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.

Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien isn't expecting Dennis Seidenberg (lower body) to return to the lineup for Tuesday's Game 4.
Seidenberg was out on the ice for the second straight day but apparently still has a little ways to go before returning to game action. Wade Redden (undisclosed) also appears unlikely to play Tuesday night. The Bruins have been able to weather the injuries to their blueline thanks to the outstanding play of young defenseman Torey Krug, who's scored two goals through the first two games of the series.

Justin Williams said the Los Angeles Kings need more offense from their top players.
"It's going to take our best players, myself at the top of the list, to get more offense," Williams said. "Plain and simple, your guys who produced during the year need to produce just as much, if not more, during the playoffs." Williams has just two points in the playoffs -- a goal and an assist -- and nothing in the three games against San Jose. The Kings have a 2-1 series lead but have scored just seven goals in the three games. While Mike Richards and Jeff Carter each have three points in the series, regular-season scoring leader Anze Kopitar hasn't registered a point since May 8 and is likely one of the people Williams is not-so-subtly addressing.

Pekka Rinne said he expects to be much better next season after undergoing hip surgery.
Rinne wouldn't blame his sub-par year on the injury, but he was pretty clear about how much he expects it to help matters. "I'm positive it will be better," Rinne said Monday. "Right now I'm just happy it's taken care of and hopefully I can return stronger. I'm sure once I get back on the ice, I'll notice the biggest differences." Rinne is expected to remain on crutches for six more weeks and hopes to ready to play by the time training camp opens in September.

The Nashville Predators fired associate coach Peter Horachek, sources close to the team told The Tennessean on Monday.
Horachek has been with the Predators organization since the 2002-03 season when he was hired to coach Nashville's AHL affiliate. In 2003, he joined the staff of the NHL club and was promoted to associate coach prior to the 2011-12 campaign.

The deadly tornado that tore through Oklahoma on Monday was only half a mile from the practice facility of the Oilers' AHL affiliate in Oklahoma City.
"All of our guys are safe and accounted for," said Barons general manager Bill Scott. "We're good. Our guys live on the north side of the city or in the downtown area. Our staff was in the office downtown. Some of them live in Moore but all are accounted for." The storm absolutely devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, leveling houses for blocks at a time. Defenseman Alex Plante is one of the players who lives in Moore. "I'd come downtown for a dentist appointment and the family I was staying with in Moore, who adopted three Downs Syndrome kids, managed to get the kids out of their school before the lockdowns," said Plante, who also noted he didn't want to see the damage caused by the storm.

Jakub Kindl is finally getting a chance to be a regular defenseman and has three assists and a plus-3 rating in 10 postseason games.
Kindl settled into his role midway through the regular season after spending the past two years as an extra defenseman. With Brad Stuart and Nicklas Lidstrom no longer in Detroit, the Red Wings needed the former first-round pick to step up. Kindl has been huge for us," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "He's found confidence." Kindl credits the new confidence to the lockout, when he played major minutes for a team in the Czech Republic. "Once the season started, I came here and was I ready," Kindl say.

The Detroit Red Wings had a familiar refrain after Monday's Game 3 win, telling reporters "we haven't done anything yet."
It's the sound of a team with veteran leadership and a weathered coach who's seen far too much to think anything is assured beyond Detroit's 2-1 series lead. Still, it's impressive that a Red Wings team that had to win out the last week of the season just to make the playoffs has put the rival Blackhawks on their heels for probably the first time all year. "Let's be honest, we haven't done anything yet," coach Mike Babcock said. "As the year has gone one we've gotten better. You have to play good enough and long enough to get some confidence."

Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said he won't talk about starting Ray Emery in Thursday's Game 4.
"We're not talking about that right now. (Corey Crawford) is fine," Quenneville said after Crawford allowed three goals on 30 shots in Chicago's second straight loss. It's hard to disagree with Quenneville's logic despite the loss. Crawford has been excellent most of this postseason and Monday's loss was hardly all on him, but there will be some serious questions if Chicago loses Game 4 and heads home down 3-1 in the series.

The Chicago Blackhawks were adamant Andrew Shaw didn't interfere with goalie Jimmy Howard on what would've been the game-tying goal in Monday's Game 3.
Shaw was called for goalie interference after it appeared that Viktor Stalberg scored to tie game 2-2. Unfortunately for Chicago, the referee called the goal off almost immediately after he ruled Shaw impeded Howard's progress by occupying the crease. While Stalberg was more diplomatic about the call, coach Joel Qunneville didn't mince words after the game. "I disagree with the call -- didn't touch the goalie," Quenneville said.

