Carolina Hurricanes Out of playoffs again, Canes seek answers Summer comes too early yet again for disappointing Canes

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1 SPORT-SCAN Anaheim Ducks Ducks claim division crown with 5-2 win over Sharks Ducks top Sharks to reel in Pacific Division title Familiarity with Sharks breeds contempt for Ducks CARS Ducks top Sharks to reel in Pacific title Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks will soon learn NHL playoffs first-round foes Notebook: Rookie John Gibson earns another start for Ducks Ducks wrap up second straight Pacific Division crown Boston Bruins Marshfield s Ryan Warsofsky carving out a new career behind ECHL bench Bruins recall Ryan Spooner from Providence Bruins Notebook: Chris Kelly out, but Jarome Iginla returns Iginla, Miller back on the ice; Kelly ailing; Spooner recalled Buffalo Sabres Central Scouting confirms Bennett is top prospect Roster moves to help Amerks' playoff push Sabres send players to Amerks to boost playoff shot Hackett s rise to NHL starter caps weird year Calgary Flames Johnson: Lurking Kings looking every bit as dangerous when they upset their way to 2012 Stanley Cup Ramo slams door on crashing Kings as Monahan scores winner for Flames in a shootout Burke's GM plan is patience Flames coach Sutter wanted Kings in Arnold more than Gaudreau's sidekick Flames rookie in rare air after shootout win Carolina Hurricanes Out of playoffs again, Canes seek answers Summer comes too early yet again for disappointing Canes Chicago Blackhawks Blackhawks' Kane: Return to lineup on target No stars? Check... Still winning? Check Wolves goalie just happy to be playing a lot Blackhawks net their first overtime victory Blackhawks encouraged by Patrick Kane s first practice with teammates Sharp, Hossa rescue Blackhawks in wild OT win over Canadiens Wild finish goes Blackhawks way Sharp helps Hawks to first OT win of season Will Blues or Avs claim West's top spot? Five Things to Watch: Blackhawks vs. Canadiens Konroyd's three keys to Blackhawks-Canadiens tonight on CSN Blackhawks targeting Patrick Kane's return to start of postseason Blackhawks host Canadiens in regular-season home finale Jeremy Morin continues to make his case with Blackhawks Blackhawks stun Canadiens in OT with two late goals Colorado Avalanche Avalanche forwards understand the differences between wing and center Marian Hossa s final-minute goal spoils Avalanche s potential home-ice clinching night NHL 4/10/2014 DAILY BRIEF Columbus Blue Jackets Michael Arace commentary: Blue Jackets win serves as a preview Blue Jackets notebook: Horton could have notable goal Jackets-Coyotes summary Jackets, Stars at a glance Blue Jackets notebook: Peverley incident hovered over return to Dallas Blue Jackets 3, Stars 1: Return to playoffs Before the CBJ puck drops: Dallas Stars (again) Three takeaways from the Blue Jackets 4-3 OT win over the Coyotes The evolution of Jared Boll FOX Sports Ohio & the Blue Jackets Team Up for Viewer Appreciation Night Cavs coast, but left with sting of elimination Dallas Stars Heika: During final stretch, Dallas Stars show signs of teamwork Stars play one of more interesting games in history of AAC, but the result is just another loss Four games-in-five nights stretch brings back memories of minor-league bus rides for some Stars Stars youngsters getting big-game experience in race for final playoff spot Mavericks, Stars pushing for playoffs: The updated scenarios for each Stars get too deep in early hole, can't dig out in loss to Blue Jackets Morning skate update: Stars and Blue Jackets dealing with odd rules of make-up game and memories of Rich Pever Stars drop continued game against Columbus amid oddities Detroit Red Wings As Detroit Red Wings close in on playoff spot, Pavel Datsyuk is 'getting ready to break through' Pittsburgh 4, Detroit 3 (SO): Red Wings secure last point to extend playoff streak Pittsburgh 4, Detroit 3 (SO): Why the Red Wings lost Wednesday Pittsburgh 4, Detroit 3 (SO): Red Wings clinch playoffs for 23rd straight season Wings aren't worried about sending 'message' to possible playoff foe Penguins Wings' playoff clincher fuels Daniel Alfredsson's pursuit of Stanley Cup Red Wings make their point, clinch playoff spot for 23rd consecutive season Rivalry with Penguins? Mike Babcock says Red Wings haven't done their part DDA approves contractor for new $450 million Detroit Red Wings arena Red Wings' Jonas Gustavsson starts in goal vs. Penguins; Detroit looks to clinch playoff spot Kyle Quincey quietly has been one of Red Wings' most-improved players second half of season Mike Babcock becomes Red Wings' all-time leader in wins but focuses on getting team into playoffs Red Wings overcame adversity to make playoffs; Mike Babcock: 'We're going to be a tough out' Penguins 4, Red Wings 3 (SO): Detroit ties it late, earns point to clinch 23rd consecutive playoff berth Second-period analysis: Red Wings 2, Penguins First-period analysis: Red Wings 1, Penguins Red Wings clinch 23rd consecutive playoff appearance

2 Edmonton Oilers MacKinnon: Edmonton Oilers season Baba Booeyed indeed Wheat Kings stave off sweep with win over Oil Kings MacT's work under the microscope Edmonton Oilers rookie Oscar Klefbom gaining confidence Darnell Nurse is taking his skills to OKC with junior season over Oilers centre Boyd Gordon shut down for season with shoulder issue Oilers captain Andrew Ference happy to be home despite starting from Square 1 Florida Panthers NEW JERSEY: Panthers 'Shirts Off Our Back' Starts Thursday LUONGO BETTER: Goalie Says He'll Try and Go Against Leafs... Adds Mike Gillis 'Put in Tough Spot' TIME'S UP: Original Panthers Off Ice Official Ron Young Retiring After 20 Seasons Longtime Florida Panthers off-ice official bidding goodbye Preview: Panthers vs. Maple Leafs, 7:30 p.m., Thursday Panthers won't coddle young players Another season lost for Panthers Los Angeles Kings Kings fall to Flames in a shootout Lewis talks about his extension April 9 morning skate quotes: Darryl Sutter Eager Doughty prepares for eventual return April 9 morning