Jets irked at Tkachuk with Game 2 set to go tonight
After sleeping on it, the Winnipeg Jets doubled down on the accusations that Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk intentionally injured Mark Scheifele during their Western Conference qualifying-round series opener.
In the immediate aftermath of Calgary’s 4-1 victory Saturday night in Edmonton, Jets coach Paul Maurice said Tkachuk kicked the back of Scheifele’s leg when he tried to throw a first-period check, calling it “filthy” and “dirty” and saying the incident “could have ended (Scheifele’s) career.”
On Sunday, the eve of their Game 2 clash in the best-of-five series, Maurice stood by those thoughts.
Maurice wouldn’t divulge Scheifele’s status for the today’s crucial clash, or even exactly what injury the centre suffered. It was the same for sniper Patrik Laine, who left the game early in the third period with a hand or wrist issue.
Tkachuk said there was no malice on the play and called it an accident.
“I felt terrible” Tkachuk said. “He was turning away and my left skate had a little bit of the speed wobbles and I was moving too fast for myself. My left skate just collided and it looked like it jammed him up. His body was going one way, but the way I hit him his leg stayed the one way.”
KADRI’S BUZZER-BEATER LIFTS AVS OVER BLUES
Nazem Kadri’s buzzer-beater with one-tenth of a second remaining in the game was the difference as the Colorado Avalanche claimed a thrilling 2-1 win over the St. Louis Blues in Sunday’s Western Conference round-robin clash in Edmonton.
With the Avalanche on a power play and buzzing around the net with all kinds of chances, Kadri pounced on a loose puck in the slot and fired it home just before the clock hit zero.
RAFFL, FLYERS FLUSTER BRUINS TO OPEN TOURNEY
Michael Raffl collected a goal and an assist to lift the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday in the opener of the Eastern Conference round-robin tournament in Toronto. The Flyers had won nine of 10 before the shutdown in March. Boston goaltender Jaroslav Halak made 25 saves while making his first playoff start since 2015. He got the nod in place of Tuukka Rask, who was ill.
COYOTES TALLY 3 IN FIRST, HOLD OFF PREDATORS
Michael Grabner scored a short-handed breakaway goal in the second period to give the Arizona Coyotes a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators in Game 1 of their best-of-five NHL qualifying series. Phil Kessel and Taylor Hall had two assists each for the Coyotes. The Coyotes scored three times on 13 shots, all within eight minutes on goaltender Juuse Saros to get a big jump on the Predators in the first period.
BLACKHAWKS’ CAGGIULA SUSPENDED FOR A GAME
Chicago Blackhawks forward Drake Caggiula has been suspended for one game following an illegal check to the head of Edmonton Oilers forward Tyler Ennis, the NHL'S Department of Player Safety announced on Sunday. Caggiula's right shoulder made contact with Ennis' head at 7:42 of the second period on Saturday in the series opener of the best-of-five Western Conference qualifying round.