This version of SMC is coming to you from Wells, Maine where it's really cold but the coffee is really good! I've been telling you that Boston has been getting their act together. Don't let last night's hiccup against Columbus discourage you.  They are back. T-Rask is back to being his dominant self. Ryan Johansen looks like you ‘will' be the centerpiece for the Jackets after all. It has been a pleasure to see him rise to new levels. Once Milan Lucic gets a head of steam, watch out! I think Philly's season is practically over, but they still had to beat Buffalo last night. It will take a miracle for the Flyers to make the playoffs.  That's a shame considering the seasons that Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek are having. I had to take a week of lessons on how to both pronounce and spell this Buffalo Sabres name because I think Zemgus Girgensons is going to be a good one in a very short time. The Toronto Maple Leafs went 0-4 on their mostly West Coast road trip scoring only 1 goal. I wonder if they left their sticks in TO?   They'll probably be glad to be home, but they have 5 of their next 7 on the road.  David Backes has 16 points in last 9 games. Say what?!?!?!  He's a good fantasy player in all categories but this prolific of a scorer? The Islanders are going to have to work on their defense if they want to go deep into the playoffs. Are John Tavares and Kyle Okposo going to tear up the NHL from here on out? I think JT has been saving it up for the stretch run. I truly believe that. This Montreal Canadiens team is scary. Carolina beat Ottawa in a "does anyone really care" matchup. Eric Staal should not be disappearing in some games. He's just too good for that. What happens to Jeff Skinner? Sometimes he looks like a world-beater and then you don't hear from him for months. I mean besides the oft-times that he's injured. Too many top goalies getting injured of late. Or is it a plot to keep them out of the All-Star game?  My conspiracy theory for the week. Tomas Tatar has 20 goals already. What have I been watching to not realize he was having this good of a season? That 5-2 loss to Detroit really showed how much Pekka Rinne is perhaps the best net minder in the NHL right now. If anyone can have a huge second half that has been pretty much non-existent, it's Nathan MacKinnon, he's that talented. For a minute I thought Victor Hedman got injured again when I saw Anton Stralman's line in the box score. 1G, 1A, -1, 1 SOG, 1 BS, 2 HT, and the most power play ...

The New York Islanders began a stretch of 6 games against Metropolitan Division teams with a 5-4 shootout win over the Pittsburgh Penguins who play another match today on the Island. Ryan Strome, with a goal and 2 assists, now has 15 points in 19 games and looks to be getting comfortable with 8 points in last 7 games. Those in deep fantasy leagues, or who are in need of a 5th or 6th forward, might want to take a flier on this kid as he has tremendous talent and could possibly see time with John Tavares from time to time....Speaking of playing with superstar talent, Patric Hornqvist scored his 10th goal of the season and also added an assists with 5 SOG. Hornqvist must feel like he has been rewarded for all his hard work in Nashville all those years....Pittsburgh LWer Blake Comeau saw time on Sidney Crosby's line and notched a goal. If he sticks on the line, you could expect Pascal Dupuis-type production (40-45 pts) as Comeau is limited to minimal power play time..... Is this Ryan Johansen kid a stud or what? Even though the Columbus Blue Jackets lost to the Boston Bruins in a shootout, Johansen had a hand in all 3 goals for the Jackets. With 23 points in 19 games, he is way ahead of a pace to break last season's career high in points of 63 in 82 games played....Benefitting from playing along RJ this season is Nick Foligno who added to his point totals with a goal and assist, giving him 20 in 18 games. Foligno doesn't seem to be slowing down, so keep on inserting the LWer in your lineup.... New Jersey's Cory Schneider started his 20 game in a row last night in Edmonton and blanked the Oil for his second shutout of the season, his second in last 4 games. Schneids will probably get today off in Calgary but then should be back in net against Vancouver in the next one which will probably start another string of starts. After losing 4 in a row at the beginning of November, Schneider seems to be settling in by only allowing 7 goals in last 5 starts.  Keep the NJ net minder in your starting lineup because he can pitch a shutout on any given night....Eric Gelinas assisted on both Devils' goals but should only be considered if you need defensive help as he only has 7 points in 17 games so far this season....Viktor Fasth has played relatively well for the Oilers in his last 4 starts, winning 2, losing two but only giving up 8 goals in those 4 starts, while Ben Scrivens has been inconsistent in last 4 going 0-3-1 and letting in 16 goals. May be worth a shot if you ...

