NHL

AP Sports WriterWith Laviolette, Preds find offensive payoff in postseasonBy TERESA M. WALKERNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Three years ago, general manager David Poile let the only coach the Predators had ever known in Barry Trotz leave and hired Peter Laviolette to inject more offense into the Nashville lineup.The payoff...

AP Hockey WriterConcussion spotter couldn't pull Crosby for hitting boardsBy STEPHEN WHYNOAn NHL concussion spotter did not find Sidney Crosby's headfirst slide into the boards as a valid reason to remove him from the Pittsburgh Penguins' Game 6 against the Washington Capitals.Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the centralized concussion...

AP Sports WriterMinus Letang, anonymous Penguins' defense still thrivingBy WILL GRAVESPITTSBURGH (AP) The handful of men who carry out the most thankless of tasks for the Pittsburgh Penguins are a rag-tag group thrown together by circumstance and a touch of foresight by general manager Jim Rutherford.They are largely...

Former NHL player gets probation in drug-selling schemeBOSTON (AP) A former NHL player who was on two Stanley Cup championship teams has been sentenced to probation for his role in the illegal sale of prescription painkillers.Kevin Stevens was sentenced Thursday in U.S District Court in Boston to three...

Flyers' Nolan Patrick has second abdominal surgeryPHILADELPHIA (AP) Philadelphia Flyers No. 2 overall pick Nolan Patrick had a second abdominal surgery prior to being drafted and is expected to return to full activity in four to six weeks.General manager Ron Hextall announced the surgery Friday, a week after...

Bruins will bring back Bruce Cassidy as coachBOSTON (AP) The Boston Bruins are bringing Bruce Cassidy back as coach.The team said on Wednesday it will drop the interim tag from Cassidy's title. Cassidy replaced Claude Julien in February and helped the team return to the playoffs for the...

Coyotes sign Rangers defenseman Clendening to 1-year dealGLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) The Arizona Coyotes have signed former New York Rangers defenseman Adam Clendening to a one-year, $650,000 contract.The Coyotes announced the one-way contract on Saturday, the opening day of NHL free agency.The 24-year-old had two goals and nine assists...

AP Sports WriterPens' Nick Bonino on crutches, game-time decision for Game 3By TERESA M. WALKERNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Pittsburgh center Nick Bonino is wearing a walking boot on his left foot and using crutches and Penguins coach Mike Sullivan says the veteran is day to day with a lower-body...

AP Hockey WriterCanadiens sign goalie Carey Price to 8-year extensionBy STEPHEN WHYNOCarey Price signed an $84 million, eight-year contract extension Sunday, likely keeping the franchise goaltender with the Montreal Canadiens for the rest of his career.General manager Marc Bergevin announced the deal on the second day Price was eligible...

Sharks re-sign F Chris Tierney to 1-year dealSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) The San Jose Sharks have re-signed forward Chris Tierney to a one-year contract.The 23-year-old had 11 goals and 12 assists in 80 games for San Jose last season. For his career, he has 24 goals and 40...

Sabres sign defenseman Victor Antipin to 1-year dealBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) The Buffalo Sabres have signed defenseman Victor Antipin to a one-year, entry-level contract.New general manager Jason Botterill announced the deal Thursday. The Sabres had been linked to the 24-year-old free agent for some time.Antipin, a native of Kazakhstan...

AP Hockey WriterRussia becomes a reliable pipeline for ready-made NHL talentBy STEPHEN WHYNODown the street from where Detroit's Russian Five took the NHL by storm in the 1990s, defenseman Nikita Zaitsev sat down for dinner with his agent and explained that his pain of being passed over in the...