So much for Semyon Varlamov erasing his road struggles this season, as he and the Colorado Avalanche were hammered by the Edmonton Oilers in a 8-2 romp. Leading the way for the offensive explosion was Taylor Hall, who collected a "hat trick" and an assist. With 24 points in 23 games, there isn't much stopping the young phenom from being a top-five fantasy forward, other than his perpetual injury issues. If he can stay healthy, all the key Oiler forwards and defenseman Justin Schultz will improve their scoring production by a wide margin over the second half of the '13-14 season. These boys could be deadly come January. "Skinned" Alive: Speaking of needing to stay healthy, Carolina's Jeff Skinner also recorded a "hat trick" in the Cane's 5-2 road defeat of Nashville. With 17 points in 18 games, he is taking advantage of more top-line ice-time and is equaling his level of play during his Calder Trophy winning season. If this youngster can keep out of the infirmiery, he should easily post a career-high in points, but that is no guarantee. The absence of Alex Semin has propeled Skinner back into the the position of Carolina's second best scoring forward, which is certainly giving his fantasy value a huge boost. Start him with extreme confidence. More Fantasy Game Notes: Fresh off signing his 7-year contract extension, Henrik Lundqvist was nearly impenetrable last night against the Buffalo Sabres. The "King" of Broadway turned aside 27 of 28 SOG for his 9th victory against 11 losses. If there ever was a chance to snare Lundqvist, now may be the time.  Just mention his losing record and how well backup Cam Talbot has been playing to put some doubt in his owner's mind....Toronto came away with a much needed 2 points against the Dallas Stars.  Nazem Kadri woke up by scoring 2 goals in the contest, one on the power play. Kadri has been a bit of a disappointment especially after last year's 44 points in 48-game effort.  They will need Kadri to continue this type of offensive support with Tyler Bozak, Dave Bolland and Joffrey Lupul all out with injuries....Martin St. Louis (2G) & Goalie Ben Bishop (33/34 SV)were the main characters in the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 win over Bishop's former team, the Ottawa Senators. St. Louis never ceases to amaze me with how he can continue to score the way he has as he has gotten older.  He is in the top-20 in NHL scoring and once Steven Stamkos' returns, whenever that is, his numbers should improve greatly. Bishop is showing that ...

Two of the top offensive producers from last night's packed slate of games are arguably the most underrated in fantasy circles, as Jeff Skinner and David Perron do not get enough "love". The Carolina winger recorded 2 goals and an assist during the 4-1 romp in Washington, while Perron led the Oiler's offense with two goals in a losing cause. In the case of Skinner, he has been vastly overlooked because of his extensive history with injuries. He simply can't stay on the ice long enough to produce for fantasy teams, but when he does, he scores. In 17 games, he now has 14 points (6G/8A), including 54 SOG. With the injury to Alex Semin, the 21-year old has been put on a line with Eric Staal, with whom he enjoyed most of his success during his Calder Trophy run in '10-11. With Joni Pitkanen out for tthe entire season, Skinner has been utilized at the point on the power-play with Justin Faulk in recent games. If he can stay healthy, expect a huge boost of offense from Skinner.. Perron brings tons of offensive upside to the table, but he gets lost in the shuffle because of his more famous teammates. Let's see.. Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, RNH... You get the picture! However, the 25-year old has been their most consistent forward, collecting 22 points (11G/11A) in 25 games. His six seasons in St. Louis never resulted in huge numbers, mainly because the defensive-minded Blues always rely on a scoring-by-committee approach. In Edmonton, being a top-six forward in a potentially explosive offense can pay big dividends in fantasy. Keep him in your lineups, as he has showed little signs of slowing down. More Game Notes: The stars were out tonight, as Sidney Crosby scored two goals in the 3-2 win over the Isles, including a ridiculous OT move with the whole defense draped all over him. Fellow elite fantasy forwards, Evgeni Malkin and John Tavares, finished the contest with two assists apiece. Crosby leads the entire NHL with 37 points, followed by Malkin (34) and Tavares tied for third (32). This trio is surely lighting it up for their fantasy owners. However, Kyle Okposo of the Isles, who scored two goals in the game, has been a rising fantasy forward amidst the team's early struggles. With 25 points in 28 games and a plum assignment on the top line, his offensive contributions cannot be ignored. While his streakiness will drive you nuts, he should shatter his previous career highs in points and remain an above-average fantasy option.. With two goals last night, ...

If his leg responds well an aggressive re-hab will lead to a quick recovery. However, still no timetable set for his return.

There is no an established timetable for Stamkos to recover from his surgery, which included the insertion of a titanium rod the length of the tibia, though he is expected to begin his rehabilitation right away. The normal time frame is 4-6 months, but there is still some optimism that Stammer could be ready to go for the Olympics, so we will see how his recovery goes.

Islander goalie Kevin Poulin was on the verge of taking a stranglehold on the No. 1 job on Long Island until three young and very talented Kings scored in the 3rd period. Poulin was holding a shutout of Los Angeles until the 3rd period when D Slava Voynov (23-years old) broke the ice and then 7 minutes later 21-year old LW Tanner Pearson scored his 12st NHL goal in his 1st NHL regular season game to knot the score. 21-year old C Tyler Toffoli scored the game-winner with just under a minute and a half left in the game. It was Toffoli's 7th point in 5 games this season. Grab him if you can as he is the real deal.  With Jeff Carter out with an injury, Toffoli will be counted on for his offense.... Kings G Ben Scrivens was good enough for the win, stopping 23 of 25 SOG, as he started in place of injured Jonathan Quick. Quick will miss 4-6 weeks with a groin strain.... Poulin had the game in control until the 3rd, so you may see Evgeni Nabokov back in the crease against Detroit on Saturday. Dallas Star LW Jamie Benn (G, 5A) had a 6-point night and Tyler Seguin (4G, A) had 5-points against Calgary last night as both exploded against the porous Flame goaltending. Christmas came early for those fantasy owners of these two stars as they just had their way all night long.  For Seguin & Benn, that's 12 & 11 points, respectively, in the last 9 games. Don't expect nights like these too often, but it's nice to relish in the moment.....Stars G Kari Lehtonen started his 11th straight game and has gone 7-3-1 in that span. Ride him with confidence. More Fantasy Game Notes: The Tampa Bay Lightning haven't skipped a beat since Superstar Steven Stamkos went down with a broken leg. After beating the Canadiens 2-1 in Montreal, the Bolts returned home to take on the Western Conference-leading Anaheim Ducks.   If you were wondering who was going to step up for the injured Stamkos, you may not have to look any further than Valterri Filppula. Filppula had a 3--point night by scoring 2 goals and an assist.  Now, don't expect him to score like Stamkos, but if this game is any indication, Filppula is up for the challenge. ...The Ducks were without their leader Ryan Getzlaf for a second straight game....The Great Dane Frederik Andersen was sent back to the AHL after Viktor Fasth was re0instated from the IR. Stash the Danish goaltender away if you are in deep keeper leagues as he showed his ability to play at the NHL level....St. Louis put a hurting on the Colorado goaltending by ...

Islander goalie Kevin Poulin was on the verge of taking a stranglehold on the No. 1 job on Long Island until three young and very talented Kings scored in the 3rd period. Poulin was holding a shutout of Los Angeles until the 3rd period when D Slava Voynov (23-years old) broke the ice and then 7 minutes later 21-year old LW Tanner Pearson scored his 12st NHL goal in his 1st NHL regular season game to knot the score. 21-year old C Tyler Toffoli scored the game-winner with just under a minute and a half left in the game. It was Toffoli's 7th point in 5 games this season. Grab him if you can as he is the real deal.  With Jeff Carter out with an injury, Toffoli will be counted on for his offense.... Kings G Ben Scrivens was good enough for the win, stopping 23 of 25 SOG, as he started in place of injured Jonathan Quick. Quick will miss 4-6 weeks with a groin strain.... Poulin had the game in control until the 3rd, so you may see Evgeni Nabokov back in the crease against Detroit on Saturday. Dallas Star LW Jamie Benn (G, 5A) had a 6-point night and Tyler Seguin (4G, A) had 5-points against Calgary last night as both exploded against the porous Flame goaltending. Christmas came early for those fantasy owners of these two stars as they just had their way all night long.  For Seguin & Benn, that's 12 & 11 points, respectively, in the last 9 games. Don't expect nights like these too often, but it's nice to relish in the moment.....Stars G Kari Lehtonen started his 11th straight game and has gone 7-3-1 in that span. Ride him with confidence. More Fantasy Game Notes: The Tampa Bay Lightning haven't skipped a beat since Superstar Steven Stamkos went down with a broken leg. After beating the Canadiens 2-1 in Montreal, the Bolts returned home to take on the Western Conference-leading Anaheim Ducks.   If you were wondering who was going to step up for the injured Stamkos, you may not have to look any further than Valterri Filppula. Filppula had a 3--point night by scoring 2 goals and an assist.  Now, don't expect him to score like Stamkos, but if this game is any indication, Filppula is up for the challenge. ...The Ducks were without their leader Ryan Getzlaf for a second straight game....The Great Dane Frederik Andersen was sent back to the AHL after Viktor Fasth was re0instated from the IR. Stash the Danish goaltender away if you are in deep keeper leagues as he showed his ability to play at the NHL level....St. Louis put a hurting on the Colorado goaltending by ...

ALL GOALIES CONFIRMED UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED AT TIME OF PRINT With the loss of Jonathan Quick to the dreaded LBI (lower-body injury), Ben Scrivens will see most of the action in net for the Los Angeles Kings. Scrivens takes on Kevin Poulin of the New York Islanders who is looking to push his foot in the door a little further for the Isles' starting job. Evgeni Nabokov hasn't instilled a lot of confidence in the coaching staff with a 3.24 GAA and .894 SP.  The team has played much better in front of Poulin as his numbers show (2.35 GAA & .924 SP) and he has started 4 of the past 6 games for the Islanders. The Kings are coming off a tough loss to the Buffalo Sabres but look for that to continue on the Island.  On home-ice, the advantage belongs to Poulin.... Jean-Sebastien Giguere draws a tough assignment tonight for the visiting Colorado Avalanche as they take on Jaroslav Halak and the St. Louis Blues. Giguere is playing lights out with a 1.00 GAA and .970 SP and a perfect 5-0-0 record.  Halak is playing well also with a 9-2-2 record but his stats don't match Giguere's.  However, the Notes have the home-ice advantage and the team should be ready to take on the NHL's biggest surprise so far this year in the Avalanche.  I would love to get "Jiggy" with it, but I just can't.  Blues at home after a tough OT loss to Phoenix.... Sergei Bobrovsky and the Columbus Blue Jackets head to Beantown to take on the Boston Bruins. Chad Johnson gets the call as the B's give Tuukka Rask a night off. This will be Johnson's third start of the year and the Bruins look to extend their winning streak to 4.  This is a good game for Johnson to play as the Blue Jackets have lost 6 of their last 7.  The B's won't leave Chad hanging in this one.... Tonight pits the two Conference leaders against one another as  Ben Bishop is in net for the Tampa Bay Lightning while Jonas Hiller gets back in the net for the Anaheim Ducks after 3 straight starts by rookie goalie phenom, Frederik Andersen.   The Bolts are coming off a 3-game road trip that was successful with 2 wins against Montreal and Detroit but suffered a devastating loss in Boston when their superstar scorer Steven Stamkos went down with a broken leg.  Bishop has been a rock for the Lightning in net, winning his last 5 starts.  The Bolts will return to the road after tonight's tilt.  Look for the Ducks to rebound after losing to the Florida Panthers 3-2 the other night.  Hiller will be the pillar in net for the Ducks tonight... ...

The Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick is out with a hamstring/groin issue. The Kings backup goaltender Ben Scrivens will get most of the starts until Quick returns. Scrivens has played in 5 games this year with a 1-1-1 record with a 1.89 goals against and a .924 save percentage.  His career numbers are mediocre at 12-15-3 with a 2.78 and .911, but he will be the starter now. Hardy Harding: Minnesota goaltender Niklas Backstrom was run over early by Toronto forward Nazem Kadri, and he was forced to leave the game. It looked serious and Backstrom may have a concussion.  His backup Josh Harding replaced him and he got the 2-1 shootout win with 19 saves. Harding will likely get a number of starts now until Backstrom can come back, although it looked like Harding already had a hold on the No. 1 job before last night.  He has been really solid this year with a 10-2-2 record a 1.21 goals agains and a .947 save percentage.  Play him if you can.  Wild forward Zack Parise had the regulation goal and the game winner in the shootout. Parise has 16 points in 19 games this year, and while those are ok numbers, he has not really lived up to his big contract.  Jonathan Bernier was the tough loser in goal for Torotnto as he played great with 33 saves. Flyers flying: The Flyers have now won 3 straight games after a terrible start to the season. Last night they beat the suddenly struggling Penguins 2-1 as Philadelphia's young foward Brayden Schenn scored both of the Flyers goals. Schenn has 12 points on the season in 18 games, so he is not yet fantasy worthy, but he will get there in time.... Ray Emery had a great game in net for Philadelphia with 31 saves, but his numbers this year are not that special and Steve Mason should maintain his hold as the starter. Emery's goals against is 2.82 and his save percentage is only .898....Sidney Crosby had a power play goal for Pittsburgh, and with Lightning forward Steve Stamkos out for possibly the rest of the season, the scoring title should be Crosby's to win. Stars are shining: Nice win yesterday for Dallas, 3-0 over Winnipeg. We are big fans of Stars' goaltender Kari Lehtonen, and he did not disappoint last night with 22 saves and a shutout. Lehtonen's numbers this year are strong with a 8-3-2 record, a 2.01 goals against, and a .932 save percentage.  Good numbers!  He is a first tier fantasy goalie....Dallas forward Tyler Seguin had a goal and 6 shots on goal. He also played 7:04 minutes on the power play, so he is being given ...

The Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick is out with a hamstring/groin issue. The Kings backup goaltender Ben Scrivens will get most of the starts until Quick returns. Scrivens has played in 5 games this year with a 1-1-1 record with a 1.89 goals against and a .924 save percentage.  His career numbers are mediocre at 12-15-3 with a 2.78 and .911, but he will be the starter now. Hardy Harding: Minnesota goaltender Niklas Backstrom was run over early by Toronto forward Nazem Kadri, and he was forced to leave the game. It looked serious and Backstrom may have a concussion.  His backup Josh Harding replaced him and he got the 2-1 shootout win with 19 saves. Harding will likely get a number of starts now until Backstrom can come back, although it looked like Harding already had a hold on the No. 1 job before last night.  He has been really solid this year with a 10-2-2 record a 1.21 goals agains and a .947 save percentage.  Play him if you can.  Wild forward Zack Parise had the regulation goal and the game winner in the shootout. Parise has 16 points in 19 games this year, and while those are ok numbers, he has not really lived up to his big contract.  Jonathan Bernier was the tough loser in goal for Torotnto as he played great with 33 saves. Flyers flying: The Flyers have now won 3 straight games after a terrible start to the season. Last night they beat the suddenly struggling Penguins 2-1 as Philadelphia's young foward Brayden Schenn scored both of the Flyers goals. Schenn has 12 points on the season in 18 games, so he is not yet fantasy worthy, but he will get there in time.... Ray Emery had a great game in net for Philadelphia with 31 saves, but his numbers this year are not that special and Steve Mason should maintain his hold as the starter. Emery's goals against is 2.82 and his save percentage is only .898....Sidney Crosby had a power play goal for Pittsburgh, and with Lightning forward Steve Stamkos out for possibly the rest of the season, the scoring title should be Crosby's to win. Stars are shining: Nice win yesterday for Dallas, 3-0 over Winnipeg. We are big fans of Stars' goaltender Kari Lehtonen, and he did not disappoint last night with 22 saves and a shutout. Lehtonen's numbers this year are strong with a 8-3-2 record, a 2.01 goals against, and a .932 save percentage.  Good numbers!  He is a first tier fantasy goalie....Dallas forward Tyler Seguin had a goal and 6 shots on goal. He also played 7:04 minutes on the power play, so he is being given ...

UPDATE: The Buffalo Sabres have fired Head Coach Ron Rolston and brought back none other than former Sabres coach, Ted Nolan. Along with bringing back Nolan, Buffalo announced that Pat LaFontaine will be joining the franchise as President of Hockey Operations.  I had mentioned a few weeks ago in my Sunday Morning Coffee that coaching changes were needed again in Buffalo. Good luck to the new staff. In last night's contest between two of the "Best In The West", Oliver-Ekman Larsson scored the overtime game-winner for the Phoenix Coyotes in their 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. The 22-year old is making plenty of fantasy noise in his fourth season, as he looks to be breaking out in a big way. With a goal and an assist, the rising Swede now has 15 points in 19 games, "knocking on the door" of the fantasy elite defenseman in the NHL. Last season, he scored at a .50 point-per-game clip with 24 points in 48 games, but he seems to have taken his game to a higher level in the early stages of the '13-14 season so far. His rise to stardom looks eerily similar to the path taken by fellow countryman Erik Karlsson, who wasn't exactly surrounded by elite starpower either. Forget about the fact that Ekman-Larsson plays for a presumed defensive-minded team, the Coyotes actually resemble a very competent offensive squad this year, so look for him to make a strong push for top-five defensemen scoring honors. Anyone Better Than "AO"? Russian superstar Alex Ovechkin ended the game in grand style, scoring the OT game-winner in Washington's come-from-behind 4-3 victory over Columbus. With Steven Stamkos out indefinitely after breaking his tibia, "Ovie" should coast toward winning the Maurice Richard Trophy for most goals in the season. He has replicated his '13 Hart Trophy form so far, collecting 14 goals and 24 points in 17 games. With the possible exception of Sidney Crosby, he is the elite fantasy forward to own. Anderson Or Lehner? Despite Robin Lehner leading the Ottawa Senators to four straight wins and capturing Player Of The Week honors, Craig Anderson was back in the net to face the Philadelphia Flyers. The results were less favorable to say the least, as he gave up 5 goals on 31 shots in the 5-0 blowout loss. Anderson is 4-5-0 on the season with a 3.30 GAA and .906 SP. Meanwhile, Lehner posted a 3-0 record last week with a 1.33 GAA and .958 SP. The youngster has allowed two or fewer goals in six of eight starts, so he has been the far better option in goal ...