Chris Nichols

­Chris Nichols is Sportsnet.ca's fantasy hockey writer.

Live blogs are rolled out every game day, all season. Refresh this page to get:
Starting goalie info, when possible
Line combos
Defensive pairings
Top power play times
Stats, streaks and rants

Video: Early trade returns

NHL box scores
NHL highlights

New York Rangers 3 @ New Jersey Devils 6
Goaltending match-up: Henrik Lundqvist (12/17, .706 SV%) & Alex Auld (9/10, .900 SV%) vs. Martin Brodeur (16/19, .842 SV%)
Net notes: Lundqvist was 17-6-5 vs. NJD coming in with 1.75/ .938 splits and four shutouts. Brodeur was 41-23-15-4 vs. NYR with 2.08/ .920 splits and eight shutouts.

Vinny Prospal Olli Jokinen Marian Gaborik
Brandon Dubinsky Artem Anisimov Ryan Callahan
Sean Avery Erik Christensen Chris Drury
Jody Shelley Brian Boyle Brandon Prust

Michael Del Zotto Daniel Girardi
Wade Redden Matt Gilroy
Marc Staal Michal Rozsival

Ilya Kovalchuk Patrik Elias Jamie Langenbrunner
Zach Parise Travis Zajac Dainius Zubrus
Brian Rolston Rob Niedermayer David Clarkson
Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond Dean McAmmond Rod Pelley

Colin White Mike Mottau
Bryce Salvador Andy Greene
Martin Skoula Mark Fraser

Key notes: Marian Gaborik (1A, -2, 19:41 TOI, 2:28 PP, no PK, 2 SOG) hit the 70-point mark in the first period and stopped a three-game pointless skid in the process. Olli Jokinen (1A, -1, 19:42 TOI, 3:30 PP, no PK, 3 SOG, 3-8 FO for 27%) has been fairly productive in his brief stint with the Rangers, despite being juggled quite a bit on the lines. Vinny Prospal (1G, even, 21:07 TOI, 3:01 PP, 0:02 PK, 1 SOG, 0-1 FO for 0%) had just one point in four games since the break before tonight.

Brandon Dubinsky (1A, -2, 18:20 TOI, 3:02 PP, 0:30 PK, no SOG) had goals in three of four before tonight's scoring summary appearance. Erik Christensen (1G, +1, 14:05 TOI, 0:56 PP, no PK, 1 SOG, 4-6 FO for 40%) halted a three-game pointless skid here and had five points in two games before that period.

Top PP times (NYR): Del Zotto (3:33), Jokinen (3:30), Dubinsky (3:02), Prospal (3:01) and Anisimov (2:59)
Top PP times (NJD): Kovalchuk (2:06), Parise (1:08), Zubrus (1:08), Zajac (1:08) and Rolston (1:07)

Jamie Langenbrunner (1G, 1A, +2, 17:22 TOI, 0:58 PP, 1:38 PK, 4 SOG, 0-1 FO for 0%) has come up with points in five of his past six outings, while David Clarkson (1A, +2, 13:32 TOI, 0:58 PP, no PK, 1 SOG) has points in two of four since being activated. Zach Parise (1G, even, 2 PIM, 18:02 TOI, 1:08 PP, no PK, 1 SOG) had collected eight points in six games before tonight and that included three multi-pointers coming in.

Travis Zajac (1G, 1A, even, 2 PIM, 19:20 TOI, 1:08 PP, 1:10 PK, 2 SOG, 9-4 FO for 69%) has points in seven of his past eight starts. Andy Greene (2A, +2, 21:34 TOI, 1:01 PP, 0:22 PK, 1 SOG) hadn't had a multi-pointer since December 21^st and he had just three points since the start of January before this evening.

Brian Rolston (1G, 1A, +2, 17:25 TOI, 1:07 PP, 2:33 PK, 4 SOG) had nothing in three before tonight. He has points in three of seven overall. Dainius Zubrus (2A, -1, 2 PIM, 18:01 TOI, 1:08 PP, 0:43 PK, 2 SOG, 2-2 FO for 50%) has added points in three of four now.

Dallas Stars 3 @ Buffalo Sabres 5
Goaltending match-up: Marty Turco (38/42, .905 SV%) vs. Ryan Miller (17/20, .850 SV%)
Net notes: Turco was 1-3-1 vs. BUF coming in with 3.31/ .858 splits and one shutout. Miller was 2-0-0 vs. DAL with 2.41/ .902 splits.

