Boston Bruins Goalie Chad Johnson set to make Bruins debut Johnson to get a shot Johnson may face Sabres

Transcription

1 SPORT-SCAN Anaheim Ducks NHL sends message on hits to head, but when will players get it? NHL pluses and minuses Ducks look to keep winning streak going on long trip Ducks, Carlyle on opposite sides this time Boston Bruins Goalie Chad Johnson set to make Bruins debut Johnson to get a shot Johnson may face Sabres Buffalo Sabres Sabres Tropp takes strides in returning from broken jaw Sabres blue-liners resisting the urge to go it alone on the rush Rolston on hot seat after horrendous start Bills get big TV rating; Sabres still sliding Ristolainen's here, so is Rolston Calgary Flames Monahan scores again as Flames continue sizzling start by beating Los Angeles Former Flames D-man Regehr settling into life in Tinseltown Cammalleri a game-time decision Calgary Flames get gritty win in L.A Calgary Flames Snapshots: Robyn Regehr enjoying L.A. life Carolina Hurricanes Canes Gleason, Komisarek want to be on the ice Gerbe misses practice; Khudobin still out Chicago Blackhawks Hawks short on goals, not chances... or wins Preview: Blackhawks at Panthers Moms to join Blackhawks on two-game trip to Florida Quenneville happy with Blackhawks' focus No hangover for Blackhawks' Crawford Blackhawks announce '17 Seconds' movie premiere Blackhawks continue to test youngsters in big moments Blackhawks notes: Nordstrom to get work in with Rockford Colorado Avalanche Avalanche improves to 8-1 by defeating Pittsburgh Penguins Avs' Cody McLeod suspended five games by NHL for Kronwall hit Pair of No. 1 overall picks to face off Monday Avalanche's P.A. Parenteau enjoys the fruits of paying his dues Marc-Andre Fleury in net against Avalanche; Avs lines and D pairings Columbus Blue Jackets Blue Jackets notebook: Prout helps in huge win Blue Jackets: Foligno s newborn is on mend Bob Hunter commentary Blue Jackets: McElhinney s victory more than just one win Dallas Stars Jim Nill says Dallas Stars will stay with the schedule despite start Stars activate Kari Lehtonen, assign Jack Campbell, recall Aaron Rome In last place, Dallas Stars' latest challenge is who to trust In Jack Campbell's NHL debut, Dallas Stars 'kind of left him hung out to dry' NHL 10/22/2013 DAILY BRIEF Detroit Red Wings In lineup to stay? Detroit Red Wings' Tomas Tatar 'strong on the puck' vs. Sharks Ticker: Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg among NHL' most beloved NHL roundup: Avs' Cody McLeod suspended 5 games for hit on Red Wings' Niklas Kronwall San Jose 1, Detroit 0 (SO): Why the Red Wings lost Monday San Jose 1, Detroit 0 (SO): Defense rules as Red Wings fall to Sharks San Jose laments its diminished rivalry with Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings call up Xavier Ouellet, will be young on defense vs. Sharks October 21, 2013 at 11:22 pm Red Wings defenseman Xavier Ouellet enjoys solid debut Limited number of tickets for 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium go on sale Tuesday Red Wings' young defense does tremendous job against league-leading Sharks in 1-0 shootout loss Red Wings fall to league-leading Sharks 1-0 in shootout, as Logan Couture scores lone goal Colorado's Cody McLeod suspended five games for hit on Detroit Red Wings' Niklas Kronwall Blog recap: Detroit Red Wings lose 1-0 shootout to San Jose Sharks, who improve to Red Wings' prospect Xavier Ouellet: 'I'm a defenseman who the coaches can trust' Red Wings goaltender Jonas Gustavsson named NHL's No. 1 star after going 3-0 last week Detroit Red Wings Gameday: Does Cody McLeod deserve suspension for hit on Niklas Kronwall? Xavier Ouellet to make NHL debut tonight as Red Wings missing top defense pairing vs. league-leading Sharks Detroit Red Wings fall in shootout to San Jose Sharks Gustavsson named NHL's No. 1 star Kronwall, Ericsson out against Sharks Edmonton Oilers Oilers deal Brown to Sharks for draft pick A simple Edmonton Oilers plan: more pucks on net Retiring one-time Oilers blueliner Roman Hamrlik came to Edmonton with right skills at right time Jordan Eberle could miss Tuesday s Edmonton Oilers game against Montreal Canadiens This n that: Edmonton Oilers would jump at chance to acquire Shawn Matthias Edmonton Oilers trade Mike Brown to San Jose Sharks for a fourth round draft pick Oilers send Mike Brown to San Jose Sharks for fourth round pick Oilers know they need to improve in man advantage situations Oilers lose Ryan Smyth, Jordan Eberle questionable for Tuesday's Montreal game Florida Panthers Florida Panthers Sean Bergenheim close to returning Preview: Blackhawks vs. Panthers, Tuesday, 7 p.m Panthers aim to emulate Blackhawks

2 Los Angeles Kings Kings get burned by Flames in final minute of 3-2 loss NHL sends message on hits to head, but when will players get it? NHL pluses and minuses Kings burnt in final minute October 21 postgame notes, videos October 21 Postgame Quotes: Calgary October 21 postgame quotes: Darryl Sutter October 21 postgame quotes: Matt Greene October 21 postgame quotes: Anze Kopitar October 21 postgame quotes: Jonathan Quick Game 10 Preview: Calgary at Los Angeles October 21 quotes: Lewis, Clifford, Fraser October 21 morning skate quotes: Darryl Sutter No lineup changes likely Minnesota Wild Yeo urges Wild to get 'attack mentality' Gameday preview: Nashville at Wild Wild practice: Old lines, new result? Minnesota Wild's penalty kill second-worst in NHL Minnesota Wild to rest defenseman Keith Ballard Minnesota Wild's Niklas Backstrom still slowed by knee strain Minnesota Wild, losers of three in a row, shift line combinations... again Minnesota Wild: Young players have been a bright spot Montreal Canadiens Injuries to core players give young Habs chance to shine Canadiens recall defenceman Beaulieu from AHL s Bulldogs Canadiens winger Brandon Prust to miss four weeks with shoulder injury Former Hab Hamrlik hangs up skates after 20 seasons Habs call up Holland, Blunden from Hamilton Holland becomes a Hab on same day Hamrlik retires Habs call up Blunden, Holland, Beaulieu; Prust out for four weeks Nashville Predators Nashville Predators defense starts to show expected form Preview: Predators at Wild New Jersey Devils Devils' Cory Schneider is not taking anything for granted Devils' DeBoer sticking with Cory Schneider in goal for Columbus game New York Islanders Ex-Rangers coach Tortorella to visit ailing Islanders Brock Nelson, Matt Donovan to fill in for Michael Grabner, Lubomir Visnovsky New York Rangers Rangers Biron Is Comfortable With Decision to Retire Rangers need Chris Kreider to prove himself now rather than later Chris Kreider practices on Rangers' top line, Henrik Lundqvist takes Monday off, still no update on Rick Nash With little offense, Rangers turn to Chris Kreider Though spurned by Rangers, Messier has no hard feelings Chris Kreider part of Rangers new top line Gross: Rangers' silence on Rick Nash speaks volumes Madison Square Garden unveils new scoreboard Rangers look to Chris Kreider for offensive boost Ottawa Senators After loss to Edmonton and with Detroit up next, MacLean works Senators Senators Erik Karlsson racking up ice time Scanlan: Karlsson can t wait to see the Alfredssons Ottawa Senator Erik Karlsson plans on having pre-game dinner with Daniel Alfredsson Ottawa Senators need to focus on Detroit Red Wings, not Daniel Alfredsson minute practice as Senators prep for Daniel Alfredsson's Wings Philadelphia Flyers Flyers' Giroux: 'We will make the playoffs' Flyers hope drills stop third period problems Luukko on the changing arena business Weekend getaway a time to reflect, regroup Flyers take minds off woes, attend Eagles game Read: 'Just have to keep working,' goals will come Hartnell struggles with not being able to play Phoenix Coyotes Phoenix Coyotes enjoy newfound depth at center Win over Detroit Red Wings impresses Phoenix Coyotes' Dave Tippett Pittsburgh Penguins Avalanche goalie Giguere shuts out Penguins Penguins notebook: Bortuzzo won't shy away from fights Penguins notebook: Bylsma likes NHL youth movement Avalanche's goalie Giguere stops Penguins, Shelly Anderson's Penguins chat transcript: Penguins' Crosby named NHL's second star of the week San Jose Sharks San Jose Sharks beat Detroit Red Wings in shootout San Jose Sharks acquire Mike Brown from Edmonton Oilers Sharks' Brent Burns won't play against Red Wings Sharks top Wings in shootout Niemi saves his best for last in Sharks' shootout victory Sharks acquire Brown, send draft pick to Oilers Niemi brilliant, Sharks open road trip with shootout victory Sharks, Red Wings both missing key pieces tonight Couture: 'Once you feel like you're unbeatable, you get beat' In the Crease: Sharks vs. Red Wings St Louis Blues Blues still taking care of business on the ice Tampa Bay Lightning Bolts bonding during lull in schedule Lightning s first-ever draft pick, Roman Hamrlik, retiring Hedman stays positive in face of minus-5 game Toronto Maple Leafs Mirtle: Leafs want to beat Ducks for Carlyle Mirtle: Leafs on verge of getting David Clarkson, others back Maple Leafs hope to beat Ducks for coach Carlyle Lupe s Troops: Warrant Officer Dale Turner Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle s morale booster: Ball hockey at practice Anaheim Ducks at Maple Leafs: Tuesday NHL game preview Cox: 10 thoughts from the Chiefs to the Leafs Five ways the Maple Leafs can turn things around Ducks at Leafs gameday Leafs lighten mood before getting down to business Maple Leafs' David Clarkson eager to play vs. Columbus Leafs game against Ducks has special meaning to Carlyle Toronto Maple Leafs itching for reinforcement in form of David Clarkson, Frazer McLaren

3 Vancouver Canucks Islanders Grabner gets 2-game suspension, will miss Tuesday s game vs. Canucks Canucks: The Tortorella volcano is barely bubbling Tortorella: No ticking time-bomb with calm, direct, effective, straight-forward approach Washington Capitals Capitals see results in more aggressive defensive play Capitals prepare for longest road trip of the season Keys to Washington finding offensive zone success Websites ESPN / Stars' Ryan Garbutt faces hearing ESPN / Hot Penguins OK with being under the radar USA TODAY / Sharks play stifling defense, shut down Red Wings USA TODAY / NHL suspends Cody McLeod, Michael Grabner USA TODAY / Stars' Ryan Garbutt faces in-person hearing USA TODAY / Islanders' Michael Grabner faces hearing USA TODAY / Lesser lights brighten NHL rookie class Winnipeg Jets Jets coach still sorting out lines Jets coach Claude Noel starting to feel the heat Winnipeg Jets have not forgotten what Caps did to them last season Setoguchi regains prominent role in Winnipeg Jets offence Noel wants more effort from Jets players SPORT-SCAN, INC

4 Anaheim Ducks NHL sends message on hits to head, but when will players get it? Colorado's Cody McLeod and New York Islanders' Michael Grabner are suspended and Dallas' Ryan Garbutt earns interview in incidents. Players need to respect each other enough to develop restraint. Helene Elliott 7:52 PM PDT, October 21, 2013 The NHL's Wheel of Justice got several vigorous spins Monday, all dealing with infractions that caused head injuries. Colorado forward Cody McLeod was suspended five games for a boarding incident against Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall, New York Islanders forward Michael Grabner got two games for a hit to the head of Carolina forward Nathan Gerbe, and Dallas winger Ryan Garbutt was invited to an in-person interview regarding his ugly hit Sunday on Ducks winger Dustin Penner. The face-to-face mandate means Garbutt's suspension could exceed five games. Penner, who was briefly knocked unconscious, underwent tests Monday required by the NHL's concussion protocol. He was alert enough to joust with detractors on Twitter but didn't accompany the Ducks to Toronto, where they'll start an eight-game trip Tuesday. In addition, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was scheduled Monday to hear Buffalo enforcer Patrick Kaleta's appeal of a 10-game suspension for a hit Kaleta delivered to the head of Columbus defenseman Jack Johnson. All of this follows the five-game suspension St. Louis forward Maxim Lapierre got last week for needlessly slamming San Jose defenseman Dan Boyle into the boards. Boyle suffered a concussion and is out indefinitely. The NHL's crackdown on blows to the head has been pronounced, and that's commendable. But when will players respect each other enough to develop restraint in situations when they can pull back without hurting their teams? Brendan Shanahan, the NHL's vice president for player safety, does the hockey world a great service by narrating videos that analyze each infraction. His explanation of the McLeod suspension was a classic example: Shanahan says Player Safety executives considered Kronwall might have left himself vulnerable along the boards but added, "We're convinced that McLeod has time to avoid or minimize checking Kronwall from behind," and points out McLeod changed his path "and is responsible for the violent collision that results." There's a difference between finishing your check and putting an opponent in danger when it's possible to