NHL FanHouse

Fight of the Week: Blood Sport

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Maple Leafs, Penguins, Rangers, Senators, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

Sometimes, we scour the internet looking for the best fight, only to be left underwhelmed. There are other weeks where this job couldn't possibly be any easier. The good fights jump at you, and the players involved are the guys you would expect to see in the big fights. This week's winning fight has some blood in it, so use caution as you proceed.

Punch of the Week: Colton Orr vs. Matt Carkner

Poor Carkner. He did the right thing, he thought, in going after Orr. He didn't have a chance, however, in this fight. Orr got him with a right, and Carkner's night was over -- or, at least this fight was. Orr got a very easy win in a fight that wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining without Joe Bowen at the mic. Watch it here.

Runner-Up: Krys Barch vs. Brad May

When a fight like this is a runner-up, you know you're in for a good week. Barch and May are both good fighters, and while May has many years on Barch, he held up well, and this one only ended when May lost his footing. Watch the video here.

Runner-Up: Eric Godard vs. Chris Neil

Godard is no stranger to the fisticuffs. Having Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as teammates can keep an enforcer busy. Meanwhile, Neil doesn't like having fights stopped. This particular bout looked to be ending a couple different times, only to have Neil keep things going by throwing a shot or two. Check it out by clicking here.

Fight of the Week: Matt Bradley vs. Aaron Voros

Bradley got a couple shots in, but he clearly took the worst of this fight. You simply can't win a fight most of the time when you're wearing the crimson mask at the end of it. However, Bradley got the last laugh. After getting cleaned up from his bout with Voros, he returned and was credited with the game-winning goal as the Capitals beat the Rangers.

Fight of the Week: Blood Sport originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Plus/Minus: Huselius Leads Jackets Over Stars; Fleury Gets Benched

Adam Gretz — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Penguins, Thrashers

We're trying something different to replace the old Newsmakers in the NHL posts. Hopefully you'll like it. Each weekday we'll take a look at one positive performance from the previous night (a plus), and one negative performance from the previous night (a minus). It's the plus/minus.Tell us what you think at nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

More Coverage: Thursday's NHL Scoreboard
Leafs-Canes In A Surprising Thriller

Plus Of The Day: Kristian Huselius, Columbus Blue Jackets

A lot of the discussion from the Columbus-Dallas game will be centered around James Neal's hit on Derek Dorsett (which resulted in Neal getting a five-minute major and a game-misconduct), and the near fight between goaltenders Steve Mason and Marty Turco in what was a physical, penalty-filled game. The star of the night for Columbus -- which pulled out a 4-1 win on the road -- was forward Kristian Huselius, who scored two goals and added an assist in his team-high 22 minutes of ice-time.

Huselius has now recorded six points (three goals, three assists) in his past three games since returning from a shoulder injury, helping lead the Blue Jackets to their third straight win and sixth in the past eight games.

Minus Of The Day: Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins welcomed Sergei Gonchar and Max Talbot back to the lineup on Thursday night in Ottawa, but were still on the losing end of a 6-2 decision that saw starting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury get yanked after giving up five consecutive goals.

Some of the blame can be pinned on a relatively inexperienced defense that, thanks to injuries to Alex Goligoski, Kris Letang, Brooks Orpik and Jay McKee, now consists of Deryk Engelland, Ben Lovejoy, Nate Guenin and Martin Skoula, but that doesn't excuse some of the goals Fleury gave up in the third period, including a pair of bad angle goals from defenseman Chris Phillips.

Fleury stopped just 19 of 24 shots on the night, and was pulled for the second time in his past three road starts (the other being a 5-0 loss in San Jose).

Highlight Of The Day: The Atlanta Thrashers overcame a 2-0 deficit to force a shootout on Thursday night, a comeback effort that saw Nik Antropov score his first goal of the season. Entering the night, Antropov led the Thrashers with 16 assists, but had yet to get his name in the goal column. That all changed when he deflected a Tobias Enstrom shot past Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask.

Plus/Minus: Huselius Leads Jackets Over Stars; Fleury Gets Benched originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tim Thomas' Rough Night Leads to Improbable Loss for Boston

Adam Gretz — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:45:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Penguins, NHL Videos

To quote fictional hockey coach Ted Orion in D3: The Mighty Ducks (Hey, I admit it, I've watched it): "How long does it take to score a goal? Less than a second." That's a lesson the Boston Bruins learned on Saturday night as they were 0.4 seconds away from pulling out a back-and-forth 5-4 win.

Instead, a broken stick, a buzzer-beating goal and an embarrassing turnover from Tim Thomas in overtime led to a 6-5 loss in Pittsburgh.

Video of the insanity after the jump.

Just two minutes after Marco Sturm was credited with a go-ahead goal to give the Bruins a 5-4 lead, a loose puck came to Patrice Bergeron with less than 10 seconds to play in regulation, and as he attempted to shoot it at an empty net, his stick snapped in half. The puck was then picked up by Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin -- playing his first game in nearly three weeks -- who then took it the other way and slid a cross-ice pass to Bill Guerin who snapped it behind Thomas from the top of the circle just four-tenths of a second before the horn sounded.

If that wasn't bad enough for Thomas and the Bruins, just a little over a minute into the overtime period, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner turned the puck over behind the net which led to Jordan Staal feeding a wide-open Pascal Dupuis for an empty-net game-winner.

It was Dupuis' second goal of the game, and the win snapped what had been a four-game losing streak for Pittsburgh. The game was non-stop offense from start to finish, as the two teams combined for 11 goals and 66 shots, while no team ever held more than a one-goal lead.

Thomas is a fantastic player, but this is a game he would probably like to soon forget.

Tim Thomas' Rough Night Leads to Improbable Loss for Boston originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Puck Talk: Can the Penguins Repeat?

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Penguins, Eastern

The Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup last June, and returned in October with most of their core intact. So far, so good for the Pens, who have battled through injuries on their way to a good start this season. The team's good start has us wondering what their chances are for a repeat of last season. For help, we turned to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette's Seth Rorabaugh, who writes the Empty Netters blog.

Listen after the jump.

Listen to the podcast above, or click here to download the file.

