Month: April 2009

CALGARY – Mike Keenan appealed to his players’ pride and captain Jarome Iginla called on teammates to prove the Flames have the depth to stave off elimination from the NHL playoffs despite their injuries

PITTSBURGH – Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Better learn to deal with them.The Philadelphia Flyers still haven’t, and it’s the primary reason why the Pittsburgh Penguins sent them to the Eastern Conference sidelines for the second spring in a row

NEW YORK – John Tortorella’s view from a suite was no better than the one from the bench, and the suspended coach watched helplessly as the Washington Capitals routed his New York Rangers for the second straight game

KLOTEN, Switzerland – This is when you’re reminded how much Canada means to the sport of hockey.The scoreboard above an arena in suburban Switzerland reads: Canada 9, Hungary 0

NEW YORK – Rangers forward Blair Betts has been knocked out of Sunday’s playoff game after taking a shot to the head from Washington Capitals enforcer Donald Brashear

NEW YORK – New York Rangers coach John Tortorella stood up for one of his players when he got into a confrontation with a fan that drew a suspension for a playoff game, replacement coach Jim Schoenfeld said Sunday

NEW YORK – Sean Avery is back on the ice for the New York Rangers, and the decision to return him to the lineup Sunday was made by suspended coach John Tortorella

Another step in the Alex Ovechkin-Evgeni Malkin debate should be taken when finalists for some of the NHL’s most hotly contested awards are announced

PHILADELPHIA – Every time the Philadelphia Flyers play an important game, they break out the highlights from the glory days.There’s Kate Smith singing “God Bless America

RALEIGH, N.C. – Injured New Jersey captain Jamie Langenbrunner is expected back in the Devils’ lineup for Game 6 of their first-round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Don’t count out the San Jose Sharks just yet, not while their captain still has his clutch scoring touch.Patrick Marleau got his second game-winning goal of the playoffs 6:02 into overtime, and the top-seeded Sharks avoided first-round elimination with a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 5 on Saturday night

WINNIPEG – The Toronto Marlies made a surprise goalie change for Game 6 of their AHL North Division semifinal Saturday, and the tactic worked – but only for two periods

CHICAGO – The Chicago Blackhawks blitzed the Calgary Flames early, rolled to a convincing victory and took control of their Western Conference quarter-final

NEW YORK – A tossed bottle and a squirt of liquid by Rangers coach John Tortorella landed New York’s bench boss in hot water and on the sidelines for Game 6 against the Washington Capitals

NEW YORK – Rangers coach John Tortorella has been suspended by the NHL for one game because he squirted a fan with water and threw a water bottle into the stands, striking a spectator in Washington

WILMINGTON, Mass. – One part of their team the Boston Bruins feel confident in as they wait for the second round of the playoffs is special teams

VANCOUVER, B.C. – It’s the football equivalent of a goal-line stand, or a relief pitcher fanning the side with the bases loaded in baseball.Killing penalties, especially a succession of them, has brought a game-changing impact to Vancouver Canucks, who await an opponent in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs

PHILADELPHIA – Down three goals and facing an inspired opponent in a hostile building, the Pittsburgh Penguins easily could’ve settled for going back home to play Game 7

RALEIGH, N.C. – Posted on the wall in the Carolina Hurricanes’ dressing room is a rundown of the teams that remain in the East’s playoff field

KLOTEN, Switzerland – There might not be anyone who believed in Levente Szuper as much as Brian Kilrea.It was the legendary Ottawa 67’s coach that got the goalie believing he could become the first Hungarian to play in the NHL and it was Kilrea who phoned Szuper immediately after Calgary selected him in the 2000 draft