FTS - 11/29/08

TOP STORY

DREAM JOB

Brian Burke will become the next General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs

After an extremely long courtship, former Ducks and Canucks GM Brian Burke will be taking the same position with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Rumors about him taking the position in Toronto had been swirling for over a year. TSN of Canada is reporting that it is a six year deal worth about $18 million dollars. "I am really excited that Brian is able to get this straightened out, if it is true," Toronto coach Ron Wilson said to the Associated Press after Thursday's game.

Cliff Fletcher was hired as interim general manager of the Maple Leafs in January, and said at the time his goal was to "set the table" for the man who would permanently hold down the job after him. "He's done a great job setting the table for Burkie. An unbelievable job," Wilson said to the AP.

Burke recently turned down a contract extension to remain general manager of the Ducks, citing the need to spend more time with his family and the strong state of the team he helped turn into a Stanley Cup champion as reasons for leaving. Burke, 53, explained that he wants to spend more time with his six children, who live on the East Coast, and that 11 years of commuting coast-to-coast was enough for him. "This is the toughest decision I've ever had in my life, professionally, as far as what to do next," Burke said then. "I've been wrestling with the decision. I've got four older children on the East Coast and two little ones [4½ and 2½], and I don't see any of them enough. So I felt if I can get a chance to get in the same time zone with them, I'm going to take it."

He was replaced by Bob Murray on Nov. 12 and remained with the Ducks as a special consultant to CEO Michael Schulman through the transition period.The Ducks allowed him to immediately pursue positions even though his contract with the team wasn't set to expire until next summer.

This is one of those rare times where a job is filled by the perfect man for the position. When I say perfect man for the position, consider all of the following:

-It's been no secret that this is the position he has always coveted

-It's no secret that the Maple Leafs organization and fan base has wanted this guy for a long time

-Burke desperately wants to be a key cog in returning the Stanley Cup to Toronto

Out of any GM candidate in the league, getting the Maple Leafs back to a top-heavy Eastern Conference is a challenge that Brian Burke relishes and will succeed at. It will take a couple of years, but he is the most capable man for the job. Burke has a chance to become a saint in the eyes of Maple Leafs fans everywhere. Kudos to Anaheim to being extremly cooperative with him. He helped to deliver a Stanley Cup to the organization and deserved the courtesy.

OTHER HEADLINES

-Phoenix Coyotes center Olli Jokinen will be sidelined for at least two weeks with a shoulder injury. Jokinen, the second-leading scorer on the team with seven goals and 18 points, was injured in the first period of Wednesday's 3-2 win at Columbus when he was checked into the boards by Blue Jackets defenseman Marc Methot. The injury will end Jokinen's consecutive games streak at 397. He last missed a game in the 2002-03 season while he was with Florida. F Daniel Winnik was taken off the IR after missing six games because of an upper-body injury.

--One day after being placed on waivers by the Ottawa Senators, D Luke Richardson announced yesterday that he is ready to retire. Richardson, 39, skated in just two games with the Sens and had been a healthy scratch for most of the season. The 21-year veteran recorded 35 goals and 166 assists in 1,417 career games with Toronto, Edmonton, Philadelphia, Columbus, Tampa Bay and Ottawa. Richardson was originally taken seventh overall by the Maple Leafs in the 1987 draft.

LAST NIGHT'S RECAP

Boston Bruins (15-4-4) over the New York Islanders (9-12-2) 7-2
TOP PERFORMER = Bruins RW Michael Ryder - 2 Goals (1 on the PP)
The Islanders would lead 1-0 after the 1st period, but it would be all downhill from there. Chuck Kobasew (PPG) and Michael Ryder got the Bruins on the board in the 2nd period. Boston would pull away in the 3rd with goals from Blake Wheeler, David Krejci, Dennis Wideman (PPG), Ryder (PPG), and Phil Kessel. Richard Park would have the other Islanders goal. It was Boston's 10th win in their last 12 games.

Carolina Hurricanes (12-10-2) over the Philadelphia Flyers (11-6-5) 3-2 (OT)
TOP PERFORMER = Hurricanes LW Sergei Samsonov - 1 Goal (GW)
-In a very evenly matched game, the Flyers would strike first in the 1st period on a Joffrey Lupul power-play goal. IN the 2nd period, Patrtick Dwyer and Tuomo Ruutu would give Carolina the lead, but Jeff Carter would answer back with a power play goal of his own before the intermission. Samsonov scored the game winner with 1:07 left in OT. The Flyers, who won seven of their previous eight, were denied their longest winning streak since they won eight straight in 1999-2000. The Flyers have killed off 15 straight penalties and 52 of 54 power plays in the last 10 games.

Minnesota Wild (13-7-1) over the Tampa Bay Lightning (6-9-7) 4-2
TOP PERFORMER = Wild G Nicklas Backstrom - 35 Saves
The teams would be even after the first period thanks to goals from Owne Nolan and Radim Vrbata (PPG). In the 2nd period, Ryan Malone would give the Lightning the lead. In the 3rd, James Sheppard tied the game two minutes in to the period. Mikko Koivu would give the Wild the lead for good on a beautiful drive to the net. Eric Belanger would add an empty-net goal. Wild D Marc-Andre Bergeron would add 2 assists. Wild forward Andrew Brunette has the longest consecutive games streak in the NHL at 474.

Phoenix Coyotes (10-10-2) over the Colorado Avalanche (10-12-0) 2-1
TOP PERFORMER = Coyotes G Mikael Tellqvist - 37 Saves

The Phoenix Coyotes got back to .500 with a solid win over the struggling Avalanche. Derek Morris put Phoenix on the board early in the game and Kevin Porter would add a goal in the 2nd period. Avs winger Ryan Smith would be the only shooter to beat Mikael Tellqvist in the game early in the 3rd period. Coyotes RW Enver Linsen contributed two assists. The Avalanche have been held to one goal or fewer in seven of their last 10 games. Colorado defensemen John-Michael Liles and Adam Foote did not make the trip. Foote is out with neck, back and knee injuries. Liles missed Wednesday's victory over St. Louis due to flu-like symptoms and was still feeling ill on Thursday. Coyotes LW Daniel Winnik returned to the lineup after missing six games with an upper-body injury.

