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The Montreal Canadiens acquired forward Robert Lang from the Chicago Blackhawks today in exchange for a second round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
The pick up of Robert Lang means that Mats Sundin will unlikely be wearing a Canadiens jersey this year. When asked if the Canadiens had moved on and that Sundin would not be a part of their future plans, General Manager Bob Gainey said yes.
The Rangers have also been rumored to have informed Sundin that he has until next Tuesday to make up his mind, otherwise they also will be moving on.
Back to Lang... in him, the Habs acquired a veteran forward who collected 54 points (21 goals, 33 assists) through 76 games with the Chicago Blackhawks last year. Lang should help bolster a young Canadiens team with both leadership as well as production.... and he's excited to join the Habs.
 The Carolina Hurricanes signed their super star forward Eric Staal yesterday to a monster long-term deal worth $57.5 million. The new contract will pay him an average of $8.25 million a year over the next 7 years. Staal is in the final year of his deal and would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer. He recorded 38 goals and 44 assists last season.
Speaking of unrestricted free agents... next summer their will be a few on the market worth looking at... more so for Fantasy Hockey Managers. It's no fluke that players in the final year of their contracts tend to play just a little bit harder in order to cash in over the summer. Those performances allow we the Fantasy GM's to be the beneficiaries. So here's a few worth looking at:
 Marian Gaborik. The Minnesota Wild are desperate to re-sign him, but I've heard rumors that he has no desire to play there anymore. Even though his production is solid, I think he feels stifled by Coach Jacques Lemaire's defense first system. Regardless of what style he plays, look for him to play lights out this year, and if he hasn't been extended by February, I wouldn't be surprised to see him traded at the deadline.
Marian Hossa. Hossa went to Detroit to win a Stanley Cup. He took a modest one year deal at $7.5 million (in contrast to the long term deals that were apparently floating around in the $10 million range) in order to come to Detroit and compete for a Cup. Hossa is banking on his skill, and club to not only land him a championship, but a ridiculous contract this summer. Don't be shocked if he is playing for his 4th club in two years by July, and it should be no surprise whatsoever that he is going to post huge numbers this year.
Henrik Zetterberg. I'm sure Detroit will re-sign him, and there's a chance he could be extended prior to the season opener, but what if they don't? What if he's imagining what he would be worth on the open market? Imagine if Zetterberg decides to test free agency come July? All that being said, imagine the season he's going to have. Regardless, signed or not, this guy is awesome.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The Jaromir Jagr era appears to be over in New York, as the Rangers have moved on and signed unrestricted free agent winger Markus Naslund to a two year deal worth $8 million. Jagr's inability to make a decision on his playing future and GM Glen Sather's lack of patience to wait for him to make up his mind forced the Rangers to pursue other alternatives. The Rangers also signed defenceman Dmitir Kalinin to a one year deal.
The San Jose Sharks prepared for life after Brian Campbell by signing veteran defenceman Rob Blake to a one year deal worth $5 million.
The Montreal Canadiens signed tough guy Georges Laraque to a three year deal worth $4.5 million. The Habs also signed buy-out casualty goaltender Marc Denis to a one year deal.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The Philadelphia Flyers hung on to defeat the Montreal Canadiens last 3-2... barely. The Montreal Canadiens mounted a furious comeback, and in the final moments of the third, pounded the Flyers with shots but were unable to solve goaltender Martin Biron for the second straight game.
Biron helped the Flyers climb back into the series on Saturday and last night helped them take a 2-1 series lead. Unfortunately for Habs goalie Carey Price, for every action there is an equal yet opposite reaction. Price was yanked in favor of back up Jaroslav Halak after surrendering the third goal to the Flyers.
Aside from this series, the rest of the games in this round are very one sided.
 The Pittsburgh Penguins have dominated the New York Rangers in the first two games of their series. The Rangers blew a commanding three goal lead Friday night and fell to the Penguins 5-4. On Sunday, they tightened up, and were shutout by Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. I can't say enough good things about this club right now. They overcome adversity, they play good team defense, and they have made Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist look ordinary. They have yet to lose thus far in the post season, and really look like a team of destiny right now.
Now for the bad. While I appreciate the effort, Sidney Crosby's playoff beard (term used very loosely) is undescribable. While teammates Ryan Malone, and Marian Hossa have brought the Beardgame, Crosby.... well he just can't. I will never take anything away from him as a player, but I have found his flaw. Pittsburgh fans.... we have found the new Jeff Friesen. Officer Crosby... the donuts are on us.
 I got some crap for my opinion on Joe Thornton last week, and my belief that he is not a big time playoff performer. Two games, 1 assist, two losses. The man has all the skills and tools necessary to carry this club to the promised land, but for some reason fails to do so, or at least has so far. On the positive side, the man does wield a formidable playoff beard... hopefully that facial magnificence will one day translate to Stanley Cup glory. The Dallas Stars look amazing. After knocking of the reigning Stanley Cup Champs, they look poised to easily dispatch the Stanley Cup favorite San Jose Sharks. They bring a 2-0 series lead back to Dallas tomorrow night. Marty Turco is the man.... and he is finally getting his due..... take a page from his playbook Joe.
 The sleeping giant has awoken in Detroit. After an amazing regular season, the Detroit Red Wings were tested in round 1 by the Nashville Predators, but now head to Denver with a 2-0 series lead, and look to continue their dominance over an injury depleted Colorado Avalanche lineup. The Red Wings have brought Avs goaltender Jose Theodore back down to earth and have made him look like the Theodore of old (not the MVP old Theodore... last years Rogaine Junkie Theodore). Rumors are abound that back up goaltender (formerly number one) Peter Budaj may start game 3 for the Avs. There is also a chance that Forsberg may return from the groin injury that has hampered him this round. Either way, the Avs better pulll something out of their hats.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Though the Montreal Canadiens are denying it, preliminary reports are saying that the Habs could lose their captain for up to four weeks.
Koivu was injured during Friday night's comeback 4-3 overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres. During the game Koivu was hit by a shot in the foot. X-rays were to be taken today or tomorrow to determine the severity of the injury once the swelling went down.
Koivu now joins a injured list that continues to grow which includes defencemen Mark Streit (who was also injured during Friday's game) and Mike Komisarek.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Looks as though the future is now in Montreal as the Canadiens have dealt their former number one goaltender Cristobal Huet to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a second round pick.
This trade really shook up the gang at the trade center and may really send shockwaves throughout Montreal. For Washington, the Capitals get a solid presence in net, and gave up very little to get Huet.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Did I jinx Alexander Ovechkin by calling him the League MVP? Or did I light a fire under the butt of Evgeni Malkin?
It looks like Sidney Crosby's injury has become a blessing in disguise. Evgeni Malkin has blossomed into a true superstar over the past month, since taking over the role as team leader in Crosby's absence. Rather than fall apart, the Pittsburgh Penguins have climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. After last night's 5-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens, they share the Atlantic Division lead with the New Jersey Devils and sit in a three way tie for second in the East with the Habs, now just one point behind Eastern Conference leading Ottawa.
Malkin scored a goal and added two assists, which brought his NHL scoring lead total to 82 points. He now has 21 points in his last 9 games. Food for thought. How scary is this team going to be when Sidney Crosby does return?
Quick Shave:
The New York Islanders won their sixth straight last night as Rick Dipietro made 32 saves to complete the 1-0 shutout victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Islanders recent streak has now brought them within a point of the final playoff spot in the East. Isles forward Chris Simon returned to action after serving a 30 game suspension for tap dancing on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jaarko Ruutu's leg. The Buffalo Sabres have clearly turned their season around and continue to pile on the points after an easy 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs (who have clearly given up). The Sabres are in seventh place in the East with 68 points. The Philadelphia Flyers are in freefall right now. They dropped their ninth straight last night to the San Jose Sharks 3-1, and dropped out of the playoff race into the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference. Flyers forward Simone Gagne is out for the rest of the season with concussion problems, and there will be no help coming from Peter Forsberg whose comeback is highly unlikely. Recent acquisitions Martin Biron in net, and Daniel Briere have not met expectations, and I perhaps cursed them by saying they would make the playoffs this year. Rumor has the Flyers desperate to make a deadline deal to help salvage their season and playoff hopes. Keep an eye on them.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Everyone in Ottawa can now breathe a collective sigh of relief. Your club is back.
To be more specific, your top line of Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, and Dany Heatley have finally reunited after a month of injury related absences and picked up right where they left off. Last night Ottawa Senators forward Jason Spezza joined the NHL Hat Trick Club, and also added 3 assists for an incredible 6 point evening. Alfredsson added two goals and three assists, and winger Dany Heatley had an off night, scoring only 1 goal and three assists. 15 points between the three players.
The Senators destroyed the Montreal Canadiens 6-1 last night, who have been creeping on the Senators for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Last night they hardly looked like a club that could compete.
Is the ship now righted in Ottawa? For the time being I would say yes. If Ray Emery and Martin Gerber can provide some consistent goaltending this club should roll through the playoffs.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The Montreal Canadiens power play is still humming, even without their quarterback Sheldon Souray manning the point. Habs defenceman Andrei Markov embraced that mantle and setup two power play goals.
Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu scored two power play including the game winner (the second effort by Chris Higgins to get the puck over to Koivu and set up the final score was excellent.... check the highlight film) a little over a minute into the overtime period and helped the Habs defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2.
While much of the talk this week was on rookie goaltender Carey Price making the Canadiens opening day roster it was veteran keeper Cristobal Huet who manned the pipes for Montreal last night. Huet turned aside 29 shots to help his club to the season opening win.
