Sometimes, you just have to play the hand you're dealt.

A former Magic: The Gathering champion was on the receiving end of an unlikely mix-up Monday after his hockey namesake became the first-ever player signed by the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights.

The card-playing Duke won the online Magic: The Gathering championship in 2011 and was a runner-up at the world championship in 2013.

He has more than 30,000 Twitter followers, dwarfing the hockey player's count of about 1,000.

- With h/t to Reddit

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One of the more eyebrow-raising trades prior to the deadline is paying early dividends, albeit in a very small sample size.

Since the Ottawa Senators traded highly regarded prospect Jonathan Dahlen to the Vancouver Canucks for veteran winger Alex Burrows, the team has posted a record of 3-0-0.

In those three games, Burrows has recorded three goals and one assist, including an empty-net marker that sealed Monday's important win over the Boston Bruins.

He'd managed nine goals and 11 assists in 55 games prior to the trade.

Burrows is unlikely to keep up this pace, and questions remain regarding the two-year, $5-million extension the Senators handed him before he made his debut with the club.

For the time being, however, he seems to be fitting in just fine, doing his part in Ottawa's effort to not only clinch a playoff spot, but challenge for first in the Atlantic Division.

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Chicago Blackhawks winger Artemi Panarin has issued an apology for what he referred to as insensitive comments said in an old Russian television interview.

"In 2012, I was a guest on a Russian TV show and made insensitive comments that I deeply regret," Panarin said in a statement the Blackhawks released to Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune. "I understand my comments are offensive and I apologize for my hurtful words."

According to Hine, Panarin was asked in the interview what he could never do, and Russian-speaking sources confirmed his answer was, "Have sex with a black woman."

The sources added Panarin and the television host appeared to be joking around, and Panarin's response may have been an attempt at humor.

The Blackhawks added, "On Sunday, we were made aware of the video from Artemi's appearance on a Russian TV show in 2012. We immediately addressed the matter with him. His comments in the video in no way represent the values of our organization. He has apologized and understands the offensive nature of his words."

Panarin has emerged as one of the Blackhawks' best player over the past two seasons and recently signed a two-year, $12-million contract extension.

The apology comes days after the NHL wrapped up "Hockey Is For Everyone" month.

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Make it quadruple digits for Jumbo Joe.

San Jose Sharks forward Joe Thornton picked up the 1,000th assist of his career with a helper on Joe Pavelski's empty-netter against the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night.

Thornton became the 13th player in NHL history to accomplish the feat, recording his 1,382nd point in his 1,432nd game.

The 37-year-old ranks 23rd on the league's all-time points list, and his 1,000th assist pulled him to within 16 helpers of Joe Sakic for 12th all time in that category.

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Mika Zibanejad played the role of hero for the New York Rangers.

The Swedish center scored the lone goal of the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, beating Andrei Vasilevskiy on the breakaway to earn his team the extra point.

The goal was his ninth of the season and second game-winner.

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That escalated quickly.

The puck, that is, fired from the back of T.J. Oshie's stick and past Kari Lehtonen of the Dallas Stars for quite the impressive goal.

The tally was Oshie's 25th of the season, bringing the Washington Capitals winger to within one of his career high.

It also brought Washington to within one in an eventual 4-2 loss.

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This would be the bowling equivalent of picking up a spare.

Dustin Byfuglien was the human bowling ball Monday night, taking out two San Jose Sharks as well as teammate Toby Enstrom.

Marcus Sorensen and Justin Braun were the opponents who ended up in the heap, and somehow, everyone emerged unharmed.

To think, Byfuglien was actually trailing the play when the Sharks broke into the Jets' zone.

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Brad Marchand is turning into an elite goal-scorer.

For the second season in a row, the Bruins winger has scored 30 goals, a feat not achieved in Boston in more than a decade.

His 30th this season came on the power play Monday in Ottawa in what ended up being a loss for the Bruins.

Marchand scored 37 goals in 77 games last season, a mark he could match or even top in the final 16 games.

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