Saturday Night Recap

-Philadelphia 2, Boston 1 - The Philly victory was overshadowed by Philadelphia defenseman Randy Jones' hit-from-behind on Bruins' forward Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron was left motionless on the ice after being hit unsuspectingly into the end boards and was taken off by team doctors on a stretcher. Luckily for Bergeron he somehow only suffered a broken nose and a concussion and not something far more serious.

-Columbus 2, San Jose 1 - San Jose has now lost back-to-back games against Detroit and Columbus after easily disposing of the Flames earlier on this week. On the other hand, the Blue Jackets are off to the best start in franchise history with a record of 6-3-1.

-Toronto wins 4 - 1 versus the Rangers. The Rangers scoring powerhouse has now somehow only produced a paltry 2 goals in the past 4 games. In some positive Rangers' news, their stud netminder Henrik Lundqvist has been money in the bank having only allowed five goals in that span; the big guns for New York have to come around eventually, don't they?

-Ottawa downs New Jersey 4 - 1. This was the first game in the Devils' new arena called the Prudential Center; however, the result was disappointing for Devils' fans as Mike Fisher scored twice for the Sens leading them to an easy 4-1 victory.

-Andrei Markov scored the first shootout goal for either team in the 8th round leading the Habs to a 4-3 shootout victory over Crosby and the Penguins. Of note, Pens' superstar Evegni Malkin recorded three assists in the contest. Canadiens 4 - Penguins 3 (OT)

-Nashville won their second straight game as they defeated the Panthers 4 - 3. Both Panthers' forward Olli Jokinen and Predators' forward Radek Bonk had two goals apiece.

-Brad Boyes scored two goals, giving him eight on the season, as the Blues upended the Caps on Saturday night. Here is the final score: Blues 4 - Capitals 3.

-Atlanta defeated Chicago 3 - 2. Ilya Kovalchuk had three points.

-Brenden Morrow had 3 helpers in Dallas' 5 - 3 win over Phoenix. Brendan Morrow has been healthy this year and has scored 10 points in 10 games.

-The Hurricanes put the hurt on the Islanders 8 - 3. BEAST of the night Rod "the bod" Brind'Amour led the team in points with four and extended his point streak to nine games.

-Buffalo defeated Tampa Bay in overtime 4 - 3. Thomas Vanek scored the overtime winner and Ryan Miller made 31 saves for the victory.

-Los Angeles continued their win streak against Edmonton last night, defeating the Oilers by a score of 4 - 1. Jason LaBarbera has found his place as the Kings' starting goaltender; he has won his last four contests by allowing a combined total of four goals in those games. It also doesn't hurt that the Kings offense has been hot as of late scoring sixteen goals in those four game.

Tomorrow's Games (all times Eastern)
3:00pm MIN@COL
8:00pm EDM@ANA
10:30pm DET@VAN

Steve Downie is still racking up the assists

After the first time it was funny, the second time it was more like "oh again? cute." But now after the third time its gone pretty far. Steve Downie recorded another 2 assists in Saturday's game, and also recieved several penatly minutes, nothing new. The Steve Downie Glitch is taking over.

Morning Musings

Here are the Western Conference morning papers:

• Dan Wood of the Orange County Register profiles the still icy relationship between Ducks' GM Brian Burke and Oilers' GM Kevin Lowe.
• The Flames lost 3-2 to the Avs last night in overtime and much of the blame for the loss was channelled toward referee Mick McGeough. Meanwhile, winger Ryan Smyth was happy for a couple days off between the Avs' games in Edmonton and Calgary because it allowed for time to rejuvenate himself after his emotional return to Edmonton. As usual, Jarome Iginla is quick to deflect all the the praise he has received for his hot start and give credit to his teammates.
• David Koci has the respect of his teammates after fighting Zdeno Chara with a broken nose but his reward is a trip to the injured list.
• Avs' defenseman Jordan Leopold will be lost to the team for two months after undergoing surgery on his wrist.
• The Blue Jackets are trying not to get too up or too down this season writes Tom Reed of the Columbus Dispatch. After sitting out practice yesterday, Nikolai Zherdev is expected to be in the Jackets' lineup for tonight's game against the Sharks. Here are the Blue Jackets' probable lines for tonight's game.
• Mike Modano has been demoted to the fourth line in Dallas writes Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News.
• Chris Osgood didn't exactly have a lot of action as the Wings dominated the Sharks in a 5-1 victory. In other Wings' news, Igor Grigorenko has left the team to play in Russia.
• Dustin Penner knows he won't be getting a video tribute when he returns to Anaheim today writes Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal.
• Dustin Brown has signed a six-year contract extension with the Kings, and if some readers are wondering if it is too early to give Brown a six-year deal, Kings' GM Dean Lombardi says, "This is just a function of the way the system is."
• Jacques Lemaire doesn't play Derek Boogard, not because he doesn't believe in him, but rather, he doesn't trust the referees to treat him fairly.
• Even though Tomas Vokoun may not be starting in net tonight in his first return to Nashville, he expects the night to be emotional nonetheless.
• Niko Kapanen has found a groove in Phoenix writes Jim Gintonio of the Arizona Republic. (Writer's note: More importantly, he is the Coyotes' leading scorer with 5 points!!!)
• The Sharks' 5-1 loss to the Red Wings was an embarrassing performance writes David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News. Here is some additional news on the progress of Sandis Ozolinsh.
• St. Louis is excited to get its first look at superstar Alexander Ovechkin tonight as the Blues host the Capitals.
• In a battle of superstars, Roberto Luongo got the best of Alexander Ovechkin as the Canucks upended the Caps 3-2 in Washington. Last night's victory allowed the Canucks to salvage their four-game road trip.

Here are the Eastern Conference morning papers:

• The Capitals learned first-hand last night how difficult it is to beat Roberto Luongo once he gets a lead.
• Paul Maurice says media reports that some of the Leafs' injuries are more serious than the organization has led on are untrue. Meanwhile, Maurice is not about to do anything to ruin the chemistry of the Steen-Stajan-Tlusty line.
• Bolts' defenseman Dan Boyle is expected to return to the lineup next week.
• Flyers' winger Sami Kapanen wanted to retire way back in 2004 but is now quite happy he decided not to writes Tim Panaccio of the Philadelphia Inquirer. In other Flyers' news, Simon Gagne has not been cleared to return to the ice yet after sustaining a concussion at the hands of Jay Bouwmeester.
• John Jeansonne of Newsday discusses the reaction to the new Chris Simon piece in this week's Sports Illustrated.
• While everyone is harping on their lack of offensive output, Chris Drury is very happy with the way the Rangers have played defensively writes John Dellapina of the New York Daily News.
• Even though Mark Recchi has been struggling, Michel Therrien has not moved the veteran off the team's top-line alongside Sidney Crosby.
• Devils' coach Brent Sutter ripped into winger Patrik Elias heading into the team's home opener tonight at "the Rock."
• Ondrej Pavelec will not get the chance to start his first NHL game in net for Atlanta tonight because coach Don Waddell has chosen Johan Hedberg for the start.
• Due to the number of injuries to their defense, the Sabres are looking into the possibility of signing veteran defenseman Nolan Pratt.
• Hurricanes' winger Eric Cole is hoping to return to the lineup tonight, however, whether he plays pre-game soccer is another story.
• The Panthers blew the lead heading into the third period and were defeated by the Sabres 4-2 on Friday night.
• Tomas Plekanec was the story last night, as the Habs chased Cam Ward from the Carolina net and man-handled the Canes 7-4 in Raleigh.
  

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.

EURO CURVE

Euro Curve takes a look at the latest international hockey headlines.

** Breaking News

- According to websites http://www.blog.mlive.com/ and http://www.russianprospects.com/, Detroit Red Wings Rookie Forward Igor Grigorenko has returned to Russia to play for Salavat Yulaev. Grigorenko was technically sent down to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL, but he decided to reject that offer and return to the Russian Super League where he can make over $1 million per season. The 24-year-old enigmatic sniper will most likely get every opportunity to make the talent-laden Red Wings next season.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Ezra Ginsburg.

Nightly Recap: Carolina Suffers First Regulation Loss

• Montreal wins a wild one over Carolina 7 - 4. It was Carolina's first loss in regulation; the Canes were unable to stay out of the penalty box and it cost them as Montreal scored four times with the man advantage. BEAST of the night Thomas Plekanec had 4 points for the Habs.
• After snapping a five game losing skid on Wednesday, Washington may be primed to start a new losing streak as they lost 3 -2 to the struggling Canucks. Chris Clark did have two assists for the Caps, and since he moved to the first line with Alexander Ovechkin the feisty winger has recorded four points in two games. Unfortunately for Clark, he had to leave last night's game after taking an Alexander Ovechkin slapshot to the head.
• Detroit pummeled San Jose 5 - 1 last night. After allowing 15 shots to Vancouver in their last game, the Wings were even better at preventing shots last night by only allowing the high-powered Sharks to tally eleven shots on Wings' backup Chris Osgood who moved to 4-0 with a 1.50 GAA. Meanwhile, Henrik Zetterberg continues to light the lamp; the Swedish star scored twice and he now has 20 points on the year.
• Ryan Miller stopped 33 of 35, as Buffalo defeats Florida 4 - 2. The winning goal was scored by Drew Stafford after the puck bounced high in the air over the net Thomas Vokoun had no idea where it was and Dan Paille tried to bat it into the net and missed, but the puck went behind Vokoun and into the net. If Paille had touched the puck above the crossbar it would not have been a goal.
• Ryan Smyth scores 23 seconds into overtime to give Colorado the 3 - 2 win over Calgary. Joe Sakic scored his 1,600th career point and Joel Quenville notched his 400th career victory.

Tomorrow's Games (all times Eastern)
4:00pm PHI@BOS (pushed up early for all you Sox fans out there)
5:30pm SJ@CLB
7:00pm MTL@PIT, OTT@NJ, CAR@NYI, TOR@NYR,
7:30pm BUF@TB,
8:00pm NSH@FLA
8:30pm WSH@STL, ATL@CHI
10:00pm DAL@PHX, EDM@LA

Prospect Pulse: An Interview with Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post

In lieu of the normal Prospect Pulse report, please enjoy an interview with Rob Vanstone, who has been covering the WHL for over a decade.

Kyle Kosior-Mr. Vanstone, you have been covering the WHL for over a decade. How would you say this year’s draft crop stacks up against others you have seen?

Rob Vanstone- This year's draft crop is good -- an improvement over last year -- but not great. It may be some time before the Ryan Getzlaf draft year is equaled. It is tougher to evaluate skilled players in the WHL because the games are so much more defensive, so that may hurt the elite offensive players. In the OHL and QMJHL, the skilled players have a greater opportunity to exhibit their skills, which may enhance their draft standing.

KK-Colton Teubert is currently projected as the 9th overall pick in the upcoming NHL draft. How has his play been thus far and do you anticipate any rise or fall in his ranking?

RV-To be honest, I haven't seen Teubert enough this season to give you a credible appraisal of his play. Most Pats games this season have conflicted with high school football, which devours most of my evenings this time of year. I have not heard any concerns about his play and would be shocked if he didn't ascend much higher than ninth. Is he not the prototype?

KK-Can you assess Teubert’s strengths and weaknesses?

RV-Teubert doesn't have any glaring weaknesses on or off the ice. He doesn't post huge offensive totals, but his numbers will improve as he matures. Defensively, he has everything you want, including a long reach. He also has a mean streak, when necessary, and will stand up for his teammates. His maturity immediately impressed the Pats' brass when they interviewed him before the bantam draft. If you can find a glaring flaw with Teubert, you can probably pick apart Jessica Alba, too.

KK-In your opinion, what current NHL’er is the most accurate comparison for Teubert’s game?

RV-Brent Parker compared Teubert to Chris Pronger for a story I did in The Hockey News last year. Few players are going to ascend to Pronger's status, but there are similarities.

KK-Another Regina Pat, Jordan Eberle, is setting a torrid pace in the goal scoring department. Can you give us a description of his game and speculate as to where he might end up being taken in the draft?

RV-I could see Eberle creeping into the first round because of his sublime offensive skills. He isn't always flashy, but he is incredibly smart and poised with the puck. The subtleties in his game are something to behold.

KK-Do you feel that Eberle’s performance thus far has erased his poor showing at the U-18 tournament?

RV-As far as the under-18 tournament, I think that will be overridden by his performance during the season. What have you done for me lately?

KK-Are there any other Regina Pats that you feel could be a solid pick in the draft?

RV-None that come to mind, Kyle. But, again, I haven't seen enough of the Pats this season to give you an accurate assessment. I might be able to give you a better answer after Saturday!

KK-Could you comment on the other WHL notables, namely Kyle Beach, Luke Schenn and Tyler Ennis?

RV-Kyle Beach is a wild card. You can hit a home run or strike out with him. If he can channel his emotions, he is THE best prospect emanating from the WHL this year. Luke Schenn is a classic, WHL-style defenceman who can play in the NHL for 15 years. As for Tyler Ennis, I love him. He's the most-watchable player in the league right now.

KK-Give us your dark horse draft candidate.

RV-I'm not sure if Zach Boychuk qualifies as a darkhorse, but some people are going to be dismissive because of his size. Boychuk could very well be effective at a higher level where games are called more tightly. This league is not conducive to the exhibition of his skills, which goes back to the problem I cited at the outset.


Illegal Curve would like to extend its thanks to Rob Vanstone for this interview. We will be following up early next week to see if any other Regina Pats catch Mr. Vanstone's attention.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Kyle Kosior

Fantasy Watch: Goaltender Starts

October 29th – November 4th
# of games in brackets

Anaheim Ducks (2)– With two games on the schedule expect a split between J.S. Giguere and Ilya Bryzgalov

Atlanta Thrashers (3) – Lehtonen is still on the IR with an injured groin, so expect to see more of Johan Hedberg, but Ondrej Pavelec may steal a start or two.

Boston Bruins (3) – Tim Thomas has outplayed newcomer Manny Fernandez early on making his case for the #1 job.

Buffalo Sabres (2) – Miller has struggled to begin the season, and with two games back-to-back, look for Thibault to start one of them.

Calgary Flames (3) – With no reliable backup, expect Kiprusoff to get all the starts.

Carolina Hurricanes (2) – Ward has not lost a game in regulation this season.

Chicago Blackhawks (3) - Khabibulin is #1, but playing back-to-back games will allow Lalime to steal a start.

Columbus Blue Jackets (3) - Leclaire has been quite a surprise thus far, already compiling four shutouts.

Colorado Avalanche (2) – Budaj is slowly putting to rest any controversy in Colorado.

Dallas Stars (3) – The Stars may give Turco a rest this week.

Detroit Red Wings (2) – Osgood should be given both starts as Hasek is day-to-day with a sore hip.

Edmonton Oilers (2) – Although Roloson is struggling, he's still #1.

Florida Panthers (3) – Playing on Friday and Saturday should give backup Craig Anderson a
start.

Los Angeles Kings (3) - With several goaltenders vying for the #1 job, your guess is as good as mine.

Minnesota Wild (3) – Backstrom has Minnesota fans forgetting all about Manny Fernandez.

Montreal Canadiens (3) – Huet is allowing Montreal a chance to bring Price along slowly.

Nashville Predators (4) – Mason has struggled recently and with four games on the schedule expect backup Dan Ellis to get a start.

New Jersey Devils (3) – Weekes should see action as the Devils play back-to-back games.

New York Islanders (4) – Expect Dubielewicz to receive a start during this busy week.

New York Rangers (3) – Lundqvist has started every game thus far.

Ottawa Senators (3) - Gerber is still red hot and should continue to see plenty of starts come his way.

Philadelphia Flyers (3) – Biron is leading the Flyers back into contention.

Phoenix Coyotes (3) – No clear #1 as of yet

Pittsburgh Penguins (3) - Fleury will most likely receive all the starts.

San Jose Sharks (3) – Nabokov has lead San Jose to first place in the Pacific Conference

St. Louis Blues (4) – With back-to-back games, Toivonen should steal a start.

Tampa Bay Lightining (4) – Holmqvist has performed well thus far, but with four games, Denis may make an appearance.

Toronto Maple Leafs (3) – Toskala is slowly emerging as the #1 guy.

Vancouver Canucks (2) – Luongo has played poorly, but expect him to turn it around sooner than later.

Washington Capitals (3) – Backup Brent Johnson should see some playing time as Washington will probably opt against using Kolzig on back-to-back games.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Jonny Remis

Morning Musings

Here are the Western Conference Morning Papers:

• After losing to the Coyotes 1-0 on Thursday night, it is fair to say that the Ducks are in a downward spiral. However, team captain Chris Pronger says the last thing the team needs to do is start pointing fingers at each other.
• Much of the credit for the Coyotes victory should go to Alex Auld who turned aside all 31 shots he faced last night.
• Amazingly, yesterday's game between the Blue Jackets and the Blues, which saw Columbus win 3-0, was the first game between the teams in which both teams were above .500. Blue Jackets' coach Ken Hitchcock thinks some team from the Central Division will join Detroit in the playoffs and he believes that spot is up for grabs.
• Rick Nash scored an amazing goal to lead the Blue Jackets' to their 3-0 victory over the Blues. About ten games have passed for each team in the NHL and somehow Pascal Leclaire already has four shutouts.
• Jarome Iginla looks to be on his way to his best season yet writes Randy Sportak of the Calgary Sun.
• Having played against each other in college and on the world stage, Hawks' forward Jonathan Toews was able to renew acquaintances with Bruins' forward Phil Kessel as both put their best effort forward to carry their respective teams. In the end, Kessel won out as the Bruins defeated the Blackhawks 3-1.
• The Avalanche are not receiving as much production from their blueline as they would like writes Adrian Dater of the Denver Post. In other Avs' news, Jordan Leopold is injured again. (Writer's note: That Tanguay for Leopold trade looks pretty, pretty, pretty bad right now.)
• The Stars played a good first part of the game against the Kings but then made some mental errors which allowed the Kings to score twice and prevail 2-1.
• The victory was the first for the Kings over the Stars in the past ten meetings between the two clubs.
• The two best teams in the face-off circle meet tonight in Detroit as the visiting Sharks try and knock off the Wings. Although there is no indication whether it is serious or not, Dominik Hasek will be out of the Wings' lineup tonight with hip irritation.
• Ales Hemsky had two markers, one of the highlight variety, as the Oilers recorded their first divisional win by knocking off the Minnesota Wild 5-4 in a shootout. The Oilers' veterans finally came alive last night and carried the team's youngsters for arguably the first time all season.
• While the Wild eventually lost 5-4 in a shootout, the team was happy with the way it battled back from a two goal deficit instead of packing it in. Meanwhile, the Wild secured an integral member of their youthful core as the team agreed to a four year contract extension with defenseman Brent Burns.
• The Predators put an end to the ugly six game slide as they defeated the Thrashers 3-0 on Thursday night. In rather surprising news, defenseman Marek Zidlicky was a healthy scratch last night.
• The relaxing time in Banff is over with and the Sharks' road trip turns into high-gear as they play three games in the next four nights against conference rivals.

