CAROLINA HURRICANES. NEWS CLIPPINGS March 6, Canes Celebrate Hockey is for Everyone Month

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1 Canes Celebrate Hockey is for Everyone Month A look back on a month of celebrating inclusion and diversity in hockey by Nikki / CarolinaHurricanes.com March 5th, 2018 This February the Hurricanes celebrated Hockey is for Everyone Month, a joint initiative between the NHL and the NHLPA that reaffirms inclusion on the ice, in the locker room and in the stands. As part of the effort to include players in the conversation, one member from each team is named the Hockey is for Everyone ambassador. Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk elected to serve as the Hurricanes' representative and led the team's initiatives throughout February. Some background: van Riemsdyk served as the Chicago Blackhawks' ambassador for the season and was also involved in the University of New Hampshire's outreach with the You Can Play Project. You can find further insight into van Riemsdyk's previous involvement here. On January 31, TVR and fellow Canes blueliner Haydn Fleury kicked off Hockey is for Everyone Month by crashing Capital City Crew's last practice of the season, during which we learned van Riemsdyk wasn't a very fast skater after his first year of hockey. Capital City Crew provides an opportunity for inner-city youth to play ice hockey through our partnerships with the Wake County Boys & Girls Clubs, Raleigh Youth Hockey Association (RYHA), and the Carolina Hurricanes. Learn more about the organization here. You Can Play Night: Feb. 9 The Hurricanes hosted the first of five HIFE theme nights on February 9. Arguably the month's most prominent HIFE initiative, You Can Play Night promotes inclusivity and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, and celebrates athletes' skills and work ethics rather than focusing on sexual orientation and/or gender identity. For the second year in a row, a number of players chose to wrap their sticks for warmups with rainbow-colored Pride Tape. The sticks were then signed and auctioned off, with all proceeds benefitting the You Can Play Project, which works to ensure locker rooms and sports venues are safe and free from homophobia. The team recognized leaders and organizations that provide support for LGBTQ+ individuals and their families throughout the game. Melody Moezzi, an attorney, activist and awardwinning author, dropped the ceremonial puck as a representative of Equality NC, the state's largest and oldest organization working for LGBTQ+ equality. Justine Hollingshead, Chief of Staff to the Vice Chancellor and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs at NC State University, was honored as the Lenovo Hero of the Game. Girls Hockey Night: Feb. 13 Recently, the Jr. Hurricanes U16 Girls went undefeated to win the U19 Philadelphia Freedom Cup, battling through five games with just 12 players. A true display of "girl power," this win is only the tip of the iceberg that is the growth of girls hockey in North Carolina. Exhibit B: Colleen Murphy, National Women's Hockey League defenseman and Cary native. Murphy, who began her hockey career on roller skates, was drafted by the Buffalo Beauts earlier this season and has recorded one assist in 12 NWHL games. Murphy sounded the warning siren to kick off Girls Hockey Night, promoting inclusion in hockey regardless of gender. The remainder of the game's honorees and highlights represented the future of the area's girls hockey programs. Mikayla Williams, a goalie for the Jr. Canes U11 AAA team, was the RE/MAX Youth Starter of the Game. The Jr. Canes U10 and U12 girls teams kept the hockey going through the intermissions, showcasing their scrimmage and shootout skills. Triangle Special Hockey Association Night: Feb. 16 Midway through the month, the Canes honored the work of the Triangle Special Hockey Association, which works "to educate, motivate and encourage individuals who have disabilities to participate in the sport of ice hockey." Eight members of the Triangle Special Hockey Association welcomed the team to the ice for the second period, and Canes goalie Cam Ward's son Nolan, who is deaf, was honored as the RE/MAX Youth Starter of the Game. Triangle Special Hockey Association founders and founding participants were named the Lenovo Heroes of the Game. Since June 2007, the TSHA has provided kids and adults the opportunity to grow and "be more successful both within and outside a hockey environment," and currently enrolls more

2 than 40 children. Fully donor funded and volunteer operated, TSHA provides programming at little or no cost to the athletes or their families. The Kids 'N Community Foundation has donated more than $90,000 to the Triangle Special Hockey Association through its Future Canes grant program. Triangle Sled Hockey Association Night: Feb. 18 Backing up a bit, the Hurricanes honored seven-year-old Rosie McRackan as the Remax Youth Starter of the Game at the start of the month on Feb. 6. Rosie is a member of the Triangle Special Hockey Association's youth sled hockey program. Learn more about her below! Triangle Sled Hockey Association Night was paired with Military Appreciation Night, so when the Carolina Sled Hockey team took the ice for an intermission game it was no surprise that No. 84 Rob Pickel, a former Green Beret and 20-year veteran of the US Army, made it his time to shine. Capital City Crew Night: Feb. 23 Capital City Crew bookended Hockey is for Everyone Month, sharing top billing with the Homegrown Series and highlighting the importance of socioeconomic inclusion in hockey. Working with kids aged 8-14, the program seeks to teach lessons both on and off the ice, focusing on positive character traits and reaching full potential as athletes and citizens. In a display of true Homegrown hockey, the Crew treated fans to an intermission scrimmage, and showed off the skills they'd learned from HIFE ambassador Trevor van Riemsdyk and Haydn Fleury. The team met up with Sebastian Aho and other players for a postgame meet-and-greet and autograph session. Wrapping up another successful month of sharing the importance of inclusion and diversity in the hockey community, take a peek at what You Can Play Night and Hockey Is For Everyone Month means to the players. For more information on all of the Carolina Hurricanes' community initiatives, click here. Gameday: Hurricanes at Wild by Michael / CarolinaHurricanes.com 12:00 AM ST. PAUL, Minn. - There's snow time like the present. This is the gameday hub, where you can find all the latest news and information you need to know for tonight's matchup between the Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild. Make Hurricanes.com a regular stop throughout the day, as we update this hub with notes, photos and more as puck drop draws near. After traveling to Minnesota on