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Despite the threat of an offer sheet Jean-Gabriel Pageau Jersey , the Vegas Golden Knights aren't rushing to negotiation and finalize a deal with dynamic forward William Karlsson.While speculation is that offer sheets will be the focus of much discussion this summer in the NHL, it doesn't seem the Golden Knights are paying much attention to the noise. With names like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and the Knights' Karlsson reaching restricted free agent status,聽 the team聽is choosing not to talk contract at this point in the year, instead聽running the risk that Karlsson will be a target for other teams. via USA TodayDuring an appearance on Fox Sports Las Vegas (audio link), GM George McPhee indicated that there is no push to get a deal done.聽Citing that both the Golden Knights and Karlsson鈥檚 camp came into the 2018-19聽season looking聽to determine what kind of player Karlsson really is. Is he the center that scored 78 points last season? Or, is he the center who is on pace for 52 points this season?聽Because Vegas wasn't sure, the team signed Karlsson to only a one-year, $5.25 million deal last summer.advertisingWhat This MeansThe question becomes http://www.senatorsshoponline.com/authentic-mark-stone-jersey ,聽is this really a risk by the organization? With some big-ticket players at the same position Karlsson is, Vegas knows they'd like to keep their star in the fold. At the same time, their confident other players will attract the offer sheets if one is even submitted by an opposing GM.McPhee and the聽Golden Knights are happy enough to let Karlsson finish out the season, see where he finishes in terms of production and make their decision from there. Should, for some reason, they lose him to an offer sheet, there are plenty of players the team can target to replace him. This is the year of restricted free agents in the NHL.advertising DALLAS (AP) Once the Boston Bruins broke through in the third period, they couldn’t be stopped.David Pastrnak snapped a tie with 12 seconds left and the Bruins scored three straight goals in the third to rally past the fading Dallas Stars 3-2 on Friday night.”We said between periods we just need the one goal,” Pastrnak said. ”If we get the first one, we’re going to get another.”Brad Marchand scored Boston’s first goal and assisted on the other two Youth Matt Duchene Jersey , including a short-handed goal by Tim Schaller that tied it midway through the third period.With only seconds remaining, a scramble followed a faceoff in the Dallas end, and Marchand passed to Pastrnak in front. While falling down, he put the puck past Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen.”I was thinking shoot,” Marchand said, ”but I had a couple guys in my lane and I saw (Pastrnak) drive and I figured if I get it down there, hopefully he can make a play.”Tuukka Rask made a season-high 40 saves for the Bruins.”He made a lot of really big saves, especially early on,” Marchand said. ”He’s been the backbone of our team all year, for a few years now.”The second-place Bruins won for the first time in three games (1-0-2) to move within four points of Atlantic Division leader Tampa Bay. Boston has already clinched a playoff berth.The Stars are winless in their last seven games (0-5-2). They remained four points behind Colorado for the second Western Conference wild card.”I didn’t think we were very good in our own end with the puck Mike Condon Jersey ,” coach Ken Hitchcock said. ”We had all kinds of opportunities on the first and third goal to get it out.”Dallas led 2-0 on a first-period goal by Esa Lindell and Jamie Benn’s short-handed score late in the second.In the third, Marchand tipped in a shot by Pastrnak before Schaller scored on a 2-on-1 with Marchand.Lehtonen finished with 33 saves.”We had the game. We just need to keep going,” Lehtonen said. ”It was a broken play, that (first) goal. Shot that got tipped. I thought it was going to come faster to the net.”Lindell scored 2:26 into the game. Jason Dickinson tried to deflect a shot from the right point into the net but the puck went wide right. Curtis McKenzie picked it up behind the goal line and passed to Lindell high in the left faceoff circle. His wrist shot went in off Rask’s right arm.Benn missed two good scoring opportunities early in the second period, but connected at 19:22. He took a pass from Tyler Seguin at the Dallas blue line and had a breakaway when Matt Grzelcyk fell down. Benn slid a backhand under Rask.NOTES: The Bruins have won their last five games in Dallas. … Stars D Marc Methot returned after missing four games because of a hand injury. … Three of Schaller’s 11 goals have come short-handed. … Benn’s short-handed goal was his first this season, the Stars’ fifth and the ninth allowed by Boston. … Dallas gave up eight goals in 22 opponent power plays on its winless six-game road trip but returned home and killed off all three against Boston. The Bruins’ penalty killers are 12 for 13 in the last five games, including 4 for 4 on Friday. … Marchand has 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in his last 11 games.UP NEXTBruins: Visit the Minnesota Wild on Sunday, the third stop on a four-game trip.Stars: Play the second of three straight home games Sunday against Vancouver.—

