This article is part of our The Daily Puck series.
Around the Rink
When you're hot, you're hot, and Patrick Kane is on fire. With Bobby Hull in attendance Sunday, Kane set the Chicago franchise record for the longest point streak at 22 games. The way he did it was priceless, too, batting the puck out of air with his own glove to Artemi Panarin, who then lasered a wrister into an empty net.
Patrick Kane set a new franchise record in unorthodox fashion. #Blackhawks Lear's Look: https://t.co/xaxYMCkMvn
— Eric Lear (@BHTVeric) December 7, 2015The late third-period assist gives Kane 13 goals and 36 points during his 22-game streak.
By comparison, Wayne Gretzky holds the longest point streak (51 games) and Mario Lemieux ranks second (46 games). Incidentally, Lemieux left after two periods during his 47th game because of back pain.
Getting back to Kane's good fortune Sunday, it reminds me of one of my fantasy leagues last season. I was fortunate enough to play for the championship. The Stars' Jamie Benn was playing his last game for my squad with an expiring extended contract. As luck would have it, my team was losing on the final day but the Dallas game was not yet over. When I went to bed I was losing, really thinking my run was over, only to find out the next morning that Benn won the Art Ross Trophy with an empty-net, power-play assist – a secondary assist at that – with seven ticks remaining in regulation.
Amazing!
That would be Benn's last game with me but what a game it was, what a season. The fantasy euphoria I felt was palpable. I still get chills thinking about it. Not Immaculate Reception chills, mind you, but chills nonetheless. Fantasy chills.
And that's why we fantasy hockey owners play the game. We'll never experience what Kane felt Sunday but when we see our countless hours pay off it feels good. Really good.
Projected Goalie Starters (all times Eastern)
For updates on the projected goalies later in the day, check our Projected Goalies Grid
Nashville Predators (Pekka Rinne) at Boston Bruins (Tuukka Rask), 7:00 PM
Minnesota Wild (Darcy Kuemper) at Colorado Avalanche (Semyon Varlamov), 9:00 PM
Buffalo Sabres (Linus Ullmark) at Vancouver Canucks (Ryan Miller), 10:00 PM
Injury News For Teams Playing Monday
Nashville Predators
Miikka Salomaki, RW - Salomaki was placed on injured reserve Thursday. (11/26/2015)
Gabriel Bourque, LW - Bourque (lower body) has been placed on injured reserve, Adam Vingan of The Tennessean reports. (11/28/2015)
Petter Granberg, D - Granberg was claimed off waivers by the Predators on Sunday, Bob McKenzie of TSN reports. (11/22/2015)
Mike Fisher, C - Fisher (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. (12/2/2015)
Boston Bruins
Chris Kelly, RW - Kelly suffered a left femur fracture in Tuesday's game and will be sidelined 6-to-8 months. (11/3/2015)
Adam McQuaid, D - McQuaid will not return to Saturday night's game against Vancouver due to an injury to his left hand. (12/5/2015)
David Pastrnak, LW - The Bruins do not have a timetable for the return of Pastrnak, who is bouncing back from a non-displaced fracture in his left foot, CSN New England reports. (11/30/2015)
Minnesota Wild
Devan Dubnyk, G - Dubnyk will miss at least one game with a mild groin strain, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. (12/6/2015)
Tyler Graovac, C - Graovac (sports hernia) participated in Wednesday's practice, but is still a ways off from returning, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. (12/3/2015)
Zac Dalpe, C - Dalpe underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left hip Thursday, and has been given a recovery timetable of five months. (11/5/2015)
Colorado Avalanche
Ben Street, C - Street (chest) has been placed on injured reserve, TVA Sports reports. (11/23/2015)
Jesse Winchester, LW - Winchester (concussion) has been placed on injured reserve, Marc Moser of AltitudeTV reports. (10/6/2015)
Brad Stuart, D - Stuart has returned to Denver due to some back issues, Drew Spevak of ESPN Denver reports. (11/12/2015)
Buffalo Sabres
Cody McCormick, C - McCormick (illness) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, John Vogl of the Buffalo News reports. (10/6/2015)
Tyler Ennis, LW - Ennis (upper body) is week-to-week, Bill Hoppe of the Times Herald reports. (12/3/2015)
Robin Lehner, G - Lehner (high ankle sprain) no longer has a boot on his right foot, reports NHL.com's Joe Yerdon. (12/3/2015)
Mark Pysyk, D - Sabres coach Dan Blysma considers Pysyk week-to-week with his lower-body injury, Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald reports. (12/3/2015)
Vancouver Canucks
Jake Virtanen, LW - Virtanen is week-to-week with a hip pointer, Matthew Sekeres of TSN 1040 reports. (12/3/2015)
Brandon Sutter, C - Sutter (abdomen) underwent surgery and will be out for four-to-six weeks. (12/2/2015)
Luca Sbisa, D - Sbisa (hand) is only suffering from a short-term injury. (12/4/2015)
Hot
Sergei Bobrovsky, G, CLB – When we last talked about "Bob", we noted how he was the goalie most likely to be dropped in October only to put up stellar stats in January or February. We'll it didn't take that long. Not even close. After losing his first six decisions, Bobrovsky has gone 11-6-1. In his last 14 starts, the Russian has lost only four times (9-4-1), putting up an impressive .943 save percentage. Bobrovsky fantasy owners have seen their patience pay dividends in recent weeks.
Chris Kunitz, LW, PGH – Had a hard time picking Kunitz over Michael Cammalleri or any number of New Jersey players, but the Pittsburgh forward's recent offensive surge is nearly as surprising. Pretty much given up for dead (and rightly so), Kunitz has clicked with Sidney Crosby on a West Coast road trip. Including Sunday's game, he's scored six points (1G, 5A) in three games – this after totaling three points in his first 23 games of 2015-16. The Pens play only two times in Week 10, which is unfortunate for the reinvigorated winger, but it looks like there's at least one last run in Kunitz.
Cold
Jason Zucker, LW, MINN – A trendy fantasy pickup early on, Zucker has cooled off to the tune of one point in his last 10 tilts. His minutes are trending down, also. He's still shooting with 2.6 shots per game during his recent slump and skating on the power play, so there's hope. But it might be wise to bench him until he starts scoring again.
Brandon Saad, LW, CLB – He started out well enough but it just feels like something's missing with Saad. He's avoided the Torts doghouse thus far (although his 13:35 TOI on Saturday was a season low), but it wouldn't be surprising to see him join Ryan Johanssen there at some point. Saad has one assist in his last six and it remains to be seen whether he can continue to grow his game and offensive production post Marian Hossa and company.
Recommended Pickup
Jason Pominville, RW, MINN – "It's not sexy, but it's got teeth" said Mitch McDeere in the movie "The Firm." That kind of fits Pominville's profile. The winger who was best known for not scoring in his first 21 games, now has potted three goals in his last four contests. He's also registered 25 shots in his last six games after totaling 40 in his first 19. Teammate Matt Dumba also has game-winning goals in the Wild's last two games.
