NHL FanHouse

Plus/Minus: A Rarity From Ryan Miller

Adam Gretz — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

We're trying something different to replace the old Newsmakers in the NHL posts. Hopefully you'll like it. Each weekday we'll take a look at one positive performance from the previous night (a plus), and one negative performance from the previous night (a minus). It's the plus/minus.Tell us what you think at nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

More Coverage: Wednesday's NHL Scoreboard

Plus Of The Day: Brad Richards, Dallas Stars

We've already discussed the ridiculous call in the Dallas-Detroit game on Wednesday night, but there were also some strong individual performances from the Stars, including veteran center Brad Richards who finished the night with two assists, three shots on goal, and was credited with a takeaway in the 3-1 win. He also won 60 percent of his faceoffs, including a 6-for-7 performance against Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg.

Loui Eriksson also played a solid game for Dallas, finishing with a goal and three blocked shots, while goaltender Alex Auld stopped 31 shots (well, if you count that one...) in what was easily his best start of the season.

The Red Wings had entered the game riding a three-game winning streak that had seen them outscore their opponents by a 19-6 margin.

Minus Of The Day: Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo's Ryan Miller has been the best goalie in hockey this season, so he's entitled to an off night every now and then, and Wednesday's performance can probably be qualified as an off night. He surrendered five goals on 23 shots in the Sabres' 6-2 loss to Florida, and it was only the fourth time this season his save percentage for a single game was below .900.

Not all of the goals can be pinned completely on him (there were a couple of times where he was left out to dry), but the tally from Stephen Weiss at the 1:21 mark of the second period came after a terrible giveaway by Miller, which is enough to earn him "minus" status for the day. He had allowed just four goals in his three previous starts.

Michael Frolik scored a pair of goals in the win for Florida, while defenseman Keith Ballard recorded three assists.

Highlight Of The Day: Just 19 seconds after Antti Miettinen tied the game at two for Minnesota, Scottie Upshall responded with his seventh goal of the season to help lead the Coyotes to a 3-2 win.

Plus/Minus: A Rarity From Ryan Miller originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Clarke MacArthur Ejected for Boarding Liam Reddox

Adam Gretz — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:40:00 EST

Filed under: Oilers, Sabres, NHL Discipline

Yet another scary incident in the NHL on Wednesday night as Liam Reddox of the Edmonton Oilers went head first into the side boards after fighting for a loose puck with Clarke MacArthur of the Buffalo Sabres.

MacArthur was issued a five-minute major and a game-misconduct for boarding, and when you combine that with the fact the player on the receiving end of the hit was injured, you can guarantee that this will end up on the desk of NHL discipline czar Colin Campbell for review.

Video after the jump.

MacArthur appeared to be genuinely concerned following the play, and it's hard to imagine that he was intentionally trying to send Reddox into the boards. It appeared to be a battle for a loose puck that had an unfortunate, scary result.

That seems to be the stance David Oleksy at Sabres blog Die By The Blade is taking, as he didn't even see the need for a penalty:

At some point we have to start putting some blame on the victim and not always on the player that delivered the hit. I remember watching hockey when players prepared themselves for getting hit into the boards, nowadays they put themselves in a vulnerable position and complain that a penalty should be called on the hitter. It was definitely the wrong call but luckily it didn't affect the outcome of the game. It would have been a shame to see the game decided on a bad call, that was only made because the player did not get up.

Potential punishment for MacArthur, as always, is anybody's guess in the NHL's seemingly random world of discipline.

Buffalo ended up winning the game, 3-1, thanks to goals from Drew Stafford, Steve Montador and Jochen Hecht, as well as 28 saves from Ryan Miller.

Clarke MacArthur Ejected for Boarding Liam Reddox originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Predators Offense Continues to Struggle

Adam Gretz — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Panthers, Predators, Sabres

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the story lines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Bruins 3, Predators 2: Entering play on Wednesday, the Nashville Predators, as a team, had scored as many goals (nine) as the league's leading goal-scorer (Alex Ovechkin). They have yet to score more than three goals in a game this season, and haven't scored more than two since October 8. That streak continued on Wednesday thanks to their 3-2 loss in Boston.

Through its first eight games, Nashville has scored just 11 goals, and because of their 0-for-3 showing on the power play, the Predators are now just 1-for-27 with the man-advantage.

Ouch.

Also: Scott Clemmensen's short night, Video of the day, and more

The Bruins, meanwhile, playing without the services of Marc Savard and Milan Lucic, pulled out the win thanks to goals from Michael Ryder, Patrice Bergeron and Steve Begin. Predators forward Colin Wilson, a 2008 first-round pick (No. 7 overall), scored his first career goal in the loss.

Sabres 5, Predators 2: Short night for Panthers goaltender Scott Clemmensen as he was pulled just two minutes into the first period after giving up two goals on three shots. Buffalo scored five goals in the first period on its way to a 5-2 win.

Clemmensen was making his second consecutive start after picking up the win against Philadelphia earlier this week, stopping 25 shots in a 4-2 win. Tomas Vokoun, who has struggled mightily so far this season, came on in relief and stopped 30 shots.

Ryan Miller picked up the win for the Sabres with 41 stops.

Wednesday's Other Games

The Islanders are on the board! [Box Score, Botta's Recap]

Minnesota knocks off Colorado in a shootout. [Box Score, Recap]

Dallas Beats Anaheim [Box Score, Recap]

Samuelsson's winner leads Canucks [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- Is there an upside to Sergei Gonchar's injury if you're a Penguins fan? [Pens Universe]

-- Cap relief for the Caps as Michael Nylander agrees to a conditioning assignment with the Grand Rapids Griffins. [Grand Rapids Griffins]

Video Of The Day

The Islanders get their first win, so let's give the video of the day to Frans Nielsen for his nifty shootout goal.

Thursday's Key Games

Capitals vs. Thrashers: Fantastic Southeast Division matchup as Atlanta hosts Washington. The Thrashers are off to a strong start, and they'll look to keep it going as two of the top goal-scorers in the league (Alex Ovechkin and Ilya Kovalchuk) square off.

Devils vs. Rangers: The Rangers had their seven-game winning streak snapped on Monday in a blowout loss to the Sharks. They'll look to get rolling again when they host their long-time rivals from New Jersey. It's also Sean Avery vs. Martin Brodeur, which should be fun.

Islanders vs. Canadiens: Can the Islanders start their first winning streak of the season? They have a shot in Montreal!

Predators Offense Continues to Struggle originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hi, My Name Is ... Corey Tropp

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:40:00 EST

Filed under: Sabres, NHL Draft, College Hockey

Every Tuesday, FanHouse discusses the top NHL prospects found in college hockey.

Last year, he was vilified. Fans wanted to run him out of college hockey. Instead of finishing his sophomore season at Michigan State, forward Corey Tropp (NHL rights: Buffalo) found himself looking for a place to play hockey. A vicious assault of Michigan's Steve Kampfer (Anaheim) got Tropp suspended by the school for the rest of the season. What's happened since is a great story of redemption.

