Sports With The StatMan: Fantasy Hockey Edition - Week 19

For the Games of February 7th-14th, 2010

Washington is on one of the best winning streaks of all-time.  As of Saturday night, the Capitals have won 13 in a row.  The all-time record is the 17-game winning streak posted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1993.  Washington has four games before the Olympic Break, hosting Pittsburgh and traveling to Montreal, Ottawa, and St. Louis.  The hallmark of the winning streak has been scoring.  Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom earned the first and second star among forwards and Tom Poti was the top-ranked defenseman in the NHL last week.

WEEK 18 REVIEW (Games of 1/31-2/6/2010)

THREE STARS

Forwards

-         1st Star: Alex Ovechkin WSH – 33.5 points (5-3-8 in 4 games, +4, 2 PIM, 2 PPG)

-         2nd Star: Nicklas Backstrom WSH – 33.5 points (3-7-10 in 4 games, +5, 6 PIM, 2 PPG)

-         3rd Star: Marian Gaborik NYR – 30.5 points (5-2-7 in 4 games, +4, 4 PIM, 1 PPG)

Local Forwards

-         1st Star: Marian Gaborik NYR – 30.5 points (#3 Forward overall)

-         2nd Star: Vinny Prospal NYR – 19 points (Tied-#12 F overall, 2-4-6 in 4 games, +2, 2 PIM, 1 PPG)

-         3rd Star: Ryan Callahan NYR – 14 points (Tied-#22 F overall, 2-2-4 in 4 games, -1, 2 PIM, 1 PPG)

Defensemen

-         1st Star: Tom Poti WSH – 27 points (1-3-4 in 4 games, +5, 1 PPG)

-         2nd Star: Jack Johnson LAK – 24.5 points (1-4-5 in 4 games, +2, 2 PIM)

-         3rd Star: Brian Rafalski DET – 20.5 points (0-4-4 in 4 games, +2)

Local Defensemen

-         1st Star: Marc Staal NYR – 14 points (Tied-#15 Defenseman overall, 0-3-3 in 4 games, +1)

-         2nd Star: Michael Del Zotto NYR – 9 points (Tied-#28 D overall, 0-2-2 in 4 games, +1, 4 PIM)

-         3rd Star: Matt Gilroy NYR – 8.5 points (Tied-#31 D overall, 0-2-2 in 4 games)

Goaltenders

-         1st Star: Jean-Sebastien Giguere TOR – 30 points (2-0-0 in 2 games, 2 SO, 0.00 GAA, 60 SV, 1.000 SvPct)

-         2nd Star: Jeff Deslauriers EDM – 27.4 points (2-2-0 in 4 games, 1 SO, 2.02 GAA, 137 SV, .945 SvPct)

-         3rd Star: Marty Turco DAL – 26.6 points (2-1-0 in 3 games, 1 SO, 1.01 GAA, 98 SV, .970 SvPct)

Local Goaltenders

-         1st Star: Ray Emery PHL – 12.6 points (#17 Goalie overall, 1-0-0 in 1 game, 1 SO, 0.00 GAA, 18 SV, 1.000 SvPct)

-         2nd Star: Henrik Lundqvist NYR – 10.7 points (#21 G overall, 1-2-0 in 3 games, 3.03 GAA, 86 SV, .905 SvPct)

-         3rd Star: Chad Johnson NYR – 8.8 points (Tied-#24 G overall, 1-0-0 in 1 game, 1.00 GAA, 34 SV, .971 SvPct)

Special Teams

-         Best in League: Atlanta Thrashers/Calgary/Los Angeles/Pittsburgh +9 points each

-         Best among locals: New York Rangers +5 (#7 ST overall, 5-18 PP, 20-23 PK, 0 SHG, 1 SHGA)

WEEK 19 PREVIEW (Games of 2/7-2/14/2010)

SCHEDULE

4-Game Weeks:

- Sunday-to-Saturday scoring period (17): Anaheim, Boston, Colorado, Edmonton, Montreal, New Jersey, Nashville, N.Y. Islanders, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, San Jose, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Vancouver, Washington

- Monday-to-Sunday scoring period (13): Anaheim, Colorado, Edmonton, New Jersey, Nashville, N.Y. Islanders, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Jose, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Vancouver

2-Game Weeks:

- Sunday-to-Saturday scoring period (1): Toronto

- Monday-to-Sunday scoring period (1): Toronto

Local Matchups:

- Devils at Flyers (Monday), Flyers at Devils (Wednesday)

