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sports Thursday 20 January 2022
Hedman, Kucherov propel streaking Lightning past Kings 6-4

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Vic- pivotal in the second pe-
tor Hedman and the Tam- riod to get pucks deep so
pa Bay Lightning found a we could get our defense-
novel way to break up the men off," Lightning coach
monotony that can be the Jon Cooper said.
middle of the NHL regular Blake Lizotte, Alex Iafallo,
season. Arthur Kaliyev and Phil-
Hedman had two goals lip Danault scored for the
and an assist in Tuesday Kings, who have dropped
night's 6-4 victory over the two straight after a four-
Los Angeles Kings despite game winning streak. Pe-
being one of only four Tam- tersen made 19 saves.
pa Bay defensemen who "That's kind of what we ex-
dressed after three were pected was gonna hap-
scratched due to injuries. pen, a kind of back-and-
The 2018 Norris Trophy win- forth kind of game," Iafallo
ner, who has been a final- said. "But when that hap-
ist for the NHL's top defen- pens, you've just got to kind
seman award five straight of pack it in and take your
seasons, said he had trou- chances and get better
ble napping before the chances. But we'll have to
game because it was go- regroup and we'll be fine."
ing to be challenging. five assists) as the two-time scored on a snap shot to scoring tear with a power- NIFTY GOAL
"It was something new. You defending Stanley Cup give the Lightning a 4-3 play goal in the second Lizotte tied it 1-all at 8:52
knew you were going to champions pushed their lead. It was the ninth mul- period along with an assist. of the second when he
be out there every other winning streak to four. tigoal game of Hedman's The right wing, who missed got the puck from Brayden
shift," Hedman said. "In an "He just thrives when he career, and one of three 32 games with a lower- Point in the corner, skated
82-game season, you need is asked to do more. He third-period goals by Tam- body injury that required in and went top shelf on
those challenges. It was fun gave a phenomenal per- pa Bay that put the game surgery, has 11 points (four Vasilevskiy.
to see what you could do formance to help the win," away. goals, seven assists) in six SPECIAL TEAMS FLURRY
with only four guys. fellow defenseman Ryan "I think he's one of the top games since returning to Each team had a short-
"You can look at it and feel McDonagh said. five players in the National the lineup. handed and power-play
sorry for yourself or look at Hedman scored his first Hockey League, not just to- Mathieu Joseph and Ste- goal in a span of less than 4
it as an opportunity. We goal since Dec. 16 at 13:17 night but every night I turn ven Stamkos also had a 1/2 minutes during the sec-
tried to keep it as simple as of the first period when he on the TV," Kings coach goal and an assist apiece ond period.
possible and got a big two retrieved an errant pass in Todd McClellan said. "Six- for the Lightning, who have Iafallo got his first career
points." the Kings zone and beat foot-six and play like that, a 10-game winning streak short-handed goal at 11:44
Hedman saw 32:37 of ice Cal Petersen glove side on and he had a huge impact over the Kings. Pierre- when he took advantage
time, his most in a regular- a breakaway. on the game. Played the Edouard Bellemare also of a turnover near Tampa
season game that has not Hedman then scored the most minutes of anybody scored and Andrei Vasi- Bay's net. The Lightning
gone to overtime. He also go-ahead goal at 10:43 of and played the best out of levskiy stopped 32 shots. tied it, though, at 13:03 on
extended his point streak the third when he took Ni- everybody." "The big thing for us is we Kucherov's one-timer from
to four games (one goal, kita Kucherov's pass and Kucherov extended his couldn't turn it over. It was the right circle.q

Postponements farce sees EPL explore tightening of rules

By ROB HARRIS training facilities. this situation can you de- he was suspended follow- fects of the virus and will
AP Global Soccer Writer But when the request to cide to postpone, not for ing his sending off against update our guidance ac-
When Arsenal this week postpone the north London other situations. Liverpool in the League cordingly."
sent Pablo Mari away on derby against Tottenham "Honestly, it's my first time in Cup. At least the Premier League
loan and released Sead went to the league on Fri- my life — and I've had a bit But the exasperation within doesn't make teams go
Kolasinac, trimming the day, Arsenal had only one of experience in football — rival clubs at how games through the spectacle -- as
squad looked perplexing declared coronavirus case to see postponed games are being called off has endured in Italy's Serie A -- of
for a club already strug- in the squad. Instead, with because of injuries." led to the league decid- making them turn up to the
gling to muster a team to five players at the African Regulations state a game ing to speak to them about stadium with no opposition
play. Cup of Nations and injury must go ahead if a club changing the criteria. The to face. But the raft of post-
Folarin Balogun and Ains- absentees, Arsenal suc- has 13 fit outfield players league, which needs 14 of ponements has created a
ley Maitland-Niles had only cessfully convinced the plus a goalkeeper. But con- the 20 clubs to approve distorted league standings
just been loaned out when league to call off its game fusion over the application altering regulations, said in England. Leader Man-
Arsenal told the Premier against Tottenham in a of the rules has created a coronavirus cases dropping chester City has played
League it lacked enough stretching of the pandemic growing sense of farce. across clubs for three con- 22 games and last-place
players to host Tottenham policies not intended for The league hasn't said secutive weeks sparked the Burnley has only contest-
last Sunday. this scenario. why Arsenal wasn't told to consultation. ed 17 of the 38 fixtures af-
Calling off a game wasn't "The decision to postpone promote less experienced "The league's current guid- ter Tuesday's rescheduled
unusual for England's top the game was very, very contracted players into the ance was amended in De- game against Watford was
division. Applying corona- strange," Tottenham man- first team, with the under- cember following the emer- postponed again. Burnley
virus regulations has seen ager Antonio Conte said, 23s playing on Friday night. gence of the new Omicron manager Sean Dyche said
22 postponements since with a few days to reflect Nor has the league ad- variant," the league said in he had 10 outfield players
last month as the spread on his frustration. "We have dressed if Arsenal missing a statement on Wednes- able to train at the time but
of the omicron variant has a big problem to solve and Granit Xhaka was a factor day, "and we continue to didn't talk about promoting
depleted squads and shut it's COVID, but only about in the postponement after monitor the ongoing ef- younger players.q