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.
• It was a good but rather odd week, as your humble editor had two teeth yanked ... by a Caps season ticket holder no less. So shout-out to the good doctor and her son, Brian. Just a note that we've collected some great rebuttals from Penguins fans about our Sidney Crosby video, and we're publishing several of them on Saturday. Thanks again for reading ... oh, and the Vegas story is after the jump.
Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs at Buffalo Sabres (7:30 p.m. EST; TV: RSN, MSG, Yahoo! Sports). Buffalo has won three straight against Toronto by a combined score of 13-2, and they get Ryan Miller back between the pipes tonight. Who, incidentally, was 10 years old in Curtis Joseph's rookie season.
Preview: New York Islanders at Detroit Red Wings (7:30 p.m. EST; TV: MSG+, FSD). Chris Botta reports that Doug Weight is finally back tonight for the Islanders. Meanwhile, Detroit's Andreas Lilja is seeing a neurologist in the hopes of returning for the playoffs. Chris Osgood faces Joey MacDonald tonight.
Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. EST; TV: SUN, CSN). When the Lightning blogs are claiming the Alexander Ovechkin goal celebration/Bolts retribution story is overplayed, perhaps it is. No Alexander Semin tonight for the Capitals; Ovechkin, by the way, was showing off his new ride today: "A brand-new, 200-mph Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series. Its price tag is about $250,000." Wow, $250,000? Thankfully, his job's his credit.
• Seriously, it's never too early for a good old fashioned mock draft. This Tavares fellow certainly seems to have some hype. [NHL]
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• Michigan gets stunned by Air Force in the NCAA hockey tournament. [FanHouse]
• Pretty cool find from Kukla: A guy who makes furniture and art from old Minnesota Wild game-used gear. Really, nothing compliments a living room better than a lamp that smells like Derek Boogaard's feet. [Kuklas]
• Hoping to keep those playoff hopes alive, the Ottawa Senators shift Dany Heatley to Mike Fisher's line. [Sun Media]
Preview: New Jersey Devils at Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. EST; TV: MSG2, CSNC). Colin White and Patrik Elias are expected back for the NJD, who are on a two-game losing streak. The tables have turned from when these two met last time, as the Blackhawks are starting to roll a little bit. The Devils plan to honor Martin Brodeur before their game next Friday; hopefully not with a cake.
Preview: Vancouver Canucks at Colorado Avalanche (9 p.m. EST; TV: CPPV, ALT2). The Canucks are on a 1-4-1 losing road streak. Meanwhile, in a season of suck, some promising news for the Avs: They've singed 2005 draft pick and University of Minnesota forward Ryan Stoa to an entry-level deal.
Preview: Edmonton Oilers at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. EST; TV: RSW, FSPT, Yahoo! Sports).What a huge game for both teams. The margin for error remains razor thin for the Ducks, even though they're in a playoff seed. Who knew back at the start of the season that not only would Brian Burke be out of Anaheim, but that any "feud" talk with Kevin Lowe and the Oil would be completely absent as these teams battle for their playoff lives? Goalie Post is thinking Jonas Hiller for the Ducks against Dwayne Roloson, who's been great.
• The long-awaited marriage between Milwaukee Admirals hockey and Mr. Roboto. [OSC]
• Finally, as the headline alluded to, that Over 18 Night for the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL got a little out of hand ... on the ice. Former New York Rangers forward Peter Ferraro was suspended for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs for spearing another player during a massive fight between the Wranglers and the Alaska Aces on Tuesday. His brother, Chris, suffered a broken leg in the brawl that could threaten his career, according to the Las Vegas Sun. Here's some footage of the brawl (may be some NSFW language in the crowd):
