Avalanche Fire Coach – NHL Roundup For April 29th

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche have fired coach Joe Sacco (SAK'-oh). The move came a day after the team missed the playoffs for the third straight season. The Avs never got on track in the lockout-shortened season and finished last in the Western Conference. Sacco was hired in 2009 after coaching in the minors.

BOSTON (AP) — The NHL's Eastern Conference playoff pairings are set following Ottawa's 4-2 triumph at Boston.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau (pah-ZHOH') scored the tiebreaking goal with 3:34 remaining before Kyle Turris scored into an empty net. Erik Karlsson assisted on the winning and insurance goals as the Senators claimed the seventh seed in the East while allowing Montreal to edge out the Bruins for the Northeast Division championship and the No. 2 seed.

The Senators will open the postseason against the Canadiens while the Bruins take on Toronto. The other Eastern Conference matchups have top-seeded Pittsburgh against the New York Islanders and No. 3 Washington versus the Rangers.

DALLAS (AP) — Joe Nieuwendyk (NOO'-in-dyk) has been dismissed as general manger of the Dallas Stars after four seasons. The firing came the day after Dallas completed a 22-22-4 season and missed the playoffs for the fifth season in a row.