Alexei Cherepanov, the 19-year-old rising star and Rangers draft pick who died after collapsing during a game, was playing illegally for his Russian club, a top military officer said Friday, according to an Associated Press report.

Alex Ovechkin will miss the Capitals? game in Buffalo on Saturday, but he is expected to return to the team at the start of next week, according to an Associated Press report. The reigning MVP is visiting his ailing grandfather in Russia. Ovechkin also sat out Tuesday?s game, ending his consecutive games streak at 203. ?I don?t anticipate seeing him until Monday?s practice,? coach Bruce Boudreau said Friday. ?That?s what I?m looking at right now, unless something happens that we?re unaware of.? The team will get one player back against Buffalo, defenseman Tom Poti, who is returning from a groin injury that forced him to miss five games. With Poti now available, defenseman Tyler Sloan was sent back down to the minors after he finally got a chance to play in the NHL.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jared Boll has been suspended for one game by the National Hockey League and will miss the club?s game on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks, club General Manager Scott Howson announced today. Boll was assessed an instigator penalty in the final five minutes of Thursday night?s 4-2 win at Colorado and in accordance with Rule 47.22 received an automatic one-game suspension.

Jamie McGinn scored his first career goal midway through the second period that helped the Sharks beat the Red Wings 4-2 Thursday night in coach Todd McLellan?s first game against his former team, as reported by the Associated Press.

By the third period, an apparent injury to Sidney Crosby had him sitting on the bench, as the Coyotes beat the Penguins 4-1 on Thursday night, as reported by the Associated Press. ?I had some discomfort,? said Crosby, who left the game with less than 5 minutes left in the second period. ?I decided that in the third period, it didn?t seem like I could do much.? Per team policy, the Penguins did not disclose details of Crosby?s injury.

Thrashers' defenseman Zach Bogosian, the No. 3 overall pick in this year?s NHL draft, will be out indefinitely with a broken left leg, according to an Associated Press report on Thursday.

Canadiens' prospect Pavel Valentenko has signed a three-year deal with Dynamo Moscow, the Russian club reported Thursday on its website. A Canadiens' spokesman said the team was unaware of the signing. But he said that Valentenko, who had been playing for the Hamilton Bulldogs, returned to Russia for ?personal and family reasons.?

Rookie Steven Stamkos scored his first two NHL goals and added an assist in the Lightning's 5-2 win over the Sabres on Thursday night, according to an Associated Press report.

The Blues signed goaltender Chris Holt on Thursday, as reported by the Canadian Press. Holt played in two games with Peoria this season, posting a 2-0-0 record, a .915 save percentage and a 2.00 goals against average.

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has traded forward Hugh Jessiman to the Nashville Predators for future considerations. Jessiman, 24, has appeared in six games with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season. In 2007-08, he established AHL career-highs in games played (71), goals (18), assists (24), points (42), penalty minutes (154), and plus/minus rating (10). His 18 goals tied for fifth on the Wolf Pack, while he finished eighth on the club in assists. Jessiman also appeared in five playoff games with Hartford, recording one assist and a team-leading 21 penalty minutes. The 6-6, 235-pounder has appeared in 172 career AHL games over four seasons with Hartford, collecting 32 goals and 42 assists for 74 points, along with 301 penalty minutes. He registered his first career AHL point, a game-winning goal, and added an assist on January 21, 2006 vs. Providence. In addition, Jessiman has skated in 14 career AHL playoff games with the Wolf Pack, recording one goal and one assist for two points, along with 30 penalty minutes. The New York, New York native was originally selected as the Rangers first round draft choice, 12th overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.