Schneider cooks up a shutout against the Coyotes, Cammalleri coming on, Datsyuk streaking. Arizona continued on their plummet down the standings by being blanked by Cory Schneider and the New Jersey Devils 3-0 extending their losing streak to 6 games.  They now have lost 8 of their last 9 and are positioning themselves for a good shot at one of the top picks in the 2015 NHL entry Draft.  Schneider has had a very good statistical year but didn’t get the support he needed as he only has 22 wins on the season…Mike Cammalleri had 2 goals in the contest and now has 5 points in last 3 games…. The Detroit Red Wings continued on their 6-game road trip picking up another point in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks.  That's five out of a possible 6 points so far and they have Pavel Datsyuk to thank for that as he has been red-hot netting 2 goals raising his February total to 12 points in 8 games.  They will need him to continue as Henrik Zetterberg may miss some more time after sitting out last night's game.

Good morning everyone!  Coffee time on a wonderful lazy Sunday morning. A shout out to an old friend, George K, Happy Birthday old buddy! You always have to wonder how superstars can go games without scoring any points.  Stars like Phil Kessel, Claude Giroux, Pavel Datsyuk, Shea Weber, Mark Streit etc.  I just named almost my whole fantasy squad. I am awaiting a slump from the Islanders but it doesn’t seem to be coming. Who would have thought Travis Hamonic would be the defenseman to own in Long Island?  We had high hopes for the young defenseman a few years ago but those dreams faded.  They’re back now! Keep an eye on who is on John Tavares’ line as he is heating up in a big way.  Anders Lee is benefitting right now. Has anyone noticed Philadelphia’s performance lately?  They are 5-1-4 and that’s without Steve Mason in net and Claude Raines, I mean Giroux, not contributing. I’ve been on a Marillion kick of late and I know they are playing a weekend convention up in Montreal at the end of April.  The first two nights they play an album in its entirety and then Sunday it’s a mix. Should be a blast for any marillion fan. Back to hockey.  It’s clear that the coaching change in Toronto didn’t have the effect they wanted as the team has fallen from playoff competition.  However, it seems they have a plan to make the Leafs competitive for years to come.  When you get frustrated, just play Guns’n Roses’ Patience, it’ll help get you through those difficult times. You just gotta love ‘Mad’ Max Pacioretty when he gets going on one of his scoring streaks.  Ottawa is still in this race!  With a few games in hand, they could make things interesting.  Is Goalie Andrew Hammond the catalyst?  He is 2-0 in his two starts. All Senators had a shot on goal in last night’s game. Looks like Cory Schneider will be starting every game for the remainder of the Devils season.  Keith Kinkaid appears to have suffered a lower-body injury in yesterday’s game. I like Jeff Skinner but would never draft him for my fantasy team as he always seems to get injured just when he gets going.  Very frustrating, but one year he will be lights out. The Anaheim Ducks had a total of 4 seconds of power play time against the Edmonton Oilers and you know what?  They scored! You couldn’t take your eyes off that Detroit-Dallas game last night as there were wild swings throughout the game.  The Stars scored three times in 3 minutes.  The Red Wings scored twice in under a minute. The Wings are 2-0-0 at ...

Mad Max continues on his hot pace, Jamie Benn a real shooting Star, Pavel Datsyuk takes over, Zetterberg leaves game with possible head injury Our two early afternoon matches both resulted in shootout wins as both home teams, Washington and Philadelphia, came up with the extra point. All the big names were basically held off the scoreboard as goalies Braden Holtby and Rob Zepp were the fantasy stars for their respective teams. Claude Giroux owners are patiently awaiting for the star to heat up again as his lengthy slump has been costing them big-time at this crucial juncture of the season..... New Jersey made it look easy against Carolina but Jeff Skinner spoiled the Devil's shutout bid with under half a period remaining.  It was Skinner's 4th goal in the past 6 games.  Skinner is one of those enigmas that is a prolific scorer but then gets injured, taking him a while to get back on track when he returns.  Well, he's hot now, so if available, scoop him up and ride him while he's healthy... The Anaheim Ducks and John Gibson eked out a 2-1 win over Edmonton.  Gibson will someday be an elite NHL goaltender as he continues to show poise at such an early age.... Max Pacioretty continues on his hot scoring streak with 2 goals in Montreal's 3-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.  Pacioretty is a dangerous scorer but is maddeningly inconsistent, so ride him while he's hot but don't be surprised when he disappears for games at a time. Mad Max now has 12 points in 11 February games…. There was a JVR sighting in Toronto last night as James van Riemsdyk scored the overtime game-winner against the Winnipeg Jets.  JVR and Phil Kessel have been absent from the score sheet too much lately for fantasy fans liking, a far cry from their first half pace…. It was a regular Western style shootout at the OK Corral as the Red Wings and Stars battled to a 7-6 Detroit win.  Pavel Datsyuk polished up his shooting stick and had four points (2G, 2 A) in the match but they did suffer one casualty as Henrik Zetterberg left the game to an upper-body injury.  More word as it develops…Stars Jamie Benn continued with his torrid scoring pace with 2 more points giving him 11 in past 6 games.  Yeeee-haw!....

The Edmonton Oilers seem to have gotten out of the habit of long losing streaks of late, but they are still a bad team. Milan Michalek put on a nice audition with 2 goals, an assist and 6 SOG, or was it because the Ottawa Senators were playing the Edmonton Oilers? Bobby Ryan is becoming a force for the second half. Ryan Hamilton, at age 29, is finally getting some NHL time after a prolific minor league career.  Three games so far this season with Edmonton after playing parts of 3 seasons (14 games) with Toronto & Edmonton. It's nice to see a few teams like the NY Islanders and Winnipeg Jets remain competitive throughout the season after years of futility. The Jets just might have to stick with Michael Hutchinson in net the rest of the way for playoff’s sake. Pavel Datsyuk had a spirited game (2G, A, 7 SOG) after a few weeks of mediocrity for him. Byfuglien & new Jet, Tyler Myers had 2 assists in the win over Detroit.  The Winnipeg defensive core is looking pretty good, but it did so before. It’s a wonderful life, huh Mr. Bailey (2G, A)?  It must be playing alongside John Tavares. Andres Lee, pick him up ASAP!  4 more assists in last night’s game giving him 6 points in last 2 games and 8 in last 4.  Not much PP time but he’s on fire! It seems like the Nashville Predators have it all going for them this season. Cory Schneider deserves a better fate than his record shows with the performance he has put on this year. NY Rangers are firing on all cylinders lately.  Except for Marty St. Louis that is.   The Rangers will be just fine with Cam Talbot in net for a while. You never could have predicted that Devan Dubnyk would be the savior of the Minnesota Wild’s season. I love Jeff Skinner but he disappears in long stretches at a time which is so very frustrating. There was a Nathan MacKinnon sighting last night.  Jarome Iginla and Alex Tanguay defy the test of time. I'm just loving the Calgary Flames the past 2 years!  Why is it taking the Oilers so long? Skiing with the family this weekend so my apologies for the shortened SMC. Have a great week and may all your fantasies come true!      

The New York Rangers started their 3-game California trip with a solid 4-1 win over the NHL-leading leading Anaheim Ducks. This starts a 6 in 7 game road schedule for the Blueshirts who have won 11 of 12 with G Henrik Lundqvist leading the way. The Rangers are starting to get production from throughout their lineup.  Rick Nash potted his 25th on the season but Derrick Brassard (4 pts in last 3 games) & Mats Zuccarello (7 pts in last 8) are starting to heat up as well, both with goals in the contest. They face the Kings tonight in what should be a very emotional game for the Rangers.... Washington took care of a Toronto Maple Leaf team that looked a bit disorganized under the new Head Coach Peter Horachek, beating the Leafs 6-2 behind 2-goal efforts from Eric Fehr and Marcus Johansson. The issue with the Capitals has always been scoring depth and if they can get consistent production from those two, they will be tough to play against going forward.  Fehr has had some impressive minor league stats but has never been able to carry that effort over to the NHL.  Troy Brouwer had 2 assists. All three Caps are solid fantasy depth forwards, especially if they go on a tear.... Boston managed to finally win an extra time game after losing in 3 three straight. It was none other than Patrice Bergeron who righted the ship for the Bruins with two goals including the overtime game-winner in beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. With an impressive effort from G Tuukka Rask, the return to health of David Krejci, and a surging Bergeron, the Bruins just might be on the verge of going on one of their streaks. They certainly have the makeup....Newly acquired Penguin David Perron had 5 SOG but was held off the score sheet.... The Detroit Red Wings continued on their 6-game road trip with a win in Calgary. The precious night in Edmonton it was Pavel Datsyuk who provided the offense but tonight it was Henrik Zetterberg who had a goal and an assist in the win. The two veteran Wings continue to shine when healthy. Gustav Nyquist had 2 assists in the win....Mikael Backlund returned to the lineup for the Flames and promptly had an assist on the opening goal by Mason Raymond. Backlund also scored a short-handed goal in the third period showing his value.   Backlund's return will be a breath of fresh air for the club at this point in the season.  Give him some time to get into game shape.

Good morning. I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a great Boxing Day!  So glad hockey is back! I got a coffee mug warmer stand from my son Derek for Christmas.  It's a Disney version, wonderful! A few weeks back I told you that the Columbus Blue Jackets were about to turn their season around, and Sergei Bobrovsky would be a big part of it, although he didn't start last night's game. The Jackets are the hottest team right now at 8-1-1, even better than the NY Rangers who are 8-2-0. I think you can all guess who the worst team over the last 10 games has been. Who is this Kevin Connauton and why is he acting like Bobby Orr? I thought Marty St. Louis was supposed to be the point-per-game player and not Derek Stepan? What has happened to the Boston Bruins this season? Don't tell me that they miss Jarome Iginla that much. I think the time is right for NY Islander John Tavares to start to really heat up. He's been good so far, but not REAL good. I still don't know if I could have any Buffalo Sabres on my fantasy team yet. This Detroit Red Wing team is pretty dangerous when healthy. Aren't Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk like the classiest players in the NHL? Add Patrice Bergeron to that list too. Dougie Hamilton had 6 SOG and so did Erik Karlsson to lead their respective teams. I'm not comparing these two, just so you know (JSYK). As great as Steve Stamkos is, the Lightning really depend on Ben Bishop, although this kid Andrej Vasilevskiy (learn how to say and spell it because he will be a good one!) looks like a damn, good goalie. What happened to the Carolina Hurricanes scoring? I think that the Devils need a head coach, not a three-ring circus. I hope Lou is not losing it. When is Winnipeg going to give the starting job to Michael Hutchinson? He deserves a long look in my opinion. I have always liked Andrew Ladd for his consistent play but he did have 2 four game stretches without a point. I don't think you'll see that again this season as the Jets are starting to fly high. Minnesota is having goaltending issues this season. I know, hard to believe, right? Washington Capitals G Braden Holtby is on fire. Did you read my BETWEEN THE PIPES article on December 23rd? I'm surprised Pittsburgh lost because they did have Colonel Klinkhammer in the lineup. I'm just kidding, you know that, right? Alex Ovechkin had 10 SOG in the game but was held without a point. Poolies love to see a double digit number under the SOG column. I'm stating the obvious ...

Even the loss of Corey Perry can't slow down Ryan Getzlaf as the Anaheim center piled up three assists in the 4-3 road win over Winnipeg. With ten points in the last five games, there isn't much stopping Getzlaf these days as he has been a consistent elite option over last few years.. Jacob Trouba is making most of key injuries to Zach Bogosian and Tobias Enstrom, picking up a goal and an assist for Winnipeg in a losing cause. Definitely use him in the short-term, as the 20-year old is showing clear signs of breaking out... After putting up a "goose-egg" on Saturday night, Detroit's  Pavel Datsyuk registered a goal and 2 assists in the 3-1 win over Carolina. His three points gave him four multi-point outings in his last five games. He always puts forth a point-per-game clip but one must hope he can stay healthy long enough... Tomas Tatar was also a major contributor, collecting a goal and an assist as well. Watch out for Mika Zibenejad and Bobby Ryan, as the duo combined for 7 points in the 4-3 comeback victory for Ottawa over Vancouver. Bobby is probably taken, but Mika could be worth a waiver grab and stash.. Erik Karlsson ended the game with the overtime winner. Not much to say here, other than he is the elite of the elite. Untradeable as far as I am concerned..

Hot coffee on a cold day.....let's go! I think Christian Ehrhoff took the task to hand yesterday with 7 SOG and the game-winning goal in the third period. Finally earning that paycheck... No Kunitz. No Dupuis. No Hornqvist.  No Bennett.  No Letang.  No problem for the Penguins as long as they have both Crosby, Malkin and Fleury leading the way.... The Islanders had the Blues, leading 3-0 after 1 period, but Marty was the inspiration taking over for Jake Allen.... Both top defensemen for the St. Louis Blues had a combined 15 SOG, Shattenkirk 8 & Pietrangelo 7..... Vladimir Tarasenko is slowing down, but not much as he potted his 17th goal to seal the deal on Long Island. You knew Jaroslav Halak had to lose after winning 11 in a row and Steve Mason had to win eventually. It was just odd that the Flyers would beat the Kings in LA after going 1-8-2 in last 11 games.... Has anyone seen Anze Kopitar this season? Two teams you gotta believe in this year are the NY Islanders and the Calgary Flames.... If Florida can string together a few wins, then they would be my surprise team of the season so far... And Columbus would be my surprise team going the other way but with the way Sergei Bobrovsky has been playing in his last few games, I think the Blue Jackets are ready to make a run.... I mean, the Jackets did beat the Tampa Bay Lightning on their own ice 3-1 as they have everyone back in their lineup.... Buffalo's Matt Moulson had 7 SOG but I'm sure he daydreams about his days playing alongside John Tavares on Long Island.... Roberto Luongo must be loving life playing in Florida again, getting away from last year's circus in Vancouver.... You just gotta love what this kid Aaron Ekblad is bringing to, not only the Florida Panthers, but the NHL as well.   3 more assists last night brings him up to 17 points in 25 games.  Impressive indeed... Remember how it was the end of the world for Leaf fans when they took a 9-2 shellacking from the Tampa Bay Lightning? They have gone 5-1-1 since that game.  Sometimes you need a little smack on the behind to get you going... With 7 points in last 4 games, Joffrey Lupul seems to be getting into one of his zones that he is famous for. The other thing that Lupul is famous for is getting injured... Every single Canuck had a SOG in yesterday's contest against Toronto.... Tyler Seguin with his 3 points leapfrogged over Crosby and Voracek for the NHL lead in points. Plus he leads with 21 goals.  Boston?  Do you see what is ...

Only one game to mention from yesterday's NHL action, as the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-3 behind two goals from Pavel Datsyuk. The 36-year old has collected 15 points in 13 games, reinforcing his status as an elite fantasy option but his injury issues have kept him out of the line-up for 11 games. Henrik Zetterberg collected two assists for the second straight game, giving him 23 points in 24 games. Both veterans are rock-solid when they are healthy enough to play, as they have became more brittle in recent years. So far "Hank" has been a bit more reliable than "Pavel"..

Pavel Datsyuk returned to the lineup after missing some time due to a nuisance groin problem that has plagued him since the beginning of the season. Datsyuk proved just how valuable he is not only to the Detroit Red Wings, but fantasy owners alike by scoring twice including the power play game-winner.  He's a definite start, but he has shown some brittleness of late....If you are looking for forward help, take a shot on Stephen Weiss who added a goal and an assist after scoring twice in the last game after being out of the lineup for the entire start of the season.....How much can we say about G Jimmy Howard's performance this year? Just stick him as your starter and concentrate on other areas of your team.... Jaroslav Halak and New York Islanders win again, making it 6 in a row and 11 of their last 12 games for the team from Long Island. That's 9 wins in a row for Halak who has clearly added stability to the Isles crease.... Pittsburgh's Blake Comeau had been given the opportunity to play alongside Sidney Crosby earlier in the week but with no luck but came away with a hat trick last night playing on Crosby's line and also Evgeni Malkin's line. Another potential candidate for a top-six spot but Comeau saw minimal power play time.  With Beau Bennett out for 2 weeks, Comeau should breathe easier for a little while anyways....D Kris Letang with 2 assists now has 4 points in last 2 games.... The New York rangers played the Tampa Bay lightning a little tougher than last week's 5-1 loss at the Garden but still came away on the wrong end of a 4-3 game. Ex-Ranger Captain Ryan Callahan scored twice against his former team and added an assist, giving him 5 points in two games against his former team. Playing alongside a superstar talent like Steven Stamkos will do that to you...Alex Killorn was slotted on the left wing on the Stamkos-Callahan line so that needs to be monitored to see if Killorn sticks.... Florida beat Carolina 1-0 as Roberto Luongo and Al Montoya combined for the shutout with Luongo leaving the game with an upper-body injury. No further news at this time. ...Nick Bjugstad scored 21 seconds into the game and the Panther duo made it hold up for the victory. That's 9 points in past 6 games for Bjugstad making him a must-start as a key Florida offensive weapon, although the Cats don't score a whole lot.... It was Martin Jones (28 SV) and not Jonathan Quick that posted a 4-0 shutout over the Minnesota Wild, chasing Darcy Kuemper (4 GA) from the game ...