We have quite a few games on tonight, and the first of these is...
The New York Rangers finally getting a true home opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jonas Gustavsson and Henrik Lundqvist make the starts. New York led off with a Dan Girardi goal, assisted by Marian Gaborik and Artem Anisimov. Toronto tied it on the second of the season by Matthew Lombardi, courtesy of Tyler Bozak and Carl Gunnarsson. The Maple Leafs grabbed the lead as Joffrey Lupul potted his fifth of the year, via Jake Gardiner and Phil Kessel. Toronto extended their lead with a Clarke MacArthur goal, and the lone assist came from Mike Komisarek. The Maple Leafs made it 4-1 on a Mike Brown goal, powered by John-Michael Liles. The Rangers got one back on a Michael Del Zotto goal going down unassisted. The final was 4-2 and the three stars were Lupul, Gunnarsson, and Girardi. Honorable mentions to everyone else with a point.
Into Pennsylvania, with the Pittsburgh Penguins welcoming the New York Islanders. Evgeni Nabokov and Marc-Andre Fleury play in the blue paint for the game. New York took the lead with a late first period goal from Frans Nielsen, with helpers by Kyle Okposo and Mark Streit. The Islanders extended their lead in the third period with a Matt Martin's goal, courtesy of Steve Staios and Marty Reasoner. Pittsburgh struck back soon after on a Chris Kunitz goal, his third of the year, via Pascal Dupuis and Kris Letang. The Penguins tied it with a James Neal power play goal, his ninth of the season powered by Kunitz and Evgeni Malkin. This tie lasted into a shootout, where Pittsburgh won on Malkin's lone tally. Kunitz, Malkin, and Martin had the three stars in the 3-2 game.
Staying in the state, the Philadelphia Flyers host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Sergei Bobrovsky will play in front of the cages. Philadelphia led off with a goal by Scott Hartnell, his third of the season, powered by Jaromir Jagr and Kimmo Timonen. Winnipeg replied with a Randy Jones goal, set up by Blake Wheeler and Tanner Glass. The Jets took the lead on the fourth of the year by Jim Slater, coming off of Chris Thorburn and Glass. Kyle Wellwood pushed the Winnipeg lead up farther, his fourth of the season seeing the sticks of Tobias Enstrom and Bryan Little before his own and the twine. Glass kept the Jets going in the second period, making it 4-1 with his second of the year, fueled by Enstrom and Dustin Byfuglien. A minute later, Winnipeg added on again with a power play goal by Nik Antropov, his third of the season made possible by Tim Stapleton, causing Ilya Bryzgalov to relieve Bobrovsky in the Philly net. The Flyers finally had an answer with Claude Giroux striking on the power play for his sixth of the year, gathering steam from Timonen and Danny Briere. The Jets took it back with an Evander Kane power play goal, his second of the season, thanks to Antropov and Alex Burmistrov. Briere cut the deficit back down for Philadelphia with his third of the year, via Hartnell and Timonen, the latter grabbing a sock trick. The Flyers made it 6-4 with an unassisted Max Talbot goal, his second of the season. Briere struck again in the third period for Philadelphia with his second of the game and fourth of the year, pushed on through by Braydon Coburn and James van Riemsdyk. The Flyers tied it and scared Pavelec away with a Matt Read goal, his third of the season, guided along by Andreas Lilja and Jakub Voracek. Chris Mason was the relief twinetender. Philadelphia went relentless and took the lead on Mason's first shot against, a van Riemsdyk goal with help by Briere and Matt Carle. It was his third of the year. Winnipeg retied it with a Burmistrov goal, his third of the season, with assists by Antropov and Kane. The Jets took the lead with a Mark Stuart goal, going in off of Stapleton and Wheeler. The Flyers got another tying goal with van Riemsdyk's second of the game and fourth of the year, courtesy of Timonen and Andrej Meszaros. Winnipeg ended up with the win in the marathon game, a 9-8 victory coming into reality with captain Andrew Ladd sinking his third of the season, thanks to Wheeler and Little, the former getting a sock trick. The three stars went to Antropov, Glass, and Briere, although Wheeler, Timonen, and van Riemsdyk all had worthy games too. Dishonorable mentions to those who could not find a point tonight.
