NHL roundup: Marleau (four goals) paces Sharks
By The Sports Xchange
DENVER -- Patrick Marleau scored four goals in the third period, Brent Burns had a goal and two assists, and the San Jose Sharks beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-2 on Monday night.
Marleau snapped a tie with the first of his three straight goals in the third period and notch his fifth career hat trick. It was the first multi-goal performance of the season for Marleau, who added another at 16:23 for the first four-goal game of his career.
Martin Jones had 26 saves and Logan Couture and Marc-Eduoard Vlasic had two assists apiece to lead the Sharks (30-16-2) to their fifth straight win.
Nikita Zadorov had a goal and an assist and Jarome Iginla also scored for Colorado. Spencer Martin stopped 21 shots for the Avalanche, who are 1-13-1 in their last 15 home games.
Capitals 6, Hurricanes 1
WASHINGTON -- Dmitry Orlov scored twice, Braden Holtby made 25 saves and Washington defeated Carolina at Verizon Center.
Washington, which increased its points streak to 14 consecutive games (12-0-2), got a goal and an assist apiece from Justin Williams and Evgeny Kuznetsov.
T.J. Oshie added his 18th of the season -- giving him a goal in four straight games -- and Lars Eller closed out the scoring. Andre Burakovsky had three assists and Karl Alzner added two.
Maple Leafs 4, Flames 0
TORONTO -- Nazem Kadri scored two goals and Frederik Andersen stopped 26 shots to earn his second shutout of the season and eighth career as Toronto breezed to a victory over Calgary.
Mitch Marner and Zach Hyman also scored for the Maple Leafs (22-14-9), who had lost their two previous games. Marner added an assist and Nikita Zaitsev had two assists.
Brian Elliott made 24 saves for the Flames (24-23-3), who have lost three games in a row.
Rangers 3, Kings 2
NEW YORK -- Mats Zuccarello scored a back-breaking goal early in the third period to help New York to its third straight victory, a 3-2 triumph over Los Angeles at Madison Square Garden.
With the teams skating 4-on-4, Kings goaltender Jeff Zatkoff gave the puck away behind his net to the Rangers' J.T. Miller. Zuccarello took a pass from Miller and beat Zatkoff with a high shot to give New York a 3-1 lead.
The Kings have lost four straight games, all in regulation.
Ducks 3, Jets 2
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Anaheim used suffocating physical play at both ends of the ice and some timely efforts from its special teams to beat Winnipeg at the MTS Centre.
Ryan Getzlaf, who earlier had an assist, scored what proved to be the winning goal on the power play at 8:48 of the third period. He deflected a point shot past Winnipeg goalie Ondrej Pavelec.
Logan Shaw and Rickard Rakell also scored for Anaheim, while Andrew Copp and Nik Ehlers had the goals for the Jets.
Coyotes 3, Ducks 2 (OT)
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Tobias Rieder buried a feed from Alex Burmistrov 48 seconds into overtime and Arizona won its second straight game with a victory over Florida at Gila River Arena.
Arizona, which also received goals from rookie Christian Fischer and Ryan White, recorded a season-high 42 shots on goal. The Coyotes have won four of their past five home games.
Vincent Trocheck and Michael Sgarbossa scored for Florida, which went 0-2-2 on its four-game road trip and has lost 10 contests past regulation, the most in the league.
By The Sports Xchange
DENVER -- Patrick Marleau scored four goals in the third period, Brent Burns had a goal and two assists, and the San Jose Sharks beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-2 on Monday night.
Marleau snapped a tie with the first of his three straight goals in the third period and notch his fifth career hat trick. It was the first multi-goal performance of the season for Marleau, who added another at 16:23 for the first four-goal game of his career.
Martin Jones had 26 saves and Logan Couture and Marc-Eduoard Vlasic had two assists apiece to lead the Sharks (30-16-2) to their fifth straight win.
Nikita Zadorov had a goal and an assist and Jarome Iginla also scored for Colorado. Spencer Martin stopped 21 shots for the Avalanche, who are 1-13-1 in their last 15 home games.
Capitals 6, Hurricanes 1
WASHINGTON -- Dmitry Orlov scored twice, Braden Holtby made 25 saves and Washington defeated Carolina at Verizon Center.
Washington, which increased its points streak to 14 consecutive games (12-0-2), got a goal and an assist apiece from Justin Williams and Evgeny Kuznetsov.
T.J. Oshie added his 18th of the season -- giving him a goal in four straight games -- and Lars Eller closed out the scoring. Andre Burakovsky had three assists and Karl Alzner added two.
Maple Leafs 4, Flames 0
TORONTO -- Nazem Kadri scored two goals and Frederik Andersen stopped 26 shots to earn his second shutout of the season and eighth career as Toronto breezed to a victory over Calgary.
Mitch Marner and Zach Hyman also scored for the Maple Leafs (22-14-9), who had lost their two previous games. Marner added an assist and Nikita Zaitsev had two assists.
Brian Elliott made 24 saves for the Flames (24-23-3), who have lost three games in a row.
Rangers 3, Kings 2
NEW YORK -- Mats Zuccarello scored a back-breaking goal early in the third period to help New York to its third straight victory, a 3-2 triumph over Los Angeles at Madison Square Garden.
With the teams skating 4-on-4, Kings goaltender Jeff Zatkoff gave the puck away behind his net to the Rangers' J.T. Miller. Zuccarello took a pass from Miller and beat Zatkoff with a high shot to give New York a 3-1 lead.
The Kings have lost four straight games, all in regulation.
Ducks 3, Jets 2
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Anaheim used suffocating physical play at both ends of the ice and some timely efforts from its special teams to beat Winnipeg at the MTS Centre.
Ryan Getzlaf, who earlier had an assist, scored what proved to be the winning goal on the power play at 8:48 of the third period. He deflected a point shot past Winnipeg goalie Ondrej Pavelec.
Logan Shaw and Rickard Rakell also scored for Anaheim, while Andrew Copp and Nik Ehlers had the goals for the Jets.
Coyotes 3, Ducks 2 (OT)
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Tobias Rieder buried a feed from Alex Burmistrov 48 seconds into overtime and Arizona won its second straight game with a victory over Florida at Gila River Arena.
Arizona, which also received goals from rookie Christian Fischer and Ryan White, recorded a season-high 42 shots on goal. The Coyotes have won four of their past five home games.
Vincent Trocheck and Michael Sgarbossa scored for Florida, which went 0-2-2 on its four-game road trip and has lost 10 contests past regulation, the most in the league.
Preview: Kings (22-21) at Devils (20-19)
Date: January 24, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
Two teams with similar records, but lately headed in opposite directions, meet on Tuesday night when the New Jersey Devils host the Los Angeles Kings at the Prudential Center.
The Devils (20-19-9) are coming off a rousing 4-1 road victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, their fourth win in the past five games. New Jersey's recent success after a dreadful 4-9-2 month of December revived the team's playoff hopes.
In contrast, the Kings (22-21-4) have lost four games in a row, including a 3-2 defeat to the Rangers in New York on Monday. The four-game losing streak is Los Angeles' longest this season following a pair of earlier three-game skids.
Struggling mightily offensively, the Kings have scored only six goals over the past four games. On Monday, they never held a lead, and their star players remained in scoring droughts while rugged forwards Jordan Nolan and Kyle Clifford scored the goals.
Kings captain Anze Kopitar has just one goal in his past 18 games and only four goals and 25 points in 41 games the entire season. He heads a long list of struggling forwards on the Kings roster, with Jeff Carter (24 goals) and Tanner Pearson (14 goals) the notable exceptions.
"That's been our theme this year," Nolan told the team's website. "We get a lot of good opportunities, but we just can't find a way to put it in. Sooner or later, we've got to find a way or it's going to be too late and we'll be out of the playoffs."
As was the case Monday against the Rangers, the Kings have tremendous difficulty in coming back from early deficits. Los Angeles is 8-16-2 this season when surrendering the game's first goal and 5-13-2 when trailing after one period.
