Hotlanta – The Thrashers, for a night anyway, found themselves in first place in the Southeast division proving just how far they have come this season. The deal with the Blackhawks this offseason has been instrumental to their success. Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd are currently the Thrashers’ leading scorers. They also bring a winning experience to the team something the Thrashers haven’t really had, unless you count Slava Kozlov. It seems likely that with Ladd and Byfulgein and Ondrej Pavelec’s solid goaltending the Thrashers will make the playoffs for the first time since 2006-07. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem like Atlanta cares much, as the Thrashers have the third worst attendance in the league which is pretty much where they have always been. If they start winning and they can’t draw then that’s a shame for the city and will only insight rumors of them leaving town. On the plus side Ilya Kovalchuk came to town and the fans that did show up booed him out of the building. The Thrashers dominated the game and won 7-1. It must suck for Ilya to be playing for a team with the most losses in the NHL against his former team who was in the 1^st place in their division. Good things happen to good people eh?

Goalie Spotlight

None this week, no time with a new job.

Fights of the Week

Special thanks to hockeyfights.com for making this section a little easier to do.

Paul Bissonnette vs. Trevor Gillies

Great fight by these two, mostly dominated by Gillies.

Matt Bradley vs. Adam McQuaid

A pretty decent fight that McQuaid had the advantage in.

Goats of the Week

Brian Rafalski – Detroit Red Wings

With about three minutes left in the game and the Stars pressing for the final goal, Rafalski is able to gain control of the puck and passes it right to Jamie Benn who feeds Brenden Morrow for the game tying goal. The Red Wings would end up losing in overtime, oops.

Jason LaBarbera – Phoenix Coyotes

LaBarbera went out to play the puck but wasn’t really able to because of the trapezoid rule, so that allowed Brandron Prust to take advantage of the situation and score. Better stay home next time LaBarbera.

Things I like

1. Not to be outdone by the Penguins recent success, Pennsylvania’s “other” team the Flyers are now on their own little winning streak before laying an egg and losing to the Panthers 5-0. The Flyers now boast the best record in the NHL. It will get tougher for them though, as Chris Pronger will be out at least a month with a broken foot. It will be interesting to see how the loss of Pronger affects the defense. If the loss to the Panthers is any indication, it won’t be good.

2. The Capitals won for the first time in awhile and snapped their winless streak. But they celebrated like they had just won the Stanley Cup. Of course it’s not like any of them would know how that would be, snap. The Capitals then creamed the Devils in the next game. Beating the Senators and the Devils isn’t really anything to write home about though. Their next game against the Penguins will show if the have gotten back on track or not.

3. Evgeni Malkin, since coming back form injury, is on fire. He is on a three game goal and scoring streak including a huge break out game against Phoenix where he netted two goals and three assists. Despite actually losing two games, the Penguins are not a team I would want to face right now.

Things I don’t

1. The starting of the Martin Brodeur trade rumors. I wrote about this in my 2^nd column this season, just retire already. I realize he has one more season on his contract after this season but he could still retire or just say he will retire after his contract is over. This isn’t like the Teemu Sleanne situation. Brodeur is not playing at a high level anymore. This also isn’t like the Ray Bourque situation. Brodeur already has plenty of Cups and records. What’s the point of going anywhere else? I realize maybe the Devils could get something for him to help them rebuild but I wouldn’t want him. Plus most of the teams that could use him either have no salary cap room or would be better off in the long term not alienating their current goalies but trading for him. There’s nothing I hate more than players that don’t know when to retire a la Brett Favre.

2. The Avalanche’s Kyle Quincey is now done for the year. Another blow to the injury riddled Avalanche but maybe a blessing in disguise as Quincey has regressed significantly from his previous two seasons. This gives him a chance to try and refocus and come back better next year.

3. The Montreal Canadiens have lost five of their last six. All is not lost as they are still in 1^st place and a lock to make the playoffs. The thing that only worries me about the Canadiens is that they don’t really have a true number one guy that can strap the team on it’s back a la Sidney Crosby. The Canadiens have scored 14 goals in the last six games but only two players have scored more than one goal. Michael Cammalleri and Brian Gionta each scored two. I can’t help but think it might be a problem come playoff time if they don’t make any trades.

4, The Ducks and their east coast road trip of inconsistency. They beat the Capitals and the Bruins but they lost to the Islanders, Hurricanes and Sabres. I’m not sure that makes much sense. It seems like they are playing up or down to their competition. Against the Sabres and Islanders the Ducks dug themselves into 0-3 holes in the 1^st period. Tough to dig yourself out of that on the road.

Stat Line of the Week

12/18/10 Carolina 4 vs. Anaheim 2

Eric Staal had a natural hat trick against the Ducks in a game where all five goals were scored by one player on each team, besides the empty net goal. He took a whopping 10 shots on goal and is on pace to have his best season in five years.

Did You Know?

Rod Langway is the only NHL player to be born in China. He was born in Taipei, Taiwan. His dad was stationed in Taiwan when he was born but he grew up in Massachusetts. Langway played for the Canadiens and Captials

Numbers, Numbers

26 – 3^rd period shots for the Capitals against the Bruins

2 – Shots in the 3^rd period for the Bruins in the same game

100 – Games between goals for Andrew Ference

99 – The span of seconds the Islanders scored all three of their goals for the game in the 1^st period

7-8 – The road records for the Canadiens and Capitals (Capitals also have an OTL), the only Eastern teams in the top eight spots that have losing road records

Quotes of the Week

“You guys saw it. There’s not a whole lot to say. That’s not the way a National Hockey League team is supposed to play.”

- RW/captain Jamie Langenbrunner after Saturday night’s 7-1 loss in Atlanta.

“At the end of the day only one line scored again. The guys have got to do what they’re paid to do, which is score some goals.”

- Coach Ron Wilson after a 4-1 loss to Vancouver.

“It was one of those nights. I probably am not going to even look at the game.”

- Coach Barry Trotz on the 6-1 loss to the Kings

“It’s amazing. It’s my first (overtime goal) ever. It’s a pretty great feeling. It’s one of those things where you score and you kind of think, ‘Did I just score?’…”

- Avalanche center Matt Duchene, whose overtime goal Friday secured a 6-5 win against Ottawa.

This Week in Hockey History

Special thanks to the Hockey Hall of Fame site for making this section a little easier to do.

December 16, 1964 Detroit’s Gordie Howe picked up two goals and two assists to become the first player in NHL history to score 1,300 career points. He reched the milestone during a 7-3 win over the Rangers, in New York.

December 17, 1999 Pavel Bure scored his 13th career hat trick and added an assist in the Panthers 4-2 win at Buffalo.

December 18, 1998 Ottawa’s Alexei Yashin scored twice and added three assists as the Senators won 5-1 against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes. Yashin set a club record for points in a period with a goal and three assists in the second.

December 19, 1943 Harry Lumley became the youngest goaltender in NHL history, when he made his first appearance with the Red Wings, a 6-2 loss to the Rangers in New York. Lumley made his NHL debut at the age of 17 years and 38 days.

December 20, 1989 Chicago Blackhawks set a team record with four goals within a span of 1:56 during the third period of a 9-6 win against the St. Louis Blues, in Chicago Stadium.

December 21, 1996 Mats Sundin scored his 4th career hat trick (and his first with Toronto) and added an assist in the Maple Leafs’ 6-2 win over the Avalanche, at Colorado.

Rankings

The rankings are based on how the teams are currently playing.

