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.
Bobby Ryan goes to his happy place, which is a pancake house in Pasadena.
Preview: Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:00 p.m. EST
Bruins-Leafs games are always fun, especially now that you can directly compare the play of Tyler Seguin to the play of Phil Kessel, but at this point, it's worth watching the Bruins when they play anyone. They're on an 11-0-1 run. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs aren't too bad a watch either -- they're currently in possession of the top line in the NHL, the trio of Tyler Bozak, Phil Kessel, and Joffrey Lupul. I know -- I don't understand how this happened either.
Preview: Montreal Canadiens at Anaheim Ducks, 10:00 p.m. EST
The Ducks are beginning to approach the unthinkable: creating a world where the Columbus Blue Jackets aren't the worst team in hockey. They've lost seven straight and the positive signs are few and far between. But if there's any reason for optimism Wednesday night, it's that they seem to have the Habs' number of late. Anaheim's 4-0-1 in their last five versus Montreal, and Carey Price is 0-2-1 lifetime versus the Ducks.
Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings, 7:30 p.m. EST
Hey, remember when the Red Wings won five straight, then lost six straight? Well, they've won five straight again. This team is streakier than a poorly maintained display window. Couple that with the fact that the Lightning haven't beaten the Red Wings in the post-lockout era and you have all the classic trappings of a Red Wings win. Unless they take the Lightning too lightly. Could this be a trap game? *gasp* The Lighting play the trap!
Evening reading
• No discipline for Derek Joslin after his hit on Kris Versteeg. [NHL]
• Tweet of the day, right here: "Randy Carlyle met with Bobby Ryan today concerning trade rumors and told him he 'has to find that inner peace in himself to deal with it.'" Presumably, they proceeded to burn one down. [Jeff Miller]
• Cory Schneider, aka the C-wall (props to Dave Lozo), will get his seventh straight start versus the Nashville Predators. Said Roberto Luongo: "Motherf----!" Okay, actually, he said "We're both number ones." Except one number one is starting all the games. [The Province]
• The 10 worst NHL cliches. [The Hockey News]
• Jim Rutherford has turned his icy Rutherfordian glare on Tomas Kaberle. On the blueliner's poor play to start the year: "He has to figure out a way to get out of it or he won't be playing with the Hurricanes long." [XM Home Ice]
Puck Buddy comment of the Day: "yougottabejokinen", on Ovechkin and Boudreau:
Way too much focus on boudreau and ovechkin. What about the rest of the team? Ovechkin has pretty average numbers this season but the whole team has been underperforming. From a stats perspective really the only forward having a good season is Backstrom.
Correct. There are other players on the Washington Capitals.
Bold prediction: The Ducks lose. Wait, bold? Okay, the Ducks win, then. Whatever.