The Minnesota Wild are looking to a local legend for inspiration ahead of Game 6 against the Dallas Stars on Sunday.
Prince, one of the greatest musical talents to walk the earth, died Thursday, and tributes have been rolling in ever since. The Wild, who forced Game 6 with an overtime win Friday, are the latest to pay their respect:
Let's Go Crazy, #StateOfHockey. @Prince pic.twitter.com/Xw15NdxnsC
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) April 23, 2016
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The Arizona Coyotes could have their next general manager in place as soon as next week.
That's the latest from club president Anthony Leblanc, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on Saturday's "Headlines" segment. There are two leading candidates, Friedman added.
"That leads to one of two names as the likely choice: Les Jackson, the current director of scouting in Dallas, or John Chayka, who's already the Coyotes' current assistant general manager," Friedman said. "I think it would be a surprise if it came this quick if it was anyone but those two.
"We're also expecting a higher position for Dave Tippett in addition to coach."
Following up on @FriedgeHNIC report on ARI GM, it's my understanding John Chayka is most likely the man: https://t.co/pzA8JrmLBr
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) April 24, 2016
Chayka is only 26 years old.
The Coyotes relieved Don Maloney of his duties earlier this month.
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The St. Louis Blues are trying to put away the Chicago Blackhawks, which isn't easy.
The Blues blew a 3-1 lead in the second, as the Blackhawks blitzed the Missourians in the second frame, counting three goals on 19 shots in the period.
As the teams hit the dressing room, it appeared that Vladimir Tarasenko wasn't too pleased with his coach, Ken Hitchcock. With 14 minutes left in the third period, Tarasenko had played only 12:58 - only 30 seconds more than grinder Troy Brouwer.
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The Nashville Predators' 2-0 series lead seems like ages ago.
After two impressive road wins to begin the postseason, the Predators have allowed the Anaheim Ducks to win three straight and face a first-round elimination for the second year in a row.
Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne - who struggled by his standards in the regular season - is taking much of the blame after allowing four goals for the second consecutive game.
"I feel like I've got to play better," Rinne said, according to Adam Vingan of The Tennessean. "I'm getting outplayed."
Rinne's stat line in this year's postseason features a 3.02 goals-against average with a troubling .899 save percentage.
The 33-year-old didn't receive much help in the loss, as the Predators made seven trips to the penalty box in Game 5.
As Nashville's top forwards struggle to score, Anaheim has stolen momentum, and can punch its ticket to the second round with a win Monday night.
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ANAHEIM, Calif. - Ryan Garbutt scored the go-ahead goal in the second period for the Ducks, who beat the Nashville Predators 5-2 on Saturday for the first win by a home team in their first-round series, which Anaheim leads 3-2.
Nashville had won the first two games in Anaheim before the Ducks tied it with two wins on the Predators' home ice.
David Perron scored the tying goal earlier in the second and assisted on Garbutt's goal along with Ryan Getzlaf.
The Ducks added three goals in the third. Sami Vatanen scored on a breakaway, Cam Fowler had a power-play goal and Ryan Kesler added an empty-netter.
Frederik Andersen stopped 27 shots for the Ducks.
Game 6 is Monday in Nashville.
Pekka Rinne had 27 saves for the Predators, who closed within a goal at 3-2 in the third on Miikka Salomaki's wrist shot before the Ducks put the game out of reach with a pair of goals.
Ryan Johansen scored for Nashville 22 seconds before the Ducks tied it in the second.
After a scoreless first, the teams combined for three goals in a span of 2:10. Johansen's backhander gave Nashville a 1-0 lead at 14:13.
Perron scored his first playoff goal 22 seconds later on a slap shot from the point. The puck took a weird bounce, hitting defenseman Roman Josi before Rinne made a desperate stab with his left glove as it sailed over his head and into the net.
Garbutt gave the Ducks their first lead of the game at 16:23. He fought off two defenders while digging the puck out of the boards behind the net and stuffing it around the right post.
NOTES: The Ducks improved to 5-0-0 in postseason day games over the last 10 years. ... Nashville is 0-8 when losing three of the first five games in a playoff series. ... The Ducks had scored four goals in the first period of the series until Saturday. ... Anaheim has outscored Nashville 16-9 through five games.
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There's no solace in being the most handsome man in the planet. That's how bad Henrik Lundqvist feels Saturday night.
The New York Rangers all-world goaltender somehow finished only two of his club's five games in the first round against the Pittsburgh Penguins, as he was injured in Game 1 and pulled in Games 4 and 5. It's Lundqvist's shortest spring since 2011, with the Rangers bowing out meekly in five games.
"In the second period, it was a feeling of embarrassment to give up that many goals," Lundqvist said, according to the New York Post's Brett Cyrgalis. "But also a sense of hopelessness. I think we played a team that was smarter, better, and (had) better goaltending."
The Penguins put up a four spot in the second, but "The King" graciously faced the media after his team's stunning first-round defeat Saturday, as the competitive window seemingly slammed shut in the Rangers' faces. It was a very un-Lundqvist-like postseason that saw him finish with an .867 save percentage in five games.
However, the truth is Lundqvist got no help. The Penguins scored their goals Saturday on 10-bell scoring chances, and the goaltender was left helpless by his teammates. It wouldn't have made a difference who was playing in the Rangers' crease on Saturday - they were losing that game, and losing it handily.
And so begins a summer of soul-searching for the Blueshirts, with Lundqvist having turned 34 in early March. He can still play - it's the rest of the roster that's the issue. While his playoffs were certainly a disappointment, the 2015-16 season was the seventh straight in which Lundqvist posted a save percentage of .920 or higher. He remains elite. The same cannot be said for New York's roster, as Pittsburgh proved.
Signed through 2019-20, if Lundqvist doesn't win a Stanley Cup when it's all said and done, he'll go down as one of the best to have never done so.
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The Florida Panthers are hoping to come home to Nick Bjugstad with the good news that Game 6 is still on.
After needing stitches to repair a head wound after he falling face-first into the boards Friday, the Sun Sentinel's Harvey Fialkov reports that Bjugstad didn't travel with his teammates to New York for Game 6 against the Islanders on Sunday, citing a source. The Panthers trail the series 3-2 after losing Game 5 at home in double overtime.
Panthers head coach Gerard Gallant said Saturday morning that Bjugstad was day-to-day, and he hoped the center would be able to make the trip. With or without Bjugstad, the job remains the same.
"We'll see what happens," Gallant said. "But we haven't made any excuses all year and we're not going to make one now."
Bjugstad missed time earlier this season with migraines, so he does have head-injury history, giving the report legs. Based on how serious the injury looked at the time - Bjugstad laying on the ice looking stunned after hitting the boards - not traveling north makes sense for the young forward.
It's a tough loss for the Panthers. Bjugstad has two goals and two assists in five games, with the 23-year-old clearly enjoying his first taste of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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