Red Wings top Blackhawks 3-1, take 2-1 series lead

By LARRY LAGE

The young Detroit Red Wings have made the mighty Chicago Blackhawks look vulnerable, beating them two straight times to gain an advantage in their last playoff matchup as Western Conference rivals.

Red Wings top Blackhawks take series lead

LARRY LAGE AP Hockey Writer

DETROIT | The young Detroit Red Wings have made the mighty Blackhawks look vulnerable, beating them two straight times to gain an advantage in their last playoff matchup as Western Conference rivals.

Bruins top Rangers 5-2 with all-out effort

By HOWARD ULMAN

The Bruins know a huge deficit can disappear quickly. They overcame one to reach the second round of the playoffs.

Greening's goal in 2nd OT lifts Sens over Pens

Colin Greening wore six stitches on his left cheek, and a wide smile, after Ottawa's double overtime playoff victory against Pittsburgh.

Boychuk breaks Game 2 tie, Bruins top Rangers 5-2

By HOWARD ULMAN

Claude Julien wanted his Bruins to play more aggressively in the third period. The Boston coach got his wish with the help of some shaky defense by the New York Rangers.

Sweden wins world hockey title

By GARY PEACH

Sweden became the first home team to win the world hockey championships in 27 years, beating Switzerland 5-1 on Sunday for its ninth title.

Young Red Wings have evened series with Blackhawks

Larry Lage AP Hockey Writer

DETROIT | The Detroit Red Wings got much younger this year, rebuilding with rookies and prospects pushed onto the ice.

Couture's OT goal gives Sharks 2-1 win over Kings

By JOSH DUBOW

The Los Angeles Kings are now the team bemoaning a late penalty while the San Jose Sharks celebrate a dramatic win.

Red Wings beat Blackhawks 4-1, even series

By ANDREW SELIGMAN

In case they weren't aware already, the Chicago Blackhawks now know they're going to have to earn it if they want to get past Detroit.

Red Wings dominate Hawks in Game 2

George Castle Times Correspondent

CHICAGO | Execute the game plan or start digging your own grave.

Sharks fined $100,000 for GM's comments

By JOSH DUBOW

The NHL fined the San Jose Sharks $100,000 on Saturday for general manager Doug Wilson's comments criticizing the league for forward Raffi Torres' suspension for the rest of the second round of the playoffs.

Spezza to return to Senators lineup for Game 3

Jason Spezza doesn't have much time to return to form if the Ottawa Senators want to extend their season.

Penguins take control vs. Senators behind Crosby

By WILL GRAVES

Dan Bylsma has spent more than four years watching Sidney Crosby be Sidney Crosby.

Crosby leads Penguins to 4-3 win over Senators

By WILL GRAVES

The Ottawa Senators have plenty of respect for Sidney Crosby.

‘Sandpaperness’ Bolland on duty to raise Hawks’ game

George Castle Times Correspondent

CHICAGO | Almost to a man, the Blackhawks were at a loss for words Friday on how to raise their game above the defensively-stifling level of Game 1 against the Detroit Red Wings.

LA Kings shock Sharks with 2 late goals

By GREG BEACHAM

Although Trevor Lewis knows all about postseason heroics after scoring two goals in a Stanley Cup-clinching victory last season, even he was a bit overwhelmed by the Los Angeles Kings' latest spectacular playoff feat.

LA Kings shock Sharks with 2 late goals

By GREG BEACHAM

Dustin Brown slumped in front of his locker and contemplated the final minutes of Game 2 with the same bewildered wonder felt by all those joyous Kings fans streaming out of Staples Center.

Trove of Gretzky memorabilia set for auction

It started almost two decades ago with a $20 hockey stick once wielded by a forgotten player for a string of mediocre teams.

Capitals say Ovechkin played with hurt left foot

Alex Ovechkin played the last two games of the Washington Capitals' season with what the team said Thursday is a hairline fracture in his left foot.

St. Louis, Kane, Moulson are Lady Byng finalists

By The Associated Press

Islanders forward Matt Moulson, Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane and Lightning forward Martin St. Louis are the three finalists for the NHL's Lady Byng Trophy, the league's sportsmanship award.

Blackhawks beat Red Wings 4-1 in series opener

By JAY COHEN

Two role players each came up with a big goal. The stars had a handful of key plays. The goalie made all the stops.

Hawks’ Oduya, Kruger clip Wings in 3rd

BY GEORGE CASTLE Times Correspondent

CHICAGO | Nine o’clock lightning finally sparked the United Center late Wednesday to brighten up a scrum of an opener of the Western Conference semifinals.

Penguins jump on Senators in series opener, 4-1

By WILL GRAVES

The formula for beating the Pittsburgh Penguins is not difficult. It's the doing it for 60 minutes part that's tricky.

