8 replies to this topic

[Dark Knight]

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

Atlanta at Boston
Pittsburgh at NJD
Philadelphia at NYR
Montreal at TBL
Colorado at Ottawa
LAK at Calgary
Toronto at Edmonton
Washington at SJS

[DropThePuck]

TSN's Ice Chips

The Ducks will get a boost in the next week with the return of Teemu Selanne (out a month with a broken hand), and Ryan Getzlaf, who was sidelined Tuesday with a leg laceration. The Ducks didn't have Joffrey Lupul in their lineup. Ryan Carter (broken foot) ended his 22-game absence as he skated against the Wild, playing wing. Ducks enforcer George Parros was a healthy scratch. - Orange County Register

The team announced that it has assigned left winger Kyle Calder to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. - Press Release

Judging by comments from forward Milan Lucic, head caoch Claude Julien and others around the Bruins, there seems to be virtually no chance Lucic (ankle) will take the ice Friday at Fenway for the Winter Classic. - Boston Herald

Head coach Lindy Ruff said it's possible that Derek Roy could be available for Saturday’s game against the Thrashers. There is no timetable for Patrick Kaleta, who was seen walking with a limp in the locker room after Sunday night’s game. Nathan Gerbe, who has missed nine games with a groin injury, practiced Monday and continues to improve. He has been placed on the injured reserve list and Ruff said no decision has been made about returning him to Portland when he’s healthy. - Buffalo News

Kyle Cumiskey (foot) was cleared by the medical staff to rejoin the lineup and is likely to play against Ottawa tonight. Rookie defenceman Derek Peltier was sent back to Lake Erie of the AHL. Right wing Marek Svatos (groin) also was cleared to play again, but head coach Joe Sacco said he hadn't decided whether Svatos will play. - Denver Post

The Jackets put Michael Blunden on waivers. - TSN

Defenceman Stephane Robidas played with a cage covering his face Tuesday night after undergoing surgery the day before. He was hit in the face with a puck during practice Sunday. The Stars activated D Trevor Daley (shoulder) from injured reserve, and he returned after missing five games. - Chicago Tribune / Dallas Morning News

Defenceman Andreas Lilja said his headaches were not going away. He is not sure what else to do. Lilja, injured in a fight last February with Nashville's Shea Weber, doesn't have a return date in mind because there's only thing preventing him from playing: "I have to get rid of my headaches", which he has hade for about 10 months. Lilja continues to meet with team doctors and has seen other specialists. Danny Cleary believes he will be available at some point while the Red Wings are out west for four games Jan. 2-9. Cleary, who has been out since Dec. 9 because of a separated shoulder, has been practicing the last few days. Henrik Zetterberg (slight left shoulder separation) and Niklas Kronwall (left knee) are expecting to return at some point on the trip. - Detroit Free Press

Ladislav Smid (hand) appears ready to play on Wednesday against Toronto. Steve Staios had a maintenance day on Tuesday and will also play against the Maple Leafs. - TSN

David Booth is making slow progress from a concussion sustained Oct. 24 against the Flyers. The Panthers' left wing has yet to practice with the team. Defenseman Ville Koistinen had successful surgery on his right knee Monday. The Panthers said there is no timetable for his return. Because of Dmitry Kulikov's knee injury, which is expected to keep him out four weeks, Jason Garrison is on extended stay from AHL Rochester. - Sun Sentinel

C Jarret Stoll (groin), C Andrei Loktionov (shoulder) and D Randy Jones (head) are all listed as day-to-day. RW Justin Williams (broken leg) is out. - Calgary Sun

Martin Erat and defenceman Kevin Klein are scheduled to be re-evaluated today in Nashville and are doubtful for Thursday's game in Columbus after being knocked out of Tuesday's game in St. Louis by hits. Head coach Barry Trotz said the Predators would be recalling defenceman Alexander Sulzer but wasn't sure yet which forward the team would recall. Mike Santorelli and Cal O'Reilly would seem to be leading candidates, because the Predators will need to address the scoring void left by Martin Erat, who had tied a franchise record with 10 goals in December. - Tennessean

Defenceman Matt Corrente has been recalled from Lowell on an emergency basis after Bryce Salvador was injured Monday. To make room on the 23-man roster for Corrente, Pierre-Luc Letourneau-LeBlond was put on injured reserve, retroactive to Dec. 17, with an upper body injury. David Clarkson returned to Devils' lineup after missing 13 games with a broken right fibula. - Star Ledger

G Rick DiPietro (knee) practiced and hopes to play a full game for AHL Bridgeport this weekend. Islanders LW Jeff Tambellini returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch the previous nine games. C Nate Thompson (shoulder) did not play and is expected to be out 1-2 weeks. Doug Weight, who has not played since suffering a shoulder injury Nov. 6, skated with the team Tuesday. Weight will practice again Wednesday before coach Scott Gordon decides if he is ready for tomorrow's game. - New York Daily News

Vinny Prospal, who underwent knee surgery Monday, will be sidelined for up to three weeks. The leading candidate to replace Prospal is Chris Higgins. C Chris Drury (personal) was excused from practice but will play Wednesday night. - New York Post

Nick Foligno will return to the lineup tonight against the Avalanche. Pascal Leclaire will start in net. - TSN

Michael Leighton will be in net tonight, making his fourth straight start. Brian Boucher had an injection to numb his lacerated right ring finger before yesterday's practice and said that he didn't feel any pain and that he could play tonight. Ryan Parent has not skated since Saturday. The report was that he was suffering from back spasms. Now it is "lower body." - Philadelphia Inquirer

