Nine games are being played today. We begin in...
Ohio, where the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Minnesota Wild. Niklas Backstrom and Steve Mason got the starting nods. Columbus opened with a shorthanded and unassisted Antoine Vermette goal. The Blue Jackets extended the lead with Mark Letestu notching his second of the season on the power play, from Nikita Nikitin and Grant Clitsome. Minnesota got going in the second period with the eighth of the year by Matt Cullen, made possible by Kyle Brodziak and Jared Spurgeon on the man advantage. Nick Johnson tied it up for the Wild with his second of the season, assisted by Darroll Powe and Warren Peters. Minnesota took the lead with a Cal Clutterbuck goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Justin Falk. The Wild made it a 4-2 final with Devin Setoguchi potting his fifth of the campaign into the empty net without help. The three stars were Backstrom (43 for 45 in saves), Clutterbuck, and Vermette.
The battle of New York is next, as the Islanders host the Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist opposes Evgeni Nabokov in the creases. The Rangers led off with the second of the season by Sean Avery, via Brian Boyle and Mike Sauer. The Islanders tied it on a Frans Nielsen goal, his fourth of the year, fueled by P.A. Parenteau and Travis Hamonic. The Rangers retook the lead in the second period with a Steve Eminger goal set up by Ryan Callahan and Jeff Woywitka. The Islanders retied it on a power play goal by Matt Moulson, his fifth of the season, powered by John Tavares and Nielsen. The Rangers stole the lead with a Brad Richards goal, his sixth of the year, from Brandon Dubinsky. The Rangers made it 4-2 with Callahan's eighth of the campaign, and Ryan McDonagh had the lone assist. This was the final score, with the three stars being
Up to Toronto, with the Maple Leafs welcoming the Phoenix Coyotes. In goal are Mike Smith and Ben Scrivens. Phoenix struck first on the fifth of the season by Shane Doan, assisted by Mikkel Boedker. Oliver Ekman-Larsson extended the Coyotes lead with his fourth of the year, and the helpers were provided by Kyle Chipchura and Raffi Torres. Toronto got on the board in the third period with a Mike Komisarek goal off of Matthew Lombardi and Joey Crabb. The Maple Leafs tied it on a Phil Kessel power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Nikolai Kulemin and Carl Gunnarsson. The tie was broken in a shootout, as Phoenix's Patrick O'Sullivan and Radim Vrbata toppled Toronto for a 3-2 win. The three stars were
Back down to Boston, where the Bruins host the New Jersey Devils. Johan Hedberg and Tim Thomas are designated to stop the puck. David Clarkson opened the scoring for New Jersey in the second period with his fifth of the season, coming off of Petr Sykora and Zach Parise, a power play goal. Boston tied it with the fifth of the year for Chris Kelly, and Gregory Campbell picked up the lone assist. The Bruins took the lead in the third period on a Brad Marchand goal, his sixth of the season, with help coming from Zeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron. The Devils took little time to retie the game on a Nick Palmieri goal, his second of the year, made possible by Andy Greene. Boston stole it back with a Shawn Thornton tally, guided in by Jordan Caron and Campbell. New Jersey tied it again with Palmieri's second of the night and third of the season, courtesy of Adam Henrique and Parise. The Bruins would win 4-3 with Benoit Pouliot scoring his second of the year, with the help of Joe Corvo and Rich Peverley. The three stars were Milan Lucic, Palmieri, and Campbell. Honorable mentions go to Parise.
Moving to Pennsylvania, where the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Marc-Andre Fleury are playing goal. Colorado led off with the second of the season by Jay McClement, assisted by Milan Hejduk and Erik Johnson. Matt Duchene added on for the Avalanche with his seventh of the year, via Paul Stastny and the tenth assist from Kyle Quincey. Pittsburgh got on the board with the ninth of the season for Jordan Staal, helped along by Tyler Kennedy and Deryk Engelland. Colorado restored a two goal lead as David Jones found a home for his seventh of the year, thanks to McClement and T.J. Galiardi. The Penguins pulled back in the second period with a Pascal Dupuis goal, his fourth of the season, guided in by Arron Asham and Craig Adams. Pittsburgh tied it on a Brooks Orpik goal from Evgeni Malkin and James Neal. Malkin gave the Penguins the lead on his fifth of the year, courtesy of Neal. Pittsburgh continued to surge with a Neal power play goal, powered by Steve Sullivan and Kris Letang as his twelfth of the season. Letang tacked on his second of the year for the Penguins, and the puck gathered steam off of Staal and Joe Vitale. The final was 6-3, and Neal, Malkin, and Letang took the three stars, with honorable mentions in McClement and Staal.
To the Midwest, where the St. Louis Blues host the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Brian Elliott are manning the nets. Detroit was first on the board with a Justin Abdelkader goal, his second of the season, fueled by Drew Miller. St. Louis tied it with a power play goal by Matt D'Agostini, his fifth of the year, powered by Patrik Berglund and the tenth assist for Kevin Shattenkirk. The Blues took the lead with Alex Steen notching his seventh of the season, guided in by Carlo Colaiacovo. The final was 2-1, and the three stars were David Backes, Elliott (21 for 22 in saves), and Barret Jackman, although I think Howard (35 for 37 in saves), D'Agostini, and Steen were all more worthy of spots.
Down to Nashville, where the Predators host the Washington Capitals. Tomas Vokoun and Pekka Rinne play between the pipes. Washington opened the scoring in the late third period with a Troy Brouwer goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Marcus Johansson and Cody Eakin. Nashville tied it twenty-eight seconds after on the third of the year for Martin Erat, thanks to Shea Weber and Mike Fisher. The Predators took a 2-1 lead with just twenty-five seconds left in regulation as Colin Wilson put away his fourth of the season, with the help of Erat. Five seconds after that, Nashville made it 3-1 with Weber's third of the year, an empty net goal guided in by Fisher only. The three stars were Rinne (39 for 40 in saves), Wilson, and Erat, with honorable mention for Weber and Fisher.
Into Texas, where the Dallas Stars welcome the Florida Panthers. Scott Clemmensen and Kari Lehtonen are wearing the goalie masks. Florida opened with a Dmitry Kulikov goal, coming through Tomas Kopecky. The Panthers added on with Jason Garrison sinking his seventh of the season, courtesy of Mike Santorelli and Brian Campbell. Florida struck again in the second period on the seventh of the year for Tomas Fleischmann, assisted by Stephen Weiss and the tenth assist by Kris Versteeg. Weiss kept the Panthers well in charge with his sixth of the season, made possible by Versteeg and the tenth assist for Fleischmann. Halfway through the third period, Florida scored again on Versteeg's ninth of the year, via Weiss. The Panthers kept it coming as Evgeny Dadonov put away his second of the campaign, helped along by Marco Sturm and Mike Weaver. The final was 6-0, and the three stars were Weiss, Versteeg, and Fleischmann, while Clemmensen polished off a 25 save shutout.
Finally, the Calgary Flames host the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Miikka Kiprusoff tend the twines. Ottawa opened the scoring with a second period Daniel Alfredssomn goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Nick Foligno. Calgary tied it on a Tom Kostopoulos goal, his second of the year, assisted by Matt Stajan. The Senators took the lead in the third period with a Bobby Butler goal, guided in by Sergei Gonchar's tenth assist and Chris Phillips, and he extended it with a second goal off of Jesse Winchester and Erik Karlsson. The final was 3-1, and the three stars were Butler, Mark Giordano, and Anderson (37 for 38 in saves).
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