LAS VEGAS — Perspective has become a common word in Alex Pietrangelo’s vocabulary.

Around this time two years ago, the Golden Knights defenseman was almost done with hockey.

He and his wife Jayne would wake up before sunrise every day for two weeks and make the 25-minute drive to Sunrise Children’s Hospital. There, they would see their ...Read more

DETROIT — If ever a hockey team looked like it needed a few days away from the rink, hopefully to reset mentally from where they currently are, after Monday's ugly 4-0 loss to St. Louis, it was the Red Wings.

With three consecutive losses, boos cascading from fans at Little Caesars Arena, and nothing seemingly going right, maybe it's just ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — When it was noticed that Sidney Crosby was three assists shy of a pretty meaningful Penguins milestone and that the Philadelphia Flyers were up next on the schedule, it seemed quite possible that Crosby would get there Monday at PPG Paints Arena.

But before the end of the first period?

Suppose we should never underestimate this ...Read more

BOSTON — The Bruins head into the three-day Christmas break with their best gut-check win of the season.

After losing David Pastrnak (upper body) in the second period and then surviving a third period five-minute major to Oliver Wahlstrom, the B’s got third-period goals from Elias Lindholm and Charlie Coyle to knock off the best team in the...Read more

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Wild will have a fresh start waiting for them on the other side of their holiday break.

After getting two players back from injury, including goaltender Filip Gustavsson, the Wild outlasted the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 Monday night at Xcel Energy Center to ditch their season-long, four-game losing streak before a three-day...Read more

DETROIT — The holiday break just became a little less festive and merry for the Red Wings.

With three days off coming up, like the remainder of the NHL, the Wings headed into the time away from hockey Monday with a bah humbug-like 4-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues.

The Wings (13-17-4) head into the break with three consecutive losses and only ...Read more

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Before the NHL’s Department of Player Safety suspended New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe for eight games Sunday for boarding and elbowing Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen on Friday, Stars color analyst Darryl “Razor” Reaugh captured what every viewer probably thought and felt.

“This is about as nefarious and ...Read more

SAN JOSE, Calif. — As Mackenzie Blackwood was peeling the tape away from his teal-infused goalie gear inside the very burgundy-and-blue home locker room at Ball Arena, a voice called out from across the room.

It was his new partner, Scott Wedgewood, who just days before was doing the same with navy blue and gold-laced pads.

“Don’t answer...Read more

DENVER — The Avalanche needs a break after a grueling five-week stretch of travel, but the club has also finally started to pile up points like it expects.

Joel Kiviranta had a hat trick to set a new career-high in goals and points, while Mackenzie Blackwood made 17 saves on Sunday night to help the Avs defeat the Seattle Kraken, 5-2, at Ball...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Speaking to the media Saturday before morning skate, John Tortorella said he expected to see Guy Gaudreau before the Flyers hosted the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Wells Fargo Center later that night. What he didn’t expect was to get an earful.

“He has some thoughts,” Tortorella chuckled after the game when asked if ...Read more

A quick start by the Seattle Kraken and an early goal on Saturday night in Vegas only served to wake up the best team in the Pacific Division.

The Kraken dropped their fourth straight, falling 6-2 to the Golden Knights as Seattle continued to slide with the midpoint of the season approaching.

The Kraken (15-18-2) lost for the fifth time in six...Read more

The Wild won’t be able to snap their skid against the Jets any time soon, but they have a different funk festering.

They’re on a season-long four-game losing streak after the Wild were blitzed, 5-0, by first-place Winnipeg on Saturday at Canada Life Centre to get swept by their Central Division rival in back-to-back seasons.

Overall, the ...Read more

BOSTON — The two points the Bruins earned on Saturday were not exactly artfully gained, but they count nonetheless.

The B’s, not so fresh off a long road trip, ground out a 3-1 victory over the luckless Buffalo Sabres at TD Garden, handing the Sabres their 13th straight loss.

It was neither easy nor pretty.

Morgan Geekie scored a power-...Read more

NEWARK, N.J. — Add Saturday’s loss to the list of ugly games here in New Jersey.

The Penguins’ hearts seemed to be in the right place as they chased after a third consecutive victory. The execution? Not so much. Their passing and finishing were off all night and they lost, 3-0, against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center.

Jacob ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Coach John Tortorella said the games heading into the NHL-mandated holiday break were important.

Before Saturday night’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Flyers were on the losing end of three straight in which they were outscored, 17-8. So it wouldn’t have surprised anyone when they trailed 2-0, 3-2, and 4-3 to ...Read more

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Colorado Avalanche looked tired after one period Friday night, but one of their new goaltenders kept them afloat until the rest of the club found enough energy to grind out a win.

That script has been a familiar one during the toughest stretch of schedule the Avs have faced, and these points might prove to be incredibly ...Read more

DETROIT — Montreal was able to capitalize on a third-period power play Friday and the Red Wings did not, and that turned out to be the difference in a 4-3 Canadiens' victory.

Patrik Laine's power-play goal at 12 minutes, 2 seconds of the third period broke a 3-3 tie. Laine's blast from the flank was his seventh goal in eight games since ...Read more