Power Rankings #9

1. San Jose Sharks (18-6-4), LW: 2
Despite a horrid loss to Chicago earlier in the week, San Jose rebounded nicely with wins in Edmonton and Vancouver.
2. New Jersey Devils (17-6-1), LW: 3
Zach Parise just keeps chuggin’ away, leading the team in nearly every offensive category. He has 15 points in his current 10-game point streak.
3. Chicago Blackhawks (16-6-3), LW: 1
The ‘Hawks looked great in Marian Hossa’s at San Jose, but their 8-game win streak came to a halt in SoCal. How will they rebound from a pair of unimpressive outings??
4. Pittsburgh Penguins (18-9-0), LW: 4
The boys in black and gold are finally getting healthy again, and that is bad news for the rest of the league.
5. Calgary Flames (16-6-3), LW: 5
What else can you say about this team’s play on the road?? If they can start winning consistently at home, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with.
6. Washington Capitals (15-5-6), LW: 7
Since their back-to-back sweep of the Panthers, the Caps haven’t played had a complete effort from all phases… but they’re still racking up points.
7. Nashville Predators (15-9-1), LW: 10
Nashville responded well after their 7-game win streak was snapped by beating the Panthers convincingly. Another hectic 3 weeks await the hottest team in the West.
8. Buffalo Sabres (14-7-2), LW: 9
I didn’t know what to think about this team after losing 4 straight. Decisive wins over Philly and Carolina put an end to that streak.
9. Atlanta Thrashers (13-7-3), LW: 21
The inconsistent Thrashers took a big step this week by shutting out the Wings and Flyers, and storming back to beat the ‘Canes on Friday.
10. Phoenix Coyotes (15-11-1), LW: 11
Are the ‘Yotes capable of hanging around longer than we all expect?? Yes, because of Dave Tippett.
11. Boston Bruins (13-8-5), LW: 19
Claude Julien’s bunch is finding their groove again by winning 5 of 6, including key victories over the Sabres and Senators.
12. Ottawa Senators (13-7-4), LW: 14
The Sens have played much better at home recently, but their struggles have come on the road. They have a big test coming up with 4 games on the Left Coast.
13. Vancouver Canucks (14-12-0), LW: 12
This team had a couple good wins this week, but they are losing ground in the conference. Coming away with zero points in close losses could come back to haunt them.
14. Los Angeles Kings (15-10-2), LW: 15
LA came away with a big shootout win over Chicago, and has 5 of the next 7 at home. They need to capitalize and gather momentum before their big stretch of road games.
15. Dallas Stars (12-7-7), LW: 16
I want to think the Stars could be a playoff team, but they must play more consistently at home. Also, we should start considering Brad Richards for Team Canada more and more.
16. Philadelphia Flyers (13-10-1), LW: 6
What in the world is up with these guys!? Though injuries and a Briere suspension have hurt them, they’ve lost 5 of 6, and John Stevens shouldn’t feel too safe behind the bench.
17. Detroit Red Wings (12-9-4), LW: 8
Every time I’ve doubted the Wings, they’ve come right back and proved me wrong. But you have to wonder about this team with Kronwall and Franzen not coming back soon.
18. Tampa Bay Lightning (10-6-8), LW: 18
Rick Tocchet’s gang has basically alternated wins and losses this month, and has a couple big road games coming up in Boston and New Jersey.
19. Anaheim Ducks (10-11-4), LW: 26
‘Fire Carlyle, trade Giguere!’. The Ducks have silenced doubters for the time-being with home wins over Calgary and Chicago this week.
20. St. Louis Blues (10-9-5), LW: 24
We could be seeing the Blues team that went on their late-season run a year ago. David Backes is turning it on, with a goal in three straight.
21. Columbus Blue Jackets (12-9-4), LW: 13
After last season, I didn’t think I’d be worried about the Jackets if they had the top power play in the league… but I am.
22. Colorado Avalanche (14-8-5), LW: 20
The Avs have won just twice the last 10 games, and Craig Anderson isn’t consistent anymore in net.
23. Montreal Canadiens (12-12-2), LW: 23
Montreal had a nice win against Columbus, but couldn’t carry that momentum over against the Pens and Caps.
24. New York Islanders (10-10-7), LW: 25
I continue to be impressed with the work ethic of the Isles; they simply out-worked the Pens on Friday. A four-game roadie lies ahead…
25. Minnesota Wild (10-12-3), LW: 27
Minny proved they could beat the struggling Avs a couple times, but how will they fare against the red-hot Preds and Ducks??
26. Florida Panthers (10-11-4), LW: 17
The Panthers nosedive due to some bottom-feeders playing well this week. Pete DeBoer’s group didn’t play poorly, and have a chance to rebound against divisional opponents.
27. New York Rangers (13-12-1), LW: 22
Two nights, two games, thirteen goals. That was the Rangers’ story over Thanksgiving, and John Tortorella’s club will be in a world of hurt if they can’t turn it around.
28. Toronto Maple Leafs (6-11-7), LW: 30
Niklas Hagman and Phil Kessel are tearing it up right now. Hagman leads the team in goals, and has six in the last four games; Kessel has lived up to expectations thus far.
29. Edmonton Oilers (10-13-4), LW: 28
Since they simply can’t buy a win on the road, the Oilers can’t afford to lose games at home like they did this week.
30. Carolina Hurricanes (5-16-5), LW: 29
Back to the cellar Carolina goes after giving up a combined 10 goals in the 3rd period on Friday and Saturday.

The Week Ahead

Top 5 games I’m looking forward to:
1. Blackhawks @ Penguins (Saturday)
2. Flames @ Sharks (Saturday)
3. Bruins @ Canadiens (Friday)
4. Canucks @ Devils (Wednesday)
5. Flames @ Predators (Monday)

Matchup of the Weak:
Islanders @ Lightning (Saturday)… No terrible matchups this week, but you’d have a hard time getting me to watch this one on a busy night around the league.

Two teams to watch:
1. Ottawa Senators
The Sens play much better at home, and haven’t been tested too much away from Scotiabank Place. They have a big test this week, though, with a trip out west. I’m keeping a close eye on them this week to see if they can turn around their road fortunes.
2. Columbus Blue Jackets
Even Ken Hitchcock admits that the Jackets aren’t there yet. They’ve been sputtering of late, but get a chance to turn it around against rivals St. Louis and Chicago. Then they host Toronto and Colorado later in the week… two games they should win.

National TV schedule (U.S.):
Tonight
Sabres @ Maple Leafs… VERSUS
Tuesday
Blue Jackets @ Blackhawks… VERSUS
Wednesday
Canucks @ Devils… NHL Network
Thursday
Ducks @ Stars… NHL Network
Friday
Bruins @ Canadiens… NHL Network
Saturday
Maple Leafs @ Bruins… NHL Network

Morning Skate: November 30

The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Coyotes 3, Ducks 2 (OT)
Sharks 4, Canucks 2
Predictions record: 1-0-1

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Jim Vandermeer, PHX (2 Goals)
2. Dan Boyle, SJ (1 Goal)
3. Robert Lang, PHX (2 Assists)
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Penguins @ Rangers, 7:00 ET
Sabres @ Maple Leafs, 7:00
Panthers @ Thrashers, 7:00
Capitals @ Hurricanes, 7:00
Blues @ Blue Jackets, 7:00
Avalanche @ Lightning, 7:30
Stars @ Red Wings, 7:30
Flames @ Predators, 8:00

Games of the Night:
Pittsburgh Penguins @ New York Rangers
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Penguins (18-9-0) … Rangers (13-12-1)
Last Ten: Penguins (6-4-0) … Rangers (4-6-0)
Away/Home: Penguins (9-5-0) … Rangers (7-5-0)
Season Series: 2-0 Penguins

Players to watch:
PIT- Evgeni Malkin
All ‘Geno has done since returning is rack up a lot of points.
NYR- Michael Del Zotto
The rookie d-man was a -5 on Saturday, and hasn’t been the same since his hot start.

Projected Goaltenders:
PIT- Marc-Andre Fleury (09/10 stats: 15-7-0, 2.54 GAA)
NYR- Henrik Lundqvist (09/10 stats: 11-9-1, 2.68 GAA)

Injury Report:
PIT- Chris Kunitz (lower body, out), Jay McKee (finger, out)
NYR- Brandon Dubinsky (hand, out), Wade Redden (shoulder, out)

Game Thoughts:
Pittsburgh throttled the Blueshirts on Saturday at the Igloo by a score of 8-3. It was ugly for John Tortorella’s club as Crosby notched a hat trick and 5 points. ‘Torts’ surely can’t be happy with his team right now, and it’s going to be interesting to see how they respond. Rangers fans are assuming they’ll win tonight, but I don’t think that’ll be the case. Pittsburgh beats ‘em again.
Prediction: Penguins 4, Rangers 3
---
Calgary Flames @ Nashville Predators
8:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Flames (16-6-3) … Predators (15-9-1)
Last Ten: Flames (6-2-2) … Predators (8-2-0)
Away/Home: Flames (9-1-3) … Predators (9-4-0)
Season Series: First meeting

Players to watch:
CGY- Jarome Iginla
‘Iggy’ is red-hot right now, and he has dominant career numbers vs. Nashville.
NSH- David Legwand
‘Leggy’ has played very well during the Preds’ hot streak, and is on a 5-game point streak.

Projected Goaltenders:
CGY- Miikka Kiprusoff (09/10 stats: 14-5-3, 2.38 GAA)
NSH- Pekka Rinne (09/10 stats: 11-5-0, 2.37 GAA)

Injury Report:
CGY- Rene Bourque (undisclosed, out)
NSH- None

Game Thoughts:
The Predators have another tough task ahead of them here tonight. Calgary is better on the road than they are at home, and have won 3 of their last 4 meetings in Nashville. Barry Trotz and company will have to play another sound, disciplined game to come out on top. I think it’ll be a close game, but I like the Flames to pull out the ‘W’.
Prediction: Flames 3, Predators 2

The rest of tonight’s predictions:
Sabres over Maple Leafs
Thrashers over Panthers
Capitals over Hurricanes
Blue Jackets over Blues
Lightning over Avalanche
Red Wings over Stars

You can follow the Red Light District on Twitter @RLDhockey!

Was this the final straw in Carolina?

After seeing his team lay a couple huge 3rd period eggs this weekend, I’m sure Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford has seen enough of his club… so much that he should consider parting with some of team’s better assets to maybe build for the future. They have yet to win a game outside of the RBC Center, and the team has been all but eliminated from playoff contention.

This weekend's results didn't help. Taking a 4-1 lead into the 3rd period against Atlanta, the ‘Canes managed to give up five unanswered goals to lose 6-4. They weren’t done. Up 1-0 with 20 minutes remaining last night in Buffalo, Paul Maurice’s club again surrendered a five-spot in the 3rd and lost 5-1. If you can do math as well as I can, Carolina has given up 10 goals in the 3rd period on back-to-back nights. That has to be some sort of franchise record.

This pair of collapses could be the final straw for some veterans on this team, and maybe even Paul Maurice behind the bench. But I don’t anticipate them firing him just a year after hiring him at this same time, and taking this team to the conference finals. It is key players such as Ray Whitney, Joe Corvo, Matt Cullen, and captain Rod Brind’Amour that could be shown the door via a trade in the not-too-distant future. Even the face of the franchise, Eric Staal, has been the subject of internet trade rumors lately. That’s when you know it’s bad.

Trading away Staal would solve nothing. He’s under contract for the next six years, and a bunch of prospects and picks won’t replace his current and future talent level. Rutherford would be nuts to trade he or Cam Ward away – what message would it send to your fan base?? But it’s anyone’s game after those two. Something needs to change for this Hurricanes team to get back on track. Tanking it the rest of the season to get involved in the Taylor Hall/Tyler Seguin sweepstakes isn’t the route to take… especially in a smaller market like Raleigh.

Given that this is basically the same team that made a deep playoff run this past spring, it’s hard to see what they are going through right now. Staal and Ward have been out of the lineup for a lengthy period of time (Staal just returned), but even those two may not have been able to stop this season-long titanic struggle from happening. Nothing has clicked from game one. Changes are on the horizon in Raleigh, but there’s no where to go but up in ‘Caniac Country’.

Flames becoming road warriors

When Brent Sutter’s club dropped a 7-1 decision to the Blackhawks at home ten days ago, Flames fans wanted to know what was up with their team. That was their third loss in four games, and second in a row at the Saddledome. Things were not looking too good for Calgary.

But in the following game in Los Angeles, Jarome Iginla and company continued their road success with a decisive 5-2 victory. And when they beat Detroit and Columbus on back-to-back nights this weekend, they proved that they still belong in the upper echelon of teams in the NHL.

This team has been very resilient this month, especially away from home (7-0-2). They’ve staged come-from-behind wins thrice in November, and stole a point in Anaheim earlier this week. Their last regulation loss on the road came on October 13… that is incredible! Sutter’s gang has four more road games on their current six-game trek, including dates with the red-hot Predators and Sharks.

Iginla’s stats have been eye-popping in the team's 9 games away from home this month: 10 goals, 15 points, +7 rating. The captain has put the team on his back, carrying them without Rene Bourque's sevices. He continues to prove why he's one of the best captains in the league. Also, the usually inconsistent Olli Jokinen has turned it on here in November, as well, with 10 points overall. If he continues to play up to par next to Iginla, Calgary will be a very hard team to beat on a nightly basis.

With their recent hot streak, the Flames have finally surpassed Colorado for the division lead, despite losing both head-to-head meetings with the Avs this season. If the young Avs continue to fade back to the pack, Calgary could run away with the Northwest - especially if wins at home come much easier than they have been lately. You can make the argument that they have every piece to the puzzle, and should be considered a major contender not only in the West, but in the entire league.

Morning Skate: November 29

The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Devils 6, Islanders 1
Thrashers 1, Flyers 0
Bruins 4, Senators 3 (SO)
Sabres 5, Hurricanes 1
Capitals 4, Canadiens 3 (SO)
Flames 4, Blue Jackets 3 (SO)
Penguins 8, Rangers 3
Predators 4, Panthers 1
Red Wings 4, Blues 3 (SO)
Stars 4, Lightning 3 (OT)
Wild 3, Avalanche 2 (SO)
Canucks 7, Oilers 3
Kings 2, Blackhawks 1 (SO)
Predictions record: 9-1-3

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Sidney Crosby, PIT (3 Goals, 2 Assists)
Sid had another sensational night, posting a hat trick and a pair of helpers in the Pens’ blowout win over New York.
2. Johan Hedberg, ATL (34 Saves, Shutout)
The ‘Moose’ had to stave off a hungry Flyers team that outshot Atlanta 13-3 in the 3rd, and 34-18 overall. Big ups to Hedberg for getting the job done.
3. Patrik Elias, NJ (2 Goals, 2 Assists)
Elias was a key factor in the Devils win yesterday, tallying 4 points.
Honorable Mention: M. Raymond, O. Jokinen, B. Rolston, E. Fehr, R. Miller
Dud of the Night:
Edmonton Oilers… Pat Quinn’s gang failed to show up for the 1st period, surrendering 4 goals in the first 8-plus minutes. The Oilers also made Tanner Glass look like an Olympian hopeful on his goal late in the period. They went on to lose to their rivals 7-3. This team is just horrible on the road!
Honorable Mention: Rangers’ and Hurricanes’ 3rd periods

Saturday Fantasy Roundup:
Ryan’s Picks:
F- Z. Parise (1 G, +1)
F- P. Sharp (nada)
D- E. Johnson (-1, 2 PIM)
G- M. Fleury (22 saves, 3 GA)
Michael’s Picks:
F- J. Iginla (2 A, 1 PPP)
F- B. Richards (2 A, 2 PPP)
D- M. Green (+1)
G- R. Luongo (31 saves, 3 GA)
Chris’ Picks:
F- M. Hossa (nada)
F- H. Sedin (2 A, +2)
D- S. Weber (nada)
G- P. Rinne (nada)
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Coyotes @ Ducks, 8:00 ET
Sharks @ Canucks, 10:00

Game of the Night:
San Jose Sharks @ Vancouver Canucks
10:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Sharks (17-6-4) … Canucks (13-11-0)
Last Ten: Sharks (6-2-2) … Canucks (6-4-0)
Away/Home: Sharks (10-5-2) … Canucks (10-3-0)
Season Series: First meeting

Players to watch:
SJ- Patrick Marleau
Marleau has not played as well as he did in October… but he’s coming a 4-point game and has done great next to Thornton and Heatley.
VAN- Christian Ehrhoff
Ehrhoff will face his former team for the first time, and has made the Canucks’ power play more consistent so far this season.

Projected Goaltenders:
SJ- Evgeni Nabokov (09/10 stats: 15-4-4, 2.37 GAA)
VAN- Roberto Luongo (Last night vs. EDM: 31 Saves, 3 GA)

Injury Report:
SJ- Devin Setoguchi (leg, out), Brad Staubitz (face, out), Jody Shelley (soreness, questionable)
VAN- Pavol Demitra (shoulder, out), Michael Grabner (ankle, out), Rick Rypien (undisclosed, doubtful), Alexandre Bolduc (shoulder, out)

Game Thoughts:
Vancouver took the Oilers behind the woodshed last night, but I’m afraid they won’t be able to do the same thing here tonight. The Sharks pose a much tougher challenge, and they have played well at GM Place in recent memory. This one should come down to special teams, and both have dynamite power plays. Whoever stops the other on the man advantage, that team will win. I have a gut feeling the Sharks will come out on top...
Prediction: Sharks 3, Canucks 2

The rest of tonight’s predictions:
Ducks over Coyotes

You can follow the Red Light District on Twitter @RLDhockey!

Hemsky's injury is a double-whammy

Yesterday’s news that Ales Hemsky will be lost for the rest of the season is a punishing blow to the Edmonton Oilers. He is officially out five months with shoulder surgery, but with the Oilers’ playoff hopes not looking great right now, you can all but count him out the rest of the way. Hemsky has been the Oilers’ go-to-guy ever since Ryan Smyth left town, and had been playing really well to start the 09/10 campaign.

This loss will open up an opportunity for someone to step up offensively next to Dustin Penner on the top line. Maybe this could kick-start something good for Patrick O’Sullivan or Andrew Cogliano, if given the chance.

Hemsky’s injury isn’t just a blow to the Oilers, though. With the Olympics coming up in February, this will also be a costly loss to the Czech Republic national team. He was considered a lock to make the team in Vancouver, and was a key player to their World Championship team last May. Before this injury news, the Czechs did not have a good chance to claim Gold… but their chances to medal just took a hit, as they will miss Hemsky’s special playmaking ability.

Hemsky’s injury is surely a double-whammy; the Oilers and Czechs will be affected mightily. The way things are going, Edmonton probably isn’t going to make the playoffs, and this casualty helps clarify that. And in February, guys like Jaromir Jagr and Milan Hejduk will need some outside help to lead the Czechs to a possible medal.

Saturday Fantasy #9

Welcome to the 9th edition of ‘Saturday Fantasy’! If you’re new to the RLD, 3 of us will select players each week that we think will do well fantasy wise. We pick 2 forwards, 1 defenseman, and 1 goalie each Saturday. Last year, I beat Chris 6-3. This year, we’re adding Michael (AKA fantasy_hockey_guru)! Currently, I’m leading 5-3-0 over Michael and Chris, respectively. Chris… c’mon, man!

RYAN:
F- Zach Parise, NJ
F- Patrick Sharp, CHI
D- Erik Johnson, STL
G- Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT

MICHAEL:
F- Jarome Iginla, CGY
F- Brad Richards, DAL
D- Mike Green, WSH
G- Roberto Luongo, VAN

CHRIS:
F- Marian Hossa, CHI
F- Henrik Sedin, VAN
D- Shea Weber, NSH
G- Pekka Rinne, NSH

Morning Skate: November 28

The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Devils 2, Bruins 1 (SO)
Sabres 4, Flyers 2
Wild 5, Avalanche 3
Islanders 3, Penguins 2
Ducks 3, Blackhawks 0
Thrashers 6, Hurricanes 4
Flames 3, Red Wings 0
Lightning 5, Rangers 1
Maple Leafs 6, Panthers 4
Blues 3, Predators 1
Coyotes 5, Stars 2
Sharks 5, Oilers 4 (SO)
Predictions record: 5-6-1

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Patrick Marleau, SJ (3 Goals, 1 Assist)
Marleau’s hat trick and 4 points were huge in the Sharks’ comeback in Edmonton, and scored the tying goal shorthanded with just under 90 seconds left.
2. Miikka Kiprusoff, CGY (40 Saves, Shutout)
‘Kipper’ was spectacular in Detroit, shutting out the Wings with 40 saves.
3. J.S. Giguere, ANA (28 Saves, Shutout)
Giguere is starting to step up big-time for the Ducks, and stopped the streaking ‘Hawks with a shutout.
Honorable Mention: T. Connolly, C. Kobasew, C. Mason, T. Selanne, N. Hagman, M. Brodeur, L. Korpikoski
Dud of the Night:
Carolina Hurricanes… A 4-1 lead going into the 3rd period should be safe. But Carolina gave up five goals in the final frame to the Thrashers as they lost again 6-4.
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Tonight’s Slate:
Islanders @ Devils, 1:00 ET
Flyers @ Thrashers, 7:00
Senators @ Bruins, 7:00
Hurricanes @ Sabres, 7:00
Capitals @ Canadiens, 7:00
Flames @ Blue Jackets, 7:00
Rangers @ Penguins, 7:30
Panthers @ Predators, 8:00
Red Wings @ Blues, 8:00
Lightning @ Stars, 8:30
Wild @ Avalanche, 9:00
Oilers @ Canucks, 10:00
Blackhawks @ Kings, 10:30

Games of the Night:
Ottawa Senators @ Boston Bruins
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Senators (13-7-3) … Bruins (12-8-5)
Last Ten: Senators (6-3-1) … Bruins (6-1-3)
Away/Home: Senators (3-4-0) … Bruins (6-5-3)
Season Series: 1-0 Bruins

Players to watch:
OTT- Daniel Alfredsson
‘Alfie’ leads the team with 23 points, but has gone three straight without a point.
BOS- Patrice Bergeron
I think he’s a key player tonight, and needs to step it up.

Projected Goaltenders:
OTT- Brian Elliott (09/10 stats: 5-2-2, 2.57 GAA)
BOS- Tim Thomas (09/10 stats: 5-6-3, 2.33 GAA)

Injury Report:
OTT- Mike Fisher (upper body, questionable), Pascal Leclaire (face, out), Chris Neil (knee, out), Anton Volchenkov (elbow, out), Shean Donovan (knee, out)
BOS- Tim Thomas (hand, questionable), Milan Lucic (knee, out)

Game Thoughts:
Boston lost a tough one at home against the Devils yesterday, but has a more important game here against the Sens. These two are tied atop the Northeast Division, and the Bruins stole their first meeting this season in Ottawa. I like the B’s tonight to get the job done at home in a tight-knit affair.
Prediction: Bruins 3, Senators 2
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New York Rangers @ Pittsburgh Penguins
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Rangers (13-11-1) … Penguins (17-9-0)
Last Ten: Rangers (4-6-0) … Penguins (5-5-0)
Away/Home: Rangers (6-6-1) … Penguins (8-4-0)
Season Series: 1-0 Penguins

Players to watch:
NYR- Marian Gaborik
‘Gabby’ had his 8-game point streak broken last night, but he usually plays well against the Pens.
PIT- Sergei Gonchar
The Pens’ blue-liner is key for the Pens tonight, and has a point in each of the last two games.

Projected Goaltenders:
NYR- Henrik Lundqvist (Last night @ TB: 18 Saves, 4 GA)
PIT- Marc-Andre Fleury (09/10 stats: 14-7-0, 2.51 GAA)

Injury Report:
NYR- Brandon Dubinsky (wrist, out), Wade Redden (upper body, out)
PIT- Chris Kunitz (lower body, out), Jay McKee (finger, out)

Game Thoughts:
This is a big game for the Blueshirts tonight. They are coming off a disappointing loss last night in Tampa, and have struggled this month. Pittsburgh also lost yesterday, but is 5-2 since Malkin returned from injury. I like the Pens’ chances tonight since they’re at home.
Prediction: Penguins 3, Rangers 1
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Chicago Blackhawks @ Los Angeles Kings
10:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Blackhawks (16-6-2) … Kings (14-10-2)
Last Ten: Blackhawks (8-1-1) … Kings (4-6-0)
Away/Home: Blackhawks (6-4-1) … Kings (5-4-1)
Season Series: 1-0 Blackhawks

Players to watch:
CHI- Patrick Sharp
Sharp owns the Kings, tallying 19 points in 13 career games.
LA- Anze Kopitar
Kopitar needs to crank it into gear again, as he’s slowed down with 3 points in the last 7 games.

Projected Goaltenders:
CHI- Antti Niemi (09/10 stats: 4-1-1, 1.85 GAA)
LA- Jonathan Quick (09/10 stats: 13-9-2, 2.73 GAA)

Injury Report:
CHI- Rene Bourque (undisclosed, out)
LA- Ryan Smyth (upper body, out), Jarret Stoll and Rob Scuderi (lower body, questionable), Andrei Loktionov (shoulder, out)

Game Thoughts:
Chicago had their 8-game winning streak snapped yesterday in Anaheim, and look to get back on track tonight. The Kings have been inconsistent since Smyth went down. The ‘Hawks haven’t necessarily played well in LA in recent years, but I think they just have too much for the Kings to handle.
Prediction: Blackhawks 4, Kings 2

The rest of tonight’s predictions:
Devils over Islanders
Flyers over Thrashers
Sabres over Hurricanes
Capitals over Canadiens
Flames over Blue Jackets
Predators over Panthers
Blues over Red Wings
Stars over Lightning
Avalanche over Wild
Canucks over Oilers

You can follow the Red Light District on Twitter @RLDhockey!

Friday Night Fights

Best fights of the week!

Morning Skate: November 27

The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Senators 2, Blue Jackets 1
Canucks 4, Kings 1
Predictions record: 1-1

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Roberto Luongo, VAN (31 Saves, 1 GA)
The big goaltender was a wall between the pipes, and survived a 2nd period onslaught from the Kings.
2. Henrik Sedin, VAN (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
Henrik had an outstanding game, and picked up the game-winner early in the 3rd.
3. Brian Elliott, OTT (32 Saves, 1 GA)
Elliott wasn’t too busy in the 3rd, but made some key saves to keep the game tied.
---

Today’s Slate:
Devils @ Bruins, 12:00 ET
Sabres @ Flyers, 1:00
Avalanche @ Wild, 2:00
Penguins @ Islanders, 2:00
Blackhawks @ Ducks, 4:00
Thrashers @ Hurricanes, 7:00
Flames @ Red Wings, 7:00
Rangers @ Lightning, 7:30
Maple Leafs @ Panthers, 7:30
Blues @ Predators, 8:00
Stars @ Coyotes, 9:00
Sharks @ Oilers, 9:30

Games of the Day:
New Jersey Devils @ Boston Bruins
12:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Devils (15-6-1) … Bruins (12-8-4)
Last Ten: Devils (7-2-1) … Bruins (6-1-3)
Away/Home: Devils (9-2-1) … Bruins (6-5-2)
Season Series: 1-0 Devils

Players to watch:
NJ- Zach Parise
Parise just continues to rack up points, and is currently on an eight-game point streak.
BOS- Marc Savard
Savard is back, and he notched an assist at Minnesota on Tuesday.

Projected Goaltenders:
NJ- Martin Brodeur (09/10 stats: 13-6-1, 2.16 GAA)
BOS- Tuukka Rask (09/10 stats: 7-2-1, 2.13 GAA)

Injury Report:
NJ- Johnny Oduya (groin, out), Paul Martin (arm, out), Dainius Zubrus (knee, out), Jay Pandolfo (shoulder, out), Rob Niedermayer (upper body, out)
BOS- Tim Thomas (hand, doubtful), Milan Lucic (knee, doubtful)

Game Thoughts:
Is Boston back on track?? It’s starting to look that way as they’ve won five straight, quickly climbing back up the standings. New Jersey will look to snap their three-game road losing streak after winning their first nine. The Devils won in Boston last month, but I don’t see it happening again. B’s win the matinee matchup…
Prediction: Bruins 3, Devils 1
---
Calgary Flames @ Detroit Red Wings
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Flames (14-6-3) … Red Wings (11-8-4)
Last Ten: Flames (6-2-2) … Red Wings (5-4-1)
Away/Home: Flames (7-1-3) … Red Wings (7-3-2)
Season Series: 1-0 Red Wings

Players to watch:
CGY- Jarome Iginla
Calgary’s captain has 11 goals in 11 road games this season.
DET- Tomas Holmstrom
After a hot start, Holmstrom has gone pointless in the last 6 games.

Projected Goaltenders:
CGY- Miikka Kiprusoff (09/10 stats: 13-5-3, 2.49 GAA)
DET- Chris Osgood (09/10 stats: 6-4-3, 2.73 GAA)

Injury Report:
CGY- Rene Bourque (undisclosed, out)
DET- Johan Franzen and Niklas Kronwall (knee, out), Valterri Filppula (wrist, out), Jason Williams (leg, out), Andreas Lilja (head, out)

Game Thoughts:
Even though the Flames have been a good road team this year, Joe Louis Arena hasn’t been kind to them since the lockout. Mike Babcock and company are coming off a shutout loss, so I’m sure they’ll be chomping at the bit to play this one. I really like the Wings tonight…
Prediction: Red Wings 4, Flames 2

The rest of tonight’s predictions:
Flyers over Sabres
Wild over Avalanche
Islanders over Penguins
Blackhawks over Ducks
Thrashers over Hurricanes
Lightning over Rangers
Panthers over Maple Leafs
Predators over Blues
Stars over Coyotes
Sharks over Oilers

You can follow the Red Light District on Twitter @RLDhockey!

