Articles by Doug Stolhand

GREENBURGH, N.Y. – Steve Valiquette had a great view of Sean Avery’s rule-changing attempt to get Martin Brodeur off his game, and didn’t like it.

BOSTON – Even though Peter Schaefer has his own playoff series to worry about, the Boston Bruins winger can’t help but feel some sympathy for his old friends on the Ottawa Senators.

VANCOUVER – Dave Nonis was fired as general manager of the Vancouver Canucks because the NHL team needed a change in leadership, owner Francesco Aquilini said Tuesday.

VANCOUVER – The next general manager of the Vancouver Canucks must provide the leadership skills to make the NHL team competitive and capable of winning a Stanley Cup, owner Francesco Aquilini said Tuesday.

BRUSSELS, Belgium – The Stanley Cup is visiting Europe to help mark the 100th anniversary of the International Ice Hockey Federation.European and NHL greats Peter Stastny, Slava Fetisov, Jyrki Lumme and Arturs Irbe were on hand to present the Cup to lawmakers and fans Tuesday at the European Parliament.

BRUSSELS, Belgium – The Stanley Cup is visiting Europe to help mark the 100th anniversary of the International Ice Hockey Federation.Former NHL greats Peter Stastny, Slava Fetisov, Jyrki Lumme and Arturs Irbe were on hand to present the Cup to lawmakers and fans Tuesday at the European Parliament.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals signed right-winger Francois Bouchard to a three-year entry-level contract Tuesday.The 19-year-old Bouchard was taken by Washington in the second round of the 2006 NHL entry draft.

NHL playoff scoring summaries Monday:Penguins 4 at Senators 1First Period1. No Scoring.Penalties – Neil Ott (roughing) 1:21, Talbot Pgh (goaltender interference) 4:14, Donovan Ott (holding) 16:16.

DENVER – The Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche are so evenly matched that neither team can win in regulation.Pierre-Marc Bouchard took the pass from Brian Rolston from behind the net and sent it past Jose Theodore 11:58 into overtime to give the Wild a 3-2 win over the Avalanche on Monday night.

DENVER – The Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche are so evenly matched that neither team can win in regulation, and what keeps separating them in overtime is a funny bounce.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Jason Arnott scored with 3:58 left in the third period, the second Nashville goal in nine seconds, and the Predators rallied to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 Monday night to get back into the first-round series.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Nashville Predators are back in the series. The Detroit Red Wings are searching for their lost momentum.Jason Arnott scored with 3:58 left in the final period, the second Nashville goal in nine seconds, and the Predators rallied to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 Monday night and cut the first-round series deficit to 2-1.

OTTAWA – Even the courageous return of captain Daniel Alfredsson wasn’t enough for the Ottawa Senators.Sidney Crosby and Jordan Staal scored 1:18 apart early in the third period Monday night and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Senators 4-1 to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven, Eastern Conference quarter-final series.

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks’ failure to make this year’s playoffs has cost general manager Dave Nonis his job, the NHL team said Monday night.

Movements in the world of hockey Monday:National Hockey LeagueBUFFALO SABRES-Signed D Chris Butler.DALLAS STARS-Recalled LW Chris Connor, D Dan Jancevski, LW James Neal, RW Konstantin Pushkarev and LW Francis Wathier from Iowa (AHL).

VOORHEES, N.J. – Danny Briere expects a different kind of reaction than the one he heard his last playoff series in Philadelphia.In that one, Briere played for the enemy Buffalo Sabres.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville Predators centre David Legwand returned to the lineup Monday night for Game 3 against the Detroit Red Wings after missing 14 straight games with a deep bone bruise on his left foot.

CALGARY – A day later, the Saddledome was still buzzing over the improbable 4-3 Calgary Flames win over the San Jose Sharks. One in which a 40-year-old back-up goaltender, who had not sniffed playoff action since 2004, stole the show to put Calgary up 2-1 in the series and swing momentum toward a club that had limped and backed into the post-season only two weeks before.

DALLAS – The Dallas Stars opened the playoffs with a shutout on the road against the reigning Stanley Cup champions, took a 2-0 lead in Game 2 and seemed well on their way to ending their streak of post-season flops.

GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Phoenix Coyotes signed Kevin Porter, winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the nation’s top college hockey player, on Monday.