Sports
Niederreiter arrives as Jets struggle to stay in the playoff picture
By Judy Owen in Winnipeg
Nino Niederreiter was heading back to a hotel after a practice with the Nashville Predators on Saturday when he got called to the front of the team bus.
The veteran forward was given the news he’d been traded to the Winnipeg Jets.
“Telling all the boys on the bus that you get traded was definitely an emotional part, but I’m definitely very excited to be here now,” Niederreiter said Monday after his first practice with the Jets.
Winnipeg traded a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL draft to obtain the six-foot-two, 218-pound winger, who still has a year left on his contract that pays him US$4 million per season.
His acquisition comes at a time when the Jets are struggling and trying to stay in the playoff picture.
Winnipeg (35-24-1) has lost three consecutive games and tumbled from second place in the Central Division to a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
They’ve gone 1-5-0 in their past six games, including a 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday and a 4-0 defeat to the New York Islanders Sunday that drew Bronx cheers from fans at Canada Life Centre.
Niederreiter and his new teammates were put through an intense practice Monday, with head coach Rick Bowness barking instructions such as “move the puck, move quicker.”
The newcomer was slotted on a line with centre Pierre-Luc Dubois and Nikolaj Ehlers, but Dubois left practice early.
Bowness said afterward Dubois has a nagging lower-body injury and will be a game-time decision when Winnipeg hosts the Los Angeles Kings Tuesday. Forward Mason Appleton is “very doubtful” to play.
Niederreiter, 30, has a skill set that includes elements the Jets have been lacking lately and he wants to help them.
“I feel like my tenaciousness on the forecheck and in front of the net, getting those, hopefully, greasy goals and getting in the guy’s face in front of the net and all those crumbs,” he said. “I think that’s my bread and butter and that’s where I try to be there most.”
The Switzerland product had 18 goals and 10 assists in 56 games with the Predators this season. He’s also taken 130 shots. Bowness has stressed the Jets need to shoot more.
It’s the third time Niederreiter has been traded since entering the league in 2010 with the Islanders. New York sent him to Minnesota in June 2013, and the Wild traded him to the Carolina Hurricanes in January 2019. He signed as a free agent with Nashville last summer.
That’s meant a lot of games against the Jets in the Central Division.
Connor Hellebuyck is aware of what Niederreiter can bring and welcomes his addition.
“I know he’s got a good shot,” Hellebuyck said. “He’s a big player and he plays hard so those are all key attributes to have.
“It’s huge to have a guy like him. He’s going to work hard, he’s going to push the pace and he’s going to help us. Any time your group can have a chance to improve, I think you cherish it.”
Ehlers echoed the praise of Niederreiter’s battling style, plus the message his trade sends to the team.
“I think everyone in here has the feeling we can do something special this year,” Ehlers said. “And going to get a guy like him only solidifies that.”
Winnipeg general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff may not have finished boosting the roster before Friday’s trade deadline. Prior to the Niederreiter trade, it was believed the club would look to upgrade its top-six forward group and bolster the defence.
Bowness is focused on the here and now and getting the current group back on track. That started with Monday’s up-tempo practice.
“We got to hold them more accountable like we did (Monday) morning,” Bowness said. “Just as important is that they have to hold each other accountable.”
He wants to see the players rise to the challenges the coaching staff is giving them.
“Trust me, we’re going to keep pushing. We’re not backing off from our end,” Bowness said. “They better get used to it. There’s no chance we’re backing off. Certainly not at this time of the year.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 27, 2023.
Dallas Stars celebrate after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Western Conference finals Saturday, May 27, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
By Mark Anderson in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (AP) — With Dallas’ season on the line, the Stars got two critical goals from a player who was a healthy scratch the first two games of the Western Conference final.
Ty Dellandrea’s goals came within a 1:27 span midway through the third period, and the Stars beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Saturday to keep alive their hopes of advancing to the Stanley Cup final to face the Florida Panthers.
“He’s one of the best guys I’ve ever played with,” said Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, who made 27 saves. “He deserves every opportunity he gets, and there’s no one happier for him than the guys in this room.
“It shows how special you are when you get taken out. He didn’t make it about him. He needed the opportunity to step up, and that’s what he did.”
The Stars escaped elimination for the second straight game and head to Dallas for Game 6 on Monday night down 3-2. Dallas is attempting to become the fifth team in NHL history to win a series after being down 3-0.
And look who’s back for the Stars? Captain Jamie Benn returns after a two-game suspension for his cross-check to the neck of Vegas captain Mark Stone in Game 3. That was the only game in this series that was decided early, and until Saturday the Stars hadn’t even had a multigoal lead.
“I know our group, and we weren’t happy about being in the hole we were in, and they decided to do something about it,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “And now we’re rolling.”
The only problem for DeBoer was waiting two days to play Game 6.
“Drop the puck,” he said.
DeBoer said before the game if his team won, the pressure would shift to the Knights. Now it’s up to them to respond after twice being a period away from playing in the Stanley Cup final and letting both opportunities slip away.
“I don’t think we brought our best the last two games,” Stone said. “We were still in a good spot to win the game. We’ve got to bring a little bit better effort and start playing a little more desperate.”
Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said “it’s a very good question” why his team didn’t play with more desperation, but he also wasn’t thrilled with the Knights’ execution.
“We had 24 giveaways,” Cassidy said. “I’m not sure you’re beating the Arizona Coyotes in January with 24 giveaways. That’s no disrespect to Arizona, but it’s not the right way to play.”
Dellandrea found the right way to play and put together the first multigoal playoff game of his career. Jason Robertson and Luke Glendening also scored, and Thomas Harley had two assists.
Chandler Stephenson and Ivan Barbashev scored for the Knights, and Jonathan Marchessault had two assists to extend his points streak to four games. Adin Hill made 30 saves.
Dellandrea scored from the right circle to put Dallas ahead, the puck deflecting off Vegas defenceman Alex Pietrangelo with 9:25 left for a 3-2 lead. Then, Dellandrea scored from the slot with 7:58 remaining.
Dellandrea said the older players kept him motivated when he was temporarily sidelined.
“There’s no denying it’s hard,” he said. “I’m thankful for a good group of character guys, and you’ve just got to stay ready.”
The teams traded goals in the first two periods.
Jack Eichel battled two Stars players for the puck in Vegas’ offensive zone, and then Barbashev swooped in and made a fantastic move to glide past Oettinger and score with 6:24 left in the first period. The Stars wasted little time in answering when Glendening scored on a deflection less than two minutes later.
Dallas was robbed of what looked like a sure goal when Hill snagged a point-blank shot from Roope Hintz, who then threw his back in disbelief.
Like in the first period, the Knights had a goal in the second quickly answered by one from the Stars. Stephenson scored from the left circle at 16:40 of the period, and Robertson knocked his own rebounds 2:09 later to make it 2-2. Stephenson tied the Knights’ record with his eight playoff goal this year, and Robertson had his fifth of the series.
—
TAMPERE, Finland (AP) — Teenage forward Adam Fantilli scored the go-ahead goal as Canada edged Latvia 4-2 and advanced to the final of the ice hockey world championship.
The United States plays Germany in the other semifinal later Saturday.
The 18-year-old Fantilli, who is expected to be one of the top picks in the NHL draft, fooled a defenseman before netting his first goal of the tournament with 11:04 to go as Canada took a 3-2 lead.
Samuel Blais, Jack Quinn and Scott Laughton also scored for Canada whose goaltender Samuel Montembeault made 20 saves.
Canada had to twice come back from a goal down to reach its fourth straight final.
Dans Locmelis scored 8:18 into the game to put tournament co-host Latvia 1-0 ahead on a rebound.
Blais one-timed a shot to the roof of Latvia’s goal with 4:28 to go in the middle period for his fourth goal at the tournament to tie the score at 1-1.
Rudolfs Balcers restored the lead for Latvia from the left circle only 1:06 later in the frame.
Quinn leveled 45 seconds into the final period when his shot was deflected into the net from the mask of goaltender Arturs Silovs.
___
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