Quick Shave:
The Heat is on in Ottawa. Dany Heatley. Ok that was weak, but what's not is that the Ottawa Senators managed to lock up their star forward at the zero hour to a long term deal. The Sens will have Heatley in the fold for the next 6 years at a humbling $45 million (roughly $7.5 million per season). Heatley then went on to up-end the Toronto Maple Leafs by scoring two goals including the game winner in overtime to lift the Sens to a 4-3 win. Leafs coach Paul Maurice opted to start goaltender Andrew Raycroft in favor of newly acquired keeper Vesa Toskala.... a move that had Toronto media losing their minds (you should have heard Kypreos on the Rogers Sportsnet Radio show at noon yesterday... he made Pierre McGuire seem jolly). In any case, Maurice and the Leafs will be second guessed for the decision as Raycroft allowed 4 goals on 30 shots. Colorado Avalanche forward Paul Stastny put the finishing touches on his first ever career NHL Hat Trick midway through the second period last night. The Dallas Stars mounted a comeback but ultimately fell to the Avs 4-3. The Stars new jerseys.... what's up? Is it me or are they nothing more than practice sweaters? Solid white, with a small green star in the center of the chest? This is not the type of design that is going to have fans in Dallas or anywhere running out to get their new Reebok jersey. The Detroit Red Wings exacted some revenge from the Anaheim Ducks last night in their home opener as Jiri Hudler beat Bryzgalov for the only score in the shootout and help his club to the 3-2 win. Getzlaf, bro.... get a new shootout deke. Don't get me wrong it's cool, and sure it's worked a few times before, but I think keepers are getting an idea of what you are gonna do now pal.
Game of the Night:
Florida at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
Philadelphia at Calgary 10:00 PM
These games are all about discovery. I'm super curious to see how UFA additions Chris Drury and Scott Gomez fit in with the Blueshirts, and I'd like to see if my theory that the Philadelphia Flyers will make the playoffs this year holds any water as they face off against an always solid Calgary Flames team..... with a Keenan behind the bench..... fear the Keenan.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The Montreal Canadiens latest goaltending phenom will be on display this season afterall.
Within a team that was already stacked in the net, the 20 year old goaltending star Carey Price made the final cuts yesterday. Rather than joining the Habs AHL affiliate in Hamilton, Price will backup veteran goaltender Cristobal Huet. Price's promotion also means that backup netminder Jaroslav Halak was sent down to the AHL.
The rumor mill's will be overheating on this one, as the San Jose Sharks have been very interested in acquiring Halak from the Canadiens. If Price performs well in his backup role, and solidifies his position with the big club, I think Halak will be dealt sooner than later.
Congratulations to Price for making it to the NHL.... and how glad am I and every other GM who drafted him this pre-season!
Quick Shave:
The Philadelphia Flyers named newly acquired defenceman Jason Smith the team's captain for the upcoming season. Smith was part of a trade this summer that saw he and forward Joffrey Lupul sent from the Edmonton Oilers for Flyers blueliner Joni Pitkanen.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Oily Souray? Doesn't that sound like the nickname for a procedure you'd request at a questionable massage parlor? Gimme the Oily Souray please. Anyone? Ok I'll quit while I'm ahead.
The Edmonton Oilers scored their big named free agent yesterday by scooping up former Habs blue liner Sheldon Souray. Souray signed with the Oilers for 5 years, $27 million and is looking forward to playing near home in Alberta.
Souray had a career year last season for the Montreal Canadiens posting up huge offensive numbers, scoring 26 goals, and 38 assists, with a record breaking 19 of those goals coming on the power play. Souray led the Habs in scoring for most of the season as well (which may explain why the Habs were so bad last season). His only downside, was his play on the defensive side of the puck. Souray finished the season with a -29. The Oilers may well have found their point man power play specialist replacement that they lost when the traded Chris Pronger away last year. Good move for both parties.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Did last night's game deliver or what? You don't have to answer. Bosh knows.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens wrapped up their regular season last night at the Air Canada Centre and provided a memorable affair to all who witnessed it. Unfortunately for the Habs, the 6-5 Leafs victory also wrapped up their season, and an opportunity to participate in the playoffs.
The Leafs jumped out to a solid 3-1 lead early in the second before they watched the wheels come off (again?! for the third straight game the Leafs allowed at least three goals in one period) as the Habs potted 4 goals and appeared poised to take the match. Maple Leafs goaltender Andrew Raycroft was yanked for the second time in a week, and it looked like the curtains would be closing on their playoff campaign. Trailing 5-4 going into the third, the Maple Leafs took advantage of Montreal's parade to the penalty box, cashing in on two power play opportunities early in the third and held on the rest of the way for win. Maple Leafs Captain Mats Sundin recorded three assists on the evening, and Habs forward Michael Ryder joined the NHL Hat Trick Club... in one period! Goaltending was not really a factor in this match.
The Maple Leafs, are now pencilled in as the 8th and final playoff spot holders and must wait to see if their 91 points will stand up. The outcome of the New York Islanders vs. New Jersey Devils game this afternoon at 3:30 will determine the immediate future of Toronto. The Islanders are holding in 9th place just one point behind the Leafs, and could take the last spot in the Eastern Conference with a victory. Can you say Game of the Night? I knew that you could.
Quick Shave:
The Buffalo Sabres clinched the President's Trophy last night with a 2-0 shutout win over the Washington Capitals, their 53rd victory of the season. The Vancouver Canucks defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-3 yesterday and clinched the Northwest Division title. The win was number 47 for Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo who tied Flyers goaltender Bernie Parent's record (which was broken by Martin Brodeur days ago). The Sharks loss also helped the Anaheim Ducks claim the Pacific Division title as they defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. The Ottawa Senators defeated the Boston Bruins 6-3 last night securing the 4th spot in the East and the home ice advantage that comes with it. Sens forward Dany Heatley scored his 50th goal of the season in the game and became the first player since Pavel Bure to pot back to back 50 goal seasons. The dream died for the Colorado Avalanche last night as they fell to the Nashville Predators 4-2 last night. The Avs will miss the playoffs for the first time since 1994. The opportunity for a sensational matchup today between the Avs and the Calgary Flames was there as the they lost to the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 last night. However, with the Avs loss, the Flames clinched the 8th and final spot in the Western Conference.
