News

MONTREAL – Francis Bouillon made a triumphant return from a knee injury by scoring the winning goal in the third period as the Montreal Canadiens extended their winning streak to five games with a 3-1 victory over the Florida Panthers on Monday.

NEW YORK – Mike Modano’s third-period goal snapped a tie and lifted the slumping Dallas Stars to a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Monday night in the return to Madison Square Garden of noted pest Sean Avery.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Zach Boychuk is on his way back to the Western Hockey League.The Carolina Hurricanes announced Monday that the 19-year-old forward would rejoin his junior team in Lethbridge for the rest of the season.

TORONTO – There was a time when John Mitchell was thrilled just to find himself on an NHL roster, let alone centring the Toronto Maple Leafs top line.

NEWARK, N.J. – New Jersey Devils centre Bobby Holik will be sidelined three to four weeks with a broken pinkie.He was injured Saturday night in Washington and is scheduled for surgery Tuesday, general manager and president Lou Lamoriello said Monday.

TORONTO – Buffalo Sabres left-winger Thomas Vanek was named NHL first star of the week Monday.He picked up eight points (six goals, two assists) in four games last week, helping Buffalo to a 3-0-1 record over the stretch.

Montreal Canadiens’ winger Andrei Kostitsyn will miss Monday’s game against the Florida Panthers after suffering a concussion when he was hit into the boards by Phoenix’s Kurt Sauer Saturday night.

Movements in the world of hockey Sunday:National Hockey LeagueCOLORADO AVALANCHE-Assigned RW Scott Parker to Cleveland (AHL).COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS-Assigned G Dan LaCosta to Syracuse (AHL).

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Michael Leighton made 32 saves and Ryan Bayda, Rod Brind’Amour and Eric Staal scored goals in the Carolina Hurricanes’ 3-1 victory over the slumping Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night.

CHICAGO – Patrick Sharp had two goals and an assist and the Chicago Blackhawks won for the first time under new coach Joel Quenneville, beating the Vancouver Canucks 4-2 on Sunday nightQuenneville took over behind the bench on Thursday after Denis Savard was fired following a 1-2-1 start.

TORONTO – The Grand Rapids Griffins weren’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.Sloppy play by the Toronto Marlies led to a ton of scoring chances for the Griffins and they took full advantage, hammering the Marlies 7-3 Sunday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Columbus Blue Jackets sent goaltender Dan LaCosta to the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in Syracuse.LaCosta stopped 15 of 17 shots in 35 minutes Saturday night at Nashville in relief of Fredrik Norrena.

Andrew Engelage is making a habit out of shutting teams down – and his Windsor Spitfires are making a habit out of winning this season, a habit they have no interest in breaking.

This weekend, Brayden Schenn proved who is really king of the Brandon Wheat Kings.Schenn played the hero again, scoring his second game-winning goal in as many nights, as the Wheat Kings defeated the Swift Current Broncos 3-1 in Western Hockey League action Saturday night.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – After just six games with the Sharks, Dan Boyle is learning about the silver lining to his teal jersey.Scoring slumps have a way of disappearing whenever Joe Thornton is passing the puck to you.

EDMONTON – Ethan Moreau and Fernando Pisani each recorded a goal and an assist as the Edmonton Oilers won their fourth in a row to start the season, coming back with three second period goals to defeat the Calgary Flames 3-2 for the second times in as many nights on Saturday.

ST. LOUIS – Blues rookie T.J. Oshie scored the winning shootout goal, and St. Louis ruined the debut of Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville with a 4-3 victory Saturday night.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Martin Erat scored two goals to lead the Nashville Predators to a 6-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night.

TAMPA, Fla. – Antti Miettinen scored the lone goal in a shootout and Niklas Backstrom made 32 saves for his 15th career shutout in the undefeated Minnesota Wild’s 1-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night.

ATLANTA – Ilya Kovalchuk and Slava Kozlov scored shootout goals for the Atlanta Thrashers, who beat Buffalo 3-2 on Saturday night and handed the Sabres their first loss of the season.