NHL

AP Sports WriterStifled Penguins head to Game 7 looking for a sparkBy WILL GRAVESPITTSBURGH (AP) The Pittsburgh Penguins spent the better part of five games exploiting the few chances the Washington Capitals gave them, focusing on generating quality scoring chances while the Presidents' Trophy winners seemed more intent...

AP Sports WriterPreds' 1st big trade of 2016 paying off for team, JohansenBy TERESA M. WALKERNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Predators stunned the NHL not once, but twice in 2016 by trading away a top defenseman. Ryan Johansen is the big center landed with Nashville's first big trade, a...

Associated PressSt. Louis Blues take strong dose of optimism into offseasonBy NATE LATSCHST. LOUIS (AP) The St. Louis Blues could have been preparing for Game 7 of a second-round playoff series against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.Instead, after being eliminated by the Predators in six games, the Blues...

AP Hockey WriterConcussion spotter couldn't pull Crosby for hitting boardsBy STEPHEN WHYNOA week after he was knocked out of playoff game with a concussion, Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby slid headfirst into the boards during another tense game against the Washington Capitals.He did not come out of Game 6 on...

Predators' playoff drive forces venue change for CMT AwardsNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Nashville Predators' playoff drive is resulting in a change of venue for the annual CMT Music Awards.CMT announced Tuesday that the June 7 telecast of its awards show will take place at Nashville's Music City Center...

AP Hockey WriterDevils contact Kovalchuk to discuss pending return to NHLBy JOHN WAWROWNew Jersey Devils general manager Ray Shero is on the verge of landing yet another asset in his team's rebuilding plan: Ilya Kovalchuk.Shero confirmed on Tuesday that Kovalchuk would like to return to the NHL next season,...

AP Hockey WriterConcussion spotter couldn't pull Crosby for hitting boardsBy STEPHEN WHYNOA week after he was knocked out of playoff game with a concussion, Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby slid headfirst into the boards during another tense game against the Washington Capitals.He did not come out of Game 6 on...

AP Hockey WriterDevils contact Kovalchuk to discuss pending return to NHLBy JOHN WAWROWNew Jersey Devils general manager Ray Shero has had preliminary talks with Ilya Kovalchuk's agent regarding the former No. 1 draft pick's possible return to the NHL four years after bolting to play in his native Russia.Shero...

AP Hockey WriterConcussion spotter couldn't pull Crosby for hitting boardsBy STEPHEN WHYNOAn NHL concussion spotter did not find Sidney Crosby's headfirst slide into the boards as a valid reason to remove him from the Pittsburgh Penguins' Game 6 against the Washington Capitals.Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the centralized concussion...

Predators sign Emil Pettersson to 2-year, entry-level dealNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Nashville Predators have signed forward Emil Pettersson to a two-year, entry-level contract.Pettersson, 23, ranked ninth in the Swedish Hockey League in points this season. Pettersson had 15 goals and 23 assists while splitting the season between Skelleftea...

AP Sports WriterHistory made clinching Western finals berth, Preds now restBy TERESA M. WALKERNASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) The Nashville Predators may have been the last team in the Western Conference this postseason. Now they're the NHL's first team to reach a conference final.And the Predators believe they're only halfway...

AP Sports WriterHistory made clinching Western finals berth, Preds now restBy TERESA M. WALKERNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Nashville Predators may have been the last team in the Western Conference this postseason. Now they're the NHL's first team to reach a conference final.And the Predators believe they're only halfway...