The Anaheim Ducks hosting the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Jonas Hiller again made the starts. Anaheim opened the scoring in the first period on an Andrew Cogliano goal, assisted by Andrew Gordon and Devante Smith-Pelly. They held this lead until late in the third period, where New York tied it on a Brad Richards goal, with help from Ryan McDonagh. This 1-1 tie lasted through the overtime and into the shootout, where a 4th round goal by Bobby Ryan gave the Ducks a 2-1 win. Hiller (14 of 15 in saves), Ryan, and Lundqvist (27 of 28 in saves) were the three stars in the defensive battle.
Over to Berlin, Germany, with the Los Angeles Kings welcoming the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller and Jonathan Bernier are the goalies. The game was scoreless through the first period, but Buffalo got a pair of Luke Adam goals in the second frame, and Jason Pominville took an assist, while Thomas Vanek swiped the helper card twice. The Sabres jumped up to 3-0 with a Paul Gaustad tally, fueled by Nathan Gerbe and Marc-Andre Gragnani. Los Angeles got on the board on Anze Kopitar's second of the season, courtesy of Jack Johnson and Drew Doughty on the power play. Buffalo got the goal back with their own power play goal, from Drew Stafford after previously visiting Gerbe and Derek Roy. The Kings made it 4-2 with another Kopitar goal, his third of the year and second of the game, thanks to Justin Williams and Simon Gagne. Adam, Vanek, and Kopitar were awarded the three stars.
Back to the states, specifically New Jersey, with the Devils hosting the Philadelphia Flyers. Ilya Bryzgalov and Martin Brodeur are set to start the game. Philadelphia struck first with a Claude Giroux goal, helped in by James van Riemsdyk and Matt Carle. After a silent second period, the Flyers pushed their lead a bit farther, with Matt Read scoring off a Scott Hartnell pass. Philadelphia poured on another goal as Wayne Simmonds introduced biscuit to basket, with help from Andrej Meszaros and Chris Pronger. The final would be 3-0 Flyers, and the three stars of the game were Bryzgalov (20 save shutout), Giroux, and Simmonds.
Into the United States' capital, with the Washington Capitals hosting the Carolina Hurricanes. Brian Boucher and Michal Neuvirth picked up the starts. The scoring didn't start until the second period, on a Carolina power play goal by Eric Staal, powered by Jussi Jokinen and Tomas Kaberle. Washington tied it back up with an Alexander Semin tally, assisted on by John Carlson. The Capitals grabbed a lead late in the period with Jason Chimera's goal, courtesy of Joel Ward and Karl Alzner. The Hurricanes retied it with another Staal goal, a power play marker with the help of Jeff Skinner and Joni Pitkanen. Washington took the lead back at a 3-2 margin with a power play goal by Brooks Laich, supported by Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. Carolina, however, did not roll over to die, getting a timely goal from Jokinen, and assistance by Skinner and Staal. The game would be decided in overtime on a power play goal by Mike Green, coming off of Dennis Wideman and Backstrom, and thanks to the penalty on Jussi Jokinen for holding. Green, Staal, and Chimera would take the three stars honors.
