Rumors, moves, injuries and newsmakers...

Zubov on his way back; Krejci breaks out; LaRose wastes no time in return; Hossa healthy again; Forsberg in for a big night? Lightning captain done; and more hockey news & notes...

SHOOTING FOR THE STARS 
In the center of the football universe, the Dallas Stars have been missing their quarterback. The Dallas Morning News is reporting that Sergei Zubov will be in the lineup as early as next week. After a horrifying 2-8-0 skid that threatened to knock the Stars out of the playoffs, Dallas fans breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that their assistant captain, and quiet leader, would be returning.

A foot injury has kept Zubov on the shelf since his surgery on February 24. Young defensemen Trevor Daley and Matt Niskanen have undoubtedly missed the veteran leadership of the 37-year-old Zubov. It wasn't long ago that Zubov was the young buck in the shadow of Brian Leetch and Jeff Beukeboom with the New York Rangers, before blossoming into a superstar in his second year--leading his team with 89 points in 1993-94 while helping to quarterback a star-studded Rangers power play. In fact, the sophomore helped carry the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup victory in 52 years.

Zubov and veterans Mike Modano and Brenden Morrow will look to pass on their wisdom to a young Stars squad that sat in the upper echelon of the NHL prior to its recent slump. Modano and the two-time Stanley Cup champion Zubov--who was also part of the Stars' 1999 championship team--may be on the decline but the intangibles that they bring to the rink have not gone unnoticed. The Russian blueliner has been nominated for the Bill Masterton trophy, which is awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

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CZECH OUT KREJCI! 
Bruins rookie center David Krejci had a goal and two assists in Boston's crucial 4-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators. INTEL: The Czech freshman has seven points in three games, heating up at the right time. Before March 25, Krejci had played only one game this season ahead of Marc Savard on the Bruins' depth chart. Krejci is now thriving in Savard's absence, as the Bruins are now one point behind both the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers.
  STREIT TALKIN' 
Both versatile Mark Streit and captain Saku Koivu missed the Canadiens' game against the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night. INTEL: Streit and Koivu both suffered foot injuries during Thursday's match-up against the Buffalo Sabres. Neither injury seems too severe, and may serve to be a nice rest for two of the Habs' key components with a playoff spot cemented. Coach Guy Carbonneau doesn't seem concerned, either. "We've put ourselves in a really good position that doesn't happen every year and sometimes doesn't happen in a career," Carbonneau told The Hockey News.

LOUI, LOUI 
It was a big second period for Dallas Stars winger Loui Eriksson, who scored twice in less than three and a half minutes, leading to a 7-2 pummeling of the Los Angeles Kings Saturday. INTEL: The Stars needed someone to halt their rapid descent in the Western Conference standings, and Eriksson was the unlikely one to step up. The 2003 second-round pick now has 14 goals and 16 helpers on the year.

SEOUL CONTRIBUTOR 
New York Islanders forward Richard Park scored late in the first period in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday night. INTEL The Korean native has four points in five games on an Islanders squad that is now 2-9-0 in their last eleven games.

LA (VIE EN) ROSE 
With Patrick Eaves on the shelf for at least three weeks following shoulder surgery, Carolina Hurricanes winger Chad LaRose didn't waste much time after being activated from the injured reserve Friday--scoring with less than three minutes to go in the first period. INTEL LaRose played on an energy line with Trevor Letowski and red-hot Tuomo Ruutu. If Ruutu remains healthy and continues to display the game-breaking potential he has yet to live up to, LaRose may continue to benefit statistically.

OH DANNY BOY 
Philadelphia Flyers center Daniel Briere continued his success on Long Island, tallying his 31st goal of the season, and adding the shootout winner, Saturday night in a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders. INTEL Briere had a goal and two assists March 23 against the Islanders in a 4-1 win. Briere will most likely match his '06-07 goal total of 32 but is also an alarming minus-22.

A FINE YOUNG LADD 
Chicago Blackhawks winger Andrew Ladd scored his 14th goal of the season Saturday against the arch-rival St. Louis Blues. INTEL Ladd has been given new life in Chicago, playing on a line with veteran Patrick Sharp and rookie David Bolland. You'd have to believe that if the Hawks choose to retain restricted free agent Ladd in the off-season, the 22-year-old could certainly be a 20-goal scorer.

GREEN RIVER 
Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green buried an Alexander Ovechkin offering in the second period of a 3-0 win over the Florida Panthers on Saturday. INTEL Washington had been lacking a premiere offensive defenseman since the days of Sergei Gonchar. Restricted free agent Green will surely have cash flowing towards him this off-season.

HEALTHY HOSSA 
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Marian Hossa will not have to miss any time because of his upper body injury sustained on Thursday against the New York Islanders. INTEL Just as soon as the Hossa-Sidney Crosby debut started, it ended. The de facto debut will be pushed to Sunday's matinee against the New York Rangers.

TOOL MAN CALLS IT QUITS 
The Associated Press confirms that Tampa Bay Lighting captain Tim Taylor has played his final NHL game. INTEL The 39-year-old native of Stratford, Ontario is a two-time Stanley Cup winner. He took key face-offs and provided grit and leadership to the Lightning in its 2004 Cup victory. Taylor has been unable to fully recover from off-season hip surgery.

THE CURSE OF 29 
Florida Panthers' No. 29, goaltender Tomas Vokoun, made 29 saves in a 3-0 loss to the Washington Capitals Saturday night--his 29th loss of the season. INTEL The Panthers netminder ranks sixth in the league in save percentage at .919. Vokoun almost carried the Panthers to a playoff berth, but not all stories can have a Cinderella ending.

A SOUND DECISION 
New York Newsday reports the Islanders have sent winger Jeff Tambellini back to their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, for the remainder of the season. INTEL Tambellini struggled to find the net during his stay on Long Island but, at the time of his call-up, Tambellini was leading the AHL in scoring with 29 goals in 46 games. He will give the Tigers a huge boost going into the AHL playoffs.

LOOK OUT FOR LUNDQVIST 
New York Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist is 8-2-2 with a 1.82 goals-against average in his last 12 starts. INTEL: Furthermore, the Swedish backstop has owned the Pittsburgh Penguins this season. Going into their Sunday contest, Lundqvist is 7-3-2 with a 1.88 GAA in his last 12 against the Pens. The Rangers have won four of six against Pittsburgh this season.

WILD NIGHT FOR FOPPA? 
Colorado Avalanche forward Peter Forsberg has 23 points in 16 career games against the Minnesota Wild heading into their match-up on Sunday. INTEL: Forsberg is coming off consecutive three-point games and will look to continue filling up the stat sheet in a game heavy with playoff implications.

VINNY INVISIBLE 
Tampa Bay Lightning leading scorer Vincent Lecavalier was held scoreless Saturday night in a 2-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. INTEL Lecavalier had six goals and five assists versus Carolina this season, failing to add to his stellar totals in the final game of the season series between the Bolts and 'Canes.