particularly frustrated with Wolfpack athletics director Debbie Yow and men’s basketball coach Mark Gottfried

In those letters, Rutherford appeared to be particularly frustrated with Wolfpack athletics director Debbie Yow and men’s basketball coach Mark Gottfried.

Woodson and Rutherford began negotiating directly in the summer against that backdrop.

Progress in the discussions followed in relatively short order.

“At the end of the day, this is a partnership,” Woodson said. “It’s in our own best interest and the city’s interest and the county that this building be successful.”

For the Hurricanes, one of the primary benefits will be receiving clarity during the schedule-making process.

Another key condition of the agreement is that N.C. State will release three dates from Nov. 1-April 1 at Gale Force’s request to allow for concerts or other single-day events that gross in excess of $500,000.

With the agreement in hand, Rutherford appeared to be more at ease than he was this summer, when the Hurricanes faced potential fines from the NHL for turning in the availability of PNC Arena late.

“When the Hurricanes first moved here, and the building was being built and we were trying to make it work for both teams and the colors in the building, there were certainly some tough times,” Rutherford said. “I remember the seat color. That had to be fixed.

“The fact of the matter, for a long time, going back maybe after a year or two that we’ve been here, we’ve had a great relationship with the university. Some people like to create a controversy of some kind. It’s not there. It hasn’t been there since the early going.”

News Observer LOADED: 10.05.2013

719488 Chicago Blackhawks

Hawks' Hjalmarsson growing up on, off ice

By Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune reporter

8:50 PM CDT, October 4, 2013

It was a more mature Niklas Hjalmarsson who stood in the middle of the Blackhawks dressing room and recalled a time when he wasn't so mature.

During his first few NHL seasons, the defenseman didn't always handle failure well and found the more he dwelled on mistakes, the more it affected his game.

"It's something that I was really bad at in the beginning," Hjalmarsson said Friday. "If I had one mistake and they scored or if I had a bad game, I thought about that a lot.

"Now, even if I have a really good game or a bad game, I try to stay as even as I can and don't get too high or too low. That's why the next day after a game, I try not to think too much about that game. I'm just trying to focus on the next one instead."

It wouldn't be bad for Hjalmarsson to think a little more about his last game after a top-notch performance during the Hawks' season-opening 6-4 victory over the Capitals on Tuesday. He had two assists, three blocks and a plus-four rating in 20 minutes, 57 seconds of ice time — second-most on the Hawks.

"It's always nice to get off to a strong start," Hjalmarsson said. "You always want to try to be better than you were last year."

Hjalmarsson appears poised to do just that as he looks to build on a calm, positive outlook on life sparked by an offseason to remember. The 26-year-old got married during the summer, and the couple are expecting their first baby.

Those events have helped ground Hjalmarsson, who realizes taking hockey too seriously can be a detriment.

"You're just trying to do too much and being tense and think about it too much," he said. "Having a family might relax me in the off time so I don't focus too much on the hockey."

Also having a calming effect is that Hjalmarsson has made the transition to being an almost full-time resident of Chicago after spending most of his life in Sweden.

"Me and my wife (Elina) call this home," said Hjalmarsson, a native of Eksjo, Sweden. "We're not home in Sweden for that long. We've been making the playoffs every year — which obviously we want. We just spend two or three months in Sweden, and the rest we stay here. ... I can't really think about another city in the U.S. where it's better to play hockey right now."

Hjalmarsson's development and contributions to the Hawks defense aren't lost on coach Joel Quenneville.

"You can't underestimate how important it is having one of those defensemen, game in and game out, who is effective," Quenneville said. (Hjalmarsson is) reliable, predictable, efficient, he kills plays, sees plays (and) blocks shots."

Offensively, Hjalmarsson is a work in progress that's trending in a positive direction. He is looking to shoot more and has improved his passing, as evidenced by his two assists Tuesday.

"It seems like he's a little more friendly with the puck with direct plays coming out of our end and in the neutral zone," Quenneville said. "If he can keep improving in that area, it only complements a real dependable defensive defenseman."

