Swedish Elitserien play off semifinal results - 4th games: HV 71 - Skelleftea 3:2 in OT, series 3:1; Djurgaarden - Linköping 2:1 in OT, series 3:1.
German DEL play off quarterfinal - 5th games: Hannover - Nuremberg 4:3, final series score 3:2; Eisbären Berlin - Augsburg 2:6, final series score 2:3. Semifinal pairings: Wolfsburg - Augsburg, Hannover - Ingolstadt.

The Czech Republic has lost their first exhibition game before the World Championship in Germany against Switzerland 1:4. The only Czech goal was scored short handed by Jaroslav Bednar. Switzerland scored twice on the power play.

Finnish SM-Liiga play off quarterfinal results - 6th games: Tappara Tampere - KaIPa Kuopio 1:2 in OT, final series score 2:4; Hämeenlinna - IFK Helsinki 3:1, final series score 4:2; Kärpät Oulu - Jyväskylä 3:2 in OT, series 3:3.

KHL play off semifinal result: Western conference - 5th game: Balashikha - Yaroslavl 0:4, series 2:3.
Slovak Extraliga play off semifinal result - 5th game: Kosice - Martin 5:2, final series score 4:1, Kosice are in the final.

German defenceman Dennis Seidenberg came to Boston from Florida just about a month ago however will not be able to play for the rest of the season even if the Bruins make it into the play offs. He had a surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn ligament in his forearm and will be out of action for eight weeks.

Russian club Metallurg Magnitogorsk has a new coach who will lead the KHL team in the next season. Finnish coach Kari Heikkilä has reached agreement with the team management, the coach's agent confirmed this to the paper Sovetskiy Sport adding that contract will be signed shortly. Heikkilä will replace Valeri Belousov, who didn't succeed in the play offs where Metallurg lost to Kazan in the quarterfinals.

It appears that there is a controversy regarding the Swiss national team coaching staff. The national federation is clashing with the head coach Sean Simpson regarding the naming of the second assistant coach. Simpson, together with assistant Andy Murray, would like to see another Canadian Doug Shedden as part of their team but the Swiss hockey federation is pushing for Swiss coach Felix Hollenstein.

Czech forward Robert Reichel has retired at the age of 38. After spending last several seasons as a captain and manager in Litvinov of the Czech Extraliga he's moving into the function of coach. The Olympic champion and three-time world champoint will be coaching together with the existing head coach Jiri Kucera. The centre played in the National Hockey League for the Calgary Flames, New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes and Toronto Maple Leafs. Reichel was drafted 70th overall by the Flames in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. He has played in 830 career NHL games, scoring 252 goals and 378 assists for 630 points.

Ottawa Senators signed centre David Dziurzynski to a three-year rookie contract. The forward helped with 74 points his team Alberni Valley Bulldogs of BCHL to conference championship, after two succesful seasons in Alberta junior league.

Vancouver Canucks received some good and bad news before the play offs. Defenceman Christian Ehrhoff, who injured his knee last week, should be available in the near future, but forward Ryan Johnson will be out four to six weeks. He suffered a broken foot while blocking a shot. Another player made a comeback after a month on the injured reserve - Steve Bernier (hamstring).

Pittsburgh forward Yevgeni Malkin missed his eighth game in the last ten. The Russian forward did come out for the warm up before the game against Washington however left shortly for unknown reasons. The Penguins also missed Chris Kunitz who injured his shoulder on Saturday. Capitals rested few players - Mike Green, Eric Belanger and Brendan Morrison.

Dallas Stars who have lost their play off hopes decide to give all their goalies a chance to start. Matt Climie started his first game the other night, Marty Turco will get his last start of the season on Thursday and Kari Lehtonen will close out the season on Saturday.

Coach Craig MacTavish, who will lead the Canadian national team at the World Championships in Germany as the head coach, has his assistants - Peter DeBoer and Billy Moores. DeBoer is the Florida Panthers head coach and Moores was MacTavish's assistant in Edmonton.

Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara finished Monday's game against Washington with a broken nose. He suffered the injury at the beginning of the second period when he got hit in the face by Alexander Semin. Chara left the game momentarily however returned to finish the game. He should not miss a game but he did skip Tuesday practice.

Colorado Avalanche won 4:3 against Vancouver in shootout on Tuesday and assured themselves a spot in the Stanley Cup play offs. However they will be without the services of forward Peter Mueller. The player who has 20 points in 15 games since coming over from Phoenix at the trading deadline, suffered a concussion on Sunday after being checked into the boards by San Jose defenceman Rob Blake. It is unknown if Mueller will be ready to return for the play offs.