Matt Cooke still says he is a changed man. Less than a day after the NHL handed the Minnesota Wild forward a seven-game suspension for his knee-on-knee collision with Colorado Avalanche defenceman Tyson Barrie, Cooke reiterated to the media Thursday that he had no intention of hurting his opponent. "It was not my intent to collide knee-to-knee. Meant to finish my check," he said. The suspension has thrust Cooke back into a negative spotlight. From 2004 to 2011, he was suspended five times for a total of 27 games prior to his most recent conviction. Nonetheless, Cooke is adamant that his questionable decisions are a thing of the past. "Since March 20, 2011, Ive been a changed player," he said. "Stats prove Im a changed player." Cooke has 48 hours to appeal the decision, first to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. If Bettman upholds six games or more, Cooke then has seven days to file an appeal to a neutral arbitrator. He has yet to say whether or not he will appeal the ban. If the suspension is not fully served in this years playoffs, it will continue on next season. The Avalanche have a 2-1 series lead heading into Game 4 on Thursday. Cooke is apologetic for his action and says he is "disappointed" Barrie will miss any time due to injury. However, Avalanche coach Patrick Roy told reporters ealier in the day that the damage has already been done. "(Even if Cooke gets) 10, 15, 20 games, were still playing without Tyson," said Roy. Texas Rangers Store . Parnell will be out much longer if it turns out he needs surgery. But first, he will try resting for two weeks before beginning a throwing program that could last up to a month, general manager Sandy Alderson said. Texas Rangers Shirts . Johansen scored twice and Derek MacKenzie, Brandon Dubinsky and Cam Atkinson also had goals to lead the Blue Jackets to a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night, ending a three-game losing skid. https://www.cheaprangersbaseball.com/. a€“ All signs point to the Maple Leafs having their top offseason acquisition in the lineup on opening night. Custom Texas Rangers Jerseys . The stakes were higher, the competition more fierce and the atmosphere was that of a playoff game - something the young, upstart Raptors have five weeks to better prepare themselves for or the result will be eerily similar. Wholesale Rangers Jerseys . Linemates Ryan Johansen and Boone Jenner each had a goal and an assist in the first period, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 36 saves to lead the Blue Jackets past the Florida Panthers 4-1 on Saturday night. DENVER -- Paul Stastny was slumping and frustrated with his scoring drought. Facing the Dallas Stars helped clear that up for the Colorado Avalanche centre. Stastny scored twice and added two assists and the Avalanche beat the Dallas Stars 6-2 on Monday night. Erik Johnson and Andre Benoit also scored in a four-goal second period, and Nathan MacKinnon and Tyson Barrie scored for Colorado. Stastny hadnt notched a point since Nov. 19, when he had a goal and assist against Chicago. The scoring drought grew to nine games before he put together one of his best periods of his career. "I always put pressure on myself," Stastny said. "Of anyone I was probably the most frustrated. Whether I show it or not, you guys wont see it." It was a familiar feeling for Stastny, who had a two-goal game against the Stars on Nov. 1. The lone hat trick of his career came against Dallas on Oct. 3, 2007. His breakout couldnt have come at a better time for him or his team, which has struggled to score lately. "I feel like that, especially for Stast," said forward P.A. Parenteau, who tied a career high with three assists. "We were on the puck the last few games and couldnt get it done. The confidence was low for a couple of guys and its tough on you. Youre playing decent hockey and youre not rewarded." Tyler Seguin had a goal and an assist and Kevin Connauton scored his first NHL goal for the Stars, who have dropped three of the past four. Goalie Kari Lehtonen stopped 42 shots for Dallas in a rare poor start against Colorado. Lehtonen was 8-3-2 with a 2.52 goals-against average against the Avalanche before Monday. "That was pretty much us laying an egg," forward Jamie Benn said. "They came out strong and jumped all over us." The Avalanche outshot Dallas 21-10 in the first period, but managed just one goal against Lehtonen. It was a different story in the second. Stastny broke a 1-all tie when he knocked in Jamie McGinns tip pass 8:29 into the period for his ninth goal of the season. Benoit made it 3-1 when he pinched in from the blue line and blasted a shot through traffic past Lehtonen.dddddddddddd. Stastny scored again when he tipped a shot by Gabriel Landeskog in front of the net, and Johnson finished the run with a shot from the top of the right circle with 3 seconds left in the period to make it 5-1. Seguin scored early in the third, but Barries first goal of the season on Stastnys second assist made it 6-2. It was more than enough for the Avalanche, who improved to 3-0 against the Stars this season. Colorado scored six goals despite going 0 for 5 on the power play and failing to score on a pair of two-man advantages. "The power play was really good, to be honest. We had a lot of shots," Avalanche coach Patrick Roy said. "What else can you do? I dont want to over talk about the power play; tonight we didnt need the power play." The teams will play again in Dallas on Tuesday night. Colorado took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period when MacKinnon beat Lehtonen with a shot from the left circle. It was his seventh goal of the season. The Avalanche continued to get shots on Lehtonen, and had a chance to add to their lead when they had 1:26 of a two-man advantage. They couldnt convert, and moments after the Stars killed off Sergei Gonchars penalty, Matt Duchene was sent off for hooking. Connauton tied it on the ensuing 4-on-4 with 33 seconds left in the first. "I was elated," Connauton said. "The elation wore off pretty quick -- as quick as it took them to take over in the second period." Dallas nearly scored again with 12 seconds left, but Seguins shot from a sharp angle never crossed the goal line before resting on goalie Semyon Varlamovs back. Varlamov had 31 saves for Colorado. NOTES: Colorado D Ryan Wilson (back) was activated from the injured list, but did not return to the lineup. Wilson has missed 18 games after being injured Nov. 6 against Nashville. ... MacKinnon extended his points streak to four games. ... The 48 shots were the second most Lehtonen has faced this season. Chicago had 50 shots in a 4-3 loss to Dallas on Dec. 3. ... Colorados six goals tied a season high. ' ' '