of the year Ekblad leads the team in average ice time at 24:12

SILVERSTONE, Great Britain -- Lewis Hamilton just beat Nico Rosberg to the fastest time in final practice for the British Grand Prix as the two Mercedes drivers prepare for a head-to-head battle in qualifying.The session started damp, but as soon as it was dry enough to set a clean lap, both Mercedes took to the track on soft tyres. Hamiltons first attempt was 0.097s quicker than Mercedes teammate Rosberg before a 17-minute stoppage was induced by Marcus Ericsson crashing on the exit of Stowe.Ericsson lost the rear of his Sauber on the exit of Stowe, sending his car back across the track and resulting in a hard impact with the tyre barrier near the pit entrance. The force of the impact ripped three wheels off the car and also resulted in his steering wheel pinging off, hitting him in the chest. He walked away from the accident, but the car is unlikely to be fully repaired in the two hours ahead of qualifying.The session was restarted with just five minutes remaining and both Mercedes returned to the track with a fresh set of soft tyres. Rosberg improved first, becoming the first driver to set a time in the 1:30s this weekend, but Hamilton hit back moments later with a lap 0.063s quicker than his teammate. The Mercedes drivers were half a second clear of Daniel Ricciardos Red Bull in third place, who was just under a tenth quicker than teammate Max Verstappen.Sebastian Vettel was over a second off the pace of Hamilton, but another gearbox failure appeared to strike as he crossed the line on his last attempt. After a gearbox issue in Austria and another one during Friday practice this weekend, the issue will be the biggest concern for the team ahead of qualifying.There was another big gap in the times to Valtteri Bottas in sixth place, 1.832s off Hamilton, and just 0.018s faster than Fernando Alonso in the McLaren. Nico Hulkenberg and Kimi Raikkonen were also within a tenth of Bottas as the fight for the positions outside the top five looks set to be every bit as competitive as the battle for pole between the Mercedes drivers.Carlos Sainz and Esteban Gutierrez will also fancy their chances of making the top ten in qualifying after finishing ahead of the second McLaren of Jenson Button. Felipe Massa had a session to forget down in 15th, sandwiched between Sergio Perez and Daniil Kvyat, who also finished off the pace of their respective teammates. Custom Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. William Karlsson Jersey . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. http://www.goldenknightssale.com/authentic-brandon-pirri-golden-knights-jersey/ . Two pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the April 15 race in an area packed with fans cheering the passing runners. Three people were killed and more than 260 injured, including at least 16 who lost limbs. Jonathan Marchessault Golden Knights Jersey .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have placed centre Cody Hodgson on injured reserve and recalled two players from their AHL affiliate in Rochester. Nick Holden Jersey . After a replay, the winner will meet Sunderland in the quarterfinals. Sagbo did well to control Sone Alukos right cross and fire past Brighton goalkeeper Peter Brezovan. Aluko was making his first start in four months after recovering from an Achilles injury. Over the past three or four years, the NHL has become a young mans game. That said, something is distinctly different about the early stages of this season that suggests we might have opened a door to a new frontier, where Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine and others are not only commanding attention, but are forever changing the NHL landscape.Every week well look at young players who are on a roll and others who need to step it up. Behold, the under-24 player rankings.?HotConnor McDavid, C, Edmonton OilersAs of Friday, three of the leagues top six point producers were 20 years of age or younger (McDavid, Matthews and William Nylander), but its hard to ignore the way McDavid has come out of the gate for the red-hot Oilers. After being named captain before the season, McDavid hasnt missed a beat and has 11 points in seven games while averaging 21:09 in ice time. What impresses me is that McDavid has eight even-strength points as the 6-1-0 Oilers have beaten some of the leagues elite teams while moving to first place in the Pacific Division and top spot in the Western Conference. Its been a long time since thats happened for the Oilers.Patrik Laine, RW, Winnipeg JetsIts been an up-and-down start for the Jets, who have yet to win back-to-back games this season. But if theyre going to get back in the playoffs, its clear Laine, the No. 2 pick in June, is going to lead them. The big 18-year-old Finn with the big shot has six goals, tied for the league lead and most among rookies, along with two assists for eight points in seven games. His 19:12 in average ice time is the most among rookie forwards.Travis Konecny, C, Philadelphia FlyersThe 19-year-old London, Ontario, native has been a revelation to the youthful Flyers, with seven points in eight games, fourth among all rookies. The slight (hes listed as 5-foot-10, 175 pounds) center has points in six of eight games, and head coach Dave Hakstol continues to show confidence in the 24th-overall pick from 2015, moving him up the lineup and expanding his ice time.NotJohn Gibson, G, Anaheim DucksSometimes its easy to think of Gibson as a grizzled veteran in spite of the fact the 39th-overall pick in 2011 is just 23. But after hiccups to start his career, the highly touted goalie is now in a position where he has to step up for the Ducks. With backup Jonathan Bernier?out with an injury, Gibson has to prove hes got the goods and consistency to lead a talented team like the Ducks.dddddddddddd Gibson started slowly but has gone 3-0-1 in his past four appearances. Hes got to keep performing to keep the doubters at bay.Mathew Barzal, C,?New York IslandersAfter an impressive training camp that saw the 16th-overall pick in 2015 stick with the big club, Barzal, 19, has managed to get into just two of the Islanders first six games and is back to being a healthy scratch after a game against the?Montreal Canadiens?in which a Barzal turnover led to a goal. There were also other defensive issues. The Islanders are off to a 3-5 start and coach Jack Capuano told reporters he cant keep experimenting with his forward lines and needs to find continuity, although he wouldnt cite Barzals miscues as the reason for his return to the press box.Aaron Ekblad, D, Florida PanthersOne might have expected the Panthers to struggle, especially offensively, without top six forwards Nick Bjugstad and Jonathan Huberdeau, who are lost long-term to injury. And they have, losing two in a row, giving the defending Atlantic Division champions a 3-3-1 record. In the absence of those players, the Panthers will be looking for their leaders to fill the void. And although former rookie of the year Ekblad leads the team in average ice time at 24:12, playing mostly against opposing teams top offensive units, he has struggled on the offensive side of the puck. Ekblad, 20, has one goal and zero assists, his lone score coming on the power play. The Panther power play, by the way, is 22nd in the league.Young Guns ShowdownTroy Stecher, D,?Vancouver Canucks vs. Connor McDavid, C,?Edmonton Oilers, Friday, 10 p.m. ETMuch is expected from defenseman Stecher, 22, after an outstanding training camp, and hell get a chance to earn his keep in a prominent role as he gets just his second NHL start Friday, likely playing against the NHLs leading scorer. Coach Willie Desjardins told reporters in Vancouver that Stecher, who signed as a free agent with the hometown Canucks after three years at the University of North Dakota, will likely be paired with veteran Alexander Edler?against the Oilers top offensive unit, led by McDavid. A solid showing Friday would put Stecher in line for a repeat performance Saturday against?Alex Ovechkin?and the Washington Capitals. ' ' '