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 Mid-November saw Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke make a few maneuvers that sent a couple of players in Stanislav Chistov and Todd Fedoruk out East (to Boston and Philadelphia respectively) in return for a bag of future draft picks. Burke however did send one draft pick to Colorado to retrieve a player in return. George Parros.
Burke admitted the acquisition of Parros was because of his affinity for enforcers as he stated : ''I don't like playing without a heavyweight. I think everyone knows that.'' (quoted from TSN.ca) What GM Brian Burke didn't say, was the real reason he acquired the hulking winger. Playoff Beard Depth.
Sure Parros can open up a can of butt-kick (as he has now done twice for the Ducks, most recently to Cam Janssen of the New Jersey Devils who suffered a shoulder injury in the scrum), but it's his facial hair that was the driving force behind this deal. George Parros sports a playoff moustache the likes of which Jeff Friesen can only dream about. Not since the days of Lanny McDonald has the NHL witnessed a lip mullet of this stature. In 1881, Wyatt Earp would be handing the street-howitzer to George Parros and not Doc Holliday as they marched toward the O.K. Corral. Today, GM Brian Burke hands the playoff beard to Parros, as the Ducks march toward the Stanley Cup.
Quick Shave:
Maybe a coaching change was what the Chicago Blackhawks needed? Or perhaps the Dallas Stars are in line for one? Tuomo Ruutu scored the game winner with less that 2 minutes remaining to give Coach Savard, and the Chicago Blackhawks the 2-1 victory. The San Jose Sharks defeated the Minnesota Wild 2-1 last night. The goal was the first allowed by the Sharks in 2 games, whose goaltending tandem of Toskala and Nabokov have been very stingy lately (I think we should nickname them Tos-Nab, or Nab-Tos, just to make it easier....a kind of JayLo, A-Rod monicker if you will....anyone?). Nabokov only had to make 15 saves to secure the win. The Sharks are unstoppable, and are second only to Anaheim and Buffalo in the NHL with 38 points. I think this team is for real. The Nashville Predators handed the Philadelphia Flyers another loss last night. Martin Erat scored the game winner late in the third period to get the 3-2 win for the Predators. Predators call-up Alexander Radulov scored again, in his third straight game and may be making a case for his stay with the big team. Chris Mason also had a solid game in net for the Predators covering for the injured Vokoun. Prior to the game, Mike Knuble signed a two year contract extension with the Philadelpia Flyers worth $5.6 million....he also opened the scoring for the Flyers in thanks. Flyers goaltender Robert Esche had surgery on his groin (yep) and will be out of action for most of December. Edmonton Oilers forward Ales Hemsky will be having his shoulder x-rayed after being injured in the loss to Anaheim Tuesday night.
Game of the Night:
Montreal at Carolina 7:00 PM
First round rematch? Cristobal Huet is on, and I'd like to see if Cam Ward can match his efforts. The Hurricanes have stumbled a bit lately, and the Habs have been riding the hot netminding of Huet....both teams mirror each other so this should be a great match. Also, look for Alexander Frolov to join the HTC against Phoenix tonight. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 You gotta love this kid, and if you don't, jump on board now, because Sidney Crosby is the man.
Out for the past three games with the NHL's most popular injury, a groin problem, Sidney Crosby returned to spark the Pittsburgh Penguins back into the win column. He also sparked winger Colby Armstrong into the scoring column by assisting on the right winger's first and second goals of the season.
The New York Islanders who are without Alexei Yashin now for the better part of December were unable to put the equalizer past Marc-Andre Fleury who made 33 saves on the evening. The Pittsburgh Penguins won the game on a shot banked off of DiPietro by Chris Thorburn for a 3-2 victory.
Quick Shave:
 Atlanta Thrashers forward Bobby Holik spoiled his former team's comeback by putting his own rebound in during the overtime period to lift his club 5-4 over the New York Rangers. It was a night of returns as former Carolina Hurricanes keeper Martin Gerber made 29 saves and help his new club the Ottawa Senators to a 4-1 victory. Could be a massive confidence booster for Gerber who has looked below average most of the year. One goalie who is really having a great run right now is the Montreal Canadien's Cristobal Huet. Huet stopped all 36 shots he faced and gave the Habs the 1-0 win over the Florida Panthers in the shootout, and now has the best GAG and save percentage in the NHL. Teemu Selanne waited till the last 16 seconds of the third to tie the game for the Anaheim Ducks and force overtime against the Edmonton Oilers. That was all Ryan Getzlaf needed, as he potted the game winner halfway through the extra time to give the Ducks the 3-2 OT win. Chris Pronger was booed when he first hopped to the ice, and everytime he played the puck thereafter. He should pretty much expect this welcome every time he returns to Rexall....as if that is a big surprise.
Game of the Night:
San Jose at Minnesota 8:00 PM
Second place in the Pacific, faces off against second place in the Northwest. The Minnesota Wild's star forward Marion Gaborik who has been out with a groin injury (go figure) has been practicing could make a return, but the club is being cautious with him. They will need all the star power they can to put the puck past the San Jose tandem that most recently blanked the Blues last night. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Chris Pronger returns to Edmonton tonight. Do I really need to say more?
For those of you living under a rock for the past year or so, Pronger was traded to the Oilers from St. Louis prior to the start of last season, and immediately help stabilize the Oilers defense, and lift them to the playoffs. Once there, he and the Oilers, made an unlikely push round after round towards the Stanley Cup, where they fell short by one game. Losing in a game 7 final to the Carolina Hurricanes. Had the Oilers won, Pronger would have certainly been the Conn Smythe Trophy winner (although I still think Roloson deserved it regardless of his game 1 injury), but it was just not to be. Days after the playoff run ended, rumors swirled that Pronger had demanded a trade from the Edmonton Oilers. Regrettably, Oilers GM Kevin Lowe complied and sent him out west to Anaheim for a package of picks, forward Joffrey Lupul, and defenceman Ladislav Smid.
Pronger's reason for requesting the trade has alway been for family reasons, but that has done little to extinguish the rage the Oiler's fans feel towards him....that same rage that will certainly be on dislpay tonight at Rexxal Place. The best revenge for Oilers and their fans? Win the game.
Quick Shave:
The Chicago Blackhawks joined the 'Let's fire our Head Coach' Club yesterday as they sent head coach Trent Yawney packing in favor of Denis Savard. The legendary Blackhawks player is expected to bring a more offensive minded system to the team, and looks to have Havlat back in the lineup by next week. Injuries have been the downfall of this team, not coaching, so it's unfortunate Yawney had to pay the price for the growing IR list.
