MacKinnon records hat trick, Avs beat Blues 6-3 in Game 2
Nathan MacKinnon finished his first career playoff hat trick with an empty-net goal to help the Colorado Avalanche pull away late for a 6-3 win over St. Louis in Game 2 after the Blues avoided a pregame virus scare that nearly sidelined several players.
Medical examiner: Cardiac event, not accident, killed Plager
Former St. Louis Blues defenseman Bob Plager was killed Wednesday, March 24, 2021 in a car crash in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)ST. LOUIS โ Former St. Louis Blues defenseman Bob Plager likely died of a โcardiac event,โ not injuries from a highway accident, the St. Louis medical examiner said Friday. Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Graham performed an autopsy and said Plager didnโt sustain any injuries that would have been life-threatening. He played 11 seasons for St. Louis -- teaming for a stretch with brothers Barclay and Bill -- and later worked for the organization in a variety of roles. The Ontario native scored 20 goals with 126 assists and 802 penalty minutes in 644 regular-season NHL games, and added two goals, 17 assists and 195 penalty minutes in 74 playoff games.
Blues hockey great Bob Plager killed in car accident
FILE - In this Thursday, Feb 2, 2017 file photo, Former St. Louis Blues player Bob Plager waves to fans while speaking during a ceremony to retire his number before an NHL hockey game between the Blues and the Toronto Maple Leafs in St. Louis. Former St. Louis Blues defenseman Bob Plager was killed Wednesday, March 24, 2021 in a car crash in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)ST. LOUIS โ Former St. Louis Blues defenseman Bob Plager was killed Wednesday in a car crash in St. Louis. โIt is unimaginable to imagine the St. Louis Blues without Bobby Plager,โ the team said in a statement. โHe was an original 1967 member of the St. Louis Blues, but also an original in every sense of the word.
NHL takes big stride on data and analytics with AWS deal
(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)The NHL is taking another step forward in data, analytics, and puck and player tracking. The league has reached an agreement with Amazon Web Services to put all its video and data on the cloud. AdNHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Amazon Web Services CEO Andy Jassy unveiled the deal on NBC Sports Network late Wednesday. Later this season, fans looking up stats on the NHL's website will get corresponding video clips and vice versa. โIt kind of melts your mind with the number of opportunities that are sitting in front of us.โ___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
The Latest: Rice delays men's basketball series with N Texas
(AP Photo/John Locher)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___As an extra precaution, Rice is delaying its upcoming home-and-home menโs basketball series with North Texas by one day. Fridayโs game is at Rice and will not be open to the public in accordance with the universityโs COVID-19 mitigation policies. The development comes a day after the Riveters were not allowed to play their game against the Buffalo Beauts. This provides teams a two-day break as there were no games scheduled for Friday. ___The Vegas Golden Knightsโ game against the St. Louis Blues scheduled for Thursday night has been postponed.
The Latest: San Josรฉ returning to Shark Tank in mid-February
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The San Josรฉ Sharks finally know when they are returning home. The Sharks say they need to work out several health and safety issues before returning to the Bay Area. ___UConn says it has postponed its next two men's basketball games, including Thursdayโs scheduled contest with No. ___The University at Albany menโs basketball team has been placed on a temporary pause following a presumptive positive COVID-19 test within the teamโs Tier 1 personnel. Last week, members of the University of Vermontโs womenโs basketball team decided not to continue their season and opted out, disrupting the league schedule.
Minus coaching staff, Vegas loses to Blues 5-4 in shootout
CORRECTS TO SHOOTOUT, INSTEAD OF OVERTIME - St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn (10) scores on Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner (90) in the shootout of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)LAS VEGAS โ Missing all their coaches, Max Pacioretty and the Vegas Golden Knights still managed to earn a point. David Perron and Brayden Schenn scored in a shootout Tuesday to give the St. Louis Blues a 5-4 victory over Vegas. Pacioretty got his seventh career hat trick for the Golden Knights, who were without their entire coaching staff because of COVID-19 concerns. The Golden Knights were 1 for 6 with a man advantage and are 3 of 26 (11.5%) this season.
Pietrangelo leaves Blues, embraces new challenge with Vegas
FILE - In this March 9, 2020, file photo, St. Louis Blues' Alex Pietrangelo (27) and Florida Panthers' Aleksi Saarela (28) chase after the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game in St. Louis. The Vegas Golden Knights have agreed to terms on a $61.6 million, seven-year contract with top free agent Pietrangelo, a person with direct knowledge of the move tells The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)Alex Pietrangelo heard it can snow in Las Vegas and wasn't worried about bundling up his four children if necessary. After leaving the Blues he led to the 2019 title to sign a $61.6 million contract with the Golden Knights, Pietrangelo hopes to play a big role in getting the young franchise to the top of the NHL. Talking with Foley and seeing the other moves the Golden Knights have made to move into perennial Cup contention convinced Pietrangelo to put St. Louis in his past and sign with Vegas.
Vegas signs Alex Pietrangelo to $61.6M, seven-year contract
The Vegas Golden Knights have agreed to terms on a $61.6 million, seven-year contract with top free agent Pietrangelo, a person with direct knowledge of the move tells The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)Alex Pietrangelo is Vegas bound, and the Golden Knights are shuffling the deck to fit him in. Pietrangelo signed a $61.6 million, seven-year deal with Vegas on Monday that carries an $8.8 million annual salary cap hit through 2027. Before registering Pietrangelo's contract, the Golden Knights traded defenseman Nate Schmidt to the Vancouver Canucks for a 2022 third-round pick, clearing his $5.95 million cap hit off the books. The 30-year-old leaves the St. Louis Blues after serving as captain of their 2019 Stanley Cup championship team.
Several Stanley Cup winners breaking up championship core
FILE - In this June 15, 2015, file photo, Chicago Blackhawks' goalie Corey Crawford kisses the Stanley Cup Trophy after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series in Chicago. The past few weeks have seen several recent Stanley Cup winners get rid of members of their championship core. Hornqvist was โblindsidedโ the Pittsburgh Penguins wanted to trade him. The past several weeks have featured several recent Stanley Cup winners breaking up their championship core by saying goodbye to a key player with his name on the trophy. The agitating, go-to-the-net winger helped Pittsburgh win the Cup in 2016 and 2017.
Goalies get shuffled in NHL free agency; Lightning depleted
Jacob Markstrom left Vancouver to sign a six-year, $36 million contract with the Calgary Flames. The Wild quickly addressed their goaltending needs after trading Devan Dubnyk to San Jose, by signing Cam Talbot signing a three-year, $11 million deal. โ Veteran forward Wayne Simmonds was among the first free agents to sign, reaching a one-year $1.5 million deal with the Maple Leafs. With starting goalie Corey Crawford leaving for New Jersey in free agency, the Blackhawks also signed goalie Malcolm Subban to a two-year, $1.7 million contract. โ The Senators and newly acquired goalie Matt Murray agreed to two-year, $25 million deal.
Back to health, Blues and Avalanche top two teams in West
FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2019, file photo, St. Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko, right, is congratulated as he passes the team box after scoring a goal against the Colorado Avalanche during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Denver. Tarasenko makes his return after early season shoulder surgery that limited him to three goals in 10 games. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
Back to health, Blues and Avalanche top two teams in West
Ditto for St. Louis, the defending Stanley Cup champions. The Blues and Avalanche were navigating through some key injuries before the season was halted in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The hiatus allowed time to heal and now the top two teams in the Western Conference return as Cup favorites. The two teams get things rolling Sunday in Edmonton by facing each other to kick off a round-robin tournament to determine seeding in the West. It should be a fun ride.Back on the ice for the Blues is forward Vladimir Tarasenko, who underwent shoulder surgery in late October.
NHL moves ahead with 24-team playoff format if play resumes
FILE - In this May 27, 2019, file photo, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman speaks to the media before Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals between the St. Louis Blues and the Boston Bruins, in Boston. Bettman unveiled a 24-team straight to playoffs format the league will use if it can clear the other hurdles to resume its season. The NHL and the NHL Players' Association must still figure out health and safety protocols and solve other issues, including where to play. Bettman has said the goal has always been to play again and award the Stanley Cup, but details remain uncertain. For us to even finish the season and award (the Stanley Cup), I know a lot of work went into it.
Who is Robby Fabbri? Closer look at newest Red Wings center
In his second season with Guelph in 2013-14, Fabbri scored 45 goals and 42 assists for 87 points in 58 games played. He was pegged as a top forward prospect coming out of juniors, and that summer he was drafted 21st overall by the St. Louis Blues. PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 27: Robert Fabbri of the St. Louis Blues poses for a portrait during the 2014 NHL Draft at the Wells Fargo Center on June 27, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He needed a way out of St. Louis. BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 12: Robby Fabbri #15 of the St. Louis Blues holds the Stanley Cup following the Blues victory over the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on June 12, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Red Wings trade for Robby Fabbri, send de la Rose to Blues
DETROIT After suffering another 5-1 loss Wednesday night, the Detroit Red Wings announced they acquired former first-round pick Robby Fabbri in a trade that sends Jacob de la Rose to the St. Louis Blues. Jacob de la Rose of the Detroit Red Wings on November 01, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)Meanwhile, 24-year-old de la Rose, who also plays center, will leave the Red Wings after he was picked up by Ken Holland last year on waivers. With the Red Wings, de la Rose played 60 games this past season (3G, 6A) and 16 games this season (1G, 3A). He could have great value by then, and the Red Wings would still be in the drivers seat.
Red Wings vs. Blues in Kraft Hockeyville preseason game: Time, TV, score updates
Anthony Mantha of the Detroit Red Wings tries to shoot around the stick of Colton Parayko of the St. Louis Blues during the second period at Little Caesars Arena on December 9, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)The Detroit Red Wings will host the St. Louis Blue in a preseason game Tuesday night in Calumet, Mich. The game is being played in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan after Calumet won the designation as Kraft Hockeyville USA in April. The NHL teams will play at the 700-seat Calumet Colosseum, an arena that's stood for more than 100 years. Game time: 7 p.m. (6 p.m. CT)7 p.m. (6 p.m. CT) TV: NBCSFollow score updates here:Below is the Red Wings preseason schedule with outcomes.
Whether you're a die-hard fan or you don't care one bit, these 11 photos will make you feel things
Maybe you'll smile at the St. Louis Blues winning their first-ever Stanley Cup -- yes, that's hockey for those of you nonfollowers! St. Louis makes history. Durant, as mentioned up top, rejoined his team for Game 5 only to go down with a ruptured Achilles. Here, Alex Pietrangelo of the St. Louis Blues lifts the Stanley Cup in celebration (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images). Vladimir Tarasenko and Sammy Blais of the St. Louis Blues share their joy at the city's victory parade and rally on Saturday (Nic Antaya/Getty Images).
Red Wings fans: You must be rooting for the Blues in this final
Honestly, I never thought there would be a day when I would root for the St. Louis Blues. The Blues were arguably the Red Wings' biggest "rival" in the 1990s before the Colorado Avalanche were born. I put "rival" in quotes because let's face it: The Red Wings routinely owned the Blues. They must do it against the Boston Bruins, a team Red Wings fans might be able to hate even more these days. So here's to the St. Louis Blues and their fans.