Apparently contrary to “last week’s break-up news” (we’re not exactly ahead of the hockey player couples gossip here, I guess), the word is that Buffalo Sabres goalie/U.S. Olympic standout Ryan Miller confirmed his engagement with actress Naureen DeWulf.
DeWulf is wise to “lock” Miller up. While he’s struggling a bit to match his Vezina Trophy campaign this season, it’s obvious that Miller is one of the elite goalies in the league. Likely the best part for DeWulf is that he’s getting paid like a franchise goalie, with a $6.25 million annual salary that will run through the 2013-14 season.
I’m not an expert on DeWulf, but judging from her credits, I would say that she parallels Elisha Cuthbert more than Carrie Underwood on the hockey WAG scale. She’s clearly gorgeous, but when you’re best known for appearing in awful romantic comedies like “The Back-up Plan” and “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” it’s hard to imagine that she’ll be the couple’s bread winner.
Then again, apparently she’s on the Maxim hot 100, so I don’t think Miller will regret this decision that much.
BOSTON — An independent review of the Boston Bruins’ player-vetting process found no misconduct by team employees but identified failures in the system that led to the signing of Mitchell Miller, who was convicted of assault in 2016 for bullying a Black classmate with developmental disabilities in middle school.
The team said it would overhaul the process that collapsed when it gave Miller an entry-level deal last month even though the Arizona Coyotes previously relinquished their rights after drafting him in 2020.
Bruins President Cam Neely said afterward the team “dropped the ball” and Boston rescinded its offer after harsh criticism around the hockey community, including the Bruins own locker room. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the 20-year-old defenseman would not be eligible to play in the league without major changes.
The Bruins commissioned an independent review by a law firm led by former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch. It looked at thousands of documents and communications before concluding, the team said.
“There were gaps in the club’s vetting procedures, which created challenges when faced, as here, with a recruit with significant red flags,” the team said in a statement. “The Bruins leadership has taken, and will continue to take, steps to ensure that organizational values and standards are upheld moving forward.”
Among the recommendations: to “establish clear written policies for vetting off-ice conduct, including identifying red flags requiring detailed vetting and documented resolution.” Vetting will be tracked, and red flags that are discovered will be documented and shared with all of those involved in the process.
“The steps we are announcing today underscore our organization’s commitment to our values, including our process for vetting future players,” Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs said. “These improvements, which the team will begin implementing immediately, will help ensure that we are meeting the high standards our associates, fans and community expect from this great organization.”
Lynch said the team “cooperated fully.”
DETROIT — Rookie forward Elmer Soderblom‘s fourth goal of the season snapped a tie early in the third period and gave the Detroit Red Wings the lead for good as they downed the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-4 on Wednesday.
With the victory, the Red Wings ended a season-high six-game losing streak (0-4-2). Their previous victory was a 4-2 verdict over the Lightning at Tampa Bay on Dec. 6. The Lightning are 7-3 in their last 10 games, with Detroit accounting for two of those losses.
Tampa Bay goalie Brian Elliott retrieved a loose puck behind his net and attempted to rim it around the boards. Detroit center Joe Veleno intercepted the puck and quickly fed Soderblom for the tap in into the vacated net 3:48 into the third.
Detroit captain Dylan Larkin scored what proved to be the game-winning goal midway through the final period, giving the Red Wings a 5-3 lead. It was his second goal of the night and team-leading 12th of the season.
After pulling Elliott for an extra attacker, Nikita Kucherov scored for the Lightning to narrow Detroit’s lead to a goal. David Perron and Michael Rasmussen, with his second goal of the night, scored empty-net goals to ice the game for the Red Wings.
Larkin’s first goal of the night at 11:08 of the second period gave the Red Wings their first lead of the game at 3-2. But Tampa Bay’s Ross Colton pounced on a turnover by Detroit forward Adam Erne just over two minutes later to tie the score.
Brayden Point and Alex Killorn scored in the first period to twice give Tampa Bay one-goal leads. However, Olli Maatta and Rasmussen responded for the Red Wings and it was tied at 2 at the end of the period.
Tampa Bay went 0-for-5 on the power play, including a five-on-three advantage for 1:53 during the first period.
Elliott made 24 saves as he dropped to 8-2 on the season. Ville Husso had 34 stops in the Detroit net while ending a personal 0-3-2 slump.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Detroit has no timetable as to when forward Jakub Vrana might see game action. He rejoined the club last week after spending two months in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
UP NEXT
Lightning: Tampa Bay’s game at Buffalo on Friday was postponed due to an impending winter storm and rescheduled for March 4. The Lightning are off until Dec. 28 when they host the Montreal Canadiens.
Red Wings: At the Ottawa Senators on Friday night.
DALLAS — Dallas Stars forward Denis Gurianov is taking an indefinite leave of absence for unspecified family reasons.
The team said when announcing the leave that it would not provide further details on the 25-year-old Gurianov’s absence.
Gurianov is in his sixth season with the Stars. He is one of the team’s fastest skaters but has been in and out of the lineup during his career.
After scoring a career-high 20 goals as Dallas reached the Stanley Cup Final in the pandemic-altered 2019-20 season, Gurianov has 25 goals combined in the two-plus seasons since.
Gurianov was the 12th overall pick by the Stars in the 2015 draft. He signed a $2.9 million, one-year contract for this season and is set to be a restricted free agent.
TORONTO — Auston Matthews‘s goal in the second period proved to be the winner as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 on Tuesday night.
Michael Bunting, Pierre Engvall and William Nylander also scored for Toronto. Matt Murray made 18 saves. Engvall and Nylander, who added assists, scored into an empty net late.
Vladislav Namestnikov scored for Tampa Bay, which had its five-game winning streak halted. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 36 shots for the Lightning, who lost in regulation for just the fourth time in their last 17 games (13-4-0).
The Maple Leafs were coming off regulation road defeats to the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals after collecting at least a point in 15 straight games (12-0-3), one short of the franchise record.
This was a matchup of a first-round playoff series last spring when Toronto led the Lightning 3-2 before Tampa won Game 6 in double overtime at home and eventually took the series. The two-time defending champion Lightning reached their third straight Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Colorado Avalanche.
Toronto, which lost 4-3 in OT in Tampa on Dec. 3, opened Tuesday’s scoring at 16:45 of the first, when Bunting took a pass from William Nylander and fired past Vasilevskiy’s blocker for his eighth goal of the season.
Matthews got the better of a screened Vasilevskiy 61 seconds into the middle period and scored with a high shot on a power play.
The Maple Leafs outshot Tampa 29-8 through two periods.
Namestnikov scored off his own rebound for his second of the season at 4:09.
Murray and the Maple Leafs held on late as the Lightning pressed. But, Engvall iced it into an empty net for his sixth of the season and Nylander added an empty-netter with 32 seconds left for his 19th goal of the season.
MOMENT OF SILENCE
The Leafs announced before puck drop that Vittorio Panza, the grandfather of defenseman Victor Mete, was one of five people killed in a shooting in Vaughan, Ontario, during the weekend.
Panza’s partner was also fatally shot.
Toronto and Tampa Bay observed a moment of silence before the game for the victims.
SANDIN SIDELINED
Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin (neck) left in the second period after assisting on Matthews’ goal. He didn’t return.
STAMMER APPROACHING 500
Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is three goals short of 500 for his career. The 32-year-old, who was drafted No. 1 overall by Tampa Bay in the 2008 draft, is looking to become the 47th player in NHL history to reach the milestone.
UP NEXT
Tampa Bay: At Detroit on Wednesday in the third game of a four-game trip.
Toronto: Host Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.

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