The Washington Capitals will be without Alex Ovechkin and three other prominent players for at least the next four games because of COVID-19 protocols, coach Peter Laviolette said.Ovechkin, a three-time NHL MVP, was placed on the league's unavailable list Wednesday along with center Evgeny Kuznetsov, goaltender Ilya Samsonov and defenseman Dmitry Orlov. Laviolette indicated there was a positive coronavirus test…

Carolina Hurricanes games have been postponed through at least Saturday with five players on the NHL's COVID-19 absence list, the league announced Wednesday.The announcement calls off two games scheduled against the Florida Panthers, on Thursday and Saturday, and comes after Tuesday's game against the Nashville Predators was also postponed."As an appropriate precaution, the team's training facilities have been closed, effective…

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin and three teammates were placed on the NHL's COVID-19 protocol-related absences list on Wednesday, as the league fined the team $100,000 for a violation of health and safety protocols.Ovechkin, center Evgeny Kuznetsov, defenseman Dmitry Orlov and goaltender Ilya Samsonov were all added to the daily list of players who are "unavailable to play or practice,…

New York Rangers star winger Artemi Panarin showed his support for Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in an Instagram post on Thursday, ahead of planned protests in his native country this weekend.Panarin posted a photo of Navalny and his wife and two children, with a caption that translates to: "Freedom for Navalny."Through a Rangers spokesperson, Panarin declined to comment further…