One of the NHLs longest-serving team executives could be stepping down at seasons end, as the Raleigh News-Observer reports that Jim Rutherford is expected to give up his duties as general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes. Panthers Jerseys China . Rutherford, who serves as president and general manager of the Hurricanes, told the paper on Monday that he didnt want to comment on his status with the team or any potential changes until the season is over. TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger adds that Rutherford will meet with Peter Karmanos at the end of the season before any final decision is made. Sources tell the News-Observer that Rutherford could remain as team president, while Hall of Famer and Hurricanes vice president of hockey operations Ron Francis could succeed Rutherford as general manager. Rutherford has been with the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes franchise since 1994 and led the team to its first Stanley Cup in 2006. Florida Panthers Store . The Blueshirts hope to stay alive once again when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins in Sundays Game 6 battle at Madison Square Garden. Cheap Panthers Jerseys . Best has been bothered by concussion problems and hasnt played since Oct. 16, when the Lions lost to San Francisco. After starting 5-0, Detroit has lost four of six, beginning with that game against the 49ers. https://www.panthersjerseycheap.com/ . Ashton scored a hat trick -- giving him 13 goals in 16 AHL games this season -- to power the Toronto Marlies to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Lake Erie Monsters in AHL action on Sunday.CEDAR PARK, Texas -- The St. Johns IceCaps gave up too many open-ice chances and the Texas Stars capitalized during a 6-3 victory in Game 1 of the Calder Cup final. St. Johns had 29-23 advantage in shots and pressured Texas for most of the night, but the scoring chances against IceCaps goalie Michael Hutchinson disappointed head coach Keith McCambridge. "The goaltending wasnt the issue for me, it was our execution during the game," McCambridge said. "We played the game too wide open against obviously a very dangerous team offensively. We gave up too many Grade-A scoring chances against us and got ourselves on the wrong side of the game." The second period embodied McCambridges disappointments. St. Johns outshot the Stars 12-4 in the period, but Chris Mueller, Scott Glennie and Travis Morin all scored for Texas, cancelling out a tying goal by Will ONeil 1:47 into the period. All three goals came on rushes by Texas. Mueller beat Hutchinson over the right shoulder on a breakaway, while Glennie finished off a 3-on-1 rush with a wrist shot over the same shoulder. The backbreaker came later in the period when Morin scored a short-handed goal on a 2-on-1 with Brendan Ranford. "It was tough, we knew they were a great team and we gave up too many odd man rushes," said IceCaps centre Eric ODell. "We know how offensively skilled they are and they capitalized on their chances a we just caught a few times and that when they came down and scored."; With the IceCaps trailing 4-1 after 40 minutes, the game opened up even more in the third period. Florida Panthers Gear. Kael Mouillierat cut the lead to 4-2 just 2:36 into the third. Glennie then reinstated Texas three-goal lead on a tic-tack-toe passing play with Mueller and Dustin Jeffrey. Jordan Hill countered Glennies second goal less than a minute later when he tipped an initial shot by Andrew Gordon in for his first goal since the 2012-13 season. Mike Hedden added an empty-net goal for Texas to reach the final deficit. Earlier Morin gave Texas a 1-0 lead 3:08 into the game on a power play. It was the first power-play goal St. Johns conceded in 34 chances dating back to the second round against the Norfolk Admirals. Morin beat Hutchinson on the Stars first true scoring chance of the game -- a shot from below the right circle after a pass from Glennie. "I thought it was big, they had killed of 34 in a row so we knew they were good on the penalty kill," Stars coach Willie Desjardins said. "Its important to get the power play going, so that was big for us." Texas didnt allow a shot on goal until there was just six minutes left in the first and outshot St. Johns 11-5 in the opening period. But things changed in the final two periods as the IceCaps finished with a 23-12 shot advantage in the final two periods. Cristopher Nilstorp stopped 26-of-29 shots for Texas, while Hutchinson made 17 stops. Game 2 is Monday back at the Cedar Park Center. ' ' '