Today's Schedule: 12/31

As we prepare to bring in 2010, A lot of teams will be bringing in the New Year on the Ice. The Dallas Stars will once again play their traditional New Years Eve Game as the Stars welcome the Pacific Division last place team Anaheim Ducks to town. In the early days of the New Years Game, the Stars were nearly unbeatable, but recently, that tradition has been shot down on different occasions.

The Stars are looking to build momentum after an impressive 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks back on Tuesday night. Overall, a busy night with 11 games on the schedule tonight including all 5 Pacific Division teams as the Sharks will travel to Phoenix to take on the Coyotes while the L.A. Kings will play Minnesota.

Also, a blast of the past as the Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings will head each other as the Red Wings are a shell of their former selves while the Colorado Avalanche are still on top of the Northwest Division and have been one of the biggest surprises this season with the young roster.

Also we have a battle of the leagues top teams as the Eastern Conference Leading New Jersey Devils travel to Chicago take on the 2nd place team out West in the Chicago Blackhawks. Could this be a sign of things to come in the playoffs?

The Texas Stars will look to get out of their slump as the Stars will travel to Winnipeg to take on the League Runner Up from last year in the Manitoba Moose for the first of 2 games starting tonight and then on 1/2 as well from the MTS Center. Like the Stars, the Moose have won 3 of their last 4 and are rapidly moving up the North Division Standings just 5 points back of the North Division Leading Rochester Americans.

Houston will continue to their Illinois road trip where after a 5-1 loss to Chicago last night. Tonight, it's the short trip to Peoria to take on the Rivermen where it's starting to look like a penitently playoff matchup as the Rivermen in a tie for 2nd with the Milwaukee Admirals.

After losing a 3-1 lead, the Brahmas will travel to Odessa to take on the Jackalopes who are leading the Southern Conference. Elsewhere, the Allen Americans will head to Kansas to take on the leagues worst team in the Wichita Thunder where an easy win should be in order as the Thunder have won just 3 out of 29 games this season.

Finally, the Corpus Christi Icerayz will play the 2nd half of a home and home against the Laredo Bucks as the league closes in on the CHL All Star Game as the Icerayz look to make up for a slow start and to close the gap between the Icerayz and fellow South Texas Rival Rio Grande Valley who currently hold the final playoff spot in the Southern Conference.

In the North American Hockey League, the Wichita Falls Wildcats will return from the league Christmas Break with a road trip to South Division leading Topeka.

If the Wildcats will look to improve on a bad start to the season, as the Wildcats have just won 9 of 30 games and are in danger of missing the playoffs, just one year after the team came so close to upsetting the Topeka Roadrunners last year. And they have been one of the leagues biggest disappointments in the first half of the season.

Professional Scores

National Hockey League

Montreal Canadians 5 Florida Panthers 4 (1-2, 2-1, 2-1)
www.nhl.com/ice/gamecenter.htm?id=2009020598

NY Islanders 2 Ottawa Senators 3 (SO) (0-0, 1-2, 1-0, 0-0, 0-1)
www.nhl.com/ice/gamecenter.htm?id=2009020599

Colorado Avalanche 2 Detroit Red Wings 4 (0-0, 1-2, 1-2)
www.nhl.com/ice/gamecenter.htm?id=2009020600

Nashville Predators 2 Columbus Blue Jackets 1 (OT) (0-1, 0-0, 1-0, 1-0)
www.nhl.com/ice/gamecenter.htm?id=2009020601

San Jose Sharks 3 Phoenix Coyotes 2 (SO) (0-0, 1-2, 1-0, 0-0, 1-0)
www.nhl.com/ice/gamecenter.htm?id=2009020602

Vancouver Canucks 4 St. Louis Blues 3 (OT) (0-1, 1-2, 2-0, 1-0)
www.nhl.com/ice/gamecenter.htm?id=2009020604

NY Rangers 2 Carolina Hurricanes 1 (1-1, 0-0, 1-0)
www.nhl.com/ice/gamecenter.htm?id=2009020603

Los Angeles Kings 5 Minnesota Wild 2 (3-0, 1-1, 1-1)
www.nhl.com/ice/gamecenter.htm?id=2009020605

Anaheim Ducks 3 Dallas Stars 5 (1-1, 1-3, 1-1)
www.nhl.com/ice/gamecenter.htm?id=2009020606

Game Story: http://stars.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2009020606

New Jersey Devils 1 Chicago Blackhawks 5 (0-2, 0-1, 1-2)
www.nhl.com/ice/gamecenter.htm?id=2009020607

Edmonton Oilers 1 Calgary Flames 2 (0-0, 0-1, 1-1)
www.nhl.com/ice/gamecenter.htm?id=2009020608


American Hockey League

Albany River Rats 1 Adirondack Phantoms 0 (1-0, 0-0, 0-0)
http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006555

Rochester Americans 1 Lake Erie Monsters 5 (1-2, 0-1, 0-2)
http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006558

Texas Stars 2 Manitoba Moose 3 (1-1, 1-2, 0-0)
http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006560

Game Story: www.texasstarshockey.com/news/news/index.html?article_id=133

Worcester Sharks 3 Portland Pirates 1 (1-0, 1-1, 1-0)
http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006562

