Opinion Links for week of April 14 to 20, 2019 | Headlinehockey.com

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OPINION

BRIAN COSTELLO: Fizzled out: Why the Flames collapsed against the Avalanche (The Hockey News)
KEN CAMPBELL: Red Wings shouldn't expect immediate miracles, but Steve Yzerman will (again) return their team to contender status (The Hockey News)
ERIC FRANCIS: MacKinnon’s dominance too much for Flames in elimination vs. Avalanche (Sportsnet)
CHRIS JOHNSTON: Matthews’s standout play helps Leafs find way in Game 5 win vs. Bruins (Sportsnet)
EMILY KAPLAN: Leafs take control, Flames extinguished (ESPN)
MARK SPECTOR: How Ken Holland would be a good fit for Oilers’ GM vacancy (Sportsnet)
DAVID SHOALTS: Maple Leafs persevere to record 2-1 win over Bruins, move within one victory of taking playoff series (Globe & Mail)Paywall to view
MICHAEL TRAIKOS: Leaning on Auston Matthews paying dividends for Maple Leafs (National Post)
JOHN NIYO: Steve Yzerman's arrival buys time for Wings to get back on track (Detroit News)
DAN SHAUGHNESSY: Unexpected loss in Game 5 puts Bruins in jeopardy (Boston Globe)
PAUL ZEISE: Pressure is on Penguins GM Jim Rutherford to get it right (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
DAMIEN COX: The Red Wings, so full of questions, hope the answer is Y (Toronto Star)
ANDREW BERKSHIRE: Defensive zone turnovers continue to haunt Jets (Winnipeg Free Press)
SHAWN WINDSOR: Here's why Steve Yzerman's return to Detroit Red Wings made you misty (Detroit Free Press)
MARTIN FENNELLY: Godspeed, Steve Yzerman, but don’t haunt us (Tampa Bay Times)
KEVIN PAUL DUPONT: The Bruins need more will and skill to extend series to Game 7 (Boston Globe)
MIKE McINTYRE: Blown leads enough to give Jets a complex (Winnipeg Free Press)
RON COOK: The Penguins can't turn into the Blackhawks or Kings ... can they? (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
LARRY BROOKS: Rangers all-in on John Davidson gamble that now must work (New York Post)
BRUCE ARTHUR: Leafs forward Mitch Marner is reinventing the game shift by shift (Toronto Star)
BEN FREDERICKSON: Master motivator Berube flexed his finesse in savvy Game 5 moves (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
RAY RATTO: Ray Ratto: Sharks rediscover themselves, but is it too late? (San Jose Mercury News)
NEIL BEST: Long rest not that big of a deal for Isles (New York Newsday)
LUKE DeCOCK: As Svechnikov’s rapid return approaches, a call for prudence and patience (Raleigh News & Observer)
MARK MADDEN: Coach Mike Sullivan must steer Penguins in new direction (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
BOB WOJNOWSKI: Steve Yzerman is back where he belongs (Detroit News)
BARRY SVRLUGA: Without T.J. Oshie, the Capitals need someone to take the leading role (Washington Post)
KEN WIEBE: Can Jets keep season alive, force Game 7? (Winnipeg Sun)
STEVE CONROY: Call goes against Tuukka Rask, Bruins (Boston Herald)
JEFF SEIDEL: Steve Yzerman is perfect for Detroit Red Wings, but give Ken Holland credit (Detroit Free Press)
PAUL FRIESEN: Jets not so deep after all (Winnipeg Sun)
BRUCE ARTHUR: Auston Matthews’ big moment breaks deadlock as Leafs put Bruins on brink (Toronto Star)
JOE REXRODE: Consider Preds vs Stars Game 5 a Nashville identity check (The Tennessean)
PATRICK JOHNSTON: Along with draft decisions, Canucks need to size up 5 roster players (Vancouver Province)
SAM CARCHIDI: Time for Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher to be bold and change team’s culture — and goals | Sam Carchidi (Philly.com)
ROB OLLER: Blue Jackets’ John Tortorella goes from hot seat to throne (Columbus Dispatch)

JARED CLINTON: Calgary can't keep up with Colorado as Avalanche continue beating Flames at their own game (The Hockey News)
STEVEN ELLIS: Old time hockey: The oldest playoffs to score playoff game-winning goals (The Hockey News)
