Anaheim Ducks Ducks' Hampus Lindholm, at 20, matures into a top NHL rookie Ducks' Andersen passes Boudreau's test

SPORT-SCAN Anaheim Ducks 739084 Ducks' Hampus Lindholm, at 20, matures into a top NHL rookie 739085 Ducks' Andersen passes Boudreau's test Boston Bruins 739086 Bruins rally in 3rd period, win 12th in a row 739087 Bruins backup Chad Johnson offers a saving grace 739088 Game 71 preview: Bruins at Coyotes 739089 Bruins Notebook: Chad Johnson stellar when needed 739090 Dozen in the desert: Bruins rally to win 12th straight 739091 Bruins win 12th straight 739092 Our unsung heroes: Plenty of choices for Bruins 7th Player award Buffalo Sabres 739093 Conehead Conacher goes viral 739094 Lieuwen to start in goal against hometown team 739095 Sabres giving Lieuwen a home start in Vancouver 739096 Sabres notebook: Canucks have plenty at stake Calgary Flames 739097 Eberle back in for the Oilers; Westgarth adds some punch to Flames 739098 Calgary Flames take on Edmonton Oilers in the final Battle of Alberta of the season 739099 Keeping up with Flames' Joe Colborne and his family 739100 Flames snapshots -- Joni Ortio not feeling the Heat Carolina Hurricanes 739101 Hurricanes score 3 times in 2nd to top Jets 3-2 Chicago Blackhawks 739102 Teuvo Teravainen draws raves from Jari Kurri 739103 Jeremy Morin has best chance yet to stick with Blackhawks 739104 Blackhawks Crawford riding hot streak 739105 Blackhawks making Teravainen feel at home 739106 Hawks confident Kane will be ready 739107 Keith putting together another Norris-worthy season Colorado Avalanche 739108 Tyson Barrie having fun at forward, but: I m a defenseman, and that s where I want to be 739109 Dater: Let's bring on Avalanche vs. Blackhawks in NHL playoffs 739110 Jean-Sebastien Giguere leaning toward retirement after season 739111 Adrian Dater s spotlight on Predators defenseman Seth Jones 739112 Adam Foote and Sergei Krivokrasov helping U16 and U14 Colorado Thunderbirds to triple-a nationals Columbus Blue Jackets 739113 Michael Arace commentary Rick Nash gets told: You re not needed 739114 Rangers 3, Blue Jackets 1: That punch by Rick Nash might ignite a rivalry 739115 Blue Jackets notebook: Rick Nash fights former teammate Matt Calvert 739116 Blake Comeau not about to change his game after suspension NHL 3/23/2014 DAILY BRIEF Dallas Stars 739117 Stars go down early to Senators, fight back to break losing streak 739118 After recovering from concussion, Lehtonen not shying away from contact 739119 Modano, Nieuwendyk, Turco, Lehtinen, Belfour, more play together in charity game 739120 He said it: Players and coaches comment after Stars' 3-1 win over Ottawa Saturday 739121 Facing desperation, Stars dig deep, pull out two critical points against Ottawa 739122 Daley, Benn score in 3rd to lift Stars over Senators Detroit Red Wings 739123 Jeff Seidel: A sudden, silent and tragic exit for Saginaw Spirit's Terry Trafford 739124 Detroit 3, Minnesota 2: Red Wings on a 3-game win streak, hot pursuit of playoff spot 739125 Young players' spark firing up their fellow Red Wings 739126 Detroit 3, Minnesota 2: Why the Red Wings won Saturday 739127 Wings Gustav Nyquist's prolific goalscoring prompts what-ifs 739128 Gustav Nyquist's hot hand gives Red Wings win over Wild 739130 Red Wings showing much determination to grind out wins and earn crucial points (with video) 739131 Red-hot Gustav Nyquist scores game-winner in third period as Red Wings edge Minnesota, 3-2 739132 Detroit Red Wings look to snap four-game road losing streak in first meeting with Minnesota Wild 739133 Red Wings got a lift when Niklas Kronwall returned; Darren Helm might not play on back-to-back days 739134 Nyquist's goal gives Red Wings 3-2 win over Wild Edmonton Oilers 739135 Jordan Eberle returns to the Edmonton Oilers lineup for tilt against the Calgary Flames 739136 Flames torch Oilers 8-1 in Saturday night Battle of Alberta 739137 Edmonton Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins on bad loss, jersey toss, water bottle toss & resetting 739138 Edmonton Oilers blown out by the Calgary Flames Florida Panthers 739139 RECORD PERFORMANCE: Jonathan Quick Sets Kings Record for Wins in 4-0 Shutout of Panthers 739140 Jonathan Quick, Kings too much for Florida Panthers 739141 Jonathan 'too' Quick leads Kings past Panthers 4-0 739142 Jonathan Quick leads Kings past Panthers 4-0 739143 Quick sets wins record, Kings blank Panthers 4-0 Los Angeles Kings 739144 Jonathan Quick becomes Kings' winningest goalie in 4-0 shutout 739145 Quick passes Vachon as Kings' winningest goalie 739146 March 22 postgame quotes: Darryl Sutter 739147 March 22 postgame notes 739148 With record win, Quick emerges as franchise torchbearer 739149 March 22 postgame quotes: Florida 739150 No major Brown update 739151 March 22 postgame quotes: Jeff Carter

Minnesota Wild 739152 Nyquist's goal gives Red Wings 3-2 win over Wild 739153 Ailing Red Wings get well against the Wild 739154 NHL Insider: Iginla's still a star 739155 Reusse blog: The Wild's brilliant marketing 739156 Kuemper, once solid in Wild net, has hit a rough stretch 739157 Wild's week ahead 739158 Postgame: Yeo says things not as bad as they seem 739159 Gameday preview: Wild at Detroit 739160 Wild notes: Rupp sees time ticking away 739161 Tom Powers: Take a breath, Wild fans, because it's different this time 739162 Minnesota Wild: Penalty kill, other stats tell story in loss to Red Wings 739163 Minnesota Wild: Charlie Coyle scores after promotion to second line Montreal Canadiens 739164 Leafs, Habs in playoff mode for pivotal meeting 739165 Opportunistic Habs deal Leafs playoff hopes serious blow 739166 Bourque, Murray back in Habs lineup against Leafs 739167 Canadiens hold on for win over Leafs 739168 About last night Nashville Predators 739169 Del Zotto s ice time drops despite Predators hopes 739170 Preview: Predators at Blackhawks 739171 Predators Matt Cullen vents frustration with 4 points 739172 Predators find offense against Flames New Jersey Devils 739173 Devils' Marek Zidlicky will be UFA after season; Want him back? VOTE 739174 Devils: Ryan Carter takes part in morning skate; Tim Sestito out 739175 Devils fans hate everything about the Rangers, but do Devils players? 