NHL

Despite having three nominations, country darling Taylor Swift skipped the CMT Awards in Nashville last night ... to watch the the L.A. Kings at a bar instead.

Wearing a floral prairie dress and sensible shoes, the 22-year-old -- who also lost in all 3 nominated categories -- was spotted leaving The Cut Saloon in Brentwood after watching Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

The serial dater's award no-show comes on the heels of John Mayer complaining in Rolling Stone magazine that he was "humiliated" by Taylor's song "Dear John," which is allegedly about the adult-contemporary crooner.

It was a real "puck you" to the New Jersey Devils Monday night, as L.A. Kings fans taunted their rivals with blown up images of an even famous-er N.J. franchise -- the cast of "Jersey Shore."

Devils players may not have gotten the joke, since 18 are not even American, but fans sure did.

In the end, Snooki, The Situation, Pauly D and Jwoww may have been L.A.'s secret weapon, because the Kings won 4 zip, which puts them 1 game away from their first Stanley Cup.

Finally, Snooki and Sitch did something useful.

Most people go to Boa for steak ... Pam Anderson goes to Boa to lap dance ... and the crotch-grinding was all caught on tape.

The 44-year-old former "Baywatch" star hit up the restaurant after the L.A. Kings playoff victory last night ... and she was in the mood to party.

Pam was hanging out at a table in the front of the restaurant with a bunch of guys ...and after a few swigs of vino ... a sexually-charged Anderson offered up some quality table-dances to some of her friends.

Just two months after Kobe Bryant and his estranged wife Vanessa shared a Valentine's Day kiss (below) -- fueling hopes of a reconciliation -- the two hit up the L.A. Kings playoff game with their daughters ... as "really good friends."

Sources close to Kobe tell TMZ ... the divorce is still on ... but Kobe is adamant the two are "really good friends" who still love each other.

As TMZ first reported, Kobe has been "aggressively" trying to save his marriage.

We're told Vanessa was open to the idea of a reconciliation ... but as of now, the divorce is still expected to move forward with Vanessa set to walk away with all three of the Bryant's Newport mansions PLUS $75 million in cash.

L.A. Kings goal scorer Dustin Penner's aspiring actress wife has filed for divorce ... and TMZ has learned it's her SECOND failed marriage to a pro hockey player.

Her name's Jessica Welch -- don't bother looking up her IMDb profile -- and she was married to former NHL star Richard Zednik from 2005-2009 ... the guy who accidentally got his throat slit with a skate in 2008. The couple had one daughter together.

Two years later in 2011, Jessica married Dustin -- who won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.

Now, Jessica has filed for divorce AGAIN in L.A. County Superior Court -- citing "irreconcilable differences." Dustin and Jessica have no children together.

Watch your sticks, boys.

Selena Gomez & Justin Bieber went to a Winnipeg Jets game this weekend ... but the only hockey they were interested in was of the tonsil variety.

Former L.A. Kings hockey player Pavol Demitra -- a 3x NHL All-Star -- was one of 43 people killed when a plane carrying a Russian hockey team crashed outside of Moscow this morning.

Russian officials say TWO people on board survived the crash -- a crew member and a player named Alexander Galimov.

The plane was carrying a team called the "Lokomotiv Yaroslavl" -- which was en route to Belarus for the season opener -- when it crashed shortly after departing from an airport 150 miles outside of Moscow.

Several former NHL players are believed to have died in the crash along with 36-year-old Demitra -- including Karel Rachunek, Josef Vasicek, Brad McCrimmon, Igor Korolev and Alexander Karpovtsev.

NHL star Sean Avery just caught a fast break in his police battery case -- because we're told, he won't face any charges after his recent arrest ... for allegedly shoving a cop.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, "No criminal charges of any kind will be filed against Sean Avery stemming from his August 5 arrest for battery on a police officer."

As TMZ first reported, cops showed up to Sean's Hollywood Hills home in response to a noise complaint -- and when Avery answered the door ... he allegedly shoved an officer and closed the door.

