Times wires
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
BOCA RATON — General managers ended three days of meetings Wednesday with little discussion about upcoming collective bargaining negotiations.
The current agreement between the league and the players union, which ended the seasonlong lockout in 2005, expires Sept. 15. "The update is, there was no update because there's nothing going on," commissioner Gary Bettman said. "Whatever will be, will be."
Bettman told the general managers to conduct "business as usual" according to the current agreement, including working under the salary cap of between $63 million and $64 million.
Bettman also said the board of governors has dropped realignment for now to avoid confrontation with the union, which objected to the plan the league offered this season for next, and because the league needed to start planning the 2012-13 schedule.
Game highlights: The host Sabres moved within three points of the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot with a 5-4 shootout loss to the Avalanche, which broke a four-team points deadlock in the West to vault into a playoff spot. … The host Jets closed within four points of the East's final playoff spot with a 5-2 win over the Stars.
Around the league: In addition to Sidney Crosby, the Penguins also could have All-Star defenseman Kris Letang back in the lineup tonight against the Rangers. Letang, out with concussion symptoms since a hit Feb. 29 vs. the Stars, said the symptoms had subsided. He practiced for a second straight day. … Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom, out more than two months with a concussion, skated for the second straight day. He said he had no problems.
Avalanche | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
at Sabres | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
Avalanche wins shootout 1-0 |
First Period—1, Buf, Foligno 2 (Ennis, Stafford), 1:39. 2, Colo., McGinn 18 (Stastny), 8:55. 3, Buf, Stafford 14, 14:42 (sh). 4, Colo., Jones 17 (O'Brien, Wilson), 19:08. Penalties—Sulzer, Buf (tripping), 13:50.
Second Period—5, Colo., Landeskog 20 (Mueller, Stastny), 5:35 (pp). 6, Buf, Foligno 3 (Stafford, Ennis), 11:01. Penalties—Hodgson, Buf (tripping), 3:45; O'Brien, Col (kneeing), 6:49; Kaleta, Buf (roughing), 15:36; Downie, Col (roughing), 19:18; Landeskog, Col (roughing), 19:18; Regehr, Buf (roughing), 19:18.
Third Period—7, Buf, Sulzer 1 (Boyes, Ennis), 1:55. 8, Colo., McGinn 19 (O'Reilly, Landeskog), 19:58. Penalties—Kaleta, Buf (tripping), 14:50.
OT—None. Penalties—None. Shootout—Colo. 1 (Hejduk NG, Mueller G), Buf 0 (Boyes NG, Pominville NG, Ennis NG). Shots on Goal—Colo. 14-11-16-1—42. Buf 11-3-8-2—24. Power-play opportunities—Colo. 1 of 4; Buf 0 of 2. Goalies—Colo., Varlamov 23-20-2 (24 shots-20 saves). Buf, Miller 25-18-6 (42-38). A—18,690 (18,690). T—2:41. Referees—Stephane A
at Jets | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
Stars | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
First Period—1, Wpg, Antropov 11 (Miettinen, Clitsome), 2:21. Penalties—None.
Second Period—2, Wpg, Kane 28 (Burmistrov, Wellwood), 1:19. 3, Wpg, Fehr 2, 8:28. 4, Wpg, Ladd 22 (Little, Wheeler), 9:15. 5, Wpg, Ladd 23 (Byfuglien, Wheeler), 16:12 (pp). 6, Dallas, Eriksson 24 (Ribeiro), 16:29. Penalties—Fiddler, Dal (tripping), 5:34; Ribeiro, Dal (unsportsmanlike conduct), 10:44; Hainsey, Wpg (cross-checking), 10:44; Robidas, Dal (delay of game), 15:59.
Third Period—7, Dallas, Eriksson 25 (Ryder, Goligoski), 16:16. Penalties—Fiddler, Dal, misconduct, 17:13; Burish, Dal (unsportsmanlike conduct, roughing), 17:13; Glass, Wpg, minor-misconduct (roughing), 17:13. Shots on Goal—Dallas 9-13-8—30. Wpg 11-12-5—28. Power-play opportunities—Dallas 0 of 0; Wpg 1 of 3. Goalies—Dallas, Bachman 8-4-1 (28 shots-23 saves). Wpg, Pavelec 26-23-7 (30-28).
at Canadiens | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Senators | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Canadiens win shootout 1-0 |
First Period—1, Mont, Cole 27 (Nokelainen, Palushaj), 13:45. 2, Ott, Greening 14 (Michalek, Spezza), 14:11. Penalties—Cowen, Ott (roughing), 16:44; Geoffrion, Mon (roughing), 16:44; Cowen, Ott, major (fighting), 19:51; Nokelainen, Mon, major (fighting), 19:51.
Second Period—None. Penalties—Pacioretty, Mon (interference), :37; Cole, Mon (slashing), 2:40; Neil, Ott (goaltender interference), 2:56; Markov, Mon (goaltender interference), 3:41; Foligno, Ott (goaltender interference), 14:00.
Third Period—3, Mont, Desharnais 16 (Subban, Pacioretty), :24. 4, Ott, Karlsson 19 (Kuba, Spezza), 11:01. Penalties—Karlsson, Ott (unsportsmanlike conduct), 13:22; Eller, Mon (unsportsmanlike conduct), 13:22.
OT—None. Penalties—None. Shootout—Ott 0 (Michalek NG, Spezza NG, Alfredsson NG), Mont 1 (Pacioretty NG, Desharnais G, Markov NG). Shots on Goal—Ott 15-9-10-3—37. Mont 9-8-8-1—26. Power-play opportunities—Ott 0 of 3; Mont 0 of 1. Goalies—Ott, B.Bishop 2-0-2 (26 shots-24 saves). Mont, Price 25-26-9 (37-35).