105 NHL vets in on concussion case

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Long after the end of his NHL career, Steve Payne is living an empty-nest life with his wife and three dogs in western Wisconsin.

There is one problem: His brain has aged about a decade ahead of his body.

“I’m 57 years old, and I’m at a level of someone in his late 60s,” said Payne, who played for the Minnesota North Stars from 1978-88. He said he is showing signs of multiple concussions.

Payne is one of 105 former NHL players who have joined the class-action lawsuit against the league, alleging it had the resources to better prevent head trauma, failed to properly warn players of such risks and promoted violent play that led to their injuries.

LIGHTNING 6, PENGUINS 3: In Tampa, Fla., Ondrej Palat and Anton Stralman both scored twice, and Tyler Johnson had a goal and two assists as Tampa Bay beat Pittsburgh on Friday night for its eighth consecutive home win.

HURRICANES 5, JETS 3: In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Phillip Di Giuseppe, Andrej Nestrasil, Jordan Staal and Justin Faulk scored in the first period, and Carolina held on for a victory over Winnipeg.

DUCKS 5, COYOTES 2: In Anaheim, Calif., the host Ducks scored three thirdperiod goals to beat Arizona.

FLAMES 2, BLUE JACKETS 1: In Calgary, Alberta, Columbus’ William Karlsson scored two goals to lead the Blue Jackets past Calgary.