Brewin Flames

Triple Fack.... Flames just letting points slip away....

Game # 55 Flames 0 Wings 5 Reimer stops 38 shots to lead Red Wings to 5-0 win over Flames ByAP Updated: Feb 17, 2024, 08:15 pm CALGARY, Alberta -- — James Reimer stopped 38 shots to lead the Detroit Red Wings past the Calgary Flames 5-0 on Saturday. Patrick Kane and Lucas Raymond had a goal and an assist each for the Red Wings, who snapped a two-game losing streak. David Perron, J.T. Compher and Dylan Larkin also scored. “It’s nice when you contribute to the team,” said Reimer, who recorded the 30th shutout of his 14-year NHL career and second with Detroit this season. “That’s all you want to do. You want to be part of the team and you want to help get to our goal. You just try to be ready whenever your number’s called." Reimer was also in net when these two teams last met in Detroit on Oct. 22. He stopped 29 shots in a 6-2 Red Wings victory that game. Jacob Markstrom started in goal for the Flames. But he was pulled at 6:41 of the second period after allowing four goals on 12 shots. “It was short,” said Markstrom of his disappointing performance. “I saw all four pucks go in. It’s frustrating. You want to be there for the guys and the fans that paid money to come watch us play.” Dan Vladar then made eight saves in relief for the Flames, who’ve lost three straight games and six of their last seven at home. “That’s tough,” said Calgary captain Mikael Backlund of his team’s recent woes on home ice. “That’s not acceptable. We want to play well in front of our fans. We want to win games and if we want to be serious about playoffs we’ve got to win games at home.” The Flames carried the majority of the early play and had a great chance to open the scoring thanks to the efforts of the line of Jonathan Huberdeau, Yegor Sharangovich and Andrei Kuzmenko. At 12:34 of the opening period, Reimer made a great glove save on Kuzmenko’s slapshot. It came shortly after he turned aside a wrist shot by Huberdeau. Kane opened the scoring at 14:56, just three seconds into a power play after Calgary rookie Connor Zary was called for high-sticking. Playing the point, Kane blasted a pass from Moritz Seider into the top corner over Markstrom’s blocker. The Wings made it 2-0 just 61 seconds later. Compher took a pass from Raymond and fired a quick shot that deflected off the shaft of Calgary defenseman Rasmus Andersson’s stick and past Markstrom. Larkin tapped in a nice cross-crease pass from Kane for another Detroit power-play goal at 5:12 of the second. Just 89 seconds later, Detroit went up 4-0 after Perron wired a pass from Andrew Copp past Markstrom, who was promptly relieved of his duties by Calgary coach Ryan Huska. Raymond rounded out the scoring with 4:20 remaining to play. “We battled hard today and Reims was unbelievable for us,” said Larkin of his team’s bounceback win. “We didn’t have the best start. We were a little bit flat. But our power play got us going. Special teams and goaltending and pretty good defensive play was the reason why we were successful today.”

Losing 4 in a row absolutely SUCKS !

Game # 55 Bos 4 LA Kings 5 OT Clarke scores 1st NHL goal in OT, Kings rally past Bruins Wins it with 27 seconds left after Kopitar ties it late in 3rd; Boston drops 4th in row Play Video Recap: Los Angeles Kings @ Boston Bruins 2.17.24 ByJoe Pohoryles NHL.com Independent Correspondent 3:48 PM BOSTON -- Brandt Clarke scored his first NHL goal with 27 seconds left in overtime, and the Los Angeles Kings rallied for a 5-4 win against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Saturday. Clarke committed a hooking penalty at 2:24 of overtime to give Boston a power play, but he took a pass from Phillip Danault and scored on a breakaway after exiting the penalty box. Anze Kopitar tied it 4-4 on a tip-in at 18:25 of the third period on the power play with goalie David Rittich pulled for an extra attacker. Pierre-Luc Dubois had two assists, and Rittich made 28 saves for the Kings (26-16-10), who have won four of their past five games. James van Riemsdyk had two goals and an assist, and Linus Ullmark made 30 saves for the Bruins (32-12-11), who have lost four in a row (0-2-2). Van Riemsdyk gave Boston a 1-0 lead at 8:03 of the first period, knocking in a loose puck in front. Matt Roy tied it 1-1 at 11:02, banking the puck off Ullmark’s leg and in from the left side. Van Riemsdyk gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead when he backhanded a rebound past Rittich on the power play at 14:45. Anthony Richard’s first goal with Boston pushed it to 3-1 at 13:04 of the second period, but Vladislav Gavrikov cut it to 3-2 at 16:38 with a shot from the point. Alex Laferriere tied it 3-3 at 5:51 of the third period on a scramble in front. Trent Frederic gave the Bruins a 4-3 lead from the slot at 7:12.

Games played on 2/15/24 Leafs Simon Benoit vs Flyers Nicolas Deslauriers Winner ? Edm Corey Perry vs Blues Marco Scandella Winner ?

And Double Faaaack.

Game # 54 Flames 3 Sharks 6 Zadina has 2 goals and 2 assists for career-high 4 points in Sharks' 6-3 victory over Flames Updated: Feb 16, 2024, 01:45 am CALGARY, Alberta -- — Filip Zadina had two goals and two assists for a career-high four points in the San Jose Sharks' 6-3 victory over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night. “It felt pretty good, obviously,” said Zadina, who just a goal and two assists in his previous 18 games. “We haven’t scored as a line in a little bit but we got rewarded for the work we’ve done recently.” Luke Kunin also scored twice, Justin Bailey had a goal and two assists for his first career multi-point game and Mikael Granlund added a goal. MacKenzie Blackwood made 31 saves to help San Jose improve to 15-33-5. Nazem Kadri, Mikael Backlund and Andrei Kuzmenko for Calgary and rookie Dustin Wolf stopped 25 shots. The Flames have dropped two straight to fall to 25-24-5 — and have lost five of their last six at the Scotiabank Saddledome. “These are games and days that you look back on and they suck, but at the same time, it’s a great opportunity to evaluate yourself as a player and a person and come back stronger,” Wolf said After setting up the tying and go-ahead goals in the second period, Zadina put it away with goals 37 seconds apart early in the third to make it 5-2. Zadina deflected Marco Sturm’s shot high into the air with it toppling over the head of an unsuspecting Wolf and landing in the net. Zadina’s second goal came on a shot from the left wing that got a piece of Rasmus Andersson’s stick on the way in. “I think for Z, he’s obviously a very, very skilled player that can put the puck in the net,” linemate Justin Bailey said. “He’s a high pick and a skill player for a reason and you saw that showcased tonight.”

Game # 54 Bos 1 Seattle 4 Beniers leads Kraken to 4-1 victory over sputtering Bruins ByAP Updated: Feb 15, 2024, 10:47 pm BOSTON -- — Matty Beniers had a goal and two assists as the Seattle Kraken concluded a five-game road trip with a 4-1 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Bruins on Thursday night. Jordan Eberle, Eeli Tolvanen and Jared McCann also scored for Seattle. Joey Daccord stopped 36 shots to snap his three-game losing streak. “Unreal. He’s made huge saves every night he’s been between the pipes,” Beniers said. It was a thrilling experience for Daccord, who grew up in Boston. “Real special night,” he said. “Trying to put everything into perspective. I grew up a Boston sports fan. It was pretty emotional for me.” Boston has dropped three straight and four of five, with all the defeats coming at home. David Pastrnak scored for the Bruins, and Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves. The sputtering Bruins fell into a tie with Florida atop the Atlantic Division standings, with the Metropolitan Division-leading New York Rangers one point behind them for most in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins took the lead five minutes into the game when Pastrnak fired a shot on Daccord and then drove home the rebound for his 34th goal of the season. A high-sticking penalty on Boston resulted in Seattle getting the equalizer at 10:49 of the first period as Eberle’s persistence paid off after Swayman made the initial stop. Boston hit two posts and James van Riemsdyk missed an open net in the second. That frustration was magnified when the Kraken capitalized on a 3-on-1 break late in the period as Tolvanen fired in a one-timer. Beniers was credited with his second assist of the night. “We're not getting the results right now, but sometimes you go through this during the season. We hit some posts. Those things happen,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “We’re going to stick together and keep grinding and keep working.” Bruins forward Charlie Coyle had a good look to tie it but his backhand bid hit the post two minutes into the third. The deficit grew to two goals when Beniers — a Massachusetts native — beat Swayman on a rush from the left side. “Boston kids love coming home to Boston,” Beniers said with a smile. “I know (Daccord) was pumped up. I was pumped up. It was fun to get the win.” The Bruins needed to kill off a penalty before getting an extra skater for a 6-on-5 advantage with 1:30 remaining, but Seattle found the empty net as McCann made it four goals for the Kraken’s top line. Boston went 0 for 2 on the power play and is 0 for 15 in a four-game drought. “I think we do a good job of looking at the game as a whole. (Montgomery) and the coaches do a good job of being encouraging in these moments,” Coyle said. “It hasn’t gone our way as much as we would have liked since coming back from the (All-Star) break. Overall, we’re still building our game and what our mission is. There’s no reason to get discouraged by any means.”

Kekalainen fired as Blue Jackets general manager, Davidson to assume duties Held position since Feb. 13, 2013 © Getty Images ByCraig Merz NHL.com Independent Correspondent 2:23 PM COLUMBUS -- Columbus Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson put aside personal feelings and fired Jarmo Kekalainen as general manager Thursday. The Blue Jackets (16-26-10) are last in the Eastern Conference and 18 points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. "Unfortunately, as a team, our results haven't been good enough," Davidson said. "We all, starting with myself as head of hockey operations, share responsibility for that. It became apparent a new voice was needed to lead us forward as we turn the page. This decision was difficult because of the quality of person that Jarmo is. He's a dedicated, loyal, hard-working guy who did a lot of great things, both on and off the ice, in our community over the past decade. "The pluses outweigh the negatives as to where we are as a team on the ice. We're going to need someone who will open our eyes, make us think further and to help us keep going in the right direction to where we're going to be a club that is a threat." Kekalainen was named the third GM in Blue Jackets history Feb. 13, 2013. "It's about results. It's a business, but there's also human beings involved," Davidson said. "So, I knew when we brought Jarmo in that someday this might happen. It happened. It's not a lot of fun, but that's hockey. It's pro sports and we go on. Now is the time to turn that page and go forward with all the decisions that we have to make that are ahead of us. We've also done some very good things this season." The 2024 NHL Trade Deadline on March 8 played a factor in the decision, Davidson said. Columbus has not made the postseason since four consecutive appearances from 2016-20. "We're all in there and we take responsibility, too, for where we are as a team," Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner said. "Obviously, I just want to thank [Jarmo] for the relationship and the work over the last 11 years since I've been here with him; been through ups and downs with him." The Blue Jackets were 410-362-97 in 869 regular-season games since Kekalainen was hired. They qualified for the playoffs five times, including a four-game sweep of the 62-win Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2019 Eastern Conference First Round to advance in the postseason for the first time since joining the NHL in 2000-01. They lost the 2020 first round in five games to the Lightning and subsequently haven't finished higher than sixth in the Metropolitan Division. "If you're a winning team consistently, a playoff team consistently, things like this don't happen," Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski said. "We're obviously not where we want to be." John Tortorella left as Blue Jackets coach May 9, 2021, after six seasons. Brad Larsen, promoted after he was an assistant under Tortorella and previous coach Todd Richards for seven seasons, was fired April 15, 2023, after Columbus went 25-48-9 to finish 31st in the NHL ahead of only the Anaheim Ducks. Mike Babcock replaced Larsen on July 1 but resigned Sept. 17, five days after the "Spittin' Chiclets" podcast reported that he asked players to share personal photos on their private mobile devices, which was investigated by the NHL Players' Association before Babcock announced his resignation. Associate coach Pascal Vincent was named his replacement and signed a two-year contract through the 2024-25 season. Blue Jackets ownership said in a statement at the time they were "deeply frustrated and disappointed" by the events surrounding the Babcock situation but following "candid conversations" did not anticipate changes to the hockey leadership team. Davidson, with Blue Jackets president Michael Priest standing a few feet away inside Nationwide Arena on Thursday, said he still has the support of ownership. The search for a new GM begins immediately outside of the organization without a timetable. "I think we'll get a lot of calls. I really do," Davidson said. "In fact, I've already had a couple. It's a good situation here with ownership, the city itself, with the amount of talent that we have already assembled. It's not like starting from the bottom. "I'm looking for a person that's going to look outside of the box, will look everywhere, and that's what we have to do and that's why we're in no rush to do this. But we're going to look for energy. We're going to look for smarts, we're going to look for a player evaluator, a person that understands analytics, everything from A to Z." Before joining the Blue Jackets, Kekalainen was GM of Jokerit of Liiiga in his native Finland. He was also the assistant GM and director of amateur scouting in 2002 for the St. Louis Blues, where he was part of the front office that drafted defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and David Perron, core players who helped the Blues win their first Stanley Cup championship in 2019. Notable moves during Kekalainen's tenure were the trades for defenseman Seth Jones with the Nashville Predators on Jan. 6, 2016, forward Artemi Panarin with the Chicago Blackhawks on June 23, 2017, and forward Patrik Laine with the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 23, 2021. Panarin and No. 1 goalie Sergei Bobrovsky each left Columbus on July 1, 2019, as an unrestricted free agent. Jones, who at the time was a pending unrestricted free agent, was traded to the Blackhawks on July 23, 2021, with a first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft for forward Adam Boqvist, a first- and second-round pick in 2021 and a first-round pick in 2022 or the 2023 NHL Draft. Perhaps Kekalainen's biggest move as GM was signing unrestricted free agent forward Johnny Gaudreau from the Calgary Flames with a seven-year, $68.25 million contract ($9.75 average annual value) July 13, 2022. Notable Blue Jackets draft picks during Kekalainen's tenure are Pierre-Luc Dubois (No. 3, 2016), forward Adam Fantilli (No. 3, 2023), and defensemen David Jiricek (No. 6, 2022) and Werenski (No. 8, 2015). The Blue Jackets visit the San Jose Sharks on Saturday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, BSOH). They're 3-7-1 in their past 11 games. "It's unfortunate," Vincent said. "It happens but we chose that business. Our job, just like what we tell the players, is to move forward, learn, move forward. All I can do today is take care of today with the team. And that's how we move forward."

Games played on 2/13/24 Ducks Ross Johnston vs Habs Arber Xhekaj Winner ? Ducks Sam Carrick vs Habs Joanthan Kovacevic Winner ? Ducks Adam Henrique vs Habs Kaiden Guhle Winner ? Van Dakota Joshua vs Hawks MacKenzie Entwistle Winner ?

Game # 53 Bos 2 Bolts 3 Vasilevskiy stops 36 shots as Lightning beat Bruins 3-2 in Marchand's 1,000th game ByAP Updated: Feb 13, 2024, 10:56 pm BOSTON -- — Brad Marchand almost had the perfect ending for his 1,000th career NHL game. The Bruins captain had two assists in regulation and almost scored the game-winner in overtime, but Andrei Vasilevskiy deflected the shot high and then stopped all three Boston attempts in the shootout to deliver a 3-2 victory for Tampa Bay on Tuesday night. “He made an incredible save. That’s why he’s one of the top goalies in the league,” Marchand said. “I thought I put it in a great spot to get it, but he showed why he’s one of the best.” Vasilevskiy stopped 36 shots and Brayden Point scored the only goal of the shootout for Tampa Bay. Nikita Kucherov and Erik Cernak scored early to spot the Lightning a 2-0 lead just 21 minutes into the game. Charlie McAvoy and James van Riemsdyk scored for the reigning Presidents Trophy-winning Bruins, who have the best record in the Eastern Conference despite losing three of their last four games. Linus Ullmark stopped 23 shots for Boston, but he knocked Point’s shot into the net with his stick after deflecting it in the air with his glove. Marchand is the eighth player in franchise history to reach the milestone, and the Bruins said they will honor him with a ceremony before Monday’s game against Dallas. He confessed to getting emotional during the national anthem. “I really was trying to try to block it out, for the most part,” he said. “But those moments, things that happened through the night, you do try to embrace them.” The achievement was recognized with a video during a first-period break. The crowd gave Marchand a standing ovation, both teams tapped their sticks, and even referee Tom Chmielewski clapped for the Bruins captain’s milestone. “Anytime you see a guy play a thousand games, that’s an incredible milestone for anybody,” Point said. “He plays hard, and he’s won, he’s played Olympics and World Cups and all those things. So, phenomenal player, and he’s definitely got a lot of respect around the league, that’s for sure.” The Lightning took the lead three minutes into the game when Ullmark made the initial save on Cernak’s shot, drawing a whistle. After the puck trickled through the goalie’s pads, McAvoy took a swipe at it to keep it out — but missed — and it continued on. Replays showed it barely cleared the goal line, and since it was continuous action, the goal counted. Tampa Bay made it 2-0 just a minute into the second when Kucherov cleaned up a rebound on a power play and slammed it past Ullmark. But the Bruins cut the deficit to one goal just 58 seconds later when McAvoy’s wrister from the point got past Vasilevskiy. Boston tied it later in the second when Ullmark was off for a delayed penalty and van Riemsdyk poked the rebound of Marchand’s shot through the goalie’s legs.

Tampa Bay Lightning are No. 29 in 2024 NHL prospect pool rankings By Scott Wheeler Feb 2, 2024 26 Welcome to Scott Wheeler’s 2024 rankings of every NHL organization’s prospects. You can find the complete ranking and more information on the criteria here, as we count down daily from No. 32 to No. 1. The series, which includes in-depth evaluations and insight from sources on nearly 500 prospects, runs from Jan. 30 to Feb. 29. Despite making only two picks in the first five rounds of the 2023 draft, the Lightning’s prospect pool ranking actually rises a little in this year’s countdown thanks to a bounce-back season from their top prospect and some positive steps from a couple of notable AHLers who are now knocking on the door. Their pool is supported by two legitimate wing prospects and a cluster of potential depth options at other positions. It lacks in high-end talent, at center and in left-handed defensemen, with none of the latter on this list 2023 prospect pool rank: No. 31 (change: +2) 1. Isaac Howard, LW, 19 (Michigan State University) Howard’s a player I diverged from the consensus on in his draft year, ranking him in the front half of the first round when he was drafted at the tail end of it. After an up-and-down freshman year at Minnesota Duluth and a transfer to MSU gave me some pause about whether I was a little too high on him, he has gotten back to looking like the player I believed him to be both with the Spartans, where he’s the team’s top offensive player, and the national team at the world juniors (I saw him play in East Lansing and Gothenburg in recent months, and he was impressive at both), where he was an important part of an excellent line and made some big plays in big moments, including the gold medal game. Howard’s a player with the kind of track record of success that nearly always translates. Though he’s “short” at 5-foot-10, he’s a long way from small, with a muscular build that makes him sturdier than you might expect on his feet/over pucks. He’s got quick crossover acceleration, with a hurried stride that cranks its way up ice to give him good speed. There are times when he can look like an all-offense player but when his effort level and tenaciousness match his skill level, you’ll see him around the puck all game, which we’ve seen more of as he has ramped up his off-puck movement and drive this year. Inside the offensive zone, he’s extremely dangerous on the puck, with underrated creativity to complement his clearly high-end skill (though he tries things occasionally at the offensive-zone blue line that he shouldn’t get away with, he also usually executes them). He makes a lot of plays under the triangles of defenders’ sticks, he navigates in and out of holes in traffic really well, and when he’s in attack mode taking pucks from a standstill into the middle of the ice to create looks, he’s a ton of fun to watch and forces opposing players to reach in on him (which draws a lot of penalties). But he’s even more dangerous off the puck, with a scorer’s sixth sense for always arriving just on time in Grade-A locations (whether that’s hiding in coverage or just staying around the puck at the net). He’s the kind of player who finds ways to get open in the home-plate area and then makes quick, aggressive finishing plays (either with his hands or a heavy one-touch/catch-and-release shot). I think some of his so-so freshman year last year can be attributed to some of his struggles to create for himself but also that they didn’t have a natural playmaker to find him in soft space and facilitate for him. He’s going to need that at the next level to make the most of his talent. Ultimately, Howard is a player who is always going to have PP utility but will require the right coach, usage and linemates to be the impactful top-six winger I think he’s capable of being at five-on-five as well. It has been nice, though, to see him play with more jump, get to more loose pucks, move his feet to get off the wall and to the slot/net, and be above and supporting more pucks when the other team has it. His game has really come along nicely this year. 2. Ethan Gauthier, RW, 18 (Drummondville Voltigeurs) Gauthier, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 QMJHL draft and son of former 10-year NHLer Denis Gauthier, is widely credited for his pro-style game and consistency. He had a strong showing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup (where he scored six goals in five games). He had a strong draft year with a top team in Sherbrooke. He’s now having a strong post-draft season with another top team in Drummondville. He’s just a good hockey player. He’s not a star, but he’s a solid B-plus prospect who has an opportunity to become an up-and-down-the-lineup, plug-and-play NHLer. He brings a lot to the table. He’s a versatile, hardworking player who excels in pretty much every facet of the game, gets to the middle of the ice, and makes plays around the net through skill and timing. He’s consistent shift-to-shift and game-to-game and while he might lack the dynamism of a true top prospect, he can make plays in a variety of ways on and off the puck and the ice usually tilts in his team’s favor when he’s out there (it’s also not a coincidence he has played on winning teams the last two years in the Q). He’s going to be an NHLer — I think the bigger question is whether he’s going to be more of a middle-six or bottom-six player who can jump up in a pinch. He’s a good, effective hockey player though, there’s no question about that. Detail, work ethic and pro habits can take a player a long way. 3. Jack Thompson, RHD, 21 (Syracuse Crunch) After a really solid rookie pro season stepping onto the Crunch blue line and, as its youngest defenseman, looking like he belonged last year, Thompson has taken another step forward this season in a bigger role, earning his NHL debut along the way. He had a big year two years ago, leading all OHL defensemen in goals with 21 and finishing sixth in points with 57 (in 65 games) before closing out his junior career with another six goals and 14 points in just nine playoff games, as well as four points and a plus-10 rating in seven games for a gold medal-winning Team Canada at the summer world juniors. At the junior level, he established himself as an aggressive, minute-eating all-situations defenseman whose presence was felt at both ends of the rink. At the AHL level, he has kept his identity while beginning to make the right tweaks. Offensively, he’s a shoot-first defender who likes to attack off the line, can beat goalies cleanly with his shot, and does a good job getting hard shots through traffic from the point. That aggression that he plays with in the offensive zone has also become a part of his game defensively, where he doesn’t search out hits but plays physically, using his timing to close gaps. He has upside as a solid third-pairing defenseman and a floor, at the very least, as an AHL call-up option. He’s not a super creative offensive playmaker, nor does he have the size that teams covet in their staunch defensive types, but he has a little bit of both along with a pro build and makeup and desirable handedness. Jack Thompson made his NHL debut with the Lightning early last month. (Brian Fluharty / USA Today) 4. Dylan Duke, LW, 20 (University of Michigan) One of my favourites from the 2021 draft, Duke’s a short but stocky winger with a nose for the net who impressed me in a bottom-six role as a freshman with the stacked Wolverines two seasons ago and has been successful in a greater role in each of the two consecutive seasons since, now factoring as a point-per-game player as a 20-year-old junior. He plays bigger than his size, stays on top of pucks when he’s being leaned on and always seems to get open off of the puck. He also goes to the net a whole lot (it is the hallmark of his game) for his size and is great on tips there (including, believe it or not, in that role on the PP, which is rare for a shorter player but he does it so well). There remain mixed opinions on how his game will translate, with scouts questioning his footspeed. I think his game is rounded enough to emerge from his college career, earn an NHL contract and give it a good go, though. He plays a hard, tenacious game, he loves to drive the crease and make plays into bodies, he regularly outmuscles bigger opponents (which he’ll insist is actually a strength of his if you ever ask him) and he’s got quick hands and a wrist shot that can beat goalies from midrange (though, again, most of his goals come from right at the top of the crease/post). If he can continue to improve upon his acceleration, he’ll have a chance. Don’t be surprised if he becomes a Rafaël Harvey-Pinard type who works his way through the AHL and emerges as a useful NHLer in his mid-20s. 5. Hugo Alnefelt, G, 22 (Syracuse Crunch) After two years playing ahead of the curve to strong results in the SHL, and even longer than that to superb results against his peers, Alnefelt, who only just turned 22 in June, finally showed his age in his first pro season in North America in 2021-22 before rebounding to solid but unspectacular results the last two years, first in a tandem with veteran Max Lagace (who I thought he outplayed last year) and now in a tandem with veteran Matt Tomkins (whose numbers have been comparable to his). His athleticism and movement are his strengths. He’s 6-foot-3 and he gets from post to post or low to high quickly to challenge shooters and make reactionary saves. I also think the things that need developing are the kind of things that are more correctable with repetition and time than some of the natural tools he has. My main concern with his game has long been that a few too many routine shots squeak through his body (some of which I think comes down to spotty tracking that can occasionally prevent him from being set in his stance). These last two seasons, though, he has played a more compact, controlled style, staying square to swallow the shots he can see and limit holes around his arms. The challenge is that he’s now in the last year of his entry-level contract, so they’re going to have to decide whether he can be a No. 2/3 for them (he’s not going to be a starter at the next level but I think he can be an option). 6. Niko Huuhtanen, RW, 20 (Jukurit) After scoring 42 goals and 87 points in a combined 70 regular-season and playoff games in a lone season in Everett at 18, Huuhtanen has been one of the better young players in Liiga the last two seasons, outperforming players who were drafted in front of him while maintaining his physical, mean, power-forward style (you often see young players pull back a little as they get their feet wet in pro hockey, but he has leaned into his identity). I liked him at the world juniors, where he was a consistent presence offensively for Finland, too. Huuhtanen’s a 6-foot-2, 200-plus pound forward who plays a direct, attacking game that features good overall skill and a heavy wrist shot (though he often surprises goalies one-on-one on breakaways by deking instead of shooting). He’s broad-shouldered. He holds his ground with the puck. He generates a lot of power through his snap shot. When he drives and looks to attack into the middle third of the ice, he’s a lot to handle. He’ll forecheck and go to the dirty areas and the net/slot. He’s got the tools of a good bottom-six, up-and-down-the-lineup, checking-and-scoring winger if he can stay on his current trajectory. Considering he was the third-last pick of his draft, that’s some tidy work. The Lightning should sign him and bring him over to the AHL when this year finishes. He’s not the fleetest of foot but there aren’t many 20-year-olds, with pro qualities, leading Liiga teams in scoring. 7. Gage Goncalves, C, 22 (Syracuse Crunch) Goncalves is a great story that just keeps getting better. In his rookie season at the AHL level, he stepped right in as a regular with the Crunch, endearing himself to Crunch staff like he endeared himself to Everett staff in his plucky rise through the ranks. Last season, he took another step forward to establish himself as a more important piece of the puzzle. This season, on a Crunch team I believe has exceeded expectations, he has been its leading scorer and now belongs in the NHL call-up conversation. Goncalves is a feisty, engaged center with sneaky playmaking intuition, a middle-lane drive (though not always with the power or speed to make the most of his good intentions and effort level) and just enough skill to suggest he might be a competent depth/fourth-line center one day as his strength and confidence continue to build upon a strong foundation of tools and attitude. It’s his detail and the consistency of his habits, more than his offense, that has defined him. Goncalves is a well-rounded, complete player who will take his career as far as he’s capable of taking it — of that I have no doubt. 8. Jack Finley, C, 21 (Syracuse Crunch) After opening his second pro season on injured reserve, Finley has slowly begun to get back to himself with the Crunch. He’s a unique player type as a 6-foot-6 forward with some depth NHL upside. There just aren’t many players as big as him who make it up front. He’s got more talent than his numbers (both at the end of his WHL career on a stacked Winnipeg team and so far in the AHL) indicate, and he has played well when I’ve watched the Crunch, with positive on-ice results to show for it even if the counting stats still don’t pop, especially for a player who just turned 21 in September. He’s got plenty of time to continue to find his frame, find his niche and hopefully develop into a player who gives the Lightning a different look in the bottom six. He’s also already 220-plus pounds, which is something to keep an eye on (for positive and negative reasons). If he can figure out how to use his size a little more (he has never been a particularly physical player, believe it or not), there’s a lot to work with there in the hopes that he can be a Brian Boyle type. There are tools to his game you’d expect him to have: abilities of puck protection that help him dictate cycle shifts, net-front acumen on tips and redirects. But then there are also tools you don’t expect: some perimeter playmaking ability, good coordination and dexterity so that he can keep his head up when he has the puck. I’d like to see him use his puck skill to attack the slot a little more often and look for his shot, rather than deferring (when he drops his shoulder and cuts to the net, he’s tough to knock off the puck). He’ll need to continue to clean up his skating if he wants to be able to play at NHL speed (though his skating isn’t a huge deficiency considering his size), too. He’s the kind of player every organization’s development group ought to want to work with and see if they can turn into an NHL option. 9. Maxim Groshev, RW/LW, 22 (Syracuse Crunch) Groshev’s skill set was, for a while, a bit of a mystery to me. He’s a powerful, balanced, fast skater who can push past opponents and turn defenders in transition to create for himself off the rush. That’s his hallmark and it has turned a fair number of scouts into proponents of his NHL upside. Mix in a dogged work ethic, a pro frame and decent overall skill and there was reason to believe he had the makings of a versatile winger who would fit in better on North American ice when he came over. Not surprisingly, that has been the case this year with the Crunch, where he has been a successful top-nine winger as a rookie. But I’ve also often seen a player over the years whose processing doesn’t keep up and whose game suffers east-to-west or under pressure as a result, too often trying to force the envelope. I found it hard, when you combine that with previous lackluster production, to be confident he’d get the most out of his obvious athletic ability. This year has gone a long way to help assuage those concerns, though. He may still top out as an AHLer who gets a call-up here or there, which was my projection for years. But he’s made a strong early case that he might have bottom-six upside as a regular, too. There are some tools there, for sure, and it has been nice to see him establish himself as a solid AHL player so quickly. 10. Roman Schmidt, RHD, 20 (Kingston Frontenacs) The 6-foot-5, 216-pound Schmidt has traveled an unconventional path from the GTHL to the NTDP and then back to Ontario in Kitchener and now Kingston (with a brief stop in Syracuse). Typically, a path like that would make it hard for a player to progress up levels (particularly when a contending OHL team trades you to upgrade elsewhere/give you a better opportunity somewhere else). When you’re Schmidt’s size, though, and you’ve got some redeeming qualities, you’re going to get every opportunity to succeed and sometimes you need more runway to figure it out. The strength, length and physicality are what you’d expect. It’s his game in open ice and foot races where he can get burned (he doesn’t have great boots). The good news is he has had an immediate and positive impact in Kingston, looking more like the commanding presence a 20-year-old third-round pick should be at that level and involving himself more in offense (he has a heavy shot and actually handles the puck pretty well). Now it’s about building on that once he turns pro. Roman Schmidt has had a positive immediate impact with the OHL’s Frontenacs since being traded to Kingston in December. (James Guillory / USA Today) 11. Lucas Edmonds, RW, 22 (Syracuse Crunch) One of the smartest but also oldest players picked in the 2022 draft, Edmonds, the son of NHL agent Randy Edmonds, will turn 23 in a couple of weeks. He’s a heady, intelligent, spatially aware winger who can make plays with the puck on his stick but also understands how to play the game in all three zones on and off of it. Following a 113-point OHL season, which had multiple coaches and players praise him to me, he found his footing with the Crunch last year and looked like a potentially smart gamble in the third round by the Lightning. This year, though, he has struggled to take a step forward, raising questions about whether his smarts could carry him past ‘good AHLer’ as a 5-foot-11 player without dynamic athletic traits. Because while he’s decently skilled across the board, none of his other tools are of distinguishing quality and he’s neither quick nor big and powerful. I expect him to become organizational depth because of the way he thinks the game, but he may not be more than that. 12. Dyllan Gill, RHD, 19 (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies) Gill didn’t have the statistical profile of an NHL prospect ahead of the 2022 draft, but he had the physical tools as a mobile, athletic, 6-foot-2 defenseman who made a good first pass, defended well in man-to-man situations through neutral ice, and got his shots through. The Lightning bet on that foundation, hoping that he could take a step. And that’s exactly what he has done over the last two seasons, becoming a much more involved and confident player on both sides of the puck. He was also one of the younger players in that draft, which speaks to his quicker-than-most progression. He’s still a work in progress but he was the third-to-last pick of the draft and has gotten off on the right foot. Unfortunately, his solid progression has been set back a little by season-ending shoulder surgery to deal with an issue that has bothered him and limited him to just 12 games this year. It’s a bummer because he was playing well (nine points in 12 games and positive underlying metrics) and was the captain of a QMJHL title contender in Rouyn-Noranda. Next year will be make or break for him as he’ll likely return to the QMJHL as a 20-year-old and have to show strongly again to earn an NHL contract. 13. Jayson Shaugabay, C/RW, 18 (Green Bay Gamblers) Shaugabay has taken the typical Minnesota hockey path through high school to the USHL and, you guessed it, the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. One of the best high school players I’ve watched in recent years, Shaugabay is a small but talented player on the puck who broke T.J. Oshie’s scoring record at Warroad, won Minnesota’s prestigious Mr. Hockey Award, and has continued to make skill plays with Green Bay (though I would really like to see him get to the inside more) in the USHL over the last year. He can handle it, he can skate with it, he’s a natural power-play type and he’s a super heady passer of the puck (sometimes too much so) who relies on his smarts and puck skill to problem-solve. While he’s not the fastest skater and is going to be more of a winger up levels than the center he was in high school, he finds ways to make everyone else play at his pace, has real talent and thinks the game at an advanced level. With the right patience, there’s an outcome where he’s a top college player as an upperclassman and works his way into a pro contract. It’ll be years before the Lightning really know what they have, though. 14. Jack Harvey — C, 20 (Boston University) When Jack Harvey was first eligible for the 2021 draft, I had both a USHL source and a Minnesota high school source tell me that despite the fact he’d only registered 17 points in 48 games on a loaded Steel roster, he was the league’s most underrated NHL prospect. Two years later, he finished second in the USHL in goals (40) and fourth in points (74) as a USHL Second All-Star Team member. I thought he played well in the 2022 and 2023 BioSteel All-American Games and was dominant as a shot creator in some of my viewings with the Steel last year too, regularly creating good looks for himself. This year, it has been harder to update his projection/get a read on where he’s at due to a combination of injury and a deep BU lineup that has been hard to get playing time in. He’s sneaky strong for his size and while I would like to see him play with a little more fight at times, he can attack at defenders into his shot and adjust it ever so slightly before getting it off. He’s got really quick hands, and I’m interested to see what he’s going to look like in the college game once he gets settled at the level. He’s a long shot but I thought he was a worthwhile late-round pick. ADVERTISEMENT 15. Nick Malik, G, 21 (KooKoo) After an excellent rookie season in Liiga two years ago, Malik, the Czech-American son of former NHLer Marek Malik, was better than his sub-.900 save percentage indicated behind an awful team a year ago and has been the same this year. He could have benefited from a change of scenery in Europe in my opinion, because it’s going to be hard for him to get a deal and come over here with poor numbers even if he’s a better goalie prospect than that. He’s a toolsy 6-foot-2 goalie who is decently athletic, has good hands, plays the puck well, and is calm and centered in the net for a goaltender his age. I’d like to see the Lightning bring him into the fold and let him work his way through the ECHL/AHL route. I wouldn’t call him explosive, and he’s not huge, but I like his makeup fine.

Game # 53 Flames 0 NYR 2 Shesterkin gets first shutout of season as Rangers beat Flames 2-0 ByAP Updated: Feb 12, 2024, 10:58 pm NEW YORK -- — The New York Rangers needed a top-flight performance from their starting goalie and Igor Shesterkin gave them one from start to finish against the Calgary Flames. Shesterkin stopped 30 shots for his first shutout of the season and the Rangers beat the Flames 2-0 on Monday night for their fifth straight win. Will Cuylle and Jimmy Vesey scored for the first-place Rangers, who are 6-1-1 in their last eight games. Shesterkin recorded his 12th career shutout and second straight win to improve to 21-12-1 on the season. “I just want to have fun and stop the puck,″ Shesterkin said. ”It was an important night for me. I felt great.” Jacob Markstrom finished with 29 saves as the Flames snapped a four-game win streak. After a scoreless first period and several dazzling saves by Markstrom, Cuylle finally broke through with 7:29 remaining in the second as he slid a loose puck past the goalie in the crease for his ninth goal. “I was just trying to get to the net,″ Cuylle said of the play which led to his goal. “Shesty played amazing and it was an all-around great effort for our team. Obviously, it felt great to get the winner.” Vesey had an empty-netter with 19 seconds remaining in the third for his 12th to seal the win. “We've been stressing our defense coming out of the break," Vesey said. ”Hot team and a lot of firepower up front. Good effort for us. It was a gritty win." Shesterkin's best late-game save was swatting away a high shot by Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson three minutes into the third period. The 28-year-old Russian goalie has struggled at times this season and recently gave way to backup Jonathan Quick, who started and won three straight games. Shesterkin returned for last Friday’s 4-3 overtime win at Chicago before his shutout performance against the Flames. “Everyone knew he would get back to the way he plays. Everyone goes through slumps, it’s just more noticeable when it’s a goalie and everyone’s eyes see it more,” Rangers captain Jacob Trouba said. “The confidence you see in him, that’s who he is when he’s feeling it,″ The Rangers went 0 for 3 on the power play to extend their slump to 0 for 17 over the last seven games. Markstrom denied Rangers forwards Vincent Trocheck and Blake Wheeler from in close late in the first, then stopped Wheeler again five minutes into the second. “It wasn't our best game but it was tight until the end," Flames captain Mikael Backlund said. ”Both goalies played really well tonight." Markstrom also made a pad stop on Brodzinski 12 minutes into the second just before Cuylle’s goal and smothered a shot by Alexis Lafreniere with 3:50 left in the middle period to keep it one-goal game. Lafreniere nearly scored short-side on Markstrom early in the third but the puck bounced off the post. “We had a really slow start and Jacob kept us in the game during the first period for sure,″ Flames coach Ryan Huska said. ”Their goaltender played well too. He made some key saves at key times."

Games played on 2/11/24 Blues Jake Neighbors vs Habs Jonathan Kovacevic Winner ?

Showboating on an empty netter is weak, but so what. And i would expect a reaction from the leafs in some way, but a "what for" would have sufficed. A cross check like that is just silly. 5 Games for being an idiot.

Leafs' Rielly cross-checks Senators' Greig after empty-netter OTTAWA, Ontario -- Toronto Maple Leafs All-Star defenseman Morgan Rielly cross-checked Ottawa Senators center Ridly Greig to the head with 5.1 seconds remaining in a hotly contested game Saturday night between Atlantic Division rivals. Greig had just sped into the Maple Leafs' zone and fired a slap shot into an empty net, sealing Ottawa's 5-3 victory, and Reilly took exception to the emphatic nature of the goal, setting off a scrum near the teams' benches. "We obviously didn't like the result on the empty netter," Toronto captain John Tavares said. "So, we're going to stick together and stand our ground when necessary." Typically, with empty-net goals -- a sign the game's outcome has been decided -- the scoring team simply pushes the puck into the net, or perhaps tries a wrist shot, so as not to show up the losing opponent. Very rarely do they wind up with a slap shot, especially so close to the crease. "I thought it was appropriate," Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said after the loss, when asked his thoughts on Rielly's decision. "I'm sure [the league] will look at it, yeah." Keefe sent out enforcer Ryan Reaves for the final faceoff, but the officials quickly jumped in to prevent a brawl. "He was reacting to a play," Keefe said of Rielly. "Their player has the right to do what he wants in that moment. And our players have the right to react. And it's the emotions of the game." Ottawa coach Jacques Martin saw the situation differently. "He put the puck in the net," he said of Greig. "Whether he shoots it or pushes it, [Rielly's reaction], that shouldn't happen." Indeed, it was an emotional night in Canada's capital, as Shane Pinto had a goal and two assists for the home team. Claude Giroux, Vladimir Tarasenko and Josh Norris also scored for Ottawa in its return from a 10-day break. Joonas Korpisalo made 31 saves for the Senators before Greig closed the scoring. "You never really know what Greiger's going to do," Norris said. "I mean, I love it, but I'm sure, obviously, if we're on the other side of that I don't know if we would like it either. I didn't really like the retaliation, but I understand their frustration, but it's over with and I guess it was entertaining." Auston Matthews scored his NHL-leading 42nd goal for Toronto. Matthew Knies and Max Domi also scored, and Martin Jones stopped 27 shots. The Senators have won three in a row. "It was really good," Martin said of his club's first game back. "I really liked the way our players responded and to me that was very satisfying."

Games played on 2/10/24 Wings Alex DeBrincat vs Van Ian Cole Winner ? Bolts Darren Raddysh vs CBJ Damon Severson Winner ?

Game # 52 Weegar nets first career hat trick, Flames top Islanders 5-2 ByAP Updated: Feb 10, 2024, 04:51 pm NEW YORK -- — MacKenzie Weegar recorded his first career hat trick and led the Calgary Flames to a 5-2 win against the New York Islanders on Saturday. Jonathan Huberdeau and Blake Coleman also scored to help Calgary extend its season-high winning streak to four games. Jacob Markstrom finished with 35 saves and also registered an assist in the third game of a four-game road trip to begin the second half of the season following the NHL All-Star break. “Until the last seven or eight minutes of the third period, it was a pretty complete game for us again,” Flames coach Ryan Huska said. “We had all sorts of contributions from different people so that was something that was important too. … This is a tough team, if you get behind on them, they make it really hard on you to be able to get back in games, so it was nice to be able to score first.” Semyon Varlamov made 19 saves in his 600th NHL appearance but the Islanders brief two-game winning streak was snapped. Brock Nelson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored New York. Weegar opened the scoring with a soft wrist shot from the right faceoff circle that sailed past the blocker of Varlamov at 3:47 of the first period. The 30-year-old defenseman scored his second of the night to give Calgary a 3-0 lead at 15:16 of the second period. The Islanders lost track of Weegar and he blasted an uncontested one-timer from the high slot. Jakob Pelletier and Walker Duehr assisted. Nelson pulled the Islanders to within two goals early in the third period. Matt Martin screened the Flames goaltender and Nelson’s wrist shot from just inside the blueline spoiled Markstrom’s shutout bid. “We found ourselves in a hole and a little too late in the third when we started to find it and get a lot more zone time and some chances,” Nelson said. “Kind of a weird one early, didn't feel like we gave up a ton but we found ourselves own a few.” Huberdeau deposited a rebound and scored a power-play goal midway through the second period to give Calgary a 2-0 edge at the time. Yegor Sharangovich’s one-time blast from the top of the right faceoff circle created a juicy rebound that Huberdeau cashed in on. “We didn’t panic, we stuck with our game plan,” Huberdeau said. “Another game, Markstrom has been tremendous for us. It’s easier to play in front of a goalie that is making a lot of key saves. Everybody worked, everybody was going again, it’s good to see.” Coleman added an empty-net goal at 15:59 of the third period, which extended the Flames lead to 4-1. Pageau scored his seventh of the season at 17:28 of the third period. Weegar closed out the scoring and completed the hat trick with an empty-net goal in the final minute of regulation. “I never would have thought I would have a hat trick in the NHL,” Weegar said. “Credit to my teammates of course. We have just been playing great hockey. … It was a great night from everybody.”

Game # 52 Bos 0 Caps 3 Oshie scores as Caps end skid with 3-0 win over Bruins; Ovechkin gets empty netter to pass Gretzky ByAP Updated: Feb 10, 2024, 07:31 pm BOSTON -- — T.J. Oshie scored his 299th career goal, Charlie Lindgren stopped 18 shots for his third shutout of the season and the Washington Capitals snapped a six-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over the Boston Bruins on Saturday. Alex Ovechkin scored his 57th career empty-net goal with 27 seconds remaining to pass Wayne Gretzky for the most in NHL history. Dylan Strome also scored for the Capitals, who won for the first time since beating St. Louis 5-2 on Jan. 18. “Our most complete game of the year, hands down, start to finish. In all the different areas we needed to be dialed in, we were," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “Our structure. We were so connected in everything we did in all three zones, it was impressive from our group today.” Lindgren wasn’t tested much as the Capitals dominated the first two periods, outshooting the Bruins 23-7 through the first 40 minutes and finishing with a 28-18 shot advantage. “This win tonight, this shutout, all the credit in the world goes to the guys in front of me," Lindgren said. “I thought the effort right from the drop of the puck start to finish was incredible. If we play that way, we’re a playoff hockey team. There’s no doubt about it.” Jeremy Swayman stopped 25 shots for the Bruins, who lost for the third time in their last four home games. Boston fans booed at the end of the second period as the Bruins made their way to the locker room, down 1-0 after being outplayed through two periods. The boos continued in the third and got louder when Strome’s 20th goal of the season 3:24 into the period put Washington up 2-0. “They can cheer us if they like what they see. They can boo if they don’t,” Bruins captain Brad Marchand said. “So that’s up to them. Obviously we know we have a very passionate sports city and very passionate fans and they expect us to win every game. It’s not going to happen, but they’ve got to see the effort and obviously they didn’t like it tonight.” Lindgren stopped Jake DeBrusk with a glove save from just outside the net early in a power-play opportunity for Boston with about seven minutes remaining. With Boston pushing for a goal, Washington's Connor McMichael got free for a short-handed breakaway but couldn't beat Swayman. “Swayman made a few huge saves and we just couldn’t break through,” Carbery said. “That’s where we need to play so mentally disciplined with everything that we do and just believe it will come. We did a phenomenal job of sticking with it tonight.” Max Pacioretty went to the ice late in the first after taking a stick to the left wrist from Boston defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, who received a major penalty and game misconduct for spearing. Officials reviewed video of the play before upholding the call. Pacioretty went to the locker room for the remainder of the period but was back for the start of the second, setting up the game’s first goal with a pass from behind the net to Oshie for a wrist shot that deflected in off Swayman’s left pad. Washington outshot the Bruins 15-4 in the first period but neither team scored. Swayman came up with two big saves on Ovechkin, gloving a shot with about 4:30 left in the period and getting his left pad on another early in the major penalty to Grzelcyk . With his goal, Oshie passed Bobby Carpenter for the ninth-most in franchise history. A hooking penalty to Ovechkin gave Boston one more power-play chance late in the third but Lindgren was there again with a glove save on a one-timer by Brad Marchand after a crossing pass from David Pastrnak. Ovechkin, who also had an assist, had goals in his previous three games and was running out of time to extend the streak before coming out of the penalty box to an empty Boston net. Ovechkin now has 834 career goals, 60 short of tying Gretzky's mark of 894 for the most in NHL history. After beating the top team in the Eastern Conference, the Capitals get the best in the Western Conference on Sunday at home against the Vancouver Canucks. “It’s something to build off of with how much we’ve been struggling,” Carbery said.

Games played on 2/8/24 Jets Neal Pionk vs Flyers Travis Konecny Winner ?

Game # 51 Markstrom makes 37 saves as Flames down Devils 5-3 for their third straight victory ByAP Updated: Feb 8, 2024, 11:09 pm NEWARK, N.J. -- — Jacob Markstrom made 37 saves, Connor Zary and Andrew Mangiapane each had a goal and an assist and the Calgary Flames defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-3 on Thursday night for their third straight win. Mikael Backlund, Kevin Rooney and Andrei Kuzmenko also scored for Calgary, which was coming off a 4-1 win at Boston on Tuesday to start a four-game trip that includes facing the three New York/New Jersey-area teams. Defenseman Noah Hanifan had two assists for the Flames, whose winning streak comes after a four-game skid. Markstrom improved to 16-13-2. “This is the best since I’ve been around him that I’ve seen him play," Flames first-year coach Ryan Huska said of his veteran goaltender. ”He's been giving us a chance to win every night." Ondrej Palat scored twice, Nico Hischier also had a goal and Jesper Bratt had three assists for New Jersey, which was coming off a 5-3 win at home over Colorado on Tuesday. “We had a good first, the second period was bad and in the third, we were chasing. It’s frustrating," Palat said. “We’re looking for consistency.” Palat opened the scoring at 15:39 of the first, completing a 2-on-1 break with Bratt. Hischier also assisted. Backlund, the Flames' captain, then tied it with his 11th goal at 18:10 of the first. Rookie forward Zary put Calgary ahead at 3:53 of the second, nudging a loose puck in the crease past Vitek Vanecek. The goal was the 12th in 41 games for the 22-year-old Zary, a first-round pick by the Flames in 2020. “It was nice to get on the scoreboard and help out,” Zary said. ”It’s been awesome so far to be able to come in here and play in the NHL and try and be an everyday player and establish myself." Rooney made it 3-1 at 2:55 of the third with his first of the season. Hischier narrowed the deficit to one goal with a short-handed breakaway score at 4:02 of the third, his 14th goal of the season. “We had our chances, but we didn’t bear down," Hischier said. ”These things happen. There’s still a lot of hockey left.” Kuzmenko restored the Flames’ two-goal lead at 9:56 of the third with his 10th goal, and second in two games since joining Calgary in a trade from Vancouver. Palat scored his second of the game and eighth of the season at 13:48 of the third, and Mangiapane added an empty-net goal to cap the scoring at 18:26. ”In the second period, we just came out like a pack of hyenas," Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau said. "That's the kind of game we have to play, and I think that’s when we are tough to play against." The Devils fell to 25-21-3, five points out of a wild-card playoff spot. “When tough goals go in, you get a little deflated," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. "You have to pick yourself back up. You’re either going to get your bounces or be responsible for giving up bounces.”

Game # 51 Bos 4 Van 0 Marchand and Heinen score short-handed, Bruins blank Canucks 4-0 in matchup of NHL’s top 2 teams Morgan Geekie and Pavel Zacha score two goals in 15 seconds as the Bruins take a 4-0 lead over the Canucks. ByAP Updated: Feb 8, 2024, 10:50 pm BOSTON -- — Brad Marchand and Danton Heinen scored short-handed in the first period, and the Boston Bruins beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 on Thursday night in a matchup of the NHL’s top two teams. Linus Ullmark stopped 17 shots for his first shutout of the season. Morgan Geekie and Pavel Zacha also scored, and Charlie Coyle set up both short-handed goals as the Bruins bounced back from a 4-1 loss to Calgary at home Tuesday. “In our minds it feels like we've been struggling in our PK," Ullmark said. “We haven't lived up to our standards. It was also something we talked about before the game. It's time to really buy in and do the right things, and do them properly. That's what they did.” It was the eighth victory in 10 games for Boston, which tied Vancouver atop the league standings with 73 points. Last season, Boston captured the Presidents' Trophy with NHL records for points (135) and wins (65). But the Bruins were eliminated by Florida in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. “Our PK hasn’t been up to par with where we were this year,” Coyle said. “That’s something we want to get better at.” Thatcher Demko made 21 saves for the Canucks, but his nine-game winning streak was snapped. Vancouver had won 10 of 12, with one loss coming in overtime and the other in a shootout. “I thought I maybe (could) have helped the team out in some of their chances a little better,” Demko said. “I didn't think it was a 4-0 game, necessarily. I think there's some things we can pick out to build on.” With teammate Jakub Lauko in the penalty box for holding on the game’s opening shift, Coyle stole a clearing pass along the boards and sent a shot at Demko. Marchand, positioned at the edge of the crease, scored off the rebound 32 seconds in for his 25th goal. Late in the first period, Coyle flipped a pass to a breaking Heinen, who split a pair of Canucks players — speeding past Elias Pettersson — before firing a wrister past Demko’s stick. “The guy was fast and he made a good play to score,” Pettersson. In the second, Boston all but put it away with two goals in the opening 49 seconds. On the first, David Pastrnak’s stick shattered on his one-timer from just inside the blue line, with the blade sailing like a boomerang over near the left circle. The puck went toward the net and, as he was falling to the ice, Geekie redirected it with his stick before Vancouver defenseman Tyler Myers mishandled the rebound, knocking it into his own net. “He's a former baseball player. He takes a lot of pride in his baseball,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said of Geekie. “He'd rather had been a better baseball player than a hockey player. He's just more talented in hockey. I think we saw his hand-eye coordination there.” Zacha took a pass from James van Riemsdyk, cut in alone and fired a forehand past Demko’s stick just 15 seconds after Heinen's goal. It was a relatively easy night for Ullmark in his seventh career shutout even though Vancouver came in averaging an NHL-best 3.78 goals per game. The teams meet again in Vancouver on Feb. 24. “Obviously a huge goal by Hubey — what a shot. He’s got to use that more often,” Kadri said. “I don’t think we ever really got deflated. We understood we were controlling most parts of the game and we just had to stay with it.”

Games played on 2/7/24 Hawks Jarred Tinordi vs Wild Marcus Foligno Winner ?

Principle POC was the melon so....