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.

Jakob Silfverberg is projected to start on the second line with Kyle Turris and Daniel Alfredsson in Game 4 Wednesday night.
He played there for part of Sunday's double-overtime win and he saw some shifts on Jason Spezza's line as well. Silfverberg had been seeing most of his playing time with Mika Zibanejad prior to the shuffling. He doesn't have a point in his last five games and has three points in eight playoff contests.

Brenden Morrow's status is still unknown, but for what it's worth the Ottawa Senators don't expect him to play.
The situation should become clearer after the pregame warmup.

Jussi Jokinen is likely to play in Game 4 Wednesday night at Ottawa.
Coach Dan Bylsma wouldn't confirm his lineup, but he did speak in hypothetical terms in the morning about what Jokinen could bring to the table if he played. "Jussi is a guy who's been out of our lineup and you're sitting on a guy who can make plays, score big goals, he's a faceoff guy," Bylsma said. "He's also a guy who would see time on our second power-play unit, as well." Jokinen practiced on the second unit on Tuesday.

Carl Gunnarsson will be a restricted free agent this summer.
"The ball is in their court right now, so they got to get it moving," Gunnarsson said. "The four years I've had here have been great. We'll see what they want from me next year. I haven't thought about what I want." He plans to speak with his agent this week.

According to several reports, the Vancouver Canucks have decided to fire head coach Alain Vigneault.
Assistant coaches Rick Bowness and Newell Browne will also been let go. The Canucks were swept in four straight games by the San Jose Sharks in the opening round of the playoffs and GM Mike Gillis vowed there would be changes. Vigneault has as the club's bench boss for seven years, while compiling a regular season record of 313-170-57. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2007 and helped guide Vancouver to back-to-back Presidents' trophies in 2010-11 and 2011-12.

Eric Gryba (upper body) won't play in Game 4, but he did return to practice with his teammates on Wednesday.
Wednesday's session marked his first appearance back on the ice since he violently collided with Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik in Game 1 on May 14.

Chris Kreider didn't skate Wednesday after getting hit in the forehead by Tyler Seguin's stick in Game 3 Tuesday night.
If Kreider cannot play Thursday then Darroll Powe is a possibility to return from injury in his place.

Ryane Clowe (undisclosed) skated Wednesday with his teammates for the first time since he exited Game 5 against the Washington Capitals in Round 1.
His availability for Thursday night is still uncertain though.

It would be very beneficial for the Rangers if Marc Staal were able to return for Game 4 Thursday night.
He skated Wednesday and hasn't played since Game 3 versus Washington. The Rangers probably won't have Anton Stralman available when they face elimination from the playoffs after he was injured in Tuesday's contest.

The Chicago Blackhawks are facing some adversity for the first time this season and coach Joel Quenneville sees it as a great opportunity.
"All year long, we've been in a very favorable position," Quenneville said. "I don't think we've been against it in any areas, as far as many stretches in games being down, and definitely in a series we haven't been down. It's a great test for us. It's a good challenge for us. The adversity we're in right now, we have to find a way to overcome it, and that'll be a challenge at the end of the day, to find out about everybody." The Hawks trail the Red Wings 2-1 in their best-of-seven series with Game 4 set for Thursday night.

Matt Gilroy may re-enter New York's lineup in Game 4 Thursday night.
It doesn't look like Anton Stralman will be available to play after getting injured in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to Boston. Gilroy hasn't played since April 25 and he suited up in just 15 games during the regular season. Roman Hamrlik could be an option as well.

Brenden Morrow didn't participate in Pittsburgh's optional game-day skate, so his status for Game 4 is still up in the air.
Several of the team's prominent players, including Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, didn't take part in the session as well. Coach Dan Bylsma also has a policy for these playoffs where he doesn't discuss injuries or his lineup. Morrow left Tuesday's practice early, but it is believed by some that he will still play Wednesday night. He may have just taken the morning off to get some extra rest.

Jakub Voracek is reportedly OK after wrecking his car in an accident this morning in the Czech Republic.
Philadelphia GM Paul Holmgren released this statement: "I spoke with Jake this morning. He was involved in a car accident in the Czech Republic. Although his car did suffer damage, there were no injuries. Jake is fine." Voracek totaled his Ferrari in the accident, but it's a relief that he wasn't hurt.

