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.
• We announced a Sidney Crosby video project for today. Due to some technical difficulties, it'll run on Saturday. Please do check it out ... right after you watch the "Battlestar Galactica" finale on your DVR for the 10th straight time. Frack!
• You know, we're no art aficionados, but that's a damn good likeness of Janne Niinimaa right there. Oh, wait, it's Chris Pronger (Not pictured: Brian Burke salivating)? For only $699? And you're telling us no one's bid on this thing yet; not even some Oilers fan who'd take it out of the frame and use it as a bib? [Cult of Hockey and Classic Auctions]
Preview: Edmonton Oilers at Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. EST; TV: OPPV, CSNC). No, seriously, the hell is wrong with Chicago? The Oilers can move within five points of the Blackhawks with a win tonight. And since the Oilers have the same number of points at the eight seed, that's some scary stuff for the Hawks. Since Cristobal Huet continues to really earn that contract, Joel Quenneville announced that he's riding Nikolai Khabibulin until he breaks.
Preview: Minnesota Wild at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. EST; TV: MSG+). Martin Brodeur is back between the pipes for the Devils in his first start since breaking Patrick Roy's career wins record and the NJ Court of Appeals unofficial record for alimony inflation. The Minnesota Wild have never won in New Jersey. Big deal ... neither do the Nets.
• You know, the last guy to diss David Letterman was John McCain. Not for nothing Brodeur, but if the New Jersey Devils don't win the Cup ... just sayin'. [NJ.com]
SportsWrap
The top sports headlines of the day
• They evidently frown upon using the Montreal Canadiens logo to sell cigarettes in Canada. Even though it's been getting smoked for the better part of a month. [Eyes on the Prize]
Preview: New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. EST; TV: MSG2, FSS). Introducing the "Babchuk Bomb" -- the booming slap shot from defenseman Anton Babchuk that's helped give the Canes defenseman seven goals in his last 14 games. That's nutty. Peter Mannino should get the start for the Islanders. Dude stopped 40 shots in his first NHL start.
Preview: Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres (7:30 p.m. EST; TV: CSP, MSG, Yahoo! Sports). The headline on the Y! Sports NHL page is "Crossing Swords" in relation to this game. Awesome. Ryan Miller is testing out his ankle, but is it too late for the Sabres? Philly's going for the sweep in the season series.
• Population Statistic has cracked the case on Alexander Ovechkin's motivation for the "fire stick" celebration: "Ovechkin knew that the name 'Tampa' is derived from the Calusa Indian word for 'sticks of fire', and thus intentionally chose that ‘stick on fire' motif?" [Not for nothing, PopStat, but that was brilliant]
• Someone really needs to interview Teemu "Shotgun" Selanne about goal celebrations, because his name is coming up a lot on this Ovie debate. [Windy City Hockey and Mike Chen]
• The Scott Hartnell Wikipedia page is quite informative. [H/T to Puck Buddy Jason H.]
Preview: Detroit Red Wings at Atlanta Thrashers (7:30 p.m. EST; TV: FSD, SS). Chris Osgood gets the call for the Wings, as the Thrashers are expecting a large crowd for tonight's rare visit from the champs. Oh, and the big return for Marian Hossa, too. Cheers or boos?
Preview: Los Angeles Kings at Pittsburgh Penguins (7:30 p.m. EST; TV: FSW, FSPI). The Penguins are 11-1-2 since Feb. 19. Justin Williams is off injured reserve for the Kings, which just means it's a matter of time until he's placed back on it.
Preview: St. Louis Blues at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ESt; TV: FSMW, RSW). The good news for St. Louis: Star Keith Tkachuk doesn't have a broken wrist and is day-to-day after taking a slap shot on the hand against Vancouver. The bad news: They haven't won in Calgary since 2004.
• Darren Rovell looks at how the recession is affecting the sale of pro sports teams, and how easy it might be for a League to take over a franchise and prop it up. The Phoenix Coyotes are not mentioned by name. [CNBC]
• Gary Thorne fans rejoice. [Puck the Media]
• Finally, thanks to a cool DC/Baltimore sports blog called Hangar 39 for hipping us to this video of HOF announcer Bob Miller of the Kings going to bat for Ovechkin and taking a whack at Don Cherry:
