Empty Netter Assists - 04-30-10

Playoff Stuff

Penguins-Canadiens

-Brooks Orpik stepped up his defensive play by necessity.

-Tyler Kennedy (leg), Chris Kunitz (undisclosed) and defenseman Jordan Leopold (head) all resumed practicing (PG+).

-"They should be considered the favorites now." - Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (above) on the Canadiens (translated from French).

-Start getting used to Canadiens goaltender Jaroslav Halak.

-Former Penguins defenseman Hal Gill (right) was a big part of the Canadiens' upset of the Capitals. Fire Ray Shero.

-"Every shift you have something to prove, especially in the playoffs playing against your old team." - Gill.

-Josh Gorges and Hal Gill are the new Rob Scuderi and Hal Gill.

-Bill McCreary lives. In the postseason that is.

-Traffic is going to be a disaster in downtown Sunday due in part to NBC.

Bruins-Flyers

-If anyone has seen Bruins forward Marco Sturm, please let him know that the playoffs have begun.

-They're already comparing Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask to Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy and Cam Ward.

-The Bruins want to be careful with how they bring injured forward Marc Savard (head) to the lineup.

-"I am a journeyman, but I'm proud of my career." - Flyers goaltender Brian Boucher.

Sharks-Red Wings

-Joe Pavelski (above) had two goals and an assist for the Sharks in a 4-3 series opening win against the Red Wings. Dan Boyle added three assists for San Jose while teammate Dany Heatley recorded a goal and an assist. Evgeni Nabokov made 20 saves in the win and gave San Jose a 1-0 series lead. Johan Franzen added a goal and an assist for Detroit.

-Nabokov had issues with this puck:

-Bloody times for Franzen:

-Detroit's Jimmy Howard kept his eyes on this puck:

-A train wreck in San Jose's crease:

-Cool Photo of the Night: Heatley taking the ice:

-San Jose's Torrey Mitchell and Detroit's Brad Stuart had issues:

-Detroit's Valterri Filppual kept his eyes on this puck and left Pavelski in the dust:

-Just about every one in this photo kept their eyes on the puck but San Jose's Douglas Murray:

-The Sharks won a series-opener for the first time in five tries.

-Sepcial teams were a difference. The Sharks got two power play goals. The Red Wings got zero.

-Coolest nickname in the NHL? Perhaps it's "The Big Pavelski."

-Sharks forward Patrick Marleau missed the game due to an illness.

-Red Wings forward Daniel Cleary finally scored his first point of the playoffs.

-The Red Wings were fined $2,500 for arriving at Norman Mineta San Jose International Airport late.

Blackhawks-Canucks

-"Discipline is going to be a big factor in this series." - Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville.

-The mayors of Chicago and Vancouver did the obligatory food bet.

-The Canucks think they can beat Blackhawks goaltender Antti Niemi high.

Non-Playoff Stuff

Penguins

-Sidney Crosby has the Hart Trophy endorsement of Maxime Talbot.

-Crosby also apparently practices in his full game uniform and drinks Gatorade:

-Happy 30th birthday to former Penguins forward Steve Webb. Claimed off waivers from the Flyers early in the 2003-04 season, Webb's Penguins career amounted to five game that campaign. At the trade deadline, he was dealt to the Islanders in exchange for Alain Nasreddine.

Northeast Divison

-The Sabres exercised a one-year option on the contract of coach Lindy Ruff (right). The option will keep him under contract until the end of next season. Ruff has been the Sabres' coach since 1997. He has the longest tenure in the NHL.

-Sabres forward Tim Kennedy will play for the United States at next month's IIHF World Championships in Germany.

Southeast Division

-Capitals owner Ted Leonsis conceded something will have to change with his team next season.

-"To fall short so early in the process this year is quite humbling." - Leonsis.

-The Capitals demoted defensemen Karl Alzner and John Carlson to Hershey of the AHL.

-Laich is good people.

Central Division

-The Blue Jackets signed defenseman Cody Goloubef, a second-round pick in 2008, to a three-year entry-level contract.

Pacific Division

-Coyotes defenseman Keith Yandle will play for the United States in the IIHF World Championships.

Smythe Division

-Forwards Brooks Laich of the Capitals, Ryan Smyth (right) of the Kings and defensemen Tyler Myers of the Sabres and Michael Del Zotto of the Rangers will play for Canada in the IIHF World Championships.

-Happy 76th birthday to former Pittsburgh Hornets forward Don McKenney.

-Happy 81st birthday to former Pittsburgh Hornets forward Fleming MacKell.

(Photos: Letang-Justin K. Aller/Getty Images; Gill-Joel Auerbach/Getty Images; Red Wings/Sharks-Paul Sakuma/Associated Press, Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press and Ezra Shaw/Getty Images; Ruff-Carlos Osorio/Associated Press; Smyth-Christian Petersen/Getty Images)