Erie Otters defenseman Josh Kidd, 19, scored his first professional goal with the AHL's Manchester Monarchs in a 5-1 win against Bridgeport Wednesday. Kidd has a goal, three points and a plus-8 rating in five games with the Monarchs, the Los Angeles Kings' affiliate.
Meanwhile, center Zack Torquato, 18, scored his first pro goal Sunday in Grand Rapids' 6-4 loss to Chicago. He also recorded five shots, equaling his total in his first seven games. That's his only point in eight games. He also has a plus-1 rating and eight penalty minutes with the Detroit Red Wings' AHL affiliate. One night earlier, right wing Nick Palmieri, 18, scored his first pro goal in Lowell's 4-3 win against Worcester. That's his only point in six games with the New Jersey Devils' AHL affiliate. He also has 12 shots and a minus-10 rating. Forward Justin Hodgman, 19, has a goal, two points, a minus-2 rating and two penalty minutes in four games with the IHL's Fort Wayne Komets.

– Victor Fernandes

Erie Otters forward Justin Hodgman scored his second professional goal in Fort Wayne's 5-3 IHL win in Bloomington Friday night. His power-play goal with 4:14 left in the second period tied the score at 2. The Komets scored twice in the third to seal the win. Hodgman has two goals and three points in five games. He also had his first professional fight on Friday. The Komets (51-12-5) play in Muskegon on Saturday.
Meanwhile, defenseman Josh Kidd had no points, a plus-1 rating and four shots in Manchester's 7-3 AHL win against Lowell. Otters winger Nick Palmieri didn't play for Lowell. Center Zack Torquato had no points and a minus-1 rating in Grand Rapids' 4-1 AHL loss to Houston.
Lowell plays at home against Providence on Saturday. Manchester hosts Worcester while Grand Rapids plays in Rochester.

Erie Otters forward Justin Hodgman, 19, scored two goals in three games for the IHL's Fort Wayne Komets last weekend. He scored in wins against Bloomington and Muskegon, giving him three goals and four points in seven games. With the wins, the Komets improved to a league-best 52-12-5-2 this season.
Meanwhile, Otters defenseman Josh Kidd helped Manchester clinch a spot in the AHL's Calder Cup playoffs last weekend. He had an assist in three games, giving him a goal and four points in eight games. The Monarchs went 2-0-0-1 in those games. They conclude the regular season with a home-and-home series against Providence on Friday and Saturday.
Forwards Zack Torquato and Nick Palmieri will complete their first AHL regular-season experience this weekend, as Grand Rapids (Torquato) and Lowell (Palmieri) failed to make the playoffs. Neither recorded points in three games apiece last weekend. Each has one point, both goals, in a combined 18 games. Grand Rapids ends its season Friday and Saturday with home games against Manitoba. Lowell has four games left - Wednesday against Portland at home and road games in Bridgeport Friday, Worcester (Saturday) and Providence (Sunday).

Star watch
Players to watch in the NHL playoffs:
* Alexander Ovechkin – His record-setting season carried Washington to its first playoff berth since 2003. But as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin discovered last year, the playoffs are much tougher.
* Evgeni Malkin – He’s a legitimate MVP candidate. But he had no goals and four points in the five-game playoff loss to Ottawa last season. He needs to fare much better in his second playoff experience.
* Daniel Briere – He left Buffalo for Philadelphia in the offseason for a bigger contract, more money and a greater share of the spotlight. Now Briere has to prove he deserved all of that.
* Scott Gomez – He won two Cup championships with New Jersey. Now one of the Rangers’ two key offseason acquisitions faces his former team with the title-starved Big Apple’s hopes on his shoulders.
* Nicklas Lidstrom – He’s one of the best defensemen in league history. Yet, the Red Wings haven’t won a Cup title since 1998. In Hockeytown, titles are what matters, not accolades.

Stanley Cup storylines
What to watch for in the NHL playoffs:
* Star power – Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin – the faces of the NHL’s future – are in the playoffs together for the first time. That’s exactly what league officials want.
* Ducks’ defense – D Scott Niedermayer and RW Teemu Selanne returned to help the Ducks defend their 2007 Cup title. Now even as a No. 4 seed, Anaheim is a legitimate title contender.
* Reeling Senators – After a blazing start, the Senators have struggled mightily because of injuries (Alfredsson, Fisher, Kelly) and off-ice issues (Emery). The spotlight will be firmly on this team.
* Price is right? – Montreal has the skill, experience and power play to win its first Cup championship since 1993. But will rookie goaltender Carey Price handle the pressure of the playoffs?
* Big-money risks – The N.Y. Rangers spent plenty of money to sign playoff-savvy performers Chris Drury and Scott Gomez. But in the past, big names and a high payroll has failed to produce a Cup title.

