In six shootout attempts, Dallas' Jussi Jokinen has scored all six times, including his winning goal Tuesday against St. Louis. In that game, he used a wrist shot to beat Curtis Sanford, rather than the one-handed move he had used earlier to beat Boston in a national TV game. "It's been on TV too much," Jokinen said of the one-hander. "I didn't want to do that."

Count former Penguins center Ron Francis, one of the best two-way players in league history, among those who like what they see of the "new" NHL. "I watch a lot of different games with the NHL package," Francis said. "The bottom line is that you're getting to see the talent that has always been in the NHL but sort of was suppressed because of the defensive tactics. Now you're seeing the skill and speed and the puck-handling come to the forefront, and I think it's making the game much more exciting."

The Hurricanes were scheduled to have Ron Francis Night last night. They planned to retire his No. 10 jersey, about four months after the 42-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, hung up his skates.

Capitals winger Alexander Ovechkin, who entered the weekend leading all rookies with 34 goals, 64 points, said time has flown this season. "My time in the NHL goes so fast," he said. "I remember when I came to Toronto to my agent's house. I just started the preseason. And now it's half season, and now the Olympics."

A 5-3 victory against Los Angeles Thursday night gave Edmonton a 10-1-4 record in its past 15 road games. The Oilers beat Anaheim, 6-3, a night earlier, and that meant that of the 20 times they have played the Kings and Mighty Ducks in back-to-back games on the same road trip, they have swept the two games six times.