NHL

P.K. Subban appears to be firmly back in the dating world after ending his engagement with Lindsey Vonn ... 'cause he was spotted out with a mystery woman at the Knicks game Wednesday night.

The NHL star cruised to Madison Square Garden with the woman by his side ... and while they never held hands or showed any kind of PDA publicly -- it's clear they showed up and left together.

No word on who the woman is or how the two met ... but it's the first time P.K. has been linked to a woman since his split with Vonn back in Dec. 2020.

The high-profile couple broke things off after dating for about 2 years ... with Vonn saying at the time, "We will always remain friends and love each other immensely."

Vonn has been spotted out in public with businessman Diego Osorio ... though it's unclear if they're an official couple.

Subban, meanwhile, didn't have much to say after watching the Knicks beat the Celtics in a double-overtime thriller on his off night from his Devils team ... only telling a camera guy, "I gotta get home now!"

NHL winger Marcus Foligno looked less like a hockey player and more like a UFC fighter Tuesday -- 'cause he threw a WILD Superman punch to kick off an epic on-ice brawl.

Foligno and Jets defenseman, Brenden Dillon, dropped the gloves in the first period of Minnesota's game against Winnipeg ... and it didn't take long for Foligno to try the famous MMA move.

Just seconds into the tilt, the Wild forward leapt into the air and threw the punch ... but fortunately for Dillon, it just barely missed.

The two -- known as some of the best fighters in the NHL -- then traded blows for a few seconds ... with Foligno at one point connecting with a HEAVY uppercut.

The guys were ultimately separated by the refs after about 30 seconds ... and based on the reaction of the two, Foligno clearly felt he won the scrap.

Both guys were hit with penalties for fighting ... though they each returned.

Foligno ended up getting the last laugh on Dillon -- the Wild won in crazy fashion in overtime, 6-5.

Evander Kane will not be allowed to play for the Sharks for the first quarter of the season ... the NHL just banned the star forward 21 games for violating the league's COVID-19 protocol.

League officials announced the suspension in a statement Monday ... though they did not specify what rule he broke.

Of course, Kane had been reportedly under investigation for allegedly submitting a fake COVID vaccine card to the NHL ... but the league only said in their statement Monday that Kane was being barred "for an established violation of, and lack of compliance with, the NHL/NHLPA COVID-19 Protocol."

The league added that Kane will not be paid during the suspension ... with his forfeited cash going to the league's Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Kane will now not be able to re-join the Sharks on the ice until their Nov. 30 game against the New Jersey Devils.

The NHL also revealed in its statement it could not substantiate the domestic violence claims that his estranged wife, Deanna, had levied against him in recent court docs.

"There will be no further comment," league officials said.

The news comes just 1 month after the NHL announced it found no evidence that Kane had gambled on his own games -- something his ex alleged he had done in the past.

The Predators vs. Kraken game Thursday looked more like a Mike Tyson fight -- at least in the stands -- 'cause fans of the two teams got in a wild brawl where they threw HEAVY uppercuts at each other.

The scrap all went down at some point during Seattle's 4-3 win over the Preds in Nashville ... when two guys kicked off an insane melee by throwing hands.

Two separate witnesses filmed the fight ... and you can see in the clips, it appeared to begin when a Kraken fan began throwing right hands at a Predators' fan's face.

At some point, though, the Preds supporter was able to break free ... and he threw some huge uppercuts of his own that appeared to land flush.

Another man came into the scrum several seconds later and landed a big punch on the Predators fan ... but, eventually -- and thankfully -- everyone was held back before more damage could be done.

Unclear if the guys were injured, or if they were arrested. We've reached out to cops, but no word back yet.

What happens in Vegas certainly shouldn't stay in Vegas -- at least when it comes to pregame hockey shows -- 'cause the Golden Knights unveiled a wild one on Tuesday, and it was INSANE!

Just minutes before the Knights opened their season against the Seattle Kraken ... the team showed off a virtual masterpiece on their ice to hype up the home crowd.

The show started with a giant octopus circling underneath the rink, while a knight mascot skated above it.

Eventually, the squid busted through and put the knight in danger ... and the optics of it all looked like a scene straight out of a Hollywood movie.

