Big slate of games being played, as we see twelve pucks drop to start games. First up...
The New Jersey Devils host the Ottawa Senators. Alex Auld and Martin Brodeur were called to start, but Johan Hedberg took over for Brodeur in the second period and onward. Ottawa struck first with the eighteenth of the season for Milan Michalek, and Jason Spezza had the lone assist. The Senators added on with the tenth of the year by Nick Foligno, assisted by Jared Cowen and Colin Greening. Ottawa added on in the second period with a Daniel Alfredsson power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Erik Karlsson and Spezza. New Jersey got on the board with Zach Parise netting a shorthanded goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Adam Henrique. The Devils pulled closer in the third period on the eighth of the season by Dainius Zubrus, a shorthanded goal, and the lone helper was by Patrik Elias. New Jersey tied it with a Mattias Tedenby goal, courtesy of David Clarkson and Adam Larsson. The Devils grabbed the lead on the eighth of the campaign for Ilya Kovalchuk, with the help of Parise and Henrique. The Senators retied it on a shorthanded Jesse Winchester goal, coming from Chris Phillips and Alfredsson. The tie lasted into the shootout, where Parise, Elias, and Henrique toppled Spezza and Alfredsson to pace New Jersey on a 5-4 win over Ottawa. The three stars went to Winchester, Parise, and Kovalchuk, while Elias, Henrqiue, Alfredsson, and Spezza all played well.
Staying in the region, the New York Rangers host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mathieu Garon and Henrik Lundqvist play between the pipes. New York was first to score with a Ryan Callahan power play goal, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Brad Richards and Derek Stepan. Tampa Bay answered in the second period with Ryan Malone netting his sixth of the year, an unassisted goal. The Rangers took the lead back on a shorthanded Artem Anisimov goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Michael Del Zotto and Brandon Dubinsky. The Lightning tied it in the third period with a shorthanded Dominic Moore goal, via Victor Hedman and Eric Brewer. The game went to a shootout, where Tampa Bay won 3-2 as Moore scored the only tally. The three stars went to Moore, Lundqvist (29 for 31 in saves), and Malone.
Over in Boston, the Bruins hosted the Florida Panthers. Jose Theodore and Tim Thomas tend the twines. Florida scored first with approximately two and a half minutes remaining in regulation time, as the fourth of the season for Tomas Kopecky crossed the goal line, with the help of Shawn Matthias and Dmitry Kulikov. The Panthers iced it at 2-0 with Kris Versteeg netting his thirteenth of the year into the empty cage, helped out by Tomas Fleischmann and Brian Campbell. The three stars were awarded to Theodore (40 save shutout), Thomas (28 for 29 in saves), and Kopecky.
To the Midwest area, as the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Curtis Sanford will be stopping the puck tonight. Columbus got going with the fourth of the season by Jeff Carter, courtesy of Vinny Prospal and Rick Nash. The Blue Jackets added on in the second period with the fourth of the year from Antoine Vermette, pushed through by Jared Boll and Nikita Nikitin. Nashville got on the board with the sixth of the season by Mike Fisher, assisted by Sergei Kostitsyn and Francis Bouillon. Columbus took it back in the third period when the sixth of the year for Derek Dorsett, thanks to Marc Methot and James Wisniewski. The Predators replied with the eighth of the campaign by Patric Hornqvist, guided in by Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. With just thirteen seconds left in regulation, Kostitsyn struck to tie the game for Nashville, and helping him sink his fourth of the season were Martin Erat and Suter on the man advantage. The tie was broken by the Predators in overtime with a Colin Wilson tally, his seventh of the year, set up by Erat for a 4-3 win. The three stars were handed out to Wilson, Vermette, and Kostitsyn, while Erat and Suter also played decently.
Back to New York, with the Islanders welcoming the Chicago Blackhawks. Ray Emery and Al Montoya get the starting nods. Marian Hossa put Chicago on the board first with a power play goal by Marian Hossa, his twelfth of the season, powered by Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp. The Blackhawks extended the lead with Sharp notching his fourteenth of the year, guided in by Hossa and Niklas Hjalmarsson. New York got on the board when Travis Hamonic scored, via P.A. Parenteau and Matt Moulson. The Islanders tied it in the third period on a Michael Grabner goal, made possible by Steve Staios and Frans Nielsen as his eighth of the season. The tie lasted into overtime, where Sharp netted his second of the game and fifteenth of the year to win it 3-2 for Chicago, and Hossa had the lone helper. The three stars went to Sharp, Hamonic, and Hossa.
Into the Battle of Pennsylvania, where the Philadelphia Flyers host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Ilya Bryzgalov will play in the blue paint. Danny Briere got Philadelphia on the board first with his eighth of the season, made possible by Wayne Simmonds. The Flyers added on in the second period when Simmonds scored on the power play, his sixth of the year, thanks to Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux. Philadelphia kept rolling on a Scott Hartnell goal, his thirteenth of the season, courtesy of Andrej Meszaros and Matt Carle. Pittsburgh got on the board when the fifteenth of the year by James Neal found twine, a power play goal powered by Evgeni Malkin and Matt Niskanen. The Penguins got closer with the tenth of the campaign by Malkin, fueled by Brooks Orpik and Arron Asham, but it did not save them from losing 3-2. The three stars were Hartnell, Malkin, and Meszaros, while Simmonds had a respectable effort.
