Nathan MacKinnon won't elaborate, but says he's learned his lesson.
The young Colorado Avalanche center confirmed he was benched by head coach Jared Bednar for several shifts in Saturday's loss to the Nashville Predators, adding that the matter has been resolved.
“I wasn’t playing that (well) and just needed to sit down for a bit and regroup,” MacKinnon told reporters, including The Denver Post's Mike Chambers, on Sunday. “I played a good second half."
The 21-year-old also had a short discussion with Bednar before Sunday's practice.
“(We talked for) 15 seconds,” MacKinnon said. “I get it. It’s all good.
"It was a good reminder to stay focused,” he added. “It’s just in-game stuff that happens in sports. It was like three or four shifts. It wasn’t a big deal.”
The 2013 first overall pick played 16:32 on Saturday, his third-shortest ice time of the season and his least since Dec. 10 when he played a season-low 15:12 against the Montreal Canadiens.
MacKinnon took a stick to the hand in the first period against Nashville, but Bednar confirmed his forward's brief absence wasn't injury related.
"Well, certainly it wasn’t because he got dinged up," Bednar said. "He played a good game for us. He missed a few shifts there in the second period.”
MacKinnon had scored in back-to-back games before Saturday's benching. He ranks second on the struggling Avalanche with 11 goals and leads Colorado with 28 points in 41 games.
It's the Washington Capitals' turn to ride a magnificent wave in the Metropolitan Division.
The Capitals won their ninth consecutive game Sunday afternoon, crushing the Philadelphia Flyers 5-0 to move back into top spot in the Metro.
While based on length, that doesn't quite measure up to the Columbus Blue Jackets' 16-game ride, or even Philadelphia's 10-game run a few months back, but it may already be as impressive.
Because they're destroying everything in their path.
The Capitals have outscored the competition 39-11 on their streak, which works out to 4.3 goals for and 1.2 against. This has pushed their per-game output beyond three goals, and dropped them to a league-low 1.91 against.
In their last six games - each against a postseason team at the time - they have more shutouts (4) than goals allowed (3), none of which came at even strength. In fact, they haven't allowed at evens in nearly 300 minutes.
Looking beyond the last nine games, the Capitals have taken 34 of a possible 40 points dating back six weeks.
Up next is Pittsburgh on the second of a back-to-back, with starter Braden Holtby on sufficient rest.
Despite a sluggish start, the Capitals came alive with four goals on seven shots in the first seven minutes of the third period to turn the game into a laugher.
Washington has outscored its opponents 40-11 during the streak and passed the Columbus Blue Jackets for first place in the Metropolitan Division, Eastern Conference, and the league.
Andre Burakovsky also scored a power-play goal for the Capitals, who haven't allowed an even-strength goal in six games.
Here's Williams' first goal, set up with a deceptive Marcus Johansson feed from behind the net.
Then Nicklas Backstrom (appropriately honored pregame for his 500th helper) teed up the second, knocking a puck back between his legs to Williams at the back post.
Include St. Louis Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock in with the list that believes the NHL would have a better product without the "loser point."
Hitchcock admits that in the final stages of tight games, the mindset shifts from pursuing the full freight, to ensuring his team secures at least one point to avoid losing ground.
"I like when you are playing all out, all the way," Hitchcock told Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe. "But I've got to tell you as a coach, if there's five minutes left in the game, and it's tied, I'm not necessarily thinking about winning it. I want at least a point.
"A lot of coaches think like that. We have to think like that. Because to get zero points in a tie game with 10 minutes left is devastating."
This counterproductive feedback loop is arguably killing the NHL. The more overtimes and shootouts, the tighter teams remain bunched in the standings. Meanwhile, because nearly every team is in contention, they must continue to err on the side of caution, as more often than not coming away with nothing will result in a slip in the standings.
Many believe there's an easy fix to this conundrum. If regulation wins become valued at three points, suddenly the payoff obscures the consequence. For this reason, teams would be much more willing to attack.
The Blues included.
"If you can put more value in (a regulation win), I am all for it," Hitchcock said. "But to me, right now when there's 10 minutes left in a hockey game I want that one point, at least.
"I've got to have it. That's how you get in the playoffs."
Shaw also noted that he disagreed with being tossed from the game following the hit, before adding that he has yet to receive a call from the NHL Department of Player Safety.
Shaw mentioned he made sure as best he could for it to be a shoulder-to-shoulder hit on Fast. Wasn't worried about fighting - he is healthy
It was Shaw's first game back after missing the previous 14 matches with a concussion.
Against the Rangers, Shaw was thrown out late in the first period, but not before being assessed an interference major, a game misconduct, and five for fighting after trading punches with Rangers forward J.T. Miller.
