This isn't how the Minnesota Wild wanted to start their quest to stave off elimination Friday night.
The Winnipeg Jets erupted for four goals on 10 shots in the first period of Game 5, as Joel Armia ended Devan Dubnyk's night with a goal that made it 4-0 at about the 12-minute mark of the opening frame.
The omission comes after Ehlers was noticeably absent from the pregame warmup. The 22-year-old has two assists in four games, but played 14:05 in Game 4 without recording a shot on net.
Veteran Matt Hendricks draws into the lineup in his place. This marks Hendricks' first taste of playoff hockey since the 2012-13 season when he was a member of the Washington Capitals, and his first game action since Mar. 12.
The move comes after Brian Elliott, who started the previous four games, was pulled for the second time in Game 4 after giving up three goals on 17 shots.
Neuvirth's lone appearance in these playoffs came in relief in Game 4, when he made 11 saves on 13 shots in just under 32 minutes.
The team also announced that forward Sean Couturier is back in the lineup after missing Game 4 due to a lower-body injury suffered in practice Tuesday.
The award is given annually to the player adjudged by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.
O'Reilly somehow managed to take just one two-minute minor all season, while posting 61 points in 81 games. He won this honor in 2014.
Karlsson was assessed only 12 penalty minutes while amassing 43 goals and 78 points in 82 regular-season contests.
Barkov collected only 12 penalty minutes while racking up nearly a point per game in his own right (78 in 79). He finished second for this award two years ago.
The NHL's Department of Player Safety is attempting to explain the different types of hits that constitute a suspension.
On Friday, the department released a detailed video explaining Rule 48 as it pertains to illegal checks to the head and provided four examples from this season's playoffs - two that resulted in suspensions and two that did not - to further explain how the rule is applied.
To begin, Rule 48 was explained in detail. The department noted that just because a player makes contact with an opposing player's head while completing a check, it does not necessarily mean it was the "main point of contact."
It is important to note that the head being the main point of contact on a hit does NOT automatically mean the hit is an Illegal Check to the Head. Rule 48.1 outlines the scenarios under which head contact is unavoidable and therefore excusable. pic.twitter.com/iboMwn0jpN
In the cases that resulted in suspensions, the video suggested that the head was the main point of contact, which is distinguishable by the player's head snapping back upon impact from the attacking player.
Meanwhile, the other two hits saw the attacking player make contact with the head, but only as he followed through after making initial contact with the shoulder or body.
The department concludes the video suggesting the difference between an illegal and legal hit can come down to mere inches and, at the end of the day, their job is to "apply the rulebook as it was written."
“We just won four straight against a great hockey team and I’d be an idiot to make lineup changes," DeBoer told reporters, including Bay Area News Group's Curtis Pashelka, on Friday. "We’ll let you guys overthink that. Make as many lineup changes as you want. But unless we find it necessary, why would you mess with how we’re playing right now?”
Ryan played alongside Burns for much of the regular season before getting hurt last month. Martin took Ryan's spot down the stretch and remained there for the start of the first-round series, even when Ryan returned to health.
The Sharks swept the Anaheim Ducks with a victory in Game 4 on Wednesday, one night after the Golden Knights did the same to the Los Angeles Kings.
The schedule for the second round has yet to be determined.
Boston University's David Quinn will coach the United States at the 2019 World Junior Hockey Championship, USA Hockey announced Friday.
Quinn, who has been at Boston U since 2013, joins the coaching staff having previously served as an assistant coach at the 2016 World Championship, where the Americans finished fourth, and as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche during the 2012-13 season.
"We're thrilled to have David leading our national junior team," executive director of USA Hockey Pat Kelleher said in a release. "He knows the international stage and our player pool extremely well and has been a big part of our program for a long time. We know that David and our outstanding group of assistant coaches will do a tremendous job with our team."
Mike Hastings of Minnesota State, David Lassonde of Dartmouth College, and Steve Miller of Ohio State University will round out Quinn's staff.
The Americans are coming off a bronze-medal finish at this year's tournament in Buffalo. The 2019 installment will take place in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia.
Days after the team was swept out of the playoffs by the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, the Norris Trophy finalist reiterated his desire to remain a King for the foreseeable future.
"I always wanted to be an L.A. King and I want to stay an L.A. King," Doughty said during exit interviews Friday, according to NHL.com's Dan Greenspan. "I can't remember what day we can start talking, but I'm sure we will when the time comes."
Doughty can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2019, but can sign an extension with the Kings beginning the same date this year. A new deal won't come cheap, though. Doughty is on record saying he and Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators deserve "quite a bit more" money than P.K Subban's annual cap hit of $9 million, highest among all defensemen.
Although the Kings exited the playoffs as early as possible, Doughty sees a bright future for the franchise.
"(General manager) Rob Blake and (president of business operations) Luc Robitaille, they took this job because they want to win and they want to transform this team into their winning ways again," Doughty said. "Whether or not they do a lot in the offseason, I don't know, but we have these young guys coming up that I think are going to make a difference. I think that shows me how much potential we have in the future and I'm good with it and I'm happy to hopefully re-sign here."
Burakovsky was expected to take a big leap this year, as the departures of Marcus Johansson and Justin Williams provided an opportunity for a more prominent role, but it didn't materialize. The 23-year-old registered just 12 goals and 25 points in 56 games.
Toronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri didn't disagree with being suspended for a dangerous hit from behind on Boston's Tommy Wingels, but he didn't expect to be out of the lineup until Game 5.
"Was it worthy of a suspension? I definitely think so. But I think the three games was definitely a little harsh," Kadri said Friday, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton.
"I was disappointed; I wasn't expecting (three games), that's for sure," he added. "That particular play, I felt a liberty had been taken on Mitch (Marner). I'm always going to stand up for my teammates, stand up for myself; that part isn't going to change."
Here's the play in question, including the preceding hit by Wingels on Marner that Kadri said was the impetus for his actions.
The Leafs went 1-2 in games without Kadri and find themselves in a 3-1 series hole as he gets set to return to the lineup for Game 5. Clearly, he's hoping his postseason will be remembered for more than the suspension.
Nazem Kadri on #Leafs approach to series down 3-1: "You have to believe, that’s the most important thing. You have to trust in one another. This would definitely make for a great story, so we’re going to approach it game by game."