NHL

AP Hockey WriterIslanders sign goalie Sorokin to $2M deal for next seasonBy STEPHEN WHYNOThe New York Islanders on Tuesday signed goaltender of the future Ilya Sorokin to a $2 million contract for next season.The deal includes $1 million in salary and a $1 million bonus. A day earlier, the...

AP Sports WriterPanthers open training camp, with Bill Torrey still in mindBy TIM REYNOLDSCORAL SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) The first day of Florida Panthers training camp is always roughly the same: Plenty of players on the ice, plenty of hope for the new season, a bit of organized chaos.Day...

Predators sign forward Cole Smith to 1-year dealNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Nashville Predators have signed forward Cole Smith to a one-year, two-way deal for the 2020-21 season.The Predators announced the deal Thursday.Smith, 24, just finished his senior season at North Dakota where he scored a career-high 11 goals...

AP Sports WriterPekka Rinne has Nashville in 1st Final with smothering runBy TERESA M. WALKERNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Knocking the smile off Pekka Rinne's face right now is nearly impossible.The longest-tenured player with the Nashville Predators, the 34-year-old goaltender finally will play in his first Stanley Cup Final in...

WASHINGTON (AP) - Alex Ovechkin is 29, and his hair is flecked with gray nowadays. His coaches and linemates keep changing, as have the ways opponents try to stop him.After 10 years in the NHL, one thing that stays the same about the guy known as Alex the Great:...

Lightning sign 2019 first-round draft pick Nolan FooteTAMPA, Fla. (AP) The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed 2019 first-round draft pick Nolan Foote to a three-year entry level contract.The Lightning took the 18-year old forward from Kelowna of the Western Hockey League 27th overall. He is the younger brother...

Stars C Martin Hanzal set for season-ending back surgeryDALLAS (AP) Dallas Stars center Martin Hanzal is set for back surgery that will end his injury-plagued season.General manager Jim Nill said Friday the expected recovery time is six to seven months.Hanzal, who signed a $14.25 million, three-year contract on...

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 Sports WriterHot streak helps Hurricanes surge into playoff contentionBy JOEDY McCREARYRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) The Carolina Hurricanes have skated their way out of being tied for last place into playoff contention - all in just six weeks.They have been the NHL's best team since Dec. 30, going 14-5-1...

AP Hockey WriterCapitals need to 'step up' to remain Stanley Cup contendersBy STEPHEN WHYNOARLINGTON, Va. (AP) Facing some salary-cap math that wasn't pretty, the Washington Capitals took a beating in the offseason with the loss of several significant contributors.Now they go about the unenviable task of trying to...

AP Sports WriterParise, Dubnyk push Wild past Oilers 3-0 for playoff spotBy DAVE CAMPBELLST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) The Minnesota Wild made sure the bad news didn't defeat them.Their season-ending road trip sure feels a little lighter now, with a spot in the playoffs secure.Zach Parise scored twice and...

AP Sports WriterGrant's first 2 NHL goals lead Ducks' 6-2 rout of CanadiensBy GREG BEACHAMANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Derek Grant scored the first two goals of his NHL career, getting the second while the Anaheim Ducks scored three goals in a 97-second span of the third period during a...