NHL

Blackhawks announce 3-year deal with forward Nick SchmaltzCHICAGO (AP) The Chicago Blackhawks agreed to a three-year contract with forward Nick Schmaltz on Sunday.The Blackhawks selected Schmaltz in the first round of the 2014 draft. The deal helps ease the sting from the loss of Teuvo Teravainen, who was...

AP Sports WriterPreds leaning on Rinne to force Penguins back to PittsburghBy TERESA M. WALKERNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Pekka Rinne is a friendly, polite man off the ice. Slipping the puck past the Nashville Predators goaltender is one of the few ways to anger the 6-foot-5 Finn.Pucks bouncing past...

The Latest: Cole gives Penguins 1-0 lead early in Game 4SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) The Latest on Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks (all times local):5:33 p.m. PDTIan Cole picked a great time to score his first goal in...

Red Wings trade Russia-bound Datsyuk's contract to CoyotesBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) The Detroit Red Wings gained salary-cap relief by trading veteran star Pavel Datsyuk's contract to the Arizona Coyotes on Friday night at the NHL draft.The 37-year-old Datsyuk said last week that he will return home to Russia to...

The Latest: Game 4 starts after Metallica's anthemSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) The Latest on Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks (all times local):5:20 p.m. PDTGame 4 of the Stanley Cup Final is underway after a rousing national anthem from...

AP Sports WriterDown 0-2 and still scoreless, Blackhawks remain confidentBy TERESA M. WALKERNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Chicago Blackhawks know one thing with an absolute certainty: They must play better.Scoring their first goal against Pekka Rinne this postseason would be a good start.Instead, the Western Conference's top seed trails...

NEW YORK (AP) - Johnny Boychuk and the New York Islanders have agreed on a long-term contract extension that assures that two of the club's top defensemen will stick together well after the team locates to Brooklyn next season. Boychuk received a seven-year deal Thursday, as Nick Leddy did late...

Washington 0 1 1-2N.Y. Rangers 2 0 1-3First Period-1, N.Y. Rangers, Kreider 2 (Fast, Stepan), :38. 2, N.Y. Rangers, Boyle 1, 15:40 (pp).Second Period-3, Washington, Kuznetsov 4 (Chimera), 13:59.Third Period-4, N.Y. Rangers, Brassard 4 (St. Louis, Nash), 6:07. 5, Washington, Ovechkin...

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) - Sheldon Kennedy hopes receiving one of Canada's top honors will help draw attention to child abuse.The 45-year-old former NHL player, sexually abused by his junior hockey coach in the 1980s, was one of 95 admissions and promotions to the Order of Canada announced Friday.''I'm not...

Blue Jackets sign G Korpisalo to 2-year contract extensionCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed backup goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to a two-year contract extension.The 23-year-old Korpisalo was a backup last season to All-Star Sergei Bobrovsky. The native of Finland was 7-5-1 with a 2.88 goals-against average,...

AP Hockey WriterBig goalie, little kid dominate All-Star Skills CompetitionBy GREG BEACHAMLOS ANGELES (AP) Big Mike Smith and little Ryker Kesler stole the show at the NHL All-Star Skills Competition.The towering Arizona goalie scored a 188-foot goal during the Four Line Challenge on Saturday night, and the 6-year-old...

AP Sports WriterPanthers say they're hopeful of postseason pushBy TIM REYNOLDSSUNRISE, Fla. (AP) For the Florida Panthers, there's no more waiting for the postseason push.The time for urgency has arrived for the reigning Atlantic Division champions, who have put themselves in a fairly precarious position when it comes...