Home and home. Win and win for the Detroit Red Wings over the Nashville Predators. For the second straight game the Wings defeated the Predators last night 4-2 and captured another 2 points from their division and conference rivals. With those 4 points secured in the last two games, the Detroit Red Wings took sole possesion over the Central Division lead, control of the Western Conference, and now boast the best record (by way of points) in the league.
Red Wings forward Jiri Hudler (sorry boys, I don't have a portrait of the lad thus far) had a big night for his team potting two goals, including the game winner, while Nicklas Lidstrom and Kirk Maltby bookended his goals to complete the win. Dominik Hasek was in net once again, making 27 saves on the night. Detroit has owned the Predators this season defeating them 5 times now in regulation and will play them once more at the end of March.
Quick Shave:
The Pittsburgh Penguins are proving they can play with the best, and I don't think they will be the cake-walk in the post season that many predict they will be. After defeating the Sabres last night, the Pens shutout and shutdown the New Jersey Devils to the tune of a 3-0 win. Backup goalie Jocelyn Thibault made 25 saves for the shutout win. The Penguins are now just 4 points shy of the Devils and are challenging their lead for the Atlantic Division, and 6 points behind the Buffalo Sabres for the Eastern Conference lead. Who saw that? Bosh did.
Game of the Night:
NY Islanders at Ottawa 7:30 PM
This is a pretty big game, and a lot of eyes will be on Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro who will be a game time decision for his club. The Islanders are teetering precariously close to the edge of not making the post season, and they will need him in net to stop the Ottawa Senators whose Heatley / Spezza line, which has been lethal. They both are carrying some ridiculous point scoring streaks right now..... will they continue. If Dunham is in net, absolutely. Enjoy the games!
The Philadelphia Flyers have traded forward Peter Forsberg top the Nashville Predators for winger Scottie Upshall, defenceman Ryan Parent, and a first and third round pick in this years NHL Entry Draft.
Forsberg has been the most talked about player prior to the upcoming trade deadline this season. Forsberg has missed a large part of the season this year due to complications with his foot from summer surgery, but has put decent numbers. In 40 games this year, he has 11 goals, and 29 assists.
While Nashville is already stacked, and currently sitting in first place overall in the Western Conference, adding a Peter Forsberg to a lineup clearly makes you a better team. I think the Predators while clearly trying to make a Stanley Cup run this year, were looking at his post season production (162 points (61 goals, 101 assists) in 139 playoff games) and his playoff experience, but perhaps had another agenda. Consider this. Grabbing Forsberg also prevents them from having to face him if he were to be acquired by the Detroit Red Wings.
My buddy Jeff, who called to tell me about the trade thought it was a great move for Nashville because they've been built through the draft, and can afford to give up some prospects and picks to make a Cup push. Can't argue with that at all. One of the biggest problems in Nashville is the very real fact that they can't sell the game there. They've had much difficulty attracting fans, and getting corporate support, and this is the best team in the NHL! Forsberg brings a huge name and star power to a club that could really use it. Perhaps his arrival will not only bring a championship, but fill some seats. We'll see. Regardless, I love this move, and hope that Forsberg stays healthy just to see how deadly the Predators will become.
Game of the Night:
Nashville at St. Louis 8:00 PM
New look Predators will face off against St. Louis. Hopefully Forsberg will be in the lineup, and we will get a glimpse of what this team will become. Enjoy the games!
The Nashville Predators are the NHL's best. Their 81 points have them sitting not only first place overall in the Western Conference, but a point better than the Eastern Conference leading Buffalo Sabres.
Nashville is keeping pace with the Detroit Red Wings who are also one point behind them with 80, and sit second in the Central Division, but fourth in the Western Conference (that is a buzz kill.....they own a 12 point lead over third place Vancouver too.
The Predators flexed their muscles against the San Jose Sharks last night. Defenceman Shea Weber potted two goals and goaltender Tomas Vokoun stopped all 22 Sharks shots he faced to pummell San Jose 5-0. The shutout was Vokoun's 4th this season, and the 10th for the Predators combined goaltending tandem with Chris Mason.
The Western Conference since the All Star Break seems to be opening up alot. The Minnesota Wild hold the 8th playoff spot with 67 points, and have a 7 point cushion over the 9th place Edmonton Oilers. Aside from the Predators and Red Wings (Zetterberg and Datsyuk did it again last night, and even made ESPN's Top 10 combining for a score in a 3-1 win over Dallas) battling for control of the Central and ultimately the Western Conference, tthe Northwest Division has a tight race between the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Minnesota Wild. Calgary and Vancouver have 68 points, and Minnesota has 67. In the Pacific, the Anaheim Ducks (74 points), San Jose Sharks (73 points), and Dallas Stars (70 points) are all fighting for control of the Division and the second seed in the West. It seems the elite in this Conference have really begun to separate themselves from the also-rans.
The Eastern Conference is a lot tighter. The Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins (did you guys see Crosby in the overtime last night against the Blackhawks? I thought the puck was glued to his stick), and Ottawa Senators (3rd, 4th, and 5th place teams) all have 69 points. The Tampa Bay Lightning are in 6th with 66 points, the Carolina Hurricanes with 65, and the Habs in the final spot with 64. On the outside looking in, just two points out and tied for 9th, the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs, 5 points out the New York Rangers, and 8 points out the Boston Bruins. The Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals still have a chance being 9 and 10 points out as well. Aside from the Buffalo Sabres, and the New Jersey Devils who at this point are unstoppable, the rest of the Conference is really anybodies to win.
Game of the Night:
NY Rangers at Carolina 7:00 PM
Boston at NY Islanders 7:30 PM
Washington at Tampa Bay 7:30 PM
Six teams jockeying for playoff position. The playoffs have already begun for all of these clubs, so look for most of the games down the stretch to kick it up a notch. Boston is a few wins or losses away from being a buyer or seller at the trade deadline, so these games are very important. Enjoy the games!
Ok, that's a lame catch phrase, but the Red Wings refuse to pass the torch to the new rising upstarts of the league. Didn't everyone talk about the Red Wings being finished prior to the start of last season? All they did was win the President's Trophy. Granted their playoff hopes were dashed early, but this year things appear to be different. This year they have Dominik Hasek.
Red Wing forward Henrik Zetterberg opened the scoring for Detroit and helped his team keep pace with the Predators.....his second goal also chased Tomas Vokoun from net in favor of backup Chris Mason. The Predators answered back quickly, but it would be the last time they would do so in the game. The Red Wings tied the game at 3 a piece and then never looked back, defeating the Predators 5-3. Dominik Hasek had a human night, allowing 3 goals on 17 shots, but he didn't need to be spectacular. Zetterberg finished the night with 3 points (2 goals, 1 assist), and linemate Pavel Datsyuk had 4 assists.
With last night's victory over their division rivals, the Nashville Predators, the Detroit Red Wings (65 points) have pulled within 2 points of the Central Division lead, and 3 points from the top seed in the Western Conference.
Quick Shave:
It had to end sometime. The Phoenix Coyotes win streak ended at 6 games last night as they fell to the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 last night. In fairness to the Yotes, they almost pulled off the comeback. Down 4-1 midway through the third, Doan and Zigomanis scored to give the Avs a bit of a scare....but newly crowned starting goaltender Peter Budaj, (his 10th straight start) made 26 saves to complete the win. The Dallas Stars defeated the Calgary Flames 4-2 last night. Joel Lundqvist (New York Ranger's goaltender Henrik Lundqvist's twin brother) scored his first ever NHL goal in the game. The Buffalo Sabres hammered the Boston Bruins 6-3 last night. Bruins defenceman Phil Kessel, who recently returned to lineup after cancer surger, had is first ever career 2 goal game. New York Rangers forward Martin Straka who is having a career season was rewarded with a contract extension for next season, that will pay him $3.3 million.
Game of the Night:
Vancouver at Ottawa 7:30 PM
Both of these teams are hot right now, and tonights game should be one heck of a collision! Enjoy the games!
While the Predators are three points behind the Western Conference leading Anaheim Ducks, they are making a case that they are every bit as good as the Ducks, and the Eastern Conference leading Buffalo Sabres. Although due to their location and market, they still aren't getting the attention that they deserve.
Predators keeper Tomas Vokoun, has now won three straight since returning from a broken thumb that kept him out of the lineup for the past 2 months. Vokoun made 20 saves to help his club defeat the Calgary Flames 5-3 last night. Predators forwards, Martin Erat, and David Legwand recorded multipoint games in the victory.
