| NHL Player News and Notes |
| Date |
Player |
News |
| 1/5/2009 |
Niklas Backstrom, G, Min |
Backstrom notched his fourth shutout of the season and the 13th such effort of his career, making 33 saves as the Wild posted a 2-0 victory at Colorado on Sunday.
Analysis: Backstrom shut out four opponents last season, and a career-high five the previous campaign. This was his first such effort since stopping 22 shots to blank St. Louis at home on Dec. 3. He has compiled a 1.75 goals-against average in winning three of his last four starts, and has won back-to-back contests for the first time since a three-game run Nov. 13-18. He improved to 18-12-2 with a 2.21 GAA in 32 outings overall. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Brent Burns, D, Min |
Burns provided two assists to help the Wild to a 2-0 victory at Colorado on Sunday.
Analysis: Burns, who assisted on both of Owen Nolan's goals, has a goal and five assists during a three-game point streak. Prior to this stretch, he had been held without a point in seven consecutive contests. This was also his fourth multipoint performance of the season. He has six goals and 11 assists overall. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Owen Nolan, RW, Min |
Nolan scored both goals to help the Wild to a 2-0 victory at Colorado on Sunday.
Analysis: Nolan has four goals in three contests since returning from a 10-game absence due to an injured right leg. He has nine goals and five assists through 20 games overall. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Nikolai Khabibulin, G, Chi |
Khabibulin made 34 saves for the Blackhawks in their 5-2 win over visiting Calgary on Sunday, ending the Flames' five-game winning streak.
Analysis: Khabibulin improved to 8-1-0 with a 2.39 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage in his last 11 outings. He has yet to fall in regulation at home, going 6-0-3 with a 1.91 GAA and a .936 save percentage in 10 such games this season. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Patrick Sharp, C, Chi |
Sharp contributed a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks in their 5-2 win over visiting Calgary on Sunday, ending the Flames' five-game winning streak.
Analysis: This was Sharp's seventh multipoint performance of the season and first since he had a goal and an assist in a loss at Los Angeles on Nov. 29. Sharp leads the Blackhawks with 20 goals and is second on the team with 33 points. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Andrew Ladd, LW, Chi |
Ladd contributed a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks in their 5-2 win over visiting Calgary on Sunday, ending the Flames' five-game winning streak.
Analysis: Ladd notched his sixth multipoint performance of the season, and also ended a three-game points drought. The left wing has eight goals and a single-season high 17 assists in 2008-09. His 25 points are three short of the career high he established in 2007-08, while playing for both Carolina and Chicago. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Martin Havlat, RW, Chi |
Havlat contributed a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks in their 5-2 win over visiting Calgary on Sunday, ending the Flames' five-game winning streak.
Analysis: Havlat notched his eighth multipoint performance of the season, and his second straight effort after finishing with a goal and two assists in Thursday's Winter Classic loss to Detroit. He has three goals and five assists over his last four games, and has 11 goals and 31 points overall this season. He's fourth on the Blackhawks in both goals and points. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Todd Bertuzzi, LW, Cgy |
Bertuzzi contributed a goal and an assist, but it wasn't enough as the Flames had their five-game winning streak snapped with a 5-2 loss at Chicago on Sunday.
Analysis: It was Bertuzzi's second straight multipoint effort and his seventh such performance of the season. He has three goals and four assists over his last five games, and has 11 goals and 19 assists in 39 games overall. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Mats Sundin, C, Van |
The Canucks cleared room for Sundin to join the lineup this week, sending forward Jannik Hansen to their AHL afiliate in Manitoba on Monday.
Analysis: The free-agent signee also had his first full practice on Monday. Sundin said he would travel with the team Wednesday to Edmonton, but there was no official word on when he would play. There is speculation that he would make his debut with Vancouver on Jan. 9 against St. Louis. Sundin is nine months removed from his last NHL game. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Kari Lehtonen, G, Atl |
Lehtonen allowed four goals in a loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Analysis: Lehtonen is 4-9-2 with a 3.39 goals-against average and continues to struggle since returning from a back injury. He is 2-4-0 with a 3.31 GAA. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Bryan Little, C, Atl |
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the X-rays of Little's rib injury suffered Sunday against Tampa Bay showed some bruising but no broken ribs. He is listed as day-to-day.
Analysis: Little has scored 19 goals and 13 assists this season. He left Atlanta's last game on Sunday with rib injury sustained in the second period. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Mike Smith, G, TB |
Smith allowed one goal, stopping 27 shots in Tampa Bay's win on Sunday.
Analysis: It was his ninth victory of the season and first since Dec. 27, snapping a three-game losing streak. He is 9-14-9 with a 2.53 goals-against average. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Martin St. Louis, RW, TB |
St. Louis had two goals in the Lightning's win on Sunday.
Analysis: St. Louis has three goals and seven assists in the last five games. He's has three multi-point games during that stretch. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Marty Turco, G, Dal |
Turco had 33 saves in the Stars' 3-2 shootout win over the Canucks.
Analysis: Turco is 7-2-1 with a 2.62 GAA in his last 10 starts. Dallas visits Detroit on Thursday, and Turco stopped 37 shots in his only start against the Red Wings this season, a 3-1 victory on Dec. 12. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Jason LaBarbera, G, Van |
LaBarbera stopped 34 shots in the Canucks' 3-2 shootout loss to Dallas on Sunday.
Analysis: LaBarbera, making his third start in four nights - but first in his hometown - since being acquired from Los Angeles five nights earlier, fell to 0-5 in shootouts this season. He is 1-0-2 with a 1.90 GAA with his new team. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Mats Sundin, C, Van |
Sundin, who didn't join the Canucks on their two-games-in-two-nights road trip through Nashville and Atlanta, practiced Sunday morning.
Analysis: Sundin still isn't sure when he'll play his first game since signing Dec. 18. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Mike Van Ryn, D, Tor |
Van Ryn was placed on the injured reserve two weeks ago with a concussion.
Analysis: Van Ryn hasn't played since a loss at Boston on Dec. 18, and was placed on the reserve a day later. The defenseman has been limited to three goals and six assists through 17 games after suffering a concussion, a broken nose and a broken finger during a Nov. 8 win over Montreal. He missed 13 games while dealing with that set of injuries, and has been sidelined for eight thus far with this ailment. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Mike Modano, C, Dal |
Modano had a goal and an assist in the Stars' 3-2 shootout win over Vancouver on Sunday.
Analysis: Modano has 13 goals and 13 assists on the season, but just two goals and three assists in his last 11 games. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Teppo Numminen, D, Buf |
Numminen's status is uncertain after he missed practice Monday with an illness.
Analysis: Buffalo is scheduled to host Ottawa on Tuesday and the New York Rangers on Friday before staring a three-game road trip, but Numminen is considered day-to-day for those matchups. The defenseman has a goal and 11 assists through 39 games this season. |
| 1/5/2009 |
Maxim Afinogenov, RW, Buf |
Afinogenov is out indefinitely after hurting his groin over the weekend.
Analysis: Afinogenov was hurt after being checked by Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara in a 4-2 win at Boston on Saturday. Without providing a timetable, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said he expects Afinogenov to be out for "a little while," and added the right wing will have tests to determine the severity of the groin injury. Afinogenov has two goals and 10 assists for 12 points in 34 games this year. |
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