LOOSE PUCKS

Buffalo's

Maxim Afinogenov

played in his 500th career NHL game last week against Ottawa. . . .

Atlanta's Slava Kozlov played in his 1,000th career game against Columbus. . . .

Wade Redden is the first defenseman in Senators history to score 100 goals. . . .

Who would have ever imagined that Blue Jackets goalie Pascal Leclaire would have a league-high seven shutouts? Seven, before the all-star break. . . .

Going into the weekend, Tampa Bay had allowed just one power-play goal over five games. . . .

The St. Louis Blues were shut out by 5-0 at home against Detroit last week. Ah, but the Blues sold 100 standing-room-only tickets - a first - at Scottrade Center. . . .

Chicago is hurting. The Blackhawks have three players on injured reserve: Martin Havlat (groin), Dave Bolland (broken finger) and ex-Flyer Ben Eager (concussion). . . .

Can anyone feel sorry for the Islanders' Chris Simon, who was suspended for 30 games for stepping on another player with his skate? CBC broadcaster Don Cherry can. "He broke the code. You never do anything like that, but you can understand it somehow," Cherry said last weekend during a broadcast. "The last two incidents that he's done, he's got 55 games. You know how many games his victims missed? None. I'm not making excuses for it, but none." . . .

Finally, a fond farewell to a Philly favorite, Stu Nahan, who died of lymphoma last week. He was the first voice of the Flyers in 1967. He was a gentleman, a minor-league goalie, and a true broadcast talent.