Top 5

1. Pittsburgh

2. Vancouver

3. Nashville

4. Philadelphia

5. Dallas

Bottom 5

30. New Jersey

29. N.Y Islanders

28. Columbus

27. Ottawa

26. Washington

1.) Washington Capitals

Rear-view Mirror: Once a long-time mediocre club, the Capitals have been on the rise since the arrival of phenom Alex Ovechkin and haven’t looked back since. They’ve made the playoffs the last three seasons as winners of their division, but haven’t been able to truly find their footing in the post-season and consequently have never taken their immensely talented club past the conference semifinals. Still, their struggles in the playoffs cannot take away from their incredible regular season accomplishments. The team finished with a 54-15-13 record and 121 points (good enough for the President’s Trophy), had the top-ranked offense in the NHL with an average of 3.82 goals per game, and had the best power play unit in the league at 25.2 percent. In addition to Washington’s accomplishments as a team, Ovechkin (50-59-109) surely would have taken the Rocket Richard Trophy away from both Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos had he not missed 10 games due a suspension and injuries.

Offseason Ins: Kyle Greentree, Brian Willsie, Dany Sabourin

Offseason Outs: Jose Theodore, Brendan Morrison, Eric Belanger, Joe Corvo, Scott Walker

What Makes Them Tick: The Capitals are arguably the best offensive team in the NHL. The top line of Ovechkin (50-59-109), Backstrom (33-68-101), and Semin (40-44-84) combined for 123 goals and 294 points; to put that into perspective, that’s three guys on one line combining for almost 2% of the total goals scored in the league this past season. No other line in the league comes close to touching that number, and all of the above players show zero signs of slowing down. Factor into that the offensive prowess of the NHL’s top-scoring defenseman Mike Green (19-57-76) and the help of veterans like Mike Knuble (29-24-53), and Washington’s offense appears to be more than ready to continue to make life miserable for defensemen and goaltenders around the league.

What Could Make Them Go Boom: If there was one major flaw to the Washington Capitals team of last season, it was the defense. Sure, when your team is scoring almost 4 goals each game and you’ve got the top power play in the NHL on your side, life as a defenseman can seem pretty easy. All of that offensive help can even make some of your defensemen appear to be better than they really are (Jeff Schultz’s plus-50 rating would be the perfect example of this). However, when push comes to shove, it’s hard to call the Capitals defense anything more than what it really is in comparison to every other aspect of the team: mediocre. With a 25^th ranked penalty kill last season attesting to a defense that needs work, Washington simply must improve this vital unit of their team if they hope to win a championship. If they don’t, their post-season luck (or lack thereof) will most likely continue as it has been.

Player to Watch: Who else but superstar Alexander Ovechkin could be deemed the player to watch on the Caps? Entering his second season as the official captain of the team, Ovie now has more to prove than ever. Though he doesn’t have much to prove as far as his play is concerned (except for maybe improving on some of the discipline issues that earned him a suspension last season), his leadership skills are still very much in question. Alex isn’t exactly known as the most mature player in the league, and many have wondered if he really is ready to handle the job of captain. This season, Ovechkin needs to prove that he’s just as worthy of a leader as he is a player and show everyone why the Washington Capitals is truly his team.

Prediction: It’s hard to imagine any Southeast team taking the division crown from the Capitals, despite multiple improvements made by many of the teams in an attempt to at least challenge Washington. With a superior offense and strong up-and-coming talent in goal, not only is it easy to imagine the Caps repeating as champions of their respective division, but also as Eastern Conference champions and as winners of the President’s Trophy for a 2^nd straight season. Washington will cruise through the regular season and clinch a playoff berth easily, but as many hockey fans know, the playoffs are where the team’s troubles usually begin. The Capitals will be out to prove they’re not the “one-and-done” club they’ve been labeled as over these past few seasons

2.) Tampa Bay Lightning

Rear-view Mirror: Another season of high expectations and an ultimately disappointing outcome has come and gone for the Lightning, missing the playoffs for the third straight season despite having a playoff-caliber team on their hands. Sophomore Steven Stamkos netted 51 goals (tying him with Sidney Crosby for most in the league), Marty St. Louis (29-65-94) fell just short of another 100-point season, and their supporting cast of Vincent Lecavalier (24-46-70), Ryan Malone (21-26-47), and Steve Downie (22-24-46) all factored into a team that looked simply stellar on paper coming into the season. However, all of that talent seemed to have trouble transferring onto the ice, and the Bolts ended the season with a 34-36-12 record (80 points) and finished 12^th in their conference. All that firepower also didn’t seem to come through for the team last season as they finished 23^rd in the league in offense with an average of only 2.60 goals per game. After the turmoil the franchise has suffered both on and off the ice these past few years, everyone is hoping a new, stable front office will lead to more stability on the ice as well.

Offseason Ins: Simon Gagne, Pavel Kubina, Dan Ellis, Dominic Moore, Randy Jones

Offseason Outs: Antero Niittymaki, Alex Tanguay, Andrej Meszaros, Kurtis Foster

What Makes Them Tick: If there is one team in the NHL that has the pure potential to challenge the Washington Capitals in the argument for best offensive team in the league, it’s the Lightning. Former MVP Marty St. Louis has helped young Steven Stamkos develop into a player that has the ability to take the league by storm, and both guys have the talent to be consistent 30 and 40 goal scorers each season. When you throw a healthy, motivated Vincent Lecavalier into that mix you get another 40 goals, and gritty guys like Ryan Malone and Steve Downie also contribute with 20-goal seasons themselves. Add the newly-acquired Simon Gagne (17-23-40 in 58 games) into that group of top 6 forwards, and you’ve got yourself two lines that are going to be an absolute nightmare for any defenseman that comes their way. With a power play unit that already ranked top 10 in the league last season despite other struggles, this offense now has the power to totally dominate any game they come into.

What Could Make Them Go Boom: In an off-season where talented free agent goaltenders were nothing short of abundant, the Lightning decided to go the frugal route and sign former Nashville Predators backup goaltender Dan Ellis. While Ellis is more of a “1b” goaltender than a true backup, it was an interesting route for the Lightning to take.  It wasn’t as if the team was afraid of taking on salary in general, which was shown in the trade with the Philadelphia Flyers for Simon Gagne despite his 5.25 million dollar salary for only one more season of play. That most likely would have been the asking price for a true #1 goaltender such as Evgeni Nabokov, who was forced to flee to the KHL due to the abundance of free agent goalies this off-season. But Tampa sought fit to set themselves up for a sort of goaltending duel between Ellis and Smith, hoping that friendly competition will arise from the fact that the two have found themselves in a “1a-1b tandem” situation before back with the Iowa Stars. However, not having a bona fide starting goalie is always a risky move, and while competition can be a positive thing within in a team, the risk may be greater than the reward in this case.

Player to Watch: As goes Vincent Lecavalier, so goes the Tampa Bay Lightning. Though he may not necessarily be the heart and soul of the team, he is no doubt the leader; if he struggles, so does the whole team. And while it may not seem fair to put the fate of the club on his shoulders, he has the honor of being both the most respected athlete in the city he calls home as well as the highest paid player in the league. However, his 10 million dollar paycheck certainly does not reflect his recent play on the ice, coming off two straight seasons without reaching the 30-goal mark. A player of his caliber should be scoring 40 goals each and every season, and while injuries certainly have plagued the talented center and should be taken into consideration when trying to figure out why he has struggled so much these past few seasons, one could easily question his motivation at this point. Lecavalier has to lead by example, and if he’s able to get his game back on track and return to playing the kind of hockey everyone knows he can, chances are the Lightning will follow suit.

