Johnny on the Spot

Johnny's on the spot . . . the #3 spot: The.nhl has named Brent Johnson the.nhl's Third Star of the Week. Catch Johnson on the air Tuesday afternoon: 1:20 p.m.nhl Live" on XM Radio.nhl Network 3:40 p.m.: The John Thompson Show on ESPN 980 Source

Josh Bailey making NHL debut

It might be Veterans Day everywhere else on Long Island today, but at Nassau Coliseum, it's Rookie's Day. Word is that Islanders No. 1 draft pick Josh Bailey definitely will make his debut against Philadelphia this afternoon at 2. It's uncertain whose spot he's taking in the lineup, but it's most likely that of center Mike Comrie, who underwent an examination of his surgically repaired hip on Monday. When I spoke to Bailey last Friday, we talked about watching some of the other first-round draft picks who got their chance to make it and succeeded in sticking with their teams. "I'm friends with a lot of them," Bailey said. "I like to see what they're doing. If their game is on TV, I'll watch to see how they're making out. I keep in touch a little bit. It's encouraging to see guys my age being able to step up in the. It's something you want to do as well. It can be done. I feel confident you can do it well." There may be a conditioning gap for Bailey to overcome since this will be his first game action in nearly seven weeks, but he's up for the challenge. "That might make a little bit of a difference," Bailey said. "But there's no excuses. When you're back in the lineup, you have to perform, and I plan on doing that, too. I feel good. I've been keeping up my strength, and my cardio is coming along. When I get back in the lineup, I'm going to be confident I can do my best." The time is now.Source

Max Giese: Interview with San Jose Sharks left wing prospect Lukas Kaspar

SAN JOSE SHARKS LW PROSPECT LUKAS KASPAR NOV 2 2007 AGAINST LA SAN JOSE SHARKS LW LUKAS KASPAR - FILE PHOTO JON SWENSON Lukas Kaspar, the Sharks first-round selection in the 2004/nhl Entry Draft, began the season in San Jose after making the team out of training-camp thanks to an impressive pre-season. Kaspar was effective offensively while being defensively responsible. He played in the Sharks' first 6 games of the season where he scored his first/nhl career goal (also a game winner), in a 1-0 shutout win at Los Angeles on October 12th. During time spent in San-Jose, Kaspar played mostly on the fourth-line while averaging 7 minutes of ice-time. The Sharks later opted to send Kaspar down to the AHL to play for the Worcester Sharks while recalling rugged right wing Brad Staubitz and left wing Jamie McGinn. Kaspar has accumulated 117 points in 227 games during 3 seasons in the AHL. A 23 year-old native of Most, Czech Republic, Kaspar is a skill forward with size (6-foot-2, 225 pounds). For a player of his size, Kaspar is also a fluid skater with soft hands around the net. He has goal scoring tools in a heavy shot and a quick release, but he often elects to create through the passing game rather than finishing a play himself. Kaspar is a creative offensive player that has noticeable improved his defensive play since joining the Sharks organization. He projects as a solid two-way player in the/nhl, and currently is one of the Sharks top offensive prospects at the AHL level. Sharkspage was able to catch up with Lukas Kaspar and find out how he is doing since being sent down to Worcester. Kaspar is a charismatic young-man with a good sense of humor, and was kind enough to answer a few questions from Max Giese about starting the season with the San Jose Sharks, how having fellow Czechs Milan Michalek and Tomas Plihal helped while he was in the/nhl, his linemates in Worcester, what it was like to be drafted, and how he has worked to improve the defensive side of his game. [MG] You had a very strong pre-season and scored your first/nhl goal this year while playing in the Sharks’ first six games of the season. How did you enjoy your time in San Jose and does that time in San Jose make you that much hungrier to get back to the/nhl? [LK] I loved it there in San Jose and it was a dream come true playing in the/nhl for the Sharks. The time there makes me want to work my ass off to get back there. [MG] You made your/nhl debut last-season and played in three games for the Sharks. What are the differences between what Ron Wilson and Todd McLellan asked of you to do on the ice? [LK] Nothing really. It was all about just making and sticking with the team under both coaches. [MG] Does having fellow Czech born players like Milan Michalek and Tomas Plihal in the Sharks organization help make you feel more comfortable on and off the ice in San Jose? [LK] Yes it helps a lot. It’s nice to have someone to talk to about things and to hang out with. [MG] Who was your roommate on the road with the San Jose Sharks? [LK] Milan Michalek was my roommate and he was great. [MG] I heard he has quite the sense of humor? [LK] All Czechs do (laughs). [MG] What were your emotions like after being notified that you were being put on waivers and being sent back to Worcester? [LK] I was disappointed obviously and who wouldn’t be? Playing in the/nhl is my dream, but there isn’t anything I can do about it at this time. [MG] When San Jose assigned you to Worcester, what were some of the areas of your game they wanted you to continue to work on and what do you believe you need to do to stick in the/nhl? [LK] I talked to the coaches and