Defense and goaltending unlikely reasons why Oilers have moved on to Western Conference finalVideo
LAS VEGAS — The Edmonton Oilers have been the team that didn’t seem bothered by giving up four goals because they were more than capable of scoring at least five. And, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl anchoring the team, Edmonton can still win shootouts. But winning a Stanley Cup...
U.S. backup Jake Oettinger outplaying starter Connor Hellebuyck in NHL playoffs
DALLAS — Winnipeg Jets fans have showered Jake Oettinger with chants referring to his role as the USA Hockey backup goalie to Connor Hellebuyck during the 4 Nations Face-Off earlier this year. Well, that “U.S. backup” has Dallas on the verge of its third consecutive trip to the Western Conference...
Philadelphia Flyers hire Rick Tocchet as coach, turning to alum to end playoff drought
The Philadelphia Flyers hired Rick Tocchet as their coach Wednesday, hoping his return to the franchise will push them out of an extended rebuild and into playoff contention. Tocchet spent 2 1/2 seasons in Vancouver and won the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year in 2023-24 for...
Stars’ Miro Heiskanen activated from IR, could return in Game 4 after missing 42 games
DALLAS — Defenseman Miro Heiskanen was activated from long-term injured reserve Tuesday, meaning he could return to the Dallas Stars lineup for the first time in 3 1/2 months when they play Game 4 of their second-round NHL playoff series against Winnipeg. Stars coach Pete DeBoer said earlier Tuesday that...
Mikko Rantanen has a goal and 2 assists for Stars in 5-2 win over Jets to take a 2-1 series leadVideo
DALLAS — Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists, including on the tiebreaking goal by Alexander Petrovic that was finally confirmed after a lengthy review as the Dallas Stars beat the Winnipeg Jets, 5-2, on Sunday to take 2-1 lead in the second-round Western Conference series. Officials reviewed Petrovic’s...
Svechnikov, Andersen lead Hurricanes past Capitals 4-0 in Game 3 of 2nd-round playoff seriesVideo
RALEIGH, N.C. — Andrei Svechnikov pounced on a loose faceoff puck for his sixth postseason goal, and Frederik Andersen had 21 saves as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals, 4-0, on Saturday night for a 2-1 lead in their second-round playoff series. Svechnikov sprang into the circle to beat...
For Panthers, Brad Marchand story keeps getting better
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Such a scene would have been simply unimaginable just a few months ago. Brad Marchand scores an overtime goal to win a playoff game, and Florida Panthers great-turned-executive Roberto Luongo pumps his fists and gives some hugs in celebration. Well, it happened. They have history and...
Hellebuyck and Jets back on road in NHL playoffs at Dallas
The latest version of Connor Hellebuyck certainly resembles the goalie who was so dominant in the regular season for Winnipeg. Now he has to go on the road again in the NHL playoffs against Dallas. Florida is back in its series against Toronto, avoiding the dreaded 3-0 deficit thanks to...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Rooting for Canada to again be denied a Stanley Cup
I’m not a good neutral when it comes to watching sports. If I don’t have a rooting interest, it’s got to be a marquee game: Two top-flight opponents, Game 7 of a series, single-elimination playoff, Super Bowl, something like that. So, I’m not that enthusiastic about the Stanley Cup playoffs....
Penguins’ Sidney Crosby, Avs’ Nathan MacKinnon back together at hockey worldsVideo
Be aware: Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon join forces to play for Canada at the ice hockey world championship after 10 years. As all eyes are on the NHL playoffs, the two major stars are in Europe for the worlds opening Friday across the Swedish capital of Stockholm and Denmark’s...
Joel Quenneville hired by Ducks for 1st head coaching job since Blackhawks abuse scandalVideo
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Joel Quenneville returned to hockey Thursday with contrition. He acknowledged mistakes and said he accepted full responsibility for his role in the Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal. The second-winningest coach in NHL history said he is a changed man after nearly four years away from the game....
Mikko Rantanen and other trade deadline additions are having big impacts on the NHL playoffsVideo
Mikko Rantanen is showing why Dallas was willing to pay such a hefty price to put him the roster. One of the players the Stars traded for Rantanen also is making a positive impact for his new team. Nearly every team in the second round of the NHL playoffs is...
Utah Mammoth is the permanent name of NHL team in Salt Lake City
The NHL team in Salt Lake City is now known as the Utah Mammoth. Owners Ryan and Ashley Smith unveiled the franchise’s permanent name Thursday morning after more than a year of fan input and voting. “From Day 1, we committed that this team would be built with and for...
Wild’s Bill Guerin to be aggressive with cap constraints gone
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild have entered a critical offseason, able to fully participate in free agency again after two years of significant salary cap constraints. Without an NHL playoff series win in the last 10 years, the urgency for the club to build a deeper roster around...
Jets, Stars meet in 2nd round of playoffs after both had epic Game 7 rallies to advanceVideo
There was that natural inclination for Dallas Stars coach Pete DeBoer to start paying more attention to St. Louis while watching the game that would determine who his team would play next in the NHL playoffs. But he never really started preparing for the Blues, even as they had a...
Jared Bednar receives vote of confidence after Avalanche ousted early again
DENVER — Jared Bednar’s job on the bench appears perfectly safe after the Colorado Avalanche were ousted in the early rounds yet again. General manager Chris MacFarland gave Bednar a vote of confidence Tuesday — “100% confident Jared’s our head coach,” MacFarland exclaimed in a deconstruct-what-went-sideways news conference. This first-round...
Settle in and get ready: An ‘ultracompetitive’ 2nd round of the NHL playoffs is here
The second round of the NHL playoffs begins Monday night, after no sweeps and two series going the distance to get to this point. Dallas emerged from a seven-game series against Colorado, and Edmonton rallied from down 2-0 to eliminate Los Angeles and move on in the gauntlet that is...
Blues score 3 goals in 2:13 of the second period to beat Jets 5-2 and force a Game 7Video
ST. LOUIS — Cam Fowler, Brayden Schenn and Nathan Walker scored in a 2:13 span of the second period and the St. Louis Blues beat the Winnipeg Jets, 5-2, on Friday night to force a Game 7 in the first-round series. Philip Broberg had a goal and an assist, Alexey...
With Minnesota’s 1st-round loss, Marc-Andre Fleury’s career comes to an end
When the Minnesota Wild lost 3-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights to end a Western Conference first-round series Thursday night, it was the end of an era in the NHL. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury’s career has come to an end. Fans at the XCel Energy Center chanted Fleury’s name during the...
Report: New York Rangers close to hiring Mike Sullivan
How long will Mike Sullivan remain unemployed after parting ways with the Penguins on Monday? Apparently less than a week. According to multiple reports, Sullivan is close to becoming head coach of the New York Rangers. ESPN, which first reported the news Thursday evening, said Sullivan’s deal will be among...
Vegas moves on with 3-2 win in series clincher, as Wild go 1-and-done yet againVideo
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Jack Eichel scored his first goal of the series to give the Vegas the lead late in the second period, and Adin Hill held it up on a 29-save night to spur the Golden Knights onto the second round with a 3-2 victory in Game 6...
Maple Leafs advance to the 2nd round of NHL playoffs by eliminating Senators 4-2 in Game 6Video
OTTAWA, Ontario — Max Pacioretty scored a tiebreaking goal with less than six minutes remaining in the third period, leading the Toronto Maple Leafs to a series-clinching 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night in Game 6 of the first-round matchup. William Nylander had two goals — including...
Lightning helped Panthers learn how to win
Winning in the Stanley Cup playoffs and becoming a championship-capable team, Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said, is an art. It’s something that has to be learned. Turns out, the Lightning were good teachers. And the Florida Panthers were really good students. The Lightning, unbeknownst to them at the time,...
Capitals stay even-keeled to eliminate Canadiens in 5, win 1st series since 2018
WASHINGTON — Just like during the season when they were the top team in the Eastern Conference and one of the best in the NHL, the Washington Capitals got goals from Alex Ovechkin, superb play in net from Logan Thompson and scoring up and down their lineup in the first...
Rick Tocchet won’t return as Canucks coach, becomes a top candidate for vacancies around the NHL
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Rick Tocchet is not returning as coach of the Vancouver Canucks, the team announced Tuesday, plunging them into another search and making him a top candidate for several vacancies around the NHL. Tocchet’s departure comes after 2 1/2 seasons in Vancouver since replacing Bruce Boudreau in...
