Level Green’s Brandon Svoboda enjoys a short summer after another USHL championshipVideo
Brandon Svoboda’s summer plans won’t offer an abundance of free time. The Level Green native is getting a head start on schoolwork at Boston University next month. And there was a little matter of winning the Clark Cup for the second consecutive season. After winning the United States Hockey League...
Oilers’ Connor McDavid, hockey’s biggest star, finally gets chance to win Stanley Cup
Sherry Bassin sees the intense look on Connor McDavid’s face during warmups and knows the best hockey player in the world is going to have one of those games. He noticed it before the clinching game that sent the Edmonton Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final, when McDavid scored less...
Matthew Tkachuk’s numbers are down from last year. The Panthers insist his value has gone upVideo
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Matthew Tkachuk’s basic offensive numbers for the Florida Panthers are down this season. Goals, down. Assists, down. Points, down. Shooting percentage, down. On paper, that doesn’t look great. On ice, Florida sees things very differently. “You just have to look at some different numbers,” Panthers coach...
Calm and steadfast, Kris Knoblauch steers Edmonton out of awful start to Stanley Cup Final
When Kris Knoblauch became coach of the Edmonton Oilers, they had lost 10 of their first 13 games and the Stanley Cup was the last thing anyone on the team was talking about. Since then, no team in the NHL has won more games and Knoblauch is a big reason...
NHL to broadcast Stanley Cup Final games in American Sign Language, a 1st for a major sports league
Interpreting the annual pre-Stanley Cup Final state of the NHL address into American Sign Language for the first time in 2022, the worry gnawed at Brice Christianson that it was a one-time thing, his only chance to open the door to hockey for the Deaf community. Two years later, it...
Rangers’ core focuses on next season as it looks to end Stanley Cup Final drought
TARRYTOWN, N.J. — Seven years ago, after the Henrik Lundqvist-led New York Rangers lost in the second round of the playoffs to Ottawa, there was talk of the team’s veteran core soon being dismantled. None of that chatter existed Tuesday as the Rangers vowed to return next season to finish...
Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky isn’t slowing down at age 35, and the Stanley Cup Final awaits
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Sergei Bobrovsky baffles his own teammates at times. Florida’s starting goaltender has his own schedule and regimen — slowing gliding across the entirety of the ice to begin his process of getting ready in the morning, an extremely strict diet and some moves in the weight...
Dallas Stars’ Joe Pavelski says he’s done after 1,533 games, 18 NHL seasons
FRISCO, Texas — Joe Pavelski says he has played his last game after 1,533 games over 18 NHL seasons without ever getting to raise the Stanley Cup. Pavelski, who just wrapped up his fifth season with the Dallas Stars and turns 40 next month, revealed his decision Tuesday. It came...
The matchup is set: Panthers, Oilers will meet in the Stanley Cup Final
SUNRISE, Fla. — Matthew Tkachuk is about to renew some acquaintances. Connor McDavid is going back to where his NHL career started. The Stanley Cup Final matchup is set: The Florida Panthers, back in the title round for the second consecutive year and seeking their first championship, will take on...
Oilers top Stars for West title, will play Florida in the Stanley Cup FinalVideo
EDMONTON, Alberta — Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist in the opening period to get Edmonton going, Stuart Skinner stopped 34 shots for his hometown team and the Oilers capped an improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final by beating the Dallas Stars 2-1 on Sunday night. Zach...
The Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup Final after losing in the title round last yearVideo
SUNRISE, Fla. — The 2023 Stanley Cup Final had just ended, the Vegas Golden Knights were celebrating their championship and a heartbroken bunch of Florida Panthers were taking off their skates for the final time that season. In that moment, standing in the locker room, Aaron Ekblad made a vow....
Panthers back in Stanley Cup Final, top Rangers in 6 games
SUNRISE, Fla. — Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 23 shots, Sam Bennett and Vladimir Tarasenko scored and the Florida Panthers are headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive year after beating the New York Rangers, 2-1, on Saturday night. The Panthers — who lost the final to Vegas last...
Oilers 1 victory away from Stanley Cup chance
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins never has been this close to playing for a Stanley Cup since the Edmonton Oilers took him with the first overall draft pick in 2011. It’s been even longer for the franchise that has won the Cup five times. Edmonton was right in the middle of a span...
NBA’s Mavericks and NHL’s Stars chase Dallas double
DALLAS — Dereck Lively II of the Dallas Mavericks tossed the question back at the reporter when the rookie center was asked if he knew why so many fans shouted “Stars” during the national anthem at his home games. “You tell me why,” Lively said, prompting the explanation that supporters...
Panthers beat Rangers 3-2 in Game 5 to move within win of Stanley Cup Final returnVideo
NEW YORK — Anton Lundell broke a tie on a deflected shot with 9:38 left, and the Florida Panthers moved within a victory of returning to the Stanley Cup Final, beating the New York Rangers, 3-2, in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final Thursday night. Gustav Forsling and Sam...
Hurricanes’ Jaccob Slavin becomes 2-time Lady Byng winner for sportsmanship
NEW YORK — Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin won the NHL’s Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct for the second time Thursday. Also the 2021 winner, he’s the second blue-liner to win it twice, joining Red Kelly, who was a four-time winner, with three coming as a...
Oilers-Stars even after wild swings of momentum, big comebacks
DALLAS — There have been wild swings of momentum in the Western Conference final, and something that has happened only one other time this late in the NHL playoffs. After Edmonton and Dallas both came back from multiple-goal deficits to win while splitting the past two games, this is now...
U mad, bro?: For Pittsburgh sports fans, it’s an OTA week (outwardly tangible anger)
The Pittsburgh Steelers are knee deep in an OTA week: organized team activities. “U mad, bro?” is also knee deep in an OTA week: outwardly tangible anger. Booing Rowdy Tellez. Bemoaning the Penguins’ place in the NHL hierarchy. Rationalizing the Steelers’ lack of wide receiver depth. It’s OTAs, people! Let’s...
Tied going into Game 5, Rangers-Panthers series in East final is quite the show
SUNRISE, Fla. — Some tickets to Thursday’s Game 5 of the Florida-New York series at Madison Square Garden are listed for more than $4,000 apiece on the secondary markets. For Saturday’s Game 6 in South Florida, listings for similar seats at ice level are reaching around $3,000. Obviously, that’s big...
Dan Bylsma rediscovers joy in coaching, lands another NHL job with Seattle Kraken
SEATTLE — When Dan Bylsma took the job as an assistant coach in the American Hockey League in 2021, his hope was to rediscover some enjoyment being a coach. Being back on an NHL bench at that point was the furthest thing from his mind. “I think I needed to...
Down 2-1, Panthers still have plenty of hope in East final against RangersVideo
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Carter Verhaeghe pulled his vehicle out of the players’ parking lot after leaving the Florida Panthers’ practice facility Monday afternoon, only to notice about 50 fans standing on the side of the road clamoring for autographs. So he stopped and signed for a while. Brandon Montour...
New Jets coach Scott Arniel says he’s learned lessons since being fired by ColumbusVideo
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Scott Arniel believes overcoming the lowest point in his career will help him reach higher aspirations with the Winnipeg Jets. Arniel was named coach of the Jets on Friday, 12 years after his only other time in the role ended with him being fired by the Columbus...
Seattle Kraken expected to name Dan Bylsma as coach
SEATTLE — The Seattle Kraken are expected to name Dan Bylsma as their coach, according to a person with knowledge of the choice, putting the man who won the 2009 Stanley Cup title with the Pittsburgh Penguins back in charge of an NHL team for the first time since 2017....
Rangers even series with Florida with OT win
NEW YORK — Barclay Goodrow scored at 14:01 of overtime and the New York Rangers beat the Florida Panthers, 2-1, on Friday night in Game 2 to even the Eastern Conference final. Goodrow fired a snap shot from above that circles over goalie Sergei Bobrovsky’s right shoulder, sending the Madison...
Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner rebounds in playoffs
DALLAS — Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner has gone from getting pulled to being praised again this postseason. “He’s a huge part of this team. Ever since he let ‘Picks’ get in there for two games against Vancouver he’s come back, and he’s been on fire,” Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm...