Puck Talk: Can the Penguins Repeat? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Teamwork of Rivals May Have Saved Life

Christopher Botta — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Penguins, Sharks, NHL Injuries, FanHouse Exclusive

The NHL can be a league of brutality, of fierce grudges played out inside the boards. But one of the game's most endearing qualities is the sportsmanship demonstrated when the final buzzer sounds. There is, of course, the traditional handshake after playoff series. Then there are the moments you don't hear much about.

David Morehouse (pictured right) arrived safely at home on Thursday morning. The 48-year-old president of the Pittsburgh Penguins had emergency endovascular stent surgery on Sunday in California to repair a blocked artery. But there is a lot more to this story.

"In the National Hockey League, we have more of a family culture than you'd expect because the games are so competitive, the rivalries so intense," said Tom McMillan, the Penguins Vice President of Communications. "The way two teams worked together on Sunday to take care of Dave Morehouse kind of says it all."

On Sunday morning, about 10 hours after the Penguins lost to the Sharks in San Jose, Pittsburgh's players, coaches and staff boarded a charter aircraft bound for home. Ten minutes before the flight's scheduled departure, Morehouse told Penguins head athletic trainer Chris Stewart that he was experiencing discomfort in his chest and pains down his left arm. Stewart immediately took Morehouse off the plane and told his colleagues to travel without them.

This is when the teamwork of rivals began. Stewart reached San Jose Sharks head trainer Ray Tufts and asked if he could provide any assistance. According to an eyewitness account provided to FanHouse, the Sharks staff worked for Morehouse as if he was their team president.

Tufts, who who was honored this week for recently working his 1000th NHL game, bolted immediately to San Jose Mineta International Airport to pick up Morehouse and Stewart. He drove them to a small hospital in Los Gatos for a preliminary observation with a cardiologist. The Sharks trainer also contacted head team physician Dr. John Chiu, who assisted in the early diagnosis and then arranged for Morehouse to be transferred to the larger El Camino Hospital in Mountain View.

Morehouse, who has three children with his wife Vanessa, underwent stent surgery considered minimally invasive, but might have had to endure much more if the Penguins' charter took off for the five-hour flight with him on it. Crediting the poise and quick thinking of his trainer Chris Stewart, Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby said, "Chris was getting a lot of pats on the back. That was scary stuff. He was really smart to tell Dave to stay back. That was big. It's a long flight. He may have saved his life."

Although Tufts, the Sharks trainer, and Chiu, San Jose's medical director, politely declined interview requests from FanHouse -- therefore declining to take any credit -- Morehouse and the Penguins family know the real story behind his extraordinary care.

"The Sharks' medical staff was just incredible to us," said McMillan, the Penguins' VP. "We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude."

Teamwork of Rivals May Have Saved Life originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Plus/Minus: Boyes, Perron Have Breakout Game; Crosby Still Slumping

Adam Gretz — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Penguins

More Coverage: Tuesday's NHL Scoreboard

Plus Of The Day: Brad Boyes, David Perron -- St. Louis Blues

After scoring 76 goals the past two seasons, Brad Boyes entered play on Tuesday with just two goals and four assists in 15 games. Somewhat disappointing to say the least. He nearly matched his point total for the season with one goal and three assists (and a plus-three rating) in St. Louis' 6-1 thrashing of Vancouver, as the Blues ended what had been a five-game losing streak -- a streak that saw them score just four goals.

It's only their fourth win in 14 games since returning from their season-opening trip to Sweden, where they knocked off the Detroit Red Wings in back-to-back games.

Boyes tallied three assists in the first period (including one just 18 seconds into the game on an Andy McDonald goal) as the Blues chased Canucks goaltender Andrew Raycroft after he surrendered four goals on 13 shots. He would later add his third goal of the season at the 18:45 mark of the second period, capitalizing on a power play.

Meanwhile, David Perron also had a bust-out game for the Blues, recording his first career hat trick. The third-year forward had zero points in his first seven games, and has since put up 11 in the ensuing nine games, including five in the past two.

While the Blues have been losing quite a bit recently, the positive they can take out of it is that their last three losses all came in overtime or a shootout, so they've at least managed to pick up a few Bettman/charity points in the standings, and they're still just four points out of a playoff spot (though, it's way too early to even seriously discuss such a thing). Still, this is the type of performance we should be expecting from the Blues a little more frequently this season. There's just too much young talent (and experienced talent) on this team to be losing games (and not scoring goals) like they've been through the first month of the season.

Minus Of The Day: Sidney Crosby -- Pittsburgh Penguins

This was a toss-up between Sidney Crosby and Raycroft for his woeful performance against the Blues, but I decided to go with Crosby who has been M.I.A for the better part of two weeks now. After all, it's not everyday that Crosby has to be singled out for a lack of production, and, frankly, right now he needs to be singled out.

With the Penguins decimated by injuries (Evgeni Malkin, Tyler Kennedy, Sergei Gonchar, Kris Letang and Max Talbot were already out of the lineup entering Tuesday's game, where they also lost Brooks Orpik) and mired in a slump that has seen them drop four of their past five games, Crosby has completely vanished from the scoresheet.

It's easily been the worst stretch of hockey in the brief Dan Bylsma era, and the offense has been at the center of the struggles. The Penguins haven't scored a goal since the second period of Thursday's game in Los Angeles (seven periods) and have been outscored 13-2 during their current three-game losing streak.

Leading the way (or not leading the way, as it turns out) is Crosby, who is currently battling the worst slump of his career, with Tuesday's game being perhaps his worst of the season. He hasn't registered a point in five games (a streak that coincides with Malkin going down with a shoulder injury) and was limited to just two shots on goal, and zero through his first 14 minutes on the ice, in a 3-0 loss in Boston. It's a slump, it happens, even to the best of them, but the Penguins didn't need him to hit the worst one of his career when half of the lineup is on the shelf due to various injuries.

Highlight Of The Day: Jarome Iginla scores the only goal of the game (his ninth of the season) in Calgary's 1-0 win in Montreal.

Plus/Minus: Boyes, Perron Have Breakout Game; Crosby Still Slumping originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hi, My Name Is ... Carl Sneep

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Penguins, NHL Draft, NHL Fans, College Hockey

Every Tuesday, FanHouse discusses the top NHL prospects found in college hockey.

