Empty Netter Assists - 01-05-10

Penguins

-The NHL is footing the bill to re-sod Heinz Field.

-"24/7" has been kind of popular.

-Despite his mustache, Sidney Crosby was the NHL's first start of the month for December.

-Speaking of Crosby, Capitals forward David Steckel will not be disciplined for hitting him in the head during the Winter Classic.

-Evgeni Malkin speaks:

-Marc-Andre Fleury speaks:

-Dan Bylsma speaks:

-Eric Tangradi scored two goals for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 5-2 win against the Charlotte Checkers. Dustin Jeffrey recorded two assists for the Penguins while Brad Thiessen made 25 saves in the victory.

-Highlights:

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-Tangradi now leads the team in goals with 15.

-Happy 53rd birthday to former Penguins forward Jiri Hrdina. Acquired midway through the 1990-91 season in a deal which sent Jim Kyte to the Flames, Hrdina spent parts of two seasons in Pittsburgh. While acting as a mentor to fellow Czechoslovakian Jaromir Jagr during his rookie season, the veteran Hrdina appearedin 37 games for the Penguins in 1990-91 and contributed 20 points. In the 1991 postseason, Hrdina saw action in 14 games and scored four points while helping the club claim its first Stanley Cup championship. Hrdina's final NHL season was 1991-92. He played in 56 games for the Penguins and recorded 16 points. In the postseason, Hrdina appeared in 21 games and recorded two points as the club successfully defended its title. He retired in the 1992 offseason. He currently serves as an amateur scout with the Dallas Stars.

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Atlantic Division

-With goaltender Rick DiPietro dealing with a groin ailment, the Islanders recalled goaltender Kevin Poulin from Bridgeport of the AHL.

-If you can't get gushy over this story about Islanders goaltender Nathan Lawson and him mom, you don't have a soul.

Northeast Division

-“I don’t really know how to answer that question." - Senators forward and former Penguin Jarkko Ruutu on if his current team still believes coach Cory Clouston.

Southeast Division

-Martin St. Louis' overtime goal gave the Lightning a 1-0 win at Washington. Making his Lightning debut, Dwayne Roloson made 34 saves to earn the shutout.

-St. Louis' goal:

-Roloson was still sporting his old Islanders gear:

-We don't want to accuse Washington's Matt Hendricks of being in over his head in this fight with Tampa Bay's Steve Downie, but...:

-The Lightning signed unrestricted free agent defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron, formerly of the Canadiens, to a one-year two-way contract.

-The Southeast Division ain't no joke no more.

Central Division

-Todd Bertuzzi had two goals for the Red Wings in a 5-3 win at Edmonton. Captain Nicklas Lidstrom and teammate Valtteri Filppula each recorded two assists for Detroit while Chris Osgood made 22 saves in the victory. Sam Gagner had a goal and an assist for the Oilers.

-Check out this give and go play between Detroit Darren Helm and Kris Draper to set up Draper for a goal:

-Edmonton's Nikolai Khabibulin kept his eyes on this puck:

-Osgood stretched out to make this save on Gagner:

-Predators goaltender Anders Lindback deals with Adult Still's disease.

Northwest Division

-Jose Theodore made 21 saves for the Wild in a 2-1 win at New Jersey. Minnesota has earned points in seven of its last nine games. New Jersey has dropped eight of its past nine games.

-Wild forward Clayton Stoner's first NHL goal proved to be the game winner. He got it in a very unconventional fashion:

"I'm going to bury the tape and tell a different story a few years from now." - Stoner on his fluky goal.

-Funny Face of the Night: New Jersey's Brian Rolston in a collision with Minnesota's Greg Zanon:

-A good look at the lid of Devils goaltender and former Penguin Johan Hedberg:

-Things are kind of rougher than usual in New Jersey these days:

-An overtime goal by David Jones gave the Avalanche a 4-3 win against the Sabres. Daniel Winnik had a goal and an assist for Colorado while teammate Tomas Fleischmann recorded two assists. Peter Budaj made 37 saves in the victory. Thomas Vanek had a goal and an assist for Buffalo.

-The "Murphy Dump" pass appears to be all the rage lately. Check out Colorado's T.J. Galiardi lofting a feed to Winnik for a goal:

-Buday kept his eyes on this puck:

-Happy times in Colorado:

-The Flames recalled forward Mikael Backlund from Abbotsford of the AHL.

Pacific Division

-Ilya Bryzgalov made 26 saves for the Coyotes in a 4-2 defeat of the Blue Jackets. Captain Shane Doan had a goal and an assist for Phoenix while teammate Eric Belanger recorded two assists. Derick Brassard netted two assists for Columbus.

-Phoenix's Sami Lepisto made at least one fan happy:

-The Ducks recalled forward Dan Sexton from Syracuse of the AHL.

-Anaheim acquired former Penguins defenseman and Hopewell native Nate Guenin from the Blue Jackets in exchange for minor league forward Trevor Smith. Guenin will be assigned to Syracuse of the AHL.

IIHF World Junior Championships

-In a relegation round game, Red Wings forward prospect Andrej Nestrasil had two goals for the Czech Republic in a 5-2 defeat of rival Slovakia.

-In the fifth-place consolation game, Benjamin Conz made 21 saves for Switzerland in a 3-2 defeat of Finland.

-In the seventh-place game, Steffen Soberg made 41 saves for Norway in a 3-1 win against Germany. Penguins forward prospect Tom Kuhnhackl scored Germany's only goal.

Adams Division

-Should visors be mandatory in the NHL (PG+)?

(Photos: Lightning/Capitals-Luis M. Alvarez/Associated Press; Red Wings/Oilers-John Ulan/Canadian Press; Wild/Devils-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images and Julio Cortez/Associated Press; Sabres/Avalanche-Barry Gutierrez/Associated Press; Blue Jackets/Coyotes-Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press)