So the battle lines have been drawn (for the most part, with just the 8th seed in the East yet to be determined) and here's a look at the matchups for the first round of the playoffs:
Eastern Conference:
1. Buffalo Sabres vs. 8. Toronto Maple Leafs or New York Islanders
2. New Jersey Devils vs. 7. Tampa Bay Lightning
3. Atlanta Thrashers vs. 6. New York Rangers
4. Ottawa Senators vs. 5. Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference:
1. Detroit Red Wings vs. 8. Calgary Flames
2. Anaheim Ducks vs. 7. Minnesota Wild
3. Vancouver Canucks vs. 6. Dallas Stars
4. Nashville Predators vs. 5. San Jose Sharks
 Game of the YEAR:
NY Islanders at New Jersey 3:30 PM
The table is set for the New York Islanders to pull of the improbable today. Granted for them to do it and steal the 8th spot in the East from the Leafs, they will have defeat Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils. Not an easy task, but little more than a week ago, everyone had written them off. Win and yer in! Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Big night in the NHL last night! So many storylines that could have written their final chapters yesterday did the opposite and left us with 'to be continued'. Which for most of us is a good thing (difficult to watch your team fighting for a playoff spot on the final game of the season..... I'll get to that shortly).
The New York Rangers clinched a playoff spot last night for the second year in a row with a 3-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens last night. Rangers forward Jaromir Jagr scored the game winner and his 30th goal of the season. Jagr has now scored 30 or more goals in 15 consecutive seasons. The Rangers with one game remaining against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday have a chance to clinch the 6th playoff spot, where they will meet either the Atlanta Thrashers or the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round. If they fall to 7th, they will face the New Jersey Devils.
 The New York Islanders kept their playoff hopes by handing the Toronto Maple Leafs their second straight loss 5-2 (Raycroft has been lit up recently eh?). Isles forward Jason Blake scored his career high 40th goal of the season and the game winner, and goaltender Wade Dubielewicz had another huge night in net. Dubie made 28 saves and backstopped the Islanders to their second straight victory. Ryan Smyth started the bleeding with the opening score for the Islanders in the first, and then went back and forth with the Leafs until the wheels came off in the third. The Leafs surrendered three goals in one period again for the second straight game, and will now need to win in regulation on Saturday against the Habs in the final game of the season. The Habs can clinch a playoff spot with a win or overtime loss. If the Islanders win out and Toronto wins, they can steal the final playoff spot. Like I said this weekend will be fun.
The Pittsburgh Penguins stunned the Ottawa Senators with seconds remaining in the third period last night. Pens forward Maxime Talbot late (very late) in the game to give his club the 3-2 win and move them into a fourth place tie with the Senators. Both clubs have a game remaining and will play for home ice advantage. Regardless, the Penguins and Senators are going to meet in the first round of the playoffs, and what a series that should be. Does anyone still think the Penguins are going to be pushovers?
 Martin Broduer became the regular season's winningest goaltender record holder last night as he and the New Jersey Devils defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 last night. The record was originally held by Flyers own Bernie Parent with 47. Brodeur made 34 saves for the win and helped the New Jersey Devils clinch their second straight Atlantic Division title.
Milan Hejduk, welcome to the NHL Hat Trick Club! He picked the perfect time to join. The Colorado Avalanche, much like the New York Islanders have kept their playoffs alive as well. The Avs defeated the Vancouver Canucks 3-1 and pulled within 3 points of the Calgary Flames (who were dropped by the San Jose Sharks last night 4-3) and if they win out, can steal the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Calgary needs two points to clinch, and they face the Avs on the final game of the regular season! How sweet is that?! Pretty Sweet Bosh. Pretty Sweet.
Game of the Night:
Atlanta at Carolina 7:00 PM
Florida at Tampa Bay 8:00 PM
Anaheim at Dallas 8:30 PM
All of these are pretty big games, especially the Thrashers and Lightning games. Both teams are battling for the Southeast Division and the 3rd seed overall. The winner gets the third spot, the loser the 6th or 7th in the East, so wins at this point are extremely valuable. Anaheim's Pacific Division cushion has been widdled down to one point by the San Jose Sharks so they need to pad that if they want to remain in second seed. If they lose to Dallas, ans San Jose continues it's climb, they could drop to 5th. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The Eastern Conference is tearing a page from the Western Conference regular season finish last year, as 5 teams battle for the final 2 playoff spots.
The New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens and New York Islanders are all separated by one point in the Standings. Huge wins last night for the Leafs and the Habs have them tied for 8th in the Eastern Conference with the Carolina Hurricanes. In fact all five of these teams have been battling so hard for their playoff lives, that they now have the Tampa Bay Lightning in sight, who site 6th in the East with 84 points.
The Toronto Maple Leafs moved into 8th place after an emotional yet close match against the New Jersey Devils. The last time the teams met, Tomas Kaberle was lost for an indefinite period after an apparent late hit by Devils tough guy Cam Janssen. The Leafs Wade Belak and Devils Cam Janssen had themselves an old fashioned donnybrook.... they are actually still fighting now. After quenching their thirst for revenge the Leafs got down to business and collected their two points for the win, by defeating the Devils 2-1. Goaltender Andrew Raycroft bested Martin Brodeur by one save, as they both faced 25 shots, and Leafs Captain Mats Sundin added two assists on the night for his 900th point in the blue and white. Congrats Mats..... that rhymes! I'm good. Sundin has been a point streak of late, so if you in the fantasy playoffs, make certain you are starting him.
The Habs followed suit, and collected a much needed two points over the Boston Bruins (who are also fighting for a playoff spot, but are rapidly losing ground) with a 1-0 victory. Montreal Canadiens rookie goaltender Jaroslav Halak made 30 saves for his first NHL shutout, and rookie forward Guillaum Latendresse scored the lone goal and game winner late in the second to complete the win. One of the scary things about the Canadiens this season has been their lack of offense. Do you realize their leading goal scorer is defenceman Sheldon Souray with 24 goals? Scarier still, is that he is so focused on his goal scoring for his team that his defensive responsibilities have been neglected, and has collected a -23 rating for the year. I love defenseman that score (that sounds questionable) but not at the cost of defense. I digress... in any case the Habs are keeping pace with the East's playoff hungry and are now tied for 8th.
 The Calgary Flames had a fire lit under them last night. It's called the Colorado Avalanche. With their lead in the standings diminishing, the Flames took it to the Detroit Red Wings last night (who are tied for the second best record in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres, and just a point shy of the Nashville Predators who own the one spot with 100 points) for the 2-1 win. Goaltender Dominik Hasek attempted to draw a penalty with some theatrics but failed, and it cost him and the Wings a goal. What's funny is his explanation:
'Somebody bumped me in the head, I don't know it if was my teammate or their player, and I fell down on my back,'' the 42-year-old goaltender said. ''I was a little bit confused, I didn't know what was going on and before I got up, they scored that goal.'' (from TSN.ca)
and Red Wings Coach Mike Babcocks retort:
'It wasn't interference at all. Our goalie tried to draw the penalty and he dove and they shot it in the net,'' Babcock said bluntly. ''The bottom line is embellishment is something that happens in our games, probably too much, and when you try and draw a penalty and they shoot it in our net, it's a tough one.'' (from TSN.ca)
Ummm, Dominik me thinks you are lying sir. Anyway, he cost his team a win that could have propelled them into first for the Presidents Trophy Race. Flames keeper Miikka Kiprusoff made 30 saves to complet the 2-1 win and cushioned their lead on the Avs to 6 points. Good news (maybe) for the Red Wings as forward Todd Bertuzzi (please excuse my Bertuzzi as he is still wearing his Florida lid) may make an appearance for his new team on Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. A little fine tuning prior to the playoffs perhaps?
Game of the Night:
Nashville at Vancouver 10:00 PM
The big boys in the West throw down tonight, as the Central Division and league leading Predators try to stay ahead of the Wings by defeating the Northwest Division leading Canucks who are also trying to stave off the Minnesota Wild (who have won 7 straight games by the way.... which is sweet, because I picked up Wild goaltender Nicklas Backstrom and he has been HUUUGE for me.... and he's helped the Wild a bit too). Enjoy the games brothers and sisters of the face pelt!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Big blow for the Montreal Canadiens playoff hopes yesterday.....or is it?
Montreal Canadiens number one goaltender Cristobal Huet will be out for at the very least the remainder of the NHL regular season following surgery to repair his left hamsting. Huet was injured during last weeks game against the New Jersey Devils when he fell akwardly trying to stop a shot. Cristobal Huet hopes to be ready to play for the Habs in the playoffs....if they make it.
In light of his recent injury, backup (or tandem keeper, you decide) David Aebischer was expected to shoulder the load of the starts while receiving support from call up Jaroslav Halak. Well it appears its going to be the other way around.
Halak won his second straight game for the Canadiens last night by helping his club defeat the Washington Capitals 5-3 last night. Coach Carbonneau promised that Halak would be in net for the Habs as they face the Western Conference leading Nashville Predators tomorrow night.
Mr. Huet was a mainstay on two of my Fantasy Rosters so this a big blow to the Bosher. I decided to drop the lad in favor of Nicklas Backstrom of the Minnesota Wild who appears to be having a solid season in relief of Manny Fernandez (he's out with a knee.... if not its' a groin). Hopefully he will bring me good fortune.
Quick Shave:
The New York Rangers can't beat the New Jersey Devils. While the game was spirited (including a little toe to toe action between Sean Avery and Martin Brodeur, I have to face facts. The Devils own the Rangers, and have figured out how to shut them down. Jaromir Jagr was held without a shot last night. If I remember correctly the last time the two teams met, Jagr had one shot late in the third period. The Devils took the game 2-1 on a goal by Zach Parise. Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins shutout the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0 last night. The Bruins are fighting to remain in the playoff hunt, and Thomas 44 save performance helped them close the gap between them and the Leafs by 4 points. The Carolina Hurricanes are on playoff life support right now as well, following their 3-1 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers last night. The Canes have a 1 point lead on the New York Islanders for the 8th and final spot in the East. Will the Stanley Cup Champions not be at the post season dance to defend their title this year? The Ottawa Senators are a team on the rise, and the team they beat last night 4-3 (shootout win), the Edmonton Oilers are a team on the decline. The Oilers have a lot of ground to make up (8 points) to catch the Calgary Flames who hold the final spot in the West. The Western Conference is really opening up, and the only teams now that have a legitimate shot at the playoff in my opinion are the Colorado Avalanche (8 points out), the Oilers (also 8 points out), and the St. Louis Blues (no I'm not kidding, 9 points out). Given their current position perhaps they may not be sellers by next week and try to make the post season?
Game of the Night:
San Jose at Washington 7:00 PM
Chicago at Detroit 7:30 PM
Only two games on the menu tonight, so I give you them both. I'm a little more interested in the Red Wings vs. Blackhawks game because the Sharks and Caps have really been mailing it in lately. Frankly both teams need to find a way to break out of their slumps. Alexander Ovechkin has 1 goal in last 8 games? Come on bro, let's pick it up! Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
When the hate you in Montreal.....they really hate you. Sidney Crosby is the newest player to wear the scarlet letter in the Bell Centre as the Canadiens crowd verbally assaulted him for most of the game.....their is but one way to silence them Sid...but coughing up the puck in overtime is not the way to do it.
Tomas Plekanec stole the puck from Sidney Crosby and set up Habs defenceman Sheldon Souray for the game winning score midway through the overtime period and give the Canadiens the 4-3 win. It was Souray's 5th game winning goal of the season, and his 44th point (18 goals, 26 assists). Souray leads the Montreal Canadiens in points and goals.
David Aebischer made 31 saves to preserve the victory for the Canadiens. Aebischer has been playing alot more lately, and I believe yesterday was his third start in four games. I wonder if Carbonneau is showcasing him prior to the trade deadline? Aebischer could be an affordable playoff rental for a team that is lacking confidence in their goaltending..... Tampa Bay perhaps?
Quick Shave:
The Washington Capitals dispatched the New York Islanders in a tight affair yesterday. The only other game on the pre Super Bowl schedule. Capitals forward Alexander Semin scored the only goal in the shootout to give his club the 2-1 win over the Islanders. Ovechkin was shutdown for most of the game and held to a single shot on net.
 Game of the Night:
Detroit at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
Only one game on the evening, but it should be a pretty good one. New York Rangers forward Brendan Shanahan welcomes his old team the Detroit Red Wings to his new home. The Red Wings as usual have taken care of business this season, while the New York Rangers have been given the business, and sit outside the playoff bubble. Tonight's match should be emotionally charged, and perhaps Shanny will give his old mates some chin music. Enjoy the game!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Just about everyone will be watching the Colts and Bears kick it off this evening.....but the elite will be enjoying a rematch of Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens as they do battle for the second time this week.
The Penguins came away with the 5-4 shootout victory after blowing a 2 goal lead in the third to the Montreal Canadiens days ago in Pittsburgh. Their last meeting had fights, hits, and scoring galore, followed by Coaches slinging verbal assaults at each other and the referees. Today the Penguins travel North to the Bell Centre in Montreal to face their rivals today at 2:00 PM EST. Crack those brews open early kids and enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Two nights ago, I turned off the New York Islanders vs. Detroit Red Wings game too early. The Islanders had a healthy 3 goal lead on the Wings entering the third and for the most part looked like this was the Islanders game to blow. And blow it they did.
Last night, the Penguins had a 3-1 lead on the Habs, and I did the same thing.....however the force called me back, and I turned the game on late in the third to find the score 4-4. What I witnessed from that point forward was some of the best hockey I've seen this season. First off, you have to watch the highlights of this game (you can find them here) which from the start was deemed 'playoff' style hockey by Pierre McGuire (who sounded less angry than usual last night...perhaps they expanded his mini-sin bin?). The opening face off began with a Maxim Lapierre butt end to Sidney Crosby's ribs which dropped him to the ice (I think he over exaggerated the fall a bit, but he did take the hit)....the tone of the game was more or less set from that point forward. The Penguins as I said took a 2 goal lead, and that is when the Bosher decided to move on to more zambonied pastures.....much to my misfortune.
Colby Armstrong took a run at Canadiens captain Saku Koivu and smeared him across the end boards......which Habs defenceman took exception to, and smeared Armstrong's face all over the ice by essentially beating the stuffing out of him. Souray was given the door, and ejected from the game. By the time I returned the Habs had tied the game up, and Pierre McGuire was preaching about how this game should be bottled and marketed by the NHL to the world. Corny expressions aside, the man was right. Intense, exciting, and passionate play was certainly on display.
I think NHL Center Ice needs to have a 'Red Zone' style channel similiar to NFL Ticket, that automatically switches your screen to the game that is most exciting (jumping between a night where 11 games are playing can be difficult.....thus my missing portions of this one).
Overtime was outstanding. How great is 4 on 4 hockey? Almost as good as 3 on 3, which part of the overtime consisted of, and that had to be the coolest thing I've seen. The big difference in this game, was Marc Andre Fleury, especially in overtime. He stopped several golden opportunities, and was solid in the shootout. Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Evgeni Malking scored the eventual game winner during the shootout. Sidney Crosby still hasn't potted one yet, missing again last night, going 0-7 on the season.....but let's be honest.....you don't throw away a Ferrari because it has a scratch on it. This kid is incredible, and finished the evening with 3 assists.
How's this for a pre-Superbowl appetizer? The Penguins visit the Habs Sunday at 2:00 PM. Talk about game of the night (day)!
Quick Shave:
I'm not going to curse this guy with my praise, but you have to give it up for Yanic Perreault. The Phoenix Coyotes forward who has become Captain Clutch this season, scored another game winner (he now has 5 on the season) late in the third, to help his team beat the Nashville Predators 3-2 last night. Huge win for the Coyotes. Their confidence has to be riding an all time high right now, and deservedly so. If Perreault is available in your leagues, grab him (I own him in two now). Vancouver Canucks forward Markus Naslund put the finishing touch on a 5-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers last night. Naslund's game winning goal was his 4th tally in 9 games and is showing signs of breaking out of his goal scoring slump (which is awesome since he is also on my roster). The Dallas Stars swept the home and home series with the San Jose Sharks by taking the second meeting 4-2 last night. What's going on with the Carolina Hurricanes? They can't seem to buy a win lately. Last night they were shutout by the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0. Lightning goaltender Johan Holmqvist made 31 saves for his first ever NHL shutout. The Buffalo Sabres beat up on the Boston Bruins again last night (doesn't seem like these two teams have played each other 20 times this season) 3-1. Chris Drury of the Sabres had two goals on the evening, and backup keeper Martin Biron made 33 save to complete the win. Recently traded Jamie Lundmark scored his first goal of the season last night for the Los Angeles Kings. Unfortunately the goal came in a losing effort to the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in overtime.
Game of the Night:
St. Louis at Detroit 7:30 PM
Columbus at Calgary 9:00 PM
Only two games on the card for tonight, but both look good to me. Two upstarts versus two powerhouses. Columbus and St. Louis have both been climbing and stringing victories together, but both are clearly under-dogs in these matches. Manny Legace will try to outduel his old team in Detroit, and Craig Conroy will try and make his reunion in Calgary continue in style. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo is becoming everything they had hoped he would be when they traded for him at last year's NHL Entry Draft.
Luongo spent Monday evening in the hospital after taking a Daniel Sedin shot to the throat during practice. He responded last night on little to no sleep by stopping all 30 Montreal Canadiens shots and help Vancouver to the 4-0 shutout win. The victory was his third this season by shutout. The Canucks win was their fifth in a row on the road, and they have now won nine of their last 10 games.
For a team that was finding difficulty putting the puck in the net a month ago, they are finding scoring everywhere now. Ryan Kesler, Josh Green, Jan Bulis, and Lukas Krajicek (who has one of the coolest names in the NHL) provided the tallies for the Canucks last night.
The Vancouver Canucks now hold sole possesion of first in the Northwest Division and the third seed in the Western Conference.
For Montreal, things probably couldn't look worse right now. The Habs have dropped nine of their last 13 games, and have had some trouble rebounding from the recent flu epidemic that devestated their line up a week ago. Forward Sergei Samsonov was scratched last night as his frustrating season continues to labor on. In 46 games this season, the UFA acquisition by the Canadiens has scored just 19 points (6 goals, 13 assists), and is a -2 rating.
 Quick Shave:
Marian Hossa does it again. The Atlanta Thrashers forward joined the NHL HTC for the second time this season, scoring three in his team's 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Kings keeper Yutaka Fukufuji as pulled early in the second period after allowing three goals on nine shots, in his first ever NHL start. Hang in there guy! Do you think Martin Brodeur and Dominik Hasek are having a shutout battle this season? The two veterans are making a huge case for the Vezina Trophy right now. Martin Brodeur continued his amazing campaign by shutting down the New York Rangers 1-0, for his 8th shutout of the season. The New Jersey Devils goaltender stopped all 26 shots he faced, and forward Jay Pandolfo shut down Jaromir Jagr successfully once again, allowing him to take only one shot on net. The Devils have the formula to stop the Rangers premier right wing, and the personell to execute it almost every time. Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins continues to light the lamp. Crosby netted a pair against the New York Islanders (who are losing often lately to everyone but the Rangers) and helped his club to the 5-2 win. Pittsburgh is now 3 points out of the 8th and final playoff spot, and Crosby extended his NHL scoring lead to 68 points (23 goals, 45 assists) in 41 games played this season. Imagine how good this kid is going to be when he hits 21! The Anaheim Ducks woes continue in the wake of their injured star players. The Ducks were hammered by the rising St. Louis Blues 6-2 last night, and Ilya Brysgalov did little to help his case with Coach Carlyle allowing 4 goals on 13 shots.....not to mention completely destroy my goaltending stats for the week! Little side note here....Fantasy Hockey is driving me insane lately! All of my players are either on IR, Day to Day, or mired in massive slumps......I thought this was supposed to be fun? The Ottawa Senators appear to have completely rebounded from their awful start, and have been laying waste to everyone they play. Last night's victim: the Washington Capitals, who the Sens handily defeated 5-2 on a pair of goals by new arrival Mike Comrie. The Senators have now won five in a row, and injured forward Jason Spezza has resumed skating and should be returning to the lineup soon.
Game of the Night:
Nashville at Detroit 7:30 PM
How about this one? The best of the Central Division get down tonight! Four points separate these two teams, and a win by Nashville tonight could put them in the top spot in the Western Conference! Maybe someone will recognize them then? Perhaps, if they can put a puck past Hasek. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Think Martin Brodeur is pissed he didn't win the Vezina Trophy last year? Judging by how he is playing, I would say he is making a solid case to take it this season.
Brodeur stopped all 28 shots the Montreal Canadiens delivered his way for the 3-0 victory, and his 87th career shutout. He now leads the league with 24 wins and collected his 6th win by shutout last night. The New Jersey Devils who been stifling the Rangers win streak have a healthy foothold on the Atlantic Division, and are within striking distance of the Atlanta Thrashers 2nd overall spot in the East. The Devils are hot right now, winning 8 of their last 11 games.
The Montreal Canadiens playing on back to back nights have been decimated by the flu, have now lost three straight. Cristobal Huet made 34 saves in the loss.
Quick Shave:
Is it too late to jump on the Phoenix Coyotes bandwagon? The Coyotes by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 last night have now one six straight. No I'm serious. Now what you probably don't know is that Coyotes have climbed out of the cellar and just 7 points out of a playoff berth. Phoenix has 38 points and currently sit in 12th place in the Western Conference. As it is in the West, the 7th and 8th spots held by the Calgary Flames and tthe Minnesota Wild are still available to any of the teams outside the bubble. The St. Louis Blues are just 12 points out, which is more than attainable with roughly 40 games to go. No one is safe, and it looks like we are going to see an all out sprint like we did last year. Ilya Bryzgalov and the Anaheim Ducks got back to winning again last night, ending their losing streak against the Detroit Red Wings with the 4-2 win. Bryzgalov made 33 saves in relief of the injured Jean Sebastien Giguere. Detroit has now dropped three straight. Whenever there is win streak in the NHL, there is a losing streak going on somewhere else. The Ottawa Senators upended the Philadelphia Flyers 6-1 yesterday, receiving multi-point games from forwards Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson. Hey Hey! I guess Markus Naslund reads the beard! My little write up yesterday on the decline of his skills finally woke up his offence as he potted his first goal for the Vancouver Canucks in 17 games. Roberto Luongo bested his old 'mates the Florida Panthers in a 4-3 shootout win.
Game of the Night:
Edmonton at Los Angeles 10:30 PM
Only game on the night for the NHL, so you have to watch it. Enjoy the game! I said Enjoy the game!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
I have to admit at the start of the season I was really worried about Cristobal Huet. He had all of the symptoms early on that would indicate he would be embracing a sophomore slump. The boys on the Face Off Hockey Show had a great debate about this with Lyle Richardson from Spector's Hockey. They discussed how often keepers that have amazing first years, or incredible runs during the post season fall flat. The list was long and distinguished.....
Cristobal Huet of the Montreal Canadiens at one point was in danger of losing his starting role to backup goalie David Aebischer, but over the past month has more than ensured he will be number one in Montreal. Last night's performance, was yet another notch in his goal stick as he turned aside 42 Buffalo Sabres shots in a dominant 5-2 victory over the Eastern Conference's best club. The Habs have been one of the few teams that have had an answer for Buffalo's speed, defense, and goaltending (Ottawa being the other), and after trading several tight games with the Sabres, the Canadiens unleashed the KRACKEN!
Christopher Higgins who recently returned to the Habs lineup, scored twice, and Kovaleve, Lapierre and Bouillon also added tallies for the Habs. The Habs trail only the Buffalo Sabres in the Northeast, and would be in second place overall in the Eastern Conference if they weren't in the same division as their rivals.
Quick Shave:
Big night for the HTC. Boston Bruins forward Marco Sturm scored three goals to secure his place in the NHL HTC and help his club defeat the Ottawa Senators 7-2 last night. Zdeno Chara returned to Ottawa for the first time since leaving as a UFA. New York Islanders forward Jason Blake added three goals of his own to lift his team past the New York Rangers for the second time in 2 weeks 5-2....and of course was greeted by the NHL HTC for his efforts. Last night was a goal fest! Three of the winners scored 7 goals (Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, and Colorado Avalanche), three more scored 5 (Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay LIghtning, and Calgary Flames), and three more potted 4 (New York Islanders, St. Louis Blues...yes they finally won, and the Atlanta Thrashers). I guess the keepers took the night off....or the forwards were chugging espresso prior to the games.
Game of the Night:
Columbus at Detroit 7:30 PM
Nashville at Chicago 8:30 PM
Dallas at Anaheim 10:00 PM
The last one is obviously the big one, but all of the games on the Western Night look pretty fun to me. Look for Lindros to join the HTC with three against the Ducks tonight. Right! Enjoy the games my 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
 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 | | |
