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ST. Lubomir Visnovsky Jersey . PAUL, Minn. - When the Minnesota Wild hired Mike Yeo as a first-time NHL head coach, he fit their criteria for a bench boss who could develop several top, young players. Yeo has undergone his own growth in that time, too, and the Wild were satisfied enough with the results on both fronts to make another commitment to him. After his three-year contract extension was finalized last weekend, Yeo appeared with general manager Chuck Fletcher at a news conference Friday to discuss the deal and the teams future. The Wild advanced to the second round of the playoffs for only the second time in franchise history, and Fletcher praised Yeos ability to help keep the players on an even keel during some challenging stretches as injuries piled up. "He improved by leaps and bounds, and its not just understanding that you have to make those adjustments. Its the confidence to make them, and the confidence to sell them to your team," Fletcher said, recalling their conversation from last summer about areas where both the Wild and Yeo could improve. In the final year of his contract, Yeo was in a precarious place after a six-game losing streak to finish 2013. But despite notable absences by Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise and the top two goalies, Yeo and his staff not only held together the group but guided a resurgence that transcended the regular season. "Id be hard-pressed to sit here and name one player that wasnt better now than what he was at the beginning of the year," Fletcher said, adding: "The funny thing: At the exact point in the year when you thought wed fall apart, we actually became a team. And theres a lot of work that went into that, and again Mike and his staff deserve a lot of that." Yeo, who will turn 41 next month, has a career record of 104-82-26, plus 7-11 in the playoffs. Though Fletcher waited until June to address his status, Yeo said there was never a point at which he became nervous. Thats a hallmark of his, actually, as evidenced by his demeanour through and triumph over the losing streaks and fluke injuries of the 2013-14 season. Yeo gave four different goalies 10 or more starts each, and the carousel didnt stop spinning once the playoffs came. Darcy Kuemper and Ilya Bryzgalov both took turns, due to injury and performance, but the Wild beat Colorado 4-3 in a first-round thriller and gave Chicago fits until falling 4-2. "The team took on Mikes demeanour, and I think that helped us get through," Fletcher said. "Hey, were down 2-0. No big deal. They come back late and score? No big deal. We just kept finding a way to hang around and hang around until we could put the last shot in the net." Yeo showed a knack as a tactician during those series, too, making plenty of adjustments to his front lines that paid off against a pair of opponents in the Avalanche and Blackhawks that boast a lot of fast, skilled forwards. "The line switches, thats something I tried to make a conscious effort of at the start of the year, not only for me to grow as a coach but also for our team to get more used to it," Yeo said, adding: "But its always the players that make you look smart." Yeo said he didnt feel any more pressure to win this season than in his first one. He also pondered a question about when he felt the Wild truly clicked in the last few months before punting on the answer. "It never really gets to that point," he said, laughing. "I wish it did." Andy McDonald Jersey .com) - It may just be the right place and the right opponent for the Detroit Red Wings to snap their longest losing streak of the season. John Gibson Jersey . The 23-year-old restricted free agent appeared in all 48 games last season, finishing second among all Sabres skaters with 15 goals and 34 points.BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins season was only eight minutes old when forward Chris Kelly skated in alone toward Tampa Bay goalie Anders Lindback on a short-handed rush. A stick in the gut prevented him from getting off a clean drive, but it earned him the first penalty shot of his career. He converted, and Patrice Bergeron also scored a short-handed goal on Thursday night as the Bruins opened the defence of their Eastern Conference championship with a 3-1 victory over the Lightning. "Not in a million years did I think it was our power play that would let us down," Lightning captain Martin St. Louis said. "We were slow-reacting, and stubborn." It was the first time in NHL history that a team scored its first goal of the season on a penalty shot, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Lightning went 0-for-5 on the power play, failing to score on a pair of 5-on-3 advantages, while allowing the two short-handed goals. On the night before the Red Sox open their AL playoff series against the Rays, Boston got an early jump on Tampa Bay thanks in part to 32 saves by Tuukka Rask. The Bruins took the lead after Kelly was hooked from behind by defenceman Mark Barberio on a breakaway; on the penalty shot, he faked to his left and then moved right before backhanding the puck past Lindback. "I tried that move in practice, but Tuukka doesnt move," said Kelly, who had never been awarded a penalty shot in juniors or any other level, either. "It goes into his pads, and its deflating." Boston killed a 5-on-3 power play in the first period and another in the third, getting help from a phantom interference call that left them just one man down. Bergeron wove his way through the middle of the icee and took a shot that hit Lindback and rolled into the net to make it 3-1. Max Comtois Jersey. Boston reached the Stanley Cup finals last season for the second time in three years, losing to Chicago in six games when the Blackhawks scored the go-ahead and game-winning goals in a span of 17 seconds in the third period of the clincher. "Last year was a good year, not a great year," Kelly said. "Its in the past. But I thought everybody fit in well tonight." Lindback stopped 22 shots for the Lightning. St. Louis and Steven Stamkos, who were Nos. 1-2 in scoring in the NHL last season, didnt register a point. "We cant be a well-oiled machine every night," Stamkos said. Milan Lucic also scored for Boston. David Krejci, who was a game-time decision with back spasms, had the teams only assist. The Bruins were outshot 15-6 in the first, oddly getting half of their scoring chances while they were two men down midway through the period. It was 1-0 midway through the second when Eric Brewer beat Daniel Paille at the blue line and then another Bruin below the right circle before passing the puck across to Valtteri Filppula for the goal. Krejci did most of the work along the boards before sending a pass into the middle for Lucic, who gave Boston a 2-1 lead with 1 minute left in the second. NOTES: Boston announced during the game that defenceman Dennis Seidenberg signed a four-year contract extension. ... The Bruins went 6-1 in the exhibition season. ... Bruins F Carl Soderberg missed the game with an ankle injury.... Including the 2011 East finals, Boston has won eight straight over Tampa Bay at home. ... The Bruins wished the Red Sox good luck on the scoreboard, drawing a big cheer. ' ' '