March has provided plenty of madness

NCAA Basketball has its March Madness, but I’m here to say that the NHL’s is a whole lot more enjoyable! From the first of the month all the way up to today, March has had a lot of great moments as the playoff races heated up. Let’s take a look…

March 1: Stars 3, Coyotes 2
It was one of the craziest ends to regulation you’ll ever see. The Coyotes scored twice in the final four minutes to tie the game at two, including Ray Whitney’s tally with 38 seconds to go. However, Radim Vrbata was called for a hooking penalty with 13 seconds on the clock, opening the opportunity for the Stars to strike late. They did. Loui Eriksson found a wide-open Jamie Benn backdoor to one-time the game-winner past Ilya Bryzgalov with 4.8 ticks remaining. Dallas jumped back into the West’s top eight with the 3-2 win.

Morning Skate: March 31

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Sabres 1, Rangers 0
Devils 3, Islanders 2
Hurricanes 6, Canadiens 2
Blues 10, Red Wings 3
Ducks 4, Flames 2
Predictions record: 2-3

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Jeff Skinner, CAR (2 Goals, 1 Assist)… For the second straight night, the dazzling rookie came up big for Carolina. He picked up three points in a must-win game against Montreal.
2. Jhonas Enroth, BUF (23 Saves, Shutout)
3. Lubomir Visnovsky, ANA (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
Close but no cigar: C. Porter and C. Stewart, STL; C. Perry, ANA; J. McBain, CAR; H. Lundqvist, NYR; I. Kovalchuk, NJ
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Maple Leafs @ Bruins, 7:00 ET
Rangers @ Islanders, 7:00
Thrashers @ Flyers, 7:00
Blue Jackets @ Capitals, 7:00
Penguins @ Lightning, 7:30
Senators @ Panthers, 7:30
Oilers @ Wild, 8:00
Predators @ Avalanche, 9:00
Kings @ Canucks, 10:00
Stars @ Sharks, 10:30

Games of the Night:
Pittsburgh Penguins @ Tampa Bay Lightning
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Video: Costly non-goal for Flames

A no goal call that went against the Calgary Flames tonight swung the momentum in Anaheim's favor even further in the second period. On a weird sequence, the puck appeared to be across the line, but Toronto said there was not indisputable evidence. Down 2-1 at the time, Brent Sutter and company was irate. At the end of the period, Lubomir Visnovsky scored a back-breaking goal, which stood as the game-winner in the end, to make it 3-1.

Now, this call isn't the reason the Flames will miss the playoffs; they were behind the eight ball to begin with. It is still unfortunate for the Flames, who thought for sure they had tied the game. This 4-2 loss all but ends their hopes of making the postseason.

Wednesday Game of the Week

Calgary desperate for victory against surging Ducks

If Saturday proved anything, it showed that the Flames still have a flicker of hope in the playoff chase after their comeback win in Edmonton. But they have to keep winning, and tonight’s home contest against Anaheim is essentially their season. Can Jarome Iginla and company keep their slim hopes alive? Or will the Ducks continue to rise up the Western Conference standings?

What if we had an Olympic point system?

Here is our seventh look of the 2010/11 season at the standings if there was a different points system. The most popular solution is to dish out three points per game (and the one I’m in favor of the most) like they do in the Olympics. A regulation win would be worth three points apiece, whereas an overtime/shootout victory will get you just two. The loser in extra time would still get a single point.

The tiebreaker at the end of the year would be total wins, followed by regulation wins. I’m a big fan of this system (which was used at this year’s Olympics), and did some ‘research’ as to what the standings would look like if this was indeed how we handed out the points.

It would create more excitement for the final two minutes of regulation in a tied game. Also, this eliminates all of the extra point crap when a game goes to OT, plus rewards teams for getting the job done in 60 minutes.

Here’s what this year’s standings would look like through last night’s action…

Morning Skate: March 30

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Maple Leafs 4, Sabres 3
Flyers 5, Penguins 2
Hurricanes 3, Capitals 2 (SO)
Blue Jackets 3, Panthers 2 (SO)
Bruins 3, Blackhawks 0
Canadiens 3, Thrashers 1
Lightning 5, Senators 2
Wild 3, Blues 2 (SO)
Canucks 3, Predators 1
Kings 2, Oilers 0
Coyotes 2, Stars 1 (SO)
Predictions record: 7-4

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Tim Thomas, BOS (32 Saves, Shutout)… The Vezina favorite continued his hot streak with his 9th shutout of the season.
2. Ilya Bryzgalov, PHX (44 Saves, 1 GA)
3. Ville Leino, PHI (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
Close but no cigar: J. Bernier and D. Brown, LA; C. Ward and J. Skinner, CAR; M. St. Louis and D. Moore, TB; A. Burrows, VAN; C. Price, MTL; C. MacArthur, TOR
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Rangers @ Sabres, 7:00 ET
Islanders @ Devils, 7:00
Canadiens @ Hurricanes, 7:00
Blues @ Red Wings, 7:30
Ducks @ Flames, 9:30

Games of the Night:
New York Rangers @ Buffalo Sabres
7:00 ET… TV: VERSUS, Local Networks

The Stretch Run: March 29

With less than two weeks left in the regular season and teams heading into the quarter pole, here is a rundown for each team with a breakdown of remaining games and playoff chances…

Eastern Conference
1. Philadelphia Flyers – 45-20-10, 100 pts.
Games remaining: 7 (3 home, 4 away)
Next five games: @ PIT, vs. ATL, @ NJ, vs. NYR, @ OTT
SportsClubStats playoff percentage: IN

Does a better fate await Boston this spring?

The Boston Bruins have been hoping for just that ever since the Philadelphia Flyers came back from a 3-0 series deficit last May to knock the Bruins out of the second round.

The Bruins responded to that playoff disaster by having a terrific season. The Bruins are currently third in the Eastern Conference with 94 points and are seven points up on the Montreal Canadiens for the Northeast Division lead.

RLD Hockey Talk - Episode 53 Outline

You can listen to today's show HERE at 1 PM ET / Noon CT!

12:00 CT
- Show Introduction
- Welcome in co-host Buddy Oakes, Preds On The Glass
- Roundtable Discussion
- Predators success
- Shane O’Brien interview


12:10 CT
- Welcome in guest Dan Rosen, NHL.com
- Eastern Conference playoff race
- Three-headed race atop (PHI, WSH, PIT)
- Penguins success
- Is this Washington’s year?
- Rangers and Sabres surging
- Profiling New Jersey’s run
- Vezina Trophy race


12:25/30 CT
- Roundtable Discussion
- Costly Kings injuries
- If you could change one thing in the NHL, what would it be?
- Other various topics

Morning Skate: March 29

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Blackhawks 3, Red Wings 2 (OT)
Ducks 5, Avalanche 4
Predictions record: 2-0

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Teemu Selanne, ANA (3 Goals, 2 Assists)… The ageless wonder put on a show in SoCal last night, netting a hat trick and racking up five points.
2. Marian Hossa, CHI (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
3. Cam Fowler, ANA (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Sabres @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 ET
Flyers @ Penguins, 7:00
Hurricanes @ Capitals, 7:00
Panthers @ Blue Jackets, 7:00
Blackhawks @ Bruins, 7:30
Thrashers @ Canadiens, 7:30
Senators @ Lightning, 7:30
Wild @ Blues, 8:00
Canucks @ Predators, 8:00
Kings @ Oilers, 9:30
Stars @ Coyotes, 10:00

Games of the Night:
Philadelphia Flyers @ Pittsburgh Penguins
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

How much would the return of Crosby help Pittsburgh?

If you would have told me back on Jan. 5 that the Pittsburgh Penguins would go more than two months without Sidney Crosby, but still hold onto the fourth seed in the conference, I simply wouldn’t have believed you. That’s been exactly the case, however; and it hasn’t just been Crosby that they have seen go down with injury.

With the face of the franchise starting to pick up intensity in on-ice workouts, how would a possible return affect the Penguins’ chances come playoff time? The answer is simple.

The curious case of the Lightning

For a team that is currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, the Tampa Bay Lightning sure have been playing some inconsistent hockey as of late.

Power Rankings: Week 25

1. Vancouver Canucks… LW: 1
The Canucks have set new franchise records in points (109) and wins (50); is it a stepping stone to a first Stanley Cup?
2. Washington Capitals… LW: 2
Will tweaking the system flip the postseason script for the Caps?
3. San Jose Sharks… LW: 3
I don’t think anyone wants to play this Sharks club in the playoffs. The offense is deep, and Antti Niemi has been rock-solid since mid-January.
4. Pittsburgh Penguins… LW: 11
The Pens won four games last week, all via the shootout. Minus a shoddy October, Marc-Andre Fleury has been fabulous. His stat line since then: 33-13-5, 2.15 GAA, .925 SV%.
5. Detroit Red Wings… LW: 5
With Jimmy Howard being the latest to go down – his upper body injury is not serious – I wouldn’t be surprised to see Joey MacDonald get a handful of starts from here on out.

The Week Ahead

With two weeks left to go in the season, every game means something in the National Hockey League, especially if you're a team that is vying for a playoff spot in either the competitive Eastern Conference or a very tight Western Conference.

This week, we'll take a look at three players who need to continue to step it up to help their team go into the playoffs on a high note, two teams that need to overcome a few things to get into the playoffs and of course, games you should be watching this week to satisfy your hockey craving.

