Back by popular demand, Mike Lange's goal calls from Game 3:

BringBackMike.com.

CALDER CUP FINAL

-Thanks to the magic of NHL Network, we were able to take in our first Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins game last night. They fell to the Chicago Wolves, 5-4, in Game 1 of the Calder Cup final.

This was our first time watching a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton game in any capacity and we considered doing a live blog, but we just wanted to sit down and simply watch a hockey game without having to worry if someone went to the backhand or forehand on a shot for the purposes of documenting it. Plus we had a pizza.

Here are a few observations:

-AHL hockey is pretty entertaining. Perhaps it's the fact that these are the supposed two best teams in the AHL. Perhaps it's because the skill level is a step below the NHL's and that opened up the ice for some of the better players like Chicago's Jason Krog. But if the rest of this series is anything like the rest of the league, you can catch some pretty exciting hockey if you ever take in a game. The ice was wide open and the action was end-to-end. Game 1 was almost as exciting as Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final.

-The Penguins aren't quitters. They were down 3-0 after the first period but still managed to make a game out of this. They might've tied the game up late, but had a potential fifth goal get waved off because officials ruled the puck was kicked in.

-We routinely get e-mails from lots of readers from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton who tell us the obligatory smashing of Connor James still happen in just about every Penguins game. (If you're new to Empty Netters, James seemed to get smashed at least once a game in the handful of games he played with the NHL Penguins this season.) Last night's game was no different. James got slammed from behind into the benches by Chicago forward Jesse Schultz. Schultz was assessed a boarding penalty. The Penguins scored a goal on the ensuing power play.

-It's probably hard to draw in a town like Chicago were there are so many other entertainment options, but the Wolves don't seem to have a lot of fans. There seemed to be more empty seats than bodies watching the action. In all fairness to the Wolves, their arena holds 20,000 which dwarfs some NHL buildings.

-The Wolves have two rows of seats on their bench. It was really weird to see that.

-Most teams grow playoff beards. The Wolves grow playoff moustaches. It looked like a team of Tom Sellecks and Dale Earnhardts out there.

-Former Penguins goaltender Wendell Young is a member of Chicago's coaching staff.

-Former Penguins defenseman Joel Kwiatkowski currently plays for the Wolves. Watching him play against AHL level talent, he looks like Scott Niedermayer. When he's in the NHL, he looks like... well... Joel Kwiatkowski.

-NHL Network will air Game 2 on Sunday as well

For more on the Penguins, check out the recap by the Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice's Jonathan Bombulie.

LUC BOURDON -- 1987-2008

Canucks defenseman Luc Bourdon was killed in a motorcycle accident near his home town of Shippagan, New Brunswick yesterday. Bourdron, the Canucks first round draft pick in 2005, was 21.

James Mirtle did a pretty good job of rounding up information about Bourdon's life and death. A moment of silence in honor of Bourdon will be held before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final at Mellon Arena.

EMPTY NETTER ASSISTS

Playoff Stuff

Penguins

-The Penguins need to build on their win on Game 3.

-Rob Scuderi hates Hal Gill.

-Is Evgeni Malkin hurt?

-Gene Collier thinks Brooks Orpik may have made himself quite a bit of money after his amazing shift last night.

-Fans will be able to watch Game 5 in Mellon Arena.

-Does an extra day off before Game 4 hurt the Penguins? Vote on it here.

-The Penguins want more than one win.

-Game 3 drew a 2.8 rating national television rating.

-Georges Laraque is a good guy.

-EN contributor Eric Politowski made a tribute to Laraque's 2007-08 season:

-It's taken a little time to gain momentum, but apparently "Adam Hall is from Michigan" is the new "R.J. Umberger is from Pittsburgh."

-"Hockey Night In Canada" is anti-Sidney Crosby.

-Today's "Boo-Hoo Mario Lemieux won't let me interview him" interview is brought to you by David Shoalts of the Toronto Globe and Mail. (Kudos to EN reader Kara Tershel of Washington D.C. for the heads up.)

-Former Red Wings coach Jacques Demers says Sidney Crosby reminds him of Steve Yzerman.

-Michel Therrien had a press conference yesterday. Kukla's Korner has the transcript.

-Adam Hall, Brooks Orpik, Maxime Talbot and Ryan Whitney had press conferences yesterday. Kukla's Korner has the transcript.

-Fans in Kansas City are still mad about that Penguins-not-moving there thing.

-Going Five Hole came to Pittsburgh for Game 3.

-Someone shot video of the Penguins' pregame video projected onto the ice:

-While NBC couldn't apparently be bothered to show the United States' national athem, the CANADIAN Broadcasting Corporation could:

(Kudos to Nicole Redo of Houston for the finds.)

Red Wings

-Tomas Holmstrom is expected to play in Game 4. TSN is reporting he may be suffering from a groin injury or sport hernia.

-Mike Babcock is a tough guy to figure out.

-Babcock gave his team the day off yesterday.

-The Red Wings top line wore itself out in Game 3.

-Detroit's chief European scout is the reason they have so much talent from the other side of the pond.

-The Red Wings are getting good return on their deal with Chris Osgood.

-It took a game for Johan Franzen to get back to his old self.

-Franzen's strong play in Game 3 was encouraging for the Red Wings.

-Pavel Datsyuk tagging Ryan Malone in Game 3:

-Novi, Mich. is turning into "Little Sweden."

-The Red Wings hate Big Brown.

-Andreas Lilja is mad about the Penguins' stick work. Gary Roberts is mad Andreas Lilja survived getting demolished:

-Ken Holland said reports of the Red Wings playing the Blackhawks at Wrigley Field were premature.

-Michigan's attorney general is mad the Penguins won't sell tickets to Red Wings fans.

-The Red Wings are down with that whole no-teeth-for-hockey-players deal.

-Today's "The NHL is clueless" article is brought to you by Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press.

Non-Playoff Stuff

Central Division

-Predators minority owner and one-time would-be Penguins owner William "Boots" Del Biaggio is under investigation.

-The Blues signed general manager Larry Pleau to a contract extension through the 2009-10 season.

Northwest Division

-Oilers forward Curtis Glencross has an interesting offseason job:

Pacific Division

-Blake Wheeler, the Coyotes' first round draft pick in 2004, rejected the team's contract offer and will become a free agent.

Patrick Division

-Hockey broadcaster Mike Emrick and Canadien Press writer Neil Stevens will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

-Canadian teams provided 31 percent of the league's ticket revenue this season.

-The NHL will play a preseason game in Kansas City next season.