Hype for December 24, 2009

Ilya Bryzgalov's Phoenix Coyotes teammates made his NHL-leading fifth shutout easy.

Bryzgalov stopped 21 shots for his 13th career shutout and the Coyotes beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-0 on Wednesday night for their eighth straight home victory.

"We didn't give them anything tonight and that was our plan," Bryzgalov said. "We wanted to pressure them all over the ice and force them to make turnovers. We executed well and paid attention to the little things because in the big picture it's the little things in hockey."

As Rick DiPietro’s long, strange trip back to starting duties with the Islanders nears its end, Martin Biron’s not-so-Magical Mystery Tour of the NHL will likely start again in 2010.

DiPietro, who will reach the one-year anniversary of his last win on Boxing Day (4-1 over the Leafs where he was second star and had an assist), is awaiting final clearance from various knee surgeries to play net sometime in the next week to 10 days. He had his first full NHL workout of the season on Tuesday.

Flyers forwards Jeff Carter and Scott Hartnell are upset that a blogger has spread a rumor - which the players strongly deny - at the expense of people's reputations.

In this case, the reputations are those belonging to Carter, Hartnell, and Hartnell's wife, Lisa.

Canada has won five straight world junior championships thanks in part to its intimidating physical play.

This year, it seems other countries are taking notice.

Jordan Eberle scored the winning goal as Canada edged the Czech Republic 3-2 in a chippy world junior exhibition game Wednesday night.

It took until the final game of a four-game homestand for the New York Islanders to capitalize on the home-ice advantage.

Trent Hunter and John Tavares scored 90 seconds apart in the second period, and Dwayne Roloson made 26 saves to help the Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 on Wednesday night.

Evgeni Malkin put on a show for Hall of Famer Vladislav Tretiak.

With Tretiak, the former Soviet goalie now serving as Russia's Olympic hockey general manager, looking on Wednesday night, Malkin had his fourth NHL hat trick to help the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Ottawa Senators 8-2.

Glen Metropolit and Andrei Markov are putting the power in Montreal's power play. Not that the Canadiens really needed that much offence, with Jaroslav Halak stopping pucks like this again.

Metropolit scored two goals with the man advantage after Markov had his third in three games, Halak made 46 saves and the Canadiens routed the Carolina Hurricanes 5-1 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory.

Chris Mason stopped 23 shots in regulation and overtime, then blanked the Calgary Flames in a shootout to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 2-1 win Wednesday night at the Saddledome.

The Flames didn't beat Mason until 7:42 remained in the third period, and it took a lucky bounce. Off a clean faceoff win by Daymond Langkow, Mark Giordano's wrist shot from the point hit St. Louis defenceman Mike Weaver and beat Mason to the far side.