Hockey today - Wednesday October 17
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SCOREBOARD Wednesday, Oct. 17
St. Louis at Chicago (8:30 p.m. EDT). The Blackhawks (3-2) have come from behind in each of their wins this season and will try to move two games over .500 for the first time since last Oct. 18.
STARS Tuesday
-Ales Kotalik, Sabres, scored an unassisted power-play goal with 4 seconds left in overtime and Buffalo rallied for a 5-4 win over Toronto.
-Samuel Pahlsson, Ducks, scored a tiebreaking short-handed goal with 10:58 left in the third period to lead Anaheim to a 6-3 victory over Detroit.
WAIVING GOODBYE
Jesse Boulerice, who last week was given the longest single-season suspension in NHL history for hitting a player in the face with his stick, was placed on waivers by Philadelphia on Monday. The 29-year-old Boulerice was suspended 25 games by the league for cross-checking Vancouver's Ryan Kesler in the face on Wednesday. Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said the decision was based on the team's need for more roster space while dealing with injuries.
BLOWING LEAFS
Toronto blew a two-goal lead for the second straight game on Monday night, allowing four third-period goals and another in overtime for a 5-4 loss at Buffalo. The Maple Leafs were up by two Saturday before Pittsburgh stormed back for a 6-4 win.
QUICK BITES
Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton and Jonathan Cheechoo scored in a 3:20 span early in the third period to break open a tie game and lift San Jose to a 4-2 victory at Vancouver on Monday night.
FIRST
Kent Huskins notched his first NHL goal on Monday night, the opening tally in Anaheim's 6-3 win over Detroit on Monday night.
SITTING DUCK
Anaheim right winger Todd Bertuzzi was placed on the injured list Monday because of a concussion sustained a night earlier against Minnesota. He is expected to be out at least a week.
PLAYING WITH PAIN
Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik sustained a concussion while being leveled during Saturday's game in Toronto but is expected to play Wednesday against New Jersey.
FINAL CHOICE
The NHL Players' Association officially nominated former assistant U.S. attorney Paul Kelly on Monday for its executive director position. The five-player search committee interviewed a long list of candidates before narrowing it to three. NFL Players Association lawyer Richard Berthelsen, and Bill Gregson, president and CEO of sports store chain Forzani Group, were the other finalists with Kelly.
SPEAKING
''It doesn't feel too good right now. We don't have a lot of confidence in our defensive game right now, and it showed. We sat back, and that's the kiss of death especially against a team that can wind up like that.'' - Toronto coach Paul Maurice after the Maple Leafs allowed four third-period goals and another in overtime for a 5-4 loss at Buffalo on Monday night. It was the second straight game that Toronto blew a two-goal lead.
Wednesday's key NHL matchup notes
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dallas Stars at Columbus Blue Jackets
After blowing third-period leads in consecutive overtime losses the Dallas Stars look to bounce back on Wednesday when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets, who hope to remain undefeated at home.
New Jersey Devils at Pittsburgh Penguins
In 2006-07, Martin Brodeur was 5-3-0 with a 2.24 GAA against the Pittsburgh Penguins, including two of his career-best 12 shutouts
Nashville Predators at Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim has dominated the series since Nashville entered the NHL in 1998-99, going 19-7-4 with two ties. The Ducks are 13-1-2 at home versus the Predators, including 9-0-2 in the last 11 meetings.
Thrashers fire Hartley
October 17th, 2007
Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - After starting the season with six consecutive losses, the Atlanta Thrashers have fired head coach Bob Hartley.
"This is always a very difficult decision to make, but we feel that this is the best thing for our team right now," said Thrashers general manager Don Waddell on Wednesday. "We thank Bob for his service over the last four-plus seasons, but we believe that a new approach is necessary to get the club back on track and compete at the level we feel we are capable of."
Waddell, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is expected to coach the team on an interim basis while the organization searches for a full-time replacement.
Hartley, who was in his fifth season with the Thrashers, led the team to the Southeast Division title and a playoff berth last season for the first time in franchise history. However, including a first round sweep by the Rangers to close out the 2006-07 campaign, Atlanta has lost 10 straight. The Thrashers have been outscored 27-9 this season and have been shut out twice, including 4-0 by Philadelphia on Tuesday.
After joining the Atlanta organization in January of 2003, Hartley posted a 136-123-32 record with the club. Prior to his time with the Thrashers, Hartley coached four-plus seasons with the Colorado Avalanche.
A native of Hawkesbury, Ontario, Hartley guided Colorado to four straight Northwest Division titles and Western Conference Finals appearances and the Stanley Cup championship in 2001. Hartley recorded a 193-118-48 mark in 359 regular-season games with the Avalanche.
Oilers' Souray out with separated shoulder
October 17th, 2007
Edmonton, AB (Sports Network) - The Edmonton Oilers reportedly will be without their prized free-agent acquisition, defenseman Sheldon Souray, for 3- to-4 weeks after he sustained a separated left shoulder, according to a report in the Edmonton Journal.
The injury occurred as Souray, who signed a five-year contract in the summer, fell to the ice during a third-period fight with Vancouver's Byron Ritchie in Saturday's 4-1 loss.
Souray, a native of Elk Point, Alberta, had a career year last season for the Montreal Canadiens after scoring 26 goals and picking up 38 assists. Nineteen of his 26 goals came on the power play, setting a new NHL record for power play goals by a defenseman.
Heading into the season, the 31-year-old Souray amassed 66 goals and 120 assists while suiting up for the Canadiens and New Jersey Devils. In six games with the Oilers, Souray had one goal and one assist.
Souray was originally selected by the Devils in the third round of the 1994 entry
The following goalies have been predicted by a source:
Mike Smith, Dallas Stars - Smith is the probable starter for Wednesday's game against the Blue Jackets, reports the Dallas Morning News. Marty Turco went through a full practice and will probably be in the lineup as the backup but Turco himself said that it looks like Smith will start.
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils - Brodeur is the probable starter for Wednesday's game against the Penguins, reports the Newark Star-Ledger. Kevin Weekes is slated to be in net against the Flyers on Thursday. That's exactly what we predicted in our weekly predictions.
Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins - Fleury is the probable starter for Wednesday's game against the Devils, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Nikolai Khabibulin, Chicago Blackhawks - Khabibulin is the probable starter for Wednesday's game against the Blues, reports the Chicago Tribune.