Here are your Evening Puck Headlines and Previews: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.
-Mike Dell chimes in on the never-ending Wayne Gretzky-Mario Lemieux debate using adjusted goals-per-game averages. [Suite 101]
-She's blonde. She's Russian. She hangs around hockey players. Is Elena Alyonka Larionov the new Anna Kournikova? [Capitals Outsider]
-Philadelphis has signed their 2007 first-round pick James van Riemsdyk to a multi-year, entry level contract. Also signed to an amateur tryout, he'll be assigned to their AHL affiliate. [Flyers]
-McErlain picks the New York Rangers and Columbus as the two teams that should strike fear in the hearts of playoff opponents. [Sporting News]
-John Grigg of The Hockey News ranks the top ten active Russian players in the National Hockey League. On Pavel Datsyuk at No.2, "Some say Datsyuk is one of the most underrated players in the league. Others say he's overrated." Who in the heck is saying he's overrated? [THN]
SportsWrap
The top sports headlines of the day
-Joe Pelletier plays six degrees of relations, checking in on the bloodlines of some current and former NHL players. Wendel Clark and Joey Kocur cousins of Barry Melrose? [Greatest Hockey Legends]
-Islanders fans find out the official stance of Town of Hempstead and Lighthouse Project key holder, Kate Murray, and it's not a good one. Kevin from Barry Melrose Rocks is not impressed. [Islanders Point Blank]
-Meanwhile, there will be playoff hockey at the Nassau Coliseum this April. [Bridgeport Sound Tigers]
-Speculating on who the final three candidates for the Hobey Baker Award will be. [USCHO]
-Your three stars for the month of March: Carolina's Cam Ward, Vancouver's Henrik Sedin, and Columbus' Rick Nash. [NHL]
-"Flaming 'C' on jersey stands for 'choke'" is one of those headlines that just brightens your morning and also caused you to do a double-take. [Calgary Sun]
-Spector chimes in on his final five Hart Trophy candidates. [FOX Sports]
-Joe Sakic on coming back this season: "I lost a lot of strength in my leg...I'm not too sure where we stand yet. I'm just trying to work as hard as I can to make it back. Next week is obviously going to decide a lot." God speed Super Joe. [Denver Post]
-New Jersey heads into Pittsburgh on a five-game losing streak and head coach Brent Sutter is not happy. (Has he ever cracked a smile?) Patrick Elias is out tonight for the Devs. [In Lou We Trust]
-Ray Bourque's youngest son, Ryan, had a verbal commitment to attend the University of New Hampshire next season, but instead has decided to take his game to the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League coached by Patrick Roy. Start practicing your line brawls, kid. [Boston Globe]
-Finally, here are members of the Pittsburgh Penguins delivering pizza to workers building their future home, the Consol Energy Center.