MSU head coach Rick Comley believed all along that Tropp's behavior was out of character, and this incident would be an isolated one.

Tropp first planned to spend the rest of last season playing with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League. The USHL, however, imposed a suspension of their own on Tropp, and then he eventually decided to return to school without playing a game for the Stampede.

Only time will tell if Comley's hunch is correct, but so far, he and the MSU program have been rewarded for the decision to reinstate Tropp.

The players have welcomed Tropp -- now a junior -- back with open arms. Tropp was named an assistant captain for the Spartans this year, and Comley didn't waste time putting him on the ice.

Last week, Tropp scored once and had three assists in the Spartans' season-opening sweep of Clarkson. When MSU traveled to Orono, Maine, this past weekend, Tropp was even more explosive. The forward picked up a hat trick in Friday's 5-3 Spartan win, as he scored once five-on-five, one power-play goal, and added a short-handed tally. Tropp chipped in another goal and an assist on Saturday, as Maine won 5-3 to split the series.

After making headlines for the wrong reasons last year, Tropp has been to the sin bin just once this year, more in line with his normally disciplined style of play. Tropp had 16 penalty minutes in 42 games during his freshman season, then 45 in 21 games last year. He totaled 97 penalty minutes in 100 games with Sioux Falls before going to college.

The five-point weekend gives Tropp nine points (four goals and five assists) in just four games this season. He's tied for the NCAA lead with Minnesota Duluth forwards Jack Connolly and Justin Fontaine (both undrafted).

While there is no denying the awful nature of Tropp's behavior that fateful night in Ann Arbor, there is also no question that he accepted his punishment and has worked hard to win the trust of his teammates once again. None of this is going to change how Tropp is treated by Michigan fans when the Spartans visit Yost Ice Arena Nov. 13.

Tropp's hot start does show that some people can take advantage of their second chances. For him to get a chance in the pros, he needs to continue playing with discipline. His goal-scoring touch is clearly developing, but no one will care about that if he isn't behaving himself on the ice. Tropp's story may lead some to wonder why he's still allowed to play college hockey, but it will be gone and forgotten as long as he doesn't come close to repeating what he did to Kampfer.

(Kampfer, by the way, is a senior defenseman for the Wolverines this season. He was in the lineup for each of Michigan's two games so far, but has not registered a point.)

Other Players to Watch

If you're going up against Minnesota Duluth, stay out of the box. UMD has scored seven of its 13 goals with the man advantage. Fontaine and Connolly are responsible for a mind-boggling ten goals, with six of them coming on the power play. Fontaine scored four goals and assisted on another in the Bulldogs' weekend sweep of Minnesota State, Mankato.

St. Cloud State fans can't complain about the start they've had in goal. Yes, the team is 1-2-1, but freshman Mike Lee (Phoenix) has a 1.97 goals against and a .933 save percentage over his first three career starts.. He's been a star at every level he's played at, and there's no reason to think Lee will falter in college.

Alabama-Huntsville doesn't have a conference to play in after this season. College Hockey America is disbanding, and UAH is the only school yet to find a home. In other words, the future of the program is -- at best -- uncertain. After splitting with CCHA power Notre Dame in their opening weekend, the Chargers visited Air Force this week. They came away with back-to-back 4-2 wins. 3-1 Huntsville is led by junior goaltender Cameron Talbot (undrafted), who has posted a .947 save percentage in four starts. It should be an interesting weekend coming up, as UAH plays their home opener against Western Michigan, a CCHA team.

Freshman Curtis McKenzie (Dallas) of Miami had four points for the RedHawks in a weekend set at New Hampshire. Miami won the first game 6-3 before rallying to gain a 5-5 tie Saturday. Junior Carter Camper (undrafted) had two goals in the Friday win.

Hi, My Name Is ... Corey Tropp originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vanek Scores 2, Likely Out 'Weeks' With Upper Body Injury

Adam Gretz — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Flames, Sabres, Red Wings, NHL Injuries

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Sabres 6, Red Wings 2: The Sabres scored four goals in seven minutes during the second period of their 6-2 win against the Red Wings on Tuesday, chasing Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood after he surrendered five goals on just 22 shots. Leading the way for Buffalo was Thomas Vanek with two goals, including what turned out to be a costly score when he was injured falling into the boards after poking in a rebound. He left the game and did not return with an "upper body injury" that appears to be fairly serious.

After the jump: Vanek's status, hit of the day, and more

Following the game, Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said his All-Star winger could be out "weeks" with the injury.

Vanek missed nine games a season ago, which played a big role in the Sabres missing the playoffs as they went 3-5-1 in his absence and fell short of the postseason by just two points.

Drew Stafford, Patrick Kaleta, Clarke MacArthur and Paul Gaustad also scored for Buffalo, while Ryan Miller stopped 23 shots.

Blue Jackets 2, Flames 1: Columbus continued its fast start with a 2-1 win over Calgary on Tuesday. Anton Stralman scored his first goal as a member of the Blue Jackets, while Kristian Huselius' marker two minutes later proved to be the game-winner. Steve Mason turned aside 22-of-23 shots for Columbus as Calgary dropped its third game in a row, ending what turned out to be a disappointing -- and at times embarrassing -- two-game road trip.

Tuesday's Other Game

Toronto continues its early season struggles. [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- Go Green Nights return in Tampa Bay. Own a bike? Have a phone book you're looking to get rid of? Then you can see some free (or discounted) hockey on October 22 against the San Jose Sharks.

-- Gabriel Desjardins takes a look at Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala and asks the question we're all asking after his first four starts: does he really suck this much? [Behind The Net]

Video Of The Day

Patrick Kaleta, meet Niklas Kronwall.

Wednesday's Key Games

Pittsburgh vs. Carolina: The Penguins are unbeaten away from Mellon Arena this season and look to go a perfect a 4-0 on their current road trip. It's a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Final. No word on whether or not Bill Cowher will be sounding the Hurricane warning siren.

Edmonton vs. Chicago: Chicago returns to the ice after its record-tying come-from-behind win against Calgary on Monday. The Blackhawks will be taking on their former goaltender, Nikolai Khabibulin, as they host the Edmonton Oilers.

Los Angeles vs. New York: The Kings enter Madison Square Garden riding a four-game winning streak, including three-straight one-goal games. Ryan Smyth looks to be rejuvenated in Los Angeles with eight points (four goals, four assists) in his first five games.

Vanek Scores 2, Likely Out 'Weeks' With Upper Body Injury originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL's Top 50: Thomas Vanek (No. 30)

Adam Gretz — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sabres, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

FanHouse's Adam Gretz takes a look at his top 50 players in the NHL. No. 30 is Buffalo Sabres forward Thomas Vanek.