Monday, the Hurricanes will hold an 11:30 a.m. morning skate at Xcel Energy Center, and we'll be rinkside to bring you the latest. Last updated: 12:00 a.m. CANES HEAD TO SNOWY MINNESOTA 12:00 a.m. The Carolina Hurricanes will play their final two road games in Western Conference cities this week, beginning with Tuesday night in Minnesota and wrapping up on Thursday in Chicago. Tuesday's match marks the first meeting between the Hurricanes and Wild since the first game of the regular season, a dramatic 5-4 shootout win for the Canes. It was a back-and-forth affair that saw both teams trade leads. At one point, the Wild led 3-1, but the Hurricanes scored three straight goals to take a 4-3 lead in the waning minutes of regulation. Then, with just 0.3 seconds left on the clock, Minnesota scored to force extra hockey in a 4-4 tie. A shootout was required to settle a winner, and it was Jaccob Slavin's patented backhand move and Scott Darling's three saves that sealed the 5-4 victory for the Canes in front of a raucous crowd at PNC Arena on Opening Night. A lot has happened and plenty has changed since then, as the Hurricanes and Wild each have just 16 games left in the regular season. The Hurricanes sit two points out of the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, while Minnesota occupies third place in the Central Division. The Wild won five straight games to end February and then stumbled out of the gate in March but rebounded with a 4-1 victory over Detroit on Sunday. The Hurricanes, who landed back-to-back wins against divisional opponents to begin March, will be looking to get back in the win column after suffering a hard-fought 3-2 loss to Winnipeg on Sunday. "It's playoff-style hockey right now," Jordan Staal said after Sunday's game. "I thought we've been digging in, working hard and battling hard. We came up short tonight, but the effort and chances were there. It just didn't quite go our way." With Florida's surge in the standings and Columbus currently sitting in playoff position, the Hurricanes have two teams to supplant if they want to get back over the cut line in the East. "You're always trying to get to the next level. We've done a better job as of late, and we want continue keep getting better," Jeff Skinner said. "The games are getting tighter. There's less and less room out there as you get down the stretch. You need to match that intensity and exceed it to keep climbing. That's what we're going to try to do." "We're right there," Staal said. "We've got to string together a streak and it's got to be now." CANESPR NOTES: Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho, who rank one and two respectively in team scoring, have combined for 21 points in their last 12 games (10g, 11a). Teravainen is riding a four-game point streak (4g, 1a).

3 This season, the Canes are overall and in their last seven games when leading after two periods. CLICKS AND CLIPPINGS Articles Audio Recap: Canes Fall Short Against Jets Canes Celebrate Hockey is for Everyone Month CanesCast, Ep. 32 Videos Postgame Quotes: March 4 vs. WPG Highlights: WPG 3, CAR 2 Gameday Links First Goal Contest presented by Kayem Behind Enemy Lines: Previewing the Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks The Hurricanes skate into the Central Division for two crucial tilts this week. By Andy House Mar 5, 2018, 2:39pm EST Minnesota Wild Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. at Xcel Energy Center The Minnesota Wild have put together another solid regular season that has them poised for yet another playoff appearance in the Western Conference. They are led by former Hurricanes captain Eric Staal, whose near point per game pace has led the Wild in being a top-ten offense in the NHL. Staal leads the Wild and is currently tied for fifth in the NHL with 34 goals and has already posted his highest goal total since the season, when he scored 40 in Carolina. For the rest of the Wild, the firepower has come from across the entire lineup, with ten different performers over 20 points on the season. After spending plenty of draft pick capital last season in an effort to make a Stanley Cup run, the Wild were much quieter at this deadline as they attempt to break through in a meaningful way in the postseason with the current regime. Head coach Bruce Boudreau has continued his long history from his days in Washington, Anaheim, and Minnesota of tremendous regular season success followed by underwhelming postseason performance. With a roster that has a good mix of prime-age players and veterans, backed by a top-end goalie in Devan Dubnyk, the Wild hope for a change of fortune as they draw closer to their sixth consecutive playoff appearance. From an offensive standpoint, Staal has provided more than the Wild could possibly have hoped for when they signed him as a free agent before the season. His 65 points lead the roster, while Mikael Granlund has followed up his breakout season from last year with a stellar 55 points in 61 games. The other biggest bump up in production this season has come from Jason Zucker, who has already surpassed his career highs in goals (28) and points (53) this season. Further down the lineup the Wild have received significant contributions from Ryan Suter, Matt Dumba and Jaren Spurgeon on the blueline, and from captain Mikko Koivu, Charlie Coyle and Nino Niederreiter up front. The effort from the Wild in the offseason to add a grittier, more defensive mix to their fourth line has not provided the impact expected, as wily veteran Matt Cullen has brought his faceoff prowess to Minnesota, but not much else. The physical presence of Chris Stewart was dropped from the roster on waivers a few weeks ago, so the makeup and identity of the Wild has not received the intended face lift from the offseason. For the Wild to advance further in the postseason, they will have to received top-shelf goal-tending from the reliable Dubnyk and find a way to avoid an offensive drought, similar to what cost them in the first round a season ago. What to Watch For As always, Canes fans will watch Eric Staal intently whenever he matches up against the Canes. In what is assuredly still an emotional time for the Staal family as a whole, seeing the two Staals likely run up against each other often on Tuesday will be an interesting matchup to watch. The Wild have converted on the power play in three of their past four games. Rated as the eighth best unit in the league currently, keeping the power play off the ice will be an important part of the battle for the Canes. Chicago Blackhawks Thursday, 8:30 p.m. at United Center For the first time since the season, the Chicago Blackhawks will not be included in the NHL playoffs. After hovering around the playoff line until mid-january, the Blackhawks then proceeded to go on a stretch through mid-february that effective relegated the Hawks to their fate.