DENVER (AP) — Don’t be fooled: That third-period lead isn’t so safe.Not this season Dougie Hamilton Jersey Womens , anyway. There’s been quite a comeback for the comeback.The NHL has seen 110 third-period comeback wins spanning 611 games through New Year’s Eve. That’s third-most in league history and not far off the 114 rallies in 2014-15 and 113 in ’13-14, according to research by the NHL stats and information department.Going into the new year, the only teams without a third-period comeback for a win in regulation were Carolina (0-13-2 when trailing after two) and Los Angeles (0-17-1). And the only team not to lose with a final-period lead remains Toronto, which is 19-0-0.Translation: Don’t leave early, because anything can and often does happen in the final period.“Fans are getting what they want,” joked Montreal forward Tomas Tatar said. “It’s got to be pretty intense for them.”These days and in this speedy version of the game, no lead seems out of reach. Take Tampa Bay on Saturday: Down a goal in the third against Montreal, Adam Erne tied it up and then scored the game-winner with 1:02 remaining.“There’s no more of sitting back and closing and trying to suffocate the other team,” Montreal coach Claude Julien said when his team was in Denver on Dec. 19. “It’s a skating game now. With the skating game that’s being allowed right now, there’s more offense being showcased.”Try sitting on the puck to protect a lead with the likes of Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nikita Kucherov or Nathan MacKinnon attempting to swipe it away.Good luck with that.“The league is just getting faster and faster, young guys are coming through the league and they’re really, really good skaters http://www.officialsharks.com/authentic-adidas-brent-burns-jersey ,” Tatar said. “It’s just a fast game. It’s faster than ever.”Not only that, but these youngsters don’t view things as erasing a deficit so much as an opportunity to crank up the intensity.“Everybody is good throughout the lineup,” Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog said. “That makes it that much harder to put teams away. It goes to show how many good players there are in the league and how many game-changers there are, that can turn things around.”And no slashing. Or holding. Or hooking. Defensemen need to be on their best behavior.“Defensively speaking, when you can’t clutch and you can’t grab — it’s been that way for 10 years now — that really opens up the ice and allows guys to score,” Avalanche defenseman Ian Cole said. “The guys are as skilled as they’ve ever been. Every year, they’re more skilled and scoring more and more ridiculous highlight-reel goals. Guys are shooting from the goal-line and it’s going off the side of the goalie’s mask and in. Guys are doing stuff now that they haven’t done before — or doing it more often.“The skill level is as high as it’s ever been in the league.”Hence, the volume of comebacks. This also helps when down: A positive attitude.“You always have to believe. You can’t give up,” Tatar said. “And you don’t have to. There’s a big chance you score one or two goals and you’re back in the game.”That was the case on Dec. 15 for Dallas, which fell behind the Avs 3-0 after one period and 4-2 after two. The Stars tied it up late in the final period before Colorado scored twice to earn the win.Nothing is easy.“I don’t feel comfortable with any lead until the buzzer sounds,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “It’s a tribute to the talent around the league. When teams start feeling it, they start coming at you in waves, and it’s tough to defend.”That’s why the best defense is sometimes to remain on the offensive. Don’t sit back — keep striking.“We’re trying to stay aggressive,” Landeskog said. “The O-zone is the best place to play defense. At least Julien Gauthier Jersey Womens , that’s the way we think about it. That’s easier said than done. The team that’s behind is always going to push.”THREE AMIGOSMikko Rantanen (17 goals, 45 assists) and MacKinnon (24 goals, 35 assists) get the lion’s share of the credit on the high-scoring top line for Colorado.Chalk up another assist for Rantanen, though, because he wanted to make sure Landeskog received full credit, too. Landeskog’s tied for the team lead with 24 goals.