The knight, of course, ultimately came out on top of the giant creature ... which sent the crowd into a frenzy and absolutely lit up social media.

The pregame juice seemed to help the Knights too ... 'cause Vegas ended up winning the season-opener against the Kraken, 4-3.

The NHL is damn near 100% vaccination status -- with commissioner Gary Bettman announcing just 4 players league-wide have not received the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Commish shared the big news prior to the start of the 2021-22 season on Tuesday ... applauding the "great collaboration and cooperation" between the players and players' association.

"Our vaccination rate is incredible," Bettman said. "4 players, not 4% of players. All of our officials are vaccinated. All of the personnel that come into contact with the players are vaccinated."

FYI, there are 32 NHL teams with roughly 23 players on each squad. That's 736 players ... and again, only 4 aren't vaxxed.

Bettman gushes over the whole league's efforts throughout the pandemic ... saying everyone was on board over the past 2 years -- including the bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton, where there was not a single positive COVID-19 test.

"Everybody banded together to do the right thing," Bettman added. "Maybe that's why hockey is the ultimate team sport."

The league is still dealing with some issues surrounding the virus, however -- San Jose Sharks star Evander Kane is reportedly under investigation for allegedly submitting a bogus COVID-19 vaccine card.

On top of that, several Seattle Kraken players were placed in COVID-19 protocol before getting cleared to play in the franchise's first-ever game.

More troubling allegations for Evander Kane -- the NHL star is now being accused of using a fake COVID-19 vaccination card ... which is not only against league rules, it's also illegal.

The NHL is currently investigating whether Kane -- the 2009 4th overall pick -- submitted a bogus vaxx card to league officials, according to the AP and Front Office Sports.

FYI -- the league implemented strict guidelines for unvaccinated players during the 2021-22 season ... forcing those who haven't got the jab to stay at the team hotel, practice facilities or arena on road trips.

On top of that, unvaxxed pros will not be allowed to have guests in their hotel rooms ... and teams will be allowed to suspend players who aren't able to participate in team activities for COVID-19-related reasons.

Worth mentioning ... the NHL recently stated the majority of players are already vaccinated.

The new Kane investigation adds to a growing list of allegations made against the San Jose Sharks left winger -- as we previously reported, his estranged wife recently accused him of sexually and physically assaulting her ... which he's denied.

Kane's ex also accused him of betting on his own NHL games, which he's also denied. The league also investigated those claims, but he was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Matiss Kivleneiks will be honored when the Columbus Blue Jackets take the ice on opening night ... with the late goalie's family set to attend the tribute.

The 24-year-old tragically died after suffering serious damage to his lungs and heart during a fireworks mishap at a Jackets coaches 4th of July party.

Matiss -- who signed with the Blue Jackets in 2019 -- was deemed a hero by his teammate, Elvis Merzlikins, for his actions during the fatal incident ... saying MK saved his family from the firework.

Kivleneiks' family will make the trip from Latvia to perform the ceremonial puck drop when CBJ takes on the Arizona Coyotes to kick off the season ... including his mother, stepfather, sister and aunt.

The team says a banner featuring MK's #80 will also be unveiled and will hang in the rafters at Nationwide Arena for the remainder of the 2021-22 season.

Blue Jackets players will also wear an "80" sticker on their helmets throughout the season.

After his tragic death, the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation established the Matiss Kivleneiks Memorial Fund to support youth hockey initiatives in Columbus and his native Latvia.

Terrifying scene on the NHL ice Tuesday ... a referee needed to be taken away on a stretcher after he was hit in the head in an accidental collision with a player.

The scary moment all went down just before the Kings vs. Coyotes preseason game in L.A. ... when Arizona center Liam O'Brien ran into linesman Ryan Gibbons.

Video of the play showed O'Brien's shoulder went right into Gibbons' jaw ... causing the ref to immediately crumple to the ice in pain.

Gibbons stayed down motionless for several moments ... before trainers and medical personnel were able to get him on a stretcher and off to a nearby hospital.

According to The Athletic, Gibbons suffered a concussion ... but was, thankfully, discharged from the medical facility later in the evening.

