Boston fan catches puck with beer cup; Scott Hartnell out indefinitely (Puck Previews)

Back by popular demand, 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.

Look, we watch so much hockey that a puck in a cup of beer isn’t really a thing. But this is making the rounds on some non-hockey sites, so prepare to see it on your nightly sportscast under “weird and wacky”. [Mashable]

Preview: Boston Bruins at New York Rangers, 7:30 p.m. ET. The Bruins are undefeated on the season, and are hopeful they’ll have Dennis Seidenberg and brad Marchand in against the Rangers. Here are three reasons why the Rangers are struggling, two of which are “poor defense” and “not enough offense.” Well that’ll do it every time.

Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET. A meeting between the team Mario Lemieux owns and the one for which Wayne Gretzky isn’t the president. Hey, remember James Reimer? He’s tossed to the Penguins tonight. The Eh Game would rather see Ben Scrivens.

Preview: Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m. ET. The Canucks go back to Cory Schneider, and the rest of the hockey world will go back to hoping he gets shellacked against Calgary just to turn the screws a little more in Vancouver. The Flames are looking for their first win under Bob Hartley. Said Mike Cammalleri: “It would have been nice for the first two to be exhibition games, for sure." Spoken like a true NHLPA negotiator.

Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets at Phoenix Coyotes, 10 p.m. ET. The Jackets come off their admirable effort against Detroit, while the Coyotes are looking for their first win. Writes Five For Howling, they need to stop killing momentum: “Just 30 seconds after Keith Yandle closed the deficit to 5-4, Mike Smith allowed a soft goal that killed Phoenix's chance for a comeback. The Coyotes also took two penalties in the final five minutes of the game, essentially preventing them from mounting any sustained forecheck. They will have to do a better job managing the game and avoid shooting themselves in the foot at the most inopportune times.” (Also, we imagine you’ve already made some guess the attendance joke in your head, so we’ll avoid them.)

Check out previews and updated scores for all of today's games on the Y! Sports NHL scores and scheds page. For tonight's starting goalies, check out Left Wing Lock.

Evening Reading

•Uh-oh: Scott Hartnell of the Philadelphia Flyers is out indefinitely after taking a puck off the skate. [CSN Philly]

Steve Downie out for the year with an ACL tear. More on that in a moment. [Avs]

• The Pension Plan Puppets folks capture the ridiculous spirit of the Wayne Gretzky to the Leafs reports. [PPP]

• Wade Redden says his contract messed with his head with the New York Rangers. [Backhand Shelf]

• The AHL All-Star Classic makes several roster changes. [Times Union]

• Patrick Roy believes Mikhail Grigorenko will remain in the NHL this season. [Sabres Observer]

Puck Daddy Reader Comment of the Day: David Lee on bobblehead dolls.

Bold Prediction: Mike Smith shuts out the Jackets.