Month: March 2009

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Steve Downie is in trouble again.The right-winger with the American Hockey League’s Norfolk Admirals has been suspended 20 games for slashing an official with his stick, the league said Thursday

TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed free-agent forward Jeff Hamilton to a contract for the rest of the season, the NHL team said Thursday

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Goalie Evgeni Nabokov will miss his fourth straight game for the San Jose Sharks on Thursday because of a minor lower-body injury

Scoring summaries from Wednesday’s NHL games:Canadiens 1 at Sabres 5First Period1. Buffalo, Roy 23 (Spacek, Connolly) 17:53 (pp)Penalties – Gaustad Buf (interference) 0:35, Roy Buf (tripping) 7:50, Sekera Buf (tripping) 12:44, Schneider Mtl (delay of game) 17:35, Vanek Buf (cross-checking) 19:43

Results Wednesday:AHL Toronto 6 Providence 4 Grand Rapids 3 Rockford 1 Hartford 3 Worcester 1 Manchester 5 Springfield 1 Peoria 5 Quad City 2Philadelphia 4 Norfolk 3 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 3 Binghamton 1 ECHL Idaho 3 Victoria 2Bakersfield 8 Utah 4Elmira 5 Dayton 2Johnstown 5 Wheeling 3Stockton 5 Phoenix 3IHL Fort Wayne 2 Flint 1Port Huron 2 Kalamazoo 0Central Corpus Christi 4 Laredo 3 (SO)Rapid City 6 Amarillo 3Rio Grande Valley 7 Arizona 3QMJHL Drummondville 8 Baie-Comeau 5Gatineau 6 Val-d’Or 5 Rimouski 4 Quebec 2 Saint John 4 P

DENVER – Ty Conklin laughed off his last outing, refusing to dwell on one bad performance.The Detroit goalie was much sharper Wednesday night, making 25 saves to help the Red Wings take the overall NHL lead with a 3-2 victory over the faltering Colorado Avalanche

Movements in the world of hockey Wednesday:National Hockey LeagueANAHEIM DUCKS-Acquired C Nick Bonino, G Timo Pielmeier and a conditional 2009 fourth-round draft pick from San Jose for D Kent Huskins and LW Travis Moen

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Although the San Jose Sharks took a good look at the player rental market, they elected to stick with the skaters who got them to the top of the NHL standings

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Benefiting from the Buffalo Sabres’ best offensive night in three weeks, goalie Patrick Lalime was finally rewarded with a victory

CALGARY – Calgary Flames forward Todd Bertuzzi will miss about a month of action after undergoing surgery to repair cartilage in his knee.”It was better to go in and get it cleaned up and ready to go,” Flames GM Darryl Sutter said on the team’s website

DENVER – Detroit right winger Marian Hossa missed the Red Wings’ game against Colorado because of a sore neck and knee Wednesday night, a night after he slammed into the end boards in St

TORONTO – Jiri Tlusty doesn’t know why he’s been scoring in bunches lately, he just hopes it continues.Tlusty broke his own franchise record with a six-point night – two goals and four assists – to lead the Toronto Marlies past the visiting Providence Bruins 6-4 in American Hockey League action on Wednesday night

GREENBURGH, N.Y. – The only trouble Sean Avery’s mouth got him into on his first day back with the New York Rangers was in losing a bet to goalie Henrik Lundqvist

SUNRISE, Fla. – The Florida Panthers held on to Jay Bouwmeester but sent fellow defenceman, Noah Welch, to in-state rival Tampa Bay before the NHL trade deadline on Wednesday

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Buffalo Sabres re-signed one centre, traded for another, and secured a backup goalie for their playoff push in a flurry of deals as the NHL trade deadline arrived Wednesday

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Buffalo scoring leader Thomas Vanek returned to the Sabres’ lineup Wednesday night against Montreal after missing nine games because of a broken jaw

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Ducks acquired defenceman James Wisniewski and centre Erik Christensen in separate deals with Chicago and Atlanta on Wednesday to bolster their chances of a late playoff push

LOS ANGELES – Defenceman Sean O’Donnell and goalie Erik Ersberg agreed to contract extensions with the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.O’Donnell, 37, agreed to a one-year extension

CALGARY – Not usually one for dramatics at the NHL trade deadline, Calgary Flames general manager Darryl Sutter pulled off the eye-catching deal of the day by getting veteran centre Olli Jokinen from the Phoenix Coyotes

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Canucks are playing their best hockey of the season so rookie general manager Mike Gillis saw no reason for pricey minor upgrades at the NHL’s trade deadline