Empty Netter Assists - 12-09-12
Penguins
-Beau Bennett recorded two assists for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Portland Pirates. Brad Thiessen made 30 saves for the Penguins.
-Ex-Penguins forward Chris Conner scored the winning shootout goal for Portland.
-The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have had a spotty history of developing top-six forwards.
-Peter Lenes scored two goals for the Wheeling Nailers in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Florida Everblades. Paul Crowder recorded two assists for Wheeling while teammate Patrick Killeen made 2 saves.
-Ex-Penguins forward Jon Sim has signed a professional tryout agreement with the San Antonio Rampage, the Panthers' AHL affiliate.
-Note: We mistakenly posted all these birthdays yesterday. Our apologies.
-Happy 41st birthday to former Penguins forward Petr Nedved (right). Acquired in the 1995 offseason along with Sergei Zubov in a deal which sent Luc Robitaille and Ulf Samuelsson to the Rangers, Nedved spent two seasons with the Penguins. In 1995-96, Nedved saw action in 80 games and scored 99 points, good enough only fourth place on the team. The 1996 postseason saw Nedved appear in 18 games and score 20 points, including one of the most memorable postseason goals in franchise's history, a game-winner in the fourth overtime of a 3-2 win against the Capitals in Game 4 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series (below). He followed that up in 1996-97 by playing in 74 games and scoring 71 points. He played in five postseason games that spring and scored three points. After missing all of 1997-98 and part of 1998-99 due to a contract dispute, Nedved was traded back to the Rangers along with Chris Tamer and Sean Pronger in exchange for Alex Kovalev and Harry York. In 154 regular season games for the Penguins, Nedved scored 170 points, 43rd-most in franchise history. In 23 postseason games, Nedved scored 23 points. He is currently the captain of Bili Tygri Liberec of the Czech Extraliga.
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-Happy 77th birthday to former Penguins defenseman Noel Price. Claimed from the Canadiens in the 1967 expansion draft, Price spent parts of two seasons in Pittsburgh. During the Penguins inaugural season of 1967-68, Price appeared in 70 games and scored 33 points. In 1968-69, Price saw action in 73 games and scored 20 points. During the 1969 offseason, the Kings claimed him in a reverse draft. In 143 regular seasons games for the Penguins, Price scored 53 points.
-Happy 66th birthday to former Penguins forward Nick Libett. Acquired in the 1979 offseason, Libett spent parts off two seasons with the Penguins. In 1979-80, Libett saw action in 78 games and scored 26 points. During the 1980 postseason, he appeared in five games and scored two points. He followed that up in 1980-81 by playing in 43 games and scoring 12 points. He was released in the 1981 offseason. In 121 regular season games with the Penguins, Libett scored 38 points.
Central Division
-Blues forward Ryan Reaves has joined the Orlando Solar Bears, the ECHL affiliate of the Wild.
Patrick Division
-How did the NHL rebound so well after the 2004-05 lockout?
-Devin Williams made 36 saves for the Erie Otters in an 8-0 loss to the Guelph Storm.
-Eric Levine made 36 saves for the Robert Morris men's team in a 2-2 tie with Ohio State.
-P.J. Musico made 28 saves for the Penn State men's team which lost to Holy Cross, 4-1.
-Daniel Bahntge had a hat trick for the Mercyhurst men's team in a 7-2 defeat of American International.
-Kristen DiCiocco made 40 saves for the Robert Morris women's team which beat Mercyhurst, 2-1.
-Nicole Paniccia made 54 saves for the Penn State women's team in a 4-2 loss to Saint Lawrence.
-Brandon Reinholz had a goal and an assist for the Johnstown Tomahawks in a 4-3 win against the Fresno Monsters.
(Photos: Nedved-Glenn Cratty/Getty Images; Reaves-Harry How/Getty Images)