The National Hockey League is trying to build on its first foray into the Southern Hemisphere — two preseason games between the Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyote this weekend — by expanding its street hockey program to Australia.

The Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes are among the contenders looking to get over the hump this year and win the Stanley Cup.

The Florida Panthers have signed restricted free agent forward Sam Bennett to a $17.7 million, four-year contract.

Players testing positive for the coronavirus late in the NHL's regular season and at the start of the playoffs affected multiple teams.

The NHL has cleared the St. Louis Blues and Vegas Golden Knights after virus testing errors.

Several St. Louis Blues players who returned positive COVID-19 tests have been cleared to play in Game 2 on Wednesday night against Colorado after the results from a lab were investigated with follow-up tests coming back negative.