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.
Preview: Phoenix Coyotes at Dallas Stars (8:30 p.m. EST; TV: FSAZ, FSSW). Martin Hanzal is out, but the Coyotes are starting to get a little healthier while mired in a six-game losing streak. Marty Turco is expected to get the start, and the AP says he'll break Cesare Maniago's franchise record of 23 straight starts, set in 1968-69 with the Minnesota North Stars. He's 8-2 in his last 10 ... but it was all Avery's fault, remember.
Preview: Washington Capitals at New York Rangers (7 p.m. EST; TV: CSN, MSG). Mike Green tries to tie an NHL record for consecutives games with a goal by a defenseman, bringing him forever closer to become a Paul Coffey for a new generation. No Alex Semin tonight. According to the Tom Renney line generator, it'll be Nigel Dawes, Scott Gomez and Aaron Voros on the fourth line for New York.
Preview: New York Islanders at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. EST; TV: MSG2, MSG+). Hey, this is fun: Coach Brent Sutter and Martin Brodeur are on completely different pages as far as his playing time when Marty returns from injury. The Kevin Weekes farewell tour continues tonight against the Isles.
• In 2006, a 15-year-old was practicing slap-shots at an outdoor rink near Montreal. One of his shots missed its target and hit a nine-year-old boy in the grill, knocking out three teeth. This week, a Quebec Superior Court judge ordered the shooter's parents to pay $44,000 in damages. The good news is that this kid will never miss the damn net again. [CBC Sports]
• Jose Theodore has a fan in the latest SI Swimsuit Edition. [DC Sports Bog]
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• Bryan Little would like to be reincarnated as a falcon or an eagle. So not a Thrasher then ... [SI]
Preview: Ottawa Senators at Buffalo Sabres (7:30 p.m. EST; TV: TSN, NHLN). The Sens are trying to sweep a home-and-home series against the Sabres, with Brian Elliott getting the nod between the pipes. Did you know that Jarrko Ruutu told a kid last month that his favorite food at the rink is "Buffalo fingers?"
Preview: Chicago Blackhawks at Atlanta Thrashers (7 p.m. EST; TV: CSNC). Kari Lehtonen gets the start after a stellar effort last night against the Lightning. Martin Havlat is looking for a long-term deal with the Blackhawks. Hopefully there isn't a no-movement clause, because that would kill about 40 percent of all trade rumors.
Preview: San Jose Sharks at Pittsburgh Penguins (7:30 p.m. EST; TV: CSBA, FSPI). Brian Boucher gets the start in goal for the Big Teal Machine. What happens to a team when its head coach gets laid up with the flu? Center Ryan Vesce makes his NHL debut tonight for San Jose. Meanwhile, Sergei Gonchar has been cleared to play. Let the rally begin.
• Bubba from Canes Country takes a look at those nasty, injurious Conboy Brothers, one of whom was last seen helping to pummel that poor kid from the University of Michigan. [Canes Country]
• Is Mike Smith suffering the effects of his concussion, or is he just being Mike Smith? In any case, it might be time to shut him down. [Bolts Report]
• Are Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings the best dynamic duo in sports? Boy, we sure do wish someone would climb into the mind of Pavel Datsyuk and find out what he really thinks about things. Yep, that sure would be nice. If someone did that. Say, like, next week. [Snapshots]
Preview: Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. EST; TV: ALT, FSNO, Yahoo! Sports). Speaking of injured coaches, Jacques Lemaire went for X-rays after taking a nasty fall in practice when Antti Miettinen accidently took his legs out from under him. Make that the KHL's Antti Miettinen (jokes). Meanwhile, Avs fans have used extensive analysis and revolutionary techniques to conclude what ails their team: they sorta suck offensively.
Preview: Montreal Canadiens at Edmonton Oilers (10 p.m. EST; TV: RDS, OPPV, Yahoo! Sports). Montreal is slumping. What do they do? "Take Les Habitants bowling ... take them bowling," according to the National Post. "It was like a birthday party without the hats, and Carbonneau even spared his players the embarrassment of being reminded of their Monday night collapse, asking the alley to turn off a TV showing non-stop highlights of the Flames game.
Preview: Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. EST; TV: RSW, FSW). ESPN reports that Michael Cammalleri is making waves for the Flames. Except they spelled it "wave$," which indicates his performance is so exceptional that it may actually influence his value on the open market this summer. See how that works? JS Giguere should get the nod for the Ducks.
• Sean Avery tells the media that he's a new man. Until, of course, he references himself in the third person. [Newsday]
• Finally, from Puck The Media comes this clip of Lil Wayne explaining his stance on hockey fighting. It takes no less an authority to end this debate, doesn't it?