"I think it's such a repetitive thing right now being down one going into the second (period)," Pearson said Monday. "You're just chasing the game. It's frustrating, and so we've got to get that (first) one and go from there."
The Devils know a thing or two about scoring woes. They have only 110 goals, tied for third fewest in the NHL.
Yet lately New Jersey is combining strong defensive play with a renewed attack on offense to produce successful results. The Devils scored four goals twice in the past week after reaching that total only once in nearly two months, dating to the first week of December.
Kyle Palmieri has been a key contributor offensively of late with three goals and two assists in the past five games. Rookie Miles Wood scored twice in the Saturday victory over the Flyers, while Taylor Hall (2-4-6) is riding a six-game point streak.
"When you look at the Philly game, we had contributions throughout the lineup," Devils coach John Hynes told NorthJersey.com. "We feel good about that game, but we would like to go into the (All-Star) break playing really good hockey. (We) have an opportunity to win games and get some points in these next two."
Hynes did not announce if Cory Schneider would be back between the pipes for the Devils on Tuesday. After missing the previous two games due to an illness, Schneider practiced on Monday and declared himself ready to start against the Kings. Backup goaltender Keith Kinkaid allowed four goals total in the win over the Flyers and a loss the previous night in Montreal to the Canadiens.
"(Schneider) looks good," Hynes said after practice. "We'll check him out ... and then we'll have both guys available (against the Kings) and then we'll make a decision."
Date: January 24, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
Two teams with similar records, but lately headed in opposite directions, meet on Tuesday night when the New Jersey Devils host the Los Angeles Kings at the Prudential Center.
The Devils (20-19-9) are coming off a rousing 4-1 road victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, their fourth win in the past five games. New Jersey's recent success after a dreadful 4-9-2 month of December revived the team's playoff hopes.
In contrast, the Kings (22-21-4) have lost four games in a row, including a 3-2 defeat to the Rangers in New York on Monday. The four-game losing streak is Los Angeles' longest this season following a pair of earlier three-game skids.
Struggling mightily offensively, the Kings have scored only six goals over the past four games. On Monday, they never held a lead, and their star players remained in scoring droughts while rugged forwards Jordan Nolan and Kyle Clifford scored the goals.
Kings captain Anze Kopitar has just one goal in his past 18 games and only four goals and 25 points in 41 games the entire season. He heads a long list of struggling forwards on the Kings roster, with Jeff Carter (24 goals) and Tanner Pearson (14 goals) the notable exceptions.
"That's been our theme this year," Nolan told the team's website. "We get a lot of good opportunities, but we just can't find a way to put it in. Sooner or later, we've got to find a way or it's going to be too late and we'll be out of the playoffs."
As was the case Monday against the Rangers, the Kings have tremendous difficulty in coming back from early deficits. Los Angeles is 8-16-2 this season when surrendering the game's first goal and 5-13-2 when trailing after one period.
"I think it's such a repetitive thing right now being down one going into the second (period)," Pearson said Monday. "You're just chasing the game. It's frustrating, and so we've got to get that (first) one and go from there."
The Devils know a thing or two about scoring woes. They have only 110 goals, tied for third fewest in the NHL.
Yet lately New Jersey is combining strong defensive play with a renewed attack on offense to produce successful results. The Devils scored four goals twice in the past week after reaching that total only once in nearly two months, dating to the first week of December.
Kyle Palmieri has been a key contributor offensively of late with three goals and two assists in the past five games. Rookie Miles Wood scored twice in the Saturday victory over the Flyers, while Taylor Hall (2-4-6) is riding a six-game point streak.
"When you look at the Philly game, we had contributions throughout the lineup," Devils coach John Hynes told NorthJersey.com. "We feel good about that game, but we would like to go into the (All-Star) break playing really good hockey. (We) have an opportunity to win games and get some points in these next two."
Hynes did not announce if Cory Schneider would be back between the pipes for the Devils on Tuesday. After missing the previous two games due to an illness, Schneider practiced on Monday and declared himself ready to start against the Kings. Backup goaltender Keith Kinkaid allowed four goals total in the win over the Flyers and a loss the previous night in Montreal to the Canadiens.
"(Schneider) looks good," Hynes said after practice. "We'll check him out ... and then we'll have both guys available (against the Kings) and then we'll make a decision."
Preview: Blue Jackets (32-10) at Islanders (19-17)
Date: January 24, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
NEW YORK -- The New York Islanders picked up five points in the first three games of a season-long six-game homestand. But the real challenge begins Tuesday night, when the Islanders host the Columbus Blue Jackets at Barclays Center.
The visit by the Blue Jackets begins at three-game stretch in which the Islanders host the top three teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Atlantic Division-leading Montreal Canadiens arrive Thursday and the Washington Capitals, who beat the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday to break a tie with the Blue Jackets not only atop the Metropolitan Division but the entire NHL, head to Barclays Center on Jan. 31.
It's an imposing task for the Islanders, who fell in overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Sunday and will enter Tuesday tied with the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning for the fewest points in the Eastern Conference.
But any chance the Islanders have of climbing into playoff contention -- they are five points behind the Flyers for the second Eastern wild card -- rests on maintaining the successful start to the homestand.
"We're playing some good hockey, which requires a lot of energy," said interim head coach Doug Weight, who has directed the Islanders to a 2-0-1 record since taking over for the fired Jack Capuano last Tuesday.
The Blue Jackets certainly expended a lot of energy on Sunday, when they outlasted the Ottawa Senators 7-6 in overtime. It was only the second time in franchise history that Columbus has won a game in which it gave up at least six goals.
"You can say (the game was fun) because we got the two points," forward Cam Atkinson told The Columbus Dispatch after scoring the winning goal 1:09 into overtime. "If we lost, it would have been a different story."
Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella didn't find much satisfaction in pulling out the victory.
"I don't know what to tell you," Tortorella told The Dispatch. "I'm certainly not going to dissect it. I just don't know what to tell you. I'm speechless."
The Blue Jackets will hope for a better defensive effort Tuesday, when starting goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is expected back in net. Bobrovsky didn't play in the second game of a back-to-back Sunday but has allowed just six goals in his last four starts dating to Jan. 8.
New Islanders Mo. 1 goalie Thomas Greiss will likely oppose Bobrovsky. Greiss received second star honors last week when he authored consecutive shutouts against the Boston Bruins and Dallas Stars.
Greiss has allowed just three goals on 99 shots over three starts. He is 4-2-3 since former starter Jaroslav Halak was waived Dec. 31 and eventually assigned to Bridgeport of the American Hockey League.
Islanders left winger Andrew Ladd is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday after missing four straight games with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Travis Hamonic remains on injured reserve and is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury he suffered Jan. 7.
Blue Jackets defenseman Markus Nutivaara and David Savard are day to day with undisclosed injuries. Nutivaara has been sidelined the last four games and Savard has missed the last two.
Date: January 24, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
NEW YORK -- The New York Islanders picked up five points in the first three games of a season-long six-game homestand. But the real challenge begins Tuesday night, when the Islanders host the Columbus Blue Jackets at Barclays Center.
The visit by the Blue Jackets begins at three-game stretch in which the Islanders host the top three teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Atlantic Division-leading Montreal Canadiens arrive Thursday and the Washington Capitals, who beat the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday to break a tie with the Blue Jackets not only atop the Metropolitan Division but the entire NHL, head to Barclays Center on Jan. 31.
It's an imposing task for the Islanders, who fell in overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Sunday and will enter Tuesday tied with the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning for the fewest points in the Eastern Conference.
But any chance the Islanders have of climbing into playoff contention -- they are five points behind the Flyers for the second Eastern wild card -- rests on maintaining the successful start to the homestand.
"We're playing some good hockey, which requires a lot of energy," said interim head coach Doug Weight, who has directed the Islanders to a 2-0-1 record since taking over for the fired Jack Capuano last Tuesday.
