Articles by Doug Stolhand

PITTSBURGH – Before the NHL’s Eastern Conference final is over and done with, there’s a chance John Stevens and Michel Therrien will rekindle their personal rivalry.

QUEBEC – Canadian coaches are becoming a hot commodity on the international hockey scene.At the IIHF World Hockey Championship, six of the 16 coaches are Canadian in addition to Team Canada’s Ken Hitchcock.

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings signed forward Ville Leino to a one-year entry level contract on Saturday.The 24-year-old played for Jokerit of Finnish Elite League in 2007-08, leading the team in scoring with 77 points (28 goals and 49 assists) in 55 games.

DETROIT – No Franzen, no problem.The Red Wings surprised everybody just before the game by announcing that Johan Franzen, the leading goal scorer of the NHL playoffs, was out indefinitely with concussion-like symptoms, but it didn’t stall their drive for the Stanley Cup.

DETROIT – Dallas Stars forward Jere Lehtinen was sent off the ice because of a leg injury in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals.Lehtinen started Saturday night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings, but didn’t finish.

DETROIT – Johan Franzen, who leads all NHL playoff scorers with 12 goals, is out of the Red Wings lineup indefinitely.Franzen sat out Game 2 of the Western Conference final Saturday night with concussion-like symptoms, and his team since he would not make the trip for Dallas and Game 3 Monday night.

DETROIT – Johan Franzen, who leads all NHL playoff scorers with 12 goals, is out of the Red Wings lineup indefinitely.Franzen sat out Game 2 of the Western Conference final Saturday night with concussion-like symptoms, and his team since he would not make the trip for Dallas and Game 3 Monday night.

PITTSBURGH – Pittsburgh Penguins centre Maxime Talbot, sidelined with a broken right foot for three games, may play Sunday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against Philadelphia.

HALIFAX – Eric Staal picked a good time to make his presence felt at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.The Canadian forward picked up his first four goals of the tournament in the team’s 10-1 rout of Germany on Saturday.

DETROIT – The possibility that he might get his name etched on the Stanley Cup as a member of the Detroit Red Wings this spring blows Darren Helm’s mind.

MINNEAPOLIS – Jacques Lemaire has 11 Stanley Cup championship rings, 500 victories as a coach and is widely considered one of the best coaches in the NHL.

MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota Wild coach Jacques Lemaire says he’ll return for an eighth season with the team.Lemaire, who announced his decision in a news release Saturday, has a career record of 500-381-168 over 14 years, including 60-52 in the playoffs.

PITTSBURGH – Given the offensive pizzazz on the Pittsburgh Penguins, it’s hardly surprising that the most overlooked facet of their game has been their defensive prowess in these NHL playoffs.

QUEBEC – Radim Vrbata and Ales Kotalik scored in shootout as the Czech Republic survived a scare from plucky Belarus to post a 3-2 victory on Saturday at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.

Movements in the world of hockey Friday:National Hockey LeagueCOLORADO AVALANCHE-Announced the contract of Joel Quenneville, coach, will not be renewed.

TORONTO – Toronto Marlies left winger Bates Battaglia scored late in the first overtime period to beat the visiting Syracuse Crunch 4-3 in second-round American Hockey League playoff action on Friday night.

PITTSBURGH – Unlike the Montreal Canadiens, the Pittsburgh Penguins polished off their scoring chances against the Philadelphia Flyers.Evgeni Malkin had two goals and an assist Friday night and the high-flying Penguins skated past the Flyers 4-2 in Game 1 of the NHL’s Eastern Conference final.

DALLAS – Swedish free agent Fabian Brunnstrom signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Dallas Stars on Friday after being wooed by a handful of NHL teams.

PITTSBURGH – Kimmo Timonen wasn’t in the Philadelphia Flyers’ lineup Friday night, sidelined by a blood clot on his left ankle that is all but certain to keep him out the rest of the playoffs.