ease up or wrap him up in a bearhug. Shanahan made the right calls Monday. And Garbutt, who dashed directly out of the penalty box to hit Penner with a shoulder-to-jaw blow, should be suspended five games. Kaleta, fined or suspended on six previous occasions, should sit all 10 games. One more head shot and he should sit 25 games. But it shouldn't have to come to that for him or anyone else. Ducks' Selanne still has it After Teemu Selanne was scoreless and minus-one defensively in each of his first two games, it was reasonable to wonder whether the Finnish winger could still play at a high level or whether he would be reduced to the role of power-play specialist. Selanne, 43, has gotten his legs going the last few games and it shows. He has scored goals in three straight games and has recorded points in five straight, and in each game he was even or plus defensively. Team captain Ryan Getzlaf said he never feared Selanne had lost his scoring touch. "He's got that self-recognition that when things aren't going exactly the way he wants them to, he knows he's got to change something," Getzlaf said. "He's definitely not a guy that I need to talk to." Selanne's quick shot is still there and his assurance has been restored. After all these years and 678 goals, even he needs reassurance. "When I was younger I was so hungry to get another one right away. But now I'm a little bit, I guess, more mellow," he said. "It's confidence. It's a great feeling when the puck is following you. There's nothing like scoring." Coach Bruce Boudreau, who still plans to give Selanne occasional games off, saw Selanne thrive while getting more power-play time and scoring chances last Friday. That foreshadowed Selanne's power-play goal Sunday against Dallas. "I think being on the first power play unit gives him a little jump because he's been so used to that his whole life," Boudreau said. But Boudreau must balance deference toward Selanne against the need to win. Those two imperatives might not always mesh, though they do now. "It's a tough line and I think about it constantly," Boudreau said. "But he deserves so much respect for what he's done. He's playing well and it makes life easier for me when he's playing well." Slap shots Goalie Martin Biron announced his retirement Sunday. Regarded as a good team player, he had been waived and assigned to the minor leagues by the New York Rangers after a shaky start. For his 16-year career he was with a 2.61 goals-against average and.910 save percentage.defenseman Roman Hamrlik announced his retirement Monday. A member of the Czech team that won gold at the 1998 Olympics, he was a three-time all-star and played 1,395 games for seven teams. Hall of Fame defenseman Allan Stanley, who won four Stanley Cup championships with the Toronto Maple Leafs, died in Canada last week at 87 of undisclosed causes. Despite being nicknamed "Snowshoes" for his plodding skating, he played 1,244 games over 21 seasons. LA Times: LOADED:

5 Anaheim Ducks NHL pluses and minuses Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby is having a great start to his season, but Philadelphia's Andrej Meszaros was a healthy scratch in the Flyers' three games before a weeklong break. By Helene Elliott 4:40 PM PDT, October 21, 2013 Times columnist Helene Elliott rates the pluses and minuses in the NHL from the previous week: + If Sidney Crosby can be said to do anything quietly, he is quietly having a sensational start. Through Sunday he led the NHL in scoring with 17 points, including at least one point in all eight games the Penguins had played. That's a personal best to start a season for Crosby. + St. Louis forward David Backes scored six goals in the Blues' first seven games, matching his total in last season's 48-game schedule. Overall, he has nine points. That's good not only for the Blues (5-1-1) but for the U.S. Olympic team because Backes is part of the leadership group for Team USA at the Sochi Games. + Mike Smith on Saturday became the 11th goaltender in NHL history to be credited with a goal, beating the clock by one-tenth of a second to cap Phoenix's 5-2 victory over Detroit. He previously scored a goal in the ECHL. Kudos to Smith, who had stirred his teammates a day earlier after squandering a lead against the Ducks when he said, "We were scared to win.we stopped playing the game." If the Coyotes were angry, they channeled it well into a win over the Red Wings. - Defenseman Andrej Meszaros, who's earning $5.5 million this season, was a healthy scratch in the three games the Flyers played before beginning a weeklong break. The Flyers, last in the East at 1-7-0, lost defenseman Kimmo Timonen to a lower-body injury in their last game, so Meszaros might get his job back by default. - The Columbus Blue Jackets nearly made the playoffs last season thanks to goalie Sergei Bobrovsky's Vezina Trophy-winning performance, and much was expected of them this season. So far, not so great. They ended a four-game losing streak Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Vancouver, fueled by R.J. Umberger's first goal of the season, but they're The New York Rangers (2-5-0) were left without three of their top six forwards after team captain Ryan Callahan broke his thumb while blocking a shot Wednesday. He's expected to be out three to four weeks. Also out are Rick Nash (concussion symptoms) and Carl Hagelin (shoulder). LA Times: LOADED:

6 Anaheim Ducks Ducks look to keep winning streak going on long trip Team won seven consecutive games in a homestand to tie a franchise record but takes to the road with stops in eight cities. 'This will prove our mettle,' Coach Bruce Boudreau says. By Lance Pugmire 4:11 PM PDT, October 21, 2013 Now that the Ducks have matched their franchise record with seven consecutive victories, their reward is an eight-game trip, their longest of the season, that starts Tuesday in Toronto. "This will prove our mettle," Coach Bruce Boudreau said after the Ducks rallied to defeat the Dallas Stars, 6-3, Sunday. The Ducks trailed, 3-1, in the first period. The Ducks' journey to Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Columbus, Philadelphia, Boston, Buffalo and the New York Rangers lasts through Nov. 4. Those teams are a combined "We can use this as a confidence builder for the road trip," said forward Teemu Selanne, who takes a three-game goal streak to Toronto after ending the Ducks' 0-for-18 home power-play drought with a first-period goal Sunday. The Ducks swept a five-game homestand for the first time and Selanne said the team's focus was simple: "We talked let's finish strong on this