Late in the second period of Tuesday night's Calgary Flames-Minnesota Wild game, Matt Stajan retrieved a puck in his own zone and attempted to dump it out via the glass. It didn't go far, but moments after he released the puck Wild rookie Charlie Coyle continued in to finish his check and ended up catching Stajan in the head with a shoulder:

The call on the ice was wrong -- a five-minute major for elbowing -- but that didn't really matter as the punishment did meet the crime as it was late and a direct shot to Stajan's head. There were no late, sudden movements by Stajan and the contact with the head was not part of a follow through on Coyle's check. And, again, it was late.

Stajan returned to the game, but Coyle will likely be discussing this play with Brendan Shanahan and the Department of Player Safety sometime in the next 24 hours as it violates Rule 48.

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy

Getty ImagesA little over a year and a half ago the Montreal Canadiens signed Erik Cole to a 4-year, $18 million deal. In his first full season with the Habs Cole posted respectable numbers: 35 goals and 61 points. His start to the 2013 NHL season has been anything but good with him netting just three goals and six points through 19 games.

On Tuesday, Cole's time in Montreal was up as GM Marc Bergevin shipped him and the remaining two years and $9 million left on his contract to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Michael Ryder, who's deal is expiring after this season, and a 2013 third round pick. ESPN's Pierre LeBrun reports that Cole waived his no-trade clause to make the move happen.

From the Stars:

"Erik Cole is a top-six, power forward who skates well, adds size, and is under contract for the next two years,” said Dallas Stars General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk. “We thank Michael Ryder for his contributions and look forward to what Erik will bring to our group."

Ryder spent the first four years of his career with the Habs and also posted 35 goals in his first year in Dallas last season. He's started off this year a little better than Cole with six goals and 14 points in 19 games with the Stars.

Time will tell if a change of scenery will bring back Cole's offensive fortunes from a year ago, but the Habs get a pick, get out from the final two years of his deal, freeing up cap space this summer and a player in Ryder, who would like to cash in on his expiring contract.

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy

Here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

Getty ImagesPreview: Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET. Much has already been made about Alex Semin making his first visit to Verizon Center since leaving the Capitals to sign with the Hurricanes over the summer. Will there be a short video tribute? Probably not. Will Semin go bongo punching on Troy Brower after his comments on Tuesday? Probably not. Will he score against his former team? Probably, because that always seems to be the case in these situations.

Preview: Phoenix Coyotes at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m. ET. The Canucks look to rebound after their 8-3 thrashing at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. It's Cory Schneider's turn in net as he tries to help Vancouver snap a two-game losing streak at Rogers Arena. David Booth will also be back after an illness went around the team. The Coyotes enter tonight's game having blown two leads in their last two games. According to head coach Dave Tippett, Phoenix will be without Radim Vrbata, Martin Hanzal, Derek Morris and David Schlemko.

Preview: Colorado Avalanche at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m. ET The Sharks need to turn around their current 1-6-3 skid if they're to avoid any potential shakeup within the team. According to the AP, San Jose has posted a 3-plus-goal game just one time in their last 10. Brent Burns and the suspendes Ryane Clowe will be missing from the lineup tonight. For the Avalanche, they'll be without Matt Duchene, who's nursing an injured groin.

Evening Reading

• New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur has been placed on injured reserve retroactive to Feb. 24 and the team has recalled Keith Kinkaid. [Devils]

• Something Nail Yakupov did last night got under the skin of CSN Chicago analyst Eddie Olczyk. Try to contain your laughter. [Cult of Hockey]

• We'd read any quote from Darryl Sutter that begins with, "By the time I got home and got my jammies on..." [Mayor's Manor]

• Via Buzzing the Net, here's a great shootout goal by Sam Anas of the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms:

Puck Buddy Comment of the Day: ChicagoNativeSon, from Mooney's outstanding piece on the kid goalie who let in 60 goals:

"It all started with a phone call, and a president that wanted a desert nation to become a hockey powerhouse."

