Month: February 2009

VOORHEES, N.J. – The Flyers are closer to adding that impact player that so many teams look for around the trade deadline. They won’t even have to discuss deals or go outside the locker room to find a former all-star.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Veteran goalie Patrick Lalime was signed as an insurance policy that Buffalo now hopes will pay off.With Ryan Miller out indefinitely because of a mild high ankle sprain, the Sabres will turn to Lalime for their late-season playoff push.

EDMONTON – Back in October, Craig MacTavish said he had visions of his team being division contenders this season.Instead, the Edmonton Oilers coach finds himself heading into March in yet another desperate fight to the finish.

OTTAWA – The Ottawa Senators haven’t quit on the season just yet, but general manager Bryan Murray won’t rule out selling off some of his assets before the trade deadline if it means giving the team a brighter outlook for next year.

NEWARK, N.J. – Martin Brodeur is ready to play for the New Jersey Devils and all the four-time Vezina Trophy winner is waiting for is his first starting assignment since having elbow surgery roughly four months ago.

NEW YORK – A career-best game helped make Mike Richards the NHL’s first star of the week.The Philadlephia Flyers captain led all scorers with eight points in two games last week.

NEW YORK – The New York Rangers have fired head coach Tom Renney.The NHL team made the move a day after a 3-2 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Detailed summaries from Sunday’s games:Maple Leafs 3 at Rangers 2 (OT)First PeriodNo Scoring.Penalties – Mayers Tor, Voros NYR (fighting) 2:03, Redden NYR (interference) 3:04, N.

AHL Toronto 6 Rochester 2Chicago 2 Manitoba 1Syracuse 3 Hamilton 1Bridgeport 5 Portland 2Grand Rapids 5 San Antonio 4Lowell 4 Worcester 3 (OT)Hartford 3 Manchester 2Preoria 2 Quad City 1 (OT)Providence 5 Springfield 4Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Albany (ppd.

NEW YORK – Pavel Kubina’s power-play goal three minutes into overtime snapped the Toronto Maple Leafs’ losing streak and delivered the latest crushing blow to the New York Rangers’ sinking playoff chances with a 3-2 victory Sunday night.

CHICAGO – Josh Harding made 44 saves, and Peter Olvecky snapped a tie early in the third period with his first NHL goal to help the Minnesota Wild beat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 on Sunday night.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Jiri Tlusty had two goals and an assist as the Toronto Marlies beat the Rochester Americans 6-2 in American Hockey League action Sunday.

NEW YORK – Three decades after Harry Howell and Andy Bathgate were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, they took their rightful place in the rafters of Madison Square Garden – the new one, not the arena where they starred so many years ago.

TAMPA, Fla. – Vaclav Prospal beat Manny Fernandez on a power play with 1:33 left to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 4-3 victory over the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Bruins on Sunday night.

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Ondrej Pavelec made 45 saves as the Chicago Wolves defeated the American Hockey League-leading Manitoba Moose 2-1 Sunday night.

HAMILTON – Syracuse defenceman Nick Holden scored his first career goal to lift the Crunch past the Hamilton Bulldogs 3-1 in AHL action Sunday.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Matt Cullen had his first career hat trick and the Carolina Hurricanes extended their winning streak to three games with a 5-2 victory against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.

WASHINGTON – After a little push-and-shove, Sidney Crosby was still running his mouth, even as his helmet came off and a linesman tried to push him back toward the bench.

MONTREAL – The mystery that is Alex Kovalev took another twist Saturday night – this time a dramatic three-point return from a two-game exile from the Montreal Canadiens.

THE CANADIAN PRESSSenators 3 at Canadiens 5 First Period1. Montreal, Plekanec 15 (Kovalev, Markov) 2:23 (pp)2. Montreal, Kovalev 14, 5:38Penalties – Kuba Ott (holding) 1:18, Komisarek Mtl (hooking) 8:38, Smith Ott, Stewart Mtl (roughing) 14:12, Fisher Ott, Higgins Mtl (roughing) 14:47, Ruutu Ott, Dandenault Mtl (fighting) 19:21.