Puck Podcast

RALEIGH, N.C. – The wife of Carolina Hurricanes forward Scott Walker has cancer. The team says the cervical cancer is treatable and she is expected to make a full recovery

Gary Bettman would prefer to see the Phoenix Coyotes move to Winnipeg than Hamilton, according to court documents filed as part of the NHL team’s bankruptcy case

Movements in the world of hockey Friday:National Hockey LeagueST. LOUIS BLUES-Extended the contracts of Ray Bennett, Brad Shaw and Rick Wamsley, assistant coaches

WINNIPEG – Dusty Collins and Mario Bliznak scored for Manitoba and Cody Hodgson recorded a point in his first professional game as the Moose beat the Houston Aeros 2-1 in Game 1 of the American Hockey League Western Conference final

ANAHEIM, Calif. – As they stumbled through the regular season, the Anaheim Ducks started making the type of roster moves that could’ve signalled they were entering a rebuilding phase

RALEIGH, N.C. – One thing about the Carolina Hurricanes, when they get into the playoffs, they stick around for a while.They’re in the post-season for just the third time since 2002 but have reached the Eastern Conference finals all three times

With 26 NHL teams on the sidelines, there are just four who still have a chance to lift the Stanley Cup.Pittsburgh, Carolina, Detroit and Chicago have risen above the rest and all have their eyes on the prize

There’s the upstart, the underdog, the contender and the defending champ.And, of course, two Staals.The NHL is down to its final four teams and there are plenty of compelling storylines heading into the conference finals

DETROIT – The defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings are going from a playoff-tested, big and feisty opponent to a team in the playoffs for the first time since 2002 that relies on speed and skill

SAN FRANCISCO – Silicon Valley financier William (Boots) Del Biaggio III was scrambling during the summer of 2007 to buy a significant portion of the NHL’s Nashville Predators

BOSTON – The Boston Bruins had plenty of reasons to believe they could win their first Stanley Cup in 37 years.They allowed the fewest goals in the NHL and scored the most in the Eastern Conference

TORONTO – Jim Balsillie expanded his own personal NHL power play Friday, announcing a pair of corporate sponsors were on board for his bid to bring the Phoenix Coyotes to southern Ontario

Scoring summaries from Thursday’s NHL playoff games:Ducks 3 at Red Wings 4First Period1. Detroit, Hudler 4 (Franzen, Zetterberg) 15:43 (pp)Penalties – Zetterberg Det (holding stick) 4:42, Kronwall Det (hooking) 5:32, Getzlaf Ana (holding) 8:42, Getzlaf Ana (slashing) 14:12

BOSTON – Scott Walker delivered the final knockout punch to the Boston Bruins.His overtime goal sent the Carolina Hurricanes into the Eastern Conference finals and eliminated the top-seeded team in the process

Movements in the world of hockey Thursday:National Hockey LeagueVANCOUVER CANUCKS-Re-signed F Steve Bernier to a two-year contract extension

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Canucks are still shocked over their playoff loss to Chicago and won’t make hurried off-season personnel decisions, general manager Mike Gillis said Thursday

DETROIT – Dan Cleary’s tiebreaking goal with three minutes left lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night and sent the defending Stanley Cup champions back to the Western Conference finals

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Canucks began their off-season housekeeping Thursday, re-signing forward Steve Bernier.Terms of the deal weren’t released

TORONTO – Jim Balsillie has fired back at the NHL and its claim that his attempt to buy the Phoenix Coyotes is a “sham.”The Canadian billionaire says whatever the league’s legal arguments are over who actually controls the team right now – as far as he’s concerned, the Coyotes remain bankrupt

PITTSBURGH – Maybe now Alexander Semin knows what’s special about Sidney Crosby.It’s not as if Crosby, the omnipresent face of the NHL since being drafted in 2005, needed the enthralling Capitals-Penguins second-round playoff series to validate his skill, competitiveness and drive