Brewin Flames

If i may give an out sider view..... That Michkov thing, will he won't he, the carter hart thing, the cutter thing, all things that did/have/had the potential for a distraction, despite ALL that, torts, like him or nor, had these guys right on the brink of a psot season dance. And despite not getting help and a small late season slump, they were still right there.

Game # 81 Tyler Myers, Thatcher Demko help Canucks beat Flames 4-1 to clinch Pacific Division title ByAP Updated: Apr 17, 2024, 02:36 am VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- — Tyler Myers had a goal an an assist, Thatcher Demko stopped 39 shots in his return from a knee injury and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Calgary Flames 4-1 on Tuesday night to clinch the Pacific Division title. Nils Hoglander, Dakota Joshua and J.T. Miller also scored to help Vancouver win a division for the first time since 2013. The Canucks are two points behind Dallas for the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference, and both teams have one game remaining. “It’s a testament to the work that we’ve been able to put in this year. I don’t think anyone’s satisfied though,” Demko said. “So one more game here on the road, and then the games get really fun come next week. So really excited to gear up for that.” Demko missed 14 games since suffering an injury in Vancouver’s 5-0 win over Winnipeg on March 9. “He’s one of the best in the league and it’s different having him,” Canucks captain Quinn Hughes said. “Like I’ve said, (Casey DeSmith’s) been great for us and same with (Arturs Silovs), but having Demmer back there, it’s a whole new thing.” Brayden Pachal scored for the Flames and Jacob Markstrom had 27 saves. Pachal spoiled Demko’s shutout bid at 8:35 of the third period on the Flames’ 33rd shot of the night, cutting the deficit to 3-1. He sent a puck sailing through traffic and into the top corner of the net. The goal for his second of the season and first with the Flames. “Yeah, it definitely feels good,” Pachal said of the tally. “Obviously, you wish it sparked a little bit of a come back but we fell a bit short. It still feels nice, but would have felt a lot sweeter with the win.” Miller fired a shot past Markstrom with just under 5 minutes remaining to seal the Canucks win with his 37th goal of the season. It extended Miller’s point streak to 11 games, with four goals and 10 assists during the stretch. Cheers of “J-T Mill-er!” rang throughout Rogers Arena after the goal. Flames coach Ryan Huska liked his team’s effort, despite the result. “The effort was there for us for the full 60 minutes,” he said. “We made three mistakes on coming back in our own zone off the rush, we lost people, and then one turnover but other than those mistakes, I liked what we did tonight.” Vancouver got on the board first with a short-handed tally with 8 minutes left in the first period. Teddy Blueger fed Myers with a cross-ice pass and the big defenseman skated into the Flames' zone unmarked, then fired a shot past Markstrom from the high hash marks for his fifth of the season. Just 1:28 later, Hoglander made it 2-0 with his 24th off a feed from Elias Pettersson. The star center appeared poised to fire a shoton net, but made a quick pass to Hoglander across the top of the crease instead and Hoglander tapped it in past an out-of-position Markstrom. Joshua beat Markstrom 1:58 into the second period with a snap shot from inside the faceoff circle to make it 3-0. It was his 18th, Tempers flared midway through the middle period when Hoglander shoved Pachal in the chest and Pachal snapped his head back in response. A scrum erupted in front of the benches, including a skirmish between Vancouver’s Conor Garland — who stands 5-foot-8 — and Calgary’s Adam Klapka — listed as 6-8 — where Garland was nearly tossed into the Flames’ bench. Garland and Klapka were both ejected from the game for roughing, and Hoglander was sent to the box for cross-checking. Demko made one of his best saves of the night on the ensuing penalty kill, robbing Nazem Kadri in tight, then dropping and rolling on to his back to smother the rebound. Hughes helped keep the Flames off the board about three minutes into the third period when Jonathan Huberdeau’s shot from the side of the net went through the goalie’s pads and Hughes swept it off the goal line. Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington played in his 200th regular-season game.

Game # 82 Jiri Smejkal gets 1st goal, Senators beat Bruins 3-1 in regular-season finale 0:11 ByAP Updated: Apr 16, 2024, 10:40 pm BOSTON -- — Jiri Smejkal scored his first career goal midway through the second period and Jakob Chychrun scored less than a minute later as the Ottawa Senators beat the Boston Bruins 3-1 on Tuesday night in the regular-season finale for both teams. Artem Zub added an empty-net goal with 1:48 remaining and Anton Forsberg had 34 saves for the Senators, who avoided a three-game season series sweep by Boston and helped spoil the Bruins’ hopes of clinching the Atlantic Division title. “We didn’t have our best game,” Boston captain Brad Marchand said. “We played in the third, didn’t play the first two periods. That’s too late to start playing. Teams are too good. Doesn’t matter who it is. You can’t play one period.” The Bruins entered the day leading second-place Florida by one point, but the Panthers beat Toronto 5-2 to pass the Bruins for the top spot in the Division. Boston squandered back-to-back chances to clinch the division by getting shut out at Washington 2-0 on Monday, then a losing at home to the Senators. “We didn’t play very good the last two games. But other than that, we’ve been playing well. We’ve been playing within the structure and giving ourselves an opportunity to win every night,” Marchand said. “If we do that in the playoffs, we’ll be tough to play against.” The Bruins never really recovered after being outshot 11-3 in the opening period. Boston played better in the second, but it wasn't until the third period that the Bruins started to seriously pressure the Senators, outshooting Ottawa 23-2 over the final 20 minutes. And then, they couldn't beat Forsberg. “To finish on a positive note after the year we had, it’s definitely nice. Definitely feel a little bit better about yourself going into the summer. But I know we’re not winning that game if it’s not for Forsey and the big saves that he made in the third period,” Ottawa forward Brady Tkachuk said. “He was awesome. He stood on his head and made that big save at the right time.” The loss sets up a meeting with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the opening round of the playoffs. “Results-wise, not what we wanted, obviously. Some things to clean up,” said Linus Ullmark, who finished with 17 saves for the Bruins. “It’s a good thing we have a couple of days now before the fun starts." Pavel Zacha scored for Boston, which won the President's Trophy last season with the league's best record but was knocked out in the opening round of the playoffs. Smejkal, playing in his 20th career game, got the first goal of the game when he slipped the puck under Ullmark’s pads as he was hugging the near post 10:03 into the second period. Officials needed a few minutes to review the video before confirming the puck continued across the goal line after hitting Ullmark’s pads. “He was fired up. It was a big goal to kind of get the game going and it was a great shot, too,” Tkachuk said. “I’m happy for him. The whole group is happy for him.” The next goal required no replay. Tkachuk started a rush for the Senators and carried the puck into Boston’s zone before slipping it to Drake Batherson, who crossed it over to Chychrun at the left circle for a wrist shot past Ullmark 51 seconds later. The Bruins didn’t score unitl Zacha got a power-play goal with 7:16 remaining in the third. Boston got another puck across the line with 6:31 left but it was after a whistle when Forsberg and the Bruins' Trent Frederic exchanged shots during a scrum in front of the net. Forsberg steered away the rest of Boston's chances, stretching out his left pad to stop a point-blank opportunity by Charlie McAvoy with about five minutes remaining. Zub intercepted a pass by David Pastrnak and scored into an empty net with 1:48 remaining. Tuesday was the final regular season game for Bruins television play-by-play announcer Jack Edwards, who announced he is retiring at the end of the playoffs after a 19-year run with the team. The Bruins honored Edwards and presented him with a commemorative stick during a brief pregame ceremony.

