NHL

AP Hockey WriterLightning-Flyers, Avalanche-Golden Knights are for top seedsBy STEPHEN WHYNOJon Cooper wants to stop the conversation now: Steven Stamkos isn't fit to play until he says so.The coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning ruled out Stamkos for his team's final round-robin game Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers (8...

AP Hockey WriterPolar opposites: Big, tough Blues face small, quick CanucksBy STEPHEN WHYNOHockey is trending to look like the Vancouver Canucks, with smaller players and more skill, speed and offense.That didn't stop the big, heavy St. Louis Blues from bruising their way to the Stanley Cup last season and...

Associated PressVan Riemsdyk scores twice as Flyers top Wild 5-4By PATRICK DONNELLYST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Coming off a tough loss, a two-hour flight and a miserable first period, the Philadelphia Flyers did what they've been doing for the last five weeks. They won.James van Riemsdyk scored two goals,...

AP Sports WriterPanarin scores twice to lift Blue Jackets over Kings 4-1By MITCH STACYCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Artemi Panarin scored twice, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 29 shots and the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 on Thursday night.Lukas Sedlak and Josh Anderson also scored and Cam Atkinson...

Associated PressGolden Knights promote McCrimmon to GM, retain McPheeBy W.G. RAMIREZLAS VEGAS (AP) When Kelly McCrimmon took a phone call from George McPhee in January 2016, little did either one know how much their relationship would impact the National Hockey League and arguably one of the fastest growing...

AP Hockey WriterThrowback 5-game series force players to 'embrace the grind'By STEPHEN WHYNOFans counted down the seconds to the final buzzer, ''Brass Bonanza'' played over the speakers at Hartford Civic Center and Whalers players Dave Tippett, Joel Quenneville and Dean Evason celebrated a three-game sweep of the Quebec Nordiques.Wait,...

AP Sports Writer'Back-to-back!' Banner night for Ovechkin, Cup champ CapsBy HOWARD FENDRICHWASHINGTON (AP) A Stanley Cup championship banner rose to the rafters at the home of the Washington Capitals for the first time, and everyone in attendance Wednesday night got to relive the sheer excitement of it all.Alex...

Associated PressBernier, Howard share shutout in Red Wings' win over DevilsBy PAUL HARRISDETROIT (AP) Jonathan Bernier and Jimmy Howard combined for a shutout, Tyler Bertuzzi had a goal and two assists and the Detroit Red Wings topped the New Jersey Devils 4-0 on Friday night for their fourth...

The Latest: History working vs Capitals, down 0-1 to VegasLAS VEGAS (AP) The Latest on Game 1 of the Stanley Cup between the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights (all times local):8:40 p.m.The Washington Capitals have a high-flying, hard-hitting team and history working against them.Tomas Nosek scored...

AP Sports ColumnistColumn: Big hits, big goals and a big win for CapitalsBy TIM DAHLBERGLAS VEGAS (AP) Winning a Stanley Cup isn't meant to be easy, something that even the novice hockey fans in Las Vegas now surely understand.No need to tell it to the Washington Capitals. They've...

AP Hockey WriterFlyers fire coach Dave Hakstol, Gordon interim replacementBy STEPHEN WHYNOIt took less than two weeks as general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers for Chuck Fletcher to see what he needed to see with coach Dave Hakstol.The Flyers were still making too many mistakes, still not playing up...

Associated PressBlues snap 7-game skid with 2-1 win over Red WingsBy STEVE OVERBEYST. LOUIS (AP) Carter Hutton made 35 saves, Scottie Upshall and Alex Pietrangelo scored and the St. Louis Blues snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night.The...