The NHL announced its players of the month for march. The first star is Phoenix forward Lee Stempniak, second is Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard and third Vancouver center Henrik Sedin. Stempniak has scored 13 goals and added 3 assists in 14 games since coming over from Toronto. Howard recorded 12 wins in 15 games, one shutout, and his save percentage neared 92%. Sedin moved back to the top of NHL scoring with 24 point in 15 games.

Semifinal result of the Swiss National League A (NLA) play offs - 4th games: Kloten - Bern 2:3, series final 0:4, Zug - Geneva 2:1 OT, series 2:2. Result from the second round of relegation play out of Swiss NLA - 4th game: Langnau - Biel 6:3, series 3:1.

Quarterfinal results of German DEL play offs - 2nd games: Nuremberg - Hannover 3:4, series 0:2, Düsseldorf - Wolfsburg 3:6, series 0:2, Ingolstadt - Frankfurt 2:0, series 1:1, Augsburg - Eisbären Berlin 2:1, series 1:1.

Results from play off semifinals of Swedish Elitserien - 1st games: Skelleftea - HV 71 0:2, Linköping - Djurgaarden 1:3. Result from relegation series in Finnish SM-Liiga - 2nd game: Jokipojat Joensuu - Ilves Tampere 4:5, series 0:2.

Result from KHL play off semifinals: Western conference - 1st game: Balashikha - Jaroslavl 3:2 OT. Result from Slovak Slovnaft extraleague play off semifinals - 2nd game: Kosice - Martin 5:3, series 2:0.

Czech defenceman Marek Malik might be leaving Servette Geneva after this season, according to the Swiss media. Servette is curently in the semifinals of the Swiss play offs against Zug. According to the daily Le Matin, Lugano has expressed great interest for the 34 year-old Czech, who has previously played in the NHL (Hartford, Carolina, Vancouver, NY Rangers, Tampa Bay). Apparently a contract offer is on the table already. Whether he stays or goes depends on how many international forwards will Geneva sign for next season. The Swiss league restricts teams on how many non-Swiss players they can carry on their rosters.

German forward and member of the German national team Christoph Melischko is moving after two seasons to a new team. The 26 year-old player is leaving Kölner Haie and signed two-year contract with Kassel. Melischko played in 51 games regular season games (3 goals, 4 assists) and three play-off games (1 goal).

Under 18 Women's World Championship in Chicago: Quarterfinals: Sweden - Japan 2:1 (0:0, 2:0, 0:1), Finland - Germany 1:2 OT (0:0, 1:0, 0:1 - 0:1). Semifinal games: Canada - Germany, USA - Sweden. Relegation - 1st games: Czech Republic - Russia 5:0 (1:0, 0:0, 4:0).

Czech coach Marek Sykora is going to be the new coach of Dynamo Minsk, according to the Belorussian media. The 61 year-old coach has taken his last team Yekaterinburg to the KHL play-offs, however declined a contract extension from them, stating that he wanted to return home but in the end it appears that he has agreed to stay in the KHL. Sykora was also the point of interest for Nizhny Novgorod and new team Lev Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic) which is trying to join the KHL.

The AHL has announced on Wednesday some of the winners of individual trophies for the 2009-2010 season. The All-Rookie team was announced: goalie Alex Stalock (Worcester), defencemen John Carlson (Hershey) and P.K. Subban (Hamilton), and forwards Logan Couture (Worcester), Lars Eller (Peoria) and Tyler Ennis (Portland).

Defenceman Chris Summers, who was drafted by Phoenix in the first round of the 2006 draft, signed an entry-level contract with the Coyotes. Same goes for another defenceman Brett Ponich in St. Louis, who was picked by the Blues 48th overall in 2009.

Boston Bruins have offered entry-level contracts to their last two first round draft selections - Joe Colborne and Jordan Caron. Bruins also signed goalie Michael Hutchinson and defenceman Steven Kampfer.

The nominations for this season's Hobey Baker Award, the annual award given to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men's ice hockey player, have been announced: forwards Bobby Butler (New Hampshire), Blake Geoffrion (Wisconsin), and Gustav Nyquist (Maine). Butler has already signed a free-agent contract with Ottawa on Monday, Nyquist was drafted in the 4th round of the 2008 draft by Detroit, Geoffrion was drafted by Nashville in 2006 as their 4th round pick.

Florida Panthers forward Rostislav Olesz did not play in Wednesday's game in Buffalo due to a hand injury. The Panthers recalled Jeff Taffe in his place and it's currently not clear how long will Olesz be out of the Florida line-up. He played 73 games this season, in which he amassed 27 points (13 goals).

Anaheim Ducks forward Teemu Selänne scored his 601st NHL goal in Wednesday's game again Colorado Avalanche. This ties his countryman Jari Kurri for the 17th spot for goal-scoring of all time. "Six hundred was bigger for me, but 601 is huge, too, because Jari was my idol. I feel very honored," said Selänne. Selänne has played in 1182 regular season games.

Ryane Clowe of the San Jose Sharks did not finish Wednesday's game against Dallas Stars. The center manage only four shifts with total ice time of 4:33 minutes before leaving the bench with undisclosed upper body injury. No further details have been released by the team.

Pavol Demitra rejoined his team, Vancouver Canucks, on Wednesday and practiced with the team however he will not join the two game road trip. The Slovak player has confirmed that the reason for his ten day absence was his wife Marie's health problems.

Ottawa Senators signed a junior goalie Robin Lehner to a three-year entry level contract. He currently plays for Sault Ste. Marie in OHL and Swedish junior national team and was drafted by Ottawa in the second round of last year's draft. Since his team was eliminated in the first round of the OHL play-offs he will join Binghamton of the AHL.

Play off semifinals of the Slovak league - 1st game: Kosice - Martin 5:2, series 1:0.

Play off quarterfinals of the Finnish league - 2nd games: Kärpät Oulu - Jyväskylä 3:0, series 1:1; Tappara Tampere - KalPa Kuopio 4:2, series 1:1; TPS Turku - Lukko Rauma 5:0 series 2:0; Hämeenlinna - IFK Helsinky 1:3, series 1:1.