| NHL Player News and Notes |
| Date |
Player |
News |
| 1/7/2009 |
Henrik Lundqvist, G, NYR |
Lundqvist notched his first shutout of the season, making 27 saves for the host Rangers in their 4-0 win over Pittsburgh on Monday.
Analysis: Lundqivst, who led the league with 10 shutouts last season, has won his last two starts after posting an 0-2-1 record and compiling a 3.99 goals-against average in losing his previous three. He also picked up his 20th victory, becoming the fifth NHL goalie to start his career with four consecutive 20-win seasons. He is 20-11-3 with a 2.59 GAA in 34 starts overall. |
| 1/7/2009 |
Michal Rozsival, D, NYR |
Rozsival contributed two assists for the host Rangers in their 4-0 win over Pittsburgh on Monday.
Analysis: This was Rozsival's sixth two-point performance of the season, and his second such effort in his last six contests - a span in which he ahs four goals and six assists. Overall, he has six goals and 14 assists for the Rangers in 2008-09. |
| 1/7/2009 |
Chris Drury, C, NYR |
Drury contributed a goal and an assist for the host Rangers in their 4-0 win over Pittsburgh on Monday.
Analysis: This was Drury's ninth multipoint performance of the season, and the fourth in his last eight contests - a span in which he has two goals and seven assists. Overall, the Rangers captain has 11 goals and 16 assists in 2008-09. |
| 1/7/2009 |
Scott Gomez, C, NYR |
Gomez contributed a goal and an assist for the host Rangers in their 4-0 win over Pittsburgh on Monday.
Analysis: It was Gomez's seventh multipoint performance of the season, and his second such effort in three games as he also scored and added an assist in a home win over the New York Islanders on Dec. 29. Overall, Gomez has eight goals and 19 assists in 36 games. |
| 1/6/2009 |
Rick Nash, LW, Cls |
After going hard into the boards, Nash left after the first period in Tuesday's 3-0 loss in Detroit. He played 7:46.
Analysis: Nash leads the Blue Jackets with 17 goals and 39 points in 39 games. He had two goals and 10 points in the previous five games. |
| 1/6/2009 |
Toni Lydman, D, Buf |
Lydman sat out Tuesday's 4-2 win over Ottawa with the flu.
Analysis: Lydman has a goal and nine assists in 39 games this season. |
| 1/6/2009 |
Mats Sundin, C, Van |
Sundin believes there's a "good chance" he'll debut for the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night in Edmonton.
Analysis: The 37-year-old center is nine months removed from his last game in a 17-season NHL career. He signed as a free agent Dec. 18 and joined his new team in Vancouver on Dec. 30. Sundin didn't have his first full practice with the Canucks until Monday. "If nothing changes until tomorrow morning I think it should be a good chance I'll play tomorrow," Sundin said after a second practice Tuesday. "If not, then obviously Friday" at home against St. Louis. |
| 1/6/2009 |
Arron Asham, RW, Phi |
Asham was placed on the injured reserve with a knee injury on Dec. 28.
Analysis: Asham has six points in 33 games for the Flyers this season - his first with them after spending 2007-08 with New Jersey. He last played in Philadelphia's Dec. 27 loss at Columbus. |
| 1/6/2009 |
Kent Huskins, D, Anh |
Huskins is expected to miss two to three weeks with a broken bone in his right foot, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Analysis: Huskins has two goals and four assists, as well as 27 penalty minutes, in 33 games for the Ducks. He last played in a loss to Columbus on Dec. 31. Huskins was replaced on the roster by Brendan Mikkelson, recalled from Iowa of the American Hockey League. |
| 1/6/2009 |
Jiri Novotny, C, Cls |
Novotny was placed on the injured reserve Tuesday with an upper-body injury, according to the Blue Jackets' official Web site.
Analysis: Novotny, who last played in Saturday's loss at St. Louis, is expected to be sidelined at least one week. He has appeared in 26 games this season, recording a goal and three assists. In 173 career NHL games, he has 17 goals and 31 assists. |
| 1/6/2009 |
Dan LaCouture, LW, Car |
LaCouture was suspended indefinitely by the Hurricanes at the end of December, according to the Raleigh News and Observer.
Analysis: LaCouture signed a free-agent contract with the Hurricanes, and played in 11 games before being sent to Albany of the AHL. Last Tuesday, Carolina's president and GM Jim Rutherford said the forward had left the minor-league club to play in Russia's CHL. "It's very disappointing" Rutherford said. "He came in, and to Danny's credit he earned a contract and earned the right to stay on the team in the first part of the year when we had some injuries. To me, this is selfish." |
| 1/6/2009 |
Mike Zigomanis, C, Pit |
Zigomanis was placed on the injured reserve Sunday, according to the Penguins' official Web site.
Analysis: Zigomanis has been out with an undisclosed injury he suffered Dec. 3 at the New York Rangers. He's missed the last 16 games (5-11-0) and hasn't practiced or skated in over a month. It's unclear how far he is from returning. He was Pittsburgh's best faceoff man, winning 62.9 percent of his draws, and was a valuable contributor on penalty kills. He also added two goals and four assists for six points in 22 games. Pittsburgh acquired him in a trade from Phoenix on Oct. 9. |
| 1/6/2009 |
Nikita Filatov, LW, Cls |
Columbus assigned Filatov to the club's AHL affiliate in Syracuse on Tuesday.
Analysis: The 18-year-old Filatov was the sixth overall pick in last summer's draft. He had a goal in four games for the Blue Jackets in October, and also recorded eight goals and three assists in seven games as Russia's captain at the 2009 World Juniors. |
| 1/6/2009 |
Stefan Legein, RW, Cls |
Columbus assigned Legein to the club's AHL affiliate in Syracuse on Tuesday.
Analysis: Legein was Columbus' second pick in the 2007 draft. After helping Canada win the 2008 World Juniors and having a productive season at Niagara of the Ontario Hockey League, he told the Blue Jackets last summer he was quitting hockey because he had lost the desire to play. The 20-year-old Legein has since said he made a mistake and wants to prove himself to the Blue Jackets organization. |
| 1/6/2009 |
Philippe Dupuis, LW, Col |
The injury-plagued Avalanche called up Dupuis from the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL.
Analysis: Colorado has several players out with injury, including defenseman Adam Foote (triceps), captain Joe Sakic (back and hand), forward Paul Stastny (fractured forearm) and center Cody McCormick (foot). In turn, Dupuis is expected to be ready for Tuesday's game at Nashville. The rookie has appeared in three games this season. |
| 1/6/2009 |
Doug Weight, C, NYI |
Weight sat out Monday's 3-2 loss in Edmonton after colliding with a goalie during the morning skate.
Analysis: In his previous game, Weight became the eighth American-born player to reach 1,000 career points. Weight is tied for the team lead with 32 points. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Niklas Backstrom, G, Min |
Backstrom notched his fourth shutout of the season and the 13th such effort of his career, making 33 saves as the Wild posted a 2-0 victory at Colorado on Sunday.
Analysis: Backstrom shut out four opponents last season, and a career-high five the previous campaign. This was his first such effort since stopping 22 shots to blank St. Louis at home on Dec. 3. He has compiled a 1.75 goals-against average in winning three of his last four starts, and has won back-to-back contests for the first time since a three-game run Nov. 13-18. He improved to 18-12-2 with a 2.21 GAA in 32 outings overall. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Brent Burns, D, Min |
Burns provided two assists to help the Wild to a 2-0 victory at Colorado on Sunday.
Analysis: Burns, who assisted on both of Owen Nolan's goals, has a goal and five assists during a three-game point streak. Prior to this stretch, he had been held without a point in seven consecutive contests. This was also his fourth multipoint performance of the season. He has six goals and 11 assists overall. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Owen Nolan, RW, Min |
Nolan scored both goals to help the Wild to a 2-0 victory at Colorado on Sunday.
Analysis: Nolan has four goals in three contests since returning from a 10-game absence due to an injured right leg. He has nine goals and five assists through 20 games overall. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Nikolai Khabibulin, G, Chi |
Khabibulin made 34 saves for the Blackhawks in their 5-2 win over visiting Calgary on Sunday, ending the Flames' five-game winning streak.
Analysis: Khabibulin improved to 8-1-0 with a 2.39 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage in his last 11 outings. He has yet to fall in regulation at home, going 6-0-3 with a 1.91 GAA and a .936 save percentage in 10 such games this season. |
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