The winners list
The past 10 Stanley Cup champions:
2006-07 – Anaheim
2005-06 – Carolina
2003-04 – Tampa Bay
2002-03 – New Jersey
2001-02 – Detroit
2000-01 – Colorado
1999-2000 – New Jersey
1998-99 – Dallas
1997-98 – Detroit
1996-97 – Detroit

Cream of the crop
Victor Fernandes selects his 2007-08 NHL award winners:
Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP) – C Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh
Calder Memorial Trophy (rookie of the year) – Patrick Kane, Chicago
James Norris Memorial Trophy (top defenseman) – Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit
Vezina Trophy (top goalie) – Henrik Lundqvist, N.Y. Rangers
Jack Adams Award (coach of the year) – Bruce Boudreau, Washington

– Victor Fernandes

* Scary moment: Ottawa defenseman Anton Volchenkov suffered a severe laceration across his head after being struck by a shot in the second period. The hard slap shot, off the stick of Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, pushed Volchenkov’s helmet against his head as he stumbled to the ice.
He suffered a pressure cut, head coach Bryan Murray said. Volchenkov was unable to return because of soreness and an inability to place the helmet on his head. “Hopefully he’ll be OK (today),” Murray said.
* Pleasant surprise: Pittsburgh’s fourth line of center Gary Roberts and wingers Georges Laraque and Maxime Talbot produced the game’s first goal and several strong shifts throughout the game.
Roberts credited the unit’s toughness, work ethic and simple style. “We create some puck control. We get some pucks to the net. We get some ugly goals,” Roberts said.
* Short-handed stops: The Penguins stopped two crucial 5-on-3s in the second period, the highlight of a penalty-killing unit that were 7-for-7 against the Senators. “We all knew special teams would be crucial,” Penguins head coach Michel Therrien said. “The guys on the penalty kill did a great job, and when there were some breakdowns, (goaltender Marc-Andre) Fleury was really good.”
* No changes in sight: Washington secured the Southeast Division title and the Eastern Conference’s third despite finishing with 94 points. In comparison, Ottawa and Boston had 94 points, but are the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds. Carolina and Buffalo missed the playoffs with 92 and 90 points, respectively.
Yet, the current playoff format, which awards division winners with one of the top three seeds, won’t change anytime soon, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday night at Mellon Arena.
“That will probably come up in a general managers’ meeting, as it periodically does,” Bettman said. “But it hasn’t been a hot topic and one that has engendered a lot of debate.”
* Speaking of Bettman: He addressed the issue of gamesmanship in a conference call this week with GMs and coaches from the playoff teams. “Gamesmanship to a point is tolerable,” he said. “When you … begin to demean the game and the officials of the league, we will not tolerate it.”
Earlier this week, the Senators’ Murray reportedly suggested that the Penguins deliberately lost Sunday’s regular-season finale in Philadelphia to secure an easier first-round matchup against his team. If the Penguins had won the game, they would have faced the Flyers in this series.
“It seemed to me to be a bit of gamesmanship that perhaps (Murray) was using to motivate his players,” Bettman said. “If you want to motivate your team, there are a lot of ways to do it.”
* By the numbers: Malkin’s goal was the first of his short playoff career. He had four points, all assists, in last season’s opening-round loss to Ottawa. … Randy Robitaille replaced injured center Daniel Alfredsson (40 goals, 89 points) alongside Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza on Ottawa’s No. 1 line. Robitaille finished with one of the unit’s seven shots. … Pittsburgh outshot the Senators 35-26.
* Around the rink: Pittsburgh scratched goaltender Dany Sabourin, defenseman Darryl Sydor, center Kris Beech and wingers Adam Hall and Jeff Taffe. … Ottawa scratched forwards Alfredsson, Fisher, Kelly and Brian McGrattan and defenseman Luke Richardson. … Fans without tickets watched the game on a 12-foot by 16-foot screen in the plaza outside Gate 3.

– Victor Fernandes

Goaltender Bryan Hogan, the Erie Otters' fifth-round pick in the 2007 OHL Priority Selection, played in Michigan's 5-4 overtime loss to Notre Dame in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinals on Thursday. Hogan, 19, of Highland, Mich., made 18 saves on 20 shots after replacing starter Billy Sauer to start the second period. But he suffered the loss after allowing Calle Ridderwall's winning goal 5 minutes, 44 seconds into overtime. Hogan, a 6 foot, 190-pound freshman, finished the season with a 3-1-1 record, 2.54 goals-against average and .904 save percentage in five games.
Another former Otters' draft pick, Boston College junior defenseman Tim Filangieri, will play in his third straight national championship game on Saturday night against Notre Dame. Filangieri, an Islip Terrace, N.Y., native, has one goal, six points and 45 penalty minutes in 41 games this season. The Otters selected him in the fourth round of the 2003 draft.

