Articles by Doug Stolhand

BOSTON – David Krejci’s overtime bank shot off a defender’s leg gave Boston a victory over its closest competitors in the Eastern Conference.

TAMPA, Fla. – Pat Burns was scouting a hockey game Tuesday night, which means it was another good day for the former NHL coach.The 56-year old Burns recently confirmed he has lung cancer and knows the long-term outlook is “not good” in his third battle against the disease.

NEW YORK – While Henrik Lundqvist went to the all-star game during the New York Rangers’ weeklong break, the rest of the team did everything possible to be ready once the second half began.

BOSTON – Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin, the leading goal-scorer in the NHL and the league’s reigning MVP, left Tuesday night’s game against the Bruins in the second period but returned for the third after awkwardly crashing into the boards following a hook from Boston defenceman Zdeno Chara.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – New York Islanders centre Mike Sillinger underwent hip surgery for the second time in a year and will miss the remainder of the season, the team said Tuesday.

TORONTO – Pittsburgh Penguins forward Matt Cooke has been suspended for two games for hitting Carolina forward Scott Walker in the head during a game last week.

OTTAWA – Unwanted goaltender Martin Gerber was assigned to Binghamton of the AHL on Tuesday as his future with the Ottawa Senators looked increasingly bleak.

DENVER – The Colorado Avalanche activated Ian Laperriere from the injured reserve list, making him available for the game tonight against the San Jose Sharks.

DALLAS – The Dallas Stars assigned left-winger Fabian Brunnstrom to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose on Tuesday.Brunnstrom was put on the injured reserve list Dec.

BOSTON – Patrice Bergeron has been cleared to play for the Boston Bruins after missing 15 games with a concussion.Coach Claude Julien said the forward would play Tuesday night against the Washington Capitals after receiving medical clearance and skating with his teammates.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Columbus Blue Jackets activated forward Jason Chimera off injured reserve Tuesday after he missed 16 games with a groin injury.

MONTREAL – A slim majority of Canadians believe NHL hockey fights should be banished to the penalty box – for good – a new poll suggests.A Harris-Decima survey conducted during the NHL all-star weekend indicates 54 per cent of respondents think fighting should be ousted from the league.

Movements in the world of hockey Monday:National Hockey LeagueANAHEIM DUCKS-Recalled LW Drew Miller and D Brendan Mikkelson from Iowa (AHL).BOSTON BRUINS-Recalled G Tuukka Rask from Providence (AHL).

The NHL all-star game attracted CBC’s largest audience for the showcase event in nine years as an average of 1.516 million viewers tuned in Sunday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed rookie centre Nikita Filatov on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 18.General manager Scott Howson announced the move Monday.

TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs recalled goaltender Justin Pogge and forward Nikolai Kulemin from the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies on Monday.

PITTSBURGH – Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby practised with the team Monday after staying off the ice for five days to rest his ailing left knee, but his status for Wednesday’s game against the New York Rangers is questionable.

MONTREAL – The last time Montreal hosted the NHL all-star game back in 1993, the Canadiens rode the wave to their 24th Stanley Cup title.They haven’t added to their record total since.

DALLAS – The Dallas Stars have definitely been better without Sean Avery.Since the agitating forward was suspended for crude comments he made about his ex-girlfriends dating other NHL players, the Stars have won more in 22 games than in the 23 games Avery played.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Nashville Predators’ scoring problems have put their streak of four consecutive playoff appearances at risk.The Predators are last in the NHL in goals scored with 111 through 46 games.