MONTREAL vs CAROLINA live streaming

MONTREAL vs CAROLINA live streaming

	7:00 PM
December 16, 2008

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Canadiens-Hurricanes Preview

Associated Press

Two dreadful offensive performances have the Montreal Canadiens questioning what's wrong with their power play.

The Carolina Hurricanes have been wondering what's wrong with theirs for weeks.

Carolina will hope for better luck kick-starting its stagnant offense on Tuesday when it hosts Montreal in a series that's been dominated in recent years by the Hurricanes.

It's been more than a month since Carolina (13-12-5) has consistently been able to get solid production from its offense. The Hurricanes have averaged 2.2 goals in their last 18 games, and they've gone 2-5-3 over their past 10 contests to fall eight points behind Southeast Division-leading Washington.

Carolina has scored more than three goals just once in its last 10 games, and even that ended up turning into a heartbreaking loss. The Hurricanes held a 5-1 lead after two periods Thursday in Philadelphia but lost 6-5 in a shootout, then reverted back to their offensive struggles Saturday in a 3-2 shootout loss to the New York Rangers.

With the score tied at two in the third period in New York, Carolina had a chance to take the lead with two full minutes of a two-man advantage. But the Hurricanes couldn't convert, and mustered three total shots in a pair of 5-on-3 power plays in the game.

"We need to put one in there," coach Paul Maurice said. "One or two chances are not what we're looking for."

Not scoring with a man advantage is becoming quite a trend with Carolina. The Hurricanes have scored four times in 52 power-play situations (7.7 percent) in their last 10 games, the worst percentage in the Eastern Conference over that span.

The second-worst mark in that stretch belongs to Montreal (16-8-5), which is 4-for-46 (8.7 percent) over its last 10 contests. The Canadiens haven't scored more than one goal with the man advantage since Nov. 8, a string that included an 0-for-10 performance.

Montreal scored once in six tries on Thursday against lowly Tampa Bay, but could do nothing else offensively in a 3-1 loss. The Canadiens failed to convert on eight power-play chances against Washington two days later and lost 2-1, an effort that left coach Guy Carbonneau fuming.

"Our power play is non-existent because we get outworked by the opposition," Carbonneau said. "We have an advantage and we don't take advantage of that. That's the bottom line."

With starting goaltender Carey Price expected to miss a few more days with a lower-body injury, Jaroslav Halak will get his fourth straight start for Montreal on Tuesday. Montreal wasted some solid efforts from Halak as it wrapped up its seven-game homestand. He's posted a 2.02 goals-against average in his last three starts, but lost twice.

It may not get any easier against Carolina, which has owned the Canadiens in recent years. The Hurricanes are 11-2-3 in their last 16 games against Montreal, including a 2-1 win in Raleigh on Nov. 18 thanks to third-period goals from Sergei Samsonov and Ray Whitney.

Cam Ward has been in goal for many of those Carolina wins, going 6-1-2 with a 2.26 GAA in his last nine starts against Montreal.

Ward had missed five consecutive games due to a groin injury, but was back in net against the Rangers on Saturday. He made 27 saves and was encouraged with his progress despite the shootout loss.

"I felt great. I'm just trying to get back into the game," Ward said.

This is Montreal's first road game since Nov. 28


MONTREAL vs CAROLINA live streaming

COLORADO vs PHILADELPHIA live streaming

COLORADO vs PHILADELPHIA live streaming

	7:00 PM
December 16, 2008

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Avalanche-Flyers Preview

Associated Press

Few teams have succeeded against the Philadelphia Flyers during the past five weeks. The Colorado Avalanche, though, have succeeded the last five times they've faced Philadelphia.

The surging Flyers try to end their recent futility against the Avalanche as the teams match up at the Wachovia Center on Tuesday night.

Philadelphia has won 12 of 16 games (12-1-3) since Nov. 11, collecting 27 of a possible 32 points in that stretch. Only Eastern Conference-leading Boston (13-2-1) has come away with as many points during the same span.

"The biggest thing in the last (16) games is that we are playing as a team," defenseman Kimmo Timonen said. "We're forechecking well, getting back, and everybody is working hard."

Timonen had a career-high four assists to help the Flyers (16-7-6) win their fourth straight, 6-3 over visiting Pittsburgh on Saturday, and jump past the Penguins for second place in the Atlantic Division, four points back of the New York Rangers.

Mike Knuble scored twice, while captain Mike Richards and Jeff Carter each contributed a goal and two assists for Philadelphia, which remained perfect entering the finale of its four-game homestand and improved to 7-0-2 in its last nine games at the Wachovia Center.

It's a remarkable turnaround after the Flyers opened the season with a six-game losing streak.

