Anleitungen » the AHL to serve as Varlamov’s

TORONTO — If Sidney Crosby is not at the top of anyone’s list of the best players in the game http://www.losangelesramsteamonline.com/aaron-donald-jersey , he is only a notch or two below it.When the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night, however, Crosby will still be looking for his first goal of the season.Meanwhile, Toronto’s rising star and quickly becoming one of hockey’s elite players, Auston Matthews, has been scoring at will this season.Article continues below ...The center has 10 goals already, despite not scoring Monday night in a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, after notching at least one goal in each of Toronto’s first six games.Matthews did have two assists, which gives him at least two points in each of his first seven games, the fifth player in NHL history to do so to open a season.“He’s a real player, he’s just growing, he’s just a kid and he’s going to get better,” Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “He’s dangerous when he’s on the ice and that line is a good line right now. We’re fortunate that we appear to have quite a bit of depth, we’re still kind of evolving, trying to figure out how we’re going to play everybody, but I think we’re going in the right direction.”Crosby was held off the score sheet Tuesday in the 3-2 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks and has four assists in the Penguins’ first five games.Penguins coach Mike Sullivan believes that Crosby’s scoring problems are part of a general problem affecting the team.“Just like our team, I think one of the things we’re trying to encourage Sid to do is shoot the puck a little bit more Authentic Todd Gurley Jersey , simplify his game,” Sullivan told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I just think he’s too good of a player not to break out of this. We just have to stick with it. Just keep working through it and not get discouraged.”Crosby has taken seven shots on goal in the past four games.“I think for the most part, as far as scoring chances go, we’ve had enough to win games,” Crosby said. “(Tuesday’s loss was) another example. I felt like we generated some good ones, but we’re going to play some games that are tight, and you’ve got to capitalize on the ones you get.”Sullivan said, “He had some Grade-A chances. He had a couple of real high-quality chances. He seemed to have a few in the last couple of games. The puck just won’t seem to go in the net for him right now. He’s too good of a player to keep off the score sheet.”With Toronto’s William Nylander not playing because of a stalled contract negotiation, Kasperi Kapanen is taking advantage of his chance to play with Matthews, who has six assists. Kapanen scored twice Monday and has four goals this season.“It’s not just Auston, obviously he’s had a tremendous start to the season, but it’s also Patty (Marleau),” Kapanen said. “Playing with those two, it’s amazing, it feels easy and it’s just clicking right now. I’m just enjoying it and trying to get better day by day. I know we have a couple of notches still left.”The Penguins could have their No. 1 goaltender, Matt Murray, starting Thursday. Murray missed one game after being diagnosed with a concussion. He has been out since Oct. 8. He was backup to Casey DeSmith for two games Todd Gurley Jersey Elite , including Tuesday.Murray allowed 11 goals in his first two games and Sullivan thought the goaltender would benefit from watching a couple of games from the bench before making his first start since the concussion.The Maple Leafs will likely be without their No. 1 goalie, Frederik Andersen, because of a sore knee, which developed during the 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals Saturday.“I felt it, but it didn’t flare up too much,” Andersen said. “And then (Sunday), it was swelling just a little bit more. So that’s where we are. Nothing too serious but preventing me to be in some positions.”Garret Sparks took his place Monday and stopped 33 of 34 shots. He could get the start again Thursday if Andersen is not ready. DENVER (AP) Late in the second period, with his team outplaying Colorado, Edmonton coach Todd McLellan couldn’t believe his Oilers were trailing 2-1.”Jay Woodcroft and I looked at each other and said, `How are we losing this game?”’ McLellan said.They didn’t, thanks to another big game by Connor McDavid.Article continues below ...McDavid had his third hat trick of the season and fourth of his career, and the Oilers beat the Avalanche 4-2 on Sunday to snap a six-game losing streak.McDavid now has 11 goals in the last nine games and two hat tricks. His first two goals tied the game, and his last one was into an empty net with 1:26 remaining.”Obviously the team isn’t finding a way to have success, but it’s a credit to the guys I’m playing with,” McDavid said. ”It’s been pretty fluid, I’ve been playing with a bunch of guys, and it’s a credit to them.”He has five goals in two games against the Avalanche this season.Ryan Strome also scored and Cam Talbot had 24 saves for the Oilers http://www.losangelesramsteamonline.com/todd-gurley-ii-jersey , who snapped Colorado’s 10-game home winning streak. The Avalanche had not lost since Dec. 27 against Arizona but failed to match Pittburgh’s current 11-game home winning streak.Colorado got goals from Tyson Jost and Alexander Kerfoot, and Semyon Varlamov had 36 saves, but the Avalanche couldn’t take advantage of the return of Nathan MacKinnon.MacKinnon missed eight games with a left shoulder injury suffered in Vancouver on Jan. 30. He was second in the league in scoring when he was injured. He entered Sunday tied for 16th with 61 points.”I felt fine,” MacKinnon said logging 22 minutes, 20 seconds of ice time.He had a chance to tie it late, but his shot with less than four minutes left hit the post. Moments later, McDavid sealed it with his team-leading 26th goal.The Avalanche played most of the third period down two defensemen. Anton Lindholm left late in the second period after crashing into the boards, and Erik Johnson left early in the third with an undisclosed injury.”The couple injuries in the back end could hurt us more than just the loss today,” coach Jared Bednar said.Bednar didn’t specify the injuries, but he was upset at the way his team played after being outshot 15-6 in the third.”There’s no excuse for the third,” he said. ”We played 14 minutes and had three shots on goal in a game we’re trying to win and need to win at home. No excuse for that.”The Avalanche took one-goal leads when Jost scored 4:04 into the game and Kerfoot got his 15th with just under seven minutes left in the second period.Strome nearly tied it at 8:01 of the third but Varlamov slid over to get a pad on his shot. He banged his stick on the floor of the bench in frustration after that but then gave Edmonton its first lead with his first goal in 22 games with 6:42 remaining.”It’s not for lack of chances, lack of effort or lack of caring. That’s the frustrating part,” said Strome, whose last goal came Dec. 23 against Montreal. ”You come to the rink every day and you try to get better and try to do the right things, and when things aren’t going in it’s kind of frustrating. Nice to get that one.”NOTES: Colorado is 24-2-2 when leading after two periods. … Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl had two assists. … The Avalanche recalled G Andrew Hammond from Belleville of the AHL to serve as Varlamov’s backup. Jonathan Bernier was injured in Friday’s game at Winnipeg. … Edmonton G Al Montoya was scratched for the second straight game after taking a puck to the mask in practice Friday. Laurent Brossoit was recalled and served as Talbot’s backup for the second straight game. … The Avalanche assigned F A.J. Greer to San Antonio to make room for MacKinnon. … Edmonton is 3 for 34 on the power play over the last 16 games.UP NEXTOilers: Host the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.Avalanche: Visit the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.—