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.
• Breaking News: Calgary Flames fans like to piss on the Edmonton Oilers when they're down. So after the Oil were steamrolled by the Buffalo Sabres earlier this week, 10-2, The FAN 960 in Calgary released this wicked song parody of "Lola" by The Kinks called "Goal-a":
• Enjoy it while you can (here as well), because after the Oilers have apparently cried foul loud enough to get the song yanked from radio stations. According blogger Robin Brownlee (via Flames Insider), Allan Watt, the Oilers vice-president of communications and broadcasting, protested behind the scenes on the basis that the song used clips from Oilers broadcasts. FAN 960 is an NHL rights holder and therefore can use the audio, but bowed to a League request to take the song off its Web site and keep it off the air. Two-Line Pass has more.
• From Rob Kerr of FAN 960 on the Oilers song mess: "It should be pointed out that the league was very, very, very good about the issue and asked us as good NHL broadcast partners to help them out, and we have." It should also be pointed out, by us, that this is the second time the Oilers have used a technicality to censor media critical of their team's pitiful performance.
Preview: Ottawa Senators at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. EST; TV: RSN, FSOH). Our Super Bowl prognosticator Mike Commodore continues his honesty tour by explained how two-faced Senators GM Bryan Murray is. Alex Alud will go against Steve Mason in this one.
SportsWrap
The top sports headlines of the day
• You know, for a team that's in salary cap hell and will be choosing between Johan Franzen and Marian Hossa, adding J.S. Giguere's salary is probably something the Red Wings wouldn't do. Is this an (e1)? [Snapshots]
• Is their win over the Detroit Red Wings the kick in the pants the Dallas Stars needed? [Dallas Stars Blog]
Preview: Philadelphia Flyers at Tampa Bay Lightning (7:30 p.m. EST; TV: CW57, SUN). We'd say the Bolts are trying to rebound form a tough loss, but honestly when aren't they? Mike Smith is dealing with being the sole numero uno goalie, and Calder candidate Steven Stamkos will be back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch last night.
Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. EST; TV: FSPI, MSG+). An article about Satan picked up the scoring on Devils' night? Pittsburgh Post Gazette, you rascals. For Jersey, Jay Pandolfo is a sad clown and it's Doc Emrick Night at the Rock. Big drive!
• Great look by Stu Hackel at the Boston Bruins' game against the Devils last night, as he wonders who the best team in the East truly is. [Slap Shot]
• Seriously, this time Wayne Fleming has been fired by Avangard Omsk in the KHL. For reals, yo. [Globe & Mail]
Preview: Nashville Predators at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. EST; TV: FSS, RSW). Mike Cammalleri is having an outstanding season, and the talk of him either bolting for the Leafs in the summer or re-upping for the Flames has become a hot topic.
Preview: Minnesota Wild at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. EST; TV: FSNO, OPPV). The Edmonton Sun asked Oilers fans what they wanted to do to save the season; take a shot every time someone mentioned firing Craig MacTavish and you'll be out by Page 2. Niklas Backstrom, 10-0 lifetime against the Oil, goes for the Wild.
• Al Strachan fixes the bad hockey in the all-star game by creating a mini-tournament of other bad all-star games. [Fox Sports]
• On the one hand, a 17 year old shouldn't get fired just for talking to Don Cherry. On the other hand, his father is suing the owners of GM Centre in Oshawa for $100,000 in damages. In any case, Sportsnet makes is seem like Grapes he has the lad's back. [Sportsnet]
• Meanwhile, Grapes was Grapes when discussing Alexander Ovechkin recently: "If you were a Canadian hitting like Ovechkin, you'd be fighting all the time." [Japers]
• Finally, your moment of Wendel Clark Zen:
