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Monday, 02 January 2012 03:44

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

Penguins

-Note: We will host a live chat for today's Winter Classic beginning at 3 p.m. Click here to join the fun.

-The Penguins are going to enjoy a five-day break.

-Happy 56th birthday to former Penguins forward Peter Lee (right). Acquired early in the 1977-78 season along with Pete Mahovlich in a trade which sent Pierre Larouche and the rights to Peter Marsh to the Canadiens, Lee spent six seasons with the Penguins. As a rookie in 1977-78, Lee appeared in 60 games and scored 18 points. In 1978-79, Lee set career highs in games (80) and goals (32) while contributing 58 points. That spring's postseason saw him appear in seven games while recording three points. He followed that up in 1979-80 by appearing in 74 games and scoring 45 points. Lee played in four postseason games that season and recorded one point. Lee  rebounded in 1980-81 by playing in 80 games and scoring a career-high 80 points. In five postseason games that spring, he netted four assists. In 1981-82, Lee played in 74 games and scored 34 points. The 1982 potseason saw Lee score in three games and fail to record a point. Lee's final NHL season was 1982-83. He appeared in 63 games and scored 26 points. In the 1983 offseason, Lee joined Dusseldorfer EG in West Germany. In 431 career regular season games with the Penguins, Lee scored 245 points, 30th-most in franchise history. In 19 postseason games, he recorded eight assists.

-Happy 43rd birthday to former Penguins goaltender Rick Tabaracci. A second round pick in 1987, Tabaracci's Penguins career amounted to one game, no record a 7.27 goals against average and .810 save percentage in 1988-89. During the 1989 offseason, Tabaracci was traded to the Jets along with Randy Cunneyworth and Dave McLlwain in exchange for Jim Kyte, Andrew McBain and Randy Gilhen.

Atlantic Division

-The Rangers and Flyers each posed for pictures in their Winter Classic uniforms at Citizens Bank Park:

-A good look at the Rangers' practice:

-Philadelphia's Braydon Coburn went for a spin on the ice with his daughter:

-Philadelphia's Ilya Bryzgalov was rocking some old-school pads:

-New York's Martin Biron had a camera affixed to his lid:

-"It's a big game no matter where it's being played." - Rangers forward Brad Richards on the Winter Classic.

-Rangers forward and former Penguin Mike Rupp expressed regret in calling Flyers forward and former Blue Jackets teammate Jody Shelly "irrelevant" on HBO's "24/7."

-Devils forward Jacob Josefson resumed practicing for the first time since suffering a broken right clavicle Oct. 21.

Northeast Division

-The Canadiens signed defenseman Josh Gorges (right) to a six-year contract extension worth a total of $23.4 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $3.9 million. He is currently in the final year of a contract with a $1.1 million cap hit. In 39 games this season, he has 10 points (one goal, nine assists).

Southeast Division

-Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman will be sidelined indefinitely due to a concussion.

Central Division

-A hat trick by Sergei Kostitsyn led the Predators to a 5-3 win against the Flames. Kevin Klein added a goal and an assist for Philadelphia while teammate Patric Hornqvist and Jordin Tootoo each recorded two assists. Pekka Rinne made 20 saves in the victory.

-Kostitsyn's hat trick:

-Klein returned to the lineup after missing six games due to an illness.

-Blues defenseman Ian Cole was suspended three games for a hit to the head of Red Wings forward Justin Abeldkader Saturday. The hit in question:

Northwest Division

-Flames defenseman Corey Sarich was fined $2,500 for a hitting Senators forward Erik Condra in the head Friday.

-After he experienced symptoms from light skating, Wild forward Guillame Latendresse has been shut down again due to his concussion.

-The Wild demoted forward Jed Ortmeyer to Houston of the AHL.

Pacific Division

-Coyotes forward Raffi Torres will have a disciplinary hearing today over the phone over a hit to the head of Minnesota's Nate Prosser Saturday.

Patrick Division

-A confidential NHL report revealed the NHL's six Canadian teams accounted for 33 percent of the league's $1.2 billion in ticket-based revenue last season.

(Photos: Lee-Penguins Hockey Cards; Rangers/Flyers-Tom Mihalek/Associated Press; Gorges-Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

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