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
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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.
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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