they just said to play hard every shift. They said it wasn’t that I played myself out of San Jose, but they wanted to try new players and add new ingredients to the team. [MG] How do you feel you have performed recently in Worcester after being reassigned? How does the team look this year? [LK] I have played well and have been on an assortment of different line combinations. I have enjoyed playing with guys like Steven Zalewski, Mike Morris, and Riley Armstrong. We have a good team and I am trying to help them win some games. [MG] Do you ever feel any added pressure on yourself because you were a first-round draft pick? [LK] No I don’t think so. You get drafted high and then get signed which is nice, but after that you aren’t any different than the rest of the guys and you have to work just as hard. [MG] Going back to the 2004/nhl Entry draft, can you describe your emotions when the Sharks traded up to draft you with their first pick of the draft 22nd overall? [LK] Very excited and happy. Playing in the/nhl has always been my dream. At the time though I didn’t really know much about the/nhl. I collected hockey cards and was able to see the Stanley Cup finals, but that was it. The Sharks were always a favorite of mine because of their cool logo. [MG] Before the draft did you suspect the Sharks were targeting you with their pick? [LK] No not at all. I remember sitting there with my family and the Sharks made a trade with New Jersey to move up to 22nd overall and I said to myself and to my family that they are not taking me. I was surprised and shocked when they picked me. I went to the/nhl combine in Toronto and was interviewed by 22 teams, but the Sharks weren’t one of them and I never talked to them before the draft. Some teams spoke with me in the Czech Republic during the season, but the Sharks never did. I also didn’t know much about California. [MG] Coming out of the draft you were known as a pure goal scorer, does that fairly describe your game? [LK] I don’t think I ever was a pure goal scorer. It wasn’t as if I was just sitting there waiting for the puck and then would shoot it in the net. I have always tried to make plays and pass the puck first. I come from the same town as guys like Jiri Sleger and Martin Rucinski. I had the same coach from third grade to the eight grade and he always taught us not to be selfish and that a pass was always better than taking the shot. Then I came over to North America and all they do is get on me to shoot more now. [MG] Now your game seems to be about solid two-way play and you even kill penalties. What was behind that transition of style of play? [LK] Soon as I was drafted the Sharks told me I had to work on my defensive game. It was something that I always knew I had to work on and always believed that I had the ability to do so, but now I can honestly say that I have made huge progress and can say that I am a two-way player. [MG] What do you believe you need to work on to get back to the/nhl and stick? [LK] It’s tough to say and all I can do is play my hardest. Right now I am trying to put up more points during my time down in Worcester. [MG] Have you set any goals for yourself this season? [LK] No doubt I want to get back to and play in the/nhl this-season. That would be a dream come true to go back to San Jose. The/nhl is definitely my goal, but I also want to help Worcester win some games while I’m here. [Update] Prospect Insider: San Jose Sharks 2008-2009 top 12 prospects - Shane Malloy for TSN.Source

Penguins 7, Red Wings 6 - 11-11-08

PREGAME-We're putting the over/under on "Marian Hossa was a Penguin" references at 23 1/2.-"Ty Conklin was a Penguin" is at 6 1/2.-"Mikael Samuelsson was a Penguin" brings in the rear at 3.-If advertising is ever truly indicative of where an entity stands on the totem pole of life, the NHL is pretty far down. You tune into any NFL game, you're bombarded with ads from Pepsi, UPS and Sprint. Tune in to an NHL game between two of the league's highest profile teams and what do you get?-Socks that prevent your feet from smelling.-The Penguins will scratch Paul Bissonnette and Mark Eaton.-Detroit's scratches are Dan Cleary and Brett Lebda.-Marc-Andre Fleury and Chris Osgood will start in net.-Right off the bat, we're reminded that the Penguins played the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup final.-And we're also reminded that Marian Hossa used to play for the Penguins.-The Penguins played the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup final.-Marian Hossa used to play for the Penguins.-Marian Hossa reminds us that the Penguins played the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup final and that in fact, he actually used to play with the Penguins.-Going to commercial, Mike Emrick reminds us that the Penguins played the Red Wings in the Cup final.-The Versus studio show reminds us that Marian Hossa used to play for the Penguins.-Marian Hossa used to play for the Penguins.