More and more underclassmen are signing pro contracts and not playing four years of college hockey. This puts additional pressure on seniors to help carry the load for their teams. Coaches love to lean on experience when the playoffs come, and while the freshmen and sophomores might have all the talent, it's the older guys who bring valuable experience to a locker room. For Boston College, there's hope that a big defenseman -- who happens to be off to a great start -- can help lead them back to the NCAA Tournament.

Carl Sneep (NHL rights: Pittsburgh) has played three years under legendary head coach Jerry York. While he has shown flashes of offensive ability, he has yet to fully realize his potential as a contributor. Not only is he off to a hot start offensively this year, but Sneep is in the role of experienced leader for a young group of defensemen.

"Probably the most pleasant surprise has been Carl Sneep's play for us," York said. "He's a fourth-year player with us and the only upperclass defenseman we can go to. So he's kind of standard-bearer. He's had a real good start for us and (has) shown improvement."

So far, so good for Sneep. He has three goals and eight points in the Eagles' first six games. That matches his career-high for goals in a season, and he's more than halfway to his season-best of 15 points, set in his sophomore season. The Nisswa, Minn., native scored twice on Friday, as the Eagles settled for a 4-4 tie at New Hampshire, then assisted on three goals in a 5-1 win over Northeastern Saturday.

While Sneep is a bigger guy, he isn't the most physical defenseman you'll ever see. That's probably the one major knock on his game as he prepares to move on from college hockey after this season. Instead, he appears to have a much more notable offensive upside than people may have thought. He's a steady player who moves the puck well, and he doesn't easily succumb to pressure in his own zone.

Odds are Sneep will get even better this season. He figures to see a lot of ice time in all situations, both even-strength and on special teams. The Eagles figure to be playing deep into March again this season, so that will only aid Sneep's preparation for the next level.

Other Players to Watch

One has to think this was a banner weekend for Miami. The RedHawks swept Michigan in Ann Arbor, winning 3-1 and 5-1, and Michigan coach Red Berenson went after his team pretty hard Saturday.

"I'm embarrassed," Berenson said. "We played like a bunch of spoiled brats, and we've gotta suck it up. When you're getting beat, you just keep working hard for the team. You don't take it out on the other team and take stupid penalties that are going to hurt your team even further. That's not the way we play hockey, and this team will learn that."

For Miami, senior Jarod Palmer (undrafted) and freshman Curtis McKenzie (Dallas) each had three points. Sophomore goalie Cody Reichard (undrafted) played both nights, stopping 47 of 49 shots faced.

Notre Dame senior defenseman Kyle Lawson (Carolina) had a hand in three of the four goals the Irish scored (one goal, two assists) in a weekend split at Alaska.

Sophomore forward Gustav Nyquist (Detroit) helped lead Maine to a big win Sunday over Boston University. Nyquist scored a first-period goal and assisted on the game-winner as the Black Bears hung on to beat BU 3-2. It was Maine's second straight win over a ranked Hockey East opponent after a 1-5 overall start.

College Hockey America's leading scorer, Bemidji State junior Matt Read (undrafted), had another big weekend. He tallied two goals and two assists as the Beavers swept Robert Morris (Pa.) at home, winning 2-0 and 6-1.

Colgate senior David McIntyre (New Jersey) helped the Red Raiders sweep weekend games against Harvard and Dartmouth. The Hobey Baker candidate scored once and also picked up four assists over the two games.

Hi, My Name Is ... Carl Sneep originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Luc Robitaille: The Ultimate Steal

Adam Gretz — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Kings, Penguins, Rangers, Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame

It doesn't matter how good your team's front office is, the NHL draft can still be a complete shot in the dark in which the most highly-touted, can't miss prospect can miss, and ninth-round picks that sneak under the radar because of concerns about their ability to skate at an NHL level can end up scoring over 600 goals and tallying nearly 1,400 points in a 19-year career -- kind of like Luc Robitaille.

Robitaille was passed over 170 times during the 1984 NHL Entry Draft (a class that featured Mario Lemieux going No. 1 overall, and fellow 2009 Hall of Fame Inductee Brett Hull being taken at No. 117) before being selected in the ninth round by the Los Angeles Kings.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of '09:
Steve Yzerman | Brian Leetch | Brett Hull
Luc Robitaille | Lou Lamoriello

Twenty-five years later, "Lucky Luc" is going into the Hall as the NHL's all-time leading scorer among left-wingers, and should forever be remembered as one of the greatest draft steals in the history of the sport.

Since the draft was implemented in 1963, there have only been two players selected in the ninth round (the NHL draft is now only seven rounds) or later and went on to record at least 1,000 points in the NHL, and they were both picked by the Los Angeles Kings: Dave Taylor, who scored 1,069 points after being taken 210th in 1975, and Robitaille, who finished his career with 668 goals, 726 assists and 1,394 points.

A quick look at some of the players (and we'll limit it to forwards, just to keep the comparison simple) who can challenge for the title of greatest draft steal:

The Greatest Draft Steals
Player	Pick	Goals	Assists	Points
Luc Robitaille	171	688	726	1,394
Theo Fleury	166	455	633	1,088
Dave Taylor	210	431	638	1,069
Doug Gilmour	134	450	964	1,414
Daniel Alfredsson*	133	357	568	925
Peter Bondra	156	503	389	892
Igor Larionov	210	169	475	644
Henrik Zetterberg*	210	183	225	408
Pavel Datsyuk*	171	171	353	524

(* still active, and what's the deal with pick No's. 171 and 210? )

Robitaille is best known as a member of the Kings, having spent three different stints in Los Angeles from 1986-1994, again from 1997-2001, and finally 2003-2005. He's still the franchise's second-leading scorer (trailing only the legendary Marcell Dionne) with 1,154 of his career points coming as a member of the Kings. No small feat considering a man named Gretzky spent parts of eight seasons as a member of the Kings.

The only thing his career is lacking is league-issued, individual hardware, having only the 1986-87 Calder Trophy as the league's rookie of the year. Considering that he played in an era with the Gretzkys, Lemieuxs, Hulls, and Yzermans, that's not much of a surprise, and it doesn't take away from the fact that no left wing has ever scored more goals or totaled more points.

As a member of the 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings (which could have given that year's All-Star teams a run for their money in terms of pure talent) he became a Stanley Cup Champion for the first time, while he finished his career as an eight-time 40-goal scorer, a three-time 50-goal scorer, and netted a career-best 63 goals during the 1992-93 season. He finished in the top-10 in goals scored nine times, and is currently 10th on the all-time list.

