Welcome to the PHT Morning Skate, a collection of links from around the hockey world. Have a link you want to submit? Email us at phtblog@nbcsports.com.
• Here’s the NBC Sports Stanley Cup playoff update for April 23
• “Bruins notify NHL about Maple Leafs’ ‘skate bump’ tactics” [Boston Globe]
• The Toronto Maple Leafs have been in this situation before, but they’re not looking at the past. [TSN via CP]
• Mitch Marner is one player who needs to bring his ‘A’ game tonight. [Leafs Nation]
• Don’t expect any changes for the Boston Bruins in Game 7. [WEEI]
• What the San Jose Sharks need to do to win… and lose Game 7 vs. the Vegas Golden Knights. [NBC Bay Area]
• Smiling Tomas Hertl on his winning shot in Game 6: “If you don’t try, you never know.” [Mercury News]
• “For those who abide by the gospel of concepts like series momentum, Vegas is damned. Luckily for Golden Knights’ fans, those factors tend to be overstated.” [Las Vegas Sun]
• Why the Golden Knights will come out of top in Game 7. [Sin Bin Vegas]
• There are plenty of questions to be answered for the Nashville Predators in the wake of their first-round exit. [Tennessean]
• Another obstacle cleared for the Dallas Stars. [Dallas Morning News]
• “Right call, bad rule: Ovechkin’s disallowed goal shows the ridiculous standard of goalie interference” [NBC Washington]
• Patrik Laine says he dealt with a back injury and groin injury for most of the 2018-19 season. [NHL.com]
• Over 5,000 Columbus Blue Jackets fans showed up Monday to watch the team play an intrasquad scrimmage as they await their Round 2 opponent. [Dispatch]
• Jaden Schwartz found his scoring touch at the right time for the St. Louis Blues. [NHL.com]
• Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau are few of the sentimental favorites to win the Stanley Cup/ [The Hockey News]
• How climate change is affecting hockey. [Sports Illustrated]
• Kris Versteeg has signed a one-year AHL contract with the Rockford Ice Hogs. [Ice Hogs]
• A look at what’s ahead for Connor McDavid as he recovers from an injured PCL. [ESPN]
• Finally, here’s episode 4 of “Puckland” as the ECHL’s Maine Mariners’ scrimmage against Worcester has some big consequence for cut day”
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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.