Friday NHL recap

Friday featured six games of hockey. We start in...

The Motor City, where the Detroit Red Wings hosted the Montreal Canadiens. Jimmy Howard was in net for the Red Wings, while Carey Price received starting honors for Montreal. The Canadiens scored first with Travis Moen, his third of the year assisted by Michael Cammalleri and Jeff Halpern. Detroit evened it up with a late first period power play goal from Nicklas Lidstrom, his fourth goal of the year, assisted by Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom. Niklas Kronwall gave the Red Wings the lead with his sixth of the year, from Danny Cleary and Johan Franzen. Datsyuk extended the leader farther with his tenth of the year, assisted by Jonathan Ericsson and Henrik Zetterberg. Benoit Pouliot tried to get the Canadiens going, scoring his seventh of the season from Alexandre Picard, but Patrick Eaves put the game way for the Red Wings with his fifth of the year, unassisted as it went in the empty net. Detroit beat Montreal 4-2, and Datsyuk was the first star for his goal and assist. Cleary was the second star with an assist, and Jimmy Howard earned the third star with 36 out of 38 pucks blocked.

Moving along to Ottawa, where the Senators hosted the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur was back in the net for New Jersey, after an elbow injury, and Pascal Leclaire got the nod for the Senators. Ottawa scored first with Erik Karlsson's fifth of the year, unassisted. Patrik Elias evened it for the Devils in the second period, with his fifth goal of the season, a power play tally from Ilya Kovalchuk and the goaltender Brodeur. Ottawa regained the lead with Milan Michalek's sixth of the season, assisted by Karlsson and Chris Phillips. Jarkko Ruutu made it 3-1 with his second of the year, and the helpers were awarded to Chris Neil and Chris Kelly. Dainius Zubrus tried to start a Devils rally, with his fourth of the year coming on the power play from Travis Zajac and Kovalchuk. The third period, however, went scoreless, and the Senators won 3-2. Karlsson was the first star with a goal and an assist, followed by Neil, who had an assist, and Kovalchuk, who had two assists in a losing effort.

Moving to Atlanta, where the Thrashers hosted the Colorado Avalanche. Ondrej Pavelec started for the Thrashers, while Craig Anderson was allowed to be tormented by the Thrashers Ice Crew. Niclas Bergfors put Atlanta on top first, with his seventh of the year being aided by Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien. Tomas Fleischmann got the tying goal for Colorado in the second period, his fifth of the season coming on the power play from Matt Duchene. The Avalanche took the lead with Greg Mauldin's fourth of the year, which was shorthanded and unassisted. The Thrashers tied it with Bryan Little's sixth of the year, assisted by Evander Kane. Colorado reclaimed the lead with Milan Hejduk's eleventh of the season, courtesy of Flesichmann and Duchene. Paul Stastny put it away at 4-2 with his eleventh of the year, unassisted into the empty net. Duchene was the first star with two assists, followed by Fleischmann's goal and assist. Bryan Little was the third star for his goal in the losing effort. Honorable mention for Craig Anderson, who stayed focused on the game.

Traveling into Texas, where the Dallas Stars hosted the Carolina Hurricanes. Andrew Raycroft got the start for the Stars, while Cam Ward handled the goaltending for the Hurricanes. James Neal opened the scoring with his 12th of the season, from Brad Richards and Aaron Gagnon, to give Dallas a 1-0 lead. Carolina tied it in the second period with the third goal of the season from Jiri Tlusty, assisted by Troy Bodie and Joe Corvo. The 1-1 tie lasted throughout the third period and overtime, into the shootout where Brad Richards had the deciding goal. Richards was the first star in the 2-1 Stars win, with an assist and the game winner in the shootout, followed by James Neal, who had a goal, and Andrew Raycroft, who was 22 for 23 in saves.

Going into Alberta, where the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning. Nikolai Khabibulin started for the Oilers, while Dan Ellis was in between the pipes for the Lightning, who scored first with Randy Jones' first of the year, which was unassisted. Magnus Paajarvi answered for Edmonton, scoring his third of the year, assisted by Dustin Penner and Andrew Cogliano. Ryan Malone retook the lead for Tampa Bay, netting his ninth of the season, a power play goal from Teddy Purcell and Mattias Ohlund. Edmonton took the lead in the second period with two power play goals, the first from Taylor Hall, his tenth tally of the season assisted by Ryan O'Marra, and the second, lead-obtaining goal coming off of the stick of Tom Gilbert, his fifth of the season, with helpers going to Linus Omark and Paajarvi. Steven Stamkos tied it back up in the third period with his 22nd of the season, assisted by Martin St. Louis and Pavel Kubina. The 3-3 tie lasted through the overtime that followed into the shootout, where rookies Jordan Eberle and Linus Omark won it for the Oilers, 4-3. Nikolai Khabibulin was the first star, facing a lot of rubber in blocking 38 of 41 shots, followed by Paajarvi, who had a goal and an assist. Adam Hall of the Lightning was the third star, for reasons that escape my knowledge. Enjoying an on-ice dance were Pavel Kubina and Dustin Penner in the second period after Kubina had committed a boarding penalty.

Lastly, we stop in Anaheim, where the Calgary Flames visited the Ducks. Jonas Hiller was in net for the Ducks, while Henrik Karlsson got the start for Calgary. The Ducks drew first blood with a Lubomir Visnovsky goal, his fourth of the year being helped by Ryan Getzlaf and Toni Lydman. Dan Sexton made it 2-0 for Anaheim with his second of the season, assisted by Brandon McMillan and Visnovsky. The Flames started a rally with a power play goal from Olli Jokinen, his fourth mark of the season being assisted by Mark Giordano and Jarome Iginla. David Moss tied it for Calgary with his third of the year, assisted on by Iginla and Giordano again. The tie was preserved into the shootout, where Getzlaf  and Alex Tanguay exchanged goals before Corey Perry put it away for the Ducks, who won 3-2. Jonas Hiller, who was 37 for 39 in saves, was the first star. Jarome Iginla's two assists in a losing effort were good enough for the second star, and Dan Sexton's goal earned the third star.

I'll be out with family for the rest of today, so I won't have any posts coming tonight. There are 13 hockey games on today (entirely too many) and they will be recapped, along with the football games, tomorrow.