Month: February 2009

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The jump from first to second year for James Sheppard has not been as smooth as he or the Minnesota Wild wanted.The 20-year-old centre, however, is picking up his play.

TORONTO – Colin Campbell had a busy start to his work week.The NHL’s disciplinarian made two rulings on Monday, giving Los Angeles Kings defenceman Denis Gauthier a five-game suspension and Pittsburgh Penguins forward Tyler Kennedy a one-game ban.

It almost seems a little hard to believe – the start of the 2010 Olympic men’s hockey tournament is only about a year away.Steve Yzerman and his management group are already closely monitoring the progress of candidates for Team Canada so The Canadian Press has decided to do the same thing.

WASHINGTON – Washington Capitals captain Chris Clark will have surgery on his right wrist this week and is expected to miss the rest of the season.

MONTREAL – The Montreal Canadiens say that Robert Lang has had successful surgery to repair the Achilles tendon in his left leg.Lang suffered the injury on an innocent looking play during a game against Boston on Sunday afternoon, and was operated on later in the evening.

PHILADELPHIA – Luca Sbisa is on his way back to the Western Hockey League.The Philadelphia Flyers sent the 19-year-old defenceman back to his junior team in Lethbridge on Monday.

NEWARK, N.J. – Most hockey fans had the same reaction when Martin Brodeur had surgery to repair a torn muscle in his elbow in early November.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Defenceman Mike Weber was recalled from the minors by the Buffalo Sabres on Monday to bolster their injury-depleted blue-line.

NEW YORK – Jamie Langenbrunner finished January in style.The New Jersey Devils winger was named the NHL’s first star of the month and week on Monday.

According to the Columbus Post-Dispatch, rookie goalie Steve Mason is battling mononucleosis.
The report says the team still plans on playing the Calder candidate unless his symptoms take a turn for the worse.

OTTAWA – It looks like the Ottawa Senators will be making another coaching change.The team has called a morning news conference amid reports that Craig Hartsburg has been fired.

Scoring summaries from Sunday’s NHL games:Bruins 3 at Canadiens 1 First Period1. Montreal, Lang 18 (Markov, A.Kostitsyn) 18:18 (pp)2. Boston, Wideman 11, 19:59Penalties – Thornton Bos, Henry Mtl (fighting) 1:06, Higgins Mtl (slashing) 13:09, Ward Bos (tripping) 17:52, O’Byrne Mtl (interference) 19:02, Kessel Bos (high-sticking) 19:24.

Movements in the world of hockey:National Hockey LeagueDALLAS STARS-Recalled LW Fabian Brunnstrom from Manitoba (AHL).MONTREAL CANADIENS-Recalled D Alex Henry from Hamilton (AHL).

Results Sunday: AHL Providence 2 Worcester 1ECHL No Games Scheduled.IHL No Games Scheduled.Central No Games Scheduled.QMJHL No Games Scheduled.

MONTREAL – Losing to runaway NHL Eastern Conference leader Boston was not what bothered Montreal Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau. It was the way his team lost.

EDMONTON – The Edmonton Oilers may be in sixth place but they have little margin for error in the bunched up Western Conference standings.Martin Erat’s third-period goal gave the Nashville Predators a 2-1 victory over Edmonton on Sunday afternoon and two valuable points the Oilers simply can’t afford to give up.

WASHINGTON – Alex Ovechkin scored three goals for his seventh career hat trick and second of the season to lead the Washington Capitals to a 7-4 win over the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.

FRISCO, Texas – Fabian Brunnstrom is on his way back to the Dallas Stars after a brief stay in the minors.The 23-year-old rookie was recalled Sunday after appearing in one game for the American Hockey League’s Manitoba Moose.