Empty Netter Assists - 02-21-10

Olympics

Group A (Canada,  Norway, Switzerland, United States)

-Switzerland 5, Norway 4. In what may have been the best game of the tournament, a hat trick by the mighty Tore Vikingstad (above) couldn't prevent the Swiss from pulling out an overtime win. NHL.com's recap.

-A couple good looks at Lemm Romano's game-winning goal:

-Norway's Pal Grotnes had some issues with a lot of pucks:

-Grotnes did manage to make a few saves:

-Norway's Mats Zuccarello Aasen getting a chance in tight on Switzerland's Jonas Hiller:

-Hiller taking the ice:

-Hiller had issues with this puck:

-Happy times for Switzerland:

-Norway's Ole-Kristian Tollefsen checked teammate Jonas Holos for ear wax:

-We think.

-You'd think with all their money, the Swiss could afford shirts:

-As you may have heard, the United States plays Canada today.

-Sidney Crosby is joining the forces of evil.

-Canada goaltender Martin Brodeur says the United States-Canada rivalry is bigger than it ever was.

-"I hate them." - United States forward Ryan Kesler on Canada.

-Forget Crosby-Orpik. Patrick Kane-Jonathan Toews is a pretty big match-up of current NHL teammates.

Group B (Czech Republic, Latvia, Russia, Slovakia)

-Slovakia 6, Latvia 0. The Hossas are brothers. NHL.com's recap.

-Slovakia's Jozef Stumpel being popular:

-Happy times for Slovakia:

-Happy times for Slovakia and former Penguins forward Marian Hossa:

-Hossa giving it to Latvia's Girts Ankipans:

-Slovakia and former Penguins defenseman Martin Strbak:

-Slovakia's Michal Handzus about to punch one by Latvia's Edgars Malsaskis:

-Latvia's Oskars Bartulis gave Slovakia's Marian Gaborik a ride into the wall:

-Evgeni Malkin is also joining the forces of evil.

-"You see all kinds of people with Canadian jerseys in the stands, they come to any game and that shows how much they love hockey in this country. They know the game and they were chanting for Latvia there, it’s been great. Where I play in the States, well to come here Canadians really show how much they love hockey. They go to any games and enjoy." - Czech goaltender Tomas Vokoun.

Group C (Belarus, Finland, Germany, Sweden)

-Belarus 5, Germany 3. "I got a puck, I shot the puck, it went in." - Belarus defenseman Ruslan Salei on his game-winning goal. NHL.com's recap.

-Happy times for Belarus:

-Germany's Thomas Greiss had issues with a few pucks:

-A good look at Greiss' Sharks lid:

-Handshake line:

-Germany's John Tripp actually whipe his hands on the ice after shaking all those sweaty Belarusian hands:

-And this picture is just full of cute:

-Some broken glass:

-Happy times for Germany fans:

-"We have a funny relationship with Swedes — it's a love and hate." - Finland forward Teemu Selanne on the Finland-Sweden rivalry.

Group D (Potpourri)

-Has former Mercyhurst forward Meghan Agosta become the face of Canada's women's team?

-Do yourself a favor and read this story about Jack Kirrane, the captain of the 1960 United States Olympic hockey team which won gold in Squaw Valley. He took time off from his job as a firefighter to play in the Olympics.

-The Hockey News ranks the Olympic hockey jerseys.

-Wayne Gretzky really got into a curling match:

NHL

Penguins

-Who might the Penguins consider at the trade deadline?

-Brad Thiessen made 24 saves for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 1-0 shutout win against the Lowell Devils.

-Thiessen made 13 of his saves while on the penalty kill.

-Shootout goals by Joey Haddad, Thomas Beauregard and Billy Ryan gave the Wheeling Nailers a 2-1 win against the Cincinnati Cyclones.

Northeast Division

-Maple Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski was taken into custody after getting into a bar fight in Vancouver.

Adams Division

-Brooks Ostergard made 26 saves for the Robert Morris men's team in a 4-3 loss at Alabama-Huntsville.

-Ryan Zapolski made 30 saves for the Mercyhurst men's team in a 4-2 defeat of Army.

-Kelsey Thomas had a goal and an assist for the Robert Morris women's team in a 3-2 win against Niagara.

-Stephanie Ciampa made 12 saves for the Mercyhurst women's team in a 4-1 defeat of Wayne State.

-The Syracuse Crunch beat the Binghamton Senators, 2-1, outside in front of 21,508 fans at the New York State Fairgrounds. It was the largest crowd in AHL history:

(Photos: Olympics-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images, Cris Bournocle/AFP/Getty Images, Julie Jacobson/Associated Press and Matt Slocum/Associated Press; Syracuse-Mike Greenlar/The Post Standard/Associated Press and Kevin Rivoli/Associated Press)