Johnson left the game in the third period after he was checked by Hawks' defenseman Brent Seabrook. Head coach Jon Cooper did not have an update on Johnson after the game so expect an update on Wednesday or Thursday.

A few high-scoring affairs last night beefed up the point totals for many fantasy teams, such as Pittsburgh's 6-1 demolition of the AHL's Buffalo Sabres. I had to say that, given that Ted Nolan's crew has been a doormat for every team they have been lining up against. Sidney Crosby led the way with five assists;Kris Letang was a dominant blue-line presence with two goals and two assists; and Patrick Hornqvist continues his breakout dream season with two goals and an assists. All fun and games for the Penguins in this one. I started Crosby and Hornqvist in my daily fantasy league contest and safe to say, they carried me to victory.. Huge nights for the Flyer's electrifying tandem of Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek, as they combined for two goals and four assists in the win over Colorado. We expected as much firepower from Giroux, but his buddy "Jake" entered the game tied for the NHL lead in points with Sidney Crosby-19. So he got three and Sid got five last night. Still a thrilling beginning with 22 points in 14 games and all on his lonesome in second place.. Wayne Simmonds was moved up to the top line, playing LW in place of the injured Michael Raffl. He responded with a goal and an assist, hopefully the sign of a upcoming "hot streak" to come. This situation bears watching as he could pile up a career-high in points if he plays with the top guns at even-strength.. Young Tyler Johnson is on "fire" for the Lightning to start the season, scoring two more goals and adding to his team lead of 17 points in 14 games. I wouldn't bet any sort of money that he continues to out-score Mr. Steven Stamkos, but you need to keep riding him while he is hot.. Memo to Ryan Callahan owners- enjoy the ride while you can, as feisty winger rarely stays healthy long enough to fulfill his fantasy potential. Another strong effort while playing shotgun on the top line, delivering a goal and two helpers... The "Wiz" returns to the Columbus line-up, as defenseman James Wisniewski had three assists and was a force on the power-play all night long. Get him in your fantasy lineups ASAP.. Hey, what a coincidence in the Carolina-Washington contest- the "red-hot" Cam Ward sits out and the Canes allow four goals in the OT loss. Anton Khudobin had his chance and now Cam should hold onto the starting job for a long while... Justin Faulk has been playing well during the Carolina resurgence, collecting two more assists for five points in the last five games. Grab the 22-year old off the ...

I will be the first to admit that this week's crop of must-adds are nowhere near sure bets, but there is alot of high upside associated with the young wingers, plus a few goalies that have done it before. So, there is plenty of opportunity to bolster your team's output by adding the right guy from this list: Marcus Johansson LW, Washington:With 4 points in his last 4 games, the left winger has been flourishing lately on the second line with Andre Burakovsky. While Johansson didn't deliver last season as a top liner(44 pts/80 gms), he is still one of the team's better offensive weapons and has the ability to pad 10-15 points to last season's point total. Also, the 24-year old continues to play on the primary power-play unit alongside Ovechkin and Backstrom. Need I say more? Nikita Kucherov RW,Tampa Bay:The 21- year old has been white hot with nine points over the last five games. He has played himself up to the 2nd line while clicking with Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson. With 11 points in 12 games, he is off to a tremendous start but keep in mind that second-year players will have their offensive production hit a wall a few times. If you can stomach the inconsistencies, this youngster has the skill to put up 50+ points provided he stays in the top-six. He is well worth the shot.. Derek Stepan C, New York Rangers: His impending return to the Blueshirts could provide the jolt of confidence that the pivot-deficient Rangers need to revive their offense. Coming off a career-high 57 points, he will probably be back centering the "hot" Rick Nash which should only help him get back in the offensive swing of things.This addition is a no-brainer if he is available. Ray Emery G, Philadelphia: Three winnable home games on the upcoming docket and Steve Mason's well-documented struggles could contribute to a huge fantasy week for Emery. Despite a poor outing against Lightning his last time out, he could grab all three starts a if he gets the nod and plays well against Edmonton. Berube will ride the hot hand, so only start him if you are in desperation for 2nd goalie help.. High risk/ high reward candidate with potential to unseat Mason. Cam Ward G, Carolina: Yeah, I know I haven't been high on him but man, did he look good this weekend in securing back-to-back wins for the previously winless Hurricanes! If he is still available and you are stinking up the joint in the goalie department, give him a chance and stash him on your bench. Carolina has plenty of money ...

Last season, the Tampa Bay Lightning surprised quite a few people especially after their sub-par Lockout season where they finished next to last in the Eastern Conference. One of the main reasons for their success last season was putting ben Bishop in the net.  Ben Bishop's emergence along with the success of young talent like Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat, had the Bolts near the top of the Eastern Conference throughout the year even without their superstar talent Steven Stamkos. Can the Lightning strike again? GOALIES The Tampa Bay Lightning are stacked with young goaltending talent with Ben Bishop the current starter, Kristers Gudlevskis and Andrei Vasilevskiy developing in the minors. Bishop proved himself as a bona fide NHL number 1 starter with a 37-14-7 record in his first stint in that role last year and will continue again in that role this season.  39-year old Evgeni Nabokov has been signed as a veteran backup with Anders Lindback, last year's inadequate backup, signing as a free agent in Dallas during the off-season. Bishop had always been touted but had been traded from St. Louis to Ottawa and to Tampa Bay.  At 6'7" and 207 lbs., Bishop has the size and the skill, now just needs to build on his stamina for the long NHL season. Expect big things from Benny and the Bolts this year. Gudlevskis and Vasilevskiy will get all the time they need to develop properly as long as Bishop continues his stellar play in net.  DEFENSE Not enough can be said about Victor Hedman and his breakout season. During the lockout season, Hedman played in the KHL and amassed 21 points in 226 games played before the NHL season was restored. Hedman proceeded to 20-points in 44 games during that Lockout season.  Last season, all Hedman do was score 55 points, 42 of which were assists, and all this with Stamkos only playing in 37 of those games.  Can you imagine what he will produce with a motivated Stamkos playing a full season?  Brought in were Jason Garrison and Anton Stralman to round out the defensive corps. Garrison to provide a booming shot supposedly on one of the power play units while Stralman is looked upon to contribute sound defense in front of Bishop.  Matt Carle and Eric Brewer are the veterans on the squad and young Radko Gudas round out the top 6. FORWARDS When you think of the Lightning offense, Steven Stamkos immediately comes to mind, as well it should be. All Stamkos did in his injury-shortened season was score 25 goals in 37 games played, 14 goals...

Teddy Purcell, RW Tampa Bay (Owned in 60.5% of ESPN leagues) The underachieving winger found himself on a new line with a "hot" Steven Stamkos and Tyler Johnson on Thursday, subsequently responding with two goals. A very mediocre season for the normally reliable fantasy asset, but playing with the league's best pure scorer should boost his production in the short-term. Remember, he was close to a point-per-game producer when he was clicking with the now-departed Vincent Lecavalier. Mikael Backlund, C Calgary (Owned in 52.2% of ESPN league) The 5th year center was in the midst of breaking out when the Olympic break derailed his scoring "mojo". However, he looks to be back on track with 9 points (4G/5A) in the last 7 games. The whole squad has been playing inspired hockey as late season spoilers, so adding Backlund could be a wise move. Curtis Glencross, LW Calgary  (Owned in 0.9 % of ESPN leagues) This streaky winger has been flying under the radar due to missing 3 months to a severe ankle sprain, but he has been coming on recently for the up-start Flames. In his 6 games since returning to the lineup, he has amassed 6 points including a "hat trick" on Saturday. Known for scoring in bunches, take advantage of a possible "hot" streak in progress for Glencross. David Desharnais, C Montreal ( Owned in 26.0% of ESPN leagues) Let's keep the underrated fantasy pivot on this list, given that he is still widely available in most leagues despite collecting 12 points in his last 13 contests. With Thomas Vanek promoted to his line, the potential for scoring production has increased for the Hab's primary offensive trio. Desharnais is mostly an assist guy, which explains his relative obscurity in most fantasy formats. Hampus Lindholm, D Anaheim ( Owned in 41.4% of ESPN leagues) The 20-year old rearguard has been scoring at a good pace with 4 points in the last 5 games, giving him 26 points on his rookie season. Our recommendation is more based on Cam Fowler's injury which has resulted in Lindholm getting extended minutes, including quarterbacking the top power-play unit. Expect an up-tick in the young Swede's production with Fowler on the shelf.