Here are the national morning papers:

• Dave Shoalts of the Globe & Mail says there is actually a hint of logic in John Ferguson Jr.'s pursuit of young phenom John Tavares.
• Cam Cole of the National Post describes all that's wrong with the struggling Vancouver Canucks right now.
• Kevin Allen of the USA Today writes that next summer's entry draft could be yet another strong draft for American prospects.

Here are the Eastern Conference morning papers:

• The line of Tlusty-Stajan-Steen was terrific last night in leading the Leafs to a 5-2 victory over the Penguins. Circumventing the league rules is not the Leafs' style says MLSE President Richard Peddie. While the idea is far-fetched, Damien Cox gives the Leafs points for creativity in this morning's Toronto Star.
• Coach Michel Therrien was critical of his team's performance and competition level after their 5-2 loss at the hands of the struggling Maple Leafs.
• The Lightning defeated the Flyers 5-2 on Thursday night and are playing far better at home than they did last season writes Carter Gaddis of the Tampa Tribune. Lightning forward Michel Ouellet was finally rewarded for his season-long hard work.
• Flyers' coach John Stevens says a loss of the special teams battle is what cost the Flyers the game last night in Tampa.
• Daniel Alfredsson answers readers' questions in this morning's Ottawa Citizen. Meanwhile, Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun takes a look at each of the terrific Ottawa blueliners one through six.
• Shawn Bates of the Islanders can't wait to get into some game action for the first time in over seven months, however, he has no clue when he will get a chance to crack the team's lineup.
• In what was a complete role-reversal from past years, the Rangers defeated the Devils 2-0 at MSG last night. On a team full of veterans, coach Tom Renney is demonstrating the utmost confidence in his younger players writes Larry Brooks of the NY Post.
• Devils' coach Brent Sutter was very unhappy that his team only earned seven of a possible eighteen points on their season-opening nine-game road trip. Scott Gomez admitted that he did feel a little bit weird during warm-ups but once the game began he was okay about facing-off versus his former teammates.
• The Habs are on the road for back-to-back games this weekend and if they expect to compete for a playoff spot, they need to improve their record in back-to-back games over last season.
• The Panthers also play back-to-back games this weekend, however, Jacques Martin has yet to announce who will start both games in net. Even a day later, Martin admitted he was very impressed with his team's play in its victory over Philly on Wednesday night.
• Some good news for Hurricanes' fans as Eric Cole may be able to return to the lineup for Saturday's game.
• The Sabres need to improve their play when the game is on the line writes John Vogl of the Buffalo News.
• Phil Kessel was terrific last night as the Bruins upended the Blackhawks 3-1 at the Banknorth Garden. After seeing all the blood on the ice after Zdeno Chara pummeled David Koci, don't be expecting anyone to be taking on Chara for a while. The Bruins need more production from their top unit of Schaeffer-Savard-Murray writes Nancy Marrapese-Burrell of the Boston Globe.
• The Thrashers didn't play as desperate as they needed to and it cost them the game against the struggling Predators writes Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.

Zdeno Chara takes BEAST of the night to a new level

• Bruins 3, Blackhawks 1. Due to the World Series, the game was played in front of half a crowd. Phill Kessel sniped 2 goals and Jonathan Toews continues his point streak as he gets one on the powerplay. Zdeno Chara is the BEAST of the night as he pummels David Koci. He left with a bloody face.
  

• Stopping 36 saves, Pascal Leclaire recorded his fourth shutout on the season (believe it or not), three of them coming at home. Rick Nash continues to light the lamp, as he scores in his his fifth straight game. Columbus 3, St. Louis 0.
• In their past 3 games, the Rangers have gone 1-2 in their past three games, allowing one goal and scoring two. Henrik Lundvqist earned the shutout tonight and Winnipeg's Nigel Dawes scored two. Rangers 2, Devils 0
• Toronto 5 - Pittsburgh 2
• Tampa Bay 5 - Philadelphia 2
• Nashville 3 - Atlanta 0
• On Craig Welker's only goal Phoenix shuts out Anaheim 1 - 0
• Edmonton 5 - Minnesota 4
• Los Angeles 2 - Dallas 1

Tommorow's Games (all times Eastern)
7:00pm MTL@CAR, VAN@WSH
7:30pm SJ@DET, BUF@FLA
9:00pm COL@CGY

Yahoo! Sports Mix-up Update

Looks like Yahoo! Sports is at it again. After Steve Downie recorded an assist in last night's game, as well as several minutes in the penalty box, the Yahoo! guys have appeared to one up themselves.


At this rate, expect Downie to finish the year with around 60+ points and well over 100 PIM.

FROZEN ASSETS

DOGS BARKING IN THE WEST, ARE YOU BITING?

Welcome to Frozen Assets. Every week I offer tips for successful futures wagering and I examine odds in the hockey futures market. This week we will look at the odds for teams in the West to win the Stanley Cup. What has changed since October 11th?

With the NHL season in its early stages, it is difficult to know how much weight to give teams’ current records when determining whether they have long-term value. Will Chicago make the playoffs? Will Anaheim miss the playoffs? Futures odds on some teams have changed drastically over the last few weeks, while for other teams the odds remain the same.

Here are the Western Conference teams in order of points as of October 24th:

1. Minnesota Wild (7-1-1, 15 pts) Then (start of season): +3300 Now: +2000 (Centrebet)

With their excellent goaltending, team speed, and ability to play with a lead (except last night), this Wild team reminds me of the Flames team that lost to the Lightning in the Stanley Cup. If you were fortunate enough to buy futures on Minnesota at +3300, congratulations – you will not see a price close to that for the rest of the season. I would put a few units on them at +2000. When a team leading the conference is +2000 you have to put a few units on them.

2. Detroit Red Wings (7-2-1, 15 pts) Then: +950 Now: +1015 (The Greek)

My apologies for not discovering the odds of +1015 on Detroit at the beginning of the season. The odds at The Greek were not up when I wrote the October 11th edition of Frozen Assets. It is business as usual for the Red Wings, as they once again sit near the top of the conference standings. Play them at +1015, but lay off once the odds go below +1000. This will happen next time The Greek updates their odds, so it is now or never for a futures bet on the Red Wings.

3. San Jose Sharks (5-3-1, 11 pts) Then: +1650 Now: +1300 (Stan James)

For the last few years, the Sharks have been a team underrated by oddsmakers in the futures market. This year is different. While I am confident the Sharks are the current favorite for the Pacific division, I recommend a wait and see approach. Lay off them at +1300 or wait for them to go on a run and then grab the +1300 if it is still around.

4. Calgary Flames (5-3-2, 12 pts) Then: +2600 Now: +2500 (William Hill)

Not much has changed when it comes to futures odds on the Flames. They responded well against Minnesota after being embarrassed at home by San Jose in their last game. I would hold off on playing Calgary at +2500 – unless they go on an extended winning streak, they should be available at odds of around +2000 for the rest of the season. Until we have a sense of how they will play under Mike Keenan I would leave them alone.

5. St. Louis Blues (5-2-0, 10 pts) Then: +8900 Now: +7000 (Portlandbet)

The Blues have been a completely different team since Andy Murray took over the team. Legace has been consistent, and the Tkachuk/Boyes/Kariya line has been outstanding. St. Louis will contend for a playoff spot and is the best long shot of the young NHL season. My only warning to you before you spend all of your allowance at one place is that Portlandbet is not ranked by Sportsbook Review. I would take them at +6400 at Betfair instead.

6. Dallas Stars (4-2-2, 10 pts) Then: +3300 Now: +3900 (Betfair)

Why did the odds go up? The Stars are 4-2-2 and are finding ways to win. Though I like the fact that they are still +3900 despite being 4-2-2, there are more enticing options at this point of the season. If they are five games over .500 at the quarter pole and this price is still around then you should take it. Otherwise, spend your money elsewhere.

7. Chicago Blackhawks (5-4-0, 10 pts) Then: +15000 Now: +12500 (Portlandbet)

Have you watched the Blackhawks play this year? Watch one period and you will want to put some of your allowance on them. The same warning I gave for the price on the Blues applies to the price on the Blackhawks - take them at Betfair at +11000 instead. Sit back, relax, and enjoy your new favorite team – young, exciting, and loaded with skill and promise. If Martin Havlat ever comes back for an extended period of time this team will seriously contend for a playoff spot.

8. Colorado Avalanche (5-4-0, 10 pts) Then: +2200 Now: +2600 (Betfair)

The Avalanche were the pre-season favorites to win the tough Northwest Division. They have not played up to their potential as of yet. Leave them alone for now; +2600 isn’t enough for yo to bother with them.

9. Columbus Blue Jackets (4-3-1, 9 pts) Then: +15000 Now: +12500 (Centrebet)

See Blackhawks, except replace “young, exciting team loaded with skill” with “well coached, well disciplined team that is learning to win on the road”. Take them at Centrebet at +12500. After St. Louis, Columbus is the best long shot on the board (Chicago comes in at #3)

10. Anaheim Ducks (4-6-1, 9 pts) Then: +1000 Now: +1100 (Betfair)

If by some miracle the odds hit +2000 and then Scott Niedermayer comes out of retirement then lay down some units. Otherwise keep your units in your pants. This team cannot win on the road (unlike Columbus) and has struggled to look like a playoff team - a disappointing start to the season for the defending Stanley Cup champions.

11. Los Angeles (4-6-0, 10 8 pts) Then: +8000 Now: +10000 (Carib)

I like Los Angeles more than I did at the beginning of the year. The Kings have plenty of offense but lack solid goaltending. The current odds on them are decent, but there are better options out there. Los Angeles has improved since the beginning of the season, but hold off. I am confident that if they put together a winning streak, you will still be able to get them at favourable odds (probably around +8000) when they are above .500.

12. Vancouver (4-6-0, 8 pts) Then: +2000 Now: +2500 (Carib)

I would take St. Louis to make the playoffs over Vancouver. So why are the Blues +7000 and the Canucks +2500? Take away Roberto Luongo and this team is competing with Nashville and Phoenix for the worst team in the conference. Oh wait, they are doing that right now.

13. Edmonton (3-6-0, 6 pts) Then: +7500 Now: +10000 (Carib)

Despite production from their young, talented forwards, Edmonton is 1-6-0 in their last 7 games. I'm sorry Oilers fans, I know it is early but it looks like Sheldon Souray will not meet expectations and you will be cheering for whoever plays against the Flames come playoff time. Until this team can put together a few wins in a row, don't even think about it!

14. Phoenix (2-5-0, 4 pts) Then: +25000 Now: +30000 (Bet365)

You should have stopped reading this article after "wait, they are doing that right now". Phoenix is not making the playoffs.

15. Nashville (2-6-0, 4 pts) Then: +3900 Now: +10000 (Carib)

See above. Nashville is terrible.

Those are my thoughts on the West – if you have opinions about the Western Conference, feel free to post them in the comments section and I will do my best to respond. Next week we will look at the Eastern Conference. For those of you that bet on Carolina and Philadelphia congratulations – you have a season of fun ahead of you.

For illegal curve, I’m Ari Baum-Cohen.

About the writer: Ari Baum-Cohen’s first sports betting victory came in 1989 when he won his father’s office pool at age 8. Since then, he has been interested in many different types of sports betting. His first major futures win came in November of the 2001-2002 hockey season when he selected “field” (field included Jarome Iginla) at odds of 30/1 to win the National Hockey League goal scoring title.

FROZEN ASSETS October 18, 2007
FROZEN ASSETS October, 11, 2007
FROZEN ASSETS October 4, 2007
FROZEN ASSETS September 27, 2007
FROZEN ASSETS September 20, 2007

Cold Hard Rants

Sitting here in my shirtsleeves on October 25^th with the sun shining through the windows, a cold thirst quenching slurpee in my hand, a bike ride on my mind, and a day by my pool in my dreams, my thoughts naturally turned to hockey and the NHL. As is my wont, those thoughts were along the lines of how dumb the NHL and its schedule makers are.

This week, I read with bemusement about how the Detroit Red Wings’ proposal to extend the season to 84 games had been rejected by the fellow NHL governors. Only in the NHL would owners be delusional enough to think that more games are the solution to one of the myriad of problems currently plaguing the NHL. Currently the NHL season stretches from September to June. That’s ten months for our readers who are mathematically challenged. Arguably, the coldest city that has an NHL team is Edmonton, Alberta. When the coldest city to house an NHL team only has cold weather for probably 6 months a year, does it not make sense to shorten the season rather than lengthen it? In my humble opinion, a game that is played on a cold surface (i.e. ice) works best when it is cold outside! Fans are in the mood for hockey on a cold winter’s night. No one has ever said, “it’s 95 degrees outside, I don’t want to play golf, or go swimming, or go sit on a patio with a cerveza, I want to watch people skate!”

Now while I am a strong advocate for a shorter NHL season, I am also not naive enough to think that there is a snowball’s chance in hell of this ever happening (pardon the pun). The reason why, comes down to the usual issue when discussing problems with the NHL, namely, dollars and cents. Currently and for the foreseeable future, and despite the Tiny Perfect Commissioner’s best spin efforts, the NHL is referred to as a gate driven league. In short, and taking away all the b.s. around that euphemism, it means that an NHL team receives the majority of their revenue by getting people to pay their way into the arena to see a game. The TV contract with NBC pays each team a percentage of the zero dollars NBC pays the NHL to televise their games. Believe it or not, any percentage of zero dollars equals zero dollars per team. (Again, the help is for our mathematically deficient readers—although if someone would copy and paste that fact to NHL head offices in either Toronto or New York, it might aid in their understanding of the mathematical equation.) To contrast, the NFL pays all of their players’ salaries via the revenue from their TV contract long before they have had one person pay for a ticket to see a game. So, when the Detroit Red Wings want to extend the season by two games, it is a blatant attempt at a cash grab, to help offset the loss of revenue they have experienced by no longer being able to refer to themselves as Hockeytown, a title that was stripped from them when they were unable to sell out playoff games, and this year’s home opener.

Now, as I know from my political days, it is easy to be a critic, but I can hear my readers yelling, what is your solution, Andrew M? The answer is easy (at least to me it is.) Fewer games played in a season would result in those games being viewed as more valuable. More valuable to the team’s season and potential playoff future, and as an intended consequence, the fans would put more value on each individual game. Thus, the team would be able to charge a higher amount for tickets to the games. It’s simple supply and demand, yet this basic economic concept seems lost on the NHL and the owners. When there is only 35 home games per year, they are played during an environmental season that actually befits hockey, and the Tuesday night in February against Atlanta seems a lot more important to the paying public than the Sunday afternoon in April versus Nashville does. Although why there are NHL teams in Atlanta and Nashville in the first place is another issue for another time and day.

For Illegal Curve, I am Andrew M.

About the writer: Formerly a speech writer for a Canadian Federal Politician, Andrew will be bringing his unique take on the hockey world to the illegal curve blog once a week, or more often if the rage needs to be released in a manner other than clobbering a referee over the head with a whiskey bottle. Mainly because he doesn’t have enough empty whiskey bottles at his disposal.

News You Can Use Late in the Day

-James Duthie comments on the growing peril that is pre-game soccer warmups.

-Paul Kariya is excited about the Blues' future.

-Eric Lindros is done, unofficially.

-Rick Nash is still unknown in Columbus.

-Tavares to Leafs, "Don't bother".

-Eric Duhatschek notes that Reebok is making some changes to a few players' Edge jerseys.

-Pierre Lebrun writes that Don Waddell is a busy man in Atlanta.

-Richard Bachman is Inside College Hockey's Player of the Week.

-Jack Blatherwick of Lets Play Hockey calls for a return to the old time methods of hockey training in order to make the game accessible again.

-Daymond Langkow is playing with renewed confidence.

-Carolina is off to a hot start.

-David Amber profiles his list of the 10 Dirtiest Plays in the NHL.

-The Erie Otters may send two players home for undisclosed disciplinary reasons.

-Stan Fischler wants Rangers fans to chill out.

-Wayne Scanlan of the Ottawa Sun writes that the Rangers are making a mistake by spending big.

-Yann Danis has started the season well in Hamilton.

-The Sabres have recalled Mike Weber from Rochester.

-It looks like the Wild had a plan when they didn't make a splash on the free agent market.

-Some nice pictures from SI's Photo Gallery.

-The Oilers are not thrilled at the prospect of hosting the Wild tonight.

-The Wayne State Warriors hope to have a strong final season.

-Stu Barnes is still contributing in Dallas.

-Crashing the Net assembles the All-Living team that will play host to the All-Dead team in next week's article.

-A look around the AHL.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Kyle Kosior

Prospect Pulse: Matt Moulson

Matt Moulson is one of those wandering nomad prospects who seem to hit their stride later on in life and provide a hidden gem for a team that is willing to give them a chance. Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Moulson spent his college career putting up good numbers at Cornell. Upon completion of his senior year, Moulson signed with the Los Angeles Kings.

Another big college forward to add to their ranks, LA has done well mining the NCAA teams in the northeast. Moulson is a gifted offensive player who is an excellent skater and an even better thinker of the game. More of a passer than a shooter, Moulson is not shy about using his 6'1, 205 pound body to gain position for himself or to get the puck. Once in possession, he is nearly impossible to knock off.

Like so many players that come out of college, Moulson is a good defensive player. He was on the top penalty killing unit at Cornell and has also filled this role in Manchester of the AHL. He is able to use his hockey smarts to break up plays and get himself into shooting and passing lanes. Rarely caught out of position, Moulson has the skating ability to get himself back into the play in the rare instances where he gets victimized.

Moulson put up 55 points in 77 games in his first year of pro hockey, and already has 8 points in 6 games this season. Though he is stuck behind some other players in the Kings system, it likely won't be long until he forces his way into their lineup. Scouts note that while Moulson has all the tools to be an NHL'er, he must learn to use these tools consistently before he is able to shed the shackles of Manchester and make his way to California.

EURO CURVE

Euro Curve takes a look at the latest international hockey headlines.

