Empty Netter Assists - 12-30-11
Penguins
-Dave Molinari's recap from last night's game. "Fifteen years ago, I would score five. But not anymore. I needed 20 chances to score one. That's the difference [between] Jagr now and Jagr 15 years ago." - Flyers forward and former Penguins captain Jaromir Jagr.
-The Philadelphia Inquirer's recap. "It was one of the better-looking ones," Jagr said when asked where the goal ranked. "I'm glad it wasn't off my [rear] or off my leg..." - Jagr on his goal.
-The Philadelphia' Daily News' recap. "How can you not root for a guy like that, who has had such a storied career and won two Stanley Cups here?" - Flyers Scott Hartnell on Jagr.
-The Associated Press' recap. “I think it was important for not just him but the whole team to get that goal because he got it pretty tough from the fans.” - Claude Giroux on Jagr.
-NHL.com's recap. "I think we're starting to like playing here." - Giroux on Consol Energy Center. The Flyers are 4-0-0 all-time in the building.
-Highlights:
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-The "welcome back" video the Penguins played for Maxime Talbot last night:
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-Talbot's reaction:
-“The Penguins organization is just very classy. They could have done nothing, but they showed their class, and it felt really special. And the fans reacted really well. It was a special night for me.” - Talbot on the video.
-Bright times for Jagr:
-Jagr just chilling:
-Jagr being popular:
-Happy times for the Penguins:
-No so happy times for the Penguins:
-Jagr defending Evgeni Malkin:
-Chris Kunitz and Philadelphia's Scott Hartnell caught up:
-As did James Neal and Talbot:
-Philadelphia Sergei Bobrovsky kept an eye on this puck:
-Happy times for Talbot and Bobrovsky:
-The great Joe Vitale going after a puck with Philadephia's Marc-Andre Boudron:
-Jordan Staal > Philadelphia's Kimmo Timonen:
-Tyler Kennedy being popular:
-Dan Bylsma with some direct words for Brooks Orpik:
-Dan Bylsma speaks:
-Jagr speaks:
-Maxime Talbot speaks:
-Ben Lovejoy speaks:
-"He was my idol since I was 15 years old. He was the best player who ever played hockey -- and he still is. And if he is the owner and he is maybe a little bit upset I didn't come here, it still doesn't change my mind how I feel about him." - Jagr on Mario Lemieux.
-Sidney Crosby. Still out.
-"I can tell you he was responsible for getting me in the National Hockey League." - Former Penguins coach Greg Millen on former coach Johnny Wilson who passed away earlier this week.
-Happy 33rd birthday to former Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi (right). A fifth-round draft pick in 1998, Scuderi spent parts of five seasons with the Penguins. As a rookie in 2003-04, Scuderi saw action in 13 games and scored three points. Following the 2004-05 lockout, Scuderi broke through as an NHL regular in 2005-06 by appearing in 57 games and recording four assists. He followed that up in 2006-07 by playing in 78 games and scoring 11 points. That spring's playoffs saw him appearin in five games and fail to record a point. In 2007-08, Scuderi saw action in 71 games while recording fives assists. He helped the franchise return to its third Stanley Cup final appearance that spring by playing in 20 games and recording three assists. During 2008-09, Scuderi established career highs in games (81) and points (16). In the 2009 postseason, he stepped up in a defensive role while playing in 24 games and contributing five points. His biggest contribution during the postseason came in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final when he came through with a series of blocked shots which preserved a 2-1 victory (below). The team would advance to Game 7 where it won the third Stanley Cup title in franchise history. During the 2009 offseason, Scuderi joined the Kings as a free agent. He remains with Los Angeles. In 300 regular season games with the Penguins, Scuderi scored 39 points. In 49 playoff games, he collected eight points.
Atlantic Division
-A goal and an assist by John Tavares led the Islanders to a 3-1 win against the Flames. P.A. Parenteau recorded two assists for New York while teammate Evgeni Nabokov made 29 saves.
-Tavares made a pretty nice effort on his goal:
-A good look at the goal:
-Tavares and teammate Andrew MacDonald being popular:
-Just about everyone had issues here:
-“Eric won the MVP as a Philadelphia Flyer. He’s important to this franchise. He should be playing.” - Former Flyers general manager Bobby Clarke on his rocky relationship with former captain Eric Lindros. Both will be participating in the Winter Classic alumni game.
-The Devils demoted defenseman Alexander Urbom to Albany of the AHL.
-The Rangers demoted defenseman Tim Erixon to Connecticut of the AHL.
-The Rangers placed forward Sean Avery on waivers.
Northeast Division
-The Senators signed signed forwards Stefan Noesen and Matt Puempel, both first-round picks, to three-year entry-level contracts.
Southeast Division
-Two goals, including one in overtime and an assist by captain Eric Staal led the Hurricanes to a comeback 4-3 win against the Maple Leafs. Zac Dalpe added a goal and an assist for Carolina while teammate Jiri Tlusty recorded two assists. Cam Ward made 21 saves in the victory.
-Staal's overtime goal came off a wicked one-timer:
-J.T. Wyman had a goal and an assist for the Lightning which beat the Canadiens 4-3. Steve Downie recorded two assists for Tampa Bay while former Penguin Matheiu Garon made 31 saves. Fire Ray Shero. David Desharnais netted a goal and an assist for Montreal.
-Goal of the Night: Check out this nifty deflection by Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos:
-Linesman Jonny Murray had to step between Tampa Bay's Ryan Malone and Montreal's PK Subban:
-Evander Kane's overtime goal gave the Jets a 1-0 win against the Kings. Chris Mason made 21 saves in the shutout. It was Mason's 22nd career shutout.
-Kane's goal:
-The Panthers want to host an "outdoor" game at the Miami Marlins new stadium which has a retractable roof?
-The Lightning recalled defenseman Evan Oberg from Norfolk of the AHL.
-Tampa Bay signed forward forward Pierre-Cedric Labrie to a two-year two-way contract.
-The Jets recalled forward Patrice Cormier from St. John's of the AHL.
Central Division
-Two goals by Rick Nash led the Blues Jackets to a 4-1 win against the Stars. John Moore recorded two assists for Columbus while teammate Steve Mason made 36 saves in the victory.
-Save of the Night: Dallas' Kari Lehtonen on Columbus' Vaclav Prospal:
-A good look at the save:
-Mason as all over this puck:
-Blue Jackets defenseman James Wisniewski, one of the biggest free agents signings this past summer, suffered a broken ankle last night.
-The Blackhawks recalled forward Jimmy Hayes from Rockford of the AHL and demoted forward Brandon Pirri to Rockford of the AHL.
-The Red Wings placed forward Tomas Holmstrom (groin) on injured reserve and recalled forward Gustav Nyquist from Grand Rapids of the AHL.
-Red Wings forward Darren Helm is dealing with a groin injury.
-The Blue Jackets demoted forward Dane Byers to Springfield of the AHL.
-Stop us if this sounds familiar. A hockey team will not rush its captain back to the lineup from a concussion. The Predators will take their time with Shea Weber.
Northwest Division
-Captain Mikko Koivu had a goal and an assist for the Wild in a 4-3 win against the Oilers. Marek Zidlicky recorded three assists for Minnesota while teammate Greg Zanon netted two assists. Niklas Backstrom made 27 saves in the victory. Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist for Edmonton.
-Koivu's goal came on a nasty little wrister:
-Hit of the Night: Minnesota's Brad Staubitz on Edmonton's Theo Peckham:
-Happy times for Minnesota's Cal Clutterbuck and Zanon:
-Minnesota's Matt Kassian had issues with Edmonton's Darcy Hordichuk:
-Edmonton's Ryan Smyth had issues with Backstrom and Minnesota's Nate Prosser:
-Gabriel Landeskog had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche in a 3-2 win against the Coyotes. Semyon Varlamov made 25 saves in the victory. Mikkel Boedker scored both of Phoenix's goals.
-Coyotes forward Raffi Torres struck Avalanche defenseman Jan Hejda in the head with an elbow:
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-Painful times for Hejda:
-Getting up close and personal with Coytes defenseman and former Penguin Michal Rozsival:
-Avalanche forward Matt Duchene left the game due to a knee injury.
-A goal and two assists by captain Henrik Sedin led the Canucks to a 5-2 win against the Ducks. Daniel Sedin added two goals for Anaheim while teammate Alex Burrows recorded two assists. Cory Schneider made 30 saves in the victory.
-Pass of the Night: Henrik Sedin setting up Daniel Sedin for a pretty goal:
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-Daniel Sedin's first goal was a nasty wrister:
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-Anaheim's Niklas Hagman kept his eyes on this puck while skating by Vancouver's Cody Hodgson:
-Funny Face of the Night: Anaheims' Nick Bonino celebrating a goal:
-The Flames recalled defenseman Clay Wilson from Abbotsford of the AHL and demoted defenseman Joe Piskula to Abbotsford.
-The Wild recalled forward Matt Kassian from Houston of the AHL and demoted forward Jon DiSalvatore to Houston.
Pacific Division
-The Stars demoted goaltender Andrew Raycroft to Texas of the AHL.
IIHF World Junior Championships
-Penguins defensive prospect Scott Harrington had a goal and three assists for Canada in a 10-2 rout of Denmark.
-"Scott is a really dependable young man. He just quietly goes about his job with not a lot of flash." - Canada coach Don hay on Harrington.
-Capitals forward prospect Yevgeni Kuznetsov had a hat trick and six assists for Russia which pounded Latvia, 14-0.
(Photos: Flyers/Penguins-Justin K. Aller/Getty Images and Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press; Scuderi-Jamie Sabau/Getty Images; Flames/Islanders-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images and Kathy Kmonicek/Associated Press; Canadiens/Lightning-Chris O'Meara/Associated Press; Blue Jackets/Stars-Ronald Martinez/Getty Images; Oilers/Wild-Hannah Foslien/Getty Images; Coyotes/Avalanche-Jack Dempsey/Associated Press; Canucks/Ducks-Harry How/Getty Images)