NHL

AP Hockey WriterRussia becomes a reliable pipeline for ready-made NHL talentBy STEPHEN WHYNODown the street from where Detroit's Russian Five took the NHL by storm in the 1990s, defenseman Nikita Zaitsev sat down for dinner with his agent and explained that his pain of being passed over in the...

Associated PressPenguins lose special teams battle, game to NashvilleBy JIM DIAMONDNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Pittsburgh Penguins are still leading the Stanley Cup Final, no thanks to their scuffling power play.The Penguins went 0-3 with the man advantage in losing Game 3 in Nashville, 5-1. The Predators scored on...

AP Sports WriterNashville helps Preds' celebrate history with 1st Cup FinalBy TERESA M. WALKERNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The town known as Music City sure knows how to throw a party. Police estimated more than 50,000 turned out to mark a bit of history Saturday night as Nashville hosted the...

The Latest: Predators beat Penguins 5-1, trail Cup Final 2-1NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Latest on Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final (all times local):10:05 p.m.Pekka Rinne bounced back with 27 saves and the offense came alive as the Nashville Predators beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 in Game...

The Latest: Predators lead Pens 5-1 late in Game 3NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Latest on Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final (all times local):9:49 p.m.The rout is on in Nashville as Mattias Ekholm has given the Predators a 5-1 lead on the Penguins late in the third...

The Latest: Predators take 4-1 lead over Pens in Game 3NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Latest on Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final (all times local):9:28 p.m.Craig Smith has scored to make it 4-1 Predators over the Penguins in the third period of Game 3 of the Stanley...

The Latest: Predators take 4-1 lead over Pens in Game 3NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Latest on Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final (all times local):9:28 p.m.Craig Smith has scored to make it 4-1 Predators over the Penguins in the third period of Game 3 of the Stanley...

AP Sports WriterNashville helps Preds' celebrate history with 1st Cup FinalBy TERESA M. WALKERNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The town known as Music City sure knows how to throw a party, and thousands of people turned out to mark a bit of history Saturday night as Nashville hosted the first...

AP Sports WriterPens' Nick Bonino on crutches, game-time decision for Game 3By TERESA M. WALKERNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Pittsburgh center Nick Bonino is wearing a walking boot on his left foot and using crutches and Penguins coach Mike Sullivan says the veteran is day to day with a lower-body...

AP Sports WriterFish tale: How the catfish toss came to be a Predators thingBy TERESA M. WALKERNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Detroit Red Wings fans have their octopi. The Panthers' faithful in Florida had the ''rat trick.''Nashville? The Predators have catfish, the Southern staple that has become a beloved badge...

AP Hockey WriterNHL's top prospect says he is overcoming 2 hernia injuriesBy JOHN WAWROWBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) Center Nolan Patrick says a misdiagnosis of a sports hernia injury contributed to the NHL's top-ranked draft prospect missing more than half of last season.Patrick had surgery to repair one side of...

AP Hockey WriterNHL's top prospect says he is overcoming 2 hernia injuriesBy JOHN WAWROWBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) Center Nolan Patrick says a misdiagnosis of a sports hernia injury contributed to the NHL's top-ranked draft prospect missing more than half of last season.Patrick had surgery to repair one side of...