It’s fun when you get a schedule like tonight’s where there’s enough to keep everyone interested around the league. While the match-ups might not being doing it for you, the star power is all over the place and at least one game makes us perk our eyebrows tonight with the Sharks and Red Wings doing battle once again only a few days removed from playing in San Jose. All times are Eastern as per usual.
7:00 pm
New Jersey @ Pittsburgh
Just what a struggling New Jersey team wanted to see: A trip to Pittsburgh to see a streaking red hot Penguins team. At least the Devils have some good news in that Martin Brodeur is with the team and will likely serve as Johan Hedberg’s backup. The Penguins are coming off a 7-2 whomping of the Blue Jackets on Saturday night. Sidney Crosby is on fire and it doesn’t seem to matter whether or not Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal are in the lineup or not, they just keep rolling.
Toronto @ Washington
The Leafs are hoping to keep the good things going. After winning in the shootout over Boston on Saturday, dealing with the NHL leading Caps makes for an even tougher test. The Caps come into the game losers of two in a row and not at all pleased about it. If the Leafs aren’t careful, this game has the makings of a beating. If the Caps truly are reeling, it makes for a big opportunity for the Leafs to get two points. Stopping the league’s top offense, however, might prove to be difficult.
Nashville @ Atlanta
Nashville got back on track beating the Hurricanes on Saturday night, but dealing with a tough Thrashers team will prove to be a different kind of test. Where the Canes were young and prone to mistakes, the Thrashers are built tough and goalie Ondrej Pavelec has been outstanding of late. If the Predators offense can show up the way they did against Carolina, they’ll be in business as that’s been their bugaboo of late. Consistent goal scoring will help keep the pressure off of interim rookie starting goalie Anders Lindback.
Dallas @ Columbus
Columbus is reeling and looking bad while doing so. They’ve lost five in a row (once by shootout) and over that time they’ve given up 21 goals, good for an average of just over four per game. Their last two efforts were especially poor in giving up five to Buffalo and seven to Pittsburgh. Dallas, meanwhile, is on fire winners of six in a row and, unlike Columbus, have been getting outstanding goaltending throughout their streak. Over their win streak, they’ve allowed just nine goals regardless of whether Kari Lehtonen or Andrew Raycroft is in goal. You can’t help but feel this doesn’t bode well for the Jackets.
7:30 pm
San Jose @ Detroit
These two just met up last week on Tuesday with the Wings scoring a 5-3 win in San Jose. Henrik Zetterberg had a huge game netting two goals and two assists to lead the way. The Sharks will be happy to not have to deal with Carey Price who stonewalled them on Saturday but dealing with Jimmy Howard isn’t a treat either. For the Sharks, getting continued production out of Logan Couture and Ryane Clowe will help keep the heat off of their top line. Doing that against the Wings is asking a lot, especially now that they’re getting better production from young defenseman Jonathan Ericsson. Just what the Wings needed, a young player fitting in even better in his role on an older blue line corps.