STEVEN ELLIS: Depth and 'D' is great, but Hurricanes need top trio to step up (The Hockey News)
JARED CLINTON: Bergeron, O'Reilly and stone named finalists for Selke -- who wins and who was snubbed? (The Hockey News)
RYAN KENNEDY: A cleaner Brad Marchand proved to be deadly against the Maple Leafs (The Hockey News)
KEN CAMPBELL: The Maple Leafs need to fix their PK. How about using their best players to do it? (The Hockey News)
IAIN MacINTYRE: Jets' failure to show up at home pushes them to brink of elimination (Sportsnet)
MARK SPECTOR: What changes should Lightning GM Julien BriseBois make? (Sportsnet)
ERIC FRANCIS: Time to give Avalanche credit for meaningful run over Flames (Sportsnet)
CHRIS JOHNSTON: Babcock ‘impressed’ by makeshift Nylander line in Kadri’s absence (Sportsnet)
GREG WYSHYNSKI: Sharks survive, plus a wild finish in Winnipeg (ESPN)
DAVID SHOALTS: Maple Leafs need to develop killer instinct to swat Boston Bruins (Globe & Mail)Paywall to view
MICHAEL TRAIKOS: What can the Maple Leafs do with Marleau? (National Post)
LUKE DeCOCK: Caps, Canes see hit on Oshie differently, but result is the same (Raleigh News & Observer)
STEVE SIMMONS: Andersen gives Leafs advantage in what's now a best-of-three vs. Bruins (Toronto Sun)
ED GRANEY: Big dose of desperation carries Sharks past Golden Knights (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
LUKE DeCOCK: Hurricanes grow up, even series up (Raleigh News & Observer)
TIM BENZ: Penguins better listen to themselves after ‘self-inflicted’ playoff exit (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
MICHAEL ARACE: Adam Clendening solid during fill-in role (Columbus Dispatch)
TERRY JONES: Krueger on Oilers GM job: 'That's a chapter you just can't reopen' (Edmonton Sun)
ROSIE DiMANNO: Maple Leafs need to (penalty) kill or be killed (Toronto Star)
BEN FREDRICKSON: This Blues team keeps proving us wrong (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
WES GILBERTSON: Flames’ playoff T-shirts might tell their story (Calgary Sun)
KEVIN GORMAN: After playoff sweep, Mike Sullivan must hold Penguins accountable (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
BRUCE ARTHUR: Leafs-Bruins not too close to call when you’re dealing with a landmark Boston bar (Toronto Star)
TIM COWLISHAW: The Stars have arrived, and their battle with Nashville now feels like one that heavily favors Dallas (Dallas Morning News)
MARK HERRMANN: Trotz's legacy still growing after Cup win (New York Newsday)
JOHN ROMANO: Lightning needs a conscience, not a new coach (Tampa Bay Times)
SAM DONNELLON: Chuck Fletcher makes case that new coach Alain Vigneault can quickly return Flyers to playoff contention (Philly.com)
ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI: Thanks, Ebs. And other NHL playoff musings (Edmonton Sun)

MATT LARKIN: Penguins must go backward to go forward -- just like the Blackhawks have (The Hockey News)
STEVEN ELLIS: Eberle finds playoff form with Barzal down the middle (The Hockey News)
JARED CLINTON: The Blue Jackets played the Lightning to perfection, and that's why Columbus is moving on (The Hockey News)
KEN CAMPBELL: After monumental collapse, Lightning faced with tough questions in the off-season (The Hockey News)
ERIC FRANCIS: Flames now have five-alarm fire facing elimination against Avalanche (Sportsnet)
CHRIS JOHNSTON: Door wide open for Bruins, Maple Leafs survivor with Lightning exit (Sportsnet)
EMILY KAPLAN: How the Carolina Hurricanes reinvented hockey in North Carolina, and what's next (ESPN)
ALEX PREWITT: Blue Jackets' All-In Approach Pays Off With Historic Sweep of Lightning (Si.com)
EMILY KAPLAN: Mikko Rantanen pushes Flames to the brink (ESPN)
CATHAL KELLY: Pittsburgh’s Golden Age is over, and that spells trouble for Sidney Crosby and the NHL (Globe & Mail)Paywall to view
DAVID SHOALTS: Leafs’ efforts fall short as Bruins dominate 6-4, first-round series tied (Globe & Mail)Paywall to view
