Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.
• Oh, jeez, man … what a time to be reading the St. James Bible app on your iPhone while sitting near the glass. In a related story: Remind us again why the Atlanta Thrashers don't sell out every single night? [Getty]
• TJ Oshie of the St. Louis Blues missed team practice with an "unexcused absence" and Coach Davis Payne is meeting with management to determine what kind of punishment will come down on him. Provided, you know, Oshie doesn't get one of his friends to forge a doctor's note or call the front office impersonating his father. Ah, high school. As usual, Down Goes Brown wins the Internet: "TJ Oshie's missed practice excuse: Was just trying to take some of the heat off Zdeno Chara." (Seriously, though: We hope everything's OK with the dude.) [Dispatch]
• Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller, Anaheim Ducks right wing Corey Perry and New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist have been named the NHL's 'Three Stars' for the week ending Mar. 27. Miller last week: 3-0-0, two shutouts, stopped 83 of 85 shots. Wow. [Sabres]
• The New Jersey Devils will make a decision on playing Zach Parise against the New York Islanders tomorrow. Good to know Jacques Lemaire, much like John MacLean, doesn't have a clue how to fit three left wings into his top six. [Fire & Ice]
• Tremendously entertaining post about Carrie Underwood, the Nashville Predators and civic pride. [On The Forecheck]
• Here are 20 reasons why Daniel Sedin is bad at penalty shots. [Pass It To Bulis]
• According to Elliotte Friedman, there are at least 20 teams in the hunt for prized NCAA free agent Stephane Da Costa of Merrimack. The money issue: "If Da Costa took the full bonus structure, he'd have a $3.75-million cap hit for next season - just like Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin for example. That would probably prevent him from signing with, say, Boston or Pittsburgh. So if he really wants to go to one of those teams, he'll have to drop some of those bonuses." [CBC Sports]
• Rob Rossi believes Sidney Crosby should be back before the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Pittsburgh Penguins. [Trib]
• Good bit here from Illegal Curve: "Everything you did or didn't want to know about the organizations, individuals and terms involved in the Phoenix Coyotes drama." We knew little about Little Logan Wade before this. [Illegal Curve]
• Ted Leonsis takes a jab at the Washington Post, and blogger Dan Steinberg stands up for his paper's coverage. [DC Sports Bog]
• Jason Arnott was inspired by Scott Stevens as a leader; so, in a sense, is bringing Arnott to the Washington Capitals like bringing back a little piece of Scott Stevens (preferably his shoulder, for concussing purposes)? [Japers' Rink]
• Alex Ovechkin returned to practice today for the Capitals."I just skating over there, like see if it bothers me or not. It's not bothering me. I think I'm ready to go." [WashTimes]
• Mike Green? The slow recovery from his concussion slowly moves along, slowly: "We've done a great job here with the trainers and the staff of taking the right procedures for me to get better. The unfortunate part is that it does take time. It's nice to get a good skate and hopefully now I can get back on the ice and back playing with the team." [Capitals Insider]
• Western College Hockey Blog breaks down the Frozen Four and tries to make it something other than North Dakota and the Frozen Three. [WCHB]
• Your New York Islanders season ticket and perks information for 2011-12. Buy season tickets in the lower bowl and Garth Snow will give you a foot massage during the second period. [Islanders]
• According to Pierre LeBrun, the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and Buffalo Sabres remain slated to open next season in Europe. But the NHL is downsizing its premiere series to four teams rather than six. [ESPN]
• We mentioned this during our chat with him today on Puck Daddy Radio, so if you haven't seen it: The John Garrett Drinking Game.
• Via Curl and The Daily What comes this video of two Ottawa Senators plants, er, fans, dancing up a storm to Rebecca Black's "Friday." Glad to see Dante made something of himself after the Quick Stop fire.
• In which Dan Cleary of the Detroit Red Wings inspires the children of Newfoundland. [CP]
• It's Joey MacDonald time for the Wings, but thanks to a positive diagnosis on Jimmy Howard's shoulder, probably just for the night. [Winging It]
• Good bit by Al Cimaglia on the Chicago Blackhawks: "The die hard fan in me wants the Hawks to reach the playoff and win at least one round. After all they are the defending Champs and making the playoffs should be a given, regardless of the salary cap issues and the fact half the team was jettisoned. In my book, with the way the season has gone, anything more than winning one round is a significant achievement. The realist in me says this is all going to end with a thud and maybe it is best not to qualify for the playoffs." [Hockey Independent]
• This just in: If the Montreal Canadiens finish the season with a 9-game losing streak, there is a chance they might finish out of the playoffs. [Globe & Mail]
• Big doings in the world of online fantasy hockey news, as Dobber Hockey teams up with The Goalie Guild to purchase The Goalie Post: "It was a match made in heaven. The best fantasy goalie site getting acquired by a partnership of the best fantasy hockey site and the top goaltender scouting site. The possibilities are endless. More marketing power (from DobberHockey) means more traffic, which means more content can be made available for free. More goaltending know-how (from The Goalie Guild) means there is more to offer in the Premium Section. The big winner? Fantasy hockey owners." [Dobber]
• Finally, not much we can say about this, other than Joao Pierre DaSousa, Portuguese Hockey Guy from French Canada, enjoys praying to Miikka Kiprusoff.