Lack allowed six goals (all in the third period) on 21 shots in a 7-4 loss to the Islanders on Monday. Vancouver surrendered seven goals in the third period to a team who had lost eight of their last 11 prior to Monday. Lack has won one of four starts while posting a 2.59 GAA and .869 SV% since Roberto Luongo was traded.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dallas Star Forward Rich Peverley who collapsed during the first period of last night's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Peverley had suffered from an irregular heartbeat recently and sat out a game last week but no indications that this is related.  Peverley is reported to be stable and during fine.  We pray for a speedy and complete recovery. One of the biggest games of the night pitted the Maple Leafs against the Ducks. Phil Kessel feasted on the Ducks-served-cold factoring in all three Toronto goals in their 3-1 victory, including the game-winner. In two games against the stumbling ducks, Kessel has 4 goals and 2 assists.  Kessel has feasted like a king!  Kessel should always be in your lineup regardless of the amount of games in the period as he is truly a game-changer.  Kessel is 2nd behind Sidney Crosby in League scoring but being 4 points behind will be tough to catch. Kudos for those who selected Kessel early in their drafts this season (wink, wink).  Not to be outdone, Jonathan Bernier turned aside 43 of 44 shots on goal for his 25th win on the season. Bernier has entrenched himself as the bona-fide number 1 goaltender in TO.  Perhaps the trading away of first, Cory Schneider at the 2013 Entry Draft, and then Roberto Luongo at this year's trade deadline were not the most prudent moves the Vancouver Canucks have ever made as Eddie Lack and the team has sort of imploded lately. Without the pressure of carrying the team as a Number 1, Lack impressed with solid performances in  the early stages fo the season while spelling Luongo every few games.  Lack has started the last 7 games since the O-break for the Canucks, going 2-4-1, with some of those starts just before the trade.  Lack needs to find consistency, which is a common problem among rookie goaltenders.  A few nights ago he let in 6 in a loss to Dallas.  He followed that up with a 2-1 win, stopping 22 of 23 shots on goal against Calgary.  Last night, he seemed to be rolling along to a win over the NY Islanders as he headed into the 3rd period with a 3-0 lead. Too bad for Lack the vowel in his name isn't a U as the Islanders poured in 7 3rd period goals to wrest what was sure victory from the young net minder.  So, if you do not have any other goalie options, you will have to put up with the maddening inconsistencies that you will get the rest of the season from Mr. Lack.  The one thing you can take from this game was that the Isles gained momentum ...

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dallas Star Forward Rich Peverley who collapsed during the first period of last night's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Peverley had suffered from an irregular heartbeat recently and sat out a game last week but no indications that this is related.  Peverley is reported to be stable and during fine.  We pray for a speedy and complete recovery. One of the biggest games of the night pitted the Maple Leafs against the Ducks. Phil Kessel feasted on the Ducks-served-cold factoring in all three Toronto goals in their 3-1 victory, including the game-winner. In two games against the stumbling ducks, Kessel has 4 goals and 2 assists.  Kessel has feasted like a king!  Kessel should always be in your lineup regardless of the amount of games in the period as he is truly a game-changer.  Kessel is 2nd behind Sidney Crosby in League scoring but being 4 points behind will be tough to catch. Kudos for those who selected Kessel early in their drafts this season (wink, wink).  Not to be outdone, Jonathan Bernier turned aside 43 of 44 shots on goal for his 25th win on the season. Bernier has entrenched himself as the bona-fide number 1 goaltender in TO.  Perhaps the trading away of first, Cory Schneider at the 2013 Entry Draft, and then Roberto Luongo at this year's trade deadline were not the most prudent moves the Vancouver Canucks have ever made as Eddie Lack and the team has sort of imploded lately. Without the pressure of carrying the team as a Number 1, Lack impressed with solid performances in  the early stages fo the season while spelling Luongo every few games.  Lack has started the last 7 games since the O-break for the Canucks, going 2-4-1, with some of those starts just before the trade.  Lack needs to find consistency, which is a common problem among rookie goaltenders.  A few nights ago he let in 6 in a loss to Dallas.  He followed that up with a 2-1 win, stopping 22 of 23 shots on goal against Calgary.  Last night, he seemed to be rolling along to a win over the NY Islanders as he headed into the 3rd period with a 3-0 lead. Too bad for Lack the vowel in his name isn't a U as the Islanders poured in 7 3rd period goals to wrest what was sure victory from the young net minder.  So, if you do not have any other goalie options, you will have to put up with the maddening inconsistencies that you will get the rest of the season from Mr. Lack.  The one thing you can take from this game was that the Isles gained momentum ...

Lack stopped 22 of 23 shots in a 2-1 win over the Flames on Saturday. However, the problem was the one goal he allowed was a 100-foot slapper from Brian McGrattan. After the embarrassing goal, Lack settled in and managed to squeak out a win despite the Canucks only having 14 shots. He draws another strong matchup tonight vs. the Isles.

ALL GOALIES ARE CONFIRMED UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED AT THE TIME OF PRINTING Jeff Zatkoff and the Pittsburgh Penguins take a class trip to Washington D.C. to play against the Capitals. Jaroslav Halak is back in net after his impressive start against the Phoenix Coyotes in his debut for the Caps on Saturday. The Pens bring a little more firepower than the Desert Dogs so beware....Pekka Rinne has been his usual stingy self since returning from his hip infection that kept him out nearly all of the season. With a few games under his belt now, you can expect a return to elite status.  He will lead the Nashville Predators against Craig Anderson and the Ottawa Senators with both teams fighting to get into playoff positions. The time is now for the Preds as they cannot afford to fall back any farther.  Desperate teams take desperate measures...A revitalized Mike Smith will get eth nod for the Phoenix Coyotes as they travel to Tampa Bay to take on Ben Bishop and the Lightning who have lost 4 straight. Bishop may be showing some weariness as he is not used to the grind of an 82-game schedule.  Smith is hotter, go with the Yotes....Tim Thomas slots in for the concussed Kari Lethonen for the Dallas Stars as they go up against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Both teams battling for playoff positions so this should be a doozy.  Curtis McElhinney gives Bobrovsky a night off but it will be Thomas that rises to the occasion....Ondrej Pavelec and the Winnipeg Jets have slipped of late after an impressive run when Head Coach Paul Maurice took over. Al Montoya will get the start as he has played well in his previous two starts againt the Avs. Semyon Varlamov has won 3 of his last four and the Colorado Avalanche have been lighting the lamp of late. Varlamov it is.....Martin Jones (LIKELY) will most likely give LA starter Jonathan Quick a breather tonight against the Calgary Flames. Joni Ortio (LIKELY) will get his fourth straight start in hope of raising his record to 3-1. It appears LA has found their offense and Ortio will be up against a more formidable opponent then his previous 3 starts (VAN, NYI, OTT).  Me, and, and, and,.... Mr., Mr. Jones, Mr. Jones, Mr. Jones....Evgeni Nabokov (LIKELY) and the New York Islanders continue their road trip with a sop in Vancouver to take on Eddie Lack (LIKELY) and the Canucks. Lack should continue his fine play in net as the depleted Islanders play their 4th game in 7 nights....Jonathan Bernier (LIKELY) and the Toronto Maple Leafs visit ...

Ales Hemsky, RW Edmonton (Owned in 7.5% of ESPN leagues) Nobody needed a change of scenery more than the talented Hemsky, who never fit into Edmonton's long-term plans and was always the subject of many trade rumors. Yes, he is super-prone to injuries, but with 20 games left and getting a new lease on life while playing with a rejuvenated Jason Spezza, the winger could be a point-per-game performer over the final stretch. He collected three assists in just his second game with Ottawa in the win over Winnipeg on Saturday. David Legwand, C Detroit (Owned in 60.9% of ESPN league) The underrated former Nashville center has become an instant fantasy target as his trade to Detroit means that he will be centering the top line with Pavel Datsyuk injured. With two "hot" wingers in Johan Franzen and Gustav Nyquist, Legwand will get his share of points in the short-term. His fantasy value will be somewhat diminished by minimal power-play time on the primary unit, but he should get plenty of helpers. Tyler Myers, D Buffalo  (Owned in 39.9 % of ESPN leagues) Since returning from the Olympic break, the hulking defender has heated up with six points (3G/3A) in the last 6 games. Myers has been the "poster boy" of inconsistency since his stellar Calder trophy rookie season, but he has played well of late even amidst the rampant trade rumors. Now that the deadline has come and gone, look for the 24-year old to take another step in salvaging his promising NHL career. He warrants fantasy consideration as he seems to have taken strongly to new coach Ted Nolan. Eddie Lack, G Vancouver ( Owned in 69.0% of ESPN leagues) Having lost 3 straight, Vancouver's new no. 1 goalie responded with a strong effort in the 2-1 win over Calgary on Saturday. Yes, offensive support will be LACKING (funny, no?) on most nights, but the young Lack is firmly entrenched as the top guy in the Canuck's crease, now that the Roberto Luongo saga has finally been resolved. If you are in need of starting goalie help, give him a shot. Tim Thomas, G Dallas (owned in 42.1% of ESPN leagues) The former Vezina winner, recently acquired in a trade from Florida, is slated to gain some starts for Dallas as Kari Lehtonen has apparently suffered a concussion on Saturday. In coach Lindsey Ruff's own words: "He is not doing well". Translation- all Lehtonen owners need to snag Thomas ASAP, as he could have huge fantasy value if the Swede is out for an extended period of time. Dallas is far superior to his ...

Lack allowed five goals on 17 shots before being pulled for the third period on Thursday. Lack allowed as many goals on Thursday as he had in the last four games combined. Tonight he will make his third start against the Flames this year. He is 2-0-0 with a 1.95 GAA and .926 SV% in the previous two meetings.

Steven Stamkos returned to the Tampa Bay lineup last night and although the Bolts lost to the lowly Sabres, he acquitted himself quite well after a long layoff. Playing on a top line with Alex Killorn and Teddy Purcell, the star center was held scoreless but registered 5 shots on goal. There will be an adverse effect on his fantasy value without the great Martin St. Louis by his side, but Stamkos is good for 85-90 points a season regardless of who he lines up with. Give him a few games and the points will come. BTW, keep your eye on Purcell, who has definitely received a fantasy boost if he becomes the second scoring option on the Lightning. No points for Marian Gaborik in his Los Angeles King's debut, but the Slovakian sniper was skating with Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams on the first line. His addition to the top power-play slides Mike Richards down to the second unit. I am liking the chances here for solid offensive production from the Kings here on out, given that they have two legitimate scoring lines to roll every night. "Gabby" will need a few games to click with Kopitar, but Richards will not with Jeff Carter. The two have been linemates since their Philly days, so expect a modest rise in fantasy value for Richards. Thomas Vanek had a quiet games for his new club in Montreal, playing on a second line with Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta. I am not sold on him being a point-per-game performer moving forward, considering coach Michel Therrien's intentions to keep the top line of Desharnais-Pacioretty-Gallagher intact. However, if Vanek can eventually click with Alex Galchenyuk, then we might have ourselves a new no. 1 line in Habs Nation. We still need to see how the lines play out in Montreal. Keep tabs on the Islander's Anders Lee, who after scoring a goal in the overtime loss to Edmonton, now has four in the last five games since his AHL recall after the Olympic Break. Our own "Razor" has noticed, so make sure to check out his latest installation of Under The Raydar. The fantasy star of the night was the Dallas Star's Tyler Seguin, who turned in a masterful performance with a "hat trick" and two assists in the 6-1 romp of Vancouver. He now has collected 4+ points on five different occasions this season, giving him 63 points(28G/35A) in 61 games. Jamie Benn was also huge with a goal and two helpers. Look for this duo to take another step toward fantasy stardom in '14-15, as they should develop more consistency while playing together in Year 2....

Steven Stamkos returned to the Tampa Bay lineup last night and although the Bolts lost to the lowly Sabres, he acquitted himself quite well after a long layoff. Playing on a top line with Alex Killorn and Teddy Purcell, the star center was held scoreless but registered 5 shots on goal. There will be an adverse effect on his fantasy value without the great Martin St. Louis by his side, but Stamkos is good for 85-90 points a season regardless of who he lines up with. Give him a few games and the points will come. BTW, keep your eye on Purcell, who has definitely received a fantasy boost if he becomes the second scoring option on the Lightning. No points for Marian Gaborik in his Los Angeles King's debut, but the Slovakian sniper was skating with Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams on the first line. His addition to the top power-play slides Mike Richards down to the second unit. I am liking the chances here for solid offensive production from the Kings here on out, given that they have two legitimate scoring lines to roll every night. "Gabby" will need a few games to click with Kopitar, but Richards will not with Jeff Carter. The two have been linemates since their Philly days, so expect a modest rise in fantasy value for Richards. Thomas Vanek had a quiet games for his new club in Montreal, playing on a second line with Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta. I am not sold on him being a point-per-game performer moving forward, considering coach Michel Therrien's intentions to keep the top line of Desharnais-Pacioretty-Gallagher intact. However, if Vanek can eventually click with Alex Galchenyuk, then we might have ourselves a new no. 1 line in Habs Nation. We still need to see how the lines play out in Montreal. Keep tabs on the Islander's Anders Lee, who after scoring a goal in the overtime loss to Edmonton, now has four in the last five games since his AHL recall after the Olympic Break. Our own "Razor" has noticed, so make sure to check out his latest installation of Under The Raydar. The fantasy star of the night was the Dallas Star's Tyler Seguin, who turned in a masterful performance with a "hat trick" and two assists in the 6-1 romp of Vancouver. He now has collected 4+ points on five different occasions this season, giving him 63 points(28G/35A) in 61 games. Jamie Benn was also huge with a goal and two helpers. Look for this duo to take another step toward fantasy stardom in '14-15, as they should develop more consistency while playing together in Year 2....

Lack stopped 31 of 32 shots in a tough-luck 1-0 loss to the Coyotes on Tuesday. Lack has been excellent as of late and is now the number-1 in Vancouver. He is 1-2-1 with a 1.24 GAA and .951 SV% in his last four starts. Lack has faced the Stars for 17 minutes in his career, he stopped all seven shots he faced.