-Lots of empty seats down low in Joe Louis Arena. Why is this "Hockeytown" again?FIRST PERIOD18:35: The Penguins played the Red Wings in the Cup final.18:08: The crowd is very dead for a game against a pretty notable opponent. It's almost like a Sunday afternoon Islanders game.17:59: The Penguins played the Red Wings in the Cup final.17:54: Petr Sykora is denied by Chris Osgood.17:30: Henrik Zetterberg tosses a crossing pass into the slot. Fleury pokes it away.16:45: Hossa is set up with a big one-timer in the slot. Fleury fights his big blast off with his shoulder.15:36: Fleury covers a loose puck in the crease.15:26: Who needs Hossa!?!? Maxime Talbot steals the puck off Brian Rafalski and dumps it back for Miroslav Satan. Satan feeds it into the crease for Crosby who is able to tip it by Osgood. Fire Ritch Winter. Penguins 1-0.15:09: Johan Franzen is called for hooking.14:16: Satan tees up a slapper that missed the net.13:59: The Red Wings come up on a two-on-one but Alex Goligoski is able to flop down and knock a pass away with his glove. Huge play.13:48: A one-timer by Darryl Sydor is shuffled away about Osgood.13:23: Hossa clears the puck on a penalty kill. Fire Ray Shero.13:09: The Red Wings kill off Franzen's penalty.11:41: Eric Godard is called for elbowing.11:37: Jordan Staal beats Hossa on a faceoff. Fire Ken Holland.10:58: Staal steals the puck off Hossa and pushes it out of the Penguins' zone. Fire Ken Holland.10:21: Franzen feeds a pass to Zetterberg by the cage. Zetterberg pushes it juuuuust wide.10:06: Franzen is denied by Fleury.9:59: Niklas Kronwall puts a quick shot on net from the left point. Fleury is able to hang on despite a screen by Franzen.9:48: NIcklas Lidstrom blasts a slapper from the left point. Rob Scuderi blocks it but pays a price. It hits him in the foot and drops him immediately. Ugh. Scuderi struggles to get up. Officials blow play dead to allow him to recover. Trainer Chris Stewart comes out to attend to Scuderi who is finally able to get to his feet and limp off the ice. He goes to the bench and immediately goes to the locker room. Just what this team needs. Another injured defenseman. 9:41: Godard's penalty expires.9:30: Coming back from commercial, Brooks Orpik reminds us that the Penguins played the Red Wings in the Cup final.9:17: Zetterberg gets behind the defense and flips a backhander on net. Fleury is able to fight it off.8:40: Fleury kicks a heavy shot out with a "thud."8:03: Andreas Lilja blasts a one-timer from the point. Fleury gloves it. The Red Wings have slowly taken over the play since Crosby's goal.7:54: Fleury gloves another shot. This one was from Pavel Datsyuk. The Penguins played the Red Wings in the Cup final.7:20: Osgood fights off a quick shot by Crosby.6:43: Kronwall tees up a big slapper from the left point. Talbot drops down blocks it with his legs.6:39: Darren McCarty? Off the rebound from Kronwall's shot, McCarty scoops it up and whips it by Fleury who may have been screened. Kirk Maltby gets an assist. Penguins 1, Red Wings 1.6:17: The great Mike Zigomanis is called for tripping Mikael Samuelsson.5:15: Marian Hossa used to play for the Penguins.4:41: Lidstrom tees up a slapper from the point. Tomas Holmstrom is in front of the net and is able to re-direct it by Fleury. Hossa gets an assist along with Lidstrom. Fire Ray Shero. Red Wings 2-1.3:39: Going to commercial, we're remind that the Penguins played the Red Wings in the Cup final.2:46: At some point or another, Scuderi has returned to the ice.2:16: Hossa blasts a big slapper from the left wing. Fleury kicks it out. Fire Ken Holland.0:54: Kris Letang moves his way into the offensive zone, slides into the slot and whips a wrister on net. Osgood eats it up.0:31: Geez. Another Red Wings power play. This time it's Alex Goligoski being sent off for hooking Henrik Zetterberg. Bad time to take that.0:06: Hal Gill blocks a slapper from the right wing.0:00: End of period. Red Wings 2, Penguins 1.FIRST INTERMISSION-The Penguins are lucky to only be down by a goal in this game. After Crosby's goal, Detroit pretty much controlled the rest of the period.-Stop us if this sounds familiar, the Penguins are getting outshot by the Red Wings. Detroit has a 14-5 advantage in shots.-Franzen leads the game with three.-Crosby and Letang lead the Penguins with two.-Detroit has a 12-10 advantage in faceoffs.-Crosby is 4-for-4.-Lidstrom leads the game with 8:28 of ice time.-Goligoski leads the Penguins with 7:44.-Darren McCarty reminds us that the Penguins played the Red Wings in the Cup final. -Detroit will have 1:29 of power-play time to start the period.SECOND PERIOD19:26: Fleury covers a shot by Datsyuk.18:51: Well that was ugly. A puck bounces of the skates of Orpik in the slot. Orpik can control it. Jiri Hudler collects it and dishes it to Franzen on the side of the net. Franzen has Fleury dead to rights and roofs it by the prone Penguins goaltender. Hudler and Samuelsson get the assists. As if that wasn't bad enough, Kris Letang is sent off for high sticking. Red Wings 3-1.16:51: Letang's penalty is killed.16:08: Sydor gets clipped with a high stick. No call.15:46: Sykora scoops a puck behind the net and tosses it into the front of the cage. Talbot is in the crease and gets driven into the net by a Red Wing. The puck deflects off Talbot's skate and by Osgood. It's a garbage goal, but the Penguins will take it if it stops the bleeding. Sykora and Crosby get the assists. Red Wings 3-2.15:14: Evgeni Malkin, Sykora and Ruslan Fedotenko come up on a three-on-two. Malkin passes it to Sykora who can only throw a weak pass into the crease.14:40: Andreas Lilja is called for hooking.14:27: Goligoski whips a wrister on net from the left point. Osgood appears to kick it out.13:26: Hossa shows the difference between him and Satan. Satan makes a poor pass from the corner to the point. Hossa steals it and works the puck