NHL

AP Sports WriterWith 40 goals for playoffs-bound Wild, Staal has right fitBy DAVE CAMPBELLST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Eric Staal was coming off his least productive NHL season since he was a teenage rookie with Carolina when Minnesota took a flier on him two summers ago to add some...

AP Hockey WriterRussian winger Zaripov cleared to pursue NHL contractBy STEPHEN WHYNODanis Zaripov will get the chance to take his talents to North America after the NHL approved the Russian winger's eligibility following a doping ban in the Kontinental Hockey League and international play.The 36-year-old Zaripov is free to...

AP Hockey WriterCam Talbot carries Oilers past Ducks 2-1, to 2-0 series leadBy GREG BEACHAMANAHEIM, California (AP) While the Anaheim Ducks dominated the puck and peppered the Edmonton net with shots over the final 2 1/2 periods, Cam Talbot stood tall - when he wasn't sprawling, diving or...

AP Hockey WriterAgent to AP: Kahun doesn't rule out re-signing with SabresBy JOHN WAWROWBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) Promising young forward Dominik Kahun is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent after the Buffalo Sabres chose not to issue a qualifying offer to retain his rights by an NHL deadline...

Associated PressMilano scores twice, helps Ducks stop Oilers 4-3 in OTBy DOUG PADILLAANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Sonny Milano had an ideal debut with the Anaheim Ducks.Milano netted the winning goal in overtime and finished with two goals, leading the Ducks to a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers on...

Avs goalie Semyon Varlamov out for rest of regular seasonDENVER (AP) The playoff-chasing Colorado Avalanche received a big blow when goalie Semyon Varlamov and defenseman Erik Johnson were ruled out for the remainder of the regular season due to injuries.Colorado coach Jared Bednar said Saturday that Varlamov suffered...

Associated PressOvechkin gets hat trick with 2 empty-netters, Caps top WingsBy PAUL HARRISDETROIT (AP) Alex Ovechkin won’t be returning the few hats that hit the ice in Detroit, even if he’s had more impressive three-goal games.“A hat trick is a hat trick,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how...

Bryan Little lifts Jets past Hurricanes, 3-1WINNPEG, Manitoba (AP) Bryan Little broke a tie with 2:09 left and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 on Sunday night to open a six-game homestand.Patrick Laine opened the scoring for the Jets at 4:14 of the third period, and...

DETROIT (AP) Dallas boosted its lead in the NHL Central Division with a 4-1 win at Detroit on Sunday, notching their sixth win in seven games.Elsewhere, New Jersey beat Vancouver in overtime to prevent the Canucks going top of the Pacific Division, Boston won at the New York...

AP Sports WriterBlues' D Bouwmeester undergoing tests after cardiac episodeBy JOE REEDYANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) St. Louis defenseman Jay Bouwmeester was hospitalized and undergoing tests early Wednesday after suffering a cardiac episode and collapsing on the bench during the first period of the Blues' game against the Ducks.The team...

AP Sports WriterHome is where the 'L' is? Home teams struggling in playoffsBy WILL GRAVESPITTSBURGH (AP) Having home ice is supposed to be an advantage in the NHL. So far in the 2018 playoffs, the only guarantee to playing at home is a monochrome backdrop provided by fans...

Toronto 0 0 0-0 Washington 1 1 2-4 First Period-1, Washington, Ovechkin 40 (Backstrom, Alzner), :33. Second Period-2, Washington, Ovechkin 41 (Orpik, Carlson), 5:30. Third Period-3, Washington, Johansson 15 (Brouwer, Ovechkin), 9:14 (pp). 4, Washington, Ward 15 (Fehr), 15:07 (en). Shots on Goal-Toronto 13-8-11-32. Washington 9-11-12-32. Goalies-Toronto, Reimer. Washington, Holtby. A-18,506 (18,506). T-2:28.