockeytown looks to be in no danger of ending its postseason streak. The Tigers

By Helene St. James Detroit

Many of the Red Wings had their sons come on the ice with them before practice Thursday, taking advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday to have a little more family time. Then it was down to business. The Wings play their first marquee game of the season this afternoon when they take on the Stanley Cup champion Bruins in Boston. The Wings have won three straight, which isn't bad, but the Bruins just rattled off their 10th straight victory. It speaks to just how few games the Bruins won in October that they're only one point ahead of Detroit, but they have, to say the least, found their legs. "I know they've been down in a few games here lately and they've found ways to come back," Johan Franzen said. "They've got patience and they keep coming. We've got to be careful, stay out of the box, and if we get a lead, don't give them a chance to come back in the game." Tyler Seguin, the second overall pick from the 2010 draft, leads Boston with 12 goals and 23 points. The Bruins have excellent scoring depth and are led defensively by 6-foot-9 Zdeno Chara. "With the reach he's got, he can be both net-front and in the corner at the same time, pretty much," Franzen said. Behind them, the Bruins have 37-year-old Flint native Tim Thomas, the reigning Conn Smythe champion who finished the playoffs with a 1.98 goals-against average and .940 save percentage. He's 10-4 this season, with a .936 save percentage and 1.85 GAA. "The year that he had last year, and then what he did in the playoffs, winning the Conn Smythe and the Stanley Cup, the stats that he threw up, they're incredible," Jimmy Howard said. "Those are going to be tough numbers to try to beat. It gives you something to aim for. You want to be as good as he is."

We know it's the off-season, but the way ace Justin Verlander keeps winning awards, we can't wait for Opening Day. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 11.25.2011

590418

Detroit Red Wings

What to watch today: Red Wings vs. Bruins

Nov. 25, 2011 |

NBC kicks off its season of national NHL broadcasts today with the Red Wings at Boston, 1 p.m. (Channel 4 in Detroit). The NHL helped promote the game during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with a float featuring Red Wings broadcaster Larry Murphy, Bruins legend Cam Neely and singer Cee Lo Green. As for hyping the game itself, it's an Original Six matchup with the defending Stanley Cup champions. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 11.25.2011

590419

Detroit Red Wings

Black Friday matinee is a big game to Red Wings

Ted Kulfan/ The Detroit News

Brunnstrom has shuttled between Detroit and Grand Rapids the past few weeks in an effort to get playing time. He hasn't been able to crack the Wings' lineup on a regular basis. Ice chips There was some question as to whether Brad Stuart would play against Calgary but he did, and said his undisclosed ailment won't keep him out of the lineup. Drew Miller returned Wednesday after taking 17 stitches to a split lip after taking a puck in the mouth on the penalty kill. Red Wings at Bruins Faceoff : 1 p.m. today, TD Banknorth Garden, Boston TV/radio : NBC/97.1 Outlook : It's the only game between the teams this season. The defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins (13-7-0) have won 10 consecutive games. Davison native Tim Thomas is having another outstanding season for Boston (1.85 GAA, .936 save percentage). Detroit News LOADED: 11.25.2011

Detroit During the long, grueling regular season, it's helpful to have dates on the schedule a team can point to and get excited. The Red Wings have one of those games this afternoon. Playing in Boston, on a Black Friday nationally televised game against the defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins, will get everyone hyped a little more than the usual regular-season game. "It sure does," Niklas Kronwall said. "They're a good team, obviously. Whoever wins, everyone else is gunning for them. "It'll be a good matchup, a good challenge." This will be the NHL's season premiere on NBC (1 p.m., Channel 4) and both teams head into it playing great hockey. The Wings have won their last three. And the Bruins? After a 3-7 start, they have won 10 in a row to reclaim first place in the Northeast Division. "They're a good team and you don't win by accident," Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "The reason you win is you have something special. It's a good opportunity for us and we're excited to play them. "They have good goaltending, and they have real good balance right through (the lineup)." Said Nicklas Lidstrom: "They have depth, a lot of depth, and the way they played in the Finals last year, the way they stuck with it, game after game, didn't change a lot, and came after Vancouver and defeated them. It was impressive the way they played in the playoffs. "This will be a good test." Boston goalie Tim Thomas is a Davison native who last season won the Vezina (best goalie) and Conn Smythe (playoff MVP), while leading the Bruins to the Stanley Cup. Thomas is generally regarded as the best goalie in the league. "I don't know him but just watching him being interviewed in the playoffs, he has so much class," Babcock said. "He battles hard, he competes and he makes his team play harder because of the way he plays. He's respectful of the game and others and his opportunity and that makes you cheer for him." Thomas was looking forward to going against the Wings. "For me to play against Detroit, it's always a big deal for me," Thomas said. "I always know when the Red Wings game is because my family makes me aware of it, basically." The Black Friday game is a tradition in Boston, "but it's a bigger deal this year being on NBC, and we happen to be playing against the Detroit Red Wings, another team that's had success in recent years, and with our success last year it should be set up for a real good game," Thomas said. Power-play rebirth The Wings scored three power-play goals in Wednesday's victory over Calgary and have scored seven (in 18 chances) over the last four games. The power play has mirrored the team's up-and-down start this season, but it's definitely on the upswing right now. "We're moving the puck well and taking shots," Lidstrom said. "That's been the key for us." Said Babcock: "The game before we didn't have good structure and the power play wasn't organized, but (Wednesday) it was organized. Both groups were good. You want your power play to be deadly." Waiting patiently Fabian Brunnstrom was recalled from Grand Rapids after Wednesday's game, while Brendan Smith was sent to G.R. Brunnstrom will not travel with the Wings to Boston, though. He and his wife are expecting their first child any day. "It's really exciting," said Brunnstrom, who said it's going to be a boy.

590420

Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings look to snap Bruins' 10-game streak; Johan Franzen productive in wins, not losses

By Ansar Khan

DETROIT How will the Detroit Red Wings fare against the Boston Bruins Friday afternoon? It might depend on whether Johan Franzen records a point, if the first quarter of the season is any indication. The Red Wings will try to snap the Bruins' 10-game winning streak at TD Center in a marquee matchup of Original Six teams that will be televised nationally on NBC at 1 p.m. Franzen leads the Red Wings in goals (10) and points (21). All of his points have come in 11 of the team's 12 wins. He has no points in Detroit's eight losses (including an overtime loss). He has a plus-17 rating in wins and a minus-7 rating in losses. Meanwhile, Pavel Datsyuk is heating up, with seven points (three goals, four assists) in his past three games, after picking up only 11 points in his first 17 games. It will be a fun game to play,'' Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. It will be a great atmosphere. It will be a good test for our team playing one of the top teams on the Eastern side.'' The defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins started 3-7 before getting on a roll. They got it going,'' defenseman Brad Stuart said. They got depth, goaltending's good (with Tim Thomas). That's probably why they've been so successful recently. It'll be a good challenge for us.'' The Bruins are second in the NHL in goals per game (3.30) and goals against (2.10). Whoever wins it (the Cup), everybody is gunning for that team,'' defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. So it's going to be a good matchup, good challenge for us. We've been playing on and off, OK, but we need to do a way better job for 60 minutes than we have to come out with a win.'' Red Wings coach Mike Babcock broke down the Bruins: To me they have real good balance right through. Anytime (Rich) Peverley is playing on a third line, that to me is real good, (Tyler) Seguin is really coming into his own. You put him with (Patrice) Bergeron and that lines quicker, and Bergie is as good a player as there is.

Then (David) Krejci with the two big dogs with (Nathan) Horton and (Milan) Lucic, a huge line, and then (Gregory) Campbell and their fourth group played real well with (Shawn) Thornton and (Daniel) Paille, then six (defensemen) that can play, outstanding goaltending, a good team. The Red Wings have won three in a row and are 7-2 in their past nine. A win would even their road record at 5-5. Michigan Live LOADED: 11.25.2011

"Its good for us to just kick back and be with our families and not think about hockey and turn on the Lions game," goaltender Jimmy Howard said. It will be Howards first major holiday as a dad, after the birth of his son, James IV, on Oct. 23. "Im looking forward to when he gets a little bit older and its Christmas, and all the fun toys," Howard said. A team consisting mostly of Europeans and Canadians (whose Thanksgiving is in October) still appreciates this holiday. Defenseman Niklas Kronwall said there is no equivalent in his native Sweden. "A lot of the traditions over here make their way over to Europe and Sweden, but Thanksgiving I dont think has caught on yet," Kronwall said. "The thought behind the whole tradition of bringing families together is just so great, and of course the meal itself is one big feast where people stuff themselves until they cant move." Asked about his favorite dish, Kronwall said, "Just turkey with gravy, potatoes, corn. I just like the whole thing." Justin Abdelkaders parents are coming in from Muskegon. He invited Darren Helm to his house. "It was always a tradition going over to my grandparents house in Muskegon and having Thanksgiving dinner and then watching football," Abdelkader said. "My dad and I, it seemed like we always scheduled the meal right in the middle of the Lions game, so wed always have to be taking breaks, checking on the Lions score while dinner was going on. My grandma was never too happy with that. "Between football and eating, seems like you always take a nap after you eat, then eat some more later." He said of his favorite dishes, "I like the turkey, thats always good, mashed potatoes. Got to have bread with the meal. My mom makes really good peanut butter pie, so thats always good to finish it off." Forward Cory Emmerton issued some caution, however. "You dont want to be eating turkey and stuffing the day before a game, and definitely not before a 1 oclock game," Emmerton said. "Thats definitely the last thing you want to be doing, stuffing yourself to the point where you fall asleep like you usually do. "The feast could happen on Sunday. Im sure there will be a lot of leftovers." Rookie Brendan Smith was in limbo Wednesday morning, not knowing where he was going to be for Thanksgiving because of a minor injury to Brad Stuart. Smith was scheduled to take the pregame warmups before Wednesdays game against Calgary and then be reassigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins if Stuart was able to play. "If Im here, I would like to go see my parents because theyre not that far away (in Toronto)," Smith said. "But Im going to have to play that by ear." Coach Mike Babcock called it an opportunity to give thanks. "Its a huge holiday in the U.S., a big family holiday," Babcock said. "Were going to be back for a game against Nashville (Saturday) and then have Sunday off, so there will still be some time for the guys to be around their family." Abdelkader said he has plenty for which to be thankful.

590421

Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings allow expectant dad Fabian Brunnstrom to stay home while team heads to Boston

By Ansar Khan

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings allowed forward and expectant father Fabian Brunnstrom to stay home today after practice rather than fly with the team to Boston tonight for Friday's game against the Bruins. Brunnstrom's wife, Sandy, is expecting their first child, a boy, on Friday. The Red Wings recalled him from the Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday, in part, so he can be with his wife. Brunnstrom was reassigned to the Griffins later in the day. Thats what were trying to do, and yet he has to play games,'' coach Mike Babcock said after today's short practice at Joe Louis Arena. "We brought him up for that reason, obviously, yet his wife is about to give birth, we want him to be here for it. At the same time he needs to play hockey and touring around with us and not playing hockey doesnt do him any good. "Ideally theyll have their first child, everything goes well and he can get back to playing hockey. Brunnstrom appreciates the move by the club. "Kenny (general manager Holland) said he wanted me to be close to my wife,'' Brunnstrom said. "They wanted to make sure that everything went well, and I really appreciate that.'' Brunnstrom, as you can imagine, is very excited. Its going to be a lot of fun,'' Brunnstrom said. "Its something new, obviously. I dont know what it will be like, but it will probably change me in some way. Its going to be a lot of fun.'' He said he's talked to goaltender Jimmy Howard, who became a dad last month with the birth of his son, and others. "They all have said that its a lot of fun, but its a lot of work, too,'' Brunnstrom said. "Ive heard that its less sleep, its just adjusting to the baby and their eating and sleeping, too.'' Michigan Live LOADED: 11.25.2011

590422

Detroit Red Wings

Hectic schedule won't keep some Red Wings from enjoying Thanksgiving

"Im just thankful for having a healthy family," Abdelkader said. "Im thankful for being able to do what I do, playing hockey as a profession, and for the Detroit Red Wings. Just waking up each morning and being able to get out of bed and come to the rink every day." Defenseman Jakub Kindl was one of the few players who had no special plans. "Im from Czech Republic, so we dont even have this holiday," Kindl said. "I know its a big deal for you guys, but for me not so much."

By Ansar Khan

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings will enjoy Thanksgiving as much as they can, given their hectic schedule on Thursday. After a 30-minute practice at 10:30 a.m., many players planned on going home for a turkey dinner and watching the Lions on TV before catching a 6 p.m. flight to Boston for Fridays nationally televised matinee game against the Bruins.

Michigan Live LOADED: 11.25.2011 590423 Edmonton Oilers

Oilers pleasantly surprised by Smyth, Nugent-Hopkins

By Jim Matheson

nature with more than 100 points as first-year players in an NHL game thats much lower-scoring than it was in the 1980s and 90s. I didnt expect what I have for points, said Nugent-Hopkins, who has studied some NHL history. I know Crosby, as an 18-year-old, had more than 100 (102) and Ovechkin (106). Malkin kind of the same (85). But I wouldnt say Ive kept track of every rookie whos come into the league, said Nugent-Hopkins, who says he isnt laying awake at night thinking he might get 100, too. Whats it like playing with a guy twice his age? Its definitely good. Myself and Ebs and the veteran, he said. He doesnt have to gear down for Smyth. No, not at all, the rookie said laughing. Whats most impressive about Nugent-Hopkins is his strength. Hes taken a few pops, but he knocked Brenden Morrow on his keister in Dallas. The guys are bigger and stronger and hit harder, but Ive gotten used to that. I dont think Ive been pushed around too much, he said. Its pretty important for me to push back. What am I more surprised about? Nugent-Hopkins or Smytty? Id say Nuge. I knew he was good, but not this good, said Ryan Whitney. On the power play, on the half-wall, hes making the decisions, getting it back to Gibby (Tom Gilbert) at the point if hes open or to the front of the net, a shot to the top of the crease. Its all going through him. The puck goes through him offensively. Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 11.25.2011

Whats more surprising 21 games into the Edmonton Oilers 2011-12 season? The fact that rookie Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has 22 points in 21 games, or that veteran Ryan Smyth is also having a banner campaign? Did anybody in their right mind expect Nugent-Hopkins, 18, to be a point-agame guy? Or Smyth, who turns 36 in February, to be doing the same? The youngest and oldest Oilers forwards are on the page of the NHL scoring race, just outside the top 10. The kid who has played just six weeks in the NHL and the guy who has 15 seasons on his resume are getting the job done for the upstart Oilers, who face the red-hot Minnesota Wild in St. Paul on Friday. Nugent-Hopkins, wearing 93 because that was the year he was born. Smyth wearing 94 because thats the year he was drafted. On the same line now, with Jordan Eberle, who has 21 points, if youre counting. Am I more surprised about myself or Smytty? said Nugent-Hopkins. I expected Smytty to have his numbers. Am I more surprised about myself or Nuge? said Smyth. Id say me. Jeez, thats a tough question. Ask somebody else, will you? OK, coach Tom Renney? Youre up, then. Hmmm. What Ill say is theyre the two biggest surprises, said Renney. I guess maybe Nuge because Smytty has the wherewithal and hell find ways to help us offensively and is doing that to the letter as to why hes a good pro. Just having Nugent-Hopkins here this year and playing and being integral to our success makes what hes doing impressive, said Renney. I mean, there was a mystery around this kid as to whether he would play with us or should he. It is a long year, but hes finding ways to be creative. Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini cant believe his double-whammy. Both great stories. Did I think Smytty would have the numbers he does now? Probably not. But knowing Smytty from working with Team Canada the one thing Ive never doubted was his competitiveness. I knew coming in hed accept the mentorship, but I also knew hed fight, kick and scream for every inch of ice time, Tambellini said. People asked me over and over, Did I expect Nugent-Hopkins to make the team? I kept saying I dont know. Nobody can say they expected Nuge to be at this level, right now, but you cant teach intelligence. Hes found a way to adapt to a higher level of play. His regular-season games are better than his exhibition games. Hes an impressive young man, said Tambellini. Nugent-Hopkins has 16 points at home and six on the road, so that needs to improve. Smyth has eight points at Rexall Place and 14 away from there, unusual for most guys. Nugent-Hopkins has 11 points on the power play, Smyth four. However the breakdown, theyre inextricably linked right now. I honestly didnt know what to expect for myself. God-given talent I guess, said Smyth, who has never had more than 70 points (2000-01) in a season. All I know is I feel really good on the ice. I just wanted to contribute, especially early. Im playing with some energy. In Nuges case, I played with him in pre-season (before Smyth lined up with Shawn Horcoff, somebody more his age) and theres a significant difference from then and league games. Hes tenacious on the puck. The play doesnt die with him. If he loses the puck, he wants it back and hes gotten stronger. I didnt know what to expect for Nuge. Hes been given every opportunity, but hes also taken full advantage. I dont know how many power play points he has, but it doesnt matter. You still have to make the plays. He makes those plays on the half-wall like Dougie Weight, said Smyth. Rookies in the NHL in the last few years Steven Stamkos, John Tavares, Taylor Hall, all No. 1 overall picks like Nugent-Hopkins tend to get between 40-55 points. Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are freaks of

590424

Edmonton Oilers

Dynamic Whitney returns to Oilers lineup

By Jim Matheson

EDMONTON - Hes baaacckk! Edmonton Oilers defenceman Ryan Whitney, who has only played 65 minutes and 14 seconds during the last 11 months, will return to action Friday afternoon against the Minnesota Wild. Whitney needed surgery on his right ankle after damaging a tendon on Dec. 28, 2010, against the Buffalo Sabres. He missed the first four regularseason games this season because the ankle wasnt quite ready. Then, he sprained his right knee against the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 25. This is like making a trade. Theres no cost to us except for T.D.s (trainer T.D. Forss) time, said Oilers head coach Tom Renney. This certainly will fortify our look. Hes a pretty dynamic player. Alex Plante, called up from the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League, will come out with Whitney back in the lineup. We have to keep this in perspective. Hes not going to play 24 minutes even if he wants to, said Renney, who will give Whitney some power-play time, along with five-on-five play. Well have to be patient with how we deploy him. Were at the quarter pole of the season and the guys are all up and running, but Whit isnt. It has been frustrating for Whitney, who had 27 points in 35 games last season until injuring his ankle. He rehabbed the ankle, then sprained the knee when he accidentally got clipped by teammate Corey Potter. Thursdays practice was the first time Whitney has really had contact, but he passed the test. He knows he wont be getting heavy work because his conditioning is not up to par. Ill hope for about 17 minutes and Ill be bored sitting on the bench, Whitney said jokingly. Rookie nails Morrow

Oilers rookie centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins isnt going to outmuscle anybody, but when he knocked Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow on his backside on Monday night, it caught everybody off-guard. What was the look on Morrows face? he was asked. I wasnt looking. I wasnt stopping to help him up, said Nugent-Hopkins, who was belted by Morrow earlier, but returned the favour against one of the NHLs sturdiest players. Morrow left for a while in the first period, but was back for the rest of the game. However, he sat out the Stars 3-2 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday with an upper-body injury. I dont know if I was my hit, said Nugent-Hopkins, who said he got Morrow in the chest. I saw him coming at the last second and stepped into. Maybe it caught him a little off-guard. Oops ... sorry about that Nugent-Hopkins and linemate Ryan Smyth had a near-miss with a puck during Thursdays practice. I took a shot and it went off Khabby (goalie Nikolai Khabibulin) and almost hit Smytty (in the face). That wouldnt have been good, said NugentHopkins. Smyth was where hes usually perched behind the net. Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 11.25.2011

But the teams mindset has also made the Wild successful, thanks to new coach Mike Yeo, who used to work with Penguins head coach Dan Byslma and won a Stanley Cup ring as his assistant in 2009. Id love to see our guys get more recognition for what theyve done, said Yeo. We have to be careful how we handle it, but so far our guys arent satisfied. Quite often you have a little bit of success and you forget how and why it happened, but Im impressed. This organization here ... all the players whove come through the turnstile have been well-coached, said Oilers head coach Tom Renney. And when you buy in as they have, youll have success. Theyve got two good goaltenders and Hardings had a bounce-back year. For him, personally, thats pretty cool. We just have to make sure he doesnt bounce all the way back against us (Friday afternoon). Chances are Backstrom will be ready and he seems to beat the Oilers for fun, but the 17-game losing skid against the Wild in St. Paul has to end some time. It doesnt matter whos in net, right? Weve heard this so many times and if people want to continue to breathe life into it, we have to make sure we stop it, said Renney. The Wild have had a run of medical problems on their blue-line, with Marek Zidlicky and Greg Zanon, two of their top-six defenceman, out with injuries. Underrated Marco Scandella, a star-in-the-making has a concussion and off-season Tampa Bay Lightning signing Mike Lundin has a bad back. Minnesota, despite the injuries, has kept winning with younger players like Nate Prosser and Justin Faulk.

590425

Edmonton Oilers

Wild bunch leader of the pack

Edmonton native Jared Spurgeon, who has a six-foot stick and a five-footnine body, looks like a seasoned veteran now in his second year as a Wild defenceman. Guys get hurt, guys go out, guys come in and the same damn thing happens, said St. Louis Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock. If you turn down the volume of the play-by-play people, when the other team has the puck, all their players look the same. You cant tell a No. 59 (Kris Fredheim) from No. 3 (Zidlicky). Thats a good sign. Theyve bought into Mike Yeos program. Minnesota doesnt have a single player in the top 30 in scoring, but they have a worker-bee attitude, as they try to extend their winning streak here to 18 games against the Oilers on Friday afternoon. Defence aside, Hitchcock likes the Wild centres, too. Mikko Koivu, Matt Cullen and former Oiler Kyle Brodziak, who has become one of Yeos favourites out as the only forward on 5-on-3 penalty kills. Theyre a very experienced smart team in the middle of the ice. They won the other night 1-0 over Colorado and Brodziak had the most minutes. Hes their third-line centre. Thats impressive, said Hitchcock. Brodziak was deemed expendable in Edmonton and was dealt at the 2009 NHL entry draft along with a sixth-round pick. The Wild took former Red Deer Rebels goalie Darcy Kuemper for a fourth-rounder (defenceman Kyle Bigos, Merrimack College) and a fifth rounder in goalie Olivier Roy, whos playing for the East Coast Hockey League Stockton Thunder. Brodziak has flourished with the Wild. He had the power-play winner in the third period, just before he barely made it off the ice on a penalty kill when Nashville centre Mike Fisher speared him below the belt on a faceoff. Maybe is was an accident, but the linesmen missed it, so did the referees. I said to him, What are you doing? He said he didnt know he had done it. I said, Well then, youre an idiot, said Brodziak. Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 11.25.2011

By Jim Matheson

ST. PAUL, MINN. - The Minnesota Wild are the NHLs No. 1 team a quarter of the way into the season. Has anybody noticed? Let Sidney Crosby do his thing and well do ours, Wild winger Cal Clutterbuck said jokingly. On Wednesday, the Wild rallied to beat the Nashville Predators 3-2. It was the seventh time in the last 11 games theyve been trailing after 40 minutes and managed to pull out a victory. The Wilds rallies of late prompted Minneapolis Star-Tribune headline writers to salute them: Wild Get Better Looking at Closing Time. Why are the Wild so good this season? Heres why, said New York Rangers pro scout Tim Thompson, a former Wild assistant general manager, reaching for his game notes and the game-by-game breakdown. You see how many games where it says two, two, two, two, one, the odd three. They dont give up any goals. You tend to win a lot of games that way. Forty two goals against in 21 games. Minnesota has 10 wins in their last 12 games and a 13-5-2-1 record for 29 points, good enough to lead the Western Conference standings and the league overall. Flying under the radar, they are one point ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have also played one more game. The goaltending is another reason why Wild fans have plenty to cheer about in 2011-12.

590426 Starting goalie Niklas Backstrom missed Wednesdays game apparently because his wife was giving birth. This necessitating a last-minute switch to backup Josh Harding and a hurried call to 51-year-old practice goalie Paul Deutsch to dress as the standby until farmhand Matt Hacketts plane got him to St. Paul for the game. Both Backstrom and Harding have been terrific this season. Harding, who has battled injury problems the last few seasons, looks like a No. 1 goalie, so Minnesota has two top-notch netminders in their rotation.

Edmonton Oilers

Ryan Whitneys Baaacckk

Jim Matheson

Media types werent jostling for position in the Edmonton Oilers dressing room, trying to mark their turf, to talk to Ryan Whitney about his comeback. And last time we looked CBC wasnt sending in a couple of TV trucks, Ron MacLean and Don Cherry, either. Whitney might be the Face of the Oilers but hes not the, uh, Face of the League. Thats Sidney Crosbys lot in life when he returns from a concussion that puts him out 10 months. That said the Oilers can certainly use Whitney after he gave coach Tom Renney the two-thumbs up that he was ready to go Friday afternoon against the Minnesota Wild, his first game since spraining his right knee against Vancouver a month ago when partner Corey Potter accidentally clipped him in the slot as they went to chase Canucks Max Laperiere. It was four games into Whitneys return from ankle surgery. Those are the only four gamesCalgary, Minnesota, Rangers and Vancouverhes played in the last 11 months, if youre counting. And who hasnt been? Until Whitney dislocated his tendon in his right ankle last Dec. 28, he was the Oilers best player. He might still be, but we havent seen much of him. Hes played all of 66 minutes and 14 seconds this year. This is like we just made a trade, said Renney. Its cost us nothing except for T.D.s (trainer Forss) time. Whitneys been frustrated by his run of medical problems, but hell finally be in and Alex Plante will be out against the Wild. He wont get a pre-game skate Friday for the afternoon game, but at least hes playing. Today (Thursday) was the first day I actually got hit (contact), said Whitney, who will have his ice-time monitored (mostly five-on-five, a little powerplay) because his heart and head are willing, but his legs might not be after so much inactivity. Dont count on seeing Whitney 25 minutes against the Wild as they try to end a 17-game losing streak in St. Paul, the longest current run of futility in the league. Ill probably have a solid 17 minutes. Ill get very bored on the bench, he laughed. We have to keep this in perspectivehell have to be patient as to how hes deployed. Were getting a pretty darned good player back for sure, but were at the quarter pole of the season. The other guys have been up and running for awhile, and he hasnt, said Renney. Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 11.25.2011

Obviously two of those years we were last place in the league, so we lost in a lot of buildings, said the fifth-year-Oiler. But its not acceptable. Our hope is that we play a solid road game and were able to put all this behind us. This streak isnt something we think about, but it would be nice to finish it. Weve been playing pretty well and hopefully we can keep it going. It doesnt make sense. The Wild havent even really been all that good over the past six years. Of course, neither have the Oilers, but they still managed to win in Detroit, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Vancouver and just about everywhere else in the NHL. Just not here. They play really well at home, regardless of who theyre playing, said Gilbert. But against us they just found ways to win. Weve been in a handful of games, even had the lead, but they always score the late goal. Its going to happen eventually, you just cant focus on it. The Oilers are vowing, like they vowed 17 times before, that time will be different Only this time its different. Just ask them. Were a different team now, said Gagner. Were better all-around and we dont make as many crucial mistakes where we turn it over at blue lines. Thats whats killed them in the past. The Wild are horrible to watch, bad for the game, but theyre also a disciplined lot that sits back in a passive 1-4 forecheck and frustrates opponents into mistakes the kind of strategy that gives a young, impatient team like Edmonton the most trouble. If mentally we can stay strong the entire game, play another game like we did in Nashville, we should do OK, said Gagner, pointing out how Edmonton generated six goals by refusing to try and force things against the Predators trap. We were able to draw some penalties, score on the power play, then things opened up and we scored even more goals. We just have to make sure we dont get lulled into that trap. That its the afternoon after U.S. Thanksgiving might work in Edmontons favour this time. And they might also gain a little faith in the fact the Columbus Blue Jackets just ended a 17-game losing streak in Nashville. Theres hope, said Renney.

590427

Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 11.25.2011

Oilers aim for Minny break

590428

Edmonton Oilers

By Robert Tychkowski

Size no issue with Oilers' RNH

You can set your watch by two Edmonton Oilers trends hot one game and cold the next, and they always lose in Minnesota. Given their inconsistency issues and their penchant for being consistently off in Minny, then coming off a rousing 6-2 win in Nashville and rolling into the Xcel Energey Center can mean only one thing: certain defeat. Certain, frustrating, mind-boggling defeat. Weve heard this so many times, said head coach Tom Renney, no fan of the 17-straight losses angle. If people want to breathe life into it, thats fine. Only because the Oilers have been breathing death into the story line since Dec 14, 2006. Defenceman Tom Gilbert is in his sixth season with Edmonton and has never won a game in his home state. It would be nice to have my family cheering after, he said after Thursdays practice in the land of gloom. Theyre always happy to see me play and its nice to have them come to the games, but it would be nice to give them a big hug after a win instead of a loss. Sam Gagner has never won here, either.

By Robert Tychkowski

Funny, nobody is telling Ryan Nugent-Hopkins hes too small. Or too weak. Nobody is suggesting he wait till next year when he fills out a little. Nobodys asked him how much he weighs in a month. Twenty-one games and 22 points into his rookie season, its a dead issue. Size doesnt matter. You look at the mystery around this kid, as to whether he was even going to play this year, or should he, said head coach Tom Renney. Coming in and doing what hes doing has certainly been impressive. He isnt getting bullied. He isnt getting pushed off the puck. He isnt being man-handled. It was a big step, definitely, though, said Nugent-Hopkins, who wins more puck battles than he loses, thanks to the quick hands and an ability to think one chess step ahead of the next guy.

Guys are bigger and stronger and hit harder, but once I got adjusted to that and started to get used to it and feel more comfortable out there I dont think Ive been pushed around too much this year. Not that the other guys havent tried. There have been nights when he might as well have been wearing a bulls-eye instead of 93. There have been games where they come out a little harder than other teams, like Dallas, he said. I got hit about three or four times on the first shift. He responded by scoring the only Oilers goal of the game and knocking Brenden Morrow on his butt, and out of the Stars lineup, with a hit of his own. Its like prison, you cant show the other guys weakness or theyll prey on it the rest of your sentence. I think thats actually pretty important, said Nugent-Hopkins. Being a smaller guy I dont think that I can show that Im going to be pushed around. I have to push back and keep playing. Morrow is out with an upper body injury and after the hit Dallas colour commentator Daryl Reaugh called Nugent-Hopkins the greatest 11-yearold to ever play in the NHL. Beauty. He came to hit me and I saw him coming at the last second. and just stepped into him a little bit, said Nugent-Hopkins. It might have caught him a little off guard. Renney, who waited, to everyones growing frustration, until all nine games of RNHs audition were up before announcing the decision to keep him all year, said he specifically wanted to see him against a couple of big tough lineups. As time went on, especially the last couple of games when it was Vancouver and Washington, big strong teams, he held his own here, he said. And he popped Morrow pretty good the other night. One guy kept playing that night and the other guy didnt. It certainly tells you that hes got good balance, hes strong on his feet and hes got that innate ability to know whats going on around him, which is obviously very helpful to someones health. So here he is, a point per-gamer in a league where a 50-point rookie season is considered success. I dont have any specific individual goals, he said. For the team I want to make the playoffs, thats the only thing Im really striving for right now. Normally, rookies start slowly and pick up speed as they gain confidence and experience. If a point per game is starting slowly for him, then what happens when he hits full speed? Are we talking 100 points here, the kind of totals Crosby and Ovechkin put up as rookies? I dont know, I havent really thought about it too much, he said. If that does happen and things keep on going well, if I get even better, then Ill be excited about that. As the year goes on Ill probably start to develop more chemistry with the players and that might help out quite a bit, but I guess well just have to see what happens. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 11.25.2011

has barely played a lick since. Its a little sore and its going to be like that a long time, but it feels good out there. Whitney missed the last half of last season and the first four games of this season while recovering from ankle surgery, returned for four games and hurt his knee. Hes been out since Oct 25. Cue the comeback, Part II. Its a new start for me, he said. Im sure Ill have to go through it again, not playing that much to start, and get back into game shape. Hopefully in a couple of weeks Im in there for good and ready to play (his usual big minutes). With everyone else in the league at or near mid-season form, its going to be harder to jump back in now than it was in early October. The game is a little bit faster and the players a little bit sharper. Teams are at their weakest at the beginning of the year, agreed Whitney. Im sure it might be a little tougher than the last time, but the last time I hadnt played in close to nine months, this time its only a month. Trying to stay healthy is the goal, but its not really something a player can work at. It either happens or it doesnt. You just go out and feel healthy and play the game, he said. When you start trying not to get hurt is when you get hurt. You cant be tentative, you have to be confident. When you start looking out for it, that can be trouble. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 11.25.2011

590430

Detroit Red Wings

WINGS NOTEBOOK: Bruins will be tough challenge

By Chuck Pleiness Macomb Daily Sports Writer

DETROIT The Boston Bruins have seemed to overcome the Stanley Cup hangover. After going 3-7-0 in their first 10 games of the season, the Bruins have reeled off 10 straight wins. They're a good team, Niklas Kronwall said. Whoever wins (the Cup), everybody is gunning for that team. So it's going to be a good matchup, good challenge for us. The Wings face the Bruins in a matinee affair today in Boston. They've been on a roll, 10-0, that's impressive, Kronwall said. They seem to have really good character guys, good leadership and they have really solid goaltending. They're a complete team, they showed that last year. They pretty much have the same team this year. The streaky Wings come in winners of three straight after beating the Calgary Flames Wednesday, 5-3. They got off to a bit of a slow start, but 10 straight wins, that's impressive, Nicklas Lidstrom said. And they're the defending Stanley Cup champs so it'll be a good test for us. Theyve got it going, Brad Stuart said. Theyve got depth, goaltending's good. That's probably why they've been so successful recently. It'll be a good challenge for us. Tim Thomas continues to shine between the pipes. Hes 10-4 this season with a 1.85 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage. He also has shutouts in two of his last three starts. Hes more of a hybrid-type goaltender, not necessarily a big butterfly guy, Wings coach Mike Babcock said. He battles hard, he challenges, he competes, probably a guy who makes his teammates play harder for him because of how hard he competes. And his storys a good one, Babcock added. Things didnt come easy for him, he worked for them, and now he seems to be respectful of the game,

590429

Edmonton Oilers

Oilers' Whitney on second comeback

By Robert Tychkowski

Ryan Whitney is back, and before he even put a blade on the ice in Minnesota he said what everyone else is thinking: Hopefully I stay in this time, thats the goal, said the frustrated defenceman, who had a brilliant first 35 games in Edmonton last season but

respectful of others and respectful of his opportunity, and that makes you cheer for him. Thomas didnt make it to the NHL until he was 28 and didnt emerge as the Bruins starting goalie until four years later. In 2009, he won the Vezina Trophy as the leagues best goaltender. Just seeing some of the highlights, he's making some unbelievable saves, Lidstrom said. He's keeping them in games. The whole roster is real strong, but he helps them for sure. Detroit won both meetings in a home-and-home series with the Bruins last year outscoring them a combined 10-3. You like going to Boston, its an Original Six team, we dont ever get there, and its going to be a real measure, theyre 10-0 for a reason and were going to have to play really well, Babcock said. Power-play surging The Wings have scored seven power play goals in their last four games, moving them finally into the Top 10 for efficiency scoring at 19.3-percent of the time. Both groups were good and thats what you want, you want your power play to be deadly, Babcock said. It scored last night, actually went 4-for-4, they said we went 3-for-4, but we scored before the guy was even in the play, which I liked to see. Conversely, the penalty kill is 22nd in the league, killing them off just 79.2percent of the time. We want them to earn the goals, you dont want to give away freebees, Babcock said. Baby No. 1 Fabian Brunnstrom was back practicing with the Wings on Thursday, but he wont be making the trip to Boston because he and his wife are expecting their first child to be born today. Its going to be a lot of fun, its something new obviously, Brunnstrom said. I dont know what it will be like, but it will probably change me in some way. Its going to be a lot of fun, and I hope everything goes well. They wanted me to be close to my wife, Brunnstrom added. They wanted to make sure that everything went well and I really appreciate that too. Ive been in really good organizations before but I dont know how other clubs handle things like this. Theyve told me that everything is going to be all right. Brunnstrom said hes talked to new father Jimmy Howard about what to except. He said its a lot of fun, but its a lot of work, too, Brunnstrom said. Ive heard that its less sleep, its just adjusting to the baby and their eating and sleeping, too. The couple has yet to choose a name. Of course we have a lot of different names, but I think its hard to choose a name before you see someone, Brunnstrom said. And weve both agreed to wait and see, and maybe well find out right away. Macomb Daily LOADED: 11.25.2011

Weiss (two) and Tomas Fleischmann (two) or defensemen Brian Campbell and Jason Garrison. Although the other three lines are playing well Keaton Ellerby, Mike Santorelli, Michal Repik, Tomas Kopecky and Erik Gudbranson all had at least three shots on goal in Wednesdays 2-1 win over the Rangers Florida would like others to help put some pucks in the net. Im always tweaking things, coach Kevin Dineen said. Right now were at the point where were very positive on a lot of chances that theyre getting. You could always say try harder, but thats not the case here. Dineen has left the top line alone, but said before Wednesdays game that he contemplated breaking it up just to spread the talent and create more scoring opportunities down the lines. Thats tempting, he said with a sly grin. Well see about that. Dineen might be forced to break that line up anyway as Florida could be without Fleischmann on Friday. He was taken out with an elbow to the head by New Yorks Andre Deveaux during the second period Wednesday. Dineen said Fleischmann was a little groggy but otherwise fine. Fleischmann returned to finish Wednesdays game. Deveaux is expected to be suspended and fined by the league Friday for the dirty hit that got him ejected. He looked OK [Thursday], Dineen said of Fleischmann. It took him a little while to regroup but it looks like hell be fine for the weekend. GARRISON goes long Garrison scored five goals last season his second full season in the league after getting two as a rookie. Through Floridas first 21 games this year, Garrison already has eclipsed his season total after getting his eighth goal Wednesday. Garrisons goals all have come from his booming slap shot from an average of 50 feet out. Campbell has assisted on all eight goals. Im just shooting the puck as much as I can, find the opening, Garrison said. I have to confess, sometimes I just close my eyes and hit it as hard as I can. Fortunately theyre going in for me right now. Dineen comes from a hockey family. His father Bill played and coached in the NHL and was Kevins coach with the Flyers in the early 1990s. On Wednesday, Kevin went against his brother Jerry the video coach of the Rangers. That didnt come from luck, Kevin said. Hes a valuable part of that organization. Kevin and Bill werent the only family members to make the NHL, as brothers Gord and Peter also played in the NHL. Shawn and Jerry Dineen played in the minors. Scott Clemmensen hasnt practiced with the team since last week as he recovers from what is believed to be a sore groin. With Clemmensen out, expect to see Jacob Markstrom this weekend in one of the back-to-back games against the Lightning. Jose Theodore has given up just six goals in his past three starts. The Panthers had a brief meeting Thursday before taking the rest of the day off to enjoy the holiday. Dineen took his family to the Gulf Coast to see friends. Florida goes into Fridays game atop the Southeast Division and second in the Eastern Conference.

