NHL

AP Sports WriterOld cogs, new tricks? Penguins eye reboot after flameoutBy WILL GRAVESCRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (AP) The Pittsburgh Penguins began the franchise’s longest offseason in more than a decade with general manager Jim Rutherford talking about the need for its stars to get past the complacency he feared...

Associated PressDevils' Boyle returns to practice after leukemia diagnosisBy JIM HAGUENEWARK, N.J. (AP) When Brian Boyle received word last month that he had cancer, a return to hockey was the last thing on his mind.''I didn't know what to expect,'' Boyle, an 11-year NHL veteran, said Monday. ''I...

AP Hockey WriterFormer NHL goalie Ray Emery drowns in Hamilton, OntarioBy STEPHEN WHYNORetired NHL goaltender Ray Emery, who helped the Ottawa Senators reach the final in 2007 and won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013, drowned in his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario. He was 35.Hamilton Police...

Associated PressPominville lifts Sabres past NHL-best Lightning in overtimeBy ERIK ERLENDSSONTAMPA, Fla. (AP) Jason Pominville scored on a power play at 1:26 of overtime to give the Buffalo Sabres a 2-1 victory over the NHL-leading Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.Pominville beat Andrei Vasilevskiy with a one-timer from...

AP Sports WriterMacKinnon leads scoring spree in 2nd as Avs beat Oilers 6-2By PAT GRAHAMDENVER (AP) Nathan MacKinnon and Tyson Barrie scored a minute apart to ignite a four-goal second period as the playoff-chasing Colorado Avalanche rallied for a 6-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.Down...

Duclair scores in OT, Senators get past Predators 5-4OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) Anthony Duclair scored a power-play goal 2:40 into overtime Thursday night, giving goaltender Marcus Hogberg his first NHL win as the Ottawa Senators beat the Nashville Predators 5-4.Hogberg, an emergency recall for the Senators after Anders Nilsson...

AP Hockey WriterNHL embarks on season that will be like '56 playoff games'By STEPHEN WHYNOThe NHL has started seasons of fewer than 82 games in January and played into the summer to award the Stanley Cup.Just not like this.When the puck drops on the regular season in five rinks...

Wereknski a key to Blue Jackets and not just the blue lineBy The Associated PressCOLUMBUS BLUE JACKETSLAST SEASON: 50-24-8, third in Metropolitan Division. Eliminated by Pittsburgh in first round of playoffs.COACH: John Tortorella, third year, 84-57-16.ADDED: LW Artemi Panarin.LOST: C William Karlsson, C Sam Gagner, LW Scott Hartnell, LW...

Fisher scores in 1st game back, Predators top Canucks in OTVANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) Mike Fisher's return to the Predators quickly became a coming-out-of-retirement party.Fisher scored in his first game back and Calle Jarnkrok won it 43 seconds into overtime as Nashville beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on...

AP Sports WriterPredators fight violence against women with new ad, donationBy TERESA M. WALKERNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The numbers of women affected by abuse, sexual assault or domestic violence staggered Sean Henry, president and CEO of the Nashville Predators, the first time he heard them.Then he talked to his...

The playoff chase in the NHL's Eastern Conference has gone from compelling to downright wacky.Five teams, fighting for four spots, are now separated by just three points after Tuesday's thrilling night of action. The race tightened significantly because of Ottawa's stirring rally from a three-goal deficit against Pittsburgh. The...

AP Hockey WriterOvechkin 700: Opponents helpless vs. NHL's best goal-scorerBy STEPHEN WHYNOWASHINGTON (AP) Alex Ovechkin arrived in Washington in the summer of 2005 wearing mismatched flip flops and Daisy Duke shorts. He looked like a lost tourist.Ovechkin went No. 1 in the draft and was touted as a...