The Sabres have the longest playoff drought in the NHL, having missed the post-season in 13 straight years. They've been through seven coaches during that time: Lindy Ruff, Ron Rolston, Ted Nolan, Dan Bylsma, Phil Housely, Ralph Krueger and Granato.

7 coaches in 14 seasons maaaaaay have something to do with it.

Granato fired as Sabres coach, no replacement named Buffalo 6th in Atlantic Division, has missed playoffs NHL-record 13 straight seasons © Bill Wippert/NHLI ByNHL.com @NHLdotcom 9:36 AM Don Granato was fired as coach of the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. No replacement was named. The Sabres (39-37-6) finished sixth in the Atlantic Division. The have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs an NHL-record 13 straight seasons. Assistant Jason Christie and video coordinator Matt Smith were also fired. "I would like to thank Don for his time in Buffalo and commitment to the Sabres organization," general manager Kevyn Adams said. "He has been integral in the development of many of our players and has undoubtedly been the right coach to bring us to where we are now, but I felt it was necessary to move in a different direction at this point in time. My expectation is to be a consistent contender and unfortunately that goal has not been met." "I would also like to thank Jason and Matt for their contributions to the team. This is not a decision I take lightly but know it is in the best interest of our team moving forward." Granato, 56, was 122-124-27 in 274 regular-season games over four seasons after being hired March 17, 2021, to replace Ralph Krueger, who went 36-49-12 in two seasons. The Sabres were expected to compete for the playoffs this season after missing them by one point in 2022-23, when they finished fifth in the Atlantic (42-33-7). Granato is the eighth NHL coach fired this season joining Jay Woodcroft (Edmonton Oilers), Dean Evason (Minnesota Wild), Craig Berube (St. Louis Blues), D.J. Smith (Ottawa Senators), Lane Lambert (New York Islanders), Todd McLellan (Los Angeles Kings) and Lindy Ruff (New Jersey Devils).

Sabres fire Don Granato as record playoff drought continues ESPN Apr 16, 2024, 09:38 AM ET The Buffalo Sabres have fired coach Don Granato after their NHL-record 13th consecutive season without a playoff appearance. The Sabres announced the firing Tuesday, one day after their season-ending victory over the Lightning. Buffalo finished 39-37-6 with 84 points. The Sabres also fired assistant coach Jason Christie and video coordinator Matt Smith. "I would like to thank Don for his time in Buffalo and commitment to the Sabres organization," Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said in a statement. "He has been integral in the development of many of our players and has undoubtedly been the right coach to bring us to where we are now, but I felt it was necessary to move in a different direction at this point in time. My expectation is to be a consistent contender and unfortunately that goal has not been met. "I would also like to thank Jason and Matt for their contributions to the team. This is not a decision I take lightly but know it is in the best interest of our team moving forward." The Sabres haven't made the playoffs since 2010-11.

Sabres fire Don Granato as record playoff drought continues ESPN Apr 16, 2024, 09:38 AM ET The Buffalo Sabres have fired coach Don Granato after their NHL-record 13th consecutive season without a playoff appearance. The Sabres announced the firing Tuesday, one day after their season-ending victory over the Lightning. Buffalo finished 39-37-6 with 84 points. The Sabres also fired assistant coach Jason Christie and video coordinator Matt Smith. "I would like to thank Don for his time in Buffalo and commitment to the Sabres organization," Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said in a statement. "He has been integral in the development of many of our players and has undoubtedly been the right coach to bring us to where we are now, but I felt it was necessary to move in a different direction at this point in time. My expectation is to be a consistent contender and unfortunately that goal has not been met. "I would also like to thank Jason and Matt for their contributions to the team. This is not a decision I take lightly but know it is in the best interest of our team moving forward." The Sabres haven't made the playoffs since 2010-11.

Game # 81 Capitals beat the Bruins 2-0 to move one win away from making the playoffs 1:49 ByAP Updated: Apr 15, 2024, 10:21 pm WASHINGTON -- — Leaving the ice and seeing the results of other games around the NHL after beating the Boston Bruins 2-0 on Monday night, Washington Capitals players took turns telling each other that it doesn't matter. “We take care of our business, we know where we’re going to be at," goaltender Charlie Lindgren said after his 16-save shutout. One more victory and they're in the playoffs. After John Carlson scored another big goal, Lindgren made one crucial stop after another and Nic Dowd sealed it with an empty-netter with 11.7 seconds left, a win at Philadelphia on Tuesday night would put Washington back in the playoffs, regardless of other results. “It's in our hands, and that’s the best way,” All-Star winger Tom Wilson said. The Capitals, if they make it, would be the second wild card in the Eastern Conference after the New York Islanders clinched third place in the Metropolitan Division and face the Presidents' Trophy-winning New York Rangers. Boston also still has something to play for in its regular-season finale Tuesday night at home against Ottawa: the Atlantic Division title, with Florida just one point back in the standings. The Bruins could have wrapped it up by beating the Caps, but couldn't match the urgency of an opponent fighting to for its playoff life. “I think the word ‘struggle’ is a compliment the way we played," coach Jim Montgomery said. "I thought Washington, their desperation, how well they defended, how well they hung on to pucks in the offensive zone is the way we wanted to play.” No one exemplified that intensity more for Washington than Dylan Strome, who won a faceoff, controlled the puck and set up Carlson's goal on a blast from the point 12 minutes in. Strome is desperate for his first NHL playoff experience with fans in the stands, outside a pandemic bubble. So is Lindgren, who put together another stellar performance when his team needed it most — much like a lot of games down the stretch. Lindgren denied Bruins 47-goal scorer David Pastrnak on multiple occasions and turned aside other quality chances to maintain the lead, among them third-period stops on Andrew Peeke, Charlie McAvoy and Patrick Maroon in the final eight minutes. “Chucky came up with some big stops there sporadically throughout the whole game,” Carlson said. "And when it’s tight like that, that’s enormous.” Jeremy Swayman was great in goal for Boston, making 23 saves, including a sliding stop on All-Star Tom Wilson in the second period and one on Alex Ovechkin during a penalty kill in the third. “I thought he was very good — he gave us a chance," Montgomery said. "There wasn’t a lot of bright spots. Just wasn’t. Swayman would be the biggest bright spot.” The Capitals were playing without two injured defensemen, forced to roll with rookie Vincent Iorio and minor league callup Dylan McIlrath. Carlson skated a game-high 29:34 to get them through game 81. They lost depth winger Beck Malenstyn to an upper-body injury late in the second period on a hit by big Bruins forward Trent Frederic. Malenstyn traveled with the team to Philly, coach Spencer Carbery said. UP NEXT Bruins: If the regular goalie rotation continues, Linus Ullmark will be in net against the Senators on Tuesday.

He talked an awful lot of trash before that NCAA Championship game...only to eat sh%t. So, he's a baby, and a quitter....lol.

Cutter Gauthier signs entry-level deal with Anaheim Ducks ESPN News Services Apr 14, 2024, 08:27 PM ET ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Cutter Gauthier, who scored the most goals in the NCAA in the past 25 years during Boston College's run to the Frozen Four, signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. Gauthier is likely to make his NHL debut Thursday when the Ducks wrap up their season at Vegas. His rights were acquired from Philadelphia for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick. Gauthier was the fifth overall pick by the Flyers in the 2022 NHL draft. Flyers general manager Danny Briere said in January that he traded Gauthier because he wouldn't sign, train or even communicate with Philadelphia. Gauthier's 38 goals are tied with Ryan Potulny, who played for Minnesota in 2005-06, for most by a collegiate player in the past 25 seasons. The center also led the NCAA in game-winning goals (10), was second in points (65) and tied for second in power-play goals (13). He was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top player in college hockey, as Boston College reached the NCAA title game before losing 2-0 to Denver on Saturday. With the loss, Boston College (34-6-1), which set the program's single-season record for wins, had its 15-game win streak snapped and was shut out for the first time since a 1-0 loss at Merrimack on March 11, 2023. The Eagles went into the game having outscored their five opponents in the NCAA tournament 29-8. "It's obviously a very emotional time for our whole group," forward Ryan Leonard, Gauthier's teammate, said Saturday night. "I felt like we were the best team today." Gauthier also helped lead Team USA to a gold medal at the recent World Junior Championship. He co-led all players in scoring with 12 points (2 goals, 10 assists) and was named the tournament's best forward. He will be the fifth top-10 pick since the 2019 draft to join the Ducks, who have not made the playoffs since 2018.

Games played on 4/14/24 Yotes Jan Jenik vs Flames Dryden Hunt Winner ?

