Just six games on, even if it feels like a little bit more than that, beginning with...
The Carolina Hurricanes welcoming the Phoenix Coyotes. Jason LaBarbera and Cam Ward were given starting duties. Phoenix opened on a Ray Whitney goal, his twelfth of the season, coming from Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Martin Hanzal on the power play. Carolina tied it with Tuomo Ruutu netting his eleventh of the year, with the help of Alexei Poinkarovsky and Jussi Jokinen. The Hurricanes took the lead in the second period with Andreas Nodl scoring, thanks to Jaroslav Spacek. Carolina extended the lead when Jiri Tlusty recorded his seventh of the season, and the lone assist was by Justin Faulk. The Coyotes got one back as Cal O'Reilly sank his second of the year, fueled by David Rundblad and Kyle Chipchura. Phoenix tied it in the third period when Rostislav Klesla scored, coming off of Lauri Korpikoski and Daymond Langkow. The Coyotes took the lead when Korpikoski sank his ninth of the season, via Derek Morris and Whitney. This made it 4-3, an eventual final, where the three stars are Korpikoski, Whitney, and Ruutu.
In the Midwest, the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the Montreal Canadiens. Official backups Peter Budaj and Corey Crawford get to make the spot starts. Montreal led off in the second period when Andrei Kostitsyn made his tenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Tomas Plekanec and Raphael Diaz. Chicago tied it with the eighth of the year for Andrew Brunette, courtesy of Patrick Kane and Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks got the lead with Patrick Sharp registering his eighteenth of the season, and Marian Hossa had the lone assist. Chicago extended the lead as Viktor Stalberg notched his seventh of the year, and the lone helper came from Bryan Bickell. Jonathan Toews made it at 4-1 for the Blackhawks with his twentieth of the season, and Seabrook had the only assist. Chicago ended ahead 5-1 due to Bickell's fourth of the year, with help from Stalberg and Brandon Pirri. Crawford (20 for 21 in saves), Brunette, and Sharp had the three stars, while Seabrook and Bickell get honorable mentions.
Down to Texas, where the Dallas Stars host the Philadelphia Flyers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Richard Bachman play between the pipes. Dallas quickly struck first with Michael Ryder finding a place for his twelfth of the season, courtesy of Loui Eriksson and Jamie Benn. Philadelphia tied it on Claude Giroux's seventeenth of the year, assisted by Jaromir Jagr and Scott Hartnell. The Flyers took the lead on a Wayne Simmonds power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Kimmo Timonen and Giroux. Philadelphia added on in the second period when Jagr potted his eleventh of the year, also a power play goal, thanks to Giroux and Timonen. The Flyers rolled on in the third period with an Andrej Meszaros goal, made possible by Giroux for a sock trick and Hartnell as his fourth of the campaign. This made it 4-1, and the three stars were Giroux, Jagr, and Timonen, while Hartnell also has a solid case.
North and west to Colorado, as the Avalanche bring in the St. Louis Blues. Brian Elliott and Jean-Sebastien Giguere get the starting nods. Paul Stastny put Colorado on the board first with his eleventh of the season, assisted by Matt Hunwick and Stefan Elliott. The Avalanche added on with Cody McLeod potting his second of the year, fueled by Kevin Porter and Jan Hejda. St. Louis got going when David Backes netted his eleventh of the season, guided in by Carlo Colaiacovo. The Blues tied it on a Chris Stewart goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Patrik Berglund and David Perron. Colorado got the lead back with Jay McClement putting his sixth of the season away, passed from Brad Malone and Shane O'Brien. This made it 3-2, which lasted until the end, and gave the three stars to Giguere (37 for 39 in saves), McClement, and Backes.
Up to Vancouver, where the Canucks host the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Roberto Luongo will be the masked men. Vancouver struck first on a Chris Higgins goal, his tenth of the season, coming from Mason Raymond and Kevin Bieksa. The Canucks added on as Cody Hodgson put his seventh of the year away, helped along by Jannik Hansen and Manny Malhotra. Detroit got on the board when Todd Bertuzzi scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Ian White and Pavel Datsyuk. Vancouver answered with Alexandre Burrows recording his thirteenth of the year, pushed through by Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. The Red Wings got it back in the second period with a Drew Miller goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Darren Helm and Danny Cleary. The Canucks replied back when Alexander Edler netter a shorthanded goal, his sixth of the year, with a feeder pass from Hansen. This made it 4-2, a final, with the three stars being Edler, Luongo (38 for 40 in saves), and Hansen.
Finally in San Jose, the Sharks hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning. In goal were Mathieu Garon and Antti Niemi. Benn Ferriero got San Jose going first with his second of the season, coming from Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle. The Sharks extended the lead on a Joe Pavelski goal, his fourteenth of the year, fueled by Brent Burns and Thornton. San Jose added on with the third of the season for Andrew Desjardins, and Andrew Murray picked up an assist. Dwayne Roloson relieved Garon at this time. The Sharks kept on the attack with Logan Couture sinking his thirteenth of the year, pushed through by Patrick Marleau and Ryane Clowe. San Jose was unstoppable when Couture scored again, his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Michal Handzus and Clowe. Dominic Moore put Tampa Bay on the board with his third of the year, set up by Eric Brewer. The Sharks got going again in the third period when Burns nailed his sixth of the campaign, and he got assistance from Handzus. The Lightning answered on a Martin St. Louis goal, his tenth of the season, and a lone assist came from Teddy Purcell. San Jose iced it t 7-2 with Marleau notching his thirteenth of the year, an unassisted goal. Couture, Clowe, and Thornton took home the three stars while Marleau, Burns, and Handzus earned honorable mentions.
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