Thursday Refs, Notes

[wigs]

great night everyone, keep it up, i am already getting some conflicting ref info so here goes

ott/bos- mccreary & pollock
buf/la- watson & joannette
atl/phi- peel & maguire
nyr/nj- mcgeough & shick
tor/nas- kimmerly & leggo
nyi/sj- sutherland & vanmassenhoven
mon/car- fraser & warren
phx/col- n/a

here is the bad info
i show stl/van as Paul Devorski & Larue but I am getting Pit/CAl as Paul Devorksi & Angus. kinda tough to be in two places at once, i know his son Greg Devorski(or brother maybe) is a linesman but I havent seen him working as a ref anyway these are the two games mixed up....Will check later to see if it has been corrected--

 

[wigs]

When the Leafs make their first-ever appearance in Nashville tonight, attempting to snap a three-game winless streak (0-1-2), Alexander Mogilny will not be on hand to leave the Predators defenders in fits.

The gifted winger, who was scratched for the Leafs' 3-2 loss Tuesday to the lowly Atlanta Thrashers, did not accompany the team to Music City yesterday. Instead, his back will be examined by doctors in Toronto today and, if necessary, he'll undergo an MRI, Leafs general manager/coach Pat Quinn said.

links for TOR/NAS tonight

http://www.penaltybox.com/daily/daily-170102a.html

 

[wigs]

pitt

pitt

from both pitt papers..........

For Mario Lemieux's third game since returning from hip surgery Saturday, he will have his third set of linemates. He practiced yesterday between LW Milan Kraft and RW Aleksey Morozov, and he likely will remain there for the game tonight. Coach Rick Kehoe liked what he saw of Kraft in his return from an eight-game AHL demotion Tuesday, when he scored from behind the net in the Penguins' 5-2 loss in Vancouver. "He looks like he's got his confidence back, and he's a goal-scorer," Kehoe said. "The way Mario's going right now, maybe he can get a few more opportunities to score."

The rest of the lines had C Robert Lang restored to a familiar spot between LW Jan Hrdina and RW Alexei Kovalev, C Kris Beech between LW Dan LaCouture and RW Eric Meloche and C Toby Petersen between LW Randy Robitaille and RW Stephane Richer
On defense, Josef Melichar was reunited with his partner from earlier this season, Michal Rozsival. That left Hans Jonsson with Janne Laukkanen and Ian Moran, as usual, with Darius Kasparaitis.

Don't expect to see Jan Hrdina on the left point again. He said he had never played it before Tuesday, and, the way things went, he might never play it again. Hrdina nearly allowed a short-handed goal and repeatedly tried to force the puck to Lemieux. Alexei Kovalev took Hrdina's spot in the third period, when the Penguins got their only power-play goal.

Kehoe said before this three-game swing through Western Canada that he wanted to give one of the starts on the trip to backup G Jean-Sebastien Aubin. But it doesn't appear as if it will be tonight. Kehoe said he "probably" will go again with G Johan Hedberg, who allowed five goals on 20 shots Tuesday, but added that the coaching staff wouldn't make a final decision until today

Coach Rick Kehoe, desperate to avoid another scenario tonight like the one that has made him cringe countless times this season, came up with several unusual drills for practice yesterday to promote teamwork. Some involved puck possession, some were special teams, some defensive coverage.
But all carried a similar message, punctuated by General Manager Craig Patrick's unusual presence in the stands and assistant coach Ed Johnston angrily slamming his stick atop the boards every time he saw something he didn't like.

 

[wigs]

ott

ott

slam..............

The loss of Todd White leaves the Senators thin at centre and it was difficult to tell from practice what coach Jacques Martin is going to do. Nobody is being called up because winger Bill Muckalt is ready to return.

Winger Ivan Ciernik could centre a line with Andre Roy and Muckalt. Centre Chris Herperger played between Magnus Arvedson and Daniel Alfredsson, but that could change.

"I don't know how we're going to do," said Martin. "We've got 12 forwards and I don't know if we're going to rotate those centres through the lines or what."

The status of defenceman Zdeno Chara will be decided tonight, but he's doubtful. Blueliner Chris Phillips will return Saturday against Minnesota and it's possible he could be moved to forward if Chara is ready to return.


NOTE: slam now reporting chara out tonight...
http://www.canoe.ca/SlamResults020117/nhl_bos_ott-can.html

 

[wigs]

looks like essensa will indeed be in net tonight for buffalo in los angeles

johnson in net for st louis according to st louis paper

esche in net for phoenix,


The Leafs will use Corey Schwab in goal tonight (3-4-0, 3.17 goals-against average) in a pre-arranged plan to rest Joseph for the Philadelphia Flyers at home on Saturday night.

 

[Kronheim]

looks like essensa will indeed be in net tonight for buffalo in los angeles

On the season Essensa is 0-3 as a starter with losses to BOS NYR and NJ.

Save %: .841
GAA: 3.28

 

[wigs]

avs

avs

thanks kronheim, yes essensa has been bad in his few starts, buf players spoke with ruff a few days ago, expressing their anger b/c he had not started in a long time. essensa very highly respected and liked by the players, so that should put in some extra effort, however, they are playing back to back against a tough LA team so you gotta lean LA here i think...

More bad medical news hit the Avs on Wednesday when it was learned second-line center Steve Reinprecht will be out four to six weeks with ligament damage to his right knee. The fourth-leading scorer on the team with 31 points in 46 games, Reinprecht sustained the injury Tuesday after taking a clean hip check from San Jose Sharks defenseman Gary Suter.

Chris Drury will move from left wing and play center full-time. Previously, he had been taking faceoffs, but yielding to Reinprecht at center when the puck was in play.

"Well, it's a tough loss, no doubt about it," Drury said. "He's been playing so well lately. If I'm centering, I'll just have to try and get the job done."

Eric Messier will be sidelined for at least a week because of a bruised knee. Avalanche coach Bob Hartley said someone from Hershey will be recalled today. ...

Avs winger Shjon Podein (torn meniscus) probably will play tonight

 

[TIME TO MAKE $$$]

Wigs,

your abundant sources of information are truly appreciated by all of us here,


THANKS

TTM$

 

[wigs]

refs for phx/col- hasenfratz & o halloran

thanks $$$, always good to know about the game you are betting on

 

[wigs]

atl...The Atlanta Thrashers have activated forward Jeff Odgers from injured reserve, and have reassigned defensemen David Harlock and Mike Weaver to the Chicago Wolves (AHL), Tonight's game is the 10th of 20th contests against Atlantic Division opponents for Atlanta, 0-8-1-0 in those games

Hnlicka expected again in net

 

[Allwrong]

Wigs your posts are invaluable. I've been watching for this Essenza play since Lindy commited to playing him on this Road trip.

Remeber, Essenza was the Cat's backup in Vancouver. The fans here loved "Backup Bob" more than the cat. Bob's great performance in Van was one of the reasons Burkie pulled the chute on Felix's Canuck carreer. Felix will be motivated against his old backup as will Bob against his old starter. Add to it the fact that the Buff dressing room loves Bobby, I expect they will play solid defence to try for his first win this season.
I'm taking the under on this one.

 

[TexasBC6]

isles sign some old vets

http://www.newsday.com/sports/hocke...554822jan17.story?coll=ny-islanders-headlines

 

[wigs]

thanks tex, was looking at the rest of the slate and was going to post some more info but not much left...have a good one