Month: February 2009

RALEIGH, N.C. – Back home after a cross-country trip, the Carolina Hurricanes want to keep playing like they’re on the road.That’s a mentality that served them well during a critical chunk of the schedule in which they played 85-plus minutes of clutch hockey to remain in the playoff chase.

PITTSBURGH – Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Sergei Gonchar has been cleared to play after missing the season to date with a dislocated left shoulder, but won’t be in uniform against San Jose on Wednesday night.

MONTREAL – Hockey legend Guy Lafleur will have to stand trial in April on a charge of obstruction of justice after a judge said Wednesday there was no justification for the stay of proceedings he had been seeking.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Buffalo Sabres recalled centre Nathan Gerbe from their AHL affiliate in Portland and expect him to play Wednesday night against Ottawa.

Results Tuesday: AHL Albany 4 Portland 3 (SO)Milwaukee 4 Grand Rapids 3Rochester 4 Iowa 1ECHL Charlotte 4 South Carolina 3Las Vegas 3 Phoenix 2Mississippi 9 Gwinnett 3Utah 5 Bakersfield 2IHL No Games Scheduled.

Scoring summaries from Tuesday’s NHL games:Maple Leafs 4 at Panthers 5 (OT)First Period1. Toronto, Hagman 15 (Blake, Moore) 10:31Penalties – None.

Movements in the world of hockey Tuesday:National Hockey LeagueDALLAS STARS-Assigned LW Sean Avery to Hartford (AHL).EDMONTON OILERS-Fired Springfield (AHL) coach Jeff Truitt.

ST. LOUIS – Criticized for his play since signing with the Vancouver Canucks, Mats Sundin seems to have finally found his touch around the net.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Now that Detroit Red Wings’ five-game skid is really a thing of the past.Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk each had two goals and an assist for the Red Wings, who held off the Nashville Predators 5-3 Tuesday night for their fifth straight victory.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – After the Los Angeles Kings trailed the New York Islanders for most of the night, Jack Johnson gave them a win with one shot in the shootout.

SUNRISE, Fla. – Exactly one year after suffering the scariest of injuries, Richard Zednik was the centre of attention for much happier reasons.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Last week, Dan LaCosta was toiling in the minors and waiting for a chance. He caught a break and became a top star in an NHL game twice in four days.

BOSTON – Patrick Marleau, Milan Michalek and former Boston captain Joe Thornton scored in a 6:16 span of the third period to rally the San Jose Sharks to a 5-2 victory over the Boston Bruins in a matchup of the NHL’s top two teams on Tuesday night.

TAMPA, Fla. – Kari Lehtonen said it was a save. Steven Stamkos had no doubt it was a goal. The referees’ decision went with the goalie.Lehtonen made 40 saves, including stopping Stamkos on a penalty shot, to lead the Atlanta Thrashers past the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 on Tuesday night.

SUNRISE, Fla. – This is one anniversary Richard Zednik chose not to commemorate.A year ago, the Florida Panthers forward left a trail of blood on the ice as he skated toward the bench.

ST. LOUIS – Blues forward Paul Kariya underwent surgery on his right hip Tuesday, a little more than a month after an operation to fix his left hip.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Edmonton Oilers named Rod Daum as the new coach of the team’s AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons, on Tuesday.Daum had been serving as a pro scout with the Oilers and will be behind the Falcons bench Wednesday against the Manchester Monarchs.

MONTREAL – The Quebec government has given the Montreal Canadiens two grants totalling $250,000 to create educational materials for schools in the province.

PITTSBURGH – Sidney Crosby didn’t need to watch the Olympics last summer to know what swimmer Michael Phelps was going through in Beijing.The around-the-clock attention.

No one needs to tell Zach Parise the 50-goal mark is within reach.The New Jersey forward is already quite aware that the magic number keeps getting closer and closer.