– Victor Fernandes

* Oh so close: Pittsburgh winger Petr Sykora has 275 regular-season goals in his 12-year NHL career, 29 more in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Yet, he has no hat tricks. After Sykora scored consecutive goals in the second period of Game 2 Friday night at Mellon Arena, “I started to think about it,” he said.
But later in the game, his best chance slipped away when Ottawa goaltender Martin Gerber stopped him on a breakaway. Sykora then tapped Gerber, a close friend, on his pads. They were teammates with Anaheim in the 2002-03 season.
* Snake-bit Hossa: Right wing Marian Hossa, Pittsburgh’s high-profile acquisition at the February trade deadline, remains without a goal in the series despite recording 11 shots on goal.
He missed an open net inches away from the goal line late in the second period on Friday, adding to his reputation as a gifted offensive performer who fades in the playoffs. He has 13 goals in 57 career postseason games, compared to 299 goals in 701 regular-season games.
However, head coach Michel Therrien isn’t concerned about Hossa’s goal-scoring struggles. “If Hossa continues to get the chances he has gotten, he will eventually put the puck in the net,” Therrien said.
* Memorable night: Penguins winger Ryan Malone called his game-winning goal the most memorable of his career. Besides snapping a tie at 3 with 1:02 left in the game, he scored without his 2-month-old son William in attendance. William and Abby Malone, Ryan’s wife, were in Minnesota. “I was actually kind of worried,” Ryan said. “(My son has) got a good record here at home.”
* Volchenkov returns: Defenseman Anton Volchenkov rejoined Ottawa’s lineup Friday, two nights after suffering a serious gash on his head in the second period of Game 1 on Wednesday. He left that game bloodied after being struck on the helmet by Penguins center Evgeni Malkin’s slap shot.
Volchenkov wore a full cage to protect his face. He finished with an even plus-minus rating, two penalty minutes and four hits in 21 minutes, 18 seconds of ice time.
* Sydor scratched again: Penguins defenseman Darryl Sydor was a healthy scratch for a second straight game. The 16-year veteran entered the playoffs with 152 career games, the most on the team.
* Laraque honored: The Penguins have nominated right wing Georges Laraque for the NHL’s King Clancy Memorial Trophy. The annual award honors the player “who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a contribution in his community,” according to a prepared statement.
Laraque, acquired at the February trade deadline last season, has worked with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania and “Hockey in the Hood” inner-city program, among other projects. Laraque recently was honored with the club’s Edward J. DeBartolo “Community Service Award. He also was nominated for the NHL Foundation Player Award, given to the player “who applies the core values of hockey – commitment, perseverance and teamwork – to enrich the lives of people in his community.”
* Long career: Pittsburgh native Dave Reynolds has been a Penguins’ off-ice official since the club arrived in Pittsburgh for the 1967-68 season. As expected, his favorite memory is the club’s consecutive Stanley Cup championships from 1990-92. He is mulling retirement following this season. But he could continue working for the organization at least until the new arena opens for the 2010-11 season.
* Really real time: The media began enjoying an inside look to the NHL’s video replay booth on Friday night. Through the league’s Stanley Cup playoffs media site, www.stanleycupplayoffs.com, media members can view the results of video reviews and an explanation of rulings from NHL Hockey Operations officials within moments of each ruling.
* Around the rink: Pittsburgh scratched Sydor, goaltender Dany Sabourin, center Kris Beech, right wing Adam Hall and left wing Jeff Taffe. … Injured forwards Daniel Alfredsson, Mike Fisher and Chris Kelly remained out of the Senators’ lineup. Ottawa also scratched defenseman Luke Richardson and right wing Brian McGrattan.

– Victor Fernandes

Robbie Ftorek’s first Erie Otters contract lasted less than a season. His next deal could be longer.
Sherry Bassin, Otters managing partner/general manager, said Wednesday that he is working on a multi-year contract with Ftorek. “We talk everyday about next year,” Bassin said. But he said, “I want (to sign Ftorek) for as long as possible. … We’re just finalizing it.”
Bassin declined to comment on the specific lengths being discussed and on Ftorek’s thoughts on the matter. Bassin has been negotiating with Ftorek’s representative. Ftorek, who was hired Oct. 28, 2007, to replace current assistant coach Peter Sidorkiewicz, posted a 15-34-2-2 record in 53 games as an coach.
Ftorek’s deal expired at the end of the season. Two weeks ago, Bassin said he thought a deal could be completed in 10 days. “The only reason it wouldn’t be done (in 10 days) is because I’m running around with (prospects) and (their) families,” Bassin said two weeks ago, referring to the 2008 OHL Priority Selection on May 3. “Otherwise it would be done tomorrow. That’s how important we believe it is.”
Meanwhile, Bassin said he has not begun speaking with Sidorkiewicz and fellow assistant coach Mike Stapleton about returning next season. “I haven’t even dealt with it,” Bassin said. “It’s almost a non-item until well after the draft.” Both have a year left on their three-year contracts.

