NHL

AP Hockey WriterPeter Budaj is LA Kings' unlikely savior in goalBy GREG BEACHAMLOS ANGELES (AP) Peter Budaj is the most popular guy in the Los Angeles Kings' dressing room this season, and it's not just because the veteran goalie has been the unlikely savior of their season after...

AP Hockey WriterOvechkin reaches 600 goals, Capitals beat Jets in overtimeBy STEPHEN WHYNOWASHINGTON (AP) Make it 600 goals and counting for Alex Ovechkin, and give the Washington Capitals two more points for the tough playoff race in the Eastern Conference.Ovechkin scored twice in another historic performance and Evgeny...

Jan. 1 - Winter Classic: Chicago at Washington.Jan. 22-26 - All-Star break.Feb. 21 - Stadium Series: Los Angeles vs. San Jose at Santa Clara, Calif.April 11 - Regular season ends.

Canadiens coach Claude Julien hospitalized with chest painsTORONTO (AP) Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said that coach Claude Julien was experiencing chest pains Wednesday night and was taken by ambulance to a Toronto hospital.Bergevin confirmed Thursday it was not COVID-19 related.The 60-year-old coach is not expected to...

AP Sports WriterCoyotes win 4th straight, 4-3 in shootout over PanthersBy JOHN MARSHALLGLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) The Coyotes blew a third-period lead, tied the game with a short-handed goal and then hit the post three times on one power play late in regulation.They watched Roberto Luongo make one spectacular...

Rangers' Kreider fined for hitting Stars' Eakin with helmetNEW YORK (AP) New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider has been fined $5,000 for ripping off Dallas Stars forward Cody Eakin's helmet and hitting him in the head with it during a fight.The NHL announced the fine Wednesday, saying it...

AP Hockey WriterDumba kneels, NHL puts focus on Black Lives Matter movementBy STEPHEN WHYNOMinnesota's Matt Dumba became the first NHL player to kneel during the U.S. national anthem when he did so before the opening playoff game between Edmonton and Chicago in Edmonton, Alberta.Dumba knelt at center ice Saturday...

AP Sports WriterMiller makes 46 saves as Ducks defeat Kings 3-1By JOE REEDYLOS ANGELES (AP) Ryan Miller made 46 saves and the Anaheim Ducks defeated the Los Angeles Kings 3-1 on Saturday night.It is the 42nd time in Miller's 17-year career that he has made over 40 saves...

AP Hockey WriterRangers, Brendan Smith agree to $17M, 4-year dealBy STEPHEN WHYNOWASHINGTON (AP) Brendan Smith signed a $17 million, four-year deal with the Rangers, solidifying New York's blue line and setting the market for free agent defensemen.Smith will count $4.35 million against the salary cap through the 2020-21...

Flames sign defenseman Noah Hanifin to 6-year dealCALGARY, Alberta (AP) The Calgary Flames signed defenseman Noah Hanifin to a six-year, $29.7 million contract Thursday.The 21-year-old Hanifin had 10 goals and 22 assists in 79 games for the Carolina Hurricanes last season. He joined the Flames along with forward...

Sabres top pick Dylan Cozens needs thumb 'procedure'BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) The Buffalo Sabres top draft pick Dylan Cozens needs a ''procedure'' to repair an injured left thumb.The Sabres provided the update Tuesday, a day after Cozens was scheduled to visit a specialist. Cozens will have the procedure Wednesday.He...

AP Sports WriterMacKinnon, Avs see bright future despite another Game 7 lossBy PAT GRAHAMThe impressive postseason exploits of scoring machine Nathan MacKinnon and rookie phenom Cale Makar weren't quite enough to stage a breakthrough for the Colorado Avalanche.Once again, the Avalanche were eliminated in a second-round series courtesy of...