Hockey players are conditioned to think that winning the Stanley Cup means going through the best teams to be the best team.That doesn't mean they are blind to some of the inequalities of the NHL's current divisional playoff format. An Associated Press/Canadian Press survey of NHLPA …

TORONTO (AP) — Facing elimination, Boston didn't panic when it fell behind halfway through the first period. The Bruins kept their focus, quickly tied it and took the lead, and then held off the Toronto Maple Leafs to force a Game 7 in their first-round playoff series.Brad Marchand had two …

BOSTON (AP) — Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin has extra motivation to beat Boston on Sunday and eliminate the Bruins in six games: It would mean some extra time to spend with his brand-new baby daughter.Muzzin's wife, Courtney, gave birth to a daughter, Luna, on Thursday, the off day …

BOSTON (AP) — The Toronto Maple Leafs have grown accustomed to playoff disappointment in recent years.However, after putting together possibly their best defensive effort of the season, their latest victory has them on the brink of getting out of the first round for the first time since …

DENVER (AP) — Summoning Johnny Hockey! His scoring prowess is required ASAP.After a 99-point regular season, Calgary All-Star forward Johnny Gaudreau has been held to a single assist and just 12 shots against Colorado. It is a big reason why the top-seeded Flames trail the Avalanche 3-1 in …

TORONTO (AP) — David Pastrnak scored twice in quick succession, Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists and the Boston Bruins held off the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-4 on Wednesday night to tie the first-round series 2-2.Charlie McAvoy had a goal and an assist, Zdeno Chara and Joakim Nordstrom …

TORONTO (AP) — With the Maple Leafs buzzing and Scotiabank Arena rocking after Toronto tied it early in second period, the Boston Bruins needed a push from their dormant stars.David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand delivered.Pastrnak scored twice in quick succession, Marchand had a goal and two …

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (AP) — A former NHL star is apologizing for crossing a picket line to shop at a Massachusetts supermarket where workers are on strike.Former Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ray Bourque was caught on video exiting a North Andover Stop & Shop on Monday …

TORONTO (AP) — With the Toronto Maple Leafs back home, Auston Matthews finally broke through against Boston.Matthews scored his first goal of the playoffs and set up another as the Maple Leafs beat the Bruins 3-2 on Monday night to take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference …

TORONTO (AP) — The NHL has suspended Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri for the rest of the first round of the playoffs for cross-checking Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk in the head.The decision was announced Monday, shortly before Game 3 of the best-of-seven series that is knotted …

TORONTO (AP) — The Latest on Toronto center Nazem Kadri (all times local):6:05 p.m.The NHL has suspended Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri for the rest of the first round for cross-checking Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk in the head.The league announced the decision Monday not long …

It wasn't long after celebrating Craig Smith's overtime goal that P.K. Subban zeroed in on the cold reality of Nashville's playoff series against Dallas."There are no easy shifts out there, no easy games and no easy plays," he said. "It's hand-to-hand combat out there."Subban and the Central …

BOSTON (AP) — Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri temporarily went to the locker room after a knee-on-knee hit from Jake DeBrusk in the second period.When Kadri retaliated late in the third, he was done for good.Kadri drew a game misconduct for cross-checking DeBrusk in the face , leading to …

For all the value of postseason experience, youth is off to a nice start in the Stanley Cup playoffs.Teenage defenseman Miro Heiskanen built on his stellar rookie season in his playoff debut with Dallas, 19-year-old Andrei Svechnikov tried to carry Carolina back from a big deficit, early …

BOSTON (AP) — The Toronto Maple Leafs know they can't count on short-handed penalty shots to help them get past Boston in the playoffs.The hustle that forced the Bruins to make mistakes, though: That's something they are planning to do over and over again."It's a weird play, but we'll take …

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand doesn't believe for a second that the window is closing on the team's chances to win another Stanley Cup championship with the core that etched its name on the trophy in 2011.One of five members of the last Bruins team to won it all — …

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Bruins have a successful history against their first-round playoff opponent — but they're hardly dwelling on it.For the second straight season, the Bruins will open the Stanley Cup playoffs with a first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Boston …

Three of the top seven teams in the NHL are packed into a four-team murderers' row playoff bracket and only one can reach the Eastern Conference final.The Tampa Bay Lightning's reward for finishing 21 points ahead of the rest of the league during the regular season is a first-round matchup against …

The team expected to win it all faces an opponent that loaded up for the same thing, the defending champions go up against a playoff newcomer and the wild West is wide open in the quest for the Stanley Cup.The NHL playoffs open Wednesday when the Presidents' Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning host …

MONTREAL (AP) — Ryan Poehling delivered one of the most impressive NHL debuts in Canadiens history, giving fans plenty to cheer one night after Montreal was eliminated from playoff contention.The American-born Poehling recorded a hat trick and added the shootout winner in his debut as the …