Top 5 Turkeys of 2009

Today we have a special Thanksgiving edition of our ongoing ‘Top 5’. We look at the turkeys since the calendar flipped to 2009 in January. There were some obvious candidates and tough choices for this list. Without further ado, here are your turkeys of the year!

1. Refs in Detroit miss May’s goal
Some people use the term ‘That was the worst call I’ve ever seen’ too loosely. But I’m telling you straight up… this was honestly the worst call I’ve ever seen!


2. New Jersey blows Game 7 vs. Carolina
Game 7 was in the Devils’ grasps, up 3-2 with less than 2 minutes to go. Little did Brent Sutter know that it was the last 2 minutes he’d spend behind the Devils’ bench. Jussi Jokinen and Eric Staal stunned New Jersey with ‘The Shock at The Rock’. Devils fans still have nightmare about this...


3. Pavelec & Huet give up pathetic goals
I can understand Pavelec’s gaffe, because crazy bounces like that happen. But Huet… he played that puck horrifically. All you have to do is get to the post and you don’t have a problem. Instead he looked foolish on Robidas’ dump-in around the glass.



4. Donald Brashear
In the first video, he gets cold-cocked by Wade Belak in Nashville. As a well-known fighter in this league, how do you let this happen?? Next, he takes out Blair Betts with a nasty (and incredibly cheap) forearm shiver. Brashear was suspended six games for this. After all that, he signed with the Rangers this summer as a free agent.



5. Goal celebration goes terribly wrong
C’mon man!! This had to be completely embarrassing for him, and you know his teammates won’t ever let him forget it. Can you imagine the outcry if this happened to Ovechkin?? If he scores enough goals, it could eventually happen…


Honorable Mention:
Anaheim Ducks fans fight over stick
Jarkko Ruutu goes Evander Holyfield on Andrew Peters
Tuukka Rask’s outburst with Providence
A minor league coach has an even better outburst!
Sean Avery picks a fight with Tim Thomas

Patrick Kane arrested over Buffalo cabbie fight

Carolina Hurricanes go on 14-game winless streak

If you have any nominees you’d like to add to this list, please share them in the comment box.

Morning Skate: November 26

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!!!


The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Capitals 2, Sabres 0
Flyers 2, Islanders 1
Maple Leafs 4, Lightning 3
Devils 3, Senators 1
Rangers 2, Panthers 1 (SO)
Penguins 3, Canadiens 1
Thrashers 2, Red Wings 0
Bruins 2, Wild 1 (SO)
Blues 4, Stars 3 (SO)
Predators 4, Avalanche 3 (OT)
Kings 3, Oilers 1
Flames 2, Coyotes 1
Ducks 3, Hurricanes 2
Blackhawks 7, Sharks 2
Predictions record: 7-5-2

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Ondrej Pavelec, ATL (40 Saves, Shutout)
Pavelec was a hoss in Detroit last night, stoning the Wings for his 2nd shutout of the season.
2. Marian Hossa, CHI (2 Goals)
Hossa’s Chicago debut did not disappoint, as help scored a pair to help the ‘Hawks run away from the Sharks.
3. Semyon Varlamov, WSH (25 Saves, Shutout)
‘Varly’ was terrific in the Caps’ shutout win over Buffalo.
Dud of the Night:
Sharks power play… Todd McLellan & company have one of the better man advantage units in the league, but it was horrible tonight. The men in teal gave up three (yes, three) shorthanded goals to the high-flying Blackhawks. The back-to-back goals by Hossa and Sharp were back-breakers.
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Blue Jackets @ Senators, 7:30 ET
Kings @ Canucks, 10:00

Games of the Night:
Columbus Blue Jackets @ Ottawa Senators
7:30 ET… TV: TSN, Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Blue Jackets (12-8-3) … Senators (12-7-3)
Last Ten: Blue Jackets (5-3-2) … Senators (6-3-1)
Away/Home: Blue Jackets (6-6-1) … Senators (9-3-3)
Season Series: First meeting

Players to watch:
CBJ- Antoine Vermette
Vermette will play his first game against the Sens since last year’s deadline deal.
OTT- Daniel Alfredsson
With both Kovalev and Fisher out, ‘Alfie’ becomes even more of a go-to guy.

Projected Goaltenders:
CBJ- Steve Mason (09/10 stats: 8-5-3, 3.59 GAA)
OTT- Brian Elliott (Last night @ NJ: 18 saves, 2 GA)

Injury Report:
CBJ- Derek Dorsett (head, out), Andrew Murray (shoulder, out), Fredrik Modin (knee, out)
OTT- Pascal Leclaire (face, out), Mike Fisher (upper body, doubtful), Anton Volchenkov (elbow, out), Shean Donovan (knee, out)

Game Thoughts:
Ottawa suffered a tough defeat to hands of the Devils last night, while the Blue Jackets were resting up after losing to Montreal. I really like the Jackets’ chances here. They’ve lost three in a row, and are due for a win. The Sens are a bit banged up, and may start Brodeur tonight… no, not that one! Columbus in overtime…
Prediction: Blue Jackets 3, Senators 2 (OT)
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Los Angeles Kings @ Vancouver Canucks
10:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Kings (14-9-2) … Canucks (12-11-0)
Last Ten: Kings (5-5-0) … Canucks (5-5-0)
Away/Home: Kings (5-4-1) … Canucks (8-3-0)
Season Series: 1-0 Canucks

Players to watch:
LA- Drew Doughty
Doughty has been hot lately as he continues to try to impress Stevie Y and the rest of Team Canada’s brass.
VAN- Christian Ehrhoff
He knows these guys well, and has been a great fit in Vancouver.

Projected Goaltenders:
LA- Erik Ersberg (09/10 stats: 1-1-0, 4.18 GAA)
VAN- Roberto Luongo (09/10 stats: 8-8-0, 2.54 GAA)

Injury Report:
LA- Ryan Smyth (upper body, out), Rob Scuderi and Jarret Stoll (lower body, questionable)
VAN- Pavol Demitra (shoulder, out), Michael Grabner (ankle, out), Alexandre Bolduc (shoulder, out)

Game Thoughts:
The Kings pulled out a low-scoring game in Edmonton last night, but will face a tougher task in Vancouver here. Alain Vigneault’s crew needs to get all the wins they can at home before their lengthy road trek after the New Year. Coming off a shutout, I like the Canucks to win this one.
Prediction: Canucks 4, Kings 2

Team Canada prediction

Here was my first prediction of what Team Canada could look like from the summer.

Now that we’re about a month from the team being officially announced, we take another look at the team’s outlook for Vancouver. December 31st is going to be here before we know it, and that’s when GM Steve Yzerman will announce his roster. Without further ado, here is who I would include on Team Canada this February…

Forwards (13)
Sidney Crosby
Rick Nash
Jarome Iginla
Joe Thornton
Dany Heatley
Ryan Getzlaf
Martin St. Louis
Corey Perry
Mike Richards
Brendan Morrow
Jonathan Toews
Ryan Smyth
Eric Staal

With the line combos looking like this…
Nash/Crosby/Iginla
Heatley/Thornton/St. Louis
Morrow/Getzlaf/Perry
Smyth/Toews/Richards

Defensemen (7)
Chris Pronger
Dan Boyle
Jay Bouwmeester
Duncan Keith
Shea Weber
Mike Green
Scott Niedermayer

Goalies (3)
Marc-Andre Fleury
Roberto Luongo
Martin Brodeur

Notable Omissions:
J. Carter, V. Lecavalier, D. Phaneuf, S. Stamkos, B. Seabrook, C. Ward, S. Gagne, P. Marleau, S. Doan, J. Staal, D. Doughty, B. Richards, J. Tavares

Olympics Outlook:
It was very hard putting this team together; I can't imagine the difficulty Stevie Y is having doing the same thing. So much talent… not enough spots. I feel like this group that I’ve picked out can win it all. Anything less than Gold will be a failure north of the border – especially with the games being held in Vancouver. This will obviously be the most talented team in the Olympics, but chemistry can become an issue when you put together an all-star team like this. I’d be shocked if they didn’t medal…

Morning Skate: November 25

To celebrate Thanksgiving (Eve), here is a deluxe version of the Morning Skate, covering all 14 games on tonight’s schedule!!

The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Canadiens 5, Blue Jackets 3
Predictions record: 0-1

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Marc-Andre Bergeron, MTL (2 Goals)
Bergeron was great last night, and scored the game-winner in the 3rd.
2. Antoine Vermette, CBJ (2 Goals)
I thought Vermette was really strong in a losing effort.
3. Carey Price, MTL (33 Saves, 3 GA)
Price was stellar most of the night, and kept the Habs in the game when losing.
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Sabres @ Capitals, 7:00 ET
Flyers @ Islanders, 7:00
Maple Leafs @ Lightning, 7:00
Senators @ Devils, 7:00
Rangers @ Panthers, 7:30
Canadiens @ Penguins, 7:30
Thrashers @ Red Wings, 7:30
Bruins @ Wild, 8:00
Blues @ Stars, 8:00
Predators @ Avalanche, 9:00
Kings @ Oilers, 9:30
Coyotes @ Flames, 9:30
Hurricanes @ Ducks, 10:00
Blackhawks @ Sharks, 10:30

Tonight’s Premier Games:
Buffalo Sabres @ Washington Capitals
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Sabres (12-6-2) … Capitals (13-5-6)
Last Ten: Sabres (4-5-1) … Capitals (5-3-2)
Away/Home: Sabres (5-3-0) … Capitals (7-2-3)
Season Series: First meeting

Players to watch:
BUF- Tyler Myers
The big rookie has a tough assignment in his first game against Ovechkin.
WSH- Brendan Morrison
Washington’s #2 pivot has played beyond expectations, and has 8 points in the last 9 games.

