Slap Shots: Getting Nikked

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer
Published December 2, 2007

That Nikolai Khabibulin played against the Lightning Wednesday was refreshing considering he ducked the team in 2005-06, when the Blackhawks came to Tampa. That he beat the Lightning was almost predictable.

Khabibulin is 7-2-1 with two shutouts against the Coyotes since Phoenix traded his rights to the Lightning in March 2000.

He is 1-0 against Tampa Bay since leaving after the 2003-04 Stanley Cup season as a free agent. Still, Khabibulin said all the right things after Chicago's 5-1 beatdown.

Of the Cup run, he said, "It was really awesome, a great experience. I have nothing but good memories from playing there."

He said he hopes to create more with the resurgent Blackhawks, one of the league's nicest stories, who feature perhaps the league's top two rookies in forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

"They are great players with and without the puck," Khabibulin said. "I'm excited to see how they will develop."

Running him ragged

Maple Leafs defenseman Pavel Kubina, out with damage to the MCL in his right knee, skated for the first time Friday with an eye toward returning as early as Tuesday against the Predators.

He told Toronto reporters life at home with a 1-year-old daughter is all he needed.

"It's harder than the practices," Kubina said of Tereza. "She just learned to walk. Her favorite toy is the soccer ball now, and her first word was 'soccer ball.' It's hard to be out, but you spend any time of the season with your family and it's a bonus. She makes me smile."

Osgood is that good

Chris Osgood is supposed to be the backup to Dominik Hasek in Detroit. But Osgood has been so good, as coach Mike Babcock said, "We'd be crazy not to play him."

The Lightning got a look Thursday as Osgood made 21 saves to run his record against it to 16-0. He entered Saturday 12-1-1 with a .924 save percentage and league-best 1.78 goals-against average.

"There's no question in our mind what Dom can do," Babcock said after the game against the Lightning. "We're going to ride the hot hand."

"I have no problem with it," Hasek said of the lack of playing time. "I feel great in practice, and that's the most important thing right now. I feel I can come back and play at the highest level."

He said it

"I just feel fortunate to walk away from that. I remember going into the boards, and then I don't really remember the hit. I just remember lying on the ice with a bad headache and nausea. It was scary. After looking at the replay, the way my head hit the dasher and how I felt right afterwards, I feel very fortunate I can still move my fingers and toes." - Bruins defenseman Andrew Alberts in the Boston Herald on a hit from behind by Philly's Scott Hartnell, who was suspended two games

Only human

The Senators are still the most complete team in the East, but even they are not immune to slumps. With Saturday's loss to the Rangers, they are 1-5-2 since starting the season 15-2.

Even so, Ottawa still is 16-7-2.

"At least we got rid of people asking about that," coach John Paddock said of those who compared Ottawa with the 1976-77 Canadiens, who lost just eight games.

Odds and ends

The Toronto Sun reported the faltering Leafs, for the first time, failed to draw at least 1-million viewers on Hockey Night in Canada when 969,000 tuned in for a Nov. 24 game at Phoenix. ...The Sabres' 29-year association with Rochester (the longest current NHL-AHL partnership) might be over after the season. The Buffalo News reported the Sabres are exploring putting a minor-league team in Glens Falls, N.Y., or Cornwall, N.Y. ... The Islanders are 11-2 against last season's playoff teams from the East. The only such club they have yet to beat is the Thrashers, whom New York played Saturday for the first time. ... Panthers coach Jacques Martin on Wednesday earned his club-record 85th win, passing wanna-be Lightning owner Doug MacLean.

[Last modified December 1, 2007, 20:41:38]