“He flies under the radar,” Rantanen said. “The way he plays the game is the right way always. That’s real fun to watch.”WINTER CLASSICThe 2020 Winter Classic will be held at the Cotton Bowl in Texas. Dallas will host the 12th edition of the NHL’s annual outdoor game on New Year’s Day against an opponent yet to be determined. Commissioner Gary Bettman also said the Heritage Classic will return on Oct. 26 when Winnipeg plays Calgary at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Saskatchewan. In addition, the NHL will bring an outdoor game to the Air Force Academy on Feb. 15, 2020, as part of the Stadium Series. Colorado will play a team not yet announced.LEADERS (through Monday)Points: Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay), 65; Goals: Alex Ovechkin (Washington), 29; Assists: Kucherov, 46; Game-winning goals: Gabriel Landeskog (Colorado) Womens Evander Kane Jersey , 7; Rookie goals: Elias Pettersson (Vancouver), 19; Goals-against average: Robin Lehner (New York Islanders), 2.14; Shutouts: Marc-Andre Fleury (Vegas), 5; Wins: Fleury, 22; Save percentage: Lehner, .930.GAME OF THE WEEKJohn Tavares leads Toronto against Minnesota on Thursday. Tavares is two goals shy of 300 for his career. He was the first overall pick by the New York Islanders in 2009. This kind of deja vu, the New Jersey Devils can do without.Last January when the Nashville Predators most recently visited New Jersey, the Devils had seven injured regulars missing from the lineup. As such, the resulting 3-0 loss to the Predators was not a big surprise.Now, with the teams again set to face off Thursday at Prudential Center, the Devils are hoping for a better result despite another rash of injuries.Article continues below ...The Devils (4-2-0) placed defensemen Steven Santini and Ben Lovejoy, and winger Drew Stafford, on injured reserve earlier this week. Veteran center Travis Zajac is battling a lower body injury and may not be able to play Thursday, while winger Jesper Bratt remains on IR with a fractured jaw. Then there is goaltender Cory Schneider Authentic Joe Pavelski Jersey , who is still rehabbing offseason hip surgery in the minor leagues.“That’s a lot hanging over our heads, but we have to be ready to play,” said Devils coach John Hynes. “We have a team picked to win the Stanley Cup coming in, and they’re coming off a loss, so we we’ve got to be ready to play no matter what.”Four players were recalled from the Devils AHL affiliate in Binghamton this week. Rookie forward John Quenneville is back after starting the season in New Jersey, as is veteran defenseman Eric Gryba. They are joined by forward Kevin Rooney and former KHL defenseman Yegor Yakovlev in joining the Devils for Thursday’s contest.“Those guys should bring energy to your team and you should have some real hungry guys in your room,” said Hynes. “That’s important to find ways to win.”The Devils are looking to snap a two-game slide, punctuated by Saturday’s lackluster 5-2 loss to the Flyers in Philadelphia. In response, Hynes put the team through a series of battle drills in an exhausting practice on Monday before returning to normal hockey drills the next two days.“We kind of got away the last few games from our game,” said Devils forward Marcus Johansson. “We’re going to make sure we’re ready to play hard when the next game comes up.”Despite Tuesday’s 5-4 home-ice loss to the San Jose Sharks, the Predators won seven of their first nine games this season. The defeat snapped a five-game winning streak.Viktor Arvidsson scored two goals and added an assist in the loss, and has six goals, tied for the team lead with Filip Forsberg. However, it wasn’t enough as the Predators surrendered three unanswered goals in the third period.“We weren’t going to win out the rest of the season Joe Thornton Jersey ,” Nashville forward Colton Sissons told nhl.com. “Obviously, it stings a little more when you have a two-goal lead heading into the third in your own building. We don’t like that one bit.”While the Predators do not have the injury woes New Jersey does, they are a bit banged up. Defenseman Dan Hamhuis left Tuesday’s game with an undisclosed injury and his availability for Thursday’s game in New Jersey is not known. And Pekka Rinne, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, is on IR with as lower body injury.In Rinne’s place, 23-year-old Juuse Saros was elevated to the starter’s role. He has four wins in five decisions on the season with a 2.37 goals-against average and one shutout, but did allow five goals on 32 shots in the loss to San Jose.“One of the best up-and-coming goalies in the league,” Forsberg said of Saros to The Tennessean.Added Predators coach Peter Laviolette, “Juuse has given us no reason to think he can’t handle this.”The Predators won each of their last three visits to Prudential Center, including last year’s blanking of the Devils. Saros has two career appearances against the Devils, a regulation win and an overtime loss to go along with a 1.45 GAA.

