Topic - NHL

• Penguins sign LW Neal to 6-year contract extension

  James Neal's first full year with the Pittsburgh Penguins keeps getting better. And now the high-scoring forward will be around for another six seasons after signing $30 million contract extension on Sunday.

• Sports Briefs

  HOCKEY

• Canadiens send Gill to Predators for Geoffrion

  The Montreal Canadiens made it official Friday that they will be sellers leading up to the NHL trade deadline, dealing defenseman Hal Gill to the Nashville Predators for a draft pick and a piece of their history in the grandson of late Hall of Famer Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion.

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  Capitals to raise season-ticket prices next season

  This might not be the timing the Washington Capitals wanted, but in an email sent to season-ticket holders on Wednesday night, owner Ted Leonsis indicated most will pay more next year.

• For Houston mourners, a dearth of places to grieve

  In Whitney Houston's hometown, her family plans a private church service, with no public memorial set. In Los Angeles, where she died, there's not even a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for fans to pile flowers. So for the legion of music lovers mourning a global superstar, where do broken hearts go?

• Mike Comrie retires from NHL after 3rd hip surgery

  Mike Comrie, who twice scored at least 30 goals in a season, retired from the NHL on Monday after a third hip operation in five years.

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  Capitals can't solve East-leading Rangers

  Even now when every Washington Capitals game is televised, players admitted playing in this spotlight was a big deal: On national television, against the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers, at Madison Square Garden.

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  Capitals' Mike Knuble calls healthy scratch 'humbling'; status vs. Rangers uncertain

  When Mike Knuble was playing for the Boston Bruins and still trying to find a permanent role in the NHL, his brother Steve watched games with a keen eye on the bench more than the ice at the start.

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  Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom going through 'long process' to return from concussion

  Nicklas Backstrom attended the Washington Capitals' casino night Friday and hosted a team Super Bowl party — good signs for his morale if nothing else.

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  Michigan alum Knuble: 'Natural' to have Winter Classic at Big House

  The NHL will take the sixth incarnation of the Winter Classic back to school and back to Michigan for a matchup between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs.

• Red Wings and Maple Leafs to play at Big House

  The Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs will began 2013 by renewing their rivalry at one of North America's most iconic stadiums.

• AP source: Wings vs Leafs in 2013 Winter Classic

  A person familiar with the NHL's plan said the Detroit Red Wings will play the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 Winter Classic.

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  Caps' Orlov is taking on look of veteran defenseman

  Dmitry Orlov is the face of the Washington Capitals' future on the blue line. That face is a little dented now, as evidenced by a broken nose, but that's just another example of the defenseman's toughness and ability to be unfazed in the NHL.

• Sports Briefs

  Chauncey Billups will only watch as the Clippers continue their promising season without him.

• Michigan board gives AD go-ahead on Winter Classic

  The University of Michigan Board of Regents on Wednesday authorized athletic director Dave Brandon to seek a contract with the NHL to host the Winter Classic.

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