There are a lot of games in the next four days, although tomorrow will be absolutely silent for hockey purposes. We begin this stretch of insanity with thirteen games tonight.
First up, the Pittsburgh Penguins host the St. Louis Blues. Brian Elliott and Marc-Andre Fleury will be in net. St. Louis struck first with a Scott Nichol goal, going down unassisted. Pittsburgh tied it in the third period with a Steve Sullivan power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Evgeni Malkin and Tyler Kennedy. The Blues took the lead back on Jamie Langenbrunner goal, his second of the year, assisted by Chris Stewart and Ian Cole. The Penguins tied it back up with a James Neal goal, his thirteenth of the season, and Malkin had the lone assist. St. Louis took the game in the waning seconds of overtime when the third of the year for Alex Pietrangelo got across the goal line, thanks to Vladimir Sobotka and Matt D'Agostini. The three stars were Langenbrunner, Malkin, and Pietrangelo.
Next, the other over-covered team, the Washington Capitals, welcome the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Tomas Vokoun wear the masks. Washington was first on the board as the recently-benched Alexander Semin popped in his fifth of the season, thanks to Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson. Winnipeg answered with an Andrew Ladd goal, his seventh of year, helped in by Nik Antropov and Kyle Wellwood. The Capitals took the lead back with Jason Chimera's seventh of the season, courtesy of Brooks Laich and Karl Alzner. The Jets answered again on the seventh of the year by Wellwood, assisted by Ladd and Zach Bogosian. Washington took the lead once again in the second period on the seventh of the season from Nicklas Backstrom, guided in by Troy Brouwer and Dmitry Orlov. Winnipeg tied it again with a Bryan Little goal, his fifth of the year, and helpers were credited to Blake Wheeler and Mark Flood. The tie lasted to overtime, where Chimera's second of the game and eighth of the campaign served as a game winner for the Capitals, and helping him down the Jets were Dennis Wideman and Marcus Johansson. In the 4-3 game, the three stars went to Chimera, Semin, and Ovechkin, while Wellwood and Ladd had the best efforts for the opposition.
To the Motor City, where the Detroit Red Wings will host the Calgary Flames. Miikka Kiprusoff and Jimmy Howard tend the twines. Detroit drew first blood with a Tomas Holmstrom goal, his second of the season, made possible by Nicklas Lidstrom and Jiri Hudler. Calgary tied it with the sixth of the year by Jarome Iginla, assisted by Alex Tanguay and Chris Butler. The Flames grabbed the lead on a Brendan Morrison goal, fueled by Tim Jackman. The Red Wings tied it back up with an Ian White goal, his fourth of the season, thanks to Pavel Datsyuk. Detroit got the lead back with Holmstrom's second of the game and third of the year, a power play goal powered by Datsyuk and White. Calgary got another equalizer with a power play goal by Olli Jokinen, his fifth of the season, guided in by T.J. Brodie and Jay Bouwmeester. The Red Wings again took the lead, with Datsyuk netting his fifth of the year on the power play, via Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg. Detroit started to run away with it when Valtteri Filppula notched his fourth of the season off of Hudler and White. The final was 5-3, and the three stars were Datsyuk, Holmstrom, and White, while honorable mentions go to Lidstrom and Hudler.
Back to the coast as the New York Islanders host the Philadelphia Flyers. Ilya Bryzgalov and Rick DiPietro are in the blue paint. Philadelphia opened eighteen seconds in with the second of the season by Andrej Meszaros, assisted by Max Talbot and Matt Carle. New York tied it just nineteen seconds later, as Kyle Okposo scored with help from Michael Grabner. The Islanders took the lead when Okposo scored again, a power play goal powered by Josh Bailey and Grabner. Grabner kept New York in charge with his sixth of the year, thanks to Okposo and Frans Nielsen, and Bryzgalov was pulled in favor of Sergei Bobrovsky for the second period onward. The Flyers got one back in the second period with the ninth of the season by Scott Hartnell, a power play goal powered by Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux. Philadelphia finally got the equalizer with Danny Briere's sixth of the year, courtesy of Braydon Coburn. Briere took care of business to push the Flyers to 4-3 win in overtime, scoring his second of the game and seventh of the campaign with assistance from Hartnell and Coburn. The three stars were awarded to Okposo, Briere, and Grabner, while Coburn and Hartnell would make up the honorable mentions.
Heading to upstate New York, as the Buffalo Sabres do battle with the Boston Bruins. Tim Thomas and Jhonas Enroth receive the starting nods. Buffalo was first to score when Christian Ehrhoff netted his second of the season, a power play goal from Drew Stafford and Marc-Andre Gragnani. The Sabres added on with another power play goal, the twelfth of the year by Thomas Vanek, powered by Jason Pominville. Boston pulled back in the second period with the twelfth of the season by Tyler Seguin, also a power play goal, made possible by Patrice Bergeron and Rich Peverley. Buffalo got it back with a T.J. Brennan goal off of Derek Roy and Gragnani. The Bruins replied with Brad Marchand depositing his seventh of the year, and Bergeron and Seguin had the helpers. Boston got an equalizer in the third period in the form of a Zdeno Chara power play goal, with assists from Milan Lucic and David Krejci. The tie lasted into a shootout, where the Bruins beat the Sabres in the fifth round on a Benoit Pouliot goal. The three stars went to Seguin, Pouliot, and Brennan, while Bergeron and Gragnani get the honorable mentions.