– Victor Fernandes

Erie Otters defenseman Josh Kidd, 19, begins his first Calder Cup experience with the AHL's Manchester Monarchs on Wednesday night. Kidd finished the regular season with a goal, four points and a plus-9 rating in nine games. The Monarchs (39-31-5-5), the Eastern Conference's No. 8 seed, will face top-seeded Providence, which had the league's best record (55-18-3-4).
Forwards Zack Torquato (Grand Rapids) and Nick Palmieri (Lowell) didn't make the playoffs.
Grand Rapids (31-41-2-6) finished 13th out of 15 teams in the Western Conference. Lowell was last in the East (25-43-7-5). Torquato, 18, finished with one point, a goal, and eight penalty minutes in 11 games. Palmieri, 19, had a goal, a minus-10 rating and four penalty minutes in nine games.
Forward Justin Hodgman, 19, could play in his first professional playoff game on Friday, when No. 1 Fort Wayne begins the first round of the IHL's Turner Cup tournament against Muskegon. He finished the regular season with four goals (including two power-play goals), eight points and seven penalty minutes in 11 games.
Erie native Kyle Rogers, 23, a Cathedral Prep alumnus, enters the AHL playoffs with no points and a minus-1 rating in two games with the Toronto Marlies. Toronto (50-21-3-6) finished second in the West and faces Milwaukee (44-29-3-7) in Game 1 of their first-round series on Wednesday.

– Victor Fernandes

Sherry Bassin, Erie Otters’ managing partner/general manager, has two teammates on his final list of potential No. 2 picks in the 2008 OHL Priority Selection. Forwards Steven Shipley, 15, and Greg McKegg, 15, who led the Elgin Middlesex Chiefs minor midget AAA club to the OHL Cup semifinals, are among six or seven prospects Bassin has or will formally interview before the May 3 draft. Bassin has interviewed McKegg. He has interviews left with Shipley and another undisclosed prospect.
Bassin said he won’t consider a frontrunner until all interviews are complete. But a source within the league, speaking on condition of anonymity, said in an e-mail, “I think they are leaning towards Shipley.”
Bassin denied that claim. “He’s no further ahead of anybody,” said Bassin, who plans to finalize his choice in the next 10 days. Attempts to reach Shipley and McKegg on Wednesday were unsuccessful.
Chiefs coach Dan Rose said he spoke “a fair amount” with scouts from the Otters and other clubs this season. The Otters are among several clubs that have expressed interest in both players, Rose said.
International Scouting Services Inc. ranks Shipley and McKegg sixth and seventh, respectively, in its latest ranking. They have strong leadership qualities, Rose said. Yet they have different styles on the ice.
Shipley, a power forward at 6 foot, 1½ inches and 192 pounds, “can get up and down the ice really quick,” Rose said of the Ilderton, Ontario, native. “He’s got a bit of a tough edge to him … He’s fast for a big kid, has got good hands and goes to the net hard.”
Meanwhile, McKegg (6 foot, ½ inch and 197 pounds) capitalizes on a patient style, a NHL-caliber shot, skilled hands and physical strength that keep him “very well balanced on his skates,” Rose said. “It’s hard to move off the puck when he’s down.” McKegg trains in the offseason with Otters defenseman Brian Shaw, a fellow St. Thomas, Ontario, native.
“A team wouldn’t go wrong with either one of those kids,” Rose said.

– Victor Fernandes

Former Erie Otters center Shayne Taylor, 18, has signed with the University of Windsor, the Ontario school announced Thursday. Taylor, of Port Perry, Ontario, will enroll in the school next fall.
Taylor, the Otters’ 10th-round pick in the 2005 OHL Priority Selection, had 10 goals, 20 points and 73 penalty minutes in 82 career games before waived by the club in December. He had three points, all goals, and 24 penalty minutes in 23 games this season. He missed two weeks in November because of a concussion and heavy facial swelling suffered in an attack outside Millcreek Mall on Oct. 30. He left the club in early December, a move that led to his release.
He finished this season as an assistant captain with the Lindsay Muskies Jr. A club in the Ontario Hockey Association. He had seven goals, 10 points and 26 penalty minutes in 13 regular-season games. He had a goal, three points and six penalty minutes in four playoff games.
“I am excited about the opportunity to continue my hockey career at the University of Windsor next year,” Taylor said in a prepared statement. “Coach (Kevin) Hamlin is building a great hockey program and I’m looking forward to earning my degree and helping the Lancers win a championship.”