Before Kevin Lowe ignited an epic public feud with Brian Burke by signing restricted free agent Dustin Penner in the summer of 2007, the Oilers general manager had his eyes on a much larger prize -- Buffalo Sabres restricted free agent Thomas Vanek. In early July, 2007, the Oilers signed the 23-year-old Vanek to a seven-year, $50 million offer sheet. Had Buffalo refused to match the offer, it would have received four first-round picks as compensation. Tempting. But not tempting enough.

The NHL's Top 50 Players: See the Entire List

The Sabres didn't hesitate to match the offer, and as intriguing as four first-round picks would have been, it's becoming obvious that Buffalo made the right call, something Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News pointed out back in December.

If the Sabres were to decide today that they were putting Vanek on the trade block, it's doubtful that they would get four first-round picks offered in return. If we assume that the Oilers finish with the same record the past two seasons with Vanek (a bad assumption since Vanek would have likely made them a better team), the Sabres would have had a pair of top-15 picks, plus Edmonton's next two first-rounders at their disposal. Again, it's tempting, but it's not a move the Sabres could have considered. When you have a young, elite goal-scorer in your possession, it's wise to keep him.

Granted, the Sabres haven't made the playoffs the past two seasons with Vanek, but they would have had a fighting chance this year had he not missed nine games with a broken jaw. The Sabres were 3-5-1 without him.

The Numbers: Thomas Vanek
Thomas Vanek	Goals	Assists	Points	PIM
Career Totals	144	116	250	220
Average Per 82 Games	36.9	29.5	67.2	56.5

Draft Year: 2003

One of only three NHL players to be born in Vienna, Austria (only five Austrian-born players have ever played in the NHL, for what it's worth), Vanek went fifth overall in 2003.

Why He's On My List

An underrated defensive player and gifted goal-scorer, Vanek might be one of the players I look back on when this is over and question whether or not he's too low. He's already posted a pair of 40-goal seasons, finishing in the top-five twice, while his .45 goals-per-game average is right between Keith Tkachuk and Marian Hossa on the active list.

Obligatory YouTube Video

NHL's Top 50: Thomas Vanek (No. 30) originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Offseason Roadmap: Northeast Division

Adam Gretz — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Sabres, Senators

It's officially the offseason, meaning the time is right to look into the future. We begin our division-by-division preview of the potential wheeling and dealing with the Northeast Division.

Brian Burke begins his rebuild of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Dany Heatley wants out of Ottawa and just what is Boston going to do with Phil Kessel and a limited amount of salary cap space?

Boston Bruins. The Bruins continued their return to relevance during the 2008-09 season by finishing as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, registering 116 points, the largest point total for the franchise since the 1970-71 campaign. The postseason run came up short with a somewhat surprising loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference semifinal.

The Bruins took care of their most important free-agent-to-be, Tim Thomas, during the regular season, locking up the Vezina Trophy winner to a four-year contract extension, leaving Mark Recchi, P.J. Axelsson, Shane Hnidy, Manny Fernandez and Steve Montador as the only unrestricted free agents on the roster, while Phil Kessel and Matt Hunwick remain as the only key restricted free agents following the recent extension given to David Krejci. Cap space is at a premium as the Bruins currently have over $50 million commited to 15 players for the 2009-10 season.

The key player to watch this offseason will be Kessel, as the former No. 5 overall pick is expected to miss the first few months of the season due to shoulder surgery. Will Boston find a way to lock him up long-term, or will it attempt to move him in a cap-saving deal? It would be awfully difficult to part with a 21-year-old that's improved each year he's been in the league and already has a 36-goal season under his belt.

Montreal Canadiens. What started as a promising season with Stanley Cup dreams turned into, well, a nightmare for the Canadiens. Everything that could have possibly gone wrong, went wrong, while the season came to an end with a four-game sweep at the hands of long-time rival, Boston. Heading into the offseason Montreal has to deal with a number of key free agents, including Mike Komisarek, Alex Tanguay, Saku Koivu, and Alexei Kovalev ... and that's just a few of the unrestricted free agents. Youngsters Chris Higgins, Tomas Plekanec and Guillaume Latendresse are all eligible for restricted free agency. Needless to say, it's going to be an interesting, and busy, offseason in Montreal with plenty of holes to fill.

On the plus side, the Canadiens have well over $30 million in cap space and are sure to be mentioned in countless Vincent Lecavalier rumors, much like they were heading up to the trade deadline in early March, even if the trade itself never actually happens (and it likely won't).

Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres committed $9 million over the next two seasons to 28-year-old center Tim Connolly, a former top-five pick of the New York Islanders. It's certainly a risky investment. When Connolly is on the ice, he's a gifted playmaker. Trouble is, since the lockout, he's played in only 168 of a possible 410 games. The Sabres already have some of their top forwards locked up long-term, including Thomas Vanek, Derek Roy, and Jason Pominville.

Perhaps the most notable player up for free agency is 29-year-old winger Maxim Afinogenov, and frankly, the Sabres should make no effort to bring him back as he's the poster child for a player that is in need of a fresh start with a new team. Jaroslav Spacek led all Sabres defensemen in scoring with 45 points, while the 35-year-old is also headed for free agency.

Ottawa Senators. The Senators offseason got off to a somewhat surprising start when two-time 50-goal scorer Dany Heatley requested a trade, news that reportedly "devastated" head coach Cory Clouston. Assuming Heatley gets his wish, it's going to further weaken an offense that's already lacking firepower. With Heatley in the lineup Ottawa finished a dismal 23rd in the NHL in goals scored, while only three players on the roster scored more than 17 goals during the season (and one of them, of course, was Heatley).

The only free agents of any consequence on the team are Chris Neil and Mike Comrie. Comrie is finishing his second stint with the Senators after he was acquired, along with defenseman Chris Campoli, in a surprising deal with the New York Islanders prior to the trade deadline.

In Heatley's expected absence, the Senators will need continued develop from 21-year-old Nick Foligno, while Mike Fisher needs to rebound from a down year offensively and regain his 20-goal form. Otherwise, that $4 million per year cap hit is going to be a tough to swallow (as if it already isn't).

Toronto Maple Leafs. Brian Burke begins his first offseason in charge of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the first question I'll ask is: who plays goalie? Vesa Toskala is entering the final year of his contract and is coming off his second straight disappointing season with the club, posting the worst save percentage (.891) of his career. Justin Pogge is the top goaltending prospect in the system, but the 23-year-old struggled mightly in his first brief taste of NHL action. There was a rumor floating around the internet this past week that mentioned the possibility of Toronto acquiring Marek Zidlicky and Josh Harding from Minnesota, only to have Burke quickly dismiss the report.

Goaltender questions aside, the Leafs have some intriguing young players in the system, including Luke Schenn, Nikolai Kulemin, Jiri Tlusty, Mikhail Grabovski, Christian Hanson and whatever young prospect they add at the top of this year's NHL draft.

