Just like when I was in school, I should start listening to the teacher. It was taught to me a month ago, and yet I can't seem to get a picture to post, so during my next two days off (Yes!!!!) Tuesday and Wednesday, I'll make it a point to not only re-learn, but retain.

If you want to see a funny picture, here's a link to my Twitter or Twitpic or whatever to see a picture I took of John Scott in the locker room this morning. Scotty was cold, and I just thought the look was funny, so snap-snap and I escaped without his two-by-four connecting with my jaw.

Nobody runs and hides better than me. Nobody.

Had a funny chat with Scott about fighting Rosemount's Tim Conboy the other night. I'll try to squeeze that into tomorrow's paper's notebook. Conboy, like Scott, is a client of agent/hockey legend Ben Hankinson, and the bout happened one night after Hankinson's clients, Keith Ballard and Chris Kunitz, fought. These guys are either fighting for Hankinson's attention or there's something being put in the water down at Octagan headquarters.

Quick aside. Few greater cities than Chicago. Had a chance to walk around the city a ton yesterday, which when you go from hotel to hotel and city to city like I do, you don't normally get time like that. But with no practice yesterday, I finally got to take advantage and sightsee a bit. Awesome time, and many thanks to my tourguide.

Derek Boogaard looks to be the lone scratch tonight. Nik Backstrom in goal.

James Sheppard and Benoit Pouliot will be back in the lineup after being forced to sit with us lowly know-it-all scribes the other night.

Coach Todd Richards wants more from both players. He wants physicality, skating, crashing the net and battling.

Sheppard was real good this morning talking: "It gives me a chance to react and make a positive from a negative."

He said watching from upstairs was like watching a video game, which is what I always say. You don't appreciate the lack of time and space the guys have on the ice from up in the pressbox. Everything's in slow motion, but it does give you a good ability to watch and see how plays develop.

I asked Richards about "why Pouliot?" It does seem the underachiever is finally showing some life, but that isn't enough for Richards. He said when he goes into the corners, he better no longer turn away from bodies and better start finishing checks. Funny, but I pointed that out in LA that Pouliot cost the Wild the winning goal bailing out on a check, and I got a bit lambasted for that observation. But he's been a lot better lately. A lot more physical.

Two things that used to driving me absolutely more insane than I already am about Pouliot: He drives the net with the stick at his waste, so how the heck are you going to shoot when the puck comes? And, when he drives the net, instead of stopping, he continues past instead of parking himself there.

Lately, his stick is usually positioned in a shooting area and he's stopping in front of the net. So, he's starting to get it. And maybe being sat a night will remind Pouliot he can still be a heckuva lot better because the talent is there.

Sheppard? He's not going to get a heckuva lot more chances. He's got to turn himself into a player now. He's a big, strong kid that's got talent as well. Use it. Skate hard on the forecheck, move the feet, check some people, try to score.

Lastly, chatted with Petr Sykora. He aggravated his groin injury in the third period the other night. He had to miss a few shifts, but he said he's OK.

OK, I'm done. Now I've got to write for the paper so I can go hang with my old friend, Lisa, before the game.

OK, now, lastly, got an email from DISH Network. If you have DirectTV, you won't be able to watch tonight's game because of the dispute with VERSUS. Here are some bars in Minneapolis and St. Paul that have the DISH Network, so you can watch it there:

Minneapolis
- Chatterbox, 2229 35th & 4501 France
- California Pizza, 1690 Southdale
- CR Billiards, 8525 Cottonwood
- Land Marc Grill, 405 8th
- Merlin's Pub, 3601 E. Lake

St. Paul
- Chatterbox, 800 Cleveland
- Kincaid's, 380 Saint Peter
- Eagle Street Grill, 174 7th
- Bennett's Restaurant, 1305 7th