START ‘EM and SIT ‘EM

Last Week (Start vs. Sit)

- Forwards: Mike Knuble WSH (2-2-4 in 4 games, +6, 2 PIM) vs. Ryan Kesler VAN (1-1-2 in 3 games, -2, 2 PIM, 1 PPG) (W, Knuble 17.5, Kesler 4.0)

- Defensemen: Ian White CGY (0-1-1 in 4 games, +1, 2 PIM) vs. Zdeno Chara BOS (1-0-1 in 3 games, -2, 2 PIM, 1 PPG) (W, White 5.5, Chara 0.0)

- Goaltending: Jonathan Quick LAK (4-0-0 in 4 games, 2.50 GAA, 84 SV, .894 SvPct) vs. Brian Elliott OTT (2-1-0 in 3 games, 2.62 GAA, 89 SV, .927 SvPct) (W, Quick 18.8, Elliott 14.8)

Season: 11-4 (3-0 last week)

Forwards

- Start: James Neal DAL – In the first few weeks of the season, Neal was a solid performer with three double-digit weeks in his first four.  In the next 11 weeks, Neal had one double-digit week, went through a slump, a suspension, and a groin injury.  Since, he has put up two double-digit weeks in the last three and looks like his early-season self.

- Sit: Ryan Malone TBY – Malone has been in a bad way lately.  I mean, really bad.  Since a 23-point week in Week 12, Malone has scored -3 fantasy points.  How he is starting in any fantasy league is beyond me.  Why is he still on my fantasy roster?  Since December 21st, where he had two goals and two assists against the Islanders, Malone is 3-3-6 in 21 games and is playing at a minus-12.

Defensemen

- Start: Mark Giordano CGY – Giordano may be the NHL’s best-kept secret.  Don’t look now, but two goals in his last two games give him 10 markers on the season.  Only five defensemen have more.

- Sit: Christian Ehrhoff VAN – Ehrhoff has not put points up lately and even though he has a plus-22 rating this season, he is a minus-3 in his last 3 games and the Canucks are going to be on the road for a while.  Ehrhoff is a +21 in 31 home games and +3 in 27 road contests this year.

Goaltending

- Start: Michael Leighton PHL – Ray Emery is hurt again and may be out for a while.  Leighton was good when the Flyers really needed him and there is no reason to think he will let them down this time.

- Sit: Jose Theodore WSH – Theodore and the Caps goaltending is the only facet of their game that is not firing on all cylinders right now.  Also, Semyon Varlamov is getting healthy, so Theodore’s days of being the starter may be numbered.

Upcoming Schedule

• Show Notes blog (#45)

• “Random Musings” sports column

• Sunday 10-11pm ET: Sports With The StatMan (#46)

• Fantasy Hockey Edition – Week 20

* All blogs will be available on our “secondary” blog, which is called “Random Musings from the StatMan” (http://gstatman.blogspot.com). You can listen to the show live at our show page (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan) or download the podcast, which is normally available 15 minutes after the show, either from the show page or from iTunes (search: Sports With The StatMan).

Here are the ways to follow along with the blogs and also find the show:

• Show Page: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan

• Twitter: http://twitter.com/gstatman

• “Random Musings” blog: http://gstatman.blogspot.com

• iTunes: search for “Sports With The StatMan”

Send your pro or fantasy questions or comments on the Show Page or the “Random Musings” blog, or you can send me a tweet. I’ll be sure to get back to you. Also, check the show page for times and schedules of our one-hour show and our last blog entries, such as our Fantasy Hockey Edition and our Random Musings weekly sports column.

Sports With The StatMan: Fantasy Hockey Edition - Week 18

For the Games of January 31st-February 6th, 2010

One thing is for sure for the local teams.  They had some trouble scoring goals.  The top three local forwards all played on the same line and scored all of their points in the same game, the Devils 5-4 overtime win against the Maple Leafs.  The local teams had trouble getting any production from the defense.  The top three local defensemen combined to score 12 points, putting together only three assists in nine games.  The local teams also had trouble stopping the puck.  Ray Emery was the best of the lot, ranking 20th in the league.  Martin Brodeur was second and the 1-2 combination was the same as last week.  But, the third-best goaltender among the five local teams, Yann Danis, is the Devils backup and only had six saves in a relief role.

WEEK 17 REVIEW (Games of 1/24-1/30/2010)

THREE STARS
Forwards

-         1st Star: Eric Staal CAR – 30 points (4-2-6 in 4 games, +3, 3 PPG)

-         2nd Star: Mike Knuble WSH – 28.5 points (4-2-6 in 3 games, +4, 2 PIM, 1 PPG)

-         3rd Star: Jarome Iginla CGY – 22.5 points (3-4-7 in 4 games, +4, 5 PIM, 2 PPG)

Local Forwards

-         1st Star: Travis Zajac NJD – 16 points (Tied-#17 Forward overall, 1-3-4 in 3 games, +3, 1 PPG)

-         2nd Star: Zach Parise NJD – 13.5 points (Tied-#31 F overall, 2-2-4 in 3 games, +2)

-         3rd Star: Dainius Zubrus NJD – 8 points (Tied-#59 F overall, 1-2-3 in 3 games)

Defensemen

-         1st Star: Nicklas Lidstrom DET – 29 points (3-3-6 in 3 games, +2, 2 PIM, 2 PPG)

-         2nd Star: Joni Pitkanen CAR – 23 points (0-4-4 in 4 games, +3)

-         3rd Star: Filip Kuba OTT – 22.5 points (0-4-4 in 3 games, +3)

Local Defensemen

-         1st Star: Derek Morris BOS – 4.5 points (Tied-#59 Defenseman overall, 0-1-1 in 3 games)

-         2nd Star: Colin White NJD – 4 points (Tied-#62 D overall, 0-1-1 in 3 games)

-         3rd Star: Kimmo Timonen PHL – 3.5 points (Tied-#71 D overall, 0-1-1 in 3 games, 2 PIM)

Goaltenders

-         1st Star: Cam Ward CAR – 32.8 points (4-0-0 in 4 games, 1.25 GAA, .963 SvPct)

-         2nd Star: Brian Elliott OTT – 28.2 points (3-0-0 in 3 games, 1 SO, 0.98 GAA, .964 SvPct)

-         3rd Star: Jonathan Quick LAK – 21.8 points (3-0-0 in 3 games, 1.95 GAA, .934 SvPct)

Local Goaltenders

-         1st Star: Ray Emery PHL – 7 points (#20 Goalie overall, 1-2-0 in 3 games, 2.36 GAA, .915 SvPct)

-         2nd Star: Martin Brodeur NJD – 5 points (Tied-#26 G overall, 1-1-1 in 3 games, 2.84 GA, .889 SvPct)

-         3rd Star: Yann Danis NJD – 1.2 points (#33 G overall, 0-0-0 in 1 game, 6 saves, 1.000 SvPct)

Special Teams

-         Best in League: Colorado Avalanche +11 (2-8 PP, 11-11 PK, 1 SHG, 0 SHGA)

-         Best among locals: New Jersey Devils +3 (Tied-#11 ST overall, 1-4 PP, 5-5 PK, 0 SHG, 0 SHGA)

WEEK 18 PREVIEW (Games of 1/31-2/6/2010)

SCHEDULE

4-Game Weeks:

- Sunday-to-Saturday scoring period: Buffalo, Carolina, Calgary, Colorado, Dallas, Detroit, Edmonton, Florida, Los Angeles, New Jersey, N.Y. Rangers, Phoenix, Tampa Bay, Washington

- Monday-to-Sunday scoring period: Boston, Buffalo, Carolina, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Washington

2-Game Weeks:

- Sunday-to-Saturday scoring period: None

- Monday-to-Sunday scoring period: N.Y. Islanders

Local Matchups:

- Devils at Rangers (Saturday)

START ‘EM and SIT ‘EM

Last Week (Start vs. Sit)

- Forwards: Alex Burrows VAN (2-3-5 in 3 games, +5, 1 SHG) vs. Ilya Kovalchuk ATL (1-1-2 in 3 games, -1) (W, Burrows 21.0, Kovalchuk 5.0)

- Defensemen: Jack Hillen NYI (0-0-0 in 1 game, -1, broken jaw) vs. Andy Greene NJD (0-0-0 in 3 games) (L, Greene 0.0, Hillen (-2.0))

- Goaltending: Miikka Kiprusoff CGY (1-1-2 in 4 games, 1.94 GAA, .935 SvPct) vs. Cristobal Huet CHI (2-1-0 in 3 games, 3.02 GAA, .894 SvPct) (W, Kiprusoff 14.4, Huet 10.2)

Season: 8-4 (2-1 last week)

Forwards

- Start: Mike Knuble WSH – Knuble is on a tear and he plays two of his former teams (at BOS, at NYR) and finishes the week against an Atlanta team that has allowed the third-most goals in the Eastern Conference.  Plus, playing on a line with Alex Ovechkin doesn’t hurt.

