Hitchcock signs one-year extension

Statement from the Blues website.

ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today the Blues have signed Head Coach Ken Hitchcock to a one-year contract.

Hitchcock was originally hired by the Blues on Nov. 7, 2011, becoming the 24th head coach in team history. The Edmonton, Alberta native will enter his sixth season behind the Blues bench in 2016-17. During his tenure with the Blues, Hitchcock has guided the team to four of the top five regular seasons in franchise history and earned five consecutive births in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In 2015-16, Hitchcock led the Blues to a 49-24-9 record and 107 points - the fourth highest regular season point total in team history. In the 2016 postseason, the Blues defeated the 2015 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks and the Western Conference's top regular season team, the Dallas Stars, en route to their first appearance in the Western Conference Final in 15 years.

Hitchcock has finished first or second in the Central Division in each of his five previous regular seasons in St. Louis, including divisions titles in both 2014-15 and 2011-12. He also became the fourth coach in Blues history to earn the NHL's Jack Adams Award as the League's top coach in 2012.

Overall, Hitchcock has appeared in 363 regular season games behind the Blues bench, accumulating a 224-103-36 record. His .667 career points percentage is the best in franchise history.

The 2016-17 season will be Hitchcock's 20th behind an NHL bench. Overall, he has coached in 1,404 career regular season games between Dallas, Philadelphia, Columbus and St. Louis, posting a 757-453-194 record. He ranks sixth in NHL history in regular season games coached and fourth in regular season wins. Hitchcock has led his teams seven division titles and 11 100-point regular seasons. During his postseason career, Hitchcock has posted a 86-82 record while leading his teams to 13 Stanley Cup Playoff appearances. In 1998-99, he led the Dallas Stars to 16-7 playoff record en route to winning the 1999 Stanley Cup.

Internationally, Hitchcock has represented Canada at numerous competitions. He was named head coach of Team Canada for the 2008 World Championships and led the team to the silver medal. He is a three-time gold medalist, winning with Canada at the 2002, 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics as an associate coach. In addition, he served as an assistant coach on Canada's gold-medal winning teams at the 2002 World Championships and the 1987 World Junior Championships.

Patrick Marleau will not have hearing for hit

San Jose Sharks forward Patrick Marleau will not have a hearing for his hit to the head of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday.

The incident occurred at 4:47 of the third period. Marleau was given a two-minute minor for a check to the head.

After the hit, Rust played one shift but did not return to the game after that. The Penguins consider him day-to-day as of now.

Penguins score late to win Game 1 against Sharks

Game Recap from NHL.com.

PITTSBURGH -- In a game filled with wild momentum swings, Nick Bonino scored with 2:33 remaining to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 3-2 win against the San Jose Sharks in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final at Consol Energy Center on Monday.

"It's one game, but I think we did a lot of good things," Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby said. "First and third (periods) we were really strong, generated a lot of chances.

"We saw a lot of their strengths, especially in the second, with how good they are at getting pucks to the net and holding on to pucks down low. They play pretty fast. Just two teams who want to get to the exact same game. I thought we did a really good job in the first and third of doing that."

Game 2 of the best-of-7 series is here on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).

On the winning goal, Pittsburgh defensemanKris Letang barged into the offensive zone with the puck and eventually found himself against the end wall, facing San Jose defenseman Brent Burns, who was without his stick. Using that mismatch to his favor, Letang fired a crisp pass that eluded Burns and defense partner Paul Martin before finding Bonino.

"What happened behind the goal line, I just noticed that Burns lost his stick or broke his stick," Letang said. "I had a little bit more time to make a play and I found [Bonino] on the back door."

Without hesitation, Bonino snapped a shot that glanced off the blocker of goalie Martin Jones into the net.

"It's one of those shots that wasn't my hardest shot by any means, but just found a way to kind of flip it over him," Bonino said. "Great pass from [Letang]."

Rookies Bryan Rust and Conor Shearyscored first-period goals for Pittsburgh, andMatt Murray made 24 saves.

Tomas Hertl and Patrick Marleau scored to tie the game in the second period for San Jose, and Martin Jones made 38 saves.

This was the seventh straight Cup Final Game 1 decided by one goal, a streak that started with a 6-5 win by the Chicago Blackhawks against the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010. It also was the sixth straight season when the winning goal has been scored in the final five minutes of the third period or later.

Pittsburgh is the first Eastern Conference team to win Game 1 of the Cup Final since the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 in 2006.

The Sharks, playing in their first Stanley Cup Final in their 25-year history, needed a strong second period to get back into a game that got away from them in the first period when the Penguins scored twice in a 62-second span.

"They came out flying," San Jose centerLogan Couture said. "It looked like we were stuck in mud. Shouldn't happen. Obviously this is the first time for a lot of guys, so maybe that was it. This time of the year, the games are too big to have a start like that."

San Jose had a 27-13 advantage in shot attempts during the second period.

Hertl scored a power-play goal at 3:02 to make it 2-1, and Marleau, the longest-tenured Sharks player, tied it 2-2 with a wraparound goal that beat Murray to the far post.

"We started to play the way we're capable of playing," San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said of the second period.

The Penguins took advantage of a slow start by the Sharks, and right wing Rust and left wing Sheary scored to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead with 6:12 remaining in the first period.

"I think that we just did a really good job of not trying to feel the game out, especially early," Crosby said. "I thought we did a good job of just playing and trying to get to our game, and it gave us a big boost to get that kind of start."

It was the first time since 2009 that two rookies scored for the same team in a Stanley Cup Final game (Jonathan Ericssonand Justin Abdelkader for the Detroit Red Wings against the Penguins), and the second time rookies scored the first two goals (Howie Morenz of the Montreal Canadiens scored both in a win against the Calgary Tigers of the Western Hockey League, two years before the Stanley Cup Playoffs became a tournament for only NHL teams), according to Elias Sports Bureau.

Rust, who scored two goals in a 2-1, Game 7 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final on Thursday, has six this postseason, a Penguins rookie record (Michel Briere had five in 1970). Rust has five goals in 55 regular-season games.

Rust played one shift after he took an illegal check in the head from Marleau in the third period. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said Rust is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Download our 2016 Stanley Cup Finals pre-series statistics

"The Neutral Zone" Staff Report

On Monday night, the San Jose Sharks and the Pittsburgh Penguins will be facing off in Game one of the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The sharks are the first team to make its debut in the Stanley Cup Final since the 2007 Ottawa Senators. The last team to win the final in their first appearance in it was the 2004 Tampa Bay Lightning.

This will be the Penguins' fifth appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. They won the final in 1991, 1992 and 2009 and also reached the Final in 2008.

The Penguins  and the Sharks split their meetings in 2015-16, with the road team winning each time. On Nov. 21 at Pittsburgh, the Sharks won 3-1 SJ, then on Dec. 1 at San Jose, the Penguins won 5-1.

You can view and download our 2016 Stanley Cup Finals pre-series season statistics file below, giving you much of the Penguins and Sharks statistics 2015-16 season statistics before game one of the final. All of the stats in the document comes from Hockey Reference.

View/Download (PDF): 2016 SCF - Pre-Series Statistics

Or just view the file here:


TIP: If you want to view the file correctly, download the file, open it with a program that can view the file and can expand the length of the file. As you expand the file's length, the stats will look neater and more organized. Expand the file's length until every piece of the file fits in the window correctly.

Mock Draft Notebook: NHL.com Expert's picks and analysis

"The Neutral Zone" Staff Report

Both Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morale picked the Toronto
Maple Leafs to select Auston Matthews first overall in the 2016
NHL Draft.

Who needs a 2016 NHL mock draft?

You?

Well, you've come to the right place! The Neutral Zone has the latest 2016 NHL mock drafts from Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com to give you who the experts feel the teams picking in the first round of this year's draft will pick!

Check out their pieces below:

Adam Kimelman's Mock Draft:

1. Toronto Maple Leafs -- Auston Matthews, C, Zurich (SUI)
The Maple Leafs can end their search for a franchise center. Matthews (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) answered any lingering questions about who should go No. 1 with an outstanding performance at the 2016 IIHF World Championship (six goals, three assists).

2. Winnipeg Jets -- Patrik Laine, RW, Tappara (FIN)
Laine already has NHL-ready size (6-4, 206) and talent, which he again showed by winning MVP of the World Championship with seven goals and five assists in 10 games. He should step into a top-six role next season.

3. Columbus Blue Jackets -- Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Karpat (FIN)
The talented playmaker can drive the offense with great speed and puckhandling skill. But the 6-3, 203-pound forward also has shown himself to be a responsible player in the defensive zone, and knows how to use his size and strength to win battles along the wall.

4. Edmonton Oilers -- Olli Juolevi, D, London (OHL)
The Oilers find the defenseman they need to help transition the puck to their talented group of forwards. Juolevi also can carry it himself to create offense. He had no problem adjusting to the smaller North American rinks, and has room to add strength to his 6-2, 182-pound frame.

5. Vancouver Canucks -- Matthew Tkachuk, LW, London (OHL)
General manager Jim Benning said he was looking for a top-line forward with the fifth pick, and Tkachuk has the skill to fill that role. The 6-1, 200-pound forward attacks the net in the offensive zone. He has the skill and strength to go there with the puck and the soft hands to tip shots and get to rebounds.

6. Calgary Flames -- Pierre-Luc Dubois, LW, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
The Flames allowed the most goals in the League this season but would be hard-pressed to pass up a big (6-2, 201), skilled forward versatile enough to play all three forward spots. Dubois at left wing to clear room for Johnny Gaudreau must be an appealing thought to GM Brad Treliving.

7. Arizona Coyotes -- Jakob Chychrun, D, Sarnia (OHL)
Chychrun has NHL size (6-2, 205) and an outstanding feel for the game. An all-around defenseman who can jump into the play or hang back and play strong in the defensive zone.

8. Buffalo Sabres -- Alexander Nylander, RW, Mississauga (OHL)
The Sabres are solid through the middle of the ice with Ryan O'Reilly and Jack Eichel. Now it's time to find them some scoring options on the wing, and that could start with Nylander (6-0, 180), a dynamic skater who excelled in his first OHL season.

9. Montreal Canadiens -- Logan Brown, C, Windsor (OHL)
Two of the biggest needs for the Canadiens are big forwards and depth through the middle. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Brown supplies both. He's a Joe Thornton-esque playmaker more than a goal scorer, but there's lots of room for him to grow his game, both skill-wise and strength-wise.

10. Colorado Avalanche -- Mikhail Sergachev, D, Windsor (OHL)
The Russian-born left-shot defender showed skill and snarl in his first North American season. He has NHL-ready size (6-2, 205), and scored 17 goals in 67 games. He could step right into the Avalanche lineup next season.  

11. New Jersey Devils -- Michael McLeod, C, Mississauga (OHL)
The Devils scored the fewest goals in the League last season, so an offensive upgrade is in order. McLeod (6-2, 188) has great speed and showed this season he can set up linemates or finish plays at the net.

12. Ottawa Senators -- Jake Bean, D, Calgary (WHL)
The offensive-minded left-shot defender led WHL defensemen with 24 goals in 68 games this season. At 6-1 and 172 pounds, he needs to get stronger, but his skating and offensive game would help energize the Senators offense.

13. Carolina Hurricanes -- Clayton Keller, C, USA U-18 (USHL)
Keller is the latest small-stature player (5-9, 168) to put up huge numbers entering his draft season; he had 107 points in 62 games with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program under-18 team. He's headed to Boston University next season and should get stronger. Eventually he could add high-end skill to the Hurricanes lineup.

14. Boston Bruins -- Julien Gauthier, RW, Val-d'Or (QMJHL)
The Bruins lack depth on the right side and Gauthier certainly supplies that. The 6-3, 225-pound forward had 41 goals in 54 games this season, and also was the only 2016 draft-eligible player to make Canada's roster for the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship

15. Minnesota Wild -- Max Jones, LW, London (OHL)
Size and physicality up front is a need for the Wild, and the 6-2, 203-pound Jones supplies it, along with top-end skill that saw him score 28 goals and 52 points in 63 games. He needs to tame some of the wildness that got him 106 penalty minutes and a 12-game suspension in the OHL playoffs, but that should come with maturity.

16. Detroit Red Wings -- Dante Fabbro, D, Penticton (BCHL)
The Red Wings need to get some younger defensemen into the pipeline, but they will be able to wait for Fabbro (6-0, 189) to mature at Boston University. He had 67 points in 45 games, and scouts also like his defensive awareness and ability to read the play.

17. Nashville Predators -- Charles McAvoy, D, Boston University (H-EAST)
The Predators traded defenseman Seth Jones during the season and Shea Weber will turn 31 in August, so it makes sense for them to start building some depth at the position. McAvoy (6-0, 208) had a solid freshman season at Boston University with 25 points in 37 games and earned a spot with the United States at the World Junior Championship. Scouts like his skating, mobility and work ethic.

18. Philadelphia Flyers -- Riley Tufte, LW, Blaine (HIGH-MN)
Flyers GM Ron Hextall has said he wants to get bigger up front. Tufte will need time at the University of Minnesota Duluth to develop his game, but at 6-4 and 205 pounds he has what Philadelphia is looking for. A good skater with a hard shot, he also is good at winning board battles. He was Mr. Hockey in Minnesota and had 10 goals in 27 games against better competition with Fargo of the USHL.

19. New York Islanders -- Logan Stanley, D, Windsor (OHL)
Some physicality on defense would help and at 6-7 and 225 pounds, Stanley brings that element. He skates well for a player his size and likely will continue to improve. He won't be a big offensive producer, but could look pretty solid as the defensive half of a future pairing with Ryan Pulock.

20. Arizona Coyotes (from New York Rangers) -- German Rubtsov, C, Team Russia U18 (RUS)
The 6-2, 178-pound forward had a solid offensive season with 26 points in 28 games, but scouts also like his hockey sense and defensive-zone play. Those two qualities that would make him a good fit on a Dave Tippett-coached team.

21. Carolina Hurricanes (from Los Angeles Kings) -- Tyson Jost, C, Penticton (BCHL)
The talented center had an outstanding season with 42 goals and 104 points in 48 games. Jost (6-0, 194) will face a higher level of play next season at the University of North Dakota, but he has the look of another building block for the Carolina offense.

22. Winnipeg Jets (from Chicago Blackhawks) -- Dennis Cholowski, D, Chilliwack (BCHL)
Two of the Jets' top defensemen, Dustin Byfuglien and Toby Enstrom, are 31, so now is the time to start looking to the future. Cholowski (6-0, 170) is an excellent skater with top-end hockey sense. He'll look to get stronger next season at St. Cloud State.

23. Florida Panthers -- Alexander DeBrincat, RW, Erie (OHL)
DeBrincat has played alongside top-end centers Connor McDavid and Dylan Strome the past two seasons, but you still have to be pretty talented to score 102 goals in 128 games, especially with a 5-7, 163-pound frame. He anticipates the game well and has a quick release on an accurate shot.

24. Anaheim Ducks -- Kieffer Bellows, LW, USA U-18 (USHL)
A 50-goal scorer this season with the NTDP U-18 team, Bellows (6-0, 196) would bring some needed skill along the wing to the organizational pipeline. He'll spend next season developing his game at Boston University, but scouts already like his shot and his willingness to use it in all areas of the ice.

25. Dallas Stars -- Nathan Bastian, RW, Mississauga (OHL)
The 6-3, 205-pound power forward was the third skater on a line with Nylander and McLeod and did a lot of the grunt work along the walls and in front of the net. His skating needs to get better, but he has a strong, accurate shot and can get it off quickly.

26. Washington Capitals -- Lucas Johansen, D, Kelowna (WHL)
The Capitals need to add some young defensemen to their organization and there's no better place to find one than Kelowna, which has produced, among others, Duncan Keith, Shea Weber and Tyson Barrie. Johansen (6-1, 176), the younger brother of Nashville's Ryan Johansen, excels at using his skating to attack offensively and defend.

27. Tampa Bay Lightning -- Vitaly Abramov, RW, Gatineau (QMJHL)
In his first season in North America, Abramov led QMJHL rookies with 38 goals and 93 points. He's 5-9 and 175 pounds but is a highly competitive player with a quick, accurate shot.

28. St. Louis Blues -- Pascal Laberge, C, Victoriaville (QMJHL)
With David Backes a 32-year-old impending free agent and Paul Stastny (30), this could be a good time for the Blues to start building for the future through the middle. Laberge (6-1, 172) had 68 points in 56 games; he's a smart playmaker who is willing to work for pucks along the wall.

*29. Boston Bruins (from San Jose Sharks) -- Luke Kunin, C, Wisconsin (BIG 10)
Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci are 30 years old but should still be useful players when Kunin (5-11, 193) is ready to make an impact. He had 32 points in 34 games as a college freshman and will get top-end coaching next season from Tony Granato.

*30. Toronto Maple Leafs (from Pittsburgh Penguins) -- Boris Katchouk, LW, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
The 6-1, 192-pound forward had 24 goals and 51 points in 63 games, but also showed himself to be a versatile player who can kill penalties and be physical when needed.

 *- to be determined at end of Stanley Cup Final

- - - - -

Mike G. Morreale's Mock Draft:

1. Toronto Maple Leafs - Auston Matthews, C, Zurich (SUI)
Matthews (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) was second in the voting for most valuable player this season and won the Rising Star award in National League A, Switzerland's top professional league, with 24 goals and 46 points in 36 games. 

2. Winnipeg Jets - Patrik Laine, RW, Tappara (FIN)
Laine (6-4, 206) helped Tappara win the championship in Liiga, Finland's top professional league, with 10 goals and 15 points in 18 playoff games. He won the Jari Kurri Trophy as postseason MVP, and also won the MVP at the 2016 IIHF World Championship while helping Finland win the bronze medal. 

3. Columbus Blue Jackets - Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Karpat (FIN)
Puljujarvi (6-3, 203) led all scorers and was named MVP for gold medalist Finland at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship with 17 points (five goals).

4. Edmonton Oilers - Matthew Tkachuk, LW, London (OHL)
Tkachuk (6-1, 200) is intelligent and incredibly strong, and shows it in hard areas of the ice. The Oilers could use him in their top six, and adding Tkachuk could allow GM Peter Chiarelli to trade a forward for an established defenseman and fill another need.

5. Vancouver Canucks - Olli Juolevi, D, London (OHL)
Juolevi (6-2, 182) had nine goals, 42 points and a plus-38 rating while playing big minutes in all situations for London. He also had three goals, 14 points and a plus-15 rating in 18 OHL playoff games.

6. Calgary Flames - Alexander Nylander, RW, Mississauga (OHL)
Nylander (6-0, 180) has good separation speed and led Mississauga with 28 goals, nine power-play goals and 75 points in 57 games as a rookie.

7. Arizona Coyotes - Pierre-Luc Dubois, LW, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
Dubois (6-2, 201) plays with an edge, has good vision and exhibits good hands in tight spaces. He led Cape Breton with 57 assists, 99 points and a plus-40 rating in 62 games.

8. Buffalo Sabres - Tyson Jost, C, Penticton (BCHL)
Jost (5-11, 191) is committed to the University of North Dakota in 2016-17. He had 42 goals, 104 points, 14 power-play goals and seven game-winning goals in 48 games.

9. Montreal Canadiens - Jakob Chychrun, D, Sarnia (OHL)
Chychrun (6-2, 205) is a good skater with offensive instincts and defensive awareness. He enjoys playing physical, and had 11 goals, 49 points and a plus-23 rating in 62 games.

10. Colorado Avalanche - Mikhail Sergachev, D, Windsor (OHL)
Sergachev (6-2, 208), named the best defenseman in the OHL, had 17 goals, 57 points, and 31 power-play points in 67 games as a rookie.

11. New Jersey Devils - Logan Brown, C, Windsor (OHL)
Brown (6-6, 220) is the big center the Devils desperately crave for their prospect pool. He has good hands and is difficult to contain when driving to the net. He had 21 goals, 74 points, and 29 power-play points in 59 games. He also won 53.0 percent of his faceoffs (609 of 1,148).

12. Ottawa Senators - Michael McLeod, C, Mississauga (OHL)
The creative McLeod (6-2, 188) led Mississauga in shorthanded goals (four) and was second in goals (21) and points (61). He has a fantastic work ethic that makes him tough to defend.

13. Carolina Hurricanes - Clayton Keller, C, USA U-18 (USHL)
Keller (5-9, 168), committed to Boston University for 2016-17, led USA Hockey's National Team Development Program under-18 team with 70 assists and 107 points in 62 games. He had four goals and 14 points in seven games to help the United States to the bronze medal at the 2016 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.

14. Boston Bruins - Charles McAvoy, D, Boston University (H-EAST)
The right-shot defender (6-0, 208) was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team after he had three goals, 25 points, a plus-10 rating and 39 blocked shots in 37 games as a freshman.

15. Minnesota Wild - Jake Bean, D, Calgary (WHL)
The 6-foot, 173-pound left-shot defender Western Hockey League defensemen with 24 goals, and he had 64 points in 68 games in his second full WHL season.

16. Detroit Red Wings - Luke Kunin, C, University of Wisconsin (BIG10)
A lethal finisher capable of creating offense each shift, the right-shooting Kunin (6-0, 193) was named to the Big Ten Conference All-Freshman team after leading Wisconsin with 19 goals, five power-play goals and 127 shots on goal in 34 games.

17. Nashville Predators - Dante Fabbro, D, Penticton (BCHL)
Fabbro (6-0, 189), committed to Boston University for 2016-17, was named the top defenseman in the British Columbia Hockey League after leading all players at his position with 67 points (14 goals, 53 assists) in 45 games. 

18. Philadelphia Flyers - Julien Gauthier, RW, Val-d'Or (QMJHL)
Gauthier (6-3, 225) is a prototypical power forward who can skate well, score and play with an edge. He had 41 goals, including 11 power-play goals, and 57 points in 54 games. He was the only draft-eligible player to earn a roster spot for Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship.

19. New York Islanders - Max Jones, LW, London (OHL)
Jones (6-2, 203) is good at tracking pucks, plays with an edge and knows how to use his size and strength to his advantage. He had 28 goals (including five game-winners), 52 points, 106 penalty minutes and a plus-30 rating in 63 games.

20. Arizona Coyotes (from New York Rangers) - Dennis Cholowski, D, Chilliwack (BCHL)
Cholowski (6-0, 170) had 12 goals and 40 points in 50 games. He thinks and processes the game exceptionally well and knows where to go with the puck to elude forecheck pressure. He's committed to St. Cloud State University for next season.

21. Carolina Hurricanes (from Los Angeles Kings) - Tage Thompson, C, University of Connecticut (H-EAST)
Thompson (6-5, 185) has good size and scoring prowess but needs time to mature and bulk up before moving to the next level. The right-shooting forward led the NCAA with 13 power-play goals and had 14 goals and 32 points in 36 games. 

22. Winnipeg Jets (from Chicago Blackhawks) - Rasmus Asplund, C, Farjestad (SWE)
The 5-11, 176-pound left-shot forward is considered a great competitor and leader on and off the ice. He had four goals and 12 points in 46 games. He compensates for a lack of size with his smarts and how he uses the ice.

23. Florida Panthers - Kieffer Bellows, LW, USA U-18 (USHL)
Bellows (6-0, 196), committed to Boston University for 2016-17, is a pure goal scorer capable of getting pucks on goal from any angle. He led the NTDP U-18 team with 50 goals, 12 power-play goals and nine game-winning goals, and was second with 81 points in 62 games.

24. Anaheim Ducks - Riley Tufte, LW, Blaine (HIGH-MN)
The 2016 Minnesota Mr. Hockey Award winner is committed to the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2016-17. Tufte (6-4, 205) had 47 goals, 78 points, six power-play goals and 10 game-winning goals in 25 games.

25. Dallas Stars - Brett Howden, C, Moose Jaw (WHL)
A valuable team player capable of helping the power play, Howden (6-2, 193) had 24 goals and 64 points in 68 regular-season games, and 15 points in 10 WHL playoff games.

26. Washington Capitals - German Rubtsov, C, Team Russia U-18 (RUS)
Rubtsov (6-2, 178) plays an honest, two-way game and is skilled and strong in traffic areas. He had 12 goals, 26 points and a plus-12 rating in 28 regular-season games.

27. Tampa Bay Lightning - Logan Stanley, D, Windsor (OHL)
The left-shot defender has enough mobility to handle speedy forwards and defend well against most rushes. Stanley (6-7, 225) had five goals, 17 points and 103 penalty minutes in 64 games.

28. St. Louis Blues - Boris Katchouk, LW, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
Katchouk (6-1, 192) plays an in-your-face style similar to that of Blues forward Troy Brouwer. He had 24 goals, 51 points and 61 penalty minutes in 63 games.

*29. Boston Bruins (from San Jose Sharks) - Pascal Laberge, C, Victoriaville (QMJHL)
The 6-1, 172-pound, right-shot forward is regarded for his high-level competitiveness and willingness to go to the dirty areas to score goals. He led Victoriaville with 68 points in 56 games and was named MVP of the 2016 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in January.

*30. Toronto Maple Leafs (from Pittsburgh Penguins) - Kale Clague, D, Brandon (WHL)
Clague (5-11, 177) can elude defenders and make the solid first pass off the transition. He had six goals, 43 points and a plus-25 rating in 71 regular-season games, and 14 points in 21 playoff games to help Brandon win the WHL championship.

*- to be determined at end of Stanley Cup Final

NHL Transactions from May 27, 2017

BOS - Max Talbot, C - Signed with European team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL-Russia)

COL - Sergei Boikov, D - Signed Three-year contract

NSH - Corey Potter, D - Signed with European team CSKA Moscow (KHL-Russia)

NJ - Yohann Auvitu, D - Signed as Free Agent One-year contract

DET - Tomas Nosek, LW - Contract extended Two-year contract extension

Nosek signs to two-year extension

Statement from the Red Wings website.

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today signed centerTomas Nosek to a two-year contract extension.

Nosek, 23, has spent the past two seasons with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins after signing with the Red Wings as an unrestricted free agent on June 14, 2014. In 70 games played with the Griffins this season, Nosek logged 30 points (15-15-30), a plus-13 rating and 42 penalty minutes. He tied for the team lead with two shorthanded goals and ranked sixth in goals and tied for ninth in points. The Pardubice, Czech Republic, native also made his NHL debut with Detroit on Dec. 26 at Nashville and went on to appear in six games, registering two penalty minutes, six hits and three takeaways in 10:08 average time on ice during his first-ever NHL call-up. Nosek has skated in 125 games for Grand Rapids over the past two seasons, totaling 64 points (26-38-64), 64 penalty minutes and a plus-43 rating. He has also added eight points (3-5-8) in 21 career AHL Calder Cup Playoff games.

The 6-foot-2, 210-lb., forward spent the previous three seasons (2011-14) playing professionally for HC Pardubice in the Czech ExtraLiga. Nosek tallied 62 points (24-38-62) and 58 penalty minutes in 129 games with his hometown club, including a team-best 44 points (19-25-44) in 52 games in 2013-14. He also spent parts of three seasons with HC Chrudim and HC Hradec Kralove of the Czech Republic’s second-tier professional league, picking up 16 points (7-9-16) between the teams from 2010-13. Nosek captained his country at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, picking up one assist in six games, and he racked up 125 points (53-72-125) in 109 games for HC Pardubice at the under-20 level between 2008-13.

Devils sign defenseman Yohann Auvitu

Statement from the Devils website.

Newark, NJ – The New Jersey Devils today signed defenseman Yohann Auvitu to a one-year, two-way entry-level contract. The announcement was made by Devils’ Executive Vice President/General Manager Ray Shero.

Auvitu, 26, spent parts of the previous six seasons in Finland’s top professional league, SM-Liiga, with HIFK Helsinki (2014-15 & 2015-16) and JYP Jyvaskyla (2010-11 through 2013-14). This past year, the 6-0, 200-lb. blueliner scored six goals and 15 assists for 21 points in 48 games while being named the League’s Best Defenseman (Pekka Rautakallio Award) and to the League’s First All-Star Team. 

In 18 playoff games on the way to the league finals, he led all players in plus/minus (+8), while leading all defensemen in goals (6) and points (13).

In 216 career SM-Liiga games, he had 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points to go along with 50 penalty minutes. He added 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points and 32 penalty minutes in 53 playoff contests. He spent the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons in the JYP Jyvaskyla developmental system.

He finished the 2015-16 season representing his home country of France in the World Championship, tallying three assists in seven contests. Born July 27, 1989 in Ivry-sur- Seine, Auvitu skated for the Mont-Blanc club in the French League prior to his Finnish League experience. He has represented his country at the past seven World Championships, three under-20 World Junior Championships (Division 1), two under-18 World Junior Championships (Division 1) and one Winter Olympics Qualifying Round (2013).

NHL Transactions from May 26, 2016

VAN - Tom Nilsson, D - Signed as Free Agent One-year contract

OTT - Chris Phillips, D - Retired

DET - Dylan Sadowy, LW - Traded for 2017 3rd-rd pick

BUF - Vaclav Karabacek, RW - Signed Three-year contract

Penguins defeat Lightning, Stamkos in Game 7

Game Recap from NHL.com.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins will play in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2009 after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final at Consol Energy Center on Thursday.

The Stanley Cup Final against the San Jose Sharks begins here on Monday (8 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, TVA Sports).

In a Game 7 full of big-name players, including Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos in his return to action, Penguins rookie forward Bryan Rust scored twice and rookie goalie Matt Murray made 16 saves.

"The big dream is still yet to be achieved," Rust said. "I credit my linemates for elevating their game and helping me elevate mine. It just happens that I was the one who put the pucks in the net."

TBL@PIT, Gm7: Pens advance to SCF with Game 7 win03:37 • May 26th, 2016

Stamkos, Tampa Bay's leading goal-scorer during the regular season, played for the first time since March 31 after having surgery for a blood clot. He played 11:55 over 20 shifts, 5:26 of that in the third period.

Stamkos had a chance to tie the game 2-2 late in the second period, but Murray got just enough of his snap shot to steer it wide of the left post with 3:49 remaining.

"I thought I beat him," Stamkos said. "It just went through him and out the other side. It was close, but we didn't generate enough offensively in order to win a game."

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said Pittsburgh was aware Stamkos would present a challenge.

TBL@PIT, Gm7: Rust accounts for Pens' offense in Gm700:44 • May 26th, 2016

"He's a world-class player, and they're adding him to their team," Crosby said. "You look how dangerous he is, and for even missing the amount of time he did, he looked pretty good out there. …

"We weren't sure what was going to happen -- I think we just tried to worry about us -- but it's hard not to know if he's out there and be aware of that."

Crosby scored the game-winning goal in Game 2, 3 and 6. In the seven years between Stanley Cup Final appearances, Crosby said he never doubted Pittsburgh would make it back.

"It's not easy," he said. "Having gone through a couple of those early on, 20 and 21 years old, playing in the Finals, I think you have more of an appreciation for it now. Just love the opportunity to be able to get back."

TBL@PIT, Gm7: Drouin whips puck past Murray01:09 • May 26th, 2016

The Penguins had last won a Game 7 in the 2009 Cup Final against the Detroit Red Wings. Pittsburgh had lost three consecutive Game 7s since.

Rust, in his first Game 7, gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead 1:55 into the second period.Evgeni Malkin received a stretch pass from defenseman Olli Maatta before leaving the puck near the blue line for Chris Kunitz, who passed to Rust coming into the zone between the faceoff circles. Rust sent a snap shot over goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy's glove for his fourth goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

After going 11 games without a goal since scoring twice against the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round, Rust has scored three goals in his past two games.

Jonathan Drouin tied the game 1-1 with his fourth goal of the series 9:36 into the second period, but Rust scored 30 seconds later.

TBL@PIT, Gm7: Penguins receive Prince of Wales Trophy01:29 • May 26th, 2016

A slap shot from defenseman Ben Lovejoybounced off the end boards and to the right of the net, where Vasilevskiy attempted to freeze it with his glove. The puck came free and Rust poked it between Vasilevskiy and the right post to give Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead.

Rust's five playoff goals are the most by a Penguins rookie since Jan Hrdina scored four in 1999.

The Penguins held a 29-10 shots advantage through two periods, and finished 39-17.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper credited Pittsburgh but said Tampa Bay, who lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Chicago Blackhawks last season, could have been more aggressive.

TBL@PIT, Gm7: Murray denies Stamkos' slap shot00:19 • May 26th, 2016

"We got caught. When we were in those situations, we probably should have shot and we passed," Cooper said. "We got caught in between on a lot of occasions. They play [defense] well. They block a lot of shots. That was evident this whole series. The amount of shot blocks was just incredible."

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, who took over Dec. 12 after Mike Johnston was fired, regularly stressed a team concept and said he felt that was evident Thursday. He said Game 7 might have been the "most complete 60-minute effort" Pittsburgh has had.

"I think we have evolved into a team in the true sense of the word," Sullivan said, "and I think tonight, that was on display. … We wanted to play in their face and in the gaps tight … I think we took the speed away that makes Tampa Bay so dangerous.

"I know there's a lot of stories that surround this group, but the greatest story of all is the group itself."

Canucks sign Tom Nilsson

Statement from the Canucks website.

Vancouver, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks General Manager Jim Benning announced today that the club has signed defenceman Tom Nilsson to a one-year two-way contract.

Nilsson, 22, appeared in 37 regular season games with Frolunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League this past season, where he registered seven points (1-6-7) and 34 penalty minutes. He also registered a goal and an assist (1-1-2) in seven playoff games. In 2014.15, the 6’0”, 183-pound defenceman tallied six points (1-5-6) in 44 games as a member of the AHL Toronto Marlies.

A native of Tyreso, Sweden, Nilsson was originally selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fourth round, 100th overall, at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Florida Panthers Acquire Jared McCann and 2016 Second and Fourth Round Draft Picks from Vancouver

Statement from the Panthers website.

SUNRISE, Fla. – Florida Panthers President of Hockey Operations Dale Tallon announced today that the Panthers have acquired forward Jared McCann, a 2016 second round draft pick (33rd overall) and a 2016 fourth round draft pick (93rd overall) from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for defensemen Erik Gudbranson and a 2016 fifth round draft pick (acquired from the New York Islanders).

The 19-year-old McCann was selected by the Canucks in the first round (24th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft. The 6-foot, 180-pound native of Stratford, Ontario played in 69 games with Vancouver this season recording 9-9-18.

Sabres sign Karabacek to entry-level deal

Sabers Press Release.

The Buffalo Sabres today announced the team has signed forward Vaclav Karabacek to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Karabacek (6’0”, 199 lbs., 5/2/1996) tallied 30 points (18+12) and 56 penalty minutes in 47 regular-season games with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar and the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL this season. He also added nine points (6+3) and 14 penalty minutes in 17 playoff games for the Wildcats.

Originally drafted by the Sabres in the second round (49th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Karabacek recorded 117 points (56+61) in 171 career QMJHL games. The Brandys nad Labem, Czech Republic native also chipped in 32 points (16+16) in 38 career playoff games.

NHL Transactions from May 25, 2016

MTL - Bud Holloway, LW - Signed with European team CSKA Moscow (KHL-Russia)

NJ - Chris McKelvie, LW - Retired

PHI - Tim Brent, C - Retired

FLA - Jared McCann, C - Traded w/ picks for E. Gudbranson and pick

VAN - Erik Gudbranson, D - Traded w/ picks for J. McCann and pick

ANA - Martin Gernat, D - Signed with European team HC Sparta Praha (Czech Republic)

Sharks win Game 6, reach first Stanley Cup Final

Game Recap from NHL.com.

SAN JOSE -- The San Jose Sharks will play in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time after a 5-2 win against the St. Louis Blues in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final at SAP Center on Wednesday.

The Sharks, who started play in 1991-92, won the best-of-7 series 4-2 and will face the winner of the Eastern Conference Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning, which will be decided in Game 7 on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).

"It's great," Sharks defenseman Brent Burnssaid. "You dream of getting the chance to play for this. It's a great feeling. We know we've got one more step to take to really let loose. It's incredible."

Joel Ward scored two goals, and Martin Jones made 23 saves for the Sharks. Captain Joe Pavelski, rookie Joonas Donskoi and Logan Couture scored.

Jones is the only Sharks player who has won the Cup; he did that as the backup goalie for the Los Angeles Kings in 2014.Dainius Zubrus is the only other Sharks player who has played in the Stanley Cup Final; he lost in 1997 with the Philadelphia Flyers (to the Detroit Red Wings) and in 2012 with the New Jersey Devils (to the Kings).

The Stanley Cup Final begins Monday.

"Just trying to seize the moment," said forward Patrick Marleau, who has played 1,411 regular-season games for San Jose.

Marleau and Joe Thornton (1,347) have combined to play 2,478 NHL regular-season games, the most by two teammates each making the Cup Final for the first time, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

"It's a great night for those guys," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "I also told the group that I've been this far once before (as coach of the Devils in 2012). As great a night as this is, if you don't win the next round, it's still not a great summer. I think we'll enjoy this tonight and our focus will turn to the big prize on Friday."

Vladimir Tarasenko scored his first two goals of the series, each in the third period, and Brian Elliott made 22 saves for the Blues, who lost in their third elimination game of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They defeated the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 7 of the first round and the Dallas Stars in Game 7 of the second.

"Man, the stop is pretty sudden and the flood of emotions, of, obviously disappointment, but also a level of pride and how proud we are of the group in there," St. Louis captain David Backes said. "There's a few guys held together by tape and a few guys that have sacrificed a ton in there to get to this point.

"There's a group of guys in there that bound together and defeated two really good teams and played a third really good team and didn't find a way in this one. ... You sit here and you say what could be with two more wins and a Stanley Cup Final and a group that I think did a heck of a job. [Darn], two more wins and you're playing for that ultimate prize."

Pavelski gave San Jose a 1-0 lead at 3:57 of the first period with his playoff-leading 13th goal. Thornton shot high and wide left on a breakaway, but Pavelski got the puck behind the net and jammed it inside the right post on a wraparound past Elliott, who was looking the other way.

Elliott returned to the net after backing upJake Allen in Games 4 and 5 and made his 18th start of the playoffs.

The Sharks made it 2-0 at 5:02 of the second when Ward deflected Burns' shot from the point past Elliott. Chris Tierneycontrolled the puck along the boards below the goal line and sent a long pass to Burns near the left boards. Burns sent the puck toward the crease, and Ward scored his fifth goal.

The Blues killed a double-minor penalty withScottie Upshall in the box for high-stickingTommy Wingels. St. Louis center Jori Lehtera almost scored, but Jones made a left-pad save of his shot from the low right circle with a little more than nine minutes left.

Jones, who gave up seven goals on 40 shots in the previous two games, made another left-pad save of Colton Parayko's shot from the right circle with 5:30 to go.

"It was probably only two or three saves I had to make tonight, and the rest we did a great job in front of the net," Jones said. "I was able to get a good read on it and it just kind of hit me. ... It's been a real group effort. I think that's what's most special about moving forward here."

Ward made it 3-0 at 3:01 of the third period. Couture sent him a pass in front of the crease from the right circle, and Ward put the puck inside the right post for his second two-goal game in a row.

"I thought the third goal allowed them to play with five back," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "Then we had to take some risks. But for me, the third goal was the killer."

Donskoi scored at 8:11 of the third, taking a pass from Couture and scoring from the slot on an odd-man rush.

Tarasenko took a pass in the left circle from Lehtera and beat Jones with a shot to the upper left corner at 11:39. It was his eighth goal of the playoffs but first since Game 7 against Dallas.

He scored again with 3:35 left after the Blues pulled Elliott for an extra attacker. Tarasenko beat Jones with a sharp-angle shot inside the left post.

Couture scored into an empty net with 19.7 seconds left.

"We didn't want to go to Game 7," DeBoer said. "I think we recognized how dangerous a team they are. I think history has proven that you want to finish these series as quickly as possible, get as much rest as possible. I think mission accomplished."

With one mission left.

"It's not the end goal," Thornton said. "I'll tell you that."

NHL Transactions from May 24, 2016

CHI - Martin Lundberg, LW - Signed as Free Agent One-year contract

CHI - Lars Johansson, G - Signed as Free Agent One-year contract

CHI - Michal Kempny, D - Signed as Free Agent One-year contract

MIN - Chase Lang, C - Signed Three-year contract

Penguins win Game 6, extend series

Game Recap from NHL.com.

TAMPA -- The Pittsburgh Penguins extended the Eastern Conference Final with a 5-2, Game 6 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on Tuesday.

Game 7 is at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports). The winner will advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

Penguins goalie Matt Murray made 28 saves, 17 in the third period. Murray, who turns 22 on Wednesday, was back in net after Marc-Andre Fleury played in a 4-3, Game 5 overtime loss.

"He doesn't get rattled," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said of Murray. "If he lets a goal in, he just continues to compete. … Usually it takes years to acquire that, and to have it at such a young age is impressive. That's always impressed us about him. Certainly it's impressed me since I've got to know him and watch him as a goaltender but also as a person."

Murray, who was pulled from a 4-3, Game 4 loss after giving up four goals in two periods, had to survive a push from the Lightning before the Penguins scored two late goals.

"It's not my job to worry about [coach's] decision," Murray said. "It's my job to be ready if my name is called, and if my name is called, to go out and play my heart out and compete."

Phil Kessel, Kris Letang, Sidney Crosby,Bryan Rust and Nick Bonino scored for Pittsburgh.

Brian Boyle scored twice for the Lightning, who lost Game 6 in a series for the third consecutive time. Tampa Bay also lost Game 6 of the 2015 Eastern Conference Final at home to the New York Rangers before winning Game 7 on the road (2-0).

"We had a great chance tonight and kind of tiptoed around it a little bit," Boyle said. "We were tentative and weren't aggressive. We weren't on top. We weren't skating."

Kessel gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead with 1:14 remaining in the first period on a power-play goal. Pittsburgh had a two-man advantage after Victor Hedman joined Anton Stralman in the penalty box on a delay of game. Kessel deflected a pass from Crosby into the net for his ninth goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Pittsburgh took a 2-0 lead 7:40 into the second period on Letang's second goal of the playoffs. With Patric Hornqvist providing a screen, Letang took a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy high on the stick side.

"These are the types of circumstances where you have an opportunity to write your own story, and that's what we wanted to do," Sullivan said. "There's certain things that go on out there that you can't control, but what you can control is your attitude, your determination, your work ethic, your never-say-die mindset."

Crosby's scored his third game-winning goal of the series with 26 seconds remaining in the period. He skated around Stralman and beat Vasilevskiy with a wrist shot through the five-hole to make it 3-0.

"As soon as I turned with the puck, I could tell they were probably in the middle of coming up the gap," said Crosby, who has six goals this postseason. "So I just tried to get some speed off that turnover there that [Hornqvist created], and had a lane and just tried to hit it. That's a great play by him; if he doesn't backcheck, it's probably a nothing play and they're going back the other way."

Boyle's first goal, at 5:30 of the third period, came when his centering pass to Braydon Coburn was tipped by Kessel and got past Murray to make it 3-1.

Boyle made it 3-2 with 7:17 left off a wrist shot from the left circle that beat Murray in the top left corner. Slater Koekkoek had one of the assists, his first NHL playoff point.

"They played better than us for two periods," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "All their players pretty much played better than all our players for 40 minutes. All our players played probably better than them for 20 minutes. We have to play better. That's the bottom line. Usually the team that plays better wins."

Rust got behind the Lightning defense for a breakaway goal to make it 4-2 with 2:08 remaining. Bonino scored an empty-net goal with 54 seconds left.

"It's nice to get out to a lead, but we knew they were going to make a push," Penguins forward Chris Kunitz said. "We don't want to sit back, but you see the speed and skill plays [Tampa Bay] has when they can move the speed through the neutral zone. We have to be better at not letting them get into that game. I'm sure that's what they want to do to us for the first 40 minutes and not let us get in our game."

Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh played a Game 7 at Consol Energy Center in the 2011 Eastern Conference First Round. The Lightning won 1-0 on a goal by Sean Bergenheim. The Penguins are 2-7 in Game 7 at home.

Penguins practice notes from Tampa

"The Neutral Zone" Staff Report

TAMPA, FL - The Pittsburgh Penguins held a pre-game practice session at Amile Arena in Tampa on Tuesday before game six of the team's Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The main story from the practice was Matt Murray was the first goaltender to go on to the ice in the practice, which means that he may get the start in net for the Penguins on Tuesday.

"There are a lot of things we plan to do tonight," Penguins forward Eric Fehr told the media during the practice. "I don't think I can tell you any of them."

Penguins forward Patric Hornqvist said "We aren't done yet," referring to how the Penguins plan on staying alive in the series against the Lightning that they currently trail 3-2 in.

Forward Matt Cullen commented on forward Evgeni Malkin's recent bold claim that the Penguins would win game six.

"We all feel that confidence," Cullen said. "We are all onboard and excited to get going."

Practice your Lines: The Penguins used the following forward lines at the practice:

Sheary-Crosby-Hornqvist
Kunitz-Malkin-Rust
Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel
Kuhnhackl-Cullen-Fehr

They also used these defensive lines:

Dumoulin-Letang
Maatta-Lovejoy
Cole-Schultz
Pouliot-Oleksy

And finallu, they also used the following power play units:

1st group: Crosby-Hornqvist-Kessel-Letang-Malkin

2nd group: Bonino-Dumoulin-Kunitz-Schultz-Sheary

NHL Transactions from May 23, 2016

BOS - Ben Youds, D - Signed with European team Leksands IF (Sweden)

NSH - Taylor Aronson, D - Signed with European team Lada Togliatti (KHL-Russia)

PIT - Jake Guentzel, C - Signed Three-year contract

Sharks defeat Blues in Game 5, lead series 3-2

Game Recap from NHL.com.

ST. LOUIS -- The San Jose Sharks are on the cusp of their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final, and their captain was front and center Monday to put them in that position.

Joe Pavelski scored twice, including the go-ahead goal 16 seconds into the third period, to help the Sharks to a 6-3 win against the St. Louis Blues in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final at Scottrade Center.

San Jose has a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 series. Game 6 will be played Wednesday at SAP Center (9 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).

Pavelski, who has a six-game point streak (four goals, five assists), tipped a right point shot from Brent Burns to break a 3-3 tie. Pavelski won a faceoff after Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester iced the puck six seconds into the third. Pavelski leads the NHL with 12 goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"He practices for years (the tips)," Sharks center Joe Thornton said of Pavelski. "Results happen like that all the time. You work so hard at practice and it's beautiful to watch."

Joel Ward scored twice, Thornton had three assists and Marc-Edouard Vlasic had a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who have never reached the Stanley Cup Final. Chris Tierneyhad an empty-net goal and Martin Jonesmade 18 saves. 

"I think we're reminding ourselves we're not there yet," said Sharks coach Peter DeBoer, who took the New Jersey Devils to the 2012 final. "There's a lot of heavy lifting left. We know the team on the other side there. They're not going away. We've been close before and let teams off the mat.

"It's a great opportunity for us, but there's a lot of work left to do before we can start thinking about that."

Jaden Schwartz, Troy Brouwer and Robby Fabbri scored for St. Louis. Jake Allen made 21 saves, but coach Ken HItchcock, who called Allen's play "fine," did not commit to him for Game 6.

"I thought he was fine," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "I don't know, those are decisions we make in a day or so. But I thought he was fine today. He stopped some point-blank shots, especially early, three times early. 

"I don't know. That's stuff we'll talk about [Tuesday]."

It's the fourth straight year the Blues, who fell to 4-6 at home in the playoffs, have lost a game at home in Game 5 of a series that was tied 2-2.

"I said we're a little cuter at home than we are on the road," Blues captain David Backessaid. "We've just got to stay simple and stay on the page and get a task done. I don't know if that's a trend in Game 5s; I don't keep track of that."

The Blues entered Monday uncertain whether Backes and Fabbri, each injured in Game 4, would be available, but they were able to play.

The Blues had the early pressure, but the Sharks grabbed a 1-0 lead after winning a faceoff in the Blues zone, and Vlasic's first goal of the postseason, a shot from the left point got past a screened Allen 3:51 into the game. 

St. Louis responded fairly quickly when Schwartz scored his first in 14 games on a rebound. Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirktook the initial shot that Jones saved, thenPatrik Berglund threw the puck into the slot, it caromed off David Backes and Schwartz was there to collect the loose puck at 7:04 to tie the game. 

Brouwer's baseball-style goal, his eighth in 19 playoff games with the Blues after having seven in his first 78 playoff games, came off a rebound of a Paul Stastny shot at 15:08 of the first to give St. Louis a 2-1 lead.

The Sharks got their power play going in the second period, and Ward tied it at 4:37 after Vlasic's initial shot from the left circle hit the near post, caromed off Allen's back in the crease and Ward batted the puck in. 

Fabbri put the Blues ahead 3-2 when his slap shot from the point beat a screened Jones near side at 11:58 of the period, but Pavelski tied it with the Sharks' second power-play goal in as many opportunities when he converted from the slot with 1:27 remaining in the second.

"Yeah, I think odds are he's going to pass, especially in that situation," Pavelski said of Thornton. "Plus, he gets it behind the goal line. You're just trying to work to get open. First look, (you're) going to see who is open. He does a good job. If you're not open, he doesn't make a careless play. He got it there, got a little fortunate with the rolling puck, see it kind of change angles a little bit, find its way in."

Tierney scored an empty-net goal with 53.9 seconds remaining and Ward scored another one with 31.6 seconds left to give the Sharks their franchise-best fifth road victory of the playoffs.

"There's so many emotions throughout the playoffs," Pavelski said. "You just try to not get too high, not get too low. If we play a game like we did the other night, you just try to respond. If you play a good game like tonight, you want to ride that, you want to stay with that.

"It's about throwing our game out there each night and the game that we like and feel like that's best suited for us and when we do that we give ourselves a good opportunity to win and get some chances and we believe we can be tough to play against. It's a four-line attack for us and everyone's played a key role in it so far and it's going to have to continue."

Lightning rally for OT victory in Game 5

Game Recap from NHL.com.

PITTSBURGH -- The Tampa Bay Lightning put the Pittsburgh Penguins on the brink of elimination when they took their only lead of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Tyler Johnson scored 53 seconds into overtime to give the Lightning a 4-3 victory at Consol Energy Center on Sunday. Nikita Kucherov passed the puck to Jason Garrison in the left circle, and Garrison's shot grazed off Johnson in front of the net and got past Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.

The Lightning lead the best-of-7 series 3-2. Game 6 is in Tampa on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).

"We're in the exact same position we were in last year [against the New York Rangers in the conference final]," Johnson said. "We were able to win and go back home, and we want to get [the win this year] in Game 6 in front of our home fans."

The Penguins blew leads of 2-0 and 3-2 with a chance to move within one victory of the Stanley Cup Final. Kucherov tied it 3-3 with 3:16 remaining in the third period with his second goal of the night and NHL-leading 11th of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It was Pittsburgh's first loss in the regular season or playoffs when leading entering the third period; they were 46-0-0.

Alex Killorn also scored for the Lightning, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves.

Johnson started with a full cage on his helmet before switching to a full visor in Game 4 on Friday after he was hit in the face with a puck in warmups. He wore a half-visor Sunday and said he turned away from Garrison's shot because he thought it was headed for his face.

"He's a winner. That's what winners do. They don't back down," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "When there's a challenge ahead of you, you have to find a way to meet that challenge. Tyler Johnson has proven that long before he came to the Tampa Bay Lightning."

After Lightning forward Ryan Callahan had his shot hit the right post with 3:52 left and bounce along the goal line, Johnson set up Kucherov for the tying goal.

Johnson backhanded the puck into the crease after taking a drop pass from Kucherov along the half-wall on the left wing. Kucherov collected the rebound and wrapped around the Penguins net to beat Fleury.

It was Fleury's first start of the playoffs. He replaced rookie Matt Murray in Game 4 and made seven saves on seven shots in his first game action since sustaining his second concussion of the season March 31.

"It wasn't the best I've felt in a game," said Fleury, who had backed up Murray since being cleared to return for Game 3 of the second round against the Washington Capitals. "Still though, I've been practicing a lot. I should've been better. … It's tough to lose."

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said he would like to review Fleury's performance before assessing it.

Pittsburgh lost a second consecutive game for the first time since losing two straight against the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 12 and Tampa Bay on Jan. 15.

After the Penguins let a two-goal lead slip away, Chris Kunitz put them back in front when he scored with 49.6 seconds remaining in the second period to make it 3-2.

Evgeni Malkin stripped Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman of the puck in the neutral zone before passing to Olli Maatta, who charged into the Tampa Bay zone. Maatta carried the puck below the goal line before spinning and sending it out in front of the crease. Malkin gathered the pass and sent it into the crease, where Kunitz whacked a shot past Vasilevskiy.

Tampa Bay dug itself out of the 2-0 hole with two quick goals in the second.

Killorn cut the Penguins lead in half when he scored at 13:15. After Andrej Sustr found him in the left circle, Killorn roofed a shot through a small window between Fleury's blocker and the crossbar for his fifth goal of the playoffs.

Kucherov tied it 1:10 later with his first goal.

After battling through a first period with little offense, the Penguins took a 1-0 lead 0.7 seconds before the intermission on the first NHL playoff goal of defenseman Brian Dumoulin's career. Forward Bryan Rust held off Lightning defenseman Victor Hedmanwhile carrying the puck to the crease, where he slipped a shot off Vasilevskiy's right pad before stumbling over him. Dumoulin followed the play, collected the rebound and shot off Hedman's leg and into the net.

Dumoulin had not scored since he got first NHL goal on Dec. 15, 2014, also against the Lightning.

Patric Hornqvist made it 2-0 with his seventh playoff goal 1:30 into the second period. Sidney Crosby passed to Maatta at the point, and Maatta sent a shot-pass toCarl Hagelin to the left of the net. Hagelin deflected the pass through the crease to Hornqvist, with Vasilevskiy committing to Hagelin, and Hornqvist tapped it into the open net.

Maatta entered the lineup in place of defenseman Trevor Daley, who is out the rest of the postseason with a broken ankle.

"I felt OK out there," said Maatta, who was a healthy scratch Games 2-4. "I know I can be better. Definitely, as I said, it's all about wins and losses this time of year."

NHL Transactions from May 21, 2016

TB - Tanner Richard, C - Re-Signed One-year contract

TB - Joel Vermin, RW - Re-Signed One-year contract

BUF - Brycen Martin, D - Signed Three-year contract

SJ - Tim Heed, D - Signed as Free Agent One-year contract

Allen, Blues defeat Sharks in Game 4

Game Recap from NHL.com.

SAN JOSE -- Goaltender Jake Allen provided the momentum change the St. Louis Blues were looking for in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final at SAP Center on Saturday.

Allen made 31 saves in his first start of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Kyle Brodziakand Troy Brouwer each scored two goals, and the Blues defeated the San Jose Sharks 6-3 to tie the best-of-7 series 2-2.

Game 5 is at Scottrade Center in St. Louis on Monday (8 p.m. ET; CBC, NBCSN, TVA Sports).

Allen started instead of Brian Elliott, a move coach Ken Hitchcock hoped would help St. Louis recapture an edge in the series. Hitchcock also shuffled his top three lines, leaving only the fourth line from Game 3 intact: Brodziak centered Dimitrij Jaskin andMagnus Paajarvi.

"He gave us exactly what we needed," Hitchcock said of Allen. "He's a competitive son of a gun. We needed a battler in there. We needed somebody to really help us play better defense. We played with more passion in front of him in our own zone because I made the goalie change. I had to make that decision.

"I just felt like we were allowing them too much open space with [Elliott] in there, and [he] was getting bombarded. We needed to just dig in a little bit deeper defensively if we were going to have a chance in this series."

Hitchcock said he'll wait until Sunday to name a starting goaltender for Game 5, but Allen appeared to have earned that role.

Sharks goaltender Martin Jones, who was coming off back-to-back shutouts, gave up four goals on 19 shots and was pulled at 10:11 of the second period with San Jose trailing 4-0. He was replaced by James Reimer, who allowed one goal on seven shots in his first playoff appearance with San Jose.

Joe Pavelski, Chris Tierney and Melker Karlsson scored in the third period for the Sharks, who outshot the Blues 16-5 in the period.

"We got away from our game," Sharks forward Tommy Wingels said. "Our game is going north with it, it's making plays when they're there. It's getting pucks past their [defensemen], through the neutral zone and in on the forecheck. And we got away from that. We turned pucks over, we turned it into a track meet for the first 20-30 minutes, and this team's not going to win when we play that way."

The Blues, on the other hand, got back to playing their strong, no-frills game.

"It's two teams that want to play pretty similar, possess the puck in the other team's end, and it seems whoever has controlled that has really controlled the games," St. Louis defenseman Jay Bouwmeester said.

The Blues took a 1-0 lead at 6:14 of the first period on Brouwer's power-play goal withBrent Burns in the penalty box for trippingJaden Schwartz.

Robby Fabbri sent a pass from below the goal line to Brouwer, and he beat Jones with a wrist shot from the right circle to the far side for his sixth goal of the playoffs.

The goal was St. Louis' first since 9:15 of the second period of Game 1 when Lehtera scored in a 2-1 victory. It ended San Jose's streak of eight penalty kills in the series.

Jones' shutout streak ended at 153:57, short of Evgeni Nabokov's Sharks record of 178:14 set in 2004.

St. Louis extended its lead to 2-0 when Jori Lehtera scored from the slot at 10:11 of the first period. Jones made a diving stick save of Fabbri's shot from the low left circle, but Lehtera capitalized on a Burns turnover and beat Jones with a wrist shot.

Brodziak made it 3-0 at 6:09 of the second period with a shorthanded goal, his first goal of the playoffs. A long pass by Sharks forward Joe Thornton turned into a turnover in the offensive zone, igniting a 2-on-1 rush the other way. Schwartz made a cross-ice pass, and Brodziak beat Jones from the right circle to the upper left corner of the net.

"He made a great pass over to me," Brodziak said. "Fortunately I was able to put it in the net. It feels good to chip in."

Brodziak scored again at 10:11, taking a pass from Jaskin and beating Jones from the left circle through the five-hole.

Allen, who hadn't started a game since April 3, said he was ready.

"I've tried to practice as hard as I can," he said. "My comfort level is really high, and I felt confident out there."

Pavelski made it 4-1 at 1:05 of the third period with his playoff-leading 10th goal. He tapped in a pass from Thornton from along the left boards.

Brouwer redirected Alexander Steen's shot from the point past Reimer for a power-play goal at 3:55, making it 5-1.

"We knew they were going to come out like that," Tierney said. "The problem was our game. We weren't hard enough. We didn't do the little things. We were lazy a couple times. We made a bad change, our line, on the second [goal]. Just stuff like that we usually don't do.

"They came out harder and outworked us tonight. We were lazy. They were beating us inside, at their net, along the walls. It seemed like we got outbattled early, and we could never really recover from it."

Tierney scored an unassisted goal on a sharp-angle shot at 6:57 of the third. Alex Pietrangelo scored into an empty net at 15:39 for St. Louis, and Karlsson scored an unassisted goal from close range at 16:28 for San Jose.

"We have to play a lot of the way we played today if we expect to win," Hitchcock said. "We played fast. We played physical. We created turnovers. We have to play like that. If we do it like that, continue down this path, I like our chances. I like our chances to win."

Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said he expects his team to bounce back.

"We've been consistently good for a while," DeBoer said. "We didn't execute tonight. We got burnt. We got what we deserved because of our execution. Short memory. We'll move on to the next game. We've had one or two of these games throughout the playoffs and we've always responded the right way."

Blues captain David Backes didn't play in the final two periods after sustaining an undisclosed injury in the first. Fabbri did not play the final 16:05. Hitchcock said he expects them to be ready for Game 5.

Blues defenseman Joel Edmundson, who was scratched in Game 3, returned to the lineup in place of Robert Bortuzzo