Morning Skate: March 28

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Penguins 2, Panthers 1 (SO)
Thrashers 5, Senators 4 (SO)
Canucks 4, Blue Jackets 1
Bruins 2, Flyers 1
Predictions record: 2-2

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Chris Higgins, VAN (2 Goals, 1 Assist)… Higgins had his best game yet with Vancouver when he picked up three points in Columbus.
2. Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT (37 Saves, 1 GA)
3. Tim Thomas, BOS (27 Saves, 1 GA)
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Blackhawks @ Red Wings, 7:30 ET
Avalanche @ Ducks, 10:00

Game of the Night:
Chicago Blackhawks @ Detroit Red Wings
7:30 ET… TV: VERSUS

Goligoski fitting like a glove in Dallas

On Saturday night in Nashville, Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski scored a power play goal and logged almost 32 minutes of ice-time. Everyone is aware of his offensive skill, but the amount of minutes may surprise most people. But not Goligoski, and not the people that surround him.

The team’s deadline pickup has relished the new opportunity and seeing his role increase with the Stars.

Kopitar's injury a big blow to L.A.

The Los Angeles Kings' 4-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche last night was not nearly as significant as what happened to its best offensive player.

Kings forward Anze Kopitar went down with a broken ankle and will be injured for at least the next six weeks. This is a devastating blow for a team that has the potential to make some noise in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year.

A tale of two seasons for Anderson

After having a terrific season with the Colorado Avalanche last year, Anderson got off to a sluggish start this season and never seemed to recover. In 33 games with the Avs, Anderson was 13-15-3 with a 3.28 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage, far below what he did last season.

Seeing how the Avs and Anderson were struggling, Avalanche GM Greg Sherman traded him to the Ottawa Senators for goaltender Brian Elliot back on Feb. 18. It would appear that the Senators got the better end of the deal in a big way.

Morning Skate: March 27

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Rangers 1, Bruins 0
Kings 4, Avalanche 1
Sabres 2, Devils 0
Capitals 2, Canadiens 0
Flyers 4, Islanders 1
Lightning 4, Hurricanes 2
Red Wings 4, Maple Leafs 2
Predators 4, Stars 2
Blues 6, Wild 3
Ducks 2, Blackhawks 1
Sharks 4, Coyotes 1
Flames 5, Oilers 4 (SO)
Predictions record: 8-4

My 3 stars of the night (Skaters):
1. Corey Perry, ANA (2 Goals)… Perry continued his torrid hot stretch with two more goals (in the third period), lifting the Ducks over Chicago in a must-win.
2. James van Riemsdyk, PHI (3 Goals)
3. Logan Couture, SJ (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
Close but no cigar: J. Iginla, CGY; M. Fisher, NSH; R. Smyth, LA; R. Clowe, SJ; M. St. Louis, TB; J. Hudler, DET; D. Backes, STL
My 3 stars of the night (Goalies):
1. Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (26 Saves, Shutout)… ‘King Henrik’ picked up his league-leading 11th shutout, once again holding on to a 1-0 lead.
2. Ryan Miller, BUF (30 Saves, Shutout)
3. Sergei Bobrovsky, PHI (36 Saves, 1 GA)
Close but no cigar: B. Holtby, WSH; R. Emery, ANA; A. Niemi, SJ
---

Saturday Faceoff: Hart Trophy favorite?

Here in late March, the MVP race is heating up. Many players are putting forth their best effort, impressing the voters here in the final weeks. Carolyn and I debate who the favorite for the Hart Trophy is right now…

Daniel Sedin
By Ryan Porth

All season long I felt all of the Canucks’ MVP candidates – Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Ryan Kesler – would cancel each other out for the award. But with Daniel’s recent play, the NHL Odds seem to be growing that he will end up winning this year’s Hart Trophy.

Morning Skate: March 26

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Penguins 1, Devils 0 (SO)
Sabres 4, Panthers 2
Senators 2, Capitals 0
Canucks 3, Thrashers 1
Hurricanes 4, Lightning 3
Predictions record: 2-3

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Craig Anderson, OTT (31 Saves, Shutout)… Anderson stoned the playoff-bound Capitals with a 31-save shutout, his second with Ottawa.
2. Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT (21 Saves, Shutout)
3. Drew Stafford, BUF (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
Close but no cigar: E. Cole and E. Staal, CAR; R. Luongo, VAN; M. Brodeur, NJ
---

Today’s Slate:
Rangers @ Bruins, 1:00 ET
Avalanche @ Kings, 4:00
Devils @ Sabres, 7:00
Capitals @ Canadiens, 7:00
Flyers @ Islanders, 7:00
Lightning @ Hurricanes, 7:00
Maple Leafs @ Red Wings, 7:00
Stars @ Predators, 8:00
Blues @ Wild, 8:00
Ducks @ Blackhawks, 8:30
Sharks @ Coyotes, 9:00
Flames @ Oilers, 10:00

Games of the Night:
Dallas Stars @ Nashville Predators
8:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Friday Night Fights

The best fights of the past week...

