Stanley Cup notes: Hartnell to play 1st post-season game for Preds since 2007

Veteran forward Scott Hartnell will make his 2018 Stanley Cup playoff debut Friday night for Nashville, 11 years to the day of his last post-season appearance for the Predators.

The 17-year NHLer draws into the lineup for Ryan Hartman, who was suspended one game on Thursday for an illegal check to the head of Colorado's Carl Soderberg in the previous night in Game 4 of the Western Conference quarter-final.

"We're up 3-1 [in the series] and [I'm] just looking to bring some energy, play my game and do my thing," Hartnell, who has scored 19 goals and 47 points in 95 NHL playoff games for Nashville, Philadelphia and Columbus.

Hartnell, who celebrated his 36th birthday on Wednesday, was at left wing on the Predators' fourth line at Friday's morning skate alongside centre Mike Fisher and Calle Jarnkrok.

Friday's contest will mark Hartnell's first playoff game with Nashville since its series-ending 3-2 loss to the visiting San Jose Sharks, on April 20, 2007. The feisty Regina native finished that post-season with a goal and two points in five games.

Hartnell, who played for Predators head coach Peter Laviolette when Philadelphia went to the 2010 Cup final, spent much of this year's regular season in the middle on a line with Nick Bonino and Jarnkrok.

"He's a really good calming presence," Bonino said of Hartnell, whom the Predators drafted sixth overall in 2000. "He's a really good teammate, keeps the guys loose, but at the same time, knows when to get them focused."

Barkov among finalists for Lady Byng

Florida's Aleksander Barkov, William Karlsson of the Golden Knights and Buffalo's Ryan O'Reilly were named the three finalists Friday for the NHL's Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.

The trophy, which will be handed out June 20 during the NHL Awards, is given the player that exhibits the most "sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability."

Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association submitted ballots at the end of the regular season. The top three vote-getters were designated as finalists.

Barkov posted a career-high 51 assists and 78 points and led the NHL with five short-handed goals, one shy of the franchise record set by Tom Fitzgerald in 1995-96. Barkov played in a career-high 79 games and placed fifth overall with 82 takeaways while receiving only seven minor penalties and 14 penalty minutes — the second-fewest by any player in the top 25 in NHL scoring.

Karlsson ranked third in the NHL with 43 goals to power Vegas to unprecedented success for an expansion team. Karlsson took only six minor penalties, finishing with the fewest penalty minutes (12) among the league's top 40 scorers.

O'Reilly posted 24 goals and 37 assists and his 1,274 face-off wins were the most by any player since the league began tracking the statistic in 1997-98. O'Reilly received only one minor penalty — the fewest by any player with at least 41 appearances.

Avalanche turn to Hammond in goal

Colorado head coach Jared Bednar hopes "The Hamburglar" can help his team avoid playoff elimination on Friday night.

Andrew Hammond will tend goal for the Avalanche after starter Jonathan Bernier suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday night's 3-2 loss to the visiting Nashville Predators.

Hammond relieved Bernier to start the third period and turned aside all eight shots he faced in his first post-season appearance since April 17, 2015, while a member of the Ottawa Senators.

Colorado acquired the 30-year-old Hammond in November as part of the Matt Duchene trade.

Girard nears return to Avs blue-line

Rookie defenceman Sam Girard will be a game-time decision for the Colorado Avalanche on Friday in Nashville.

The 19-year-old rookie sat out the previous two games with an upper-body injury.

Girard, whose role intensified late in the regular season, was the key player acquired by Colorado in the three-team Matt Duchene trade on Nov. 5.

Couturier to take warmup in Pittsburgh

Philadelphia Flyers forward Sean Couturier will take the warmup ahead of Friday's Game 5 against the hometown Pittsburgh Penguins and is hopeful of returning to the lineup.

The 25-year-old centre had to be helped off the ice at Tuesday's practice and was spotted limping to the dressing room following a collision with teammate Radko Gudas.

Couturier told reporters following Friday's morning skate that he was able to do more on the ice than previous days.

The 25-year-old centre posted a career-high 76 points in the regular season but has just two goals in 21 NHL playoff starts.

Penguins' Hornqvist remains out

The Pittsburgh Penguins will be minus scoring forward Patric Hornqvist for a second consecutive game Friday night when they attempt to close out their Eastern Conference quarter-final against visiting Philadelphia.

The 31-year-old Swede, coming off a 29-goal regular season, is hampered by an upper-body injury but was on the ice Friday morning skating in a white non-contact jersey at PPG Paints Arena.

"Horny's not an easy guy to replace," Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said earlier this week. "He's a unique player for us, and he brings a lot. I think we're just going to have to, by committee, pick up the pieces and make sure that the opportunities that are given to others that Horny normally fills, they're going to get a great opportunity to help this team win a game."

Caps' Burakovsky to miss rest of Round 1

Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz said on Friday that forward Andre Burakovsky needs minor surgery and will be sidelined for the remainder of the team's first-round series against Columbus.

The 23-year-old left-winger is apparently nursing an upper-body injury from absorbing a hit from Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner in the first period of Sunday's Game 2 of their first-round series. He took five shifts and hasn't played since.

Burakovsky's production dipped this season despite the fact he matched the previous season's goal total with 12. The Austrian's 13 assists were 10 fewer than the 2016-17 campaign, so he finished with 25 points in 56 games, but was strong ahead of the post-season with three goals and six points in eight outings.

Czech centre Jakub Vrana has taken Burakovsky's spot in the lineup.