homestand." He added: "It's going to carry on through the road, especially when you go for 15 days." In righting their power-play slump Corey Perry also scored a man up in the Ducks' three-goal second period the Ducks also leaned on stars Perry (two goals and an assist) and captain Ryan Getzlaf (one goal, three assists). "When the big man is leading we usually go good as a team," Boudreau said of Getzlaf. Suspension for Dustin Penner hit? Dallas left wing Ryan Garbutt was summoned by the NHL for an in-person hearing after his hit on Dustin Penner, who was briefly knocked unconscious by a helmet-to-helmet hit in the second period Sunday. Penner stayed in Orange County on Monday for further medical evaluation and tests. Garbutt faces a suspension of more than five games. Some Ducks believed Garbutt left the ice to launch at Penner, with television replays showing Garbutt's skates leaving the ice at impact. TONIGHT AT TORONTO When: 4 PDT. Where: Air Canada Centre. On the air: TV: Prime Ticket; Radio: 830. Record vs. Maple Leafs ( ): Did not play. Etc.: Former Ducks left wing Joffrey Lupul has 10 points for Toronto, which scored 27 goals to win six of its first seven games before former Kings goalie Jonathan Bernier was overwhelmed by 40 Chicago shots in a 3-1 loss Saturday. The Maple Leafs are coached by former Ducks coach Randy Carlyle. LA Times: LOADED:

7 Anaheim Ducks Ducks, Carlyle on opposite sides this time By ERIC STEPHENS :07:33 TORONTO The day was going to come for Randy Carlyle and it has arrived at last. For the first time since the Ducks fired him at the end of November in 2011, Carlyle will face his former team when his Toronto Maple Leafs play host Tuesday night at Air Canada Centre. You ask the 57-year-old Leafs bench boss about opposing many of the players that he pushed and cajoled to great heights and you don t get the rough-and-gruff Carlyle trying to equate this to facing the Florida Panthers or some other team. Cue the ability-to-reflect Carlyle. Usually the first time is the one you remember the most, you know, he said. Always. There will be familiar faces that he won big with (his 273 victories and five playoff appearances are Ducks coaching records). The pinnacle was reached, too, that being the 2007 Stanley Cup title. In this instance, it is just fine to be sentimental. Anaheim is a special place for myself and for my family, Carlyle said in a phone interview with the Register. We still have strong friendships there. Relationships with people from there. That s not going to change because I live someplace else. I have friends that ll be friends for my lifetime. It already has been nearly two years, which Carlyle himself mused, since Ducks general manager Bob Murray gave him the pink slip (following a win, no less) after seven-plus seasons. There has been significant work on his part since. Since taking over the Leafs in the spring of 2012, Carlyle has brought hope to a proud Original Six franchise while General Manager Dave Nonis has shaped the roster around the physical brand of hockey that unmistakably made up his Ducks teams. The culmination came last spring with Toronto s first playoff berth in nine years, further boosting Carlyle s credentials beyond leading some loaded Ducks squads. Randy is a great coach and we wouldn t have won the Stanley Cup without him, Murray said. He s a good hockey man knowledgeable and determined to succeed. I really enjoyed working with him and it s great to see him doing well in Toronto. The Leafs stay was short and memorably crushing, a dramatic Game 7, overtime loss to Boston in the first round after holding a 4-1 third-period lead. But they were back in the playoffs, a feat celebrated in the place often called The Center of the Hockey Universe. We ve said we were going to change our culture and we were going to earn the respectability back to the franchise, Carlyle said. That was our real mandate. That s one of the things that hasn t changed. So we look at it as we re just trying to continue to build this hockey club, this organization into an elite one. Those are familiar words to some who hoisted the Cup with him six years ago and eventually watched him get replaced by Bruce Boudreau as the message had grown stale amid a start. But the Leafs are buying in, having gotten off to a 6-1 start before consecutive losses to Carolina and Chicago. Teemu Selanne isn t surprised at their success. His identity is that you want to outwork the other team, Selanne said of his former coach. And you ve got to learn that from practice and have those good habits. That s what he has done everywhere he has been. It s successful. Obviously it s a wearing style. But that s how it works. Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said the perception that Carlyle was difficult to please and always hard on his players was unfair at times. I m told that he s changed a little bit going to Toronto, Getzlaf said. When he was here, I think he was misunderstood in terms of being a (jerk) and not a guy that the players really got along with. He s thorough. Sitting down one-on-one with him, he was a good guy. He cared about the players. Leafs winger Joffrey Lupul has seen a coach work at his communication skills from the days when they were both in Anaheim and often weren t on the same page. He has changed quite a bit, Lupul told CBC Sports. I mean, he still expects the same things from his players, but probably the way he deals with guys on a day-to-day basis is a little bit different. The game evolves and people evolve. Obviously he has made some changes from Anaheim and I think everybody would say the same thing. You're not the same player or person you were 8-10 years ago. There is sincerity in Carlyle's voice when talking about his years in Anaheim, which gave him the resume to land a Leafs job he compares to managing the New York Yankees. The Ducks championship team, he says, is as good a team that any coach is going to have the opportunity to coach. I look at it, I was very, very fortunate to get my first job there, Carlyle said. I was fortunate to work for Henry and Susan Samueli. I was fortunate to coach a great hockey club and had success. It was a great place for my family and me to live. Behind all the respect is a fierce competitor that wants this game more than some others on the schedule. It's just another game for (the players), but he wants to put his best foot forward against the team that fired him, Lupul said. I think all players can relate to that, having to play against teams that traded them. You approach it like any other game, but I'm sure there's a little extra there for him. Orange County Register: LOADED:

8 Boston Bruins Goalie Chad Johnson set to make Bruins debut Backup may face Buffalo By Fluto Shinzawa October 21, 2013 WILMINGTON Tuukka Rask is one of two goalies in the NHL to log every second of playing time for his club. San Jose s Antti Niemi is the other. For the Bruins, Rask s workload has been a good thing. It reflects that Rask (5-2-0, 1.29 goals-against average,.954 save percentage, one shutout) is the NHL s sharpest puckstopper. Rask s made every save the Bruins have asked of him, and even some of the unexpected variety. None of the nine goals scored on Rask has been questionable. Coach Claude Julien s ridden Rask not just because of his airtight play, but also because of the Bruins light October schedule. They ve played zero back-to-back games. Four of their first five games were at home. That changes this week. On Wednesday, the Bruins will play at Buffalo at 8 p.m., an hour later than usual, and will return to Boston after the game. On Thursday night, they will host San Jose, one of the NHL s elite teams. In one of those games, most likely in Buffalo, backup goalie Chad Johnson will cede his current job of door opener. Buffalo might be one of the games we give him, said Julien. We haven t made that final decision yet. But we ll put him on notice and probably give him an opportunity. We re going to have to use him at some point. That might be a good chance for us to use him then. Johnson, signed as a free agent July 5, is in a familiar situation. In his two previous stops (Phoenix and New York Rangers), Johnson played behind two workhorses: Mike Smith and Henrik Lundqvist. Johnson made only four appearances last year for Phoenix. Through , Johnson played in six games for the Rangers. Johnson has been Rask s No. 2 for less than a month. But Rask s seven-game stretch has shown Johnson that he s sharing the crease with another ace. He s so smooth in the way he does things, Johnson said. He reads the play really well. You can see his experience in where he is, and how, over the years, he s learned so much with his technique. You can see that experience, even if he s younger than I am. It s impressive. As sharp as the 26-year-old Rask has been, the Bruins intend to pace their No. 1 goalie. There is another back-to-back set later this month: at Pittsburgh on Oct. 30, at home against Anaheim on Halloween. There are three back-to-backs next month, including two requiring travel. While Rask is the clear-cut starter, the Bruins need Johnson to deliver in his spare assignments. It s not easy. Johnson hasn t played since April 18, when he stopped 29 shots in 2-1 shootout loss to St. Louis. Some goaltenders lose their touch when they go stretches without net time. For Johnson, mental preparation has served him well behind Smith and Lundqvist. Games and practices are different, Johnson said. You can prepare as much as you want. But there s just a different flow to the game. I think the mental side to that is obviously the biggest thing to try and keep up, try to keep that focus like if you re in a game. I think it s important to do that in practice. Blue-line shuffle The Bruins are coming off Saturday s 5-0 shutout of Tampa Bay. So it s likely Matt Bartkowski, the healthy scratch against the Lightning, will sit against the Sabres. Adam McQuaid, the healthy scratch two nights earlier against the Panthers, scored against Tampa and fought ex-bruin Nate Thompson. McQuaid played a season-high 17 minutes and 44 seconds. Nobody likes to be scratched, Julien said. If anything, I thought [McQuaid ] really bounced back well the game against Tampa. I thought that was one of his better games. But Bartkowski remains in competition with McQuaid and Dougie Hamilton for two blue-line spots, with Dennis Seidenberg playing a critical role in the formation. When Seidenberg is paired with Hamilton, the veteran skates on the left side. Seidenberg has switched to the right when teamed with Bartkowski. While Julien noted that Torey Krug sometimes played on the right in college, Seidenberg is the defenseman best suited to playing his off side. That s one of the reasons we re capable of doing that, because he s one of those guys who feels pretty comfortable there, Julien said. Chara mending A slice of Zdeno Chara s right leg continues to heal, but is still slightly swollen. On Oct. 10 against Colorado, an errant skate cut Chara on the inside of the leg below the bottom of his pants. The gash required approximately 30 stitches to close. Chara didn t miss any time because of the injury, but acknowledged he got lucky... Jordan Caron was the fourth skater on the third line in Monday s practice at Ristuccia Arena. Caron, a healthy scratch against the Lightning, will probably be out again on Wednesday. I don t think Jordan s been a bad player for us, Julien said. I think he s played well. You certainly don t want guys sitting in the stands for that long. We re talking about the early part of the season here. When everybody s playing well, you like to get them in and get everybody going. At one point, you re going to run into some injuries. Boston Globe LOADED:

9 Boston Bruins Johnson to get a shot Tuesday, October 22, 2013 Stephen Harris WILMINGTON Given the crowded and hectic schedule of last year s NHL season, Tuukka Rask was happy to sit and watch backup Anton Khudobin play a decent number of games 14 out of 48. This season, Rask s new backup, Chad Johnson, has played zero games. That is a ratio that cannot last, and it may change tomorrow night when the Bruins face the Sabres in Buffalo. We ll probably give him a shot there at some point, and Buffalo may be one of the games we give him, said Bruins coach Claude Julien after yesterday s lengthy practice at Ristuccia Arena. The B s have had a fairly relaxed schedule, but play three games in four nights starting tomorrow, including a very rugged showdown Thursday at the Garden against the top-ranked San Jose Sharks. With the first pair of back-to-back games, the time is right for the 27-year-old Johnson s first start. We haven t made the final decision yet, but I will put him on notice and give him probably an opportunity, said Julien. We re going to have to use him at some point. This might be a good chance. Johnson has 10 games on his NHL resume with the Rangers and Coyotes (3-2-2, 1.97,.929, one shutout), and is eager to get in a game with his new team. However, he understands why Julien has not called his name yet. There s been a lot of breaks in this first month, and obviously you want to get Tuukka on a roll, said Johnson. For