Projected Goaltenders:
BUF- Ryan Miller (09/10 stats: 12-3-2, 1.97 GAA)
WSH- Semyon Varlamov (09/10 stats: 8-1-2, 2.55 GAA)

Injury Report:
BUF- Drew Stafford (lower body, questionable), Mike Grier (groin, out)
WSH- Alexander Semin (wrist, doubtful), Mike Knuble (finger, out), Tom Poti (upper body, doubtful), Milan Jurcina (lower body, probable), Shaone Morrisonn (head, questionable), Boyd Gordon (back, out), Quintin Laing (jaw, out)

Game Thoughts:
Two great, but slumping, teams face-off tonight in DC. The Sabres and Caps have both lost three in a row, looking to get back on track. Ryan Miller has been dominant in Washington, having never lost there in his career. Couple that with the Caps’ injuries, and I think Buffalo will come away with a close win.
Prediction: Sabres 3, Capitals 2 (SO)
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Chicago Blackhawks @ San Jose Sharks
10:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Blackhawks (15-5-2) … Sharks (16-5-4)
Last Ten: Blackhawks (8-1-1) … Sharks (6-1-3)
Away/Home: Blackhawks (5-3-1) … Sharks (7-0-2)
Season Series: 1-0 Blackhawks

Players to watch:
CHI- Marian Hossa
Due to return from his shoulder injury, how will Hossa fare in his first game as a ‘Hawk?
SJ- Joe Thornton
Jumbo Joe is his dominant self again, and has tallied at least two points in each of the past three games.

Projected Goaltenders:
CHI- Cristobal Huet (09/10 stats: 11-4-1, 2.16 GAA)
SJ- Evgeni Nabokov (09/10 stats: 14-3-4, 2.19 GAA)

Injury Report:
CHI- Marian Hossa (shoulder, probable), Dave Bolland (back, out), Adam Burish (knee, out)
SJ- Devin Setoguchi (leg, out), Rob Blake (arm, out), Torrey Mitchell (knee, out), Brad Staubitz (face, questionable), Jody Shelley (soreness, questionable)

Game Thoughts:
This is the big showdown of the week! You have the high-flying ‘Hawks in one corner, a team that has won seven in a row, including a sweep of Western Canada. On the other side are the Sharks, owners of the league’s best record and a startling home record. San Jose has Chicago’s number at the Tank since the lockout, but most of the games have been close. In the end, I think Team Teal continues to win big games at home.
Prediction: Sharks 4, Blackhawks 3
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The rest of tonight’s action:
Philadelphia Flyers (12-8-1) @ New York Islanders (9-8-7)
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Players to watch:
PHI- Jeff Carter
NYI- John Tavares

Projected Goaltenders:
PHI- Brian Boucher (09/10 stats: 1-2-0, 2.80 GAA)
NYI- Martin Biron (09/10 stats: 2-6-2, 2.85 GAA)

Game Thoughts:
Raise your hand if you thought the Flyers and Isles would both have 25 points at Thanksgiving… didn’t think so. Tavares & company have been playing well, but I think Philly rebounds.
Prediction: Flyers 4, Islanders 2
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Toronto Maple Leafs (4-11-7) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (9-5-7)
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Players to watch:
TOR- Phil Kessel
TB- Martin St. Louis

Projected Goaltenders:
TOR- Jonas Gustavsson (09/10 stats: 3-4-5, 3.18 GAA)
TB- Antero Niittymaki (09/10 stats: 6-1-3, 2.02 GAA)

Game Thoughts:
Toronto has played better on the road than at home, while the Bolts have yet to lose a home game in regulation. I think the St. Louis/Stamkos line will light up the ‘Monster’ tonight.
Prediction: Lightning 4, Maple Leafs 2
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Ottawa Senators (12-6-3) @ New Jersey Devils (14-6-1)
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Players to watch:
OTT- Jason Spezza
NJ- Zach Parise

Projected Goaltenders:
OTT- Brian Elliott (09/10 stats: 4-1-2, 2.91 GAA)
NJ- Martin Brodeur (09/10 stats: 12-6-1, 2.22 GAA)

Game Thoughts:
How will Elliott respond the being the starter for the time being?? With a loss. Brodeur has great numbers against the Sens, and will help his team snap a 3-game losing streak.
Prediction: Devils 3, Senators 2
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New York Rangers (12-10-1) @ Florida Panthers (10-9-3)
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Players to watch:
NYR- Vinny Prospal
FLA- Stephen Weiss

Projected Goaltenders:
NYR- Henrik Lundqvist (09/10 stats: 10-8-1, 2.64 GAA)
FLA- Tomas Vokoun (09/10 stats: 7-8-3, 2.72 GAA)

Game Thoughts:
We’ll see tonight if a 7-goal outburst against Columbus will help the Rangers’ scoring woes. I have a feeling it won’t, so I like the Panthers in a low-scoring affair.
Prediction: Panthers 3, Rangers 1
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Montreal Canadiens (12-11-1) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (16-8-0)
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Players to watch:
MTL- Tomas Plekanec
PIT- Evgeni Malkin

Projected Goaltenders:
MTL- Carey Price (Last night vs. CBJ: 33 saves, 3 GA)
PIT- Marc-Andre Fleury (09/10 stats: 13-7-0, 2.59 GAA)

Game Thoughts:
Fleury has been terrible in November, but his team has turned it around a bit in the last few games. I think they’ll handle a Canadiens team coming off a hard-fought victory last night.
Prediction: Penguins 4, Canadiens 2
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Atlanta Thrashers (10-7-3) @ Detroit Red Wings (11-7-4)
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Players to watch:
ATL- Zach Bogosian
DET- Henrik Zetterberg

Projected Goaltenders:
ATL- Ondrej Pavelec (09/10 stats: 6-5-3, 2.96 GAA)
DET- Jimmy Howard (09/10 stats: 5-3-1, 2.76 GAA)

Game Thoughts:
Detroit owns Atlanta at the Joe (5-1 all-time). The Wings are coming off a tough loss, while Atlanta is treading water in the East. Go with Detroit…
Prediction: Red Wings 5, Thrashers 3
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Boston Bruins (11-8-4) @ Minnesota Wild (8-12-2)
8:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Players to watch:
BOS- Marc Savard
MIN- Eric Belanger

Projected Goaltenders:
BOS- Tuukka Rask (09/10 stats: 6-2-1, 2.28 GAA)
MIN- Niklas Backstrom (09/10 stats: 8-9-2, 2.66 GAA)

Game Thoughts:
This is a tricky game to figure out. Boston is starting to find its feet with Savard and Lucic back in the lineup. The Wild have played better of late. I like Boston…
Prediction: Bruins 3, Wild 2 (SO)
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St. Louis Blues (8-9-4) @ Dallas Stars (11-6-6)
8:00 ET… TV: VERSUS

Players to watch:
STL- Erik Johnson
DAL- Loui Eriksson

Projected Goaltenders:
STL- Chris Mason (09/10 stats: 6-7-3, 2.28 GAA)
DAL- Marty Turco (09/10 stats: 5-3-1, 2.62 GAA)

Game Thoughts:
I’m sure VERSUS will get a ratings boost with this game tonight. Both teams are riding two-game winning streaks. My mind says Dallas, my guts says St. Louis.
Prediction: Stars 2, Blues 1 (OT)
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Nashville Predators (13-8-1) @ Colorado Avalanche (14-7-3)
9:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Players to watch:
NSH- Jason Arnott
COL- Milan Hejduk

Projected Goaltenders:
NSH- Pekka Rinne (09/10 stats: 10-4-0, 2.29 GAA)
COL- Craig Anderson (09/10 stats: 13-6-3, 2.59 GAA)

Game Thoughts:
This is a tough one-game road trip to Denver for the Predators. Although it’s hard to pick against them right now, I think they suffer from their usual ‘Wings hangover’.
Prediction: Avalanche 3, Predators 1
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Los Angeles Kings (13-9-2) @ Edmonton Oilers (10-11-3)
9:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Players to watch:
LA- Anze Kopitar
EDM- Sheldon Souray

Projected Goaltenders:
LA- Jonathan Quick (09/10 stats: 12-8-2, 2.79 GAA)
EDM- Jeff Deslauriers (09/10 stats: 3-2-1, 2.48 GAA)

Game Thoughts:
Los Angeles has won 4 of their last 6 games in Edmonton, including both last year. The Oilers play their best hockey at home, but the Kings are desperate.
Prediction: Kings 4, Oilers 3
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Phoenix Coyotes (13-10-1) @ Calgary Flames (13-6-3)
9:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Players to watch:
PHX- Radim Vrbata
CGY- Jarome Iginla

Projected Goaltenders:
PHX- Ilya Bryzgalov (09/10 stats: 12-7-1, 2.14 GAA)
CGY- Miikka Kiprusoff (09/10 stats: 12-5-3, 2.57 GAA)

Game Thoughts:
The Flames are sputtering at home, losing four of five. Phoenix has failed to win two straight games this month. They have a shot, but I still like Calgary to pull it out.
Prediction: Flames 4, Coyotes 2
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Carolina Hurricanes (5-13-5) @ Anaheim Ducks (8-11-3)
10:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Players to watch:
CAR- Tuomo Ruutu
ANA- Corey Perry

Projected Goaltenders:
CAR- Manny Legace (09/10 stats: 2-3-3, 3.19 GAA)
ANA- J.S. Giguere (09/10 stats: 1-3-2, 3.13 GAA)

Game Thoughts:
This is another tricky East vs. West game to predict… I feel like anything can happen here. The ‘Canes have had success in Anaheim, but the Ducks have played better lately.
Prediction: Ducks 5, Hurricanes 3

You can follow the Red Light District on Twitter @RLDhockey!

Top 5 off-season bargains

Through the first ¼ of the season, you can start to tell which teams made good moves or not during the off-season. Today we look at the five best signings this summer (or during camp) that have turned out to be a good bargain… and no, Hossa will not appear on this list!

1. Maxim Afinogenov, ATL ($800k, 1 yr)
A lost cause in Buffalo, Afinogenov opted to take a tryout with the Thrashers instead of signing a much richer deal in the KHL. His decision has paid huge dividends for Atlanta. He stepped up in Ilya Kovalchuk’s absence, and has 14 points in the last 11 games. Afinogenov is a pleasant surprise to the upstart Thrashers, and has found a home next to Kovalchuk… at a very cheap price!

2. Antero Niittymaki, TB ($600k, 1 yr)
Like Afinogenov, Niittymaki almost dashed to the KHL as not many teams approached him here in the NHL. Tampa Bay finally gave him offer, and he has basically ripped the starter’s job out of Mike Smith’s hands. The fact that he has a GAA south of 2.00 is extremely impressive. If he continues to be stellar in net, he could lead the Bolts to a playoff berth.

3. Vinny Prospal, NYR ($1.1 mil, 1 yr)
There’s just something about the way Prospal plays under John Tortorella’s tutelage. Bought out by the Lightning, Prospal quickly found a home in New York. His $1.1 million salary is a big bargain, given his instant success with the team. The Rangers would not have gone on their early-season run without Prospal’s prowess on the power play.

4. Craig Anderson, COL ($3.2 mil, 2 yrs)
After a red-hot start, Anderson has cooled down this month. But he is still one of the bigger bargains out there as a full-fledged number one ‘tender. Anderson has led the Avalanche to a surprising start, finding themselves on top of the division at Thanksgiving… unbelievable! Anderson is under contract for another year, and is proving doubters wrong that he belongs as a starter in this league.

5. Mikael Samuelsson, VAN ($7.5 mil, 3 yrs)
I don’t think Vancouver could put a price tag on Samuelsson’s value to the Canucks through the first two months. He’s worked his tail off, carrying over the same work ethic that works so well in Detroit. He is third on the team with 18 points, and helped keep the team’s head above water when they experienced all of those injuries.

Honorable Mention:
Francis Bouillon, NSH ($750k, 1 yr)
Robert Lang, PHX ($1 mil, 1 yr)
Jay McKee, PIT ($700k, 1 yr)
Brendan Morrison, WSH ($1.5 mil, 1 yr)
Andrew Raycroft, VAN ($500k, 1 yr)

Morning Skate: November 24

The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Islanders 4, Maple Leafs 3 (OT)
Rangers 7, Blue Jackets 4
Predators 3, Red Wings 1
Penguins 3, Panthers 2 (OT)
Senators 4, Capitals 3 (OT)
Bruins 4, Blues 2
Stars 2, Hurricanes 0
Avalanche 5, Flyers 4
Oilers 4, Coyotes 0
Ducks 3, Flames 2 (SO)
Predictions record: 8-1-1

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Dwayne Roloson, NYI (58 saves, 3 GA)
‘Roli the goalie’ stoned 58 shots from the Leafs… 58!
2. Marian Gaborik, NYR (2 Goals, 2 Assists)
‘Gabby’ tallied 4 points in the Rangers’ monster win over the Jackets.
3. Jeff Deslauriers, EDM (36 saves, shutout)
He stepped in nicely for Khabibulin, picking up his first career shutout.
Honorable Mention: P. Bergeron, M. Turco, D. Briere, M. Erat, P. Stastny
Dud of the Night:
Columbus Blue Jackets… Before they pulled it to a 7-4 game, Columbus was down 7-2 late in the 2nd period. They gave up 7 unanswered to the offensively-challenged Rangers. Not exactly a great sign just two weeks after getting smoked 9-1 by Detroit.
---

Game of the Night:
Columbus Blue Jackets @ Montreal Canadiens
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Blue Jackets (12-7-3) … Canadiens (11-11-1)
Last Ten: Blue Jackets (6-2-2) … Canadiens (5-4-1)
Away/Home: Blue Jackets (6-5-1) … Canadiens (6-5-1)
Season Series: First meeting

Players to watch:
CBJ- Rick Nash
After a lackluster performance in New York, the Jackets captain must rally the troops.
MTL- Mike Cammalleri
The Habs may be without both Gionta and Gomez, so ‘Cammer’ must continue to score.

Projected Goaltenders:
CBJ- Steve Mason (Last night at NYR: 14 saves, 4 GA)
MTL- Carey Price (09/10 stats: 6-8-1, 2.84 GAA)

Injury Report:
CBJ- Derek Dorsett (head, out), Andrew Murray (shoulder, out), Fredrik Modin (knee, out)
MTL- Andrei Markov (Achilles, out), Brian Gionta (foot, out), Scott Gomez (lower body, questionable), Hal Gill (foot, out), Matt D’Agostini (concussion, out)

Game Thoughts:
Last night was not pretty for the Jackets. But the best thing may be to get back out on the ice and seek redemption. Montreal is in for it tonight, and has key players on the injury report. The Bell Centre isn’t a house of horrors for Columbus, so I’m going to take Ken Hitchcock’s bunch on the road.
Prediction: Blue Jackets 4, Canadiens 3

Tuesday Morning Videos

The best videos from the week...

Underachieving Latendresse dealt to Wild

Montreal and Minnesota have officially pulled the plug on a couple struggling, yet promising, young forwards. The 22-year-old Guillaume Latendresse has been sent from Montreal to the Wild exchange for Benoit Pouliot (23). Neither player has really worked out with their current clubs, so a change might be for the better.

Latendresse has struggled since coming into the league. He was 19 when the Habs brought him up, and hasn’t adjusted well; in fact, he may have digressed over the last few years. The coaching change hasn’t helped either, as he only has 5 points in 23 games. He’s been stuck on the bottom two lines the last two years, and injuries may have hampered his play the last year or two.

Pouliot's story is a bit different. At least Latendresse has shown some promise at the NHL level. Pouliot was drafted 4th overall by Minnesota in 2005, three spots behind Sidney Crosby. He has yet to play even half of a season in the NHL, and has 18 points in 65 career games. He had very high expectations coming out of Sudbury of the OHL, and obviously hasn’t met them.

Both are getting projects in their own respects, with Latendresse being more of a certainty. He has the potential to be a solid 40-50-point 2nd-liner down the road. The ceiling is higher for Pouliot, but I’m not sure it will ever be reached. Hopefully a change of scenery helps them both.

Power Rankings #8

1. Chicago Blackhawks (15-5-2), LW: 7
The ‘Hawks fly up to the number one spot after a perfect week in Western Canada. They’ve won seven in a row, and Marian Hossa is on the verge of returning.
2. San Jose Sharks (16-5-4), LW: 2
Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley are turning into arguably the best 1-2 combo in the league. San Jose gets to host Chicago on Wednesday in a marquee showdown!
3. New Jersey Devils (14-6-1), LW: 1
Jacques Lemaire and company’s stay at #1 was short, as they lost three straight on the road after winning the first nine.
4. Pittsburgh Penguins (15-8-0), LW: 9
In a week where none of the top dogs did really well, the Pens jump up as Malkin and Gonchar are healthy, and the team has won three of four.
5. Calgary Flames (13-6-2), LW: 3
The Flames responded very well to their loss to Chicago with a win in Los Angeles. But you still can’t ignore that they lost a game 7-1 at home.
6. Philadelphia Flyers (12-7-1), LW: 4
Philly dropped a tough back-to-back in San Jose and Phoenix, and are looking to rebound with four more games this week.
7. Washington Capitals (13-5-5), LW: 6
The Caps went on the road and won in New York, then followed it up with losses to the Habs and Leafs. I’m still not high on this team.
8. Detroit Red Wings (11-6-4), LW: 8
After scoring 19 goals last week, the Wings’ offense came back to earth, and it cost ‘em against Florida and Dallas.
9. Buffalo Sabres (12-6-2), LW: 5
I really thought the Sabres had turned the corner, but couldn’t get a win this week. Their schedule doesn’t get any easier as they visit Washington and Philly.
10. Nashville Predators (12-8-1), LW: 15
Nashville has won five in a row, and nine of eleven. The team is playing really well in all phases, and even scored two power play goals on Saturday vs. Columbus.
11. Phoenix Coyotes (13-9-1), LW: 13
The ‘Yotes are hanging around the best they can after a hot start. In the end, though, they may not have enough offense to survive this season.
12. Vancouver Canucks (12-11-0), LW: 11
Even with their nice comeback against the Avalanche, the Canucks are losing ground in the West. Still, Daniel Sedin and Roberto Luongo are healthy and that could spark a hot stretch.
13. Columbus Blue Jackets (12-6-3), LW: 16
I’ve been pretty impressed with this team, going 3-0-1 in their last four. Steve Mason may be turning it around, playing well in his last two starts.
14. Ottawa Senators (11-6-3), LW: 21
Daniel Alfredsson and company are on a roll right now, winning three straight. They have more games ahead of them, including tonight against the Caps.
15. Los Angeles Kings (13-9-2), LW: 10
Did we jump on the LA bandwagon too soon?? They’ve struggled in the last five games, and home losses to Philly and Calgary prove that they might not be there yet.
16. Dallas Stars (10-6-6), LW: 18
This team had great wins over the Wings and Devils this week, but hasn’t been able to win two straight games since October 28.
17. Florida Panthers (10-9-2), LW: 23
The Panthers have really won five of six!? Indeed, and the team is playing like they did last year when they were competitive every night.
18. Tampa Bay Lightning (9-5-7), LW: 19
Rick Tocchet has his club playing pretty good hockey right now. And after a stretch of mostly road games, the Bolts get to close out November with four home games.
19. Boston Bruins (10-8-4), LW: 22
After a disappointing loss to the Isles at home, the B’s came through with a back-to-back sweep of the Thrashers and Sabres.
20. Colorado Avalanche (13-7-3), LW: 12
Joe Sacco’s crew is sputtering here in November, and they blew two winnable games this week where they had a lead in the 3rd.
21. Atlanta Thrashers (10-7-3), LW: 17
Just when you thought this team was on the verge of breaking through, they lost three home games against quality opponents.
22. New York Rangers (11-10-1), LW: 14
The Blueshirts have lost four of five, and the offense is running dry. They have a key three-game road trip this week to turn it around.
23. Montreal Canadiens (11-11-1), LW: 25
The bleu, blanc et rouge picked up a couple good wins this past week. It doesn’t change my opinion, however, about them as a playoff contender.
24. St. Louis Blues (8-8-4), LW: 27
St. Louis has won two straight at home for the first time this season. They have a pretty tough schedule coming up, so it’ll be a good test for this team.
25. New York Islanders (8-8-7), LW: 20
Scott Gordon’s club will have a litmus test later this week, when they face-off with the three-headed monster from the Atlantic.
26. Anaheim Ducks (7-11-3), LW: 24
They have played better since returning home from their road trip, but haven’t shown signs of a turnaround. Four more home games this week could help.
27. Minnesota Wild (8-12-2), LW: 28
Although their play has improved over the last couple weeks, they’re still the worst team in the conference.
28. Edmonton Oilers (9-11-3), LW: 26
If they played their entire 82-game schedule at home, they might be good enough to make the playoffs. But they simply can’t buy a win on the road right now.
29. Carolina Hurricanes (5-12-5), LW: 30
The ‘Canes have dug their way out of the cellar with three wins in the last four.
30. Toronto Maple Leafs (4-11-6), LW: 29
I did not feel anyone should’ve fallen to the cellar this week, but I guess the Leafs are bad enough to do so… even after beating the Caps!

The Week Ahead

Top 5 games I’m looking forward to:
1. Blackhawks @ Sharks (Wednesday)
2. Red Wings @ Predators (Monday)
3. Sharks @ Canucks (Sunday)
4. Blackhawks @ Kings (Saturday)
5. Sabres @ Capitals (Wednesday)

Matchup of the Weak:
Maple Leafs @ Panthers (Friday)… This is just an unattractive matchup on a busy night around the league.

Two teams to watch:
1. Phoenix Coyotes
The Desert Dogs finished the week fairly strong, and have a tough week ahead. They have two road games in Western Canada, and two key divisional games against the Stars and Ducks. We should learn more about this team over the next seven days.
2. New York Rangers
John Tortorella’s gang is sputtering, having lost 4 of the last 5 games. They’ll look to turn it around the emerging Jackets, ‘Cats, and Bolts, and they’ll cap off the week with a visit to Pittsburgh. This is a very important week for the Blueshirts.

National TV schedule (U.S.):
Tonight
Red Wings @ Predators… VERSUS
Wednesday
Blues @ Stars… VERSUS
Saturday
Capitals @ Canadiens… NHL Network

Morning Skate: November 23

The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Lightning 4, Thrashers 3 (OT)
Blackhawks 1, Canucks 0
Predictions record: 0-1-1

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Antti Niemi, CHI (30 Saves, Shutout)
The young Finn was phenomenal last night in Vancouver, having to stop a bevy of Canucks chances to earn his 2nd shutout.
2. Steven Stamkos, TB (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
Stamkos continued his tear with 2 points and the OT winner.
3. Martin St. Louis, TB (3 Assists)
St. Louis picked up three helpers, including the primary assist on Stamkos’ winner.
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Islanders @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 ET
Blue Jackets @ Rangers, 7:00
Red Wings @ Predators, 7:00
Penguins @ Panthers, 7:30
Capitals @ Senators, 7:30
Bruins @ Blues, 8:00
Hurricanes @ Stars, 8:30
Flyers @ Avalanche, 9:00
Coyotes @ Oilers, 9:00
Flames @ Ducks, 10:00

Games of the Night:
Detroit Red Wings @ Nashville Predators
7:00 ET… TV: VERSUS, TSN2

Records:
Overall: Red Wings (11-6-4) … Predators (12-8-1)
Last Ten: Red Wings (7-2-1) … Predators (8-2-0)
Away/Home: Red Wings (4-4-2) … Predators (7-3-0)
Season Series: First meeting

Players to watch:
DET- Brian Rafalski
Rafalski is one who’ll have to step up with Kronwall out, and has been pretty good this month.
NSH- Shea Weber
He hasn’t scored since returning from injury, but has done a great job shutting down other team’s top lines.

Projected Goaltenders:
DET- Jimmy Howard (09/10 stats: 5-3-1, 2.75 GAA)
NSH- Pekka Rinne (09/10 stats: 9-4-0, 2.38 GAA)

Injury Report:
DET- Niklas Kronwall and Johan Franzen (knee, out), Valterri Filppula (wrist, out), Jason Williams (leg, out), Andreas Lilja (head, out)
NSH- None

Game Thoughts:
One of the more underappreciated rivalries in the league gets their season series underway tonight, as Detroit travels to Nashville for a key divisional tilt. Both teams have turned the corner since less-than-stellar starts. The Preds are due to have an off-game at some point, but they usually play their best when the Wings are in town. I like them in a tight one…
Prediction: Predators 3, Red Wings 2
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Washington Capitals @ Ottawa Senators
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Capitals (14-5-2) … Senators (12-10-0)
Last Ten: Capitals (7-2-1) … Senators (6-4-0)
Away/Home: Capitals (4-3-1) … Senators (8-2-0)
Season Series: First meeting

Players to watch:
WSH- Alex Ovechkin
‘Ovie’ has owned the Sens in his career, and hasn’t really missed a beat since his injury.
OTT- Milan Michalek
Michalek has scored in 3 straight games, and the Sens will need his speed tonight.

Projected Goaltenders:
WSH- Semyon Varlamov (09/10 stats: 8-1-1, 2.42 GAA)
OTT- Brian Elliott (09/10 stats: 3-1-2, 2.90 GAA)

Injury Report:
WSH- Alexander Semin (wrist, out), Mike Knuble (finger, out), Tom Poti (upper body, questionable), Milan Jurcina (lower body, out), Shaone Morrisonn (head, questionable), Boyd Gordon (back, out), Quintin Laing (jaw, out)
OTT- Pascal Leclaire (lower body, out), Anton Volchenkov (elbow, out), Shean Donovan (knee, out)

Game Thoughts:
The Caps will look to shake off a pair of close losses as they travel to Ottawa to take on the red-hot Senators. Ovechkin & Backstrom will have to carry the team offensively with the injuries. Elliott will need to step up in place of Leclaire. It will be an interesting game, and I think the Caps will pull it out.
Prediction: Capitals 4, Senators 2

The rest of tonight’s predictions:
Islanders over Maple Leafs
Rangers over Blue Jackets
Penguins over Panthers
Bruins over Blues
Stars over Hurricanes
Flyers over Avalanche
Oilers over Coyotes
Ducks over Flames

You can follow the Red Light District on Twitter @RLDhockey!

Kronwall out 4-8 weeks

The Red Wings received some bad news today, as defenseman Niklas Kronwall will reportedly miss over a month due to a sprained ligament in his right knee (presumably MCL). He injured it in this knee-on-knee collision with Montreal’s Georges Laraque…

Whether it was dirty or not, the Wings have lost a key cog on their blue-line. Kronwall is in the midst of a career year, with 13 points in 21 games. You can make the argument that he has been their most important defender thus far, even more than Nicklas Lidstrom. Who knew we’d be saying that at any point during Lidstrom’s illustrious career?

It's time for guys like Jonathan Ericsson and Brett Lebda to step up. Kronwall will be on the shelf next to Franzen and Filppula for a while, and will be sorely missed.

Senators send a statement

Going into their pair of showdowns with the Penguins and Sabres late this week, I didn’t know what to expect from this Ottawa Senators team. Cory Clouston’s crew has been inconsistent through the first month or so, seemingly alternating wins and losses and just hangin’ in the pack. But the Sens sent a statement to Pittsburgh and Buffalo, putting up a total of 11 goals in the two big wins.

Daniel Alfredsson came up big yesterday, picking up 3 points in their 5-3 win over the Sabres. I thought Lindy Ruff’s squad would respond after a loss on Friday, but Ottawa squashed that idea immediately, taking a 5-1 lead in the 3rd. On Tuesday, unlikely heroes Chris Phillips and Chris Kelly carried the Sens to an impressive 6-2 win over the defending champs.

This team is playing like I expected them to when I made my pre-season predictions. Everyone is contributing, and Pascal Leclaire is playing well enough in net. He got hurt last night and left after the 2nd period, but it doesn’t appear to be a serious injury. This year’s version of Leclaire is a mix between last year’s disaster (4 W, 3.83GAA) and the previous year’s breakout season (24 W, 2.25 GAA).

The Dany Heatley trade has seemed to work out for both sides. Even though he’s tearing up the Western Conference, it appears it was an addition by subtraction (as expected) for the Sens. Milan Michalek has been pretty good for this team, and he’s scored in three straight games this week. Jonathan Cheechoo hasn’t found any sort of groove yet, scoring just two goals thus far. I don’t know if that really matters, though. San Jose clearly got the better of the deal on paper, but the Sens are doing just fine without him.

The question now is if the Sens can actually win the division. This week was a weird one in the Northeast, with Ottawa winning all three of their games and upstart Buffalo going 0-2-1. Alfredsson and company are sitting just one point behind Buffalo at 11-6-3, having played the same number of games. They’ve played the majority of their games at home already, with only six on the road so far. I’m not ready yet to say they are a favorite to dethrone Boston and Buffalo, because I'd like to see them succeed on the road. But you can tell that they will be a team to be reckoned with for the rest of the season.

Morning Skate: November 22

The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Flames 5, Kings 2
Penguins 3, Thrashers 2
Senators 5, Sabres 3
Panthers 3, Rangers 2
Hurricanes 3, Lightning 1
Maple Leafs 2, Capitals 1 (SO)
Red Wings 3, Canadiens 2 (SO)
Predators 4, Blue Jackets 3 (SO)
Stars 5, Devils 3
Blues 4, Islanders 1
Coyotes 3, Flyers 1
Sharks 3, Ducks 2
Blackhawks 5, Oilers 2
Predictions record: 6-6-1

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Jarome Iginla (3 Goals)
Calgary’s captain stepped up in a huge way following a 7-1 loss, as he netted a hat trick in LA.
2. Stephane Robidas (2 Goals, 2 Assists)
Robidas’ 4-point barrage lifted the Stars in their big win over New Jersey.
3. Jonathan Toews (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
Captain Toews came up big for the ‘Hawks in Edmonton, tallying a pair of goals and a helper.
Dud of the Night:
Wade Belak… I’ve hated Belak ever since he donned a Preds uniform. He doesn’t anything helpful to the team other than knocking out Donald Brashear. Last night, he gave Jared Boll a two-handed chop to the man area, and it cost his team a goal. Shame on you, Belak!

Saturday Fantasy Roundup:
Ryan’s Picks:
F- I. Kovalchuk (19 PIM)
F- S. Stamkos (-2)
D- D. Keith (+1)
G- H. Lundqvist (25 saves, 3 GA)
Michael’s Picks:
F- A. Ovechkin (1 G, +1)
F- C. Perry (1 A, 1 PPP)
D- S. Gonchar (-2, 2 PIM)
G- P. Rinne (26 saves, 3 GA)
Chris’ Picks:
F- P. Kane (1 G, 1 A, +1)
F- V. Lecavalier (1 A, 1 PPP)
D- M. Del Zotto (+1)
G- M. Turco (31 saves, 3 GA)
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Lightning @ Thrashers, 5:00 ET
Blackhawks @ Canucks, 10:00

Games of the Night:
Tampa Bay Lightning @ Atlanta Thrashers
5:00 ET… TV: None

Records:
Overall: Lightning (8-5-7) … Thrashers (10-7-2)
Last Ten: Lightning (4-2-4) … Thrashers (6-3-1)
Away/Home: Lightning (3-5-3) … Thrashers (4-5-1)
Season Series: 1-0 Thrashers

Players to watch:
TB- Steven Stamkos
He didn’t have a good game last night, and should rebound today.
ATL- Rich Peverley
He has 24 points already and tallied 3 points in their first meeting with Tampa.

Projected Goaltenders:
TB- Antero Niittymaki (09/10 stats: 5-1-3, 1.93 GAA)
ATL- Ondrej Pavelec (09/10 stats: 6-5-2, 2.89 GAA)

Injury Report:
TB- Mattias Ohlund (foot, doubtful), Paul Ranger (personal, out)
ATL- Boris Valabik (ankle, doubtful), Kari Lehtonen (back, out)

Game Thoughts:
Both the Thrashers and Bolts lost last night, and will be determined to bounce back well. This should be a good one, and I like Atlanta to win a tight, high-tempo game.
Prediction: Thrashers 4, Lightning 3
---
Chicago Blackhawks @ Vancouver Canucks
10:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Blackhawks (14-5-2) … Canucks (12-10-0)
Last Ten: Blackhawks (7-2-1) … Canucks (6-4-0)
Away/Home: Blackhawks (4-3-1) … Canucks (8-2-0)
Season Series: 1-0 Canucks

Players to watch:
CHI- Dustin Byfuglien
In the last 10 games, ‘Buff’ has 2 points and a -6 rating; he has to be a factor tonight.
VAN- The Sedins
In all likelihood, the twins will be reunited after a five-week hiatus.

Projected Goaltenders:
CHI- Antti Niemi (09/10 stats: 3-1-1, 2.22 GAA)
VAN- Roberto Luongo (09/10 stats: 8-7-0, 2.64 GAA)

Injury Report:
CHI- Drew Stafford (lower body, doubtful), Mike Grier (groin, doubtful)
VAN- Daniel Sedin (foot, probable), Pavol Demitra (shoulder, out), Michael Grabner (ankle, out)

Game Thoughts:
I am psyched for this one tonight! The ‘Hawks come in on fire, while the Canucks are looking for even more payback from last year’s playoffs. Vancouver is starting to get healthy again, and it’s coming at the right time. Since the ‘Hawks have scored 12 goals in the last 2 games, I’m thinking they’re in for a bit of a let-down tonight. Go with the ‘Nucks…
Prediction: Canucks 3, Blackhawks 1

Saturday Fantasy #8

Welcome to the 8th edition of ‘Saturday Fantasy’! If you’re new to the RLD, 3 of us will select players each week that we think will do well fantasy wise. We pick 2 forwards, 1 defenseman, and 1 goalie each Saturday. Last year, I beat Chris 6-3. This year, we’re adding Michael (AKA fantasy_hockey_guru)! Currently, I’m leading 5-3-0 over Michael and Chris, respectively. Chris… you’re still strugglin’, man!

RYAN:
F- Ilya Kovalchuk, ATL
F- Steven Stamkos, TB
D- Duncan Keith, CHI
G- Henrik Lundqvist, NYR

MICHAEL:
F- Alex Ovechkin, WSH
F- Corey Perry, ANA
D- Sergei Gonchar, PIT
G- Pekka Rinne, NSH

CHRIS:
F- Patrick Kane, CHI
F- Vincent Lecavalier, TB
D- Michael Del Zotto, NYR
G- Marty Turco, DAL

Morning Skate: November 21

The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Canadiens 3, Capitals 2
Bruins 2, Sabres 1 (OT)
Panthers 2, Red Wings 1 (OT)
Wild 3, Islanders 2
Sharks 6, Flyers 3
Canucks 5, Avalanche 2
Predictions record: 3-1-2

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Dany Heatley (3 Goals)
2. Owen Nolan (2 Goals)
3. Scott Clemmensen (39 Saves, 1 GA)
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Flames @ Kings, 4:00 ET
Penguins @ Thrashers, 7:00
Sabres @ Senators, 7:00
Panthers @ Rangers, 7:00
Lightning @ Hurricanes, 7:00
Capitals @ Maple Leafs, 7:00
Red Wings @ Canadiens, 7:00
Blue Jackets @ Predators, 8:00
Devils @ Stars, 8:00
Islanders @ Blues, 8:00
Flyers @ Coyotes, 8:00
Sharks @ Ducks, 10:00
Blackhawks @ Oilers, 10:00

Games of the Night:
Calgary Flames @ Los Angeles Kings
4:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Flames (12-6-2) … Kings (13-8-2)
Last Ten: Flames (5-4-1) … Kings (5-4-1)
Away/Home: Flames (6-1-2) … Kings (5-3-1)
Season Series: First meeting

Players to watch:
CGY- Jarome Iginla
‘Iggy’ has owned the Kings in his career, and needs to continue his hot streak.
LA- Alexander Frolov
Stepping into Smyth’s place on the top line, Frolov hasn’t scored since October 28th.

Projected Goaltenders:
CGY- Miikka Kiprusoff (09/10 stats: 11-5-2, 2.64 GAA)
LA- Jonathan Quick (09/10 stats: 12-7-2, 2.69 GAA)

Injury Report:
CGY- None
LA- Ryan Smyth (upper-body, out), Rob Scuderi (lower-body, doubtful)

Game Thoughts:
I’m very interested to see how the Flames play in this one. There’s reportedly something internally wrong with Phaneuf, and the team is coming off a blowout loss at home. The Kings hung tough with the Flyers the other night, and are looking to get back on track at home. I see LA winning in overtime…
Prediction: Kings 3, Flames 2 (OT)
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Buffalo Sabres @ Ottawa Senators
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Sabres (12-5-2) … Senators (10-6-3)
Last Ten: Sabres (5-4-1) … Senators (5-4-1)
Away/Home: Sabres (5-2-0) … Senators (7-3-3)
Season Series: First meeting

Players to watch:
BUF- Thomas Vanek
You can start to see the ball rolling with Vanek offensively.
OTT- Daniel Alfredsson
He has just 2 points in 5 games since a 9-game point streak.

Projected Goaltenders:
BUF- Ryan Miller (09/10 stats: 12-3-2, 1.97 GAA)
OTT- Pascal Leclaire (09/10 stats: 8-5-1, 2.77 GAA)

Injury Report:
BUF- Drew Stafford (lower body, doubtful), Mike Grier (groin, doubtful)
OTT- Anton Volchenkov (elbow, out), Shean Donovan (knee, out)

Game Thoughts:
After a disappointing overtime loss last night at home, the Sabres must bounce back in another key division game. The Senators have been inconsistent, but have won two in a row. If Miller gets the start again tonight, I think Buffalo will take care of business on the road.
Prediction: Sabres 3, Senators 2
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Columbus Blue Jackets @ Nashville Predators
8:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Blue Jackets (12-6-2) … Predators (11-8-1)
Last Ten: Blue Jackets (6-2-2) … Predators (8-2-0)
Away/Home: Blue Jackets (6-4-0) … Predators (6-3-0)
Season Series: First meeting

Players to watch:
CBJ- Kristian Huselius
Huselius is coming off a 3-point performance, and has 6 points in the last 3 games.
NSH- Patric Hornqvist
He’ll be a key player tonight in the hard areas and in front of the net.

Projected Goaltenders:
CBJ- Steve Mason (09/10 stats: 8-5-2, 3.48 GAA)
NSH- Pekka Rinne (09/10 stats: 8-4-0, 2.35 GAA)

Injury Report:
CBJ- Samuel Pahlsson (back/elbow, questionable), Derek Dorsett (head, out), Fredrik Modin (knee, out), Andrew Murray (shoulder, out)
NSH- Colin Wilson (groin, out), Wade Belak (groin, questionable)

Game Thoughts:
Both teams come into this game rolling, and looking to gain points in the tough Central Division. Nashville has beaten the Sharks and Devils this week, so a let-down is possible. Columbus won decisively in Dallas, and look to keep up the road success. This will be an action-packed, high-pace game, and I think the Preds eek out a ‘W’.
Prediction: Predators 4, Blue Jackets 3

The rest of tonight’s predictions:
Thrashers over Penguins
Rangers over Panthers
Hurricanes over Lightning
Capitals over Maple Leafs
Red Wings over Canadiens
Devils over Stars
Blues over Islanders
Flyers over Coyotes
Sharks over Ducks
Blackhawks over Oilers

You can follow the Red Light District on Twitter @RLDhockey!