The Detroit Red Wings had a setback during their series-evening victory at Anaheim.
Growing up playing hockey, Matt Hendricks remembered the kind of language he would hear. It wasn't always appropriate. "Words were probably thrown around a little bit too loosely," the Washington Capitals forward said.
Now years and thousands of miles removed from his own glory days with the Washington Capitals, all Bruce Boudreau can do sometimes is prepare and hope. He has Anaheim in the playoffs in just his second year behind the bench, but he knows a regular-season turnaround like he authored in Washington isn't enough.
Having lost four in a row, Anaheim's players weren't feeling great, right wing Teemu Selanne said. But their coach knew full well that one victory could turn things around.
The Anaheim Ducks lost that winning feeling. Losers of four in a row since beating the Chicago Blackhawks, another game against the team right above them in the Western Conference might be just what they need to break out of this slump.T
It's a short walk from the MGM Grand sports book _ where the odds on Saturday favored Oregon by two points over UCLA _ to the arena where the Pac-12 Conference basketball tournament was contested. Timed just right, a fan could have sneaked away at halftime to place a bet on his favorite school and still made it back before play resumed.
Oates and Bylsma sat next to each other on bus rides and plane trips. On the road they flew into a city and found a coffee shop to visit and talk hockey. Back then the Pittsburgh Penguins coach saw a future behind the bench for Oates, who is just 11 games into his tenure with the Washington Capitals.
Moments after Chip Kelly's plane landed, he was handed a new Eagles visor and received a warm greeting from fans gathered at the airport.
In the end, Chip Kelly chose the NFL, giving the Eagles their guy.
