Empty Netter Assists - 10-28-10
Penguins
-Dave Molinari's recap from last night's game. Generally, when you get three points from Craig Adams AND two shorthanded goals on the same penalty, you should win right?
-The St. Petersburg Times' recap. "He's one of the best players I've ever played with." - Lightning goaltender Dan Ellis on teammate Martin St. Louis.
-The Tampa Tribune's recap. "We bring it." - St. Louis.
-The Associated Press' recap. "We didn’t deserve that one, definitely." - Sidney Crosby.
-NHL.com's recap. "We believe when no one does. That's our motto." - Lightning coach Guy Boucher on his team's comeback.
-St. Louis' first goal deserves its own clip:
-Happy times for Pascal Dupuis and Adams:
-St. Louis being popular, short:
-Did Dan Bylsma make the wrong decision starting Marc-Andre Fleury last night?
-Why is Consol Energy Center's ice having so many issues (PG+)?
-The Penguins are holding a contest asking fans to vote for the second version of a greatest games DVD.
-It looks like Eric Tangradi is being teamed with Dustin Jeffrey and Tim Wallace in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
-The 2010-11 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are no 2005-06 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
-The Wheeling Nailers traded defenseman Nick Tuzzolino to the Utah Grizzlies for future considerations.
-Happy 55th birthday to former Penguins defenseman Paul Baxter (right). A third-round pick in 1975, Baxter spent three seasons in Pittsburgh. One of the best antagonists in franchise history, Baxter made his debut with the Penguins in 1980-81. He appeared in 51 games, scored 19 points and managed to lead the team with 204 penalty minutes. The 1981 postseason saw him appear in five games and record on assist. He followed that up in 1981-82 by establishing career-highs in games (76), points (43) and led the NHL with 409 penalty minutes, a mark which remains a franchise record. During that season, five separate players were suspended for a total of 20 games due to incidents involving Baxter. In that spring's playoffs, he saw action in five games and failed to record a point. In 1982-83, Baxter played in 75 games, scored 32 points and compiled 328 penalty minutes, once again, tops on the team. In the 1983 offseason, Baxter joined the Calgary Flames as a free agent. In 202 regular season games, Baxter scored 94 points (82nd-most in franchise history) and recorded 851 penalty minutes (fifth-most). In 10 postseason games, Baxter recorded one assist.
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-Happy 31st birthday to former Penguins defenseman Martin Skoula. A free agent signing just prior to the 2009-10 season, Skoula's Penguins career amounted to 33 games and eight points that campaign. At the 2010 trade deadline, Skoula and Luca Caputi were traded to the Maple Leafs in exchange for Alexei Ponikarovsky. Skoula currently plays for Avangard Omsk of the KHL.
-Happy 47th birthday to former Penguins forward Perry Ganchar. Acquired midway through the 1987-88 season from the Canadiens in exchange for future considerations, Ganchar spent parts of two seasons with the Penguins. He finished that campaign by appearing in 30 games for the Penguins and scoring seven points. In 1988-89, Ganchar saw action in three games and failed to record a point. He was released in the 1990 offseason. In 33 games for the Penguins Ganchar recorded seven points.
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Atlantic Division
-Flyers defensman Chris Pronger admitted his surgically repaired right knee isn't 100 percent.
-Rangers forward Artem Anisimov (foot) and defenseman Michal Rozsival (knee) are dealing with injuries.
Northeast Division
-Jeff Halpern, Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens in a 5-3 defeat of the Islanders. Carey Price made all of 18 saves in the win. James Wisniewski led New York with a goal and two assists.
-Montreal's Travis Moen > New York's Zenon Konopka:
-New York's Dwayne Roloson was stunned when referee Francis Charron suggested "ER" wasn't as good as "Grey's Anotomy:"
-We think.
-Roloson didn't seem too comfortable making this save:
-Price has played in every one of his team's games this season.
-Sabres forward Jochen Hech, Tim Connelly (both "upper body") and defenseman Andrej Sekera ("lower body") are dinged up.
-The Bruins have found something with a line of Milan Lucic, Nathan Horton and David Krejci.
-With former Penguins forward Colby Armstrong expected to be sidelined four to six weeks due to a finger injury, the Maple Leafs recalled another former Penguins forward, Luca Caputi, from their AHL affiliate, also in Toronto, to replace him.
