Goalie switch can’t save Hurricanes vs. Bruins in Game 3
RALEIGH, N.C. — Chris Wagner and Brad Marchand scored 5 minutes, 7 seconds apart in the second period, and the Boston Bruins beat the Carolina Hurricanes, 2-1, on Tuesday night to take a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals. Tuukka Rask stopped 35 shots for the Bruins, who have...
Defensive switch helps Blues even West final vs. Sharks
ST. LOUIS — With the game — and perhaps the season — in the balance, assistant coach Mike Van Ryn of the St. Louis Blues made a decision. With the Blues battling with the Sharks in San Jose in Game 2 on Monday night, Van Ryn decided to tweak his...
Bro, Beau Bennett predicted Robert Bortuzzo’s huge goal for the Blues
Sure, it’s cliche. But Beau knows. Not necessarily how to score goals himself. Or stay healthy. We know how that went during his Penguins tenure. But Beau Bennett’s hunch about his good buddy Robert Bortuzzo came true during the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday night. Bennett tweeted a screenshot of...
Blues even series with Game 2 road victory over SharksVideo
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Defensemen Vince Dunn and Robert Bortuzzo scored second-period goals that helped the St. Louis Blues overcome another big game from San Jose’s Logan Couture with a 4-2 victory Monday night that tied the Western Conference final at one game apiece. Dunn’s second goal of the postseason...
Down 2-0, Hurricanes seek special teams spark against Boston
RALEIGH, N.C. — It doesn’t matter which team goes on a power play. The Carolina Hurricanes rarely seem to wind up with the advantage. Of all the teams that made it out of the first round of the playoffs, the Hurricanes have been the league’s worst when they’re up a...
Carolina captain Justin Williams sums up playoff loss with disgusting analogy
Playoff losses can be hard to swallow. Just ask Carolina Hurricanes captain Justin Williams. After his team suffered a 6-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Sunday, Williams summed up the experience with an unappetizing analogy. “Sometimes you gotta eat a poop sandwich,” Williams said. “It doesn’t taste good. You...
First call: Kawhi Leonard’s dagger, Putin’s hockey stumble, LeBron being that dad
In “First Call” Monday, Kawhi Leonard’s unreal Game 7 buzzer-beater for Toronto. Vladimir Putin’s on-ice stumble. LeBron James is every sports dad you’ve ever known. Is this the dagger? That was play-by-play man Kevin Harlan’s question on TNT as Kawhi Leonard chucked up a potential series-winning shot to send Toronto...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden on Steelers RB situation, Pirates’ series win, Penguins model
In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden of 105.9 the X and the Tribune-Review joins me to talk about finding interest in the NHL playoffs without the Penguins’ participation. Are the Bruins more of a model for the Penguins’ reconstruction than the Islanders ever were? We get into the...
Luke DeCock: Things going south in a hurry for Hurricanes vs. Bruins
BOSTON — People talk about pushing the panic button like it’s always a bad thing. When things are desperate but not quite dire, there’s a lot to be said for staying the course, pushing a little harder, renovating instead of demolishing. Then there are those moments when there aren’t any...
Bruins open series lead by trouncing HurricanesVideo
BOSTON — Matt Grzelcyk scored twice — his first career multigoal game — and Tuukka Rask made 21 saves Sunday to lead the Bruins to a 6-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes and a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals. Connor Clifton had his first career NHL goal, Jake...
Timo Meier scores twice as Sharks take Game 1 vs. Blues
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Timo Meier scored twice and set up one of Logan Couture’s two goals with a hard hit, sending the San Jose Sharks to a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues in Game 1 of the Western Conference final Saturday night. Meier’s hit on Alex Pietrangelo...
Five points that could help the Hurricanes in Game 2 against the Bruins
BOSTON — Here are five points that could help the Hurricanes even their series with the Bruins. 1. Touuggher on Tuukka The two goals the Hurricanes scored Thursday on Tuukka Rask both came with traffic on the doorstep, Sebastian Aho’s power-play deflection at the edge of the crease and Greg...
Charlie McAvoy’s back for Bruins, and now comes easy part
BOSTON — When he’s playing, Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy said, it’s easy for him to maintain his composure and concentrate on the game in front of him. Up in the press box, that’s the hard part. “I’m not a very good hockey watcher,” McAvoy said as he prepared to return...
Whalers fans still rooting, 22 years after the team’s move
HARTFORD, Conn. — For Mark Anderson, the opening game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Boston Bruins was a trip down memory lane. Anderson was watching Game 1 closely Thursday night at a gathering in suburban Hartford as the Bruins rallied to beat the Hurricanes, 5-2, behind four goals in...
Bruins run away with Game 1 against HurricanesVideo
BOSTON — Marcus Johansson and Patrice Bergeron scored power-play goals 28 seconds apart, and Boston scored four times in the third period to rally from a one-goal deficit and beat the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-2, on Thursday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Tuukka Rask stopped 29 shots...
Blues’ young star Robert Thomas playing beyond his years in Stanley Cup playoffs
ST. LOUIS — He is the youngest player on either roster in the Western Conference finals, but Blues rookie Robert Thomas is playing well beyond his age. Thomas, who won’t turn 20 until July 2, showed off the offensive skill and speed against Dallas that led St. Louis to make...
Joe Pavelski leads Sharks past Avalanche in Game 7
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Captain Joe Pavelski made a triumphant return from a gruesome head injury by posting a goal and an assist in the first period that helped send the San Jose Sharks into the Western Conference final with a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7...
Goalie Jordan Binnington a steady rookie rock as Blues advance
ST. LOUIS — Jordan Binnington still doesn’t look nervous. Sure, the standout rookie goalie for the St. Louis Blues admitted he got a little tired late in the double-overtime win over Dallas in Game 7. But he said he is ready to keep his strong play going as St. Louis...
Western Pa. native Riley Barber looks forward to leaving Capitals
Riley Barber, a native of Washington, Pa., who was one of the top scorers in the AHL this season, sounds like he’s ready to move on from the Washington Capitals organization. Barber, 25, told NBC Sports Washington that he’s eager to test the waters once he hits unrestricted free agency...
Blues’ Pat Maroon’s son breaks down after dad’s Game 7-winning goal
Seeking a dose of “awwwww!” to go with your Game 7, double-overtime excitement? St. Louis Blues forward Pat Maroon put an end to a long night when he stuffed in a rebound to send the Blues to the Western Conference finals with a 2-1, double-overtime win over the Dallas Stars...
First call: Pat Maroon plays Game 7 hero; stunning shootout goal; ex-Pirates steady
In Wednesday’s “First Call,” Game 7 NHL drama. A head-scratching shootout goal. Catching up with Cutch. The Texas Rangers are your new second-favorite baseball team. Feel familiar? Whenever they see a Game 7 playoff contest go to double overtime, Pittsburgh Penguins fans think of this. Thank you, Chris Kunitz. Thank...
Maroon’s OT goal lifts Blues past Stars in Game 7
ST. LOUIS — Pat Maroon scored 5:50 into the second overtime, Jordan Binnington made 29 saves and the St. Louis Blues outlasted the Dallas Stars 2-1 in Game 7 of their Western Conference semifinal playoff series Tuesday night. Maroon slammed the puck in after Robert Thomas skated in on Ben...
Tuukka Rask, Bruins turn focus to Hurricanes in Eastern Conference finals
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Boston Bruins got some timely goals in their tight Eastern Conference semifinal series with Columbus, and when the goals weren’t coming, Tuukka Rask stood tall. The Finn turned in his best playoff performance so far in Monday night’s 3-0 win over the Blue Jackets in Game...
Sharks hope for Joe Pavelski’s return before Game 7 against Avalanche
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Captain Joe Pavelski was getting staples put into his bloody head when the San Jose Sharks staged an epic comeback in Game 7 of the opening round against Vegas. Now that the Sharks have been forced into another ultimate game after missing a chance to eliminate...
Blues in familiar position having to battle back against Stars
The St. Louis Blues have been playing desperate hockey all of 2019 — since being in last place at the start of January and making an incredible comeback to make the playoffs. Now they are trailing in the postseason for the first time, down 3-2 in their second-round series against...
