Bruins eliminate Rangers with 3-1 win in Game 5 (Yahoo! Sports)

BOSTON (AP) -- Claude Julien decided not to give his goalie a pep talk after a pratfall in the crease handed the Rangers a goal that had the potential to turn the series around.

Blackhawks beat Red Wings 4-1 to stay alive (Yahoo! Sports)

CHICAGO (AP) -- The power play returned in the second half of the second period. All it took was one brilliant tip by one of the youngest players on the ice and a well-placed shot by the captain of a team in trouble.

Penguins rip Ottawa 6-2, move to conference finals (Yahoo! Sports)

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Penguins expected desperation.

AP Sources: Coyotes sale approved, hurdle remains (Yahoo! Sports)

PHOENIX (AP) -- The NHL has approved the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes to a group of Canadian-led investors, but the deal is contingent on reaching a lease agreement with the city of Glendale, two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

Coyotes GM Maloney signs contract extension (Yahoo! Sports)

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Don Maloney has held one of the most unenviable positions in sports the past four years, trying to build a roster with no owner and a skimpy budget.

Kings-Sharks Preview (Yahoo! Sports)

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- Familiarity with rinks. Loud fans providing a boost of energy. Dictating matchups with the last line change.

LA Kings' fundamental skills are paying off (Yahoo! Sports)

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- Less than three minutes into Game 5, Matt Greene spotted TJ Galiardi loitering in front of the Los Angeles Kings' net. Greene flattened the agitating San Jose forward with a nasty hit, sending Galiardi's stick flying as he fell.

Avalanche hire Patrick Roy as coach (Yahoo! Sports)

DENVER (AP) -- The Colorado Avalanche are rounding up the old crew to restore the downtrodden franchise.

Predators sign Mikko Vainonen to 3-year contract (Yahoo! Sports)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Nashville Predators have signed defenseman Mikko Vainonen (vigh-NOH-nehn) to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Blue Jackets sign McElhinney, Melart to contracts (Yahoo! Sports)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goaltender Curtis McElhinney and defenseman Ilari Melart to one-year contracts.

Blackhawks facing elimination after charmed season (Yahoo! Sports)

CHICAGO (AP) -- Jonathan Toews is going to play his usual minutes. Corey Crawford will be in goal. The lines will look largely the same.

Refocused Rask ready for Rangers, Game 5 (Yahoo! Sports)

BOSTON (AP) -- Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask saw the replay of his Game 4 gaffe over and over on television.

Sharks try to shrug off Game 5 defeat (Yahoo! Sports)

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- The San Jose Sharks are glad to be returning home.

Rangers scratch Richards for pivotal Game 4 (Yahoo! Sports)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Struggling Rangers center Brad Richards was a healthy scratch Thursday night when New York stayed alive in the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 4-3 overtime victory in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Boston Bruins.

Senators-Penguins Preview (Yahoo! Sports)

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson isn't quite ready for the traditional season-ending handshake.

Canucks fire Alain Vigneault as coach (Yahoo! Sports)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- The Vancouver Canucks fired coach Alain Vigneault on Wednesday.

Quick's LA Kings put Sharks on brink with 3-0 win (Yahoo! Sports)

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Jonathan Quick saved his best save for the final minute, sliding deftly across his crease and snagging Joe Pavelski's shot from point-blank range to the grateful gasps of the Los Angeles Kings' sellout crowd.

15-year vet defenseman Sutton retires (Yahoo! Sports)

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) -- Veteran defenseman Andy Sutton has retired, ending a 15-year career beset by injuries.

Predators hire Phil Housley to replace Horachek (Yahoo! Sports)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Nashville Predators have hired Phil Housley as an assistant coach to fill the spot left open by the firing of associate coach Peter Horachek after nine seasons with the franchise.

With winning comes tickets boost for Blue Jackets (Yahoo! Sports)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Winning makes everything easier, particularly selling tickets.

Kreider keeps Rangers alive with OT goal (Yahoo! Sports)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Chris Kreider proudly wore the Broadway Hat in the victorious New York Rangers dressing room as he tried to describe the feeling of saving his team's season.

Red Wings top Blackhawks 2-0, take 3-1 series lead (Yahoo! Sports)

DETROIT (AP) -- Jimmy Howard kept Jonathan Toews in his misery, making three saves against the struggling star to help the Detroit Red Wings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-0 on Thursday night in Game 4 of the second round series to put the NHL's best team during the regular season on the brink of elimination.

Sharks building momentum against Quick's LA Kings (Yahoo! Sports)

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- Kings goalie Jonathan Quick sometimes seems to be the only obstacle between San Jose and the Western Conference finals while the Sharks dominate much of their 2-2 series with the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Blackhawks, Red Wings have 2 of NHL's top coaches (Yahoo! Sports)

DETROIT (AP) -- Joel Quenneville has accomplished a lot in the NHL, hoisting the Stanley Cup once and with as many postseason victories as any active coach.

Ducks' Beauchemin has reconstructive knee surgery (Yahoo! Sports)

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Anaheim Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin has undergone successful reconstructive surgery on a ligament in his right knee.

Avs mum on report Patrick Roy may be next coach (Yahoo! Sports)

DENVER (AP) -- Patrick Roy and Joe Sakic formed a productive partnership on the ice during their playing days, leading the Colorado Avalanche to two Stanley Cup titles.

Penguins rout Senators 7-3, take 3-1 series lead (Yahoo! Sports)

OTTAWA (AP) -- Sidney Crosby was careful not to get too far ahead of himself after helping the Pittsburgh Penguins rout the Ottawa Senators for a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Bruins-Rangers Preview (Yahoo! Sports)

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Boston Bruins are on the brink of the Eastern Conference finals, and they got there on the backs of their suddenly offensive defensemen and a potent fourth line of forwards.

Senators relish chance to tie series vs. Pens (Yahoo! Sports)

OTTAWA (AP) -- After a win in Game 3, the Ottawa Senators are confident they can tie their series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Sharks tie series with 2-1 win over Kings (Yahoo! Sports)

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- Joe Thornton set the tone for the San Jose Sharks with a dominant first period. After that, the Sharks did their best to hang on and tie up their playoff series against the Los Angeles Kings.