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Tuesday, 07 February 2012 04:32

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

Penguins

-Sidney Crosby filled in for Tyler Kennedy in practice yesterday.

-Kennedy (above) returned to Pittsburgh to have his undisclosed injury evaluated. (PG+)

-Simon Despres and Jordan Staal are getting closer to returning from their injuries.

-Dan Byslma speaks:

-Staal speaks:

-Here's the excellent video piece Root Sports' Dan Potash put together on the Penguins' equipment managers:

-Happy 37th birthday to former Penguins forward Alexandre Daigle. The first-overall pick by the Senators in the 1993 draft, Daigle came to the Penguins as a free agent in the 2002 offseason and spent one season with the team. In 2002-03, he played in 33 games and scored seven points. In the 2003 offseason, he joined the Wild as a free agent.

-Happy 40th birthday to former Penguins defenseman John Slaney. A free agent signing in the 1999 offseason, Slaney's Penguins career amounted to 29 games and five points in 1999-2000. Midway through 2000-01, Slaney, the only player in franchise history from Newfoundland and Labrador, was traded to the Flyers in exchange for Kevin Stevens.

-Happy 67th birthday to former Penguins forward Ross Lonsberry (right). Acquired in the 1978 offseason along with Tom Bladon and Orest Kindrachuk in a trade which sent a draft pick to the Flyers, Lonsberry spent three seasons with the Penguins. In 1978-79, Lonsberry appeared in all 80 games and 46 points. He saw action in seven postseason games that spring and contributed two assists. He followed that up in 1979-80 by playing in 76 games and recording 33 points. In the 1980 postseason, he appeared in five games and scored three points. His final NHL season was 1980-81. He played in 80 games and netted 50 points. During that spring's playoffs, Lonsberry appeared in five games and failed to record a point. He retired following the season. In 236 regular season games with the Penguins, he scored 129 points, 65th-most in franchise history. In 17 postseason games, he scored five points.

Atlantic Division

-With defensemen Travis Hamonic (nose) and Milan Jurcina (elbow) dinged up, the Islanders recalled defenseman Aaron Ness from Bridgeport of the AHL.

-The NHL is looking into allegations that Flyers forward Tim Sestito pulled the hair of Rangers forward Brandon Prust during a fight Sunday.

Northeast Division

-Two goals and an assist by Phil Kessel led the Maple Leafs to a 6-3 win against the Oilers. Clarke MacArthur added a goal and an assist for Toronto while teammate Mikhail Grabovski and captain Dion Phaneuf each recorded two assists. James Reimer made 27 saves in the victory. Jordan Eberle scored two goals for Edmonton.

-Pass of the Night: Toronto's Matthew Lombardi setting up Kessel for a goal:

-Not to be outdone, check out the tic-tac-toe passing on this goal by Eberle:

-Kessel and Reimer having a moment:

-The Maple Leafs are 10-4-1 since Jan. 1.

-Not one penalty was called in the game.

-Sabres coach Lindy Ruff was injured in practice yesterday when former Penguins defenseman Jordan Leopold collided with him. Ruff suffered three broken ribs.

-The Bruins placed forward Zach Hamill on waivers.

-The Canadiens demoted forwards Aaron Palushaj and Ryan White to Hamilton of the AHL.

Southeast Division

-The Hurricanes placed forward Anthony Stewart (right) on waivers.

-Carolina demoted forward Riley Nash to Charlotte of the AHL.

-Is Hurricanes defenseman Justin Falk a candidate for the Calder Trophy?

-Panthers forward Marco Sturm is expected to be sidelined four weeks following knee surgery.

-Capitals forward Brooks Laich is considered day to day due to a left knee injury.

Central Division

-The Red Wings will play 18 of their final 28 games at home in Joe Louis Arena.

Northwest Division

-Edmonton forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins left last night's game in Toronto due to a shoulder ailment.

-Oilers coach Tom Renney skipped last night's game after taking a puck to the head in practice. Assistant coach Ralph Krueger took over his duties.

-Flames captain Jarome Iginla reached the 20-goal mark for the 14th consecutive season. Only 31 players have accomplished that in NHL history.

-Avalanche forward Chuck Kobasew (right) was fined $2,500 for a "dangerous trip" against Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis Saturday.

Pacific Division

-Martin Hanzal scored two goals for the Coyotes in a 3-1 win against the Red Wings. Ray Whitney recorded two assists for Phoenix while teammate Mike Smith made 30 saves.

-Check out the moves Phoenix's Boyd Gordon busted out to score on Detroit's Joey MacDonald:

-Funny Face of the Night: Coyotes captain Shane Doan:

-Shootout goals by Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan and Niklas Hagman gave the Ducks a 3-2 win against the Flames. Jonas Hiller made 24 saves in the victory.

-Check out this ugly slash to the face of Anaheim's Teemu Selanne by Calgary's Blair Jones:

-Anaheim's Bobby Ryan > Calgary's Jay Bouwmeester:

-Anaheim's Saku Koivu kept his eyes on this puck:

-Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff reached up for this puck:

-The Ducks assigned forward Devante Smith-Pelly to Syracuse of the AHL for a conditioning assignment.

-Anaheim also recalled goaltender Iiro Tarkki from Syracuse and demoted goaltender Jeff Deslauriers to Syracuse.

-The Stars assigned defenseman Adam Pardy (right) to Texas of the AHL for a conditioning assignment.

-The Sharks placed forward Andrew Murray on waivers.

Adams Division

-Former Hurricanes/Sharks forward Dwight Helminen has joined the Kalamzoo Wings, ECHL affiliate of the Devils and Canucks.

-Politician/consumer advocate Ralph Nader wrote an open letter to Gary Bettman imploring him to ban fighting in the NHL.

(Photos: Kennedy and Stewart-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Lonsberry-Penguins Hockey Cards; Oilers/Maple Leafs-Frank Gunn/Canadian Press; Kobasew-Dale MacMillan/Getty Images; Red Wings/Coyotes-Christian Petersen/Getty Images; Flames/Ducks-Harry How/Getty Images; Pardy-Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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