- Tony Salmelainen has signed with Lokomotiv Yaroslav of the Russian Super League. Salmelainen left the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this week, citing "personal reasons". He obviously had other plans, as he has quickly signed a contract with the Russian club. Salmelainen stuggled early this year and fell out of favour with Leafs Coach Paul Maurice. He played in only 2 games this year, with the Toronto Marlies, The Leafs's American Hockey League affiliate. Salemelainen is a highly skilled forward who has enjoyed sporadic success in North America. Salmelainen had 6 goals and 11 assists in 57 games for the Chicago Blackhawks last season. Salmelainen has previously played for HIFK of the SM-Liiga and will surely look to fine tune his game with Lokomotiv, in hopes of getting another crack at the NHL.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Ezra Ginsburg.

Numbers Game

Like every other kid growing up in Canada, I wanted to be a professional hockey player. There was nothing I loved more than playing hockey. I used to lay awake at nights thinking about my game the following day.

At the tender age of 14, I had a life defining moment. I remember it like it was yesterday. I looked at my dad and saw his sold 6”1 frame, an ideal size for a hockey player, but then I looked over at my mom and saw her petite 5” frame and then it hit me “There is no way I am going to be tall! I am doomed to a life of average height, if I am lucky. " Putting aside my lack of hockey skills, I came to the realization that I was going to be too small to be a professional hockey player!

Well, that was a dramatization. I knew that my house-league training was certainly not going to prepare me for a professional hockey career. However, how often have you heard that a player is just too small to play in the NHL? Martin St. Louis certainly heard it his entire life, but he is the NHL to stay!

Before the lockout, everyone said that the clutching and grabbing was preventing smaller players from utilizing their speed to demonstrate their skills. A lot of NHLers complained that the refs were not calling interference penalties. And then came the lockout. While Bettman and Saskin spent months trying to hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement, Colin Campbell of the NHL, Brendan Shanahan and a handful of other NHL players convened to try to improve the on-ice product. One of their main objectives was to eliminate all of the clutching and grabbing. They decided that impeding a player’s progression would be strictly enforced.

This was the start of “the NEW NHL,” as Joe Bowen loves to constantly remind us. No more clutching and grabbing. More free-flowing, fast-paced, unimpeded hockey! Does this mean that the “new” NHL is more short-player friendly? Did I lack the foresight at the age of 14 to realize that one day “undersized” players could actually succeed in a big man’s game? Heck, I would have been 23 years old when the lockout ended and in my hockey prime!

In today’s Numbers Game, I looked at the offensive production of “undersized” players in the NHL (for the purpose of this analysis, I included all players 5”10 and shorter). I compared the average offensive production for the two years before the lockout and the two seasons post-lockout.

For the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons, there were a combined 119 players who were 5”10 and under. In contrast, there were 117 players combined for the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons.

While there was a negligible drop in the number of short players post-lockout, they did in fact enjoy greater success in the “new” NHL in terms of points scored. “Short” players scored in the pre-lockout, on average, 10.06 goals and 15.48 assists for a total of 25.55 points with 48.88 games played. Post lockout, the offensive numbers jumped to, on average, 12.31 goals and 18.87 assists for a total of 31.17 points with 51.92 games played. This reflects an increase of 22% in point production.

However, it appears that this increase can be better attributed to the increase in league-wide scoring. While more “undersized” players scored 50 or more points post-lockout, they did not rank any higher among the league leaders. In 2002-2003, 4 “undersized” players ranked in the top 30 forwards. In 2003-2004, there were 5 players. In the past two seasons following the lockout, there have only been 3 “undersized” players in each season that ranked among the top 30 in the NHL.

It appears that “undersized” players are at no more of an advantage than other NHLers in today’s NHL. “Undersized” players did score, on average, more points following the lockout, but that trend was not unique to those players. League-wide scoring has increased. Maybe the crack-down on clutching and grabbing has led to the increase in scoring. Some suggest that the elimination of the red line has also contributed to the increase. However, the effects of the rule changes have been noticed league-wide, not just by those affectionately deemed “undersized”.

At least at a full-grown 5”10, I don’t have to regret my decision to give up my dream to become a professional hockey player.

For Illegal Curve, I am Adam Gutkin.

Morning Musings

For this morning's Morning Musings I have divided the papers into two categories: Western Conference and Eastern Conference. If any readers have any feedback as to whether they prefer this format to the old format (which didn't divide up the papers at all), please don't hesitate to let us know.

Here are the Western Conference morning papers:

• Detroit's Tomas Holmstrom had two goals last night as the Red Wings thoroughly dominated the inferior Canucks, outshooting them 39 to 15 and taking the contest 3-2.
• Canucks' head coach Alain Vigneault said his players looked like they were playing in quicksand last night versus the Wings.
• Ducks' forward Todd Bertuzzi, who sustained a concussion versus the Wild earlier on this season, has been symptom-free for a couple of days now and is hoping to return to the lineup in the not-so distant future. In other Ducks' news, centers Ryan Getzlaf and Rob Niedermayer are both day-to-day with minor injuries.
• Alex Tanguay scored his first two goals of the season leading the Flames to an impressive 5-3 comeback victory over the stingy wild. The Wild led the game 3-0 at one point, but the momentum shifted after Dion Phaneuf levelled Matt Foy and then promptly defeated Stephane Veilleux in a fight; Scott Cruickshank of the Calgary Herald has the story.
• Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune called the Wild's loss last night, the "most remarkable collapse in franchise history."
• Denis Savard is not content with the Hawks' fairly impressive start and wants more from his team writes Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune. Meanwhile, Don Cherry favorite Yanic Perreault was a healthy scratch for the team's last contest versus Columbus on Tuesday night.
• Adrian Dater of the Denver Post answers questions from the Avalanche mailbag in this morning's paper.
• Tom Reed of the Columbus Dispatch has a must-read article about the friendship of Michael Peca and Jason Blake. (Writer's note: If you are going to read one article today, make it this one.) Jackets' defenseman Duvie Westcott feared he might have suffered another concussion on Tuesday night, but felt fine on Wednesday; nonetheless, the Blue Jackets are taking proper precaution and Westcott is not expected to be in the lineup for tonight's contest. Here are the Jackets' probable lines for tonight's game versus the Blues.
• Mattias Norstrom is comfortable being a member of the Dallas Stars now and his leadership and tough style of play have been terrific additions for both the Stars' blueline and locker room.
• The Oilers have told Sam Gagner to move out of his hotel and looked for a more permanent residence writes Joanne Ireland of the Edmonton Journal. Things are backwards in Oiler land, with the youngsters carrying the scoring burden for the struggling veterans; Dan Barnes of the Journal has the details.
• As Lisa Dillman of the L.A. Times tells us, Kings' forward Michael Cammalleri has been absolutely tremendous this season scoring in every single game except for one.
• Coyotes' netminder David Aebischer has cleared waivers and will join the team's AHL affiliate.
• David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News provides readers with the details of the team-building exercises the Sharks have undertaken in beautiful Banff, Alberta.
• Keith Tkachuk has been the key to the Tkachuk-Kariya-Boyes line for the Blues writes Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
• Predators' general manager David Poile knows everyone on his team's roster can play better and says that he is not considering any significant roster changes after the team's poor start to the season.

