Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella raised eyebrows last week when he called Ryan Reaves, a St. Louis Blues winger of African-American descent, an "animal" in an emotional postgame interview that included praise for captain Nick Foligno, who fought Reaves in the loss.

Some considered this a thinly veiled slur directed at a black player, and others as explicit. And then there's some, including Reaves, who considered it typical hockey jargon.

"I saw the comments," Reaves said this week, according to Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch. "It's exactly what's wrong now. People blow nothing into something real quick. It didn't even cross my mind that it was something even remotely disrespectful to me."

Tortorella told Portzline he was immediately informed about the subject: "It just knocked me down." He quickly tracked down Reaves to explain what he meant by the comment.

"He said, 'You didn't have to call me,'" Tortorella explained. "I told him what was meant, and he says, 'I know that.' We had a great conversation. We play them (on Saturday). I told him I hope we kick the hell out of the Blues, but I hope he has a great rest of the year."

Then he explained to Portzline:

"That comment is respect for that player, what he has to do. It's one of the hardest jobs in our league every night, and so I have total respect for him. That's the part of the comment that people have run with, but it was really meant as a compliment to that young man in St. Louis."

Tortorella has used "animal" to describe other players and their work ethic. This includes goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and former Blue Jackets enforcer Jared Boll, as noted by Portzline.

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The Philadelphia Flyers have a problem between the pipes. Well, two actually.

The offensive end isn't seeing the same problems, though, as the Flyers are scoring the NHL's third most goals, but they're countering that by allowing the most. This is not a recipe for success.

Through 15 games, the team is giving up an average of 3.73 goals per game and, while the whole team can shoulder some of that blame - especially given they've allowed the most shots per game - the goalies aren't helping.

Netminders Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth have split starts this season, but neither has necessarily been better than the other:

Where do they go from here?

Something needs to change if the Flyers are serious about A) returning to the playoffs, and B) improving on last season's quarterfinal exit.

So what's the solution?

Well, it appears there aren't any quick fixes, the biggest reason being the Flyers sit with virtually no cap space to play with, ruling out any free-agent signings.

On the trade front, Jaroslav Halak's name continues to be thrown around. But with a $4.5-million cap hit, the Flyers would have to make room before acquiring him. Not to mention his 3.03 GAA and .903 save percentage means he isn't a drastic upgrade.

Of course, due to the pending expansion draft, the club could send out feelers to the likes of the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Tampa Bay Lightning who all boast multiple capable starters and won't be able to protect both when the new Las Vegas NHL team chooses its players.

Unfortunately, though, their limited cap space once again handcuffs the Flyers.

Their best bet

Both Mason and Neuvirth will become unrestricted free agents at season's end, and if the Flyers are serious about the future, conventional wisdom suggests neither will be returning.

On that note, the team will also see the contracts of Mark Streit, Michael Del Zotto, and Nick Schultz come off their books, which would free up north of $11 million, on top of the nearly $5 million from Mason's and Neuvirth's contracts. Roughly $16 million would be more than enough to accommodate a legitimate starting goaltender and a solid backup.

Of note, Brian Elliott and Ben Bishop are among the upcoming unrestricted free agents.

This appears to be the team's most sensible option. Also, given the majority of the team's money-makers are young, core pieces, it would make little sense for the Flyers to sacrifice an asset when money is set to become available.

Until then, the Flyers might be forced to weather the storm and continue to hope they can score themselves out of trouble.

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Fact: 3-on-3 hockey is exciting. Even more so when players do things like this.

University of North Dakota's Shane Gersich scored one of the prettiest overtime winners you'll ever see on Friday night, with this end-to-end, spin-o-rama against the Denver Pioneers.

Gersich was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the fifth round in 2014 and after 10 games has already amassed four goals and 12 points, one more point than he had in 37 games last season.

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The Vancouver Canucks have donated 1,000 tickets to their game Sunday to Abbotsford Senior Secondary, and the students, teachers, and staff continuing to grieve the tragic loss of a student on school grounds, according to Jill Slattery of Global News.

A 13-year-old student was killed, and another injured, in a random stabbing attack that occurred at the school last week.

The 21-year-old suspect appeared in court Tuesday. He faces charges of second-degree murder and assault.

Vancouver hosts the Dallas Stars on Sunday afternoon.

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TORONTO - Eric Lindros had just received his Hockey Hall of Fame ring and was feeling particularly buoyant.

''Check it out!'' he said, raising his left hand and shiny new ring to show to the television camera. ''Check it out!''

Lindros' long Hall of Fame wait is over.

Passed over six times for entry into the shrine, the now 43-year-old will finally get his plaque, honored along with Rogie Vachon, Sergei Makarov and the late Pat Quinn.

''It's just an honor,'' Lindros said Friday. ''Look at the names on the plaques. Just being in here. Jeez, it's the cream of the crop. It's a real honor to be part of this.''

Living in the Toronto area with his wife and three kids, Lindros said he'd driven by the Hall numerous times and visited occasionally for charity events. But he'd yet to take a serious walk through the place. He will now, and what he'll see is his face right there among the greats.

For years after his career ended in 2007, the argument against Lindros entering the Hall was two-fold. For one, he played only 760 regular- season games in a career cut short from concussions. He also failed to win a Stanley Cup, swept in the 1997 final by the Detroit Red Wings while still a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.

When healthy he was a truly dominant force, a rare combination of size, skill, and power. He was the kind of player the game had never seen and probably hasn't since. Lindros finished with 372 goals and 865 points, tucked inside the top 20 in points per-game (1.14). He also was a six-time All-Star and won the Hart Trophy as league MVP as a 22-year-old in 1995 after posting 29 goals and 70 points in 46 games.

Lindros was the No. 1 overall pick of the Quebec Nordiques in 1991, but refused to play there. He was eventually dealt to the Flyers in a swap that included another future Hall of Famer, Peter Forsberg.

Lindros said he was well aware of the Hall of Fame's annual summer selection date for inductees, each year passing by without entry. Earlier this past summer he heard from a former New York Rangers staffer who wondered whether he'd heard anything yet from the Hall about the class of 2016.

''No,'' Lindros replied.

He did get the call from Hall chairman Lanny McDonald a short while later while driving north on Highway 11 in Ontario with his family.

''It truly is an honor,'' he said.

It also took a while for Vachon, Makarov, and Quinn to take their places in the Hall.

A three-time Cup-winning goalie with the Montreal Canadiens who later starred for Los Angeles, Vachon last played in the NHL in 1982. Makarov's last NHL game came with the San Jose Sharks in 1997. He enjoyed his best years in Russia, leading the Soviet league in scoring for nine seasons.

Quinn, who died two years ago, last coached in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers in 2010, one of his five stints as an NHL head coach. Perhaps his most notable hockey achievement came outside the league, guiding Canada's men's hockey team in 2002 to their first Olympic gold medal in 50 years.

When McDonald called Vachon to tell him was finally in this past summer, Vachon replied: ''I'm in what?''

''It doesn't get any better than this,'' Vachon said Friday.

The long wait was over for all.

''Take whatever path you want,'' Lindros said. ''We're here forever. All of us.''

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TORONTO - Eric Lindros had just received his Hockey Hall of Fame ring and was feeling particularly buoyant.

''Check it out!'' he said, raising his left hand and shiny new ring to show to the television camera. ''Check it out!''

Lindros' long Hall of Fame wait is over.

Passed over six times for entry into the shrine, the now 43-year-old will finally get his plaque, honored along with Rogie Vachon, Sergei Makarov and the late Pat Quinn.

''It's just an honor,'' Lindros said Friday. ''Look at the names on the plaques. Just being in here. Jeez, it's the cream of the crop. It's a real honor to be part of this.''

Living in the Toronto area with his wife and three kids, Lindros said he'd driven by the Hall numerous times and visited occasionally for charity events. But he'd yet to take a serious walk through the place. He will now, and what he'll see is his face right there among the greats.

For years after his career ended in 2007, the argument against Lindros entering the Hall was two-fold. For one, he played only 760 regular- season games in a career cut short from concussions. He also failed to win a Stanley Cup, swept in the 1997 final by the Detroit Red Wings while still a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.

When healthy he was a truly dominant force, a rare combination of size, skill, and power. He was the kind of player the game had never seen and probably hasn't since. Lindros finished with 372 goals and 865 points, tucked inside the top 20 in points per-game (1.14). He also was a six-time All-Star and won the Hart Trophy as league MVP as a 22-year-old in 1995 after posting 29 goals and 70 points in 46 games.

Lindros was the No. 1 overall pick of the Quebec Nordiques in 1991, but refused to play there. He was eventually dealt to the Flyers in a swap that included another future Hall of Famer, Peter Forsberg.

Lindros said he was well aware of the Hall of Fame's annual summer selection date for inductees, each year passing by without entry. Earlier this past summer he heard from a former New York Rangers staffer who wondered whether he'd heard anything yet from the Hall about the class of 2016.

''No,'' Lindros replied.

He did get the call from Hall chairman Lanny McDonald a short while later while driving north on Highway 11 in Ontario with his family.

''It truly is an honor,'' he said.

It also took a while for Vachon, Makarov, and Quinn to take their places in the Hall.

A three-time Cup-winning goalie with the Montreal Canadiens who later starred for Los Angeles, Vachon last played in the NHL in 1982. Makarov's last NHL game came with the San Jose Sharks in 1997. He enjoyed his best years in Russia, leading the Soviet league in scoring for nine seasons.

Quinn, who died two years ago, last coached in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers in 2010, one of his five stints as an NHL head coach. Perhaps his most notable hockey achievement came outside the league, guiding Canada's men's hockey team in 2002 to their first Olympic gold medal in 50 years.

When McDonald called Vachon to tell him was finally in this past summer, Vachon replied: ''I'm in what?''

''It doesn't get any better than this,'' Vachon said Friday.

The long wait was over for all.

''Take whatever path you want,'' Lindros said. ''We're here forever. All of us.''

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Nikolaj Ehlers isn't going to save this game tape.

The Winnipeg Jets winger fired the puck past teammate Michael Hutchinson and into his own net Friday night to give the Colorado Avalanche the victory in overtime.

Rene Bourque got credit for the goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season.

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A fluke play led to the overtime winner Friday as the Washington Capitals topped the Chicago Blackhawks by a 3-2 score.

The play started with Marcus Johansson, T.J. Oshie, and Dmitry Orlov charging down the ice, only for Oshie to lose his balance and inadvertently trip Blackhawks forward Vinnie Hinostroza, who fell backward over Oshie.

That created an odd-man rush, with Orlov setting up Johansson for the winner. The Capitals center fired a shot top corner on Blackhawks netminder Corey Crawford.

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