Matthews wins Hart Trophy as NHL’s most valuable playerVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — Toronto’s Auston Matthews won the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s MVP on Tuesday night, beating out Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers to win the award for the first time. Shesterkin claimed the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender. Colorado’s Cale...
Refreshed Lightning look to even Stanley Cup Final against AvalancheVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — So much for the notion the Tampa Bay Lightning might be running out of gas against the speedy Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Final. Turns out the team’s recipe for postseason success still works when the two-time defending champions incorporate all the ingredients. Such as goaltender...
Lightning bounce back, beat Avalanche in Game 3
TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning’s bid for a three-peat is alive and well. With Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy leading the way, the star-laden, two-time defending champions beat the Colorado Avalanche, 6-2, on Monday night in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. The...
Lightning may be running out of gas vs fresher AvalancheVideo
DENVER — It’s no secret Tampa Bay has played more hockey over the past two years than any other team in the NHL. That finally might be taking a toll on the two-time defending champ Lightning against the Colorado Avalanche, who took a much shorter route to the Stanley Cup...
Avalanche rout Lightning, 7-0, to take 2-0 lead in Stanley Cup Final
DENVER — Looking like by far the better team against the defending champions, the Colorado Avalanche overwhelmed the Tampa Bay Lightning, 7-0, in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Valeri Nichushkin scored his seventh and eighth goals of...
Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom undergoes hip resurfacing surgeryVideo
Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom underwent invasive surgery on his left hip, a move that could sideline him long term but is designed to give him a chance to continue playing hockey. The Capitals said Saturday that Backstrom had hip-resurfacing surgery a day earlier at the ANCA Clinic in Sint-Martens-Latem,...
Avalanche-Lightning Stanley Cup Final shows value of hitting on top draft picksVideo
DENVER — The Tampa Bay Lightning’s lean years helped them land Steven Stamkos with the first pick in the 2008 NHL Draft and Victor Hedman second in 2009. Same for the Colorado Avalanche with Gabriel Landeskog going second in 2011, Nathan MacKinnon first in 2013 and Cale Makar fourth in...
Flyers hire John Tortorella to ‘restore a winning environment’
PHILADELPHIA — John Tortorella is about the only NHL coach with such a motley compilation of highlight reels. There are censored versions of his rants. Uncensored versions. He’s angry at reporters. At his players. There is a video of “6 minutes of John Tortorella Angry Moments,” which one can click...
Lightning unfazed trailing Avalanche in Stanley Cup FinalVideo
DENVER — Minutes after losing Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in overtime, Patrick Maroon scoffed at the idea that it was some sort of gut punch to the Tampa Bay Lightning. “Two really good teams going at it,” he said. “That’s Game 1. We just got to refocus...
Avalanche beat Lightning in OT to open Stanley Cup Final
DENVER — Andre Burakovsky scored 1 minute, 23 seconds into overtime, and the Colorado Avalanche opened the Stanley Cup Final with a 4-3 victory over the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night. Burakovsky ended it after the Avalanche failed to score on a power play that began...
Commissioner Gary Bettman says NHL projected to set revenue record this seasonVideo
DENVER — NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league is projecting record revenue this season, an increase he credits to more scoring leading to higher television ratings and more interest in the game. Bettman at his annual state of the league address Wednesday before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup...
First Call: Former Steeler makes ‘All-Underrated’ list; Derek Shelton on near no-hitter; ex-Penguin’s coaching achievement
Wednesday’s “First Call” features some praise for a few current Pittsburgh Steelers and a former Super Bowl champion. Derek Shelton reflects on Cal Mitchell’s at-bat to break up last night’s no-hit bid in St. Louis. And a former Penguin hauls in a coaching honor. No complaints here Former Steelers linebacker...
Avalanche try to finally break through with Cup title, but 2-time champ Tampa Bay stands in wayVideo
Nathan MacKinnon wouldn’t have it any other way. He and the Colorado Avalanche have stubbed their toe many times in the playoffs over the past several years, never getting past the second round. Now that they have broken through to reach the Stanley Cup Final, naturally, they need to beat...
Rangers hope to build on deep playoff run for future successVideo
Two days after being eliminated in the Eastern Conference Final, the New York Rangers still haven’t gotten over their loss. “You go on a great run like that, so many people reach out to tell you how proud they are of you, of your group, but right now it stings,”...
Winnipeg brewery to Trotz: Free beer for life to coach JetsVideo
A Winnipeg brewery says it will give Barry Trotz free beer for life if he returns to his native province to coach the Jets. Little Brown Jug Brewing Company and a local sports talk show launched the campaign Monday, several months into the NHL club’s coaching search. Trotz became available...
Avalanche have high expectations in Stanley Cup FinalVideo
Expectations for the Colorado Avalanche have not diminished since the start of the playoffs. They were favored to win the Western Conference and reach the Stanley Cup Final, and now that they’re here, oddsmakers think they have an edge over the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have won the last two...
Mark Madden: NHL is its own worst enemy, allowing stars and skill to be neutralized
The New York Rangers have been eliminated from the NHL playoffs. It’s a sad day. Hockey without heads getting targeted just isn’t hockey. But the Rangers gave themselves a proper send-off in their Game 6 exit at Tampa Bay: Jacob Trouba didn’t quite get nine heads in a duffel bag...
Avalanche veteran Erik Johnson, rookie Bowen Byram form tight bond
DENVER — There’s a 13-year age gap in the pairing of Colorado Avalanche defensemen Erik Johnson and Bowen Byram. They play different styles, too. But their chemistry on the ice is undeniable and their stories have another link, too, as both have dealt with the lingering effects of concussions. Longtime...
Avalanche, Lightning set for anticipated Stanley Cup clash
Steven Stamkos watched the Colorado Avalanche the past few years and figured he and the Tampa Bay Lightning would see them in the Stanley Cup Final before this. The Lightning are back, looking for the NHL’s first three-peat in almost 40 years, and the Colorado core led by Nathan MacKinnon...
Steven Stamkos leads Lightning past Rangers into Stanley Cup Final
TAMPA, Fla — Steven Stamkos scored two goals and the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning are headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year after beating the New York Rangers, 2-1, in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final on Saturday night. Stamkos put the Lightning...
Lightning say it won’t be easy to dispatch resilient RangersVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning know what type of effort it will take to finish off the New York Rangers. The two-time defending champions are one win away from a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final, where they would continue their bid to become the first...
Colorado Avalanche ride 2 goalies into Stanley Cup FinalVideo
Matt Murray stepped on the ice on the first day of the 2017 NHL playoffs ready to lead the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins to the Stanley Cup again. He didn’t make it to puck drop. An injury during warmups sidelined him for a month and turned the job over to...
Mikhail Sergachev scores 2, Lightning beat Rangers in Game 5
NEW YORK — Mikhail Sergachev scored his second goal of the game with 1 minute, 50 seconds remaining to break a tie and lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday night for a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference final. Brandon...
Avalanche remain in holding pattern, start early prep for final
DENVER — There were quite a few big names missing from the ice for the Colorado Avalanche’s practice Thursday: Captain Gabriel Landeskog, defensemen Devon Toews and Josh Manson, forward Andre Burakovsky. No need for concern, though. Just a maintenance day for that particular group of Avalanche players as they rest...
Rangers in familiar spot, back home after 2 road lossesVideo
The New York Rangers have been in a similar position before in this postseason: looking to reverse the momentum back home after dropping two games on the road. In the first round against Pittsburgh, they returned home after falling into a 3-1 series hole and won three straight to advance....
