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NEW YORK RANGERS 4 @ NEW JERSEY DEVILS 1
Goaltending match-up: Henrik Lundqvist (30/31, .968 SV%) vs. Martin Brodeur (17/20, .850 SV%)
Combos: Brandon Dubinsky - Brad Richards - Ryan Callahan/ Artem Anisimov - Derek Stepan - Marian Gaborik/ Carl Hagelin - Brian Boyle - John Mitchell/ Mike Rupp - Ruslan Fedotenko - Brandon Prust/ Ryan McDonagh - Dan Girardi/ Michael Del Zotto - Anton Stralman/ Tim Erixon - Stu Bickel
Scratches: Woywitka, Avery, Christensen
Top PP times: Richards, Del Zotto, Gaborik (1:12), Rupp (1:10), Girardi (1:05)
Trending: No fake bullets were fired in the celebration of Artem Anisimov’s (1G, 1A, +2, 0:30 PP, 4 SOG)latest goal. He had seven points in eight games headed in here. Marian Gaborik (2G, 1A, +3, 3 SOG) had 6-2-8 in 9 GP before this outing and he worked hard to get that last ENG too. Derek Stepan (2A, +3, 0:55 PP, 3 SOG) has been averaging a point-per-game this month. This was Stu Bickel’s (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 11:40 TOI, no PP, 1 SOG) NHL debut.
Combos: Zach Parise - Adam Henrique - Ilya Kovalchuk/ Petr Sykora - Travis Zajac - Dainius Zubrus/ Mattias Tedenby - Ryan Carter - David Clarkson/ Eric Boulton - Tim Sestito - Cam Janssen/ Bryce Salvador - Adam Larsson/ Anton Volchenkov - Kurtis Foster/ Matt Taormina - Mark Fayne
Scratches: Tallinder, Elias, Urbom
Top PP times: Kovalchuk (5:39), Foster (4:24), Parise (3:39), Henrique (3:21), Sykora (2:39)
Trending: This was Travis Zajac’s (1G, -1, 2:07 PP, 4 SOG) third game back and first pointage of any kind. Petr Sykora (1A, -1, 4 SOG) had six points in five starts headed in here, while Dainius Zubrus (1A, 2 PIM, 2:21 PP, no SOG) had collected six points in seven tries headed in here.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS 1 @ WASHINGTON CAPITALS 4
Goaltending match-up: Anders Lindback (19/23, .826 SV%) vs. Michal Neuvirth (20/21, .952 SV%)
Combos: Martin Erat - David Legwand - Craig Smith/ Sergei Kostitsyn - Mike Fisher - Patric Hornqvist/ Colin Wilson - Nick Spaling - Jordin Tootoo/ Blake Geoffrion - Jerred Smithson - Matt Halischuk/ Francis Bouillon - Shea Weber/ Ryan Suter - Jonathon Blum/ Jack Hillen - Roman Josi
Scratches: Klein, McGrattan
Top PP times: Weber (6:57), Suter (6:34), Hornqvist (5:27), Fisher (5:09), Erat (5:02)
Trending: Sergei Kostitsyn (1G, +1, 3:26 PP, 1 SOG) had been blanked in four straight. Shea Weber (1A, 1 SOG) certainly isn’t hurting his contract potential with the season he’s having.
Combos: Alex Ovechkin - Brooks Laich - Troy Brouwer/ Marcus Johansson - Nicklas Backstrom - Alexander Semin/ Jason Chimera - Jeff Halpern - Joel Ward/ Matt Hendricks - Mathieu Perreault - Mike Knuble/ Karl Alzner - John Carlson/ Jeff Schultz - Dennis Wideman/ Roman Hamrlik - Dmitry Orlov
Scratches: Erskine, Green
Top PP times: Wideman, Ovechkin, Backstrom, Brouwer, Johansson (1:50)
Trending: Alex Ovechkin (1G, +1, 7 SOG) only had a pair of goals on the month coming into this tilt, while Nicklas Backstrom (1G, 1A, +1, 3 SOG) had 3-3-6 in his 8 December games before this evening. John Carlson (1A, +1, 0:37 PP, no SOG) had nothing in three coming in, but has been hot overall for seven weeks. This was the 1000th NHL game for Mike Knuble, who hasn’t been much of a fantasy option this season in a limited role. Alexander Semin (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 0:37 PP, 2 SOG) has goals in B2B games for the first time this season. Marucs Johansson (2A, +1, 1 SOG) has points in four of seven and Dennis Wideman (1A, +1, 3 SOG) had six points in five tilts coming in.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS 2 @ PITTSBURGH PENGUINS 3
Goaltending match-up: Ray Emery (25/28, .893 SV%) vs. Marc-Andre Fleury (36/38, .947 SV%)
Combos: Jeremy Morin - Jonathan Toews - Patrick Kane/ Patrick Sharp - Marcus Kruger - Marian Hossa/ Bryan Bickell - Dave Bolland - Michael Frolik/ Viktor Stalberg - Jamal Mayers - Andrew Brunette/ Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook/ Nick Leddy - Niklas Hjalmarsson/ Steve Montador - John Scott
Scratches: O'Donnell, Carcillo, Lepisto
Top PP times: Sharp (4:12), Toews (3:56), Kane (3:47), Hossa (3:44), Keith (3:15)
Trending: Jonathan Toews (1G, -1, 6 SOG) came into this one two points above the point-per-game mark on the month and the season. Patrick Kane (1A, -1, 4 PIM, 4 SOG) has points in B2B games after three without one. Marian Hossa’s (1A, +2, 4 SOG) point streak is at six games and he had racked up 10 points in five tries coming in. Viktor Stalberg (1G, 1A, +2, 0:05 PP, 9 SOG) has points in three of four.
Combos: Chris Kunitz - Evgeni Malkin - James Neal/ Matt Cooke - Jordan Staal - Tyler Kennedy/ Steve Sullivan - Joe Vitale - Pascal Dupuis/ Jason Williams - Craig Adams - Arron Asham/ Brooks Orpik - Matt Niskanen/ Simon Despres - Deryk Engelland/ Alexandre Picard - Ben Lovejoy
Scratches: Martin, Tangradi, MacIntyre
Top PP times: Niskanen (7:49), Kunitz (7:42), Neal (7:34), Sullivan (7:17), Malkin (6:49)
Trending: Evgeni Malkin (3A, +1, 6 SOG) was coming off his five-point dominance against the Sabres and his point streak has now reached six games. He had 12 points in that span coming in here. Chris Kunitz (1G, 3 SOG) scored a pretty one in the first and had three separate two-pointers in four tries before tonight. Matt Niskanen (2A, -1, 4 SOG) had six points in five games before this outing and he continues to capitalize on the extra PP time sans Kris Letang. James Neal (1G, 6 PIM, 1 SOG) has a six-game point streak going now.
BUFFALO SABRES 1 @ OTTAWA SENATORS 4
Goaltending match-up: Ryan Miller (35/38, .921 SV%) vs. Craig Anderson (22/23, .957 SV%)
Combos: Thomas Vanek - Derek Roy - Jason Pominville/ Luke Adam - Paul Szczechura - Drew Stafford/ Marcus Foligno - Paul Gaustad - Zack Kassian/ Derek Whitmore - Cody McCormick - Matt Ellis/ Christian Ehrhoff - Brayden McNabb/ Robyn Regehr - Andrej Sekera/ Mike Weber - Jordan Leopold
Scratches: Gragnani, Hecht, Ellis
Top PP times: Leopold (4:22), Vanek (3:56), Pominville (3:50), Stafford (3:35), Ehrhoff (3:00)
Trending: Christian Ehrhoff (1A, -1, 3 SOG) has points in two of three after having one point in seven games. Thomas Vanek (1A, -1, 2 PIM, no SOG) had a solid 34 points in 32 GP before adding more here.
Combos: Colin Greening - Jason Spezza - Daniel Alfredsson/ Nick Foligno - Kyle Turris - Erik Condra/ Peter Regin - Zack Smith - Chris Neil/ Kaspars Daugavins - Jesse Winchester - Zenon Konopka/ Chris Phillips - Matt Carkner/ Erik Karlsson - Filip Kuba/ Jared Cowen - Sergei Gonchar
Scratches: Lee, Michalek, Butler
Top PP times: Spezza (3:14), Gonchar (3:04), Karlsson (2:58), Neil (2:05), Alfredsson (2:04)
Trending: This was the Sens debut for Kyle Turris (1A, +2, 2 PIM, 16:10 TOI, 0:58 PP, 1 SOG), who should see considerably more opportunities in Ottawa than he did in Phoenix. His single-season value goes from zero to a little bit and his keeper value should be aided as well. We’ve seen Erik Karlsson (1G, 1A, +2, 3 SOG) and Jason Spezza (1A, 4 SOG) in the summaries nightly, but it’s also nice to see Daniel Alfredsson (1A, 1 SOG) on this relatively hot run of late.
PHOENIX COYOTES 2 @ FLORIDA PANTHERS 1
Goaltending match-up: Mike Smith (19/20, .950 SV%) & Jason LaBarbera (8/8) vs. Jose Theodore (20/22, .909 SV%). Smith left this game injured.
Combos: Mikkel Boedker - Daymond Langkow - Shane Doan/ Ray Whitney - Martin Hanzal - Radim Vrbata/ Taylor Pyatt - Cal O'Reilly - Lauri Korpikoski/ Raffi Torres - Boyd Gordon - Kyle Chipchura/ Keith Yandle - David Schlemko/ Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Adrian Aucoin/ Michal Rozsival - Derek Morris
Scratches: Rundblad, Bissonnette, Aucoin
Top PP times: Yandle (9:09), Whitney (7:22), Ekman-Larsson (6:14), Vrbata (6:04), Doan (5:10) Trending: Ray Whitney (1G, 1A, 3 SOG) had 2-5-7 in 9 GP this month coming in here, while Radim Vrbata (1G, 1A, 3 SOG) had six points in that span. Oliver Ekman-Larsson (1A, -1, no SOG) has points in two of three after a long stretch of zeroes. Keith Yandle (1A, no SOG) has points in six of his past nine now.
