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Penguins' top line burns Thrashers

PITTSBURGH -- Mario Lemieux set up three goals and the Penguins, getting a big lift from the NHL's crackdown on obstruction, won their third in a row by beating the Thrashers 3-2 on Wednesday.

Aleksey Morozov scored his fifth goal in three games before needing 50 stitches to close a cut in his left ear as the Penguins' new top line of Morozov, Lemieux and Alexei Kovalev kept piling on the points.

Since losing 6-0 to Toronto in their opener, the Penguins have beaten the Rangers, Maple Leafs and Thrashers by a combined 14-6.

The Morozov-Lemieux-Kovalev line has scored 10 of the 14 goals while totaling 25 points in three games.

Randy Robitaille also scored after replacing Morozov.

BRUINS 6, CANUCKS 3: Glen Murray scored twice and assisted on the go-ahead goal as visiting Boston came from behind three times. P.J. Axelsson, Marty McInnis and Joe Thornton also scored for the Bruins, who rebounded from a season-opening loss in Minnesota with road wins over Colorado and Vancouver.

Flyers GM: Age, not injury, ended Babych's career

PHILADELPHIA -- Age ended defenseman Dave Babych's career, not an injury, Flyers general manager Bobby Clarke testified.

"He was too old. He was fine for the role we had him in, but he was a short-term player for us," Clarke said on the second day of Babych's civil trial.

Babych, 41, sued then-team doctor Arthur Bartolozzi and Flyers owner Comcast-Spectacor, alleging he was forced to play despite an improperly treated broken foot that became worse, ending his 18-year career two seasons early.

Lawyers for Comcast-Spectacor and Bartolozzi say Babych got sound medical advice and attribute his deterioration to age and other injuries. The lawyers noted he played a second season with the Flyers and Kings after playing through the broken foot in 1998.

Babych is seeking $2.3-million in lost earnings and other unspecified damages for pain and suffering.

AVALANCHE: The starting times for the weekend games in California have been changed to avoid conflicts with the World Series. Colorado was scheduled to play the Mighty Ducks at 8 p.m. Sunday, but the game was moved to 4 p.m. Because NHL rules won't allow a night game followed by an afternoon game the next day, the Sharks agreed to the league's request to move Saturday night's game from 10:30 to 4.

PANTHERS: Left wing Kristian Huselius is expected to return today against the Blackhawks after missing the first three games with a knee injury.

PREDATORS: Forward Adam Hall was recalled and forward Nathan Perrott reassigned to AHL Milwaukee.

STARS: Forward Jon Sim was assigned to AHL Utah and defenseman Trevor Daley was signed to a three-year contract. Financial terms were not announced.

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