large_AlumMSG_1231_14PHILADELPHIA, PA -- You don't see many 28 year olds participating in Alumni/Old Timers' games, but that was the sight on Saturday afternoon as Dan Blackburn stood in goal wearing a New York Rangers jersey for the first time since his NHL career came to a premature end in 2005.

"I felt pretty good, actually. It didn't feel like I hadn't played for a long time, so I guess that's a win right there," said Blackburn said after the Philadelphia Flyers alumni's 3-1 victory.

When Blackburn was drafted tenth overall by the Rangers in 2001, he was looked at as the successor in goal to Mike Richter. But in two seasons in New York, Blackburn struggled, and then during the summer of 2003, his future changed forever.

While lifting weights Blackburn suffered nerve damage in his shoulder. Surgery in 2004 was seen as successful, but he still experienced issues with the shoulder. He didn't have the same feeling in the shoulder that he used to while making a glove save. To fix that and alleviate any

136275632PHILADELPHIA, PA -- As the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers prepare for Monday's Winter Classic, the build up to Saturday's Alumni Game has revolved around the return of a legend.

Eric Lindros' bitter divorce from the Flyers in 2001, and long-time public feud with Bobby Clarke, put a sour end to a promising beginning for the former prospect dubbed "The Next One". But on Friday afternoon, Lindros stood on the field at Citizen Bank Park all smiles and speaking excitedly about coming back and wearing a Flyers jersey once again.

"It'll be great," said Lindros. "It'll be the orange and black. It's been a while since I pulled on a Flyers jersey. It would mean a lot to me."

Lindros' return back into Flyers' fold has been a slow unfolding process. In 2008, the ex-Flyers captain left a video message for the fans as the organization honored the franchise's former captains during ceremonies marking the closing of The Spectrum.

Then in August, as word started leaking out that the Flyers

01405564UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Unofficially, Jarome Iginla's first NHL goal came against Ed Belfour during Game 4 of the Western Conference quarterfinals in 1996 against the Chicago Blackhawks. Iginla tallied the only Flames goal in a 2-1 three-overtime loss to the Blackhawks that ended the series in a sweep.

He played two games for Calgary in those playoffs. The following year, Iginla scored his official first NHL goal in the Flames' second game, on the way to a 21-goal, 50-point rookie campaign.

There have been 41 NHL players that have reached the 500-goal mark in their career, and Iginla is the next player in line for the feat as he sits on 498.

It's been a storied career for the 34-year-old Iginla. After being part of the trade that sent Joe Nieuwendyk to the Dallas Stars in 1995 — four months after he was drafted No. 11 overall -- Iginla developed into one of the NHL's best forwards: hitting the 50-goal mark twice, winning an Art Ross Trophy, the Maurice Richard Trophy twice, the Pearson award, earning a nomination for the Hart Trophy in 2002, and leading the Flames to within a win of the franchise's second Stanley Cup title in 2004.

Two goals away from being a member of a special club, we spoke with Iginla before the Flames fell to the New York Islanders, 3-1, on Thursday.

Enjoy.

Screen shot 2011-12-30 at 12.11.08 AMNo. 1 Star: Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes

Facing Toronto, dealing with trade rumors, the Carolina captain put that talk aside and had a night to remember. Down 3-1 in the third period, Staal began the Carolina comeback with a goal with under 10 minutes remaining to cut the Toronto lead to one and then finished his 3-point night off with the overtime winner 3:09 into the extra frame:

No. 2 Star: Rick Nash, Columbus Blue Jackets

Nash chipped in his 11th and 12 goals of the year as the Blue Jackets downed the Dallas Stars 4-1.  He started things quick with a goal 3:50 into the first period and followed it up with his second of the night early in the third period to put Columbus up 3-1. In 32 career games against the Stars Nash has popped in 17 goals. Steve Mason made 36 saves for only his fifth win of the season.

No. 3 Star: John Tavares, New York Islanders

The Islanders ended a 3-game slide with a 3-1 win over the Calgary to improve to 5-1-0 against the Flames since the lockout.

On Wednesday night, Raffi Torres delivered a shoulder to the head of Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference as the two were chasing a puck down the ice. Adam McQuaid took exception to the high blow and scrapped with Torres, earning 17 minutes in penalties while the Coyotes forward got two for elbowing and five for fighting.

Torres was not disciplined by the NHL for the hit, but just 24 hours later, a questionable hit on Jan Hejda of the Colorado Avalanche might be the one that earns him a timeout.

As pointed out in the video, Brendan Shanahan and the Dept. of Player Safety have made it clear that any late changes in body position come into play when determining supplemental discipline. While Hejda is stumbling forward after his releases the puck, and Torres can't change where he delivers the hit on the Avs defenseman, the blow comes awfully late (even as the replay is in slo-mo).

The case can be made the head wasn't targeted due to Hejda's changing body position, but the lateness of

As expected, the boos rained down on Philadelphia Flyers forward Jaromir Jagr in his first visit back to Pittsburgh in three years. From the moment he stepped onto the ice for warmups to his first touch of the puck in the first period, the CONSOL Energy Center crowd let him know exactly how they felt about him

Early in the second period with the score tied at 1-1, Jagr gave Penguins fans another reason to boo.

After receiving a pass inside the Penguins' zone, Jagr stickhandled away from Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik and put a vintage backhander past Marc-Andre Fleury to break the tie.

Then came the vintage Jagr salute. In Pittsburgh. Knowing the vitriol thrown his way. Give Jagr credit, he really knows how to tweak an opposing fanbase, no matter who it is.

The Flyers defeated the Penguins, 4-2. Who scored the game-clinching empty net goal? None other than Max Talbot, the former Penguins fan favorite who, like Jagr, signed with Philadelphia last summer. What a night for the heels.

AP111228035171Here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

• There's so many Hockey Hugs going on in this photo I'm not sure if Mooney will rate them individually or as one big group. [AP]

Preview: Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET. Losers of four of their last five, the Flyers have their final tuneup before Monday's Winter Classic matchup with the New York Rangers. Max Talbot and, more importantly to Penguins fans, Jaromir Jagr return to Pittsburgh. Jagr last played in Pittsburgh during the 2008 playoffs and is sure to lustily booed throughout the night after deciding on the Flyers over the Penguins over the summer. The Flyers won the first meeting of the two teams earlier this month 3-2 and try to avoid losing three in a row for the first all season.

Preview: Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7:30 p.m. ET. After

AP99022501279Since he was traded on July 11, 2001, Pittsburgh Penguins fans have had a love/hate relationship with Jaromir Jagr.

Half of them despise him for the infamous "dying alive" quote and the way he left town (though Jagr claimed in 2008 he was trying to help the then-financially-strapped organization). The other half remember his dazzling goal in Game 1 of the 1992 Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks, the four 100-point seasons, the Hart Trophy in 1999, and being the only NHL player other than Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux to win the Art Ross Trophy between 1981 and 1997.

That's what makes Jagr's return tonight to Pittsburgh all the more polarizing.

A portion of the fans that disowned him after he was traded to the Washington Capitals saw that hate subside a little over the years, and were even warming to the idea of a Jagr return this season.

But when he signed with the Philadelphia Flyers (the Flyers of all teams!), it was like 2001 all over again. The hate had returned.

The decibel level will be off the charts when Jagr first steps onto the CONSOL Energy Center ice tonight, and the majority of the 18,387 fans in attendance will find their vocal chords very sore on Friday morning after a night of booing a player whose legacy in the city was jeopardized forever by his decision last summer.