I'm pretty sure that's exactly how Phoenix got a team too.

Bold prediction: Alex Semin scores, but the Caps win 3-2.

On Saturday, Elliotte Friedman reported on the NHL's proposed realignment plan for next season during Hockey Night in Canada's Hot Stove segment. Now more details are leaking with approvals still needed from the Board of Governors and the Players' Association.

ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun obtained a memo sent to all 30 teams on Tuesday that outlined the NHL's latest realignment plan.

As a refresher, here's how the league -- Eastern Conference and Western Conference -- would look under this proposal, as reported by Friedman:

From LeBrun:

The playoff format as detailed in the league memo Tuesday calls for the top three teams in each division to earn postseason berths. The remaining four spots would go to wild cards, the top two records in each conference. That means there's a possibility five teams make it from one division and only three from another.

The schedule matrix would see each team play teams in the other conference both home and away.

There was talk that a potential play-in game, like what Major League Baseball implemented last season, would come into play, but according to this proposal that is not the case.

Via TSN, here is the playoff situation:

It would be divisional playoffs, not conference playoffs, so 1 vs. 4, 2 vs 3 in the first round. The two fourth seeds would be made up of the wild-card teams. The top division winner based on regular-season points in the standings would face off against the lower-ranked wild-card team. The other division winner would play the higher-ranked wild-card.

First-round winners then meet in second round in the division championship; Third round sees Pacific winner vs. Mid-West winner in Western Conference finals; Central winner versus Atlantic winner in Eastern Conference finals; Eastern and Western Conference champions meet in Stanley Cup finals.

Sixteen teams in one conference and 14 in the other might be an issue for some, but overall this plan limits travel and will make television executives very happy. Also, fans will get to see every team at least once in their building. Under this proposal, the league and PA would meet after three seasons to discuss any issues and potential changes.

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy

San Jose Sharks forward Ryane Clowe had the opportunity to defend himself for leaving the bench to go after Andrew Shaw of the Chicago Blackhawks in the waning moments of Friday's game. He declined, deciding to speak with the Department of Player Safety via the phone on Monday afternoon.

The issue that needed to be determined was whether or not he left the bench illegally or not to engage Shaw. A potential 10-game suspension hung in the balance. After pleading his case to Brendan Shanahan and company, it was determined that Clowe would be sitting for two games.

Here's Shanahan explaining why:

From the NHL:

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Clowe will forfeit $39,189.18. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Clowe was assessed a minor penalty for roughing and a game misconduct for leaving the bench on an illegal line change to start an altercation with 8.4 seconds left in regulation – an infraction that calls for an automatic 10-game suspension.

Upon further review of video of the incident and following a hearing conducted today to examine the incident, it was determined that Clowe, in fact, entered the ice on a legal line change. However, upon doing so, he skated directly to Shaw, who was not engaged physically with any other player. Clowe then grabbed Shaw and wrestled him to the ice.

Rule 70.2 states, in part: "A player who has entered play while play is in progress from his own players' bench…who starts an altercation may be subject to discipline in accordance with Rule 28 -- Supplementary Discipline."

The fact that Joe Pavelski was heading off on a line change helped shave games off a potential long-term suspension for Clowe, given that the league deemed it was a legal substitution. Clowe has already sat out one game after being suspended pending a hearing for Saturday's loss to the Dallas Stars and will sit out Tuesday's game against Colorado before being eligible to return.

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy

UPDATE: Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet writes that Pacioretty won't receive any supplemental discipline for the hit.

The New York Rangers not only lost to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night, but two of their blueliners left the game early, adding even more stress to their 8-7-2 start.

