Thursday, March 15, 2007
The goalies below have been confirmed by a source:
Olaf Kolzig, Washington Capitals - Kolzig is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Bruins, reports the Washington Post.
Kari Lehtonen, Atlanta Thrashers - Lehtonen is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Flyers, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Hedberg is scheduled to start Friday's game against the Rangers.
Ray Emery, Ottawa Senators - Emery is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Islanders, reports the Senators' official website.
Marty Turco, Dallas Stars - Turco is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Flames, reports the Dallas Morning News.
Nikolai Khabhibulin, Chicago Blackhawks - Khabhibulin is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Kings, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.
The goalies below have not been confirmed by any sources:
Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins - Thomas is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Capitals.
Martin Biron, Philadelphia Flyers - Biron is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Thrashers.
Mike Dunham, New York Islanders - Dunham is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Senators.
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils - Brodeur is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Hurricanes.
John Grahame, Carolina Hurricanes -Grahame is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Devils.
Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres - Miller is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Panthers.
Ed Belfour, Florida Panthers - Belfour is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Sabres.
Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames - Kiprusoff is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Stars.
Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota Wild - Backstrom is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Oilers.
Dwayne Roloson, Edmonton Oilers - Roloson is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Wild.
Curtis Sanford, St. Louis Blues - Sanford is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Canucks.
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks - Luongo is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Blues.
Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks - Nabokov is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Coyotes.
Mikael Tellqvist, Phoenix Coyotes - Tellqvist is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Sharks.
Sean Burke, Los Angeles Kings - Burke is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Blackhawks.
Year-to-date: 1998 / 2102 = 95.1%
Hockey Today - March 15
Thu, Mar 15, 2007
By Associated Press
N.Y. Islanders at Ottawa (7:30 p.m. EDT). The New York Islanders are seventh in the Eastern Conference, while the Ottawa Senators are fourth.
STARS Wednesday
-Jiri Hudler, Red Wings, scored twice to help Detroit beat Nashville 4-2.
-David Vyborny, Blue Jackets, had the only goal in the shootout to give Columbus a 5-4 win at Anaheim.
NEW LEADER
Detroit moved back into first place in the Central Division with Wednesday night's 4-2 win over Nashville. The Red Wings beat the Predators on back-to-back nights, giving them one more point in the division and a league-high 99.
ROOKIE RAMPAGE
Paul Stastny extended his NHL rookie record point streak to 19 games with a third-period goal in Colorado's 3-2 win over Calgary on Wednesday night. Stastny, who has nine goals and 26 assists during the streak, has recorded a point in each game since Feb. 1 against Minnesota.
GIANT SLAYERS
Pittsburgh completed a two-night sweep of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference with a 3-0 victory at New Jersey on Wednesday night. One night after a 5-4 shootout win over Buffalo, the Penguins pulled to within four points of the first-place Devils (92) in the Atlantic Division.
LONG TIME COMING
Pittsburgh goalie Jocelyn Thibault stopped 25 shots for his first shutout in more than three years in a 3-0 win at New Jersey on Wednesday night. His last shutout came on Oct. 8, 2003, with Chicago.
MILESTONES
Colorado's Joe Sakic scored his 602nd goal on Wednesday night to move past Jari Kurri into 16th place on the NHL career list. ... Fredrik Modin scored his 200th NHL goal in Columbus' 5-4 shootout victory at Anaheim.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Anaheim defenseman Francois Beauchemin had two goals in Wednesday night's 5-4 shootout loss to Columbus.
WELCOME BACK
Washington goalie Olie Kolzig is expected to start Thursday against Boston, his first appearance since missing a month with a knee injury.
SIDELINED
Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro has a stiff neck and is a gametime decision for New York's game in Ottawa on Thursday. ... Nashville forward Martin Erat will miss up to four weeks with a sprained left knee, after colliding with teammate Jason Arnott on Tuesday.
EXTENSION
The last-place Flyers gave general manager Paul Holmgren a two-year extension through the 2008-09 season Wednesday. Holmgren was chosen interim GM after the Flyers Bob Clarke quit in October.
