There's another eight games of hockey to be covered today. We begin in...
Boston, with the Bruins hosting the Edmonton Oilers. Devan Dubnyk and Tuukka Rask manned the creases. Boston started off with the second of the season by Johnny Boychuk, assisted by David Krejci and Nathan Horton. The Bruins extended the lead with a Jordan Caron goal off of Zach Hamill. Edmonton answered with a Ryan Smyth goal, his eighth of the year, made possible by Theo Peckham and Ales Hemsky. Twenty-nine seconds later, the Oilers tied it with the seventh of the season for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Taylor Hall picked up the lone assist. Boston was back at it in the second period with Brad Marchand sinking his third of the year on the power play, powered by Joe Corvo and Tyler Seguin. The Bruins restored a two goal lead with Seguin recording his ninth of the season, and Corvo grabbed the lone helper. Edmonton pulled within one in the third period as Smyth netted his second of the game and ninth of the year, courtesy of Eric Belanger and Hemsky. Boston shot back and took a 5-3 lead with Milan Lucic sinking his eighth of the season on the power play from Corvo, who got a sock trick, and Horton. Marchand pushed it to 6-3 Bruins with his second of the game and fourth of the year, an unassisted goal. The three stars were Marchand, Corvo, and Smyth. Hemsky, Horton, and Seguin get the honorable mentions.
Westward to Columbus, where the Blue Jackets welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Steve Mason were called on to start. Chicago led off with a Jonathan Toews goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Viktor Stalberg and Brent Seabrook. Columbus replied with a Grant Clitsome power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Derick Brassard and Vinny Prospal. Toews gave the Blackhawks the lead back with his second of the game and seventh of the season, and Nick Leddy had the only assist. Chicago extended the lead with Andrew Brunette potting his third of the year with the man advantage, thanks to Marcus Kruger and Steve Montador. Montador later added a power play goal for the Blackhawks, and he was aided by Duncan Keith and Leddy. Chicago made it 5-1 before the second intermission with a Patrick Kane goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Dan Carcillo and Niklas Hjalmarsson. The Blackhawks kept it going in the third period with a Marian Hossa goal, his eighth of the year, set up by Toews and Seabrook. The Blue Jackets finally got one back as Mark Letestu sank his first as a Jacket, also his first of the campaign, thanks to Rick Nash and Fedor Tyutin on the power play. Columbus pulled to as close as 6-3 with another Clitsome goal, his third of the season and second of the game, with help from Prospal and Tyutin. This was a final, and the three stars were
Staying in the Midwest, the St. Louis Blues are hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ben Scrivens and Jaroslav Halak put on the goalies' masks. Toronto led off with a John-Michael Liles goal, his second of the season, a power play goal with help from Dion Phaneuf (tenth assist) and Tyler Bozak. The Maple Leafs extended the lead with the twelfth goal of the year by Phil Kessel, also on the power play, fueled by Joffrey Lupul's tenth assist and Bozak again. St. Louis got on the board in the second period with a Jason Arnott power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Alex Pietrangelo and Carlo Colaiacovo. The Blues tied it at 2 late with a Patrik Berglund goal, his fourth of the year, made possible by Chris Stewart and Kevin Shattenkirk. Toronto would take the game in the shootout with a single tally from Kessel. The three stars were awarded to Scrivens (38 for 40 in saves), David Backes, and Kessel, with honorable mention to Bozak.
Up into Manitoba, with the Winnipeg Jets hosting the Florida Panthers. Jose Theodore and Ondrej Pavelec receive the starting nods. Florida opened with the sixth of the season by Kris Versteeg, assisted by Tomas Fleischmann and Stephen Weiss. Versteeg extended the Panthers lead with his second of the game and seventh of the year, a power play goal powered by Fleischmann and Brian Campbell. Florida kept it up in the second period with a Jason Garrison goal, his sixth of the season, and helpers were provided by Versteeg and Campbell. The Panthers made it 4-0 with Mike Santorelli's second of the year, a power play goal fueled by Campbell (who gets a sock trick), and Dmitry Kulikov. Peter Mannino relieved Pavelec for the third period. Winnipeg finally busted through with Tim Stapleton's goal, a power play goal requiring the assistance of Evander Kane and Nik Antropov. The Jets pulled closer with Andrew Ladd netting his fourth of the campaign, via Zach Bogosian and Mark Stuart. Florida put the dagger in as Versteeg sealed his hat trick on his eighth of the year into the empty net, and he required no help. This made the final 5-2 and the three stars were Versteeg, Campbell, and Ladd. Kulikov and Fleischmann also played well.
