Friday always features a lighter schedule to set up for the big Saturday so the mini edition of Fantasy Hockey ONE starts now! Now there is only five games on the docket Friday Night but I can tell you this. There are things to keep an eye on for tonight and the weekend. We also do something rare today that we normally do not do.
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FANTASY TOTN:
The Boston Bruins — If you had players on the Bruins, you were a very happy camper last night as Boston rang in nine goals and a Tuukka Rask shutout to boot in a 9-0 whitewashing of the Calgary Flames. No Boston player had more than three points but five different players did have three points on the night which makes fantasy owners of Bruins players very happy. Their goal differential on the season is an eyepopping +69 ladies and gentlemen which is also the amount of goals they have given up on the year. With Boston on a 23-3-1 run, they welcome Vancouver into town on Saturday. The funny thing is only Tyler Seguin is on a realistic pace to score at around 80 points or so. Patrice Bergeron is almost up to a full point per game production but the balance is what keys this team.
Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask are the best one-two punch in the league when it comes to goaltending. No other team has the luxury of playing this kind of duo on their team. It is almost unfair really. Rask has a .950 save percentage in 13 GS while Thomas has a .940 save percentage in 24 GS. When a team is in the top three in so many vital categories, it is no surprise why there are so many balanced fantasy options for a GM to choose from. Remember this if you have midseason drafts as well.
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SCHEDULE TIME:
Friday, January 6, 2012 |
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| Teams | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NY Rangers | at | Pittsburgh | 7:00 PM | Gameday | ||
| Buffalo | at | Carolina | 7:00 PM | Gameday | ||
| Florida | at | New Jersey | 7:00 PM | Gameday | ||
| Colorado | at | Chicago | 8:30 PM | Gameday | ||
| NY Islanders | at | Anaheim | 10:00 PM | Gameday | ||
There is a little of everything on the schedule tonight. Also, if you think about it, you have the good, the bad, and the ugly. We probably see more goals being scored tonight than most. Even the Islanders-Ducks game could feature a lot of scoring chances because both teams are not only dinged up on defense, they are just plain bad to awful.
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KEEP AN EYE ON:
Will Ryan Miller start both games? — Miller’s numbers are down to their lowest levels of the post lockout era. If Buffalo was not playing Carolina and Winnipeg, I would say bench him undoubtedly but these are both teams that can throw up undeniable clunkers which is good for Miller owners. The only problem is can Miller get it together? Jhonas Enroth is still playing better from a goaltending standpoint and we are three months into the season. That has to scare Miller owners to death now, even long-term. The better question may be which game does Miller play. According to what we know, Miller is definitely starting tonight against Carolina as seen HERE.
THE UNKNOWN — Why do we say this? Simple. Does anyone know which players will show up for the Ducks-Islanders game? Because if you do, you are more clairvoyant than anyone I know. Even the Rangers-Penguins game is going to be a little strange honestly. Buffalo and Carolina will combine probably for at least five goals if not more and Colorado and Chicago could get into a track meet too. This is why we say Friday Night sets up Saturday. You have to be heading into tonight with a full head of steam because decision day is almost always Saturday. A few overs are going to hit tonight unexpectedly.
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Good luck fantasy owners out there and we will be on location for the Devils-Panthers game tonight so this should be fun. Updates will be few but meaningful as the weekend approaches. TGIF everyone and ALOHA!
