Articles by Doug Stolhand

TAMPA, Fla. – John Tortorella was fired Tuesday as coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, four years after leading the team to its only Stanley Cup championship.

TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Lightning have fired head coach John Tortorella.
The move comes after the Lightning finished last in the Southeast Division at 31-42-9 despite a roster that includes stars Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St-Louis.

In a move that hardly comes as a surprise, John Tortorella will not return next season as the Tampa Bay’s head coach.

"This has been a very difficult decision because of everything that John Tortorella has meant to and done for this organization," GM Jay Feaster said in a statement.

VOORHEES, N.J. – Philadelphia Flyers winger Sami Kapanen retired from the NHL on Tuesday and plans to return to Finland and play for a team he owns there.

PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia Flyers winger Sami Kapanen is retiring after 12 NHL seasons.The 34-year-old had eight points in 74 regular-season games for the Flyers.

Results Monday:AHLPlayoffs Calder Cup Final (Best-of-7)No Games Scheduled.ECHLPlayoffs Kelly Cup Final(Best-of-7)Cincinnati 4 Las Vegas 0(Ci.

DETROIT – The scene was set perfectly for another Detroit Red Wings championship celebration.Television cameras were rolling as the Stanley Cup was getting polished in the bowels of Joe Louis Arena and a delirious sellout crowd was chanting: “We want the Cup!” Then the NHL’s championship series took a twist.

DETROIT – Sergei Gonchar’s heroic return on the ice lasted only 36 seconds. That’s all the Pittsburgh Penguins needed out of him.The power-play quarterback returned after missing more than two periods with severe back spasms, helping to set up Petr Sykora’s overtime winner in the third overtime as the Penguins forced a Game 6 in the Stanley Cup final against the Detroit Red Wings.

Scoring summary from Monday’s NHL game:Penguins 4 at Red Wings 3 (3OT) First Period1. Pittsburgh, Hossa 11 (Crosby, Dupuis) 8:37Dupuis centres the puck into the slot and it goes off Crosby’s skate.

Movements in the world of hockey Monday:National Hockey LeagueNEW YORK ISLANDERS-Signed RW Tim Jackman to a one-year contract.NEW YORK RANGERS-Agreed to terms with F Tomas Zaborsky.

DETROIT – The Pittsburgh Penguins remain in the hunt for the Stanley Cup after winning one of the most sensational games in NHL championship series history Monday night.

DETROIT – The Pittsburgh Penguins hit the jackpot Monday night.Petr Sykora’s goal 9:57 into the third overtime gave them a 4-3 victory and shaved Detroit’s lead in the NHL’s championships series to three games to two.

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins were deadlocked 3-3 through the second overtime period Monday in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final.

DETROIT – Pittsburgh forward Maxime Talbot scored with 35 seconds left in regulation as the Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings headed to overtime tied 3-3 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final Monday night.

DETROIT – Detroit’s Darren Helm scored early in the second period, but the Penguins held on for a 2-1 lead over the Red Wings through 40 minutes Monday in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final.

DETROIT – Marian Hossa and Adam Hall scored in the first period as the Pittsburgh Penguins broke out to a 2-0 lead over the Detroit Red Wings through 20 minutes Monday in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final.

DETROIT – The NHL’s 30 GMs discussed items such as no-touch icing and the instigator rule Monday but the real news came outside the room.Toronto Maple Leafs interim GM Cliff Fletcher sped through reporters while trying to catch a plane but not before confirming he was getting closer to hiring a new head coach.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have offered their vacant head coaching position to recently dismissed Sharks bench boss Ron Wilson, Canadian sports television station TSN is reporting.

DETROIT – Don’t expect to see no-touch icing in the NHL in the near future.

The concept was discussed once again at Monday’s GM meetings in Detroit, but it will not be passed on to the board of governors as a recommendation for next season.

DETROIT – It’s easy to forget just how far Henrik Zetterberg has come.There were 209 players selected ahead of him in the 1999 NHL draft and there isn’t a team in the league that wouldn’t switch any of those picks for the Swedish winger now.