THE GOALIE EDGE: 1/4/2014 primepucks.com Sat 1/4/14 12:16 PM

ALL GOALIES CONFIRMED UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED AT TIME OF PRINT Busy day in the NHL today with 12 games. The Bruins and Winnipeg kick it off with a matinee in Boston. Ondrej Pavelec has been confirmed for the Jets while Tuukka Rask is in net. Rask is having a great season, but he has lost two straight games.  Expect him to rebound today against Winnipeg....Antti Niemi (LIKELY) is in goal for San Jose against Colorado. Semyon Varlamov has been confirmed for the Avs. Varlamov has been having a great year, and with the game in Colorado, this one is a pick'em game....Anton Khudobin will be in goal for Carolina with Evgeni Nabokov confirmed for the Islanders. Nabokov's strong play since  returning from injury is one of the main reasons for New York's recent hot streak.  Go with the Islanders in this one.....Craig Anderson has been confirmed for Ottawa against Montreal.  He had a miserable start to the season, but has been playing well lately with 5 straight wins.  Carey Price has been confirmed in goal for the Habs.  We like the hot goalie in this one, so go with Ottawa....With Henrik Lundqvist giving up 5 goals against Pittsburgh, expect Cam Talbot to be in goal today for the Rangers against Toronto. Jonathan Bernier has been confirmed for the Maple Leafs. Bernier has won 3 straight games, look for him to get one more tonight....Marek Mazanec (LIKELY) gets the nod tonight for Nashville against Florida. Tim Thomas is confirmed to get the start for the Panthers. Go with Florida....Cory Schneider continues to rotate in net for the Devils and he is confirmed today against Buffalo. The Sabres have confirmed that Ryan Miller will start tonight for them. Schneider stopped a 4 game losing streak with a win in his last game against the Islanders.  We like the Devils going with Schneider....Sergei Bobrovsky was reactivated a few days ago from IR for Columbus but it will be Curtis McElhinney who gets the start against St. Louis who have confirmed Brian Elliott again. Elliott has been lights out since replacing Jarosalav Halak who has some type of illness. Have to like Elliott in this one....Jimmy Howard starts for Detroit against Dallas.  Howard has been struggling with 4 straight losses, but his Olympic pick may give him some incentive against Dallas.  The Stars will start back up Dan Ellis (LIKELY) in this one. Expect Howard's losing streak to end....With Josh Harding still out with an illness, the Wild have confirmed Niklas Backstrom will start in goal against Washington. Caps Coach Adam Oates has a big decision to make today; stay with Philipp Grubauer or put Brayden Holtby back in. Holtby gets back in net tonight.  Backstrom has lost 4 of his last 5, and we would go with the Caps....Steve Mason is in net for the Flyers against Phoenix.  Mike Smith (likely) has been struggling lately in goal for the Coyotes, so go with the Flyers....Jonathan Quick may return today for the Kings against Vancouver. But they will probably go with Martin Jones (likely). Roberto Luongo (likely) for the Canucks.  We like Vancouver.  FANTASY MUST-START Tuukka Rask, Boston vs. Winnipeg Brian Elliott, St. Louis vs. Columbus Evgeni Nabokov, New York Islanders vs. Carolina Cory Schneider, New Jersey @ Buffalo SLEEPER ALERT Cam Talbot, New York Rangers @ Toronto Dan Ellis, Dallas vs. Detroit GOALIE DAILY PICKS Steve: (53-33) Tuukka Rask Ray: (48-37) Tim Thomas Mike: (39-31) Tuukka Rask