NHL

Former hockey player Petr Klima -- who scored the game-winning goal for the Oilers in the historic Game 1 of the 1990 Stanley Cup Finals -- has sadly passed away, the NHL announced.

He was only 58.

The NHL broke the news by releasing a statement on Thursday ... saying its sympathies are with his family, friends, and fans.

"The NHL mourns the passing of Czech legend Petr Klima, who scored 313 goals across 13 NHL seasons," the league said.

Klima -- who was drafted in the 5th round of the 1983 draft -- suited up for several teams during his long career ... including the Edmonton Oilers, where he had one of the most iconic goals in franchise history.

It happened in the third overtime in Game 1 of the 1990 Stanley Cup Finals ... when Klima scored against Andy Moog of the Boston Bruins.

This triple-OT game is the longest in Stanley Cup Final history ... and it was the last time the Oilers won the Stanley Cup.

Klima also played for the Detroit Red Wings, L.A. Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins, an Tampa Bay Lightning.

"The Red Wings organization offers its heartfelt condolences to the Klima family during this difficult time," the Detroit organization said.

Klima's twin sons, Kelly and Kevin, are also pro ice hockey players.

P.K. Subban body-shamed Lizzo live on-air while breaking down an NHL playoff game for ESPN on Tuesday night ... and his comment was so crass, many online are now demanding an apology from the former All-Star.

Subban -- who joined ESPN's hockey coverage following his retirement in 2022 -- made the remark while he was breaking down Game 1 of the Panthers vs. Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Playoff series.

Subban's co-host on the ESPN set, John Buccigross, suggested Toronto should "pack a lunch" after losing 4-2 -- insinuating the team should eat more to make it stronger in Game 2.

Subban agreed ... and then fired off a cheap shot at the "Truth Hurts" singer.

"Maybe they need to pack a Lizzo-sized lunch," Subban said.

The words were immediately hit with backlash on social media ... with many calling for the former New Jersey Devils defenseman to say he's sorry. Others on Twitter urged ESPN to punish its top hockey analyst for the comment.

So far, neither Subban nor ESPN has addressed the controversy. Lizzo hasn't either ... though she's no stranger to responding to comments about her body.

Ryan Reynolds has some competition in his quest to buy the Ottawa Senators ... and it's none other than rap legend Snoop Dogg!!

According to the Athletic, the Dogg Father has joined the group headed by Neko Sparks in hopes of becoming the next big celebrity sports team owner.

Sparks, a Los Angeles-based entrepreneur, first became known as a bidder for the team back in January 2023. Since then, he has rounded up a dozen people to join his efforts to not only buy the team ... but make history as the first black owner in the NHL. The group also reportedly has Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as a member.

In case you didn't know, Snoop is a massive fan of hockey. In 2018, he teamed up with the NHL to release a weekly video series called "Hockey 101 with Snoop Dogg."

On top of that ... in 2020, he called a whole period of NHL action for the L.A. Kings during the team’s matchup with the Colorado Avalanche. If you want to dig even further, in his famous "Gin and Juice” music video ... Snoop is rocking a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey.

While adding Dogg to his ownership group certainly bolsters its cause, it will still be a battle for Sparks' group to win the Senators. Reynolds and real estate mogul Christopher Bratty are rumored to be preparing a $1 billion dollar bid to buy the team. They would also build a new stadium for the org., although it's unknown if Sparks and his group would do the same.

Reynolds is no stranger to owning a team. Back in November 2020 ... Reynolds and actor Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham FC for $2.5 million dollars. Back on April 22nd, the team earned promotion to the English Football League after falling out 15 years ago.

Edmonton Oilers star Evander Kane says a number of Kings supporters turned a dream trip into a complete nightmare for a young fan last week ... accusing L.A. backers of harassing and spitting on her jersey during a Stanley Cup playoff game.

Evander shared the allegations via social media ... saying 10-year-old Cecily Eklund -- who is battling cancer -- was singled out for wearing a Kane jersey during Game 3 of the Kings vs. Oilers series at Crypto.com Arena on Friday.

"I'm disgusted and appalled at what happened to this amazing little girl in the stands and in a women's restroom where she was harassed for wearing her jersey and was spit on by a LA fan for doing so," Kane said.

"This type of behavior is gross and unacceptable."

Kane went on to call the alleged conduct "pathetic" -- especially considering Cecily is a young warrior going through challenging times.

What makes things even worse -- Kane later shared a follow-up from someone DEFENDING Kings fans over the whole thing ... stating the awful human beings behind the alleged hateful actions had no other choice because he's "such a f***in scum bag."

"You make us spit on kids for being a dirty mother f***er," the user added.