When the Edmonton Oilers made those two trades last year to acquire Viktor Fasth from Anaheim and Ben Scrivens from Los Angeles, I thought that they were on the right track since the Devan Dubnyk experiment was a disaster. I had thought that Fasth would take over as the number 1 goaltender even though Scrivens played better upon arrival, but neither has shown any resemblance of an NHL starting goaltender. Comparing the numbers, Scrivens is just 4-7-1 with a 2.94 GAA and a .899 SP. Fasth on the other hand is much worse with a 2-3-1 record, a 3.63 GAA (whoa!) and a .885 SP. If the Oilers want to save their season, something needs to be done and quickly.  It's nice to have all those young offensive weapons, but they need a goalie who can take over as a true No. 1, with a little help from the defense of course. In fact, Minnesota just put Josh Harding on waivers and with Edmonton sitting near the bottom of the NHL, Harding might be the ideal candidate for this young team. Harding has the talent, and the experience now, to be their guy.  He doesn't cost much against the cap at $1.9 million, and if he doesn't work out, he's an unrestricted free agent at the end of this year. Other options include Martin Brodeur but I don't believe he would want to go anywhere except a Stanley Cup contender. They've gone down the Ilya Bryzgalov road last season and that didn't pan out. Tomas Vokoun could be a decent option but he hasn't played much over the past few years and is up there in age at 38. There are slim pickings out there that is why Harding makes so much sense.  He may have health issues, but he did sport a 1.65 GAA and a .918 SP in 29 games last year. Not too shabby and better than what they are getting now. Harding is worth a shot for a team that is trying to establish themselves as a true NHL contender. Harding wouldn't cost them a young talented player and the cap hit is very palatable. How bad could this be?  Harding just may cause the Oil to stop slipping. POST MARKS: SHARK BITE--Hats off to Troy Grosenick who got his first NHL start the other night and posted a 2-0 shutout of the Carolina Hurricanes. Young troy faced 45 SOG and turned every one aside.  Nothing could be finer than to shut out Carolina for my fir-r-r-r-rst win!.....STEALTH JET--Michael Hutchinson burst onto the NHL scene as the end of last season and opened a lot of eyes with a 2-1-0 record, a 1.64 GAA and a .943 SP. Can't get much better than that huh?  Well, so far this season he is 2-1-0 ...

Fasth allowed a single goal on 21 shots in the Oilers 3-1 win over the Rangers on Sunday. Fasth has picked up back-to-back wins while allowing just three goals on 52 shots (.942 SV%). He draws a tough matchup tonight against an upstart Predators team who sit at 9-3-2 on the year.

Fasth stopped 29 of 31 shots in the Oilers 3-2 win over the Sabres on Thursday. It was Fasth's first win of the season and it earned him a second consecutive start tonight in New York. It will be a much more difficult task than Friday, but he might not be a bad spot-start for people who are desperate for goalie numbers.

Fasth allowed four goals on 25 shots in a loss to the Flyers in his return from a groin injury. The Oilers are in the second game of a back-to-back so Fasth will be back between the pipes vs. the Sabres. Fasth carries a 4.70 GAA and .861 SV% into Buffalo tonight.

Fasth allowed four goals on 25 shots in a loss to the Flyers in his return from a groin injury. The Oilers are in the second game of a back-to-back so expect Fasth to be back between the pipes vs. the Sabres. Fasth carries a 4.70 GAA and .861 SV% into Buffalo tonight.

Fasth will make his first start since October 14th because he missed the last eight games with a groin injury. He has made two appearances this season and allowed seven goals on 54 shots (.870 SV%). His return to the crease will cog against the Flyers, who are tied for seventh in the NHL in scoring with 3.00 goals per game.

Fasth has been out since October 14th when he suffered a groin injury vs. the Kings. Ben Scrivens has won each of his last four starts so Fasth will probably assume the role of the Oilers' back-up when he returns.

Fasth has been out since October 14th due to a groin injury he suffered vs. the Kings. He has been cleared to play, but his absence has him firmly behind Ben Scrivens, who is 4-1-0 with a .928 SV% in his last five starts. Look for Scrivens to start Saturday vs. Vancouver, but Fasth should make his return next week during a back-to-back vs. Boston and Buffalo on Thursday and Friday.