THN S2 Ep31: Final week of the regular season. Who’s in, Who’s out?

All Episodes

April 5, 2018 • 103 mins

THN Season 2, Episode 31 (Episode 76) Show Notes 3/29-4/3

Music by Bensound at http://www.bensound.com

Rangers highlights courtesy of MSG Network. Bruins highlights courtesy of NESN. Hurricanes highlights courtesy of Fox Sports Carolinas. Other highlights and clips courtesy of NBC, NBC Sports Network, CBC, Sportsnet, and the National Hockey League.

Opening Tease:

Playoff Races!!!

We’ll have all this and more.

Break:

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Bruins/Rangers/Canes updates

Bos: 4-2 W vs TBL on 3/29, 5-1 W vs FLA on 3/31, 4-3 OTL @ PHI on 4/1, 4-0 L @ TBL on 4/3 (4 gp in 6 nights)

Car: 4-1 W @ WSH on 3/30, 2-1 L vs NYR (eliminated) on 3/31, 3-2 L @ FLA on 4/2

NYR: 7-3 L vs TBL on 3/30, 2-1 W @ CAR on 3/31, 5-2 L @ NJD on 4/3

Other Notable games:

NHL Standings:

https://www.nhl.com/standings

NHL Transactions:

College/Jr Signings: https://www.capfriendly.com/signings

Other trades: https://www.nhl.com/news/2017-18-nhl-trades/c-289968698

Other Transactions: https://www.capfriendly.com/transactions & https://www.capfriendly.com/trades

Injuries:

Brandon Carlois out for the rest of the season for the Boston Bruins. The 21-year-old defenseman will need 3-4 months to recover from surgery on his left ankle, which he fractured Saturday against the Florida Panthers. Carlo was removed from the ice on a stretcher during the third period of the 5-1 win after falling awkwardly along the boards. Carlo had six assists and was plus-10 with an average of 19:14 of ice time in 76 games. He played 82 games last season, his first in the NHL.

Cam Fowlerwill be out 2-6 weeks for the Anaheim Ducks because of a shoulder injury. The 26-year-old defenseman was injured during the third period of a 4-3 overtime win against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday and is likely to miss at least the Western Conference First Round should Anaheim qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Fowler has 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists) in 67 games and leads the Ducks in average ice time per game at 24:51. He's the only Ducks defenseman to average more than two minutes per game on the power play and on the penalty kill.

Steven Stamkosdid not play for the Tampa Bay Lightning against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVAS, SN1, NESN, NHL.TV) because of a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old center left a 4-1 loss to the Nashville Predators on Sunday at 3:25 of the second period after getting tangled with Predators forward Austin Watson. Lightning coach Jon Cooper on Monday said Stamkos was day to day. Stamkos is second on the Lightning with 86 points (27 goals, 59 assists), behind linemate Nikita Kucherov, who has 97 points (38 goals, 59 assists).

Ryan Suteris out the rest of the season for the Minnesota Wild with a fractured right ankle. The 33-year-old defenseman was injured during a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Saturday. He will have surgery at a date to be determined. Defenseman Carson Soucy made his NHL debut Monday. The 23-year-old was a fifth-round pick by the Wild (No. 137) in the 2013 NHL Draft. Minnesota is also without defensemen Jared Spurgeon (hamstring) and Gustav Olofsson (concussion).

Jesper Fast is out for the remainder of the regular season for the New York Rangers, coach Alain Vigneault said Monday. Fast, a forward, has a groin injury. Mats Zuccarello, also a forward, is having an MRI for an undisclosed injury and did not play Tuesday. He leads the Rangers with 52 points (16 goals, 36 assists) and will enter the final season of a four-year contract in 2018-19. "He blocked a couple of shots the last couple of games," Vigneault said about Zuccarello, 30. "He's having a tough time walking right now." Fast, 26, has 33 points (13 points, 20 assists) in 71 games, including 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in his past 12.

Scottie Upshallis out indefinitely for the St. Louis Blues with a left kidney laceration. The 34-year-old forward was injured in a 6-0 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday. He played the past two games after missing 10 with an MCL sprain.

Victor Antipinis out indefinitely for the Buffalo Sabres after sustaining a concussion, facial lacerations, a broken nose and dental injuries against the Nashville Predators on Saturday. The 25-year-old defenseman left on a stretcher at 14:09 of the second period after being hit by Predators forward Scott Hartnell. He was released from the hospital and traveled with the Sabres on Sunday for their game at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday. Antipin has 10 assists in 47 games this season.

Michal Neuvirthis day to day for the Philadelphia Flyers with a lower-body injury. The 30-year-old goaltender was injured in the second period of a 2-1 victory against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday. He made 10 saves before he was replaced by Petr Mrazek. Neuvirth is 9-7-3 with a 2.60 goals-against average and .915 save percentage this season. Alex Lyon (4-2-1, 2.75 GAA, .905 save percentage) was recalled from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League on Saturday under emergency conditions.

On IR / Off IR: https://www.capfriendly.com/transactions

Suspensions/Fines:

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchandhas been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for cross-checking Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Andrew MacDonald during NHL Game No. 1218 in Philadelphia on Sunday, April 1, the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced today. The incident occurred at 18:55 of the second period. Marchand was assessed a minor penalty for cross-checking.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ian Cole has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for a dangerous trip against Vancouver Canucks forward Brandon Sutter during NHL Game No. 1208 in Vancouver on Saturday, March 31, the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced today. The incident occurred at 8:10 of the second period. Cole was assessed a minor penalty for tripping.

Other Interesting Stories:

Erik Karlssonwill not travel with the Ottawa Senators for their season-ending three-game road trip so he can be with his wife, Melinda, and their family following the loss of their son, Axel. Karlsson had three assists in a 6-5 loss to the Winnipeg Jets at Canadian Tire Centre on Monday, Ottawa's final home game this season, and picked up the puck after the game ended. Karlsson can become an unrestricted free agent after the 2018-19 season and is eligible to sign a new contract July 1. There were rumors surrounding Karlsson's future with the Senators before the NHL Trade Deadline passed Feb. 26, and he remained with Ottawa.

Danieland Henrik Sedin announced their retirement from the NHL on Monday the way they carried themselves for 17 seasons as forwards with the Vancouver Canucks. They posted a letter to Canucks fans on the team website. They spoke from the heart, together. After discussions with their families, it became clear this would be their last season. It was time for the 37-year-old twins to focus on homework and birthday parties and kids' activities and family dinners, on life after hockey. They decided to break the news now because the Canucks did not make the Stanley Cup Playoffs and will finish the season at home against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV) and Arizona Coyotes on Thursday, then at the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. "We want to share these final three games with you," they wrote. "We also want to share these games with our families, friends, teammates, coaches, trainers, staff and everyone at the Canucks who have supported us. You've all been with us every step of the way, and we want to thank you." The Canucks selected Daniel No. 2 and Henrik No. 3 in the 1999 NHL Draft after deft maneuvering by Brian Burke, then the general manager. They came to North America from Sweden together in 2000-01. Henrik won the Art Ross Trophy as scoring champion and the Hart Trophy as most valuable player in 2009-10. Daniel won the Art Ross and was runner-up for the Hart the next season. Henrik reached 1,000 points last season; Daniel did it this season. Never before had two brothers reached 1,000 points each, let alone two on the same team at the same time, let alone identical twins on the same line most of the time. The differences were subtle -- Henrik more of a playmaker at center, Daniel more of a finisher on the wing. In the Canucks record book, Henrik is No. 1 in games played (1,327), assists (828) and points (1,068). Daniel is No. 2 in games played (1,303), assists (647) and points (1,038). Daniel is No. 1 in goals (391); Henrik is seventh (240). No, they never won the Stanley Cup, coming oh-so-close when the Canucks lost Games 6 and 7 of the 2011 Final to the Boston Bruins. But it says everything about them and their connection to the community that, when it became clear the Canucks were no longer contenders late in their careers, they didn't leave to chase it elsewhere.

Hockey communities across the nation have rallied together to share inspiring stories about their local ice rinks and teams, and now four of them are one step closer to the coveted title of "Kraft Hockeyville™ USA 2018." In partnership with the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) and the National Hockey League (NHL®), Kraft Heinz is searching for America's most spirited and passionate hockey community. With nominations narrowed to four finalists, top contenders are now encouraging their fans to show support and take part in public voting, which begins at 12:00 a.m. ET on April 13 and extends through April 14 at 11 a.m. ET. The winner will be announced live on NBCSN later that day. Each of the four finalists will receive funds for rink upgrades from Kraft Heinz, with the grand prize winner awarded the opportunity to host an NHL® Pre-Season Game and receive $150,000 in rink upgrades. Finalists were selected based on story content and their communities' total digital Rally Points, which were awarded for activities such as uploading photos and videos, tweeting from the community page and interacting with the community content gallery on KraftHockeyville.com. The four communities advancing to the public voting round are: Brandon Valley - Brandon, S.D., Clinton Arena - Clinton, N.Y., George's Pond at Hirsch Coliseum - Shreveport, La., Memorial Sports Center - Middlebury, Vt.

Honors/Milestones:

Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson, Arizona Coyotes goaltender Antti Raanta and Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel have been named the NHL's "Three Stars" for the week ending April 1. Karlsson led the NHL with 3-6-9, including a pair of shorthanded goals, in four games as the Pacific Division champion Golden Knights (50-22-7, 107 points) became the first modern-era expansion team from any of the four North American professional sports leagues to start from scratch and finish first in its division (excluding mergers and all-expansion divisions). Raanta went 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average, .964 save percentage and one shutout as the Coyotes (28-40-11, 67 points) won three of their four games for the week to improve to 16-8-2 dating to Feb. 8. Eichel placed second in the NHL with 3-5-8 in three games to help the Sabres (25-41-12, 62 points) pick up a pair of victories.

Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkinplayed his 1,000th NHL game on Sunday, a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ovechkin leads the NHL with 45 goals this season. For his career, Ovechkin has scored 603 goals and 1,118 points and is the first Capitals player to reach 1,000 games with the team.

Before their final home game of their inaugural season, the Vegas Golden Knights honored the victims of the tragic Harvest Music Festival shooting back on Oct. 1. The team raised a banner to the rafters with the names of each victim and 58 stars to represent the lives lost. The top of the banner reads "Vegas Strong." The team also announced that no Golden Knights player will ever wear No. 58 in honor of the victims. It is officially retired.

Seabrook, 32, played in his 1,000th NHL game when Chicago hosted the Winnipeg Jets at United Center on Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCH, TSN3, NHL.TV). It's been quite a career for Seabrook, who has won the Stanley Cup three times (2010, 2013, 2015), won a gold medal with Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and been an important leader for the Blackhawks. He is the fifth player in Chicago franchise history to reach that milestone. He ranks third all-time for franchise defensemen in goals (94), and sixth in assists (336) and points (440). His three career overtime goals in the playoffs are the most among Chicago blue liners in franchise history.

Power Ranking:

X - Nashville (1)

X - Tampa Bay (2)

X - Boston (3)

X - Winnipeg (5)

Y - Vegas (4)

Y - Washington (7)

X - Toronto (8)

X - Minnesota (9)

X - San Jose (6)

Columbus (14)

Los Angeles (12)

X - Pittsburgh (10)

Anaheim (11)

New Jersey (18)

Philly (15)

Colorado (13)

St Louis (17)

Florida (16)

e - Dallas (20)

e - Calgary (21)

e - Carolina (19)

e - Rangers (22)

e - Islanders (24)

e - Chicago (25)

e - Edmonton (23)

e - Detroit (27)

e - Vancouver (28)

e - Arizona (29)

e - Montreal (26)

e - Ottawa (30)

e - Buffalo (31)

Looking ahead:

Bos: @ FLA on 4/5, vs Ott on 4/7, vs FLA on 4/8, end of regular season

Car: @ PHI on 4/5, vs TBL on 4/7, end of season

NYR: @ NYI on 4/5, @ PHI on 4/7, end of season

Other Notable games:

Wednesday, 4/4: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20180404 (3 games) Thursday, 4/5: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20180405 (10 games) Friday, 4/6: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20180406 (4 games) Saturday, 4/7: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20180407 (15 games) Sunday, 4/1: http://www.espn.com/nhl/scoreboard?date=20180408 (1 game) END OF REGULAR SEASON

Minor League Hockey Minute

Wayne: https://theahl.com/2017-18-ahl-all-rookie-team

https://theahl.com/2018-calder-cup-playoff-primer 30

Steve: 2 KHL stories…

College Hockey Minute:

NCAA Tournament field announced on Sunday:

http://www.uscho.com/ncaa/mens-division-i-ncaa-tournament/

Go to Bracket Page…

USCHO Poll:

http://www.uscho.com/rankings/d-i-mens-poll/ Pairwise Rankings:

http://www.uscho.com/rankings/pairwise-rankings/d-i-men/

Bracketology

http://www.uscho.com/bracketology/

NCAA Division III Bracket: http://www.uscho.com/ncaa/mens-division-iii-ncaa-tournament/

Picks of the week:

Steve: Penguins fan seeks Kidney Donor…

Wayne: https://www.nhl.com/news/emergency-goalie-scott-foster-enters-game-for-chicago/c-297467924 https://www.nhl.com/news/blackhawks-emergency-goalie-scott-foster-has-ton-of-fun/c-297477604 https://www.nhl.com/news/blackhawks-emergency-goalie-scott-foster-becomes-instant-celebrity/c-297493622

Listener Feedback / Action item for the week

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Fantasy Hockey Segment

Key performers over the past week - http://bbfhl.hockey.cbssports.com/stats/stats-main