line rushes Good morning, Calgary April 9 postgame quotes: Dwight King Kings, Sharks to meet in first round April 10 postgame notes April 9 postgame quotes: Darryl Sutter Game 80 Preview: Los Angeles at Calgary Lewis, Williams ready for young, hungry Flames Minnesota Wild Christian Folin's NHL debut, John Curry's Wild debut may come Thursday against St. Louis New Wild defenseman Folin goes from obscurity to NHL Gameday preview: St. Louis at Wild Wild appear set to rest key players against St. Louis Montreal Canadiens Sharp s overtime goal lifts Blackhawks to 3-2 win over Canadiens Coach Therrien gives Habs players rest before playoffs In the Habs' room: Crawford keeps Hawks close until Hossa sends it to OT Blackhawks sink Habs in OT About last night Nashville Predators Predators goalie Pekka Rinne one win from team record Predators begin Fan Appreciation Weekend Preview: Nashville Predators vs. Phoenix Coyotes New Jersey Devils Devils' Jaromir Jagr refuses to give in to Father Time; voted team MVP Devils' Martin Brodeur says mediocrity has been the norm lately Devils' Pete DeBoer rips his team in practice; leaves the ice Devils' Jaromir Jagr still a favorite to retired NHL referee Paul Stewart It's wait 'till next year for Devils, who figure to make changes after missing playoffs again Devils mathematically eliminated as Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets clinch playoff spots Brodeur: Devils need an attitude adjustment; Hanging around.500 not good enough Devils Elias feeling better after hitting head; Jagr: MVP award from teammates means a lot DeBoer rips into Devils at the end of practice; Players say it was deserved Devils elliminated, miss playoffs for third time in four seasons New York Rangers Brian Boyle on possibility of Rangers facing Flyers in playoffs: we hate each other McDonagh on the ice for second straight day Rangers-Hurricanes in review Line of Brassard, Zuccarello and Pouliot has excelled down the stretch Sabres at Rangers tonight (7 p.m.) pre-game notes NHL Canadian NHL teams in sorry state with only one of seven teams in the playoffs Ottawa Senators Scanlan: Scoring goals not enough for Senators Warren: Goodbye to the Ottawa Senators Big Line? Ottawa Senators a little late to talk about pride Fisher-Underwood mansion sold Coach, captain among offseason decisions for Ottawa Senators Goal a nice touch for Ottawa Senators' Kassian Philadelphia Flyers Union's Gostisbehere could be Flyers' answer on D Flyers' power play needs work Berth clinched but home ice still up for grabs Berube cagey about his goaltending plans Playoff-bound Flyers aim to pump up their power play Flyers' prospects won't be caught looking ahead during Frozen Four Flyers Notes: Some celebration in order? Will Berube give certain Flyers a rest? Maybe What was the turning point of the Flyers' season? Power play must produce in playoffs Phoenix Coyotes Phoenix Coyotes' playoff race stays red-hot

3 Pittsburgh Penguins Letang to return for Penguins Kovacevic: Letang's return one for the heart Penguins feel fortunate after win over Red Wings Penguins notebook: Tomas Vokoun 'open-minded' as AHL stint begins Letang to return to Penguins lineup tonight against Detroit Ron Cook: With much of the lineup back, playoffs should be a fun ride Penguins slip past Red Wings, 4-3, in shootout San Jose Sharks Sharks-Anaheim Ducks showdown has playoff feel Sharks fall to Ducks, who clinch Pacific title NHL results and news, April Playoffs drawing nearer as Sharks visit Ducks In the Crease: Sharks still fighting for division vs. Ducks Rewind: Niemi's struggles continue as Sharks lose to Ducks Instant Replay: Ducks beat Sharks, claim Pacific Division St Louis Blues Blues will be without Backes against Wild Blues Bytes: Offensive woes aren't new Blues confident they can turn slump inside out Preview: Blues at Wild Blues continue skid with loss to Capitals Blues' downward spiral continues Blues fighting for return to their old ways Tampa Bay Lightning Lightning take wait-and-see approach to Bishop injury Breaking Tampa Bay, Florida and national news and weather from Tampa Bay Online and The Tampa Tribune TBO.co Bishop's injury puts Lightning's chances in playoffs on life support With Bishop out, Lightning pins hopes on Lindback Preview: Lightning-Flyers Ben Bishop vs. Anders Lindback by the numbers Ben Bishop will sit out the Lightning's final 3 games, his status for playoffs is uncertain Toronto Maple Leafs Mirtle: Phil Kessel takes ownership of Maple Leafs collapse reasons why the Leafs last Stanley Cup seems so long ago Maple Leafs-Panthers game preview: Thursday, 7 p.m., Leafs TV Maple Leafs penthouse-doghouse: James Reimer s last start for Toronto? So many questions, so few answers for these broken Leafs: DiManno Maple Leafs' weaknesses in their own zone were exploited by opponents Maple Leafs in hot pursuit of Brendan Shanahan for senior role Will Maple Leafs give MacIntyre his first NHL start Thursday? Maple Leafs' lost season analysis from Mike Zeisberger Toronto Maple Leafs last two games anything but meaningless for Drew MacIntyre Toronto Maple Leafs will be hamstrung by expensive roster commitments this off-season Vancouver Canucks hiring of Trevor Linden designed to staunch the bleeding in tumultuous season New Canucks president Trevor Linden has inherited a fine mess in Vancouver Vancouver Canucks Trevor Linden handed keys to Canucks kingdom as new president (with video) Iain MacIntyre: It's time for Trevor Linden to come in from the cold (with video) Iain MacIntyre: Trevor Linden's back to finish business Trevor Linden advised to surround himself with good people Trevor Linden is the future of the Canucks; is John Tortorella still part of it? Canucks coach John Tortorella not fretting about his fate Willes: Canucks could have brought Linden in six years ago. Instead, rookie president must clean up a toxic w Trevor Linden named president of hockey operations for the Vancouver Canucks Botchford: How will the Sedins be utilized in the new era? The Van Provies: The Gilly Chronicles Pat Quinn gets a thank-you from ex-protege