Empty Netter Assists - 03-26-12

Penguins

-Dave Molinari's recap from last night's game. The Penguins have won 10 consecutive home games.

-The Newark Star-Ledger's recap. “Individual mistakes cost us the game.” - Devils coach Peter DeBoer.

-The Bergen Record's recap. The Devils have gone 2-4-1 in their past seven games.

-The Associated Press' recap. “It’s not unlike Sidney Crosby to do that.” - Dan Bylsma on Sidney Crosby's third period goal.

-NHL.com's recap. The Penguins are 14-1-1 in their past 16 games.

-Highlights:

-Mike Lange's goal calls.

-Excited times for Pascal Dupuis:

-Happy times for Chris Kunitz and Evgeni Malkin:

-Dan Bylsma speaks:

-Pascal Dupuis speaks:

-Sidney Crosby speaks:

-"It’s a tough team. It’s a tough building. You have to come in prepared to play an almost perfect game. We didn’t do that." - Peter DeBoer.

-"That's not interference in this building." - Devils forward Patrik Elias on being shoved into the net by Zbynek Michalek late in the game.

-Steve Sullivan is sidelined due to an undisclosed injury.

-Bryan Lerg, Brian Strait and Jason Williams each had a goal and an assist for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins who beat the Springfield Falcons, 5-3. Zach Sill recorded two assists for the Penguins while teammate Patrick Killeen made 23 saves.

-Nick Niedert made 31 saves for the Wheeling Nailers who lost to the Elmira Jackals in a shootout, 3-2.

-According to Shawn Rinne of the Wheeling Intelligencer, the Nailers have been sold to a pair of local groups called the Wheeling Amateur Hockey Association and RED (Regional Economical Development). Once feared to be leaving, the franchise will remain in Wheeling.

-Happy 48th birthday to former Penguins defenseman Ulf Samuelsson (right). Acquired from the Whalers along with Ron Francis and Grant Jennings at the 1991 trade deadline in a deal which sent John Cullen, Jeff Parker and Zarley Zalapski to Hartford, Samuelsson spent parts of five seasons in Pittsburgh. He finished 1990-91 by appearing in 14 games, scored five points and recorded 37 penalty minutes. In 20 postseason games that spring, he scored five points includling the Cup-clinching goal in an 8-0 win at Minnesota in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final, May 25, 1991. His first full season with the Penguins was 1991-92. In 62 games, he scored 15 points and accumulated 206 penalty minutes. He saw action in 21 postseason games that spring and scored seven points while helping the franchise win its second Stanley Cup title. During 1992-93, Samuelsson appeared in 77 games, scored 29 points and recorded a career-high 249 penalty minutes. In 12 postseason games that spring, he scored six points. In 1993-94, Samuelsson saw action in 80 games, netted 29 points and recorded 199 penalty minutes. He played in six playoff games that season and recorded one assist. During the lockout-shortened 1994-95 campaign, Samuelsson appeared in 44 games and netted 16 points. In seven postseason games that spring, he recorded two assists. During the 1995 offseason, Samuelsson and Luc Robitaille were traded to the Rangers in exchange for Petr Nedved and Sergei Zubov. One of the most physical and popular players in franchise history, Samuelsson appeared in 277 regular season games with the Penguins and scored 94 points, 90th-most in franchise history and recorded 804 penalty minutes, eighth-most. In 66 postseason games, he scored 16 points. Currently the head coach of Modo in Sweden's Elitserien, his son Philip Samuelsson is a defensive prospect with the Penguins.

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Atlantic Division

-A shootout goal by Frans Nielsen gave the Islanders a 3-2 win against the Panthers. Evgeni Nabokov made 33 saves for New York. Tomas Fleischmann had a regulation goal and an assist for Florida.

-If the Islanders lose to the Penguins Tuesday, they will officially be eliminated from playoff contention.

Northeast Division

-Benoit Pouliot and Brian Rolston each had a goal and an assist for the Bruins who edged the Ducks, 3-2. Marty Turco made 25 saves in the victory.

-Brutal Officiating of the Night: A potential game-tying goal by Anaheim's Matt Beleskey was waved off after a phantom goaltending interference call:

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-"What do you want me to say? It cost us. It cost us the game. Sure, they got another goal but we would have played completely different if there was a 2-2 tie with 10 minutes to go." - Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau.

-Pouliot's goal was a real snipe:

-Check out this re-direction goal by Anaheim's Teemu Selanne:

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-By the looks of things, Turco stole Marc-Andre Fleury's old pads:

-The Maple Leafs demoted forwards Nazem Kadri and Ryan Hamilton to Toronto of the AHL.

-The Bruins signed free agent defenseman Torey Krug, formerly of Michigan State, to an entry-level contract. Terms were not revealed.

-Boston also signed forward Justin Florek, a fifth-round pick in 2010, and defenseman Zach Trotman, a seventh-round pick in 2010, to entry-level contracts. Terms were not revealed.

Southeast Division

-Braden Holtby made 28 saves for the Capitals in a 3-0 shutout of the Wild. Captain Alex Ovechkin added a goal and an assist for Washington.

-Save of the Night: Holtby on Minnesota's Devin Setoguchi:

-Pass of the Night: Washington' Alexander Semin setting up Jason Chimera for a goal:

-Defensive Play of the Night: The video is poor, but check out this backcheck by Ovechkin to break up a two-on-one chance for the Wild:

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-Happy times for Ovechkin and teammate Marcus Johansson:

-"Probably once a game he would make an unbelievable paddle save. I don't know if he's still got that in his bag or not." - Lightning forward Ryan Malone on former Penguins teammate Sebastien Caron who recently signed with Tampa Bay.

Central Division

-Mike Fisher, Matt Halischuk, Patric Hornqvist and captain Shea Weber each had a goal and an assist for the Predators who romped the Blackhawks, 6-1. Pekka Rinne made 24 saves for Nashville.

-Weber absolutely hammered this shot for his goal:

-Nashville's Kevin Klein had a chat with Rinne:

-Nashville's Jordin Tooto and Chicago's Brandon Bollig had issues:

-Prior to the game, former Blackhawks goaltender Ed Belfour dropped the puck for a ceremonial faceoff between Rinne and Chicago's Corey Crawford:

-Brian Elliott made 20 saves for the Blues in a 4-0 shutout of the Coyotes. Captain David Backes and Alex Pietrangelo each had a goal and an assist for St. Louis while teammate Kevin Shattenkirk recorded three assists.

-The Blues set a franchise record with their 14th shutout of the season.

-The Blue Jackets clinched the worst record in the NHL this season with a loss to the Oilers last night.

-Forward Tomas Holmstrom was named the Red Wings' nominee for the Masterton Trophy.

-The Red Wings signed defensemen Xavier Ouellet and Ryan Sproul, each second-round picks in 2011, to three-year entry-level contracts.

Northwest Division

-A goal and two assists by Ryan Jones led the Oilers past the Blue Jackets, 6-3. Ladislav Smid added a goal and an assist for Edmonton while teammates Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and former Penguin Ryan Whitney each collected two assists. Fire Ray Shero. Devan Dubnyk made 29 saves in the victory. Captain Rick Nash had a goal and an assist for Columbus.

-Check out this snipe of a shot by Edmonton's Chris Vandevelde for his first career goal:

-Oilers defenseman Theo Peckham left yesterday's game against Columbus in the first period after suffering a concussion.

-"It's disappointing. Really disappointing. There's no other way to describe it." - Wild forward Kyle Brodziak on officially being eliminated from playoff contention.

-Wild forward Matt Cullen is dealing with a broken finger.

-The Wild recalled forward Chad Rau from Houston of the AHL.

-Avalanche forward Chuck Kobasew was fined $2,500 for charging Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome Saturday.

-Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson is dealing with a back injury.

Pacific Division

-Coyotes defenseman Derek Morris appeared in his 1,000th career game.

-Phoenix defenseman Alexandre Bolduc was fined $2,500 for slewfooting Sharks forward Ryane Clowe Saturday.

-Goaltender Kari Lehtonen (right) was named the Stars' nominee for the Masterton Trophy.

-The Stars signed forward Reilly Smith, a third-round pick in 2009, to a three-year entry-level contract.

NCAA Tournament

-Avalanche forward prospect Nate Condon had a goal and an assist for Minnesota which defeated North Dakota, 5-2, and advanced to the Frozen Four.

-Former Pittsburgh Hornets goaltender Parker Milner made 33 saves for Boston College in a 4-0 shutout of Minnesota-Duluth. Boston College also moved on to the Frozen Four.

(Photos: Devils/Penguins-Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press; Samuelsson-Penguins Hockey Cards; Ducks/Bruins-Christine Cotter/Associated Press; Wild/Capitals-Evan Vucci/Associated Press; Predators/Blackhawks-Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images; Lehtonen-Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)