Hockey

Stars, Lightning showing value of faceoff draws in Stanley Cup Final Faceoffs late in tight games are always important, particularly those in the zone of a team clinging to a lead. While overall faceoff performance has been debated in recent years with more information available and different ways to analyze its importance, this final is showing the value of draws because of how the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning prefer to play. Shares

Stanley Cup Final gets chippy for Stars, Lightning The dislike is building quickly for the Stars and Lightning in this Stanley Cup Final, which is knotted at 1-1 going into Wednesday night’s game. While nastiness typically develops in a lot of series this deep in the playoffs, it’s happening even earlier in this one because players have grown cranky after eight weeks in the NHL bubble. And they are taking it out on the ice. Shares

Black players call on NHL to postpone playoff games Members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance asked the NHL to postpone its two second-round playoff games on Thursday in response to Jacob Blake being shot by police in Wisconsin. Shares

Ovechkin graces NHL 21 cover EA Sports has a new cover athlete for its annual hockey game: Alex Ovechkin. Shares

Capitals fire Todd Reirden after disappointing playoff exit The Washington Capitals fired coach Todd Reirden on Sunday, days after the team was ousted in the first round of the NHL playoffs. Shares

Capitals eliminated by Trotz’s Islanders with shutout loss in Game 5 Anthony Beauvillier scored twice, Semyon Varlamov shut out the team that drafted him and the New York Islanders knocked the Washington Capitals out of the playoffs in the first round by beating them 4-0 Thursday night in Game 5. Shares

Ovechkin helps Capitals rally past Islanders to avoid sweep Alex Ovechkin scored twice, including the go-ahead goal early in the third period, as Washington rallied from two goals down to beat the New York Islanders 3-2 Tuesday night and avoid a sweep in their first-round series. Shares

Capitals look to stave off elimination against Islanders again in Game 5 Losing with a chance to sweep the Washington Capitals didn’t surprise Barry Trotz on the opposite bench after he coached them to the Stanley Cup in 2018. His New York Islanders will get another opportunity to eliminate the Capitals in Game 5 Thursday, and it won’t get any easier if the Capitals get top center Nicklas Backstrom back from injury. Shares