Luc Robitaille: The Ultimate Steal originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The New Max Talbot Commercial is Simply Awful

Adam Gretz — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Penguins, NHL Videos

Great commercials (though, this one isn't great) in NHL history: A look back at the absurdity and hilarity of NHL advertising campaigns.

Max Talbot has always been a fan favorite in Pittsburgh. He seems to be a likable guy, he's very entertaining off the ice and a darn good player on it. He's also had a starring role in multiple commercials for a A & L motor sales, a high-end car dealership in the Pittsburgh area.

On Saturday night, before the Penguins were steamrolled by the San Jose Sharks, the third part of the Max Talbot trilogy made its debut, and it just might be the worst thing I have ever seen. You can see the can see the carnage for yourself after the jump.

Wow. Here are the first two editions for your viewing pleasure, just for comparisons sake.

Superstar treatment for Max Talbot

Superstar treatment for Max Talbot ... again.

The first one was so funny just because of how awkward the whole thing was. Now, it seems as if they're trying too hard in an effort to be funny and recapture the magic and popularity of the original.

Like most sequels, they completely whiffed. Of course, I'm not even sure Speed 2 was this bad.

Penguins fans (and hockey fans in general), do you hate it as much as I do?

The New Max Talbot Commercial is Simply Awful originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Princeton's Favorite Son Drops Them Again

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Canucks, Ducks, Penguins, Predators, Rangers, Sharks, Wild, NHL Fans, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

A light week on the card, but there was a relatively surprising bout and some pretty good ones to choose from. Highlighting it is our favorite former Princeton player, a gentleman who has made a name for himself by being a really good fighter. Of course, the big news of the week involved a team captain dropping the gloves with a random defenseman.

Huh? Fight of the Week: Marek Zidlicky vs. Sidney Crosby

Sometimes, guys are obviously planning to fight before they drop the gloves. Others are clearly spontaneous. This one falls under the latter. Crosby and Zidlicky had enough of using their sticks, and decided to use fists instead. Watch it here.

Beatdown of the Week: Kent Huskins vs. Jared Boll

Boll is one of the league's real up-and-coming heavyweights, and he dominated this scrap. It started with a hard hit on Huskins by Boll, and quickly became a fight. Just as fast as it started, Boll emphatically ended it. He then proceeded to stand over his conquest like a predator stands over lunch. Watch the fight here.

Runner-Up: Dane Byers vs. Tanner Glass

This was a little quick for most fans' tastes, but some really good punches were thrown. Byers got off to a quick start, but Glass got the last laugh, or "shot," if you prefer. Check it out here.

Fight of the Week: Wade Belak vs. George Parros

Parros is a top fighter, and he got all he could handle in this one from Thursday night. The Predators might not have done much to stay in the game, but Belak more than held his own against one of the best.

There is some solid back-and-forth between the two, and the ending is kind of a surprise. Too bad for the Ducks' TV people that the fight was over by the time they got the "Tale of the Tape" graphic ready.

Fight of the Week: Princeton's Favorite Son Drops Them Again originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Penguins Power Play Hasn't Overcome Loss of Gonchar, Malkin

Adam Gretz — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Penguins

The power play unit for the Pittsburgh Penguins hasn't exactly been a model of consistency since the start of the 2008-09 season, finishing 20th in the league a year ago, and currently residing in the 22nd spot through their first 13 games of this season.

Take the unit's quarterback, Sergei Gonchar, and arguably the team's best player, Evgeni Malkin, out of the lineup, and it goes from maddening inconsistency to complete disaster.

Since Gonchar went down with a broken wrist against the St. Louis Blues two weeks ago, the Penguins have scored just three goals with the man advantage, clicking at an eight percent success rate, down from the 20 percent mark they had with him.

What's the problem? First, a quick look at some numbers:

Where Have You Gone, Sergei Gonchar?
Penguins Power Play	Goals	Shots On Goal	PP Minutes	Shots/Min
With Gonchar	8	63	56:00	1.125
Without Gonchar	3	40	55:00	0.727

Even though the Penguins have played more games with Gonchar (nine) than they have without him (seven), they've played almost the same number minutes on the power play (perhaps a result of them not scoring as often without him?). Obviously, not only have they scored fewer goals, but they've also generated fewer shots by a significant margin.

Take Malkin out of the lineup, along with Gonchar, and that shots-per-minute number drops from .727 to .610 over the past four games.

That shouldn't be much of a surprise.

So let's take a look at where the shots are being generated from. The blue pluses represent shots when Gonchar is out of the lineup. The red X's outlined in yellow represent shots when Gonchar is in the lineup:

1) The thing that stands out to me is that without Gonchar they aren't generating anywhere near as many shots from the point. Perhaps the most telling stat is the fact that he hasn't played in seven games and he's still tied for the second most power play points on the team -- five.

2) Alex Goligoski has been better than anybody could have expected so far this season, scoring six goals to go with seven assists. But he still needs somebody to work with at the point, and Kris Letang has struggled mightily at times, especially on the power play where he has just two assists despite averaging over four minutes of ice-time per game.

3) The Penguins' power play is 0-for-17 since Malkin went down with a shoulder strain.

While this is a concern, this shouldn't be anything to panic about (yet) because both guys will be back in the lineup eventually. They just need to figure out a way to generate something until that actually happens.

Penguins Power Play Hasn't Overcome Loss of Gonchar, Malkin originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sidney Crosby Fights Marek Zidlicky

Bruce Ciskie — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Penguins, Wild, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

While fighting isn't at all legal in hockey, there is an understanding with players. Some employ enforcer-type guys whose job is to mix it up with those who try to mess with a team's skill players.

You'll see captains and other team leaders sometimes willing to mix it up, too, even if that's not their reputation. Last year, Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby made waves by starting a fight off a faceoff in a game. On Saturday, Crosby was back dropping the gloves, this time with an even more unlikely opponent.

As the Penguins were struggling to score against Minnesota, Crosby got involved with defenseman Marek Zidlicky. Eventually, the two dropped the gloves and began to "throw down."

Well, Crosby threw a couple punches. Outside of that, nothing to see here.

