Here are your Evening Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.
Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. EDT; TV: VS., CBC). The 2007-08 Stanley Cup banner will be presented to Nicklas Lidstrom by, like, 1,000 people and then raised to the rafters of the Joe, which will surely give Johan Franzen another reason to show us his "oh" face. PPP has the Leafs-centric game preview; Bruce MacLeod had an interesting piece today about the Red Wings' power-play. We'd really like to hear something from "Pyromania" from Def Leppard at Face-Off Rocks tonight.
• And the Marian Hossa SI-cover jinx discussion begins. [Snapshots]
• Among the opening night live-bloggers: Melt Your Face Off, Abel To Yzerman and Steve Lepore.
• But if you're watching on Versus, why not participate in Barry Melrose Rocks' special drinking game for this evening? For example, take a drink "when the Red Wings score. No. Kidding. I don't want to kill you." [BMR]
Preview: Boston Bruins at Colorado Avalanche (10 p.m. EDT; TV: VS.). The Tony Granato Era begins ... well, again for the Avs. Mile High Hockey provides the Colorado context, exhibiting some jersey envy while looking forward to what a Ryan Smyth/Paul Stastny/Milan Hejduk line can do. Hub Hockey has the Bruins' lines, including Michael Ryder skating with Marc Savard. If Ryder's going to get his career rolling again, that's a good start.
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• The future Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens will be missing Georges Laraque Christopher Higgins and Francis Bouillon when they open up their season against Buffalo, all due to injuries. [THN]
• The Pittsburgh Penguins acquire Mike Zigomanis from the Phoenix Coyotes. Just in case you need another "Z" for your NHL alphabet drinking game. It's the "I's" that usually kills us. Well, and the "X's." [Penguins]
• The Penguins will not have a formal banner raising for their home opener. Great move: There are no second places; you either win or you lose. [Confluence of the Three Rivers]
• McErlain on Sarah Palin. Not literally. [FanHouse]
• Matt Murley, a high-scoring forward for the Albany River Rats, quit the team for Russia. Despite having a valid contract with the Carolina Hurricanes organization. Radulov, Part Deux! [Times Union]
• Ondrej Pavelec stopped being a child and has reported to the AHL for the Atlanta Thrashers. [Custance]
Preview: Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. EDT; TV: FSPT). The battle for the Pacific begins! Of course there's only one place to turn for a preview: Battle of California, as Sleek and Mike Chen reveal their inner-most fears about each others' teams. Chen may be the first man to admit to being afraid of Brendan Morrison, in any context.
• Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings, when faced with the inevitable, "Hey, people think you guys are going to suck" question: "People can think what they want." [Inside the Kings]
• Sadly, the Jeff Friesen comeback has come to an end in San Jose. [Two for Elbowing]
Preview: Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks (10:30 p.m. EDT; TV: CBC). Todd Bertuzzi once again returns to Vancouver, skating with the Flames for what has to be last chance No. 3. The boys at the Kurtenblog will be doing a live blog of all the action. Make sure to stop by and say hello when either Kesler or Burrows engage in tomfoolery.
• Finally, before we get this year going, here are the top goals of the 2007-08 season. Montage!