The Detroit Red Wings took advantage of the Dallas Stars power play units and scored two short handed goals by Draper and Schneider to defeat them 2-1. San Jose Sharks forward Milan Michalek has joined his teammate Jonathan Cheechoo on the IR list this week. Michalek suffered an arm injury during the game against the Anaheim Ducks last week. The New York Islanders got some bad news on the MRI results of Alexei Yashin's knee. Yashin has a knee sprain and will be out of the Isles lineup for 2-4 weeks. Check out this great Fantasy Article from TSN.ca. Some nice gems to consider in there. How good are Los Angeles Kings forwards Kopitar and Frolov! New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur found out last night in the shootout as both young players deked him right out of the net. LA won the game 3-2.
Game of the Night:
Anaheim at Edmonton 9:00 PM
See above. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 With Anaheim's backup netminder Ilya Bryzgalov day to day with a 'lower body injury', and Jean Sebastien Giguere sidelined with a similiarly vague ailment, the Ducks went to the farm for support and called up rookie goaltender Michael Wall.
Wall had a solid first NHL start, but really a rookie keeper couldn't have asked for more favorable conditions. Playing behind one of the best defensive teams in the league, and playing against one of the more limited offensive clubs. Wall only faced 11 shots through the first 40 minutes and finished off the Flames with 19 saves for his first career victory 5-3.
Teemu Selanne made a bid to join the NHL HTC but was denied membership because of the that third elusive goal. Ryan Getzlaf also scored on the powerplay, and if he is available in your Fantasy Leagues, you may want to take a look at him. Getzlaf now has 16 points on the season (9 goals, 7 assists) and is a +5 rating. 8 of his points are from special teams play. Worth the pickup if he is still available.
Quick Shave:
The New York Rangers got close again, but still can't beat the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres once again finished off the Rangers in OT, this time on a Chris Drury deflection early in the extra period. Has Marc Denis lost his starting job in Tampa Bay? It looks like it. The Tampa Bay Lightning started 'backup' Johan Holmqvist against the Ottawa Senators yesterday and made 22 stops to help the Lightning win 3-1. The win was his 8th in his last 9 starts. Colorado Avalanche defenceman Jordan Leopold may be back in the lineup soon having recovered from his hernia surgery. Pierre Turgeon has also been practicing faceoffs which indicates his shoulder recovery is coming along nicely and could be back before the holidays. New York Islanders Alexei Yashin will have an MRI on his right knee today to see if there is any long term damage from the knee on knee hit he sustained against Washington Capitals Matt Bradley.
Game of the Night:
Dallas at Detroit 7:00 PM
Marty Turco is probably hoping that this week doesn't start off like last week, when he allowed two goals in on five shots and was yanked.....thus destroying all of his Fantasy Owner's goaltending stats (including the dude I played last week!). Big opportunity for MT to bounce back against the Wings. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The IR bug has hit Nashville hard this week. After recently losing center Jason Arnott with a knee injury for 6 weeks, the Nashville Predators how now lost their starting netminder, Tomas Vokoun as well.
Vokoun was injured in the Predators Thanksgiving Day 6-0 thrashing of the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday evening. Vokoun was lifted in the second period in favor of backup Chris Mason after apparently injuring his hand.
MRI results on the hand were less than favorable. Vokoun has a torn ligament in his left thumb, which will require surgery and keep him out of the Predators lineup for up to six weeks. Backup Chris Mason is expected to shoulder the bulk of the starts in Vokoun's absence (if he is still available in your Fantasy leagues, you may want to add him to your lineup.....I checked my leagues this morning, and he was picked up by all of them, so he is certainly a hot ticket right now), and has been solid for the Preds this year, most recently helping them defeat the Detroit Red Wings by making 30+ saves.
The loss of Vokoun last year to injury derailed the Predators playoff run, but this injury shouldn't hurt them too badly. Mason is a capable backup, and even without Arnott, the Predators have been very productive on the offensive side of the puck, scoring 30 goals in the last 7 games. I expect them to weather the injuries with little difficulty or a dip in the standings.
Quick Shave:
The New York Islanders and the New York Rangers are battling for supremacy in the Atlantic Division? No it's not 1980. Both teams have turned things around and after stringing a few victories together (including wins last night against Washington (for the Isles), and the Pens (the Rangers), the backyard rivals, have knocked their cross-river counterpart New Jersey Devils into second place. Speaking of the New Jersey Devils, the West Coast hasn't been kind to them. Last night they ran into a wall in San Jose Shark's goalie Evgeni Nabokov, who recorded his third victory by way of shutout 2-0. Ken Hitchcock got his first win as the new head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets as they defeated the Minnesota Wild 5-3. Sergei Federov had a 4 point evening (2 goals, 2 assists). The Philadelphia Flyers are fighting to save their season, and now have themselves a 2 game winning streak as they defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. Simon Gagne scored 2 goals and assist and Habs keeper David Aebischer seems to have fully solidified his position as a backup after losing his third straight start.
Game of the Night:
Buffalo at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
Calgary at Anaheim 8:00 PM
Third times the charm? Hopefully for the Rangers it is. They lost their first two meetings to the Sabres, and once again ride their win streak up against one of the NHL's best. The second game has treat written all over it. Flames! Ducks! Sounds like dinner! Enjoy the games my bearded friends!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Now that was a hockey game worthy of being thankful for!
The Montreal Canadiens and the Buffalo Sabres gave us an amazing game of the night. The Buffalo Sabres carried a 1-0 lead for a good part of the match, till Saku Koivu found the equalizer mid way through the third. Montreal Canadiens goaltender Cristobal Huet was sharp. Very sharp. Huet stopped everything that was thrown at him, aside from the opening goal. The game ended tied 1-1 and the two teams went to overtime where defencemen and the Habs leading scorer joined the rush in the final seconds of the extra period and wristed a shot past Buffalo's Ryan Miller with 1 second remaining. 1 second! That's a NICE!
Quick Shave:
 Ottawa Senators forward Dany Heatley joined the NHL HTC last and his three tallies helped the Senators to a 6-4 win over the Florida Panther, and bring the club to a .500 record. Perhaps all is not lost in Ottawa? The Dallas Stars defenceman Philippe Boucher also punched his ticket to the HTC last night as he scored three of the Stars 5 goals en route to their 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings. St. Louis Blues netminder Manny Legace recieved a small measure of revenge against his old squad as he and the Blues defeated the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in the shootout last night. Ken Hitchcock's first task as the new head coach of tthe Columbus Blue Jackets was to take his new club to face his old club the Philadelphia Flyers. Unfortunately, his presence did more to motivate his old team, as the Flyers defeated the Blue Jackets 3-2. The Pittsburgh Penguins appear lost without Sidney Crosby and are finding it difficult to generate offence. The Crosby-less Pens dropped their 2nd straight to the New York Islanders 3-1 yesterday. The Anaheim Ducks bounced back from a dissapointing shootout loss to Colorado Wednesday night to defeat the visiting New Jersey Devils 4-2. Carolina Hurricanes forward Cory Stillman who's missed the whole season thus far with a shoulder injury is eyeing a return to the Canes lineup sometime in December. Stillman had a monster year with 76 points (22 goals, 55 points) last season.
