News

When the Montreal Canadiens take to the ice against the Detroit Red Wings Wednesday night, Alex Kovalev won’t be joining them, according to RDS.

The Atlanta Thrashers have come to terms with defenseman Tobias Enstrom on a four-year contract extension.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Simon Gagne is close to making a return to the NHL.

The Flyers forward, who played only 25 games last year due to concussion problems, is expected to make a return to game action Saturday when the Flyers host the Hurricanes.

Atlanta Thrashers center Erik Christensen injured his right shoulder in an intrasquad game Tuesday. He underwent an MRI Tuesday evening, but the results won’t be known until later in the day on Wednesday.

Results Tuesday:AHL Pre-season At Newark, N.J.Philadelphia 4 Lowell 1QMJHLShawinigan 7 Victoriaville 1OHLNo Games Scheduled.WHLRed Deer 3 Kootenay 1Ontario Jr.

VANCOUVER – Michael Grabner’s second-period goal gave the Vancouver Canucks a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in a pre-season game Tuesday.

Movements in the world of hockey Tuesday:National Hockey LeagueANAHEIM DUCKS-Signed C Maxime Macenauer and D Eric Regan to three-year contracts.

CHICAGO – Troy Brouwer scored from the edge of the crease with 6:18 left in the third period to snap a tie, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on Tuesday night in the pre-season opener for both teams.

ST. LOUIS – Andy McDonald, Lee Stempniak and Brad Boyes each had a goal and an assist to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars in a pre-season game Tuesday night.

CALGARY – Jay Bouwmeester scored the winner as the Florida Panthers scored twice in the third period en route to a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames in a pre-season game Tuesday.

TAMPA, Fla. – Top pick Steven Stamkos scored his first goal, helping the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the New York Rangers 3-2 in a pre-season game on Tuesday night.

ROBERVAL, Que. – Tomas Plekanec scored two goals as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in pre-season action Tuesday.Plekanec put Montreal on the board at 10:25 of the first period.

MONCTON, N.B. – Rookie Trevor Smith scored in overtime as New York beat the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Tuesday in the Islanders’ first pre-season game of the year, played in Moncton, N.

ST. LOUIS – St. Louis Blues defenceman Erik Johnson’s right knee injury may be more serious than it initially seemed.Johnson will be out indefinitely with a torn ACL and MCL, the team announced Tuesday.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Peter Budaj has the net all to himself, no Jose Theodore standing in his way.The Colorado Avalanche allowed the free-agent Theodore to bolt for Washington on the presumption that Budaj was prepared to step in.

PITTSBURGH – Kris Beech, a forward acquired by Pittsburgh in a trade for Jaromir Jagr, was among 13 players sent down by the Penguins to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL on Tuesday.

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Former Ottawa Senators general manager John Muckler has been hired by the Phoenix Coyotes as the team’s senior adviser to the GM.

TORONTO – Vesa Toskala noticed the first change almost immediately after returning to Toronto from his summer vacation.Suddenly, the No. 1 goalie for the Maple Leafs started getting recognized all over the city, something that didn’t happen much during his first season with the team.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason will miss the next 4-6 weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday.

EDMONTON – If Erik Cole proves to be as good a fit on the ice as he already has in the dressing room, the Edmonton Oilers will have found themselves a bargain.