Minnesota women win NCAAs; NHL Finns in military (Puck Headlines)

Here are your Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media. Have a link you want to submit? Email us at [email protected]. 

• The University of Minnesota’s women’s hockey team defeated Boston College 3-1 to win the NCAA championship. Boston college finished the year 40-1, narrowly missing a shot at an undefeated season. [Star Tribune]

• On young Finns, required military service and how it affects NHL players from Finland.  [Sportsnet]

• Putting an end to fighting won’t make hockey safer. [Globe and Mail]

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• Eric Staal and Marc Staal discuss a big hit in the 2010-11 season when Eric gave his brother a concussion. The two are now teammates on the New York Rangers. [New York Daily News]

• Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau puts rumors of contract problems to rest. Gaudreau is a pending restricted free agent this summer. [Calgary Sun]

• Breaking down the race to the Calder Trophy.  [NHL Numbers]

• The NHL’s proposed expansion draft is designed to hurt the better teams in the league. [New York Post]

• Observations of T-Mobile Arena, where the possible Las Vegas expansion franchise will play. The arena is set to open in a couple of weeks. [Sin Bin]

• Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Kesler has a funny sense of humor. [Los Angeles Times]

• Who is goaltender Mantas Armalis? His Instagram profile says he's a “Lithuanian hockey player, model, human being from Stockholm, Sweden.” [Sportsnet]

• The Dallas Stars have seen their blocked shot totals increase since they acquired Kris Russell from the Calgary Flames at the NHL trade deadline. [Sports Day]

• To help honor American servicemen and servicewomen and to raise funds for the Lone Survivor Foundation, Dallas goaltender Kari Lehtonen designed a new mask that he wore on Military Appreciation Night Saturday and will now auction off for charity. [Sports Day]

• Taxes in Canada have made it difficult for Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin to land a coveted top-six forward. [CTV]

• Making the playoffs would equate to a successful 2015-16 for the Colorado Avalanche. [BSN Denver]

• According to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, official Oliver "Butch" Mousseaux fell during warm-ups prior to the start of the second semifinal contest of the WCHA's Final Five tournament. He reportedly suffered a serious head injury. [Sporting News]

• Hershey Bears forward Nathan Walker could be the first Australian to make the NHL.  [York Daily Record]

• How good is Auston Matthews? He’s considered the top prospect in the 2016 NHL Draft but what’s his ceiling in the NHL. [Along the Boards]

• Vaclav Nedomansky was hockey’s first defector from Eastern Europe during the Cold War. He hasn’t spoken much about the experience until now. [ESPN]

• Alden Hirschfeld, who suffered a seizure in January while playing for the Grand Rapids Griffins, underwent brain surgery last Monday. He chose to have brain surgery in the hopes of curing the condition that has led to the seizures.  [The Blade]

• These players were drafted low, but have turned into solid fantasy additions. [Dobber Hockey]

• The KHL has abolished its junior draft after it struggled to keep several players from going to play in North America instead. [AP via Yahoo]

• Finally, Lethbridge's Stuart Skinner became the seventh netminder in Western Hockey League history to score a goal.  [Buzzing the Net]

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