Around the Rink: 13 Games on the NHL Schedule Tonight, Round One for AO versus Sid the Kid, Team Cherry ousts Team Orr in CHL Top Prospects Game

With 26 teams in action, there's no shortage of drama in the hockey world tonight.

The Flyers will play host to the Rangers, who were embarrassed by the Broadstreet Bullies 6-0 in their first meeting of the season at the Garden. Expect a physical game in this one. I'd put the over/under at 6 penalty minutes for Avery...give me the over.

Brent Burns will return for the Wild tonight after missing 29 games with a concussion. They'll be visited by the Red Wings, who are currently sitting one point out of the eight spot in the West.

The Chicago/Calgary game should be feisty. With the Flames losing four straight and Hawks losing their last outing 4-1 to a short-handed Ottawa team, you can bet there will be a lot of players hot under the collar. Expect plenty of action and a few early bouts of fisticuffs.

The latest game on the schedule will see the Ducks pay a visit to San Jose. Whenever these two teams meets it's fun to watch. Expect Ryan Getzlaf to go up against Joe Thornton all night - playing "Jumbo Joe" always brings out the best in the Ducks' top go-to-guy.

But tonight's feature attraction features the first round of Caps versus Pens. Sidney Crosby vs. Alexander Ovechkin. Evgeni Malkin vs. Ovechkin. Crosby vs. Alexander Semin. Considered by many the league's current top rivalry, Capitals/Penguins games include the league's three top forwards and arguably the top two Cup contenders in the Eastern Conference.

But, why, WHY I ask, is round one of AO vs. Sid the same night as the NBA has Lebron tipping off against Kobe? C'mon.

Sid the Kid is fresh off of a six point outing against the Islanders, while Malkin is coming off of his second hat trick of the season. For the Caps, Jose Theodore played arguably his best game of the season two nights ago against the Red Wings, stopping 44 of 46 shots in a win over the Red Wings.

For those of you as nostalgic about the NHL's past as I am, here's a video from last year's playoff match-up between the Pens and Caps - Game Two. A 4-3 Caps win that saw both Crosby and Ovechkin notch hat tricks. Each player's third goal is absolutely sick - the kind of goals only Ovechkin and Crosby could score.



Last night's CHL Top Prospects Game saw Team Cherry beat Team Orr 4-2.

The game was very entertaining - physical, a good tempo, and a good chance to look at kids battling to better their draft stocks.

Here's a few thoughts on the game:

TSN's Bob McKenzie
NHL.com's Adam Kimelman