In the Tim Thomas And Tuukka Rask Are Better Than Your Team’s Goaltending Tandem Department, Rask has more shutouts (2) than goals allowed (1) in his last 201 minutes.

The Rangers are 20-6-1 in their 27 games heading up to the Winter Classic. Get ready to hear more about Carl Hagelin, who scored six times in December.

Detroit’s plus-39 goal differential entering the week is second in the NHL behind Boston’s plus-55.

There’s great chemistry between James Neal and Evgeni Malkin both during regular strength and on the power play. Malkin’s 20-point December earned him the NHL’s first star of the month.

There’s a different makeup on this Sharks team, which has been strong in five-on-five play with excellent balance defensively, while its power play and penalty-killing have lagged. No Western Conference team has allowed fewer goals than San Jose’s 83.

Minnesota is 1-6-3 in its last 10, having been held to one goal or scoreless six times.

Shea Weber got some light skating in on Sunday, though there’s no timetable on his return from a concussion. Nashville is looking like a team that’s not leaving the Western Conference playoff picture.

Alex Ovechkin has points in six straight (6-3=9) for the Caps, who appear to be emerging from the wilderness.

Colorado has allowed two goals or fewer in seven out of eight. Colorado has won seven out of eight. Coincidence?

Opposing goaltenders get a ton of work in against the Sens, who have averaged nearly 33 shots per game over their last 16. Though Boston has games in hand, Ottawa sits six points out of first place at the beginning of the week.

Consistent goaltending continues to elude the Leafs, who have allowed fewer than two goals only once in the past month.

The hits keep coming in Buffalo. This time it’s $40 million man Christian Ehrhoff, who will miss “weeks” getting hurt in a fight with Washington’s Troy Brouwer on Friday, according to coach Lindy Ruff.

There’s a really good penalty kill, some decent goaltending, and very little else going right in Montreal right now.

The Isles are 4-1-1 against the Northwest Division and 9-16-5 against everyone else.

If Jonathan Toews is Captain Serious, what’s Ryan Getzlaf? He has two goals in his last 28. The Ducks have won consecutive games only once this season.