The Fantasy Hockey Planner is the essential guide to setting your lineup for the upcoming week. Every week, we provide you with top matchups, the latest news and give you the scoop on injured players.
Fantasy Week 21 (Feb. 23-March 1)
Teams with four games: Dallas, Florida, Los Angeles,
Philadelphia, San Jose, Washington
Teams with three games: Anaheim,
Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Calgary, Carolina, Chicago, Colorado,
Columbus, Detroit, Edmonton, Minnesota, Montreal, Nashville, New Jersey,
N.Y. Islanders, N.Y. Rangers, Ottawa, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, St. Louis,
Tampa Bay, Toronto, Vancouver
Teams with two games: None
Editors Note: Projections are for Feb. 23-March 1 games and all stats are through Thursday
This week's news and notes for each team:
Anaheim Ducks: Samuel Pahlsson's viral infection was diagnosed as mononucleosis Wednesday two weeks after exiting the lineup. He is not sufficiently recovered to resume hockey-related activities and is still out indefinitely ... Kent Huskins underwent a medical exam on his broken right foot Friday. Once he receives medical clearance, he will need 1-2 weeks before game ready. He is not a recommended start Week 21 ... Teemu Selanne seems back on his feet after missing more than a month with a leg injury. He has totaled three goals and four assists in seven February games ... Scott Niedermayer has a team-low minus-9 rating in February and 16 Anaheim skaters are below even this month ... The Ducks continue their six-game road trip with three contests Week 21. Aside from the fact Anaheim ranks 21st in road GFA (2.50), the Ducks face two top 10 defenses -- Boston and Buffalo. Consider benching your Anaheim skaters.
Atlanta Thrashers: Atlanta has six short-handed goals since Jan. 1 with Colin Stuart collecting three of them. With his specialty in penalty-killing situations, Stuart likely has solidified himself in the Thrashers' rotation ... Coach John Anderson needs to keep the line of Bryan Little, Todd White and Ilya Kovalchuk together. Since pairing the trio together three games ago, Little has totaled six points (three goals), Kovalchuk has nine points (six goals) and White has five points (one goal) ... Slava Kozlov has two goals and five assists in his last six games.
Boston Bruins: Patrice Bergeron finally had his first goal since returning from a concussion and he didn't even need to beat a goalie. Bergeron capped a 5-1 win Tuesday against the Hurricanes with the empty net variety, his fifth goal of the season and first since Nov. 21. Bergeron has just six points in 11 games since returning to the lineup Jan. 27 ... Phil Kessel hasn't been as lucky as Bergeron since coming off injury. He hasn't scored in 10 games since returning from his bout with mono and 15 games dating back before the ailment ... Coach Claude Julien has Blake Wheeler on the top line with Marc Savard and Milan Lucic and the move seems to be paying off. The rookie has scored in two straight games ... Michael Ryder (facial) has begun skating and is targeting an early March return. Keep him reserved in Fantasy through Week 21 ... Boston has home games against Florida, Anaheim and Washington Week 21. They rank second in home GFA (3.93), so it could be worth starting your Boston skaters.
Buffalo Sabres: All-Star forward Thomas Vanek isn't so sure he will be back in the 3-4 week timetable following jaw surgery Feb. 8. He wrote on his Web site earlier this week that he feels a 5-6 week recovery is better suited. Definitely not good news for Fantasy owners ... Sabres defenseman Jaroslav Spacek has four goals in seven February games. He had all of two goals in his first 50 games ... Tim Connolly has tallied in seven of nine February games. He has two goals and seven assists in that span ... Paul Gaustad returned to the lineup Thursday against the Flyers after missing six games with a shoulder injury. He played on the left wing with Derek Roy and Drew Stafford ... Defenseman Henrik Tallinder is set to return from a shoulder injury that has kept him out since Jan. 21 ... Buffalo has games against Anaheim, Carolina and the N.Y. Islanders Week 21. All three teams rank in the bottom half of the league in defense (2.85 GAAs or higher).
Calgary Flames: Center Daymond Langkow has a bruised hand after being struck in the hand by a puck Tuesday against the Canucks. He has no broken bones and is just day-to-day ... Andre Roy suffered a concussion Tuesday against Vancouver after he hit his head on the ice during a fight. He is expected to miss a few games, so keep him reserved through Week 21 ... Fellow enforcer Brandon Prust is back in the lineup after missing 32 games because of a broken jaw ... Defenseman Jim Vandermeer returned to the lineup Thursday against the Wild after missing a month because of a setback with a broken ankle. He primarily played as a forward since Calgary has a ton of depth along the blue line ... Rene Bourque scored his 21st goal Thursday, but then suffered a high-ankle sprain. He is headed for a MRI and is not a recommended start for the upcoming scoring period ... Defenseman Mark Giordano was also injured Thursday after being checked into the board, but no further injury info was divulged. He is day-to-day at this time ... Todd Bertuzzi has a team-high 10 points in February. He has one goal and six assists in his last five games ... Calgary has three games at home Week 21. They are averaging 3.58 goals per game at home.
Carolina Hurricanes: Justin Williams needs a hug. After being one of the more durable players early in his career, Williams had fallen apart physically in his last two seasons. He is back on injured reserved after breaking his hand Sunday against the Sabres. This is just the latest setback after suffering a serious knee injury in 2007-08 and opening 2008-09 on injured reserve because of a busted Achilles' ... Defenseman Joni Pitkanen is day-to-day with an upper-body injury sustained Tuesday against the Bruins. He could be an injury-risk start heading into Week 21 ... Sergei Samsonov has a team-high nine points in February, but he has totaled seven of those points in two of eight games ... Carolina plays Atlanta, Buffalo and Ottawa Week 21. They are averaging 2.80 or fewer goals against each team this season. Consider benching your Carolina skaters.
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| Player | % Change | |
| 1. | Sergei Gonchar, D, PIT | 26 |
| 2. | Mathieu Schneider, D, MON | 20 |
| 2. | Alexander Edler, D, VAN | 12 |
| 4. | Tom Gilbert, D, EDM | 10 |
| 5. | Andy McDonald, C, STL | 10 |
| 6. | Ryan Kesler, C, VAN | 10 |
| 7. | Steve Mason, G, CLB | 9 |
| 8. | Paul Stastny, C, COL | 7 |
| 9. | Chris Mason, G, STL | 7 |
| 10. | Richard Zednik, LW, FLA | 7 |
Chicago Blackhawks: Goalie Nikolai Khabibulin is on injured reserve with what is believed to be a groin injury. He is having trouble finishing full workouts and is not a recommended start Week 21. Cristobal Huet has been playing well in his absence and that has afforded Chicago the chance to take it easy with Khabibulin, who is usually a decent No. 2 Fantasy goalie when healthy ... Patrick Sharp joined Khabibulin on IR with a left knee injury that is expected to keep him out at least three weeks ... On the prospect front, Kyle Beach -- a 2008 first-round pick -- has benefited from a WHL (juniors) trade. Beach has 22 points in 15 games and is plus-8 for since being traded to Lethbridge after getting 30 points in 30 games and a minus-3 rating for Everett ... Forward Martin Havlat has managed three straight multi-point games. The free-agent-to-be has two goals and five assists in that span ... Jonathan Toews has four goals and three assists during a three-game point streak ... Ben Eager has a career-high 10 goals after netting his second two-goal game of the season Thursday against the Panthers. Still, he is best used in Fantasy leagues that reward heavily for PIM.
Colorado Avalanche: Joe Sakic (back, fingers) talked to the press this week and said he is still hoping to return to action before the end of the regular season. However, there is no strict timetable or guarantee he will suit up again this season in his recovery from back surgery ... On the plus side, Paul Stastny -- who has been out since late December with a fractured forearm -- has been practicing with the team and is ready to return during their current six-game road trip. Stastny is still a risky start Week 21 until we see he is 100 percent healed ... It wasn't as fortunate news for David Jones and Kyle Cumiskey, whom both will be out the remainder of the season following shoulder surgeries ... Defenseman John-Michael Liles is still recovering from a wrist injury, but Colorado is hopeful he will play on the back end of the road trip. That makes him a less than desirable start Week 21 ... Coach Tony Granato said Wojtek Wolski will remain at center despite the impending return of Stastny ... Ryan Smyth needs one goal to reach the 20 for the ninth time in his career. He's the Avalanche's top point producer with 46 points in 58 games. Smyth has four goals and nine assists in the past 13 games. His name has come up in trade rumors, but it's no guarantee he will be moved at the March 4 deadline ... Colorado travels to face Atlanta, New Jersey and N.Y. Rangers Week 21. The Avalanche are averaging just 2.11 goals away from home (29th) and face two top 10 defenses -- Devils and Rangers -- in the upcoming scoring period. Consider benching your Colorado skaters.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Fredrik Modin was placed on injured reserve Tuesday with a lower-body injury. It's the second time this season he has been on IR. He is expected to miss at least a week, but it's best to keep him reserved in Fantasy Week 21 ... Rick Nash notched his 25th goal Thursday against the Maple Leafs, reaching that feat for a fifth straight season ... R.J. Umberger has a team-high five goals in February and his 20th score Thursday tied a career high ... Manny Malhotra has two goals and four assists in his last four games. Overall, he has four goals and 14 assists in his last 22 games ... Edmonton has all three of their games on the road Week 21. They rank 15th in road GFA (2.72). They are also averaging 3.33 goals or more against each of their Week 21 opponents -- Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Consider starting your Columbus skaters.
Dallas Stars: Dallas received some crushing news to their playoff hopes when Brad Richards had to go on injured reserve Tuesday with a fractured right wrist. He is expected to miss 6-8 weeks and could miss the rest of the regular season ... Ray Sawada became the sixth player in Stars history to score in his NHL debut when he scored on his only shot Thursday against the Oilers ... Fabian Brunnstrom leads all rookies with five game-winning goals ... Mike Ribeiro has a pair of assists Thursday, upping his team-high total to 39. It was his 13th multi-point game, and he also has points in nine of his last 13 games (six goals, eight assists) ... Loui Eriksson has two goals and four assists during a four-game point streak ... Dallas has four home games Week 21. They rank eighth in home GFA, averaging 3.36 goals. Consider starting your Dallas skaters.
Detroit Red Wings: Coach Mike Babcock finally discovered how to break Niklas Kronwall out of his slump -- pair him with future Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom. In the eight games since the duo has been paired together on defense, Kronwall has 10 assists ... Forward Johan Franzen returned to the lineup Wednesday against the Predators after missing five games with a bruised hand. He made an immediate impact with two goals and one assist in 15 minutes. It appears safe to once again start Franzen in Fantasy ... Jiri Hudler became the fifth Detroit player with 20 goals after scoring Wednesday ... Brian Rafalski has four multi-point games in his last seven outings ... Pavel Datsyuk has five multi-point games in his last eight outings ... Marian Hossa has a team-high nine goals in February ... Goalie Ty Conklin has won his last 10 games at home ... The Red Wings are averaging 4.33 goals per game against each of their Week 21 opponents -- Nashville, San Jose and Los Angeles. Consider starting your Detroit skaters.
Edmonton Oilers: Goalie Dwayne Roloson has taken on a heavy workload as of late. He has started 14 consecutive games, 23 of 24 and 30 of 32. He started the season as a No. 3 Fantasy goalie at best, but since Mathieu Garon has been shipped to Pittsburgh, Roloson is back to being a reliable No. 2 option ... The Oilers are interested in elevating Zack Stortini's role. He has a NHL-high 18 fights, but has scored in three of his last seven games. Coach Craig MacTavish said Stortini is "playing smart and hard" and it's about time to move him up the depth chart ... With the return of Jean-Francois Jacques from a back injury, Marc-Antoine Pouliot is fighting to stay in the lineup. He was healthy scratch Thursday against the Stars ... Defenseman Tom Gilbert has a team-high nine February points and he has done that without scoring a goal ... Shawn Horcoff has three goals and three assists in five games since returning from a lower-body injury ... Edmonton doesn't have to leave the Rexall Place Week 21. While they get to stay in Edmonton, the Oilers are averaging just 2.70 goals per game at home (19th).
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| Team | Schedule | |
| 1. | Red Wings | SJ, LA, @NSH |
| 2. | Stars | SJ, STL, ANA, PIT |
| 3. | Bruins | FLA, ANA, WAS |
| 4. | Capitals | PHI, ATL, @BOS, FLA |
| 5. | Blues | PHO, @DAL, @PHO |
Florida Panthers: Goalie Tomas Vokoun notched his fifth shutout of the season Tuesday against the Devils. With one more shutout, he sets a new career high. Vokoun has 30 shutouts in his career and 18 over the last four seasons ... Center Stephen Weiss leads the Panthers with a career-high 31 assists, but now coach Peter DeBoer is urging him to shoot more. It will be interesting to see if Weiss changes up his game. He did have a 20-goal season in 2006-07 ... Michael Frolik has three goals and two assists in his last five games ... David Booth hasn't scored a goal in nine games ... Florida goes on a four-game road trip Week 21. They are averaging 2.83 goals per game on the road (10th), but they face three top 10 defenses -- Boston, New Jersey and N.Y. Rangers -- and aren't averaging more than 2.67 goals against any of their upcoming opponents, which include Washington.
Los Angeles Kings: Goalie Jonathan Quick had started 12 straight games before coach Terry Murray gave him the night off Thursday in a 4-2 loss to the Sharks. While Erik Ersberg did an admirable job, it appears Murray is backing Quick and why not? Since his recall from the AHL, Quick is 12-7-1 with a 2.47 GAA and .914 save percentage. Quick could be worth a look as a No. 2 Fantasy goalie down the stretch if the Kings stay in the playoff hunt ... Michal Handzus has one goal and two assists in three games ... Dustin Brown has two goals and four assists during a four-game point streak ... Alexander Frolov has three goals and seven assists in his last eight games ... Anze Kopitar has a team-high seven goals and 11 points this month ... Los Angeles has a four-game road trip Week 21. The Kings are averaging 2.71 goals away from home (16th).
Minnesota Wild: Andrew Brunette has played in 509 consecutive games, but that streak is in jeopardy due to a lower-body injury sustained Thursday against the Flames. If Brunette can't play Saturday against the Red Wings, he is a risky start Week 21 ... Defenseman Kurtis Foster, who has been out all season after breaking his leg late last year, is almost done with his rehab assignment in the minors. However, even when active, Foster and the Wild aren't sure if he will play immediately ... Owen Nolan has three goals and three assists in his last five games ... Marek Zidlicky has gone 10 games without a goal ... The Wild play the Kings, Oilers and Flames Week 21. They are averaging 2.67 or fewer goals against each opponent. Consider benching your Wild skaters.
Montreal Canadiens: All-Star MVP Alexei Kovalev was back at practice Friday after missing a two-game road trip due to poor play. The air seems to be clear between the Russian forward, coach Guy Carbonneau and general manager Bob Gainey. However, it's still up to Carbonneau to decide when to bring the slumping forward back into the lineup ... Goalie Carey Price continues to struggle. He's 2-9-1 with a 3.81 goals-against average since he returned from an ankle injury before the All-Star break ... On a bright note, Mathieu Schneider was picked up in a trade from Atlanta earlier this week and is fitting right in with the Canadiens. He has a goal and an assist in his first two games with the team ... While Andrei Kostitsyn is suspected of socializing with criminal elements and is being investigated by the NHL, he hasn't allowed that to affect him on the ice. The Russian forward has four goals and three assists during a four-game point streak ... Brother Sergei Kostitsyn and defenseman Roman Hamrlik have also been cited having social ties to a man recently arrested on drug charges, but no action has been taken by the NHL yet ... Defenseman Andrei Markov has five assists in his last four games and leads all NHL defenders with 39 helpers. He also has a team-high 46 points ... Tomas Plekanec has four goals and three assists during a four-game point streak.
Nashville Predators: Finally, Steve Sullivan is off the snide. After not scoring in his first 16 games in his return from a back injury that kept him sidelined for two years, Sullivan has scored all of the Predators' three goals in the last two games ... Jason Arnott has at least a point in eight of 10 games. He has five goals and four assists in that span ... Defenseman Ville Koistinen wants out of Nashville and the team is likely to oblige. General manager David Poile has said they have fielded a few offers from other teams, but nothing has been worth taking just yet ... Goalie Pekka Rinne has allowed just two goals in each of his last three games, but has won just once in that span. The Predators just aren't scoring enough ... Nashville is staying home Week 21 for games against Chicago, Phoenix and Detroit. The Predators are 29th in home GFA (2.34) and are also averaging 2.67 or fewer goals against each Week 21 opponent. Consider benching your Nashville skaters.
New Jersey Devils: Goalie Martin Brodeur is inching closer-and-closer to a return from elbow surgery. He has been practicing with the team and says he is almost 100 percent. The ideal return date is Feb. 26 against the Avalanche, but nothing has been decided yet. We could very well see Brodeur back in action Week 21, but don't activate him yet since he could be rusty after being on IR since November ... Goalie Kevin Weekes has won his last five outings in net, but he is likely the odd man out when Brodeur is activated off IR ... Defenseman Paul Martin is day-to-day with an upper-body injury ... The Devils have three games at the Prudential Center Week 21. They are 10th in home GFA (2.83).
N.Y. Islanders: The Islanders acquired Dean McAmmond and a first-round pick from the Senators on Friday in exchange for Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli. The benefit of this trade for New York is to dump salary and get a first-round pick. McAmmond will be nothing more than a lower-line forward and his Fantasy value doesn't increase with this deal ... Richard Park, who had appeared in 221 games since joining the Islanders in 2006-07, is out at least four weeks with broken ribs suffered Wednesday against the Rangers ... Trent Hunter is back in the lineup after missing four games with a hip flexor ... Mark Streit has scored in two straight games and three of four. He has played in three straight games since returning from a shoulder injury ... Kyle Okposo has scored just once in his last nine games after having a four-game goals streak.
N.Y. Rangers: Chris Drury has played both center and on the wing in his career, but now coach Tom Renney is asking him to take on a new challenge -- man the point on the power play. New York is trying desperately to jump start both the team's and Drury's offense ... Defenseman Paul Mara will not require surgery on his injured right shoulder after an MRI revealed no structural damage, but he is still out indefinitely ... Lauri Korpikoski is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, but he has scored three times in his last four games. He and Nikolai Zherdev are the only Rangers skaters with at least three goals in February ... The Rangers play the Avalanche, Panthers and Maple Leafs Week 21. They are averaging 1.33 goals or fewer against Florida and Toronto.
Ottawa Senators: Ottawa might be a long shot to make the playoffs, but you couldn't tell by the trade they pulled off. The Senators acquired Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli from the Islanders Friday in exchange for Dean McAmmond and a first-round pick. Comrie is in his second stint with the Senators and will give them a much-needed offensive presence up front. Campoli really excites coach Cory Clouston as a possible quarterback on the power play and puck-moving defenseman ... Daniel Alfredsson is currently sidelined by a fractured jaw. There is a good possibility the 36-year-old Swede will play Week 21, but he still appears to be an injury-risk start ... Dany Heatley has five goals in his last five games ... Mike Fisher has just one goal in his last 11 games ... Ryan Shannon has two goals and one assist in his last two games ... Antoine Vermette has two goals and five assists in his last five games ... Ottawa has three home games Week 21. They are averaging 2.59 goals (23rd) at the Scotibank Place.
Philadelphia Flyers: Coach John Stevens is racking his brain over whom to start in net. Martin Biron has won three straight starts, but Antero Niittymaki had won five of seven before coming down with a bout of the flu. It appears Stevens could ride the hot hand of Biron until he cools off, but until a pattern emerges, starting a Flyers goalie could be a risky proposition ... Injured forward Daniel Briere (groin) is practicing with the team and is hoping to play sometime during Week 21. Fantasy owners should start scooping up Briere in Fantasy, but he is still far too risky of a start for the upcoming scoring period ... Mike Richards has a NHL-best six short-handed scorers. He has two shorties in his last two games ... Glen Metropolit has three goals in his last six games after scoring one in the first 50 ... Claude Giroux has two goals and four assists in his last six games.
Phoenix Coyotes: Joakim Lindstrom is the surprising clubhouse leader with six points in eight February games. Shane Doan is a close second with five ... Viktor Tikhonov has three goals and one assist in four games since returning from injury ... Phoenix has eight players with two or more goals in February -- Doan, Tikhonov, Lindstrom, Ed Jovanovski, Daniel Winnik, Enver Lisin, Joel Perrault and Steven Goertzen... Goalie Mikael Tellqvist has started the last two games for Phoenix, but it's only a matter of time before coach Wayne Gretzky turns back to Ilya Bryzgalov.
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| Team | Schedule | |
| 1. | Avalanche | @ATL, @NJ, @NYR |
| 2. | Ducks | @BUF, @BOS, @DAL |
| 3. | Wild | LA, @CGY, @EDM |
| 4. | Panthers | @BOS, @NYR, @NJ, @WAS |
| 5. | Predators | CHI, PHO, DET |
Pittsburgh Penguins: In case you missed it, the Penguins made a coaching change, firing Michel Therrien -- who led the team to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007-08 -- and replacing him with AHL coach Dan Bylsma ... One of the first coaching decisions Bylsma made was putting Miroslav Satan back on a scoring line. The veteran forward responded with his 15th goal Thursday against the Canadiens ... Defenseman Kris Letang, who is leading scorer among Penguins at his position, was a healthy scratch Thursday for the first time this season ... Sidney Crosby hasn't scored a goal in five games, but he has an assist in each of Bylsma's first two games ... Jordan Staal hasn't scored in 10 games, but has three assists in his last four contests ... Sergei Gonchar, who missed the first 56 games recovering from shoulder surgery, has a goal and an assist in three games since making his season debut. He has logged 20-plus minutes in each contest and it doesn't look as though he has missed a beat.
San Jose Sharks: Injuries have forced coach Todd McLellan to get a little creative with his lineup. Patrick Marleau, who has been a left winger on the top line for most of the season, has slide down to centering the third line with Mike Grier and Jonathan Cheechoo. Rookie Lukas Kaspar has taken his spot on the top line with Joe Thornton and Devin Setoguchi. Marleau doesn't seem too bothered by the move. He has three goals in two games since the line change, but six goals during a four-game point streak. He has 33 goals on the season, one shy of his career high ... Goalie Evgeni Nabokov notched his 30th win Thursday against the Kings and is just three behind NHL leader Miikka Kiprusoff. Nabokov reached 30 wins for the fifth time in his career despite missing three weeks with a lower-body injury ... Joe Thornton has one goal and eight assists in his last four games ... Joe Pavelski has four goals and one assist during a five-game point streak ... San Jose has a four-game road trip Week 21. They rank fifth in road GFA, averaging 3.08 goals per game. Consider starting your San Jose skaters.
St. Louis Blues: At this rate Andy McDonald may never move back to center. In the six games he has played at left wing since returning from a broken ankle, McDonald has two goals and five assists ... Brad Boyes doesn't have a point in his last three games, but he still leads the team with 11 points and five goals in 10 February contests ... After scoring eight goals in nine October games, All Star Keith Tkachuk has scored just 10 times in his last 47 games ... The Blues plays the Coyotes twice and Dallas once Week 21. They are averaging 4.00 or more goals against each opponent, so consider starting your St. Louis skaters.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Tampa Bay lost two defensemen to shoulder surgeries this week. Both Paul Ranger and Andrej Meszaros are expected to miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgeries to repair torn labrums in their left shoulder. Ranger had the same surgery to his right shoulder last year. Both players are expected to be ready for training camp in 2009-10 ... There's nothing new to report on the Mike Smith front. He is still out indefinitely with a concussion and is not a recommended start Week 21 ... Karri Ramo has made two straight appearances in net for Tampa Bay, but he is still likely to share time in net with Mike McKenna until Smith is healthy ... On a positive note, rookie Steven Stamkos recorded his first career hat trick Tuesday against the Blackhawks. The No. 1 pick in 2008 has six goals and five assists in his last 14 games ... Ryan Malone has a pair of multi-goal efforts in his last four games and five goals total in that span ... Vaclav Prospal doesn't have a goal in his last eight games ... Tampa Bay hits the road for three games Week 21. They are averaging just 2.43 goals away from the St. Pete Times Forum. Consider benching your Lightning skaters.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Goalie Vesa Toskala had a MRI on his ailing hip Thursday, but would not divulge the results to the media. He did say the MRI finally gives him peace of mind about an injury that has plagued him for months ... Down in the AHL, prospect Jiri Tlusty scored five times for Toronto during an 8-5 win against Syracuse Wednesday. He has 41 points in 43 games in the AHL this season, but Tlusty has had trouble sticking with the Maple Leafs the last two seasons because he doesn't have a well-rounded enough game ... Jason Blake has two goals and two assists during a three-game point streak and eight points in his last six games ... Nik Antropov has four goals and two assists in his last five games. He has really responded to criticism from general manager Brian Burke ... Toronto plays the Rangers, Islanders and Senators Week 21. They are averaging 2.50 or fewer goals against each opponent. Consider benching your Maple Leafs skaters.
Vancouver Canucks: Goalie Roberto Luongo is 7-0-0 with a 2.83 GAA in seven February starts. He appears to be fully recovered from a groin injury that kept him out two months ... Alexandre Burrows has been the latest player bumped to the top scoring line with the Sedin twins, but the move finally seems to be paying dividends for Vancouver. Burrows has one goal and five assists during a three-game point streak ... Kevin Bieksa scored for a second straight game Thursday against the Senators, giving him 10 points his last 11 games. Bieksa is plus-8 in his last seven contests ... Sami Salo missed practice Monday with a hamstring problem, but was able to play Tuesday in Calgary and Thursday in Ottawa, avoiding another ill-fated trip to the IR ... Henrik Sedin has four of his 12 goals this season in eight February games. He is one point shy of having four straight months with 10 or more points.
Washington Capitals: Defenseman Mike Green hasn't scored in two games after setting a new NHL record for defensemen by scoring in eight straight appearances ... Nicklas Backstrom has one goal and five assists during a four-game point streak ... Alexander Semin has eight points (three goals) in seven February games ... Sergei Fedorov has gone 10 games without a goal ... Washington is home for three of their four games Week 21. They sit pretty at seventh in home GFA, averaging 3.50 goals, so consider starting your Washington skaters.
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