Goalie Announcements (Mar 7)

It's pretty rare to see a team, during a full week of action, have no points through the first three nights of the week, but the hockey gods seem to have it out for Brian's team, as he still hasn't seen a sniff this week.  Monday, that's understandable, usually a quiet night.  Tuesday, nothing?  There's a lot of games usually that night, so you should be seeing something.  Wednesday, nothing?  Well, it was a handful of games, but still... c'mon!  On the plus side, Brenda & Seward are only at 2 points, so getting out of the basement isn't out of the question tonight.

11 games on the schedule tonight, so our turtle race for the Basement Dweller this week should have a little bit more action in it... or at least, it should.

Roberto Luongo (John P.) versus Tuukka Rask (Jesse)
We know for sure that the Bruins are going to be going back to Tuukka Rask tonight, when they take on the Panthers at their barn.  Jesse gets the first of two possible starts with this confirmed start, with his team starting the night out at 9 points this week, pretty well placed in the weekly scoring race.  The Panthers are going back to Roberto Luongo tonight, which is good news for John P., who sees his team just behind Jesse's in the weekly scoring race, just 1 point back.  It's a swing game in the weekly scoring race!  Huzzah!

Joonas Korpisalo (N/A) versus Matt Murray (Scott)
One of the more exciting rivalries in the NHL today, the Blue Jackets and Penguins really don't like each other and that makes this game very, very interesting.  Unfortunately, it won't be a top end goalie battle, as Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to be a healthy scratch tonight and Joonas Korpisalo will take to the net for the visitors, while Matt Murray will go for the Penguins, as the only pool starter in this game.  Scott's team opens up play 15 points behind 24th and could use the win to help dig his team out of last place.

Thomas Greiss (Stuart) versus Anders Nilsson (Stuart)
I wonder if Stuart is going to get 2 points from this game.  Both of his goalies are set to go in Ottawa tonight, when the Senators host the Islanders.  Stuart's lead in the pool is now down to 27 points and he needs some help to build that back up over the 30-point mark and he'll get that kind of help tonight in this game, but the question will be... will it be Thomas Greiss or Anders Nilsson getting those points?

Henrik Lundqvist (Scott) versus Jimmy Howard (Tony)
An Eastern Conference game that has no playoff implications, sucking all the excitement out of the air.  Thankfully, we've got a couple of hockey pool starts, so there is actual meaning in this game, even if the players, themselves, have no idea.  Scott gets his second start of the night in this one, as Henrik Lundqvist has been tapped for the Rangers, while Tony gets yet another start out of Jimmy Howard and the Red Wings.  Tony's team continues to roll this week, already at 10 points, just trailing 5th place by 4 points.

Devan Dubnyk (Wes) versus Andrei Vasilevskiy (Dale C.)
Only one confirmed starter here for the Wild and Lightning contest and that would be the home goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy, giving Dale C. a start tonight.  Dale's team starts action on Thursday with 9 points as well, holding onto 10th spot in the standings and only 2 points behind Troy's team for 9th.  In all likelihood, the Wild will be treating this game as an exceptionally important game, a measuring stick game, if you will, so expect their best out of Devan Dubnyk tonight, but that has yet to be confirmed.

Carter Hutton (Wes) versus Corey Crawford (N/A)
A couple of non-playoff teams are set to go in Chicago tonight, as the Sabres are in to face the Blackhawks.  The Sabres are the only one rocking a hockey pool goalie in this game, as Wes gets the one start out of Carter Hutton, as he has seen his pool team struggle as much as these two teams playing tonight.  Wes' team has now dropped down to 7th and is only 5 points clear of 8th place.  On the plus side, if his team could recover, it's only 6 points out of 5th.

Semyon Varlamov (Wilton) versus Ben Bishop (Clayton)
The Dallas Stars are narrowly holding onto a wild card spot in the west and they will look to defend that spot and their home barn, when they take on the Colorado Avalanche, a team right on the cusp of one of those wild card spots as well.  The Stars have confirmed that they will go back to Ben Bishop tonight, who is coming off a shutout and Clayton is hoping he can put a pretty good streak together.  Clayton's team is up at 10 points this week, thanks in part to that shutout.  The Avalanche haven't confirmed their goalie yet, but the schedule suggests that it would be the number one again, but who knows for sure?

Thatcher Demko (Clayton) versus Mikko Koskinen (Tony)
Even late on in the afternoon, neither the Canucks or the Oilers have shown their hand for the goalies going tonight at Rogers Place.  The Canucks were at home to the Leafs last night, so it seems likely that Thatcher Demko will make his third start of the season, while the Oilers are likely to go back to their number one guy, since their schedule doesn't seem them play again until Saturday night, so I'm expecting Mikko Koskinen here.  It should be two starts each for Clayton and Tony tonight, but it's not confirmed.

Mike Smith (Brian) versus Darcy Kuemper (Neil)
Brian's team does get one start, at least, tonight, as the Flames travel to Arizona to take on the Coyotes.  Mike Smith has been tapped to get the start for the visitors, so Brian will get his chance from the crease to get off the line, if his skaters hadn't already done so earlier in the evening.  Neil's team is sure riding this hot streak for the Coyotes, as Darcy Kuemper has been unreal of late and the dogs are in the conversation for a playoff spot in the Western Conference... in March.  Go figure.

Antti Niemi (N/A) versus Martin Jones (Brenda & Seward)
The pool's second duo, Brenda & Seward, get their first start of two tonight in California, when Martin Jones takes to the ice for the San Jose Sharks.  The Sharks are playing host to the Canadiens tonight, which could be a good match-up, but the Canadiens are going to finally give Carey Price the night off, electing to go with the non-pool backup, Antti Niemi.

Jake Allen (Steve) versus Jonathan Quick (Brenda & Seward)
The Kings have confirmed and the Blues are on the second half of back-to-backs, so this is how we've come to this match-up tonight in Los Angeles.  The duo get their second start with Jonathan Quick looking to spoil the Blues' run to the playoffs and the duo is looking to move up the ranks of the weekly scoring ranks with a pair of wins.