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Knight ready to prove himself, play larger role for US at 2020 WJC – NHL.com

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Spencer Knight, chosen by the Florida Panthers with the No. 13 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, has waited an entire year for another opportunity to represent the United States at the IIHF World Junior Championship.

This time, he’s expected to play a larger role for his country after not playing one minute in seven games as the third goalie in the rotation during a second-place finish at the 2019 World Junior Championship in Vancouver.

The 2020 WJC begins Thursday and runs through Jan. 5 at Ostravar Arena and Werk Arena in Czech Republic. The Group B bracket includes Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Russia and the United States.

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“I learned a lot in Vancouver,” Knight said. “It was a huge stage with how much the tournament means to people. Just being in the locker room and knowing how much it takes to really get that far, getting all the way to the championship game, was great. Making sure you have all the little details in order are so important. Every practice, every game, just paying attention to the small things and then it begins to build.”

Knight has done his part to ensure the little things haven’t kept him down this season as a freshman for Boston College in Hockey East.

“He’s a student, very Type A, and knows his game better than anybody,” Boston College goaltending coach Mike Ayers said. “But what I find amazing about him is his ability to maintain his feet as long as he does. That’s pretty special because that’s hard to teach. His efficiency around the crease is good. He’s waiting for the shooter to shoot or make a decision, and his patience, drive and work ethic are top notch.”

Knight said the experience he gained at the 2019 WJC was great and has motivated him in his first college season. He’s 11-4-0 with a 1.73 goals-against average, .940 save percentage and four shutouts in 15 games.

Though Knight is expected to take on more of a leadership role as one of five returning players from the 2019 WJC, he’ll receive plenty of competition in goal from Isaiah Saville (Vegas Golden Knights) of the University of Nebraska Omaha in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and Dustin Wolf (Calgary Flames) of Everett in the Western Hockey League. 

U.S. general manager John Vanbiesbrouck confirmed all three goalies will be part of the final 23-player roster in Czech Republic.

“I think you have to be respectful of each other but if we all compete to the best of our ability and make each other better, at the end of the day, whoever plays, that’s how the team improves,” Knight said. “We’re going to have the best goalie in net and whether that’s me, [Wolf], or Isaiah, we’re going to support each other. If everyone is pushing for that net, that’s a good thing and makes us all better.”

Knight (6-foot-3, 192 pounds) has started every game for Boston College while proving an ability to overcome adversity. After allowing six goals on 26 shots in a 6-2 loss to Providence on Oct. 25, Knight allowed 10 goals in his next 10 games (9-1-0). 

“That game against Providence was probably the worst game he’s played,” Ayers said. “When I asked him what he wanted to do with the film, since we normally go through it, he said, ‘You know what, let’s just put that one away.’

“I actually thought it was a great way for him to just turn the page and from that point I think we found some things within his game that needed to get better, worked on that and he started to get more confident with those changes.”

Knight begins each game with good energy, which he said was key to his turnaround.

“I think you need to make sure you have energy entering the game right away and from the puck drop,” he said. “You want to be into it and be more on top of it, just really focus and dial it in. That’s kind of what I’ve changed from the beginning of the year.”

Vanbiesbrouck has been impressed with Knight’s ability and the experience he brings to the 2020 WJC.

“He had a time there where he struggled but overcame his own adversity, got back on the horse again for Boston College,” Vanbiesbrouck said. “People expect a lot out of him and he’s a first-round pick of the Florida Panthers, so with that comes a different set of expectations.

“But I don’t think that’ll affect Spencer because one of his best assets is between his ears. He’s a very sound thinker, has a good approach to the game. I can see that in him and believe he’s ready for this.”

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Canucks place goalie Thatcher Demko on long-term injured list – CBC.ca

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The Vancouver Canucks have placed all-star goalie Thatcher Demko on the long-term injured reserve list retroactively.

“It’s just cap related,” coach Rick Tocchet said after practice Wednesday. “We get some cap relief, that’s all it is.” 

The 28-year-old netminder has been considered week to week since being sidelined with a lower-body injury midway through Vancouver’s 5-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets on March 9.

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That injury designation hasn’t changed, Tocchet said.

Demko boasts a 34-18-2 record this season, with a .917 save percentage, a 2.47 goals-against average and five shutouts.

Casey DeSmith has taken over the starting job for Vancouver, going 3-2-1 since Demko’s injury. He has a .899 save percentage on the season with a 2.73 goals-against average and one shutout. 

The earliest Demko could be back in the Canucks’ lineup is April 6 against the Kings in Los Angeles.

He’s expected to be a key piece as Vancouver (45-19-8) prepares for its first playoff appearance since the COVID-shortened 2019-20 campaign. 

Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin also announced Wednesday that the club has called up forward Arshdeep Bains from the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League. 

“I’d like to see where [Bains is] at,” Tocchet said, noting he isn’t sure whether the 23-year-old winger will slot into the lineup when the Canucks host the Dallas Stars on Thursday. 

WATCH | Bains makes NHL debut

Surrey, B.C.’s Arshdeep Bains makes Canucks debut

1 month ago

Duration 2:20

Arshdeep Bains from Surrey, B.C., has made his NHL debut with the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday night against the Colorado Avalanche. As CBC’s Joel Ballard reports, it’s been a hard-fought journey for the hometown kid to the big leagues.

Bains played five games for the NHL team in February before being sent back to Abbotsford. 

“He went down, he’s done a couple of things that we like, and he’s got some speed,” Tocchet said. 

Vancouver may get another forward back in the lineup Thursday. 

Dakota Joshua practised in a full-contact jersey on Wednesday for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury in Vancouver’s 4-2 win over the Blackhawks in Chicago on Feb. 13. 

The physical winger, who’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, has a career-high 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists) this season.

Sitting out injured “hasn’t been fun,” Joshua said.

“It feels like forever,” he said. “But at this point, that’s behind me and I’m moving forward.”

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Senators score 5 in 1st, cruise past Sabres – NHL.com

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“I thought that we were ready to go,” Ottawa coach Jacques Martin said. “We got some pucks at the net, we got people at the net. Took advantage of our opportunities and, I think, built a nice lead. And then I thought, in the third period, we continued again. Our goaltending was good. Made some key saves. But I thought we shut them down in the third period good.”

Shane Pinto had a goal and three assists, and Brady Tkachuk, Boris Katchouk, Jakob Chychrun and Drake Batherson each had a goal and an assist for the Senators (31-36-4), who have won three in a row. Korpisalo made 34 saves.

“If you want to win, you need balance,” Pinto said. “And we had that tonight and it’s going to be big for the back-to-back tomorrow (against the Chicago Blackhawks) to have that same thing. So, going to need all the guys on board.”

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JJ Peterka and Connor Clifton scored for the Sabres (34-34-5), who have lost four of six. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed four goals on nine shots before he was replaced by Devon Levi, who made 31 saves in relief.

“We wanted, I guess, to play as individuals,” Clifton said. “I’m disappointed we let ‘Upie’ down, he’s the heart and soul of this team. He’s kept us in so many games, and just to not show up and play that careless style, give them freebies all over the place. … Yeah, obviously, the first 20 really dictated the rest of the game.”

Artem Zub gave Ottawa a 1-0 lead at 2:37 of the first period. He stuffed in a loose puck on the goal line after Katchouk’s shot was redirected by Mark Kastelic between Luukkonen’s pads.

Katchouk made it 2-0 at 4:56, tipping Parker Kelly’s shot from the top of the right face-off circle past Luukkonen.

“It’s keeping the consistency with good effort, right habits,” Katchouk said. “The small things matter so much in this game. And obviously, it worked out tonight with the tip. But kudos to my linemates. ‘Kels’ and ‘Kassy,’ they worked hard to get the puck as well. Those two battle hard every night as well. We feed off each other, and it’s good to play with them.”

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Vasilevskiy stops 23 as surging Lightning beat Bruins – Sportsnet.ca

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