Articles by Doug Stolhand

MONTREAL – Statues of four hockey legends were unveiled as the Montreal Canadiens celebrated their 99th birthday with the opening of Centennial Plaza at the Bell Centre on Thursday.

CHICAGO – Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Brian Campbell has an advantage going into this year’s Winter Classic against Detroit at Wrigley Field.

NEW YORK – Barry Melrose will return to ESPN as a hockey analyst on Jan. 1.Melrose, who was fired as coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning last month, will appear on SportsCenter and ESPNEWS.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Hard-hitting Buffalo Sabres forward Patrick Kaleta is out indefinitely after being placed on injured reserve Thursday because of a head and neck injury.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals recalled forward Keith Aucoin from Hershey on Thursday and assigned forward Graham Mink to the American Hockey League club.

Scoring summaries from Wednesday’s NHL games:Thrashers 1 at Senators 5First Period1. Ottawa, Heatley 13 (Bell, Alfredsson) 1:182. Atlanta, Boulton 1 (Crabb, Slater) 2:533.

EDMONTON – Lubomir Visnovsky, Ales Hemsky and Andrew Cogliano led the way with a goal and an assist each as the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars 5-2 Wednesday, ending a five-game losing streak at home.

Movements in the world of hockey Wednesday:National Hockey LeagueANAHEIM DUCKS-Traded LW Joakim Lindstrom to Phoenix for D Logan Stephenson and assigned Stephenson to Iowa (AHL).

CHICAGO – Jonathan Toews broke a tie with 1:35 left in regulation in the Chicago Blackhawks’ 4-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Two nights after getting embarrassed, Minnesota got back to its kind of hockey with strong defence and an opportunistic offence.

NEW YORK – Petr Prucha’s clutch goal was a month in the making.Banished to the role of Broadway extra, Prucha returned to the Rangers’ lineup in a big way Wednesday night by scoring late in the third period in New York’s 3-2 shootout victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

OTTAWA – A 21-year man was taken to an Ottawa hospital Wednesday night after falling from the third level at Scotiabank Place during the Senators’ 5-1 win over the Atlanta Thrashers.

OTTAWA – Dany Heatley and the Ottawa Senators got off to a quick start and made sure the Atlanta Thrashers didn’t have a chance at another electric comeback.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Anaheim Ducks acquired defenceman Logan Stephenson from the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday for left wing Joakim Lindstrom.

TORONTO – Even after all these years, Canadians just can’t seem to get enough of Grapes – and there sure is a lot of him to go around right now.

The Hockey News, a staple for fans for more than 60 years, is set to launch a new radio show on XM Canada, the country’s leading satellite radio service, Friday, Dec.

Shea Weber figures the road to Vancouver runs through Nashville.While there isn’t an NHL defenceman with better individual stats so far this season, Weber thinks the best thing he can do to impress the decision-makers for Canada’s 2010 Olympic team is help the Predators have success this season.

Stefan Legein, a 20-year-old prospect for the Columbus Blue Jackets who decided to quit hockey before this season, has decided he wants to return, according to the Columbus Post-Dispatch.

OTTAWA – Almost half of the Canadian junior hockey team’s roster is made up of players under the age of 18.

The 2009 world junior hockey championship, hosted by Ottawa starting Dec.

Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic will miss at least the next six weeks so he can receive treatment for a herniated disc in his back.
Sakic, who hasn’t played since he left the game early Nov.