Up to Montreal, where the Canadiens host cross-country rivals, the Vancouver Canucks. Stud goalies Roberto Luongo and Carey Price will be in charge of guarding the cages. Montreal opened on a Frédéric St-Denis goal, assisted by Michael Cammalleri and Tomas Plekanec. Raphael Diaz added on for the Canadiens with his second of the season, fueled by Max Pacioretty and Erik Cole. Montreal added on in the second period as Cole netted his ninth of the year, an unassisted goal. Vancouver finally answered with a shorthanded Mason Raymond goal, with the help of Jannik Hansen. The Canucks pulled closer with the sixth of the season for Cody Hodgson, an unassisted goal coming in the third period. Vancouver tied it with Sami Salo notching his sixth of the year, a power play goal, powered by Henrik Sedin and Ryan Kesler. The tie lasted into a shootout, where the Canucks toppled the Canadiens on a Hodgson tally for a 4-3 win. The three stars were Hodgson, Cole, and St-Denis.
Down south a bit in Detroit, where the Red Wings host the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Jimmy Howard were given the green light, but Smith was quickly pulled in favor of Jason LaBarbera for the following reasons. Detroit opened on a Todd Bertuzzi goal, his second of the season, guided in by Pavel Datsyuk. The Red Wings added on with Valtteri Filppula recording his ninth of the year, thanks to Henrik Zetterberg and Jiri Hudler. Detroit kept going with the fifth of the season for Tomas Holmstrom, a power play goal powered by Ian White and Datsyuk. The Red Wings extended the lead chased Smith with fourth of the year for Darren Helm, courtesy of Chris Conner and Jakub Kindl. Hudler kept Detroit even more firmly in control by recording his fourth of the season, with the help of Zetterberg and Filppula. Phoenix got on the board in the second period, as the fourteenth of the year for Radim Vrbata found twine, and it was set up by Keith Yandle and Derek Morris. The Coyotes got as close as 5-2 with the fourth of the campaign for Martin Hanzal in the third period, a power play goal made possible by Shane Doan and Ray Whitney. Filppula, Zetterberg, and Conner earned the three stars, while Hudler and Datsyuk also performed well.
Staying in the Central Division vs Pacific Division theme, the St. Louis Blues host the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Jaroslav Halak wear the goalie masks. Chris Porter got St. Louis on the board, his second of the season, assisted by Jamie Langenbrunner and Ian Cole. Anaheim replied with the tenth of the year from the tape of Bobby Ryan, previously hitting the sticks of Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu. Cole took the lead back for the Blues in the second period, and he was helped out by Matt D'Agostini and Langenbrunner. St. Louis extended the lead with T.J. Oshie potting his eighth of the campaign, courtesy of Carlo Colaiacovo. The Ducks got within one in the third period when the third of the season by Devante Smith-Pelly found twine, with helpers provided by Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan. The Blues put it away 4-2 on Oshie's second of the night and ninth of the year, an empty net goal set up by David Backes. The three stars were awarded to Oshie, Langenbrunner, and Cole, while Ryan played admirably in the losing effort.
Back to the northwest, where the Calgary Flames welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Miikka Kiprusoff are in the creases. Colorado opened the scoring late in the second period on Matt Duchene's tenth of the season, thanks to Jan Hejda. Calgary tied it in the third period when Lee Stempniak netted his eighth of the campaign, a power play goal made possible by Brendan Morrison and Chris Butler. The Flames took the lead on a Curtis Glencross power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Morrison and Stempniak. The Avalanche tied it up with the fourth of the season for T.J. Galiardi, assisted by Milan Hejduk. Calgary would take the game 3-2 when the eighth of the year (crazy eights for those Flames tonight) by Olli Jokinen crossed into the cage, and he received assistance from Jarome Iginla and Glencross. Morrison, Glencross, and Iginla got the three stars, while Stempniak earns honorable mention.
Down to California, as the Los Angeles Kings host the Minnesota Wild. Matt Hackett and Jonathan Quick get to block the puck. Minnesota struck early with the sixth of the season for Mikko Koivu, courtesy of Jared Spurgeon and Jeff Taffe. The Wild added on in the second period when Darroll Powe notched his third of the year, coming off of Nick Johnson and Kyle Brodziak. Minnesota extended the lead again with the third of the season for Marco Scandella, assisted by Dany Heatley and Matt Cullen. Los Angeles got on the board in the third period, as Dustin Penner scored, with the help of Jack Johnson and Anze Kopitar for his second of the year. The Wild replied with a Cody Almond goal, made possible by Nick Johnson and Powe. The Kings cut it to 4-2 with a Trent Hunter goal, fueled by Kyle Clifford and Jack Johnson. This was a final, and the three stars went out to Hackett (42 for 44 in saves), Spurgeon, and Powe, while both Johnsons had multi-point efforts.
Finally, the San Jose Sharks welcomed the Dallas Stars. Andrew Raycroft and Antti Niemi got the starts, but Raycroft was replaced by Richard Bachman for the third period. Logan Couture gave San Jose an early lead on his eleventh of the season, and Ryane Clowe had the lone assist. Jamie McGinn added on for the Sharks with his fifth of the year, courtesy of Michal Handzus and Justin Braun. Dallas got on the board when Mike Ribeiro potted his third of the season, with the help of Brenden Morrow and Steve Ott. Morrow tied it in the second period with his fourth of the year, a power play goal, powered by Ribeiro and Stephane Robidas. San Jose grabbed the lead back on a Clowe goal, his sixth of the campaign, set up by Joe Thornton and Martin Havlat. The Sharks added on as Brad Winchester registered his third of the season, thanks to Thornton and Brent Burns. San Jose made it 5-2 on a Torrey Mitchell goal, his third of the year, guided in by McGinn. The third period was silent in scoring, leaving the above score as a final, and awarding the three stars to Winchester, McGinn, and Mitchell, while Ribeiro, Morrow, Thornton, and Clowe had honorable mentions.
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