Here are the Eastern Conference morning papers:

• The last few days have been quite the whirlwind for Thrashers' rookie goaltender Ondrej Pavelec.
• The last thing Tim Thomas is going to do is take anything for granted writes Nancy Marrapese-Burrell in this morning's Boston Globe. Don't expect Bruins' coach Claude Julien to move into panic mode after the team's tough loss to the Habs on Monday. (Writer's note: This article also includes information on Reebok's plans to change their new jerseys due to player complaints.)
• Not only were the Sabres thoroughly outclassed in their 6-2 loss to the Hurricanes on Wednesday night, but they also lost defenseman Dmitri Kalinin and forward Paul Gaustad to injuries.
• Rod Brind'Amour says the Hurricanes are playing like they did in 2005/06. Eric Staal is a great skater with a terrific shot but you just can't teach having long arms.
• Olli Jokinen scored two goals leading the Panthers to a 4-3 victory over the Flyers and, in the process, became the team's all-time leading scorer. It wasn't all good news for the Panthers as winger Rostislav Olesz will be out of the lineup for the next several weeks with a broken hand.
• Coming into the 2007/08 season, Michael Ryder and his linemates wanted to make a point of improving on their dismal +/- ratings; Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette has the story.
• The Devils sure won't be going easy on their former teammate Scott Gomez tonight as the Devils square off against the Rangers. Devils' coach Brent Sutter says that Gomez is now a player on the team's biggest rival and expects there to be no display of friendsip out on the ice tonight.
• As John Dellapina of the New York Daily News explains, Gomez is actually more excited than he is nervous for tonight's contest.
• Islanders' coach Ted Nolan is looking at the positive aspects of having six days off between games.
• The value that Chris Kelly brings to a team is not easily quantifiable writes Alan Panzeri of the Ottawa Citizen. Dean McAmmond's concussion symptoms have subsided but his injured shoulder is hindering his ability to return to the lineup.
• The Lightning were defeated by the Capitals 5-3 on Wednesday night and have still yet to win a game on the road.
• Glen Hanlon looked like a smart man last night because his promotion of Chris Clark to the Caps' first line was one of the main reasons that Washington snapped its losing streak.
• Even though Sidney Crosby has only scored twice this season, he is helping the Pens in many other areas writes Shelly Anderson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
• The Flyers lost last night's game to Florida and also lost Simon Gagne to a possible concussion.
• Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun thinks it is time to fire John Ferguson Jr. Possible firings aside, rookie Jiri Tlusty will make his Leafs debut tonight.

Note: Today I will include articles from the major national papers in Canada and the United States, however, this may not be a daily occurrence and will depend on the volume of articles I have to sift through the morning I post.

Here are the national papers:

• Dave Shoalts of the Globe & Mail has a good piece this morning on the pressures that Penguins' netminder Marc-Andre Fleury faces today and has faced for his entire career.
• Kevin Allen of USA Today details the expectations and intentions that new union boss Paul Kelly has for the NHLPA.
• Former Leafs' assistant general manager Bill Watters thinks it is time to blow up the Maple Leafs' roster and that the team should start by trading Mats Sundin. (Writer's note: Why is one radio broadcaster's opinion almost instantly written in the paper as if it is news????)

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.

Tonights Recap: Great Goaltending Goes Unrewarded

Tonight's games were headlined by goaltenders who had to stop a high number of shots but still managed to lose due to their team's inability to generate offense. The Hurricanes doubled the Sabres in shots; Cam Ward stopped 19 of 21 and Ryan Miller stopped 37 of 43, with four of the goals being scored in the third period. Flyers' netminder Martin Biron stopped 38 of 42, while his counterpart Thomas Vokoun needed to stop only 20 of 23. In Detroit, Roberto Luongo stopped 36 of 39 shots, while at the other end of the ice Dominik Hasek only had to face 15 shots in the entire game (he stopped 13).

Vancouver scored two goals tonight, Buffalo two and Philadelphia three. All of those teams have All-Star caliber goaltenders, but if they continue to allow an abundance of shots, and are not able to generate any offense, it is likely that they wont win many games having to rely so heavily on their goaltenders.

On to the Recap:

• Cam Ward continued his stellar play and improved his record to 6-0 for the 'Canes as they defeated the Sabres 6 - 2. Bret Hedican and Eric Staal had 3 points each for Carolina and Justin Williams continued his hot start with two more points. This season Carolina has earned points in 9 of 10 games and has only one loss in regulation play. They are looking very good early on in this young season. Ryan Miller made 37 saves for Buffalo in the loss.
• Washington 5, Tampa Bay 3. After losing 4 in a row, Captain Chris Clark was moved back up to the first line with Alexander Ovechkin. He responded with four goals to snap the Caps' losing streak.
• Olli Jokinen became the career leader in goals and points for the Panthers organization tonight, passing long-time Panther Scott Mellanby. The big Finnish center scored two goals leading Florida to a 4-3 victory over Philadelphia. Flyers' goaltender Martin Biron continued his excellent play, stopping 38 shots, in a losing.
• Dominik Hasek stopped 13 of only 15 shots faced as the Detroit Red Wings were victorious over the Vancouver Canucks 3 - 2. Long-time Red Wings' winger Tomas Holmstrom scored two goals for the Wings. Canucks' netminder Roberto Luongo was bombarded with 39 shots, turning aside 36 of them, in a losing cause.
• Flames 5, Wild 3. Jarome Iginla and Alex Tanguay continue to produce offensively as they both recorded 3 points apiece.

Tomorrow's Games (all times Eastern)
7:00pm CHI@BOS, NJ@NYR, STL@CLB,
7:30pm TOR@PIT, PHI@TB,
8:00pm ATL@NSH,
9:00pm MIN@EDM
10:00pm PHX@ANA
10:30pm DAL@LA