Just what you would expect out of a fight between two guys who hardly ever fight.

Minnesota was outshot for the game 35-15 but won 2-1. Crosby picked up nine minutes in penalties on the night and was visibly frustrated with the officials, arguing with them on the ice a few times during the game.

Sidney Crosby Fights Marek Zidlicky originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Malkin to Miss 'Couple of Weeks'

Adam Gretz — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:05:00 EST

Filed under: Penguins, NHL Injuries

After losing No. 1 defenseman Sergei Gonchar to a broken a wrist over a week ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be without another top player as the reigning NHL scoring champion, Evgeni Malkin, will be out of the lineup for two-to-three weeks with a shoulder strain.

According to head coach Dan Bylsma the injury happened roughly 10 days ago, and sitting him out is a precautionary move at this point.

From the Penguins website:

"Geno is going to be out of the lineup for a couple of weeks," Bylsma said. "He strained his shoulder about 10 days or so ago. I don't know the exact day. It is precautionary for the player. We are worried about the safety of the shoulder. A couple weeks of rest and rehab will get that thing healthy so he can get back onto the ice."

Malkin is currently tied with Sidney Crosby for the team lead with 14 points in 12 games, and recorded an assist in Wednesday's 6-1 win against Montreal. His absence gives Jordan Staal an opportunity to take over as the team's No. 2 center.

Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review also reports that forward Tyler Kennedy will sit out Friday's game in Columbus after missing Wednesday's game against Montreal. His spot was taken by Chris Bourque.

It's a costly series of injuries for the Penguins, because not only are they without one of their top offensive players in Malkin, the promotion of Staal to the second line, combined with the absence of Kennedy, breaks up the third line of Staal, Kennedy and Matt Cooke, which has been one of their most consistent lines all season.

Malkin to Miss 'Couple of Weeks' originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sidney Crosby Nets Hat Trick In Rout

Adam Gretz — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 EST

Filed under: Canadiens, Penguins, NHL Press Box

Since Gretz was at Wednesday's Penguins vs. Canadiens game for FanHouse, consider this your abbreviated version of Newsmakers in the NHL, our weekday recap of the previous night's action across the league.

PITTSBURGH -- I'm not quite sure how it happened, but I'm probably the only hockey fan in the world that had never seen a player record a hat trick in person, whether it be as a fan in the stands, or sitting in the press box. Thanks to Sidney Crosby's three goal effort on Wednesday, I can now cross that off the list.

Crosby was a one-man wrecking crew in the Penguins' 6-1 win over Montreal, scoring three goals -- giving him nine on the season -- and narrowly missing on at least one more.

Brian Gionta on the loss:
"When you give them that many turnovers they have a lot of skilled guys that can make things happen. They don't need that many opportunities to hurt you. That's kind of what happened. A little too soft on the puck at times, turnovers at the blue line kind of killed us, and they transitioned with their good players."

"I felt like I was getting chances," said Crosby. "But I try to not to think about hat tricks too much. You don't want to jinx it or think about it. I just wanted to make sure I kept generating chances."

"When Billy [Guerin] and Kuny [Chris Kunitz] are forechecking like they were, and creating loose pucks and stealing pucks, I just try to get ready for those opportunities.''

His first goal came on a one-timer from the faceoff circle to the right of Montreal goaltender Jaroslav Halak after Kunitz managed to keep the puck in the offensive zone on two separate occasions. Following his second tally of the game at the 5:08 mark of the second period, Crosby completed the trick with this nifty move -- and lucky bounce off his skate -- at the 15:33 mark:

More From Wednesday's Game

-- Halak made his fifth consecutive start in net for the Canadiens (the previous four starts were all wins) and was lifted following the second period after giving up four goals on 23 shots. Carey Price played the final 20 minutes and surrendered two goals. We'll have much more on the goaltending situation in Montreal on Thursday or Friday.

-- Entering play on Wednesday, Kunitz had not scored a goal in 41 straight games (including last year's playoffs) which is an impressive, perhaps even mind-blowing, number when you consider he plays almost entirely with one of the games best playmaking centers in Crosby. His drought ended late in the third period when he picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and beat Price on a breakaway to give the Penguins a 6-1 lead. He's always been a streaky player, so perhaps this could be the start he needs.

-- You can't stop Mike Rupp, you can only hope to contain him. The fourth-liner scored his third goal in six games on a delayed penalty situation midway through the second period. To put his early season goal-scoring numbers into perspective, consider that he scored three goals in 72 games a season ago.

-- Canadiens center Scott Gomez was in the starting lineup despite being questionable with flu-like symptoms. Penguins winger Tyler Kennedy was out of the lineup with an undisclosed injury and was replaced by forward Chris Bourque. On a semi-related note, Bourque's father, Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, was in attendance.

Wednesday's Other Key Games From Around The League

Colorado wins again and stays atop the NHL standings with a 10-1-2 mark

Dallas picks up an overtime win against Toronto

The Islanders upset the Rangers thanks to goals from John Tavares, Kyle Okposo and Matt Moulson

Sidney Crosby Nets Hat Trick In Rout originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Penguins, Bruins Lose Sergei Gonchar and Marc Savard to Injury

Adam Gretz — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:10:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Penguins, NHL Injuries

Some pretty big injury news around the NHL today, as the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins learned they will be without some key players for at least the next month.

In Boston, the Bruins will be without their top playmaker, center Marc Savard, for the next four-to-six weeks because of broken left foot, which comes just two days after power forward Milan Lucic had surgery on a broken finger, which will also sideline him for more than a month.

Savard has seven points (four goals, three assists) in Boston's first seven games, and led the team in scoring a season ago with 88 points. One of the best playmaking centers in the league, this is obviously a huge blow to a Boston team that has been off to a slow start, losing four of its first seven games.

Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, the Penguins lost defenseman Sergei Gonchar in Tuesday's 5-1 thrashing of St. Louis to an undisclosed injury. Early reports seem to indicate that it's a broken bone near his hand, and Rob Rossi of the Tribune-Review reported Wednesday morning that the players have been informed he'll be out at least a month.

Gonchar missed 57 games a season ago and it proved to be a costly loss as the team struggled at times in his absence, particularly on the power play. The emergence of youngsters Alex Goligoski and Kris Letang should help to soften the blow this time around, while the team also has veteran Martin Skoula waiting for his first opportunity this year.

Penguins, Bruins Lose Sergei Gonchar and Marc Savard to Injury originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blues Get Blown Out in Pittsburgh With 'Unacceptable' Performance

Adam Gretz — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:45:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Penguins, NHL Press Box

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the story lines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

PITTSBURGH -- St. Louis Blues head coach Andy Murray lifted his starting goaltender, Chris Mason, following the second period of his team's 5-1 loss in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. And it wasn't due to poor performance by the veteran netminder.

Sure, he gave up four goals through two periods, but the Penguins were coming at him in waves over the opening 40 minutes. Had it not been for the play of Mason, the Penguins could have -- and would have -- blown the doors off this game much earlier than they did.

Also: Reactions from St. Louis locker room, video of the day, and more

"When they scored their fourth goal ... I don't believe you pull the goalie right away unless it's the goalie's fault," said Murray. "And obviously that wasn't the case tonight.

"When a goalie has to skate off the ice it's a lonely feeling, and he didn't deserve that tonight. He wanted to play in the third. It had nothing to do with him and that's why we waited until the period was over so we could do it quietly and he didn't have to skate off the ice."

The Penguins finished the game with a season-high 43 shots on goal, including 20 after the first period, rarely giving Mason an opportunity to catch his breath. There were only six Penguins players in uniform (one of which was goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury) who didn't record a point in what was a total team-effort.

"There was a few times I was pretty tired," said Mason. "They had it in our zone, you know, one of the best teams in the league and they're moving the puck around and it was pretty tiring, but, that's the way it goes sometimes."

He continued: "For us not to be ready to play the defending Stanley Cup champions is unacceptable. We came off a good second and third period in Anaheim, against a very good team, and I don't know if we're getting ahead of ourselves and getting a little cocky and thinking that it should be easier than it really is, but to come out like we did against these guys, this is what's going to happen."

Murray was also at a loss for words after his team closed out its three-game road trip with its worst performance of the season. Giving Pittsburgh the first four power plays of the game, resulting in a pair of power play goals, put the Blues in a hole they couldn't climb out of.

"When you don't have the energy or the legs," said Murray. "It means you're reaching with your sticks and you're doing things you shouldn't be doing. Obviously with the shots it was total domination by Pittsburgh. It was pretty clear to see such a drop-off. It's difficult to understand why we didn't have legs and why we didn't have energy."

With the win, the Penguins now have the best record in the league at 8-1. The only negative on the night for Pittsburgh is the injury to No. 1 defenseman Sergei Gonchar, who left midway through the second period with an undisclosed injury and did not return.

Tuesday's Other Games

Montreal ends its five-game losing streak with a 2-1 shootout win against Atlanta. [Box Score, Recap]

Calgary picks up a 6-3 win at home against Columbus. [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- From the waiver wire a year ago to a millionaire today. Rich Peverley signs a two-year contract extension with the Atlanta Thrashers worth $2.6 million. [TSN]

-- The Dallas Stars need more production from their centers. [Defending Big D]

-- Mathieu Dandenault signs a tryout deal with the Hartford Wolfpack of the AHL. [Steve Zipay, via Blueshirt Banter]

-- The Buffalo Sabres traded forward Dan Paille to the Boston Bruins for a couple of draft picks, including a third-round selection and a conditional pick. He's yet to play a game for the Sabres this season. [WGR]

Video Of The Day

The St. Louis Blues were dominated on Tuesday night, but like I said before -- and multiple times in my live blog -- it wasn't because of the play of Chris Mason. He kept this game from being 7-1 or 8-1, and it was because of saves like this:

Wednesday's Key Games

Hurricanes vs. Islanders: The New York Islanders are still looking for their first win, and they get another crack at it when they host the Carolina Hurricanes. The 'Canes have lost three in a row entering play on Wednesday night.

Avalanche vs. Wild: Colorado has lost one game in regulation. Minnesota has one win. The Wild will be playing its first game with the recently acquired Chuck Kobasew.

Canucks vs. Blackhawks: In a rematch of last year's Western Conference Semifinal, Roberto Luongo and the Canucks look to get back on track in Chicago.

Blues Get Blown Out in Pittsburgh With 'Unacceptable' Performance originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live Blog: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. St. Louis Blues

Adam Gretz — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Penguins, NHL Live Blogging

PITTSBURGH -- I'm live at Mellon Arena for tonight's Pittsburgh Penguins vs. St. Louis Blues game and will be live-blogging all of the action on the ice starting at 7 PM ET. Keep checking back for live updates as they happen.

That will do it from Pittsburgh. Final Score: PENGUINS 5, BLUES 1.

Thanks for reading, folks. Going to try and catch up with the Blues here......

Third Period

1:00: About ready to wrap this bad boy up...

3:00: Lot of people have made their way to the exits.

5:23: Remember the great Mellon Arena music I was referring to? Yeah, they get knocked down a few points for playing Cotton Eye Joe. We need more Slayer.

5:40: As soon as I finished typing that about Craig Adams, he goes down to block a shot in a 5-1 game with under six minutes to play. You have to like that if you're a hockey fan.

7:02: Craig Adams is a minus tonight. Not sure how that happens in a 5-1 game.

8:50: Still no word on Sergei Gonchar's injury, but his last shift ended with 7:30 to play in the second period.

9:06: Pascal Dupuis is one of the few Penguins without a point, and he just had a breakaway chance. He didn't score, but recorded the Penguins 40th shot of the night.

10:16: And Alex Goligoski puts the icing on this one, it's 5-1. And I have to apologize to Ty Conklin, because he's the guy that made that last amazing save. He started the third period (but it wasn't announced). My bad, Ty.

13:50: And they almost got it, but Marc-Andre Fleury makes a sprawling save to rob David Perron on the doorstep. And now Chris Mason returns the favor -- again! -- at the opposite end of the rink, stealing one from Malkin.

15:43: And the Blues are about to go on their second power play of the night. Crosby is going off for holding. If the Blues have any thoughts about coming back in this game a goal here is a must. Probably.

20:00: SERGEI GONCHAR WILL NOT RETURN. Not sure what happened or when he left, but he is out for the remainder of the game, according to the Penguins. Pittsburgh fans saw how important he is to this team a year ago when he was out of the lineup.

------

Going to try and catch up with the Blues locker room after the game and I'm hoping for David Perron, T.J. Oshie and Erik Johnson. Honestly, I'd be happy to speak with one of them. If this game keeps up like this I'm not sure how many people will be willing to talk.

Completely random: They're playing the new Foo Fighters song, Wheels, during the intermission and my first thought upon hearing it: When did they hire Tom Petty? Mellon Arena has a tremendous selection of music, though. I'm not sure how many arena's have Slayer on their regular play-list.

Second Period

After two, the Penguins hold a commanding 4-1 lead. Even with Kariya's goal, this game is still woefully one-sided (the shots are 35-11 in favor of the Penguins). Just because it's worth mentioning one more time: Chris Mason is the only reason the Blues aren't down by four or five goals at this point.

3:00: The Penguins kill the penalty, and as Malkin comes out of the box he sends himself and Ruslan Fedotenko on a 2-on-1 rush. Malkin dishes a perfect pass to Fedotenko only to have Mason make another great save to keep this game somewhat close. I don't care how many goals he gives up from here on out, I wouldn't be upset if he was named one of the three stars tonight.

5:10: Here's St. Louis' chance to get back in this. It's the Blues first power play of the night as Evgeni Malkin is serving a bench minor for too many men on the ice.

7:06: And the Blues are on the board! Paul Kariya deflects an Erik Johnson shot from the point behind Marc-Andre Fleury, cutting the deficit to 4-1.

10:40: It's Letang's goal. It's funny, because after Fedotenko's goal the PA announcer initially credited it to Letang. He was just 30 seconds too fast. And St. Louis is headed to the penalty box AGAIN. Perron goes off for cross-checking.

11:55: It's turning into a rout. Kris Letang fires one from the point and it's 4-0. May have been deflected by Matt Cooke.

12:31: And Ruslan Fedotenko snaps one over Mason's glove hand from the left circle, giving the Penguins a 3-0 lead.

13:46: St. Louis with its best shift of the night in terms of puck possession, but it doesn't result in a goal. After the Penguins finally get the puck out of the zone they draw another penalty at the opposite end of the rink. Keith Tkachuk is in the box.

17:48: Looked like the Penguins got away with a trip and it was quickly followed by a great opportunity by Malkin in front. Mason, once again, comes up big with the stop. He's keeping St. Louis in this game by himself.

20:00: And the second period is underway with some four-on-four hockey thanks to the scrum at the end of the first. St. Louis gets its best chance of the night thanks to a pair of shots by T.J. Oshie.

------

More stats: The Penguins attempted 31 shots that period: 20 were on goal, four missed the net, and seven were blocked by the Blues. St. Louis attempted seven shots.

Pittsburgh is also winning the faceoff battle 12-8, including a 4-for-5 performance by Craig Adams.

First Period

And at the end of the first period, Pittsburgh has a 2-0 lead and absolutely dominated play. The shots are 20-3.

:15: David Backes tries to stir something up with Crosby and all 10 players on the ice converge on one another in the corner. Crosby and Backes are both headed to the sin bin for two minutes.

2:15: Another big save from Mason, this time on former Blue Jay McKee who took a backdoor feed from Crosby. The Penguins are all over the puck in front of the net. Matt Cooke just bulldozed a defender, but I couldn't see who it was.

5:08: The Penguins are coming at the Blues in waves right now. Chris Mason is the only reason this game isn't 3-0 or 4-0 right now. The shot clock currently reads 15-1 in favor of the Pens. The Blues were briefly credited with a second shot, but it has since been taken away. They can't buy a shot right now.

7:47: And Andy McDonald is in the penalty box. And Evgeni Malkin quickly makes him pay by burying a loose puck behind Mason. It's 2-0 Penguins. The Penguins have two goals, the Blues have one shot. Now would probably be a good time to call a timeout, and that's exactly what Blues head coach Andy Murray does.

8:41: Tyler Kennedy just blasted a slap shot behind Mason to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead. Pittsburgh's third line of Kennedy, Jordan Staal and Matt Cooke can be dominant in the offensive zone at times, and that shift was a pretty good example of it.

9:21: St. Louis finally registers its first shot, a routine wrister from outside the blue line that Fleury casually cradles and covers up to stop play. The Penguins fired 10 shots at Mason before the Blues put one on net. The scoreboard has a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. They just showed the Blue Oyster Cult Saturday Night Live clip ... or part of it, anyway.

10:08: Chris Mason looks strong in net for the Blues. He's already stopped a two-on-one and stood tall on some close calls from in front. The Penguins are dominating the shots department with a 9-0 lead midway through the period.

11:40: We have our first power play, and it goes to Pittsburgh. David Perron is off for delay of game.

13:14: Jordan Staal can't catch up to a loose puck at the blue line and can only weakly poke it at Chris Mason who covers it to stop play. After the whistle, the jumbotron shows Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and the crowd cheers wildly.

17:10: After an awkward save by Chris Mason, the Blues counter attack and Brad Winchester rings one off the pipe to the left of Marc-Andre Fleury.

18:29: And the Crosby-Malkin pairing lasts one shift. The Penguins come out with their traditional top line of Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin

20:00: The Penguins are starting tonight with Crosby and Malkin together. Usually that's reserved for desperate times, but Chris Kunitz hasn't scored a goal in 36 games, so perhaps it is desperate.

Random pre-game notes

-- Tonight's starting lineups:

St. Louis -- Goalie: Chris Mason, Defense: Roman Polak and Mike Weaver, Left Wing: Jay McClement, Center: Andy McDonald, Right Wing: Brandon Crombeen

Pittsburgh -- Goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury, Defense: Jay McKee and Alex Goligoski, Left Wing: Ruslan Fedotenko, Center: Sidney Crosby, Right Wing: Evgeni Malkin

-- Scratches:

St. Louis -- Dwayne King, Alexander Steen, Alex Pietrangelo.\

Pittsburgh --Chris Bourque, Martin Skoula

-- Last meeting: November 1, 2008, a 6-3 Penguins win in St. Louis.

-- The Blues lead the all-time series with a 65-48-18 mark, but are only 21-32-12 in Pittsburgh, losing seven of their past 10 trips to Mellon Arena.

-- Tonight's referees: Frerick L'Ecuyer and Paul Devorski; Linesmen: Brian Mach and Jay Sharrers.

