Phoenix Coyotes

Some of Canada's most excruciating Olympic hockey losses are forever linked to the enemy Michelin Man — international goaltenders. A painful reflection: • At the Lillehammer Olympics of 1994, Sweden's Tommy Salo made four shootout stops, the last one on Paul Kariya, to secure a gold medal for Sweden.  

If you didn't say injuries, you've probably been too caught up in what has actually been a pretty compelling 300-plus games. No shame in that. Not when about one of every six featured a comeback from at least a two-goal deficit.  

The NHL suspended Dallas Stars forward James Neal two games Friday for a boarding infraction that injured the Columbus Blue Jackets' Derek Dorsett. November 19, 2009 : Rick Nash scored on a power play and Kristian Huselius added a short-handed goal in the final seconds of the fight-filled opening period, sending the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday.  

Fewer than five months after hearing their names called as first-round selections at the National Hockey League Entry Draft, John Tavares of the New York Islanders , Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning , Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche and Evander Kane of the Atlanta Thrashers have helped key turnaround performances by their teams in the first quarter of the NHL season. As the 1,230-game schedule passes the quarter mark with tonight's games, seven clubs that did not qualify for the 2008-09 St  

Every team is glad to get home after a road trip, but few teams were happier to get home than the Anaheim Ducks were this week. The Ducks start a seven-game homestand Thursday, and they'll need a big showing to get back into the playoff race after a nightmarish 0-3-1 trip that ended with a 5-2 loss at Pittsburgh Monday. With his team struggling, not even a late-night flight back to the West Coast after the loss to the Penguins was enough to keep coach Randy Carlyle from holding practice Tuesday.

I felt with our schedule that is coming, we're going to play every second day here as we go, that we should try to get on the ice as much as possible to try to improve our overall execution level   -Randy Carlyle

 

The Buffalo Sabres have been leading the Northeast Division all season primarily because of the play of goalie Ryan Miller , Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier told NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman today on "The NHL Hour with Commissioner Gary Bettman." "I think we've been good from the goaltender on out," Regier said. "It really starts with Ryan Miller . He's been outstanding this season and it's not just the saves he makes, it's the confidence everyone else gets from him making those saves. ... He's led

The NHL Hour with Commissioner Gary Bettman.   -Darcy Regier

 

The NHL schedule officially hits the quarter-pole when the Sabres tangle with the Bruins on Nov. 20, and that milestone that has us itching to rank the season's top performers. The big surprise of the early going? How few of the players routinely in contention for the major awards -- Sidney Crosby , Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Lundqvist come to mind -- are in the mix.  

The Minnesota Wild is looking for solutions to climb out of the 15th position in the Western Conference. Head Coach Todd Richards has hinted that it's time for him to get tough with his players. Three players have been called up from the Houston Aeros in the last week, including Nathan Smith, who will join the team tonight to replace the injured Martin Havlat .  

For one night, anyway, puck-rushing defenseman Erik Johnson made winning look so easy for the Blues. The Note went into overtime with the Coyotes on Thursday night at Scottrade Center. The Blues immediately gained possession.

Offense is part of my game   -Erik Johnson