Bills, Sabres co-owner Kim Pegula ‘progressing’ from health issueVideo
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills and Sabres co-owner Kim Pegula is “progressing well” while rehabilitating from a health issue she experienced earlier this month, the family said in a statement released Tuesday. The family would only say Pegula is resting while adding they are “grateful for the medical professionals providing...
Avalanche, Lightning show importance of making smart trades
TAMPA, Fla. — In a copycat league known for following the Stanley Cup champions, Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog paused when asked what other teams could do to emulate their success. With a grin, Landeskog replied: “Find a Cale Makar somewhere.” Playoff MVP Makar was a big part of Colorado’s...
Swede Day: Daniel Alfredsson, Sedin twins elected to Hockey Hall of FameVideo
Twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin and Daniel Alfredsson were elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame, a big day for Swedish hockey as they made up half of the class of 2022. Goaltender Roberto Luongo, Finnish women’s star Riikka Sallinen and builder Herb Carnegie also were selected Monday for induction...
Nathan MacKinnon shines in helping Avalanche win Stanley Cup
TAMPA, Fla. — Andrew Cogliano shouted at Nathan MacKinnon in the midst of the Colorado Avalanche’s Stanley Cup celebration. “87!” he bellowed. It was a reference to the final two numbers of MacKinnon’s hotel room, which Colorado’s star forward thought was a great omen when he checked in ahead of...
Bruins re-up GM Don Sweeney; 1st job to find Cassidy replacement
BOSTON — All those wins and playoff appearances weren’t enough for Bruce Cassidy to keep his job as Boston Bruins coach. But they earned general manager Don Sweeney a contract extension. The Bruins said on Monday they have signed Sweeney to a multiyear extension, six weeks after they lost in...
Avalanche D-man Cale Makar wins Conn Smythe as playoff MVP
Cale Makar led the Colorado Avalanche in scoring on the way to winning the Stanley Cup. It was no surprise the dynamic defenseman was the unanimous choice for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. “It’s surreal to me,” Makar said. “You grow up, you see that as a kid,...
Avalanche dethrone Lightning to win Stanley Cup for 3rd time
TAMPA, Fla. — The Colorado Avalanche are back atop hockey’s mountain after dethroning the two-time defending champions. Behind a goal and an assist from Nathan MacKinnon, the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup for the third time in franchise history and first in more than two decades by beating the Tampa...
Avalanche’s Andre Burakovsky a ‘possibility’ to return for Game 6
TAMPA, Fla. — The status of a couple of key players remains uncertain for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar says there’s a chance Game 1 overtime hero Andre Burakovsky could return Sunday night following a three-game absence from the best-of-seven series. Tampa Bay’s...
Palat is money for Lightning, could cash in as free agentVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — If this is Ondrej Palat’s final playoff run with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he is making it count. Soon he could be counting in the tens of millions of dollars on a new contract. A pending free agent with a knack for scoring big goals to go...
NHL experiencing sustained growth with female, younger fansVideo
One of the biggest stories in the NHL this season has been the increase in viewers in the league’s first year of its television contracts with ESPN and TNT. The league also is seeing unparalleled growth in female and younger fans that should have a big impact for years to...
Lightning win Game 5, deny Avalanche chance to take Stanley Cup
DENVER — The Tampa Bay Lightning spoiled the Colorado Avalanche’s party to stay in the hunt for a third straight Stanley Cup title, winning 3-2 on Friday night in Game 5. Ondrej Palat scored with 6 minutes, 22 seconds remaining, and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 36 shots in front of a...
AP source: Blackhawks aim for Canadiens assistant Luke Richardson
CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks are nearing a deal with Luke Richardson to become their next coach, turning to the former NHL defenseman to help lead their already-painful rebuilding process. Richardson and the Blackhawks are working on a contract, according to a person familiar with the talks, and the move...
Avalanche a win away from dethroning 2-time champ LightningVideo
DENVER — Cale Makar and the Colorado Avalanche weren’t all that interested in glancing back at the simmering controversy over the way Game 4 ended in overtime. Of way more importance was looking ahead to this: A chance to clinch the franchise’s first Stanley Cup title since 2001. In front...
NHL, players union, alumni association team up for NFT deal
The NHL, NHL Players’ Association and NHL Alumni Association are teaming up to get hockey into the NFT marketplace. The organizations announced a multiyear deal Thursday making Sweet their official digital collectibles partner. While not confirming exact terms, NHL executive VP of business development and innovation Dave Lehanski said the...
Nazem Kadri’s OT goal lifts Avalanche over Lightning in Game 4Video
TAMPA, Fla. — Nazem Kadri scored at 12:02 of overtime and the Colorado Avalanche beat Tampa Bay 3-2 on Wednesday night in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final to move within a victory of dethroning the two-time defending champion Lightning. Playing for the first time since June 4 due...
Valeri Nichushkin dominating for Avalanche in Stanley Cup Final
Valeri Nichushkin stood in front of a poster of Alex Ovechkin hoisting the Stanley Cup on the eve of his first trip to the final and remembered what it was like to witness that moment. “That was fun to watch when Ovi win it, especially when he celebrated,” he said....
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...
