Empty Netter Assists - 4-29-09

Playoff Stuff

Penguins

-Introducing interim head coach Dan Bylsma (right).

-"He got guys excited about playing hockey again." - Pascal Dupuis on Bylsma.

-Bob Smizik digs the Bylsma promotion.

-What's up with Petr Sykora?

-Dan Bylsma is digging the work of assistant coaches Tom Fitzgerald, Gilles Meloche and Mike Yeo.

-The Penguins have won six out of their seven previous playoff meetings with the Capitals.

-FSN Pittsburgh tried to spin its technical problems that led to the blackout of Game 5 of the Flyers series.

-FSN Pittsburgh will carry Games 4-7 of the second round.

Bruins

-Boston defenseman Aaron Ward sure likes his baseball.

Capitals-Rangers

-Simeon Varlamov made a "whopping" 14 saves and led the Capitals to a 2-1 defeat of the Rangers. Alexander Semin and Sergei Fedorov scored goals for Washington which clinched the series, 4-3.

-Fedorov's game-winning goal and the handshake line:

-For a team with all sorts of youth, it was Fedorov, the oldest player on the roster, who came through when it mattered the most.

-Is this Fedorov's last chance at another Stanley Cup title?

-Did Varlamov save the Capitals' postseason?

-Varlamov got a fine birthday present a day after turning 21.

-Washington captain Chris Clark played his first playoff games since Game 7 of the 2004 Stanley Cup final. He was a member of the Flames who lost to the Lightning.

-"My ears are still ringing. It was like a rock concert. I just couldn't believe how loud it was." - Clark on the noice in Verizon Center last night.

-Check out this hit Washington's Alex Ovechkin stuck on New York's Sean Avery:

-Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau called the prospect of facing the Penguins in the second round a circus.

"We had three chances to put them away." - Rangers forward and former Penguin Markus Naslund on his team blowing a 3-1 series lead.

-Rangers coach John Tortorella dug the way Sean Avery played.

-New York needs to add some offensive talent.

-Prior to last night, the Rangers had not played in a Game 7 since the 1994 Stanley Cup final.

-New York forward Chris Drury revealed he played the series with a broken hand.

Devils-Hurricanes

-Goals from Jussi Jokinen and Eric Staal in the final 1:20 of play gave the Hurricanes a stunning 4-3 win at New Jersey. Staal also had and an assist while teammates Tim Gleason and Dennis Seidenberg each had two assists for Carolina which won the series, 4-3. Cam Ward made 32 saves in the win. Brendan Shanahan had two assists for the Devils.

-Carolina's final two goals and the handshake line:

"Surreal." Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice on his team's comeback.

-The Hurricanes are undefeated in the playoffs since 2002.

"Yeah, this has got to be the worst." - Devils forward Jay Pandolfo on if this was the worst loss in franchise history.

-Even Eric Staal was surprised by his goal.

-Was this one of the worst Game 7 collapses in the history of the sport?

New Jersey forward and captain Jamie Langenbrunner underwent arthoscoptic knee surgery April 18.

Sharks-Ducks

-Anaheim forward Teemu Selanne compared teammate Bobby Ryan to Mario Lemieux. Uh... not quite.

-"Now I think we play what is the best team in the league, in Detroit." Ducks defenseman and former Penguin Ryan Whitney.

-After another early playoff exit, which was possibly the worst in franchise history, what direction do the Sharks take?

-Sharks president Greg Jamison said general manager Doug Wilson's job is safe.

-Are San Jose forwards Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton (right) really leaders?

Red Wings

-Detroit isn't afraid of the big bad Ducks.

-Are the Red Wings and Ducks rivals?

Canucks

-The Canucks are Canada's last hope.

-Vancouver's Sedin twins are more than familiar with Chicago forward Samuel Pahlsson.

-The Canucks probably could have not asked for a better match up in the second round than with Chicago.

Blackhawks-Flames

-The Blackhawks aren't satisfied with simply winning a playoff round or two.

-Rocky Wirtz and John McDonough have transformed the Blackhawks.

-"I didn't do enough." - Calgary captain Jarome Iginla taking the blame for his teams' 4-2 series loss.

-The Flames face a lot of change this offseason.

Calder Cup Playoffs

-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Dustin Jeffrey will have his hands full with Hershey's Keith Aucoin and Alexandre Giroux.

-Penguins goaltender John Curry is digging all his downtime.

IIHF World Championships

-Former Penguins foward Aleksey Morozov had a goal for Russia in a 4-2 defeat of Switzerland.

-Morozov's goal:

-Fire Craig Patrick.

-Maple Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski had a goal and an assist for Belarus which beat Hungary, 3-1.

-Predators defenseman Shea Weber recoreded a goal and three assists for Canada in a 7-3 rout of Slovakia.

-Fabrice Lhenry made 31 saves for France which edged Germany, 2-1.

Non-Playoff Stuff

Atlantic Division

-Flyers captain Mike Richards (right) will undergo shoulder surgery.

-Should the Flyers hang on to goaltender Martin Biron?

-Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek denied a report that team overlord Lou Lamoriello would have his business duties relieved.

Northwest Division

-Wild defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron underwent back surgery.

-The Oilers have asked the Rangers for permission to interview former coach Tom Renney for the same position with Edmonton.

Pacific Division

-The NHL has loaned money to the Coyotes.

Norris Division

-Forwards Pavel Datsyuk of Detroit, Ryan Kesler of Vancouver and Mike Richards of Philadelphia are the finalists for the Norris Trophy.

(Photos: Bylsma-Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press; Marleau and Thornton-Chrisitan Petersen/Getty Images; Richards-Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)