Monthly Archives: April 2023
Wild’s Foligno says both penalties he took in Game 4 loss were ‘bullshit’
It's safe to say Marcus Foligno wasn't a fan of the officiating in the Minnesota Wild's Game 4 loss to the Dallas Stars on Sunday.
Referees handed Foligno two penalties in the contest, with both leading to power-play goals for Stars forward Tyler Seguin in what ended up a 3-2 defeat for the Wild.
"It's a joke. It doesn't make any sense," Foligno said postgame, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo. "I go to hit a guy who touches the puck. It's not interference. I go, I get high-sticked in the face. It's not a tripping call when you hit a guy clean on. It's bullshit."
First, Foligno was called for interference on Jani Hakanpaa in the second period.
He then received a penalty for tripping Mason Marchment late in the third frame.
Foligno added that he believes the Stars may have gotten to the officials by complaining about penalty minutes.
"There's just something to be talked about, the physicality part of it. I just feel like it's a little bit chintzy right now," Foligno said. "It doesn't make any sense. This is playoff hockey. You go and hit a guy, and it's not illegal. It's clean, and you're getting called to the penalty box. I don't know. I think, in that sense, maybe they got to them before we did."
Wild head coach Dean Evason wasn't looking to dwell on the calls during his postgame press conference.
"Everyone in the hockey world watched that game. We all know what happened," Evason said, per Bally Sports North. "I'm not going to comment on them. We have our opinions, but what's the point? I hope you can all write about it and talk about it, but there's no point in whining about it now. They're gone."
Evason butted heads earlier in the series with his counterpart, Stars bench boss Pete DeBoer. Evason accused Stars players of diving before DeBoer countered by pointing out the Wild's lack of discipline.
The series shifts back to Dallas for Game 5 on Tuesday tied at two apiece.
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Kings’ Fiala making series debut vs. Oilers in Game 4
The Los Angeles Kings are getting star forward Kevin Fiala back in the lineup for Sunday's Game 4 of their opening-round matchup against the Edmonton Oilers.
A lower-body injury had sidelined Fiala since April 1, with the winger sitting out the final six contests of the Kings' regular season and the first three playoff games.
He also missed time in March following a knee-on-knee collision with Colorado Avalanche forward Andrew Cogliano.
Fiala represented Los Angeles at the All-Star Game in February. He ranked second on the team with 72 points (23 goals, 49 assists) in 69 regular-season games.
He's amassed nine goals and six assists in 35 career playoff contests as a member of the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild.
This is Fiala's first season in Los Angeles after the Kings acquired him from the Wild in the offseason for defenseman Brock Faber and a first-round pick. He signed a seven-year, $55.125-million extension shortly after the swap.
Los Angeles currently holds a 2-1 series lead over the Oilers.
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Bruins put Panthers on ropes with 3-1 series lead
The Boston Bruins put a stranglehold on their first-round matchup against the Florida Panthers after winning 6-2 in Sunday's Game 4 to claim a 3-1 series lead.
Jake DeBrusk enjoyed a two-goal performance, including an insurance tally before the midway mark of the final frame. Tyler Bertuzzi netted the eventual game-winner with a masterful tip early in the third period.
Taylor Hall led the way with a four-point night and delivered the final dagger with an emphatic breakaway tally to put the game out of reach.
The contest didn't lack drama in the final minutes. Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark attempted to drop the gloves with talented Panthers pest Matthew Tkachuk, but the officials weren't having it.
Backup Jeremy Swayman entered the contest in Ullmark's stead.
The Presidents' Trophy winners will have a chance to send the Panthers packing in Wednesday's Game 5 in Boston.
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Ekblad not in Panthers’ lineup for Game 4, Bobrovsky starts
The Florida Panthers look a little different for Game 4 against the Boston Bruins on Sunday.
Aaron Ekblad was scratched due to injury. The defenseman was hurt while colliding with Bruins blue-liner Charlie McAvoy in Game 3.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice told reporters Saturday that Ekblad was "feeling much better" before listing him as a game-time decision.
Meanwhile, Sergei Bobrovsky got the nod in goal for the Panthers. The veteran netminder didn't start the first three games of the series, but he did replace starter Alex Lyon in Game 3, which Florida lost 4-2 to go down 2-1 in the first-round playoff series.
Florida turned to Lyon over the last few weeks of the regular season. The 30-year-old posted a 9-4-2 record with a .914 save percentage and 2.89 goals against average.
Bobrovsky's last start prior to Game 4 came on March 27, when he allowed four goals on 26 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators.
The veteran netminder owned a .901 clip and 3.07 goals against average in 50 appearances during the regular season. Bobrovsky has an all-time record of 17-29-0 in the playoffs.
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Cooper: ‘Zero idea why’ referee blew whistle on disallowed Lightning goal
Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper wasn't as animated postgame as he was in the immediate aftermath of a disallowed goal that would've given his club a 4-2 lead in an eventual overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.
But he appeared to be just as baffled about the referee blowing the play dead.
"I have zero idea why he blew the whistle," Cooper said after a 4-3 defeat in Game 3 of the first-round playoff series. "It was shocking. The entire building - there (were) 20,000 people - saw (the puck) was sitting right there. What I don't get is I don't know what the ref had to gain by blowing the whistle."
Late in the second period, Maple Leafs defenseman T.J. Brodie tried to clear the puck out of his team's defensive zone from behind the net. His attempt deflected off Lightning forward Brayden Point in front before the attacking player forced it in. However, the goal was immediately nullified on the blown whistle.
"Listen, that's not why we lost (if) you look back now," Cooper acknowledged postgame. "But I just don't get it."
Maple Leafs center Ryan O'Reilly tied the game with one minute remaining in regulation before blue-liner Morgan Rielly netted the winner with 45 seconds left in the extra frame.
Toronto took a 2-1 series lead as a result. Game 4 is scheduled for Monday night in Tampa Bay.
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Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup β April 23, 2023
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines β April 23, 2023
Stamkos, Matthews fight after Rielly crumples Point into boards
Chaos ensued in Game 3 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning after Morgan Rielly crunched Brayden Point into the boards.
Point appeared to be favoring his midsection and briefly exited the game before returning.
Rielly was initially given a five-minute major for the hit, but the penalty was reduced after a review. He and Darren Raddysh were given two-minute offsetting roughing minors.
Amid the post-hit skirmish, Auston Matthews and Steven Stamkos dropped the gloves. It was the first career fight for Matthews and the first scrap in NHL history between two 60-goal scorers.
Ryan O'Reilly and Nikita Kucherov were also given fighting majors.
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Lightning get Hedman back for Game 3 vs. Maple Leafs
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman is in the lineup for Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
The star blue-liner missed Game 2 and the final two periods of Game 1 after suffering an undisclosed injury.
With Hedman returning, Haydn Fleury exited the lineup. Erik Cernak remained out, though, so the Lightning went with the following defense pairs:
LD | RD |
---|---|
Victor Hedman | Nick Perbix |
Mikhail Sergachev | Darren Raddysh |
Ian Cole | Zach Bogosian |
Hedman has been a Norris Trophy finalist in each of the last six seasons, winning the award in 2018. He's coming off a down year by his standards, though, as he recorded 49 points - his lowest since 2015-16 - in 76 regular-season games.
The 6-foot-6 Swede has a knack for elevating his game in the playoffs. The 2020 Conn Smythe Trophy winner entered Saturday with 107 points in 156 career postseason contests.
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