TORONTO (AP) — Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm scored in a 55-second span of the third period to lead the Calgary Flames to a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night.Lindholm and Monahan each added an assist as Calgary snapped a three-game losing streak. Michael Frolik added an empty-net goal to seal it. Mike Smith made 24 saves.Nazem Kadri Colton Sissons Jersey , playing his 500th NHL game, scored for Toronto. Frederik Andersen stopped 31 shots.CANUCKS 5, WILD 2VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Rookie Elias Pettersson scored two goals and Vancouver snapped a two-game losing streak.Pettersson, whose second goal came on a breakaway in the third period, now has seven goals in seven games. He leads all NHL rookies in goals and points with 10.Markus Granlund and Jake Virtanen also scored for the Canucks, who ended the Wild’s five-game winning streak. Ben Hutton scored into an empty net with 39.1 seconds remaining.Jordan Greenway scored his first NHL goal, and Ryan Sutter added a power-play score for the Wild. RALEIGH Adam Henrique Jersey , N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes brought back the Hartford Whalers for a night, and two of their younger stars kept “Brass Bonanza” seemingly playing on repeat.Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen each had two goals and two assists and the Hurricanes beat the Boston Bruins 5-3 on Sunday while wearing Whalers uniforms for the first time since moving 21 years ago.Aho, a 21-year-old who was born three months after the Whalers’ final game, had his fourth career four-point night and his second in five games, while it was the third for his linemate Teravainen. They assisted on each other’s two goals.“Obviously, when you’re scoring, you get more confidence. That’s how it goes,” Aho said. “It’s maybe a little bit easier to score when you get a couple of goals. I’m feeling pretty good right now Womens Andrew Cogliano Jersey , but it’s not just me. My linemates are helping me out a lot.”The Hurricanes scored four straight goals — three in the second period — to erase an early 2-0 deficit and snap a two-game losing streak that had left them two points out of last place.“You could see from the start, they were engaged, even when we got down,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “That was nice to see the level of engagement for 60 minutes. … (The Bruins are) going to have their moments, and they did, but I felt like we just kept battling, and we got the win.”Justin Faulk also scored for Carolina, which scored two short-handed goals for the first time since 2013.Ryan Donato had two goals Brandon Montour Jersey Kids , Steven Kampfer also scored and Brad Marchand had two assists for the Bruins, who had won three straight and six of eight.Tuukka Rask made 32 saves for Boston, which pulled to 4-3 on Donato’s blast with 3:55 left in the second period. But the Bruins goalie made a critical miscue in the third, turning the puck over near the left post, and that led to Teravainen’s short-handed goal that put Carolina back up by two with 12:40 remaining.“Huge mistake by me, and there’s the game,” Rask said. “The way I see it, it was just an early Christmas gift to the fellow Finns.”Petr Mrazek stopped 27 shots for the Hurricanes Womens Cam Fowler Jersey , who broke out the throwbacks to celebrate their Hartford Whalers heritage, donning jerseys with the whale-tail logo for the first time since they moved to North Carolina in 1997 and left plenty of hurt feelings back in Connecticut.While former owner Peter Karmanos Jr. preferred to leave the Whalers in the past, his successor, Tom Dundon, has fully embraced the organization’s old identity — stating his desire for a turn-back-the-clock game within weeks of buying the team in January.And when Teravainen cut the Hurricanes’ deficit to 2-1 with 7:05 left in the first, they piped “Brass Bonanza” over the PNC Arena speakers.“We wanted to just put everything out there, and work as hard as we can, and thank God we made it happen this time Corey Perry Jersey ,” Teravainen said.That catchy tune blared again three times in the second, twice courtesy of Aho. He tied it with a short-handed goal 89 seconds into the second, then scored the go-ahead goal with a kneeling-down shot from the slot at 7:11.The nostalgia ran deep throughout this one, with chants of “Let’s go Whalers” occasionally breaking out during the game. And the latest twist to the Hurricanes’ post-victory celebration on the ice — after their coordinated claps, the players flopped to the ice as if they were beached whales.“You’re laughing, so I guess (the idea) was good,” Aho said.NOTES: Carolina C Jordan Staal was scratched with an upper body injury. … A slightly less-intense version of one of those storied Bruins-Whalers fights took place early between Boston D Brandon Carlo and Hurricanes RW Andrei Svechnikov — who was born 3 years after the Whalers moved. … Carolina will bring its Whalers throwbacks to New England for its game at Boston on March 5.UP NEXTBruins: Play host to New Jersey on Thursday night.Hurricanes: Visit first-place Washington on Thursday night.