Prediction: For the past two seasons, the Lightning has been considered the “dark horse” candidate by many people around the league; however, each of those seasons the team has managed to end up finishing at or near the bottom of the league. With new-found organizational stability which includes a revamped front office as well as a brand new coaching staff, the stars of the Bolts will finally be able to focus solely on playing the best hockey possible instead of worrying about whether or not they’ll be traded or let go if they have a misstep. Big seasons out of Stamkos, St. Louis, and Lecavalier will help the team stay in the thick of things and eventually propel them to a top-8 finish, marking a return to the playoffs for the first time in three years.

3.) Carolina Hurricanes

Rear-view Mirror: The Hurricanes experienced a fall from grace last season, going from making it to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2008-2009 to finishing just 11th in the conference and 24th overall in 2009-2010. Injuries were much to blame for this slide, with star center Eric Staal (29-41-70) missing much of the beginning of the season and top goaltender Cam Ward eventually being sidelined as well. The team finished with a 35-37-10 record and 80 points, their worst finish since before the lockout, and struggled in almost every possible category (ranked 26th in defense, 20th in power play, 19th in penalty kill). With the departure of several key players this off-season, Carolina will have to figure out how to win despite missing players who have been considered leaders of the team for so long.

Offseason Ins: Joe Corvo, Jonathan Matsumoto, Riley Nash, Bobby Sanguinetti, Anton Babchuk

Offseason Outs: Rod Brind’Amour, Ray Whitney, Brian Pothier, Manny Legace

What Makes Them Tick: If there is one position on the team that is unquestionably solid, it’s goal. Despite some injuries that have caused problems in the past, Cam Ward (18-23-5, 2.69, .916) continues to establish himself as one of the top goaltenders in the league. He’s also still relatively young, which means that his best play is most likely still yet to come. In an off-season where the team lost key veterans in Brind’Amour, Whitney, and Pothier, the fact that Ward is signed through the 2015-2016 season no doubt induces a sigh of relief from all Hurricanes fans. The sky is truly the limit for a fundamentally sound goalie such as Cam Ward, and while great goaltending usually isn’t enough on its own to carry a team, if he can stay healthy he can easily help Carolina shake things up in the East.

What Could Make Them Go Boom: Losing three veteran players in Ray Whitney (21-37-58), Brian Pothier (5-10-15), and longtime captain Rod Brind’Amour (9-10-19) will not be an easy thing for the Hurricanes to overcome. Despite his scoring struggles this past season, Brind’Amour was invaluable on the ice for his leadership skills alone. The loss of defenseman Brian Pothier only further depletes the Carolina’s depth at that position, and fan favorite Whitney’s departure will cause the offense to take a serious blow as his 58 points for the season was third best on the team. If new captain Eric Staal doesn’t develop into the kind of leader that Brind’Amour was, that could leave the generally young and new team reeling by season’s end. The Hurricanes are in need of clear direction both on the ice and in the locker room if they are to succeed.

Player to Watch: Eric Staal is undoubtedly the best player on this Carolina Hurricanes hockey club. Despite some injuries and struggles early on in, Staal came roaring back in a big way by season’s end and not only finished best on his team in many statistical categories, but also came home with a gold medal after playing on Team Canada’s hockey team in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. The fact that Staal was even selected for Team Canada’s 2010 squad is quite a testament to his talent, considering his struggles during the season while fellow Canadians such as Steven Stamkos were playing stellar hockey elsewhere. Eric Staal is the definition of a well-rounded hockey player, from his pure offensive skill (consistent 30-goal scorer up until this season, where he missed the mark by one goal) to his stamina (he averaged the most ice time of any forward at almost 21 minutes each night). If he can round out his game by developing into a true leader, Staal could help the Hurricanes develop as a team quicker than most expect.

Prediction: Despite all the key losses and having to rebuild the club on a shoestring budget, the Hurricanes still have plenty of talent to allow them to be contenders this season. Staal is still one of the best forwards in the game, Cam Ward is arguably one of the best goaltenders in the game, and a supporting cast that includes Jussi Jokinen (30-25-65), Tuomo Ruutu (14-21-35), and Joni Pitkanen (6-40-46) is more than enough to keep Carolina in the mix throughout the season. The main thing that will hinder their playoff chances is the vast improvements made by their peers in the division while they themselves stayed content with what they had. Due to the improvements made by other teams and the unpredictability of the Eastern Conference, Carolina will just miss out on the playoffs and consequently stay home for the second year in-a-row.

4.) Atlanta Thrashers

Rear-view Mirror: After missing the playoffs for the ninth time in their 10 seasons of hockey in Atlanta, the Thrashers finally decided to make some major changes both on the ice and in the front office. These changes were made with just cause: despite placing 2nd in the division and finishing only 2 spots out of the final playoff seed, the Thrashers finished with just a 35-34-13 record and 83 points putting them at 23rd overall in the NHL. The loss of Ilya Kovalchuk (31-27-58 with Atlanta) prior to the trade deadline was the final blow to an already fragile team ego, and Atlanta finished with the 25th ranked defense with an average of 3.05 goals allowed per game and the 25th ranked power play at 16.1 percent. However, major acquisitions have been made this off-season to help improve on those statistics and in an attempt to fill the void left by Kovalchuk and other key players who left.

Offseason Ins: Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Ben Eager, Brent Sopel, Chris Mason

Offseason Outs: Colby Armstrong, Marty Reasoner, Johan Hedberg, Pavel Kubina

What Makes Them Tick: The Thrashers went out and made some big trades this off-season, most notably the one that brought Dustin Byfuglien (17-17-34), Andrew Ladd (17-21-38), Ben Eager (7-9-16), and Brent Sopel (1-7-8) to Atlanta from Chicago in exchange for some picks, prospects, and Marty Reasoner (4-13-17). The team was the main beneficiary of the cap crunch the Chicago Blackhawks felt immediately after winning the Cup, and they were able to obtain several great players in exchange for very little at all. With that comes a revamped offense, which is a positive and necessary thing in light of the departure of star center and offensive staple Ilya Kovalchuk. Some new weapons along with some old ones Thrashers fans already know and love could be enough to allow Atlanta to play spoiler for many teams in the East.

What Could Make Them Go Boom: In spite of all the positive things that come with the procurement of new, talented players, the subject of team chemistry is going to be a major question mark for the Thrashers coming into the season. While the fact that all four main acquisitions on offense and defense came from the same team is definitely a plus, there is no telling how those players are going to work with their new linemates. In addition, the team’s lack of depth on the third and fourth lines (where players such as Ladd and Eager will most likely be playing) could mean that the potential those players possess to be serious offensive threats could very well be wasted. If the players on Atlanta can’t find chemistry with one another quickly, they will most likely be left in the dust in a very talented and always challenging conference.

Player to Watch: Nik Antropov (24-43-67) is without the question the man to take over for Kovalchuk on the Thrashers. At the age of 30, Antropov has the perfect mix of both veteran experience and youthful play, and his ability to be a consistent 20-goal scorer will no doubt continue to keep him considered to be the main offensive weapon on an Atlanta team where goals will not come easily without Kovalchuk. He led the team last season in plus-minus last season at +13, finished 3^rdof the team’s forwards in ice time at an average of 18:13 each night, and led the team in both goals (24) and power play points (21). Though there is a vacancy in the position of captain on the Thrashers, Antropov seems the most poised to claim that title while leading a generally young team down the road of positive development for the future.

