Monday in the NHL

There were five games played in hockey for Monday. We start with bitter rivals...

As the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and James Reimer were the goalkeepers. Mikhail Grabovski put Toronto ahead first with his 14th of the season, assisted by Luke Schenn. Boston answered in the second period with Nathan Horton potting his 12th of the year, thanks to Dennis Seidenberg. The Bruins took the lead on Marc Savard's second of the season, which was helped along by Horton and Milan Lucic. The score lasted through a scoreless third period, giving the Bruins a 2-1 win over the Maple Leafs. Rask (36 of 37 saves), losing goalie Reimer (31 for 33 saves), and Horton earned the three stars.

Next on the slate were the Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Florida Panthers. Scott Clemmensen and Cam Ward picked up the starts. Zac Dalpe got Carolina up first with his second of the season, helped along by Troy Bodie. Florida evened the score with the third of the year from the stick of Dennis Wideman, which was assisted by Cory Stillman and Radek Dvorak. The Panthers took the lead in the second period on the seventh of the campaign from Chris Higgins. Dmitry Kulikov and Michael Frolik picked up the helpers. Extending the lead to 3-1 was Stillman with his fourth of the season, courtesy of Mike Santorelli and Evgeny Dadonov. Zach Boychuk started a rally back for the Hurricanes with his third of the year, from Erik Cole and Eric Staal. Jay Harrison tied the game at 3 with his first of the season, assisted by Cole and Jamie McBain. The tie would last into overtime until Florida's Bryan Allen netted his third of the year thanks to Shawn Matthias and Frolik to win the game for the Panthers. He earned the first star, with Stillman and Cole following the rest of the honors.

Heading to the opposite coast for the next game, with the Los Angeles Kings hosting the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Jonathan Quick were between the pipes. Michal Handzus opened the scoring for Los Angeles with his fifth of the year, assisted by Jack Johnson and Alec Martinez. Marian Hossa tied the game for Chicago with his ninth of the year, a power play goal helped along by Tomas Kopecky and Patrick Sharp. Sharp took the lead for the Blackhawks in the second period by registering his 22nd of the year, a power play goal courtesy of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, the latter returning from a minor injury. Ryan Smyth tied things at 2 for the Kings with his 15th of the year, made possible by Justin Williams. Sharp took the lead back in the third period for Chicago with his second of the night and 23rd of the season, which was helped along this time by Kopecky. Smyth tied it again for Los Angeles with his second of the night and 16th of the season, assisted by Johnson and Anze Kopitar on the power play. Toews came in to make it 4-3 for the Blackhawks with his 16th of the campaign, an unassisted goal that would eventually be the game-winner. Sharp, Johnson, and Toews earned the three stars.

Up into Canada, where the Calgary Flames hosted the New York Islanders. Rick DiPietro and Henrik Karlsson were given the starting nods. John Tavares opened things up for New York in the first period with his 12th goal of the season, with assists provided by P.A. Parenteau and Andrew MacDonald on the power play. Matt Moulson made it 2-0 for the Islanders with his 13th of the year, helped along by Parenteau and Tavares. Calgary cut the lead back a bit with David Moss potting his fifth of the year, from Adam Pardy and Anton Babchuk. Tavares answered to make it 3-1 for New York with his second of the night and period and 13th of the year, with MacDonald and Frans Nielsen picking up the power play helpers. Islanders starter Rick DiPietro suffered an injury in the second period early on, and he was replaced by Nathan Lawson. Moulson made it 4-1 in the second period with his second of the night and 14th of the season, which was helped along by Travis Hamonic and Zenon Konopka. Moss added another goal to reduce the Flames' deficit, his sixth of the season and second of the night made possible by Tim Jackman. Michael Grabner iced the cake for the Islanders in the third period with his ninth of the year, an empty net goal from Mark Eaton. Tavares, Moss, and Lawson (28 for 29 saves in relief) picked up the three stars. A notable first period fight was between Tom Kostopoulos of Calgary and Zenon Konopka of New York.

Lastly, the Vancouver Canucks traveled south to visit the San Jose Sharks. Cory Schneider and Antti Niemi received the starting nods. Vancouver opened the scoring with the 21st goal of the season by Daniel Sedin, with assists provided by Henrik Sedin and Alexandre Burrows. San Jose evened the score in the second period early with Ryane Clowe scoring his eleventh of the year, with help from Jason Demers and Benn Ferriero. Alexander Edler retook the lead for the Canucks with his third of the season, made possible by Christian Ehrhoff and Daniel Sedin on the power play. Patrick Marleau tied the game again for the Sharks with a power play goal, his 15th marker of the season, assisted by Dany Heatley and Dan Boyle. Jamal Mayers gave the Sharks a 3-2 lead with his second of the campaign, from Heatley and Kent Huskins. Jannik Hansen retied the game for the Canucks late in the second, his fifth of the year made possible by Ryan Kesler and Mason Raymond. Burrows gave Vancouver a lead in the third period with his eighth of the year, assisted on by Ehrhoff and Keith Ballard. Vancouver would go on to beat San Jose 4-3, with Daniel Sedin, losing goalie Niemi (43 for 47 saves), and Ehrhoff picking up the three stars.

That's all for Monday's hockey games. Tuesday hockey will be covered tonight and tomorrow.