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IOC unwilling to pay operating costs to bring NHL players to Olympics, IIHF boss says

The NHL's involvement at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang appears further dim.

The International Olympic Committee is reportedly unwilling to cover transportation and insurance costs required to have NHL players participate in the event, International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel told Inside the Games at the SportAccord Convention in Lausanne, Switzerland.

"Our wish is to have the best players," Fasel said. "(But the IOC) not covering the cost as they did at the last five Olympic Games puts us in a difficult financial situation.

"We still have challenges - it is even more difficult than before."

Though the Olympics have helped its profile as an international showcase, the NHL has previously held reservations about lending its players to the competition during the season, even when the operating costs - estimated between $10 and $14 million - weren't its responsibility.

The belief, according to the Inside the Games report, is that the IOC is wary of other sport bodies seeking similar compensation.

Meanwhile, the NHL-branded World Cup of Hockey will be reintroduced this summer in Toronto.

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Sharks off to 2nd round after eliminating Kings

The San Jose Sharks will play in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Sharks beat the Kings 6-3 in Game 5 on Friday night in Los Angeles, and win the first-round series between the in-state rivals 4-1. San Jose will play the winner of Anaheim-Nashville.

More to come.

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Watch: Koivu’s slick OT deflection keeps Wild alive

This is why Mikko Koivu is the captain.

The Minnesota Wild veteran tied up the game at 4-4 with slightly over three minutes left in the third period in Game 5, and then scored the overtime winner to keep his team alive against the Dallas Stars in their first-round series.

It's Koivu's third goal of the series and second game-winner. Game 6 goes Sunday in Saint Paul at 3 p.m. ET.

"We've gotta win the battles," Koivu said ahead of overtime. "It doesn't really change."

The Wild blew leads of 2-0 and 3-2, but will enjoy a pleasant flight home. Ryan Suter, Jared Spurgeon, and Jason Pominville each finished with two assists.

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Watch: Quine rips 2OT power-play goal, Islanders take Game 5

This one needed a lot of extra time to decide.

In the end, the New York Islanders took Game 5 from the Florida Panthers thanks to a double overtime power-play goal off the stick of Alan Quine.

Quine, 23, appeared in only two regular-season games for the Islanders, and now has a goal and an assist in five playoff appearances.

This one, however, will be tough to beat.

The Islanders now hold a 3-2 series lead, with Game 6 to be played back in Brooklyn on Sunday.

Thomas Greiss was a beast for the Islanders, stopping 47 of 48 shots, including a penalty shot in OT.

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Watch: Greiss stops Barkov on 3rd OT penalty shot in NHL playoff history

A penalty shot. In overtime. In the playoffs. In Game 5 of a 2-2 series. Yeah.

Had Aleksander Barkov scored, he would have bagged one of those "Spacey in Space" hoodies for life from his Florida Panthers teammates. But New York Islanders goaltender Thomas Greiss was having none of it.

The breakaway was awarded after Islanders defenseman Calvin de Haan was penalized for closing his hand on the puck in the New York crease.

It was only the third penalty shot in overtime playoff history, and we've yet to see a goal. The goalies are perfect.

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Alzner not worried about Capitals’ playoff history: ‘This is our first together’

These Washington Capitals have not been here before.

Sure, past iterations of the roster have been in a position to succeed in the postseason and come up short. But, as far as defenseman Karl Alzner is concerned, this group is venturing down a new path.

Still, after Friday's loss, the club has dropped nine of its last ten games when trying to clinch a playoff series, and Michal Neuvirth's ridiculous performance in Game 5 may have planted seeds of doubt in the Capitals' heads.

Head coach Barry Trotz, however, agrees with Alzner.

Washington did add Justin Williams - also known as "Mr. Game 7" - last summer, and he could come in handy should the series indeed go the distance.

Game 6 is Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia.

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Playing for last-place Sabres helped Neuvirth weather Capitals’ onslaught

Michal Neuvirth knows what it's like to be on the - how can we put this politely? - less talented team

The Philadelphia Flyers goaltender was on a mission Friday night, singlehandedly keeping his team's season alive with a 44-save shutout on the road against the Washington Capitals, this season's best NHL team.

How'd he do it? Practice.

"Last year I was with Buffalo, so I was facing a lot of shots, so I'm kind of used to it," Neuvirth said, according to The Associated Press' Stephen Whyno.

The Sabres tanked it up last season, finishing last in the league with 54 points. Neuvirth started 27 games for the Sabres and saw 941 pucks, an average of 34.85 per game. So, yeah, he knows what he's talking about.

The 28-year-old has been an absolute beast since replacing Steve Mason in the Flyers' crease, stopping 75 of 76 shots in Game 4 and 5 wins, with no room for error.

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Flyers’ 11 shots a club record for fewest in a playoff game

This was very Washington Capitals.

The Philadelphia Flyers managed only 11 shots in their Game 5 win over the fellas in D.C. on Friday night. Yet they won, 2-0, keeping their season alive, thanks to goaltender Michal Neuvirth.

Philadelphia's 11 shots are a club record for fewest in a playoff game in franchise history. After going up 1-0 at 7:52 of the second period, the Flyers managed four shots the rest of the way, according to Sportsnet's John Shannon. Bananas.

The last time a team fired so few shots on goal in a playoff game, it was May 13, 1998, according to TSN's Kevin Gibson. The Capitals were on the other end of that one, beating the Ottawa Senators - you guessed it - 2-0.

Hockey's wild. And the Flyers remain alive. Game 6 is at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday in Philadelphia.

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Watch: Capitals’ Chimera drills Flyers’ Voracek in the numbers

Somehow, Jason Chimera only got two minutes for this hit on Jakub Voracek.

Unfortunately for the Philadelphia Flyers, their power play is currently operating without the whole "power" part.

As for Voracek, he doesn't think the Washington Capitals forward is all, uh, there.

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