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: Dallas Stars at New York Rangers (7 p.m. EDT; TV: FSSW, MSG). Sean Avery makes his first appearance back in MSG as a member of the Dallas Stars. With Avery staying quiet about the pregame hype, it was up to his teammates to provide comments to the assembled media. Rangers Report can't help but draw the comparison between Avery and Aaron Voros, who is lighting it up playing a similar role for New York. NHL Network's The Hockey Show asked some Rangers fans their thoughts about tonight's game. How will the fans in MSG react, and will there be enough former fashion interns in the building to offset the potential booing?
• Darren McCarty was placed on waivers today by the Detroit Red Wings in a move necessitated by injuries and a tight cap situation. [Khan!]
• Chris Botta tells a tale of the New York Islanders' Fishsticks jersey, and regrets not having fought harder to kill them before they were released. What he doesn't tell you: Those jerseys tasted like Aquafresh when you licked'em. [NYI Point Blank]
Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. EDT; TV: FSPI, NESN). Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Shelly Anderson figures the Penguins will keep Sidney Crosby with Evgeni Malkin and Pascal Dupuis, at least to start against Boston. The Jumbotron, a terrific site by the way, has a Bruins preview for tonight's home opener; like anyone with a hockey soul, they're hoping for Lucic/Goddard tonight.
• The first of four student rush nights for the Penguins is this Thursday night at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. [Penguins]
• Uh, does this Tampa Bay Lightning promotional ad really disturb the crap out of anyone else? [Lightning (.pdf)]
Sports
Preview: Florida Panthers at Montreal Canadiens (7:30 p.m. EDT; TV: VS, RDS). Yep ... Versus. Avery returns to New York is actually the lead story on NHL.com tonight. And we have the storied rivalry of the Panthers and Habs on the NHL's national cable television home. The Habs will be missing Andrei Kostitsyn, Christopher Higgins and Georges Laraque; the Panthers will start Tomas Vokoun against Jaroslav Halak.
• Bobby Holik could miss a month with a pinkie injury, and Lou Lamoriello is mum on a KHL defection to the Devils. [Fire & Ice]
• Spector tackles those Marian Gaborik trade rumors regarding Montreal, and predicts that if the Minnesota Wild aren't feeling confident about re-signing him, Gabby could be gone by Christmas. And who wouldn't like a wonky groin seeking $9 million a season in their stocking? [Fox Sports]
• "The Blue Jackets are looking to add an interim goalie coach. Clint Malarchuk shot himself in the chin, and the Blue Jackets are now searching for someone to replace him temporarily ..." Well, there's something you don't read everyday. [Bethany's Hockey Rants]
Preview: Colorado Avalanche at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. EDT; TV: FSW). Incredibly, two teams looking to win their third game in a row. The Avalanche will sit Andrew Raycroft, winner of the last two games, for the 0-3 Peter Budaj this evening. For now, it appears Patrick O'Sullivan is fitting with the Kings' second line with Jarret Stoll and Oscar Moller, rather than up with Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar.
• Lukas Kaspar, the San Jose Sharks' first-round pick in 2004, was put in waivers in an effort to assign him to the AHL for some more seasoning. [Two for Elbowing]
• Very solid opening weekend at the gate for the ECHL. [Hockey Fights]
• Finally, we missed this over the weekend, but here is the Phoenix Coyotes' third jersey courtesy of Icethetics. The black works; those giant whale flipper stripes, not so much.