"We didn't expect to put this kind of a run together, but then again we didn't think that we deserved to start the season the way we did," said winger Joffrey Lupul, who added a goal and an assist versus Pittsburgh.

One of the losses during that sluggish start was a 5-2 defeat at Colorado (15-14-1) on Oct. 16, which dropped Philadelphia to 4-8-3 with four ties in the series since the Avalanche relocated from Quebec for the 1995-96 season. The Flyers have also lost their last five matchups (0-2-3) to the Avalanche, but feel confident they can halt the skid.

"We're a different team than when we faced them at that time," winger Simon Gagne, tied with Richards for the team lead with 34 points, told the Flyers' official Web site.

The Oct. 16 victory over the Flyers started a season-high five-game winning streak for the Avalanche, who now seek their fourth win in five games overall.

Colorado kicked off its four-game road trip on a high note with a 3-2 win at reigning Stanley Cup champion Detroit on Monday, getting the decisive goal on Jordan Leopold's penalty shot.

"He was the guy we were comfortable that we could put in that situation," Colorado coach Tony Granato said of Leopold, who also had an assist.

Granato's club was boosted by a 34-save effort from Andrew Raycroft, who was making his first start in seven games. Raycroft stopped 16 shots against the Flyers in October to improve to 6-4-0 with a tie and a 2.30 goals-against average in 12 career matchups.

Regular Avalanche starter Peter Budaj has never faced Philadelphia.

The Avalanche have won eight of their last 10 visits (8-1-1) to Philadelphia.

COLORADO vs PHILADELPHIA live streaming

WASHINGTON vs NY ISLANDERS live streaming

WASHINGTON vs NY ISLANDERS live streaming

	7:00 PM
December 16, 2008

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Washington @ NY Islanders

Capitals-Islanders Preview

Associated Press

The way the New York Islanders are piling up losses, the most encouraging news they've heard in a while is that goaltender Rick DiPietro is close to returning.

That won't help them on Tuesday night, though, when they host a red-hot Washington Capitals club that's still winning games with a rookie in net.

New York (10-18-2) returns to Nassau Coliseum following an 0-4-0 road trip that extended its overall losing streak to six. The Islanders fell 3-1 to Columbus on Saturday.

"It's tough but we have got to try to keep it positive and try to do the things that we know that work for us," left wing Sean Bergenheim said. "We can't be too negative. We have to keep on going. We can't quit here."

DiPietro, who went 0-2-0 in three starts before having arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus, is scheduled to play in approximately a week.

In DiPietro's absence, Joey MacDonald has gone 8-12-2 with a 3.14 goals-against average. Facing the Blue Jackets on Saturday, MacDonald stopped 32 of 35 shots and lost for the seventh time in eight starts.

He made 42 saves in a 5-2 loss to Washington (18-10-3) on Dec. 4. That defeat began the Islanders' losing streak - their second six-game skid this season.

While Washington is averaging 3.0 goals during a 5-1-0 stretch, the Islanders - among the league's lowest scoring teams with 2.47 goals per game - have been outscored 44-20 while losing eight of their last nine.

Doug Weight, who had his five-game point streak snapped against Columbus, has been one of the most consistent threats for the Islanders. With a team-leading 21 assists and 27 points, the 37-year-old center is four points away from becoming the 73rd player in NHL history to reach 1,000.

In his last 10 games against Washington, Weight has one goal and 12 assists.

The Capitals are coming off a 2-1 win over Montreal on Saturday - their third straight victory.

With backup goalie Jose Theodore sidelined with a hip flexor injury and starter Brent Johnson dealing with a sore hip, 20-year-old Simeon Varlamov stopped 32 of 33 shots in his NHL debut as Washington improved to 6-9-2 away from the Verizon Center.

Varlamov was 10-3-0 with a 2.34 GAA at AHL Hersey before joining the Caps.

"He won the game for us tonight," said Alex Ovechkin, who assisted on Nicklas Backstrom's first-period power-play goal.

Ovechkin, who has a team-leading 23 assists and is third in the NHL with 40 points, had a goal and two assists in the Caps' first meeting with the Islanders this season.

Center Michael Nylander scored the winner against the Canadiens with 3:32 remaining - his first goal since Oct. 16 against Pittsburgh.

"I just tried to get it on the net because (Montreal goalie Jaroslav Halak) was off his post a bit," said Nylander, who has one point in each of his last five games visiting the Islanders.

Alexander Semin added an assist against Montreal, giving him a point in three straight games following a 12-game absence with a back injury. Semin is third on Washington with 30 points.

The Caps have lost six of their last seven at Nassau Coliseum.