What do you need to know about last night's big stories? Pierre LeBrun gives us his take on the biggest and best.
Stars struck: Could this be a turning point for the Dallas Stars? The gutsy decision by coach Lindy Ruff to scratch top defenseman John Klingberg on Monday after the Swedish star was late for a team meeting seemed to send a message through the entire Stars lineup. They looked energized and on a mission in a 3-2 OT win against the visiting Minnesota Wild on Monday night, captain Jamie Benn wiring one top shelf for the winner, their first OT win this season. The Stars have been hit hard by injuries since Day 1 of camp but that doesn't excuse the poor play by healthy players, and Klingberg is among those who needs to be better. I suspect he will be, after he gets back in the lineup. But the message from Ruff was crystal clear: enough already. This is a team that's better than this. We might look back later in the season and point to Nov. 21 being a moment to remember for the Stars.
Rangers rally: Talk about a statement game by the New York Rangers on Monday night. The Blueshirts fell behind 2-0 on a pair of goals from Pittsburgh Penguins rookie call-up Jake Guentzel (loved his family's reaction to Jake's first goal on his first NHL shot). But, in their second game in two nights, the Rangers stormed back with three second-period goals en route to a 5-2 win in front of backup goalie Antti Raanta, with New York playing on back-to-back nights. The guy at the heart of it all was captain Ryan McDonagh, who was an absolute beast at both ends, his presence hovering during the entire game. He had two assists and was plus-5. You know, I didn't think McDonagh had the best of seasons last year, but just like his team this season, he has come back and played some of the best hockey of his career. Be excited if you're a Rangers fan. The Rangers and Penguins meet again Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Crease conundrum for Calgary: Safe to bet we'll see Chad Johnson in goal for the Calgary Flames when they face the Columbus Blue Jackets in Columbus on Wednesday. Playing on back-to-back nights, I don't blame Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan for starting Brian Elliott in Buffalo on Monday night, but the 4-2 loss won't help the former St. Louis Blues No. 1 find his way back into the good graces of his bench boss. The Flames, one of the league's bigger disappointments, found a bit of mojo with Johnson in net last week, including Sunday's win against the Detroit Red Wings. So, I'd be shocked if Gulutzan didn't go back to Johnson as the Flames try to navigate their way through this six-game road trip and not find themselves in too deep a hole when they return home. Trading for Elliott in June was one of my favorite moves because I thought it was just what Calgary needed. Who knows, the season is still young for Elliott. But he's got three wins in 12 starts this season -- that's the bottom line. Makes you wonder if Calgary shouldn't have given in to Ben Bishop's contract demands on an extension and instead made that trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning at the draft. Easy to play armchair quarterback now, but it does make you think.