Puck Daddy Viewing Guide: Oilers hope to score this time; Horcoff returns to Edmonton
Here is the Puck Daddy Viewing Guide: Spotlighting five things to watch for during tonight's slate of games. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.
Create-a-Caption: Goaltender Frederik Andersen and Teemu Selanne of the Anaheim Ducks talk prior to a faceoff. (Getty)
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Preview: Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET
Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs at Minnesota Wild, 7:30 p.m. ET
Preview: Dallas Stars at Edmonton Oilers, 10 p.m. ET
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Five things to know about tonight's NHL games ...
1. Battle of Pennsylvania. Even when both of these teams are playing mediocre hockey, as they are right now, these games are always special. The Flyers should be extra motivated, since the Penguins have beaten them three straight times, and they're actually the team that's rolling right now: they've won two straight, and Pittsburgh has lost two in a row.
2. Wild's point streak on the line. Minnesota has picked up points in five straight. That's good. But they've also dropped four in a row to the Maple Leafs. That's bad. But the Wild have won 7 of 8 at home, and also this game comes with a free frogurt!
3. Oilers trying to avoid history. The Oilers have been shut out in their last two games. Can they go for the hat trick versus Dallas? If so, it would be the first time in their history, and considering how storied this franchise is, that would be pretty impressive. I say they go for it.
4. Evgeni Malkin, a.k.a. Slumpy. The "so-called superstar", as Don Cherry recently called him, hasn't scored a goal in 10 games. Although he is riding a four-game point streak. Stats can mean anything you want them to!
5. Shawn Horcoff returns. Horcoff, the former Oiler captain, is back in Edmonton for the first time since being dealt in the offseason. “It’s going to be emotional,” Horcoff said. “I looked at it on the schedule when it first came out, but I haven’t thought about it too much. But in the last week it popped up with questions here and there.”
Bold Prediction: Someone in Edmonton says, "Horcoff? Wait. Shawn Horcoff? I wondered what happened to him."
