Month: September 2008

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Peter Mueller scored three goals and rookie Mikkel Boedker added a pair in the Phoenix Coyotes’ 5-1 win over the San Jose Sharks on Monday night.

TORONTO – Luke Schenn seized his moment in the spotlight.The Toronto Maple Leafs first-round draft pick scored the shootout winner on Monday night to give his team a 4-3 pre-season victory over the St.

NEWARK, N.J. – Michael Nylander set up two second-period goals and Hart Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin added a what proved to be a game-winning short-handed goal early in the third as the unbeaten Washington Capitals held off the New Jersey Devils 3-2 on Monday night for their fourth straight pre-season victory.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Rick Nash had two goals and an assist to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 7-1 pre-season victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night.

WATERBURY, Vt. – The Boston Bruins set up training camp in ski country Monday for three days of practice, team-building exercises and relaxation as coaches mull their next round of roster cuts.

VANCOUVER – Kyle Wellwood is winning the battle of the bulge, but he still must fight to earn himself a spot on the Vancouver Canucks NHL roster.

CHICAGO – The Chicago Blackhawks have put goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin on waivers, a team spokesman confirmed Monday.Khabibulin is entering the final season of a US$27-million, four-year contract.

TORONTO – One of Paul Kelly’s first tasks in his first full season at the helm of the NHL Players’ Association might be his most important yet.

The dilemma is reminiscent of the good old days when you had to choose between Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, knowing you can’t really go wrong with either one but wanting to get the best possible bang for your buck.

There is a feeling of deja vu as the NHL prepares to embark on its 91st season.For the second straight year, the puck will be dropped on another continent with regular season games in Europe and few would be surprised to see the Stanley Cup presented to the Detroit Red Wings again next June.

The Chicago Blackhawks have placed Nikolai Khabibulin on waivers.

Khabibulin, who has become a magnet for trade rumors, was expected to start against Dallas Sunday, but was not on the ice.

MONTREAL – Juniors P.K. Subban and Olivier Fortier were among 18 players cut from the Montreal Canadiens camp on Monday as the NHL club trimmed its roster to 32 players.

After taking a puck to the face last week, leading to stitches and a broken nose, Nicklas Lidstrom returned to practice Sunday.

"I feel very fortunate," Lidstrom told the Detroit News.

John-Michael Liles took a butt-end of a stick under his right eye in a game against the Los Angeles Kings Saturday.

Kings forward Dustin Brown’s stick caught Liles underneath his visor and clipped the defenseman just beneath his eye.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Sami Salo had a power play goal and two assists, Kyle Wellwood scored the deciding goal in the fifth round of a shootout, and the Vancouver Canucks spoiled Teemu Selanne’s return to the Anaheim lineup with a 5-4 victory over the Ducks on Sunday night.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Andrew Brunette’s shootout goal gave the Minnesota Wild a 2-1 pre-season win over the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday night.Brunette, who tied the game with a goal with 2:57 left in regulation, scored on the Wild’s fourth attempt on Sabres goalie Patrick Lalime.

MONTREAL – Alex Kovalev scored the lone goal in the shootout and Carey Price made 36 stops to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers in NHL pre-season action Sunday night.

CHICAGO – Jonathan Toews scored two power-play goals, and newcomer Brian Campbell had four assists in the Chicago Blackhawks’ 4-3 pre-season victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday night.

DETROIT – Rookie forward Ville Leino scored his first goal in the Detroit Red Wings’ 4-0 win over the Atlanta Thrashers in an NHL exhibition Sunday.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Forward Teemu Selanne is returning to Anaheim.The Ducks re-signed the 10-time all-star to a two-year deal Sunday.”This is the only place I wanted to play,” Selanne said in a release.