NHL Saturday: Canucks excorcise Cup demons

Saturday night was alright for scoring.

Yes, two more players will likely be suspended for illegal hits. And a couple of stars went down with injuries.

The fight occurred in the first period when Kesler took issue with a hit Iginla threw at one of his Vancouver teammates. The two scrapped, which is notable.

More notable: Iginla left the fight with a rather mangled hand.

Just 28 seconds into his NHL career, Kent Simpson allowed a goal.

• Power rankings: Kings vault to the top

Here’s the play, via The Pensblog.

The only good news right now is that the injury appears to be Malkin’s left leg, and not the right leg that he had surgery on in 2011. But that about does it for positives, as losing one of the league’s best players for any amount of time is a huge blow for the struggling Penguins.

The incident occurred late in the first period. As Abdelkader was watching the play, Engelland stepped up and drilled his shoulder into Abdelkader’s jaw.

As you might expect, Engelland was immediately assessed a match penalty and a 10-minute misconduct for an illegal check to the head.

That apparently extends to warmups.

• Power rankings: Kings vault to the top

Just minutes after the Jets had tied the game at 1-1 in the first period, Nichushkin simply waded into the Jets zone for one of the prettiest breakaway goals of the year.

If you’ll remember, Nichushkin is the guy who dropped to 10th overall in the draft because . . . well, there never really was a good reason, and there certainly doesn’t seem to be a worthy one right now.

• Power rankings: Kings vault to the top

• Charlie Coyle makes a little kid’s day

Clarkson was assessed a two-minute minor for an illegal check to the head in the second period on Thursday when he collided shoulder-first with Sobotka’s jaw while the Blues veteran finished a pass.

Here’s the NHL’s explanation for the suspension.

3. Can the Stars keep from falling out of the playoff race?

Who are we kidding? When HBO’s documentary series returns again on Saturday we’ll be glued to the TV just like the rest of you.

If you’ll remember, Stamkos was injured in early November when he slid hard into the goal post while on a scoring chance. He had to be stretchered off the ice due to the pain.

Just a month later, Stamkos took to the ice for the first time on Saturday.