News

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.

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Jordan Leopold just couldn’t stay healthy last season, with one affliction after another knocking the Colorado Avalanche defenceman out of commission.

LOS ANGELES – Oscar Moller scored the go-ahead goal on a power play with 1:17 remaining and had two assists, leading the Los Angeles Kings to a 6-4 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Monday night in a rare NHL split-squad pre-season game.

EDMONTON – Jason Krog’s shootout goal proved to be the winner as the Vancouver Canucks knocked off the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in the opening pre-season game for both teams on Monday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An organist played Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” as the fans streamed into the Sprint Center an hour before the opening faceoff, many in St.

TAMPA, Fla. – Tyler Kennedy scored a tiebreaking power-play goal early in the third period to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in a pre-season game on Monday night.

TORONTO – Fans getting their first look at the Toronto Maple Leafs under new coach Ron Wilson must have liked what they saw.The team was strong on the forecheck in building a lead on Monday night before getting some good goaltending from Justin Pogge during a 7-4 pre-season win over the Buffalo Sabres.

PHILADELPHIA – Steve Downie scored two goals and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the New Jersey Devils 4-1 in the pre-season opener for both teams Monday night.

NEW YORK – Petr Nedved’s long shot chances at a comeback with the New York Rangers got a bit of a boost.The 36-year-old forward, who hasn’t played an NHL game since the 2006-07 season, scored a first-period goal Monday night in the Rangers’ 2-1 pre-season victory over the Ottawa Senators in front of a sparse crowd at Madison Square Garden.

MONTREAL – Alex Tanguay admits to being “a little nervous” about playing for the Montreal Canadiens.The veteran winger who was acquired in June from the Calgary Flames knows there will be high expectations on himself and the team as the Canadiens, fresh from a first place finish in the NHL Eastern Conference, enter their 100th anniversary season.

Movements in the world of hockey Sunday:National Hockey LeagueBUFFALO SABRES-Signed Darcy Regier, general manager, to a two-year contract extension, through the 2010-11 season.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Sharks hired former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Ferguson Jr. on Sunday to be their director of pro scouting.

LONE TREE, Colo. – Former Colorado Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville is due in court next month on a drunken driving charge.Police in the Denver suburb of Lone Tree say Quenneville was stopped around 8 p.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Sharks centre Torrey Mitchell will be out at least two months after breaking his left leg Sunday during the second practice of San Jose’s training camp.

John Ferguson Jr. has been named as the Sharks director of pro scouting, the team announced Saturday.

Most recently, Ferguson spent four-plus seasons as vice president and GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Sharks center Torrey Mitchell sustained a complete non-displaced Tibia/Fibula fracture (two lower leg bones) in a practice session Saturday.

The injury is commonly known as a Tib-Fib or Boot Top fracture.

The WHL’s version of the Battle of Alberta may be a little more even this season – at least, if the Edmonton Oil Kings have their way.Adrian Van de Mosselaer scored once and added three assists – including one on Brett Breitkreuz’s game winner – as the Oil Kings rallied to beat the rival Calgary Hitmen 4-3 on Saturday night in the Western Hockey League.

PITTSBURGH – Brandon Bochenski had two goals and an assist, and Jussi Jokinen and No. 1 draft pick Steven Stamkos scored in the shootout to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 5-4 pre-season victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night.

OTTAWA – The Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers each got some early special teams practice Saturday night as the clubs opened the pre-season schedule with a rash of penalties.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – Talented, experienced and deep, the Detroit Red Wings opened training camp Saturday vowing to avoid the complacency that could be the biggest obstacle to repeating as Stanley Cup champions.