Several of Hjalmarsson's teammates recently have joined the ranks of fatherhood.

"It's another chapter in my life and something I'm really looking forward to," he said. "It's a big difference from 2010, when I think maybe one or two guys had kids. Now, I think they have to rebuild the family room (at the United Center) to make space for all the kids."

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2013

719489 Chicago Blackhawks

aturday's matchup: Lightning at Blackhawks

7:04 PM CDT, October 4, 2013

Staff

TV/radio: 7 p.m. Saturday; CSN, WGN-AM 720.

Last meeting: Lightning won 5-4 in overtime Nov. 4, 2011 at home.

Probable goaltenders: Lightning, Anders Lindback, 0-1-0, 3.10 goals-against average; Hawks, Corey Crawford, 1-0-0, 4.00

Team comparison

Averages per game (NHL rank)

LIGHTNING (0-1-0) CATEGORY HAWKS (1-0-0)

1.00 (20) Goals for 6.00 (1)

3.00 (17) Goals against 4.00 (20)

0.00 (15) Power-play pct. 25.0 (7)

100.0 (1) Penalty-kill pct. 50.0 (22)

Statistics through Thursday.

Storyline: Lightning continue a tough stretch to start the season as they fell to the defending Eastern Conference champion Bruins in Boston on Thursday night. Lightning defenseman Sami Salo is questionable with an upper-body injury.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2013

719490 Chicago Blackhawks

Hawks lineup will remain in flux early in season

By Chris Kuc

6:50 PM CDT, October 4, 2013

Coach Joel Quenneville plans to make full use of the Blackhawks roster early in the season. To that end, he said he will insert Ben Smith into the lineup when the Hawks face the Lightning on Saturday night at the United Center.

After securing a job during training camp, Smith was a healthy scratch for the Hawks' opening 6-4 victory over the Capitals on Tuesday. Jimmy Hayes played in that game, but in the two practices since, Hayes has been skating outside the top four lines while Smith has been on the third line.

"We want to get everybody in here the next few games before we get too far into the season," Quenneville said after practice Friday. "When you aren't playing, you have to make sure you keep yourself sharp and into it. We have ways of making sure the extras skate and keep them game ready. We know they're going to be useful very soon."

Smith and Hayes likely will rotate in and out of the lineup unless either plays well enough to claim a regular spot.

"It's going to continue well on through the year," Smith said. "We just have to play our best every day and hope that the opportunities keep coming."

Back at it: Center Michal Handzus returned to practice after skipping Thursday's session and is fine to play against the Lightning.

Handzus sat out all six exhibition games while recovering from wrist and knee injuries suffered last season and briefly left Tuesday's game with an undisclosed injury before returning.

The veteran said he's still trying to find his timing after missing the exhibition games.

"The timing wasn't there (Tuesday)," Handzus said. "To be effective I need to get my legs moving, and I have to work on that part a little bit more. Timing-wise … get the puck to (Patrick) Sharp and (Marian) Hossa wasn't there, so I have to get better at that."

So far, so good: Hossa said he felt no ill effects from Tuesday's game on the back injury that caused him to miss the exhibition slate. The Hawks' light schedule to start the season has worked in his favor.

"It's good we had three days off between, and after (Saturday's) game there are a few days again, so that definitely helps," Hossa said. "We'll see when there are back-to-back games and the schedule becomes tighter. That will be the true test."

Bolt action: A game after facing the Capitals' Alex Ovechkin, the Hawks have another lethal scorer to deal with in the Lightning's Steven Stamkos. The winger had 29 goals in 48 games last season and has one of the NHL's best shots — especially off one-timers.

"Definitely when guys like that are on the ice, you're aware of it," Hawks goalie Corey Crawford said.

Heads up: Quenneville showed quick reflexes during practice when he ducked out of the way of a puck that deflected off the stick of defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson and headed toward the coach's head.

"As a coach, there are certain things you have to be on top of your game," Quenneville said with a laugh. "That's the most important thing — flying pucks."

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2013

719491 Chicago Blackhawks

Patrick Sharp in good frame of mind on and off the ice

BY MARK LAZERUS Staff Reporter October 4, 2013 9:44PM

The thick beige liquid in Patrick Sharp’s water bottle didn’t look terribly appetizing, and Sharp acknowledged it wasn’t. But drinking nasty protein shakes is as much a part of being a professional athlete these days as lifting weights and sweating on a stationary bike.

It wasn’t long ago that NHL locker rooms looked more like the one at a local

gym; Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux were hardly flawless physical specimens. Now, nearly everyone in the league is cut, with hardly any body fat. It takes an extraordinary amount of work to reach that point, but there’s a reason the Blackhawks do what strength and conditioning coach Paul Goodman says: It works.

‘‘I probably started around 25 or 26; that’s when I got real serious about it,’’ Sharp said. ‘‘That’s when the fitness craze came into the league. Now you see players training at 13 or 14 years old with personal trainers. That’s definitely something I wasn’t doing. When Paul Goodman came in [before the 2008-09 season], we sat down and laid out a plan. Every summer I improve physically because of Paulie.’’

That’s why Sharp believes he’s in the best shape of his life — and arguably playing the best hockey of his life — as he approaches his 32nd birthday. While his buddy and linemate, 35-year-old Marian Hossa, talks about how he’s feeling the effects of his age and how he has to come in early every day just to loosen up for a simple practice, Sharp feels he’s in the physical sweet spot of his career.

He proved it during training camp, outperforming Duncan Keith, Niklas Hjalmarsson and all the other fitness freaks on the team to win the label of ‘‘Fittest Blackhawk’’ after the grueling testing.

‘‘Come on, I’m not that old; I’m not Marian Hossa-old,” Sharp said with a sly grin.

It’s no surprise Sharp came into this season particularly motivated. A shoulder injury allowed him to play only 28 games last season and ended his streak of 20-goal seasons at six. But despite having only six goals and 14 assists in the short regular season, Sharp was the Hawks’ most consistent forward during their Stanley Cup run, posting a league-high 10 goals and six assists.

He’s also playing to

secure a spot on Team Canada for the Olympics in February. Sharp was left off the team in 2010 and has made no secret of his desire to play for his country in

Sochi, Russia.

Coach Joel Quenneville likes what he has seen so far.

‘‘He had a great camp,’’ Quenneville said. ‘‘He’s skating as good as I’ve ever seen him skate. Every single time he’s hit the ice, it seems he’s at a different pace this year. He’s approached the season in a real positive way. It’s good. We expect him to be producing at a real nice

rate here.’’

Sharp got off to a strong start in the season opener Tuesday against the Washington Capitals, firing a team-high five shots on goal, delivering three hits, blocking a shot and creating a takeaway.

‘‘I’m looking forward to picking up where I left off in the playoffs last year,’’ Sharp said. ‘‘Not only helping out offensively but being good in all areas.’’

It can’t get much better these days in all areas. Sharp is in the best shape of his life, he’s coming off his second Stanley Cup title and he has a second child on the way.

‘‘It’s a good time to be me, I guess,’’ he said, laughing. ‘‘I’m very lucky.’’

NOTE: Ben Smith will make his season debut Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, taking right wing Jimmy Hayes’ spot on the third line. Center

Michal Handzus returned to practice and expects to play Saturday, too.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 10.05.2013

719492 Chicago Blackhawks

Hawks must try to slow high-scoring Stamkos

By Tim Sassone

First it was Alex Ovechkin. Now it's Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos coming to town for the Blackhawks to try and contain.

Stamkos, a former 60-goal scorer, had 29 in last year's shortened 48-game season as part of the NHL's third-best offense.

The Hawks and Lightning play Saturday night at the United Center.

"Definitely, when guys like that are on the ice you're aware of it," Hawks goalie Corey Crawford said. "You have to be aware that they're out there. They have a couple of guys who score."

Martin St. Louis, last season's NHL scoring champion, would be the other. Stamkos and St. Louis give Tampa Bay a power play the Hawks must be concerned about.

The Capitals scored 3 power-play goals against the Hawks in Tuesday's opener.