– Victor Fernandes

* Avery’s antics: Sean Avery, the New York Rangers winger known for his agitating style, became the center of the first-round series against New Jersey for his stick-swinging display in front of goaltender Martin Brodeur. But Avery could have a difficult time distracting the Penguins.
“We won’t pay any extra attention to him or anybody else on their team,” said left wing Jarkko Ruutu, the Penguins’ chief agitator. “Let him do it. The referees (will consider his actions to be) illegal. We want the power plays. We don’t really care about anything else.”
Don’t expect players like Ruutu “to go after him,” defenseman Brooks Orpik said. “The more you can skate away from him, the less a distraction he is. When you start getting involved with him, it plays right into his hands. That’s exactly what he wants. … Just let him go out there and do his thing.”
Orpik said he respects Avery as a player. “He’s physical. He’s got good speed, a good shot,” Orpik said. “When he just plays the game the right way, he’s tough to play against. But guys lose respect for him because of a lot of the antics, the stuff away from the game.”
* A productive layoff: The Penguins finally learned they would face the Rangers Tuesday night, six days after completing a first-round series sweep of Ottawa. “It’s nice to know we can prepare for the Rangers,” head coach Michel Therrien said Wednesday. Yet, the week-long break has been productive, he said.
Therrien steadily increased the length and intensity of the team’s workouts – from two days off last week to a hard 80-minute workout Wednesday. In between, the Penguins had a scrimmage on the first after their break followed by a gym day. Now the Penguins are ready to play.
“It’s been dragging on for a bit now,” captain Sidney Crosby said of the layoff. “So I think everyone just wanted to find out who we’re playing. Now we can get ready. … (The Rangers) probably prepared the same way we’ve had to prepare. You should see two teams that have a lot of energy from the start.”
* Impressive defense: Therrien praised the Rangers’ young yet strong defense, which ranked first in the Eastern Conference and fourth in the NHL with 190 goals against (2.32 per game) this season. Then the Rangers allowed 12 goals in the five-game, first-round series win against the Devils (2.40 per game).
“They’re mobile. They move the puck really well. They’ve got (goaltender Henrik) Lundqvist,” Therrien said. “They play well defensively.” Then he took the accolades a step further.
“At the beginning of the year, people were expecting big things from them,” he said of the Rangers. “It’s always a challenge to play a team like that.”
* Sykora’s special series: Every game against the Rangers “feels like a playoff game,” Penguins winger Petr Sykora said Wednesday. But now he will face his former team in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Sykora had 16 goals and 31 points in 40 games with the Rangers in the 2005-06 season. “When you play against a team that you played (for) a couple of years ago,” he said, “it always feels special.”

– Victor Fernandes

* Taking their shots: Pittsburgh fired only 186 shots at Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist in eight regular-season meetings – an average of 23.4 per game. The Penguins never topped the 30-shot mark.
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby pointed to the Rangers’ knack for blocking shots. “It’s not that the chances aren’t there,” he said Wednesday. “When you get a team that blocks a lot of shots, that’s the difference between five and 10 shots a game.”
Yet, Crosby said, the Penguins need to generate more against the Rangers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. “We did a good job of that in the first round (against Ottawa),” he said. “It’s something we want to continue. … It’s a matter of getting the puck through and having the mentality to shoot.”
* Big believer: Penguins head coach Michel Therrien understands the Rangers are known for their strong defense. “We too play well defensively,” he said. The Penguins ranked 10th in the NHL with 212 goals against (2.58 per game) in the regular season. They are atop the standings in the playoffs with five goals allowed (1.25 per game). “It’s been a process about playing defensively,” Therrien said. “We’ve been taking a lot of pride about playing well defensively.”
* Change of heart: Penguins defenseman Ryan Whitney, a Boston Red Sox fan, hated the New York Yankees growing up. But the Boston, Mass., native never developed a hatred towards the Rangers.
“They weren’t really the Bruins’ rival,” Whitney said Wednesday. “But now that we play, it’s a team that’s a rival of ours. We’ve had some really good games this past two years. (It) will make a great series.”
* Penguins sign Caputi: Pittsburgh signed left wing Luca Caputi to a three-year, entry-level contract, Ray Shero, the club’s executive vice president and general manager, announced Wednesday. He has been assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Penguins’ AHL affiliate.
Caputi, 19, a fourth-round pick (No. 111 overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, spent the past four seasons with the OHL’s Mississauga/Niagara IceDogs. He set career highs and ranked among the league’s top 10 with 51 goals, 60 assists and 111 points in 66 games this season.
* OHLers top NHL list: Sarnia center Steven Stamkos and Guelph goaltender Thomas McCollum headline NHL Central Scouting’s OHL-laden final rankings for the 2008 Entry Draft.
Stamkos tops the list of North American skaters, followed by defenseman Zach Bogosian (Peterborough) and Drew Doughty (Guelph) in the Nos. 2 and 3 spots. Niagara defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (sixth), Brampton center Cody Hodgson (ninth), Kitchener winger Mikkel Boedker (11th), Windsor center Joshua Bailey (14th) and Oshawa defenseman Michael Del Zotto (15th) complete the top 15.
McCollum heads the North American goaltender list, followed by Barrie’s Michael Hutchinson (fifth), Mississauga St. Michael’s Chris Carrozzi (10th), Erie’s Jaroslav Janus (11th) and Brampton’s Patrick Killeen. Russian-born winger Nikita Filatov and Sweden’s Jacob Markstrom are atop the European skater and goaltender lists.

– Victor Fernandes

The Erie Otters’ Jaroslav Janus, 18, stands 11th among North American goaltenders on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings for the 2008 Entry Draft. He also stands fourth among OHL goaltenders.
Janus, a native of Presov, Slovakia, had a 13-29-2-1 record, 4.40 goals-against average and .892 save percentage in 48 games as a rookie last season. He was the No. 2 pick in the 2007 CHL Import Draft.
Guelph’s Thomas McCollum tops the list of North American goaltenders. Sarnia center Steven Stamkos leads the list of North American skaters. The NHL draft is set for June 20-21 in Ottawa, Ontario.

