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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.

Send in a brief fantasy hockey question, including all relevant league info, and it may be included in a future Hockey Hearsay blog during the week. One per person, please. Send it via Twitter for a possible response in the blog, or send via email (include your first name and hometown to represent!) if you'd prefer. chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com

VANCOUVER CANUCKS 2 @ ST. LOUIS BLUES 3

Goaltending match-up: Roberto Luongo (31/34, .912 SV%) vs. Jaroslav Halak (23/25, .920 SV%)

Combos: Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Alexandre Burrows/ Mason Raymond - Ryan Kesler - Mikael Samuelsson/ Raffi Torres - Manny Malhotra - Jannik Hansen/ Jeff Tambellini - Tanner Glass - Victor Oreskovich/ Christian Ehrhoff - Sami Salo/ Kevin Bieksa - Andrew Alberts/ Aaron Rome - Chris Tanev

Scratches: Hamhuis

Top PP times: Ehrhoff, Kesler, Samuelsson, Sedins (2:00)

Trending: Henrik Sedin (1G, +1, 3 SOG) had 28 points in 38 GP vs. STL coming in and he had actually been shut out in his prior two starts against them this season. Alexandre Burrows (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 1 SOG) pushed his point streak to 10 games. All but two of those games coming in had featured goals too. This was Sami Salo’s (1A, +1, no SOG) second game back and first time in the box score. Christian Ehrhoff (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 1 SOG) had five February points in six games before the puck dropped here.

Combos: Andy McDonald - David Backes - Brad Boyes/ Alex Steen - Patrik Berglund - T.J. Oshie/ Vladimir Sobotka - Jay McClement - B.J. Crombeen/ Brad Winchester - Matt D'Agostini/ Barret Jackman - Alex Pietrangelo/ Eric Brewer - Erik Johnson/ Carlo Colaiacovo - Roman Polak/ Nikita Nikitin

Scratches: Janssen

Top PP times: McDonald (4:30), Pietrangelo (4:29), Berglund (4:20), Boyes (4:20), Johnson (3:37)

Trending: Alex Steen (1G, -1, 2:32 PP, 4 SOG) received a really sweet Valentine’s Day gift from Roberto Luongo in the first period. Steen hadn’t scored in a month, although his points have been good overall. Alex Pietrangelo (2A, no SOG) has points in eight of 14 from the back end. Andy McDonald (1G, 1A, 3 SOG) had four points in five games coming in. Nikita Nikitin (1A, +1, 3:01 PP, no SOG) has picked up a point in three of his six starts this month. Patrik Berglund (1G, -1, 2 SOG) has scored in four of five and his results over the past month now have been impressive.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS 2 @ PHOENIX COYOTES 3

Goaltending match-up: Michal Neuvirth (15/18, .833 SV%) vs. Ilya Bryzgalov (29/31, .935 SV%)

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

Scratches: King, Green

Top PP times: Ovechkin (9:33), Carlson (9:01), Semin (6:45), Laich (6:41), Backstrom (6:34)

Trending: This was Alexander Semin’s (1A, +1, 2 SOG) third game back and first time in the scoring summary. Brooks Laich (1A, +1, 2 SOG) has points in three of five.

Combos: Taylor Pyatt - Eric Belanger - Shane Doan/ Ray Whitney - Martin Hanzal - Radim Vrbata/ Scottie Upshall - Vernon Fiddler - Lee Stempniak/ Mikkel Boedker - Lauri Korpikoski - Paul Bissonnette/ Keith Yandle - Derek Morris/ Ed Jovanovski - Michal Rozsival/ Adrian Aucoin - Sami Lepisto

Scratches: Ekman-Larsson, Ebbett, Turris

Top PP times: Yandle (2:23), Hanzal (1:22), Whitney (1:22), Vrbata (1:22), Doan (1:18)

Trending: Keith Yandle (1A, +1, no SOG) had racked up 26 points in 28 home GP coming in here. Radim Vrbata (2A, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) had four goals in three games coming in, while Ray Whitney (1G, 1A, 1 SOG) has helpers in four straight and had 15 points in 15 GP coming in here. Shane Doan (1A, -1, no SOG) came into tonight with helpers in five of eight, but with no goals in a month.

CALGARY FLAMES 9 @ COLORADO AVALANCHE 1

Goaltending match-up: Miikka Kiprusoff (17/18, .944 SV%, he's fine... was just falling asleep in crease) & Henrik Karlsson (5/5) vs. Peter Budaj (13/18, .722 SV%) & Craig Anderson (11/15, .733 SV%)

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

Scratches: Mikkelson, Bouma

Top PP times: Giordano (5:08), Bourque (4:19), Iginla (3:34), Babchuk (3:22), Jokinen (3:20), Moss (3:20)

Trending: Curtis Glencross (2G, 1A, +4, 2:23 PP, 5 SOG) extended his goal streak to five games and had eight points in seven games this month coming in. I'm down a few forward games thanks to some injuries, so I grabbed him for a spot-start here. That'll do for a night's work. Olli Jokinen (1G, 3A, +3, 2 SOG) racked up four points in the first period, but was kneed by Philippe Dupuis (15 PIM) and had to leave the game. Anton Babchuk (1G, +1, 1 SOG) had four points in three affairs headed in. Rene Bourque (2A, +2, 3 SOG) has points in three of five, while Jarome Iginla (2G, +4, 4 SOG) pushed his point streak to six games. David Moss (1G, 3A, +3, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) has multi-pointers in two of three. Tim Jackman left this one hurt. Normally that wouldn't be a concern in fantasy circles, but the guy has been chipping in points. Alex Tanguay (1G, +2, 2:56 PP, 1 SOG) was back in the line-up tonight and had nine points in eight games before this evening. Brendan Morrison (2A, +2, 3:10 PP, 1 SOG) has been scorching hot over the past month.

Combos: Kevin Porter - Paul Stastny - Chris Stewart/ David Jones - Matt Duchene - Milan Hejduk/ David Koci - Ryan O'Reilly - Daniel Winnik/ Cody McLeod - Philippe Dupuis - Brandon Yip/ Ryan Wilson - Ryan O'Byrne/ John-Michael Liles - Kevin Shattenkirk/ Matt Hunwick - Cameron Gaunce

Scratches: Holos, Forsberg, Foote

Top PP times: Liles (3:16), Yip (2:52), Porter (2:15), O'Reilly (2:10), McLeod (2:10)

Trending: No Peter Forsberg. Sigh. Sad face. Kevin Porter (1A, -4, 3 SOG) was coming off a two-pointer @NAS. Matt Duchene left this one with an upper-body injury.

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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