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Monday, 20 February 2012 03:13

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

Penguins

-Dave Molinari's recap from yesterday's game. "We made them look pretty good." - Chris Kunitz on the Sabres.

-The Buffalo News' recap. "It was fun because we worked hard and deserved to win." - Sabres captain Jason Pominville.

-The Associated Press' recap. The Sabres snapped a four-game losing streak.

-NHL.com's recap. "It was a letdown for our team." - Dan Bylsma.

-Highlights, so to speak:

-"We didn't want to back off on him. If we backed off, it gives him time." - Sabres forward Paul Gaustad on defending Evgeni Malkin.

-"I'm just so comfortable in Pittsburgh. With the commitment the organization is going to give me, it couldn't be a better feeling. I couldn't find a better spot. Pittsburgh is where I wanted to be."- James Neal on his new contract.

-Neal speaks:

-Buffalo's Patrick Kaleta couldn't beat Marc-Andre Fleury here:

-In a recent poll of NHLPA members conducted by Hockey Night in Canada, Dan Bylsma was selected as the coach most players would like to play for.

-Patrick Killeen made 15 saves for the Wheeling Nailers in a 5-1 loss to the Trenton Devils.

-Happy 69th birthday to former Penguins and Pittsburgh Hornets goaltender Joe Daley (right). Claimed from the Red Wings in the 1967 expansion draft, Daley spent parts of two seasons with the Penguins. He made his NHL debut in 1968-69 by appearing in 29 games while serving as Les Binkley's back up and going 10-13-2 with a 3.23 and two shutouts. In 1969-70, Daley was limited to nine games, a 1-5-3 record and 2.95 goals against average. In the 1970 offseason, Daley was claimed off waivers by the Sabres. Daley eventually became the starting goaltender for the WHA's Winnipeg Jets. When that league merged with the NHL, Daley was its career leader in goaltending wins with 167. He currently operates Joe Daley Sports Cards in Winnipeg. In 38 games with the Penguins, Daley had an 11-18-6 record with an 3.16 goals against average and two shutouts.

-Happy 47th birthday to former Penguins forward Mark Kachowski. A free agent signing in the 1987 offseason, Kachowski spent parts of three seasons with the Penguins. As a rookie in 1987-88, Kachowski appeared in 38 games, scored eight points and recorded 126 penalty minutes. He followed that up in 1988-89 by playing in 12 games, recording two points and 43 penalty minutes. His final NHL season was 1989-90. He saw action in 14 games and netted one assist as well as 40 penalty minutes. After spending each of the next two seasons with the Penguins' IHL affiliate in Muskegon, Kachowski was released in the 1992 offseason. In 64 games, Kachowski scored 11 points and recorded 203 penalty minutes.

-Happy 28th birthday to current Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy. A free agent signing in 2007, Lovejoy has spent parts of four seasons with the Penguins. He debuted in the NHL during the 2008-09 season by appearing in two games and failing to record a point. In 2009-10, Lovejoy saw action in three games and recorded three assists. During 2010-11, Lovejoy played in 47 games and scored 17 points. He saw action in seven postseason games last spring and recorded two assists. This season, Lovejoy has has appeared in 26 games and scored three points. In 87 career games with the Penguins, Lovejoy, one of eight players in NHL history from New Hampshire, has scored 23 points.

Atlantic Division

-Martin Brodeur made 23 saves for the Devils who defeated the Canadiens, 3-1. New Jersey has won three consecutive games. Montreal has lost three out of its past four games.

-"It's crazy. Seriously. He puts himself in that position by going down so low. That's him. He's not going to change. It doesn't bother him. The guy is a tank." - Brodeur on defenseman Anton Volchenkov blocking a shot with his face today.

-Devils defenseman Kurtis Foster missed the game due to an ailing back.

-An overtime goal by Derek Stepan gave the Rangers a 3-2 win against the Blue Jackets. Michael Del Zotto recorded two assists for New York while teammate Henrik Lundqvist made 21 saves.

-Stepan's goal:

-Columbus captain Rick Nash tied the game with 1:33 left in regulation and forced overtime with this goal:

-After the goal, Rangers fans began chanting, ""We don't want you!" at Nash, the subject of rumors connecting him to the Rangers.

-The Islanders are expected to negotiate a contract extension with goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.

-"It's part of the business. And it's not fun sometimes." - Flyers defenseman Pavel Kubina on being traded from the Lightning this weekend.

-"He's not himself, and it's not in a good way." - Lauren Pronger on her husband, Flyers captain Chris Pronger, and his recovery from a concussion.

Northeast Division

-Prior to last night's game, the Canadiens paid tribute to former Montreal Expos catcher and Major League Baseball hall of famer Gary Carter who lost his battle with cancer last week:

-The Canadiens even wore No.8 jerseys in honor of Carter:

Southeast Division

-Two goals by Bryan Little led the Jets to a 5-1 rout of the Avalanche. Blake Wheeler recorded four assists for Colorado while teammates Evander Kane, Andrew Ladd and Kyle Wellwood each added a goal and an assist. Ondrej Pavelec made 31 saves in the victory.

-Colorado's Cody McLeod has a face only a monther could love:

-In an attempt to save his career, Lightning defenseman Mattias Ohlund is expected to undergo major surgery on his left knee.

-The Capitals demoted forward Keith Aucoin to Hershey of the AHL.

-Panthers forward Kris Versteeg was fined $2,500 for a cross check against Capitals forward Jeff Halpern Friday.

-Panthers forward and former Penguin Matt Bradley left yesterday's game against the Ducks due to an "upper-body" injury.

Central Division

-Drew Miller had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings who defeated the Sharks, 3-2. Joey MacDonald made 31 saves for Detroit which extended is NHL record home winning streak to 23 games.

-A goal and an assist by Duncan Keith led the Blackhawks to a 3-1 win against the Blues. Corey Crawford made 29 saves for Chicago which has won three consecutive games.

-St. Louis' Brian Elliott had issues with this puck:

-Crawford lost track of this puck momentarily:

-Pekka Rinne made 22 saves for the Predators in a 3-2 win against the Stars. Nashville snapped a four-game losing streak. Dallas has lost five out of its past six games.

-Rinne had some hydration aiming issues:

-If you're wondering what former Penguins defenseman Hal Gill looks like in his new Predators jersey, here you go:

-We don't want to suggest Gill will be asked to change a lot of light bulbs in Nashville, but...:

-“I talked to Sophie on Friday and I don’t think she quite gets it. She was asking what my team is – ‘What’s a Predator?’" - Gill on talking to his four-year-old daughter about his trade to Nashville last week.

Northwest Division

-Daniel Sedin and captain Henrik Sedin each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks in a 5-2 win against the Oilers. Alex Burrows recorded two assists for Vancouver while teammate Cory Schneider made 26 saves.

-Pass of the Night: Henrik Sedin setting up Daniel Sedin all of 53 seconds into the game:

-Oilers goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin left the game due to a groin ailment.

-Niklas Backstrom made a whopping 48 saves for the Wild in a 2-0 shutout of the Bruins. It was Backstrom's 26th career shutout. Minnesota snapped a seven-game losing streak.

-Minnesota forward Warren Peters was suspended one game for cross checking Blues captain David Backes in the head Saturday:

-EN Says: Regardless of intent or Peter's clean history, it was an attack on an opponent's head. One game is a slap on the wrist.

-Wild forward Kyle Brodziak signed a three-year contract extension worth a total of $8.49 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $2.83 million. In the final year of a contract with a cap hit of $1.15 million, Brodziak has 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) in 59 games this season.

-The Flames will retire the No. 2 of former defenseman Al MacInnis Feb. 27.

-Calgary recalled goaltender Henrik Karlsson from Abbotsford of the AHL and demote goaltender Leland Irving to Abbotsford.

Pacific Division

-Jonas Hiller made 31 saves for the Ducks in a 2-0 shutout of Panthers. Anaheim earned at least a point in its ninth consecutive games (6-0-3).

-Cool Photo of the Night: Anaheim's Teemu Selanne getting the best of Florida's Erik Gudbranson:

-Anaheim's George Parros and Florida's Krys Barch had issues:

(Photos: Penguins/Sabres-Gary Wiepert/Associated Press; Devils/Canadiens-Graham Hughes/Canadian Press; Avalanche/Jets-Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images; Blues/Blackhawks-Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images and John Smierciak/Associated Press; Predators/Stars-Ronald Martinez/Getty Images; Ducks/Panthers-Joel Auerbach/Getty Images and Gary I. Rothstein/Associated Press)

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