Anaheim Ducks (13-8-3) over the Chicago Blackhawks (10-5-6) 1-0
TOP PERFORMER = Ducks G Jonas Hiller - 26 Saves (Shutout)

Ryan Getzlaf would score the only goal of the game on a set up from Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan. It was the Ducks third straight win and Hiller's 2nd career shutout. Hiller is 4-0 in his last six appearances and has stopped 131 of the last 138 shots he has faced. Jean-Sebastian Giguere is expected to return as starter on Sunday vs. Carolina. He is home dealing with family issues in Montreal. This was the first time the Blackhawks were shutout this season. The Ducks are 11-0-3 against Chicago at home since Feb. 7, 2001. Ducks defenseman Bret Hedican was honored in a pregame ceremony after appearing in his 1,000th NHL game in St. Louis on Nov. 22.

Buffalo Sabres (11-8-3) over the Pittsburgh Penguins (13-6-3) 4-3
TOP PERFORMER = Sabres RW Drew Stafford - 2 Goals, 1 assist

The teams would be even at 1 after the first period thanks to goals from Tyler Kennedy and Drew Stafford. In the 2nd period, Paul Gaustad would give the Sabres a short-lived lead on the power play. 34 seconds later, Sidney Crosby tied the game. He would give the Penguins the lead with just under a minute remaining in the period. In the 3rd period, Drew Stafford and Paul Gaustad would each add their 2nd goal of the game to move ahead of the Penguins for the win. The Sabres have won two straight after a season-high five-game losing streak. Friday was just the second regulation loss in the month of November for the Penguins. Penguins D Philippe Boucher played one shift in the second period, then left the ice and didn't return because of an undisclosed injury. He is day-to-day.

Detroit Red Wings (15-3-4) over the Columbus Blue Jackets (9-10-3) 5-3
TOP PERFORMER = Red Wings RW Marian Hossa - 2 goals

As they always do, Detroit had to grind out and battle for a division win. Jakub Voracek and Henrik Zetterberg (PPG) would keep thins even at 1 after the 1st period. In the 2nd period, Jiri Hudler (PPG), Fedor Tyutin, and Marian Hossa would alternate goals to give the Red Wings a 2 period-edge. In the 3rd period, Fedor Tyutin would tie the game at 3 just over a minute in to the period. With 2 minutes remaining in the game, Marian Hossa would score the winner from Pavel Datstyuk. Kris Draper would add a shorthanded empty-net goal. Detroit RW Dan Cleary returned after missing eight games because of an eye infection. Red Wings' RW Tomas Holmstrom missed his fifth game with back spasms.

Washington Capitals (13-7-3) over the Montreal Canadiens (12-6-4) 3-0
TOP PERFORMER = Capitals G Jose Theodore - 28 Saves & SO

Thomas Fleischmann would score in the 1st period and that would be all the Caps needed. This was Theodore's first shutout with the Capitals. Alexander Ovechkin and Dave Steckel added goals in the 3rd period. Alex Ovechkin extended his point streak to 10 game. The Caps improved to 9-0-1 at home this season and 17-1-1 in the last 19 games when Ovechkin scores a goal (including last season). Montreal was shut out for the first time this season. The Canadiens were without LW Alex Tanguay (whiplash). RW Georges Laraque missed his third straight game because of a groin injury. Capitals D Tom Poti was scratched because of a groin injury. Seven Washington regulars missed the game because of injuries. To replace Poti, the Capitals recalled D Bryan Helmer from Hershey. The 36-year-old Helmer played in his first NHL game since April 2004 with Phoenix.

New York Rangers (17-7-2) over the Florida Panthers (8-11-3) 4-3 (SO)
TOP PERFORMER = Rangers RW Nikolai Zherdev - 1 Goal, 1 Shootout goal

The Rangers woud jump out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche. Florida would get one back in the 1st period (Radek Dvorak) and then tie the game in the 2nd period on a Jay Bouwmeester PPG. In the 3rd period, Aaron Voros and David Booth would trade goals (btw, Booth now has 12 goals) to keep the game tied. In the shootout, Markus Naslund and Zherdev would score to ive the Rangers the win. Rangers D Michal Rozsival had two assists while G Henrik Lundqvist made 40 saves. Panththers G Craig Anderson made 43 saves in the loss. After scoring the game's first goal, Nikolai Zherdev had assisted on or scored each of the Rangers' last seven even-strength goals. Nick Tarnasky, acquired from Nashville on Thursday, made his debut for the Panthers.

Nashville Predators (11-9-2) over the Atlanta Thrashers (8-11-3) 4-3 (OT)
TOP PERFORMER = Predators D Ryan Suter - 1 Goal

Dan Hamhuis and Todd White would trade goals to keep the game tied after the 1st period. In the 2nd period, Scott Nichol and Nathan Oystrick would do the same. The Predators would again strike first in the 3rd period thanks to Jason Arnott, but Atlanta would follow the trend of answering back off the stick of Ilya Kovalchuk. In overtime, Ryan Suter would end things on a breakaway set up by Shea Weber and G Pekka Rinne. Veteran Wade Belak, acquired from Florida on Thursday, played his first game for Nashville at right wing.

San Jose Sharks (19-3-1) over the Dallas Stars (7-11-4) 6-2
TOP PERFORMER = Sharks D Dan Boyle - 2 goals

Joe Pavelski would open the scoring for San Jose mdway through the first period. Loui Eriksson would answer back with his 11th goal of the season 91 seconds later. Dan Boyle would score both of his goals before the end of the 1st period (one of them was on the PP) and Dallas wouldn't get close the rest of the way. Milan Michalek (PPG), Rob Blake, and Tomas Pilhal all added goals on before Dallas finally responded with a late goal from James Neal. Sharks RW Ryan Clowe had 3 assists on the night. Nabokov won his second straight game after missing seven because of a lower-body injury. The Sharks have now won 6 in a row. The Sharks have scored six or more goals in four of their last six games and scored four or more goals seven times this month. By comparison, they've allowed two or fewer goals seven times (This is a really good hockey team, folks).


RUMOR MILL

-Kings D Tom Preissing has been quietly, but not actively, shopped by the Kings. It looks like Ottawa is a new potential partner for a deal to bring him back to the Senators.

AROUND THE BOARDS

-Washington Capitals forward Chris Clark will be sidelined at least three weeks with a stress fracture in his forearm. D Jeff Schultz has a broken finger and will be sidelined four to six weeks.

-Atlanta goalie Kari Lehtonen, who hasn't played since Oct. 30, had an injection Thursday as part of the treatment for his ailing back and could be skating in a few days.

-The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled D Andrew Hutchinson from their AHL affiliate in Norfolk. Hutchinson, who signed as a free agent this past summer, had a goal and 13 assists in 20 games for Norfolk this season. He led all AHL defensemen with 64 points last season with Hartford and was named the league's Eddie Shore Award winner as the most outstanding defenseman.

-The Chicago Blackhawks have placed D Aaron Johnson on injured reserve with an arm injury. Johnson has already matched a career high with three goals this season and has added four assists for seven points in 18 games. He also leads the team and is fifth in the NHL with a plus-13 rating. The Blackhawks, with goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin considered day-to-day with a lower body injury, have recalled netminder Corey Crawford from Rockford (AHL). Crawford is 6-3-0 with a 2.75 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in nine games with Rockford this season. He appeared in five games with the Blackhawks last season, posting a 1-2 record with a 2.14 GAA.

GAME OF THE NIGHT
Detroit Red Wings (15-3-4) @ Boston Bruins (15-4-4) - 7PM

The Bruins seek to win nine straight home games for the first time in more than 25 years on Saturday, when they match up against a Detroit Red Wings team that boasts the best road record in the NHL. The Bruins lost back to back games and then rebounded in a big way with a 7-2 beating of the Islanders yesterday. Like Boston, Detroit had been hot this month, going 7-0-1 before back-to-back losses earlier this week. The Red Wings prevented a three-game slide with a 5-3 home victory over Columbus last night. These Original Six teams have split their last 12 meetings, although Detroit has won three of its last five visits to Boston. This is arguably a battle of the 2nd best teams in each conference right now.

Other Action:
Edmonton (9-10-2) @ St. Louis (9-9-2) - 2PM
Chicago (10-5-6) @ Los Angeles (9-9-3) - 4PM
Buffalo (11-8-3) @ Montreal (12-6-4) - 7PM
Ottawa (8-9-4) @ NY Islanders (9-12-2) - 7PM
Philadelphia (11-6-5) @ Toronto (7-9-6) - 7PM
Washington (13-7-3) @ Columbus (9-10-3) - 7PM
New Jersey (12-7-2) @ Pittsburgh (13-6-3) - 7:30PM
Minnesota (13-7-1) @ Nashville (11-9-2) - 8PM
Tampa Bay (6-9-7) @ Colorado (10-12-0) - 9PM
San Jose (19-3-1) @ Phoenix (10-10-2) - 9PM
Vancouver (14-7-2) @ Calgary (14-7-2) - 10PM

SUNDAY ACTION
Florida (8-11-3) @ NY Rangers (16-7-2) - 1PM
St. Louis (9-9-2) @ Atlanta (8-11-3) - 3PM
Edmonton (9-10-2) @ Dallas (7-11-4) - 6PM
Anaheim (13-8-3) @ Carolina (12-10-2) - 7PM (GAME OF THE NIGHT)

^ALL TIMES EASTERN


*My weekly power rankings, "PLUS/MINUS", comes out Monday evenings

~Dropping the Gloves with Andrew Bogusch comes out tonight!

FEEL FREE TO COMMENT OR EMAIL ANYTIME HERE OR AT FROMTHESLOT@GMAIL.COM

DROPPING THE GLOVES w/ ANDREW BOGUSCH - 11/26/08

It’s Thanksgiving in the US (just Thursday in Canada). Before we Americans thank whomever for the bountiful feast in front of us, let’s give thanks for the entertaining game in our arenas and on our TVs…

I’m thankful for FROM THE SLOT since I now have a place to ramble aimlessly about my favorite sport. Hopefully one day soon, more than 8 people will check out what Mr. Bernard is doing everyday.

I’m thankful for NHL CENTER ICE because there is nothing like falling asleep to a Sharks, Canucks or Oilers game – until you wake up at 3am and you are back on the channel lineup for that night with that annoying music playing. That tune has quickly become the soundtrack of my nightmares.

And while I wish Center Ice had more of it, I’m (very) thankful for HIGH-DEFINITION. If you’re watching games nightly in HD, this needs no explanation. If you’re not, BOO…

I’m thankful for the NHL NETWORK because 24/7 hockey programming is as good as it gets. NHL Live and Classic Series are already must-watches. Voices and Day in the Life are fun. And On the Fly is the best highlight show on television. Hopefully soon, other shows/network follow suit and start showing their highlights in 90-second to 2-minute chunks.

I’m thankful the RANGERS haven’t missed Jaromir Jagr or Sean Avery yet (this is for purely personal reasons). Losing your captain and one of the greatest goal scorers ever could have been an issue. And I would’ve told you in October that letting Avery go to Dallas would haunt the Blueshirts. But here they are, led by Henrik Lundqvist and Nikolai Zherdev, with 15 wins and 32 points.

I’m thankful I’m not a SENATOR, PANTHER, STAR, or ISLANDER fan. Ottawa couldn’t be more disappointing at this point. Florida hasn’t been relevant in years. Dallas can’t get out of its own way, wasting all the momentum built by last year’s run to the Western Conference finals. And Long Island isn’t Manhattan, or even Newark.

I’m thankful for MILAN LUCIC because the NHL needs more “hockey players”. Whether it’s muscling his way to the net and scoring a key goal or sticking up for a teammate, Lucic is a factor almost every night for the surprising Bruins. If I was not from NYC and had to possess a general dislike for all things Boston, I might consider purchasing a Bruins #17 jersey.

I’m thankful for KEVIN BIEKSA and SHEA WEBER. My man-crush continues with these two rugged blueliners from Vancouver and Nashville – and for the same reasons I’m smitten with Lucic. Growing up, I always envisioned myself in the NHL as someone like Alex Kovalev, big and strong but still supremely talented. Now I wouldn’t mind being a right-handed D-man with a big shot who’s always willing to fight.

I’m thankful for ROCKY WIRTZ, PATRICK KANE, and JONATHAN TOEWS in Chicago. The chairman and the two young studs have made hockey in the Windy City relevant again. And as cliché as it is, the league is better off with the Hawks being better off.

I’d be thankful, if I were BARRY MELROSE, that I’m no longer the head coach of the Lightning. The circus is just setting up its tent in Tampa. Oren Koules and Len Barrie certainly embarrassed Melrose by dumping him 16 games into the season, but once the sting subsides Barry will realize how lethal a bullet he just dodged.

I’m thankful for whomever voted MIKE EMRICK into the Hall of Fame this year. The long-time voice of the Devils and national TV broadcasts is one of the nicest men you could meet…on top of calling a tremendous hockey game.

