FanHouse Sidney Crosby

We're trying something different to replace the old Newsmakers in the NHL posts. Hopefully you'll like it. Each weekday we'll take a look at one positive performance from the previous night (a plus), and one negative performance from the previous night (a minus). It's the plus/minus.Tell us what you think at nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

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Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

A light week on the card, but there was a relatively surprising bout and some pretty good ones to choose from. Highlighting it is our favorite former Princeton player, a gentleman who has made a name for himself by being a really good fighter. Of course, the big news of the week involved a team captain dropping the gloves with a random defenseman.

While fighting isn't at all legal in hockey, there is an understanding with players. Some employ enforcer-type guys whose job is to mix it up with those who try to mess with a team's skill players.

You'll see captains and other team leaders sometimes willing to mix it up, too, even if that's not their reputation. Last year, Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby made waves by starting a fight off a faceoff in a game. On Saturday, Crosby was back dropping the gloves, this time with an even more unlikely opponent.

After losing No. 1 defenseman Sergei Gonchar to a broken a wrist over a week ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be without another top player as the reigning NHL scoring champion, Evgeni Malkin, will be out of the lineup for two-to-three weeks with a shoulder strain.

According to head coach Dan Bylsma the injury happened roughly 10 days ago, and sitting him out is a precautionary move at this point.

The Carolina Hurricanes rewarded Cam Ward with a six-year contract extension this past summer, and based on Wednesday's game against Pittsburgh, it was money well spent.

The Hurricanes overcame a 2-0 third period deficit to force overtime, and while Ray Whitney scored both goals in the rally, it was Ward that made it possible with his sprawling glove-save on Bill Guerin after some tic-tac-toe passing from Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz midway through the third period.

Video after the jump.

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Blue Jackets 5, Canucks 3: It's a long season, and when all is said and done I have no doubt that Roberto Luongo will once again be at the top of the pile when it comes to NHL goaltenders. His first three starts of the season, however, have been quite forgettable, and Monday's game against Columbus was certainly the worst. Luongo was lifted after giving up four goals on just 12 shots, including three in a row to start the second period. Through three starts he's stopped just 50 of 61 shots.

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UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The kid didn't even try to act cool.

Immediately after backhanding the puck past Marc-Andre Fleury at 7:01 of the second period for his first NHL goal, John Tavares joyfully pointed toward the hysterical home crowd and jumped into the arms of linemate Matt Moulson. The 2009 first overall pick didn't have to act like he'd been there before. He hadn't.

What a scene.

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The New York Islanders are taking on the Los Angeles Kings in an exhibition game on Tuesday night at the brand new Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.

Since the town has been considered a possible landing spot for the Islanders if the lighthouse project falls though, forcing the team to consider other options, the local scribes in Kansas City are already hyping up the players in orange and blue to semi-ridiculous levels.

Take, for instance, the article written by Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star on Monday, particularly the paragraph discussing No. 1 overall draft pick John Tavares (who, by the way, will not be playing against the Kings on Tuesday):