Game # 80 Nazem Kadri scores twice in third period to rally Flames to 6-5 win over Coyotes 1:49 ByAP Updated: Apr 15, 2024, 12:45 am CALGARY, Alberta -- — Nazem Kadri scored twice in the third period, and also had an assist, as the Calgary Flames rallied to beat the Arizona Coyotes 6-5 on Sunday. Andrei Kuzmenko, Matt Coronato, Connor Zary, and Yegor Sharangovich also scored for Calgary, which has won three of its last four games. Dustin Wolf finished with 30 saves to win his third straight start. “There’s not too many nights where (Kadri) hasn’t factored into a game,” Flames coach Ryan Huska said. “I’m happy for the way he’s approached his season this year, he’s done a lot of great things for us.” Kadri leads the club in scoring with 74 points, 15 points more than Yegor Sharangovich, who is second. “He’s a competitor, he always has been. When he finds himself in a situation where someone needs to step up or grab hold of things, I think he has a sense of obligation that that person is him,” Huska said. Dylan Guenther had two goals, and Alex Kerfoot, Matias Maccelli, and Josh Doan also scored for Arizona, which was swept in the three-game season series with the Flames. Clayton Keller had two assists. Connor Ingram stopped 25 saves before being replace by Karel Vejmelka with 2:40 left in the third period after taking an errant stick from Coronato in the mask. Vejmelka did not face any shots. “Too many breakdowns defensively,” Kerfoot said. “Little loose with the puck. They’re a good team in transition and they make plays off the rush.” It was likely the Coyotes' final road game as an Arizona team. They are expected be sold to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith shortly after team’s season finale on Wednesday and moved to Salt Lake City. With the Flames trailing 5-4 after two periods, Kadri tied it at 1:14 of the third as he chased down a puck near the corner and sent a sharp-angle shot in between Ingram and the post. Kadri then gave Calgary its first lead of the night when he deflected MacKenzie Weegar's point shot on the power play at 5:43 for his 29th goal of the season. “My entire life, even in youth hockey, I’ve always tried to take pride in making my linemates better,” said Kadri. “Just communicating and having chemistry because I understand that as a unit, that team success usually leads to individual success as well.” The latest to benefit on his line is Kuzmenko, who has nine goals and 16 points over the last nine games. “He’s not necessarily afraid of risk, which can be a good and bad thing,” said Kadri, when asked about his talented Russian linemate. “But once you start to manage the areas of the ice, time, and score kind of thing, which comes with experience, I think that can be a heck of a tool to use, just being fearless and not being afraid to make mistakes.” The Flames got their 10th win when trailing after 40 minutes, tied with Colorado and the New York Rangers for most in the league. Guenther’s second of the game gave the Coyotes a 4-3 lead with 4:46 left in the second period as he sent a one-timer off a cross-ice pass from Jan Jenik. Doan’s made it a two-goal game 1:03 later before Sharangovich followed another 33 seconds later to bring the Flames within one at 5-4. Doan, son of longtime Coyotes great Shane Doan, has made an immediate impact in his first month in the NHL. The 22-year-old second-round pick from 2021 has five goals and nine points in his first 10 games. The Coyotes had won four of their last five as they finish the season strong. They were 20 minutes away from going 4-1-0 on their five-game road trip. “Our guys have showed a lot of character in the last week. Our last three games, really tight games and we pulled through two really tough games. Really proud of them,” Coyotes coach André Tourigny said. Arizona got off to a quick start on goals 1:19 apart from Kerfoot and Maccelli for a 2-0 lead 3:55 into the game. The Coyotes held a 7-1 advantage on shots at the time. However, Kuzmenko and Coronato scored 2:20 apart to tie it at 9:42. Guenther’s first of the night on the power play with 2:06 left in the first gave Arizona a 3-2 lead headed to the first intermission. Calgary again tied it at 9:07 of the second when Zary buried a setup from Dryden Hunt. Kuzmenko, who came over from Vancouver as part of the trade return for Elias Lindholm, is up to 14 goals and 26 points in 29 games with the Flames. At the time he was acquired, he had eight goals and 21 points in 43 games with the Canucks.

That was fast...

Games played on 4/13/24 Bolts Michael Eyssimont vs Caps Nick Dowd Winner ? Preds Luke Schenn vs CBJ Mathieu Olivier Winner ?

Blackhawks sign forward prospect Frank Nazar to 3-year contract Associated Press Apr 13, 2024, 08:36 PM ET CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to a three-year contract with Frank Nazar, one of the team's top prospects. The Blackhawks announced the deal on Saturday, two days after Nazar and Michigan lost 4-0 to Boston College in the Frozen Four. The entry-level agreement runs through the 2025-26 season at a $950,000 salary-cap hit. Chicago (23-51-5) plays its home finale Sunday against Carolina, and then finishes the season with games at Vegas on Tuesday and Los Angeles on Thursday. The Blackhawks are hoping the 20-year-old Nazar can become a key player in the team's ongoing rebuilding project. The 5-foot-10 forward was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. Nazar skated in 41 games for Michigan this season, finishing with 17 goals and 24 assists. He had three game-winning goals. Nazar, a Detroit, Michigan, native, collected 19 goals and 29 assists while appearing in 54 games for the Wolverines in two seasons. He also helped the U.S. win the 2024 world junior championship, recording eight assists in seven games.

Game # 80 Brad Marchand caps Bruins' four-goal second period in 6-4 win over Penguins Updated: Apr 13, 2024, 11:50 pm PITTSBURGH -- — Brad Marchand scored short-handed to cap Boston’s four-goal second period, and the Bruins beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-4 on Saturday night. Pavel Zacha had a goal and an assist, and Jake DeBrusk, Kevin Shattenkirk, Danton Heinen and Morgan Geekie also scored as the Bruins regained the top spot in the Atlantic Division with their fifth win in six games. Linus Ullmark finished with 28 saves. “I didn’t think we came out with a lot of emotion,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “I thought (Pittsburgh) came out very desperate and they were the better team. Second period, I thought we got to our game.” Michael Bunting scored twice, Drew O’Connor had a goal and an assist, and Bryan Rust also scored for the Penguins, who lost in regulation for the first time in 11 games (7-1-3). Alex Nedeljkovic was pulled after giving up three goals on 16 shots midway through the second period. He was replaced by Tristan Jarry, who stopped 12 of the 14 shots he faced. The Penguins fell out of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference and now trail Washington, Detroit and Philadelphia by one point. “We knew this was a tough stretch,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “We knew it was going to be a tough one against one of the best teams in the league. Regardless of how this goes, we still have two more games to play.” After O’Connor scored short-handed for Pittsburgh at 4:32 of the third to cut the deficit to 4-3, Geekie got his 17th of the season with 5:50 left to restore a two-goal lead. Heinen added an empty-net goal with 2:47 remaining to seal the Bruins’ win. “Obviously, (Pittsburgh) is fighting for their lives,” DeBrusk said. “There were some momentum shifts. We capitalized on our chances.” Boston got rebound goals from DeBrusk and Zacha 14 seconds apart in the second period to take a 2-0 lead at 8:22. Zacha’s goal was his 20th and DeBrusk got his 19th. Rust cut Pittsburgh’s deficit in half when he redirected O’Connor’s pass behind Ullmark 2:05 later for his career-high 28th. Boston regained its two-goal advantage as Shattenkirk — back after missing three games as a healthy scratch — chased Nedeljkovic from the game with 8:25 left in the second for his sixth. Marchand scored a short-handed goal on the first shot Jarry faced, giving Boston a 4-1 lead with 5:06 left in the middle period. However, Bunting scored on the power play from the top of the crease 58 seconds later to get the Penguins to 4-2. “We scored enough to win,” Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. “It was just a matter of limiting their chances. We gave them some time and space and they have some skilled guys that will make you pay and they did that tonight.” Penguins D Erik Karlsson became the 398th player in NHL history, and 46th active, to skate in 1,000 career games. Karlsson, who split his career between Ottawa, San Jose and Pittsburgh, is the 18th Swedish-born player to reach the milestone and he has 814 career points, ninth-most by a defenseman. During pregame warmups, the Penguins all wore Karlsson’s No. 65 jersey. Before the game, Karlsson, on the ice with his family, was presented a silver hockey stick and other gifts commemorating the accomplishment and a video tribute aired with comments from Daniel Alfredsson, Joe Thornton and others.