Offseason Roadmap: Northeast Division originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Campbell No Stranger to Playoff Flubs

Kevin Schultz — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:21:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Sabres, Senators, Sharks, Stars, NHL Videos

A lot of the talk following last night's Game 2 in Detroit centered around Chicago's Brian Campbell and his turnover, which led to Mikael Samuelsson's game-winning goal, giving the Wings a 3-2 win in overtime and a 2-0 series lead. But it wasn't nearly the first time that Campbell has made a mistake that has cost his team a victory in a playoff overtime. This is actually the third time in this past three years that a misplay by Campbell has led to an overtime defeat for his team.

The first of Campbell's postseason miscues occurred during his time in Buffalo two years ago, and is probably the least egregious. In 2007, the Sabres faced the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference Finals and would lose in five games. If you remember, the fifth game was the infamous "Preakness Game" in which NBC cut off coverage of the game before overtime in favor of pre-race Preakness coverage, forcing puckheads to scramble to find the game's conclusion on Versus.

That worked out pretty well for the Sabres and Campbell, as a smaller audience saw them get eliminated 3-2 in overtime thanks to a goal from Daniel Alfredsson. In the video below, it's hard to see what happened, so I'll let the Associated Press' recap of the game explain.

[The goal] came on what began as an innocent-looking play, accepting Dany Heatley's pass on the fly and breaking into the Sabres zone on a 1-on-3 rush. Using Buffalo defenseman Brian Campbell as a screen, Alfredsson had his shot tip off the defender's stick and sneak just inside the right post.

It's hard to lay a lot of blame on Campbell for the Sabres' fortunes on that play. He played Alfredsson tight on the play, as he had support from teammates on both sides and no other Senators in the area. You could easily chalk it up as an unlucky break, having the puck deflect off his stick and into the net. In fact, if anything, he helped the Sabres that year, scoring 48 points with a +28 rating during the regular season and scoring 14 points in 16 playoff games.

The next miscue came last season, when Campbell was a deadline day acquisition by the San Jose Sharks. This time, it was not an excusable offense.

During the conference semis, the Sharks faced off against the Dallas Stars. With the Sharks trailing 3-2 in the series, they headed to Dallas to try and even the series. Campbell had already been on the receiving end of some vitriol from Sharks fans for defensive lapses, but on the stat sheet, he had been producing. He notched 19 points in 20 regular season games with the Sharks and had seven points in 13 playoff games.

Game 6 in Dallas was a long one, starting on Sunday night and lasting into the early morning hours of Monday. It went three overtimes without either team breaking the 1-1 tie. In the fourth overtime, Campbell took a tripping penalty at 8:14. You can probably guess what happened next.

Brenden Morrow untied the game with a power play goal and the Sharks were knocked out in six games. This time, it's much easier to lay blame on Campbell. NHL referees are notorious for swallowing their whistles especially in the playoffs and especially during playoff overtime. In fact, during that game, they called only one other penalty after the second period.

And so ends your crash course in Brain Campbell Playoff Flubs. Tune in again next year -- or maybe later this week -- when we may have another lowlight to add to this list.

Campbell No Stranger to Playoff Flubs originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 20 May 2009 16:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fenway Park Reportedly Hosting 2010 Winter Classic

Eric McErlain — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:20:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Bruins, Capitals, Rangers, Sabres, NHL Rumors

One of the better ideas to come out of the NHL in recent years has been the NHL Winter Classic. Held first in Buffalo on New Year's Day in 2008, the annual outdoor game is not only into a ratings winner for NBC Sports on a day traditionally dominated by college football, it's also a big time event that's rapidly surpassed the league's All-Star Game in importance on the NHL calender.

And now, it's coming to Boston. At least that's what the Boston Herald is reporting this morning. That shot you see to the right is an artist's conception of what Fenway will be looking like come next New Year's Day when the reigning Eastern Conference Champions will get to host the 2010 NHL Winter Classic.

I went to the 2009 edition in Chicago, and trust me on this: Outside of the Stanley Cup Finals, there's no other hockey event you'd rather be at.

According to Herald reporters Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa, the finalists to host the 2010 edition of the Winter Classic were Boston, New York and Philadelphia, with Fenway getting the nod over Gillette Stadium in Foxboro thanks to uncertainty over whether or not the New England Patriots might need the field clear for an AFC Playoff Game.

If the report is accurate, it's hard to argue with the choice. Out of the three cities reported to be the finalists, Fenway is the venue that packs the most powerful punch -- one punctuated by equal parts of history, charm and Americana. Now, I'm sure there will be more than a few folks who will quibble with the choice, especially coming just one year after the game was held at America's other great cathedral of baseball, Wrigley Field.

Then again, unless the league figured out a way to somehow construct a temporary rink in the middle of Central Park in Manhattan for the Rangers and Canadiens to use, I'm more than fine with spending a shivering afternoon in Boston, an NHL city that also deserves the game thanks to the dramatic resurgence the Bruins have enjoyed over the last two seasons.

But now that we know where the game will be played and which team will host it, the next logical question has to be which team will get to visit Boston to get the opportunity to be the third visiting team in a row to steal the Winter Classic on enemy ice? Sidney Crosby already got his chance with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2008, and I don't doubt that when Philadelphia gets its eventual turn, that the Penguins will be more than logical guests.

The natural choice for the visiting team would have to be the aforementioned Canadiens, Boston's longtime antagonist and natural rival. But we need to remember that NBC Sports will have a say in this decision too, which leads me to beleive that the league's reigning MVP, Alex Ovechkin, and his teammates with the Washington Capitals ought to be the league's top pick.

Fenway Park Reportedly Hosting 2010 Winter Classic originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flames Nearing Northwest Title

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Blues, Bruins, Canadiens, Canucks, Capitals, Devils, Ducks, Flames, Flyers, Hurricanes, Oilers, Panthers, Penguins, Predators, Rangers, Sabres, Sharks, Wild, Red Wings, Eastern, Western

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

It looked like a foregone conclusion not that long ago, but the Calgary Flames had trouble sealing the deal. Fortunately for them, Vancouver couldn't seize the opportunity to take control of the Northwest Division, and the Flames find themselves on the cusp of a division title. A 4-1 win over Los Angeles Monday night gave the Flames a two-point lead with three games to go.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 4/6
1.	z-Boston Bruins	112 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	104
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	102
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	95
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	95
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	93
7.	Montreal Canadiens	92
8.	New York Rangers	89
9.	Florida Panthers	89

Eastern Conference, 4/7
1.	z-Boston Bruins	112 pts
2.	y-Washington Capitals	104
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	102
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	95
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	95
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	93
7.	Montreal Canadiens	92
8.	New York Rangers	89
9.	Florida Panthers	89

We bid "adieu" to the Sabres, who were beaten at home Monday by Detroit, thus destroying any serious chance they had to make the playoffs. Sure, they're still alive if you look at the math, but it's not all about that here. The Sabres need too much help.

In Montreal, the Canadiens blew a third-period lead and lost to Ottawa, 3-2. While the Habs lead ninth-place Florida by three points, Florida has a game in hand, while Montreal has to deal with the slumping and potentially desperate Rangers at the Garden Tuesday.

In the West

Western Conference, 4/6
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	115 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	109
3.	x-Calgary Flames	94
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	95
5.	x-Vancouver Canucks	94
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	90
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	Nashville Predators	86
9.	St. Louis Blues	86
10.	Minnesota Wild	83
11.	Edmonton Oilers	83

Western Conference, 4/7
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	115 pts
2.	y-Detroit Red Wings	111
3.	x-Calgary Flames	96
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	97
5.	x-Vancouver Canucks	94
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	90
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	Nashville Predators	86
9.	St. Louis Blues	86
10.	Minnesota Wild	83
11.	Edmonton Oilers	83

In the only games involving teams in the West, the Flames won in Los Angeles, and Detroit picked up the win at Buffalo.

******

.
What's Next

Plenty of games Tuesday involving either playoff teams trying to improve their position, teams trying to make the playoffs, or both.

Among the big ones are Florida traveling to Philadelphia, where the Panthers are trying to get in, and the Flyers are in a dogfight for a home-ice position in the first round. Also in the East, Montreal visits the Rangers, trying to at least hang on to seventh in the East.

In Nashville, the Predators continue their push for a playoff spot as they host Chicago. The Blackhawks are in good position for the fourth seed in the West, but they need to keep picking up points.

Meanwhile, Vancouver's last chance to take a shot at the Northwest Division title is a home date with Calgary.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.

Flames Nearing Northwest Title originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panthers Win, Stay Alive in East

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Blues, Bruins, Canadiens, Canucks, Capitals, Devils, Ducks, Flyers, Hurricanes, Oilers, Panthers, Penguins, Predators, Rangers, Sabres, Sharks, Wild, Red Wings, Eastern, Western

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

Thanks to a loss to Atlanta on Friday, the Florida Panthers had their backs against the wall Sunday evening. With Pittsburgh in town, Florida needed a win to keep up with the Eastern Conference playoff race. As we enter the final week of the season, the Panthers are indeed still alive, and Pittsburgh's hopes for a fourth seed took a huge hit.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 4/5
1.	z-Boston Bruins	112 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	102
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	102
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	95
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	95
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	93
7.	Montreal Canadiens	92
8.	New York Rangers	89
9.	Florida Panthers	87
10.	Buffalo Sabres	85

Eastern Conference, 4/6
1.	z-Boston Bruins	112 pts
2.	y-Washington Capitals	104
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	102
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	95
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	95
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	93
7.	Montreal Canadiens	92
8.	New York Rangers	89
9.	Florida Panthers	89
10.	Buffalo Sabres	85

Florida beat Pittsburgh 4-2 and tied the Rangers for eighth. New York has more wins, so they keep the position for now. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, missed a chance to create a three-way tie for fourth with Carolina and Philadelphia.

Washington's 6-4 win over Atlanta gives them sole possession of second in the East, but the Devils still have time to make the pass this week.

In the West

Western Conference, 4/5
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	113 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	x-Calgary Flames	94
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	95
5.	x-Vancouver Canucks	94
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	89
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	Nashville Predators	86
9.	St. Louis Blues	86
10.	Minnesota Wild	83
11.	Edmonton Oilers	83

Western Conference, 4/6
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	115 pts
2.	y-Detroit Red Wings	109
3.	x-Calgary Flames	94
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	97
5.	x-Vancouver Canucks	94
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	90
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	Nashville Predators	86
9.	St. Louis Blues	86
10.	Minnesota Wild	83
11.	Edmonton Oilers	83

No movement in the West standings, but there were a couple meaningful results. Minnesota's failure to hold on for at least a point against Detroit probably cost them any remaining chance to make the playoffs. Anaheim's winning streak ended at home against San Jose, and it keeps them within shouting distance of the ninth-place Blues.

Chicago got a significant two points with a 1-0 overtime win over Columbus, while the Blue Jackets got a point out of their second straight game. It appears Columbus is virtually locked into sixth.

Colorado stunned Vancouver, 4-1. That puts the Flames in good position to win the Northwest.

******

.
What's Next

Detroit goes to Buffalo, hoping to end what's left of the Sabres' hopes. Also, Montreal is home for Ottawa, and Calgary hosts Los Angeles.

The Flames have clinched a playoff spot, while the Canadiens are in good shape for one, but both need wins. Calgary is trying to hold off Vancouver for a Northwest Division title that seemed to be a lock a month ago, and Montreal could conceivably finish as high as fourth if they keep playing well.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.

Panthers Win, Stay Alive in East originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hurricanes Return to Playoffs

Bruce Ciskie — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 09:30:00 EST

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

An 11th-straight home win did the trick for the Carolina Hurricanes. The 2006 Stanley Cup Champions will return to the playoffs for the first time since winning that title, as Carolina clinched a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs with a 3-2 overtime win over Pittsburgh Saturday in Raleigh.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 4/4
1.	y-Boston Bruins	110 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	102
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	100
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	94
5.	Carolina Hurricanes	93
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	92
7.	Montreal Canadiens	90
8.	New York Rangers	89
9.	Florida Panthers	87
10.	Buffalo Sabres	85

Eastern Conference, 4/5
1.	z-Boston Bruins	112 pts
2.	y-Washington Capitals	102
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	102
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	95
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	95
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	93
7.	Montreal Canadiens	92
8.	New York Rangers	89
9.	Florida Panthers	87
10.	Buffalo Sabres	85

Carolina has a playoff spot clinched, though Philadelphia has the fourth seed. Why? Wins. Carolina has 44 wins to the Flyers' 42. Philly sits in the fourth position in the standings because they've played fewer games. The Flyers lost a shootout to Ottawa Saturday.

New Jersey held on to beat Buffalo 3-2, which is a huge regulation win for the Devils and a crippling loss for the Sabres. Boston's 1-0 win over the Rangers clinches them the top seed in the East.

Montreal opened up a three-point lead over the eighth-place Rangers when they blew out Toronto.

In the West

Western Conference, 4/4
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	113 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	x-Vancouver Canucks	94
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	95
5.	x-Calgary Flames	94
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	88
7.	Anaheim Ducks	86
8.	St. Louis Blues	85
9.	Nashville Predators	84
10.	Minnesota Wild	83
11.	Edmonton Oilers	81

Western Conference, 4/5
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	113 pts
2.	y-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	x-Calgary Flames	94
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	95
5.	x-Vancouver Canucks	94
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	89
7.	Anaheim Ducks	88
8.	Nashville Predators	86
9.	St. Louis Blues	86
10.	Minnesota Wild	83
11.	Edmonton Oilers	83

Anaheim is hot, having won four straight and nine of 10. They whipped San Jose, 5-2, staying in seventh place but pulling within one point of sixth-place Columbus. The Blue Jackets stayed ahead with a point in a shootout loss to Nashville.

St. Louis' overtime loss to Dallas cost them the eighth spot, as Nashville takes over on a tie-breaker. Edmonton beat Vancouver to stay alive ... barely.

