Shut Out In The Cold

With 3 shutouts in 7 games, it could have been a great night for your fantasy hockey teams last night or a terrible one. If you're a Blog On The Ice reader it may have been a great one, because all three of the goalies that shut their opponents down are net minders I've advocated making trades for or picking up on this fine blog. For me it was an especially great night because I owned all three! But if there's one thing I've learned, it's to savor nights like these while they last, because they don't last as long and you'd like. So enough gloating and onto the show.

Joffrey Lupul - I know I just talked about him but Lupul is only owned in about half of Yahoo leagues. Do not sleep on him. He scored 2 goals last night and is up to 6 points in 9 games now. Keep in mind he scored 20 goals last season... in 51 games.

Antero Niittymaki - Got the start because of his ridiculous track record against the Thrashers and his countryman Lehtonen (10-0 career). He's still the back up, but like I said before, Nitty is worth owning in keepers because I think he'll end up a starting goalie in the NHL sooner or later, and I think it goes without saying that in any league deep enough that back ups are relevant he should be on a team. Even when Biron is starting Nitty will continue to get a decent amount of starts.

Steven Stamkos - Not sure who this guy is, but he put up his first point of the season so I thought I'd mention him... wait a second, THIS was the guy that was supposed to win the Calder this season? Really? Huh... well, glad I didn't draft him!

Mike Van Ryn - In my ongoing list of "guys who aren't half bad to fill in if you have an injury at defense," I present you Mr. Van Ryn.

Miikka Kiprusoff - If anyone was actually able to buy low on Kipper when I told them too, man did they ever buy low. It looks like his slow start this season only lasted for a few games instead of a month or two, which comes as a huge sigh of relief to everyone who drafted him high.

Rene Bourque - 1 G, 1 A, +2, 3 SOG last night. I think this is the third time I've mentioned him. If you're in a very deep league, he's most likely still available, and he deserves a home. Will you give him one?

Michael Ryder - Another guy I keep extolling the virtues of, and I'm not going to stop until he's owned in better than 80% of Yahoo leagues (he's at 62% as I write this). Yes he only scored his 2nd goal of the season last night but I'm telling you, sooner or later he's going to be scoring goals by the boatload next to Marc Savard. I don't know how many goals you can load into a boat, but my guess? It's a lot.

Tim Thomas - Well after his second straight shutout it's probably too late to buy low on Thomas, but you may be able to just pick him up in some leagues. Like I said before about the Bruins goaltending situation, I wouldn't at all be surprised to see Manny Fernandez bounce back and have a solid season. But Thomas is plain and simple the better goalie, and will be the #1 for the majority of the time.