March 14th

PENS LARAQUE SUSPENDED FOR 3 GAMES

Pittsburgh Penguins' forward Georges Laraque has been suspended for three games, without pay, as a result of an elbowing incident on March 12.

Laraque was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct at 2:34 of the second period for an elbow to the head area of Buffalo player Nathan Paetsch.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Laraque will forfeit $20,855.61. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. He is eligible to return March 22 against New Jersey.


HAVLAT HAS SEASON-ENDING SURGERY

Chicago Blackhawks forward Martin Havlat underwent season-ending shoulder surgery on Thursday.

The 26-year-old was hurt in Chicago's season-opening 1-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild and missed 22 games before returning Nov 28. He reinjured the shoulder in a 1-0 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Feb 27.

Havlat posted 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 points in 35 games this season, his second with Chicago.

The former all-star has totalled 140 goals and 319 points in 389 games since he was taken 26th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 1999 NHL Draft.

Havlat was dealt by the Senators to the Blackhawks in a three-way trade involving the San Jose Sharks on July 9, 2006.


NO NHL DISCIPLINE FOR PRONGER'S STOMP

Anaheim Ducks defenceman Chris Pronger won't face any disciplinary action from the National Hockey League for stomping on Vancouver Canucks center Ryan Kesler on Wednesday night.

The incident happened in the opening minute of the second period in Anaheim's zone after a dump in from the blue line by Canucks defenceman Sami Salo.

Kesler - one of two Canuck forwards who chased down the puck behind the goal line - collided with Pronger along the boards and fell, and the Ducks captain appeared to deliberately step on him. Kesler did not suffer any injuries from after the incident.

"He stomped on me," Kesler told reporters after the game. "He got me on the calf."

It isn't the first time the former Norris and Hart Trophy winner has been involved in such incidents.

Pronger received a one-game suspension from the NHL last May for his hit on Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Holmstrom in Game 3 of the Western Conference final, and was suspended for a game in June for hitting Ottawa's Dean McAmmond n the head with his forearm during the third period of the Senators' 5-3 win in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final.

It also marks the second time this season that a player has stepped on an opponent while he was laying prone.

In December, New York Islanders forward Chris Simon received a 30-game suspension for trying to step on Pittsburgh forward Jarkko Ruutu's foot.


WINGS DRAPER OUT WITH GROIN TEAR

Detroit Red Wings forward Kris Draper will be sidelined for the next several days with a small tear in his groin.

Draper was first bothered by the injury after Detroit's game in Vancouver February 23. In 61 games this season, Draper has posted nine goals and eight assists.

With injuries to forwards Draper, Tomas Holmstrom and Dan Cleary, the Red Wings recalled center Darren Helm from Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League.

The Red Wings also recalled goalie Jimmy Howard from Grand Rapids. With Dominik Hasek nursing a sore lower back, Howard will serve as the backup to starter Chris Osgood.


SEASON RACES

Playoff Standings

(RANK-TEAM--PTS--GP)

WEST

1-DETROIT*--100--71
2-SAN JOSE*--90--70
3-COLORADO*--84--72
4-DALLAS--89--73
5-ANAHEIM--88--73
6-MINNESOTA--82--71
7-CALGARY--82--71
8-VANCOUVER--80--71
----------------------------------------------
9-NASHVILLE--78--72
10-PHOENIX--77--71
11-COLUMBUS--73--70
12-EDMONTON--73--71
13-CHICAGO--73--71
14-ST LOUIS--69--70
15-LOS ANGELES--62--72

EAST

1-NEW JERSEY*--88--71
2-OTTAWA*--87--72
3-CAROLINA*--81--72
4-PITTSBURGH--87--71
5-MONTREAL--87--72
6-NY RANGERS--83--70
7-BOSTON--80--71
8-PHILADELPHIA--79--71
----------------------------------------------
9-BUFFALO--75--71
10-WASHINGTON--74--71
11-FLORIDA--74--72
12-TORONTO--74--72
13-NY ISLANDERS--71--72
14-ATLANTA--70--72
15-TAMPA BAY--64--71

If the playoffs started today...

WEST
(1) Detroit vs (8) Vancouver
(2) San Jose vs (7) Calgary
(3) Colorado vs (6) Minnesota
(4) Dallas vs (5) Anaheim

EAST
(1) New Jersey vs (8) Philadelphia
(2) Ottawa vs (7) Boston
(3) Carolina vs (6) NY Rangers
(4) Pittsburgh vs (5) Montreal

Division Races

(RANK-TEAM--PTS--GP)

NORTHWEST
1-COL--84--72
2-MIN--82--71
3-CAL--82--71
4-VAN--80--71

PACIFIC
1-SJ--90--70
2-DAL--89--73
3-ANA--88--73

ATLANTIC
1-NJ--88--71
2-PIT--87--71
3-NYR--83--70

NORTHEAST
1-OTT--87--72
2-MON--87--72
3-BOS--80--71

SOUTHEAST
1-CAR--81--72
2-WAS--74--71
3-FLA--74--72

Art Ross Trophy (Points Leader)
1-Alexander Ovechkin--Was--97
2-Evengi Malkin--Pit--93
3-Jarome Iginla--Cal--86

Maurice Richard Trophy (Goal Scoring Leader)
1-Alexander Ovechkin--Was--56
2-Ilya Kovalchuk--Atl--48
3-Jarome Iginla--Cal--44

Assists
1-Marc Savard--Bos--63
2-Joe Thornton--SJ--62
3-Pavel Datsyuk--Det--55

Plus/Minus
1-Nicklas Lidstrom--Det +40
2-Pavel Datsyuk--Det +36
3-Dany Heatley--Ott +33

Power-Play Goals
1-Alexander Ovechkin--Was--20
2-Alex Kovalev--Mon--16
3-Ilya Kovalchuk--Atl--16
4-Jarome Iginla--Cal--15
5-Mike Knuble--Phi--15
6-Thomas Vanek--Buf--15

Short-Handed Goals
1-Patrick Sharp--Chi--7
2-Daniel Alfredsson--Ott--7
3-Rene Bourque--Chi--5
4-Mike Richards--Phi--5

Shootout Goals
1-Joe Pavelski--SJ--6 (6-9, 66.7%)
2-Erik Christensen--Atl--6 (6-11, 54.6%)
3-Ales Hemsky--Edm--6 (6-15, 40%)


Todays NHL Schedule (Central Time)

(14) Thrashers @ (10) Capitals 6pm
(13) Blackhawks @ (11) Blue Jackets 6pm
(3) Hurricanes @ (9) Sabres 630pm
(6) Rangers @ (11) Panthers 630pm
(14) Blues @ (2) Sharks 930pm