Newsmakers in the NHL: Zetterberg Leads Detroit Over San Jose

Red Wings 4, Sharks 1: In the fourth -- and final -- regular season installment of Western Conference Finals Preview '09, Detroit picked up a 4-1 win over San Jose on Wednesday night. Henrik Zetterberg scored a pair of goals in the win, including a shorthanded marker early in the second period to give the Wings a commanding 3-0 lead.

Marian Hossa and Ville Leino also scored for Detroit, while Ty Conklin turned aside 34-of-35 shots in net. The loss snaps San Jose's four game winning streak, while the two teams split the season series.

Penguins 1, Islanders 0: After getting some help on Tuesday night, the Penguins were faced with a must-win game on Wednesday against the New York Islanders, and they were going to have to do it without the services of Sidney Crosby and Ryan Whitney. Crosby was out with a groin injury, while Whitney returned home to Boston to take care of some "family matters." Insert your own trade rumor here.

The first 50 minutes of this game was like watching paint dry, until Petr Sykora broke a scoreless tie at the 17:32 mark of the third period, giving the Penguins a 1-0 win. Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside all 21 shots he faced to register his third shutout of the season. Pittsburgh sits two points behind Florida and Buffalo for the No. 8 spot.

Maple Leafs 2, Rangers 1: John Tortorella made his coaching debut for the Rangers on Wednesday, and it began the same way Tom Renney's coaching tenure ended -- with a loss to Toronto. Ian White and Markus Naslund took part in one of the worst fights of the season early in the first period, while Wade Redden gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead with a power play goal midway through the second period.

The Rangers would hold that lead until the 10:21 mark of the third period when Niklas Hagman scored the equalizer for the Maple Leafs. Toronto's Nikolai Kulemin scored the only goal in the shootout, as Vesa Toskala turned aside all three New York shooters. Toskala stopped 31-of-32 shots in regulation and overtime.

Wednesday's other game

Jeff Carter scored goal No. 36 while Martin Biron stopped all 34 shots Los Angeles fired at him in a 2-0 Philadelphia win.

Daily rebounds

-- It seems that Montreal's Georges Laraque has requested a trade.

-- Scott Clemmensen was outstanding for the Devils in place of an injured Martin Brodeur, and now he's heading to the minors. Had he been on the roster when Brodeur was activated he would have had to clear waivers in order to be sent to the minors.

-- The Rangers claimed forward Mark Bell on re-entry waivers.

-- Toronto general manager Brian Burke sets his asking price for defenseman Tomas Kaberle

Thursday's key games

-- Columbus travels to Edmonton for a huge Western Conference tilt. The Blue Jackets enter the contest occupying the No. 6 spot in the conference, while Edmonton, just one point back, sits in a four-way tie with Minnesota, Dallas, and Anaheim.

-- Speaking of big games in the playoff race, Buffalo and Carolina are separated by just one point for the No.'s 8 and 9 spots in the east.

-- Florida travels to the Garden to take on the slumping Rangers.