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[Dark Knight]

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

Atlanta at Boston
Toronto at NYI
Florida at NYR
Ottawa at Pittsburgh
Buffalo at Washington
Montreal at Carolina
Edmonton at Minnesota
Philadelphia at TBL
Chicago at Detroit
Columbus at Dallas
STL at Calgary

[DropThePuck]

TSN's Ice Chips

Goalie Kari Lehtonen is still out until at least early January as he recovers from back surgery. - Atlanta Journal Constitution

Milan Lucic (ankle) skated Tuesday. He said his ankle experiences more pain when stopping and starting, as opposed to moving side to side. Derek Morris, who has missed the last two games with an undisclosed injury, did not practice and is considered day to day by Claude Julien. He will not suit up against Atlanta. Vladimir Sobotka and Michael Ryder were given 'maintenance days' by Julien and are expected to play. Julien confirmed that Sobotka's day off is related to the Zdeno Chara shot he took off his right thigh Monday. Andy Wozniewski, who played in the Toronto and Chicago losses before getting a healthy scratch Monday, was sent back to Providence. - Boston Globe

The Flames, who have lost four of their last five games, will look for a win when they host the Blues on Wednesday. - TSN

Injuries to Joe Corvo, Tim Gleason and Niclas Wallin allowed Brett Carson, Jay Harrison and Bryan Rodney to be brought in from the Albany River Rats. Gleason returned to the lineup Monday after missing three games - Rodney was reassigned to Albany - and Wallin may be back against the Canadiens after missing the past eight games with concussion-type symptoms. - Raleigh News-Observer

Ben Eager missed his third consecutive game and 16th of the season Tuesday night when the Hawks took on the Sharks. He said he is nearly recovered from an upper-body injury that's not related to the concussion he had earlier when he missed 13 straight games. Defenceman Cam Barker, who is nursing a lower-body injury, also was scratched. Jordan Hendry took his place. - Chicago Sun Times

Ruslan Salei (back) said he's holding out hope he can play for his native Belarus in the Winter Olympics, though he admits that timetable is optimistic. Marek Svatos missed his fifth game with a groin injury. Coach Joe Sacco said that D Ruslan Salei will be sidelined indefinitely. - Denver Post

Right wing Mattias Ritola practiced with the Wings on Tuesday. The Wings, who have a number of key players out with injuries, hope Ritola can add some skill and tempo to the lineup. Coach Mike Babcock said Jimmy Howard would be in net Wednesday night for the Wings. Valtteri Filppula said he's hoping doctors will clear him to play in Saturday's game against the Blue Jackets. The Wings are missing Johan Franzen, Jason Williams, Filppula, Danny Cleary and Niklas Kronwall. - Detroit Free Press

Martin Havlat is questionable because of the flu. Guillaume Latendresse, who returned to practice after missing two games because of the flu, is expected back. - Star Tribune

Roman Hamrlik (knee) is not expected to play on Wednesday against the Hurricanes in Carolina, but Marc-Andre Bergeron should be good to go. Paul Mara (hand) and Brian Gionta (foot) flew back to Montreal on Tuesday. - RDS

Jason Arnott was back after missing Saturday's win in Calgary with an upper-body injury, but Nashville lost Jerred Smithson to an apparent hand injury after two shifts. - The Tennessean

Rick DiPietro got back on the ice Tuesday for the first time since leaving a rehab start 10 days earlier because of leg tightness. He intends to participate in his first full practice Wednesday and said that he needed to get through a game '100 percent healthy.' - Newsday

Brandon Dubinsky appears nearly back to normal after missing more than a month with a broken hand. Also, Brian Boyle said he hopes to return to the lineup after missing the Carolina game with a minor back injury. - NY Post

Pascal Leclaire, who has missed the last 16 games with a fractured checkbone, and forward Chris Neil, who has missed the last 15 games with a left knee injury, will return to the lineup tonight in Pittsburgh. Jesse Winchester has been bumped from the first line to the fourth line. Shean Donovan is also back in the lineup - Chris Campoli will be a healthy scratch. Donovan had been out with a knee injury. - TSN