590431

Florida Panthers

Florida Panthers want goal opportunities for more players

Last year, seven of the eight teams that held a playoff position at Thanksgiving made it to the postseason. Atlanta, which held the eighth seed last year, is the only team that didnt make it. The Thrashers were coached by Florida assistant Craig Ramsay. The Panthers hold the NHL record for postseason drought by not making the playoffs since 2000. Miami Herald LOADED: 11.25.2011

By George Richards grichards@MiamiHerald.com

During the Panthers three-game winning streak, scoring has come from the same sources. Floridas nine goals in wins over Pittsburgh, New Jersey and the New York Rangers have been scored by the top line of Kris Versteeg (three), Stephen

590432

Florida Panthers

Panthers Look For Scoring from Other Places ... Tomas Fleischmann Seems OK ... Downtown Jason Garrison Bombing Away

During the Panthers current three game winning streak, scoring has come from the same sources. Florida's nine goals in wins over Pittsburgh, New Jersey and the Rangers have all been scored by the top line of Kris Versteeg (three), Stephen Weiss (two) and Tomas Fleischmann (two) or defensemen Brian Campbell and Jason Garrison. Although the Panthers other three lines are playing well and creating lots of chances Keaton Ellerby, Mike Santorelli, Michal Repik, Tomas Kopecky and Erik Gudbranson all had at least three shots on goal in Wednesday's 21 win over the Rangers Florida sure would like to see others help out in putting some pucks in the net. I'm always tweaking things,'' coach Kevin Dineen said. Right now we're at the point where we're very positive on a lot of chances that they're getting. You could always say 'try harder,' but that's not the case here. Dineen has left the top line alone, but said before Wednesday's game that he contemplated breaking them up just to spread the talent and create more scoring opportunities down the lines. That's tempting,'' he said with a sly grin. We'll see about that.'' Dineen may be forced to breaking that line up anyway as Florida could be without Fleischmann on Friday. Fleischmann was taken out with an elbow to the head administered by New York's Andre Deveaux during the second period on Wednesday. Dineen said Fleischmann was a little groggy but otherwise fine. Fleischmann returned to finish Friday's game.

guy for me in many ways, but this is another example of something he can help us with.'' LightninggirlsFRIDAY: LIGHTNING AT PANTHERS When, Where: 7:30 p.m.; BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise TV/Radio: FSN; WQAM-560 The series: Panthers lead 55-36-10 The game: The last time the Lightning came to town, it fell behind 3-0 in the opening period only to storm back and beat the Panthers 4-3 in overtime. Florida has won two of the first three in the season series and six of nine dating to last season. The Panthers return the favor and play in Tampa on Saturday. Posted by George Richards Miami Herald LOADED: 11.25.2011

590433

Florida Panthers

Surging Panthers seek to extend winning streak to four

By Ira Winderman South Florida Sun Sentinel 12:50 PM EST, November 24, 2011

Deveaux is expected to be suspended and fined by the league on Friday for the dirty hit that got him ejected. He looked OK today,'' Dineen said of Fleischmann. It took him a little while to regroup but it looks like he'll be fine for the weekend.'' GARRISION GOES LONG Garrison had a breakthrough season offensively last year, scoring five goals in his second full season after getting two as a rookie. Through Florida's first 21 games this year, Garrison has already eclipsed his season total after getting his eighth goal onWednesday. Garrison's goals have all come from his booming slap shot from an average of 50 feet out. Brian Campbell has assisted on all eight goals, the puckmover having no problem feeding Garrison from long range. I'm just shooting the puck as much as I can, find the opening,'' Garrison said. I have to confess, sometimes I just close my eyes and hit it as hard as I can. Fortunately they're going in for me right now.'' -- Scott Clemmensen hasn't practiced with the team since last week as he recovers from what's believed to be a sore groin. With Clemmensen out, expect to see Jacob Markstrom this weekend in one of the back-to-back games against the Lightning. Jose Theodore has given up just six goals in his past three starts. I like riding the same pony but I don't want to run [Theodore] into the ground,'' Dineen said. -- The Panthers had a brief meeting Thursday before taking the rest of the day off to enjoy the holiday. Dineen took his family to the west coast to see friends. It's my first trip down Alligator Alley,'' Dineen said with a hint of excitement. -- Florida goes into Friday's game atop the Southeast Division and second overall in the Eastern Conference. Last year, seven of the eight teams which held a playoff position at Thanksgiving made it to the postseason. Atlanta, which held the eighth seed last year, is the only team that didn't make it. The Thrashers were coached by Florida assistant Craig Ramsay. The Panthers hold the NHL record for postseason drought by not making the playoffs since 2000. As coaches, you're always looking for something to keep you sharp,'' Dineen said. I know Ramsay has very good insight on being with a team that got off to a hot start and wasn't able to sustain it. He's a real valuable SUNRISE, Fla. The last time the Florida Panthers extended a winning streak to four consecutive victories in regulation, Bret Hedican, Rob Niedermayer and Marcus Nilson scored the goals, Peter Worrell found a way to come up with 15 penalty minutes in just three shifts, and Roberto Luongo recorded the shutout against the St. Louis Blues by stopping 35 shots. That was on Feb. 19, 2001, a victory that nonetheless only lifted Duane Sutter's team to 17-28-8-7. Friday, for the first time in more than a decade, that Panthers will bid to match that streak when they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning at BankAtlantic Center. At 12-6-3, the Panthers are off to their best 21-game start since going 13-35 1996-97. Should a victory come in overtime or regulation, it nonetheless would give the Panthers their first four-game winning streak since the franchise-record, seven-game win streak March 2-March 16, 2008, a run that included a pair of overtime victories. At the quarter-pole of his team's season, coach Kevin Dineen has kept it light recently, with an optional skate before Wednesday's 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers and then only a brief Thanksgiving Day team meeting. But with an opportunity to sweep the four-game homestand, he is not about to let up now. "I think there were a lot of question marks about our team and I don't know if they're completely answered. But I think, at the end, if you look at our team there's some real positive signs," he said. "We've really got a really positive jump out of the new personnel we've brought in here and the team has found a pretty good cohesiveness." Fleischmann cleared Sidelined briefly in Wednesday's second period after taking a nasty hit to the head from Rangers center Andre Deveaux, Tomas Fleischmann returned to play regular shifts, seeing 7 minutes, 49 seconds of action in the third period. He nonetheless met with the team's medical staff following the victory, bypassing postgame interviews. Dineen met Thursday with the left wing and does not expect the blow to the head to be an issue going forward.

"He had a pretty good day today, so we're feeling positive that he got a quality chance to be in this weekend," Dineen said when asked about Friday's game. "I haven't made that final decision yet, but I'm encouraged by how he feels and how he looks." Because of the holiday, there was no decision Thursday on possible league action against Deveaux, who received a match penalty. The old 1-3-1 While much has been made about the Lightning's 1-3-1 trap, a system the bypasses an aggressive forecheck in favor of clogging the neutral zone, particularly along the red line, the Panthers have been largely immune. The Panthers enter Friday 2-0-1 against the Lightning this season, with their 55-28-10-8 all-time record against Tampa Bay their best against any opponent. Earlier this month, Philadelphia Flyers coach Peter Laviolette was so infuriated with Guy Boucher's system that he ordered his players to stand idly by the puck in the defensive zone and wait for the Lightning to forecheck. The referees twice warned the Flyers' bench that the puck had to remain in motion. The issue was since addressed at the Nov. 15 general manager meetings. "It certainly wasn't the most exciting hockey game I've ever watched," Panthers center Stephen Weiss said. "I think I turned it off after seeing it twice. But the league's dealt with it and it's a dead issue as far as I'm concerned." Dineen said his team will arrive prepared. "I'd like to think that we have diversity in our game that when we're looking at different offensive or defensive sets we have the ability to counteract those," he said. As for the best way to get an opponent out of such a defensive system? "Score early," Panthers left wing Marco Sturm said. Markstrom time Dineen said with the upcoming back-to-back games against the Lightning, Jacob Markstrom likely will get a shot in the net either Friday or Saturday. "I would say I'm leaning toward that right now," he said, declining to say who would start Friday. "[Theodore] has been a real big part of our snapshot of good hockey right now and I don't want to jeopardize that by running him into the ground." Sun Sentinel LOADED: 11.25.2011

It is still early, with only a quarter of the season played. But the Wild is atop the Northwest Division with a 12-5-3 record. The Oilers have cooled after a hot start but are still miles ahead of the past two seasons, when Edmonton finished with the NHL's worst record. Friday's game will feature an Edmonton team heavy with young offensive talent playing a Wild team with a number of good young defensemen. It will also feature two teams that have reversed fortunes in slightly different ways. The Oilers have made the most of high draft position. Center Ryan NugentHopkins, the top overall pick in the 2011 draft, is tied for the team lead with 20 points. Left winger Taylor Hall, the top overall pick in 2010, has 16 points. Look at the team's stats leaders and you see a lot of young talent, including Jordan Eberle (the 22nd pick in 2008), who skates on a line with Nugent-Hopkins and veteran Ryan Smyth. The Wild? General Manager Chuck Fletcher has his team atop its division without having had the team hit rock bottom. He used a couple of key trades, the ability to identify available young free agents and the draft to build an organization in which talent runs far deeper than it did in recent years. "But I think a lot of our young talent, much like theirs, is still on the way," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. He's right. The Oilers haven't done it all with top picks. Center Tyler Pitlick -a Minnesota native -- was a second-round pick in 2010 who is close to being NHL ready. Ditto for Slovakian defenseman Martin Marincin, also a second-round pick by the Oilers last year. The Wild, meanwhile, has a number of prospects who should start finding their way onto the team's roster soon, such as draft picks Brett Bulmer, Mikael Granlund, Johan Larsson and Jonas Brodin, to name a few. But the Wild has succeeded so far this year because of trades and finds. Fletcher traded defenseman Brent Burns to San Jose. In return the Wild got immediate scoring help in Devin Setoguchi, along with prospect Charlie Coyle and the 28th pick in the 2011 draft, which Fletcher used to take Zack Phillips. Fletcher also sent Martin Havlat to the Sharks for Dany Heatley. The team's talented defense is filled with young talent like Jared Spurgeon, a second-year player signed as a free agent. Nate Prosser is another contributor, signed as a free agent, who has contributed mightily. "I think teams that struggle one year can climb back pretty quickly the next year by making a couple of additions or having a couple young players mature and improve," Fletcher said. But to Fletcher, the key is drafting players and developing them.

590434

Minnesota Wild

"No matter how high you pick in the draft, you still have to develop those players, "Fletcher said. "When you pick high, you want to do your best to take an impact player. And they've done a great job of that." The result is the makings of an even more intense rivalry between two division foes. "We don't have the Halls and Eberles and Nugent-Hopkins yet," Yeo said. "But it's interesting. Their young talent is very offensive. Our young talent is primarily very defensive, but we have another set of prospects on the way. "Neither team was expected to do as well as they have in the early part of the season. And on both teams, a reason why they're doing it is because of young players and the jobs they've done." Star Tribune LOADED: 11.25.2011

Wild, Oilers enjoying success with youth on their side

Article by: KENT YOUNGBLOOD , Star Tribune Updated: November 24, 2011 - 11:01 PM

The Wild has played Northwest Division foe Edmonton only twice this season, but Kyle Brodziak can already feel the difference. And he should know. Brodziak, the Wild's hard-working, versatile center, began his career in Edmonton. He got a cup of coffee in 2005-06, when the Oilers parlayed an eighth-place finish in the Western Conference to a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. But he was also in Edmonton when the Oilers began an inexorable decline. "It was frustrating playing with a team that wasn't playing well," Brodziak said. But he sees things changing. The Oilers, who play the Wild at Xcel Energy Center Friday, are a team that, like the Wild, is trending up. "They play with a lot of energy," Brodziak said. "You can definitely sense something different this year than it has been in the past few years. They're playing with a lot of young-guy energy."

590435

Minnesota Wild

Wild-Edmonton game preview

Preview: The NHL-leading Wild, the league's best defensive team (1.95 goals allowed a game), looks to extend its six-game home winning streak vs. the team it owns a 17-game home win streak against. The Oilers haven't beaten the Wild in St. Paul since Jan. 16, 2007 (2-1), getting outscored 5922. Edmonton ended a 17-game losing streak in Nashville this week. The Wild has won 10 of its past 12 games overall and is 13-3-2 against the Western Conference.

Players to watch: G Niklas Backstrom, who missed Wednesday's game vs. Nashville for a personal reason, practiced Thursday and could start. He is 20-2-1 all-time vs. the Oilers; 15-0 at home with a 1.19 goals-against average, .954 save percentage and four shutouts. C Mikko Koivu has two goals and three assists his past three games and has 30 points in 41 games vs. the Oilers. LW Cal Clutterbuck has three goals in his past six games. Former Oilers C Kyle Brodziak has three goals in his past seven. RW Pierre-Marc Bouchard has 39 points in 39 games vs. the Oilers. Oilers LW Ryan Smyth's 17 goals vs. the Wild is tied for fifth all-time. His 11 goals overall this season tie for seventh in the NHL. C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins leads all NHL rookies with 22 points. G Nikolai Khabibulin and Backstrom rank third and fourth in save percentage (.936/.935). Numbers: The Oilers average 25.6 shots per game (last in the West), the Wild 26.1 (14th in the West). ... The Wild's 36 victories vs. Edmonton are its most vs. any team. ... The Wild is 13-1 when allowing two goals or fewer, 04-3 when yielding three or more. ... The Wild is 9-2-3 in one-goal games. ... The Wild has given up a league-low 12 third-period goals. Injuries: Wild D Marek Zidlicky (concussion) and LW Guillaume Latendresse (concussion) are out. D Greg Zanon (groin) and D Mike Lundin (back) are doubtful. Oilers D Cam Barker (ankle), D Taylor Fedun (femur), D Andy Sutton (groin) and D Corey Potter (ankle) are out. MICHAEL RUSSO Star Tribune LOADED: 11.25.2011

periods in the offensive zone. In a lot of ways, the Predators reminded me of the Wild in the first couple weeks of the season and the preseason when they spent so much time defending that every time they got the puck, they had to chip it out and go for a change. So that meant the Wild kept on coming and spending time in the offensive zone. Nashvilles not an easy team to play against with its defensive system, quality defensemen (including stars Shea Weber and Ryan Suter) and of course, star goalie Pekka Rinne. But there was a sense the Wild would finally break free of the Preds. First, the Wilds a team that grinds down other teams so they succumb in the third. Second, the Preds played the night before, so theoretically they should wear down. Dany Heatley, who had a bunch of chances tonight and was due, snapped a six-game goal drought and got the rally started 1:05 into the third. Then Kyle Brodziak scored, then Cal Clutterbuck scored when Mikko Koivus PK clear hit a stanchion and died. Rinne initially was coming out to play the puck, but when it died, he stopped, his legs got tangled and he fell. Clutterbuck scored into an open net. Rinne admirably fell on the knife saying he lost the Preds the game, which of course, was hogwash. He was brilliant. There's nothing he can do about it, Preds coach Barry Trotz said. It just hit the stanchion and died. He realized once it hit the stanchion that he wasn't going to get to it and tried to put the brakes on and fell. I can't blame him. It's just one of those freak plays that happens. Lady luck's shining on you a little bit, you'll get those breaks. When youre good, you get those breaks, and yes folks, the Wilds good. Ive bought in.

590436

Minnesota Wild

Backstrom practicing today, could start vs. Oilers

Niklas Backstrom, who missed Wednesday's game against Nashville due to a personal matter, is practicing today, which means he'd be available to start Friday vs. the Edmonton Oilers. The Wild has beaten Edmonton 17 consecutive times at home. Backstrom is 20-2-1 with a 1.66 GAA, a .938 SV% and four shutouts in 25 starts against the OilersAt home he is 15-0-0 with a 1.19 GAA, a .954 SV% and four shutouts. Remember, the faceoff is 3 p.m. (originally 1 p.m.) to get out of the exclusive NBC TV window. Star Tribune LOADED: 11.25.2011

Thought Mikko Koivu was again fantastic. Same with Clutterbuck. Same with Marco Scandella in his return. Of course, Josh Harding. The Brodziak-Johnson-Powe line was huge all game, especially in the third. The line ate up 30 seconds of the final minute to keep Rinne from going off for an extra attacker. Brodziak was fuming after the game because Mike Fisher, who was talking smack with him all game, speared him blatantly in the jewels. Brodziak crawled to the bench, later told Brodziak it wasnt intentional, which Brodziak said, Im not an idiot. Some stats: -- The Wilds won five in a row.

590437

Minnesota Wild

--Harding is 6-0-1 at home this year with a 1.46 goals against average and .951 save percentage. Hes 10-0-1 in his 11 home decisions since Oct. 30, 2008. --Brodziak scored his third goal in the last seven games. --Clutterbuck scored his third in the last six and fourth career shortie.

Wild keeps winning: "Let Sidney Crosby do his thing, and well do ours

Posted by: Michael Russo

--The Wild is 9-0-2 in November, the most wins ever in the month. --The Wild is 2-5-2 the day before Thanksgiving.

Whelp, the Wild keeps winning, winning yet another third period tonight by scoring three times to take a 3-2 win from the Nashville Predators. Its the seventh time in the past 11 wins its won outright or forced OT for a win in the third. The Wild remained No. 1 in the NHL obviously the latest the Wild has ever led the NHL by winning for a 10th time in the past 12 and sixth straight time at Xcel Energy Center. Game 4 of the 6-game homestand comes Friday when the young and hungry Oilers come to town (actually theyre already here). Minnesota has beaten Edmonton 17 straight games at home. The Wild keeps winning and winning and winning but keep slipping under the NHL radar. Its Florida this, Florida that. As Cal Clutterbuck said afterward, Let Sidney Crosby do his thing, and well do ours. Tonight was interesting game because the Wilds execution offensively the first two periods wasnt the greatest, but they spent the majority of those

--The Wild is 13-1 when allowing two goals or less. --The Wilds allowed a league-low 12 third-period goals. --The Wilds 9-2-3 in one-goal games. --The Wild is 7-0-1 vs. the Central; 13-3-2 vs. the West Thats it for now. Barring news, no blog Thursday. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. Niklas Backstrom should be back with the team Friday. Missed tonights game for a non-serious family matter. It has gotten out in some circles, but hes asked us all day not to report it, so Ill just respect his wishes. Star Tribune LOADED: 11.25.2011

590438

Minnesota Wild

Wild's young defensemen key to team's success

And keep the smile on Leipold's face. "I wake up in the morning going, 'Are we really in first place in the National Hockey League?' We didn't think it would happen this quickly," Leipold said. "But there's a long season; a lot of things can happen. What matters is at the end. It's not in November. "But, having said that, it's really nice to be here in November." Briefly: Yeo said Josh Harding will start in goal today. Backstrom missed Wednesday's game but will return today.

By Bruce Brothers bbrothers@pioneerpress.com Updated: 11/24/2011 09:48:46 PM CST

With 29 teams looking up at the first-place Wild in the NHL standings Thursday, franchise owner Craig Leipold had good reason to be thankful on Thanksgiving. A youthful corps on the Minnesota blue line? No problem. A first-year coach running the show? Cool. Riding a five-game winning streak for the second time this season and one point ahead of Pittsburgh even though the Penguins have played one more game, the Wild have spawned a lot of optimism around the Xcel Energy Center this month. Hard to believe, Leipold said Thursday, especially because of a kiddie corps on defense that includes Jared Spurgeon and Marco Scandella, both 21; Justin Falk, 23; Nate Prosser, 25; and Clayton Stoner, 26. Over the summer, Leipold said, fans approached him to talk about front-line additions Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi or veterans Niklas Backstrom and Mikko Koivu. Now, he noted, strangers praise the play and poise of the young defensemen. "It's fun talking about those guys that don't get the credit that a marquee player would get," Leipold said. A former owner of the Nashville Predators, who lost 3-2 to the Wild on Wednesday night at the X, Leipold visited with Predators coach Barry Trotz before the game. The owner came away with a grin on his face. Trotz, the only coach Nashville has had, said the Wild and Predators are cut from the same cloth: Both rely on excellent goaltending and solid defense and work hard to manufacture goals. Although Trotz and rookie Wild coach Mike Yeo aren't much alike, Leipold said, the parallel is their winning attitude. "What I feel in Mike Yeo is just a sense of confidence, that he's in control," Leipold said. "I sense our players, even when we're down one goal or down two goals, we still feel like we can come back in the third period and win this game." Exactly, center Kyle Brodziak said. Brodziak, who scored a power-play goal against Nashville and has five goals and four assists going into today's game against Edmonton, said it stems from confidence. That confidence, he explained, comes from the team's work ethic. "It's not like confidence is a magical thing that disappears and comes back," Brodziak said. "It comes from the work we've put in." Minnesota outplayed the Predators through much of the game Wednesday night but trailed 1-0 early in the third period. With four straight victories and a good effort to show for their evening's work, players could have been content. They weren't, Brodziak said. "It's the reward that makes all the work worthwhile," he said. "When you're working that hard every day and you see results and you're starting to get wins, the reward makes everything worth it." Yeo said that two intense practices leading to Wednesday's game demonstrated that nobody is complacent, even during a winning streak. That was what enabled Minnesota to come back with three third-period goals to defeat Nashville and stay atop the standings.

-- Defensemen Greg Zanon and Mike Lundin practiced with the Wild again Thursday, but neither is ready to play. Defenseman Marek Zidlicky, sidelined by a concussion, skated on his own Wednesday but experienced recurring symptoms and did not skate Thursday. Forward Guillaume Latendresse also is still sidelined because of a concussion. Pioneer Press LOADED: 11.25.2011

590439

Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens: Scott Gomez out with groin injury

By PAT HICKEY

PHILADELPHIA Scott Gomezs campaign to regain a spot on one of the Canadiens top lines has run into another roadblock. The veteran centre suffered a groin injury in the second period of Wednesdays 4-3 shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh. Jacques Martin declined to offer any information about the injury, but did say Gomez would not play against the Philadelphia Flyers Friday afternoon (3 p.m., RDS, TSN-HABS; TSN Radio-800) and wont be available Saturday night when the Canadiens face Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Bell Centre. Gomez slid down the depth chart after he was sidelined for nine games earlier this season with an upper-body injury. Martin said last week it would be difficult for Gomez to unseat Tomas Plekanec or David Desharnais on the top two lines, and Gomez had done little to change that thinking in the eight games since he returned to the lineup. Gomez has four assists in 14 games this season and has gone 49 games, dating back to February, without a goal. He was struggling Wednesday when he left the game. Gomez wasnt alone on a night when the Canadiens got off to a slow start, but its significant that Lars Eller provided a spark when he replaced Gomez at centre. Eller, who opened the Canadiens scoring with a short-handed goal, assisted on the game-tying goal by Travis Moen. Eller has two goals and five assists and is plus-4 (Gomez is minus-3), but Martin isnt about to let success go to the second-year players head. Theres lots of room for him to keep improving, Martin said of the 22-yearold Eller. Hes a young player who plays pretty well away from the puck and has good skill. He just needs to get better at the give-and-go game, using his teammates and going to an opening. Eller should see extensive action over the next two games because Martin will rely on three lines. There is no extra forward on the roster, which means Martin will dress seven defencemen, with rookie Frdric St. Denis coming out of the press box. Gomez wont be the only high-profile player to miss Fridays game with a groin injury. Jaromir Jagr returned to the Flyers lineup Wednesday on Long Island after missing two games, but packed it in after playing less than eight minutes. Meanwhile, there has been a continuing focus on the Canadiens penaltykilling unit, which has gone nine games without giving up a power-play goal. The last power-play goal against the Canadiens was on Nov. 5, when the New York Rangers scored while enjoying a two-man advantage. I think that right now were just being more aggressive on the PK, Josh Gorges said. Were jumping in at the right times and were jumping as a

unit of four, which I think has been forcing the opposition to make some tough plays. Its been a big part of our keys to success so far. Gorges said the Canadiens have shown a willingness to sacrifice themselves to block shots. The Canadiens rank third in the NHL in penaltykilling and are also third in blocked shots with 350. Individually, Gorges ranks second in the NHL with 60 blocked shots. Martin will tell you the best defence is to stay out of the penalty box. I think weve been better lately, the coach said. Were going in the right direction. Certain individuals need to cut down on the number of penalties, but our PK has been strong. Martin rarely singles out players for criticism, but he made an exception in this case. A good example last night was (P.K.) Subbans penalty, Martin said. He was coming back and lost position on his man, and then (there was a tripping penalty). Its a matter of paying attention to details and staying in position. Subban is the team leader with 31 penalty minutes. In other news, general manager Pierre Gauthier announced that Perry Pearn, who was relieved of his assistant-coaching duties last month, has agreed to remain with the team as a pro scout. As per club policy, Gauthier was not available to discuss Pearns new role. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.25.2011

No. 50 for Richard was his second goal of the night on 19-year-old Bruins netminder Harvey Bennett. His 49th had come 9:36 into the second period: Taking a pass from Elmer Lach at centre ice, Richard raced in and outmanoeuvred Bennett with a sizzling shot that found the upper corner of the net, sportswriter Fred Roberts enthused. The Rockets 50th was just as pretty, his 17th goal of the season coming on the same shift with Punch Line partners Lach and Toe Blake just 44 seconds later. The cheering had hardly died down when Richard did it again, with Lach and Blake helping him, Roberts wrote. Going around the Boston defence, the Rocket was thrown off balance when bodychecked by Dit Clapper, and skated in backwards. When he reached the Boston goal he fired a backhander past Bennett, who least expected it. Blake and Dutch Hiller added two more in the following 2:19, sending the Habs on their way in a game that saw the Punch Line rack up 10 points Richard added two assists to his pair of goals, Lach earned three assists and Blake had a goal and two assists. But Rockets 50th career goal was hardly his most memorable moment of the weekend. That came the next night at New Yorks Madison Square Garden against Bob (Killer) Dill, the Rangers clenched fist who had been taunting, challenging and sticking the lumber to Richard at every turn. Push came to shove and then to punch, Richard scoring quick technical knockouts of Dill first on the ice, then in the penalty box when the Ranger illadvisedly went after the Rocket again. (The incident is immortalized in the wonderful film Maurice Richard, the Roy Dupuis tour de force released six years ago to this day. The Rangers unique Sean Avery, perfectly cast as the ornery Dill, is on the receiving end of Dupuiss fistic wrath.) Rockets 50th goal puck presumably found its way to a great vulcanizedrubber cemetery. He would earn a much more famous 50 on the final game of the 1944-45 season, becoming the first man to score 50 goals in a 50game NHL season. Richard then would score six more in as many playoff games, the Canadiens bowing out to Toronto in a six-game semifinal, giving him 56 goals in 56 games that remarkable season. The link between Moen and the Rocket now gets a little thin, if its not already a fibre-optic thread, but there remains one coincidental statistic: It took Moen 544 NHL games to reach his 50th goal in the league, 2,944 days after he had scored his first. And 544 is precisely how many times Richard scored in his 978-game NHL career. So for Moen, the challenge is a little steep: he needs to score 494 goals in his next 434 games to equal Richards output. The odds, you would think, arent good.

590440

Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens: Some parallels between Travis Moen and Maurice Richard

By DAVE STUBBS

MONTREAL - Amazing the things that Canadiens forwards Travis Moen and the late Maurice (Rocket) Richard have in common. Stop laughing. Moen scored the 50th goal of his National Hockey League career on Wednesday. An industrial effort, it was one for the highlights because, in this multimedia world, even a Canadien lacing his skates makes the highlights. The goal gave the gritty winger an even 100 NHL points, with 50 assists to his name as well. Moens milestone, his seventh goal of the season, came 4:37 into the third period of his teams 4-3 shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Linemate Lars Eller had hauled the puck out of the corner and back along the boards before backhanding a short pass to point-man Yannick Weber. Moen headed to the net, Weber let fly, and the puck struck the shaft of Moens stick, deflecting down past Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward. The Habs winger cruised behind the net, his stick raised in modest celebration for having tied the game at 3-3. The puck bounced out of the Carolina goal, retrieved for more use by a linesman who was oblivious to its historic 50-goal, 100-point significance. Moens 50th hadnt been as picturesque as, say, his 44th, that one his first of the season back on Oct. 9 in Winnipeg that came on a crafty breakaway backhand-to-forehand deke. Which brings us to the Rocket, whose 50th career goal on Dec. 16, 1944 is nowhere to be found on film or video, the Canadiens 8-5 Forum win over Boston that night seen neither on YouTube or even a black-and-white tube, Hockey Night in Canada still eight years from birth. Rockets 50th came in his 78th NHL game, 16 matches into his second full season with the Canadiens, and by Gazette account it was a little more scenic than Moens half-century.

So maybe Moen is better to aim for the 384 assists he now needs to catch the Rocket in that column or at least another five goals for a career-best season. Regardless, Moen has earned a new nickname from team equipment manager Pierre Gervais, who wishes he had the souvenir puck to mount on a plaque: I call him Moerice! Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.25.2011

590441

Montreal Canadiens

An honor and anniversary for Scotty

Stu Hackel

Were a little late getting to this one, but its never inappropriate to discuss Scotty Bowman, the games greatest coach and along with his mentor, Toe Blake, the Habs greatest coach. Tuesday marked the 44th anniversary of the start of Scottys NHL coaching career as he took over for Lynn Patrick behind the Blues bench for a 3-1 loss to the Canadiens, the team where he apprenticed for an NHL job and the team he would eventually guide to five Stanley Cups in eight years. He won another in Pittsburgh plus three more in Detroit and holds every NHL coaching record there is. Before his run of championships, the Montreal native took the Blues to the Cup final in their first three seasons, making them the top team of the NHLs 1967 six-team expansion. They didnt win a game in those three finals, twice losing to the Habs, but that hasnt diminished Bowmans popularity in the town where he got his start and met his wife, Suella. Along with former Blues forward Garry Unger, Bowman was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame last week. Heres a great story by Dan ONeill from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Scottys early days with the Blues . ONeill also had this interesting tidbit from Scotty in another story this week on the Blues home ice advantage when he coached them. The ice surface wasnt 200 feet by 85 feet, or the standard size, Bowman recalled. It was about 82 or 83 feet wide. Nobody knew that, I didnt even know it. But when they put in an extra row of seats or whatever during the renovation, they took two or three feet away. But we started to be very tough to beat at home because of the enthusiasm of the crowd and we had tremendous goaltending. In an interview with Scotty over KMOX radio (audio) in St. Louis, host Kevin Wheeler wanted to know if Bowman had any advice for young coaches on handling players. Bowman said, Theres a personal side of coaching and player relationships, and theres a professional side. You have some tough decisions to make, but when you make a tough decision, its professional, its not personalIts basically to separate the personal side and the professional side and thats the most difficult task anyone would have because you can get very friendly with your players or you can also keep them at arms length, but professionally, you have to really be on the same page. While he acknowledged that different coaches have different styles, Scotty was, legendarily, one who kept his players at arms length, maybe even more than one arms length. Those who know him away from the rink can attest hes as good a friend and family man as there is, but on the job he wasnt friends with his players. It worked pretty well for him, especially in Montreal. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.25.2011

recommends the Canadiens' hotel as a prime location for viewing the activities, which got under way shortly after 8 a.m. NHL goes Green: I don't know about you, but when I think of Grammy Awardwinning Cee Lo Green, I don't think about hockey. But Green, who launched his solo career in 2010 with the No. 1 single F**you, was front and centre Thursday when the NHL made its debut at that other parade in New York. The NHL, Discover and NBC put together a float to publicize the first Discover Thanksgiving Classic, which will be played Friday in Boston. NBC will televise the game between the Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings at 1 p.m. (it will also be on TSN) and it will mark the first time a U.S. network has offered coverage of an NHL game before Christmas. Green was joined on the float by Bruins president Cam Neely, former Detroit defenceman Larry Murphy, a bunch of elves, and Mr. and Mrs. S. Claus. Crosby return a ho-hum in U.S.: More than 250 media members were accredited to cover Sidney Crosby's dramatic return to action Monday, and Versus (soon to rebranded NBC Sports) earned kudos for changing its schedule on the fly to televise the event. The U.S. cable network had trucks headed to Montreal to cover the Canadiens-Bruins game, but rerouted them to Pittsburgh when the Penguins confirmed Crosby's return. Unfortunately, the U.S. sporting public didn't appreciate the effort because the telecast drew an audience in the 200,000 range. CBC also responded to the news by putting together a special edition of Hockey Night in Canada. CBC boasted an average audience of 1.2 million viewers, with a peak of 1.55 million when Crosby scored his first goal. The network said more than 5 million viewers took at least a peek at the action. Crosby will be back on HNIC Saturday when the Penguins visit the Canadiens. Canadiens on the cheap: The Anaheim Ducks, who rank 25th in NHL attendance with an average crowd of 14,906, are trying to attract fans with a variety of holiday packages. The most attractive is a three-game Thanksgiving package that includes games against the Detroit Red Wings, the Canadiens and the Phoenix Coyotes. The package starts at $48, which comes out to $16 a game. That's what fans pay for a hotdog and a beer at the Bell Centre. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.25.2011

590443

Montreal Canadiens

Hurricanes' Skinner still learning

590442

Montreal Canadiens

By PAT HICKEY

Canadiens get early wake-up call

By PAT HICKEY

Jeff Skinner was a major surprise last season when he not only earned a spot on the Carolina Hurricanes at the tender age of 18, but also captured the Calder Trophy as the National Hockey League's rookie of the year. "We can't be surprised anymore," Hurricanes head coach Paul Maurice said of Skinner, who is the team's leader in goals (nine) and points (21). "If there was any glitch, it was an exhibition schedule with very little to show for it and you're answering more questions about that sophomore jinx. "But he's bigger," Maurice said. "Not by a lot, but clearly he's a stronger man. I almost felt that he was being so respectful of the players he faced, even in practice, last year. But there are some things he's trying now, like that spinorama against (Philadelphia defenceman Kimmo) Timonen that he might not have pulled off and tried to pull off last year." But Maurice stressed that Skinner, who was the youngest player in the NHL last season, is still learning. "There have been games where he's been trying that where you don't want him trying that," Maurice said. "There's the confidence which is great and we don't want to take any of that away, but we're looking for him to get a greater understanding of what you can do in the NHL game and what you can't try.

Random notes while wondering how many Americans were thankful they got to watch the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day: Unexpected wake-up call: With a noon practice, some of the Canadiens were planning to sleep in Thursday, but Brian Gionta was among those who received an unexpected wake-up call. "My room's in the front of the hotel and I woke up when I heard the parade," Gionta said. The parade was the annual Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day parade, which dates back to 1920. That makes it the oldest Thanksgiving Day parade in the U.S., although it's not as well-known as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. A tip on the parade's official website recommends: "Stay downtown on Wednesday night so you'll wake up right next to the parade," and it

"(It's not good) when it goes beyond being a great individual player to - and I won't attach this word to him - a selfish player (who says) I'm going to try this no matter what the score or where I am on the ice." Maurice said he has seen signs of this understanding. "The last three games, he made some adjustments in his thought process with the puck and I like the way that's fit with the overall team game," Maurice said. "Your leading scorer gets some room and you want him to take some chances, but there are times for those guys, and I've seen this with (Eric) Staal, when you don't need to take those chances and there's at least one game every season where you absolutely aren't playing any different than a fourth-line checker." Skinner is playing right wing on a line wth Staal at centre and Jussi Jokinen on the left wing. But he was a high-scoring centre with the Kitchener Rangers and Maurice believes that is the position he will play in the future. "You get the puck more as a centre and clearly you want him to have the puck but, at the same time, it takes a physical toll to play centre and it takes experience. Hopefully, in two or three years, there's an opening or an injury and he moves to centre and never looks back." What's in a name: The Canadiens have played their last game at the RBC Centre. No, the Hurricanes aren't moving to Quebec City or Kansas City or Las Vegas. But the arena here will be the latest NHL facility to get a new name when Pittsburghbased PNC Bank takes over the Royal Bank's retail banking business operations in the southeastern U.S. The new name, most probably PNC Arena, should be in place when the Canadiens are back here onApril 5. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.25.2011

Being on a lot of medication creates problems, Petersons wife, Tami, said. It only works for so long, and the medication isnt working how its supposed to. Tami said Brent initially resisted the procedure. His symptoms werent strong enough, and he was OK with using his medication. But last year, his symptoms started to become worse. Peterson was unable to go on the ice to coach. After the season, he had to step down as associate coach. They said hed have five good years and he had nine, Tami said. We make the best of what were dealt. You cant cry over spilled milk. He has this opportunity so we have to take it. Last summer they went to an education session on DBS at Vanderbilt, where Peterson receives his treatment for his disease, and heard the arguments for the surgery. On the drive home, Brent turned to Tami and said, Im going to get evaluated. I was surprised at that because he said he would never do it, Tami said. I stood in a meeting two years ago, and I saw five men stand up and say, I said Im never going to do this and its the best thing I ever did. To get evaluated, Peterson needed to go off his Parkinsons medication for several days. This was in order to see how far the disease had progressed and how much his medications improved his faculties. I was a perfect candidate because my medications helped me immensely and made me look normal, Brent said. It was hard (going off the medication) because I didnt sleep at all. It was really hard. I dont think I could survive without it because I was locked up all the time and I couldnt move and I didnt want to go out of the house. I had to sit there and couldnt do anything, and everything I did do was slow and at turtle speed and was really tough. As a hockey family, the Petersons had witnessed all different types of injuries. In his life, Brent estimates he has undergone 10 surgical procedures. But there were few things they had seen that mirrored Brents experience without his medication. That was the hardest thing Ive seen him go through, Tami said. After the testing was complete, a panel of his doctors deemed Peterson fit for the surgery. Peterson said his operations would include four separate procedures. First his doctors will put in the electrodes, he said. Then they will put a wire down his neck. Then they add the pacemaker. On Dec. 19, they will turn on the pacemaker. I have a blank face when Im locked up, Peterson said. After the procedure, I shouldnt have this blank face and this stiffness. During this tough time, Peterson and his family have constantly praised the Predators organization and its support. But in some ways its personal for the team. Poiles father, Bud, was also diagnosed with Parkinsons. Barry Trotz, to me, says the best line to making decisions. He always says, Do the right thing, Poile said. I will give him authorship of that quote. We all know what the right thing is with Brent. As with all surgeries, complications are possible. The Petersons main fear involves infection, and the possibility that they might need to come back for another operation if this one doesnt work. But to them, its worth the risk. Theres no need to wait, Brent said. Im 53 and losing time now. Tennessean LOADED: 11.25.2011

590444

Nashville Predators

Former Predators assistant Brent Peterson picks surgery to fight Parkinson's

Written by Josh Cooper | The Tennessean

Brent Peterson doesnt give the appearance of a sleep-deprived man. Go to Bridgestone Arena and the Predators hockey operations adviser is in constant motion from the coachs offices, to General Manager David Poiles game viewing box, to the locker room. But Peterson is tired. Exhausted by the increasing dosages of medicines to treat his Parkinsons disease. Drained by the three to four hours of sleep he gets most nights because of his illness coupled with his prescriptions. I take a quick catnap sometimes, he said with a wink. Despite his cheery demeanor, he knows its time to change his quality of life for the better. Time to ease his Parkinsons symptoms and loosen his locked-up limbs. Time to make him able to, at some degree, live the life he used to live before 2003 when he was diagnosed with Parkinsons. On Nov. 29, Peterson is scheduled to start a procedure called Deep Brain Stimulation, or DBS. Its a type of neurosurgery given to candidates who are approved by their doctors after testing. Its supposed to level it out, Peterson said. It has worked for almost everyone who has gone in. They make sure youre a candidate. Its been showing its going to help me. For several years, Peterson knew that DBS was an option. The surgery places electrodes in the brain and a pacemaker near the collarbone. The pacemaker is supposed to control the electrodes, which stem the symptoms of Parkinsons caused by certain parts of the brain. Its not a cure by any means, but it is supposed to weaken the symptoms and lessen Petersons medication.

