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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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FLORIDA PANTHERS 1 @ BOSTON BRUINS 2

Goaltending match-up: Tomas Vokoun (33/35, .943 SV%) vs. Tim Thomas (34/35, .971 SV%)

Combos: Evgeny Dadonov - Stephen Weiss - Chris Higgins/ David Booth- Mike Santorelli - Rostislav Olesz/ Cory Stillman - Marty Reasoner - Radek Dvorak/ Darcy Hordichuk - Shawn Matthias - Michael Frolik/ Bryan Allen - Dennis Wideman/ Dmitry Kulikov - Keaton Ellerby/ Mike Weaver - Jason Garrison/ Clay Wilson

Scratches: Bernier, Callahan

Top PP times: Wideman (1:38), Kulikov (1:21), Stillman (1:06), Weiss (1:06), Santorelli (1:06)

Trending: Radek Dvorak (1A, +1, no PP, 1 SOG) has points in eight of his past 13 now.

Combos: Milan Lucic - David Krejci - Nathan Horton/ Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Mark Recchi/ Blake Wheeler - Tyler Seguin - Michael Ryder/ Daniel Paille - Gregory Campbell - Shawn Thornton/ Zdeno Chara - Steve Kampfer/ Dennis Seidenberg - Johnny Boychuk/ Andrew Ference - Adam McQuaid

Scratches: Stuart, Savard

Top PP times: Kampfer (1:02), Boychuk (0:58), Ryder (0:58), Seidenberg (0:58), Krejci (0:58), Lucic (0:58)

Trending: Brad Marchand (1G, 0:07 PP, 3 SOG) has been cruising this month. Not only did he come into tonight with 7-4-11 in 13 GP, but he has a monstrous +15 rating in that time. Linemate Patrice Bergeron (1A, 0:55 PP, 3 SOG) had 16 points and a +13 rating in that period before tonight. Zdeno Chara (1A, 0:55 PP, 4 SOG) had 14 points and 14 PIM on the month headed in. Milan Lucic (1G, +1, 1 SOG) had four points in five games before tonight, while David Krejci (1A, +1, 4 SOG) had seven helpers in eight tries.

CAROLINA HURRICANES 4 @ NEW YORK ISLANDERS 2

Goaltending match-up: Cam Ward (23/25, .920 SV%) vs. Rick DiPietro (26/30, .867 SV%)

Combos: Zach Boychuk - Eric Staal - Erik Cole/ Jeff Skinner - Tuomo Ruutu - Chad LaRose/ Jussi Jokinen - Brandon Sutter - Jiri Tlusty/ Sergei Samsonov - Ryan Carter - Troy Bodie/ Jamie McBain - Joni Pitkanen/ Tim Gleason - Joe Corvo/ Ian White - Jay Harrison

Scratches: Dwyer

Top PP times: Staal (4:55), Pitkanen (4:50), Corvo (4:41), Ruutu (4:33), Jokinen (2:55)

Trending: Zach Boychuk (1G, +3, 0:14 PP, 2 SOG) has points in B2B games now after six starts without one. Eric Staal (2G, 1A, +2, 4 PIM, 10 SOG!) has been averaging a point-per-game in his 13 months coming in, although with a -8 rating. Still, with 18 PIM and 52 SOG in that time you can leave with the +/-. Eric Cole (2A, +2, 1:26 PP, 2 SOG) had 5-5-10 in 13 GP coming in. Joe Corvo’s (1A, +1, 2 SOG) point streal is at five games, but he had 12 points in 13 GP this month coming in.

Combos: Matt Moulson - John Tavares - P.A. Parenteau/ Michael Grabner - Frans Nielsen - Kyle Okposo/ Blake Comeau - Rob Schremp - Josh Bailey/ Matt Martin - Zenon Konopka - Jeremy Colliton/ Travis Hamonic - Andrew MacDonald/ Jack Hillen - Dylan Reese/ Bruno Gervais - Radek Martinek

Scratches: Gillies, Lawson

Top PP times: Comeau (2:13), Schremp (2:13), Hamonic (2:13), Bailey (2:13), Nielsen (2:10)

Trending: The puck has been going in lately for Michael Grabner (1G, 1A, +2, no PP, 3 SOG), who came into tonight with 5-2-7 in 7 GP. Andrew MacDonald (1G, 1A, +1, 2 PIM, 1:40 PP, 2 SOG) has been going strong over the last six weeks or so. Frans Nielsen (1A, +2, 2:10 PP, 2 SOG) has points in three of six now.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS 0 @ ATLANTA THRASHERS 1

Goaltending match-up: Semyon Varlamov (23/24, .958 SV%) vs. Ondrej Pavelec (36/36)

