HOCKEY LAST NIGHT: ALL ABOUT ZEROES

Oilers 2 Stars 0: Edmonton survived a two-minute 5-on-3 during the second period where captain Jason Smith blocked two shots -- which was two more than goalie Dwayne Roloson had to stop during that penalty kill.

Devils 2 Flyers 0: Seriously, can Martin Brodeur catch Terry Sawchuk on the all-time shutout list? There's going to be a lot of talk about it after he blanked the Flyers for the 84th bagel of his career, putting him only 19 behind Sawchuk's mark of 103.

How can you even compare the two? Sawchuk came up in the six-team era, where goalies didn't wear masks, were expected to play every game, wore bulky, primitive equipment and were largely self-taught. Every shot they stopped must have hurt like hell, especially by the playoffs.

Brodeur has played in an era of better equipment (too better, before the rule changes), video analysis, goalie coaches and consultants, and two-netminder systems. That's not to say it's been easier for him. Players shoot harder, there's more traffic in front of the goaltender, and there's more risk of injury from crease-crashing 210-lb. forwards. Brodeur's also played at least 67 games each season since '95-96, so it's not like he's had an advantage in rest over goalies from an earlier era, especially with today's increased travel.

Elsewhere: Canucks 4 Hurricanes 3 (overtime), Ducks 6 Capitals 1

Tonight's better games: Rangers-Senators, 3 p.m.; Leafs-Red Wings, 7 p.m.; Sabres-Habs, 7 p.m.; Penguins-Thrashers, 7 p.m.; Canucks-Flames, 10 p.m.

HOMETOWN BREAKDOWN

Nice win for our Kingston Frontenacs, 6-2 over the Toronto-St. Michael's Majors, to kick off a three-game weekend that includes a hop over the border to play the Erie Otters. First star Cory Emmerton had a short-handed goal as the Fronts got back to .500 and leapt from seventh place in the OHL's Eastern Conference to a fifth-place tie with Peterborough (with a game in hand).

(I'd write "the Erie Otters, the league's worst team," but that might jinx the Fronts.)

Back with more later. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.