Game of the Night:
Detroit at Nashville 8:00 PM
Central Division rivals face off tonight. The first place Predators welcome the second place Red Wings for a battle of epic proportions. Ok, I'm hamming that up just a bit, but this should be a good one. The Predators are coming off a solid old school beating of the Canucks on Thanksgiving night and the Red Wings are coming off a loss to those very same Canucks. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Pick a Thanksgiving Day pun. Whichever you choose, will be more than appropriate. The Vancouver Canucks played like a steaming pile of........holiday vegetables last night.
Rookie callup Alexander Radulov opened the scoring early in the first for the Nashville Predators and they never looked back. They pounded the Vancouver Canucks with 5 more goals, to completely shutdown, and shutout the Vancouver Canucks 6-0.
Predators forward Paul Kariya had three assists on the night, and Scott Hartnell almost joined the HTC with a pair of goals and an assist. Goaltenders Tomas Vokoun and Chris Mason made 34 saves to complete the shutout. Vokoun took a puck in the hand during the second and was replaced by Mason for the final period because he was unable to hold his stick. He will be having it examined later today.
All in all, it was a terrible game. I was looking for a just a bit of competition from the Canucks, but would unfortunately be let down. This game ended about 5 minutes into the first as the Predators took their 2-0 lead over a lifeless Canucks team. My only consolation was that today at noon, there is a hockey marathon on that will fun till about midnight tonight.......sweet.
Quick Shave:
Washington Capital's enforcer Donald Brashear has been suspended for three games, following Wednesday evening's game against the Atlanta Thrashers. Brashear was involved in an altercation with Vitaly Vishnevski in the final minutes of the game, and according to NHL rules, any instigator in a fight during the final 5 minutes of a game will be suspended for one game and fined $10,000. Brashear got the other two games for his good looks I would assume. Detroit Red Wings defenceman Niklas Kronwall had a great Thanksgiving. He and the Red Wings agreed on a 5 year contract extension worth $15 million.
Game of the Night:
Montreal at Buffalo 8:00 PM
Can Cristobal Huet weather the storm in Buffalo? He's certainly been playing his best hockey of late, and looks like he's found his game that propelled him to number one last season. Against a Sabres team that will surely test him and the rest of the Habs, this is a bench test, gut check game for the Habs. For the Sabres, its another team that they would like to rollover. Other than this there are a ton of games on today starting at noon with Carolina facing off agains Boston, and then they come at you evey hour thereafter. Enjoy the games, and the rest of your day!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'd like to wish everyone a very happy holiday, and let all of you know how thankful I am for your continued support. Ok, enough with the lovefest and onto the hockey.....
Teemu Selanne is thankful today, as he recorded the 500th goal of his NHL career last night and opened the scoring for the Anaheim Ducks last night as they faced the Colorado Avalanche. Prior to his goal, the Ducks fell behind to the Colorado Avalanche 2-0 in the first period. After Selanne converted the powerplay score with less than 6 left in the second, Dustin Penner scored less than two minutes later to tie the game. The Ducks appeared to had taken the lead moments after, on a goal by Chris Kunitz but it was later waived off after a review that determined he used a kicking motion to put the puck past Theodore.
The game went on as a draw throughout the rest ofregulation and the overtime period as a 2-2 draw to finally force a shootout. J.S. Giguere stopped the first shooters but was pantsed by Joe Sakic on the backhand. Jose Theodore is thankful that he watched the highlight reel of the shootout goal Ryan Getzlaf used last month. Getzlaf tried the same power stop to back hand shot, and Theodore followed it the entire way to make the game winning save. The Colorado Avalanche were thankful to take the 3-2 victory over the Western Conference leading Anaheim Ducks.
Congratulations on 500 Teemu!
Quick Shave:
 The Columbus Blue Jackets are thankful today after signing Ken Hitchcock to a 3 year deal to become their newest head coach. Hitchcock will be coaching his first practice with the BJ's sometime today. The Vancouver Canucks are thankful that Markus Naslund is starting to score goals in bunches again. Naslund scored his 10th of the season, and Brendan Morrison (who is thankful he hasn't been traded yet) scored two, including the game winner in OT to lift the Canucks past the Detroit Red Wings 4-3. It was a week of career milestones this week as Bobby Holik potted the 300th goal of his career which the Atlanta Thrashers were thankful for as they were able to battle back and defeat the Washington Capitals 4-2. The Ottawa Senators are thankful that defenceman Wade Redden has finally returned from injury. Redden scored the game winner in overtime to help his club beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. The Flyers are thankful they got a point out of the game. The Montreal Canadiens are thankful that the Minnesota Wild didn't ice their superstar forwards Pavol Demitra and Marion Gaborik who are out with injuries (probably groins) as they barely held them off for the 3-2 victory. The Leafs are thankful that the Buffalo Sabres only scored 7 goals on them last night, winning a back and forth game 7-4 (well it was back and forth for two periods, then just forth for the Sabres. Darcy Tucker is not thanking anyone as he had another 2 goal game, but was denied entry once again to the NHL HTC. The Dallas Stars are thankful they have a rookie goaltender in Mike Smith who refuses to let pucks go in the net. Smith made 17 saves last night against the Predators and recorded his second straight victory, this one by way of shutout 1-0. Goaltending controversy in Texas? The Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward was thankful to get a rest last night. The New York Islanders were thankful that his backup John Grahame was manning the pipes as they put 4 pucks past him ( in all fairness the guy faced 20 shots in the first period, and did have a decent game) for the 4-2 victory. The Boston Bruins are thankful they didn't have to face the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby last night as they defeated the Pens by way of shootout 4-3 last night. The Tampa Bay Lightning are thankful that their losing streak in which they let in 11 goals stopped at just two games as they beat their cross state rival Florida Panthers 6-4. The Phoenix Coyotes are thankful that the New Jersey Devils were suffereing from jet lag as they toasted the Devils 3-1. The New Jersey Devils are thankful that forward Scott Gomez has returned to the lineup from his groin injury. Buy three groins. Get one free! The San Jose Sharks are thankful that even while star forward Jonathan Cheechoo is on IR they are having little difficulty finding the back of the net....as long as they aren't playing the Ducks that is....however against the Los Angeles Kings....different story. Patrick Marleau is thankful that he scored his 200th goal tonight. Pretty impressive that three players achieved career marks all on the same evening. Selanne with 500, Holik with 300, and Marleau with 200. I find myself massaging my goatee pondering this remarkable evening in the NHL. Congratulations to all three players. Finally, the Calgary Flames are thankful to be back to winning, after a bump in the road in Edmonton. The Flames bounced back to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1.