But according to law enforcement sources, a further investigation revealed that no officer was ever actually pushed.

We're told the officer who made the battery report did so after his foot was caught in Avery's front door -- and multiple witnesses have corroborated the story.

According to sources, police don't believe it's appropriate to charge Avery -- and agree the matter would be best handled by an informal meeting with the L.A. City Attorney, who's expected to officially close the case ... without prosecution.

Sean Avery has a brass set -- how else do you explain the fact he asked the police that arrested him for a favor ... right after he called them "fat little pigs"?

As TMZ first reported, the NHL star was arrested after he shoved a police officer who came to his house Thursday night after complaints of loud noise from his neighbor. During the arrest, Sean called the cops the aforementioned name ... and challenged them to a fight.

But get this ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ that when Avery was being released, he had a friend ask the officers if they would let Avery go out the back door ... so as to avoid

.

Law enforcement denied his request and treated him just like everyone else.

NHL star Sean Avery challenged cops to a FIGHT when they responded to his Hollywood Hills home this morning ... calling them, "Fat little pigs" ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

We're told cops were dispatched to the home over a complaint about loud music -- and when they arrived to Avery's pad, the hockey star was NOT happy to see them.

Sources tell us 31-year-old Avery immediately began running his mouth at the cops -- telling them he would fight all of them ... even challenging them to, "Come back without your badges."

During the incident, Avery -- who famously dated Elisha Cuthbert a while back -- allegedly shoved an officer and slammed the front door on the cops.

We're told cops began speaking with Avery through the door -- and warned him that if he didn't open the door, they would break it down. That's when Avery decided to open up and cooperate.

As TMZ first reported, Avery was hauled to a nearby station and booked for battering a peace officer. He has since been released after posting bail.

NHL star Sean Avery was arrested early this morning after he shoved a police officer who was trying to break up a loud party at his home in the Hollywood Hills ... TMZ has learned.

According to law enforcement sources, a neighbor called police to complain about the noise coming from Avery's home. When police arrived at about 1:00 AM, we're told Avery answered the door ... then shoved a cop and slammed the door behind him.

Police then knocked again, and we're told the New York Rangers star came to his senses and opened up. According to law enforcement ... Avery was extremely cooperative after that, but was still booked for battery on a peace officer.

He was taken to the Hollywood police station and is being held on $20,000 bail.

UPDATE: Avery was released at 8:10 AM and is scheduled to appear in court on September 2.

A former L.A. Kings hockey player-turned-assistant coach was arrested this morning in Washington D.C. for allegedly sexually abusing a 21-year-old woman -- his own daughter.

TMZ has learned 51-year-old Mark Hardy is in police custody after his daughter told cops that Mark "put his hand down [her] shorts and touched her genital area without her permission."

Hardy was arrested at the legendary Mayflower Hotel in D.C. -- where the alleged incident was said to have occurred early this morning. He's set to face a judge later today on the charge of misdemeanor sexual abuse.

Here's Heidi at Club Nokia Sunday night for an event for the L.A. Kings, the team she hosts a webcast for, before hopping into her car and getting arrested.

As we previously reported, Androl was later pulled over for driving way too slow on the freeway, where she then performed "poorly" on field sobriety tests and was taken in.

Fighting over money is common -- but does $0.20 even count as money?

Two dimes (or four nickels) was allegedly the cause of a fight between NHL star Patrick Kane and a cab driver in Buffalo, NY. According to the Buffalo News, Kane (along with his cousin) were arrested after they allegedly roughed up a cab driver who couldn't give them the required change.

According to a police report obtained by the paper, the Kane boys paid $15 for a $13.80 cab ride -- but became incensed when the cabbie had the dollar bill, but not the coinage, to make change. The cab driver told police he was punched in the face and head, grabbed by the throat and had his glasses broken during the incident.

Both men were charged with second-degree robbery, a Class C felony, as well as fourth-degree criminal mischief and theft of services, both Class A misdemeanors. WIVB-TV says Kane has pled not guilty.