Alex Semin visits Capitals; Martin Brodeur to IR; great USHL shootout goal (Puck Previews)

Here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

Preview: Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET. Much has already been made about Alex Semin making his first visit to Verizon Center since leaving the Capitals to sign with the Hurricanes over the summer. Will there be a short video tribute? Probably not. Will Semin go bongo punching on Troy Brower after his comments on Tuesday? Probably not. Will he score against his former team? Probably, because that always seems to be the case in these situations.

Preview: Phoenix Coyotes at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m. ET. The Canucks look to rebound after their 8-3 thrashing at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. It's Cory Schneider's turn in net as he tries to help Vancouver snap a two-game losing streak at Rogers Arena. David Booth will also be back after an illness went around the team. The Coyotes enter tonight's game having blown two leads in their last two games. According to head coach Dave Tippett, Phoenix will be without Radim Vrbata, Martin Hanzal, Derek Morris and David Schlemko.

Preview: Colorado Avalanche at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m. ET The Sharks need to turn around their current 1-6-3 skid if they're to avoid any potential shakeup within the team. According to the AP, San Jose has posted a 3-plus-goal game just one time in their last 10. Brent Burns and the suspendes Ryane Clowe will be missing from the lineup tonight. For the Avalanche, they'll be without Matt Duchene, who's nursing an injured groin.

Evening Reading

• New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur has been placed on injured reserve retroactive to Feb. 24 and the team has recalled Keith Kinkaid. [Devils]

• Something Nail Yakupov did last night got under the skin of CSN Chicago analyst Eddie Olczyk. Try to contain your laughter. [Cult of Hockey]

• We'd read any quote from Darryl Sutter that begins with, "By the time I got home and got my jammies on..." [Mayor's Manor]

• Via Buzzing the Net, here's a great shootout goal by Sam Anas of the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms:

Puck Buddy Comment of the Day: ChicagoNativeSon, from Mooney's outstanding piece on the kid goalie who let in 60 goals:

Bold prediction: Alex Semin scores, but the Caps win 3-2.