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Chris Kreider C,LW - NYR:
May 23, 7:11PM: Chris Kreider...
Chris Kreider is starting Game 4 of the second-round series on the Rangers' second line. The key word here is "starting" because coach John Tortorella is a notorious line-juggler. For now, though, he has a chance to play with Derick Brassard and Rick Nash on the line he played on before leaving Game 3 after getting hit in the forehead with a stick.
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Micheal Haley C - NYR:
May 23, 6:44PM: Haley and Newbury...
Micheal Haley and Kris Newbury took line rushes on the Rangers' fourth unit during Thursday's pregame warmup. They are projected to play alongside Derek Dorsett in Game 4 Thursday night.
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Arron Asham RW - NYR:
May 23, 6:42PM: No Asham, Clowe,...
Arron Asham and Ryane Clowe weren't on the ice for New York's pregame warmup. It wasn't clear if Asham and Clowe would be in the lineup Thursday for Game 4 following a question-filled morning skate, but now it looks like they won't suit up. Marc Staal and Anton Stralman shouldn't be expected to play either after they didn't come out for the warmup as well.
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Marc-Edouard Vlasic D - SJ:
May 23, 5:50PM: Vlasic, Braun...
Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun have done an excellent job shutting down Los Angeles' top line in the Sharks' second-round series. Anze Kopitar has managed to produce only one power-play assist in the first four games of the series. In the opening round of the postseason, the duo of Vlasic and Braun held Daniel and Henrik Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks to just one assist each at even strength. "They feel very comfortable playing with each other and they complement each other well," coach Todd McLellan said. "They're both very good skaters with tremendous stamina so when they get caught out there long, they're able to maintain their composure and get the job done." The Kings may shuffle their lines going into Game 5 to avoid the match-up.
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Jarret Stoll C - LA:
May 23, 5:24PM: Jarret Stoll...
Jarret Stoll has not resumed skating since suffering an upper-body injury in Game 1 against San Jose, but he has been doing some off-ice workouts. "He rode yesterday, rode the bike for a few minutes, and you've got to watch heart rate," coach Darryl Sutter said Thursday. "Then he'll do that again today. It is that protocol. So is that progress? It is if it's good today. He's out at the practice rink this morning. [Reporter: But he's not skating?] No. He's not skating." TSN's Darren Dreger has reported that Stoll suffered head and shoulder injuries after being hit by Raffi Torres.
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Patrick Roy Default - COL:
May 23, 5:05PM: Avalanche hire...
Patrick Roy has been named the new head coach and vice president of hockey operations of the Colorado Avalanche. The club tweeted on Thursday that the two sides have "reached an agreement in principle" and it's expected that the official news conference will be next week because of the holiday weekend. "This is an unbelievable day for me," said Roy, who has spent the last eight seasons serving as the coach and GM of the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL. "It's a new and exciting challenge that I am really looking forward to. I would like to thank Stan and Josh Kroenke for this opportunity as well as Joe Sakic for the trust they are putting in me. Almost 10 years to the day that I announced my retirement as a player I am back in Denver and hope the fans are as excited as I am."
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Daniel Alfredsson RW - OTT:
May 23, 4:27PM: Alfredsson still...
Daniel Alfredsson feels his comment about the Senators not being able to rally from a 3-1 series deficit against Pittsburgh was taken out of context. "Maybe I should have continued right away where I left off in my answer," he said. "I don't doubt for one second that we'll come out with a great effort (Friday night). It sounds like I had given up. If you ask anyone and they look at our series, I don't think there are too many people that would pick us right now. That's what I meant. We're still in the playoffs. It doesn't matter to me which way it's looked at. The guys in this room know enough about me. I believe in these guys ... I'm not going to change anything in how it's said. It's obvious to me that we're in tough." Anyone who said Alfredsson had given up went a little overboard, but he clearly understands that the Senators have their backs against the wall against a talented team.
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