Game of the Night:
Vancouver at Nashville 8:00 PM
Only game on tonight, but I'm thankful I'll be able to relax on the couch with a Labatt Blue or nine and enjoy an excellent matchup. Vancouver should be riding high after their big win over the Red Wings, and the Preds will be looking to find their offence. Enjoy the game, your holiday and put that razor down!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 In what had to be the premiere showdown in the NHL last night, the two top teams in the Western Conference faced off in an epic contest. Well, for one period anyway.
The San Jose Sharks visited the Honda Center to meet their division rivals the Anaheim Ducks for the first time this season, and played to a draw in the first period. That was the last period the Sharks looked like an equal to their counterparts, who began to take them apart in the second. Duck's defenceman Chris Pronger and forward Ryan Getzlaf opened the scoring, and Anaheim never looked backed. San Jose Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov recieved no offensive support and little defensive help as he was lit up for 5 goals on 44 shots. Duck's goalie Jean Sebastien Giguere saved all 23 shots he faced and recorded his third shutout of the season, to help his team to the 5-0 rout.
Anaheim's Teemu Selanne scored his 498th, and 499th goals of his career. I know, I know, just one shy of joining the NHL Hat Trick Club.....and the not as esteemed 500 Goal Club (which Mats Sundin joined earlier this season, while silmutaneously joining the NHL HTC). Teemu will have ample opportunity to pot his 500th tomorrow night against the Colorado Avalanche, and if Jose Theodore is in net, most certainly the HTC.....several Ducks players may join the HTC tomorrow night.
Quick Shave:
Bad news for the Nashville Predators, as they lose their hulking center Jason Arnott for almost 6 weeks. Arnott was injured in Columbus on Monday night, and will have to have his knee scoped. I think it's safe to say Jaromir Jagr's shoulder is 100%. The New York Ranger's captain scored 2 goals and goalie Henrik Lundqvist stopped 34 shots to shutout the defending Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes 4-0. Ranger's forward Jed Ortmeyer has been cleared to resume practicing (non contact) with the club after being out all season with a pulmonary embolism. Good news for the young player who brought tons of energy to the Rangers last season. Petr Sykora scored 2 goals for the Edmonton Oilers to lift them over the Calgary Flames 2-1. Sykora is having a solid season for the Oil this year, scoring 20 points (9 goals, 11 assists). The Toronto Maple Leafs may get their captain, Mats Sundin back as early as this Saturday as they face off against the Boston Bruins. Sundin has be recovering from a tear in an elbow ligament.
Game of the Night:
Toronto at Buffalo 7:00 PM
Vancouver at Detroit 7:30 PM
Nashville at Dallas 8:30 PM
There are so many good games to be thankful for leading up to this Thanksgiving Day, that I decided to present you with a horn of plenty.....plenty of great games that is. Last time the Leafs and Sabres faced off, the Sabres left with their first regulation loss, and were handily defeated. Perhaps a bit of grudge match? Vancouver and Detroit just looks like it could be fun. Luongo has yet to really be the difference maker the Canucks had hoped he be this season. Beating Detroit would make a good case for him. Even without Arnott, Nashville is a formidable team, and they have called up their wonder baby Alexander Radulov to cover for him. They face off against a Dallas team that had a great come from behind win against the Avs on Monday, and also lost a key player in their captain Brendan Morrow......to what you ask. GROIN GROIN GROIN! Big surprise. Enjoy the games, and hopefully many cold ones my friends!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 We haven't talked much at all about Eric Lindros, but that hasn't kept him from quietly contributing to the Dallas Stars sucess thus far this season. Lindros has 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) in 19 games this season, and helped his new team fight back into a game last night against the Colorado Avalanche.
The Avs scored 2 quick goals on their first 5 shots early in the game that saw Dallas Star's netminder Marty Turco get the hook. Captain Brendan Morrow drew the Stars even with 2 late scores in the first, but left the game in the second period with an apparent groin injury. Colorado again gained the advantage, but Dallas tied the game on a late third period goal by Eric Lindros from a centering pass by Mike Modano. Minutes later Antti Miettinen got the game winner for Dallas to complete the victory 5-4.
What's the story inbetween the pipes in Colorado? Peter Budaj, up until last night had played outstanding in net for the Avs in place of Jose Theodore who has been less than spectacular. Actually he's sucked. Theodore's confidence, has to be at an all time low, and the entire Colorado Avalanche organization can't be very confident in the tandem of keepers on the whole. Goaltending controversy in Colorado? With Pierre Lacroix no longer manning the helm at the Pepsi Center, will his successor GM Francois Giguere pull the trigger on a move to strengthen his goaltending?
Quick Shave:
Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Marc Denis set an NHL Record (I heard this on In the Tent with Clement) for allowing 7 goals in one period. 7 goals on 13 shots. Of course Captain Bosh started him tonight, so my goaltending stats are completely shot this week. Thank you Mr. Denis! The Buffalo Sabres kicked the stuffing out of the Lightning 7-2. The Nashville Predators defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, again, 3-1. Columbus is apparently considering Ken Hitchcock (duh), and Andy Murray (wha?) for their head coaching position. What they are waiting on is beyond me. I think they will be mathematically eliminated next week. Ottawa Senators goalie Ray Emery is back, and so are the Senators. Emery stopped 42 shots to help the Sens defeat the Minnesota Wild 5-3 last night. The groin is the injury of choice still this season. Perhaps some of the trainers should advise their players to stretch during the pre-game skate? Just a thought. Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Andrew Raycroft, who was in the groin club (hmmmmm), returned from missing three games, and made 19 saves to lift the Leafs to a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders. The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Philadelphia Flyers again, for the fourth time this season last night 5-3, but the victory may have been a costly one. Sidney Crosby left the game in the second and did not return, having suffered a...you guessed it! A groin injury. The Penguins hopes rest on their young superstar, so hopefully he will not be missing from action for too long. The Boston Bruins 4 game win streak came to a halt last night against the Florida Panthers. Panthers keeper Alex Auld made 29 saves to give his club the 3-2 win.
Game of the Night:
Carolina at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
Calgary at Edmonton 9:00 PM
San Jose at Anaheim 10:00 PM
Ok, all three of these games rock, and really you can watch them all, since they are layerd chronologically. Set up the ole NHL Center Ice Package and relax! Enjoy the games my furry friends!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 After two lackluster showings, the New York Rangers top line of Jaromir Jagr, Michael Nylander, and Martin Straka woke up, and decisively defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning. Jagr, Staka, and Nylander each scored a goal, and two assists. Jaromir Jagr opened the scoring for the Rangers early in the first. The goal was the 600th marker of his career.