* Roberts out again: Gary Roberts, Pittsburgh’s veteran winger, missed Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series with a nagging groin injury. The ailment forced him to miss the final two games of the Penguins’ quarterfinal win against Ottawa. Roberts, 42, played in only 38 games in the regular season because of a fractured left fibula suffered Dec. 29 against Buffalo.
* Jagr watch: Fans greeted former Penguins star Jaromir Jagr, now Rangers captain, with boos each time he touched the puck. But he still managed a strong game in his first Stanley Cup playoff game at Mellon Arena as an opposing player. He had assists on Martin Straka’s first-period goal and Scott Gomez’ tying goal in the third in 18 minutes, 46 seconds of ice time.
* Controversial goal: Penguins head coach Michel Therrien argued vehemently about Rangers center Chris Drury’s second-period goal. Drury appeared to deflect Marc Staal’s shot from the point with a high stick. But after video review, the goal was upheld. After the game, Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury said he was surprised the goal was allowed.
* Multiple connections: Jagr, who had 439 goals and 1,079 points for the Penguins from 1990-2001, headlines a list of six players in this series that have played for both teams. Straka had two stints with the Penguins from 1992-95 and 1997-2004. Rangers defenseman Michal Rozsival played in Pittsburgh from 1999-2003. All three are former Penguins’ draft picks. Pittsburgh’s Petr Sykora (2005-06), Pascal Dupuis (2006-07) and Adam Hall (2006-07) played for the Rangers earlier in their careers.
Along with Jagr’s two assists, Straka had a goal and Rozsival had three assists for the Rangers. Sykora and Dupuis each scored for the Penguins.
* Staal vs. Staal: The Staal brothers, Jordan (Pittsburgh) and Marc (New York) met in the NHL playoffs for the first time Friday night. After the game, Jordan recalled battling against Marc a few times.
“But I didn’t notice it once play started,” he said. Jordan had an assist and a plus-1 rating in 16:05 of ice time. Marc had two assists and a plus-2 rating in 22:33 of ice time.
* Avery watch: Sean Avery, the Rangers’ well-known agitator, allowed his skills to shine through on Friday. He capped New York’s run to a 3-0 lead with a second-period goal and didn’t have any penalties.
* Scratch list: Pittsburgh scratched Roberts, forwards Kris Beech and Jeff Taffe, defenseman Darryl Sydor and goaltender Dany Sabourin. … The Rangers scratched defensemen Marek Malik and Jason Strudwick, right wings Petr Prucha and Greg Moore and left wing Ryan Hollweg. Several prospects, including former first-round pick Bobby Sanguinetti (Brampton – OHL) also were listed as scratches.
* By the numbers: Fleury allowed four goals on 24 shots, while Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist stopped 21-of-26 shots. … The teams combined for two goals on eight power-play chances. … Ryan Malone had two assists for the Penguins. … Evgeni Malkin had two points for the Penguins.
* Around the rink: Former Rangers goaltender Mike Richter will serve as a special guest analyst during the first intermission of NBC’s coverage of Game 2 Sunday. Richter was the No. 1 goaltender on the Rangers’ 1994 Stanley Cup championship team. … Every fan wore white T-shirts to create a “whiteout condition” during the game. … A few hundred fans began the game watching on a large screen on the lawn outside Gate 3. By the end of the game, the crowd grew to several hundred. … Rangers backup goaltender Stephen Valiquette is a former Erie Otter.

– Victor Fernandes

* Rough conditions: A few Penguins criticized the Mellon Arena ice conditions following their Game 1 win Friday night. Coupled with the warm temperature at ice level, “the ice is not really in good shape,” right wing Marian Hossa said. “Sometimes we were fighting the puck carrying it down.”
When asked about how conditions affected goaltending, Marc-Andre Fleury focused on his defense.
“You could tell our defense was playing the puck and it was bouncing,” he said. “It was tough on them. But they did a good job of keeping it simple and getting it off the glass.”
* A light moment: Hossa and linemate Ryan Malone celebrated Friday’s win in a unique way. While Hossa answered questions from the media, Malone grabbed a microphone and began asking him questions, specifically about Hossa’s tying goal early in the third period. “That was an unbelievable pass by number 12,” Hossa said, referring to Malone. “I’m just thankful he’s with me.”
* Bouncing back: Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist allowed five goals on 26 shots in Game 1, the most goals he has surrendered since a five-goal game against Montreal on Feb. 19. He had surrendered three or fewer in 23 of his previous 24 games. But head coach Tom Renney is unconcerned.
“Certainly he’ll be as disappointed as anyone naturally,” Renney said. “The beauty of Henrik is that he’s a real battler. He’ll leave this one (loss) where it belongs and get ready for Sunday.”

– Victor Fernandes

* Straka’s bad luck: In Friday’s Game 1, Rangers center Martin Straka took a controversial interference penalty against Penguins captain Sidney Crosby late in the third period. That led to Evgeni Malkin’s winning power-play goal with 1:41 left. Then on Sunday, referee Dan O’Halloran appeared to whistle a scoring chance dead a second before Straka scored the potential tying goal with 4:14 left.
But after Sunday’s game, Rangers head coach Tom Renney was more concerned about his team creating good fortune. “You make your own breaks, you know,” Renney said. “Our concentration has to be really on what we’re doing as a team to make sure they get the chance to make breaks for themselves. We just have to keep working and not dwell on the little things that (aren’t) going our way personally and certainly our way as a team. We have to make things happen.”
* Feisty Fleury: Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury displayed his physical side in the final seconds on Sunday. He smacked Rangers winger Sean Avery a few times after Avery “got a couple of whacks on my legs,” Fleury said. “Then my defense came in and took care of him pretty good.”
The normally mild-mannered Fleury doesn’t mind the extra pushes and shoves that occur at playoff time.
“It’s part of the game. It’s part of the playoffs,” he said.
* Speaking of Fleury: He rebounded impressively after allowing four goals on 24 shots in Game 1. He stopped 26 shots in recording his second career playoff shutout. He beat Ottawa 4-0 on April 9 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. “As a goalie, it never feels so good to give up four goals,” he said. “I was happy to come back and have a pretty good game.”
* Crosby stays mum: Rangers captain Jaromir Jagr appeared to taunt Crosby in the first period. But when asked about it, Crosby said, “Just ask him. I wasn’t the one talking.”
* Lundqvist falls short: Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist suffered his second straight loss despite stopping 30-of-31 shots. “He’s been terrific, as you can appreciate,” Renney said. “He gives us a chance to win every night. There’s no question about that. And he’s doing that right now.”
* Staal’s strong line: Jordan Staal scored the winning goal on the power play in the second. But the Staal-led No. 3 line was more valuable for its play against New York’s top line, led by captain Jaromir Jagr. “They’ve been playing well for a long time now,” Crosby said of Staal’s line. “That line generates a lot of momentum for us. At both ends of the ice they create a lot.”
* Roster moves: Pittsburgh scratched veteran center Gary Roberts (groin) for the fourth straight game. He hasn’t played since Game 2 of the quarterfinal series against Ottawa. … The club’s healthy scratches were defenseman Darryl Sydor, goaltender Dany Sabourin and forwards Kris Beech and Jeff Taffe. … Right wing Petr Prucha made his first appearance of the series for the Rangers. He replaced right wing Colton Orr in the lineup. … New York also scratched goaltender David Leveneu, defensemen Marek Malik, Jason Strudwick, Andrew Hutchinson, Corey Potter and Bobby Sanguinetti and forwards Orr, Ryan Hollweg, Greg Moore, Pierre Parenteau, Lauri Korpikoski, Brodie Dupont, Artem Anisimov and Dane Byers.

– Victor Fernandes

* From bad to worse: Two weeks ago, left wing Kelly Geoffrey underwent major left shoulder surgery for the second time in a year. Then late last week, Geoffrey, 18, of Newmarket, Ontario, was admitted to a hospital because of blood clots in his lung, Sherry Bassin, managing partner/general manager, said.
There was concern over the clots “because that’s pretty dangerous,” Bassin said. “But they’ve got control of it now.” Geoffrey was expected to be discharged from the hospital on Tuesday, Bassin said. But Bassin said Geoffrey, who had a bone chip in his shoulder, would be unable to play until the end of September.
* McFarland update: Sudbury hasn’t officially pegged forward John McFarland as the No. 1 pick in the 2008 OHL Priority Selection, Mark Guy, McFarland’s agent, said Tuesday. But Guy, of Newport Sports Management Inc. in Mississauga, Ontario, expected to begin negotiating Wolves officials on an education package. “I’d be shocked at this stage if they went in a different direction,” Guy said.
McFarland, 16, had 90 goals, 162 points and 167 penalty minutes in 69 games with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens minor midget AAA club this past season.
* Azevedo MVP: Kitchener center Justin Azevedo, 20, has captured the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s most outstanding player, the league announced Tuesday. Azevedo, who led the league this season with 124 points (43 goals, 81 assists) in 67 games, received 137 voting points. Sarnia center Steven Stamkos and Oshawa winger Brett MacLean, a former Otter, had 82 and 51 points, respectively.
* Let’s party: The Otters will introduce the No. 2 pick in the OHL Priority Selection during a draft party at East Erie Turners (829 Parade Street) on Saturday from 7-9 p.m. Season-ticket holders and corporate partners are invited to attend. But a limited number of general public tickets are available. Anyone interested should send a RSVP notice at (814) 455-7779 by 5 p.m. Thursday to reserve a seat.
The club will conduct a town hall format, in which fans can ask questions of club officials. Most veterans, except Justin Hodgman and Nick Palmieri, are expected to attend the event and sign autographs.
* Hodgman update: Hodgman, 19, is tied for second on Fort Wayne’s IHL playoff scoring list with six points (two goals, four assists) in six games. The Komets, the No. 1 seed in the Turner Cup playoffs, begin the league’s best-of-seven championship series against second-seeded Port Huron on Friday. He will face two former Otters, defenseman Derek Merlini and forward Jeff Zehr. Merlini has one point, an assist, in five playoff games. Zehr has a goal and an assist in four games.

– Victor Fernandes

The Erie Otters and coach Robbie Ftorek have reached an agreement in principle on a new three-year contract, Sherry Bassin, managing partner/general manager, said Wednesday. The deal includes a yearly out clause that allows Ftorek to accept a contract from a professional club before an August deadline.
“I owe it to him like I would for anybody else,” Bassin said of the clause.
Bassin said it was important to finish the deal before the OHL Priority Selection on Saturday. He wanted to have a coach in place for the club’s draft picks. “He’s a premier coach in the world,” Bassin said.
Ftorek was hired Oct. 28, 2007, to replace current assistant coach Peter Sidorkiewicz. Ftorek posted a 15-34-2-2 record in 53 games this season, his first in the OHL. His deal expired after the Otters completed the season with an 18-46-2-2 record. The club missed the playoffs for a third straight season.
Ftorek, 56, a Needham, Mass., native, has two decades of NHL and AHL head coaching experience, including the 1995-96 AHL championship with Albany. He has a 229-157-44-13 record in 443 NHL games. He has not coached professionally since ending a three-year stint with Albany.
Bassin has said he wouldn’t begin discussing next season with Sidorkiewicz and fellow assistant coach Mike Stapleton after the draft. Both have one year left on their current three-year contracts.

– Victor Fernandes

Windsor forward Taylor Hall, the No. 2 pick in 2007 OHL Priority Selection, has earned the Emms Family Award as the league's rookie of the year. Hall, who led all rookies with 45 goals and finished second with 84 points in 63 games, received 89 voting points. Kitchener's Mikkel Boedker finished second with 31 points, followed by Mississauga St. Michael's Casey Cizikas (28).

Erik Gudbranson
Age: 16
Position: Right defense
Height: 6 feet, 3 inches
Weight: 180 pounds
Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario
2007-08 club: Ottawa Jr. 67’s (minor midget AAA)
ISS rank: No. 2
ISS evaluation: Top defenseman in the draft … Great size, skill … Excellent stride … team leader … handles the puck well under pressure … understands the game very well … good vision, outstanding outlet passes … Needs to show more patience with the puck and better decisions in the defensive zone
ISS projection: Top pairing, key contributor on power play and penalty kill

Stephen Johns
Age: 16
Position: Right defense
Height: 6 feet, 3 inches
Weight: 201 pounds
Hometown: N/A
2007-08 club: Pittsburgh Hornets (major midget)
ISS rank: No. 4
ISS evaluation: Tremendous size, reach … Offensive-minded, joins the rush well … Has good hands, very good skating ability for his size … Confident enough with the puck to lead the rush … needs to make better decisions and improve his foot speed
ISS projection: Top pairing, will play against top lines and on the penalty kill

Greg McKegg
Age: 15
Position: Center
Height: 6 feet, 1 inch
Weight: 197 pounds
Hometown: St. Thomas, Ontario
2007-08 club: Elgin Middlesex Chiefs (minor midget AAA)
ISS rank: No. 8
ISS evaluation: Strong, smooth skater … very good offensive instincts, vision and puck distribution … excellent hockey sense … Strong on faceoffs … Can play the point on the power play … holds onto the puck a bit too long
ISS projection: Top two-line forward

Brandon Saad
Age: 15
Position: Forward
Height: 6 feet, 1 inch
Weight: 198 pounds
Hometown: N/A
2007-08 club: Pittsburgh Hornets (major midget)
ISS rank: No. 11
ISS evaluation: Aggressive, plays with grit and in traffic … Has good size, good balance … very strong on his skates … good positional player and touch around the net … needs to improve skating
ISS projection: Solid second or third-line player

Steven Shipley
Age: 16
Position: Center/left wing
Height: 6 feet, 2 inches
Weight: 197 pounds
Hometown: Ilderton, Ontario
2007-08 club: Elgin Middlesex Chiefs (minor midget AAA)
ISS rank: No. 9
ISS evaluation: Blend and skating … great balance, very strong on his skates … excellent with puck in traffic … Creates offense with great speed and skilled hands … needs to play more physical
ISS projection: Top two-line forward

Austin Watson
Age: 16
Position: Right wing
Height: 6 feet, 2 inches
Weight: 165 pounds
Hometown: N/A
2007-08 club: Detroit Compuware (minor midget AAA)
ISS rank: No. 3
ISS evaluation: Very smart, great hockey sense and vision … team leader who can score and defend top lines … understands the game very well, high hockey IQ … dangerous in the offensive zone … needs to play more physical.
ISS projection: Top two-line forward

Sources: International Scouting Services Inc. (www.isshockey.com), Hockey Prospects (www.hockeyprospect.com)