Empty Netter Assists - 02-11-12

Penguins

-Welcome back Jordan Staal (above).

-Dan Bylsma speaks:

-Marc-Andre Fleury speaks:

-Staal speaks:

-Patrick Killeen made 15 saves for the Wheeling Nailers in a 3-2 loss to the Florida Everblades.

-The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins demoted forwards Cody Chupp and Ryan Schnell to Wheeling.

-Penguins prospect and Massachusetts-Lowell forward Scott Wilson leads the NCAA in freshman scoring on a point-per-game basis.

-Happy 28th birthday to former Penguins forward Maxime Talbot (right). An eighth-round pick in 2003, Talbot spent parts of six seasons with the Penguins. As a rookie in 2005-06, Talbot appeared in 48 games and scored eight points. He broke through as a full-time NHLer in 2006-07 by playing in 75 games and netting 24 points. During the 2007 postseason he saw action in five games and recorded one assist. In 2007-08, Talbot played in 63 games and set a career-high with 26 points. During that spring's postseason, he appeared in 17 games and scored nine points while helping the franchise advance to its third Stanley Cup final. He followed that up in 2008-09 by appearing in 75 games and scoring 22 points. During the 2009 playoffs, "Superstar" lived up to his nickname by playing in 24 games and scoring 13 points, including both of the team's goals in a Stanley Cup-clinching 2-1 win in Game 7 of the Cup final in Detroit (below). Injuries limited Talbot to 45 games and seven assists in 2009-10. In that season's playoffs, Talbot played in 13 games and scored six points. Last season, Talbot appeared in all 82 games and scored 21 points. He played in seven postseason games last spring and contributed four points. This past offseason, he joined the Flyers as a free agent. In 388 career regular season games with the Penguins, Talbot scored 108 points, 77th-most in franchise history. In 66 postseason games, he has 33 points, 12th-most in franchise history.

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-Happy 57th birthday to former Penguins goaltender Paul Harrison. Acquired by the Penguins in the 1981 offseason in a trade for future considerations with the Maple Leafs, Harrison appeared in 13 games that season for the team going 3-7-0 with a 5.49 goals against average. He would be claimed off waivers by the Sabres in February of that season.

-Happy 58th birthday to former Penguins all-star goaltender Michel Dion (right). A free agent signing in the 1981 offseason, Dion spent parts of four seasons with the Penguins. He paid immediate dividends for the Penguins in 1981-82 by playing in 62 games, going 25-24-12 with a 3.79 goals against average. In addition to that, he became first Penguins goaltender to be selected to an all-star game that season. In the 1983 postseason, Dion saw action in all five of the team's postseason games and went 2-3 with 4.34 goals against average. He followed that up in 1982-83 by playing in 49 games, going 12-30-4 with a 4.26 goals against average. In 1983-84, Dion was limited to 30 games and had a 2-19-4 record with a 5.33 goals against average. His final NHL season was 1984-85. He only played in 10 games, went 3-6-0 and had a goals against average of 4.67. He retired following the season. In 151 regular season games with the Penguins, Dion played in 151 games, had a record of 42-79-20 and a 4.28 goals against average. Prior to Marc-Andre Fleury's selection last season, Dion was the only goaltender in franchise history to be selected to an all-star game.

-Happy 75rd birthday to former Penguins forward Eddie Shack (right). An all-star with the Maple Leafs, Shack came to the Penguins late in 1971-72 season in a deal which sent Rene Robert to the Sabres, Shack spent parts of two seasons with the Penguins. "The Entertainer" finished 1971-72 by playing in 18 games for the Penguins and scoring 14 points. In that spring's postseason, Shack played in four games and recorded one assist. His only full seasons in Pittsburgh was 1972-73. Skating on the eloquently-named Shack-Schock-Schinkel line (with Ron Schock and Ken Schinkel) he played in 74 games and scored 45 points In the 1973 offseason, Shack was trade to the Maple Leafs in exchange for cash. In 92 regular season games for the Penguins, he scored 59 points.

-Happy 48th birthday to former Penguins defenseman Ville Siren. Acquired early in the 1984-85 season in a deal which sent Pat Boutette to the Whalers, Siren spent parts of four seasons with the Penguins. As a rookie in 1985-86, Siren played in 60 games and scored 12 points. He followed that up in 1986-87 by setting a career high in games (69) and points (22). In 1987-88, Siren saw action in 58 games and scored 21 points. After 12 games and one goal in 1988-89, Siren was traded to the Minnesota North Stars along with Steve Gotaas in exchange for Gord Dineen and Scott Bjugstad. In 199 games with the Penguins, Siren scored 56 points. He is currently a scout with the Blues.

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-Happy 39th birthday to former Penguins defenseman Jamie Pushor. Acquired at the 2002 trade deadline in a deal which sent a draft pick to the Blue Jackets, Pushor spent parts of two seasons with the Penguins. He finished 2001-02 by playing in 15 games and recorded two assists. His only full season in Pittsburgh was 2002-03. He saw action in 76 games and scored four points. He left the Penguins in the 2003 offseason when he re-joined the Blue Jackets as a free agent. In 91 games with the Penguins, he scored six points.

