NHL

Blake Wheeler took little comfort in the Winnipeg Jets' improvement this season. The Jets' playoff chances disappeared before their 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. Winnipeg finished ninth in the Eastern Conference, one spot out of the playoffs and better than last season. "I'm going to have a hard...

Evgeni Malkin was held out of overtime and the shootout Saturday night as a precautionary measure, Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. The Penguins star center took a heavy hit from Toronto winger James van Riemsdyk late in the third period and didn't take another shift. "Just an upper-body injury, kept...

Call it a win for the Flyers and Boston charities. Make it one blown opportunity for the Bruins to stand alone atop the Northeast Division. Matt Read and Oliver Lauridsen scored 7 seconds apart to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night. The...

CHICAGO (AP) The International Olympic Committee and hockey's governing body will have to make concessions before the NHL sends the world's best players to the Winter Games in South Korea next year, commissioner Gary Bettman said on Friday. ''As things stand today, you should assume we're not going,'' he said. Bettman...

The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired forward Matthew Ford from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for future considerations. Ford will report to the Blue Jackets' American Hockey League in Springfield, Mass. Originally selected by Chicago in the eighth round, 256th overall, of the 2004 NHL draft, Ford has 72 goals and...

The Avalanche are embracing their role as spoilers. Well back and way out of the playoff race, Colorado is making things difficult for teams in or contending for a playoff spot. Because if they don't play inspired hockey, they run the risk of incurring the wrath of veteran goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere...

RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) Finnish winger Sebastian Aho seems to be coming along nicely in his rookie season with the Carolina Hurricanes. Aho scored his second goal of the game 1:34 into overtime to lift Carolina to a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins in the NHL on Sunday. It was...

The board of governors ratified the tentative agreement reached Sunday between the NHL and NHLPA, commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed Wednesday. The 30 governors on hand for the league's board of governors meeting voted unanimously to pass, completing one half of ratification. All that is needed for the deal to become official...

CHICAGO (AP) Cam Talbot came through again to help the Edmonton Oilers keep climbing in the standings. Talbot made 38 saves, Connor McDavid scored his 20th goal and the Oilers beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 on Saturday night for their third straight win. Matt Benning and Milan Lucic also scored for...

The Vancouver Canucks re-signed defenseman Alex Edler to a six-year deal on Friday. The six-year deal is worth $30 million. The 26-year-old had 11 goals and 38 assists in 82 games with the Canucks last season. Edler has spent his entire career with Vancouver after being drafted 91st overall in the...

MONTREAL (AP) Patrik Laine and Mathieu Perreault each had a goal and an assist, and the Winnipeg Jets spoiled Claude Julien's return to Montreal with a 3-1 victory over the Canadiens on Saturday. Joel Armia also scored for Winnipeg (27-29-5), and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 19 shots. The Jets had dropped...

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin will return to the lineup Monday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The league's reigning MVP hasn't played since his concussion after slamming into the end boards in a win over Florida on Feb. 22. Coach Dan Bylsma says Malkin has passed all the mandatory...