Apologies for being rather late to the party here, but a foot of snow will kind of get in the way, especially when you have other places to dig out.  Thanks again to Ryan and yes we will toss a few picks out tonight as well and even do the show.  Tim Rosenthal will even shovel live on the air for us. Okay, maybe not but it sounded good.  Here comes the Morning Skate….slightly late here…sorry.

The Morning After:

Yesterday’s scores:

Bruins 6, Senators 0

Canucks 4, Islanders 3 (SO)

Canadiens 2, Rangers 1

Hurricanes 6, Flames 5 (SO)

Coyotes 4, Blue Jackets 3

Flyers 5, Sabres 2

Panthers 4, Capitals 3 (OT)

Predators 5, Wild 1

Stars 3, Oilers 2

Maple Leafs 4, Sharks 2

Predictions record: 5-5

My 3 stars of the night:

1. Patrice Bergeron, BOS (3 Goals)… Bergeron tallied his first career hat trick in Boston’s rout of Ottawa.

2. Danny Briere, PHI (1 Goal, 3 Assists)

3. James Reimer, TOR (40 Saves, 2 GA)

Close but no cigar: J. Jokinen, CAR; T. Thomas, BOS; P. Rinne and N. Spaling, NSH; K. Lehtonen, DAL; A. Auld, MTL; D. Wideman, FLA; S. Hartnell, PHI; K. Poulin, NYI; I. Bryzgalov, PHX

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Tonight’s Slate:

Penguins @ Canadiens, 7:30 ET

Capitals @ Lightning, 7:30

Avalanche @ Blackhawks, 8:30

Blues @ Ducks, 10:00

Games of the Night:

Pittsburgh Penguins @ Montreal Canadiens

7:30 ET… TV: TSN, Local Networks

Records:

Overall: Penguins (26-14-4) … Canadiens (24-16-3)

Last Ten: Penguins (4-4-2) … Canadiens (5-4-1)

Away/Home: Penguins (12-5-3) … Canadiens (14-5-3)

Season Series: 2-0 Canadiens

Players to watch:

PIT- Evgeni Malkin

Malkin has got to step up his game with Crosby out.

MTL- James Wisniewski

‘Wiz’ has seven points in six games with his new team.

Projected Goaltenders:

PIT- Marc-Andre Fleury (2010/11 stats: 18-11-2, 2.31 GAA)

MTL- Carey Price (2010/11 stats: 21-14-3, 2.31 GAA)

Injury Report:

PIT- Sidney Crosby (concussion, out), Arron Asham (illness, questionable), Mike Comrie (hip, out), Eric Godard (nose, out)

MTL- Michael Cammalleri (illness, questionable), Andrei Markov and Josh Gorges (knee, out)

Game Thoughts:

The Pens and Habs are two teams going in different directions. Dan Bylsma’s club has lost three straight without Crosby, while Montreal has won three in a row (all one-goal games). These two faced off less than a week ago in Montreal, with the Habs winning in overtime. Though the Pens have struggled as of late, I think they are going to find a way to get the two points tonight and finally solve Montreal.

Prediction: Penguins 3, Canadiens 2 (OT)

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Wednesday Game of the Week:

Washington Capitals (24-12-6) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (25-13-5)

7:30 ET… TV: NHL Net. (US), Local Networks

Season Series: 2-0-1 Capitals

Prediction: Capitals 3, Lightning 2

More to come from this game…

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The rest of tonight’s predictions:

Blackhawks over Avalanche

Ducks over Blues

Breakfast and the AM Skate from Ryan…..Happy Election Day everyone…..

The Morning After:

Yesterday’s scores:

Rangers 3, Blackhawks 2

Flyers 3, Hurricanes 2

Canucks 3, Devils 0

Predictions record: 3-0

My 3 stars of the night:

1. Brandon Dubinsky, NYR (2 Goals)… Dubinsky was a key part to the Rangers win last night over Chicago with two goals.

2. Scott Hartnell, PHI (2 Goals)

3. Roberto Luongo, VAN (30 Saves, Shutout)

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Tonight’s Slate:

Senators @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 ET

Canadiens @ Blue Jackets, 7:00

Sharks @ Wild, 8:00

Canucks @ Oilers, 9:00

Game of the Night:

Ottawa Senators @ Toronto Maple Leafs

7:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:

Overall: Senators (4-6-1) … Maple Leafs (5-4-1)

Last Ten: Senators (4-5-1) … Maple Leafs (5-4-1)

Away/Home: Senators (1-3-1) … Maple Leafs (3-2-1)

Season Series: 1-0 Maple Leafs

Players to watch:

OTT- Daniel Alfredsson

Alfie has been hot lately with 11 points in the last 8 games.

TOR- Kris Versteeg

An awakening from Versteeg would help rectify the Leafs’ offensive issues.

Projected Goaltenders:

OTT- Brian Elliott (2010/11 stats: 4-4-0, 3.39 GAA)

TOR- Jean-Sebastien Giguere (2010/11 stats: 4-2-1, 2.27 GAA)

Injury Report:

OTT- Milan Michalek (knee, doubtful), Pascal Leclaire (groin, out), Filip Kuba (leg, out)

TOR- Colby Armstrong (finger, out)

Game Thoughts:

Rivals Toronto and Ottawa will meet for the second time this season; the Leafs won their first tilt easily, 5-1. The Senators’ offense has been Jeckyll and Hyde lately. Two shutouts have bookended a pair of five-goal games. Toronto’s goal-scoring has run dry and Ron Wilson is trying to find solutions. I expect a tight game, and Elliott’s career struggles against the Leafs will be the difference tonight.

Prediction: Maple Leafs 2, Senators 1

The rest of tonight’s predictions:

Canadiens over Blue Jackets

Sharks over Wild

Canucks over Oilers

It must be that time in the morning….for the Morning Skate.

The Morning After:
Last night’s scores:
Wild 4, Penguins 3
Avalanche 3, Flames 2 (SO)
Predators 3, Canucks 2
Sharks 2, Kings 1
Predictions record: 2-1-1

My 3 stars from last night:
1. Guillaume Latendresse, MIN (1 Goal, 3 Assists)
GM Chuck Fletcher is looking more and more like a genius after picking up Latendresse, who’s been a spark to the surging Wild.
2. Craig Anderson, COL (44 Saves, 2 GA)
Anderson bailed out his team for another 3-2 win over Calgary.
3. Evgeni Nabokov, SJ (33 Saves, 1 GA)
Holding a 2-1 lead, ‘Nabby’ faced 18 shots in the 3rd – and stopped ‘em all.
Dud of the Night:
Officiating in Preds/Canucks game… The zebras were flat-out horrible during last night’s game in Vancouver. Dan Ellis’ roughing call was bad (it was just a love-tap!), but the phantom interference and diving calls on Alex Burrows were worse! Those officials will not be getting a Christmas card from Burrows next holiday season…
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Tonight’s Slate:
Hurricanes @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 ET
Red Wings @ Islanders, 7:00
Devils @ Rangers, 7:00
Stars @ Flyers, 7:00
Senators @ Thrashers, 7:00
Capitals @ Lightning, 7:30
Blue Jackets @ Blues, 8:00
Predators @ Oilers, 9:00
Sharks @ Coyotes, 9:00

Games of the Night:
New Jersey Devils @ New York Rangers
7:00 ET… TV: VERSUS, TSN

Records:
Overall: Devils (31-11-1) … Rangers (22-17-6)
Last Ten: Devils (7-3-0) … Rangers (6-1-3)
Away/Home: Devils (15-4-1) … Rangers (10-10-3)
Season Series: Tied 1-1

Players to watch:
NJ- Zach Parise
Parise has snapped out of a mini-slump with a 3-game goal-scoring streak.
NYR- Marian Gaborik
20 of Gaborik’s 28 goals have come at home.

Projected Goaltenders:
NJ- Martin Brodeur (09/10 stats: 28-11-1, 2.16 GAA)
NYR- Henrik Lundqvist (09/10 stats: 20-14-5, 2.37 GAA)

Injury Report:
NJ- David Clarkson (leg, out), Paul Martin (arm, out), Dainius Zubrus (knee, out)
NYR- Vinny Prospal (knee, probable)

Game Thoughts:
The Hudson River Battle resumes tonight in New York. John Tortorella’s Rangers are playing very well of late, picking up points in 5 of the last 6 games. The Devils continue to sit atop the conference. Lundqvist has a staggering career track record against them, but will it continue? The road team has won each of the first two games of this season series, and I don’t see it changing…
Prediction: Devils 3, Rangers 2 (SO)
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San Jose Sharks @ Phoenix Coyotes
9:00 ET… TV: Local Networks

Records:
Overall: Sharks (29-10-7) … Coyotes (26-15-5)
Last Ten: Sharks (8-2-0) … Coyotes (5-2-3)
Away/Home: Sharks (15-6-2) … Coyotes (16-6-2)
Season Series: 2-0-2 Coyotes

Players to watch:
SJ- Dany Heatley
‘Heater’ hasn’t had much success vs. Phoenix this year, but San Jose needs him to step up tonight.
PHX- Zbynek Michalek
With ‘Jovo’ suspended, Michalek needs to have a solid game on the back end.

Projected Goaltenders:
SJ- Evgeni Nabokov (Last night @ LA: 33 Saves, 1 GA)
PHX- Ilya Bryzgalov (09/10 stats: 23-12-4, 2.21 GAA)

Injury Report:
SJ- Manny Malhotra (lower body, questionable)
PHX- Kurt Sauer (headaches, out)

Game Thoughts:
This will be the 5th meeting between these two; 3 of the previous 4 meetings have gone to a shootout. I do not foresee that happening tonight, though. With San Jose having to win a hard-fought game last night, I think Phoenix is in the driver’s seat. The ‘Yotes have faltered a bit lately, but are looking to get at these guys after losing twice to them right after Christmas. I like Phoenix in a low-scoring tilt…
Prediction: Coyotes 3, Sharks 1

The rest of tonight’s predictions:
Maple Leafs over Hurricanes
Red Wings over Islanders
Flyers over Stars
Thrashers over Senators
Capitals over Lightning
Blues over Blue Jackets
Predators over Oilers

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