Linden Linden s first task: Find a general manager Kuzma: Hello-goodbye for Linden and Torts Willes: Six years ago, the Canucks could have brought in Linden and it wouldn t have been to clean up a toxic Gallagher: Likeable Trevor Linden needs a nuts-and-bolts GM Linden says he s up for the challenge as new Canucks president Canucks name Trevor Linden president of hockey operations Turmoil in Vancouver: GM s firing highlights pressures of being a Canadian NHL owner A five-step plan for new team president Linden to fix the Canucks Washington Capitals Jaroslav Halak s agent bewildered Adam Oates broke trust between player, coach Five thoughts on the Capitals 4-1 win in St. Louis Capitals are denied a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs Alex Ovechkin s Capitals to miss NHL playoffs Websites ESPN / Ramblings: Canucks' circus spins, Halak backs down, Bishop-less Bolts wobble ESPN / Source: Leafs interested in Shanahan NBCSports.com / Canucks owner threatens legal action after papers suggest he was behind Tortorella hire CNN/Sports Illustrated / Minnesota, North Dakota, BC and Union vie for NCAA title at Frozen Four CNN/Sports Illustrated / Sarah Kwak>INSIDE THE NHL CNN/Sports Illustrated / Vancouver Canucks take leap of faith with new president Trevor Linden CNN/Sports Illustrated / Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang returning to action after stroke CNN/Sports Illustrated / Top Line: Mike Gillis firing fallout; Alex Ovechkin breaks a puck; more links TSN.CA Kerry Fraser/ A fond look back at the career of Teemu Selanne USA TODAY / Lightning's Ben Bishop out for rest of regular season USA TODAY / Tonight the Red Wings can extend the longest active playoff streak in sports USA TODAY / Penguins' Kris Letang to return 10 weeks after suffering stroke YAHOO SPORTS / No experience necessary: Canucks gamble on fan-favorite Trevor Linden to revive franchise

4 Winnipeg Jets Maurice puts Jets through 'bag skate' at practice Bag it for training camp Striving to make a good impression Enstrom glum again this year Where's their heart at home? Tonight: Jets It was a good skate : Jets on 90-minute fitness practice Maurice sends message with old-fashioned bag skate for Winnipeg Jets in last practice Jets call-ups looking forward to rockin' on the Rock in the AHL playoffs SPORT-SCAN, INC

5 Anaheim Ducks Ducks claim division crown with 5-2 win over Sharks By Lance Pugmire 11:32 PM PDT, April 9, 2014 The 20-year-old Gibson closed the second by stopping Joe Thornton at point-blank range on the fourth of five failed Sharks' power plays. He challenged us, Thornton said. We had some good looks, but he was there. They've got good goalies they can choose from and that's a good problem to have. LA Times: LOADED: The Ducks believe their second consecutive Pacific Division title is different from last year's, which was soured by a first-round playoff exit. That difference is added grit. Fittingly, on the night Anaheim clinched the division title Wednesday with a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks at a sold-out Honda Center, the game's star embodies the trait. BOX SCORE: Ducks 5, Sharks 2 Rugged forward Patrick Maroon scored two second-period goals to propel Anaheim, and rookie goalie John Gibson made 36 saves to follow a shutout win in his debut with a division clincher two days later. The loss sends San Jose ( ) into an expected first-round fistfight against the Kings that could very well leave the series winner beaten up for a possible second-round series against the Ducks, who'll have home-ice advantage against a wild-card entrant. That's the plan, Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano said. [Kings-Sharks] is going to be such a tough series and whoever comes out of it, hopefully is really tired and beat up. Our goal was to finish first and we did that, and that's a big compliment to our team and where we've come from. The victory gives the Ducks ( ) not only a new team points (112) and goals (257) record, but the Western Conference lead by one point over the St. Louis Blues, who have three games remaining to the Ducks' two (Friday at the Kings, Sunday vs. Colorado). Maroon, 25, pressed his way onto some first-line shifts this season after playing in just 13 games last year and enduring 20 healthy scratches before playing in every game since Jan. 18. He's really added a lot to our team protects our guys, and can play, Ducks Coach Bruce Boudreau said. With Wednesday's game stakes heightened, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound forward ramped up his typical high energy and gave the Ducks a 2-1 lead 3 minutes, 32 seconds into the second period, taking a Teemu Selanne pass behind the net and wrapping around to beat Sharks goalie Antti Niemi to the left post. San Jose answered Maroon's first goal when Logan Couture fired a precision blast to beat Gibson in the high right corner. A little more than two minutes after that, however, Maroon surged toward Niemi again and blasted a shot that went under the goalie for a lead the Ducks wouldn't relinquish. We're a big, strong physical team up front that protects pucks well, and when we play our game we're pretty successful, Maroon said. With 3:14 left in the second, forward Matt Beleskey found Corey Perry's rebound and whipped in a goal inside the right post. Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg iced it by scoring a short-handed goal into an empty net with 1:38 left in the game. Gibson, meanwhile, dealt with more shots on goal with 9:02 remaining in the second than he did while beating Vancouver, 3-0, Monday night with 18 saves. It was a lot faster tonight, Gibson said. Big game, a lot on the line... Playoff hockey." Asked if he expects to remain in goal over primary starter Jonas Hiller or 19-win rookie Frederik Andersen in the playoffs, Gibson said, We'll see. Of his decision to play Gibson on Wednesday, Boudreau said, It's a little bit of a gamble My gut feeling [was] that he'd be the guy at this stage who'd really jump up and do a bang-up job for us. I don't know what we're going to do now.

6 Anaheim Ducks Ducks top Sharks to reel in Pacific Division title BY ERIC STEPHENS / STAFF WRITER Published: April 9, 2014 Updated: April 10, :06 a.m. ANAHEIM There might still be questions about the Ducks and their worthiness as bona fide Stanley Cup contenders, but there is no doubt they are the Pacific Division champions. Patrick Maroon scored twice for the first time and the Ducks rode 36 saves from John Gibson to secure their second straight division title with a 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at a standing-room-only Honda Center. The Ducks ( ) had won just one division title until last season. Those Pacific champions ultimately went on to capture the franchise s first and only Cup, but this edition has set club marks for wins, points (112) and goals (257). But their first-round opponent isn't set. While San Jose is locked in for another playoff battle with the Kings, the Ducks took a one-point lead over St. Louis for the top spot in the Western Conference. The Blues have one game in hand. It s pretty cool to get my first multiple goal game, Maroon said. I think it was a team effort tonight. Our team just played really strong defensively. We clogged up the neutral zone and we created on our chances. Jason Demers got the Sharks on the scoreboard first when he moved in to put a shot past Gibson after Joe Pavelski jumped on an ill-fated clearing attempt by the Ducks' Bryan Allen and set up his defenseman. The Ducks bounced back as they have all season whenever they've faced adversity. Corey Perry took a powerful stride to get by Sharks defenseman Justin Braun and sweep a left-handed shot through San Jose goalie Antti Niemi with 2.1 second left in the first. Maroon took over in the second. The big winger, whose role has expanded all season, beat Niemi with a wraparound goal, then chased the Sharks netminder when he put a shot between his pads after Logan Couture had tied the game at 2-2. Matt Beleskey made it a two-goal lead when he scored on a nifty toe-drag move that beat Sharks replacement Alex Stalock. Jakob Silfverberg finished off the win with an empty-net goal, to delight most of the 17,322 in attendance. Orange County Register: LOADED:

7 Anaheim Ducks Familiarity with Sharks breeds contempt for Ducks BY ERIC STEPHENS / STAFF WRITER Published: April 9, 2014 Updated: 10:41 p.m. CARS ANAHEIM For one team, it was about winning the Pacific Division. For the other, it was about keeping it up for grabs. But part of Wednesday night s showdown between the Ducks and San Jose Sharks was also about two Stanley Cup contenders getting their games in order when Game 1 for each rolls around next week. The Ducks and Sharks won t meet in the first round but they could square off if they advance in their opening-round Western Conference series. And the natural enmity between the rivals made for a playoff-like atmosphere at Honda Center. You look at their lineup, we re built the same, Ducks center Nick Bonino said. Big teams with skill. Play physical. Good goaltending. Solid defense. It s not a mystery why it s such good games. We re always battling. It s a situation where we don't really like each other. Those always get to be good games. Good rivalries. The tightness of the division standings has allowed the Ducks, Sharks and Kings to keep their competitive juices flowing. The Ducks (112 points) have a five-point edge over the Sharks (107) while the dangerous Kings (96) were locked in at third. It appears the Sharks and Kings are destined for a rematch of their seven-game tilt won by the Kings in the second round last spring. You look at our division, San Jose center Logan Couture said. One, two, three, it s pretty close. I d say three of the top maybe five or six teams in the league are in our division. A lot of people don t realize how good these teams are out here. It s tough playing these guys all during the year. They re a good team. Sharks coach Todd McLellan said there is very little divide between the eight teams that will make it out of the West. Dallas and Phoenix are vying for the final berth. The standings over 82 games and 61/2 months create a minute amount of separation, which happens, McLellan said. The schedule isn t balanced. Some teams get ahead or behind because of that. But I really think there s very little difference between one and eight. Not as much as there used to be. The Ducks could be facing Minnesota in the first round unless they track down St. Louis for the West s top seed, which would put them against the Dallas-Phoenix winner. Whoever we get, we ll have our work cut off for us, Bonino said. It doesn t help to watch the standings every day. We might get an inkling of who we play but you never know until the last day. BEAUCHEMIN NOMINATED Francois Beauchemin has been selected as the Ducks nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by the Anaheim chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The award is voted on annually by the PHWA and given to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. A player from all 30 teams is nominated. Beauchemin underwent surgery in late May to repair a torn right ACL that he played on at the end of last season and the playoffs. Respected greatly for his professionalism, the tough defenseman set an example the first day of training camp. When every other Ducks player did their one session that was required, Beauchemin did every drill in both lengthy workouts less than four months after his surgery. Beauchemin was intent on being in the lineup opening night against Colorado. I worked hard and I wanted to get the time on the ice as well in training camp to be ready for that, Beauchemin said. I just hate missing games. Hate missing games. I want to play. That s basically it. That s just me. Beauchemin is having another strong season despite also having to deal with a bum shoulder that kept him out for 10 games from Nov. 22-Dec. 11. He s averaging 23 minutes a game, has a plus-22 rating and leads the Ducks with 168 blocked shots. FOWLER RETURNS Cam Fowler was back in the Ducks lineup for the first time since March 14 after suffering a sprained left MCL when he was run into by Colorado s Patrick Bordeleau. Fowler resumed skating last week and pushed his recovery into overdrive when he joined the team on its two-game trip to Edmonton and Vancouver. The only thing we want to do is make sure that whenever he plays, we re not rushing him in, Coach Bruce Boudreau said before the game. He s got to be 100 percent healthy. Orange County Register: LOADED:

