For the bored/Canadian: NHL Games to keep an eye on

It’s a big night in the NHL tonight, with every team but Columbus and Vancouver in action.   So for the hockey fan, there’s plenty to digest on Thanksgiving Eve, but you may want to look out for a few games in particular:

Game of the Night (Western Conference):  Chicago at San Jose.  Marian Hossa (off-season shoulder surgery) has been at practice for the past week and is expected to make his Blackhawks debut tonight.  He’ll apparently be thrown right into the Hawks’ top line alongside Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, forcing top-scorer Kane over to the left side of the ice.  No one questions  Hossa's talent, but that seems a curious move for a team that is already the hottest in the NHL (winners of seven straight).  Plus aren’t the Hawks worried that Hossa’s, ya know, curse will rub off on such impressionistic youngsters?  In any event, Hossa’s arrival makes an already exciting contest between the West’s top two teams all the more entertaining.  Good thing Versus will be showing St. Louis at Dallas instead.  
     [Update:  Well Hossa took no time reminding everyone why his summer signing was such a big deal and why yes, thank you very much, he does get to tell Patrick Kane which side of the ice to play on.  The Slovak scored two goals (including one of  Chicago's three shorthanded goals), and the Blackhawks steamrolled the NHL's top team 7-2 on the road.  It will be interesting to see how potent Chicago's offense remains (it's relatively common for new arrivals to flourish in their first few games), but if this is any indicator, the Western Conference may be in a load of trouble.]

Game of the Night (Eastern Conference): Buffalo at Washington.  The Sabres unexpectedly sit one point out of third place in the Eastern Conference, and the Capitals are tied with rivals Pittsburgh for the conference lead.  But both Buffalo and Washington have lost three straight and are steadily sliding down the ranks of the East.  So tonight’s game should be plenty competitive with each team (moderately) desperate to right its course heading into December.  The matchup also offers an interesting clash of styles, pitting the conference’s best offense (Washington) against its second best defense (Buffalo). 
    [Update:  The Capitals were somehow outshot by the Sabres (albeit only 25-24), but budding star Semyon Varlamov's first shutout of the season propelled the Caps to a 2-0 victory.  The Sabres have now been outscored 15-6 in their four-game losing streak, and you have to wonder if their surprising start will soon be nothing but a distant memory.  Alex Ovechkin scored his 17th goal of the season but was ejected in the third period for hitting Buffalo forward Patrick Kaleta from behind.  The match penalty was the second of Ovechkin's career, and with the frequency that Ovechkin leaves his feet during hits, he's probably fortunate that referees don't target him more often.]

Most Intriguing Game:  Carolina at Anaheim.  Two of last season’s better playoff teams currently find themselves sitting last and second to last in their conferences respectively.  For their part, the Canes have been injury plagued and may be finally turning things around, with seven points in their past five games.  Joni Pitkanen returned to the lineup on Saturday, and Eric Staal should be back tonight from a ten-game absence due to an “upper-body injury.”  But goalie Cam Ward (starter of 135 games over the past two seasons) remains out for at least another week after getting cut by Rick Nash's skate earlier this month.  Anaheim, on the other hand, may just be bad.  The Ducks have been relatively healthy, but have yet to earn points in three consecutive games this season.  It looks like J.S. Giguere’s gigantic equipment luck may have finally run its course, and replacement Jonas Hiller has struggled since a relatively hot start.  But can the Canes capitalize and win their first game on the road this year?  If they even want to sniff the postseason they’d better get moving, because 10 points behind 8th place Tampa Bay is an awfully big gap after two months of hockey. 
    [Update:  Carolina continues to confuse.  Despite having having scored the fewest goals in the league, the Hurricanes charged out of the gate, grabbing a 1-0 lead less than two minutes in.  But then they remembered they were playing on the road and quickly deteriorated.  Petterri Nokelainen scored his second goal of the season to put the Ducks ahead 2-1 in the third, and Teemu Selanne sealed their win with just over a minute to play.  After a late goal by Brandon Sutter, the Hurricanes ultimately fell 3-2, and they are now winless in their first twelve road games.  Maybe the Canes simply are destined for the cellar this year after all.  For their part, the Ducks played well in an early must-win, and Giguere was strong for the second game in a row.  So credit Anaheim for getting the upper hand in tonight's battle for relevance, but I have little faith that their aging roster can maintain any consistent success.] 

Default Viewing: Montreal at Pittsburgh.   Until the Penguins fade away, basically every game they play is worth watching just to see how long they can stay afloat with half a roster.  Sergei Gonchar, Evgeni Malkin, and Max Talbot recently returned to the Penguins, but they remain without Chris Kunitz, Tyler Kennedy, and half of their starting defensemen (Kris Letang, Alex Goligoski, and Jay McKee).  But somehow the Penguins have coasted on their hot start and kept pace with the East's elite—and without the typical contribution from captain Sidney Crosby.  So, I ask, how long can the champs do it?
    [Update:  Pittsburgh keeps humming along.  The Penguins outshot the Habs 30-19, and cruised to a 3-1 victory to stay with the Capitals atop the East.   Crosby contributed a goal and an assist and posted a +2 rating.   Following a career long five-game scoring drought earlier this month, Crosby may be regaining his stride with nine points in his last seven games.]