Morning Skate: November 11

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s results:
Bruins 6, Oilers 3
Blackhawks 6, Blue Jackets 3
Maple Leafs 3, Blues 2 (SO)
Panthers 5, Jets 2
Avalanche 4, Islanders 3 (OT)
Canadiens 3, Coyotes 2 (OT)
Canucks 3, Kings 2
Sharks 3, Wild 1
Predictions record: 4-4

RLD 3 stars of the night:
1. Kris Versteeg, FLA (3 goals, 1 assist)
2. Jonathan Toews, CHI (2 goals, 1 assist)
3. Ben Scrivens, TOR (38 saves)
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Tonight’s slate:
Capitals @ Devils, 7:00 ET
Hurricanes @ Rangers, 7:00
Stars @ Penguins, 7:00
Senators @ Sabres, 7:30
Oilers @ Red Wings, 7:30
Flames @ Blackhawks, 8:30
Canucks @ Ducks, 10:30

Game of the night:
Dallas Stars @ Pittsburgh Penguins
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Stars (11-3-0) … Penguins (9-3-3)
Home/Away: Stars (5-2-0) … Penguins (4-1-1)
Last 10: Stars (8-2-0) … Penguins (6-3-1)
Season Series (10/11): 1-0 Stars

Players to watch:
DAL- Jamie Benn
Benn quietly has 18 points this year, 16 of which he’s picked up in the last 10 games.
PIT- James Neal
Neal will be facing his former ‘mates for the first time. He has seven goals in six home games this year.

Starting goaltenders:
DAL- Kari Lehtonen (2011-12 stats: 11-1-0, 2.13 GAA)
PIT- Marc-Andre Fleury (2011-12 stats: 8-2-1, 1.95 GAA)

Injury report:
DAL- Steve Ott (hip, out)
PIT- Matt Niskanen (lower body, questionable), Sidney Crosby and Tyler Kennedy (concussion, out), Zbynek Michalek (finger, out), Ben Lovejoy (wrist, out)

Game thoughts:
For the first time since last February, we’ll get to see the Penguins-Stars trade up close. James Neal has been excelling with the Pens early on, while Alex Goligoski has been solid for Dallas ever since arriving. This game is more than just that trade, though. These are two of the better teams in the NHL right now, so it should make for an exciting tilt. I think the Stars are the real deal, but Pittsburgh hasn’t lost at home against since 2000.
Prediction: Penguins 3, Stars 2

The rest of today’s predictions:
Devils over Capitals
Hurricanes over Rangers
Sabres over Senators
Red Wings over Oilers
Blackhawks over Flames
Ducks over Canucks
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Video of the day:


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