Combos: Alex Ovechkin - Nicklas Backstrom - Jason Chimera/ Brooks Laich - Mathieu Perreault - Jay Beagle/ Matt Hendricks - Marcus Johansson - Mike Knuble/ Dave Steckel - Boyd Gordon - Matt Bradley/ Jeff Schultz - Mike Green/ Karl Alzner - John Carlson/ John Erskine - Scott Hannan

Scratches: King, Sloan, Neuvirth

Top PP times: Green (5:30), Carlson (4:48), Ovechkin (4:22), Backstrom (3:51), Laich (3:10)

Trending:

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

Scratches: Kane, Dawes, Enstrom

Top PP times: Byfuglien (3:18), Oduya (2:56), Ladd (2:14), Bergfors (2:13), Peverley (2:13)

Trending: Nik Antropov (1G, +1, 1:14 PP, 1 SOG) has a point in seven of 10 and he scored the only goal of the game.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS 1 @ DETROIT RED WINGS 3

Goaltending match-up: Martin Brodeur (26/29, .897 SV%) vs. Jimmy Howard (23/24, .958 SV%)

Combos: Ilya Kovalchuk - Travis Zajac - Mattias Tedenby/ Brian Rolston - Patrik Elias - Mattias Tedenby/ Vladimir Zharkov - Jason Arnott - Nick Palmieri/ Rod Pelley - Tim Sestito - David Clarkson/ Andy Greene - Anssi Salmela/ Henrik Tallinder - Mark Fayne/ Mark Fraser - Anton Volchenkov

Scratches: White, Mair

Top PP times: Kovalchuk (5:52), Elias (3:06), Zajac (3:06), Clarkson (2:58), Rolston (2:58)

Trending: Brian Rolston’s (1G, +1, 4 PIM, 5 SOG) hot streak continued here. He already had 3-7-10 in 7 GP before tonight. Patrik Elias (1A, +1, 3 SOG) has a five-game point streak running and added to the 12 January points in 11 starts he had coming in.

Combos: Johan Franzen - Henrik Zetterberg - Patrick Eaves/ Jiri Hudler - Valtteri Filppula - Todd Bertuzzi/ Kris Draper - Darren Helm - Drew Miller/ Cory Emmerton - Justin Abdelkader - Jan Mursak/ Nicklas Lidstrom - Niklas Kronwall/ Jonathan Ericsson - Brian Rafalski/ Jakub Kindl - Ruslan Salei

Scratches: Holmstrom

Top PP times: Lidstrom (3:24), Franzen (3:13), Zetterberg (3:08), Rafalski (3:08), Hudler (3:06)

Trending: Valterri Filppula (1G, +2, 1:11 PP, 2 SOG) has been going well over the past month and Jiri Hudler (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) has turned his season around in the same time. Since right after Christmas he’s been chipping in pretty regularly. Johan Franzen (1G, 5 SOG) scored late to ensure the win and he has markers in three of five now. Henrik Zetterberg (1A, 4 PIM, 5 SOG) added his 53rd point of the season on that play.

EDMONTON OILERS 1 @ DALLAS STARS 3

Goaltending match-up: Nikolai Khabibulin (18/21, .857 SV%) vs. Kari Lehtonen (34/35, .971 SV%)

Combos: Taylor Hall - Shawn Horcoff - Dustin Penner/ Magnus Paajarvi - Sam Gagner - Linus Omark/ Liam Reddox - Andrew Cogliano - Ryan Jones/ Jean-Francois Jacques - Colin Fraser - Zack Stortini/ Theo Peckham - Tom Gilbert/ Jim Vandermeer - Kurtis Foster/ Ladislav Smid - Jeff Petry

Scratches: MacIntyre, Strudwick, Hemsky

Top PP times: Foster (4:02), Gilbert (3:25), Hall (3:08), Horcoff (2:59), Penner (2:59)

Trending: Dustin Penner (1G, -1, 2 PIM, 3 SOG) had the GWG last night and has points in three straight. He had seven January points coming in. Shawn Horcoff (1A, -1, 3 SOG) has points in B2B games and this was his fourth back in the line-up. Taylor Hall (1A, -1, 2 SOG) began the evening with seven points in his past seven outings.

