There are five games on tonight, a little bit more high scoring from the looks of it.
First up, the Buffalo Sabres host the Toronto Maple Leafs. James Reimer and Ryan Miller are assigned starting responsibilities. The scoring began in the second period as Joffrey Lupul netted his fourteenth of the season, and Phil Kessel had the lone assist. Buffalo answered on a Drew Stafford power play goal, his sixth of the year, thanks to Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville. The Maple Leafs struck back on Dion Phaneuf's fourth of the season, also a power play goal, guided in by Tyler Bozak and John-Michael Liles. The Sabres quickly retied the game with Vanek registering his fifteenth of the year, and the lone helper belonged to Zach Kassian. Buffalo took a lead with a Tyler Ennis power play goal, his third of the season, coming off of Stafford and Pominville. The Sabres continued on as Andrej Sekera netted his second of the year, another power play goal, powered by Christian Ehrhoff and Ennis. Toronto got one back as Nikolai Kulemin recorded his third of the campaign on a penalty shot. Buffalo fired back with Vanek's second of the game and sixteenth of the season, helped in by Derek Roy. The Maple Leafs got it to 5-4 but failed to even the table on a Mikhail Grabovski goal, his eighth of the year, made possible by Carl Gunnarsson and Joey Crabb. The three stars in this game were Vanek, Stafford, and Ennis, while Pominville earns an honorable mention.
Up just a tad to Ottawa, as the Senators host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Backups Brent Johnson and Alex Auld get the starting nods, although Marc-Andre Fleury relieved Johnson in the third period. The scoring again began in the second period as Colin Greening put his eighth of the season away, via Jason Spezza and Jared Cowen. Pittsburgh tied it with the sixth of the year for Steve Sullivan, courtesy of Arron Asham and Joe Vitale. Spezza got the Senators back in front with his eleventh of the season, coming off of Daniel Alfredsson and Erik Karlsson. Ottawa surged forward on Alfredsson's ninth of the year, made possible by Spezza and Brian Lee. The Penguins got one back when Matt Niskanen spiked in his second of the season, a power play goal set up by Steve Sullivan and Chris Kunitz. Pittsburgh tied it with Evgeni Malkin notching his twelfth of the year, also a power play goal, powered by Sullivan and James Neal. The Senators regained the lead here with Cowen posting his fourth of the season, with helpers provided by Nick Foligno and Karlsson. Zenon Konopka extended the Ottawa lead with his third of the year, a power play goal guided in by Karlsson for a sock trick and Cowen. The Senators put it farther out of reach in the third period when Spezza got his second of the game and twelfth of the season, and the assists belonged to Alfredsson and Cowen, the latter getting a sock trick. The Penguins cut it down to 6-4, the final, with Kunitz depositing his tenth of the year, assisted by Simon Despres and Malkin. The three stars in the game were Spezza, Alfredsson, and Cowen, while Karlsson, Kunitz, Malkin, and Sullivan earn honorable mention.
Southward to Florida, where the Panthers welcome the Calgary Flames. Leland Irving and Jose Theodore will be between the pipes. Florida led off with Sean Bergenheim netting his fifth of the season, coming off of Mikael Samuelsson and Shawn Matthias. Calgary answered with an Olli Jokinen goal, his tenth of the year, thanks to Curtis Glencross and Jarome Iginla. The Flames took the lead in the third period with the eleventh of the season by Rene Bourque, a power play goal powered by Jokinen and Alex Tanguay. The Panthers tied it when Bergenheim struck again, his second of the game and sixth of the year, and Matthias and Samuelson again had the helpers. The tie lasted into a shootout, where Tanguay's lone tally did not hold Calgary against Florida's Dmitry Kulikov and Stephen Weiss, for a 3-2 Panther win. The three stars belong to Bergenheim, Matthias, and Irving (39 for 41 in saves), while Jokinen, Tanguay, and Samuelsson earn honorable mention.
Back up the coast again, to New Jersey, where the Devils host the Dallas Stars. Richard Bachman and Johan Hedberg are penciled in to play goal. Dallas opened on the tenth of the season for Michael Ryder, assisted by Loui Eriksson and Jamie Benn. New Jersey replied on a David Clarkson goal, his tenth of the year, made possible by Patrik Elias and Zach Parise. The Stars took the lead again on the sixth of the campaign for Brenden Morrow, courtesy of Mike Ribeiro and Steve Ott. The Devils evened it again on the eighth of the season by Adam Henrique, a shorthanded goal powered by Parise. New Jersey rolled on with Ilya Kovalchuk finding a home for his tenth of the year, thanks to Parise, who gets a sock trick, and Adam Larsson. The Devils extended the lead with Petr Sykora striking in his seventh of the campaign, guided in by Cam Janssen and Ryan Carter. New Jersey continued to pummel away with the eleventh of the season for Parise, set up by Larsson and Kovalchuk. Dallas got one back as Toby Petersen sank his second of the year, with the help of Sheldon Souray and Jake Dowell. The Devils iced it at 6-3 when Elias recorded his eleventh of the campaign, coming off of Dainius Zubrus and Sykora. The three stars went out to Parise, Kovalchuk, and Bryce Salvador, while honorable mentions go to Elias, Larsson, and Sykora.
Finally, the Chicago Blackhawks host the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Ray Emery tend the twines. Chicago led off with the third of the season by Jamal Mayers, courtesy of Andrew Brunette and John Scott. The Blackhawks added on in the second period with the fourteenth of the year by Marian Hossa, with a lone helper from Patrick Sharp. Chicago extended the lead again with a power play goal off Dave Bolland's tape, his eighth of the season, powered by Nick Leddy and the goalie Emery. The Blackhawks were relentless in the third period with Sharp notching his seventeenth of the year, coming off of Hossa alone. Anaheim cut the eventual final to 4-1 with a Teemu Selanne goal, his tenth of the campaign, made possible by Niklas Hagman and Kyle Palmieri. The three stars here were Emery (24 for 25 in saves), Scott, and Mayers, while Sharp and Hossa also played well.
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