CATHAL KELLY: Toronto may yet win the Cup, but in the meantime there’s always a curse to consider (Globe & Mail)Paywall to view
KEVIN ALLEN: Lightning must guard against overreaction after epic failure (USA Today)
MICHAEL TRAIKOS: Bruins load up on 'Pasta' as Pastrnak finds back of the net in Game 4 win (National Post)
KEN WIEBE: Scheifele line shines: Jets top trio steps up to tie series (Winnipeg Sun)
KEVIN GORMAN: Penguins better make changes out of design, not disappointment (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
ROSIE DiMANNO: Leafs’ Rielly learns to roll with playoff joy ride, speed bumps and all (Toronto Star)
MARTIN FENNELLY: The major casualty in the Lightning’s epic fold (Tampa Bay Times)
JOE REXRODE: Predators produce special kind of stink in Game 4 loss to Stars (The Tennessean)
JASON MACKEY: For the Penguins, figuring out what they are is priority No. 1 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
KEVIN PAUL DUPONT: David Pastrnak can breathe easier now that he is on the scoresheet (Boston Globe)
MIKE McINTYRE: Jets looking for happy ending to redemption tale (Winnipeg Free Press)
STEVE SIMMONS: Horrible penalty killing costing the Maple Leafs the series with Boston (Toronto Sun)
JOE STARKEY: Penguins face some painful but necessary decisions (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
BEN KUZMA: Canucks can look to Bolt-jolting Jackets’ skill-will mix for a route to its own rebuild (Vancouver Province)
LARRY BROOKS: What Rangers can learn from the Islanders' small-scale youth movement (New York Post)
MARC DUMONT: Three key pieces that can turn Canadiens into contenders (Montreal Gazette)
DERON SNYDER: Ban hockey fights or keep them in place, but don’t blame Ovechkin (Washington Times)
LUKE DeCOCK: Better late than never for Dougie Hamilton, who has found a home with Hurricanes (Raleigh News & Observer)
PAUL FRIESEN: Jets' Wheeler: 'Anyone can win it' (Winnipeg Sun)
TIM BENZ: U mad, bro? Penguins fans salty, sarcastic, sad (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
GREG COTE: Oh to be hated again! Miami sports once inspired jealousy. Now it’s laughter (Miami Herald)
BRUCE ARTHUR: Better is not good enough for Leafs as mistakes catch up to them in Game 4 loss (Toronto Star)
ED GRANEY: Golden Knights should worry about hockey amid meltdown from Sharks (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: These Blues can rise to the challenge again (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
ANDREW BERKSHIRE: Jets find their ferocious forecheck in the nick of time (Winnipeg Free Press)
NEIL BEST: Best: Just accept that Isles playoffs are now at Barclays (New York Newsday)
HELENE ELLIOTT: Rob Blake needs to get things right or he may not get another chance (Los Angeles Times)

MATT LARKIN: If the Leafs can win without Kadri should they trade him for a defenseman (The Hockey News)
STEVEN ELLIS: Prepare the brooms, odds heavily stacked against Lightning, Penguins staging comeback (The Hockey News)
JARED CLINTON: Martin Jones play has been poor but the Sharks first round issues go beyond goaltending (The Hockey News)
IAIN MacINTYRE: Jets rediscover last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs form vs. Blues (Sportsnet)
GREG WYSHYNSKI: Anatomy of a playoff collapse: What happened to the Tampa Bay Lightning? (ESPN)
ERIC FRANCIS: Flames needing impactful playoff performance from Johnny Gaudreau (Sportsnet)
CHRIS JOHNSTON: Auston Matthews’s decision to switch sticks pays off for Maple Leafs (Sportsnet)
EMILY KAPLAN: Brad Marchand: Has the NHL's ultimate troll turned over a new leaf? (ESPN)
DAVID SHOALTS: Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner is a new-age hero with an old-school approach (Globe & Mail)Paywall to view
MICHAEL ARACE: The moment that everything changed for the Blue Jackets (Columbus Dispatch)
