Posted by Sean Allen, Special to ESPN.com
The Tampa Bay Lightning have won three games in a row for just the second time this season after a 6-4 victory over the state-rival Panthers. This current three-game win streak happens to coincide with a line change that many thought was obvious before the season. Ryan Malone has replaced Vaclav Prospal alongside Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis in the team's past three games.
Signed to a seven-year deal in the offseason, most fantasy prognosticators felt the sole purpose of the Malone signing was to lock up a winger for the team's two stars (Lecavalier and St. Louis). After all, Malone had extensive experience with star players in Pittsburgh skating alongside Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. After a slow start, though, Malone wasn't able to unseat Prospal, the incumbent linemate to the stars.
Coach Rick Tocchet finally removed Prospal from the coveted spot after a Dec. 20 loss to Atlanta that marked Prospal's sixth straight game with no points. Malone skated with the pair in victories at Pittsburgh and Florida on Tuesday and Friday but didn't notch a point with Lecavalier and St. Louis. (His assist came on an Evgeny Artyukhin goal Friday.) Then came Saturday's home date of a two-day battle with the Panthers. Malone not only managed to score himself but also assisted on both of Lecavalier's goals and on St. Louis' tally.
I had no qualms in projecting Malone in August as a top-75 fantasy player based on an assumption that he would play on a line with St. Louis and Lecavalier all season. That, of course, didn't pan out at first, but this newfound life on that very line still could make Malone a coveted fantasy asset. Despite what the news feed on his ESPN.com player card might suggest, Malone is someone to invest in at the moment. He is available in 48 percent of ESPN.com leagues.
Given the Bolts' trouble finding the back of the net this season, it's unlikely that Tocchet will break up this new combination anytime soon. Given such awesome linemates and a propensity for spending time in the penalty box, Malone could have solid value in every category but plus/minus.
Ice chips
David Booth had two goals and an assist for the losing Panthers. If you were about to pick him up before he was injured at the end of November, revisit the idea. … Steve Mason's third shutout of the season was a 3-0 Columbus win over Philadelphia. He still paces the NHL for goals-against average and is mercifully up to 72 percent ownership in ESPN.com leagues. … Well, hello there, Jonathan Quick! Starting his fourth straight game for the Kings, Quick recorded his second shutout in three tries as L.A. topped Phoenix 4-0. You can't be faulted for grabbing him, as the Kings' defense allows the fewest shots on goal of any team in the NHL. Just don't go thinking you'll get a shutout more often than not. He could easily beat out Jason LaBarbera and Erik Ersberg for the lion's share of starts going forward. … Teddy Purcell notched two assists as part of a revamped No. 2 power-play unit for the Kings. Working with Kyle Quincey, Jarret Stoll, Michal Handzus and Alexander Frolov on the man advantage could turn him into a power-play specialist. He just has to survive the roster cutdown once Oscar Moller returns from the IIHF World Junior Championship. …
Don't ignore
Rene Bourque in deeper formats. His hat trick in Calgary's 6-3 trouncing of Ottawa brings him to a running December total of eight goals, 10 points and plus-7 in 11 games. He and
Daymond Langkow are finding some mojo on the Flames' second line. … I'll spare you the headache of going through the Sens' line combinations in yet another spectacular failure by the team. I'd just like to note that blue-chip defensive prospect
Brian Lee topped 25 minutes of ice time paired with
Chris Phillips. …
The still underowned
Travis Zajac had three points for the Devils in a 4-2 beating of the Rangers. As usual,
Zach Parise also had a point on two of Zajac's goals. They really are quite the combo. … It turns out
Andrei Kostitsyn is still alive and well. After going pointless in six games, Kostitsyn scored three goals in Montreal's 3-2 win over Pittsburgh. The also-struggling
Tomas Plekanec assisted on two of them. You are easily forgiven if you still have faith in the line of Plekanec, Kostitsyn and
Alexei Kovalev after their terrific output last season. But previous positive signs this season have led to just more disappointment. It's not time to get excited until these three can string together a number of games with decent output. Still, if you are in a deeper league and someone has given up on one of the players, scoop him up in hopes it will turn out to be a pre-emptive strike. …
Let's hope it was just a one-game visit to the doghouse for
Devin Setoguchi. The upstart winger played fewer minutes than in any other contest this season, as the Sharks fell to St. Louis 3-2 in a shootout. Setoguchi was taken off a line with
Joe Thornton and
Patrick Marleau and placed on the fourth line with
Jody Shelley and
Tom Cavanagh. He barely saw the ice after the second period. Meanwhile,
Mike Grier and
Jonathan Cheechoo each had a goal and an assist after being paired up with Thornton. Hopefully, Setoguchi's lack of performance was just a part of coach Todd McLellan's feeling especially grumpy after Christmas. He told The Associated Press, "Way too many passengers. Still celebrating Christmas. Whatever. We weren't prepared to play, and to be quite honest with you, you could almost see it coming." Keep an eye on how things pan out in San Jose in the coming days, but any line shake-up would cause quite the change in value for several players. …
The absence of Colorado's No. 1 and No. 2 center men has given
Tyler Arnason an opportunity to make some noise.
Paul Stastny will miss some time with a fractured forearm and
Joe Sakic is already out until March, so that leaves Arnason between
Milan Hejduk and
Ryan Smyth on the team's first line. All three goals in the Avalanche's 4-3 shootout win over Detroit came on the power play, though, and Arnason is not a part of the first unit. (
Marek Svatos takes his place.) …
Nicklas Lidstrom missed Saturday's contest with a swollen ankle but hopes to be back by Monday. …
Peter Budaj got the much-needed win in net for the Avalanche. It was his first victory in four starts as
Andrew Raycroft has been seeing more playing time. Keep an eye on the battle, as Razor's 6-1 record should be enough to cause concern for Budaj owners. …
Can someone please cut
Rod Brind'Amour a break? He was minus-3 in Carolina's 4-2 loss to the Bruins and is minus-26 on the season. That makes him downright untouchable for most fantasy teams. …
Blake Wheeler had two of Boston's goals to give him his second two-goal game in three outings. He is yet another young Bruin who deserves more attention in fantasy. … On the heels of a Tuesday hat trick in Toronto,
James Neal managed a two-point effort in Dallas' 4-3 overtime beating of Anaheim. Neal is lining up alongside
Mike Modano and
Jere Lehtinen and will benefit from the two veteran forwards. Still, a mild approach is necessary, as oftentimes that line will be the third scoring option on this Stars team. …
Joey MacDonald was back between the pipes Saturday for the Islanders after the Friday return of No. 1 goaltender
Rick DiPietro. The 4-3 shootout loss to Buffalo means MacDonald is 0-8-2 in December and can be thrown back onto the free-agent pile in fantasy leagues with DiPietro's return.
Sean Allen is a fantasy baseball and hockey analyst for ESPN.com. You can e-mail him here.
