It's not always the players that deliver the heaviest hits.
St. Louis Blues forward Patrik Berglund learned this the hard way Tuesday after he fell victim to an open bench door.
He was in considerable pain after colliding with the open Blues door, but returned after a brief visit to the dressing room.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Eleven points in 12 playoff games for Jonathan Drouin: who'd have thunk it?
Apparently, the Tampa Bay Lightning - although it wasn't easy after the forward's trade request, which engulfed the team in a seemingly never-ending saga.
"I think in the back of everyone's mind, I'm sure you're not human if you're not a little pissed off at him for (what happened)," Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said of the situation, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston. "And he understands that. I think that's the first step that made the transition easy was he understood he might have not been acting in the best interest of the team and himself, but he manned up.
"That took a lot to say, 'You know what, maybe I made a mistake. I want to get a chance to come back and play in the minors.' Probably not ever thinking he would get a call back, but just giving himself a chance."
Drouin has flourished in his second chance with the club, consistently one of the most noticeable skaters on the team as he showcases the skill that drew Tampa Bay to draft him third overall in 2013.
His teammates have noticed the way he's stepped up as they get deeper into the postseason.
"You always knew he had tremendous talents and he's putting everything together," defenseman Victor Hedman said. "He's a treat to watch. We're just happy to have him because we need him. He's one of those difference-makers that you need on a team if you want to go deep, especially with Stammer missing."
Tampa Bay, sitting three wins away from a second consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearance, appreciates what Drouin has provided when it matters most.
"The beauty of the sport is you never know. Injuries happen, he gets called up and goes through (everything) and trains his ass off for the two months ... and he comes back a machine," Stamkos said.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Sitting outside of the playoffs with Sidney Crosby mired in one of the longest scoring droughts of his career two months into the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins were not living up to expectations.
Then management fired Mike Johnston and named Mike Sullivan head coach, and everything started to click.
Sullivan led the Penguins to a 33-16-5 record when he took over behind the bench, and Crosby erupted for 66 points as Pittsburgh was the NHL's most dominant team down the stretch.
A former assistant with the New York Rangers, Sullivan was familiar with watching Crosby, and once they were on the same side, he used that familiarity to help motivate the captain.
"This game, it's an emotional game and it's hard to be good in the absence of it," Sullivan told Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. "We have to have controlled emotion, we have to channel it the right way, but emotion is a necessary part of competitive advantage and excelling in this game. And, from my experience coaching against Sid, that's when he's at his best, and some of the early conversations that I had with Sid when I first took the team over was to try to light that fire in his belly that makes him so great."
Crosby credited Sullivan's honest approach as one of the reasons for his turnaround in production.
"When there's a coaching change, especially as a captain you take a lot of responsibility on your shoulders and you expect more," Crosby said. "I wasn't happy with the way I started, and I think he just put me in situations and gave me opportunities to try to work my way back into things. He was just good holding everyone accountable, myself included, and making sure that I got better."
"It was pretty clear and he was very honest," Crosby added. "And that's all you can ask for is him to be straightforward like that and tell me what he thinks. ... And it wasn't just me. I think he was very clear with everyone what he expected from each individual guy and, at that point, it was just a matter of us going out and doing that."
Crosby experienced a similar situation when former head coach Dan Bylsma was hired in the middle of the 2009 season, which ended with a Stanley Cup Championship.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Finland forward Patrik Laine has no hard feelings towards Canada's Corey Perry.
Related: Watch: Perry sweeps out leg to cut down Laine
The 18-year-old - who is projected to be selected in the top-2 at this year's NHL Entry Draft - was the victim of a leg-trip from the Anaheim Ducks forward in Tuesday's contest, but feels he brought the incident on himself with his skill.
"Maybe they tried to piss me off because I’m young and in my opinion a pretty good player," Laine said, according to Michael Traikos of the National Post.
Laine didn't waste time getting caught up in Perry cheap shot. Said it was painful, he took painkillers...all is fine. Love this kid.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) May 17, 2016
Laine had the last laugh as Finland danced to a 4-0 win over Canada and finished atop the Group B standings heading into the quarterfinals.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Finland forward Patrik Laine has no hard feelings towards Canada's Corey Perry.
Related: Watch: Perry sweeps out leg to cut down Laine
The 18-year-old - who is projected to be selected in the top-2 at this year's NHL Entry Draft - was the victim of a leg-trip from the Anaheim Ducks forward in Tuesday's contest, but feels he brought the incident on himself with his skill.
"Maybe they tried to piss me off because I’m young and in my opinion a pretty good player," Laine said, according to Michael Traikos of the National Post.
Laine didn't waste time getting caught up in Perry cheap shot. Said it was painful, he took painkillers...all is fine. Love this kid.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) May 17, 2016
Laine had the last laugh as Finland danced to a 4-0 win over Canada and finished atop the Group B standings heading into the quarterfinals.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Matt Murray is certain he doesn't wear faulty equipment.
When Tampa Bay Lighting defenseman Anton Stralman buried a goal on Murray's glove side Monday night, the internet reacted as though the puck may have gone through his trapper, and into the goal.
not sure if anyone else caught this yet, but stralman's goal went through Murray's glove pic.twitter.com/LXimlXsUbY
— Rich Miller (@atrichmiller) May 17, 2016
Though this angle seems convincing, Murray ensured that wasn't the case.
Murray on the speculation that a goal went through his glove: "I would say 'don't believe everything you see on the internet.'"
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 17, 2016
After all, camera angles can be deceptive, which the Penguins pointed out in their response to the claim.
@atrichmiller Here's another look. pic.twitter.com/cej4n85pA7
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 17, 2016
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Finland stayed perfect through preliminary round action Tuesday at the World Hockey Championship with a dominant 4-0 victory over Canada that clinched top seed in Group B.
Mikko Koskinen made 21 saves to earn the shutout, while Tommi Kivisto, Leo Komarov, Mike Pyorala, and Jarno Koskiranta scored the unanswered goals on Canadian goalie Cam Talbot, who was markedly out of sorts.
Finland, absolutely surging as a hockey power, has put itself in strong position for another medal, having earned a date with Denmark in the next round thanks to its clean 7-0-0-0 record.
Meanwhile, Canada, which had its 16-game winning streak at the tournament snapped, will take on a Sweden team with just one loss on its resume.
Finland scored 29 goals while allowing just six during the group stage. Canada outscored the competition 34-8 despite the letdown.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
The OHL's Flint Firebirds have signed veteran junior hockey coach and executive George Burnett to a three-year contract as the club's new general manager.
“The League is entrusting George Burnett with the hockey operations of the Flint Firebirds and we believe his experience will provide the players, parents, billets, and team staff with stability and expertise,” OHL Commissioner David Branch said in a statement Tuesday.
“Burnett will be backed by a strong team in hockey operations, including Joe Stefan who is well known to Flint Firebirds players and families.”
Stefan was appointed assistant GM and director of player development.
The OHL took control of the team's operations in February, and Branch handed owner Rolf Nilsen a five-year suspension in April after Nilsen fired the team's coaching staff twice in the same season, reportedly as part of a dispute over his son's ice time.
Burnett spent this season serving as head coach and GM of the OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs after 11 years with the Belleville Bulls.
“I am excited to be joining the Flint Firebirds organization and dedicating 100 percent of my time to the management of the team,” Burnett said.
“The Flint Firebirds have a bright and promising future and I look forward to being part of the team and the Genesee County community.”
Burnett has also spent four seasons with the Oshawa Generals organization, was an assistant coach with the Anaheim Ducks for two seasons in the late 1990s, and served as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers for 35 games in 1994-95.
A coaching announcement is expected "imminently", according to the release from the club.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.