Sidney Crosby

Matt Cooke scored his team-leading third goal of the season and the host Pittsburgh Penguins raced past the Florida Panthers, 4-2, on Tuesday. Pascal Dupuis, James Neal and Richard Park also had goals for the Penguins, who are off to their best start in 17 seasons despite playing without captain Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Crosby remains sidelined while he recovers from concussion-like symptoms, but Pittsburgh hasn't needed him during the season's first week, improving to 3-0-1.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby practiced Monday but said he is no closer to returning from a concussion and neck injury that have sidelined him for most of the season. Coach Dan Bylsma felt with Jordan Staal and Simon Despres ready to resume skating after their injuries, it was better to include Crosby in the main practice rather than have him skate on his own. Crosby moved with plenty of energy and took part in every drill. "It was good to be out there," he said.

Sidney Crosby's return after three months of inactivity didn't hurt the chemistry of the Pittsburgh Penguins one bit as they surged closer to the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers. Crosby played for the first time since another bout with concussion symptoms forced him to the sidelines Dec. 5. He got on the score sheet Thursday night with an assist as the Penguins beat the Rangers, 5-2, in New York.   Devils 1, Avalanche 0 Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise scored in the shootout to give New Jersey a win over the Avalanche in Newark N.J.   Leafs 3, Lightning 1 James Reimer made 34 saves, taking a shutout into the final minute, and Toronto snapped a five-game skid with a win at Tampa Bay.   Panthers 6, Bruins 2 Jose Theodore stopped 24 shots and Florida scored three second-period goals to beat Boston in Sunrise, Fla.   Hurricanes 2, Blues 0 Chad LaRose and Jeff Skinner scored, Cam Ward recorded his 200th NHL victory, and Carolina beat St. Louis in Raleigh, N.C.   Kings sign Brian O'Neill Los Angeles signed Yardley's Brian O'Neill to a one-year entry-level contract.

Players to watch FLYERS: Center Danny Briere   He is to the playoffs what Reggie Jackson was to baseball's postseason. Briere has 98 points in 98 career playoff games, and he has 31 goals - including two in Wednesday's opener - in 58 playoff games with the Flyers. PENGUINS: Center Jordan Staal   He gets lost in all the talk about Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but he is one of the Penguins' most important players. Staal's defensive work was eye-opening in the opener as he blanked high-scoring center Claude Giroux, who managed just one shot.

Marian Gaborik scored twice in the first period and then completed his hat trick 27 seconds into overtime as the New York Rangers overcame a pair of blown leads and beat the Boston Bruins, 4-3, on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden for their first win of the season. Taylor Pyatt also scored for the Rangers (2-1), who squandered leads of 2-0 and 3-2 en route to avenging a season-opening loss at Boston on Saturday.   Penguins fall Former Flyer James van Riemsdyk scored twice; James Reimer stopped 28 shots; and the Toronto Maple Leafs raced past the Penguins, 5-2, to spoil Pittsburgh's home opener.

Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz each had a goal and two assists, and the host Pittsburgh Penguins picked up their first home victory of the season by beating the New Jersey Devils, 5-1, Saturday. Penguins defenseman Robert Bortuzzo scored his first NHL goal, Brandon Sutter got his first with Pittsburgh, and Kris Letang also found the back of the net for the Penguins, who handed the Devils their first loss in regulation this season. Nash lifts Rangers Rick Nash scored a go-ahead goal early in the third period and the New York Rangers beat the host Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-2. Steven Stamkos scored both goals for the Lightning, who went 4-1 on a five-game homestand.

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin scored less than two minutes apart in the third period and the host Pittsburgh Penguins rallied past the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-3, Monday. Chris Kunitz added his 12th of the season for Pittsburgh and James Neal scored an empty-net goal in the final minute as the Penguins sent the struggling Lightning to their fifth straight loss. Elsewhere: Nazem Kadri continued his points streak with a goal and an assist in the host Toronto Maple Leafs' 4-2 victory over the struggling New Jersey Devils.

Ryan Callahan's goal 2 minutes, 55 seconds into overtime gave the New York Rangers a 4-3 victory over the host Carolina Hurricanes Thursday night, locking up a playoff berth for the Rangers. Derek Stepan, Derick Brassard, and Brad Richards scored the other New York goals, Richards' tally coming at 17:03 of the third period to force OT. Jiri Tlusty scored twice and Tuomo Ruutu added a goal for Carolina.   Senators clinch spot Sergei Gonchar scored 47 seconds into overtime, Erik Karlsson set up Ottawa's first goal in his sooner-than-anticipated return from a torn Achilles tendon, and the Senators clinched a playoff berth by beating the Washington Capitals, 2-1. Craig Anderson made 19 saves.

Chris Kunitz scored a hat trick in the Pittsburgh Penguins' Super Bowl Sunday visit to the nation's capital, leading a 5-3 win over the Washington Capitals that reflected both teams' fortunes so far in the lockout-shortened season. Kris Letang, Paul Martin, and Matt Cooke also scored; Sidney Crosby had three assists; and Tomas Vokoun made 21 saves against his former team for the Penguins, who have won three straight and four of five to lead the Atlantic Division.   Devils bounce back Johan Hedberg made 22 saves for his 22d career shutout and the New Jersey Devils beat the host New York Islanders, 2-0. Steve Bernier scored for New Jersey in the third period and David Clarkson added an empty-netter to help the Devils snap a four-game winless streak (0-1-3)

Now, it's just hockey for Sidney Crosby. After 3 months of spinning lottery balls, preordained status as the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft, endless comparisons to Wayne Gretzky and new housemate Mario Lemieux, million-dollar endorsement signings and more photo shoots than a supermodel, Crosby was on the ice yesterday. It was only an optional skate at the end of a training-camp day devoted mostly to physicals, team meetings, handshaking, equipment fitting and, yes, more interviews, but Sidney Crosby, hockey wunderkind, finally felt like a Pittsburgh Penguins player.