NHL

AP Sports WriterNieto's hat trick lifts Avalanche to 5-3 win over StarsBy PAT GRAHAMDENVER (AP) A deluge of injuries got Matt Nieto back into the lineup. More games like this will certainly keep him in there.Nieto capped off his first career hat trick on an empty-netter in the...

AP Sports WriterPenguins fire 3 assistants following quick playoff exitBy WILL GRAVESPITTSBURGH (AP) The Pittsburgh Penguins had a specific vision last summer when they examined the rubble of a first-round sweep at the hands of the New York Islanders. General manager Jim Rutherford, coach Mike Sullivan and his...

Capitals acquire D Michal Kempny in trade with BlackhawksBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) The Washington Capitals have acquired defenseman Michal Kempny in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks.The 27-year-old Kempny had a goal and six assists in 31 games for Chicago this season. He can become an unrestricted free agent...

Associated PressBlues score 4 times in 5-shot span, beat Red Wings 6-1By BOB DUFFDETROIT (AP) The St. Louis Blues quickly made the most of their limited opportunities.Jaden Schwartz knocked home his own rebound and the Blues scored four times on only five shots on the way to beating...

Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff was fired on Wednesday after the team's latest slow start to the season and amid growing criticism from the team's fan base. The announcement was made on the team's Twitter account and confirmed by Sabres spokesman Michael Gilbert on Wednesday. Ruff was relieved of...

Flames' Peters gets stitches after hit in face by puckGLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) Calgary coach Bill Peters needed stitches in his left jaw after being hit with a puck during the Flames' game against the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday.Peters left for about 10 minutes of game time in the...

Calgary 1 1 0 0-2Anaheim 0 1 1 1-3First Period-1, Calgary, Hudler 4 (Wideman, Russell), 10:43 (pp).Second Period-2, Anaheim, Kesler 4 (Silfverberg, Fowler), 4:59 (pp). 3, Calgary, Gaudreau 4 (Hudler, Wideman), 5:55.Third Period-4, Anaheim, Beleskey 5 (Beauchemin, Silfverberg), :59 (pp).First Overtime-5, Anaheim, Perry...

Vegas deals F Erik Haula to Carolina in cap-relief dealRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) The Vegas Golden Knights have traded forward Erik Haula to the Carolina Hurricanes for prospect Nicolas Roy and a conditional fifth-round draft pick in 2020.The 28-year-old Haula played 15 games last season before being lost to...

AP Hockey WriterPressure still on Caps, but spotlight is on Fleury in Game 6By STEPHEN WHYNOThree goals in five minutes sparked sing-song chants of ''FLEU-RY! FLEU-RY!'' and might've planted enough of a seed of belief for the Washington Capitals against the Pittsburgh Penguins.All series the Capitals had struggled to...

Associated PressFehr, Brodin get first goals of season; Wild beat Kings 4-1By MIKE COOKST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Eric Fehr and Jonas Brodin scored their first goals of the season, and the Minnesota Wild beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 on Thursday night.Devan Dubnyk stopped 23 shots and had...

Former NHL enforcer Colton Orr finds new role in spotlightTORONTO (AP) The hardest part for Colton Orr was pretending.After duking it out many times in an NHL career that spanned almost 500 games, Orr was trying to pretend he was fighting in front of the camera as a...

Detroit Red Wings name Steve Yzerman general managerDETROIT (AP) The Latest on the Detroit Red Wings hiring Steve Yzerman as general manager (all times local):3:05 p.m.Hockey Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman has been named general manager of the Detroit Red Wings. Ken Holland becomes the team's senior vice...