Empty Netter Assists - 02-26-12
Penguins
-Dave Molinari's recap from yesterday's game. "It's good to be on his side." - Pascal Dupuis on Evgeni Malkin.
-The Tampa Bay Times' recap. "It was mentally tough to take." - Lightning coach Guy Boucher on the loss.
-The Tampa Tribune's recap. "It’s fun to watch, hard to play against." - Lightning forward Teddy Purcell on Malkin.
-The Associated Press' recap. Malkin recorded his ninth career hat trick.
-NHL.com's recap. "I'm trying not to think about my points, when you start to think it's a little bit too much in your head." - Malkin.
-Highlights:
-Malkin's hat trick deserves its own clip:
-So does Marc-Andre Fleury's save against Tampa Bay's Trevor Smith:
-Deryk Engelland versus Tampa Bay's Mike Angelidis:
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-The great Joe Vitale versus Tampa Bay's Brendan Mikkelson:
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-Fleury was everywhere in his crease:
-And his net:
-Matt Cooke > Tampa Bay's Dwayne Roloson:
-Malkin and Cooke watch a few replays:
-Roloson didn't have a prayer on this one:
-Happy times for Steve Sullivan, Jordan Staal and Kris Letang:
-Not so happy times for Boucher:
-Everyone had issues here:
-Malkin stretches:
-Fleury being good people:
-Dan Bylsma speaks:
-Malkin speaks:
-"He's as dominant a guy as there is in the game." - Lightning general manager and hockey hall of famer Steve Yzerman on Malkin.
-Will the Penguins give Brad Thiessen his first career start today?
-Ray Shero has a generally strong track record at the trade deadline.
-Patrick Killeen made nine saves for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 2-1 loss to the Syracuse Crunch.
-The Penguins' starting goaltender, Scott Munroe, left the game in the second period due to a "lower-body" injury.
-Two goals by Paul Crowder led the Wheeling Nailers to a 4-1 win against the Toledo Walleye. Chase Walton added a goal and an assist for the Nailers while teammate Chris Barton recorded two assists. Peter Delmas made 22 saves in the victory.
-Happy 55th birthday to former Penguins all-star forward and assistant coach Joe Mullen (right). "Slippery Rock Joe" was acquired in the 1990 offseason in a trade that sent a second-round pick to Calgary and spent parts of six seasons with the Penguins over two different stints as a player. His first season was 1990-91. He appeared in 47 games and scored 39 points. During that spring's postseason, he saw action in 22 games, scored 17 points and helped the franchise claim its first Stanley Cup championship. In 1991-92, Mullen saw action in 77 games and scored 42 goals and 87 points. Injuries limited him to nine games and seven points during the 1992 postseason but he won his second consecutive Stanley Cup ring. Mullen played in 72 games and scored 70 points in 1992-93. During that spring's postseason, he saw action in 12 games and scored six points. In 1993-94, played in all 84 games and netted 70 points, including a team-leading nine game-winning goals. He appeared in six postseason games that spring and scored one goal. During the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season, Mullen played in 45 games and scored 37 points. The 1995 postseason saw him appear in 12 games and recorded three assists. In the 1995 offseason, he joined the Bruins as a free agent and returned to the Penguins as a free agent in the 1996 offseason. Mullen finished his playing career in 1996-97 by playing in 54 games and scoring 22 points. He saw action in one postseason game that spring and failed to record a point. Mullen returned to the Penguins as an assistant coach and served in that capacity from 2000-01 into the 2005-06 season. Midway through that season, he replaced Michel Therrien as the head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He is currently an assistant coach with the Flyers. The first United States-born player in NHL history score 500 career goals, Mullen was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000. In 379 regular season games with the Penguins, Mullen scored 325 points, 19th-most in franchise history. In 62 postseason games, he scored 31 points, 13th-most in franchise history.
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-Happy 37th birthday to former Penguins defenseman Mike Wilson. A free agent signing in the 2001 offseason, Wilson's Penguins career amounted to 21 games and two points in 2001-02. Wilson spent most of 2001-02 and 2002-03 with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and was traded to the Rangers along with Alex Kovalev, Janne Laukkanen and Dan LaCouture in exchange for Joel Bouchard, Richard Lintner, Rico Fata and Mikael Samuelsson.
Atlantic Division
-An overtime goal by Ryan Callahan gave the Rangers a 3-2 win against the Sabres. Carl Hagelin added a goal and an assist for New York while teammate Henrik Lundqvist made 18 saves. Drew Stafford scored both of Buffalo's goals.
-Callahan completely undressed Buffalo's Patrick Kaleta on his goal:
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-Happy times in New York:
-Buffalo's Paul Gaustad and New York's Brandon Prust had issues:
-Callahan's goal was the 100th of his career.
-Check out this smooth pass by New York's Michael Del Zotto which led to a smooth goal by Marian Gaborik:
-Stafford's second goal actually broke one of the straps on Lundqvist's left pad:
-Shootout goals by Claude Giroux and Matt Read gave the Flyers a 5-4 win against the Flames. Scott Hartnell scored two regulation goals for the Flyers while Giroux and teammate Nicklas Grossman each recorded two assists. Ilya Bryzgalov made 17 saves in the victory. Alex Tanguay led Calgary with a regulation goal and an assist.
-"I like how Jersey plays the games. They have a lot of skilled players and they have a pretty good team. WE have a pretty good team. I believe they can play good hockey." - Devils defenseman Marek Zidlicky on being dealt to New Jersey from Minnesota.
-The Devils placed forward Eric Boulton on waivers and demoted defenseman Peter Harrold to Albany of the AHL.
-The Islanders placed forward Brian Rolston on waivers and recalled forward David Ullstrom from Bridgeport of the AHL.
Northeast Division
-Patrice Bergeron had two goals and an assist for the Bruins who defeated the Senators, 5-3. Captain Zdeno Chara recorded two assists for Boston while teammate Tim Thomas made 27 saves. Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists for Ottawa.
-Hit of the Night: Ottawa's Chris Neil hit Boston's Johnny Boychuk so hard, he ended up injuring both Boychuk and himself:
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-After the hit, David slayed Goliath Neil (6-foot-1, 215 pounds) impressively took down Chara (6-foot-9, 255 pounds) in a fight:
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-Ottawa's Kyle Turris struck Boston's Joe Corvo with a questionable hit to the head during the game:
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-Turris was given a boarding minor.
-Senators defenseman and former Penguin Sergei Gonchar got down to block this shot:
-Ottawa's Alex Auld had issue with this puck:
-The Maple Leafs recalled forward Matt Frattin from Toronto of the AHL and demoted forward Jay Rosehill to Toronto.
-Prior to last night's game against the Capitals, the Maple Leafs honored honoured members of their 1962 Stanley Cup team including former Penguins coach Red Kelly and forward Eddie Shack:
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Southeast Division
-A goal and an assist by Marcus Johansson led the Capitals to a 4-2 win against the Blues. Captain Alex Ovechkin recorded two assists for Washington while teammate Michael Neuvirth made 28 saves.
-Defensive Play of the Night: Check out this steal by Washington's Alexander Semin against Toronto's Luke Schenn which led to a goal:
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-Save of the Night: Toronto's James Reimer stretched out to deny Washington's Matt Hendricks:
-Not to be outdone, check out this save by Neuvirth against Toronto's Carl Gunnarsson:
-Shootout goals by former Penguin Mikael Samuelsson and Stephen Weiss gave the Panthers a 3-2 win against the Hurricanes. Fire Ray Shero. Jose Theodore made 26 saves in the victory.
-Check out this pass by Carolina's Jeff Skinner to set up Jussi Jokinen for a goal in the slot:
-The Panthers tied the game, 2-2, and forced overtime on a goal by new forward Wojtek Wolski with 1:47 left in regulation:
-Florida acquired Wolski earlier in the day from the Rangers in exchange for minor league defenseman Mike Vernace and a third-round pick in 2013. In the final year of a contract with a salary cap hit of $3.8 million, Wolski has four points (one goal, three assists) in 10 games tihs season.
-EN Says: For the Rangers, the biggest benefit in this deal is that it clears salary cap space in the event of a larger trade involving a power forward from central Ohio. For Wolski, he just wasn't a fit in New York and ran out of chances with the emergence of Carl Hagelin. He'll get a better chance to succeed in Florida. A former 20-goal, 50-point threat, Wolski's production has declined steadily since his days in Colorado.
-Florida demoted forwards Michal Repik and Jonathan Matsumoto to San Antonio of the AHL.
-Panthers defenseman Jason Garrison returned to the lineup after being sidelined since Jan. 11 due to an ankle injury.
-The Hurricanes demoted goaltender Mike Murphy to Charlotte of the AHL.
Central Division
-Shootout goals by Andy McDonald and David Perron led the Blues to a 3-2 win against the Jets. T.J. Oshie recorded two assists for St. Louis while teammates Jaroslav Halak made 39 saves. Blake Wheeler scored both of Winnipeg's regulation goals.
-Pass of the Day: St. Louis' Patrik Berglund set up Perron for a nifty goal in tight:
-Shootout Save of the Day: Halak juuuuusstttt barely kept this shot by Winnipeg captain Andrew Ladd from skidding across the goal line:
-Captain Shea Weber scored two goals for the Predators who pounded the Sharks, 6-2. Martin Erat and Colin Wilson each added a goal and an assist for Nashville while teammates Roman Josi and Jordin Tootoo each recorded two assists. Pekka Rinne made 32 saves in the victory. Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski each had a goal and an assist for San Jose.
-Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson is expected to be sidelined approximately a month due to a fractured wrist.
-The Blue Jackets claimed forward Darryl Boyce off waivers from the Maple Leafs, placed defenseman Grant Clitsome and forward Ryan Russell on waivers and demoted defenseman David Savard to Springfield of the AHL.
Northwest Division
-Two goals by Gabriel Landeskog led the Avalanche to a 4-3 victory against the Red Wings. Steve Downie added a goal and two assists for Colorado while teammate Ryan O'Reilly recorded three assists. Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 28 saves in the win. Jiri Hudler led Detroit with two goals and an assist.
-Downie has five points in three games since the Avalanche traded for him last week.
-The Oilers demoted forward Anton Lander to Oklahoma City of the AHL.
-The Wild placed forward Brad Staubitz on re-entry waivers and demoted forward Chad Rau and goaltender Matt Hackett to Houston of the AHL.
-The Canucks placed defenseman Keith Ballard on long-term injured reserve due to a concussion.
Pacific Division
-Jonathan Quick made 19 saves for the Kings in a 4-0 shutout of the Blackhawks. Captain Dustin Brown had a hat trick and an assist for Los Angeles while teammate Willie Mitchell netted a goal and an assist.
-Brown's hat trick:
-"I've been a King my whole career and I expect to be a King beyond the next few days." - Brown on trade rumors.
-Hat were everywhere in Los Angeles:
-Happy times for Quick and teammate Justin Williams:
-In his first game with the Kings, forward Jeff Carter played on right wing with former Flyers teammate Mike Richards at center and left winger Dwight King.
-Together again, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum Richards (rear) and Carter:
-Mike Smith made 21 saves and led the Coyotes to a 3-1 win against the Oilers. Martin Hanzal recorded two assists for Phoenix which has won five consecutive games.
-Whitney on Whitney violence. Check out this move Phoenix's Ray put on Edmonton's Ryan which led to a goal:
-Coyotes forward and former Penguin Paul Bissonnetted duked it out with Edmonton's Darcy Hordichuk:
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Norris Division
-Hockey Night in Canada's pregame montage was sharp:
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-Brooks Ostergard made 31 saves for the Robert Morris men's team which lost to Air Force, 3-0.
-Max Strang made 27 saves for the Mercyhurst mens' team which shut out Canisius, 5-0.
(Photos: Lightning/Penguins-Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press and Jamie Sabau/Getty Images; Mullen-Penguins Hockey Cards; Sabres/Rangers-Chris Trotman/Getty Images; Bruins/Senators-Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images; Blackhawks/Kings-Jeff Gross/Getty Images)