Alex Ovechkin’s slump, big nights for Abdelkader, Datsyuk and Smith; lineup news, fantasy tips and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. [url=http://www.authenticbasketballshopheat.info/rodney-mcgruder-heat-je rsey/]Rodney McGruder Jersey[/url] . Held scoreless in Wednesday’s 4-2 loss to Detr

Alex Ovechkin’s slump, big nights for Abdelkader, Datsyuk and Smith; lineup news, fantasy tips and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. Rodney McGruder Jersey . Held scoreless in Wednesday’s 4-2 loss to Detroit, Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin has now gone a career-worst five consecutive games without a point. It’s not burying Ovechkin to point out that he’s in a slump (and I’ve already been something of an Ovechkin apologist in the past), but it’s easy to see that Ovechkin is really doing a lot well right now, even if the points haven’t been coming as expected over this short span of games. In the first nine games of the Barry Trotz era in Washington, Ovechkin has posted a career-best Corsi% (measuring even-strength shot attempts) of 59.4%. OVECHKIN POSSESSION STATS YEAR CORSI% CORSI REL% 2007-08 58.1% +4.2% 2008-09 57.4% +4.2% 2009-10 57.8% +7.2% 2010-11 53.9% +4.0% 2011-12 47.4% -2.3% 2012-13 49.2% +0.7% 2013-14 49.3% +2.5% 2014-15 59.4% +5.0% What’s encouraging about these numbers is that Ovechkin is driving play like he did earlier in his career, and a far cry from his 2011-2012 season when his offensive production hit career-low rates (65 points in 78 games). Like last season, Ovechkin is not getting much help from linemates – his lone assist this year has come on the power play – but thanks to a recent decline in shots on goal, his 4.22 shots on goal per game ranks as the second-lowest of his career. In the first four games of this dry spell, Ovechkin had mustered just seven shots on goal and that’s some reason for concern, because he’s always been a high-volume shooter, leading the league in shots on goal in eight of his nine seasons but, let’s not overreact, it was just four games. Wednesday, against Detroit, Ovechin attempted 13 shots, with seven on goal, against the Red Wings, which is a good way to get out of a scoring slump. Because Ovechkin’s underlying numbers have been so good, there’s not so much reason to worry about this slump, because those signs point to goals and points coming back at a more regular rate soon. HEROES Justin Abdelkader – Hard-hitting winger who gets to play a complementary role with some elite players in Detroit and he scored two goals and an assist in Wednesday’s 4-2 win at Washington. He scored a career-high 28 points last season, but has eight points (5 G, 3 A) in nine games this year, riding a 22.7% shooting percentage that won’t last, but he is also playing a career-high 16:30 per game and generating a career-best 2.44 shots on goal per game. Pavel Datsyuk – The Magician tallied a goal and an assist, with a team-leading eight shot attempts (4 SOG) in the win at Washington. Datsyuk has five points in four games since returning from injury, and the Red Wings have eased him in, playing 18:42 per game. The last season in which he averaged less ice time per game (than this admittedly very small sample) was 2005-2006. Craig Smith – The Predators’ leading goal-scorer, with 24, last season, Smith buried a pair of goals on nine shot attempts (5 SOG), while posting quality possession stats (17 shot attempts for, 10 against, 63.0%) in a 4-1 win at Edmonton. ZEROES Niklas Kronwall – The Red Wings’ No. 1 defenceman had a rough night, possession-wise, on for five shot attempts for and 18 against (21.7%). His worst forward matchups, head-to-head, were against Capitals C Nicklas Backstrom (2 shot attempts for, 10 against, 16.7%) and RW Joel Ward (2 for, 13 against, 13.3%). Mark Arcobello – Despite not starting an even-strength shift in the defensive zone, the Oilers’ centre had his team’s worst possession stats (9 shot attempts for, 16 against, 36.0%). SHORT SHIFTS Red Wings C Henrik Zetterberg had a pair of assists…Predators D Roman Josi had two assists and blocked seven shots…Predators G Pekka Rinne stopped 26 of 27 shots for the win in Edmonton. LINEUP NEED TO KNOW Capitals RW Eric Fehr was scratched from the lineup as second-year RW Tom Wilson was inserted into the lineup for his first game of the season after suffering a broken ankle in the summer. Predators C Calle Jarnkrok, still looking for his first point of the season, was scratched from the lineup in Edmonton Wednesday. Predators D Seth Jones played a season-low 14:46 at Edmonton, though had a solid possession game (15 shot attempts for, 9 against, 62.5%) in that limited role. FIRSTS Predators C Matt Cullen played his first game of the season, picking up an assist while playing 15:18. FANTASY FOCUS A few players, available in more than half of TSN leagues, to monitor on a busy 10-game night in the NHL: Jori Lehtera – Someone in St. Louis has to get the puck to the Blues’ scoring wingers and with injuries to Paul Stastny and David Backes, Lehtera is clearly the best option down the middle. He has six points in seven games and is centering Alexander Steen and Vladimir Tarasenko heading into tonight’s matchup with Anaheim. Michael Raffl – Getting moved to the Flyers’ top line with Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek is working well for Raffl, who has four goals and five points in the past five games. Tonight, the Flyers go to Tampa Bay, which isn’t an easy matchup, but Raffl is still available in nearly 99% of TSN leagues. Seth Griffith – The rookie winger has emerged as the Bruins’ best option on the right side with David Krejci and Milan Lucic, scoring three goals and five points in the past four games. Really, anyone on the Bruins is worth a look since they are in Buffalo to play the Sabres. Much of the data included comes from www.war-on-ice.com, www.puckalytics.com, www.hockeystats.ca and www.naturalstattrick.com Scott Cullen can be reached at scott.cullen@bellmedia.ca Custom Miami Heat Jerseys . Pikul Khueanpet scored early in the second half and Kanjana Sungngoen made it 2-0 in the 65th minute of the playoff. Tuyet Dong narrowed the margin with goal four minutes from time. The win gave Thailand fifth place at the Asian Cup and the last of the continents qualifying spots for the 2015 Womens World Cup in Canada. Alonzo Mourning Jersey . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell while figuring out which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. http://www.authenticbasketballshopheat.info/kelly-olynyk-heat-jersey/ . -- Slugger Jose Abreu, All-Star left-hander Chris Sale and closer Matt Lindstrom are on the disabled list.BUFFALO, N.Y. - General manager Tim Murray decided defenceman Christian Ehrhoff and his hefty contract did not fit in his long-term vision for rebuilding the Buffalo Sabres. Former Sabres captain Steve Ott, on the other hand, just might. Fresh off clearing Buffalos books of the remaining seven years of Ehrhoffs contract, Murray is targeting veteran role players to augment his teams young roster once the NHLs free-agency period opens Tuesday. "Id like to acquire a couple of veteran guys who can play the game, but can also show our kids how to be pros," Murray said Monday. "So Im going to focus on at least two of those guys." And that makes Ott a candidate to return to Buffalo after he was part the Sabres trade that also sent goalie Ryan Miller to St. Louis in February. Murray said Ott is on the teams list of free-agent candidates, and added hes had preliminary discussions with the players agent. Ott was expendable at the time of the trade because he was in the final year of his contract. Murray, who spoke highly of Otts leadership ability before the trade, was careful to make sure Ott left on good terms by dealing him to a contender. As for Ehrhoff, who signed a 10-year, $40 million contract three years ago, Murray said the defenceman wasnt interested in being part of the teams rebuilding process. The way Ehrhoffs contract was structured was another factor. Under NHL rules, the Sabres would have faced a significant salary-cap penalty if Ehrhoff retired before the final year of his deal. "This seemed to be the best course of action for us to move on, be out from under that contract," Murray said. "And now we dont have to worry about it. Now we just have to focus on rebuilding, bringing in good young players and get going here." Murray, who took over in January after Darcy Regier was fired, is taking a patient appproach to rebuilding a team that is coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history. Edrice Adebayo Jersey. Buffalo (21-51-10) finished last in the NHL standings, set a franchise record for losses and established a post-NHL-expansion-era low by scoring just 150 goals. Murray has set his sights on rebuilding through youth, a process that continued at the NHL draft last weekend. The Sabres made nine picks, starting with playmaking centre Sam Reinhart at No. 2 overall. Buffalo is scheduled to have three first-round picks in next years draft, which leaves Murray preaching patience. "We all want to speed things up. As soon as we got (Reinhart), I said I wish it was 2016. But its not. And you have to do it properly," Murray said. "Its not easy. Its hard. It takes a long time. And I think that were on the right track." Aside from convincing free agents to buy into his rebuilding plan, Murrays other challenge is upping the Sabres payroll to the NHL salary cap minimum of $51 million. The Sabres are currently at about $30 million after buying out Ehrhoff and the final three years of underperforming forward Ville Leinos contract two weeks ago. Murray is confident the Sabres will reach the cap minimum before the start of the season, and can do so without handcuffing the teams salary structure with expensive long-term contracts. "Im not worried about the floor," Murray said, and then broke into a smile while pointing to a reporter. "Ill sign you if I have to." The Sabres have extended qualifying offers to retain the rights of a number of restricted free agents, including centres Tyler Ennis and Luke Adam, forward Marcus Foligno, defenceman Chad Ruhwedel and goalie Matt Hackett. Defenceman Jamie McBain will become an unrestricted free agent after the Sabres did not extend him and offer. Authentic Nike Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Tennessee Titans Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Washington Redskins Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Arizona Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Denver Broncos Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Green Bay Packers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Los Angeles Chargers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike New England Patriots Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Oakland Raiders Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Seattle Seahawks Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Carolina Panthers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Cleveland Browns Jerseys Cheap Cheap Throwback Baseball Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Atlanta Braves Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Baltimore Orioles Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Boston Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago Cubs Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago White Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cincinnati Reds Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cleveland Indians Jerseys ' ' '