4 After navigating serious salary cap issues for a number of seasons to remain a viable contender, the Hawks appear to have come to the end of the road for the current core. While Patrick Kane is certain still at the top of his game at 29- years-old, his 62 points have not been nearly enough for the attrition around him. Jonathan Toews continues to be a solid performer, though his overall production has flattened out over the past several seasons. With other core members such as Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook now well beyond 30, and showing signs of regression, the Hawks were unable to overcome their drops in production as well as down seasons from the re-acquired Brandon Saad and Artem Anisimov. One of the other factors in the faltering in Chicago has been the ongoing injuries to Corey Crawford. While Scott Darling has had issues in Carolina of his own, this season has seen the Hawks with little answer in the 39 contests that Crawford was unable to play to date. Crawford has posted a solid.929 save percentage in 27 starts, while his primary backups Anton Forsberg and Jeff Glass have combined for just a.903 save percentage in 37 combined starts. For their part, the management team in Chicago attempted to create some space and some draft capital at the deadline as they were able to ship out Tommy Wingels and Ryan Hartman for a combined haul of three picks (a first and thirdrounder for Hartman, a fifth-rounder for Wingels). Hard decisions will continue for the Chicago front office as the team will still have only small amounts of money to spend compared to other rivals in free agency, but now will not have the impressive level of success to point to in order to convince players to hop on board. If the Hurricanes are going to hang around the playoff cut line, winning against an unexpectedly poor Blackhawk team that is simply playing out the string is an absolute must. What to Watch For The Blackhawks have performed poorly on the man advantage all season, rating 28th in the league at 15.81%, but have created a wealth of opportunities, having received the second-most power play opportunities in the league with 234. While the Hawks may not be dangerous, staying out of the box is important to continue the flow of the game for the Canes and maximize their own offensive opportunities. Expect to see Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce sent out as often as possible against Patrick Kane, even if Bill Peters doesn t have last change. Big minutes will be logged on Thursday by the top pair. Carolina Hurricanes at Minnesota Wild: Game Preview and Storm Advisory The Hurricanes take on Eric Staal and the Wild in Minnesota on the first leg of a three game road trip. By Andrew Ahr@andrew_ahr Mar 6, 2018, 8:12am EST Category Hurricanes Wild Record Carolina Hurricanes ( ) vs. Minnesota Wild ( ) Tuesday, March 6, :00 p.m. ET Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, Minnesota TV: Fox Sports Carolinas Radio: 99.9 The Fan Opposition coverage: Hockey Wilderness Follow Canes Country on Social Media Facebook Canes Country The Hurricanes take Eric Staal on the Wild in their second matchup of the season. The team sits two points out of a playoff spot and desperately needs points to keep up in the race. Vital Statistics Category Hurricanes Wild Points Division Rank 6 Metro 3 Central Conference Rank 10 Metro 4 WC Last 10 Games Streak Lost 1 Won 1 Goals/Game Goals Against/Game Shots/Game Shots Against/Game Faceoff % Power Play % (Rank) 18.7 (T21) 21.1 (8)

5 Category Hurricanes Wild Penalty Kill % (Rank) 79.0 (21) 80.7 (15) Category Scott Darling Alex Stalock GAA ES Corsi For % ES PDO PIM/Game 6:20 8:43 Goaltender #1 Category Cam Ward Devan Dubnyk Record Save % GAA Goaltender #2 Category Scott Darling Alex Stalock Record Save % Game Notes The Canes lead all-time with a record against the Wild, including a record in the State of Hockey. Tonight marks the second and final matchup between the teams. The Canes bested the Wild in their home opener on October 7 by a score of 5-4 in a shootout. The teams split last season s series, both winning on home ice. The Canes have earned at least a point in four of their last five against Minnesota. Jeff Skinner led the team with a hot four points (2g, 2a) in two games against the Wild last season. He s earned seven points (3g, 4a) in 10 career games against Minnesota. Justin Faulk is a native of the area, growing up in South St. Paul, MN. Minnesota forward Eric Staal is the Hurricanes franchise leader in nearly every meaningful category. He played 909 games in a Carolina jersey. Jets Laine Is Legit (Just Ask the Hurricanes) By Mark Shiver March 5th, 2018 Sunday night hockey is always nice to have on the calendar. When a hot Western Conference team comes to town, and they are coached by a former coach of the home team, it is particularly intriguing. Such was Sunday night s tilt that saw the Winnipeg Jets visiting the Carolina Hurricanes. To say the Jets are hot would be an understatement. Going into Sunday night s game, they were in second place in the Central Division and had 85 points. The Jets had won six of their last eight games, including their last on Mar. 2, a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. The Hurricanes were riding two wins in a row and sitting one point out of a wild-card playoff spot behind the Florida Panthers. The game had all the makings of a hard-fought contest and did not disappoint in that regard. However, the result did disappoint Hurricanes fans. Patrik Laine is Legit Patrik Laine broke the ice early, loading up what looked to be a shot at Hurricanes goaltender, Cam Ward, that ended up staying low and blowing into the back of the net. At 19 years of age, Laine is having an electrifying season, leading the team in goals prior to Sunday night s game with 33. His 22 assists and total of 55 points are second on the Jets only to Blake Wheeler s 73, 55 of which are assists. The goal was assisted by the 22-year old Nikolaj Ehlers, and 25-year old Joe Morrow. Laine had his third multi-goal game in the last four games and has seven multi-point nights during his streak. He has 10

6 goals and six assists in the eight-game stretch, and 35 goals overall. To say Laine is legit is a gross understatement. He is lethal with the puck. He is still young but plays like a seasoned veteran. His hockey sense and presence of mind are beyond his years and makes the Jets a team to worry about come playoff time. Add Wheeler to the mix and reliable goaltender play by Connor Hellebuyck and the Jets will definitely be a team to watch in the post-season. To further prove just how lethal he can be, Laine blasted a shot from the slot on a power play opportunity in the first period that hit the crossbar. He got another chance in the early stages of the second period and shot from the same slot. The Hurricanes Brock McGinn, misjudging his placement on the first Laine blast that barely missed, made the same error in placement and this time Laine was money. The Jets were up 2-1 and it s likely that there was no doubt in the arena that a hat trick might just be in the cards for Laine. What is so tough about Laine is his release when he shoots. It s just a little bit out of the ordinary, and makes defending his shots, fired with incredible speed and accuracy, all the more difficult to defend. He scored twice from the same spot, and it would have been three times if not for a slight inaccuracy. After the game, Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters said of Laine s shot, It comes off his stick different. It comes off his stick jumping off his stick. I thought he was real dangerous. Bizarre Bounce Dooms Hurricanes Laine is sick with the stick, and while he did not get a third goal for the hat-trick Sunday night, he did get a third point on an assist of a fluke goal by Paul Stastny. There was little Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward could do to defend against the pinball-like shot. The goal was credited to Stastny, who was in the right place at the right time. The referee did not show up on the score sheet for the unintentional assist. It turned out to be the winning goal and doomed the Hurricanes to a 3-2 loss and no points, and no movement up on the playoffs ladder. Hurricanes Not Too Shabby Even though the Hurricanes lost, it should not deter their belief in what general manager Ron Francis said that he thinks the team as constructed can make the playoffs. The Jets are a very good team, and the Hurricanes hung in there with them to the very end. If not for that bizarre goal, they game might have gone the way of the Hurricanes. Teuvo Teravainen got another goal, as did Jordan Staal. The game was hard-fought and close-checking, not the typical fast sprinting affair that suits the Hurricanes a bit more. There are no moral victories, especially when there are no points. But, the Canes played 60 minutes with a Western Conference team that is primed to go deep in the playoffs. But, there are very few games left, and the Hurricanes cannot afford to leave points on the ice if they want to play in the postseason. Hurricanes open road trip at Wild SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild mostly stood their ground at the trade deadline, opting to use the prospects already in their system to fill offensive gaps, rather than add outsiders. As they head into Tuesday night's home meeting with the Carolina Hurricanes, Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher's plan to promote from within has taken a significant hit. by STATS 9h ago 2 min read Update 9h ago SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild mostly stood their ground at the trade deadline, opting to use the prospects already in their system to fill offensive gaps, rather than add outsiders. As they head into Tuesday night's home meeting with the Carolina Hurricanes, Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher's plan to promote from within has taken a significant hit. On Monday, the Wild announced that prized rookie forward Luke Kunin, just recalled from Minnesota's AHL team in Iowa, will miss the next seven months after suffering an ACL injury on Sunday. Kunin, who was a star at Wisconsin before the Wild plucked him in the first round of the 2016 draft, had two goals and two assists in 17 games with Minnesota this season. The bad news comes on the heels of a "back on track" win over Detroit on Sunday that has the Wild's playoff odds climbing again. After a slow start, they got an emotional jolt when rookie Nick Seeler fought Red Wings enforcer Luke Witkowski in the second period. Wild coach Bruce Boudreau gushed about the lift Seeler's play, and fists, have given the team. "I think it's been great. We needed somebody of that ilk back there that can play, and he can play, too, which is really good," Boudreau said. "It was a good fight that the guys were on the bench and they were saying, 'We gotta go now. If we can't get motivated for this, then we're in trouble.' It was a real opportunistic time when I think we were really flat." The Hurricanes are hoping for something better than flat on Tuesday, when they begin a three-game road trip with their

7 only visit to the Twin Cities this season. Carolina is coming off a 3-2 home loss to the Jets, but had won two in a row prior to that. Their coach likes what he's seen from Teuvo Teravainen, with a goal in four consecutive games, and from Brett Skinner, who had six shots versus Winnipeg, lately. "He had good jump and drew a power play in the O-zone," Bill Peters said of Skinner's effort. "I know he had good legs." It will be a family reunion of sorts with Wild forward Eric Staal facing his brother Jordan, a Hurricanes forward, for one of two times this season. The Hurricanes won in a shootout on Oct. 7 when they met in Raleigh. The Hurricanes need wins, and some help, if they're going to make a playoff run. "It's playoff-style hockey right now, and we've been working hard and battling hard," Jordan Staal said, admitting they have their hands full going to Minnesota. "They've been good, especially in the second half of the year and (Eric) has been