News: Adrian Aucoin (undisclosed) did not play in the Coyotes game 2 loss to LA and his status for game 3 has yet to be determined.
Analysis: To replace Adrian Aucoin, rookie Michael Stone made his playoff debut. If the Coyotes have any chance of getting back in this series they'll need Aucoin and his strong defensive presence to slow down the high-powered Kings offense.
News: Rob Flick signed a three-year deal with the Blackhawks on Monday, the Blackhawks official Twitter feed reports.
Analysis: Rob Flick recorded 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in 45 regular season games with the AHL Rockford IceHogs and looks to be like the next dynamic center produced from the Hawks' farm system.
News: The unspecified injury that Kari Lehtonen suffered at the World Championships on Sunday is not believed to be serious, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Analysis: "They're still looking at everything, and there has been a lot of communication between doctors there and our trainer," said Stars goalie coach Mike Valley. "They're not 100 percent sure what the injury is, but I've been told it is not a serious injury." In any case, Kari Lehtonen
will not play again in the World Championships, but fortunately it sounds like he escaped a major injury.
News: Jonathan Quick notched his second shutout of the playoffs Tuesday, blanking the Coyotes with 24 saves en route to a 4-0 win in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.
Analysis: The Kings' incredible run (10-1) continued thanks in large part to their power play and goaltender. They'll look to take a commanding 3-0 lead as the series shifts to Los Angeles.
News: Jeff Carter picked up a hat trick in the Kings' 4-0 win in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday.
Analysis: Jeff Carter's struggled at times this postseason as he came into play Tuesday with just four points in ten playoff games but the Kings now have a chance to put a stranglehold on the series as it heads back to Los Angeles.
News: Alexander Semin is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and has expressed displeasure with his role with the Caps.
Analysis: Alexander Semin's agent was quick to not close the door on the Caps but he questioned the significance of Semin's role with the Caps in 2011-2012. Alex was often left on the bench in high pressure situations and the 28-year old appears to want to find a team that values his skills more.
News: Tomas Vokoun is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and multiple reports indicate his time in Washington was unhappy and will be short lived.
Analysis: Tomas Vokoun had a rough 2011-2012 season, plagued by injury and inconsistent performance. Teammates have since questioned his accountability and attitude, with Vokoun often raising his hands after goals, attempting to deflect blame on his defense. The Caps surely allowed a lot of shots on goal throughout the year but seemed to rally around the rookie Holtby who is likely to carry the mantel into the 2012-2013 season.
News: Michal Neuvirth sat out the last portion of the Caps season with a hip flexor injury, according to word out of Caps' camp.
Analysis: Michal Neuvirth backed up Tomas Vokoun but ended up missing time himself as the Caps' season came to an end. Lower body injury was the word on Neuvirth throughout the postseason but a hip flexor was named the culprit after their season ended. Early talk is Vokoun won't return to the Caps, giving Neuvirth and Holtby added value in 2012-2013.
News: Nikita Filatov has signed a two-year deal with Salavat Yulaev of the KHL reports the Ottawa Sun.
Analysis: It certainly appears that the Nikita Filatov experiment is over for good in Ottawa. The Senators will need to make a qualifying offer to Filatov, who will become a restricted free agent come July 1st, or he'll become unrestricted. Ottawa's management is debating whether or not to do so, but odds are good that GM Bryan Murray will take a pass and end the team's association with the winger. His fantasy value next year is next to nil.
News: Jay Beagle broke his foot in the second period of Game 5 versus the Rangers. He finished the game but was unable to return for Game 6 or 7.
Analysis: Jay Beagle said the hardest part of having a broken foot wasn't playing on it for two periods but was missing the last two games of the series that eventually eliminated the Caps from the postseason. He had surgery on his foot and will likely miss the next four to six weeks of workouts. Beagle said he will be able to go for training camp however.