by the Penguins player at the point. He works it through the neutral zone and zips a low shot on net that Fleury makes a save on. Fire Ray Shero.12:40: Lilja's penalty expires.12:37: Osgood denies Sykora.11:14: The Red Wings get a little sloppy with the puck in their own end. Pascal Dupuis picks it up and gets it in the slot. Talbot is able to jump on it and put a shot on net. Osgood is able to cover it. Marian Hossa used to play for the Penguins.10:43: Crosby whips a backhander on net that Osgood makes a save on with his shoulder.10:29: Talbot thumps Hossa along the boards.9:59: Fleury denies Franzen.9:23: Franzen zips a quick, sneaky wrister high on net. Fleury is able to glove it.9:17: It seems as if a lot of the lower level seats have filled in somewhat at Joe Louis Arena.7:11: Godard spills Kronwall in the corner. Kronwall loses his lid. We're in formed that Rob Scuderi will not return for the rest of the night. Yeesh.6:06: Malkin and Fedotenko make about 42 tic-tac-toe passes to each other before the lose the puck. Someone has to shoot that.5:08: Talbot feeds a pass into the slot for Crosby but it's a little ahead of the Penguins' captain.4:27: Someone apparently forgot about the NHL's new "no commercials after icing calls" rule as Versus goes to commercial then abruptly comes back to play. What a wonderful partner for the NHL. They don't even know the league's rules.3:18: Fedotenko is dropped with a nice check by Brad Stuart.1:56: Hossa dishes a backhanded pass to along the boards to Datsyuk who bombs a one-timer by Fleury who was screened by Holmstrom. It's almost not even fair. Hossa and Lidstrom get assists. Fire Ray Shero. Red Wings 4-2. 0:56: Osgood snags a wrister from the point. Lilja and Godard exchange their thoughts on the Norwich City Football Club. We think.0:12: Franzen centers a pass to Zetterberg in the slot. Zetterberg re-directs it on net. Fleury is able to hang on. Zetterberg crashes into the crease a bit and is pushed out.0:00: End of period. Cooke and a Red Wings player talk about the moustache of Alfonso XIII. We think. Red Wings 4, Penguins 2.SECOND INTERMISSION-All kidding aside but this almost seems like Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final. Detroit is just controlling play and the Penguins almost seem like spectators.-No surprisingly, the Red Wings have a 26-14 lead in shots.-Franzen leads the game with six shots.-Crosby leads the Penguins with four.-It's probably not a good think that Evgeni Malkin has failed to record a shot so far.-Detroit has a 23-16 edge in shots.-The great Mike Zigomanis is 6-for-8.-Zetterberg is 8-for-11.-Goligoski leads the game with 17:23 of ice time.-Lidstrom leads the Red Wings with 16:48.-Gill leads the game with three blocked shots.-We probably should've mentioned this earlier, but it is Veterans Day in the United States and Remembrance Day in Canada. Please take time to thank anyone you know who has served or is serving. Not just this day but any and every day. EN reader Bridget Croyle spotted this nice commercial that has been playing in Canada in honor of Remembrance Day: THIRD PERIOD19:49: Datsyuk whips a wild slapper wide of the net.19:38: Fleury denies Datsyuk.18:47: Sykora blasts a slapper from the left point that misses the net.18:41: Fleury eats up a blast by Franzen.18:08: Fleury snags a wrister tossed on net by Samuelsson through traffic.17:57: Godard of all people gets the first shot on net in the period for the penguins. Osgood fights it off.16:46: Sydor blasts a big shot from the point. Osgood eats it up. The Penguins played the Red Wings in the Cup final.16:27: Crosby is sent off for interference. The Penguins need to kill this if they hope to have any chance here.15:50: Lidstrom sneaks in from the point and rips a wrister just wide of the net.14:57: Wow is that pretty. Zetterberg dishes a puck to Hudler on the left wing. Hudler tosses it back into the slot for Zetterberg who beats Gill and easily deflects it by Fleury. Kronwall and Hudler get assists. Red Wings 5-2.14:25: Franzen is sent off for holding Sydor.14:20: Huge break for the Penguin shere. Valtteri Filppula is sent off for hooking. The Penguins will get a two-man advantage for 1:55. 14:06: Malkin's one-timer is blocked by Lilja.13:36: Osgood fights off a wrister by Malkin.13:15: Sykora turns and whips a wrister on net. Osgood makes a save. Why is this oh so familiar?13:03: The Penguins still have a chance. Malkin controls the puck at the right point, sneaks in and rips a wrister that burns Osgood on the glove stick side, clinks off the post and into the net. The Penguins will still get 40 seconds of power-play time. Red Wings 5-3.12:20: The Penguins played the Red Wings in the Cup final. And Filppula's penalty expires.11:51: Remember when Jordan Staal stunk? He doesn't. The Red Wings get sloppy in their own end. Cooke steals the puck and dishes it to Staal. Staal is able to switch to the backhand and roof a shot over a prone Osgood. Cooke and the great Mike Zigomanis get the assists. Red Wings 5-4.9:46: Hudler blasts a slapper from the right wing. Fleury gets a piece of it but it flutters in the air towards the net. Letang dives to knock it out but can't quite reach it. That's a poor goal for Fleury to give up. Kris Draper and Mikael Samuelsson get the assists. Fire Craig Patrick. Red Wings 6-4.9:36: "Fleeeeerrrr-Eeeeeeee..... Fleeeeerrr-Eeeeeee...."8:52: Hossa is able to get through the