FanHouse SergeiSamsonov

After giving up six goals in Game 2, Cam Ward did everything he possibly could to keep the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 and give them an opportunity to win. Then, with about 10 minutes to play in the third period, the flood gates opened and Pittsburgh took a commanding 3-0 lead in the series with a convincing 6-2 win.

As hard as it might be to believe after giving up five goals (Pittsburgh also scored an empty net goal), Ward actually played a really strong game, turning aside 34 shots, some in spectacular fashion. The Penguins were simply relentless in their offensive attack, while Evgeni Malkin led the way with his sixth consecutive multi-point game, setting a franchise record.

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Hurricanes 4, Devils 2: Having lost three in a row, the Hurricanes were in need of a win on Wednesday night to help take advantage of the recent slumps by Florida and Buffalo. Thanks to a 40-save performance from Cam Ward, and a 3-for-5 night on the power play, Carolina picked up a 4-2 win over Kevin Weekes and the New Jersey Devils.

Anton Babchuk scored a pair of power play goals for the 'Canes, while Eric Staal and Sergei Samsonov also tallied goals in the win. Ward faced a barrage of shots from New Jersey, as the Devils outshot Carolina 33-14 over the final two periods.

I don't know what the Thrashers give-a-crap level was at, but the Penguins certainly kicked their give-a-crap level up a few notches as they snapped a five-game losing streak with a 3-1 win over Atlanta. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 28-of-29 shots, while Petr Sykora scored a pair of goals in the win.

Not only did Pittsburgh ends its losing streak, it also ended an 0-for-32 power play drought by going 2-for-6 with the man advantage.

It was a costly win of sorts for the Penguins, as Ruslan Fedotenko and Pascal Dupuis left the game with injuries and did not return. Both players had been playing, perhaps, their best hockey of the season in recent weeks.

Fedotenko appeared to suffer a hand injury when he punched out Colby Armstrong in the first period. It was perhaps the shortest fight of the season, as it consisted of one Fedotenko punch to the jaw, and Armstrong attempting to throw one when both players were on the ice. Fedotenko could be seen shaking his hand as he went to the penalty box, and then headed directly to the locker room and did not return.

Alex Goligoski was again a healthy scratch, as head coach Michel Therrien used the same lineup he used in New York the night before, with much better results. Evgeni Malkin recorded three assists, while Sidney Crosby scored his 16th goal of the season.

Ilya Kovalchuk scored the lone goal for Atlanta late in the third period, ending Fleury's shutout bid.

When the Chicago Blackhawks, a team that doesn't ooze offensive depth from its pores, put the enigmatic Sergei Samsonov on waivers in December, most of us thought that it was the end for the little Russian. He had his last chance, and blew it.
Sammy appeared to care little about doing much other than whining and pouting, despite the fact that given every opportunity to succeed during his brief tenure in the Windy City. Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Robert Lang had no problems scoring, but Samsonov certainly did.

Who would really want to take a chance on a whiny, me-first player who put up just 4 points in 23 games? The Carolina Hurricanes, apparently, who took Samsonov on waivers, and made a lot of fans scratch their heads.

Whatever magic tonic Peter Laviolette has been giving Sergei could make a mint on eBay. Somehow, some way, the Canes' head coach has coaxed 24 points and +11 in 27 games out of the little bugger.

Frankly, I am quite amazed and shocked. Even with Samsonov's skill set, there was nothing to suggest that there was something left in the tank. It's not just the production that has suddenly reappeared, but the passion for the game and the willingness to work hard. For whatever reason, Samsonov didn't care much about winning when he was with the Habs or Hawks, but is now working his buns off to backcheck, forecheck, hipcheck, bodycheck, cross-check, and produce offensively.

Just think ... it could very well be Sergei Samsonov, of all people, that turns out to be the best in-season transaction in the NHL for this campaign. With Justin Williams and Rod Brind'Amour lost to injury, Samsonov may very well be the reason why Canes win their division.

After years of play that can really might be best described as 'skating around' it looks as thought the NHL career of enigmatic winger Sergei Samsonov may be coming to an end. After being acquired by the Chicago Blackhawks from Montreal during the summer, the Hawks put Samsonov on the waiver wire tonight. If he goes unclaimed, his next gig will be for the Hawks' AHL affiliate in Rockford, Illinois.

Originally, Samsonov was the 8th pick in the 1997 draft, selected by Boston. Along with Joe Thornton, Samsonov was part of a Bruins duo that was supposed to lead the team back to the promised land. That never materialized, despite Samsonov putting up two 70+ point, 29 goal seasons at the beginning of the millennium. After a few mediocre and injury plagued seasons, he was let go. Prior to last season, he ended up signing a two-year deal with Montreal valued at approximately $7 million. In Montreal, Samsonov never regained any of the form he had in Boston and was frequently a healthy scratch, finishing the year with nine goals in 63 games. This season, Samsonov had a grand total of zero goals and four assists for the Hawks in 23 games in addition to a -7 rating.

It's really quite amazing that despite the Blackhawks recent resurgence, Samsonov didn't benefit from it in the least. With kids like Jon Toews and Patrick Kane firing on all cylinders, Samsonov didn't even find the net. Not once. It's highly unlikely that any team will claim Samsonov, who at this point appears to have completely lost his scoring touch. The next stop for him will almost certainly be the AHL, and after that it is anyone's guess. How about a reality show on VH1? Those folks can make a show about anything.

All of those Montreal Canadiens fans that are gleeful over the trade of Sergei Samsonov to the Chicago Blackhawks (most common response: "You mean somebody traded for him?!") should set their watches for about mid-November, when Samsonov is leading his team in scoring and producing on the power play. There's no telling what his numbers will be for the full season, because Samsonov continues to be a riddle wrapped in a conundrum wrapped in a poor man's Alexei Kovalev; for all his "offensive upside," we're still talking about a player who in his best NHL seasons hasn't cracked 30 goals. But if the pressure is what was killing Sami in Montreal, Chicago is a panacea -- the third-string quarterback on the Bears gets more of the spotlight than the Blackhawks do these days. The only thing standing in the way of Samsonov having a reversal of fortunes is if Chicago does something stupid and signs him to a long-term deal: He's a UFA after next season, and history has shown that the guy morphs into an all-star when he's singing for his supper.

As for the Habs, the deal -- which saw defenseman Jassen Cullimore and winger Tony Salmelainen sent from Chicago -- was a coup from a financial point of view, according to the Montreal Gazette:

The Canadiens intend to buy out Cullimore, who earned $1.9 million this past season and would have earned $1.925,000 in 2007-08. It would have cost the Habs $1.175 million each of the next two years, against the cap, to buy out Samsonov. Cullimore will cost them $611,666 each of the next two years.

As T.C. Denault over on HabsWorld points out, even the smallest savings in today's capped NHL can mean a huge difference -- especially when you're a team trying to re-sign your own high-profile free agents (Sheldon Souray) and trying to lure someone else's (see Briere, Daniel).

Here's the bottom line: Montreal finished 10th in the conference and one point in back of the Leafs. For the last two seasons, rumors have swirled about the team pulling the trigger for an elite centerman: Homeboy Vinny Lecavalier of Tampa has been named several times, and Peter Forsberg was a possibility last trade deadline. Briere is, for all of his baggage, a bonefide No. 1 center on the open market; to land him, however, Montreal will have to out-bid Philadelphia, Buffalo and any other team willing to break the bank for Briere.

Samsonov could rebound with a great offensive season in Chicago, but if the pennies saved in this deal allow just enough financial flexibility for GM Bob Gainey to finally snag a No. 1 center, Habs fans won't even bother checking the Blackhawks' box scores to see if Sergei's the next John LeClair.

It seems like Sergei Samsonov isn't the only prima-donna Russian hockey player to have worn the Bleu, Blanc, et Rouge of the Montreal Canadiens this season.

In a move that surprises nobody but Carrot Top, Alexei Kovalev, he who can stickhandle through a minefield with a tire iron, has come out and blamed everyone but himself for a career-worst season.

Yes, once again, a Russian player cries to the home press, and somehow expects it not to land over on our shores ...

"If you (media) are going to keep embarrassing me here, there's no reason for me to stay because I don't want to ruin my reputation and ruin my career," he said in March. "Sometimes you wonder why anyone would want to be a good player when things like that happen.

Aww, poor baby was left off of Team Russia for the World Championships, scored only 47 points in 73 games last year, and it's all the Montreal media's fault. Riiiiight. Damn those mean media men!

Let's see here ... d00d makes $4.5million a season, gets 18+ minutes of ice time per night, and yet it's the MEDIA that is responsible for his terrible production? How dare the media try and hold him accountable!

Let's face facts, Alexei Kovalev is a great talent, but not a great player. In every city he has played in, Kovalev has never lived up to his immense promise. Does that mean the Pittsburgh media and New York media were bad, as well? Hmm?

Or, perhaps, I dunno ... maybe Kovalev, himself is to blame. Weird concept, I know.