Posted by Victoria Matiash, Special to ESPN.com
'Tis the season for gratitude and thankfulness. Every player in the NHL received two full days off over Christmas, but the members of the New York Islanders were blessed with a bonus gift as well. After missing the bulk of the season while recovering from knee surgery, franchise goaltender Rick DiPietro was back in net for the Isles on Boxing Day. And boy, he looked just swell. Stopping 28 of 29 shots, DiPietro helped his team to a 4-1 victory over the Maple Leafs, their first win in December. If the 27-year-old isn't feeling 100 percent, it's not obvious. He moved quickly and confidently and made several saves others may have not (ahem, Joey MacDonald). All around, an excellent performance.
The fantasy owner can expect DiPietro's numbers to be similar to those of Lightning netminder Mike Smith if he stays healthy. He'll likely lose more games than he wins because he's in the unfortunate position of playing for a substandard team, but his talent alone should ensure a save percentage of better than .900 and a goals-against average in the 2.65 range. And he'll play almost every game -- only, of course, if he doesn't re-aggravate a knee or hip injury. It's a big risk, to be sure. But if DiPietro's first game back is any indication, it's a gamble worth taking, especially if you need fantasy help in net.
Furthermore, DiPietro offers more than the numbers he'll put up as an individual. Even teams that aren't very good play better when they feel they can rely on their goaltender. That confidence goes a long way in terms of how the forwards and defensemen play up front. Also, DiPietro is one of the best puck-handling goalies in the league. Opposing teams will have to think twice before softly dumping it in. All in all, the Islanders, as a whole, will play better as long as their star is back between the pipes. Good news for those fantasy owners who may have other players on the squad.
Ice Chips
Marc-Andre Fleury is truly reveling in the festive spirit. The Penguins netminder stopped all 37 shots against New Jersey on Friday for his first shutout of the year. In his fifth game back from injury, he told the Associated Press that he's finally "feeling better, timing-wise." … Sidney Crosby, on the other hand, looks to be dismally affected by the holiday blues. Crosby didn't register a single shot in his second straight game. … Ilya who? Following two goals in his last game, Bryan Little earned his first career hat trick in Atlanta's 5-4 loss to Carolina. Slava Kozlov assisted on all three of Little's goals -- two with the man-advantage -- plus one scored by Todd White on the power play. Ilya Kovalchuk, on the other hand, didn't register a point and hasn't scored a goal in seven games. … On Carolina's side of the puck, Eric Staal countered with three goals of his own, notching his sixth career hat trick. … The Red Winds lost more than just the game in Nashville on Friday night. Star defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom left the ice in the second period after taking a puck to his ankle. Coach Mike Babcock said an X-ray was negative, but Lidstrom didn't return to the game and is considered day-to-day. Don't count on seeing him in Detroit's lineup for Saturday's game with Colorado. … Jonathan Quick followed up his first shutout of his career Tuesday with another solid performance against Phoenix but fell short of the win. The 22-year old allowed only two goals on 26 shots in Los Angeles' 2-1 loss. … Looking for his third shutout in a row, Tomas Vokoun fell significantly short. Florida's No. 1 was replaced by Craig Anderson after allowing three goals through two periods against the Lightning. … Steve Eminger and Evgeny Artyukhin were fantasy standouts in Tampa Bay's 4-3 shootout victory. Eminger potted a goal and two assists, while Artyukhin scored and collected 20 minutes in the penalty box. He fought twice and misconducted himself once (behaved poorly after the first fight). … Having dealt with flight problems, Mats Sundin won't join the Canucks until Monday at the earliest; he won't be in the lineup for at least a week.