Cory Conacher is likely to be scratched by the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night when they host Pittsburgh in Game 4.
He posted a minus-1 rating and had no shots in 13:22 of ice time in Sunday's double-overtime victory. It is expected that Mark Stone will take his place in the lineup.

Mark Stone is expected to make his 2013 playoff debut in Game 4 Wednesday night.
He had one assist in one game with the Senators last year during the postseason and skated in four matches with the team in the regular season. Stone is slated to play alongside Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek against the Penguins.

Braden Holtby didn't let a shaky start to the 2013 campaign derail his confidence and at the end of the year he emerged as a solid option between the pipes and the team's undisputed starter.
He posted a 23-12-1 record, a 2.58 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage and four shutouts in 36 games. "If you're not improving every year, you're doing something wrong," said Holtby. "It was nice to get sort of a full season in, and every little experience can help if you use it the right way." He brought some stability to Washington's crease for the first time in a while and will likely be given the number one job again heading into next season.

Marcus Johansson will need a new contract this summer.
He is a pending restricted free agent and is coming off his entry-level deal. He skated alongside Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom on Washington's top line for most of the season and coach Adam Oates praised Johansson's play down the stretch. He should get a nice bump in salary, but he'll probably have to prove himself further before he earns a substantial contract.

Karl Alzner is a restricted free agent this summer.
He made $1.27 million last season and carried a cap hit of $1,285,000. The steady, 24-year-old defenseman will no doubt be getting a raise and given his importance to the team it will probably be a long-term deal.

Paul Martin posted a game-high eight blocked shots in Sunday's double overtime loss to Ottawa.
Martin broke his left hand blocking a shot in March, but that won't stop him from getting in front of chances for the opposition. "You don't think about getting hurt this time of year," Martin said. "You just play your game. You're in a zone. You know these games can come down to one little play. If you don't get a piece of the puck or you don't let [Tomas] Vokoun see it and you end up losing the game, you feel awful. You do everything you can to help the team win." Martin has been great for the Penguins this season and he's carried over that play into the playoffs, where he has nine points and a plus-8 rating in nine games. He is also currently third in the postseason with 26 blocks.

Nate Thompson was thrilled to win a bronze medal with Team USA at the IIHF World Championship.
He called it "a once in a lifetime experience I will never forget." It was his first medal and second time he has competed for the United States at the tournament. "It was awesome," he said. "With the group of guys we had an how young we were, I don't think anyone would have picked us to do that. We had a pretty resilient group." Thompson generated a goal, three points and a plus-1 rating in 10 games.

Brenden Morrow is believed to be dealing with an upper-body injury, but it may not prevent him from playing in Game 4 Wednesday.
He left Tuesday's practice early but it's suspected that he'll try to play through it Wednesday night. Morrow has skated on Pittsburgh's third and fourth lines throughout the playoffs and his undisclosed ailment might have something to do with that. He has one goal and two assists in nine postseason contests.

Jussi Jokinen is waiting for another opportunity to play and he may get back into the lineup for Game 4 Wednesday night.
"It's not easy to watch in the press box," he said. "I just want to play to my strengths and help my team win." The versatile forward could help the Penguins on faceoffs and he may join Craig Adams and Tyler Kennedy on the team's fourth line. Jokinen also denied speculation that he had been dealing with an injury, so he's good to go if he gets the chance to return to the lineup.

James Neal has gone five straight playoff games without a goal, but linemate Evgeni Malkin is expecting "something big, soon" from the talented winger.
Neal has one goal and two assists in seven games during the 2013 postseason. "He's had about six scoring chances from the same spot that almost look identical to each other," coach Dan Bylsma said. "Being in the area, having a good look at the net - pretty much in every game, he's had those chances to do that. It's hasn't gone in for him. Those are good looks there. He just needs one of those to go in." He will be looking to cash in on his opportunities in Game 4 on Wednesday night.

Ottawa's penalty kill has improved each game in their semifinal series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"When you play a team for a third time, that has something to do with it, you see how they're doing things, maybe you get the reads a little bit better," coach Paul MacLean said Tuesday. "I think Craig [Anderson] was better. And our scheme and work ethic were better." MacLean knows that the Penguins will make adjustments though and his players need to stay out of penalty trouble to avoid playing with fire.

Colin Greening is using his big frame and speed to success against Pittsburgh in the second round of the playoffs.
He has scored a goal in each of his past three games versus the Penguins going into Wednesday night's match-up. "If my skating is on, everything else falls into place," Greening said. "I want to pride myself on being a player that can play in the playoffs." Greening, Erik Condra and Jean-Gabriel Pageau has arguably been Ottawa's best line in the series so far.

Brian Boyle was upset with himself for his poor night in the faceoff circle Tuesday night.
"We were in our zone way too long because I couldn't win a freaking draw," Boyle said. "I could have contributed more, and that's infuriating." He won just four of his 21 draws and he hasn't registered a point in his last five contests.

Chris Kreider was struck in the face by a high stick Tuesday night at the 5:05 mark of the third period and didn't return to the game.
The Rangers didn't update his status after the contest. It's possible he was just getting repairs though, so we'll leave him as active for now, but he did appear to be in some pain as he lay on the ice. If his status changes then we'll let you know. Kreider skated on a line with Rick Nash near the end of his night, but he ended up with just 7:06 of ice time. He has one assist in six playoff appearances.

Brent Burns scored a goal in San Jose's 2-1 win Tuesday.
Burns has two goals and four points in eight playoff games. He also ranks second on the team with 26 hits and is tied for third with 25 shots on goal.

Joe Thornton earned a lot of praise for his efforts in Game 4 on Tuesday.
Thornton had an assist in San Jose's 2-1 victory. "That was vintage Joe Thornton right there," Logan Couture said. "Unbelievable. Creating turnovers, making passes, skating like a young guy. He was flying, and I know me personally, it got me going. We need Joe to play like that for the rest of the playoffs."

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly has denied a recent report that Quebecor is in negotiations for the Phoenix Coyotes.
If they are, they would likely want to relocate the Coyotes to Quebec City. The team has been without an owner since 2009, but the NHL has been making every effort to keep the team in Glendale. Over that time, several potential owners have gained attention, but none have been able to finalize a deal.

Andy Sutton has decided to retire.
Sutton wasn't able to play in 2013 due to a knee injury. He had 38 goals and 150 points in 676 games with the San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild, Atlanta Thrashers, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Anaheim Ducks, and Edmonton Oilers. "My NHL career enabled me to not only play the game I love, but to also be a part of something that so many kids dream about growing up," Sutton said. "Throughout my 15 years in the league, I have played for some exceptional hockey teams and have met quality people and friends along the way. None of what I accomplished on the ice would have been possible without the unwavering support of my family, friends, teammates and fans who made playing hockey even more enjoyable."

Robert Scuderi thinks the Kings slow start cost them on Tuesday.
"I think the challenge for us is - as Darryl would say - `starting on time,'" Scuderi said. "I thought they dominated the first. Second period, I thought they dominated the first half. We took the second half, and we dominated the third. When you think about it, it's pretty much an even game, but they buried on their chances." Scuderi added that the Kings didn't learn their lessons from Game 3, so now the series is tied. The good news for the Kings is that the series is moving back to Los Angeles for Game 5.

Dustin Penner appeared to score a goal on Tuesday, but it was judged to have came after a quick whistle.
"Well, I'm sure it's in the rule book," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. "When the whistle goes, right? So what are they going to come and tell us? They're going to come and say they lost sight of the puck and they blew the whistle." The Kings ended up losing the game 2-1 and now the series is even at 2-2.

Darroll Powe (undisclosed) skated with his teammates for a third time Tuesday since he was hurt in Game 3 of the first round.
He doesn't know when he'll be available to return, but he's itching at the chance to get back. "It's not easy to be watching your team play at this time of the year," Powe said.

Anton Stralman was hurt in the second period of Game 3's loss to Boston and he didn't play in the third period.
He took to the ice for just one second-period shift after he was hit into the boards by Boston forward Milan Lucic. "He's played so well that's a big blow for us as far as our matches and just our depth within our defense," coach John Tortorella said. Consider Stralman day-to-day for now.

Anze Kopitar has just one goal in his last 26 contests.
Kopitar did get an assist on Tuesday to end his four-game points drought. The Kings have only managed two goals in their last two games and consequently their second-round series against the San Jose Sharks is now even at 2-2.

Mike Richards is leading all Kings players with nine points in 10 playoff games.
Richards scored the Kings' lone goal on Tuesday. He's traditionally been an effective player in the playoffs with 22 goals and 74 points in 93 career games.

Sebastian Collberg signed a three-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.
In 35 games with Frolunda of the Swedish Elite League this past season, he notched six goals and nine points. He also appeared in 15 games with Orebro HK in Sweden's second division (HockeyAllsvenskan), where he had eight points. Collberg concluded the year with two games in Hamilton of the AHL. He was taken with the 33rd overall pick in the 2012 draft by Montreal.

Matt Greene made his 2013 postseason debut on Tuesday.
Greene had been dealing with an undisclosed injury. He had two blocked shots and four hits in 14:08 minutes of ice time.

Detroit Red Wings forward Damien Brunner has a lot of respect for what Edmonton Oilers coach Ralph Krueger did for hockey in Switzerland.
Krueger coached the Swiss national team before becoming the Oilers' bench boss. "With Krueger we got pretty consistent making the quarterfinals, he did a great job," Brunner said. "For Switzerland he made them believe we could take the next step. Then when he left, Sean Simpson took over and he's been able to take the next step by winning a quarterfinal and winning a semifinal. But Ralph Krueger did a great job over the time he was there." Switzerland ended up falling short in the gold medal game, but it was still their best showing in the tournament since 1935.

Shawn Thornton got he wanted in Game 3 as Boston's fourth line helped the team score both goals in a 2-1 triumph over the New York Rangers Tuesday night.
He wanted his line, along with Daniel Paille (game-winning goal) and Gregory Campbell (an assist), to help out in the scoring act heading into the contest. "We're a better team when all four lines are going for 60 (minutes)," said Thornton, who chipped in two assists. "(Last night) we didn't have any passengers. We might have been the ones who got a couple of goals, but I thought everyone was going."

Johnny Boychuk netted his fourth goal of the playoffs in Tuesday's win over the Rangers.
He potted the game-tying goal in the third period of a 2-1 victory. The Bruins have received plenty of offense from the back end in their second-round series versus New York, with five goals coming from defensemen. "It's just a bonus," Boychuk said. "We just want to get shots on net and our forwards are doing a good job of screening (the goalie). Sometimes they'll tip it and it will go in. But we've been hitting the net and it's been going in. We just have to keep doing the same thing."

Patrice Bergeron's three-game playoff point streak ended Tuesday night in a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers.
He posted four shots and finished with a minus-1 rating, but he won 70 percent of his faceoffs. Bergeron has won over 70 percent of his draws in four of his last five outings, which is a remarkable success rate. He has taken 201 faceoffs in the postseason and won 64.2 percent of them, which makes him the best in the league right now.

Duncan Keith was able to take some positives out of Detroit's 3-1 win on Monday.
"We probably had one of our better game of the playoffs (Monday)," Keith said. "Even though we lost, I think we're going to take some confidence away from this game. I know it's a tougher situation down 2-1, but we just got to go in with the right mentality the next game." Chicago has been given plenty of time to reflect on that defeat, given that Game 4 won't be until Thursday. Keith assisted on Chicago's lone goal on Monday and has six points in eight playoff games.

Boston coach Claude Julien is confident that his group has learned from their past mistakes in elimination games and that they are stronger right now than they were.
The Bruins blew a 3-0 series lead against Philadelphia three years ago and nearly lost to Toronto in the first round this year after building a 3-1 series lead. "The Toronto series, I didn't think our team was in the zone the way it is right now," Julien said. "I anticipate - knowing my team - that we're going to come out the same next game and certainly not be the Jekyll and Hyde team that we were in the first round." Boston can sweep the New York Rangers with a victory on Thursday night.

Jonathan Ericsson stressed the value of getting under the Blackhawks' skin.
"If we can get them frustrated, that's almost 1-0 for us right away," Ericsson said. "So that's what we want to do." The Blackhawks are denying that the Red Wings have succeeded in frustrating them, but they have suffered back-to-back rough losses against Detroit. They'll enter Game 4 on Thursday with the goal of evening this series, but if the Red Wings get off to a strong sstart, it could be a big blow to Chicago's confidence.

Jacob Trouba had an injury at the IIHF World Championship that caused him to miss three games, but he finished the tournament strong and helped the United States win the bronze medal.
"It was definitely an adjustment from where I was," Trouba said. "I hadn't played a game in a month and a half going into that, and I had never played at that level before. The first couple games were an adjustment, and then I got a little injured there for a little bit, and then when I came back I felt fine. I felt like I could keep up and I could play how I play at that level. So it went well." He recorded a goal and two assists in seven contests, while logging 13 minutes of average ice time per game. Trouba may find himself in Winnipeg's top-six defense group next season.

Contract talks with restricted free agent Zach Bogosian haven't begun at this time, according to his agent Bob Murray.
GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is preoccupied with the draft and his end of the year evaluations, so it's not surprising that he hasn't held discussions with Bogosian's camp yet. A deal will probably be worked out over the summer after he's sent a qualifying offer.

The Dallas Stars would like to conduct their 2013 training camp in Fort Worth.
That's part of the Stars plans to expand their footprint. "We're very interested in making ourselves the Hockey Team of Texas, and really the entire Southwest," Stars president Jim Lites said. "We'd love to expand our footprint from New Orleans to Tulsa to Houston and beyond. We want to get people excited about the Dallas Stars." The Stars are interested in having future training camps in places like San Antonio and Houston. Meanwhile, the Stars are looking for a head coach to serve under new GM Jim Nill.

According to two league sources, Alexander Burmistrov has no intention of re-signing with the Winnipeg Jets.
He is slated for restricted free agency. Burmistrov reportedly wanted to be dealt at the trade deadline and despite discussions with Ottawa, Buffalo and the New York Islanders, the Jets were unsuccessful in moving him. His agent, Mark Gandler, wouldn't say much about the matter, but he did say that "Alex is not going to sign in the KHL." Burmistrov hasn't been very productive in three seasons, with 23 goals and 35 assists in 194 career contests, but he's still just 21 years of age so it might be too early to label him as a bust.

Patrick Roy is still a strong candidate for the Colorado Avalanche's coaching job, even if it's not a done deal.
The Avalanche tried to bring Roy in as the team coach in 2009, but those efforts ultimately fell through. However, back then it appeared that Roy was the one that turned down Colorado, while this time around there's reportedly mutual interest. Roy's former teammate, Milan Hejduk, thinks Roy is ready to coach an NHL team after his years as the Quebec Remparts' bench boss. "He was just a fiery guy. He tried to fire up his troops," Hejduk said. "There were a number of times after a bad first period he would stand in front of the locker room and raise his voice and try to get things going. He's done a really good job coaching his junior team, and paid his dues. It should really serve him well in the future."

Jonathan Toews is still looking for his first goal of the playoffs.
"I always (feel the pressure to score); maybe a little added pressure in this situation. It's one of those things I have to keep working, keep trying to find ways to score," Toews said. "Eventually it's going to come." Chicago could certainly use the help. They have been held to just two goals over their last two games and are now down in their second-round series 2-1. These are the type of situations where they rely on Toews the most.

Chicago has just three power-play goals in 22 opportunities.
"We need to get our power play going," Marian Hossa said. "We need a big goal from the power play." Chicago certainly needs something after scoring just two goals in their last two games. They haven't scored a power-play goal on the road in the 2013 playoffs, so that's something to keep in mind as they get ready for Game 4 in Detroit.

John Gibson excelled in the 2013 World Championship.
Gibson had a 1.56 GAA and .951 save percentage in six games to help Team USA capture the bronze medal. He also had a 2.41 GAA and .928 save percentage in 27 OHL regular season games this season. He's worth keeping an eye on during the Ducks training camp, but he won't make the team unless the Ducks trade Jonas Hiller or Viktor Fasth over the summer. In fact it could still be years before he gets regular playing time in the NHL and he'll likely get some seasoning in the AHL first, but he's certainly showing a lot of promise.

Mike Richards provided the only offense for the Los Angeles Kings with a third period power play goal in their 2-1 Game 4 loss to San Jose on Tuesday.
The Kings offense sputtered in San Jose, after starting the series strong. The team was completely outplayed in the first period, resulting in a 15-3 shot differential in favor of the Sharks. L.A. turned it around a bit in the third, mustering some quality chances in the form of 14 shots, including Richards' tally. However, the team needs to solve their offensive dilemmas as they head home for Game 5 on Thursday. Jeff Carter and Anze Kopitar both recorded assists in the loss and led the team with four shots apiece.

Jonathan Quick allowed two goals on 23 shots, as the Kings dropped Game 4 to the Sharks by a score of 2-1.
Quick was tested early and often, stopping 14 of 15 shots in the first period, as the Sharks sent a slew of pucks at him throughout the frame. He faced just eight shots the rest of the way, but a San Jose power play goal in the second proved the difference, as L.A. was unable to generate successful scoring chances. Quick has been pretty impressive this series, despite dropping back-to-back 2-1 contests in San Jose. Hopefully the shift back to L.A. for Game 5 will change the Kings' fortune and give Quick some offensive help.

Logan Couture scored his fifth goal of the playoffs on the power play, leading the Sharks to a 2-1 Game 4 victory on Tuesday to even the series up at 2-2.
Couture originally did not receive credit for the game-winning goal, but the replay showed that the Dan Boyle point shot clearly ricocheted off of Couture and past Jonathan Quick. Couture led the Sharks with five shots on goal, and has been active all series, having tallied points in each of the past three games. Brent Burns opened the scoring in the first period with his second of the playoffs, while Joe Thornton received the first star of the game after notching an assist and playing well on the defensive side of the puck in the win.

Antti Niemi was strong in net, stopping 22 of 23 shots he faced as the Sharks tied up the series with 2-1 Game 4 win on Tuesday.
Niemi wasn't busy for most of the night, as the Sharks did a good job of stalling the Kings attack. He was helped in the second period after a premature whistle was blown before a Kings goal. He rallied from there, and aside from allowing a power play goal in the third, he settled in quite nicely when L.A. turned it up towards the finish. After starting the series slowly, Niemi has responded with back-to-back .950 SV% performances. He'll have to steal one for the Sharks on the road, however, if they are going to advance to the Western Conference finals.

Daniel Paille notched a goal and an assist to lead Boston to a 2-1 Game 3 win over the New York Rangers.
He picked up an assist on defenseman Johnny Boychuck's fourth marker of the playoffs and then he supplied the game-winning goal late in the third. The Bruins' fourth line wanted to contribute more offensively and they were the driving force behind Tuesday's victory. Shawn Thornton picked up two assists in the contest and Gregory Campbell had a helper of his own. Milan Lucic recorded five hits and Matt Bartkowski led the team with six. Boston now owns a commanding 3-0 series lead versus the Rangers.

Tuukka Rask turned aside 23 shots in a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers Tuesday night.
The Rangers registered 11 shots in the first period, but they mustered just 13 in the next two stanzas. Still, Rask deserves some credit for keeping the Bruins close after two periods and allowing them to stage a third-period comeback. New York has scored only five goals on Rask in three games in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series, which is why they trail Boston 3-0 and are one loss away from playoff elimination.

Henrik Lundqvist stopped 32 of 34 shots in a 2-1 loss to Boston in Game 3 Tuesday.
The Rangers held a 1-0 lead late going into the third period, but ended up losing and digging themselves a 3-0 hole in the series. New York wasted a strong bounce-back effort from their goaltender, who stopped 14 shots in the second period. Lundqvist rebounded after getting burned for five goals against in Game 2, but his teammates couldn't close out the Bruins by giving him some additional offensive support.

Taylor Pyatt was credited with New York's only goal in a 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 3 Tuesday night.
The goal was originally thought to be scored by defenseman Ryan McDonagh, but after a review it was given to Pyatt on the tip. The Rangers carried the 1-0 lead into the third period, but the Bruins netted two goals in the final frame to take a commanding 3-0 series lead. Derek Stepan led the club with five shots and Ryan Callahan posted a game-high seven hits to go with four shots. John Moore finished with a minus-1 rating and a game-high four blocks.

Keaton Ellerby will be a healthy scratch Tuesday night.
Matt Greene, who had been sidelined with an undisclosed injury, will take his spot in the lineup.

Matt Greene (undisclosed) is participating in the pregame warmup and it looks like he will suit up in Game 4 Tuesday night.
He is wearing an "A" on his jersey, which indicates that he'll play for the first time since April 24.

Kyle Clifford is taking part in Tuesday's pregame warmup, while Tanner Pearson is not.
It's probably safe to assume that Clifford will be back in the lineup for Game 4.

Dan Boyle is approaching Tuesday night's Game 4 as a must-win contest for the San Jose Sharks.
"It has to be 2-2 when we leave here, has to be," he said. Boyle scored a power-play goal in Game 3's 2-1 overtime win and he has five points in seven playoff games.

The Rangers are expected to use Derick Brassard on the point of their struggling power play in Game 3 Tuesday night.
He practiced there in the team's morning skate after playing there briefly in Game 2 and it's something he has done before. "I played the point my first year. It's different than playing in front," Brassard said. "You have to move on the blueline and make sure you shoot the puck. That's what I'm planning on doing. Our power play needs to be good and we need to score some goals." The Rangers don't have a man-advantage marker on eight opportunities against Boston in the series.

Wade Redden (undisclosed) won't be back in Game 3 Tuesday night.
The Boston Bruins will ice the same lineup they did in Games 1 and 2.

Patrick Roy's brother told L.A. Lariviere of TVA Sports in Montreal that he was misquoted by the Denver Post and he does not know if a deal has been reached for his brother to be head coach of the Colorado Avalanche.
Mathieu Roy first posted on his Facebook page Monday night that his brother Patrick would be named the Avs' next head coach. Roy then reportedly affirmed those comments in a conversation with Adrian Dater of the Denver Post. Multiple media outlets called the report premature Tuesday morning and Mathieu Roy officially backtracked in the afternoon. Meanwhile, the Avs and Patrick Roy have remained quiet the entire time, which makes us think the two parties are in the midst of negotiations. Either way, we should know in the next few days whether Roy will be behind the Colorado bench next season.

Brenden Morrow left practice Tuesday for unspecified reasons and his status for Wednesday's Game 4 is uncertain.
The Penguins were predictably tight-lipped on Morrow. Beat writer Josh Yohe doesn't believe Morrow is seriously hurt, but said he's definitely not 100 percent. This could've been a case of the Penguins giving a veteran some extra time to rest, but we likely won't know anything for sure until tomorrow's morning skate.

Logan Couture will play in Tuesday's Game 4 despite sitting out practice Monday.
Couture was injured during the second period of Game 3 but eventually returned to the game in time to score the gamer winner in overtime. He participated in today's morning skate and coach Todd McLellan confirmed Couture will play in Tuesday's crucial Game 4. The Sharks trail the Kings 2-1 in the series.

The Nashville Predators tabbed Phil Housley to replace fired associate coach Peter Horachek.
Housley, who coached the U.S. in the 2013 world juniors, will be an assistant on Barry Trotz's staff. It'll be interesting to see how Housley affects Nashville's long-dormant offense, particularly on the power play. Trotz very much prefers a defensive, two-way game, which seems to contradict Housley's playing style. Then again, Horachek was fired Monday after the Predators finished with the second-worst record in the Western Conference, which also included one the lowest goals-score totals in the league.

Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said he hopes Ryan Johansen takes his recent benching in stride but noted "I' don't really care' if Johansen was unhappy playing in the AHL.
Johansen was a healthy scratch for Springfield during Game 4 of the AHL playoffs and coach Brad Larsen said he didn't feel like Johansen's level of play was where it needed to be. "I think this is probably going to be a disappointment [to him], to say the least, maybe even a bit embarrassing," said Kekalainen, who also noted the fourth overall pick in 2010 will have to earn an NHL spot in training camp next fall. Johansen played in 40 NHL games this season, scoring five goals and 12 points.

Alexei Emelin will be sidelined for the next six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee Tuesday.
Emelin suffered the season-ending injury on April 6 but waited until just today to have it repaired. Given the timeline, it's likely Emelin won't be able to return to the lineup until at least the end of November and possibly early December. While the injury won't affect your fantasy draft, the Canadiens clearly missed his physical presence on the blue line.

Los Angeles Kings coach Darryl Sutter wouldn't confirm if Kyle Clifford will be in the lineup for Tuesday's Game 4.
We didn't expect Sutter to reveal anything about his lineup until he absolutely has to minutes before the puck drops. However, Clifford said Monday he was ready to return and both team's beat writers seem to believe he'll be in the lineup Tuesday night. Stay tuned.

Montreal Canadiens sign Magnus Nygren to two-year, entry-level contract.
Nygren spent the 2012-13 season with Farjestads BK Karlstad of the Swedish Elite League, racking up 13 goals and 32 points in 51 games. The 13 goals were a league high for defensemen and the 32 point put him fourth among blueliners. The Canadiens drafted Nygren in the fourth round in 2011.

San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan said he's weighing a lineup with Jason Demers inserted as a seventh defenseman for Tuesday's game 4.
Demers has been sidelined since he suffered a sprained left ankle on April 18. He said Monday he's available to return to the lineup, which puts the decision squarely on McLellan's shoulders. Demers did skate at forward at times Monday and could help McLellan balance out both sides of the Sharks' banged-up equation.

Eric Gryba (upper body) didn't practice Tuesday and there's no timetable for his return.
Gryba hasn't been on the ice since colliding with Brooks Orpik in the second period of Game 1. He's expected to practice with the team Wednesday morning, but that doesn't mean he's ready to return to the lineup. We should know more after tomorrow's morning skate.

Chris Neil (undisclosed) practiced Tuesday and is cleared to play in Wednesday's Game 4.
Neil left Sunday's Game 3 during the second overtime session, but the Sens said Tuesday that Neil could've returned if the game had gone longer. We expect he'll be in the lineup again Wednesday night as the Senators try to even the series.

Tim Kennedy is expected to return to the lineup in Tuesday's Game 4.
Kennedy sat out Game 3 as Martin Havlat returned to the lineup after an undisclosed injury. However, Havlat is out again Tuesday with a lower-body injury, which clears the way for Kennedy to return to the lineup.

Leo Komarov admitted Tuesday that he's talking with the Moscow Dynamo of the KHL but said he's waiting for an offer from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Komarov is a restricted free agent and is free to head to Russia if he pleases. Whether he's seriously contemplating it or not, the fact is that this will likely drive the price up for whatever contract Toronto had in mind. Depending on what the KHL club is willing to offer, the cost might be too much for the Leafs to keep a player that's essentially a fourth liner.

New York Islanders sign Chris Bruton to one-year contract.
Bruton spent the last two seasons with the Peoria Rivermen of the AHL, scoring four goals and 10 points in 69 games in 2012-13.The Calgary, Alberta native also notched 134 penalty minutes and a plus-2 rating.

Brad Marchand said the Boston Bruins need to make sure they don't let the New York Rangers back in the series.
The Bruins were up 3-1 on Toronto only to see the Maple Leafs rally and force Game 7. "We realize we let [Toronto] back in it. We didn't have that killer instinct. ... We want to step up and do the job," Marchand said at Tuesday's morning skate. The Bruins lead the Rangers 2-0 heading into Game 3 tonight.

The Colorado Avalanche's head scout says the No. 1 pick is "open" and talk of defenseman Seth Jones being locked into that spot is premature.
Unless the scout knows something we don't -- and there's surely a chance of that -- we'd be pretty surprised if Jones wasn't the pick. For one, the Avs have spent multiple first-round choices on elite forward talent over the past few years while largely neglecting their back end. Also, the story of Jones' possible return to Denver, where he learned to play hockey while his father, Popeye Jones, played for the Denver Nuggets of the NBA, is about as poetic as they come. This all sounds like standard pre-draft posturing at this point.

Jaromir Jagr didn't take part in Tuesday's optional skate but will play in Game 3 tonight.
Claude Julien wasn't the least bit concerned, saying Jagr knows his body and his conditioning. Plus, it's not like Jagr hasn't been putting in on-ice work on his own time. The 41-year-old winger apparently hit the ice in the hours after Tuesday's Game 2 win to work on his shot and his stickhandling.