Month: December 2008

DETROIT – Pavel Datsyuk scored in a shootout to complete a comeback from a two-goal deficit and lift the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night.

TORONTO – Ron Wilson’s early wake-up call didn’t produce immediate results from the Toronto Maple Leafs.Milan Jurcina’s third-period goal stood up as the winner Saturday as the Washington Capitals beat the sluggish Maple Leafs 2-1.

OTTAWA – Jason Spezza scored three goals to record his second career hat trick Saturday and the Ottawa Senators went on to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2.

TORONTO – David Nonis is the Toronto Maple Leafs’ new senior vice president of hockey operations, the club announced Saturday.”David Nonis brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our hockey staff,” said president and general manager Brian Burke.

David Nonis has been named senior vice president of hockey operations of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

            Nonis, 42, most recently was the Anaheim Ducks’ senior advisor of hockey operations and held that position since June 20, 2008.

LOS ANGELES – Since joining the Edmonton Oilers, goaltender Mathieu Garon has been perfect when it comes to shootouts.Garon improved to 11-0 in the tiebreaker format, stopping two of three shots, and made 32 more saves in regulation to help beat the Los Angeles Kings 5-4 after his former team made a stunning comeback from a 3-0 deficit.

Movements in the world of hockey Friday:National Hockey LeagueNHL-Suspended Dallas C Sean Avery for six games for making crude comments regarding his ex-girlfriends dating other hockey players.

SAN ANTONIO – A three-goal deficit was too much for the Manitoba Moose to overcome in a 4-3 loss to the San Antonio Rampage in AHL action Friday.

DALLAS – Mike Modano scored in the fourth round of a shootout, and Marty Turco stopped Ryan Smyth’s shot to give the Dallas Stars a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Kevin Bieksa’s power-play goal and an early scuffle sparked Vancouver in the first period, and goalie Cory Schneider picked up his first career victory for the Canucks in a 2-1 decision over the Minnesota Wild on a fight-filled Friday night.

ST. LOUIS – Michael Cammalleri scored in overtime as the Calgary Flames overcame a pair of two-goal deficits to defeat the St. Louis Blues 4-3 Friday night.

Canadian sports network TSN is reporting the NHL Players’ Association is planning to file a grievance over the six-game suspension handed down to Sean Avery Friday.

Canucks GM Mike Gillis appeared on Vancouver radio TEAM 1040 Friday and said he was meeting with Mats Sundin and his agent, J.P. Barry over the next couple of days as he tries to make a pitch to sign the free agent center.

DALLAS – The Colorado Avalanche called up forward Chris Stewart from Lake Erie of the AHL for Friday night’s game against the Dallas Stars.Stewart, Colorado’s first-round draft pick in 2006, will be making his NHL debut.

It’s hard to blame Justin Williams for wondering how differently things might have turned out.After all, the Carolina Hurricanes winger had a lot of time to think about various scenarios while rehabbing a pair of serious injuries over the past 11 months.

MONTREAL – Josh Gorges takes special pleasure is proving his detractors wrong.The six-foot-one, 200-pound defenceman was considered two small for major junior hockey, let alone his current job – skating on the Montreal Canadiens top defence pair with the gifted Andrei Markov.

NEW YORK – The NHL has suspended Dallas Stars agitator Sean Avery for six games for making a crude comment deemed detrimental to the game.
The decision comes a day after Avery’s hearing in New York with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

Sean Avery has been suspended six gams by the NHL for inappropriate comments to the media prior to Tuesday’s game against Calgary.
The suspension is retroactive to Tuesday’s game, meaning Avery will have to sit out four more games.

Movements in the world of hockey Thursday:National Hockey LeagueBUFFALO SABRES-Placed F Patrick Kaleta on injured reserve. Recalled D Mike Weber from Portland (AHL).