Puck Podcast

CALGARY – The Chicago Blackhawks won their first playoff series in 13 years with a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday.The Blackhawks took the best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final series 4-2

Movements in the world of hockey Monday:National Hockey LeagueNHL-Suspended Washington F Donald Brashear six games as a result of two separate incidents against the New York Rangers on April 26

NEWARK, N.J. – Martin Brodeur has played in a deciding Game 7 of a playoff series eight times in his career with the New Jersey Devils and the prospect of another hasn’t changed the way the New Jersey Devils goaltender feels

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Canucks got one of their quiet leaders back Monday when defenceman Sami Salo participated in his first full practice in a week

MONTREAL – Quebec’s finance minister says the provincial government is willing to provide an unsecured bond to help investors who are interested in buying the Montreal Canadiens

ARLINGTON, Va. – Alex Ovechkin strolled into the locker room at the Capitals’ training facility Monday wearing an Italian soccer club jersey and his usual: “What, me worry?” gap-toothed grin

TORONTO – The NHL came down hard on Donald Brashear on Monday, suspending the Washington Capitals enforcer a total of six games for two incidents during Game 6 of their playoff series with the New York Rangers

CALGARY – The injuries keep coming for the Calgary Flames.The Flames will be without defenceman Dion Phaneuf in Game 6 of their Western Conference quarter-final series against Chicago on Monday, according to head coach Mike Keenan

NEW YORK – New York Rangers centre Blair Betts suffered a broken orbital bone from a hit by Washington’s Donald Brashear and will miss Game 7 of their playoff series on Tuesday night

DUBENDORF, Switzerland – Doug Armstrong is a patient man.With forward Scottie Upshall suspended for Canada’s next game at the IIHF World Hockey Championship, the team’s general manager might have been tempted to start searching for an immediate replacement

NEW YORK – Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins, Niklas Backstrom of the Minnesota Wild and rookie Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets are the finalists for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender

Hockey people love to say nothing else in sports matches the intensity level of a Game 7.But if the one scheduled to decide the first-round playoff series between the Rangers and Capitals is anything like Game 5, we could be looking at too much of a good thing

Scoring summaries from Sunday’s NHL playoff games:Capitals 5 at Rangers 3First Period1. Washington, Jurcina 1 (Laich, Steckel) 7:092. N.Y. Rangers, Gomez 2 (Redden, Avery) 8:15 (pp)3

Results Sunday:IIHF Men’s World Championship Preliminary Round Group A At ZurichCanada 9 Hungary 0Belarus 2 Slovakia 1 (SO)Group BAt Bern, SwitzerlandSwitzerland 3 Germany 2 (OT)Russia 7 France 2AHL PlayoffsFirst Round Division Semifinals(Best-of-7)Western Conference North DivisionGrand Rapids 4 Hamilton 1(Grand Rapids wins series 4-2)ECHL PlayoffsSecond Round Division FinalsNo Games Scheduled

RALEIGH, N.C. – Eric Staal scored two goals less than three minutes apart, Cam Ward made 28 saves in his third career playoff shutout and the Carolina Hurricanes routed the New Jersey Devils 4-0 on Sunday night to force a decisive Game 7

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Perhaps now it’s the Anaheim Ducks’ turn to grip their sticks a little bit tighter.The Ducks missed their first opportunity to complete a remarkable playoff upset in Game 5, losing 3-2 in overtime to the top-seeded San Jose Sharks

HAMILTON, Ont. – The Grand Rapids Griffins advanced to the AHL North Division final after defeating the Hamilton Bulldogs 4-1 Sunday.Griffins defenceman Ville Leino scored once and added three assists as Grand Rapids eliminated the Bulldogs 4-2 in the series to claim their first playoff series win since 2006

CALGARY – Mike Keenan appealed to his players’ pride and captain Jarome Iginla called on teammates to prove the Flames have the depth to stave off elimination from the NHL playoffs despite their injuries

PITTSBURGH – Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Better learn to deal with them.The Philadelphia Flyers still haven’t, and it’s the primary reason why the Pittsburgh Penguins sent them to the Eastern Conference sidelines for the second spring in a row

NEW YORK – John Tortorella’s view from a suite was no better than the one from the bench, and the suspended coach watched helplessly as the Washington Capitals routed his New York Rangers for the second straight game