NHL | Penguins waive Recchi; Red Wings triumph

PITTSBURGH - Ex-Flyer Mark Recchi's third stay with the Pittsburgh Penguins is apparently over.

Recchi, who played on the Penguins' first Stanley Cup-winning team in 1991 and rejoined them in 2004 and 2006, was placed on waivers yesterday and is eligible to be claimed by any NHL team.

A day after he was scratched for a sixth consecutive game, Recchi did not accompany the Penguins to Edmonton for the start of a weeklong road trip.

If the 39-year-old right winger is not claimed, the Penguins are expected to negotiate a buyout of his $1.75 million contract.

Recchi, who has never gotten going offensively this season, has been scratched for seven of the last eight games. He has two goals and six assists in 19 games with a minus-two rating. He has only one goal since the Penguins' season opener.

Even if Recchi does not play for them again, the Penguins want to avoid the messy separation they had with veteran forward John LeClair, another ex-Flyer, a season ago. LeClair was waived, declined an assignment to the minors, and was eligible for suspension until, after a two-week process, the two sides worked out a contract settlement.

Recchi re-signed with the Penguins before the 2004-05 lockout season. He had 24 goals in 63 Penguins games during the 2005-06 season before being dealt to Carolina, where he had four goals in 20 games while helping the Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup.

He signed again with the Penguins last year and played well for most of the season, scoring 22 goals in their first 59 games. But he slumped down the stretch, getting only two goals in his final 23 games and none in five playoff games.

Despite that late-season slump, the Penguins chose to bring him back.

Recchi was waived only a day after the Penguins recognized his 500th goal, scored last season, with a bobblehead doll giveaway.

Recchi has 510 goals in 1,357 NHL games with the Penguins, Flyers, Canadiens and Hurricanes.

Red Wings 4, Canadiens 1

MONTREAL - Pavel Datsyuk scored two unassisted goals off turnovers and Dominik Hasek stopped 15 shots to lead Detroit Red over Montreal.

Maple Leafs 3, Predators 1

TORONTO - Wade Belak scored a rare goal and Vesa Toskala stopped 34 shots to help Toronto beat Nashville.

Lightning 4, Senators 3

TAMPA, Fla. - Vinny Prospal scored in the fourth round of a shoot-out and Tampa Bay extended Ottawa's losing streak to seven games. The Lightning, who blew a 3-1 lead in the final two minutes, won the shoot-out, 2-1.

Flames 3, Blues 1

CALGARY, Alberta - Dustin Boyd's first goal of the season broke a tie in the second period and sent Calgary over St. Louis.