The NHL's Department of Player Safety may want to take another look at this hit, and not just because Dmitry Kulikov managed to pop Jakub Voracek's helmet off.

Rather, the Buffalo Sabres defenseman appeared to levy the check well after Voracek had moved the puck, which could warrant supplemental discipline from the NHL. Kulikov was assessed a two-minute charging penalty on the play.

Voracek left the game for observation, but was able to return.

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The Arizona Coyotes are not off to a howling start.

Far from it.

After a 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, the club is off to its worst start in franchise history (1-5-0).

Arizona began the season with a 4-3 overtime win over Philadelphia, but has since recorded five straight regulation losses.

Much was made of new general manager John Chayka's offseason tinkering, salary cap maneuvering, and savvy drafting, but it appears there's still growing pains ahead for the young, rebuilding Coyotes.

The first overall pick in 2017 would help, though.

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PITTSBURGH - Sidney Crosby scored in his season debut as the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied to beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Crosby, who scored on a power play, missed the team's first six games with a concussion. Carl Hagelin and Eric Fehr also scored for the Penguins, who extended a seven-game unbeaten streak against the Panthers.

Marc-Andre Fleury, who has started the first seven games of the season for Pittsburgh, stopped 20 shots. Matt Murray, who backstopped the Penguins to a Stanley Cup in June, served as the backup to Fleury after missing the first six games with a broken hand.

Reilly Smith scored a power-play goal and Mark Pysyk also scored for the Panthers, who have lost 11 of 12 against the Penguins in Pittsburgh.

James Reimer made 19 saves in his second start of the season.

Crosby cut the Panthers' lead to 2-1 in the second period. Crosby had to reach for a pass from Evgeni Malkin, but recovered to whip a shot from the slot over Reimer's shoulder.

Hagelin tied it in the third when he sent a shot underneath Reimer's arm during a 2-on-1.

Fehr put the Penguins in front for good when he one-timed a pass from Tom Kuhnhackl between Reimer's legs.

Crosby, the two-time MVP and reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner, hasn't played since sustaining a concussion in practice earlier this month. Crosby participated in a full-contact practice Monday for the first time since suffering his third concussion in six years. He called his participation in practice a major milestone in his recovery.

Crosby described himself Tuesday morning as a game-time decision, but coach Mike Sullivan said the Penguins' captain would likely make his season debut barring a setback after participating in the game-day skate.

Crosby, who captained Team Canada to a World Cup of Hockey championship last month, missed the better part of two seasons after sustaining a concussion in January 2011. He stressed he didn't panic when doctors told him of the latest diagnosis. The Penguins, meanwhile, went 3-2-1 with Crosby out of the lineup.

Panthers F Jaromir Jagr returned to Pittsburgh where he won two Stanley Cups and five scoring titles, totaling 1,079 points in 806 games from 1990-01.

The Penguins honored Jagr, the No. 5 pick in the 1990 NHL draft, during Tuesday's morning skate with a commemorative plaque made out of material from the Civic Arena roof. The 44-year-old Jagr, who is in his 23rd NHL season, ranks third all-time in NHL history in goals and points.

NOTES: Jagr played his 1,635th career game, tying Scott Stevens for seventh all-time. ... Penguins D Kris Letang skated Tuesday with a no-contact jersey, but missed his third game with an upper-body injury. ... Penguins F Conor Sheary is not cleared to play and will be re-evaluated in a week. ... The Panthers played without Jonathan Huberdeau (lower body), Nick Bjugstad (upper body) and Jussi Jokinen (lower body). ... Penguins D Brian Dumoulin played in his 100th NHL game.

UP NEXT

Panthers: Continue a four-game road trip at Toronto on Thursday.

Penguins: Host the New York Islanders on Thursday.

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Travis Konecny finally has a goal to go along with his five assists.

The Philadelphia Flyers forward tipped in a point shot by defenseman Ivan Provorov early in the third period to give him his first since being drafted 24th overall in 2015.

Konecny has gotten off to a commendable start early in his first NHL campaign with six points in his first seven games.

(Video courtesy: NHL.com)

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There was a scary moment in Boston as Bruins center David Krejci appeared to take a skate to the face during Tuesday's game against the Minnesota Wild.

The incident occurred after teammate Adam McQuaid initiated a bump on the opposition that had a domino effect that landed on Krejci.

Here's a closer look at the contact made between the blade of Christian Folin's skate and Krejci's face.

Krejci was forced to leave the game in search of medical attention.

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All Ben Bishop will want for Christmas is his two front teeth.

That's because the Tampa Bay Lighting goaltender lost both of his after taking a Peter Holland shot to the mask in the second period of Tuesday's game.

Bishop went down in a heap after absorbing the shot. And after the trainer collected Bishop's his fallen chicklets, the Lightning netminder put his mask back on and resumed his role in net.

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Malcolm Subban's season debut did not go as planned.

The Boston Bruins' rookie goalie was pulled during the second period of Tuesday's game against the Minnesota Wild after allowing three goals on 16 shots for a save percentage of .813.

After beginning the season in Providence, Subban was pressed into action following injuries to starter Tuukka Rask and backup Anton Khudobin. He was replaced by fourth-string option Zany McIntyre on Tuesday.

The 2012 first-round pick (24th overall) previously appeared in one NHL game, against St. Louis on Feb. 20, 2015. Subban was also pulled from that start, after allowing three goals on six shots.

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We all knew it was coming.

Sidney Crosby kicked off his season debut in style, scoring on the power play midway through the second period. Crosby fired a wrist shot over the blocking glove of Florida Panthers goaltender James Reimer.

Crosby had missed the Penguins' first six games of the season after sustaining a concussion. He's already started making up ground on the NHL scoring race.

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The Dallas Stars will be without forward Jason Spezza on Tuesday night.

The 33-year-old will sit against the Winnipeg Jets as he deals with an undisclosed injury, DallasStars.com's Mark Stepneski confirmed. Spezza was deemed a game-time decision by head coach Lindy Ruff after the veteran suffered the ailment during practice on Monday.

Spezza's had a mediocre start to the year, with just two goals and three points through five games.

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Turns out you can go home again.

Toronto-area native Steven Stamkos continued to put his electric game on display against the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, firing an absolute rocket of a one-timer past Frederik Andersen for his second goal of the night.

Related: Stamkos answers parade of boos with early goal vs. Maple Leafs

The Tampa Bay captain chose to re-sign with the Lightning in lieu of possibly signing with the Maple Leafs as a free agent this past summer.

There were some boos raining down from the stands, but, during intermission, Stamkos said he'd take them if the puck keeps going in the net.

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