Thursday, February 8, 2007
Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins - Thomas is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Hurricanes, reports the Boston Globe. Probability of start occurring: 90%
Joey MacDonald, Detroit Red Wings - MacDonald is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Blues, reports the Detroit News. Probability of start occurring: 90%
Cristobal Huet, Montreal Canadiens - Huet is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Senators, reports TSN. Probability of start occurring: 90%
Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes - Ward is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Bruins. Probability of start occurring: 75%
Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins - Fleury is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Flyers, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Probability of start occurring: 90%
Antero Niittymaki, Philadelphia Flyers - Niittymaki is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Penguins, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Probability of start occurring: 90%
Mathieu Garon, Los Angeles Kings - Garon is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Capitals. Probability of start occurring: 65%
Olaf Kolzig, Washington Capitals - Kolzig is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Kings. Probability of start occurring: 75%
Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames - Kiprusoff is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Blue Jackets. Probability of start occurring: 85%
Fredrik Norrena, Columbus Blue Jackets - Norrena is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Flames. Probability of start occurring: 85%
Martin Gerber, Ottawa Senators - Gerber is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Canadiens. Probability of start occurring: 65%
Rick DiPietro, New York Islanders - DiPietro is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Devils. Probability of start occurring: 75%
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils - Brodeur is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Islanders. Probability of start occurring: 85%
Manny Legace, St. Louis Blues - Legace is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Red Wings. Probability of start occurring: 75%
Andrew Raycroft, Toronto Maple Leafs - Raycroft is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Predators. Probability of start occurring: 85%
Tomas Vokoun, Nashville Predators - Vokoun is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Maple Leafs. Probability of start occurring: 85%
Ed Belfour, Florida Panthers - Belfour is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Wild. Probability of start occurring: 65%
Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota Wild - Backstrom is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Panthers. Probability of start occurring: 85%
Kari Lehtonen, Atlanta Thrashers - Lehtonen is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Avalanche. Probability of start occurring: 75%
Peter Budaj, Colorado Avalanche - Budaj is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Thrashers. Probability of start occurring: 75%
Year-to-date: 1548 / 1634 = 94.7%
Thursday's NHL betting news & notes
Thu, Feb 8, 2007
By Associated Press
Toronto at Nashville (8 p.m. EST). The Maple Leafs, winners of five straight, face the Predators.
STARS - Wednesday
-Patrick Lalime, Blackhawks, stopped 34 shots in his season debut to earn his first shutout in almost three years as Chicago beat Vancouver 3-0.
-Thomas Vanek, Sabres, scored twice, including the game-winner with 4 minutes left, to lift Buffalo to a 3-2 win over Ottawa.
-Henrik Zetterberg, Red Wings, scored twice, including a go-ahead goal early in the third period that was the 100th of his career, leading Detroit to a 4-2 win over Phoenix.
-Jonathan Cheechoo and Milan Michalek, Sharks. Cheechoo had two goals and Michalek scored on a power play with 3:46 remaining in San Jose's 3-2 win at Anaheim.
-Rick DiPietro, Islanders, made 27 saves in his fifth shutout of the season and New York topped Philadelphia 2-0.
HOME COOKING
Detroit has won 11 in a row at home - matching its longest winning streak in three years - and improved to 20-3-3 overall at Joe Louis Arena after Wednesday night's 4-2 victory over Phoenix. The Red Wings have also won five straight to pull within a point of Central Division-leading Nashville.
DROUGHT OVER
Chicago won in Vancouver for the first time since Oct. 4, 2001, with Wednesday night's 3-0 victory. The Blackhawks had dropped eight straight at Vancouver since then, and 11 of 12 overall against the Canucks.
SPLIT
San Jose and Anaheim split its home-and-home series after the Sharks' 3-2 win on Wednesday night. The Ducks held on for a 7-4 victory one night earlier.
STRONG ISLAND
The New York Islanders stretched their point streak to a season-high eight games (5-0-3) and moved within two points of Carolina - the eighth-place team in the Eastern Conference - after a 2-0 victory over Philadelphia on Monday night.
SNAPPED
Buffalo ended a four-game losing streak against Northeast Division-rival Ottawa with Wednesday night's 3-2 victory. ... The New York Islanders snapped a four-game, home-losing streak to Philadelphia with a 2-0 victory. The Flyers are 14-4-1-1 in their past 20 trips to Long Island.
HOUSLEY HONORED
Retired defenseman Phil Housley was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres' Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony Wednesday night. Drafted sixth overall by Buffalo in 1982, Housley played eight seasons with the Sabres and still ranks as the team's most productive defenseman with 558 points. The native of St. Paul, Minn., retired in 2003 with 1,232 points (338 goals, 894 assists), most among American-born players.
SUSPENDED
Carolina suspended defenseman Anton Babchuk on Wednesday for failing to report to their American Hockey League affiliate in Albany. The suspension came the day after Babchuk was sent down and the Hurricanes activated defenseman Frantisek Kaberle from the non-roster injured list.
DRAFT SET
The NHL draft will be held June 22-23 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The first round will be Friday night and broadcast live on VERSUS, with rounds two through seven held Saturday morning, the NHL said Wednesday.
SPEAKING
''He doesn't get enough credit for being the elite player that he is. He's definitely in that group of players.'' - Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky on Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg, who scored twice in the Red Wings' 4-2 victory over the Coyotes on Wednesday night.
Holmqvist, Hamilton placed on IR
Thu, Feb 8, 2007
By Associated Press
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks placed forwards Michael Holmqvist and Jeff Hamilton on injured reserve Wednesday.
Forwards Craig MacDonald and Pierre Parenteau were recalled from the AHL's Norfolk Admirals.
Holmqvist is sidelined with a stiff back, while Hamilton is suffering from a sore shoulder.
MacDonald has played 17 games with the Blackhawks this year, and this is the fourth time he's been recalled this season. He scored two goals and three points with 12 penalty minutes with Chicago.
Parenteau will make his NHL debut with the Blackhawks. He appeared in 16 games for the Admirals, scoring four goals and adding 11 assists.