-NHL discipline czar Colin Campbell said on-ice officials botched a non-call in Tuesday's Panthers-Maple Leafs game. Campbell said Maple Leafs forward Colton Orr should have been penalized on a play where he ran into Florida goaltender Scott Clemmensen and scored the winning goal:
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Southeast Division
-A goal and an assist each by Niclas Bergfors and Andrew Ladd led the Thashers to a 6-4 defeat of the Rangers. Teammate Anthony Stewart (above) added two assists while Chris Mason made 24 saves in the win. Sean Avery and Ryan Callahan each led New York with a goal and an assist. Former Penguin Ruslan Fedotenko contributed two assists for the Rangers. Fire Ray Shero.
-Check out this goal by Atlanta's Bryan Little:
-Check out this goal by Atlanta's Evander Kane:
-Atlanta's Alexander Burmistrov kept his eyes on this puck:
-Fedotenko and Atlanta's Johnny Oduay battling for a puck:
-Funny Face of the Night: Avery:
-New York's Ryan Callahan apparently tried to Rock Bottom Atlanta's Ben Eager:
-We think.
-Former Penguins defenseman Noah Welch made his debut with the Thrashers last night.
-Michal Neuvirth made 29 saves for the Capitals in a 3-0 shutout win at Carolina. It was his first career shutout. Nicklas Backstrom led Washington with two goals while teammate Mike Knuble recorded two assists.
-Check out this little bit of robbery by Neuvirth on Carolina captain Eric Staal:
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-It wasn't all bad for Carolina. Check out this save by Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward on Washington captain Alex Ovechkin:
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-Ward kept his eyes on this puck:
-Lightning forward and former Penguin Dominic Moore doesn't stay in one place too long.
-Tampa Bay defenseman Mattias Ohlund made his season debut last night.
-The Thrashers shot down speculation they acquired several black players with the intent of marketing the team to Atlanta's significant black population. The team started the season with five black players on the roster: Defensemen Dustin Byfuglien, Johnny Oduya, forwards Nigel Dawes, Evander Kane and Anthony Stewart.
Central Division
-Two assists by Duncan Keith helped the Blackhawks defeat the Kings, 3-1. Marty Turco made 33 saves in the victory.
-Check out this goal by Chicago's Patrick Sharp:
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-We're not exactly sure what Kings captain Dustin Brown did here to Chicago's Tomas Kopecky, but it doesn't appear to be very well received:
-We don't want to accuse Los Angeles' Kyle Clifford of invading the personal space of Chicago's Troy Brouwer, but...:
-Kings forward Michal Handzus apparently had a conversation with his hand and didn't believe what he heard:
-We think.
-Blackhawks forward and former Penguin Marian Hossa left the game due to an "upper-body" injury.
-Blues defenseman Roman Polak will have surgery to repair a lacerated tendon in his right wrist and will be sidelined indefinitely. He was injured on a collision with Sidney Crosby Saturday. With Polak injured, the Blues recalled defenseman Nathan Oystrick from Peoria of the AHL.
-The Blues activated forward Cam Janssen (head) from injured reserve.
-The Predators have yet to record a regulation loss this season.
Northwest Division
-With goaltender Craig Anderson (knee) out indefinitely, the Avalanche recalled goaltender John Grahame from Lake Erie of the AHL.
-Allan Walsh, the agent for Wild forward Martin Havlat, complained the team isn't using his client adequately.
-Wild forward Guillaume Latendresse is dealing with a groin ailment.
-Canucks defenseman Andrew Alberts is dealing with a wonky knee.
Pacific Division
-A hat trick and two assists by captain Joe Thornton (above) led the Sharks to a 5-2 defeat of the Devils. Teammate Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley each added a goal and three assists while Antero Niittymaki made 27 saves in the victory.
-Thornton's hat trick:
-New Jersey's Adam Mair > San Jose's Jamal Mayers:
-Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk failed to record a shot on goal.
-With defenseman Stephane Robidas serving a one-game suspension, the Stars recalled defenseman Philip Larsen from Texas of the AHL.
Smythe Division
-Bruins legend/executive Cam Neely, Boston College coach Jerry York, Boston University coach Jack Parker, and AHL president Dave Andrews each received the Lester Patrick Award in recognition of their outstanding service to the game in the United States.
(Photos: Penguins/Lightning-Mike Carlson/Associated Press; Baxter-Penguins Hockey Cards; Islanders/Canadiens-Canadian Press; Thrashers/Rangers-Frank Franklin II/Associated Press and Jim McIsaac/Getty Images; Capitals-Hurricanes-Gerry Broome/Associated Press; Kings/Blackhawks-Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images and Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press; Devils/Sharks-Paul Sakuma/Associated Press)