TOP STORY
FREEZE OUT
(Photo Credit: NY Daily News)
Henrik Lundqvist earns his first shutout of the season and beats the Penguins again at MSG
New York Rangers (24-14-3) over the Pittsburgh Penguins (19-17-4) 4-0
TOP PERFORMER = Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist - 27 Saves, Shutout
When the Penguins see that they are heading to Madison Square Garden on the schedule, there must be a collective groan in the locker room. For the 8th straight regular season meeting, the Penguins lost in the World's Most Famous Arena (0-5-3). Maybe it was the fact that Pittsburgh went 0 for 8 on the power play, or maybe it was because Henrik Lundqvist earned his first shutout of the season. Either way, things are bad in Pittsburgh right now and they are getting worse.
The Rangers jumped out to a very early 1-0 lead in the 1st period when Nigel Dawes scored his 7th of the season on the power play just one minute in to the game. In the 2nd period, Paul Mara scored his own power play goal on a set up from Scott Gomez. In the 3rd period, Chris Drury put the game out of reach with his 11th goal of the season. Scott Gomez added a shorthanded-empty net goal. All four goal scorers also had an assist and defenseman Michal Rozsival added two assists. The shutout was the 18th of Lundqvist's career. The Rangers scored two power-play goals in a game (2 for 7) for the first time since November 19.
The Penguins have now lost five straight, their longest skid in regulation since losing 10 straight in January 2006. Pittsburgh was shutout for just the 2nd time this season and has only scored eight goals in its last six games. They have gone 32 straight power plays without scoring a goal. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby heard boos and derisive chants all night and was called for two penalties one game after taking 21 minutes (including his second NHL fight) in a 6-1 loss to Florida on Saturday. "Whether the opposing fans are trying to rub it in or not, losing is not fun," Crosby said. "I wouldn't expect anything different here, to be honest." Right now, it's just a matter of time whether the Penguins make a big trade (Jay Bouwmeester perhaps?) to shake up the line up Pens head coach Michel Therrien could also be on the hot seat. Up next for the Penguins is the Thrashers at home tonight. If they can't right the ship against Atlanta, GM Ray Shero will have to figure something out quickly.
Henrik Lundqvist became only the 5th goalie in NHL history to start off his career with four 20 win seasons. "He is just a great, great goaltender," coach Tom Renney said. "He'll go down in history as one of the great Rangers. No question.". The Rangers put themselves back in 1st place in the Atlantic Division with the win. Up next for the Rangers is Montreal at home on Wednesday night before a five game road trip.
OTHER HEADLINES
-Team Canada wins the World Junior Championships:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=402297
-Sabres captain Craig Rivet is ready to return after missing nearly a month with a shoulder injury, but forward Maxim Afinogenov is out indefinitely after hurting his groin last weekend. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said after practice Monday that he expects Rivet back in the lineup on Tuesday, when Buffalo hosts Ottawa. He has missed 11 straight games since getting hurt during a 3-2 loss at Montreal on Nov. 2. Afinogenov was hurt after being checked by Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara in a 4-2 win at Boston on Saturday. Without providing a timetable, Ruff said he expects Afinogenov to be out for "a little while," and added the player will have tests to determine the severity of the groin injury. Afinogenov has two goals and 10 assists for 12 points in 34 games this year. Defenseman Teppo Numminen's status is uncertain after he missed practice Monday with an illness.
LAST NIGHT'S RECAP
Edmonton Oilers (19-16-3) over the New York Islanders (12-25-4) 3-2
TOP PERFORMER = Oilers C Andrew Cogliano - 1 Goal
-The Islanders jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the 1st period thanks to goals from Kyle Okposo and Blake Comeau (PPG). In the 2nd period, Kyle Brodziak and Jason Strudwick would strike back with goals of their own to tie the game heading in to the 2nd Intermission. In the 3rd period, Andrew Cogliano scored the game winner midway through the period. Dwayne Roloson made 25 saves in the win while Joey MacDonals made 23 saves in the loss.
RUMOR MILL
-The Vancouver Canucks cleared room for Mats Sundin to join the lineup this week, sending forward Jannik Hansen to Manitoba of the AHL on Monday. Sundin, who signed as a free agent on Dec. 18 and joined the team Dec. 30, had his first full practice on Monday. He said he would travel with the team to Wednesday night's game at Edmonton, but there was no word if the longtime Toronto captain would play. "I don't know. I think another practice tomorrow and we'll see," said Sundin, who had taken part in two morning skates since arriving in Vancouver. The 37-year-old plans to practice again on Tuesday and decide on playing after Wednesday's morning skate. Sundin is nine months removed from his last NHL game in a 17-season career, and said he doesn't want to jump in midseason if his body is not ready. "It's a different intensity and different pace when you're out there with the whole team," he said. "It's how I feel tomorrow morning and maybe Wednesday morning - see how the body reacts skating at this pace." Hansen, a 22-year-old rookie from Denmark, had 17 points in 37 games.
-Nashville and Pittsburgh may be trying to work something out. Some names involved are JP Dumont, Ville Koistinen, and Alex Goligoski
-It looks like the Kings and Leafs may be working out a trade for Nik Antropov
AROUND THE BOARDS
-The Montreal Canadiens acquired defenseman T.J. Kemp from the Pittsburgh Penguins, in return for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Kemp will join the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs. Kemp, 27, scored nine points (one goal, eight assists), served 22 penalty minutes and posted a plus-5 rating in 22 games this season with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Since 2005-06, the 5-foot-11, 197-pound blueliner registered 93 points (14 goals, 79 assists) with 126 penalty minutes in 174 career regular season games in the AHL. A native a Pickering, Ontario, Kemp was a member of the Canadian AHL All-Stars at the 2007 AHL All-Star Game.
-Preds forward Steve Sullivan, recovering from a back injury suffered in February 2007, indicated that he is close to making a return to NHL game action. Sullivan has been practicing regularly with the full team since mid-December and has participated in contact drills the past week and half. Sullivan will not play in either of the Preds next two games, but neither he nor the team would comment about a timeline beyond then. However Preds Head Coach Barry Trotz indicated that the coaches have started to discuss line combinations and ice time management for Sullivan if he is able to return to action. Trotz indicated that Sullivan will be placed on the power-play unit and the coaches will look for him to skate a regular even-strength shift with an eye toward him seeing 15-18 minutes a night from Game 1.
-The NHL named it's Three Stars of the Week
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=402155
-The Nashville Predators have changed the time of their game Saturday so it doesn't conflict with the Tennessee Titans' playoff game. The Predators' game against Chicago has been changed from 7 p.m. (CST) to 7:30. The Titans play the Baltimore Ravens at 3:30 p.m. (CST) Saturday. Both games are in Nashville.
-The Calgary Flames recalled forward Jamie Lundmark from the Quad City Flames (AHL). After 35 games with the Quad City Flames this season, Lundmark leads the team in assists with 26 and 36 points. The 27-year-old forward has played in three games with the Flames this season and registered two assists with a plus-2 rating.
FREEZE OUT
(Photo Credit: NY Daily News)Henrik Lundqvist earns his first shutout of the season and beats the Penguins again at MSG
New York Rangers (24-14-3) over the Pittsburgh Penguins (19-17-4) 4-0
TOP PERFORMER = Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist - 27 Saves, Shutout
When the Penguins see that they are heading to Madison Square Garden on the schedule, there must be a collective groan in the locker room. For the 8th straight regular season meeting, the Penguins lost in the World's Most Famous Arena (0-5-3). Maybe it was the fact that Pittsburgh went 0 for 8 on the power play, or maybe it was because Henrik Lundqvist earned his first shutout of the season. Either way, things are bad in Pittsburgh right now and they are getting worse.
The Rangers jumped out to a very early 1-0 lead in the 1st period when Nigel Dawes scored his 7th of the season on the power play just one minute in to the game. In the 2nd period, Paul Mara scored his own power play goal on a set up from Scott Gomez. In the 3rd period, Chris Drury put the game out of reach with his 11th goal of the season. Scott Gomez added a shorthanded-empty net goal. All four goal scorers also had an assist and defenseman Michal Rozsival added two assists. The shutout was the 18th of Lundqvist's career. The Rangers scored two power-play goals in a game (2 for 7) for the first time since November 19.
The Penguins have now lost five straight, their longest skid in regulation since losing 10 straight in January 2006. Pittsburgh was shutout for just the 2nd time this season and has only scored eight goals in its last six games. They have gone 32 straight power plays without scoring a goal. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby heard boos and derisive chants all night and was called for two penalties one game after taking 21 minutes (including his second NHL fight) in a 6-1 loss to Florida on Saturday. "Whether the opposing fans are trying to rub it in or not, losing is not fun," Crosby said. "I wouldn't expect anything different here, to be honest." Right now, it's just a matter of time whether the Penguins make a big trade (Jay Bouwmeester perhaps?) to shake up the line up Pens head coach Michel Therrien could also be on the hot seat. Up next for the Penguins is the Thrashers at home tonight. If they can't right the ship against Atlanta, GM Ray Shero will have to figure something out quickly.
Henrik Lundqvist became only the 5th goalie in NHL history to start off his career with four 20 win seasons. "He is just a great, great goaltender," coach Tom Renney said. "He'll go down in history as one of the great Rangers. No question.". The Rangers put themselves back in 1st place in the Atlantic Division with the win. Up next for the Rangers is Montreal at home on Wednesday night before a five game road trip.
OTHER HEADLINES
-Team Canada wins the World Junior Championships:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=402297
-Sabres captain Craig Rivet is ready to return after missing nearly a month with a shoulder injury, but forward Maxim Afinogenov is out indefinitely after hurting his groin last weekend. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said after practice Monday that he expects Rivet back in the lineup on Tuesday, when Buffalo hosts Ottawa. He has missed 11 straight games since getting hurt during a 3-2 loss at Montreal on Nov. 2. Afinogenov was hurt after being checked by Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara in a 4-2 win at Boston on Saturday. Without providing a timetable, Ruff said he expects Afinogenov to be out for "a little while," and added the player will have tests to determine the severity of the groin injury. Afinogenov has two goals and 10 assists for 12 points in 34 games this year. Defenseman Teppo Numminen's status is uncertain after he missed practice Monday with an illness.
LAST NIGHT'S RECAP
Edmonton Oilers (19-16-3) over the New York Islanders (12-25-4) 3-2
TOP PERFORMER = Oilers C Andrew Cogliano - 1 Goal
-The Islanders jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the 1st period thanks to goals from Kyle Okposo and Blake Comeau (PPG). In the 2nd period, Kyle Brodziak and Jason Strudwick would strike back with goals of their own to tie the game heading in to the 2nd Intermission. In the 3rd period, Andrew Cogliano scored the game winner midway through the period. Dwayne Roloson made 25 saves in the win while Joey MacDonals made 23 saves in the loss.
RUMOR MILL
-The Vancouver Canucks cleared room for Mats Sundin to join the lineup this week, sending forward Jannik Hansen to Manitoba of the AHL on Monday. Sundin, who signed as a free agent on Dec. 18 and joined the team Dec. 30, had his first full practice on Monday. He said he would travel with the team to Wednesday night's game at Edmonton, but there was no word if the longtime Toronto captain would play. "I don't know. I think another practice tomorrow and we'll see," said Sundin, who had taken part in two morning skates since arriving in Vancouver. The 37-year-old plans to practice again on Tuesday and decide on playing after Wednesday's morning skate. Sundin is nine months removed from his last NHL game in a 17-season career, and said he doesn't want to jump in midseason if his body is not ready. "It's a different intensity and different pace when you're out there with the whole team," he said. "It's how I feel tomorrow morning and maybe Wednesday morning - see how the body reacts skating at this pace." Hansen, a 22-year-old rookie from Denmark, had 17 points in 37 games.