Hopefully, I’ll soon be thankful for the guy(s) who decks Ottawa pest JARKKO RUUTU. As written last week, it is OK to run around the rink agitating. Just be willing (once a month or so) to put the gloves down and pay for what you’re doling out.

* * *

The Shootout…Whether you root for the Canucks, Canadiens, Senators, Rangers, or anyone else connected to the Mats Sundin sweepstakes, be thankful Brian Burke will soon be running things in Toronto. His official hiring should lead to the official re-signing of Sundin, who has been prepping for a comeback in LA over the last few weeks. Sundin in Toronto should spare you some unnecessary frustration. Yes, he is a future Hall of Famer, but he is also 37, far from his prime. It won’t be pretty initially as he builds up his game against younger guys in mid-season form. Plus, it is not a given that the guys in the locker room will immediately take to someone, even Sundin, waltzing in two months into the season.

It’s been 48 hours and what Ryan O’Byrne’s intentions were Monday night against the Islanders is still unclear. The young defenseman played the puck into his (open) net during a delayed penalty. The mistake evened the game at 3-3 with 4-1/2 minutes to play -- the Islanders eventually won in a shootout. The game ended with the Bell Centre fans chanting “O’BYRNE”, which will do more damage than losing one point in the standings.

Finally, to “Third Jersey Watch”. The Hurricanes, Blues and Penguins were a great start, but most of the teams that unveiled theirs in the last week lost an edge. It took Phoenix, Ottawa and Tampa Bay seven weeks into the season to come up with a dancing dog, SENS across the chest, and BOLTS on a diagonal?! Black was a copout by the Coyotes – why not push the envelope by being the first team to use gray as a primary color? And in Tampa in particular, why not exploit the strength of your logo (the lightning bolt)? Wouldn’t an emboldened bolt look better than B-O-L-T-S haphazardly across a blue background?

FTS - 11/26/08

TOP STORY

FINE MASONRY

(Photo Credit - Mark Humphrey - AP)

Chris Mason pitches a shutout against his old team in Nashville

St. Louis Blues (9-8-2) over the Nashville Predators (10-9-2) 1-0 (SO)

Homecomings for players are always memorable. Sometimes they are memorable, sometimes they are forgettable. For Chris Mason, it doesn't get more memorable than a 47-save shutout, 2 saves in the shootout, and a 1-0 shootout win. It was the first time the Predators had been shutout at home since Jan. 13, 2004, a span of 148 games. The last time it happened, the Predators skated off with a 0-0 tie against Los Angeles with Mason in goal.

I was actually able to watch a good portion of this game, and Chris Mason made some spectacular saves in his 13th career shutout. This marked the most shots the Predators have recorded in a game without scoring. "It was a good night," said Mason, who spent parts of six seasons with the Predators. "This is definitely one of the top games in my career, so far. I was with Nashville for so long. It was just crazy." Mason gave a lot of credit to his teammates. "The guys blocked about a million shots, too," he said. "There were a lot of scrambles in front of the net and they cleared the pucks out. We got two points, and we battled our way to get them."

Mason outdueled Nashville's Dan Ellis, who also posted his first blanking with a 17-save effort but allowed shootout goals to David Perron and Brad Boyes. It was the seventh career shutout for Ellis. Both players beat him in the shootout with identical moves. Nashville outshot St. Louis 47-17 in an extremely physical game with a lot of good hits. The 30-shot advantage for the Predators was the largest in franchise history. Nashville outshot St. Louis 11-3 in the third period and 9-1 in overtime.

Despite the big shutout, Chris Mason will get to rest tonight as Manny Legace will man the crease for the Blues in Colorado tonight as St. Louis looks for it's 4th win in a row. Nashville has two nights off before they get a chance to rebound in Atlanta on Friday night.

OTHER HEADLINES

-Former Tampa Bay Lightning Associate Coach Mike Sullivan has returned to the team and will serve as associate coach to Interim Head Coach Rick Tocchet, Executive Vice President & General Manager Brian Lawton announced. In addition, Assistant Coach Cap Raeder will become goaltending coach and oversee the development of the organization's netminders in Tampa Bay, Norfolk(AHL), Augusta (ECHL), and unsigned prospects in the system. Wes Walz remains as an assistant coach on Tocchet’s staff.

-Another son of hockey great Patrick Roy is facing disciplinary action for on-ice behavior. Frederick Roy was suspended 15 games Monday by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for high sticking during the Quebec Remparts' game against the Montreal Juniors last Friday. Roy, a forward with the Remparts, struck Montreal defenseman Vincent Bourgeois in the mouth during a timeout. The league decided to suspend Roy after reviewing video of the incident and interviewing those involved. The suspension comes eight months after Roy's brother, Jonathan, was suspended for seven games by the junior hockey league for participating in on-ice fight. Jonathan Roy is facing criminal charges for attacking goalie Bobby Nadeau during a game. Patrick Roy was suspended for five games for the incident.

-Five years since his last NHL game, veteran NHL winger Claude Lemieux signed a contract to play for the Worcester Sharks (AHL). The 43-year-old Lemieux, a 20-year NHL veteran with Montreal, New Jersey, Colorado, Phoenix and Dallas is a four-time Stanley Cup Champion. He is also one of only eight players in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup with three different teams.

LAST NIGHT'S RECAP

Atlanta Thrashers (8-10-2) over the Toronto Maple Leafs (7-9-5) 6-3
TOP PERFORMER = Thrashers C Todd White - 2 Goals

-Atlanta controlled this game from the beginning and had a 3-0 lead (Colby Armstrong, Todd White and Chris Thorburn were the goal scorers) midway through the 2nd period before Nik Antropov would get Toronto on the board. Ilya Kovalchuk would make it 4-1 before the end of the period and the Thrashers wouldn't look back. Thrashers G Johan Hedberg made 32 saves in the win while Curtis Jospeh made 24 saves in the loss. Toronto hasn't been outshot in a game since 10/17.

Calgary Flames (12-9-1) over the Los Angeles Kings (8-9-3) 6-2
TOP PERFORMER = Flames LW Curtis Glencross - 1 Goal, 2 assists
-Calgary traditionally plays well against the Kings and last night was no different. The Kings trailed Calgary 4-0 after two periods and were never really in this game. Jarome Iginla had a goal and an assist, Craig Conroy had three assists, Rene Bourque had two goals, and Matthew Lombardi had two assists. Former King Mike Cammalleri scored the first goal of the game against his former team. G Miika Kiprusoff made 23 saves in the win while G Erik Ersberg was pulled from the game for the first time in his first string of starts. Alexander Frolov and Anze Kopitar scored for Los Angeles. Kings D Denis Gauthier played his first game in Calgary since 2004. Gauthier played 384 NHL games in nine seasons with the Flames.

