Puck Podcast

DETROIT – Marian Hossa’s combination of size, speed and skill helped the banged-up Detroit Red Wings finish off Chicago to set up a Stanley Cup final rematch with the team he spurned

PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins will travel Friday to the city called Hockeytown for their second Stanley Cup finals in as many seasons against Detroit, yet forgive them if they’re convinced they already live there

CHICAGO – For six weeks, the Chicago Blackhawks tasted a different vintage of hockey. The playoff variety was rugged, frenetic, sweet at first and then not so pleasant at the end of their run at the Stanley Cup

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Carolina Hurricanes are preparing for another comeback after being unable to rally in the NHL’s Eastern Conference final

The CBC’s television coverage of the NHL Stanley Cup final will reach across Canada and even into orbit.This year’s series is a rematch of last year’s final as the veteran defending champion Detroit Red Wings battle the young Pittsburgh Penguins

NEW YORK – Tom Hicks is willing to give up control of baseball’s Texas Rangers if the right deal comes along but he intends to keep the NHL’s Dallas Stars

This is going to be good.The same teams are meeting in the Stanley Cup final in consecutive years for the first time in 25 years and, if the Penguins-Red Wings rivalry gets as hot as the Oilers-Islanders confrontations one-quarter of a century ago, then we’re in for a treat

Scoring summary from Wednesday’s NHL playoff game:Blackhawks 1 at Red Wings 2 (OT)First PeriodNo Scoring.Penalties – Sharp Chi (hooking) 8:34, Chicago bench (too many men; served by Brouwer) 16:34

Movements in the world of hockey Wednesday:National Hockey LeagueMONTREAL CANADIENS-Signed F Mikael Johansson to a one-year contract.NEW YORK RANGERS-Agreed to terms with F Andres Ambuhl

DETROIT – Darren Helm scored 3:58 into overtime to give the defending champion Detroit Red Wings a 2-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night, setting up a Stanley Cup final rematch with Pittsburgh

TAMPA, Fla. – A central Florida man arrested with thousands of anabolic steroid pills told investigators he sold to professional athletes, including players on the Washington Nationals and Capitals, authorities said Wednesday

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings scratched defenceman Jonathan Ericsson from Game 5 of the Western Conference finals against the Chicago Blackhawks

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Canucks signed forward Rick Rypien to a two-year NHL contract extension through the 2010-11 season, general manager Mike Gillis said Wednesday

TORONTO – The funeral for former NHL forward Peter Zezel will be held Friday in Mississauga, Ont.Zezel, who had struggled on and off with a rare blood disease called hemolytic anemia for the past 10 years, died Tuesday at age 44

PITTSBURGH – Gretzky, Crosby. Messier, Malkin. Oilers, Penguins?The 1983 Edmonton Oilers, led by the youthful Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier, were widely hailed as hockey’s team of the future

PHOENIX – A U.S. bankruptcy court judge has accelerated the schedule for determining whether Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie can buy the Phoenix Coyotes and move the club to southern Ontario over the objection of the NHL

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks will both play without two star players in Game 5 of their rugged Western Conference finals on Wednesday night

BOSTON – The owner of the Boston Bruins believes the NHL’s next Winter Classic will be played at Fenway Park.Jeremy Jacobs said he thinks it’s the worst kept secret in Boston that the game on New Year’s Day will be played at Fenway

DENVER – Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy won’t be coming back to Colorado to try to lead the Avalanche back to respectability.Roy turned down an offer to coach the Avalanche, who is reeling from its worst finish since moving to Denver in 1995 and have very little financial flexibilityThe Denver Post first reported Roy’s decision on its website Wednesday

After taking some time to think about and debate his future, Patrick Roy, according to the Denver Post, has informed the Colorado Avalanche he will stay with the Quebec League’s Remparts, for now