Friday NHL coverage

We have five games in the NHL on Friday, and I think I might finally be caught up. We start in...

Pittsburgh, with the Penguins hosting the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Marc-Andre Fleury played between the pipes. The game went scoreless throughout the 65 minutes of regulation and overtime, and Pittsburgh defeated New Jersey on the lone James Neal tally in the shootout. Fleury (21 save shutout), Brodeur (26 save "shutout") and Neal were the easily-chosen three stars.

Along to Buffalo, where the Sabres hosted the Florida Panthers. Tomas Vokoun and Ryan Miller wore the masks. Buffalo led off with a Jason Pominville goal, his 19th of the season, with help from Thomas Vanek and Andrej Sekera. Florida answered with Sergei Samsonov, his 13th of the year coming unassisted. The Sabres retook the lead with the 27th of the season for Drew Stafford, helped in by Brad Boyes and Tyler Ennis. Buffalo continued with a Jordan Leopold tally on the power play, his 13th of the year powered by Pominville and Stafford. Thirteen seconds later, Stafford tallied again for the Sabres with his 28th of the season and second of the game, assisted by Ennis. With three seconds left, Evgeny Dadonov brought the final to 4-2 for the Panthers with his seventh of the year, helped along by Niclas Bergfors. Stafford, Pominville, and Ennis collected the three stars.

Up to Ottawa, with the Senators hosting the Washington Capitals. Semyon Varlamov and Craig Anderson took control of the cages. Ottawa opened the scoring in the second period with a Colin Greening goal, his fourth of the season, with help from Jason Spezza and Bobby Butler. The Senators made it 2-0 with Erik Condra potting his fifth of the year in the third period, courtesy of Milan Michalek. This would be the final, with Anderson (31 save shutout), Chris Phillips, and Condra earning the three stars.

Down to Atlanta, where the Thrashers hosted the Vancouver Canucks. Roberto Luongo and Chris Mason tended the twines. Vancouver broke the scoring open in the second period with a goal by Mason Raymond, his 13th of the season gathering steam off of Raffi Torres. The Canucks extended their lead with Alexandre Bolduc notching his second of the year, with help from Victor Oreskovich and Keith Ballard. Atlanta got on the board with Bryan Little in the third period, his 16th of the season coming unassisted. Vancouver clinched victory at 3-1 with Alexandre Burrows putting his 22nd of the year away into the empty net, via Ryan Kesler. The three stars went to Luongo (30 for 31 saves), Bolduc, and Little.

Finally, the Tampa Bay Lightning hosted the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Dwayne Roloson played in the blue paint. Tampa Bay opened the scoring on the power play with the 13th of the season from Simon Gagne, powered by Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier. Carolina replied with the 26th of the year from Jeff Skinner, assisted by Tuomo Ruutu and Joni Pitkanen. The Hurricanes took the lead 3-1 with a pair of Erik Cole goals in the second and third periods, with help from Cory Stillman and Eric Staal on the earlier power play goal, and unassisted in the third period at even strength. They were his 21st and 22nd of the season. Staal tacked on his own power play goal for Carolina, his 30th of the year, made possible by Joe Corvo and Pitkanen. Fifty-seven seconds later, Lecavalier notched his 20th of the season for the Lightning, with the help of Victor Hedman. Gagne added on his second of the game and 14th of the year for Tampa Bay to put them at a 4-3 deficit, with helpers coming on the power play from St. Louis and Brett Clark. This wouldn't be enough, as the score lasted the rest of the game, and the three stars went to Cole, Gagne, and Staal.

Twelve games on Saturday, starting at 10 A.M. Pacific.