Keeping up with the Metropolitans 12/25/16-12/31/16

Happy New Year, folks! I'm sure the fine folks of Columbus will remember this holiday season of 2016 for quite some time. The Jackets are now riding a 15 game win streak. They face Edmonton at home on Tuesday, and then have two games on the road in DC and NYC. If they want to break the Penguins NHL record of 17, it'll have to be on the road where the Jackets have a sparkling record. Despite all their success, Pittsburgh is still hot on their heels, so that should say enough about both teams play this year. The Metro Division is still boasting some of the leagues best teams. It's tough sledding out there.

METROPOLITAN	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	ROW	SOW	SOL	HOME	ROAD	GF	GA	DIFF	L10
Columbus	35	26	5	4	56	24	2	1	14-3-1	12-2-3	123	73	+50	10-0-0
Pittsburgh	38	25	8	5	55	23	2	1	17-2-2	8-6-3	133	107	+26	7-1-2
NY Rangers	39	26	12	1	53	24	2	1	13-6-1	13-6-0	135	97	+38	7-3-0
Washington	35	21	9	5	47	20	1	4	12-5-1	9-4-4	97	77	+20	6-2-2
Philadelphia	38	20	14	4	44	16	4	3	12-5-3	8-9-1	113	116	-3	5-4-1
Carolina	36	16	13	7	39	14	2	4	11-3-1	5-10-6	94	98	-4	6-3-1
NY Islanders	36	15	15	6	36	14	1	2	11-7-4	4-8-2	104	113	-9	4-5-1
New Jersey	37	14	16	7	35	11	3	2	9-4-2	5-12-5	86	114	-28	2-7-1

Columbus Blue Jackets

23-5-4, 56 pts  /  123GF/73GA  /  3-0 record last

12/27/16
BOS: 3
CBJ: 4

Recap: Bruins 3 at Blue Jackets 4

12/29/16
CBJ: 5
WPG: 3

Recap: Mach 14

12/31/16
CBJ: 2
MIN: 4

You'd think they'd have a recap for #15 too, but none as of yet.

Week Ahead:

Tuesday Jan 3 - vs EDM***

Thursday Jan 5 - @ WSH***

Saturday Jan 7 - @ NYR***

Injuries:

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

New York Rangers

26-12-1, 53 pts  / 135GF/97GA  /  3-0 record last week

12/27/16
OTT: 3
NYR: 4

Raanta, Holden, Stepan Lead Rangers Past Senators

12/29/16
NYR: 6
ARI: 3

Rangers’ Power Play Delivers In 6-3 Win Over Arizona

12/31/16
NYR: 6
COL: 2

Apparently everyone had better things to do for New Years. No recap as of yet here, either.

Week Ahead:

Tuesday Jan 3 - vs BUF

Wednesday Jan 4 - @ PHI

Saturday Jan 7 - @ CBJ

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

21-9-5, 47 pts  /  97GF/77GA  /  1-1-1 record last week

12/27/16
WSH: 3
NYI: 4

Caps vs. Islanders Recap: Isles Clean Up 4-3

12/29/16
NJD: 2 SO
WSH: 1

Capitals vs. Devils Recap: Josefson Clips Caps in Shootout

12/31/16
WSH: 6
NJD: 2

Capitals vs. Devils Recap: Caps Hit Devils Hard, Take 6-2 Win

Week Ahead:

Sunday Jan 1 - vs OTT

Tuesday Jan 3 - vs TOR

Thursday Jan 5 - vs CBJ

Saturday Jan 7 - @ OTT

Injuries:

None.

Philadelphia Flyers

20-14-4, 44 pts  /  113GF/116GA  /  0-2 record last week

12/28/16
PHI: 3
STL: 6

Blues 6, Flyers 3: 10 things we learned from a third period lead squandered

12/30/16
PHI: 0
SJS: 2

Flyers at Sharks recap: Stolarz receives no support off the bench as Flyers offense sputters

Week Ahead:

Sunday Jan 1 - @ ANA

Wednesday Jan 4 - vs NYR

Saturday Jan 7 - vs TBL

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
M. Neuvirth, G	Nov 12, 2016	IR	Sprained knee
M. Read, RW	Dec 4, 2016	IR	Oblique
M. Streit, D	Dec 11, 2016	IR	Shoulder
R. Gudas, D	Dec 29, 2016	day-to-day	Upper-body injury
S. Mason, G	Dec 30, 2016	day-to-day	Hand

Carolina Hurricanes

16-13-7, 39 pts  /  94GF/98GA  /  1-2 record last week

12/28/16
CAR: 2
PIT: 3

Hurricanes at Penguins Recap: Canes Dominate But Can’t Close, Fall 3-2

BONUS!!! Pensburgh coverage!
Penguins vs. Hurricanes Recap: Hagelin, Kunitz line changes help fuel win

12/30/16
CHI: 2
CAR: 3

Carolina Hurricanes Defeat Chicago Blackhawks, Extend Home Point Streak to 11 Games

12/31/16
CAR: 1
TBL: 3

Carolina Hurricanes Fall 3-1 to the Tampa Bay Lightning to Close Out 2016

Week Ahead:

Tuesday Jan 3 - vs NJD

Thursday Jan 5 - @ STL

Friday Jan 6 - @ CHI

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
B. Bickell, LW	Nov 9, 2016	IR	Multiple sclerosis
J. Faulk, D	Dec 26, 2016	IR	Lower-body injury
E. Lack, G	Dec 30, 2016	day-to-day	Illness

New York Islanders

15-15-6, 36 pts  /  104GF/113GA  /  2-1 record last week

12/27/16
WSH: 3
NYI: 4

Islanders 4, Capitals 3: Ladd’s pair, Lee’s breakaway give Isles 3rd straight win

12/29/16
NYI: 4
MIN: 6

Wild 6*, Islanders 4 (*EN): Back-and-forth game ends with Minnesota winning 12th straight

12/31/16 
NYI: 6
WPG: 2

Islanders 6, Jets 2: Goals galore on New Year’s Eve

Week Ahead:

Friday Jan 6 - @ COL

Saturday Jan 7 - @ ARI

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
M. Grabovski, C	Sep 25, 2016	IR	Concussion

New Jersey Devils

14-16-7, 35 pts  /  86GF/114GA  /  1-2 record last week

12/27/16
PIT: 5
NJD: 2

New Jersey Devils Lose Another Bad Game to Pittsburgh Penguins

BONUS! Pensburgh coverage!
Penguins vs. Devils Recap: 4 unanswered goals leads Pittsburgh comeback

12/29/16
NJD: 2 SO
WSH: 1

Keith Kinkaid Dominated in New Jersey Devils Shootout Win Over Washington Capitals

12/31/16
WSH: 6
NJD: 2

New Jersey Devils End 2016 Like a Dumpster Fire in Blowout Loss to Capitals

Week Ahead:

Monday Jan 2 - vs BOS

Tuesday Jan 3 - @ CAR

Friday Jan 6 - vs TOR

Saturday Jan 7 - vs EDM

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
M. Savard, C	Oct 9, 2016	IR	Post-concussion syndrome
T. Hall, LW	Dec 27, 2016	day-to-day	Lower-body injury
V. Fiddler, LW	Dec 27, 2016	IR	Lower-body injury

*Standings via ESPN as of 12/26/16
**Injuries via TSN as of 12/26/16
***Game of the week! Now that the Jackets have tied the '13 Penguins and  '82 Islanders with 15 straight wins, all 3 of their games this week can set or tie NHL records. How far can they make it?