Up into Canada, with the Toronto Maple Leafs playing host to the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and James Reimer are in the blue paint. Toronto busted open the scoring with Mikhail Grabovski, with helpers by Nikolai Kulemin and Dion Phaneuf on the power play. The Maple Leafs extended their lead with a Phil Kessel goal, moved along by Joffrey Lupul and Carl Gunnarsson. Lupul tallied his own goal for Toronto in the second period, a power play tally fueled by John-Michael Liles and Kessel. Kessel later potted his second of the game to make it 4-0 Maple Leafs, with the help of Tyler Bozak and Lupul required. Colin Greening work for Ottawa, putting them on the board in the third period, thanks to Sergei Gonchar and Jason Spezza. Toronto quickly restored the four goal lead with a Colton Orr goal, with the help of Mike Brown. The Senators replied again with a Daniel Alfredsson goal, shorthanded from Chris Phillips and Zack Smith. Ottawa kept roaring with a Spezza power play goal, made possible by Milan Michalek and Erik Karlsson. The Senators got within one as eight seconds later, Alfredsson found twine on the man advantage, with the puck passed from Karlsson. The Maple Leafs got some breathing room back as Kessel completed a hat trick to start his scoring season, after the puck was fed through Matthew Lombardi and Luke Schenn. Twenty-five seconds later, it was back to a one goal game as Ottawa's Stephane Da Costa netted the puck, and Karlsson picked up his third assist for what we here call a "sock trick." Luckily for Toronto, the defense played the last two minutes and won the game 6-5. Before the three stars, a couple of notes. First, after Toronto's fourth goal, Alex Auld relieved Anderson in the Senator net. Also, there was a first period fight between Zenon Konopka and Mike Brown, and a second period punchout between Chris Neil and Luke Schenn. The three stars were Kessel, Phaneuf, and Alfredsson, although Karlsson, Spezza, and Lupul all made convincing cases as well.
Back down to Boston, with the Bruins hosting their opponents from the Eastern Conference Finals, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mathieu Garon and Tim Thomas played in the crease. Boston opened the scoring in the second period with a Rich Peverley goal, coming off of Brad Marchand and Johnny Boychuk. Tampa Bay evened it shortly after with a Martin St. Louis goal, his second of the season a product of Ryan Malone and Vincent Lecavalier efforts. The Bruins did grab the lead back with Daniel Paille's goal, assisted by Adam McQuaid and Tyler Seguin. Boston added to their lead with a David Krejci goal, assisted by Milan Lucic and Seguin. Peverley later added a goal, his second of the game, courtesy of Patrice Bergeron and Marchand. Boston emerged with a 4-1 win, and the three stars were Peverley, Thomas (25 for 26 in saves), and Seguin.
Onto Long Island, with the New York Islanders hosting the Florida
Over to the State of Hockey, with the Minnesota Wild hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets. Playing between the pipes were Steve Mason and Niklas Backstrom. Minnesota took little time in taking a lead, with a quick Matt Cullen goal off of Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Guillaume Latendresse. The Wild gained a little separation on a Marco Scandella goal, with the lone assist by Jared Spurgeon. Minnesota rolled on in the second period with Dany Heatley striking on the power play, and Bouchard and Marek Zidlicky were credited as the supporting cast. Columbus got on the board with Derek Dorsett putting the puck away, thanks to Aaron Johnson and Jeff Carter. The Wild took it back with Devin Setoguchi's score, assisted by Heatley and Mikko Koivu. The Blue Jackets tried to get a little closer with a Maxsim Mayorov goal, helped along by Grant Clitsome and Matt Calvert. The final would be 4-2 for Minnesota, with Backstrom (29 of 31 in saves), Heatley, and Cullen getting the three stars. Also, Curtis Sanford played goal for Columbus in the third period.
Down the way a bit, the St. Louis Blues hosted the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Jaroslav Halak were called on for the starts. St. Louis was first on the board with a Patrik Berglund goal, with T.J. Oshie and Roman Polak helping out there. Nashville got an early equalizer on Craig Smith's power play goal, his second of the year powered by Shea Weber and David Legwand. In the third period, Legwand would give the Predators a lead on a power play goal, with helpers provided by Smith and Wilson. As an aside, Legwand is one child fathered away from having a David Legwand Hat Trick. The Blues tied it on a power play goal by Jason Arnott, thanks to David Backes and Alex Steen. Less than a minute later, Nashville regained control of the lead with Kevin Klein's tally, with assistance from Legwand and Smith. Legwand iced the game off with his second of the night, an empty netter with help from Sergei Kostitsyn. This made it 4-2, the final, with Rinne (31 for 33 in saves), Legwand, and Oshie as the three stars, although Craig Smith had quite a game as well.