Short schedule last night in the NHL with only 4 games played. Tampa Bay took out Toronto 5-3 as Steve Stamkos had a huge game with 3 goals. When he stays healthy Stamkos is one of the best fantasy forwards in the NHL.  He has 19 goals and 30 points for the year in only 24 games played.  Stay healthy Steve.  Young forward Tyler Johnson had a goal and an assist for Tampa as well, and with 44 points on the season, he is developing into fantasy relevance. Keep an eye on him.  Center Tyler Bozak had 2 assists for the Leafs. He has 42 points this season in only 47 games played .  Look for him next year in your draft.  The Blackhawks shut out the Blues 4-0 in a bit of a suprise, as Chicago had been struggling lately.  Great game for goaltender Corey Crawford as he had the shutout with 23 saves. At 27-12-10 on tthe year with a 2.21 GAA and a .919 SP, he has been playing well.   Defenseman Nick Leddy had 2 assists for Chicago, and with 28 points on the season he is a marginal 4th defenseman. Left wing Andrew Ladd had 2 goals for Winnipeg in their 5-4 win over Colorado. I have always liked Ladd who plays hard all the time.  He now has 50 points on the season with 2 goals.  You should pick him up if he is available in your pool.  He is very dependable.   Al Montoya got the win, and he is the man now in goal for the Jets with their injuries. His record is solid at 12-6-3 with a 2.26 GAA and a .921 SP.  Defenseman Tobias Enstrom had 2 assists or Winnipeg, but he has just 26 points on the season. Great game for Eddie Lack in goal for Vancouver as he shutout Nashville in a 2-0 win last night. Lack had 30 saves, and while he does have a losing record at 13-14-4,  he does have decent metrics with a 2.34 GAA and a .915 SP.  Young Danish left wing Nicklas Jensen had a goal for the Canucks, and with 5 points in only 7 games played this year he looks like a good up and comer.

Short schedule last night in th NHL with only 4 games played. Tampa Bay took out Toronto 5-3 as Steve Stamkos had a huge game with 3 goals. When he stays healthy Stamkos is one of the best fantasy forwards in the NHL.  He has 19 goals and 30 points for the year in only 24 games played.  Stay healthy Steve.  Young forward Tyler Johnson had a goal and an assist for Tampa as well, and with 44 points on the season, he is developing into fantasy relevance. Keep an eye on him.  Center Tyler Bozak had 2 assists for the Leafs. He has 42 points this season in only 47 games played .  Look for him next year in your draft.  The Blackhawks shut out the Blues 4-0 in a bit of a suprise, as Chicago had been struggling lately.  Great game for goaltender Corey Crawford as he had the shutout with 23 saves. At 27-12-10 on tthe year with a 2.21 GAA and a .919 SP, he has been playing well.   Defenseman Nick Leddy had 2 assists for Chicago, and with 28 points on the season he is a marginal 4th defenseman. Left wing Andrew Ladd had 2 goals for Winnipeg in their 5-4 win over Colorado. I have always liked Ladd who plays hard all the time.  He now has 50 points on the season with 2 goals.  You should pick him up if he is available in your pool.  He is very dependable.   Al Montoya got the win, and he is the man now in goal for the Jets with their injuries. His record is solid at 12-6-3 with a 2.26 GAA and a .921 SP.  Defenseman Tobias Enstrom had 2 assists or Winnipeg, but he has just 26 points on the season. Great game for Eddie Lack in goal for Vancouver as he shutout Nashville in a 2-0 win last night. Lack had 30 saves, and while he does have a losing record at 13-14-4,  he does have decent metrics with a 2.34 GAA and a .915 SP. Young Danish left wing Niklas Jensen had a goal for the Canucks, and with 5 points in only 7 games played this year he looks like a good up and comer.

There is no word on what is ailing Johnson, but he will be monitored during warmups and could potentially miss tonight's contest. Keep an eye on him as puck-drop draws near.

Got my Sunday morning coffee and a hockey game at Yankee Stadium today! Woohoo! Michael Del Zotto gets a new start in Nashville. Not the greatest place for an offensive defenseman to ply his trade. Martin Brodeur gets the start in Yankee Stadium for the Devils. He earned the right to start because of his career.  Cory Schneider earned the right because of his recent play. The Dodger Stadium matchup last night was more like a pitching duel snoozefest. Jonas Hill-er and the Ducks pitched a shutout. How many more times will the Carolina Hurricanse have a game postponed this year? What has happened to Bobby Ryan? Come back Bobby, wherever you are. Alexander Semin is hot. Two assists last night after 4 straight games with at least 1 goal. 6 players on the Canes did not have a point and 3 of those players were minus and Carolina won 6-3. I think the Islanders got robbed yesterday afternoon versus the Blues. Vanek's goal should have counted.  What were they looking at in Toronto? There is no stopping Alexander Steen. Perhaps Steve mason shouldn't have signed that contract because since he did, he hasn't been playing as well as he did earlier in the season. Fantasy owners be careful of Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. They too have signed new contract extensions, which carries a curse with it most of the time.  I've noticed that players who are having great offensive seasons playing for a contract that, once signed mid-season, tail off dramatically because the incentive is gone. Jarome Iginla with 2 goals and 2 assists yesterday. I remember the days when he used to string along a few games in arrow like that. Do you think Washington Caps Goalie Braden Holtby is fighting for his life? Shutting out the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal is no small feat. What has happened to Carey Price? This second half fade is becoming all too common. Tyler Johnson with a hattie. Kudos! He has 13 points in 13 January games.  Wonder how he does once Stamkos returns. Buffalo, with 97, haven't reached the 100 goals scored yet. Calgary is second lowest with 119.   Christian Ehrhoff is heating up like he usually does in the second half. Perhaps he is auditioning for another team. Matt Moulson needs to go somewhere else. Who would've thought that the Sabres would beat the red-hot Columbus Blue Jackets? Buffalo scored 4 goals on 21 SOG. Amazing since they only scored 97 all year. Love the way Winnipeg is playing under new Head Coach Paul Maurice. Lehtonen has been so streaky this year. ...

Ten games yesterday in the NHL, so we have a lot to go through. There were 3 afternoon games starting with Ottawa and Carolina.  The Hurricanes rolled over the Senators 6-3, but the offensive stars for Carolina were somewhat suprising. Manny Malhotra had 2 goals and an assist, dramatically increasing his season point totals to 11 points. Nathan Gerbe had a goal and 2 assists, but he is not fantasy worthy with 25 points on the season. One who is fantasy worthy is Hurricane defenseman Andrej Sekera who had 2 assists yesterday, and he has been hot with 6 points in his last 3 games. He now has 30 points on the season, and you should grab him if you need help on defense. Alex Semin had 2 assists to stay hot. He has 5 points in his last 3 games.  Anton Khudobin had 23 saves for the win, and he is now 10-3-0 on the season. Cam who? Kyle Turris had 2 goals for Ottawa and with 40 points on the season he is a decent 6th forward option. The Blues beat the Islanders 4-3 in a shootout, as St Louis defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk scored the winner. Young right wing Vladimir Tarasenko had 2 goals for the Blues, but with 31 points on the year we can't recommend him yet. The 22 year old will get better though.  Another win in goal for Jaroslav Halak, who now has 22 on the year. Boston goalie Tuukka Rask broke out of his slump with a strong game as Boston drubbed Philadelphia 6-1.  Rask had 25 saves and he looked very sharp. Jarome Iginla had a big game for the Bruins with 2 goals and 2 assists. Just like the old days in Calgary.  Still Iginla has only 33 points on the season.  Boston d-man Zdeno Chara had 2 power play goals as the Bruins used his big body down low on the PP. His production would increase if they keep using him that way. Dave Krejci had 3 assists for Boston, and with 42 points he is a decent 6th option at forward. He is mostly an assist guy though. Capital suprise: In a bit of a surprise 2 unusual things happened in Washington's 5-0 win over Montreal; the Capitals scored some goals and goalie Braden Holtby pitched a shutout with 21 saves. Washington was aided by the return of star forward Alexander Ovechkin who had missed several games with an LBI. Ovechkin contributed immediately with a goal and an assist. Carey Price continued his slump in goal for the Canadians, and he was pulled after allowing 4 goals. He has lost 4 of his last 5 games. Lightning strikes: Tampa Bay beat Colorado 5-2, as Lightning goalie Ben Bishop continued his amazing season with 25 ...