NHL-National Hockey League roundup
Jan 24 (The Sports Xchange) - The San Jose Sharks agreed to three-year contract extensions with forwards Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton. Thornton's deal pays him an average of $6.75 million per year while Marleau's is worth $6.66 million per season. Thornton and Marleau have been key contributors to a Sharks squad that is second in the Pacific Division and fourth in the Western Conference with 72 points entering Friday. Thornton has six goals and a league-high 47 assists in 51 games this season. Marleau has 21 goals and 26 assists this season. - - - Colorado Avalanche forward Alex Tanguay, who has been out since November with hip and knee injuries, was scheduled to return to action on Friday. The Avs were 12-1-0 when Tanguay was injured. He has three goals and nine points this season. - - - Washington Capitals right wing Alex Ovechkin did not finish the team's morning skate and is scheduled to miss a second consecutive game when the Caps face New Jersey Devils Friday night. Ovechkin missed his third game of the season on Tuesday with undisclosed lower-body injury. Ovechkin leads the NHL with 35 goals. - - - The Tampa Bay Lightning reassigned forward Richard Panik to the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League, the team announced. (Editing by Gene Cherry)