Back into the tristate region, as the New Jersey Devils host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Curtis Sanford and Martin Brodeur will be between the pipes. New Jersey was first on the board with a second period Dainius Zubrus goal, his seventh of the season, courtesy of Adam Larsson and Patrik Elias. Columbus tied it in the second period with a Jared Boll goal, assisted by Marc Methot and Vinny Prospal. The tie lasted into a shootout, where the Devils downed the Blue Jackets on goals by Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise for a 2-1 win. Earning the three stars were Boll, Brodeur (35 for 36 in saves), and Sanford (23 for 24 in saves).
Down the coast to Carolina, as the Hurricanes welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Playing in front of the cages are Carey Price and Cam Ward. Carolina was first to score with the third of the season by Jiri Tlusty, assisted by Brandon Sutter and Justin Faulk. The Hurricanes added on with an Anthony Stewart goal, his fourth of the year, thanks to Tim Brent and Brett Sutter. Montreal got going in the second period with the second of the season by Lars Eller, a shorthanded goal via Raphael Diaz. The Canadiens tied it in the third period when the fifth of the year by Michael Cammalleri found twine, courtesy of Josh Gorges and P.K. Subban. Carolina regained the lead with Brandon's fifth of the season, off of Pat Dwyer and Tlusty. Montreal tied it back up with the seventh of the year by Travis Moen, guided in by Yannick Weber and Eller. The tie was broken in the shootout, as the Canadiens rose 4-3 over the Hurricanes on Brian Gionta's lone tally. Eller, Price (30 for 33 in saves), and Brandon had the three stars, while Tlusty earns honorable mention.
Southward farther to Florida, with the Panthers hosting the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Jose Theodore are in goal. Florida struck first on the power play, with the eighth of the season by Jason Garrison, powered by Brian Campbell and Tomas Fleischmann. The Panthers added on in the second period with the twelfth of the year for Kris Versteeg, via Fleischmann and Keaton Ellerby. New York got on the board with the fourth of the season by Derek Stepan, assisted by Marian Gaborik and Ryan McDonagh. The 2-1 score lasted through a quiet third period for a Florida victory. The three stars were awarded to Fleischmann, Lundqvist (36 for 38 in saves), and Garrison.
Northwest to Minnesota, where the Wild will welcome the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Josh Harding are the goalies of choice tonight. Nashville was first to score with the second of the season for Jordin Tootoo, made possible by Craig Smith and Nick Spaling. Minnesota tied it in the third period with the sixth of the year by Dany Heatley, fueled by Mikko Koivu and Devin Setoguchi. The Wild snagged the lead with a power play goal by Kyle Brodziak, his fifth of the season, powered by Matt Cullen and Marco Scandella. Minnesota extended the lead with a shorthanded Cal Clutterbuck goal, his fifth of the year, set up by Koivu. The Predators got one back as Ryan Suter sank his fifth of the season, a power play goal assisted by Tootoo and Martin Erat. The final would be 3-2, and the three stars were Heatley, Harding (23 for 25 in saves), and Koivu.
Zigzagging to Dallas, with the Stars hosting the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Kari Lehtonen will be stopping the pucks. Los Angeles opened the scoring in the second period on a Mike Richards goal, his tenth of the season, and the lone assist came from Dustin Brown. The Kings added on quickly with a Kevin Westgarth goal, made possible by Ethan Moreau. Dallas got on the board with a Jamie Benn goal, his sixth of the year, assisted by Eric Nystrom and Radek Dvorak. The Stars tied it with twenty-one seconds remaining in regulation on a Loui Eriksson goal, his tenth of the season coming on the power play via Benn and Michael Ryder. Dallas completed the comeback in a 3-2 win in overtime with a Steve Ott goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Stephane Robidas and Mike Ribeiro. The three stars were Ott, Benn, and Eriksson.
West to Phoenix, as the Coyotes host the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Mike Smith guard the cages. Anaheim was first on the scoreboard with the fourth of the season by Saku Koivu, assisted by Andrew Cogliano and Cam Fowler. Phoenix tied it with a Keith Yandle goal, his second of the year, made possible by Shane Doan and Ray Whitney. The Coyotes grabbed the lead with a power play goal by Radim Vrbata, his tenth of the season, powered by Martin Hanzal and Yandle. Phoenix rolled on in the second period with another Vrbata goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, fueled by Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Coyotes stayed relentless when Ekman-Larsson struck in the third period with his fifth of the season, thanks to Doan. Corey Perry got one back for the Ducks by registering his eighth of the year, helped along by Ryan Getzlaf and Toni Lydman. The final was 4-2 and the three stars were Vrbata, Yandle, and Ekman-Larsson, while Doan earns an honorable mention.
Up into the Rockies, with the Colorado Avalanche playing host to the Vancouver Canucks. Guarding the goalmouths, we have Cory Schneider and Semyon Varlamov. Vancouver struck first with a Manny Malhotra goal, set up by Cody Hodgson and Jannik Hansen. The Canucks extended the lead on an Alexandre Burrows goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Dan Hamhuis. Vancouver iced it at 3-0 with a Ryan Kesler empty net goal, his third of the year going in unassisted. The three stars were Schneider (24 save shutout), Burrows, and Varlamov (26 for 28 in saves).
Lastly, we hit the west coast with the San Jose Sharks hosting the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Antti Niemi will be in front of the cages. San Jose opened the scoring late in the second period with a Jason Demers goal, a power play goal from Ryane Clowe and Logan Couture. This goal would hold up as the only one, for a 1-0 Sharks win. The three stars were Niemi (34 save shutout), Demers, and Marian Hossa, although I give Corey Crawford (20 for 21 in saves) his credit.
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