Another big rivalry game tonight has the Boston Bruins hosting the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Tim Thomas will play goal. Boston was first on the board with an unassisted power play goal by Patrice Bergeron, his second of the season. Montreal answered in the second period with the second of the year from Erik Cole, assisted by Jaroslav Spacek and David Desharnais. The Canadiens took the lead with a Tomas Plekanec goal, his third of the season, with the assists from Brian Gionta and Josh Gorges. This left the score at 2-1, the final, and the three stars were Plekanec, Price (29 for 30 in saves), and Rich Peverley, although Cole and Bergeron had honest cases.
Staying in the Northeast Division, the Buffalo Sabres host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Steve Mason and Jhonas Enroth tend the twines. Brad Boyes put Buffalo ahead in the first period with a power play goal off of Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville, his second of the season. The Sabres extended the lead in the second period with a Pominville goal, his third of the year, made possible by Vanek and Luke Adam. Columbus replied with a Vinny Prospal goal, his fourth of the season, with helpers provided by Antoine Vermette and R.J. Umberger. The Blue Jackets tied it on a Fedor Tyutin goal, guided by Samuel Pahlsson. Buffalo retook a 3-2 lead with a Patrick Kaleta goal, thanks to Nathan Gerbe and Christian Ehrhoff. The Sabres got an insurance goal as Pominville sank his second of the game and fourth of the year, with Vanek and Boyes taking the assists on the power play tally. This made it a 4-2 final score, with the three stars being awarded to
Up to Ottawa, where the Senators host the Florida Panthers. Jacob Markstrom and Craig Anderson play between the pipes. Florida led off with a Jason Garrison goal, his third of the season, with assists by Kris Versteeg and Brian Campbell. Ottawa replied with a Daniel Alfredsson goal, his fourth of the year, made possible by Jason Spezza and Sergei Gonchar. The Panthers retook the lead on a Tomas Flesichmann goal, his third of the season, fueled by Dmitry Kulikov and Stephen Weiss. The Senators retied it with Stephane Da Costa notching his second of the year, guided in by Erik Condra and Milan Michalek. Ottawa grabbed the lead with a Colin Greening goal, his third of the season made possible by Erik Karlsson. Florida retied it inside a minute to go, with Versteeg netting his fifth of the year, thanks to Weiss and Kulikov. The Senators pulled off heroics though, stealing a 4-3 win with four seconds on the clock, as Nick Foligno netted his second of the season, and was helped by Alfredsson and David Rundblad. The three stars were Alfredsson, Spezza, and Versteeg, but Foligno, Weiss, and Kulikov all could make a case.
South to Nashville, with the Predators hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mathieu Garon and Pekka Rinne guarded the goalmouths. Nashville opened with a Sergei Kostitsyn goal, his third of the season, assisted by Craig Smith and Mike Fisher. Fisher extended the Predator lead with a goal off of Kostitsyn and Smith. Tampa Bay got on the board with Steven Stamkos potting his fifth of the year, via Teddy Purcell and Ryan Malone. The Lightning tied it on the power play with Purcell scoring his third of the season, thanks to Brett Connolly and Marc-Andre Bergeron. Nashville took the lead back in the second period with a Patric Hornqvist goal, with helpers by Matt Halischuk and Blake Geoffrion. The Predators made it 4-2 on a Nick Spaling goal, helped along by Jack Hillen and Jonathon Blum. Nashville kept the pressure on with Fisher's second of the game, aided by Spaling, causing Garon to be taken out in favor of Dwayne Roloson. Tampa Bay got one back as Stamkos notched his second of the game, via Bergeron and Martin St. Louis, the former recording his tenth assist of the season. The final was 5-3, and Fisher, Rinne (29 for 32 in saves), and Spaling got the three stars, while Stamkos, Bergeron, Purcell, Kostitsyn, and Smith got passed over.
Back north again, stopping in Minnesota to catch the Wild hosting the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Niklas Backstrom oppose each other in the nets. Anaheim was first on the board with the fourth of the season by Corey Perry, a power play goal powered by Ryan Getzlaf and Teemu Selanne. The Ducks extended their lead in the second period on a Bobby Ryan goal, his third of the year, assisted by Selanne and Tony Lydman. Minnesota got on the board with a power play goal from the stick of Jared Spurgeon, aided by Devin Setoguchi and Pierre-Marc Bouchard. Getzlaf extended the Anaheim lead on his fourth of the season, courtesy of Selanne and Perry, the former getting a sock trick with the assist. The Wild cut the score to 3-2 on a Matt Cullen power play goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Mikko Koivu and Dany Heatley. This was the final, with Selanne, Marco Scandella, and Bouchard taking the three stars, and Getzlaf having a formidable case for one.
Down to Dallas, where the Stars host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Kari Lehtonen play in goal. Dallas did the impossible with Trevor Daley finally cracking the Quick Code with a power play goal, powered by Loui Eriksson and Jamie Benn. Los Angeles tied it in the second period with a Justin Williams goal, his third of the season, off of Slava Voynov and Anze Kopitar. The Kings took the lead with a Scott Parse goal, fueled by Mike Richards and Dustin Brown. Voynov put Los Angeles up 3-1 on the power play, his goal being guided in by Brown and Richards. The Stars cut the score to 3-2 on a Michael Ryder goal, made possible by Mike Ribeiro and Brenden Morrow, his third of the year. Dallas tied it with an Eric Nystrom goal, courtesy of Vernon Fiddler and Radek Dvorak. The Kings retook the lead at 4-3 with Voynov's second of the night, with helpers by Kyle Clifford and Ethan Moreau. Brown wrapped it up at 5-3 with an empty net goal, his third of the season, and the helpers were credited to Richards and Kopitar, the first of those two finishing up a sock trick on the night. The three stars went to Voynov, Richards, and Ryder, and honorable mention to Kopitar and Brown.
Crossing into Canada, with the Edmonton Oilers hosting the Washington Capitals. Tomas Vokoun and Nikolai Khabibulin got the nods to start. Washington struck early with a Karl Alzner goal, courtesy of Jeff Halpern and Jason Chimera. Edmonton tied it on a Taylor Hall goal, his third of the season, powered by Jordan Eberle and Corey Potter on the power play. Eberle gave the Oilers a lead in the second period with his second of the year, also a power play goal, with assists provided by Potter and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. This produced a 2-1 final, with the three stars being Khabibulin (34 for 35 in saves), Eberle, and Troy Brouwer, and Potter gets an honorable mention.
Lastly, the Phoenix Coyotes host the New Jersey Devils. Johan Hedberg and Mike Smith put on the goalie pads. Phoenix led off with a Patrick O'Sullivan goal, assisted by Daymond Langkow and David Schlemko. New Jersey tied it on a Zach Parise goal, his fourth of the season, going down unassisted. Mark Fayne put the Devils on top with his second of the year, thanks to Mattias Tedenby. The Coyotes retied it with a Ray Whitney goal, his fourth of the season coming with the man advantage, guided in by Radim Vrbata and Keith Yandle. Phoenix took a 3-2 lead on a Raffi Torres goal, his second of the year, set up by Shane Doan and Yandle. The Coyotes made it 4-2 with a third period Martin Hanzal goal, his third of the season, thanks to Whitney and Schlemko. Whitney quickly followed with his second of the game and fifth of the year, and the assists came from Hanzal and Vrbata. A too-little, too-late goal for New Jersey left the final at 5-3 with Nick Palmieri putting the puck away, with a little guidance from Adam Henrique. The three stars were Whitney, Hanzal, and Torres, with honorable mention to Yandle, Vrbata, and Schlemko.
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