Lightning beat Rangers in Game 4 to even East final
TAMPA, Fla. — Nikita Kucherov scored on a breakaway and Andrei Vasilevskiy had 33 saves Tuesday night, helping the Tampa Bay Lightning shut down the New York Rangers 4-1 and even the NHL’s Eastern Conference final at two games apiece. Kucherov took a pass from Ondrej Palat in the middle...
Avalanche win battle of attrition to reach Stanley Cup final
With Nazem Kadri out with an injury, Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen shifted to center to take his spot and was on the receiving end of a few chops on the back of his leg from Edmonton’s Duncan Keith that sent him to the ice. Rantanen rose to his feet, shoved Keith...
Avalanche finish sweep of Oilers in OT to advance to Stanley Cup Final
EDMONTON, Alberta — Artturi Lehkonen scored 1:19 into overtime, and Colorado rallied to beat the Edmonton Oilers, 6-5, on Monday night, completing a four-game sweep in the Western Conference final and sending the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2001. Colorado will take on the...
Jets’ Kyle Connor wins Lady Byng for gentlemanly conduct
NEW YORK — Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor won the Lady Byng Trophy, given to the NHL’s most gentlemanly player. The league announced the honor Monday night before Game 4 of the Western Conference final between Colorado and Edmonton. Connor tied for the second-fewest number of minor penalties during the...
First Call: Ex-Steeler pans Devin Bush; Pittsburgh prospect impresses at NHL scouting combine
Monday’s “First Call” has a scathing critique of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Devin Bush. Former Pirate Cole Tucker signs with a new team. The Cleveland Browns retain a piece of their puzzle at a position of need for the Steelers. And a local product impresses at the NHL scouting combine. Hoge...
Palat’s late goal lifts Lightning over Rangers, back into seriesVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — Just when it appeared the New York Rangers might be ready to push Tampa Bay to the brink of elimination, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning showed they were nowhere near finished. Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos scored to wipe out a two-goal deficit, and Ondrej...
Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron wins Selke Trophy for record 5th timeVideo
Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron won the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward for a record-breaking fifth time. The honor unveiled Sunday before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final could be Bergeron’s last if he decides to retire on the verge of his 37th birthday. He does...
Avalanche win again, push Oilers to brink of elimination
EDMONTON, Alberta — J.T. Compher came out of the penalty box to give Colorado the lead with 7:18 left and the Avalanche beat the Edmonton Oilers, 4-2, on Saturday night to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals. Called for tripping Leon Draisaitl just three minutes after Ryan...
Rangers beat Lightning in New York for 2-0 series lead
NEW YORK — Mika Zibanejad scored in the third period, Igor Shesterkin stopped 29 shots and the New York Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-2, on Friday night to take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals. K’Andre Miller and Kaapo Kakko scored in the first period,...
Avalanche shut out Oilers for 2-0 series lead
DENVER — Nazem Kadri had three assists in a 2-minute, 4-second span in the second period, backup Pavel Francouz stopped 24 shots for his second career playoff shutout and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Edmonton Oilers, 4-0, on Thursday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals....
‘Kid Line’ helping Rangers get first series lead this playoffsVideo
The New York Rangers’ third line has been making valuable contributions all season, and the trio’s success in Game 1 against Tampa Bay is a big reason the team finally has a lead during a postseason series. Dubbed “The Kid Line” because of their ages — Filip Chytil is 22,...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans pounce on Doug Whaley’s Jack Ham comments; Pirates fans rip roster; reader backs Jacob Trouba hits
Despite a good week out west, fans are still piling on the Pittsburgh Pirates. Criticism of Jacob Trouba’s hits have hockey fans in a snit. And someone was critical of a Super Stiller from the 1970s. Perhaps the ultimate Pittsburgh sin. All that and more in this week’s “U mad,...
Rangers rout Lightning, take Game 1 of Eastern Conference finalsVideo
NEW YORK — Filip Chytil scored twice in the second period, and the New York Rangers routed the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, 6-2, on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin and Frank Vatrano each had a goal and...
Mark Madden: Avalanche-Oilers matchup shows what hockey could be
Colorado beat Edmonton, 8-6, in the first game of the Western Conference final Tuesday. That game is how fans want hockey to be: 14 goals, 84 shots, fast, creative, fun, a ton of prime scoring chances and a fierce comeback by the Oilers that fell just short. The stars delivered:...
Avalanche hold off Oilers for wild 8-6 victory in Game 1
DENVER — In a frenetic game that featured 14 goals, Colorado and Edmonton players came away with the same thought — defense can’t be so optional. J.T. Compher scored twice, Cale Makar had a goal and two assists and the Avalanche held off the Oilers, 8-6, on Tuesday night in...
Vasilevskiy, Shesterkin highlight Lightning-Rangers matchupVideo
Andrei Vasilevskiy has won a Vezina Trophy and two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Igor Shesterkin is a finalist for the Vezina this year as he leads the New York Rangers in their pursuit of their first championship since 1994 and second in 82 years. The Russian goalies...
Rangers beat Carolina in Game 7 to reach Eastern Conference finals
RALEIGH, N.C. — Chris Kreider scored twice, Igor Shesterkin was strong in net again, and the New York Rangers ended Carolina’s perfect postseason run at home, beating the Hurricanes, 6-2, in the decisive Game 7 of their second-round playoff series Monday night. Shesterkin — a finalist for the for both...
The puck stops here: Way out of West may rest on goaltenders
DENVER — Beyond the marquee matchup featuring Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon there’s another just as intriguing — the goaltenders responsible for stopping two of the best scorers in the world. They’re each embracing the challenge, too, as the Western Conference final starts Tuesday night in Denver. Colorado goaltender Darcy...
West final boasts Nathan MacKinnon versus Connor McDavid, 2 speedy teams
DENVER — The headline act for the Western Conference final: Connor McDavid against Nathan MacKinnon. The show is about to get real good. This is a series sure to generate lots of end-to-end, fast-paced, goal-scoring entertainment as McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers meet MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche starting Tuesday...
Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin new king of New YorkVideo
Igor Shesterkin pulls the mask up on top of his head, takes a sip of water and looks around. Instead of squirting the bottle through the cage and shuffling back into position, he takes a few seconds to soak in the atmosphere. “He has that grin like he’s loving every...
McDavid, Oilers eliminate Flames in OT, on to West finals
CALGARY, Alberta — Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl dominated the first playoff Battle of Alberta in 31 years. It was fitting Edmonton’s dynamic duo combined to end it. McDavid scored at 5:03 of overtime and the Oilers defeated the Calgary Flames 5-4 on Thursday night in Game 5 of the...
First Call: Who is Steelers most underappreciated player; Pittsburgh connections help Hurricanes beat Rangers
Friday’s “First Call” debates the Steelers most “underappreciated player.” We also look ahead to the Pirates game against Joe Musgrove. And some Pittsburgh connections played a role in the Carolina Hurricanes win over the New York Rangers on Thursday night. Plus, a happy anniversary for the Penguins, but a sad...
Hurricanes win Game 5, push Rangers to brink of eliminationVideo
RALEIGH, N.C. — Upper St. Clair’s Vincent Trocheck buried a short-handed goal, Teuvo Teravainen had a rare power-play score for Carolina and the Hurricanes beat the New York Rangers, 3-1, on Thursday night to take a 3-2 lead in the second-round playoff series. Andrei Svechnikov also scored, beating Igor Shesterkin...
Mike Sielski: Claude Giroux’s star-crossed career adds another missed Stanley Cup chapter
PHILADELPHIA — Claude Giroux had begun to acknowledge the inevitability of his situation years ago. It was the summer of 2018, just before the Flyers’ first day of training camp. Dave Hakstol had helped him revitalize his career the season before, moving him from center to left wing. With the...
Capitals’ Tom Wilson out 6-8 months after knee surgeryVideo
ARLINGTON, Va. — Washington Capitals right winger Tom Wilson is expected to miss six to eight months after undergoing surgery to reconstruct the torn ACL in his left knee. The team announced Wednesday that Wilson had a successful ACL replacement procedure a day earlier — four weeks after injuring the...
