Hockey today - October 9
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SCOREBOARD
Tuesday, Oct 8
Carolina at Toronto (7 p.m. EDT).
The Hurricanes continue their six-game road trip with a matchup against the Maple Leafs.
STARS
Monday
-Olie Kolzig, Capitals, stopped 30 shots to help Washington to a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders.
-Mikael Samuelsson, Red Wings, had a goal and an assist to lift Detroit over Edmonton 4-2.
AGED TO PERFECTION
Chris Chelios, the NHL's oldest active player at 45, skated in his 1,550th game Monday night, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Alex Delvecchio to move into eighth place on the career list. Chelios had a goal in the Red Wings 4-2 victory over the Oilers.
PERSEVERANCE
Maple Leafs forward Jason Blake has a rare form of leukemia that he said leaves him in no immediate danger and is highly treatable. The 34-year-old left wing has started treatment and doesn't expect to miss any playing time. He has chronic myelogenous leukemia, a slow-growing cancer of the white blood cells. Blake said he got the test results Friday and broke the news to teammates Monday at Air Canada Centre.
OUT
Red Wings forward Johan Franzen is expected to be out three to four weeks because of a sprained ligament in his right knee. He was injured Saturday night in Chicago and had to be helped from the ice at 6:58 of the second period after a collision. ... Rangers forward Sean Avery will be out two to four weeks after separating his left shoulder during a loss at Ottawa. Avery went to the dressing room at 7:23 of the first period Saturday following a hit by Senators right winger Chris Neil.
SPEAKING
''When you find out that you have something it's definitely shattering to your whole family and so on. Overall, I feel good. I'm still here and my goal this whole season hasn't changed.'' - Maple Leafs forward Jason Blake, who began treatment for his leukemia on Monday. Blake has a rare form of Leukemia that he said leaves him in not immediate danger and is highly treatable.
Today's key NHL matchup notes
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Carolina Hurricanes at Toronto Maple Leafs
The Hurricanes' Cam Ward is 2-3-1 with a 3.79 GAA in six starts against the Maple Leafs, who took three of four meetings last season and won the last two by a combined 10-2.
Sundin has a point in all three games this season, totaling a goal and five assists. He recorded three assists against Montreal.
Sundin has 30 goals and 36 assists in 61 games against the Hurricanes franchise.
Toronto has struggled on the power play so far, going 0-for-17 before Tomas Kaberle scored with 1:34 left in overtime against the Canadiens on Saturday.
Forward Eric Staal has a goal in each of his last three visits to Toronto and has totaled seven points in his past four games at the Air Canada Centre.
Starting Goalies
Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes - Ward is the probable starter for Tuesday's game against the Maple Leafs.
Vesa Toskala, Toronto Maple Leafs - Toskala is the probable starter for Tuesday's game against the Hurricanes.
Year-to-date: 76 / 76 = 100%
Havlat out at least a month, and that's best-case scenario
Daily Herald Staff
If the Blackhawks are fortunate enough to catch a break -- and it's still a huge "if" -- they will be without top scorer Martin Havlat for the next 4-6 weeks.
But if the news is bad later this week after Havlat has several more doctors examine his injured right shoulder, he could be lost to the Hawks for the rest of the season.
It wasn't exactly a positive thing when Havlat said Monday his shoulder feels much like it did last March when he hurt it and needed surgery for the second time in three years. The rehab from that type of shoulder surgery generally is 4-6 months.
"It's pretty similar to last year and we have to find out what the problem is," Havlat said. "It feels the same way.
"We're going to talk to two or three different doctors, see what they have to say, and go from there. We'll probably know a little more on Wednesday or Thursday."
What the Hawks hope to hear is that Havlat can play again in November or December following shoulder rehab.
"We think there's a good chance he can rehab this thing and be back in 4-6 weeks," general manager Dale Tallon said. "That's what we're hoping."
Havlat already has been examined by Hawks team physician Dr. Michael Terry and undergone an MRI and CT scan. Havlat wouldn't say what Terry thought of the injury.
"There's still swelling in there, so (the first exam) wasn't enough to say that there's something in there," Hawks coach Denis Savard said. "Last year it was definite (that Havlat needed surgery). This year we're still debating what's there and if there is something that needs to be done."
Havlat was hurt in Thursday's season opener at Minnesota during a scrum late in the Hawks' 1-0 loss.
"I knew exactly that it was out right away," Havlat said. "It shouldn't happen that way because there wasn't that much force on that arm.
"It wasn't the start that I wanted on the first night. I was hoping this season would be a great season to play as many games as I could, but that's the way it is and hopefully it's not going to be that bad."
Patrick Sharp has taken Havlat's spot on the first line with Robert Lang and Sergei Samsonov.
With Havlat gone for a minimum of the next month, wingers such as Samsonov, Sharp, Tuomo Ruutu, Rene Bourque, Jason Williams and rookie Patrick Kane will be needed to pick up the scoring slack.
"We need him and hopefully he's back in a couple weeks and we get him back for the rest of the year," Savard said. "As I said to the guys, we're going to miss Havlat, there's no question about that. But the depth that we have, I think we're really not going to miss a beat.
"We'd like to have him because it's an extra weapon, but I like our team and I like the way we're playing."
Flyers sign defenseman Fitzpatrick
October 9th, 2007
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Flyers announced Tuesday that they have signed defenseman Rory Fitzpatrick to a one-year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The 32-year-old Fitzpatrick played in 58 games with the Vancouver Canucks during the 2006-07 season, scoring a goal and notching six assists in 58 regular season games.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound defenseman has 10 goals and 24 assists in 268 career regular-season games over parts of nine NHL seasons with Montreal, St. Louis, Nashville, Buffalo and Vancouver
Isles sign Berard
October 9th, 2007
Uniondale, NY (Sports Network) - The New York Islanders announced Tuesday that they have signed veteran forward Brian Berard to a one-year deal after the 30-year old earned a spot following an invite to training camp.
Berard, who captured the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie in 1996-97 with the Isles, played the last two years with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Last season, he played in just 11 games due to surgery to repair a herniated disc.
"I came to camp determined to prove to the Islanders I belonged in the NHL and I'm very appreciative of Garth Snow and Ted Nolan for giving me the chance," said Berard. "The guys have already shown this season what kind of character this team has and how strong a team we are. My goal is to do everything I can to make us better."
In 565 career NHL games with the Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks and Blue Jackets, the well-traveled Berard has 71 goals and 230 assists.
Berard, a native of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, was originally selected first overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 1995 NHL Draft and was shipped to the Islanders in 1996.
Hi
Today's NHL pick
Maple Leafs (Toronto) -135 -1.5(+200) u6(-130)
P.s. Good luck if you betting