Puck Podcast

NEW YORK — Detroit’s Chris Chelios, Nashville’s Steve Sullivan and Florida’s Richard Zednik are the finalists for the NHL’s Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

Movements in the world of hockey Wednesday:National Hockey LeagueCHICAGO BLACKHAWKS-Recalled F Bryan Bickell, F Evan Brophey, F Jacob Dowell, F Pascal Pelletier, F Jack Skille, D Jordan Hendry, G Corey Crawford and G Antti Niemi from Rockford (AHL)

SAN JOSE, Calif. – After two sleepless nights, Ryane Clowe is thinking about how to fill several weeks of free time he neither wants nor needs

DETROIT – The best on the blue line this decade will be on display in the Detroit Red Wings-Anaheim Ducks series.Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom has won the past three Norris Trophies, awarded to the NHL’s top defenceman

VANCOUVER, B.C. – For about 20 minutes Wednesday, Roberto Luongo held centre stage in the Canucks dressing room.The Vancouver goaltender, still dripping with sweat from practice, stood in his underwear, patiently answering questions into a sea of television cameras and microphones

WILMINGTON, Mass. – Tim Thomas kept pushing the remote control, switching between games that would determine Boston’s next playoff opponent.Washington Capitals vs

WINNIPEG – Manitoba Moose coach Scott Arniel doesn’t have to be reminded about the need to shut down the Grand Rapids Griffins’ top line.When the American Hockey League clubs square off in Game 1 of the best-of-seven North Division final Friday in Winnipeg, much of the Moose’s focus will be on Justin Abdelkader, Ville Leino and Darren Haydar

CALGARY – Mike Keenan expects to remain head coach of the Calgary Flames next season and chalks up his team’s first-round playoff exit to injuries

PITTSBURGH – Alex Ovechkin doesn’t like Sidney Crosby. Neither does Alexander Semin, who calls Crosby an overrated product of the NHL’s hype machine

NEW YORK – Last summer, the New York Rangers decided not to bring back aging veterans Jaromir Jagr and Brendan Shanahan.When the season ended with a frustrating 2-1 loss in Game 7 to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night, coach John Tortorella lamented the lack of scoring punch that started the off-season much earlier than he hoped

NEWARK, N.J. – The New Jersey Devils’ season isn’t going to be remembered for Martin Brodeur’s elbow injury, his NHL career record for wins by a goaltender, the team’s club-record 51 wins or its seventh Atlantic Division title in 12 years

RALEIGH, N.C. – Paul Maurice couldn’t sleep. His Carolina Hurricanes had staged a rally for the ages a few hours earlier, and the coach’s mind wouldn’t stop racing

BERN, Switzerland – The United States blew a three-goal lead in the third period and lost 6-5 in overtime to Sweden on Wednesday at the IIHF World Hockey Championship

NEW YORK – A trio of Russians will battle for the honour of being named most valuable player in the National Hockey League.Goal-scoring sensation Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, playmaker Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the versatile Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings were named as finalists for the Hart Trophy on Wednesday

PHILADELPHIA – Flyers captain Mike Richards will have surgery this week to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.General manager Paul Holmgren says the centre will have surgery Friday

DUBENDORF, Switzerland – The IIHF World Hockey Championship is over for James Neal.The Canadian forward suffered cuts above and below his left eye after getting high-sticked by Ladislav Nagy during Canada’s 7-3 victory over Slovakia on Tuesday night

Results Tuesday:IIHF Men’s World Championship At ZurichCanada 7 Slovakia 3 Belarus 3 Hungary 1At BernFrance 2 Germany 1 Russia 4 Switzerland 2 AHL PlayoffsDivision Finals(Best-of-7)Atlantic DivisionProvidence 3 Worcester 2 (OT)(Providence leads series 1-0)ECHL PlayoffsNo Games Scheduled

Movements in the world of hockey Tuesday:American Hockey LeagueAHL-Awarded a franchise to Austin, Texas to begin play in the 2009-10 season. Approved the relocations of Quad Cities to Abbotsford, British Columbia and Philadelphia to Glens Falls, N

Scoring summaries from Tuesday’s NHL playoff games:Rangers 1 at Capitals 2First Period1. N.Y. Rangers, Antropov 2 (Dubinsky, Avery) 5:352. Washington, Semin 5 (Backstrom, Green) 15:34Penalties – Antropov NYR (high-sticking) 11:53, Green Wash (interference) 13:21

The rivalry between young National Hockey League superstars Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin is about to reach the next level.Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins will meet Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals in the second round of the NHL playoffs, marking the first time the two young stars have faced off in the post-season