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Thursday, 14 October 2010 02:11

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

Penguins

-Dave Molinari's recap from last night's game. The 2010-11 Penguins have joined their 1983-84, 2001-02 and 2005-06 brethen as the only teams in franchise history to lose their first three home games.

-The Toronto Star's recap. Maple Leafs forward Clarke MacArthur is looking like a bargain at $1.1 million.

-The Associated Press' recap. Too bad some of that money being generated at Consol Energy Center can't be coverted into wins.

-NHL.com's recap. The Maple Leafs have begun the season with three consecutive wins for the first time since 1999-2000.

-Deryk Engelland > Colton Orr:

-"It was probably the best [win] I've had ever." - Engelland on his fight (PG+).

-Key moment of the game: Toronto's Jonas Gustavsson robbing Pascal Dupuis after a big hit by Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf on Ben Lovejoy:

-Dan Bylsma breaths deeply, speaks:

-Happy times for Chris Kunitz and Alex Goligoski:

-Happy times for the Penguins:

-Stiff upper lip time for Bylsma:

-Sidney Crosby even pouts and whines and acts like the worst human being ever when he tapes his sticks:

-Craig Adams ripping a shot in front of Toronto's Luke Schenn:

-Toronto's Fredrik Sjostrom get a shot off in front of Paul Martin:

-Kunitz screening Gustavsson:

-Engelland just being Engelland:

-Here's the video tribute the Penguins played for Bill Guerin last night:

-Guerin likes you too.

-Welcome back Jordan Staal. Kind of.

-Brooks Orpik should be back soon. But what about Zbynek Michalek?

-Saturday's game in Philadelphia was moved up an hour earlier to accomodate the Giants-Phillies playoff game (PG+).

-Is Chris Kunitz a legit top-line winger (PG+)?

-"Our weight room is ridiculous. It's huge. It's almost too big. We were all looking the other day, on one wall, there's nine flat-screen TVs and that wall is the wall that no one ever looks at." - Alex Goligoski on the training facilities at Consol Energy Center.

-Dan Bylsma. A fan of "That’s what she said" jokes.

-How much will Andrew Hutchinson's recall to the NHL Penguins impact the AHL Penguins' power play?

-Former Penguins forward Petr Sykora (right) is already costing his teams games. HC Plzen of the Czech Extraliga had to forfeit a win after the league found out the recently-signed Sykora didn't have an officially registered contract.

-Happy 61st birthday to former Penguins forward Dave Schultz. Far more renown for his time as an enforcer with the Broad Street Bully Flyers of the 1970s, Schultz came to the Penguins early in the 1977-78 season along with Gene Carr and a draft pick in a deal which sent Hartland Monahan and Syl Apps Jr. to the Kings. He finished 1977-78 by appearing in 66 games, scoring 34 points and a team-leading 378 penalty minutes. Schultz actually led the league with 405 penalty minutes overall that season, but his 378 alone with the Penguins would've also led the league. After 47 games, 13 points and a team-leading 157 penalty minutes in 1978-77, Schultz was traded to the Sabres in exchange for Gary McAdam. In 113 games with the Penguins, Schultz scored 47 points and collected 535 penalty minutes.

-Happy 36th birthday to former Penguins forward Billy Tibbetts. A free agent signing late in the 1999-2000 season, Tibbetts didn't make his NHL debut until midway through 2000-01 when he appeared in 29 games and scored three points. After 33 games and six points in 2001-02, Tibbetts was traded to the rival Flyers in exchange for Kent Manderville. In 62 games with the Penguins, Tibbetts scored nine points.

Atlantic Division

-Ilya Kovalchuk's overtime goal gave the Devils a 1-0 win at Buffalo. Martin Brodeur made 24 saves to earn his 111th career shutout.

-Kovalchuk's first goal was a real rocket:

-Miller didn't have a chance:

-New Jersey's David Clarkson and Buffalo's Andrej Sekera battling for a puck:

-"Who cares about goals? It's about wins." - Kovalchuk on his goal.

-Brodeur gave head coach John MacLean the game puck for earning his first career win.

-The Devils went crazy on their roster tonight and dressed up an amazing 18 players, still two short of a full NHL game roster.

-MacLean cut his team's morning skate short after 20 minutes and cursed them out due to some sloppy play.

-The Devils got some much-needed salary cap relief when they placed forward Brian Rolston (right) and his $5.0625 million salary cap hit on long-term injured reserve due to a sports hernia.

-The Rangers demoted forward Tim Kennedy to Hartford of the AHL.

-Rangers captain Chris Drury is expected to return to the lineup Friday after being sidelined due to a wrist injury while forward Erik Christensen is dealing with a groin ailment.

Northeast Division

-If you can imagine such a thing, someone with ties to the Penguins' power play feels a need to shoot more. Senators defenseman Sergei Gonchar's current power play isn't doing too hot.

-Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson is dealing with a "lower-body" injury.

-Still recovering from post-concussion syndrome, Bruins forward Marc Savard has begun low impact workouts.

Southeast Division

-Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin (above) each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals in a 2-1 defeat of the Islanders. Michal Neuvirth made 23 saves in the win.

-The Penguins aren't the only team to watch a key defenseman go down. Capitals blue liner Mike Green appears to injure an arm or shoulder while trying to check New York's Matt Moulson:

-New York's Trevor Gilles and Washington's D.J. King had issues:

-King was plagued throughout the game after he had pregame meal of corn on the cob:

-Islanders forward and former Penguin Jon Sim kept his eyes on this puck:

-Washington's Eric Fehr > New York's Zenon Konopka:

-Happy times for Ovechkin and teammate John Carlson:

-Funny Face of the Night: Washington's Alexander Semin looking frightened as he takes a spill:

-Sky-pointing times for Ovechkin:

-If you're wondering what former Penguin Mark Eaton looks like in an Islanders jersey, here you go:

-Is it us, or does Ovechkin look like a stoner here:

-Former Penguins forward Ryan Malone had an overtime goal and two assists and gave the  Lightning a dramatic 4-3 comeback win at Montreal. Fire Ray Shero. Teammate Steven Stamko added a goal and an assist while Mike Smith made 24 saves in the win. Tomas Plekanec led Montreal with a goal and an assist.

-Check out the tremendous pass by Vincent Lecavalier to set up Stamkos for the late game-tying goal:

-Check out this goal by Montreal's Andrei Kostitsyn:

-A good look at Malone's goal:

-We don't want to accuse Tampa Bay's Simon Gagne of invading the personal space of Montreal's Josh Gorges, but...:

-Gorges kind of planted Gagne into his own goaltender, Carey Price, here:

-Intense times for Montreal's PK Subban:

-Price had issues with this puck:

-Prior to the game, the Habs engaged in some weird seance to invoke the shot-blocking spirit of Craig Ludwig:

-We think.

-Excited Face of the Night: Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher:

-From the "You Can Root For Anyone In This" department, Lightning pest Steve Downie accused Canadiens pest Maxim Lapierre of a dirty hit. Downie said Lapierre is "is the type of guy who would do something like that."

-The hit in question:

-Sidney Crosby unavailable for comment:

-Hurricanes forward Sergei Samsonov practiced for the first time since suffering a neck sprain in a preseason game Sept. 25.

Central Division

-Anders Lindback made 23 saves and led the Predators to a 3-2 win at Chicago. Jonathan Toews led Chicago with a goal and an assist.

-Lindback kept his eyes on this puck:

-Lindback and teammate Ryan Suter having a moment:

-Lindback had a moment with teammate Joel Ward as well:

-A good look at Lindback's lid:

-Chicago's Fernando Pisani lifting a shot on Nashville's Marcel Goc:

-Do the Blackhawks have a goaltending controversy? They gave back up Corey Crawford a second consecutive start instead of high-profile free agent signing Marty Turco.

-Orange County Choppers of "American Chopper" fame created a Blackhawks-themed motor cycle complete with a unique "Cup" holder.

-Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said he plans on starting forward Mike Modano (right) in Dallas tonight in order to allow him a formal introduction to his old fans. Modano spent 20 years with the Stars franchise.

-Defenseman Rostislav Klesla is the only player on the Blue Jackets who has been a member of the organization's entire 10 years of existence.

-Blue Jackets forward R.J. Umberger, a native of a certain area of the country known for rolling hills, is dealing with an undisclosed injury.

Northwest Division

-You think the Penguins' stars are having trouble scoring? The Flames' top line of Jarome Ignla, Olli Jokinen and Alex Tanguay have yet to score this season.

-Early contender for the Masterton Trophy: Oilers goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin who has the NHL's second-best save percentage with .965.

-Are we the only ones who are astounded that the Wild has been around for ten years now?

Pacific Division

-A goal and three assists by Ryan Getzlaf helped the Ducks get off the scneid and pick up their first win of the season, a 4-3 defeat of the Canucks. Bobby Ryan added a goal and an assist for Anaheim while Jonas Hiller (above) made 36 saves in the victory. Daniel Sedin led Vancouver with a goal and an assist.

-Ryan's goal was the game-winner:

-Check out the pass by Getzlaf to set up Corey Perry:

-Check out the placement on Sedin's goal:

-Check out this sick re-direction by Vancouver's Raffi Torres:

-Happy times for the Ducks. Not so much for Vancouver's Roberto Luongo:

-Determined times for Anaheim's Teemu Selanne:

-The Ducks did the whole over-the-top lights and smoke entrance for their home opener. Cam Fowler:

-Hiller seemed focused:

-Selanne seemed bored with it:

-Ducks coach and former Penguins captain Randy Carlyle was rocking the cunning business man with arms crossed and pen look:

-"Your leaders have to be the guys with the letters, the big point guys and the big contracts." - Ducks coach and former Penguins captain Randy Carlyle on getting production from his star players.

-The Sharks demoted goaltender Thomas Greiss to Worcester of the AHL.

-The Kings loaned defenseman Johan Fransson to SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.

Patrick Division

-Former Red Wings/Blues/Hurricanes goaltender Manny Legace has joined the Iserlohn Roosters of the DEL in Germany.

-Former Kings/North Stars/Rangers defenseman and Kings assistant coach Mark Hardy had a charge of felony fourth-degree sexual abuse dropped.

(Photos: Maple Leafs/Penguins-Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press and Jamie Sabau/Getty Images; Sykora-Christian Petersen/Getty Images; Devils/Sabres-David Duprey/Associated Press; Rolston-Rich Schultz/Associated Press; Islanders/Capitals-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images and Nick Wass/Associated Press; Lightning/Canadiens-Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images and Canadian Press; Predators/Blackhawks-Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images; Modano-Gregory Shamus/Getty Images; Canucks/Ducks-Chris Carlson/Associated Press and Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Comments (2)

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written by schmidtlesauce, October 14, 2010 - 11:22 AM

For Tampa number 12 is Gagne now. Malone gave him the number and wears number 6. jus so you know for the couple images above

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written by SonnyDrysdale, October 14, 2010 - 11:51 AM

The team is playing like they did last year after the good start (11-2) I think. They were mediocre from that point on and in the playoffs. I have to look at the coaching Bylsma is looking more and more like a 1/2 year wonder. The PK the PP are awful. The attention to detail is pathetic. Fleury never stands on his head (I like MAF). Is it time to bring back MT? How long will this display of inept hockey continue?

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