Whether you’re interested for fantasy hockey reasons or just want to know which goalie your team is playing in a given day, we thought it might be helpful to share our best guesses (based on various previews from newspapers and Web sites plus our own instincts) on who might start each day.
Let’s take a look at who might start in tonight’s four games.
7:30 PM ET game
Boston @ Washington
Likely Boston starter: Tim Thomas - It’s been a solid start to the season for Thomas and considering the fact that they can earn wins and drive up his trade value at the same time. Considering it a win-win situation ... until he starts losing. (Source: Fluto Shinzawa.)
Likely Washington starter: Michal Neuvirth - Semyon Varlamov seems like he’s on the verge of getting back to 100 percent, but why not reward Neuvirth for stacking up wins and give Varlamov adequate time to heal too? Seems pretty logical to me. (Source: Katie Carrera.)
8:00 PM ET game
Likely Calgary starter: Miikka Kiprusoff - When doesn’t he start? (Source: Calgary Herald.)
Likely Nashville starter: Pekka Rinne - He’s not a sure thing in net tonight, but it seems likely that he’ll return after a nice run by rookie Anders Lindback. (Source: Josh Cooper.)
9:oo PM ET game
Likely Vancouver starter: Roberto Luongo - Corey Schneider started on Sunday, so chances are pretty high that Luongo will get the nod tonight. You know, since the franchise tied their fate to his for next 10 years or so. (Source: Vancouver Sun.)
Likely Minnesota starter: Niklas Backstrom - I couldn’t find confirmation on this one, but when in doubt, go with the guy who makes $6 million.
10:30 PM ET game
Carolina @ San Jose
Likely Carolina starter: Cam Ward - My best guess is that Ward will start tonight for the Hurricanes. (Source: AP preview.)
Likely San Jose starter: Antti Niemi - It looks like Niemi will get another start. The Sharks need to score more goals to help him out, but it would be nice if he could steal a game for San Jose. That would justify the whole “letting Evgeni Nabokov walk” thing. (Source: David Pollak.)