-- Like every team in professional sports, the Penguins allow fans to send text messages to the scoreboard before the game and during breaks. One of the first ones that shows up tonight says: "Thank you St. Louis for Jay McKee, signed: Pens fans." The Penguins, of course, signed McKee this offseason -- for next to nothing, as far as free agency is concerned -- after he was bought out by the Blues. Through the first eight games in Pittsburgh, he's been a shot-blocking machine.

Live Blog: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. St. Louis Blues originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Cam Ward Robs Bill Guerin

Adam Gretz — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:50:00 EST

Filed under: Hurricanes, Penguins, NHL Videos

The Carolina Hurricanes rewarded Cam Ward with a six-year contract extension this past summer, and based on Wednesday's game against Pittsburgh, it was money well spent.

The Hurricanes overcame a 2-0 third period deficit to force overtime, and while Ray Whitney scored both goals in the rally, it was Ward that made it possible with his sprawling glove-save on Bill Guerin after some tic-tac-toe passing from Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz midway through the third period.

Video after the jump.

It doesn't get much better than that.

Carolina ultimately lost in a shootout, 3-2, but it still managed to pick up a point in the standings it otherwise wouldn't have received had it not been for Ward's stellar play in net. He also made another highlight reel glove save in overtime, robbing Evgeni Malkin on a wrist shot from the slot, and dueled Marc-Andre Fleury in a six-round shootout.

Kunitz, who still hasn't scored a goal in regulation in over 35 games, recorded the game-winner for the Penguins as they completed a perfect 4-0 road trip and improve to 6-1 on the season.

(glove tap to the HF boards for the video)

Video: Cam Ward Robs Bill Guerin originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL Discipline: No Punishment for Hartnell, Pat Quinn Fined $10,000

Adam Gretz — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:20:00 EST

Filed under: Flames, Flyers, Oilers, Penguins

We already talked about the ending to Thursday's Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia game and the Penguins claim that Flyers forward Scott Hartnell took a bite out of Kris Letang's finger. After a conference call with league disciplinary czar Colin Campbell on Friday, it was determined that Hartnell will not face any additional discipline due to a lack of evidence.

Video of the incident, including a new nickname for Hartnell, after the jump.

Neither player would say for sure what happened. Letang insisted that the media ask Hartnell, and when asked, Hartnell said "a lot of stuff happens on the bottom of the pile. He had his hands in my face doing the facewash and we're rolling around. I can't say what happened."

And there's the problem. You can't see what's happening at the bottom of the scrum. All we know is both players went down to the ice and Letang came up with a cut on his hand. Just another chapter in a bitter rivalry that's sure to be a must-watch the rest of the season.

Both players received two-minute minors for roughing.

Meanwhile, Edmonton Oilers head coach Pat Quinn was quite heated following his team's shootout loss to the Calgary Flames when discussing an incident involving Sheldon Souray and Jarome Iginla.

Following the game, Quinn advocated some Marty McSorley-style vigilante justice.

"I don't understand the players of today," Quinn said on Thursday. "If that had happened in the old days he would have got hit over the head with a stick right after. It was a pretty dirty play in my opinion. He poked his feet out and then piled on top of him. Somehow they never deal with that crap and they won't let the vigilante stuff happen to deal with it. It's disappointing."

Emphasis mine, as I'm assuming that's the specific comment that the league took notice of. The NHL, not amused by such comments, slapped him with a $10,000 fine on Friday.

NHL Discipline: No Punishment for Hartnell, Pat Quinn Fined $10,000 originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Penguins vs. Flyers Has the Ending You Would Expect: Chaos

Adam Gretz — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:45:00 EST

Filed under: Flyers, Penguins

The first battle for Keystone State supremacy this season did not disappoint, as the Penguins pulled out a back-and-forth 5-4 win in Philadelphia, thanks in large part to an own-goal by the Flyers after a wayward Braydon Coburn pass deflected off of Ray Emery's skate to give the Pens a 4-2 lead late in the second period.

As is typically the case when these two teams get together, there was no love lost, and the ending turned into a three-ring circus during the Flyers' desperate attempt to tie the score. After Jeff Carter cut a 5-3 deficit to just one goal with 40 seconds to play, Philadelphia had one last push that resulted in all hell breaking loose in front of -- and behind -- Marc-Andre Fleury.

With less than 10 seconds to play in regulation, Flyers captain Mike Richards drove to the net and collided with Fleury, drawing a goaltender interference penalty in the process.

What followed was a scrum behind the goal involving Kris Letang and Scott Hartnell, resulting in the two falling to the ice and Letang getting his hand cut by something. The immediate reaction from the Penguins bench seemed to indicate that Hartnell took a bite out of Letang's hand.

In his post-game interview, Letang wouldn't say what happened, though, it's not hard to figure out what he's hinting at.

"You can go ask Hartnell," Letang told reporters when asked about the incident.

When asked if he's ever had anything like that done to him before he responded, "No, it's a first for me but I want you to be certain you go ask him and make sure you get the right answer for that."

Watching the game and the replay, it's impossible to see what exactly happened. All we have to go by is the fact both players went to the ice, Letang came up with a cut on his finger, and the Penguins were quite angry following the whole exchange, screaming for the officials to come to the bench and look at Letang's bleeding finger.

If we assume that Hartnell did, in fact, take a bite out of Letang's hand, you just have to go back to last season when Ottawa's Jarkko Ruutu chomped down on Andrew Peters of the Buffalo Sabres (in plain view of the camera's).

Ruutu received a two-game suspension.

Because it's impossible to see exactly what happened in this particular incident -- as of now, no better angle has surfaced -- I'd guess that Hartnell doesn't get anything more than the two-minute for roughing (Letang received the same penalty) he received on the ice.

Regardless of what happened, the ending to this game should be a surprise to no one. Actually, it was probably one of the more mellow Penguins vs. Flyers games in recent years.

The two teams don't meet again until they play in back-to-back games December 15 and 17. Circle those dates.

UPDATE: Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the following:

Hartnell told reporters he did not bite Letang, but added that "a lot of stuff happens on the bottom of the pile. He had his hands in my face doing the face wash and we're rolling around. I can't say what happened."

Penguins vs. Flyers Has the Ending You Would Expect: Chaos originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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