SPEAKING
''My dad doesn't even know any of this stuff until he reads it in the paper. He will be more excited for the win and we won't bring up the streak thing until the summer.'' - Colorado's Paul Stastny after he extended his NHL rookie record point streak to 19 games with a third-period goal in a 3-2 win over Calgary on Wednesday night. The streak also matched one put up by his father Peter, tying for the second-longest run in franchise history.
Islanders' DiPietro day-to-day
Wed, Mar 14, 2007
By Associated Press
MONTREAL -- New York Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro has a stiff neck and is a gametime decision for New York's game in Ottawa on Thursday.
DiPietro left Tuesday's 5-3 loss to Montreal with 4:19 remaining in the opening period after he collided with Canadiens forward Steve Begin. DiPietro was chasing down a loose puck at the Islanders blue line to prevent a breakaway when Begin's leg hit the goalie in the head.
DiPietro has made 18 straight starts and traveled with the team to Ottawa on Wednesday.
''One thing about Ricky is that he's a fierce competitor,'' Islanders coach Ted Nolan said. ''Right off, Ricky said 'I'll be ready for the next one.' He's a warrior, so we'll bring him (to Ottawa) and see what happens from there.''
Mike Dunham made 27 saves against the Canadiens and took the loss. The Islanders also recalled goaltender Wade Dubielewicz from Bridgeport.
Rangers defenseman Rachunek joins growing list of injuries
Wed, Mar 14, 2007
By Associated Press
NEW YORK -- The New York Rangers are running out of games and healthy players in their push for the playoffs. Add Karel Rachunek to the list of injured regulars.
The veteran defenseman will be out three to four weeks after an MRI taken Wednesday revealed a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Rachunek was injured in the first period of the Rangers' 3-2 loss to Ottawa on Tuesday when he collided knee-to-knee with Senators center Jason Spezza.
That left the Rangers with only five defensemen, and Ottawa took advantage by scoring all three goals after he left the game.
Rachunek joins fellow defenseman Fedor Tyutin and forward Marcel Hossa, who also sustained MCL injuries in the past two weeks. The Rangers recalled defenseman David Liffiton from Hartford of the AHL on Wednesday.
New York, currently 11th in the Eastern Conference, fell out of a playoff spot Tuesday night after squandering a two-goal lead to the Senators. The Rangers visit Atlanta on Friday before facing Boston at home the following night.
The Rangers, who have 12 games left to try to get into the postseason for the second straight year, were already dealing with a depleted lineup before starting the rough month of March.
Brendan Shanahan has missed 12 games because of the concussion he sustained on Feb. 17 when he collided with Philadelphia Flyers forward Mike Knuble. Shanahan skated with the Rangers at practice on Tuesday and Wednesday for the first time since the injury and continues to show improvement.
His vertigo symptoms have diminished but there is still no timetable for his return. Shanahan is optimistic he will play again before the end of the season.
Hossa is expected to be out a few more weeks, while Tyutin might be able to return in two. Left wing Martin Straka is playing through a painful shoulder injury, and backup goalie Kevin Weekes is working his way back from a thigh injury sustained on Feb. 13 in practice.
Forward out four weeks with sprained left knee
Wed, Mar 14, 2007
By Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Nashville Predators forward Martin Erat will miss up to four weeks with a sprained left knee, after colliding with teammate Jason Arnott.
Erat and Arnott slammed into each other in the third period of Tuesday's 5-2 loss to Detroit and had to be helped from the ice. The Predators are scheduled to play the Red Wings on Wednesday night.
The 25-year-old Czech had been playing on the Predators' top line with Paul Kariya, and he scored a goal Tuesday to increase his career-high in points to 57.
Erat has played in 68 of Nashville's 71 games this season and now joins an injury list that includes Peter Forsberg (upper body injury), Steve Sullivan (back), center Scott Nichol (broken thumb) and Scott Hartnell (broken foot).