NHL-National Hockey League roundup
Oct 31 (The Sports Xchange) - Buffalo Sabres forward John Scott received a seven-game suspension on Thursday for his hit on Boston Bruins forward Loui Eriksson in an Oct. 23 game. Scott had been suspended indefinitely while awaiting his in-person hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety. He already has served three of the seven games. The 31-year-old Scott delivered an illegal check to Eriksson's head at 5:49 of the third period and received a match penalty. He also was fined $26,923.05. Scott will be eligible to return on Nov. 8 when the Sabres play the Anaheim Ducks. He has no points in seven games this season. - - The Montreal Canadiens signed defenseman Alexei Emelin to a four-year, $16.4 million contract extension on Thursday. Emelin, who is in the final season of a two-year contract, would have become an unrestricted free agent after the 2013-14 season. - - Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin will miss Friday's game against the host Philadelphia Flyers because of an upper body injury, coach Adam Oates announced Thursday. Ovechkin was injured during Monday's loss to the Vancouver Canucks when he crashed headfirst into the goalie and net early in the game. The Capitals have not revealed the exact nature of Ovechkin's injury but said it is not a concussion. - - The Philadelphia Flyers traded center Maxime Talbot to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for right winger Steve Downie. Downie returns to the Flyers, who selected him in the first round of the 2005 draft. He has seven points and was plus-4 while playing on Colorado's top line through 11 games this season. Talbot has just one goal and one assist in 11 games this season. The 29-year-old has 77 goals and 154 points in 515 games with the Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins. - - Colorado Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, Denver police said Wednesday. The Russian-born Varlamov turned himself into police around 6 p.m. Wednesday after an arrest warrant was issued for second-degree kidnapping and third-degree assault. The Avalanche have seven wins with Varlamov in goal this season and are off to a surprising 10-1 start under new coach Patrick Roy. (Editing by Frank Pingue)
