Fantasy Watch: Goalie Starts

Jan 28th – Feb 3rd

Anaheim Ducks (3) – Giguere should be well rested for back-to-back games this week.

Atlanta Thrashers (3) – Hedberg may steal a start due to back-to-back games.

Boston Bruins (3) – Look for Thomas to start all three games this week.

Buffalo Sabres (3) – Miller should be ready to go for all three games.

Carolina Hurricanes (3) – Ward will be looking to get back on track after the all-star break.

Calgary Flames (2) – Kiprusoff will get a much needed rest and should be back between the pipes for both games this week.

Chicago Blackhawks (2) – The Blackhawks haven't fully given Lalime the starting job, but if Khabibulin keeps struggling expect him to be out of the picture sooner than later.

Columbus Blue Jackets (3) – Leclaire has been stellar all year and should start all three games this week.

Colorado Avalanche (3) – Theodore recently took over the #1 position and should continue to hold onto it after the all-star break.

Dallas Stars (3) – Smith may steal a start due to back-to-back games this week.

Detroit Red Wings (3) – Look for a split between Osgood and Hasek.

Edmonton Oilers (2) – Garon should get both starts this week.

Florida Panthers (3) – Expect Vokoun to start all three games this week.

Los Angeles Kings (3) – LaBarbera hasn't been great but is still the starter in L.A.

Minnesota Wild (2) – Backstrom should get both starts this week.

Montreal Canadiens (4) – Huet will have a busy week with four games on the schedule.

Nashville Predators (3) – Look for Ellis to steal a start this week.

New Jersey Devils (3) – Brodeur will be busy during all-star week but should be ready to go for all three games this week.

New York Islanders (3) – Expect DiPietro to receive all the starts this week.

New York Rangers (4) – Lundqvist should be well rested for four games this week.

Ottawa Senators (3) – Gerber and Emery have both struggled as of late and will be looking to regain their early season form.

Philadelphia Flyers (3) – Nittymaki has been playing well this month and should steal a start this week.

Phoenix Coyotes (3) – Newly resigned Bryzgalov should receive all three starts this week.

Pittsburgh Penguins (3) – Conklin and Sabourin will continue to receive the starts while Fleury remains on the IR.

San Jose Sharks (3) – Nabokov has started all but one game for San Jose and should be ready to go post all-star break.

St. Louis Blues (3) – Legace struggled to close out the first half, but will be looking to get back on track after the break.

Tampa Bay Lightining (3) – Holmqvist will be looking to continue his hot-streak post all-star break.

Toronto Maple Leafs (3) – Toskala has won four of his last five games and should start all three games this week.

Vancouver Canucks (3) – After skipping the all-star game, Luongo should be ready to go for all three games this week.

Washington Capitals (3) – Look for Kolzig to start all three games this week.


For Illegal Curve, I'm Jonny Remis

Nightly Recap

Montreal 4 - NY Islanders 1: Chris Higgins, a native of Long Island had a goal and an assist and Steve Begin had 2 goals. Cris Huet stopped 44 of 45 shots in the win. (Wow!)

Philadelphia 6 - Carolina 3: Danny Briere had three goals and one assist, and Mike Knuble had one goal and two assists. Marty Biron stopped 32 of 35 in the win. Matt Cullen had 3 points for the Hurricanes, who now have lost three of their past four.

Florida 5 - Columbus 2 - Rosti Olesz had two goals and an assist, Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss each had two assists for the Panthers. Tomas Vokoun made 34 saves in the win. The Blue Jackets have now won one in their last eight games.

Atlanta 5 - Washington 1 - Ilya Kovalchuk continues to be a monster for the Thrashers, he put up two goals and two assists tonight, he has 11 points in his past four games. Rookie Tobias Endstrom had three assists and Marian Hossa had two. Washington has now lost five consecutive games.

Buffalo 4 - Ottawa 1 - Buffalo got three first period goals from Michael Ryan, Ales Kotalik and Derek Roy, and that was it . Roy and Thomas Vanek each had two points on the night for the Sabres. It was Ottawa's fourth loss on the season.

NY Rangers 2 - Tampa Bay 1 - Henrik Lundqvist was 16 seconds away from his fifth shutout but it was spoiled by Michel Ouellet. Vinny Lecavaliers eight game streak of multi point games was snapped tonight. Fedor Tyutin and Colton Orr scored for the Rangers.

New Jersey 2 - Pittsburgh 1 - Zach Parise scored two powerplay goals for the Devils, while Martin Brodeur earned his 501st career win . Pittsburgh has now lost six of their past seven. New Jersey leads the season series against Pittsburgh 3 - 1.

Detroit 3 - St Louis 0 - Chris Osgood made a whopping 12 saves to earn his 44th career shutout. Henrik Zetterberg scored his 15th of the year. The Blues snapped their 4 game win streak.

Vancouver 4 - Minnesota 2 - Markus Naslund was in top form tonight, netting a hat-trick. The Sedin Twins had two assists each. Marian Gaborik scored both goals for the Wild, fantasy owners rejoiced.

Dallas 2 - Anaheim 1 - Mike Smith stopped 17 of 18 for the Stars in the win. Mike Modano was honoured in pre-game ceremonies for passing Phil Housley for most points by a US born player. He responded by scoring his 513th career goal, also a record for American born players.

Phoenix 4 - Los Angeles 1 - Mike York scored two goals for the 'Yoters. Ilya Bryzgalov won his second game in a Phoenix uniform, defeating the Kings for the second time.

Tomorrow's Games (all times Eastern)
7:30pm PIT@OTT
8:00pm DET@NSH
9:00pm CHI@CGY, COL@EDM

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our American readers.

Fantasy Watch: Buy/Sell

BUY

F Patrick Marleau, San Jose Sharks
Marleau struggled to begin this season, scoring only four points in the first month of the season. After averaging around a point per game the last two seasons, owners began wondering what was wrong with Marleau? Regulated to the bench on most fantasy teams, Marleau has since gotten hot, scoring six points in his last four games. While he still only has 11 points on the year, Marleau's recent outburst shows that he can still be a consistent fantasy scorer. Due to a slow start Marleau's overall points may dip a bit, but nonetheless, expect a big second half for the forward.

F Alexander Radulov, Nashville Predators
Radulov began this season in Nashville and after a slow start to his sophomore year, the forward was heavily criticized over poor conditioning in the off-season. After only scoring seven points in October,
Radulov has since gotten hot, as he has already eclipsed his point total from October. With three goals and eight points in November, it appears that the former first round pick has overcome his early season struggles. With the potnetial to be one of the NHL's top players, Radulov has to have owners furious with only 15 points on the year. Try to see if you can make a deal for the forward as he is in line to have a big second half.

F Ryan Smyth, Colorado Avalanche
Smyth is having a disappointing season in Colorado, scoring only 13 points in his first 19 games. Nonetheless, if you can get Smyth for cheap in your league than do so. The forward has always been around a point per game pace player and should develop better chemistry with his line mates as the season goes on. Expect a significant turnaround for the former Oiler once he gets more comfortable playing in Colorado.


SELL

F Mike Comrie, New York Islanders
Comrie got off to a fast start this season scoring six points in his first two games, which had owners immediately checking the waiver wire for his availability. While he is currently averaging a point per game, Comrie's scoring has become rather inconsistent as of late. With only two points in his last five games, Comire has failed to show the offensive burst that he displayed earlier in the season. Although the former Coyote may end up finishing the season with around 50+ points, it's advised to trade him for a more proven scorer.

G Ilya Bryzgalov, Phoenix Coyotes
Bryzgalov's stock may never get higher than it is right now. After being claimed off of waivers by the Phoenix Coyotes, Bryzgalov was named the starter for Phoenix's next game and immediately posted a shutout. Although Bryzgalov will probably receive the bulk of the starts in Phoenix, owners should not expect this kind of performance regularly. When playing for a much more talented Anaheim team, Bryzgalov was nothing more than mediocre, as his 10-8-6 record in 2006 shows that he was only a decent backup. It's advised to try and trade Bryzgalov now, because when the losses start coming, no one is going to take him.

F Jere Lehtinen, Dallas Stars
Lehtinen is currently Dallas' second leading scorer with 19 points in 20 games. Receiving significant playing time on Dallas' squad, Lehtinen's sudden offensive has been a surprise to many. After having an off year last season, it was thought that Lehtinen's stats would take another hit, as he is getting up their in age. On pace to eclipse his career high in points, it may seem silly to unload Lehitnen, but with his stock so high, now is the best time to do it. Already at age 34, Lehtinen has never scored more than 52 points in a season, and although it may look like he could break it, players of Lehtinen's age always tend to slow down.


For Illegal Curve, I'm Jonny Remis

Fantasy Watch: Scouring the Waiver Wire

F Scottie Upshall, Philadelphia Flyers
After being buried on Nashville's depth chart, Upshall was traded to Philly last season and finally got a chance to prove he was worthy of the sixth overall pick back in 2002. Upshall didn't disappoint Philadelphia fans, as he scored 13 points in his first 18 games with the club. With Upshall being a popular sleeper pick this season, it was quite a blow to hear that the forward would be sidelined with a broken wrist for the first month. Since his return, Upshall has fit in perfectly in Philadelphia, scoring four goals and six points in nine games.
Fantasy Take: Upshall could be in for a great second half of the season as it looks like Philly is a perfect fit for him. Expect him to crush his previous career high of 24 points set back in 2005.

F Jeremy Roenick, San Jose Sharks
After producing only 28 points last season, it was widely agreed that Roenick was no longer a reliable fantasy option. Surprisingly, Roenick has turned back the clock in San Jose. Starting off the season slowly, Roenick has come alive this month scoring a point in all but one of San Jose's nine games. With 13 points on the year, Roenick has picked up the slack where other Sharks have been struggling, as he is currently in second place on San Jose in team scoring. Throw in five game winning goals and the Sharks have got to be happy with their off-season acquisition.
Fantasy Take: If your looking for a low end fantasy option, or an injury replacement, Roenick is your guy. But don't expect more than 35-40 points from the former Coyote.

G Ilya Bryzgalov, Phoenix Coyotes
Bryzgalov was a decent fantasy option in Anaheim, as he was the starter during the first few weeks while Giguere was sidelined. But since Giguere's return, the Ducks had no use for Bryzgalov anymore and put him on waivers. Looking for a proven goaltender, Phoenix snatched up Bryzgalov and immediately started him for their next game. Stopping all 28 shots to earn his first shutout of the season, Bryzgalov is on his way to becoming the #1 man in Phoenix. With backups Tellqvist and Auld not getting the job done, expect to see a lot of Bryzgalov for the rest of the season
Fantasy Take: Although Phoenix is a difficult place to play, expect Bryzgalov to put up numbers worthy of a starting spot in most leagues.

F Dainius Zubrus, New Jersey Devils
Zubrus was on his way to having an outstanding season last year, but was eventually traded to Buffalo, where his production suffered a significant drop off. Scoring only eight points in 19 games with the Sabres, Zubrus never panned out in Buffalo and soon found himself on a New Jersey team which lacked offensive weapons. While many fantasy experts were unsure if Zubrus could be a reliable fantasy option without Ovechkin, the former Capital has shown that he can still produce, just not at an elite level. With 12 points in 20 games, Zubrus has been a decent low end fantasy option and nothing more.
Fantasy Take: Zubrus has been very inconsistent this year and should only be starting in deeper leagues. Unless he is traded back to Washington, look for other options.


For Illegal Curve, I'm Jonny Remis

Nightly Recap - Lookin' Sharp

Phoenix 1 - Los Angeles 0 - In Ilya Bryzgalov's Coytoes debut he showed why he should be a #1 goaltender making 28 saves to shut out the Kings. On the other end Jason LaBarbera held his own, stopping 37. Shane Doan scored the games lone goal.

Montreal 7 - Boston 4 - Carey Price is now 5-1-1 to begin his rookie campaign. Montreal had seven goals scored by seven players, and had six players with multiple point nights (Chipchura, Hamrlik, Koivu, Markov, Ryder, Streit). Tim Thomas got blasted for 52 shots, he was only able to stop 45, theres only so much one guy can do! Glen Murray and Marc Savard had three points each.

Chicago 5 - Detroit 3 - Chicago is now 4-0 on the season, Patrick Sharp made it rain hats tonight, scoring three in the third period.

Toronto 3 - Ottawa 0 - In the upset of the night, Bryan McCabe and Thomas Kaberle had two assists each and rookie Jiri Tlusty scored his third of the night, it was not by showing the goaltender his penis. Vesa Toskala made 24 saves for the shutout

New Jersey 6 - Philadelphia 2 - Martin Brodeur won his 500th career game, Zach Parise had a goal and two assists.

Carolina 2 - Florida 1 - Rod "the bod" Brind'Amour scored both goals for the Canes and Cam Ward stopped 27.

New York Rangers 4 - Pittsburgh 3 (OT) - Jason Strudwick scored the game winner in OT on a pretty pass from Paul Mara, it was Strudwick's first points of the year. Jaromir Jagr played 22:26 minutes, and did not register a point or a shot on goal, Martin Straka is close to returning which could ignite Jagr. Michal Roszival scored two goals for the Rangers and Sidney Crosby extended his point streak to 19 games. The Penguins club record is 45 by Super Mario.

St Louis 3 - Nashville 2 (SO) - Brad Boyes scored the only goal in the shootout, and also spanked one in during regulation. Hannu Toivonen made 35 saves for the Blues, rookie David Perron scored his 5th goal of the year, he has 5 points in his past 4 games.

Calgary 3 - Edmonton 1 - After losing five straight the Flames have now won two in a row. Owen Nolan and Matthew Lombardi each had a goal and an assist. Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 15 in the win. (As a blogger I must say Miikka is my favourite name to type out)

Anaheim 2 - San Jose 1 (SO) - Corey Perry scored the lone shootout goal for the Ducks, Evegni Nabokov and J.S. Gigeure both stopped 28 of 29 during the game. Goals by Chris Kunitz and Torey Mitchell. After a slow start, Anaheim is now on a 4 game win streak and is 6-1-1 in November.

Tommorow's Games (all times Eastern)
5:00pm DET@CLB
6:00pm COL@MIN
8:00pm CGY@VAN