In all, Shaw wrapped the evening with just 5:20 in ice time, plus 22 minutes in penalties.
To say Eric Staal has found his game in Minnesota would be an understatement.
After agreeing to a three-year deal with the Wild, Staal headed to St. Paul in search of a fresh start after a few stale seasons in Carolina and a flop on Broadway following a late-season trade to the New York Rangers.
Wild coach Bruce Boudreau, also in his first season in Minnesota, raised the eyebrows of many with his offseason proclamation that Staal was due for a rebound with his new club.
"Maybe I'm out in left field, but I think Eric is going to have a great year," Boudreau said in August. "I think there's been circumstances for the last two years that haven't been well, but I am pretty sure that he is really excited about coming to Minny, and he is really excited about playing."
As it turns out, Boudreau was exactly right.
With an assist against the Dallas Stars on Saturday, Staal tallied his 39th point on the season - the same production as a year ago, except he did it 42 games earlier.
Season
Team
Games
G-A-Pts
2011-12
CAR
82
24-46-70
2012-13
CAR
48
18-35-53
2013-14
CAR
79
21-40-61
2014-15
CAR
77
23-31-54
2015-16
CAR/NYR
83
13-26-39
2016-17
MIN
41
15-24-39
Staal played one extra game last season following his trade to New York.
The Raleigh hockey club has climbed its way back into the postseason picture in hockey's toughest division. As of Sunday, the Hurricanes are just one point back of a playoff position. No easy feat, considering both wild-card slots are occupied by Metropolitan Division foes.
But this wasn't the case not long ago. As the calendar turned to December, the Hurricanes owned a 9-9-5 record through their first 23 games, outpacing only the New York Islanders in the East, as the team looked poised to extend its postseason drought to eight years.
The Hurricanes have not qualified for the playoffs since 2009, their lone appearance since winning it all in 2006.
But on Saturday, the Hurricanes pasted those same Islanders, sinking New York 7-4 before the Carolina faithful, as the Hurricanes pushed their record at PNC Arena to 15-4-1. Five forwards had multi-point nights, including winger Lee Stempniak, one of many key players for Carolina this season.
After scoring 51 points a year ago, a season split between Boston and New Jersey, Stempniak is on pace for another 40-plus point campaign. Not a bad free-agency bargain, coming in at $2.5 million.
There are several Hurricanes forwards to speak of, including winger Jeff Skinner. The 2011 rookie of the year is having a bounce-back season after a few so-so years in the Tar Heel State. With 35 points in 42 games, Skinner is on pace to top his career-best production set in his freshman campaign.
Indeed, things have turned around in Carolina in the past two months, with just six regulation losses through December and January. Collectively, the Hurricanes are 21-15-7, good for 49 points.
Skinner isn't the only Hurricane playing like his old self. After a slow start to the season, in which he captured just a single victory in his first six outings, netminder Cam Ward has found his game and has appeared in all but one game since the start of December. With an 18-12-6 mark on the season, alongside a .915 save percentage and 2.34 goals-against average, Ward is seeing his best numbers in five seasons.
The Hurricanes are the NHL's fifth-youngest team, a fact no more apparent than on the Carolina blueline, which features four regulars under 24 years old. Veteran defender Ron Hainsey, 35, is the lone elder statesman on the back end.
Defenseman
Age
Games
G-A-Pts
Noah Hanifin
19
43
2-13-15
Jaccob Slavin
22
43
1-15-16
Brett Pesce
22
43
2-9-11
Justin Faulk
24
36
8-12-20
Ron Hainsey
35
43
2-8-10
Given that overall adolescence, it makes the Hurricanes' impact on the penalty kill even more impressive. If you're facing Carolina, you best score 5-on-5, as the Hurricanes are the NHL's best when down a man, allowing a goal against just 11.3 percent of the time when shorthanded. That ranks more than a full two points above the next best club, with the Bruins holding a 86.2 percent success rating.
While the play of Carolina is a surprise to many, don't count Hurricanes bench boss Bill Peters among those blown away.
"Our team has gotten better as we've gone along," Peters told reporters. "We're a better team now, whether we're on the road or at home. As the calendar clicks off, we're getting better as we go."
The Edmonton Oilers content team had some fun ahead of the latest Battle of Alberta, filming a spoof starring Craig MacTavish and the club's terrifying new mascot, Hunter.
In the short clip, MacTavish - who famously tore the tongue from the mouth of Calgary Flames mascot Harvey the Hound - prepares Hunter for the clash between the two mascots.
Of note: No mascots were violently beaten with a bat. At least, not on camera.