739176 Would Devils fans dare boo Martin Brodeur next season? Goalie is prepared if it happens 739177 Devils' Damien Brunner told he'll play Saturday, then surprised to see he's benched again 739178 Devils' scratch Damien Brunner: I was told I'd play against Rangers 739179 Did Devils test Henrik Lundqvist enough? After Martin Brodeur's strong game, Cory Schneider will start vs. Lea 739180 Jaromir Jagr on Devils' playoff bubble close to bursting: 'We did this to ourselves' 739181 Henrik Lundqvist gets Rangers record 50th shutout, beats Devils, 2-0 739182 Studs and duds from night Devils' have one playoff door closing on them 739183 Brunner surprised to be scratched again, but trying to stay positive; Harrold welcomes baby daughter 739184 Carter happy to return in time to face Rangers; Bernier back in; Gelinas, Brunner to sit 739186 Looks like Carter will play for Devils tonight; Brunner could be healthy scratch again 739187 Playoff-hungry NY Rangers blank Devils 739188 Rangers edge Devils for third-straight win New York Islanders 739189 Don't expect Isles to roll over for a higher pick New York Rangers 739190 Brassard's Third-Period Goal Lifts Rangers, 3-1 739191 Lundqvist Breaks Another Record in a Key Win 739192 Rangers' Alain Vigneault: Henrik Lundqvist is our guy. If we get in it's because 'Hank plays like Hank' 739193 Crushed Ice: Henrik Lundqvist excellent in Columbus, Derek Dorsett adds energy, John Moore gets banged up, not 739194 Rick Nash, teammates still fired up after Rangers' emotional 3-1 win in Columbus; plus, an explanation of Nash 739195 Playoff-hungry NY Rangers blank Devils 739196 Despite reports, Sather says no retirement on tap 739197 Rangers edge Devils for third-straight win 739198 Carter: Good chance he ll play vs. Rangers; Brodeur hoping Devils fans boo Clarkson, too 739199 Diaz in for concussed John Moore, Carcillo in for Dorsett but Rangers lineup still not set 739200 Diaz expected in for injured Moore tonight 739201 Rangers 2, Devils 0: Wrapping up 739202 Controlling rebounds, pressuring puck carriers work wonders in postseason 739203 Henrik Lundqvist sets Rangers record with 50th shutout in win over Devils 739204 Raphael Diaz fills in for John Moore, out with concussion symptoms 739205 Rangers-Devils in review 739206 Rangers 2, Devils 0 post-game notes Ottawa Senators 739207 Senators fade in third as Stars win 3-1 739208 Ottawa Senators make it six straight losses 739209 We just want the facts when it comes to Senators No. 1 goalie Craig Anderson's injury 739210 Ottawa Senators winger Bobby Ryan told coach will be fine Philadelphia Flyers 739211 Flyers' Raffl signs extension; Kings next 739212 Flyers defeat NHL-best Blues, 4-1 739213 Inside the Flyers: Couturier blossoms into shutdown defender 739214 Flyers shake the Blues, run win streak to five 739215 If not for Roy, Berube might be coach of year 739216 Flyers get rid of the Blues for 5th straight win 739217 Red-hot Flyers roll right past the Blues 739218 Streaking Flyers' next challenge is facing Carter, Richards 739219 Flyers sign Michael Raffl to 2-year extension 739220 Flyers top NHL-best Blues for 5th straight win 739221 Flyers Notes: Giroux whistled for 4 penalties 739222 Flyers edge Blues, extend win streak to five 739223 Hartnell offers insight on Blues Phoenix Coyotes 739224 Coyotes goalie Mike Smith on roll since Olympic break 739225 Phoenix Coyotes unravel in third period against the Boston Bruins 739226 No time for Coyotes to dwell on loss to NHL's best team 739227 Coyotes can't keep Bruins from 12th straight win

Pittsburgh Penguins 739228 Penguins notebook: Vokoun playing in regular-season game a possibility 739229 Penguins minor league notebook: Pressure on young forwards to deliver 739230 Penguins' stars taking more penalties 739231 Penguins defeat Tampa Bay, 4-3 739232 Evgeni Malkin admits game suffered after Olympics 739233 On the Penguins: James Neal's what-if season San Jose Sharks 739234 Sharks aim to carry momentum from win over Anaheim Ducks 739235 Washington Capitals beat San Jose Sharks in shootout 739236 Capitals defeat Sharks in shootout 739237 Sharks hope to avoid emotional letdown vs. Caps 739238 Sharks proud of playoff streak, but want more 739239 In the Crease: Desperate Caps visit Sharks 739240 Sharks suffer hard-luck shootout loss to Capitals 739241 Instant Replay: Sharks stumble vs. Capitals, lose in SO St Louis Blues 739242 Colaiacovo returns to Blues' lineup today; Leopold ready soon 739243 Bluenotes: Blues seeking return to team strengths 739244 Blues stumble again in loss to Flyers 739245 Blues vs. Penguins preview 739246 Flyers top Blues 4-1 for 5th straight win 739247 Blues stumble against Flyers Tampa Bay Lightning 739248 Bolts lose but still pick up points 739249 Lindback earns praise despite suffering loss 739250 Bolts Notes: Players should make award lists 739251 Lightning continue streak of failures against Pittsburgh, but earn a point in 4-3 OT loss 739252 Lightning's Ben Bishop gets break from heavy workload 739253 Lightning Nuts & Bolts 739254 Lightning a good fit for Ryan Callahan so far Toronto Maple Leafs 739255 Leafs, Habs in playoff mode for pivotal meeting 739256 Mirtle: Opportunistic Habs deal Leafs playoff hopes serious blow 739257 Leafs activate Bolland, demote Holland, Ashton 739258 Maple Leafs penthouse-doghouse: Lupul shines, JVR goofs up 739259 Dave Bolland getting back up to speed after long injury layoff 739260 Defensive deficiencies cost Leafs again in loss to Canadiens: Feschuk 739261 Toronto Maple Leafs at New Jersey Devils: Sunday NHL game preview 739262 Leafs and Canadiens square off at the ACC 739263 Dave Bolland likely a go for Leafs vs. Canadiens 739264 Gameday: Maple Leafs at Devils 739265 Canadiens defencemen P.K. Subban the new Alfie for Leafs fans 739266 Maple Leafs desperately need Bernier back 739267 Maple Leafs goaltender Jonathan Bernier stays day-to-day 739268 Toronto Maple Leafs Dave Bolland activated off injured list, set to return against Montreal Canadiens 739269 Montreal Canadiens down Toronto Maple Leafs as goalie James Reimer struggles again Vancouver Canucks 739277 Two years after trade, Zack Kassian and Cody Hodgson both yet to deliver 739278 Daniel Sedin is back while Kesler shrugs off his knee problems 739279 Willes: Sunday s celebration of Henrik Sedin honours a man and hockey player of quiet grace and character 739280 Gallagher: Fans must share blame for bloated schedule, poor games Washington Capitals 739270 Alex Ovechkin riding 11-game even-strength scoring drought 739271 Capitals seek first win in San Jose since 1993 739272 Jaroslav Halak sidelined by lower-body injury; Braden Holtby faces Sharks 739273 Caps end San Jose skid with 3-2 SO win vs Sharks Websites 739281 ESPN / Henrik Lundqvist blanks Devils, becomes Rangers all-time shutout leader 739282 ESPN / Jonathan Quick sets Kings franchise wins record by shutting out Panthers 739283 ESPN / Top Line: Rick Nash a smash in C bus; NHL issues apology; more links 739284 USA TODAY / Red Wings beat Wild, step back into playoff spot Winnipeg Jets 739274 Hurricanes up 3-1 on Jets 739275 WIN_Fatburger_Sponsorship_2014 739276 Jets' playoff hopes take big hit with loss to Hurricanes SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129

