Puck Daddy Viewing Guide: Habs visit Caps; Canucks shake up lines

Here is the Puck Daddy Viewing Guide: Spotlighting five things to watch for during tonight's slate of games. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

Create-a-Caption: "Kings mascot Bailey holds up pictures of characters from the reality show Jersey Shore as New Jersey Devils goalie Cory Schneider looks on..." (AP)

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Preview: New York Islanders at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET

Preview: Montreal Canadiens at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET

Preview: Florida Panthers at Calgary Flames, 9 p.m. ET

Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m. ET

Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m. ET

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Five things to know about tonight's NHL games ...

1. Vanek returns for Islanders. After missing five games with an upper-body injury, Thomas Vanek will be in the lineup against the Penguins. He's played only six games since being dealt from the Sabres.

2. Erat moves to center. Not wanting to shake up his lineup by inserting new players, Adam Oates is switching Martin Erat and Brooks Laich. “Just experimenting," he told the Washington Post. "I really think in the league now that one of the things that really gets you in trouble is turning the puck over on the offensive blueline and just inside it.

3. Doug Murray is back. With Francois Bouillon getting a night off with a back-to-back this weekend, room opens for Murray to the return for the Canadiens after missing the last two games. “We have seven healthy defensemen and I don’t want to leave a guy like Douglas Murray off the ice too long,” said Michel Therrien.

4. John Tortorella literally has no idea anymore. The Canucks are mired in a five-game losing streak and Torts has jumbled up his lines. When asked about the new combinations, he said,"We're just throwing [expletive] at the wall hoping something sticks."

5. Scott Niedermayer to be honored by Ducks. After becoming the third Duck to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, the team will honor Niedermayer by having him do the pre-game puck drop and celebrating his career with a "Wall of Honor" and video presentation.

Bold Prediction: Ben Bishop ruins Niedermayer Night with a 3-0 shutout.