BookMaker Sports News - Latest US and International Sporting News

Kings hope to end slide against visiting Isles

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:03:49 GMT

The Kings, who are tied for sixth in the Western Conference, have dropped their last two games, losing the first two tests of a four-game homestand. Los Angeles hasn't suffered three straight defeats since Jan. 7-11.

LA was dealt its most recent setback by Chicago on Thursday. Tomas Kopecky scored a pair of third period goals and Antti Niemi stopped 17 shots to record the shutout in the 3-0 win.

Canucks cap homestand against Red Wings

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:02:46 GMT

The Canucks have posted a 3-1-0 record on this homestand, which directly followed an NHL-record 14-game road trip that bridged the league's break for the Vancouver Olympics.

Overall, Vancouver has a 17-6-1 record in its last 24 games and is currently leading the Northwest Division by five points over Colorado. The Canucks are also five points behind San Jose and Chicago for the top seed in the Western Conference.

Coyotes host Blackhawks in West showdown

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:01:44 GMT

The Coyotes posted a comeback win Thursday in Florida, edging the Panthers for their 44th win of the season and seventh victory in a row. Phoenix eclipsed the previous club record for wins set by the 1984-85 Winnipeg Jets, who went 43-27-10.

Phoenix's current winning streak is also the longest for the club since another seven-game stretch from Dec. 28, 2006-Jan. 9, 2007. The Coyotes' last eight-game winning streak was from Nov. 16-Dec. 2, 1999.

Streaking Preds welcome Columbus to Music City

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:59:50 GMT

Nashville's recent surge has helped the club solidify its playoff chances. With 85 points, the Predators are tied with Los Angeles for the sixth seed in the Western Conference. Nashville is also four points ahead of Calgary and Detroit, who are currently tied for the West's eighth and final postseason berth.

The Predators turned in a dominating victory Thursday against visiting Minnesota. Pekka Rinne stopped all 17 shots he faced for his fifth shutout of the season, anchoring the Nashville to the 5-0 victory over the Wild.

Ovechkin set to return as Caps visit Bolts

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:58:45 GMT

Despite sitting out the last two games for shoving Chicago defenseman Brian Campbell into the boards on Sunday, Ovechkin is still leading the NHL with 96 points on the year. With 44 goals, he has fallen one tally behind Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby for the league lead.

It was the second suspension this season for the Russian superstar after he also missed two games in December for a knee-on-knee hit against Carolina's Tim Gleason.

Sabres shoot for road win in Florida

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:57:32 GMT

Buffalo continues a five-game road trip this evening at BankAtlantic Center against a Florida Panthers team that is fading from the playoff picture.

The Sabres are 1-1-1 on their road trip so far and were just 1-7-3 over their previous 11 games as the guest prior to a big 6-2 victory at Tampa Bay on Thursday. Following this road trip, Buffalo plays three straight at home before finishing the season with six of its final eight on the road.

Thrashers try to maintain recent success against Flyers

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:56:41 GMT

The Thrashers were swept in all four of their meetings with the Flyers last year, pushing their series losing streak to an eye-popping 14 straight games since a 6-5 overtime win at Philadelphia back on Nov. 18, 2005.

Atlanta, though, recorded a 1-0 home win over Philly on Nov. 28 to snap that skid, as well as a nine-game series home losing streak, then made it two wins in a row over the Flyers with a 4-3 road triumph on Jan. 28.

Devils return home to face desperate Blues

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:55:05 GMT

New Jersey aims for a fifth straight victory at the Prudential Center this evening versus a St. Louis club that has won eight of its last 11 games to stay in the playoff hunt.

The Devils kick off a three-game homestand tonight and are 24-9-1 at The Rock this season. However, New Jersey lost for a fourth straight time on the road last time out, dropping a 2-1 shootout decision in Toronto on Thursday.

Surging Habs visit rival Maple Leafs

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:53:58 GMT

The Canadiens returned from the Olympic break sitting in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, but now find themselves one point out of fifth after a sizzling 7-1-0 surge. Montreal continued its winning ways Tuesday at New York's Madison Square Garden, where the club scored twice in the third period to come away with a 3-1 verdict over the homestanding Rangers.

Sergei Kostitsyn's goal with 5:59 left to play snapped a 1-1 tie, and Tomas Plekanec sealed the triumph with an empty-netter in the final minute to give Montreal its longest win streak since an eight-game tear from March 23-April 6, 2006.

Sens visit Stars for battle between struggling clubs

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:51:53 GMT

These two slumping clubs will face off this afternoon at the American Airlines Center, where the Stars continue what's been a rough homestand thus far.

Dallas has gone 1-2-1 through the first four tests of a critical six-game residency, with the lone victory a startling 8-2 rout of Pacific Division leader San Jose on Tuesday. The Stars failed to build off that impressive win, however, after dropping a 3-2 decision to Philadelphia Thursday night.

First-place Pens host Hurricanes

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:50:34 GMT

The Penguins enter today's play clinging to a one-point edge over New Jersey in the Atlantic standings and regained sole possession of first place in the division after Thursday's 3-0 victory at Boston. The Devils, who host St. Louis this evening, were dealt an overtime loss in Toronto on Thursday.

Pittsburgh used an outstanding all-around effort to prevent the Bruins from avenging a 2-1 loss to the Penguins on March 7, a game that was marred by a questionable hit by agitator Matt Cooke on Boston's Marc Savard that caused the standout center to suffer a potentially season-ending concussion. Tyler Kennedy, Alexei Ponikarovsky and Michael Rupp all scored goals and netminder Marc-Andre Fleury needed to make only 17 saves to record his first shutout of the

Oilers cough up lead, but beat Detroit in shootout

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:07:17 GMT

The Oilers were less than a second away from a regulation win, but Detroit defenseman Brian Rafalski scored to send the game to overtime. The game reached a conclusion in the shootout following a lethargic extra frame that featured few quality scoring chances.

Edmonton center Ryan Potulny beat Calder Trophy candidate Jimmy Howard to begin the shootout, and Brule tickled the twine after Red Wings slick forward Pavel Datsyuk caught iron. Detroit's Jason Williams scored on a backhand in the second round before Edmonton rookie goaltender Devan Dubnyk turned away Valtteri Filppula to record his first NHL win in his 14th career game.

Ducks overcome two-goal deficit, beat Isles in OT

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:04:02 GMT

In the extra session, Bruno Gervais tried to force a pass that Koivu picked off, skated into the New York zone and snapped a wrister into the left corner of the net.

Lubomir Visnovsky scored twice, including the tying goal with 32 seconds left in regulation, while Jason Blake and Matt Beleskey each lit the lamp for the Ducks, who have won three straight but still sit seven points back of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Flames get big win over struggling Sharks

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:41:19 GMT

Jarome Iginla, Daymond Langkow and Nigel Dawes also tallied for the Flames, who were clobbered, 9-1, the last time these clubs met on January 18 in San Jose.

With the win, Calgary temporarily moved one point ahead of Detroit for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Red Wings are visiting Edmonton on Friday.

Nash stars in return as Columbus rallies past Minnesota

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:46:57 GMT

Nash, who had missed four games with a lower-body injury and the flu, tallied on a breakaway 27 seconds after defenseman Kris Russell tied the game at two.

Kristian Huselius registered a goal and an assist for Columbus, which has won four of its last five games. Mathieu Garon stopped 18 shots in the win.

Canucks ink Kesler to six-year extension

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:46:11 GMT

Financial terms of the deal, which will keep Kesler with the Canucks through the 2015-16 season, were not disclosed.

Kesler, 25, is having a career year this season, his sixth in the league. Through 71 games, he has posted 21 goals and career highs of 45 assists and 66 points.

Isles battle Ducks in Anaheim

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:54:48 GMT

Anaheim, minus one of its key defenseman, seeks a third straight win and New York tries for its fourth consecutive victory tonight when the two teams clash at Honda Center.

The Ducks have won back-to-back games since a five-game slide, and currently find themselves eight points back of the eighth-place Red Wings in the Western Conference with 13 games to play. The Islanders, meanwhile, have countered a four-game skid with three straight wins and are seven points back of the eighth spot in the East.

Depleted Oilers try for another win against Detroit

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:54:24 GMT

Detroit goes for a fourth straight victory and a better hold of the eighth spot in the Western Conference this evening when it hosts Edmonton at Rexall Place.

The Red Wings swept their four-game season series with the Oilers last year, but have dropped both tests to them so far in 2009-10. Detroit skated to a 6-5 shootout setback at Edmonton on Oct. 29 before a 4-1 loss at home on Dec. 3, and will try to avoid dropping three straight to the Oilers for the first time since a 13-game series losing streak from March 19-1983-March 11, 1987.

Flames resume postseason push against struggling Sharks

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:53:11 GMT

While the Sharks are tied for first in the West with 96 points, the Flames enter Friday just one point behind Detroit for the eighth and final seed in the conference. The Red Wings are in action tonight in Edmonton.

The Flames and Sharks have split two games this year, but Calgary will be seeking revenge from a 9-1 blowout loss it was dealt the last times the clubs met on January 18 in San Jose. The Flames have taken six of nine overall in the series and the Sharks have dropped three of their last five in Calgary.

Wild aim to get back on track versus Blue Jackets

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:52:49 GMT

The Wild, who are six points behind Detroit for the eighth and final postseason berth in the West, had won three straight games before getting pounded, 5-0, in Nashville on Thursday.

Pekka Rinne stopped all 17 shots he faced to lead the Predators to the easy win at Bridgestone Arena.

Blackhawks move into tie for West's top spot after blanking Kings

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:58:26 GMT

Blackhawks rookie goaltender Antti Niemi needed to make just 17 saves to record his fifth career shutout.

Troy Brouwer added his 20th goal of the season for Central Division-leading Chicago, which holds an 11-point lead over second-place Nashville.

Hartnell, Boucher lift Flyers to road win over Stars

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:30:45 GMT

Simon Gagne and Mike Richards also scored for the Flyers, who snapped a two- game slide and pulled into a tie with Ottawa for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

"We battled for 60 minutes," Hartnell said.

Canucks move closer to top spot in West with win over Sharks

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:43:52 GMT

Ryan Johnson also scored for the Canucks, who improved to 3-1-0 on a five-game homestand and trail Chicago by three points for the second spot in the Western Conference.

Roberto Luongo made 32 saves for the victors.

Rinne and Preds blank Wild

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:48 GMT

Jason Arnott, Colin Wilson and Patric Hornqvist all recorded a goal and assist each for the Predators, who have won four in a row and pulled into a tie with the Kings for sixth place in the Western Conference with 85 points.

"In the first period both teams had chances, but we got those goals, and I think it kind of took the wind out of them," Rinne said. "We didn't let up after that and kept pushing the game." Josh Harding was pulled after allowing four goals on 26 shots through two periods.

Pominville nets hat trick, Sabres bottle up Bolts

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:31:14 GMT

Buffalo had lost 10 of its last 11 on the road, going 1-7-3 over that span, with the only victory coming in overtime against the Rangers. Additionally, the Sabres had dropped the first two contests of their current five-game trip, but Thursday built a 4-0 lead on the way to recording the victory.

Derek Roy finished with a goal and two assists for the Sabres, who had lost their last three overall. Ryan Miller made 23 saves.