Following the path of the Jets first incarnation, the Phoenix Coyotes host the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Mike Smith will defend the cages. Phoenix opened on Mikkel Boedker's second of the season, helped in by Cal O'Reilly and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Montreal tied it in the second period with Brian Gionta netting his fourth of the year, an unassisted goal. The Canadiens took the lead in the second period with the fifth of the season by Travis Moen, pushed through by Gionta and Tomas Plekanec (tenth assist). The Coyotes tied it again with the third of the year for Raffi Torres, assisted by Keith Yandle and Boyd Gordon. Montreal won it 3-2 in overtime with an unassisted Josh Gorges goal. Price (32 for 34 in saves), Smith (33 for 36 in saves), and Torres were the three stars. Honorable mention to Gionta.
Up to Denver, with the Colorado Avalanche hosting the New York Islanders. Al Montoya and Jean-Sebastien Giguere will play in the blue paint. New York struck first with a Josh Bailey power play goal, powered by Mark Streit. The Islanders added on in the second period with the second of the season by Brian Rolston, gathering steam off of P.A. Parenteau's tenth assist and Frans Nielsen. New York made it 3-0 with the fifth of the year for Michael Grabner, assisted by Matt Moulson and Streit. Colorado got on the board with Paul Stastny sinking his fifth of the season on the power play from David Jones and Kyle Quincey. The Avalanche got within a goal on a Milan Hejduk tally, his sixth of the year, guided in by Shane O'Brien. Colorado tied it with a Jan Hejda goal, via Daniel Winnik and Ryan O'Reilly. Colorado completed the comeback with Quincey on the power play in overtime, his third of the season made possible by Hejduk and Stastny for a 4-3 win. The three stars were Jones, O'Reilly, and Grabner, with honorable mention to Streit, Quincey, Hejduk, and Stastny.
To San Jose, where the Sharks welcome offseason trading partners, the Minnesota Wild. Niklas Backstrom and Antti Niemi oppose each other in the nets. San Jose got on the board in the second period with the fifth of the season by Patrick Marleau, a power play goal from Dan Boyle and Justin Braun. The Sharks extended the lead with Marleau again, his second of the game and sixth of the year, fueled by Ryane Clowe and Brent Burns. San Jose added on once more with Torrey Mitchell's goal, with help from Michal Handzus. Minnesota only got the score to 3-1 in the third period, as Kyle Brodziak recorded his third of the campaign, and got help from Marek Zidlicky and Nick Schultz. Marleau, Mitchell, and Backstrom (33 for 36 in saves) were the three stars, and Niemi (21 for 22 in saves) gets the honorable mention.
Down the California coast, the Los Angeles Kings welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Roberto Luongo and Jonathan Quick tend the twines. Vancouver was first on the board with the fourth of the season for Sami Salo, a power play goal set up by Daniel Sedin and Ryan Kesler. The Canucks extended the lead with an Andrew Ebbett power play goal, via Cody Hodgson and Alexander Edler. Vancouver kept strong with the second Aaron Rome goal of the year, helped along by the Sedins Henrik and Daniel. Los Angeles got on the board with the second of the season for Drew Doughty, a power play goal, powered by Jack Johnson and Anze Kopitar. The Kings made it 3-2 late in the game on a Mike Richards goal, his fourth of the year, fueled by Kopitar and Doughty. They failed to get the equalizer, and lost by the above score. Daniel, Kopitar, and Rome were the three stars, and Doughty gets an honorable mention.
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