Here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.
Preview: Dallas Stars at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m. EST. The top team in the Western Conference vs. the top team in the Pacific Division. The Canucks have lost four in a row, but the last three in either overtime or the shootout. Dallas is on a 7-1-1 roll this month to counteract that fact that they've lost six of seven to Vancouver. The key tonight, according to Defending Big D: Special teams, which have been stellar this month. "In January they've scored on 12 of their 29 power plays opportunities (41.4%) and killed 24 of 26 penalties (92.3%)." Watch the Game Live Via Hockey Night on Y!
Preview: New York Rangers at Washington Capitals, 7:30 p.m. EST. Your VERSUS game of the night. Times have changed for the Capitals since their 7-0 loss at the Rangers on Dec. 12. First off, they've turned their fortunes around since that sixth defeat in an eight-game losing streak. But they're also out of the Southeast Division top spot, chasing the Tampa Bay Lightning. Said defenseman Karl Alzner: "We need to keep pace and we need to string a few together. We haven't had a really good group of games where we can get to seven, eight wins in a row." Holtby vs. Biron tonight.
Preview: Boston Bruins at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m. EST. The Kings have lost 10 of 13 and are 0-for-22 on the power play in their last seven games. The Bruins are 6-0-3 in their last nine road games. According to Bruins Blog, "the former No. 1 line of Milan Lucic, David Krejci, and Nathan Horton will be reunited" with Marc Savard out of the lineup again. Positive sign for the Kings: The defensemen have started picking up the offense.
Check out previews and updated scores for all of today's games on the Y! Sports NHL scores and scheds page. For tonight's starting goalies, check out Left Wing Lock.
Download or listen to today's episode of Puck Daddy Radio.
Reader Comment of the Day: From Vincent on the Evgeni Nabokov/Islanders issue:
Sorry but the Conventional Wisdom here is just dead wrong.
There's a huge drawback to Nabokov coming in and playing well for a bad Islanders team and that is should the Isles look to trade him, he has to get through waivers first. The Islanders were pretty high on the waiver list the first time around with and the odds of Nabokov, coming off a good showing on Long Island, getting through the second time around would be even worse because you can now pick up a goaltender who is playing well for just a waiver claim.
Which is also why any team looking to make a trade to acquire Nabokov from the Islanders would be foolish. He has to clear waivers and you could just put in a claim to get him and not have to give up anything.
By refusing to report Nabokov forces the Islanders to either suspend him or place him back on the waiver wire (where he can repeat this process until he lands with a team he wants to play for or gets suspended). Yes, he looks like a diva but what did he look like running off to Russia after not getting what he wanted in the NHL in the first place?
Bold Prediction: Markham, Ontario native Jeff Skinner scores the game-winner against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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