RUMOR MILL

-Everyone is looking at the Leafs to make a deal with GM Brian Burke within the week, but also look for them to make a big trade soon as well.

-The Canadiens are looking for a defenseman to help their power play

-The Flames are shopping D Cory Sarich (probably not the fit Montreal is looking for).

AROUND THE BOARDS

-The Colorado Avalanche placed forward Darcy Tucker on the IR with a knee injury he suffered against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night. He's expected to be sidelined for about four weeks. The Avalanche recalled defenseman Kyle Cumiskey from Lake Erie of the American Hockey League. Cumiskey leads all Monster defensemen in scoring with eight points - one goal and seven assists - in 16 games.

-The Tampa Bay Lightning traded minor league center Wyatt Smith to the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday for future considerations. Smith played in 18 games with Norfolk of the AHL this season. The 31-year-old forward has played in 211 career NHL games with Phoenix, Nashville, Minnesota, Colorado and the New York Islanders. The Lightning also reassigned goalie Karri Ramo to Norfolk.

-The Maple Leafs will be without D Jonas Frogren for up to six weeks after an MRI revealed two muscle tears in his arm, according to the Toronto Sun. Frogren's injury occurred during the first period of Toronto's 5-4 loss to the Blackhawks on Saturday night. "We thought it could be serious, but we really didn't know," Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher told the Sun. "It happened to Jonas on his first shift of the game but he kept playing (before leaving early in the second period)." The ailing Leafs squad had nine defencemen at one point this season but are now down to six. Ian White will be shifted to the blue line to fill in after spending nine games as a forward.

-Reebok announced Tuesday that it's enlisted Jason Spezza to market it's products. He will be joining other NHL stars such as Sidney Crosby, Pavel Datsyuk, Roberto Luongo and Martin Brodeur. In addition to wearing and marketing the company's gear, Spezza will be involved in "future development and insight into how we design products," said Len Rhodes, general manager of Reebok-CCM hockey.

GAME OF THE NIGHT
Montreal Canadiens (11-5-4) @ Detroit Red Wings (14-2-4) - 7:30PM

I'm a sucker for Original 6 match-ups. This match up happens to put two of the best teams in the NHL against one another in Hockeytown. The Red Wings are coming off a 3-2 OT loss at Vancouver. However, they are 7-0-2 in their last 9 and their offense is registering 3.65 goals per game. The Red Wings also boast the NHL's top power-play unit with a 32.9 percent conversion rate (28-for-85). With a 4-4-3 mark this month, the Canadiens have slowed after going 7-1-1 in October. In its past two games, Montreal has lost consecutive games in shootouts, most recently Monday in a 4-3 loss to the New York Islanders. Montreal's defense, giving up 2.55 goals per contest, has kept it competitive. However the Canadiens have scored more than three goals just once in their last 10 games -- a 4-0 win over Ottawa on Nov. 11. Additionally, Montreal has also converted just 15 of 100 power-play chances, and that has translated into a 3-2-3 record in one-goal games this month. Detroit has taken seven of its last home eight contests with the Montreal Canadiens. Despite splitting the last four meetings, the Red Wings also are 13-4-0 against Montreal since 1994.

Other Action:
Boston (14-3-4) @ Buffalo (9-8-3) - 7PM
Philadelphia (10-6-4) @ Carolina (11-9-2) - 7PM

Atlanta (8-10-2) @ Washington (11-7-3) - 7PM

Pittsburgh (12-5-3) @ NY Islanders (9-10-2) - 7PM

Phoenix (8-10-2) @ Columbus (9-8-3) - 7PM

NY Rangers (15-7-2) @ Tampa Bay (6-8-6) - 7:30PM

New Jersey (11-7-2) @ Florida (8-11-1) - 7:30PM

Dallas (6-10-4) @ Minnesota (12-6-1) - 8PM

St. Louis (9-8-2) @ Colorado (9-11-0) - 9PM

Los Angeles (8-9-3) @ Edmonton (9-9-2) - 10PM

Chicago (10-4-5) @ San Jose (17-3-1) - 10:30PM

THANKSGIVING NIGHT ACTION

Toronto (7-9-5) @ Ottawa (7-9-4) - 7:30PM

Calgary (12-9-1) @ Vancouver (14-6-2) - 10PM - GAME OF THE NIGHT

^ALL TIMES EASTERN

`Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, there will be no blog tomorrow

*My weekly power rankings, "PLUS/MINUS", comes out Monday evenings

~Dropping the Gloves with Andrew Bogusch comes out tonight!

FEEL FREE TO COMMENT OR EMAIL ANYTIME HERE OR AT FROMTHESLOT@GMAIL.COM

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving I hope everyone gets to stuff their face on Turkey Day like I will be doing tomorrow. If you get the chance to try deep fried turkey, do yourself a favor and eat as much of it as you can.

FTS - 11/25/08

TOP STORY

4 IN A ROW

(Photo Credit - Darryl Dyck - Canadian Press)

Kyle Wellwood celebrates a late goal against Red Wings G Chris Osgood

After missing the previous two games with the flu, D Sami Salo returned in a big way last night. He set up the tying goal with 2:25 left in regulation and scored the winner on a power play 2:33 into overtime, lifting Vancouver to a 3-2 victory over the Red Wings. The tying goal that Daniel Sedin scored came 50 seconds after Pavel Datsyuk gave Detroit the lead with a power-play goal. The Red Wings outshot Vancouver 34-16 through regulation, but the Canucks took all 8 shots in OT.

Taylor Pyatt scored the other Vancouver goal while Mikael Samuelsson scored the other Red Wings goal. Curtis Sanford made 32 saves in his first start since star goalie Roberto Luongo was injured while Chris Osgood made 21 saves in the loss. The Canucks did Vancouver lose RW Steve Bernier to an undisclosed injury midway through the first period and he never came back.

While you never like to lose, this is no big deal for the Red Wings. They are bound to lose games from time to time and ran in to a very hot Vancouver team. They still managed to escape with a point, but had their 5 game winning streak snapped. Detroit finished the Western Canada road trip at 2-0-1 and head home for a two-game home swing, starting with Montreal tomorrow night.

