Preview: Tampa Bay Lighting at Minnesota Wild, 7:30 p.m. EST
Two of the NHL's most notorious trapping teams go head to head in a game that's sure to be one of the trippiest, trappiest affairs of the NHL season. The neutral zone will be anything but. That said, don't think this one won't be entertaining -- both teams are on the precipice of three-game streaks. The Lightning are riding high right now, having won two straight over the weekend, and the Wild are in the midst of their first rough patch of the season, having surrendered five goals in each of their last two games, both losses. Big game for both sides.
Preview: Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche, 9:00 p.m. EST
As if things couldn't get any worse for the Stars, their current 2-6-1 streak has been compounded by the loss of Kari Lehtonen, who will miss at least three weeks with a groin injury. Andrew Raycroft gets the start for the Avalanche, which is a little concerning, since he's 0-7-0 in his last seven appearance with a 4.53 GAA. But that just means he's due.
Preview: San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m. EST
Dale isn't the only Hunter having a good day. Trent Hunter gets his shot on the Kings' top line tonight, playing with Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown. It's the long kind of shot, but the Kings have struggled to create offense all season and have only 7 goals in their last 4 games, so it definitely can't hurt to try. They'll have to be sure they don't open up in order to create chances, however. The Sharks are second in the league in shots, and their offense is clicking just fine.
Evening Reading:
• Entrepreneur Danny Crossman, a British army vet, has developed a sensor that alerts people when a player suffers a severe blow to the head. This could render hockey blogs obsolete. [The Globe & Mail]
• Two members of an Edmonton midget hockey team are in the hospital after the team bus hit a slippery patch and crashed. [CBC]
• Glen Gulutzan on Kari Lehtonen's groin: "It's not a 'high groin pull' it's kind of a low strain, a low pull, so those tend to heal a little bit better." Dude really knows his groin pulls. He's like a groin whisperer. [Defending Big D]
• On the Nashville Predators' struggle generating and preventing shots. [Copper & Blue]
• Stathead Cam Charron on which teams are due for a regression. [Backhand Shelf]
Puck Buddy Comment of the Day: I enjoyed this anonymous comment, on new coach-speak:
does any coach, when questioned about style, not say 'up tempo", "attacking", or "aggressive". I want a coach that says i'm played lethargic, laid back and casual.
"We're gonna wait for the play to come to us and hope for the best."
Bold prediction: Trent Hunter gets two goals in a Kings' win over the Sharks.