VANCOUVER CANUCKS

14TH THN'S POWER RANKING HOW THEY WIN Henrik and Daniel Sedin are back as marquee NHLers. When Vancouver's secondary scoring dried up in the second half, the Sedins played their best hockey, cycling the puck like they did in their glory days. The likes of Nick Bonino never did wake up on the second line, but behemoth Zack Kassian clicked with the twins and started scoring, which let coach Willie Desjardins keep sniper Radim Vrbata on the No. 2 unit. Stud prospect Bo Horvat blossomed on a grind line with Ronalds Kenins and Jannik Hansen. Horvat had some handy big-game experience as a teenager, from the world juniors to multiple Memorial Cups. Alexander Edler played his best 'D' since losing his confidence in the 2011-12 playoffs. He and Chris Tanev form the team's top…

BLAZED A TRAIL ON LONG ISLAND

JUST HOW EXCITED IS CLARK GILLIES WITH THE ISLANDERS’ success? The man teammates called ‘Jethro’ over his Hall of Fame career vows to grow a playoff beard the way he did during the team’s glory years. That may not look becoming for a guy who is now an executive vice-president for an investment firm, but Gillies remains an Islander to the core. “The last thing on my hockey bucket list is to drink from the Cup one more time,” said Gillies, 61. The term “power forward” could have been coined for the Moose Jaw, Sask., native, whose formidable 6-foot-3, 215 pound frame and facial features drew comparisons to the 1960s Beverly Hillbillies TV character Jethro Bodine. Unlike the dim Jethro, however, Gillies was (and still is) quick-witted, once responding to a reporter…

THE INSTIGATOR

LAST MINUTE OF PLAY

CROSSWORD ANSWERS AVAILABLE IN THE NEXT ISSUE AND AT THN.com/XWORD LAST ISSUE’S CROSSWORD SOLUTION ACROSS 1. BRIAN, 8. THEODORE, 9. SCALP, 10. P.K. SUBBAN, 11. INANE, 14. OSHIE, 15. CHRIS, 20. STING, 21. TAMPA BAY, 22. TOPPS, 23. CAROLINA, 24. STAGS DOWN 2. RICK NASH, 3. ATLANTIC, 4. CHOKE, 5. BONUS, 6. BOBBY, 7. KENNY, 12. SHUTS OUT, 13. WINNIPEG, 16. STICK, 17. SMART, 18. FALLS, 19. DANNY ACROSS 1 Detroit-based WHA team that originated in L.A. (or, parties for guys) 8 An infraction 9 Owen ___ is home of junior hockey’s Attack 10 He’s Maple Leafs president 11 Marc-___ Fleury, pictured 14 10 Across got 656 ___ in 21 NHL seasons 15 Puck over glass earns a __ of game penalty 20 Johnny Gaudreau was 2014 Hobey __ winner 21 Senators goalie Craig ___ 22 There’s also junior hockey in ___ Jaw 23…