JUST THE TIP, JUST FOR A SECOND...
(Photo Credit: Buffalo News)
Sidney Crosby tips in a controversial goal for the win in overtime
Pittsburgh Penguins (18-11-4) over the Buffalo Sabres (16-13-5) 4-3 (OT)
TOP PERFORMER = Penguins D Alex Goligoski - 2 Goals, 1 Assist
In an earlier blog, I stated that when these two teams get together, no matter how good or bad the teams are, it's always a good hockey game. The Penguins and Sabres played another classic at the HSBC Arena last night, and this one was decided in overtime on a controversial goal.
The Sabres jumped out to a very early 1-0 lead (one minute in to the game) on a Daniel Paille goal from Teppo Numminen and Adam Mair. The bulk of the scoring would occur in the 2nd period, and it would start with Ales Kotalik giving Buffalo a 2-0 lead on a feed from Paille and Mair. The Penguins would battle back to tie the game on goals from Pascal Dupuis (who returned after missing one game because of a lower body injury) and Alex Goligoski. The Sabres would re-take the lead on a Clarke MacArthur power play goal before the end of the 2nd period. In the 3rd, Alex Goligoski tied the game on the power play midway through the period. In overtime, Sidney Crosby deflected an Evgeni Malkin shot from the point past Ryan Miller 43 seconds in to the period for the win. It was a close call whether or not Crosby's stick was above the crossbar, but the refs ruled it was a legal defelction.
Sidney Crosby ended a nine-game goal-scoring drought with the overtime winner. It was the longest such streak of his four-year NHL career. "It was pretty close," said Crosby, who scored for the first time since netting a hat trick against New Jersey last month. "But I don't think it was [a high-stick]. My stick was angled down. If I would have hit it a little higher up, I think we would have been flirting with danger a little bit more." Miller disagreed. "I didn't get a great look, but from my gut feel I thought it was a little high," he said. "Let's just hope they make the right call in Toronto."
Yesterday was the first time Ryan Miller lost back-to-back games after regulation since last season. The Sabres droped to 5-9-3 and when Thomas Vanek doesn't score a goal. Buffalo will get a chance to rebound from this loss Friday night when they travel down to DC to take on the Capitals. Pittsburgh will have a good opportunity to get a winning streak going when they host Tampa Bay tonight.
OTHER HEADLINES
-Columbus Blue Jackets center Derick Brassard, who suffered a dislocated shoulder on December 18 at Dallas, will undergo surgery and miss the rest of the 2008-09 season. The surgery will be performed in early-January. Brassard, 21, was injured during the first period of last Thursday's 6-5 shootout loss at Dallas shortly after scoring his 10th goal of the season. He tallied 10-15-25 with 17 penalty minutes and a +12 plus/minus rating in 31 games this season and currently leads all NHL rookies in scoring. He leads the Blue Jackets in assists, plus/minus and power play goals (three, tied) and ranks second in points and goals (tied).
-Philadelphia Flyers right wing Scottie Upshall will miss at least 10 and up to 14 days after suffering a sprained right knee. Upshall left Sunday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Devils late in the second period and did not return with what was termed a lower-body injury. The 25-year-old has five goals and 11 points in 33 games this season for Philadelphia.
LAST NIGHT'S RECAP
Toronto Maple Leafs (14-13-6) over the Atlanta Thrashers (11-18-4) 6-2
TOP PERFORMER = Maple Leafs C Matt Stajan - 2 Goals, 1 Assist
-The Maple Leafs have been on a roll lately and jumped on a slumping Thrashers team early in this one. Alexei Ponikarovsky (also had two assists) and Jeremy Williams scored in the 1st period and Matt Stajan scored late in the 2nd period to make it 3-0. Colby Armstrong scored with nine seconds remaining in the period to make it 3-1 heading in to the 2nd intermission. In the 4rd, Dominic Moore scored on the power play to make it 4-1, but Todd White answered back four minutes later with his 11th of the season to make it 4-2. Niklas Hagman would put Toronto back up by three a minute after that and Stajan would score his 2nd goal of the game in to the empty net to give Toronto their 6th win in their last 7 games. Nik Antropov chipped in with three assists while Justin Pogge made 19 saves in his first career NHL start.
Edmonton Oilers (15-14-3) over the Phoenix Coyotes (16-14-4) 4-2
TOP PERFORMER = Oilers D Lubomir Visnovsky - 2 Assists, 26:04 ice time
-The Oilers had a 2-0 lead heading in to the 1st intermission thanks to Zack Stortini's first goal of the seasno and Marc-Antoine Pouliot's 5th. In the 2nd period, Martin Hanzal and Enver Lisin (PPG) both scored goals to tie the game at 2 heading in to the 3rd period. The tie wouldn't last long in to the 3rd as Sheldon Souray scored on the power play 45 seconds in. Andrew Cogliano added a power play goal of his own for his 9th of the season. Phoenix, who went unbeaten in regulation in it's previous six games (4-0-2) was without F Peter Mueller because of a sore leg. It was just the Oilers' fifth win in 13 home games this season. Only Tampa Bay has fewer home victories.
Vancouver Canucks (19-12-3) over the Anaheim Ducks (18-13-3) 4-3
TOP PERFORMER = Canucks LW Daniel Sedin - 2 Goals
-In a potential playoff preview (I know it's early, but can't you see these two meeting up for an epic series?), Bobby Ryan (who also had two assists) put the Ducks on the board first on the power play. The Canucks would take the lead heading in to the first intermission thanks to power play goals from Mayson Raymond and Ryan Kesler (both their 8th of the season). In the 2nd period, Daniel Sedin scored his 16th of the season to make it 3-1. In the 3rd period, Sedin potted his 2nd goal of the game (17th of the season) to give Vancouver a 4-1 lead. Anaheim would rally back with goals from Scott Niedermayer (PPG) and Sammy Pahlsson, but could not get the 4th goal to force overtime. This was game was a firece battle throughout and Vancouver clearly got under Anaheim's skin as they drew nine power play opportunities. Anaheim C Brendan Morrison played his first game at GM Place since leaving Vancouver to join the Ducks as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. Morrison, a native of nearby Pitt Meadows, scored 393 points in 543 games with the Canucks. Anaheim C Todd Marchant played his 1,000th NHL game.
RUMOR MILL
-It appears that Calgary and Nashville are in trade talks. Calgary would send Matthew Lombardi, Jim Vandermeer, and a pick for Pekka Rinne, Greg DeVries, and the rights to Alexander Radulov. I like this trade for both sides. Calgary would get the backup goalie they need (Rinee), a defenseman that fits perfectly in to Keenan's system (DeVries, who seems to be the Reggie Sanders of the NHL), and the rights to a good player if he ever decides to come back. Nashville gets a draft pick (it's like getting a free lotto ticket), a good center who will give them depth at the position (Lombardi), and a solid all-around defenseman (Vandermeer)
-With one Swede off the board, now it's time to follow the Peter Forsberg sweepstakes. We're still a ways away, but look for him to go to either Colorado, Philly, the Rangers, or Chicago
AROUND THE BOARDS
-The NHL announced it's Three Stars of the Week
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=399582
-The Calgary Flames have recalled forward Brett Sutter from Quad City of the AHL. Sutter, the son of Flames General Manager Darryl Sutter, has played in 28 games for the Quad City Flames this season, netting one goal and adding six assists along with 21 penalty minutes. Sutter was a sixth-round pick of the Flames in 2005 and had 10 points in 75 games with Quad City last season, his first year as a pro.
-On Wednesday, Dec. 31, and Thursday, Jan. 1, the corner of West Waveland and North Clark Streets (aka Wrigley Field) will become NHL Winter Classic™ Spectator Plaza, a free outdoor hockey and entertainment fan festival, in celebration of the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic New Year's Day outdoor game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley. Weather permitting, fans of all ages can enjoy two fun-filled days of free entertainment - including a live musical performance, interactive hockey-themed attractions, an ice sculpting display, roving entertainment, chances to win tickets to the NHL Winter Classic game and the 2009 NHL All-Star Game in Montreal and more. On Wednesday, Dec. 31, the day's events will begin at 11 a.m. with the exclusive live NHL Network broadcast of the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings team practices from Wrigley Field. Fans in NHL Winter Classic Spectator Plaza will be able to view the team practices on a 14' x 18' LED video screen. WGN Radio 720 AM will broadcast live from Spectator Plaza on Wednesday and will give away a pair of Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic tickets to one lucky fan. Later that day, Chicago Blackhawks alumni will take center stage at NHL Winter Classic Spectator Plaza for an interactive WGN roundtable discussion. Game-day festivities begin at Spectator Plaza at 9 a.m. on Thurs., Jan. 1. Six professional face painters, four juggles and four stilt walkers from Chicago-based Productions USA, Inc. will provide roving entertainment. Local band, Maggie Speaks, will perform live from 9:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The Chicago Blackhawks will play host to the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field in the Bridgestone NHL Winter ClassicTM 2009 on New Year's Day. The game will be the 701st all-time meeting of the clubs – no NHL opponents have played more regular-season games against each other. Face-off is at 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT.
-The NHL announced that McDonald's USA has been named the League's official quick-service restaurant (QSR) in the United States. McDonald's is also the NHL's official QSR in Canada, and the company already has local relationships with 14 NHL teams.
TONIGHT'S ACTION
Boston (24-5-4) @ New Jersey (19-9-3) - 7PM
Atlanta (11-18-4) @ NY Islanders (10-20-3) - 7PM
%Washington (20-11-3) @ NY Rangers (22-12-2) - 7PM
Ottawa (12-14-5) @ Philadelphia (18-8-7) - 7PM
Los Angeles (13-14-6) @ Columbus (14-15-4) - 7PM
St. Louis (13-17-3) @ Detroit (22-6-4) - 7:30PM
Tampa Bay (7-16-9) @ Pittsburgh (18-11-4) - 7:30PM
Dallas (13-14-5) @ Toronto (14-13-6) - 7:30PM
Nashville (16-13-3) @ Florida (15-13-4) - 7:30PM
Carolina (16-13-5) @ Minnesota (16-14-2) - 8PM
Anaheim (18-13-3) @ Calgary (18-11-4) - 9PM
Phoenix (16-14-4) @ Colorado (16-16-1) - 9PM
Vancouver (19-12-3) @ San Jose (26-4-3) - 10PM
% = Game of the Night
^ALL TIMES EASTERN
*My weekly power rankings, "PLUS/MINUS", will come out on Wednesday Evening This Week (Sorry, I have to get some last minute Christmas stuff done)
~Dropping the Gloves with Andrew Bogusch will come out on Thursday this week, as our Christmas gift to you.
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