Russo's NHL short takes

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: March 22, 2008 - 8:40 PM

Jeremy Roenick, 38, has been a good boy in San Jose. Those were the ground rules from his old Blackhawks roommate, Doug Wilson, now the Sharks' GM, when he signed the outspoken Roenick last summer. Now, he's got 13 goals.

"He has done everything and more for our team," said coach Ron Wilson. "I wasn't sure when Doug mentioned it, to be honest, [last] summer. But he's done everything that he promised he would."

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Last week, former Wild forward Jim Dowd, now with Philly, got into a fight with teammate R.J. Umberger in practice. Bad boy Steve Downie, suspended 20 games in September, broke it up. "He said, 'Gee, Jimmy, usually I'm in 'em, not breakin' them up,'" Dowd said.

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For those who want to go 3-on-3 in overtime when nobody scores during 4-on-4, get a tape of the two minutes in Wednesday's Sharks-Wild overtime. U-G-L-Y. "There's no system," Wild coach Jacques Lemaire said. "[Brent Burns] was behind the net at a time there. I was just closing my eyes."

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Up by three in the third, Tampa Bay lost 7-4 to Buffalo. It was the fifth time in NHL history a team won by three or more after trailing by at least three in the third. "I didn't think it was possible to do some of the things that we did giving up that game," Lightning coach John Tortorella said.

The Sabres were booed off the ice after the second, but as coach Lindy Ruff said, "Those quickly turned into pretty loud cheers. Message received.''

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