Denver topples Boston College to win NCAA championshipST. PAUL, Minn. -- Jared Wright and Rieger Lorenz scored second-period goals, Matt Davis had 35 saves and Denver beat No. 1 overall seed Boston College 2-0 Saturday night to win the 10th national championship in program history. No. 3 seed Denver (32-9-3), which finished the season on a nine-game win streak, moved past Michigan (nine) for most titles of all time. Boston College is tied with Boston University (five) for fourth, behind Wisconsin (six).Davis had 23 third-period saves in his third shutout of the season. The junior made his 26th consecutive start, the longest streak of his career, and stopped 68 of the 69 shots he faced at the Frozen Four. Davis had 33 saves in the Pioneers' 2-1 double-overtime win over Boston University in the semifinals. After Denver won a faceoff in its defensive zone and quickly pushed it up the left side, Lorenz passed to Wright for a shot that ricocheted off the near post then bounced off Boston College goaltender Jacob Fowler's back above the bar before slipping inside the far post to open the scoring with 10:18 left in the second period. Lorenz made it 2-0 about six minutes later. Zeev Buium drew a pair of defenders but slipped a pass between them to Lorenz, who fired a wrist shot into the net. Lorenz (16 goals, 14 assists) became the 10th Denver player with at least 30 points this season. The Pioneers outscored their opponents 82-39 in the second period this season. "It's a really hard tournament to win because of the single-elimination nature of it," Denver coach David Carle said. "You're always trying to get better week to week, month to month, and trying to keep the big picture in mind and not get too high, get too low with a regular-season game here or there, even though it feels that way sometimes. "You try to keep an even keel with it, learn, learn throughout the process." Boston College (34-6-1), which set the program's single-season record for wins, had its 15-game win streak snapped and was shut out for the first time since a 1-0 loss at Merrimack on March 11, 2023. The Eagles went into the game having outscored their five opponents in the NCAA tournament 29-8. "It's obviously a very emotional time for our whole group," Eagles forward Ryan Leonard said. "I felt like we were the best team today, and we got beat by a goalie." Denver beat Boston College 4-3 in the only regular-season matchup between the teams back in October. The Pioneers have won at least 30 games in three consecutive seasons. "It's a total team effort to do what we do at Denver. And [I'm] just really proud of the whole program," Carle said. "I think the run we're on is a reflection of the people that we have."

Celebrini wins Hobey Baker Award as top NCAA men's hockey player Boston University forward expected to be No. 1 pick of 2024 NHL Draft © Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images ByNHL.com @NHLdotcom April 12, 2024 Macklin Celebrini, expected to be the No. 1 pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, won the Hobey Baker Award on Friday. The Boston University freshman forward was voted the top men's player in NCAA ice hockey this season ahead of two other finalists, Boston College forward Cutter Gauthier, an Anaheim Ducks prospect, and University of North Dakota forward Jackson Blake, a Carolina Hurricanes prospect. The 17-year-old is the youngest player to win the Hobey Baker and the fourth from Boston University to win it, joining Jack Eichel (2015), Matt Gilroy (2009) and Chris Drury (1998). “It’s kind of been a whirlwind,” Celebrini told NHL Network of his season. “It’s a lot to take in. It’s gone by fast, and I’ve tried to enjoy it as much as possible. … All the opportunities that I’ve gotten, I really am just thankful that I was able to get them.” Celebrini, who is No. 1 in NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters for the 2024 draft, is third in the NCAA with 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games. The youngest player in college hockey, he was named rookie of the year and player of the year in Hockey East. Celebrini is fourth player to win both awards in the same season, joining Eichel (2015), Paul Kariya (1993) and Brian Leetch (1987). “This is an honor to receive this award and I’m truly humbled and grateful to receive it,” Celebrini said, “and I want to congratulate Denver and BC on their wins (Thursday) and wish them the best of luck (in the NCAA championship game Saturday).” Celebrini helped Boston University reach the Frozen Four, where it lost 2-1 in overtime to the University of Denver in one national semifinal at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Thursday. Boston College defeated Michigan 4-0 in the other semifinal. "He's a special player and belongs in that special category because in every environment, every situation he goes, he can excel and that's hard to do as a 17-year-old," Central Scouting director Dan Marr said. John Williams of Central Scouting said Celebrini (6 foot, 190 pounds) has an all-around game that could allow him to make an impact in the NHL similar to former Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews. "As a 17-year-old, they have similar size and are similar in terms of their ability to play the full 200-foot game," Williams said. "For him to step in and do what he's done is phenomenal, so he deserves all the accolades he's getting." Gauthier was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers with the No. 5 pick of the 2022 NHL Draft and traded to the Ducks on Jan. 8 for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 20-year-old leads NCAA players with 38 goals in 40 games and is second among NCAA players with 65 points. Blake was selected by the Hurricanes in the fourth round (No. 109) of the 2021 NHL Draft. The 20-year-old is fourth in the NCAA with 60 points (22 goals, 38 assists) in 40 games for North Dakota, which was eliminated by Michigan in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Hurricanes on Wednesday. University of Michigan forward Adam Fantilli, now with the Columbus Blue Jackets, won the Hobey Baker Award last season.