"Comparable," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said when asked if stopping Stamkos was similar to stopping Ovechkin. "They have a real good power play and it's going to be something that is a big threat for us to be concerned with and a weapon for them.

"(Stamkos) is top scorer, he's dangerous and they feed him. He's got the great one-timer where he can pound it and load it up. We've got to do a better job of staying out of the box because he's a key weapon."

It was hardly the kind of debut rookie right wing Joakim Nordstrom hoped for Tuesday. He was on the ice for 2 of Washington's 3 power-play goals.

"I didn't mind his 5-on-5 game," Quenneville said. "I thought he did a lot of good things. Penalty killing, we can all assume some responsibility for what went on. Maybe we were a little too deliberate in our thinking and positioning. It was his first game, too. I didn't mind his game. It's early too and he's only going to get better."

Third-line change:

Ben Smith will get his chance at right wing on the third line Saturday against Tampa Bay.

It figures to be a back-and-forth platoon situation most of the season between Smith and Jimmy Hayes.

"It's part of the sport, part of the job," Smith said. "You're always competing against a lot of guys. It's not going to be just training camp. As I said during camp, it's going to continue well on during the year and you just have to play your best every day and hope the opportunities keep coming."

Joel Quenneville would like to get all 23 of his players into a game sooner than later.

"We want to get everybody in here the next few games before we get too far into the season," Quenneville said. "It's just a matter of time before we get everybody in. They're all part of it."

With Smith getting his first opportunity to play, it would leave only defensemen Sheldon Brookbank and Mike Kostka and goalie Nikolai Khabibulin to appear in their first games.

Getting their rest:

After Saturday, the Hawks don't play again until Wednesday's early-season showdown with the Blues in St. Louis.

"I'd rather play and take the rest later in the season," Patrick Sharp said. "But it gives us an opportunity to practice, so that's a positive. We can get out there and implement our system with Joel (Quenneville). The guys who have been here understand it, but we've got a number of new players. You take the schedule for what it is and adjust accordingly."

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.05.2013

719493 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks scouting report

By Tim Sassone

Today's faceoff

Blackhawks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning at the United Center, 7 p.m.

TV: Comcast SportsNet

Radio: WGN-AM 720

The skinny: The Lightning lost their opener at Boston on Thursday. They were third in the NHL in offense last season led by Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos. Stamkos had a hat trick the last time the two teams met in 2011.

Next: St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center, 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.05.2013

719494 Chicago Blackhawks

Can Northwestern take advantage of monster opportunity?

Staff

This is just what the folks at Northwestern have wanted for, well, forever.

Now they've got the spotlight.

Let's hope they can take advantage of it.

Question:

Will a close-but-no-cigar result be enough?

Good, but …:

It was proven again during the banner raising ceremony that no organization — not one — puts on a better show than the Blackhawks.

But it wouldn't be me if I didn't have one minor complaint, and it's not about the ceremony itself. It's about when the Hawks take the ice each period.

For some reason, the music used explicitly to pump up the place is immediately drowned out by a drum machine and a goal horn for about 15 seconds.

Annoying.

Question:

How does Bedford Park have all that water?

Good times:

It's nice to see all those smiles around the Wolves' den these days.

Having John Anderson back on the bench will do that for an organization.

He'd be fine:

It's so interesting how people hook into one managerial candidate and just won't let go.

I'm pretty sure I'm one of the few not overly enamored with Joe Girardi.

I think he'd be fine, but I certainly wouldn't be crushed if they found a candidate they thought was a better fit.

Question:

Does some of the same criteria used in the dismissal of Dale Sveum apply to Jed Hoyer as well?

Not saying Hoyer should be fired by any means, just wondering.

Royal trump:

Good to see Sveum get a new gig as a coach with the Royals.

That cat was in a no-win situation here.

Tan, rested and ready …:

Lou Piniella, come on down!

On second thought, nah.

A moment of silence:

For Ford Frick Award nominee Hawk Harrelson and all the moments of silence he has given us over the years.

Seriously, though, good luck to Hawk.

Bruuuuuce:

Ever since reading his book a few years back, I've been a huge fan of Bruce Boudreau. So it was a pleasure to see the Anaheim coach standing up to the attempted bullying by Avs' rookie coach Patrick Roy on Wednesday.

The hits keep coming:

Little disappointed there wasn't some push-back against Washington for the big hit to the head absorbed by Jonathan Toews in the opener.

These hits to the Captain's noggin have got to stop.

Prediction:

Bears 27, Saints 24.

Bad, bad memory:

Will never forget when the Saints came to town shortly after Hurricane Katrina had devastated New Orleans, and we had the privilege of seeing a couple of goofs at Soldier Field smiling proudly while displaying a sign that read: "Bears finishing what Katrina started."

Still makes me cringe.

Question:

Is there anything more fun than driving by gas stations and seeing the prices continually going down?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure there is, but hey, it's still fun.

Paging Anthony Michael Hall:

What do you get when you lose Bill Hayder, Jason Sudeikis and Fred Armisen?

A lost season for SNL.

Don't stop rolling now:

NIU football.

Too. Much. Fun.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.05.2013

719495 Chicago Blackhawks

Quenneville looking to get everyone in early

Posted by TimS on Fri, 10/04/2013 - 12:46

Ben Smith will get his chance at right wing on the third line on Saturday when the Blackhawks face the Tampa Bay Lightning at the United Center.

It figures to be a back-and-forth platoon situation most of the season between Smith and Jimmy Hayes.

"It's part of the sport, part of the job," Smith said. "You're always competing against a lot of guys. It's not going to be just training camp. As I said during camp it's going to continue well on during the year and you just have to play your best everyday and hope the opportunities keep coming."

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville would like to get all 23 of his players into a game sooner than later.

"We want to get everybody in here the next few games before we get too far into the season," Quenneville said after practice on Friday. "You've got 23 guys and over the course of a season you're going to wish you had 23 guys. It's just a matter of time before we get everybody in. They're all part of it."

With Smith getting in a game it would leave only defensemen Sheldon Brookbank and Mike Kostka and goalie Nikolai Khabibulin to play their first games.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.05.2013

719496 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks' Sharp's perseverance pays off big

October 4, 2013, 3:30 pm

Tracey Myers

Patrick Sharp has a pretty enviable life.

The Chicago Blackhawks forward is fresh off celebrating his second Stanley Cup, and his production in the postseason was pivotal. He was tops among his teammates in the pre-training camp physical testing, had a great camp and he and his wife will welcome their second child any day now.

“It’s a good time to be me, I guess,” Sharp said. “I’m lucky.”

Luck has only a small part to do with it, however. Sharp’s career is what it is because of his hard work and his determination. His 2012-13 regular season was a tough one, as he spent a good deal of it sidelined by a shoulder injury. But he took off in the postseason, recording 10 goals and six assists in 23 games. And that is what Sharp wants to build off of in 2013-14.

“I’m looking forward to picking up where I left off in the playoffs last year, not only offensively but defensively and just being good and responsible in all areas,” said Sharp, who had five shots on goal, and three hits, in the Blackhawks’ 6-4 victory over Washington on Tuesday.

“Had a couple of scoring chances. I probably could’ve skated a little better, could’ve been involved physically a little more but for the first game we’ll take it,” Sharp said. “But I’m definitely planning to be better moving forward.”

It’s interesting that Sharp knocked his own skating on Tuesday, since that’s what coach Joel Quenneville said he’s elevated this season.

“He’s skating as good as I’ve ever seen him skate. Every single time he’s a hit the ice he’s at a different pace,” Quenneville said of Sharp. “He’s approached the season in a positive way. We expect him to produce at a nice rate but we like what he’s bringing with his speed. It’s been very noticeable.”

Sharp had a tough go in 2012-13, when a shoulder injury sidelined him for more than a month in the lockout-shortened season. He was still nearly at a point a game, with 20 points in the 28 games he played. Now healthy and with a full slate of games, Sharp could again score 30-plus goals much like he did in 2010-11 and 11-12.