12 replies to this topic

[Dark Knight]

Please post your thoughts, pictures and comments on tonight's games in this thread.

NYR at Philadelphia
Detroit at Dallas
Pittsburgh at Buffalo
Boston at Toronto
Minnesota at Ottawa
Montreal at NYI
Florida at Carolina
NJD at Atlanta 1
Nashville at Calgary
Columbus at Colorado
Washington at Edmonton

[DropThePuck]

TSN's Ice Chips

Mark Stuart (sternum), Dennis Wideman (unknown) and Milan Lucic (ankle) are all battling injuries. - TSN

Winger Thomas Vanek missed Saturday's game against Pittsburgh because of an upper-body injury. - The Canadian Press

Head coach Lindy Ruff said forward Patrick Kaleta (head/neck) will be re-evaluated again Saturday. Kaleta is unlikely to play against the Penguins but has not entirely been ruled out...Defenceman Chris Butler (ankle) and forward Nathan Gerbe (groin) remain out of the lineup. Butler skated in sweatpants in the morning. - Buffalo News

Defenceman Adam Pardy left within the first 10 minutes of practice. He had just returned from a wrist injury. The Flames briefly went over defensive zone coverage (5-on-5). - TSN

Avs' forward Milan Hejduk returned to practice Thursday after missing two games with a right knee injury. He stated that he will be in the lineup Saturday against Columbus. - Denver Post

The Detroit Red Wings injury woes continue as leading scorer Henrik Zetterberg left in the first period of Thursday night's game against the Lightning after being drilled by a clean open ice hit by Mattias Ohlund. - Detroit Free Press

The team activated Ryan Smyth from the injured reserve list on Friday. Smyth has missed the last 15 games after suffering an upper-body injury on Nov. 16. The team also sent Corey Elkins, Oscar Moller, Scott Parse, and Alec Martinez to Manchester (AHL). - Team Release

A freak fire aboard the team's equipment bus destroyed much of the team's gear on the eve of today's game against the Senators. The Wild are expected to play tonight's game though, using a combination of new, old and backup equipment. According to a report by the Canadian Press, most of goaltender Niklas Backstrom's equipment was destroyed. Forward Martin Havlat said his gear "is gone." - Pioneer Press

Winger Brian Gionta (broken left foot) skated with teammates for the first time on Saturday. He told reporters he still feels pain and will not be rushed back. - RDS

Jaroslav Halak will get the start Saturday night against the Isles. - RDS

Jason Arnott was not in the line-up against the Flames on Saturday. He has aggravated a pre-existing upper-body injury according to the team's PR department. - TSN

Forward Jordin Tootoo is still out with an injured foot. - Tennessean

Goalie Martin Brodeur (who has started 30 of the Devils' 33 games this season) might get the night off Saturday when the Devils visit the Thrashers. Coach Jacques Lemaire said he had not decided yet 100%.- Star Ledger

The Islanders announced that goalie Rick DiPietro will return to practice with the team next week. DiPietro has been rehabbing a surgically repaired knee since August. - Newsday

Defenceman Bruno Gervais, a healthy scratch for the Isles for the last two games, will play tonight against the Canadiens. - RDS

The Senators will be without forward Nick Foligno for a couple of weeks as he will undergo a knee scope.
Both goaltender Pascal Leclaire and forward Chris Neil were on the ice as Senators practice Friday. Both are still targeting December 23rd to make their return to the Sens lineup. - TSN

Forward Simon Gagne will return to the Flyers' lineup against the Rangers today after an absence of nearly two months following hernia and abdominal surgery. Gagne will play on a line with Mike Richards and Dan Carcillo and will also see time on the power play. Andreas Nodl was sent back to the AHL Adirondack Phantoms. Jon Kalinski was sent down to the Adirondack Phantoms to make room for Gagne. - Philadelphia Inquirer

It was a normal skate for the team and everybody took part. Max Talbot said he would be returning (Martin Skoula and Eric Godard are out). - TSN

Defenseman Eric Brewer, who has missed 10 games with a bone bruise in his back, skated with the Blues on Friday for the first time since the injury. Forward D.J. King, who has been out since early November with a broken hand, is also practicing with the team. King will be on the trip, but he says that he won't be back in the lineup before Christmas. Blues center Patrik Berglund was a healthy scratch Friday for the sixth time this season. - St. Louis Post Dispatch

Goaltender Jonas Gustavsson will get the start against the Bruins on Saturday night. Jeff Finger and Rickard Wallin will be healthy scratches. - TSN

Michael Grabner was reassigned to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL on Saturday. - Media Release

In his first full speed practice since since suffering a groin muscle strain in Tampa on Dec. 7, goalie Semyon Varlamov was forced to back off when he felt a twinge. As a result the rookie goalie won't return against Edmonton but is eyeing Wednesday to be an option. - Washington Post

[DropThePuck]

2 - Drury, C. (05:16 in 1st), Anisimov, A. (04:46 in 2nd)
1 - Pronger, C. (PPG, 08:13 in 1st)


Philadelphia Flyers' Chris Pronger, left, celebrates with Kimmo Timonen after he scored against the New York Rangers in the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009, in Philadelphia.
(AP Photo/H. Rumph Jr)

[DropThePuck]

3 - Holmstrom, T. (17:22 in 1st), Datsyuk, P. (15:39 in 2nd), Bertuzzi, T. (19:00 in 2nd)
4 - Skrastins, K. (01:40 in 2nd), Neal, J. (12:14 in 2nd), Neal, J. (16:45 in 2nd), Skrastins, K. (01:16 in 3rd)


Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard lies on the ice after giving up a goal to Dallas Stars left wing James Neal in the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009, in Dallas.
(AP Photo/Tim Sharp)

[DropThePuck]

5 - Erat, M. (04:22 in 1st), Legwand, D. (12:30 in 1st), Goc, M. (17:10 in 2nd), Franson, C. (04:14 in 3rd), Scatchard, D. (EN, 19:34 in 3rd)
3 - Phaneuf, D. (PPG, 13:41 in 1st), Iginla, J. (03:48 in 2nd), Iginla, J. (10:45 in 2nd)


Nashville Predators goalie Dan Ellis, left, pokes the puck away from Calgary Flames' David Moss during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Calgary, Alberta, on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Larry MacDougal)

[DropThePuck]

2 - Kunitz, C. (19:21 in 1st), Letang, K. (00:00 in SO)
1 - Pominville, J. (15:05 in 1st)


Buffalo Sabres goalie Patrick Lalime, center, makes a save on Pittsburgh Penguins center Tyler Kennedy, left, as Sabres center Derek Roy enters the play during the first period of the NHL hockey game in Buffalo, N.Y., Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009.
(AP Photo/Don Heupel)

[DropThePuck]

0
2 - Kaberle, T. (02:24 in 2nd), Blake, J. (09:43 in 3rd)


Toronto Maple Leafs' Tomas Kaberle, of Czech Republic, plays the puck off the boards as Boston Bruins' Shawn Thornton, right, defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Chris Young)


Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jonas Gustavsson, left, of Sweden, makes a save on a shot from Boston Bruins' Byron Bitz during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Chris Young)


Toronto Maple Leafs' Tomas Kaberle, right of Czech Republic, celebrates with teammates Colton Orr, left, and Mike Komosarek after scoring against the Boston Bruins during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Chris Young)


Toronto Maple Leafs' Wayne Primeau, right, tries to deflect the puck past Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask, left, of Finland, as Bruins' Zdeno Chara, of Slovakia, defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Chris Young)

[DropThePuck]

1 - Havlat, M. (04:40 in 3rd)
4 - Volchenkov, A. (18:05 in 1st), Michalek, M. (00:24 in 2nd), Ruutu, J. (17:50 in 2nd), Karlsson, E. (02:55 in 3rd)


Minnesota Wild center Andrew Ebbett (16) looks for the puck as goalie Niklas Backstrom, top right, of Finland, fights off Ottawa Senators left wing Jarkko Ruutu, lower right, also of Finland, during first-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Adrian Wyld)

[DropThePuck]

3 - Markov, A. (PPG, 07:44 in 1st), Markov, A. (PPG, 13:12 in 2nd), Metropolit, G. (PPG, 14:00 in 3rd)
0


Montreal Canadiens' Andrei Markov (79) of Russia, shoots the puck behind New York Islanders' goalie Martin Biron (43) for a first period goal as Canadiens' Mike Cammalleri (13) and Islanders Brendan Witt fall into the net during an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009, in Uniondale, N.Y.
(AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

[DropThePuck]

2 - Matthias, S. (02:17 in 3rd), Weiss, S. (PPG, 12:39 in 3rd)
3 - Dwyer, P. (12:28 in 1st), Cullen, M. (SHG, 14:47 in 1st), Samsonov, S. (08:27 in 2nd)


Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward, bottom, stops the puck despite being run into by Florida Panthers' Nathan Horton (16) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009.
(AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)

[DropThePuck]

5 - Niedermayer, R. (12:55 in 1st), Rolston, B. (02:46 in 2nd), McAmmond, D. (PPG, 06:12 in 2nd), Pelley, R. (10:04 in 2nd), McAmmond, D. (11:45 in 3rd)
4 - Hainsey, R. (07:15 in 1st), Antropov, N. (14:30 in 1st), Kubina, P. (17:14 in 1st), Kozlov, V. (PPG, 16:04 in 3rd)


Atlanta Thrashers goaltender Ondrej Pavelec, right, of the Czech Republic, makes a save against New Jersey Devils left wing Zach Parise (9) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009, at Philips Arena, in Atlanta.
(AP Photo/Gregory Smith)

[DropThePuck]

2 - Umberger, R. (PPG, 03:29 in 2nd), Chimera, J. (PPG, 13:24 in 2nd)
5 - Stewart, C. (00:21 in 1st), Wolski, W. (03:22 in 1st), Wolski, W. (PPG, 04:15 in 1st), Liles, J. (PPG, 08:02 in 1st), Hejduk, M. (16:32 in 3rd)


Colorado Avalanche center Paul Stastny, far left, reaches out for the puck as Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Marc Methot, second from left, and center Antoine Vermette, behind Methot, clear out Avalanche right winger Milan Hejduk, fourth from left, of the Czech Republic, as Blue Jackets goalie Mathieu Garon protects the net in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Denver on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009.
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

[Dark Knight]

Ducks get help as Minnesota, Columbus and Edmonton all lose in regulation