Hockey Today
SCOREBOARD
Thursday, May 28
No games scheduled. Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals between Detroit and Pittsburgh is Saturday night in Detroit.
STARS
Wednesday
— Darren Helm(notes) and Chris Osgood(notes), Red Wings. Helm scored 3:58 into overtime, and Osgood made 30 saves in Detroit’s 2-1 victory over Chicago in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals. Detroit won the series 4-1.
SCHEDULE
Detroit and Pittsburgh will open the Stanley Cup finals Saturday night in Detroit. After originally saying the finals would begin June 5 if both conference finals weren’t decided by Tuesday, the NHL turned to Plan B on Wednesday night to avoid a long layoff.
STATUS
Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy turned down an offer to coach the Colorado Avalanche, the team he led to two Stanley Cup titles. Roy phoned Avalanche president Pierre Lacroix late Tuesday night to tell him he wouldn’t accept the offer, citing family reasons. He said he wanted to stay with the Quebec Remparts — where he’s coach, co-owner and general manager—in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
STALEMATE
A U.S. bankruptcy court judge accelerated the schedule for determining whether Jim Balsillie can buy the Phoenix Coyotes and move them to southern Ontario over the objection of the NHL. At a hearing Wednesday, Judge Redfield Baum set a hearing for June 9 and promised a ruling shortly thereafter. The relocation hearing had been scheduled for June 22, but Balsillie has said he will withdraw his $212.5 million offer if the sale is not completed by the end of June.
REMATCH
Detroit, a six-game winner over Pittsburgh in the Stanley Cup finals last year, will face the Penguins again this season in the first championship series rematch since Edmonton beat the New York Islanders in 1984 after losing in 1983.
WINTER CLASSIC
Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs said Wednesday that he expects the NHL’s third annual Winter Classic, played outdoors Jan. 1, to be held at Fenway Park. He said an official announcement from the NHL could come in July.
SIGNINGS
Montreal signed Swedish center Mikael Johansson to a one-year contract Wednesday. The free agent spent the past four seasons with Farjestads BK Karlstad in the Swedish Elite League. … Vancouver signed forward Rick Rypien(notes), a cousin of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Mark Rypien, to a two-year contract extension.
SCOUTING
The Hershey Bears (Capitals) and Manitona Moose (Canucks) will open the AHL’s Calder Cup finals Saturday night in Winnipeg. Hershey beat Providence in five games in the Eastern Conference finals, and Manitoba edged Houston in six games in the West.
SPEAKING
“It’s a unique situation right now, definitely this doesn’t happen often. I try to make the best of the situation for myself and try to help the team win a Cup.”—Marian Hossa(notes), the Detroit star who left Pittsburgh during the offseason to sign a one-year contract the Stanley Cup champion Red Wings. After helping Pittsburgh reach the finals last season, Hossa turned down a long-term deal from the Penguins.