590445

New Jersey Devils

Devils' Martin Brodeur puts rough start in his rearview mirror

By Colin Stephenson/The Star-Ledger

The goals-against average finally slipped under 3.00 Wednesday night, thanks to 65 minutes of one-goal hockey. And the 35 saves he made helped boost his save percentage to more familiar territory as well. Martin Brodeur, his season interrupted early on by a shoulder injury that cost him roughly three weeks of playing time, appears to be rounding into form now, as the Devils have finished the first quarter of their season. Brodeur has started the last four games in net for Devils, winning three of them, the latest being a 2-1 shootout triumph over the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Prudential Center. Brodeur was marvelous in that game, especially in the third period, when the Devils were outshot, 17-3. His 16 saves kept the Devils in the game, and he easily stopped both Blue Jacket attempts in the shootout. He was our best player, and he was our best player at a key time in the third period, when we ran out of gas a little bit, made some mental mistakes, Devils coach Pete DeBoer said today, after a brief, 35-minute practice before the team bused over to Long Island for Fridays 3 p.m. game against the Islanders. He was there to bail us out. DeBoer said he will start backup Johan Hedberg on Friday in the front end of the home-and-home with the Isles and see where he goes from there. Barring some extraordinary circumstances, figure Brodeur will be back in net tomorrow, when the Devils and Isles face off at 1 p.m. at the Prudential Center. DeBoer said Brodeur has played well all season, from the first day of training camp on. But Brodeur who has been known to start slowly in the past said he is definitely playing better hockey now than he was earlier in the season. My game is coming along a lot better, I think, the NHLs all-time winningest goalie said. Just the way that I control my game; how I play the puck, how I control my rebounds all stuff like that. Ill get goals scored on me it is what it is. Its a different league nothing is safe anymore. Weve seen it with three-goal leads, you lose games, and you win games if youre down 2-0 or whatever. But for me, Im starting to feel where I left off last year (when he went 18-8-2, with a 1.86 GAA, .923 save percentage and three shutouts in his final 29 appearances). Notes: Forward Nick Palmieri was assigned to AHL Albany. Hes just got to play, DeBoer said of Palmieri. Hes got to play with confidence. Its not an easy league to play in, and weve got some depth here some guys we can move in and out. He needs to go back and find his game. DeBoer was asked whether he thinks this will be a temporary assignment for Palmieri, for whom the team had such high hopes when the season started that he was part of a line with Ilya Kovalchuk. I hope so, DeBoer said. We all are big on him, as a player, and as a kid. Hes got a lot of tools. Its tough to find big power forwards. Hes just got a few things hes got to work on, and hopefully, well see the same things we saw with Adam Henrique, when we sent him down early. DeBoer was asked about another young player, Adam Larsson, whose 18:49 of ice time in Wednesdays game was the least of any defenseman and a full four minutes below his season average of 22:50. I just think were managing the schedule, DeBoer said. Youve got a young player that weve used in all situations early, but our schedules been very demanding lately, and we want to really manage his ice time so that we dont put him in vulnerable spots. Star Ledger LOADED: 11.25.2011

Greetings, Devils fans, and a Happy Thanksgiving Day to all. Colin here, filling in for Rich at Devils practice, where the news of the day is that forward Nick Palmieri is not with the team, having been assigned to AHL Albany. Palmieri had 3 goals, 3 assists, with a plus-minus of minus-5, and 12 penalty minutes. He played 8:17 in Wednesday's 2-1 shootout win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Aside from Palmieri, everyone else seems to be at practice. Star Ledger LOADED: 11.25.2011

590447

New Jersey Devils

Devs, Isles off on opposite paths

By BRETT CYRGALIS Last Updated: 1:31 AM, November 25, 2011 Posted: 1:24 AM, November 25, 2011

Encouraging signs can only carry a team so far, so the Islanders, losers of seven of the past eight, need to start putting up wins before they find themselves on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. Yet, encouraging signs are what the Isles can take away from Wednesdays 4-3 overtime loss to the Flyers especially the play of Kyle Okposo, who scored his first two goals of the season after being a healthy scratch for three games. I thought Kyle really responded, head coach Jack Capuano said after the game. Clearly [he] was one of the better players on the ice, and it was good to see that. Okposo, reteamed with his old linemates, center Frans Nielsen and speedy winger Michael Grabner, played a hard game at both ends of the ice. Thats something Capuano has repeatedly emphasized, and it resulted in the scoring touch that had eluded the 23-year-old for the first 15 games. Something clicked mentally and Im happy to be back, Okposo said. I try to play like that every night and goals are just a byproduct of that. The Islanders (5-10-4) are going to need a tough mental outlook when they host the Devils (11-8-1) for the first game of a two-day home-and-home this afternoon. The Devils, who beat the Blue Jackets 2-1 in a shootout on Wednesday, are winners of three of their past four games and seven of the past 10. We played some really good teams and had great chances to beat every single one of them, Devils captain Zach Parise said on Wednesday. I dont like using the clich play 60 minutes, but I think thats what it was for us. We need to play the same style the whole game. Parise, who is on a one-year $6 million deal that might find him traded by the February deadline, has six goals and is disappointed the Devils have blown two three-goal leads in the past five games. We did good things, did things pretty decent, Parise said after the victory over Columbus. But again, we had some breakdowns at the end and I guess the coaches watched the game again and said, I dont know if its by nature or what, but we not necessarily sat back, but we werent as aggressive as we were. The Islanders waived forward Blake Comeau yesterday. If he clears waivers, he will be assigned to Bridgeport. ... The Devils assigned RW Nick Palmieri to Albany (AHL). New York Post LOADED: 11.25.2011

590446

New Jersey Devils 590448 New York Islanders

Devils send forward Nick Palmieri to Albany Devs, Isles off on opposite paths By Colin Stephenson/The Star-Ledger

By BRETT CYRGALIS Last Updated: 1:31 AM, November 25, 2011 Posted: 1:24 AM, November 25, 2011

committed. Everybody was competing, which was a little bit of an issue the last two games. Trailing 3-1 after the first period, the Flyers replaced goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov with Sergei Bobrovsky, who saved all 23 shots he faced. Unable to score on two breakaways from Matt Moulson and John Tavares 20 seconds apart in the second period, as well as a Steve Staios wrist shot saved by the butt of Bobrovskys stick, the Islanders gave up the lead with 5:42 left in the third period. Flyers defenseman Braydon Coburn fired the puck off the side boards, which bounced high off the glass behind the Islanders net and slid right in front of the crease. DiPietro swatted his glove to retrieve it, only grazing it, as Briere scooped it up and scored top shelf. A couple bad bounces, I dont even know what to say, DiPietro said. It came out funny, went right to his stick and he didnt make a mistake with it. After dropping their previous two games by a combined 11-0, the Islanders were tested right away. As fans were still finding their seats, 18 seconds into the game, Andrej Meszaros was firing a shot over the shoulder of DiPietro. The crowd unleashed a collective moan of disbelief, they knew was all too believable. But, the heads didnt hang. The shoulders didnt slump. For a team that had been handling deficits about as well as the federal government, the Islanders answered 19 seconds later on Kyle Okposos first goal of the season. Okposo, who connected on the one-timer from a Michael Grabner pass behind the net, finished the night with two goals and one assist and was aggressive at both ends, perhaps emerging from the season-long abyss that caused his three healthy scratches last week. Grabner finished with one goal and two assists. It was big for confidence, Okposo said of his first goal. It was nice to get that one. We just have to work on closing it out. We played a good, hard hockey game tonight. Its just unfortunate we didnt come up with the extra point. With only six healthy defensemen, forwards Brian Rolston, Marty Reasoner and Nino Niederreiter were scratched last night. New York Post LOADED: 11.25.2011

Encouraging signs can only carry a team so far, so the Islanders, losers of seven of the past eight, need to start putting up wins before they find themselves on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. Yet, encouraging signs are what the Isles can take away from Wednesdays 4-3 overtime loss to the Flyers especially the play of Kyle Okposo, who scored his first two goals of the season after being a healthy scratch for three games. I thought Kyle really responded, head coach Jack Capuano said after the game. Clearly [he] was one of the better players on the ice, and it was good to see that. Okposo, reteamed with his old linemates, center Frans Nielsen and speedy winger Michael Grabner, played a hard game at both ends of the ice. Thats something Capuano has repeatedly emphasized, and it resulted in the scoring touch that had eluded the 23-year-old for the first 15 games. Something clicked mentally and Im happy to be back, Okposo said. I try to play like that every night and goals are just a byproduct of that. The Islanders (5-10-4) are going to need a tough mental outlook when they host the Devils (11-8-1) for the first game of a two-day home-and-home this afternoon. The Devils, who beat the Blue Jackets 2-1 in a shootout on Wednesday, are winners of three of their past four games and seven of the past 10. We played some really good teams and had great chances to beat every single one of them, Devils captain Zach Parise said on Wednesday. I dont like using the clich play 60 minutes, but I think thats what it was for us. We need to play the same style the whole game. Parise, who is on a one-year $6 million deal that might find him traded by the February deadline, has six goals and is disappointed the Devils have blown two three-goal leads in the past five games. We did good things, did things pretty decent, Parise said after the victory over Columbus. But again, we had some breakdowns at the end and I guess the coaches watched the game again and said, I dont know if its by nature or what, but we not necessarily sat back, but we werent as aggressive as we were. The Islanders waived forward Blake Comeau yesterday. If he clears waivers, he will be assigned to Bridgeport. ... The Devils assigned RW Nick Palmieri to Albany (AHL). New York Post LOADED: 11.25.2011

590450

New York Islanders

Islanders put struggling Comeau on waivers

By ARTHUR STAPLE arthur.staple@newsday.com Blake Comeau at the Nassau Coliseum. (Oct. 10,

590449

New York Islanders

Islanders lose to Flyers in OT

Blake Comeau came into training camp as a bit of a question mark. He had 24 goals a season ago, fourth-most on the team, but he was signed to only a one-year, $2.5-million deal because general manger Garth Snow and the organization needed to see more consistency. Less than a quarter of the way into this season, Comeau has provided only more questions, no answers. The team placed the 25-year-old wing on waivers Thursday after Comeau went without a point in his first 16 games (he was a healthy scratch for three others). He was a minus-11 and looked lost for long stretches on a team that has struggled to find offense outside of a handful of players. If Comeau is not claimed by noon Friday, he will be sent to Bridgeport, where he spent parts of three seasons before becoming an Islanders regular in 2009-10. With a prorated salary of roughly $1.9 million, he might be an attractive waiver claim for teams such as the Flames or Ducks, who also have struggled offensively. Comeau has not been the only Islander to struggle. Kyle Okposo sat out three straight games before returning earlier this week, and he produced his first two goals of the season plus an assist in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Flyers.

By HOWIE KUSSOY Last Updated: 9:33 AM, November 24, 2011 Posted: 12:40 AM, November 24, 2011

The Islanders finally proved they can take a punch, but ultimately could not deliver the knockout blow. After surrendering a two-goal lead against the Flyers last night at Nassau Coliseum, the Islanders failed to convert on a power-play in overtime and lost their third straight game shortly after, 4-3, as Danny Briere fired his second goal of the game past the glove of Rick DiPietro. Theres a lot of positives and I think we played a solid game overall, right wing P.A. Parenteau said. Weve got to build on what we did tonight. We didnt capitalize on the 4-on-3 and thats on us, but the guys were

Marty Reasoner, a veteran free agent signed in the summer, sat out for the first time this season Wednesday after posting one assist through 18 games and a team-worst minus-13 rating. The seven defensemen used by the team this season have totaled three goals, only one at even strength. "We have to have some secondary scoring to win games," Jack Capuano said last week. "It can't just be one or two guys we rely on." John Tavares started the season on a tear but has gone eight games without a goal, making the failures of Comeau and the rest of the depth forwards even more glaring. The Islanders will know whether Comeau remains in the organization by the time they gather for Friday's 3 p.m. game with the Devils at the Coliseum. Snow and Capuano hope the message already has gotten through to the remaining players: The Islanders will try to change things up if there are more problems. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 11.25.2011

Tortorella and Brad Richards both said while the Rangers offense is taking most of the recent heat (one goal in the past two games), its the defense that must improve for the squad to pick up points, like it during its preceding seven-game winning streak. I think weve lost ourselves a little bit defensively, Tortorella said. Because of some slow decision-making, weve lost some of our defense, and our offense will not come back if we dont get our defense straightened out. It starts on defense, Richards said. We cant give up 40 shots a game, then we spend all of our time running around in the defensive zone, chasing the puck and it tires you out for offense. After Fridays game, the Rangers will be featured on HBO at 9:15 p.m. in a 12-minute preview of the upcoming reality series, "24/7." The four-episode series will accompany the Rangers and Flyers leading up to their Jan. 2 outdoor matchup at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, the 2012 NHL Winter Classic. HBOs crew also plans to be at the Garden Saturday when the Rangers and Flyers face off for their first of six meetings this season at 2 p.m. Eventually, the weekly series will air on Wednesdays Dec. 14, 21 and 28, and after the game, concluding on Jan. 4.

590451

New York Rangers

NY Rangers' Andre Deveaux likely to be suspended for illegal check to head Team calls up possible replacements for Friday's game at Washington

New York Daily News LOADED: 11.25.2011

590452 By Pat Leonard NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Friday, November 25 2011, 12:47 AM

New York Rangers

Team play Rangers Rx for skid

By TIM BONTEMPS WASHINGTON The Rangers recalled forwards Carl Hagelin and John Mitchell from their AHL affiliate, the Connecticut Whale, Thursday night in preparation for Andre Deveauxs likely suspension for an illegal check to the head of Panthers forward Tomas Fleischmann in Wednesdays 2-1 loss. Deveaux discussed his elbow to Fleischmanns face in a conference call with NHL representatives Thursday afternoon, missing most of the Blueshirts Thanksgiving Day practice at the Verizon Center to explain the penalty. Brendan Shanahan, effectively the leagues disciplinarian, will not rule on Deveauxs hit until Friday, when the Rangers (10-5-3) take on the Capitals (12-7-1) at 4 p.m. looking to snap a two-game losing streak. But the team still could have received word the winger would miss the game, which would force it to take action so it wouldnt be shorthanded at just 11 healthy forwards. Hagelin, the Rangers sixth-round pick (168th overall) in the 2007 entry draft, would make his NHL debut if John Tortorella decides to dress the 23year-old Swedish left winger. Mitchell, 26, played in 159 games with the Maple Leafs through three seasons after Toronto drafted him in the fifth round (158th overall) of the 2003 draft. The Rangers acquired him on Feb. 28 in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2012. The Blueshirts were able to add the cap hits of Hagelin ($875,000) and Mitchell ($650,000) without exceeding the $64.3 million ceiling. Second-year winger Mats Zuccarello, who had a strong training camp and seems as good a candidate as any to improve a struggling power play, is left with the Whale. He played only three games with the Rangers before being assigned to Connecticut on Oct. 15. The Rangers, meanwhile, will face the Capitals for the first time since Washington eliminated them in the first round of last seasons playoffs in just five games. The Caps swept all three games played at the Verizon Center in the series, including the clinching 3-1 decision on April 23. Playoff series build rivalries, Blueshirts forward Eric Christensen said after practice Thursday. When we play the Capitals, it definitely feels like a bit of a rivalry. Last Updated: 1:32 AM, November 25, 2011 Posted: 1:25 AM, November 25, 2011

Last season, the Rangers defined themselves by their Black-and-Blueshirt mentality. After a pair of demoralizing losses to the Canadiens and Panthers in the past week, Rangers forward Brandon Dubinsky said he thinks the team needs to get back to playing that way starting this afternoon against the Capitals in Washington. Weve got to make sure were there supporting each other, Dubinsky said after Wednesdays 2-1 loss at Florida. It doesnt help if you have one guy there on the forecheck making a hit and theres no one there to pick up the puck. I think its just a matter of mind-set. Weve just got to know that we can be better, and weve got to go out and execute. ... Thats the biggest thing for me. Dubinsky attributed the offensive woes against Montreal and Florida, in which they combined for one goal and were outshot 69-37, to not playing the Black-and-Blueshirt game. Thats a big part of our game, going and getting pucks and winning battles and being a good team grinding and cycling, Dubinsky said. All of those things happen because youre supporting one another. One guy makes a hit, another takes the puck. One guy rotates up the wall, another goes and gives him support. Its just not there consistently right now to get our offense going. One player who likely wont be able to contribute to the Rangers effort to get back on track today is forward Andre Deveaux, who spoke with the league office about his inexcusable elbow to the head of Panthers forward Tomas Fleischmann that resulted in a match penalty and ejection Wednesday. Deveaux will learn what his punishment is today. Based on the moves the Rangers made yesterday, recalling forwards Carl Hagelin and John Mitchell from the AHLs Connecticut Whale, they arent expecting Deveaux to be available.

With the Rangers in the midst of an offensive dry spell, they will be hoping Hagelin, their sixth-round pick in 2007, can provide them with a spark. Hagelin, who could make his NHL debut today, was tied for the Whale lead in goals (seven), was second in points (13), and led the team with a plus12. Mitchell was acquired from the Maple Leafs in February for a seventh-round pick in the 2012 draft. The 26-year-old, who appeared in 159 games for Toronto over the past three seasons, has also been putting up points for the Whale. New York Post LOADED: 11.25.2011

Several Rangers have said Aprils five-game loss to the Capitals provided motivation for this season. After losing the first two games in Washington, including an overtime loss in Game 1, the Rangers won Game 3 at Madison Square Garden and took a 3-0 lead into the third period of Game 4 before the Capitals rallied for a 4-3 double overtime victory. "Two of the last three years theyve ended our season so, obviously, theres some motivation there," said Girardi, adding about the Rangers game, "I think were close to getting back." Last season, the Rangers suffered through nine streaks of at least three losses, including an 0-6-3 skid. BRIEF: Andre Deveaux left the Rangers practice at Verizon Center early on Thursday to attend a conference call disciplinary hearing regarding his elbow to the head of the Panthers Tomas Fleischmann on Wednesday. Deveaux received a match penalty and a decision on a suspension is expected today. In anticipation of losing Deveaux, the Rangers recalled forwards Carl Hagelin and John Mitchell from Connecticut (AHL) on Thursday. Bergen Record LOADED: 11.25.2011

590453

New York Rangers

Rangers at Capitals

Herald News

Rangers at Capitals Today, 4 p.m. TV: MSG Radio: ESPN-AM 1050 Story line: The Rangers (10-5-3) won both regular-season games in Washington last season and three of their last four but the Capitals (12-7-1) are 8-1-1 at home this season. Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin (seven goals, nine assists), has gone six games without a goal. Bergen Record LOADED: 11.25.2011 Rangers look to snap two-game skid 590455 New York Rangers

By ANTHONY RIEBER

After the Rangers' offense fizzled for the second straight game in Wednesday's 2-1 loss to the Panthers, coach John Tortorella was asked what the keys are to getting the unit going. "Oh, a number of things," he said. "A number of things." Asked if he could specify some of them, Tortorella said, "Nope. Not right now. I'll specify it with the team." After winning seven straight games, the Rangers have dropped two in a row, and they scored one lonely goal in the losses. If not for goalie Henrik Lundqvist's superb work Wednesday, the Panthers would have won by a larger margin. "The last two games, we've played teams that were pretty fast and moved the puck, and we've had a tough time holding on to the puck," said Lundqvist, who stopped 36 shots, including all 17 in a scoreless third period during which Florida was the more aggressive team. "We know we have to be better." After an early-season schedule filled with international travel and not enough practice time, the Rangers (10-5-3) settled into a routine during their winning streak. Then they had two games in an eight-day span -- last Saturday's 4-0 defeat in Montreal and Wednesday's loss in Sunrise, Fla., to a surging Panthers squad. Tortorella rejected the notion that the Rangers could look to the inconsistent schedule as a factor in their struggles. "Then we're looking for excuses," he said. "We have to stay together, just as we did as we were winning. I thought we were winning hockey games when we stayed within our team concept. I think it's gotten away from us a little bit, the details of the game. I hope nobody's giving you excuses in the locker room, because it isn't that. It comes and goes, so we've got to try and grab some momentum and have something good happen to us for a period, and hopefully we can build off of that." The building, they hope, begins Friday when the Rangers visit the Washington Capitals. In fact, it began Thursday when the team held a holiday practice at the Verizon Center to try to work on some of the keys Tortorella presumably specified to the players. "The big thing to me is just the confidence in each other," Brandon Dubinsky said. "We've got to make sure we're supporting each other. It doesn't matter if one guy is on the forecheck if there's nobody to pick up the puck. I don't think it's where it needs to be. We're a good team when we're

590454

New York Rangers

Blueshirts look to end slide

By ANDREW GROSS STAFF WRITER

The difference between a losing streak and a long losing streak often tends to be how the team handles the adversity. Defenseman Dan Girardi believes the Rangers, who bring a two-game slide into todays game against the Capitals at Verizon Center, have the confidence to avoid a lengthy drought. "I think its a lot better than in years past," Girardi said. "Its been the same group now for three, four years. I think weve grown as a group to be more confident when things arent going our way and get rid of the stuff thats making us not win and change it and go in the right direction." Today marks the conclusion of a four-game road trip. The Rangers are coming off Wednesdays 2-1 loss at Florida, which followed a more sluggish 4-0 loss at Montreal on Saturday. The Rangers combined for just 37 shots in those games. Their power play is on an 0 for 11 slide in their past three games and is 4-for-39 over the Rangers last nine games. The Rangers are also in the midst of their toughest stretch so far of the season. The Panthers lead the Southeast Division. After facing the Capitals, who have knocked the Rangers out of the first round of the playoffs in two of the past three seasons, the Rangers host the Flyers and Penguins, two teams ahead of them in the Atlantic Division. "We know we have to play better," goalie Henrik Lundqvist said. "We have a couple of tough games the rest of the way."

grinding and cycling and all those things happen because we're supporting." Rangers add two.The Rangers Thursday recalled forwards Carl Hagelin and John Mitchell from the Connecticut Whale of the AHL. Newsday LOADED: 11.25.2011 590456 NHL

with my stick. He came over and said can you imagine if you cut me during warm-ups. I was just a buffoon out there, Deutsch said. After the warm-up was over he discovered that Hackett had arrived in time. Deutschs locker had already been cleaned out to make way for the NHLer. Reality hit in a hurry. I was just gone. And there was my little chair with towel on it sitting in the room off the locker room where the sewing machine is and the skate sharpener and that stuff, Deutsch said. Deutsch stuck around to sit in on Wild coach Mike Yeos pre-game team meeting before taking his equipment off and heading to a suite with members of his daughters under-14 girls hockey team, which he coaches. He watched his beloved Wild win their fifth straight game with Harding making 23 saves. The whole thing was pretty cool, he told the Star, adding he hopes he doesnt have to pay for the puck he threw into the crowd as a souvenir.

Minnesota Wild calls on 51-year-old beer league goalie

Richard J. Brennan

Beer league goalie Paul Deutsch says it finally dawned on him that being called up by the Minnesota Wild wasnt a dream when a valet parking attendant at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul opened his minivan door. Here they were valet parking my minivan. There is a Range Rover is in front of me and an Audi is behind and here Ive got my four-cylinder minivan with the company logo on the side. The valet guys were dying (laughing), Deutsch told the Toronto Star Thursday. All the 51-year-old owner of an embroidery and screen sprint shop in the St. Pauls area called up by the Wild on Wednesday as an emergency backup goalie says the only thing he can remember about the trip to the arena is being really scared and in a state of disbelief. After all, his reason for making the trip is one of hockey legend, the kind of story that gives hope to pickup hockey players everywhere. I raced home and got my gear and started heading down to the arena . . . I dont even remember how I got there. I was thinking to myself I cant go into this game I dont deserve to be there. I was very scared because what if , said the seasons ticket holder. Earlier in they day he got the call from Bob Mason, the Wilds goalie coach and golfing buddy, saying he had to sign a contract right away because he was needed immediately as an emergency backup to starter Josh Harding for Wednesdays game against the Nashville Predators. I got called at 3 p.m. and I was probably at the arena by 4:30 p.m., said Deutsch, who joked that it did mean having to give up his regular Wednesday night game. Because of NHL rules, the Wild werent allowed to sign a goaltender with professional experience. Deutschs amateur tryout contract fit within the rules. Almost a year ago, a desperate Phoenix Coyote team in a game against the Rangers turned to Tom Fenton, a 26-year-old graduate student former goalie from Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y. The Canadian-born Fenton too didnt get into the game but has a story to tell his grandkids. While Deutsch is no stranger to some of the Wild brass hes a good friend of former Wild assistant coach Mike Ramsey and has been the practice goalie for a number of years for the team, this call was entirely different. He was one injury away from having the professional spotlight on him. Deutsch, who didnt even start playing goalie until he was 37, was signed after Niklas Backstrom was declared out for personal reasons. And it was unclear if the night before the U.S. Thanksgiving whether Matt Hackett, being recalled from Houston, could make it to the Twin Cities in time. I was very scared because here we were talking about Hackett coming from Houston on Thanksgiving eve. Come on, hows going to do that? Deutschs improbable shot at playing in an NHL game ended almost as quickly as it started when Hackett arrived at the arena just before the 7 p.m. game time and Deutsch was scratched. He did however get out on the ice for about a minute or so during the warmups and better yet, he gets to keep his jersey. Chuck Fletcher, the Wild general manager, has also promised a copy of his NHL contract. This is something that I didnt even realize, on that ice for a warm-up there are 40 men out there, big guys and there is nowhere to go. And I couldnt get out of the way. I almost clipped (Minnesota Wild forward Brad) Staubitz

Toronto Star LOADED: 11.25.2011

590457

Ottawa Senators

Hockey players must chose between fighting, quality of life: researcher

By Greg Harder

REGINA Patrick Neary has dedicated several years of meticulous research to unlocking the concussion enigma. Regardless of how many doors he may open, Neary is resigned to the fact that hell never completely understand how the sport of hockey can take such progressive measures to discourage head shots while at the same time clinging to a method of bare-knuckle justice from a bygone era. I know what Ive observed with my research and, in my own personal opinion, it would be a better game without fighting in it, said Neary, executive director of the Dr. Paul Schwann Applied Health and Research Centre in Regina. When it comes to the Olympics, its such wonderful hockey to watch. I think they need to take fighting out of the game because I never believed it was part of the game. Nearys sentiments apply to head shots in general, the kind of heedless hits that have turned concussions into an epidemic while shortening careers and perhaps lives in the process. Through his travels, Neary has heard too many horror stories about oldschool athletes who ignore concussion symptoms in the interest of putting food on the table with little regard for the long-term consequences. People are going to have to make decisions, he noted. If I have another 60 or 70 years on this planet, how do I want to live it? Do I want to live it in a wheelchair with somebody feeding me or do I want to be a productive member of society? In discussing the perils of pugilism, Neary is quick to point out that the elimination of fighting is a hot-button issue with strong feelings on each side of the debate. In a sense, he can relate to both. A scientist by day, avid Toronto Maple Leafs fan by night, Neary has played the game his entire life and still laces up the skates recreationally. His passion and his profession have crossed paths through assisting the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings and the Canadian mens Olympic squad with medical/fitness testing. His work has also taken him to the NHL scouting combine in Toronto for the past four years. Closer to home, Nearys son Seamus played hockey as a youngster before launching his football career as a defensive back with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. As a father and a concussion expert, the elder Neary admits to some concern about the unpredictable elements of contact sports hockey in particular. Its tough because Im so passionate about hockey, he said. But, with the information I know now and all the research Ive done, I would be hesitant

to send (his own son) into the hockey environment with somebody taking a shot at him, hitting him in the head, using their elbow, that type of thing. The (guilty party) gets a two-minute minor or maybe a five-minute major and maybe kicked out of the game. (The victim) might be kicked out of life. We need to have more respect for our opponent. If I knew that they were controlling the (illegal) hitting and if I knew there was no longer any fighting, then I would probably allow him to play, but the way the situation is right now I would certainly say, We need to reconsider. Lets take up tennis or golf. Over the past eight years, Neary who has a PhD in exercise physiology has studied close to 100 concussion cases. More than half of those have been hockey players, including 15 or 20 from the Canadian Interuniversity Sport ranks who were part of a study while he was working at the University of New Brunswick. Based upon his research and knowledge of the sport, Neary applauds the recent measures taken by the NHL, CHL and Hockey Canada to reduce head shots through changes in rules, equipment and hopefully attitude. All those steps are important to try and make the game safer, said Neary. Unfortunately, my own personal opinion is, you will never take concussions out of the game until we start playing without any hitting. Even then, concussions could still happen. You dont have to hit your head to get a concussion. You can twist your head around and that whiplash movement will give you a concussion. Until you completely abstain from any hitting youre going to continue getting concussions in any league, in my opinion. Thats not to say Neary advocates removing body contact from hockey. However, he does support improving public awareness about the inherent risks of the game. I hate to say this but I think the Sidney Crosby situation has been so helpful, he said. When I played hockey back in the 70s, I remember being knocked out in a game in Grade 12 and I just went and sat on the bench for a few shifts and then I finished the game. A lot has changed since then but I still think we need more education. In that respect, Neary also believes that lessons in hockey can be applied to everyday life. Some will argue that going to school and falling off the swings will do the same thing, he noted. Where do we stop and where do we put people into a bubble or not put people into a bubble? Those are all legitimate arguments. Its important that our kids grow up with sports, learn the value that you can gain, the camaraderie and all that. But just be very, very sensible when things happen. There are things you cant do when you have a concussion. If these kids are in junior hockey, playing for the Pats or Moose Jaw or whoever, and theyre taking these bus trips, theyre loud, theyre up late, theyre not recovering. Whats needed is complete rest, no cognitive challenge. I highly recommend that (any student with a concussion) have to take days off of school and the administrators have to come to the realization that its a serious thing. Neary specializes in exercise fatigue and how the brain and muscles work together, which could help reveal what causes concussions and how to treat them. He also examines the relationship between the head and the heart, with evidence to suggest that concussion problems could make sufferers more susceptible to cardiac issues. Although not in his field of expertise, Neary also agrees with a movement towards greater scrutiny on the impact concussions might have on depression, an area which has come to light following the recent deaths of Rick Rypien, Derek Boogaard and Wade Belak. With so many angles from which to look at concussions, Neary believes the medical community in some regards is still just scratching the surface. Mild-traumatic brain injury or sport-induced concussion is very perplexing, he added. Once we know what the physiological mechanisms are, then I think we can move forward. I still think theres going to be a lot of research in the next little while. I dont want to say were on the tip of the iceberg because I think theres a lot more known than that. We are starting to put the pieces together. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.25.2011

590458

Ottawa Senators

Scanlan: Sens Cyborg shy on Calder chatter

By Wayne Scanlan

OTTAWA Colin Greening doesn't expect to follow up a Calder Cup season with a Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie. Never mind that this 6-3, 212-pound Senators power forward stands sixth among rookie scorers with 10 points, including six goals. Greening wants Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and the other Calder contenders to know theyve got nothing to worry about. I think those (other) guys have it in the bag, says Greening, while packing his equipment bag for the trip to Pittsburgh and tonights date with Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. Im more of a meat and potatoes kind of guy. Does Greening even keep track of the rookie leaders, paced by NugentHopkins of the Edmonton Oilers with 22 points? The only rookie Ive been checking out is Luke Adam, because hes a fellow Newfoundlander, Greening says, bursting into one those giant smiles that come as easily to him as a strong forecheck. Actually, I spoke to Luke after our Buffalo game to congratulate him on everything and ask him how hes doing, Greening says. Hes doing really well, so Im proud of him. Adam, 21, a fellow St. Johns native three years younger than Greening, is indeed off to a strong start, with 14 points in 21 games with the Sabres. They chose different paths off the Rock, Adam playing for Quebec league junior teams in St. Johns, Montreal and Cape Breton while Greening left home after a year of midget hockey to attend Upper Canada College in Toronto. After a year in the BCHL with Nanaimo, he attended Cornell University for four years, scoring a 3.95 grade point average in applied economics and management. Teachers like to talk about the value of brains over brawn, but Greening is the rare specimen who brings both. His aptitude helped him carve out a niche in hockey backed by an Ivy League education, and his devotion to the gym lets him carry out the power forward role. Greening is tough. Minutes before this interview, he was standing in front of the net, carrying out his goalie crease duties during power-play drills, when Jason Spezza ripped a shot that caught Greening on the left forearm. Proudly, he showed us the red welt from the shot, explaining how it first hurt, then went numb, before he coaxed some feeling back into it so he could continue to practise. Asked if he foresaw his current place on the first line, alongside Spezza and Milan Michalek, while drawing 17 minutes per game, including power play, Greening answers honestly. Yes and no. I remember last year I got a little bit of time with them, and that was a real eye opener. I was really, really surprised when I had that opportunity, Greening says, about his top-line experience during some of his 24 Ottawa games, with the balance of his season in Binghamton, eventual AHL champs. This year when I came in, I think that was one of my goals, to get back to that (line). At the same time, he adds that if the lines were to be switched up and he was handed a more menial task, Ill play whatever role they want me to play. Dont expect it any time soon. For a big man, Greening skates well, enabling him to get down low and do the heavy lifting that produces pucks for Spezza and Michalek. Heavy lifting comes naturally to this gym rat, whose ripped upper torso and general prowess in the weight room prompted teammates to name him the Cyborg. Ive always put a lot of time into it, Greening says of his off-ice training. Its an interest of mine. I think if something is your passion, you tend to spend more time at it. I enjoy working out, I enjoy going to the gym; maybe its the endorphins that I get.

For Senators strength and conditioning coach Chris Schwarz, hockey players run the gamut from beginners at the art of nutrition and training to a disciple like Greening who likes nothing more than to break down the science of it all. When guys are into finance, they talk about the market. I love talking to Chris Schwarz about different techniques he has learned or different equipment, different exercises, Greening says. Early on, he figured out he was meant to be a power forward. You look at guys like Spezza and Alfredsson, all these people around the league are so skilled Im not saying Im not skilled, but theyre that much more skilled, Greening says. Its like in any business, youve got to find a niche for yourself, youve got to find a role. Being in the corners battling, in front of the net battling, theyre the things that if I want to stay at this level Ive got to do. Greening was drafted. Barely. He was Ottawas seventh-round pick, 204th overall, in 2005. Twenty-six players later the draft was over. Its an old story in hockey. You cant keep a good man down, even if he was drafted way, way down the list. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.25.2011

Island after missing two games, but packed it in after playing less than eight minutes. Meanwhile, there has been a continuing focus on the Canadiens penaltykilling unit, which has gone nine games without giving up a power-play goal. The last power-play goal against the Canadiens was on Nov. 5, when the New York Rangers scored while enjoying a two-man advantage. I think that right now were just being more aggressive on the PK, Josh Gorges said. Were jumping in at the right times and were jumping as a unit of four, which I think has been forcing the opposition to make some tough plays. Its been a big part of our keys to success so far. Gorges said the Canadiens have shown a willingness to sacrifice themselves to block shots. The Canadiens rank third in the NHL in penalty-killing and are also third in blocked shots with 350. Individually, Gorges ranks second in the NHL with 60 blocked shots. Martin will tell you the best defence is to stay out of the penalty box. In other news, general manager Pierre Gauthier announced that Perry Pearn, who was relieved of his assistant-coaching duties last month, has agreed to remain with the team as a pro scout. As per club policy, Gauthier was not available to discuss Pearns new role. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.25.2011

590459

Ottawa Senators

Woes continue for Scott Gomez 590460 By Pat Hickey No easy matchups for Senators rookie against Penguins PHILADELPHIA Scott Gomezs campaign to regain a spot on one of the Montreal Canadiens top lines has run into another roadblock. The veteran centre suffered a groin injury in the second period of Wednesdays 4-3 shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh. Coach Jacques Martin declined to offer any information about the injury, but did say Gomez would not play against the Philadelphia Flyers Friday afternoon and wont be available Saturday night when the Canadiens face the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Bell Centre. Gomez slid down the depth chart after he was sidelined for nine games earlier this season with an upper-body injury. Martin said last week it would be difficult for Gomez to unseat Tomas Plekanec or David Desharnais on the top two lines, and Gomez had done little to change that thinking in the eight games since he returned to the lineup. Gomez has four assists in 14 games this season and has gone 49 games, dating back to February, without a goal. He was struggling Wednesday when he left the game. Gomez wasnt alone on a night when the Canadiens got off to a slow start, but its significant that Lars Eller provided a spark when he replaced Gomez at centre. Eller, who opened the Canadiens scoring with a short-handed goal, assisted on the game-tying goal by Travis Moen. Eller has two goals and five assists and is plus-4 (Gomez is minus-3), but Martin isnt about to let success go to the second-year players head. Theres lots of room for him to keep improving, Martin said of the 22-yearold Eller. Hes a young player who plays pretty well away from the puck and has good skill. He just needs to get better at the give-and-go game, using his teammates and going to an opening. Eller should see extensive action over the next two games because Martin will rely on three lines. There is no extra forward on the roster, which means Martin will dress seven defencemen, with rookie Frederic St. Denis coming out of the press box. Gomez wont be the only high-profile player to miss Fridays game with a groin injury. Jaromir Jagr returned to the Flyers lineup Wednesday on Long PITTSBURGH Pick your poison, Stephane Da Costa. As eye-opening experiences go, the Ottawa Senators 22-year-old rookie centre is in for a dandy on Friday night at Consol Energy Center against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hell be matched up against either Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin or Jordan Staal, the young stars who make up the most impressive trio of centres in the NHL. Ive been here, or in the States, for five years, and of course Ive watched them on TV, said the Paris, France- born Da Costa, who has a grand total of three goals and 25 NHL games under his belt. Whoever I play against, I have to try and do my best against them. Its all I can control. Da Costa, who usually plays on a line with Daniel Alfredsson and Nick Foligno, is loaded with offensive gifts, but hes often pushed off the puck and is out of position defensively in his own end. Hes also struggling in the faceoff circle, not winning a single draw in Sundays 2-1 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks. Jesse Winchester took his second-line centre spot for much of the third period. Da Costa also won only one of 16 in a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Nov. 17. Its no coincidence he owns a team-worst minus-9 rating. Its not impossible to stop the Penguins. The St. Louis Blues, backed by the goaltending of some guy named Brian Elliott, held Crosby off the scoresheet in a 3-2 win on Wednesday. Still, the challenges for a young centre dont come any tougher than against Pittsburgh. Crosby is anxious to re-establish himself as hockeys greatest player and make up for lost time after being sidelined 10 months due to concussion problems. All Crosby has done in his first 414 regular-season games is score 217 goals and 359 assists, including his smashing two-goal, twoassist performance in his return to action Monday against the New York Islanders. He also owns a Hart Trophy as league MVP. Da Costa could also see a steady diet of Malkin, who also owns a Calder Trophy as top rookie and has six goals and 12 assists in 15 games this season. During his career, Malkin has scored 164 goals and 272 assists in 367 games. Ottawa Senators

By Ken Warren

The other alternative is Staal, who has typically starred in a defensive capacity, playing third fiddle to Crosby and Malkin. This year, however, hes also showcasing his scoring touch, with 10 goals and six assists. Staal has 105 goals and 109 assists in 389 NHL games. All three have been to the Stanley Cup final twice, winning once. As the home team, the Penguins can choose the matchups they want, meaning Da Costa figures to have his hands full one way or another. It wont be David versus Goliath. But it will be Stephane versus Sid. Or Stephane versus Geno. Or Stephane versus Jordan. The line of Jason Spezza, Milan Michalek and Colin Greening typically plays against one of the opponents top units, with the Da Costa line taking care of the other. Senators coach Paul MacLean concedes that the Penguins trio of star centres presents a potential problem if Da Costa cant keep pace. In Vancouver, against the Sedins (Henrik and Daniel), he didnt match up that well and we played (Zack) Smith against them, he said. So (in this case), Steph gets the third matchup, which is Staal. But well see (Friday), with what happens with that. Smith isnt exactly a wizened veteran, either, having played only 92 NHL games. Yet hes slowly carving out his own reputation as a physical and effective checker, and insists hes not intimidated by the names on the Penguins roster. Rather, hes anxious for the challenge. They are some pretty high-profile players, but I think our line has done a pretty good job of matching up against some pretty good lines, said Smith, who has three goals, seven assists and sports a team-leading plus-4 rating. Weve kind of moulded our line into a shutdown line, while also contributing (offensively) a bit. Spezza also hopes to do his part in stopping Crosby and the Penguins. Considering that the Senators havent played since Sunday, he has faced questions about Crosby and the Penguins day after day after day this week, but he understands why thats the case. Its a big story, its the reality and hes great for the game, he said. Were not going to play him any differently or treat him any differently, but its a big thing for the league and a special comeback, and he deserves a lot of respect for that. Theyre probably the team we see as one of the best in the East, so you get up for those games. Or else you get shellacked and its not a good night. And coming off the rest weve had, were excited to get back into a game. We all like practice, but games are a lot more fun. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.25.2011

The only lineup change for Ottawa: Goalie Craig Anderson will get the start after sitting out Sundays 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks due to neck stiffness. More news and notes from practice: Bit of a scary moment after a Jason Spezza shot hit Colin Greening in the forearm, leaving the big winger wincing in obvious pain (view the video by the Citizens Jean Levac). He was still trying to shake it off when he returned to the danger zone in front of the net. Afterwards Greening said he lost some feeling in his arm temporarily, but everything appeared to be okay. The Senators did plenty of work on the power play the past couple of days and MacLean said the key to getting it working again is to make sure they get into the offensive zone cleanly. Teams have been adjusting to their strategies, so they need to mix it up a bit. MacLean also acknowledged it might be a tough night for Stephane Da Costa against Pittsburgh. The rookie has slowed as the season rolls on, and now faces the prospect of facing one of three very talented centres (Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal). Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.25.2011

590462

Ottawa Senators

Senators take a noisy break from routine

Ken Warren

Meet Daniel Alfredsson, teen pop idol. At least thats the way the Ottawa Senators captain felt while being cheered Wednesday by a boisterous crowd of 2,300 children, who were playing hooky to watch hockey at Rocklands brand spanking new Canadian International Hockey Academy on Wednesday. I was watching the news (Wednesday) morning and I saw Justin Bieber on the Today show or whatever it was, Alfredsson said following the Senators spirited practice at the facility. I was the first one out on the ice and I almost felt the same way (with all the screaming). It is pretty nice to share out practice like that. You try a little bit harder. Alfredsson says hes not really a Bieber fan of all his haircuts over the years, he hasnt yet sported the infamous Bieber cut but his children do like the 17-year-old Canadian singing sensation, who could stickhandle a bit before his singing career took off. If Wednesdays turnout is any indication, Canadian children also love their NHL stars as much as they adore singing idols.

590461

Ottawa Senators

Senators practice update: Neil skating again, Anderson starts against Pittsburgh

The crowd was full of youngsters sporting Senators sweaters and a few dozen brought homemade signs to welcome the team. Senators general manager Bryan Murray had received an open invitation to bring the club to the arena, which opened in the summer. Murray, who has junior hockey roots in the area he coached the Rockland Nationals of the Central Junior Hockey League and won the Centennial Cup as Canadas top Tier II junior team in 1976 jumped at the chance to expose the squad to a new, young audience. The CIHA is a private co-ed boarding school, featuring Hockey Canadacertified coaches and talented players from Canada, the United States, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Russia. The focus is on quality education and hockey instruction and all players compete at the AA and AAA levels. Students from nearby schools were also bused in for the occasion. With the Senators enjoying an unusually long break before returning to game action Friday against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, the time was right for a change to the routine. We should do this more often, said Murray. Maybe two or three times a year, in different places.

James Gordon

Senators practice update: Neil skating again, Anderson starts against Pittsburgh Ottawa Senators winger Chris Neil was back on skates Thursday morning, though itll still be a while before he sees any game action. Neil hasnt played since spraining his ankle in a game against the New York Rangers on Nov. 9. Coach Paul MacLean said it was good to see his rugged veteran back out there, but cautioned there still isnt a timeline for his return. The Senators wrapped up their third straight day of practice Thursday before heading to Pittsburgh for a Friday night game against Sidney Crosby and Co.

The general manager would get no argument from his players, who even stayed on the ice a little longer than usual, finishing off their workout with a shootout competition. Its a long season and anytime you can break it up this way and have a little music and have some fun, its great, said Zenon Konopka. It was a great morning and beneficial to us. Defenceman Erik Karlsson raved about the new facility, suggesting its a perfect venue for youth hockey tournaments. It was a great atmosphere, very loud, he said. It gets your (adrenalin) going. Senators coach Paul MacLean also believes the energy in the building inspired the players. It was a little loud at times, he said. It was fun. I thought the players responded to it well. Were getting out in the community, letting them see us at a different place, other than on TV or having to come out to Scotiabank Place. I think its real good for the organization. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.25.2011

the crease when Jason Spezza wired a shot off his left wrist. Greening was in obvious pain, but after taking a minute he was back in front of the net. It was just like, tingly all over, said Greening, who joked that Spezza should lay off the weights. I was grabbing at it and it was painful ... I couldnt really feel some areas. It was like, come on, get the feeling back. Thats what the Senators will be trying to do when they play in Pittsburgh Friday, too. Get the feeling back. The winning feeling. MAKING POINTS On his way back from a sprained ankle that has already cost him five games, RW Chris Neil skated for 20-30 minutes before the team practised Thursday. Have to see how he handled that, said coach Paul MacLean. Right now, no timeline. He has to get to practice first. ... As expected, Craig Anderson will start in goal against the Penguins ... The Senators like the way theyre moving the puck on the power play, but theyve got to start moving it to the back of the net. Theyve converted just two of their last 30 chances, which is not very good at all. I think we did a lot of work on it the last two days, said MacLean. The keys to it, I thought we stressed, was making sure we got some clean entries into the zone, and execute better with the puck, make sure were attacking the net. The more you get the puck to the net, the more second and third opportunities you create. MacLean conceded that teams have done their homework on the Senators power play, which not long ago was ranked No. 1 in the league. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 11.25.2011

590463

Ottawa Senators

Sens hope to roar back into action

By Don Brennan 590464 PITTSBURGH Theoretically, it was not a good time for the Senators to break. They had won three out of their last four, and in their fourth they took the Stanley Cup finalists to overtime for a point. Nobody leaves the table when the cards are falling their way. Except the Senators were ready to come home. They had played five games, spanning from Buffalo to Vancouver, in 10 days. They were fine with the opportunity to sit back for a bit. I think it will help, winger Bobby Butler said of five-day respite that ends Friday with a game in Pittsburgh against the team that leads the Eastern Conference and sits just one point out of first overall in the NHL. It gave us a couple of days to get energized. Hopefully we can continue where we left off. Youd think if anyone should have wanted to keep playing, itd be Butler. He had just two assists in 10 games before visiting Calgary last Tuesday. With two goals and an assist in three games since, he has a hot stick. But he also didnt mind putting it down for a while, either. At least those he uses in games. Had a couple of practices, got a chance to shoot some more pucks ... hopefully I can pick up where I left off, said Butler. I think (getting some points) just helped my confidence, and now I think the practice is clutch, coming in and having a couple of days to try to feel it. I felt good this week. Hopefully, it just continues on in the games. Colin Greening was also on a roll. He scored in each of the last two games to give him six, equalling his total in 24 games with Ottawa last season. But he too cherished the break. I think we really needed that rest, to be honest, said Greening. Theres the three hours (difference) from the western time zone, I think we really had to get back on eastern time. I think it took me about a day or two. We flew back and got in about 5:30- 6 a.m Eastern time. You want to get back right away, so I went to bed for a couple of hours, got up at 9 and powered through the day. So I was pretty tired that day. It was a little bit of sleep depravation, but I think Im pretty good right now. Thats pretty normal. Talk to anyone and I think theyll tell you it takes a couple of days to get over the jet lag when you travel three time zones. Greenings most recent day of practice turned out to be an uncomfortable one. During a power-play drill, he was standing in his spot at the edge of For a minute or so at Thursday's practice, it looked like the Senators were going to have an injured first line left winger on their hands. In his usual at the edge of the crease on a power play drill, Colin Greening was hit by a hard Jason Spezza shot. He skated away in obvious pain, flexing his left hand over and over. After a drink of water at the bench and a chat with Spezza, Greening returned to the front of the net for more. Later, he showed where the puck had hit him on the left wrist, and joked that Spezza "needs to lay off the weights." Unless there's some sort of unexpected flare up of his arm, Greening will be in the lineup Friday when the Senators are in Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins. "It was just like, tingly all over," said the big rookie. "I was grabbing at it and it was painful ...I couldn't really feel some areas. It was like, come on, get the feeling back." The Senators can ill-afford to be without Greening, who has six goals, including two on the power play. Heading into Pittsburgh, they have converted just two of their last 30 opportunities with the man advantage. The power play received plenty of focus at practice this week, as the Senators have four full days between games. "We did a lot of work on it last couple of days," said coach Paul MacLean, who stressed entries into the offensive zone. Putting some goals on the board, of course, will be key against a Penguins squad bolstered by the return of Sidney Crosby. As the first place team in the Eastern Conference, the Penguins were already going to be a handful. Craig Anderson will be on the hotseat as Ottawa's starting goalie, but as MacLean said: "It's going to be a test for our whole team." Ottawa Sun LOADED: 11.25.2011 Ottawa Senators

How do Senators stop Sid the Kid?

By DON BRENNAN

590465

Philadelphia Flyers

Slap shots Chris Pronger is also doubtful for this afternoon's game. According to Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren, Pronger is still "day-to-day" with a virus. He did not travel with the team to Long Island . . . The Flyers were embarrassed, 5-1, by the Canadiens on Oct. 26 . . . The Flyers' overtime win on Long Island saved them from being swept by the 13th (Winnipeg), 14th (Carolina), and 15th (Islanders) seeds in the Eastern Conference in consecutive games. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 11.25.2011

Giving thanks for Flyers' blessings

By FRANK SERAVALLI

1 THE ISLANDERS: Or should we call them the Slump Busters? The Flyers snapped their two-game skid with a 4-3 overtime win over the Islanders on Wednesday night. They are now 25-2-0 against the Isles since Oct. 13, 2007. Exactly 22 of the Flyers' remaining 60 games are against division opponents, with a possible 10 more points up for grab against the Islanders. 2 ROOKIES: Not only are they built-in fun for the veterans on the roster, but the Flyers' rookies actually have produced this season. The Flyers have accumulated 28 points from first-year players this season, tops in the NHL. Matt Read's five-game scoring streak was broken on Wednesday but he still leads all rookies with nine goals. Sean Couturier has a rookie-best plus-9 rating. 3 PAUL HOLMGREN: The Flyers' general manager made a series of shrewd moves last offseason. He not only changed this team's perception but substantially raised their potential ceiling. We get the sense this Flyers roster hasn't scratched the surface of its abilities yet. 4 CLAUDE GIROUX: For the first time in a generation, the Flyers have a bonafide Hart Trophy candidate in Claude Giroux. He enters today's action just three points back of Toronto's Phil Kessel for the league scoring lead and on pace to be the Flyers' first 100-point player since Eric Lindros did it in 1995-96. Giroux has both the talent and fitness level to maintain that prodigious pace all season. 5 AVOIDING INJURIES: Thankfully, the Flyers have emerged relatively unscathed through the first quarter of the season. Big names like Chris Pronger, Jaromir Jagr, Braydon Coburn and James van Riemsdyk have all missed games due to injury, but the Flyers remain just one point back of the Eastern Conference lead. 6 JAROMIR JAGR: We'll admit that we laughed out loud when the Flyers inked 39-year-old Jaromir Jagr to a $3.3 million deal on July 1. With his recent groin problems aside, he's turning out to be one of the steals of the summer. The rejuvenated Jagr is motivated, passionate and still has the hands and vision that have made him an all-time great. 7 THE LEADERS: Even without a letter on his jersey, newcomer Max Talbot has joined an established leadership group that includes Pronger, Danny Briere and Kimmo Timonen. Those four players help give the Flyers a fresh, fun attitude that is palpable on the ice. 8 ILYA BRYZGALOV: It has been just 21 games, but it has been a wild ride for Bryzgalov in Philadelphia. So far, he has trashed himself after a game, been temporarily barred from talking to the media and provided enough hilarious quotes to fill a book. But he's also gone 5-1-1 in his last seven games and is rounding into the form we expected. 9 SCOTT HARTNELL: Few players have had a more complex relationship with a fanbase than Scott Hartnell has with Flyers fans over the past few seasons. In October, many were clamoring for a trade after a slow start. Now, Hartnell is second to only Giroux with 19 points in 21 games. 10WINTER CLASSIC: For the second time in 3 years, the Flyers will skate on an outdoor rink over the New Year's holiday. This time, they get to do it at Citizens Bank Park, and they will get to watch themselves on HBO in the "24/7 Road to the Winter Classic" reality series. A 12-minute preview of the series, which debuts on Dec. 14 at 10 p.m., airs tonight on HBO at 9:15. Jagr out Jaromir Jagr skated for just 7 minutes and 52 seconds on Wednesday night on Long Island before pulling himself from the game after reaggravating the groin injury that kept him out of the previous two games. Jagr told reporters on Wednesday that he will likely not play this afternoon against Montreal or tomorrow at Madison Square Garden vs. the Rangers. "I probably came back 2 days too early," Jagr said. "But I didn't want to just sit around. I love this team too much. I wanted to help. We've got two games and then 5 days off. I think I'm not going to play these two games and make sure when I come back, I want to come back strong."

590466

Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers likely to be without Pronger again vs. Canadiens

By Sam Carchidi Inquirer Staff Writer

When the Flyers host Montreal on Friday afternoon, they will try to build off the momentum gained by their 4-3 overtime win over the New York Islanders on Wednesday. But they will probably have to do it without captain Chris Pronger. The star defenseman did not participate in the team's practice Thursday in Voorhees and probably will not play on Friday, a club source said. He has missed the last two games because of a virus. The Flyers will be trying to avenge a 5-1 loss to the Canadiens in Montreal on Oct. 26. In that game, Max Pacioretty scored a pair of goals against Ilya Bryzgalov. That was the first game Pronger missed this season, as he was sidelined by an eye injury. The Flyers are 4-3-1 without Pronger this season, and 8-3-2 with him. A year ago, they won just 16 of the 32 regular-season games he did not play. In Wednesday's win on Long Island, the Flyers overcame a 3-1 deficit. "I'm really happy with the way we fought back," coach Peter Laviolette said, adding he was "impressed with the fight" and "the resiliency to keep coming and stay with it. We got some real good performances from guys in the second and third period." It was the first time this season the Flyers won when trailing entering the third period. They are now 1-6-1 in those games. In relief of the struggling Bryzgalov, goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had probably his best game of the season, turning aside all 23 shots he faced. "There was a shift near the end of the second period where he stopped two breakaways back-to-back," center Danny Briere said. "That could have been the turning point of the game. That's two big saves, and it's not easy when you come in relief like that, trying to keep your team in the game." Bobrovsky, now 6-0 with a 1.83 goals-against average in his career against the Isles, got help from a strong penalty-killing effort in overtime. Led by Max Talbot and Sean Couturier, the Flyers killed a four-on-three power play before Briere scored the winner. "It can be a game-changer," Talbot said of the PK, "and I think it was." Briere had tied the game with 5 minutes, 42 seconds left in regulation. He had scored just one goal in his previous eight games. "The last few games were tough for me, personally," said Briere, who, with new linemates, has struggled to regain the chemistry he had with former linemates Scott Hartnell and Ville Leino last season. "I was trying to find my way closer to the net and get more pucks on net. It always seems you need a lucky bounce to get going again." He got one when Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro swatted a bouncing puck out front that went right to Briere before he scored the equalizer late in regulation.

Trailing by 3-1 after the first period, the Flyers appeared headed to their third straight loss - to the Eastern Conference's three worst teams: Winnipeg, Carolina, and the Islanders. Instead, they produced their best comeback of the season. Breakaways. Bryzgalov's goals-against average has climbed to 2.89, and his save percentage has sunk to .897. . . . In his last four games, Montreal goalie Carey Price is 3-1 with two shutouts and a 0.99 goals-against average. . . . Rookie Matt Read leads the Flyers at plus-9, followed by Couturier and Hartnell, each at plus-8. . . . The Flyers set a franchise record when they and the Islanders were tied at 1 after 37 seconds. The previous record for the Flyers and an opponent scoring quick goals was in 1980 against the Atlanta Flames; the teams scored in the first 58 seconds. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 11.25.2011

By Wayne Fish Staff writer | Posted: Thursday, November 24, 2011 4:08 pm

It looks like Jaromir Jagr will miss another two games due to the lower body injury he apparently aggravated in Wednesday nights 4-3 overtime win on Long Island. The Flyers veteran right wing, who had missed recent games at Winnipeg and against Carolina, played only 7:52 against the Islanders and was a minus-2. Jagr pulled himself out of the game and later said he would sit when the Flyers host the Montreal Canadiens Friday and the New York Rangers on Saturday. Also, the status of Chris Pronger (virus) remains day to day, according to Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren. Prior to Jagrs injury, he had played in 264 consecutive NHL games dating back to before the 2004-05 lockout. Id love to help (the team), of course Im mad, Jagr said. I didnt feel any pain (in practice) but game situation is totally different. Im not going to play those games, when I come back I want to make sure I come back strong. Voracek optimistic With his offseason trade from Columbus to Philadelphia, Flyers right wing Jake Voracek expressed hope of improving his goals and points totals. Through three full seasons with the Blue Jackets, the 22-year-old Czech native averaged about 13 goals and 44 points per campaign. But after 21 games with the Flyers, Voraceks offensive production three goals, 14 points remains about the same. He says hes not disappointed, given the adjustment of going to a new team, playing with different linemates and learning a new system. I think the last 10, 12 games its been pretty solid, he said. Three goals are obviously not where everyone wants me to be or where I want it to be but point-wise its not that bad and I know Im going to get better. As far back as training camp, Voracek made it clear that hes not a natural goal-scorer but rather a playmaker in the mold of a Ville Leino. Its taken him a while to find a home on a steady line and that might have something to do with it as well. And then theres the whole culture shock of moving from a midwestern town to a major eastern metropolis. This is the first time Ive gone through a trade, he said. Hopefully its going to be my last. Everything is different here but Im excited. Recently, Voracek has been playing on a third line with Max Talbot and Matt Read. The trio appears to have found some chemistry. Its working right now, were getting some goals, said Voracek, who has pitched in on Reads recent six-goal tear. We just have to keep rolling. Voracek would like to see his points go up in the second quarter. Im still a young player, Im 22 years old, he said. I try to work hard everyday on something different ... my shot, my puckhandling, my skating. And Im working hard off the ice and I think its showing. Burlington County Times LOADED: 11.25.2011

590467

Philadelphia Flyers

HBO's 24/7 Winter Classic preview tomorrow

Thanksgiving Day is married to turkey and football. But what about Black Friday? The NHL is looking to stake claim to the day after Thanksgiving, with both the Flyers holding their annual matinee game at the Wells Fargo Center against the Montreal Canadiens and the Red Wings and Bruins starring in the new Thanksgiving Showdown matchup on NBC. After Fridays games are played, HBO is hoping youll tune in with a leftover turkey, cranberry and stuffing sandwich to watch a preview of the FlyersRangers: 24/7 Road to the Winter Classic. The cameras have been intermittently following the Flyers since training camp. Now fans and players will get a glimpse of the highly anticipated series. Though it wont be produced by the same crew who is putting together the Emmy Award-winning four-episode NHL reality series, a 12-minute preview on Friday will serve as an introduction to this years players and coaches. The preview will air on HBO at 9:15 p.m. It will also air another 12 times after that: Nov. 25 (9:15 p.m.) Nov. 26 (12:00 p.m.) Nov. 29 (12:30 p.m. and 4:05 a.m.) Dec. 2 (9:30 a.m. and 12:30 a.m.) Dec. 4 (9:00 a.m.) Dec. 6 (8:15 p.m.) Dec. 9 (2:30 p.m.) Dec. 12 (5:15 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.) Dec. 14 (7:00 p.m.) The first, hour-long episode debuts on Dec. 14 at 10 oclock. Three episodes will follow on consecutive Wednesdays (Dec. 21, Dec. 28, Jan. 4). For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @DNFlyers Posted by Frank Seravalli Watch sports videos you won't find anywhere else Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 11.25.2011

590469

Philadelphia Flyers

Jagr likely out for the weekend 590468 Philadelphia Flyers Wayne Fish Staff writer | Posted: Thursday, November 24, 2011 3:51 pm Jagr likely to miss Flyers' next two games

It looks like Jaromir Jagr will miss another two games due to the lower body injury he apparently aggravated in Wednesday night's 4-3 overtime win on Long Island. The Flyers veteran right wing, who had missed recent games at Winnipeg and against Carolina, played only 7:52 against the Islanders and was a minus-2. Jagr pulled himself out of the game and later said he would sit when the Flyers host the Montreal Canadiens today and the New York Rangers on Saturday. Also, the status of Chris Pronger (virus) remains day to day, according to Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren. Prior to Jagr's injury, he had played in 264 consecutive NHL games dating back to before the 2004-05 lockout. "I'd love to help (the team), of course I'm mad,'' Jagr said. "I didn't feel any pain (in practice) but game situation is totally different. I'm not going to play those games, when I come back I want to make sure I come back strong.'' Voracek optimistic: With his offseason trade from Columbus to Philadelphia, Flyers right wing Jake Voracek expressed hope of improving his goals and points totals. Through three full seasons with the Blue Jackets, the 22-year-old Czech native averaged about 13 goals and 44 points per campaign. But after 21 games with the Flyers, Voracek's offensive production - three goals, 14 points - remains about the same. He says he's not disappointed, given the adjustment of going to a new team, playing with different linemates and learning a new system. "I think the last 10, 12 games it's been pretty solid,'' he said. "Three goals are obviously not where everyone wants me to be or where I want it to be but point-wise it's not that bad and I know I'm going to get better.'' As far back as training camp, Voracek made it clear that he's not a natural goal-scorer but rather a playmaker in the mold of a Ville Leino. It's taken him a while to find a home on a steady line and that might have something to do with it as well. And then there's the whole culture shock of moving from a midwestern town to a major eastern metropolis. "This is the first time I've gone through a trade,'' he said. "Hopefully it's going to be my last. Everything is different here but I'm excited.'' Recently, Voracek has been playing on a third line with Max Talbot and Matt Read. The trio appears to have found some chemistry. "It's working right now, we're getting some goals,'' said Voracek, who has pitched in on Read's recent six-goal tear. "We just have to keep rolling.'' Voracek would like to see his points go up in the second quarter. "I'm still a young player, I'm 22 years old,'' he said. "I try to work hard everyday on something different. . .my shot, my puckhandling, my skating. And I'm working hard off the ice and I think it's showing.'' Flyers today What: Montreal Canadiens at Flyers. When: 3:05. Where: Wells Fargo Center. Tickets: Virtually sold out. Call 215-218-7825. TV/Radio: CSN/WIP 94.1-FM/610-AM. Season series: Montreal leads, 1-0. What to watch: It's the Flyers' traditional Black Friday game. The two teams met in Montreal on Oct. 26 with the Canadiens prevailing, 5-1. . .The Flyers are just 5-4-2 at home but have a two-game home win streak going against the Habs. . .Philadelphia is starting a back-to-back situation. It is 2-1 in the first half of those sets. Flyers on Saturday What: Flyers at New York Rangers. When: 2:05.

Where: Madison Square Garden. TV/Radio: CSN/WIP 94.1-FM/610-AM. Season series: First meeting. What to watch: Considering they started their season in Europe and had to play their first seven games on the road (due to renovations at Madison Square Garden), the Rangers are off to a great start. New comer Brad Richards has been a catalyst and captain Ryan Callahan plays inspirational hockey every night. . .New York's power play is just 29th in the league at 12.9 percent. Burlington County Times LOADED: 11.25.2011

590470

Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers earn good first-quarter grades

By Wayne Fish Staff writer | Posted: Thursday, November 24, 2011 5:00 am

VOORHEES, N.J. -- Second in the conference, second in the division and the highest scoring offense in the NHL. The Flyers have done some pretty good work in the first quarter of the season, posting an 11-6-3 record heading into tonight's game at the New York Islanders. They're among the league leaders in points and goals scored. On the flip side, they're also the league leaders in minor penalties and challenging for most trips to the penalty box. "There's a lot to like,'' Daniel Briere said, "like where we're at in the standings. With the addition of so many players we didn't know how the start would be. We expected a little more of a struggle early on. "Everybody is chipping in, I like that part, too. It's coming from a lot of different guys, not just two or three guys carrying the load. Everybody is chipping in.'' The Flyers are having problems staying out of the penalty box and on some nights that has proven costly. "Yeah, we are an aggressive team,'' Briere said. "We have a team that plays with an edge. Right now it is learning how to do a better job tip-toeing that line of when to be aggressive and when to take that extra shot and when to back off. "That's certainly a thing now to be more successful in the second quarter to improve. We've talked about it. We've all been responsible at times.'' James van Riemsdyk feels the same way. "We need to cut down on some of the penalties and stuff,'' said JVR. "You shoot yourself in the foot. When we're not having success, we're usually doing that.'' The home record, 5-4-2, is another negative. "What I don't like is our home record,'' Briere said. "A couple games we've dropped at home the intensity wasn't quite there from a group effort. That's probably the most obvious one.'' Van Riemsdyk does like the way the team seems to be on the same page, following coach Peter Laviolette's system. "We're still early in the year so it's tough to fully say,'' van Riemsdyk said. "Usually at the end of the year you go through the highs and the lows but so far, we've got a tight-knit room that will help you get through those tough times.'' And the Flyers have had to play with 10 rookies, making the coach's task even tougher. Laviolette said: "There have been a lot of good things. I think we've finally found the identity we need to play. We've won a lot of games. I think the offense is good, defensively, we get ourselves into trouble through

penalties. But we're working on that. That's one thing I'd like to see a little bit better.'' First quarter report card: Here's how we see the players grade out for the first 20 games. A: Claude Giroux -- With Richards, Carter gone, more ice time, quicker learning curve. A: Matt Read -- Honestly, did anyone see nine goals in 20 games coming? A-: Scott Hartnell -- Plus-8, has cut down on the stupid penalties. A-: Jaromir Jagr -- Eleven assists, valuable mentor to young players. B+: Ilya Bryzgalov -- Settling in after a tough stretch last month. B+: Sean Couturier -- On way to best 18-year-old rookie season in team history. B: James van Riemsdyk -- Showing flashes of last year, adjusting to new line. B: Kimmo Timonen -- Steady play on a nightly basis. B: Max Talbot -- Gets after it in virtually every game. B: Braydon Coburn -- Uses his size, speed to his advantage. B-: Daniel Briere -- Still a bit behind in the goals department. B-: Chris Pronger -- Injuries have limited him to just 13 games. B-: Andrej Meszaros -- Plays well in the role he's given. B-: Sergei Bobrovsky -- Not great numbers but making adjustments. C+: Matt Carle -- Has picked it up in Chris Pronger's absence. C+: Jake Voracek -- Three goals a disappointment but 10 assists OK. C+: Wayne Simmonds -- Moving around a lot, brings energy. C: Zac Rinaldo -- Opponents know when he's on the ice. C: Andreas Lilja -- Looks like he's finally found a steady job. C: Harry Zolnierczyk -- Jury's still out if he's an NHL regular. C-: Andreas Nodl -- Taking steps back from two years ago. C-: Jody Shelley -- Has a very limited role now. Incomplete: Brayden Schenn, Erik Gustafsson. Special teams: B- Penalty kill unit exhausted from too much work. Coach: A- Peter Laviolette has team playing on same page. General manager: A- Paul Holmgren's bold moves playing off. Burlington County Times LOADED: 11.25.2011

Andrej Meszaros and Scott Hartnell also scored for Philadelphia (12-6-3), which snapped a two-game skid and handed the Islanders their eighth loss in 10 games. Kyle Okposo scored his first two goals of the season and Michael Grabner scored for New York. Okposo's first goal ended the Islanders (5-10-4) scoreless drought at 142 minutes, 17 seconds. New York entered the game having been outscored 20-13 in the first period. At the first intermission, though, it was the Islanders who held a 3-1 advantage thanks to Okposo's two goals and Grabner's first goal since Nov. 10. Okposo tied the game 1-all 37 seconds into the game and 19 seconds after Meszaros scored with a wrist shot over Ilya Bryzgalov's glove. Okposo's second goal of the game at 10:26 made it 2-1. He tapped a centering feed from Josh Bailey to complete a power-play passing sequence. Grabner's wrist shot at 18:29 from the left faceoff circle increased the Islanders' lead to 3-1. The line of Grabner, Frans Nielsen and Okposo finished with three goals, four assists, seven points and was plus-three. "It was good to see Fransie's line get back on track," Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. "I thought that line played exceptionally well." Flyers coach Peter Laviolette replaced Bryzgalov, who turned away six of nine shots, with Sergei Bobrovsky before the start of the second period. Bobrovsky made 23 saves, including stops on breakaways for Matt Moulson and John Tavares midway through the second period. "He stopped two breakaways back-to-back. I think that could have been the turning point of the game. Those were two key saves," Briere said of Bobrovsky. "It's not easy coming in relief like that but he did a marvelous job." Capuano announced that DiPietro would start in goal before the Islanders' morning skate. DiPietro had not played since the first period of Saturday's 6-0 loss to Boston, in which he had allowed three goals on 13 shots in that game before being replaced by Anders Nilsson. DiPietro made 29 saves in an adventurous effort. He yielded Meszaros' offthe-rush slapshot 18 seconds into the game, Hartnell's ninth of the year 5:25 into the second period on the power play, Briere's in-tight wrister that tied it 3-all with 5:42 left and Brier's winner. "It hit the stanchion funny and came right out to Briere," DiPietro said. "I didn't make the save." The Islanders called up Michael Haley from AHL Bridgeport on Monday, hoping the tough guy would spark the team after several weeks of uninspired play. Haley, who recorded 39 penalty minutes and scored a goal in New York's 93 brawl-marred win over Pittsburgh on Feb. 11, had three points (a goal and an assist) along with 32 penalty minutes for the Sound Tigers this season. NOTES: The Islanders have lost 13 of 16. ... TSN reported Monday night that New York left wing Blake Comeau is on the trade market as he had not recorded a point in 15 games. "It's the way it is sometimes in this business. You hear things, but, for me, personally, I'm not too focused on it at all," Comeau said after the morning skate Wednesday. . The Flyers left for Philadelphia directly after the game. They host Montreal Friday afternoon and play their long-time Atlantic Division rival, and Winter Classic opponent, the Rangers in the refurbished Madison Square Garden Saturday afternoon. ... New York debuted their new black jerseys. They will wear the new jerseys 11 more times this season. . Philadelphia right wing Jaromir Jagr only played 7:52 spanning the first two periods because of a lower body injury. He was minus-two. . The announced attendance was 11,086 although there were large swaths of empty seats. Philadelphia1 1 1 14 N.Y. Islanders 3 0 0 03 First Period_1, Philadelphia, Meszaros 2 (Talbot, Carle), :18. 2, N.Y. Islanders, Okposo 1 (Grabner), :37. 3, N.Y. Islanders, Okposo 2 (Bailey, Grabner), 10:26 (pp). 4, N.Y. Islanders, Grabner 6 (Okposo, Nielsen), 18:29. Penalties_Haley, NYI (interference), 3:01; Rinaldo, Phi (interference), 8:47; Giroux, Phi (hooking), 15:27; Parenteau, NYI (illegal check to head minor), 19:40.

590471

Philadelphia Flyers

Briere comes alive as Flyers beat Islanders in overtime

By The Associated Press

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) Danny Briere knew sooner or later the Flyers would get a break. It came on his shot. Briere scored his second goal of the game with 2:26 remaining in overtime, giving Philadelphia a 4-3, come-from-behind victory over the New York Islanders on Wednesday night. "It always seems you need a lucky bounce to get going," Briere said. "The puck had eyes."

Second Period_5, Philadelphia, Hartnell 9 (Voracek, Giroux), 5:24 (pp). Penalties_Staios, NYI (tripping), 3:25; Zolnierczyk, Phi (roughing), 10:32; Hamonic, NYI (roughing), 10:32; Coburn, Phi (cross-checking), 19:14. Third Period_6, Philadelphia, Briere 6 (Coburn), 14:18. Penalties_Staios, NYI (holding), 2:17. Overtime_7, Philadelphia, Briere 7 (Hartnell, Coburn), 2:34. Penalties_Hartnell, Phi (hooking), :21. Shots on Goal_Philadelphia 9-12-11-1_33. N.Y. Islanders 9-13-7-3_32. Power-play opportunities_Philadelphia 1 of 4; N.Y. Islanders 1 of 4. Goalies_Philadelphia, Bryzgalov (9 shots-6 saves), Bobrovsky 4-1-1 (0:00 second, 23-23). N.Y. Islanders, DiPietro 2-2-3 (33-29). A_11,086 (16,234). T_2:32. Referees_Dean Morton, Kevin Pollock. Linesmen_Brad Lazarowich, Jean Morin. Delaware County Times LOADED: 11.25.2011

Reason to Give Thanksgiving: Bounce off the glass to Briere, who, thanks to The Man Upstairs, was able to go upstairs over startled Rick DiPietro for the tying goal in Uniondale. The Flyers had not had a good scoring chance for previous 14 minutes of the period. Flyer: Matt Read. Reason the Flyers avoided a bagel against Winnipeg, Carolina and the Islanders the three conference bottom feeders: DiPietro. Ducked under Hartnells goal from a deep angle that got the Flyers back into the game and got caught playing deep on Brieres game winner. Worst Penalty: Neutral-zone hook by Scott Hartnell in overtime in Uniondale. Goal: Shortsider by Chad LaRose on Bryzgalov after the Flyers had gotten back to within a goal against the Hurricanes. Brain Cramp: Claude Giroux couldnt have been bothered backchecking on Kyle Okposos slam dunk on a three-on-two to put the Islanders up 2-1. MVP? Not until Giroux plays both ends. Embarrassment: Whiff by Chris Pronger on a point shot, then being caught flatfooted as the Jets Jim Slater blew away for a shorthanded goal.

590472

Philadelphia Flyers

Around the Web: Giroux atop MVP race

Reasons to Feel Good the Flyers Are Only Two Points Out of the Conference Lead Despite Eight Games Missed by Pronger: The Penguins are first despite 20 games missed by Sidney Crosby. And the Flyers are only four points clear of ninth. Jay Greenberg covered the Flyers for 14 years for the Daily News and Evening Bulletin. His history of the Flyers, Full Spectrum, was published in 1996. He can be reached at jayg616@aol.com. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.25.2011

The 2011-12 season is now a quarter of the way finished and the Flyers have one player who has been giving nightly performances worthy of MVP consideration. His name is Claude Giroux. The 23-year-old has been impressive all season long and heading into Thursday, Giroux was second in the NHL in points with 26. According to NHL.com, Giroux is on top of the MVP race. Giroux is being used by coach Peter Laviolette in all situations, averaging more than 21 minutes of ice time per game, a number that is on the rise during the past month. His presence on the penalty kill is just as important as his production on the power play. Laviolette does not hesitate to use Giroux in the final minutes of tight games. And, oh by the way, a lot of the time he gets the call to play against the opposition's best forward line. The other finalists on NHL.com's list were Phil Kessel (Toronto) and Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles). Giroux has taken his game to another level this season. He will have some tough competition if he wants to take the Hart Trophy at the end of the season, but if he can continue to contribute every night, expect to hear his name often in MVP talks. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.25.2011

590474

Philadelphia Flyers

Evaluating the Flyers at the quarter mark

Sure, its just the quarter mark of the season. Yet heres no denying the Flyers are in position to win the Atlantic Division and maybe even the Eastern Conferences top seed. Whatever doubts there were over the summer about how this team was going to gel with so many new faces seem to be a distant memory. Remember how we fretted who would make up for the 78 goals lost among Jeff Carter, Mike Richards and Ville Leino? Well, with 77 goals already, the Flyers lead the NHL in scoring as we reached the officials quarter pole (21 games) with Wednesdays 4-3 overtime victory at the Islanders. Chris Pronger and his aching back and surgically repaired wrist? Neither has been an issue, though a right eye injury coupled with a virus has seen Captain Warmth miss eight games. Recall how people wondered if Jaromir Jagr, about to push 40 years old, had anything left? Or whether his centerman, Claude Giroux, could elevate his play to generate chemistry with Jagr? Their success speaks for itself as Giroux is second in the NHL in overall scoring with 27 points while Jagr has been wonderful to watch on the ice until recently when he missed two games with a groin pull and then reinjured himself against the Islanders. Given the Flyers alarming history of groin pulls, this bears considerable watching in the weeks ahead because Jagr rushed his comeback and the next time could see a complete tear. Even he admits he didnt err on the side of caution. His value to Giroux at this point is incalculable. Are there too many rookies and not enough veterans?

590473

Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers' best and worst of the week

Winners and Sinners from the Flyers Week: Best Move: Cut to the middle by Danny Briere on Frans Nielsen in overtime to create game-winning shot off routine two-on-two. Pass: Simple drop by Scott Hartnell to Briere on that goal. Play: James van Riemsdyk around the back of the net to pass out to Matt Read for goal against the Hurricanes. Reason Ilya Bryzgalov Can Sit For a Game Or Three: Sergei Bobrovsky. Stopped Michael Grabner on second-period breakaway to keep score 3-2, and stood his ground on back-to-backers by Andy MacDonald and Grabner in overtime. Wasnt required to do much in relief of Bryzgalov, but did it nevertheless.

Coach Peter Laviolette has used 10 first-year players. His top one, versatile forward Matt Read, is third in rookie scoring with 14 points while first round pick Sean Couturier, acquired in the Carter trade, has been a steady and effective contributor on the penalty kill.

Once again, goaltending remains a puzzle. Ilya Bryzgalov has been up and down and had a recent five-game stretch that seemed to suggest he had gotten his game back. Yet over the last two games, hes looked pedestrian. Backup Sergei Bobrovsky has bailed him out a few times and saved two points for the Flyers at the Island with late heroics. Overall, the Flyers goaltending numbers are very poor, but taken in smaller recent amounts, its far better than it was. Still, it remains an area that has to get better as the season moves on. Right now, both Bryzgalov and Bobrovsky have save percentages under .900, which wont cut it for a team with Stanley Cup ambitions. About the only thing to truly dislike about this team is its overall discipline, something that has nagged the Flyers for several years. Its probably a character flaw in the kind of aggressive players the Flyers stockpile, but they once again lead the league in penalties, averaging 17.1 minutes a game while their 115 minors are, by far, tops in the NHL, which is inexcusable. And the trickle-down effect of all these penalties is an overworked penalty kill unit that has sank in recent days. Penalties have plagued the Flyers the entire quarter even though it hasnt doomed them. Yet. Theres been a lot of good things weve done the first quarter, Laviolette said. I think weve started to really understand the identity by which we need to play. Weve won a lot of hockey games. I think the offense has been good. Defensively, we get ourselves in a little bit of trouble through penalties and were working on that. Thats one thing Id like to see a little bit better. Despite all the good things he does with the puck, Danny Briere is one of the players who needs to better control his stick. When the Flyers looked about cooked in Long Island on Wednesday, he rescued the offense with two late goals. Goals, not stick fouls, is what Briere needs to provide more of in the months ahead. We have a team that plays with an edge, Briere said. Right now, it is learning how to do a better job tip-toeing that line of when to be aggressive and when to take that extra shot and when to back off. Thats certainly a thing now to be more successful in the second quarter to improve. Weve talked about it. Weve all been responsible [for doing it] at times. Most the Flyers infractions are stick-related and lazy penalties hooking, tripping, interference. Sometimes we dont move our feet, Giroux said. We take too many stick penalties. We have a lot of players who can skate. When you skate, you should be in position and you should not be taking penalties. Weve lost games this year because of penalties. Still the Flyers (12-6-3) have won more than they have lost because, well, theres a lot of talent on this roster. Eleven players are in double-digit scoring. Giroux could become the first Flyer to win the Art Ross Trophy (scoring title). Theres a lot of hockey to be played, Giroux said. Thats not really on my mind right now. I try not to think about that stuff. When everybody knows what they are doing on the ice and are together, thats when we play our best. It becomes easy for everyone to do their job. Were in good position in the standings. We can better and have things to improve upon in the second quarter. Jagr, who had a tendency to be very moody in his younger days, seems content as age 40 approaches. I love it so far, Jagr said. A lot of young guys and a lot of fun ... Its a lot of fun and I want to be part of the team. You can see the guys have so much potential. You can help them. Tell them things they dont know because I didnt know them when I was younger. Jagr speaks every day to Giroux, Read and Jakub Voracek, on and off the ice. He instructs. He teaches. Hes the perfect player/coach on the ice.

