NHL FanHouse

Fight of the Week: Blood Sport

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Maple Leafs, Penguins, Rangers, Senators, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

Sometimes, we scour the internet looking for the best fight, only to be left underwhelmed. There are other weeks where this job couldn't possibly be any easier. The good fights jump at you, and the players involved are the guys you would expect to see in the big fights. This week's winning fight has some blood in it, so use caution as you proceed.

Punch of the Week: Colton Orr vs. Matt Carkner

Poor Carkner. He did the right thing, he thought, in going after Orr. He didn't have a chance, however, in this fight. Orr got him with a right, and Carkner's night was over -- or, at least this fight was. Orr got a very easy win in a fight that wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining without Joe Bowen at the mic. Watch it here.

Runner-Up: Krys Barch vs. Brad May

When a fight like this is a runner-up, you know you're in for a good week. Barch and May are both good fighters, and while May has many years on Barch, he held up well, and this one only ended when May lost his footing. Watch the video here.

Runner-Up: Eric Godard vs. Chris Neil

Godard is no stranger to the fisticuffs. Having Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as teammates can keep an enforcer busy. Meanwhile, Neil doesn't like having fights stopped. This particular bout looked to be ending a couple different times, only to have Neil keep things going by throwing a shot or two. Check it out by clicking here.

Fight of the Week: Matt Bradley vs. Aaron Voros

Bradley got a couple shots in, but he clearly took the worst of this fight. You simply can't win a fight most of the time when you're wearing the crimson mask at the end of it. However, Bradley got the last laugh. After getting cleaned up from his bout with Voros, he returned and was credited with the game-winning goal as the Capitals beat the Rangers.

Fight of the Week: Blood Sport originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Backchecking With ... Matt Niskanen

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Stars, Western, NHL Fans

We get to know NHL players with a few quick questions. Today's subject: third-year Stars defenseman Matt Niskanen, who grew up in northern Minnesota, but now calls Dallas home.

What is your first hockey memory?

Playing in my first Mite game. It was at an outdoor rink in Cook, Minn. I remember that I was a defenseman even then. I didn't want to go past the red line. I started to after a couple games, as I started to get the concept. But I just wanted to stop guys from scoring on our net.

What's the best thing about playing in the NHL?

I get to play hockey year-round. It's the best league in the world. I have a lot of fun being around the guys in our room, and I get to play against some of the best players in the world. What a great life!

What's the worst thing about playing in the NHL?

There's not a whole lot of bad. I don't know if I can come up with one. If anything, sometimes practice can drag on a bit late in the season. You get into March, and practice can be a bit tough to get through.

Do you have any superstitions or game-day rituals?

Really, nothing drastic. I have the same routine, doing the same things every game day. I do put my left skate on first every night. When I broke my ankle two years ago, I would tighten it first to make sure it was going to be comfortable. Then I would put on my right skate and tighten it.

Who is one guy in the NHL that you would like to throw a good, hard, clean check on?

Probably (St. Louis Blues forward) David Perron. He has a bit of arrogance about him. He's not really well-liked by our team.

On your team, who would you most want to be, and why?

Easy. Mike Modano. He's played 20 years in the NHL. He won a Stanley Cup. He's scored 50 goals in a season. He has the U.S. record for goals and points. He's had a hell of a career. It would be a heck of a chance to get to be him.

Backchecking With ... Matt Niskanen originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Plus/Minus: A Rarity From Ryan Miller

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

Filed under: Coyotes, Sabres, Stars

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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Red Wings Get Robbed on What Might Be Worst Call of the Season

Adam Gretz — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:10:00 EST

Filed under: Stars, Red Wings, NHL Videos

The Detroit Red Wings lost to the Dallas Stars, 3-1, on Wednesday night, and it's possible that the game could have had a far different outcome had the referees not taken a goal away from Brad May at the 6:40 mark of the third period.

I'm not one to blame officials for teams losing games, but every once in a while the men in stripes make a call that defies all reason and logic, and this is one of those moments.

Video after the jump.

Referee Denis Larue's explanation? "The whistle had blown to kill the play." Well, there is some truth to that statement: the whistle did blow ... it's just that it didn't occur until three seconds after the puck was already in the net for what would have been a game-tying goal.

This appears to be the "Intent to blow" rule at work.

Rule 32.2 of the NHL rule book: The Referees shall have general supervision of the game and shall have full control of all game officials and players during the game, including stoppages; and in case of any dispute, their decision shall be final. As there is a human factor involved in blowing the whistle to stop play, the Referee may deem the play to be stopped slightly prior to the whistle actually being blown. The fact that the puck may come loose or cross the goal line prior to the sound of the whistle has no bearing if the Referee has ruled that the play had been stopped prior to this happening. In the event of any dispute regarding time or the expiration of penalties, the matter shall be referred to the Referee for adjustment and his decision shall be final. He may use the Video Goal Judge to assist in rendering the final decision. See Rule 39 - Video Goal Judge.

The only problem, of course, is that unless Larue was intending to blow the whistle while the puck was still on a flight path to the net, that's just an awful ruling on his part.

It's not like the puck was covered up by goaltender Alex Auld or there was a massive scrum in the crease; The shot simply went in the net.

It was a goal. And it should have counted.

Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock on the call in his post-game press conference: "It wasn't blown dead. It was a goal. The guy never meant to blow the whistle. It was a shot.''

Red Wings Get Robbed on What Might Be Worst Call of the Season originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brett Hull Shows Michael Jordan How to Give Hall of Fame Speech

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:15:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame, NHL Videos

In September, former NBA superstar Michael Jordan raised more than a few eyebrows. The speech he gave at his Hall of Fame induction quickly turned into a vengeful gong show in which His Airness blasted virtually anyone who he even perceived to be guilty of a slight.

Monday night, the Hockey Hall of Fame welcomed its class of 2009. The ceremony's very first acceptance speech was given by former St. Louis Blue, Dallas Star, and Detroit Red Wing Brett Hull. It was a stirring example of how to give a Hall of Fame speech.

Here is the video of Hull's speech.

In case you've forgotten, here's MJ's idea on a Hall of Fame address. You'll notice a stunning difference in the attitudes shown by both.

Hull was followed by Brian Leetch, Lou Lamoriello, Luc Robitaille, and Steve Yzerman, all of whom gave similarly classy and dignified acceptance speeches.

Hockey players have generally developed a positive reputation over the years by showing a great amount of respect for their sport and its wonderful history. It's the kind of behavior that makes events like Monday's so much fun to watch. While these guys are all legends, there's an obvious acknowledgment of the honor they have received. It's a concept people like Jordan apparently don't understand. If they do, they have a weird way of showing it.

Brett Hull Shows Michael Jordan How to Give Hall of Fame Speech originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brett Hull: Bulldog, Blues and Beyond

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame, College Hockey

In 1984, a kid with a famous name and loads of potential in his game showed up on the campus of the University of Minnesota Duluth. The Calgary Flames had drafted the kid, but they knew he wasn't ready to play.

After two years at UMD, Brett Hull -- son of the great Bobby Hull -- was ready to tear up the NHL. Boy, did he ever do that.

Turns out Hull was quite the impact player at every level he ever played at. He finished his career as the only player to ever score 50 goals in college hockey, the minors, and the NHL.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of '09:
Steve Yzerman | Brian Leetch | Brett Hull
Luc Robitaille | Lou Lamoriello

With his 2009 Hockey Hall of Fame induction, Brett joins Bobby as the only father-son combination to be inducted into the Hall. One year ago, the pair became the first father-son tandem to make the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, as Brett was inducted.

Before signing with the Flames, Hull set records that will never be touched at UMD. He scored 32 goals as a freshman, then answered that with a 52-goal season as a sophomore. With Hull on campus, the Bulldogs went an incredible 62-22-6, making the Frozen Four in 1985. It was unprecedented success for the program at the Division I level, as UMD qualified for back-to-back Frozen Fours. They wouldn't make another one until 2004.

Kids who grew up in the 1990s likely tried to emulate Hull's huge shot in their driveways, basements, and at the local rinks. When it came time to choose numbers on youth hockey teams, they always wanted No. 16 more than anything, because Hull was their favorite player. While Hull would go on to great professional success, most of his teammates weren't so lucky. While Norm Maciver (500 games) and Jim Johnson (829 games) had long careers in the NHL, they were the only ones to come close to Hull's long run as a pro. No one on that UMD team could claim the kind of fame Hull enjoyed in the NHL. The stigma in the 1980s was that college players were not good enough to make it in the NHL. Fans who think the major junior/NCAA debate is bad now should have been around back then, when there really was no debate to be had.

Everyone knows Hull's impact on the NHL. Over 21 years in the league, Hull amassed 741 goals, nearly 1,400 points, scored over 100 career playoff goals, and was one of the most entertaining players in the sport -- both on and off the ice. Hull's willingness to share his opinions on any subject left him equal parts loved and disliked. When he felt unwanted on the Canadian national team, Hull instead became a mainstay on United States international teams. He took part in two Olympics, two World Cups, and one Canada Cup, all for Team USA.

His 86 goals in the 1990-91 season rank him second all-time to Wayne Gretzky. Two times, Hull matched Gretzky's achievement of 50 goals scored in 50 games or less. He and Gretzky, who did it three times, are the only players to score 50 goals in 50 games more than once.

Fans would find it difficult to not respect Hull's game. Everywhere he went, he scored goals. Hull practically patented the one-timer, using his deadly release to be an absolute force on the ice. He was the kind of player you could never truly stop, because he could launch a hard shot from just about anywhere in the offensive zone. Sometimes forgotten in all the talk about Hull's ferocious shot was his accuracy. In his prime, Hull shot the puck where he wanted it to go. When he missed, it was still effective.

Kids who grew up in the 1990s likely tried to emulate Hull's huge shot in their driveways, basements, and at the local rinks. When it came time to choose numbers on youth hockey teams, they wanted No. 16 more than anything, because Hull was their favorite player.

In 2006, after his playing career had ended, UMD became the first team to retire Hull's jersey number. He wore No. 29 during his years at UMD, and it now hangs in the rafters at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. Hull has spoken highly of the Duluth area ever since he left, and he still maintains a home at a lake near the city. Proving his tremendous impact on the game, Hull has since had his jersey retired by the St. Louis Blues, and he is a well-known figure in the Dallas Stars organization.

Hull played a long time -- and achieved a lot of individual success -- before ever achieving the ultimate team goal. His first college team fell painfully short of a national title, and he never was able to get the Blues to the Stanley Cup Finals. In 1999, the Stars had a special season under coach Ken Hitchcock. They made the Finals against Buffalo, and rallied nicely after losing the series opener at home. With a chance to clinch the Cup in Buffalo in Game 6, the teams battled into a third overtime before Hull scored a controversial goal. He appeared to have his skate in the crease before the puck was there, but the play was allowed to stand, and Hull had his first championship. After moving to Detroit, Hull added another Cup title in 2002. He retired while a member of the Phoenix Coyotes after the 2004-2005 lockout.

Players on the team that wins the Cup are allowed to have the trophy for a single day.

Both times that Hull played for a championship team, he brought the Cup back to Duluth.

Brett Hull: Bulldog, Blues and Beyond originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Phantom Delay of Game Penalty on Nicklas Grossman Sinks Stars

Adam Gretz — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:50:00 EST

Filed under: Flames, Stars

Jarome Iginla scored two goals in Calgary's 3-2 win in Dallas on Wednesday night, including the game-winner on a power play just 1:25 into overtime. The big story that a lot of people are talking about this morning, however, is how Calgary found itself on the power play to begin with.

Stars defenseman Nicklas Grossman was sent to the box for delay of game for shooting the puck out of play in the defensive zone. The only problem? He wasn't in the defensive zone when he played the puck.

Brandon Worley at Defending Big D refused to blame the loss on the penalty in his recap:

Before anyone goes and blames the penalty call for the loss, this game was filled with missed opportunities by the Stars. Dallas outshot Calgary by a healthy margin, put pressure on the Flames for nearly the entire game but failed to take advantage of the chances they had early to put the game out of reach. The Stars had multiple power play opportunities early, including a lengthy 5 on 3. While they were able to muster some good chances Curtis McElhinney made some great saves early to keep the Stars out of the net. Once that started to happen you could see Dallas start to try and get that perfect cross-ice pass to open up a clear shot; with the defensive corps that Calgary has, that proved to be nearly impossible.

Fair points. And I'm definitely not one to blame referees for losses, especially when the Stars surrendered the game-tying goal to force overtime with just 49 seconds to play in regulation.

But how can officials, right on top of the play, blow such a black-and-white call when the play is unfolding right in front of them? It's not like there's a lot of gray area here.

From the NHL rulebook: When any player or goalkeeper, while in his defending zone, shoots the puck directly (non-deflected) out of the playing surface, except where there is no glass, a penalty shall be assessed for delaying the game. When the puck is shot into the players' bench, the penalty will not apply. When the puck is shot over the glass 'behind' the players' bench, the penalty will be assessed.

He's either in the defensive zone or he's not ... and he's clearly not.

Video: Phantom Delay of Game Penalty on Nicklas Grossman Sinks Stars originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Heavyweights

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Canucks, Ducks, Flames, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

It's no secret what we're looking for in a good fight. It needs to have intensity, some good back-and-forth action, and there is some longevity needed. If two guys trade a flurry of punches for seven seconds, it's not nearly as impressive as a high-quality 30-second fight.

This week's top fight has a little bit of everything.

Beatdown of the Week: Krys Barch vs. D.J. King

King played in just one game last season, but he showed no rust in this quick putaway of Barch. Watch the fight here, but don't blink, because you might miss the action.

