NHL: Pluses and minuses around the league

Times columnist Helene Elliott rates the pluses and minuses in the NHL from the previous week:

+ The word “regal” was coined for Jean Beliveau, the former Montreal Canadiens captain and 10-time Stanley Cup champion who was hospitalized last week after suffering a stroke. His wife, Elise, told the Montreal Gazette that by week’s end he was laughing, speaking and regaining his strength. Best wishes go to the man who epitomizes class.

+ Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller shut out the Ducks and Sharks on the road and had a shutout streak of 155 minutes 37 seconds before he yielded a goal at Vancouver on Saturday. His outstanding work is a key reason behind a 6-0-2 surge that has put the Sabres back in the East playoff scramble.

+ Although the Tampa Bay Lightning has fallen apart, Steven Stamkos has maintained his focus and continues to elevate his game. On Friday he scored his 45th goal, matching his total from last season, and through Sunday’s games led the NHL with 47 goals and shared the scoring lead with Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin at 80 points each. Stamkos should pass the career high of 51 he scored in 2009-10.

- The Washington Capitals have been shut out in their last two games, the first time that has happened since the 2006-07 season and the first time they have been blanked in two straight games at home since 2000-01. Alexander Ovechkin had only the fifth-most ice time among the Caps’ forwards in their 1-0 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday at 16 minutes 49 seconds.

- “Hockey Night in Canada” commentator Don Cherry lost whatever credibility he had by ranting Saturday about the Toronto Maple Leafs’ lack of players from the province of Ontario. “It’s the only organization in Canada that cheers when Canada loses and it’s an absolute shame,” he said, ignoring General Manager Brian Burke’s repeated selections of players from the Ontario Hockey League in recent drafts. Cherry is all about Cherry, nothing else.

- It has been a dangerous season for coaches, and not just in terms of job security. Edmonton’s Tom Renney and San Jose’s Todd McLellan have suffered concussions, Renney after being struck by a deflected puck and McLellan after being hit by a stick. Renney sat out five games and McLellan has missed three and could be out longer. During McLellan’s absence, the Sharks have fallen to eighth in the West, another disappointing performance by a team that specializes in them.