Month: May 2008

QUEBEC – The Russian Ice Hockey Federation’s top boss says the National Hockey League is still the destination of choice among most Russian players.

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings lack the household names they had the last time they hoisted the Stanley Cup.The way they’re playing, though, anybody remotely interested in hockey knows – or will find out soon – who’s on the team.

Scoring summaries from Thursday’s NHL games:Penguins 0 at Rangers 3First PeriodNo Scoring.Penalties – M.Staal NYR (goaltender interference) 1:53, Hossa Pgh (holding) 6:32, M.

DENVER – Johan Franzen keeps pushing aside Gordie Howe’s records.In March, his six game-winning goals bested the franchise record of five established by Howe in 1952, and on Thursday night, he scored three goals in the Detroit Red Wings’ series-clinching 8-2 rout of the Colorado Avalanche, giving him nine in the four-game sweep.

DENVER – Johan Franzen outscored the Colorado Avalanche by himself.Franzen’s second hat trick in three games fueled the Detroit Red Wings’ 8-2 rout Thursday night that completed a sweep of the injury-riddled Avalanche.

Movements in the world of hockey Thursday:American Hockey LeagueCHICAGO WOLVES-Signed G Craig Kowalski..

NEW YORK – Jaromir Jagr didn’t get the chance to celebrate his goal because the New York Rangers captain was flattened just as he shot.After a season-saving 3-0 victory over Pittsburgh on Thursday night, no one could stop him from applauding the adoring Madison Square Garden crowd that wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

NEW YORK – Jaromir Jagr was flat on his stomach after scoring and cheers echoed through Madison Square Garden in what might have been his last home game with the New York Rangers.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Several of the current San Jose Sharks still remember the nagging ache of uncertainty that a team gets when it has three victories in a playoff series, but just can’t nail down the fourth.

HALIFAX – The players shuffled through the interview area one by one Thursday and it quickly became evident what kind of message Team Canada had been delivered on the eve of the IIHF World Hockey Championship.

By Allan Hougaard
The Czech Ice Hockey Association has decided not to sign the IIHF’s player transfer deal with the NHL after the 14 hockey clubs in the Czech Extraliga voted in favor of ending the current deal immediately.

DENVER – The ailing Colorado Avalanche will be without centre Peter Forsberg and forward Ryan Smyth for Game 4 against the Detroit Red Wings.

MONTREAL – It seems that it is goalscoring and not goaltending that is at the root of the Montreal Canadiens’ playoff predicament.Debate raged after coach Guy Carbonneau named backup Jaroslav Halak as the starter for Game 4 of their playoff series against Philadelphia, but the result was the same – the Canadiens lost 4-2 despite outshooting the Flyers by a wide margin.

DENVER – The fiery rivalry has fizzled.

Usually a hotly contested, physical tussle, the Colorado-Detroit series hasn’t lived up to its past.

TORONTO – Hart Trophy finalists Jarome Iginla, Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin will also be in the running for the Lester B. Pearson Award as the top player of the 2007-08 season, the NHL Players’ Association announced Thursday.

The NHLPA has announced Jarome Iginla, Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin as finalists for the Lester B. Pearson Award, given to the “most outstanding player” as voted by members of the players union.

NEW YORK – Rangers forward Sean Avery remained in an intensive care unit Thursday, two days after his spleen was lacerated during a playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.