Carolina Hurricanes

By Greg Wyshynski Preview: New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. EST; TV: MSG). The Devils are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games against the Hurricanes. Meanwhile, Brandon Sutter watched his dad Brent take an embarrassing spill during the morning skate. Rookie.

By Greg Wyshynski Preview: Chicago Blackhawks at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. EST; TV: CSNC, FSD). Nicklas Lidstrom is out for the Wings. Mike Babcock's line about the Red Wings families vs. the Blackhawks families at Wrigley is pretty damn funny. Preview: New Jersey Devils at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. EST; TV: VS). Seriou...

By Greg Wyshynski • Colin White will miss the New Jersey Devils' next game. [Fire & Ice] • The youngest player in NHL to play 200 regular-season games? That would be Jordan Staal, should he lace'em up for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night. [NHL]

By Ross McKeon Eric Staal got a late start Friday night, but once he got going he was impossible to stop. Staal collected his sixth career hat trick and second in 17 games by scoring three times in the span of just 4:31 of the third period. His power-play goal at 7:27 tied the game 3-3, No. 2 came at 10:42 to tie it a...

By Ross McKeon Maybe this is the game that will get Eric Staal going. The promising young center scored two power-play goals during the Hurricanes' 3-2 victory over the visiting Montreal Canadiens. Staal had both in the first period en route to 20:45 of ice time that included four shots on goal and 10 wins i...

By Greg Wyshynski Preview: Washington Capitals at New York Islanders (7 p.m. EST; TV: VS). Brent Johnson gets the start for the Caps. A new book counts down the greatest Washington Capitals of all time. Rod Langway over Alexander Ovechkin? Meh. Mike Gartner sixth, behind Dale Hunter? Whoopee!

By Greg Wyshynski • Mike Green and Sergei Fedorov should be back in the lineup for the Washington Capitals tonight against the Ottawa Senators. [Capitals Insider] • Carolina Hurricanes star Eric Staal gets the ESPN/David Amber treatment, and puts over Evgeni Malkin as the best player in the NHL today. [ESP...

By Greg Wyshynski • The 1974-75 Washington Capitals, 1980-81 Winnipeg Jets and 1992-93 Ottawa Senators all make the Sports Illustrated gallery for worst seasons for a team. "Lose-ipeg." Still funny. [SI] • Fox Sports Carolina apologizes for cutting into Carolina Hurricanes games with unscheduled comme...

By Greg Wyshynski Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. EST; TV: FSPI, FSS). It's the re-debut for Paul Maurice in Carolina, as the Canes attempt to kick-start their season. Justin Williams has come off IR. Meanwhile, the "Trade Jordan Staal" whispers continue to grow louder among Peng...

By Greg Wyshynski Honorable Mention: Sidney Crosby had two second-period goals to rally the Penguins. ... Jeff Carter scored his league-leading 16th goal for the Flyers. ... Michael Ryder had two goals and Phil Kessel notched his 12th in the Boston Bruins' emphatic 7-2 win at the New York Islanders. ... Marian Hossa no...

By Matt Romig Just like in his playing days, Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky saw the play developing before it happened. Before the game even started, actually. Prior to Friday's Phoenix-Carolina tilt in Raleigh, Gretzky admitted he was "a little nervous" about facing Staal, a proven scorer mired in an ei...

By Greg Wyshynski Preview: Phoenix Coyotes at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. EST; TV: FSAZ, FSS). Eric Staal is in a huge slump (one goal in 12 games), and that has Phoenix Coach Wayne Gretzky on edge. If that's the case, then Carolina must be absolutely petrified of Kyle Turris.

By Greg Wyshynski Carolina's offense had been anemic entering its game with the Montreal Canadiens. Goalie Carey Price shut down the Canes through the first two periods, en route to a 46-save night. Thinks looked bleak. That was until Sergei Samsonov shocked the world with his first goal of the season in the t...

By Greg Wyshynski • Snapshots takes a look at some political hockey issues, including a scenario in which a Brian Burke/Ron Wilson/Toronto Maple Leafs US Olympic team takes on a Steve Yzerman/Mike Babcock/Detroit Red Wings Canadian Olympic team. Uh, can we trade? [Snapshots]

By Greg Wyshynski Honorable Mention: Stick-taps to Erik Christensen of Atlanta, Bret Hedican of Anaheim and Jeremy Roenick of San Jose (in another return to Chicago) for their first goals of the season. ... The St. Louis Blues dropped a 3-2 shootout decision to the Montreal Canadiens, but winger Steve Regier s...

By Ross McKeon The free-agent lured from Columbus in the summer was a pillar of defense in helping the Thrashers win a fifth straight game. In addition to blocking two shots and logging a team-high 25:40 of ice time, Hainsey added the second assist on what turned out to be the deciding goal in a 3-2 victory o...

By Greg Wyshynski Preview: New Jersey Devils at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. EST; TV: MSG, CSN). The Devils' fracked goalie situation could be cleared up in a hurry this weekend, with back-to-back games against the Capitals. Scott Clemmensen gets the nod tonight, and could start on Saturday if he plays well. If...

By Greg Wyshynski Bettman's fear regarding a ban on hits to the head is echoed throughout every level of competitive hockey. In the aftermath of Doug Weight's open-ice hit to the head of Brandon Sutter of the Carolina Hurricanes, and Toronto's Mike Van Ryn getting hit from behind by Montreal's Tom Kostopou...

By Greg Wyshynski Preview: Detroit Red Wings at Tampa Bay Lightning (7:30 p.m. EST; TV: FSD, SUN). Let's see ... a tremendously pissed Wings team, a Lightning team that was just shut out by the Panthers ... well, that's why they play the games, right? The Lightning seem to believe they have a defensive advantage tonig...

By Greg Wyshynski • Meanwhile, TSN learns that Carolina Hurricanes president Jim Rutherford was offered the Leafs' team presidency and the GM job last August. Brian Burke = 2nd choice? LOL! [TSN] • The Los Angeles Kings vaguely discuss their mysterious third jersey. [Icethetics]

By Greg Wyshynski Preview: New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. EST; TV: MSG). Both teams are coming off losses to the Edmonton Oilers and that goalie with 47 letters in his last name. No Scott Gomez tonight for the Rangers, as he's out with a leg injury. The Devils are starved for offense, so naturally they...

By Greg Wyshynski Honorable Mention: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Joe Corvo scores the game-winning goal against his former team, as the Canes beat the Ottawa Senators, 2-1. Corvo: "It's just a little extra in the Kool-Aid before the game," Oh yeah? ... Johan Hedberg made 28 saves for the Thrashers, none b...

By Greg Wyshynski Preview: Ottawa Senators at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. EST; TV: RSN). Martin Gerber gets the start for the Sens against his old mates in Carolina. Michael Ryan gets a call-up from the AHL for the Hurricanes, which leads Carolina On Ice to celebrate a moral victory against the KHL.

By Greg Wyshynski Preview: Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. EST; TV: FSS, CSN). A rather significant early season game between two rivals in the Southeast, and the Canes see it that way. The big news out of DC today was the All-Russian top line, but far more significant is the flipside of that s...

By Greg Wyshynski • WWE Diva Kelly Kelly rocks a Tampa Bay Lightning sweater during a tag-team match. Vinny Lecavalier now the second best-looking person to ever wear a Bolts jersey. [The Power Play] • Cam Ward has a wicked cool new mask: DeNiro from "Cape Fear." [Hurricanes, via Kuklas]

By Greg Wyshynski Nashville Predators winger Jordin Tootoo hadn't seen video of the crushing open-ice check by the New York Islanders' Doug Weight that injured Brandon Sutter of the Carolina Hurricanes. But he had heard many of the same issues being raised in its wake, many times before: The calls for incr...

By Greg Wyshynski Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning at Toronto Maple Leafs (7:30 p.m. EDT; TV: TSN). The hapless Bolts mingling with the Toronto media ... no good can come from this. Prepare for 10,000 stories about Steven Stamkos's ice time and Barry Melrose's coaching on Wednesday morning, and maybe one or two about...

By Greg Wyshynski • Brandon Sutter of out of the hospital after suffering a concussion on that Doug Weight hit. And since injuries and the Carolina Hurricanes go together like Jon Hamm and john ham, defenseman Joni Pitkanen could miss a month. [Hurricanes]

By Greg Wyshynski • The Winter Classic jerseys for the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings will be revealed this weekend during their Saturday night showdown. [Kuklas] • Martin Gerber should be very, very afraid of losing his starting job with the Ottawa Senators. [Sun Media]

By Greg Wyshynski Preview: Carolina Hurricanes at Pittsburgh Penguins (7:30 p.m. EDT; TV: FSS, FSPI). Michael Leighton should be in goal tonight for the Hurricanes after playing an outstanding game in Carolina's 3-1 victory over the Ducks on Sunday. Red and Black Hockey reminds us of a great little competit...

By Greg Wyshynski Honorable mention: Carolina's Rod Brind'Amour had the game-winner in Anaheim, collecting a loose puck in front of Jean-Sebastien Giguere and tucking it home at 18:48 of the second period. ... Eric Staal had a two-point night, including an empty netter to seal the deal. ... Defenseman Kevin Biek...

By Greg Wyshynski Preview: Carolina Hurricanes at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. EDT; TV: FSS, FSW). These two teams meet once every hundred years, and no Jack Johnson to make things interesting? The Hurricanes are going to give 2008 draft pick Zach Boychuk his first NHL game tonight, while Tuomo Ruutu is doub...

By Greg Wyshynski • The New York Islanders got nine power plays last night, and Tampa Bay Lightning beat writer Damian Cristodero unleashes hell on referees who are calling games too tightly this season. [Lightning Strikes] • Coach Peter Laviolette does away with pregame skates for the Carolina Hurrican...

By Greg Wyshynski Philadelphia Flyers Boston Bruins New Jersey Devils Edmonton Oilers Chicago Blackhawks Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens Tampa Bay Lightning Toronto Maple Leafs New York Islanders Florida Panthers Ottawa Senators Buffalo Sabres Carolina Hurricanes 0.29 Washington Capitals

By Greg Wyshynski Honorable mention: Thomas Vanek scored his "first short-handed goal at any level of hockey" and had another goal on the power play to help lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 7-1 shellacking of the New York Islanders on Monday afternoon. ... Paul Kariya's first goal of the season tied the game in the th...

By Greg Wyshynski Preview: Detroit Red Wings at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. EDT; TV: FSD, FSS). Wow, you read that matchup and those memories of the 2002 Stanley Cup finals just come rushing back, don't they? Like ... uh ... wasn't there, like, a triple overtime game somewhere in there? Anyhoo, Snapshots has some Red...

By Greg Wyshynski While opening night in Philadelphia was the epicenter of the "hockey vs. politics" debate over the weekend, it wasn't the only hockey game to feature an appearance by a politician up for election. The Carolina Hurricanes welcomed North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole to their opening night o...

By Greg Wyshynski Honorable Mentions: Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils stopped 25 shots, including a Kyle Okposo penalty shot, as the Devils beat the New York Islanders, 2-1 ... Brian Campbell lost his first game with Chicago, but made a nifty end-to-end rush to set up a Patrick Kane goal and played clo...

By Greg Wyshynski • Mark it down: The Detroit Red Wings make their final trip to see Dubya on October 14. [Wings] • Speaking of the Toronto Maple Leafs: One lone fans has decided to stake out his territory for the team's Stanley Cup parade this season. [FanHouse]

By Greg Wyshynski • Five coaches on the hot seat this season. This is a lot like yesterday's list, save for Tom Renney of the New York Rangers and Peter Laviolette of the Carolina Hurricanes replacing Barry Melrose and Mike Keenan. Firing Laviolette just makes zero sense to us. [CBC Sports]

By Greg Wyshynski • The future Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens will be missing Georges Laraque Christopher Higgins and Francis Bouillon when they open up their season against Buffalo, all due to injuries. [THN] • Matt Murley, a high-scoring forward for the Albany River Rats, quit the team for Rus...

By Greg Wyshynski 1 * Philadelphia Flyers 2 * Pittsburgh Penguins 3 * New Jersey Devils 4 * New York Rangers 5 New York Islanders Southeast Division 1 * Washington Capitals 2 * Carolina Hurricanes 3 Tampa Bay Lightning 4 Florida Panthers 5 Atlanta Thrashers

By Greg Wyshynski • The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to suck, so now they're going to the community to charm the kids. Matt Stajan makes a prediction for their game against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night: "It's going to be a thrill beating the defending Stanley Cup champs." Thanks, Messier. [Toron...

By Greg Wyshynski • The defensemen for the USA Hockey team for the 2010 Olympics aren't too shabby. You can do a hell of a lot worse than a Brian Rafalski/Mike Komisarek top pairing. Like, for example, an Aaron Miller/Brett Hedican top pairing. Just sayin'. [USA TODAY]

By Greg Wyshynski • Are the New Jersey Devils, Carolina Hurricanes and the Detroit Red Wings the teams in the running for Brendan Shanahan if the New York Rangers have turned the page on him? [Snapshots] • The odd NHL journey of hockey fighter Brandon Sugden has come to an end with the New York Islanders. At lea...

By Greg Wyshynski • Jeff O'Neill's comeback attempt with the Carolina Hurricanes has gone the way of Crystal Pepsi. [Hurricanes] • The Chief from Abel To Yzerman presents his Detroit Red Wings preview for the Pensblog. Yowzer. [Pensblog] • The perfect fuel for the female hockey player training session: Tim...

By Greg Wyshynski I put pen to paper on some NHL predictions yesterday for the first time this season, comfortably predicting that the Carolina Hurricanes would finish second in the Southeast Division and make the Stanley Cup playoff cut. Then came word that forward Justin Williams had torn his right Achi...

By Greg Wyshynski I had a wide-ranging conversation with Massicotte about the film and Hartford hockey. A lot of it didn't make the final cut, but damn if I tried to squeeze it in, because it was a fantastic chat. For example: Besides the moment they relocated to become the Carolina Hurricanes, what was the mos...

By Greg Wyshynski Bubba over on Canes Country has a really terrific two-part interview with John Foslund, the television play-by-play announcer for the Carolina Hurricanes. He also calls games on Versus, which is a television network that has deer hunting, fishing, rodeo and occasional NHL hockey -- ju...

By Greg Wyshynski With the Carolina Hurricanes locking up Eric Staal for seven additional seasons yesterday, Pittsburgh Penguins center Jordan Staal becomes the sought-after Staal on the RFA market next summer. Primarily because Marc Staal has two more years before he goes RFA.