As world No. 1 golfer Jason Day looks to win his second consecutive tournament - and fourth in his last seven starts - at this weekend's Memorial Tournament, he got some help during a practice round from an old friend he met in Ohio a few years ago.
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman James Wisniewski caddied for Day on Tuesday. The two became friends during the 2012-13 NHL lockout, according to Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer, and used to golf together at Muirfield while both were living in the Columbus area.
Caddying for his friend @JDayGolf... @jameswisniewski on #1 @memorialgolf #mymemorial @W2Wsports pic.twitter.com/b7429nATJ0
— Tim Flaherty (@TimSports10TV) May 31, 2016
Day and his family reside in Westerville, Ohio - less than 20 miles from Columbus - while Wisniewski spent parts of four seasons with the hometown Blue Jackets between 2011-2015.
After being traded from the Anaheim Ducks to Carolina in June, Wisniewski suffered a torn ACL in his first game with the Hurricanes, ending his season.
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With Bryan Rust listed as day to day after suffering an upper-body injury in a hit to the head from San Jose Sharks veteran Patrick Marleau, a pair of Pittsburgh Penguins forwards are prepared to step in for head coach Mike Sullivan.
With either Matt Cullen or Eric Fehr likely to take Rust's spot on Evgeni Malkin's wing, Game 1 scratches Beau Bennett and Oskar Sundqvist are the most likely options to join the fourth line in Game 2.
"If I'm slotted in there, I've got to be able to make a contribution right away," Bennett said, according to Jonathan Bombulie of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I think I was maybe playing a little too cautious my first time around there."
Bennett's lone postseason appearance came in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he posted a minus-2 rating in just over 11 minutes of action.
Meanwhile, Sundqvist appeared in one game in each of the Penguins' first two rounds, failing to register a point or a shot in just under 19 minutes of ice time.
"I'm pretty comfortable when we don't have the puck," Sundqvist said. "I'm usually a guy that's on the right side. I think Sully knows that, too."
| Player | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bennett | 33 | 6 | 6 | 12 | -1 | 10 |
| Sundqvist | 18 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
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Randy Carlyle may be going back to Cali.
The unemployed head coach is expected to meet with the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday about their vacancy behind the bench, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.
Former NHLer Travis Green is also "among those in (the) mix" for the job, Dreger adds
Carlyle hasn't worked since being fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015. He spent six seasons as head coach in Anaheim beginning in 2005, and won a Stanley Cup with the club in 2007.
The 60-year-old has a lifetime 364-260-80 record.
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Sidney Crosby could have taken the morning off following a Game 1 win over the San Jose Sharks.
Instead, he was one of a handful of Pittsburgh Penguins that participated in Tuesday's optional skate, because that's simply what he does, says head coach Mike Sullivan.
It never get old seeing how much extra work Crosby puts in. Watching him rip this shot top right is pretty good too. pic.twitter.com/LYex7hXR4T
— Shawn McKenzie (@ShawnMcKenzieSN) May 31, 2016
"I don't think he's as good as he is by accident," Sullivan said at a press conference. " As long as I've been associated with this league, I don't know that I've been around a player that has the same work ethic as Sid does as far as that insatiable appetite to just try to get better and be the best. I think that's why he's as good as he is.
"Everybody sees his talent. There's a lot of talented guys out there. But I think his work ethic allows him to be the player that he is. It's impressive."
Sullivan added Crosby's routine sets a standard for the rest of the team, providing an example of the type of work ethic expected from the top down.
Crosby saw 20:40 of ice time in Game 1 - most among Penguins' forwards - and recorded one assist, four shots, and a Corsi rating of 62.9 percent in all situations.
All in a day's work.
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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman put his foot down Monday, saying former Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov won't play in the World Cup of Hockey due to his league suspension, but Russia isn't ready to give up.
The Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RHF) has an ongoing dialogue with the NHL about Voynov's participation in the tournament, according to Russian news agency TASS.
"The Russian Ice Hockey Federation is holding negotiations with the organizers of the World Cup - the NHL - concerning the issue of national team's defender Vyacheslav Voynov," the RHF's press service said Tuesday.
"The Russian Ice Hockey Federation hopes that the organizers of the international competition will make a positive decision on the issue and the defender will be allowed to be included in the roster of the Russian national team."
The RHF said Rene Fasel, president of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), is also part of the negotiations.
Voynov was charged with domestic violence, and spent two months in prison before returning home to Russia. He was suspended indefinitely, and had his contract voided by the NHL. The 26-year-old spent this season with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.
The World Cup gets underway Sept. 17.
- With h/t to NBC Sports
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It's almost hard to believe it's been five years already.
On May 31, 2011, fans gathered at Portage and Main to celebrate the return of the NHL to Winnipeg after a 20-year absence.
Earlier that month, the Atlanta Thrashers were sold to Manitoba-based ownership group True North Sports & Entertainment, signalling the end of NHL hockey in Georgia for the second time in league history.
Season tickets sold out within minutes, and Jets 2.0 supporters quickly became known as some of the most boisterous, filling MTS Centre with raucous encouragement for the home team and creative chants directed at the opposition.
What a ride it's been so far.
May 31, 2011.
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) May 31, 2016
What a five years it has been. But there is so much more to come.#GoJetsGohttps://t.co/rhSDRrThYB
The "more to come" teased in that tweet undoubtedly references the hoped-for end to a dubious distinction for the franchise: being the only NHL club without a single playoff victory.
Ever.
In 11 seasons in Atlanta, the Thrashers made one postseason appearance (2007) and were swept by the New York Rangers. The Jets advanced to the playoffs in 2015, but were also swept, this time at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks.
In terms of regular-season success, or lack thereof, the Jets are at least posting a greater winning percentage.
| Team | Games | Record (W-L-T-OTL-SOL) | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Thrashers | 902 | 342-437-45-49-29 | 0.447 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 376 | 176-156-0-22-22 | 0.527 |
The Jets do have some exciting young players on the roster and in the pipeline, with long-term commitments from star players like Blake Wheeler and Dustin Byfuglien. On top of that, they also have the No. 2 overall pick in hand at this year's NHL Draft.
How soon the playoff win drought will end remains anyone's guess, however.
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Alex Khokhlachev is heading home.
The frustrated Boston Bruins prospect is set to sign with SKA Saint Petersburg of the KHL, reports rsport.ru, according to Sport-Express' Igor Eronko.
Khokhlachev was drafted 40th overall by the Bruins in 2011, but has only played in nine NHL games despite putting up impressive numbers for Providence, Boston's AHL affiliate. This season, he scored 68 points in 60 games, but only earned five contests with the big club, failing to register a point.
The 22-year-old has voiced his displeasure with his playing time in the past, and in April, Khokhlachev's agent blamed Bruins head coach Claude Julien for his lack of chances.
Khokhlachev would join a Saint Petersburg team that features former NHLers Ilya Kovalchuk and Slava Voynov.
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