Here are your Evening Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.
Preview: Colorado Avalanche at Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. EST; TV: CSNC). Hey, it's the big Joel Quenneville Reunion game! Always an interesting time when the old coach faces his old team while coaching a conference rival. Hey, maybe since the Avalanche defense is playing like poo, Jonathan Toews can finally find the back of the net in regulation. The Avs must be chuckling over Coach Q once again using the goalie rotation with a new team.
• NHL: "Whoopee, we set attendance records in October. We rule!" Mirtle: "Yeah, not so much. Have you seen the 18 teams whose attendance actually declined in October? Like Atlanta at 13,260 per game? Fail." (The NHL and James Mirtle have both been portrayed here by professional actors; paid for by Puck Daddy '08.) [From the Rink]
• As if Alexander Semin couldn't get any cooler, the dude wins first star for October and ties a Dale Hunter record. [Capitals Insider]
• Hey, big ups to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN for giving us proper credit for the Semin interview, although it should be noted once again that Dmitry Chesnokov actually conducted the interview. At the same time: Enough with the "there must have been something lost in translation!" card that's been played by LeBrun, the Pittsburgh media and now Ted Leonsis in an e-mail to ESPN. Dmitry is a professional journalist who conducted the interview in person. We stand by his translation of Semin's response to the Sidney Crosby question. [ESPN]
(Ed. Note: There's a potentially NSFW, or not safe for those with good taste, photo after the jump. Be warned.)
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• An interesting look at the political leanings inside the Washington Capitals' locker room. [In the Room]
Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets at New York Islanders (7 p.m. EST; TV: FSOH, MSG). Pascal Leclaire vs. Rick DiPietro could have been fun. But they're both out. So is Derick Brassard, one of the top rookies in the league this season for Columbus. Meanwhile, from the Blog Box: "Scott Gordon's first 10 games as head coach are among the worst in team history, down there with Earl Ingarfield and Phil Goyette, who posted their stanky stretches in the inaugural and historically bad 1972-73 season."
• Brendan Shanahan to the Philadelphia Flyers? If the Devils don't want him, Bob McKenzie believes that might be the case. [TSN]
• Is this the start of the Erik Ersberg era for the Los Angeles Kings? [Inside the Kings]
• Dear God that is so, so wrong. We're as twisted as they come, but if this dude wore this costume in 2008 after the whole Malarchuk/gun thing ... yikes. [The Score, via College Humor]
Preview: Buffalo Sabres at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. EST; TV: VS). Some guy wants to start a Buffalo Sabres museum with all of his killer memorabilia. There's really no point in attempting this unless you get Hull's skate from the 1999 finals. Meanwhile, the Devils are being really, really quiet on the Martin Brodeur injury front. Hopefully Versus had a Plan B in promoting tonight's game. Hello, Zach Parise video vignette.
• Floating the official "Hey, if Marty's on the shelf for a while, how about Nikolai Khabibulin?" trial balloon by the Chicago media. [Daily Herald]
• In a rather entertaining notebook, Adrian Dater wonders if the Blackhawks might actually trade Cristobal Huet instead. You know, there's this team in Washington that ... nah. [All Things Avs]
• Finally, ESPN's Barry Melrose visits the Meadowlands Psychic during the 2003 Stanley Cup finals. Poor video quality ... hell, poor quality all around. And she said he'll never coach again. Fraud!