playing great for them, which is good to see. Hopefully he doesn't play that way against us and we can surprise them and sneak out of there with two points." It's also that rare week every season where the Wild at the secondary tenants at Xcel Energy Center with the puck dropping on Minnesota's legendary State High School Hockey Tournament starting on Wednesday. Hometown Weekly Report: March 5 Written by Nicholas Niedzielski Published: March 05, 2018 The Checkers made it through a jam-packed weekend on the road with some strong showings and momentum for the upcoming home stand. Week in Review Team Statistics Overall record Home record Road record Last weeks' record Last 10 games Division Standings 4th Conference Standings 8th League Standings 17th Providence 6, Checkers 3 The Checkers kicked off their final three-in-three of the season against the team directly ahead of them in the Atlantic Division standings. The Bruins built themselves a 2-0 lead midway through regulation, but the visitors used a late tally in the second and a quick one in the third to draw the score even. Providence would take over from that point, however, regaining the lead shortly after before notching two goals within minute of each other to blow the game wide open. Sergey Tolchinsky would pull the Checkers back within two late in regulation, but an empty netter by Providence would put an end to Charlotte s comeback hopes and seal the Bruins 6-3 victory. Full recap Checkers 3, Springfield 2 (OT) The Checkers would flip the script the next night in Springfield, using strikes from Valentin Zykov and Aleksi Saarela to build a two-goal lead through 20 minutes of play. The home squad would push back, however, netting goals in the second and third to knot the score at the end of regulation. The extra frame didn t last long though, as Valentin Zykov buried the rebound of a Greg McKegg shot just a minute into overtime to pick up the two points in the standings for Charlotte. Full recap Checkers 4, Hartford 3 Playing in a different city for the third straight night, the Checkers again fell behind early against the Hartford Wolf Pack, but Warren Foegele s breakaway conversion in the middle frame proved to be a spark for the visitors. Brenden

8 Kichton launched a power-play goal later in the frame to kick off the first of three Charlotte tallies over the span of just two minutes to net the Checkers a two-goal lead heading into the final frame. Hartford would get one back on a two-man advantage midway through the third, but that would be all the home team could muster. Alex Nedeljkovic closed out the night with 32 stops and earned his 25th win of the season in a 4-3 triumph over the Wolf Pack. Full recap Three Stars Of The Week 3rd Star Clark Bishop 1g, 2a 2nd Star Greg McKegg 0g, 3a 1st Star Valentin Zykov 3g, 0a Notables TURNING THINGS AROUND The Checkers were able to reverse their fortunes away from home over the weekend, taking two of three contests on the road. That not only pulled their road record above.500 for the season, but the victories on Saturday and Sunday were the team s first consecutive wins away from home since Dec. 8 and 9. THREE-IN-THREE Charlotte wrapped up its fourth and final three-in-three set of the season this past weekend. The team went during the series, matching their best such record this season and moving the franchise s all-time record in three-in-threes to The Checkers went over the four three-in-threes this season and enjoyed the most success in the finales with a record. Z LEADS THE WAY Valentin Zykov snapped out of his scoring funk in a big way over the weekend. After being held scoreless for seven straight games, the forward lit the lamp twice against Springfield on Saturday including the overtime winner, his second of the year and then added another game-winning tally in Sunday s victory over Hartford. That burst of goals pushed Zykov back to the top of the AHL, with his 28 markers this season putting him three ahead of Grand Rapids Eric Tangradi and Utica s Reid Boucher for the league lead. Zykov s scoring touch continues to help him work his way into Charlotte s record book. The 22-year-old Russian is tied with Chris Terry s campaign for the fourth-most goals in a single season by a Checker and needs just two more to become the third 30-goal scorer in franchise history, as well as just eight to tie Zach Boychuk s franchise record. FRESHMAN PHENOM With his breakaway tally to open the scoring in Hartford on Sunday, Warren Foegele continues to impress in his first pro season. That marked his 24th goal of the season, a total that not only currently leads all AHL rookies but ties Foegele for the franchise single-season record for goals by a rookie. The 21-year-old forward needs one goal to eclipse Lucas Wallmark s mark from just a season ago. NED STAYS WINNING After dropping two of his previous three appearances, Alex Nedeljkovic returned to his winning ways with a strong performance Sunday in Hartford. Turning in his second straight 30-save showing, the netminder picked up his 25th win of the season to remain the AHL s leader in the category. Not to be outdone by his forward counterparts, Nedeljkovic is on the verge of putting his stamp on the franchise record book as well. His 25 wins are the second-most in a single season by a Charlotte netminder and put Nedeljkovic just two shy of matching John Muse s record of 27. Ranks Valentin Zykov leads the lead in goals (28), powerplay goals (14) and shooting percentage (28.3) and is tied for the league lead in game-winning goals (7) Andrew Miller is tied for third in the AHL in scoring (51) and fourth in assists (36) despite missing the last seven games Warren Foegele leads all rookies and is tied for fourth overall in goals (24), is tied for second in the AHL in shorthanded goals (4), is tied for the league lead in shorthanded points (6), is tied for third in the AHL in game-winning goals (6), is tied for third among league rookies in plus-minus (+19), ranks third among rookies in shooting percentage (18.5) and ranks fifth among league rookies in scoring (40) Philip Samuelsson ranks second in the AHL in plusminus (+29) Roland McKeown is tied for fifth in the AHL in plusminus (+27) Alex Nedeljkovic leads the AHL in wins (25), ranks second in shutouts (5) and ranks third in minutes played (2276) Aleksi Saarela ranks fifth among league rookies in goals (20) and is tied for second among rookies in power-play goals Trevor Carrick is tied for 10th among league blue liners in scoring (29), is tied for third among defensemen in power-play assists and ranks fifth among blue liners in power-play points INJURIES Andrew Miller missed seven games starting 2/18

