Friday Games - NHL

Tonight, we have a total of nine games going in Hockey. We start off in...

The Nation's capital, where the Washington Capitals host the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Michal Neuvirth picked up the starts in goal. New York struck first with the second of the season by Steve Eminger, helped along by Derek Stepan. Erik Christensen made it 2-0 Rangers on his seventh of the year, with help from Mike Sauer and Brian Boyle. Christensen extended the lead again for New York with his second of the game and eighth of the season, a power play goal fueled by Ryan Callahan and Vinny Prospal. Stepan kept the Rangers going with his 17th of the year, also on the power play, guided by Michael Del Zotto and Mats Zuccarello. New York rolled on with the third of the season for Prospal, assisted by Christensen and Matt Gilroy. Boyle topped it off for the Rangers by making it 6-0 with his 20th of the year, thanks to Christensen and Brandon Prust. The three stars went to Lundqvist (35 save shutout), Christensen and Callahan.

South a bit to Carolina, where the Hurricanes hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Cam Ward collected the starting honors. Carolina opened the scoring with a Jay Harrison goal, his third of the season coming off of Erik Cole and Jamie McBain. The Hurricanes made it 2-0 with the tenth of the year by Joe Corvo, assisted by Joni Pitkanen and Jussi Jokinen on the power play. Cole extended the lead again for Carolina with his 18th of the season, helped along by Eric Staal and Derek Joslin, pulling Marc-Andre Fleury from his start for Brent Johnson. Pittsburgh got on the board with Pascal Dupuis notching his eleventh of the year, courtesy of Michael Rupp and Zbynek Michalek. Jokinen made it 4-1 Hurricanes with his 15th of the season, made possible by Brandon Sutter and Joslin. This was the final, with Cole, Joslin, and Ward (33 for 34 saves) picking up the three stars.

Northwest to Columbus, with the Blue Jackets hosting the Phoenix Coyotes. Ilya Bryzgalov and Steve Mason were in the creases. Phoenix opened the scoring on a David Schlemko goal, his second of the season coming from Mikkel Boedker. The Coyotes extended their lead with the 16th of the year for Radim Vrbata, and Boedker provided the lone assist again. Columbus entered the scoring with an R.J. Umberger tally, his 20th of the season coming on the power play via Derek MacKenzie and Matt Calvert. The Blue Jackets tied it with another power play goal, this time off the stick of Jakub Voracek, courtesy of Rick Nash and Grant Clitsome, for his 12th of the year. Calvert then turned in three straight for the natural hat trick, with the seventh and eighth of the season coming in the second period off of Kris Russell for the earlier power play goal and Umberger and MacKenzie for the even strength tally. The finisher of the goals came in the third period thanks to Umberger and Jan Hejda. Phoenix got within two goals on Lauri Korpikoski's 14th of the year, with help from Vernon Fiddler and Lee Stempniak. This would be the last of the scoring, bringing the final to 5-3, with Calvert, Umberger, and MacKenzie picking up the three stars.

Back east into Buffalo, where the Sabres hosted the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Ryan Miller played in front of the cages. Mike Grier opened the scoring for Buffalo with his fourth of the season, helped along by Cody McCormick. McCormick extended the Sabres lead with his eighth of the year, with helpers by Steve Montador and Jordan Leopold. Ottawa got on the board with the 12th of the season for Jason Spezza, with guidance by Erik Condra and Milan Michalek. Buffalo restored the lead with the tenth of the year by Jochen Hecht, gathering steam from Drew Stafford and Tyler Ennis. The Senators attempted to claw back with Michalek getting his 16th goal of the season, thanks to Spezza and Matt Carkner. The Sabres wrapped the game up with a Thomas Vanek goal into an empty net off of Montador and the goalie Ryan Miller, good as his 23rd of the year. McCormick, Patrick Kaleta (?), and Miller (29 for 31 saves) were the three stars, although cases could be made for Montador or Hecht.