******

.
What's Next

Minnesota's must-win tour continues in Detroit, where the Red Wings have lost three straight. Pittsburgh plays the second of back-to-back games at Florida, where the Panthers really need a win. Columbus hosts Chicago, trying to move closer to their first-ever playoff spot. Also, we'll see San Jose make the trip to Anaheim, trying to exact some revenge for Saturday's big Ducks win.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.

Hurricanes Return to Playoffs originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 05 Apr 2009 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boudreau Not Content With Division Title

Tom Mantzouranis — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 10:03:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Sabres

Though they lost to the Sabres, 5-4, on Jason Pominville's overtime goal Friday night, the Capitals clinched the division title with the Bettman point they earned in the contest. Still, Bruce Boudreau took no enjoyment from the "achievement." He said: "Before the season started, we said we were going to win, and we have one goal in mind, and we aren't there yet. ... You know what? It's an accomplishment, but it's an accomplishment we thought was going to happen. I mean, let's face it, Carolina would have to win 12 in a row and we'd have to lose all of our games. It would be a monumental collapse." Kudos, coach. [AP]

Boudreau Not Content With Division Title originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 04 Apr 2009 10:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canucks, Flames Clinch Playoff Spots

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:55:00 EST

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

It was a crazy Thursday in the NHL. David Backes' big night propelled St. Louis back into playoff position, while the Carolina Hurricanes moved into fourth place in the East with a win over the Rangers. New York now looks to be in a potentially perilous position, with just a two-point lead over ninth-place Florida. Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames won and the Vancouver Canucks grabbed a shootout point, and both have clinched playoff spots.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 4/2
1.	y-Boston Bruins	108 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	101
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	98
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	92
5.	Pittsburgh Penguins	92
6.	Carolina Hurricanes	91
7.	New York Rangers	89
8.	Montreal Canadiens	88
9.	Florida Panthers	87
10.	Buffalo Sabres	83

Eastern Conference, 4/3
1.	y-Boston Bruins	110 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	101
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	98
4.	Carolina Hurricanes	93
5.	Philadelphia Flyers	92
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	92
7.	Montreal Canadiens	90
8.	New York Rangers	89
9.	Florida Panthers	87
10.	Buffalo Sabres	83

The Hurricanes vault into fourth with their win, and Philadelphia is no longer in a home-ice spot. Meanwhile, Florida is just two points out of a playoff spot thanks to the Rangers, who have been quite average as of late.

The Bruins beat Ottawa 2-1, and are one more win away from clinching the top seed in the East. You really have to hand it to Boston. They were spiraling back to Earth just a month ago, but are on fire at the right time.

In the West

Western Conference, 4/2
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	111 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	Vancouver Canucks	93
4.	Chicago Blackhawks	93
5.	Calgary Flames	92
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	88
7.	Anaheim Ducks	84
8.	Nashville Predators	84
9.	St. Louis Blues	83
10.	Minnesota Wild	81
11.	Edmonton Oilers	81

Western Conference, 4/3
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	113 pts
2.	y-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	x-Vancouver Canucks	94
4.	x-Calgary Flames	94
5.	Chicago Blackhawks	93
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	88
7.	Anaheim Ducks	86
8.	St. Louis Blues	85
9.	Nashville Predators	84
10.	Minnesota Wild	81
11.	Edmonton Oilers	81

San Jose's 2-1 win at Edmonton, coupled with the Wings' loss to St. Louis, leaves San Jose six points up for the top seed. Each team has five games left, so the Sharks are very close to clinching. That loss for Edmonton may be the final blow. The Oilers are now four points out of eighth with just four games left to play. When the book is written on the 2008-2009 Oilers, make sure it mentions that they have the worst home record of any playoff contender in either conference.

Calgary eked out a 2-1 win at Dallas, which put the Flames back into fourth place. Vancouver blew a 5-3 lead but still got a point out of a 6-5 shootout loss to Anaheim. The Ducks stay in seventh, and the Blues are eighth after their dramatic win at Detroit.

******

.
What's Next

In the East, the Devils try to, you know, win a game. They host Tampa Bay.

Philadelphia can move back into fourth with a home win over Toronto. Florida hosts Atlanta, with a win putting them in a tie for eighth with the Rangers.

Also, whatever hope Buffalo has left is on the line as they visit Washington.

Key games for Minnesota and Nashville in the West. The Wild host Calgary, a team they've struggled mightily against, as they try to keep hope alive for a spot in the West playoffs. Nashville hooks up with Chicago at the United Center, with a win putting them back in eighth.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.

Canucks, Flames Clinch Playoff Spots originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Penguins' Surge Continues

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:20:00 EST

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

Some big games Wednesday night, but there might not have been a bigger result than the 6-1 beatdown Pittsburgh laid on New Jersey. Not only did it lift the Penguins into a tie for fourth place in the East with Philadelphia, but it keeps the Devils in this tailspin they've been in. Losers of six straight, New Jersey is actually in danger of blowing an Atlantic Division title that looked like an absolute certainty a couple weeks ago.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 4/1
1.	y-Boston Bruins	108 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	99
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	98
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	92
5.	Carolina Hurricanes	91
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	90
7.	New York Rangers	89
8.	Montreal Canadiens	88
9.	Florida Panthers	87
10.	Buffalo Sabres	82

Eastern Conference, 4/2
1.	y-Boston Bruins	108 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	101
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	98
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	92
5.	Pittsburgh Penguins	92
6.	Carolina Hurricanes	91
7.	New York Rangers	89
8.	Montreal Canadiens	88
9.	Florida Panthers	87
10.	Buffalo Sabres	83

The Penguins have surged to a tie for fourth (fifth thanks to a tiebreaker loss to Philadelphia). The Flyers lost to Toronto, continuing to struggle to gain ground with games they had in hand on the teams near them in the standings.

Also, Buffalo lost a shootout to Atlanta, meaning they are now five points out of a playoff spot. It's definitely not looking good for the Sabres.

Washington's lead over the Devils is now three points for the second seed.

In the West

Western Conference, 4/1
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	111 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	Vancouver Canucks	93
4.	Calgary Flames	92
5.	Chicago Blackhawks	91
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	88
7.	Anaheim Ducks	84
8.	Nashville Predators	84
9.	St. Louis Blues	83
10.	Minnesota Wild	81
11.	Edmonton Oilers	81

Western Conference, 4/2
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	111 pts
2.	y-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	Vancouver Canucks	93
4.	Chicago Blackhawks	93
5.	Calgary Flames	92
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	88
7.	Anaheim Ducks	84
8.	Nashville Predators	84
9.	St. Louis Blues	83
10.	Minnesota Wild	81
11.	Edmonton Oilers	81

Chicago dealt a blow to the Blues' hopes, beating them 3-1 in Chicago. The Blackhawks move ahead of Calgary and into fourth place with that win.

