NHL Day 54 2011-2012

Another four games being played tonight. We begin in...

Minnesota, with the Wild hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mathieu Garon and Niklas Backstrom get the starting nods. Tampa Bay struck first in the second period with the fifteenth of the season by Steven Stamkos, an unassisted goal. Minnesota replied with Cal Clutterbuck netting a shorthanded goal, and Mikko Koivu aided him in getting the seventh of his year. The Wild gained the lead with Pierre-Marc Bouchard potting his third of the season, thanks to Nick Johnson. Minnesota won 3-1 with Koivu scoring an empty net goal, his fourth of the year from Jared Spurgeon and Clutterbuck. Backstrom (32 for 33 in saves), Clutterbuck, and Mike Lundin were the three stars, although Koivu was reasonably good.

Westward to Colorado, where the Avalanche host the Dallas Stars. Andrew Raycroft and Semyon Varlamov will play goal. Dallas got on the board with Eric Nystrom depositing his eighth of the season, assisted by Vernon Fiddler and Stephane Robidas. The Stars added on in the third period with Michael Ryder scoring his eighth of the campaign, with help from Loui Eriksson and Philip Larsen. Colorado got on the board with a Kevin Porter goal, via David Jones and Ryan Wilson. Ryder made it 3-1 Dallas with his second of the game and ninth of the year, courtesy of Eriksson and Adam Pardy, an empty net goal. This was a final and the three stars were Raycroft (35 for 36 in saves), Varlamov (32 for 34 in saves), and Ryder.

Up to Edmonton, as the Oilers host the Nashville Predators. Anders Lindback and Nikolai Khabibulin put on the goalie masks. Edmonton scored first on a Jordan Eberle goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Nashville tied it in the second period with the fourth of the year by Shea Weber, a power play goal powered by Ryan Suter and the goalie Lindback. The Predators got the lead in the third period with a Nick Spaling goal, his third of the season, with help from Jordin Tootoo and Craig Smith. This made it 2-1, the eventual final, and the three stars were Suter, Khabibulin (29 for 31 in saves), and Tootoo.

Lastly, the Battle of California continues with the Los Angeles Kings hosting the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi and Jonathan Quick tend the twines. Los Angeles was first to score with an Ethan Moreau goal, going down unassisted. The Kings added on in the second period with the eleventh of the season by Mike Richards, helped along by Simon Gagne and Willie Mitchell. There would be no more scoring, resulting in a 2-0 win for Los Angeles. The three stars were Quick (33 save shutout), Mitchell, and Moreau.