Article:In the Crease: A weekly look at the NHL 1/28-2/3

Selane Returns to Ducks

Teemu Selanne has decided to return to the Anaheim Ducks this season. The Ducks will welcome him with open wings. As last season he was third in the league in scoring with 48 goals. He expected to play sometime this month. He has been out all season while he contemplated retirement.

Sabres continue drought

The Buffalo Sabres just cannot get good news this year. The best piece of news they have received in 2008 is that January is over. Tim Connolly is still out for the Sabres with bone spurs on his hips. He has been out since January 8th. Maxim Afinofenov may return soon from his injury. He has been out most of the month with a slight tear in his groin.

The Sabres surprisingly finished up the month with a nice little three game win streak before they lost their first game of February 5-4 in a shootout against the Thrashers. They finished up the month of January with a 4-5-4 record. Picking up 12 points. It could have been much worse however, the 4 overtime losses could have been regulation losses, in which case they would have gotten no points for them. They look to rebound this month.

Metropolitan gets 100th career point, Sturm sets German records

Bruins forward Glen Metropolitan picked up his 100th career point this week. He scored twice against the Nashville Predators, giving his team a well-deserved 3-1 victory.

Meanwhile, also playing for the Bruins is Marco Sturm who set German records this week. He was already had the most NHL points by any German in the NHL, now he has played more games than any German, playing in his 750th career game against Detroit on Saturday.

Bruins being competitive

The Boston Bruins went into Saturday’s game against Detroit on a three game win streak. They lost the game 3-1 but it was a very competitive game. On Thursday the Bruins tangled up with division foe, and division leading, Ottawa Senators. The Bruins came out swinging and won the game 4-1. As of February 4 the Bruins sit in the last playoff spot in the East, only one point back of the New York Rangers and just two back from the New Jersey Devils. They also have the Penguins looking back in their rear view mirror; only three points back from the fifth place team. However in order to do anything with the season the Bruins need to beat the Montreal Canadians who have beaten the Bruins all six times this season. The Bruins will spend this week playing a home and home with the Buffalo Sabres and then host the Florida Panthers.

Sharks make a deal With the trade deadline less than a month away the trades have began. On Tuesday the Blue Jackets and Sharks completed a trade. The Sharks got Jody Shelley for a sixth round pick in the 2009 NHL entry draft. Shelley is an aggressive player who will bring some grit to the Sharks. I think it’s a good deal. The Sharks were riding a three game winning streak before the trade, then they lost 5-4 to the Flames the day the made the deal. They picked it back up on Saturday with a win over the Blackhawks in a shootout.

Kovalchuck to miss time

Ilya Kovalchuck of the Atlanta Thrashers will miss the early part of this week because of a knee injury he suffered against the Pittsburgh Penguins on January 30th. The Thrashers have not missed him to much though as they have won three games with out him. Beating the Penguins when he went down, they disposing of the Sabres and Capitals.

Horcoff gone for season

Shawn Horcoff who leads the Edmonton Oilers in scoring with 21 goals, 29 assists and 50 points in 53 games this season will miss the rest of the season. As he will undergo surgery on his left shoulder. Edmonton sits in 14th place in the West, 8 points out of the playoffs, and are expected to struggle without Horcoff.

Stars get Lehtinen back

The Dallas Stars had Jere Lehtinen back for their game on Friday, ending his 33 game absence. He had an abdominal injury that led to sports hernia surgery. The Stars are riding a three game win streak with wins over the Canucks, Oilers and Flames after a two game slid. The Stars are in 2nd place in the West and just two points ahead of the Sharks in the Pacific division.

from my my blog http://www.sammonroe.net