The Blue Jackets certainly expended a lot of energy on Sunday, when they outlasted the Ottawa Senators 7-6 in overtime. It was only the second time in franchise history that Columbus has won a game in which it gave up at least six goals.
"You can say (the game was fun) because we got the two points," forward Cam Atkinson told The Columbus Dispatch after scoring the winning goal 1:09 into overtime. "If we lost, it would have been a different story."
Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella didn't find much satisfaction in pulling out the victory.
"I don't know what to tell you," Tortorella told The Dispatch. "I'm certainly not going to dissect it. I just don't know what to tell you. I'm speechless."
The Blue Jackets will hope for a better defensive effort Tuesday, when starting goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is expected back in net. Bobrovsky didn't play in the second game of a back-to-back Sunday but has allowed just six goals in his last four starts dating to Jan. 8.
New Islanders Mo. 1 goalie Thomas Greiss will likely oppose Bobrovsky. Greiss received second star honors last week when he authored consecutive shutouts against the Boston Bruins and Dallas Stars.
Greiss has allowed just three goals on 99 shots over three starts. He is 4-2-3 since former starter Jaroslav Halak was waived Dec. 31 and eventually assigned to Bridgeport of the American Hockey League.
Islanders left winger Andrew Ladd is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday after missing four straight games with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Travis Hamonic remains on injured reserve and is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury he suffered Jan. 7.
Blue Jackets defenseman Markus Nutivaara and David Savard are day to day with undisclosed injuries. Nutivaara has been sidelined the last four games and Savard has missed the last two.
Preview: Blues (23-19) at Penguins (30-11)
Date: January 24, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
PITTSBURGH -- Games between the Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues have often been low-scoring in recent seasons. In 39 games over the past six seasons, the clubs averaged a combined 4.3 goals a game, and there were two 1-0 finishes in that span.
That's not the way the statistical arrow is pointing heading into their first meeting of 2016-17 Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena -- and it doesn't favor St. Louis.
Pittsburgh almost seems to be scoring at will. Same with the Blues' opponents.
The Penguins (30-11-5) lead the NHL with an average of 3.63 goals a game, and lately that has been boosted to a scorching stretch with an average of six goals in the last four contests
During the current four-game winning streak, Pittsburgh outscored its opponents 24-10. During the current and season-best seven-game home winning streak, the Penguins own a 37-18 scoring edge.
Individually, centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who is enjoying a seven-game point streak, are tied for second in the NHL with 54 points apiece, and Crosby leads the league with 28 goals.
In the 15 games since Crosby has been playing with wingers Conor Sheary and Bryan Rust, that top line combined for 48 points. Sheary on Monday was named the NHL's top star of the week after collecting six goals and nine points during the four-game winning streak.
"We're just working well together," Rust said. "We're playing really close in the offensive zone. We've been able to read each other's body language well."
Goaltender Matt Murray, who has been in net for all four games in the streak, appreciates the goal support as well as, in general, solid defensive and overall play from his teammates.
"The team has done quite the job of making my job fairly easy," Murray said.
Goaltending and giving up goals has, conversely, been the bane of the Blues lately.
St. Louis (23-19-5) ranks in the bottom five in goals against per game at 3.11. The team has lost three games in a row -- the first time that has happened in regulation this season -- by a combined 18-11 and is 4-6 this month.
That slump dropped the Blues into a wildcard spot in the West.
Coach Ken Hitchcock isn't piling all of the blame at the feet of his goaltenders, but he is concerned.
"Quite frankly we're allowing too many goals against, too many easy scoring chances," he said. "We're getting scored on killing penalties now. I think if we clean up our own end, both five on five and five on four, it will help us a lot. We are getting a lot of scoring chances, we are creating a lot, but we're giving up just as much now."
Still, the Blues have taken some steps to try to get better play in net, particularly from No. 1 goalie Jake Allen, who has been pulled three times in his past five starts and is 3-7-0 in his past 11 starts.
Allen was left home for a road game Saturday at Winnipeg, one in which rookie Phoenix Copley made his NHL debut in a 5-3 loss. The idea, explained by St. Louis management, was for Allen to take a breather physically and mentally.
Allen was back at practice Monday and said afterward that he had a good, relaxing weekend.
Allen, who spoke with reporters for the first time since he was benched, accepted responsibility for the Blues' recent struggles.
"I take a lot of blame. I deserve it. No excuses," he said. "I have no problem with taking the heat."
Still, Allen won't get the chance for what could be a fresh start Monday. Hitchcock announced that backup Carter Hutton (6-6-2) will start against Pittsburgh. Allen won't even dress, with Copley backing up. Allen instead is scheduled to start Thursday at Minnesota.
Date: January 24, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
PITTSBURGH -- Games between the Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues have often been low-scoring in recent seasons. In 39 games over the past six seasons, the clubs averaged a combined 4.3 goals a game, and there were two 1-0 finishes in that span.
That's not the way the statistical arrow is pointing heading into their first meeting of 2016-17 Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena -- and it doesn't favor St. Louis.
Pittsburgh almost seems to be scoring at will. Same with the Blues' opponents.
The Penguins (30-11-5) lead the NHL with an average of 3.63 goals a game, and lately that has been boosted to a scorching stretch with an average of six goals in the last four contests
During the current four-game winning streak, Pittsburgh outscored its opponents 24-10. During the current and season-best seven-game home winning streak, the Penguins own a 37-18 scoring edge.
Individually, centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who is enjoying a seven-game point streak, are tied for second in the NHL with 54 points apiece, and Crosby leads the league with 28 goals.
In the 15 games since Crosby has been playing with wingers Conor Sheary and Bryan Rust, that top line combined for 48 points. Sheary on Monday was named the NHL's top star of the week after collecting six goals and nine points during the four-game winning streak.
"We're just working well together," Rust said. "We're playing really close in the offensive zone. We've been able to read each other's body language well."
Goaltender Matt Murray, who has been in net for all four games in the streak, appreciates the goal support as well as, in general, solid defensive and overall play from his teammates.
"The team has done quite the job of making my job fairly easy," Murray said.
Goaltending and giving up goals has, conversely, been the bane of the Blues lately.
St. Louis (23-19-5) ranks in the bottom five in goals against per game at 3.11. The team has lost three games in a row -- the first time that has happened in regulation this season -- by a combined 18-11 and is 4-6 this month.
That slump dropped the Blues into a wildcard spot in the West.
Coach Ken Hitchcock isn't piling all of the blame at the feet of his goaltenders, but he is concerned.
"Quite frankly we're allowing too many goals against, too many easy scoring chances," he said. "We're getting scored on killing penalties now. I think if we clean up our own end, both five on five and five on four, it will help us a lot. We are getting a lot of scoring chances, we are creating a lot, but we're giving up just as much now."
Still, the Blues have taken some steps to try to get better play in net, particularly from No. 1 goalie Jake Allen, who has been pulled three times in his past five starts and is 3-7-0 in his past 11 starts.
Allen was left home for a road game Saturday at Winnipeg, one in which rookie Phoenix Copley made his NHL debut in a 5-3 loss. The idea, explained by St. Louis management, was for Allen to take a breather physically and mentally.
Allen was back at practice Monday and said afterward that he had a good, relaxing weekend.
Allen, who spoke with reporters for the first time since he was benched, accepted responsibility for the Blues' recent struggles.
"I take a lot of blame. I deserve it. No excuses," he said. "I have no problem with taking the heat."
Still, Allen won't get the chance for what could be a fresh start Monday. Hitchcock announced that backup Carter Hutton (6-6-2) will start against Pittsburgh. Allen won't even dress, with Copley backing up. Allen instead is scheduled to start Thursday at Minnesota.
Preview: Red Wings (20-19) at Bruins (23-21)
Date: January 24, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
BOSTON -- Last week in Detroit, the Red Wings rallied from three goals down and stunned the Boston Bruins 6-5 in a shootout.
Both teams have played twice since and have lost each game, but the losses have been entirely different.
