NHL All-Stars sad to miss Olympics, but happy to be in Vegas
February 4, 2022 GMTLAS VEGAS (AP) — Most of the world’s best hockey players are spending this weekend in opulent hotel suites in one of the planet's top party towns instead of being confined to modest Olympic accommodations in freezing-cold Beijing.
Hedman, Kyrou, Aho win big in Vegas NHL skills competition
February 5, 2022 GMTLAS VEGAS (AP) — Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman won the Hardest Shot competition and St. Louis' Jordan Kyrou was the Fastest Skater during an NHL All-Star skills competition with a distinct Vegas flavor Friday night.
KAMLOOPS, British Columbia (AP) — Jared Davidson and Jordan Gustafson scored in an eight-second span in the second period and the Seattle Thunderbirds beat the host Kamloops Blazers 6-1 on Wednesday night to advance to the Memorial Cup semifinal.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The NBA Finals could've featured glamour teams like the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, and conventional thinking before the NHL playoffs stated the dominant Boston Bruins and star-studded Edmonton Oilers were on a near-collision course to meet in the Stanley Cup Final.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — David Poile built the Nashville Predators from the bottom up as their first general manager for the expansion franchise.
Now the man Poile hired as his first coach here has brought back another original Predator.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes must balance two offseason questions following a return to the Eastern Conference Final.
Was the season-ending sweep due to key injuries catching up to them?
DENVER (AP) — They were No. 8 seeds. They barely got into the playoffs after up-and-down regular seasons. They had to face the No. 1 overall seeds in Round 1 of the postseason. They had to win Game 7s in Boston just to keep their seasons alive.
Tuesday’s Transactions
May 31, 2023 GMTBASEBALL
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Nashville Predators fired coach John Hynes on Tuesday, moving on from him more than six weeks after missing the playoffs.
Incoming general manager Barry Trotz announced his decision hours after reports emerged that Hynes had been informed he was out and Andrew Brunette was expected to be hired to replace him as coach.
Kershaw disagrees with Dodgers’ decision to reinstate gay ‘nun’ group for Pride Night award
May 30, 2023 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw says he disagrees with the Los Angeles Dodgers' decision to welcome a satirical LGBTQ+ group called the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence at the team’s annual Pride Night.
Spencer Carbery got his start in coaching in the minors with the Washington Capitals watching closely.
They liked what they saw, and on Tuesday they brought him back to fill the job they envisioned he would get.
The Stanley Cup Final between Vegas and Florida will end with a first-time NHL champion
May 30, 2023 GMTJon Hamm is excited for this Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights.
DALLAS (AP) — Vegas captain Mark Stone credits the front office for keeping the core intact after the Golden Knights missed the playoffs for the only time in the young franchise's history last year.
Monday’s Transactions
May 30, 2023 GMTBASEBALL
Bobrovsky’s end-of-season haircut can wait, with Panthers headed to Stanley Cup Final
May 29, 2023 GMTSUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sergei Bobrovsky needs a haircut.
The goaltender for the Florida Panthers uses a thin headband to hold some of his hair back these days. Long hair usually isn’t a problem for Bobrovsky at this time of year: When a season ends, he gets most of it shaved off and keeps the cut super-short until the next season begins.
TAMPERE, Finland (AP) — Samuel Blais scored two goals to rally Canada to a 5-2 victory over Germany in the final of the ice hockey world championship on Sunday.
It's a record 28th world title for Canada, and its second in three years.
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Patric Hornqvist was one of the last Florida Panthers players to leave the team’s locker room on Sunday, which surprises none of his teammates.
He's not playing yet still working as hard as anyone.
DALLAS (AP) — Jason Robertson is frequently scoring goals again for the Dallas Stars, Jake Oettinger is stopping shots and captain Jamie Benn is about to return from a two-game suspension.
The Western Conference Final isn't over yet, and suddenly feels much different.
Saturday’s Transactions
May 28, 2023 GMTBASEBALL
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Keith Tkachuk never played a game for the Florida Panthers and hadn’t recorded an assist at the NHL level in nearly 13 years.
That is, until March 29. That’s the day he might have had the biggest helper in Florida’s season — by calling the Panthers “soft," among other things.
TAMPERE, Finland (AP) — Germany scored a late equalizer and then upset the United States in overtime Saturday to set up a final against Canada at ice hockey world championship.
