Month: May 2009

There’s the upstart, the underdog, the contender and the defending champ.And, of course, two Staals.The NHL is down to its final four teams and there are plenty of compelling storylines heading into the conference finals

DETROIT – The defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings are going from a playoff-tested, big and feisty opponent to a team in the playoffs for the first time since 2002 that relies on speed and skill

SAN FRANCISCO – Silicon Valley financier William (Boots) Del Biaggio III was scrambling during the summer of 2007 to buy a significant portion of the NHL’s Nashville Predators

BOSTON – The Boston Bruins had plenty of reasons to believe they could win their first Stanley Cup in 37 years.They allowed the fewest goals in the NHL and scored the most in the Eastern Conference

TORONTO – Jim Balsillie expanded his own personal NHL power play Friday, announcing a pair of corporate sponsors were on board for his bid to bring the Phoenix Coyotes to southern Ontario

Scoring summaries from Thursday’s NHL playoff games:Ducks 3 at Red Wings 4First Period1. Detroit, Hudler 4 (Franzen, Zetterberg) 15:43 (pp)Penalties – Zetterberg Det (holding stick) 4:42, Kronwall Det (hooking) 5:32, Getzlaf Ana (holding) 8:42, Getzlaf Ana (slashing) 14:12

BOSTON – Scott Walker delivered the final knockout punch to the Boston Bruins.His overtime goal sent the Carolina Hurricanes into the Eastern Conference finals and eliminated the top-seeded team in the process

Movements in the world of hockey Thursday:National Hockey LeagueVANCOUVER CANUCKS-Re-signed F Steve Bernier to a two-year contract extension

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Canucks are still shocked over their playoff loss to Chicago and won’t make hurried off-season personnel decisions, general manager Mike Gillis said Thursday

DETROIT – Dan Cleary’s tiebreaking goal with three minutes left lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night and sent the defending Stanley Cup champions back to the Western Conference finals

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Canucks began their off-season housekeeping Thursday, re-signing forward Steve Bernier.Terms of the deal weren’t released

TORONTO – Jim Balsillie has fired back at the NHL and its claim that his attempt to buy the Phoenix Coyotes is a “sham.”The Canadian billionaire says whatever the league’s legal arguments are over who actually controls the team right now – as far as he’s concerned, the Coyotes remain bankrupt

PITTSBURGH – Maybe now Alexander Semin knows what’s special about Sidney Crosby.It’s not as if Crosby, the omnipresent face of the NHL since being drafted in 2005, needed the enthralling Capitals-Penguins second-round playoff series to validate his skill, competitiveness and drive

TORONTO – Don Cherry is getting his own biopic.The outspoken sports commentator, a mainstay of CBC’s “Hockey Night in Canada,” will be the focus of a made-for-TV movie expected to air on the public broadcaster next year

CHICAGO – One name often follows the other. Like a law firm. Kane and Toews, or make it Toews and Kane. Either way, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, the two young stars of the Chicago Blackhawks, are intertwined

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have signed centre Anton Gustafsson, their first-round pick in last year’s NHL draft.Gustafsson is the son of former Capitals player Bengt Gustafsson

WASHINGTON – Led by heart-on-his-sleeve superstar Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals have perhaps the best and most excitable collection of young talent in the NHL

TORONTO – Hamilton New Democrat Paul Miller had permission to wear a special T-shirt this morning in the Ontario legislature.It read “Hockey Night in Hamilton” to reflect the efforts of the city and its politicians to back Jim Balsillie’s bid to move the Phoenix club there

Results Wednesday:AHL PlayoffsSecond Round Division Finals(Best-of-7)Eastern Conference Providence 5 Worcester 1(Providence wins series 4-2)Western Conference Houston 5 Milwaukee 2(Houston wins series 4-3)ECHL PlayoffsThird Round Conference Finals (Best-of-7)American Conference South Carolina 4 Cincinnati 3(South Carolina leads series 3-0)Memorial Cup Canadian Major Junior Hockey Championship At Rimouski, Que

Results Wednesday:AHL PlayoffsSecond Round Division Finals(Best-of-7)Eastern Conference Providence 5 Worcester 1(Providence wins series 4-2)Western Conference Houston 5 Milwaukee 2(Houston wins series 4-3)ECHL PlayoffsThird Round Conference Finals (Best-of-7)American Conference South Carolina 4 Cincinnati 3(South Carolina leads series 3-0)Memorial Cup Canadian Major Junior Hockey Championship At Rimouski, Que