Simply with a six game schedule, there were a lot of unexpected yet exciting games last night. Yes, they had some considerable fantasy impact as well. Did anyone expect Montreal to beat Ottawa or Detroit to lay down like they did against Anaheim? Those answers would be no. The Phoenix-Vancouver game actually trumped the Buffalo-Colorado game for game of the night but not by much. Who knew Antoine Vermette could still muster a three point night or that Mike Smith would battle like he did last night? We did know the Sedin Twins would get on the scoresheet. Daniel had one assist and Henrik had two helpers on the night.
All this talk of Phoenix and such and we have not revealed our Fantasy POTN but now we shall. Have you gone to see “The Wizard”? We have.
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FANTASY POTN:
Ray Whitney, LW, Phoenix Coyotes — While he is not as old as Teemu Selanne, there are just some things that Whitney does that very very few can. His three assists last night spearheaded the Phoenix attack and led to a huge 5-4 win over Vancouver. The Winger is a career -75 but is an astounding +25 and will be 40 in May. Add in the 65 points in 71 games and you have a guy that probably went quite a bit under the radar yet was a fantasy boon for many this year. His uncanny ability to produce points is the reason why he was our Fantasy POTN last night.
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QUICK LOOK BACK:
Jamie McGinn, LW, Colorado Avalanche — We said it last night but Colorado actually fleeced someone in a trade. San Jose is probably wishing they had just played the 23 year old more. With increased responsibilities, McGinn has flourished in Colorado with nine points (seven goals) in his last six games. His shots on goal per game are up, ATOI is up, and attitude are all way up. This is a player who seems to have 60-65 point upside next year. Do not be shocked when it happens but his ability to crash the net and keep his feet are going to serve him well as everything else continues to develop.
Drew Stafford, RW, Buffalo Sabres — Last night I saw something in Stafford that had not really been seen all year. HE WANTED IT! Yes Buffalo ultimately lost in the shootout but Stafford was causing turnovers and even capitalized on a shorthanded goal to account for one of his three points on the night. The season has been disappointing with 38 points but maybe this acts as a fantasy springboard to show Stafford that if he can play like this every night, he can be that 60-70 point guy quite a few think he can be.
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SCHEDULE TIME:
Thursday, March 15, 2012 |
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| Teams | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | at | New Jersey | 7:00 PM | Gameday | ||
| Philadelphia | at | NY Islanders | 7:00 PM | Gameday | ||
| Pittsburgh | at | NY Rangers | 7:00 PM | Gameday | ||
| St. Louis | at | Carolina | 7:00 PM | Gameday | ||
| Boston | at | Florida | 7:30 PM | Gameday | ||
| Toronto | at | Tampa Bay | 7:30 PM | Gameday | ||
| Phoenix | at | Calgary | 9:00 PM | Gameday | ||
| Nashville | at | San Jose | 10:30 PM | Gameday | ||
It is “The Ocho” schedule with eight games on the night. Hey we bring in Mr. Ian Gooding for his latest edition of the Pick Six. He will probably have something about that #87 fellow and then we add in a special. Oh and just to add it in….. Henrik Lundqvist (flu) out tonight per Dan Rosen of nhl.com.
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PICK SIX:
Star players returning from injury should provide an added boost to playoff-bound fantasy teams. We all know of one particular notable player who will be returning on Thursday, but there are more names that you need to be aware of, especially if you’ve been stashing players on IR. To accommodate those players, picks for both Thursday and Friday are included. With the Wednesday news of one more player making an earlier-than-expected return, I’ll be breaking the rules a little by making this article a Pick Six plus one.
Sidney Crosby, C, PIT – start
If you visit Kukla’s Korner on a regular basis, you’ll know that Crosby will be making his long-awaited return on Thursday against the Rangers. During his brief stint this season, Crosby proved that he is still capable of winning the scoring title if he were healthy for an entire season (12 points in 8 games), so it’s not a stretch to expect that kind of production for the rest of the season (assuming he stays symptom-free – cross our fingers). In spite of his lengthy absence, it’s unlikely that he’ll be available in any fantasy leagues. However, we can always mention the players around him that should benefit from his return, either because they will be riding shotgun as linemates or because of decreased focus from top-level defensemen: Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Chris Kunitz, Jordan Staal, the list goes on…
Kris Letang, D, PIT – start
… and that list even includes Letang, who is expected to return from his own concussion. Letang will return tonight according to Letang himself and now Coach Bylsma. One could even argue that Letang’s return is even more important to the Pens than Crosby’s, given the Pens’ glaring lack of power-play production from the blueline. With 31 points in 40 games, Letang needs to be back in fantasy lineups sooner rather than later (THIS MEANS NOW!). As long as the Pens don’t suffer any more concussions to key personnel, they’re a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference.
Matt Duchene, C, COL – add/start
Duchene was expected to be out three to four weeks with an ankle injury. Instead, he is expected to make his return on Thursday after being sidelined for just one week. It hasn’t been the greatest year for Duchene, both from an injury and a production (26 points in 48 games) perspective. Still, you have to like surprises, and he’s there if you need him. Keep in mind, he had two points in nine games in his last “comeback”. Add and start him but do not expect last year’s production in the least.
Andrei Markov, D, MON – add/start
Habs fans who truly believe this season was a fluke will contend that the absence of Markov is the reason that their beloved blue, blanc, et rouge are more lottery team than playoff contender. Markov recorded an assist in his unexpected return to the lineup on Saturday against Vancouver. Given his point and power-play totals prior to his run of injuries two seasons ago, don’t wait much longer on Markov, now that he has had three games to shake off the rust. However, a return to his previous form might be asking a little too much, since the Habs haven’t been exposing him to the elements (17 minutes icetime Wednesday).
Erik Cole, LW/RW, MON – start
If you’re thinking that Cole has been scoring a lot lately, then you’re right. Cole has scored goals in three consecutive games while scoring four goals over that span. The struggling Habs haven’t been a wasteland for fantasy players; in fact, Cole’s 27 goals this season trails only Max Pacioretty (30) for the team lead. You’ll be high-fiving everyone too if Cole is in your lineup right now.
Ilya Bryzgalov, G, PHI – start
In case you haven’t checked your team in awhile, it’s time to make sure Bryz is back in your starting lineup. No longer lost in the woods, Bryzgalov has posted three consecutive shutouts along with shutouts in four of his last five games. The Flyers’ universe-sized investment and your likely early-round investment in Bryz is finally paying off – and just at the right time.
Kari Lehtonen, G, DAL – start
Lehtonen might be the league’s hottest goalie with two consecutive shutouts, five consecutive wins, and eight wins in his last nine games. His recent play is a major reason that the Stars are the unexpected leader of the Pacific Division. The Stars are by no means secure with their division lead, so expect Lehtonen to be playing in big games as they attempt to secure the number three seed. (Wouldn’t it be weird if the Stars had a higher playoff seeding than the Red Wings?).
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Good luck everyone as we will be live scouting the “Calder Clash” at The Rock tonight. Hopefully your playoffs are going well and again thanks for reading.
