Xbox360 » Andrei Svechnikov has a four-game

Patrick Kane has a history of making things a big deal.When Blackhawks teammate Adam Burish and his agent Bill Zito wanted to put in a charity game during the previous NHL lockout in 2012-13 Womens Niklas Hjalmarsson Jersey , Kane jumped on board and helped generate buzz for the event in the Chicago suburbs.Zito hasn’t forgotten that and on Monday got to name Kane as the United States captain for the upcoming IIHF World Hockey Championship next month in Denmark.”When we talked to him about this, his passion for hockey, his enthusiasm for the game is wonderful,” Zito told The Associated Press by phone. ”Just thrilled that he’s part of it.”Kane last played at the world championships in 2008, his first in the NHL and the last time the Blackhawks missed the playoffs. The three-time Stanley Cup winner’s presence should improve the quality of play at the tournament and the interest in fellow U.S. players to join him.”I think what it says is it doesn’t matter where you are in hockey, if you love the game, you want to be part of it and respect USA Hockey and Pat Kane showed up,” Zito said. ”It’s really exciting. I think it’s exciting for the whole tournament. It’s a great day for USA Hockey and for hockey in general.”Kane played for the U.S. at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics and next month will lead a strong team that includes Buffalo Sabres rookie and world junior MVP Casey Mittelstadt and possibly Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin.”Any time you get to wear the USA sweater, it’s super exciting,” Mittelstadt said. ”So for me, to go out there and get to play with some of the best American players and obviously make a push for a gold medal, it’s going to be something that’s really good for my development.”Jeff Blashill, who coaches Larkin in Detroit http://www.officialoilers.com/authentic-adidas-connor-mcdavid-jersey , is back after making his international coaching debut at worlds a year ago.”He’s experienced,” Zito said of Blashill. ”He’s been there before. He was hungry to go. And I think he brings a nice balance. He brings a great balance of the technical expertise of the game – he’s a student of the game and he’s studying, he’s always into the little nuances that make up a game – as well as the personal, one-on-one to get the most out of the individuals.”Former Pittsburgh Penguins and Sabres coach Dan Bylsma, Blackhawks assistant Don Granato and U.S. National Team Development Program coach Seth Appert were named as Blashill’s assistants. Granato is an assistant months after brother Tony was coach of the U.S. Olympic team.Hockey Canada named Bill Peters of the Carolina Hurricanes as its head coach for the tournament with Florida’s Bob Boughner and St. Louis’ Mike Yeo as assistants. NHL leading scorer Connor McDavid and likely rookie of the year Mathew Barzal are among those expected to play for Canada.”Canada has always managed to bring together elite-level coaches and players, and we’re again fortunate to be led by an experienced coaching staff for this year’s world championship,” co-general manager Sean Burke said.—AP Hockey Writer John M. Wawrow in Buffalo, New York, contributed— RALEIGH, N.C. — The Pittsburgh Penguins have lots going for them recently.And it might be getting even better.That’s because they tapped another source for production earlier this week.Article continues below ...This could spell more trouble for the Carolina Hurricanes, who’ve been unable to snap out of it, when the teams meet Saturday night at PNC Arena.Pittsburgh’s Bryan Rust scored two goals in Thursday night’s 2-1 victory against the Minnesota Wild. That gives him five goals in a six-game stretch.It’s almost like giving the Penguins a bonus considering that Rust, a 26-year-old winger Milan Lucic Jersey Kids , had one goal in his first 29 games this season.“Rusty does so many things beyond the numbers,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “Certainly when he helps us offensively, it’s a boost for our team. His speed is evident. He’s confident. We’re thrilled that it’s going in the net for him.”There’s a serious tone coming from the Hurricanes, who’ve sputtered to a 2-5-2 mark across their last nine games.Thursday night’s 4-1 home loss to the Detroit Red Wings resulted in a prolonged postgame meeting.“We’re not tough enough,” Carolina captain Justin Williams said. “We dominate stretches of periods and maybe feel that we should be leading. We’re not mentally tough enough to stay, ‘All right, that didn’t go our way. Let’s stick with it.’ “Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said the team’s ongoing scoring woes are draining for the team.“We got away from our game,” he said in reference to the Detroit game. “When you don’t score, you try to be too cute. … It’s all predicated on just not scoring. Guys trying to do too much. That definitely doesn’t work for us.”The Hurricanes outshot the Red Wings 39-24 but it didn’t matter.“Regardless of age or experience, everyone in here has played on good teams,” Williams said. “Everyone knows what the good feelings are when things are going well.”More than two months into the season, Brind’Amour said seeing the team waver too much from the game plan is trouble.“It doesn’t work when we get away (from the system),” he said. “To see that creep in. … No one will feel sorry for you. You have to believe that your game plan is good enough to win.”The Penguins have points in eight of their last 10 games.“We’re taking what they give us and not trying to force plays that aren’t there Oscar Klefbom Jersey ,” Sullivan said. “Having success the last couple of games, it’s important for our confidence.”It’s not all rosy for the Penguins. Defenseman Jamie Oleksiak has been sidelined by a concussion.For Carolina, rookie right winger Andrei Svechnikov has a four-game points streak. He has scored a total of four goals across the past four games, giving him 10 goals for the season.“We can’t be sitting here relying on an 18-year-old to be the guy to get it done,” Brind’Amour said. “That’s not the plan, that’s for sure.”In Thursday’s loss, center Jordan Staal and left winger Micheal Ferland returned to the Hurricanes lineup, so getting them back in a groove is a priority. Staal missed the five games, while Ferland sat out seven of eight games — both dealing with concussions.This will be the first of four meetings this season between Pittsburgh and Carolina.