At 2:21 of the third period in the Flyers/Senators game, video review supported the referee's call on the ice that the puck deflected off Ottawa forward Clarke MacArthur and into the Philadelphia net in a legal fashion. According to Rule 78.4 "if an attacking player has the puck deflect into the net, off his skate or body, in any manner, the goal shall be allowed." Good goal Ottawa.

NHL Live is joined by NHL Network's World Junior Championship analyst Dave Starman to preview the upcoming tournament on this edition of the College Hockey Report. Among the highlights are how far the United States can go led by their goaltending and offensive catalyst Riley Barber.

VANCOUVER -- Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo was named the NHL's Third Star for the period ending Dec. 8, but he won't face the First Star for the same time period, the Carolina Hurricanes' Jeff Skinner, on Monday when the Canucks host the Hurricanes.

Instead, Canucks backup goalie Eddie Lack will play against the Hurricanes and Skinner, who had five goals and an assist in three games last week. It will be Lack’s first home game after watching Luongo come within seven seconds of a shutout in a 3-1 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.

Lack is 3-2-0 with a .911 save percentage in his first full NHL season, including 29 saves in a 3-2 win in Carolina eight days earlier. The 25-year-old Swede has started the back half of five of the first six sets of back-to-back games for the Canucks, but always on the road.

"It's something I've been looking forward to for a while," Lack said of playing at home. "You nap in the hotel on the road, you nap in your own bed here, that's pretty much the only difference. It's still the same ice."

The usual suspects are there in the Central Division -- the Chicago Blackhawks, the St. Louis Blues, the Colorado Avalanche -- but lately the Dallas Stars have been surging up the standings and playing extremely well. When you take into account how many games the Stars have played, they're right in the thick of the race and I don't see them going away.

I really like this team. I like their speed, and obviously Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin have magic together. The Stars have a pretty good mobile defense, their goaltending has been very good and rookie Valeri Nichushkin has been awesome. He's a monster and he's got a huge reach that has made him very effective for someone new to the NHL. The Stars have some great young players like Brenden Dillon on defense, and if one of the teams above them falters, the Stars can catch them.

I don't think I see St. Louis and Chicago having a problem staying above Dallas. Colorado is a young team that will have its ups and downs and the Minnesota Wild have looked really good at times but they've also struggled at times. Dallas is going to have a lot of points even if it doesn't make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Stars are going to force teams to play well. You won't back into the playoffs in the West. You're going to have to play well all season long, and teams like Dallas are proof of that.

ANAHEIM -- The New York Islanders are stuck in a nine-game winless skid (0-7-2) and have lost a team-record nine straight on the road. So it certainly got their attention when three-time 50-point scorer Pierre-Marc Bouchard was placed on waivers Monday.

"When you lose as many as we have in a row, I think it's the business we're in," Thomas Vanek said. "Obviously there's a lot of good guys here but sometimes you have to make tough decisions. [Bouchard] was a good guy. I only got to know him for a little bit here. It's definitely not his fault that he's gone. I think it's more ours. I think anytime someone leaves it's on the team."

Islanders coach Jack Capuano wouldn't comment on personnel matters. New York reportedly is making room to recall center Ryan Strome, the leading scorer in the American Hockey League. Strome on Monday became the third player in the past 20 years to be named the AHL's player of the week in consecutive weeks.

OTTAWA -- The Philadelphia Flyers were in a bad way the last time they came to Canadian Tire Centre, but facing the Ottawa Senators proved to be just what they needed to start their climb back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Steve Mason got his first Philadelphia shutout in a 5-0 win against Ottawa on Nov. 12 as the Flyers, who got off to a 4-10-1 start, won consecutive games for the second time this season.

Philadelphia went on to record points in seven straight games (6-0-1) during a span that featured a pair of three-game winning streaks, including one that began with a 5-2 win against Ottawa on Nov. 19.

"We dug ourselves out of a hole and put ourselves in the picture," Flyers right wing Steve Downiesaid. "We're not near where we want to be but we definitely made strides. We've just got to keep improving every day, and try to get a couple more wins and get back in there."

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins will be forced to further adjust their lineup when they face the Columbus Blue Jackets at Consol Energy Center on Monday (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN).

Brooks Orpik was placed on injured reserve Monday with a concussion sustained against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, while James Neal has been suspended for five games following a phone hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety.

Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said Monday Orpik is "doing quite well."

Orpik was injured in the first period Saturday during an altercation with Bruins forward Shawn Thornton, who faces an in-person disciplinary hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety. The date for the hearing has yet to be determined.

"We saw him leave the ice [on a stretcher] so it was pretty scary in that regard," Bylsma said. "He’s up and moving around just fine. I don't have [knowledge of] any type of other symptoms that he’s having at this time."

Dave Maloney sits in for E.J. Hradek , who's in Pebble Beach, Calif., covering the Board of Governors meetings, and joins Steve Mears for NHL Live at 5 p.m. ET on NHL Network.

Four games are on the League's schedule for Monday, and Mike Emrick will join us on arena cam to preview the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins (NBCSN, 7:30 p.m.) from Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh.

In addition, Barry Melrose will call in to discuss the best and worst coaching decisions of the season, and Dave Starman joins us on set to talk about the top United States players competing for a roster spot to play in the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship later this month.

The Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday placed defenseman Brooks Orpik on injured reserve with a concussion, and recalled defenseman Brian Dumoulin from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Orpik was injured Saturday during an incident with the Boston Bruins' Shawn Thornton. Orpik was removed from the ice on a stretcher and was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was alert and conscious. Orpik returned from the hospital and will travel with the team back to Pittsburgh.

Thornton will have an in-person supplementary disciplinary hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety for his actions.

Orpik has one goal and six assists in 31 games and is fourth on the team with an average ice time of 21:30 per game.

At 16:00 of the third period in the Bruins/Maple Leafs game, video review supported the referee's call on the ice that Milan Lucic's shot deflected off Jarome Iginla's skate and into the Toronto net in a legal fashion. According to Rule 49.2 "A puck that deflects into the net off an attacking player's skate who does not use a distinct kicking motion is a legitimate goal." Good goal Boston.