Cale Makar had a goal and two assists for the Colorado Avalanche in an 8-6 win against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final at Ball Arena on Tuesday.

J.T. Compher scored twice, and Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon, and Gabriel Landeskog each had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

John Wroblewski was named the head coach of the U.S. national women's hockey team on Tuesday after recent success guiding the men's development program.

Wroblewski's hiring is currently limited to coaching the American women at the world championships in Denmark in August. He replaces Joel Johnson, who is stepping down after one year as part of his commitment to coach the University of St. Thomas women's program.

Wroblewski takes over an aging U.S. team that's in transition after settling for silver medals following losses to Canada at both the Beijing Winter Games in February and the world championships in August.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington confirmed Tuesday that he threw a water bottle at Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri after Game 3 of their second-round series.

On May 21, Binnington left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury that he suffered after Kadri and Blues defenseman Calle Rosen crashed the net seeking a loose puck. The injury ended Binnington's season, as Blues goalie Ville Husso played the rest of the six-game series, which St. Louis lost to the Avalanche.

The New York Rangers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 6-2 in Game 7 on Monday night, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals to face the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Goaltender Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves for this second win in a Game 7 during the playoffs. Forward Chris Kreider scored twice, while defenseman Adam Fox, center Ryan Strome, center Filip Chytil and forward Andrew Copp added goals.

It's the first trip to the Stanley Cup semifinals for the Rangers since 2015, when they, too, faced the Lightning.

All eyes will be on the superstar matchup of Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon and Edmonton's Connor McDavid when the NHL's Western Conference finals open on Tuesday.

At least, that's what MacKinnon is hoping for. But it's got nothing to do with besting McDavid.

"Hopefully, that [storyline] gets more viewers and lowers escrow [for players], but other than that I don't care," MacKinnon said Monday. "I'm not really thinking about [McDavid] a whole lot, but obviously I see that stuff. I think he's the best, I've said it. I think he's been the best for a little bit now and it's going to take a full team effort to stop him."

Sakari Manninen scored on a power play at 6 minutes, 42 seconds of 3-on-3 overtime and Finland beat Canada 4-3 on Sunday for its fourth world hockey championship title.

Veteran Maple Leafs forward Jason Spezza announced his retirement Sunday after a 19-season NHL career.

The 38-year-old is moving into the Maple Leafs' front office as a special assistant to general manager Kyle Dubas.

Taken second overall by Ottawa in the 2001 draft, Spezza spent his first 11 seasons with the Senators before joining the Dallas Stars in 2014 and Toronto in 2019.

Johnny Gaudreau said he would like to remain with the Calgary Flames.
Calgary is focused on granting that request, general manager Brad Treliving said.

"We want him to be a Calgary Flame," Treliving said Saturday. "He's been one his whole career. I think he's got a chance to be one of the greatest ever to play in the history of the franchise, and there's been some great ones."

The forward can become an unrestricted free agent July 13 after completing the final season of a six-year, $40.5 million contract ($6.75 million average annual value).

Darren Helm scored with 5.6 seconds remaining in the third period, and the Colorado Avalanche eliminated the St. Louis Blues with a 3-2 win in Game 6 of the Western Conference Second Round at Enterprise Center on Friday.

Helm won it on a slap shot from the left circle for his first goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Avalanche won the best-of-7 series 4-2 and will face the Edmonton Oilers in the conference final, beginning with Game 1 on Tuesday.