NHL

AP Sports WriterPatrick Marleau makes emotional return to San JoseBy JOSH DUBOWSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Patrick Marleau woke up in his own home in San Jose and drove to the rink to prepare for a hockey game just like he has done countless times during his stellar career.Only...

A mixture of champions, engine builders and innovators highlight the five newest nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The new nominees announced on Wednesday are 1999 Sprint Cup champion and ESPN analyst Dale Jarrett, engine builder Maurice Petty, Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman Bruton Smith, 1960 Cup champion Rex White...

AP Sports WriterDevils win in shootout for Arizona's 4th straight lossBy TOM CANAVANNEWARK, N.J. (AP) Coleman and Pavel Zacha scored in the fifth and sixth rounds of the shootout and New Jersey Devils hurt Arizona's playoff chances with a 2-1 victory Saturday, sending the Coyotes to their fourth...

Red Wings hire Verbeek as NHL teams shuffle front officesBy The Associated PressThe Detroit Red Wings have hired Pat Verbeek as assistant general manager to work with Steve Yzerman.Verbeek joins Yzerman, the longtime Red Wings captain who was recently named GM, after working for him with the Tampa Bay...

AP Sports WriterLightning eye bounce-back performance against CapitalsBy FRED GOODALLBRANDON, Fla. (AP) Jon Cooper is confident the Tampa Bay Lightning will be fine.Experience tells the coach and his players they shouldn't be overly concerned about losing the opening game of the Eastern Conference finals at home.The way the...

Associated PressToffoli, Kings stop losing streak with 3-1 win over RangersBy DAN GREENSPANLOS ANGELES (AP) Kings forward Tyler Toffoli has heard the chatter about his lackluster play in a contract season.A change of position helped get Toffoli on the scoresheet, which pushed his struggling team back into the...

Associated PressCoyotes get 1st win, beat Flyers in OT after blowing leadBy AARON BRACYPHILADELPHIA (AP) The struggling Arizona Coyotes finally got their first win of the season - but it sure didn't come easy.Alex Goligoski scored late in overtime after the Coyotes blew a two-goal lead in the...

AP Sports WriterCheers! Streaking Flyers hope hot streak leads to Cup runBy DAN GELSTONPHILADELPHIA (AP) Kevin Hayes stepped behind the bar and prepared to make his first draft pick. The lager, the golden ale, the porter, wide varieties of delicious beers were lined up, but for Hayes the...

Bouwmeester back in St. Louis, 'on the road to recovery'ST. LOUIS (AP) Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester is back in St. Louis after collapsing on the bench during a game in Anaheim last week and said in a statement Tuesday that he is “on the road to recovery.”Bouwmeester, 36,...

AP Hockey Writer2016 World Cup of Hockey provides lessons for NHL restartBy STEPHEN WHYNOSidney Crosby was two months removed from lifting the Stanley Cup when he turned his attention to winning another championship.It was early September 2016, and the Pittsburgh Penguins captain stepped on the ice in Ottawa for...

ASSOCIATED PRESSKopitar scores 2, Kings beat Red Wings 4-2By PAUL HARRISDETROIT (AP) Anze Kopitar scored two goals and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-2 Sunday night.Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli also scored for Los Angeles, which has won three of its last four (3-0-1)....

Associated PressOvechkin nets 50th, 51st goals in Caps' 6-3 win vs LightningBy ERIK ERLENDSSONTAMPA, Fla. (AP) Alex Ovechkin reached 50 goals - again. And, then he added another for good measure while leading the Washington Capitals to a big victory.The Washington star scored his 50th and 51st goals...