Monday NHL recap

There were a total of six games this past Monday, most of which being overly high scoring, so this should be a rather lengthy post. In baseball news, Cliff Lee signed a surprising deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, making them quite the potent team, considering their top four starting pitchers. Back to hockey, as we start with a game at...

The Joe Louis Arena, where the Detroit Red Wings hosted the Los Angeles Kings. Jimmy Howard got the start for the Red Wings, while Jonathan Quick was sent to guard the Kings cage. Los Angeles broke the scoring open with Wayne Simmonds, who tallied his fifth of the season in the first period, assisted by Matt Greene and Alexei Ponikarovsky. Oscar Moller extended this lead in the second period, with his first of the year helped along by Kyle Clifford and Drew Doughty. Anze Kopitar made it 4-0 with two rather quick goals in the early third period, his 12th and 13th of the season, with Dustin Brown and Justin Williams assisting the first, and Doughty picking up the helper for the second. Jack Johnson made it 5-0 with his second of the year, a power play goal from Doughty and Brown, and this ended up being the final. Jonathan Quick was the first star with a fabulous 51(!) save shutout, followed by Doughty, who recorded the infamous sock trick, and Jack Johnson got the third star for his goal.

Moving north of the border for the Ottawa Senators, who welcomed the visiting Atlanta Thrashers to Scotiabank Place. Ondrej Pavelec got the duties for the Thrashers, while Brian Elliott tended the Senators twine. Jim Slater struck first, giving Atlanta a 1-0 lead with his fifth of the year, helped by Eric Boulton and Chris Thorburn. Bryan Little extended the lead with his eighth of the season, made possible by Thorburn and Dustin Byfuglien. Over a period later, Byfuglien added his own, the eleventh on the campaign for him, from Rich Peverley and Nik Antropov. Daniel Alfredsson and Ottawa answered under a minute later, with his ninth of the year going unassisted. Chris Neil cut the Thrasher lead farther with his second of the year, assisted by Jarkko Ruutu and Chris Kelly in the third period. Jason Spezza then evened the game on a penalty shot, good for his eighth goal of the season. This was made possible by Zach Bogosian's holding penalty. The 3-3 tie lasted into overtime, where Bryan Little potted his second of the night and ninth of the season, which went unassisted and gave Atlanta a 4-3 win over the Senators. Little earned the first star for his two big goals, followed by Byfuglien, who had a goal and an assist. Nick Foligno earned the third star in his team's losing effort for reasons escaping my knowledge.

Traveling back stateside, into Nashville where the Predators hosted the lowly New York Islanders. Anders Lindback was taking care of the net for the Predators, while Dwayne Roloson was the poor sap dealt with guarding the Islanders net. Sergei Kostitsyn opened the scoring for Nashville, with his fourth of the year being a power play goal, courtesy of Cody Franson and Martin Erat. Patric Hornqvist extended the Nashville lead with his seventh of the season, from Shane O'Brien. Jerred Smithson added on with his third of the season, helped along by Kostitsyn and Ryan Suter. Hornqvist added another goal in the third period, his second of the night and eighth of the year, assisted by Franson. Topping it off was Nick Spaling, scoring his first of the year on the power play, via Shea Weber and Steve Sullivan. The Predators finished up 5-0 over New York, with Anders Lindback's 28 save shutout being first star worthy, followed by Hornqvist's two goals, and Kostitsyn's goal and assist.

Going into the Rocky Mountains, where the Colorado Avalanche hosted the Chicago Blackhawks. Craig Anderson received the starting honors for Colorado, while Marty Turco got the netminding job for Chicago. Brandon Yip started things off quickly for the Avalanche, scoring his seventh of the season, assisted by Kevin Porter and Paul Stastny. Troy Brouwer answered with his own seventh of the season, this one coming on the power play with Tomas Kopecky and Jonathan Toews picking up the helpers. Stastny retook the lead for Colorado with his 13th of the season, helped by Yip. The Blackhawks responded again, after some time, with a Jack Skille goal, his fourth of the year being assisted by Toews and Viktor Stalberg. Colorado once again retook the lead, only twenty-three seconds later thanks to the third of the season by Cody McLeod, and assists from Philippe Dupuis and Ryan O'Reilly. Bryan Bickell re-tied it for the Blackhawks late in the first period, with his seventh of the year coming from Brouwer and Jake Dowell. Matt Duchene continued the call and respond pattern in the second period, scoring his tenth early, from Greg Mauldin, good enough to yank the Chicago starter Marty Turco out, who was replaced by Corey Crawford. Jeremy Morin took his time getting it tied at 4 for Chicago, scoring his second of the year late in the second period, unassisted. Brouwer produced the first Blackhawk lead in the game with his eighth of the year and second of the night, coming on the power play from Duncan "no teeth" Keith and Patrick Sharp. Tomas Fleischmann answered later with his sixth of the year from David Jones and Duchene, the latter of which added his second of the night and eleventh of the year a minute later, assisted by Fleischmann, giving the Avalanche a 6-5 lead. Ryan O'Reilly's third of the year put it away, with the empty net goal being helped by Fleischmann and Stastny. Duchene earned the first star with his two goals and one assist, followed by Brouwer, who had the same but in a loss, and lastly by Fleischmann, who had a goal and two assists. There was also one fight between Chicago's John Scott and Colorado's David Koci.

Getting out of the shooting gallery, and going to Calgary, where the Flames hosted the Columbus Blue Jackets. Miikka Kiprusoff was allowed to start for Calgary, while Steve Mason got the nod for the Blue Jackets. Jarome Iginla opened the scoring early with his 13th of the season, assisted by Mikael Backlund and Mark Giordano. Brendan Morrison chased the Columbus starter Mason with his fifth of the year, from Niklas Hagman and Anton Babchuk. Mathieu Garon came on in relief. Antoine Vermette got Columbus on the board late in the second period with his ninth of the year, a shorthanded goal from Andrew Murray and Mike Commodore. Rick Nash tied it in the third period with his 17th of the season, from Kris Russell and Vermette on the power play. The 2-2 tie held up until Iginla broke it with his second of the night and 14th of the year in overtime. Alex Tanguay and Cory Sarich picked up the helpers on the game winner. Iginla was given the first star for his two goals, followed by Nash, who had one goal in the loss, and Jay Bouwmeester got the third star for inconceivable reasons.

We stop in San Jose, where the Sharks hosted the Dallas Stars in a division rivalry. Andrew Raycroft tended the visiting net, and Antti Niemi was in between the San Jose pipes. Jamie Benn opened the scoring, putting the Stars on top first with his seventh of the year, assisted by Mike Rebeiro and Nicklas Grossman. Derek Joslin tied it with his first of the year for the Sharks, assisted by Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. Ryane Clowe gave Sane Jose the lead with his ninth of the year, helped by Benn Ferriero and Jason Demers. Dallas re-tied it with a power play goal from Rebeiro, with helpers from Stephane Robidas and Steve Ott. After the third period and overtime remained tied at 2, Jamie Benn and Joe Pavelski exchanged shootout barbs before Brad Richards won it for the Stars, 3-2. Andrew Raycroft was the first star, going 31 for 33 in saves, followed by opposing and losing netminder Antti Niemi, who went 29 for 31 in saves. Rebeiro was the third star with a goal and an assist.

That's all there was to it on Monday. Tuesday's games, all two of them, will be recapped tomorrow. Also, apologies to Ryane Clowe, whose name I've been spelling wrong all this time. I'll make sure I get all those unnecessary e's in there.