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NHL drops the hammer on Avalanche D Cale Makar

Sports.MyNorthwest.com

If the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche are to re-take the lead in their Round 1 postseason series against the Seattle Kraken, they’ll have to do so without their most valuable member of the blue line. 

Defenseman Cale Makar has been suspended by the National Hockey League Department of Player Safety for the upcoming Game 5 of the series as punishment for his blatant interference on Kraken forward Jared McCann during the 1st period of last night’s Game 4 at Climate Pledge Arena.

For those who may not have seen it, here is the play in question. Makar chased McCann into the corner following the latter’s breakaway attempt and crushed him into the boards. McCann was injured and did not return to the game, and will not be playing in Game 5.

The Avalanche are already without the services of Russian forward Valeri  Nichushkin for potentially the remainder of the 2023 postseason due to a personal issue stemming from an alleged incident at the team hotel in Seattle. 

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Maple Leafs announce Game 5 status for Matthew Knies

Yardbarker

The Toronto Maple Leafs return home to the friendly confines of Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday night with a 3-1 series advantage over the rival Tampa Bay Lightning following two consecutive overtime victories. The Leafs trailed in both games at Amalie Arena, only to roar back to steal victory from the jaws of defeat. 

There was also a key lineup change that Toronto made after Michael Bunting was suspended following Tampa’s lopsided Game 1 loss for elbowing Tampa’s Erik Cernak in the head. Forward Matthew Knies, who was playing for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers earlier this month, was inserted into the lineup and had a positive impact. 

Bunting is eligible to return on Thursday night for the potential closeout game against the Lightning, and there will be a player who needs to come out of the lineup should he be inserted back into action. However, that player will not be Knies, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe. 

“Matthew Knies is certainly not coming out of the lineup,” Keefe said during a Zoom call from Tampa. “He has done a terrific job for us. He is a guy who definitely earned his spot and the opportunity to continue to play for us.”

The most likely candidate to be taken from the lineup should Bunting return include Sam Lafferty or Zach Aston-Reese.

“With Bunting being available, it’s a very good option for us, he’s a good player for us,” Keefe said. “It’s not as easy or as simple a decision as it may have been earlier in the series. “We will take our time and sort through it. We have a group of guys who have played real hard. We have some time today and tomorrow to sort through that and make that decision.”

Game 5 between the Leafs and Lightning is Thursday night; the Leafs can punch their ticket to the second round for the first time since 2004 with a win. 

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Patrice Bergeron provides critical health update

NHL.com

The Boston Bruins have been without the services of captain Patrice Bergeron for the entire 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs so far, though the good news is that they have a commanding 3-1 lead over the Florida Panthers heading into Game 5 in Boston. 

The longtime veteran Bruins forward has been practicing and working towards a return to action, and it was said by head coach Jim Montgomery that it would be “likely” for him to return at some point in the series. Following practice this morning at the team training facility, Bergeron provided a key update on his health – and all signs point to him playing tomorrow night. 

“Feeling good…today’s a good day,” he said. “We’ll see tomorrow how I feel. I’m not anticipating any setbacks. So far, so good.”

The Bruins take on the Panthers tomorrow night at TD Garden and can punch their ticket to the second round with a victory.

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NHL Insider reveals stunning details behind Valeri Nichushkin’s departure

The Athletic

The Colorado Avalanche have been without forward Valeri Nichushkin for their last two postseason games against the Seattle Kraken due to, as they put it, “personal reasons”. Nichushkin was designated a late scratch prior to Game 3, and was reported to have gone to the airport and departed Seattle. 

But now, some stunning new details have emerged via Frank Seravalli of The Daily Faceoff. 

As Seravalli mentioned while making an appearance on the “Halford & Brough in the Morning” show on Vancouver’s Sportsnet 650, Nichushkin’s absence from the Avalanche is reportedly due to an alcohol-related incident at the team hotel in Seattle.

“I’ve been working on the story as well,” Seravalli said. “This is a tough one because, you’re staring to blur the lines of personal and, you know, what part of it should be out there publicly. That’s something we’re all sifting through. My sense is that there was an alcohol-related incident that occurred. And I don’t know what the next steps are, I don’t know the depth of it, but it’s clear that something happened at the team hotel on Friday night that necessitated the Colorado Avalanche to get in solved.” 

“So, there is something ongoing – I don’t know exactly what that is, but I’m working to find out more information while also trying to gauge how much of that should remain private, and how much of it, given the situation, should be public.” 

The segment on Nichushkin can be heard here (Hour 2, begin at 19:40). 

Meanwhile, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar stated today that it would be “unbelievable” if Nichushkin were to return during this postseason. 

“I do not know,” Bednar said. “I just don’t know. It’s personal reasons. If he came back to play in this series it would be unbelievable.”

Nichushkin appeared in 53 games for the defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche this season, scoring 17 goals while adding 30 assists. He was a force in Colorado’s title run last season, tallying nine goals in 20 playoff games and helping the Avalanche to their first Stanley Cup since 2001. 

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Evander Kane makes shocking allegation against a Kings fan

CBS Sports

Controversial NHL forward Evander Kane has shown a knack for scoring clutch goals in the postseason since joining the Edmonton Oilers last season. He would come through in the clutch once again in Game 4 of their opening round Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Los Angeles Kings, tying the game at four late in the third period; Edmonton would go on to win in overtime and knot the series at two games apiece. 

Earlier this season, Kane would befriend a young Oilers fan named Cecily Eklund who is battling brain cancer: 

She was also a special guest of Kane’s for Game 3 of the series in Los Angeles. However, Kane has made a stunning allegation against a particular Kings fan, claiming that the young girl was subject to harassment and was even spat upon. He wrote on social media:

“simply_cecily_rose got to go on an amazing road trip to LA last week that created some incredibly fun memories. But some of her experience in LA specifically at Game 3 of the game was not. I’m disgusted and appalled at what happened to this amazing little girl in the stands and in a women’s restroom where she was harassed for wearing her jersey and was spit upon by an LA fan for doing so. This type of behavior is gross and completely unacceptable. For any young girl especially someone battling brain cancer to be treated in such a manner is pathetic. Grow up and as this smart young lady always says BE KIND!”

Kane would then show a particularly classless screenshot of a response from someone on Instagram: 


If the allegation from Kane is true, then it absolutely was a classless and truly disgusting action from that particular fan. Harassing a young fan and spitting on them is unconscionable, and certainly not a representation of Kings and hockey fans as a whole. 

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Avalanche D Cale Makar facing discipline from NHL

NHL.com

It was an exciting night in the Emerald City last night, as the second-year Seattle Kraken earned their first ever playoff overtime victory with a thrilling 3-2 triumph over the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche. Jordan Eberle’s power-play goal shortly into the extra session pushed Seattle over the top, enabling them to tie their series at two games apiece and setting up a best of 3. 

However, there was one play over the course of the game that garnered extra scrutiny, and could result in punishment for an Avalanche superstar.

Defenseman Cale Makar absolutely trucked Kraken forward Jared McCann into the boards during the 1st period with the puck nowhere nearby, and the latter was clearly shaken up. He would go right to the dressing room and did not return to action; according to head coach David Hakstol, he won’t be available to play in Game 5. 

Meanwhile, Makar could be facing discipline from the NHL, as he will be facing a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety.

Makar would explain that he didn’t know where the puck was, and thought McCann was heading into the corner to retrieve it.

“I didn’t feel like I tried to finish him that far,” Makar said of the hit. “I feel like if I was in that scenario they would have done the exact same thing. I’m not trying to hurt anybody.”

What should Makar’s punishment be? 

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Maple Leafs fan goes viral for passionate reaction to OT win

Twitter

Fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs everywhere were expecting to return home to Toronto with their series against the rival Tampa Bay Lightning tied at two games apiece after the Bolts jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second period that they maintained halfway through the game’s final frame. 

However, by the time that it was all said and done, the Maple Leafs put together a truly unbelievably comeback and captured their second overtime victory in a row over an absolutely stunned Lightning team, seizing a 3-1 series stranglehold ahead of Thursday’s Game 5 back at Scotiabank Arena.

As usual, television broadcast cameras would often pan to the throng of Leafs fans celebrating the win outside of Scotiabank Arena in the area known as Maple Leafs Square, but it was one fan who was in Amalie Arena who went viral for his reaction to the win.

Take a look for yourself and tell us that’s not the collective feeling of Leafs Nation right now: 

You think he’s fired up or what? 

The series isn’t over yet, and the Leafs know they’ll be facing a desperate Lightning team on Thursday night. They’re also well aware of the history of their own playoff letdowns, including blowing a 3-1 series lead over the Montreal Canadiens two years ago.

But for now, the Leafs are in prime position to advance for the first time since 2004, and fans have every right to feel excited – especially after two straight comeback overtime wins! 

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Rumblings of a huge return for the Kings in Game 4.

Aaron Lavinsky/Star Tribune

The Los Angeles Kings have already taken a 2-1 lead over the Edmonton Oilers in their opening round Stanley Cup playoff series, and now to make matters even worse for the Oilers it sounds like reinforcements may be on the way for the Kings.

Although there has been no official announcement regarding his status at this time, signs are pointing to the fact that Kings forward Kevin Fiala may be set to make his return from a lower body injury that has kept him out of the series thus far.

Fiala was on the ice for the Kings’ morning skate on Sunday and was in a red no-contact jersey, but indications are he will skate in warmups before tonight’s Game 4. That likely means that Fiala is a gametime decision, but either way this is a sign that he is extremely close to a return to the lineup.

Fiala was an effective offensive player for the Kings during the regular season, appearing in 69 games and recording 23 goals while adding 49 assists for a total of 72 points over that stretch of play. His return would be a big boost to the Kings offense, and would come at a time when the Oilers desperately need a win to even up the series again.

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Wild victims of a brutal call by NHL officials in Game 4.

The Minnesota Wild were the victims of a pretty inexcusable call on the part of the National Hockey League’s officials on Sunday night and, if the veins that were practically bursting from the head of Wild head coach Dean Evason were any indication, it seems very unlikely that they are going to be happy with the outcome of Game 4.

The Wild were battling the Dallas Stars in a hotly contested game, one that was separated by only a single goal in the third period, when Wild forward Marcus Foligno was shaken up on a play after an awkward attempt at a hit on Stars forward Mason Marchment. Marchment managed to avoid the majority of the contact, but in doing so his stick came across the face of Foligno and would in fact result in the Wild forward being busted open on the play.

Although it initially appeared as though the Wild might get a power play out of the whole thing, when Foligno got back up to his feet he was shocked to learn that he was in fact the one headed to the penalty box. The officials on the ice had called Foligno for “tripping” on the play, resulting in outrage from both Foligno as well as the rest of the Minnesota Wild.

Making matters even worse, the Stars would score on the ensuing power play with Stars forward Tyler Seguin notching the power play goal. It was at this moment that Evason appeared to be boiling on the bench, with his face muscles seemingly contorting as he did his best to contain his anger at the NHL’s officials.

Adding insult to injury, the Wild managed to come within a goal by scoring with only a minute left on the game clock. That means that this call from the NHL officials, and the ensuing power play goal, proved to be a deciding factor in tonight’s game.

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Brad Marchand calls out the NHL after Game 4 on Sunday.

Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Bruins earned a huge win on Sunday when they took Game 4 over the Florida Panthers, securing a commanding 3-1 lead in the opening round series between the two Stanley Cup hopefulls.

While you might think that would have put the Bruins in a good mood, Bruins forward Brad Marchand clearly had a bone to pick after the game. Some of the antics that occurred during the game, including all hell breaking loose late in the third period, might lead you to believe that Marchand had a bone to pick with the Panthers, but instead the Bruins agitator’s issues were with the National Hockey League itself.

Following the conclusion of Game 4, Marchand was asked about controversial comments made by Matthew Tkachuk earlier in the series.

Again you might have expected Marchand to use the opportunity to roast Tkachuk for some pretty ugly comments that were caught on a hot mic, but this is where Marchand chose to call out the NHL instead. The Bruins agitator chastised the league, and their media partners, for allowing the comments from Tkachuk to be caught on a mic in the first place.

“I think the NHL and the media outlets have crossed the line to allow those mics …” said an infuriated Marchand.

According to Matt Porter of the Boston Globe, Marchand would go even one step further and called the entire situation “very disrespectful” to the agreement between the NHL and NHLPA.

It certainly sounds like there may be some fallout here, although much of that is likely to occur behind closed doors and away from the prying eyes of fans.