Prediction: The Thrashers followed a popular Southeast Division trend by starting almost from scratch this off-season and attempting to rebuild the team from the ground up. A decision like that may irk many Atlanta fans because they’ve suffered from so many losing seasons, and the knowledge that they’ll most likely have to continue to wait a bit longer until they taste playoff success is obviously not pleasing. However, when fans look at the big picture, they can rest assured that the team is moving in the right direction by rebuilding; the pain of losing now will soon be subdued when Atlanta becomes a consistent contender in the future. That future is still a few seasons off though, and the Thrashers will once again miss the post-season for the tenth time in their eleven year history.

5.) Florida Panthers

Rear-view Mirror: Remember when the Florida Panthers were a team playing for the Cup? Chances are that you don’t, considering it’s been almost 15 years since they fell to the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Finals. In fact, you might not even remember the last time the team even qualified for the playoffs considering it’s been exactly one decade now. While it may be harsh to say that the history of the Florida Panthers is humiliating, the team tends to make themselves a large target for criticism, and last season was no exception. Florida finished 14th in the Eastern Conference and 28th overall in the league with a record of 32-37-13, garnering a measly 77 points (3 more than the 74 points the Toronto Maple Leafs finished with) to wrap up a season which saw them finish with the 3rd worst offense in the league (2.46 GPG) and the 2nd worst power play in the league (14.2%). Coming into yet another off-season without having had the chance to compete for the Cup, the Panthers looked to rebuild in order to avoid what would be a record 10th straight season out of the playoffs.

Offseason Ins: Chris Higgins, Steve Bernier, Marty Reasoner, Dennis Wideman, Nathan Paetsch

Offseason Outs: Nathan Horton, Keith Ballard, Gregory Campbell, Kamil Kreps

What Makes Them Tick: The Panthers have had the luxury of great goaltending even in the worst of times as a team, and last season was no exception with Tomas Vokoun in net. Despite a lackluster offense that rarely gave him any goal support and a defense that didn’t provide much protection in front, Vokoun gave Florida a chance to win in each game he played in. In the 62 games that he started he went 23-28-11 with 2.55 GAA and .925 SV%, all impressive stats for a goalie that had the weight of a struggling team on his back throughout most of the season. Backup goaltender Scott Clemmensen (9-8-2, 2.91 GAA, .912 SV%) had a strong finish  and will provide some relief for Vokoun occasionally during the season. With a rock in net like Tomas, the Panthers will be given a chance to succeed despite other aspects of the team that need work.

What Could Make Them Go Boom: As it stands, the Panthers have not done much to address their offensive issues. The fact that they haven’t is a little more serious for a team like Florida, considering their extreme offensive woes last season that were discussed earlier. They traded top-line right winger Nathan Horton (20-37-57) to the Boston Bruins for Dennis Wideman (6-24-30), and while that is certainly a fair return considering Wideman’s defensive skills, the Panthers’ defense was certainly better than their offense last season and losing Horton’s consistent 20+ goals is certainly going to hurt. Considering the most the Cats have done to address the loss of Horton is acquire Chris Higgins (8-9-17), it could be another long season for Vokoun in net.

Player to Watch: As mentioned earlier, Tomas Vokoun is the main reason the Panthers will have a real chance to actually do something this season. His play last year was simply outstanding, and the great stats he put up were made that much more impressive by the simple fact that Florida was just an all-around underwhelming team. But there are more reasons besides his amazing play that make him the player to watch on this team. Vokoun is entering the last year of his four-year contract with the Panthers, and because Florida has been paving the way for up-and-coming prospect Jacob Markstrom (2.01 GAA, .927 SV% with Brynas of the SEL) to take over in net in the near future, chances are Tomas won’t be returning next season. Should the Panthers fail to stay in playoff contention next season despite Vokoun’s sure-to-be-incredible play, there’s a good possibility he could be traded to a team that could use some a steady goaltender in their net heading into the playoffs. Vokoun will either lead the Panthers to playoff glory or become their biggest asset at the trade deadline, and that is what makes him the player to watch on this team.

Prediction: While it’s almost difficult for any hockey fan regardless of affiliation to not wish that Florida makes the post-season, chances are that wish won’t be coming true anytime soon. Despite many different player acquisitions that appear to have helped improve the team, the Panthers suffer from having to compete in a division that seems to be dominated by one team while the others also continue to constantly improve, and a conference that is entirely unpredictable. While great goaltending by Vokoun may very well be enough to help Florida keep things interesting for awhile, that’s more than likely not going to be enough to actually power the Cats into the into the playoffs for the first time in a long time. Much like the Atlanta Thrashers, the Panthers will undoubtedly benefit from all the changes occurring within the organization in the future; however, as of right now, it’s going to be quite some time before Florida develops into a playoff-caliber team.

The center pivots the entire offense and is a deep pool with many teams only having spot for three or four centers on a fantasy team. Having a center that creates for others is ideal but one that contributes on special teams both power play and shorthanded is one that should take precedent over just plan scorers.

As we saw in the NHL Fantasy Rankings for goalies and defensemen there were some surprises, which will make a huge fantasy impact down the stretch. That is the same feeling among the best centers in the league as time winds down on the NHL and Fantasy seasons

Here are the Olympic Break rankings for Centers:

1. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh: 42-36-78-12 Power Play Goals

2. Nicklas Backstrom, Washington: 26-50-76-+32- 29 Power Play Points

3. Henrik Sedin, Vancouver: 25-55-80-+27-20 Power Play Points

4. Patrick Marleau, San Jose: 38-26-64-19 Power Play Points-3 SHP

5. Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay: 35-35-70-30 Power Play Points

6. Joe Thornton, San Jose: 16-59-75-25 Power Play Points

7. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh: 21-44-65-5 GW Goals

8. Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles: 28-36-64-28 Power Play Points

9. Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim: 17-41-61-7 Power Play Goals

10. Mike Richards, Philadelphia: 24-22-46-13 Power Play Goals

11. Mikko Koivu, Minnesota: 16-40-56-24 Power Play Points

12. Eric Staal, Carolina: 20-30-50-20 Power Play Points

13. Jeff Carter, Philadelphia: 27-25-52-6 GW Goals

14. Jonathan Toews, Chicago: 19-30-49-7 Power Play Goals

15. Stephen Weiss, Florida: 21-27-48-8 Power Play Goals

16. Ryan Kesler, Vancouver: 16-38-54-58 PIM- 10 Power Play Goals

17. Mike Fisher, Ottawa: 20-24-44-7 Power Play Goals

18. Paul Stastny, Colorado: 12-42-54-15 Power Play Points

19. Travis Zajac, New Jersey: 19-32-51-+19-16 Power Play Points

20. Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit: 17-32-49-+13-7 Power Play Goals

21. Brad Richards, Dallas: 17-49-66-7 Power Play Goals

22. Matt Stajan, Calgary: 18-27-45-7 Power Play Goals

23. Brooks Laich, Washington: 20-26-46-8 Power Play Goals

24. Jason Spezza, Ottawa: 15-18-33-13 Power Play Points

25. Andy McDonald, St. Louis: 19-19-38-15 Power Play Points

Goalie Spotlight

Johan Hedberg – Atlanta Thrashers

After watching him make some awesome saves against the Ducks I figured I would spotlight Hedberg, also know as the “Moose.” The nicknamed was coined when he was quickly called up to play in a game for the Pittsburgh Penguins and he was still wearing his Manitoba Moose (AHL) helmet which also sported a huge moose on the mask.