-Nashville and Pittsburgh may be trying to work something out. Some names involved are JP Dumont, Ville Koistinen, and Alex Goligoski
-It looks like the Kings and Leafs may be working out a trade for Nik Antropov
AROUND THE BOARDS
-The Montreal Canadiens acquired defenseman T.J. Kemp from the Pittsburgh Penguins, in return for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Kemp will join the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs. Kemp, 27, scored nine points (one goal, eight assists), served 22 penalty minutes and posted a plus-5 rating in 22 games this season with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Since 2005-06, the 5-foot-11, 197-pound blueliner registered 93 points (14 goals, 79 assists) with 126 penalty minutes in 174 career regular season games in the AHL. A native a Pickering, Ontario, Kemp was a member of the Canadian AHL All-Stars at the 2007 AHL All-Star Game.
-Preds forward Steve Sullivan, recovering from a back injury suffered in February 2007, indicated that he is close to making a return to NHL game action. Sullivan has been practicing regularly with the full team since mid-December and has participated in contact drills the past week and half. Sullivan will not play in either of the Preds next two games, but neither he nor the team would comment about a timeline beyond then. However Preds Head Coach Barry Trotz indicated that the coaches have started to discuss line combinations and ice time management for Sullivan if he is able to return to action. Trotz indicated that Sullivan will be placed on the power-play unit and the coaches will look for him to skate a regular even-strength shift with an eye toward him seeing 15-18 minutes a night from Game 1.
-The NHL named it's Three Stars of the Week
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=402155
-The Nashville Predators have changed the time of their game Saturday so it doesn't conflict with the Tennessee Titans' playoff game. The Predators' game against Chicago has been changed from 7 p.m. (CST) to 7:30. The Titans play the Baltimore Ravens at 3:30 p.m. (CST) Saturday. Both games are in Nashville.
-The Calgary Flames recalled forward Jamie Lundmark from the Quad City Flames (AHL). After 35 games with the Quad City Flames this season, Lundmark leads the team in assists with 26 and 36 points. The 27-year-old forward has played in three games with the Flames this season and registered two assists with a plus-2 rating.
TONIGHT'S ACTION:
Minnesota @ Boston - 7PM
Ottawa @ Buffalo - 7PM
New Jersey @ Carolina - 7PM
%Philadelphia @ Washington - 7PM
Columbus @ Detroit - 7:30PM
Atlanta @ Pittsburgh - 7:30PM
Florida @ Toronto - 7:30PM
Colorado @ Nashville - 8PM
Chicago @ Phoenix - 9PM
San Jose @ Calgary - 10PM
Los Angeles @ Anaheim - 10PM
% = Game of the Night
^ALL TIMES EASTERN
*My weekly power rankings, "PLUS/MINUS", comes out Monday nights
~Dropping the Gloves with Andrew Bogusch comes out tomorrow night
FEEL FREE TO COMMENT OR EMAIL ANYTIME HERE OR AT FROMTHESLOT@GMAIL.COM
Minnesota @ Boston - 7PM
Ottawa @ Buffalo - 7PM
New Jersey @ Carolina - 7PM
%Philadelphia @ Washington - 7PM
Columbus @ Detroit - 7:30PM
Atlanta @ Pittsburgh - 7:30PM
Florida @ Toronto - 7:30PM
Colorado @ Nashville - 8PM
Chicago @ Phoenix - 9PM
San Jose @ Calgary - 10PM
Los Angeles @ Anaheim - 10PM
% = Game of the Night
^ALL TIMES EASTERN
*My weekly power rankings, "PLUS/MINUS", comes out Monday nights
~Dropping the Gloves with Andrew Bogusch comes out tomorrow night
FEEL FREE TO COMMENT OR EMAIL ANYTIME HERE OR AT FROMTHESLOT@GMAIL.COM
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