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NHL: Past four Stanley Cup winners face off in semi-finals

Agence France-PresseMay 30, 2013 18:00

For only the second time in National Hockey League history, the past four Stanley Cup champions have advanced to the best-of-seven NHL playoff semi-finals, which begin with two games on Saturday. Defending champion Los Angeles, the surprise packet for the second year in a row, will open at Chicago in the Western Conference final while the Pittsburgh Penguins will entertain the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference final. Not since 1945 have the previous four Cup champions booked semi-final spots and back then the league had only six clubs.

NHL: Second-round playoff results

Agence France-PresseMay 25, 2013 23:15

Results on Saturday from the second round of the National Hockey League playoffs (all series best-of-seven): Eastern Conference at Boston Boston 3 NY Rangers 1 (Boston win series 4-1) afp

Preview: Rangers at Bruins

Thomson ReutersMay 25, 2013 07:16

Tuukka Rask tripped over his own skates in Game 4, opening the door for the New York Rangers in their Eastern Conference second-round series. Rask would like to end the threat and lift the fourth-seeded Boston Bruins into the conference final when the teams reconvene at TD Garden on Saturday. Rask's gaffe gave sixth-seeded New York a lift before former Boston College star Chris Kreider scored 7:03 into overtime as the Rangers skated to a 4-3 triumph on Thursday to cut their deficit to 3-1 in the series.

Penguins thrash Senators, on brink of East final

Thomson ReutersMay 23, 2013 06:46

(Reuters) - The Pittsburgh Penguins came from a goal down to thrash the Ottawa Senators 7-3 on Wednesday and move to the brink of the Eastern Conference finals. James Neal and Jarome Iginla each scored twice, and Kris Letang had four assists, as the Penguins took a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven semi-final series. The Penguins, who finished the regular season as the East's top seed, will have the chance to seal the series in Game Five in Pittsburgh on Friday.

Preview: Penguins at Senators

Thomson ReutersMay 22, 2013 07:32

The Pittsburgh Penguins were moments away from securing a commanding 3-0 advantage in their Eastern Conference second-round series - only to let it slip away. The seventh-seeded Ottawa Senators will look to feed off the momentum of their double-overtime victory and even their series with the top-seeded Penguins at two games apiece on Wednesday, when they reconvene at Scotiabank Place.

NHL: Second-round playoff results - collated

Agence France-PresseMay 19, 2013 19:15

Results on Sunday from the second round of the National Hockey League playoffs (all series best-of-seven): Eastern Conference at Boston Boston 5 New York Rangers 2 (Boston lead series 2-0) at Ottawa Ottawa 2 Pittsburgh 1 (2 OT) (Pittsburgh lead series 2-1) afp

NHL: Rangers rout Capitals to reach second round

Agence France-PresseMay 14, 2013 02:00

Swedish star Henrik Lundqvist posted his second-straight shutout as the New York Rangers advanced to the second round by routing Washington 5-0 in game seven of their NHL playoff series on Monday. Swedish star Lundqvist made 35 saves for the shutout after stopping all 27 shots he faced in game six on Sunday. The Rangers will face Boston in the second round of the NHL playoffs as the Bruins rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the third period Monday night to win in overtime and beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games.

Ribeiro scores in OT to lift Capitals to 2-1 win

Thomson ReutersMay 12, 2013 12:46

Ribeiro scores in OT to lift Capitals to 2-1 win WASHINGTON -- If there was no glass around the dasher boards, Mike Ribeiro might have run all the way into the stands. The Capitals veteran center slid a Karl Alzner rebound into an unguarded net 9:24 into overtime to give the Capitals a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers Friday night in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

Preview: Islanders at Penguins

Thomson ReutersMay 12, 2013 07:33

Tomas Vokoun was signed to a two-year contract in the offseason, with the primary purpose to serve as the understudy to stud goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. With the latter clearly struggling, Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma has elected to trust the 36-year-old Vokoun with the start for Thursday's Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first-round series versus the New York Islanders. Fleury was blitzed for six goals on 24 shots as the eighth-seeded Islanders evened the series at two games apiece with a 6-4 triumph on Tuesday.

Preview: Penguins at Islanders

Thomson ReutersMay 8, 2013 16:34

Captain Sidney Crosby wasn't shy about expressing concern in regard to his team's play - even though it enjoyed a two-goal lead at the time. That worry proved well-founded as the top-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins unceremoniously yielded three unanswered goals and suffered a 4-3 setback to the eighth-seeded New York Islanders on Friday. Tied at one game apiece, the Atlantic Division rivals will vie for the advantage in their Eastern Conference first-round series on Sunday afternoon, when they meet for Game 3 in Long Island.