9 Jake Chelios missed five games starting 2/24 Marcus Kruger missed three games starting 3/2 Transactions Incoming Feb. 26: (C) Greg McKegg acquired from Pittsburgh (NHL) Outgoing None Coming Up Friday, March 9 at 7:15 p.m. - Checkers vs. Hartford Health and Wellness Night presented by Charlotte Athletic Club Go Red for Women Night presented by Piedmont Natural Gas Social Media Night Jersey Towel giveaway for the first 500 fans presented by Charlotte Mecklenburg Storm Water Services Saturday, March 10 at 6 p.m. - Checkers vs. Hartford Wrestling Night featuring "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan - hall of fame wrestler to appear and sign autographs prior to the game DVD Drive benefiting Novant Health - donate a new DVD at the game and get a free ticket for our game on Sunday, March 18. Family Night presented by Fairfield Inn and Suites - save $45 (40 percent) on groups of four tickets when purchasing online Boy Scout Night - contact Jeremy Recoon at jrecoon@gocheckers.com for more information Soles for Kids Drive - bring a new or gently used pair of children's shoes and get a free ticket for a future game. By the Numbers CATEGORY RECORD AHL RANK LAST WEEK Power play 19.6% 4th t-5th Penalty kill 82.3% t-19th 16th Goals per game th 5th Shots per game t-18th 19th Goals allowed per game Shots allowed per game Penalty minutes per game 2.90 t-14th t-12th rd 3rd th 10th TODAY S LINKS

10 Minnesota Wild Former Wild No. 1 pick Luke Kunin suffers torn ACL By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune MARCH 5, :30PM The Wild anticipated its post-trade deadline boost coming from within from reserves in the minors heralded as additions that could invigorate the team as it pushed for a playoff berth. Prized prospect Luke Kunin was the poster boy of this forecasted second wind for the Wild since he was the first ushered into the mix but Kunin is out for the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Sunday s 4-1 victory over Detroit at Xcel Energy Center. It s really disappointing for him, coach Bruce Boudreau said Monday. He s been waiting and working so hard down in Iowa to get this opportunity, and we were excited to get him up here and play. For this to happen in his second game, I feel more for him than for us. Kunin took a hit late in the third period Sunday only his second appearance since his call-up from the American Hockey League on Tuesday and didn t finish the game. He was limping and was absent from practice Monday to get evaluated. His recovery time is pegged at approximately seven months, and he is expected to undergo knee surgery in the coming weeks. The diagnosis continued the team s injury woes this season. The Wild had been at full strength for only nine games and lost 111 man games before Kunin was sidelined. He takes great care of himself, and he has a tremendous work ethic, General Manager Chuck Fletcher said. So I don t have any doubt that he ll rehab and come back from this stronger and better than ever and be a really good hockey player for our team. Certainly, in the short-term, it s disappointing disappointing for our team. But you feel horribly for Luke. Kunin started the season in Iowa, getting assigned to the AHL out of training camp. But he quickly returned to Minnesota, making his NHL debut Oct. 14 against the Blue Jackets in the team s home opener after injury decimated the forward group. Two games later, he notched his first NHL points with a pair of assists against Calgary. On Oct. 26 against the Islanders, Kunin became the first player in team history to score his first career goal shorthanded. He went on to log 17 games with the Wild, chipping in two goals and two assists, before getting sent back to the minors, an assignment aimed at stoking his confidence and exposing him to regular minutes in his first full-length professional season after leaving the University of Wisconsin. In 36 games with Iowa, the 15th overall draft pick in 2016 racked up 10 goals and 19 points and represented the team at the 2018 AHL All-Star Game. He s a good player, Fletcher said. I don t think there s any question about that. He s a kid that can skate, shoot and score, but he also has a lot of other elements to his game his willingness to block shots, he s strong defensively, he can play center or wing and he s got a motor. He really competes, brings a lot of energy every night. So when you combine sort of that physical element with the skill element, he has a chance to be a pretty good hockey player in this league. We re certainly excited about his future. Kunin s absence leaves the Wild with 12 forwards, enough to face Carolina on Tuesday, so the team will monitor performance and health in deciding when it needs to add reinforcements. Zack Mitchell, Landon Ferraro, Cal O Reilly and Kyle Rau are among the options with Iowa who already have skated with the Wild this season. Star Tribune LOADED: Minnesota Wild Wild-Carolina game preview SARAH McLELLAN MARCH 5, :00PM 7 p.m. vs. Carolina Xcel Energy Center FSN (100.3-FM) Hurricanes on fringe of final playoff spot Preview: The Wild concludes a quick two-game homestand against the Hurricanes, who defeated the Wild 5-4 in a shootout Oct. 7. The team s 52 points on home ice is the most in the NHL. Carolina had a three-game point streak end Sunday with a 3-2 loss to Winnipeg. That put the team two points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Players to WATCH: Winger Teuvo Teravainen has scored in a careerhigh