Matt Hendricks will get offers from other teams if the Washington Capitals don't sign him to an extension before free agency opens on July 5.
He can play left wing and center, take faceoffs, block shots, hit and work on the penalty kill. "I think I've established myself more in this league," Hendricks said. "Proved I can play throughout the lineup - special teams, penalty kill, things like that. I'm pretty good at faceoffs. I think I'm just more of an established player at this level." Washington GM George McPhee praised Hendricks for his work, but it's unclear if the team wants to commit to the longer term deal that he is reportedly seeking. Hendricks hopes to be back with the Capitals though and several of his teammates want that to happen as well.

Patrick Roy is not yet the new head coach of the Colorado Avalanche and talk of a deal being done is "premature," according to RDS' Renaud Lavoie.
The Denver Post quoted Roy's brother, Stephane, early Monday morning as saying Patrick Roy would be named the Avs' next head coach. Stephane Matteau said the Avs and his brother were discussing the "final details" of a contract. Patrick Roy has been considered a frontrunner, but we'll wait until we see something a little more official before jumping to any conclusions.

Mike Kostka will not require any surgical procedures to repair his fractured index finger.
Leafs' vice-president of hockey operations Dave Poulin made the announcement after further X-rays were done. Kostka sustained the injury in Game 1 against Boston and wasn't able to play for the rest of the series. He is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and it's unclear if he'll be back with Toronto.

Mikhail Grabovski admitted, in an published interview Monday, that he bit Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty back on Feb. 9.
"He was choking me and I bit him," Grabovski told Yahoo!'s Dmitry Chesnokov. "Don't stick your hands where you shouldn't. To be honest with you he was choking me pretty hard, to the point where I really couldn't breathe. And I couldn't pull his hand away at all. I tried to hit him with my other hand, but I couldn't because he was choking me. There was nothing left to do but bite him." The NHL investigated the incident but no suspension was given because they couldn't prove that a bite occurred, but it doesn't matter now.

Vincent Lecavalier doesn't want to go anywhere.
"Yeah, I want to be here. I want to play here the rest of my career and I've always said that and will keep saying it," said the long-time Tampa Bay Lightning. "I've been here for 15 years now. I'm proud to be part of this organization." He's signed until 2020 and has a no-trade clause. Lecavalier was disappointed with how Tampa finished the 2013 campaign after a promising start, but he doesn't feel like the team is far away from returning to the playoffs.

Joe Vitale wasn't able to play Sunday because of an undisclosed injury, but coach Dan Bylsma said it is "likely" that Vitale will participate in Tuesday's practice.
Prior to missing Game 3 against Ottawa, Vitale had skated in Pittsburgh's previous four contests. Depending on how Tuesday's skate goes, he might be ready to return for Game 4 on Wednesday night.

It's possible that Jussi Jokinen could return to Pittsburgh's lineup in Game 4 to help his team on faceoffs.
He has been scratched for the past five playoff games, but it's unclear if he is feeling 100 percent healthy. "He's a guy who has played big games," coach Dan Bylsma said Monday. "It's tough having him not in there with our lineup. But we haven't decided on our lineup for Game 4 yet."

Matt Cooke got his first point of the playoffs in Sunday's 2-1 double overtime loss to Ottawa.
He picked up the only assist on Tyler Kennedy's second marker of the postseason. His contributions on offense have obviously been lacking, but his overall game hasn't gone unnoticed by his teammates or the coaching staff. "He's pretty unbelievable right now," Kennedy said. "Cookie's always a good player, but he's really getting it done right now. He's a great leader, too." Cooke tied Craig Adams with a team-high six hits in Game 3 and he has racked up a total of 39 in nine playoff outings. He's also played great defensively.

Eric Gryba (upper body) didn't skate Monday.
He doesn't appear to be close to returning to the lineup after his heavy collision with Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik on May 14 in Game 1.

Chris Neil had to be helped off the ice in the second overtime session Sunday night, but his status wasn't updated Monday.
"Nothing to update," said coach Paul MacLean about Neil after the Ottawa tough guy wasn't at the rink on Monday. If he's not available to play in Game 4 Wednesday then Matt Kassian or Guillaume Latendresse are the likeliest candidates to replace him.

The New York Rangers will be seeking some more home cooking when they host the Boston Bruins in Game 3 on Tuesday night.
The Blueshirts posted a 16-6-2 record at home during the regular season and they went 3-0 in their own building against the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs. "All through the year and during the playoffs, it's been good to us," coach John Tortorella said. "We've won games here. That's what we have to do -- not win two at home. We need to win one game at home. And that's our total focus. [Home ice] helps us. As you see through the playoffs, it helps. We're anxious to get going."

Rick Nash played on three different lines in Sunday's loss to Boston and John Tortorella plans to play him "a lot" as the series shifts to New York for Games 3 and 4.
Armed with the last change it should make it easier to get Nash away from Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, who always draws the assignment to shut down the opposition's best. Nash scored his first goal of the playoffs on Sunday and the Rangers are hoping he can get on a bit of a roll now.

Henrik Lundqvist is not happy with his performance from Game 2's loss to Boston, so we should see a motivated Rangers goaltender in Game 3 Tuesday night as New York attempts to get back into the series.
"It's disappointing to give up five goals, but also positioning-wise and reading plays for the most part was good," Lundqvist said. "It's just they made some good plays, too. There were some unlucky bounces and screens. I could probably find excuses for the goals, but that's not going to help my game. I just have to try to do better and work even harder to see pucks."

Andrew Ference (lower body) hasn't resumed skating yet and it doesn't look like he will be back in Boston's lineup any time soon.
He has been seen in a walking boot and on crutches. Ference hasn't played since Game 5 against Toronto.

The Boston Bruins may have a difficult decision to make when some of their veteran defensemen are available to return to the lineup from their respective injuries.
Dennis Seidenberg and Wade Redden appear to be close to returning after practicing with the team on Monday, but the Bruins have benefited from solid performances by young blueliners Dougie Hamilton, Torey Krug and Matt Bartkowski in their absences. When Seidenberg, Redden or Andrew Ference are able to dress again it will be interesting to see what adjustments coach Claude Julien makes to his lineup. Changes may come as early as Game 3 Tuesday night, so stayed tuned for details during the morning skate.

Shawn Thornton wants Boston's fourth line to contribute offensively as well as provide energy.
Thornton doesn't have a point in nine playoff games, but his linemates Gregory Campbell and Daniel Paille have contributed a goal and an assist each. "We want to try and take some pressure off the big lines. You can't rely on them all the time," Thornton said. "Obviously this time of year, your best players have to be your best players, but if we chip in every now and again, it helps out. We've been a little snake-bitten, too. We've had some chances. They just weren't going in, so I was happy to see one go in for (Campbell) last game."

The Denver Post is reporting that the brother of Patrick Roy said that Roy will be named the new head coach of the Colorado Avalanche.
Stephane Roy, the younger brother of Patrick, said: "They're discussing the final details of an arrangement. Colorado is going to be very happy. Patrick is looking for a new challenge." Roy was considered a front runner for the job as soon as Joe Sacco was relieved of his coaching duties after the end of the season. All sides would not comment but do not be surprised if there is an announcement in the next couple of days. Stay tuned.

Jonathan Toews was held pointless for the second straight game by the Detroit Red Wings.
The Red Wings have made it a point in each of the last two games to close on Toews as soon as he gets the puck. The Blackhawks' captain did still manage seven shots Monday after registering just three in Game 2, but it's clear Detroit isn't going to allow him any room to operate. Thursday's Game 4 sounds like a pretty good time for him to score his first goal of the postseason.

Patrick Kane scored a goal for the second straight game in Monday's Game 3.
Kane hadn't scored in the postseason before Saturday afternoon but appears to be finding his touch in this series. Unfortunately for Kane, the Blackhawks have lost both games in which he's scored and now trail the series 2-1 with Game 4 in Detroit on Thursday. Kane will likely need to have a strong offensive game again Thursday night if the Hawks are to even the series.

Viktor Stalberg rang a puck off the crossbar midway through the third period after colliding with the endboards head first on his first shift of the game.
It was quite a series debut for Stalberg, who was a healthy scratch the last two games. Despite hitting the crossbar, Stalberg showed the elite speed that could make him a difference maker if coach Joel Quenneville leaves him in the lineup. Truth be told, it's amazing he was even in the game in the third considering the scary nature of his first-period collision. We'll have to see if he remains active for Thursday's Game 4.

Corey Crawford allowed three goals on 30 shots as the Chicago Blackhawks lost 3-1 to the Detroit Red Wings.
It's hard to blame Crawford for this one considering two of the goals were of the highlight-reel variety. Overall, the Hawks and Crawford played pretty well but were doomed by a couple bad penalties in the third period and a questionable goalie interference call that negated what would've tied the game at 2-2. With the loss, Crawford and the Hawks fell behind 2-1 in the series and have an obviously important Game 4 coming up in Detroit on Thursday night.

Drew Miller's goal 8:20 into the second period turned out to be the game winner in Monday's 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Miller's goal wasn't nearly as pretty as some of the others scored Monday night, but that doesn't make it any less important. The gritty winger charged the net and swatted home the rebound of a Patrick Eaves shot only 30 seconds after Gustav Nyquist made it 1-0 for Detroit. Miller also logged a shift of 3:15 early in the second period, most of which was spent in the defensive zone and started with the tail end of a Blackhawks power play.

Pavel Datsyuk threaded a goal just under the crossbar at 6:46 of the third period in Monday's 3-1 Game 3 win.
Datsyuk's goal came just over 2 minutes after the Blackhawks had cut Detroit's lead to 2-1 and not long after the referees negated a Chicago's game-tying goal with an interference call. The goal itself was vintage Datsyuk and eerily similar to one he scored against Anaheim in the first round, with Datsyuk streaking into the zone and roofing the puck shortside just over Corey Crawford's shoulder. Datsyuk shot the puck so perfectly it rang in and out of the net fast enough for the TV announcers to think he hit the crossbar.

Jimmy Howard stopped 39 of 40 shots in Monday's 3-1 win to help the Detroit Red Wings take a 2-1 series lead over the Chicago Blackhawks.
After facing just 20 shots in Game 2, Howard was under constant threat Monday night. He also got the benefit of the crossbar stopping Viktor Stalberg and an interference call negating what would've been the game-tying goal in the third period. Still, it's hard to deny that Howard was one of the better Red Wings on the ice and one of the main reasons Detroit has a real change to upend the favored Blackhawks.

Viktor Stalberg left Monday's Game 3 after missing on a hit and going into the endboards head first.
Stalberg stayed down on all fours immediately following the very scary collision. He eventually skated off under his own power but went straight to the locker room.. After being a healthy scratch the first two games, Stalberg's return to the lineup ended up lasting just one shift. More as we know it.

Jason Demers, who suffered a sprained left ankle on April 18, said he is available to return to San Jose's lineup.
The Sharks may use him up front and dress seven defensemen in Game 4. "I'll go in wherever they want me to right now," said Demers, who practiced at forward and on defense Monday. The team is dealing with injuries to Adam Burish and Martin Havlat in addition to Raffi Torres' second-round suspension, which may place Demers at forward on Tuesday night.

Joe Thornton has dominated the Los Angeles Kings in the faceoff circle three games into San Jose's second-round series.
He has won 62.7 percent (32 of 51) of his draws against the Kings going into Tuesday night's Game 4 match-up. Thornton won just 39 of his 83 faceoffs in San Jose's four-game sweep versus Vancouver in Round 1. "The last couple games, it's been working out for me. Hopefully I can continue that," Thornton said. "Puck possession is everything, so as much as you can have the puck, it's better to get on offense. It's a competitive situation. You just try to win as many as you can." Thornton has collected an assist in each of the Sharks' past two games to give him eight points in seven playoff outings.

Vincent Lecavalier talked about Tampa Bay's disappointing 2013 campaign with Damian Cristodero of the St. Petersburg Times.
"Yeah, I mean, it's definitely disappointing. The way we started the year, I think we were 6-1 at one point after the first seven games," Lecavalier said. "Yeah, after 15, 20 games if you're outside, with everybody playing each other, it's tough to get back in, and it just seemed like it snowballed and we couldn't get close to getting back to that eighth spot." He had four goals and 11 points in his first seven games, but was hit in the foot by a shot from teammate Sami Salo on Feb. 2 which hampered him until it became a fracture when he collided with Florida defenseman Erik Gudbranson on March 12. "I felt really good when I started the year," he said, "but with that shot the ankle was very weak. ... It didn't seem to get better." He has dealt with some injury concerns over the past few seasons, which have hurt his fantasy value.

To update an earlier post, Kyle Clifford expects to play in Game 4 Tuesday night.
"It definitely looks that way," Clifford said after practice Monday. "It feels good to get back in the lineup. Playing with those guys, it's going to be a lot of fun." He skated on the fourth line with Brad Richardson and Colin Fraser during Monday's session. Rookie forward Tanner Pearson would likely draw out of the lineup to make room for Clifford's return.

Jason Spezza reported no ill effects after playing in his first game in Sunday since having back surgery.
"I feel good," Spezza said Monday. "To play a double-overtime game and coming out no worse for wear is definitely positive for me and encouraging that I made the right decision [to play]. I took a pretty good pounding and played more than we had initially planned, but it's all positive and I hope to get even better as we go on." He was nailed on a big hit from Pittsburgh's Craig Adams in the first overtime session, which proved to be a good test.

According to a report from TSN, Jarret Stoll is unlikely to be back during Los Angeles' second-round series against the San Jose Sharks.
TSN insider Darren Dreger reported that Stoll suffered a head injury, which is the primary ailment, and a shoulder injury when he was checked by Raffi Torres.

Paul Stastny notched seven goals and a team-high 15 points in 10 games for Team USA at the IIHF World Championship.
He served as the Americans' captain for the tournament and his efforts helped the squad win the bronze medal. It was the United States' first medal since 2004 and their third overall since 1963. He has one year left on his current contract with the Avalanche and has been the subject of trade rumors before. Perhaps he increased his value if a team is looking to deal with the NHL draft on the horizon.

William Karlsson has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Anaheim.
The 20-year-old was named the 2012-13 Swedish Elite League Rookie of the Year after he produced 28 points (four goals, 24 assists) and a plus-17 rating in 50 games with HV71. Karlsson also earned the silver medal at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship in Russia. The Ducks chose him in the second round of the 2011 draft.

Francois Beauchemin has undergone successful ACL reconstruction, according to the Anaheim Ducks.
He said that he hopes to be ready for the start of the 2013-14 season.

Kyle Clifford (undisclosed) skated with Colin Fraser and Brad Richardson on the fourth line during Monday's practice.
He has missed the team's last four playoff games, but could return for Game 4 on Tuesday night.

Jason Demers (lower body) skated as a forward at Monday's practice.
He took line rushes on the team's fifth combination with injured winger Adam Burish and suspended winger Raffi Torres. "I feel good. It's just a question of getting back into game shape," said Demers. "As soon as you do a couple of shifts, especially in this kind of series, you'll be in shape real quick. I'm just helping out wherever I can, and going where they tell me to go." He hasn't played since April 18 because of a sprained left ankle, but he might be available for Game 4.

Adam Burish (hand) practiced with his teammates Monday and he hopes to return at some point during the Sharks' second-round series against Los Angeles.
"That's on my timeline. I'd like to get back," said Burish. "If the doctors let me, I'd play tomorrow if I could. My goal is to get back in this series sometime. When that is, I don't know. It will be between us and the coaches and the doctors to see when that is. But, I'll be ready whenever it is." Coach Todd McLellan said that Burish may be further along than the team had originally thought.

Logan Couture didn't practice Monday, but his absence wasn't surprising and he still expects to play in Game 4.
He was hurt during the second period of Game 3 but returned later in the frame and scored the game-winning goal in overtime.

Marc Staal (eye) took to the ice with the Rangers' practice squad on Monday.
He engaged in contact drills during the session. Staal's return to the lineup is still cloudy, but it's good to see him back on the ice after he took several days off to presumably rest.

Darroll Powe (undisclosed) skated with the team's practice squad Monday.
He participated in the contact drills as well, which is a positive sign. Powe has been sidelined with what is suspected to be a concussion since Game 3 of the opening round against Washington. His status is uncertain for Game 3 versus Boston.

Carl Hagelin doesn't believe he "stinks" on the power play, contrary to what coach John Tortorella told the media on Saturday.
"For me, I definitely don't think I stink on the power play," Hagelin said in his defense. "That's the only comment I have on the PP." He received 46 seconds of man advantage time in Sunday's loss to Boston and felt he generated a couple of good chances.

Henrik Lundqvist said his shoulder issue is "under control" when he spoke to the media after Monday's practice.
"Yeah, it's under control," he said "I landed on the ice awkwardly and hurt it a little bit. It's under control. Everybody's sore. It's the playoffs. You can't sit out (because) it's hurting a little bit. it happens and you just have to make sure you do the right things to keep it good." He fully expects to start in Game 3 Tuesday night and the Rangers will need him after dropping the first two games of their semifinal series to the Boston Bruins.

Martin Havlat (lower body injury) won't play Tuesday in Game 4 versus Los Angeles.
Coach Todd McLellan made the call on Sunday after Havlat didn't practice. He didn't take part in Monday's session either. "If you're hurt and you can't play, you can't play," McLellan said. "We can be as frustrated as we want. It was hard because we had to juggle the lineup, but we talked about the difference between being injured and hurt. He's injured."

The Red Wings aren't expected to make any changes to their lineup entering Game 3 Monday night.
That means that Todd Bertuzzi and Mikael Samuelsson will probably remain as healthy scratches. The two teams have each won one game with the semifinal series shifting to Detroit. "Now it's a best-of-five," coach Mike Babcock said. "Not much to pick between the two teams the first two games. They were better than us in Game 1. We were better than them in Game 2. Series starts all over here today, and I imagine you'll have to up the ante to win here today. We're excited to play at home, as usual. We have good fan support."

Evgeni Malkin had a game-high 10 shots on goal in Pittsburgh's double overtime loss to Ottawa Sunday night.
He wasn't able to register a point in the contest. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang had a busy night as well with seven shots on goal, but he didn't get onto the scoresheet either as Ottawa goaltender Craig Anderson shut the door in a 2-1 victory. They'll try to get Pittsburgh's offense rolling again on Wednesday night in Game 4.

Ryan Johansen spent Game 4 of the AHL playoffs as a healthy scratch for Springfield.
He recorded one assist and a minus-8 rating in the first three games of the series in what ended up as a second-round sweep for Syracuse. "I just felt like his level of play wasn't where it needed to be," coach Brad Larsen said. "We talked after Game 2, and I tried to ramp him up. In Game 3, we just felt like he wasn't all there, like he wasn't invested 100 percent." He didn't require permission from the team's brass to scratch Johansen, but they understood and supported his decision. Johansen played better defensively down the stretch for the Blue Jackets, but he recorded just 12 points in 40 games.

Dave Bolland appears as though he will center Chicago's second line in Game 3 Monday night.
He played between Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp during the regular season, but his groin injury moved Michal Handzus into that role in the playoffs. With Bolland back in the lineup now, it was only a matter of time before he was moved back up. The Blackhaws will be hoping that Bolland's pesky and physical style will open up holes for his talented linemates.

Michal Handzus is expected to play in Game 3 Monday night versus Detroit despite sitting some practices.
However, from the projected forward lines it looks like he will skate on the wing on the fourth line with Michael Frolik and Marcus Kruger. Handzus had been playing as Chicago's second-line center while Dave Bolland was sidelined.

Viktor Stalberg is projected to play with Bryan Bickell and Andrew Shaw in his return to the lineup in Game 3 against Detroit.
"That's always a challenge, you can be maybe a little too excited," said Stalberg who has been a healthy scratch for the past two games. "But I'll just keep it simple, play hard and use my assets to my advantage." He had one assist in five games against Minnesota in the first round.

Ryan McDonagh was back with Dan Girardi during Monday's practice.
The two of them were expected to be reunited after the Rangers were outscored 5-2 in Game 2. Girardi struggled in Sunday's loss, while skating for most of the game alongside Michael Del Zotto, and was on the ice for all five goals against. We would expect to see them on the same pairing in Game 3 Tuesday night.

Henrik Lundqvist participated in Monday's practice after talking about a left shoulder issue following Sunday's loss to Boston in Game 2.
It doesn't appear as though the problem will prevent him from playing in Game 3 Tuesday night since he was given the green light to take part in Monday's practice session.

Jarome Iginla has embraced his new role with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"It's not to say I didn't enjoy it back then," he said referring to his leadership role with the Calgary Flames. "I'm just enjoying what comes. Playing. When you're captain, there's more responsibility. You're thinking 'How's this guy feeling?', 'Where's the coach at?' Most of my focus is on just playing now, on myself, on being ready. And, yeah, that is a nice change." He's still thrilled to be back in the playoffs, where he has 10 points in nine games, and said he has no plans to retire in the off-season. Iginla is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this July if an extension isn't reached with the Penguins.

Wade Redden (undisclosed) practiced Monday and he will travel with his Boston teammates to New York.
The Bruins and Rangers will play Games 3 and 4 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. Redden hasn't played since Game 6 in the first round versus Toronto, but he appears to be getting closer to a return after skating with the team for a second time.

Dennis Seidenberg joined his teammates for Monday's practice for the first time since he suffered a lower-body injury in Game 7 against Toronto.
He will travel with the Bruins when their semifinal series shifts to New York for Game 3 on Tuesday night. However, it hasn't been decided yet when he will be able to return to game action.

Jonathan Toews is up for the 2012-13 Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award which goes "the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice during the regular season."
Toews has been the captain of the Hawks since 2008 and he plays in all situations for the team. He volunteers at the Make-A-Wish Foundation and visits patients at the local children's hospital.

Daniel Alfredsson has been tabbed as a finalist for the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award.
He is the league's longest-serving active captain and he's involved in several charities in Ottawa, including the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa which he has supported for the past 10 seasons.

Dustin Brown has been named a finalist for the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award.
He has served as Kings' captain for the past five seasons and is frequently among the league leaders for hits. Brown supports several charities through his physical style. He donates $50 for each hit he delivers which has helped him raise $60,000.

Sidney Crosby said his protective shield on his jaw isn't the reason why he's struggled on faceoffs during the playoffs.
"That's me," he said, smiling. "All me. I'd love to be able to say [the protective bar is an issue]. I was trying to figure out why everyone kept asking me about that. Guess I know now." Heading into Game 3 Sunday night, Crosby had won 71 of his 82 draws for a success rate of 46.4 percent. He was better on Sunday though, winning 51.16 of his faceoffs. Crosby said he was told to expect "three or four" more medical procedures once his off-season begins to fix up his jaw and mouth.

Wojtek Wolski has signed with Torpedo Nizhni Novgorod of the KHL.
He wasn't utilized much by the Washington Capitals during the lockout-shortened season and was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Wolski produced four goals and five assists in 27 games with the Caps.

Jussi Jokinen hasn't played in Pittsburgh's last five playoff games and it's unclear if he's healthy or not.
He dressed in the first four games of the Penguins' opening-round series against the New York Islanders after taking a leg-on-leg hit in Game 1. The team has a policy for the playoffs where they don't address injuries or lineups, so Jokinen's status is cloudy even though he may just be the odd man out right now.

Mark Eaton was back in Game 3 against Ottawa after sitting out Pittsburgh's past four playoff contests.
He took Deryk Engelland's spot in the lineup and was paired with Doug Murray.

Tanner Glass played 9:56 of ice time in Pittsburgh's double overtime loss to Ottawa in Game 3.
He suited up in four games against the Islanders in the first round, but Sunday's match was his first appearance in the semifinals. He replaced Joe Vitale in the lineup.

The Pittsburgh Penguins went 0-for-6 with the man advantage in Game 3 against Ottawa on Sunday.
The Penguins had been clicking at 32.3 percent rate over their eight previous playoff games. The Senators also scored a shorthanded marker in the final minute of the third period to force overtime and eventually win in the second extra session. Pittsburgh will look to get their special teams back on track in Game 4.

Jason Spezza logged 18:40 of ice time in his return to Ottawa's lineup Sunday night in Game 3.
He won 60 percent of his faceoffs and posted four shots after being sidelined since Jan. 27 due to a back injury which required surgery. Spezza understands that even though he feels much better, back issues can be something that linger. "It's better than before I had surgery, but it's going to take awhile before I feel 100 percent," he said. "Once you have back problems, they never really leave you. It's kind of a daily grind. I've done exercises every day for the last six years. My wife doesn't like when I have to sit on the floor and stretch instead of sitting on the couch with her. I wouldn't wish back pain on my worst enemy."

Daniel Alfredsson potted the game-tying goal with 28.6 seconds left in regulation to force overtime in Game 3 Sunday night.
The Senators ended up winning the contest in double overtime to get back into the series, where they trail Pittsburgh 2-1. Alfredsson's third goal of the playoffs came shorthanded when the Penguins chose to play passive and defend rather than attack. The Ottawa captain has eight points in eight postseason contests.

Daniel Girardi posted a minus-4 rating in Game 2 versus Boston and was on the ice for all five of the Bruins' goals in a 5-2 loss Sunday.
He was out with Michael Del Zotto for the Bruins' last four goals. Girardi is typically one of the team's most dependable defenseman, but he had a rough game in his own zone. As a result of his struggles, he logged a playoff low 19:29 of ice time. Look for him to be better in Game 3 Tuesday night when the semifinal series shifts back to New York.

Derick Brassard's six-game postseason point streak came to end in Sunday's loss to Boston.
He registered four shots and a minus-1 rating in the Rangers' 5-2 loss in Game 2 to the Bruins. Brassard's streak had been the longest in the franchise's history since Wayne Gretzky earned a point in nine straight playoff games in 1997.

Michel Therrien was surprisingly omitted as a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, which goes to the NHL coach "adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success."
Therrien helped guide the Canadiens to the Northeast Division title after the club finished dead last in the Eastern Conference a year ago. However, he didn't make the cut with Anaheim's Bruce Boudreau, Ottawa's Paul MacLean and Chicago's Joel Quenneville getting the nod as finalists instead.

John Scott has signed a one-year extension worth $750,000 to stay with the Buffalo Sabres.
He would have been able to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He received a decent raise after making $600,000 last season. Scott skated in 34 games with the Sabres in 2013 and amassed 69 penalty minutes.

Jhonas Enroth made 26 saves in Sweden's 5-1 win over Switzerland in Sunday's gold-medal game of the IIHF World Championship.
The Swedes become the first team to win the title on home ice since the Soviet Union in 1986 and Enroth captured the Best Goalkeeper in the tournament honor for his efforts. His play under pressure should be a positive sign for the Sabres, who may trade starter Ryan Miller in the off-season.

Milan Lucic got his third goal of the postseason in Boston's Game 2 win over the New York Rangers.
He potted the last goal of the contest in a 5-2 victory. Lucic also posted two hits to give him a total of 42 in just nine playoff games. He currently has 10 postseason points.

David Krejci contributed two assists in Boston's 5-2 win over New York in Game 2 Sunday afternoon.
He hasn't scored a goal since his hat trick in Game 4 of Round 1 versus Toronto, but he has six helpers in five playoff outings since then. The Bruins lead the Rangers 2-0 in the second-round series and Krejci still leads all skaters in the postseason in scoring with 16 points.

Brad Stuart had a big game on Saturday despite being the culprit on Tyler Toffoli's game-tying goal.
Stuart's bad pass went directly to Toffoli who backhanded the puck over Antti Niemi, tying the game at one. But he had a big hit on Justin Williams later in the period and ended up with five hits and four blocked shots. "You make a mistake, and all you can do is try not to let it affect the rest of your game," Stuart said after Game 3. "You just hope the team pulls it out. It was a tight game. I'd like that back, but it happens. I just tried to put it behind me and not let it affect the rest of the game."

Gregory Campbell got his first goal of the 2013 playoffs in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Rangers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The fourth-line center also picked up three hits and a fighting major in the third when he squared off with pugilist Derek Dorsett. Campbell has two points, 11 penalty minutes and 25 hits in nine playoff games.

Logan Couture's overtime winning goal Saturday was on the power play.
It was the fifth power play overtime goal in the playoffs and that set an NHL record and there are still over two rounds to go. The Sharks have won their last four overtime games in the playoffs against the Kings so they must be feeling pretty confident if the two sides are tied after regulation.

Brad Marchand found the back of the net for a second straight game against the Rangers in Boston's second-round series.
He scored the game-winning goal in overtime in Game 1 and he struck again on a very similar play in Game 2 early into the third period to give the Bruins a two-goal cushion. Marchand mustered just three assists in seven games versus Toronto in the opening round, but he's already been more productive in Round 2 with two goals and two assists in two matches so far.

Antti Niemi set a San Jose playoff record when he won his eighth game in overtime Saturday.
Niemi was tied with Evgeni Nabokov at seven heading into action on Saturday. Niemi is now 5-2 in the playoffs with a 2.06 GAA with a .926 save percentage.

Johnny Boychuk registered what turned out to be the game-winning goal in Boston's 5-2 win over the New York Rangers on Sunday in Game 2.
He potted the go-ahead goal just past the midway point of the second period for his third tally of the postseason. Boychuk had one marker and five assists during 44 regular-season contests. "You know, just hitting the net I guess, and sometimes it's luck," he said referring to his upswing in offense. "Just getting shots on net and hitting the net. Better chance to score when you hit the net."

Mark Dekanich has reportedly signed with Medvescak of the KHL.
He appeared in 35 games with the St. John's IceCaps of the AHL this past season, where he compiled a 16-14-1 record to go with a 2.98 goals-against average and an .895 save percentage.

Martin Havlat (lower body) did not practice on Sunday.
Havlat returned to action in Game 3 Saturday but only played six shifts before getting hurt again. He is unlikely to play the remainder of the season and his career in San Jose could be over. The injury-prone winger had eight goals and 18 points in 40 regular season games this season after missing 43 games in 2011-12.

T.J. Galiardi is playing on a line with Joe Thornton and Brent Burns.
The line was very good on Saturday in the 2-1 overtime win over the Kings as they stopped the Kings best line of Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Dwight King. "I mean, if you look at it, I think we're in their zone every time," Galiardi said. "I don't remember being in our zone the whole series, so I'd say so. We just have to score now." Galiardi and Burns have not scored in the series while Thornton has two assists.

The Los Angeles Kings have been getting a lot more production from their second line of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter and whoever Darryl Sutter likes at the moment over their top line of Anze Kopitar, Justin Williams and Dustin Brown.
"Well, Richards' line has produced more in the playoffs than Kopi's line, so it's who you like most is your top line. I don't think you can get by with a "top line" - one top line," Sutter said. "I think we're playing against a team with two top lines, and we need our two top lines, without having our top checking centerman, we need those two lines to be very productive, and I think if I look at the series, just thinking about it, I think we've scored four even strength goals, and I think Richards' line has scored three and Lewie and Tyler's scored one last night. So that's four in the series." The Kings need the Kopitar line to start scoring if they hope to advance.