Steve Ott Brad Richards Loui Eriksson
Brenden Morrow Mike Ribeiro Mike Modano
James Neal Jamie Benn Toby Petersen
Krys Barch Brandon Segal Fabian Brunnstrom

Trevor Daley Jeff Woywitka
Stephane Robidas Mark Fistric
Matt Niskanen Karlis Skrastins

Thomas Vanek Derek Roy Mark Mancari
Jochen Hecht Tim Connolly Jason Pominville
Raffi Torres Tim Kennedy Patrick Kaleta
Matt Ellis Tim Kennedy Mike Grier

Henrik Tallinder Tyler Myers
Andrej Sekera Toni Lydman
Craig Rivet Steve Montador

Key notes: Brad Richards (1A, +1, 21:22 TOI, 3:38 PP, no PK, 3 SOG, 10-4 FO for 71%) had 24 points in 28 GP vs. BUF before tonight and 28 points in 33 road games. Steve Ott (1G, +1, 5 PIM, 14:03 TOI, no PP, 1:29 PK, 3 SOG, 1-1 FO for 50%) has points in four of his past seven affairs, while Jamie Benn (1G, 1A, +2, 15:16 TOI, 0:52 PP, no PK, 2 SOG, 7-5 FO for 58%) hit and passed the 30-point mark for the season here. He hadn't produced a point in four March games before this effort.

Loui Eriksson (1A, even, 21:25 TOI, 2:46 PP, 1:53 PK, 1 SOG) came into this one six points shy of last year's mark of 63 points. His current point streak is four games.

Top PP times (DAL): Richards (3:38), Ribeiro (2:46), Eriksson (2:46), Morrow (2:46) and Niskanen (1:46)
Top PP times (BUF): Roy (3:18), Connolly (3:00), Vanek (3:00), Pominville (3:00) and Sekera (2:13)

Tim Connolly (1A, +1, 16:41 TOI, 3:00 PP, 0:39 PK, 4 SOG, 5-9 FO for 36%) had 57 points before this one began, which is already his career best for a single season. Tyler Myers (1G, 3A, +4, 2 PIM, 22:50 TOI, 1:47 PP, 1:38 PK, 4 SOG) had gone six games without a point and he had two other three-point games to his credit this year already, but this was his first outing with four points. Derek Roy (1G, 1A, +3, 21:00 TOI, 3:18 PP, 0:58 PK, 3 SOG, 10-7 FO for 59%) has points in four of five this month and he had 16 points in 25 GP before this evening.

Thomas Vanek (1G, +1, 18:06 TOI, 3:00 PP, no PK, 2 SOG) has points in each of his past three and he hasn't gone more than two games in a row without a point since early January. Jason Pominville (1G, +1, 16:38 TOI, 3:00 PP, 0:49 PK, 5 SOG) had been shutout in four March games prior to this effort.

Carolina Hurricanes 3 @ Washington Capitals 4 (OT)
Goaltending match-up: Manny Legace (35/39, .897 SV%) vs. Jose Theodore (28/31, .903 SV%)
Net notes: Legace was 2-0-0 vs. WAS coming in with 1.77/ .914 splits. Theodore was 15-12-3-0 vs. CAR with 2.73/ .906 splits and four shutouts.

Ray Whitney Eric Staal Jussi Jokinen
Chad LaRose Brandon Sutter Tuomo Ruutu
Sergei Samsonov Rod Brind'Amour Oskar Osala
Zach Boychuk Pat Dwyer Tom Kostopoulos

Brian Pothier Joni Pitkanen
Tim Gleason Brett Carson
Jay Harrison Alexandre Picard

Alex Ovechkin Nicklas Backstrom Mike Knuble
Tomas Fleischmann Brendan Morrison Alexander Semin
Brooks Laich Eric Belanger Scott Walker
Boyd Gordon Dave Steckel Matt Bradley

Jeff Schultz Mike Green
Tom Poti Joe Corvo
Shaone Morrisonn John Carlson

Key notes: Jussi Jokinen (1G, even, 21:17 TOI, 5:42 PP, no PK, 1 SOG, 2-2 FO for 50%) continues to have the hot hand and he needed a two-point effort tonight to match his rookie season career high of 55 points. Tuomo Ruutu (1G, 1A, +1, 15:49 TOI, 2:57 PP, no PK, 1 SOG) has points in all five games since the break. Joni Pitkanen (1A, +1, 30:16 TOI, 6:11 PP, 2:12 PK, no SOG) began the evening two points shy of the 40-point plateau and he had seven points in eight games coming in.

Top PP times (CAR): Pothier (6:47), Pitkanen (6:11), Jokinen (5:42), Staal (5:31) and Whitney (5:31)
Top PP times (WAS): Ovechkin (5:04), Green (4:30), Backstrom (3:52), Semin (3:37) and Laich 3:14)

Alex Ovechkin (2A, -1, 21:23 TOI, 5:04 PP, 0:03 PK, 5 SOG) had 45 points in 33 GP vs. CAR before tonight's addition. Alexander Semin (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 18:58 TOI, 3:37 PP, 1:39 PK, 5 SOG) has points in three straight and he ended a four-game goalless streak. Nicklas Backstrom (1A, -1, 21:47 TOI, 3:52 PP, 2:52 PK, 1 SOG, 12-6 FO for 67%) came into tonight with 42 points in 32 home games.

This was the fifth time in the last eight games that Mike Green (2G, -1, 26:22 TOI, 4:30 PP, 2:44 PK, 4 SOG) has earned a two-point night. Brendan Morrison (1A, even, 14:06 TOI, 0:48 PP, no PK, 1 SOG, 9-8 FO for 53%) has points in five of his past eight outings, while Brooks Laich (1A, even, 18:58 TOI, 3:14 PP, 3:23 PK, 5 SOG, 1-1 FO for 50%) started the evening only two points shy of having 50 on the season. He has points in three of his past four now.

Tomas Fleischmann (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 15:11 TOI, 2:12 PP, 0:39 PK, 5 SOG, 0-1 FO for 100%) got the OT GWG and has points in five of seven. Eric Belanger (1A, +1, 15:31 TOI, 1:14 PP, 2:30 PK, 2 SOG, 1-8 FO for 11%) has two points in four outings with the Caps since the trade.

Los Angeles Kings 2 @ Chicago Blackhawks 3 (OT)
Goaltending match-up: Jonathan Quick (40/43, .930 SV%) vs. Antti Niemi (28/30, .933 SV%)
Net notes: Quick was 2-4-0 vs. CHI coming in with 2.74/ .916 splits. Niemi was 1-0-0 vs. LOS with 2.00/ .917 splits.

Ryan Smyth Anze Kopitar Dustin Brown
Brad Richardson Jarret Stoll Alexander Frolov
Fredrik Modin Michal Handzus Wayne Simmonds
Raitis Ivanans Jeff Halpern Richard Clune

Rob Scuderi Drew Doughty
Sean O'Donnell Jack Johnson
Randy Jones Matt Greene

Patrick Sharp Jonathan Toews Patrick Kane
Troy Brouwer Dave Bolland Marian Hossa
Andrew Ladd John Madden Kris Versteeg
Ben Eager Adam Burish Dustin Byfuglien

Duncan Keith Brent Seabrook
Niklas Hjalmarsson Brian Campbell
Kim Johnsson Brent Sopel

Key notes: This is Anze Kopitar's (1G, 1A, even, 2:19 PP, 0:23 PK, 4 SOG, 3-6 FO for 33%) fourth season and he came into this one just nine points shy of his career high of 77 points, which he recorded in his sophomore campaign. Jarret Stoll (1A, -1, 16:02 TOI, 2:32 PP, 1:27 PK, 4 SOG, 9-9 FO for 50%) has points in four of five since the Olympic break ended.

Dustin Brown (1G, -1, 5 PIM, 16:52 TOI, 0:42 PP, no PK, 2 SOG) had gone five straight without a point. Drew Doughty (1A, even, 24:08 TOI, 2:52 PP, 1:51 PK, 1 SOG) came into this one needing just four points to double his rookie season total of 27 points.

Top PP times (LOS): Doughty (2:52), Stoll (2:32), Kopitar (2:19), Handzus (2:19) and Smyth (2:19)
Top PP times (CHI): Toews (3:49), Kane (3:38), Keith (3:18), Hossa (3:04) and Sharp (2:29)

Adam Burish (1A, +1, 5 PIM, 7:34 TOI, no PP, no PK, no SOG, 0-2 FO for 0%) played his first game of the season and it didn't take him long to jump into the penalty box. Patrick Sharp (2G, +2, 19:15 TOI, 2:29 PP, 0:16 PK, 5 SOG, 1-0 FO for 100%) had 11 points in eight tilts before tonight and he also added the OT GWG. Patrick Kane (1A, +1, 20:15 TOI, 3:38 PP, no PK, 2 SOG, 0-1 FO for 0%) pushed his point streak to nine games and he had 13 points in that span before tonight.

