Another day with a slate of twelve games to be played, and the first is a matinee from...
Philadelphia, where the Flyers host the Boston Bruins. Tim Thomas and Ilya Bryzgalov were given the starts, but Sergei Bobrovsky relieved Bryzgalov in the second period. Boston was first to score with Benoit Pouliot sinking his fifth of the season, courtesy of Rich Peverley. Shortly after that, Zdeno Chara fought with Jody Shelley. The Bruins got the boost from the brawl, as Daniel Paille sank his sixth of the year, with the help of Dennis Seidenberg and Joe Corvo. Boston added on again when the seventh of the season for Chara went down, a power play goal set up by David Krejci and Peverley. The Bruins remained tough with Milan Lucic also netting a power play goal, his eleventh of the year, made possible by Corvo and Tyler Seguin. Boston extended the lead once again in the second period with Nathan Horton recording his ninth of the season, another power play goal powered by Chara for a Gordie Howe Hat Trick and Peverley, who got a sock trick. The Bruins would win 6-0 after a third period Seguin goal, his fourteenth of the year, with helpers provided by Brad Marchand and Andrew Ference. The three stars were Thomas (31 save shutout), Peverley, and Chara, while Corvo and Seguin get honorable mentions.
At the regular times, the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller and Marc-Andre Fleury were the starters, but Miller was pulled for Jhonas Enroth about midway into the second period. Pittsburgh opened with a Jason Williams goal, assisted by Alexandre Picard and Craig Adams. The Penguins added on with a Simon Despres power play goal powered by Tyler Kennedy and Williams. Pittsburgh kept it up with Evgeni Malkin sinking his thirteenth of the season, coming off of Chris Kunitz and Brooks Orpik. Buffalo got on the board with the seventeenth of the year by Thomas Vanek, courtesy of Robyn Regehr and Jason Pominville. Malkin answered back with his second of the game and fourteenth of the year for the Penguins, thanks to Carl Sneep and Picard. James Neal tallied another one on for Pittsburgh with a second period goal, his eighteenth of the season, pushed through by Malkin and Matt Niskanen on the power play. The Penguins extended the lead once more with Deryk Engelland recording his second of the year, with the help of Arron Asham and Pascal Dupuis. The Sabres finally replied a little in the third period with an unassisted Luke Adam goal, his tenth of the season. Buffalo pulled closer with the second of the year from Paul Gaustad, made possible by Drew Stafford and Andrej Sekera. Pittsburgh took off again when Malkin finished a hat trick with his fifteenth of the season, aided by Neal and Niskanen on the power play. The Penguins iced it 8-3 with Kunitz depositing his eleventh of the year, guided in by Malkin and Engelland. The three stars belonged to Malkin, Despres, and Williams, while honorable mentions include Kunitz, Engelland, Neal, Picard, and Niskanen.
Over to Columbus, where the Blue Jackets welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mathieu Garon and Steve Mason were given the go ahead to play goal. Tampa Bay led off with a Blair Jones goal, his second of the season, made possible by Teddy Purcell. The Lightning added on when Eric Brewer scored, coming off of Steven Stamkos and Ryan Malone. Columbus got on the board in the second period with an R.J. Umberger power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Vinny Prospal and Fedor Tyutin. Tampa Bay struck back with the twentieth of the season for Stamkos, courtesy of Vincent Lecavalier and Dana Tyrell. The Blue Jackets got it up to 3-2 with a Rick Nash goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by by Jeff Carter and Prospal, but they failed to get the equalizer and lost. Garon (26 for 28 in saves), Prospal, and Stamkos earned the three stars.
Up to Montreal, where the Canadiens hosted the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Carey Price are the netminders of choice. New Jersey led off when Petr Sykora scored his eighth of the season, via Dainius Zubrus and Adam Henrique. Montreal tied it in the second period with a power play goal from P.K. Subban, his second of the year, pushed through by Tomas Kaberle and Michael Cammalleri. The Devils took the lead again on a power play goal of their own, the twelfth of the season for Patrik Elias, powered by Ilya Kovalchuk and Kurtis Foster. The Canadiens got into another tie with a Chris Campoli goal, and Yannick Weber and Hal Gill picked up the assists. Montreal took a lead with the third of the year by Lars Eller, set up by Louis Leblanc and Gill. New Jersey tied it up when the eleventh of the campaign for David Clarkson found twine, made possible by Adam Larsson. The Devils took the lead in the third period on another Elias goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, guided in by Sykora. New Jersey iced it 5-3 with a power play goal by Zubrus, his tenth of the year, fueled by Kovalchuk and Foster. The three stars were awarded to Elias, Zubrus, and Gill, while honorable mentions are in store for Sykora, Foster, and Kovalchuk.
Westward to the Teemu Selanne homecoming game, as the Winnipeg Jets host the Anaheim Ducks. Backup goalies Dan Ellis and Chris Mason will take to the creases. Winnipeg opened on a Kyle Wellwood goal, his eighth of the season, fueled by Nik Antropov and Zach Bogosian. The Jets added on with a power play goal by Blake Wheeler, his third of the year, powered by Dustin Byfuglien and Tobias Enstrom. Niklas Hagman got Anaheim on the board with his fifth of the season, assisted by Teemu Selanne and Sheldon Brookbank. The Ducks tied it with the thirteenth of the year by Corey Perry, courtesy of Ryan Getzlaf and the goalie Ellis. Winnipeg took the lead again early in the second period when Alex Burmistrov netted his seventh of the season, coming off of Evander Kane and Bogosian. The Jets extended the lead with the tenth of the year for Andrew Ladd, thanks to Byfuglien and Wellwood. Winnipeg was relentless into the third period, as Bogosian notched his second of the season, via Chris Thorburn. Anaheim cut the deficit to 5-3, the eventual final, when Perry struck again, his second of the game and fourteenth of the year, a power play goal set up by Getzlaf and Selanne. The three stars were Bogosian, Ladd, and Selanne, while Perry, Getzlaf, Byfuglien, and Wellwood all have decent cases for inclusion.
Back to the east, where the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Vancouver Canucks. Roberto Luongo and Jonas Gustavsson oppose each other in the twines. Vancouver opened early with a Chris Higgins goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Alexander Edler and Sami Salo. Toronto answered with Joffrey Lupul potting a power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Tyler Bozak and John-Michael Liles. The Canucks took the lead again in the second period with the third of the season for Mason Raymond, courtesy of Ryan Kesler and Higgins. The Maple Leafs retied it with Bozak recording his seventh of the year, helped along by Phil Kessel. Vancouver again went in front with a Daniel Sedin goal, his thirteenth of the season, made possible by Alexandre Burrows and Kevin Bieksa. Burrows extended the Canucks lead in the third period on his eleventh of the year, set up by Henrik Sedin and Dan Hamhuis. Kessel got Toronto a little closer again with his nineteenth of the season, where Bozak and Liles picked up the helpers again. Vancouver finished it at 5-3 when Jannik Hansen's tenth of the year went in unassisted. The three stars of the game are Burrows, Bozak, and Higgins, while Liles and Kessel earn honorable mention.
Stateside again as the Detroit Red Wings host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick originally went out to face Jimmy Howard, but Jonathan Bernier relieved him before the first period came to a close. Detroit struck first with Drew Miller making his fourth of the season, with the help of Darren Helm and Danny Cleary. The Red Wings added on as Cory Emmerton put away his second of the year, thanks to Jonathan Ericsson and Tomas Holmstrom. Detroit rolled along with a Niklas Kronwall goal, his seventh of the season, fueled by Cleary and Helm. Los Angeles got on the board when Davis Drewiske potted his second of the year, guided in by Justin Williams and Dustin Penner. The Red Wings replied on Emmerton's second of the game and third of the season, made possible by Justin Abdelkader and Holmstrom. The Kings answered in the second period on the third of the year from Jarret Stoll, assisted by Williams and Penner. Detroit replied again on a Henrik Zetterberg goal, his eighth of the season, with assists coming from Jiri Hudler and Kronwall. The Red Wings proved unstoppable with the tenth of the year by Pavel Datsyuk, coming off of Johan Franzen and Todd Bertuzzi. Detroit kept pummeling with Miller's second of the game and fifth of the season, allowing Cleary a sock trick with the lone helper. The Red Wings would finish the game up 8-2 after a power play goal off the tape of Brad Stuart, his fourth of the year, powered by Emmerton and Kronwall. The official three stars were not posted at this time, so I give them to Emmerton, Kronwall, and Cleary.
