Truth & Rumors > NHL

07:21 AM ET 05.22 | By the time the Kings outshot the Sharks, 14-2, in the third period Tuesday night, it was too late -- and the series now stands tied, 20. San Jose was sparked by a revitalized Joe Thornton, who came out with focus and sheer will, playing roles on both of the Sharks' goals, assisting on the goal by linemate Brent Burns at 6:09 of the first period, making it 1-0. An opportunistic Burns took advantage of a turnover by Kings defenseman Slava Voynov in the corner. Longtime Thornton watchers thought it might have been his best playoff game in years. He won six of seven faceoffs in the first period and 12 of 18 overall. The Kings had little answer for him ... or for [Brent Burns], or Logan Couture, who made it 2-0 with his power-play goal at 3:55 of the second period.

Los Angeles Times

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03:12 PM ET 05.21 | The Chicago Blackhawks are in a surprising hole against the Detroit Red Wings and being down a game in the series has many wondering if netminder Corey Crawford is going to be replaced by Ray Emery anytime soon. The short answer is with a but, the long answer is yes with an if -- no, the Blackhawks don't plan on replacing Crawford between the pipes but that can change if he's lit up for a third straight game. Chicago will replace Crawford if he struggles again against the Red Wings but according to the Chicago Tribune, the Blackhawks will be sticking with Crawford in net and "aren't talking" about Ray Emery just yet. Crawford has been able to bounce back from slumps and the Blackhawks are banking big time that he can do that very thing in Game 4 and avoid Chicago falling into a devastating 3-1 hole.

Fansided

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03:12 PM ET 05.21 | The Colorado Avalanche may have a new head coach, but figuring out what to do with the No. 1 pick in this year's NHL Entry Draft is going to remain a top priority for the team. But while standout prospect Seth Jones is widely believed by many to be a lock for the top pick, Av's head scout Rick Pracey is telling people to pump the brakes when it comes to Colorado already having made up their minds about Jones and the No. 1 overall selection. Jones is the top prospect in this year's draft but he's clearly got some work to do before fully convincing the Avalanche he's the guy they need to draft in order to win Stanley Cups in the future. Then again, Pracey is likely just saying what he's saying about Jones due to protocol. Pracey is likely holding out to see if he can't get his front office some significant trade offers from teams looking to move up and take Jones.

Fansided

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07:25 AM ET 05.21 | He's back. Patrick Roy will be the next coach of the Avalanche, according to Roy's brother, Stephane. "They're discussing the final details of an arrangement. Colorado is going to be very happy. Patrick is looking for a new challenge," said Stephane Roy, the younger brother of his famous sibling. The Avalanche would not confirm a deal is in place. Patrick Roy could not be reached for comment, nor could Avalanche vice president of hockey operations Joe Sakic. Stephane Roy, who played briefly in the NHL, posted on his Facebook page Monday night, "For all my friends I'd like you to know before the official news spreads that my older brother will be the new coach of the Colorado Avalanch(sic)."

The Denver Post

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07:24 AM ET 05.21 | Even getting Detroit to the playoffs this season, the first in the post-Lidstrom era, was a bit of a high-wire act for Mike Babcock, but he's had a knack for pulling the most out of his teams. [After being threatened with a benching, Brendan Smith] improved markedly that night, and the Wings bounced back with a 3-2 victory, and that's more than just a funny story about Babs. That's a window into one of the best coaches in the NHL, if not the best, and one of the best coaching jobs of his career, if not the best. ... He won the Cup with the Wings and came within a game of winning another. He won the Olympic gold medal with Team Canada. But he has faced a different challenge with the Wings this season.

Yahoo! Sports

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