Evander and Cecily have been tight for some time now -- the two met through the Ben Stelter Fund, which helps young kids battling illness have once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Here's more proof hockey guys are the toughest people out there -- NHL center Morgan Barron took a skate to the face that resulted in 75+ stitches on Tuesday ... but somehow, he managed to return and finish the game!!

It all went down at the T-Mobile Arena ... when Barron suffered the injury in the first period in Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round series between the Winnipeg Jets and the Vegas Golden Knights.

A scrum for the loose puck ensued by the net ... and as players from both teams converged, Vegas goalie Laurent Brossoit's skate inadvertently cut Morgan's face, causing him to bleed.

The 24-year-old -- who got hurt with 10:43 left in the first period -- emerged from the tunnel and returned to the game with 13:24 left in the second.

After the game, Barron told reporters the injury wasn't as bad as it looked, adding the medical staff did an excellent job of fixing him up.

"I was trying to figure out if the puck went in because it was pretty close," Barron said. "I saw the skate coming. It was an unlucky play. The first thought was that I could see out of the [right] eye was the main thing."

Given the magnitude of the matchup, Barron said there was no doubt he would return ... and felt that as long as he was stitched up well enough, he could help his team's chances.

NHL legend Zdeno Chára just added another accomplishment to his resume ... the former Bruins star completed the famed Boston Marathon in just over 3 1/2 hours!!

Zdeno finished the course -- 26.2 miles long -- on Monday in the 127th installment of the event, with a time of 03:38:23 ... good for an 8:20 min/mile pace.

FYI, the Boston Marathon features 30,000 athletes from more than 100 countries.

Chára -- who spent 24 years in the NHL -- got off to a good start ... running his first 3 miles in under 26 mins (25:32), and seemed to maintain that momentum the whole way through.

Check out the video ... Chára -- a 7x All Star and 2011 Stanley Cup winner with the Bruins -- crossed the finish line with his arms raised in the air and a smile on his face.

The 46-year-old -- who stands 6 feet 9 inches tall and weighs around 250 pounds -- looked relieved after he completed the nearly four-hour journey with his fellow runners.

The Boston Marathon is a huge deal ... and regularly brings out many celebrities and athletes! Doug Flutie, Brock Holt and Ryan Dempster ran this year.

New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba made a young fan's night and future -- by gifting him not only the jersey off his back, but a law school scholarship!!

The heartwarming moment went down Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, where the Toronto Maple Leafs played the Rangers.

Garden of Dreams Foundation member Isaiah Márquez-Greene, who survived the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012 but lost his sister Ana in the horrific event, met Trouba, his favorite player, on the ice and got the #8 jersey as a gift.

26 people, mostly elementary school-age kids, were senselessly murdered by a 20-year-old man on December 14, 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

"I've been a fan of you since Winnipeg [Jets]," Marquez-Greene told Trouba.

The hockey defenseman was flattered and signed the jersey for Isaiah ... but he had more in store for him.

"I know your story. I feel for you," Trouba said. "You're an amazing human."

That's when Trouba surprised Isaiah -- who wants to be a lawyer -- with a full scholarship!

"From the Garden of Dreams, this is a scholarship for law school! So you're gonna graduate from college, you're going to go to law school and you're gonna have no debt coming out of school."

Trouba even gave Isaiah his phone number to stay in touch so he gets his party invitation when he graduates.

"I want an invitation to when you graduate law school," Trouba said. "And I'm gonna check in with you when you go to college next year."

According to Márquez-Greene's mother, Nelba, the 18-year-old will be heading to UConn this fall.

A lifelong Chicago Blackhawks fan received a surprise Tuesday night ... the team gifted her a hockey puck and stick before the game started, in honor of it being her first-ever NHL game, and the awesome gestures brought the fan to tears.

The Blackhawks posted a video on TikTok, explaining several players noticed the woman, who has been a fan of the team since she was 4, holding a sign during warmups that read ... "63 years. Fan 1st time seeing live."

NHL vet and former 1st-round pick Connor Murphy was one of the players who took notice of the woman, so he tossed her a puck. He also gave the fan his stick, too.

The woman -- wearing a Blackhawks white road jersey -- was visibly overwhelmed by the gesture ... and seemed incredibly thankful Murphy hooked her up with the gifts.

The Predators were joined by the Bruins in honoring the victims of the school shooting in Nashville before their game in Boston on Tuesday night ... and the tributes to the six who tragically died were very emotional.

Just before the puck dropped on the contest at TD Garden ... the two teams and their fans had a moment of silence. The arena's public address announcer told the crowd at the time, "The Boston Bruins stand alongside the Nashville Predators in solidarity against gun violence and in support of the Nashville community."

Players were visibly shaken as the venue went silent ... and the names of the six victims -- three of whom were just 9 years old -- were displayed on the stadium's jumbotron.

The two teams also wore stickers on their helmets to honor The Covenant School -- where a 28-year-old gunman shot the six on Monday morning. The Preds urged people to donate to support survivors as well.

The game was the Predators' first since the tragedy ... and they ended up winning despite all the pregame emotions -- beating the best team in the NHL, 2-1.

Before the contest began, Predators head coach John Hynes called all of Monday's events "a really sad situation."

The Chicago Blackhawks will not wear Pride-themed warm-up jerseys for Pride Night on Sunday, according to a report ... citing security concerns for their Russian players after the country passed an anti-LGBTQ law making it illegal to promote "gay propaganda" in Russia.

According to the Associated Press, the Blackhawks -- who've worn Pride warmup jerseys before -- ultimately decided against wearing the jerseys this season for the April 12 celebration after consulting with security officials ... who took into account president Vladimir Putin's newly-expanded law which makes it illegal for anyone to promote gay relationships as "normal."

Of course, the Blackhawks call Chicago home ... but the team has several Russian players on the roster, including defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, who is a Moscow native. There are also players on the team with family members living in Russia.

Chicago's decision comes just days after San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer refused to participate in his team's Pride event, saying his Christian beliefs won't allow him to wear a Pride-themed jersey.

“I have a personal faith in Jesus Christ who died on the cross for my sins and, in response, asks me to love everyone and follow him," Reimer said. "I have no hate in my heart for anyone, and I have always strived to treat everyone that I encounter with respect and kindness.

"In this specific instance, I am choosing not to endorse something that is counter to my personal convictions which are based on the Bible, the highest authority in my life. I strongly believe that every person has value and worth, and the LGBTQIA+ community, like all others, should be welcomed in all aspects of the game of hockey."

As for the Blackhawks, they have yet to officially announce the decision.

College ice hockey player Carson Briere -- the son of Philadelphia Flyers GM Daniel Briere -- was hit with three criminal charges on Monday ... after he was seen on video pushing a woman's wheelchair down a flight of stairs earlier this month.

According to court records, Briere was charged with criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, and conspiracy to commit criminal mischief. The records show he's due in court in May for a hearing on the matter.

In court documents, obtained by the Associated Press, Erie City Police allege Carson -- a junior center on Mercyhurst Univ.'s hockey team -- put people at risk when he shoved a wheelchair down stairs at a bar near Mercyhurst's Pennsylvania campus on March 11.

The AP reports the woman who owned the wheelchair, Sydney Benes, told police she had just bought the chair for $2,000 a year ago ... and Carson's push left it significantly damaged.

According to the AP, Mercyhurst Univ. lacrosse player Patrick Carrozzi was also hit with criminal charges for his alleged role in the incident.

Carson fessed up to pushing the chair after video from the bar went viral ... saying in a statement last week he was "deeply sorry" for his behavior. His father added in a statement that Carson's actions were "inexcusable."

Carson has been suspended from Mercyhurst's team as the school investigates the matter. The bar, meanwhile, has banned him.

The college hockey player who pushed a woman's wheelchair down the stairs at a Pennsylvania pub last weekend has been banned from the establishment ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Nate Sanders -- the security manager at Sullivan's Pub and Eatery in Erie -- tells us ... Carson Briere, the son of Philadelphia Flyers interim general manager Daniel Briere, is no longer welcome at the bar after security camera footage showed him pushing Sydney Benes' wheelchair down a flight of stairs on Saturday night.

According to a GoFundMe page organized by Sanders ... Sydney is a double amputee that requires a wheelchair to be mobile while she's learning to use her prosthetics. Nate told us he assists Sydney with getting around whenever she visits Sullivan's.

Sanders said that should Carson step foot inside Sullivan's moving forward following the ban ... he's prepared to get law enforcement involved if necessary.

Carson -- a junior center on Mercyhurst University's ice hockey team -- has apologized for his actions ... calling them inexcusable. He's since been suspended from the team as the school investigates the incident further.

Police have also launched their own probe into the matter.

The son of Philadelphia Flyers interim GM Daniel Briere -- Mercyhurst Univ. ice hockey player Carson Briere -- has been accused of shoving a woman's wheelchair down a flight of stairs over the weekend ... and now, cops say they're investigating the matter.

The incident was captured on a bar's security camera at around midnight on Saturday.

In the footage, you can see two men walk up a staircase and notice a wheelchair sitting at the top of it. One of the men, identified online as Briere, wearing a backward white hat and a dark-colored sweatshirt, then sits in it, before attempting to wheel around in it.

