If nothing else, the Penguins need to avenge the memory of Sergei Zubov tonight:

We don't have much of anything to write about at this point. It's been like 38 days since the Penguins last played a game. A video of Luc Robitaille kicking Zubov will have to do.

EMPTY NETTER ASSISTS

Eastern Conference

Penguins-Rangers

-Remember that Jagr guy?

-Remember that Conklin guy?

-Gary Roberts is optimistic he'll play tonight.

-Dave Molinari takes a look at both teams.

-Jaromir Jagr said Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin aren't as prolific as Mario Lemieux. This is seemingly being perceived as a jab by Jagr at Crosby and Malkin, but it's not. Jagr's simply saying it's much more difficult to score these days.

-Lemieux or not, Crosby and Malkin are the top two players still alive in the playoffs in terms of points per minutes.

-Judging by how they reacted to the "Avery Rule" T-shirt, the NHL doesn't exactly sound like an organized operation.

-Should Jagr be booed?

-It's nice to see the Penguins and Rangers back in the playoffs.

-The Rangers recalled a bunch of warm bodies from their AHL affiliate in Hartford.

-New York is sick of talking.

-Rangers coach Tom Renney might put a line of Colton Orr, Blair Betts and Ryan Hollweg on the ice against Sidney Crosby's line.

-Jarkko Ruutu basically called Sean Avery a girl.

-Marian Hossa plays for the Pittsburgh Cubs. (Kudos The Pensblog for the find.)

-EN contributor Eric Politowski created a Michel Therrien ringtone.

-You'll be able to watch Games 1 and 2 tonight outside Mellona Arena. Things could be a little wet out though.

-We'll be blogging live tonight. Tune in around 6:30 p.m. or so.

Canadiens-Flyers

-A couple of former Penguins gave the Canadiens a 4-3 win against the Flyers last night. Alex Kovalev's goal with 29 seconds left in regulation sent the game to overtime where Tom Kostopoulos scored 48 seconds into the extra period. Kovalev finished with two goals. Montreal leads the series 1-0.

-A second effort paid off for Kostopoulos.

-A Montreal newspaper printed copies of Habs coach Guy Carbonneau's ugly lucky tie for fans to wear.

-Could this be a dream series?

-The Flyers felt they got some bad calls from the officials. If so, good. They apparently aren't big on these "rules" things the NHL has.

-This was a play where Mike Richards was called for kneeing Alex Kovalev late in the game:

-Kovalev tied the game on the ensuing power play.

-Game 1 of this series, looked a lot like Game 1 of the Flyers' last series.

-Flyers defenseman Jaroslav Modry did not play. He returned to the Czech Republic to attend his father's funeral.

-Habs forward Saku Koivu and Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen hate each other.

-The city of Montreal didn't get torn apart following a Habs win for once.

Western Conference

Red Wings-Avalanche

-Johan Franzen had two goals and an assist for Detroit in a 4-3 edging of the rival Avlanche. The Red Wings lead the series, 1-0.

-Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood made a clutch save with 8.4 seconds left in regulation on John-Michael Liles to preserve the win.

-After his big game, Franzen better expect more attention.

-It wasn't exactly an old-school Avalanche-Red Wings game.

-Colorado forward Peter Forsberg did not play due to a groin injury.

-Avalanche goaltender Jose Theodore became sick and had to leave the game.

-Colorado had some bad luck yesterday. Forward Wojtek Wolski suffered an upper-body injury.

-If it wasn't obvious, the Avalanche is beat up.

-The Avalanche knew what it was dealing with when it brought back Forsberg.

-It was a weird night in Detroit for the Avalanche.

-The Red Wings ripped the Avalanche apart on the forecheck.

-They twirled the octopus in the bowels of Joe Lewis Arena last night.

-Somehow, we can't see Gary Roberts wolfing down a slab of ribs with the Red Wings:

(Kudos to Kukla's Korner for the find.)

Sharks-Stars

-Dallas goaltender Marty Turco has matured since the last time the Stars were this far.

-Stars forward Steve Ott might be the Jarkko Ruutu of the Western Conference.

-This series won't lack emotion.

-The Sharks are going to rely on goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.

-Three of the more prominent figures in American hockey --Brett Hull, Mike Modano and Jeremy Roenick -- will be on display in this series.

-Sharks defenseman Kyle McLaren is questionable for Game 1.

-Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas probably has a really ticked off dermatologist.

-Sharks tickets are a hot item.

AHL

In a 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phantoms in five overtimes, Albany River Rats goaltender Michael Leighton made 98 saves.

-The game was the longest in AHL history.

Montage Mania

Someone rounded up a lot of the playoff montages teams played in their arenas this season:

Non-Playoff Stuff

Adams Division

-Team Canada re-designed their jerseys. They're a slight improvement over those horrid things with the vertical striping they've worn the past few years.

-The finalists for the Lady Byng trophy were announced. Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk, Buffalo's Jason Pominville and last season's winner, Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis are the finalists.

-Patrick Roy's kid is a hip-hop artist.

First Published: April 25, 2008, 9:30 a.m.