Brendan Shanahan, also scored for the Rangers, and recorded his 600th goal earlier in the season. It is the first time in NHL history that two teammates have achieved the milestone during the same season. The Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1.
Quick Shave:
The NHL HTC has been busy this week! This week's newest member, Anaheim Duck's forward Chris Kunitz joins, Staal, and Jokinen. Kunitz scored his first career NHL hat trick, potting three goals, in the Ducks 6-4 win over the Phoenix Coyotes. Yanic Perreault scored again for the Coyotes and has been a solid pickup for the team, already providing 7 points (5 goals, 2 assists), in the 7 games he's appeared in. The Vancouver Canucks defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 for the third game of the night. Even the Hawks lost, they should feel encouraged by the return and play of goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin as of late. He kept the game close for his team, and looks like he has returned to his Stanley Cup winning play of several seasons ago. If they can get Havlat back soon, this team will start to string some victories together.
Let's talk about the upcoming Thanksgiving Day Holiday. While there is a solid match available that evening, Vancouver at Nashville -8:00 PM, it's the day after Thanksgiving I want to bring to your attention. This Friday November 24th, is a day you should mark on the calendar. Take a look at the schedule, starting at Noon (yes Noon!):
Carolina at Boston 12:00 PM
Columbus at Philadelphia 1:00 PM
Phoenix at Minnesota 2:00 PM
Pittsburgh at NY Islanders 2:00 PM
New Jersey at Anaheim 4:00 PM
Toronto at Washington 7:00 PM
St. Louis at Detroit 7:30 PM
Ottawa at Florida 7:30 PM
Montreal at Buffalo 8:00 PM
Atlanta at Tampa Bay 8:00 PM
Los Angeles at Dallas 8:30 PM
Chicago at Edmonton 9:00 PM
Now, if all goes well, we should be wearing nice big smiles by 4:00, just as the Devils and Ducks are getting ready to face off (which is great matchup as if I needed to remind you....), but if not, don't worry....because you aren't even half way through this day on ice. The last face off is at 9:00, and if you aren't face down on the carpet by this point, you should be good to go till 12:00 AM. 12 solid hours of hockey.....and beer! Because of this unprecedented lineup.....I would expect Saturday's article to be just a touch late.....but perhaps not, since most of you will be rising around the same time. Oh and by the way, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is offering a cornacopia of games as well. Really, this is a few days we should all be thankful for.
Game of the Night:
NY Islanders at Toronto 7:30 PM
There's a lot of history between these two teams, and both teams are brimming with confidence, so why not recommend a viewing as they butt heads? Enjoy the games my bearded friends!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 While it wasn't a natural hat trick, it was a hat trick none the less. Eric Staal put the icing on the cake for the Carolina Hurricanes as they beat the Dallas Stars 5-4 in a wild and exciting game.
The Dallas Stars who put themselves behind early by taking repeated penalties, gave the Hurricanes ample opportunity to capitalize as Eric Staal converted two of the power play chances. The Hurricanes held a 3-1 advantage at one point in the game till Dallas fought back to draw the game even. With less than 7 minutes remaining in the third period Justin Williams snapped a beauty from the left circle over the near side of Turco to give the Hurricanes a 4-3 lead. Staal closed the door on the game, and his hat trick with an empty netter late in the game. Dallas actually got a late goal with 1 second remaining from Jaroslav Modry, but it was way too little, and much too late. The Carolina Hurricanes took the match 5-4.
Quick Shave:
Ok, let's talk some Alexander Frolov. The Los Angelse Kings forward in the last three games, has scored 2 goals in each game. That is outstanding! This kid has three opportunities to join the HTC, but has missed in three chances. He's knocking at the door! For the third consecutive game, Frolov added two tallies and this time, had some help from Craig Conroy to help lift the Los Angeles Kings over the Phoenix Coyotes 5-3. Yeah Cristobal! Huet is making a huge statement of late that he should the Montreal Canadiens number one goalie as he made 39 saves last night to hand the Atlanta Thrashers their fourth straight loss 3-1. SInce Huet is my boy, I hope this happens. Il est un tres bon goalie! Are the Ottawa Senators back, or are the Buffalo Sabres falling apart? In their game in 4 days against the Sabres, the Senators have fought back to defeat their opponents twice. Last night by a score 4-1. The Sens beat Buffalo 4-2 on Wednesday evening. The New York Rangers pretty much handed the game to the Pittsburgh Penguins last night, serving on a slue of penalties, and three two-man advantages. The Penguins capitalized on two of the powerplays and buried the Rangers 3-1. Mark Recchi scored two of the goals. The Boston Bruins won their fourth game in row defeating the Washington Capitals 3-1 in OT last night. Glen Murray seems to be rebounding from his loss of Thornton this season, and scored the game winner in OT on the powerplay for the B's. Martin Brodeur is once again the man. This guy can have an awful game, and the next team he faces will pay the price. Last night, the Leafs were the unfortunate victims of 'bounce back' Brodeur and he made 33 saves to lift the New Jersey Devils over the Leafs 2-1. Sometime today, Ken Hitchcock will be putting on his Sunday best, waxing his playoff moustache (no copyright infringement I hope), and officially interviewing with the Columbus Blue Jackets about their head coaching position. This interview should last all of 10 seconds, with one question asked of Kenny. When can you start? The Blue Jackets lost again last night to the Nashville Predators 4-2. According to TSN.ca the Phoenix Coyotes may be trying to deal defenceman Ed Jovanovski to the San Jose Sharks for goaltender Evgeni Nabokov. The only problem with said deal, is the Nabokov has a no-trade clause to waive. Will he do so to join the lowly Yotes? I doubt it.
Game of the Night:
Tampa Bay at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
I'm going homer here. The Ranger have lost two straight, and have only scored 2 goals in those two games. The Lightning have won 5 in a row (i think, Sam Rosen was talking about how great they have been playing, so I'm paraphrasing a touch here) and will look to continue that streak against the boys in blue. Enjoy the games my bearded friends!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The Calgary Flames have now won 6 in a row. Last night's victory over the Detroit Red Wings was punctuation mark on the win streak, that began several weeks ago, following a loss to the very same team. The Red Wings have been on a tear of their own this season, winning nine in a row prior to last night's 4-1 loss.
Miika Kipprusoff made 29 saves against the Red Wings and the Flames scored 4 goals on 25 shots. Their last meeting, the Flames only managed 13 shots on net....and their offense, was, well offensive. The Flames received scoring from Kristian Huselius, Matthew Lombardi, Daymond Langkow and sophomore defenceman Dion Phaneuf. The Calder Trophy runner up is having a great season for the Flames. Phaneuf has scored 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) and is a +10 through 17 games this season.
Quick Shave:
Since setting an NHL record for most points to start a season before a regulation loss, the Anaheim Ducks have surrendered victories to two of the NHL's bottom feeders. Firstly, their 7-4 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers several nights ago, and last night's loss the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks defeated the Ducks 4-3, as Nikolai Khabibulin made 42 saves, returning from a broken finger that saw him miss the last 9 games. Markus Naslund potted a pair to help the Vancouver Canucks get off a three game losing streak by defeating the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Former first round pick, and first player selected ever by the Atlanta Thrashers, Patrik Stefan returned to his former home and helped the Dallas Stars to a 5-3 win. Stefan recorded a goal and two assists in the victory. Maxim Afinogenov returned to the lineup for the Buffalo Sabres, much to the dismay of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Afinogenov had a goal and an assist and led the Sabres to a 4-2 win. Columbus, hire Hitchcock now! The Columbus Blue Jackets fell to the Colorado Avalanche 3-0, as backup Peter Budaj made 25 saves to get the shutout.
Quick Shave:
Dallas at Carolina 7:00 PM
Do I really need to explain this one? The Stars are playing really well (unless I'm jinxing them when the play the Isles), and Cam Ward and the Hurricanes are back to their Stanley Cup Winning form. This should be a great matchup! Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The NHL Hat Trick Club welcomed it's newest member of the season last night, in Florida Panther's forward Olli Jokinen. Much to the dismay of the Canadiens, Jokinen brought the Florida Panthers from a 1-0 to deficit and lifted them to a 5-1 surplus...or win rather. Jokinen scored his first two goals in the second period, and the capper in the third.
Eddie Belfour kept his team in the game by making 13 saves in the first period, and keeping the game close. When the Florida Panthers did finally wake, Habs netminder David Aebischer didn't stand a chance, surrendering 4 goals on 24 shots. He was pulled and replaced by Cristobal Huet in the third who allowed one goal on 15 shots. Montreal Coach Guy Carbonneau has been rotating his keepers in a manner similiar to Coach Wilson in San Jose, however, his goalies play 2 games on, then 2 off, rather than the every other game system the Sharks employ. Huet has been the stronger of the two Habs goalies as of late......and since he's one of my starters, hopefully he will get some more icetime! Guy, help a brother out!
Quick Shave:
The Boston Bruins defeated their Original Six rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 last night, on an overtime goal by sophomore Patrice Bergeron. The Phoenix Coyotes have themselves a win streak! No seriously. The Coyotes won their second straight game by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks in the shootout 3-2. Yanic Perreault who has been a nice pickup for the Yotes so far, scored in the shootout. Curtis Joseph was big in net again last night stopping 482 shots. My Game of the Night pick was pretty exciting, unless you are a fan of defense. 12 goals were scored (not counting the shootout winner), and 90 shots recorded. The Predators (who looked like their old selves from the beginning of the season), surrendered a 6-3 lead to the Wild who fought back to tie the game and force extra time. The Minnesota Wild won 7-6 on a Brian Rolston (who does this guy think he is this season? What a year he's having!) shootout goal. The Philadelphia Flyers must like the air in California. The Flyers defeated their second West Coast opponent in consecutive nights last night with a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings. R.J. Umberger scored the game tying, and game winning goals for the Flyers. The Anaheim win was huge, and beating the Kings the next day is pretty impressive for a team that has looked like a steaming pile of ....well you know, all season. The road trip will certainly be doing a lot for their confidence. Ryan Smyth is an animal. Smyth is having an outstanding season for the Edmonton Oilers, and returned from his charley horse injury (which saw him miss no time) to score 2 goals for the second straight game and help put the St. Louis Blues away 6-2.
Game of the Night:
Dallas at Atlanta 7:30 PM
Pittsburgh at Buffalo 8:00 PM
Detroit at Calgary 9:00 PM
I give you a three....because Bosh loves you. Dallas and Atlanta are two elite teams, and I would just like to see these two giants butt heads. The Pittsburgh Penguins get to size themselves up against and elite team in the Sabres. Let's see if these kids are for real or not. I was almost loathe to pick this one, because the last time they met, Calgary posted 14 shots on the Wings. However, this is a new Flames team riding a 5 game win streak, so maybe they will get 16 shots tonight. Hopefully it will be more exciting, and if it isn't watch the other two! Enjoy the games my bearded friends!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Trust in Bosh...Bosh is good, Bosh is wise. I told you the Islanders could take the Stars yesterday (which is detailed in yesterday's Game of the Night)....and take them they did. Those boys from the Island have the 'Luck of the Iroc'......
Obviously looking to start this road trip off on better note than the last one (The Isles opened the season out West, and lost their first three (could have been four) by a large margin), the Islanders turned in a huge effort against the Western juggernaut Dallas Stars. The Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro stopped all 35 shots he faced, and helped his team to the 3-0 shutout win over the Stars. Mike York, Jason Blake and Trent Hunter recorded the tallies for the Isles.
Quick Shave:
The Pittsburgh Penguins can all relax. Evgeni Malkin is here to stay after a U.S. District court judge told Malkin's former team to eat it. Mettalurg had requested an injunction to prevent Malkin from playing in the NHL this season, and that request has been denied. Whether they will continue to pursue further action remains up in the air. Does it matter if they do? Really? Give it up, the kid is here. It's over Johnny. Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Smyth returned to practice today putting to rest the worries that he may have been more seriously injured the other night against Colorado. The Nashville Predators defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4 last night ruining the debut of their new head coach Gary Agnew. Agnew shouldn't worry too much as his stay behind the bench may be a short one as the Blue Jackets are rumored to be agressively interviewing replacements for recently fired Gerard Gallant whom he replaced. Rod Brind'Amour scored the game winner for the Caronlina Hurricanes to lift them to a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers. Brind'Amour is riding a six game point scoring streak and is having a very nice season with 25 points (7 goals, 18 assists). The Ottawa Senators got a big win tonight as Ray Emery returned for them between the pipes. The win is actually a huge one if you consider that the Sens downed the unstoppable Buffalo Sabres 4-2. Emery made 27 saves in the win. Speaking of surprising wins, the Philadelphia Flyers stunned the league leading Anaheim Ducks 7-4 last night. Let me say that again. The Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Anaheim Ducks 7-4. Hey Coach Carlyle, I guess karma bit you hard tonight huh? J. S. Giguere surrenders 5 goals on 11 shots before you yank him? Nice work guy. Truly nice work.
Game of the Night:
Minnesota at Nashville 8:00 PM
How about a little Midwest action tonight? Both teams practically mirror one another and are separated by one point thus far in the season. Brian Rolston of the Minnesota Wild is having a career season this year, and this matchup should be a good one. Darcy Tucker will get his first ever career hat trick tomorrow night against the Boston Bruins and officially join the NHL HTC. Enjoy the games my bearded friends!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Tonight's Show:
November 15th Show
It was a week of changes and injuries in the world of hockey. We'll get to who's on the IR and how long they'll be there. Lyle Richardson from Spector's Hockey will join us to talk about what the Anaheim Ducks have been up to, as well as when certain teams may pull the trigger on some deals. Columbus had a shake-up this week; we'll tell you who's out and who could be in for the Blue Jackets. All-Star Balloting will be available this week; we'll tell you who's on there and what you could do to rock the vote....per se. Another new Award is given out by the NHL and it is linked to Lay's Potato Chips; but in a leadership kind of way; we'll explain. Also, the old favorites in Jimmy Chunkybutter and the Pick 'Em Segment.
TONIGHT AT 9PM EST!!
Click here to listen.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
We've passed the one month mark in the 2006-2007 NHL season and I think a Fantasy Report Card is in order to mark the occassion. Thus far we've had a few surprises on the club level, but from an individual perspective, the names that are rising to the top aren't really a surprise. The ones falling to the bottom however, do raise a few eyebrows.
Forwards
Marian Hossa ATL - 15 goals, 15 assists, 30 Points +2
Jaromir Jagr NYR - 7 goals, 21 assists, 28 points +7
Ilya Kovalchuk ATL - 14 goals, 12 assists, 26 points even
Vyacheslav Koslov ATL - 9 goals, 17 assists, 26 points +6
Rod Brind'Amour CAR - 7 goals, 18 assists, 25 points +3
Michael Nylander NYR - 7 goals, 18 assists, 25 points +8
Daniel Briere BUF - 7 goals, 18 assists, 25 points +9
 Is there any wonder why the Atlanta Thrashers are off to their best start in franchise history and are the third best team in the NHL with 27 points behind only Buffalo and Anaheim? Three forwards in the top 5 in scoring and a healthy Kari Lehtonen (we'll get to him more in a bit) are a big reason why this team should see their first ever post season action this year. Playoff Beards for everyone here please. While it's taken Jaromir Jagr some time to get the full strength of his shoulder back, his playmaking ability is still top shelf as his league leading 21 assists can confirm. It's also nice to Kovalchuk with an even rating, rather than in the minus column, which may mean that Hartley's efforts to get him to play defense may be getting through.
Defensemen
Tomas Kaberle TOR - 7 goals, 10 assists, 17 points +4
Bryan McCabe TOR - 4 goals, 12 assists, 16 points +6
Scott Niedermayer ANA - 5 goals, 10 assists, 15 points +4
Chris Pronger ANA - 3 goals, 12 assists, 15 points +10
Matthew Carle SJS - 3 goals, 11 assists, 14 points +6
Nicklas Lidstrom DET - 3 goals, 11assists, 14 points +17
Brian Campbell BUF - 2 goals, 12 assists, 14 points +11
Andrei Markov MON - 2 goals, 12 assists, 14 points +6
The Toronto Maple Leafs blue liners are getting it done big time this year. Bryan McCabe seems to have picked up where he left off last year where he had a career season with 68 points (19 goals, 49 assists) and Tomas Kaberle seems to be doing the same. He posted a career best 67 points (9 goals, 58 assists) last year for the Leafs and is off to another terrific start, and is 4 goals shy of his career best. Anaheim's two towers on defense have been as good as advertised. Scott Neidermayer and Chris Pronger sit in the top 5 of defensemen in scoring, and their efforts have lifted the Ducks to the top of the Western Conference with 30 points. Nicklas Lidstrom is consistently the best. His offensive stats are almost always forward worthy, but it's his +/- rating that always impresses me. Lidstrom is currently a +17 in 16 games played.
Goalies
Jean-Sebastien Giguere ANA - 10 wins, 2 shutouts
Marty Turco DAL - 10 wins, 1 shutout
Martin Brodeur NJD - 10 wins, 3 shutouts
Andrew Raycroft TOR - 9 wins 1 shutout
Ryan Miller BUF - 9 wins, 0 shutouts
Kari Lehtonen ATL - 9 wins, 0 shutouts
Cam Ward CAR - 9 wins, 1 shutout
Manny Fernandez MIN- 9 wins, 1 shutout
Vesa Toskala SJS- 9 wins, 1 shutout
While I'm still irritated as a Fantasy Owner of Coach Carlyle's handling of Anaheim's Ilya Bryzgalov, but there is no denying the fact that J.S. Giguere has rediscovered his Conn Smythe form of several seasons ago. Although there's no doubt playing behind the Ducks squad in front of him, particularly the defense has been beneficial, Giguere appears to be getting better by the game. Marty Turco has always been superb in the regular season, but he will be falling under a massive microscope come playoff time. If he fails to get it done this year he will be on the 'Manny Legace' train out of Texas. If Niklas Lidstrom played between the pipes, he would be called Martin Brodeur. Brodeur is always solid, and terrific at bouncing back after a rough start ( like tonight's game against the Rangers! WOO HOO). Raycroft has no doubt been a pleasant surprise for the Leafs. The former Calder Trophy winner who fell from grace, and Boston, has rebounded and played solid for Toronto this year. Ryan Miller is the man, and he's a big part of Buffalo's dominance this season. Kari Lehtonen after season's hampered by poor conditioning, and injuries has finally realized his full potential for the Atlanta Thrashers. Some recent weak play saw him benched for a few games watching backup Hedberg rack up a few wins was probably a good wake up call for him. Lehtonen is the key for the Thrashers this year. If he gets hurt, their playoff hopes will diminish rapidly. Cam Ward recovered from a few bad starts to open the season, and aside from being shelled by Buffalo Monday night, he's looked good. Manny Fernandez now the bonafide number one has embraced the role and helped turned the Minnesota Wild into a contender. Vesa Toskala although getting every other start with counterpart Evgeni Nablokov has thrived in the platoon system putting up solid numbers and most importantly wins for the San Jose Sharks.
Busts:
Daniel Alfredsson OTT - 4 goals, 10 asssists, 14 points even
Rick Nash CLB - 4 goals, 7 assists, 11 points -6
Peter Forsberg PHI - 5 goals, 4 assists, 9 points -6
Simon Gagne PHI - 8 goals, 3 assists, 11 points -11
Patrick Elias NJD - 3 goals, 8 assists, 11 points -7
Markus Naslund VAN - 7 goals, 5 assists, 12 points even
Henrik Zetterberg DET - 5 goals, 2 assists, 7 points +6
Wade Redden OTT - 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points +3
 There are probably more, but these names scream out dissapointment to me. Most of these players were probably drafted in the top two rounds of most fantasy leagues and failed to produce the numbers most expected of them. Alfredsson is a stunner. He was incredible last season putting up 103 points (43 goals, 60 assists) but has failed to produce for Ottawa this season, and is a big reason why this team is collapsing. He and Wade Redden. Rick Nash. Finally he arrives to start a season healthy, and what happens? Nothing. Even after missing almost two months of last season, Nash still put up 54 points (31 goals, 23 assists). The Blue Jackets have been a big let down, and they are the second team in this young season to see their coach hit the bricks. Forsberg and Gagne, well those two are big pieces in the unsolvable puzzle that is the Philadelphia Flyers. Naslund perhaps misses being in those big warm arms of Bertuzzi. He hasn't played bad, but his numbers are less than average for a player of extraordinary magnitude. Elias is off to a slow start, but it's his -7 rating that is worrying me. Not only is he not producing offense, but has become a major liability on the defensive side of the puck. Zetterberg's play has probably been masked by the fact that he plays on a solid hockey team. Masked to everyone but my boy Jeff and everyone who drafted him onto their Fantasy Roster that is.
Quick Shave:
Fired one week, hired the next? Look's like Ken Hitchcock may not be out of work for too long (although I though he was still in the Flyers organization as a scout, but I could be mistaken). The Columbus Blue Jackets who just fired their head coach Gerard Gallant, have received permission from the Flyers organization to interview Ken Hitchcock for their coaching position currently held by interim Gary Agnew. Hitchcock might be exactly what the Blue Jackets need, but can this taskmaster whip the club into the post season? The Calgary Flames have won five straight. No seriously. Miikka Kiprusoff stopped all 24 shots he faced and helped the Flames to a 3-0 shutout win over the St. Louis Blues. 90 seconds is all it took for Jaromir Jagr and Brendan Shanahan to ruin Martin Brodeur's evening. The New York Rangers forwards scored 3 goals in under 2 minutes to defeat the New Jersey Devils 3-2 last night. Brendan Shanahan became the first winner of the monthly Mark Messier Award for team leadership (sorry Marty). The Detroit Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks gave us a terrific Game of the Night.....but it was just a little more terrific for the Red Wings as they downed the Canucks 3-2. Ryan Smyth of the Edmonton Oilers is expected to be re-evaluated today after Monday night's knee no knee with Avs defenceman John-Michael Liles. Officials are calling it a charley horse right now, and if that's all he got from that hit, I would say count your blessings. Not only did Rolston not join the NHL HTC last night, but the Wild couldn't even beat the Phoenix Coyotes. You gotta love it when Georges Laraque decides to motivate his team by beating the crap out of another player. Regardless of how you may feel about his actions, they worked. The Phoenix Coyotes erased a 2 goal deficit and defeated the Northwest leading Minnesota Wild 4-3. Nice work GL!
Game of the Night:
NY Islanders at Dallas 8:30 PM
It's time to give the boys on the Island their due. I think they can take the Stars. Ted Nolan has done a great job getting the most out of his team, and finally found a way to motivate Alexei Yashin into the player he used to be. Oh, and if you are up late..... look for Ryan Getzlaf to join the NHL Hat Trick Club against the Flyers late tonight. Enjoy the games my chin mullet wearing friends!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Following a rough west coast road trip, and dropping five straight, the Penguins were looking to stop the bleeding last night against the Flyers. A team they have owned in their previous two meetings.
Rookie scoring leader Evgeni Malkin scored with less than three minutes to play in the third to lift the Penguins over the Flyers 3-2. Malkin now has 9 goals on the season. The scoring was provided by all of Pittsburgh Penguins Young Guns. Sidney Crosby and Jordan Staal got the early goals for the Pens. The Flyers fell for the sixth straight game.
During their skid, the Penguins were finding difficulty just taking shots. Sidney Crosby was kept from shooting for three straight games on their West Coast trip. My esteemed colleague Playoff Moustache commented that the Penguins were parading to the penalty box several nights ago, and players like Crosby and Malkin, who aren't penalty killers, were put to limited use during the game. A little discipline is always a good thing, especially when it means keeping your best players on the ice at all times.
Quick Shave:
 The NHL announced that they will be honoring Mark Messier with a monthly award given to the player with the best leadership. The Mark Messier Award. This is an amazing honor, if you really think about it. Wayne Gretzky, and Gordie Howe don't have awards....although there is the Gordie Howe Hat Trick (Goal, Assist, Fight), but that is more of a badge of honor. The leadership award named after Messier will be presented tonight at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers play host to the New Jersey Devils, and since no one on the Rangers truly deserves it, I have to assume it's going to Martin Brodeur, who got a couple of shutouts last month. Really, this trophy should be going to Chris Drury of the Buffalo Sabres, Patrick Marleau of the San Jose Sharks, or J.S. Giguere of the Anaheim Ducks.....but if I'm right about Brodeur....I'll take that.
After years of abuse at the hands of Philadelphia Flyers fans, you'd think that if the tables were turned I'd be just as ruthless.....while critical I have been, I almost feel bad for them now. As bad as things have been in Philadelphia, they are equally bad across the border in Ottawa. If not for the situation in Philly, the Ottawa Senators would definitely had come under the microscope sooner. However, the axes have begun to fall early this season. The Columbus Blue Jackets dropped their coach Gerard Gallant yesterday, as they are another team that has begun the season with a horrendous start, and also a team that had much higher expectations. The Montreal Canadiens beat up on the Ottawa Senators last night 6-3, their 7th loss in 8 games and further fanned the rumor flames that change would be coming. My boy Cristobal Huet made 36 saves on the evening....(GUY keep starting this guy!!!). My other boy....Cam Ward, didn't fare as well. Our Game of the Night matchup rematch between the Buffalo Sabres and the Carolina Hurricanes was a blowout, then a tight game, then a blowout again as they dismantled the Canes 7-4. Ryan Smyth scored both goals for the Edmonton Oilers last night to give them the 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Smyth was the recipient of a nasty knee on knee hit from Avs d-man John-Michael Liles late in the third that upended the forward. Smyth who has had knee problems in the past had to be helped to the bench by goalie Dwayne Roloson. No word on his status yet. Los Angeles Kings forward Alexander Frolov lead the scoring for his team with 2 goals and an assist to lift his club to a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks.
Game of the Night:
New Jersey at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
Detroit at Vancouver 10:00 PM
Two fer Tuesday! Ok that was lame. Well we gotta watch the first game which i believe is on VS.....so Messier will on 'In the tent with Clement' to present his new honor tonight. Not a bad hockey game to watch either. The late game looks like a good one too. Wings and Canucks. Nice. Like Beer and Pretzels. 'Cept Canucks are saltier. Enjoy the games my bearded friends!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
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