Rumors, moves, injuries and newsmakers...

Red-hot Giguere keys Anaheim surge; Sakic makes return; Tanguay leaves game; Zubov undergoes surgery; Wild re-sign Schultz; and more...

GETTING GIGGY WITH IT 
The midseason additions of Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer to the Anaheim lineup have not made a noticeable difference in goals scored, but the team sure has tightened up defensively.

With a more familiar lineup in front of him, goaltender J-S Giguere has been stopping a lot more pucks lately. In fact, in a season that started off sub-par for the 30-year-old, things sure have turned around. The former Conn Smythe winner has been sizzling hot, going 7-1-1 in his last nine and averaging less than a goal-and-a-half allowed per game.

Suddenly, his numbers are back among the elite netminders in the NHL. His 2.21 GAA ranks seventh and his .919 SV% is fifth. The team is surging, going 16-6-2 in their last 24 games and is now firmly entrenched in a playoff spot in the Western Conference. A healthy Giguere, who is back on top of his game, is one of the driving reasons behind the impressive run. Giggy is two wins shy of posting his fourth career 30-win season and if he can maintain his current goals against average, it will be his second lowest. Things get even better in the postseason as he boasts a stellar 31-13 record with a goals-against average of 1.95 to go with a .929 save percentage.

Giguere was not between the pipes Sunday, but Jonas Hiller stopped 29 of 32 shots in Anaheim's 6-3 win over Chicago. Selanne was back in full form in the win, notching a hat trick and a pair of assists to lead the offense. Winger Chris Kunitz had a four-point night.

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AVALANCHE 
Colorado captain Joe Sakic was activated from the injured reserve list in time for the team's game in Edmonton on Sunday. Sakic had missed 38 games, the longest absence of his Hall-of-Fame career. Before getting hurt November 30, the 38-year-old star had played in 232 straight games. To make room for Sakic, the Avalanche reassigned rookie center T.J. Hensick to Lake Erie of the AHL. The Avs fell to the Oilers 3-2, with Sakic picking up an assist.

BLACKHAWKS 
Goaltender Corey Crawford got into his first NHL action since 2006 Sunday after starter Patrick Lalime got the hook in the first period. Lalime gave up two goals on his first five shots faced. Crawford finished the period, giving up a goal on three shots before Lalime came back in to finish the game. The Blackhawks lost to the Ducks 6-3. It was Crawford's third NHL appearance. Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews were in on all three Chicago goals.

COYOTES 
Despite being outshot 35-18, goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov and the Phoenix Coyotes came away with a 2-0 win over the Blues. For Bryzgalov, the shutout was just his second in a Phoenix uniform, his last one coming in his debut with the team back in November. The Coyotes go to Chicago for a game against the Blackhawks on Tuesday.

FLAMES 
Calgary lost the services of forward Alex Tanguay early in the first period of their Sunday afternoon game against Minnesota. Tanguay, the subject of numerous trade rumors in recent weeks, went straight to the dressing room after getting knocked down by Wild rearguard Kurtis Foster. Tanguay apparently suffered a neck injury on the play. The 2-1 win was Calgary's fourth in a row.

MAPLE LEAFS 
Toronto will be in Ottawa on Monday in a quiet night in the NHL. And when the team leaves the nation's capital, captain Mats Sundin will be with it from the looks of it. Sundin released a statement late Sunday making it quite clear that he wants to remain a Leaf through the end of this season and will not waive his no-trade clause. As the final hours tick by leading up to the February 26 deadline, we shall see if the lure of other teams can convince him otherwise.

PENGUINS 
For the second straight game, star forward Evgeni Malkin was held off the scoresheet. The slick sophomore, who came from out of nowhere these past several weeks to seize the league's scoring lead, is now in a tie with Washington's Alexander Ovechkin, who picked up a point during his Sunday game. Pens' winger Erik Christensen (shoulder) was back in the lineup as the Pens lost their Sunday contest to the Sharks in a shootout 2-1. Meanwhile, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was recalled from Wilkes-Barre and is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday against the Islanders. No word as to whether or not he will get the start.

RANGERS 
Henrik Lundqvist stopped 23 shots and Scott Gomez added three points to lead the Rangers to a 5-0 whitewash of the Panthers on Sunday. Marcel Hossa, recalled from his conditioning stint in the AHL, played in his first game since January 14. He skated during 8:52 minutes and did not factor in the scoring. Defenseman Paul Mara missed the contest due to a facial injury, while tough guy Colton Orr sat out with an upper body injury.

STARS 
Dallas rearguard Sergei Zubov underwent surgery Sunday to insert a screw in the fractured bone in his foot. He will be off the ice for three to four weeks. The 37-year-old has missed the past 17 games with the injury. In 46 games this season Zubov has four goals and 35 points. The Stars are in St. Louis Tuesday to take on the Blues.

WILD 
Minnesota came to an agreement Saturday with defenseman Nick Schultz on a six-year contract extension. The deal was reportedly worth $21 million and kicks in next season. The 25-year-old would have been an unrestricted free agent in the summer. Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Wild dropped a 2-1 decision to Calgary. They outshot the Flames 39-16, but Mark Parrish was the only one to find the back of the net.