Late in the game, Dan Girardi took a P.K. Subban slap shot to the ankle and needed to be helped off the ice. Rangers head coach coach John Tortorella didn't update the media on Girardi's condition after the game, but according to TSN's Bob McKenzie X-rays were negative. But Tortorella did take issue with this Max Pacioretty hit on Ryan McDonagh midway through the second period, which knocked the defenseman from the game:

The NHL announced on Sunday morning that Pacioretty will have a phone hearing at 4 p.m. ET. The Canadiens forward was given a boarding minor, but could end up with more as the Department of Player Safety "will be examining boarding and/or charging infractions as the basis for potential Supplemental Discipline".

Tortorella, never one to be shy, asked the media postgame about Pacioretty leaving his feet to deliver the hit:

Watching the video, you see Pacioretty stop his stride as he approaches McDonagh, but the Rangers defenseman never makes a sudden turn toward the boards, his numbers are always facing the Habs forward. But Pacioretty driving his check (does he get his elbow up, too?) and not tying McDonagh up is likely what ups this to potential supplementary discipline.

Then there's also the possibility that this was potential retaliation for a hit by McDonagh on Pacioretty five minutes earlier, which CBC's Gary Galley referenced:

Pacioretty does have a history with the DOPS having been suspended three games last season for a hit to the head of Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang.

Will Pacioretty receive a Shanaban? If so, how many games?

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy

Getty ImagesWhen the jersey that Canadian hockey hero Paul Henderson wore during the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union sold for a record $1.2 million at auction in 2010, Mike Eruzione got an idea.

Since the 4-3 "Miracle on Ice" victory over the Soviets at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y., the equipment the American captain used had been sitting in a bag in his attic. It wasn't doing anyone any good up there, so Eruzione saw an opportunity to help out his family by auctioning his gear from those Games.

On Saturday in New York City, the jersey that Eruzione wore when he scored the game-winning goal against the Soviets -- along with the stick he used and other memorabilia from the Lake Placid Games -- was sold at auction, via Heritage Auctions.

The winning bid for the "Miracle" jersey was $550,000. Tacking on a buyer's premium, the final total was $657,250. The stick finished at $262,900 (including buyer's premium). Eruzione's jersey worn against Finland in the final game sold for $286,800.

“The ‘Miracle on Ice’ is the greatest American sports moment of the 20th century and a moment that transcended all geo-political boundaries,” said Chris Ivy, Director of Sports at Heritage Auctions. “Tonight we saw collectors show Mike Eruzione, and that entire team, how highly they think of him and of the things he achieved. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer, more giving person.”

Eruzione's "Miracle" gear isn't the first to hit the sports memorabilia auction scene. Ken Morrow's jersey worn during the game against the Soviets sold for over $104,000 last January. In Nov. 2010, via Heritage Auctions, Mark Wells' gold medal sold for over $310,000. Another Team USA gold from those Games was available via Heritage on Saturday night, but Steve Christoff's medal did not reach its reserved price of $350,000 and a private sale between the seller and a buyer will be attempted.

The one piece of "Miracle" memorabilia Eruzione declined to put on auction was his gold medal.

"The gold medal will never be sold as long as I'm alive,"Eruzione told ESPN's John Buccigross in December. "If something happens to me and my kids/grandkids want to do something with it, hopefully it's for the right reasons."

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy

Being the guy who sets up in front of a goaltenders' crease warrants some courage. There's the cross-checks, slashes and all-around abuse that comes with the role; just ask guys like Tomas Holmstrom, who made a career of it.

Ak Bars Kazan forward Alexei Tereshchenko found this out first hand on Friday during their KHL first round playoff series versus Neftekhimik.

Early in the second period, with the game still scoreless, Tereschenko set up in front of Neftekhimik goaltender Matt Dalton during a power play and was minding his own business when Dalton felt he needed to clear his line of sight:

For the slash to the jewels, Dalton was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

There's two thoughts here. First, one (like Mr. Dalton) might believe that Tereschenko made a meal out of the slash to help draw a penalty. On the other hand, those of us with the type of equipment that Dalton went after know that it's not the best area on the body to take a goalie stick to.

Ak Bars would win the game 3-0 to take a 2-0 lead in the series over Neftekhimik.

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy