Puck Podcast

CALGARY – Since losing 5-0 to the Calgary Flames at home on Nov. 30, the Nashville Predators have been one of the hottest teams in the National Hockey League

DALLAS – Defenceman Karlis Skrastins broke out in a big way for the Stars.After 32 games without a goal since signing with Dallas, Skrastins scored two for the first time in his career, helping the Stars end ended Detroit’s four-game winning streak with a 4-3 win over the Red Wings on Saturday

OTTAWA – Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom gave new meaning to holding a hot hand Saturday at Minnesota’s pre-game skate.The Wild took to the ice at Scotiabank Place to prepare for Saturday night’s game against the Ottawa Senators bearing signs of the fire a day earlier that destroyed much of the team’s equipment

PHILADELPHIA – Henrik Lundqvist faced a flurry of shots in the third period, and stopped each and every one.When it was over, he’d made 16 of his 36 saves in the final frame and helped the New York Rangers hang on for a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers that spoiled the return of Simon Gagne

Scoring summaries from Friday’s NHL games:Senators 2 at Devils 4First Period1. New Jersey, Langenbrunner 8 (Greene, Ma.Brodeur) 11:53 (pp)Penalties – Bergfors NJ (tripping) 3:43, Picard Ott (interference) 11:09, Mottau NJ (hooking) 17:21

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Mason Raymond showed his value to the Vancouver Canucks at both ends of the rink Friday night.The left-winger scored the tying and winning goals, and Canucks netminder Roberto Luongo stopped a third-period penalty shot as Vancouver got past the Washington Capitals 3-2

Movements in the world of hockey Friday:National Hockey LeagueCAROLINA HURRICANES-Activated F Michael Ryan from injured reserve and assigned him to Albany (AHL)

WINNIPEG – Cory Schneider made 27 saves for his second shutout of the season as the Manitoba Moose beat the Lake Erie Monsters 1-0 in American Hockey League action Friday night

CHICAGO – Jonathan Toews showed Team Canada general manager Steve Yzerman why he’d be a pretty good Olympian – especially if games are decided by shootouts

ST. LOUIS – Vincent Lecavalier had no idea he was two points away from 700 for his career. Jeff Halpern couldn’t figure out how the Lightning took a sudden turn for the incompetent

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. – Cedrick Desjardins made 26 saves for his second consecutive shutout as the Hamilton Bulldogs blanked the Adirondack Phantoms 4-0

SUNRISE, Fla. – Rostislav Olesz and Radek Dvorak scored goals in a 37-second span early in the third period and the Florida Panthers earned a 6-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night

HARTFORD, Conn. – Dane Byers scored twice as the Hartford Wolf Pack routed the Toronto Marlies 6-1 on Friday in the American Hockey League.Byers opened the scoring two minutes into the game and netted his eighth of the year on the power play in the second period to make it 4-1

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Ryan Miller made 40 saves for his 20th win of the season, and the Buffalo Sabres scored four times in the second period of a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night

Martin Brodeur set a National Hockey League record for games played by a goaltender and helped make the milestone a win with 27 saves and an assist, leading the New Jersey Devils to a 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Friday night

NEWARK, N.J. – Martin Brodeur broke Patrick Roy’s record for regular-season appearances by a goaltender when he started his 1,030th game for the New Jersey Devils against the Ottawa Senators on Friday night

CALGARY – Calgary Flames coach Brent Sutter says his team will need to get emotional if they hope to cool down red-hot Nashville.The Flames will host the Predators in a rare afternoon affair on Saturday (Sportsnet West, 4 p

VANCOUVER, B.C. – As Washington Capitals star sniper Alexander Ovechkin walks down the busy Vancouver streets, he can go nary a few steps without being recognized

OTTAWA – The Minnesota Wild has been hot lately, but it was the team’s equipment that caught fire Friday and left it scrambling ahead of its game against the Ottawa Senators

EDMONTON – As match-ups go, the suddenly struggling Edmonton Oilers couldn’t find a less favourable one than Saturday’s showdown against the Washington Capitals if they tried