8 Anaheim Ducks Ducks top Sharks to reel in Pacific title April 9th, 2014, 10:19 pm posted by ERIC STEPHENS ANAHEIM - There might still be questions about the Ducks and their worthiness as bona fide Stanley Cup contenders, but there is no doubt they are the Pacific Division champions. Patrick Maroon scored twice for the first time and the Ducks rode 36 saves from John Gibson to secure their second straight division title with a 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at a standing-room-only Honda Center. The Ducks ( ) had won just one division title until last season. Those Pacific champions ultimately went on to capture the franchise's first and only Cup, but this edition has set club marks for wins, points (112) and goals (257). But their first-round opponent isn't set. While San Jose is locked in for another playoff battle with the Kings, the Ducks took a one-point lead over St. Louis for the top spot in the Western Conference. The Blues have one game in hand. Jason Demers got the Sharks on the scoreboard first when he moved in to put a shot past Gibson after Joe Pavelski jumped on an ill-fated clearing attempt by the Ducks' Bryan Allen and set up his defenseman. The Ducks bounced back as they have all season whenever they've faced adversity. Corey Perry took a powerful stride to get by Sharks defenseman Justin Braun and sweep a left-handed shot through San Jose goalie Antti Niemi with 2.1 second left in the first. Maroon took over in the second. The big winger, whose role has expanded all season, beat Niemi with a wraparound goal, then chased the Sharks netminder when he put a shot between his pads after Logan Couture had tied the game at 2-2. Matt Beleskey made it a two-goal lead when he scored on a nifty toe-drag move that beat Sharks replacement Alex Stalock. Jakob Silfverberg finished off the win with an empty-net goal, to delight most of the 17,322 in attendance. Orange County Register: LOADED:

9 Anaheim Ducks Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks will soon learn NHL playoffs first-round foes By Elliott Teaford, Daily Breeze Posted: 04/08/14, 3:50 PM PDT Updated: 12 hrs ago team won every contest. The Sharks would have the home-ice advantage over the Kings if they meet again. If the Ducks win tonight, they would have the home-ice edge for at least the first two rounds. We wish it wouldn t have come down to basically this, but it has, and I m sure San Jose is saying the same thing, that there are games they should have won and they shouldn t be in the position they re in, Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. But it should make for an exciting game. This should have the intensity of any playoff game you re going to play. LA Daily News: LOADED: It s simple. The Ducks can clinch their second consecutive Pacific Division title with a victory tonight over the second-place San Jose Sharks at Honda Center. They also can avoid a first-round series with the third-place Kings, setting up a matchup with one of two wild-card teams instead. A victory by the Ducks over the Sharks would provide the Kings with a sense of clarity. The Kings, who play a meaningless game tonight against the Flames in Calgary, could begin their preparations for a third playoff series against the Sharks in the past four years. What happens if the Ducks lose tonight? Well, the race continues and it could lead to the first Ducks-Kings playoff matchup in history. The Ducks ( ) lead the Sharks ( ) by three points going into tonight s game, which will be shown nationally on NBCSN. So, the Ducks have a little wiggle room if they fall. The Ducks have games remaining against the Kings and Colorado; the Sharks finish with Colorado and Phoenix. The Kings ( ) are locked into third place and are simply awaiting the loser. The Kings have been labeled by many league observers as The Team Nobody Wants to Face in the playoffs, but there was zero talk in the Ducks dressing room Tuesday of avoiding their local rivals. The Ducks spoke only of playing to win and continuing their season-long pursuit of the NHL s best record, still a possibility but less of a reality at this late date. They were three points behind the league-leading Boston Bruins at the start of business around the league Tuesday. Catching and passing the Western Conference-leading St. Louis Blues, who held a one-point lead going into Tuesday s game against the Washington Capitals, appears to be a more attainable goal. The Blues have games remaining against Minnesota, Dallas and Detroit. Obviously, we want to finish as high as we can in the standings, Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said. We still have an outside chance at the Presidents Trophy if we can string together a few wins at the end. You re going to have to go through everybody if you want to get to the championship. Of equal or greater concern for the Ducks is playing a better brand of hockey. To be sure, their standards must be pretty high if they weren t satisfied with a mark during a just-completed stretch of nine games against teams that are going on vacation next week. The Ducks comprehensive 3-0 victory Monday over Vancouver, in goaltender John Gibson s remarkable NHL debut, was more to their liking than an uneven and undisciplined 3-2 loss one night earlier to Edmonton. I thought right from the get-go (Monday), it was probably the best effort since I ve been here, the best game we ve played all-around since I ve been here, said defenseman Stephane Robidas, who was acquired from the Dallas Stars on March 4. I think we just have to build off that last game and keep playing the same way. We ve proven to ourselves that when we do it the right way, we re successful. It s just a matter of doing it every night and doing it for 60 minutes and not just 20 or 40 minutes. The Ducks might have sealed the deal days or even weeks ago, but their inconsistency hindered them repeatedly. The Sharks also might have taken control some time ago, but they also have struggled recently and now face the possibility of another hard-hitting series against the Kings. San Jose defeated the Kings in the opening round in 2011, but lost in a grueling seven-game series in the second round last season, when the home

10 Anaheim Ducks Notebook: Rookie John Gibson earns another start for Ducks By Elliott Teaford, Daily Breeze Posted: 04/10/14, 12:35 AM PDT Updated: 32 secs ago John Gibson was in diapers when the Ducks played their first NHL game on Oct. 8, He was in goal Wednesday night at the Honda Center as they chased their second consecutive Pacific Division championship, and their third overall during their 20-year existence. Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau could have started veteran Jonas Hiller in the most important game of the regular season, but he decided the 20-year-old Gibson deserved a chance to face the San Jose Sharks after shutting out the Vancouver Canucks in his NHL debut Monday. Boudreau s third choice, 24-year-old rookie Frederik Andersen, wasn t really a choice at all since Andersen suffered a head injury when he took a shot off his mask from Nashville defenseman Shea Weber in the Ducks loss last Friday to the Predators. Then again, Boudreau didn t wish to tip his hand after the morning skate at the Honda Center. Gibson exited the ice first, a near universal sign that he would start against the Sharks. Hiller and Andersen stayed on the ice to face extra shots. I m not telling you, Boudreau said later. We ll see tonight. I don t know if he s in. When the game began, Gibson stood opposite San Jose goalie Antti Niemi as the Ducks and Sharks faced off with the division title at stake. The Ducks needed a victory to clinch the division and avoid a first-round playoff series against the third-place Kings. Gibson made Boudreau s selection a little less jaw-dropping by stopping all 18 shots he faced from the Canucks in his first NHL game Monday in Vancouver. Gibson, who spent this season with the Ducks American Hockey League affiliate in Norfolk, Va., was calm, cool and collected. His calmness, Boudreau said when asked what he liked most from Gibson, who became the youngest goalie in Ducks history and the first in franchise history to record a shutout in his debut for the club. He didn t seem to get rattled. His movement was really good. Defenseman Francois Beauchemin was the Ducks nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, an award given annual by the Professional Hockey Writers Association to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the game of ice hockey. Masterton died as the result of an on-ice injury Jan. 15, Beauchemin returned from offseason knee surgery well ahead of schedule and in time for the opening of training camp. He suffered a torn ACL near the end of last season, but delayed surgery in order to play in the playoffs. Defenseman Cam Fowler returned to the Ducks lineup after sitting out 12 games because of a sprained left knee. His participation was a last-minute decision, but after he made it through the pregame skate without any setbacks, he rejoined the lineup. LA Daily News: LOADED:

11 Anaheim Ducks Ducks wrap up second straight Pacific Division crown By Elliott Teaford, Daily Breeze Posted: 04/10/14, 12:32 AM PDT Updated: 16 secs ago John Gibson was in diapers when the Ducks played their first NHL game on Oct. 8, He was in goal Wednesday night at the Honda Center as they clinched their second consecutive Pacific Division championship, and their third overall during their 20-year existence. There were a few shaky moments, but Gibson and the Ducks defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-2. The Ducks not only clinched the division title, but as an added bonus they vaulted past the St. Louis Blues and into the lead in the Western Conference standings. What s more, the Ducks ( ) avoided a first-round playoff series against the Kings. Instead, they will face a wild-card entry from among the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars and Phoenix Coyotes, who are locked in a three-team battle for two playoff spots. The Ducks have regular-season games remaining Saturday against the Kings at Staples Center and Sunday against the Colorado Avalanche at the Honda Center. Finishing atop the conference would ensure home-ice advantage for the first three rounds of the playoffs. Our goal was to finish first and we did that, Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano said. I think this was one of those games where we had a full team effort. I felt like it was a complete effort, and to win in the playoffs we re going to have to beat teams like this. There s no other way you can win. So, his was a big win for us, for sure. Gibson, 20, made 36 saves for his second victory in his second NHL start in place of veteran Jonas Hiller. Patrick Maroon scored two second-period goals as the Ducks chased San Jose goalie Antti Niemi, who gave up four goals on 19 shots before yielding to Alex Stalock. It s a little bit of a gamble sometimes, Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said of starting Gibson. Jason Demers and Logan Couture scored for the second-place Sharks, who will face the third-place Kings in what figures to be a compelling first-round series. Demers first-period goal halted Gibson s shutout streak to start his career after 78 minutes, 17 seconds. The Ducks-wild card winner will face the Sharks-Kings winner in the second round. It s going to be such a tough series, and whoever comes out of it, hopefully, is really tired and beat up, Cogliano said of the Kings-Sharks matchup. We ve got a really tough series on our hands, no matter who it is, whether it s Dallas, Minnesota or Phoenix. Cogliano s name didn t appear on the score sheet, but his relentless play on the forecheck and on the Ducks penalty-kill symbolized their renewed commitment to a 60-minute game. Their play in recent days and weeks had been punctuated by uneven stretches, with mistakes aplenty. The Ducks also showed off their remarkable depth. Maroon, Corey Perry (goal, assist), Matt Beleskey (goal, assist) and Teemu Selanne (two assists) had multi-point games. Jakob Silfverberg added a goal, an empty-net strike that sealed the deal at 18:32 of the third period. We knew what was on the line and we played well, Selanne said. Sweet home, you know? I think everybody is really excited about these playoffs right now. We want to play these last two games and hope nobody gets hurt. But we can t wait until the playoffs start. LA Daily News: LOADED:

12 Boston Bruins Marshfield s Ryan Warsofsky carving out a new career behind ECHL bench By Marvin Pave Globe Correspondent April 10, 2014 RYAN WARSOFSKY Marshfield s Warsofsky moves up as hockey coach He played defense at Marshfield High, Cushing Academy, Sacred Heart University, and Curry College before a one-year professional stint in the minors. But Ryan Warsofsky always envisioned a future in hockey behind the bench. When Mike Sullivan, whose parents are my godparents, coached the Bruins, he d let me and my brother David on the ice at the team s pregame morning skate, recalled Warsofsky, in his first season as assistant coach and manager of hockey operations with the South Carolina Stingrays of the East Coast Hockey League. I always liked to pick Mike s brain back then and I ve also had a nice relationship with Ray Bourque. I still speak to both of them as I m learning the profession. He listed Sullivan and Bourque as references when he applied for the Stingrays job last August. Sullivan, also a Marshfield native and the Boston Bruins head coach from 2003 to 2005, is an assistant on John Tortorella s staff with the Vancouver Canucks. The Stingrays, based in Charleston, S.C., are an affiliate of the Bruins and its American Hockey League club, the Providence Bruins. Ryan s done a tremendous job working with our defensemen and with the penalty kill and he brings a passion to everything he does, said Stingrays head coach Spencer Carbery after a recent practice at Germain Arena in Estero, Fla. The previous evening, the Stingrays, whose roster includes Noble & Greenough School graduate, defenseman Derrick Pallis, clinched a playoff berth with a 6-5 shootout win over the host Florida Everblades. Being a rookie coach, I watched and listened at the beginning, said Warsofsky. But as I got more comfortable, I told our D-men that they could learn from me and I could learn from them, and we ve developed a great relationship. Like the players who hope to make the move to the AHL or higher, Warsofsky rides the team bus, which is equipped with individual bunks and travels as far away as Kalamazoo, Mich. His other duties: breaking down game videos, handing out meal money, making travel arrangements, and advance scouting. It s been a seamless transition and I love it, said the 26-year-old, one of four siblings who played college hockey, including David, now skating for the Providence Bruins after starring at Boston University. One of their older brothers, Adam, played for SUNY Brockport, and another, Jarod, skated for Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania. Jarod was an assistant coach the past two seasons at Xaverian Brothers High in Westwood. Ryan was a fine player in his own right, and was a New England Division 2/3 all-star at Curry his senior season, when he led the ECAC Northeast champions in scoring and into the NCAA Division 3 playoffs. He turned pro and split the season with the Turnhout White Caps in the Netherlands and the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, a Central Hockey League franchise in Texas. Warsofsky had decent stats a combined seven goals and 12 assists in 23 games. But I was kind of banged up and after all the travel I felt it was time to make a change, recalled Warsofsky, an assistant coach at Curry last season. Stingrays president Rob Concannon, a Boston native, noted: I saw he had a lineage in hockey and Mike Bavis, who had coached at Boston University, and my former Providence College teammate, Larry Rooney, spoke highly of him. Ryan s a real rink rat who s grown in his new role, added Concannon. He knows a ton of people at all levels of the game, so when we re evaluating potential players, mainly through word of mouth, Ryan s a great resource. Warsofsky stays in close contact with sibling David, who was called up earlier this season by Boston. I saw him play in Buffalo and we talk quite a bit, said Warsofsky. He s my best friend and we re always rooting for one another. We re on different career paths in pro hockey, which is pretty cool for a couple of kids from the Boston area. Local players help Tufts to 16-1 start in baseball A trio of juniors left fielder Nick Barker, and pitchers Willie Archibald and Tom Ryan played key roles in fueling a 16-1 start for the Tufts University baseball team. Barker, a Catholic Memorial grad from Weymouth, split time between catcher and the outfield in his first two seasons with the Jumbos. This spring, he was hitting.418 (23 for 55) out of the second spot in the batting order, with three doubles, a homer, nine runs scored, and a team-leading 10 RBIs. We needed Nick s bat in our lineup. He s a contact hitter who wears pitchers out and he s made us a better all-around team, said Tufts head coach John Casey, whose squad was ranked first in New England and 24th nationally last week in Division 3. Ryan, a lefthander and Walpole High alum, was 1-0 with a 1.88 earned run average and a team-high three saves. He had 15 strikeouts in 14.1 innings and had held opposing batters to a.212 average. Archibald (Milton High) had 10 strikeouts in 13 innings and a 4.15 ERA. Tommy is as much the heart and soul of our team as anyone else. He throws three pitches for strikes, added Casey, and Willie can start, provide middle relief, or close. He just attacks the strike zone. Here and there Stonehill College senior Ryan Hayes of Canton (basketball) and sophomore Andrew Fonte of Quincy (football) received St. Thomas Aquinas Medals at the Easton school s Academic Excellence Recognition Breakfast on Friday. The event honors the student-athletes from Stonehill s 20 varsity programs with the highest cumulative grade point average on their respective teams through the fall semester.... The 20th annual Route 228 Track & Field Invitational is scheduled for Saturday morning at 9 at Notre Dame Academy of Hingham. The authors of If Not for the Perfect Stranger, a book on the 2013 Boston Marathon will be on site, along with Boston EMS and Boston Fire responders. The first 250 people will receive a Boston Strong shirt. Boston Globe LOADED:

