Morning links

Friday, 21 December 2012 05:40

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

-NHLPA members are expected to give the group's executive board permission to file a disclaimer of interest today.

-The NHL officially canceled games through Jan. 14. Penguins games which officially got the axe include:

Dec. 31 - vs. Capitals
Jan. 4 - vs. Panthers
Jan. 5 - at Devils
Jan. 8 - vs. Lightning
Jan. 11 - at Ducks
Jan. 12 - at Coyotes

-In their past five games, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have had 15 fights. In their previous 21 games, they had 15 fights.

-The Bridgeport (Conn.) Sound Tigers, the AHL affiliate of the Islanders, will wear the names of victims from last week's Newtown, Conn. mass shooting on the back of their jerseys for the next seven games. The jerseys will be auctioned off to benefit victims.

-Canadiens forward Rene Bourque was given medical clearance to resume practicing after recovering from offseason abdominal surgery.

-“Being on the bench like that, you’re helpless. As a player, you want to be able to do something that needs to be done and you want to go out on the ice and help do it. But you can’t. It’s not up to you to be the difference-maker.” - Blue Jackets forward R.J. Umberger, a native of Plum, on being a volunteer coach for his alma mater, Ohio State.