Hedberg was drafted in the 9^th round by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1994 draft, he never played for them and was traded in 1999 to the San Jose Sharks. He never played for the Sharks either; however he did play for their affiliate the Kentucky Thoroughblades. It wasn’t until he was then traded to the Penguins that he actually played in the NHL. Before his NHL debate Hedberg mainly played in Sweden for Leksands IF. He didn’t make his way back to North America until the 1997-98 season when he played for the Detroit Vipers (IHL). After bouncing around the IHL, AHL, ECHL and Sweden for awhile Hedberg debuted for the Penguins in the 2000-01 season. He only played in 6 games, most of the year he played for the Moose, but the following year he was a regular starter. He ended up leading the league in losses, a record I’m sure he didn’t want. He was then traded to Vancouver and then Dallas before finding a home in Atlanta in 2006. The 2008-09 season was one of Hedberg’s worst. He set career lows in GAA and SV%. He has rebounded nicely this season and so far has career bests in GAA and SV% and has a chance to surpass his previous season high in wins. One highlight of his career was recording two assists in a game while playing for Dallas in 2005. This hadn’t been done since Patrick Roy had two assists in a game in 2000.

Hedberg signed a multi-year extension with the Thrashers in 2008. Currently he is hoping to backstop the Thrashers into the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

Fights of the Week

Special thanks to hockeyfights.com for making this section a little easier to do.

Jay Rosehill vs. Matt Walker

Decent fight and then at the end, Walker decks Rosehill.

Nick Boynton vs. Brad Staubitz

Short and sweet fight.

Cam Janssen vs. Brian McGrattan

McGrattan has about 4 inches over Janssen and he pretty much dominated this fight, Janssen did pop off his helmet though.

Goat of the Week

Ray Emery – Philadelphia Flyers

Hey what do you know another goalie as a goat. This time Ray Emery goes behind the net and passes it to Sergei Samsonov of the Hurricanes, oops, and Samsonov makes a nice pass to Rob Brind’Amour.

Things I like

1. The Burrows with the Sedin twins line is on fire, and is right up their with the Sharks line. Burrows with an 11 game point streak and both Sedins have a 5 game point streak going. All told this line has amassed 60 points in 11 games so far this January. This has propelled the Canucks all the way up into 4^th place in the Western Conference.

2. Anze Kopitar has rebounded big with a nice January after having a cold six point December. He has points in 8 of his last 10 games and he was apart of every goal, 1 goal 2 assists, in the Kings huge comeback win against Detroit 3-2. It was huge because it was on the road but also because the Kings and Red Wings are neck in neck in the standings.

3. Eric Staal being named captain of the Carolina Hurricanes. On the one hand it’s a tough role becoming the captain of a team in last past in the conference. On the other hand there isn’t anywhere else to go but up and since this is now a rebuilding year, it’s time for the youth to start leading.

Things I don’t

1. All the Ilya Kovalchuk trade talk rumors. Nothing worse than having to hear a billion scenarios or possible teams a player could be going to. I’m sure it’s even more annoying to him. Most unbelievable scenario was him going to the Blackhawks. Yes I’m sure that will happen.

2. The Oilers now have fewer points than Toronto and Carolina. After how the season started for those two teams you never would have saw this day coming.

3. I wrote about this a month ago but I’m concerned with the success of the Sharks. The more they win and run away with the top seed in the west, the more pressure they will have come playoff time. The Western Conference is especially stacked this year and it’s very possible they will have another 1^st round bounce. I can only imagine how another early round exit will go.

Stat Line of the Week

01/23/10  Montreal 6 vs. New York 0

Cammalleri’s name is not one you hear often but he is having himself a nice little season. Coming off a career year last season, in Calgary, that saw him post career highs in goals and points, Cammalleri leads the Canadiens in goals currently. His four point night help key the 6-0 victory over the Rangers.

Did You Know?

Rob Ray led the NHL in PIM with 261 in the 1998-99 season, while playing for the Sabres. He also had the dubious distinction of not scoring a goal that year.

Numbers, Numbers

127 – Goals for Boston the lowest in the NHL currently.

274 – Goals for Boston last year, when they led the Eastern Conference.

26 – Wins this year so far for Craig Anderson in 43 games for a .604 W%

36 – Wins prior to this year for Anderson in 88 games for a .409 W%

This Week in Hockey History

Special thanks to the Hockey Hall of Fame site for making this section a little easier to do.

January 21, 2000 Valeri Bure scored at 3:06 of overtime to give the Flames a 5-4 win against the visiting Nashville Predators. It was the Flames’ 9th OT win of the season, a new NHL record. The Winnipeg Jets held the old mark with 8 OT wins in 1987-88.

January 22, 1987 A snowstorm in New Jersey delayed the game between the Devils and Flames for two hours. When it finally started, only 334 fans were on hand to see the Devils beat the Flames 7-5. The game ended at 11:44 PM.

January 23, 1972 Chicago’s Bobby Hull extended his team-record point scoring streak to 21 games in the Black Hawks’ 4-0 win over the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs. Hull scored 23 goals, 12 assists for a total of 35 points during the 21 game streak.

January 24, 1998 Anaheim’s Teemu Selanne scored his 250th career NHL goal in the Mighty Ducks’ 3-3 tie against the visiting Los Angeles Kings.

January 25, 1996 The Ottawa Senators set an NHL record with their 16th consecutive home game without a win (0-15-1) in a 4-2 loss to Detroit at the Palladium. They broke the old record of 15 shared by the 1928 Black Hawks & 1939 Canadiens.

January 26, 2002 Eric Lindros scored once to give him 20 goals in each of his nine NHL seasons, and Theoren Fleury added his 20th goal of the year for the 12th time in his career as the Rangers won 6-3 against the visiting Washington Capitals.

Rankings

The rankings are based on how the teams are currently playing.

Top 5

1. Washington
2. San Jose
3. Anaheim
4. Vancouver
5. Philadelphia

Bottom 5

30. Edmonton
29. Calgary
28. Toronto
27. Boston
26. NY Rangers

Yikes the last 3 teams are all Canadian, not happy times in Canada for hockey fans these days.

Anaheim Ducks Watch

The Ducks started their long six game road trip in the Shark Tank. Anaheim has lost all four meeting against the Sharks this year coming into the game. You can make it five after the loss on Thursday. Both teams had chances and the Ducks actually out shot the Sharks. Beleskey had the only goal for the Ducks and it was a pretty one at that. In the end the Sharks were the better team, full avenging their playoff exit from last season.

Next up were the Blues an important game standing wise and the Ducks sure made it interesting. Down 3-0 in the 3^rd all seemed lost. But then Niedermayer scored to put the Ducks on the board. Then the Bobby Ryan show took over as Ryan scored his 23^rd and 24^th goal of the year. The 34^th came with just 30 seconds left in the game. Ryan did however miss the 3^rd shootout shot, the first duck to miss, which would have given them the win. Instead it took 7 rounds for the Ducks to get the win.

Next for the Ducks were the Thrashers in a game they really needed to have because they play back to back games and their next opponent is the Capitals. Unfortunately the Ducks didn’t play all that well and lost 2-1, though at times they did have their chances. A couple of really dumb penalties at the end really sealed Anaheim’s fate. Sexton’s hooking call was a bad call by the refs but Whitney’s boarding call was just a bad move on Whitney’s part. Atlanta also had a questionable non call penalty towards the end, can’t remember who was involved.