Bruins, Rangers to carry on Boston-New York lore

By HOWARD ULMAN

After the marathon bombings, the cities of Boston and New York put aside their bitter rivalries and joined in their mutual love of sports and country.

Emotion vies with skill as Chicago Blackhawks duel archrival Detroit Red Wings in Stanley Cup Playoffs

George Castle Times Correspondent

CHICAGO | It hasn’t been as much a rivalry as a drum pounding.

Stars make expected move with firing of Gulutzan

By SCHUYLER DIXON

Glen Gulutzan couldn't end the longest playoff drought in franchise history for the Dallas Stars and the second-year coach didn't hold the option on the remaining season in his contract.

Another early playoff exit for Ovechkin, Capitals

By HOWARD FENDRICH

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin knows full well that his playoff failures are adding up.

Bergeron, Bruins rally to stun Leafs in Game 7

By HOWARD ULMAN

Patrice Bergeron put the winning touch on an extraordinary comeback, then raced into the arms of smiling teammate Zdeno Chara.

4 of NHL's Original 6 among 8 still in playoffs

By LARRY LAGE

The NHL playoffs are off to a heart-pounding start with a record 17 games going to overtime in the first round.

Column: Boogaard a sad example for hockey goons

By TIM DAHLBERG

The lawsuit doesn't read nearly as well as the story, which laid bare the life of an NHL enforcer for all to see. The way John Branch wrote about Derek Boogaard in the New York Times should have been enough to cause even the most hardcore hoc…

Lundqvist leads Rangers past Caps 5-0 in Game 7

By HOWARD FENDRICH

Midway through the third period of an anticlimactic _ and unprecedented _ Game 7 road victory for his New York Rangers, goalie Henrik Lundqvist fell forward while smothering a puck to stifle yet another chance for the Washington Capitals.

Rangers beat Caps 5-0 in Game 7 to reach 2nd round

By HOWARD FENDRICH

It's been more than a decade since a goalie was as perfect over Games 6 and 7 of a playoff series as Henrik Lundqvist was for the New York Rangers against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.

Bruins rally, stun Leafs 5-4 in OT in Game 7

By JIMMY GOLEN

The Boston Bruins turned back Toronto's comeback with a rally of their own.

Boogaard family sues NHL for son's death

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI

Joanne Boogaard watched her son Derek duke it out on the ice with other NHL tough guys for six seasons as one of the most feared enforcers in the game, a 6-foot-7 brawler who was not there to skate or score, but to defend his teammates when i…

Rangers' Lundqvist shuts out Caps to force Game 7

By IRA PODELL

Home-ice advantage has held up for six games between the Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers.

Red Wings finish off Ducks with 3-2 win in Game 7

By GREG BEACHAM

Henrik Zetterberg took a few well-deserved deep breaths before he packed his bags in the Detroit Red Wings' dressing room.

Detroit Red Wings finish off Ducks 3-2 in Game 7

By GREG BEACHAM

The Detroit Red Wings had firm control of Game 7 right up until Henrik Zetterberg accidentally shot the puck over the glass in the waning minutes.

Maple Leafs edge Bruins 2-1 to force Game 7

The Toronto Maple Leafs are close to making playoff history.

Lundqvist, Brassard keep Rangers alive vs. Caps

By IRA PODELL

Henrik Lundqvist slammed his stick in disgust when an overtime loss in Washington put the New York Rangers on the brink of elimination.

Orpik's OT goal sends Penguins to 2nd round

By IRA PODELL

Brooks Orpik's goal would have been memorable even if wasn't in overtime and didn't put the Pittsburgh Penguins into the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Blackhawks try to stay sharp during playoff break

Jay Cohen AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO | Practice was long over when Joel Quenneville was stopped by two young boys waiting to get on the ice. They asked if he would sign their sticks, and the former NHL defenseman happily obliged.

Red Wings force Game 7 against Ducks

By LARRY LAGE

Three periods haven't been enough for the Anaheim Ducks and Detroit Red Wings to decide three straight games and four overall in their first-round series.

LA Kings finish off Blues with 4 straight wins

By GREG BEACHAM

Dustin Penner didn't exactly expect to score when he threw a 60-foot slap shot at the St. Louis net in the final second of the second period.

LA Kings finish off Blues with 4 straight wins

By GREG BEACHAM

Dustin Penner could have simply dumped the puck and allowed the clock to run out on the second period of yet another dead-even game.

NHL Playoff Capsules

By The Associated Press

Dustin Penner scored the tiebreaking goal in the final second of the second period, and the Los Angeles Kings advanced to the second round with a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues in Game 6 on Friday night.