- Sit: Ryan Kesler VAN – Kesler has had six assists and he is a +5 in his last five games, but he has not scored a goal in seven games.  He will be on the road all week against Montreal, Ottawa, and Boston.

Defensemen

- Start: Ian White CGY – White was just traded to Calgary from Toronto and he will be called on to replace some or most of Phaneuf’s minutes.  White might get started right away on Monday night against Philadelphia, but he will definitely be in the lineup against Carolina at home before a Florida road trip to the Panthers and Lightning.

- Sit: Zdeno Chara BOS – The Bruin captain has only scored one fantasy point in the last four weeks.  Chara is at a minus-4 in his last eight games, with only two assists in that span.  Chara will face two hot teams (vs WSH, vs VAN), and a rivalry game against Montreal, all at home.

Goaltending

- Start: Jonathan Quick LAK – Quick is gearing up for the Olympics with three home games and he is facing two teams who are having trouble scoring goals (vs NYR, vs DET) with a rivalry game at home against the Ducks.

- Sit: Brian Elliott OTT – Elliott has been hotter than the sun, averaging over 28 points a week.  But, Elliott and the surprising Senators, who are only five points behind the division-leading Sabres, have a tough schedule this week (@ BUF, vs VAN, @ TOR).

Upcoming Schedule

• Tuesday: Show Notes blog (#44)

• Wednesday: “Random Musings” sports column

• Saturday: Fantasy Football Edition – Super Bowl XLIV

• Sunday 10-11am ET: Sports With The StatMan (#45)

• Sunday: Fantasy Hockey Edition – Week 19

* All blogs will be available on our “secondary” blog, which is called “Random Musings from the StatMan” (http://gstatman.blogspot.com). You can listen to the show live at our show page (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan) or download the podcast, which is normally available 15 minutes after the show, either from the show page or from iTunes (search: Sports With The StatMan).

Here are the ways to follow along and get in touch with the show:

• Show Page: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan

• Twitter: http://twitter.com/gstatman

• “Random Musings” blog: http://gstatman.blogspot.com

Send your pro or fantasy questions or comments on the Show Page or the “Random Musings” blog, or you can send me a tweet. I’ll be sure to get back to you. Also, check the show page for times and schedules of our one-hour show and our last blog entries, such as our Fantasy Hockey Edition and our Random Musings weekly sports column.

Sports With The StatMan: Fantasy Hockey Edition - Week 17

How tight is the Eastern Conference playoff race? Philadelphia, the Rangers, and Montreal all have 55 points and are seeded #6 through #8. Boston and the Islanders are one point back and hold the ninth and tenth spots, respectively. Florida, Atlanta, and Tampa are all within two or three points of a playoff spot. With about 30 games left, there is plenty of hockey to be played, but the race cannot possibly get tighter.

Here is the review of last week and a preview of the week to come:

WEEK 16 REVIEW (Games of 1/17-1/23/2010)

THREE STARS

Forwards

- 1st Star: Jeff Carter PHL – 31 points (5-2-7 in 4 games, +4, 2 PIM, 1 PPG)

- 2nd Star: Alex Ovechkin WSH – 30 points (4-4-8 in 4 games, +4, 1 PPG)

- 3rd Star: Joe Pavelski SJS – 29.5 points (3-5-8 in 4 games, +4)

Local Forwards

- 1st Star: Jeff Carter PHL – 31 points (#1 Forward overall)

- 2nd Star: Brandon Dubinsky NYR – 20.5 points (#17 F overall, 3-2-5 in 4 games, +4, 9 PIM, 1 PPG, 1 SHG)

- 3rd Star: Ryan Callahan NYR – 19 points (#20 F overall, 2-3-5 in 4 games, +3, 1 PPG)

Defensemen

- 1st Star: Rob Blake SJS – 30.5 points (2-3-5 in 4 games, +4, 2 PIM, 1 PPG)

- 2nd Star: Chris Pronger PHL – 27.5 points (2-3-5 in 4 games, +2, 2 PIM, 2 PPG)

- 3rd Star: Dan Boyle SJS – 24.5 points (1-4-5 in 2 games, +2, 6 PIM)

Local Defensemen

- 1st Star: Chris Pronger PHL – 27.5 points (#2 Defenseman overall)

- 2nd Star: Kimmo Timonen PHL – 21 points (#7 D overall, 0-3-3 in 4 games, +4)

