Last night's Jets-Canucks contest was one of those that really gets you thinking. The game went to overtime after a mostly sluggish opening 60 minutes ended in a tie. Then the overtime was played at a feverish pace as the teams traded chances over a whistle-less five minutes of four-on-four. Games like that make you wonder if they could play full games at four-on-four.

 

It's a ridiculous notion, I know. The mere fact that the overtime period didn't have a single whistle, was a wonderful bit of luck. You can't always count on that sort of nonstop action. Plenty of teams have found ways to play four-on-four conservatively just not these two teams, not last night.

 

So I guess what I'm saying is I really enjoyed that overtime period. I wish games could take on that sort of frenetic pace more often.

 

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Alex Burrows finally got the lid off! Not only did he score his first goal of the season but he scored his second goal too – a real demonstration of hand-eye coordination.

 

 

Burrows was a rotisserie beast last night. On top of his two goals he also had six shots, five hits, two PIM and a plus-two rating. That's the sort of stat stuffing Burrows owners have been waiting all year for.

 

It was nice to see him out there on the top power play unit, which might indicate he's got some more production coming now that the floodgates have opened.

 

Unfortunately that Canucks power play is incontinent. And no that was not a typo. They went 0/5 with the man advantage dropping them below the Sabres for power play efficiency this season.

 

It was also unfortunate that Burrows' promotion had to come at the expense of Ryan Kesler who left the game after a knee-on-knee collision and did not return. No word on how much time he will miss.

 

I hate to say it but as a Kesler owner I wouldn't be too upset if he was done for the year. He hasn't done much since the Olympics and considering the direction of the Canucks he is unlikely to pick things up. So if he goes down that's an excuse to cut the cord. I wouldn't have the guts to do so otherwise.

 

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Andrew Ladd was flying last night. He had just one goal and landed just three shots on goal but I swear he had at least five scoring chances.

 

That whole line with Ladd, Bryan Little and Michael Frolik looked really good. Ladd and Little each have five points in their last seven.

 

Frolik, despite scoring last night has not been on nearly as much of a roll but he gets lopped off the top power play unit so that helps explain why he's not as productive.

 

It's hard to call Dustin Byfuglien invisible – he's huge and he landed five hits – but he wasn't really a factor offensively. I wouldn't worry much, he was coming off back-to-back two-point efforts.

 

Byfuglien's linemate, Blake Wheeler, is in a funk with just one point in his last five.

 

Evander Kane's stuggles continued as well as he went scoreless including whiffing on a penalty shot attempt. He's only 22 so you obviously can't write him off but I can only sympathize with those of you waiting for his eventually breakout.

 

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Hey, the Bruins finally got one over on the Habs!

 

Of course, Carey Price wasn't in net so there's only so much you can draw from that result. Price did practice on Tuesday so hopefully he is on his way back.

 

Thomas Vanek notched his first point with the Habs, an assist. He got it on the lone Montreal goal scored by David Desharnais.

Vanek spent some time replacing Brendan Gallagher on the Desharnais line alongside Max Pacioretty. That would be the dream scenario for Vanek owners but it remains to be seen if we will see more of that line.

 

This is barely fantasy relevant but after going scoreless in five straight the Habs scratched Rene Bourque last night. I'm sure all seven of you still clinging to this guy were distraught.

 

More importantly, Brandon Prust made his post-Olympic debut and got right into it with a scrap and seven PIM total.

 

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Carl Soderberg has now scored in four straight and has seven points in eight games since the break. I wouldn't drop anyone serious from your roster but if you have an open slot you could do a lot worse right now.

 

Also hot: Patrice Bergeron, who has five points in the last two games. It would be nice if he could put together a little hot streak to close the season and finish with 60 points (he's at 45 now). I don't see it. Just hasn't been that kind of year for him. But it would be nice.

 

Not hot: Reilly Smith, who has just one point in the last six games. It was only a matter of time before his bubble burst. Still, he's scored 45 points so far, which is quite an accomplishment for the sophomore. I won't be buying his stock though. His 15.3% shooting is still egregiously high.

 

Dougie Hamilton was scratched for the second straight game.

 

Any time you can acquire a defenseman who was getting frequently scratched by an inferior team and sub him in for your promising young defenseman you have to do it.

 

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Huge win by the Avalanche last night holding off the Blackhawks in regulation to jump one point up for second place in the Central. I doubt it lasts but you never know. That home ice advantage could be huge getting four games in that Denver altitude.

 

It's a real shame that Nathan MacKinnon had to go pushing his luck by extending that scoring streak he had to 13 games. Had he stopped at 12 he'd have been just fine but NOOOO, he has to go out and make it unlucky 13. Naturally he's gone scoreless in three straight since and will probably finish the season without scoring another point. Don't blame me, I don't make the rules.

 

Okay but seriously, MacKinnon needs nine more in the final 17 games to hit 60. He can definitely get there but after a week of scoreless action I think it's in doubt again.

 

Paul Stastny missing the last two games obviously does not help matters for MacKinnon because it moves John Mitchell up onto his line with Gabriel Landeskog, which is less than ideal.

 

Tyson Barrie and Erik Johnson haven't slowed down though. A point each for these two last night. Both make for great waiver pickups down the stretch if they are still out there for some reason.

 

Jamie McGinn could make for another decent pickup especially if your league scores SOG and hits, where he is most productive. They've had him skating on the top line off and on for the past while. Last night he was on and notched an assist while skating with the scorching Matt Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly.

 

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Patrick Kane has notably slowed since mid-season but he does have points in three straight. Credit the coaching staff for throwing Kane a bone and giving him Patrick Sharp to skate with at evens. That'll help matters incredibly. Let's see if this sticks.

 

With Sharp on line two and Marian Hossa out injured Jonathan Toews centered Brandon Saad and Andrew Shaw. Not the best of linemates but Saad did score a late goal and had seven SOG for the game.

 

I'm most interested in seeing how the top line minutes work to boost Shaw in the short term. I'd give him a look if you need waiver help.

 

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Is that 7-2 score in favour of the Flames over the Ducks legit? Seems backwards to me.

 

The Ducks have now "lost" four in a row. I'd be concerned but two of those losses were of the shootout variety. Still it was enough to allow the surging Blues to pass them in the standings and the Sharks have crept within two points of first in the Pacific.

 

Consider it their "penance" for dealing Dustin Penner. They are winless since that deal.

 

Jonas Hiller got yanked after giving up three goals on five shots mid-way through the first. Frederik Anderson then got to feel the rest of the Flames' onslaught ceding four goals on 20 shots the rest of the way.

 

Not many positives in this one for the Ducks but Nick Bonino scored his first goal since returning from injury. I personally really enjoy it if he could get his season back on track.

 

Cam Fowler notched an assist, just his eighth point in his last 23 games. I dumped him to the waiver wire earlier this week in favour of Olli Maatta. This is a one-year league and with two moves weekly it doesn't really pay to be conservative so I'm riding the hot hand. Odds are I could be back to Fowler by the time playoffs start but for now he's waiver dust.

 

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Dennis Wideman is still out with an injury but that just means more minutes for Kris Russell and TJ Brodie who both got on the board last night. Russell really took advantage of the last time Wideman got hurt so I'd look to jump on him again here if you have a need.

 

What does one make of Mikael Backlund? 

 

He's scored 14 points in his last 15 games but eight of those games were goose eggs. A lot of multi-point efforts in there. I choose to look at the full-season's product, which shows he is still a mediocre player. So if he finishes the season still running hot don't overreach for him next year. Mediocre.

 

I am much more intrigued by Mike Cammalleri. He's got four goals and five points in the last six games.

 

Markus Granlund had started to build up a little bit of steam but injured his shoulder earlier in the week against Los Angeles. He's still on the shelf missing last night's contest.

 

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It looks like Chris Stewart is out for the season with an ankle injury.

 

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Winging it in Motown gives us a nice profile on Red Wings prospect Teemu Pulkkinen.

 

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For those of you in deep leagues the Islanders signed college defenseman Kevin Czuczman. Not sure on his upside. He scored 10 goals and 21 points in 36 games for Lake Superior State this season. Any defenseman scoring 10 goals in a college season has at least a flicker of my attention. He also had 73 PIM, which could indicate some multi-cat value.

 

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TSN's Scott Cullen reports on the hockey panel at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference and the slow progression of analytics in hockey.

 

I'm a big fan of analytics (or advanced stats or fancy stats or whatever you want to call them) but I have to agree there is still a bit of a gap between the existence of these stats and their utility. You have to ask the right questions.

 

Consider this example discussed by Tyler Delow as inspired by some comments from Taylor Hall about his Corsi numbers and if the numbers provide any solution for him:

Hall: This year my Corsi hasn't been as good as last year.

Rishaug: And does that make sense to you based on your play, does that add up?

Hall: It doesn't, no. But my chances, for and against, are about the same as last year. So what that means, I'm not really sure. I know we have an advanced stat guy that does it all for our team and I asked him, I said 'So why's my Corsi not as good?' and he really didn't have an answer for me.

 

That's a real problem! But that's only one sort of question. Corsi may not have solutions to how to make particular players playing better but it can help to identify players to avoid or to go after. It can help in player identification, which is where some of the biggest, most costly mistakes are made each and every year.

 

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Elliotte Friedman reports the GM meetings. He also brings his excellent 30 Thoughts:

20. On the flight home from Sochi, the Hockey Night in Canada crew travelled with Team Finland. Kimmo Timonen was sitting not far from us. At one point, we asked if he would reconsider his decision to retire following this season because he’s at such a high level. He laughed it off. Now comes word he’s re-considering. Good. He can still play and he’s a smart, smart quote.

 

That's good news. I had no idea Timonen was considering retirement. He can definitely still be a fantasy asset.

 

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What would the NHL look like under a three-point system?

 

I'm a fan. The standings wouldn't change much but it removes the ridiculousness that is having some games worth three points and some games worth two.

 

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It's starting to look like the falling Canadian dollar could limit the amount the salary cap jumps this summer.

 

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The Panthers take the Too Many Men penalty to the extreme.

 

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Sharkie takes a bite out of Condoleezza Rice.

 

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One fan's take on fixing the Canucks.

 

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You can follow me on Twitter @SteveLaidlaw.