NHL

CHICAGO (AP) New Jersey forward Taylor Hall has returned to the Devils' lineup after missing eight games with a torn meniscus in his left knee. Hall had knee surgery on Nov. 16. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft originally was expected to miss three to four weeks. New...

Associated PressBertuzzi's OT winner leads Red Wings to 5-4 win over SabresBy MARK LUDWICZAKBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) The playoffs may be well beyond reach, but the Detroit Red Wings are showing some fight at the end of another disappointing season.Tyler Bertuzzi and Dylan Larkin each had two goals to...

Associated PressGranlund gets game-winner; Wild beat Stars 4-2By MIKE COOKST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Mikael Granlund scored the tiebreaking goal in the second period and the Minnesota Wild beat the Dallas Stars 4-2 on Wednesday night.Jared Spurgeon, Eric Staal and Jason Zucker also scored for Minnesota, which won for...

Stars re-sign Radek Faksa to $6.6 million, 3-year dealFRISCO, Texas (AP) The Dallas Stars have re-signed young center Radek Faksa to a $6.6 million, three-year contract.Faksa is coming off his first full NHL season, when he had 12 goals and 21 assists in 80 games. The 23-year-old center...

AP Sports WriterQuinn: Rangers' job is an 'opportunity I could not pass up'By VIN A. CHERWOONEW YORK (AP) David Quinn had been contacted by other NHL teams in recent years, and chose to remain at Boston University. When the New York Rangers came calling, it was different.As talks...

AP Hockey WriterRangers acquire Trouba from Jets for Pionk, 1st round pickBy STEPHEN WHYNOThe New York Rangers sped up their rebuilding effort Monday by acquiring offensive-minded defenseman Jacob Trouba from the Winnipeg Jets.New York sent young defenseman Neal Pionk and the 20th overall pick in the draft to Winnipeg...

AP Sports WriterFlyers' Patrick ready to return from debilitating migrainesBy DAN GELSTONVOORHEES, N.J. (AP) Nolan Patrick skated toward Oskar Lindblom during a routine drill. Hunched over, Patrick had a brief conversation with his Philadelphia Flyers teammate who knows a little something about comebacks.Lindblom made an improbable return...

Sharks decline to give qualifying offer to D Dylan DeMeloSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) The San Jose Sharks have declined to issue a qualifying offer to defenseman Dylan DeMelo, making him an unrestricted free agent.The Sharks announced Monday that the team gave qualifying offers to forwards Tomas Hertl and...

Hall, Kopitar, MacKinnon finalists for Hart as NHL MVPNEW YORK (AP) New Jersey left wing Taylor Hall, Los Angeles center Anze Kopitar and Colorado center Nathan MacKinnon are the finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player.The winner will be announced June 20 at...

AP Sports WritersAlmost no travel in NHL playoffs benefits Lightning, StarsBy STEPHEN HAWKINS and STEPHEN WHYNOEDMONTON, Alberta (AP) The Dallas Stars have been inside the NHL bubble in Edmonton for two months, staying in a hotel connected to the arena.Tampa Bay's only trip since this unusual postseason began...

AP Hockey WriterNeal's OT goal puts Preds past Ducks 3-2 to open West finalBy GREG BEACHAMANAHEIM, California (AP) James Neal scored 9:24 into overtime, and the Nashville Predators kicked off their first appearance in the NHL's Western Conference finals with a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on...

Associated PressTop NHL draft prospect makes ceremonial pitch at WrigleyBy MATT CARLSONCHICAGO (AP) Nolan Patrick, a potential No. 1 overall pick on Friday at the NHL draft in Chicago, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Wrigley Field before Wednesday's game between the Cubs and Padres.But the 18-year-old...