NHL

AP Sports WriterCapitals eager to end their title drought in Vegas desertBy GREG BEACHAMLAS VEGAS (AP) The Washington Capitals will play for a Stanley Cup championship Thursday night for the first time in 43 NHL seasons. Alex Ovechkin is one win away from carving his name into history...

NHL CalendarBy The Associated Press(All dates set before season was suspended until further notice.)April 4 - Regular season ends.April 8 - Stanley Cup playoffs begin.May 8-24 - IIHF World Championship, Zurich/Lausanne, Switzerland, ccd.June 1-6 - NHL scouting combine, Buffalo, N.Y., ppd.June 13 - Last possible day of Stanley Cup...

AP Sports WriterRussian forward Ilya Kovalchuk returns to NHL with LA KingsBy GREG BEACHAMAfter five years back home in Russia, Ilya Kovalchuk is ready to resume his Stanley Cup chase with the Los Angeles Kings.The high-scoring forward agreed to a three-year, $18.75 million deal with the Kings on Saturday,...

Thomas Vanek powers Canucks past Blackhawks 5-2VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) Thomas Vanek had two goals and three assists, Brock Boeser added a goal and three assists, and the Vancouver Canucks snapped a four-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.Sam Gagner had...

Hornqvist, Guentzel lead Penguins to 3-1 win over SenatorsOTTAWA, Ontario (AP) Matt Murray's big save on Mike Hoffman in the first period Thursday night might have been the turning point for the Pittsburgh Penguins.Hoffman had a rebound and an open net to the right of Murray, but the...

Columbus star defenseman Seth Jones out with ankle injuryCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Columbus Blue Jackets star defenseman Seth Jones has been sidelined indefinitely with an ankle injury.The team said Monday that Jones was injured in Saturday night's game loss to Colorado. The announcement came hours before the Blue Jackets...

AP Sports WriterDevils defenseman P.K. Subban is host of new NHL trivia showBy TOM CANAVANTired of sitting around the house and watching reruns on television every day?Too much Harry Potter? Monk? Grey's Anatomy? NCIS or one of the spinoffs?Here's something different.New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban and the NHL...

After big improvement, Leafs wary of rising expectationsTORONTO (AP) Lou Lamoriello described the Maple Leafs' season as a ''step'' and nothing more.''It's a step and then now it's our job to convince the players that it's only a step,'' Toronto's general manager said. ''It's going to get more...

Associated PressFanDuel inks deals with NHL, Devils for sports bets, fantasyBy WAYNE PARRYATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) The wall that professional sports leagues in the U.S. fought so hard to maintain between themselves and legal sports betting continues to crumble.The four major pro sports leagues fought New Jersey's efforts...

Canucks' Brandon Sutter needs surgery, likely out for seasonVANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) Vancouver Canucks center Brandon Sutter will have sports hernia surgery again and is likely done for the season.The team said Tuesday his recovery is expected to last six to eight weeks.The operation is on Sutter's right...

AP Sports WriterStars' Seguin had strained left calf after cut to AchillesBy SCHUYLER DIXONFRISCO, Texas (AP) Tyler Seguin missed the last 11 games of the playoffs for the Dallas Stars with a strained left calf that was weakened by sitting out the final 10 games of the regular...

Associated PressDucks end losing streak, beat Blue Jackets 3-2 in overtimeBy DAN GREENSPANANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Cam Fowler joked it had been a long, long time between scoring hat tricks.The Anaheim Ducks couldn't have been blamed for feeling that way about winning, too.Fowler completed his first career hat trick...