Carolina Hurricanes Staal-in: Rangers rebound to top 3-Staal Canes in OT

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1 SPORT-SCAN Anaheim Ducks Ducks' trip ends on a high note with 3-1 win Ducks roll with role players DUCKS 3, VANCOUVER 1: Anaheim ends road swing with victory Boston Bruins Bruins hoping practice leads to improvement Milan Lucic of Bruins picking up his game Rask gets shutout as Bruins beat Lightning Bruins shut out Lightning, Dougie Hamilton wins NESN's Seventh Player Award Bruins seeking stability in stretch run Final: Bruins 2, Lightning Tonight's Bruins lineup Solid start for newbie Carl Soderberg B s show signs of life Milan Lucic finds some fight Latest shutout could get Tuukka Rask rolling Notebook: Dougie Hamilton nets 7th Player Award Bruins come away with 2-0 win over the Lightning Bruins beat Lightning Heading into the third, the Bruins are up 2-0 over the Lightning Bruins-Lightning scoreless after one Bruins will try to avoid Lightning strike Buffalo Sabres With future unclear, Miller savors the present Ryan Miller's Buffalo townhouse goes up for sale Mike Liut - Ryan Miller's agent - weighs in on his client joining him in 500-game club Sabres' Miller eager to enjoy his 500th game while knowing it won't be his last Miller in line to reach rare goaltending milestone with 500th game, all with Sabres Ex-Amerk Drew MacIntyre faces old team Calgary Flames The real question: Can Jay Bouwmeester grow a playoff beard? Blues lay 4-1 beating on Flames, furthering quest for home ice advantage Flames Snapshots - Brawny Backlund called to show assertive side Butler to play for U.S Calgary Flames putting strongest lineup on the ice to face the St. Louis Blues Flames fall 4-1 to Blues Carolina Hurricanes Staal-in: Rangers rebound to top 3-Staal Canes in OT Chicago Blackhawks Presidents' Trophy can be a curse Hawks won't let guard down in final two games Preview: Flames at Blackhawks Making case for Toews, Saad to win coveted trophies Colorado Avalanche Avs' Milan Hejduk to play season finale Saturday in likely swan song Colorado Avalanche at Phoenix Coyotes: game preview Colorado Avalanche's bad road record a mystery to the team NHL 4/26/2013 DAILY BRIEF Columbus Blue Jackets Blue Jackets 3, Stars 1: Still in the hunt Blue Jackets notebook: Experience from playoff push vital Blue Jackets 3, Stars 1: Playoffs still possible Dallas Stars Stars' Alex Chiasson expected to miss tonight's game with Columbus Heika: Dallas Stars join exclusive club as they miss playoffs for fifth straight season Dallas Stars forward Alex Chiasson sits again as Stars lose again: 'It's tough watching from the locker room' Alex Goligoski changing minds as Dallas Stars close out season Stars can't contain Cam Atkinson in loss to Blue Jackets Dallas Stars get eliminated from playoff contention, then continue late season skid with loss to Columbus Stars playoff hopes doused in 3-1 loss to Columbus Detroit Red Wings Detroit 5, Nashville 2: Red Wings one step closer to playoff spot Ex-Red Wing Brett Lebda back in the playoffs - with an AHL team Johan Franzen will play tonight; Red Wings can clinch playoff spot Red Wings' Danny DeKeyser, Brendan Smith help strengthen defense during playoff push NHL roundup: Blue Jackets stay alive, keep heat on Red Wings Jeff Seidel: Winning streak props up Red Wings' playoff streak Wings' Johan Franzen on a roll, says he'll play vs. Predators Where the Red Wings stand in the playoff hunt Red Wings control their destiny in playoff chase Another convincing victory gives Red Wings that playoff feeling Red Wings' will showing up just in time for final playoff push Red Wings bounce Predators, can clinch playoff berth with victory Saturday Red Wings take care of business by beating Nashville, 5-2, to maintain own playoff destiny Live blog recap: Detroit Red Wings beat Nashville to move into seventh place in Western Conference With chance to clinch playoff berth, Red Wings realize they must avoid letdown against Predators Red Wings' Johan Franzen says he will play tonight vs. Nashville; Todd Bertuzzi cleared but won't dress Red Wings' Todd Bertuzzi has missed 11 weeks, but expects to have impact when he returns Thursday Detroit Red Wings' playoff fate won't be determined until season finale Saturday in Dallas Red Wings breeze past Predators, 5-2 Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers goalie Devan Dubnyk focuses on his job regardless of what s going on Edmonton Oilers return Teemu Hartikainen to the minors Jarome Iginla home sold for full list price of $3.995 million Morning skate update: Karlsson ready to return against Capitals Ageless Teemu Selanne rests up for playoff drive with Anaheim Ducks TSN s Bob MacKenzie says Craig MacTavish s bold move could be trading 1st pick Edmonton Oilers rookie defenceman Justin Schultz's plus-minus stats among the league's worst

2 Florida Panthers Toronto Maple Leafs ( ) at Florida Panthers ( ), 7:30 p.m. (ET) ONE AND DONE: Panthers to Finish Last in NHL after Leafs win Florida's Home Finale Last Place a Franch Florida Panthers loss to Leafs clinches NHL s worst record Leafs blow away Florida Panthers 4-0 in final home game Maple Leafs blank Panthers 4-0 Los Angeles Kings The road hasn't been kind to Kings this season Disappointed Brown respectful of decision Sutter talks defense and practice time Waking up with the Kings: April April 24 postgame notes Minnesota Wild Game preview: Wild vs. Edmonton Wild practice: Pominville absent, Rupp present and a good mood all around Stage is set for Wild: Win Friday, make playoffs Blue Jackets live to see another day; Wild victory Friday over Edmonton clinches playoff berth Minnesota Wild: Attendance, noise up during playoff push Minnesota Wild: Josh Harding says he's ready to play Minnesota Wild: Jason Pominville 'day to day,' Friday's status in doubt Minnesota Wild hope to clinch playoff berth with home win Friday Charley Walters: Minnesota Wild's Zach Parise notes but doesn't cheer Devils' fall Montreal Canadiens Jets eliminated from playoffs during loss to Habs Habs clinch home ice with comeback win Dave Stubbs: Strong first season for Gallagher About last night Video: One more step as Habs clinch home ice Liveblog: Canadiens comeback grounds Jets, clinches home ice for first round Nashville Predators Datsyuk does in Preds for final time in West Nashville Predators' Chris Mason struggles in rare start Fisher produces, albeit not enough, in return to Predators' lineup New Jersey Devils In Return From Injury, Karlsson Helps Senators Clinch Playoff Spot Maple Leafs Playoffs Tickets Go on Sale, Briefly Devils Slip Past Penguins for 3-2 Victory As they play: Devils vs. Penguins Devils' David Clarkson: I don't know where I'll be next season Devils rookie Eric Gelinas will make NHL debut against Penguins Devils hold final morning skate of season Devils' Eric Gelinas was nervous but impressive in NHL debut Devils' Ilya Kovalchuk: 'This is probably the worst year of my career' Devils win final home game of season, 3-2, over Penguins Clarkson helps Devils top Pens; will he return next season? Ilya s goal lifts Devs Devils nip Penguins in home finale New York Islanders NY Islanders fall to Philadelphia Flyers, drop to seventh in Eastern Conference Islanders turnaround Capuano gets testy after flat Islanders fall to Flyers Islanders fall to Flyers, drop to eighth in East Jack Capuano opts to rest Evgeni Nabokov against Flyers New York Rangers Late Bounces Push Rangers Back Into Playoffs Award Nomination Lauds Marc Staal s Season of Perseverance Jared Makes It Four Staal Brothers in the N.H.L Ryan Callahan s overtime goal puts Rangers in Stanley Cup playoffs, beats Hurricanes PHWA NY chapter awards Dan Girardi the John Halligan Good Guy Award, nominates Marc Staal for Bill Masterton M Staal-ed: Injured Rangers denseman misses chance to play against three brothers Blueshirts forward Clowe injures right leg Rangers clinch playoff berth with thrilling overtime win Rangers beat Hurricanes in OT to clinch playoff spot Rangers clinch playoffs, beat Hurricanes behind Ryan Callahan's overtime goal Rangers' Marc Staal noted for his perseverance; Dan Girardi a 'Good Guy' It s Go Time! Rangers at Hurricanes The clincher: Rangers-Hurricanes in review The clincher Rangers 4, Hurricanes 3 (OT): Post-game notes Ottawa Senators Gonchar powers Sens into playoffs Talk about not missing a beat Karlsson hits the ground skating Morning skate update: Karlsson ready to return against Capitals Senators prediction panel: Game Ottawa Sens clinch playoff spot with 2-1 win over Washington Capitals Ottawa Sens star Erik Karlsson bang on with prediction Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson joining teammates on Twitter Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson to Ottawa Senators: 'I'm in' Philadelphia Flyers Briere ends drought as Flyers edge Islanders Jakub Voracek named Flyers' MVP NHL Power Rankings: Blackhawks finish on top Flyers Notes: Jake Voracek is named Flyers MVP Jakub Voracek wins team MVP award Flyers close out home schedule Home finale ends on a positive note Team MVP Voracek's future bright Bryzgalov admits fatigue hurt his performance Flyers close out home season against Isles tonight Flyers Scoop: Part of promising core, Jakub Voracek gets team MVP Briere goes out with a bang in win over Isles Instant Replay: Flyers 2, Islanders Jakub Voracek named winner of Bobby Clarke Trophy Simon Gagne hopes to reach 600 points by season's end Flyers-Islanders: What you need to know Lauridsen, young Flyers defense fighting for a job Flyers notes: Solid season brings two awards to Jakub Voracek Flyer win offers Briere a fond farewell Last Flyers home game of season nets victory over Islanders

3 Phoenix Coyotes D Michael Stone most improved among Coyotes Phoenix Coyotes regret lost chances in missing playoffs Pittsburgh Penguins Pens suffer meaningless loss in New Jersey Penguins notebook: Crosby to return to practice Friday Penguins Cooke leans on family, Pittsburgh in rough week Penguins lose 3-2 to New Jersey Penguins' captain Crosby cleared to resume practicing Penguins notebook: Crosby moves key step closer to return Penguins' lead disappears, New Jersey rallies for 3-2 win San Jose Sharks San Jose Sharks struggle again with penalty kill Lackluster first period doomed Sharks Sharks notes: Tennyson returns; Kings' Brown out Burish on Niemi: 'He knows he's the man' Home ice unlikely for Sharks in first round St Louis Blues Blues updates: Home-ice advantage is club's goal Oshie eyeing Game 1 of playoffs for return Blues rout Flames 4-1 on two goals by Reaves Blues' Reaves scores two goals as fourth line shines vs. Flames Bouwmeester downplays facing his former team; Blues goalie prospect honored Tampa Bay Lightning Lightning notes: Flexible D Gudas avoids injury St. Louis, Bolts blanked by Bruins Bishop, Carle, Thompson named to USA team for world championship Crombeen is Lightning Masterton Trophy nominee Lightning shut out by Bruins Toronto Maple Leafs Kadri and Kessel click on top line as Leafs rout Panthers Sliding Leafs need a win over last-place Panthers Leafs fans seeking playoff tickets left frustrated by technical glitch Maple Leafs playoff picture clearer after 4-0 win over Florida Panthers: Cox Maple Leafs: Ticketmaster, MLSE apologize for ticket glitch Maple Leafs: Mark Fraser and Cody Franson a solid blue line pair Ex-Maple Leafs coach Paul Maurice talks about his time in Russia Kadri and Kessel? Not yet Maple Leafs get physical, shut out Panthers Even Maple Leafs players won't cough up many playoff tickets Kostka happy to be back in Leafs lineup True Leafs fans have right to be proud Maple Leafs playoff tickets sale frustrates fans Game chat: Maple Leafs visit Panthers Leafs need to get physical again: Carlyle Leafs are Lightning s recovery model Five Leafs with playoff experience that could come in handy Nazem Kadri soars on Leafs top line against Panthers Leafs playoff tickets sell out but not everyone ended up a winner Vancouver Canucks Iain MacIntyre: These were no sitting Ducks Game Within Game: Canucks picked it up too late Ducks down Canucks, Canucks Kevin Bieksa optimistic body injury won t stop him from starting playoffs Canucks Game Day: Vancouver wants to keep ramping it up vs. depleted Ducks Joslin finally getting his shot CANUCKS GAMEDAY: Ballard winging it, Luongo starts Roberto Luongo won t bite on latest last Canuck start talk: Reminiscing is for when you retire Canucks d-man Kevin Bieksa won t disclose ailment, explaining I just have a body injury right now Ducks 3 Canucks 1: Kind of meaningless, as long as nobody got hurt Gallagher: Farewell Lui... and um, maybe we'll see you in the playoffs The Provies Nightly Awards Lookahead: Who will the Canucks face in the playoffs? (with video) Willes on Luongo s legacy: He made the Canucks relevant Luongo loses what is likely his last start in Vancouver as a Canuck Hey, Wobbly: the language of skating Washington Capitals Open Thread: Capitals vs. Senators The Caps and nicknames Adam Oates wants the Capitals to show Ottawa who we are as a team Erik Karlsson will return to Senators lineup against Capitals Joel Ward skates but won t face Senators; Michal Neuvirth to start Capitals hope to keep rolling even with NHL playoff spot secured Capitals loss to Senators offers potential playoff preview, animosity and all Capitals vs. Senators: Sergei Gonchar scores game-winner in overtime as Washington falls to Ottawa, Capitals notes: Erik Karlsson makes miraculous return to Senators HARRIS: Don t hang those Titletown banners just yet, D.C With You Can Play, hockey aims to curb homophobia Before the results matter again, take some time to appreciate Alex Ovechkin Senators give Capitals taste of playoff agitation Capitals have trouble rounding into playoff form with loss in meaningless game

4 Websites Imagine that: Jackets, Stars still in mix Erik Karlsson returns to lineup Team Canada bringing in lucky Need to know: Northeast teams in disarray NBCSports.com / Crosby cleared for practice, expected to skate with Pens tomorrow NBCSports.com / Kings GM Lombardi on Brown suspension: Forsberg made a living making this play NBCSports.com / Miller: Wave at booing Buffalo fans wasn t screw you gesture NBCSports.com / Who ll have best odds at 13 NHL Draft Lottery? NBCSports.com / Stanley Cup Playoffs field could be set tonight USA TODAY / Red Wings win, move closer to clinching USA TODAY / NHL preview: Erik Karlsson returning USA TODAY / Team USA to have steady defense at worlds USA TODAY / Kevin Allen's NHL awards favorites Wall Street Journal / The Only Thing Missing Is a Team Three Periods: Trophy-worthy turnaround by Oates & Ovechkin; Bruins' bad timing; dogged Doan Winnipeg Jets Jets' playoff hopes dealt fatal blow Down and out with little fight Redmond snags end-of-year award for grit, perseverance Kane stresses progress Something more is required Jets-Habs summary Jets playoff dream dead Winnipeg Jets just weren't good enough Winnipeg Jets' next contest: The NHL draft lottery Winnipeg Jets taking up where Atlanta Thrashers left off SPORT-SCAN, INC

5 Anaheim Ducks Ducks' trip ends on a high note with 3-1 win Their second-period lead holds up, and the Canucks' rally in the third falls short. Key players get some rest. Associated Press April 26, 2013 VANCOUVER, Canada -- Brad Staubitz's second-period goal sent the Ducks to a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. Staubitz's goal on a shot from the right wing at 8:21 of the second proved to be the winner as it gave Anaheim a 2-0 lead that held up after 40 minutes before a Vancouver rally fell short in the third. The Ducks improved to in their final road game of the regular season. The loss ended Vancouver's home winning streak at nine games. Matt Beleskey, also in the second period, and Andrew Cogliano, with a short-handed empty-netter in the final minute of the third, scored for the Ducks. Jason Garrison scored for the Canucks during a five-on-three power play late in the third period. The Ducks outshot the Canucks, 30-29, but the margin was close only after Vancouver sent 20 at Jonas Hiller in the third period. The Ducks converted one of three power-play attempts. The Ducks had already clinched the Pacific Division title and the second playoff seeding in the Western Conference, and the Canucks had locked down their fifth straight Northwest crown and the third spot behind Anaheim. So the game had the importance and look of an exhibition contest. Despite resting key players, the Ducks controlled play against a Vancouver squad that used most of its regulars but delivered a dreadful performance. Anaheim outshot the Canucks 25-9 in the first two periods but was often stymied by goaltender Roberto Luongo, who posted 27 saves. LA Times: LOADED:

6 Anaheim Ducks Ducks roll with role players By ERIC STEPHENS :57:04 VANCOUVER, B.C. Literally nothing was at stake for the Ducks or the Vancouver Canucks for that matter on Thursday night other than the potential for an ill-timed injury with the postseason right around the corner. So the Ducks let their big men on campus chill out for a night and allowed their not-quite-as-popular friends, the bench-warmers and the new guys up from the junior varsity come out of the shadows into the light. Even with many big names missing from the lineup, the Ducks had no problem handling the largely complete Canucks as their 3-1 win at Rogers Arena made them the third NHL team with 30 victories in this lockoutmarred 48-game season. The Ducks ( ) put their emphasis on making sure key players got some rest while awaiting their first-round opponent as the Western Conference's No. 2 seed. Vancouver already has the third seed locked up as the Northwest Division titlist. Ryan Getzlaf, Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu and Bryan Allen all sat out while Bobby Ryan was already back home, recovering from lingering flu symptoms. Luca Sbisa missed his fifth consecutive game due to a persistent lower-body injury. There was still a game to be played and Matt Beleskey and Brad Staubitz, who aren't known for grabbing headlines, scored in the second on Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo to provide offensive support for Jonas Hiller in goal. The Ducks managed to limit Vancouver to just nine shots over the first 40 minutes even though the usual suspects such as Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows were all on the ice for the Canucks. "It was great for us," said Hiller, who stopped 28 shots. "I thought, especially the first two periods, we found a way to put a lot of pressure on them. I think we played our best if we put pressure on them. Forecheck hard, first guy gets in there and hits them. "That's what those guys who got a chance to play tonight did. They wanted to show they might also want to be in the lineup when the playoffs start." It wasn't a meaningless game for some players that drew in. Call-ups such as Patrick Maroon and Devante Smith-Pelly, who joined the team on Wednesday from Norfolk (Va.) of the American Hockey League, got their chance to impress Coach Bruce Boudreau. Maroon logged nearly 14 minutes of ice time while playing on the second line with Nick Bonino and Kyle Palmieri. Smith-Pelly drew third-line duty and played more than 13minutes. "I expect the other guys to be just as good as the guys sitting out," Boudreau said prior to the game. "I tell them that and, whether they believe or not, that's my expectations. Whoever puts that sweater on, this is an opportunity for them. "If they want to get chances to play in the playoffs, they've got to show something now. We've had all the other guys up there at some point in the year. They've done well for us. So there's no reason why they shouldn't do well tonight." Staubitz appreciated the bonus ice time and made it count. The little-used winger came down the right side and let loose a shot from at the edge of the right circle that skipped off the stick of Vancouver's Andrew Alberts and eluded Luongo. It was the first goal of the season for Staubitz and just his 10th in 230 career NHL games. "It was just nice to get one," said Staubitz, who's been in just 15 games with the Ducks. "Good to get in a few games here and just being able to contribute is huge. Get some playing time and just did my thing." Hiller, meanwhile, made another push for the Game 1 start when the playoffs begin as he continued trading razor-sharp efforts with Viktor Fasth. He made 19 of his saves in the third as the sleepy Canucks finally began to apply pressure. All that got by Hiller was Jason Garrison's one-timer with Ducks defensemen Ben Lovejoy and Sheldon Souray both sitting in the penalty box. The veteran Hiller has allowed two or fewer goals in six of his last seven outings. "I'm not too worried about it," Hiller said. "If I get the chance to play, I want to play as well as possible. Sure, it's nice if you know a little earlier and are kind of able to prepare yourself that way. "I felt like I played pretty well the last three games I've played. I'm definitely going in the right direction." Boudreau joked that "they both want to start evidently because they're stopping everything in sight." Fasth will get his chance to present a final argument on Saturday in the regular-season finale at home against Phoenix. "He's been playing great for the last month and a half," Boudreau said of Hiller. "He showed me that we have two good goalies. The coach, I don't think, can screw it up by putting either one of them in net for the playoffs." Orange County Register: LOADED:

7 Anaheim Ducks DUCKS 3, VANCOUVER 1: Anaheim ends road swing with victory By The Associated Press Posted: 04/25/ :06:46 PM PDT Updated: 04/25/ :28:20 PM PDT VANCOUVER, British Columbia - The Ducks spoiled Roberto Luongo's potential last regular season home game. Brad Staubitz's second-period goal lifted the Ducks to a 3-1 victory over the Canucks in Vancouver's final home regular season game Thursday night. The Ducks outshot the Canucks 30-29, but the margin was close only after Vancouver fired 20 at Jonas Hiller in the third period. Vancouver finishes the regular season Saturday on the road against the Edmonton Oilers. "Obviously, it's a disappointing loss for myself and (we) move on to Saturday," said Luongo, who finished with 27 saves. "It felt pretty good tonight. Obviously, let in a goal (by Staubitz) that I should have had, but other than that, I felt decent." The Ducks improved to in their final road game of the regular season. They finished the lockout-shortened campaign with 14 road wins against 10 losses. The loss ended Vancouver's home win streak at eight games as the Canucks record dropped to The Canucks finished with a home mark. Luongo got the start after Cory Schneider was injured in Monday's win over the Chicago Blackhawks. The Canucks are expected to move Luongo via trade or a contract buyout in the off-season after they were unable to swing a deal at the trade deadline or last summer. But Luongo, who remained winless at home since March 14 against Nashville as his record on the season dropped to 9-5-3, did not view the game as a send-off. "For me it didn't feel like the last game," said Luongo. "So it's tough to think that way when there are games ahead." Luongo delivered a strong performance in his first home start since March 18, but the Ducks diverted from the story line as they controlled play in the first two periods and built up an insurmountable 2-0 lead while holding a 29-5 edge in shots. "He played well," said Canucks coach Alain Vigneault. "I'm sure he'd like to have the second goal back, but he gave us a chance to stay in the game - and did what he had to do." Staubitz's goal on a shot from right wing at 8:21 of the second proved to be the winner as it gave the Ducks a 2-0 lead that held up after 40 minutes before a desperate Vancouver rally fell short in the third. The goal was the first of the season for Staubitz, who had sat out 11 of his club's past 13 games as a healthy scratch. Canucks defenseman Andrew Alberts stuck out his stick in a bid to block the shot. But Luongo said Alberts did not get a piece of the puck. The shot just "handcuffed" him as it went in on his glove side. "But that's not an excuse," said Luongo. "I have to make that save 100 times out of 100." Matt Beleskey, also in the second period, and Andrew Cogliano, with a short-handed empty-netter in the final minute of the third, scored for the Ducks. Jason Garrison replied for the Canucks during a five-on-three power play late in the third period after Ben Lovejoy was penalized for hooking and Sheldon Souray received a double-minor for high-sticking. With the Canucks pressing and Luongo on the bench for an extra attacker, Cogliano clinched the win for the Ducks with his empty-net marker while Souray was still in the penalty box. "I don't want to make excuses for the group," said Luongo. "We're all professionals, and we know the intensity we need to be successful and we saw that in the third when we were playing our game. We completely dominated the play." Anaheim had already clinched the Pacific Division title and the second playoff seed in the Western Conference while the Canucks had locked down their fifth straight Northwest crown and the third seed behind Anaheim. So the game had the importance - and look - of an exhibition contest. Despite resting key players, the Ducks outhustled and outmuscled a Vancouver squad that used most of its regulars but delivered a dreadful performance in the first 40 minutes. Notes: The Ducks converted one of three power-play chances while the Canucks were good on one of four.... Schneider took most valuable player honours in Canuck team awards handed out before the game.... Anaheim veterans Teemu Selanne, the oldest player in the NHL at 42, and Saku Koivu, 38, were rested along with captain Ryan Getzlaf in advance of the playoffs. Meanwhile, winger Bobby Ryan was out with the flu and had gone back to Anaheim on Wednesday.... Goaltender Joe Cannata, 23, dressed for his first NHL game as he served as Luongo's backup after being called up from Chicago of the AHL a day earlier.... Defenseman Derek Joslin played his first game for Vancouver after being called up from the minors April Vancouver's Keith Ballard, usually a defenseman, played wing - a move that Vigneault is looking at continuing in the playoffs. LA Daily News: LOADED:

8 Boston Bruins Bruins hoping practice leads to improvement By Fluto Shinzawa/ / April 26, 2013 Before the playoffs start, the Bruins could have back-to-back practices prior to Game 1 of the opening round. More than two months have passed since the Bruins practiced on consecutive days. The Bruins end their regular season on Sunday against Ottawa. The players will most likely be given a rest day on Monday. If the Bruins start the playoffs on Thursday, they could use Tuesday and Wednesday as on-ice tuneups to prepare for their first-round opponent. Like most teams in the league, the Bruins have seen their lack of practice time result in inconsistent play. When you don t practice, little things creep into your game, said coach Claude Julien. Little by little, it becomes a bigger issue. Things have crept into our game that have become a challenge for us. You wish you would have had more time in between games. You wish it was more of a normal schedule. But it isn t. In practice, teams can correct their mistakes or emphasize good habits. If the Bruins could have had a tuneup following Tuesday s 5-2 loss to Philadelphia, they could have addressed their turnovers in the neutral zone or defensive-zone coverage. Instead, because of the game schedule, they had Wednesday off. Practice is important, Chris Kelly said. You work on systems. You work on things you need to work on. With limited time to practice, you can t really work on those things. You can only do so much video and things like that. In morning skates, maybe you try to change it up and work on things that need work on. But you ve got a game that night, so it can t drag on too long. The last time the Bruins practiced on consecutive days was on Feb. 19 and 20. The first day, seven players didn t practice because of flu-like symptoms. The Bruins won their next five games, starting with a 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay on Feb. 21. At times, the Bruins have gone longer than usual in morning skates. They emphasize their action plan through video and meetings on game days. But there is no replacement for practice. You ve got to deal with the situation, Julien said. That s what we need to do right now deal with it. Where you can t practice, you ve got to focus better and make sure you keep those good habits. That s where the challenge is right now with our focus. Lucic plays blue-collar game One of the Bruins biggest worries is which Milan Lucic will appear in the playoffs. Will it be the snarling, difference-making left wing? Or the lumbering Lucic who s struggled with his conditioning, timing, and confidence? On Thursday, skating alongside David Krejci and Rich Peverley, the former made his statement. In 12:43 of ice time, Lucic played the straight-line, smashmouth hockey the Bruins need from their power forward. In the second, after exchanging jolts with Keith Aulie, Lucic shed his mitts and scored a convincing win over the Lightning defenseman. There was a lot of talk about myself about getting in there more and getting back to playing that game, that high-energy game, with a lot of emotion and a lot of fire, Lucic said. That s been my main focus these last three games. I ve got to keep my focus in the last two of the season. I know when I play like that, I m physical and moving my feet, everything else tends to take care of itself. I can t lose touch of what made my game successful here tonight. You keep that up, eventually you ll get rewarded for it. Hamilton wins Seventh Player Award Dougie Hamilton won NESN s Seventh Player Award. Hamilton was given the keys to a Kia Sorento before the game. The rookie defenseman has five goals and 11 assists in 42 games. The 19- year-old has been one of the league s sharper rookies. Hamilton was the ninth overall pick of the 2011 draft. The five previous winners were Tyler Seguin, Brad Marchand, Tuukka Rask, Krejci, and Lucic. Hamilton was a healthy scratch on Thursday for the fourth time in the last seven games. Assuming no injuries take place in the final two games, Hamilton could be the No. 7 defenseman for the start of the playoffs. Adam McQuaid gives the Bruins more experience and physical presence than Hamilton on the third pair. Kelly back to center Kelly moved back to center on the No. 3 line on Thursday. Kelly had shifted to left wing for the two previous games, which allowed Carl Soderberg to play center. In theory, Soderberg would have more skating room at center. But the Bruins believe Kelly is better at center than on the wing. Kelly had 15:13 of ice time and won seven of 10 faceoffs. Do I take a guy that s already a pretty good centerman, a good two-way centerman, and put him in a weaker spot because I want to please this guy? Julien asked. Or do I do it the other way around? I m just trying to get a feel here and see how [Soderberg] does on the wing. I m going to have to make a decision of who s playing where and go from there. That s why we have those three games to look at that. Horton out Nathan Horton missed his third straight game because of an upper-body injury. Horton skated on his own prior to Thursday s morning skate. Julien said Horton is progressing well. It s undetermined whether Horton will be available on Saturday against Washington or Sunday against Ottawa. Horton suffered the injury during his fight with Jarome Iginla last Saturday If Horton can return for the playoffs, Soderberg might be the odd man out. Rich Peverley, who skated in Horton s spot the last three games, could move down to left wing alongside Kelly and Jagr Matt Bartkowski, Aaron Johnson, Jay Pandolfo, and Kaspars Daugavins were also healthy scratches. Wade Redden appears to have the inside line over Bartkowski on the No. 6 position Andrew Ference logged his first fight of the season. Ference threw down with ex-bruin Benoit Pouliot in the second period. Boston Globe LOADED:

9 Boston Bruins Milan Lucic of Bruins picking up his game By Kevin Paul Dupont / April 25, 2013 There is no mystery to what Milan Lucic is, or does, what it takes him to be successful. When he s on, he is the self-made hurricane, a 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound swirl of British Columbian power and might capable of pounding opponents through the wall and forcing pucks to the net. The mystery, for most of the abbreviated 2013 season, has been what happened to that Milan Lucic? Thursday night, for reasons perhaps he doesn t fully comprehend, that Lucic was back on the job at the Garden. He moved his feet. He applied himself to the forecheck. Lo and behold, he even engaged in a fight, his first in seven weeks, and not surprisingly, all of it factored into the sumptuous porridge of a 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. If he keeps going that way, noted Bruins coach Claude Julien, we can t ask for... What Julien wanted to add there were the words anything more. But he didn t. He hesitated. He has been through too much, waited too long, asked for more, and tried every trick with Lucic this season. Last week, Julien went so far as to bench him, a little awkward given that Lucic is on the books to be the club s highest-paid forward with a $6 million cap hit next season. So instead, to finish that thought of If he keeps going that way, Julien added, we can t ask for... better timing, I guess. Here it is safe to say that Bruins fans would only add, Amen! Better late than never. Best of all now with the playoffs about to start. Lucic, Mr. Do Nothing for the last three-plus months, at least for a night did something, and now everyone else with any connection to the spoked-b can only hope he keeps it up. At the end of the day, it became Milan s approach to it, said Julien, commenting on the many tools he s used this season to get Lucic going. At one point, a player kind of realizes, you know, Listen, I ve got to get myself going here, this is what they ask. And you know, at one point you have to think that one of those tools got his attention. Lucic certainly caught Keith Aulie s attention with 2:38 to go in the second period. Channeling his old menacing self not seen since his last punchup on March 3 Lucic provoked Aulie into a fight deep in Tampa s end. The two exchanged heavy, menacing blows, and Lucic clearly came away the winner, with a full house of 17,565 raining down adoration. A collective, Hey, now, there you go! was nearly audible from the Boston bench. It s great, that s his game, and it s tough to play every single game like that, said goalie Tuukka Rask, who spun a sensational 30-save shutout, his second blanking in the last two games on Causeway Street. Noting Lucic s festering frustration of late, Rask added, He likes to score, too, and he hasn t been... Lucic didn t score vs. the Bolts and has a sparse half-dozen goals for the season, only two of those over the last two months (30 games). He hasn t fought. He hasn t scored. Had he not come around, perhaps Julien s only reasonable tool remaining would have been to have his image printed on the side of Hood and Garelick Farms milk cartons. There was a lot of talk about myself just getting in there more and kind of getting back to playing that game, said Lucic, continually flexing his left hand long after the game, an indication that he still felt some dings from the Aulie bout. That high-energy game with a lot of emotion, a lot of fire. It s been my focus the last three games. If he is not mad, not motivated to skate, hit, and fight, then Lucic is, to borrow an old coach s phrase, just another guy. The league is full of wingers who just go up and down the ice, fire the odd shot into the net, log a couple of shots on the scoresheet, and collect their paychecks. Lucic has been all of that and less this season, often not visible on the ice or the scoresheet. When his benching came last week, it came after he failed to deliver a hit or so much as take a shot in the prior game against Buffalo. For a guy who is counted on as being a big part of the club s hardto-play-against identity, he had morphed into an extra large cup of soft serve. I ve got to keep my focus, said Lucic, referring to the final two games of the regular season, Saturday against Washington and Sunday against Ottawa. I know when I play like that, I m physical and moving my feet, everything else tends to take care of itself. I can t lose touch of what made my game successful tonight. You keep that up, eventually you are going to get rewarded for it. The final sheet showed that Lucic landed four hits and squeezed off three shots, one of which made it to goalie Anders Lindback. All of that in 12:43 of ice time, slightly more than fourth-liners Daniel Paille and Shawn Thornton (who combined for two points, by the way). One game does not a rehabbed Lucic make. His speed is not fully restored, and might not be until he has a full summer to summon it. His checks, though deliberate, were not the free-flowing fence busters that earned him that $6 million-a-year extension. His stick, which delivered 90 goals over his five previous seasons, remains in an extended winter s hibernation. What we have now, less than a week to go before the playoffs, is a rework in progress. The Lucic we once knew is stirring, stretching, again. In a season that has left everyone asking for more, it finally looks like he s acknowledged the request. It doesn t mean he has to go out there and fight every night, said Julien. He just has to play hard the way he s been doing lately, and things are starting to come around for him. Boston Globe LOADED:

10 Boston Bruins Rask gets shutout as Bruins beat Lightning 2-0 By DOUG ALDEN / April 25, 2013 BOSTON (AP) The Boston Bruins admitted it they re looking ahead to the playoffs. And with the way goalie Tuukka Rask has played lately, the Bruins want to start the postseason as soon as possible. Rask stopped 30 shots for Boston in a 2-0 win over Tampa Bay on Thursday night, shutting down the NHL s top two scorers and keeping Boston in control of the tight race for the Northeast Division title. It was the second shutout in as many starts for Rask, who seems comfortable and confident just when Boston needs it most. At the end of the day, a goaltender plays a big role in your success. In a game like tonight, if we don t have good goaltending and we get a breakdown the puck will be in the back of your net, Boston coach Claude Julien said. You need a guy to stand tall and be good, and you need a guy that goes into the playoffs with confidence and hopefully that s what Tuukka s creating here. It hasn t even been a week since Julien was openly critical of Rask after the Bruins 3-2 loss to the Penguins in Boston on Saturday. The Penguins scored a pair of power-play goals over four minutes in the third period to break open what had been a 1-1 tie. Rask was just as critical, saying he had cost the Bruins the game. He was back in the net Sunday and made 28 saves in a 3-0 win over Florida, although few of the Panthers shots appeared to be much of a challenge. The Lightning were a much greater threat as Martin St. Louis entered the game leading the NHL with 58 points and teammate Steven Stamkos in a tie for second with 56. Both had great scoring chances that Rask grabbed out of the air with his glove. You just kind of throw yourself out there, Rask said. For me, I get a better feeling when I'm just square and the puck hits me and I don t give up rebounds. It s pretty easy to get carried away when you make highlight saves, so you just try to stay calm after you make a save like that. Rask remained calm throughout and was the main reason Boston won the game despite being outshot by the Lightning You think he doesn t have it and his glove s right there, said Daniel Paille, whose goal late in the second period gave Boston a 2-0 lead that held through the third. He read a lot of plays tonight and he talked all night. That was good to see. The Bruins and Canadiens are tied with 61 points, but Boston has two games remaining while Montreal has only one. The Canadiens finish their season at Toronto on Saturday. Boston plays at Washington on Saturday and finishes at home against Ottawa in the regular-season finale on Sunday. Dennis Seidenberg also scored for the Bruins, breaking a scoreless tie early in the second period for his third goal of the season. Paille added a goal toward the end of the period and that was more than enough for Rask. St. Louis had a chance to pull Tampa Bay within 2-1 with 4:33 left in the third with a sharp wrist shot that Rask stretched to grab with his glove. Rask caught a break a couple of minutes later when Tom Pyatt nearly beat him with a shot that clanged off the post and bounced back in front through Rask s pads. The puck could easily have rebounded right back into the net and given the Lightning a chance to tie in the closing minutes, but Rask s luck held and he picked up his fifth shutout of the season. When a goalie starts getting confidence, good things can happen especially in this league. I feel for our guys, Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. I think, truthfully, we may have made less mistakes than the Bruins but we couldn t bury our chances. Anders Lindback had 22 saves for the Lightning. The Bruins were sluggish early and were outshot 9-4 in the first period, but Rask kept the Lightning out of the net, then Seidenberg scored 4:22 into the second period. Brad Marchand carried the puck up the ice, skated across the Lightning zone and fed Seidenberg for a slap shot from the point that Lindback couldn t see through the traffic. Paille put Boston up 2-0 on a one-timer off a circle-to-circle pass from Gregory Campbell that left Lindback helplessly lunging to get from one post to the other as Paille scored his 10th goal of the season. Long since eliminated from playoff contention, the Lightning appeared determined not to leave Boston without getting in a few shots before the end of the season. Former Bruins forward Benoit Pouliot took on Boston defenseman Andrew Ference in an extended bout with six minutes remaining in the first period. Next up were Boston s Milan Lucic and Keith Aulie, who matched punches until Lucic landed three straight shots that sent Aulie slumping to the ice late in the second. NOTES: The game was originally scheduled for Feb. 9, but postponed because of the blizzard that shut down the Northeast and left more than 2 feet of snow in some areas.... Tampa Bay s only penalties in the first two periods were the fighting majors to Pouliot and Aulie.... The Bruins swept the three games against the Lightning in the lockout-shortened season. Boston Globe LOADED:

11 Boston Bruins Bruins shut out Lightning, 2-0 By Fluto Shinzawa / April 25, 2013 In each of the last two postseasons, Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg have skated together as the Bruins shutdown duo. Based on their coupling in Thursday s 2-0 blanking of the Lightning before 17,565 at TD Garden, it s a good bet the strongmen will be back together again when the playoffs begin next week. Chara and Seidenberg, asked to shut down Tampa Bay s flammable line of Teddy Purcell, Steven Stamkos, and Martin St. Louis, fulfilled their obligations. Neither St. Louis nor Stamkos, the top two scorers in the NHL entering the night, recorded a point. Chara, Seidenberg, and Tuukka Rask, three of the Bruins four most important players (Patrice Bergeron being the other), played a big part in keeping the explosive duo off the scoresheet. The one time Stamkos slipped free for a bona fide chance, Rask (30 saves) pushed to his left and flashed his glove at 12:20 of the second period. You could see that we feel comfortable with each other, said Seidenberg. We keep it simple. We talk to each other. We communicate well out there. It resulted in us shutting them down, for the most part. We gave up that one odd-man rush, but for the most part we kept them to the outside and kept them to not as many chances as they would have liked. For the first 45 games of the regular season, Chara and Seidenberg had played together only for stretches. The coaching staff s concern about pairing Chara and Seidenberg is how top-heavy the six-man rotation of defensemen becomes. But if the Bruins first-round opponent has a fearsome No. 1 line the Islanders, for example, roll out Matt Moulson, John Tavares, and Brad Boyes deploying Chara and Seidenberg together might be the best option. It s pretty hard to contain that line because they re so good, coach Claude Julien said of Tampa s top trio. Two of those guys are in the top scoring in the league. You know they re going to get some chances. You want to minimize it. Whenever there was a bit of a breakdown, Tuukka made some big saves. They re a pair that s done a good job in the past in the playoffs. They hadn t played together this year. It was about giving them a feel and taste of it again. So if need be, when playoffs come around and depending on who we play, we may have that option as well. Aside from the Chara-Seidenberg pair, the Bruins rolled out a lineup that could resemble their Game 1 formation. Andrew Ference and Johnny Boychuk were the second pair. Wade Redden and Adam McQuaid skated on the No. 3 pairing. Rask was a significant factor in the Bruins much-needed shutout. He was at his sharpest in the second period, when he made back-to-back kickouts on Alex Killorn, on top of his glove save on Stamkos. It s probably up there, said Rask of his performance compared with other starts. Every time you get a shutout, you didn t make a mistake, so I guess it was a mistake-free game. I was able to make a couple of saves in the second when it was a 1-0 game, so I ve got to be satisfied with that. But the Bruins were steady in front of Rask. In Tuesday s 5-2 loss to Philadelphia, they repeatedly coughed up pucks in center ice and struggled with their defensive-zone coverage. They were crisper defensively, which in turn led to scoring chances. We re a checking team that scores, not the other way around, Seidenberg said. When you play hard, it creates turnovers and creates chances offensively from plays in our zone. We have to play that way in order to be successful against the skilled teams. The Bruins started the sequence on the winning goal deep in their zone. Chara skated the puck out from behind Rask and hit Tyler Seguin, the strong-side wing, with a crisp first pass. Seguin connected with Brad Marchand flying up the ice on the weak side. The defensemen joined the rush to support the attack. When Marchand slashed through the slot and pulled up, Seidenberg was open at the right point. With Bergeron setting a screen on Anders Lindback (22 saves), Seidenberg slipped a slap shot into the net at 4:22 to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. Later in the second, Shawn Thornton made a strong play by keeping the puck in the Tampa zone. Thornton pushed the puck down the wall to Gregory Campbell, who spotted Daniel Paille open on the other side. Paille hammered a one-timer past Lindback at 13:31 to give the Bruins a 2-0 advantage. It was the type of grinding win the Bruins needed. Rask was perfect. Chara and Seidenberg were thorough. Milan Lucic (fight, four hits) submitted his trademark thundering style instead of the passive, one-step-late game he s played too often. The Bruins kept pace with the Canadiens, who beat Winnipeg on the road, 4-2. Overall, I thought we played hard, Julien said. I thought we moved the puck quickly. When there was a breakdown, Tuukka was there to make the big saves. I was pretty happy with the game. If we keep playing that way, we ll only get better. Boston Globe LOADED:

12 Boston Bruins Dougie Hamilton wins NESN's Seventh Player Award By Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff Rookie Dougie Hamilton won NESN s Seventh Player Award, which was presented before Thursday night's Bruins-Lightning game. The 19-year-old defenseman has 5 goals and 11 assists in 42 games and has been one of the league s sharper rookies. Hamilton, who was the ninth overall pick in the 2011 draft, received a Kia Sorento as his prize. Hamilton was a healthy scratch for the game. He has been in suit and tie for four of the last seven games. Assuming no injuries happen in the final two games, Hamilton could be the No. 7 defenseman for the start of the playoffs. The five previous Seventh Player winners were Tyler Seguin, Brad Marchand, Tuukka Rask, David Krejci, and Milan Lucic. Boston Globe LOADED: