Empty Netter Assists - 12-04-12
Penguins
-The NHL-NHLPA owners-players "only" meeting is scheduled for today. Ron Burkle and Sidney Crosby (above) will each participate.
-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Jeff Zatkoff was named the AHL's goaltender of the month for November.
-Defensive prospects Scott Harrington and Derrick Pouliot were among 37 players invited to Canada's selection camp for the upcoming World Junior Championships.
-Evgeni Malkin had a goal and three assists for Metallurg Magnitogorsk in a 7-4 win against Spartak Moscow in Russia's KHL.
-Highlights (Malkin's goal is at the 8:10 mark):
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-Dustin Jeffrey was held without a point for Medvescak Zagreb in an 11-2 loss to EC VSV in Austria's EBEL.
Atlantic Division
-Devils forward Stephen Gionta has signed an AHL contract with the Albany Devils, New Jersey's AHL affiliate.
-Rangers forward Chris Kreider, currently assigned to Hartford of the AHL, is dealing with a neck strain.
Northeast Division
-“I can't make sense of what the owners truly need because they want everything." - Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller (right).
-The Senators will not make forward prospect Mika Zibanejad available for Sweden in the upcoming World Junior Championships.
Southeast Division
-Panthers forward Shawn Matthias has joined EHC Linz of Austria's EBEL.
Central Division
-Blue Jackets forward and former Penguin Mark Letestu has joined Almtuna of Sweden's Allsvenskan.
-Blackhawks captain/forward Jonathan Toews is also expectected to take part in today's NHL-NHLPA meeting.
Northwest Division
-"I just think this is so needless. That's the shame of it. It's pointless. It's ridiculous that it's taking this long. I really don't think the issues that divide us are so much that it should cost us a season. It'd be an absolute shame for the game, for the fans, and it would just be a travesty. I honestly still believe it's going to get done." - Wild forward Matt Cullen on the lockout.
-Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon suffered a hip injury while playing for SCL Tigers in Switerzland's NLA.
-Since he's still recovering from offseason hip surgery, Oilers goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin (right) is still on the team's payroll during the lockout.
Pacific Division
-"It’s been hard to be optimistic. I’m just shocked we’re at this point to begin with. I don’t even know how to feel about it, to be honest with you. You hope, you certainly hope, but I don’t know.” - Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle on the lockout.
(Photos: Crosby-Keith Srakocic/Associated Press; Miller-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Khabibulin-Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)