Hockey Today - March 22
Thu, Mar 22, 2007
By Associated Press
SCOREBOARD
Thursday, March 22
Montreal at Boston (7 p.m. EDT). Jaroslav Halak earned his first NHL shutout in the Canadiens' 1-0 win over the Bruins on Tuesday night.
STARS
Wednesday
-Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers, made 17 saves for his second shutout in three games, leading New York to a 5-0 win over Philadelphia.
-Roberto Luongo, Canucks, made 20 saves to lead Vancouver to a 2-0 win over Nashville.
-Jonathan Cheechoo and Milan Michalek, Sharks, had two goals each in San Jose's 4-1 win over Chicago.
OIL SHORTAGE CONTINUES
Edmonton's losing streak reached 12 games with Wednesday night's 5-1 loss to Colorado. The Oilers have yet to win in their 11 games since trading forward Ryan Smyth to the New York Islanders, and are nearing the team-record 14-game winless streak from the 1993-94 season.
STREAKING
The New York Rangers moved closer to sixth place in the Eastern Conference with Wednesday night's 5-0 win over Philadelphia. New York trails Tampa Bay by one point and is three points above the playoff cutoff line after an 8-1-3 surge. ... Colorado won its fourth game in a row, 5-1 over Edmonton. The Avalanche are 9-0-1 in their last 10 games and four points behind Calgary for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. ... Vancouver's 2-0 win over Nashville was the fourth straight win for the Canucks, who improved to 9-1-1 in March and moved three points ahead of Minnesota atop the Northwest Division.
FOUR THIRTY
Daniel Briere's goal in Buffalo's 5-2 win over Washington on Wednesday night was his 30th of the season, giving the Sabres an NHL-best four players with 30 or more. It marks the first time Buffalo has had four 30-goal scorers since 1990-91.
ROYAL FLUSH
Dallas completed an eight-game season sweep of Los Angeles with a 4-2 victory Wednesday night. The Stars outscored Los Angeles 29-14 this season while beating four different goaltenders. This was the second time in the Kings' 40-year history a team swept them in a season series of eight or more games. They're the only NHL team to have that happen to them twice: They lost all eight meetings with St. Louis in 1969-70.
SPEAKING
''I'm a little sore but I'm fine right now. I remember everything. I looked at him and he said, 'Let's go.' He knocked me out on the way down. When I got off the ice I woke up. I guess I got my bell rung.'' - Todd Fedoruk, who left Philadelphia's 5-0 loss Monday night on a stretcher after a fight with the Rangers' Colton Orr.
Philly's Fedoruk knocked out in fight
Wed, Mar 21, 2007
By Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Philadelphia Flyers forward Todd Fedoruk was removed from the ice on a stretcher Wednesday night after taking a knockout punch to the face from New York's Colton Orr just 31 seconds into the game.
Fedoruk took on Orr inside the circle to the left of Flyers goalie Antero Niittymaki and exchanged blows with New York's leading fighter. Orr landed a hard, overhand right to Fedoruk's left cheek that sent the Philadelphia player down and out on his back.
Officials immediately summoned the Flyers' medical personnel to the ice, and a stretcher was brought out moments later. Fedoruk appeared to blink and talk, and he made an OK gesture with his fingers as he was strapped to a backboard, and a brace was affixed to his head.
He was taken to St. Vincent's Hospital for observation.
The game was delayed about 10 minutes.
Philly faces the Islanders on Saturday night in New York. Oddsmakers have not yet set a line.
Fedoruk missed 18 games earlier this season after he underwent major facial surgery following an Oct. 27 fight with Minnesota's Derek Boogaard. Fedoruk, who was with Anaheim at the time, was traded to Philadelphia on Nov. 13. He had been wearing a face shield until February.
It was Fedoruk's fifth fight since returning to the lineup Dec. 2.
Fedoruk got into a dustup on Tuesday when he collided with Florida goalie Ed Belfour. When Belfour fell backward, he struck Fedoruk in the head with his stick.
Moments after Orr left the penalty box, he took on Philadelphia's Ben Eager, who knocked Orr to his knees with a punch in the short fight.
New York coach Tom Renney left Orr out of the lineup when the teams last met on Feb. 17 and said he regretted it after Fedoruk and Eager combined for four roughing penalties and a misconduct in the first period. Sean Avery fought Philadelphia's Mike Richards midway through the period of that game.
That contest is best remembered for the violent accidental collision between Flyers forward Mike Knuble and New York's Brendan Shanahan that left Shanahan unconscious on the ice. He was also removed on a stretcher and missed 15 games before returning for Wednesday's rematch with Philadelphia.
Knuble, who had surgery to repair a broken cheekbone and orbital bone following the collision, played in his fourth game since recovering from the injury.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
The goalies below have been confirmed by a source:
Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins - Fleury is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Islanders, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Ray Emery, Ottawa Senators - Emery is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Panthers, reports the official Senators website.
Kari Lehtonen, Atlanta Thrashers - Lehtonen is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Sharks, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Vesa Toskala, San Jose Sharks - Toskala is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Thrashers, reports the official Sharks website.
Chris Osgood, Detroit Red Wings - Osgood is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Blue Jackets, reports the Detroit News.
The goalies below have not been confirmed by any sources:
Brent Johnson, Washington Capitals - Johnson 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 Capitals. Cam Ward has recovered from his knee injury and fully expects to be active for tonight's game but Grahame has been terrific in his absence and so we're guessing that he'll get one final start before Ward takes over starting duties once more.
Jaroslav Halak, Montreal Canadiens - Halak is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Bruins. He must have been reading Hockeyinformer.com when we dissed him a week or two ago by saying that he was overmatched in the NHL.
Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins - Thomas is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Canadiens.
Rick DiPietro, New York Islanders - DiPietro is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Penguins.
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils - Brodeur is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Lightning.
Johan Holmqvist, Tampa Bay Lightning - Holmqvist is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Devils.
Ed Belfour, Florida Panthers - Belfour is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Senators.
Fredrik Norrena, Columbus Blue Jackets - Norrena is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Red Wings.
Curtis Sanford, St. Louis Blues - Sanford is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Wild.
Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota Wild - Backstrom is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Blues.
Chris Mason, Nashville Predators - Mason is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Flames .
Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames - Kiprusoff is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Predators.
Ilya Bryzgalov, Anaheim Ducks - Bryzgalov 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 Wild.
Year-to-date: 2092 / 2200 = 95.1%
Wings' Bertuzzi says he will play tonight
Ted Kulfan
The Detroit News
DETROIT -- Newly acquired Wings forward Todd Bertuzzi said he is fit and ready to play in Thursday night's game against Columbus.
Bertuzzi, acquired by the Wings from Florida at the trade deadline, said Thursday morning's practice that his surgically repaired back feels fine and he is in game shape.
"It's fun to be part of a team again," said Bertuzzi, who played in only seven games prior to undergoing back surgery in November. "The mental part is pretty much done, it's (the back) 100 percent healed. I'm going to treat it that way and try to get some hits early and get involved in the game."
Coach Mike Babcock said Bertuzzi will skate on a line with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom to start the game.
"Hopefully we can find some early chemistry," Bertuzzi said.
"What we've asked of him -- we have a lot of guys who can fiddle with the puck -- we need guys who are big and go to the net and shoot it, and he can do that," Babcock said.
Dan Cleary (right knee sprain) also will return to the lineup.
"We're very excited to have them back and get some depth back," Babcock said.