TOP STORY
(Photo Credit: The Hockey News)
GM Brian Burke has been fired by the Anaheim Ducks
When we talk about free agency and who will go where, 99.9% of the time, we're talking about players and sometimes coaches. It's very rare for there to be a GM "Hot Stove", but when one of the best GM's in the league becomes available, the rumors will begin. Brian Burke is only 2 years removed from winning a Stanley Cup and has built a very strong franchise in Souther California. It's not a matter of IF Brian Burke becomes a GM on another team, it's a matter of when and where. Scott Burnside of ESPN.com does an excellent job of breaking down the potential suitors:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=3699161
Safin said there was no reason to suspect any form of drug abuse or doping among the players.
Buffalo Sabres (9-3-3) over the St. Louis Blues (5-8-1) 4-3
Washington Capitals (9-4-2) over the Carolina Hurricanes (8-6-2) 5-1
- If I told you that an Alexander on the Capitals had two goals and three assists in a game, you're mind would automatically go to Ovechkin. Well, it's Alexander Semin who is the star in DC right now. His five points helped the Capitals to take sole possession of first place in the Southeast last night. Semin is now the league's point leader (13G 14A. He has 3 more poitns than Penguins C Evgeni Malkin). C Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Ovechkin both added a goal and three assists each. Jose Theodore stopped 13 shots over the final two periods in relief of Brent Johnson, who made 13 saves but said he injured his hip in the first and did not return after the break. All of Washington's wins this season have come as part of two-or-more-game win streaks.
-For only the third time in 101 meetings with the Devils over 15 years, the Rangers faced a goalie other than Brodeur and made the most of the opportunity. The Devils had a 1-0 lead heading in to the 2nd period (thanks to a Travis Zajac goal), but the Rangers would score three goals in a 2:08 span (Michal Rozsival-PPG, Chris Drury, Lauri Korpikoski) and Nikolai Zherdev would add two goals later on for the win. The Rangers played without Scott Gomez, who is day to day with a leg injury. Rangrs G Henrik Lundqvist's streak of 18 straight starts allowing two or fewer goals against the Devils team is the second longest streak in the NHL's modern era. Former Rangers G Kevin Weekes got the start but was chased after allowing four goals in the 2nd period. Jamie Langenbrunner scored the other Devils goal (PP).
Phoenix Coyotes (8-6-0) over the Columbus Blue Jackets (7-7-2) 5-2
-RW Shane Doan had his third two-goal game of the season (and 30th of his career) to help the Coyotes win their third game in a row. He hit the post on another shot to miss his getting his first career hat trick (that's gotta sting after 897 games). The Coyotes had a 4-0 lead middway through the 2nd period and also got goals from Steven Reinprecht, Kevin Porter and Martin Hanzal. Ilya Bryzgalov made 31 saves in the win and has won his last three starts and four of the last five, giving up just eight goals in those five games. Rick Nash (PPG) and Derrick Brassard scored the two Columbus goals. It was the first career loss for Columbus goalie Steve Mason, who was the NHL's second star of the week after winning his first three starts last week.
Florida Panthers (6-8-1) over the Tampa Bay Lightning (5-6-4) 4-0
-Backup G Craig Anderson made 24 saves for his first shutout of the season and Gregory Campbell had two goals (one on the PP) and an assist in Florida's 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Florida is now 13-3-0 in it's last 16 home games against the Lightning. Bryan McCabe and Nathan Horton (PP) scored the other Florida goals. With the loss, the Lightning closed out a five-game trip with a 1-3-1 record. Tampa Bay has scored one first-period goal in its last six games.
Boston Bruins (9-3-3) over the Chicago Blackhawks (7-3-4) 2-1 (SO)
-Tim Thomas made 31 saves, his fifth straight start with at least 30 saves, to lead Boston to its seventh win in its last eight games. Marco Sturm would score on the PP for the Bruins in the 2nd period and Jonathan Toews scored on the PP for Chicago in the 3rd to knot things up at 1 a piece. In the shootout, PJ Axelsson and Blake Wheeler would score to give the Bruins the edge in the Original 6 match-up. Nikolai Khabibulin made 38 saves in the loss for the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks' winning streak was snapped at four, but they remained unbeaten in regulation at home (6-0-3). The Blackhawks retired the #3 to honor Pilote Magnuson before the game.
Colorado Avalanche (7-8-0) over the Vancouver Canucks (9-6-1) 2-1 (SO)
-Taylor Pyatt would get the scoring going in the 2nd period when he scored on a penalty shot. Vancouver would hold that lead until early in the 3rd period when Paul Stastny scored on the power play. That goal would end G Roberto Luongo's shutout streak at 242:36, but still eclipsed his own franchise record of 210:34 set last Dec. 2. Wojtek Wolski and Marek Svatos both scored in the shootout. It was just the second time this season Roberto Luongo (made 33 saves) gave up two or fewer goals and lost. Avs G Peter Budaj made 31 saves in the win and has only allowed one goal in his past two starts. Colorado won without captain Joe Sakic, who stayed in Denver because of a sore back but could rejoin the team on its three-game trip through western Canada. gave up two or fewer goals and lost. It was Vancouver's 2nd loss in the last 7 games (5-1-1)
AROUND THE BOARDS
-Carolina Hurricanes rookie center Brandon Sutter was activated off the IR yesterday after recovering from a concussion. Sutter was hurt in a 10/25 game against the New York Islanders when he took a hard hit from Doug Weight. He was helped off the ice by team staff and taken to a local hospital where the diagnosis was made. After more than a week off the ice, Sutter began skating last Friday. He missed the team's last eight games. Sutter has one goal and two assists in seven games this season. The Hurricanes re-assigned center Dwight Helminen to Albany of the AHL to open a roster spot. Helminen has notched a goal and an assist in eight games for Carolina this season.
GAME OF THE NIGHT
When you talk about rivalries, it doesn't get much better than when these two Original 6 teams collide. Boston has won four in a row and is coming off a 2-1 shootout win over Chicago last night. The Bruins are spreading the wealth offensively as nine different players have at least eight points. Bruins G Tim Thomas'1.76 goals-against average leads the league. But he hasn't had such success against Montreal, losing his last eight starts against them in the regular season to fall to 4-12-2 with a 3.22 GAA lifetime.Montreal is coming off a 4-0 win over Ottawa on Tuesday night. Carey Price earned his first shutout of the season in the win. Boston will be looking to end a 12-game regular-season losing streak after pushing Montreal to 7 games in the first round of the playoffs last season.
Other Action:
NY Islanders (4-9-2) @ Ottawa (6-7-2) - 7PM
Philadelphia (5-6-3) @ Pittsburgh (9-4-2) - 7PM
Detroit (9-2-3) @ Tampa Bay (5-6-4) - 7:30PM
Los Angeles (6-6-2) @ Dallas (5-7-3) - 8:30PM
Toronto (6-6-4) @ Edmonton (8-6-1) - 9PM
Calgary (9-7-1) @ San Jose (13-3-1) - 10:30PM
*My weekly power rankings, "PLUS/MINUS", comes out on Monday evenings
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