It matters not to the St. Louis Blues who tends the twine for the opposition.
After allowing three goals in five shots during the first period of Sunday's Game 2, Dallas Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen was yanked in favor of Antti Niemi.
The Blues' response was nothing short of savage.
Stars PA announcer says Antti Niemi will start the second period. Who cares?
It was the home team who opened the scoring as Stars captain Jamie Benn set up Alex Goligoski who roofed a one-timer past Brian Elliott to give Dallas an early 1-0 lead, just over three-and-a-half minutes in. Goligoski's third goal of the postseason ties him for the league lead among defensemen.
The Blues didn't wait long to answer, as just 35 seconds later, Patrik Berglund extended his personal point streak to three games by wiring a rolling puck past Kari Lehtonen on his team's first shot of the afternoon.
Zuccarello scored a nomination off the back of a career year that saw him lead the New York Rangers in scoring. He posted 26 goals and 61 points in 81 games.
The 28-year-old's impressive campaign came after a terrifying incident in the 2015 playoffs that saw him suffer a brain contusion and a hairline fracture to his skull after taking a Ryan McDonagh shot to the heard.
The ageless wonder Jagr collected his nomination for leading the Florida Panthers in scoring with 66 points while guiding the club to its first postseason appearance since 2012.
The Washington Capitals are two games into the second round, and head coach Barry Trotz is still waiting for his team to bring a complete effort.
The Capitals failed to take a 2-0 series advantage in Game 2 on Saturday, dropping a nail-biter 2-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins, leaving Trotz hungry for more.
"I don't think we've played our best game, yet," Trotz said, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "We've had periods where we've played pretty well. The third period, I thought we played pretty well. The same thing (in Game 1); I thought we were good in (the first period) and then in overtime. We haven't strung enough periods together. They're a good opponent. This seems to be a series where they'll own a period, we'll own a period, so the trick is to try to own more periods than they do.
"They're a good hockey team and I think we've got a good hockey team, but we can be better in a lot of areas right now."
Goaltender Braden Holtby agreed with his coach following Game 2, and feels the team still has more to give.
"We know we can be better," Holtby said. "It's been pretty tight both games, score-wise, but we know we have a lot more to offer and that's our goal, to get better as the series goes on. Game 3 will be a big one."
The Capitals will get their chance to prove they can be better in Game 3 on Monday.
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly was asleep when his team was awarded the first overall pick in the upcoming NHL draft on Saturday, as he is in Europe preparing for the IIHF World Championship, but the 22-year-old was able to share his reaction after Team Canada's practice Sunday.
"It's pretty exciting," Rielly told TSN. "I'm sure that the people back home are looking forward to that, and it's a big opportunity for the team. We'll see what happens, but it's great."
With the first pick, the Maple Leafs are expected to select center Auston Matthews - who will be representing the United States at the IIHF tournament - and Rielly is aware the American could be a big part of the team's future as long as he can handle the burden of being a star in Toronto.
"He's a big, two-way guy. He's one of the guys every team wants," Rielly said. "If that's who we end up taking then that's good, but whoever it is, he's gonna have a little bit of pressure on him in Toronto, but that's just the way it is."
Rielly will get a better look at his potential future teammate soon, as Canada opens Group B play at the World Championship against the United States in St. Petersburg on Friday.
When he faced the media with the No. 1 pick firmly in his grasp, it would have been easy for Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan to declare his intention to select Arizona native Auston Matthews. He was pressed, but he wouldn't budge.
"We'll discuss it, but we have a pretty good idea of who it is," Shanahan said of Toronto's target.
Of course, Shanahan had nothing to gain by speaking his mind. In fact, he is the opposite of one of his predecessors, Brian Burke, who kicked off Sportsnet's broadcast of Saturday's NHL Draft Lottery by giving his take on just about everything.
Shanahan has said before that everyone on his staff has input, but it appears clear that there's a consensus upstairs in Toronto.
As for Matthews, it'll be quite the environmental leap. He was born in Arizona - a place where he could help put hockey on the map, the hometown kid done good, had the Coyotes won the first pick. He left for Switzerland last season, where no one plays during their draft year. Now he's headed to a place many call the "center of the hockey universe."
Recognizing the increased attention Matthews is about to receive, Shanahan was quick to pump the breaks and take some of the pressure off.
"The number-one pick is not going to be a savior," Shanahan said.
"We are very happy with the way things worked out," he added.
Shanaplan
Shanahan has been measured throughout the rebuild in Toronto. Patient. The second half of the Maple Leafs' season was difficult to watch, but the pain was tempered, as management and fans were able to see the promising young talent in the system get a chance. But it was clear the Maple Leafs were assembling to finish where they did in the standings - last - while putting in an honest effort.
On Saturday, when the No. 1 pick placard revealed the Maple Leafs' recently unveiled new logo, it represented change. Good fortune. For long-suffering Maple Leafs fans, it feels worth it. For management, it's worth it.
The Maple Leafs got what they wanted, and what they needed. Now they have to show some improvement.
"We can't get much worse," Shanahan rightfully pointed out.
Change is good
In addition to Toronto, the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets were winners on Saturday. Both teams moved up in the lottery, from their original positions of sixth and fourth into second and third, respectively. It was the first time the lottery decided which teams pick second and third, a method similar to the one used in the NBA Draft.
This year's pick will be the Jets' highest since the franchise moved from Atlanta. In 2002, the franchise drafted Kari Lehtonen second overall. It's likely Winnipeg will pick another Finn, with forwards Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi projected to go second and third.
Columbus appears content to pick the remaining Finn at third overall. Especially with general manager Jarmo Kekalainen at the helm.
Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers didn't seem too down about the fact they fell from second to fourth.
Matthews didn't seem too upset that he won't get the chance to play in his home state. The Coyotes desperately wanted to help grow the game in Arizona with the first top talent to ever be grown locally. No doubt Saturday’s results are disappointing for them. The Maple Leafs, though, get a center they can potentially develop into a No. 1 center, which they've lacked since Mats Sundin left town. Almost as important, there's talent Toronto no doubt wants to sign in the offseason. No doubt the prospects of playing with Matthews can serve as a recruiting tool.
The Maple Leafs' core
There is no doubt the core of the Maple Leafs is comprised of Morgan Rielly, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and now Matthews. With Mike Babcock behind the bench, the Maple Leafs' lineup will boast interesting possibilities and no shortage of talent. The real question will be which veterans surround the youth.
What’s next
There will be a lot more eyeballs on Matthews ahead of the World Hockey Championship in Russia, beginning next week. With each move, Maple Leafs fans will start to learn more about exactly who Matthews is, and what they're getting in him. The worlds will be Matthews' first tournament against NHL players. Saturday was only the beginning. The Auston Matthews story is about to get very interesting.
TORONTO - Pitched on a blue stand in the middle of a grey room deep inside the CBC building in downtown Toronto is the lottery machine that will soon determine the top of the 2016 NHL draft.
The results of the lottery, which sees the Toronto ...
The hit occurred during the first period of Game 2 of the Capitals' second-round series against the Penguins on Saturday. Orpik received a two-minute minor for interference, but Maatta was forced to leave the game with an upper-body injury.
Orpik appeared to make contact with Maatta's head with the hit, well after the Penguins blue-liner took a shot at Capitals goalie Braden Holtby. According to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun, Orpik told head coach Barry Trotz that he "thought the puck was going to be there" when he made the hit.
After a Brooks Orpik check knocked Olli Maatta out of Saturday's Game 2 against the Washington Capitals after just 31 seconds of ice time, the Pittsburgh Penguins were left with just five defensemen for the final 55 minutes, but were able to hold on for a 2-1 victory, leveling the series at one game apiece.
Following the victory, the Penguins gave out their postgame warrior helmet to their five remaining blue-liners, who helped hold the Capitals to just 24 shots on the night.
Kris Letang stepped up in Maatta's absence, logging an incredible 35 minutes of ice time, leading his team in both shots on goal (6) and shots blocked (5).
For the first time in a long time, the Toronto Maple Leafs won a meaningful game Saturday.
Of course, the game was one of chance and wasn't played on the ice, but the Maple Leafs still won the right to select first overall at this year's draft.
It's all thanks to a lottery system that picked a winning four-digit combination. You can see here exactly how the entire process played out.
