NHL

AP Hockey WriterOilers have Hart? McDavid, Draisaitl are NHL MVP candidatesBy JOHN WAWROWThe Edmonton Oilers’ resurgence placed Connor McDavid back in the NHL MVP conversation, along with teammate Leon Draisaitl.Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon and Boston’s David Pastrnak made their case, too, during a pandemic-shortened season. And don’t forget Artemi Panarin,...

CHICAGO (AP) - One lucky bounce.It might not sound like much of a strategy for playing sudden-death hockey, but patience has kept the Chicago Blackhawks perfect in overtime this postseason.They've now gone into extra time four times and won them all, including a 5-4 decision Saturday night that marked...

AP Hockey WriterCapitals fire coach Todd Reirden after 2 postseason letdownsBy STEPHEN WHYNOThe Washington Capitals have fired coach Todd Reirden after a second consecutive first-round exit in the playoffs.General manager Brian MacLellan announced the move Sunday, three days after the Capitals lost to former coach Barry Trotz's New York...

AP Sports WriterBruins say Bergeron's status for Game 5 a game-day decisionBy JIMMY GOLENBOSTON (AP) Boston Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy says he will decide on Saturday whether forward Patrice Bergeron plays in Game 5 of the playoff against Toronto that night.Bergeron missed Game 4 on Thursday with an...

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The NHL's motion to dismiss a class-action lawsuit brought by former players over concussion-related injuries has been largely rejected by a federal judge, allowing the claims to move forward.U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson issued her order Wednesday.The plaintiffs in the case have been...

AP Hockey WriterNHL free agents take high-priced hit in stagnant cap eraBy JOHN WAWROWAside from defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk and Karl Alzner attracting $20 million-plus contracts, NHL free agency isn't what it used to be. Not in a stagnant salary-cap era.Though plenty of players switched teams once the signing period...

AP Sports WriterVasilevskiy, Lightning top Caps 4-2 to even East final 2-allBy HOWARD FENDRICHWASHINGTON (AP) Jon Cooper's Tampa Bay Lightning won Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final despite going the equivalent of more than a period without a shot on goal.They won despite falling behind about 4...

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...

AP Sports WriterStamkos focused on team success, not personal milestonesBy FRED GOODALLTAMPA, Fla. (AP) Steven Stamkos celebrated another milestone in a stellar career with grace and humility.The long-time captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning scored his 400th goal last weekend, joining an elite group that includes eight other...

The playoff chase in the NHL's Eastern Conference has gone from compelling to downright wacky.Five teams, fighting for four spots, are now separated by just three points after Tuesday's thrilling night of action. The race tightened significantly because of Ottawa's stirring rally from a three-goal deficit against Pittsburgh. The...

Coyotes acquire center Peter Holland from Maple LeafsGLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) The Arizona Coyotes acquired center Peter Holland from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday for a 2018 conditional draft choice.The 25-year-old Holland had an assist in eight games with Toronto this season. He has 30 goals and 40...

Associated Press'Epic week': Hockey, country music collide in NashvilleBy ERIK SCHELZIGNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Nashville Predators' improbable run to the Stanley Cup Finals has blurred the dividing line between music and sports, a convergence that's expected to hit a crescendo in Tennessee's capital city this weekend.The thousands of...