NEW YORK — The Florida Panthers are looking forward to playing Wednesday night because it will provide them an opportunity to forget about what happened Tuesday.The New York Islanders are looking forward to Wednesday night so they can confirm they haven’t forgotten how to play hockey.The Panthers will complete a back-to-back set Wednesday night Chris Wagner Jersey Womens , when they visit the Islanders in New York’s first home game in more than two weeks at Barclays Center.Article continues below ...Both teams are coming off lopsided losses. The Panthers suffered their first multi-goal defeat of the season Tuesday, when they fell to the host New York Rangers, 5-2. The Islanders last played Saturday night, when they completed a 1-3-0 road trip by dropping a 4-1 decision to the San Jose Sharks.The defeat Tuesday continued a frustrating trend for the Panthers (1-3-3), who scored first for the sixth time in seven games. Florida has led in all of its losses.“We came out and played pretty well and got the first goal,” Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said afterward. “Usually, that’s enough to spark the team and inspire all of us to play at a higher level. For some reason, we have a tough time holding on to leads. Once we get that lead, we aren’t playing aggressive enough.”The Islanders (3-4-0) feel as if they aren’t playing enough, period. While they are one of six teams to have played seven or fewer games, no one else has experienced as sporadic a schedule as New York, which has already had two three-day breaks and one four-day break.In addition, Wednesday marks the third home game for the Islanders Alex Galchenyuk Jersey Womens , who are splitting this season between Barclays Center in Brooklyn and their old home, Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. Only the Arizona Coyotes have played as few as two home games.“Every team we’ve played against is what you (would) consider a playoff team,” Islanders defenseman Thomas Hickey told Newsday following practice Tuesday. New York’s last six games have been against teams that qualified for the postseason last year.“That’s the good part of it. The bad part is when you have four days between a game, you might lose your game legs a little bit. You’re almost easing your way into the game, just defending and playing smart, whereas it’s not really instinctual like when you’re playing three games in four nights or playing every other night for a month, which is what everyone would prefer.”James Reimer, who replaced Michael Hutchinson in net early in the third period Tuesday, is likely to draw the start in goal for the Panthers on Wednesday night.Reimer, who stopped both shots he faced against the Rangers, last started Friday, when he was pulled for Hutchinson in the second period after giving up four goals on 20 shots in what turned out to be a 6-5 shootout win over the Washington Capitals.The Islanders are expected to counter with Thomas Greiss, who has split time this season with Robin Lehner.Greiss Carter Rowney Jersey Womens , who sat in favor of Lehner the previous two games, last played Thursday, when he recorded five saves in relief of Lehner in New York’s 7-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Greiss made his most recent start Oct. 17, when he took the defeat after making 21 saves in a 4-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.Reimer is 5-2-2 in 12 games against the Islanders. Greiss is 2-2-1 in five regular-season appearances against the Panthers, though he was the only goalie used by the Islanders in their six-game win over Florida in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals in 2016. TORONTO (AP) Frederik Andersen could sense this was going to be a low-scoring game without many chances. He was right – and he was sharp when it counted.Andersen made 40 saves and James van Riemsdyk scored the only goal as the surging Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Florida Panthers 1-0 on Tuesday night for their seventh consecutive victory at home.”These are always fun,” Andersen said. ”The game was tough from the beginning. I think the ice was a little tough.”Article continues below ...The shutout was Andersen’s career-best fifth of the season. The 28-year-old goalie reached 30 wins for the third time.Andersen also improved to 7-0-2 with a 1.82 goals-against average, a .952 save percentage and two shutouts this season when facing 40 or more shots.Opponents are taking note of his elevated game.”Especially this year, he’s really taken his game to another level,” Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo said after Tuesday’s morning skate. ”Obviously in the top tier of goaltenders in the league now, and he’s giving his team a chance to win every night.”Toronto (37-20-5) has won 11 of 12 overall and improved to 14-4-2 since Jan. 4.The Panthers (26-25-6) have dropped back-to-back games after opening their five-game road trip with three straight wins. Florida entered the night six points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.Florida threatened in the third with Luongo pulled for an extra attacker, but Andersen managed to thwart the Panthers’ best chance – a point shot from Keith Yandle with 23 seconds remaining.Luongo stopped 30 shots in the loss.”I thought both goaltenders were really hot tonight,” said Jonathan Huberdeau. ”I think in the third we had some pressure, we got a lot of chances Luke Schenn Jersey Womens , but it didn’t go in. It’s a tough loss.”Andersen is the fifth Maple Leafs goaltender to register multiple shutouts when making at least 40 saves since 1955-56 when the NHL began counting shots on goal as an official statistic.”I think a huge part of it is fitness,” Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. ”He did a real nice job this summer and so he’s just building off of confidence. I think last year, if I’m not mistaken, was the first time he’s ever really been the starter.”So, you go through that and you get comfortable and you get comfortable with your teammates and it just goes from there.”With 28 seconds left in the first period, van Riemsdyk beat Luongo between the legs with a shot from the faceoff dot for his 25th goal of the season. Jake Gardiner had an assist for his 200th NHL point.”In a lot of those situations, there’s not a lot of time so you just want to try to get it off as quick as you can,” van Riemsdyk said. ”To say I was shooting there would probably be a lie. I was just trying to throw it on the net and get it there quick and it went in, thankfully.”Patrick Marleau nearly made it a two-goal game 1:02 into the third by finishing off a 2-on-1 feed from Mitch Marner, but couldn’t beat