With the Ducks vulnerable, due to injuries to defenceman Chris Pronger and goaltender Jean Sebastien Giguere, the surging Predators have an opportunity to make ample ground on them, and take command of the West. Maybe then, they will get noticed (I know, I know I'm stomping my feet on this one, but the Predators aren't getting nearly the hype that the Sabres are, and the two teams are tied in the standings......so Bosh is tipping his helmet to them).
Quick Shave:
I hope you can all pardon the day of rest I took yesterday. Captain Bosh was on the IR with that flu that took over the Montreal Canadiens last week. I think I've turned the corner, and am looking forward to an exciting week of hockey prior to the All Star Break!
The Tampa Bay Lightning have now won five straight after taking it to the New York Islanders 4-3 last night. The Islanders themselves are on a bit of a slide as of late. I guess GM Jay Feaster (i think that's his name) threats of trading the whole team have worked as the Lightning are now playing above .500 hockey and have grabbed the 8th and final playoff spot. Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier, and Brad Richards all had goals on the evening.......they should score every night considering that their combined salaries are pushing $20 million per season! The Dominator! The NHL's hottest goaltender not going to the All Star Game. Hasek made 23 saves last night for the Detroit Red Wings to shutout the Montreal Canadiens 2-0. The shutout was his 6th of the season and 74th of his career. His counterpart, Cristobal Huet, who allowed 2 goals, will be attending the All Star Game.....well look at it this way Detroit fans....remember the Olympics last year? Put some ice on that groin Dom. The Phoenix Coyotes have forgotten how to lose. Amazing! The Coyotes beat the St. Louis Blues 5-4 in a shootout last night. Defenceman Ed Jovanovski had 2 goals and an assist on the night, all on the power play. Oh and Roenick scored again. Don't look now, but since his hat trick last month, the old man has been playing a bit better.....he's no fantasy pickup yet....but maybe. The Boston Bruins defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in a shootout last night. Marco Sturm potted the winner.
Game of the Night:
NY Rangers at New Jersey 7:30 PM
I'm going homer on you guys tonight. Sorry. My boys need to shake off the rust and head into the break on a positive note. They also need to make up some ground on the Atlantic Division leading Devils who hold an 8 point cushion on the Rangers. In the words of Sho Kosugi...."Only a ninja, can kill a ninja." I'm not really sure how that phrase applies here, but it sounds damn cool, and I felt like using it. Enjoy the games my fellow members of the beard! Bosh loves you!
NY Islanders at NY Rangers 7:00 PM <
Our very own Playoff Beard of the Month Winner for December, Rick DiPietro, puts his perfect record on the line once again as he and the New York Islanders face off against the New York Rangers. The Isles have hit the skids recently dropping 5 in a row (it could be six, but who can count that high) but this season, always bring their best stuff when playing the Blueshirts. Alexei Yashin should be back at full steam after a very public benching by Coach Ted Nolan. For the Rangers, all eyes will be on Jaromir Jagr, who left during the second period of the game against Montreal on Saturday afternoon with a groin pull. Will he be back in the lineup? Will he be able to score (something he hasn't done in several matches)? Will the Rangers be able to beat the Islanders?
Anaheim at Nashville 8:00 PM
The Ducks are injured but they are still good. They ended their losing streak with a solid effort against the Detroit Red Wings and now look to test their mettle against the Nashville Predators. The Predators are without a doubt the most disrespected team in the NHL. They are a dominant force in the WEST, and no one talks about them. Right now they sit atop the Central, and are just 5 points behind Anaheim for the Western Conference lead. Beginning to see why this game is so big? The Predators have an opportunity to make a big push for the top seed and it begins tonight.
Phoenix at Dallas 8:30 PM
The Phoenix Coyotes could be for real after all. Six wins and counting as they visit the Dallas Stars who are fighting through the injury bug as well lately. A win by Phoenix tonight would bring them within 3 points of a playoff spot, and more importantly solidify my respect for them as a team.
Quick Shave:
Everyone should stop and take a look at the current standings in both the Eastern and Western Conferences. Notice anything? Aside from the Philadelphia Flyers, every team in the NHL has a shot to make the playoffs. It's that close. The Florida Panthers (currently 14th in the East with 39 points) are just 5 points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs who hold the 8th and final playoff spot in the East with 44. Between them are the Boston Bruins (43 points), the Pittsburgh Penguins (43 points), the Washington Capitals (43 points), and the Tampa Bay Lightning (41 points). And in the West....its anyone's game as far as I'm concerned. The St. Louis Blues (who hold the 15th spot in the West with 33 points), are 12 points behind the Minnesota Wild who sit in the 8th and final playoff spot with 45 points. Among them are the Colorado Avalanche (44 points), the Edmonton Oilers (44 points, thanks to the 2-1 OT win over the Kings last night), the Phoenix Coyotes (40 points), the Los Angeles Kings (38 points), and the Columbus Blue Jackets (36 points). So what does all of this mean to us? The playoffs will be starting just a little bit early this year.
Last night, Colorado Avalanche forward and captain had three assists in a winning effort over the Nashville Predators. The three points pushed Sakic to 27 assists, and a team leading 44 points. Sakic's three helpers also added to his career total moving him past Paul Coffey into 10th place on the NHL's points list.
Sakic was more concerned about breaking the Avalanche out of their three game lead, which they managed to do by defeating the Nashville Predators 5-3. Peter Budaj made 26 saves on the evening and appears to have replaced Jose Theodore as the number one goaltender.
Alexander Radulov of the Nashville Predators scored again last night, and if you are looking for an available RW in your fantasy league who will contribute to your goal totals, he is worth picking up. In 26 games this season, Radulov has 18 points (11 goals, 7 assists) and is a +11.
Quick Shave: Philadelphia Flyers forward Petr Nedved who has spent more time on the waiver wire this season than actually playing this season is about to be claimed by the Ottawa Senators on re-entry waivers. The Senators are apparently seeking a short term replacement for injured forward Jason Spezza, and Nedved may be able to find his game centering Heatley and Alfredsson......I could find my game playing between those two. Regardless, if he is placed between those guys, he might be an intriguing fantasy pickup. The Ottawa Senators were also burned in overtime last night by the Atlanta Thrashers and their former teammate Marian Hossa who assisted on all of the Thrasher's goals to win the game 3-2. The Toronto Maple Leafs thundered past the Boston Bruins last night 5-1. The victory put them into a 7th place tie with the New York Rangers with 42 points. The Buffalo Sabres proved to be too much for the New York Islanders yesterday. Ted Nolan returned to Buffalo for the first time since being fired almost 10 years ago. The Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller made 29 saves to help his club to a 3-1 win. The Phoenix Coyotes continue to rack up wins. Last night they took their third straight by knocking off the Washington Capitals 3-2. Owen Nolan had 2 points on the evening. Washington Capitals enforcer Donald Brashear was handed a one game suspension for his sucker punch on Aaron Ward of the New York Rangers Saturday Night, his second suspension of the season. Colton Orr was suspended for 5 games for his cross check on Caps star forward Alexander Ovechkin.
Game of the Night:
Anaheim at Detroit 7:30 PM
Vancouver at Calgary 9:00 PM
Even though Anaheim is being struck down by injuries, most recently losing Pronger, the match up with Detroit should still be a fantastic one. Both teams are two of the best in the West. Vancouver took the home and home series last week from Calgary and now go back to visit the Flames for a third helping. The Northwest Division is still the tightest in the league, and Calgary currently has a one point edge on Vancouver. Enjoy the games my friends!
Well two titans clashed last night.....and the Anaheim Ducks were the clear victor. The Ducks are fulfilling all of the pre-season prophecies that they would be the front runners in the 2006-2007 NHL season by continuously lining teams up, and repeatedly knocking them down. Their latest victim. The Nashville Predators.
The Nashville Predators after starting the season on a dreadful note, quickly turned things around and rocketed to the top of the Central Division. The Anaheim Ducks have been on top since the start and reminded the Predators of that last night. Ducks forward Teemu Selanne had another two goal evening (just missing the HTC), and rising stars Ryan Getzlaf (Getzlaf has scored 5 in his last 8 games) and Chris Kunitz (had a 4 point evening, assisting on the three goals he didn't score) added scores as well. Goaltender Jean Sebastien Giguere once again shut the doors stopping all 21 shots the Predators fired at him to secure the 4-0 win. Is there little doubt that this team won't be contending for th Cup this year?
Quick Shave:
Marty Turco hasn't allowed a goal in 2 games! The Dallas Stars goaltender made 25 saves for the second straight game, for his second straight shutout, this time against the offensive giant Phoenix Coyotes. The Stars won 3-0. The Washington Capitals have won four straight! No really. What's more impressive is the teams they have defeated on that run. Tampa Bay (ok, not that impressive), Dallas, Buffalo, and last night the Ottawa Senators 6-2. Here's the question. Are their opponents taking them too lightly, or is this a taste of things to come in Washington? Perhaps we are viewing a preview of the future of this franchise. The Edmonton Oilers got a small measure of revenge last night in the playoff rematch against the Carolina Hurricanes. Coach MacTavish even started the Oilers Jussi Markkanen who played 6 of the 7 games in the finals in relief of the injured Roloson, and it payed off. Markkanen made 28 saves to help lift his team to a 3-1 win over the reigning Stanley Cup Champs. It looked as though the New Jersey Devils weren't going to score again last night, and the Montreal Canadiens had the game in the bag. The Devils however waited till the waning minutes of the third to tie the game, and Patrik Elias waited till the final seconds of overtime to help the Devils to a 2-1 victory.
The great Joe Nieuwendyk officially announced his retirement yesterday. The Florida Panthers has been hampered by a back injury for the past few seasons, and this season it has finally taken its toll. Nieuwendyk has played 15 of the 29 games the Panthers have played this season recording 8 points. In his 20 seasons in the NHL Niewendyk has scored 1126 points (564 goals, and a whole bunch of assists), and won the Stanley Cup three times with Calgary, Dallas, and New Jersey. Congratulations on an amazing career Joe, you will be missed!
Game of the Night:
Montreal at NY Islanders 7:30 PM
Both teams will be looking to rebound from tough losses, and aside from their recent bumps in the road have been playing top notch hockey. TOP NOTCH TOP NOTCH! So, as always my sometimes mistaken for chewbacca looking friends.....enjoy the games!
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!
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!
The New York Rangers hoped for big things from Brendan Shanahan, and he has failed to dissapoint thus far. Shanahan has been the bright spot on a team that is still trying to recover from last seasons free fall and total playoff collapse. In his sixth game as a blue shirt, Brendan Shanahan delivered his league leading seventh goal, and helped the Rangers break free from their 3 game losing streak, and hopefully right the ship.
The Rangers defeated their cross river rival the New Jersey Devils 4-2 last night. In what is usually a game that helps to jump start the Devils, this time the Rangers may have found the launch pad needed to re-discover the discipline that propelled them last year. They face a big test against the re-tooled Nashville Predators who have shown signs of improvement following their sluggish start on Wednesday night. Henrik Lundqvist also found his game last night stopping 34 Devil shots and being named the first star of the game.
Quick Shave: The Stanley Cup Champs are playing like Stanley Cup Champs again. The Carolina Hurricanes playing off another solid outing by goaltender Cam Ward, who made 34 stops, pounded the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1 last night. Justin Williams joined the ever growing NHL Hat Trick club by putting the lotion in the basket three times. Yes another hat trick! What the heck is going on with Mike Dunham? I have to give this guy credit. After a couple of average season's with the Rangers, and a lackluster year with the Atlanta Thrashers (including the game that he collapsed against the Caps last year that saw the Thrashers miss their first playoff appearance by 2 points), Dunham was floating in limbo uncertain that he would be playing again. After being offered at tryout with the Islanders, making the roster, and taking over for Rick DiPietro with a groin injury, Dunham has shined. In three starts, the New York Islanders remain unbeaten in regulation, 2 wins, and last nights shootout loss to the Preds. Mike Dunham stopped 32 shots, and ensured the Islanders get a point in the standings for their effort. The Chicago Blackhawks look pretty good so far....don't they realize they are supposed to suck? Perhaps Martin Havlat didn't get that memo, because he's leading the league in scoring with 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists).
Game of the Night:
Philadelphia at Buffalo 7:00 PM
Dallas at San Jose 10:30 PM
An early game and a late game, so you can watch both...that is how generous the Bosher is. Philadelphia is off to a very slow start with only 1 win so far, and Buffalo is well....in the words of Ivan Drago's manager from Rocky IV..."whatever they hit....they destroy!" Buffalo took care of the Flyers in the first round of the playoffs last year, and I bet R.J. Umberger is still shuddering from the skull crushing hit he recieved from Brian Campbell. How much you wanna bet his head will be up when enters the neutral zone? This should be a great test for the Flyers, and another chance for the Sabres to show everyone they are the real deal. Dallas and San Jose? Do I really need to explain why this game should be accompanied by a large cooler full of ice cold Labatt Blues? Enjoy the games my razor hating friends!
Crosby and company came out tonight and made Bosh look pretty good in picking them to make the playoffs this year. Yes Sidney Crosby looked great and scored a goal and an assist in the 4-0 shutout victory, but the real hero of the evening was Marc-Andre Fleury.
The Penguins were outshot 40-21 in the game, but Fleury stopped them all and even killed of two, powerplays where the Flyers carried a two man advantage. I would say this kid thrives on adversity. Having all but lost his starting job to veteran Jocelyn Thibault, Fleury was named the number 1 goalie in the Penguins final pre-season game. Fleury responded with an amazing effort, and his team finished it for him and their new prospective owner, Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie, who was in attendence and had to love what he saw.
Eric Staal's younger brother and Pittsburgh's first round draft pick Jordan Staal made his NHL debut tonight and is expected to remain with the team at least until the return of center Evgeni Malkin is able to return.
Shanahan scores his 600th in Ranger debut
The New York Rangers officially introduced forward Jaromir Jagr as the 24th captain in franchise history, and he responded by opening the scoring 29 seconds into the game. After that Shanahan made his presence known in his New York Ranger debut by potting two goals, his 599th, and 600th of his career. Shanahan becomes the 15th player to join the elite goal scorers club. The Rangers went on to defeat the Washington Capitals 5-2.
Luongo shines for Vancouver
Another debut, and another success. Roberto Luongo played his first game between the pipes for the Vancouver Canucks, stopping 27 shots and helping his new team defeat the Detroit Red Wings 3-1.
Havlat and Chicago defeat Nashville in goalfest
An evening of debuts that for the moment appear to be looking for the teams that have acquired them, continued in Nashville tonight. Chicago's newest forward Martin Havlat scored 2 goals and 2 asssist in his Blackhawks debut, and helped Chicago come from behind twice to defeat the Predators in a wild 8-6 win.
Islanders fall hard in Phoenix
Ok, not all debuts were easy one's tonight. Ted Nolan's return to coaching after nearly a decade is one he would probably like to forget. The Islanders $65 million dollar goalie Rick DiPietro was lit up early and often by the Coyotes who went on to defeat their New York counterparts 6-3. DiPietro was eventually pulled in favor of his backup Mike Dunham who started the third. Wayne Gretzky's team looked good at even strength and on the powerplay, and forwards Doan, Nagy and Reinprecht were all over the scoresheet.
The Late Game!
I don't want you West Coasters not to feel the love from the Bosher, so I stayed up and watched an unbelievable game between the St. Louis Blues and the San Jose Sharks. This match was back and forth with Mark Bell looking like he had sealed the game with a goal to make it 4-3 in the final minutes, but the relentless Blues kept up the attack, pulled Legace from the net, got a fortunate half-man advantage from Ville Nieminen's broken stick and tied the game on a Keith Tkachuk goal with seconds remaining. The match went to OT where Curtis Brown buried the game winner halfway through the extra period! What a game!
The first two nights have come and gone in the NHL, and I feel like the NHL Center Ice package has already paid for itself. If you haven't gotten it yet, they are running a free preview which I'm pretty sure is running till next week. Give it a look. If you are a hockey fan, this is the best investment you can make! If you order early, I think they will knock $20 off the price. Tell them Captain Bosh sent you (just so you can hear them say 'Who?').
The pre-season has been tough on a lot teams so far. Injuries are abound and the season hasn't even begun yet. So far it appears the groin is the most popular ailment. Here's a list of the wounded:
Toronto Maple Leafs
Kyle Wellwood - groin
Michael Peca - groin
Darcy Tucker - unknown
Ben Ondrus - unknown
Wade Belak - groin
Tomas Kaberle - unknown
Brendan Bell - bone bruise
San Jose Sharks
Jonathan Cheechoo - groin
Joe Thornton - bruised foot
Nashville Predators
Jason Arnott - groin
Atlanta Thrashers
Vitaly Vishnevski - groin
Steve Rucchin -groin
Buffalo Sabres
Daniel Breire - hip flexor
Carolina Hurricanes
Oleg Tverdovsky - groin
Chicago Blackhawks
Tuomo Ruutu - knee
Michal Handzus -shoulder
Mikael Holmqvist - groin
James Wisniewski - back
Dallas Stars
Eric Lindros - groin
Detroit Red Wings
Danny Markov - knee
Greg Johnson - heart (abnormal EKG)
Florida Panthers
Ville Peltonen - shoulder
Philadelphia Flyers
Antero Niittymaki - hip
Ummmm, does anyone stretch before they play hockey anymore? Come on guys! Either that or the NHL needs to look into getting some better trainers. This is ridiculous!
The Predators have called a press conference for later today where they are expected to announce the signing of goaltender Tomas Vokoun to a new four year contract. The new contract will begin following the end of the 2006-2007 season.
Vokoun led the Predators to 36 wins and their second playoff berth before he was diagnosed with blood clots in the abdomen and was sidelined for the remainder of the year. For more on this report and the news conference, visit TSN.ca.
Less than a month after being thrust into the free agent waters following a rare arbitration refusal by the Buffalo Sabres, J.P. Dumont has found a new home in Nashville. Rumored to have been considering offers from three teams (Habs and Red Wings.....allegedly) Dumont and the Predators made it official today, agreeing on a two year deal worth $4.5 million. Terms of the deal will pay him $2 million in year one, and $2.5 in year two of the contract. A far cry from the $2.9 million arbitration ruling he was awarded. Two possibilities here. Either Buffalo was right on the money, and the arbitrator over-inflated Dumont's value, or Dumont saw the value in signing with a Cup contender and took the pay cut. I'm leaning more towards the second option. I do think Dumont's award was a bit high, actually it was very high. $3 million for a guy who only played 54 games and scored 40 points? The Predators got lucky and were able to obtain Dumont for a discount and a longer term. Anyone else think that Nashville is gearing up for a Cup run?
Calgary Flames acquire Jamie Lundmark from the Phoenix Coyotes for a draft pick.
Vancouver Canucks acquire Eric Weinrich from the Blues for a prospect and a pick.
Phoenix Coyotes acquire Oleg Kvasha from the Islanders for a third round pick.
Dallas Stars acquire defenceman Willie Mitchell and a 2007 2nd round pick from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenceman Martin Skoula and Shawne Belle.
Philadelphia Flyers acquire forward Nikos Dimitrakos from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a third round draft pick.
Colorado Avalanche acquire forward Jim Dowd from the Blackhawks in exchange for a fourth round pick.
Ottawa Senators acquire forward Tyler Arnason from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for forward Brandon Bochenski and a pick.
Edmonton Oilers acquire forward Sergei Samsonov from the Boston Bruins in exchange for forward Marty Reasoner, a second round pick and a minor league player.
Atlanta Thrashers acquire defenceman Steve McCarthy from the Canucks in exchange for a condition pick in 2007.
Detroit Red Wings acquire defenceman Cory Cross from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a fourth rounder.
Nashville Predators acquire Brendan Witt from the Caps in exchange for a first round pick and forward Kris Beech.
New York Rangers acquire defenceman Sandis Ozolinsh from the Ducks in exchange for a third round pick.
Phoenix Coyotes acquire defencemen Jamie Rivers from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a seventh round pick in 2007.
Damn! A whole lotta action! I'll give you guys some breakdowns, plus winners and losers tomorrow!
Home and home. Win and win for the Detroit Red Wings over the Nashville Predators. For the second straight game the Wings defeated the Predators last night 4-2 and captured another 2 points from their division and conference rivals. With those 4 points secured in the last two games, the Detroit Red Wings took sole possesion over the Central Division lead, control of the Western Conference, and now boast the best record (by way of points) in the league.
The best just got better. 
The Nashville Predators are the NHL's best. Their 81 points have them sitting not only first place overall in the Western Conference, but a point better than the Eastern Conference leading Buffalo Sabres. 
The Western Conference since the All Star Break seems to be opening up alot. The Minnesota Wild hold the 8th playoff spot with 67 points, and have a 7 point cushion over the 9th place Edmonton Oilers. Aside from the Predators and Red Wings (Zetterberg and Datsyuk did it again last night, and even made ESPN's Top 10 combining for a score in a 3-1 win over Dallas) battling for control of the Central and ultimately the Western Conference, tthe Northwest Division has a tight race between the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Minnesota Wild. Calgary and Vancouver have 68 points, and Minnesota has 67. In the Pacific, the Anaheim Ducks (74 points), San Jose Sharks (73 points), and Dallas Stars (70 points) are all fighting for control of the Division and the second seed in the West. It seems the elite in this Conference have really begun to separate themselves from the also-rans.
The Eastern Conference is a lot tighter. The Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins (did you guys see Crosby in the overtime last night against the Blackhawks? I thought the puck was glued to his stick), and Ottawa Senators (3rd, 4th, and 5th place teams) all have 69 points. The Tampa Bay Lightning are in 6th with 66 points, the Carolina Hurricanes with 65, and the Habs in the final spot with 64. On the outside looking in, just two points out and tied for 9th, the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs, 5 points out the New York Rangers, and 8 points out the Boston Bruins. The Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals still have a chance being 9 and 10 points out as well. Aside from the Buffalo Sabres, and the New Jersey Devils who at this point are unstoppable, the rest of the Conference is really anybodies to win.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have now won five straight after taking it to the New York Islanders 4-3 last night. The Islanders themselves are on a bit of a slide as of late. I guess GM Jay Feaster (i think that's his name) threats of trading the whole team have worked as the Lightning are now playing above .500 hockey and have grabbed the 8th and final playoff spot. Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier, and Brad Richards all had goals on the evening.......they should score every night considering that their combined salaries are pushing $20 million per season! The Dominator! The NHL's hottest goaltender not going to the All Star Game. Hasek made 23 saves last night for the Detroit Red Wings to shutout the Montreal Canadiens 2-0. The shutout was his 6th of the season and 74th of his career. His counterpart, Cristobal Huet, who allowed 2 goals, will be attending the All Star Game.....well look at it this way Detroit fans....remember the Olympics last year? Put some ice on that groin Dom. The Phoenix Coyotes have forgotten how to lose. Amazing! The Coyotes beat the St. Louis Blues 5-4 in a shootout last night. Defenceman Ed Jovanovski had 2 goals and an assist on the night, all on the power play. Oh and Roenick scored again. Don't look now, but since his hat trick last month, the old man has been playing a bit better.....he's no fantasy pickup yet....but maybe. The Boston Bruins defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in a shootout last night. Marco Sturm potted the winner.
NY Islanders at NY Rangers 7:00 PM <
Anaheim at Nashville 8:00 PM 
Phoenix at Dallas 8:30 PM 
1, 534 points and counting.
Well two titans clashed last night.....and the Anaheim Ducks were the clear victor. The Ducks are fulfilling all of the pre-season prophecies that they would be the front runners in the 2006-2007 NHL season by continuously lining teams up, and repeatedly knocking them down. Their latest victim. The Nashville Predators.
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. 
The New York Rangers hoped for big things from Brendan Shanahan, and he has failed to dissapoint thus far. Shanahan has been the bright spot on a team that is still trying to recover from last seasons free fall and total playoff collapse. In his sixth game as a blue shirt, Brendan Shanahan delivered his league leading seventh goal, and helped the Rangers break free from their 3 game losing streak, and hopefully right the ship.
The Stanley Cup Champs are playing like Stanley Cup Champs again. The Carolina Hurricanes playing off another solid outing by goaltender Cam Ward, who made 34 stops, pounded the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1 last night. Justin Williams joined the ever growing NHL Hat Trick club by putting the lotion in the basket three times. Yes another hat trick! What the heck is going on with Mike Dunham? I have to give this guy credit. After a couple of average season's with the Rangers, and a lackluster year with the Atlanta Thrashers (including the game that he collapsed against the Caps last year that saw the Thrashers miss their first playoff appearance by 2 points), Dunham was floating in limbo uncertain that he would be playing again. After being offered at tryout with the Islanders, making the roster, and taking over for Rick DiPietro with a groin injury, Dunham has shined. In three starts, the New York Islanders remain unbeaten in regulation, 2 wins, and last nights shootout loss to the Preds. Mike Dunham stopped 32 shots, and ensured the Islanders get a point in the standings for their effort. The Chicago Blackhawks look pretty good so far....don't they realize they are supposed to suck? Perhaps Martin Havlat didn't get that memo, because he's leading the league in scoring with 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists).
