The NHL Daily Fix is your morning wakeup call, with news and notes for the day's hockey action.
Morning Buzz
• Dustin Byfuglien is known for his size, physical play, and his big slap shot from the point, but as the video above shows he also has some skill and nifty hands. That goal gave the Jets a 3-2 overtime win on Friday night against the Florida Panthers and pushed them to within one point of a playoff spot in the East. Florida, on the other hand, is in last place in the East.
• Now that the Chicago Blackhawks point streak is over, ended by the Colorado Avalanche on Friday in rather convincing fashion, the longest points streaks in the NHL belong to the Anaheim Ducks (six games) and ... the Columbus Blue Jackets?! Yup. The Blue Jackets have earned at least a point in five straight games. Believe it. [Blackhawks' streak ends]
• Speaking of the Blackhawks' streak, here is one fan, Steven Schucker, who didn't see any of it. Because he's boycotting the team for the 2013 season after the NHL lockout (hey, remember that?). We heard a lot of threats from fans about boycotts and not returning to watch once the lockout ended, but it appears they were either lying or just gave up on that once they realized how awesome hockey is as attendance numbers and TV ratings are up just about everywhere across the league.
This guy isn't coming back, though. At least not yet. His timing could have been a little better, but give him his props for sticking with it.
“You have an NHL commissioner who doesn’t care about his sport and it got to the point it just turned me off hockey. I can’t support watching a sport run by someone like that," he told the Chicago Tribune. "I love the Hawks. My issue is with the principle of what’s going on with the sport. It would be easy for me to drop my gloves and say, ‘OK, I’ll go back and watch.’ But I’m a man who believes in standing by my principle, tough as it is to do this year."
He's one fan who actually stuck with that promise. [Chicago Tribune]
• The first-place Carolina Hurricanes could be getting forward Tuomo Ruutu back at some point this season. General manager Jim Rutherford hopes he can be medically cleared to practice by March 15. He's been out after undergoing hip surgery during the lockout [Chip Alexander on Twitter]
• Keith Yandle thinks the Coyotes can be better in the second half of the season [AZCentral.com]
Saturday schedule (all times ET)
Philadelphia at Boston (1 p.m.)
Washington at New York Islanders (1 p.m.)
Detroit at Columbus (2 p.m.)
St. Louis at San Jose (4 p.m.)
Pittsburgh at Toronto (7 p.m.)
Montreal at Tampa Bay (7 p.m.)
New Jersey at Carolina (7 p.m.)
Minnesota at Nashville (8 p.m.)
Dallas at Phoenix (8 p.m.)
Calgary at Los Angeles (10 p.m.)
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