Happy New Year everyone – suck back a cold one for me tonight! I’ll drink one for each of you, or die trying

My Puck Daddy article can be found here.

Dion Phaneuf could be suspended for his brutal hit on Anze Kopitar. I posted the clip below, as well as Ivanans’ reaction.

With two goals last night, Patty O’Sullivan has points in three straight games now. Glad he’s decided to join us.

I’m trying to find a positive here – Tom Gilbert only has nine points this season, but four of them have come in the last 10 games. Five came in the first 30 games. Is he starting to come around? He has played more in the last four contests then any other four-game span this season. Wait and observe for now.

Michael Leighton – four straight wins and now a shutout. They’ll keep riding him. I bid three bucks on him in the Experts League, but lost him to an $11 bid. My backup bid was Michal Neuvirth and I won that for $1. Nice value! I’ll get a week out of him at least, while Varly is down in the AHL. And then, we’ll see…

In reaction to not getting named to Team Canada, Simon Gagne had four points, Jeff Carter two and Daniel Briere two. Carter was the only one even close to being named though.

Brandon Dubinsky – minus-4 last night.

Just noticed that after going minus-3 last night, rookie Michael Del Zotto is minus-17 on the year.

Okay, I’ve seen enough from Ryan Shannon. I’m upgrading him from “watch” to “pick up”. Three straight games of 15 minutes or more and three straight games of scoring a goal. He has four in all in that span.

Nick Foligno returned to the lineup and scored. Before missing seven games with a knee injury, he had a three-game point streak going, so that makes it four.

Fabian Brunnstrom has been sent to the AHL on a conditioning stint.

The Tennessean is reporting that Martin Erat will miss tonight’s game for sure, and probably at least one more game after that. It’s his knee.

First Phaneuf hits Kopitar and gets ejected:

Then Raitis Ivanans sends a message:

Hartnell vs. Avery: