Not much to talk about fantasy performance-wise from last night's two games, but the Roberto Luongo injury stands tall as the biggest news. Vancouver's starting goalie left the game early due to a goal-mouth collision with Winnipeg's Blake Wheeler. With only one game scheduled for Vancouver during the upcoming week, Luongo owners could easily survive a short-term injury situation, but they need to pick up Eddie Lack as a mandatory handcuff. Lack stopped 15 shots in relief of Luongo, delivering a 2-1 win over the Jets. His fantasy values skyrockets if Luongo is out for awhile. Steen Out on Monday: There is speculation in St. Louis that Alexander Steen, one of the NHL's biggest surprises with 38 points in 35 games, might be dealing with a concussion. There has been no confirmation regarding the injury, but he will not be playing Monday night. This would be a huge blow to Steen owners.

Mark Scheifele- Winnipeg Jets, C (Owned in 41.5% of ESPN leagues) The 20-year old rookie has taken the NHL by storm lately, as he is currently on a six-game scoring streak (3G/5A). Playing on a second line with the surging Evander Kane has given him the additional firepower he needed to take off, so Scheifele is definitely on the rise. The former 7th overall pick of the 2011 possesses an elite skill-set with huge upside, which means he merits serious fantasy consideration. Chris Stewart- St. Louis Blues, RW (Owned in 63.9% of ESPN leagues) In his last 6 games, the "sizzling" winger has collected 8 goals and 2 assists for the Blues. As streaky as they come, Stewart is one of the few available free-agent forwards with game-changing fantasy potential. Play him while he is hot, as he puts up elite numbers. In '12-13, he scored 25 points in 26 games during Feb/March. Travis Zajac-New Jersey Devils, C (Owned in 34.6% of ESPN leagues) The 2-time 60-point producer between '08-'10 could be a sneaky fantasy pick off the wire if you need help on offense. Patrick Elias has been the most consistent Devil's forward, but Zajac has been right there with 2G/5A in the last 7 games. Jersey is showing some offensive spark in recent games with a few lines rolling, so he might be worth a shot. Jack Johnson- Columbus Blue Jackets, D (owned in 45.5 % of ESPN leagues) Going 15 games without scoring a single point will get you dropped in most fantasy leagues, but the 26-year old d-man is showing signs of life with 4 assists in the last 6 games. A definitive fantasy bust so far with 9 points in 36 games, Johnson still gets a boat-load of ice-time, including on the top power-play, so maybe you can get your hands on a potential no.2/3 fantasy option on the cheap. Act now if you have room on your bench. Eddie Lack- Vancouver Canucks, G (owned in 13.4% of ESPN fantasy leagues) Simply put, If Roberto Luongo is out for an extended period of time due to his injury last night, the young Lack is fantasy gold. He has delivered great results as the Canuck's back-up netminder, going 6-2 with a 1.93 GAA and a .928 SP.

We all know about Santa's little helpers but recently Washington Capitals Center Nicklas Backstrom is doling out assists like giving away candy canes at Christmas. Last night against the Canes in fact, Backstrom had 4 assists, the second time in December that he had 4 helpers in a game.   Always known more for his assists than goal-scoring but at the rate he is dishing them out lately, he could possibly set a new career high.  His previous high was 68 back in 2009-2010.  The last few years injuries took their toll along with a different system in place, but don't worry, Backstrom is back to his old ways....Caps Goalie Philipp Grubauer got the win to raise his season record to 3-0-1 with a 2.06 GAA and a .937 SP. If he continues at this rate,  Braden Holtby better start bringing his ‘A' game if he wants to keep his starting job. It might be a good idea to grab him off the wire to handcuff your Capital goalie situation.... More Fantasy Game Notes: The desperate Islanders only needed a match against their arch-rival NY Rangers to get the blood boiling again.  Early Ranger sloppiness led to 2 short-handed goals in the 1st, but hey managed to overcome those miscues to take a 3-2 lead before the Isles took the lead back and sealed the game late in the third period. The Blueshirts have been a huge disappointment so far whereas the Islanders were expected to be playoff-worthy but there is a little more leniency because of their youth.  With Evgeni Nabokov back in net for the Isles, peraps this is a good time to grab some Islander players on the cheap before they start to turn it around....I'LL HAVE A ‘Z' PLEASE PAT. If you are looking for a player to somewhat breakout for a good second half run, look no further than the New Jersey Devils' Travis Zajac. Although you can't expect huge scoring from the Devils, Zajac does have 5 points in his past 5 games.  So if you need some consistency on the back end of your forward group, Zajac could be a good fit.  He did have back-to-back seasons of 60+ points from 2008-2010....MAKING HIS MARK. Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele has scored in 5 straight games with 7 points and 8 points in 7 games. Scheifele only has 15 points on the season, so you can see how hot he has gotten.  He seems to be counted more lately and he has responded.  The Jets hanger is crowded, but he can push his way and grab some ice time from some non-producing forwards, he might be worth a shot to help your team down the stretch....NOT ‘LACK'ING. It wasn't the ...

We all know about Santa's little helpers but recently Washington Capitals Center Nicklas Backstrom is doling out assists like giving away candy canes at Christmas. Last night against the Canes in fact, Backstrom had 4 assists, the second time in December that he had 4 helpers in a game.   Always known more for his assists than goal-scoring but at the rate he is dishing them out lately, he could possibly set a new career high.  His previous high was 68 back in 2009-2010.  The last few years injuries took their toll along with a different system in place, but don't worry, Backstrom is back to his old ways....Caps Goalie Philipp Grubauer got the win to raise his season record to 3-0-1 with a 2.06 GAA and a .937 SP. If he continues at this rate,  Braden Holtby better start bringing his ‘A' game if he wants to keep his starting job. It might be a good idea to grab him off the wire to handcuff your Capital goalie situation.... More Fantasy Game Notes: The desperate Islanders only needed a match against their arch-rival NY Rangers to get the blood boiling again.  Early Ranger sloppiness led to 2 short-handed goals in the 1st, but hey managed to overcome those miscues to take a 3-2 lead before the Isles took the lead back and sealed the game late in the third period. The Blueshirts have been a huge disappointment so far whereas the Islanders were expected to be playoff-worthy but there is a little more leniency because of their youth.  With Evgeni Nabokov back in net for the Isles, peraps this is a good time to grab some Islander players on the cheap before they start to turn it around....I'LL HAVE A ‘Z' PLEASE PAT. If you are looking for a player to somewhat breakout for a good second half run, look no further than the New Jersey Devils' Travis Zajac. Although you can't expect huge scoring from the Devils, Zajac does have 5 points in his past 5 games.  So if you need some consistency on the back end of your forward group, Zajac could be a good fit.  He did have back-to-back seasons of 60+ points from 2008-2010....MAKING HIS MARK. Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele has scored in 5 straight games with 7 points and 8 points in 7 games. Scheifele only has 15 points on the season, so you can see how hot he has gotten.  He seems to be counted more lately and he has responded.  The Jets hanger is crowded, but he can push his way and grab some ice time from some non-producing forwards, he might be worth a shot to help your team down the stretch....NOT ‘LACK'ING. It wasn't the ...

We all know about Santa's little helpers but recently Washington Capitals Center Nicklas Backstrom is doling out assists like giving away candy canes at Christmas. Last night against the Canes in fact, Backstrom had 4 assists, the second time in December that he had 4 helpers in a game.   Always known more for his assists than goal-scoring but at the rate he is dishing them out lately, he could possibly set a new career high.  His previous high was 68 back in 2009-2010.  The last few years injuries took their toll along with a different system in place, but don't worry, Backstrom is back to his old ways....Caps Goalie Philipp Grubauer got the win to raise his season record to 3-0-1 with a 2.06 GAA and a .937 SP. If he continues at this rate,  Braden Holtby better start bringing his ‘A' game if he wants to keep his starting job. It might be a good idea to grab him off the wire to handcuff your Capital goalie situation.... More Fantasy Game Notes: The desperate Islanders only needed a match against their arch-rival NY Rangers to get the blood boiling again.  Early Ranger sloppiness led to 2 short-handed goals in the 1st, but hey managed to overcome those miscues to take a 3-2 lead before the Isles took the lead back and sealed the game late in the third period. The Blueshirts have been a huge disappointment so far whereas the Islanders were expected to be playoff-worthy but there is a little more leniency because of their youth.  With Evgeni Nabokov back in net for the Isles, peraps this is a good time to grab some Islander players on the cheap before they start to turn it around....I'LL HAVE A ‘Z' PLEASE PAT. If you are looking for a player to somewhat breakout for a good second half run, look no further than the New Jersey Devils' Travis Zajac. Although you can't expect huge scoring from the Devils, Zajac does have 5 points in his past 5 games.  So if you need some consistency on the back end of your forward group, Zajac could be a good fit.  He did have back-to-back seasons of 60+ points from 2008-2010....MAKING HIS MARK. Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele has scored in 5 straight games with 7 points and 8 points in 7 games. Scheifele only has 15 points on the season, so you can see how hot he has gotten.  He seems to be counted more lately and he has responded.  The Jets hanger is crowded, but he can push his way and grab some ice time from some non-producing forwards, he might be worth a shot to help your team down the stretch....NOT ‘LACK'ING. It wasn't the ...

Lack stopped all seven shots that he faced in relief of Roberto Luongo on Thursday. He enters tonight's contest with a 4-20 record and a 2.00 GAA and .928 SV%. He draws a tough matchup in Chicago tonight.

Lack stopped all seven shots that he faced after coming in to relieve Roberto Luongo for the final 17:37 of Thursday's contest vs. the Stars. Luongo getting pulled could lead to him getting back in between the pipes tonight, but the way Lack has played this season (2.00 GAA / /928 SV%) there is no reason not to trust the 25-year-old against the Blackhawks tonight.

ALL GOALIES CONFIRMED UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED AT TIME OF PRINT The Battle of New York takes place at MSG tonight as Evgeni Nabokov goes against Henrik Lundqvist. Both goalies are looking to find their game as the Rangers have gone 3-7 in their last ten while the Isles have been losers of 13 of their last 14.  Yikes!  Nabby has been solid in net the last 2 games since his return from injury and that should continue tonight while the Rangers have only won 1 game on their 9 game home stand.  I'm sure their neighbors to the East are smelling blood in this one.  Not an easy one to call....If the New Jersey Devils have indeed found their offense, they will need to bring it against the visiting Anaheim Ducks who are battling the Chicago Blackhawks or the Western Conference lead. Cory Schneider gets the call against a familiar opponent from his days with the Vancouver Canucks, but Jonas Hiller and the Ducks are perhaps a little bit better team. Home ice is critical and the think the Devils can squeak one out here...Philipp Grubauer gets another shot in goal for the Washington Capitals as they visit the Carolina Hurricanes and Cam Ward. The Canes return from an unsuccessful Western Canada road trip and may be ripe for catching them being road-weary.  The Caps meanwhile have not played since Tuesday night and should be well rested....With Roberto Luongo playing last night, it appears to be Eddie Lack's (LIKELY) turn in net for the Vancouver Canucks. He will have to go against the Chicago Blackhawks and Antti Raanta, who has filled in admirably for the injured Corey Crawford. The Hawks at home are 12-2-4 and although not perfect, pretty darn close to it....Are the Florida Panthers on a roll or what? What an amazing win last night against the Ottawa Senators, but tonight they will be up against the Winnipeg Jets who need a victory tonight.  Tim Thomas (LIKELY) should be making his return from injury with hopes f not derailing the Cats' momentum. Ondrej Pavelec has lost 4 in a row, so he desperately needs to prove himself. Go with the hot Cats!.... FANTASY MUST-STARTS Antti Raanta, Chicago vs. Vancouver SLEEPER ALERT None. DAILY GOALIE PICKS Steve: (46-29) Ondrej Pavelec Ray: (41-33) Antti Raanta Mike: (37-28) TBA

The NHL announced last night that the salary cap level for next season will rise to $71 million, an increase of $6.7 million, while the minimum will be set at $52 million, up from $44 million. Some more money for the owners to throw at some undeserving players....The Senators gained a much needed 2 points as they outlasted the Philadelphia Flyers last night in a 5-4 shootout win.  Neither goaltender, Steve Mason and Craig Anderson, were at their best so expect both to sit out the team's next start. Anderson has been struggling this season but backup Robin Lehner hasn't exactly shown to be much better; an interesting situation to keep your eye on....Clarke MacArthur scored two early goals to pace the Sens and now has 13 points in last 11 games. If he is still available, grab him quick as he has shown consistency in scoring this season....C Jason Spezza, with 2 assists in the game, has 9 points in last 9 games and seems to be heating up....Interesting to note that Flyers' D Kimmo Timonen had a goal and an assist last night giving him only 8 points in 30 games played. With 3 points in last 3 games, he might be turning the corner making it a good time to grab him to shore up your defense.....Eddie Lack notched his first NHL shutout last night against the Carolina Hurricanes. Kudos to Mr. Lack! The Canuck goaltender was tested early and late but turned aside all 31 SOG to raise his record to 4-2-0....You may not have noticed but the Columbus Blue Jackets have climbed back into the hunt for a playoff spot by winning 3 of 4 before last night's tilt against the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Blue Jackets played the Pens tough but couldn't get anything past Marc-Andre Fleury who came within 56 seconds of recording his 4th shutout but held on for the 2-1 victory raising his record to 17-8-1....The Western Conference continued their dominance against Eastern Conference teams as Anaheim crushed the NY Islanders 5-2 last night. John Tavares opened the scoring with his 12th of the year and also added an assist in the second period giving him 34 points in 31 games, on track for 90+ points as we had predicted in our Fall Fantasy Guide...The Isles have now lost 10 in a row. Not the kind of season they were hoping for...Corey Perry (2G), Daniel Winnick (3A) and Cam Fowler (G, 2A) were the offensive stars of the game. Two of these are fantasy worthy while one is not.  I'll leave it up to you to guess which one shouldn't be on your fantasy radar.  Perry was so grateful for the ...

The NHL announced last night that the salary cap level for next season will rise to $71 million, an increase of $6.7 million, while the minimum will be set at $52 million, up from $44 million. Some more money for the owners to throw at some undeserving players....The Senators gained a much needed 2 points as they outlasted the Philadelphia Flyers last night in a 5-4 shootout win.  Neither goaltender, Steve Mason and Craig Anderson, were at their best so expect both to sit out the team's next start. Anderson has been struggling this season but backup Robin Lehner hasn't exactly shown to be much better; an interesting situation to keep your eyes on....Clarke MacArthur scored two early goals to pace the Sens and now has 13 points in last 11 games. If he is still available, grab him quick as he has shown consistency in scoring this season....C Jason Spezza, with 2 assists in the game, has 9 points in last 9 games and seems to be heating up....Interesting to not that Flyers' D Kimmo Timonen had a goal and an assist last night giving him only 8 points in 30 games played. With 3 points in last 3 games, he might be turning the corner making it a good time to grab him to shore up your defense.....Eddie Lack notched his first NHL shutout last night against the Carolina Hurricanes. Kudos to Mr. Lack! The Canuck goaltender was tested early and late but turned aside all 31 SOG to raise his record to 4-2-0....You may not have noticed but the Columbus Blue Jackets have climbed back into the hunt for a playoff spot by winning 3 of 4 before last night's tilt against the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Blue Jackets played the Pens tough but couldn't get anything past Marc-Andre Fleury who came within 56 seconds of recording his 4th shutout but held on for the 2-1 victory raising his record to 17-8-1....The Western Conference continued their dominance against Eastern Conference teams as Anaheim crushed the NY Islanders 5-2 last night. John Tavares opened the scoring with his 12th of the year and also added an assist in the second period giving him 34 points in 31 games, on track for 90+ points as we had predicted in our Fall Fantasy Guide...The Isles have now lost 10 in a row. Not the kind of season they were hoping for...Corey Perry (2G), Daniel Winnick (3A) and Cam Fowler (G, 2A) were the offensive stars of the game. Two of these are fantasy worthy while one is not.  I'll leave it up to you to guess which one shouldn't be on your fantasy radar.  Perry was so grateful for the ...