Tuesday Morning Three-peat

Here is what you might have missed around the NHL yesterday:

1.  Home Cooking In The Motor City – The Detroit Red Wings‘ 5-0 rout of the Buffalo Sabres not only helped the Senators by keeping a divisional rival out of the win column, but the Red Wings set a franchise record with their 15th straight home win.  It was also Buffalo’s 9th straight loss away from home.  The struggling Sabres haven’t tasted victory away from the HSBC centre since Dec 3rd.

2.  Falling Stars – Three players named to the All-Star Game last week suffered injuries in the last 24 hours and at least one of them will be missing the festivities in Ottawa next weekend.  Minnesota Wild captain Mikko Koivu (shoulder), Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn (appendectomy), and Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Suter (upper body) are all injured, with Koivu’s being the most serious.  He will not be in Ottawa, while Benn and Suter are more day-to-day and could be recovered in time to participate in the NHL’s big glad-handing event.

3. Byers Banned – Columbus Blue Jackets forward Dane Byers was suspended for 3 games for a pretty vicious elbow to the head of San Jose Sharks rookie forward Andrew Desjardins.  It is the 33rd suspension issued by the NHL head office this season, which either shows that the NHL is being more vigilant against these kinds of checks, or that players simply aren’t getting  the message.  Or, more likely, a combination of the two.