When the Panthers traded for Wade Belak in February, he gave the team an element it had been missing for a while. After Monday, the Panthers won't be looking for an enforcer for some time.
Fans of the Detroit Red Wings have been known to toss slimy, gigantic octopi onto the ice at Joe Louis Arena during the playoffs to honor an old tradition that dates to the team's Stanley Cup championship run in 1952.
Marian Hossa scored twice, including the game-winner, as the Pittsburgh Penguins topped the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-1, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals at Wachovia Center. Ryan Whitney and Ryan Malone also lit the lamp for the Penguins, who improved to 11-1 in the postseason and are one win away from reaching the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1992. Sidney Crosby added a pair of assists to take over the NHL scoring lead with 19 points, while Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 17- of-18 shots to record the win. R.J. Umberger tallied for the Flyers, who are facing an 0-3 series deficit for the first time since falling to the Detroit Red Wings in a four-game Cup Finals sweep in 1997. Martin Biron surrendered three goals on 24 shots. Game 4 is slated for Thursday in Philadelphia.