RON COOK: Kris Letang and the rest of Penguins stars had lousy series vs. Islanders (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
TIM BENZ: In wake of sweep, Penguins say they must be more like Islanders (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
JOHN ROMANO: Lightning becomes the disappointment all others will be measured against (Tampa Bay Times)
KEVIN GORMAN: Islanders’ sweep provides painful ending for Penguins (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
ADAM BITTNER: Same old problems plague Penguins in Game 4 loss (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
NEIL BEST: Islanders a team nobody wants to face (New York Newsday)
TIM BENZ: Islanders’ structure, discipline helped exploit Penguins’ flaws (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
ROSIE DiMANNO: Rosie DiManno: Nylander frustrates Leafs and fans sometimes, but looks can be deceiving (Toronto Star)
ED GRANEY: Knights’ Fleury puts frustrated Sharks on brink of elimination (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
PATRICK JOHNSTON: Ever-upbeat Roussel faces long summer of recovery, with numbers on his mind (Vancouver Province)
LUKE DeCOCK: Extra day comes at good time for Hurricanes after emotional win (Raleigh News & Observer)
GENE COLLIER: Penguins go deep in playoffs -- right down a manhole (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
THOM LOVERRO: Hurricanes knock Reirden’s best-laid plan smack-dab in the mouth (Washington Times)
MAC ENGEL: Dear fans, quit being so dumb, drunk and stupid at sporting events (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
PAUL FRIESEN: Jets have home-ice disadvantage in best of three (Winnipeg Sun)
BEN KUZMA: Will Soderstrom draft logic trump Boldy buzz for Canucks in June? (Vancouver Province)
JEFF GORDON: Jets have been better than Blues so far in series (St. Louis Post Dispatch)
JOE REXRODE: Predators' Mikael Granlund got lucky, needs to be good (The Tennessean)
Smith not to blame for Flames‘ lopsided loss in Game 3 Calgary Herald)
WES GILBERTSON: Flames need their star forwards to play the part (Calgary Sun)
DAVE FESCHUK: The Leafs’ Jake Muzzin and family are ready to deliver, on and off the ice (Toronto Star)
ISABELLE KHURSHUDYAN: ‘It’s playoff hockey’: Alex Ovechkin showing he is again all in for Stanley Cup pursuit (Washington Post)
NANCY ARMOUR: Fighting in the NHL is brutish and outdated, and needs to be banned (Detroit Free Press)

KEN CAMPBELL: Nazem Kadri suspended remainder of first round -- and his time might be up as a Maple Leafs (The Hockey News)
JARED CLINTON: Robin Lehner's Cinderella story is one win away from getting another chapter (The Hockey News)
RYAN KENNEDY: No Kempny no problem? Washington pushes on without key defenseman (The Hockey News)
ERIC FRANCIS: Flames could be in for short playoff run if poor play continues (Sportsnet)
GREG WYSHYNSKI: On a roll in Vegas: Mark Stone shining on the big stage for the Golden Knights (ESPN)
CHRIS JOHNSTON: Marner’s heroics epitomize Maple Leafs’ evolution from playoffs past (Sportsnet)
ALEX PREWITT: From Tragedy to Triumph: Inside Ryan Pulock's Journey to Hockey's Biggest Stage (Si.com)
EMILY KAPLAN: Carolina dominant in home win (ESPN)
CATHAL KELLY: Auston Matthews grabs the playoff spotlight for Maple Leafs (Globe & Mail)Paywall to view
DAVID SHOALTS: With bounce-back win, Leafs show why this playoff battle against the Bruins is different (Globe & Mail)Paywall to view
CATHAL KELLY: This is how the Lightning’s stellar season ends, not with a bang but a whimper (Globe & Mail)Paywall to view
MICHAEL TRAIKOS: Bruins' top line lays giant goose egg in Game 3 against Leafs (National Post)
JOE REXRODE: Preds win Game 3 with Pekka, power from Forsberg and poise in the end (The Tennessean)
ROB OLLER: Blue Jackets can win Stanley Cup (Columbus Dispatch)
TIM BENZ: How Penguins could climb out of 3-0 hole vs. Islanders (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