Down to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning hosted the New Jersey Devils. Johan Hedberg and Dwayne Roloson took control of the nets. Tampa Bay was the first to score in the second period, with a Martin St. Louis goal, his 23rd of the season cultivated from passes by Steve Downie and Steven Stamkos. Simon Gagne made it 2-0 Lightning fifty-four second later with his tenth of the year, an unassisted goal. New Jersey got on the board with a goal from Mark Fayne, his fourth of the season coming via Ilya Kovalchuk and Travis Zajac. They couldn't complete a comeback, and fell 2-1, with the official three stars being Vincent Lecavalier, Eric Brewer, and Adam Hall. Blogger's choice goes to Roloson (19 for 20 saves), St. Louis, and Hedberg (28 for 30 saves).

Slightly north to Georgia, where the Atlanta Thrashers host the Florida Panthers. Tomas Vokoun and Ondrej Pavelec guarded the twines. Florida was the first on the board with a Marty Reasoner goal, his 12th of the season, with help from Radek Dvorak and Chris Higgins. Ondrej Pavelec came out of the game, replaced by Chris Mason at the start of the second period. Atlanta replied with the 12th of the year for Blake Wheeler, assisted by Bryan Little. The tie lasted into the shootout where Mike Santorelli and Wheeler exchanged goals before Florida secured victory with Steve Bernier. The three stars went to Bernier, Mason (25 saves in relief), and Wheeler.

Following the path of the previous Atlanta franchise, we head to Calgary where the Flames host the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi and Miikka Kiprusoff play between the pipes. Devin Setoguchi opened the scoring for San Jose with his 18th of the season, aided by Logan Couture. Calgary tied it with the tenth of the year for Anton Babchuk, with assistance by Steve Staios. The Sharks retook the lead with the third of the season for Kyle Wellwood, assisted by Joe Pavelski and Jamal Mayers. The Flames retied it with a David Moss goal, his 14th of the year, helped along by Olli Jokinen. Calgary took the lead at 3-2 with Niklas Hagman's tenth of the season, fueled by Brendan Morrison and Alex Tanguay. Ryane Clowe provided his 18th of the year for San Jose in the third period, with help from Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley to force the tie. The tie lasted into the shootout, where Clowe provided the only tally for the Sharks to steal the game 4-3. Kiprusoff (30 for 33 saves), Joe Thornton, and Moss earned the three stars, with the notable omission being Clowe, on a night full of erratic three stars.

Staying in Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers hosted the St. Louis Blues. Ben Bishop and Devan Dubnyk were called on to played in net. St. Louis drew first blood with a Chris Stewart goal, his 18th of the season, helped along by Patrik Berglund and Roman Polak. Berglund made it 2-0 Blues with his 17th of the year, a power play goal aided in creation by Alex Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo. Stewart scored again for St. Louis, his second of the game and 19th of the season, with no assists on the power play tally. Polak tacked on another goal for the Blues, his second of the year, with assistance from Brad Boyes and Barret Jackman. St. Louis continued the scoring with Matt D'Agostini notching his 13th of the season, with help from Cam Janssen. This would be the final, giving the three stars to Bishop (39 save shutout), Stewart, and Jackman.

Lastly, the Anaheim Ducks host the Minnesota Wild. Tending the twines are Jose Theodore and the recently relocated Dan Ellis. Minnesota struck first on John Madden's ninth of the season, a product of Andrew Brunette and Antti Miettinen. Anaheim tied it with a goal by Bobby Ryan, his 29th of the year, with help from Jason Blake and Ryan Getzlaf. The Wild retook the lead in the third period on a Clayton Stoner goal powered by Miettinen and Greg Zanon, going as his second of the campaign. The Ducks tied it again with Francois Beauchemin getting his third of the season, with help from Blake and Teemu Selanne. With seven seconds left in overtime, Minnesota clinched a victory on the seventh of the year by Pierre-Marc Bouchard, assisted by Brent Burns and the sock trick earning Miettinen. Bouchard, Theodore (46 for 48 saves), and Beauchemin were given the three stars.

That's all for Friday. It's a unique week in the fact that there were more Friday games than Saturday games, which total eight. Those will be covered tomorrow.