It's unclear how long Gibbons -- who's been reffing games in the NHL since 2015 -- will be sidelined with the injury.

David Krejci ain't just parting ways with the Boston Bruins -- he's ditching his Beantown crib too ... selling the stunning place for $4 million this week.

The hockey player -- who was drafted by the Bruins in 2004 -- announced in July that he was leaving the NHL to continue his playing career in the Czech Republic ... so he had no further need for his swanky Boston home.

So, the guy unloaded it this week -- and he made a killing, 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the price tag made it the highest sale for a single-family home in the Charlestown neighborhood EVER.

The 4,500-square-foot pad has a brownstone vibe ... with 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths and a beautiful kitchen with a ton of windows.

It's also got a fireplace in the luxury living room -- and an amazing private roof deck and outdoor space.

There's also two deeded parking spots -- which, if ya know Boston, is a HUGE bonus.

The property -- listed with George Sarkis from Douglas Elliman -- initially had a price tag of $3,999,000, but it sold for $4.04 million!

Disgusting scene on the ice in the Ukrainian Hockey League over the weekend ... where a white player blatantly and vilely directed a racist gesture at his Black opponent.

The disturbing incident all went down in a game between HC Kremenchuk and HC Donbass ... when Andrei Deniskin got into a mid-match tiff with Jalen Smereck.

You can see in broadcast footage of the game ... after the two were separated, Deniskin began making a banana peeling and eating motion with his hands and mouth toward Smereck.

The move was so obviously racist, Deniskin was ejected from the game ... and he was immediately ripped for the move by viewers and onlookers.

Smereck's team, HC Donbass called the act "outrageous" ... and the UHL has since launched an investigation into it all.

In fact, the general manager of the UHL, Eugene Kolychev, promised to follow the probe "closely" ... and in a statement, he added, "I declare that there is no place for #racism in Ukrainian professional hockey."

For his part, Deniskin reportedly issued an apology in a now-deleted Instagram post ... writing in the caption, "I respect all people regardless of race or nationality."

Evander Kane says his estranged wife, Anna Kane, is straight-up lying ... saying in a statement Wednesday he NEVER sexually or physically abused her during their relationship.

Anna, though, says he did in fact do those things ... spelling out the allegations in new court docs, according to the San Jose Mercury News, that were filed in Santa Clara County earlier this week as part of her divorce case against Evander.

In the docs, Anna claims Evander forced her to have oral sex with him in March 2019 -- just after a funeral for their baby daughter.

Anna alleges the San Jose Sharks player then forced her to have intercourse again days later ... writing in the docs that Evander told her when she denied his advances, "you can’t rape your wife.”

"Evander again forced me, against my will," she said in the documents, "to have sexual intercourse with him even though I had not healed."

Anna claims Evander also roughed her up after one of his playoff games against the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

In the docs, Anna says after Evander had found out she had been drinking before the game with some of the other players' wives -- he snapped.

She says after the game, which the Sharks had lost, the 30-year-old winger, "began screaming at me and punching me on the upper side of my head above the hairline."

She added, "Evander grabbed my blouse forcefully and pushed me into the wall of the room, slapping me across my face. Evander was screaming at me and threatened to hurt me even worse if I 'disobeyed' him and had any drinks without him."

Evander, though, says it's all B.S. ... denying the claims in a lengthy statement issued by his attorneys.

"To be clear," Evander's attorneys said, "Evander denies ever abusing Ms. Kane or their daughter Kensington, whom he cherishes."

"He recognizes that they have many years ahead of them as co-parents, during which they will have to work together, which makes it that much more frustrating that she has chosen this path."

The attorneys added they're confident Anna's "lack of credibility" will be exposed at future court hearings.

Of course, this isn't the first time Anna has hurled accusations at Evander ... earlier this summer, she claimed the hockey player would bet on his own NHL games from to time.

Evander has vehemently denied those allegations, saying, "I love the game of Hockey and would never do any of what was alleged."

The NHL has launched an investigation into the claims.

Meanwhile, Evander, in his own court filings, has accused Anna of getting violent with him on several occasions in the past, including an incident where he claims she punched him in the face multiple times.