Mine....just thought it had a ring to it.

Game # 79 Kuzmenko scores hat trick, leads Calgary to a 6-3 victory over Anaheim in Silfverberg's home finale 0:50 ByAP Updated: Apr 13, 2024, 01:46 am ANAHEIM, Calif. -- — Andrei Kuzmenko scored three goals, Nazem Kadri had a goal and two assists, and the Calgary Flames withstood Anaheim's third-period rally for a 6-3 victory over the Ducks on Friday night. Kuzmenko got his second career hat trick with two goals in the final 5:38 after Anaheim had trimmed Calgary's 4-0 lead to one goal. Andrew Mangiapane and Connor Zary also scored for the Flames, who won for only the third time in 12 games. Dustin Wolf made 19 saves. “The first 40 minutes, we played a pretty exceptional game,” said Wolf, a California native who grew up partly in nearby Tustin. “Then they scored a couple of nice goals, and I was just battling. Made a couple of saves when I needed to.” Sam Colangelo scored a goal in his NHL debut for the Ducks early in the third period, and Frank Vatrano and Olen Zellweger scored shortly afterward. But Kuzmenko deflected Jonathan Huberdeau's shot to keep the Flames ahead with 5:38 to play on a power play, and he added another less than three minutes later. Kuzmenko acknowledged he wasn't sure whether he deserved the credit for his second goal, but he'll take it. “A hat trick is a hat trick,” Kuzmenko said with a grin. “It's more important we win.” The game was the last at Honda Center for longtime Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg, who announced his impending retirement this week after a 12-year NHL career. Silfverberg said after the game that he will play “another couple of years” in his native Sweden. John Gibson stopped 21 shots in the final home game of the sixth consecutive non-playoff season for the Ducks, who have lost 15 of 18. Anaheim finished with just 12 home victories this season, fewer than every team except NHL-worst San Jose with 11. Mangiapane tapped in his 14th goal to cap an impressive sequence of short-handed forechecking by Calgary in the first period. Kadri doubled the lead six minutes later with his 27th goal, and Kuzmenko scored his 19th of the season from inside Gibson’s goal crease in the second period. The Ducks trailed 4-0 before Colangelo easily tapped in his goal in the third period when a puck trickled underneath Wolf and sat in the crease. The Ducks drafted Colangelo in the second round in 2020, and the 22-year-old forward from Massachusetts turned pro this month after his senior season at Western Michigan. “It felt incredible,” said Colangelo, who had his parents and two close friends in the stands. “I kind of blacked out for a second there. Just tried to get a little celly in and enjoy it with the teammates. They were great to me all day, the last couple of days. It was a great feeling.” Vatrano scored on a spectacular no-look pass from Trevor Zegras behind the Flames' net, and Zellweger made it 4-3 just 48 seconds later with a shot through traffic for his second career goal. The 33-year-old Silfverberg spent the last 11 seasons of his 12-year NHL career with the Ducks, playing a key supporting role as a two-way forward on a series of five consecutive Pacific Division champions from 2013-17. Anaheim made two Western Conference finals during that stretch with Silfverberg, who rebounded from a potentially serious blood clot in his leg two seasons ago to finish out his contract this year. Silfverberg got a standing ovation after a tribute video played during the first media timeout. Before the game, the forward received a Rolex watch, a customized table tennis table and a gaming chair from different portions of the organization. “It's been a different day with a lot of emotions,” Silfverberg said. “Unfortunately we couldn't make it all the way (back in the game), but I really appreciate what the team has done for me and my family today. It's been an awesome day that me and my kids and my wife will remember forever.”

