10 Copyright (c) 2008 Yahoo!, Inc. All rights reserved. en-us 126 15 http://sports.yahoo.com Yahoo! Sports http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/b/ysp_logo_rss.gif Yahoo! Sports - NHL News http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl Latest news and information about the NHL. AP Stars avoid sweep, beat Red Wings 3-1 (AP) Detroit Red Wings players watch the closing moments of the Dallas Stars' 3-1 win over the Red Wings in Game 4 of the NHL Western Conference hockey finals in Dallas, Wednesday, May 14, 2008.

Maybe it was payback, maybe it was just good fortune. The Dallas Stars aren't going to quibble. All that matters is Tomas Holmstrom's rear end -- and possibly his reputation -- cost the Detroit Red Wings a goal and the Stars took full advantage, avoiding the humiliation of getting swept out of the Western Conference finals.


]]> Wed, 14 May 2008 21:18:01 PDT urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,ap:20050301:nhl,article,ap-2008051409.detdal.recap:1 Defense has Pens on verge of Cup finals (AP) A little more than two years ago, coach Michel Therrien -- 11 games into his tenure behind the Pittsburgh Penguins bench -- ripped his club for its evident indifference to defense. Now, one win away from the Stanley Cup finals, the hard-nosed taskmaster looks back fondly on the night his club bought into the rough message he sent. Wed, 14 May 2008 15:53:41 PDT urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,ap:20050301:nhl,article,ap-2008051515.pitphi.preview:1 Wild not worried about losing Risebrough (AP) New Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold held his breath while coach Jacques Lemaire weighed his hunger to return against a desire to retire. As for Doug Risebrough? Leipold didn't sound at all worried about losing his general manager, quashing curiosity whether Risebrough would listen if the once-proud Toronto Maple Leafs made a pitch for him to fill their GM vacancy. Wed, 14 May 2008 15:14:13 PDT urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,ap:20050301:nhl,article,ap-wild-leipold:1 US loses to Finland in OT at worlds (AP) Sami Lepisto's goal at 3:59 of overtime led Finland to a 3-2 victory over the United States on Wednesday night in the world hockey quarterfinals. Lepisto took a pass from Saku Koivu at the point and fired the puck through a crowd and underneath U.S. goalie Robert Esche for the win. Finland advanced to play Russia in the semifinals Friday at Quebec City. Wed, 14 May 2008 20:37:13 PDT urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,ap:20050301:nhl,article,ap-hockeyworlds-us-finland:1 Canada routs Norway in worlds quarters (AP) Derek Roy scored three goals and added an assist to help defending champion Canada rout Norway 8-2 on Wednesday in the world hockey quarterfinals. Canada will face Sweden, a 3-2 overtime winner earlier Wednesday in Quebec City, in the semifinals Friday in Quebec City. The Canadians beat the Swedes last year in the semifinals in Moscow. Wed, 14 May 2008 16:57:23 PDT urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,ap:20050301:nhl,article,ap-hockeyworlds-canada-norway:1 Bruins give F Kobasew 3-year extension (AP) Chuck Kobasew has a new three-year contract, a nearly healed leg and an optimistic outlook for the Boston Bruins next season. Kobasew, the team's second-leading goal scorer in 2007-08, missed the playoffs with a broken left leg but thinks he could start working out again in about a week. And he doesn't have to worry about where his future will be. Wed, 14 May 2008 15:44:22 PDT urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,ap:20050301:nhl,article,ap-bruins-kobasew:1 AP Sharks fire coach Ron Wilson (AP) In this May 5, 2008 file photo, San Jose Sharks head coach Ron Wilson looks on from the bench with Tomas Plihal (39) and Jeremy Roenick (27) after the Dallas Stars beat them 2-1 in the fourth overtime of Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinal playoff hockey series in Dallas. The Sharks fired Wilson on Monday, May 12, 2008 after the team's latest disappointing early ouster from the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Although the San Jose Sharks ended another disappointing playoff run last week, coach Ron Wilson was optimistic about his future. After all, his Sharks had done just about everything a good team can do, except win a Stanley Cup. Wilson's only glaring failure still cost him his job Monday. General manager Doug Wilson fired his coach after the Sharks followed another outstanding regular season with...


]]> Tue, 13 May 2008 01:01:34 PDT urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,ap:20050301:nhl,article,ap-sharks-ronwilsonfired:1 Preds sign F Erat to 7-year, $31.5M deal (AP) The Nashville Predators have signed forward Martin Erat to a seven-year, $31.5 million contract. Erat ranks third on the team in career scoring (253). He joined Nashville in the 2001-02 season after being selected in the 1999 draft. The 26-year-old Czech Republic native has averaged 53 points over the past four seasons with Nashville and had a career-high 23 goals in the 2007-08 season. Mon, 12 May 2008 13:48:08 PDT urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,ap:20050301:nhl,article,ap-predators-erat:1 AP Wild coach Lemaire to return next season (AP) In this Sept. 19, 2006 file photo, Minnesota Wild head coach Jacques Lemaire watches his team as they play the Detroit Red Wings during the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game in St. Paul, Minn. Lemaire announced Saturday, May 10, 2008 that he'll return for an eighth season with the team.

Jacques Lemaire has 11 Stanley Cup championship rings, 500 victories as a coach and is widely considered one of the best coaches in the NHL. Yet despite all he has done as a player, executive and coach, Lemaire still needed a little reassurance from Minnesota general manager Doug Risebrough before deciding to return for an eighth season behind the Wild bench.


]]> Sat, 10 May 2008 15:40:04 PDT urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,ap:20050301:nhl,article,ap-wild-lemaire:1 AP Quenneville out as Avalanche coach (AP) Colorado Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville watches during the Avalanche's matchup against the Detroit Red Wings in Game 4 of the teams' NHL Western Conference semifinal playoff series in Denver on May 1, 2008. With the win, the Red Wings swept the Avalanche 4-09 to advance to the conference finals. The game was the last for Quenneville as coach, team officials announced on Friday, May 9, 2008.

The Colorado Avalanche want to play a faster, more attacking brand of hockey, similar to the style that brought them two Stanley Cup titles. Now, they're looking for a coach who fits that description. Joel Quenneville and the Avalanche mutually decided to end their relationship Friday, a week after Colorado was swept out of the playoffs by the Detroit Red Wings.


]]> Fri, 09 May 2008 16:08:46 PDT urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,ap:20050301:nhl,article,ap-avalanche-quenneville:1 Wed, 14 May 2008 21:18:01 PDT