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| 1445 Beiträge - Hardcoreposter
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The Eastern Conference playoff picture is settling perhaps earlier than expected, as only two additional teams are within eight points of the final playoff spot, making it easier to see who the buyers and sellers will be prior the February 27th trade deadline. That doesnt mean that Montreal, Buffalo, Tampa Bay and the Islanders are surely sellers at this point, but they would tend to be leaning in that direction if the results dont change soon. Carolina already seems resigned to their fate and have unloaded a couple of veterans already, with more deals likely in the hopper. Its reasonable to expect top teams like the Rangers, Bruins and Flyers to add pieces to surround their core, but any teams that are in playoff contention will consider bringing in players that can help in the short-term. Even a team like Ottawa, whose strong start has them surprisingly in a playoff spot, has to be considered a potential buyer. The wildcard for the Eastern Conference may be the Pittsburgh Penguins. If they know they will have Sidney Crosby available, the Penguins are likely Cup contenders and can make the kind of move that might put them over the hump. If Crosbys status is uncertain, however, then the Penguins may need to be more ambitious in their attempts to provide additional help for Evgeni Malkin and company. If there is a team that could be ripe for an overhaul, it may be the Buffalo Sabres. After spending big money last summer, the Sabres results havent been nearly good enough, so its not at all surprising if GM Darcy Regier is busy. With four weeks to go before the deadline, let the trade talks begin! A couple of notes about the following chart: Restricted Free Agents (RFA) have contracts that expire this summer, barring a contract extension in the meantime, but their current team retains the right to match a contract offer so long as they make the requisite qualifying offer. While restricted free agents havent moved a lot, its worth noting when decision time is coming on a young players contract. Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA) have contracts that will expire this summer and, without a contract extension, they will be free to sign with whatever team they choose on July 1. These are the players that often move in "rental"-type deals, ideally providing a short-term fix with minimal commitment required. Top prospects are the top five players in each organization. Other top prospects or those that are now with the NHL team may be listed among other players of interest. Contending teams may be more likely to dangle a top prospect or two as they try to find that final piece for their playoff mix, while its safe to assume that young and rebuilding teams arent going to move top prospects unless they get a significant long-term piece in return. Other players of interest will include prospects who have spent some time in the NHL this season as well as players under contract for future seasons that may have some level of attractiveness on the trade market. IMPORTANT: Just because a player is listed as being of interest, it doesnt mean he will be traded or should be traded. Some may just be of interest for teams looking to hit a home run when trying to swing a deal or they are players that may be considered to be underachieving for the money they are due over the rest of their contract. Generally, then, heres a rough guide for which players each Eastern Conference team might have at their disposal in order to make a trade leading up to the deadline. The Western Conference Playbook can be viewed here. BOSTON BRUINS UFA in 2012: Chris Kelly, Gregory Campbell, Daniel Paille, Shawn Thornton, Joe Corvo, Johnny Boychuk. RFA in 2012: Benoit Pouliot, Zach Hamill, Tuukka Rask. Top Prospects: Dougie Hamilton, D, Niagara (OHL) Alexander Khokhlachev, C, Windsor (OHL)Jared Knight, RW, London (OHL)Ryan Spooner, C, Kingston (OHL)Matt Bartkowski, D, Providence (AHL) Others of Interest: Jordan Caron, Steven Kampfer, Adam McQuaid. No-Trade Clauses: Patrice Bergeron, Nathan Horton, Zdeno Chara, Tim Thomas, Dennis Seidenberg (limited). The Plan: The defending champions are poised to make a strong title defence and dont have to make any major moves to contend once again. Depth is always going to be an issue, particularly for a team that plays a rough-and-tumble game like the Bruins, but Boston has the resources to add a top-nine forward and another body on the blueline without sacrificing anything close the teams core. With the recent furor over Tim Thomas decision not to go to the White House, Thomas could come into trade talks, but the summer seems a far more likely time to make a major change like that. BUFFALO SABRES UFA in 2012: Brad Boyes, Jochen Hecht, Paul Gaustad. RFA in 2012: Patrick Kaleta, Tyler Ennis, Marc-Andre Gragnani. Top Prospects: Zack Kassian, RW, Rochester (AHL)Joel Armia, RW, Assat-Pori (SML)Mark Pysyk, D, Edmonton (WHL)Marcus Foligno, LW, Rochester (AHL)Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, D, Rimouski (QMJHL) Others of Interest: Ville Leino, Derek Roy, Drew Stafford, Cody McCormick, Andrej Sekera, Mike Weber. No-Trade Clauses: Robyn Regehr, Christian Ehrhoff, Jason Pominville (limited), Ryan Miller (limited). The Plan: After spending big bucks last summer, the Sabres find themselves languishing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. They should be better and with good goaltending, they could make a late-season charge, but it may be time for the Sabres to (figuratively) cut some of their losses, unload some veterans and start building towards a new lineup for next season. If thats the way to go, Buffalo has several veterans, from Derek Roy and Drew Stafford to Brad Boyes and Paul Gaustad, that should draw interest from contenders looking to improve forward depth. With years remaining on their contracts, Roy and Stafford should bring more in return but a simple re-shuffling of the talent on this team is the bare minimum of whats needed, because the current mix sure hasnt worked out as expected. CAROLINA HURRICANES UFA in 2012: Tuomo Ruutu, Bryan Allen. RFA in 2012: Jiri Tlusty, Jamie McBain. Top Prospects: Ryan Murphy, D, Kitchener (OHL)Zac Dalpe, C, Charlotte (AHL)Zach Boychuk, LW, Charlotte (AHL)Brian Dumoulin, D, Boston College (HE)Victor Rask, C, Calgary (WHL) Others of Interest: Jussi Jokinen, Anthony Stewart, Joni Pitkanen, Derek Joslin. No-Trade Clauses: Eric Staal, Bryan Allen, Jaroslav Spacek (limited), Cam Ward. The Plan: Looking up at the rest of the Eastern Conference, the Hurricanes are easily identified as sellers and their three pending unrestricted free agents figure to be popular targets for playoff teams. Tuomo Ruutu can play a top nine role, provide a little offence and play multiple positions, while Tim Gleason has played top-four minutes on the blueline for the last four years or so. Although Bryan Allen hasnt played as much in recent seasons, hes playing nearly 21 minutes per game in January, perhaps a little showcasing for a big defenceman that should be popular for teams needing blueline depth. (edit: Gleason has just signed a four-year, $16-million extension with the Hurricanes, so it appears hes settling in for the long haul.) In return, the Canes can expect prospects and draft picks as they continue a rebuilding process that started at least part of the way prior to this season, with several young players getting chances to play whether they were ready or not. Tomas Kaberle and Alexei Ponikarovsky didnt provide much as free agent signings either, so theyve already been moved out. Thus, this years results havent been shocking, but also emphasize the Hurricanes need to improve their talent throughout the organization as there just isnt enough support for franchises cornerstone pieces Eric Staal, Jeff Skinner and Cam Ward. FLORIDA PANTHERS UFA in 2012: Mikael Samuelsson, Marco Sturm, Krys Barch, John Madden, Jason Garrison, Scott Clemmensen. RFA in 2012: Kris Versteeg, Dmitry Kulikov, Keaton Ellerby. Top Prospects: Jonathan Huberdeau, C, Saint John (QMJHL)Nick Bjugstad, C, Minnesota (WCHA)Jacob Markstrom, G, San Antonio (AHL)Drew Shore, C, Denver (WCHA)Quinton Howden, LW, Moose Jaw (WHL) Others of Interest: Mike Santorelli, Shawn Matthias, Jack Skille. No-Trade Clauses: Stephen Weiss, Brian Campbell, Jose Theodore, Tomas Fleischmann (modified), Scottie Upshall (modified). The Plan: The Panthers, somewhat surprisingly, find themselves in the playoff hunt, so they would seem more likely to add this season, rather than sell prior the deadline; at least that figures to be the case if the Panthers remain in contention. Trouble is, as time goes on, the Panthers may have trouble holding their place in the standings. By no means would the Panthers want to sacrifice talent from their deep pool of prospects, but they are a team that could sorely use more scoring, to help ease the burden on the trio of Kris Versteeg, Stephen Weiss and Tomas Fleischmann and they are currently facing the prospect of being without Ed Jovanovski and Dmitri Kulikov on the blueline for quite a while, so defence may be a more pressing need unless the Panthers are really comfortable increasing the minutes for Keaton Ellerby and Erik Gudbranson. MONTREAL CANADIENS UFA in 2012: Andrei Kostitsyn, Travis Moen, Mathieu Darche, Hal Gill, Chris Campoli. RFA in 2012: Lars Eller, Mike Blunden, Aaron Palushaj, Ryan White, Petteri Nokelainen, Alexei Emelin, Raphael Diaz, P.K. Subban, Carey Price. Top Prospects: Nathan Beaulieu, D, Saint John (QMJHL)Louis Leblanc, C, Hamilton (AHL)Jarred Tinordi, D, London (OHL)Brendan Gallagher, RW, Vancouver (WHL)Danny Kristo, RW, North Dakota (WCHA) Others of Interest: Tomas Kaberle, Yannick Weber. No-Trade Clauses: Brian Gionta, Erik Cole, Tomas Plekanec (modified), Scott Gomez (limited), Andrei Markov (modified). The Plan: Its been a disappointing season for the Canadiens, but their 1-7 shootout record hasnt done them any favours either. They dont figure to be in seller mode until closer to the deadline, at which point theyll ideally either have gained enough ground to make a push for the playoffs or not made any progress, making it easy to trade some assets in order to build for the future. Of course, Montreal would love to unload Scott Gomezs contract, but that albatross might actually have some value in the offseason, depending on the terms of the new CBA and whether teams might be inclined to pay the lesser cash value ($10.0) over the next two seassons, for more than $14.6M in value against the cap. It may be far-fetched, but at least something to consider if there are still teams striving to reach the salary floor. More immediately, Travis Moen, Andrei Kostitsyn, Hal Gill and Chris Campoli would all have relative appeal if the Habs start selling. NEW JERSEY DEVILS UFA in 2012: Zach Parise, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Ryan Carter, Petr Sykora, Cam Janssen, Brad Mills, Bryce Salvador, Kurtis Foster, Martin Brodeur, Johan Hedberg. RFA in 2012: Mark Fayne. Top Prospects: Jonathon Merrill, D, Michigan (CCHA)Alexander Urbom, D, Albany (AHL)Mattias Tedenby, LW, Albany (AHL)Eric Gelinas, D, Albany (AHL)Brandon Burlon, D, Albany (AHL) Others of Interest: Dainius Zubrus, Andy Greene. No-Trade Clauses: Ilya Kovalchuk, Patrik Elias, Anton Volchenkov, Martin Brodeur, Johan Hedberg. The Plan: Back in the playoff picture, the Devils have added Alexei Ponikarovsky to improve their third line and they may want another top-six forward if Travis Zajacs Achilles injury continues to linger, but the primary issue is the blueline, where the Devils have added Kurtis Foster and called up Matt Taormina, but injuries to Henrik Tallinder and Andy Greene leave an already thin group extra lean. Improved defence ought to make life easier on goaltender Martin Brodeur, who hasnt been on top of his game this season, but he was substantially better after the All-Star break last year (and theres no way the Devils are bringing in a replacement), so improving his supporting cast would give the Devils a better shot at returning to the postseason. NEW YORK ISLANDERS UFA in 2012: Brian Rolston, Jay Pandolfo, PA Parenteau, Frans Nielsen, Tim Wallace, Mark Eaton, Steve Staios, Milan Jurcina, Mike Mottau, Dylan Reese, Al Montoya, Evgeni Nabokov. RFA in 2012: Matt Martin. Top Prospects: Ryan Strome, C, Niagara (OHL)Calvin De Haan, D, Bridgeport (AHL)Kirill Kabanov, RW, Shawinigan (QMJHL)Brock Nelson, LW, North Dakota (WCHA)Matt Donovan, D, Bridgeport (AHL) Others of Interest: Marty Reasoner, Josh Bailey No-Trade Clauses: Brian Rolston, Evgeni Nabokov. The Plan: The Isles have played better recently, yet remain far enough out of the playoff picture to expect that they will be sellers before the deadline unless this recent improvement carries on for several more weeks. With a long list of pending unrestricted free agents, the Isles are prime candidates for teams not wanting to take on a lot of salary at the deadline, but most of those bargain veterans arent going to bring a substantial return either. How many mid-round picks can they accumulate? Nevertheless, the if the Islanders can move out some of the players near the end of the line, there might be some opportunities opening up for prospects to step in and show what they can do late in the season, getting a head start on next year when, as always, the Islanders need to take the next step in their development. NEW YORK RANGERS UFA in 2012: Sean Avery, Ruslan Fedotenko, Erik Christensen, Brandon Prust, John Mitchell, Steve Eminger, Jeff Woywitka, Martin Biron. RFA in 2012: Wojtek Wolski, Anton Stralman, Michael Del Zotto, Stu Bickel. Top Prospects: Tim Erixon, D, Connecticut(AHL)Chris Kreider, LW, Boston College (HE) J.T. Miller, C, Plymouth (OHL)Michael St. Croix, C, Edmonon (WHL)Christian Thomas, RW, Oshawa (OHL) Others of Interest: Artem Anisimov. No-Trade Clauses: Marian Gaborik, Brad Richards, Sean Avery (limited). The Plan: At the top of the Eastern Conference, the Rangers are certainly in position to add some pieces as they push forward. Someone to upgrade the power play, whether thats a scoring forward or puck-moving defenceman, should be a priority, but after that, depth is really the only issue. Even though the Blueshirts have been the beneficiaries of strong performances from the likes of call-ups LW Carl Hagelin and D Stu Bickel, an accumulation of injuries on defence could drive a desire for even more NHL-calibre talent in reserve. OTTAWA SENATORS UFA in 2012: Jesse Winchester, Zenon Konopka, Filip Kuba, Matt Carkner, Alex Auld. RFA in 2012: Nick Foligno, Peter Regin, Kaspars Daugavins, Erik Karlsson, Brian Lee. Top Prospects:Mika Zibanejad, C, Djurgardens (SEL)Jakob Silfverberg, RW, Brynas Gavle (SEL)Robin Lehner, G, Binghamton (AHL)Matt Puempel, LW, Peterborough (OHL) Stefan Noesen, RW, Plymouth (OHL) Others of Interest: Bobby Butler, Erik Condra. No-Trade Clauses: Jason Spezza, Sergei Gonchar, Chris Phillips. The Plan: The surprise of the season, the Senators are in playoff position after being widely forecasted (including by yours truly) for a season in the basement. Since adding Kyle Turris from Phoenix, the Senators have really taken off and have to be considerd buyers before the deadline. Of course they wont mortgage the future, as that would be an overreaction to this pleasant surprise, but when the team is getting solid production from veterans like RW Daniel Alfredsson and D Sergei Gonchar, it would be a shame not to take advantage of it. Ideally, the Senators could find room for a scoring forward (or two) and another solid defender, but addressing those needs may require some creativity if Ottawa isnt inclined to sacrifice their up-and-comers. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS UFA in 2012: Jaromir Jagr, Blair Betts, Matt Carle. RFA in 2012: Jakub Voracek, Harry Zolnierczyk, Marc-Andre Bourdon. Top Prospects: Eric Wellwood, LW, Adirondack (AHL)Brendan Ranford, LW, Kamloops (WHL)Kevin Marshall, D, Adirondack (AHL)Jason Akeson, RW, Adirondack (AHL)Ben Holmstrom, C, Adirondack (AHL) Others of Interest: Brayden Schenn, Erik Gustafsson. No-Trade Clauses: Daniel Briere, Scott Hartnell, Kimmo Timonen, Chris Pronger, Ilya Bryzgalov. The Plan: That the Flyers are in playoff position isnt surprising. That they are doing it without Chris Pronger, however, makes it a more impressive achievement. At the same time, given that Pronger is out long-term due to a concussion, the Flyers would naturally like to add on their blueline. Thanks to contributions from rookies (Matt Read, Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn among others), Philadelphia has enough depth up front, when healthy, that they should be able to deal from that position of strength in order to bolster their defence. James van Riemsdyk has been rumoured as a possible trade candidate, but as long as hes sidelined by a concussion, his value would seem to be diminished. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS UFA in 2012: Steve Sullivan, Arron Asham, Steve MacIntyre, Richard Park, Brent Johnson. RFA in 2012: James Neal, Joe Vitale, Matt Niskanen. Top Prospects: Beau Bennett, RW, Denver (WCHA) Joe Morrow, D, Portland (WHL) Robert Bortuzzo, D, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) Tom Kuhnhackl, LW, Niagara (OHL)Scott Harrington, D, London (OHL) Others of Interest: Dustin Jeffrey, Ben Lovejoy, Deryk Engelland. No-Trade Clauses: Matt Cooke (modified), Paul Martin (limited), Zbynek Michalek (limited), Brooks Orpik (limited), Marc-Andre Fleury (limited). The Plan: Certainly the biggest issue facing the Penguins is the health of Sidney Crosby and Crosbys presence affects what Pittsburgh may do before the deadline. If Crosby does suit up again this season, the Penguins could be Cup contenders, as the 1-2 punch of Crosby and Malkin vaults the Pens among the leagues elite. If not, then Pittsburgh should at least upgrade their secondary scoring. Even once Jordan Staal returns to the lineup, Malkin, James Neal and Chris Kunitz could use additional support if the Penguins are going to make serious noise in the postseason. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING UFA in 2012: Dominic Moore, Ryan Shannon, Adam Hall, Pavel Kubina, Brett Clark, Matt Gilroy, Bruno Gervais, Dwayne Roloson. RFA in 2012: Steve Downie, J.T. Wyman, Brendan Mikkelson Top Prospects: Carter Ashton, RW, Norfolk (AHL)Vladislav Namestnikov, C, London (OHL)Richard Panik, RW, Norfolk (AHL)Mark Barberio, D, Norfolk (AHL)Nikita Kucherov, RW, CSKA Moscow (KHL) Others of Interest: Ted Purcell, Nate Thompson, Dana Tyrell. No-Trade Clauses: Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, Ryan Malone, Pavel Kubina (limited), Eric Brewer (modified), Mattias Ohlund (modified). The Plan: This season has been pretty much a washout for the Lightning, thanks in large part to substandard goaltending. If Tampa Bay harbours any illusions of competing for a playoff spot this season, upgrading between the pipes is naturally the first place to look. If the price for goaltending is too steep, Tampa Bay may have to wait until the summer. Failing that, or any upgrades on the defence, the Lightning may have to punt and make the most of what they can get for veterans with expiring deals, aiming to re-load for the 2012-2013 campaign. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS UFA in 2012: Mikhail Grabovski, Joey Crabb, Darryl Boyce, Jonas Gustavsson. RFA in 2012: Nikolai Kulemin, Jay Rosehill, Cody Franson, Keith Aulie. Top Prospects:Joe Colborne, C, Toronto (AHL)Jesse Blacker, D, Toronto (AHL)Stuart Percy, D, Mississauga (OHL)Korbinian Holzer, D, Toronto (AHL)Brad Ross, LW, Portland (WHL) Others of Interest: Matthew Lombardi, Clarke MacArthur, Tyler Bozak, Nazem Kadri. No-Trade Clauses: Phil Kessel (limited), Tim Connolly (modified), Joffrey Lupul (limited), Mike Komisarek (modified), John-Michael Liles (limited), Luke Schenn (modified). The Plan: Generally, the Maple Leafs under Brian Burke have tried to make their deals well ahead of the deadline, so it wont be a surprise if the Leafs deal sooner rather than later. With improved prospect depth and a surplus of bodies on defence, the Leafs appear to be in position to make a significant addition to help improve their chances at a playoff berth. Adding size up front has been the primary focus for Toronto and if it happened to be a big forward that can score, well, all the better. Those players dont come cheaply, however, so if the Leafs are going to land a big forward that can score, expect some significant pieces to move the other way. WASHINGTON CAPITALS UFA in 2012: Alexander Semin, Mike Knuble, Jeff Halpern, Dennis Wideman, Tomas Vokoun. RFA in 2012: Mathieu Perreault, Jay Beagle, Mike Green, John Carlson. Top Prospects: Evgeny Kuznetsov, RW, Chelyabinsk Traktor (KHL)Stanislav Galiev, LW, Saint John (QMJHL)Braden Holtby, G, Hershey (AHL)Tomas Kundratek, D, Hershey (AHL)Patrick McNeill, D, Hershey (AHL) Others of Interest: Roman Hamrlik, Jeff Schultz, John Erskine. No-Trade Clauses: Brooks Laich (limited), Tomas Vokoun. The Plan: Its been an underwhelming season for the Caps, but they still appear to be the favourites to emerge from the Southeast Division, which would mean a top three seed in the Eastern Conference. Thus, look for Washington to buy as the deadline approaches, whether that involves upgrades on the blueline or adding some grit for the fourth line. The most dramatic improvement that the Capitals might expect could come internally, if Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin rebound from subpar first halves and Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green get healthy, well, those factors would go a long way towards making the Capitals more serious playoff contenders. WINNIPEG JETS UFA in 2012: Jim Slater, Tanner Glass, Kyle Wellwood, Tim Stapleton, Johnny Oduya, Randy Jones, Mark Flood, Chris Mason. RFA in 2012: Evander Kane, Eric Fehr, Ondrej Pavelec. Top Prospects: Mark Scheifele, C, Barrie (OHL)Carl Klingberg, LW, St. Johns (AHL)Paul Postma, D, St. Johns (AHL)Arturs Kulda, D, St. Johns (AHL)Patrice Cormier, C, St. Johns (AHL) Others of Interest: Chris Thorburn, Mark Stuart. No-Trade Clauses: Andrew Ladd (modified), Nik Antropov (modified), Antti Miettinen, Dustin Byfuglien (modified), Ron Hainsey (limited). The Plan: It wasnt terribly reasonable to expect the Jets to reach the postseason this year, but they are still lingering around playoff contention, which could put a hold on any plans to sell until the standings determine whether Winnipeg has a viable shot at the playoffs. If there is adding to be done, the Jets certainly shouldnt turn down any proven scorers, but this team may end up selling some veterans before the deadline and building towards long-term objectives. * - Contract information comes from the wonderful http://www.capgeek.com. Check out their trade machine here. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Andrew Shaw Blackhawks Jersey .m. Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Seattle Sounders FC hopes to rebound from a mid-week loss at D.C. United when it travels to Columbus for a Major League Soccer clash with the Crew on Saturday. Brent Seabrook Jersey . China defeated Myanmar 3-0 while South Korea blanked Thailand 4-0 at the AFC Womens Asian Cup to secure top-two finishes in the Group B standings. Three more Asian countries will book their World Cup tickets by Wednesday. http://www.nhlblackhawkshockeystore.com/red-27-johnny-oduya- womens-jersey/ . "The opportunities are going to come," he said Monday on a conference call from Slovenia, where the team was preparing for a friendly. "If we werent creating chances then it would be a different conversation. Niklas Hjalmarsson Blackhawks Jersey . KINGS TAKE FREEWAY SERIES The Los Angeles Kings stormed the Anaheim Ducks early in Game Seven, building a 3-0 first-period lead on their way to a 6-2 decision, earning the Kings a rematch with the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Final. Nick Leddy Shirts . Now its going to cost him -- four games and four paychecks. The Colts career sacks leader was suspended Friday by the NFL after violating the leagues ban on performance-enhancing substances. DETROIT -- The NHL-leading Boston Bruins followed their game plan of keeping Gustav Nyquist in front of them for more than two periods. When the puck got loose, and Nyquist got to it, though, one of the games best defenceman and goalies couldnt stop the surging goal-scorer. Nyquist broke a tie with 7:12 left in the third period on his only shot of the game, and the Detroit Red Wings held on to beat Boston 3-2 on Wednesday night. "I didnt think Gus had one of his best games by any means, but he scored a big goal," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. Nyquist has a league-high 23 goals since Jan. 20 and a team-high 27 this season. He has given the Red Wings the breakout player they needed to boost their chances of extending their post-season streak to 23 seasons while missing many key players, including Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. The 24-year-old Swede started the season with the AHLs Grand Rapids Griffins after scoring a total of four goals in 40 games the previous two seasons. "Thats one of the young players that has come in here, and given the chance to be a front guy has taken total of advantage of it," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "Those things probably dont happen if Datsyuk and Zetterberg are still in the lineup. "When things like that happen, some guys are really good at stepping to the forefront. Hes done an unbelievable job of doing that." The Bruins turned the puck over near Detroits blue line, paving the way for Nyquist to score. He raced up ice, skated around defenceman Zdeno Chara and ended his blurring sequence by scoring against Tuukka Rask. "I think (Chara) came off the bench so it was tough for him to get enough time to gap up, got kind of flat-footed," Nyquist said. "I just tried to use my speed." He has done that a lot lately, scoring in three straight games and having at least one point in 10 games in a row. Nyquist scored 1:42 after teammate Tomas Jurco tied the game. Jimmy Howard finished with 33 saves to seal the win, strengthening Detroits spot as a wild-card team in the Eastern Conference with six games left. "Howie kept us in the game and gave us a chance," defenceman Niklas Kronwall said. "We didnt play great, but we found a way." The Atlantic Division-champion Bruins have been doing that for a while, winning a franchise-record nine straight on the road and earning at least a point in their previous 16 games.dddddddddddd Boston led the Red Wings twice, but couldnt put away the young, scrappy and short-handed team. "Theyve got really good speed," Rask said. "We did a pretty good job of shutting them down, but not good enough." Rask made 17 saves before being pulled for an extra skater with 1:14 left. Detroits Tomas Tatar scored early in the second period to tie the game the Bruins were basically dominating. Tatar used his left skate to push the puck across the front of the crease to set up Jurcos goal. The Bruins held out 36-year-old forward Jarome Iginla because of a lower-body injury, and the team said he is day to day. Iginla played in Bostons first 75 games this season, leading the team with 30 goals and ranking second with 61 points. The defending Eastern Conference champions outshot Detroit 11-4 in the first period and 14-7 in the second before seemingly playing less aggressively in the third when they went ahead. "I thought we let our guard down the second part of the third and they capitalized on it," Julien said. Johnny Boychuks slap shot put the Bruins up 1-0 late in the first, and Carl Soderberg gave them a 2-1 lead early in the third. Boychuk scored shortly after an apparent Boston goal was waved off because Chara was in the crease. Tatar tied it 4:45 into the second with a wrist shot from the right circle that went across traffic and got past Rask as his view was obstructed by Detroits Riley Sheahan. Tatar, another one of many young players who has made the most of an opportunity to play a lot for the banged-up team, has 19 goals after scoring five times in 27 games the previous two seasons. The Bruins went back ahead 1:10 into the third when Soderberg scored from the left circle off a cross-ice pass from Patrice Bergeron. Detroit, though, refused to go away and rallied for a much-needed win. NOTES: The Bruins hadnt lost in regulation since March 1 in a 4-2 loss to Washington. ... The Red Wings kept forward Daniel Alfredsson out of the lineup because of a lower-body injury. ... Datsyuk skated with teammates Wednesday morning, but missed his 16th straight game because of an injured left knee. Datsyuk wouldnt say if he expected to play Friday at home against Buffalo. ... Bergeron extended his point streak to nine games. ' ' '
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| Beitrag vom 18.11.2014 - 10:12 |
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| gengm125 |
18.11.2014 - 10:12 |
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