A giant Matthew Tkachuk sign has been installed in the home of his team's provincial rival.

The large electronic billboard was spotted by CTV News Edmonton on Wednesday.

It came to fruition after Flames fan Mohammad Elsaghir started a fundraising campaign to get a Tkachuk billboard erected in Edmonton with proceeds going toward the fight against ALS.

The campaign quickly reached its initial goal of $2,500 and ultimately raised over $25,000 to battle the disease, according to CTV. Hosts at CJAY 92, a local radio station in Calgary, then arranged for its parent company to have the billboards made.

Elsaghir's efforts began one day after Oilers agitator Zack Kassian took exception to being hit multiple times by the Flames winger on Jan. 11. Kassian was ultimately suspended two games for his retaliation, and a war of words ensued.

Not to be outdone, Oilers fans answered with a campaign of their own in honor of Kassian. Edmonton supporter Samantha Costa encouraged like-minded individuals to donate to "Brown Bagging It," a Calgary charity that provides meals for children. She raised nearly $40,000 in just three days.

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Matthews won’t play in All-Star Game due to wrist injury

January 22, 2020 Josh Gold-Smith Leave a comment

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews will be replaced by Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk on the Atlantic Division roster in the All-Star Game, the NHL announced Wednesday.

The Maple Leafs superstar won't take part in the event due to injury but will attend the weekend's festivities in St. Louis. He's day-to-day as he receives treatment for an ongoing wrist condition.

Matthews' agent, Judd Moldaver, told TSN's Darren Dreger that his client has been dealing with the wrist issue for at least three weeks.

He's expected to be ready to play for Toronto when it resumes its regular-season schedule with a road date against the Nashville Predators on Monday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, who adds that the 22-year-old sniper spent the bye week training in his home state of Arizona.

Matthews leads the Maple Leafs in both goals (34) and points (57) through 49 games this campaign, entering Wednesday's action tied for second and ranked 11th among NHL skaters in those two categories, respectively.

Tkachuk, the fourth overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, has collected 15 goals and 27 points in 48 contests during his second season in Ottawa. The 20-year-old posted 22 markers and 45 points as a rookie in 2018-19.

Tkachuk's brother, Matthew - a Calgary Flames forward - will also be taking part in the All-Star Game, representing the Pacific Division.

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Boko Imama: ‘No excuse’ for Brandon Manning’s racial slur

January 22, 2020 Josh Gold-Smith Leave a comment

Bokondji Imama is speaking out after Bakersfield Condors defenseman Brandon Manning directed a racial slur toward him during Monday's game.

Imama, who plays for the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, issued a statement Wednesday after the AHL suspended Manning for five games on Tuesday.

"I have taken some time to reflect on what transpired on the ice against Bakersfield on Monday night," Imama said. "What happened is unfortunate for everyone. No matter how intense or heated a game gets, there is no room for this in our game and no excuse. I am very proud to be an African-Canadian hockey player and to stand for all other players that are in the same situation as me.

"I would like to thank the Los Angeles Kings and Ontario Reign, Edmonton Oilers, and Bakersfield Condors for their professionalism in helping me handle this situation," he continued. "Last but not least, I cannot thank my family and friends for their continued love and support."

Imama closed by saying he won't be commenting further on the matter.

The 23-year-old is in his third season in the Kings system. The Tampa Bay Lightning selected him in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Draft.

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Consider this your last chance to buy low on the Dallas Stars

January 22, 2020 Alex Moretto Leave a comment

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.

On October 18, 2019, the Dallas Stars allowed three third-period goals in a 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, falling to 1-7-1 on the season and setting off alarm bells after beginning the campaign with Stanley Cup aspirations.

At that point, the data didn't look good: Dallas would need to win at least 63% of its remaining games just to have a chance at making the playoffs. For context, the Calgary Flames finished atop the Western Conference last season by winning 61% of their total games. These Stars would need to better that mark the rest of the way - and it still might not be enough.

Still, Dallas general manager Jim Nill stuck with his roster. He believed in what he was building, and with perseverance came validation. Since that loss to Pittsburgh, the Stars have won 67% of their games (26-10-3), the second-best rate in the NHL behind the Washington Capitals (70%). They now sit third in the West despite playing the fewest games to date.

Then there are the underlying numbers. The Stars rank second in the West in expected goals for and against per game (xGF/60, xGA/60). They've generated the second-most high-danger chances per game (HDCF/60) in the NHL and own the fourth-lowest shooting percentage from high-danger areas (HDSH%).

What does it all mean? Well, Dallas is expected to score a lot and allow very little. The team is also creating a ton of very good scoring opportunities but converting a low percentage of them. The HDSH% is due for positive regression, which would lead to even more goals scored. Simply put, there's been nothing lucky about this run of success.

Meanwhile, the Stars haven't been as reliant on their top line this season. Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and Alexander Radulov still form one of the more dominant units in the NHL, but secondary scoring is much less of an issue than it was for this team in the past. Roope Hintz has stepped up in a big way, while Joe Pavelski and Corey Perry, both signed over the summer, have been valuable additions.

Not only do Pavelski and Perry give this team a more balanced lineup, but they also provide the experience that can help take Dallas to the next level. That's a scary thought when you consider the Stars were eliminated in the second overtime of a Game 7 by the eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues last season.

In addition to a deep crop of forwards, the Stars possess two of the league's most dynamic defensemen in John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen, who are complemented by one of the most underappreciated guys in Esa Lindell. Andrej Sekera has proven to be a valuable addition and Stephen Johns just made his return from a 660-day layoff due to concussion issues. This blue-liner group rivals any other in the NHL.

In goal, Ben Bishop hasn't missed a beat, posting a 2.28 GAA and a .927 SV%. The Stars haven't overworked him, either, thanks to the strong play of Anton Khudobin, who's posted nearly identical numbers (2.30 GAA, .927 SV%) through 20 games. That means Bishop should be fresh come playoff time and Dallas will have a reliable backup if he falters.

It's clear this roster features the skill and experience needed for a Stanley Cup run - yet Dallas is still reasonably priced at 14-1.

Team	Odds
Washington Capitals	15-2
St. Louis Blues	8-1
Boston Bruins	9-1
Tampa Bay Lightning	9-1
Pittsburgh Penguins	9-1
Colorado Avalanche	9-1
Dallas Stars	14-1
New York Islanders	16-1
Vegas Golden Knights	16-1
Carolina Hurricanes	17-1
Toronto Maple Leafs	18-1

*only teams with odds shorter than 20-1 are displayed

Again, Dallas has been a top-three NHL team since the middle of October and it's only a matter of time before the odds are adjusted to reflect that. We've already seen it happen with the Blues and Avalanche, who were both listed at 14-1 as late as early December.

Consider this your last chance to buy low on the Stars.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Hockey News

Report: Penguins continue to pursue Zucker

January 22, 2020 Matt Teague Leave a comment

The Pittsburgh Penguins remain interested in acquiring Minnesota Wild forward Jason Zucker, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

However, the Wild "aren't yet ready to concede anything," Friedman adds.

Zucker was reportedly the main return in a potential deal between the two clubs that would have sent Phil Kessel to Minnesota last May. Kessel reportedly nixed the trade, however, and was ultimately dealt to the Arizona Coyotes at the end of June.

Minnesota has just three wins over its last 10 games and sits seven points back of the second Western Conference wild-card spot.

Zucker, 28, has hit the 20-goal mark in four of the last five campaigns and is on pace for 24 tallies this season despite missing 10 games with an injury. He ranks second among Wild forwards with 0.69 points per game through 39 contests.

The 5-foot-11 winger has three years remaining on his current deal beyond this season and carries an annual cap hit of $5.5 million. Pittsburgh has 1.9 million in projected cap space this season, but the Penguins could move Jake Guentzel's $6-million hit to long-term injured reserve in order to create more financial flexibility ahead of the playoffs.

Zucker's speed and skill could boost a Penguins team that owns one of the league's top offenses despite losing several key players to injury at various points this season. Pittsburgh sits seventh in league scoring with 3.30 goals per game and ranks third in both expected goals for and high-danger scoring chances at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.

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Flyers mascot Gritty accused of punching 13-year-old

January 22, 2020 Josh Wegman Leave a comment

Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty is being accused of physically assaulting a 13-year-old boy during a photo shoot, Philadelphia police told CBS' Joe Holden.

The incident is said to have taken place in November 2019 at Wells Fargo Center. Police say the "investigation is active and ongoing with South Detectives Division."

Flyers season-ticket holder Chris Greenwell claims his son Brandon playfully patted Gritty on the head after a photo was taken, and that Gritty got out of his chair, "took a running start," and "punched my son as hard as he could," according to Christian Hetrick of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Greenwell added that he took his son to a chiropractor about a week after the incident. Brandon was diagnosed with a "contusion to lower thoracic spine with subluxation" - or a back bruise - according to a document provided by the chiropractor.

The Flyers say there's no evidence to back up the accusation.

"We took Mr. Greenwell's allegations seriously and conducted a thorough investigation that found nothing to support this claim," the team said in a statement, according to the Courier-Post's Dave Isaac.

The incident was not caught on video because "cameras in that area of the center are focused on other locations," according to emails between Greenwell and officials at Comcast Spectator, the company that owns the Flyers.

Gritty gained instant popularity after arriving on the scene prior to the 2018-19 NHL season. The hairy, orange creature is arguably the most well-known mascot in all of sports.