Not sure what the future of this section holds, seeing as how I’m leaving Southern California, I won’t be able to watch the local broadcasts anymore and watching online isn’t always reliable. But maybe I’ll still do it. Either way I hope the Ducks make the playoffs this year.

Well I generally document Anaheim’s problems on a weekly basis. I will sum it up with injuries, not being able to win key face-offs, dumb penalties, inconsistent goalie play, poor penalty killing and not clearing the zone when they have the opportunity. Selanne, Giguere, Koivu, Wisniewski, and Lupul have all been injured. Various other minor players have also been bitten by the injury bug. Lately they have been blowing 3^rd period leads which happened in a stretch of three games in a row. They are 2^nd in the league in giving up the most goals in the 3^rd period. They need to have that killer instinct and shut teams out in the 3^rd period when they have a lead. One bright spot for the Ducks is their power play. After struggling in the beginning of the year, they now have the 3^rd best power play in the league. The Ducks need to start doing the little things better and get everyone back healthy and playing consistently.

Philadelphia had high expectations after being bounced in the playoffs two years in a row by the Penguins. Chris Pronger in the eyes of the Flyers was that missing piece to get in the way of Crosby and Malkin and they gave up a lot to get him. Pronger has played well though. His +/- is near the top of the league and his scoring pace is higher than his previous two seasons. So we can’t blame Pronger. Mike Richards and Jeff Carter are on the same pace for points this year as they were last year. They did lose Joffrey Lupul and his 25 goals a year but Danny Briere is healthy this year and picking up that slack. So what’s the problem? Well I haven’t watched all that many Flyers games, so I can’t say with certainty. Having Simon Gagne, and his 30+ goals, injured for much of the year hasn’t helped the Flyers. Ray Emery’s numbers are worse than the man he replaced, Martin Biron. In the most recent game against the Canadiens Brian Boucher, subbing for Emery, gave up 3 goals on 13 shots, yikes. So goaltending which has generally been the Flyers Achilles’ heel is still a problem. The penalty killing could be improved as well.

Carolina has the honor of having the worst record in the league. They also went 14 games without a win in one stretch, ouch. Starting goalie Cam Ward has been out for a month so far. Neither of his backups are performing well. In fact the Hurricanes have the worst SV% and the 2^nd worst GAA. Eric Staal has really struggled this year and is just recently starting to play better. Veteran Rob Brind’Amour is also struggling. Carolina’s powerplay is 2^nd to last, which is never a good sign. The Hurricanes are also tied for 2^nd with the Ducks in giving up the most goals in the 3^rd period. Hmm… let’s see, bad powerplay, check, struggling 1^st line, check, starting goalie injured, check, giving up tons of 3^rd period goals, check. It’s hard to win games when those things are happening. On the bright side the Canes have won 2 in a row, although they have done that two other times this year only to go on losing streaks again. They should be getting back Cam Ward this week, which should help the Hurricanes immensely. Of course Ward will need to work off his rust.

All these teams have the talent to make a run for the playoffs. The season is only a third of the way done, so there is still plenty of time to turn it around. However if things don’t start to improve expect changes to be made. Whether it’s dealing some players, or following the Flyers lead and making a coaching change, shakeups will occur. Expectations for these teams are too high this year to sit around and be content with being in last place.

Goalie Spotlight

Miikka Kiprusoff – Calgary Flames

Kiprusoff is a Finland native and was selected in the 5^th round by the San Jose Sharks in the 1995 entry draft. Before joining the Sharks in 2000, Kiprusoff was already an established international star. Kiprusoff led TPS in the Finnish league SM-liiga to gold in 1995 and 1999. He won the Urpo Ylönen trophy, for best goalie, in 1999 a year after fellow NHLer Tim Thomas (Goalie Spotlight Week 7) won it. His numbers in the postseason that year were a 9-1 record, 3 shutouts, and a 1.55 GAA. He also led Finland to silver placing finishes in the 1999 and 2001 World Championships and in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.

Kiprusoff moved to North America in 1999 and played for the Kentucky Thoroughblades in the AHL, and made the All-star team his first year. He played briefly for the Sharks during the 00 to 03 seasons. In the 2001 playoff series against the Blues, Kiprusoff became the 1^st Finnish goaltender to win a playoff game. Having lost the starting goalie spot to Evgeni Nabokov, the Sharks traded him to the Flames in 2003 for a 2^nd round pick.

Rejuvenated by the trade to the Flames, Kiprusoff was named defensive player of the month for December of 03. Despite battling injuries he led the Flames to the postseason for the first time in eight years. He also led the league in GAA with a 1.69 mark, setting the tone for a stellar career with the Flames. This was the lowest GAA in the modern era and 24^th best all time. He went on to lead the Flames to the Stanley Cup Finals, including beating his former team along the way, against the Tampa Bay Lightning where they lost a close series in 7 games. The year after the lockout, Kiprusoff won the Vezina (best goalie) and Jennings (lowest team GAA) trophy. He set the record for most wins for a Flames goalie with 42 and then broke it himself 3 years later with 45 wins. Other Flame franchise records he holds include: Most shutouts in one season (10), most shutouts all time (30) and most games played in a season (76).

Despite losing in the 1^st round the past 4 years, the Flames look poised to go deep in the playoffs this year. With Kiprusoff, captain Jarome Iginla, and new additions from last year Olli Jokinen (fellow Finlander) and this year Jay Bouwmeester the Flames have a great core. Off to a great start this year the Flames hope it can land the Stanley Cup in Canada for the first time since the Canadiens brought it home in the 1992-93 season.

Fights of the Week

Special thanks to hockeyfights.com for making this section a little easier to do.

Didn’t like that many fights this week and I’m strapped for time.

Matt Bradley vs. Daniel Carcillo

Technically not a fight as Bradley didn’t get any penalty minutes. Carcillo punches Bradley right as he drops his gloves. Carcillo racked up 29 minutes in penalties with the check and fight.

Brian McGrattan vs Raitis Ivanans

The 5^th bout between these two, dating back to their AHL playing days, had some slow moments, but still pretty decent.

Goat of the Week

Brian Elliott – Ottawa Senators

Brian Elliott for giving up this fluke goal off the glass to Ryan Getzlaf, you might want to position yourself better Brian. No harm done as the Senators won in the shootout.

Things I like

1. Happy Birthday to the Montreal Canadiens who had their 100^th anniversary on Dec. 4^th. I’m sure their fans would like their most recent teams to rival their past success but you can’t have everything.

2. People say that the Sharks have the best line, but they would be wrong. The Devils actually have the best line. Zach Parise, Travis Zajac, and Jamie Langenbrunner (when he’s on the line) have a combined +/- of +43, tops in the league for a forward line.

3. Alex Ovechkin says he won’t change his style of play. Good for him I say, he only knows how to play one way and he isn’t going to change that. He plays with passion and I really don’t find his style that reckless.

4. The Carolina Hurricanes got their first road win of the season against the defending Stanley Cup champs of all teams, extracting some revenge from last years playoff sweep.

Things I don’t

1. Teemu Selanne is injured for about 4-6 weeks in what could very well be his last season. This is a huge blow to an already injured and struggling Ducks team. It will also affect how high Selanne can climb on numerous scoring records. Here’s hoping he doesn’t call it quits after this year.

2. Keith Ballard, a.k.a goalie annihilator, has taken his next victim in Craig Anderson. Ballard knocked Anderson out of the game when he slid towards the net and sent Anderson’s head to the goal post, at least he didn’t send him to the hospital though he is still day to day. Maybe Ballard was tormented by goalies as a kid. If you’re keeping track at home that’s two starting goalies down and 28 to go for Ballard.

3. Hard to imagine but the Pittsburgh Penguins’ power play is 28^th overall, yikes. With all the talented scorers on that team you figured they could find the net more.

Stat Line of the Week

12/03/09  Capitals 6 vs. Panthers 2

Mr. Duco racked up 27 minutes of penalty minutes on four penalties on one play against Alexandre Giroux and was ejected from the game. He was getting Giroux back for the elbow he laid on Dmitry Kulikov. Personally I didn’t find Giroux’s hit all that bad. Lesson to be learned don’t mess with the Duco. You can see both hits below.

12/05/09  Capitals 8 vs. Flyers 2

The Capitals Swede racked up 5 points, 3 assists on the powerplay, against the Flyers. Ovechkin who?

Box Score of the Week

This won’t be a regular feature, I just thought it was too interesting to pass up. In the Flyers vs. Islanders game, if you look below, 4 players each scored 2 goals back to back without anyone else scoring in between. If they had scored 3 goals each that would have been 4 natural hat tricks in a row. I have no way to look it up but I’m pretty sure the below has never happened before.

1st Period

Philadelphia  9:47, Mike Richards 12 (power play) (Kimmo Timonen, Scott Hartnell)

Philadelphia  15:14, Mike Richards 13 (shorthanded) (unassisted)

2nd Period

Philadelphia  4:21, Jeff Carter 10 (power play) (Danny Briere, Matt Carle)

Philadelphia  7:04, Jeff Carter 11 (Danny Briere, Kimmo Timonen)

NY Islanders 10:52, John Tavares 12 (power play) (Jeff Tambellini, Kyle Okposo)

NY Islanders 14:55, John Tavares 13 (power play) (Matt Moulson, Kyle Okposo)

Philadelphia  17:29, Claude Giroux 4 (power play) (Mike Richards, Chris Pronger)

3rd Period

Philadelphia  2:35, Claude Giroux 5 (Scott Hartnell)

Did You Know?

Speaking of penalty minutes Randy Holt holds the record for most penalty minutes in one game with 67 set in 1979. He also has the record for most penalty minutes in a period since he got all 67 of those in the 1^st period in a game against the Flyers. 45 minutes came on a bench clearing brawl at the end of the period instigated by Holt. He doesn’t hold the record for most penalty minutes for a season though. That record goes to Dave Schultz with 472 penalty minutes set in the 1974-75 season.

Numbers, Numbers

0 – Number of overtime losses for Vancouver.

14 – Number of goals scored by the Capitals in the 2 games Ovechkin was suspended.

103 – Career shutouts for Martin Brodeur tying Terry Sawchuck’s NHL record.

15 – Career shutouts by Ryan Miller who was in the other goal when Brodeur tied the record.

13 – Anze Kopitar’s goalless game streak

This Week in Hockey History

Special thanks to the Hockey Hall of Fame site for making this section a little easier to do.

December 03, 1999 Ottawa’s Kevin Dineen picked up a misconduct penalty to become the fifth player in league history to get 300 goals and 2,000 penalty minutes in his NHL career. The milestone came during a 7-4 Senators loss at New Jersey.

December 04, 2001 Peter Bondra scored his 400th and 401st NHL goals to become the 5th active player to score 400 goals with one team in the Capitals 5-2 win against the visiting New York Rangers.

December 05, 1988 Detroit’s Steve Yzerman set a new team record with a goal in his ninth straight game, a 7-2 Red Wings’ loss at Montreal. Yzerman broke the team record of goals in eight straight games set by Gordie Howe in 1952.

December 06, 1995 Colorado Avalanche obtained goaltender Patrick Roy and Mike Keane from the Montreal Canadiens, in exchange for Andrei Kovalenko, Martin Rucinsky and goalie Jocelyn Thibault.

December 07, 1977 New England Whalers’ Gordie Howe scored his 1,000th professional goal (counting the NHL and WHA) in a WHA Whalers’ game against Birmingham.

December 08, 1999 Pavel Bure scored his 12th career hat trick in the third period to lead the Panthers to a 6-1 win at Phoenix. Panthers set a team record with five goals in the final period, as Mikhail Shtalenkov won in his first start with Florida.

December 08, 1967 Two months into their first NHL season, the “California” Seals officially changed their name to the “Oakland” Seals.

Rankings

The rankings are based on how the teams are currently playing.

Top 5

1. Washington
2. Chicago
3. Phoenix
4. Boston
5. Minnesota

Bottom 5

30. Philadelphia
29. Columbus
28. Tampa Bay
27. Florida
26. NY Rangers

Anaheim Ducks Watch

The Ducks suck, there I’m done. Anyway the Ducks were leading 1-0 against the Stars when they let the Stars score 3 unanswered goals in the 3^rd including an empty netter. It was a tough loss for the Ducks who played a good game. To make matters worse Selanne broke his hand in a game he almost sat out because of the flu. Corey Perry’s point streak also came to an end; I think I may have jinxed him. Then there next game against Minnesota taking a 2-1 lead into the 3^rd the Ducks were able to make it 4-2. Then they gave up two goals in the final 5 minutes to force overtime, which they of course lost in the shootout. Against Ottawa the Ducks decided to lose differently. They never led in the game and every time the Senators would score, they would tie it within a minute. They then lost in the shootout again.

Next up was the Dallas Stars, again, and the Ducks started off the game in typical Ducks fashion slow. The Stars were up 3-0 before you knew it and it seemed like another loss. But then Joffrey Lupul, who has been on fire since coming back from his injury, scored when Turco made the save on the breakaway but couldn’t put on the breaks as he slid behind the goaline. In the 3^rd period instead of sucking as usual, the Ducks dominated the Stars outshooting them 14 to 2 and recently called up rookie Dan Sexton scored 2 goals to force overtime. In the overtime the Ducks continued to dominate and Saku Koivu scored on a 3 on 1 breakaway. All in all a very entertaining game and the Ducks scored 4 unanswered goals, which hopefully gives them something to build upon.

Five out of eight games were decided in overtime or a shootout, we saw the goal of the year (CLICK FOR AMAZING GOAL), a player get knocked unconscious (CLICK FOR BIG HIT), and a slaughter in Calgary (Chicago Blackhawks 7, Flames 1).

In Carolina, the league’s two worst teams—the Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs—scored twice in the final 30 seconds including the tying goal with 2.9 ticks left on the clock to force extra time.

You want a good gauge on how great this night was?  The buzz on NHL action at ESPN around midnight was greater than the excitement over Dolphins running back Ricky Williams’ 3 touchdowns that probably won fantasy football players their week 11 games after just one night.

Now, with each team having played roughly 20 games we’ve reached the quarter pole of the season—exactly what did we know and what have we learned?

We know Alex Ovechkin is the league’s best goal scorer, but we didn’t know just how great he is.  In 15 games so far this season, he has 15 goals and despite missing over two weeks with a shoulder injury, he still leads the league in shots on goal with 87.  Assuming he stays healthy the rest of the way, there’s no reason to believe he can’t reach 70 goals and another Hart Trophy will be in Ovechkin’s hands.

I knew the L.A. Kings would be better this year, I never imagined they’d be this good or Anze Kopitar would rapidly become one of the game’s elite.  With 14 goals and 32 points, Kopitar would win the MVP for players not named Ovechkin.

We know the Blackhawks are one of the best teams in the league, but we didn’t know just how good they would be.  Star winger Marian Hossa hasn’t even touched the ice yet and the hawks are 13-5-2.  Personally, I thought they’d have to merely tread water until Hossa made his debut.  With his return imminent, it’s time for the league to be very afraid of the uprising in the windy city.

