Empty Netter Assists - 01-13-11
Penguins
-Dave Molinari's recap from last night's game. "We were just moving it around, waiting for an open shot and shooting it when we got it. Trying to keep it simple."- Alex Goligoski (above, with Kris Letang, Jordan Staal and Chris Kunitz) on his team's power play.
-The Montreal Gazette's recap. "We took lazy penalties.” - Canadiens defenseman and former Penguin Hal Gill.
-The Globe and Mail's recap. "Ah, I’m just having some fun." - Marc-Andre Fleury on mocking Carey Price:
-The Associated Press' recap. "It was a lack of a discipline in the penalties and a lack of discipline in our penalty killing.” - Canadiens coach Jacques Martin.
-NHL.com's recap. "It was maybe a little push in the back to make sure we came back here and put it in his face." - Kris Letang on Price's similar pose during last weeks' game.
-Mike Lange's goal calls.
-Fleury kept his eyes on these pucks:
-Happy times for the Penguins. Not so much for Price:
-Price wasn't very happy here either:
-Price kept his eyes on this puck:
-But not this one:
-Dan Bylsma speaks:
-Chris Kunitz-Evgeni Malkin-Pascal Dupuis is just as good as Chris Kunitz-Sidney Crosby-Pascal Dupuis. Right?
-How serious is Sidney Crosby's concussion (PG+).
-"But it's not a real game. It's not like it's a regular season game. Nobody's going to get hit, so it's all good.” - Letang on the prospect of playing against his teammates in the All-Star Lame Game.
-The Globe and Mail's James Mirtle uses math to prove Brooks Orpik (right) is the NHL's top defensive defenseman. And who are any of us to argue with James Mirtle?
-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coach John Hynes will actually coach against forward Dustin Jeffrey and goaltender Brad Thiessen in the AHL's all-star game.
-Ben Street had two goals and two assists for the Wheeling Nailers in a 4-1 defeat of the Trenton Devils. Mikael Bedard added two goals and an assist for the Nailers while teammate David Urquhart recorded two assists. Peter Delmas made 32 saves in the victory.
-Former Penguins forward Nils Ekman is recovering from a stroke.
-Happy 31st birthday to current Penguins forward Mike Rupp. A free agent signing in the 2009 offseason, Rupp has spent the past two seasons with the Penguins. During 2009-10, Rupp set career highs in games (81), goals (13) and points (19) and led the team with 120 penalty minutes. He saw action in 11 games during the 2010 posteason and failed to record a point. This season, in 44 games, Rupp has scored eight points and recorded 72 penalty minutes. Rupp is one of six players from Ohio. The others are Ab DeMarco, Brian Holzinger, Moe Mantha, Ian Moran and Bryan Smolinski.
Atlantic Division
-Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger (foot) was given medical clearance to resume practicing.
-Islanders forward Rhett Rakhshani is dealing with a concussion.
-The Islanders demoted forward Jon Sim to Bridgeport of the AHL.
-Devils forward Dainus Zubrus (right) is dealing with a foot injury.
Northeast Division
-The Senators recalled goaltender Robin Lehner and forward Corey Locke from Binghamton of the AHL and demoted goaltender Mike Brodeur and forward Jim O'Brien to Binghamton.
-Bruins defenseman and Mt. Lebanon native Matt Bartkowski is living the dream.
-The Sabres' de facto top line of Tim Connolly, Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek has been shutout in their last four games.
Southeast Division
-Dwayne Roloson made 23 saves and led the Lightning to a 3-0 shutout of the Capitals. It was his second shutout in as many games against the Capitals since joining Tampa Bay. Sean Bergenheim added a goal and an assist for Tampa Bay.
-Washington captain Alex Ovechkin put a little too much torque on this stick:
-Tampa Bay's Mattias Ohlund > Ovechkin:
-Washington's Semyon Varlamov had issues with this puck:
-Is it a shock to see Steve Downie in the middle of this picture?
-Panthers general manager and former Penguins defenseman Dale Tallon is re-building his team the right way.
-The Panthers are talking to the agent of goaltender Tomas Vokoun about a contract extension.
Central Division
-Corey Crawford made 24 saves for the Blackhawks in a 4-0 shutout of the Avalanche. Dave Bolland and Fernando Pisani each had a goal and an assist for Chicago while teammate Brent Seabrook recorded two assists.
-Cool Photo of the Night: A Blackhawks player taking the ice:
-Happy times in Chicago:
-Chicago's Marty Turco's launched a nefarious plan to blind Crawford after the game in order to reclaim his starting spot:
-Funny Face of the Night: Chicago captain Jonathan Toews trying to skate by Colorado's Kevin Shattenkirk:
-The Predators signed forward Jerred Smithson to a two-year contract worth a total of $1.6 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $800,000.
-The Blue Jackets demoted goaltender David LeNeveu to Springfield of the AHL.
Northwest Division
-Is Canucks forward Ryan Kesler a legit candidate for the Hart Trophy?
Pacific Division
-A hat trick and an assist by Bobby Ryan led the Ducks to a 7-4 defeat of the Blues. Lubomir Visnovsky added a goal and two assists for Anaheim while teammate Corey Perry netted a goal and an assist. Jonas Hiller made 30 saves in the victory. David Backes scored two goals for St. Louis.
-Ryan's hat trick:
-Spitting times for Hiller:
-Perry helped with the clean up following Ryan's hat trick:
-Referee Stephen Walkom didn't exactly rush in to break up this fight between St. Louis' B.J. Crombeen and Anaheim's Maxim Lapierre:
-Anaheim's George Parros had issues with St. Louis' Barrett Jackman:
-Sharks forward Logan Couture is expected to miss at least one game due to a knee injury he suffered when he was hit knee-on-knee by Toronto's Colton Orr Tuesday.
-Coyotes forward and former Penguin Paul Bissonnette. Future underwear model:
Adams Division
-Today would've been the 98th birthday of former Pittsburgh Hornets defenseman Pete Bessone.
-Today would've been the 101th birthday of former Pittsburgh Hornets forward Lloyd Klein.
(Photos: Penguins/Canadiens-Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press and Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images; Orpik-Jamie Squire/Getty Images; Zubrus-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Capitals/Lightning-Chris O'Meara/Associated Press; Avalanche/Blackhawks-Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images; Blues/Ducks-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images and Alex Gallardo/Associated Press)