Way to the south, the Phoenix Coyotes host the New York Rangers. Martin Biron and Mike Smith play between the pipes. New York led off with a power play goal by Marian Gaborik, his sixteenth of the season, powered by Michael Del Zotto and Derek Stepan. Phoenix tied it on a shorthanded Lauri Korpikoski goal, his eighth of the year, fueled by Boyd Gordon. The Coyotes took the lead in the second period when Cal O'Reilly scored on the power play with the help of Shane Doan and Radim Vrbata. The Rangers retied it in the third period with Gaborik's second of the game and seventeenth of the season, an unassisted goal. With a fraction of a second remaining in regulation, Brad Richards squeezed his twelfth of the year into the cage for a 3-2 New York victory, and the assists here went to Ryan McDonagh and Ryan Callahan. Korpikoski, Gaborik, and David Schlemko earned the three stars, although Richards has an overwhelmingly strong case.
Northeast just a tad to Nashville, where the Predators host the St. Louis Blues. Jaroslav Halak and Pekka Rinne tend the twines. Nashville opened the scoring in the third period with a Martin Erat goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Shea Weber and Mike Fisher. St. Louis tied it with a power play goal by T.J. Oshie, his tenth of the year, powered by David Backes and David Perron. The tie lasted to a shootout, where the Predators beat the Blues 2-1 with a lone David Legwand tally. The three stars were given to Rinne (39 for 40 in saves), Erat, and Oshie.
Northwest now, to Minnesota, where the Wild welcome the New York Islanders. Al Montoya and Niklas Backstrom have the duty of stopping the puck. New York led off in the second period with an Andrew MacDonald goal, his second of the season, assisted by John Tavares and Matt Moulson. Minesota evened the ledger in the third period with the ninth of the year by Cal Clutterbuck, fueled by Matt Cullen and Dany Heatley. The game lasted to a shootout where the Islanders topped the Wild on a lone tally from Frans Nielsen. The three stars of the game were Nielsen, Backstrom (35 for 36 in saves), and Jared Spurgeon, although point earners can argue the third star.
Westward again to Colorado, where the Avalanche due battle with the Washington Capitals. Michal Neuvirth takes on fellow "backup" Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Colorado opened with a Cody McLeod goal, with helpers provided by Shane O'Brien and Erik Johnson. Washington replied with the sixth of the campaign for Alexander Semin, courtesy of Dmitry Orlov and Joel Ward in the second period. The Avalanche went up 2-1 with Johnson scoring, thanks to Milan Hejduk and Gabriel Landeskog. This was a final score after a silent third period, and the three stars were Johnson, Giguere (25 for 26 in saves), and McLeod.
Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Edmonton Oilers. Nikolai Khabibulin and Antti Niemi will guard the cages. San Jose struck first with a Martin Havlat goal, his second of the season, thanks to Michal Handzus and Dan Boyle. Edmonton answered with Jordan Eberle notching his twelfth of the year, and the lone assist went to Taylor Hall. The Oilers took the lead in the second period with the tenth of the campaign for Ryan Jones, a shorthanded and unassisted goal. Joe Thornton put the Sharks back into a tie with his sixth of the season, helped along by Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Joe Pavelski. San Jose would win 3-2 after a third period Patrick Marleau power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by Pavelski and Jamie McGinn. The three stars were awarded to Marleau, Pavelski, and Hall.
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