the right pad of Luongo.With 2:40 remaining, Leo Komarov’s shot beat Luongo but rang off the post.The Panthers defeated the Maple Leafs 2-1 in a shootout on Nov. 22 in the only previous meeting between the teams this season. Toronto visits Florida on Feb. 27.NOTES: The Maple Leafs traded forward Eric Fehr to San Jose for a 2020 seventh-round draft pick. The move drops Toronto to 48 contracts and gives general manager Lou Lamoriello added flexibility before next week’s trade deadline. . Marleau (1,555) passed Jarome Iginla for 12th place on the NHL’s career list for games played. . Yandle played in his 800th career game. The 31-year-old defenseman owns the NHL’s longest active streak with 689 consecutive games played.UP NEXTPanthers: Host the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.Maple Leafs: Continue their three-game homestand Thursday night against the New York Islanders.—

ANAHEIM Youth Colin Miller Jersey , Calif. (AP) Deep into their 80th game in a season riddled with injuries and setbacks, the Anaheim Ducks still weren’t certain they were heading back to the playoffs.So the Ducks dug down deep and came out with the ticket to the Stanley Cup tournament. And now that they’re in, their hard-earned resilience could be a nightmare for anybody in their path.Ondrej Kase scored the tiebreaking goal on a rebound with 3:56 to play, and the Ducks clinched their sixth consecutive postseason berth with a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night.Kase secured his first 20-goal season by jumping on a long rebound of Josh Manson’s shot, and Andrew Cogliano added an empty-net goal. Nick Ritchie also scored, while Manson and Francois Beauchemin had two assists apiece as the Ducks officially extended the NHL’s second-longest streak of consecutive postseason berths – a streak they share with Minnesota.”It’s very satisfying,” goalie Ryan Miller said. ”The guys certainly turned a corner. We were grinding from the start.”Miller made 26 saves in his first start since March 9 for the Ducks, who have won eight of 10 in their usual late-season surge.Anaheim also leapfrogged archrival Los Angeles into third place in the Pacific Division, leading by one point with two games to play for both clubs.The Ducks’ streak of five consecutive Pacific Division titles was ended by Vegas this season, but Anaheim’s veteran lineup remains a foreboding matchup for any playoff opponent. The Ducks still have most of the core that reached the Western Conference finals twice in the past three seasons.”This whole year has been a bit of a struggle,” captain Ryan Getzlaf said. ”With the start we had, and the players we had out of the lineup, it was tough to see the big picture at that point. Our guys did a good job battling throughout the whole year. We accomplished one goal we wanted.”Matt Dumba scored a power-play goal and Devan Dubnyk stopped 28 shots for the Wild, who took their fifth loss in seven games during what turned out to be a meaningless contest for them.When the St. Louis Blues’ loss to Chicago ended during the first period in Anaheim, Minnesota was locked into third place in the Central Division, ensuring a first-round matchup with Winnipeg or Nashville.”Both of those teams have had pretty fantastic seasons, and (neither is) really a great option,” Dubnyk said. ”But I think us, as a group Calvin De Haan Jersey Womens , have shown that we can play and beat anybody in the league, including both those teams. I think it will be exciting for us.”The Blues’ result also clinched a playoff berth for the Kings, and it meant the Ducks would be able to clinch as well. Coach Randy Carlyle’s team didn’t miss the chance, even while playing without several injured regulars – a theme of the Ducks’ entire season.”You can’t hide the fact that it’s been a different type of year for our hockey club,” Carlyle said. ”But every time people were ready to count them out, they were able to stand up and say, `That’s not happening.”’Ducks goalie John Gibson sat out with an upper-body injury that doesn’t appear to be serious, and Miller coolly picked up his second straight victory after coming on in relief for Gibson on Sunday.Both teams were without their top defensemen. Minnesota’s Ryan Suter is done for the year with a broken ankle, while Anaheim’s Cam Fowler missed his first game since Nov. 19 with a shoulder injury that could require six weeks of recovery.Dumba’s goal in the second period was his second of the season at Honda Center, where he scored the overtime winner for Minnesota on Dec. 8.Nearly seven minutes later, the Ducks evened it by crowding Dubnyk. With Adam Henrique’s help, Ritchie got credit for his 10th goal of the season.”They got a fluke goal to tie it up, I thought, but (in) the third period, they definitely outworked us,” Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau said. ”It was a great test. We talked about how this is what playoff hockey is going to be like. Maybe it’s a cheap lesson learned.”NOTES: With Fowler out and Kevin Bieksa still recovering from surgery on his left hand, D Andy Welinski appeared in his fifth career NHL game for Anaheim. Welinski had been down in the AHL since Dec. 19. … Minnesota F Luke Kunin had surgery Tuesday repairing a torn ligament in his left knee. He will need 6-7 months of recovery time. … Boudreau lost at Honda Center for the first time in three visits since the Ducks fired him in 2016 after a first-round exit from the playoffs. … Mike Trout attended the game with his family after playing in the Angels’ 13-inning victory over Cleveland earlier in the day across Katella Avenue.UP NEXTWild: At the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.Ducks: Host the Dallas Stars on Friday.— TORONTO — The Montreal Canadiens visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night as two long-time rivals open the season with widely different expectations.After signing free agent center John Tavares in the offseason to augment an already promising group of young players led by center Auston Matthews, the Maple Leafs are shooting for the Stanley Cup this season. Tavares had a fine preseason, working well with right winger Mitch Marner.The Canadiens Womens Deryk Engelland Jersey , however, are trying to climb back to respectability after a dismal 2017-18 season.Article continues below ...The Maple Leafs have shown signs during the past two seasons that they are growing into Cup contenders, but they have lost in the playoffs in the first round twice in a row.And with a pair of first-round losses in the past two Stanley Cup playoffs relatively fresh, the Leafs collectively shake their heads at the idea a similar fate could be awaiting them next April.“We’ve been there, done that,” defenseman Morgan Rielly said. “We have done the thing where we make the playoffs and lose in the first round. It’s not very fun and I think we’re tired of that. The goal is to start with a good couple of months, build toward a playoff push, make the playoffs and go from there. You have to take it one step at a time, but when you look at the big picture, you want to play longer and have a shorter summer than we did in the last two years.”The Canadiens made two big offseason deals, sending Alex Galchenyuk to the Arizona Coyotes and former captain Mac Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights. In return, the Habs received Max Domi from Arizona and Tomas Tatar, a second-round draft pick and good prospect Nick Suzuki from Vegas.The Canadiens also named defenseman Shea Weber as the 30th captain in the team’s storied history Monday, replacing Pacioretty. “I don’t know how many times you can say an honor, because you look at the guys (on the walls) in our dressing room, guys that have worn this letter in this organization’s history, it’s special,” said Weber, 33 http://www.officialknightsproshop.com/authentic-adidas-james-neal-jersey , who was acquired from the Nashville Predators two years ago in exchange for P.K. Subban. Weber underwent offseason knee surgery and is not expected to be return to competition until mid-December, which makes it even important that goaltender Carey Price regains his old magic.Habs general manager Marc Bergevin said the choice for captain was obvious. “The players all feel the same way, we all feel the same way that Shea is the right guy to lead this team and we didn’t want to wait,” he said. “Training camp was over, season starts on Wednesday and (Monday) was the perfect day.”In another development, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, the third overall pick in the draft this past June, has earned a roster spot to open the season. The 18-year-old is the youngest Canadiens player since Mario Tremblay broke in shortly after his 18th birthday in 1974.As the opener drew closer, the Maple Leafs were still waiting to sign their restricted free agent William Nylander.Meanwhile, the Leafs traded defenseman Connor Carrick to the Dallas Stars for a seventh-round draft choice Monday and put goaltenders Curtis McElhinney and Calvin Pickard on waivers. Both were claimed, which means Garret Sparks, the American Hockey League goaltender of the year last season with the Toronto Marlies, will begin the season as the backup for Frederik Andersen.“We’re going to be ready to go, for sure,” Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “In the NHL, there is nothing between all of us. Every night you play it’s a one-goal game and it’s a battle. And yet the good teams win more of those one-goal games and at the end, it seems like you won every night easy. But you didn’t. You scratched and clawed your way through the year. That’s just what you do.”

A team from the West has not won the Stanley Cup the previous three seasons Ottawa Senators Hats Womens , the conference’s longest drought in the 13-year salary cap era.Before the Washington Capitals won it last year after Pittsburgh claimed consecutive championships, the West was usually the best, winning seven of 10 titles. Four teams seem to have the best shot to prevent it from being a four-year run without a Stanley Cup. And perhaps a few more have an outside chance.“The West is like loaded right now,” Nashville Predators general manager David Poile said. “It feels like anybody could not only make the playoffs, there’s going to be some unbelievable top teams that don’t make the playoffs.”Winnipeg is stacked with talent from up front to the back and in net. And, the Jets are no longer off the radar after advancing to the conference finals for the first time. Nashville , which was eliminated by Winnipeg in the second round, won the Presidents’ Trophy with an NHL-high 117 points last season and has kept its strong and balanced team together.The Vegas Golden Knights tried to improve their chances of returning to the Stanley Cup Final in their second season by signing free agent center Paul Stastny and acquiring forward Max Pacioretty. The San Jose Sharks made the boldest move, trading for two-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Erik Karlsson just before the puck dropped for training camp.Poile said the talent-filled conference should be fun for players and fans, but not so much for coaches and the front office.“It’s probably going to be nerve-wracking for us,” Poile said. “If you’re going to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best, and I think the West certainly has more than its share of top teams.”WINNIPEGThe Jets Custom Ottawa Senators Jerseys , who trailed only Nashville in points last season, have an elite team after years of patiently drafting and developing players. Winnipeg has so much young talent, including 20-year-old wing Patrik Laine, the time to win is now because it is going to be challenging next season to keep the team together and under the cap.“Bring it on,” Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said. “There’s excitement. That’s what this all about.”NASHVILLEThe Predators have one of the world’s best goaltender, reigning Vezina Trophy winner Pekka Rinne. He may have the surrounding cast of hungry, experienced talented players to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in its 20 years after leading the league in points.“Obviously things didn’t end up the way we wanted, but winning the regular season doesn’t give you much,” Rinne said.VEGASThe Golden Knights signed three-time Stanley Cup champion Marc-Andre Fleury to a three-year, $21 million extension over the summer. They can lean on his experience of helping Pittsburgh go from losing the Stanley Cup in 2008 to winning it the next year. Adding the leadership of Pacioretty and Stastny after losing James Neal was a smart move.SAN JOSEThe Sharks’ shot to win it all for the first time in their 27-season history increased the moment they acquired Karlsson, one of the elite players in the NHL.“That trade makes this team look a little bit more dangerous,” captain Joe Pavelski said, entering his 13th year with the franchise. “And www.flyersshoponline.com , a little bit more real.” LOS ANGELES The Kings, who hoisted the Cup in 2012 and 2014, tried to pry open their window to win by bolstering their offense by signing Ilya Kovalchuk. The 35-year-old winger is back in the NHL for the first time since 2013. Los Angeles should be able to compete every night with two-way forward Anze Kopitar, the reigning Selke Trophy winner, and standout goalie Jonathan Quick. ST. LOUIS The Blues missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2011, but they made a series of moves to give some help to forwards Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko along with defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. St. Louis acquired center Ryan O’Reilly in a big deal with Buffalo, signed center Tyler Bozak and winger David Perron, who is back with the Blues for his third stint.EDMONTON Connor McDavid should give the Oilers an opportunity to win any game. The 21-year-old center, though, can’t do it alone as last year proved when the team missed the playoffs despite his career-high 108 points. Edmonton needs winger Milan Lucic and goalie Cam Talbot both to bounce back from lackluster seasons. ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Rookie defenseman Nick Seeler picked up Minnesota’s offense with a timely fight.Eric Staal and Zach Parise scored in the second period after Seeler fought Luke Witkowski, and Jason Zucker added two late goals in the Wild’s 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday night.Devan Dubnyk made 28 saves to help Minnesota rebound from losses at Arizona and Colorado.Staal and Parise scored in a 2:57 span to erase a 1-0 deficit. The goals came not long after Seeler traded punches with Witkowski on a delayed penalty, with Seeler protecting Parise after Witkowski attempted to check the star forward.”I just thought Philadelphia Flyers T-Shirts Womens , you know what, good time to step up,” Seeler said. ”We were down 1-0. I thought it was the right time.”Sunday was just Seeler’s 12th career NHL game. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound defenseman has just two assists thus far but has added grit to a Wild team that has needed some toughness as it jockeys for playoff positioning.Seeler’s opponent, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Witkowski, is no stranger to NHL fights.”I think I owe him a steak dinner after that scrap,” Parise said. ”Standing up for teammates, you always appreciate that.”Seeler emerged bloodied after the brawl, which included rapid-fire punches from both players. Seeler’s teammates appreciated the effort – and responded by scoring two goals with Seeler in the penalty box.”The guys were on the bench and they’re saying, `We got to go now. If we can’t get motivated for this, then we’re in trouble,”’ Wild coach Bruce Boudreau. ”It was a real opportunistic time when I think we were really flat.”Staal tied it on a power play with his team-leading 34th goal. The forward redirected Jared Spurgeon’s shot past goalie Jimmy Howard with 12:38 to play in the second.Less than three minutes later Philadelphia Flyers Hoodies Womens , Parise completed a tic-tac-toe passing sequence with Nino Niederreiter and Charlie Coyle to put the Wild up 2-1. Minnesota showed plenty of life in the second period after managing just four shots on goal in the first.”I think that’s a big goal in the game, especially in that one, but we can’t look back on the result,” said Detroit captain Henrik Zetterberg. ”At the beginning of the game we played well. I thought we had a good start, good first period, got the first goal and then they score two quick ones.”Zucker added a pair of goals less than a minute apart, including an empty-net goal with 3:38 to play. He also redirected a pass to give Minnesota some breathing room with a 3-1 lead with 4:18 remaining.Justin Abdelkader scored for Detroit off a rebound at 3:58 of the first period to open the scoring.The Red Wings had a good look at an open net and a potential tying goal midway through the third after Dubnyk was caught out of position behind his goal. Tyler Bertuzzi had a shot, but Spurgeon managed to get in front of the puck to keep it a one-goal game.”It’s an easy time for frustration to build, and there’s nothing wrong with being frustrated now and we should be,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. ”If you’re not, you probably shouldn’t be a competitor.”NOTES: Detroit has lost three in a row. … Wild F Nino Niederreiter had his 100th career assist and 200th career point on the same play Sunday. He had the second assist on Parise’s goal. … Howard is 14-4-3 against Minnesota. … Staal’s 34 goals are his most in a season since he had 40 in 2008-09 with Carolina.UP NEXTRed Wings: At Boston on Tuesday night.Wild: Host Carolina on Tuesday night.