LUKE DeCOCK: An emotional and cathartic Hurricanes victory, but at what cost? (Raleigh News & Observer)
KEN WIEBE: TLC delivers as Jets checking line provides GWG in Game 3 (Winnipeg Sun)
ISABELLE KHURSHUDYAN: Capitals’ Game 3 loss to Hurricanes exposes a key missing piece on the blue line (Washington Post)
STEVE SIMMONS: Little big man Marner comes up huge for Maple Leafs (Toronto Sun)
RON COOK: Is the end near for this veteran group of Penguins? (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
JOHN ROMANO: If you’re looking to point fingers at the Lightning, the list of suspects is long (Tampa Bay Times)
MIKE McINTYRE: Spring sprung, grass riz... Blues goalie learns how dangerous Laine is (Winnipeg Free Press)
LUKE DeCOCK: PNC brings the noise after 10 years away (Raleigh News & Observer)
KEVIN PAUL DUPONT: Bruins’ top line was far from first-rate in Game 3 loss (Boston Globe)
PAUL ZEISE: These Penguins have an identity crisis (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
MARK KISZLA: Dude, where’s Makar? Right here in Denver, making NHL playoff history in 6-2 Avs win. (Denver Post)
NEIL BEST: Isles fans can dare to dream (New York Newsday)
ROSIE DiMANNO: Auston vs. Boston win-win for Leafs in Game 3 vs. Bruins (Toronto Star)
MAC ENGEL: Dallas Stars goalie Ben Bishop looked like he had too much cough syrup (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
PAUL FRIESEN: Jets Laine giving St. Louis the Blues (Winnipeg Sun)
TIM BENZ: How long can Penguins stay alive vs. Islanders? (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: Blues must give Binnington more support (St. Louis Post Dispatch)
ED GRANEY: Lost in (non) translation: Nikita Gusev practices with Golden Knights (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
STEVE CONROY: Bruins need more from top line (Boston Herald)
BEN KUZMA: How effective could a Hutton-Stecher tandem be next season? (Vancouver Province)
KEVIN PAUL DUPONT: Out-of-control Nazem Kadri delivers hit, this time to Leafs (Boston Globe)
BRUCE ARTHUR: Maple Leafs’ skills, and more, provide the thrills in Game 3 win over Bruins (Toronto Star)
JOHN ROMANO: Watch out for Round 2 of the Stamkos-Foligno bout (Tampa Bay Times)
MIKE SIELSKI: Alain Vigneault is terrific, but you should still be skeptical of the Flyers’ decision to hire him (Philly.com)

MARK SPECTOR: Jets turn tables on Blues with familiar brand of hockey (Sportsnet)
CHRIS JOHNSTON: Leafs must stay true to themselves against black-and-blue Bruins (Sportsnet)
ERIC FRANCIS: Flames navigating first taste of playoff adversity with confidence (Sportsnet)
CHARLES P. PIERCE: Bad Blood Takes Center Stage in Bruins-Leafs as Suspension Lingers (Si.com)
GREG WYSHYNSKI: Lightning, Penguins pushed to the brink (ESPN)
DAVID SHOALTS: In repeating history, Nazem Kadri himself may be history with the Maple Leafs (Globe & Mail)Paywall to view
ROY MacGREGOR: Before Canada, the Flames and Jets went south in Atlanta (Globe & Mail)
KEVIN ALLEN: Lightning heading toward an all-time playoff implosion down 3-0 to Blue Jackets (USA Today)
NEIL BEST: Best: Lehner continues to save Islanders (New York Newsday)
KEVIN GORMAN: Not even Sidney Crosby can save the Penguins this time (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
ROSIE DiMANNO: Without Kadri, Leafs focus on what they can control (Toronto Star)
BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: Performance in Game 3 was un-Blues-like (St. Louis Post Dispatch)
KEN WIEBE: Offensive onslaught puts Jets on board (Winnipeg Sun)
GENE COLLIER: Islanders' calm consistency trumping Penguins' flash (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
STEVE SIMMONS: Kadri's lack of emotional maturity strikes again (Toronto Sun)
MICHAEL ARACE: Long-suffering Blue Jackets fans get to savor big win (Columbus Dispatch)
JOHN STEIGERWALD: Miracles not unheard of in Penguins-Islanders history (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
