Empty Netter Assists - 10-16-10
Penguins
-Dave Molinari's recap from last night's game. "We got one when it counted, I guess." - Alex Goligoski (above) on his power play goal in overtime.
-The Associated Press' recap. The Islanders haven't won in Pittsburgh since Dec. 21, 2007.
-NHL.com's recap. The Penguins finally get a win in Consol Energy Center.
-Highlights:
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-Brent Johnson and Marc-Andre Fleury are BFFs:
-Paul Martin kept his eyes on this puck:
-As did New York's Rick DiPietro:
-Kris Letang's "head" shot on New York's Blake Comeau:
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-Dan Bylsma speaks:
-Letang discusses his "head" shot:
-Suite 66 at Consol Energy Center probably has a larger salary cap hit than Andrew Hutchinson:
-If there was anyone who knew how to defense Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin last night, it was Islanders defenseman and former Penguin Mark Eaton.
-The Penguins will hold a "Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness" event during Monday's game against the Senators.
-Two goals by Dustin Jeffrey led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguin to a 4-2 win at Charlotte. Brad Thiessen made 30 saves in the victory.
-It was the first AHL game in Charlotte history and 12,000 fans showed up.
-Mattias Modig was chased after allowing five goals on nine shots for the Wheeling Nailers in a season opening 4-0 loss to the Cincinnati Cyclones.
-Penguins prospect Tomas Kuhnhackl is adjusting to life in North America with the OHL's Windsor Spitfires.
-Happy 38th birthday to former Penguins defenseman Darius Kasparaitis (right). Acquired early in the 1996-97 season along with Andreas Johansson in a deal which sent Bryan Smolinski to the Islanders, "Kasper" spent parts of six seasons in Pittsburgh. He finished 1996-97, by appearing in 57 games and scored 18 points. He played in all five of the team's playoff games that spring and failed to record a point. In 1997-98, Kasparaitis saw action in a career-high 81 games and scored 12 points. The 1998 playoffs once again saw him play in five games and fail to net a point. He was limited to 48 games and five points in the 1998-99 season. Kasparaitis rebounded in 1999-2000 by appearing in 73 games and scoring 15 points. He would see action in 11 games and contribute two points in 2000 postseason. He came through with another solid effort in 2000-01 by playing in 77 contests and contributing 19 points. Perhaps his career highlight came in the 2001 postseason, while playing in 17 games, Kasparaitis compiled two points including the series-clinching overtime goal in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal against the Sabres (below). After 69 games and 14 points in 2001-02, Kasparaitis was dealt at the trade deadline to the Avalanche in exchange for Ville Niemenen and Rick Berry. One of the most popular players in franchise history, Kasparaitis appeared in 405 games for the Penguins (21st-most in franchise history), scored 83 points (91st-most) and recorded 661 penalty minutes (11th-most). He is currently an assistant coach for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL.
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-Happy 45th birthday to former Penguins forward German Titov. Acquired in the 1998 offseason along with Todd Hlushko in a deal which sent Ken Wregget and Dave Roche to the Flames, Titov spent parts of two seasons in Pittsburgh. In 1998-99, Titov appeared in 72 games, recorded 56 points and led the team with a plus-18. In that spring's playoffs, Titov saw action in 11 games and contributed eight points. After 63 games and 42 points in 1999-2000, Titov was traded to the Oilers in exchange for Josef Beranek. In 135 regular season games for the Penguins, Titov scored 98 points, 80th-most in franchise history.
Atlantic Division
-"It was the funnest thing I've ever done in my life." - Devils forward Jacob Josefson, a first-round pick in 2009, on making his NHL debut last night.
Northeast Division
-Phil Kessel had two goals - including one in overtime - and an assist for the Maple Leafs in a 4-3 win against the Rangers. Teammate Tyler Bozak (above, with Kessel and captain Dion Phaneuf) recorded two assists while Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 21 saves in the victory. Brian Boyle led New York with two goals.
-Kessel's winning goal:
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-Bozak set up Kessel on a pretty play for his first goal:
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-Check out this little bit of robbery by New York's Henrik Lundqvist:
-Rangers captain Chris Drury alone in the dark:
-New York's Brandon Prust and Toronto's Mike Brown had issues:
-Happy times for the Maple Leafs. Not so much for Drury:
-Bright times for Prust:
-A good look at The World's Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden:
-The Rangers were devastated last night as top-line forwards Chris Drury (finger) and Marian Gaborik (shoulder) suffered significant injuries. Drury is expected to miss six weeks while Gaborik will be sidelined two to three weeks.
-Carey Price made 21 saves and led the Canadiens to a 2-1 win at Buffalo.
-Check out this nifty little save by Buffalo's Ryan Miller:
-This game took place exactly 40 years after the first game in Sabres history:
-Funny Face of the Night: Buffalo's Patrick Kaleta:
-Senators forward Nick Foligno was fined $2,500 for a check to the head of Hurricanes forward Patrick Dwyer.
-Ottawa goaltender Pascal Leclaire is expected to be sidelined at least two months due to a groin injury.
Southeast Division
-A shootout goal by Nigel Dawes gave the Thrashers a 5-4 comeback win at Anaheim. Anthony Stewart (above) recorded his first career hat trick for Atlanta while teammates Tobias Enstrom and Dustin Byfuglien each netted two assists. Chris Mason made 37 saves in the victory. Corey Perry and Teemu Selanne each had a goal and two assists for Anaheim.
-Stewart's hat trick:
-Mason kept his eyes on this puck:
-With goaltender Semyon Varlamov recovered from a groin injury, the Capitals demoted goaltender Dany Saborin to Hershey of the AHL.
-With defensemen Mike Green ("upper body") and Tom Poti ("lower body") dinged up, the Capitals recalled defenseman Brian Fahey from Hershey.
-The Thrashers placed defenseman/Sidney Crosby punching bag Boris Valabik on waivers.
-Atlanta activated forward Jim Slater (wrist) from injured reserve.
Central Division
-Two goals by Patrick Sharp helped the Blackhawks win at Columbus, 5-2. Former Penguin Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky each added a goal and an assist for Chicago while Marty Turco made 30 saves in the victory. Fire Ray Shero. R.J. Umberger, a native of a city which hosted the G-20 once, led the Blue Jackets with a goal and an assist.
-Prior to the game, the Blue Jackets had a pre-game ceremony to honor their tenth anniversary:
-For their home opener, the Blue Jackets recognized the 1,844 season ticket accounts which been active for the franchise's entire decade of existence.
-Umberger being popular:
-Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash making that walk to the rink:
-Bright times for Columbus coach Scott Arniel:
-The Blackhawks recalled defenseman Jassen Cullimore from Rockford of the AHL.
-The Predators have a tough task this week as they face each the Capitals and Penguins.
Northwest Division
-A goal and an assist each from T.J. Galiardi and Chris Stewart (above, with Galiardi) helped lead the Avalanche to a 3-2 win at New Jersey. Teammate Paul Stastny added two assists while Craig Anderson made 41 saves in the victory. Ilya Kovalchuk and Matt Taormina each had a goal and an assist for New Jersey.
-New Jersey's David Clarkson and Colorado's Kyle Quincey kept their eyes on something:
-Fantasy Watch: Avalanche defenseman John-Michael Liles has six points in four games so far this season.
-If someone has seen Canucks forward and former Penguin Mikael Samuelsson, please let him know that the season has begun.
Pacific Division
-Two goals by Dustin Brown helped the Kings beat the Canucks, 4-1. Ryan Smyth added two assists for Los Angeles while Jonathan Bernier made 25 saves in the victory.
-Check out this give and go play between Brown and Anze Kopitar:
-Check out the pretty goal Canucks forwards Daniel and Henrik Sedin connected on:
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-We're not goaltending experts or anything, but we think Vancouver's Roberto Luongo played the wrong angle on this one:
-Los Angeles' Jack Johnson > Vancouver's Mason Raymond:
-Canucks defenseman Keith Ballard left the game with an undisclosed injury.
-Dallas placed forward Fabian Brunnstrom (right) on waivers.
Adams Division
-Ron Cramer had a goal and an assist for the Robert Morris men's team in a 4-3 win at Ohio State.
-Jordan Tibbett made 23 saves for the Mercyhurst men's team in a 3-2 loss to Western Michigan.
-Hillary Pattenden made 26 saves and led the Mercyhurst women's team to a 4-0 shutout of Bemidji State.
-Today would've been the 111th birthday of Sam Rothschild, a forward with the NHL's Pittsburgh Pirates.
(Photos: Islanders/Penguins-Peter Diana/Post-Gazette and Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press; Kasparaitis-Penguins Hockey Cards; Maple Leafs/Rangers-Al Bello/Getty Images and Kathy Kmonicek/Associated Press; Canadiens/Sabres-Rick Stewart/Getty Images; Thrashers/Ducks-Jeff Gross/Getty Images and Lori Shepler/Associated Press; Blackhawks/Blue Jackets-John Grieshop/Getty Images; Avalanche/Devis-Bill Kostroun/Associated Press; Canucks/Kings-Harry How/Getty Images and Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press; Brunnstrom-Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)