Kris Versteeg (1G, +1, 14:26 TOI, 2:19 PP, 0:21 PK, 5 SOG, 1-1 FO for 50%) has scored in two of his past three after a stretch of two points in 16 GP. Andrew Ladd (1A, even, 12:55 TOI, 0:26 PP, 0:02 PK, 2 SOG) had a hat trick in his last game and he came into tonight with 31 points. Dave Bolland (1A, even, 16:13 TOI, 0:11 PP, 1:31 PK, 1 SOG, 12-6 FO for 67%) had four points in seven games before this evening.

Vancouver Canucks 3 @ Phoenix Coyotes 4 (SO)
Goaltending match-up: Andrew Raycroft (31/34, .912 SV%) vs. Ilya Bryzgalov (36/39, .923 SV%)
Net notes: Raycroft was 1-3-0 vs. PHO coming in with 3.18/ .891 splits. Bryzgalov was 5-5-1 vs. VAN with 1.96/ .932 splits and one shutout.

Daniel Sedin Henrik Sedin Mikael Samuelsson
Alex Burrows Ryan Kesler Pavol Demitra
Mason Raymond Kyle Wellwood Jannik Hansen
Tanner Glass Ryan Johnson Rick Rypien

Sami Salo Shane O'Brien
Alexander Edler Aaron Rome
Christian Ehrhoff Andrew Alberts

Wojtek Wolski Matthew Lombardi Shane Doan
Petr Prucha Martin Hanzal Radim Vrbata
Daniel Winnik Petteri Nokelainen Lauri Korpikoski
Lee Stempniak Vernon Fiddler Taylor Pyatt

Zbynek Michalek Ed Jovanovski
Keith Yandle Derek Morris
Jim Vandermeer Adrian Aucoin

Key notes: Mikael Samuelsson (1G, 1A, even, 2 PIM, 17:50 TOI, 3:50 PP, 0:02 PK, 5 SOG) has a five-game point streak and this effort complemented his four-pointer @COL in his last outing. Daniel Sedin (1A, even, 20:47 TOI, 4:15 PP, 0:02 PK, 1 SOG, 0-2 FO for 0%) has points in eight straight, while Henrik Sedin (1G, 1A, even, 2 PIM, 21:07 TOI, 4:15 PP, no PK, 3 SOG, 11-12 FO for 48%) had eight points in four games coming in and he needed two points here to hit the 90-point plateau for the first time in his career.

Christian Ehrhoff (1G, -1, 22:39 TOI, 3:32 PP, 1:11 PK, 5 SOG) came into tonight six points shy of last year's career-best of 42. Pavol Demitra (1A, +1, 18:12 TOI, 3:54 PP, no PK, 4 SOG, 2-2 FO for 50%) has points in five of six and eight of 10. Kyle Wellwood scored in the shootout, as did Alex Burrows and Ryan Kesler.

Top PP times (VAN): D. Sedin (4:15), H. Sedin (4:15), Demitra (3:54), Samuelsson (3:50), Ehrhoff (3:32)
Top PP times (PHO): Wolski (3:38), Jovanovski (3:17), Hanzal (3:11), Doan (3:08) and Yandle (2:50)

Keith Yandle (1A, -1, 23:33 TOI, 2:50 PP, no PK, 3 SOG) has points in two straight for the first time since late January. Lee Stempniak (2G, +3, 15:18 TOI, 1:32 PP, no PK, 4 SOG, 2-1 FO for 67%) has points in all four games coming out of the break. Vernon Fiddler (2A, +3, 2 PIM, 18:27 TOI, 0:17 PP, 4:21 PK, 3 SOG, 6-12 FO for 33%) has points in three in a row and that's his best since late October.

Radim Vrbata scored in the shootout, as did Lee Stempniak, Shane Doan and Adrian Aucoin.

Have you got a brief fantasy hockey question? Drop a line to chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com within 24 hours or so of any Q&A (to keep your league info relevant) and your email may be included in the blog, which will begin live at 3pm et/ 12pm pt on Mondays and Thursdays. One per person, please. Don't forget to include your first name and hometown to represent!