New York Rangers (55-23-4, first in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (52-23-7, second in the Metropolitan Division)Raleigh, North Carolina; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDTBETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Hurricanes -167, Rangers +140; over/under is 5.5NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Rangers lead series 3-2BOTTOM LINE: The New York Rangers look to clinch the second round of the NHL Playoffs over the Carolina Hurricanes in game six. The teams meet Monday for the ninth time this season. The Hurricanes won

Edmonton Oilers (49-27-6, second in the Pacific Division) vs. Vancouver Canucks (50-23-9, first in the Pacific Division)Vancouver, British Columbia; Thursday, 10 p.m. EDTBETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Oilers -149, Canucks +124; over/under is 6.5NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Series tied 2-2BOTTOM LINE: The Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers are in a 2-2 series tie in the second round of the NHL Playoffs. The teams meet Tuesday for the ninth time this season. The Oilers won 3-2 in the previous matchu

EDMONTON — Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard wasn't sure he'd ever play an NHL playoff game. At 32 years of age and without a starting role, his chances were limited, but the netminder wasn't about to give up. “You’re always believing, you’re hoping. But now that it’s finally here, it’s exciting," Pickard said. His persistence paid off. Pickard made his first start in an NHL playoff game Tuesday, backstopping Edmonton to a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks in their second-round playoff series. He re

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Jeremy Swayman backed up his victory vow with 28 saves, Charlie McAvoy added to the list of disputed goals in this matchup with the go-ahead marker and the Boston Bruins staved off elimination by beating the Florida Panthers 2-1 in Game 5 of their NHL playoff series on Tuesday night. Morgan Geekie also scored for the Bruins, who improved to 2-0 in elimination games this season — they also won a Game 7 over Toronto in Round 1 — and finally found a way to hold the Panthers’ of

Tuesday's Scoreboard NHL Playoffs Second Round Edmonton 3 Vancouver 2 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2) Boston 2 Florida 1 (Florida leads best-of-seven series 3-2) --- IIHF World Hockey Championship Group Stage At Prague Canada 7 Austria 6 (OT) Norway 2 Denmark 0 At Ostrava, Czechia Latvia 2 Kazakhstan 0 France 4 Poland 2 --- PWHL Playoffs Semifinals Boston 3 Montreal 2 (OT) (Boston wins best-of-five series 3-0) --- NBA Playoffs Second Round New York 121 Indiana 91 (New York leads best-of-seven se

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Jeremy Swayman said the series would return to Boston. And he backed up that claim in a big way. Swayman made 28 saves, Charlie McAvoy added to the list of disputed goals in this matchup with the go-ahead marker and the Bruins staved off elimination by beating the Florida Panthers 2-1 in Game 5 of their second-round NHL playoff series on Tuesday night. The biggest stop of Swayman's night might have been his last: He stoned Florida's Sam Reinhart from close range with about e

NEW YORK (AP) — From one former New York Rangers to a current one, Jacob Trouba was selected as the winner of the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, the league announced on Tuesday. The award winner is selected personally by Messier and presented since 2007 to a player who “exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey.” Trouba is the first Rangers’ player to earn the hono

DENVER (AP) — The nameplate above the locker for Valeri Nichushkin has already been removed at the Colorado Avalanche's practice facility. It could be just for now — or possibly for good. For a second consecutive year, the Avalanche are on the brink of elimination from the playoffs with Nichushkin, one of their top players, unavailable due to circumstances away from the ice. This may be the last straw for the Avs when it comes to the talented 29-year-old Russian forward. Nichushkin was suspended

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — The Edmonton Oilers will start Calvin Pickard in net for Game 4 of their playoff series with the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night. The 32-year-old journeyman netminder replaces Stuart Skinner, who was pulled in the third period of Edmonton’s 4-3 loss to Vancouver on Sunday after giving up four goals on 15 shots. Edmonton trails Vancouver 2-1 in the best-of-seven second-round playoff series. “I’m expecting what I’ve seen from Calvin all season — a goaltender who’s compe

Wyatt Johnston accomplished a lot for the Dallas Stars before his 21st birthday. He has already appeared in 30 NHL playoff games, with four game-winning goals over those two postseasons, and matched a single-game mark accomplished only by Wayne Gretzky. “It's unreal for sure. It's a lot of fun to watch,” Dallas defenseman Miro Heiskanen said. “He amazes us every time.” Johnston turned 21 on Tuesday, when the Stars flew home from Colorado with a 3-1 series lead in their second-round Western Confe