Combos: Tomas Fleischmann - Stephen Weiss - Kris Versteeg/ Marco Sturm - Shawn Matthias - Mikael Samuelsson/ Tomas Kopecky - Mike Santorelli - Matt Bradley/ Krys Barch - Tim Kennedy - Bill Thomas/ Jason Garrison - Brian Campbell/ Ed Jovanovski - Erik Gudbranson/ Mike Weaver - Dmitry Kulikov
Scratches: Ellerby, Bergenheim
Top PP times: Campbell (4:23), Versteeg (4:15), Fleischmann (3:55), Kopecky (3:31), Kulikov (3:10)
Trending: Brian Campbell (1G, +1, 4 SOG) had 27 points last season and he came into tonight just two points shy of that mark. Kris Versteeg (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 3 SOG) had eight points in eight games coming in. Jason Garrison (1A, +1, 2:20 PP, 2 SOG) has points in four of eight.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS 3 @ WINNIPEG JETS 2 (SO)
Goaltending match-up: Al Montoya (17/19, .895 SV%) & Evgeni Nabokov (19/19) vs. Ondrej Pavelec (31/33, .939 SV%). Montoya left this one after Evander Kane ran into him.
Combos: Matt Moulson - John Tavares - P.A. Parenteau/ Michael Grabner - Frans Nielsen - Kyle Okposo/ David Ullstrom - Josh Bailey - Nino Niederreiter/ Matt Martin - Marty Reasoner - Tim Wallace/ Mark Streit - Milan Jurcina/ Andrew MacDonald - Travis Hamonic/ Dylan Reese - Mike Mottau
Scratches: Rolston, Staios
Top PP times: Parenteau (3:07), Moulson, Tavares (3:05), Streit (2:16), MacDonald (2:09)
Trending: John Tavares (1A, -1, 4 SOG) had 2-7-9 in 8 GP this month headed into this game, while P.A. Parenteau (1G, 5 SOG) had eight points in that span and Matt Moulson (1A, +1, 6 SOG) had 11. Michael Grabner (1G, 0:55 PP, 2 SOG) has picked up points in four of six now. Andrew MacDonald (1A, no SOG) has points in each of his two games back. Shootout: Parenteau, Nielsen
Combos: Evander Kane - Alex Burmistrov - Blake Wheeler/ Andrew Ladd - Nik Antropov - Kyle Wellwood/ Tanner Glass - Jim Slater - Antti Miettinen/ Chris Thorburn - Tim Stapleton - Eric Fehr/ Tobias Enstrom - Dustin Byfuglien/ Mark Stuart - Zach Bogosian/ Ron Hainsey - Johnny Oduya
Scratches: Little, Flood
Top PP times: N/A
Trending: Nik Antropov (1G, 1A, +1, 2 SOG) has points in B2B games now and this was his third start of the month. Andrew Ladd (1G, +1, 5 SOG) has points in B2B games after having only one other point in December. Same for Kyle Wellwood (1A, +1, 4 SOG).
MINNESOTA WILD 1 @ CALGARY FLAMES 2
Goaltending match-up: Josh Harding (28/30, .933 SV%) vs. Miikka Kiprusoff (29/30, .967 SV%)
Combos: Dany Heatley - Matt Cullen - Pierre-Marc Bouchard/ Cal Clutterbuck - Kyle Brodziak - Nick Johnson/ Justin Faulk - Darroll Powe - Brad Staubitz/ Jed Ortmeyer - Warren Peters - Jarod Palmer/ Marco Scandella - Jared Spurgeon/ Greg Zanon - Nick Schultz/ Marek Zidlicky - Clayton Stoner
Scratches: Lundin, Koivu, Gillies
Top PP times: Brodziak (2:59), PMB (2:58), Heatley (2:30), Zidlicky, Johnson (2:15)
Trending: Pierre-Marc Bouchard (1G, 2 SOG) had six points in his seven games on the month coming in. Jared Spurgeon (1A, 1:58 PP, 2 SOG) had nothing in four games before tonight. Matt Cullen (1A, 1:58 PP, 1 SOG) had seven points in eight tries coming in.
Combos: Alex Tanguay - Mikael Backlund - Jarome Iginla/ Curtis Glencross - Olli Jokinen - Lee Stempniak/ Blake Comeau - Roman Horak - Paul Byron/ Tom Kostopoulos - Brendan Morrison - Tim Jackman/ Jay Bouwmeester - Chris Butler/ Scott Hannan - Derek Smith/ T.J. Brodie - Cory Sarich
Scratches: Carson, Bourque, Piskula
Top PP times: Brodie (2:57), Smith (2:22), Iginla, Jokinen, Glencross, Stempniak (2:00)
Trending: Jarome Iginla (1G, 1A, +1, 8 SOG) had 5-7-12 in 10 GP before this outing, while Curtis Glencross (1G, +1, 2 SOG) had six points in six affairs coming in. Olli Jokinen (1A, +1, 4 PIM, 2 SOG) had 6-7-13 on the month headed into tonight.
Chris Nichols is Sportsnet.ca's fantasy hockey writer.
