NHL Notes 3/24

ON THE MARK

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Mark Eaton (IR--knee) could return to the lineup this weekend. The Pens play back-to-back home games against the Atlanta Thrashers (Saturday) and Boston Bruins (Sunday), and would welcome the 29-year-old Eaton back for either contest.

The veteran stay-at-home rearguard has missed the last 11 games, and Pittsburgh has gone 7-3-1 without him. However, they've now lost two games in a row (at the Rangers and at the Islanders), and could use a shot in the arm down the stretch.

To that end, Pens head coach Michel Therrien has decided to shake up his lines for Saturday afternoon's contest. NHL leading scorer Sidney Crosby, who has gone pointless in his last two games, will now be flanked by red-hot Erik Christensen and Colby Armstrong. The second line will now see either Ryan Malone or Gary Roberts skate with Calder favorite Evgeni Malkin and Michel Ouellet, with the other left wing moving to the third line next to rookie Jordan Staal and slumping veteran Mark Recchi. The fourth line will consist of Jarkko Ruutu, Maxime Talbot and enforcer Georges Laraque. Therrien is looking for a spark against the Thrashers.

OPPORTUNITY WASTED

If the Toronto Maple Leafs miss the playoffs for the second straight season, they'll look back on Friday night's contest at Buffalo and wonder what might have been.

The Leafs built a 4-1 third-period lead on the strength of two straight goals by Boyd Devereaux, but couldn't hold the lead. Thomas Vanek, Daniel Briere, Jason Pominville and Drew Stafford all scored third-period markers for the Sabres to complete an improbable comeback and defeat Toronto by a 5-4 margin. With the loss, the Leafs are still in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings--two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens.

The loss spoiled defenseman Tomas Kaberle's return to the Maple Leafs lineup, following an eight-game absence due to a concussion. With Kaberle back in action, enforcer Wade Belak was a healthy scratch against the Sabres.

In other Leafs news, the Maple Leafs signed hard-working forward Kris Newbury (IR--concussion) to a two-year contract extension on Thursday. The 25-year-old rookie has been out of the lineup since February 10, after being knocked out by Pittsburgh's Ronald Petrovicky in a fight.

BLUES

The Blues recalled goaltender Marek Schwarz from the AHL's Peoria Rivermen on Friday. Technically No. 4 on the Blues' goalie depth chart, Schwarz appeared in two games with the big club earlier in the season and went 0-1-0 with a 3.00 goals-against average and .880 save percentage. The 20-year-old Czech may have surpassed Jason Bacashihua for the moniker of 'goaltender of the future' in St. Louis.

BRUINS

The struggling Bruins recalled defenseman Mark Stuart and winger Petr Kalus from the AHL's Providence Bruins on Friday. In 11 NHL games earlier in the season, Stuart produced one assist, 14 penalty minutes, three shots on goal and a plus-4 rating. As for the 19-year-old Kalus, the slick Czech has yet to appear in an NHL game. Look for the B's to give both Stuart and Kalus a decent look before the end of the 2006-07 campaign.

DEVILS

With Erik Rasmussen (shoulder) the latest Devils forward to go down with injury, the club recalled Finnish winger Tuomas Pihlman from the AHL's Lowell Devils in time to dress against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. It was the 24-year-old Pihlman's first NHL game of 2006-07, after appearing in 11 games with the Devils last season (1-1-2, -1, 10 PIM). He also played two games with New Jersey during the 2003-04 campaign.

DUCKS

Defenseman Chris Pronger returned to the Ducks lineup Friday night at home against the Dallas Stars, after missing seven games due to a toe injury. Pronger replaced Richard Jackman (healthy scratch) in the lineup. Meanwhile, after missing two games due to a groin injury, veteran winger Brad May returned to the Ducks lineup Thursday night on the road against the Phoenix Coyotes. With May back in action, enforcer George Parros was a healthy scratch in the 2-1 loss to the 'Yotes. On Friday night against Dallas, Parros was benched for a second consecutive contest; May and Shawn Thornton saw time as the fourth-line wingers.

FLAMES

An upper-body injury to Russian veteran Andrei Zyuzin prevented him from appearing in Thursday night's home contest against the Nashville Predators. Zyuzin has now missed two straight games and is considered day-to-day. Also, rookie defender Mark Giordano has been a healthy scratch the past two games, so newcomer David Hale replaced Zyuzin in the Flames lineup in wins over the Preds and Red Wings.

ISLANDERS

With starting netminder Rick DiPietro back healthy again, the Islanders have assigned third stringer Wade Dubielewicz back to the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers. In his latest NHL stint on Long Island, the 28-year-old Dubielewicz saw 16 minutes of action--his first game with the big club since last season. An unrestricted free agent this summer, Dubielewicz may need a fresh start with another organization in order to secure a backup job at the highest level.

KINGS

Slovakian defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky suffered an ankle injury against the Dallas Stars Wednesday night, and was therefore absent from the Kings lineup Friday night on the road against the Chicago Blackhawks. Visnovsky may not return this season, since L.A. will not participate in the postseason. Kevin Dallman replaced Visnovsky in the 2-1 win over the 'Hawks. Meanwhile, California native Gabe Gauthier has been assigned back to the AHL's Manchester Monarchs now that rookie Anze Kopitar is back in action for the Kings.

OILERS

Right wing Ales Hemsky (shoulder), center Marty Reasoner (shoulder) and rookie defenseman Tom Gilbert (head) all returned to the Oilers lineup on Friday night in the second consecutive home contest against the Colorado Avalanche. Hemsky missed eight games, Reasoner returned following a nine-game absence and Gilbert was activated off injured reserve after missing 13 games. With Gilbert's return, the Oil were able to assign emergency call-up Sebastien Bisaillon back to the QMJHL's Val d'Or Foreurs. Also, Zack Stortini and Robert Nilsson were scratched to make room for Hemsky and Reasoner.

RED WINGS

With both Todd Bertuzzi and Daniel Cleary back in the Red Wings lineup, forwards Matt Ellis and Darryl Bootland were assigned back to the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins on Thursday. At the big-league level this season, Ellis had gone pointless with a minus-1 rating, 22 shots on goal and six penalty minutes in 16 games. Bootland produced no points, nine penalty minutes and four shots on goal in six contests.

THRASHERS

Winger Jon Sim, who was settling in as the grinder on the Ilya Kovalchuk-Keith Tkachuk line with Atlanta, suffered a fractured orbital bone on Thursday night in a fight with San Jose's Mark Bell. As a result, he needed surgery to correct the problem on Friday and is now out indefinitely. Newcomer Pascal Dupuis is expected to skate on the Kovalchuk-Tkachuk line while Sim is out.