Chicago Blackhawks forwards Artemi Panarin and Nick Schmaltz clash at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday for the top spot in Group A at the World Championship.
A win for Schmaltz and Team USA over Russia puts them into the quarterfinal game Thursday in Cologne against the fourth-place finisher from Group B. The U.S. can finish no lower than third in its group.
**Panarin gets back into groove at Worlds (Chicago Sun Times)
**Darling was Stars first choice, per report (SCH)
**Bowman denies firing Kitchen to send Quenneville a message (SCH)
**DeBrincat helps Erie win OHL championship (SCH)
**Cellblock 303 is loudest, rowdiest Preds fans (The Tennessean)
**Preds anthem singer unhappy about being upstaged by country acts (The Tennessean)
**Should Stars consider Ilya Kovalchuk?