Friday, February 2, 2007
Manny Legace, St. Louis Blues - Legace is the probable starter for Friday's game against the Red Wings.
Dominik Hasek, Detroit Red Wings - Hasek is the probable starter for Friday's game against the Blues.
Ty Conklin, Columbus Blue Jackets - Conklin is the probable starter for Friday's game against the Flames. We're assuming that Fredrik Norrena is still not able to return from his groin injury but we'll try for an update either way.
Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames - Kiprusoff is the probable starter for Friday's game against the Blue Jackets.
Year-to-date: 1476 / 1560 = 94.6%
Stars D Boucher out with lower-body injury
Associated Press
Fri, Feb 2, 2007
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- All-Star defenseman Philippe Boucher sat out the Dallas Stars` game at San Jose on Thursday night with an undisclosed lower-body injury.
The Stars are in St. Louis to take on the Blues Satruday. Oddsmakers have not yet released a line on the contest.
Boucher, the Stars` leading scorer with 14 goals and 22 assists, scored the tying goal with 2.2 seconds left in Dallas` game against the Sharks on Tuesday night. He ranks second among NHL defensemen in goals while also leading the Stars in shots (137) and power-play goals (8).
Boucher, the only defenseman currently leading a team in points, started in front of the Stars` home fans last week in his first All-Star game appearance. The Stars have been in San Jose since Sunday for back-to-back games, but a club spokesman didn`t say when the injury occurred.
Jon Klemm returned to Dallas` lineup in Boucher`s place after sitting out the club`s first three games since the break.
Islanders captain Yashin sidelined by tendinitis
Associated Press
Thu, Feb 1, 2007
ATLANTA -- New York Islanders captain Alexei Yashin sat out Thursday night against the Atlanta Thrashers because of tendinitis in his troublesome right knee.
The Islanders take on the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. Oddsmakers have not yet released a line on the game.
Yashin has struggled since spraining his knee on Nov. 25 against Washington, scoring only one goal in 18 games. He returned from an eight-game absence and scored in back-to-back wins over Atlanta and the New York Rangers in mid-December.
Islanders coach Ted Nolan used Randy Robitaille in Yashin`s place on New York`s top line.
Yashin, still the team leader with 25 assists, had a strong start this season. He had 10 goals and 18 points in his first 22 games.
New York recalled forward Jeff Tambellini from AHL Bridgeport to replace Robitaille on the second line. Frans Nielsen, brought up from Bridgeport on Wednesday, filled in for forward Shawn Bates - sidelined by an undisclosed lower body injury.
Boston deals Jurcina for draft pick
Associated Press
Thu, Feb 1, 2007
BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins traded defenseman Milan Jurcina to the Washington Capitals on Thursday for a fourth-round pick in next year`s draft.
The Bruins entered Thursday night`s game against Buffalo (-180) as +170 underdogs and lost 3-1. They played under the 6 1/2-goal total.
In 40 games with Boston this season, Jurcina had two goals and one assist. He was drafted by the Bruins in the eighth round in 2001.
Jurcina played 51 games as an NHL rookie last season with six goals and five assists.
Hockey Today - Feb. 2
Associated Press
Fri, Feb 2, 2007
Columbus at Calgary (9 p.m. EST).
The Flames began a four-game homestand with a 4-1 win over Los Angeles on Tuesday night, their sixth consecutive victory on home ice.
STARS
Thursday
-Jozef Stumpel and Martin Gelinas, Panthers, each scored two goals to lift Florida to a 6-3 victory over Washington.
-Marian Gaborik, Wild, scored his second goal of the game with 4:34 remaining and Minnesota beat Colorado 5-3.
-Chris Drury and Martin Biron, Sabres. Drury scored both Buffalo goals and Biron made 33 saves to preserve the 2-1 win at Boston.
-Brad Lukowich, Devils, scored with 49.5 seconds left in overtime to give New Jersey a 6-5 win at Philadelphia.
-Lasse Kukkonen, Blackhawks, scored 57 seconds into overtime to give Chicago a 3-2 win at Los Angeles.
-Yanic Perreault. Predators, broke a third-period tie with 5:29 left, lifting Phoenix to a 3-2 victory over Nashville.
DIRTY DOZEN
Philadelphia`s franchise-worst, home-losing streak reached 12 games Thursday night with a 6-5 shootout defeat to New Jersey. The Flyers haven`t won at home since beating former coach Ken Hitchcock in his debut with Columbus on Nov. 24, and have just three victories there in 24 games.
FIRSTS
Tampa Bay goalie Johan Holmqvist made 31 saves in his first NHL shutout, a 4-0 win over Carolina on Thursday night. ... Dallas rookie Krys Barch scored his first NHL goal in a 4-2 victory at San Jose.
CLOSING IN
Dallas took both games of its miniseries with San Jose this week, winning 4-2 on Thursday night after taking a 3-2 shootout decision two nights earlier. The Stars pulled within three points of the second-place Sharks in the Pacific Division race and eight behind first-place Anaheim.
ROAD WARRIORS
Tampa Bay extended its franchise-record, road-winning streak to seven by beating Carolina 4-0 on Thursday night. The Lightning`s previous six road games were all decided by one goal.
STILL SLUMPING
Los Angeles has lost 10 of 11 and five straight at home, including Thursday night`s 3-2 overtime defeat to Chicago. The Kings` 41 points are the fewest in the Western Conference and four shy of the Blackhawks. ... Boston has been outscored 22-4 while losing a season-high five straight, including a 2-1 defeat to Buffalo.
DIVISIONAL DOMINANCE
New Jersey improved to 5-0 against Philadelphia this season after Thursday night`s 6-5 overtime win. ... Buffalo is 5-0-1 against Boston this season after holding on for a 2-1 victory. The Sabres posted a 7-1 home win over the Bruins on Tuesday.
GETTING BETTER
Pittsburgh won its second straight shootout Thursday night, 5-4 over Montreal, after losing five of the first six.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Washington`s Alexander Ovechkin scored for the fourth consecutive game and extended his point streak to 13 games, the longest in the NHL this season, during Thursday night`s 6-3 loss to Florida. He leads the league with 33 goals. ... Alexandre Picard set a Philadelphia record for rookies with five assists in a 6-5 overtime loss to New Jersey.
ACTIVATED
Carolina activated defenseman Bret Hedican from injured reserve Thursday, further strengthening a defensive corps that had been depleted by injuries. Hedican, 36, underwent surgery Jan. 5 to repair a torn ligament in his left ring finger and missed 12 games.
SPEAKING
``I had a bad 63 minutes, so I had to have at least one good shift. Hopefully the coach will forget about most of the bad shifts I had.`` - New Jersey defenseman Brad Lukowich after scoring in the final minute of overtime to give the Devils a 6-5 win at Philadelphia.
Calgary Flames captain Jarome Iginla (knee) is looking to return on Friday.