Dozens of Jimmy Hayes' fans paid their respects to the ex-NHL player at his funeral on Monday ... emotionally saluting the former hockey player with their sticks at the procession.

New Jersey Devils star P.K. Subban was in attendance at St. Ann's Church in Massachusetts for the ceremonies ... and captured the amazing tribute.

You can see in Subban's footage, people lined up on both sides of the street -- with Dorchester Youth Hockey players wearing their jerseys and holding their sticks to pay homage to the former pro.

Subban also shared some photos of kids holding custom-made Hayes jerseys at the salute.

As we previously reported, Hayes tragically died in Milton, Mass. last week at just 31 years old. A cause of death has not yet been publicly revealed.

Jimmy's wife, Kristen, and his brother, Philadelphia Flyers star Kevin Hayes, gave emotional speeches at the funeral Monday ... with Kristen saying, "You were simply the best. There's no other way to put it."

"The boys and I were your whole world," she added. "Every morning you would wake me up with, 'Hi, big momma' or, 'Big momma looking hot.' You said you felt bad that the boys will have the hot mom in the pickup line at school."

Kristen continued, "I will try my best to fill your shoes, but I know it's nearly impossible."

Jimmy played winger for 7 seasons ... logging ice time with the Blackhawks, Panthers, Bruins and Devils. He retired in 2019.

Evander Kane is accusing his estranged wife of being a husband beater ... claiming the woman has punched him in the face multiple times in past -- and now, the NHL star has obtained a domestic violence temporary restraining order over it all.

It's all spelled out in court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, which show Kane was granted a TRO earlier this month after he alleged Anna Kane had been violent with him in the past.

Evander says in the docs that the physical altercations first began in 2019 -- about a year after they were married -- saying Anna got so upset with him during an argument that she hit him "7-8 times in the face with her fist."

In Oct. 2020, Evander says Anna again struck him in the face after they had an argument while Anna's mother was visiting.

Less than a year later, in April 2021, Evander says his wife exploded on him again ... after she had gone through his phone.

In the docs, the 30-year-old San Jose Sharks player says Anna "started uncontrollably throwing things at me" ... before she punched and slapped him repeatedly in the head and face.

Evander says in July, there was yet another incident of violence ... claiming when he was trying to get away from Anna after an argument in San Jose, she pushed him and also violently tugged on a bag he had thrown over his shoulder.

During that same incident, Evander also says Anna dangerously swung around their baby daughter.

Evander was ultimately granted a temporary restraining order against Anna ... and is now seeking a permanent one against her. A hearing on that matter is scheduled for next month.

As we previously reported, Anna filed for divorce from Evander back on July 16 ... and accused him of being a deadbeat dad who had bet on his own NHL games.

Jimmy Hayes' wife says she's devastated over the death of the former NHL player ... writing on her social media page on Tuesday, "I don't know how I'm going to do life without you."

Kristen Hayes posted the heartfelt message on her Instagram over a picture of Jimmy, adding, "My angel, I love you so much. I miss you."

"You should be here," she continued. "This isn’t fair."

Jimmy -- who played 7 years in the NHL -- was reportedly pronounced dead at his home in Milton, MA on Monday. No additional details have been released surrounding the death.

Boston College and the Chicago Blackhawks both released statements mourning his passing Monday, with the 'Hawks writing, "We are heartbroken."

Hayes -- whose younger brother, Kevin Hayes, currently plays for the Philadelphia Flyers -- is survived by his wife, Kristen, and their two sons, Beau and Mac.

He was just 31 years old.

Former NHL winger Jimmy Hayes -- who played for several teams including the Chicago Blackhawks -- has died ... his alma mater, Boston College, announced on Monday.

He was just 31 years old.

No other details surrounding the former NHL player's death were given.

"Boston College Hockey is heartbroken over the passing of Jimmy Hayes," B.C. officials said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Hayes family."

Hayes -- who was picked in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft -- made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks in 2011.

He went on to play 7 seasons in the league ... logging ice time for the 'Hawks, Panthers, Bruins and Devils. He finished his career with 54 total goals scored.

Hayes' younger brother, Kevin Hayes, is currently a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.

#RIP