SMC 1/21/2018 DOWN IT AND OUT! Sorry for the short article and absence of an article last week but I've been driving my kids back to college these past few weekends. Sabres rattled again 7-1 by the Dallas Stars on Saturday.  The Sabres have given up 4 or more goals in their last 6 losses.  There was a 6 GA and two 7’s in that stretch.  Ouch! Every single Sabre player in that game on Saturday had a negative next to their name. I mentioned that Avalanche goaltender Jonathan Bernier should have been their #1 in the original version of this year’s PrimePucks™ Fantasy Draft Guide but tweaked back my gut feeling. Stick with your gut I always say.  Bernier has won 8 in a row with an insane Save Percentage of .957 in January. New Jersey is starting to slide down in the standings.  I think I said they would come back down to Earth.  Or even further. Nathan MacKinnon.  Wow!  We knew he had it in him.  I guess it took discarding Matt Duchene to get him rolling again like his rookie season. Winnipeg wins again.  When is Mark Scheifele coming back?  Doesn’t seem to be any rush to get him back the way they have been winning. So happy to see Patrice Bergeron having this kind of offensive stretch. Could Toronto’s 3rd period comeback against Ottawa spark the resurgence? I’m kind of torn between wanting Carolina or the NY Islanders making the playoffs. Did Arizona really put a beat down on the St. Louis Blues on Saturday?  I guess Carter Hutton has lost that magic. I’m thinking that the Florida Panthers will go on a hot streak now.  Maybe not a Boston-like hot streak, but a good offensive stretch nonetheless. Pittsburgh is still dangerous people.  Chicago, not so much. The Islanders must be really be happy to have Josh Bailey back in the lineup. Tampa Bay going through a little tough patch in the schedule.  Happens to every team. Have a great week everyone and may all your fantasies come true!

SMC 12-20-2015 A good hot cup of coffee to get the sleep out of one’s eyes and the chill out of the air! Colonel Klinkhammer made a cameo then went to the infirmary.  I appreciate the effort mein commandant! Jonathan Bernier making it a statement game against the LA Kings with a 5-0 shutout.  It will be interesting to see when James Reimer gets back in action. Sabres played the Blackhawks tough going to a shootout before losing 3-2.  It seems like the Hawks should never lose with the way Patrick Kane is going this season. The Calgary Flames have been playing great of late by winning 7 in a row before losing to the St. Louis blues 3-2 on Saturday.  They beat some good teams in that streak too. In case you haven’t noticed, Vladimir Tarasenko has woken up something fierce with 9 points in 5 games.  He has a 5-game goal-scoring streak! The Rangers were good to get off to a solid start to begin the season because they have looked like garbage the past 12 games or so. Over the last 10 games the Rangers aren’t the worst NHL team at 3-5-2.  The Montreal Canadiens are a bit worse at 2-7-1 but they aren’t playing with Carey Price in net where the Rangers have Henrik Lundqvist playing. I know the Anaheim Ducks are in last place in the entire Western Conference, but did you know that they are only 3 points behind 3rd place in the Pacific Division? That Pacific Division is going to be a dogfight until the end. Pittsburgh is fading. They have changed the coach already.  Some players will be the next to part ways. Carolina’s Jeff Skinner was on a torrid scoring pace of late but didn’t register a point on Saturday against The Pens.  He didn’t even get a shot on goal.  Hot or cold.  Or injured. That’s Skinner’s M-O. What is going to happen with Columbus’ Ryan Johansen?  He’s safe for the holidays.  Or is he? Patrick Sharp was cold for a while but Saturday’s game just might be the beginning of a hot spell for the streaky winger. Pekka Rinne finally got a win after 3 straight losses, and losing 6 of last 7.  So unlike Rinne to go into a long dry spell. I guess it’s time to start taking Arizona a bit more seriously.  I mean we are almost at Christmas time and they are playing solid hockey and sit in a playoff spot. In an Edmonton-Colorado matchup, you would expect a lot of scoring.  Well, Saturday night saw Colorado live up to their end of the commitment with a 5-1 victory. Taylor Hall did have 8 SOG in the loss so you know he was playing at a high level. You just have to ...

The Washington Capitals continued their dominance over the Pittsburgh Penguins with another shutout, this a 4-0 blanking, holding the Pens scoreless in their two meetings so far this season.  The Pens have yet to figure out Caps G Braden Holtby who is having an excellent rebound season under new Head Coach Barry Trotz. Holtby raised his record to 23-10-8 with a 2.25 GAA and a .922 SP. Too bad he couldn't face the Penguins every night...Alex Ovechkin provided all the offense Holtby would need with a first period tally and a second period power play marker giving him 29 on the season. AO is well on his way to 50 goals, but dare I say 60?.... The two goaltenders battled all night but it was Cory Schneider and the New Jersey Devils that prevailed 2-1 in the shootout over Jonathan Bernier and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both teams are fighting to stay alive in the NHL playoff race but New Jersey has a decent chance with 20 of the remaining 34 games to be played at home, although the Leafs have slightly better scoring options..... It was one of those classic battles between two NHL powerhouses as the Chicago Blackhawks visited the Los Angeles Kings with the Kings edging the Hawks 4-3 with the Kings coming back three times from 1-goal deficits before taking the lead near the end of regulation. Jeff Carter was the main catalyst with 2 goals and an assist in the contest. Carter is as streaky as they come and is perhaps ready to take off on one of his insane streaks as he has scored in two straight games.  Worth the gamble!

Sorry for the brief fantasy notes, but plenty of Christmas shopping to still do!! One quick note- IN STEVE'S DEFENSE will be up for the special holiday date of next Tuesday, December 30. Starting 2015, you can again catch ISD every Thursday afternoon. *Semyon Varlamov returned to the Colorado crease in grand fashion, turning aside all 26 shots in the 5-0 rout of St. Louis. While numbers are way off the pace he had set last season- 3.00 GAA/ 5-6-5 record- you can bet that the recent hot play of backup Calvin Pickard will light a fire under the struggling Russian netminder. A great-buy low candidate for the holidays.. *Tyler Johnson is having a heck of a sophomore campaign for the Lightning, collecting a "hat trick" against the Penguins and in the process, extending his point streak to five games (5G/3A). With 37 points in 35 games, he has exceeded all fantasy expectations so far but should continue to roll on the Steven Stamkos-led prolific offense.. *So much for his 11-game point streak coming to an end as winger Rick Nash continues to show superb form in his monster comeback year by scoring two goals and an assist in the Ranger's 4-2 win over Washington. He is the real deal with 36 points on the season ranking 10th in the NHL scoring race. He might fall short of the 80-point mark, but 40+ goals is a realistic possibility.. * Not many goalies will frustrate fantasy owners with their tremendous "ups and downs" more than Toronto's Jonathan Bernier who stifled Dallas with a 43-save shutout. Just one start before, he gave up 7 to Philly so it's tough to depend on him as a legit starting option but his streaks can help bolster your fantasy teams.. *Boston's Loui Eriksson has yet to realize his offensive potential that he had displayed as a 70-point Dallas Star standout, but he has been trending upward. His two goals gives him six points over the last four games. He hasn't panned out as a top-line replacement to the departed Jarome Iginla, but he could get bumped up if his production continues to improve. Watch him..

Could this be the coming out party for Montreal's Alex Galchenyuk? Moved to the center the top line a few games ago, the ultra-talented Center, with his 3-goal game tonight against the Hurricanes, has 5 points in the three games since being moved.  It's too early to say for sure that he is ready for greater things, but he is capable...Max Pacioretty who knows a few things about hat tricks assisted on all three Galchenyuk goals... Tampa Bay won for just the second time in the past 6 games with rookie G Andrei Vasilevskiy making his NHL debut and turning aside 23 of the 24 Philadelphia SOG for the win. Regular starter Ben Bishop hurt himself the previous night but according to Bishop, he shouldn't be out long...Tyler Johnson had the game-winner and an assist in the game giving him 33 points in 33 games this season. No sophomore jinx for this Johnson....  Toronto continued their winning ways and remain the hottest team in the Eastern Conference with an impressive 6-2 win over Frederik Andersen and the Anaheim Ducks. The top line of Phil Kessel-Tyler Bozak-James van Riemsdyk combined for 7 points in the Leaf victory....G Jonathan Bernier, our latest BETWEEN THE PIPES feature, remained hot with a 40-save effort in notching his 13th win and his 8th win in last 10 decisions. Continue to ride the hot net minder.... Both Sergei Bobrovsky and Jimmy Howard wouldn't budge in their matchup last night and it took a shootout to decide the regulation scoreless tie. Both net minders have been playing excellent goal of late and should continue for the remainder of the season..... The Florida Panthers continue to scratch and claw their way against their opponents to come away with at least a point and last night was just another reminder that the Cats aren't going to be an easy game anymore. Roberto Luongo turned aside 23 of 24 and then saw another 20 attempts in the shootout before Nick Bjugstad put an end to the shootout marathon for the win....   Just when you thought the Los Angeles Kings would continue their recent dominance over St. Louis, their breakout star Vladimir Tarasenko fueled the 5-2 comeback win with a heck of a third period effort- two goals and an assist. He finished with four points on the night to extend his point streak to six games. His overall 36 points is only two behind the NHL lead so treat Tarasenko as an ultra-elite fantasy option and enjoy his monster season. Trading him is not recommended... Not much to say about Arizona's 2-1 overtime win ...

JONATHAN BERNIER Notwithstanding James Reimer's 2 impressive starts in last 3 games, Jonathan Bernier is ensconced as the Toronto Maple Leaf's no. 1 goaltender this season as he had started 9 straight before that and 11 of the previous 12. Look for Bernier to get the lion's share of starts from here on out as the Leafs are playing great hockey and have won 5 in a row and find themselves just 3 points shy of top of  the Eastern Conference. Bernier was acquired at the end of the 2012-13 season for Ben Scrivens, Matt Frattin and a 2nd round pick. In his first season with the Maple Leafs, Bernier appeared in 55 games and posted a 26-19-7 record in his first full-time semi-starter status. Those were his most starts in a season since 2009-10 when he appeared in 58 games for the AHL Manchester Monarchs.  With a 2.70 GAA and a .922, there was some room for improvement but his being his first stint as a no. 1, his production wasn't so bad.  The young net minder did show flashes of brilliance but showed some inconsistency which is not uncommon for a young goalie. With a year's experience being a number 1 goaltender, Bernier came into camp with the upper hand over Reimer as the latter faltered down the stretch last season in Bernier's absence due to a lower-body injury, going 0-5-0. Bernier, still not completely healed, came back too soon and lost his first three games back before winning ad then reinjuring himself in the next start against Boston, placing him on the shelf for the remainder of the season on April 3rd. In the first few games of this season, it seemed that the two would platoon until someone, or Bernier, proved himself fit and worthy of the number 1 job. As noted above, it appears that Bernier has solidified himself as the number 1 with his recent string of victories and performance. With his latest run, Bernier has now started 21 games versus Reimer's 9, a clear indication that Bernier is the Leaf's go-to guy. POST MARKS: HOME AGAIN--With rookie G John Gibson getting injured and having a fairly inexperienced net minder in Frederik Andersen manning the mesh, the Anaheim Ducks thought it prudent to upgrade their goaltending as they try and stay atop the Western Conference. It was in Gibson's best interest to get playing time in the minors and it was prudent that the Ducks bring in someone with experience to spell the young Andersen and perhaps show him what it takes to be a Stanley Cup goaltender.  Welcome home Ilya Bryzgalov! Bryzgalov was signed ...

With 23 points in 30 games, Anaheim's Ryan Kesler is not exactly "lighting the world on fire' but he has been streaking of late with Corey Perry out due to injuries. In the 2-1 win over Edmonton, the hard-nosed pivot scored the game-winning tally, giving him four goals and five points in his last three games. Previous to his mini-streak, he had collected just one point in five games. Take our advice and start Mr. Kesler over the next few weeks, as the Ducks will need his offense.. Low-scoring affair in Detroit, as Gustav Nyquist and Phil Kessel trade goals during regulation before the Maple Leafs prevailed in the shoot-out 2-1. James Reimer was solid between the pipes for the Blue and White, but expect Jonathan Bernier to be back in net for the next tilt..

Don't look now but the Columbus Blue Jackets have won 4 in a row with G Sergei Bobrovsky backstopping the team to their longest winning streak of the season. The Jackets edged the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in overtime with big thanks to their goaltender.  If you read the BETWEEN THE PIPES: SHOW ME MARTY! On December 2nd, you know we mentioned that it was time to ‘buy-low" on Bobrovsky. Columbus is inching back into the thick of things in the Eastern Conference...For Philly, they have gotten points in last 3 games...Brayden Schenn scored his 8th and 9th goals on the season and now has 5 points in last 5 games.... In New Jersey the biggest story wasn't that Keith Kincaid got his first NHL start but the fact that the Devils gave starter Cory Schneider the night off after 8 consecutive starts. Kincaid didn't draw a favorable matchup as he faced perhaps one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now in the Chicago Blackhawks but managed to hold his own and get the devils a point as the Hawks won 3-2 in a shootout.... The Buffalo Sabres must just love playing against West Coast teams as they defeated the LA Kings 1-0 as Jhonas Enroth pitched a 34-save shutout. If you remember correctly, the Sabres beat San Jose in both games this season and lost 2-1 to LA earlier in the season.  They did lose both matches against the Anaheim Ducks but they won't have to worry about California Dreamin' anymore this season.  Enroth seems to have made himself fantasy relevant with his play of late.... Toronto has gone 6-1-1 since that 9-2 drubbing at the hands of the Tampa bay Lightning with the whole team playing spirited hockey. Nazem Kadri with 2 assists and James van Riemsdyk with his game-winning goal and assist led the charge for the Maple Leafs. JVR has 6 points in last 5 games while Kadri has 8 in his last 6.  If available, pick him up as he is starting to be a bit more consistent.....Jonathan Bernier was spectacular turning aside 32 of 33 shots on goal for his 11th win on the season..... One of our most hyped pre-season breakout candidates, goalie Braden Holtby, is quickly distancing himself from a slow start as his 33-save effort over Tampa Bay gives him three straight wins and rising peripheral numbers (2.37 GAA/.916). It was just a matter of time before the "Barry Trotz" effect took place in Washington. His system is incredibly goalie-friendly for fantasy purposes... An improbable comeback headlined the Minnesota Wild's 5-4 win over the New York Islanders, scoring four ...

Bernier allowed four goals on 35 shots in the Maple Leafs' loss to the Rangers on Saturday. He was given Sunday night off, but will be back between the pipes tonight vs. the Bruins. In his first start against Boston he gave up four goals on 25 shots in a 4-1 defeat.

Bernier allowed three goals on 34 shots in the Maple Leafs shootout loss to the Avalanche on Thursday. It has been an OK start to the year for Bernier, who has a 2.59 GAA and .916 SV%, but just three wins to show for it. He will face the Rangers tonight--he stopped 11 of 12 shots in a 6-3 win after replacing an injured James Reimer on October 12th.