Keeping up with the Metropolitans 12/18/16-12/24/16

Well I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas break, I bet they did in Columbus, but it's back to the real world again now. Raise your hand if you predicted the Blue Jackets to be riding a 12 game win streak and #1 in the NHL coming out of Christmas break. Like they say though, you don't win the Cup in December; it's not how you start, it's how you finish. It's going to be interesting to see where the Blue Jackets land in the end, but they're the toast of the NHL at the moment. The Metro as a whole is the toast of the NHL at the moment, with 5 of the top 8 teams in the league residing in the division, but Columbus certainly deserves some recognition for the first time in their franchise's existence.

METROPOLITAN	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	ROW	SOW	SOL	HOME	ROAD	GF	GA	DIFF	L10
Columbus	32	23	5	4	50	21	2	1	13-3-1	10-2-3	110	65	+45	10-0-0
Pittsburgh	35	22	8	5	49	20	2	1	15-2-2	7-6-3	121	100	+21	7-1-2
NY Rangers	36	23	12	1	47	21	2	1	12-6-1	11-6-0	119	89	+30	6-4-0
Washington	32	20	8	4	44	19	1	3	12-5-0	8-3-4	87	69	+18	7-1-2
Philadelphia	36	20	12	4	44	16	4	3	12-5-3	8-7-1	110	108	+2	7-2-1
Carolina	33	15	11	7	37	13	2	4	10-3-1	5-8-6	88	90	-2	6-2-2
New Jersey	34	13	14	7	33	11	2	2	9-2-2	4-12-5	80	102	-22	2-7-1
NY Islanders	33	13	14	6	32	12	1	2	10-7-4	3-7-2	90	102	-12	4-4-2

Columbus Blue Jackets

23-5-4, 50 pts  /  110GF/65GA  /  4-0 record last week

12/18/16
CBJ: 4 OT
VAN: 3

Game Recap: Let the Good Times Roll

12/20/16
CBJ: 3 SO
LAK: 2

Game #30: Our Crown Is Called

12/22/16
PIT: 1
CBJ: 7

Game 31 Recap: Jackets 7 Penguins 1

BONUS! Pensburgh coverage:
Penguins vs. Blue Jackets: Pittsburgh gives up 7 straight in ugly loss

12/23/16
MTL: 1
CBJ: 2

Recap: Blue Jackets 2 Canadiens 1

Week Ahead:

Tuesday Dec 27 - vs BOS

Thursday Dec 29 - @ WPG

Saturday Dec 31 - @ MIN

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
D. Clarkson, RW	Sep 20, 2016	IR	Lower-body injury

New York Rangers

23-12-1, 47 pts  / 119GF/89GA  /  1-2 record last week

12/18/16
NJD: 2
NYR: 3 SO

Rangers Score Late And Defeat Devils In The Shootout

12/20/16
NYR: 2
PIT: 7

Penguins Exploit Rangers In 7-2 Rout

BONUS! Pensburgh coverage!
Penguins vs. Rangers Recap: Wide open hockey benefits Pittburgh in big win

12/23/16
MIN: 7
NYR: 4

Rangers Give Up Seven Goals For Second Straight Game

Week Ahead:

Tuesday Dec 27 - vs OTT

Thursday Dec 29 - @ ARI

Saturday Dec 31 - @ COL

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
P. Buchnevich, RW	Nov 12, 2016	IR	Back spasms
M. Zibanejad, C	Nov 20, 2016	IR	Broken left fibula
R. Nash, RW	Dec 18, 2016	day-to-day	Groin

Washington Capitals

20-8-4, 44 pts  /  87GF/69GA  /  1-0-1 record last week

12/21/16
WSH: 2
PHI: 3 SO

Capital vs. Flyers Recap: Philadelphia Wins via Shootout

12/23/16
TBL: 0
WSH: 4

Caps vs. Bolts Recap: Feats of Strength Give Caps Gift of 4-0 Win

Week Ahead:

Tuesday Dec 27 - @ NYI

Thursday Dec 29 - vs NJD

Saturday Dec 31 - @ NJD

Injuries:

None.

Philadelphia Flyers

20-12-4, 44 pts  /  110GF/108GA  /  1-1-1 record last week

12/19/16
NSH: 2 SO
PHI: 1

Flyers vs. Predators recap: So that’s what happens when you sit on a third-period lead

12/21/16
WSH: 2
PHI: 3 SO

Flyers vs. Capitals recap: Evenly played contest ends in shootout win for the good guys

12/22/16
PHI: 0
NJD: 4

Flyers at Devils recap: Bah humbug

Week Ahead:

Wednesday Dec 28 - @ STL

Friday Dec 30 - @ SJS

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
M. Neuvirth, G	Nov 12, 2016	IR	Sprained knee
S. Couturier, C	Nov 22, 2016	IR	Sprained MCL
M. Read, RW	Dec 4, 2016	IR	Oblique
M. Streit, D	Dec 11, 2016	IR	Shoulder

Carolina Hurricanes

15-11-7, 37 pts  /  88GF/89GA  /  2-0 record last week

12/19/16
DET: 
CAR: Postponed

Carolina Hurricanes/Detroit Red Wings postponed game rescheduled for March 27

12/22/16
CAR: 3
BUF: 1

Hurricanes vs Sabres Recap: Canes Sustain Early Lead to Defeat Buffalo 3-1

12/23/16
BOS: 2
CAR: 3 OT

Recap: Teravainen The Hero As Hurricanes Top Bruins 3-2 In Overtime

Week Ahead:

Wednesday Dec 28 - @ PIT***

Friday Dec 30 - vs CHI

Saturday Dec 31 - @ TBL

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
B. Bickell, LW	Nov 9, 2016	IR	Multiple sclerosis

New Jersey Devils

13-14-7, 33 pts  /  80GF/102GA  /  1-2-1 record last week

12/18/16
NJD: 2
NYR: 3 SO

New Jersey Devils Fall to New York Rangers in Shootout for Sixth Straight Loss

12/20/16
NSH: 5
NJD: 1

Devils Fall to Predators on Home Ice, Lose 5-1

12/22/16
PHI: 0
NJD: 4

Woo! New Jersey Devils Smash Losing Streak & Philadelphia Flyers in Shutout Win

12/23/16
NJD: 1
PIT: 4

New Jersey Devils Earned a Lump of Coal in 1-4 Loss to Pittsburgh Penguins

Week Ahead:

Tuesday Dec 27 - vs PIT

Thursday Dec 29 - @ WSH

Saturday Dec 31 - vs WSH

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
M. Savard, C	Oct 9, 2016	IR	Post-concussion syndrome
J. Josefson, C	Dec 20, 2016	IR	Concussion

New York Islanders

13-14-6, 32 pts  /  90GF/102GA  /  2-1 record last week

12/18/16
OTT: 6
NYI: 2

Senators 6*, Islanders 2 (*EN): Isles drop fifth straight game

12/20/16
NYI: 4
BOS: 2

Islanders 4, Bruins 2: Greiss saves, Lee scores, Isles snap losing streak

12/23/16
BUF: 1
NYI: 5

Islanders 5, Sabres 1: Rested Isles pounce for second pre-break win

Week Ahead:

Tuesday Dec 27 - vs WSH

Thursday Dec 29 - @ MIN

Saturday Dec 31 - @ WPG

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
M. Grabovski, C	Sep 25, 2016	IR	Concussion
A. Pelech, D	Nov 28, 2016	IR	Upper-body injury
C. Cizikas, C	Dec 15, 2016	day-to-day	Upper-body injury

*Standings via ESPN as of 12/26/16
**Injuries via TSN as of 12/26/16
***Game of the week! Jordan Staal and the Hurricanes will be storming into PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday on the back end of a back-to-back for Pittsburgh. Lots of familiar faces will be re-acquainted as many former Pens players are now front office guys in Carolina, and vice versa. Looking forward to seeing Ron Francis back in Da Burgh, that's why I'm making this the game of the week!