Combos: James Neal - Brad Richards - Loui Eriksson/ Brenden Morrow - Mike Ribeiro - Jamie Langenbrunner/ Steve Ott - Travis Morin - Adam Burish/ Brian Sutherby - Aaron Gagnon - Krys Barch/ Nicklas Grossman - Stephane Robidas/ Mark Fistric - Matt Niskanen/ Karlis Skrastins - Trevor Daley

Scratches: Benn, Wandell, Woywitka

Top PP times: Ribeiro (5:09), Robidas (4:36), Richards (4:12), Morrow (3:47), Langenbrunner (3:36)

Trending: Mike Ribeiro (2A, +2, no SOG) has just been having a hell of a season and his owners are constantly reaping the rewards. Brenden Morrow (2G, +2, 2 PIM, 4 SOG) came into this one with 30 points in 33 GP vs. EDM, while Jamie Langenbrunner (2A, +1, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) has points in three of his past five. Adam Burish (1G, +1, 0:05 PP, 1 SOG) has scored in three of six and had four points in seven games before tonight, in addition to 18 January PIM. Stephane Robidas (1A, +1, 2 SOG) had four helpers in five games coming in after 10 games without a point. Plenty of PIM in tonight’s match-up, including huge totals for Krys Barch (22 PIM) and James Neal (19 PIM).

PHOENIX COYOTES 5 @ COLORADO AVALANCHE 2

Goaltending match-up: Ilya Bryzgalov (29/31, .935 SV%) vs. Peter Budaj (7/9, .778 SV%) & Craig Anderson (25/27, .926 SV%)

Combos: Scottie Upshall - Kyle Turris - Shane Doan/ Ray Whitney - Martin Hanzal - Radim Vrbata/ Taylor Pyatt - Eric Belanger - Lee Stempniak/ Paul Bissonnette - Andrew Ebbett - Lauri Korpikoski/ Keith Yandle - Derek Morris/ Ed Jovanovski - Adrian Aucoin/ Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Sami Lepisto

Scratches: Summers, Rozsival, Boedker

Top PP times: Yandle (9:53), Doan (9:24), Whitney (8:52), Hanzal (8:06), Vrbata (8:05)

Trending: Keith Yandle’s (1G, 1A, +1, 5 SOG) point streak stretched to nine games and the points continue to pile up for the young All-Star. Lee Stempniak (2A, 4:30 PP, 4 SOG) has points in each of his past seven. Scottie Upshall (1G, +1, 4:54 PP< 4 SOG) had a pair of goals last night, but no points in five before that outing. Martin Hanzal (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) had five points in eight outings headed in here. Kyle Turris (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 5:25 PP, 4 SOG) had 1G, 1A last night and he scored again tonight. Shane Doan (1A, +2, 3 SOG) already had 26 points in 27 GP headed into this affair. Eric Belanger (2G, +1, 4 PIM, 0:41 PP< 3 SOG) added the ENG and has points in two of three with sporadic production this season.

Combos: David Jones - Matt Duchene - Milan Hejduk/ Ryan Stoa - Paul Stastny - Brandon Yip/ Cody McLeod - Philippe Dupuis - Chris Stewart/ David Koci - T.J. Galiardi - Daniel Winnik/ John-Michael Liles - Ryan O'Byrne/ Kyle Cumiskey - Adam Foote/Ryan Wilson - Kevin Shattenkirk

Scratches: Porter, O'Reilly, Hunwick

Top PP times: Liles (4:24), Shattenkirk (3:35), Duchene (3:04), Hejduk (2:57), Stewart (2:37)

Trending: Paul Stastny (1A, 6 PIM, 2:30 PP, 2 SOG) , who will be headed to the All-Star game, had 15 points in 14 GP vs. PHO coming in here. Fellow All-Star Matt Duchene (1G, -1, 2 SOG) collected his 100th NHL point on a third period goal and he only had one point in six games coming in. Kevin Shattenkirk (1A, -1, 4 SOG) has a five-game point streak running now and Ryan Stoa (1G, -1, 2:30 PP, 3 SOG) has points in B2B games. This was the fourth game of this call-up. David Jones left this game with a shoulder injury.

ST. LOUIS BLUES 1 @ CALGARY FLAMES 4

Goaltending match-up: Ty Conklin (16/19, .842 SV%) vs. Miikka Kiprusoff (28/29, .966 SV%)

Combos: Vladimir Sobotka - Patrik Berglund - T.J. Oshie/ Alex Steen - David Backes - Matt D'Agostini/ Brad Winchester - Jay McClement - Brad Boyes/ Stefan Della Rovere - Philip McRae - B.J. Crombeen/ Erik Johnson - Alex Pietrangelo/ Eric Brewer - Roman Polak/ Nikita Nikitin - Tyson Strachan

Scratches: Jackman, Janssen

Top PP times: Steen (1:46), Johnson (1:22), Berglund (1:10), Pietrangelo (1:10), Backes (1:10)

Trending: Philip McRae (1G, 0:14 PP, 1 SOG) scored his first NHL goal midway through the third period to break the shutout. This was his seventh start. Brad Boyes (1A, -1, 1:08 PP, no SOG) has been averaging a point-per-game this month.