If you're the Canucks, this is a huge win. They have won four in a row and got a big performance from Curtis Sanford in net. You could do a lot worse than Sanford as your backup and could be a starter on some teams. When you can get a win against a team like the Red Wings after losing your captain/starting goalie when you were already on a roll, look out. Up next for Vancouver is a home and home against the rival Flames.

OTHER HEADLINES

-The St. Louis Blues have traded forward Lee Stempniak to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for D Carlo Colaiacovo and winger Alex Steen. I think this is a pretty even deal for both teams. St. Louis needed some help on the blue line and what they are losing in Stempniak they are getting most of that back in Steen. As for the Leafs, a guy like Stempniak could jump start the offense a little bit.

-After missing seven games with a lower-body injury, G Evgeni Nabokov will start for the Sharks tomorrow night against the Chicago Blackhawks. He felt ready to play for most of the past week, but coach Todd McLellan refused to rush his franchise goalie back into action before he was fully ready. "It's been how many, three weeks?" Nabokov said after a full practice Monday. "You've got to get back in it and make sure everything is the way it was. I'm looking forward to it." Brian Boucher went 5-1-1 in Nabokov's absence.

LAST NIGHT'S RECAP

New York Rangers (15-7-2) over the Phoenix Coyotes (8-10-2) 4-1
TOP PERFORMER = Rangers RW Nikolai Zherdev - 3 Assists
-This was a pretty even contest until the 3rd period, when the Rangers took control of the game. The Blueshirts seem to be making a habit of taking over games in the 3rd period after sleepwalking through the first two. Blair Betts, Brandon Dubinsky, Dan Girardi (PPG) and Scott Gomez (EN) were the 4 goal scorers for the Rangers while Enver Lisin scored the lone Coyotes goal. Henrik Lundqvist made 35 saves to earn his league-leading 13th win of the year while Ilya Bryzgalov made 32 saves in Phoenix's 6th straight loss. The Coyotes are 3-for-33 on the power play during their skid.

Philadelphia Flyers (10-6-4) over the Dallas Stars (6-10-4) 4-3
TOP PERFORMER = Flyers LW Mike Knuble - 2 Goals
-Atlantic Division look out, because the Flyers are on a five-game winning streak. Dallas kept things close, but a late Mike Knuble goal gave Philly the edge. Jeff Carter and Scottie Upshall had the other Flyers goals while Landon Wilson and Mike Modano (2 goals) scored for Fallas. Stars G Marty Turco, who was playing in his 400th NHL game, made 21 saves in the loss. Flyers winger Simon Gagne had two assists in the win.

New York Islanders (9-10-2) over the Montreal Canadiens (11-5-4) 4-3 (SO)
TOP PERFORMER = Canadiens D Ryan O'Byrne (scored in his own net to give the Isles a chance to win)

-Ryan O'Byrne allowed the tying goal when he put the puck in his own net on a delayed penalty, and Bill Guerin scored the shootout clincher for the New York Islanders in a 4-3 victory over Montreal on Monday night.Bill Guerin was credited with the goal on O'Byrne's gaffe, which made it 3-all at 15:13 of the third period. Richard Park and Trent Hunter also scored for the surging Islanders, who won for the fifth time in six games. Each of the Canadiens' last six games has been decided by one goal or in a shootout and forward Alexei Kovalev has no goals in his last 10 games. Islanders D Thomas Pock served the fifth and final game of his suspension for elbowing Ottawa forward Ryan Shannon in the head Nov. 13.

Florida Panthers (8-11-1) over the Carolina Hurricanes (11-9-2) 3-2
TOP PERFORMER = Panthers LW Ville Peltonen - 1 goal, 1 assist
-David Booth scored his 10th goal of the season and Ville Peltonen scored to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead after the 1st perio.d Tuomo Rutut and Chad LaRose answere back early in the 2nd period to tie things up. Late in the 2nd, Gregorry Campball would score the game winner. Panthers G Tomas Vokoun made 27 saves in the win. Carolina has scored two goals or less in nine of its last 10 games. The Hurricanes lost their second straight game following a three-game winning streak.

Minnesota Wild (12-6-1) over the Washington Capitals (11-7-3) 4-3
TOP PERFORMER = Wild RW Cal Clutterbuck - 2 goals
-Cal Clutterbuck would score career goals 1 and 2 (the 2nd on the PP) to get the Wild going. The Wild would take a 4-0 lead in the 3rd period thanks to goals from Marek Zidlicky (PPG) and James Sheppard. Washington would make a charge in the back half of the 3rd period with goals from Matt Bradley, Alexander Ovechkin, and Nicklas Backstrom (PPG - btw, Nicklas Backstrom scored on Nicklas Backstrom...go figure). Caps G Jose Theodore made 29 saves in the loss while Wild G Nicklas Backstrom stopped 25 shots in the win. Washington lost its third consecutive game, its first three-game regulation losing streak since Bruce Boudreau became coach.

Anaheim Ducks (12-8-3) over the Colorado Avalanche (9-11-0) 4-1
TOP PERFORMER = Ducks RW Teemu Selanne- 2 goals (both on the PP)
-The Ducks controlled this game from beginning to end. Selanne would get the Ducks on the board with the first of his two PP goals. Chris Kunitz and Chris Pronger (Pronger also had an assist) would have Anaheim 3-0 heading in to the 3rd period. Ian Laperriere scored the lone goal for the Avs. Jean-Sebastian Giguere looked like the Giggy of old, making 29 saves in the win. The win ended a 1-3-1 stretch on home ice for the Ducks. Colorado center Joe Sakic missed his seventh game with a back injury. Ducks center Brendan Morrison returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch in Dallas on Saturday. He assisted on the goal by Kunitz. The Ducks provided a video tribute to Colorado defenseman Ruslan Salei, who made his first appearance in Anaheim since leaving as a free agent in 2006

RUMOR MILL
-Nothing for today

AROUND THE BOARDS

-Claude Lemieux has signed a tryout contract with the San Jose Sharks in hopes of returning to the NHL after a five-year absence. The 43-year-old Lemieux is expected to report to the Sharks' AHL affiliate in Worcester this week. Lemieux hasn't played in the NHL since the 2002-03 season, which he spent with Phoenix and Dallas.Earlier this year, Lemieux played a two-game stint with the China Sharks, San Jose's affiliate in Shanghai, while gauging his ability to make a full comeback. Lemieux is a longtime friend of Sharks general manager Doug Wilson, who has taken a chance on veteran players before.

-The Dallas Stars announced on Monday that forward Steve Ott will miss at least a month with a broken right hand. Ott suffered the injury in a fight against Anaheim Ducks D Steve Montador, and will undergo surgery. The 26-year-old has two goals, six points and 51 penalty minutes in 14 games this season for Dallas. The club recalled forward Chris Conner from Peoria of the AHL to fill the roster spot

-Los Angeles Kings forward John Zeiler has been suspended for three games without pay for hitting Colorado Avalanche D Adam Foote from behing in a game on Sunday. Zeiler will miss Tuesday night's game against the Calgary Flames, Wednesday's game in Edmonton against the Oilers and Saturday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks. He will be eligible to return Dec. 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

-The NHL named it's 3 Stars of the Week:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=394127

GAME OF THE NIGHT
Los Angeles Kings (8-8-3) @ Calgary Flames (11-9-1) - 9:30PM

The Kings begin their first Canadian road trip of the season on the Red Mile. 14 of the 19 Kings games have been in the Staples Center (and two of the 5 road games were at Anaheim & San Jose) so far this season. LA has played well, but has gone 1-2-1 in their last four games. They are coming off a 3-2 SO loss to the Avalanche on Saturday night. The Flames are coming off a 5-2 loss to the Red Wings on Saturday night, but they swept a home and home with the Avalanche before that. Calgary is 7-3-1 at the Saddledome this season.

Other Action:
St. Louis (8-8-2) @ Nashville (10-9-1) - 7PM
Atlanta (7-10-2) @ Toronto (7-8-5) - 7:30PM

^ALL TIMES EASTERN


*My weekly power rankings, "PLUS/MINUS", comes out Monday evenings

~Dropping the Gloves with Andrew Bogusch comes our on Wednesday evenings

FEEL FREE TO COMMENT OR EMAIL ANYTIME HERE OR AT FROMTHESLOT@GMAIL.COM

PLUS/MINUS - 11/24/08

PLUS/MINUS is my weekly Power Rankings Column. The + or – is based on the previous weeks rankings

PLUS/MINUS

The Sharks continue to roll right in to the holiday season

**This will be a special Thanksgiving edition of P/M. Each team will have something they are thankful for and something they’ll be wishing for on the wishbone

1) San Jose Sharks {17-3-1} (EVEN)
2-0-0 week (win @ NAS, win vs. WAS)
Thankful For: Everything. They haven’t missed a beat all year long. Even when Nabokov was hurt, Brian Boucher stepped right in and kept things going.
Wishbone Wish: For the good times to keep rolling

2) Detroit Red Wings {14-2-3} (EVEN)
3-0-0 week (win vs. EDM, win @ EDM, win @ CAL)
Thankful For: Lack of injuries. With the exception of Johan Franzen (who wasn’t even out that long), the Red Wings have been able to keep things consistent.
Wishbone Wish: An improved Penalty Kill. Right now, they are in the middle of the pack in the conference.

3) Boston Bruins {14-3-4} (+1)
4-0 week (win @ TOR, vs. BUF, vs. FLA, @ MON)
Thankful For: G Tim Thomas. 9 wins, 1.88 GAA, .944 Save percentage. Enough said
Wishbone Wish: Montreal not making any big trades. Right now, Boston has the best team in the Northeast.

4) New York Rangers {14-7-2} (-1)
1-2-0 week (win vs. OTT, lost vs. VAN, lost @ OTT)
Thankful For: G Henrik Lundqvist. His consistency behind the team and a league-leading 12 wins are the reasons why their record isn’t worse.
Wishbone Wish: Not making any stupid trades to clear space for Mats Sundin

5) Pittsburgh Penguins {12-5-3} EVEN)
1-2-0 week (lost vs. MIN, win @ ATL, lost vs. VAN)
Thankful For: Evgeni Malkin. 31 points (7G 24A) through 20 games is what you signed this guy to go.
Wishbone Wish: For Crosby and Malkin to start lighting the lamp a little more

6) Vancouver Canucks {13-6-2} (+4)
3-0-1 week (SO loss @ NYI, win @ NYR, win @ MIN, win @ PIT)
Thankful For: Roberto Luongo being their goalie
Wishbone Wish: Luongo not being injured for too long

7) Montreal Canadiens {11-5-3} (EVEN)
1-1-1 week (lost @ CAR, won @ OTT, SO loss vs. BOS)
Thankful For: The additions of Robert Lang and Alex Tanguay
Wishbone Wish: More consistent goaltending from Carey Price

8) Chicago Blackhawks {10-4-5} (+6)
3-0-0 week (won @ PHO, won @ DAL, won @ TOR)
Thankful For: Head Coach Joel Quenneville righting the ship
Wishbone Wish: To deal G Nikolai Khabibulin and get depth in their forwards in return

9) Minnesota Wild {11-6-1} (-3)
1-2-0 week (won @ PIT, lost vs. VAN, lost vs. STL)
Thankful For: G Nicklas Backstrom. He is the best goalie in the league that no one talks about
Wishbone Wish: I know it’s a defensive-minded system, but a little more offense would help this team a whole lot

10) Carolina Hurricanes {11-8-1} (+2)
2-0 week (won vs. MON, won vs. PHO)
Thankful For: Their defensemen – the group of Dennis Seidenberg, Niclas Wallin, Joni Pitkanen, Tim Gleason, Anton Babchuk, Josef Melichar have taken care of the blueline and produced a bit offensively
Wishbone Wish: Eric Staal to start producing a little more than he is

11) Washington Capitals {11-6-3} (-2)
1-2 week (won @ ANA, lost @ LA and @ SJ)
Thankful For: LW Alexander Semin. While AO got off to a slow start and had to deal with family health issues back home, Semin carried the offensive load and led the league in scoring for most of the season
Wishbone Wish: For either Brent Johnson or Jose Theodore to step up and become a true #1 goalie for a team that could do damage if they had better goaltending.

12) Anaheim Ducks {11-8-3} (-4)
1-2-0 week (lost vs. WAS, lost @ STL, SO win @ DAL)
Thankful For: The 5 game winning streak/8 of 9 stretch back in October/November. Without that run, Anaheim would have had a lot to overcome in a tough division.
Wishbone Wish: Jean-Sebastian Giguere to snap out of his slump and be the goalie we all know he can be.

