Empty Netter Assists - 04-29-10
Playoff Stuff
Penguins
-"It's not like, 'Hey, we got one. Let's stop there.'" - Maxime Talbot on pursuing a second Stanley Cup title.
-Defenseman Jordan Leopold resumed practicing for the first time since suffering a concussion in Game 2 of the quarterfinal series with Ottawa.
-Has Jay McKee (above) earned a regular lineup spot once again?
-Chris Kunitz isn't being very open about his ailment as you might imagine (PG+).
-Bob Smizik wonders how much of an underdog the Canadiens really are.
-Welcome back the Malkins (PG+).
-So... Penguins or Canadiens. Who do you like (PG+)?
Capitals-Canadiens
-Jaroslav Halak made 41 saves and led the Canadiens to a stunning 2-1 series-clinching upset at Washington. Montreal's goals were scored by Marc-Andre Bergeron and former Penguin Dominic Moore. Fire Ray Shero. Montreal came back from a 3-1 deficit to win the series, 4-3.
-A first period penalty by Washington "defense"man Mike Green and the ensuing power play goal by Bergeron:
-Check out the dump in by former Penguin Hal Gill, the poor defensive play by Green and the eventual series-clinching goal by Moore:
-Fire Ray Shero.
-A good look at Moore's goal:
-Happy times for Moore and linesmates Benoit Pouliot and Maxim Lapierre:
-A crucial point in this game came 20 seconds into the third period. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin had a goal waved off as officials ruled Capitals forward Mike Knuble impaired Halak:
-First the rule is legit. That said, the enforcement of the rule is very inconsistent. We thought it was bunk to call it at this juncture when much, much worse is rarely called.
-As you can imagine, the Capitals didn't agree with the call either.
-End of game, celebration and handshakes:
-Happy times for Bergeron:
-Steely glare times for Halak:
-Halak and Oveckhin having a moment:
-Ovechkin saying good-bye for the summer:
-Washington's Scott Walker mashed Montreal's Josh Gorges pretty good:
-Washington's Joe Corvo > Lapierre:
-Sad times for Capitals owner Ted Leonsis:
-"I don't have words to say." - Ovechkin.
-"Just to be able to play in this game was special, but to win . . ." - Moore.
-"Nobody took us for real. But at the end, the Capitals took us for real. They didn't have a choice." - Hal Gill.
-"If someone came to your work and stepped on your desk or punched you in the head, that's how I feel." - Capitals forward Jason Chimera.
-"It really hurts." - Capitals forward Eric Fehr.
-In the final three games of the series - all Montreal wins - the Capitals outshot the Canadiens, 134-66.
-Canadiens coach Jacques Martin won a four-game series for the first time in his career.
-"I would have bet my house that they wouldn’t beat us three games in a row." - Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau.
-Today's obligatory "Crosby > Oveckin" piece is brought to you by Sean Gordon of the Globe and Mail.
-Today's second obligatory "Crosby > Ovechkin" piece is brought to you by Tracee Hamilton of the Washington Post.
-Is this the biggest upset in Canadiens history?
-This game must've been a big.... deal. Vice president Joe Biden was there.
-Canadiens fans took to the streets in Montreal after the game and chanted, "We want Crosby." Good luck with that.
-Capitals fans are used to this losing thing.
-"They play the wrong way." - Blue Jackets forward R.J. Umberger (right) speaking on the Capitals, April 3. Umberger was heavily criticized by members of the Capitals, including owner Ted Leonsis for the comment.
-Want to know who big of a hockey town Pittsburgh is? WXDX-FM, the Penguins' radio affiliate, carried the broadcast of Montreal's English-speaking affiliate. Our next evolution as hockey town will be when we get the French Canadian broadcast.
Bruins
-The Bruins have found something with a pairing of Johnny Boychuk (right) and Zdeno Chara on defense.
Flyers
-If anyone has seen Flyers forward Scott Hartnell, please tell him that the playoffs have started. And get a hair cut too. Hippy.
-If you like ugly, brutal hockey, Bruins-Flyers is for you.
