Top Line: Roberto Luongo trolls Canucks; Lidstrom honored; more links
John Tortorella's former goalie took delight in the Canucks getting waxed in Dallas. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
By Allan Muir
An annotated guide to this morning's must-read hockey stories:
• Roberto Luongo let everyone back in Vancouver know that he hadn't forgotten them by trolling his old team during their 6-1 loss to the Stars. Is there a word for something that's funny and depressing at the same time?
• Was Thursday night the beginning of the end for John Tortorella? The Canucks played like a team that was trying to get its coach fired.
• This might not be the exact moment that Vancouver's season ended up in a ditch, but it's probably pretty close. Zack Kassian's looking at a two-to-three game ban for this one.
• Tim Thomas wasn't between the pipes for the Stars, but Dallas believes that the 2011 Vezina Tophy winner can be a difference maker down the stretch. Look for him to get his first start next week.
• If Nick Lidstrom had gotten his way, a different number would have been honored by the Red Wings last night.
• Here's a look at Lidstrom's number being raised to the rafters of Joe Louis Arena:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MArCZx9t1s0
• Detroit wasn't only honoring its former captain. The Wings were saying goodbye to an era of excellence.
• With a heavy heart, Steven Stamkos returned to action on Thursday night, making his debut as the Lightning's new captain.
• Martin St. Louis said that he and Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman aren't exactly best buddies.
• Lightning owner Jeff Vinik had two meetings with St. Louis before he realized that he couldn't convince his captain to stay.
• We have to assume the meetings were held after Vinik received a top-secret trade request application from Marty.
• Cam Neely revealed that a Boston-Vancouver trade involving Ryan Kesler was on the verge of happening on Wednesday until the proposed deal fell apart.
• The Islanders may be lousy at hockey, but they have feelings like anyone else and they're tired of being picked on by the media. Sorry, guys, but it's not you we're all laughing at. It's your boss.
• The Capitals put up eight shots through 40 minutes for the second consecutive game. I'm guessing that their Corsi doesn't look so hot, eh?
• Looks like Sidney Crosby has taken a few backchecking lessons from Alex Ovechkin.
• Here's The Onionhaving fun with the proliferation of outdoor games.