The teams meet again in Boston on Tuesday with opposite outlooks in the final week before the All-Star break.
The Red Wings have suffered a pair of overtime losses since the Bruins left town. Boston, on the other hand, has scored one goal in losing two straight to run its losing streak to four in a row -- as storm clouds continue to hover above the head of coach Claude Julien.
The Red Wings lost two forwards -- Dylan Larkin (upper body) and Thomas Vanek (lower) to injuries in Sunday's 1-0 overtime loss to the New York Rangers. Neither will play Tuesday and Steve Ott, out with a shoulder injury, practiced Monday but didn't know if he'd be able to go in Boston.
"I'm not worried about who we don't have, I'm worried about the guys that will be dressed," coach Jeff Blashill said. "We'll have 20 good enough to go win a hockey game in Boston. We gotta go execute."
So do the Bruins, who are 3-5-2 in their last 10 games and 10-12-0 on the season at home, where they have been shut out in their last two contests.
As Julien deals with the questions about his job security -- or lack of it -- he continues to coach his team. He lost Tuukka Rask to a migraine during Sunday's loss in Pittsburgh and the goaltender didn't practice Monday.
How important is it for Rask to be in the lineup? Well, he is 22-14-4 and often the reason the Bruins are in games. The other two goalies, Zane McIntyre and Anton Khudobin, are a combined 1-8-2.
Julien put the Bruins through a 50-minute workout Monday and liked what he saw.
"Sometimes, you have to go back to the drawing board when you see enough of different things," Julien said. "We decided that we need a little eye-opening moment.
"I liked our practice today. And I hope our guys can bring that kind of energy and determination (Tuesday)."
The Bruins could get the Millers -- defensemen Colin and Kevan -- back from injury Tuesday. Colin has been out six games with a lower-body injury and Kevan is nursing an upper-body ailment. Both practice Monday.
"Colin was full contact, so we're evaluating him as we speak. Kevan, it depends on how well he feels," Julien said.
Tomas Jurco will provide depth for the Red Wings, who could also use veteran forward Drew Miller, who cleared waivers Monday for a trip to the minors but could be available.
Rask shut the Red Wings out in Boston with 24 saves on Oct. 29.
The Red Wings, currently on the outside looking in at the playoff picture, can make up ground Tuesday and Wednesday, at Boston and home against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"These are big games ... division games, teams we are chasing," captain Henrik Zetterberg said. "If we win those games we are going great so that's what we need to do."
The Bruins are 8-2-1 in the last 2 1/2 seasons against the Red Wings.
Date: January 24, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
BOSTON -- Last week in Detroit, the Red Wings rallied from three goals down and stunned the Boston Bruins 6-5 in a shootout.
Both teams have played twice since and have lost each game, but the losses have been entirely different.
The teams meet again in Boston on Tuesday with opposite outlooks in the final week before the All-Star break.
The Red Wings have suffered a pair of overtime losses since the Bruins left town. Boston, on the other hand, has scored one goal in losing two straight to run its losing streak to four in a row -- as storm clouds continue to hover above the head of coach Claude Julien.
The Red Wings lost two forwards -- Dylan Larkin (upper body) and Thomas Vanek (lower) to injuries in Sunday's 1-0 overtime loss to the New York Rangers. Neither will play Tuesday and Steve Ott, out with a shoulder injury, practiced Monday but didn't know if he'd be able to go in Boston.
"I'm not worried about who we don't have, I'm worried about the guys that will be dressed," coach Jeff Blashill said. "We'll have 20 good enough to go win a hockey game in Boston. We gotta go execute."
So do the Bruins, who are 3-5-2 in their last 10 games and 10-12-0 on the season at home, where they have been shut out in their last two contests.
As Julien deals with the questions about his job security -- or lack of it -- he continues to coach his team. He lost Tuukka Rask to a migraine during Sunday's loss in Pittsburgh and the goaltender didn't practice Monday.
How important is it for Rask to be in the lineup? Well, he is 22-14-4 and often the reason the Bruins are in games. The other two goalies, Zane McIntyre and Anton Khudobin, are a combined 1-8-2.
Julien put the Bruins through a 50-minute workout Monday and liked what he saw.
"Sometimes, you have to go back to the drawing board when you see enough of different things," Julien said. "We decided that we need a little eye-opening moment.
"I liked our practice today. And I hope our guys can bring that kind of energy and determination (Tuesday)."
The Bruins could get the Millers -- defensemen Colin and Kevan -- back from injury Tuesday. Colin has been out six games with a lower-body injury and Kevan is nursing an upper-body ailment. Both practice Monday.
"Colin was full contact, so we're evaluating him as we speak. Kevan, it depends on how well he feels," Julien said.
Tomas Jurco will provide depth for the Red Wings, who could also use veteran forward Drew Miller, who cleared waivers Monday for a trip to the minors but could be available.
Rask shut the Red Wings out in Boston with 24 saves on Oct. 29.
The Red Wings, currently on the outside looking in at the playoff picture, can make up ground Tuesday and Wednesday, at Boston and home against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"These are big games ... division games, teams we are chasing," captain Henrik Zetterberg said. "If we win those games we are going great so that's what we need to do."
The Bruins are 8-2-1 in the last 2 1/2 seasons against the Red Wings.
Preview: Flames (24-23) at Canadiens (28-13)
Date: January 24, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
MONTREAL -- The Calgary Flames have lost more than three straight only once so far this season. They'll look to keep it that way when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night at the Bell Centre.
The Flames (24-23-5) suffered their third consecutive loss on Monday night, falling 4-0 to the Maple Leafs in Toronto. The defeat came two days after dropping a 7-3 decision on home ice to the Edmonton Oilers.
"We just have to find a way to find wins," coach Glen Gulutzan said after Monday's game. "We didn't capitalize on our looks. We're just going to keep looking at the things we did well. I thought we did a lot of things well (against the Leafs). There are some things we obviously need to improve on but you just keep pushing what your agenda is. We just need to get pucks at the net and on the net. It doesn't have to be a kill shot every time, let's just hit the net."
After scoring five in a win against the Florida Panthers one week ago, Calgary has been limited to just six goals over its past three games while allowing 15. Not helping matters is the fact that the Flames have allowed the first goal in eight straight games, including multi-goal deficits in each game of their current skid.
"It's frustrating at times," Johnny Gaudreau said. "It's a lot easier playing when you start with the lead. So a lot of these we're starting behind it's tough to come back in this league. We have to be better with our starts, we keeping saying that and we've got to do that. I think we need to find a way to score on the power play."
The Flames' power play dropped to 14th in the NHL after being blanked on four occasions on Monday and has connected more than once with the man advantage only twice in 11 games in January.
While the Canadiens rank among the league's top teams on the power play, it's been largely due to their success on the road. Montreal sits 13th on home ice, clicking at 20 percent. Not only has the team managed just one power-play goal in four home games this month, it has struggled to even draw penalties over the last three games, earning a mere four opportunities.
The Habs (28-13-7) are in the middle of one of their toughest stretches of the schedule; Tuesday's tilt will be their ninth game in the last 16 days. They'll have to wait until mid-February for the newly instilled bye week.
"Everyone has the same schedule, basically. Some teams will hit it later in the season," Alexander Radulov said. "I won't lie to you, it's a tough stretch for the whole team. We've been playing since December almost every second day with some back-to-backs. Obviously (the bye week) is huge and I think it's going to help us."
Montreal got a hint of good news as several injured players joined the team for practice on Monday. But there was one notable absence in a recent returnee; Alex Galchenyuk "lightly" aggravated his knee injury on Saturday against the Sabres and will not face the Flames.
With the top center sidelined for at least one game, Phillip Danault will get the nod again between Max Pacioretty and Radulov after filling in admirably during Galchenyuk's previous absence.
"When you have injuries, it gives others an opportunity," coach Michel Therrien said. "Some are able to seize them and some need to go back and forth, which is completely normal. A guy like Danault, I think we can all agree, took advantage of the opportunity and is doing very well in a role that he's been in over the course of his career, but less so at the NHL level. It's great news for us."
Carey Price will get the start for the Canadiens. It's expected that Chad Johnson will get the nod for Calgary after Brian Elliott did so against Toronto.
Date: January 24, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
MONTREAL -- The Calgary Flames have lost more than three straight only once so far this season. They'll look to keep it that way when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night at the Bell Centre.
The Flames (24-23-5) suffered their third consecutive loss on Monday night, falling 4-0 to the Maple Leafs in Toronto. The defeat came two days after dropping a 7-3 decision on home ice to the Edmonton Oilers.
"We just have to find a way to find wins," coach Glen Gulutzan said after Monday's game. "We didn't capitalize on our looks. We're just going to keep looking at the things we did well. I thought we did a lot of things well (against the Leafs). There are some things we obviously need to improve on but you just keep pushing what your agenda is. We just need to get pucks at the net and on the net. It doesn't have to be a kill shot every time, let's just hit the net."
After scoring five in a win against the Florida Panthers one week ago, Calgary has been limited to just six goals over its past three games while allowing 15. Not helping matters is the fact that the Flames have allowed the first goal in eight straight games, including multi-goal deficits in each game of their current skid.
"It's frustrating at times," Johnny Gaudreau said. "It's a lot easier playing when you start with the lead. So a lot of these we're starting behind it's tough to come back in this league. We have to be better with our starts, we keeping saying that and we've got to do that. I think we need to find a way to score on the power play."
The Flames' power play dropped to 14th in the NHL after being blanked on four occasions on Monday and has connected more than once with the man advantage only twice in 11 games in January.
While the Canadiens rank among the league's top teams on the power play, it's been largely due to their success on the road. Montreal sits 13th on home ice, clicking at 20 percent. Not only has the team managed just one power-play goal in four home games this month, it has struggled to even draw penalties over the last three games, earning a mere four opportunities.
The Habs (28-13-7) are in the middle of one of their toughest stretches of the schedule; Tuesday's tilt will be their ninth game in the last 16 days. They'll have to wait until mid-February for the newly instilled bye week.
"Everyone has the same schedule, basically. Some teams will hit it later in the season," Alexander Radulov said. "I won't lie to you, it's a tough stretch for the whole team. We've been playing since December almost every second day with some back-to-backs. Obviously (the bye week) is huge and I think it's going to help us."
Montreal got a hint of good news as several injured players joined the team for practice on Monday. But there was one notable absence in a recent returnee; Alex Galchenyuk "lightly" aggravated his knee injury on Saturday against the Sabres and will not face the Flames.
With the top center sidelined for at least one game, Phillip Danault will get the nod again between Max Pacioretty and Radulov after filling in admirably during Galchenyuk's previous absence.
"When you have injuries, it gives others an opportunity," coach Michel Therrien said. "Some are able to seize them and some need to go back and forth, which is completely normal. A guy like Danault, I think we can all agree, took advantage of the opportunity and is doing very well in a role that he's been in over the course of his career, but less so at the NHL level. It's great news for us."
Carey Price will get the start for the Canadiens. It's expected that Chad Johnson will get the nod for Calgary after Brian Elliott did so against Toronto.
Preview: Capitals (32-9) at Senators (25-15)
Date: January 24, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
OTTAWA -- - The Ottawa Senators have enjoyed a decent January thus far, posting a 5-1-1 record since receiving one-goal losses to the Washington Capitals in the first week of the month.
Of course, most teams have sustained losses to the Capitals dating back to Dec. 27 -- Washington's last regulation defeat.
The Capitals' 6-1 beating of the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday was the 14th consecutive game (12-0-2) in which they've earned at least a point. Washington can tie a franchise record by extending the streak to 15 games Tuesday night in Ottawa.
"We've got all four lines rolling, and with our depth and our ability, when every line's going we're tough to stop," winger T.J. Oshie said after scoring his 18th goal of the season in the win over Carolina. "Things are going well right now, mentally we've got to keep our foot on the gas right now."
The Capitals have outscored opponents 65-27 during their 14-game run. In only four of the contests have their opponents scored more than two goals.
"It's going to be tough going back-to-back in Ottawa," Oshie said. "Mentally another tough task, and I think we're up to the challenge."
The Senators concluded a busy, four-game-in-six nights week on Sunday with a sloppy 7-6 overtime loss on home ice to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The setback came less than 24 hours after they won a shootout in Toronto.
Coach Guy Boucher told his players to stay away from the rink on Monday, hoping they will be re-energized to face a Capitals team that beat them at both ends of their bye week. Washington posted a 2-1 home win on Jan. 1 and a 1-0 triumph in Ottawa on Jan. 7.
"We need the energy to be able to sustain our effort through 60 minutes," Boucher said. "They are probably, if I'm not mistaken, the only top team we haven't beaten yet. Everybody else we were able to beat. It's a great challenge, absolutely."
Mike Condon will be out to redeem himself after giving up seven on Sunday when he is expected to make his 14th consecutive start and 23rd straight appearance for the Senators.
Braden Holtby stopped 25 shots in Monday's win and could be due for a rest, although he is showing no signs of needing one. In his last 20 games, Holtby has five shutouts, a 1.72 goals against average and a .939 save percentage.
With an assist on Monday, Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom extended his point streak to 10 games, tying the longest of his career. Mike Hoffman is the Senators' hottest shooter of late, scoring seven goals in his last seven games.
Ottawa did make some off-ice news on Monday when it signed winger Zack Smith to a four-year, $13 million contract extension. Smith, a third-round pick of the Senators in 2008, had his best season last year, scoring 25 goals. He had two in Sunday's loss to give him 11 so far in 2016-17.
"What else can you say besides I'm very happy to get this done," Smith said.
Date: January 24, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
OTTAWA -- - The Ottawa Senators have enjoyed a decent January thus far, posting a 5-1-1 record since receiving one-goal losses to the Washington Capitals in the first week of the month.
Of course, most teams have sustained losses to the Capitals dating back to Dec. 27 -- Washington's last regulation defeat.
The Capitals' 6-1 beating of the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday was the 14th consecutive game (12-0-2) in which they've earned at least a point. Washington can tie a franchise record by extending the streak to 15 games Tuesday night in Ottawa.
"We've got all four lines rolling, and with our depth and our ability, when every line's going we're tough to stop," winger T.J. Oshie said after scoring his 18th goal of the season in the win over Carolina. "Things are going well right now, mentally we've got to keep our foot on the gas right now."
The Capitals have outscored opponents 65-27 during their 14-game run. In only four of the contests have their opponents scored more than two goals.
"It's going to be tough going back-to-back in Ottawa," Oshie said. "Mentally another tough task, and I think we're up to the challenge."
The Senators concluded a busy, four-game-in-six nights week on Sunday with a sloppy 7-6 overtime loss on home ice to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The setback came less than 24 hours after they won a shootout in Toronto.
Coach Guy Boucher told his players to stay away from the rink on Monday, hoping they will be re-energized to face a Capitals team that beat them at both ends of their bye week. Washington posted a 2-1 home win on Jan. 1 and a 1-0 triumph in Ottawa on Jan. 7.
"We need the energy to be able to sustain our effort through 60 minutes," Boucher said. "They are probably, if I'm not mistaken, the only top team we haven't beaten yet. Everybody else we were able to beat. It's a great challenge, absolutely."
Mike Condon will be out to redeem himself after giving up seven on Sunday when he is expected to make his 14th consecutive start and 23rd straight appearance for the Senators.
Braden Holtby stopped 25 shots in Monday's win and could be due for a rest, although he is showing no signs of needing one. In his last 20 games, Holtby has five shutouts, a 1.72 goals against average and a .939 save percentage.
With an assist on Monday, Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom extended his point streak to 10 games, tying the longest of his career. Mike Hoffman is the Senators' hottest shooter of late, scoring seven goals in his last seven games.