Im very lucky to have him, Giroux said. As a young player, I wasnt sure what to expect from him. Hes dominated the league for a lot of years. For him to come and help our young players and help us get better, it was something that we needed, pretty much. The leadership group has been much better under Pronger and this year welcomed Giroux to its ranks. The one thing the Flyers seem to have an abundance of is resiliency. They often overcome their own shortcomings most nights. Even when they dont win, its usually a fairly close game. Their attack style with and without the puck is consistent. Their defensive coverage, as a five-man unit often wanes, but the d-pairs have changed in recent weeks because of injuries and their salary cap restraints with defensive replacements from the minors. Among the players who have been a pleasant surprise is James van Riemsdyk. He has eight goals, which is right more than he had last season at this point. Its a little bit different this year, JVR said. Im playing with some different guys, so it takes time to get used to. When you look at like that, things look pretty good so far. I know I have a lot more to give. Its just about getting better day by day and I think a lot of that comes from the chemistry you get with your linemates. What stops JVR from taking that so-called next step is every night consistency. He can be a dominating power forward if he harnesses the mental aspect of playing a certain way every shift. When he plays with that edge, hes a talented guy and becomes very difficult to play against, Laviolette said. You saw it in the playoffs where he elevated his game. Though its been beaten to death, there is no denying there is an internal bond in the dressing room a camaraderie, if you will that has been missing for several years. Even more noticeable, no player in the room wants to talk about the past. Its gone and forgotten about. The group of guys we do have, it's a good mix, Braydon Coburn said. It's a good mix of everything, we have four lines who can play. We have to all get on the same page and play Lavi's system, which I think the coaching staff has done a good job of implementing that and letting us know what's expected of us.'' Added van Riemsdyk, Weve got a tight-knit room that should help us get through tough times. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.25.2011 590475 Phoenix Coyotes

Coyotes' Boyd Gordon takes small-town values with him Center was born and raised in Unity, Saskatchewan, a town with barely 2,000 people

By Sarah McLellan - Nov. 24, 2011 05:27 PM The Arizona Republic

Unity, Saskatchewan, has two elementary schools and one high school. The town is on the Western edge of the province, at the intersection of two highways and two railway lines. Its population barely cracks 2,000. This is where Coyotes center Boyd Gordon was born and raised before he moved to Regina when he was 7 years old. It was there in the big city that Gordon's minor hockey career took off, but he hasn't forgotten the smalltown values that he learned in Unity. "Typical small town," he said. " . . . Everybody knows everybody." And everybody helps each other out for the community to survive. That same philosophy applies to the Coyotes, especially when they encounter a

team such as Friday's opponent - the Vancouver Canucks. So it's no surprise that Gordon has slid seamlessly into this lineup after signing as a free agent in the off-season. "I heard a lot of good things about the coaching staff," Gordon, 28, said. "I thought just the way they played kind of suited me maybe a little bit better. It was good to get a change of scenery." It was natural to assume Gordon's transition to the Coyotes from the Washington Capitals wouldn't have been this easy. The Capitals could rely on their superstars - Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin - to win a game, and contributions from the latter lines wasn't always a necessity. But in Phoenix under coach Dave Tippett's system, every player needs to fulfill a role to be successful. Rather than cower under the newfound responsibility, Gordon has thrived. "I think it's a fun place to play here because of that," captain Shane Doan said. " . . . It's enjoyable to be on a team where we count on him so much. I think every player wants that added responsibility and that added pressure, and we count on him and he's stepped up and been phenomenal for us." On paper, Gordon was an obvious replacement for Vernon Fiddler, who signed with the Dallas Stars in the summer. Gordon could play the hard minutes on the penalty kill and carry a checking-line role against the opponents' top lines. He's done that - and more. "He's one of those guys that he contributes in a lot of different ways that make this team win," Tippett said. Gordon has chipped in three goals and seven assists for 10 points. He had three goals and nine points all of last season. What's even more impressive is he's a plus-9; with the Capitals last year he finished a minus-5. "It's one of those things where I've gotten a really good chance here," Gordon said. "I kind of wanted to look at this year to rejuvenate my career." So far, he's accomplished that. The center-ice position has been insecure all season for the Coyotes with Kyle Turris holding out and Daymond Langkow recently taking a leave of absence from the team after the sudden death of his mother. Gordon has been the constant, and a strong start with the team is undoubtedly what he was thankful for as he sat down to Thanksgiving dinner with his parents, who live in Goodyear in the winter months. "We've had some guys out in center, so I've gotten some good opportunities," he said. "It's something I want to make the most of, and hopefully I get to keep going and play solid." Friday's game Canucks at Coyotes When: 7 p.m. Where: Jobing.com Arena. TV/radio: FSAZ/KGME-AM (910). Update: The Coyotes were off on Thanksgiving, although a few players chose to skate. Friday's matchup is the second of a three-game homestand and the first of back-to-back games at home as the Dallas Stars visit on Saturday. . . . The Canucks are in the midst of a three-game road swing. On Wednesday, the Canucks beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-0, and it was a win against the Avalanche at this point last season that sparked the Canucks to win 5 of 6 and 18 of 22. G Cory Schneider has made the past three starts for the Canucks as Roberto Luongo is nursing an upper-body injury. Daniel Sedin (six goals, 18 assists) and brother Henrik (seven goals, 15 assists) continue to lead the way for the Canucks offensively. Arizona Republic LOADED: 11.25.2011

The Penguins have been maddeningly inconsistent over the past couple of weeks, but one aspect of their game remains unflappable. Penalty killing has been a team strength from the day Dan Bylsma became coach, and nothing has changed this season. The Penguins rank second in the NHL with a 90.3 success rate on the penalty kill and have blanked opposing power plays in 18 of their 22 games. "What's been so impressive to me is how the four guys on the ice always work together," said veteran center Richard Park, a longtime penalty killing specialist who has fit in nicely. "It's very clear that there is a plan in place, and everyone is always on the same page." The Penguins have been especially impressive at home, killing 28 of 29 penalties for a 96.5 success rate. Washington scored the only power-play goal against the Penguins at Consol Energy Center this season, and that tally came with a 4-on-3 advantage because it took place in overtime. Also, the Penguins have permitted only two power-play goals all season when goalie Marc-Andre Fleury starts. Only New Jersey (93.8 percent) ranks higher than the Penguins, who led the league in penalty killing last season. "The whole unit has been very good," Park said. "And when you've got goaltending like we get, that only makes it better." Note: The Penguins held a 45-minute Thanksgiving practice. Only defenseman Kris Letang and left wing Chris Kunitz did not participate, but both are expected to play Friday night against the Ottawa Senators. Read more: Stubborn penalty-killing unit lifts Penguins - Pittsburgh TribuneReview http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_769007.ht ml#ixzz1eiAPvOL7 Tribune Review LOADED: 11.25.2011

590477

Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins are tired of playing catch-up lately

By Josh Yohe, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW Friday, November 25, 2011

Penguins coach Dan Bylsma acknowledged following his team's 3-2 loss to St. Louis that the Penguins were not mentally prepared. Those mental mistakes, many of the Penguins vowed after Thursday's practice, must immediately stop. "It's a focus, a mentality," left wing Matt Cooke said. "It's an easy fix." The Penguins had better hope so. While they do maintain the Eastern Conference's best record, the Penguins have recently showcased an unbecoming habit of playing in spurts. They were dismal in the first two periods against St. Louis before waking up in the third. In a recent home game against Colorado, they played likely their worst period of the season in the opening 20 minutes before taking control in a 6-3 win. The Penguins are talented enough to win games when they don't show up for the entire 60 minutes. It is a habit, however, that they'd like to break.

590476

Pittsburgh Penguins

"That's the thing," right wing Pascal Dupuis said. "We can't rely on that. We can't think because everyone is back that now we're good enough to be able to just show up." Some of the Penguins admitted that Wednesday's loss to St. Louis was evidence of a letdown following the excitement of center Sidney Crosby's return to the lineup. While that may be the case, it doesn't explain all the other mental breakdowns that have been noticeable in recent weeks. The Penguins have allowed the opposition to score the game's opening goal in five of the past seven games. In those seven games, they've been outscored in the first period by an 8-4 margin.

Stubborn penalty-killing unit lifts Penguins

By Josh Yohe, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW Friday, November 25, 2011

"It's up to every individual getting ready for every game," Dupuis said. "We need to be ready." Many of the Penguins took complete responsibility for the slow starts, absolving Bylsma of any blame. Slow starts have never been an issue under Bylsma, and the Penguins made it clear that their coach always has them prepared for games. It's up to the players, they insist, to display more alertness early in contests. "It's not lack of preparation," Crosby said. "I know that. Maybe we just have to come out with a little more hunger. Maybe that needs to be our mindset." Even though the Penguins may possess the league's best team on paper, a mediocre team like St. Louis is capable of beating them when they aren't focused. A look at the NHL standings indicates that almost every team is competent. Gone are the days when a talented team like the Penguins are capable of beating an inferior squad on skill alone. "And I think that's a good thing, actually," Crosby said. "It forces you to stay sharp." The Penguins haven't been sharp lately, from uncharacteristically high numbers of turnovers in their own territory to puzzling lapses of intensity. Taking frustration penalties, something that hasn't been an issue this season, has even crept into the Penguins' game in the past week. "We want to win games," Cooke said. "We know we can't keep having to come back in every game. We need to be better. It's something that we're aware of. It's been addressed." PENGUINS GAME DAY Senators vs. Penguins When/where: 7:05 p.m. Friday/Consol Energy Center TV/radio: Root Sports/WXDX-FM (105.9), Penguins Radio Network This year's records: Penguins 12-6-4, 28 points (1st in East); Senators 109-2, 22 points (11th in East) Notable: Ottawa defenseman Sergei Gonchar is riding a five-game scoring streak, during which he has produced two goals and three assists. Tribune Review LOADED: 11.25.2011

Nonetheless, he never managed to manufacture more than the 48 points he put up for Minnesota in 2002-03. And, while there is no assurance he will do it this season, either, Dupuis is putting up goals and assists at a rate that suggests he is a better-thaneven-money bet to pull it off. He has four goals and 13 assists in 22 games, which puts him on pace to finish the season with 63 points. That would be 15 more than his personal best. "I just think it's [that Dupuis is] playing with confidence," said assistant coach Tony Granato, who works with the forwards. "He might be getting a little more ice time in offensive situations." Maybe, but Dupuis is averaging just a bit over 17 minutes of playing time per game, seventh among Penguins forwards. (Crosby, it should be noted, is one of the six ahead of him.) What's more, Dupuis gets a lot of his work while the Penguins are short-handed -- an average of 2:09 per game -- and the emphasis in those situations is on preventing goals, not scoring them. Those duties do not figure to be removed from his job description anytime soon, either, because the demands of killing penalties dovetail with Dupuis' strengths. "He's really responsible defensively -- that's why he gets so much [penaltykilling] ice time -- and you can put him on the ice in any situation and feel comfortable that he's going to do what's asked of him," Granato said. Dupuis' hockey IQ is high and his commitment to contributing all over the ice is obvious, but his greatest asset is his speed. He uses it not only to disrupt opponents, especially when the Penguins are down a man, but to create scoring opportunities for himself and his linemates. "He's always going to get chances because of his speed," Granato said. Sometimes, helping to generate offense involves nothing more than giving his linemates confidence that he'll be able to get back defensively if the unit tries to press a little harder than usual in the attacking zone. At other times, it means bursting down the wing to get off what can be an overpowering slap shot. His slap shot does not always go on net, let alone in it -- Dupuis' career shooting percentage is a fairly ordinary 9.2 -- but it is a part of his repertoire other teams can't ignore. Dupuis actually has not scored on one this season -- his goals have come on breakaways and close-in chances -- but he can be counted on to get at least a few that way every year. Dupuis has gone as many as three games without a point just once in 2011-12 and, despite going scoreless in a 3-2 overtime loss Wednesday to the St. Louis Blues, has eight points in the past eight games. And even though he has not had any monstrous offensive games -- Dupuis' three-assist performance in a 5-0 victory Monday against the New York Islanders marked the only time this season he has gotten more than two points -- he is not prone to extended dry spells, either. "He's always been very consistent," Granato said. That can't change if Dupuis is to establish a new personal-best for points. And retaining Crosby as his center, which would assure that Dupuis would continue to find himself in offensive situations, would not hurt his chances, either. Regardless of the circumstances, however, no one who works with Dupuis seems to question that he is capable of having his most productive offensive season as a pro. "There's nothing wrong with having high expectations, and he's playing really good hockey," Crosby said. "Hopefully, he'll keep getting rewarded for it." Post Gazette LOADED: 11.25.2011

590478

Pittsburgh Penguins

Dupuis not just riding shotgun

By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pascal Dupuis is tied for third place in the Penguins scoring race. He has been averaging a point per game since the first weekend in November. He is on pace to obliterate his personal-best points total, set nearly a decade ago. And if you take Dupuis at his word, there is no secret about why all that has happened. "When you're playing with good players, that's what happens," Dupuis said Thursday. He has a point, of course. It does not hurt that he has worked alongside quality centers such as Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal for most of the season or that, when the Penguins face Ottawa at 7:08 p.m. today at Consol Energy Center, he figures to be on a line with center Sidney Crosby and left winger Chris Kunitz for the third game in a row. There is, however, more to it than that.

590479 After all, this is not the first time Dupuis has been blessed with excellent linemates. Fact is, he has been teamed with Crosby quite a bit the past few years.

St Louis Blues

Shattenkirk, Jackman a strong pairing for Blues' defense

By DAN O'NEILL doneill@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8186 | Posted: Friday, November 25, 2011 12:30 am

"He looks like (Brian) Rafalski," Hitchcock said, referring to the former Detroit defensive standout. "Because he's not oversized, but he's positionally sound, so you have to plow through him all the time. And when it's a big guy, he lets him go get the puck and then he takes it away from him, which is what smart smaller players do. "They're a good pair. We've had good play from a lot of guys back there, because we've been short-staffed with injuries. They've been a pair that you are comfortable playing against top players, which is a good sign." Jackman said there have been times in recent seasons where he has tried to push the envelope of his abilities. One of the toughest challenges for any athlete in professional sports is to accept who he is, to be realistic about his talent and recognize his limitations. Jackman knows he is a lot closer to Bobby Plager than Bobby Orr. But when a team struggles ... "You always want to do more to help the team," said Jackman, who has experienced the playoffs just twice during his previous eight full seasons in St. Louis. "But most of the time it is keeping it simple and realizing that if you play within yourself, if you play your game, it helps the team more than trying to score a goal or beat someone one on one." Jackman keeps it simple, Shattenkirk keeps it moving. Together, they are two "D's" in a pod for the Blues this season. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 11.25.2011

It is said that opposites attract. In hockey opposites sometimes do more than that they make for good defensive pairings. Such is the case with Barret Jackman and Kevin Shattenkirk. They seem like a blue-line version of Abbott and Costello, Mutt and Jeff or Rocky and Bullwinkle. Jackman is a 30-year-old, battle-scarred veteran from British Columbia. Shattenkirk is a precocious 22-year-old from Connecticut. The two couldn't be much more dissimilar in background or style. Yet, they live together on the Blues' defense, in perfect harmony. "Once I came here, toward the end of the year, 'Jacks' and I started playing and it just seemed to fit," Shattenkirk said. "For me, it's just a comfort thing, knowing there is a guy back there who is so solid and can bail you out when you make a mistake trying to make a play." Too much can be read into hockey's plus-minus statistic, which is an ambiguous measurement at best. At the same time, disclaimers aside, it may be interpreted as an indicator. Jackman and Shattenkirk lead the Blues' defensemen in the plus-minus category, which certainly suggests they are coagulating. Jackman might be playing as well as he ever has, or since he won the NHL's Calder Trophy in 2002-2003 as the rookie of the year. He beat out Henrik Zetterberg and Rick Nash to win the award that season, no small feat. Jackman's play is 'simple and hard," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "Nothing bad happens as long as you get the puck quickly to the forwards, and he's doing a great job of that right now. He's really playing with his legs, not his eyes. "He's doing less thinking and more moving the puck, and I really think it's had an impact on how he's playing. Less is more with 'Jacks.'" In an unfortunate way, a 3-2 loss to Los Angeles on Tuesday served to underline the point. While killing a penalty, Jackman perhaps made things a little more complicated than they needed to be by making an ill-advised pass to the middle of the ice. The puck was intercepted in the Blues' zone and instantly turned into a goal for the Kings. But afterward, Jackman demonstrated another reason he is so respected by his peers. He was the first player available in the dressing room, ready to answer questions about his mistake, available and accountable. He is a stand-up defenseman, in every sense of the term. "Off the ice, the intangibles speak volumes about the type of character he has," Shattenkirk said. "That's why he's such a leader in here." For his part, Shattenkirk has given the Blues another quarterback-caliber pointman to complement Alex Pietrangelo. When the Blues made a big trade last winter with Colorado, acquiring power forward Chris Stewart and Shattenkirk in return for Erik Johnson and Jay McClement, Stewart and Johnson were thought to be the primary figures. But Shattenkirk had 15 points in 26 games for St. Louis last season, and he has 12 points in 21 games this season, including a team-leading 10 assists. As Jackman puts it, "I know how to get points, I just get the puck to Kevin Shattenkirk." Nobody on the Blues has more innate "hockey sense" than No. 22. "I think he's very predictable in the defensive zone," Jackman said. "You know what he's going to do, when he's going to pressure, when he's going to join the rush. He's really good at coming back hard and giving me options, like I try to do with him. "He really makes it a simple game in the defensive zone and moving forward, which really helps my simple game. When 'Shatty' is in the right position, it's an easy first pass for me." The skill factor in Shattenkirk's game came well advertised, but it also tends to overshadow his defensive play. He has proven to be a dependable, unyielding protector, perhaps more so than some anticipated from a relatively small defenseman.

590480

St Louis Blues

Blues-Flames preview box

Posted: Friday, November 25, 2011 12:00 am | Loading BLUES VS. CALGARY When 7 tonight. Where Scottrade Center. TV, radio FSM, KMOX (1120 AM). Blues They are 1-1 against Calgary this season, with a 5-2 victory at home Oct. 10 and a 3-1 loss on the road Oct. 28. Jaroslav Halak, who notched the win over the Flames, is expected to be in net tonight after Brian Elliott helped the club edge Pittsburgh 3-2 in overtime (with 31 saves) on Wednesday. Flames They are opening up a four-game trip. The club, which sits in 13th place in the Western Conference, has just two victories in its last seven games. Forward Jarome Iginla scored in Calgary's 5-3 loss to Detroit on Wednesday, but it was only his second goal in his last nine games. What to watch The Blues will find out the level to which their power play has sunk. The unit has not scored on its last 19 opportunities, but tonight it will be facing a penalty-killing unit that gave up three goals in the loss to Detroit. The Flames' penalty-killing unit ranks 23rd in the NHL (79.2 percent). Injuries Blues D Carlo Colaiacovo (hamstring), LW Andy McDonald (head injury), D Kent Huskins (ankle), RW B.J. Crombeen (shoulder) and LW David Perron (concussion), out. Flames RW David Moss (undisclosed), D Anton Babchuk (hand) and D Brett Carson (back), out. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 11.25.2011

590481

St Louis Blues

Pietrangelo strikes in overtime

PITTSBURGH -- Alex Pietrangelo beat Marc-Andre Fleury with less than a minute to go in overtime to lift the St. Louis Blues past the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Sidney Crosby went scoreless in his second game back from concussionrelated symptoms as the Blues won despite blowing a pair of one-goal leads. Scott Nichol and Jamie Langenbrunner also scored for the Blues. Brian Elliott stopped 31 shots. James Neal scored his 13th goal of the season for Pittsburgh and Steve Sullivan collected his third. Fleury made 40 saves for the Penguins, but Pittsburgh failed to play with the electricity that highlighted Crosby's seasondebut in a win over the New York Islanders on Monday. Crosby played more than 18 minutes and spent an additional six in the penalty box on a night the Blues did their best to slow down the game's biggest star. Crosby scored twice and added a pair of assists against the woeful Islanders, showing no rust from a 10-month layoff and raising questions about whether he could eventually catch Toronto's Phil Kessel for the scoring title. St. Louis put a quick stop to that. The Blues have found their footing under new coach Ken Hitchcock and spent most of the night effectively neutralizing the 2007 MVP. Despite playing their second game in as many nights, the Blues looked like the more energetic team for long stretches then held on after Pittsburgh got its act together in an entertaining third period. The Penguins twice clawed back from one-goal deficits to tie the game. Sullivan knotted it at 1 on a slap shot from the point just over 3 minutes into the third, with Crosby providing interference in front of Elliott. St. Louis went back ahead on Langenbrunner's second goal of the season, but the Penguins tied it again less than 4 minutes later, as Neal took a feed from Evgeni Malkin and rifled a wrister past Elliott to give him 11 goals in 10 games at Consol Energy Center this year. The Penguins paired Crosby and Malkin in overtime hoping to close it out. Instead St. Louis stunned Pittsburgh on a pretty game-winner from Pietrangelo, who took a feed from Vladimir Sobotka then deked his way past Fleury and pushed the puck into a wide-open net to put an end to the Penguins' six-game home winning streak. Crosby expressed concerned about his conditioning despite playing nearly 16 mostly flawless minutes in his debut. Maybe he and his teammates should have been more worried about a hangover. Two days after playing in one of the more memorable regular-season games in the club's 44-year history, the Penguins sleepwalked much of the first two periods against the Blues. Clogging up the passing lanes and frustrating Pittsburgh at every turn, St. Louis kept the Penguins' high-powered offense in check. Things eventually got chippy, with Crosby right in the middle of it. He picked up his first penalty of the season on tripping call midway through the second period, then added his second a few minutes later after mixing it up with David Backes. The two jostled along the boards following a whistle, leading to a logjam behind the St. Louis net, with Crosby extricated from the get-together by referees before things got too serious. Notes Backes appeared to give the Blues a 2-0 lead in the second period but the goal was waved off after replays showed he kicked the puck past Fleury with his left skate. ... St. Louis remains one of four teams Crosby has not scored against in his career. The other three are San Jose, Chicago and Edmonton. ... The Penguins hadn't lost to a team from the Western Conference in regulation in 15 games, going 10-0-5 over that stretch. Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 11.25.2011

By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune Published: November 25, 2011

SUNRISE -Perhaps viewing the 21st and 22nd games of an 82-game season as a crossroads seems a little silly. After all, three-quarters of the season remains. Yet, it's not so far-fetched to suggest a weekend home-and-home series with the Florida Panthers has taken on a heightened sense of importance for the Lightning. That's because the new-look Panthers, a team that has not made the playoffs for a decade, are in first place in the Southeast Division, while Tampa Bay looks to gain a sense of consistency after coming within a victory of reaching the Stanley Cup finals last season. After overhauling the roster during the summer Florida brought in Brian Campbell, Kris Versteeg and former Lightning playoff hero Sean Bergenheim the Panthers have enjoyed a successful start. They hold a division lead in November for the first time since the 2000-01 season. With Tampa Bay already looking up at Florida in the standings, a stumble this weekend will widen an already-large gap. "They are where they need to be in the standings and we are not," Lightning center Steven Stamkos said. "They obviously have a much improved team after all the changes over the summer and they are having fun over there winning. "Right now, it's frustrating for us. This is huge. We take these two games and we are right back in the mix. If not, then well, we don't want to go there. But the importance of it is huge, that's for sure." Coming off a humbling 7-1 loss to Toronto on Tuesday, the Lightning look to get back on track. Tampa Bay has lost four of its past five games, as well as four of its past five on the road. "This is big and I think we are going to look at this as a six-period game, almost," center Nate Thompson said. "And they are a team that is playing well right now. They have new personnel, a new coach and they have been jelling early right now. "We just have to play our game the whole 60 minutes. On Tuesday, we had maybe our best period of the year in the first period. We were all over them. If we get back to that, have no hesitation to our game, going all over the ice and creating chaos when we do that, we are at our best." Tampa Bay will have to be at its best against one of the league's best in the early part of the season. Tampa Bay and Florida have already met three times this season. Florida won once in regulation and once in a shootout. In the most recent meeting, however, Tampa Bay overcame a three-goal deficit in the third period to win in a shootout on Nov.?6. "We have to go back and try to recreate the first period we had (on Tuesday against Toronto) at home," Lightning coach Guy Boucher said. "And no matter what happens, we can't change our attitude and that perspective going into the second period. "So, one thing at a time." One key area in which the Lightning need to be better is goaltending. In his past eight appearances, Dwayne Roloson has allowed 24 goals on 208 shots for an .885 save percentage. Mathieu Garon, who will start tonight, has allowed 16 goals on 114 shots in his past six appearances for a save percentage of .860. "We just have to go out and focus and go from there and not worry about anything other than what we can control," Roloson said. "The games with Florida are huge games for us, but at the same time, us as a team, we have to focus on that first shift and playing 60 minutes of consistent Tampa Bay Lightning hockey and making that carry over to the next game. "We have to take baby steps to get to the end of the road and focus on one step at a time to create that big step." Tampa Tribune LOADED: 11.25.2011

590482

Tampa Bay Lightning

Weekend series could be pivotal for Bolts

590483

Tampa Bay Lightning

But when asked about dealing with the team speed of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars coach Glen Gulutzan called it one challenge that would be hard for his team to have an answer for. I think most teams can come at us speed-wise, he said. We have to work real hard to be pace-y. Torontos got their young guys, a lot of them in the lineup right now. Those young guys move and they work. Both teams are off to surprising starts this year, with the Leafs putting up 26 points in their first 22 games and the Stars matching that in one fewer game. Beyond that, however, these are very different teams that will meet on Friday, with Toronto an average of three years younger and one of the highest scoring teams in the league. Dallas, meanwhile, is 19th in goals scored, instead relying on good goaltending and opportunistic goals from Loui Eriksson and Jamie Benn for many of its wins. Its an unusual matchup, one made odder by neither team seeming to know all that much about the other. I havent really watched them at all this year, Leafs winger Clarke MacArthur said. In the past, theyve always had a tough team to play against. Theyve got a lot of new faces, teammate Joffrey Lupul said. When I think Dallas Stars, Im thinking a lot different guys than are over there. They had that same core group forever Marty Turco, Mike Modano, Zubov. Obviously all those guys are gone now, and theyve got these new guys. I guess Brenden Morrows still there. But their key guys now are young. Guys that we dont know much about on the East Coast, but that are obviously good players. The Leafs will get an education as to who, exactly, these Stars are on Friday before the game in video sessions, but coach Ron Wilson was careful to do some scouting of his own as to the challenge Dallas will present. After ending a five-game losing skid with a win over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday, the Stars pulled off a dramatic comeback Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Kings a game Wilson was sitting in the press box for with the rest of the Leafs coaching staff. Thats a very hardworking team, Wilson said. Theyre not going to give up in a game [but] I think we can pretty much control the tempo against any team in this league right now if we bring our A-game. Thats going to be the challenge for us. What Toronto should be is well rested. The Leafs spent Thursday afternoon at Cowboys Stadium watching the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins play on U.S. Thanksgiving as part of a unique team-building exercise. Its a game Im usually sitting on a couch having my third helping of turkey dinner, Wilson said. Reimers return delayed Leafs starting netminder James Reimer was on the ice for his first full practice in a month in Dallas, taking shots for roughly an hour while Jonas Gustavsson who will start against the Stars and Ben Scrivens shared the other goal. Wilson said Reimers recovery from concussion-like symptoms will keep him out until at least until late next week, with the earliest he would return being Dec. 3 against the Boston Bruins. This is a process so lets not rush it, Wilson said. Hes probably 10 days or so away. This is going to be a slow process. When we want him to go in there, we want him to be 100 per cent in terms of stopping the puck. When you get back, you want to be 120 per cent, Reimer said, one-upping his coach. I want to come in how I left off. Not kind of feel my way for a couple of games. I want to come back in and start winning again. Toronto Globe And Mail LOADED: 11.25.2011

With long road stretch beginning, Tampa Bay Lightning power play in focus

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer

SUNRISE The Lightning enters a difficult stretch, playing seven of its next nine games on the road, starting tonight against the Panthers. And with Tampa Bay needing a spark after losing four of its past five, getting more punch out of its power play could go a long way. The Lightning is 28th in the league in road power-play efficiency (9.8 percent), including one goal in its past 16 chances. It has enough firepower, with Vinny Lecavalier, Steven Stamkos and Marty St. Louis. It had the second-most power play goals in the league last season en route to its spectacular playoff run, and it is 22.2 percent on the power play at home this season. "When the power play is good, it can be the difference in a game," Lecavalier said. "So we've got to make sure we're sharp on it." Coach Guy Boucher says statistics can be deceiving. He believes the power-play unit performed really well in Tuesday's 7-1 loss to the Maple Leafs, despite going 1-for-6. It created a lot of scoring chances; it just couldn't cash in. "My philosophy is that you don't have to score on the power play," Boucher said. "You either have to get momentum or keep momentum. If you lose it or don't gain it, that's the sin." The Lightning has done fine on five-on-four opportunities, racking up 11 power-play goals in 66 tries. But what has burned it is cashing in just once on six five-on-three chances and zero times in four four-on-threes. "I think it's just fallen into the trend with our overall whole game," Stamkos said. "It's been on and off this year. We've got to find a way to be consistent. We just have to make the right reads on the ice and try not to force things. "It's the old cliche, but when things aren't going well, sometimes you try to force things when they're not there, and we may be guilty of that." Besides its effect on the score, a good power play can effect the game's dynamics in other ways. Lecavalier said it can give a team confidence. Wing Ryan Malone said when a team's power play is a threat, opponents play a bit differently, being careful to not take "stupid penalties." Said Boucher, "They don't take as many liberties." The league had to be aware of the Lightning's power play last season, when it was second with 69 goals. Tampa Bay was 11-for-21 in five-onthree chances and 5-for-10 on four-on-threes. "It creates momentum whether you score or not," Stamkos said. "Usually, if we have a good power play, getting a lot of shots, it changes the tide of the game. When we have our power play and penalty kill going together, we're a tough team to play against." MISCELLANY: Wing Steve Downie (upper body) is questionable for tonight. Center Blair Jones cleared waivers and is expected to be assigned to AHL Norfolk. St. Petersburg Times LOADED: 11.25.2011 590484 Toronto Maple Leafs

Stars fear Leafs speed

Posted on Thursday, November 24, 2011 9:00PM EST

It was an odd thing for a NHL coach to admit.

590485

Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs take in Cowboys game

Gustavsson james mirtle Posted on Thursday, November 24, 2011 2:43PM EST Scrivens Extra: Reimer Toronto Globe And Mail LOADED: 11.25.2011 It's a dark day on the NHL schedule due in part to U.S. Thanksgiving, but the Toronto Maple Leafs will be pretty busy here in Dallas. After a quick practice at 11 a.m., the team boarded a bus to have Thanksgiving dinner and watch the Dallas Cowboys play the Miami Dolphins from a Star Suite at Cowboys Stadium. Not a bad way to spend a day off. "I'm just excited to see the game and the stadium," Joffrey Lupul said as he filled out his NFL picks for the Leafs pool (Team name: Loopdogg). "It's the biggest stadium in the world I think, biggest indoor stadium. The cheerleaders are all right, too." "It's been a while since I've seen an NFL game," coach Ron Wilson said. "I haven't been in this stadium. I saw a few 49er games when I was [coaching] in San Jose and that was always fun. This will be neat. "This is a game I'm usually sitting on my couch, having my third helping of turkey dinner or something. So we'll see. Hopefully we've got that kind of food where we're sitting." The Leafs' European players seemed a little less certain about the trip, which is meant as a team-building exercise as much as anything. Goaltender Jonas Gustavsson said he didn't understand the rules but would try to follow along as best he could. "I've never seen a game," Gustavsson said. "They don't play football in Sweden so everything's new to me." Wilson joked that Mikhail Grabovski, who was back at practice after missing time with a leg injury, had only returned to take part in the trip. "I think he really is rushing himself to get to the football game today," Wilson said. "That's a Belarusian tradition - sitting down and having turkey and watching the Dallas Cowboys play. So now he gets to do it live." Team Loopdogg takes the Cowboys to win, by the way. A few members of the team have been tweeting from the game: Tyler Bozak, John-Michael Liles, Ron Wilson, Joffrey Lupul Notebook - James Reimer took part in his first full practice in nearly a month and again talked with the media, saying he's feeling better but doesn't want to rush his return. Wilson said it'll be another 10 days or so before plays in a game, which would set his return around when Toronto plays in Boston on Dec. 3. That would mean he misses only three more games. - Gustavsson will start Friday against the Stars coming off two good wins over the Capitals and Lightning. - Grabovski was skating with what's believed to be a knee injury but remains roughly a week away. Wilson said he was hoping to have him for Sunday's game in Anaheim but that that looks unlikely now. - The Leafs sent winger Mike Brown back to Toronto as his troubled groin injury is still causing him issues. He's being evaluated by doctors. Leafs practice lineup: Lupul-Bozak-Kessel MacArthur-Connolly-Kulemin Frattin-Colborne-Crabb Steckel-Dupuis-Rosehill Extra: Grabovski, Orr Gunnarsson - Phaneuf Gardiner - Schenn Liles - Franson Extra: Holzer james mirtle

590486

Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs Lupul one of NHLs early success stories

DALLAS - There was a joke going around back during the Toronto Maple Leafs training camp about how what was projected to be their top line could well be known as The Masterton Trio. After all, all three members -- Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul and Tim Connolly -have reasonable claims to the Masterton Trophy, past or present, given how their histories mesh with whats become the NHLs comeback award. Kessel won the award in 2007 after testicular cancer cost him 12 games as a rookie with the Boston Bruins. Lupul and Connollys injury woes, meanwhile, are well known, with both missing almost a full season with near career-threatening ailments in recent years. Of the three, however, Lupuls story is the most compelling and really one of the most surprising and inspiring ones leaguewide so far this season. His former team, the Anaheim Ducks, basically gave him up in February to get out from under his salary after he missed almost a full year to a back injury that turned into a serious infection that kept him bedridden for months. Lupuls first game back came on Dec. 5 of last year, and it was a difficult transition given the weight he had lost (nearly 30 pounds) and time he had missed. I was a bit nervous, he recalled. It almost felt like my first game in the NHL. I wasnt sure how I was going to perform. When I got back in Anaheim, I didnt really feel like I had a spot on the team. After being out so long, other guys step in, the coach becomes confident in other players, and it was a tough situation altogether. Youre trying to get your game back but youre only playing 10 minutes a night. It was tough for me. Twenty-six games later, the Ducks had seen enough and, already heavy on right wingers, were convinced he couldnt fill a left wing spot on a winning team. So they sent the last two years of his contract (at $4.25-million a season) to the Leafs along with Jake Gardiner in exchange for Francois Beauchemin, a deal many said at the time had far more to do with the young defenceman than the recovering winger. Fast forward nine months, however, and Lupul is suddenly one of the NHLs leading scorers, sitting tied for third with 26 points and tied for seventh with 11 goals in the first 22 games. Hes been a big reason why Torontos in playoff position, taking the focus off of Kessel on their line, winning puck battles down low and, mostly, proving a lot of his doubters wrong. Now to be here and playing on the first line and playing over 20 minutes on a lot of these nights is probably not a situation I thought Id be in, Lupul said. But at the same time, I worked really hard in coming back and Ive always been confident in my abilities. Chances [like this] dont come around all that often and its definitely a spot I want to stay. Lupul was asked if this is the highpoint of his career -- one that has seen him go from a seventh overall pick by the Ducks in 2002 to traded not once but four times by age 27 as he dropped from 53 points as a sophomore to

just 28 the following season -- and he allowed that, from a personal standpoint, it probably was. Team success, however, is what he really wants. At the end of the day, its all about winning games, he said. If I end the year with however many points, in the top 20 of the league, and were not in the playoffs, what have you really accomplished? Obviously it looks good when you look back at your career and go through the stat sheet, but if youre on the first line of a hockey team, your job is to be one of the key guys that contributes and gets that team in the playoffs. So thats our mindset. Sure itd be great if Phil scores 50 goals, but I think hell tell you the same thing. Our job is to try to help lead the team to the playoffs. On pace for a 97-point season, the Leafs are at the moment on course to get there. Theyre one of the highest scoring teams in the league, have one of the top power plays and Lupul has been a very big part of that. So when the Leafs head into Anaheim this weekend and he gets a shot at his former team for the first time since that trade, itll be a big moment -- for the player and the franchise. The Ducks are down, Lupul is up and that deal has become one of the bigger wins for GM Brian Burke so far in Toronto. Toronto Globe And Mail LOADED: 11.25.2011

The Bruins started poorly, but have won eight straight games. Thomas has risen to second in the league in goals against average, and first if you rank goalies with 10 or more starts. Hes also third in save percentage, and first if you factor in 10 or more starts. PAVEL DATSYUK Datsyuk would actually have been a shoo-in as the No. 2 if the question was asked over the final half of last season. Datsyuk has won the Selke Trophy as best defensive forward three times and also combines arguably the leagues best hands with an uncanny ability to glide in and out of tight, hotly contested spaces. The Wings stalwart is second in team scoring, and brings a skill set and hockey sense that undeniably places him among the very best in the game. SHEA WEBER At the moment, Weber ranks as arguably the best D-man in the league and the player, more than any other in the league, whose play elevates his team. Webers booming shot and skill set have long since earned him all-star and national team status. At this point in the season, hes also the NHLs leading plus-minus player. The fact hes a defenceman further underlines the kind of season Weber is having (only four of the current top 15 plusminus players in the NHL are defencemen). ZDENO CHARA Chara could be THE choice here.

590487

Toronto Maple Leafs

Whos the second-best player in the NHL?

When you combine impact on games, domination of top players, penalty kill and power play time, leadership, physicality, plus-minus, and consistency, Chara arguably outshines any other player who could be under consideration for No. 2 status. EVGENI MALKIN Has been injured for much of this season but returned with a flourish, and scored and incredible goal that could stand up as one of the top goals of the year. Certainly has the presence and production to rise above it all. He underwent season-ending knee surgery last February. Malkin was so upset he texted coach Dan Bylsma and apologized for his absence (Bylsma replied that he had nothing to apologize for). When hes right, Malkin is worthy of the No. 2 mantle. SEDIN TWINS As a package deal, Daniel and Henrik deserve consideration here. They are the face of the Canucks, and have dominated the Western Conference the past two seasons. Both players set team records during the playoffs last spring, and after the Canucks loss in the Cup final, it was revealed Henrik had played the postseason with a back injury. After the season, both were nominated for the NHL Foundation Award for charity work, and both were named first team all-stars. As a final exclamation point on a fantastic season, both were named athlete of the year in their native Sweden. A SCOUTS LIST The Star contacted an NHL scout, who provided this list: Claude Giroux, the Sedins, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Logan Couture, Joe Thornton, Tyler Seguin, Anze Kopitar, and Evgeni Malkin. There are more, of course, the scout said. Kessels scoring puts him in conversation but as a wing its hard to rate better than the centres. A FORMER ALL-STAR PLAYERS LIST Sedins, Seguin, Pekka Rinne, Shea Weber, Martin St. Louis, Corey Perry, Matt Duchene. Im gonna go with Seguin because I think hes given Boston a legitimate offensive weapon they didnt have the kids come a long way, probably the fastest up and coming type guy in the league, the ex-player said.

Mark Zwolinski

Its no longer Alex Ovechkin or Steven Stamkos. Those two snipers have fallen this season from the status they both held as the player who could be legitimately considered second best in the league behind Sidney Crosby. The topic whos No. 2 became debatable when Crosby returned with a stunning four-point performance Monday after a lengthy layoff. Right away, he seemed to regain the mantle he relinquished last Jan. 5, when he succumbed to concussion symptoms that would deprive him of the game for 10 months. Up until the Vancouver Olympics, when Crosby scored his famous goldmedal goal and sailed into clear No. 1 status, Ovechkin was mentioned as his equal. Prior to that, there had been debate validating Ovechkin as the games best player. Stamkos, when he became a 50-goal scorer in his second season in the league, certainly vaulted into consideration for No. 2 as well. But at this point in the season, both Ovechkin and Stamkos, for varying reasons, have slipped from consideration as clear-cut No. 2s. Heres a look at the players looking to step into that role: PHIL KESSEL His name might have seemed out of place at the beginning of the season, but not anymore. The Leafs winger is the NHLs scoring leader and is recognized as arguably the most dangerous player with the puck in open ice. Blues coach Ken Hitchcock mentioned Kessel in those terms without being prompted and several other NHL coaches have also spoken of Kessel in similar terms. TIM THOMAS This may be the sleeper choice here. The Bruins are surging and Thomas, like he did in the playoffs last spring, seems to be the deciding factor and has the biggest influence on Bostons games.

Toronto Star LOADED: 11.25.2011

590488

Toronto Maple Leafs

Certainly it was fitting. At a time when the Maple Leafs are managed and coached by the scions of USA Hockey, what could be more natural than spending an afternoon watching Americas team on Americas favourite holiday? As John-Michael Liles, the Leafs defenceman from Indiana, pointed out: It doesnt get much more American than that.

Can Leafs start printing playoff tickets? Recent history says, Yes

Kevin McGran

A study by the Star going back to 1993 shows teams in a playoff spot by U.S. Thanksgiving have an easier time actually making the post-season. The good news is the Maple Leafs find themselves in a playoff spot on U.S. Thanksgiving. That means statistically speaking a playoff spot is likely this year. A hot start has put the Maple Leafs in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 12-8-2 for 26 points, putting them in good position to make it to the post-season for the first time since 2004. A study by the Star going back to 1993 shows teams in a playoff spot by U.S. Thanksgiving have an easier time actually making the postseason. In fact, 198 of 256 teams in a playoff spot by this time of the season over the past 16 years actually made the post-season or a 77.3 per cent success rate. Over time, its meant 12.4 of the 16 playoff spots are generally spoken for by what teams outside a playoff spot might want to call Bleak Thursday. Over the rest of the season, only three or four teams will drop out of the race and three or four teams will move in. Last year, the Leafs were outside a playoff spot at this time, and missed the playoffs. Also last year, four teams that were in playoff spots at this point dropped out. (Atlanta was replaced by Buffalo in the East, Columbus, St. Louis and Colorado were replaced by Anaheim, Nashville and San Jose in the West.) General managers around the league use this point in the season generally close to the first quarter of the season to determine what kind of team they have, and what kind of changes need to be made, and usually whether they will be buyers or sellers come trade time. Toronto Star LOADED: 11.25.2011

The Maple Leafs, whose marketing department bills the club as Canadas team, werent the only Canadian icons in the worlds largest indoor stadium, complete with a high-definition video screen that runs red zone to red zone, a remarkable span of some 60 yards. Unbeknownst to the Leafs, and only by coincidence, the Stanley Cup also happened to be on display on the lower concourse of Jerry Joness $1.15 billion (U.S.) colossus. Howie Borrow, the Hockey Hall of Fame employee who counts himself among the Cups handful of keepers, said the trophy had been summoned to Texas for a weekend minor-hockey tournament sponsored by the Stars. The Cowboys game was a handy add-on to the itinerary. And even here in the deep south, Lord Stanleys mug inspired a steady stream of camera-ready traffic. People seem to know what it is, Borrow, who lives in Mississauga, said of the Cup. Did every Cowboys fan know precisely what it was? Well, not exactly. Clad in a stunning white clown wig and a T-shirt bearing the home football teams lone-star logo, Dallas resident Angie Chanel posed for multiple photos beside the Cup. Asked to name the trophy with which shed shared countless camera-phone frames, Chanel spoke with confidence: The World Cup. Um, close. Said Chanels friend, Amy Montague: Its the Stars trophy, right? I know the Stars won it. Indeed, as the citizens of Buffalo never like to be reminded, Brett Hulls foot-in-the-crease winner gave Dallas a championship in 1999. It was pointed out to Chanel that a Canadian team hadnt won the trophy in question since 1993. The irony immediately became apparent, even if the name of the trophy didnt pop to mind. (Canadians) care about this a lot, right? she said. Right. So, why did the current representatives of the franchise that gave you the 1967 Stanley Cup champions spend a Thursday afternoon at the stadium? The field trip was an official team event, a mandated number of which are permitted every season under the collective bargaining agreement. It is a good opportunity for team bonding. Its a rare couple of days off on the road, Dave Poulin, the clubs vice-president of hockey operations, said. As a professional athlete, I liked to go watch other professional athletes perform. I liked to go watch musicians perform. Id watch Bruce Springsteen in his prime in the same arena I played in and think that was pretty cool. So theyll go watch the Cowboys perform on a major stage on Thanksgiving Day, and itll impact their thought process on their own occupation. Certainly the prospect of the outing drew varied reactions around an international dressing room. We dont play American football in Sweden. Everythings new to me. I dont know all the rules, said Jonas Gustavsson. Im trying to learn. I dont think Im the biggest fan on the team, but I enjoy watching it for a while. ... Maybe not the full game. Said Nikolai Kulemin, the Russian-born forward: I just like to watch the guys play hard. Big effort. Its great. I like to watch every sport almost. I just love to watch people compete. Insane, is how Joey Crabb, the Alaskan forward, described the concept of the stadiums massive video board. And the cheerleaders are all right, too, added Joffrey Lupul, the forward from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. Still, Lupul and his teammates, who enjoyed a team dinner here on Wednesday night, appeared highly attuned to the ultimate purpose of the larger road trip not the hours spent in a posh football suite, but the current four-gamer on which their win-loss record stands at 1-1. Thanksgiving or not, American or otherwise, it always comes back to talking turkey.

590489

Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs stuff themselves on Americana

Dave Feschuk

DALLAS Ron Wilson, the 56-year-old Maple Leafs coach, was born on the Canadian bank of the Detroit River, but he has spent much of his life as a citizen and resident of the United States. So until Thursday, when it came time to partake in the great American ritual of watching a football game on U.S. Thanksgiving, Wilson had long come to prefer a specific perch. Im usually sitting on the couch having my third helping of turkey dinner or something, Wilson quipped. With the Maple Leafs ensconced in Texas for a couple of days in the leadup to Friday nights game against the Stars, Wilson and his players were gifted a different perspective from which to celebrate the feast. They took in Thursdays Dallas-Miami NFL game from a luxury suite high above the field at Cowboys Stadium, where the requisite gluttonous meals were being served en masse.

At the end of the day, youre here to win a game, Lupul said. Its good to do some fun stuff. Then you win the game and you get to do more fun stuff. But as soon as the wins arent there, you quickly stop going to football games and having big dinners and stuff like that. ... Weve got to make sure we perform (on Friday night). Toronto Star LOADED: 11.25.2011

590491

Toronto Maple Leafs

Cautious Wilson pegs Reimers return at 10 days

590490

Toronto Maple Leafs

Dave Feschuk

Cautious Wilson pegs Reimers return at 10 days

DALLASHow close is James Reimer to returning to the crease as the Maple Leafs starting goaltender? After partaking in his first full practice in something like a month on Thursday afternoon, Reimer said he felt very close indeed. For me, a couple more (practices) like this and I should be good to go, Reimer said.

Dave Feschuk

DALLASHow close is James Reimer to returning to the crease as the Maple Leafs starting goaltender? After partaking in his first full practice in something like a month on Thursday afternoon, Reimer said he felt very close indeed. For me, a couple more (practices) like this and I should be good to go, Reimer said. But Ron Wilson, the Maple Leafs coach, cautioned that Reimer is "probably 10 days or so away" from playing in a game. "This is a process, so let's not rush it. He's probably 10 days or so away. This is going to be a slow process," Wilson said. "This is the last day I'm going to talk about it until he's ready to play. When we want him to go in there, we want him to be 100 per cent in terms of stopping the puck." The Leafs play Boston in the second game of a home and home on Saturday, Dec. 3 and the New York Rangers the following Monday before taking on the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 6. Wilson said Jonas Gustavsson will be the Leafs' starter when they face the Stars here at American Airlines Center on Friday night. Mikhail Grabovski, the centre currently out with a lower-body injury, practised with the club on Thursday but isn't expected to be in the lineup for the rest of the road trip, which continues here Friday and concludes in Anaheim on Sunday. "He's maybe a week away," Wilson said of Grabovski. Wilson said Mike Brown, the fourth-line forward nursing a lower-body injury, was sent back to Toronto to be diagnosed by one of the club's doctors. The coach said he didn't yet have a prognosis on Brown's condition. Reimer, meanwhile, said he is anxious to get back to action. He hasn't played since the game when his mask was knocked off in a collision with Montreal's Brian Gionta on Oct. 22. He has been suffering what the club has called concussion-like symptoms, including a low-grade headache. Reimer has since said those symptoms have mostly abated. "When you're out for this long, you want to get back as soon as you can," Reimer said. "If I got in (on Sunday in Anaheim) that would be great. If I got in on Wednesday (at home against the Bruins), that'd be great. If I could play (Friday), that'd be sweet, too. But it's up to the coaching staff and how they feel." Wilson said there is "no rush" to return Reimer to the lineup. "We don't have very many quality practices for him to catch up. So he's just got to be patient," Wilson said. "It's a process. In 10 days or so, somewhere in there, he'll be ready to play." The club was scheduled to attend the Cowboys-Dolphins NFL game on Thursday at Cowboys Stadium. Reimer, for his part, said he was happy to be back on the road with his teammates. "Impatience is a big part of it," Reimer said. "There's no sense in me coming back early if I'm not prepared. Then we might have a bad game, and that'd be useless. That'd be terrible. I've got to stay patient, and hopefully when the coach thinks he's ready for me to get in there, I'll be ready. Toronto Star LOADED: 11.25.2011

But Ron Wilson, the Maple Leafs coach, cautioned that Reimer is "probably 10 days or so away" from playing in a game. "This is a process, so let's not rush it. He's probably 10 days or so away. This is going to be a slow process," Wilson said. "This is the last day I'm going to talk about it until he's ready to play. When we want him to go in there, we want him to be 100 per cent in terms of stopping the puck." The Leafs play Boston in the second game of a home and home on Saturday, Dec. 3 and the New York Rangers the following Monday before taking on the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 6. Wilson said Jonas Gustavsson will be the Leafs' starter when they face the Stars here at American Airlines Center on Friday night. Mikhail Grabovski, the centre currently out with a lower-body injury, practised with the club on Thursday but isn't expected to be in the lineup for the rest of the road trip, which continues here Friday and concludes in Anaheim on Sunday. "He's maybe a week away," Wilson said of Grabovski. Wilson said Mike Brown, the fourth-line forward nursing a lower-body injury, was sent back to Toronto to be diagnosed by one of the club's doctors. The coach said he didn't yet have a prognosis on Brown's condition. Reimer, meanwhile, said he is anxious to get back to action. He hasn't played since the game when his mask was knocked off in a collision with Montreal's Brian Gionta on Oct. 22. He has been suffering what the club has called concussion-like symptoms, including a low-grade headache. Reimer has since said those symptoms have mostly abated. "When you're out for this long, you want to get back as soon as you can," Reimer said. "If I got in (on Sunday in Anaheim) that would be great. If I got in on Wednesday (at home against the Bruins), that'd be great. If I could play (Friday), that'd be sweet, too. But it's up to the coaching staff and how they feel." Wilson said there is "no rush" to return Reimer to the lineup. "We don't have very many quality practices for him to catch up. So he's just got to be patient," Wilson said. "It's a process. In 10 days or so, somewhere in there, he'll be ready to play." The club was scheduled to attend the Cowboys-Dolphins NFL game on Thursday at Cowboys Stadium. Reimer, for his part, said he was happy to be back on the road with his teammates. "Impatience is a big part of it," Reimer said. "There's no sense in me coming back early if I'm not prepared. Then we might have a bad game, and that'd be useless. That'd be terrible. I've got to stay patient, and hopefully when the coach thinks he's ready for me to get in there, I'll be ready. Toronto Star LOADED: 11.25.2011

590492

Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs winners, not fighters

By Steve Simmons ,Toronto Sun

Colton Orr has only played 18 minutes, 39 seconds as the designated scratch of this Leaf season. He has fought just once. The Leafs were blasted that night. You have to wonder when and if hell ever suit up again. Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.25.2011

In this season of re-examination, the disappearance of Colton Orr has almost gone unnoticed. His presence seemed significant on the first day of training camp, coming back from concussion, back from media hiding, the fighter on the mend with his job description suddenly in question and debate. Just not so important now, as the Maple Leafs have gotten remarkably better without necessarily getting tougher, which, in truth, was never part of the Brian Burke model. Orr, he believed upon signing him for four years and talking him up at every opportunity, made each of the Leafs a little taller, a little braver, a little stronger. He told me that more than once, claiming he could see a difference in the games Orr played, how the opponent responded, how the Leafs responded. But on Friday night, the Leafs will play their 23rd game of this engaging season and for the 19th time, Orr is all but certain to be a healthy scratch. His talents primarily his fists have been deemed unnecessary by coach Ron Wilson. Even as the Leaf bodies have gone down, one by one, the club has pushed Matt Frattin back into the lineup, found a place for Joe Colborne, even used Jay Rosehill on more occasions, but has found little reason to dress Orr and theres been barely a hue or cry of any kind asking why. These are the new Maple Leafs, faster, more skilled, playing up-tempo when they can, challenging their opponents defence and scoring more goals than anyone could have expected. These are the new Leafs at a time when fighting is still this general managers strategy but the team has fought less in a quarter of a season than in any recent year. Last year, the not-so-tough, not-so-truculent Leafs fought 50 times, down from 57 the year before. At this years pace, the Leafs will fight 33 times. Thats a 34% decline in one season and its no surprise that their designated fighter is now the designated lineup scratch. After a tragic hockey summer, the discussion about fighting and its place in the game was paramount when this season began. Under scrutiny was who fought, when they fought, how they fought, what they felt like. And much as the Leafs scrapping has been kept to a minimum, fighting throughout the league has declined only slightly. There has been a fight in 35.9% of NHL games this season: Thats down from 37.2% last season and 40% the year before that. None of that is trend-setting in any way. If there is a movement to reduce fighting in the NHL, that hasnt been demonstrated in any tangible way. In fact, in the two years after the 2004-05 lockout, fighting was at its lowest ebb since statistics were kept. Since then, it has increased by 5-or-6% and then flatlined. Its not really on the increase. Its only marginally on the decrease. And its difficult to determine whether there is any benefit to fighting at all around the league. The team that fights the most in this years NHL happens to be the worst team in hockey. The Columbus Blue Jackets have fought 18 times twice as much as the Leafs and clearly that hasnt done them any good. The Anaheim Ducks, not far ahead of Columbus near the bottom of the leagues standings, has the third-most fights. By those numbers, you could statistically make the case that fighting equates to losing in todays NHL. But the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins are fifth in the league in fights, and have been hockeys hottest team for the past several weeks. Fighting is part of who they are and what they do: They fought 71 times last season 42% more fighting than the Leafs and were involved in the large focus on fisticuffs of the early season after the Milan Lucic assault on Buffalo goalie, Ryan Miller. One team that has really changed its ways this season is the Pittsburgh Penguins, who fought 71 times last season and is on pace for less than half that number this season. They dont have an Orr designated fighter type in their lineup. They dont require one. 590493 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs Locker: Kessel No. 1, still

By Terry Koshan ,Toronto Sun

DALLAS With no National Hockey League games on U.S. Thanksgiving, Phil Kessel was assured of getting through the holiday as the top goal-scorer and points leader in the league. The Leafs winger has 16 goals and 14 assists for 30 points in 22 games. Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers is second in scoring with 27 points, while James Neal of the Pittsburgh Penguins is second in goals with 13. The Dallas Stars know what Kessel is capable of, even though they are going on film and advanced scouting reports. A little bit, but not in depth, Stars coach Glenn Gulutzan said. But what a year he is having. Were well aware of how well he has been and the speed he has, and that is going to be something we will have to match up against. Overall, Gulutzan said the Leafs speed could pose a problem. Most teams can come at us speed-wise, Gulutzan said. Toronto has their young guys, a lot of them in their lineup. Those young guys move and work and we are going to have to be ready for that on Friday. SAY IT AINT SO, JOE Rookie centre Joe Colborne would be wise to soak up as much as he can during this stint with the Leafs. Once Mikhail Grabovski, who is about a week away from returning from a lower-body injury, is back, Colborne likely is bound for the Marlies. He has played okay in the games, Leafs coach Ron Wilson said. He is not getting an extraordinary amount of ice time right now. He is filling in and he understands that. He has lots of stuff to learn. You dont want to pull the bread out of the oven too early before it is baked. This is a chance for him to gather some experience, and take that when he probably goes back to the minors. Colborne has two points in three games and is averaging 10 minutes 52 seconds of ice a game. TIME TO BOND The Leafs had a suite at the Dallas Cowboys/Miami Dolphins game on Thursday afternoon for all players and staff on the trip. On Wednesday night, the players went out for dinner as one. Playing on the east coast, you dont get those long, drawn-out trips too often like this one, winger Joffrey Lupul said. So its fun when you do get them. Its good to do some fun stuff, but as soon as the wins stop, you stop going to football games. Its a fun day, but we have to make sure we perform (on Friday). LOOSE LEAFS Winger Mike Brown, nursing a lower-body injury, has returned to Toronto for further evaluation. Brown has missed the past four games ... Lupul on playing the Stars: They have a lot of new faces. They had that same core group (Marty) Turco, (Mike) Modano, (Sergei) Zubov for years. We dont know too much about young guys like Loui Eriksson and Jamie Benn, but they are good players. ... Stars pest Steve Ott has scored the winning goal in each of his teams past two games. Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.25.2011

590494

Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.25.2011 Reimer leaps into action 590495 By Terry Koshan ,Toronto Sun Canucks' Schneider shuts out Avs DALLAS Another step for James Reimer, but Ron Wilson isnt ready to for his No. 1 goaltender to make the giant leap quite yet. Reimer, out since Oct. 22 as he has battled and recovered from concussion-like symptoms after getting run over by the Montreal Canadiens Brian Gionta, on Thursday participated in his first full practice in more than three weeks, taking one net for himself at the American Airlines Center in an otherwise deserted downtown core here on U.S. Thanksgiving. Sort of prickly as always, Wilson cautioned against expecting to see Reimer any time soon in an actual game. This is a process, so lets not rush it, Wilson said. He is probably 10 days or so away. He wont go in until we know he is ready. This is the last day Im going to talk about it until he is ready to play. The prognosis of 10 days by Wilson came 48 hours after he told reporters in Tampa he couldnt say how many days it would be before Reimer returned. If it becomes reality, Reimer could play against the Boston Bruins on Dec. 3. To observers on Thursday, Reimer didnt appear to be someone who hadnt participated in an complete on-ice workout since Nov. 1. Reimer simply was glad to be on the same 200-by-85-foot surface as his teammates again. Jonas Gustavsson and Ben Scrivens split time in the net at the opposite end of the rink, and Wilson confirmed that Gustavsson will start against the Dallas Stars on Friday night. Before Wilson answered questions from reporters, Reimer attracted a small mob in the cozy confines of the visitors dressing room. I dont know if there is a set number of practices (he needs to get into game mode), Reimer said. When you get back, you want to be 120%. I want to come back how I left off. I dont want to feel my way through a couple of games. I want to get back in there and start winning again. Thats the mentality I have. (Physical conditioning) will be the big hurdle. Reimer was 4-0-1 before he got hurt. The Leafs beat the Canadiens that night, but since, have recorded an ordinary 7-7-1 mark. On Friday, the Leafs will meet a Stars team that has won two games after losing five in a row. Wilson and the coaching staff were in attendance on Wednesday night when the Stars beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in overtime, watching from the press box. Wilson said he couldnt glean much from the observation deck because the game is slower from that high vantage point. But the Stars arent an overly quick team, something Dallas coach Glenn Gulutzan hinted at, and the Leafs can take advantage if theyre firing on all cylinders. The Leafs have gained a reputation across the NHL as being a team that is difficult to contain. Tampa Bay was a team that wanted to keep us bottled up in the neutral zone, and we came out and out-skated them right from the puck drop, winger Joffrey Lupul said. If we execute, not many teams are going to be able to skate with us and we know that. Were not the most physical team in the league, but if we move our feet and win races, sometimes thats as good as being physical. Watching this from above will be Reimer. Hell be the guy trying to keep himself from climbing out of his seat with impatience. When youre out for this long, you want to get back as soon as you can, Reimer said. If I could play tomorrow, if I was completely ready, that would be sweet too. I cant say when I am going to be back. Thats up to the coaching staff. Hopefully I can keep practising well and prove I am ready to go, and they will have all the confidence in the world to put me in. By Sports Network Vancouver Canucks

DENVER - Cory Schneider made 24 saves to record his first shutout of the season -- and second of his career -- as the Vancouver Canucks blanked the Colorado Avalanche, 3-0, at Pepsi Center. Vancouver got a goal in each period from Manny Malhotra, Alexandre Burrows and Ryan Kesler. The win was the 247th for Alain Vigneault as the Canucks' head coach, a new franchise record. "This is one of our best efforts all year," Schneider said. "Our D blocked a lot of shots in front of the net and our [penalty kill] tonight was great." Colorado had three power play opportunities in the third period. Semyon Varlamov, making his first appearance since yielding six goals at Pittsburgh on November 15, stopped 26 shots for the Avalanche. Colorado fell to 1-2-0 on its eight-game homestand and remains winless (06-0) against Northwest Division opponents this season. "We've got to be more desperate. We've got to show more drive," said Avalanche forward Paul Stastny. Malhotra scored the game's first goal with 2:57 remaining in the first period. Cody Hodgson slipped him a centering pass and Malhotra fired the puck behind Varlamov for his first goal of the season. Vancouver added to its lead at the 7:33 mark of the second period. When Colorado defenseman Shane O'Brien slid into the crease in an attempt to block the passing lane on an odd-man rush, Burrows lifted the puck high over him and Varlamov. Kesler celebrated his 500th career game by hitting an empty-net inside the final minute of regulation. Game Notes The Canucks are 10-0-2 in 12 matchups in this series since falling 3-0 in Denver on October 3, 2009. They have outscored the Avalanche 48-25 during that span...Vigneault passed Marc Crawford on the club's all-time list...The Avalanche fell to 2-8-1 in November...Jean-Sebastien Giguere had started each of the last three games for Colorado...Avalanche rookie Gabriel Landeskog celebrated his 19th birthday on Wednesday. Winnipeg Sun LOADED: 11.25.2011

590496

Vancouver Canucks

Turris may have signed a contract, but his future is far from clear

By Ben Kuzma, The Province November 24, 2011 11:05 PM

GLENDALE, Ariz. Kyle Turris will take the game-day skate with the Phoenix Coyotes on Friday. Where the New Westminster native will be skating in a few weeks or months is open to debate after the centre ended a holdout Tuesday by agreeing to a two-year contract to start speculation about his future. While it's clear that Turris needs a conditioning stint and will likely report to the club's AHL affiliate in Portland, Maine, the optics are fuzzy for those who don't realize what's really at play here. Turris asked for a trade last month for obvious reasons he's a round peg in Dave Tippett's system and there seems a disconnect between player and coach and taking a

tough stand was done to put him in a better place to succeed, not tarnish his standing in the NHL. And as much as Turris has taken a mass media flogging for not signing in September and missing training camp and needed development, the 22year-old centre is adamant he did the right thing. "I don't have any regrets," Turris said Thursday. "I'm just going to go out and work hard and try to help the team win and whatever happens happens." However, regardless of his wants and needs, Turris realizes his play will do all the talking now. More fit and focussed, he's now up to 195 pounds and is confident he can build on a strong playoff presence against the Detroit Red Wings in which he had a goal and two assists. "It was a great experience and I just played my game and took advantage of my opportunities," said Turris. "I know I need to improve in every category and getting stronger and I've put on some weight, so I should be able to protect the puck a bit better." After 11 goals and 25 points in 65 regular-season games last season, he appeared to be turning a development corner and that attracted interest from several teams during his holdout. With a palatable two-year contract that will pay $1.2 and $1.6 million US annually, this story will play out one of two ways. Turris and the Coyotes will either understand it's a business and a fractured relationship will mend, or there will be a trade. Part of that obviously depends on performance and Coyotes general manager Don Maloney would be wise to not move an asset if Turris keeps improving. But if the relationship is that fractured then he could command a player of similar stature and a draft pick in return for the third overall pick in the 2007 entry draft. "Sometimes, you kiss and make up and you're family forever," Maloney told the Arizona Republic. "In some cases, it doesn't work and then you have to make a change. I'm hopeful it will work out." Meanwhile, Cory Schneider makes his fourth-consecutive start Friday and is coming off his first shutout of the season. He has never faced the Coyotes but appears more on top of his game than at any point this season. "It's getting there," he said. "I want to build momentum and I can't rest on this. And it speaks for the whole season. I want to string four or five or six good games in a row. And the fact I have these starts, I have to take advantage of them and perfect my game and be as good as I can be." During a 3-0 win in Denver on Wednesday, Schneider was called upon to make several spectacular saves on three successive Avalanche power plays. "Shutouts are nice but the win is more important," he added. "it's more the fact we played a great team game and the shutout was a by-product of that. We've always been a good road team and we've had a few get away from us. Every year the Coyotes seem to find a way and they'e underrated and you can't take them lightly at all. Clearly one of the better teams in conference." And if anybody thinks there's a rift brewing between Roberto Luongo and Schneider, the veteran starter wanted to clear the air. "It's fun to build a relationship with him and we all know the skill set he has," said Luongo. "It's not about Cory and me. It's about the Vancouver Canucks and winning games." OF NOTE Kevin Bieksa (hip flexor) and Aaron Rome (thumb) didn't practise Thursday. Bieksa strained his hip on the last shift Wednesday and Rome left the game in the third period after blocking a shot. They're both game-time decisions abd Keith Ballard (back spasms) may be ready to fill in. Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 11.25.2011

GLENDALE, Arizona Well before the obvious question, Alain Vigneault already had the answer. Fresh from celebrating his 247th career triumph to pass Marc Crawford as the Vancouver Canucks leader in coaching victories, the bench boss knew before the first vintage bottle of red wine was uncorked Wednesday following a 3-0 decision over the Colorado Avalanche who would start in goal on Friday. Oblivious to optics with any of his lineup decisions, Vigneault will ride the hot hand and give Cory Schneider his fourth consecutive start when the Canucks face the Phoenix Coyotes on the second stop of a three-game road trip. And although Roberto Luongo is ready to play after recovering from a groin strain and will likely start Saturday in San Jose, this isnt about mind games or polarizing the hockey populace in debate over a supposed crease conundrum. Like any of his coaching peers, its about winning and putting the pieces in place to ensure just that. Much of it has to do with the way Vigneault has evolved. Now in his sixth season in Vancouver, he has endured ups and downs with a core group that understands the message from above and how to deliver it to the locker-room because that is the players private sanctuary. Its because were at a stage where weve grown together, Vigneault said Thursday following a practice in Denver. We all understand the culture and environment we want to be in and once that is there and standards are set, you give players the autonomy to do what they have to do. I think thats very motivating for a player to have the responsibility and our guys get it. They understand what I want. Theyre an extension of me. When I got here, I wanted to install a certain culture and mentality and I was really into the mode of players play and coaches coach. Now, weve evolved to where we all have input, but to a point where they understand if they play well theyll play. If they dont, they wont. Henrik Sedin believes Vigneault got a bad early rap for being a defensiveminded and close-minded coach. The Canucks captain cautions that Vigneault did what he had to because victories came at a premium with a team that wasnt always as good as it has been the last few seasons. He had to rule with a heavier hand than now. He always wanted to give the room to us and knew there would be a time when he could do that, said the centre. He put a lot of responsibility on the players and weve been around him so long that we know what he expects and when hes not happy with our effort. There doesnt have to be a lot of meetings. We know it has to be that kind of relationship where hes the boss, but there are times when he shows a lighter side and thats good to see. When asked what the franchise record would mean as he neared Crawfords standard, Vigneault didnt want to address it. He was reminded it would probably cement a place on the TSN panel because coaches are hired to be fired and theres an expiration date on all of them. With this season and another year remaining on a three-year extension he signed in September 2009, he doesnt dwell on the future for obvious reasons. Vigneaults body of work and a Jack Adams Trophy speaks volumes. Its the kind of cache that should keep him employed. Theres always that line between coaches and players that doesnt get crossed, said Luongo. Hes a good guy, but hes our coach and theres a lot of respect between the players and the coach. Not that it was a slam-dunk that Vigneault would be coaching the Canucks after they failed to make the playoffs in the spring of 2008. It cost general manager Dave Nonis his job and newcomer Mike Gillis had a series of summits with Vigneault including one pivotal meeting in Las Vegas to determine whether he would retain the coach. The more they talked, the more they realized how much they had in common. Those three weeks we spent together for three or four hours every day, thats a long interview process and can be challenging but it was really worthwhile, recalled Vigneault. We both knew we wanted the same thing and knew there was a way to get it. I really like that Mike thinks outside the box and always want to be proactive. Im all for that, anything that can help us win. It was lets bring this on. In running the gambit from open and amiable and even entertaining he once doubled over in laughter at the podium in lamenting a lack of team scoring to being more guarded in pronouncements from the podium, Vigneault travels a tricky road. His body language and comments are

590497

Vancouver Canucks

Vigneault and Canucks learned how to win together

By Ben Kuzma, Postmedia News November 24, 2011

monitored like the stock market and lineup decisions are always under the microscope. And when Vigneault openly wondered whether Cody Hodgson was using a back injury to mask a poor 2009 training camp, it made headlines and created uneasiness between a prized prospect and a proud coach. It doesnt happen often. Shane OBrien tested the coachs patience and lost a future in Vancouver, but the consensus is that Vigneault is a winner. He never really lays down the hammer, said centre Ryan Kesler. We dont really need anybody coming in here and telling us what to do. We hold each other accountable and thats what its all about. He allows us to figure it out on our own and was really good at it last year. Thats why we were so successful. Run all the good, bad and occasionally ugly by Vigneault and you get a shrug of the shoulders. I dont think Ive changed at all, he said. When I came here, I said I wanted to enjoy this. Ownership understands integrity and hard work and they see that in the coaching staff. They have been very supportive and given me an opportunity to beat a record that wasnt easy to beat. Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 11.25.2011

Shalagan: http://blogs.theprovince.com/2011/11/19/shalagan-a-vancouversports-radio-primer/ Bowman: http://blogs.theprovince.com/2011/11/14/bowman-mike-gillis-gmcamp-for-kids-%e2%80%94-a-brochure-review/ Charron: http://blogs.theprovince.com/2011/11/14/charron-52-games-howjeff-cowan-and-aaron-rome-are-different/ Shalagan: http://blogs.theprovince.com/2011/11/15/shalagan-runninggoalies-today-enslaving-mankind-tomorrow/ Arndt: http://blogs.theprovince.com/2011/11/14/the-stanchion-questionsfrom-a-stanchion-3/ Charron: http://blogs.theprovince.com/2011/11/13/charron-don-cherryconfused-me-episode-iii/ Bowman: http://blogs.theprovince.com/2011/10/29/bowman-nhl-castingcall-the-washington-capitals/ Over the course of the next few days, well be chatting with Arndt, Bowman, Charron and Shalagan about the new blog including deciding on a name for this new group. Wed like to thank the other 11 bloggers for the work they did during the past three-plus weeks. We encourage you to keep reading them. They are:

590498

Vancouver Canucks

Meet The Provinces new hockey bloggers

Jeff Angus: Writes for DobberHockey and Canucks Army. John Cullen: Writes for Hockey Now.

Jonathan McDonald

Thomas Drance: Writes for Canucks Army and Pass It to Bulis. Adam Graham: Writes for Bottom Line Hockey and Bleacher Report.

One month ago, the Kurtenblog boys came to us and told us they were moving on in the blogosphere. Today, we have four new hockey bloggers. After a 23-day Replace the KB competition in which 15 established bloggers dropped 234 posts (virtually none of them regarding a goaltending controversy in Vancouver!) we narrowed it down to four. They are: Wyatt Arndt: Known as The Stanchion on Twitter (@TheStanchion), Arndt has a day job in Vancouver that has something to do with computers. Were sworn to secrecy on this, but understand his work might be critical to the lives and careers of thousands. Hes also a keen writer, an expert in Photoshop and, apparently, one of the worlds foremost experts in drawing stick figures. Jordan Bowman: When Bowman couldnt sleep, he came up with a great blog idea, which is how jbowmancantsleep.blogspot.com was born. Thats one original name. Apparently, no one who knows the Surrey boy well calls him Jordan, which is actually quite a pretty name for, say, a boy band member or O.C. girl who grew up in the 1990?s. Thats why people call him J. On Twitter: @jbowmancouver. Cam Charron: One of three members of the excellent Canucks Army who excelled during Replace the KB, Charron is a hockey nut who looks at things a bit differently. A recent journalism grad from Kamloops Thompson Rivers University, the Vancouverites focus is statistics and analysis. Some of the advanced statistics Charron muses about confuse us, but were not that smart. (Hey, we work for a tabloid!) What we do understand is his new weekly baby, Don Cherry Confused Me. That we get. On Twitter: @camcharron. Stephen Shalagan: An SFU grad and Vancouverite who has somehow landed in Houston (Texas, not B.C. and now that we mention it, we dont think theres a Houston, B.C. anyway), Shalagan writes for a living and his Kneel Before Rod blog (nonsense, Shalagan has called it) won some sort of obscure Texas blogging award last year. The one-time writer of the blog for Jim Rome producer Travis Rodgers (ah, that explains things), Shalagan has a seven-year-old daughter who is equal parts Faerie princess and Eastern European dictator. On Twitter: @steveinthekt. Among their posts: Arndt: http://blogs.theprovince.com/2011/11/19/the-stanchion-highlights-ofthe-replacethekb-contest/

Josh Hall: Writes for VanCity Sports Page. Clay Imoo: Writes for Canucks Hockey Blog and his own site. Shane Koka: Writes for his own site, A Brown Man in Vancouver. Katie Maximick: Writes for Canucks Hockey Blog and her own site. Omar Rawji: Writes for his own site, Head to the Net. Chris Richards: Writes a fantasy sports blog for Province Sports. Josh Statham: Writes for The Canucks Blog and his own site. Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 11.25.2011

590499

Vancouver Canucks

Once the toughest ticket in town, Colorado Avalanche have trouble filling $15 seats

By Ben Kuzma, The Province November 24, 2011

DENVER It's the sporting school of hard knocks in the Mile High City. How else do you explain a promotion where students could have purchased a Pepsi Center seat Wednesday for just $15? It's a sign of troubling times because the Colorado Avalanche used to be the toughest ticket in town. They would be rude hosts, overwhelm the opposition and wow the crowd. Now, the Avalanche have rolled out the welcome mat by recording the fewest home-ice victories. They have hung motivational banners in hopes of enticing a dwindling fan base to get off its hands and on its feet for a club that's 3-8-0 at home following a 3-0 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. "It's home ice and it should be easy for us to play here," centre Paul Stastny lamented after the loss. "We have the matchups. We are well rested. The frustration is pretty high." It's hard to know where to start. The once-proud franchise is on a 2-8-1 slide and has scored just 18 goals in three Pepsi Center triumphs. Goaltender Semyon Varlamov is in an 0-6-1 funk and has allowed 25 goals in his previous six starts. Highly-touted defenceman Erik Johnson has yet to

score a goal and is a minus-12, which makes that St. Louis swap in which the Avalanche jettisoned Kevin Shattenkirk and Chris Stewart look laughable -- almost as funny as giving up first and second-round picks to Washington for the wildy-inconsistent Varlamov. The Avalanche are also pinching pennies and are $15 million under the salary cap ceiling. Yet, amid the gloom there are bright spots. Matt Duchene has four goals in his last six games and a team-high 16 points, Swedish rookie Garbriel Landeskog talks and plays like he's been in the league for years and a more fit 236-pound Shane O'Brien has logged more than 20 minutes in his last of his last four outings. The former Canucks blueliner also has an even ranking and has seven points. "Who would have believed it," said O'Brien, who signed a one-year $1.1 million US free-agent contract in the offseason after one season in Nashville. "The passion is back and my love of the game is back and I had chemistry with Quince [Kyle Quincey] right away. You're only as good as the coach wants you to be or lets you be and puts you in an opportunity to succeed. I'm learning each day." That's an obvious shot at Canucks coach Alain Vigneault. The two never meshed and O'Brien didn't make the fractured relationship any better by his lack of conditioning and too much off-ice revelry. Yet, the one thing O'Brien had never learned to do is clam up. Have a question? O'Brien has an opinion. Ask him about how the Boston Bruins imposed their physical will in the Stanley Cup final and he recoils a bit and then tells it like it was. "Obviously, there was a part of me thinking if I was still there and not just me but if certain guys were there that wouldn't have gone down," said O'Brien. "Boston thought they could physically dominate them and they did. Guys I talk to around the league, they were surprised there wasn't a bigger push back. I'm a little old school but that's not the reason why they [Canucks] lost." The Avalanche look like they have a winner in Landeskog. The big winger turned 19 on Wednesday and had 10 points (5-5) in his first 22 games. More importantly, the second overall pick in the 2011 entry draft looks at home on the NHL ice after honing his game for two seasons in the OHL. He talks like a North American and plays the same kind of game and the Stockholm native had 36 goals last season as captain of the Kitchener Rangers. So was learning to hit at a young age back in Sweden. It hurt initially because an overzealous Landeskog had a penchant for taking too many penalties. But it has made him a much better players and having a game referred to as North American is a badge of honour. "I take it as a compliment," he said. "Canada and the U.S. are tops in the world junior and have so many good players to model my game after," he added. "Jarome Iginla and leadership and the passion he brings has been inspiring for me. " Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 11.25.2011

I dont have any regrets, Turris said Thursday. Im just going to go out and work hard and try to help the team win and whatever happens happens. However, regardless of his wants and needs, Turris realizes his play will do all the talking now. More fit and focussed, hes now up to 195 pounds and is confident he can build on a strong playoff presence against the Detroit Red Wings in which he had a goal and two assists. It was a great experience and I just played my game and took advantage of my opportunities, said Turris. I know I need to improve in every category and getting stronger and Ive put on some weight, so I should be able to protect the puck a bit better. After 11 goals and 25 points in 65 regular-season games last season, he appeared to be turning a development corner and that attracted interest from several teams during his holdout. With a palatable two-year contract that will pay $1.2 and $1.6 million US annually, this story will play out one of two ways. Turris and the Coyotes will either understand its a business and a fractured relationship will mend or there will be a trade. Part of that obviously depends on performance and Coyotes general manager Don Maloney would be wise to not move an asset if Turris keeps improving. But if the relationship is that fractured then he could command a player of similar stature and a draft pick in return for the third overall pick in the 2007 entry draft. Sometimes, you kiss and make up and youre family forever, Maloney told the Arizona Republic. In some cases, it doesnt work and then you have to make a change. Im hopeful it will work out. Meanwhile, Cory Schneider makes his fourth-consecutive start Friday and is coming off his first shutout of the season. He has never faced the Coyotes but appears more on top of his game than at any point this season. Its getting there, he said. I want to build momentum and I cant rest on this. And it speaks for the whole season. I want to string four or five or six good games in a row. And the fact I have these starts, I have to take advantage of them and perfect my game and be as good as I can be. During a 3-0 win in Denver on Wednesday, Schneider was called upon to make several spectacular saves on three successive Avalanche power plays. Shutouts are nice but the win is more important, he added. its more the fact we played a great team game and the shutout was a by-product of that. Weve always been a good road team and weve had a few get away from us. Every year the Coyotes seem to find a way and theye underrated and you cant take them lightly at all. Clearly one of the better teams in conference. And if anybody thinks theres a rift brewing between Roberto Luongo and Schneider, the veteran starter wanted to clear the air. Its fun to build a relationship with him and we all know the skill set he has, said Luongo. Its not about Cory and me. Its about the Vancouver Canucks and winning games. OF NOTE Kevin Bieksa (hip flexor) and Aaron Rome (thumb) didnt practise Thursday. Bieksa strained his hip on the last shift Wednesday and Rome left the game in the third period after blocking a shot. Theyre both game-time decisions abd Keith Ballard (back spasms) may be ready to fill in. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 11.25.2011

590500

Vancouver Canucks

Turris has no regrets over demanding trade, holding out until deal signed

GLENDALE, Ariz. Kyle Turris will take the game-day skate with the Phoenix Coyotes on Friday. Where the New Westminster native will be skating in a few weeks or months is open to debate after the centre ended a holdout Tuesday by agreeing to a two-year contract to start speculation about his future. While its clear that Turris needs a conditioning stint and will likely report to the clubs AHL affiliate in Portland, Maine, the optics are fuzzy for those who dont realize whats really at play here. Turris asked for a trade last month for obvious reasons hes a round peg in Dave Tippetts system and there seems a disconnect between player and coach and taking a tough stand was done to put him in a better place to succeed, not tarnish his standing in the NHL. And as much as Turris has taken a mass media flogging for not signing in September and missing training camp and needed development, the 22year-old centre is adamant he did the right thing.

590501

Vancouver Canucks

Amid gloom of a sorry stretch for the Avalanche, theres a silver lining in OBriens play

DENVER Its the sporting school of hard knocks in the Mile High City. How else do you explain a promotion where students could have purchased a Pepsi Center seat Wednesday for just $15. It was a sign of troubling times because the Colorado Avalanche used to be the toughest ticket in town. They would be rude hosts, overwhelm the opposition and wow the crowd. Now, the Avalanche have rolled out the

welcome mat by recording the fewest home-ice victories and have hung motivational banners in hopes of enticing a dwindling fan base to get off its hands and on its feet for a club thats 3-7-0 at home. Its hard to know where to start. Entering a divisional clash with the Vancouver Canucks, the once-proud franchise was on a 2-7-1 slide and had scored just 18 goals in three Pepsi Center triumphs. Goaltender Semyon Varlamov was in an 0-5-1 funk and had allowed 22 goals in his previous five starts. Highly-touted defenceman Erik Johnson has yet to score a goal and is a minus-12, which makes that St. Louis swap in which the Avalanche jettisoned Kevin Shattenkirk and Chris Stewart look laughable. Almost as funny as giving up first and second-round picks to Washington for the wildy-inconsistent Varlamov. The Avalanche are also pinching pennies and are $15 million under the salary cap ceiling. Yet, amid the gloom there are bright spots. Matt Duchene has four goals in his last five games and a team-high 16 points, Swedish rookie Garbriel Landeskog talks and plays like hes been in the league for years and a more fit 236-pound Shane OBrien has logged more than 20 minutes in his last three outings. The former Canucks blueliner is also a plus-1 and has seven points. Who would have believed it, said OBrien, who signed a one-year $1.1 million US free-agent contract in the offseason after one season in Nashville. The passion is back and my love of the game is back. I came here in pretty good shape, had a decent camp and had chemistry with Quince [Kyle Quincey] right away. Youre only as good as the coach wants you to be or lets you be and puts you in an opportunity to succeed. Im learning each day. Thats an obvious shot at Canucks coach Alain Vigneault. The two never meshed and OBrien didnt make the fractured relationship any better by his lack of conditioning and too much off-ice revelry. Yet, the one thing OBrien had never learned to do is clam up. Have a question? OBrien has an opinion. Ask him about how the Boston Bruins imposed their physical will in the Stanley Cup final and he recoils a bit and then tells it like it was. Obviously, there was a part of me thinking if I was still there and not just me but if certain guys were there that wouldnt have gone down, said OBrien. Boston thought they could physically dominate them and they did. Guys I talk to around the league, they were surprised there wasnt a bigger push back. Im a little old school but thats not the reason why they [Canucks] lost. The Avalanche look like they have a winner in Landeskog. The big winger turned 19 on Wednesday and had 10 points (5-5) in his first 21 games. More importantly, the second overall pick in the 2011 entry draft looks at home on the NHL ice after honing his game for two seasons in the OHL. He talks like a North American and plays the same kind of game and the Stockholm native had 36 goals last season as captain of the Kitchener Rangers. I always thought I wouldnt be here if it wasnt for my decision to move to Kitchener, he said. I wanted to develop and play a more complete game. Just moving away form home and growing my body and mind and learning the culture was really good for my development. So was learning to hit at a young age back in Sweden. It hurt initially because an overzealous Landeskog had a penchant for taking too many penalties. But it has made him a much better players and having a game referred to as North American is a badge of honour. I take it as a compliment, he said. Canda and the U.S. are tops in the world junior and have so many good players to model my game after, he added. Jarome Iginla and leadership and the passion he brings has been inspiring for me. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 11.25.2011

Twenty games into the 2011-12 NHL season, accountability is still the Washington Capitals chief buzzword. The mantra that has been trumpeted by the organizations ownership, management, coaches and players since mid-summer has been tested early, but Coach Bruce Boudreau has stood his ground as the Capitals close out the second month of the regular season. In just the past week, as he looked to snap the Capitals out of a four-game losing streak and an even longer stretch of sloppy performances, Boudreau turned a scheduled day off into a practice, made one of his most prominent offensive stars a healthy scratch for undisciplined play and sat one of the teams hardest workers as punishment for oversleeping and missing a team meeting. When we talked at the end of last year about things that we thought needed to be improved upon, this was it, winger Matt Hendricks said. Coming into training camp, this was the groundwork that needed to be laid. I think Bruce and [General Manager] George [McPhee], the management staff, has done a good job of holding everyone accountable. When it starts at the top and works its way down, its a lot easier for the players to hold each other to that. Heading into back-to-back games against the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres on Friday and Saturday, respectively, the Capitals are 12-71 and sit sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. Theyre three points away from first-place Pittsburgh and just five ahead of 14th-place Carolina, but Washington appears to be on the upswing after claiming consecutive wins this week as Boudreau pushed his players buttons. There are still questions about whether the teams brightest stars namely captain Alex Ovechkin and his close friend, Alexander Semin have adjusted and accepted Boudreaus diligent approach to reward performance, not status, with playing time. But Ovechkin, who has just six points and two goals since he was benched late in regulation against Anaheim earlier this month, played down any perceived growing pains. Its just the discipline, Ovechkin said. It shows it doesnt matter who you are on the team. You a leader or just a fourth-line guy, you cant be late. You cant do simple things [wrong] and I think everybody understand it. The Capitals entered the season knowing things would be different under Boudreau. In July, players were alerted that they would all be expected to complete a timed conditioning test on the first day of training camp at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. When that day came in September, Boudreau stopped Ovechkin mid-stride to point out the line on the ice and make sure the star left wing didnt cheat on the drill. It continued when neither veteran goaltender Tomas Vokoun nor secondline center Marcus Johansson played in the opener after lackluster preseasons. When the teams earliest losses occurred, well-liked and respected veterans Mike Knuble and Jeff Halpern were demoted and scratched, respectively, after an absence of on-ice production. Then, on Nov. 1, Boudreau made waves when he opted not to play Ovechkin late in regulation as the Capitals attempted to tie the Anaheim Ducks, instead rewarding players who had a stronger game. Washington won the contest, 5-4, in overtime. Boudreau said it last year at the beginning of the year that this was going to be a bit tougher and that didnt really happen. I think this year theyre feeling more pressure to continue to get better, former Capitals forward Eric Fehr, now with Winnipeg, said this week. Youve got a lot of skilled players out there that need a lot of ice time and its a tough job for him to try to get everybody out there and keep everybody happy. I wouldnt want to be in that spot, but hes doing the best he can. Boudreau decided to make Semin a healthy scratch for the first time since the $6.7?million wingers rookie season of 2003-04. Semin had taken penalties in seven consecutive games including a 7-1 loss to Toronto, the Capitals worst loss since February and was struggling to get on track offensively. It was a tough decision, Boudreau said at the time, but it was a decision that I thought had to be made for the group. Semins time in the press box was received as a message by the rest of the team. The next day, when news broke that hard-working winger Joel Ward would be scratched for something as seemingly harmless as oversleeping and missing a team meeting, it put the Capitals on notice once again.

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Washington Capitals

Capitals still stressing accountability, but have the stars accepted it?

By Katie Carrera

It makes guys really conscious to whats going on around them. It makes them conscious of how they need to act and behave, winger Troy Brouwer said. Im glad theres no double standard here because it doesnt matter what your name is if you break a rule, you should have to deal with the consequences. Capitals notes: Jets forward Zach Bogosian will not be suspended or fined for his hit on Cody Eakin during the Capitals 4-3 overtime win on Wednesday, according to NHL spokesman John Dellapina. .?.?. Mike Green didnt skate for the 13th consecutive day after suffering a strained right groin muscle on Nov. 11. The defenseman has missed six games because of the injury. .?.?. Asked if Ward would be back in the lineup Friday, Boudreau said, Absolutely. Washington Post LOADED: 11.25.2011

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Washington Capitals

Jason Chimera is the Capitals leading goal-scorer through 20 games

By Katie Carrera

Its probably unlikely that anyone would have expected that 20 games through the 2011-12 season the Washington Capitals leading goal scorer would be Jason Chimera. But after his two-goal performance in the 4-3 overtime win against Winnipeg pushed his season total to eight tallies, thats precisely where Chimera stood among his teammates. On Wednesday night, the 32-year-old winger was asked where the offensive outburst is coming from. Ive just always had it, was just going to wait until my late or mid-30s to get it going, you know, Chimera joked. I dont want to peak too early. I want to keep playing until Im 45 so hopefully I keep on getting better. Chimera recorded 10 goals and 26 points in 81 games last season, and this year hes already reached eight and 13, respectively, through 20 games. His success to start this season has led to jokes that perhaps Chimera should have waited to sign his two-year, $3.5 million contract extension, which he inked in late September.

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Washington Capitals

Cody Eakin practices, says hes okay after hit from Winnipegs Zach Bogosian

By Katie Carrera

Update, 6:58 p.m.: Jets forward Zach Bogosian will not be suspended or fined for his hit on the Capitals Cody Eakin, according to NHL spokesman John Dellapina. Original post: Winnipeg Jets forward Zach Bogosian had a hearing with Brendan Shanahan this afternoon to determine whether he will receive any supplementary discipline for a hit against the Capitals Cody Eakin. At the midway point of the second period of Wednesday nights 4-3 overtime win over Winnipeg, Bogosian laid a blindside hit on the rookie forward, whose head was the principle point of contact. Those two traits the head as the main point of contact and coming from the blind side increase the odds that Bogosian will face some type of punishment. The ruling on Bogosians hit will not be announced until Friday, according to a league spokesman. Check out the video of the hit below . The good news is Eakin, 20, is no worse for wear and took part in practice on Thursday at KCI. No headaches or anything, definitely not a concussion, said Eakin, who finished out the game skating five more shifts. I was buzzing a little bit after, but I dont think the impact was too, too solid. Coach Bruce Boudreau said he didnt notice the hit initially because Eakin shook off the hit and got back up and into the play. I didnt notice it quite frankly until I watched this morning, Boudreau said. He did make contact with the head but I dont know what theyre going to call. Im glad Codys okay, thats the biggest thing. Some other quick notes from Thursdays practice: Mike Green did not skate. Friday will mark two weeks since the defenseman suffered a strained right groin muscle on Nov. 11 against the New Jersey Devils and there is still no timetable for him to be back on the ice. Boudreau said Greens injury is not a threat to his returning to action this season. ?John Erskine, who missed the past two games after falling on his surgically repaired left shoulder, took part in the practice but he didnt sound too optimistic when asked if he would be ready for Fridays game against the Rangers. ?Asked if Joel Ward will be back in the lineup Friday, Boudreau said Absolutely. Ward was scratched on Wednesday because he overslept and missed a team meeting earlier in the week. Washington Post LOADED: 11.25.2011

Hes been great. Hes been engaged, Coach Bruce Boudreau said. Hes on one of those rolls.He had 10 last year. Im pretty happy for him because hes a guy that comes, he works every day hes always got a smile on his face and he keeps the team loose. Its always good to see good things happen to good people. Chimera skated on a line with Brooks Laich and Alexander Semin against the Jets given that Joel Ward was scratched after he overslept and missed a team meeting earlier in the week. Usually, though, Chimera is paired with Laich and Ward to create what Boudreau famously referred to as the meat and potatoes line that has been an effective checking unit and has created steady offensive production. A lot of credit to my linemates, Chimera said about his start. Ive been playing with Brooks and Semin tonight, but I think most of all with Joel Ward. I think weve been doing a good job of getting pucks. Sasha played a great game for us tonight it was nice to see him rebound with a good effort. Washington Post LOADED: 11.25.2011

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Washington Capitals

Alexander Semin: Im just happy that I didnt pick up a penalty

By Katie Carrera

Coach Bruce Boudreau said all along he expected a positive response from Alexander Semin after the winger was a healthy scratch Monday against the Phoenix Coyotes. The 27-year-old proved Boudreau correct. Against the Jets, Semin skated 18 minutes and 25 seconds the most ice time hes seen since Nov. 1 against Anaheim and finished with a goal and was a plus-2 with three shots on goal in 21 shifts. He also ended his streak of consecutive games with at least one minor penalty, not taking one for the first time since Nov. 4 in Carolina. Asked whether this was his best game of the season, though, Semin said it didnt matter. Its actually not important whether it was my best game or not, Semin said through an interpreter. The most important thing is that we won. And Im just happy that I didnt pick up a penalty. Semin had a noticeable spark to his game and his finish for a goal on a 2 on 1 with Alex Ovechkin was a prime example of what he can do when fully

engaged, but he insisted that he didnt change much from his game after being scratched. Of course I wanted to win. I wanted to play great, Semin said. But at the same time I dont think I changed anything. I just played my game, went out there and played exactly like I did before the game [when he was scratched]. Following the Capitals 4-3 overtime win against the Jets was the first time Semin talked at length with reporters since the news that he would be a healthy scratch. He was asked what he thought of being held to the same standard as everyone else on the team. Well, everybodys the same, everybodys equal in this situation, Semin said. It so happened to be that I was sat, but it can happen to absolutely anybody. Such is life. I just dont wish it on anyone to be scratched. Washington Post LOADED: 11.25.2011

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Washington Capitals

Capitals Jason Chimera enjoying early-season scoring prowess After 2 goals Wednesday, forward leads team with 8 on the year

By Stephen Whyno The Washington Times Thursday, November 24, 2011

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Washington Capitals

Jason Chimera wasnt just the Washington Capitals overtime hero Wednesday night when he beat the Winnipeg Jets on a perfect backdoor play. With that goal, he became the teams leading goal-scorer. Chimera scored twice against Winnipeg to hit eight goals on the season.

NHL rules no supplemental discipline for Zach Bogosians elbow on Cody Eakin

Hes been great. Hes been engaged, coach Bruce Boudreau said. Hes on one of those rolls where he hasnt been on in a while. To put things into perspective, consider first that Alex Ovechkin has just seven goals in 20 games. And also that Chimera had 10 last season. His career high is 17, which he had in 2005-06 with the Edmonton Oilers. So whats the difference now? Well, Ive just always had it. Was just going to wait until my later, mid-30s to get it going, Chimera joked. I dont want to peak too early. I want to keep playing until Im 45 so hopefully Ill keep on getting better. Chimera just two months ago signed a two-year contract extension worth $3.5 million. He has been part of the Caps most effective line so far, the socalled meat and potatoes line along with Brooks Laich and Joel Ward but has also found success elsewhere. Wednesday night, he was parked in the perfect place when Dennis Wideman exhibited some patience in the offensive zone. Wides made a great play following up and I was just standing there waiting for it, Chimera said. It was a great play by Wides. He faked the goalie out, reloaded the shot and passed it. Chimeras first goal against the Jets came as he cashed in on some hard work by Laich. But the 32-year-old speedster shouldnt be robbed of any credit for being in the right place at the right time. Speaking in serious terms about his eight-goal, early-season outburst, Chimera credited other guys for making plays for him. A lot of credit to my linemates. Ive been playing with Brooks and [Alexander] Semin tonight, but most of all with Joel Ward, who I think does a good job getting pucks, Chimera said. Boudreaus joy over Chimeras start goes beyond winning games. Im pretty happy for him, because hes a guy that comes, he works every day, the coach said. Hes always got a smile on his face, and he keeps the team loose. Its good to see good things happen to good people. Washington Times LOADED: 11.25.2011

By Stephen Whyno The Washington Times Thursday, November 24, 2011

Zach Bogosians elbow made contact with Washington Capitals rookie Cody Eakins head. That was enough to warrant a Thanksgiving Day hearing for the Winnipeg Jets forward with NHL senior vice president of player safety Brendan Shanahan. But not enough to warrant a suspension or fine. Shanahan ruled Thursday that Bogosian would not receive any supplemental discipline for the hit, which seemed to daze Eakin but did not knock him out of the game. League spokesman John Dellapina revealed the decision in an email to The Washington Times. When Brendan looked at it, he believes that Bogosian was committed to a shoulder-to-shoulder hit just prior to contact, Eakin moves, and changes the position of his head, Dellapina said in a phone interview seeking more details. While the principle point of contact was his head, it was not targeted. Dellapina explained that Shanahan did not believe Bogosians hit was intentional or reckless. Eakin practiced Thursday. Dellapina said Shanahan had not yet ruled on the hit by New York Rangers forward Andre Deveaux on ex-Caps forward Tomas Fleischmann on Wednesday night. The Caps host the Rangers on Friday afternoon. Semin talks return Alexander Semin had a goal and a plus-2 rating Wednesday night in his return to the Caps lineup after being a healthy scratch. But perhaps the most important number to describe his performance was zero, as in zero penalties. The most important thing is that we won, Semin said through an interpreter. And Im just happy that I didnt pick up a penalty. Orlov picks up first point Dmitry Orlov looked much more comfortable in his second NHL game than his first. He admitted as much Wednesday night after picking up his first career point and standing out as a physical presence in the Caps win. I think hes been playing real good, and hes moving the puck good hes skating, hes hitting, center Nicklas Backstrom said. If you look at him out there, I dont think it looks like he played his second game. It looks like hes been playing a hundred games. Washington Times LOADED: 11.25.2011

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Washington Capitals

Caps Brooks Laich ready, willing and able

By Stephen Whyno The Washington Times Thursday, November 24, 2011

At 19 years old, Brooks Laich had to choose a path. Playing in juniors for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League, Laichs coach, Dean Chynoweth, told him to make a decision. I could either be a 100-point American League hockey player, or a 50-to60-point NHL hockey player, Laich recalled. He said, You make the choice. When Laich saw Chynoweth last year, he gave him a signed jersey with a simple message: This jersey wouldnt have been possible without you. Its hard to put a number on how valuable that moment was maybe $27 million, the amount on the six-year contract the Washington Capitals signed Laich to last offseason. Laich has said that he doesnt play for the money, and his story about misplacing checks in his trunk and line going into free agency that Saskatchewan is a pretty cheap place to live, makes the talk easy to believe. And even though Laichs mind isnt on his money, that doesnt mean he didnt warrant the deal. Laich wont score 30 goals or pile up 100 points; he has never put up more than 59 points in NHL career. But hell earn $6 million this season, his seventh, largely for his ability to do so many things so well. I take a great deal of pride in being able to be on the ice in every situation, Laich said. I never want the coach to look down the bench and say, OK, in this situation, I cant put him on. So its something I work hard at. Making of Laich Laich, 28, learned the value of work ethic as part of a humble upbringing in Wawota, Saskatchewan, from parents Harold and Jane. But he became Brooks Laich the hockey player thanks to Chynoweth. Laich knew how to score, putting up 103 points in 57 games in midget AAA hockey a few years earlier. But he stepped back and thought about it what his coach was saying, and it all clicked. I had to learn how to kill penalties, I had to learn how to pick up assignments, chip pucks out, do little things learn the game more than just the offensive side of it, Laich said. Its advice that Ive never forgot, that Im very thankful for, and it actually amazes me how spot-on he was. Laich always jokes with Chynoweth that hes going to run the New York Islanders defense, the unit his old coach is in charge of now. But he remains eternally grateful for the priceless words. That was a major point in my life that determined my career path, Laich said. All-around hockey player Laich did just what Chynoweth said, making Canadas world junior team and becoming a second-round pick of the Ottawa Senators. George McPhee pulled off what turned out to be a heist by getting Laich for the past-his-prime Peter Bondra in February 2004. Laich just appears to be hitting his prime now, blossoming into a complete player. Hes a natural center but has been able to adjust to left wing and right wing. Recently, he was even used as a defenseman when injuries crippled the Capitals on the blue line. Hes happy to do it whatever hes asked. I love it. I dont know why I love it. But I do, Laich said. Its something that keeps it interesting for me; you never fall into just a solid routine where maybe you get complacent with this or that. The games always changing, youre always learning. I think it helps you learn a lot more about the game, which ultimately makes you a better player. Karl Alzner flashed a wide smile when talking about Laich the defenseman and his new appreciation for defense. Forwards and defensemen constantly rib each other about their positions, but now Laich knows how the other half plays. I think when he signed his contract, they had no idea he was going to play defense, right wing Troy Brouwer quipped. I dont think we need to worry about that. Its not a regular thing you pay D-men to play D, not forwards to play D. But the Capitals pay Laich to do everything, which includes blocking shots, backchecking and scoring. He said his role depends on the game and the

situation. If his team is down 3-1, he knows his job is to score; if his team is up 3-1, he switches into defensive mode. Sometimes I have to sacrifice my personal goals of maybe trying to get an offensive chance or whatever, because you understand consequence and you understand the moment in the game, he said. Label-less leader Laich doesnt wear a C or A on his chest. Those honors belong to Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Knuble. But anyone who thinks Laich isnt a leader doesnt know the Caps and doesnt know him. Assistant coach Dean Evason called him an extension of the coaching staff a player who can take messages to the group atlarge with the certainty theyll get through. Some players are better leaders without a label, and thats Laich. He just goes out, plays hard every night, practices hard every day, he trains hard, Evason said. He does all the right things, says all the right things. Seemingly equal parts vocal and example, in a room full of players who have had varying levels of individual and team-oriented success, Laich fits in perfectly. Washington Times LOADED: 11.25.2011

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Washington Capitals

NHL hopes to make 'Black Friday' telecast a tradition

By: Jim Williams | 11/24/11 8:05 PM

On Friday afternoon at 1 p.m., NBC will air the inaugural NHL Thanksgiving Showdown. The game will feature the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins hosting the Detroit Red Wings. The NHL hopes to make this Black Friday telecast a tradition that can pull in the casual fan in the same manner as the Winter Classic on New Year's Day. NHL chief operating officer John Collins said the Thanksgiving Showdown is just part of the league's growing portfolio of new programming. How did the Thanksgiving Showdown come about? Collins "The NHL has had a long tradition of playing games on Black Friday afternoon. Boston has been doing it for many years, and in our conversations with NBC, it just made too much sense not to showcase a game on Black Friday. We have had the full promotional machine at NBC working on this event. They aired spots in the 'Sunday Night Football' telecasts, and we [had] a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade that will promote the Showdown with Grammy Award winner and star of NBC's 'The Voice' Cee Lo Green. So we are really showing the promotional force of our partnership." How has the relationship with NBC and the NHL worked out thus far? Collins "It is all we hoped it would be and more. As you know, the network will use this year's Winter Classic [on Jan. 2] to introduce the NBC Sports Network. If you watch both Versus and the NHL Network, then you know that we have an almost seamless transition between both groups. The viewers are really getting max coverage starting with our early programming on the NHL Network, then over to Versus for the prime game coverage and back to the NHL Network for 'On the Fly,' where we follow all the games till the last one is over. I think for the first time we have a truly unified broadcast plan that makes following our games very easy for our fans." Are there plans for new NHL original programming? Collins "We have a great relationship with former HBO president Ross Greenburg, and he has joined forces with our NHL Original Programming unit. Our first two projects were very successful 'HBO: Broad Street Bullies' and the Emmy Award-winning '24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the NHL Winter Classic.' Coming soon will be our 'Day in the Life' player

documentaries revealing the regimens and personalities of NHL players appearing in NHL on NBC games." Washington Examiner LOADED: 11.25.2011

Verdict delivered on Bogosian hit against Eakin

Tim Campbell Posted: 11/24/2011 6:07 PM

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Washington Capitals RALEIGH, N.C. Jets defenceman Zach Bogosian will not be suspended or fined by the NHL for an apparent hit to the head of Washington's Cody Eakin on Wednesday night. Bogosian had a 40-minute hearing with NHL VP of player safety Brendan Shanahan earlier today, before the Jets practised in Raleigh. Bogosian will receive just a warning, an NHL staffer said tonight. No penalty was called on the play, which occurred in the second period of the game in Washington. Shanahan also conducted a hearing today with Andre Deveaux of the New York Rangers, who was given a match penalty on Wednesday night. The Jets face the Carolina Hurricanes here on Friday night. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED: 11.25.2011

Knuble's having little luck

By: Brian McNally | 11/24/11 8:05 PM

Veteran hasn't gotten a point in nine games Twice in the last five games, Capitals veteran winger Mike Knuble thought he had scored a goal that likely would have sealed a win for his team. Instead, both times he was left shaking his head in frustration. The 39-year-old has just two goals and five assists, so this stretch has been representative of his season so far. Knuble has spent significant time over the last month playing on the fourth line -- a tough position for a player who has scored at least 21 goals in each of the last eight seasons. But in recent games Knuble has had his chances. Late in a game against Nashville on Nov. 15, he drove to the front of the net after a Jason Chimera shot and tried to swat the puck home to break a 1-1 tie with 35 seconds left. Knuble was knocked to the ice but forced goalie Pekka Rinne to make a fine pad save. Unfortunately, Knuble was left helpless as Nashville pushed up ice for what proved to be the winning goal. Notes Washington (12-7-1, 25 points) hosts the New York Rangers (10-5-3, 23 points) in a 4 p.m. game at Verizon Center on Friday. The Caps and Rangers have yet to face each other this season. Washington defeated New York in five games in a first-round Stanley Cup playoff series last spring. Star free agent center Brad Richards, signed away from Dallas in the offseason, has six goals and seven assists for the Rangers through 18 games. And on Wednesday against the Winnipeg Jets, Knuble banged home a loose puck in the crease midway through the third period and began celebrating his first goal in November. But behind him the referee waved off the goal, saying Caps forward Matt Hendricks had interfered with goalie Ondrej Pavelec. It would have made the score 4-2 Washington with 8:07 remaining. Instead, Winnipeg tied the game at 3-3 just 43 seconds later. "You just get hammered twice by the hockey gods," Knuble said of the nongoal vs. the Jets. "But you keep doing those things. Take the positive out of it that I did make the right play." Knuble hasn't recorded a point in nine games. It's reminiscent of last year's barren stretch in which he had just one goal and four assists in the Caps' first 14 games. Yet over the next 65 games Knuble scored 23 times and had another 12 assists. His ice time is picking up again, too. The last two games Knuble played 20:47 against Phoenix and 17:18 vs. Winnipeg. Before this week, Washington coach Bruce Boudreau had played Knuble less than 16 minutes in 10 straight games dating to Oct. 29. This for a player who averaged 16:53 in his first season with the Caps and 17:53 last season. "I really was hoping that [Knuble] would score [against the Jets] because he deserved to score," Boudreau said. "He played almost 21 minutes the game before for a reason -- not just because I like him but because he's deserved to play. He's been strong on the puck, he's been skating as well as I've seen him skate and he's been leading by example, especially when we were in a little bit of a rut." Washington Examiner LOADED: 11.25.2011

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Winnipeg Jets

Bogosian meets with Shanahan after head-hit on Eakin

By: Tim Campbell Posted: 11/24/2011 12:40 PM

RALEIGH, N.C. - Jets defenceman Zach Bogosian has had a hearing with NHL VP of player safety Brendan Shanahan today. Bogosian was questioned about his hit to the head of Washington's Cody Eakin, a Winnipegger, during Wednesday night's second period at the Verizon Center. No penalty was called on the play. The hearing, before Jets practice this afternoon, lasted 40 minutes. Shanahan also conducted a hearing today with Andre Deveaux of the New York Rangers, who was given a match penalty on Wednesday night. The Jets face the Carolina Hurricanes here on Friday night and will likely learn about Bogosian's availability before that game. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED: 11.25.2011 590513 Winnipeg Jets

Jets Report By: Staff Writer Posted: 11/25/2011 1:00 AM

About the Jets Coming off their 4-3 overtime loss Wednesday in Washington, the 8-9-4 Jets have earned points in their last four games (3-0-1)... D Ron Hainsey returned to the lineup on Wednesday for the first time in 17 games. He logged an amazing 23:34 of ice time, not bad for a player who had been out since Oct. 17. Hainsey didn't practice on Thursday... Jets allowed the Caps only three power plays on Wednesday, a vast improvement in discipline from recent games, but still lead the NHL as the team most short-handed at 103 instances... G Chris Mason, who hasn't played since injuring a groin muscle on Oct. 27, is likely to get tonight's call in net...With two points against the Caps, C Kyle Wellwood is the Jets' leading scorer with 17 points through 21 games. About the Hurricanes

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Winnipeg Jets

Carolina is tied with the Jets and Tampa Bay in the Southeast Division, all with 20 points... Canes have dropped their only meeting against Winnipeg this year, 5-3 at the MTS Centre... The team, in the midst of five of six at home, lost 4-3 in a shootout on Wednesday against Montreal.... The Canes have led each of their last three games 2-0.... Brandon Sutter and Patrick Dwyer each have two short-handed goals this season and Carolina leads in the NHL in that category with five shorties so far... Fantastic trivia from the Elias Sports Bureau -- when Brandon and Brett Sutter recorded points in Wednesday's shootout loss, it was the first time since 1994 that two Sutters (Rich, Ron) had points in the same game. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 11.25.2011

Noel, asked again about the matter on Thursday, described it all as almost routine. "Basically what we're doing is we're coaching," Noel said. "Him and I have a relationship and it will continue and we'll continue to try to make him the player we see him to be. "I'm happy with him. There are just some things I'm trying to get across. It's just coaching." The coaching, Noel pointed out, is not just about one player. He has indeed been juggling his forward lines. Thursday, for instance, Burmistrov was skating with Jim Slater and Tanner Glass. In Wednesday's game, much of his skating time was with Eric Fehr and Jason Jaffray. "The only difference is that he's changed personnel," Noel said. "That's probably the one thing but that's no fault of his. You try to manage individuals in a group. You try to manage for the group. There are all kinds of things you're trying to manage, not only one player. Sometimes one player gets affected but you just try to manage things for the sake of the whole group. "You juggle people around. That's how you do it. He was going real good with (Nik) Antropov for a while but we weren't winning at that stage for a lot of different reasons that really had nothing to do with one person." And Noel was doing his best to douse any fire that might be starting regarding Burmistrov's ice time, which had reached more than 20 minutes seven times this season. That's how much faith Noel had previously placed in him. "These things come back around," the coach said. "You just have to be patient. All players have to do is focus on their work ethic and just trying to play their A game. Everything always winds up working itself out." Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 11.25.2011

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Winnipeg Jets

Burmistrov needs 'coaching' That's why he's seeing less ice

By: Tim Campbell

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The division-rival Washington Capitals seem to have a daily soap opera percolating -- losing streaks, pouty superstars, a testy coach, unproductive and scratched stars and players missing meetings. The Winnipeg Jets can't hold a candle to any of that but took a run at a least a small tempest this week with the dwindling ice time of budding young Russian sniper Alexander Burmistrov. The 20-year-old first-round draft pick of 2010 has been averaging nearly 18 minutes per game this season but played not even half of that in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss in Washington. Burmistrov has been reduced to 13 minutes 11 seconds and then just 7:56 in the last two games. More to the point, he's contributed no goals and two assists in the last nine games after rolling up four goals and 10 points in the first 12. "It's just the coach's decision," Burmistrov said after Thursday's practice at the RBC Center, where the Jets meet the Carolina Hurricanes tonight (6 p.m., TSN Jets, TSN 1290). "There is nothing I can do. I am disappointed. There's nothing I can do. That's the coach's decision. We'll do whatever he says." Burmistrov said that his dealings with Jets coach Claude Noel will remain private. "I think whatever he says to me, that will be about me and him. It will stay with us," he said. That was the point where Thursday's conversation with the talented forward went a bit odd. It was hard to tell if his tone was defensive, prickly or indifferent. This was the exchange: "What will you be looking to do tomorrow night?" "I just go there, work hard. It's all what I have to do, and play my game. "Do you think something is missing from your game?" "I think you should tell me what I'm missing. You see the game from upstairs. I don't know what I'm missing." Later, Burmistrov seemed to revisit that answer, owning up to not getting the puck out of the Jets zone right before the Capitals went ahead 3-2 early in the second period. "I try to play defence well, try to get puck out of the zone," he said. "Yesterday I was not getting the puck out and they scored a goal, so..." Burmistrov also identified his lack of production as problematic. "I feel different," he said. "I don't have any goals, points. That's the difference. That's the change (in my) game. I need to get back on the track and get points."

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Winnipeg Jets

Bogosian dodges iron fist of Shanahan

By: Tim Campbell Posted: 11/25/2011 1:00 AM

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Jets defenceman Zach Bogosian will be a player in tonight's game here against the Carolina Hurricanes after the NHL decided not to discipline him for a check on Wednesday night. NHL vice-president of player safety Brendan Shanahan will issue a warning in this case, after Bogosian contacted the head of Winnipeg product Cody Eakin of the Capitals during Wednesday's second period. Shanahan conducted a hearing via conference call with Bogosian and Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff on Thursday before Winnipeg took the ice for an afternoon practice. Neither referee called a penalty on the contact by Bogosian on Eakin. Bogosian said there was plenty of information and opinion exchanged during Thursday's hearing via conference call. "There are five, six different people on the phone call," Bogosian said. "They discuss what went on and both parties go back and forth to (present) their side of things. It was pretty even, back and forth." Bogosian had not previously been disciplined by the league for any on-ice incidents. -- -- -At the end of Thursday's practice, the Jets turned some attention to their five-on-three power play, which failed them in Wednesday's defeat. Winnipeg had a two-man advantage for 1:20 during the second period against the Capitals, but failed to produce a goal. Those two advantages were their only power plays of the night, it's interesting to note.

"They really demoralize your team," Noel said about coming up empty with a two-man advantage. "A lot of time in those situations if you don't score, you end up on the wrong side of the game, but we got a point out of that game." Thursday's work was coaching intensive, but there's only so much you can do practising against teammates, Noel added. "Sometimes the five-on-threes are hard to work on because you can't take slapshots in practice or you'll be injuring your own players," he said. "It diminishes the results you're going to get but it's the five guys you're trying to work with and trying to understand what we're trying to do and I think we got that today. "You could practise it, have all these plays, then you don't see a five-onthree for month, then guys can't remember what we worked on. So you're always stuck chasing a five-on-three. Sometimes you never get them." Winnipeg has had just three two-man advantages this season in 21 games. -- -- -There was strong evidence Thursday that Chris Mason will be Noel's choice to start in goal tonight against the Canes. Mason practised on what will be the Jets' end of the ice for two periods tonight, and went off to leave Ondrej Pavelec, who has started the last 12 games, to work with the power plays and penalty killing. Mason hasn't played since pulling a groin muscle Oct. 27 in Philadelphia. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 11.25.2011

Jets defenceman Mark Stuart, who saw lots of Caps star Alex Ovechkin on Wednesday, said the difference in the Caps from last week was obvious. "That was apparent right off the start," Stuart said. "They were feeling good playing at home but we came back a few times and made it a game." So now with points in four straight games (3-0-1), the Jets appear to be making some strides, even though their record remains under .500 at 8-9-4. "I think it's good for us because it shows us we're never out of it and that our will to win is paramount over what's taking place in the game," Noel said. "What I liked is that we battled back a few times." Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec, who faced an aggressive Washington team on Wednesday and 37 shots, said it used to be that the Atlanta Thrashers would get rattled by the A game of the Capitals in this rink. "If they score quick, well the game is 60 minutes so you have to put it behind you," Pavelec said. "In the past, you'd come in here against one of the best teams with one of the best players in the NHL and if they score right away, it'll slow you down. But I realize one goal is one goal. "It's not about the rink. Their players move the puck well. They're a great team. But we stayed positive. We got a point. It's fun to play here because the fans are great and we did a great job on our PK tonight and we tied the game on a huge goal in the third. "I think we have to stay positive; we did some good things in this game." A contentious play went the Jets' way -- some would say finally -- midway through the third period when Washington forward Matt Hendricks bumped Pavelec back in his crease while Mike Knuble was shooting the puck into the open side. The apparent goal was waved off for interference, though Caps coach Bruce Boudreau insisted the contact was outside the blue paint. "Matt was stopped," Boudreau said. "It's a dicey call. I wish he had, for a lot of reasons, let him score." The Jets collected Little's game-tying goal within a minute of the play. "That disallowed goal, it kind of gave us a boost," Little said. "The game could have been over there but we got a bounce to go our way." That's something that wasn't happening earlier in the season in games that produced no results.

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Winnipeg Jets

Bouncing back from the blows Solid, unbending performance in unfriendly building shows character

By: Tim Campbell

WASHINGTON -- They have chased more than their share of games this NHL season. And the Winnipeg Jets are still winless, 0-8-2, when trailing after 40 minutes of play. Those stats, however, will not tell you about the incremental steps the Jets may be making, a story provided by Wednesday night's 4-3 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals before 18,506 punchy fans at the Verizon Center. The Caps, thanks to Jason Chimera's goal at 1:52 of the extra period, are now 8-1-1 at home this season. The Jets, however, forced the issue to overtime after taking a pretty good series of blows on Wednesday. "We handled it pretty good," said Jets centre Bryan Little, whose goal at 12:36 of the third period pulled his team back on even terms for the third time on the evening. "They were turning it on and throwing some hits and I thought our guys stepped up and were throwing them right back. "It was good, hard hockey to watch. It's hard to play in those types of games, so physical. I think we were kind of chasing them all game." Washington had five hits when it flopped last week in Winnipeg to the tune of 4-1. Wednesday, the hit total was 35 and the home fans approved heartily. "They played a lot different tonight," said Jets coach Claude Noel. "They played with a lot more emotion. That was clear for me. They got energized by scoring early... and by physical hits. "They got some energy from their crowd." But the Jets took a pretty good punch, Noel insisted. "We responded (well)," Noel said. "Resiliency, I think the character of our team is showing that they want to win the game."

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 11.25.2011 590517 Winnipeg Jets

Benched Burmistrov vows to get back on track, points

By Ken Wiebe, QMI Agency

Alex Burmistrov remains confident and hes not about to pout. Being benched as the Winnipeg Jets forward was during parts of the second and third periods of Wednesdays 4-3 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals is a part of the game for a young player. But its something nobody enjoys going through. Im disappointed, but theres nothing I can do. Thats the coachs decision and we do whatever he says, said Burmistrov, who played just under eight minutes on Wednesday. But has head coach Claude Noel spoken to Burmistrov about why he sat him down? I think that whatever he says to me will stay between me and him, said Burmistrov. I dont know what Im missing. I need to work hard and play my game. Thats all that I have to do. I need to get back on track, get points. Although his offensive contributions have slipped to just two assists over the past nine games, Burmistrov is still tied for fifth in team scoring with five goals and 12 points in 21 games. I still feel confident, yeah, said Burmistrov, who had six goals and 20 points in 74 games as a rookie.

Burmistrov, 20, isnt a one-dimensional player and actually thrives in the defensive zone, but his inability to get the puck out resulted in the Capitals third goal on Wednesday. Hes a good young player right now and hes going to be a terrific young player, said Noel. Hes going to play. Basically what were doing, were coaching. Thats what it is. Well continue to try and make him be the player we see him to be. Im happy with him, but there are some things Im trying to get across (to him). Jets forward Nik Antropov is serving as a mentor for Burmistrov and can relate what the youngster is going through. Ive been in his shoes too, when I was young, said Antropov. You have to stay positive and work hard. Thats the solution, I guess.

Replays showed Bogosian's shoulder caught Eakin on the chin, but in the eyes of the NHL, the blueliner didn't target the head on the play and the Capitals forward was at least partially responsible for putting himself in a vulnerable position. Andre Deveaux of the New York Rangers also had a disciplinary hearing Thursday but no discipline was announced. The winger got a match penalty for a hit to the head of Florida's Tomas Fleischmann at 10:59 of the second period Wednesday. MORROW OUT THREE Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow is expected to miss three more games with an upper-body injury. Morrow, who was hurt Monday against Edmonton and didn't play Wednesday against Los Angeles, joins teammates Alex Goligoski (broken thumb) and Adam Burish (broken hand) on the sidelines. He'll miss games against Toronto, Phoenix and Colorado. In 20 games this season, Morrow has just three goals and nine assists. JAGR HURT AGAIN Jaromir Jagr's wonky groin will likely cause him to miss a pair of weekend games. The Philadelphia Flyers forward returned from a two-game absence Wednesday against the New York Islanders but aggravated the injury and made an early exit. Now it appears he won't play Friday against the Montreal Canadiens or Saturday against New York. "We got two games and then five days off," Jagr told CSNPhilly.com. "I think I'm not going to play those two games and make sure when I come back I want to come back strong. I probably came back two days too early." In 19 games this season, Jagr has six goals and 11 assists. NEW TEAM RISES The Sherbrooke-based expansion team that will play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League will be known as the Phoenix. The team, which is owned by a group of investors led by former NHL goaltender Jocelyn Thibeault, will begin play next season. The expansion franchise was granted last summer when the league folded the Lewiston Maineiacs. The team name and logo -- a blue, crowned Phoenix over a white shield -were revealed in a YouTube video Wednesday night. The franchise opted for the English spelling of Phoenix, rather than the French Phenix, because that name was taken by a Quebec triple-A midget team. ANOTHER BIG BAN Mississauga St. Michael's Majors forward Joseph Cramarossa became the latest OHLer to be hit with a big suspension for a head shot. Cramarossa was suspended 10 games Thursday for drilling Sudbury Wolves forward Andrey Kuchin Friday with a hit similar to the one that earned Niagara's Tom Kuhnhackl a 20-game suspension. Cramarossa was given a major penalty for checking to the head but Kuchin was not hurt on the play. Cramarossa will be eligible to return Dec. 18 when the Majors host Sudbury. The OHL also suspended Erie Otters tough guy Johnny McGuire eight games and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds rookie defenceman Darnell Nurse five games for separate incidents last weekend. BRIEFLY New York Islanders forward Blake Comeau has been put on waivers. The 25-year-old has no points and is minus-11 this season ... The Detroit Red Wings sent forward Fabian Brunnstrom to Grand Rapids of the AHL. Brunnstrom has one assist in four games with the Wings ... The New York Rangers called up forwards Carl Hagelin and John Mitchell from Connecticut of the AHL. Winnipeg Sun LOADED: 11.25.2011

SHOW OF EMOTION: Antropov picked up another assist on Wednesday (which was actually the 250th of his career) but he showed another side of his game midway through the second period when he was involved in a scrum with Capitals centre Brooks Laich. Antropov was in front of the net during a power play and Laich grabbed him from behind after the whistle. Both players eventually dropped their gloves but were separated before a fight broke out. Was there any history between the two players? Theres no history at all, thats news to me, said Antropov. It was just a regular scrum, he was upset and I was upset, thats all. Both of us play hard and thats what happens. Thats hockey. Its a tough sport. Nothing personal. IN AND OUT?: Although he was noncommittal in his meeting with the media, theres a good chance that forward Tim Stapleton will be reinserted after sitting out the past two games as a healthy scratch. Should Stapleton return, Jason Jaffray might be the healthy scratch. NET WATCH: Noel said earlier this week that veteran Chris Mason would be starting one of the three games on this road trip, but still wasnt ready to unveil which one it would be. Although Mason played well in relief against the Hurricanes on Oct. 22, its excepted that Ondrej Pavelec will start his 14th consecutive game on Friday and Mason gets the call against the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins on Saturday as both teams play their third game in four days. Winnipeg Sun LOADED: 11.25.2011

590518

Winnipeg Jets

Bogosian avoids suspension for head shot

By QMI Agency

WASHINGTON - Zach Bogosian made a trip to the principal's office and came away with a warning. Bogosian was part of a disciplinary hearing with Brendan Shanahan and a host of others Thursday afternoon to discuss his hit to the head of Washington Capitals forward Cody Eakin that occurred just past the midway point of the second period of Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss. The verdict came down late Thursday and the NHL has ruled that no fine or suspension will be levied against Bogosian, a league spokesman confirmed. That means Bogosian will be in the Jets' lineup as they face the Carolina Hurricanes Friday. No penalty was called on the play, on which Eakin skated through the middle of the neutral zone, dumped the puck in from just outisde the offensive blue-line and leaned forward to chase the puck as Bogosian stepped up and delivered the hit.

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NBCSports.com / Sidney Crosby selling his house was almost a salary cap issue

NBCSports.com / Jagrs wonky groin to cost him two more games at least

Joe Yerdon Joe Yerdon Nov 24, 2011, 12:17 PM EST Jaromir Jagrs early exit in last nights Flyers overtime win over the Islanders is thanks to the same groin injury that kept him out of action before last night. While that groin injury cost him two games, the reaggravation of it is going to cost him two more this weekend. CSNPhillys Tim Panaccio finds out from Jagr that the groin injury is to the same one he hurt last week and Jagr fears that he may have come back to action too quickly. The lure of potentially lighting up the Islanders is truly a dangerous sirens song too powerful to resist. Groin injuries are very annoying for players to deal with and a pain of a different sort to get figured out once you have one. Its too easy to get reinjured (as Jagr found out last night) and making sure its totally healthy can be tricky to get figured out. For Jagr, being 39 years-old doesnt help much there. Getting older like that is frustrating. With the Flyers having five days off after they play on Saturday, itll give Jagr a little over a week to rest it and see where hes at. NBCSports.com / LOADED: 11.25.2011 Nov 24, 2011, 8:45 AM EST

Youd think that by being Sidney Crosby and trying to sell a house youd be able to keep your hockey life out of that whole equation. Not so fast, friends. According to Shelly Anderson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Crosbys efforts to sell his house to Penguins president and CEO David Morehouse had to be cleared by the NHL to make sure that their sale agreement didnt constitute a violation of the salary cap. The issue there being that Crosby was selling an obviously high priced piece of property to a team executive and if the price of the home was over inflated or too much of a bargain, it couldve been seen as a way of dancing around the salary cap. Think about it, Sid sells the house for a big price, the team president has to give him more money or vice versa. Sounds goofy, but it makes sense. Imagine that salary cap penalty though, itd be like playing a game of Monopoly in real life. Instead, Crosby sold the home to Morehouse for a measly $2.4 million, just $100,000 more than he paid for it when he bought it. Good thing we didnt have to get the kids from CapGeek.com involved in the real estate business on this one. NBCSports.com / LOADED: 11.25.2011

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NBCSports.com / David Perron would love to follow Sidney Crosbys example to the fullest

NBCSports.com / It might be time to blow up the Avalanche Joe Yerdon Joe Yerdon Nov 24, 2011, 11:25 AM EST While its been great to see Sidney Crosby get back to action, even if he didnt earn a point against St. Louis last night, the Blues David Perron is hoping he can follow in Crosbys footsteps. Perron is now 13 months removed from last seeing action on NHL ice after being knocked out of action last season by a blistering Joe Thornton check. While Perron is skating and practicing with the Blues and allowed contact in practice, theres still no timetable for his return. As he tells Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch though, when that day comes when he can play he hopes he can have a Sid-like return to action. But I feel pretty good out there, so as long as I keep going, Ill keep progressing. Its tough for me to put a date on it before I go through the whole process. This is where Im at right now. Its been awhile and Im itching to play, but at the same time, I want to make sure that Im doing it the right way. The Penguins setting the blueprint down for how to handle these things helps out a lot and for the Blues theyve been equally diligent in minding Perrons condition. If Perron can stay patient and get back out there when hes absolutely ready itll be to his and the Blues benefit. If he can have a four point game when he comes back, thatd be even better. NBCSports.com / LOADED: 11.25.2011 Nov 24, 2011, 7:53 AM EST

The Avalanche have lost 11 of their last 14 games after what was a hot start. Their scoring leaders like Paul Stastny and Matt Duchene havent been impressive nor consistent. Their defense has been iffy and now theyre not even looking like theyre competing. Sound bad to you? It sure sounds bad to The Denver Posts Adrian Dater who cast all of his doubts about what this years Avalanche team has going for it after the Avs were shutout 3-0 by Vancouver last night. What is there for this team to do though? Last year it was rumored that numerous teams were looking into acquiring Stastny but the Avs refused to deal him. With six goals and seven assists this year Stastny hasnt looked like the all-world star he was supposed to become a couple seasons ago. Erik Johnson was acquired last year in a stunning deal with St. Louis and hes been merely average. Does that mean its time to fire Joe Sacco and hope that a new coach can change things around? That might be the quick fix to make to try and get things turned around. Saccos job has been on the hot seat in seasons past but after seeing the Avs be one of the NHLs worst teams two of the last three seasons, perhaps this is the right move to make. One way or another, GM Greg Sherman has some serious decisions to make soon if the Avs dont get some wins put together. After all, another awful season in Denver wont bring them another lottery pick to help rebuild the team thanks to the Semyon Varlamov trade. As the saying goes, its time for the Avs to win or go home. NBCSports.com / LOADED: 11.25.2011

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NBCSports.com / Jimmy Howard on Tim Thomas: He just continues to amaze

Mike Halford Nov 24, 2011, 6:22 PM EST

love that, because I like the deflated ball. But I feel bad for that football, because he puts everything he can into those spikes. NBCSports.com / LOADED: 11.25.2011

When the Detroit Red Wings face the Boston Bruins in tomorrows Thanksgiving Showdown, the battle in goal will likely be waged between Jimmy Howard and Tim Thomas. Just dont expect a war of words between the two. Especially not from Howard. In speaking on a teleconference earlier this week, Howard was most complimentary of the defending Vezina and Conn Smythe Trophy winner. Ive never met him, but Ive got a lot of respect for him and what hes done in his career, Howard said of Thomas. He just continues to amaze people. The path that he had was a long one and probably made it that much sweeter for him. Hes taken control of everything and you can tell hes having fun with it, too. So, its great to see that. Now THATS how you pump tires. Howard also made mention of the numbers Thomas posted last year he set the NHL single-season record with a .938 save percentage numbers which are close to being equaled this season. Thomas is 10-4-0 with a 1.85 GAA and .936 save percentage, recording seven of 10 wins during Bostons current unbeaten streak. That said, Howards stats have been equally good. Hes 11-5-1 with a 1.92 GAA and a .927 save percentage and on pace to set career highs in all three categories. While he doesnt have Thomas underdog story Howard was a secondround pick in 2003 (third goalie taken after Marc-Andre Fleury and Corey Crawford) he, like Thomas, had to wait a while before becoming a fullfledged NHL starter. Howard played nearly 200 games at the AHL level, stuck behind a glut of Red Wings goalies (Chris Osgood, Dominik Hasek, Ty Conklin, Manny Legace, Joey MacDonald) before finally emerging as the No. 1 in 2009-10. He was 25 at the time a little older than most, but still a ways off Thomas, who didnt become a legit starter until he was 32 years old. NBCSports.com / LOADED: 11.25.2011

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NBCSports.com / Yzerman on Lightning: Were not as deep as we were last year

Mike Halford Nov 24, 2011, 3:29 PM EST

There was plenty of furor following Tampa Bays 7-1 loss to Toronto on Tuesday. It was the Bolts fourth loss in their last five games, pushing their record to 9-9-2 not exactly where they wanted to be at the seasons quarter-pole. Lightning GM Steve Yzerman spoke with the Tampa Tribune about the slow start. While he mentioned that trades and recalls are potential options, he also stated there would be no panic moves. I never believe you do something just to do something, Yzerman said. You just try to make the team better, whether thats through recalling somebody or a trade. Im not going to react. You just have to assess your team. Not a huge revelation, though it was interesting to hear Yzerman address his teams lack of depth compared with last season. We have higher expectations and some of our players are not playing at the level they were at last year, he said. We are not as deep as we were last year, and we are hoping that within, our players will elevate their play. Not as deep, hey? Hmm. I tagged three key losses from last years team: Simon Gagne (now with LA): Fifth on the team in scoring, fourth in PP goals. Sean Bergenheim (now with FLA): Scored 14 goals, third in takeaways, huge playoffs.

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Mattias Ohlund (still with TB): Top-four defenseman. Hasnt played this year (knees). Those losses are concerning, but so too is the dropoff in production. Dominic Moore scored a career-high 18 goals last year but has just one so far. Brett Clark led all defensemen in goals (nine) and points (31), but has just 2G-2A-4PTS through 20 games. Steve Downies numbers are way down across the board. Last year, the Lightning surprised on several fronts rookie head coach Guy Boucher exceeded expectations, the team stayed quite healthy, several guys had career years and almost every Yzerman transaction worked out beautifully. Makes you wonder if his were not as deep as we were last year comment shouldve been were not overachieving like we did last year. NBCSports.com / LOADED: 11.25.2011

NBCSports.com / Gronkowski agrees to spike puck at AHL game

Mike Halford Nov 24, 2011, 4:09 PM EST

When they heard that Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski was fined $7,500 for a celebratory touchdown spike against the Jets, the AHLs Worcester Sharks jumped into action. They offered to foot the tab in exchange for a service Gronkowski spiking a ceremonial puck in advance of their game against Providence on Feb. 24. The Sharks would be more than happy to reimburse Gronkowski to spike the puck before a Worcester Sharks game, said team president Michael A. Mudd. Sharks fans are Patriots fans and I know that they would enjoy watching Gronkowski show us how to properly spike a puck at center ice and sign some autographs. I hope Rob takes us up on the offer. Yesterday, Gronkowski agreed to participate. The Sharks are really excited that Gronkowski took us up on our offer, Mudd said in a press release. This is a win-win for everyone. Well, a win-win for everybody but the Worcester ice crew. Gronkowskis spikes are violent. When Gronk scores it was like his eighth touchdown of the year he spikes the ball and he deflates the ball, Pats QB Tom Brady told NESN. I

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NBCSports.com / Anaheim defenseman says Ducks are scared of winning

Mike Halford Nov 24, 2011, 1:20 PM EST

Luca Sbisa

The Anaheim Ducks lost 4-2 to the Phoenix Coyotes last night. It was their 14th defeat in 16 games, pushing them to 6-11-4 and second from bottom in the Western Conference. Needless to say, the team has problems. But Luca Sbisa thinks he knows whats wrong. It seems like were scared of winning, the Ducks defenseman told the OC Register. We kind of forgot how to win. We have stretches were we play good hockey and were the team were supposed to be with the players in this room. As soon as we get a bad bounce or something or fall behind on the score, we kind of get scared. We stray away from the game plan. Before analyzing that quote, a quick note on Sbisa. His honesty is admirable, but should he really be the one to publicly opine about Anaheims fear of victory? At 22, hes one of the youngest players on the roster. Sure, there are youngsters in leadership roles throughout the NHL (Jonathan Toews, Sidney Crosby, Andrew Ladd) but come on Sbisa is not one of those guys. It also seems really odd that a team featuring Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu, Toni Lydman, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry has been labeled as scared to winby a 22-year-old Swiss kid with 136 games of NHL experience. Anyway, back to Sbisas quote. One thing you can take from it is the sentiment that Anaheims struggles are about the players not head coach Randy Carlyle. Thats something the Registers Jeff Miller touched on earlier this week. Last spring, this same core group of players authored a staggering stretch to climb from out of the playoffs to the No. 4 seed in a deep, difficult Western Conference, Miller writes. And the Ducks did so without their AllStar goaltender. Know who else was there for that impressive surge? Carlyle, along with the same assistants he employs today. He wasnt a detriment then, why is he suddenly one now? Its a salient point. In August, the Ducks extended Carlyles contract through 2013-14 which suggests hes in for the long haul. I mean, nobody fires their coach just a few months after giving him a deal, right? *coughTampa Bay Lightning *coughBarry Melrose *cough* NBCSports.com / LOADED: 11.25.2011

1) The Isles are getting carved on Twitter for waiving a guy on Thanksgiving. This probably wont help Garth Snows already-dicey reputation for handling players (see: Nabokov, Evgeni) or his ability to lure quality players to Long Island. 2) Early speculation suggests Calgary (in the market for any kind of goalscoring up front), Nashville (needs forward depth) and the Rangers (just to screw with the Islanders) as potential suitors. 3) This could be a precursor to a larger moveor just a huge wake-up call for Comeau. Its possible hell clear waivers and end up in AHL Bridgeport, a place he hasnt been since 2008. NBCSports.com / LOADED: 11.25.2011

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Sportsnet.ca / New Sheriff in town

Mark Spector | November 24, 2011, 2:46 pm

DALLAS - The Dallas Stars have spent the season near the top of the National Hockey League standings yet at the bottom in attendance, with announced crowds averaging 10,000 and change. Actual houses are in the 7000-8000 range nightly. Forbes magazine reports the team lost $38 million during their last fiscal year and $92 million over the past three seasons. They're pegged to lose another $30 million this season, so it may be difficult to fathom how, for Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi, the new owner of the Stars described the transaction as "truly one of the best days of my life." Gaglardi owns Northlands Properties, a stable that includes Sandman Hotels, Denny's restaurants, Moxie's Classic Grills, Shark Clubs and the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League. Now he owns a Stars franchise that was once the jewel of Gary Bettman's southern expansion, but today has a financial picture so ugly it could make a freight train take a dirt road, as they say down here. Truly, only a Canadian would buy a hockey team that is this distressed. "I'm so honored and humbled to have a franchise in the National Hockey League, and especially one I spent my whole life growing up in Vancouver admiring," said the 43-year-old. "With all the success the Dallas Stars have had, I can't believe that a day has come where I get to be associated with such great tradition in such a great city." Forbes reports that Gaglardi contributed just $50 million in cash into the $240 million bankruptcy purchase that left many creditors with a fraction of what they were owed. That makes for a tough start in the corporate community for Gaglardi, who has brought former Stars president Jim Lites back for his third run with this team, in hopes of rekindling some of the love from the Dallas' business community. If the bills are indeed 'big as all hell and half of Texas,' Lites can at least see where the product has emerged from its darkest days. "If you look at some of the things Joe (GM Nieuwendyk) has done, they were really hard things to do, but they are now in the past," Lites told the Dallas Morning News. "I mean, saying goodbye to Mike Modano was just a really, really hard thing to do, but Joe made that tough decision and the team is better today because a player like Jamie Benn is getting to move forward. Moving on from Marty Turco and Jere Lehtinen, really tough things, but now we have the goaltender of the future (Kari Lehtonen) and a great two-way forward in Loui Eriksson." Now, they merely have to replace losing with winning, and Gaglardi's seats might get filled. When the Stars were a dominant team in the late 90's, the landscape here in Texas was perfect for an emerging winner. The Cowboys were making the papers more for being arrested than winning football games. The Mavericks were positively Clipper-esque, and consecutive A.L. West titles in '98 and '99 did not bear a single playoff victory for the Rangers, who were swept in the first round of the playoffs both years.

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NBCSports.com / Happy Thanksgiving: Isles put Comeau on waivers

Mike Halford Nov 24, 2011, 12:39 PM EST

Ahh, Thanksgiving. A holiday reserved for family, football, turkey and if youre Blake Comeau, news that youve been waived by the New York Islanders. Comeau, 25, has struggled through a nightmarish season with the Isles. Hes pointless through 15 games (with a minus-11 rating), been a healthy scratch several times and played just 6:45 is last nights loss to Philly, which was clear a message from head coach Jack Capuano. That message? Probably something along the lines of stop being bad at hockey. Maybe a tad more specific, but you get the gist. This is a significant fall from grace for Comeau. He was drafted by the Isles in the second round of the 2004 Draft and gradually developed into a good goalscorer (24 last year, a career-high) as such, New York rewarded with a one-year, $2.5 million deal back in August. Comeau had been the subject of recent trade rumors, but it seems the Isles were unwilling to find a partner. So, three things to watch moving forward:

Meanwhile, in the NHL's pre-salary cap era, the Stars were buying up free agents and jockeying with Patrick Roy's Colorado Avalanche and Steve Yzerman's Detroit Red wings atop the Western Conference. In '98 the Stars lost the Conference Final to Detroit. The next year, with Brett Hull's foot planted firmly in Dominik Hasek's crease, they brought a Stanley Cup parade to Dallas. In 2000, the Stars lost to New Jersey in the Final. "There was energy put into marketing. We'd built all the satellite rinks around town. We had people in management like Bob Gainey, Les Jackson, Doug Armstrong, Craig Button The depth was staggering with smart hockey people," said longtime Stars analyst Daryl Reaugh. But as then-owner Tom Hick's empire began to fail, the defections began. Brett Hull was brought back as a co-GM and he made the disastrous Sean Avery signing. The marketing budget was slashed year after year, and meanwhile, the other teams in Dallas began to win. The Cowboys have made the playoffs in four of the eight seasons since 2003. The Rangers got a new park, and have played (and lost) in back to back World Series. Mark Cuban bought the Mavericks, and since 2000 they've made the playoffs every year, winning an NBA championship last spring. And the Stars? "The budget had gone down to the floor, and we haven't made the playoffs (for three straight seasons)," Reaugh said. Cuban has provided Gaglardi with the template for turning a moribund franchise around. It's all about customer service - appreciating the paying fan in a market where his sports dollar has a lot more landing places than in Toronto or Calgary. He's got a good team on the ice, and Nieuwendyk has a fantastic payroll situation, with $28 million in cap space for next season. What was once a fantastic hockey town could be one once again. The bills between now and then however, will be more Ritz Carlton than Sandman for Gaglardi. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.25.2011

The Maple Leafs signed Tim Connolly, who spent the past nine seasons skating with the Buffalo Sabres after being picked fifth overall in 1999 by the New York Islanders, in the hopes hed be the teams No. 1 centre. It was a risky transaction given Connolly has been frequently injured the past six seasons. Sure enough Connolly who has played very well when he has been healthy this season suffered a shoulder injury at practice recently and began the year on the injured reserve list. Enter Bozak. Promoted to the top line once again to skate between Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul, Bozak has proven himself to be up for the task. Kessel leads the NHL in scoring while Lupul, playing the best hockey of his career, is tied for third. "Right from the time I first got here, I thought he was a skilled player," Lupul said. "Right now hes doing some more little things well and getting rewarded. I think hes going to the front of the net a little harder and a little more confidently than he was before. "I think hes figured out what he has to do to be successful in this league and now its the same for all of us; we have to figure out how to do it over a long period," he added. "Its been 22 games and everything has been great, but now its a mater of expanding that over the remaining three-quarters of the season." It is a big responsibility centering two of the top three scorers in the league. And while Bozak is counted on for production, he also has to be the defensive conscience on the line and, also winning faceoffs are paramount. He struggled on the draw early in the year because he had a sore hand, but has gotten better as the injury healed. "It has gotten a lot better the past five or six games so hopefully I can keep it going the rest of the year," he said. "You obviously want to be one of the guys who is out there in the last minute when youre down a goal, or down in the other end, too, when youre up a goal. "We want to generate a lot of chances off the cycle and I think you have to be stronger on the puck to do that," Bozak added. "Watching (Lupul) play, seeing how strong he is in the corners and how he holds guys off; thats helped us create a lot of chances for goals." At 6-foot-1 and 195 points, Bozak has decent size, but hell never be mistaken for Joe Thornton or Vinny Lecavalier. Still, he has to play against bigger players, both forwards and defenceman, relying on his speed and intelligence. "I think a lot of it is timing," he said. "Im not going to win a lot of strengthon-strength battles against some of the big defencemen in our league, so its all about body position getting to the puck first and shielding it and trying to protect it as best as you can." Lupul has said he realized last summer that getting the opportunity to play with a star of Kessels stature might be his last chance to achieve the credibility that has eluded him throughout his career. Similarly, the chance for Bozak to play with Kessel and Lupul is also a golden opportunity for a relatively inexperienced player to swiftly take his game to the next level. "Its huge," Bozak said. "When you have two wingers like that on either side of you they make the game a lot easier for you and you pick up a lot of points." Tuesday in Tampa Bay Kessel hit the scoresheet just once, with an assist. Bozak, meanwhile, scored his third and fourth goals of the year, added an assist and was plus-2. "Phil is going to score most nights like he has this year, but its nice that we can fill the void when on one night they dont go in for him," Bozak said. "I thought he still played a good game giving me and (Lupul) lots of chances." Its hard to say what will happen when injured centre Mikhail Grabovski returns to the lineup. Having Bozak, Connolly and Grabovski gives the Leafs decent depth at the centre position, and the case could be made all three of them deserve top two line minutes. "Bozie is skating really hard right now and theres probably a sense of desperation or urgency in his game," said Leafs coach Ron Wilson. "Last

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Sportsnet.ca / Seizing the moment

Mike Brophy | November 24, 2011, 4:40 pm

The points are starting to come. Fourteen points is a decent total for a guy who prides himself on playing a solid two-way game. But the number that excited Tyler Bozak the most is four. Not four, as in the number of goals he has, but four, as in plus-4. Last season Bozak was the Toronto Maple Leafs most unreliable defensive performer finishing a very chilly minus-29. Never mind the fact he started the year as the teams No. 1 centre and wasnt able to play at that level quite yet, or that his points-per-game average dipped from .73 in his first year in the league, to .40 last season. Quite simply, theres no way Bozak was going to command ice time commensurate with his skill and ability if he continued to be a defensive liability. "I spent the summer in Denver and trained with guys I used to play with out there," Bozak said of his off-season approach. "We went five days a week really hard. I felt I got a lot stronger and I think its helping me this season. I wasnt happy with the way last year finished. "I wasnt too upset with my points (15 goals, 32 points). I thought it was a decent amount, but my plus-minus was a huge thing that I was worried about so I wanted to focus on my defensive game and try not to cheat. My hope was that offence would come from good defence." Bozak opened the season as Torontos third-line centre. The hope was he would find his niche as a checker, but also provide the Maple Leafs with some secondary scoring.

year it was like, no matter how he played he was going to be in the lineup because we werent very deep. He knows Grabo is only out for another week, if that long, and hes competing as hard as he can to stay on that line. "Im rewarding him by keeping him on that line because Tim Connolly seems to be able to play with anybody and make them better." Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.25.2011

Malkin] werent there. Nobody said anything, but you knew if we were giving up three goals a game, now you have to give up two. We didnt change the system. We didnt go back to a trap or anything or do anything differently. We just kept playing the same way. Bylsma even kidded Crosby and Malkin at one point when things were going well, asking the two superstars both of whom have won NHL scoring titles if they thought they could fit into the system when they returned. To have long-term success in this league, to try to build this thing up, you cant be about one or two players, Shero said. To win a Cup, you need the support around them, and when you look back, when we had some success there and won a Cup, it was our role players who were fantastic. Remember: It was Max Talbot, not Crosby or Malkin, who scored both goals in the Penguins 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup final. Talbot plays for the rival Philadelphia Flyers now, but as Crosbys comeback approached, he knew the effect his former teammate would have on his former team. Hes the best player in the league, but its not like hes the best player and he plays his own way, Talbot said. He plays the Penguins way. He plays the system. So its not going to change the chemistry or anything. Its just going to get them better. And so here was Crosby streaking up ice on that set play Monday night, scoring his first goal on his first shot since Jan. 5. Bylsma said fourth-line center Richard Park, a veteran who rejoined the Penguins this season, could use that as a clear example of how the system can work. And here was Crosby managing the puck well in the offensive zone. Bylsma pointed out there were no fancy toe-drags, no sexy saucer passes, just good, hardnosed offensive zone play. Look at Crosbys second goal: He wins a battle for the puck down low, carries it back up the right-wing wall and hits the brakes. He changes direction, creates separation from a defender, fires a bad-angle backhand and gets rewarded when the puck slips into the net. It looks different, but its not off the game plan, Bylsma said. Its not taking chances. Its really playing the way we want to play as a team. It certainly has a different dynamic and a different thrust when 87s in the zone stopping and starting and dancing like that and holding onto the puck. Bylsma said Crosby had some other opportunities that could enlighten his teammates, making them say to themselves, You know what? I can throw the puck at the net like that, too. I can play in the offensive zone like that and make those plays. All the Penguins cant make plays like Crosby. But when Crosby plays like all the Penguins just with more talent a good team can become great. FIRST PERIOD I could see trouble coming for the Boston Bruins on Aug. 24, the day goaltender Tim Thomas brought the Stanley Cup to his hometown of Davison, Mich. Here was one of the most positive, energetic athletes Ive ever met, and here he was on one of the proudest days of his life and here he was talking about how worn out he was. Winning the Stanley Cup takes more emotional, physical and mental energy than I would have ever believed, Thomas said then. I mean, Ive been tired after seasons before, but after this run, its a hard recovery. Whoa. So as the Bruins got off to a 3-7-0 start, sinking as low as last place in the Eastern Conference, I wasnt surprised. It was really hard at the beginning of the year with all the Stanley Cup hangovers, said Thomas this week in a media conference call. Theres something to be said about it. Oh, I said something about it, and I wasnt the only one. But should anyone be that surprised the Bruins have rattled off 10 straight wins since? The talk of firing coach Claude Julien and shaking up the team with a trade was asinine. These are the defending champions, and theyre even better on paper this season. They kept their core virtually intact, and Tyler Seguin, the second overall pick last year, has taken off in his second NHL season. His 12 goals are tied for third in the league. His 23 points are tied for ninth. All the Bruins needed was some focus, and they actually got it, indirectly, from the hangover itself.

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YAHOO SPORTS / Crosby makes a good Penguins team truly great

By Nicholas J. Cotsonika, Yahoo! Sports Nov 24, 12:13 pm EST

Look at the replay, and it seems like an awesome individual effort: Sidney Crosby streaks up the ice, fends off a defenseman and backhands the puck top shelf. But look at the replay again. Look at it through the eyes of coach Dan Bylsma, and you see it was more than that. You see the real reason why Crosbys comeback from a concussion makes the Pittsburgh Penguins a better team. This is what Bylsma saw: The play starts in the defensive end. Deryk Engelland quickly sends the puck up the strong-side wall, and Pascal Dupuis passes it from the left wing to the middle at about the red line. Crosby has been gathering speed, expecting the puck, planning to catch his opponents flat-footed. The finish was world class, the goal a signature moment as Crosby returned with two goals and two assists Monday night in a 5-0 victory over the New York Islanders. But the sequence that set up the scoring chance is simply part of the Penguins system. Its no secret, and it doesnt always work. The St. Louis Blues gameplanned against it Wednesday night, took away the strong-side wall and beat the Penguins in overtime, 3-2. Crosby had no points and six penalty minutes. But more often than not, the Penguins way is effective and most effective with No. 87. You talk about how we play, Bylsma said. You talk about how we execute. It didnt change [Monday] night. It looks a little different with Sidney Crosbys speed through the middle of the ice. To understand how well the Penguins can play with Crosby, go back to how well they played without him. They went 34-19-8 in the 61 regular-season games he missed. Now go even deeper than that. When Crosby came back Monday night, it was only the third time in 103 regular-season games that the Penguins had their top three centermen in the lineup at the same time. The Penguins were one of the best teams in the NHL the first half of last season, winning 12 games in a row at one point, all without Jordan Staal. Just as Staal came back from injury, Crosby went down. Evgeni Malkin went down not long afterward. Injuries continued to decimate the Penguins. They had the top seven scorers from their farm team in the lineup at one point. Their first-line right winger was Nick Johnson, now the third-line right winger on the Minnesota Wild. Im pretty sure Ive dressed better teams in exhibition even on the road, said general manager Ray Shero. Still, the Penguins finished with 106 points, tied for second-most in the Eastern Conference. They blew a 3-1 series lead and lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the playoffs, but they feel they might have won had Matt Cooke not gotten himself suspended for a head shot. The Penguins kept winning despite a drop in scoring. Fleury played great in goal, and they didnt change their approach in front of him. It was funny last year. People were always saying, Are you playing more defensive now? said defenseman Brooks Orpik. To be honest, it was the exact same system, the exact same game plan. You realized [Crosby and

I think what started our success is, we got to the point where everybody was invested in each and every game, Thomas said. Probably coming off the Stanley Cup playoffs and the Stanley Cup final, where each and every game is so important, it was hard for us to re-create that kind of feeling in the locker room at the beginning of the year. But we got ourselves in such a big hole that effectively we made each and every game very important because we couldnt afford to go any further down. SECOND PERIOD When youre a parent, you learn to threaten only the punishments that youre willing to carry out. If you tell the kids youre going to leave the restaurant if they dont quiet down, you better be willing to leave that halfeaten meal on the table if they dont. Otherwise, youll lose credibility. Bruce Boudreau seems like a parent who has painted himself in a corner right now. He has preached accountability to the Washington Capitals, and so he has had to follow through benching Alex Ovechkin because he wasnt getting it done, scratching Alex Semin because he kept taking penalties, scratching Joel Ward because he overslept and missed a team meeting. Ovechkin is the floundering star, Semin is the frustrating enigma, and Ward is one of the favorite sons. Theyre different players; theyre different situations. But when you say youre going to hold everyone to the same standard, you have to. Rules are rules. This team needs a firm hand, though. It needs less mothering and more fathering. General manager George McPhee is doing the right thing by supporting Boudreau, and Boudreau is doing the right thing by trying to rein in these unruly kids. If McPhee fired Boudreau, he probably would bring in a coach who would do what Boudreau is doing now a coach who would preach defense and discipline. Boudreau is a good coach. He just reached 200 victories faster than any NHL coach ever has before. But he knows that all those victories dont mean much if he doesnt win in the playoffs, and so he has to take some short-term risks and go through some growing pains for long-term gains. He has to stick with it. It might be starting to work. Semin bounced back from his benching Wednesday night by scoring a goal and taking no penalties, and Ovechkin kept his shifts to a reasonable 49-second average and earned an assist in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Winnipeg Jets. You know Ward wont sleep in again. It would be foolish to let up and eat now while the kids are coloring all over the booth. Boudreau would end up in the parking lot eventually, even more unsatisfied. THIRD PERIOD Now that the NBA is mired in a long-term labor battle, the NHL wont try to take advantage of it with a marketing campaign designed to steal some basketball fans. It would be shortsighted, and it likely wouldnt be that effective, anyway. Remember that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman once worked for the NBA under its commissioner, David Stern. Some NHL owners also own or are invested in NBA franchises. And if the NHL tried to kick the bigger NBA when it is down, what would happen if the NBA got back on its feet and the NHL found itself locked out at this time next year? The NBA could swat right back at the NHL. Without basketball, hockey might receive more media exposure in some markets. But from a national perspective, ESPN, say, is more likely to run more football coverage than more hockey coverage to fill the void. Some casual sports fans might cross over, but the sports generally serve two different fan bases. The NHL is still a gate-driven league, and the NBA lockout probably wont provide much growth in terms of attendance. The Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche are teams that arent selling out and share buildings with NBA teams. Maybe they could draw some basketball fans. But though several other teams share buildings with NBA teams the Bruins, Capitals, Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings theyre already selling out on a nightly basis. They have no place to put basketball fans. And though some other teams share markets with NBA teams the Red Wings, Islanders, Wild, Florida Panthers, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks

and Phoenix Coyotes the Wings and Sharks are already selling out, and it remains to be seen just how many fans the others can lure from one building to another. Finally, 13 NHL teams almost half the league play in markets without an NBA team. Its hard to imagine any impact there. POWER RANKINGS TOP 6 Boston 1. Boston Bruins: By winning 10 straight, the defending champs have leapt from last in the East to first in the Northeast. They lead the league in goal differential at plus-27. No one else is better than plus-15. San Jose 2. San Jose Sharks: They have won four straight and six of their last seven. Up next Saturday night: a rematch of the Western Conference final against the Vancouver Canucks. Minnesota 3. Minnesota Wild: While some other surprise teams have come back to earth the Stars, the Edmonton Oilers the Wild is atop the league standings a quarter of the way through the season. Its even more remarkable when you consider Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi, the big offensive acquisitions, have only six goals apiece. Pittsburgh 4. Pittsburgh Penguins: I stand by my statement that this is the best team in the league if healthy. But the Pens are 1-2-1 in their last four, and though Crosby came back triumphantly Monday night against the Isles, he was welcomed back to reality Wednesday night against the Blues. Philadelphia 5. Philadelphia Flyers: Its pretty amazing that Jaromir Jagr has become such an important part of the team that hes fending off questions about an extension. But hes right when he says its too early to tell. He turns 40 on Feb. 15. He hasnt gone through the 82-games-plusplayoffs NHL grind since 2007-08. Lets see how he looks and feels at the end of the season. Florida 6. Florida Panthers: Two things I was wrong about: That it would take time for all these new players to become a team, and that Kris Versteeg should be a third-liner on a good team and not a first-liner on a bad one. Versteeg is tied for third in the league in goals (12) and points (26). BOTTOM 6 Carolina 25. Carolina Hurricanes: Just as attention started to focus on coach Paul Maurices job security, the Canes played well in a 1-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres and then earned five out of six points in their next three games. Colorado 26. Colorado Avalanche: The problems range from goaltending to scoring to losing on home ice. The Avs are 3-8-0 at home and 2-8-1 in November. Even impressive rookie Gabriel Landeskog, the second overall pick in last Junes entry draft, has cooled off with only two assists in the past seven games. Calgary 27. Calgary Flames: Captain Jarome Iginla is off to a slow start and doesnt seem to be on the same page with coach Brent Sutter, and the Flames are 2-5-0 in their last seven. Anaheim 28. Anaheim Ducks: When Ryan Getzlaf and Teemu Selanne are taking unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, as they did Wednesday night in a 4-2 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes, the frustration couldnt be more apparent. The Ducks are 0-4-1 in their last five and 2-10-4 in their last 16. Columbus 29. Columbus Blue Jackets: Jeff Carter has three goals in six games since returning from a foot injury. More importantly, the once woebegone Jackets have gone 3-1-2. New York Islanders 30. New York Islanders: The Isles have sunk so low that theyre looking at the positives from Wednesday night, when they blew a two-goal lead and lost to the Flyers in overtime, 4-3. PLUS/MINUS PLUS: The Blues are 5-1-2 since hiring coach Ken Hitchcock. Maybe they would have turned things around under Davis Payne. When he was fired, they had played nine of their first 13 games on the road, and they had six straight home games coming up. But Hitch has em playing fast, smart, hard hockey. MINUS: As if things werent bad enough for the Ducks, the Francois Beauchemin trade looks horrendous. Beauchemin, a veteran defenseman, has six points and is minus-6, while Joffrey Lupul and Jake Gardiner have been excellent for the Maple Leafs. Lupul, a winger who had health

problems in the past, has been one of the biggest surprises of the first quarter, tied for third in the league in scoring with 26 points. Gardiner, a young defenseman, has seven points and is minus-1, but his poised play has been even better than his stats. PLUS: When did Panthers defenseman Jason Garrison become a longrange bomber? He had seven goals in 113 NHL games entering this season. He has eight goals in 21 games already this season. Not bad for a guy who was never drafted. MINUS: Coaches are supposed to put their players in position to succeed, and the Isles Jack Capuano decided to give goaltender Anders Nilsson his first NHL start Monday night at Pittsburgh amid all the Sidney Crosby hoopla. Rick DiPietro was healthy enough to start Wednesday night against the Flyers. Why not use him against the Pens? PLUS: Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic had zero points through his first 27 games last season. He has 11 points through 19 games this season seven of them coming in a recent three-game span. MINUS: NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan gave Kings defenseman Drew Doughty only a $2,500 fine for cross-checking Blues forward T.J. Oshie in the back and sending him into the boards dangerously Tuesday night. Doughty isnt a dirty player, and Oshie did turn at the last moment. But the game was virtually over and the cross-check was deliberate. Too light. @COTSONIKA I know some people are sick of Sid and the coverage of him. But if you cant appreciate what he did last night, why do you watch hockey? Some people are just never going to like Sidney Crosby. Maybe they root for one of the Penguins rivals. Maybe they hate the way he whines to the referees sometimes. Maybe theyre contrarians, naturally repelled by whoever is on top, preferring to pull for an underdog instead. Maybe they dont like his cheesy mustache. I dont know. Whatever the reason loyalty, style, plain ol personal preference thats fine. Still, I cant believe the backlash to the coverage of Crosbys return, especially the coverage of what he did on the ice Monday night. Yeah, there were months of no-news updates. Yeah, there were hours of breathless buildup to the game. It was tedious at times, too much at others. But Crosby is one of those rare athletes who lives up to the hype, and boy, despite the immense hype this time, did he live up to it yet again. Its pointless to ask if the coverage would have been the same if Crosby werent Canadian. He is Canadian. This was a big deal not because of any one factor, but because of many factors all tied together. He is from Canada, where hockey means more than anywhere else. He did score the Golden Goal that gave his country the gold medal over the United States at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, adding to his already amazing list of accomplishments. He was separating himself from his peers with a monster season when he was injured last year, in a league that had become tighter than ever before. He did suffer a concussion, at a time when the issue was already on the NHLs front burner. He did miss 10-1/2 months, then looked like he never left. His story is all of that and more, and to pick out one element takes it out of context. Its unfair to compare him to Tim Tebow. Crosby is a polarizing figure. He receives a lot of media attention. But thats about all he has in common with the Denver Broncos quarterback. Crosby was unquestionably the best player in the NHL when he was injured; Tebow is not even close to the best player in the NFL, as great as he was in college. Crosby has not made his religion an issue; Tebow has. (And dont get me started on comparing Crosby to Christ. If you see Sid as some kind of hockey Jesus or see the coverage of him as idolizing him to that level holy cow. Thats on you. We say hockey is religion; its not.) Crosby is a great player. He made a great comeback. It was a great moment. If you like the game even if you just enjoy a great story how could you not at least tip your hat here? Isnt this what its all about? YAHOO.COM LOADED: 11.25.2011