Combos: Alex Tanguay - Brendan Morrison - Jarome Iginla/ Rene Bourque - Olli Jokinen - David Moss/ Curtis Glencross - Matt Stajan - Niklas Hagman/ 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: Giordano (3:10), Bourque (3:06), Iginla (2:53), Jokinen (2:27), Tanguay (2:24)

Trending: David Moss (2G, 1A, +1, 2:03 PP, 2 SOG) came into with eight January points on the strength of three different multi-pointers and a single-pointer. Anton Babchuk (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 1:46 PP, no SOG) was hot for awhile, but then went six straight without a point before tonight. Olli Jokinen (2A, +1, no SOG) had chipped in 19 points in his past 26 GP dating back to the start of December coming into tonight. He had nine points in his first two months. Jarome Iginla (1G, +1, 4 SOG) added the ENG for his 47th point of the season. Mark Giordano (1A, +1, 3 SOG) has 25 points, which leaves him five shy of matching last year's total of 30.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS 1 @ VANCOUVER CANUCKS 2

Goaltending match-up: Pekka Rinne (33/35, .943 SV%) vs. Roberto Luongo (26/27, .963 SV%)

Combos: Sergei Kostitsyn - Marcel Goc - Martin Erat/ Colin Wilson - David Legwand - Patric Hornqvist/ Nick Spaling - Jerred Smithson - Joel Ward/ J.P. Dumont - Chris Mueller - Matt Halischuk/ Ryan Suter - Shea Weber/ Alexander Sulzer - Kevin Klein/ Shane O’Brien - Cody Franson

Scratches: Belak, Svatos, Bouillon

Top PP times: Weber (5:35), Suter (4:59), Erat (4:48), Ward (4:37), Sulzer (3:46)

Trending: Shea Weber (1G, -1, 2 PIM, 4 SOG) had a nine game point streak going, but then one point in four outings coming into tonight. Sergei Kostitsyn (1A, +1, 3:25 PP, no SOG) has points in three of four after five without one. Martin Erat (1A, +1, 1 SOG) has points in four of his past six.

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

Scratches: Edler, Alberts

Top PP times: Kesler (4:28), H. Sedin (4:22), D. Sedin (4:16), Samuelsson (4:03), Ehrhoff (3:08)

Trending: Alexandre Burrows (1G, +2, 2 PIM, 2:01 PP, 3 SOG) got the Canucks on the board here and has goals in two straight with a steady stream of PIM this month. Dan Hamhuis (1A, +1, 5 SOG) has picked up points in four of five. First NHL goal in first NHL game? And a GWG at that? No sweat for Lee Sweatt (1G, +2, no PP, 1 SOG) here. Daniel Sedin (1A, +2, no SOG) earned a helper on that, which will be memorable for the youngster too.

SAN JOSE SHARKS 2 @ LOS ANGELES KINGS 3 (SO)

Goaltending match-up: Antti Niemi (18/20, .900 SV%) vs. Jonathan Quick (22/24, .917 SV%)

Combos: Patrick Marleau - Joe Thornton - Joe Pavelski/ Dany Heatley - Logan Couture - Devin Setoguchi/ Ryane Clowe - Kyle Wellwood - Benn Ferriero/ Ben Eager - Jamal Mayers - Jamie McGinn/ Douglas Murray - Dan Boyle/ Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Kent Huskins/ Niclas Wallin - Jason Demers

Scratches: Nichol, Joslin

Top PP times: Boyle (4:47), Thornton (3:47), Pavelski (3:18), Marleau (3:10), Demers (3:04)

Trending: Ryane Clowe (1G, +1, 2:40 PP, 1 SOG) was back in the line-up tonight after missing time with an ankle injury and he has points in four of his past seven starts overall. Devin Setoguchi (1G, -1, 2:13 PP, 5 SOG) scored the last time these teams met and has goals in B2B games after nine without a point.

Combos: Andrei Loktionov - Anze Kopitar - Dustin Brown/ Ryan Smyth - Jarret Stoll - Justin Williams/ Brad Richardson - Michal Handzus - Alexei Ponikarovsky/ Kyle Clifford- Trevor Lewis - Wayne Simmonds/ Willie Mitchell - Drew Doughty/ Jack Johnson - Rob Scuderi/ Alec Martinez - Matt Greene

Scratches: Harrold, Westgarth, Drewiske

Top PP times: Doughty (1:22), Williams (1:11), Brown (1:11), Handzus (1:11), Stoll (1:10)

Trending: Ryan Smyth (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 0:49 PP, 3 SOG) opened the scoring in the second period and has points in three straight with goals in B2B games after five outings without a point. Jarret Stoll (1A, +1, 1 SOG) already had eight points this month and Justin Williams (1A, 2 SOG) needed a two-pointer tonight to hit the 40-point plateau. Jarret Stoll put home the winner in the shootout and the only goal there too.

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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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