-The Flyers are going to have trouble replacing the penalty killing of forward Ian Laperriere who is out due to a head injury.
-The Flyers recalled forward Jared Ross from Adirondack of the AHL.
Sharks
-If anyone has seen Sharks forwards Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton, please let them know that the playoffs have begun.
Blackhawks
-The Blackhawks recalled forwards Kyle Beach, Jacob Dowell, Jack Skille, defensemen Brian Connelly, Jassen Cullimore, Shawn Lalonde, Danny Richmond (a former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguin) and goaltender Hannu Toivonen from Rockford of the AHL.
-Bill Murray has jumped onto the Blackhawks' bandwagon.
Canucks
-The Canucks recalled goaltender Cory Schneider from Manitoba of the AHL.
-Canucks forward Ryan Kesler (right) won't let his parents sit in the stands in Chicago again. They were treated poorly during last season's playoffs.
-Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo is prepared to get a regular dose of Blackhwaks forward Dustin Byfuglien.
-With the likes of Ben Eager in the lineup, the Canucks might be forced to use tough guy Darcy Hordichuk.
-Are the Canucks weak on defense?
Coyotes-Red Wings
-Coyotes defenseman Keith Yandle isn't exactly a sportsman.
-"I think we made strong steps that way this year, and if we can put that foundation in place for this organization, I think it can be a very good organization." - Coyotes coach and former Penguins forward Dave Tippett on his team's playoff run.
-This is two days old, but check out this hit by Detroit's Johan Franzen on Phoenix's Vernon Fiddler in Game 7:
-Also from Game 7, Fiddler scored a goal off the faceoff:
Non-Playoff Stuff
Penguins
-"Jagr will stay with our club. There's no doubt." - Anatoli Bardin, general manager of Avangard Omsk in the KHL on his team's hopes to re-sign former Penguins captain Jaromir Jagr.
-The Pensblog pays tribute to a late reader.
-Former Penguins forward Georges Laraque is endorsing beauty pageant contestants these days:
-Today would've been the 72nd birthday of former Penguins forward Mel Pearson. Claimed in the 1967 expansion draft from the Blackhawks, Pearson's Penguins career amounted to two games with the 1967-68 Penguins. In the 1969 offseason, he was traded to Portland of the WHL for cash. He died in 1999.
-Happy 49th birthday to former Penguins forward Doug Shedden (right). A fifth-round pick in 1980, Redden spent parts of five seasons with the Penguins. After compiling a respectable 25 points in 38 games during his rookie season of 1981-82, Shedden scored 20 or more goals in each of his next four seasons in Pittsburgh. His sophomore season saw him lead the team in scoring as he recorded 67 points in 80 games. After a 57-point season in 1983-84, he reached the 35-goal mark in 1985-86. In the midst of a 34 goal season in 1986-85, Shedden was dealt to the Red Wings at the trade deadline in exchange for Ron Duguay. In 332 games with the Penguins, Shedden scored 282 points, 23rd most in franchise history. he is currently the coach of EV Zug in Switzerland.
Northeast Division
-The Bruins will unveil a statue in honor of legendary player Bobby Orr outside TD Garden, May 10.
-Sabres captain Craig Rivet will undergo shoulder surgery.
-The Maple Leafs signed college free agent goaltender Ben Scrivens. He formerly played for Cornell.
Southeast Division
-Accortind to TSN, the Lightning have received permission to talk to Red Wings vice president about the organization's vacant general manager position. Yzerman, the Red Wings' former captain, served as general manager for Canada's gold medal-winning Olympic team.
Norris Division
-Colorado's Joe Sacco, Phoenix's Dave Tippett (right), and Nashville's Barry Trotz were named as finalists for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's top coach.
-Today would've been the 91st birthday of former Pittsburgh Hornets defenseman Pete Backor.
(Photos: McKee-Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images; Canadiens/Capitals-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images and Nick Wass/Associated Press; Umberger-Jay LaPrete/Associated Press; Boychuk-Elsa/Getty Images; Kesler-Canadian Press; Shedden and Tippett-eBay)