Morning Skate: February 22

The Morning After:
Yesterday’s results:
Flyers 5, Jets 4 (OT)
Devils 4, Maple Leafs 3 (OT)
Sabres 2, Islanders 1
Penguins 2, Rangers 0
Blue Jackets 6, Sharks 3
Stars 3, Canadiens 0
Lightning 3, Ducks 2
Blackhawks 2, Red Wings 1
Predators 3, Canucks 1
Oilers 6, Flames 1
Coyotes 5, Kings 4 (SO)

RLD 3 stars of the night:
1. Jeff Carter (hat trick)
2. Marc-Andre Fleury (27 saves, shutout)
3. Sam Gagner (1 goal, 2 assists)
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Tonight’s slate:
Capitals @ Senators, 7PM EST
Bruins @ Blues, 8 PM
Kings @ Avalanche, 9 PM

Game of the night:
Boston Bruins @ St. Louis Blues
7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Bruins (35-20-2) … Blues (36-16-7)
Away/Home: Bruins (17-10-0) … Blues (26-3-4)
Last 10: Bruins (4-6-0) … Blues (7-3-0)
Season Series: First meeting of the season

Starting goaltenders:
BOS- Tim Thomas (2011-12 stats: 24-12-0, 2.21 GAA)
STL- Brian Elliott (2011-12 stats: 20-6-2, 1.56 GAA)

Injury report:
BOS - Marc Savard (concussion, out), Nathan Horton (concussion, out), and Rich Peverley (right knee, out).
STL - Andy McDonald (flu, questionable), Jamie Langenbrunner (left foot, out), Matt D'Agostini (concussion, out), and Alex Steen (concussion, out).

Three things to watch:
1. Brian Elliott vs. Tim Thomas
There are a few parallels between Thomas and Elliott. Both players were previously discarded by their former teams. They both came up through college hockey and both made the All-Star team this season. Last season, Thomas led the NHL in goals against and save percentage while Elliott leads both categories this season. Expect this matchup of starting goalies to have a playoff feel to it.
2. The Bruins' slide
After dominating the first half, Boston is on a bit of a slide. This month, the Bruins lost six of their nine tilts as the team shows signs of mortality. Considering their talent level and placement in the standings, it should be only a matter of time before they bounce back. The question remains when.

3. Blues offense no longer signing blues
David Perron and Andy McDonald have been catalysts to coach Ken Hitchcock's club. With both players producing and the defensive system in full swing, the Blues should continue their ascent up the standings. Coming off a tough loss against the Blackhawks on Sunday, expect the team's top offensive players to try to score early, and often.

Final thought: Tonight's game should be a testament to hard work and defense. Both Hitchcock and Claude Julien are masterminds in their own right which should make the coaching in itself a pleasure to watch. The Blues probably squeeze this one out as they take advantage of the slumping Bruins. Prediction: Blues 3, Bruins 1

The rest of today’s predictions:
Senators over Capitals

Avalanche over Kings
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Five must-read links:
- On the Forecheck: How to Make Yourself an NHL Twitter "Insider": the E.K.L.U.N.D. System
- New York Times: Cherry Says Red Wings Don’t Fight Enough to Win
- Yahoo! Sports: Do the Sharks have the final piece already in place?
- Sporting News: John Tavares: Facing expectations and leading a franchise
- Western College Hockey: Paul Kelly Resigns from College Hockey Inc.
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Video of the day:


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