Into the Windy City, with the Chicago Blackhawks hosting the Dallas Stars. Andrew Raycroft and Corey Crawford got the nods. Chicago opened early with an Andrew Brunette power play goal, powered by Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane. The Blackhawks made it 2-0 in the second with a Dave Bolland marker, assisted by Marcus Kruger and Sean O'Donnell. Chicago extended the lead again with Jonathan Toews notching a goal, thanks to Brent Seabrook. Dallas got on the board with a Vernon Fiddler goal, fueled by Adam Burish and Alex Goligoski. The Blackhawks answered in the third period on a Sharp goal, with Steve Montador getting the lone assist. The Stars made it 4-2 with a Sheldon Souray power play goal, coming off of Jamie Benn. Bolland put the game away with his empty net goal, the second of the night for him, with the help of Michael Frolik and Bryan Bickell. This made the final 5-2, with Bolland, Toews, and Sharp getting the three stars.
Out west a little more, the Colorado Avalanche host the Detroit Red Wings. Ty Conklin and Semyon Varlamov will be the masked men. The scoring opened late in the second period with a Johan Franzen goal, helped along by Jiri Hudler. The Red Wings added to the lead with a third period goal by Henrik Zetterberg, assisted by Pavel Datsyuk and Danny Cleary. Detroit finished it up with a 3-0 score after an empty netter by Datsyuk, courtesy of Cleary and Darren Helm. Franzen, Conklin (29 save shutout), and Varlamov (36 for 38 in saves) were the three stars. Also worthy would be Cleary and Datsyuk on their multipoint nights.
Northward to Calgary, with the Flames hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Miikka Kiprusoff tend the twines tonight. Calgary struck first here with a Curtis Glencross goal, assisted by Mark Giordano and Scott Hannan. Pittsburgh tied it in the second period with a Tyler Kennedy goal off of Pascal Dupuis and Deryk Engelland. The Penguins grabbed the lead with Matt Niskanen on the power play, powered by Jordan Staal. Pittsburgh continued to score as Craig Adams potted a goal, with the help of Mark Letestu ad Niskanen present. Evgeni Malkin added to the noise for the Penguins, his power play goal off of James Neal and Kris Letang making it 4-1.The Flames worked a little in the third period, as Rene Bourque put in a goal courtesy of Alex Tanguay and Roman Horak. Calgary cut the deficit to one with an Olli Jokinen goal, the lone helper coming from Niklas Hagman. Staal wrapped it up for Pittsburgh with an empty net goal, moved along by Paul Martin for a 5-3 final. Letang, Giordano, and Glencross were the three stars, although Niskanen had quite a game, and Staal did well too.
Lastly, in Northern California, we have the San Jose Sharks hosting the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Thomas Greiss are in net tonight. San Jose led off with a power play goal by Joe Pavelski, powered by Patrick Marleau and Brent Burns. The Sharks kept it going with a Michal Handzus goal, coming off of Torrey Mitchell and Jason Demers. Ryane Clowe kept it up for San Jose with a power play goal thanks to Logan Couture and Tommy Wingels. A minute later, Andrew Desjardins netted a goal with no help whatsoever for the Sharks. Phoenix later got on the board with a Shane Doan goal, courtesy of Radim Vrbata and Keith Yandle on the power play. San Jose got it back with a power play goal by Pavelski, peppered around by Dan Boyle and Marleau. Desjardins also dinged in his second goal of the night for the Sharks, with Brad Winchester collecting the lone helper. The Coyotes made a small push with a power play goal by Oliver Ekman-Larsson, passed from Mikkel Boedker and Daymond Langkow. Doan made it 6-3 with his second of the night, also with the man advantage, pushed through by Yandle and Ray Whitney. This was the final, and the three stars were Desjardins, Pavelski, and Marleau. Honorable mention to Doan.
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