739084 Anaheim Ducks Ducks' Hampus Lindholm, at 20, matures into a top NHL rookie Lance Pugmire 4:42 PM PDT, March 22, 2014 Earlier this month, as the Ducks unpacked in a Calgary dressing room, some players began chiding rookie defenseman Hampus Lindholm about shirking his "duties" as equipment bag unloader. The good-natured Swede smiled and tried in vain to explain he'd done his best to assist equipment manager Doug "Sluggo" Shearer, but had to get skating. The instant defined Lindholm, who two months after turning 20 has made himself one of the NHL's top rookies by simply knowing his place. "He's fortunate to have that mental makeup, because bad things happen out there on the ice," said Scott Niedermayer, the Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman and Ducks assistant coach who counsels Lindholm. "You just need to get back out there on the next shift and do your job again." The Ducks want someone to carry the load? Here's what Lindholm has contributed: a plus-26 in goal differential on the ice to rank just outside the NHL top 10; five goals and 21 assists, including four in the past four games since top defender Cam Fowler suffered a knee injury. "I know if I made mistake after mistake, I'd be told to step it up, but that hasn't happened, partially because I'm harder on myself than others [are]," Lindholm said. "My goals are higher than others have for me. No matter what they say, I've already put that pressure on me. I know what I can do out there. I'm like that." The Ducks made the now 6-foot-3, 200-pound Lindholm their first-round pick (sixth overall) in 2012, and Coach Bruce Boudreau said the pimply kid told team officials last year he aspired to crack the roster. Instead he played 48 games at minor league Norfolk. Thanks to a productive camp and exhibition season this time, he made it, and was paired with 33-year-old Francois Beauchemin until recently. "Sometimes you play with a guy, it clicks," said Beauchemin, whose mentoring of Lindholm has consisted mostly of just on-ice communication. "There's still the matter of going against the very top players, learning their tendencies. But in practice, he works hard. In games, he competes every night. Has a lot of patience, keeps his head up, doesn't give pucks away for nothing. It's working far more goals scored when he's out there than allowed." One of those goals was Lindholm's own his season highlight thus far when he slapped in the game-winner Dec. 23 at Washington to give Boudreau a cherished victory over the Capitals, the team that fired him. "You'd never know he was a teenager when the season started," Niedermayer said. "Younger players sometimes try to do too much and get in trouble. I know I did that, too much jumping up [into the offense], putting the team at a disadvantage. "He has great timing, isn't thinking about his goal or points total. He's content to do the little things in a game that for most defensemen it takes many years to do." That's a result, Lindholm said, of being raised by coaches Boudreau included who applaud smart aggression. "When I see an opening, I will go," Lindholm said. "You think of the score. Are we down? Tied? Up some goals? I've seen others get disturbed by coaches telling them, 'You go there [to the defensive zone] only.' Mine let me be who I am." Lindholm has denied that he's experienced the rookie wall as a player who hadn't been in more than 50 games in a year and now is dealing with 82 plus playoffs in the world's premier league. "We threw him right into the fire. He was in all situations and kept excelling at it, so we kept him there," Boudreau said. "Tough to keep up that pace when you're not used to it, but he doesn't want to miss optionals or take time off. He's just cut a little tighter." Defenseman Ben Lovejoy, who's been paired with Lindholm on the Ducks' No. 1 defensive unit since Fowler got hurt, said there's been no coddling of Lindholm throughout the season. "If he wasn't a super-effective NHL talent, he wouldn't be here," Lovejoy said. "He a top defenseman on one of the best NHL teams all year. Super-skilled, amazing skater. "This league has become all about speed and Hampus has elite speed, is able to push the offense and defend top lines because of it. Everything comes down to his skating." That, and his nature. Lovejoy said the Ducks view Lindholm affectionately as a kid brother whose "ignorance is bliss." For instance, Lindholm said he hasn't considered acquiring a fake ID or drinking with the guys. "I don't want to go into a U.S. prison," he said. "I heard it's rough in there." Said Lovejoy: "Sometimes he doesn't know what's going on. "I have to remind myself with him of when I was 20 years old, sophomore in college, hanging out in frat basements, making stupid mistakes where no one knew. "Hampus is playing in the best league in the world, with men, on a successful team, and has fit in." SUNDAY VS. FLORIDA PANTHERS When: 5 p.m. On the air: TV: Prime Ticket; Radio: 830. Etc.: The Panthers are a possible cure for the Ducks' struggling power play as they rank last in the NHL with a 75% penalty-kill unit. They added goalie Roberto Luongo at the trade deadline; he played in the Panthers' 4-0 loss to the Kings on Saturday. LA Times: LOADED: 03.23.2014

739085 Anaheim Ducks Ducks' Andersen passes Boudreau's test ERIC STEPHENS March 22, 2014 9:59 p.m. ANAHEIM The game itself had all kinds of meaning. The goalie whostarted it carried meaning as well. For the first-place Pacific Division battle against San Jose on Thursday, Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau sent Frederik Andersen into the noisy cauldron that is SAP Center to defeat the Sharks instead of usual starter Jonas Hiller. The plan didn t come to fruition as the Sharks rallied in the third period for a 3-2 victory. But the selection of Andersen instead of Hiller the Ducks No. 1 goalie the last five years raised eyebrows as the club tries to beat out San Jose for the Pacific crown. As the Ducks ready for Sunday s important home game against Florida, Boudreau made it clear that he wanted to see how Andersen would handle an assignment with that much importance. Andersen s 37-save outing in the Ducks 2-1 win over the Kings in L.A. a week ago no doubt emboldened Boudreau. This was probably a little more (bigger) because San Jose and us were tied, Boudreau said. So I wanted to see, if there was a situation that arose, how he could handle the pressure. To me, even though they got three goals, he was great in net. Boudreau then cracked that Andersen, who made 25 saves against the Sharks, was stopping shots from 10 feet out that former Ducks television analyst and former NHL goalie Brian Hayward never would have stopped. All jokes aside, Andersen getting the start sent an unspoken message that Hiller will have to work to keep his gig for the upcoming Stanley Cup playoffs. Hiller will need to sharpen up in his upcoming startrs as he s just 1-2-2 with other subpar numbers (3.46 goals-against average,.876 save percentage) since shutting out St. Louis on Feb. 28. And he knows it. I didn t feel like I ve played bad, Hiller said. I don t feel I ve played at my best. It s tough to play at your best every night. At the end, if you lose, you always think what you can do better and you work on it in every practice. In the end, I know I want to play better. I know I can play better. And I m happy to still have a few games here until the playoffs starts. For Andersen, the start is another example of where he stands with the Ducks after first making the now-traded Viktor Fasth expendable. I feel it s nice to be trusted, Andersen said. It shows that Bruce is confident that we have two good goalies. That s nice. There is no goaltender controversy in Anaheim. Not yet anyway as Boudreau readily volunteered that Hilly s our No. 1 goalie. But much like last season when Fasth pushed Hiller to earn the playoff starts against Detroit, Andersen s presence might now be doing the same to the veteran. I think it s key without putting any pressure on, Boudreau said. If he struggles, then we always know we can go to the other guy and we will. We don t want to. When Jonas won 14 in a row there, you couldn t put a pea by him. That s where we want him to be at again. NOTES Center Nick Bonino returned to practice but remains questionable for Sundayas he recovers from a bruised foot suffered when blocking a shot Tuesday against Washington Injured defenseman Sami Vatanen is nearing availability and may stay in Anaheim rather than return to Norfolk (AHL), where he originally suffered his lower-body injury. Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.23.2014

739086 Boston Bruins Bruins rally in 3rd period, win 12th in a row BOB BAUM March 22, 2014 GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) For the first time in seven games, the Boston Bruins actually fell behind. It didn t last, and the third-longest win streak in franchise history is still alive. The Bruins scored three times in the third period, the go-ahead goal by Shawn Thornton with 3:18 to play, and Boston won its 12th in a row, 4-2 over the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday night. The Bruins are two shy of the franchise mark of 14 straight set in the 1929-30 season. They also have the most points in the NHL with 103, two more than Western Conference-leading St. Louis. The Blues clinched a playoff berth as a result of Phoenix s loss. They managed their third-period rally despite the fact they were playing their second game in as many nights. Tonight in my mind, it showed a lot of our character, Boston coach Claude Julien said. We needed to show a lot of character there in the third to come back and we did. We did all the right things and we were determined to win and it showed. Jarome Iginla scored his 27th and 28th goals of the season for Boston, the second into an empty net in the final seconds. Oliver Ekman-Larsson had a spectacular goal to put Phoenix ahead 2-1 in the second period. Shane Doan scored the other Coyotes goal on a power play. The loss snapped Phoenix s three-game winning streak. Tuukka Rask, who did not play in Friday night s win at Colorado, had 30 saves for Boston. Phoenix s Mike Smith had 24. The loss and Dallas victory left the Coyotes two points ahead of the Stars for the final playoff spot in the West. Dallas has a game in hand. Phoenix had a 2-1 lead just 39 seconds into the second period thanks to Ekman-Larsson s heroics. He took the puck from his own blue line, then evaded two would-be defenders, making a slick move that left Johnny Boychuk and Loui Eriksson in a heap. Rask deflected the first shot, but Ekman-Larsson knocked the rebound in as he sailed by the net. I skated it up and I was looking for someone to pass to, Ekman-Larsson said, but I didn t see anybody so I figured I'd do it by myself. It ended a streak of almost 411 minutes, more than 20 periods, that the Bruins had never trailed. It was the first time in seven games that Boston trailed. The Bruins turned up their trademark tough, physical play in the final period. They try to beat you 1-on-1, Phoenix coach Dave Tippett said, and we didn t win enough of those 1-on-1 battles at the right times, and it came back to bite us. Boston tied it at 2 when Zdeno Chara s shot deflected off Iginla s hip and into the net 3:48 into the third period. With much of the final period played in the Coyotes zone, Boston took the lead when Daniel Paille shot from a difficult angle to the left of the net, but it deflected off Thornton s stick and got past Smith for the score only the fifth goal of the season for the Bruins left wing. I'm glad it went in, Thornton said. Everyone had a lot of chances tonight and it was a little bit frustrating for us until then. I mean, we were creating a lot of stuff, but nothing was going in. Happy we got rewarded for some hard work eventually. Boston took the lead in a hurry in the opening period. After Smith turned the puck over, Patrice Bergeron knocked it in from a crowd in front of the Coyotes net for his 22nd goal of the season, the puck slipping in just past the Coyotes goalie s leg. Phoenix tied it when Brandon McMillan s shot from close range bounced off Rask and Shane Doan scored to make it 1-1 with 8:15 left in the first. It was the first time in 11 games that the Bruins have allowed a first-period goal. Notes: The Bruins won their seventh straight road game.... Boston is 16-4-4 against the Western Conference.... The Bruins last loss was March 1 at home against Washington.... The 12-game streak is third-longest in franchise history. The Bruins won 13 in a row in 1970-71.... Phoenix lost at Boston 2-1 nine days earlier.... Doan got his 20th goal, the 12th time in his career he s scored at least 20 in a season.... A standing-room-only crowd of 17,468 watched the game. Boston Globe LOADED: 03.23.2014

739087 Boston Bruins Bruins backup Chad Johnson offers a saving grace Amalie Benjamin March 23, 2014 GLENDALE, Ariz. With Tuukka Rask coming back from Sochi, Russia, and a demanding March schedule in which the Bruins play 17 games, the Bruins could have been in trouble. They could have overextended their starting goaltender, a bad idea in the face of a potentially arduous playoff run. Or they could have had to rely on an inconsistent backup, worrying every time he was sent out to play. Instead, the Bruins have Chad Johnson, who recorded his second shutout of the season, stoning the host Avalanche, 2-0, on Friday night. It was the first time that Colorado had been shut out this season. With the win, Johnson improved his record to 16-3-1 with a 2.04 goals-against average and.925 save percentage. He is 10-0-1 in his last 11 decisions, having allowed two or fewer goals in nine of them. Not bad for a backup. Johnson, 27, came into this season with only 10 NHL games to his record. He has appeared in 23 in this his first with the Bruins, and has done everything the Bruins could have asked. I feel good, Johnson said. It s just nice to feel like I did and help the team win. My mind-set coming in was just to get in there and when I m playing to try and just help the team win and win as many games as I can and just be there to try and help the team be in a position to win hockey games. It s gone well so far, just want to try and keep it going for the guys. It wasn t perfect Friday. Johnson allowed a few too many rebounds, pucks that the Avalanche just couldn t clean up. But as the Bruins did as a team, Johnson also got better throughout the game, withstanding a five-minute 6 on 5 at the end of the game when Colorado pulled its goalie. To be in front of these guys with such good systems and a good D corps and offensive players that want to play defense, too, it helps me out a lot and helps the goalies out and our whole team, Johnson said. It s fun to play in front of our team when we re so committed defensively. We re out there to win and we expect to win. Hamilton fired up Dougie Hamilton played well on Friday night, helping the Bruins shut out the potent Avalanche. It was his fifth consecutive game since sitting out against Florida and Montreal on March 9 and 12. He added the primary assist on the Bruins first goal, and the secondary assist on their second. Hamilton picked up another assist Saturday night in the Bruins 4-2 victory, helping on Jarome Iginla s tying goal in the third. Factoring in goals is not surprising to me, Bruins coach Claude Julien said. He s got a good head and he sees the plays well, and great pass on that first goal there. But defensively, like a lot of guys, he just got better as the game went on. When he got into battles and he had to compete against some pretty good players on the other side. They re a young team and he s a young player, so it was a good challenge for him. It s a team with a lot of speed, something that Hamilton said they anticipated coming into the game, knowing the challenge ahead of them and ahead of him. Being challenged, it seems, has affected Hamilton and the other young defensemen. Being in the lineup is no longer a given, and Hamilton has taken the messages from the coaching staff to heart. I think it was try to be more physical and I think it s a different situation when you know that there s guys that are going to play, Hamilton said. I think every game you kind of focus on trying to do your best so that you re not out of the lineup. Sometimes that can be tough, but sometimes good. Just for me, I think just trying to play more physical, especially with Johnny [Boychuk] out the last couple games, getting some opportunities to play with empty net and last minutes and stuff, where I didn t really have that before, so it s a new challenge and it s fun to be able to do that stuff. Boychuk, who hadn t played since crashing awkwardly into the boards March 15, returned to action Saturday in Phoenix. He played 22:58, second behind Chara (23:20), on the Bruins, with three blocked shots. You watch the team play and you just want to get out there and help them, Boychuk said. They were doing a good job, but it s not fun watching the game. I d way rather be back on the ice. I m glad that I m back. I watched it it looked absolutely terrible. I got a picture from Dougie Hamilton, it looks like I m a little ball trying to go through the boards. That s never a good thing. I m just glad that everything s OK with me and I m back. Powerful numbers The Bruins had outscored opponents, 47-17, in their 12-game winning streak. Despite going 1 for 3 on the penalty kill, the Bruins have killed 31 of 34 power-play chances... The Bruins stayed the night in the Phoenix area and were scheduled to fly back to Boston on Sunday. They host Montreal on Monday at TD Garden. Boston Globe LOADED: 03.23.2014

739088 Boston Bruins Game 71 preview: Bruins at Coyotes Amalie Benjamin March 22, 2014 05:21 PM PHOENIX -- The Bruins are set to finish off the second game of a Western Conference back-to-back, taking on the Coyotes at the Jobing.com Arena at 6 p.m. local time. They have already done their part, clinching the first playoff spot in the NHL on Friday night with a 2-0 win over the Avalanche in Colorado for their 11th straight win. They'll try to make it 12 tonight, further extending their lead in the East. Boston has already beaten the Coyotes once during the streak, taking a 2-1 win on March 13 at the TD Garden. Game time: 9 p.m. TV/Radio: NESN/98.5 The Sports Hub Records: Bruins 47-17-5, Coyotes 34-25-11 Projected lineups: Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Jarome Iginla Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Reilly Smith Chris Kelly-Carl Soderberg-Loui Eriksson Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton Zdeno Chara-Dougie Hamilton Matt Bartkowski-Johnny Boychuk Torey Krug-Kevan Miller Tuukka Rask Chad Johnson Notes: The 11-game winning streak for the Bruins is their longest since a 13-game streak in 1970-1971.... The team has earned a point in each of its last 13 road games, going 10-0-3. That's their longest such streak since a 14-gamer in 1975-1976.... They are now tied with the Blues for the league lead with 101 points. Both teams have played 70 games, with St. Louis losing earlier today.... The Bruins have outscored their opponents 43-15 during the streak, and have allowed two or fewer goals nine times.... Boston has also killed 29-of-31 power-play chances in that time.... The referees are Gord Dwyer and Mike Leggo. The linesmen are Jonny Murray and David Brisebois. Boston Globe LOADED: 03.23.2014

739089 Boston Bruins Bruins Notebook: Chad Johnson stellar when needed Sunday, March 23, 2014 Steve Conroy Defenseman Johnny Boychuk returned to the lineup last night after missing three games with a foot injury. He skated 22:58. It s tough watching your team play. You want to get out there and help them. They were doing a great job every night, but it s not fun watching the game, said Boychuk. To make room for Boychuk in the lineup, Torey Krug was scratched. Boston Herald LOADED: 03.23.2014 GLENDALE, Ariz. It was hard to know what to expect from Chad Johnson this season. The 27-year-old hopeful for the backup goalie position, signed as a free agent on July 5, did not have the most impressive training camp. With just 10 games of NHL experience, there wasn t much of a book on him, and there were times it was unclear as to whether or not he would be on the team. Niklas Svedberg had outperformed him in September and could have easily laid claim to the backup goaltending. But in the end, the B s went with the sound business decision Svedberg could be sent to Providence without having to go through waivers and Johnson could not. It s been paying off ever since. Johnson has provided the Bruins with work about as good as you can expect from a backup. Making his second consecutive start on Friday in Colorado, he posted his second shutout and improved his record to 16-3-1 with a 2.04 goals-against average and.925 save percentage. It s just nice to be able to get in here and help the team win, said Johnson, 10-0-1 in his last 11 starts. My mindset coming in was just to get in there and, when I m playing, just to help them win as many games as I can.... It s gone well so far and I just want to keep it going. Coach Claude Julien appreciates the professionalism Johnson has brought to the job. It was pretty obvious at the beginning of the year they were getting to know each other, Chad was getting to know our system and everything else, he said. It was a little different, but he s found his game and he s been really, really good for us. Because of the way he s played, it s really allowed us to give Tuukka the rest that you want to give your goaltender at this time of year. I m pretty impressed with how he s handled his situation. He s been ready all the time. It s really important that Tuukka isn t overplayed and Chad s allowed us to do that. Though the B s have given up more good scoring chances than they d like in the latter part of their 12-game win streak, Johnson said it s been a pleasure playing with the B s and in their system. I m well rested. I play every week or every two weeks, and to be in front of these guy with such good systems and good D-corps and players that want to play defense, too, that helps me a lot, it helps the goalies out, said Johnson. It s fun to play in front of our team. We re so committed defensively. Hamilton rolling Since being scratched for two games after the trade deadline, defenseman Dougie Hamilton has played well. He s plus-7 with four assists in the six games since returning to the lineup, and was on the ice for much of crunch time as the B s were trying to run out the clock in Friday s 2-0 win. I think I ve tried to be more physical and you re just focusing on doing your best so that you re in the lineup, said Hamilton, who added another helper on Jarome Iginla s equalizer last night. For me, I m just trying to play more physical, especially with Johnny (Boychuk) being out these last couple of games and I ve been getting some opportunities to play with empty nets and the last minute of the game. I haven t had that before and it s a new challenge. It s fun to have that. Julien liked what he saw from Hamilton on Friday. Dougie factoring in goals is no surprise to me. He s got a good head and he sees the plays well. Great pass on that first goal, said Julien, referring to Patrice Bergeron s first-period tally on Denver. But defensively, like a lot of guys, he just got better as the game went on. He got into battles and he was competing against some pretty good players on the other side. They re a young team and he s a young player, so it was a good challenge for him. Welcome return

739090 Boston Bruins Dozen in the desert: Bruins rally to win 12th straight Sunday, March 23, 2014 Steve Conroy GLENDALE, Ariz. On most nights during the Bruins current winning streak, they have been in control from start to finish and almost made the victories look easy. Last night s game against the Phoenix Coyotes, however, was the exception. The Bruins had to scratch and claw all night in a nasty, physical game, but in the end they prevailed, thanks in large part to their four-line attack. Jarome Iginla scored a gutsy goal, staring down the barrel of a Zdeno Chara slap shot to deflect the puck home and tie it at 3:48 of the third period. Then Shawn Thornton got the game-winner his first goal since Jan. 28 with 3:18 left in regulation with a deflection of a Daniel Paille shot. Iginla added an empty netter and the B s walked away from Jobing.com Arena with a 4-2 victory to post their 12th consecutive victory. It s been fun, said Iginla of the streak. We go into each game with the same approach. We know a lot of teams are trying to end it, too. We know how it is on the other side. The Coyotes are a good team, they re fighting to stay in the playoffs.... It s been a lot of good ways to win games and all different guys on different nights. Tonight it was Thorty s huge (game-winner) and his line had some huge shifts before that. They had a great chance on every shift. I think in games like, to be able to go to four lines, we got better chances as the third went on. It was a challenge all the way, and coach Claude Julien was glad for it. We all look for those kinds of games right now, said Julien. We don t want anything easy, either. We want to get better as a team and those kinds of games allow you to do that. Tonight in my mind, it showed a lot of character. We needed to show a lot character there in the third to come back and win that and we did. We did all the right things. We were determined to win and it showed. For the seventh straight game, the B s scored the first goal when Patrice Bergeron jammed home a rebound of an Andrej Meszaros shot at 3:18, after Meszaros picked off a bad pass by Phoenix goalie Mike Smith. But the Coyotes, just two points inside the Western Conference playoff positions, turned on the gas and tied the game before the first period was out when Shane Doan potted a rebound. The hosts took the lead just 39 seconds into the second period when, with Matt Bartkowski in the box for tripping, Oliver Ekman-Larsson blew through Loui Eriksson at the blue line and followed up his own shot to beat Tuukka Rask (31 saves). It was the first time the Bruins found themselves behind since March 9 in Florida, a span of over 410 minutes. The B s started to turn the tide midway through the second, spending more and more time in the offensive zone. They got a couple of power plays which the couldn t capitalize on, but they started to re-establish their game. And then on a 4-on-4 early in the third, Iginla evened it up with his 27th of the year, earning kudos for the guts he showed hanging in there to try and tip Chara s blast. It appeared to go off his pants and in. I wasn t moving to get it. I was just standing there and it hit me, said Iginla. Just pure luck on my part, but it was a great shot by him trying to shoot around me. Said Thornton: I m sure I would have had my eyes closed there. I ve been hit by one of those and it s not fun. Thornton s eyes were wide open at 16:14 when he deflected Paille s shot past Brown. I m glad it went in, said Thornton. Everyone had a lot of chances tonight. It was a little frustrating for us until then. We were creating a lot of stuff but nothing was going in. I m just happy we got rewarded for some hard work eventually. Iginla then iced it with an empty netter, his eighth goal in six games and the 558th of his storied career. The one he scored before that pushed him ahead of B s legend and current traveling secretary Johnny Bucyk for sole possession of 25th on the all-time goal-scoring list. I feel blessed to be on that list and to get a chance to play here with him. It makes it more special, said Iginla. He s been cheering me on all year.... It is pretty cool, just a chance to get to know him. Predictably, Bucyk looked at Iginla s milestone through Black and Gold glasses. I m happy for him, said the Chief. I told him as long he keeps scoring goals for us, that s all that matters. Boston Herald LOADED: 03.23.2014

739091 Boston Bruins Bruins win 12th straight Sunday, March 23, 2014 Steve Conroy GLENDALE, AZ.--The Bruins captured their 12th straight victory Saturday night, this time in come-from-behind fashion, scoring three goals in the third period and beating the Phoenix Coyotes 4-2 at Jobing.com Arena. Jarome iginla tied the game 3:48 of the third on a deflection of a Zdeno Chara shot and Shawn Thornton got the game-winner with his first goal since January 28 when he tipped a Daniel Paille shot past goalie Mike Smith. Iginla added an empty netter while Tuukka Rask was excellent in making 31 saves for the win. It was a challenge from beginning to end, which was fine with coach Claude Julien. We all look for those kinds of games right now, said Julien. We don't want anything easy, either. We want to get better as a team and those kinds of games allow you to do that. Tonight in my mind, it showed a lot of character. We needed to show a lot character there in the third to come back and win that and we did. We did all the right things. We were determined to win and it showed. Iginla's first goal gave him 557 on his career, surpassing Bruins legend and traveling secretary Johnny Bucyk for 25th on the all-time goal-scoring list. I feel blessed to be on that list and to get a chance to play here with him. It makes it more special, said Iginla. He's been great. He's been cheering me on all year, we've been joking back and forth. It is pretty cool, just a chance to get to know him. Predictably, Bucyk looked at Iginla's milestone throgh Black and Gold glasses. I'm happy for him, said the Chief. I told him as long he keeps scoring goals for us, that's all that matters.... After missing three games with a foot injury, Joohnny Boychuk returned to the lineup and skated 22:58. Torey rug was the healthy scratch. Boston Herald LOADED: 03.23.2014

739092 Boston Bruins Our unsung heroes: Plenty of choices for Bruins 7th Player award Sunday, March 23, 2014 Stephen Harris The Bruins Seventh Player Award has had, in our opinion, an erratic history. Ostensibly, the award goes to the player who performed beyond expectations, as voted by fans. Many years the voters got it right, picking high-class role players such as Ed Westfall, Don Marcotte or Steve Kasper. But many other times the folks casting ballots somehow seemed to view the award as an MVP choice giving it to established stars like Cam Neely, Bill Guerin and Tim Thomas. Last year the award went to Dougie Hamilton when many felt Daniel Paille, for instance, might have been a more sensible pick. The too-frequent failure of voters to recognize the intended spirit of the award honoring the darkhorse, the unsung hero, the rags-to-riches success story has lessened its value and prestige. This year, more than at any time in recent memory, the Seventh Player selection will be very interesting. Because the Bruins have four players who would make splendid picks, all of them guys who truly have done more than anyone could realistically have expected. Hoped for? Yeah, maybe. But no one could have predicted six months ago how good Reilly Smith, Carl Soderberg, Torey Krug and Chad Johnson would be. Defenseman Kevan Miller has also stepped in and helped the team. In many years, he d have been a great Seventh Player winner. But his impact hasn t been quite as large as the other four who have been crucial in the B s producing their most consistently good season in years. SMITH: This is a guy who had just three career NHL goals before this season. He was the throw-in in the Tyler Seguin-Loui Eriksson deal last summer and was by no means a cinch to make the roster coming out of training camp. Yet he earned a spot on the second line, fitting in well at both ends of the ice. Despite his recent, well-chronicled 15-game goal-scoring drought, he s had a very productive year with 19-28-47 totals and a plus-20 rating heading into Friday night. Watching Seguin have an All-Star-calibre year in Dallas, and the twice-injured Eriksson struggle at times, Smith s performance alters the perception of what might have seemed a very one-sided trade. SODERBERG: Frankly, the first impression made by the Swede when he came aboard late last season was not good. He looked overweight, slow and confused, and didn t seem destined for a long career in Boston. But he came back this season fit and strong and has radically changed opinions about the player he is. Talk about unexpected improvement: Soderberg (12-28-40 heading into the weeked) has been outstanding, and the key to the Bruins having their strongest third line since at least 2010-11 s Kelly-Rich Peverley-Michael Ryder trio. Kelly, Soderberg and Eriksson might just be better. At 6-foot-3 and 216 pounds, Soderberg is strong on the boards, fearless in taking pucks hard to the net and a brilliant passer who has set up numerous easy goals with perfect feeds. He s been a key to the B s much-improved power play, setting up Smith especially for about five in-close power-play goals. KRUG: He may be one of the smallest players in the NHL, but he s had a big impact on the Bruins, especially the power play. He was heading into the weekend with 14-23-37 totals, the third-highest goal total by a B s rookie defensemen (Ray Bourque, 17; Greg Hawgood, 16). This by a fellow who had played three regular-season NHL games before this season. The Bruins power play over the previous four seasons ranked 26th, 15th, 20th and 23rd in the NHL. But with Krug generating a team-high 18 power-play points, the unit was ranked No. 9 this season heading into the weekend. While Colorado s Nathan MacKinnon looms as the likely Calder Trophy winner as rookie of the year, the 22-year-old Krug should garner enough votes to earn a trip to Las Vegas July 24 as a finalist at the NHL awards show. JOHNSON: The 27-year-old signed as a free agent last July and also wasn t guaranteed to make the team. But with his simple, square-to-the-puck goaltending style, he s proven to be maybe the most reliable true, backup goalie the B s have had since Ross Brooks went 16-3-0, with a 2.36 GAA in 1973-74. (In several years, the B s had in effect two No. 1s Tim Thomas-Tuukka Rask, Andy Moog-Reggie Lemelin and Gerry Cheevers-Gilles Gilbert.) Johnson won 15 of the first 18 games he s started, and in two of his losses, the B s played some of their poorest team defense this season. If he had a few more games to qualify among the NHL leaders, he d be seventh in GAA (2.14) and 11th in save percentage (.921). If we had to choose one of these guys, we d probably lean to Smith. But any one of the four would make a good Seventh Player. Just please fans, don t give it to anyone like Rask or Jarome Igina. Please think about what the phrase beyond expectations means. This week s B s timeline Tomorrow vs. Montreal, 7:35 p.m. After losing the first two games between the ancient rivals, the B s hammered the Habs in Montreal 11 days ago and would love to do it again in the teams final meeting this regular season. Thursday vs. Chicago, 7:05 p.m. The Bruins played strongly in Chicago Jan. 19 before suffering a 3-2 shootout loss to the Blackhawks in the teams first clash since the Stanley Cup final. The talented and well-balanced Hawks remain a potent offensive club, leading the NHL in goals. Saturday at Washington, 12:35 p.m. The Bruins have seen a lot of the Capitals lately. The B s played one of their poorest games of the last two months and lost, 4-2, at the Garden March 1. Five days later, the B s blanked the Caps, 3-0. Sunday at Philadelphia, 7:35, p.m. In the lone prior game, the Bruins embarrassed the Flyers, 6-1, on Jan. 25 in Philly, netting three PPGs and getting two scores each from Zdeno Chara and Jarome Iginla. Philly is making a strong late run. A DownWard arrow on trade market Two-and-a-half weeks past NHL trade deadline day, the traded player most successful with his new team is... Ales Hemsky? In his first five games with Ottawa after being acquired from Edmonton for a pair of draft choices, the 30-year-old winger posted 3-6-9 totals. That s quite a contrast to the fortunes of many bigger name players who landed with new teams. For instance (totals at midweek): Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay-to-NY Rangers): In eight games with the Blueshirts, the aging St. Louis had posted just 0-3-3. Dustin Penner (Anaheim-to-Washington): In eight games, the 247-pound winger had 0-1-1. Steve Ott (Buffalo-to-St. Louis): In 10 games, the chippy center had just 0-2-2. Marcel Goc (Florida-to-Pittsburgh): In seven games, the German center had 0-1-1. Andy MacDonald (NY Islanders-to-Philadelphia): In six games, talented D-man has put up just 0-1--1. Maybe the biggest winner was the St. Louis Blues, getting goalie Ryan Miller from Buffalo. In his first nine games, Miller was 7-1-1 with 1.92 and.923. He makes an already excellent team much better. More On: Boston Bruins Torey Krug Carl Soderberg Boston Herald LOADED: 03.23.2014