Celebrini leads NHL.com ranking of top 32 prospects for 2024 Draft Boston University center is 'special player and belongs in that special category' © Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images ByMike G. Morreale @mikemorrealeNHL NHL.com Senior Draft Writer March 01, 2024 The 2024 NHL Draft will be held June 28-29, reportedly at Sphere in Las Vegas. NHL.com will take a closer look at some of the draft-eligible players to watch. This week, NHL.com's top 32 players eligible for the 2024 draft: Macklin Celebrini has done everything possible to make the decision for the team holding the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft an easy one. The Boston University freshman center is tied for third among NCAA Division I players with 48 points, and he's second with 26 goals in 30 games. He's No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm list of North American skaters eligible for the 2024 draft, and No. 1 on NHL.com's midseason list of top draft-eligible players this season. The 17-year-old has 23 points (16 goals, seven assists) in 15 games since returning from the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden, where he led Canada with eight points (four goals, four assists) in five games as the team's youngest player. He also won 51.4 percent of his face-offs (35 for 68), second for Canada among players to take at least 25 face-offs. "He certainly is the consensus No. 1 at this point, and he's earned that," Central Scouting director Dan Marr said. "He's a special player and belongs in that special category because in every environment, every situation he goes, he can excel and that's hard to do as a 17-year-old." With 32 picks in the first round, here's a look at NHL.com's top 32 prospects (height/weight according to NHL Central Scouting): 1. Macklin Celebrini, C, Boston University (NCAA): Celebrini (6-foot, 190 pounds) has shown enough to this point to be projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft. He relishes big moments and has been able to excel as the youngest player in NCAA Division I men's hockey. All eyes will be on him at the Hockey East Men's Tournament, which begins March 13. 2. Artyom Levshunov, D, Michigan State University (NCAA): The Belarus-born right-handed shot leads Michigan State defensemen with 30 points (eight goals, 22 assists) in 32 games as an 18-year-old freshman. Levshunov (6-2, 208) defends well, exhibits poise along the blue line, and gets shots through on the power play. He's the third-youngest player in Division I men's hockey and his plus-24 rating is tied for fifth among all players. His ceiling is tremendous for a player at his position and that's the reason he claims this spot. 3. Ivan Demidov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg Jr. (RUS-JR): The 18-year-old left-handed shot is one of the most naturally skilled players in this draft class. He possesses smarts and adapts well in stride. He's a good skater and fantastic playmaker who seems to have a sixth sense with the puck on his stick. Demidov (5-11, 181) leads SKA and is second in Russia's junior league with 60 points (23 goals, 37 assists) in 30 games. 4. Anton Silayev, D, Nizhny Novgorod (RUS): The left-handed shot plays an active role while averaging 14:54 in ice time in 63 games as a 17-year-old in the Kontinental Hockey League, and at 6-7, 211 pounds, has excellent strength and a long reach that he uses to his advantage. He has 98 hits and 74 blocked shots, and has chipped in with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) and 103 shots on goal. 5. Zeev Buium, D, University of Denver (NCAA): Buium (6-0, 183) is second among NCAA defensemen with 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) in 30 games. The 18-year-old left-handed shot is an exceptional skater with a high-end IQ. He had five points (three goals, two assists) and a tournament-best plus-11 rating in seven games to help the United States win the gold medal at the 2024 WJC. 6. Sam Dickinson, D, London (OHL): A powerful and elusive skater capable of playing big minutes and producing offensively, Dickinson (6-3, 204) quickly is climbing the ranks because of his strong play in the second half of the season. The 17-year-old left-handed shot is third among Ontario Hockey League defensemen with 63 points (17 goals, 46 assists) and tied for third with 10 power-play goals in 58 games. 7. Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat (WHL): Lindstrom (6-3, 210) has been out since Dec. 16 recovering from surgery to repair an upper-body injury, but scored 27 goals in 32 games prior to getting injured. The 18-year-old projects to be a power forward with a booming shot. He also can pass the puck with accuracy and is hard in the tough areas of the ice. Every scout I've spoken with thinks highly of Lindstrom despite the time he's missed. 8. Berkly Catton, C, Spokane (WHL): Catton (5-11, 170) plays a hard-driving game, is relentless in puck pursuit and has a compete level too good to ignore. The 18-year-old is poised under pressure and can make smart plays in stride. A left-handed shot, he's fifth in the Western Hockey League with 93 points, fourth with 43 goals, and first with six short-handed goals in 57 games. 9. Carter Yakemchuk, D, Calgary (WHL): Now in his third season in the league, the 18-year-old is positionally sound, knows where to go to make himself available, has an advantageous reach and is good in battles along the boards. Yakemchuk (6-3, 190) leads WHL defensemen with 26 goals and is tied for fourth with 60 points in 56 games. 10. Tij Iginla, C, Kelowna (WHL): The 17-year-old son of Hockey Hall of Fame forward Jarome Iginla is a dynamic offensive talent with speed, quickness, and natural instincts you can't teach. Iginla (6-0, 186) is tied for seventh in the WHL with 40 goals in 54 games. 11. Cole Eiserman, LW, USA U-18 (NTDP): Eiserman (6-0, 197) has one of the best shots of any player in the draft class and doesn't shy from utilizing that big asset every shift from anywhere in the offensive end. The 17-year-old leads USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 team with 39 goals, 61 points, 13 power-play goals, five game-winning goals and 183 shots on goal in 38 games. 12. Zayne Parekh, D, Saginaw (OHL): Parekh (6-0, 178) leads OHL defensemen in goals (28) and points (81) in 55 games, each a Saginaw single-season record for a defenseman. The 18-year-old right-handed shot moves the puck well, plays with an edge and exhibits confidence on the power play, evidenced by his 32 power-play points (10 goals, 22 assists). 13. Konsta Helenius, C, Jukurit (FIN): Helenius (5-11, 180) is skilled and quick with a high compete level. The right-handed shot had two points (one goal, one assist) in seven games playing a middle-six role for fourth-place Finland at the 2024 WJC. The 17-year-old has 36 points (14 goals, 22 assists) and five power-play goals in 46 games in Liiga, the top professional league in Finland. 14. Liam Greentree, RW, Windsor (OHL): Greentree (6-2, 211), Windsor's captain, leads the team in goals (30), assists (50), points (80) and power-play goals (10) in 53 games. The 18-year-old left-handed shot can protect the puck, goes hard to the net and is very nimble and creative for a player his size. 15. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW, Mora (SWE-2): Born in Norway, Brandsegg-Nygard (6-1, 198) plays in Allsvenskan, Sweden's second division, and is a hard-working two-way player with good first-step quickness, decision-making and vision. The 18-year-old right-handed shot has 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 38 games, and five points (three goals, two assists), nine shots on goal and averaged 17:22 of ice time in five games for Norway at the 2024 WJC. 16. Sacha Boisvert, C, Muskegon (USHL): Big, strong, and ultra-competitive, Boisvert (6-2, 178) was born in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, and is expected to further his development at the University of North Dakota next season, where he would become the first Quebec-born player with the program. The 17-year-old takes pride in his two-way game and success on face-offs. Boisvert is tied for second in the United States Hockey League with 29 goals and tied for sixth with 51 points in 46 games. 17. Trevor Connelly, LW, Tri-City (USHL): His game is predicated on speed, skills, vision and compete. Connelly (6-1, 156), who turns 18 on Wednesday, is tied for third in the USHL with 54 points (21 goals, 33 assists) in 38 games, and his average of 1.42 points per game is third (minimum 20 games). He is committed to play at Providence College next season. 18. Adam Jiricek, D, Plzen (CZE): Jiricek (6-2, 178) sustained a season-ending injury to his right knee while playing for Czechia in the first game of the 2024 WJC on Dec. 26. The right-handed shot had one assist in 19 games in Czech Extraliga, the nation's top professional league, but remains a top draft prospect. Teams certainly, though, will want an update on his condition when they meet with him during the NHL Scouting Combine in June. The 17-year-old is the younger brother of Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman David Jiricek. 19. Emil Hemming, RW, TPS (FIN): A natural sniper with a good physical presence, Hemming (6-1, 201) plays a power forward-type game. The 17-year-old right-handed shot is strong on his skates and difficult to contain down low. He has 11 points (seven goals, four assists) and averages 10:01 of ice time in 39 games as a rookie in Liiga, and had two assists, eight shots on goal and averaged 8:45 of ice time in seven games for Finland at the 2024 WJC. 20. Igor Chernyshov, LW, Dynamo Moscow (RUS): Chernyshov (6-2, 192) has four points (three goals, one assist) in 34 KHL games, and 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 22 games with Dynamo in Russia's junior league. The 18-year-old right-handed shot, who thrives on his off wing, has the look of a playmaking wing or center with power-forward potential at the next level. 21. Ryder Ritchie, RW, Prince Albert (WHL): Ritchie (6-0, 175) is highly competitive with good hands, quick acceleration, a big shot and keen vision with the puck on his stick. The 17-year-old right-handed shot, who returned to the lineup Feb. 22 after missing two months because of a lower-body injury, has 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 37 games. 22. Michael Hage, C, Chicago (USHL): Hage (6-0, 190), considered a two-way player with a lot of creativity, is tied for the team lead with 48 points (23 goals, 25 assists) in 40 games this season, after a torn labrum in his right shoulder sustained in September 2022 limited him to 13 games last season. The 17-year-old right-handed shot is committed to play at the University of Michigan next season. 23. Andrew Basha, LW, Medicine Hat (WHL): Basha (5-11, 184) has a knack for finding open lanes and open teammates with his skating ability, puck skills and relentlessness, and the 18-year-old has a well-stocked toolbox of skills. He has 72 points (25 goals, 47 assists) and 23 power-play points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 53 games. 24. Aron Kiviharju, D, HIFK (FIN): Kiviharju (5-9, 170), who is expected to return to the lineup later this month after sustaining a lower-body injury in October, has an excellent feel for the game and possesses a lot of strength in the tough areas of the ice. The 18-year-old left-handed shot had two points (one goal, one assist) and was averaging 13:29 of ice time in seven Liiga games before his injury. 25. Beckett Sennecke, RW, Oshawa (OHL): Sennecke (6-2, 175) has a nice combination of size and strength, plays a 200-foot game and has a solid work ethic. The 18-year-old right-handed shot has 50 points (21 goals, 29 assists), five game-winning goals and 18 power-play points (six goals, 12 assists) in 53 games. 26. Terik Parascak, RW, Prince George (WHL): Parascak (5-11, 176) is capable of contributing on the power play and penalty kill because of his speed, vision and intelligence on the ice. The 17-year-old leads WHL rookies in goals (34) and points (85) in 58 games, and is tied for the lead in power-play goals (10) and short-handed goals (three). 27. Matvei Shuravin, D, CSKA Jr. (RUS-JR): Shuravin (6-3, 195) defends well in his zone and uses his big frame and reach to an advantage in the corners and behind the net. The 17-year-old left-handed shot will challenge skaters at the point of attack, quarterbacks one of the power-play units, and has great compete. He has seven assists and is plus-2 in 22 games in Russia's junior league. 28. Henry Mews, D, Ottawa (OHL): Mews (6-0, 183) is a well-conditioned, offensive-minded defenseman with good hockey sense, a high compete level and can get shots through to the net from the point. The 17-year-old right-handed shot has been a big contributor on the power play with 19 points (one goal, 18 assists). Mews leads Ottawa defensemen with 51 points (11 goals, 40 assists) in 53 games. 28. Nikita Artamonov, LW, Nizhny Novgorod (RUS): Artamonov (5-11, 187) is a prototypical power forward capable of doing a lot of the grunt work to retrieve pucks in the offensive end and get to the net to create screens and seek rebounds. The 18-year-old has shown impressive skating, vision and playmaking ability to complement his physical style, and has 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 54 KHL games. 30. Maxim Masse, RW, Chicoutimi (QMJHL): Masse (6-2, 192) leads Chicoutimi in goals (31), points (63) and power-play goals (11) in 57 games. The 17-year-old has carried the offensive load with great hands, puck skills and a goal-scoring touch. He had 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in 10 games in February. 31. Matvei Gridin, RW, Muskegon (USHL): Born in Kurgan, Russia, Gridin (6-1, 185), who turns 18 on Friday, is in his second season in North America. He has a fantastic combination of skill, strength and speed, and is a threat almost every shift with his quick release and high compete level. Committed to the University of Michigan next season, he is tied for the USHL lead with 59 points (25 goals, 34 assists) in 46 games, and is tied for second with six game-winning goals. 32. Spencer Gill, D, Rimouski (QMJHL): Gill (6-4, 185) is a consistent puck transporter from the back end with an improved defensive game, and scouts have compared him to Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews. The 17-year-old right-handed shot has 36 points (10 goals, 26 assists) in 56 games, sees the ice well, finds options when pressured, and can transition effectively from his own end. He'll need to increase his strength for the next level, but the elements are all there.

The Salt Lake Scorpions.....

Yup...miss the last 2 months, be ready for game # 1. Sooner or later these overpriced contracts will bite them....