Here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

Preview: Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. EST. Boston plays their first game since the Matt Cooke(notes) his on Marc Savard(notes) and they will also be without Zdeno Chara(notes) as he's day-to-day with a "lower-body injury". For the Leafs, Luca Caputi(notes) will find himself promoted to the top line alongside Phil Kessel(notes) (pointless in all four meetings against Boston this season) and Tyler Bozak(notes) in his first home game with Toronto. Tim Thomas(notes) will be in goal for Boston, while Jonas Gustavsson(notes) is expected to get the start for the Leafs. And might we see Colton Orr(notes) and Milan Lucic(notes) dance again? 

Preview: Vancouver Canucks at Colorado Avalanche, 9 p.m. EST. With both teams separated by two points, this Northwest Division battle is key for both teams as we hit the final month of the season. Vancouver is winding down their 14-game road trip and will finally return home on Saturday night, while the Avalanche enter tonight 2-2-0 since the NHL resumes last week. Vancouver has outscored Colorado 16-4 in their past three meetings this season and look to continue that trend and extend their divisional lead.  Watch this game live on Y! Sports

Check out previews and updated scores for all of today's games on the Y! Sports NHL scores and scheds page.

Evening Reading

• An armed man stole an unknown amount of cash from a Buffalo-area Auntie Anne's mall pretzel stand and then swiped a Sidney Crosby(notes) jersey from another store's office before escaping. [Buffalo News] s/t to David C. for sending that in

• Plans for the 2010 Pinstripe Bowl were finalized today with the college football bowl game to be played at Yankee Stadium on December 30th. There goes any chance of the NHL holding the next Winter Classic in the Bronx. [Yankees]

• Mike Milbury believes the Matt Cooke hit isn't a suspendable play and "His job is to make sure he punishes people when he gets the opportunity. Intent to injure? I don’t know. That’s a hard one to pin on anybody. Certainly, ready to finish his check with authority.” He went on to blame the Bruins players on the ice for not retaliating right after. [WEEI] s/t Kukla

• Stephen Brunt believes Gary Bettman isn't the man to take the NHL to the next step. [Globe & Mail]

• Not talking about his February DUI charge, Edmonton Oilers goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin(notes) did say that despite being out for the rest of the year after back surgery, he'd like to get on the ice before the end of the season. [Edmonton Journal]

• Chained to the Tampa Bay bench by Barry Melrose a year ago, Lightning center Steven Stamkos(notes) is on pace 51 goals this season. [TampaBay.com]

Puck Buddy Comment of the Day: Chiming in on the headshot debate, BartK chimes in:

"Basically the rule will be changed in some way very soon because the league has to does something about it or someone will be killed. It’s because so many of the players have no respect for one another now. The check technically was legal based on the current rules but Cooke should have realized he was vulnerable and let up a little. That’s the main problem here, showing respect for your fellow player. It’s ironic because most of the hits come from marginal players on the lower end of the salary range that could be out of a career if they ever took a hit like that. Checking needs to stay in the game and there will still be hard hitting in the game as proven in the Olympics, but the marginal stuff needs to go and it has to begin with the players knowing better. If they don’t know better or choose not to respect one another they will ruin it and the league will step in and change the rule. The Olympics had some great hitting and that was with their ‘hits to the head rule’, so you can’t say it will take the hitting out of the game, it will just help to get rid of the questionable hits that ruin the game."

Bold Prediction: The Anaheim Ducks are the only home team to win tonight.

Growing up and watching Don Cherry's Rock'em Sock'em hockey VHS tapes as a kid, Grapes always seemed to mention any one of the numerous end-to-end rushes that Bobby Orr would perform as a member of the Boston Bruins. Every time Orr would rush the puck in those videos, things would end with a goal for the Bruins, five embarrassed skaters on the ice and a joyous Cherry expressing his mancrush on him.

Montreal Canadiens prospect P.K. Subban(notes) is a defenseman like the great No. 4 and has a knack for these spectacular end-to-end rushes as well. Currently with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League, Subban added another highlight-reel play to his YouTube resume in a game against the Chicago Wolves last Friday night:

How he was allowed that much ice to skate is a mystery, but it's not hard to blame the Chicago defense for getting caught watching the play and allow the J.T. Wyman(notes) goal.

Subban wasn't finished on the weekend as on Saturday night, he took his skills to the shootout against the Hartford Wolf Pack and showed off his Datsyukian hands:

His pausing in the crease while looking down at the goaltender after he scores is a nice touch by Subban and reminds you of an NFL player laying out a big hit and standing over his helpless opponent.

The 20-year old Subban played two games with the Canadiens before the Olympic break recording two assists and depending on how the next handful of games go for the Canadiens, could find himself back up in the NHL soon enough.

s/t to The Score for finding both videos

Here are your 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.

• David Shoalts reports that the GMs will recommend a rule banning blindside hits to the head from a shoulder. The rule will be further tweaked and presented Wednesday to all 30 GMs. If approved by the NHL's competition committee and board of governors, it will go into effect next season. [Globe & Mail]

• Another change being discussed is the standings tiebreaker. Kevin Allen of USA Today reports that GMs are in favor of making the first tiebreaker "fewest shootout wins" instead of "most wins", which it is currently. [@kausatoday]

• According to Sidney Crosby's(notes) agent, Pat Brisson, the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar had a full schedule and was unable to appear on the "Late Show with David Letterman" last week. Or he realized how big a of Leafs fan Dave is. [Post-Gazette]

• ThePensBlog has an excellent take on the entire "controversy". [tPb]

• The NHL predicts the Phoenix Coyotes will lose $20 million this season, “less than the $40 million to $50 million previously estimated by attorneys and others involved in the team’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case.” Er, uh … congrats? [Biz Journal]

• Columbus Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash(notes) left last night's game against Los Angeles early with a "lower-body injury". He's not expected to be in the lineup tonight against Anaheim. [Puck-Rakers]

• Cheers to David Perron(notes) of the St. Louis Blues for donating $4,500 to the Red Cross' relief efforts in Haiti. In February, Perron pledged $1 for every new follower he gained on his Twitter account. [Frozen Notes]

• Winners of six of their last 20 games, New Jersey Devils head coach Jacques Lemaire held a team meeting after practice this morning to express his unhappiness. [NJ.com] 

• Nashville will be without defenseman Denis Grebeshkov(notes) for a while after taking a puck to the groin and ... wait for it ... undergoing sur­gery on one of his testicles. Our male readers just felt a bit uncomfortable. [Tennessean]

• With all of the positive press he's received since leading the U.S. hockey team to the silver medal, the Wall Street Journal asks, "Can a Goalie Be a Superstar?". [WSJ]

• Do you live in Winnipeg? Are you a good driver? Then expect to be pulled over by local and given free tickets to an Old Timer's Game featuring a handful of ex-NHLers. [Winnipeg Free Press]

• A Belfast Giants player is facing marijuana charges in the U.S. after being indicted by a New York City grand jury last week. [Belfast Telegraph]

• The IIHF has decided to scrap any plans for the 2010-11 Champions Hockey League in Europe. [IIHF]

• Teemu Selanne(notes) is just two tallies away from the 600-goal mark for his career. [NHL.com]

• Jonathan Willis on the evolution of Anaheim Ducks' forward Ryan Getzlaf(notes). [Hockey or Die]

• Breaking down Nicklas Backstrom's(notes) worthiness for the Selke Trophy. [Japers' Rink]

• Finally, from gord93 via Twitter comes video of Neil Peart's version of "The Hockey Theme" available on Rock Band:

This may absolutely shock you, but NESN Boston Bruins announcer Jack Edwards went a wee bit over the top in his reaction to Pittsburgh Penguins winger Matt Cooke's(notes) head-shot on Marc Savard(notes), which Darren Dreger of TSN reports may have ended Savard's season. (The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports that Cooke has "reached out" to Savard; wonder if they connected, with Savard being out to lunch and all.)

Hyperbole from the man who gave us maniacal on-air laughter at the expense of Flyers fans? Overstatement from the voice that compared a playoff victory for the Bruins over the Montreal Canadiens to the Revolutionary War, as in "234 years ago yesterday, a bunch of rag-tag farmers stood up against the greatest fighting force in the world?" We're sure you're in stunned disbelief.

On NESN.com, Edwards opined on the Cooke hit and lack of swift discipline from the NHL, opening with this prologue:

Soon after the United States of America won its independence -- to be free and equal among all nations -- John Adams and Thomas Jefferson paid an official visit to the Court of King George III. The king literally turned his back on them. Adams and Jefferson, having had their knowledge and notions of aristocratic mistreatment reaffirmed, were united in their hatred of the king and all his loyal subjects ever after. They were right then, and they are right now.

Any resemblance to events, people or places in the following work of fiction is purely coincidental.

Having established that metaphor as the bar, Edwards quickly clears it with a 1,500 word parable about, ahem, "Slidsy Cornsbie of the Porkburgh Pinkins" and his injury at the shoulder of a marginal NHL winger.

It could be the most compelling argument we've read for the abolishment of the caste system in NHL supplemental discipline, but it's more likely the most bat-poop cynical rant on the matter you'll have read in quite some time.

From the mind, and poison pen, of Jack Edwards. Remember that "Cornsbie" is Marc Savard, "Porkburgh" is Boston and Jack Edwards is swinging for the fences:

Cornsbie is examined by team doctors and found to have suffered a Grade 2 concussion. Not only will he be out of action, but the team won't even evaluate his condition for four to five days. It is a long-term injury, jeopardizing the team's season.

The senior league official enjoys the Florida sunset, not ruling on the status of the player who knocked Cornsbie unconscious. There is outrage in Porkburgh. "What is keeping the league from making up its mind on what so clearly was a felonious act?" fans wonder.

Porkburgh's organization seethes. The offending player has hidden behind the instigator rule for his entire career. He was suspended in 2004 for spearing. He was suspended in January of 2009 for what the senior league official described as "a deliberate check to the head area" of a player. He was suspended in November of the current season for what the league official described as a "result of a blow delivered to the head" of another opponent. Previous punishment obviously did not change the offending player's behavior. Previous punishment had the same effect as making a wayward son pay for his own gas to drive Dad's Lamborghini to the prom. Son got a speeding ticket on the way home. Dad told him not to do it again, again. The state police radar clocked the boy doing 91. Son said it felt like he was going 45.

Edwards closes with an "us against the world" thesis, based on the NHL's alleged lack of concern for Boston ... er, Porkburgh:

Porkburgh tried to take the high road for two years, but saw the league do little or nothing to defend its players. It saw one player nearly killed on the ice, another one having his face driven into the glass with five seconds left in a two-goal game, another cross-checked across the face in the closing minute of a playoff series -- only to have the senior league official take little or no action. And now this.

Justice delayed was so disrespectful as to be justice denied. It was arrogance they would never forget.

Aaaaannnnnd scene!

Read the whole opus for the full effect, but know this: No matter how crazy Edwards sells this, it's symbolic of the incredibly intense passion this "hits to the head" debate creates. It's the biggest hot-button issue in hockey, and battle lines are drawn and redrawn with every debate.

I had more than a few battles Monday: on the blog, on the radio, and especially on Twitter. To restate the thesis: I'm in favor of a (clearly defined) ban on blindside hits, getting the Cooke hit and the Richards hit (which I'll continue to defend) out of the game. Perhaps even as the first step to something larger.

I'm not in favor of banning all contact with the shoulder to the head on hits, because it would penalize what are essentially good hockey plays (Doug Weight's(notes) hit on Brandon Sutter(notes), close to the blindside but just a nasty open-ice hit) or the types of collisions that make hockey more entertaining for me (Ovechkin's hit on Jagr in Vancouver, which by the letter of the IIHF law was a head shot and should have been penalized).

I spoke with Keith Primeau when we were on TSN's Off The Record about the head shots issue as it relates to fighting, because I have a problem with fans or pundits screaming "protect the brains!" one minute and then having a winking endorsement of fists slamming against those brains the next. I find it an illogical stance, from a player safety standpoint.

Primeau said the difference was that a player doesn't ask to be hit to the head, but willfully accepts the risk in a fight. My argument is the player accepts risk by playing in the NHL, and that the League can only do so much to protect them in what is an inherently violent sport.

This belief, of course, puts me in League with Mike Milbury, which make me want to bathe in Listerine. But it's the way I enjoy the game, and hope to continue to. I think 99 percent of hockey arguments stem from that notion: What do we believe NHL hockey should look like, or should feel like? All of our experiences, as puckheads, are so divergent that it's no wonder these debates get protracted and, ultimately, quite heated.

The goal cam on NHL broadcasts has given fans a goalie's-eye view of remarkable saves and thrilling offensive chances. On Monday night in D.C., it gave viewers on Versus something offbeat: The chance to see Marty Turco's(notes) amusing reaction to a stumbling Alex Semin shootout attempt in the Dallas Stars' 4-3 win at the Washington Capitals.

"He actually got the shot off, so it wasn't a complete train wreck," said Turco after the game. "In the shootout, you have to be ready for everything."

Like most teams that enter Verizon Center this season, the Stars may not have been ready for the Capitals' offensive barrage in the first two periods, when the home team posted 42 shots on goal and built a 2-0 lead. But Dallas rallied for three goals in the third and won in the shootout -- only the seventh time the Caps have lost at home this season.

"You can't put your finger on it, but it is about attitude and nothing else with this team," said Turco.

"But this team, not having strung together any streaks of wins together all season long, our attitude -- as well as we approach things or talk about it -- it's hard [to win]. You gotta have the right attitude."

The attitude now for Dallas: survival, in the Western Conference playoff push.

According to Mirtle's latest numbers-crunching, the Stars have to go 12-5-0 the rest of the way to make the Western Conference playoffs, as they sit 10th in the West with 70 points, four in back of the Detroit Red Wings.

The problem for Dallas: Their schedule the rest of the way is murderous, with seven games against the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks. That includes a four-game road swing from Nashville through California near the end of the month.

"We have an awful road trip. That makes it ultra tough. Like [a] 'you gotta get lucky' kind of tough," said Turco. "We don't really talk about it because it's so obvious. But it is gut-check time."

Does Monday's performance cement Turco as the goalie for that stretch run?

He laughed when asked, saying it wasn't his call and saying the usual rah-rah stuff about being a good practice player. But he was the difference in D.C. with a career-best 49 saves. It was a declarative performance by a veteran goalie in a tough place to play -- a statement game for Turco, so often (and frequently, fairly) maligned this season.

But more than what the win meant for him, Turco hoped it could spark his teammates as they head to Buffalo on Wednesday.

"I believe [this group] is good and smart enough to believe how big this win was, to come back like this against this team. To not only play against anybody, but win," he said.

"As crazy as this month is, this might be the win that gets us on a roll."

Just another example of the inherent bias against the Winter Games. Usain Bolt gets a bouquet of roses. Sidney Crosby(notes)? Not even allowed to remove his helmet for the post-race, Mega Powers pose down in sweltering Beijing. Criminal, isn't it?

Welcome to the second gallery of our Sidney Crosby Golden Roar reader art contest (Gallery One Here), in which Sid the Kid's iconic Olympic moment -- after scoring the game-winning overtime goal to win the gold medal over the U.S. - is properly celebrated by your sick, twisted minds.

We've received close to 300 submissions ... and only about half of them had something to do with the movie "300." You won't see those here, though you will be able to view them in the final, all-encompassing gallery.

No, we wanted to bring you some of the best, and some of the oddest, submissions in the contest here. Like Travis H. featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins star in Norwegian artist Edvard Munch's "The Scream," which like most Norwegian art would have been improved with curling pants.

Ah, yes: Contests have prizes. So does this one. We're going to select three winners, and the first place finisher will get his or her choice of prizes. The three options for this contest, in order of what we believe is coolness:

• New Strat-o-Matic hockey game, for the hockey nerd in you.

• Two VIKINGSTAD! T-shirts from our friends at Pucking Hilarious.

• Your choice of hockey reading: "Hockey Dad" by TSN's Bob McKenzie; "Gabby: Confessions of a Hockey Lifer" by Bruce Boudreau and Tim Leone; or "Slap Shot Original" by Dave Hanson.

Deadline for submissions will be Wednesday, March 10, at noon EST. Email your entries to puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com.

Now, we continue with sights you can't un-see in the Sidney Crosby Golden Roar reader art contest.

And here ... we ... go. With the opening credits.

If you start playing Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" on the third Golden Roar, it perfectly syncs up with the rest of this post. (Thanks to Matthew C.)

Speaking of movies, we have some cinephiles in the readership.

Crosby as High Priest Imhotep, taking over the sands to terrorize what appear to be peaceful goat herders.

Silly Crosby; everyone knows hockey will never work in the desert ...

Thanks to Andrew A. for the image.

On the left, Sidney indicates he has a close relationship with his mother, via Puck Buddy Erik R.

On the right, Elizabeth N. offers this "Inglourious Basterds" homage that she titled "The Penguin Jew" ... although we imagine The Bear Crosby would have worked just the same.

Tragically, Sidney Crosby's time as a Sea World trainer would soon be over. (Thanks to Joshua E. for the "Free Willy" tribute.)

"Hi Ogie. Buy you a soda after the game?" (Thanks to Puck Buddy Rob F.)

This image by John S. comes right after Crosby has a long discussion about the virtues of Huey Lewis and The News with Alex Ovechkin(notes).

If you've read other Puck Daddy reader art galleries, you no doubt know the name BD Gallof of Hockey Independent. He gave the world the Bettman "300" image, for example. This "Avatar" tribute is filled with the psychological underpinnings we love in satire -- the NHL holding the reins and literally riding Sidney -- but, in the end, we're just enamored with BD's seemingly endless arsenal of Bettman mug shots.

Now, we think you'll agree that this next Gallof creation might be a finalist:

"Excuse me, Miss, but I'll have what he's having."

We're not about feminizing Crosby in this contest (sorry, seemingly endless stream of "Brokeback Mountain" and YMCA Photoshops), but this entry by Katie R. admittedly made us more than chuckle.

Whatchu gonna do when Crosbymania runs wild on you?!?!?

Bonus points to Chris K. for the Bettman as Vince McMahon/Pierre McGuire as Jimmy Hart guest appearances.

Awesome work by Puck Buddy Mohit. Surprised we don't get more commercial pop art entries for these contests.

This is so delightfully obscure that it deserves some sort of recognition. Puck Buddy Matt A. explains:

From the moment I saw that Crosby photo I thought Aphex Twin - Come to Daddy.  If you've seen the classic video, the likeness is uncanny.  Besides, Sid would yell at anyone.  Including grandma.

Wow. Just ... wow.

To cleanse our souls after that disturbing image: Tetherball! (Thanks to Michael A.)

Memo to Lil' Sid: When you get around to facing King Hippo, just punch him in the face and then go to town on his stomach. And for the love of god, don't lose to Don Flamenco. (Jason S., killing it as usual.)

Finally, one of the most creative images we've had in any contest:

(NOTE: Click here or click the image to view this animated .gif, which our publishing software doesn't support.)

Remember how we said you weren't going to see any "300" parodies in this gallery? Well, we meant ones that weren't moving .gifs, soaked in awesomeness. Puck Buddy Anthony G. shatters the mold, and the only way this gets better is if Ryan Miller's(notes) mask was superimposed on the Persian's mug.

Thanks to all how have entered and will enter the contest. It's been fantastic so far.

In ending Washington's 13-game home winning streak, Turco made a career-high 49 saves as Dallas tripped up the Capitals 4-3 in the shootout. Facing 42 shots in the first two periods, the Stars went down 2-0 midway through the second period before scoring three times in a span of 6:20 to take the lead. In the shootout, Turco stopped four out of five Washington shooters to help snap a personal two game losing streak as well as Dallas' three-game skid. 

No. 2 Star: Alexander Frolov(notes), Los Angeles Kings

The Kings' winger continued his post-Olympic break hot play with a goal and a career-high three assists in Los Angeles' 6-0 shutout over Columbus. Frolov now has eight points in his last four games and has a goal in three of them. With the victory, the Kings take the season series with Columbus 3-1 and move a point behind the Phoenix Coyotes for fourth place in the Western Conference. 

No. 3 Star: Jonathan Quick(notes), Los Angeles Kings

It was a quiet night for Quick as he stopped all 11 shots he faced against the Blue Jackets to record his third shutout and 37th win of the year. He now leads all NHL goaltenders in victories. Quick benefited from a four-goal first period for Los Angeles that featured power play tallies 41 seconds apart from Michal Handzus(notes) and Frolov. The Kings now hit the road to play Chicago and Dallas before returning to Staples Center for a four-game homestand. 

Honorable mention: Alex Ovechkin(notes) scored his 43rd and 44th goals to tie Sidney Crosby(notes) for the NHL's overall goal-scoring lead.  ... Brad Richards'(notes) goal on the power play started the Dallas comeback and he would assist on a Trevor Daley(notes) tally with the extra man just three minutes later to cut the Washington lead to one ... Helping Los Angeles in their 6-0 win was their dominance in the faceoff dot (34-for-53) and their ability to capitalize on the power play (3-for-5).

Did you know? By recording 10 shots against Dallas, Ovechkin has surpassed the 300-shot mark in each of his five NHL seasons.

Dishonorable mention: After winning three in a row last month, things were looking like they were turning around for Steve Mason(notes). With a fourth straight loss, last season's Rookie of the Year went back a step yet again. Mason allowed four goals on 13 shots before being pulled in the Blue Jackets' loss to the Kings. In his past four starts, Mason has allowed 14 goals ... Mason isn't all to blame. The Columbus offense went missing in action posting just five shots through the first two periods ... Alexander Semin(notes) may never live down his failed shootout attempt ... Semyon Varlamov(notes) ended his undefeated reign at Verizon Center this season (8-0-0) surrendering three goals in a little over six minutes after the Capitals had spotted him a 2-0 lead. 

Steven Stamkos(notes) of the Tampa Bay Lightning is having an incredible offensive season. But he is no match for the Stupendous "Stankos", who was unleashed on an unsuspecting public via a Versus graphic during Monday night's Dallas Stars shootout win over the Washington Capitals.

What a unprecedented hockey hybrid: The rifle shot and goal-scoring abilities of Steven Stamkos, combined with the utter pain in the ass that is Corey Perry(notes) of the Anaheim Ducks! Upon creation of a Ryan St. Getzlouis clone, there'll be no stopping him!

Oh, and what a glorious fail on the part of the NHL's cable home, at least according to the dozen or so readers who have forwarded this folly our way.

The silver lining for Versus: No one with DirecTV is aware of this error. Well, until now. 

Stick tap to PrincessDuck on Twitter for the image. Thanks to everyone who sent it in.

Here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

Preview: Dallas Stars at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. EST. Going for their 14th straight win at Verizon Center, the Capitals enter tonight's game against the Stars on the verge of a third straight Southeast Division title, once again assuring themselves top three seed in the Eastern Conference. Dallas sits six points out of the eighth spot in the Western Conference and find themselves in the middle of a three-game losing streak. Marty Turco(notes) will be back in net for the Stars against Semyon Varlamov(notes), who's allowed 10 goals in his previous two starts.

Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m. EST. Both teams come into tonight on losing streaks. The Kings are losers of their last two, while the Blue Jackets try to avoid dropping a fifth straight game. In all three meetings to date between the teams this season, the home team has won out. New Kings forward Fredrik Modin(notes) faces his former teammates a week after being dealt to Hollywood. (Watch this game live on Y! Sports)

Check out previews and updated scores for all of today's games on the Y! Sports NHL scores and scheds page.

Evening Reading

• Any decision on Matt Cooke(notes) from the NHL will come tomorrow at the earliest. Pittsburgh doesn't play until Thursday, so there's no rush for Colin Campbell to spin the "Wheel of Justice". [Globe & Mail]

• After offering a $10,000 reward for the return of Sidney Crosby's(notes) missing stick and glove used in the gold medal game, Reebok has set up an online tip center to help in the hunt. Got a hot lead? Better hurry as the reward is offered through March 31st. [Reebok Hockey]

• Your NHL 2K11 coverboy is ... Ryan Kesler(notes) of the Vancouver Canucks. [CP via TSN]

• Hershey's Canada is now the official chocolate and candy of the NHL in Canada. To launch the partnership, former NHLer and Sportsnet talking head Nick Kypreos will unveil the 150 lbs. Hershey's Stanley Cup on Wednesday. [Canadian Business]

• USA Hockey has teamed up with MeiGray to offer game-used jerseys from men and women's international competitions. Jerseys will be up for bid at the NHL Auctions site beginning this week. [USA Hockey]

• E-Mac gives his take on Versus' new show that will attempt go up against SportsCenter. [Off Wing Opinion]

• Bourne on the difference a call up from the minor league makes in your wallet size. [Bourne's Blog]

Puck Buddy Comment of the Day: MTL_WINGS pleads the case for Jimmy Howard(notes) as Rookie of the Year:

"Said it long time ago. If Howard continues the way he has, he should be ROY. He'll have put up the same numbers as Mason did last year and he beat out Stamkos. To play this well on an injury depleted team like the wings have been up to now to me, makes up for his lack of shutouts as compared to Mason last year." 

Bold Prediction: Columbus snaps their four game skid with a 3-2 shootout win over LA.

Two points of frustration with what's an otherwise short, pleasant and effective appearance by Buffalo Sabres goalie and Team USA Winter Olympic MVP Ryan Miller(notes) on "The Today Show" on Monday morning.

The first is when host Matt Lauer mentions the ovation Miller received from the fans in Pittsburgh, but doesn't follow through with real significance of the moment: That Miller was given a more enthusiastic reception than the player who beat him for the gold medal in overtime, in said player's home arena.

The second, obviously, is that it's Matt Lauer doing the interview rather than Kathy Lee Gifford, a box of wine and a torch song about America.

Here's Miller outside the NBC Studios in New York City this morning:

"This appears to be the difference." Great line.

OK, a third regret: No Al Roker waddling out in full goalie equipment asking if he could be a backup in Sochi.  Because fat equals funny. Always.