Empty Netter Assists - 4-25-09
Playoff Stuff
Penguins-Flyers
-The Penguins have been outplayed in the past three games.
-Faceoff-Factor says the Penguins aren't playing playoff hockey.
-The Flyers are happy to be playing in front of their home pigs fans today.
-Bill Guerin took his teammates to task following the Game 5 loss.
-Philadelphia forward Mike Knuble said Game 6 "could be one of the better games at that arena, in the history of the rink."
-The Flyers don't care about the odds.
-Somehow, Hal Gill and Daniel Carcillo each have the best plus/minus ratings in this series.
"I have a feeling that we will be playing one more game in Pittsburgh this year." - Flyers goaltender Martin Biron.
-The Flyers will be without one of their most valuable performers today in Lauren Hart.
-Darroll Powe's and Mike Richards' Game 5 Sidney Crosby sandwich:
-This isn't a playoff item but John Chapman, a Flyers scout, saved a mother and daughter from drowning in a Calgary pond. Puppy drowning jokes surrender.
-This really isn't playoff related either but former Flyers prospect Ladislav Scurko was arrested and accused of murdering a referee in Slovakia.
Bruins
-"He’s a difference maker." -Bruins forward and former Penguin Mark Recchi on teammate Zdeno Chara.
Capitals-Rangers
-Simeon Varlamov made 20 saves and led the Capitals to a 4-0 shutout win against the Rangers. Former Penguins forward Matt Bradley scored two goals. Fire Craig Patrick.
-Check out this goal Alex Ovechkin scored last night:
-Matt Bradley isn't generally your typical source of offense.
-Rangers coach John Tortorella tried to fight a fan:
-Tortorella was accused of hitting a fan in the head with a water bottle.
-New York forward Sean Avery defended Tortorella's decision to bench him last night.
-By benching Avery, Tortorella made it clear he's in charge of the Rangers.
-Do the Rangers really need Avery?
-New York's power play has disappeared.
-Has Simeon Varlamov become the Capitals' most important player?
Devils-Hurricanes
-John Madden and the Devils don't want anything to do with a Game 7.
-Carolina defenseman Joe Corvo said Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur got lucky with some of his save in his Game 5.
-Brodeur's ankle is a little wonky.
-Devils forward Jamie Langenbrunner ("lower body") and defenseman Bryce Salvador (knee) are questionable for Game 6.
-Could this series be a classic?
-Game 6 is do or die for the Hurricanes.
-Carolina needs Eric Staal (right) to step it up.
-Hurricanes forward Sergei Samsonov (leg) is questionable for Game 6.
Sharks-Ducks
-Ducks defenseman and former Penguin Ryan Whitney is digging Southern California.
"Not necessarily because I don’t want to play them, it would just be a little easier if we were in the Cup finals against someone else. I don’t want to really even think about that." Whitney on the prospect of meeting the Penguins in the Stanley Cup final.
-San Jose forward Joe Thornton has disappeared once again in the postseason.
"Are you going to crawl under a rock and wilt? Or are you going to step up and show a little teeth?" - Sharks forward Jeremy Roenick on his team being down 3-1 in the series.
-If the Sharks lose Gam 5, they would be the first Presidents' Trophy winner to go out in the first round in five games or less.
Red Wings-Blue Jackets
-The Red Wings are 9-2 in their past 11 road playoff games.
-Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash (right), scheduled to become a free agent after next season, was a little wish-washy when describing his future in Columbus.
-Columbus rookie goaltender Steve Mason grew tired as the season wore on.
Canucks
-Vancovuer forward Taylor Pyatt returned to the team after attending to the death of his fiance.
-Canucks defenseman Sami Salo ("lower-body") and forward Mats Sundin (undisclosed) are getting healthy.
-Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo needs his electrolytes.
Blackhawks-Flames
-The Flames are dinged up.
-The Blackhawks have woken up Calgary captain Jarome Iginla.
"You're not going to hold Iginla and Jokinen off the scoreboard in a series like this -- it's impossible." - Chicago forward Adam Burish on playing defense against Iginla and teammate Olli Jokinen.
-Flames forward Eric Nystrom isn't exactly the only one in the family with big playoff goals on his resume.
-Calgary forward and former Penguins goon Andre Roy claims he's not at fault for a pregame confrontation in Game 4 with Chicago defenseman that led to his suspension.
"No." - Chicago coach Joel Quenneville responding to a suggestion he should bench goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin (right) and start back up Cristobal Huet.
-The losing team has scored the first goal in every game of this series.
Calder Cup
-Chris Minard had a goal and two assists for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins who beat the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 4-2. Jeff Taffe added a goal and an assist for the Penguins who won the series, 4-2.
-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton ripped it up on the power play going 9-for-21 (43 percent). Can the NHL Penguins promote their entire power play?
-The AHL Penguins will meet the Hershey Bears in the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
IIHF World Championship
-Former Penguins forward Colby Armstrong had an assist for Canada which routed Belarus, 6-1.
-Check out this hit Senators and Canadian forward Mike Fisher stuck on Belarussian forward Dmitry Meleshko:
-Former Penguins forward Aleksey Morozov had an assist and helped Russia beat Germany, 5-0.
-Maple Leafs goaltender Martin Gerber made 14 saves and led Switzerland to a 1-0 shutout of France.
-Former Rangers forward Marcel Hossa had a goal and two assists for Slovakia which edged Hungary, 4-3.
Non-Playoff Stuff
Penguins
-Belleville Bulls forward and Penguins prospect Eric Tangradi suffered a hand injury in an OHL playoff game.
Northeast Division
-Canadiens forward and former Penguins enforcer Georges Laraque (right) has launched a new Web site.
Northwest Division
-Oilers defenseman Sheldon Souray denied a rumor he wants out of Edmonton.
Adams Division
-Forwards Pavel Datsyuk of Detroit, Zach Parise of New Jersey and Martin St. Louis of Tampa Bay are the finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy.
(Photos: Staal-Grant Halverson/Getty Images; Nash-Paul Vernon/Associated Press; Khabibulin-Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images; Laraque-Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)