Norfolk Admirals 2 Binghamton Senators 3 (OT) (0-1, 1-1, 1-0, 0-1)
http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006556

Hamilton Bulldogs 7 Grand Rapids Griffins 3 (1-2, 6-0, 0-1)
http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006557

Lowell Devils 5 Manchester Monarchs 2 (3-0, 1-0, 1-2)
http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006559

Chicago Wolves 4 Peoria Rivermen 1 (3-0, 1-0, 0-1)
http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006561

Houston Aeros 4 Rockford Icehogs 5 (OT) (0-0, 3-2, 1-2, 0-1)
http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006563

Game Story: www.aeros.com/news/news/index.html?article_id=2414


Central Hockey League

Allen Americans 3 Wichita Thunder 0 (1-0, 1-0, 1-0)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1067639

Game Story: www.allenamericans.com/articles/news.asp?articleid=191

Corpus Christi Icerayz 5 Laredo Bucks 3 (1-0, 2-2, 2-1)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1067640

Game Story: www.goicerays.com/news/headlines/index.html?article_id=897

Texas Brahmas 2 Odessa Jackalopes 4 (0-2, 1-1, 1-1)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1067641

Game Story: www.brahmas.com/news/articles/index.html?article_id=1252

Rapid City Rush 6 Amarillo Gorillas 5 (SO) (1-1, 2-2, 2-2, 0-0, 1-0)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1067642

Game Story: www.amarillogorillas.com/media/news.php?id=320

Colorado Eagles 5 Missouri Mavericks 1 (3-0, 1-1, 1-0)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1067643

Mississippi Riverkings 2 Tulsa Oilers 3 (OT) (0-0, 0-0, 2-2, 0-1)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1067644

Game Story: www.tulsaoilers.com/news/oilers-news/bartholomay-hat-trick-leads-ot-victory-3-2/

Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees 3 Arizona Sundogs 2 (2-0, 1-2, 0-0)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1067645

Game Story: http://killerbeeshockey.com/bees-edge-sundogs-on-new-years-eve/


Major Junior

Western Hockey League

Brandon Wheat Kings 6 Edmonton Oil Kings 2 (2-0, 4-0, 0-2)
http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006568

Regina Pats 4 Kootenay Ice 8 (1-0, 1-5, 2-3)
http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006570

Kelowna Rockets 3 Chilliwack Bruins 4 (OT) (1-1, 0-2, 2-0, 0-1)
http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006567

Saskatoon Blades 2 Everett Silvertips 1 (1-0, 1-1, 0-0)
http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006569

Spokane Chiefs 2 Tri-City Americans 5 (1-2, 0-2, 1-1)
http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006572

Seattle Thunderbirds 0 Portland Winterhawks 6 (0-1, 0-1, 0-4)
http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1006571


Ontario Hockey League

Mississauga St. Micheal's Majors 1 Brampton Battalion 4 (0-2, 1-1, 0-1)
www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=16349

Saginaw Spirit 3 Windsor Spitfires 4 (SO) (0-2, 2-1, 1-0, 0-0, 0-1)
www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=16354

Sarnia Sting 4 London Knights 3 (3-1, 1-1, 0-1)
www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=16350

Sudbury Wolves 3 Sault St. Marie Greyhounds 4 (OT) (1-2, 1-1, 1-0, 0-1)
www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=16353

Erie Otters 8 Niagara Icedogs 7 (3-4, 3-2, 2-1)
www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=16351

Belleville Bulls 0 Peterborough Petes 1 (0-1, 0-0, 0-0)
www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=16352

Owen Sound Attack 6 Barrie Colts 4 (0-1, 3-1, 3-2)
www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=16348


Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Gatineau Olympiques 7 Lewiston Maineiacs 1 (2-0, 2-1, 3-0)
www.lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en/index.php?page=342374&id_partie=20581

St. John Seadogs 4 Moncton Wildcats 3 (SO) (0-1, 1-2, 2-0, 0-0, 1-0)
www.lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en/index.php?page=342374&id_partie=20582


U.S.A. Juniors

United States Hockey League

Chicago Steel 3 Indiana Ice 5 (0-1, 1-1, 2-3)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1048967

USNTDP 3 Fargo Force 4 (3-2, 0-1, 0-1)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1048961

Des Moines Buccaneers 1 Green Bay Gamblers 4 (0-1, 1-2, 0-1)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1048962

Omaha Lancers 5 Sioux City Musketeers 3 (2-0, 2-2, 1-1)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1048963

Lincoln Stars 3 Waterloo Blackhawks 4 (SO) (0-1, 2-1, 1-1, 0-0, 0-1)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1048965

Youngstown Phantoms 1 Cedar Rapids Roughriders 5 (0-0, 1-3, 0-2)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1048966

Sioux Falls Stampede 4 Tri-City Storm 2 (1-1, 2-1, 1-0)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1048964


North American Hockey League

Albert Lea Thunder 1 Owatonna Express 3 (1-1, 0-2, 0-0)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1068352

Traverse City North Stars 5 Alpena Ice Diggers 2 (1-1, 3-0, 1-1)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1068354

Wichita Falls Wildcats 2 Topeka Roadrunners 5 (0-3, 1-0, 1-2)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1068353

Alexandria Blizzard 3 Bismarck Bobcats 4 (1-1, 1-3, 1-0)
www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1068355