1.   Among the players who expect a better level of competition are Ray Bourque, the veteran Boston defenseman, and Shayne Corson, the Montreal forward.

2.   Another candidate for a rest is Kevin Lowe, the veteran defenseman who missed two games last week with a pinched nerve in his neck.

3.   Atlanta general manager Don Waddell, who acquired wingers Shawn McEachern and Slava Kozlov in trades, now turns to free agency to add a badly needed veteran defenseman.

4.   A couple of surprise scratches early in the postseason saw Carolina sit veteran defenseman Paul Coffey and Buffalo park assistant captain Rob Ray.

5.   But Atlanta needs a veteran defenseman for this season.

6.   Calgary also traded veteran defenseman Jamie Huscroft to Tampa Bay for goalie Tyler Moss and sent minor league defenseman Marc Hussey to Chicago for left wing Ravil Gusmanov.

7.   Chris Osgood of Detroit and Jocelyn Thibault of Chicago hurt their hands trying to stop pucks fired by the veteran defenseman.

8.   Coach Colin Campbell decided to use his six veteran defensemen again, just as he had for the previous two games.

9.   Dallas also activated veteran defenseman Mike Lalor and left wing Brent Gilchrist from injured reserve.

10.   Daneyko, the veteran defenseman who was a favorite of McMullen, complained forcefully about being kept out of uniform and said Lamoriello was not around as much.