The Blackhawks already rank near the top of the league in goals per game, 2^nd in goals against per game (47 goals allowed in 20 games) and have the top penalty killing percentage in the league–all  while being hit hard by injuries thus far (Adam Burish, Ben Eager, Jonathan Toews, Dave Bolland and Brent Seabrook) have all missed multiple games.  Not only are they emerging as a legitimate cup contender but this might be the best coaching job of Joel Quenneville’s career.  He’s the early nominee for coach of the year.

On the flip side, we knew the Maple Leafs would be bad—3 wins in 20 games is another story.  However, we didn’t know the Carolina Hurricanes would be giving Toronto a run for their money in the battle for the top draft pick in 2011.  Last year’s eastern conference runners-up have 4 wins in 21 games and their best player (Eric Staal) and star goalie (Cam Ward) are both on IR.  It’s already time to focus on Duke and UNC hoops in Raleigh.

Sure, number 1 overall draft picks could go the way of Alexander Daigle or Patrik Stefan, so while it’s safe to say we knew Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos would be a star we didn’t know he’d be the main attraction in Florida.  With 14 goals already and the aforementioned goal of the year, Stamkos has quickly become a force.    

On the other hand, nobody knew about the rapid decline of teammate Vincent Lecavalier.  Coming off a poor season, the Lightning signed their veteran center to a multi-year extension, which was supposed to put his mind at ease by ending any and all trade talk.  Lecavalier has responded with 4 goals and just 18 points in 19 games and is no longer an All-Star caliber player.

Meanwhile, we knew Islanders rookie John Tavares—the No. 1 overall pick in 2010—would be good.  There were too many Sidney Crosby comparisons for him to disappoint.  Yet, he’s somehow exceeded expectations.  While his 9 goals and 10 assists are mighty impressive, we could not have known he’d be able to lift his lifeless franchise out of the cellar and into the hunt for a playoff spot.  Keep in mind, this is still without goalie Rick DiPietro, who still hasn’t played this season but is nearing a return.  Could there be playoff hockey on Long Island?  The fact that this question is even legitimate is completely shocking.    

Finally, we all know hockey is a physically grueling sport that can be dangerous at times but dirty hits and concussions have entered dark territory.  The NHL needs to find a way to better protect its players or we’ll soon be reading about permanent brain damage like NFL legends battle with.  We don’t know how the NHL can do this—maybe bigger helmets or stricter penalties and suspensions?  Whatever the solution, it better come quick.

We know there’s still plenty to learn with many months remaining, but early reviews on the first quarter are looking good—we know the 2009-10 season could be one for the ages.

So far, my MVP is Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar who, whose high marks in goals and points scored is leading his team to surprising, but early on season playoff talk.

Buffalo Sabres Ryan Miller is a big reason his team is leading the division. The best in the league in Goals Against Average (GAA) (1.77), save percentage (0.939) and tied for lead with 12 wins, Miller is a safe shot for best goalie.  

Best defenseman goes to the Philadelphia Flyers as-good-as-advertised Chris Pronger, who is fourth among defensemen scoring with 17 points and an amazing +13 while playing a league high 27:01 minutes a game. 

Awards aside, let’s get to the Hat Trick —or the three storylines I am following this week in the hockey world.

1) Win, Lose or Draw

From the highs of the New Jersey Devils, who have won eight games in a row, to the lows of the Carolina Hurricanes dropping 12 in a row, the rest of the season might not be much different for these two. Between the Zachs (Parise and Zajac) and rookie Niclas Bergfors, each player on the line has eight points in the last seven games, making the Devils as hot as their mascot suggests.

But a healthy Martin Brodeur and an improving Patrik Elias could makes things even scarier for their opponents. Brodeur has a 1.48 GAA and .942 save percentage in the last seven games, and it’s just a matter of time for Elias to get going, though he has yet to gain a point in the four games since returning from injury.

The woeful Hurricanes are a team devastated by injuries. With the losses of top flight goalie Cam Ward and top line center Eric Staal, Carolina is relying on the likes of Manny Legace in net. How has this team gone from Eastern Conference Finals appearance last season to the bottom of the NHL? 

Though the revolving door to the infirmary has not helped, every team is dealing with injuries. But their depth has to be called into question. Banking on Eric Cole (one goal), Chad Larose (0 goals) and Sergei Samsonov (two goals) to be top line scorers was a mistake. Having a defense based around offensive defensemen Joni Pitkanen (-12) and Joe Corvo (-9) was another one. Although the Hurricanes finally won on Sunday, I will be watching these two teams going in opposite directions

2) AHL Report:  

Here at Pucking Awesome, we also keep you up to date with what is happening on the farm teams. The two hottest teams in the AHL are the Rochester Americans (13-2-1) and the Texas Stars (11-2-2). The Florida Panthers-affiliate Americans are led by 22-year-old goalie Alexander Salak. The Czech rookie is 10-1-0, while being near the top in all goalie categories. 

The Dallas Stars-affiliates have given up only 31 goals in 17 games this season. The goalie tandems of Matt Climie and Brett Krahn have shut opponents down with a 1.85 and 1.38 GAA respectively.

3) Game of the Week: Bruins at Sabres, Friday

Northeast division rivals Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres will face off this week for the second time this season. The first matchup went to the defending division winners as the Bruins defeated Jhonas Enroth in his NHL debut, 4-2. This time around the goal-starved Bruins will most likely be facing Ryan Miller, and that is not a good combination for Boston who has been shut out three times this season.

Milan Lucic could return to the Bruins this week, but he has been told he can’t fight, making this division rivalry game a good measuring stick for him.

Steve Reinprecht, Panthers C: 

The 33-year-old center has been more known as a face-off specialist with some goal scoring ability. His career high is 22 total goals with Phoenix and Calgary but he is already on pace to break that with nine goals in 15 games played. Now with the injury to another star, David Booth, Reinprecht is getting some ice time with the sizzling Nathan Horton. 

If you are in a league that has shots as a category he has 105 and 95 shots the last two seasons. He could fill in at center for the time being for those who own either Staal or Malkin as he continues his move from a checking center to scoring center

Raffi Torres, Blue Jackets W:

The 28-year-old Torres did score 20 goals in consecutive seasons for the Oilers, but has had a tough time staying healthy with knee surgeries shortening his last two seasons. Now healthy, he has solidified the second scoring line for Columbus with eight goals in 16 games, half of those coming on the man advantage and two of those tallies game winners, only helping his fantasy value. 

This is a good filler for an injured star, for he is still an injury risk himself, but being owned in less than 10 percent of leagues pick him up ride the streak until your star returns.

Antero Niittymaki, Lightning G:  

The 2006 Olympic MVP has shown that when asked to play well for a short period of time he can produce. With Mike Smith struggling and Niity leading the league in save percentage (0.940) and third in the league in GAA (1.95) there seems to be a goalie controversy brewing in Tampa. The 29-year-old Finland native has seen time in five straight games and four of those as a starting role, yet is still only owned in 30-percent of leagues. 

He is a prime candidate as filler for the injured Ward since his problem has always been consistency, so ride the hot streak. Pick up Frank Niity over the likes of Michael Leighton and recently signed Manny Legace, or go with a guy I have mentioned here before in Ondrej Pavelec who is still only owned in 40 percent in leagues and with the news of back surgery for Kari Lehtonen he will be in the net for an extended period of time.