Only six games around the rinks tonight, leading off with the Carolina Hurricanes welcoming the Washington Capitals. Michal Neuvirth and Cam Ward will suit up as the goalies. Carolina opened to an early lead with Anthony Stewart notching his third of the season, thanks to Jay Harrison and Jeff Skinner. Jeff Halpern put Washington on the board in the second period with assists on his goal from Mike Knuble and Karl Alzner. The Capitals took the lead as Troy Brouwer notched his third of the year, pushed through by Marcus Johansson and Cody Eakin. Washington extended the lead with John Carlson striking on the power play in the third period, and this goal was powered by Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals made it 4-1 with Eakin potting a goal, with help from Alexander Semin. Washington kept pouring it on, making it 5-1 with Backstrom netting his fifth of the season, via Ovechkin and Brouwer. This was a final, with the three stars being Eakin, Backstrom, and Brouwer, with honorable mention to Ovechkin and Neuvirth (24 for 25 in saves).
Moving up to Buffalo, where the Sabres host the Calgary Flames. Henrik Karlsson opposes Jhonas Enroth in the battle of the backups. Buffalo struck first on a Drew Stafford goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Derek Roy and Andrej Sekera. The Sabres extended the lead in the third period with a Nathan Gerbe goal, his third of the year, with Marc-Andre Gragnani picking up the lone helper. Calgary got on the board with Alex Tanguay putting his third of the season away, with the help of Jay Bouwmeester and Matt Stajan. They wouldn't find an equalizer, losing 2-1, with the three stars being Stafford, Karlsson (42 for 44 in saves), and Brad Boyes, although Gerbe, Tanguay, and Enroth (29 for 30 in saves) would slide easily into the third slot.
Up into Ontario, with the Ottawa Senators hosting the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Craig Anderson receive the starting nods. Montreal was first to score, opening up in the second period with an Erik Cole goal, his third of the season, via Michael Cammalleri and David Desharnais. The Canadiens extended the lead on an Andrei Kostitsyn goal, his fourth of the year, with Lars Eller picking up the lone assist. Ottawa got on the board in the third period with a shorthanded Zack Smith goal, his second of the season, guided in by Erik Condra and Filip Kuba. The final here was 2-1 as Montreal held on for a victory, and the three stars went to Price (33 for 34 in saves), Smith, and Cole.
Down to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Ray Emery and Dwayne Roloson will tend the twines. Tampa Bay opened the scoring fifteen seconds into the second period with the seventh of the season for Steven Stamkos, assisted by Ryan Malone and Marc-Andre Bergeron. Chicago tied it shortly after with a Patrick Sharp goal, his fourth of the year coming off of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. The Lightning retook the lead as Brett Connolly found twine for the second time this season, receiving passes from Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier. The Blackhawks retied it with Marian Hossa notching his seventh of the year, fueled by Kane's tenth assist and Steve Montador. Chicago grabbed the lead with an unassisted Daniel Carcillo goal. The Blackhawks extended the lead on Sharp's second of the game and fifth of the season, providing Kane a sock trick for his helper and a Hossa assist as well. Tampa Bay got one back as Stamkos recorded his second of the game, also the eighth of the year by him, and Teddy Purcell aided him on this tally. Stamkos finished the hat trick with a power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by St. Louis and Malone. After a silent third period, the game went to overtime, where Tampa Bay rode to a 5-4 victory on a Lecavalier goal, his sixth of the year from St. Louis and Bergeron, the former completing a sock trick. The three stars were and Stamkos, St. Louis, and Sharp the honorable mentions go to Kane, Bergeron, Hossa, Lecavalier, and Malone.
Northwest to St. Louis, with the Blues hosting the Vancouver Canucks. Roberto Luongo and Brian Elliott are the game's masked men. Vancouver drew first blood with the fifth of the season by Alexandre Burrows, an unassisted goal. St. Louis tied it on a T.J. Oshie goal, powered by Scott Nichol and Roman Polak as his second of the year. Oshie gave the Blues the lead in the second period with his second of the game and third of the season, with assistance from Vladimir Sobotka and David Backes. The Canucks tied it to start the third period on a power play goal by Ryan Kesler, his second of the year, via Dan Hamhuis and the tenth assist on the campaign for Alexander Edler. St. Louis regained the lead with Backes burying his fourth of the season, helped along by Kevin Shattenkirk and Oshie. This was all the Blues needed, winning 3-2, and handing the three stars to Oshie, Backes, and Elliott (28 for 30 in saves).
Wrapping up the day's games, the Dallas Stars host the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Kari Lehtonen will be in the creases. Colorado was first to score as Jay McClement netted a goal thanks to Kyle Quincey. The Avalanche extended the lead with Matt Duchene's third of the season, a power play goal powered by Chuck Kobasew and Ryan O'Reilly. Dallas got on the board with a Loui Eriksson power play goal in the second period, his seventh of the year set up by Jamie Benn and Alex Goligoski. The Stars tied it on a Sheldon Souray power play goal, his fourth of the season, guided in by Benn and Adam Burish. Dallas then took the lead shortly after with Vernon Fiddler recording his third of the year, assisted by Michael Ryder and Eriksson. The Stars made it 4-2 with another power play goal, coming off the tape of Goligoski, and previously hitting the sticks of Stephane Robidas and Mike Ribeiro, good as his second of the season. Colorado got one back with Duchene's second of the game and fourth of the year, an unassisted goal. The Avalanche tied it with Paul Stastny sending his third of the season to the twine, courtesy of Duchene and Ryan Wilson. Colorado took the lead in the third period on a Daniel Winnik goal, his third of the year, fueled by Shane O'Brien and Wilson. Dallas' fantastic power play tonight kept rolling with Eric Nystrom striking, sending his second of the season in via Radek Dvorak and Fiddler. The Avalanche regained the lead quickly after on Duchene's fifth of the year, a power play goal for the hat trick aided by Erik Johnson and Wilson, who got a sock trick with this helper. The Stars retied it yet again with a Benn goal, via Robidas and Ryder as his third of the season. The tie lasted into overtime, where Eriksson lifted Dallas over Colorado on his second of the game and eighth of the year, passed through Robidas and Benn, who both got sock tricks on the game winner. The final was 7-6 and the three stars were Duchene, Eriksson, and Benn. Honorable mentions go to Wilson, Goligoski, Fiddler, Ryder, and Robidas.
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