Defenceman Mark Eaton returned to the lineup 10 days after injuring his knee in Buffalo. Defenceman Alex Goligoski and left wing Chris Kunitz played 24 hours after receiving a day off in practice. Right wing Tyler Kennedy returned to the lineup one game after being a healthy scratch. Right wing Ruslan Fedotenko and defenseman Martin Skoula were the team's healthy scratches. - Tribune Review

Erik Johnson was a healthy scratch against the Predators. Johnson's spot in the lineup was taken by veteran Darryl Sydor. Paul Kariya sat out Tuesday and is day to day after taking a blow to the head in Sunday's loss to Buffalo. Kariya's absence created an opening for Cam Janssen. - St. Louis Post Dispatch

Defenceman Mathieu Schneider cleared waivers. - TSN

Jason Chimera underwent a physical exam at Verizon Center in Washington, then caught the team charter to San Jose. Caps coach Bruce Boudreau put Chimera on a line with Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin for his first workout since being traded from Columbus for Chris Clark and Milan Jurcina on Monday. Goaltender Semyon Varlamov (groin muscle strain) was assigned to the minor league Hershey Bears for conditioning. - Washington Post

[DropThePuck]

0
4 - Bitz, B. (06:33 in 1st), Sturm, M. (PPG, 12:56 in 1st), Begin, S. (16:50 in 1st), Bergeron, P. (14:56 in 2nd)


Boston Bruins left wing Daniel Paille, right, falls as Atlanta Thrashers goalie Johan Hedberg, lower left, and Atlanta's Christoph Schubert defend on a breakaway attempt during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Boston on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009.
(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

[DropThePuck]

0
2 - Bergfors, N. (01:48 in 1st), Langenbrunner, J. (EN, 19:48 in 3rd)


New Jersey Devils' goalie Martin Brodeur, second from left, makes a save on a shot by Pittsburgh Penguins' Jordan Staal (11) with help from Devils' Andy Greene (6) as Devils' Colin White (5) holds back the Penguins' Chris Kunitz, third from right, during the third period in an NHL hockey game at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009.
(AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

[DropThePuck]

6 - Betts, B. (00:54 in 1st), Briere, D. (11:51 in 1st), Giroux, C. (13:28 in 1st), Gagne, S. (00:23 in 2nd), Gagne, S. (PPG, 14:41 in 2nd), Gagne, S. (11:30 in 3rd)
0


Philadelphia Flyers' Claude Giroux (28) falls into New York Rangers goalie Chad Johnson in the second period during an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Johnson replaced Henrik Lundqvist in the second period.
(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

[DropThePuck]

2 - Gionta, B. (09:53 in 2nd), Plekanec, T. (03:32 in OT)
1 - Foster, K. (03:52 in 3rd)


Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Mike Smith (41) throws Montreal Canadiens defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron (47) to the ice as Lightning defenseman Andrej Meszaros (14), of the Czech Republic, defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, in Tampa, Fla.
(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

[DropThePuck]

1 - Parse, S. (00:15 in 2nd)
2 - Bourque, R. (06:21 in 1st), Conroy, C. (02:48 in 2nd)


Los Angeles Kings' Ryan Smyth, center, battles Calgary Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff, right, of Finland, and Flames' Aaron Johnson during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jeff McIntosh)

[DropThePuck]

1 - Kessel, P. (PPG, 16:00 in 3rd)
3 - Brule, G. (19:07 in 1st), O'Sullivan, P. (PPG, 10:05 in 2nd), O'Sullivan, P. (PPG, 02:34 in 3rd)


Edmonton Oilers' Zack Stortini, rear, takes a hit from Toronto Maple Leafs' Mike Komisarek during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, John Ulan)


Edmonton Oilers' Shawn Horcoff, left, reacts after being hit by Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala, of Finland, during an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, John Ulan)


Toronto Maple Leafs' Ian White, front, reacts as a shot from the Edmonton Oilers' Patrick O'Sullivan, not shown, deflects off his skate and past teammate Vesa Toskala, of Finland, and into the net during during an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, John Ulan)


Toronto Maple Leafs' Phil Kessel celebrates his goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, John Ulan)

[DropThePuck]

2 - Knuble, M. (04:54 in 3rd), Ovechkin, A. (12:40 in 3rd)
5 - Pavelski, J. (15:30 in 1st), Mitchell, T. (16:45 in 1st), Clowe, R. (PS, 16:37 in 2nd), Pavelski, J. (07:12 in 3rd), Thornton, J. (PS, 08:08 in 3rd)


San Jose Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov (20) blocks a shot from Washington Capitals' Quintin Laing (53) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, in San Jose, Calif. Standing at right is Capitals' Matt Bradley (10).
(AP Photo/Ben Margot)


San Jose Sharks' Ryane Clowe (29) slides on the ice after being tripped by Washington Capitals' Mike Green, not seen, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, in San Jose, Calif. At left is Capitals' Alex Ovechkin; goalie Michal Neuvirth (30) at right.
(AP Photo/Ben Margot)


San Jose Sharks' Ryane Clowe (29) scores on a penalty shot past Washington Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, in San Jose, Calif.
(AP Photo/Ben Margot)


Washington Capitals' Jason Chimera, left, takes a shot against San Jose Sharks' goalie Evgeni Nabokov during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, in San Jose, Calif.
(AP Photo/Ben Margot)