Carolina Hurricanes Canes carry questions into midseason

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1 SPORT-SCAN Anaheim Ducks Ducks add goalie depth behind John Gibson, who is OK after collision Ducks may look outside current roster for scoring help Ducks acquire goalie Dustin Tokarski for prospect Max Friberg John Gibson is 100 percent after collision, Anaheim Ducks say Arizona Coyotes Arizona Coyotes wrap road trip with win over Calgary Flames Coyotes' Tobias Rieder improving in second NHL season Louis Domingue set to make 4th straight start for Coyotes Coyotes look for road breakthrough in Calgary Boston Bruins Bruins in need of offensive lift Bruins notebook: Eager to take key road trip David Pastrnak skates with Bruins after recall from Providence Bruins place Adam McQuaid on IR, call up David Pastrnak Pastrnak hopes to give Bruins an offensive boost Bruins looking to find their 'simple game' on the road Bergeron excited to take part in NHL All-Star game Pastrnak joins Bruins at practice, McQuaid on IR Rinaldo: 'Sucks that you can't protect a teammate' Buffalo Sabres Loose play of Sabres top defense pair leads to losing Sabres notebook: Lehner to get plenty of work in with Amerks '87 Cup champs Dunn, Puppa entering Amerks Hall of Fame Former players still cherish their time with Amerks Amerks Cal O'Reilly headed back to AHL All-Star Classic Calgary Flames Flames nipped 2-1 by Desert Dogs in key division battle Flames GM keeps keen eye on World Junior prospects Flames notes: Veteran Doan feeling as fresh as ever Hitmen primed for trade deadline, Vancouver Giants' visit and return of stars from World Juniors Flames Insider: Pacific Division stakes on the rise Calgary Flames drop crucial divisional game to Arizona Coyotes Coyotes' Shane Doan still defying age Calgary Flames urge prospect Mason McDonald to learn from tough world juniors experience Arizona Coyotes edge Calgary Flames despite best efforts of Karri Ramo Carolina Hurricanes Canes carry questions into midseason Chicago Blackhawks Artemi Panarin's four goal-scoring binge for historic for Blackhawks Net traffic congestion helps Blackhawks during winning streak Observations from the Blackhawks' 2nd-straight win over Penguins All-Star snub? More like a reward for Corey Crawford Artemi Panarin is on pace to surpass Patrick Kane's rookie numbers Artem Anisimov happy to toil in the shadows of his wingers Artemi Panarin is better than anyone thought Chicago Blackhawks' Panarin rapidly frustrating goalies Blackhawks: Duncan Keith is back to familiar form Colorado Avalanche Working overtime paying off for Avs NHL 01/08/16 DAILY BRIEF Columbus Blue Jackets Blue Jackets: Big gain as Jones comes aboard, big loss as Johansen departs Blue Jackets notebook: New acquisition Seth Jones looking forward to expanded role Michael Arace commentary: Gutsy trade, but will it help Blue Jackets? Dallas Stars He said it: Players and coaches comment after a Stars' 2-1 shootout win over Winnipeg Heika: Behind Kari Lehtonen, Stars might have passed one of the biggest tests of their season Stars adjust to Jordie Benn injury; Jason Demers approaching career mileston NHL All-Star game's three-on-three format should be 'hectic;' Ruff: 'I'm going to feel sorry for the goalies' Derek Holland channels inner Shania Twain, Dallas Stars sing "Let It Go" and more in Seacrest Studios challeng Cold facts: As big as a win is, there was something more important in Stars' 2-1 victory over Jets Heika: How do line changes in hockey actually work? Through a lot of shouting Detroit Red Wings Wings' Blashill: Mrazek has special mentality Must see: Wings video to Drake's "Hotling Bling" What is Alexey Marchenko's future with Red Wings? Miller, Jurco return as Red Wings play at San Jose things we've learned from NHL's first half Red Wings win behind Abdelkader s late goal Marchenko feeling pinch as Wings' blue line gets crowded Red Wings postgame: Detroit finds ways to win again, improving to in one-goal games Petr Mrazek outstanding, penalty killing flawless as Red Wings win third in a row Second-period analysis: Petr Mrazek, strong penalty killing keeps Red Wings tied with Sharks First-period analysis: Red Wings-Sharks tied 1-1 as Danny DeKeyser scores for Detroit Open thread: Detroit Red Wings at San Jose Sharks (chat) Detroit Red Wings notes: Alexey Marchenko thriving, but tough roster, lineup decisions looming Red Wings Gameday: Dylan Larkin has been team's most consistent offensive threat Red Wings lineup vs. Sharks: Petr Mrazek starts fourth game in row; Tomas Jurco returns to action Red Wings notes: Puck management, compete level are keys during four-game western trip Miller returns from a broken jaw Edmonton Oilers Lightning's Steve Stamkos very unhappy with Tampa Bay's play John MacKinnon: Oilers catch Lightning at a good time in a scoring outage Andrej Sekera simply an "NHL defenceman" and the best Oilers have right now Excitement and anticipation in the air as the Edmonton Oilers prepare for second half of the NHL season Jones: Kassian says he'll bring the Oilers 'consistency' and 'sandpaper' Jones: No Kassian in Edmonton for the Oilers before the All-Star break

2 Florida Panthers Red-hot Florida Panthers beat Senators, win 11th in row Panthers hold off Senators, push winning streak to Luukko's lucky tie, Spacey sweatshirt keep Panthers on record streak Panthers win 11th straight, beat Senators 3-2 Los Angeles Kings Vinny Lecavalier assists Kings right away in 2-1 win over Toronto Luke Schenn hopes to get physical with Kings Lecavalier, Schenn talk about trade to Kings Game report: LA Kings 2, Toronto Maple Leafs Vincent Lecavalier, Luke Schenn make LA Kings debuts vs. Maple Leafs JANUARY 7 POSTGAME NOTES GAME 40: LOS ANGELES VS TORONTO LECAVALIER, SCHENN DISCUSS THE TRADE, JOINING KINGS GAME 40 PREVIEW: LOS ANGELES VS TORONTO LOVERDE, BUDAJ AND MERSCH SELECTED AS ALL-STARS LOMBARDI DISCUSSES TRADE S TIMING, IMPETUS (+LAKI RADIO HIT) JANUARY 7: PRACTICE NOTES DOUGHTY, SCHENN GO WAY BACK (+ GREAT 2009 INTERVIEW) JANUARY 7 MORNING SKATE QUOTES: DARRYL SUTTER JANUARY 7 NOTES: NO NEW GUYS; CLIFFORD SKATES AUGER, DOWD, GRAVEL MAKING STRIDES, FILLING ROLES IN SECOND YEAR Minnesota Wild Postgame: Wild looks like a tired team heading into a hellacious week WIld notes: Koivu able to play against the Flyers Wild-Philadelphia game recap Sluggish Wild tipped 4-3 in overtime by Flyers Michael Del Zotto scores 2nd goal with 37 seconds left in OT, Flyers beat Wild Mikko Koivu good to go after scary incident two nights ago Minnesota Wild lose to Flyers, fall to 1-7 in overtime Wild content to let draft pick Kaapo Kahkonen mature his game in Finland Wild: Mikko Koivu returns to play after hospital trip Montreal Canadiens Stu Cowan: 'Accountable' is a big word for NHL coaches, including Canadiens' Therrien Canadiens trade goalie Dustin Tokarski to Ducks for forward Max Friberg Barberio and McCarron selected for AHL All-Star Classic GM Bergevin gives Tokarski a fresh start with trade to Ducks This Date in Habs History: Jan. 7 Nashville Predators Ryan Johansen balances Predators' lineup New Jersey Devils GM Ray Shero on what Devils might do about injury crisis Devils put Mike Cammalleri on injured reserve with upper body injury Devils' Bobby Farnham fined $2,000 for embellishment penalty With injuries and scoring issues, does Devils' Ray Shero need to make a trade? Devils writing "a good story", but Shero not losing focus on big picture; Rental deals not likely New Jersey Devils cont'd With injuries mounting, Devils GM Ray Shero looking for others to take advantage of opportunities Yann Danis and Mike Sislo selected to represent Albany Devils at AHL all-star festivities Devils place Mike Cammalleri on injured reserve; Call-up coming? Devils left wing Bobby Farnham fined $2,000 for diving/embellishment New York Islanders To Feel More at Home, Islanders Skip Morning Trips to Brooklyn Capitals show Islanders why they are class of NHL right now in 4-1 victory Islanders tired of the 'planes, trains and automobiles' routine, will move morning skate back to Long Island Capitals remain a puzzle Islanders just can t solve Capitals beat Islanders in chippy game at Barclays Ex-Islanders owner Paul Greenwood s 10-year fraud sentence vacated by court Islanders move morning skates from Barclays Center to Syosset New York Rangers All-Star nod comes for Ryan McDonagh after Rangers captain teams with Dan Girardi to shut down Stars Jamie Be Fast and furious trade market puts heat on Rangers to act now Megna gets another look, forcing lineup decisions Ottawa Senators Scanlan: Are the streaking Panthers ready for a breakthrough season? Senators dominate play but can't cool off Panthers The case for adding Max McCormick and Fredrik Claesson to Sens lineup Michalek, Ceci to rejoin Senators lineup against Panthers If Cameron won't call out Turris, Cheapseats will... McCormick's first NHL goal a beauty... Methot the most Senators' Wideman, Chiasson ride the pines Ottawa Senators tough guy Chris Neil has work week worth of penalties Ottawa Senators step up for hockey-loving Prescott boy Senators winger Mike Hoffman 'little disappointed' he wasn't named to all-star game Philadelphia Flyers Del Zotto's goal lifts Flyers to overtime victory Lecavalier glad for chance with Kings Mike Richards, back in the NHL: 'I'm going to be myself' Holmgren defends moves that brought in Lecavalier, Luke Schenn Holmgren: Flyers-Kings trade 'good for both' Hextall gives high marks to Flyers prospect Provorov Del Zotto's OT goal lifts Flyers past Wild New York Islanders at Flyers preview box Flyers snap 5-game road losing skid with OT win over Wild Instant Replay: Flyers 4, Wild 3 (OT) Ron Hextall setting Flyers up to make a monumental leap Jordan Weal will not make Flyers debut Thursday vs. Wild Ron Hextall getting Flyers out of salary cap mess Flyers-Wild 5 things: More scoring from Sean Couturier? Matt Read looks to play with 'more attitude' after healthy scratch Now with Flyers, Jordan Weal excited to see game action Gostisbehere leaves hurt as Flyers top Wild in OT With light wallet, Flyers appreciate Lecavalier, Schenn Holmgren denies awkwardness as Flyers undo contracts things to watch in Game 39: Flyers vs. Wild

3 Pittsburgh Penguins Penguins' Hornqvist seeks ways to capitalize on net-front chances Penguins notebook: Well-rested unit equates to success on ice Hornqvist likes to be in thick of things in front of the net Penguins recall forwards Kuhnhackl and Rust, send Sheary and Wilson to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton San Jose Sharks Sharks lose to Red Wings Sharks recall backup goalie Alex Stalock Sharks again find home ice is no advantage January 7, 2016, 11:15 pm Instant Replay: Sharks edged out at end by Red Wings Notes: Sharks have had all week to stew over bad loss Morning Skate: Sharks back in action vs. Red Wings DeBoer still trying to fix Sharks' five-on-five play St Louis Blues Bluenotes: Blues use off day to hold midseason meetings Preview: Blues at Ducks Gordon: Blues must show killer instinct to measure up Blues fall on hard times Blues using off day for individual meetings Tampa Bay Lightning Further Lightning struggles could mean movement at deadline Flyers deal former Lightning captain Lecavalier to Kings At season's midpoint, Lightning aware it's short on time to improve Lightning-Oilers Friday game preview Cooper: Lightning 'running out of time' Toronto Maple Leafs Leafs lose close game to Kings in Reimer's return Ball in Leafs goaltender James Reimer's court: Reimer returns as Leafs face Kings Toronto Maple Leafs fall to Los Angeles Kings in hard-hitting contest Toronto Marlies youthful approach extends beyond the players Vancouver Canucks Canucks send Joe Cannata back to Utica Comets Zack Kassian says he's an alcoholic and he is working on a "new life" No fanfare for Canucks defenceman Ben Hutton, just results Washington Capitals Marcus Johansson penalized for illegal hit to the head against Islanders Capitals vs. Islanders: Game 40 discussion thread Alex Ovechkin s first NHL fight came against new teammate Mike Richards To make roster room for Mike Richards, Caps place John Carlson on injured reserve Alex Ovechkin inches closer to 500 career goals as Capitals beat Islanders Mike Richards: It s nice to be back in NHL after signing with Capitals Capitals showing a real killer instinct under Trotz Capitals, Islanders react to Johansson's hit on Hickey Capitals have no hesitation about Mike Richards Ovi inches closer to 500 as Caps beat Islanders Mike Richards answers tough questions about past, future with Caps Caps GM MacLellan explains reasoning behind Richards signing AAA Keys to the Game: Capitals vs. Islanders Kings GM now 'pulling' for Mike Richards Trotz rooting for Redskins to go 'all the way' Is Mike Richards worth the gamble? Websites ESPN / Mike Richards not offering apology as he moves forward with Caps ESPN / Recent road struggles raise new concerns about Stars' playoff readiness ESPN / Plenty of notable names won't be part of new All-Star format ESPN / Originally reluctant, All-Star John Scott having fun with nomination Sportsnet.ca / 6 things we learned in the NHL: Kings crown Maple Leafs Sportsnet.ca / Referee blindsided by accidental hit from Kings Muzzin Sportsnet.ca / Should Johansson be suspended for vicious hit on Hickey? Sportsnet.ca / Who won the Seth Jones for Ryan Johansen trade? Sportsnet.ca / Babcock not anxious about Reimer aggravating his injury Sportsnet.ca / Details of Toronto s mysterious rooftop rink revealed Sportsnet.ca / 51 candidates making a case for Team Canada TSN.CA / Keefe has Marlies on course for historic season TSN.CA / Kings hope Lecavalier can be their Bill Walton TSN.CA / All-Star Scott having fun with nomination TSN.CA / Preds traded wrong defenceman TSN.CA / Schenn brothers split up after trade TSN.CA / Post 2 Post: The Five Hole USA TODAY / Pierre McGuire's most memorable moments 'Inside the Glass' USA TODAY / Go behind the scenes and between the benches with NBC's Pierre McGuire Winnipeg Jets Weary Jets push Stars to limit I ll take you behind the highlights, Jets fans Jets end road trip with shootout loss to Stars Jets' Ehlers fined $2K for diving embellishment Winnipeg Jets finish off first half with shootout loss to Dallas Stars Manitoba Moose taking baby steps with season not exactly going as planned Jets shooting for Stars SPORT-SCAN, INC

4 Anaheim Ducks Ducks add goalie depth behind John Gibson, who is OK after collision Curtis Zupke The Ducks got welcome news on goaltender John Gibson and improved the depth behind him Thursday. Gibson's lower-body injury is not considered serious and Coach Bruce Boudreau raised the possibility that the goalie could play Friday. Gibson practiced Thursday after leaving Wednesday's game when Nazem Kadri of the Toronto Maple Leafs ran into him on a drive to the net. Gibson has taken over the No.1 role from Frederik Andersen and had given up one goal in three games before Wednesday's 4-0 loss. He leads the NHL with a 1.75 goals-against average in 16 games. The Ducks acquired goalie Dustin Tokarski from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Max Friberg in a minor move that could lead to a bigger one. The Ducks could use offensive help and have bargaining chips in No.1 goalies Gibson and Andersen and two other goalies with NHL experience in the minors, Tokarski and Anton Khudobin. Minor-league backup Matt Hackett has been injured, so Tokarski also addresses depth there. Tokarski has a 2.85 goals-against average in 33 NHL games. He was great story when he briefly took over for injured Carey Price in the 2014 playoffs. See the most-read stories in Sports this hour >> Friberg, who had a five-game stint with the Ducks in November, is scoreless in six NHL games. DUCKS NEXT UP VS. ST. LOUIS When: Friday, 7 p.m. On the air: TV: Prime; Radio: 830 Update: The Blues are mired in a season-high four-game losing streak, the last two in overtime. Vladimir Tarasenko leads the Blues with 24 goals, eight on the power play. Dating to 2009, the Ducks have won nine in a row against the Blues in Anaheim. They lost at St. Louis, 2-1, on Oct. 29, the defeat dropping their record to LA Times: LOADED:

5 Anaheim Ducks Ducks may look outside current roster for scoring help Jan. 7, 2016 Updated 9:36 p.m. By ERIC STEPHENS / STAFF WRITER ANAHEIM Imagine the following blaring out of a loudspeaker: Paging Jonathan Drouin. Please report to the front desk at Honda Center. If it were only that simple to get a young, talented forward who wants an opportunity to maximize his offensive potential. While the Ducks are hurting for offense, it does not mean they re on a full-court press to trade for the disgruntled Tampa Bay winger. But is it time for the Ducks to look outside for scoring help? Being shut out for the eighth time on Sunday would seem to indicate that it is, especially when a playoff spot in the Pacific Division is within reach. The Ducks have scored an NHL-low 73 goals and, at their current pace, they ll fall well below the 184 goals they scored in , the franchise low point for offensive futility in an 82-game season. The next worst team, Philadelphia, has scored 14 more goals. It is a concern. A major concern. But those inside the locker room aren t begging for assistance. If you start thinking you can t do it, then you re really in a bad spot, winger Andrew Cogliano said. I think we have to have confidence in ourselves. You can t feel sorry for yourselves. It s been bad and something probably no one expected. But if you start thinking that way, you re setting yourself up for complete failure. So far, the Ducks have a bunch of forwards aside from Corey Perry who aren t scoring. Right there on the market is Drouin, a 20-year-old former junior star taken third overall by the Lightning in 2013 who wants out. Drouin is now in the minor leagues after two seasons of being cast in a more limited third-line role by Coach Jon Cooper. His assignment to Syracuse of the American Hockey League prompted his agent, Allan Walsh, to make public a trade request made to Tampa Bay general manager Steve Yzerman in November. The indications are Yzerman won t rush into making a deal, even for an unhappy player. But what if the right offer came along? The Ducks have some assets to pull it off for a player with promise. And he'll be far more affordable for the foreseeable future than high-priced Eric Staal, Jordan Eberle or Kyle Okposo. Tampa Bay is seeking a right-shot defenseman. The presence of rising prospect Brandon Montour could make Sami Vatanen expendable, especially when left-shooting Shea Theodore has looked the part of an NHL regular while Cam Fowler recovers from a knee injury. The Ducks want to re-sign Vatanen, their top offensive threat from the blue line. But a deal obviously hasn t gotten done. Vatanen, 24, might reach 35-plus points for the second straight season and could at the very least triple the $1,275,000 he s making this season. A third-round pick in this year s draft could also be put in play as the Ducks will have an extra one. Ducks GM Bob Murray isn t hiding the fact he s seeking to inject some offense to a group that can t finish with any consistency. Murray was active at last year s trade deadline and, while he won t discuss any specifics, might need to add ahead of this year s on Feb. 29. Always trying to improve the team, Murray said in an to the Register. Obviously we re having trouble scoring. Scorers tough to come by, but we won t give up trying. Players have often said there are plenty of goals in the room. And they re right in theory, with everyone but young Rickard Rakell and veteran checker Nate Thompson having regularly scored in double figures. But only Perry has more than 10 this season. Ryan Kesler isn t fretting. The center said they ve forged a defense-first identity and are fine with winning low-scoring games even if everybody outside of this room probably wants us to win, 5-0. You re not going to find a scorer in a trade, Kesler said. You draft scorers. Once in a while there s blockbuster trades. This is our team. This is who we re going with. I like what we got right now. This year, we re not a high-scoring team. I don t think anybody in here is sulking or (complaining) about not scoring. Our captain s going through it. I went through it. Pears (Perry) went through it early on in the year. You don t see us sitting here (ticked) off. Obviously we re going out there to score. I think we take pride in defending. We get satisfaction when we win. We don t necessarily have to score. Cogliano, who has hit the 10-goal mark in all eight of his NHL seasons, put it on himself and others throughout the lineup to find ways of generating more offense. In our eyes, there s no one coming to save the day, he said. I think the guys that need to do the job are in the room. Whatever happens, happens. We have no control over those situations. GIBSON IN TUNE It was a scare when Ducks goalie John Gibson had to leave Wednesday s game because of a lower-body injury, but it was only that. Gibson was back at practice Thursday, and Boudreau didn t rule him out of starting Friday against St. Louis. He s 100 percent, Boudreau said. If we want him to go, he can go tomorrow. Boudreau said Gibson might have stayed in the game if he was holding a two-goal lead, but with the Ducks already trailing by three goals in the first minute of the third period, there was no sense in leaving him in to aggravate his ailment. Gibson also said it wasn t worth risking further injury. I just had some discomfort, he said. Just wanted to make sure it was nothing serious. That s really it. ALL-AMERICANS Montour and fellow top prospect Nick Ritchie were selected as American Hockey League All-Stars on Thursday and could play in the league s midseason game Feb. 1 in Syracuse, N.Y., if they are not with the Ducks. Ritchie played in his first 11 NHL games with the Ducks earlier in the season and has 12 goals and eight assists in 21 games with the San Diego Gulls. Montour has emerged as a scoring defenseman on the AHL level as he leads the Gulls with 28 points, 18 of them on the power play. Orange County Register: LOADED:

6 Anaheim Ducks Ducks acquire goalie Dustin Tokarski for prospect Max Friberg Jan. 7, 2016 Updated 11:49 a.m. By ERIC STEPHENS / STAFF WRITER The Ducks made a small trade that could have some further consequences as they acquired goalie Dustin Tokarski from the Montreal Canadiens for winger Max Friberg. Tokarski, 26, appeared in six games with the Canadiens this season and went with a 3.13 goals-against average and.878 save percentage. He has also spent time with the AHL's St. John's IceCaps, going with a 2.84 goals-against and.909 save percentage. The native of Watson, Saskatchewan will report to the San Diego Gulls, the Ducks' AHL affiliate. Tokarski has appeared in 33 NHL regular-season games and went 2-3 in the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs while Carey Price was hurt. Friberg, 23, was a fifth-round pick of the Ducks in the 2011 draft and played in five games with them earlier this season. He had five goals and 12 assists in 25 games with San Diego. The move to acquire Tokarski wasn't a direct response to Ducks goalie John Gibson getting hurt Wednesday night in their 4-0 loss to Toronto. Gibson had to leave in the first minute after suffering a lower-body injury, the result of a collison with Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri. Gibson is considered day to day and the injury is not to be considered serious in nature, a Ducks spokesman said. Trading for Tokarski does give the Ducks added goalie depth as they have Frederik Andersen as the current backup and Anton Khudobin as the Gulls' starter. It figures that Khudobin would welcome another shot with an NHL team and the Ducks are believed to be looking at scenarios in which they could move him. Khudobin, 29, went in eight games with the Ducks before being sent to San Diego after he went unclaimed on waivers. The Ducks could also hang on to Khudobin in case Gibson or Andersen are out for an extended period but they also have Tokarski in place if a goalie is moved. Ducks GM Bob Murray is looking at adding offense to the NHL's lowest-scoring team. The most intriguing name on the market is Jonathan Drouin, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2013 draft who has requested a trade out of Tampa Bay. Drouin has failed to catch on with the Lightning, who have sent him to their AHL team in Syracuse. The 20-year-old is considered to be a gifted offensive player who has two goals and six assists in 19 games with Tampa Bay, where Coach Jon Cooper largely had him in a third-line role. Orange County Register: LOADED:

7 Anaheim Ducks John Gibson is 100 percent after collision, Anaheim Ducks say Elliott Teaford Posted: 01/07/16, 3:45 PM PST Updated: 8 hrs ago BLUES AT DUCKS Faceoff: 7 p.m. TV/Radio: Prime / 830 AM Update: Rookie goalie John Gibson practiced with his teammates Thursday after he was knocked out of a 4-0 loss Wednesday to Toronto when the Maple Leafs Nazem Kadri crashed into him early in the third period. Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau told reporters Gibson was 100 percent. Frederik Andersen replaced Gibson in the third.... The Ducks acquired goalie Dustin Tokarski from the Montreal Canadiens for left wing Max Friberg in a swap of minor-league prospects. Tokarski, 26, has played 33 games in the NHL with the Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning. He s ticketed for the Ducks AHL team in San Diego.... The Ducks loss to the Maple Leafs ended their streak of gaining at least one point in six consecutive games (4-0-2).... The Ducks are overall. The Blues are after a 4-3 overtime loss Wednesday to the Colorado Avalanche. LA Daily News: LOADED:

8 Arizona Coyotes Arizona Coyotes wrap road trip with win over Calgary Flames When you re strong at the center position, you spend less time in your zone and more time in their zone and that s what we did tonight, Domingue said. Winning face-offs and scoring big goals like that, it was huge. Arizona Republic LOADED: Sarah McLellan, azcentral sports 11:18 p.m. MST January 7, 2016 CALGARY, Alberta It might be too early to analyze the numbers scattered throughout the Pacific Division to decipher playoff potential, but this math was too obvious to ignore. With the Coyotes owning a two-point lead over the Flames for the No. 2 spot entering Thursday s tilt, they would either increase their cushion to four points with a win or fall even with a loss. Even in January, that four-point swing seems to up the intensity and a playoff-type battle ensued with the Coyotes eking out a 2-1 victory in front of 19,272 at Scotiabank Saddledome to go an impressive on a three-game, Western Canada road trip. We talked about this whole road trip how these teams were going to be hungry to get over top of us because all three are behind us, coach Dave Tippett said. We got five out of six points, so we kept all three of them behind us going home. With 20 wins and 44 points, Arizona remains second in the division two points ahead of No. 3 Vancouver and four in front of No. 4 Calgary. This was the team s first regulation win in Calgary since March 15, 2011, and the Coyotes now sport a record against Pacific Division opponents. Center Martin Hanzal made an immediate impact in his first game back after missing 11 of the previous 12 games with a lower-body injury, using his size to screen Flames goalie Karri Ramo on the Coyotes first goal and then getting credit for the second although after the game the goal was awarded to defenseman Stefan Elliott. It was pretty much playoff mentality, and I m really happy we got the win, Hanzal said. Hanzal s linemate, winger Anthony Duclair, added a pair of assists. Hanz just creates so much room out there and covers up a lot of stuff that lets Anthony play his game, Tippett said. That s kind of the contribution we need from him. Goalie Louis Domingue improved to in seven starts with a 25-save effort. At the other end of the ice, Ramo suffered his first regulation loss to Arizona amid a 31-save outing. We played a great defensive game, Domingue said. We ve been talking about limiting the scoring chances from the middle of the ice, and that s what we did. Only 1:47 into the third period, the Coyotes resolved a 1-1 tie when Elliott s shot scooted past Ramo. Initially, Hanzal was given the goal as he seemed to get a piece of the puck, but the final box score showed it being Elliott s tally. The sequence was still being deliberated at press time. Despite a lengthy layoff, Hanzal didn t appear to need to be eased back into the lineup. In total, he logged 15:34 of ice time while putting two shots on net and having another two that either missed the net or were blocked. He s a big boy out there, Tippett said. You don t realize how much you miss him until he comes back. He kind of solidifies our center ice there, so it s certainly good to have him back. After moving ahead 2-1, Domingue had to be steady and he was with eight of his saves coming in the Both teams traded power-play goals in the first period with the Flames capitalizing first. Center Sean Monahan fed a wide-open Johnny Gaudreau on the back post, and Gaudreau unleashed a rising shot as he was falling at 14:37 to put Calgary up 1-0. Arizona tied it at 18:11 when defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson s shot trickled past Ramo with the 6-foot-6 Hanzal posted up in front of the net. The goal was the 66th of Ekman-Larsson s career, surpassing Keith Yandle for most goals among defensemen in the Coyotes' segment of franchise history. Calgary and Arizona each finished 1-for-3 on the power play.

9 Arizona Coyotes Coyotes' Tobias Rieder improving in second NHL season Sarah McLellan, azcentral sports 8:10 p.m. MST January 7, 2016 After completing their three-game road trip Thursday in Calgary, the Coyotes will open a season-long, seven-game homestand Saturday against the Predators. Overall, the Coyotes will have 14 of their next 18 games at Gila River Arena. So far, the team is on home ice. Arizona Republic LOADED: CALGARY, Alberta Setbacks for sophomores in the NHL aren t uncommon, but Coyotes winger Tobias Rieder only seems to be improving in time. Arizona isn t even at the midway point of the season yet, and the 22-year-old has already surpassed his point total from Obviously, it s nice to get more points than the year before and especially not even halfway through a season, Rieder said. That s good to know that the work pays off and now keep going from here. After chipping in a pair of assists in Monday s 3-2 win over the Canucks, Rieder bumped his point total up to 23 this after he posted 13 goals and eight assists for 21 points during his rookie campaign a season ago. Entering play Thursday, the Coyotes were 10-2 in games Rieder recorded an assist. He s a good player, coach Dave Tippett said. He s a good, all-around player. He plays in all situations for us. He works. He s got good skill. He s going to be a good player for a long time for us. He s one of those guys that flies under the radar, but he s one of those guys that I call players that help you win. Against the Flames, Rieder was reunited with winger Anthony Duclair and center Martin Hanzal. The trio formed a dynamic line for the Coyotes early in the season as all three regularly racked up points, but they haven't been able to skate together much recently with Hanzal sidelined. Thursday s game was Hanzal s first since sitting out 11 of the previous 12 with a lower-body injury. Sometimes you just go on the ice with a couple of guys, and you just know what they do and they know what you re doing, Rieder said. That was kind of the way with me and Duke and Marty. Obviously, we re having fun. Fine finish The World Junior Championship in Finland wrapped earlier this week, and two Coyotes prospects walked away with medals. Centers Christian Dvorak and Ryan MacInnis earned bronze with the U.S. team after it overwhelmed Sweden 8-3. Dvorak finished the tournament with three goals and eight points in seven games, while MacInnis amassed three assists in seven games. Teammate and Scottsdale native Auston Matthews contributed seven goals and 11 points in seven games. They both played fairly well, Tippett said of Dvorak and MacInnis. Dvorak had a little bigger role than Ryan did, but both played very well. I talked to (General Manager) Don Maloney this morning, who was over there. (He) said it was very positive on all our guys. That s a good sign. Forwards Anton Karlsson and Jens Looke along with goalie Erik Kallgren represented Sweden. Karlsson had a goal in seven games, and Looke scored a goal and four points in seven games. Kallgren was the team s third goalie and didn t play. Center Dylan Strome and winger Brendan Perlini were eliminated in the quarterfinals when Canada lost 6-5 to the eventual champion, Finland, but Strome still had a strong performance. He tallied four goals and six points in five games. Perlini went pointless in five points. I watched all his games, Tippett said of Strome, who was drafted third overall by the Coyotes last year. He was a good player there, going through that experience and the pressure and the magnitude of those games. Any young player that goes through that, it s a great experience. Injury update Defenseman Zbynek Michalek (upper-body injury) did not play against the Flames and remains day-to-day. Home sweet home

10 Arizona Coyotes Louis Domingue set to make 4th straight start for Coyotes Sarah McLellan, azcentral sports 12:35 p.m. MST January 7, 2016 Coyotes ( ) vs. Flames ( ) Puck drop: 7 p.m. TV/Radio: Fox Sports Arizona/KMVP-FM (98.7). Center Martin Hanzal is set to return to the lineup after missing 11 of the past 12 games with a lower-body injury. I m really excited to be back, Hanzal said. How much ice time I ll get, I ll just do my best. I m looking forward to being back. The Coyotes have gone so far on this three-game road trip. We knew it was going to be a critical trip, coach Dave Tippett said. The last game s going to be a hard game but to come in and play fairly well, find ways to just hang around games and get points, that s what you have to do right now. The division s so tight that you gotta keep yourself in the game, and we ve been able to do that. Goalie Louis Domingue will make his fourth straight start Thursday. You re just looking for steady performances in that position, Tippett said. He s come in, you look at his numbers, he s come in and done that for us. Nothing really flashy, just been real solid. Every game he goes into there s a calmness in there that s allowed him to play well and allowed our team to get points. Fast facts for Thursday s game Goalie Louis Domingue is with a.939 save percentage in six starts. Captain Shane Doan has seven goals in his last four games. Doan has 50 points in 68 career games against the Flames. Arizona is in its last 11 games. The Coyotes are against the Pacific Division. Calgary has won 12 of its last 14 home games. The Flames are against the West. Captain Mark Giordano has points in seven of his last eight games. Giordano and defensive partner TJ Brodie have combined for 18 points in the last eight games. The Flames have won five of the last six games against the Coyotes. Possible Coyotes lines: Domi-Vermette-Boedker Rieder-Hanzal-Duclair Martinook-Richardson-Doan Chipchura-Gordon-Tikhonov Ekman-Larsson-Murphy Grossmann-Stone Dahlbeck-Elliott Domingue Potential scratches: Michalek, Scott and Downie. Injury update: Defenseman Zbynek Michalek (upper-body injury) is questionable to play. Goalie Mike Smith (core muscle injury) and center/winger Joe Vitale (fractured orbital bone) are on injured reserve. Possible Flames lines: Gaudreau-Monahan-Colborne Ferland-Backlund-Jones Bennett-Granlund-Raymond Bouma-Stajan-Jooris Giordano-Brodie Russell-Hamilton Engelland-Wideman Ramo Potential scratches: Bollig and Smid. Injury update: Forwards Michael Frolik (upper-body) and Jiri Hudler (lower-body). Arizona Republic LOADED:

11 Arizona Coyotes Coyotes look for road breakthrough in Calgary By Nicolino DiBenedettoSTATS, Inc. Jan 7, 2016 at 2:05p ET Shane Doan is on a stunning scoring tear. What's much more surprising, and certainly more important, is the Arizona Coyotes' dominance of Pacific Division rivals. Doan looks to continue his impressive production as the Coyotes try to beat the Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome for the first time in almost four years Thursday night. The game can be seen on FOX Sports Arizona, starting at 6:30 p.m. Doan's 383 career goals are a Coyotes franchise record, and his 919 points are 10 back of the team mark held by Hall of Famer Dale Hawerchuk. The 39-year-old captain appeared to be slowing down last season with 14 goals, but he's already surpassed that total with a team-high 15. Nine of those have come in the last seven games, including seven in the past four after he tallied twice in Monday's 3-2 win at Vancouver. "The greatest thing about 'Doaner' when he scores is his smile," coach Dave Tippett said. "He loves to score... He's having fun playing, and I think some of this youth around our team has made him feel youthful also." The Coyotes ( ) have had a lot to smile about. They're second in the division after finishing with the fewest points in the Western Conference last season, and they've gone against the Pacific. Arizona, which went within the division last season, beat the Flames 2-1 in overtime at home on Nov. 27 to end a five-game skid in the series. The Coyotes haven't won at Calgary, however, since Feb. 23, 2012, going in their last eight visits. The Flames ( ) are two points behind Arizona, thanks in large part to their dominance at home. They've won 12 of their last 14 there after Tuesday's 3-1 victory over Tampa Bay. "As a team, we're playing a lot better than the start of the year," goaltender Karri Ramo said. "That's why we're having success. Everybody's chipping in, doing their things." That's certainly true for Ramo, who should get the nod for an 11th straight game Thursday after stopping 56 of 57 shots to win his last two. He's with a 2.00 goals-against average in 13 games since making 19 saves at Arizona. That's a tremendous improvement after he posted a 4.43 GAA while losing four of his first five starts -- a stretch that included a demotion to the minors. "He went down, he was not happy, he came back and right from there he started to work," coach Bob Hartley said. "He's probably been one of the best goalies in the league." Ramo is with a 1.38 GAA in five career starts against the Coyotes. Johnny Gaudreau leads the Flames with 17 goals and 39 points, but he has no points in four straight games to match his longest drought of the season. The Coyotes are expected to have Martin Hanzal back after he missed seven games with a lower-body injury. Of the center's 20 points, 15 have come on the road. He had a goal against the Flames in November. He's slated to join Anthony Duclair and Tobias Rieder on a line. "I think me and 'Dukey' and Marty have great chemistry," Rieder said. foxsportsarizona.com LOADED:

12 Boston Bruins Bruins in need of offensive lift By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff January 07, 2016 WILMINGTON In need of building some momentum, the Bruins instead lost a key building block Thursday when they put veteran defenseman Adam McQuaid on the injured reserve list, further deconstructing a lineup that in mid-december briefly played its way into a top-four spot in the Eastern Conference. McQuaid, drilled into the boards Tuesday night by Washington s Zach Sill, possibly is suffering from a concussion, but the Bruins would characterize his status only as an upper-body injury. It s highly unlikely that the big blue liner will be back for any of the next five games, beginning Friday night in New Jersey, that the club will play on the road. To fill the roster spot, the Bruins recalled right winger David Pastrnak, their promising second-year pro, from AHL Providence. Based on a late-morning practice here, Pastrnak will find himself on the No. 1 line Friday night, with All-Star Patrice Bergeron at center and Loui Eriksson flipped over to left wing. Great player, said the ever-welcoming Bergeron, who was granted a day off skates on Wednesday, allowed to get some rest after logging heavy minutes of late. He has great speed, smarts, and vision. For sure, we are happy to see him back with us. Pastrnak, only 19 years old, returned to North America this week after a four-game stint with the Czech Republic in the World Junior Championships (won by Finland). Sidelined in late October with a foot injury, Pastrnak played four games in seven days in Helsinki, collecting a goal and three assists. It was really good, said Pastrnak, the Bruins top pick, 25th overall, in the 2014 draft. The best thing to do to get in shape is to play games. Question is, can Pastrnak help the Bruins shake a midseason funk in which they have gone a disappointing since returning from the holiday break, and now find themselves in a footrace for the final playoff spot in the conference? They desperately need the scoring that Pastrnak, who had 27 points as a rookie last season, might be able to provide. In the recent funk, they have been outscored, 15-7, in their four losses, including a 5-1 trouncing at the hands of the Canadiens in the Jan. 1 Winter Classic. We ll have to see, offered coach Claude Julien when queried on how he will deploy Pastrnak. I haven t seen him play much lately. It s always the same with me: If he s going well, he ll be utilized more. But if there is a little more rust than we expect, then I ll have to make some decisions. But it s nice to have him back. On Saturday night, when the Bruins play in Ottawa, Julien also will have Brad Marchand back from a three-game suspension. With Marchand returned to active duty, Pastrnak likely will be bumped off the No. 1 line, possibly paired with Matt Beleskey or Jimmy Hayes, or both. During the workout, Pastrnak joined both forwards on a second-unit power-play configuration, while the crafty Ryan Spooner joined the Eriksson-Bergeron combo on the first unit. The Boston lineup perhaps is impaired most by the continued absence of top center David Krejci, who was injured just prior to the Winter Classic. The return Tuesday night of Joonas Kemppainen helped to fill some of the void at center, but the loss of Krejci puts stress on the entire offense, particularly Bergeron, who has averaged some 21 minutes of ice time over the last five games, at least two or three minutes above where Julien would typically play him. Growing pains Frank Vatrano, a house of fire upon entering the lineup Nov. 7, ripping off 19 shots in his first five games, has seen his game turn to cold ash. His Dec. 18 hat trick vs. Pittsburgh aside, the ex-umass standout has failed to pick up a single point in 16 of his last 17 games. He landed but one shot on net in his last three. It s normal, I think, said Julien, who has stuck with the 21-year-old first-year pro. I really liked the way he came in. He played on his toes, excited and aggressive and stuff like that. Through the course of a season, this is where you look at a guy 21 years old, first year out of college and now he s playing a much different schedule. The typical college season has players in action only for a pair of weekend games, then spending the rest of the week focusing on books and training. The NHL, as Julien noted, often demands players to be ready for six games in nine nights. It s a big adjustment, campus to career, for most players. Sometimes they hit a bit of a wall, said Julien. We saw Smitty [Reilly Smith] go through it. When you go through it the first time, you hit a few bumps here and there. I think this is where he s at. I still think he s a good player. I wouldn t say he s hit a wall, but he doesn t have the same spark. You try to help him through it, but at the same time, it s almost like a player has to go through it to get himself better. Split decision? Given the back-to-back schedule, Friday in New Jersey and Saturday in Ottawa, Julien is likely to split the work between goalies Tuukka Rask and Jonas Gustavsson. But with points now so precious, if Rask were to start Friday and lose, then it would be no surprise to see him back in there Saturday... Bergeron had the day off skates Wednesday, but he was at the workout facility for a day of bike riding, stretching, and watching video. Trying to get some rest, not just physically, but mentally, he said. Staying away from the ice sometimes is not a bad thing. You get to rest your mind a little bit. Bergeron said he has felt the wear and tear of his recent surge in playing minutes. A few games, yeah, I can t lie, he said. But it hasn t been bad, actually, I feel pretty good.... Julien on the uptick in trades around the league this week, which included young studs Ryan Johansen (to Nashville) and Seth Jones (to Columbus) switching sweaters: They are big names. It seems like once it gets started, it can open the door for other things to happen. Boston Globe LOADED:

13 Boston Bruins Bruins notebook: Eager to take key road trip Rich Thompson Friday, January 08, 2016 WILMINGTON The Bruins can remain viable in the Eastern Conference playoff picture by beating the competition where they live. The Bruins, currently tied for the eighth and final playoff spot, will play five road games in nine days against a mix of Atlantic and Metropolitan Division opponents beginning tonight against the Devils (seventh, one point ahead of the B s) at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The Bruins will visit the Ottawa Senators tomorrow night followed by the Rangers, Flyers and Sabres before returning home to face the Maple Leafs on Jan. 16. The Bruins can feel confident playing on the road despite losing five of their last six, including a 5-1 thrashing by the Montreal Canadiens in the Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium on New Year s Day. The B s have the second best road record (11-3-2) in the Eastern Conference, trailing only the Capitals, who beat the Bruins 3-2 at the Garden on Tuesday night. I think it is one of those things where you need to have a good trip and lately we ve played some OK hockey, said Patrice Bergeron following a 75-minute practice yesterday at Ristuccia Arena. The last game was a good effort but then we don t get the result that we wanted and ultimately it s all about a win and two points. So we are looking forward to go on the road and start on a good note on a back-to-back. These are big games against (conference) teams so we have to be ready. Bruins coach Claude Julien used the last two practices adjusting his lines to account for injuries and suspensions while working on fundamentals. Julien believes that is the best way to end a losing streak and prepare the Bruins for five straight hostile venues. To be honest with you we worked on everything, said Julien. You ve seen us the last few days working on our game as a whole and tighten up a little bit with the injuries and the situations we ve been in. It s a matter of getting ourselves in sync more than ever. The next game is the most important one to get ourselves back on the winning column and hopefully build momentum on that. Czech mate The Bruins called up right winger David Pastrnak from Providence on Wednesday and Julien used him on the first line in practice with Bergeron and Loui Eriksson. The unit participated in even-strength drills together, with Julien replacing Pastrnak with Ryan Spooner on the power play. It feels nice having not been here for a while, said Pastrnak. It is exciting to play some hockey. Pastrnak, 19, played in the first 10 games of the season and had two goals and two assists. He was taken out of the lineup after suffering a minor foot fracture on Oct. 31. He did rehab stints with the Czech national team and the Baby B s before being recalled. Lone wolf Bergeron said it will be an honor to be the Bruins only representative at the NHL All-Star Game in Nashville, Tenn., on Jan. 31. Bergeron will be competing in his second straight midwinter classic but isn t sure how his two-way game will work in the new 3-on-3 format used in regular-season overtime situations. It is definitely going to be wide open and there is going to be a lot of room on the ice, said Bergeron. We haven t had many 3-on-3 games so we ll see what happens and there will be a lot of back-checking on my part.... Julien had no updates on the status of injured defenseman Adam McQuaid (upper body; injured reserve) and center David Krejci (upper body) but said both players will miss the road trip. Winger Brad Marchand will return to the ice in Ottawa after completing a three-game suspension for clipping Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki at the Garden on Dec. 29. Boston Herald LOADED: