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@Nichols_NHLPool on Twitter for timely NHL & poolie info, along with occasionally snarky comments.

Live blogging nightly: line combos, defensive pairings, analysis, statistical trends and more from every game on the NHL docket. Refresh the 'Live NHL Recap' page while the games are on to get new info as it is added.

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CAROLINA HURRICANES 5 @ FLORIDA PANTHERS 3

Goaltending match-up: Justin Peters (32/35, .914 SV%) vs. Tomas Vokoun (30/34, .882 SV%)

Combos: Erik Cole - Eric Staal - Zach Boychuk/ Jeff Skinner - Tuomo Ruutu - Chad LaRose/ Pat Dwyer - Brandon Sutter - Zac Dalpe/ Sergei Samsonov - Jon Matsumoto - Troy Bodie/ Tim Gleason - Joe Corvo/ Ian White - Jay Harrison/ Jamie McBain - Brett Carson

Scratches: Pitkanen, Carter, Jokinen

Top PP times: McBain (5:05), Staal (4:57), Corvo (4:45), Skinner (3:58), Ruutu (3:58)

Trending: Jeff Skinner (2G, 1A, +3, 4 SOG) has a pair of multi-goal games in four tries this month already and he had a number of quality chances at the hat trick goal. Tuomo Ruutu (3A, +3, 2 SOG, 10 hits!) hit the 30-point plateau with his second period effort and had eight points in six tries coming in. Jamie McBain (A, 1 SOG) had three helpers in three January starts before adding more here. Eric Staal (1G, 2 PIM, 4 SOG) has points in all four January games and had 11 points in 11 GP coming in. Zach Boychuk (1A, 1:34 PP, 1 SOG) had four points in five games coming in. Erik Cole (2G, +1, 2:02 PP, 2 SOG) had notched seven points in 11 GP headed in here. He also put away the ENG.

Combos: Chris Higgins - Stephen Weiss - Michael Frolik/ David Booth - Mike Santorelli - Rostislav Olesz/ Cory Stillman - Marty Reasoner - Radek Dvorak/ Evgeny Dadonov- Shawn Matthias - Steve Bernier/ Bryan Allen - Dennis Wideman/ Dmitry Kulikov - Bryan McCabe/ Mike Weaver - Jason Garrison

Scratches: Hordichuk

Top PP times: Weiss (3:35), Booth (3:07), Wideman (3:02), Stillman (2:57), Frolik (2:48)

Trending: David Booth (1G, -3, 5 SOG) has markers in three of six thanks to his first period strike and he has points in four of those games after a stretch of one point in seven tries. Mike Santorelli (1A, -1, 0:58 PP, no SOG) has points in five of his past six now and had 14 SOG in 5 GP coming into this tilt too. Rostislav Olesz (1A, -1, 0:05 PP, 1 SOG) had failed to record a point in four tries since getting back into the line-up. Dennis Wideman (1A, -1, 2 SOG) has points in four of five. Two-goal game for Marty Reasoner (2G, +2, 0:11 PP, 3 SOG), who didn't have too much in his recent scoring logs beforehand.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS 9 @ ATLANTA THRASHERS 3

Goaltending match-up: James Reimer (41/44, .932 SV%) vs. Ondrej Pavelec (19/24, .792 SV%) & Chris Mason (6/10, .600 SV%)

Combos: Joey Crabb - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel/ Clarke MacArthur - Mikhail Grabovski - Nikolai Kulemin/ Colby Armstrong - Darryl Boyce - Kris Versteeg/ Brett Lebda - Tim Brent - Colton Orr/ Francois Beauchemin - Dion Phaneuf/ Tomas Kaberle - Luke Schenn/ Carl Gunnarsson - Mike Komisarek

Scratches: Sjostrom

Top PP times: Kaberle (4:34), Kessel (3:56), Grabovski (3:53), MacArthur (3:46), Versteeg (3:38)

Trending: Wow and wow. That about sums up this game and how often do you see that many goals scored on one major penalty? Mikhail Grabovski (2G, 1A, +2, 2 PIM, 7 SOG) has goals in 11 of his past 14 now and is hot as one can get around the net. Clarke MacArthur (2G, 1A, +2, 4 SOG) hadn’t scored many goals lately, but has been a steady source of overall points this season. Really pleasant surprise there. Nikolai Kulemin (2G, 2A, +2, 2:37 PP, 5 SOG) has points in eight of 10 now, but this was his first multi-pointer in that span. Phil Kessel (1G, 1A, 6 SOG) needed and delivered a two-pointer tonight to be a point-per-game guy over his past 15. Kris Versteeg (1G, 2A, +1, 3 SOG) has markers in B2B games and aside from October, he’s actually been really good offensively this season. Two in nine that first month, but then 12/13, 10/13 and 3/3 coming in here. Colby Armstrong (1G, 1A, +2, 0:33 PP, 1 SOG) had five points in six clashes coming in. Tomas Kaberle (4A, 2 SOG) had chipped in 13 points in 16 GP before this outing. B2B multi-pointers for Francois Beauchemin (2A, -1, 0:30 PP, no SOG), who had many zeroes before that. Tyler Bozak (1A, 2:40 PP, 2 SOG) had four points in five games coming in.