myself, it s just about having good practices. Now we have some back-to-backs coming up and you just try to be ready. It s just sort of (about) getting comfortable, for myself and the team getting accustomed to how I like to play. Stay focused The Bruins must avoid the easy trap of looking past the struggling Sabres, who are and have scored only 11 goals, to focus on the Sharks, who were (39 goals for, 16 against) going into last night s game in Detroit. The Sabres won 3-of-5 games last year against the Bruins. Obviously, San Jose has been a real hot team, said Julien. It s a little unfortunate the way the schedule is. We ve got an 8 o clock game in Buffalo. Then we get (back to Boston) fairly late and we re playing against one of the best teams in the league. But those are things we can t control and we just have to be ready for. We ve got a good, tough week ahead of us and we just have to be ready for it. Kelly kudos Julien had rave reviews for center Chris Kelly, who has three goals, and the No. 3 line in general. Kelly had a rough season last year with just totals and a minus-8 in 34 regular-season games, missing 14 games with a broken leg. He was scoreless in the first three rounds of the playoffs, but had a pair of goals and an assist on Daniel Paille s game-winner in Game 3 the Stanley Cup finals. This year he came back in really good shape, because he had the opportunity to train in the summer and have a full training camp, said Julien. I think he s back to where he was in the finals last year (and) I thought he was really good. He s come back this year and just continued on. On the line as a whole, Julien said, They ve all played well. If you look at our third line from training camp to now, it s certainly been an asset. It gives us another line that can create a lot offensively. Chris, the way he s been playing, has really helped that line become that. Kelly said that success leads to confidence. When you re playing well, your confidence increases and you re able to do more and more, he said. That goes the other way, too: When you re not playing so well and things seem to get a little bit worse every day, and before you know it, you re searching. This year is a new start and a good opportunity. Smith surprises Julien on the impact of winger Reilly Smith (1-4-5): He s giving us a lot. He s shown that he s pretty smart. His decision making is pretty reliable, (and he has) good skill. I didn t know much about him. Certainly he s been a good surprise for our team.... The Bruins were flying home from Tampa late Saturday night when the Red Sox got their dramatic ALCS-clinching Game 6 victory. Once we re up there we have access to the Internet, and we were following the game the whole way, said Julien. I was ready for Game 7 if there was one. I had already put in my request to be there. It was nice to have the day off. The coach was asked if he ll allow the team to watch Game 1 of the World Series tomorrow night in their Buffalo dressing room. No, that s one thing we don t do, said Julien. That s one thing I m adamant about. When we re playing hockey, we stick to hockey. Boston Herald LOADED:

10 Boston Bruins Johnson may face Sabres Monday, October 21, Stephen Harris WILMINGTON -- Chad Johnson has been strictly a practice goaltender for the Bruins through the first seven games, with Tuukka Rask playing every minute in goal. That may change Wednesday night in Buffalo against the Sabres. "We'll probably give him a shot there at some point, and Buffalo may be one of the games we give him," said B's coach Claude Julien after today's lengthy practice at Ristuccia. "We haven't made the final decision yet, but I will probably put him on notice and give him an opportunity. We're going to have to use him at some point. This might be a good chance." The Bruins have had a fairly relaxed schedule thus far, but play three games in four nights starting Wednesday -- including a very rugged showdown Thursday at the Garden vs. the top-ranked San Jose Sharks. "Obviously, San Jose has been a real hot team," said Julien. "It's a little unfortunate the way the schedule is. We've got an eight o'clock game in Buffalo. Then we get (back to Boston) fairly late and we're playing against one of the best teams in the league. But those are things we can't control and we just have to be ready for. We've got a good tough week ahead of us and we just have to be ready for it." Boston Herald LOADED:

11 Buffalo Sabres Sabres Tropp takes strides in returning from broken jaw By Miguel Rodriguez October 22, :16 AM Corey Tropp is a long way away from playing in a game, but the Buffalo Sabres forward moved a step closer toward returning to the lineup Monday when he practiced with the team for the first time since suffering a broken jaw last month. Tropp wore a non-contact red jersey during the hour-long workout at First Niagara Center and spoke to reporters afterward for the first time since getting injured during a fight with Toronto s Jamie Devane during a Sept. 22 preseason contest at Air Canada Centre. The fight ignited a line brawl. The Sabres felt Devane didn t need to throw that one final punch as he and Tropp fell to the ice with the latter on the bottom. The brawl started when tough guy John Scott went after Leafs star Phil Kessel. That led to Kessel s teammate, Dave Clarkson, leaving the bench to come to his aid and receiving a 10-game suspension. Kessel received a three-game preseason ban for swinging his stick at Scott, and the incident culminated with a goalie fight between Ryan Miller and Jonathan Bernier. Tropp, who had his jaw wired shut for 10 days, said he holds no ill will toward Devane, who at 6-foot-5 is five inches taller than he is. It was a mutual decision, Tropp said. That s part of the game. It happens. Obviously he got the better half of me on that one but it is what it is. He s a good player and that s all it is. Tropp hasn t been cleared for contact and said he still holds his jaw closed with rubber bands when he s not skating, working out or eating. Tropp, who likely would have been on the Sabres opening night roster after missing most of last season with a serious knee injury, said it s between him and the team s medical personnel as to when he might play. Coach Ron Rolston said after practice that Tropp is probably a couple of weeks from playing even though he had been skating with the Sabres other injured players the past few weeks. Tropp showed he s a hard-working, gritty player in 34 games with the Sabres in , when he had three goals, eight points and 20 minutes in penalties. It s those characteristics, he believes, that could help a team find its way in games. One of the assets I think I can help bring to the table when I m ready to go is hard work and being able to contribute in all areas of the ice, he said. Just playing that hard, never give-up game. At the end of the day when things aren t going right, it gets back to the basics. You ve got to work hard. Patrick Kaleta was in New York City on Monday and had his appeal meeting with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. Kaleta is trying to have his 10-game suspension for hitting Columbus Jack Johnson reduced but has already served half of that sentence. The outcome of the meeting has yet to be announced. Should Bettman uphold the suspension, who has been suspended/fined five times by the league for crossing the physical line, Kaleta has the option of appealing to a neutral arbitrator. Kaleta, who isn t allowed to play while appealing the ban, stands to lose $152,439 in salary during the suspension. Tropp wasn t the only injured Sabre to skate with the team Monday. Forward Ville Leino skated and participated fully in practice, working on a line with Kevin Porter. Cody McCormick and Mikhail Grigorenko took turns on the unit. Leino, out with a cracked rib suffered in the season opener Oct. 2, said he hopes to be available by the end of the week. Rolston said it s about giving him some bumps in practice and making sure he s in game shape before letting him return. We ll decide on when he s ready, Rolston said. Obviously he s a veteran who can come back and help us for sure but we ll make sure he s healthy and ready to go. Leino is on injured reserve. McCormick practiced for the first time since taking a shot off his knee during Thursday s loss to Vancouver. While McCormick said he felt pretty good and was able to do everything, the Sabres placed him on injured reserve and recalled rookie defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen from Rochester. Ristolainen, sent to the Amerks on Saturday to make room for fellow rookie Nikita Zadorov, participated in practice and skated with Scott, who worked with the defense while Christian Ehrhoff was given a day off. Buffalo News LOADED:

12 Buffalo Sabres Sabres blue-liners resisting the urge to go it alone on the rush By Miguel Rodriguez October 21, :59 PM Center Cody McCormick said Sabres defensemen want to help, but there s more to it than one of them jumping into an open spot or leading the rush. You don t have to look much further than the forwards coming back and being available for the D to have someone they can give it to, McCormick said. I think guys can work a little harder away from the puck. When we have the puck we seem to be pretty good when we get it in the offensive zone. I think it s more working to support each other. Buffalo News LOADED: Tyler Myers prefers to pass the puck and wait for an opening as a trailer. The temptation is there, but Christian Ehrhoff does his best to resist it, while Tyler Myers isn t even considering leading the breakout if there s a more effective way to move the puck. When a team is struggling to score and it has blue-liners with some offensive ability, the urge might be there for at least one of them to make like Bobby Orr or Phil Housley and lead a rush that hopefully produces some offensive chances. That s one way of attempting to provide a spark and maybe even forcing the opposing team to tweak its defensive spacing. Often times it can be a risky proposition, especially with a team that s struggling to get out of its own way, as the Buffalo Sabres have been through their dreadful start. If the Sabres were somewhat entertaining and losing, the worst 10-game start in franchise history might be easier to digest, but they ve scored more than two goals in a game only once this season (the 4-3 shootout win last week over the New York Islanders) and rank dead last in the league in goals-per-game (1.3). That s not exciting. Activating the defense more could lead to a solution, but... You just can t go and do something your teammates don t expect because it throws them off, too, said Ehrhoff, who has two assists, leads the Sabres in minutes per game (25:50) and has a plus/minus rating of even. It doesn t just throw off the other team. You still have to stick to the system. You have to be predictable for your teammates, too. You can t just go on your own page but on the other hand when you want to fuel the offense you definitely have to pick your spots to lug the puck sometimes and try to fuel the offense that way. The Sabres defensemen do want to do their part to help jump-start the offense but not at the expense of defensive zone play. D-zone issues are part of the offensive problem as the defense has expended a lot of energy, especially during the team s series of slow starts, in its own zone. Buffalo s back end has contributed one goal (Jamie McBain) and seven assists. To put that in perspective, Montreal Norris Trophy winner P.K. Subban has two goals and eight assists for 10 points in eight games by himself. They may not have anyone who is Norris Trophy caliber but there is considerable room for improvement for Sabres blue-liners, and perhaps Ehrhoff or Myers getting untracked could ease some of the suffering. Ehrhoff has scored more than 40 points three times in his nine-year career and had 22 points in 47 games during last year s lockout shortened season. Myers had 48 points during his rookie of the year campaign and followed that with 37 and then 23 during an injury-shortened 55-game campaign in I think most importantly their work at the offensive blue line more than anything has to be better, said Rolston of the defense corps. I think people want them to be rushing up in the play. That s fine, but your offensive blue line work is a start. Hitting the net from the point and things like that and just keep the game simple at the point and make sure pucks get through offensively. Myers, who struggled last year with just eight points in 39 games, said he doesn t want to necessarily lead the rush into the offensive zone, especially if there s an opening to head-man the puck to the forwards. He prefers to do that and then evaluate if it s prudent for him to jump into the play and be a threat on the rush as a trailer. I think it s important for every guy to focus on doing their job on the ice, said Myers, who also has two assists but is a minus-6 while averaging nearly 22 minutes per game. I don t think that guys need to start forcing things or trying to fix problems. It s just a matter of supporting each other and getting each guy doing their specific job.