Darroll Powe, sidelined since Nov. 20 with a strained left shoulder, has been cleared to play and could be in the lineup against the Lightning. Johan Backlund was recalled from the AHL's Adirondack Phantoms to replace Brian Boucher, who suffered a lacerated right ring finger while making a diving save Monday and is day-to-day. - Philadelphia Inquirer

Centre Jordan Staal practiced with the same full facial shield he wore in the third period against New Jersey. Staal broke his nose and missed most of the second period against the Devils when a deflected puck struck his face. - Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Defenseman Eric Brewer could return to the lineup tonight against the Flames. He's been out since November 25. If he returns to the lineup Darryl Sydor or Carlo Colaiacovo could be scratched. - TSN

Jonas Gustavsson starts again in goal for Toronto. - TSN

[DropThePuck]

Little, B. (14:44 in 1st), Afinogenov, M. (17:28 in 1st), Kane, E. (13:58 in 3rd), Kovalchuk, I. (15:08 in 3rd)
Savard, M. (PPG, 09:44 in 1st), Paille, D. (10:32 in 1st), Sobotka, V. (10:52 in 1st), Chara, Z. (PPG, 02:14 in 2nd), Ryder, M. (PPG, 09:32 in 3rd), Bergeron, P. (EN, 19:56 in 3rd)


Boston Bruins' Shawn Thornton (22) and Byron Bitz, center, tries to jam the puck past Atlanta Thrashers' Johan Hedberg, right, of Sweden, in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009, in Boston.
(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

[DropThePuck]

1 - Hagman, N. (01:56 in 3rd)
3 - Hunter, T. (10:47 in 2nd), Tavares, J. (12:17 in 2nd), Comeau, B. (EN, 19:25 in 3rd)


Toronto Maple Leafs' Jonas Gustavsson, left, looks on as New York Islanders' Jesse Joensuu celebrates after the Islanders scored a goal in the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009, in Uniondale, N.Y.
(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)


Toronto Maple Leafs' Jason Blake, left, watches as a shot by Niklas Hagman, right, gets by New York Islanders goalie Dwayne Roloson in the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009, in Uniondale, N.Y.
(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)


New York Islanders' Frans Nielsen, left, gets tangled up with Toronto Maple Leafs' Mikhail Grabovski during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009, in Uniondale, N.Y.
(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)


New York Islanders' Frans Nielsen falls to the ice as he races to the puck against Toronto Maple Leafs' Alexei Ponikarovsky (23) in the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009, in Uniondale, N.Y.
(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

[DropThePuck]

1 - Oreskovich, V. (04:09 in 1st)
4 - Drury, C. (06:22 in 1st), Prospal, V. (PPG, 04:55 in 2nd), Prospal, V. (00:23 in 3rd), Gaborik, M. (SHG, 11:14 in 3rd)

Beware "the Ballard" ...


Florida Panthers' Keith Ballard (2) knees New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist (30) in the head as he chases a loose puck in the third period of an NHL hockey game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009. Lundqvist had to be assisted up by the trainer but continued to play.
(AP Photo/Paul J. Bereswill)

[DropThePuck]

2 - Volchenkov, A. (13:05 in 1st), Kelly, C. (18:09 in 3rd)
8 - Malkin, E. (PPG, 04:37 in 1st), Guerin, B. (PPG, 01:03 in 2nd), Fedotenko, R. (07:35 in 2nd), Kunitz, C. (11:25 in 2nd), Guerin, B. (PPG, 13:57 in 2nd), Malkin, E. (18:27 in 2nd), Gonchar, S. (01:43 in 3rd), Malkin, E. (06:33 in 3rd)


Pittsburgh Penguins' Chris Kunitz (14) is tripped in front of Ottawa Senators goalie Pascal Leclaire (33) in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009.
(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

[DropThePuck]

2 - Gaustad, P. (05:04 in 2nd), Connolly, T. (12:52 in 2nd)
5 - Backstrom, N. (01:18 in 1st), Green, M. (06:47 in 1st), Morrison, B. (10:48 in 2nd), Backstrom, N. (PPG, 10:55 in 3rd), Ovechkin, A. (PPG, 12:10 in 3rd)


Washington Capitals right wing Eric Fehr (16) mixes it up with Buffalo Sabres defenseman Craig Rivet (52) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)

[DropThePuck]

5 - Markov, A. (PPG, 01:29 in 1st), Kostitsyn, A. (03:42 in 1st), Kostitsyn, S. (09:32 in 1st), Metropolit, G. (PPG, 17:08 in 1st), Metropolit, G. (PPG, 18:03 in 2nd)
1 - Sutter, B. (PPG, 07:21 in 1st)


Carolina Hurricanes' Manny Legace (34) replaces Cam Ward (30) in goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009.
(AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)

[DropThePuck]

1 - Nilsson, R. (15:24 in 1st)
3 - Brunette, A. (PPG, 13:35 in 1st), Nolan, O. (18:22 in 2nd), Latendresse, G. (EN, 19:54 in 3rd)


Edmonton Oilers' Andrew Cogliano, top right, works against Minnesota Wild's Andrew Ebbett, left, and Martin Havlat, right, of the Czech Republic, for the puck in the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009, in St. Paul, Minn.
(AP Photo/Jim Mone)

[DropThePuck]

5 - Betts, B. (03:59 in 1st), Richards, M. (PPG, 09:34 in 1st), Betts, B. (10:01 in 3rd), Richards, M. (17:22 in 3rd), Gagne, S. (EN, 19:26 in 3rd)
2 - Konopka, Z. (05:58 in 2nd), Hedman, V. (12:02 in 2nd)


Philadelphia Flyers goalie Michael Leighton bats away a shot on-goal during the third period of their NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009 in Tampa, Fla.
(AP Photo/Steve Nesius)

[DropThePuck]

3 - Kane, P. (PPG, 00:30 in 2nd), Sharp, P. (03:47 in 3rd), Toews, J. (18:42 in 3rd)
0


From left to right, Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard (35), Chicago Blackhawks winger Troy Brouwer (22), Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews and Red Wings defenseman Brad Stuart watch as the shot from Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (not shown) enters the net for a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Detroit, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009.
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

[DropThePuck]

1 - Nash, R. (11:16 in 1st)
3 - Benn, J. (17:23 in 1st), Neal, J. (06:18 in 2nd), Neal, J. (10:28 in 3rd)


Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Mike Commodore (22) talks to members of the Dallas Stars Ice Girls as he waits to re-enter the NHL hockey game after suffering an injury in the third period Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009, in Dallas. Commodore suffered a cut to the left side of the face in the Blue Jackets' 3-1 loss to the Stars.
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)


Officials Mike Cvik, left, and Gord Dwyer (19) look on as Dallas Stars center Brian Sutherby, center rear, and Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Michael Blunden, center front, fight in the third period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009, in Dallas.
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)


Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Mike Commodore receives help from official Mike Cvik, center, and a Blue Jackets staff member after being injured in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009, in Dallas. Commodore re-entered the game with a few minutes left.
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)


Dallas Stars center Steve Ott (29) is sent flying through the air after colliding with Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Jakub Voracek (93), of the Czech Republic, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009, in Dallas.
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

[DropThePuck]

2 - Berglund, P. (06:55 in 2nd), Boyes, B. (00:00 in SO)
1 - Giordano, M. (12:18 in 3rd)


Calgary Flames' Rene Bourque, center, gets hit by the puck as St Louis Blues goalie Chris Mason, right, and defenseman Eric Brewer look on during second-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Jeff McIntosh)