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.
Every Monday during the season two of our hockey writers will debate one topic. It's the 2-on-1. This week Adam Gretz and Christopher Botta debate the bizarre, and at times, random, world of NHL discipline
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.
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.
After the jump: Video of the day, great minor league fight, Tuesday's key games
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.
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):
Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ray Shero was kind enough to spend nearly an hour on the phone with FanHouse's Adam Gretz discussing a variety of topics. This is the second of a three-part series that will run throughout the remainder of the offseason. Wednesday's entry: Ray Shero discusses the anatomy of a trade, focusing on the deadline-day acquisition of Bill Guerin from the New York Islanders.
Three years ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins started a promotion where they would have players deliver season-tickets to fans across the Pittsburgh area. And when I say players, I don't mean fringe fourth-liners or the backup goalie. They would send out Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, and Marc-Andre Fleury. Core players. Two years ago, Crosby delivered tickets to Alice Kilgore, a woman that had been a season-ticket holder for 38 years. After she received her tickets, she offered a prediction to Crosby: the Penguins wouldn't win the Stanley Cup that season (they didn't, losing to the Red Wings in six games) but would ultimately win it the following season (they did, beating the Red Wings in seven games).
Over the weekend, the Penguins were out delivering tickets once again, and Crosby made a return visit to Alice Kilgore's house ... and he brought along the Stanley Cup. Video after the jump, including Crosby being awkwardly -- and jokingly, I hope -- asked if he likes older women.
Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.
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.
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. 
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. 
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.
UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The kid didn't even try to act cool.
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. 