13 Buffalo Sabres Rolston on hot seat after horrendous start By Mike Harrington October 21, :28 AM You may be part of the Fi-re Dar-cy crowd in the upper reaches of First Niagara Center but the facts are these: Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier has been here since He has built up quite a cachet with owner Terry Pegula and senior adviser Ken Sawyer, and has been put in charge of yet another rebuilding project. Team President Ted Black even said last week on his weekly radio show that removing Regier would equate to a panic move. The same, however, may not apply to coach Ron Rolston, even though Regier elevated him to the top job in May without interviewing any other candidates. With the Sabres holding a record and off to the worst start in franchise history, the target is growing bigger on the coach s back. Rolston has coached 41 NHL games exactly half a season since taking over for Lindy Ruff on an interim basis in February. His record is But dig deeper and you ll see that half of his triumphs are in overtime or shootouts, so Rolston has only eight regulation wins in those 41. The Sabres are last in the NHL in goals per game (1.2) and seem woefully ill-prepared at the start as they ve been outscored, 13-1, and outshot, , in first periods. They ve scored first just one time in 10 games and led for a grand total of nine minutes, 35 seconds the entire season. The last two games, home losses to Vancouver and Colorado, have been particularly hideous at the start. The Canucks had 11 of the game s first 12 shots while the Avalanche had the first 12 until Drew Stafford was credited for a meek one at 14:09 of the first period, bringing a loud Bronx cheer from the home fans. That s a low moment. I don t know what to say, man, admitted veteran defenseman Henrik Tallinder. NHL coaches have been fired for far less. The Philadelphia Flyers, for instance, whacked Peter Laviolette after three games this season, and he has a Stanley Cup on his mantle from Carolina (2006) and was two games away from another with Philly (2010). Reminded after Saturday s game the coach usually takes the fall in these situations, Rolston said he wasn t going to get caught up in talk of his status. You don t think I m aware of that? Rolston said. I come and I do my best tomorrow and I do my best on Monday and I do my best on Tuesday. That s all I worry about. That s all I can control. Rolston s postgame dealings with the media have become increasingly tense, topped by Saturday s back-and-forth about his role in the team s sluggish starts. The prevailing fan wisdom is that Rolston is a college/ahl coach who is in over his head in the NHL. The record might say the same. At least right now, the players don t. Rolston earned plenty of praise from players during training camp, his first as an NHL head coach, for having the right mood around the team. Players clearly liked the departure from Ruff, who became increasingly autocratic as the years moved on. You still don t hear much behind-the-back chirping about the coaches. They prep us pretty good before the games. It s definitely a mental thing, scoffed Tallinder. Are we thinking too much or are we not thinking at all? We re not playing hockey, that s for sure. Prepare yourself. That s all it is in this league. Prepare yourself to play hockey. It doesn t matter. No excuses. It comes down to every guy s will. It s a matter of being ready to play, added Tyler Myers. The last two games, shots 10-nothing or whatever to start the period, it just proves that we re not ready to play, not ready to start a game. We really have to change that. The younger players who came up with Rolston through Rochester last year like his style and say they re learning. He s a great coach, a great mind for the game, said defenseman Mark Pysyk. He s an excellent teacher. He s always looking around during and after practice. He sees something, he ll go correct it. He s a teaching coach, a motivator definitely, added 19-year-old winger Zemgus Girgensons. He s an unbelievable coach. You just have to understand the way he teaches. The Sabres will be back on the ice today, preparing for Wednesday s visit by the Boston Bruins. After that, they re on the road for six of their next eight games. Things were quiet in Sabreland on Sunday as the team was off. Many veterans on this club are woefully underachieving. Myers, Steve Ott, Christian Ehrhoff and Mikhail Grigorenko are among those who don t have a goal. Stafford and Tyler Ennis have just one apiece. The Sabres could easily dump Rolston and replace him with assistant Joe Sacco, who coached the Colorado Avalanche the last four years. Still, Rolston clearly has not lost his team entirely. Play improves as games go on, obviously in part because opponents take their foot off the gas pedal. The Sabres shot advantage in the third period over the last two games is a stark The secret is to have that kind of will and desperation from the opening draw before yet another deficit is built. It s always a concern when you re not playing the way you want to and not having the success, Rolston said. It s your job to make sure guys are enduring situations like that, making sure the veterans are up and the young players keep their energy at the rink. Especially from the young guys, we ve seen they re bringing the same thing to the rink, so that s been a real positive. Buffalo News LOADED: