6:33 AM ET According to the Chinese zodiac, the Year of the Rat begins on Jan. 25, although Matthew Tkachuk apparently wanted to celebrate early. One of the NHL’s most preeminent pests, the Calgary Flames forward threw two (legal, but predatory) checks into Edmonton Oilers ruffian Zack Kassian, and eventually Kassian popped off and started
NHL
7:00 AM ET The NHL All-Star Game is scheduled for Jan. 25 in St. Louis, where some of the NHL’s best and brightest (and available if their schedules permit) players will be showcased. Being named an All-Star takes great numbers and some level of renown. It’s easy for worthy players to be overlooked. So for
1:30 PM ET The Vegas Golden Knights have fired Gerard Gallant and hired former San Jose coach Peter DeBoer, whom the San Jose Sharks fired last month. The Knights also fired assistant Mike Kelly. The move comes with the team in the mix for a playoff spot, but that factor did not prevent a midseason
12:30 PM ET Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart will be out two to three weeks with a right lower abdominal strain, the team announced Wednesday. In his second season with the Flyers, Hart has appeared in 32 games and has a 15-11-3 record, a 2.61 goals-against average and .905 save percentage. Hart had started five
10:48 AM ET In an NHL season filled with shocking coaching changes, add another to the list: The Vegas Golden Knights have fired Gerard Gallant and hired former San Jose coach Peter DeBoer, whom the Sharks fired last month. The Knights also fired assistant Mike Kelly. “In order for our team to reach its full
10:04 PM ET ESPN News Services PITTSBURGH — Captain Sidney Crosby had a goal and three assists in his long-awaited return from core muscle surgery, and the Penguins cruised past the Minnesota Wild 7-3 on Tuesday night. Crosby, who has been participating in full-contact practice with the Penguins since Saturday, took 21 shifts in the
9:45 PM ET Minnesota Wild defenseman Greg Pateryn suited up for his team’s game in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night, ready to help against a returning Sidney Crosby and the Penguins — until he was removed from the bench by the on-ice officials. Pateryn was mistakenly listed as a scratch on the lineup card submitted by
9:26 PM ET ESPN News Services COLUMBUS, Ohio — Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask suffered a concussion in Tuesday’s 3-0 loss to the Blue Jackets, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. Rask left just 1:12 into the game after getting hit in the head by a passing Blue Jackets player. Emil Bemstrom was cutting across the front
4:53 PM ET The Battle of Alberta is now a war of words, courtesy of Edmonton Oilers forward Zack Kassian and Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk. Kassian defended his attack on Tkachuk during the Oilers’ loss at the Flames on Saturday night, which earned him a misconduct penalty and a two-game suspension from the NHL
4:03 PM ET ESPN News Services BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson will miss the remainder of the season after having surgery to repair an injury to his right shoulder. The Sabres announced Thompson had the operation on Tuesday and will require five to six months of recovery time. Thompson was initially projected