Player Notes

Burish (hand) could play in Thursday's Game 5 against the Kings, Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area reports.
Recommendation: Burish skated with the regulars at Thursday's morning skate, but has to meet with coaches before a decision is made about whether he will be in the lineup Thursday or not. Even if he plays, a fourth line winger with a broken hand is not a good bet to provide much offense.

Havlat (groin) is out for Thursday's game against the Kings, Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register reports.
Recommendation: This will be the second straight game Havlat has missed due to the groin injury. He remains day-to-day.

Neal notched three points in Wednesday's Game 4 win over the Senators.
Recommendation: Neal recorded two goals and an assist as the flood gates opened for the Pens in a 7-3 dismantling of Ottawa.

Alfredsson recorded two points in a Game 4 loss to the Penguins on Wednesday.
Recommendation: The captain's goal and assist weren't nearly enough to stop Pittsburgh from cruising to a 7-3 victory and a 3-1 series lead.

Pavelski had an assist and three shots in the Sharks victory Tuesday.
Recommendation: Pavelski is on a tear and with Couture on his line, there's no sign of this stopping. He's been on the ice for 17 goals and only one against this postseason.

Burns opened the scoring Tuesday, adding three shots and 19:20 in ice time in the San Jose win.
Recommendation: That's Burns first point in the series against Los Angeles. He's been less effective for the Sharks in the postseason than during the regular season, averaging .5 points per game.

Neil (upper body), who left Sunday's Game 3 victory over the Penguins during the second overtime period, practiced Tuesday.
Recommendation: The report adds that Neil is cleared to play in Wednesday's Game 4, suggesting that the pesky forward could have returned to Game 3 with more time.

Hemsky is not expected to be back in Edmonton next season, according to the Edmonton Journal.
Recommendation: Hemsky is due to make $5 million next season and with his history on injuries and games missed it is unlikely the Oilers would want to pay him that amount. Problem is, neither will another team. The Oilers would probably have to eat a certain portion of the contract in order to deal him.

Kane scored a goal on four shots on net in Monday's Game 3 loss to the Red Wings.
Recommendation: Kane didn't score in Chicago's opening series, but has now lit the lamp in back-to-back games, and he has a point in all three games of this series.

St. Louis has been named a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy, given each year to the player who has best exhibited the combination of sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and skill. He is up against Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks and Matt Moulson of the Islanders.
Recommendation: He is already a two-time Lady Byng winner (2009-10, 2010-11) and a finalist for the award four other times. This year, he led the NHL with 43 helpers and 60 points in 48 games to win his second-career Art Ross Trophy, all while spending just 14 minutes in the penalty box.

Samuelsson (shoulder) will not be in the lineup for Game 3 on Monday, MLive.com reports.
Recommendation: He's listed as a healthy scratch Monday, so it may simply be a case where head coach Mike Babcock is happy with the lineup he used in the Wings' Game 2 victory on Saturday and does not feel the need to push Samuelsson back into the fold at the current time.

Callahan was a minus-1 with a goal on three shots in Sunday's 5-2 loss to Boston.
Recommendation: Callahan's even-strength goal not only quickly answered Boston's early lead, but came on a nifty deke across the crease past Tuukka Rask. The Rangers' captain also tied this season's playoff high with eight hits in the loss.