Penguins' defense with the puck and snaps a wrister low. Fleury is able to kick it out with his right leg. Fire Ken Holland.7:22: Tyler Kennedy tosses a wrister on net that Osgood knocks down with ease and shuffles away.6:22: Fedotenko tosses a weak shot on net. Osgood knocks it down and moves it to a teammate.5:23: The Penguins played the Red Wings in the Cup final.4:09: Jordan Staal is playing like it's 2006-07. After the Penguins control the puck for approximately 40 second in the Detroit zone, Letang tosses a wrister on net from the right point. It hits a body in front. Staal is able gather the puck and wrist it by Osgood. This game has been crazy. Letang and Kennedy get assists. Red Wings 6-5.2:34: Crosby pushes a backhander on Osgood who kick it out with his left leg.1:34: Kennedy blasts a slapper that Osgood knocks away.1:22: Letang fires a slapper that Osgood fights off.1:05: Fleury is pulled for an extra attacker.0:49: Letang fires a slapper that Osgood knocks away.0:30: Sydor controls the puck and dishes a cross-ice pass to Crosby who spins and whipes a backander on net that Osgood eats up. Wow. Detroit calls a time out. Marian Hossa used to play for the Penguins.0:22: Oh wow! Talk about Deja vu. Malkin collects a loose puck at the right point. Malkin blasts itinto a cluster of bodies. It hits someone, falls to the ice. Staal is able to jump on it and put it by Osgood. Deal Lord what has gotten in to Staal? He has a hat trick. And five goals his last four games. Malkin and the great Mike Zigomanis get the assists. Penguins 6, Red Wings 6.0:03: Now Staal draws a penalty! He forces Brian Rafalski to hook him while fighting for a puck.0:00: End of period. Penguins 6, Red Wings 6.OVERTIME4:20: Osgood kicks out a big blast by Malkin with a "thud."3:23: Malkin blasts a slapper that misses the net.3:14: Sykora tries to feed a puck across the crease but Osgood covers it up.2:58: Rafalski's penalty expires. The Penguins missed a big chance there.1:36: Kronwall takes a nice pass from Hossa and fires a big slapper from the left wing. Letang is able slide over and deflect it away.1:11: Oh man! Staal backchecks on Datsyuk and steals the puck off of him. He curls back into the offensive zone and dishes a pass to Fedotenko on the right wing. Fedotenko one-times a shot that beats Osgood on the glove side. What in the world just happened? Penguins 7, Red Wings 6.POSTGAME-Wow. Just wow. What an amazing game. No wonder the NHL wanted these two teams to play each other twice this season. Look at the show they put on tonight. Regardless of what team you root for this was just an amazing game. -No word yet if Gary Bettman will push to have these two teams play 82 games next season.-What in the world has gotten into Jordan Staal? He was a beast tonight. He scored the tying goal and assisted on the game winner. Heck, he pretty much created the game-winner. He totally overwhelmed Detroit in the third period. We assume all those Staal-for-whoever trade rumors will be put to rest for a little while at least.-Staal's four points were a career high for a single game. Staal's last multi-point regular season game was a three-point effort in a 4-1 win at Tampa Bay Jan. 10. The only other hat trick in his career was in a 6-5 overtime win at Toronto Feb. 10, 2007.-We know on paper this game is just two points against a Western Conference opponent. In terms of the standings, this game means as much as a game against Nashville or Columbus, but we all know that it means much more than that to the team. They can say all they want about not worrying about last season or not caring about Marian Hossa, but this win has to be so satisfying.-That said, we're sure the Penguins would take the Stanley Cup banner and the all-world two-way foward over a overtime win against a non-conference foe in November.-What in the world happened to Detroit's vaunted defense? It totally collapsed in the third period.-How about Michel Therrien sticking the great Mike Zigomanis out there in key situations throughout the third period to take faceoffs? Do the Penguins have that much faith in Zigomanis' other abilities or were they just desperate for some faceoff wins?-Think about this. There were six goals scored in the third period alone.-The Penguins ended up tying Detroit in shots on goal with 34.-It's amazing how ordinary Chris Osgood looks when he faces more than 17 shots a game huh?-The Penguins' last regular season win against the Red Wings was a 4-3 win in Pittsburgh Oct. 18, 2003. Rico Fata scored the game winner. Ryan Malone and Aleksey Morozov had the assists. Fata had two goals and an assist. It was Ed Olczyk's first career win as an NHL coach.-The Penguins' last regular season win in Detroit was a 4-3 defeat of the Red Wings Dec. 10, 2000. Toby Petersen had the game-winner on assists from Jaromir Jagr and Roman Simicek. Garth Snow made 33 saves in the win.-Franzen and Zetterberg led the game with 7 shots.-Crosby led the Penguins with six.-Detroit had a 37-30 advantage in faceoffs.-Zigomanis was 9-for-14.-Lidstrom led the game with 29:26 of ice time.-Goligoski led the Penguins with 27:45.-Gill, Lidstrom and Lilja each led the game with three blocked shots.-Hossa "only" had two assists. Fire Ken Holland.-Unofficially Hossa was a former Penguin approximately 402 times while the Penguins and Red Wings hooked up in the Stanley Cup final 2,423 times.-Game summary.-Event summary.-Highlights.

Bid for 66

The Mario Lemieux Foundation is currently holding online auctions through.nhl.com for an opportunity for others to help raise money for the fight against cancer.Those interested will be able to bid for various memorabilia autographed by a number of athletes from the Pittsburgh Penguins.nhl, NFL, NBA, and others which also include limited edition items from Mario Lemieux and the Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational. Autographed sticks, helmets, gloves, jerseys are among the long list of autographed items up for auction.All proceeds will benefit the Mario Lemieux Foundation.For more information and a list of items, PLEASE VISIT THE.nhl AUCTIONS PAGE.Source

Lost in Transition: Old Media Remains Three Strides Behind Dmitry Chesnokov

Once again we are indebted to Dmitry Chesnokov for bringing us news the mainstream media couldn't. You may have heard: our Alexander Semin recently shared a few reflections on the Obama of our sport with Chesnokov, which appeared in the Russian newspaper SovetskySport. Now that the uproar has settled (a bit) over Semin's truth-telling, it's appropriate and instructive to reflect on where we are in our 3.0 world of hockey coverage. Semin, like me and a few hundred thousand other hockey fans around the world, watches Sidney Crosby and sees a better skating Ron Francis. And there's nothing wrong with that. The young Nova Scotian is lethally efficient. However, he was also anointed The Next One before he'd scored his first/nhl secondary assist. And so Semin, like hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of others, wondered: what's all the Madison Avenue fuss about? The temerity! Interestingly, though, the outcry against his published musings came less from Canadian hockey fans with understandable pride in their native star or Penguins' fans -- no small number of whom actually voiced support for Semin's stance in page after page of comments left at the TSN and Yahoo coverage pages of the story. One reader comment read thusly: "I definitely think it's interesting to hear a guy's take on Crosby likethis. I don't think I've heard any other players talk about him thisway. Makes me wonder about other players take on him." Me, too. Interestingly, it was the/nhl, through its typical clandestine machinations, that sprang into a stealth defense of its poster boy. The Capitals of course were placed in a spectacularly awkward position once Semin's sober reasonings reached international consciousness. Truth, in this instance, was no defense.But note, too, that when Capitals' head coach Bruce Boudreau was pressed to comment on the matter all he could offer was a fourth party's conjecture about the story's origins and a smile. More telling was Penguins' coach Michel Therrien taking a full week to formulate a response, and a not very persuasive or cogent one at that (par for the course from that source). A PR firm likely came up with that, which given the subject matter would be so apropos. The English edition of Semin's assault on hockey's version of Creationism appeared where it ought to have: at puck daddy. Hip, cutting edge thoughts lodged at a hip, cutting edge outlet. So thanks to new media, a central question at the heart of post-lockout hockey was at long last raised for healthy public scrutiny. Old media in its coverage of Sidney Crosby has been, going on four years now, disconcertingly reminiscent of the complicit White House press pack that covered Camelot: In the tank. Perhaps that's because a corporate, herd mindset leads to corporate, herd writing, broadcasting.It needs to be stated, explicitly: the most interesting and compelling story of the season to date was unearthed, promulgated, and fomented by new media. Don't mistake, as some in media and the/nhl have, Chesnokov's SovetskySport affiliation with that of an old media alliance. Chesnokov is a lawyer by training and trade, without one day's formal training in journalism. (Which is why we like him!) He's principled, honest, hard-charging, and has a passion for hockey. In other words, a poor fit for many American old media outlets. He seeks out stories that aren't being told in the conventions of contemporary old media. As such he's shamed everyone on the hockey beat in this town for two years running. It was Chesnokov who approached me with his countrymen's complaints of what Reebok's uniform systems were doing to their gloves and boots last season (drowning them). All that led to was the abolition, by all 30/nhl teams, of the uniform material Reebok was using. Up in the Verizon Center press box, Chesnokov sits among bloggers, whom he calls friends and the present and future of National Hockey League media.Chesnokov doesn't set out to shame the lazy, robotic, and tenured in the MSM. They do that well enough on their own. On at least a dozen occasions the past two years he's walked up to MSM beat reporters with offers to bring them to notable stories, stories at times carrying international impact, offering to work as translator with Washington's elite Russian talents. He did this most recently with a Washington television reporter when he knew he was having his mid-week sit-down with Semin right before Halloween. But again he got MSM indifference. Rightly proud of his elite/nhl countrymen, Chesnokov wanted a fuller, truer side of Semin recorded in the English press, so he offered to pose questions from Greg Wyshynski and me for our respective use.And before we go any further, let's acknowledge the portrait of Semin as it's been brought to you by old media the past four or five years. What words should we use in this endeavor -- iconoclast, withdrawn, enigmatic, selfish, solitary, immature? And yet the Alexander Semin revealed in Chesnokov's interview was thoughtful and introspective, candid, engaging, damned interesting, frank. Wouldn't want to read any more of that, would we?Chesnokov is a naturalized American, and the freedoms he associates with that allegiance -- free speech foremost among them -- he savors and honors in ways I think many Americans take for granted. "If we can mock the president and the vice president of our country, the very people who run our country, on 'Saturday Night Live' each week, why then is Sidney Crosby sacred?" he asked me, rhetorically.So desperate were some of the back-channel attacks against Chesnokov in the last two weeks that there was even the suggestion that somehow he'd managed to mangle Semin's replies -- a direct attack on his reportorial integrity. That slur went silent not long after the attackers realized that all 55 minutes of Semin's musings over sushi went straight into Chesnokov's recorder. Also, there's this: we are at day 14 since the interview, and neither Semin nor his agent want to modify a single word from the interview. Fidelity in translation. And mind you, this is the same Chesnokov sought out by the likes of Michael Farber, the dean of hockey journalism at SI, when he seeks court with the Ovechkin family. (Farber, incidentally, sent Chesnokov a congratulatory email for the Semin interview on November 10.) It is also the same Chesnokov who translates, gratis, press interactions between Russians and North American media whenever/nhl teams (most especially including the Caps) ask. Interesting, isn't it, that the lone instance of "translation error" for this new media reporter would be associated with the topic of one Sidney Crosby?Every Halloween hereafter, we in HockeyWashington, let us freshly recite Semin's scary words for the blue blazers in the/nhl's league office:"What's so special about [Crosby]? I don't see anything special there. Yes, he does skate well, has a good head, good pass. But there's nothing else. Even if you compare him to Patrick Kane from Chicago ... [Kane] is a much more interesting player. The way he moves, his deking abilities, his thinking on the ice and his anticipation of the play is so superb."I think that if you take any player, even if he is "dead wood," and start promoting him, you'll get a star. Especially if he scores 100 points. No one is going to care about anyone else. No one is going to care whether he possesses great skill. Let's say you put someone in front of the net and let him deflect pucks in, and he scored 50 goals; everyone will say "Wow!" and then hand him a $10 million per year contract. That's what they like here."And in Russia people like beautiful hockey, and not dump and chase. I just don't get it, why when a player is skating up the ice and no one is attacking him, he dumps the puck into the offensive zone and then chases it? Why would you do this if there is no one forechecking you? I understand that if there is someone coming at you and you don't know whether you can get past that player, then you can dump the puck, pass it or shoot. But if not, then hold on to the puck, skate forward, create a chance."Why would you want to dump the puck and then chase after it and crash into the boards? I don't know. But that's just my opinion." We'd do well also to acknowledge the role that Chesnokov has played in North American hockey coverage the past two summers, when many hockey beat reporters are off covering golf, tennis, NASCAR, or whatever. Photos, fun files, and intrigue from Alexander Ovechkin's Moscow summers are largely the work of Chesnokov and SovetskySport then. His warm weather work has been a blessing of a time-passing bridge for hockey fans orphaned by the offseason. Interesting, isn't it, that none of those scores of files were maligned by charges of mis-translations?Puck daddy calls Chesnokov his "official comrade." I call him an official friend. Hockey fans this fall should call him a godsend. Source

Nashville goalie Dan Ellis withstands firing range, faces franchise record 57 shots on goal emerging with 4-3 OT win, SJ suffers first loss at home