Ottawa did make some off-ice news on Monday when it signed winger Zack Smith to a four-year, $13 million contract extension. Smith, a third-round pick of the Senators in 2008, had his best season last year, scoring 25 goals. He had two in Sunday's loss to give him 11 so far in 2016-17.
"What else can you say besides I'm very happy to get this done," Smith said.
Preview: Sabres (19-18) at Predators (23-17)
Date: January 24, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
On and off the ice, the Nashville Predators got well during their just-completed western road trip.
Not only did Nashville go 4-1-0 to jump over St. Louis for third place in the Central Division, it regained the services of top goal-scorer James Neal and All-Star defenseman P.K. Subban from injuries. The Predators trailed 2-0 in the trip's first and last stops, but rallied to knock off the division's worst team (Colorado) and its best (Minnesota).
Now they look to keep the roll going Tuesday night, when they welcome the Buffalo Sabres to Bridgestone Arena to open a stretch where they play eight of their next 10 games at home.
"We knew how important this road trip was," Nashville captain Mike Fisher said. "It's tested us in a lot of different ways, but we've played real hard and we're coming into our own."
It's reminiscent of two months ago, when the Predators put together an 8-3-1 November and appeared to be ready to resemble the team many thought would be a Stanley Cup contender. Instead, they stumbled through December, failing to find the consistency November brought it.
As it takes the ice against Buffalo (19-18-9), Nashville (23-17-7) is 7-3-1 in January, winning six of its last seven. The formula has evolved from relying on defense and cashing in on counter-attacks to driving play by possessing the puck, but the base for success has been the same: Goal prevention.
In their recent spurt, the Predators have yielded just 12 goals, less than two per game. Whether Pekka Rinne or goalie of the future Juuse Saros is between the pipes, they are getting excellent play, and that's allowed the team to settle into games even when they fall behind early.
Sunday night's 4-2 win over Minnesota was a case in point. Nashville trailed 2-0 early, but Rinne kept it in contention. Then it started overrunning the tired Wild in the last two periods, ripping three goals into the net during the third period.
"We kind of got going and were working hard and we just got back into the game," said Filip Forsberg, who tallied the tying and go-ahead goals. "We played better and better in the game and that's how we want to do it."
Meanwhile, the Sabres arrive in town off one of their best wins of the season, a 3-2 verdict Saturday night in Montreal on Zach Bogosian's first marker of the season 1:48 into overtime.
It was the second goal of the game for a Buffalo defenseman; they had combined for an NHL-low five prior to puck drop in Bell Centre.
"We've started to learn what makes us successful and have actually attacked it in our game plan," said defenseman Cody Franson, a former Predator. "I think we've been competitive in every game for about eight games, win or lose, and when you give yourself honest chances to win, you're going to put some points on the board."
The Sabres are 2-1-0 on a six-game road trip that finishes right after the All-Star break with another trip to Montreal.
Date: January 24, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
On and off the ice, the Nashville Predators got well during their just-completed western road trip.
Not only did Nashville go 4-1-0 to jump over St. Louis for third place in the Central Division, it regained the services of top goal-scorer James Neal and All-Star defenseman P.K. Subban from injuries. The Predators trailed 2-0 in the trip's first and last stops, but rallied to knock off the division's worst team (Colorado) and its best (Minnesota).
Now they look to keep the roll going Tuesday night, when they welcome the Buffalo Sabres to Bridgestone Arena to open a stretch where they play eight of their next 10 games at home.
"We knew how important this road trip was," Nashville captain Mike Fisher said. "It's tested us in a lot of different ways, but we've played real hard and we're coming into our own."
It's reminiscent of two months ago, when the Predators put together an 8-3-1 November and appeared to be ready to resemble the team many thought would be a Stanley Cup contender. Instead, they stumbled through December, failing to find the consistency November brought it.
As it takes the ice against Buffalo (19-18-9), Nashville (23-17-7) is 7-3-1 in January, winning six of its last seven. The formula has evolved from relying on defense and cashing in on counter-attacks to driving play by possessing the puck, but the base for success has been the same: Goal prevention.
In their recent spurt, the Predators have yielded just 12 goals, less than two per game. Whether Pekka Rinne or goalie of the future Juuse Saros is between the pipes, they are getting excellent play, and that's allowed the team to settle into games even when they fall behind early.
Sunday night's 4-2 win over Minnesota was a case in point. Nashville trailed 2-0 early, but Rinne kept it in contention. Then it started overrunning the tired Wild in the last two periods, ripping three goals into the net during the third period.
"We kind of got going and were working hard and we just got back into the game," said Filip Forsberg, who tallied the tying and go-ahead goals. "We played better and better in the game and that's how we want to do it."
Meanwhile, the Sabres arrive in town off one of their best wins of the season, a 3-2 verdict Saturday night in Montreal on Zach Bogosian's first marker of the season 1:48 into overtime.
It was the second goal of the game for a Buffalo defenseman; they had combined for an NHL-low five prior to puck drop in Bell Centre.
"We've started to learn what makes us successful and have actually attacked it in our game plan," said defenseman Cody Franson, a former Predator. "I think we've been competitive in every game for about eight games, win or lose, and when you give yourself honest chances to win, you're going to put some points on the board."
The Sabres are 2-1-0 on a six-game road trip that finishes right after the All-Star break with another trip to Montreal.
Preview: Sharks (30-16) at Jets (22-24)
Date: January 24, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- The Patrick Marleau show rolls into the MTS Centre on Tuesday, fresh off the most impressive single-game performance in his 19-year career.
The 37-year-old center and his San Jose Sharks teammates will be looking to pick up where they left off as they face the Winnipeg Jets, just 24 hours after Marleau scored four third-period goals in a 5-2 road win over the Colorado Avalanche.
Marleau is just the 12th player in NHL history to score four times in a period and the first since Mario Lemieux did it back in 1997.
"It's an exceptional feat when you're 22 never mind 37 in the middle of seven games in 11 nights," San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said. "He's a great player. It was great to be part of it."
Marleau said, "Never had a four-goal game before, especially in one period. It was a good period to have."
Lost in Marleau's magic Monday night was the fact San Jose (30-16-2) earned its fifth consecutive win. The only downside was that right winger Joonas Donskoi left the game with an apparent injury and didn't return.
Winnipeg (22-24-4) played Monday night as well, dropping a tough 3-2 decision to the visiting Anaheim Ducks. It was a physical, chippy affair which saw Jets forward Mathieu Perreault get injured in the opening period following a slash by Corey Perry that went undetected by officials. Perreault didn't return to the game and is not expected to play against San Jose.
"It was a battle right from the get-go," Jets coach Paul Maurice said. "A physical game, not really a lot of easy ice for either team."
The Jets had their winning streak snapped at two games -- the ninth different time that happened this season. Winnipeg has yet to put together three consecutive victories but will be trying to start a new streak against the Sharks.
Both teams should be familiar with each other, having played in San Jose just eight days ago. The Sharks skated away with a 5-2 win in that contest.
Winnipeg may get a boost with the expected return of 18-year-old sniper Patrik Laine, who missed the past eight games after sustaining a concussion.
According to Maurice, Laine practiced so hard on Sunday that the young Finn nearly threw up. The coach said Laine could have played Monday but he didn't want the rookie returning against the rough-playing Ducks. Laine has 21 goals and 16 assists in 42 NHL games.
The Jets have struggled to find consistency this season, and they need to get hot soon if they want to make a push for the playoffs. Forward Nik Ehlers, who scored his 17th goal of the season on Monday night, said the game against the Ducks showed what it takes to be successful.
"I haven't played playoffs up here yet, but it definitely felt different than the other games," he said. "(The Ducks) were coming out hard, they were physical. We knew that was coming."
Expect more of the same from the Sharks on Tuesday.
Date: January 24, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- The Patrick Marleau show rolls into the MTS Centre on Tuesday, fresh off the most impressive single-game performance in his 19-year career.
The 37-year-old center and his San Jose Sharks teammates will be looking to pick up where they left off as they face the Winnipeg Jets, just 24 hours after Marleau scored four third-period goals in a 5-2 road win over the Colorado Avalanche.
Marleau is just the 12th player in NHL history to score four times in a period and the first since Mario Lemieux did it back in 1997.
"It's an exceptional feat when you're 22 never mind 37 in the middle of seven games in 11 nights," San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said. "He's a great player. It was great to be part of it."
Marleau said, "Never had a four-goal game before, especially in one period. It was a good period to have."
Lost in Marleau's magic Monday night was the fact San Jose (30-16-2) earned its fifth consecutive win. The only downside was that right winger Joonas Donskoi left the game with an apparent injury and didn't return.
Winnipeg (22-24-4) played Monday night as well, dropping a tough 3-2 decision to the visiting Anaheim Ducks. It was a physical, chippy affair which saw Jets forward Mathieu Perreault get injured in the opening period following a slash by Corey Perry that went undetected by officials. Perreault didn't return to the game and is not expected to play against San Jose.
"It was a battle right from the get-go," Jets coach Paul Maurice said. "A physical game, not really a lot of easy ice for either team."
The Jets had their winning streak snapped at two games -- the ninth different time that happened this season. Winnipeg has yet to put together three consecutive victories but will be trying to start a new streak against the Sharks.
Both teams should be familiar with each other, having played in San Jose just eight days ago. The Sharks skated away with a 5-2 win in that contest.
Winnipeg may get a boost with the expected return of 18-year-old sniper Patrik Laine, who missed the past eight games after sustaining a concussion.
According to Maurice, Laine practiced so hard on Sunday that the young Finn nearly threw up. The coach said Laine could have played Monday but he didn't want the rookie returning against the rough-playing Ducks. Laine has 21 goals and 16 assists in 42 NHL games.
The Jets have struggled to find consistency this season, and they need to get hot soon if they want to make a push for the playoffs. Forward Nik Ehlers, who scored his 17th goal of the season on Monday night, said the game against the Ducks showed what it takes to be successful.
"I haven't played playoffs up here yet, but it definitely felt different than the other games," he said. "(The Ducks) were coming out hard, they were physical. We knew that was coming."
Expect more of the same from the Sharks on Tuesday.
Preview: Wild (30-11) at Stars (19-20)
Date: January 24, 2017 8:30 PM EDT
DALLAS--The Dallas Stars' dynamic offensive tandem of Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin didn't practice on Monday, and one of them is questionable for Tuesday's game with the Minnesota Wild at AmericanAirlines Center.
Benn missed practice after sustaining a broken nose in a 4-3 overtime loss to Washington on Saturday. Dallas had a day off on Sunday and Benn is expected to play versus Minnesota.
"This (not practicing today) was just part of the precautionary after suffering the broken nose," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said on Monday of Benn's status.
Seguin missed practice Monday with an illness, which Ruff added were flu-like symptoms. Seguin, who is Dallas' lone 2017 NHL All-Star, is questionable for Tuesday's visit from the Wild.
"Yeah, there's concern (he might not play Tuesday)," Ruff said of Seguin. "I think anytime you can't practice and you're sick, there's concern. It depends whether he can eat, sleep, all that goes into whether he could play."
Young center Radek Faksa also missed practice Monday after sustaining a lower-body injury late in the third period against the Capitals. Faksa returned to the bench but did not make his way on to the ice.
"Yeah, he (Faksa) is going to miss a little bit of time," Ruff said. "It looks like at least the next two games. It doesn't look like it's serious. That's the good news."
Dallas (19-20-9) is 12-7-5 at home but one of those seven defeats came Jan. 14 against the Wild, a game where the Stars spotted Minnesota a 4-0 lead.
The Stars stormed back with four unanswered goals to tie the game in the third period, but the Wild prevailed thanks to another goal.
However, the Wild have had their issues with holding leads lately, most recently blowing a 2-0 advantage in what ended up being a 4-2 loss to Nashville at XCel Energy Center on Sunday.
"Obviously, if you want to win a championship, it's got to get better," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said of his team holding a lead. "Jeez, you can't do that. You got to be able to play with the lead. It's tough to play with the lead in this league because it's like the prevent defense in football, it never seems to work. You've got to go after them and try to increase the lead rather than hold the lead it seems."
Wild forward Zach Parise, who did not play for Minnesota in its six-game loss to Dallas in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring, definitely doesn't want to see a repeat of the Nashville game on Tuesday.
"When you give yourself a two-goal lead, you can't let them hang around. You got to get that third one and put them out of the game. We weren't able to do that," Parise said of the Nashville loss on Sunday.
Minnesota (30-11-5), which is 14-5-5 on the road and 9-4-2 against the Central, was without captain Mikko Koivu (illness) against Nashville. However, Koivu traveled with the team to Dallas on Monday and figures to be back in the lineup Tuesday.
As Central bunkmates who face one another quite frequently, the Wild and Stars are two teams that are quite familiar with one another.
So, Stars center Cody Eakin knows exactly what to expect from this fourth meeting of the season against the Wild.
"They're kind of firing on all eights. We got to match their speed and work ethic and their game from front to back," Eakin said on Monday.
And when playing a team firing on all cylinders, the importance of a strong start is something which can't be stressed enough from Dallas' standpoint.
"No, nothing can be overstated," Eakin said. "You can't take penalties. You've got to have a good start, match their work ethic and put the puck in the net. And if you get a power play, you've got to capitalize."
Date: January 24, 2017 8:30 PM EDT
DALLAS--The Dallas Stars' dynamic offensive tandem of Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin didn't practice on Monday, and one of them is questionable for Tuesday's game with the Minnesota Wild at AmericanAirlines Center.
Benn missed practice after sustaining a broken nose in a 4-3 overtime loss to Washington on Saturday. Dallas had a day off on Sunday and Benn is expected to play versus Minnesota.
"This (not practicing today) was just part of the precautionary after suffering the broken nose," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said on Monday of Benn's status.
Seguin missed practice Monday with an illness, which Ruff added were flu-like symptoms. Seguin, who is Dallas' lone 2017 NHL All-Star, is questionable for Tuesday's visit from the Wild.
"Yeah, there's concern (he might not play Tuesday)," Ruff said of Seguin. "I think anytime you can't practice and you're sick, there's concern. It depends whether he can eat, sleep, all that goes into whether he could play."
Young center Radek Faksa also missed practice Monday after sustaining a lower-body injury late in the third period against the Capitals. Faksa returned to the bench but did not make his way on to the ice.
"Yeah, he (Faksa) is going to miss a little bit of time," Ruff said. "It looks like at least the next two games. It doesn't look like it's serious. That's the good news."
Dallas (19-20-9) is 12-7-5 at home but one of those seven defeats came Jan. 14 against the Wild, a game where the Stars spotted Minnesota a 4-0 lead.
The Stars stormed back with four unanswered goals to tie the game in the third period, but the Wild prevailed thanks to another goal.
However, the Wild have had their issues with holding leads lately, most recently blowing a 2-0 advantage in what ended up being a 4-2 loss to Nashville at XCel Energy Center on Sunday.
"Obviously, if you want to win a championship, it's got to get better," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said of his team holding a lead. "Jeez, you can't do that. You got to be able to play with the lead. It's tough to play with the lead in this league because it's like the prevent defense in football, it never seems to work. You've got to go after them and try to increase the lead rather than hold the lead it seems."
Wild forward Zach Parise, who did not play for Minnesota in its six-game loss to Dallas in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring, definitely doesn't want to see a repeat of the Nashville game on Tuesday.
"When you give yourself a two-goal lead, you can't let them hang around. You got to get that third one and put them out of the game. We weren't able to do that," Parise said of the Nashville loss on Sunday.
Minnesota (30-11-5), which is 14-5-5 on the road and 9-4-2 against the Central, was without captain Mikko Koivu (illness) against Nashville. However, Koivu traveled with the team to Dallas on Monday and figures to be back in the lineup Tuesday.
As Central bunkmates who face one another quite frequently, the Wild and Stars are two teams that are quite familiar with one another.
So, Stars center Cody Eakin knows exactly what to expect from this fourth meeting of the season against the Wild.
"They're kind of firing on all eights. We got to match their speed and work ethic and their game from front to back," Eakin said on Monday.
And when playing a team firing on all cylinders, the importance of a strong start is something which can't be stressed enough from Dallas' standpoint.
"No, nothing can be overstated," Eakin said. "You can't take penalties. You've got to have a good start, match their work ethic and put the puck in the net. And if you get a power play, you've got to capitalize."
Preview: Lightning (21-22) at Blackhawks (30-14)
Date: January 24, 2017 8:30 PM EDT
CHICAGO -- It never is easy for an opponent to go on the road to face the Chicago Blackhawks.
For the Tampa Bay Lightning, the challenge could be particularly tough. An illness has spread through the locker room, which could be part of the reason the Lightning (21-22-5) are winless in their last three games and stumbled to the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Defenseman Victor Hedman missed three games last week because of the illness. Fellow defenseman Jason Garrison has not skated since Thursday because he is sick, and other players could be feeling the effects of the bug.
"It's leaking through our team and staff," coach Jon Cooper told the Tampa Bay Times.
The outlook is much happier and healthier for the Blackhawks (30-14-5), who won three games in a row and are 7-2-0 in their last nine contests. Chicago improved to 18-5-4 at home after a 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night.
The Blackhawks squandered a 2-0 lead before rallying with two late goals.
"We're happy with the two points," center Jonathan Toews told reporters after the game. "But obviously, it's not the only instance where we've kind of given up a one- or two-goal lead late in games. So it's something we can work on."
Toews and his teammates will try to build and protect a lead Tuesday in their first meeting against the Lightning this season. The teams will meet again in Tampa on March 27.
The matchup elicits memories of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final, in which the Blackhawks ousted the Lightning in six games to win the championship. A year-and-a-half later, the Blackhawks are seeking another deep run into the playoffs as the Lightning struggle to find their identity.
"Obviously, we never want to be in the spot we're in," goaltender Ben Bishop told the Tampa Bay Times. "But at the same time, we're still in striking distance. We want to go on a run."
Bishop was yanked from his previous start, but he could return to face Chicago. He is 11-11-3 with a .905 save percentage and 2.78 goals-against average this season.
If Bishop sits, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy will take his place. Vasilevskiy is 10-11-2 with a .907 save percentage and 2.86 GAA.
Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville likely will turn to Corey Crawford in net after he recorded his 200th career victory against the Canucks. Crawford is 18-10-3 with a .919 save percentage and 2.52 GAA.
Chicago's high-powered attack on offense is led by right winger Patrick Kane, who has 48 points (15 G, 33 A) in 49 games. Kane's linemate, left wing Artemi Panarin, ranks second on the team with 43 points (17 G, 26 A).
Right wing Nikita Kucherov leads the Lightning with 42 points (17 G, 25 A) in 41 games. The next best scorer is Hedman, who has 38 points (7 G, 31 A) in 45 contests.
Tampa Bay right winger J.T. Brown's status is uncertain for the game. Brown has not played since Jan. 7 because of an upper-body injury, but he returned to full-contact practice this week. He tallied two goals and two assists in 35 games before he was injured.
Date: January 24, 2017 8:30 PM EDT
CHICAGO -- It never is easy for an opponent to go on the road to face the Chicago Blackhawks.
For the Tampa Bay Lightning, the challenge could be particularly tough. An illness has spread through the locker room, which could be part of the reason the Lightning (21-22-5) are winless in their last three games and stumbled to the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Defenseman Victor Hedman missed three games last week because of the illness. Fellow defenseman Jason Garrison has not skated since Thursday because he is sick, and other players could be feeling the effects of the bug.
"It's leaking through our team and staff," coach Jon Cooper told the Tampa Bay Times.
The outlook is much happier and healthier for the Blackhawks (30-14-5), who won three games in a row and are 7-2-0 in their last nine contests. Chicago improved to 18-5-4 at home after a 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night.
The Blackhawks squandered a 2-0 lead before rallying with two late goals.
"We're happy with the two points," center Jonathan Toews told reporters after the game. "But obviously, it's not the only instance where we've kind of given up a one- or two-goal lead late in games. So it's something we can work on."
Toews and his teammates will try to build and protect a lead Tuesday in their first meeting against the Lightning this season. The teams will meet again in Tampa on March 27.
The matchup elicits memories of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final, in which the Blackhawks ousted the Lightning in six games to win the championship. A year-and-a-half later, the Blackhawks are seeking another deep run into the playoffs as the Lightning struggle to find their identity.
"Obviously, we never want to be in the spot we're in," goaltender Ben Bishop told the Tampa Bay Times. "But at the same time, we're still in striking distance. We want to go on a run."
Bishop was yanked from his previous start, but he could return to face Chicago. He is 11-11-3 with a .905 save percentage and 2.78 goals-against average this season.
If Bishop sits, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy will take his place. Vasilevskiy is 10-11-2 with a .907 save percentage and 2.86 GAA.
Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville likely will turn to Corey Crawford in net after he recorded his 200th career victory against the Canucks. Crawford is 18-10-3 with a .919 save percentage and 2.52 GAA.
Chicago's high-powered attack on offense is led by right winger Patrick Kane, who has 48 points (15 G, 33 A) in 49 games. Kane's linemate, left wing Artemi Panarin, ranks second on the team with 43 points (17 G, 26 A).
Right wing Nikita Kucherov leads the Lightning with 42 points (17 G, 25 A) in 41 games. The next best scorer is Hedman, who has 38 points (7 G, 31 A) in 45 contests.
Tampa Bay right winger J.T. Brown's status is uncertain for the game. Brown has not played since Jan. 7 because of an upper-body injury, but he returned to full-contact practice this week. He tallied two goals and two assists in 35 games before he was injured.
Grand Salami - January
The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.
Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.
*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.
NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
1/1 3 16 19 OVER
1/2 3 15.5 13 UNDER
1/3 7 37.5 40 OVER
1/4 6 33.5 29 UNDER
1/5 7 37.5 45 OVER
1/6 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/7 12 64.5 68 OVER
1/8 6 31.5 36 OVER
1/9 4 21 20 UNDER
1/10 7 37.5 41 OVER
1/11 4 21.5 26 OVER
1/12 9 48.5 54 OVER
1/13 7 37 40 OVER
1/14 12 64 80 OVER
1/15 4 20.5 16 UNDER
1/16 7 38.5 39 OVER
1/17 9 49.5 63 OVER
1/18 5 27.5 37 OVER
1/19 8 44.5 42 UNDER
1/20 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/21 11 58 72 OVER
1/22 6 32.5 37 OVER
1/23 6 31.5 33 OVER
1/24 10 - - -
1/25 4 - - -
1/26 13 - - -
1/27 No games scheduled - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 14 - - -
The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.
Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.
*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.
NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
1/1 3 16 19 OVER
1/2 3 15.5 13 UNDER
1/3 7 37.5 40 OVER
1/4 6 33.5 29 UNDER
1/5 7 37.5 45 OVER
1/6 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/7 12 64.5 68 OVER
1/8 6 31.5 36 OVER
1/9 4 21 20 UNDER
1/10 7 37.5 41 OVER
1/11 4 21.5 26 OVER
1/12 9 48.5 54 OVER
1/13 7 37 40 OVER
1/14 12 64 80 OVER
1/15 4 20.5 16 UNDER
1/16 7 38.5 39 OVER
1/17 9 49.5 63 OVER
1/18 5 27.5 37 OVER
1/19 8 44.5 42 UNDER
1/20 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/21 11 58 72 OVER
1/22 6 32.5 37 OVER
1/23 6 31.5 33 OVER
1/24 10 - - -
1/25 4 - - -
1/26 13 - - -
1/27 No games scheduled - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 14 - - -
