News

CALGARY – With the Calgary Flames getting two key points in the Western Conference playoff race, Mikael Backlund could laugh off the embarrassing mistake that almost let the San Jose Sharks back in the game

Movements in the world of hockey Friday:National Hockey LeagueCAROLINA HURRICANES-Recalled D Bryan Rodney From Albany (AHL).CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS-Reassigned G Corey Crawford to Rockford (AHL)

WINNIPEG – John Vigilante scored the game-winning goal and added an assist as the Grand Rapids Griffins edged the Manitoba Moose 4-3 in American Hockey League action Friday

CLEVELAND – Mike Glumac’s second-period goal stood as the game winner as Hamilton beat Lake Erie 5-3 Friday, putting the Bulldogs on the verge of clinching a division title

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Chris Holt of the Binghamton Senators became the 10th goaltender in the American League’s 74-year history to be credited with scoring a goal, an empty-net marker to seal his team’s 4-2 win over the Rochester Americans at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, N

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Columbus Blue Jackets needed their captain to make a big play. Rick Nash responded a big way.Nash scored two third-period goals in his return from an injury that sidelined him four games, and the Blue Jackets overcame a two-goal deficit Friday night to hand the Minnesota Wild a costly 4-2 loss

TORONTO – Wendel Clark doesn’t think he had as much to worry about during his NHL career as players do today.The former Toronto Maple Leafs captain readily admits that he only kept his head up for part of the time he was on the ice

DENVER – University of Minnesota forward Mike Carman has signed an entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche and will report to the team’s American Hockey affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters

No one is laughing at the Phoenix Coyotes now.On the second day of training camp in September, GM Don Maloney predicted he would be the butt of a few jokes around the NHL because he kept saying his team was bound for the playoffs

MONTREAL – Ever since losing No. 1 defenceman Andrei Markov for 35 games on the first day of the season, it’s been a never-ending trail of costly injuries for the Montreal Canadiens

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Canucks have locked up forward Ryan Kesler to a US$30-million, six-year contract extension.The 25-year-old forward was due to become a restricted free agent on July 1 and is now under contract through the 2015-16 season

LOS ANGELES – A couple of timely goals by a fourth-line forward and a pair of stellar plays by one of Chicago’s few healthy defencemen helped the Blackhawks move into a tie with San Jose for the Western Conference lead

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Roberto Luongo didn’t have to worry about getting pulled this time.The Vancouver goaltender made 32 saves as the Canucks edged the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Thursday night

TORONTO – The NHL’s winningest goaltender isn’t the only Martin the New Jersey Devils are counting on in their pursuit of an Atlantic Division title

Movements in the world of hockey Thursday:National Hockey LeagueNHL-Suspended Anaheim D James Wisniewski for eight games for delivering a hit to the head area of Chicago D Brent Seabrook in a March 17 game

DALLAS – The pressure is on Philadelphia goalie Brian Boucher.Boucher made 27 saves a few hours after the Flyers learned that top goalie Michael Leighton will be out at least eight weeks because of a high ankle sprain, and Philadelphia rallied to beat the Dallas Stars 3-2 on Thursday night

NASHVILLE – Pekka Rinne and the Nashville Predators made it look easy against the Minnesota Wild.Rinne made 17 saves for his fifth shutout of the season, and Colin Wilson, Jason Arnott, and Patric Hornqvist each had a goal and an assist in the Predators’ 5-0 victory over the Wild on Thursday night

TORONTO – With fewer than a dozen games remaining in what had long since become another lost season, the Toronto Maple Leafs stepped off the ice Thursday night well aware they were not playing for a division title, a playoff berth or anything more lofty than the promise of future employment

TAMPA, Fla. – Jason Pominville and Buffalo Sabres made quick work of the Tampa Bay Lightning.Pominville scored three goals and the Sabres beat the Lightning 6-2 on Thursday night to move within four points of New Jersey for the No

SUNRISE, Fla. – With a lot of grit and a little luck, the Phoenix Coyotes earned a record-setting win Thursday night.Radim Vrbata scored with 59