four consecutive games. Winger Sebastian Aho leads the team in goals with 23. In 30 career games against the Wild, winger Justin Williams has 20 points. The 34 goals by the Wild s Eric Staal left him six behind league leader Alexander Ovechkin entering Monday. Numbers: The Wild won four in a row against the Hurricanes at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild s 38 points since the calendar flipped to 2018 are the second-most in the Western Conference. Teravainen and Aho have combined for 21 points in their past 12 games. Hurricanes C Jordan Staal has won 55.8 percent of faceoffs. Injuries: Hurricanes F Joakim Nordstrom (upper body) is day-to-day; Wild D Nick Seeler missed practice Monday after he was sore from his first NHL fight Sunday, with Detroit s Luke Witkowski, but coach Bruce Boudreau is hopeful Seeler plays Tuesday night.star Tribune LOADED: Minnesota Wild Wild forward Kunin out for rest of season with ACL tear Associated Press MARCH 5, :35PM

11 ST. PAUL, Minn. Minnesota Wild rookie forward Luke Kunin is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee. The Wild announced Monday that Kunin suffered the tear during Sunday's 4-1 win at Detroit. He is expected to have surgery in the coming weeks and return to play in about seven months. The 20-year-old was most recently recalled by the Wild on Feb. 27 and has recorded two goals and two assists 19 games with Minnesota this season. He made his NHL debut against Columbus on Oct. 14 and recorded his first points at Calgary on Oct. 21. Kunin scored his first goal on Oct. 26 against the New York Islanders, becoming the first player in team history to score his first career goal short-handed. Star Tribune LOADED: drubbing that the team was able to rebound from against the Red Wings. Sometimes when you get shellacked, you just gotta forget it, Boudreau said. If you dwell on it, it s like a golfer. If you have a bad shot and you keep thinking about that bad shot, the next one s going to be bad, too. You gotta let it go. We didn t show any video or anything of that game. We just wanted to turn that page and get back to where we ve been playing the last couple of months really well. I thought our first period was slow, but I thought our last two periods structure-wise, systems-wise, we did a great job. Star Tribune LOADED: Minnesota Wild Minnesota Wild Wild top prospect Luke Kunin out for the season with torn ACL Wild's Luke Kunin out for season after tearing ACL By Sarah McLellan MARCH 5, :11PM The Wild will be without forward Luke Kunin for the rest of the season after Kunin tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Sunday's game against the Red Wings. Kunin is expected to undergo surgery on his knee in the coming weeks, with a return to action pegged at approximately seven months. The 20-year-old was added to the Wild's roster just last Tuesday after the team recalled him from the American Hockey League to inject its playoff push with energy. He skated in just two games after appearing in 17 earlier in the season with the Wild, when he chipped in two goals and two assists. In 36 games with Iowa, he scored 10 goals and finished with 19 points in his first full-length professional season after leaving the University of Wisconsin. Kunin's absence leaves the Wild with 12 healthy forwards. He was injured late in the third period after getting hit. He was limping and did not return to the game. Got hit, came off and didn t feel right, coach Bruce Boudreau said. Defenseman Nick Seeler was also missing from practice Monday after his heavyweight fight with Detroit s Luke Witkowski helped spark the Wild to victory. There s no concern about a concussion, Boudreau said, but the team wanted Seeler to take the day off and it s hopeful he can suit up Tuesday when the team hosts the Hurricanes. He s just sore, Boudreau said. He s just sore all over, I think. Veterans Eric Staal, Matt Cullen and Daniel Winnik also weren t on the ice, but all are fine. It s been a busy schedule for the Wild lately, with Tuesday s tilt the team s fourth in six days and eighth in 13 days a stretch that s included games out east and west. Rest is a weapon, and nowadays in March if we re not in shape and game-ready, then we re in bigger trouble than we think, Boudreau said. So rest is a weapon. We need these guys, especially with our over-30 crowd. We need them rested because they re the guys that usually play the most. A return home, however, seems to have helped the Wild recalibrate after a pair of tough losses to the Coyotes and Avalanche with the latter a 7- By DANE MIZUTANI PUBLISHED: March 5, 2018 at 3:15 pm UPDATED: March 5, 2018 at 7:53 PM Winter Storm: 5 to 6 snowfall prediction looks accurate. No snow emergency declared in either Twin City. Luke Kunin will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday night at the Xcel Energy Center, the team announced on Monday afternoon. Kunin, 20, was the Wild s first-round pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. After spending most of this season in the minors, Kunin was recalled on Feb. 27 and expected to provide the team with youthful energy down the stretch. Instead, he will undergo surgery once the swelling in his knee goes down and will miss at least seven months on the road to recovery. Kunin made his NHL debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 14. He played in 19 games this season and finished with two goals and two assists. With Kunin out for the season, the Wild only have 12 healthy forwards on the roster. They will try to sign hulking winger Jordan Greenway out of Boston University a U.S. Olympian in Pyeongchang, South Korea when his collegiate season ends. Minor-leaguers to keep an eye on down the stretch include Kyle Rau, Zack Mitchell, and Sam Anas. Pioneer Press LOADED: Minnesota Wild Wild rookie Nick Seeler earns day off after Sunday s old-school hockey fight By DANE MIZUTANI PUBLISHED: March 5, 2018 at 2:31 pm UPDATED: March 5, 2018 at 4:59 PM Winter Storm: 5 to 6 snowfall prediction looks accurate. No snow emergency declared in either Twin City.

12 After a back alley brawl on Sunday night that might go down as the best fight in the NHL this season, Wild rookie Nick Seeler was given a welldeserved day off on Monday morning. He s just sore all over, I think, coach Bruce Boudreau explained, describing the scuffle as something straight out of the 1970s. Asked if the rookie might be able to play Tuesday night against the Carolina Hurricanes at Xcel Energy Center, Boudreau said, I m hoping. We were saying he was sore so today he should take the day off. Seeler dropped the gloves with Detroit Red Wings enforcer Luke Witkowski in the second period Sunday night after what he felt was a dangerous knee-to-knee hit on Zach Parise. Seeler confronted Witkowski, the two exchanged words and it was on. There was no jostling for position in this bout, just haymaker after haymaker for a good 15 seconds before both players ran out of gas. You don t really see those very often, and it happened to be that kind of fight, Seeler said. You don t really know what to expect going in to it. That was kind of the outcome. I m glad we re both all right after. That was some classic Minnesota Nice from the Eden Prairie native who won t avoid dropping the gloves. It s just a part of my game, Seeler said. I pride myself on being tough in the corners and in front of the net and chipping in on the physicality part whenever that presents itself. And last night it presented itself. That fight awakened the Wild, who popped in two goals shortly after that en route to a much-needed 4-1 win to get back to third place in the Western Conference Central Division. You don t necessarily know if it s going pay off like that, Seeler said. It was nice to have that momentum change a little bit and get those two quick goals after and it was fun to see that. As for how Seeler s face is feeling a day later? A little sore, Seeler said with a smile. Not bad. REST AS A WEAPON With an optional practice on Monday morning, a few players decided not to skate, including veterans Eric Staal, Matt Cullen and Daniel Winnik. Sometimes what people don t realize is, yeah, we re playing a lot of games (and) we re also going to the West Coast and back and the travel is a thing where we get home at the 3 a.m., so the next day is sort of a waste a lot of time, Boudreau said. I use the phrase rest is a weapon. and nowadays in March if we re not in shape or game ready. then we re in bigger trouble than we think. We need these guys, especially with our over-30 crowd, we need them rested, the coach added. Because they re the guys that usually play the most anyways. Pioneer Press LOADED: Minnesota Wild There s something unexplainable about being at an NHL rink that can make even the toughest times a little bit easier. Whether it s the bright lights, or the cheering fans, or simply getting back into a daily routine, it has a way of defeating tragedy, even if it s only for a few moments. Bruce Boudreau experienced that unspoken phenomenon after the unexpected death of his younger brother, Bryan, about six months ago. You need the games, the 63-year-old coach said. I just wanted to play and work so I didn t have to sit and think. Nearly everyone in the Wild locker room can relate, agreeing that sometimes the best thing to do, at least in the short term, is to get back to work. There s something therapeutic about being on the ice, said Jason Zucker, whose friend was injured in the deadly Las Vegas mass shooting earlier this season. It just helps take your mind off some of the other things that might be going on. In that sense, Tuesday s game between the Minnesota Wild and Carolina Hurricanes couldn t come at a better time with Hurricanes co-captain Jordan Staal and his wife, Heather, suffering through the loss of their infant daughter a little more than a week ago. NHL brothers Eric Staal of the Minnesota Wild and Jordan Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes will play on Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center. (Associated Press file)nhl brothers Eric Staal of the Minnesota Wild and Jordan Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes will play on Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center. (Associated Press file) This has been a longer road than most people know, Jordan Staal said in a statement last week. Our little Hannah had a terminal birth defect. While we prayed for a miracle, or even a few more minutes with her, she came into this world stillborn. Nonetheless, we are still very thankful for our short time with her. Wild center Eric Staal has talked to his younger brother pretty much every day since then, though the upcoming game gives him the chance to comfort him face to face. It ll be good to see him today and get together, Eric Staal said on Monday morning. They should get in later this afternoon depending on the weather. I m looking forward to it. There s been people around (the family) for a while now. For me, I haven t seen him, so it ll be good to catch up. Jordan Staal has played in three games since the death of his daughter, scoring a point in each game, including a goal against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday night. And while the games might be secondary in the grand scheme of things, Eric Staal agreed that it has probably been a good thing for his brother to get back to doing what he loves. I m impressed and proud of how he and his wife have handled everything they ve been through over the last few months, Staal said. It s been extremely difficult for them and our whole family. They are strong people. They have a strong faith and it s kind of helped through this whole process. It s day by day. They are doing as good as they can. Pioneer Press LOADED: Chicago Blackhawks NHL s Staal brothers meet up on ice as family copes with tragedy By DANE MIZUTANI PUBLISHED: March 5, 2018 at 1:54 pm UPDATED: March 5, 2018 at 10:53 PM Despite losing tough guys, Joel Quenneville says Blackhawks have each other s backs Paul Skrbina Winter Storm: 5 to 6 snowfall prediction looks accurate. No snow emergency declared in either Twin City. When the going already was tough for the Blackhawks, the tough got going.