-Happy 64th birthday to former Penguins forward Lew Morrison (right). Acquired midway through the 1974-75 season in a deal which sent Ron Lalonde to the Capitals, Morrison spent parts of four seasons with the Penguins. He finished 1974-75 by playing in 52 games for the Penguins and scoring 12 points. In nine postseason games that spring, he failed to record a point. During 1975-76, Morrison matched a career-high with 78 games and scored nine points. He appeared in three postseason games that season and failed to net a point. In 1976-77, he saw action in 76 games and recorded three points. In one postseason game that spring, he did not record a point. Morrison's final NHL season was 1977-78. He was limited to eight games and two points. Midway through the season, he was loaned to Binghamton of the AHL. In 214 regular season games with the Penguins, he scored 26 points. In 13 postseason games, he failed to score a point.

Atlantic Division

-Rangers forward and former Penguin Ruslan Fedotenko was diagnosed with a head injury a day after he was hit high by Lightning forward Dominic Moore.

-Moore, another former Penguin, was fined $2,500 for the hit. According to the New York Daily News, the league declined to suspended Moore because it claims a camera angle showed Fedotenko's stick struck him in the face.

-The hit:

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-EN Says: Rubbish. Just rubbish. Moore had nothing to gain from a hockey perspective with that hit. The action, not the result, or even circumstances involving the result, should be penalized. He attempted to hit Fedotenko in the head. Period.-Devils forward Ryan Carter was placed on injured reserve due to a fractured finger.

Additionally, the paltry sum of $2,500 is a joke. We understand that's what's on the books with the collective bargaining agreement so the league's hands are tied in terms of how large of a fine it can demand, but with the next CBA, the league should demand the ability to level heavier fineds.

-Today is the 40th birthday of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Northeast Division

-Shootout goals by Brad Boyes and Nathan Gerbe gave the Stars a 3-2 win against the Stars. Ryan Miller made 24 saves in the victory.

-Buffalo's Derek Roy forced overtime by scoring with 38.3 seconds left in regulation:

-Happy times for Roy:

-Save of the Night: Dallas' Kari Lehtonen denying Buffalo's Tomas Vanek as time expired in overtime:

-Vanek returned to the lineup after missing three games due to an "upper-body" injury.

-Bruins forward Nathan Horton has had a setback in his recovery from a concussion.

-Prior to tonight's game against the rival Canadiens, the Maple Leafs will honor honour former captain Mats Sundin's No. 13.

Southeast Division

-The Jets are expected to activate forward Tim Stapleton ("lower-body") from injured reserve prior today's game against the Penguins.

Central Division

-Shootout goals by Pavel Datsyuk and Todd Bertuzzi gave the Red Wings a 2-1 win against the Ducks. Joey MacDonald made 29 saves for Detroit which has won 19 consecutive home games.

-Goal of the Night: Ducks forward and Washington, Pa. native George Parros banked a nifty shot in:

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-Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau offered his ideal wing-eating technique to defenseman Cam Fowler:

-We think.

-Red Wings forward Tomas Holmstrom appeared in his 1,000th career game.

-With defensemen Niklas Hjalmarsson ("upper body") sidelined and Steve Montador ("upper body") placed on injured reserve, the Blackhawks recalled defenseman Dylan Olsen from Rockford of the AHL.

-With goaltender Curtis Sanford (back) sidelined and defensemen Brett Lebda (thumb) and Marc Methot (jaw) placed on injured reserve the Blue Jackets recalled defenseman Dalton Prout from Springfield of the AHL and goaltender Allen York from Chicago of the ECHL.

Northwest Division

-An overtime goal by Ryan O'Reilly gave the Avalanche a 4-3 win against the Hurricanes. Paul Stastny added a goal and an assist for Colorado while teammate David Jones recorded two assists. Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 39 saves in the victory. Captain Eric Staal had a goal and an assist for Carolina.

-Defensive Play of the Night: O'Reilly stealing a puck off Carolina's Justin Faulk and scoring in overtime with 1.2 seconds left in the period:

-Unfortuantely for Carolina's Cam Ward, he got a good look at the goal:

-Pass of the Night: Stastny setting up captain Milan Hejduk for a goal:

-The Flames recalled forward Roman Horak from Abbotsford of the AHL.

-The Wild placed forward Brad Staubitz on waivers.

Pacific Division

-A goal and an assist by Justin Braun led the Sharks to a 5-3 win against the Blackhawks. Brent Burns recorded three assists for San Jose while teammate Logan Couture collected two assists. Antti Niemi made 30 saves in the victory. Marcus Kruger scored two goals for Chicago which has lost seven consecutive games.

-Hit of the Night: Chicago's Brent Seabrook on San Joe's Brad Winchester:

-Niemi was all over this puck:

-San Jose's Jamie McGinn and Chicago's Bryan Bickell had issues:

-The Kings placed forward Jarret Stoll (abductor muscle) on injured reserve, recalled forwards Dwight King and Jordan Nolan from Manchester of the AHL and demoted defenseman Slava Voynov to Manchester.

Norris Division

-Ryan Misiak scored two goals for the Mercyhurst men's team which defeated Robert Morris, 2-1.

-Thea Imbrogno had two goals and an assist for the Robert Morris women's team in a 6-1 defeat of Niagara.

-A goal and three assists by Molly Byrne led the Mercyhurst women's team to a 6-2 win against Syracuse.

(Photos: Staal-Christian Petersen/Getty Images; Talbot-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Dion and Morrison-Penguins Hockey Cards; Shack-eBay; Stars/Sabres-Devin Duprey/Associated Press; Ducks/Red Wings-Carlos Osorio/Associated Press; Hurricanes/Avalanche-Chris Schneider/Associated Press; Blackhawks/Sharks-Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)