Combos: Andrew Ladd - Bryan Little - Niclas Bergfors/ Fredrik Modin - Rich Peverley - Anthony Stewart/ Ben Eager - Patrice Cormier - Chris Thorburn/ Eric Boulton - Alex Burmistrov - Nik Antropov/ Dustin Byfuglien - Tobias Enstrom/ Zach Bogosian - Johnny Oduya/ Ron Hainsey - Brent Sopel

Scratches: Valabik, Kane, Meyer

Top PP times: Enstrom (5:46), Ladd (4:06), Peverley (4:06), Byfuglien (3:50), Bogosian (2:59)

Trending: Tobias Enstrom (1G, +1, 2 SOG) scored early in this one and already had 4G, 13A in 10 GP headed in here. Ben Eager (1A, +1, 14 PIM, 0:12 PP, 1 SOG) added a little offence in addition to his huge PIM payday that cost his team any chance of coming back in this one. Patrice Cormier (1G, +2, 0:49 PP, 6 SOG) picked up his first NHL goal in his sixth start and had an active game. Andrew Ladd (1G, +1, 3 SOG) has points in three straight after six without one. Bryan Little (1A, +1, 2:50 PP, 3 SOG) ended a four-game pointless spell and Niclas Bergfors (1A, -1, 2:50 PP, 4 SOG) has a point in four of his past five now.

OTTAWA SENATORS 2 @ CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS 3 (SO)

Goaltending match-up: Brian Elliott (24/26, .923 SV%) vs. Corey Crawford (24/26, .923 SV%)

Combos: Milan Michalek - Mike Fisher - Daniel Alfredsson/ Nick Foligno - Peter Regin - Alex Kovalev/ Zack Smith- Chris Kelly - Chris Neil/ Jarkko Ruutu - Jesse Winchester - Ryan Shannon/ Chris Campoli - Sergei Gonchar/ Chris Phillips - Erik Karlsson/ Filip Kuba - Brian Lee

Scratches: Carkner, Leclaire

Top PP times: Michalek, Alfredsson, Fisher, Gonchar, Karlsson (1:27)

Trending: Daniel Alfredsson (1G, 1A, +1, 1 SOG) has scored in two of three with points in his past three outings after four without one. He hit the post in the shootout. Sergei Gonchar (1A, +1, 1 SOG) has points in B2B games for the first time since Nov. 9, 11. Erik Karlsson (1A, -2, 3 SOG) had 12 points in 12 GP before the puck dropped here. Milan Michalek (1G, +1, 4 SOG) knotted this one up at 2 late in the third and has points in four of eight.

Combos: Viktor Stalberg - Jonathan Toews - Patrick Kane/ Tomas Kopecky - Patrick Sharp - Marian Hossa/ Bryan Bickell - Dave Bolland - Fernando Pisani/ Troy Brouwer - Jake Dowell - Jack Skille/ Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook/ Niklas Hjalmarsson - Brian Campbell/ Nick Leddy - Nick Boynton

Scratches: Johnson, Boynton, Scott

Top PP times: N/A

Trending: Patrick Sharp (1G, +2, 4 SOG) had a solid 66 points last season, but came into tonight on pace for a point-per-game campaign. Brian Campbell (1A, +2, 2 SO)G has points in six of 11, while Marian Hossa (1A, +1, 2 SOG) had three points in six games before tonight on his comeback trail. Patrick Kane (1G, +1, 3 SOG) has a point in four of six since returning, but this was his first goal. Jonathan Toews scored in the shootout, as did Kane.

NEW YORK RANGERS 3 @ DALLAS STARS 2 (SO)

Goaltending match-up: Henrik Lundqvist (28/30, .933 SV%) vs. Kari Lehtonen (29/31, .935 SV%)

Combos: Sean Avery - Artem Anisimov - Marian Gaborik/ Brandon Dubinsky - Derek Stepan - Mats Zuccarello/ Ruslan Fedotenko - Brian Boyle - Brandon Prust/ Alexander Frolov - Chris Drury - Dale Weise/ Marc Staal - Dan Girardi/ Steve Eminger - Michael Sauer/ Matt Gilroy - Ryan McDonagh

Scratches: Rozsival

Top PP times: Staal (6:36), Gaborik (5:51), Dubinsky (4:57), Stepan (4:14), Girardi (3:50)

Trending: Mats Zuccarello scored in the shootout with a move - my money move - that I swear he stole from my Sega Hockey days. Ruslan Fedotenko (1G, +1, 0:11 PP, 2 SOG) only had one other SHG in his career before tonight and he has points in seven of 13. Sean Avery (-1, 1 SOG) made his way back to Dallas and he’s been a decent standard league guy this year with some points and a pretty healthy PIM total. Artem Anisimov (1G, -1, 2:30 PP, 3 SOG) had been blanked in three games coming in, while Marc Staal (1A, +1, 1 SOG) had one point in seven coming in.

Combos: James Neal - Brad Richards - Loui Eriksson/ Brenden Morrow - Mike Ribeiro - Jamie Benn/ Steve Ott - Tom Wandell - Adam Burish/ Krys Barch - Brian Sutherby - Brandon Segal / Nicklas Grossman - Stephane Robidas/ Jeff Woywitka - Trevor Daley/ Mark Fistric - Philip Larsen

Scratches: Niskanen, Langenbrunner, Skrastins

Top PP times: Richards (6:41), Ribeiro (4:17), Eriksson (4:12), Morrow (3:58), Larsen (3:55)

Trending: Mike Ribeiro (1G, 4 SOG) pushed his point streak to five games and that’s only one shy of his best this season. Loui Eriksson (1A, 1 SOG) has points in six straight, 11 of 12 and has been piling up points left and right in that span. Philip Larsen (+1, 14:05 TOI, 3 SOG) was called up for this one and was put right out onto PP1 to begin the game.

DETROIT RED WINGS 5 @ CALGARY FLAMES 4 (SO)

Goaltending match-up: Jimmy Howard (35/39, .897 SV%) vs. Miikka Kiprusoff (23/27, .852 SV%)

Combos: Todd Bertuzzi - Henrik Zetterberg - Tomas Holmstrom/ Jiri Hudler - Johan Franzen - Patrick Eaves/ Kris Draper - Darren Helm - Tomas Tatar/ Drew Miller - Justin Abdelkader - Jan Mursak/ Nicklas Lidstrom - Brad Stuart/ Jonathan Ericsson - Brian Rafalski/ Niklas Kronwall - Ruslan Salei

Scratches: Kindl, Datsyuk, Filppula

Top PP times: Rafalski (7:35), Lidstrom (7:05), Holmstrom (7:03), Zetterberg (6:50), Franzen (6:50)

Trending: Johan Franzen (1A, +2, 4 SOG) has at least a point in seven of his past eight games. It took 30 games, but Brian Rafalski (2G, +2, 4 SOG) finally potted his first and second goals of the ’10-11 campaign. He netted a gargantuan amount of assists in the meantime though. Todd Bertuzzi (1A, 2 PIM, 3:26 PP, no SOG) had added five points in five games before this evening and he scored on one of those slooooooowwwww dekes in the shootout, while Jiri Hudler (1A, 3:39 PP, 1 SOG) had done the same in terms of five in five coming in. Henrik Zetterberg’s (1A, +1, 2 SOG) point streak has reached nine games now.

Combos: Alex Tanguay - Olli Jokinen - Jarome Iginla/ Niklas Hagman - Matt Stajan - Curtis Glencross/ Rene Bourque - Brendan Morrison - David Moss/ Tom Kostopoulos - Mikael Backlund - Tim Jackman/ Robyn Regehr - Jay Bouwmeester/ Mark Giordano - Cory Sarich/ Adam Pardy - Anton Babchuk

Scratches: Conroy, Kotalik, Mikkelson

Top PP times: Iginla (6:25), Tanguay (6:19), Babchuk (6:16), Jokinen (5:37), Giordano (5:10)

Trending: Anton Babchuk (1G, 2A, +2, 1 SOG) has collected points in five of seven on the back end, while Matt Stajan (1A, +3, 2 PIM, no PP, 1 SOG) ended an eight-game pointless skid here. Jarome Iginla (1G, 1A, -1, 8 SOG) had three points the last time the Wings met the Flames and had 48 points in 55 GP vs. DET coming in. Mark Giordano (1A, -2, 4 SOG) had tallied 11 points in 17 GP before tonight, while Jay Bouwmeester (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 2:53 PP, 1 SOG) has points in three of seven. Niklas Hagman (1A, +2, 0:46 PP, 4 SOG) put the brakes on an eight-game pointless skid.

EDMONTON OILERS 1 @ VANCOUVER CANUCKS 6

Goaltending match-up: Nikolai Khabibulin (28/34, .824 SV%) vs. Cory Schneider (23/24, .958 SV%)

Combos: Taylor Hall - Sam Gagner - Ales Hemsky/ Dustin Penner - Andrew Cogliano - Linus Omark/ Ryan Jones - Liam Reddox - Magnus Paajarvi/ Zack Stortini - Colin Fraser - Steve MacIntyre/ Theo Peckham - Tom Gilbert/ Ladislav Smid - Jeff Petry/ Kurtis Foster - Jason Strudwick

Scratches: Vandermeer, Jacques, Brule

Top PP times: Gilbert (5:53), Foster (4:38), Hemsky (4:26), Penner (4:05), Hall (3:35)

Trending: Dating back to before he was hurt, Ales Hemsky (1G, -1, 2 PIM, 5 SOG) had 12 points in nine games before tonight and Taylor Hall (1A, 2 SOG) ended a three-game pointles spell here.

Combos: Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Alexandre Burrows/ Mason Raymond - Ryan Kesler - Jeff Tambellini/ Raffi Torres - Manny Malhotra - Mikael Samuelsson/ Aaron Volpatti - Tanner Glass - Jannik Hansen/ Dan Hamhuis - Kevin Bieksa/ Alexander Edler - Christian Ehrhoff/ Keith Ballard - Andrew Alberts

Scratches: Rome, Bolduc

Top PP times: Ehrhoff (1:46), Edler (1:29), Kesler (1:17), D. Sedin (1:17), H. Sedin (1:17)

Trending: Another multi-point night for Daniel Sedin (2G, 1A, +2, 5 SOG) and Henrik Sedin (3A, +2, 1 SOG) and Ryan Kesler (3G, +2, 4 SOG). Ho hum. Alexandre Burrows (1A, +2, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) had nine points in seven tilts before tonight, while Kevin Bieksa (1A, +2, 2 PIM, 0:34 PP, 1 SOG) had chipped in seven points in six games coming in from the blueline. Dan Hamhuis (1A, +2, 2 PIM, 0:51 PP, no SOG) has points in five of his past 10 as well. Alexander Edler (1G, 3 SOG) has points in 10 of his past 18 on the back end.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS 0 @ ANAHEIM DUCKS 6

Goaltending match-up: Steve Mason (20/24, .833 SV%) & Mathieu Garon (3/5, .600 SV%) vs. Jonas Hiller (27/27)

Combos: Kristian Huselius - Antoine Vermette - Rick Nash/ R.J. Umberger - Derick Brassard - Jakub Voracek/ Derek Dorsett - Samuel Pahlsson - Andrew Murray/ Matt Calvert - Derek MacKenzie - Jared Boll / Kris Russell - Jan Hejda/ Marc Methot - Rostislav Klesla/ Anton Stralman - Fedor Tyutin

Scratches: Commodore, Wilson, Clark

Top PP times: Russell (4:40), Umberger (4:20), Vermette (4:20), Nash (4:20), Huselius (3:40)

Trending:

Combos: Matt Beleskey - Bobby Ryan - Corey Perry/ Jason Blake - Saku Koivu - Teemu Selanne/ Brandon McMillan - Maxim Lapierre - Joffrey Lupul/ Dan Sexton - Todd Marchant - George Parros/ Toni Lydman - Lubomir Visnovsky/ Luca Sbisa - Andy Sutton/ Andreas Lilja - Cam Fowler

Scratches: Brookbank, Mara, Chipchura

Top PP times: Fowler (2:36), Visnovsky (2:36), Ryan (2:20), Selanne (2:16), Perry (2:16)

Trending: Teemu Selanne (2G, +1, 4 SOG) had gone eight games without a goal before this multi-marker effort and Bobby Ryan (2G, +1, 7 SOG) has points in two of four after having one in seven. Corey Perry (1A, +1, 6 PIM, 1 SOG) had collected 18 points in 17 GP since the start of last month coming in. This was Cam Fowler's (3A, +2, 1 SO)G third multi-pointer of the season and it pushed him into 20-point plateau territory for points on the season. Lubomir Visnovsky's (2A, +1, 2 PIM, 1 SOG) totals with ANH coming in since the trade included 12G, 31A in 58 GP. Joffrey Lupul's (1A, 1:05 PP, no SOG) points have been hit or miss and until he's a top six regular, he should be missing your fantasy roster unless you're in a deep league. Matt Beleskey (1G, 1A, +2, 2 PIM, no PP, 2 SOG) has a point in two of three this month.

About

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Chris Nichols

Remember that guy in the back of the class who had the newspaper stats sheets tucked away in his binder? That was me. You don’t even want to know how little I would have accomplished in school if I had today’s technology then.

I grew up loving all things...

 

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