******

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What's Next

No game on Thursday's schedule is as significant as the matchup in Raleigh between the Rangers and Hurricanes. Carolina can actually move into fourth place in the East with a win. The Rangers, meanwhile, come in just two ahead of ninth-place Florida.

Montreal plays a key road game against the Islanders, as they try to hold on to a playoff spot. The Blues can help themselves significantly with a win at Detroit.

Also, Edmonton tries to stay alive as they host San Jose, Calgary travels to Dallas, and Anaheim plays Vancouver.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.

Penguins' Surge Continues originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canucks Take Northwest Lead

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:45:00 EST

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

At one point, the Vancouver Canucks had lost nine straight home games, Mats Sundin was an overpaid flop, and the team was going to have trouble making the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames had won the Northwest Division before the deadline deals that brought them Jordan Leopold and Olli Jokinen. It's obvious now that we spoke way too soon, as the division has a new leader, and there appears to be no doubt Vancouver will be a dangerous team in the playoffs.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 3/31
1.	y-Boston Bruins	106 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	99
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	98
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	92
5.	Carolina Hurricanes	91
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	90
7.	New York Rangers	89
8.	Montreal Canadiens	86
9.	Florida Panthers	85
10.	Buffalo Sabres	82

Eastern Conference, 4/1
1.	y-Boston Bruins	108 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	99
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	98
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	92
5.	Carolina Hurricanes	91
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	90
7.	New York Rangers	89
8.	Montreal Canadiens	88
9.	Florida Panthers	87
10.	Buffalo Sabres	82

It's good news and bad news for the Panthers. Florida whipped Ottawa, 5-2, but watched as Montreal beat Chicago at home. The Canadiens maintain a one-point lead over the Panthers, and they have a game in hand. Buffalo, meanwhile, is almost out of chances. They've won three straight, but it's not likely to be good enough to get in the playoffs.

Boston widened the gap atop the conference with their 3-1 victory over Tampa Bay.

Look at fourth through ninth. One point separating each position. There's still a lot of hockey left, so odds are that these standings will eventually change.

In the West

Western Conference, 3/31
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	111 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	Calgary Flames	92
4.	Chicago Blackhawks	91
5.	Vancouver Canucks	91
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	86
7.	Nashville Predators	84
8.	St. Louis Blues	83
9.	Anaheim Ducks	82
10.	Edmonton Oilers	81
11.	Minnesota Wild	80

Western Conference, 4/1
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	111 pts
2.	y-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	Vancouver Canucks	93
4.	Calgary Flames	92
5.	Chicago Blackhawks	91
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	88
7.	Anaheim Ducks	84
8.	Nashville Predators	84
9.	St. Louis Blues	83
10.	Minnesota Wild	81
11.	Edmonton Oilers	81

Oh, look at all the pretty colors.

Vancouver's overtime win over Minnesota gives them the Northwest Division lead. You have to be impressed with the Wild's ability to outshoot their opponent 11-0 in the third period but only get a point out of the deal.

Anaheim held on for dear life against Edmonton, which puts the Ducks back in the playoffs and leaves Edmonton in the same spot as the Wild, which is a precarious one. Both teams are, to put it kindly, longshots to make the playoffs.

******

.
What's Next

To say that St. Louis' game at Chicago is big would be a gross understatement. Anaheim won, and Nashville continues to play well, so the Blues need to keep pace.

New Jersey tries to break their skid as they play at Pittsburgh, while Washington will host the Islanders. Don't underestimate the importance of the second seed and home ice through at least the conference semifinals.

Also, Buffalo faces their latest must-win game at Atlanta. The Thrashers have actually won seven of their last ten, so this is hardly a cakewalk for the Sabres.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.

Canucks Take Northwest Lead originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stars Stumble Out of Picture

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:30:00 EST

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

It's been a long year for coach Dave Tippett and the Dallas Stars. Injuries to guys like Brendan Morrow and Brad Richards have limited the effectiveness of the offense. Defenseman Sergei Zubov missed significant time, and goalie Marty Turco never looked right. The Stars made a nice run after the All-Star break, but a seventh straight loss - Monday night in Phoenix - means it's time to turn off the lights.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 3/30
1.	y-Boston Bruins	104 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	99
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	98
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	92
5.	Carolina Hurricanes	91
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	90
7.	New York Rangers	87
8.	Montreal Canadiens	86
9.	Florida Panthers	85
10.	Buffalo Sabres	82

Eastern Conference, 3/31
1.	y-Boston Bruins	106 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	99
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	98
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	92
5.	Carolina Hurricanes	91
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	90
7.	New York Rangers	89
8.	Montreal Canadiens	86
9.	Florida Panthers	85
10.	Buffalo Sabres	82

The Rangers beat the Devils 3-0 Monday night, in the only game involving Eastern teams. While it didn't trigger any movement in the standings, it was an important win for the Rangers, keeping them in the hunt for (conceivably) fourth in the East. New York trails Pittsburgh (sixth) by one point, Carolina (fifth) by two, and Philadelphia (fourth) by just three.

New Jersey stays behind second-place Washington, and they're hardly a sure bet to win the Atlantic if they keep in what is now a mini-slump.

In the West

Western Conference, 3/30
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	109 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	Calgary Flames	92
4.	Chicago Blackhawks	91
5.	Vancouver Canucks	89
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	86
7.	Nashville Predators	82
8.	Edmonton Oilers	81
9.	St. Louis Blues	81
10.	Anaheim Ducks	80
11.	Minnesota Wild	78

Western Conference, 3/31
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	111 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	Calgary Flames	92
4.	Chicago Blackhawks	91
5.	Vancouver Canucks	91
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	86
7.	Nashville Predators	84
8.	St. Louis Blues	83
9.	Anaheim Ducks	82
10.	Edmonton Oilers	81
11.	Minnesota Wild	80

The Sharks open a four-point lead over Detroit for the top seed with their win over the Flames. Calgary, meanwhile, has to be sweating bullets at this point. A Northwest Division title that looked to be theirs to lose is almost lost, given how Vancouver has been playing.

******

.
What's Next

Florida knows they have to keep winning to make the playoffs. They host Ottawa, which is no picnic, because the Senators have been playing pretty well.

The Canadiens host Original Six rival Chicago, as they continue their quest to move back up the East ladder. Chicago, meanwhile, finds itself tied with Vancouver for the last home-ice spot in the first round out West.

The Canucks will be in Minnesota Tuesday, where the Wild absolutely have to get a win to stay in the race.

Nashville and Columbus meet, with the Predators just two points back of the Blue Jackets for sixth in the West. Also, Anaheim meets up with Edmonton in a virtual must-win for both teams.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.

Stars Stumble Out of Picture originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blues Take Eighth Spot in West

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

While teams like Minnesota continue to struggle with the notion of playing every game with a sense of urgency, the St. Louis Blues have caught fire at the perfect time. The young guns went into Columbus Sunday evening and whipped the Blue Jackets. That win, combined with an Edmonton loss to Minnesota, gave St. Louis the eighth position in the Western Conference.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 3/29
1.	y-Boston Bruins	104 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	99
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	98
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	92
5.	Carolina Hurricanes	91
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	90
7.	New York Rangers	87
8.	Montreal Canadiens	86
9.	Florida Panthers	85
10.	Buffalo Sabres	82

Eastern Conference, 3/30
1.	y-Boston Bruins	106 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	99
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	98
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	92
5.	Carolina Hurricanes	91
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	90
7.	New York Rangers	87
8.	Montreal Canadiens	86
9.	Florida Panthers	85
10.	Buffalo Sabres	82

In the only game Sunday involving playoff contenders, Boston held on late to beat Philadelphia 4-3. The Bruins continue on track to earn the top seed in the East, while Philadelphia has now blown two of the four games they once had in hand on Carolina.

Not only are the Flyers in danger of falling out of a home-ice spot, they have Pittsburgh gaining quickly on them, and that could ultimately mean Philly has to deal with the Devils or Capitals in a first-round series.

In the West

Western Conference, 3/29
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	109 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	Calgary Flames	92
4.	Chicago Blackhawks	91
5.	Vancouver Canucks	89
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	86
7.	Nashville Predators	82
8.	Edmonton Oilers	81
9.	St. Louis Blues	81
10.	Anaheim Ducks	80
11.	Minnesota Wild	78
12.	Dallas Stars	75

Western Conference, 3/30
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	109 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	Calgary Flames	92
4.	Chicago Blackhawks	91
5.	Vancouver Canucks	91
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	86
7.	Nashville Predators	84
8.	St. Louis Blues	83
9.	Anaheim Ducks	82
10.	Edmonton Oilers	81
11.	Minnesota Wild	80
12.	Dallas Stars	75

Yes, you see things correctly. The St. Louis Blues are, as of right now, a playoff team. The Blues beat Columbus 5-2 Sunday in Columbus to sweep the home-and-home series. St. Louis has won five straight.

Nashville went into Detroit and beat the Wings 4-3. Not only is that a third straight win for the Preds, but the Wings dropped both ends of back-to-back home games. The Sharks now own a two-point lead over Detroit, and they have a game in hand. Detroit's 225 goals allowed, by the way, is tied for third-most among current NHL playoff teams.

Anaheim held off Colorado, which allowed them to move into the ninth position, one point behind the Blues. The Ducks have been playing well, but with Nashville and St. Louis both also hot, it really hurt Anaheim to drop that home game to the Oilers on Friday.

******

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What's Next

The Devils try to make a return to the second position, as they visit the Garden to play the Rangers. Since they have a game in hand on Washington, it's an opportunity to "keep pace", so to speak. At one point, it looked like New Jersey had a chance to catch Boston for the East lead, but those odds grow longer and longer by the day.

Meanwhile, San Jose goes to Calgary, and Dallas puts their slim playoff hopes on the line at Phoenix.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.

Blues Take Eighth Spot in West originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Columbus Takes Huge Step Forward

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:30:00 EST

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

They won't win the Central Division, but the Columbus Blue Jackets are one of the real intriguing stories of this NHL season. A 5-0 blowout of Calgary Thursday night put the Jackets in great position to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. It was another shutout for Steve Mason, and another big night for Rick Nash. Mason pitched the shutout, while Nash dished out four assists.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 3/26
1.	y-Boston Bruins	102 pts
2.	x-New Jersey Devils	97
3.	x-Washington Capitals	97
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	90
5.	Carolina Hurricanes	89
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	88
7.	New York Rangers	86
8.	Montreal Canadiens	83
9.	Florida Panthers	81
10.	Buffalo Sabres	78

Eastern Conference, 3/27
1.	y-Boston Bruins	102 pts
2.	x-New Jersey Devils	97
3.	x-Washington Capitals	97
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	90
5.	Carolina Hurricanes	89
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	88
7.	New York Rangers	87
8.	Montreal Canadiens	85
9.	Florida Panthers	83
10.	Buffalo Sabres	78

No movement in the overall standings from Wednesday's action, but Florida is not ready to wilt away. With a 4-2 win over Philadelphia, the Panthers kept pace with eighth-place Montreal, who won in overtime over Tampa Bay after kicking away a 2-0 lead.

The New York Rangers only lost out on one point, so it could have been worse, but blowing a 4-1 lead and losing in a shootout to Atlanta probably won't sit well with John Tortorella.

In the West

Western Conference, 3/26
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	107 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	Calgary Flames	90
4.	Chicago Blackhawks	89
5.	Vancouver Canucks	87
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	83
7.	Anaheim Ducks	80
8.	Edmonton Oilers	79
9.	Nashville Predators	78
10.	Minnesota Wild	78
11.	St. Louis Blues	77
12.	Dallas Stars	74

Western Conference, 3/27
1.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107 pts
2.	y-San Jose Sharks	107
3.	Calgary Flames	90
4.	Chicago Blackhawks	89
5.	Vancouver Canucks	87
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	85
7.	Anaheim Ducks	80
8.	Nashville Predators	80
9.	Edmonton Oilers	79
10.	St. Louis Blues	79
11.	Minnesota Wild	78
12.	Dallas Stars	75

Nashville's regulation win over San Jose propelled the Predators back into the eighth spot in the West, and it also meant that San Jose dropped back to second in the West. The Sharks have already won the Pacific Division, but home ice throughout the West playoffs is up for grabs.

As already mentioned, Columbus solidified their spot in sixth by pounding Calgary. They now lead seventh-place Anaheim by five points.

Calgary's lead over Vancouver in the Northwest stays at three points, as the Canucks took a 3-2 loss at St. Louis. With the win, the Blues move into tenth in the West, just one point behind Anaheim and Nashville.

Edmonton could have moved back into the top eight, but fell behind 3-0 in a 3-2 loss at Phoenix.

Dallas' chances took a huge hit with a goalless effort against Los Angeles. Marty Turco got a shutout, but took a 1-0 shootout loss.

******

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What's Next

Buffalo is a longshot at this point, but they can help themselves with a home win over Toronto. They hope to have Ryan Miller back in goal for the game.

By cooling off red-hot Anaheim Friday night, Edmonton can take a big step forward after the step back they had Thursday in Phoenix.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall

Columbus Takes Huge Step Forward originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Afingenov Jumped After Empty-Net Goal

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:55:00 EST

Filed under: Panthers, Sabres, Eastern, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

As Adam Gretz mentioned, Wednesday's Buffalo-Florida game featured a melee at the end. After Maxim Afinogenov capped a four-goal third for the Sabres with an empty-netter, Panther Nathan Horton took exception. Perhaps Horton thought Afingenov should have done the Penguin thing and missed the net. The ensuing scuffle broke out into a full-fledged fight between Craig Rivet of the Sabres and Florida's Keith Ballard. Here's a better look at all that transpired, featuring the awesomeness of Rick Jeanneret.

Afingenov Jumped After Empty-Net Goal originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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