NHL will have a new Stanley Cup champion this century as lengthy droughts take center stage

No matter which team wins the Stanley Cup championship this year it will be a first this century. The Dallas Stars won the franchise's lone championship in 1999, months before the world worried computers would malfunction at the start of a new millennium. The New York Rangers...

Presidents' Trophy-winning Rangers set to face Panthers in Eastern Conference final

One year after reaching the Stanley Cup Final, the Florida Panthers are back in the Eastern Conference final. The Presidents' Trophy-winning New York Rangers have made it there for the second time in three years. Now, the East's division winners will meet in the...

Lafrenière continuing his breakthrough season as a solid contributor for Rangers in NHL playoffs

After a breakthrough regular season, Alexis Lafrenière has continued to be a solid contributor for the New York Rangers in their run to the Eastern Conference final. Selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft, the Quebec native entered the league with high...

Carolina Hurricanes re-sign coach Rod Brind'Amour and staff to multiyear deals

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes have re-signed coach Rod Brind’Amour and his staff to multiyear contracts, keeping one of the best in the NHL behind the bench around for the long term. The team announced the re-signings Sunday for Brind'Amour, assistants Jeff Daniels...

Panthers reach Eastern Conference final for second straight year, eliminating Bruins in 6 games

BOSTON (AP) — Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice watched his team escape one breakaway after another and still manage to eliminate the Boston Bruins in six games. So he didn’t want to overanalyze the team’s second straight trip to the Eastern Conference final. ...

Panthers beat Bruins with late game-winner, advance to Eastern Conference final

BOSTON (AP) — Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice considered it a good omen when the fire alarm went off at the team hotel on Friday afternoon, just as he was settling in for a pregame nap. “In my career, the number of times that something got messed up at the hotel … it’s...

Kreider pushes Rangers to the NHL's Eastern Conference Final for the 2nd time in 3 postseasons

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Chris Kreider had just helped the New York Rangers finally finish off the Carolina Hurricanes with a huge third-period performance when he was asked what it meant to him considering his long run with the franchise. He paused, then smiled. ...

Kreider's 3rd-period hat trick lifts Rangers into Eastern Conference Final with win over Hurricanes

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The New York Rangers went from cruising through the NHL playoffs with an unbeaten record to suddenly struggling to close out a second-round series despite having a huge lead. Worse, they found themselves down entering the third period with the prospect of...

New York Rangers beat Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 to advance to Eastern Conference Final

The New York Rangers were headed for another sweep. Now they're fighting to close out Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The New York Rangers looked headed for an easy push through the second round of the NHL playoffs when they quickly moved within a win of a sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes. Instead, the Hurricanes have grinded their way back in the series, and the pressure is...