13 Boston Bruins Bruins recall Ryan Spooner from Providence Posted by Jeff Pini, Boston.com Correspondent April 9, :21 PM The Bruins have recalled forward Ryan Spooner from Providence on an emergency basis, the team announced on Wednesday. The 21-year-old has appeared in 22 games for the Bruins this season, tallying 11 assists with a plus-minus rating of -1. Spooner has played 45 games for the Providence Bruins this year, scoring 11 goals and 34 assists with a +13 rating, and was named to the 2014 AHL All-Star team. He has totaled 31 goals and 78 assists in his 112 game AHL career. The Bruins have already wrapped up home ice throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs and are three points up on St. Louis for the best record in the NHL. Spooner may see time tomorrow night in Winnipeg if Claude Julien decides to rest some of the starters before the playoffs start next week. Boston Globe LOADED:

14 Boston Bruins Bruins Notebook: Chris Kelly out, but Jarome Iginla returns Thursday, April 10, 2014 Steve Conroy WINNIPEG, Manitoba The Bruins got two players back for practice yesterday at the MTS Centre, lost one for what they hope is just a short time and had another en route here. Forward Chris Kelly was lost to an undisclosed injury in the third period of the B s 4-3 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. He did not practice. He s day-to-day, coach Claude Julien said. It s nothing major, but it s something that needs to be addressed. Kelly seems doubtful for tonight s game against the Winnipeg Jets. On the good news front, both winger Jarome Iginla, who s missed three of the past four games with what s believed to be an ankle injury, and defenseman Kevan Miller, who s missed the past two with an undisclosed injury, were back on the ice yesterday and participated fully in practice. Julien said both players will be gametime decisions tonight, but they feel ready to return. I felt good, Iginla said after the skate. I haven t talked to Claude yet, so I don t know for sure. But I felt good, and it s coming along well, and I look forward to getting back in. Hopefully that s (tonight). Iginla said he would have been able to play if the B s were in the playoffs, but it was nice to be in a situation where it was not imperative for him to be in the lineup. We want all the guys feeling as good as possible and as healthy as possible, but it s also nice to have the luxury in the standings, Iginla said. For some teams, they re fighting for a playoff spot in the last few games, and I think we re a deep team that guys can go out and another can come in and be prepared. The team looks good. It s nice to have the depth, too. Still, for a guy who had not missed a game because of injury since January 2007, taking these nights off was not easy. It does make it tougher. I ve definitely been very fortunate to put a good streak together and be able to play the games, Iginla said. It s hard to be out. We all want to be playing. We all want to be in there.... But the smarter play was probably (to sit) because I feel way better. Miller also feels ready. It was just something minor that we were just trying to maintain, he said. If it was the playoffs, I think it would be a different story. If Iginla plays tonight, the B s will have enough forwards. But Ryan Spooner was recalled on an emergency basis, which could mean that a center sits out tonight. David Krejci received a break Tuesday, so it could be Patrice Bergeron, who is riding a 12-game point streak. No Jet lagging The Jets practiced before the B s, and coach Paul Maurice ran his troops into the ground, literally. They practiced for 95 minutes, an eternity these days for an NHL team, and most of it was simply skating hard. Maurice apparently was sending a message to his players for next season, if he s even asked back. The rigorous practice left the ice in such bad shape the rink crew had a to do a few laps with the Zambonis and some extra work on a few trouble spots. Julien even did his own work. It was chewed up quite a bit, and the rink people came and saw us and told us they wanted to make sure they shaved it down and flooded it, Julien said. They wanted to make sure we weren t going to get any injuries. No hopes up Dennis Seidenberg (knee) and Adam McQuaid (quad) returned to the ice Tuesday, but the team s brass is not holding its collective breath for their returns. Nothing s changed from the last time I spoke on it. I m not counting on (Seidenberg), general manager Peter Chiarelli said. We ve had guys who ve skated and not come back for a really long period of time. Bergeron comes to mind (in 2008).... Whatever we do, we re going to be very cautious. With the playoffs fast approaching, neither player is on the coach s radar. They were on the ice, but they re not even close, Julien said. Again, we ve got to be careful we don t get all excited about this. In (Seidenberg s) case, he s just starting to skate, and with the injury he s had, he s not close to have somebody to push on him or take a hit or anything like that. All business Once the B s were able to get on the ice, they held an up-tempo, no-nonsense practice for about 40 minutes. They were not sharp in their execution in the loss to the Wild, and while certain players will get some rest in the final three games, Julien does not want them to lose practice. (The practice) was based on being sharp and having some intensity. And it doesn t have to be long. We know that. It just has to be good, and I thought we had a good practice, Julien said. We have to understand that these last few games do mean something, they mean staying sharp. You don t want to start the playoffs on a negative note because you ve coasted through your last few games. We re in position here, we can finish at the top of the league, and all we have to do is show up and play. They re getting lots of rest with the short practices. I don t think our team is fatigued at all, no more than any other team, so we re fine. Boston Herald LOADED: