Flyers hand Golden Knights 4th home regulation loss of season

What Vegas Flu?

The Las Vegas Strip treated the Philadelphia Flyers just fine on Sunday night, as Philly handed the Golden Knights only their fourth regulation loss of the season at T-Mobile Arena.

In fact, this was the first time all year that Vegas had lost consecutive games at home in regulation.

The Flyers got yet another stellar performance from budding star Sean Couturier, who scored and added two assists to set career highs in both categories (28 goals, 29 assists).

With the defeat, the Golden Knights overall record dips to 36-15-4, but they still hold a firm grip on first place in the Pacific Division, currently sitting with an eight-point lead over the San Jose Sharks.

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Twitter holds its breath after Mike Smith’s injury

They may have come away with a big two points against the New York Islanders on Sunday night, but the Calgary Flames' loss between the pipes was much, much bigger.

Flames No. 1 goaltender - and potential MVP - Mike Smith went down awkwardly with 1.1 seconds left in the third period after trying to make a save. Smith rolled onto his back, clearly in pain, and left the game.

Despite Calgary not providing any update on his status postgame, Twitter exploded with an outpouring of concern and support for the Flames' starting netminder.

Given Smith's history of groin injuries and his importance to the team's success, hockey fans in Calgary are more than a little bit nervous about Smith's well-being:

Injuries to starting goalies are never good, at any time of the season.

But considering the approaching trade deadline and that Calgary lost AHL goalie Tyler Parsons to injury Sunday as well, things are going from bad to worse for a Flames team fighting for their playoff lives.

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Report: Bruins interested in deadline deal for Oilers’ Maroon

The high-flying Boston Bruins could bulk up before the playoffs, and have their sights set on Edmonton Oilers winger Patrick Maroon, sources told Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston.

A pending unrestricted free agent, Maroon carries an affordable $1.5-million cap hit, and could bring some added size and a scoring touch to the Bruins.

Over the past two seasons in Edmonton, Maroon has combined for 40 goals playing alongside Oilers superstar Connor McDavid. He recorded a career-high 42 points with the Oilers last season.

Where Maroon will close out this year's campaign will be known soon enough, as the trade deadline is set for Feb. 26.

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Flames’ Smith leaves game with apparent groin injury

An apparent groin injury forced Calgary Flames netminder Mike Smith to leave Sunday's contest against the New York Islanders with just 1.1 seconds remaining in the game.

Backup goaltender David Rittich came in for the closing moments, holding on for a 3-2 win.

While neither the nature of Smith's injury nor a timeline has been announced, a prolonged absence could be devastating to the Flames, with the team in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.

Smith has arguably been the Flames' MVP this season. He held a 22-16-6 record alongside a .921 save percentage entering Sunday's game.

The Flames acquired Smith from the Arizona Coyotes last offseason.

Smith struggled with groin ailments through six campaigns with the Coyotes, as he missed 12 games last season and another 40 contests the previous year.

The 35-year-old was also sidelined for the final 10 games of the 2013-14 campaign. Arizona finished that season with 89 points, missing the playoffs by just two points.

In all, Smith has had a long history of groin injuries since 2012:

Date Team Games Missed
November 2016 Coyotes 12
March 2016 Coyotes 40
November 2015 Coyotes 1
April 2014 Coyotes 10
April 2013 Coyotes 2
February 2013 Coyotes 4
January 2012 Coyotes 6

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Poll: Was Brown’s 1-game suspension enough of a punishment?

After somehow escaping suspension for his vicious cross-check on Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz last month, Los Angeles Kings veteran Dustin Brown is seemingly getting off light once again.

Brown drilled Tampa Bay Lightning rearguard Mikhail Sergachev with a knee-on-knee hit Saturday night and was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for kneeing. Despite extending his knee and not making any attempt to get out of Sergachev's way, Brown was only handed a one-game suspension by the NHL's Department of Player Safety on Sunday.

Related: Parros defends recent disciplinary decisions on Cogliano, Brown

George Parros, the head of the department, has been under fire recently for his inconsistent doling out of suspensions, which continues with Brown's one-game punishment.

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Watch: Bruins score shorthanded twice in 1st period vs. Devils

The New Jersey Devils should work on their power play.

Despite getting two opportunities on the man advantage in the opening frame against the Boston Bruins on Sunday, the Devils saw two goals enter their own net.

The first came with about six minutes remaining in the first period. Bruins blue-liner Torey Krug was credited with the tally after Devils defenseman Mirco Mueller knocked the puck past his own netminder:

The Bruins then added to the Devils' misery when forward Tim Schaller slid the puck past a sprawling Eddie Lack with just three seconds remaining in the opening frame:

The play was ruled a good goal by the on-ice official. Video review later confirmed the puck had fully crossed the line.

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Kings’ Brown suspended 1 game for kneeing Lightning’s Sergachev

Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown has been suspended one game for kneeing Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Sunday.

The incident occurred in Saturday's contest between the Lightning and Kings. Sergachev left the game with an injury, but did return later.

It's Brown's second run-in with league discipline this season. In January, Brown was fined $10,000 - the maximum allowable under the CBA - after cross-checking Pittsburgh Penguins blue-liner Justin Schultz.

As Brown has not been suspended in the past 18 months, he is not considered a repeat offender. The one-game ban will see him forfeit more than $31,000 in salary, according to CapFriendly.

Brown is eligible to return Feb. 15 when the Kings take on the Penguins.

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Canucks ravage Stars 1 game after Markstrom rips teammates

The Vancouver Canucks let their actions do the talking this time.

One game after goaltender Jacob Markstrom called out his teammates, the Canucks took it to the Dallas Stars, breezing to a 6-0 victory.

Winger Reid Boucher led the way with a pair of goals, while fellow forward Jake Virtanen also chipped in with a multi-point effort. Between the pipes, Markstrom turned aside 30 shots for his second perfect game of the season.

"I'm not good enough, and we got a lot of guys on our team that's not good enough either to be in this league. It's embarrassing," Markstrom said Friday following the Canucks' 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

That certainly wasn't the case Sunday, as the Canucks chased Stars starter Ben Bishop after he allowed four goals on 20 shots, while backup Kari Lehtonen let in two more in mop-up duty.

The Canucks improved to 22-28-6 on the season with the victory.

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Devils’ Schneider sidelined ‘at least a week’ with groin injury

New Jersey Devils netminder Cory Schneider will remain sidelined due to a groin injury for at least another week, coach John Hynes announced Sunday.

Schneider has been out of the lineup for the past seven games with the injury, and the hope was he could return in the near future.

Given Hynes' announcement Sunday, Devils fans should expect Schneider to miss at least a few more games. Schneider has not suited up since Jan. 23 against the Boston Bruins, when he suffered the injury.

Backup goaltender Keith Kinkaid has posted a 3-3-0 record and .890 save percentage in Schneider's absence.

With the faltering Devils beginning to fall out of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference, the sooner Schneider returns, the better.

New Jersey has 62 points on the season and holds the East's first wild card, but is just 3-7 in its past 10 outings.

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Eichel out 4-6 weeks with high-ankle sprain

The timetable for Buffalo Sabres All-Star Jack Eichel's recovery from the high-ankle sprain he suffered Saturday night will be four-to-six weeks, head coach Phil Housley confirmed Sunday.

Eichel was injured during the first period against the Boston Bruins after getting mixed up with Boston defenseman Matt Grzelcyk behind the Bruins' net, going down awkwardly. He left the game and did not return.

The 21-year-old missed most of the first two months of last season with a high-ankle sprain as well. Last year's injury was to his left ankle, and this latest injury is to his right ankle, according to the Buffalo News' Mike Harrington.

Housley isn't ruling out the potential of his superstar forward returning for the end of the season, as the team has not officially shut him down as of yet. But, with Buffalo languishing in the basement of the NHL standings basically all year, don't be shocked if the club does end his season sooner than later.

Eichel was in the middle of a career year before getting hurt, his third in the NHL. He made his first All-Star team and has 22 goals and 53 points in 55 games to his credit.

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