San Jose goaltender Antti Niemi played well Thursday night but his teammates couldn't get a puck past Los Angeles goaltender Jonathan Quick and the Kings ended up with a 3-0 shutout over the Sharks.
It was the Kings' 13th consecutive home victory and it also gave them a 3-2 lead over San Jose in their best-of-seven playoff series. Niemi stopped 26 of the Kings' 28 shots Thursday and held them goalless until 18:08 of the second period. An early third-period goal and an empty-netter sealed the deal for the defending-champion Kings and leaves the Sharks needing two wins -- the next one in San Jose and then a Game 7 in Los Angeles -- to advance.

Anze Kopitar, who had only one goal in his previous 26 games, broke a goalless game late in the second period for the Los Angeles Kings Thursday night, and it turned out to be the winner in a 3-0 playoff triumph over the San Jose Sharks.
Kopitar's second playoff goal came at 18:08 of the second period. Kopitar, generally recognized as the Kings' most talented offensive player, had complained earlier during this series that his team needed to take more shots at San Jose goalie Antti Niemi; the Kings wound up with 28 in the Thursday win. Slava Voynov pitched in with his fourth playoff goal on a power play early in the third period and Jeff Carter notched his fifth playoff goal in the Sharks' empty net late in the third. It was the Kings' 13th consecutive home victory.

Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings turned aside every shot the San Jose Sharks directed at him Thursday night en route to a 3-0 shutout.
The victory gave the defending-champion Kings a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against San Jose. The Sharks took 24 shots on goal but Quick was sharp and the Kings never were in danger of losing this game on their home ice, where they now have won 13 consecutive games, dating back to March.

Jonathan Toews was held off the scoresheet for the third straight game Thursday as the Blackhawks were shut out by Detroit by a score of 2-0.
Toews did register three shots on goal and six penalty minutes in the game, but he has totalled only three points, all assists, in nine postseason games this spring. If the Blackhawks are going to come back from their current 3-1 hole in the series their captain will have to be a major contributor.

Corey Crawford turned away 25 of 26 shots Thursday, but was saddled with a loss in a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Red Wings.
This result was far from being Crawford's fault, but given the three-game slide the Blackhawks are currently suffering through there's a chance we could see Ray Emery between the pipes for Game Five Saturday.

Jakub Kindl scored his first goal of the postseason Thursday as Detroit upended the Blackhawks by a score of 2-0 to take a 3-1 lead in their second round playoff series.
Kindl's goal midway through the second period was assisted by Carlo Colaiacovo and Johan Franzen and held up as the only tally of the contest until Dan Cleary's empty-net marker in the game's final minute iced the victory for Detroit.

Jimmy Howard stopped all 28 shots he faced in the Red Wings' 2-0 win over Chicago Thursday night.
Howard was excellent in this game and thanks to his strong play, the Wings now hold a 3-1 advantage in their second round playoff series. The series shifts back to Chicago for Game Five Saturday.

Tuukka Rask allowed four goals on 32 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Rangers Thursday night.
Rask has enjoyed a strong second round series so he can be forgiven for one subpar outing. He actually wasn't terrible in this contest outside of the Rangers first goal, on which Rask lost his balance and allowed Carl Hagelin to slide the puck into a near-empty net. He'll get his chance to bounce back in Game Five in Boston on Saturday evening.

Tyler Seguin scored his first goal of the playoffs and added an assist Thursday, however the Bruins dropped a 4-3 overtime decision at Madison Square Garden.
The goal was the first in 11 postseason contests for Seguin and his first in 16 games dating back to the regular season. Nathan Horton also registered a goal and an assist in the loss while Torey Krug posted his third tally of the playoffs.

Henrik Lundqvist was sharp Thursday as he turned away 37 of 40 shots in a 4-3 overtime win over Boston.
The game went back and forth a few times, especially in the third period, however King Henrik made the important saves he needed to when it counted. The Rangers are still in tough as they have three more games to win in order to complete the series comeback.

Chris Kreider scored the overtime winner for the Rangers Thursday in a 4-3 overtime win over Boston.
The win keeps the Blueshirts alive despite now trailing 3-1 in their second round playoff series. Derek Stepan picked up a goal and an assist in the victory while Brian Boyle and Carl Hagelin also found the back of the net. Derick Brassard contributed to the cause with a pair of assists in the win.

Coyotes general manager Don Maloney is close to finishing a new contract extension, according to Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic/Phoenix Gazette.
Maloney's current deal expires this offseason but he and the NHL, which owns the team, are nearly done with a new one. Maloney has been the Coyotes' general manager since 2007, helping guide the team to three playoff berths in the last four years without an owner. McLellan says there's no word on when exactly the two sides want to get this done by. Coach Dave Tippett also has a contract that expires this summer.

