BOSTON — There has been speculation that Ryan Kesler has been playing hurt during the Stanley Cup Final. His absence from Canucks practice Sunday reaffirmed the idea that he is likely playing with a nagging injury. Kesler — along with defense…

VANCOUVER – After his 31 save shutout performance in Game 5 on Friday night Roberto Luongo had everyone talking, not about his ability to bounce back from allowing 12 goals in Games 3 and 4, but about his critique of Tim Thomas. Canucks f…

BOSTON — Tim Thomas was not available to the media Saturday to respond to comments from Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo, but his Boston Bruins teammates and coach were quick to defend him. Luongo said after Game 5 that the goal allowed…

BOSTON — If Kevin Weekes had long hair, it would have blown backward as soon as he heard Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo make the comment Friday night that is now spreading like wildfire across the landscape of the Stanley Cup Final.   Whe…

BOSTON — After another grueling cross-continent flight Saturday, the Boston Bruins know there is no time for rest. Not with a make-or-break Game 6 looming just 48 hours away. Win that game at TD Garden (8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, RDS) and the Bruins…

VANCOUVER – Nearly five years ago to the day, Canucks forward Raffi Torres was in a similar position he was in Saturday afternoon – preparing to board a cross-continent charter just one win away from hoisting the Stanley Cup. Torres…

VANCOUVER — Had the Canucks needed a power-play goal to win Game 5, maybe this story would have a whole different tone to it.   Then again, had their penalty kill not been the story early Friday night, maybe we would be preparing to write …

University of Wisconsin forward Michael Mersch is no stranger to performing at a high level in big moments — on and off the ice. In fact, Mersch’s determination in the classroom helped him earn his stripes in his first year on campus.   &q…

VANCOUVER — It wasn’t in the final minute or overtime this time, but the Boston Bruins will fly home Saturday morning after yet another one-goal loss at Rogers Arena. The Bruins were able to dominate the Vancouver Canucks at the friendly confi…

VANCOUVER – Despite Roberto Luongo’s assertion to the contrary, there was nothing simple about stopping Maxim Lapierre’s winning shot in the third period of Vancouver’s 1-0 victory in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Arena. Lapie…

VANCOUVER — How loud was Game 5 in Rogers Arena? Simply, as a body of sustained screaming, yelling, hooting and Luuuuing, the loudest building in recent recordings of the NHL.com Decibel Meter during Stanley Cup Final games. Especially once Maxim…

Hockey fans in the United States can tune in this weekend to see the last four Stanley Cup-clinching games on the NHL Network. The action starts at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday with Game 5 of the 2007 Final between the Anaheim Ducks and the Ottawa Sen…

For two games, they looked like a team poised — if not destined — to win the Stanley Cup. The Vancouver Canucks skated hard shift after shift, received steady and sometimes spectacular goaltending and got the lucky bounces they needed to walk aw…

Why do you think the shortest player at the NHL Scouting Combine attracted so much attention earlier this month?   Well, unless you know 5-foot-6, 163-pound Rocco Grimaldi of the U.S. National Team Development Program on a personal level, w…

 VANCOUVER — In a span of a few seconds, the yin and the yang of Brad Marchand’s life on hockey’s edge was on display in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Boston Bruins forward skated feverishly toward the corner, racing after a puck l…

VANCOUVER — Having lost Games 3 and 4 by a combined score of 12-1,  the Vancouver Canucks are in fairly familiar territory heading into Game 5 at Rogers Arena on Friday night. The Presidents’ Trophy winners lost Games 4 and 5 of their fir…

VANCOUVER — Alain Vigneault could have played coy Thursday with his starting goaltender for Friday night’s Game 5. Instead, he made sure to let everyone know that Roberto Luongo is still his man. "Roberto is the guy," Vigneault said….

Justin Goldman is one of the preeminent goaltending experts on the Web. His site, www.thegoalieguild.com serves as a haven for those who share a passion for goaltending with a mission to enhance and advance knowledge of the goaltending position th…

Any NHL general manager in the market for a future franchise goalie would be hard-pressed not to consider one of the two Gibsons at the 2011 Entry Draft at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., on June 24-25. The two marquee names between the …

Any NHL general manager in the market for a future franchise goalie would be hard-pressed not to consider one of the two Gibsons at the 2011 Entry Draft at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., on June 24-25. The two marquee names between the …