Frederik Tiffels scored with 2:28 left in overtime to give Germany a 4-3 win over the Americans in the semifinals.
Friday’s Transactions
May 27, 2023 GMTBASEBALL
Major League Baseball
MLB — Suspended manager Aaron Boone one-game and fined him an undisclosed amount for his conduct toward Major League Umpires and his ejection from the game on May 25 against Baltimore.
Golden Knights aim for closeout win; Stars eye comeback entering Game 5 of Western final
May 26, 2023 GMTLAS VEGAS (AP) — Alec Martinez was part of the 2014 Los Angeles Kings team that erased a 3-0 first-round series deficit and beat Joe Pavelski and the San Jose Sharks in Game 7.
Pavelski and coach Pete DeBoer were the centerpiece of a Sharks comeback from 3-1 down in the opening round of the 2019 playoffs to knock off the Vegas Golden Knights.
Thursday’s Transactions
May 26, 2023 GMTBASEBALL
Panthers throwing knockout blows to anyone in their path, on way to Stanley Cup Final
May 25, 2023 GMTSUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — They knocked out Boston. They knocked out Toronto. They knocked out Carolina.
Jamie Kompon was not knocked out, despite Paul Maurice’s best efforts.
Let’s explain: Kompon is an assistant coach for Florida under Maurice, who is in his first year as the Panthers’ head coach.
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Matthew Tkachuk delivered for Florida, again. Sergei Bobrovsky denied Carolina, again.
The wait is over: After 27 years, the Florida Panthers — a hockey punchline no more — are again going to play for the game’s grandest prize.
Wednesday’s Transactions
May 25, 2023 GMTBASEBALL
NHL’s Gary Bettman honored for league’s growth, basks in ‘newer markets’ making Stanley Cup runs
May 24, 2023 GMTHockey purists might be grumbling about the upcoming Stanley Cup Final because it will have nothing but Sun Belt teams involved. It suits Gary Bettman just fine.
Tuesday’s Transactions
May 24, 2023 GMTBASEBALL
TAMPERE, Finland (AP) — Dylan Samberg scored in overtime and the United States beat Sweden 4-3 on Tuesday to finish the group stage with a perfect record at the ice hockey world championship.
Samberg's winner from the slot 1:37 into overtime clinched first place for the United States in Group A, two points in front of Sweden, ahead of Thursday's quarterfinal games.
DALLAS (AP) — The Golden Knights certainly know how to rally when they have fallen behind in these NHL playoffs because it has happened so much.
“We've got a thick skin,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said.
US routs France 9-0 to stay perfect at ice hockey worlds
May 21, 2023 GMTTAMPERE, Finland (AP) — The United States routed France 9-0 to keep its perfect record at the ice hockey world championship on Sunday.
Cutter Gauthier led with a hat trick, Drew O’Connor got two goals and Scott Perunovich, T.
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — It may as well be called the official celebration of Matthew Tkachuk. He scores an overtime goal to win a playoff game, jumps around for a couple seconds, then quickly points to the rink door and takes off for the locker room.
Canada loses to Switzerland, US qualifies for quarters after 5th win at ice hockey worlds
May 20, 2023 GMTRIGA, Latvia (AP) — Switzerland rallied from a goal behind to top Canada 3-2 in a clash of two undefeated teams at the ice hockey world championship on Saturday.
Tyler Toffoli put Canada ahead midway through the second period on a power play but the Swiss answered with goals from Nico Hischier and Dario Simon in the frame.
Friday’s Transactions
May 20, 2023 GMTBASEBALL
Column: A city fights back against the ol’ arena flimflam
May 19, 2023 GMTCongratulations are in order for the good people of Tempe, Arizona.
They might’ve cost themselves an NHL team, but that was a small price to pay to hang on to their wallets.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers seemed determined to keep playing. And playing. And playing.
The teams opened their Eastern Conference final playoff series with Florida's 3-2 victory in four overtimes early Friday, with the game ranking as the sixth-longest game in NHL history.
Thursday’s Transactions
May 19, 2023 GMTBASEBALL
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A major professional team playing in a minor league venue would've been unheard of just a few years ago, which is what the Oakland Athletics likely will do if they move to Las Vegas.
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Coyotes were confident more than two decades of instability were coming to a close.
A "yes" vote on a referendum for an entertainment district would allow the franchise to finally build its own arena.
