Stanley Cup Finals
Gloves and sticks are tossed as the Colorado Avalanche celebrate winning the Stanley Cup against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on Sunday, June 26, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Colorado Avalanche at Tampa Bay Lightning 6/26/2022

Jun. 27, 2022 02:27 AM EDT

Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic, center, talks with reporters during media day before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tuesday, June 14, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Joe Sakic joins fellow Denver icon John Elway as dual champ

By Arnie Stapleton Jun. 27, 2022 02:26 AM EDT

Denver Broncos place-kicker Brandon McManus stands during the first period of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Colorado Avalanche on Friday, June 24, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Tampa Bay Lightning at Colorado Avalanche 6/24/2022

Jun. 24, 2022 09:11 PM EDT

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) celebrates with teammate Victor Hedman (77) after knocking the Toronto Maple Leafs out of the Stanley Cup playoffs in Game 7 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series in Toronto, Saturday, May 14, 2022. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
Column: Maple Leafs now at 55 years since last championship

By Paul Newberry May. 16, 2022 03:01 PM EDT

A puck is on the ice during a Nashville Predators hockey practice in preparation for the Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. (Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean via AP)
Nashville ready for NHL Stadium Series debut vs. Tampa Bay

By Teresa M. Walker Feb. 25, 2022 04:40 PM EST

Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos holds up the Stanley Cup as teammate defenseman Victor Hedman, right, looks on as they celebrate the teams Stanley Cup victory with a boat parade Monday, July 12, 2021 in Tampa, Fla. (Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
Lightning dent Stanley Cup after another Tampa boat parade

Jul. 12, 2021 05:31 PM EDT

Fans watch New York Islanders' Brock Nelson, second from right celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the second period of Game 6 during an NHL hockey second-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins Wednesday, June 9, 2021, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
'New York Saints' moniker catches on during Islanders run

By Stephen Whyno Jun. 11, 2021 05:30 PM EDT

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) stops the puck during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers, Monday, May 24, 2021, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Knight time: Rookie saves 36, Panthers top Lightning 4-1

By Tim Reynolds May. 24, 2021 10:51 PM EDT

AP Sportlight

By The Associated Press May. 20, 2021 06:50 PM EDT
May 21 1881 — A small group of tennis club members meets at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York City to form the world’s first national...

AP Sportlight

By The Associated Press May. 13, 2021 01:42 PM EDT
May 14 1913 — Washington’s Walter Johnson gives up a run in the fourth inning against the St. Louis Browns to end his streak of 56...

FILE - In this Oct. 5, 2017, file photo, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Brooks walks behind the end zone during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Tampa, Fla. This has been a year for Tampa Bay sports like no other, though the area's three successful professional teams haven't had a chance to truly capitalize on the boom and connect with re-energized fan bases. Derrick Brooks says he feels for the fans not being able to go to the games and celebrate their teams victories and success.(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
Missed opportunity: Tampa teams soar, fans watch from afar

By Fred Goodall Nov. 03, 2020 02:54 PM EST

FILE - In this March 11, 2020, file photo, San Jose Sharks' Joe Thornton (19) moves the puck as Chicago Blackhawks' Brandon Saad (20) defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Chicago. The Toronto Maple Leafs signed 41-year-old forward Thornton to a one-year, $700,000 contract Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty, File)
Joe Thornton points to talk with Joe Montana in Toronto move

Oct. 18, 2020 10:56 PM EDT

FILE - In this Feb. 17, 2019, file photo, New Jersey Devils right wing Kurtis Gabriel works out prior to an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres in Newark, N.J. The NHL is hoping to move to Phase 2 of its return-to-play protocol, including the opening of practice facilities and allowing small group workouts, early next month. The league, which was forced to pause its season on March 12 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, released a 22-page memo detailing the plan Monday, May 25, 2020. The document stresses there's no exact date for the start of Phase 2 or a timetable for how long it will last. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
The Latest: Iowa St AD sees football games with 30,000 fans

By The Associated Press May. 26, 2020 11:59 AM EDT

FILE - In this Dec. 11, 2010, file photo, Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan is shown during an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas. The Utah Jazz have announced that Jerry Sloan, the coach who took them to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998 on his way to a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame, has died. Sloan died Friday morning, May 22, 2020, the Jazz said, from complications related to Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia. He was 78. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
Column: Sloan, other coaching greats who were denied a title

By Paul Newberry May. 22, 2020 05:04 PM EDT

FILE - In this April 19, 2019, file photo, Steve Yzerman walks into the news conference where he was introduced as the new executive vice president and general manager of the Detroit Red Wings NHL hockey club in Detroit. The Red Wings could actually benefit from an adjusted draft lottery that gives him better odds at the top pick, likely Alexis Lafreniere. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)
Mixed feelings around hockey about holding NHL draft early

By Stephen Whyno May. 09, 2020 11:46 AM EDT

Kansas City Chiefs players, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15), stretch after NFL football training camp Saturday, July 27, 2019, in St. Joseph, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Chiefs' Pat Mahomes living up to his 'Showtime' nickname

By Dave Skretta Jul. 29, 2019 06:33 PM EDT

FILE - In this May 22, 2019 file photo, Terry Pegula, arrives to the NFL football owners meeting in Key Biscayne, Fla. Rather than fullfilling his promise of delivering Buffalo a championship, Pegula has instead overseen a team that's endured fitful starts and stops, gone through a revolving door of players and coaches, and is in the midst of a franchise-worst eight-year playoff drought, the NHL's longest active streak. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File )
Sabres owner Pegula tells AP: It's time to start winning

By John Wawrow Jun. 29, 2019 12:33 PM EDT

St. Louis Blues center Ryan O'Reilly carries the Stanley Cup during the Blues' NHL hockey Stanley Cup victory celebration in St. Louis on Saturday, June 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Fans pack downtown St. Louis to cheer on the champion Blues

By Jim Salter Jun. 15, 2019 03:27 PM EDT

Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy checks the clock as time winds down during the third period in Game 7 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final against the St. Louis Blues, Wednesday, June 12, 2019, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Year of parades ends in Boston with Bruins' Stanley Cup loss

By Jimmy Golen Jun. 13, 2019 06:57 PM EDT

St. Louis Blues fan Marge Kirchhoefer poses for a portrait in her St. Louis home, Thursday, June 13, 2019. At age 100, Kirchhoefer is among the oldest St. Louis Blues fans, and now that they're Stanley Cup champions, she knows exactly how she'll celebrate. She plans to drink champagne and says she "may get loaded." There's a lot of that going around in St. Louis, now that the Blues have knocked off the Boston Bruins to win their first NHL championship since they arrived as an expansion team 52 years ago. (AP Photo/Jim Salter)
Heartache turns to triumph for St. Louis sports fans

By Jim Salter Jun. 13, 2019 03:51 PM EDT