Times wires
Monday, March 14, 2011
As concussion-stricken Sidney Crosby took his first strides on the ice in Pittsburgh in more than two months, NHL general managers on Monday took tentative strides toward minimizing and treating head injuries — a hot topic since Boston's Zdeno Chara wasn't suspended for a hit that left Montreal's Max Pacioretty with a concussion and fractured vertebra.
Commissioner Gary Bettman opened the three-day session in Boca Raton by introducing a five-point plan highlighted by a new protocol for head injuries. It mandates that players who report or display concussion symptoms be examined by a team physician "in a quiet place" instead of by a trainer on the bench.
The league will work with the players' association to reduce the size of equipment, and a committee that includes Lightning GM Steve Yzerman will examine safety issues.
Yzerman isn't thrilled about calls to slow down the game.
"It's kind of odd that we're talking about rules to slow things down," Yzerman said. "Players are bigger athletes. They're faster and stronger. The equipment is designed to shoot the puck harder and faster. But now we're going the other way and looking at, 'Okay, how do we make it slower?' "
Crosby, whose last game was Jan. 5 vs. the Lightning, said he has been free of symptoms a few days but isn't sure about a return this season.
Around the league: Chris Pronger, the leader of the Flyers defense, will have surgery this morning to repair a small fracture in his right hand and could miss the last 14 regular-season games. … Wild captain Mikko Koivu returned in Monday's late game at the Canucks after missing 11 games with a broken finger. … An autopsy showed that former Sabres star forward Rick Martin died of hypertensive heart disease.
Monday's game
| at Blackhawks | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| Sharks | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
First Period—1, San Jose, Pavelski 14 (Boyle, Marleau), 2:20 (pp). 2, Chicago, Stalberg 11 (Campoli, Johnson), 12:13. 3, San Jose, Thornton 17 (Marleau, Pavelski), 18:36. Penalties—Pisani, Chi (boarding), 1:08; Johnson, Chi (hooking), 2:07; Boyle, SJ (interference), 4:23; Mitchell, SJ (hooking), 16:33.
Second Period—4, Chicago, Hossa 20 (Sharp, Kane), 3:14 (pp). 5, Chicago, Hossa 21 (Sharp, Kopecky), 6:06 (pp). 6, Chicago, Toews 30 (Seabrook, Sharp), 7:25. 7, Chicago, Hjalmarsson 3 (Kopecky, Keith), 14:29. 8, San Jose, Couture 26 (Vlasic, Clowe), 17:24. 9, Chicago, Kane 24 (Sharp, Toews), 17:46. Penalties—Marleau, SJ (hooking), 2:09; Setoguchi, SJ (holding), 5:16; Eager, SJ (slashing), 14:48; Campoli, Chi (slashing), 18:07.
Third Period—None. Penalties—Demers, SJ (holding), 1:16. Shots on Goal—San Jose 10-10-16—36. Chicago 11-17-6—34. Power-play opportunities—San Jose 1 of 3; Chicago 2 of 6. Goalies—San Jose, Niemi 26-17-5 (18 shots-14 saves), Niittymaki (12:35 second, 16-14). Chicago, Crawford 27-13-5 (36-33). A—22,094 (19,717). T—2:23.
Playoff chase
With nonshootout wins (first tiebreaker in determining final playoff spots) and games left. Division winners get top three seeds:
East Pts. Wins GR
1. Flyers 91 40 14
2. Capitals90 37 12
3. Bruins 85 37 14
4. Penguins88 35 12
5. Lightning 873312
6. Canadiens 83 36 13
7. Sabres76 29 13
8. Rangers 76 28 12
9. Hurricanes 72 27 13
10. Thrashers 70 26 13
11. Maple Leafs 70 26 12
12. Devils 68 29 14
West Pts. Wins GR
1. Canucks 1014211
2. Red Wings 90 37 13
3. Sharks 86 34 12
4. Blackhawks 84 33 12
5. Kings83 32 13
6. Coyotes 83 31 12
7. Stars 82 32 13
8. Flames 81 28 11
9. Predators 80 29 13
10. Ducks79 33 13
11. Wild 77 33 12
12. Blue Jackets 73 28 14