Palffy Closes Out 12-Season Career

Pittsburgh Penguin right wing Ziggy Palffy retired Wednesday, leaving the team without its second-leading scorer.

Palffy wasn’t at a news conference held by General Manager Craig Patrick during the team’s practice. Patrick wouldn’t comment on a Slovak newspaper report that Palffy retired because of a lingering shoulder injury.

“No, I’m not going to talk about our discussion,” Patrick said, saying Palffy cited only “personal reasons.” Palffy told Patrick of his decision Tuesday. They agreed not to announce it then because Patrick hoped Palffy would reconsider.

Patrick said the Penguins had no concerns about Palffy’s health when the team signed him to a three-year, $13.5-million contract in August.

Palffy, 33, was injured while playing for the Kings in January 2004. He had reconstructive surgery on his right shoulder twice, but the problems persisted.

The shoulder injury led to his decision to retire, he told the Sport daily, a Slovak newspaper.

“I have talked to my doctor, and he did not recommend a third operation,” Palffy told the newspaper.

Palffy’s agent, Paul Kraus, did not return calls from the Associated Press.

Palffy had 42 points (11 goals, 31 assists) in 42 games with the Penguins but hadn’t scored a goal since Dec. 16 against Buffalo.

Palffy had 329 goals and 384 assists in 684 games in 12 NHL seasons with the New York Islanders, the Kings and Penguins, scoring 40 goals or more three times with New York.

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In games Wednesday:

Detroit 4, Columbus 0 -- Tomas Holmstrom scored two power-play goals at Columbus, Ohio, and Chris Osgood stopped 26 shots for his 42nd shutout.

Mark Mowers and Mathieu Schneider also scored for the Western Conference-leading Red Wings, who won their third game in a row and improved to 5-0 against the Blue Jackets this season.

Atlanta 5, Dallas 2 -- Marian Hossa scored twice, including a power-play goal in the last minute of the second period, and the Thrashers rallied for their first victory over the host Stars.

Atlanta, which scored three goals in a span of 7 minutes 38 seconds in the second period, had lost its first eight games against Dallas.

Minnesota 5, Toronto 3 -- Marc Chouinard had two goals to lead the Wild at St. Paul, Minn.

Manny Fernandez made 18 saves to help the Wild improve to 17-0-0 in games when it scores four goals or more. The Maple Leafs have lost four in a row.