Former Whalers team owner Howard Baldwin is trying to get fans behind his efforts to bring an NHL team back to Hartford, Conn. Baldwin's latest venture is an outdoor skating rink at the Rentschler Field sports and entertainment stadium in East Hartford. The Hartford Whalers left Connecticut in 1997 for Raleigh, N.C., and became the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Tampa Bay Rays are supporting the Blackhawks in their quest for the Stanley Cup. Several times each season the Rays hit the road with a different team dress plan, and manager Joe Maddon decided that wearing hockey sweaters was the perfect idea for the flight to Toronto on Sunday. When the Blackhawks heard about Maddon's plan, they offered free red home jerseys for the entire team, which most accepted. A fan of the Blues growing up, Maddon is pulling for the Blackhawks to defeat the Flyers and win their first Stanley Cup title since 1961.

Michael Leighton will start in goal for the Flyers in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals. "Yes, it will be Leighton," Flyers senior director of communications Zack Hill told ESPN.com. Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette refused to divulge his Game 2 goalie at a news conference earlier Sunday. Leighton was pulled in the second period Saturday night after giving up five goals on 20 shots. Brian Boucher, who had just returned from injury, stopped 11 of 12 shots in relief.

Chicago's 6-5 victory over Philadelphia Saturday night in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals produced the best overnight rating for a hockey finals opener in 11 years. The game on NBC garnered a 2.8 overnight rating and 6 share, the best numbers since 1999 when Buffalo and Dallas produced a rating of 3.7 on FOX.

Flyers coach Peter Laviolette is staying mum on whether Michael Leighton or Brian Boucher will start in net for Game 2 of the finals against the Blackhawks Monday, according to an ESPN.com report. "We will keep everything internally with regards to lineups, lineup changes, lines, goaltenders, anything that's internal we'll probably keep it internal," Laviolette said.

The Flyers and Blackhawks are already a television hit in the Stanley Cup finals. Chicago?s stirring 6-5 win Saturday night in Game 1 produced the best overnight rating for a finals opener in 11 years, according to an Associated Press report on Sunday.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman expects the Coyotes to be sold this summer. "The market is not flooded" with teams for sale, said Bettman, who did his best to quash or at least downplay reports and signs that several NHL clubs are unstable in this shaky economy. Bettman said the league is "not now dealing with any franchise going out of business or moving," and he expressed hope that such speculation will soon stop.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says the league?s franchise situation is stable, and that the ?market is not flooded with teams? for sale, according to an Associated Press report. Bettman said Friday that the NHL is ?not now dealing with any franchise going out of business or moving? and that he hopes such speculation will stop.

Commissioner Gary Bettman announced Friday that the Penguins will host the Capitals at Heinz Field on New Year?s Day, the fourth installment of the Winter Classic, according to an Associated Press report. Also, Bettman said the Flames are expected to host the Canadiens at McMahon Stadium on Feb. 20.

The NHL will unveil both outdoor games for next season on Friday, a league source has confirmed to ESPN.com on Thursday. The long-rumored Capitals-Penguins matchup will be held Jan. 1 at Heinz Field. The Canadiens will play the Flames at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.