Hockey

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Matthew Tkachuk scored twice and the Florida Panthers defeated the Arizona Coyotes 6-2 on Wednesday night, in a game with two fights in the first seven seconds.

TORONTO (AP) — Auston Matthews scored his NHL-leading 39th goal at 4:13 of overtime to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 1-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night in the opener of a home-and-home set.

SEATTLE (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks announced another two-year contract on Wednesday, agreeing to an extension with goaltender Petr Mrazek. Mrazek's new deal runs through the 2025-26 season and carries a salary-cap hit of $4.25 million.

TORONTO — Canadian singer-songwriter Tate McRae will perform during the second intermission of the NHL All-Star Game. The 20-year-old McRae, of Calgary, is a nine-time Juno Award winner and multiplatinum artist.

Five players from Canada's 2018 world junior team have taken leaves of absence from their professional hockey clubs amid a report that five members of that roster have been asked to surrender to police in London, Ont., to face sexual assault charges.

SALT LAKE CITY — The owners of the NBA's Utah Jazz have requested the NHL initiate an expansion process to bring a franchise to Utah.

The owners of the NBA’s Utah Jazz said Wednesday they have the immediate ability to bring an NHL team to Salt Lake City and requested the initiation of an expansion process.

William Nylander remembers the goal sailing into Finland's net early in the third period. A few months short of his 10th birthday, he was watching the 2006 Olympic final with his family.

Nashville Predators (25-21-1, fourth in the Central Division) vs. Minnesota Wild (21-21-5, seventh in the Central Division) Saint Paul, Minnesota; Thursday, 8 p.m.

Washington Capitals (22-17-6, sixth in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Colorado Avalanche (30-14-3, second in the Central Division) Denver; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m.