The Dallas Stars will move forward with their new coach and a familiar young face after missing out on the NHL’s top free agent.General
manager Jim Nill started another long offseason for the Stars without postseason
play by hiring coach Jim Montgomery out of the college ranks in early May. On
the first day of free agency Sunday
Adidas Joel Armia Jersey , right wing Valeri Nichushkin signed a $5.9 million, two-year contract to return to Dallas after the last two seasons
playing at home in Russia.Nichushkin was the 10th overall pick by the Stars in
the 2013 draft, and had 64 points (23 goals, 41 assists) while playing 166 games
in three seasons by time he was 21 before returning to Russia and playing in the
Kontinental Hockey League. Now he is back in the NHL at age 23.”Over his past
two seasons in the KHL and with the national team, he has continued his growth
and development as a hockey player,” Nill said. ”He is a fantastic addition to
our depth at forward and we look forward to his return to our club.”The Stars
were one of six teams who met last week with John Tavares, the New York
Islanders captain who on Sunday agreed to a $77 million, seven-year deal to play
for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs.Tavares could have been a big boost for the
Stars, who have missed the playoffs eight of the last 10 seasons. Dallas still
has high-scoring All-Star forwards in captain Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. They
also have goaltender Ben Bishop, who got a new backup Sunday.Free agent
goaltender Anton Khudobin signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Stars
after a backup role in Boston last season behind Tuukka Rask. Khudobin has
played in 147 games with 135 starts over the past nine seasons with four
different teams.Dallas also signed 12-year veteran right wing Blake Comeau to a
$7.2 million
Adidas Xavier Ouellet Jersey , three-year contract after he spent the past three seasons in Colorado. Defenseman Roman Polak got a $1.3 million, one-year
deal after 54 games for Toronto last season.The 32-year-old Comeau, the
Islanders’ second-round draft pick in 2004, had 13 goals and 21 assists last
season with the Avalanche. That included three short-handed goals.”His elite
speed makes him a disruptive defensive presence and he fits well with what head
coach Jim Montgomery is trying to accomplish,” Nill said.Goaltender Kari
Lehtonen, who is second in Stars history with 215 wins but had become a backup
to Bishop, is an unrestricted free agent.The Stars lost left wings Antoine
Roussel ($12 million, four years with Vancouver) and Curtis McKenzie ($3
million, two years with Vegas), and defenseman Greg Pateryn ($6.75 million,
three years with Minnesota) in free agency Sunday.— BOSTON (AP) Jake DeBrusk
watched the tiebreaking goal go into the net from ice level
Adidas Tomas Tatar Jersey , sliding into the boards on his backside after he was flattened by Toronto defenseman Jake Gardiner.The Bruins rookie didn’t
even have time to climb up off his knees before he was mobbed by teammates.”Jake
had a real coming-out party in the series,” coach Bruce Cassidy said after
DeBrusk scored twice to help Boston beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-4 on
Wednesday night and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals.”He scored
going to the net, dirty areas,” said Cassidy, whose team opens the second round
against the Lightning in Tampa Bay on Saturday. ”That’s always the first thing:
play inside, be willing to get hit, fight for your space. That’s playoff hockey.
They weren’t freebies. They’ve been real greasy, as advertised.”Five years after
rallying from a three-goal, third-period deficit and beating Toronto in Game 7
of their first-round series, the Bruins again scored four straight goals to
eliminate the Maple Leafs. After Kasperi Kapanen put Toronto ahead 4-3 with a
short-handed goal in the second, Torey Krug tied it
Adidas Dan Hamhuis Jersey , DeBrusk gave Boston the lead with 14:35 to play.Despite the final score, the teams were tied or separated by one goal for
the first 2 1/2 periods, until David Pastrnak made it 6-4 with 8:21 to play.
Brad Marchand flipped one into the empty net with 51 seconds left to set off a
celebration in the stands.”For entertainment value, that was probably one of the
better Game 7s you’ll see,” said Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask, who stopped just 20
of 24 shots. ”It was only a one-goal game going into the third and we shut it
down and scored some good goals.”Danton Heinen scored his first NHL postseason
goal, Patrice Bergeron had a goal and two assists, and David Krejci had three
assists for the Bruins. In his first NHL postseason action, DeBrusk had seven
points in seven games.”Uh, it went pretty well,” he said with a laugh.
”Obviously
Adidas Eric Tangradi Jersey , with the win it was special – something I’ll never forget. I’ll never forget this series just in general, first playoffs. I
was really happy to contribute.”Frederik Andersen had 29 saves for the Maple
Leafs, who have not won a playoff series since 2004. They came close in the
first round in 2013, when they rallied from a three-games-to-one deficit against
Boston and took a 4-1 lead in Game 7.”It’s always disappointing,” said Patrick
Marleau, who scored twice for Toronto. ”Obviously, you’re trying to win the Cup.
To fall short once again, it’s heartbreaking every time.”Travis Dermott also
scored for the Maple Leafs, who again won back-to-back games after falling
behind 3-1 in the series. Game 6 came in Toronto on the night that a man drove a
van onto a crowded sidewalk in the city, killing 10 people and injuring more
than a dozen others.The teams combined for five goals in the first period before
Toronto scored twice in the second, taking a 4-3 lead when Kapanen beat Marchand
to a loose puck and then held him off
Adidas Adam Pelech Jersey , skidding to a stop in front of Rask before poking the around his left skate.In the third, the Bruins scored two 4-on-4
goals after matching penalties opened up the ice. Krug made it 4-4 on a slapper
from the point just 1:10 in, and then DeBrusk put the Bruins ahead.”I think that
we’re all just pretty excited right now to have a chance to continue playing
together and take on Tampa,” DeBrusk said. ”We’re going to enjoy this one
tonight, but then go back to the drawing board.”Notes: Bruins coach Bruce
Cassidy, in his first full season on the Boston bench, was named a finalist for
the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year. … Celtics Hall of Famer
Tommy Heinsohn was the honorary fan banner captain, getting the crowd riled up
before the game. … The Bruins are 14-12 in Game 7s and Toronto is 12-11. …
Boston’s Kevan Miller had two assists for his first multi-point playoff
game.