Trophy Tracker

Every other Friday, we bring you an updated look at the candidates for the major awards around the league. All five discussed below seem to be wide open!

HART TROPHY

1. Daniel Sedin
Stats: 74 GP, 40 G, 55 A, 95 Pts, +27
Wednesday’s performance in Detroit may have won Daniel the Hart, as he scored two clutch goals in a 2-1 game on the big stage.

2. Corey Perry
Stats: 74 GP, 42 G, 41 A, 83 Pts, +3
The current run that Perry is on has been phenomenal. In his last 8 games, he has 11 goals and 15 points, leading the Ducks into the top eight in the West.

3. Steven Stamkos
Stats: 73 GP, 43 G, 43 A, 86 Pts, +0
Stamkos is fading fast in this MVP race after being the favorite most of the second half.

Other candidates: Jonathan Toews, Henrik Sedin, Pekka Rinne, Carey Price

Giving credit to the college game

When talking about amateur hockey, many hockey pundits and fans alike will first talk about major junior hockey in Canada.

Considering that a large portion of players in the National Hockey League are from Canada, it is certainly understandable. With that said, however, a lot of credit should go to another kind of hockey level, this one on U.S. Soil: College Hockey.

The Stretch Run: March 25

Our stretch run feature has returned for the rest of the season, but not on a daily basis like last year. With less than three weeks left in the regular season and teams heading into the quarter pole, here is a rundown for each team with a breakdown of remaining games and playoff chances…

Eastern Conference
1. Philadelphia Flyers – 44-19-10, 98 pts.
Games remaining: 9 (4 home, 5 away)
Next five games: @ NYI, vs. BOS, @ PIT, vs. ATL, @ NJ
SportsClubStats playoff percentage: IN

Morning Skate: March 25

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Bruins 7, Canadiens 0
Thrashers 2, Islanders 1
Senators 2, Rangers 1 (SO)
Penguins 2, Flyers 1 (SO)
Blues 4, Oilers 0
Predators 5, Ducks 4
Maple Leafs 4, Avalanche 3
Coyotes 3, Blue Jackets 0
Kings 4, Sharks 3 (SO)
Predictions record: 5-4

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Dustin Brown, LA (2 Goals, SO Goal)… Not only did Captain Brown score twice in regulation, he picked up the shootout winner for a huge two points.
2. Ilya Bryzgalov, PHX (28 Saves, Shutout)
3. Patrick Marleau, SJ (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
Close but no cigar: Z. Chara and N. Horton, BOS; S. Kostitsyn, NSH; N. Kulemin, TOR; C. Perry, ANA; C. Anderson, OTT; T. Oshie, STL
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Devils @ Penguins, 7:00 ET
Panthers @ Sabres, 7:30
Capitals @ Senators, 7:30
Canucks @ Thrashers, 7:30
Hurricanes @ Lightning, 7:30

Game of the Night:
Carolina Hurricanes @ Tampa Bay Lightning
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

'Sugar Ray' Emery making a statement

Often the media likes to portray players as they appear but not as they are. Ray Emery is one of those players. If the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy were not awarded to Emery this season, it would be a shame.

Not only has he made a comeback thanks to the Anaheim Ducks taking a chance, he is a player whose last NHL game was on Feb. 1, 2010. But by the way he has played, you wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t told you.

Habs and B's continue battle atop division

If the last two games between these two Northeast Division rivals are any indication, we might expect tonight’s game in Boston, where the Montreal Canadiens are in town, to be more about settling personal grievances following a long list of insults and significant injuries suffered in the season series.

But for all the hype, given what’s at stake, my bet is these teams will play some of the best and most intense hockey they have put on the ice this season, relying on the score-sheet and the standings to reflect which of them is the better team.

Morning Skate: March 24

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Canucks 2, Red Wings 1
Blackhawks 4, Panthers 0
Ducks 4, Stars 3 (OT)
Sharks 6, Flames 3
Predictions record: 1-3

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Daniel Sedin, VAN (2 Goals)… A day after seeing his baby girl be born, Daniel improved his case for the Hart with both of Vancouver’s goals in Detroit.
2. Patrick Marleau, SJ (2 Goals)
3. Cam Fowler, ANA (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Canadiens @ Bruins, 7:00 ET
Thrashers @ Islanders, 7:00
Senators @ Rangers, 7:00
Penguins @ Flyers, 7:00
Oilers @ Blues, 8:00
Ducks @ Predators, 8:00
Maple Leafs @ Avalanche, 9:00
Blue Jackets @ Coyotes, 10:00
Sharks @ Kings, 10:30

Games of the Night:
Montreal Canadiens @ Boston Bruins
7:00 ET… TV: TSN, Local Networks

Wednesday Game of the Week

The West’s best meet tonight in the Motor City

When the dust settles this spring and there are only two teams remaining in the Western Conference, it very well could be Vancouver and Detroit dueling in the conference finals. Both teams are built for a playoff run this spring with great depth and solid goaltending. Tonight they will square off in what could be a preview of what’s to come down the road.

