Back by popular demand, here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.
Preview: Philadelphia Flyers at Buffalo Sabres, 7:30 p.m. Ville Leino left the Flyers to sign with the Sabres for a rather large sum of money. In 10 games, he has a goal and an assist and has bounced around the Buffalo lineup like a super happy fun ball. It appears some people in Philly have noticed this. Leino gets his audition with Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville tonight. No Danny Briere or Matt Read for the Flyers. Ilya Bryzgalov and Ryan Miller between the pipes.
Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs at New Jersey Devils, 7:30 p.m. The emotional return of David Steckel to face a team with whom he played 18 games. Marty Brodeur plays his first game since Oct. 13, returning from a shoulder injury. The Zach Parise at center era may have come to an end, has he will play on left wing with Ilya Kovalchuk on right wing and someone named Adam Henrique in between them. Phil Kessel's first game in November, a month he lit up last year to the tune of 3 goals in 13 games.
Preview: Phoenix Coyotes at Colorado Avalanche, 9:30 p.m. The line of Martin Hanzal (so hot right now), Radim Vrbata and Ray Whitney has 12 points in two games. The Yotes are 5-0-1 in their last six against the Avs. TJ Galiardi will get a look with Paul Stastny and Milan Hejduk, per Dater. Mike Smith expected against Semyon Varlamov.
Check out previews and updated scores for all of today's games on the Y! Sports NHL scores and scheds page. For tonight's starting goalies, check out Left Wing Lock.
Evening Reading
• Dan Carcillo was altar boy before he was a sinner. [CSN Chicago]
• The Bruins are really moving up the standings now. [Barstool]
• Injury setback for Mike Green. [Loose Pucks]
• Should the Oilers trade Sam Gagner? [PHT]
• Hey, so what's Dominik Hasek been up to? "He played beach volleyball, skied on a glacier in the Alps with Czech Olympic downhill skiing medalist Sarka Zahrobska, crossed Albania by bike (he even thought about cycling through Kamchatka), and in the last weekend he competed with professional drivers while racing at the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Race in Barcelona." [NHL.com]
• Remarkable story from J.P. Hoornstra of the Daily Bulletin: "Bad luck is partly to blame for the end of Chad Starling's career; so is an ECHL policy that caused him to be sent back to Canada." [Bulletin]
• Tony La Russa will drop the first puck before the St. Louis Blues' game against the Vancouver Canucks on Friday. OK, that's fine; just keep him away from the phone to the War Room. Dude's not good with phones. [Blues]
Puck Buddy Comment of the Day: From the NHL Thanksgiving float post, it's Neal Not Neil:
"If the NHL had a sense of humor, they would put Tim Thomas' head on the turkey and a little Roberto Luongo pumping it up."
Bold Prediction: Marty Brodeur picks up an assist on a Devils goal against the Leafs.