News

MONTREAL – New signing Brian Gionta scored with 4:24 left in the third period to lift the Montreal Canadiens to a 2-1 NHL pre-season victory over the Ottawa Senators on Friday night

RALEIGH, N.C. – David Legwand had a goal and two assists to lead the Nashville Predators past Carolina 4-2 on Friday night in the Hurricanes’ exhibition opener

TORONTO – Brian Burke is turning to Phil Kessel to help speed up his rebuilding of the Toronto Maple Leafs.The Leafs general manager finally acquired the rights to Kessel after months of talks with the Boston Bruins, the teams confirmed Friday

CALGARY – In his first training camp with the Calgary Flames, Nigel Dawes has made an immediate impression with his play so far.While admitting to having a “sluggish” start during last Tuesday’s 4-1 pre-season loss at home against the Edmonton Oilers, Dawes rebounded with a much better effort on Thursday night as the Flames edged the New York Islanders 5-4 in a shootout at the Pengrowth Saddledome

MONTREAL – A judge sent a message to hockey players across the country Friday that there are legal consequences for on-ice behaviour, and limits to the kind of thuggery that can be justified by the game’s unwritten code of conduct

MONTREAL – Air Canada (TSX:AC.B) and the U.S. Department of Transportation reached a deal Friday that will allow the resumption of NHL sports charter flights for the 2009-10 season

NEW YORK – New York Islanders forward Pascal Morency has been suspended indefinitely after leaving the bench to start a fight with Calgary defenceman Dion Phaneuf

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Dany Heatley got on the ice for a few precious minutes Friday in his first practice with his new team.Heatley skated with San Jose Sharks centre Joe Thornton and right-winger Devin Setoguchi, who make up one of the most potent top lines in the NHL

MONTREAL – For a forward line to work together, Montreal Canadiens centre Scott Gomez says a special kind of communication is needed.Gomez and fellow newcomer Mike Cammalleri were put together on a line with winger Andrei Kostitsyn at the start of training camp

ZURICH, Switzerland – An independent inquiry has cleared International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel of allegations that he received kickbacks from marketing deals

ONTARIO, Calif. – Jason Demers scored the shootout winner and the San Jose Sharks opened the pre-season with a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night

Thursday’s grouped hockey results:QMJHLNo Games Scheduled.OHLBarrie 9 Owen Sound 1Kingston 3 Niagara 2Peterborough 2 Brampton 1Plymouth 6 Windsor 5 (SO)WHLVancouver 6 Kelowna 5 (OT)Maritime Jr

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Defenceman Kevin Bieksa scored on a power play, Aaron Rome and Steve Bernier added goals and Kyle Wellwood had two assists, leading the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-0 pre-season victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night

CALGARY – Olli Jokinen had two goals and an assist but it was Theoren Fleury’s shootout winner that electrified Flames fans as Calgary downed the New York Islanders 5-4 on Thursday

CALGARY – Theoren Fleury started his NHL comeback cautiously, but ended it with style as the 41-year-old scored the winning goal in a shootout for the Calgary Flames in a 5-4 pre-season win over the New York Islanders on Thursday

Movements in the world of hockey Thursday:National Hockey LeagueBUFFALO SABRES-Returned F Zack Kassian to Peterborough (OHL), F Luke Adam to Cape Breton (QMJHL), F Marcus Foligno to Sudbury (OHL), F Jacob Lagace to Chicoutimi (QMJHL), D Nick Crawford to Saginaw (OHL) and D Brayden McNabb to Kootenay (WHL)

DENVER – Marek Svatos and Ryan Stoa scored goals in the second period, and Wojtek Wolski added another in the third as the Colorado Avalanche beat the Dallas Stars 3-1 on Thursday night

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Rookie Colin Wilson had a goal and two assists, and Nashville captain Jason Arnott had a goal and an assist in a 5-0 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers on Thursday night in the pre-season opener for both

MONTREAL – Scott Gomez said it was nice to score at the Bell Centre, but it wasn’t as good as it will feel to get one that counts in the regular season

LONDON, Ont. – Maple Leafs rookie Nazem Kadri scored his first professional goal on familiar ice.Toronto got first-period goals from Kadri and Lee Stempniak in a 4-0 pre-season win over the Philadelphia Flyers at John Labatt Centre on Thursday night