David Rittich might be the first player in NHL history to redirect a question to his nether regions.

When asked if there was a save that stood out as his best one in a victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night, the Calgary Flames goaltender went below the belt.

Rittich stopped 35 of the 36 shots he faced in a 2-1 shootout win, including several saves of the highlight-reel variety.

The 27-year-old netminder, who's earned the nickname "Big Save Dave," will replace injured Arizona Coyotes goalie Darcy Kuemper in the upcoming All-Star Game.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are among the teams to inquire about New York Rangers goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.

Toronto hasn't made an offer for the 23-year-old, and New York is looking for a lot in return, Dreger adds.

The Rangers are currently rostering Georgiev, recently recalled top prospect Igor Shesterkin, and 15-year starter Henrik Lundqvist. The logjam in the crease has made Georgiev potentially expendable, but he's proven to be a valuable piece for the Rangers, owning a .914 save percentage through his first 64 career games entering Thursday.

Toronto has been in the market all season for a backup goalie to ease Frederik Andersen's workload. The incumbent Michael Hutchinson lost his first seven starts of the campaign but has responded with wins in his three most recent starts.

Georgiev is a particularly attractive option for the cap-strapped Maple Leafs ahead of the Feb. 24 trade deadline, as he only counts for $792,500 against the salary cap. However, he's a restricted free agent after this season.

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The Carolina Hurricanes are holding their collective breath after their best defenseman suffered a potentially gruesome injury.

Dougie Hamilton, one of the NHL's most talented blue-liners, fell awkwardly on his left leg after getting tangled up with Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kevin Stenlund in the final minute of the second period Thursday night.

Hamilton couldn't get off the ice without the aid of his teammates and had difficulty putting weight on his leg.

The Hurricanes later ruled Hamilton out for the rest of the game.

Hamilton has been in the mix for the Norris Trophy all season, racking up 40 points in 46-plus games while leading all Carolina skaters in ice time and shots on goal entering Thursday's contest.

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Warning: Story contains coarse language

The NHL is talking to both the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers in an effort to ensure the Battle of Alberta doesn't get further out of hand.

"(Senior vice president of player safety) George Parros and (executive vice president and director of hockey operations) Colin Campbell were on the phone on Wednesday in separate calls with the (general managers) from the Battle of Alberta trying to calm those waters down ahead of the Jan. 29 rematch between these two rivals," TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading."

Parros is expected to be at Rogers Place in Edmonton for the game, LeBrun added.

Parros assessed Oilers forward Zack Kassian a two-game suspension Monday after Kassian repeatedly punched Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk following Tkachuk's hit on Kassian during Saturday's matchup between the two clubs.

Kassian later said he'd "do it again" and called Tkachuk a "pussy" for not wanting to fight him. Tkachuk said if Kassian doesn't want to get hit, he should "stay off the tracks."

After the Jan. 29 meeting in Edmonton, the provincial rivals will meet again three days later in Calgary and then once more in their final regular-season contest April 4 at the Saddledome.

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Vegas Golden Knights forward William Karlsson is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury, the team announced Thursday.

The 27-year-old center was in the lineup for Tuesday's game in Buffalo and hasn't missed a contest since joining Vegas for the 2017-18 season.

It's unclear how many games Karlsson is set to miss, as the team will play three more times before a nine-day break beginning Jan. 22 that includes the All-Star Game and a bye week.

Karlsson has posted 34 points in 49 games on Vegas' top line this year. He's averaging over 19 minutes per night and winning a career-high 51.2% of his faceoffs.

The Golden Knights will square off against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, marking their first game since the firing of head coach Gerard Gallant.

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Arizona Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet has been selected to replace Gerard Gallant behind the bench for the Pacific Division during the 2020 All-Star Game, the league announced Thursday.

Gallant was fired by the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday and replaced by Peter DeBoer. Vegas had lost four straight games and sat outside of a playoff position when Gallant was relieved of his duties.

Tocchet's in his third year behind the Coyotes' bench and has helped turn the club into a contender since his arrival. Arizona is on pace to improve its win total for the third straight season and occupies the top seed in the Pacific Division entering Thursday's action.

Following Thursday's announcement, the 55-year-old bench boss poked fun at Coyotes forward Phil Kessel, whose sister, Amanda, is slated to play in the first-ever women's three-on-three event during All-Star weekend.

"I might try to coach one of the women's teams so at least there will be a Kessel that will listen to me," Tocchet quipped, according to the Vancouver Sun's Patrick Johnston.

The Coyotes don't have a player representative in the All-Star Game after netminder Darcy Kuemper was forced to withdraw due to injury.

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Peter DeBoer admits it's been an awkward 24 hours as he transitions into his new role as head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights.

The former San Jose Sharks bench boss, who replaced Gerard Gallant on Wednesday, is just nine months removed from a bitter feud with Gallant and the Golden Knights stemming from the teams' opening-round playoff series last spring.

“It was a little shocking. But a good shock,” DeBoer said during Thursday's introductory press conference, according to TSN's Ian Mendes. He added: "We'll get through it. It'll be a little awkward - like meeting an ex-girlfriend when it didn't end well."

DeBoer accused Gallant of chirping at his players during last year's thrilling seven-game series. The latter responded by calling the former "a clown" for making such claims.

The ongoing feud between Golden Knights forward Ryan Reaves and Sharks winger Evander Kane was also on full display during that series, and Reaves didn't downplay his rocky history with DeBoer.

"I wouldn't say I have the best track record with him," Reaves said, according to TSN's Brent Wallace. "I'm going to have to have a smile when I introduce myself, for sure, maybe a hug."

Reaves continued: "We are going to move forward and listen to what he has to say and embrace the change."

Sharks forward Timo Meier admitted Wednesday "it's going to be weird" facing Vegas with DeBoer behind the bench, and teammate Tomas Hertl called the development "kind of shocking."

DeBoer will make his debut behind the Golden Knights' bench Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators. Barring a playoff matchup, Vegas and San Jose won't meet until next season after already facing each other four times in 2019-20.

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Winnipeg Jets veteran winger Mathieu Perreault was livid upon hearing that Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen would not be disciplined for elbowing him up high Tuesday.

"Player safety, my ass," Perreault told the Winnipeg Sun's Ted Wyman following Thursday's practice. "This is literally an elbow to the face of a guy that didn't have the puck."

Virtanen wasn't suspended or fined by the head of the NHL Department of Player Safety George Parros, nor was he penalized by the on-ice official.

"I can't really protect myself if the league's not going to protect me," Perrault continued. "I'm the smallest guy (on) the ice so I can't really fight anybody. The only thing I can do to defend myself is use my stick, so the next guy that does that to me is gonna get my f------ stick. And I better not get suspended for it."

The 5-foot-10, 188-pound Perreault missed time with a concussion after taking a late hit from Joel Farabee in December. The Philadelphia Flyers rookie was suspended three games.

Perreault said he isn't concussed, but he told the Winnipeg Sun's Scott Billeck that his jaw is sore and he will probably struggle while eating the next couple of days.

Jets captain Blake Wheeler came to the defense of his teammate and tried to fight Virtanen, but Virtanen wanted no part of it, even though it would've taken a superior player off the ice.

"(Virtanen) doesn't want to fight anybody," Perreault said. "He's gonna throw his elbow around and he's not gonna fight anybody and the league's not gonna do anything about it. So maybe I should start running around with my elbows up and getting guys in the face and I won't have to answer and fight anybody, and I should be all right, right?"

Virtanen has dropped the mitts twice in his NHL career, both times during the 2015-16 season, according to hockeyfights.com.

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Edmonton Oilers fans and Calgary Flames faithful are trying to kill each other with kindness.

The Battle of Alberta fan bases responded to the latest case of bad blood between Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk and Oilers winger Zack Kassian by donating money to charities in their rival team's city.

The exchange began after Flames fan Mohamed Elsaghir started a GoFundMe page to have Tkachuk's face put on billboards in Edmonton. When Calgary radio station CJAY92 pledged to cover the cost of the billboards, the money raised from the fundraiser was instead donated to ALS research.

In response, Oilers supporter Samantha Costa decided to launch her own initiative, donating to a Calgary charity in Kassian's name so that "kids can get a proper meal and grow up to be tougher than Tkachuk."

Costa donated $25 to Brown Bagging for Calgary's Kids, a local charity that makes lunches for underprivileged children.

The movement was taken to the next level when local entrepreneur and Dragon’s Den star Brett Wilson got on board. Wilson pledged to match up to $10,000 of whatever Oilers fans raise by Friday at noon. He also said he'd give an additional $5,000 to an Edmonton shelter chosen by Costa.

Before 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Brown Bagging for Calgary's Kids announced $16,199 had been raised.

The Flames and Oilers are set to meet again Jan. 29 in Edmonton.

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