-- Up top, Scott Gomez and Mike Milbury try to digest Carey Price’s rough night in Minnesota. With the seven goals allowed, Price’s save percentage on the season fell to .922, and his save percentage in January now sits at .877.
-- Did last night’s mascot violence in Minnesota go too far? For the Chicago Tribune’s Chris Kuc, the answer was a resounding yes. “My first thought when seeing the video — posted on the Wild’s official Twitter account that has more than 539,000 followers — was that I was glad I wasn’t in the stands with my 7-year-old son having to explain why his favorite mascot was just apparently beaten with a baseball bat.” (Chicago Tribune)
-- A profile of Blue Jackets goal-scorer Cam Atkinson, whose lack of size (5-8, 182) isn’t such a problem in today’s faster NHL. “Obviously they’ll never take fighting out of (the NHL), but there’s not as much fighting. You don’t need those big fourth-line guys that all they do is fight now. You want fourth-line skilled guys too. The new age of hockey is my style and hopefully it continues.” (Canadian Press)
-- There may be less fighting in the NHL, but that doesn’t mean it’s a walk in the park for superstars like Connor McDavid. That’s why the Oilers added the likes of Milan Lucic, Patrick Maroon, and Zack Kassian to their lineup. Said one scout to ESPN: “McDavid has gained confidence, knowing he’s protected -- no doubt. If someone takes a run at him, there will be an answer. You still need those guys who bump and grind and are a presence in your lineup. He knows he’s covered. He knows he can go and go about his business.” (ESPN)
-- Speaking of McDavid, it’s his 20th birthday today. To celebrate, Sportsnet put together a list of the 10 highest-scoring teenagers in the NHL since 1987. To nobody’s surprise, Sidney Crosby is No. 1. “After being picked first overall in 2005, Crosby burst onto the NHL scene with a 39-goal, 102-point season... Crosby got even better in his second season, winning the Art Ross and Hart Trophies with a 36-goal, 120-point season.” (Sportsnet)
-- Is the “bye week” actually making players more tired? Because it was intended to do the exact opposite, argues Ken Campbell of The Hockey News. “The combination of the World Cup and the mandated bye week has compressed the schedule like no year before. ... The irony is that the bye week is supposed to make the players feel more refreshed and rested, but the side effects of it have had the opposite affect. Talk about your unintended consequences.” (The Hockey News)
Enjoy the games!