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Wednesday, 04 January 2012 10:00

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

Penguins

-James Neal (above). Goal-scorer.

-The Staals are brothers. And they like coming back from injuries at the Winter Classic.

-Dan Bylsma speaks:

-With goaltender Scott Munroe dealing with a "lower-body" injury, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins recalled goaltender Patrick Killeen from Wheeling.

-Happy 24th birthday to current Penguins defensive prospect Brian Strait. A third-round pick in 2006, Strait has spent parts of the past two seasons with the Penguins. After appearing in three NHL games last season and not recording a point, Strait has played in one game this season, without a point. In four games with the Penguins, Strait has not scored a point. He is currently with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Atlantic Division

-Shootout goals by P.A. Parenteau and Frans Nielsen gave the Islanders a 4-3 win against the Hurricanes. Nielsen had a regulation goal and an assist for New York while teammate John Tavares recorded three assists. Evgeni Nabokov made 37 saves in the victory. Brandon Sutter collected a regulation goal and an assist for Carolina.

-Pass of the Night: Tavares setting up Kyle Okposo for a goal:

-Islanders defenseman Mike Mottau is dealing with an "upper-body" injury.

-Flyers forward and former Penguins captain Jaromir Jagr will be sidelined seven to 10 days due to a groin injury.

-Monday's Winter Classic delivered the lowest overnight television ratings in the history of the game.

Northeast Division

-Joffrey Lupul had a goal and three assists for the Maple Leafs in a 7-3 rout of the Lightning. Mikhail Grabovski, Matt Frattin and captain Dion Phaneuf each added a goal and an assist for Toronto while teammate Tim Connolly recorded two assists. Jonas Gustavsson made 21 saves in the victory.

-A goal and two assists by Drew Stafford led the Sabres to a 4-3 win against the Oilers. Nathan Gerbe added a goal and an assist for Buffalo while teammate Brayden McNabb recorded two assists. Ryan Miller made 23 saves in the victory. Sam Gagner recorded a goal and an assist for Edmonton.

-Check out this placement of this shot by Buffalo captain Jason Pominville:

-The Maple Leafs traded former Penguins forward Luca Caputi to the Ducks in exchange for forward Nicolas Deschamps. Toronto acquired Caputi from the Penguins in 2009-10 as part of the deal which sent Alexei Ponikarovsky to the Penguins.

-The Maple Leafs recalled defenseman Korbinian Holzer and recalled forward Philippe Dupuis to Toronto of the AHL.

-Is Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson a candidate for the Norris Trophy?

-The Bruins demoted forward Jordan Caron to Providence of the AHL.

Southeast Division

-Captain Alexander Ovechkin had a goal and an assist for the Capitals in a 3-1 defeat of the Flames. Nicklas Backstrom recorded three assists for Washington while teammate Marcus Johansson collected two assists. Tomas Vokoun made all of 18 saves in the win.

-Ovechkin scored on a nice one-timer:

-Backstrom left the game after being elbowed in the head by Flames forward Rene Bourque:

-Bourque will have a discplinary hearing today.

-Calgary's Tom Kostopoulos and Washington's Dmitry Orlov had a pretty intense puck battle here:

-Washington's Troy Brouwer got up close and personal with some fans:

-Capitals defenseman Mike Green returned to the lineup after missing 24 games due to a groin injury.

-Lightning forward and former Penguin Ryan Malone is dealing with a "lower-body'" injury.

-Hurricanes defenseman Joni Pitkanen is expected to be sidelined four weeks following knee surgery.

-The Panthers demoted forward Mark Cullen to San Antonio of the AHL.

Central Division

-Jiri Hudler scored two goals for the Red Wings who beat the Stars, 5-4. Valtteri Filppul added a goal and two assists for Detroit while teammate Henrik Zetterberg recorded three assists. Jimmy Howard made 25 saves in the victory. Michael Ryder led Dallas with a goal and two assists.

-Save of the Night: Dallas' Kari Lehtonen on Hudler:

-Howard was all over this puck:

-A goal and an assist by Jamie Langenbrunner led the Blues to a 4-1 win against the Coyotes. David Perron and Alex Pietrangelo each recorded two assists for St. Louis. Jaroslav Halak made 34 saves in the victory.

-Halak, teammate Vladimir Sobotka and Phoenix's Patrick O'Sullivan all kept their eyes on this puck:

-The Blues recalled defenseman Cade Fairchild from Peoria of the AHL.

-Hired in November, Blues coach Ken Hitchcock is already the most tenured coach in St. Louis sports.

-Blackhawks forward Daniel Carcillo was suspended indefinitely for a boarding penalty against Oilers defenseman Tom Gilbert Monday.

-The Blackhawks signed forward Andrew Shaw, a fifth-round pick in 2011, to a three-year entry-level contract.

-Predators captain She Weber (right) resumed practicing for the first time since suffering a concussion Dec. 23.

Northwest Division

-The Wild activated forwards Devin Setoguchi (knee) and Casey Wellman (wrist) from injured reserve and demoted forward Matt Kassian to Houston of the AHL.

-The Oilers recalled forward Josh Green and defenseman Colten Teubert from Oklahoma City of the AHL.

-The Canucks demoted forward Mark Mancari to Chicago of the AHL.

-The Avalanche demtoed forward Brad Malone to Lake Erie of the AHL.

Pacific Division

-The Coyotes activated goaltender Mike Smith (groin) from injured reserve and demoted goaltender Curtis McElhinney to Portland of the AHL.

-The Ducks demoted forward Jean-Francois Jacques to Syracuse of the AHL.

IIHF World Junior Championships

-Capitals forward prospect Yevgeni Kuznetsov had a hat trick and an assist for Russia in a wild 6-5 win against Canada.

-Canada nearly pulled off a comeback despite being down 6-1 in the third period.

-Ducks forward prospect Max Friberg scored two regulation goals for Sweden in a 3-2 shootout win against rival Finland.

-Predators forward prospect Austin Watson had a hat trick and four assists for the United States in a 12-2 rout of Latvia.

Adams Division

-Former Canadiens/Rangers/Coyotes forward Marcel Hossa has joined Dinamo Riga of the KHL.

(Photos: Neal-Dale MacMillan/Getty Images; Flames/Capitals-Patrick McDermott/Getty Images and Nick Wass/Associated Press; Red Wings/Stars-Ronald Martinez/Getty Images; Coyotes/Blues-Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images; Weber-Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

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