NHL News from Around the League

Daniel Briere returned to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday following abdominal surgery. Yesterday he left the game against the New York Islanders with an undisclosed lower body injury. Briere says the current injury has nothing to do with the recent surgery. Briere left the game after scoring the Flyers first goal of the game. The Flyers went on to defeat the Islanders 3-1.

Nashville Predators goaltender Dan Ellis made 54 saves last night to lead his team to a 4-3 overtime victory over the San Jose Sharks. The games final lopsided shot total was 57-29 for San Jose. The Sharks once again played without goaltender Evgeni Nabokov and right wing Jonathan Cheechoo along with defenseman Dan Boyle.

Former Pittsburgh Penguin and current Ottawa Senator Jarkko Ruutu is scheduled to attend a disciplinary hearing today after elbowing Montreal Canadien Maxim Lapierre in the head last night. Another former Penguin Georges Laraque was on the ice for Montreal at the time, but he made no attempt to become physically involved in the confrontation that followed the hit. Just saying.

The NHL has decided NOT to discipline Brendan Morrow after he received an instigator penalty in the final few minutes of the Dallas Stars games against the Los Angeles Kings. NHL rules state that any player who instigates a fight in the final five minutes of a hockey game will receive a one game suspension and his coach will receive a $10,000 fine. The NHL reserves the right to review such cases on an individual basis and has decided against the suspension and fine.