13) Calgary Flames {11-9-1} (+3)
2-1-0 week (won vs. COL, won @ COL, lost vs. DET)
Thankful For: C Mike Cammalleri. His 11 assists (16 points) and 9 PP points have been a nice addition a team that can be strapped for offense at times.
Wishbone Wish: Miika Kiprusoff to get his save percentage up and his GAA down

14) New Jersey Devils {11-7-2} (+5)
2-0-0 week (won vs. FLA, won vs. NYI)
Thankful For: LW Zach Parise – 13G and 11A on a team that can use all the offense they can get.
Wishbone Wish: For Martin Brodeur to be back by early March so they have 6 weeks to make a solid run at the playoffs.

15) Nashville Predators {10-9-1} (-2)
1-2 week (lost vs. SJ, lost @ TB, won @ CAR)
Thankful For: D Shea Weber. 10G and 11A from a guy who always takes care of business in his own end of the ice. He is a cornerstone defenseman.
Wishbone Wish: Dan Ellis to get to the form that almost beat the Red Wings in the playoffs last year.

16) Columbus Blue Jackets {9-8-3} (-1)
1-1-0 week (lost vs. EDM, won @ ATL)
Thankful For: Rookie C Derrick Brassard and rookie G Steve Mason. Derrick Brassard leads the team with 20 points (8G 12A and Steve Mason did a great job filling the void when Pascal Leclaire went down and Frederik Norrena couldn’t get the job done.
Wishbone Wish: This may sound silly, but more wins. They need to beat a team like Edmonton at home instead of getting waxed 7-2 by them.

17) Philadelphia Flyers {9-6-4} (+3)
2-0 week (won @ BUF, won vs. PHO)
Thankful For: Simon Gagne being healthy the whole season and leading the team in points (11G 14A).
Wishbone Wish: For C Daniel Briere to come back from injury soon.

18) Buffalo Sabres {9-8-3} (-7)
0-3-0 week (lost @ BOS, vs. PHI, vs. NYI)
Thankful For: G Ryan Miller and LW Thomas Vanek. Miller has been a workhorse between the pipes for the Sabres and Vanek leads the league in goals scored with 15.
Wishbone Wish: For their slump to stop soon. With the way Boston and Montreal are playing, you don’t want to fall too far behind those teams.

19) Edmonton Oilers {9-9-2} (-1)
1-2 week (lost @ DET, won @ CLB, lost vs. DET)
Thankful For: RW Ales Hemsky is doing his job well with 5G and 16A
Wishbone Wish: Either Mathieu Garon or Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers to step up and be the #1 goalie on this team (Roloson will be traded at some point)

20) Toronto Maple Leafs {7-8-5} (-3)
0-1-1 week (lost vs. Boston, OTL vs. Chicago)
Thankful For: Their season so far. Toronto was expected to be one of the worst teams in the league this year and have been played tough game in and game out.
Wishbone Wish: Trades to add depth to the team

21) New York Islanders {8-10-2} (+3)
2-1 week (won vs. VAN, lost @ NJ, won @ BUF)
Thankful For: The play of their veterans. With loads of young guys on the team, having guys like Bill Guerin, Doug Weight, and Trent Hunter step up are key.
Wishbone Wish: For G Joey MacDonald to continue playing the way he has been. He has been a pleasant surprise in net for the Isles after all of the Rick DiPietro injuries they’ve had to deal with.

22) Los Angeles Kings {8-8-3} (+1)
1-0-1 week (won vs. WAS, SO loss vs. COL)
Thankful For: G Erik Ersberg. The Kings waited a little while to give him a chance, but when they did, he’s delivered a 5-3-2 record.
Wishbone Wish: To stay the course. Their top players are beginning to produce more and their younger players are beginning to develop. You don’t want to rush a process like that.

23) St. Louis Blues {8-8-2} (+5)
2-0 week (won vs. ANA, won @ MIN)
Thankful For: RW Brad Boyes. He’s doing what he’s supposed to be with 10G and 7A.
Wishbone Wish: For Andy McDonald to return from his leg injury in sooner than two months. They could also use some consistency between the pipes.

24) Colorado Avalanche {9-10-0} (+2)
1-2-0 week (lost @ CAL, los vs. CAL, won @ LA)
Thankful For: The season not being worse than it already has been
Wishbone Wish: For Peter Budaj to finally become the #1 he’s shown flashes of being.

25) Phoenix Coyotes {8-9-2} (-4)
0-1-2 week (SO loss vs. CHI, lost @ CAR, OTL @ PHI)
Thankful For: C Olli Jokinen. His 17 points (7G 10A) and leadership have helped mature a younger Phoenix franchise
Wishbone Wish: Defensive help to keep G Ilya Bryzgalov from working as hard as he’s had to this year.

26) Tampa Bay Lightning {6-8-6} (+4)
1-1-1 week (SO loss vs. FLA, won vs. NAS, lost vs. NJ)
Thankful For: rookie C Steve Stamkos beginning to show flashes of the type of player he can be.
Wishbone Wish: For the team’s chemistry to click on the ice. They have the talent, but the on-ice chemistry needs to come soon.

27) Florida Panthers {7-11-1} (+2)
1-2 week (won @ TB, lost @ NJ, lost @ BOS)
Thankful For: LW David Booth’s team-leading 9 goals has been a surprise for the Panthers this season
Wishbone Wish: For everything to improve

28) Atlanta Trashers {7-10-2} (-6)
0-2 week (lost vs. PIT, lost vs. CLB)
Thankful For: C Bryan Little has stepped up offensively (9G 8A) on a team that has underachieved offensively this season.
Wishbone Wish: A goalie that can consistently start for this team

29) Ottawa Senators {7-9-4} (-4)
1-0-2 week (SO loss @ NYR, SO loss vs. MON, win vs. NYR)
Thankful For: Their losing streak not lasting any longer.
Wishbone Wish: To become a consistent team.

30) Dallas Stars {6-9-4} (-3)
0-1-1 week (lost vs. CHI, SO loss vs. ANA)
Thankful For: The emergence of 2nd year LW Loui Eriksson. One of the few scorers on Dallas this year
Wishbone Wish: For Marty Turco to become the regular season goalie he used to be. And for the rest of the team to wake up.

BIGGEST GAINER = Chicago Blackhawks (+6)
BIGGEST LOSER = Buffalo Sabres (-7)
-13 Teams Moved Up
-13 Teams Moved Down
-4 Teams Remained Even

I apologize for no blog over the past 2 days. Sunday blogs will probably not happen often. Everything returns to normal schedule tonight with a special Thanksgiving Edition of "PLUS/MINUS"