NASHVILLE GOALIE #39 DAN ELLIS MAKES ONE OF HIS 54 SAVES SHARKS CAPTAIN #12 PATRICK MARLEAU LINES UP FOR A FACEOFF IN THE 2ND SAN JOSE RW #16 DEVIN SETOGUCHI REGISTERS 1 OF 10 SHOTS ON GOAL In February it was Evgeni Nabokov who turned in a sparkling 31-save performance against Columbus that signaled 2007-08 would be something special. With San Jose giving up odd man rushes and scoring chances by the handful, Nabokov pulled incredible highlight reel saves out of his goalie hat against Manny Malhotra, Jason Chimera and Rick Nash to give the Sharks a chance to win the game. On a rare rainy Tuesday night in San Jose, it was Dan Ellis working a little magic against the Sharks as he stopped 54 of a franchise record 57 shots on goal to earn a 4-3 overtime win. The Predators were reeling. Shutout twice against Vancouver and Colorado, Nashville lost the first 3 games of a long 6-game road trip to sink to a 6-7-1 record. Dan Ellis withstood a barrage early as the Sharks outshot Nashville 43-18 after 40 minutes. Ellis held firm as San Jose pressured with Mike Grier, Joe Pavelski and Patrick Marleau outnumbering Nashville in front 3-to-1 and taking repeated whacks at the puck. The Predators received a break early when a quick whistle negated a Joe Thornton goal on a 4-on-3. Thornton tried to stuff a puck home short side. Patrick Marleau took a chop at a rebound in front, and Thornton reversed around behind the net and fired a backhand by Ellis. Referee Dave Jackson instantly waived off the play. One referee skated to the scorers table to explain the call, another explained the situation to Sharks head coach Todd McLellan, but no one explained the call to the 17,496-strong sellout crowd. Play resumed tied 0-0. Patrick Marleau set up Devin Setoguchi for the first goal of the game at 16:52. Setoguchi launched a blistering slapshot from the left faceoff circle that beat Ellis cleanly for his 8th goal of the season. Marleau was skating with confidence, blowing by players in the neutral zone with speed and backchecking hard. He was easily the best player on the ice not wearing a #39 Nashville Predators jersey. The Sharks added another goal 16:53 into the second after a Joe Thornton point blank shot created a juicy rebound teed up for Rob Blake. All 4 lines were creating scoring chances for San Jose. Led by the goaltending of Ellis, the Predators continued to battle back in the game regardless of the score, regardless of shot totals or momentum. Nashville right wing Patrick Hornqvist dumped a puck in on Brian Boucher. Preds captain Jason Arnott beat Rob Blake to the loose rebound, snapping a backhand that beat Boucher five hole. Nashville's forecheck in the third period created pressure on the Sharks defense moving the puck up ice. Another odd bounce on a dump in as the puck deflects to Vernon Fiddler in the slot. Quick shot with traffic in front beats Boucher glove side. Score tied 2-2. San Jose's big line of Marleau, Thornton and Setoguchi answered back 27 seconds later. Thornton took a pass behind the net, and hit a driving Setoguchi in front with a slick backhand feed. Setoguchi deposits it for his team leading 9th goal of the season (tied with Ryane Clowe). The Sharks are keeping their feet moving, dumping the puck deep in the Nashville zone, and using their size and speed to dominate play along the boards and in the neutral zone. Tomas Plihal takes a 2 minute hooking call at 11:52, and 1 second after the penalty expires J.P. Dumont and Ryan Suter combine for point blank shots on Brian Boucher. The rebound on Dumont's shot deflects to Suter open in front, and the son of former Sharks defenseman Gary Suter buries it to tie the game at 3-3. Ellis again holds firm against a furious Sharks rally as seconds tick down in regulation. In overtime, Ryane Clowe pulls up and fires a long shot from the redline between Jason Arnott and Ryan Suter. Arnott waives a stick at Patrick Marleau, and Marleau explodes to gather the rebound and snap a shot blocker side. Save of the game by Dan Ellis 3:50 into OT. After a faceoff loss by Roenick, a pair of Predators drive the net and create traffic in front of Boucher. Defenseman Ville Koistinen takes two strides to his right and hammers home the game winning goal from 30 feet out. Dan Ellis stopped 54 of 57 shots to earn his 5th win of the season (5-7-1, .890SV%, 3.19GAA). The Sharks had 16 power play shots in the first 2 periods but finished 1-7 overall with the man advantage. Brian Boucher stopped 25 of 29 shots in a losing effort (3-1-1, .936SV%, 1.59GAA, 2SO). Boucher is scheduled to be on XM's here. Youtube video highlights are available here. [Update] OT loss ends Sharks' home winning streak at nine - David Pollak for the SJ Mercury News. [Update2] Preds survive 57-shot barrage, win in OT - John Glennon for the Nashville Tennessean. It was hard enough to believe the Predators had survived their encounter with San Jose on Tuesday, let alone comprehend the fact they were raising their sticks in victory afterward. The Sharks had done everything but bury the Predators under the ice for most of the game — certainly for the first two periods, when they outshot Nashville by a 43-17 margin. But thanks to a spectacular effort by Predators’ goalie Dan Ellis, as well as a couple of one-goal rallies in the third period, Nashville came away with a 4-3 overtime victory that in many ways defied description. The Predators won on a night they tied a decade-old franchise record for shots allowed (57), in a building where they’d tasted victory just once in 12 previous trips, and against a team that had gone 9-0 at HP Pavilion to start the season. [Update3] Head to Head: Pick your poison, in a battle of d-men who is tops Dan Boyle or Brian Campbell?.nhl.com.Source