Hockey

Heatley passes Yzerman in Canadian romp

Dany Heatley, right, notched four points to help Canada run over Janis Sprukts and his Latvian team on Sunday. (Mike Dembeck/Canadian Press)

Dany Heatley notched a goal and three assists to become his country’s leading scorer in the modern era of the world hockey championship as Canada demolished Latvia 7-0 Sunday in Halifax.

With the victory, Canada improved to 2-0 in Group B play. The Canadians, who opened with a 5-1 win over Slovenia on Friday, finish their preliminary-round schedule against the United States on Monday (4:30 p.m. ET).

Sunday’s four-point effort gave Heatley 40 points in 36 world championship games, putting the Ottawa Senators forward one ahead of Steve Yzerman, now the general manager of the Canadian squad.

Heatley’s linemate, Rick Nash added two goals, while Patrick Sharp, Martin St. Louis, Chris Kunitz and Mike Green supplied the rest of the scoring.

Green’s goal was of the highlight-reel variety. The Washington Capitals defenceman picked up the puck inside the Latvian zone and beat a defender before sliding it past goaltender Edgars Masalskis while being turned sideways. That made it 2-0 for Canada just 3:45 into the game, and pretty much ensured that it would be a long afternoon for the overmatched Latvians.

Canadian goalie Pascal Leclaire stopped all 29 shots he faced during his first start of the tournament. The Columbus Blue Jacket spent three years in Halifax as a member of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Mooseheads.
Source: www.cbc.ca

Stars can end hopes of historic San Jose comeback

Dallas trying to keep distraction of Morrow’s 2 called-back goals to a minimum

San Jose goalie Evgeni Nabokov will be the centre of attention Sunday night as he leads his Sharks into Game 6 against the Dallas Stars, hoping to pull off a comeback that’s only been done twice before. Dallas winger Niklas Hagman and his teammates know they have to get this one. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press)

Cliché alert: Those folks down in Dallas may know the way to San Jose, but that doesn’t mean they want to go back there anytime soon.

Still up 3-2 over the San Jose Sharks despite losing the last two games, the Dallas Stars know they must get this thing over with Sunday night (8 p.m. CT), because any Game 7, no matter the situation, is a crap shoot.

“We need to lock things up, clean it up, go home and win a game,” Stars captain Brenden Morrow said after Game 5. “Every game we lose, we give them more life, but I like our position better than theirs.”

NHL fans know that only two teams have come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series — Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942 and the New York Islanders 33 seasons removed from here.

It was an overtime goal by Joe Pavelski on Friday night that gave the Sharks the Game 5 win, and it led to cautious optimism on one side and nervous denial on the other.

“I think they obviously have the advantage, but they know it’s going to be a series,” said San Jose defenceman Brian Campbell.

Over in the other room, goaltender Marty Turco had the script down pat.

“We’re not down or disappointed. They made a great shot,” he said. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and it certainly wasn’t easy.

“My only concern is keep pushing forward and give our home fans another series win at home.”

He’s not nervous. Really.

Fallout from disallowed goals

If there’s an elephant in the Dallas room, it’s the fallout from two officials’ calls in the last game calling back a pair of apparent goals by Brenden Morrow.

With 4:29 left in the second period, Morrow raced to the net as a puck was coming in from the side and, it was later ruled after replay, he used his skate to deflect it into the net.

That would have made it 2-0.

Morrow got one that counted before the period was over to give the stars a two-goal cushion into the third.

There, he more obviously used his glove to redirect the puck in for what would have been a 3-0 lead.

Cue the comeback, and back to Dallas everyone went.

Overcome the bad luck

“Sometimes you get a bad break, sometimes it’s a good break,” said the Stars’ Stephane Robidas. “It’s hard to let it go, but we didn’t play that bad of a game.”

With all the media and fan attention around the two Morrow call-backs, they might not have let it go as quickly as the coaching staff might like.

“It’s frustrating, but we’re still up 3-2,” Robidas said. “They have their backs against the wall.

“There’s pressure on us, too, but at the same time, we need one and they need two.”

And they have to come one at a time.
Source: www.cbc.ca

Pittsburgh looks to wrap up Rangers

Penguins still hold all the cards, despite fans’ between-game angst

Sidney Crosby (left) and his Penguin teammates weren’t able to penetrate the Ranger defence during New York’s Game 4 victory, but they’ll be back at it Sunday on their own ice where they haven’t lost in more than two months. (Frank Franklin II/Associated Press)

Given the talk over the past few days, you’d think the Pittsburgh Penguins were actually trailing their Eastern Conference semi 3-1.

Partly due to the extra day off since the New York Rangers won Game 4 to stay alive, media, fans, call-in shows and the like have been filled with chat about how the Broadway Blueshirts may have gotten to the Pens.

Especially when snipers Sydney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin lost their tempers late in the game after taking exception to what they felt was a late hit.

But let’s take a look at a few facts here, starting with a date: Feb. 24. That was a Sunday, if you’re interested - a day when the Penguins lost 2-1 at home in a shootout to the San Jose Sharks.

It’s also the last time Pittsburgh lost in their own building, where they happen to be on Sunday afternoon for Game 5 with the New York Rangers (2 p.m. ET).

So before the true panic erupts, perhaps waiting until this one is over might be called for.

“I was kind of laughing about it, everybody is panicking - not in our room - but you hear all these people saying, ‘I don’t know now, I don’t know now,’” said Penguin defenceman Brooks Orpik after Saturday practice.

“If we had lost the first game [in New York], then won the second one coming back with the same lead in the series, I think everyone would have a different outlook on it.”

There might be some kind of flashback thing going on - people remembering back 31 years to when the Pens had a 3-1 series lead on the New York Islanders and lost it.

But if history is important, we could mention the Rangers haven’t come back from 3-1 down since before the Second World War and they’ve had 13 tries at it.

At the same time, those who believe Steve Avery is an integral part of the New York attack now have another argument against the Blueshirts. The super pest is just out of intensive care after suffering a lacerated spleen in Game 4.

Avery won’t play again until the fall.

Coach sticks by his players

Pittsburgh coach Michel Therrien is sticking with his club.

“After four games, leading 3-1, it’s a little adversity, but we feel comfortable playing at home in front of our fans,” he said. “This team has always bounced back after a loss.”

Not scoring on 29 shots in the 3-0 loss last game may have been a little frustrating, but Crosby is still enjoying it. “It’s part of the fun, learning to fight through that,” he said.

Not that the Rangers are throwing in the towel.

“They won three games, but they didn’t win anything yet,” Jaromir Jagr said.

Maybe Sunday.
Source: www.cbc.ca

Sean Avery out of intensive care

New York Rangers forward Sean Avery remained hospitalized on Saturday after suffering a lacerated spleen earlier in the week, but he has been moved out of intensive care.

There was no immediate word on when Avery would be released from the hospital, Rangers spokesman John Rosasco said. The rugged NHL winger had been in intensive care at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in New York City since he was injured Tuesday night, with doctors waiting for internal bleeding to stop.

Avery, 28, arrived at the hospital after New York’s Game 3 playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday. He will be lost to the Rangers for the remainder of the playoffs.

New York trails the Eastern Conference semifinal series 3-1, with the two clubs playing Game 5 in Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon (CBC, 2 p.m. ET, CBCSports.ca).

Avery has four goals and three assists in his eight playoff games. He was a dominant presence in New York’s first-round win over New Jersey and even prompted the NHL to issue an edict regarding unsportsmanlike conduct after an episode in which he waved his stick in the face of Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur in attempt to distract him.

Avery will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Source: www.cbc.ca

Habs down to one more roll of Price

Canadiens put young goalie back in while looking for solution to Flyers’ Biron

This series has come down to a simple equation: if Philly goaltender Martin Biron leaves a hole open, Montreal snipers like Saku Koivu have to put the puck into it. (Tom Mihalek/Associated Press)

The pressure may be on young Carey Price in the Montreal net Saturday night, but the relief valve is very much at the other end.

That would be where the Canadiens, down 3-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers and facing elimination at the Bell Centre, can go a long way to staying alive simply by putting the darned roundel into the net.

Yes, Price has not played well in the conference semi, watching 10 goals go by on 68 shots in three starts as his save percentage dropped almost 70 points from the regular season.

And yes, he was pulled in Game 3 after giving up three goals in a dozen shots, and sat out completely in a Game 4 loss in favour of backup Jaroslav Halak.

But a little perspective here: The Habs have been outscored in the first four games 14-10 and over the last three, all losses, have outshot the Flyers 108-63.

Young Price, all of 20, could use a little support, in other words. After all, this is the kid who brought the Habs in as Conference champs and outlasted the Boston Bruins by shutting them out in Game 7.

Coach Guy Carbonneau was introspective after the Thursday loss.

“I think everybody needs to go back home and spend some time with their families and recharge the batteries so we can regroup [Friday] and then start something that not a lot of teams have been able to do,” he said.

He means come back from 3-1, and a quick check of the history books shows the last team to do that was the 2004 Canadiens against Boston.

Some of those guys are still in the dressing room - Saku Koivu, Steve Begin, Michael Ryder, Andrei Markow, Mike Komisarek, Francis Bouillon and Patrice Brisebois, to be exact.

“I think it helps, for sure, to have a group that has lived that experience,” Carbonneau said. “They’re going to be able to give a sense of that to everybody around them.”

Local products killing the locals

Meanwhile, there are a couple of Quebecers having a good time this week.

Like Philly goaltender Martin Biron, who grew up a fan of the old Quebec Nordiques and thus has no built-in love of the bleu, blanc et rouge. He’s been fabulous so far and knows how much work it takes to close this out.

His club was up 3-1 against Washington and let them back in the series before winning in Game 7.

“I think we not only learned from our series but we learned from other series like the Canadiens against Boston, and knowing that the fourth win, that last win to clinch a series, is the hardest,” Biron said.

Briere made a good choice

Daniel Briere is another provincial local who snubbed the Habs last off-season to sign as a free agent with Philadelphia. He now has eight playoff goals including the winner in Game 4.

“Sometimes it would be nice to get that lead, to keep it and to close things down, but at the same time it’s good to have that kind of character where we never quit even when things get tough,” Briers said.

“Our character comes out and we find a way to pull it off.”

And up 3-1 in a seven game series, they’ll have three tries to turn the trick.
Source: www.cbc.ca

Wild’s Gaborik undergoes hip surgery

Minnesota Wild sniper Marian Gaborik won’t be playing for Slovakia at the world championships in Canada after undergoing hip surgery on Friday.

Gaborik had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip. The procedure was performed by sports surgeon Dr. Marc Phillipon of Vail, Colo.

Gaborik, 26, had the most successful regular season of his career, finishing with 42 goals and 41 assists. He was the first NHL player to score five goals in a game in more than a decade, performing the feat in a Dec. 20, 2007, game against the New York Rangers.

Gaborik had just one assist in six playoff games, unable to score despite making 25 shots on net during a series loss to Colorado.

Minnesota general manager Doug Risebrough said that Gaborik should be fully recovered in time for the team’s training camp.

Risebrough said the hip problem had been present for much of the season.

“It was just more of an irritation,” Risebrough said. “It wasn’t affecting his skating, and he skated well in the series.”

Gaborik has previously been hampered by sports hernia and hamstring injuries.
Source: www.cbc.ca

Flames ink 2007 1st round pick Backlund

GM Darryl Sutter calls Swede ‘one of the best 18-year old centres in the world’

The Calgary Flames on Friday secured what they believe will be a big part of their future, signing centre Mikael Backlund on Friday.

The six-foot, 194-pounder was selected with the 24th overall pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

“Mikael is one of the best 18-year-old centres in the world and we are pleased that we have been able to retain him under contract,” Flames general manager Darryl Sutter said in a release.

“He demonstrated at the world junior championships that he is in an elite class.”

Backlund, who played for Vasteras in his native Sweden this season, had three goals and four assists at the 2008 world junior tournament in Sweden.

The hosts settled for silver after losing to Canada 3-2 in overtime in the gold-medal game.
Source: www.cbc.ca

Sharks keeping faith entering Game 5

The San Jose Sharks know how the Dallas Stars feel, having struggled to put the finishing touches on a commanding series lead in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Current Sharks like Curtis Brown, Jonathan Cheechoo and Patrick Marleau were around in 2004 when San Jose blew two elimination games in the Western Conference semifinals before finally eliminating Colorado in six contests.

It marked the last time a team went down 3-0 in games and forced a Game 6, something that has only been done three times in the last 20 years.

Despite a 2-1 loss to the Sharks on Wednesday that cut into the Stars’ 3-0 series lead, Dallas could close out their best-of-seven conference semifinal in Game 5 Friday (7 p.m. PT) in San Jose, where the Stars have won eight of their past nine visits.

“I think they’re going to feel the pressure now,” Sharks defenceman Christian Ehrhoff told reporters Thursday. “They know if we take another game, it’s going to be tighter and tighter for them.”

Perhaps San Jose planted a seed of doubt in Dallas two days ago when left-winger Milan Michalek scored the winning goal 3:26 into the third period.

The Sharks came out hitting in a must-win game, established a strong forecheck and shone on special teams with a short-handed goal and power-play marker.

Still, only two teams — the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942 and the New York Islanders in 1975 — have come back from 3-0 deficits. And of the 68 teams that fell behind 3-0 over the last 20 years, none has forced a Game 7.

“They’re still not in dire straits the way we are,” said Brown of the Stars, who last lost a series when holding a 2-0 advantage in 1992 to Detroit. “Our goal is to ultimately turn the heat back on them.”

One solution for Sharks coach Ron Wilson might be to put Marleau on the ice against Stars all-star defenceman Sergei Zubov. The latter is not fully recovered from sports hernia surgery and the Sharks have already taken advantage of the aforementioned matchup.

Dallas, though, doesn’t seem rattled. The players will tell you they’re hungry for the chance to meet Detroit in the West finals.

And when you consider goalie Marty Turco boasts a 1.88 goals-against average and .921 save percentage in 10 games this post-season, it’s hard not to like the Stars’ chances.

“For a lot of us, this is the first chance to go to the conference finals, so I think you have a lot of guys who are ready to play,” said Mike Ribeiro, Dallas’s No. 1 centre and playoff scoring leader, with 13 points in 10 games.

Stars coach Dave Tippett wondered if a shared hunger might help his charges bond.

“Everything we talk about is the strength of the group,” Tippett said. “Everybody knows their responsibility of jumping in and getting the job done. We do have people willing to take the responsibility, and I think that’s why we’re in the situation we’re in.”

The good news for San Jose is Craig Rivet should be his normal self on Friday. He reportedly isn’t feeling any effects from a helmet-to-helmet collision with teammate and fellow defenceman Brian Campbell in Game 4.

However, forward Stu Barnes (concussion-like symptoms) will be a game-time decision. He worked out Thursday and is expected to take Friday’s morning skate after absorbing a hit from Cheechoo on Wednesday.

Dallas blue-liner Philippe Boucher (hip strain) remains out while Sharks rearguard Kyle McLaren (groin) is doubtful.

Game 6, if necessary, is scheduled for Sunday at Dallas (8 p.m. CT).
Source: www.cbc.ca

Rangers blank Penguins in Game 4

Henrik Lundqvist stopped all 29 shots he faced as the New York Rangers staved off elimination with a 3-0 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.

It marked the first shutout of these playoffs for Lundqvist, who foiled Evgeni Malkin on a second-period penalty shot.

Jaromir Jagr had two goals and one assist, opening the scoring in the second period on a slick solo rush and closing it with an empty-netter with 14 seconds remaining.

Rookie Brandon Dubinsky provided a goal and an assist as the Rangers trimmed their deficit to 3-1 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal.

Marc-Andre Fleury faced 33 shots for the previously unbeaten Penguins, who host Game 5 on Sunday (CBC, 2 p.m. ET).

More to come
Source: www.cbc.ca

Hart Trophy finalists also up for Pearson Award

Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins is a finalist for the Lester B. Pearson Award after a sensational sophomore season. (Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

The criteria for the NHL’s Lester B. Pearson Award and the Hart Trophy may be slightly different, but this season they share identical nominees.

Jarome Iginla, Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin are the finalists for the Lester B. Pearson Award, the NHLPA announced on Thursday.

The Hart Trophy, voted on by hockey writers, goes to the player deemed “most valuable to his team,” while the Pearson Trophy is voted on by the players and goes to the league’s “outstanding player.”

Those distinctions have resulted in two different winners 13 times — including the very first time the Pearson was awarded, in 1971. Phil Esposito was the Pearson winner that year while the Hart went to his Boston teammate Bobby Orr. Orr won the Hart again in 1972, but the Pearson went to Jean Ratelle.

The last time the trophies went to different players was in 2006, when Joe Thornton won the Hart Trophy and Jaromir Jagr took the Pearson. Sidney Crosby won both awards last season.

Iginla won the Pearson in 2002, when the Hart Trophy went to goaltender Jose Theodore.

The veteran captain of the Calgary Flames had the second 50-goal season of his career in 2007-08 and also had a career-best 98 points in 82 games.

The native of Edmonton led his team in goals, points, plus minus (+27), power-play goals (15), game-winning goals (nine) and shots (338).

Ovechkin, who was a finalist for the Pearson as a rookie in 2006, will look to add the that trophy to his impressive collection of accolades after his strong season with the Washington Capitals.

The native of Moscow won the Art Ross trophy as the NHL’s points leader (112) as well as the Maurice Richard Trophy as the league’s top goal scorer (65).

Ovechkin also led the league in power-play goals (22) and game-winning goals (11), to help the Capitals capture the Southeast Division for the first time since 2001.

Malkin, 21, blossomed in his second full season with the Pittsburgh Penguins — finishing second to only Ovechkin in points (106 for Malkin) in 82 regular-season games.

Malkin, a centre from Magnitogorsk, Russia, dominated the second half of the season after Crosby went down with a high ankle sprain in mid-January. Malkin topped the league in points after Dec. 31, tallying 65 (32 goals, 33 assists) in 44 games.

The winner of the Pearson Award gets $20,000 US to donate to the minor hockey programs of his choice while the two finalists get to give away $10,000 each.

The winner will be announced at the NHL awards ceremony in Toronto on June 12.
Source: www.cbc.ca