Runner-Up: Colton Orr vs. George Parros

While the fight itself was okay, the news happened when Orr shoved the linesman who appeared to be trying to break up the bout prematurely.

(Orr, by the way, is not going to be punished any further for that, beyond the misconduct penalty he got at the time.)

Orr and Parros are experienced at this sort of thing, and it's no surprise they can get together and give the fans a good slugfest. Watch the video here.

Runner-Up: Brad May vs. Tanner Glass

May held a real heavy edge in experience on Glass, so you might think he would control this fight. Instead, the youngster did very well against May, even ducking out of the way as May threw a roundhouse that would have knocked Glass into the middle of the Olympic break. Watch the video here.

Fight of the Week: Steve MacIntyre vs. Brian McGrattan

This was easily the best dance of the week. McGrattan is the better fighter, and he won this one hands-down. But it wasn't just about that. MacIntyre made a good showing of himself by simply competing, and he showed he can hang with one of the league's better fighters.

It's not hard to fathom that these two -- playing on division rivals -- will go again this season.

Fight of the Week: Heavyweights originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Evgeni Artyukhin Suspended Three Games for Slew-Foot

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:15:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Stars, NHL Videos, NHL Discipline

Just because Chris Pronger has departed doesn't mean the Anaheim Ducks are no longer capable of dirty hockey.

In a move that would have likely made Pronger proud, Anaheim forward Evgeni Artyukhin took out Dallas defenseman Matt Niskanen with a slew-foot during the Stars' 4-2 win Wednesday night. While the on-ice officials didn't notice the play, the NHL did. Artyukhin was suspended three games for the hit.

Before we go any further, check out video of the hit.

The official six feet away was obviously watching for hot girls in the stands, because there's really no excuse for missing something so obvious.

The NHL, however, doesn't watch for hot girls in the stands, so they acted quickly to get Artyukhin off the ice.

Artyukhin, who was suspended for two games Jan. 19, 2009, now is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Accordingly, Artyukhin forfeits $34,756.11 in salary based on the number of games (82) in a season, rather than the number of days (193). The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Congrats on your new status with the NHL, Evgeni!

Meanwhile, Niskanen is said to have a head injury. He is out for Thursday's game at Los Angeles, and his status beyond that is up in the air. It marks just the seventh time in his 174-game NHL career that Niskanen has sat out.

Evgeni Artyukhin Suspended Three Games for Slew-Foot originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frolov Benched, Kings Beat Dallas

Adam Gretz — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Kings, Stars

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.

Kings 4, Stars 1: Alexander Frolov is in Terry Murray's doghouse, as the Russian winger found himself out of the lineup on Monday night after a public tongue-lashing from his head coach earlier in the day. Following the morning skate, Murray told Rich Hammond of Kings Insider: "I haven't been happy with Fro's game for several games. The game the other night is the straw that broke the camel's back, in my opinion. The turnovers, the careless play... It has to be better, and you have to come out with that high level of intensity, with smart work, hard work, and you've got to love the game. You've got to love the game in order to be a player. The talent is there, but it always is the work that brings out talent. And I need more."

Also: Lucic out following finger surgery, video of the day, and more

Without Frolov, the Kings snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-1 win in Dallas, receiving goals from Ryan Smyth, Anze Kopitar, Justin Williams and Wayne Simmonds. Goaltender Jonathan Quick stopped 29 of 30 shots, including all 15 he faced in the third period.

The Rest Of Monday's Games

San Jose snaps the Rangers' seven-game winning streak with a blowout. [Box Score, Botta's Recap]

Sam Gagner scored the game-winning goal at the 10:33 mark of the third period to lead Edmonton past Vancouver. [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic will miss the next four-to-six weeks after having surgery on his broken right index finger. He has three assists on the season and recently signed a contract extension with the club. [Boston Bruins]

-- Have you heard the latest Nathan Horton trade rumors? If you have, there's absolutely no truth to them according to Panthers general manager Randy Sexton. [Sun-Sentinel]

-- This past Sunday marked the second time this season there were no NHL games scheduled on a Sunday. Is the NHL afraid of competing against the NFL and MLB ? Puck Daddy's Greg Wyshynski asks the NHL. [Puck Daddy]

Video Of The Day

We've had some fun at Nikolai Khabibulin's expense this season, so it's only fair to give him credit when it's deserved. He stopped 39 shots in Edmonton's 2-1 win on Monday, including this save on a Kyle Wellwood one-timer.

Tuesday's Key Games

Penguins vs. Blues: Good game in Pittsburgh (a game I'll be at for FanHouse) as the Penguins host a Blues team that's coming off a 5-0 win against Anaheim on Saturday. The Blues have lost three of four since their season opening sweep of Detroit in Sweden.

Thrashers vs. Canadiens: The Thrashers close out their five-game road trip in Montreal, looking to collect eight of a possible 10 points. Very quietly Ilya Kovalchuk has seven goals in five games for Atlanta.

Blue Jackets vs. Flames: Columbus takes its three-game winning streak into Calgary. The Blue Jackets have allowed just two goals in their past three games.

Frolov Benched, Kings Beat Dallas originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mike Ribeiro Muses on Stars' New Era

Susan Slusser — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Stars, FanHouse Exclusive

The Western Conference playoffs were without a regular presence last year: Dallas didn't make it, for just the third time since 1993.

How did that happen? Stars forward Mike Ribeiro cited a slow start -- the team went 7-11-4 in the first 22 games.

"The first 20 games or so weren't that easy," Ribeiro told FanHouse. "Maybe we were too comfortable and thought we'd do the same thing as before. It didn't happen. Then we had a bunch of injuries and we were chasing. It's much harder when you're chasing."

Some notable contributors were sidelined, including captain Brenden Morrow to a torn ACL and center Brad Richards, first to a broken wrist and then to a broken hand on the opposite arm.

"They'll want a different attitude, a winning attitude, a more disciplined approach and to get back to the playoffs. They want us to get the job done." "Those are pretty good leaders," Ribeiro said. "Morrow , Richards and Steve Ott, Jere Lehtinen. That's a lot of key players who produce offensively. When you lose your captain for the full year, I'm sure he's hungry to come back and play. Richards, too. Especially with the new staff, we have to prove ourselves."

The Stars are back to better health for 2009-'10, but too late for the previous regime: Joe Nieuwendyk was named the team's general manager, while Brett Hull and Les Jackson were reassigned; Dave Tippett was fired and Nieuwendyk brought in Marc Crawford to coach the team.

Ribeiro doesn't know Crawford well, but he said that Nieuwendyk's longtime ties with the team mean that many of the players know him and are comfortable with him. That doesn't mean that they think Nieuwendyk will take it easy on anyone.

"They'll want a different attitude, a winning attitude, a more disciplined approach and to get back to the playoffs," Ribeiro said. "They want us to get the job done.

"I don't know what the lines will be, exactly, who will play with who. Guys are anxious to see who they're playing with and to have a new start. We do have to prove ourselves and it's a challenge."

Personally, Ribeiro said his goal is always to have a better season than the one before. In that, last season was a letdown for the 29-year-old center. He had 22 goals and 78 points after 27 and 83 the previous season. His point total, though, led the Stars by 15, and he excelled in shootouts, with six goals.

After last season, Ribeiro is going to concentrate on details -- staying in the play, working hard on the defensive side. Without some of their better players last season, Ribeiro and the rest of the Stars had to cheat more, and, he said, "That costs you defensively."

Ribeiro hasn't been following some of the Stars' other offseason news, detailing owner Tom Hicks' financial difficulties. Hicks isn't expected to sell the team, even though he might unload the Texas Rangers.

"He doesn't call me to let me know what's up," Ribeiro said with a laugh. "I just work here and try to win."

Mike Ribeiro Muses on Stars' New Era originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bobby Clarke Sounds Bitter; Sergei Zubov Signs In Russia

Adam Gretz — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Flyers, Penguins, Stars

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our daily look at the previous night's action. During the offseason, we'll look at some of the storylines and moves taking place around the league three times per week. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Bobby Clarke Complains About Some Stuff

Alan Bass of the Hockey News had an interview with legendary Philadelphia Flyer Bobby Clarke on Thursday, and it consisted of Clarke complaining about how the Penguins, Capitals and Blackhawks became three of the final four teams playing in the playoffs this past season: "We didn't do what Pittsburgh did; lose seven years in a row so they could get good. They did it twice, in fact. They went through six or seven different owners. We've had one owner."

Holy sour grapes.

He continued: "It's somewhat embarrassing that three of the last teams (in the 2009 playoffs) missed the playoffs six or seven years in a row; Washington, Chicago, and Pittsburgh ... Now they're good and the teams that try to win all the time get penalized. Our philosophy has never changed since 1967."

I still believe that many of the problems the Penguins and Blackhawks encountered during their losing seasons had more to do with general incompetence than a desire to purposely lose so they could get good, but it's worth pointing out that Pittsburgh, and Washington, for that matter, didn't lose "six or seven years in a row."

Pittsburgh missed the playoffs four seasons in a row(the only four times it's missed the playoffs since 1990), while the Capitals missed the playoffs just three years in a row, and have only missed the postseason six times since 1990. Not a terrible run. Maybe I'm nitpicking, but it's hardly "six or seven years in a row."

The bottom line is, every team, no matter how well run it is, is going to hit a series of seasons where it just isn't good enough to be competitive. It happens.

Sergei Zubov Signs In Russia

Sergei Zubov has signed a contract with St. Petersburg of the KHL, as reported by TSN, after spending 16 seasons in the NHL, including the past 12 with the Dallas Stars. A fantastic puck-moving defenseman, Zubov scored 152 goals and recorded 619 assists during his career, playing in three All-Star games.

Loose Pucks

-- Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu calls hockey the best spectator sport, and claims he was more nervous watching Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final than he was in the Super Bowl. [Pittsburgh Magazine, via The Confluence]

-- The KHL's official statement on the Jiri Hudler situation. Speaking of the Red Wings, the team has reportedly offered free agent Jason Williams a one-year contract. He spent parts of six seasons with Detroit, scoring a career-high 21 goals in 2005-06. Good power play guy.

-- Broad Street Hockey takes a look at the injury history of the Flyers' new defenseman, Ole-Kristien Tollefsen.

-- Kyle Wellwood re-signs with Vancouver, while Josh Harding re-signed with Minnesota on Wednesday.

Bobby Clarke Sounds Bitter; Sergei Zubov Signs In Russia originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL's Top 50: Brenden Morrow (No. 49)

Adam Gretz — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Stars, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

FanHouse's Adam Gretz takes a look at his top 50 players in the NHL. No. 49 is Dallas Stars forward Brenden Morrow.

Murphy's Law: Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Example: the 2008-09 Dallas Stars.

After coming within two wins of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007-08, the Stars followed it up with a disappointing campaign that saw them banish their big offseason pick-up because he didn't have a filter between his brain and his mouth, while key contributor after key contributor was lost to injury. Sometimes, more than once. On the plus side? Psychological reviews for all!

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

One of the players lost for a significant portion of the season was team captain, Brenden Morrow. Coming off a 32-goal season, Morrow was off to another strong start for the Stars, recording five goals and 10 assists in the first 18 games of the season. In a 6-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, a game that Morrow scored in, he suffered a torn ACL late in the third period, knocking him out of the lineup for the remainder of the season.

The Stars never really recovered from the loss of Morrow (and Brad Richards and Sergei Zubov, among others) and missed the playoffs for just the third time since moving to Dallas in 1993.

The Numbers: Brenden Morrow
Brenden Morrow	Goals	Assists	Points	PIM
Career Totals	173	216	389	943
Average Per 82 Games	23.7	30.3	54.1	131.2

Draft Year: 1997

As owners of the No. 25 overall pick in 1997, the next-to-last selection in the first round, Dallas selected Morrow from Portland of the Western Hockey League, sandwiched between New Jersey's pick of goaltender Jean-Francois Damphouse and Colorado's Kevin Grimes. Only five players taken that year have scored more goals than Morrow's 173. In a draft that was relatively top-heavy, Morrow has been a steal for the Stars. He's the only player selected in the second half of the first round that's scored at least 100 goals,

Why He's On My List

Even though he's missed significant time in two of the past three seasons due to injury, I see him as being in a similar position to Shane Doan, the No. 50 player on my list; a somewhat underrated captain that has proven to be one of the better two-way forwards in the league without much recognition (never playing in the All-Star game, for example).

Since the lockout, Morrow has averaged just a under a point-per-game for the Stars (.837 to be exact) and has been one of the most physical forwards in the league, finishing second (behind only Los Angeles' Dustin Brown) with 260 hits a year ago. During Dallas' playoff run that same season, he was one of the best players in the postseason, scoring nine goals in 18 games, including a pair of overtime winners in the second round against the San Jose Sharks. He's a legitimate top-line power forward capable of scoring close to 30 goals when healthy.

Obligatory YouTube Video

In the fourth overtime of Game 6 of the 2008 Western Conference Semifinals, Morrow sends the Stars to the conference finals when he directs a shot behind San Jose goalie Evgeni Nabokov.

NHL's Top 50: Brenden Morrow (No. 49) originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stars Hire Retread Crawford as Coach

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:40:00 EST

Filed under: Stars, Western, NHL Coaching

The success of coaches in professional sports is difficult to predict. Bill Belichick was an abject failure in Cleveland, but is now considered one of the top coaches in all of sports. Flip Saunders did pretty well for himself in Minnesota, but could not bring a championship to Detroit. In the NHL, Claude Julien and Paul Maurice are two examples of coaches who got the proverbial walking papers and found great success at later jobs.

Since coaches are essentially hired to be fired, veteran NHL coach Marc Crawford has been fired. He's actually about to begin his fourth stop in the league, as the Dallas Stars hired him Thursday to replace the fired Dave Tippett.

Crawford won a Stanley Cup in Colorado, but that was 13 summers ago. As Tim Cowlishaw notes in the Dallas Morning News, Crawford has made the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs exactly once in his last eight years of coaching. If the idea is to go get a proven playoff performer to lead the Stars back to the promised land, Crawford is quite the odd choice, especially given that Tippett himself led this team to the Western Conference Finals just one year ago.

There's something else strange about this hire. The Stars have said they are not going to spend to the salary cap next season. That means veteran free agents Jere Lehtinen and Sergei Zubov, among others, may not be asked to come back. If they do return, their roles and pricetags should be signifcantly reduced from past years. 34-year-old goalie Marty Turco, after an uneven season, could be a trade-rumor magnet, since he enters the last year of his contract at $5.4 million.

Indeed, a youth movement is likely on the way. Expect to see a lot of Fabian Brunnstrom, Krys Barch, and James Neal, along with mainstay top-liners Brad Richards, Mike Ribeiro, and the returning Brenden Morrow. On defense, the Stars can build around an impressive young group of Trevor Daley, Nicklas Grossman, Mark Fistric, Matt Niskanen, and Ivan Vishnevskiy. Among this list of five blue-liners, Daley is the oldest at 25, while Vishnevskiy is the youngest at 21.

So is Crawford the best fit for this kind of team? When he got canned in Los Angeles after last season, Helene Elliott (via Mike Heika) provided a rather scathing obituary for his tenure, as she made it abundantly clear that Crawford was not right for the Kings gig.

Crawford wasn't going to get them remotely close to contending for the Stanley Cup, not with his habitual scalding criticism of the kids who are becoming the core of this team and will make up an even greater chunk of the Kings' roster and soul next season.

... The Kings had more hope than skill and Crawford couldn't function under those circumstances, couldn't be patient with kids who were learning and making mistakes and needed a teacher more than they needed a screamer who demanded more than they were capable of delivering.

... The defense was a mess and Crawford's relentless rebukes of (Jack) Johnson, among others, only made things worse.

In turn, general manager Dean Lombardi, who has overseen the mother of all NHL youth movements, hired veteran coach Terry Murray, himself a retread, to take over the team. This season, the Kings missed the playoffs, but were a thorn in the sides of many playoffs teams, as the young team improved throughout the season and positioned itself as an emerging threat in the Western Conference.

While Crawford has accomplished a lot in the NHL and is just 48 years old, it's hard not to look at this move as change for the sake of change. Tippett did a good job in Dallas, and he'll coach again.

Crawford could make new general manager Joe Nieuwendyk look like a genius by leading a younger Stars team to the playoffs. Of course, fans could get a very bad first impression of the new boss if Crawford fails.

Stars Hire Retread Crawford as Coach originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Stars Fire Coach Dave Tippett

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Stars, Western, NHL Coaching

When Joe Nieuwendyk was named the new Dallas Stars general manager nearly two weeks ago, speculation was he would probably retain coach Dave Tippett. After all, he knew Tippett and had worked with him in the past. In terms of performance, the Stars' injury-riddled season -- one year after a run to the Western Conference finals -- seemed to be a good reason to keep the coach around.

Instead, it appears Nieuwendyk wants his own guy. TSN is reporting that the Stars have fired Tippett after six years on the job.

The report also mentions that the Stars appear interested in veteran NHL coach Marc Crawford, who was out of the league a year ago.

While TSN ran with the story, Mike Heika, who covers the Stars for the Dallas Morning News, has been unable to confirm it. He spoke to Nieuwendyk, who issued a "No comment" when asked about Tippett, who is not returning phone calls.

Heika does note that he believes the report to be accurate.

Obviously, a new general manager is going to evaluate everything. While the Stars did make the conference finals a year ago, they were awful for a good chunk of the season's first half. They did find a way into the playoff race, but a late-season fade ruined their chances.

For Nieuwendyk, it's an interesting move. Yes, the temptation is to hire your own guy. However, the tough part is making sure the guy you want is better than the guy you have. In the Stars' case, one consideration has to be the fact that some sort of move toward younger players is coming, as the team does not plan to spend to the salary cap for 2009-2010.

Report: Stars Fire Coach Dave Tippett originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stars Right to Hire Nieuwendyk as GM

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:45:00 EST

Filed under: Stars, Western

The idea of co-general managers is not one we're likely to see often in pro sports. These days, even major league sports executives can be so ego-driven that it's impossible to share any kind of credit or properly delegate authority between two people.

The Dallas Stars tried co-general managers for close to two seasons, but have decided to make a change. The team named former player Joe Nieuwendyk (pictured left of Mike Modano at a Stars reunion in 2007) its new general manager at a news conference Monday.

To be fair, the Stars' co-general manager experiment wasn't exactly an embarrassing failure. Les Jackson and Brett Hull took over for Doug Armstrong after a rough start to the 2007-2008 season. They helped right the ship and steer the Stars to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost (as everyone does) to Detroit.

Not only was it not a total failure, but it wasn't really a co-general manager system. Hull showed up to the office, but it doesn't sound like he ran much.

"You can call it what you want, but I was more Les' intern or assistant than anything else," Hull said. "And I believe he made some great decisions and has the team in great shape. He's pushed hard to get the development of the young kids going, and I still say that if we hadn't been so hurt last year, we would have had a great year."

Nieuwendyk is taking over, but the Stars were able to keep his predecessors around. Hull becomes an executive vice president and alternate governor, while Jackson moves back into scouting, and could be a candidate to take over the Stars' new AHL affiliate in Texas that starts up next season.

I've never heard a bad word about Nieuwendyk and his development as an executive. He was a class act as a player, a great leader, and he has worked his tail off to learn the ins and outs of the hockey business. His work helping scout young players should leave him in good position to build this Stars team from within. Owner Tom Hicks has indicated he will not spend to the cap in the 2009-2010 season, so young players will be vital to Dallas' success.

If Jackson is mad about this move, he has done a good job of hiding it, focusing instead on the idea that Nieuwendyk is a good hire for the organization.

"Honestly, I just want what's best for the team and the organization, and I want us to win," Jackson said in a phone interview. "That's how I've always looked at things."

The fact that Dallas was able to keep both Hull and Jackson, and hire an up-and-comer like Nieuwendyk, is clearly a good sign moving forward. While it remains to be seen whether Nieuwendyk can improve the on-ice product, it looks like the team is in good hands.

Stars Right to Hire Nieuwendyk as GM originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:45:00 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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Tom Hicks' Stars Ownership in Danger

Tom Mantzouranis — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:04:00 EST

Filed under: Stars, NHL Economics

Last week, Tom Hicks defaulted on a $10 million payment connected to $525 million in loans. Hicks played it off as an intentional, strategic maneuver, which seemed a questionable assertion at best.

The result of the missed payment is that Hicks will have to sit down with his creditors and figure out a payment plan or come to a new agreement, but, I don't know if you've heard that the economy isn't in such great shape nowadays, so trying to tap into the credit markets isn't exactly a viable option. In the end, this can lead to a situation in which Hicks has to give up his ownership of the Stars.

One thing's for sure: Hicks' ownership is safe for six months thanks to a league mandate that gives team ownerships time to avoid foreclosure. If a resolution of some kind isn't produced in that time, the banks will take the Stars away from Hicks. Compounding matters is that the Stars aren't the only team on Hicks' plate, he also controls the Texas Rangers and is co-owner of soccer franchise Liverpool.

So what are Hicks' options at this point? According to Darren Rovell, he can sell parts of the team to try to make up the money, but as Rovell points out, Hicks probably won't be able to find a taker who only wants 49 percent of the Stars in this market; any interested parties will want to be the majority shareholder. The other option is to sell the team to the league at a discounted price, who would control it until they found a taker, much like MLB did with the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals. This option is intriguing, as one could easily see the Stars landing in Las Vegas, where the NHL is interested in placing a franchise, if the right buyer is eventually found.

It seems pretty certain, though, that this is an issue that extends beyond a single $10 million payment. That might seem like a lot of money, and it is -- to you and I. But for a person of Hicks' assumed economic stature, not to be able to produce that kind of money is the sign of much deeper economic turmoil. He has six months to figure it out. If not, there could be serious repurcussions for a franchise which has already moved once in the last 20 years due to financial woes.

Tom Hicks' Stars Ownership in Danger originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ribeiro's Awesome Shootout Winner

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:20:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Stars, Western, NHL Videos

It seems that shootouts have gotten a lot of attention lately. There was this goal in a shootout overseas, and more recently, this one in an IHL game. Thursday night, Dallas Star Mike Ribeiro decided to toss in some artistry of his own. This bizarre goal won Dallas a shootout in what was ultimately a meaningless game, as both teams are long gone from the playoff race in the Western Conference. Ribeiro might have gotten a wee bit lucky on this goal against an unsuspecting Peter Budaj, but he gets huge style and creativity points.

Ribeiro's Awesome Shootout Winner originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:20:00 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

Filed under: Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Blues, Bruins, Canadiens, Canucks, Capitals, Devils, Ducks, Flames, Flyers, Hurricanes, Oilers, Panthers, Penguins, Predators, Rangers, Sabres, Sharks, Stars, 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'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.

******

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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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