tough schedules
6 teams today played last night.
--4 of those are playing their 3 game in 4 nights, and 2nd of back to back tonight (ATL, Colo, Edmn and WA)
--2 of those teams are just playing back to back (Buffalo, NYI)
5 teams playing today do also tomorrow,
(for your info as I'll probably be offline and on road sunday):
Calgary has 3 in 4, and back to back sun
LA sun plays 4th in 6, and 3 in 4 back to back
MN sun plays 4 in 6, and 3/4 back to back
Pitt sun plays 4 in 6, 3/4 and back to back
Van sun plays back to back nights
<b>Boston</b>---Grahame is my guess. Shields got last start and wasn't sharp. Grahame is 10-2-1-1 this season, and coming off one of those rare losses.....Boston over is 10-3 on road....they are 8-2-2-1 on road this season....Montreal lost last meeting and are mad Thornton didn't get penalized for spearing..
<b>Montreal</b>----Theodore. This from paper:
"Therrien said Theodore had a good week of practice and has been sharp on the puck. Now he must carry that into a game.
"We've got two goalies who deserve to play," the coach said. "There's never a perfect situation. Jos? has got to play and we figure (tonight's) the time."
<b>New Jersey</b>----Brodeur I expect. He's 20-9-4 vs Ott, 1.89 gga, and .926 save pct.....under is 7-0 last 7 meetings.....NJ under is 9-2 on road, Ott under is 8-4 at home...NJ has not had two consecutive overs yet this season (over hit last game)..
<b>Ottawa</b>---Lalime I expect. He's 3-9-1 vs NJ, 2.90 gga, .894 pct.... Ott lost 1-2 at NJ 10/10.....Ott 10-3-0 at home this season, NJ is 9-4-1-1 away. Ott offense a solid 1.40 avg goals/gm last five over NJ avg..
<b>Buffalo</b>---Biron I expect. He's been good of late. He's 5-2-1 vs Phila, 1.48 gga, .951 pct.....under has hit 5-1 last 6 meetings and Buff won all six...Buff under is 9-3 on road and Phila under is 12-3 at home.
<b>Phila</b>----Chechmanek I assume. He's 4-2-0 vs Buff, with 1.01 gga, and .960 pct.
<b>NY Rangers</b>---Blackburn, Newsday sez "Goalie Mike Dunham, acquired Thursday from the Predators, arrived in time to practice with the Rangers Friday but Bryan Trottier said Dan Blackburn will start Saturday night against the Maple Leafs, Blackburn's 18th straight start."....other papers concur...NYR official site sez Dunham debuts tonight as a blueshirt, but I guess that means as a backup. NY Post said his first start should be Monday or thurs. Dunham was shocked and upset at trade, will take some time to adjust.
<b>Toronto</b>---Belfour I expect....article here on how Leafs, winners of last 8 at home, want to try to take advantage of a tired goaltender tonight.........http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoSports/ts.ts-12-14-0125.html
<b>NY Islanders</b>---Snow? official site sez
"With Osgood facing a moderate amount of 28 shots last night, Garth Snow could get the nod in net tonight. Snow made 29 saves on 30 shots on Nov. 21 before being ejected in the last Islanders-Lightning game -- a 7-2 Isles' win. That was the game in which the Isles exploded with seven goals and the Wiemer-Scatchard- Blake line "clicked."
Snow is 2-3-3 vs TB, 2.52 gga, .909 pct (Ozzie is 14-0 vs TB!)
<b>Tampa Bay</b>---Khabib I expect.
TB paper sez "Tampa Bay has lost five in a row to the Islanders while being outscored 22-7. The last Lightning victory was March 3, 2001.....G Nikolai Khabibulin is 2-6 with a 4.65 goals-against average vs. the Islanders, his worst against any team. ... New York will wear its alternate third jerseys tonight. ... The Lightning are 10-for-32 on the power play in the past eight games. "
<b>Columbus</b>---Denis, I expect. He starts nearly all games. He's 1-5-0 vs Det, 3.19 gga, .901 pct......Columbus has a three-game unbeaten streak, beating New Jersey and Los Angeles and tying Phoenix. Detroit off a loss, and haven't yet had two of those in a row this season, let alone at home.
<b>Detroit</b>---Joseph I expect. Legace still out.
<b>Minnesota</b>---Roloson I assume, he's been hot of late.
<b>Nashville</b>---Vokoun, now with Dunham gone. Vokoun's only action vs MN was a 2-1 win at home 12/00 (McLennan in goal for MN).....Vokoun has been decent this season, 4-9-3, 2.42gga, .911 pct.
<b>Colorado</b>---Aebischer expected sez all. He has a career mark of 2-2-0 against Calgary, with both wins being shutouts .
<b>Calgary</b>---Turek I expect. Tho they do play rival Vancouver tomorrow...?
<b>Atlanta</b>---Dafoe. He's 3-6-1 vs STL with 2.23 gga, .924 pct, and one shutout.. and this season he's He's 2-5-0 with an .856 save percentage. .....ATL paper sez "The Thrashers' all-time record against the Blues is 0-4-0-0. Atlanta has been outscored 7-1 in two losses at St. Louis and 18-6 overall."
ATL is 0-4 on 0 days rest, and 0-6-0-3 on both the days of consecutive starts.
<b>ST Louis</b>---Johnson, who was decent in his first game back. He's 2-0 vs ATL, a 3-0 at home (12/02 vs Nurminen), and 6-3 on road (12/00 vs Rhodes)
article here on state of ravaged STL lineup "flirting with stability tonight"....http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sp...e=Friday the 13th hardly fazes luckless Blues
<b>Vancouver</b>---Cloutier I expect, but they do play Calgary tomorrow...Van is 10-2-2 on road, best record in league.
<b>Edmonton</b>---Salo I expect, but he did play last night in OT....
<b>Pittsburg</b>---Hedburg. He's 0-2-0 vs LA, 3.67 gga, .867 pct, and has allowed 10 goals his last two. Article here on how goalie coach is working with them on this trip.....http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/sports/penguinslive/s_107803.html
<b>Los Angeles</b>---Potvin I expect, Storr got last start. He's 4-5-1 vs Pitt, 3.98 gga, .875 pct.
<b>Washington</b>----Carpentier I expect. He's outplayed Biller. Piece here on Kolzig's expected return monday....http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52625-2002Dec13.html
<b>San Jose</b>---Nabokov I expect, he's rested. He's 4-0-0 vs Caps, with 2.75 gga, .914 pct. SJ 6-0 last 6 vs Caps. And Caps 2-5 this season on 0 days rest.
all for now. gotta hit the road to Oregon. Have only that frustrating dial-up at home there. Won't be on here as much.
good luck to everyone!
6 teams today played last night.
--4 of those are playing their 3 game in 4 nights, and 2nd of back to back tonight (ATL, Colo, Edmn and WA)
--2 of those teams are just playing back to back (Buffalo, NYI)
5 teams playing today do also tomorrow,
(for your info as I'll probably be offline and on road sunday):
Calgary has 3 in 4, and back to back sun
LA sun plays 4th in 6, and 3 in 4 back to back
MN sun plays 4 in 6, and 3/4 back to back
Pitt sun plays 4 in 6, 3/4 and back to back
Van sun plays back to back nights
<b>Boston</b>---Grahame is my guess. Shields got last start and wasn't sharp. Grahame is 10-2-1-1 this season, and coming off one of those rare losses.....Boston over is 10-3 on road....they are 8-2-2-1 on road this season....Montreal lost last meeting and are mad Thornton didn't get penalized for spearing..
<b>Montreal</b>----Theodore. This from paper:
"Therrien said Theodore had a good week of practice and has been sharp on the puck. Now he must carry that into a game.
"We've got two goalies who deserve to play," the coach said. "There's never a perfect situation. Jos? has got to play and we figure (tonight's) the time."
<b>New Jersey</b>----Brodeur I expect. He's 20-9-4 vs Ott, 1.89 gga, and .926 save pct.....under is 7-0 last 7 meetings.....NJ under is 9-2 on road, Ott under is 8-4 at home...NJ has not had two consecutive overs yet this season (over hit last game)..
<b>Ottawa</b>---Lalime I expect. He's 3-9-1 vs NJ, 2.90 gga, .894 pct.... Ott lost 1-2 at NJ 10/10.....Ott 10-3-0 at home this season, NJ is 9-4-1-1 away. Ott offense a solid 1.40 avg goals/gm last five over NJ avg..
<b>Buffalo</b>---Biron I expect. He's been good of late. He's 5-2-1 vs Phila, 1.48 gga, .951 pct.....under has hit 5-1 last 6 meetings and Buff won all six...Buff under is 9-3 on road and Phila under is 12-3 at home.
<b>Phila</b>----Chechmanek I assume. He's 4-2-0 vs Buff, with 1.01 gga, and .960 pct.
<b>NY Rangers</b>---Blackburn, Newsday sez "Goalie Mike Dunham, acquired Thursday from the Predators, arrived in time to practice with the Rangers Friday but Bryan Trottier said Dan Blackburn will start Saturday night against the Maple Leafs, Blackburn's 18th straight start."....other papers concur...NYR official site sez Dunham debuts tonight as a blueshirt, but I guess that means as a backup. NY Post said his first start should be Monday or thurs. Dunham was shocked and upset at trade, will take some time to adjust.
<b>Toronto</b>---Belfour I expect....article here on how Leafs, winners of last 8 at home, want to try to take advantage of a tired goaltender tonight.........http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoSports/ts.ts-12-14-0125.html
<b>NY Islanders</b>---Snow? official site sez
"With Osgood facing a moderate amount of 28 shots last night, Garth Snow could get the nod in net tonight. Snow made 29 saves on 30 shots on Nov. 21 before being ejected in the last Islanders-Lightning game -- a 7-2 Isles' win. That was the game in which the Isles exploded with seven goals and the Wiemer-Scatchard- Blake line "clicked."
Snow is 2-3-3 vs TB, 2.52 gga, .909 pct (Ozzie is 14-0 vs TB!)
<b>Tampa Bay</b>---Khabib I expect.
TB paper sez "Tampa Bay has lost five in a row to the Islanders while being outscored 22-7. The last Lightning victory was March 3, 2001.....G Nikolai Khabibulin is 2-6 with a 4.65 goals-against average vs. the Islanders, his worst against any team. ... New York will wear its alternate third jerseys tonight. ... The Lightning are 10-for-32 on the power play in the past eight games. "
<b>Columbus</b>---Denis, I expect. He starts nearly all games. He's 1-5-0 vs Det, 3.19 gga, .901 pct......Columbus has a three-game unbeaten streak, beating New Jersey and Los Angeles and tying Phoenix. Detroit off a loss, and haven't yet had two of those in a row this season, let alone at home.
<b>Detroit</b>---Joseph I expect. Legace still out.
<b>Minnesota</b>---Roloson I assume, he's been hot of late.
<b>Nashville</b>---Vokoun, now with Dunham gone. Vokoun's only action vs MN was a 2-1 win at home 12/00 (McLennan in goal for MN).....Vokoun has been decent this season, 4-9-3, 2.42gga, .911 pct.
<b>Colorado</b>---Aebischer expected sez all. He has a career mark of 2-2-0 against Calgary, with both wins being shutouts .
<b>Calgary</b>---Turek I expect. Tho they do play rival Vancouver tomorrow...?
<b>Atlanta</b>---Dafoe. He's 3-6-1 vs STL with 2.23 gga, .924 pct, and one shutout.. and this season he's He's 2-5-0 with an .856 save percentage. .....ATL paper sez "The Thrashers' all-time record against the Blues is 0-4-0-0. Atlanta has been outscored 7-1 in two losses at St. Louis and 18-6 overall."
ATL is 0-4 on 0 days rest, and 0-6-0-3 on both the days of consecutive starts.
<b>ST Louis</b>---Johnson, who was decent in his first game back. He's 2-0 vs ATL, a 3-0 at home (12/02 vs Nurminen), and 6-3 on road (12/00 vs Rhodes)
article here on state of ravaged STL lineup "flirting with stability tonight"....http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sp...e=Friday the 13th hardly fazes luckless Blues
<b>Vancouver</b>---Cloutier I expect, but they do play Calgary tomorrow...Van is 10-2-2 on road, best record in league.
<b>Edmonton</b>---Salo I expect, but he did play last night in OT....
<b>Pittsburg</b>---Hedburg. He's 0-2-0 vs LA, 3.67 gga, .867 pct, and has allowed 10 goals his last two. Article here on how goalie coach is working with them on this trip.....http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/sports/penguinslive/s_107803.html
<b>Los Angeles</b>---Potvin I expect, Storr got last start. He's 4-5-1 vs Pitt, 3.98 gga, .875 pct.
<b>Washington</b>----Carpentier I expect. He's outplayed Biller. Piece here on Kolzig's expected return monday....http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52625-2002Dec13.html
<b>San Jose</b>---Nabokov I expect, he's rested. He's 4-0-0 vs Caps, with 2.75 gga, .914 pct. SJ 6-0 last 6 vs Caps. And Caps 2-5 this season on 0 days rest.
all for now. gotta hit the road to Oregon. Have only that frustrating dial-up at home there. Won't be on here as much.
good luck to everyone!