- 3rd Star: Jack Hillen NYI – 19 points (Tied-#8 D overall, 1-3-4 in 4 games, +1, 1 PPG)

Goaltenders

- 1st Star: Tomas Vokoun FLA – 39.4 points (2-1-1 in 4 games, 2 shutouts, 0.49 GAA, .985 SvPct)

- 2nd Star: Evgeni Nabokov SJS – 31.2 points (4-0-0 in 4 games, 1.25 GAA,.960 SvPct)

- 3rd Star: Brian Elliott OTT – 29 points (4-0-0 in 4 games, 1.25 GAA, .957 SvPct)

Local Goaltenders

- 1st Star: Ray Emery PHL – 25.8 points (#5 G overall, 3-1-0 in 4 games, 1 shutout, 2.51 GAA, .908 SvPct)

- 2nd Star: Martin Brodeur NJD – 17.2 points (Tied-#10 G overall, 2-2-0 in 4 games, 1 shutout, 2.47 GAA, .910 SvPct)

- 3rd Star: Rick DiPietro NYI – 12.8 points (#11 G overall, 1-1-0 in 2 games, 1 shutout, 1.50 GAA, .936 SvPct)

Special Teams

- Best in League: Washington Capitals +17 (6-14 PP, 17-19 PK, 1 SHG, 0 SHGA)

- Best among locals: New Jersey Devils +7 (Tied-#3 ST overall, 1-7 PP, 11-14 PK, 1 SHG, 0 SHGA)

WEEK 17 PREVIEW (Games of 1/24-1/30/2010)

SCHEDULE

5-Game Weeks:

- Sunday-to-Saturday scoring period: None

- Monday-to-Sunday scoring period: Calgary

4-Game Weeks:

- Sunday-to-Saturday scoring period: Carolina, Calgary, St. Louis

- Monday-to-Sunday scoring period: Anaheim, Buffalo, Carolina, Detroit, Edmonton, Florida, Los Angeles, New Jersey, N.Y. Islanders, N.Y. Rangers, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Washington

2-Game Weeks:

- Sunday-to-Saturday scoring period: Florida, San Jose, Tampa Bay

- Monday-to-Sunday scoring period: Boston, San Jose

Local Matchups:

- Islanders at Flyers (Saturday)

START ‘EM and SIT ‘EM

Last Week (Start vs. Sit)

- Forwards: Tomas Fleischmann WSH (1-3-4 in 4 games, 4 PIM) vs. Jarome Iginla CGY (0-2-2 in 3 games, -1) (W, Fleischmann 10.5, Iginla 3.5)

- Defensemen: Joni Pitkanen CAR (0-1-1 in 3 games, -3, 6 PIM) vs. Sheldon Souray EDM (1-0-1 in 3 games, +1, 2 PIM) (L, Souray 5.0, Pitkanen (-4.5))

- Goaltending: Chris Mason STL (0-2-1 in 3 games, 3.28 GAA, .897 SvPct) vs. Jonathan Quick LAK (2-1-0 in 3 games, 3.24 GAA, .884 SvPct) (L, Quick 10.6, Mason 3.0)

Season: 6-3 (1-2 this week)

Forwards

- Start: Alex Burrows VAN – Playing alongside the Sedin twins is helping his numbers. He has six goals in his last six games (6-3-9), finishing Sedin passes. The Canucks have two home games against Buffalo and St. Louis before traveling to Toronto on Saturday.

- Sit: Ilya Kovalchuk ATL – Will the trade talks heat up over the next week? Kovy is scoreless over his last two games and faces two hot teams (vs ANA, at PHL) and one surprising team (at NSH).

Defensemen

- Start: Jack Hillen NYI – Hillen has taken on a larger role on the Islanders blue line and is responsible in his own end while chipping in on the offensive side. The schedule has a “donut” week, starting and ending tough (vs WSH, at PHL) with a hole in the middle (at CAR).

- Sit: Andy Greene NJD – Greene is coming back slowly from injury, so it is not quite time to get him back into your lineup. Keep him on the bench as the Devils have a three-game swing against the Northeast Division (at OTT, at BUF, vs TOR).

Goaltending

- Start: Miikka Kiprusoff CGY – He has a four-game winning streak, and Calgary is suddenly on the outside looking in at the Western Conference playoffs, but he should get well against four struggling teams (vs STL, at DAL, at PHX, vs EDM).

- Sit: Cristobal Huet CHI – Huet has been struggling a bit and the Blackhawks have another game against San Jose this week, who is now #1 in the West, on Chicago’s three-game road trip (at EDM, at SJS, at CAR).

***

Look for the Show Notes on Tuesday and our "Random Musings" sports column on Wednesday.

Here are the ways to follow along and get in touch with the show:

• Show Page: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan

• Twitter: http://twitter.com/gstatman

• “Random Musings” blog: http://gstatman.blogspot.com

• iTunes: Search "Sports With The StatMan"

Sports With The StatMan: Fantasy Hockey Edition - Week 16

After a relatively slow week, only four weeks have more games than there are this week (53 games). For the Sunday-to-Saturday scoring period, 18 teams (60% of the league) have four games to play. The locals did not chip in much on the offensive side of the game, as the best local forward (Rob Schremp) was tied for 38th in the league.

WEEK 15 REVIEW

THREE STARS

Forwards

- 1st Star: Guillaume Latendresse MIN – 33 points (4-4-8 in 4 games, +5, 1 PPG)

- 2nd Star: Ilya Kovalchuk ATL – 26 points (3-3-6 in 3 games, +5, 1 PPG)

- 3rd Star: Patrick Marleau SJS – 22 points (3-2-5 in 4 games, +3, 2 PIM, 1 PPG, 1 SHG)

Local Forwards

- 1st Star: Rob Schremp NYI – 11 points (Tied-#38 F overall, 2-0-2 in 2 games, +2)

- 2nd Star: Matt Moulson NYI – 9 points (Tied-#60 F overall, 1-0-1 in 2 games, +2)

- 3rd Star: 7 tied with 7 points (Tied-#81 F overall – Brian Rolston NJD, Michael Ryder/Marco Sturm/Blake Wheeler BOS, Sean Bergenheim/Kyle Okposo/John Tavares NYI)

Defensemen

- 1st Star: Ed Jovanovski PHX – 25.5 points (0-4-4 in 1 game, +4)

- 2nd Star: Joni Pitkanen CAR – 22.5 points (0-6-6 in 4 games, 6 PIM)

- 3rd Star, tie: Tobias Enstrom ATL – 20.5 points (1-2-3 in 3 games, +4)

- 3rd Star, tie: Mike Green WSH – 20.5 points (2-3-5 in 3 games, 4 PIM, 2 PPG)

Local Defensemen

- 1st Star: Mark Streit NYI – 16 points (Tied-#7 D overall, 1-2-3 in 2 games, +2, 2 PIM, 1 PPG)

- 2nd Star: Bruno Gervais NYI – 14 points (Tied-#12 D overall, 1-1-2 in 2 games, +3)

- 3rd Star: Matt Carle PHL – 11 points (Tied-#20 D overall, 0-2-2 in 2 games, +1)

Goaltenders

- 1st Star: Chris Mason STL – 26.2 points (3-0-0 in 3 games, 1 shutout, 0.67 GAA, .971 SvPct)

- 2nd Star: Mike Brodeur OTT – 22.4 points (2-0-0 in 2 games, 1 shutout, 1.00 GAA, .969 SvPct)

- 3rd Star: Evgeni Nabokov SJS – 21.6 points (2-0-1 in 3 games, 0.97 GAA, .969 SvPct)

Local Goaltenders

- 1st Star: Martin Brodeur NJD – 18.8 points (Tied-#7 G overall, 1-2-0 in 3 games, 1 shutout, 1.97 GAA, .938 SvPct)

- 2nd Star: Henrik Lundqvist NYR – 18 points (#11 G overall, 0-1-1 in 2 games, 1 shutout, 0.48 GAA, .987 SvPct)

- 3rd Star: Tim Thomas BOS – 14 points (#14 G overall, 1-0-1 in 2 games, 1.85 GAA, .947 SvPct)

Special Teams

- Best in League: Ottawa Senators +10 (0-7 PP, 14-15 PK, 1 SHG, 0 SHGA)

- Best among locals: Philadelphia Flyers +9 (Tied-#2 ST overall, 2-8 PP, 9-9 PK, 1 SHG, 0 SHGA)

WEEK 16 PREVIEW

SCHEDULE

4-Game Weeks:

- Sunday-to-Saturday scoring period: Anaheim, Atlanta, Buffalo, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Florida, Montreal, New Jersey, N.Y. Islanders, N.Y. Rangers, Ottawa, Philadelphia, San Jose, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Washington

- Monday-to-Sunday scoring period: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Carolina, Columbus, Dallas, Florida, New Jersey, N.Y. Islanders, Ottawa, Philadelphia, San Jose, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Toronto

2-Game Weeks:

- Sunday-to-Saturday scoring period: Colorado, Pittsburgh

- Monday-to-Sunday scoring period: Calgary

Local Matchups:

- Devils at Islanders (Monday and Saturday)

- Rangers at Flyers (Thursday)

START ‘EM and SIT ‘EM

Last Week (Start vs. Sit)

- Forwards: Joe Pavelski SJS (0-1-1 in 4 games, +2) vs. James Neal DAL (1-0-1 in 4 games, -3) (W, 3 to 0)

- Defensemen: Brian Pothier WSH (1-0-1 in 2 games, +1) vs. Dion Phaneuf CGY (0-0-0 in 3 games, -1) (W, 6 to minus-2)

- Goaltending: Pascal Leclaire OTT (0-2 in 2 games, 5.25 GAA, .851 SvPct) vs. Tim Thomas BOS (1-0-1 in 2 games, 1.85 GAA, .947 SvPct) (L, 14 to minus-3)

Season: 5-1 (2-1 this week)

This Week (Start vs. Sit)

Forwards

- Start: Tomas Fleischmann WSH – Fleischmann is 2-4-6 in his last six games and has three games this week, including two at home (vs DET, vs PHX).

- Sit: Jarome Iginla CGY – A 2-game week against two tough opponents (@ SJ, vs CHI) and Iginla has no points in six games.

Defensemen

- Start: Joni Pitkanen CAR – 0-6-6 in last 3 games, minus-13 +/- on the season, but +3 in last 10 games. Pitkanen has a three-game week, including two against divisional rivals (vs TBY, @ ATL)

- Sit: Sheldon Souray EDM – His Oilers career may come to an abrupt end, as he is willing to waive his no-trade clause. Souray is playing at a minus-5 in his last three games and has not had a plus rating in 11 games.

Goaltending

- Start: Chris Mason STL – Mason is starting to find his game and he may turn the Blues fortunes around just like last season. His Blues have four games, including a back-to-back in Canada (@ MTL, @ OTT)

- Sit: Jonathan Quick LAK – The third goalie on the U.S. Olympic team has a challenging week against top conference teams (vs SJ, vs BUF) and a trip to Hockeytown (@ DET).

Upcoming Blog Schedule

Tuesday: Show Notes from Sunday (Sports With The StatMan #42) (blog)

Wednesday: Random Musings (weekly sports column - blog)

Saturday: Sports With The StatMan: Fantasy Football Edition - Conference Championship Weekend (blog)

Sunday: Sports With The StatMan: Fantasy Hockey Edition - Week 17 (blog)

Sunday: Sports With The StatMan (#43) (live show, 8-9pm Eastern time)

Sports With The StatMan: Fantasy Hockey Edition - Week 15

WEEK 14 REVIEW

The first games of the week have just started if you run a Sunday-through-Saturday scoring period. The local forwards that played the best were the kids, as Blake Wheeler of the Bruins, Josh Bailey of the Islanders, and Flyers rookie James van Riemsdyk bested everyone else.

THREE STARS

Forwards

- 1st Star: Alexandre Burrows VAN – 38 points (6-1-7 in 3 games, +6, 1 SHG)

- 2nd Star: Marian Hossa CHI – 31 points (5-0-5 in 4 games, +5, 1 PPG, 1 SHG)

- 3rd Star: Alexander Semin WSH – 26.5 points (4-1-5 in 3 games, +2, 1 SHG)

Local Forwards

- 1st Star: Blake Wheeler BOS – 25.5 points (#4 F overall, 4-3-7 in 4 games, +3, 4 PIM, 1 PPG)

- 2nd Star: James van Riemsdyk PHL – 23 points (#6 F overall, 3-3-6 in 4 games, +2, 1 PPG)

- 3rd Star: Josh Bailey NYI – 21.5 points (#9 F overall, 2-4-6 in 3 games, +3, 1 PPG)

Defensemen

- 1st Star: Chris Pronger PHL – 43 points (1-6-7 in 4 games, +7, 2 PIM)

- 2nd Star: Duncan Keith CHI – 36.5 points (2-4-6 in 4 games, +6)

- 3rd Star: Mike Green WSH – 30.5 points (0-4-4 in 3 games, +7, 2 PIM)

Local Defensemen

- 1st Star: Pronger PHL – 43 points (#1 D overall)

- 2nd Star: Matt Carle PHL – 21.5 points (tied-#11 D overall, 1-2-3 in 4 games, +4, 1 PPG)

- 3rd Star: Mark Streit NYI – 21.5 points (tied-#11 D overall, 1-2-3 in 3 games, +4, 1 PPG)

Goaltenders

- 1st Star: Ryan Miller BUF – 32.8 points (3-0-0 in 3 games, 1 shutout, 1.67 GAA, .958 SvPct)

- 2nd Star: Tomas Vokoun FLA – 29 points (2-2-0 in 4 games, 1 shutout, 1.52 GAA, .957 SvPct)

- 3rd Star: Roberto Luongo VAN – 25.6 points (2-0-1 in 3 games, 1 shutout, 1.62 GAA, .951 SvPct)

Local Goaltenders

- 1st Star: Martin Brodeur NJD – 22.4 points (#4 G overall, 2-0-0 in 2 games, 1 shutout, 0.49 GAA, .983 SvPct)

- 2nd Star: Henrik Lundqvist NYR – 20 points (#7 G overall, 3-0-0 in 3 games, 1.67 GAA, .941 SvPct)

- 3rd Star: Michael Leighton PHL – 17.4 points (#9 G overall, 3-0-1 in 4 games, 2.86 GAA, .906 SvPct)

Special Teams

- Best in League: Philadelphia Flyers +14 (7-15 PP, 15-15 PK, 0 SHG, 0 SHGA)

- Best among locals: Flyers +14 (1st overall)

WEEK 15 PREVIEW

This will be a slow week compared to the rest of the season in the NHL's compressed schedule. There are 46 games this week. In the 13 weeks that remain this year, if you exclude the two-week Olympic break, only two weeks have fewer games (Week 17: 45 games, Week 20: 43 games).

SCHEDULE

4-Game Weeks:

- Sunday-to-Saturday scoring period: Carolina, Columbus, Dallas, Minnesota, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, San Jose

- Monday-to-Sunday scoring period: Calgary, Detroit, Minnesota, N.Y. Rangers, Pittsburgh, San Jose, Washington

2-Game Weeks:

- Sunday-to-Saturday scoring period: Buffalo, Colorado, Montreal, N.Y. Islanders, Philadelphia,

- Monday-to-Sunday scoring period: Buffalo, Colorado, N.Y. Islanders

Local Matchups:

- Devils at Rangers (Tuesday)

START ‘EM and SIT ‘EM

Last Week (Start vs. Sit)

- Forwards: Recchi BOS (1-1-2 in 4 games, -3, 1 PPG) vs. Penner EDM (1-0-1 in 2 games, -2) (W, 4.5 to 2.0)

- Defensemen: Del Zotto NYR (1-1-2 in 4 games, +3, 4 PIM)) vs. Johnson STL (0-0-0 in 3 games, -1, 4 PIM) (W, 11 to minus-4)

- Goaltending: Howard DET (2-1-0 in 3 games, 1.68 GAA, .958 SvPct) vs. Turco (1-1-0 in 2 games, 3.53 GAA, .848 SvPct) (W, 21.6 to 4.8)

Season: 3-0

Forwards

- Start: Joe Pavelski SJS – If being named to the U.S. Olympic team doesn’t make him smile, how about 4 games this week?

- Sit: James Neal DAL – He has not been the same since his suspension (7-5-12 in 21 games)

Defensemen

- Start: Brian Pothier WSH – Getting back from injury and the Caps should do well against TB, FLA, and TOR

- Sit: Dion Phaneuf CGY – A trade demand is being denied in Calgary. Where has his offense gone (3-6-9 in last 35 games)

Goaltending

- Start: Pascal Leclaire OTT – All 4 games this week are on the road, but most of competition has trouble scoring (CAR, ATL, NYR)

- Sit: Tim Thomas BOS – Thomas and the Bruins embark on a West Coast swing with three in California

We will break down each of the four Wild Card matchups on Sports With The StatMan (#41) this Sunday night, January 10th. Join us at our new time, 8-9pm Eastern. We will be among the first to analyze the Divisional Championship games. Besides football, we'll talk about the moves the Mets still have to make. We will also have some NHL talk, as the Bruins and Rangers met twice this week and the week of outdoor hockey at Fenway comes to an end.

Here are the ways to follow along and get in touch with the show:

• Show Page: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan

• Twitter: http://twitter.com/gstatman

• “Random Musings” blog: http://gstatman.blogspot.com