Chris Kreider is starting Game 4 of the second-round series on the Rangers' second line.
The key word here is "starting" because coach John Tortorella is a notorious line-juggler. For now, though, he has a chance to play with Derrick Brassard and Rick Nash on the line he played on before leaving Game 3 after getting hit in the forehead with a stick.

Micheal Haley and Kris Newbury took line rushes on the Rangers' fourth unit during Thursday's pregame warmup.
They are projected to play alongside Derek Dorsett in Game 4 Thursday night.

Arron Asham and Ryane Clowe weren't on the ice for New York's pregame warmup.
It wasn't clear if Asham and Clowe would be in the lineup Thursday for Game 4 following a question-filled morning skate, but now it looks like they won't suit up. Marc Staal and Anton Stralman shouldn't be expected to play either after they didn't come out for the warmup as well.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun have done an excellent job shutting down Los Angeles' top line in the Sharks' second-round series.
Anze Kopitar has managed to produce only one power-play assist in the first four games of the series. In the opening round of the postseason, the duo of Vlasic and Braun held Daniel and Henrik Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks to just one assist each at even strength. "They feel very comfortable playing with each other and they complement each other well," coach Todd McLellan said. "They're both very good skaters with tremendous stamina so when they get caught out there long, they're able to maintain their composure and get the job done." The Kings may shuffle their lines going into Game 5 to avoid the match-up.

Jarret Stoll has not resumed skating since suffering an upper-body injury in Game 1 against San Jose, but he has been doing some off-ice workouts.
"He rode yesterday, rode the bike for a few minutes, and you've got to watch heart rate," coach Darryl Sutter said Thursday. "Then he'll do that again today. It is that protocol. So is that progress? It is if it's good today. He's out at the practice rink this morning. [Reporter: But he's not skating?] No. He's not skating." TSN's Darren Dreger has reported that Stoll suffered head and shoulder injuries after being hit by Raffi Torres.

Dalton Thrower has been suspended for the rest of the Memorial Cup tournament after delivering a check to the head on Portland Winterhawks forward Taylor Leier.
Leier, who was a fourth-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2012, lay motionless on the ice before being helped off and there was no penalty called on the play. He is suffering from concussion-like symptoms. Thrower was chosen in the second round of 2012 draft by the Montreal Canadiens.

Patrick Roy has been named the new head coach and vice president of hockey operations of the Colorado Avalanche.
The club tweeted on Thursday that the two sides have "reached an agreement in principle" and it's expected that the official news conference will be next week because of the holiday weekend. "This is an unbelievable day for me," said Roy, who has spent the last eight seasons serving as the coach and GM of the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL. "It's a new and exciting challenge that I am really looking forward to. I would like to thank Stan and Josh Kroenke for this opportunity as well as Joe Sakic for the trust they are putting in me. Almost 10 years to the day that I announced my retirement as a player I am back in Denver and hope the fans are as excited as I am."

Daniel Alfredsson feels his comment about the Senators not being able to rally from a 3-1 series deficit against Pittsburgh was taken out of context.
"Maybe I should have continued right away where I left off in my answer," he said. "I don't doubt for one second that we'll come out with a great effort (Friday night). It sounds like I had given up. If you ask anyone and they look at our series, I don't think there are too many people that would pick us right now. That's what I meant. We're still in the playoffs. It doesn't matter to me which way it's looked at. The guys in this room know enough about me. I believe in these guys ... I'm not going to change anything in how it's said. It's obvious to me that we're in tough." Anyone who said Alfredsson had given up went a little overboard, but he clearly understands that the Senators have their backs against the wall against a talented team.

Obviously, Craig Anderson will be between the pipes for Ottawa Friday night in Game 5 at Pittsburgh.
He allowed six goals on 38 shots in a 7-3 loss to the Penguins on Wednesday night and was pulled for the second time in the series, but he was excellent in the first period and helped the Senators steal Game 3 in double overtime. Coach Paul MacLean said there was no question in his mind that Anderson would play in Game 5. Ottawa will attempt to avoid playoff elimination in the contest.

Corey Crawford will start in goal for the Blackhawks in Game 4 Thursday night.
He has lost his past two appearances while surrendering seven goals, but Chicago is sticking with him. Prior to Ray Emery's injury there was some talk of the Hawks using two goaltenders in the playoffs, but Emery's ailment and Crawford's solid play had stopped those conversations.

Chicago teammate Viktor Stalberg is confident that Jonathan Toews will snap out of his scoring funk in Game 4.
"I've got a feeling he'll probably score here tonight," Stalberg said prior to Game 4 against Detroit. "He's usually that guy that when we need him the most he's going to find a way to get it done. So I wouldn't be surprised to see him have a big game here tonight." Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin predicted that James Neal would break out of his slump "soon," going into Wednesday's contest and Neal responded with two goals and one assist. The Blackhawks would be more than thankful if Toews had a night like that.

Kris Newbury and Micheal Haley took part in Thursday's morning skate.
Brad Richards has already been scratched and Arron Asham is uncertain to play, so Newbury and/or Haley could be playing in Game 4. Coach John Tortorella wouldn't talk about his lineup for the contest. Newbury dressed in Game 1 versus Washington in the opening round, but hasn't played since, while Haley has never played in an NHL playoff game before and he suited up in just nine games with the Rangers during the regular season.

Ryane Clowe participated in the morning skate, but if he is fact out with a concussion then it would be hard to see him play in Game 4 Thursday night.
He hasn't played since Game 5 of the first round with a possible concussion. Clowe hasn't resumed full contact and he hasn't skated in a full practice with his teammates, so he should be considered doubtful to return Thursday.

Marc Staal said there has been improvement over the past two days with regard to his blurred vision and altered depth perception.
"That week after the game I didn't play [Game 4 against the Capitals], I had some ups and downs and I took a few days off to let things settle down," Staal said. "The last two days have been better so we'll go from there. It's worse to sit and watch than it is to deal with the eye." He didn't say if he would play in Game 4 Thursday, but it's unlikely that he does.

Wade Redden (undisclosed) is unlikely to play in Game 4 Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
He participated in the team's morning session, but Boston isn't expected to alter their lineup.

Dennis Seidenberg (lower body) probably won't play Thursday.
He skated in the morning but the Bruins aren't expected to make any lineup changes going into Game 4 as they attempt to sweep the New York Rangers.

Jaromir Jagr was absent from practice Thursday morning, but he's expected to play in Game 4.
He participated in Wednesday's optional skate. Expect Jagr to be back alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand on Thursday night after Carl Soderberg skated in his place in the morning. He has no goals and four assists in 10 playoff games.

Anton Stralman (undisclosed) didn't skate Thursday morning.
He isn't likely to play in Game 4 and the Rangers will probably turn to Roman Hamrlik to take his place. Stralman doesn't have a point in 10 playoff contests, but he does have 16 hits and 21 blocks. His absence cuts into the depth of New York's back end, which means more ice time for Daniel Girardi and Ryan McDonagh.

Roman Hamrlik appears to be the top candidate to fill in on the blueline for injured defender Anton Stralman.
Matt Gilroy is another option but the veteran presence of Hamrlik would probably help more, albeit in a limited capacity, in the contest.

Arron Asham wasn't sure if he was playing in Game 4 following the team's morning skate.
Kris Newbury and Micheal Haley were also involved in the Rangers' practice, so one or both of them could be playing Thursday instead. Brad Richards will be a healthy scratch, but it isn't clear who will be replacing him in the lineup.

Chris Kreider is projected to play in Game 4 after he missed most of the third period on Tuesday.
He was struck in the forehead by the stick of Tyler Seguin and didn't skate on Wednesday. However, he is apparently fine to play.

Darroll Powe (undisclosed) said he wouldn't be back in New York's lineup for Game 4 Thursday night.
He hasn't played since Game 3 against Washington on May 6 due to a suspected concussion.

Brad Richards will be a healthy scratch Thursday night when the Rangers face elimination from the playoffs in Game 4.
"I'm surprised, I guess," said Richards, who was told about the decision by coach John Tortorella this morning. "I'm disappointed." He has played most of the playoffs on the fourth line and has one goal, along with a minus-3 rating, in 10 games. Richards was given just 8:10 of ice time in Game 3. He is still owed $36 million through 2020, but this decision has led to plenty of speculation about his future with the organization. The Rangers may decide to use an amnesty buyout on Richards in the off-season, but for now he'll have to watch his teammate try to stay alive against Boston.

Alex Ovechkin credits coach Adam Oates with his successful turnaround during the 2013 campaign.
"Right now I can tell to work with him, it was probably one of the biggest reason to my success this year," Ovechkin said. He was still productive in his previous two seasons, but his star among the NHL's elite players had been waning a bit. After a sluggish start to the lockout-shortened season, he emerged as a top-tier player again while recording 32 goals and 56 points in 48 games.

Brandon Sutter has struggled with consistency on his faceoffs during the postseason, but he isn't overly concerned.
"It's funny, because it's game to game. One game, you'll struggle really bad," he said. "The next game, against the same guys, you'll do really well. It's tough to get that consistency. That's the challenge." Going into Game 4, he flirted with nearly a 60 percent winning percentage in three straight contests. On Wednesday though, he won just 44.44 percent of his draws. Sutter has two points in 10 postseason contests.

Pascal Dupuis tied a franchise record set by Penguins' great Mario Lemieux by scoring his second shorthanded goal of the playoffs on Wednesday night.
Dupuis is tied with Sidney Crosby for the postseason lead at seven goals apiece going into Thursday night's action. He also had an assist in Game 4's 7-3 domination of the Senators.

Sidney Crosby generated a goal and an assist Wednesday night in Game 4 versus Ottawa.
He scored his seventh marker of the playoffs, which ties him for the most in the league with teammate Pascal Dupuis, on a sweet backhand that went top shelf and chased Senators goaltender Craig Anderson near the midway mark of the third period. The score at the time was 6-2 and it ended up as a 7-3 victory for the Penguins.

Joe Vitale didn't play Sunday or Wednesday because of his lack of success on faceoffs and not because of a "health thing."
Vitale said Wednesday he had "a hiccup" to a previous lower-body injury, but that's not the reason why he's currently watching his teammates from the press box. Coach Dan Bylsma has not been pleased with Vitale's work in the faceoff circle in Round 2, as he won only 9 of 21 draws in Games 1 and 2.

Jussi Jokinen contributed a power-play assist and won 60 percent of his faceoffs in his return to the lineup Wednesday night.
He pretty much did exactly what was expected of him after being a healthy scratch for the past five games.

Brenden Morrow appeared to be favoring his left arm when he left practice Tuesday.
He missed Wednesday's contest with an undisclosed ailment and since the Penguins won't talk about injuries or their lineup it leaves us to speculate on what's ailing him. He should be considered questionable to play Friday in Game 5 at this time.

Kris Letang racked up four assists in Pittsburgh's 7-3 blowout win over Ottawa in Game 4.
Two of his helpers came on the man advantage, which ties him with San Jose's Logan Couture for the most power-play points in the playoffs at eight going into Thursday night's action. Letang also leads all NHL defensemen in scoring with 13 points in 10 postseason contests.

Jarome Iginla scored twice as Pittsburgh routed Ottawa 7-3 in Game 4 Wednesday night.
He posted four shots in the contest and finished with a plus-2 rating despite getting a playoff-low 13:56 of ice time. Iginla has 12 points in 10 postseason games for the Penguins.

Erik Karlsson collected two assists and five shots in Wednesday's 7-3 loss to Pittsburgh.
The supremely talented defenseman had been struggling in his previous three matches against the Penguins in the series. Going into Wednesday's contest, Karlsson had no points, eight shots, six penalty minutes and a minus-4 rating after he looked very good versus Montreal in the first round of the playoffs.

Andre Benoit picked up an assist Wednesday night.
In four playoff appearances with Ottawa, he has contributed three helpers. Benoit also owns a plus-4 rating while seeing nearly 16 minutes of ice time per game.

Kyle Turris potted his team-leading fifth goal of the postseason in Wednesday's 7-3 loss to Pittsburgh.
His tally gave the Senators a 2-1 lead after the first period, the Penguins poured it on in the next two frames to put Ottawa on the brink of elimination. Turris has five goals and seven points in nine playoff contests after he recorded 12 markers and 29 points during 48 regular season games.

Milan Michalek scored in Wednesday's 7-3 loss to Pittsburgh for the first time since Game 2 of the opening round against Montreal.
He busted through the Penguins' defense to score a shorthanded marker early in the first period. Michalek has two points in last two games and four in nine total playoff outings.

Mark Stone registered two shots in 11:23 of ice time for the Senators in Game 4 versus Pittsburgh.
Stone hadn't played in the NHL since early March when he skated in four contests with Ottawa. He replaced Cory Conacher, who sat as a healthy scratch, in the lineup.

Daniel Alfredsson isn't confident that Ottawa can come back from a 3-1 series deficit against Pittsburgh.
When he was asked if the Senators can win three straight games over the Penguins he said, "Probably not. I mean, with their depth and power play right now, it doesn't look too good for us." He believes the team will try their hardest in Game 5 Friday night back in Pittsburgh, but he was clearly dejected by Wednesday's 7-3 defeat. Alfredsson has generated two goals and two assists in his past three games and he'll need to shoulder the load again if Ottawa is going to extend their playoff run.

Jeff Frazee has apparently received an offer to play in Sweden next season.
His agent, Jordan Neumann, confirmed a report out of Sweden that Frazee has an offer to play overseas, but said, "It is still Jeff's intention to return to the Devils organization." The minor-league goalie can become an unrestricted free agent on July 5.

Stephen Gionta and Ryan Carter were happy to contribute to Team USA's bronze medal at the World Hockey Championship.
"It was a fun tournament and, obviously, it helps coming home with something," Gionta said Wednesday. "The ultimate goal is the make the (NHL) playoffs and play in that, but to go over and represent USA and come home with the first medal since '04 was pretty cool and definitely something that I enjoyed." The two of them played with Tampa Bay's Nate Thompson in the tournament. Gionta had three goals in 10 contests, while Carter had a goal and an assist in 10 games.

David Leggio is slated for unrestricted free agency this summer.
He was Rochester's MVP after earning a 38-24-1 record with a 2.56 GAA and a .924 save percentage in the AHL with Buffalo's minor-league affiliate. However, he may not be back with the Sabres' organization next year. "David is obviously a very good goaltender," Buffalo GM Darcy Regier said. "He's going to be unrestricted. He is going to have some freedom, some rights, and we're going to sit down and talk about the goaltending situation because with the addition of Matt Hackett and even Connor Knapp and Nathan Lieuwen, we've got some decisions to make." If he's brought back and Ryan Miller gets traded then he could find himself in a battle for a backup role on the big club, but there are several factors that would have to fall into place for that scenario to happen.

Don Cherry believes that that fired Canucks coach Alain Vigneault was "thrown under the bus" by GM Mike Gillis.
Cherry argued that the fault lies with Gillis for his roster decisions. Specifically moves like keeping Roberto Luongo and thus setting the stage for a goaltending controversy. If the Canucks suffer another fast playoff exit in 2013-14, then Gillis might end up getting fired as well.

Jhonas Enroth wants to be a starting goaltender and he may get that chance with the Buffalo Sabres if Ryan Miller is moved in the off-season.
"I've been growing a lot," said Enroth after backstopping Sweden to a gold medal at the IIHF World Championships. "I want to play more. My goal is to be a starter one year in the NHL, and right now Ryan is the starter here. It's kind of hard to take the job from him here, but we'll see what happens." During the tournament, he posted a 5-2-1 record with a 1.15 goals-against average and a .956 save percentage. Enroth will need to be much more consistent than he's been in the past if he wants to be an NHL starter, but is making positive steps forward.

Jarret Stoll (undisclosed) isn't expected to return on Thursday.
Stoll has been sidelined with what's likely a head injury after being hit by Raffi Torres. Torres was suspended for his actions. "He's obviously a very good player," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said of Stoll. "The suspension that Raffi had imposed on him also affects us, so we both lost valuable players in this series. Both teams have players that are playing banged up, and the positive thing for both teams is that no one is really making excuses. Whoever you put out there has to play. That's the way it's got to be."

The San Jose Sharks aren't relying on any momentum to carry forward from their wins in Game 3 and 4.
"You need to re-establish momentum on a nightly basis," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "I'm a real believer in that." So far the home team has won every game of this series, which isn't surprising given that the Sharks and Kings have been two of the best home teams in the NHL this year. Still, San Jose needs to prove they can win at Staples Center in order to advance past the second round.

Tuukka Rask isn't bothered that his play isn't being trumpeted from the rooftops in some circles.
"I don't care," he said Wednesday. "I know that people are saying our defensive system helps me out and stuff like that. And most of the time I'm in the right position and the saves look easy. I like it that way." After 10 games, Rask's pace is similar to the numbers that Tim Thomas ended up with during Boston's run to the Stanley Cup in 2011. Rask currently has a .930 save percentage and a 2.19 GAA and he has been a difference maker at key times during the playoffs. He hasn't give up much against the Rangers in Round 2 and continues to build his case to earn a lucrative contract extension in the off-season.

Andrew Ference (lower body) did some off-ice work Wednesday.
He hasn't resumed skating since suffering a lower-body injury in Game 5 against Toronto, but coach Claude Julien said the defenseman is making some progress.

Dennis Seidenberg (lower body) took part in an optional session on Wednesday and said there's a chance he could be ready to play in Game 4.
"There's a chance for sure," he said after the skate. "But you don't want to come back too early. We'll see how it feels [Thursday] and go from there." There is also the possibility that the Bruins may hold him out of the lineup for Game 4 because the team's defense has performed so well against the Rangers in the series.

Kyle Clifford skated with Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams during Wednesday's practice.
If the Kings go with those lines on Thursday, then this would be a big opportunity for Clifford. The Kings top line has been struggling in the postseason, so perhaps this change will provide them with a spark. That being said, Clifford isn't an known for his scoring abilities, but Williams sees the benefit of him being on their line. "We're obviously starved for goals, and there's a reason for that. Not enough net pressure, not enough traffic, not enough rebounds, not enough going to the net with a purpose. Kyle brings all of those, and if we are to play together tomorrow, we're going to need to do that to get results," Williams said on Wednesday.

Dustin Brown was taken off the Kings' top line during Wednesday's practice.
Brown skated on the third line with Dwight King and Trevor Lewis. The Kings' first line hasn't been effective in the playoffs and Brown is one of the players that's been struggling. He has just two goals and three points in 10 games, although he also leads the team with 46 hits.

Ryan Callahan and the New York Rangers are adopting the "one-win at a time" philosophy as they try to claw their way back into their semifinal series against Boston.
"We're not looking at odds or anything like that," said Callahan whose team trails the Bruins in the series 3-0. "We're looking at one game at home, and we'll try to bring this thing back to Boston. That's the only way we can look at it, to try to win one game in our building." Three teams have recovered from this type of deficit before to win an NHL series and Boston was the latest victim of that circumstance in 2010 against Philadelphia.

The Detroit Red Wings have won more faceoffs than the Chicago Blackhawks in every game of their second-round series.
That's certainly been a boost for Detroit and played a role in them taking a 2-1 series lead. "It's definitely a factor," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville admitted. "We've got to get better in that area. It's definitely an area that is a point of emphasis moving forward. All (zones are) critical, special teams, PK (penalty kill), offensive . We've given up a couple of goals the last two games (because of lost faceoffs)." Overall, the Red Wings have a 52.6% success rate on the draw in the playoffs, but they've won 54.6% of their faceoffs in the second round.

Jimmy Howard argued that people underestimating the Detroit Red Wings is nothing new.
"A lot of people have counted us out for many years, saying our leadership is getting too old," Howard said. "And those guys just go out and prove the naysayers wrong. A lot of people picked the 'Hawks to sweep us, and we're playing great hockey against them now. We just gotta keep it up." The Detroit Red Wings didn't make it past the second round in each of their previous three playoff runs, so they didn't exactly defy expectations. At the same time, the Red Wings were seen as a team in transition in 2013 and were expected to regress. They just barely made the playoffs, but the fact that they might even go further than any Detroit team since 2009 is impressive.

Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and assistant GM Craig Heisinger spent most of their time at the IIHF World Champioship eyeballing 2012 first-round pick Jacob Trouba.
"We saw him play in a lot of different situations with eight defensemen in the lineup any given night. Jacob played on the first power play in all the games that we watched," Cheveldayoff said. "He was given a lot of responsibility in that regard. He has a very good slapshot. The team was looking for some chemistry in some areas and found it. I think their power play was pretty good and from that standpoint, it was pretty good to see Jacob be a part of it. Not having played for an extended period of time or ever at the men's level, I think there was a good transition period for him. It looked like he was more comfortable every time he played. He's had a wonderful opportunity given to him and he took full advantage of it." It sounds like the team's brass is impressed with the 19-year-old's play and he's definitely a player to watch going into training camp.

Alex Chiasson is determined to start the 2013-14 campaign with the Dallas Stars.
Chiasson spent seven games with Dallas this season. "(Now) I'm not going to take anything for granted, I got a taste of what it is to be (in the NHL) and that's my main goal this summer . that they're going to have to keep me," he said. Chiasson had six goals and seven points in his seven NHL games, so he's certainly worth keeping a close eye on during the Stars' training camp.

Sergei Bobrovsky's contract talks with the Columbus Blue Jackets have gone quiet.
"We've talked. We've exchanged ideas," Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said. "But we haven't made any progress, really. It's been pretty quiet for a while now." Bobrovsky can become a restricted free agent this summer if the Blue Jackets don't re-sign him. That would allow the goaltender to ink an offer sheet, but Kekalainen said that the team is prepared to match an offer sheet if it comes to that.

Olli Jokinen will continue to rest and rehab his ankle injury during the off-season.
He won't require surgery after sustaining a high-ankle sprain late in the 2013 campaign. Jokinen had a disappointing first year with the Jets after he was brought in with the hope of anchoring the team's top line. He notched seven goals and seven assists, while picking up a minus-19 rating, in 45 games.

The Vancouver Canucks' decision to fire Alain Vigneault could impact the Colorado Avalanche's search for a new coach.
It looked like Patrick Roy would probably become the Avalanche's head coach, but the availability of Vigneault gives the team another viable option. If nothing else, it gives the Avalanche more leverage when negotiating the terms of Roy's potential contract.

Zach Bogosian missed the last three games of the regular season with a concussion.
Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said the 22-year-old defenseman is doing fine as he recovers. Bogosian sustained "an upper-body injury" when he took to a hit the head from New York Islanders forward Kyle Okposo on April 20. He will hope to continue to improve during the off-season. Bogosian also needs to work out a new contract with the Jets during the summer as well.

Mark Stuart played through a sports hernia late in the season, but the good news is that it won't require an off-season procedure.
He'll just need to rehab it over the summer.

Tobias Enstrom had a back injury at the end of the regular season.
The ailment forced him to sit out the final seven games of the year, but it won't require off-season surgery. Enstrom will just need to get more rest and treatment during the summer.

Evander Kane's wrist ailment will not require surgery, according to Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff.
He will receive treatment and rest over the course of the off-season for a wrist problem and some nerve damage in his lower leg and foot.

Mark Scheifele is feeling better after suffering "a slight concussion" during the OHL championship series.
"I'm feeling a lot better now. I've pretty much taken all those days off, doing completely nothing, just relaxing," he said. "I'll probably start a little more activity as the days come now and see how I feel from that." He mentioned that he's strongly considering training with fitness guru Gary Roberts in the off-season to prepare himself for camp.

Patrick Sharp practiced on the Blackhawks' top line on Wednesday.
Sharp skated alongside Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa. "That's up to Joel. He has a good feel for the team, mixing and matching players," Sharp said. "You've seen that in the past. I'll play wherever he puts me and I trust he knows the right combination." Toews has struggled offensively in the 2013 playoffs, so maybe this change will help spark him.

The Chicago Blackhawks are putting a lot of emphasis on getting off to a great start in Game 4 on Thursday.
"It's going to be huge," Marian Hossa said. "It's going to be a big difference after Game 4: it's either going to be 2-2 or 3-1. We know the stakes and we have to prepare. We did a lot of good things in Game 3, but they still found a way to be better than us. In Game 4 we have to be better than them." Chicago is 3-1 in the postseason when leading after 20 minutes and they haven't lost a 2013 playoff game when they held the lead going into the third period.

Andrew Shaw has accumulated 18 penalty minutes over the first three games of the second round.
Shaw will be looking to play a more disciplined game on Thursday. "I've gotta keep going to the net and keep my hands down, also," Shaw said. "It's a physical battle in front of the net and I can't take stupid penalties. I have to move forward and move past the last game. We have to stay disciplined." The Blackhawks have been perfect when it comes to killing penalties in the playoffs, but allowing the other team to have a power-play opportunity still kills Chicago's momentum.

Daniel Taylor has agreed to terms with a Swedish Elite League team.
Taylor will play for Farjestad and potentially end his North American career at the age of 27. He had a 3.00 GAA and .912 save percentage in two starts with Calgary this season.

Stefan Warg has agreed to a two-year, entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks.
Warg had 19 points and 40 penalty minutes in 52 games this season in Sweden's second-tier league. The Ducks took him in the fifth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Jaromir Jagr, Jonathan Toews and Tyler Seguin remain frustratingly planted in the "no-goal club."
Seguin must be the most agitated with a whopping 39 SOG and zero tallies in 10 games, failing to find the net despite firing almost four shots on opposing goalies per contest. It's stunning that the Bruins are one win away from the Eastern Conference finals despite the fact that Jagr and Seguin have gone without a goal on 68 combined SOG.

While Ryan Suter's 31:37 minutes per game easily tops all players in this postseason, Zdeno Chara is averaging the most ice time among active participants.
Chara is logging 29:23 minutes per game, comfortably ahead of Drew Doughty (28:06) and Kris Letang (27:17). With that in mind, the towering Boston Bruins captain would likely welcome the "rust" that may come from a second-round sweep.

There are 11 players with a shorthanded goal in the 2013 playoffs, but Pascal Dupuis is the only one with two.
One of his came in Game 4 on Wednesday. Milan Michalek also had one in a serious where PK units have been dangerous enough to encourage caution. Along with Dupuis, Michalek and Daniel Alfredsson (1G, 1A apiece) are tied for the lead in shorthanded points with two.

Brendan Leipsic has agreed to terms with the Nashville Predators.
Leipsic was taken by Nashville with the 89th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He had 120 points and 103 penalty minutes in 68 WHL games with the Portland Winterhawks this season.

Daniel Alfredsson had a goal and an assist in Ottawa's 7-3 loss Wednesday.
Alfredsson has now recorded 100 career playoff points. Milan Michalek and Kyle Turris accounted for Ottawa's other two goals. Erik Karlsson registered his sixth and seventh assists of the postseason. Chris Neil, Andre Benoit, and Jakob Silfverberg each had an assist for Ottawa. Neil also recorded a team-high seven hits. Chris Phillips led the Senators with five blocked shots.

Tomas Vokoun saved 30 of 33 shots in a 7-3 win in Game 4 on Wednesday.
Since taking over for Marc-Andre Fleury, Vokoun has now won five of six postseason contests. The Penguins decision to acquire him in the summer has proven to be one of their biggest additions and the Penguins are likely to continue to ride him unless he goes cold. Pittsburgh now has a 3-1 series lead with Game 5 scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday.

Craig Anderson kicked out 32 of 38 shots in a 7-3 defeat on Wednesday.
Anderson was great in the first period, but the Penguins seemed to get better as this contest went on. He was finally yanked in the third period in favor of Robin Lehner. The 21-year-old goaltender ended up stopping three of four shots in the losing effort. The Senators are now down 3-1 in this series and will likely need Anderson to bounce back and steal Game 5.

James Neal scored two goals and registered an assist in Pittsburgh's 7-3 win Wednesday night.
Neal bounced back after recording just three points in his last seven postseason contests. Jarome Iginla netted his third and fourth goals of the playoffs. Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis each had a goal and an assist for Pittsburgh. Chris Kunitz scored a goal, giving him four points in his last four games. Kris Letang registered four assists for the Penguins.

Ryan McDonagh wants to see his team be a bit more patient in the Boston Bruins' zone.
"You see them, they're pretty good at waiting for help, waiting for guys to come into the zone," McDonagh said, "and I think we can use that, too, wait for second or third guys to come into the zone, and look for guys as opposed to throwing it to an area and try to skate onto it." The Rangers are down 3-0 in their second-round series and have only scored five goals in that span.

Alain Vigneault hopes to find a new coaching gig in the NHL.
Vigneault was fired by the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. "I am a career coach and it is what I love to do," Vigneault said. He has a 422-288-35-61 record as a coach and will probably enter the 2013-14 campaign as another team's bench boss. The Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche are two possibilities, but other options might present themselves.

Canucks GM Mike Gillis has fired Alain Vigneault "after a thorough review."
Gillis cited the Canucks' lack of playoff success as the primary reason they decided to make a change. Vancouver has been great in the regular season, but endured fast exits from the 2012 and 2013 playoffs. He didn't want to give any hints as to who the next head coach might be, but he did say that the problems went beyond their now former coach. "Everyone will be addressed," Gillis said. This might be an eventful summer for Vancouver.

Beau Bennett will play in Game 4 on Wednesday.
Bennett has been a healthy scratch since May 5. He is projected to start the game on Pittsburgh's fourth line.

Jussi Jokinen has been inserted into the Penguins' lineup.
Jokinen is capable of being an offensive force, but he's projected to start the game on Pittsburgh's fourth line. He has two assists in four postseason contests.

Brenden Morrow (undisclosed) will not participate in Wednesday's game.
As previously reported, Morrow wasn't part of the team's pregame warmup. He has a goal and three points in nine playoff contests.

Brenden Morrow isn't on the ice for the pregame warmup.
He should not be expected to play Wednesday night in Game 4.

Marc-Andre Gragnani has signed on to play with HC Lev in the KHL.
He dressed in 42 games with Carolina's AHL affiliate in Charlotte and one contest with the Hurricanes in 2012-13.

Brandon Saad and Patrick Sharp switched lines at Wednesday's practice.
Saad moved to the second line to play with Dave Bolland and Patrick Kane, while Sharp skated alongside Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa. "We'll see on the lines," coach Joel Quenneville said. "I know that it's something we'll talk about going into the game."

Dan DeKeyser said he expected to have his hard cast removed from his broken thumb after practice Wednesday and he hopes to return at some point if the Red Wings can advance deep into the postseason.
"As long as they keep winning here, that just gives me a better chance for a return with every win," DeKeyser said. "I'm just hoping that the guys in here can keep winning and keep improving along the way. Hopefully, I'll get a chance in a playoff game again." He might be available to return around mid-June if his six-week recovery projection holds true.

Darren Helm hasn't skated in two and a half weeks, but he's hoping that staying off the ice will help his ailing back finally get better.
"I feel pretty good and feel that I can go out onto the ice and get going," Helm said Wednesday. "But, we've proven three or four times already that that doesn't work. Just (taking) a different approach and hopefully this one works." He won't be back during Detroit's second-round series, but if the team advances further into the playoffs then he is hoping to be available. He isn't expected to need surgery despite all the setbacks he has suffered.

Mattias Backman has agreed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Detroit Red Wings.
He produced two goals and 24 assists in 52 games for Linkoping of the Swedish Elite League this past campaign. Backman is expected to spend another season in Sweden and former assistant GM Jim Nill said that he is probably two-to-three years away from playing at the NHL level if he continues to develop at his current pace. Backman was selected in the fifth round of the 2011 draft.