News

TORONTO – This is the human side to a trade that most people wrote off as a paper transaction.It plays out an hour before the Toronto Maple Leafs are even scheduled to start practice, with a single player skating laps on his own and firing pucks at an empty net

MONTREAL – On both his trips to Montreal this season, there were rumours that Vincent Lecavalier was about to be traded to the Canadiens.During Tampa Bay’s last visit Jan

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Antoine Vermette has been an instant success in Columbus.And the timing could not be more perfect for the Blue Jackets as they close in on the first playoff berth in franchise history

MONTREAL – Coach Rick Tocchet wants his Tampa Bay Lightning to beat the Washinton Capitals to prove they can do it, not out of revenge for Alex Ovechkin’s 50th goal celebration

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Carolina Hurricanes have agreed to terms with defenceman Jamie McBain on a three-year contract.The entry-level deal will pay McBain an average of US$600,000 per year at the NHL level and $62,500 in the minors

TORONTO – More than 420 players have joined the NHLPA Carbon Neutral Challenge this season, a program designed to offset the emissions produced by their frequent travel

Scoring summaries from Wednesday’s NHL games: Senators 1 at Hurricanes 2First PeriodNo Scoring.Penalties – Volchenkov Ott (holding) 13:05, Kuba Ott (interference) 19:03

HERSHEY, Pa. – The Hershey Bears scored three unanswered goals in a 4-3 comeback win over the Toronto Marlies in American Hockey League action Wednesday

WINNIPEG – Jason Krog had two goals and an assist and the North Division-leading Manitoba Moose beat the Syracuse Crunch 5-3 in American Hockey League action Wednesday

Movements in the world of hockey Wednesday:National Hockey LeagueNHL-Suspended Toronto G Martin Gerber for three games, without pay, for abuse of an official during a game on March 24

DENVER – Corey Perry scored two goals, Andrew Ebbett had a goal and two assists and the Anaheim Ducks tightened their hold on a playoff spot with a 7-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night

CHICAGO – No quibbling from the Chicago Blackhawks. They’ll take a victory over one of the best teams in the NHL this season, even if they had to go to a shootout to get it

PITTSBURGH – The Penguins and Flames treated their rare meeting as a playoff game. Marc-Andre Fleury certainly played as if the stakes were that high

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Their character questioned, their playoff hopes dwindling and facing a two-goal deficit, Jason Pominville and the Buffalo Sabres showed they’ve still got some fight left in them

RALEIGH, N.C. – Anton Babchuk scored with 6:01 remaining and the Carolina Hurricanes won their season-high fifth straight game, beating the Ottawa Senators 2-1 on Wednesday night in a matchup of two of the NHL’s hottest teams

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Marian Gaborik had two goals and two assists, Andrew Brunette and Owen Nolan each scored once and set up two others, and the Minnesota Wild beat the New York Islanders 6-2 on Wednesday night to snap a five-game road losing streak

Playoff fever has finally hit Columbus and no one is happier than Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock.”We’ve been in playoff fever for a month now and the fans have come out in droves,” Hitchcock said Wednesday on a conference call

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller is scheduled to play against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday, marking his first start after missing a month with a sprained left ankle

TORONTO – Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Martin Gerber received an automatic three-game suspension from the NHL on Wednesday for abusing referee Mike Leggo

It has been three weeks since the NHL trade deadline and so far, the winners look to be the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes