Here are your Evening Puck Headlines and Previews: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.
Preview: Ottawa Senators at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. EST; TV: TSN). Alex Auld will start for the Senators, who have won four in a row but haven't convinced Sens Army that they're anything more than a spoiler. But honestly, does hockey really matter when Carrie Underwood will be in the arena watching her boy Mike Fisher skate for the Sens? Oh, the intrigue: Will she root for Opryland or Ottawa? And has Fisher ever even considered the sad history of athletes with famous country honeys in the house? Well, we suppose it's OK when your team is a country mile out of a playoff spot ...
• Deposed Pittsburgh Penguins Coach Michel Therrien says he didn't see his firing coming, that the conversation with GM Ray Shero took about five seconds and that the Penguins will "make the playoffs." At least one of these thoughts seems a tad hyperbolic. [Tribune-Review]
• Meanwhile, the coaching change seems to have lit a fire under the Penguins, who roared out of Nassau Coliseum having taken a point from the mighty Islanders. And thus did the Coach Dan BYL-zmuh era begin. [Y!]
Preview: New York Rangers at St. Louis Blues (7 p.m. EST; TV: VS, TSN2). The Blues enter this game eight points out of a playoff spot, which is evidently close enough to make them ponder what exactly they should do at the deadline -- like attempting to deal Keith Tkachuk, for example. According to "Tom Renney," it'll be Drury-Sjostrom-Voros getting the start tonight.
• For the first time since November, Martin Brodeur will hit the road with the New Jersey Devils on their Florida trip. In any unrelated story, the Devils' player meal stipends are expected to increase by 40 percent during their trip to Florida. [Fire & Ice]
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• Justin Williams is hurt again for the Carolina Hurricanes. [Hurricanes]
Preview: Dallas Stars at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. EST; TV: KDFI, FSOH). Both teams have 61 points on the season, with Columbus having played and won an extra game. The Stars could see some different line configurations tonight. Steve Mason will go for the Jackets. Here's hoping there's a good crowd in the barn for this one; it's a playoff race.
• With Michel Therrien fired in Pittsburgh, could Guy Carbonneau find himself kicked to the curb for the Montreal Canadiens? Who the hell thought that Alain Vigneault and Claude Julien would have jobs at this point in the season while Therrien wouldn't? [Eyes on the Prize]
• Speaking of the Habs: If Mathieu Schneider is worth two picks, what pray tell is defenseman Jordan Leopold of the Colorado Avalanche worth? A No. 1 center and Super Bowl tickets? [Mile High Hockey]
Preview: Edmonton Oilers at Phoenix Coyotes (9:30 p.m. EST; TV: RSW, FSAZ). The Yotes begin the night six points out of the playoffs and five points behind the Oil. They get defenseman Kurt Sauer back from injury. Mikael Tellqvist gets the nod in goal for Coach Wayne Gretzky, who makes considerably more than he does.
• Patrick Sharp could be out three weeks for the Chicago Blackhawks. Not cool. [Daily Herald]
• Punjabi hockey commentators. We want the bobbleheads. [Mlive, via Puck Buddy Patrick H.]
Preview: Atlanta Thrashers at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. EST; TV: SS, FSW). Good job out of Rich Hammond in bringing to light the turnaround season Michal Handzus has had with the Kings. From Zeus: "Obviously nobody was happy about last year, but I knew I was a much better play than I was last year, and I still think I'm a better player than I have been this year."
• Finally, No. 4 in this fight is Derek Merlini of the IHL Port Huron Ice Hawks. He's 6-foot-6, and his proudest moment is "Participating in Extreme Home Makeover twice." We want him to fight Chara, like, yesterday:
