National Hockey

CHICAGO — Max McCormick scored the go-ahead goal as the Ottawa Senators beat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 on Thursday in pre-season action.

St. Louis Blues defenceman Robert Bortuzzo was suspended Thursday for the final two preseason games and the regular-season opener for an elbow to the head of Washington Capitals defenceman Michal Kempny.

A team from the West has not won the Stanley Cup the previous three seasons, the conference's longest drought in the 13-year salary cap era.

John Tavares didn't just follow his heart home to Toronto. In his head, he envisioned the Maple Leafs as a perennial contender. "I came here believing that we can win a Stanley Cup year in, year out," Tavares said.

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes will look like the old Hartford Whalers for a pair of games against an old New England rival.

TORONTO — Auston Matthews was two weeks old on Oct. 1, 1997. Mitch Marner, by comparison, was positively ancient at nearly five months. And Patrick Marleau? He had just turned 18 and was preparing to play his first NHL game.

TORONTO — Oh baby! Hockey fans will be hearing a familiar voice on "Hockey Night in Canada" for one last season.

OTTAWA — After a tumultuous 48 hours, Zack Smith is ready to prove he's still an asset to the Ottawa Senators. Senators general manager Pierre Dorion told Smith Tuesday morning he was being put on waivers based on performance.

ST. LOUIS — David Perron had no idea what would happen when he became a free agent this summer. Then he got a familiar call. Perron's NHL odyssey has taken him all over his native Canada and the United States.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Mark Letestu is returning to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The team on Thursday signed the 33-year-old forward to a two-way contract for this season after he spent the end of last season on the Blue Jackets' roster.