Eventually, Briere gets out of the chair -- before pushing it down the stairs. He then walks away from the scene.

Twitter user @juliazukowski -- who first posted the video -- claims the chair had been left at the top of the stairs because its owner "physically had to be carried down to use the restrooms." She created a GoFundMe page on Wednesday, to raise money for a new chair.

Mercyhurst University said in a statement after the video began circulating on social media that it -- and police -- have launched an investigation into it all.

"Late this afternoon, Mercyhurst University became aware of the disturbing video in which one of our student-athletes is seen pushing an unoccupied wheelchair down a flight of stairs at a local establishment," school officials said in a statement Tuesday. "Our Office of Student Conduct and Department of Police and Safety are investigating."

The school would not confirm Carson Briere was at the center of the probe ... telling TMZ Sports on Wednesday morning, "We are just beginning our investigation and cannot comment on the process."

Carson Briere joined the Mercyhurst hockey team back in 2020. He had previously played for Arizona State's ice hockey team, but was dismissed from the team after the program said he violated rules.

In his three seasons with the Lakers, he's tallied 59 points.

His father, 45-year-old Daniel Briere, played in the NHL for 17 seasons, and was just named the Flyers' interim GM on Friday. We reached out to the NHL team for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

K'Andre Miller's spit will keep him off the ice for a bit ... 'cause the New York Rangers defenseman was suspended three games for hocking a loogie on an opponent during Sunday's matchup against the Los Angeles Kings.

The 23-year-old was caught on live TV spitting right in Kings star Drew Doughty's face during a skirmish in the first period of the game at Madison Square Garden.

The official saw it, too, and removed Miller from the game ... and handed down a match penalty to go along with it.

Miller did apologize shortly after ... releasing a statement the following day saying it was "completely accidental," as he has respect for Doughty.

"I would never intend to do something like that on purpose, it goes against everything I am as a person and player," Miller said on Monday.

The sorry didn't do much for the NHL Department of Player Safety ... which handed down a three-game suspension on Tuesday.

"NY Rangers’ K'Andre Miller has been suspended for three games for unsportsmanlike conduct on Los Angeles’ Drew Doughty," the NHL Player Safety said.

Rasmus Andersson -- a Calgary Flames defenseman -- was terrifyingly hit by a car while riding a scooter in downtown Detroit on Wednesday ... but, thankfully, he's OK.

The NHL team explained the accident in a statement on Thursday ... revealing the 26-year-old was on his way to dinner via scooter when he was struck by a vehicle at around 6 PM.

The Flames said Andersson was transported to the Detroit Receiving Hospital for testing and, fortunately, was released a short time later.

He's now listed as day-to-day ... but will miss Thursday's game against the Detroit Red Wings.

"He was going through a crosswalk," Flames general manager Brad Treliving said on Thursday. "The good news -- and the most important thing -- is that Ras is doing well."

Treliving added that the team and Rasmus are "very lucky."

"It certainly could have been a lot worse. We want to make sure that we thank all those involved [in his care] and let everybody know that Ras is doing well."

According to the Detroit Police Department, there was "no indication of any alcohol at all." A spokesperson added that there will be no arrests or tickets issued.

"It was a basic accident," the DPD said.

Rasmus started his hockey career in 2012 when he joined the Malmo Redhawks in the Swedish Hockey League.

He left Sweden for North America and played for the Ontario Hockey League before he was picked by the Flames in the second round of the 2015 NHL Draft.

Bobby Hull -- one of the greatest hockey players of all time -- passed away early Monday morning, the NHL Alumni Association announced. He was 84 years old.

Known as the "Golden Jet," Hull is the all-time leading scorer in Chicago Blackhawks history with 604 goals ... and led the league in scoring seven different seasons. He was named the NHL's most valuable player twice -- in the 1964-65 and 1965-66 seasons.

He was also a 12-time All-Star.

Hull played for the Blackhawks for 15 seasons ... leading Chicago to a Stanley Cup win in 1961.

Hull also played for the Winnipeg Jets and Hartford Whalers before retiring after the 1979-80 season.

The NHL Alumni Association released a tweet on Hull's passing ... saying, "Hull was a driven player who always gave fans a memorable experience at every game and brought them to their feet."

"'The Golden Jet' was never in a rush to sign every autograph as an ambassador for the Blackhawks, one of his favourite accomplishments."

Bobby is the father of Brett Hull -- who also went on to have a stellar pro hockey career in his own right -- and Bobby Jr, Michelle, Bart and Blake.

"We send our deepest condolences to Bobby’s family, friends, former teammates, and Blackhawks organization during this very difficult time," the NHL AA added.