DALLAS (AP) — Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin were regularly among the NHL's top scorers when they first started playing together in Dallas a decade ago.
Now 30-something forwards, captain Benn and six-time All-Star Seguin are far removed from skating together on the top line, or even leading the Stars in scoring while having the two biggest contracts on the roster.
Ex-division rivals Carolina and Florida clash in East final for a shot at the Stanley Cup
May 17, 2023 GMTRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes entered the Stanley Cup Playoffs facing challenges that made it unclear how long either might stick around.
The former Southeast Division peers are still here, halfway to winning the Cup as they enter the Eastern Conference final in what could be a bruising series.
The Arizona Coyotes' bid for a new arena appears to be dead.
In the first release of results from Tuesday's referendum, voters in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe were strongly against three propositions to build a $2.3 billion entertainment district that would include a new arena for the Coyotes.
The NHL is about to stage a very non-traditional pair of conference finals. Every game will be played in the Sun Belt for the first time, with not an Original Six franchise in sight.
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Paul Maurice never considered himself retired. He was good.
Here’s what that means: When Maurice stepped down as coach of the Winnipeg Jets in December 2021, it wasn’t clear if he would take another job.
DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Stars coach Pete DeBoer pulled his goalie twice in seven games in the Western Conference semifinals against Seattle.
Jake Oettinger didn't take either move as a sign of panic.
Monday’s Transactions
May 16, 2023 GMTBASEBALL
US overcomes Germany, Canada prevails against Slovakia in shootout at ice hockey worlds
May 15, 2023 GMTTAMPERE, Finland (AP) — The United States had to fight hard to overcome Germany 3-2 for a third victory in three games at the ice hockey world championship on Monday.
Canada had to dig even deeper to prevail against Slovakia 2-1 in a shootout.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Teuvo Teravainen's roughly monthlong injury absence appears to be near an end.
The Carolina Hurricanes forward has shed his no-contact jersey and participated in a full practice Monday ahead of the Eastern Conference Final against Florida.
US beats Hungary, Canada tops Slovenia at ice hockey worlds
May 14, 2023 GMTTAMPERE, Finland (AP) — The United States had to come from a goal down to outclass newcomer Hungary 7-1 for its second win at the ice hockey world championship on Sunday.
Canada had to do the same on the way to a 5-2 victory over Slovenia, the other newly promoted team in the top division.
Defending champ Finland downs Germany, Slovakia beats host Latvia at ice hockey worlds
May 13, 2023 GMTTAMPERE, Finland (AP) — Defending champion Finland rebounded from an opening loss to the United States by overcoming Germany 4-3 at the ice hockey world championship on Saturday.
Sakari Manninen had two goals and an assist for Finland, and Mikko Lehtonen and Joel Armia also scored in the Group A game in Nokia Arena.
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — There was a wide range of emotions that the Florida Panthers all enjoyed in the immediate aftermath of securing their first conference finals trip in 27 years.
Friday’s Transactions
May 13, 2023 GMTARIZONA BASEBALL
Just like in the opening round, the Dallas Stars finally grabbed their first series lead by winning Game 5 against Seattle.
Now they hope to repeat the entire scenario in the second round, looking to clinch on the road and return home for some extra rest.
TAMPERE, Finland (AP) — The United States overcame defending champion Finland 4-1 to open the ice hockey world championship on Friday.
Alex Tuch scored two goals and Drew O’Çonnor had a goal and two assists to lead the U.S.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The head of the Philadelphia Flyers understood the optics of a franchise going on 48 years since winning a Stanley Cup deciding to hire more former Flyers in the front office to try and win one.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — It wasn't long after the Carolina Hurricanes had closed out a second playoff opponent when defenseman Brent Burns began heaping praise on the team's forwards for making it easy for the defensemen to jump into the offense.
NHL suspends Pietrangelo, Nurse on eve of critical Game 5 between Golden Knights, Oilers
May 12, 2023 GMTLAS VEGAS (AP) — The Vegas Golden Knights will be without their best defenseman in Game 5 with their second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers hanging in the balance.
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Joseph Woll stopped 24 shots in his first playoff start, Mitch Marner and William Nylander had the goals and the Toronto Maple Leafs staved off elimination by beating the Florida Panthers 2-1 in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series Wednesday night.
Wednesday’s Transactions
May 11, 2023 GMTBASEBALL