Covering the last six games here. Also, Marco Sturm to the Kings is a done deal, with the Bruins freeing up cap space and the Kings getting a good left winger.
Going to Phoenix, where the Coyotes hosted the Dallas Stars, in a Pacific Division match. Andrew Raycroft got the start for the Stars, while Ilya Bryzgalov took care of netminding duties for the Coyotes. Ray Whitney opened things up, scoring first for the Coyotes with his fourth of the year, assisted by Radim Vrbata and Ed Jovanovski. Shane Doan tallied on another first period goal, his third of the year, helped by Eric Belanger, before netting another goal, a power play mark from Whitney and Keith Yandle. James Neal put Dallas on the board with his 13th of the season, assisted by Tom Wandell and Adam Burish. Lauri Korpikoski answered early in the third with a shorthanded goal, his eighth of the year coming from Vernon Fiddler and Keith Yandle. Yandle potted his own some time later, his fifth mark on the year, with Lee Stempniak and Wojtek Wolski adding the assists. Richard Bachman came in to relieve Andrew Raycroft after this goal. Loui Eriksson tried to get Dallas going late, with his 12th of the year going in on the power play, but it was far too late. Brenden Morrow picked up the assist, but the Stars fell 5-2 to Phoenix. Doan's two goals were good for the first star, while Ilya Bryzgalov's 33 for 35 saves were the second star, and Korpikoski's goal earned the third star. Brian Sutherby and Ed Jovanovski also shared a second period fight.
Going to Nashville, where the Pradators hosted the Florida Panthers. Anders Lindback started for Nashville, while Tomas Vokoun was in between the pipes for the Panthers. Ryan Suter drew first blood, giving Nashville a 1-0 lead with his first of the year, assisted by Martin Erat and Sergei Kostitsyn. Shea Weber added onto the lead with his fifth of the season, assisted by Suter and Jerred Smithson. After a scoreless second period, the Predators made it 3-0 with an empty net, power play goal from Joel Ward, his third score of the year, with assists by Francis Bouillon and Cody Franson. This proved to be the final, and getting the first star honors was Anders Lindback for his 22 save shutout, followed by Ryan Suter's goal and assist, and Shea Weber's one goal.
Moving into St. Louis, where the Blues hosted the Carolina Hurricanes. Jaroslav Halak was in the paint for the Blues, while Cam Ward was given the duties for the Hurricanes. After two uneventful periods, save for a fight between the Blues B.J. Crombeen and Jay Harrison, Brandon Sutter allowed the Hurricanes to strike first, with his sixth of the year being assisted by Tuomo Ruutu and Jussi Jokinen. Alex Pietrangelo tied the game for St. Louis, with his third of the year, a power play goal from Patrik Berglund and Alex Steen. The tie held up into the shootout, where Jussi Jokinen's goal was the definitive score, and Carolina won 2-1. Jokinen earned the first star with a regulation assist and the winner in the shootout, followed by winning goalie Cam Ward's 38 for 39 saves and losing goalie Jaroslav Halak's 28 for 29 save outing.
Heading to Los Angeles, where the Kings hosted the Minnesota Wild. Jonathan Quick started for the Kings, while Jose Theodore got the nod for the Wild. Mikko Koivu opened the scoring early for Minnesota, with a shorthanded goal unassisted, good for his sixth of the year. LA evened it with Dustin Brown's tenth of the year, assisted by Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams in the second period. Nine seconds later, Cal Clutterbuck scored his eighth of the year, thanks to Cam Barker and Eric Nystrom. Ryan Smyth re-tied it early in the third period, with his eighth of the year, a power play goal from Kopitar and Brown. The tie held up until Brent Burns' power play goal in the overtime period, keeping with the crazy eights theme with his eighth of the season, which was assisted by Patrick O'Sullivan and Pierre-Marc Bouchard. Despite the loss, Anze Kopitar's two assists were the first star, followed by the game-winner from Brent Burns, and lastly by Dustin Brown, who had a goal and an assist in the loss as well. There were two fights in the second period, the early one with Minnesota's Brad Staubitz and Los Angeles' Kyle Clifford, and the later one between Eric Nystrom and Wayne Simmonds.
Going up the interstate to Vancouver, where the Canucks hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning. Cory Schneider got a rare start for Vancouver and Dan Ellis got another chance in the crease for Tampa Bay. Daniel Sedin got the Canucks on the board first, with his 16th of the year, assisted by brother Henrik Sedin and Alexandre Burrows. Nate Thompson tied it for the Lightning with his fifth of the season, assisted by Ryan Malone and Randy Jones. Brett Clark gave Tampa Bay the lead with his sixth of the season early in the second period, with the helpers going to Dominic Moore and Teddy Purcell on the power play. Steven Stamkos made it 3-1 with his 23rd of the year, assisted by Mike Lundin. Manny Malhotra righted the ship for Vancouver, scoring his fifth of the year on the power play, assisted by Mikael Samuelsson and the goalie Cory Schneider. Teddy Purcell answered with his sixth of the year, with help from Stamkos and Martin St. Louis. Henrik Sedin restarted the comeback in the third period with a power play goal, his fourth tally of the season assisted by Daniel Sedin and the goalie once again, Schneider. Keith Ballard tied it with his second of the year, an unassisted goal, and the tie held into overtime. Stamkos made quick work of the overtime period, potting his second of the night and 24th of the season, which was a power play goal from St. Louis and Malone to win the game 5-4 for the Lightning. Stamkos earned the first star for his two goals and one assist, and was followed by Henrik Sedin's goal and assist, and Teddy Purcell, who also notched a goal and an assist. Honorable mention to Cory Schneider not for his goaltending, but his assistance on two goals.
Going back into California, where the San Jose Sharks hosted the Chicago Blackhawks. Antti Niemi started for San Jose, and Corey Crawford got the green light to start for Chicago. Ryan Clowe started it off for the Sharks, with his seventh of the year, helped along by Jason Demers and Marc-Edouard Vlasic (the pickle monster). Jordan Hendry evened it for the Blackhawks with his first of the season, assisted by Jake Dowell and John Scott. The 1-1 tie was preserved into overtime, where Clowe struck again with his eighth of the year and the second of the night, assisted by Vlasic and Justin Braun. Clowe's two goals earned him the first star, followed by winning goalie Antti Niemi's 28 of 29 saves, and losing goalie Corey Crawford's 28 of 30 saves.
As for posts to come later today, there will be a Subway post, three football posts, and hopefully the Sunday hockey recap. Also, there will be two games played Monday night for football, as the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings will play in Detroit due to snow and stadium issues (that's putting it lightly) in Minneapolis.
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