NHL

Lacroix, architect of 2 Avs Stanley Cup titles, dies at 72DENVER (AP) Pierre Lacroix, the astute executive who was the architect of two Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup championship teams, has died. He was 72.The Avalanche confirmed his death Sunday. No cause of death was given.Lacroix was a driving...

Associated PressVesey, Rangers beat Bruins 4-2 for 5th straight winBy ALLAN KREDANEW YORK (AP) Jimmy Vesey scored two first-period goals 29 seconds apart, Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves and the New York Rangers beat the Boston Bruins 4-2 on Wednesday night for their fifth straight win.Pavel Buchnevich and...

AP Hockey WriterDucks determined to show playoff poise after disappointmentsBy GREG BEACHAMANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Ryan Kesler blocked a shot in front of the Anaheim Ducks' net in the waning seconds of their playoff opener, and then the All-Star center simply sat down on the puck.Three Calgary Flames frantically...

Dallas Stars sign goalie Ben Bishop to 6-year, $29.5M dealFRISCO, Texas (AP) The Dallas Stars have locked up a goalie with Stanley Cup Final experience in hopes of solving one of their biggest problems.Ben Bishop signed a six-year, $29.5 million deal with the Stars, whose announcement Friday came...

AP Hockey WriterTanks for nothing: Some NHL teams can't win for losingBy JOHN WAWROWBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) Jack Eichel has difficulty accepting the sorry state of the Buffalo Sabres, who haven't had a sniff at the playoffs in the three years since his celebrated arrival.''When I got drafted, if...

AP Hockey WriterBoyle is not alone in fighting cancer and playing hockeyBy STEPHEN WHYNOWhen Phil Kessel got over the initial shock of being diagnosed with cancer and had surgery, he asked doctors, ''When can I play?''When Jason Blake was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, he had the choice of...

AP Sports WriterSharks face key decisions with Thornton, MarleauBy JOSH DUBOWSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Joe Thornton is expected to be healthy at the start of training camp despite undergoing offseason surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left knee.Where Thornton and longtime San Jose teammate Patrick Marleau will...

AP Hockey WriterComing home: Davidson to run Rangers, leaves Blue JacketsBy STEPHEN WHYNOJohn Davidson is going back to the New York Rangers organization he has been synonymous with for much of his hockey career.Davidson was hired as team president Friday hours after leaving his post with the Columbus Blue...

Bruins' Grzelcyk to return for Game 7 of Stanley Cup FinalBOSTON (AP) Matt Grzelcyk (GRIHZ'-lihk) is expected to return to the Boston lineup for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against St. Louis.Grzelcyk's return is a major boost on the blue line for Boston. He suffered a...

AP Hockey WriterHousley home-coming: Returning to Buffalo as Sabres coachBy JOHN WAWROWBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) ?? Phil Housley still remembers high-fiving Sabres fans at Memorial Auditorium in opening his Hall of Fame career in Buffalo during the 1980s.Now, Housley is looking forward to bringing that type of excitement back to...

Panthers make Tallon president, Rowe GMSUNRISE, Fla. (AP) The Florida Panthers have shaken up their front office, with Dale Tallon becoming president of hockey operations and Tom Rowe replacing him as general manager.Those moves occurred earlier this month, but the team did not confirm them until Monday.Eric Joyce...

AP Sports Writer"My record is Cups" - Malkin focused on titles, not stardomBy WILL GRAVESPITTSBURGH (AP) Just about anywhere else in the NHL, Evgeni Malkin would be ''The Guy.''The captain. The unquestioned leader. The brightest star. The fulcrum around which to build a franchise.Yet he has found comfort,...