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The thrill is back for Ryan O’Reilly.A trade to the St. Louis Blues has O’Reilly excited about hockey and the future after three consecutive losing seasons with the Buffalo Sabres had him talking about losing his love for the game. Now the 27-year-old center is itching to get back on the ice and help the Blues reach the playoffs Youth Matt Nieto Jersey , even if that adventure doesn’t begin in earnest for a couple of months.”I feel like I have a spark in me now,�� O’Rcall. ”There’s something different. It’s interesting how it happened, but I’m happy, I’m excited and I don’t regret anything that’s happened.”O’Reilly said on Buffalo’s locker cleanout day that the Sabres had adopted a mentality of ”being OK with losing�� and he believed it crept into their game. He stood by those comments Monday, thanked Buffalo and expressed happiness at moving on to start what he hopes will be a winning chapter of his life.When the Avalanche traded O’Reilly to the Sabres at the 2015 draft and he signed a $52.5 million, seven-year contract, the expectation was to be the central figure. With St. Louis, he joins an already-established core of Brayden Schenn, Jaden Schwartz, Vladimir Tarasenko, Colton Parayko and captain Alex Pietrangelo.”My first year in Buffalo, I was really trying to feel things out Mikko Rantanen Jersey , and being kind of young at that time, getting that contract, I don’t think I kind of got a hold of the situation as best I could have,�� O’Reilly said. ”I don’t think I was ready for that situation as best as possible. But I think going to St. Louis with all the kinds of things in play, the veterans that they have there, that it’s something that’s easier to kind of jump into.”O’Reilly joins a Blues team that missed the playoffs by one victory and already bulked up in free agency by signing center Tyler Bozak, winger David Perron and backup goaltender Chad Johnson. St. Louis acquired O’Reilly from Buffalo for young forward Tage Thompson, a top-10 protected 2019 first-round pick, a 2021 second-round pick and forwards Vladimir Sobotka and Patrik Berglund.St. Louis general manager Doug Armstrong hopes a change of scenery benefits O’Reilly, who put up between 55 and 65 points in each of the past four seasons.”He’s got great passion for the sport,�� Armstrong said. ”He’s got great passion to compete and to win and hopefully this gives him the boost that he feels is necessary that he can come in here and quite honestly we need that boost.”O’Reilly hopes his rapport with coach Mike Yeo, Schenn http://www.avalanche...ackinnon-jersey , Schwartz, Parayko and defenseman Joel Edmundson from playing together with Canada at the world championships eases his transition. With the spring tournament filling the void of the postseason, he’s eager to take part in the Stanley Cup playoffs for just the third time.”There’s nothing like playoff hockey,�� O’Reilly said. ”It’s what we all kind of dream of doing. Unfortunately, my career, I haven’t done it enough. And I plan to come in and help this team get there, help this team win.”—AP Hockey Writer John Wawrow contributed to this report.�� CHICAGO (AP) �� The handful of former Chicago Blackhawks who play for the Arizona Coyotes were excited to see Corey Crawford back on the ice after an extended absence.Vinnie Hinostroza and company also enjoyed skipping town with a win.Hinostroza scored twice against his former team, Antti Raanta made 33 saves and the Coyotes spoiled Crawford’s season debut, beating the sleepy Blackhawks 4-1 on Thursday night.Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist and Lawson Crouse also scored as Arizona improved to 1-1 on a four-game road trip. The Coyotes entered with just four goals in their first five games.“Today we got the scoring going,�� Raanta said. “Obviously get new guys on the board, so it’s a big team effort.”The game was tied when Hinostroza got a pass from Oliver Ekman-Larsson and beat Crawford with a high wrist shot from the right circle 8:37 into the second period. It was Hinostroza’s first goal since Chicago traded the speedy forward to Arizona in July so it could shed Marian Hossa’s contract.Keller made it 3-1 when he intercepted a pass by Chris Kunitz and scored on a breakaway in the third, and Hinostroza added an empty-netter with 2:20 left.“I think there were emotions until the first shift Patrick Roy Jersey ,�� said Hinostroza, a Chicago native. “But once you get out there one time, it just turns into a regular game. Kind of forgot all the outside stuff and just played hockey.”Crawford played his first game since Dec. 23, after missing most of last season because of a concussion. The two-time All-Star finished with 27 saves in a remarkably typical performance given his time away.“I think I felt better in the second and third,�� he said. “They really didn’t get that many opportunities early. They flipped one in for the first (shot), so it was good to feel one early. We were close all game.”Erik Gustafsson scored Chicago’s only goal in its first game since Sunday. The Blackhawks opened a stretch of three games in four nights with their first regulation loss of the season.“It was our first game where you could say, not good enough,�� coach Joel Quenneville said.The crowd of 21,210 cheered loudly when the 33-year-old Crawford was introduced with the starting lineup. He helped Chicago win the Stanley Cup in 2013 and 2015, and the Blackhawks tumbled into last place in the Central Division while he was out last season.The Blackhawks also celebrated the return of Niklas Hjalmarsson for the first time since they traded the steady defenseman to Arizona in June 2017. He received a standing ovation after he was saluted with a highlight video during a break in the first period, and fought back tears as he raised his left arm to acknowledge the response from the crowd.“It was a great moment,�� Hjalmarsson said.Hjalmarsson had three of Arizona’s 27 blocked shots Womens Samuel Girard Jersey , helping Raanta improve to 16-0-3 at the United Center. Raanta made his NHL debut with Chicago in 2013 and became good friends with Crawford while he was with the Blackhawks.“When you see your friend coming back (after) such a long time and playing well already even though I think he didn’t feel perfect, but I think he was doing a great job,�� Raanta said. “Just a matter of time when he gets the rhythm back.”Arizona jumped in front when Crouse and Keller skated in for a 2-on-1 in the first period. Keller played it over to Crouse, who one-timed the pass by Crawford at 11:43 for his first point of the season.The Blackhawks tied it in the second when Jonathan Toews set up Gustafsson for a one-timer 6:34 into the period. It was Gustafsson’s first goal of the season.NOTES: Coyotes D Jordan Oesterle, who also came over the Hossa deal, had a team-high five blocks and got an assist on Crouse’s goal. �� Toews has at least one point in Chicago’s first six games. �� Rookie forward Luke Johnson was assigned to the minors to make room for Crawford, leaving three goaltenders on Chicago’s roster. “With three in four nights, we’ll see how that plays out,�� coach Joel Quenneville said.UP NEXTCoyotes: Visit the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.Blackhawks: Visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night.