Will the Caps flip the postseason script?

Coming into the season, we knew the Washington Capitals wouldn’t be judged on how they performed in the first 82 games; rather how successful they were come springtime. That sentiment still remains true despite the style changes that Bruce Boudreau and company have enforced. Will it be enough to get the Caps over the hump?

RLD Hockey Talk - Episode 52 Outline

You can listen to today's show HERE at 1 PM ET / Noon CT!

12:00 CT
- Show Introduction
- Welcome in co-host Buddy Oakes, Preds On The Glass
- Welcome in guest Kevin Allen, USA Today
- Matt Cooke suspension
- Coyotes situation
- Playoff races


12:10/15 CT
- Roundtable Discussion
- Pekka Rinne’s case for Vezina & Hart


12:15 CT
- Welcome in guest Dennis Bernstein, The Fourth Period
- Western Conference playoff race
- Los Angeles’ ups and downs
- Anaheim/Dallas/Nashville
- Vancouver/Detroit
- Thoughts on Cooke
- Other various topics


12:35 CT
- Roundtable Discussion
- Ultimate hockey trip – 30 arenas in 29 nights

Morning Skate: March 23

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Bruins 4, Devils 1
Rangers 1, Panthers 0
Hurricanes 4, Senators 3
Capitals 5, Flyers 4 (SO)
Sabres 2, Canadiens 0
Islanders 5, Lightning 2
Predators 3, Oilers 1
Maple Leafs 3, Wild 0
Avalanche 5, Blue Jackets 4 (SO)
Coyotes 2, Blues 1
Predictions record: 4-6

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Ryan Miller, BUF (31 Saves, Shutout)… Miller helped Buffalo rebound from their collapse on Sunday with a big shutout.
2. Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (22 Saves, Shutout)
3. James Reimer, TOR (29 Saves, Shutout)
Close but no cigar: T. Thomas and M. Lucic, BOS; C. LaRose, CAR; M. Duchene, COL; M. Knuble, WSH; D. Legwand, NSH; L. Korpikoski, PHX; M. Grabovski, TOR; A. Montoya, NYI; N. Gerbe, BUF; R. Umberger, CBJ
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Canucks @ Red Wings, 7:30 ET
Panthers @ Blackhawks, 8:30
Ducks @ Stars, 8:30
Flames @ Sharks, 10:00

Games of the Night:
Anaheim Ducks @ Dallas Stars
8:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

The Stretch Run: March 22

Our stretch run feature has returned for the rest of the season, but not on a daily basis like last year. With less than three weeks left in the regular season and teams heading into the quarter pole, here is a rundown for each team with a breakdown of remaining games and playoff chances…

Eastern Conference
1. Philadelphia Flyers – 44-19-8, 96 pts.
Games remaining: 11 (6 home, 5 away)
Next five games: vs. WSH, vs. PIT, @ NYI, vs. BOS, @ PIT
SportsClubStats playoff percentage: IN

Records since the All-Star break

Morning Skate: March 22

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Penguins 5, Red Wings 4 (SO)
Kings 2, Flames 1 (SO)
Predictions record: 1-1

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Pascal Dupuis, PIT (2 Goals, 1 Assist)… Dupuis’ three points came out of nowhere, but helped Pittsburgh grab a big ‘W’ in Detroit.
2. Jonathan Quick, LA (27 Saves, 1 GA)
3. Valterri Filppula, DET (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Devils @ Bruins, 7:00 ET
Panthers @ Rangers, 7:00
Senators @ Hurricanes, 7:00
Capitals @ Flyers, 7:30
Sabres @ Canadiens, 7:30
Islanders @ Lightning, 7:30
Oilers @ Predators, 8:00
Maple Leafs @ Wild, 8:00
Blue Jackets @ Avalanche, 9:00
Blues @ Coyotes, 10:00

Games of the Night:
Washington Capitals @ Philadelphia Flyers
7:30 ET… TV: VERSUS

Power Rankings: Week 24

1. Vancouver Canucks… LW: 1
Will a more rested Roberto Luongo help lead the Canucks to a long playoff run?
2. Washington Capitals… LW: 2
With a shutout on Friday, Michal Neuvirth has re-asserted himself as the No. 1 ‘tender after Braden Holtby’s great stretch.
3. San Jose Sharks… LW: 3
Joe Pavelski has put together a stellar last week of action, racking up 11 points in 4 games. Meanwhile, they can’t afford to lose Logan Couture for an extended period of time.
4. Philadelphia Flyers… LW: 4
The Flyers, who haven’t set the world on fire in the last month-plus, can improve their chances of claiming the top seed with a win over the Caps on Tuesday.
5. Detroit Red Wings… LW: 5
Just went it seemed like the Wings were close to 100% health, Pavel Datsyuk and Johan Franzen get banged up.

The Week Ahead

Welcome to another installment of "The Week Ahead" as the NHL continues to inch closer and closer to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  This week, I would like to focus on the one position that means a lot as teams look to get into the postseason: goaltending.

So sit back, relax and enjoy "The Week Ahead".

Morning Skate: March 21

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Rangers 5, Penguins 2
Predators 4, Sabres 3 (OT)
Devils 3, Blue Jackets 0
Canadiens 8, Wild 1
Blackhawks 2, Coyotes 1
Ducks 5, Flames 4 (OT)
Predictions record: 4-2

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Blake Geoffrion, NSH (3 Goals)… The rookie/Tennessee native notched his first hat trick, including two late goals that forced overtime.
2. P.K. Subban, MTL (3 Goals, 1 Assist)
3. Corey Perry, ANA (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
Close but no cigar: R. Callahan and H. Lundqvist, NYR; R. Getzlaf and T. Selanne, ANA; D. Clarkson and M. Brodeur, NJ; R. White, MTL; T. Kostopolous, CGY
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Penguins @ Red Wings, 7:30 ET
Flames @ Kings, 10:30

Games of the Night:
Pittsburgh Penguins @ Detroit Red Wings
7:30 ET… TV: VERSUS

Video: Cooke's latest suspendable act

Today, Matt Cooke added another controversial hit to his long line of incidents. He elbowed Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh in the head during the third period. On the play, Cooke received a five-minute major and game misconduct, which helped the Rangers win the game 5-2.

Cooke was suspended four games for his boarding penalty to Fedor Tyutin last month. Considering he is a repeat offender and there's more of a focus on hits to head following this past week's GM Meetings, you can bet he'll get at least a big suspension (I'd say at least 6-10 games) for today's hit. It was an obvious blow to the head as Cooke extended his elbow on the play...

Conversation with Blake Geoffrion

I caught up with Predators rookie Blake Geoffrion in recent days to get his thoughts on his first couple weeks in the NHL.

RLD: You’ve been up now for a few weeks. What’s been the experience like in the NHL?
Geoffrion: It’s been great so far. Obviously there are a lot of differences here, flying charters instead of riding buses in the minors. The guys are great here. (Shea Weber) had me over for dinner with a couple of the rookies, so that was nice of him to do. Pretty quiet, pretty nervous first week, but I’m getting a little bit more comfortable and not nearly as nervous playing at home and stuff like that. Just need to continue to go here, and hopefully things will get more comfortable for me.”

Can Philly get back to the Cup final?

This is what the Philadelphia Flyers have been building towards ever since they lost in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals to the Chicago Blackhawks last June. The team is back in the playoffs and is primed to make a run back to where they think they belong: the finals. With the team they have, it can certainly be done.

Morning Skate: March 20

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Blue Jackets 5, Wild 4 (OT)
Sabres 8, Thrashers 2
Maple Leafs 5, Bruins 2
Senators 3, Lightning 2 (OT)
Islanders 4, Panthers 3 (SO)
Predators 3, Red Wings 1
Flyers 3, Stars 2 (SO)
Avalanche 3, Oilers 2 (SO)
Ducks 2, Kings 1 (OT)
Sharks 5, Blues 3
Predictions record: 6-4

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Joe Pavelski, SJ (3 Goals, 1 Assist)… Pavelski kept up his hot streak as his first career hat trick lifted the Sharks over St. Louis.
2. Rick Nash, CBJ (2 Goals, 2 Assists)
3. Pekka Rinne, NSH (39 Saves, 1 GA)
Close but no cigar: M. Mancari, BUF; J. Reimer and J. Crabb, TOR; C. McElhinney, OTT; M. Grabner, NYI; M. Duchene, COL; V. Leino, PHI
---

Today’s Slate:
Rangers @ Penguins, 12:30 ET
Predators @ Sabres, 5:00
Devils @ Blue Jackets, 5:00
Canadiens @ Wild, 6:00
Blackhawks @ Coyotes, 8:00
Flames @ Ducks, 8:00

Games of the Day:
New York Rangers @ Pittsburgh Penguins
12:30 ET… TV: NBC

Saturday Faceoff: Who’s the most underpaid player?

Everyone likes to talk about which players are overpaid (Wade Redden and Scott Gomez are usually subjects of that conversation). But what go unnoticed are some of the underpaid players. Here are two who Patrick and I believe give their teams a lot of bang for the buck. (Note: Only players with UFA status at the end of their current contracts were considered.)

Pekka Rinne
By Ryan Porth

Nashville’s Pekka Rinne has officially put his name on the map this season, emerging as a Vezina Trophy candidate. Rinne is also making as good a case as any other goalie to be included in the Hart Trophy conversation. He has done all of this while making less money than a lot of other (good) starting goalies.

The Stretch Run: March 19

Our stretch run feature has returned for the rest of the season, but not on a daily basis like last year. With less than a month left in the regular season and teams heading into the quarter pole, here is a rundown for each team with a breakdown of remaining games and playoff chances…

Eastern Conference
1. Philadelphia Flyers – 43-19-8, 94 pts.
Games remaining: 12 (6 home, 6 away)
Next five games: @ DAL, vs. WSH, vs. PIT, @ NYI, vs. BOS
SportsClubStats playoff percentage: 100%

Morning Skate: March 19

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Capitals 3, Devils 0
Rangers 6, Canadiens 3
Hurricanes 3, Islanders 2 (OT)
Coyotes 3, Canucks 1
Predictions record: 2-2

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Michal Neuvirth, WSH (33 Saves, Shutout)… Washington was outshot 33-12 by New Jersey, but that didn’t faze Neuvirth as he collected his fourth shutout of the year.
2. Jason LaBarbera, PHX (46 Saves, 1 GA)
3. Cam Ward, CAR (35 Saves, 2 GA)
---

Today’s Slate:
Blue Jackets @ Wild, 2:00 ET
Thrashers @ Sabres, 7:00
Bruins @ Maple Leafs, 7:00
Lightning @ Senators, 7:00
Islanders @ Panthers, 7:00
Red Wings @ Predators, 8:00
Flyers @ Stars, 8:00
Avalanche @ Oilers, 10:00
Ducks @ Kings, 10:30
Blues @ Sharks, 10:30

Games of the Night:
Detroit Red Wings @ Nashville Predators
8:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Friday Night Fights

The best fights from the last week...

A closer look at the West

Everyday the Western Conference standings look different. We all have busy lives, important things to be doing, and its tough to keep up. One day your team is sitting pretty in fourth, the next you’re out of the playoffs. So with 10 games left, give or take, we need to breakdown this logjam and give you a clear picture of what these teams are up against and if they have a realistic shot of staying in the top eight.

Morning Skate: March 18

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Thrashers 4, Flyers 3 (SO)
Red Wings 2, Blue Jackets 0
Canadiens 3, Lightning 2 (SO)
Senators 3, Devils 1
Panthers 4, Maple Leafs 0
Predators 4, Bruins 3 (OT)
Stars 5, Blackhawks 0
Flames 5, Avalanche 2
Coyotes 3, Oilers 1
Blues 4, Kings 0
Sharks 3, Wild 2
Predictions record: 7-4

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Joey MacDonald, DET (37 Saves, Shutout)… MacDonald filled in nicely for Jimmy Howard with a 37-save shutout in Columbus.
2. Ilya Bryzgalov, PHX (35 Saves, 1 GA)
3. Danny Briere, PHI (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
Close but no cigar: J. Benn and K. Lehtonen, DAL; S. Clemmensen, FLA; C. McElhinney, OTT; C. Price, MTL; M. D’Agostini and J. Halak, STL; J. Iginla, CGY; D. Legwand, NSH; N. Backstrom, MIN
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Capitals @ Devils, 7:00 ET
Canadiens @ Rangers, 7:00
Islanders @ Hurricanes, 7:00
Coyotes @ Canucks, 10:00

Games of the Night:
Montreal Canadiens @ New York Rangers
7:00 ET… TV: NHL Net. (US), TSN, Local Networks

Conversation with Tyler Seguin

I caught up with Bruins rookie and second overall draft pick in 2010, Tyler Seguin, today to get his thoughts on how his rookie campaign is going.

RLD: How would you describe how your rookie year has gone?
Tyler Seguin: There’s been lots of ups and downs… you can’t really put it into one word. I’m definitely glad that I’m on a team right now that’s chasing the Cup. It’s a great experience to be in. As a rookie, it feels good to be a part of something special and I think that’s what we have here in this room.

What if we had an Olympic point system?

Here is the sixth look of the 2010/11 season at the standings if there was a different points system. The most popular solution is to dish out three points per game (and the one I’m in favor of the most) like they do in the Olympics. A regulation win would be worth three points apiece, whereas an overtime/shootout victory will get you just two. The loser in extra time would still get a single point.

The tiebreaker at the end of the year would be total wins, followed by regulation wins. I’m a big fan of this system (which was used at this year’s Olympics), and did some ‘research’ as to what the standings would look like if this was indeed how we handed out the points.

It would create more excitement for the final two minutes of regulation in a tied game. Also, this eliminates all of the extra point crap when a game goes to OT, plus rewards teams for getting the job done in 60 minutes.

Here’s what this year’s standings would look like through last night’s action…

Morning Skate: March 17

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Maple Leafs 3, Hurricanes 1
Red Wings 3, Capitals 2
Canucks 4, Avalanche 2
Ducks 2, Blues 1
Predictions record: 3-1

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Ray Emery, ANA (30 Saves, 1 GA)… In his first start since returning from career-jeopardizing hip surgery, Emery delivered with 30 saves in Anaheim’s much-needed win.
2. Dion Phaneuf, TOR (2 Goals, 1 Assist)
3. Henrik Zetterberg, DET (2 Goals)
Close but no cigar: J. Reimer, TOR; J. Blake, ANA; A. Burrows, VAN; B. Rafalski, DET
---

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

Games of the Night:
Tampa Bay Lightning @ Montreal Canadiens
7:30 ET… TV: Local Networks

Nashville entrenched in tight race yet again

Another season, another photo-finish playoff race that the Nashville Predators are a part of.

The Western Conference playoff bubble seems to be a magnet that the Preds gravitate to every year at this time. No matter how they start the season, Barry Trotz and company seem to always find themselves in the middle of a frenetic late-season sprint to the finish line.

Wednesday Game of the Week

Two huge points on the line tonight in Carolina

With 12 games left on the schedule for both teams, it’s playoff hockey in March for the 11th-seeded Toronto Maple Leafs and their hosts tonight, the Carolina Hurricanes, who sit just below the cutoff at 9th in the East. As the 2010-11 season winds down, statistics take a back seat to momentum and the ability to excel under extreme pressure.

Can a fresher Luongo find postseason success?

What do Ryan Miller, Martin Brodeur, Henrik Lundqvist and Miikka Kiprusoff have in common? All four are outstanding workhorse goaltenders that have flamed out down the stretch or in the playoffs in recent seasons.

Before this season, Roberto Luongo was included in that conversation. But thanks to the helping hand of his new backup, Vancouver hopes less regular season starts for Luongo can equal (big) playoff success.

RLD Hockey Talk - Episode 51 Outline

You can listen to today's show HERE at 1 PM ET / Noon CT.

12:00 CT
- Show Introduction
- Welcome in co-host Buddy Oakes, Preds On The Glass
- Welcome in guest Joe Yerdon, Pro Hockey Talk
- Great time of year in hockey
- Zdeno Chara fallout
- Montreal’s reaction
- Affect on GM meetings
- Crazy playoff races
- Sleepers in each conference
- Capitals’ hot streak
- Is this Vancouver’s year?
- Can the Devils make the playoffs?
- Awards roundtable discussion
- Goalies in Hart race / MVP favorites
- Vezina, Norris, Jack Adams, Calder


12:25/30 CT
- Roundtable Discussion
- Re: GM Meetings… ways to improve the game
- Other various topics

Morning Skate: March 16

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s scores:
Devils 4, Thrashers 2
Rangers 6, Islanders 3
Bruins 3, Blue Jackets 2 (SO)
Capitals 4, Canadiens 2
Hurricanes 1, Sabres 0
Penguins 5, Senators 1
Flyers 3, Panthers 2
Kings 4, Predators 2
Sharks 6, Stars 3
Coyotes 4, Flames 3
Predictions record: 6-4

My 3 stars of the night:
1. Cam Ward, CAR (40 Saves, Shutout)… Ward closed the door and came up huge all night for the ‘Canes in a momentous win over Buffalo.
2. Marcus Johansson, WSH (2 Goals)
3. Jeff Carter, PHI (2 Goals)
Close but no cigar: M. Gaborik, NYR; T. Rask, BOS; A. Kopitar, LA; J. Pavelski and J. Thornton, SJ; J. Staal and T. Kennedy, PIT; J. Josefson, NJ; V. Fiddler, PHX
---

Tonight’s Slate:
Maple Leafs @ Hurricanes, 7:00 ET
Capitals @ Red Wings, 7:30
Avalanche @ Canucks, 10:00
Blues @ Ducks, 10:00

Games of the Night:
Washington Capitals @ Detroit Red Wings
7:30 ET… TV: VERSUS, Local Networks

The Stretch Run: March 15

Our stretch run feature has returned for the rest of the season, but not on a daily basis like last year. With less than a month left in the regular season and teams heading into the quarter pole, here is a rundown for each team with a breakdown of remaining games and playoff chances…

Eastern Conference
1. Philadelphia Flyers – 42-19-7, 91 pts.
Games remaining: 14 (6 home, 8 away)
Next five games: @ FLA, @ ATL, @ DAL, vs. WSH, vs. PIT
SportsClubStats playoff percentage: 100%

Three's company in Capitals crease

Growing up as a hockey player and a goaltender, I was always told that it is never a problem to have too many goaltenders. This seems to be the case right now for the Washington Capitals as they currently have Michal Neuvirth, Braden Holtby and Semyon Varlamov manning the crease.