Friday NHL games

Tonight we have four games on, starting with the...

Buffalo Sabres hosting the New York Islanders. Nathan Lawson and Ryan Miller got the starts. New York struck first with a Michael Grabner goal, his 13th of the season, assisted by Rob Schremp. Matt Moulson made it 2-0 Islanders with his 15th of the year, from Andrew MacDonald and Travis Hamonic. Both teams had new goalies in for the second period, with Kevin Poulin going out for New York and Patrick Lalime taking the crease for Buffalo. P.A. Parenteau made it 3-0 for the Islanders with his 12th of the season, courtesy of John Tavares. Jack Hillen makes it 4-0 New York on his second of the year, with help from Blake Comeau and Schremp. The Sabres finally visit the scoreboard with Nathan Gerbe putting away his fourth of the year, from Mike Weber. Five seconds later, Gerbe put away another, his fifth of the season to make it 4-2, with Mike Grier getting the assist. Grabner put the dagger in with two seconds left in the game, with help from Kyle Okposo into the empty net, making it 5-2 Islanders over Sabres, and the three stars are given to Tavares, Gerbe, and Moulson.

Up for a Canadian special with the Ottawa Senators hosting the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Mike Brodeur get the starting rights for the game. Benoit Pouliot got Montreal on the board first with his tenth of the season, thanks to Mathieu Darche and Yannick Weber. Tomas Plekanec put the Canadiens up 2-1 with his 15th of the year, assisted by Andrei Kostitsyn. Ottawa got one back with Chris Kelly putting away his tenth of the season, helped along by Chris Campoli and Zack Smith. Brian Gionta took that goal back in the second period with his 16th of the year, coming from Scott Gomez and Max Pacioretty. Pacioretty made it 4-1 Montreal with his fourth of the season, a power play goal with help from Gomez and James Wisniewski. Brian Elliott came on to relieve Mike Brodeur, but Plekanec made it look futile with his second of the night and 16th of the year, going in unassisted. The Canadiens made it 6-1 early in the third period with Kostitsyn's 13th of the season, an unassisted goal. P.K. Subban kept it going with his fifth of the year, a power play goal assisted by Wisniewski and David Desharnais. The final had the Canadiens crushing the rival Senators 7-1, with three stars going to Plekanec, Kostitsyn and Price (33 for 34 saves).

Down far south, the Florida Panthers host their instate rivals from Tampa Bay, the Lightning. Dan Ellis and Tomas Vokoun are in the creases. Fifty seconds in, Florida struck with a Cory Stillman goal, his sixth of the season coming from Shawn Matthias and Jason Garrison. Steve Downie tied it for Tampa Bay with his fourth of the year, assisted by Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis. Dominic Moore won the game for Tampa Bay in the shootout, as the second, third, and overtime frame went scoreless, giving him first star, followed by David Booth and Dan Ellis (29 for 30 saves).

Lastly, the Calgary Flames host the road warrior Dallas Stars. Backup goalies Andrew Raycroft and Henrik Karlsson are seeing some ice time tonight. Calgary struck first with an Alex Tanguay goal, his 12th of the season, assisted by Brendan Morrison and Robyn Regehr. Brenden Morrow tied the game for Dallas with his 19th of the year, from Mike Ribeiro and Jamie Benn. The Stars ran the lead to 2-1 with a Brad Richards goal, his 19th of the season, assisted by Ribeiro and Stephane Robidas. The Flames got a tying goal out of Olli Jokinen, his ninth of the year coming from David Moss. Calgary took the lead 3-2 with a Mikael Backlund goal from Tim Jackman and Adam Pardy, his fifth of the year. David Moss made it 4-2 Flames with his ninth of the season, with help from Niklas Hagman and Cory Sarich. Fifty-four seconds later, Calgary had another goal, Morrison's sixth of the year, with help coming from Tanguay and Jarome Iginla. Shortly after, Dallas regained that goal back with the first of the season by Nicklas Grossman, thanks to Ribeiro, who completed his sock trick. The Stars cut the lead to 5-4 with a James Neal goal thirty-one seconds into the third period, with assists doled out to Jamie Langenbrunner and Brad Richards on his 20th of the year. Iginla answered back with his own 20th of the season, an unassisted goal. Moss makes it 7-4 Calgary with his tenth of the year and second of the night, a power play goal made possible by Jokinen and Mark Giordano. This was the final, with Moss Morrison, and Ribeiro getting the three stars.

That's all for Friday's hockey. Tomorrow I will attempt to cover the games on, and I am also going to have a copy of the songs that I wrote for a friend up when I can type them. These could be going somewhere musically, and I will keep you posted. Look for posts with titles including the word lyrics.