ED GRANEY: Mark Stone well worth the price it cost Golden Knights (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
RON COOK: Defensive-minded Islanders have Penguins in 3-0 hole (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
BRUCE ARTHUR: Kadri’s repeat offence raises questions about his future as a Leaf (Toronto Star)
TIM BENZ: Islanders thinking ‘Game of Thrones’ before coup of Penguins (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
BRETT CYRGALIS: It is time to start treating the Islanders for what they are (New York Post)
TIM BENZ: Penguins’ biggest problem vs. Islanders is clear (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
JOHN ROMANO: Lightning show no grit, no glory in postseason (Tampa Bay Times)
LUKE DeCOCK: Of all the playoff series in all the world, Brooks Orpik had to walk into this one (Raleigh News & Observer)
ISABELLE KHURSHUDYAN: This could be Brooks Orpik’s last run with the Capitals. He’s making it count. (Washington Post)
MARK POTASH: Ode to the Joel Quenneville Era: A Blackhawks run we'll never quite see again (Chicago Sun-Times)

CHRIS JOHNSTON: Deja vu for Leafs’ Kadri after dirty cross-check vs. Bruins (Sportsnet)
ERIC FRANCIS: Avalanche finally break through against Mike Smith, Flames (Sportsnet)
EMILY KAPLAN: Overtime madness! (ESPN)
DAVID SHOALTS: Toronto Maple Leafs lose their composure, the game and perhaps more under Boston Bruins’ onslaught Subscriber content (Globe & Mail)Paywall to view
JERRY BREWER: The Capitals are in total control — only in what truly matters (Washington Post)
JOE REXODE: Preds dominate Stars, need OT to beat them (The Tennessean)
KEVIN PAUL DUPONT: Bruins provide stinging response to Maple Leafs (Boston Globe)
ROSIE DiMANNO: At least Kadri fought back on Leafs’ night to forget in Beantown (Toronto Star)
LUKE DeCOCK: Action, anger and agita: Playoff hockey is back, and it has been far too long (Raleigh News & Observer)
BEN FREDERICKSON: Armstrong's moves with Blues paying off when it matters most (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
KEN WIEBE: Jets searching for answers (Winnipeg Sun)
DAN SHAUGHNESSY: Bruins channel their Big, Bad days in physical master class (Boston Globe)
THOM LOVERRO: Backstrom saves Capitals from a disaster in the making (Washington Times)
STEVE SIMMONS: Maple Leafs need to say goodbye to Kadri (Toronto Sun)
BRUCE GARRIOCH: Blue Jackets taking nothing for granted as they head home with 2-0 lead (Ottawa Sun)
MARK MADDEN: Expect Penguins to play better, fix this series (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
KEVIN PAUL DUPONT: Why hasn’t Massachusetts produced more NHL scorers? (Boston Globe)
JOE REXODE: Predators getting grit, could use goals, from Simmonds and Boyle (The Tennessean)
BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: Blues' captain takes one for the team (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
MIKE CHAMBERS: Avalanche want to sign, and play, Cale Makar after NCAA championship game (Denver Post)
BRUCE ARTHUR: The Bruins play the tough guy in Game 2, and the Maple Leafs flinch (Toronto Star)
LARRY BROOKS: Blue Jackets-Lightning stunner would be bad news for Rangers (New York Post)
PAUL FRIESEN: Jets' blaze on verge of being out of control (Winnipeg Sun)
MICHAEL ARACE: Blue Jackets have gotten inside the head of the Lightning (Columbus Dispatch)
MIKE HARRINGTON: In coach search and free agency, Sabres have recruiting hurdles to overcome (Buffalo News)
JOHN ROMANO: If you spot some hope for the Lightning, let me know (Tampa Bay Times)
NEIL BEST: Lamoriello, Isles taking it one game at a time (New York Newsday)
JOE STARKEY: Darius Kasparaitis was legendary for Islanders and Penguins — and he’d still suit up (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
BARRY ROZNER: Ex-Blackhawks Quenneville, Tallon form interesting pair (Chicago Daily Herald)