Eight games on as we head into the second to last day before the holiday break. First up, we have a rivalry match between...
The New York Rangers in the Madison Square Garden, hosting the New York Islanders. Evgeni Nabokov and Martin Biron will be playing in the creases. Brandon Dubinsky put the Rangers up first with his second of the season, assisted by Stu Bickel and the goalie Biron. The Islanders tied it on a power play goal in the second period, P.A. Parenteau's sixth of the year, powered by Mark Streit and Matt Moulson. The Rangers regained the lead with Marian Gaborik depositing his twentieth of the season, via Artem Anisimov. The Rangers extended the lead on Michael Del Zotto's fourth of the year, with helpers by Brandon Prust and Anton Stralman. The Islanders got one back as Moulson put away his sixteenth of the season, a power play goal, guided in by John Tavares and Streit. The Rangers made it 4-2 on a John Mitchell empty net goal, his second of the year, helped along by Dubinsky and Stralman. The three stars in this game were Del Zotto, Biron (24 for 26 in saves), and Anisimov, while Moulson, Streit, Dubinsky, and Stralman also all played well.
Northward to Toronto, as the Maple Leafs welcome in the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller and James Reimer tend the twines. Jason Pominville put Buffalo ahead first in the second period with his eleventh of the season, a power play goal with a lone assist by Thomas Vanek. Toronto tied it on Dave Steckel's sixth of the year, courtesy of Luke Schenn and Joey Crabb. The Maple Leafs grabbed the lead with Phil Kessel netting his twentieth of the season, coming off of Joffrey Lupul and Dion Phaneuf. The Sabres retied it on a Derek Roy goal in the third period, his eighth of the year, thanks to Pominville. Toronto regained the lead with a Nazem Kadri goal, helped along by Clarke MacArthur. This made it 3-2, good enough for a win, and the three stars were Kessel, Reimer (40 for 42 in saves), and Pominville.
Staying in Ontario, the Ottawa Senators host the Florida Panthers. Current Panther backup Scott Clemmensen opposes another former Panther backup in net, in the form of Craig Anderson. Ottawa led off with a Chris Neil power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Erik Karlsson and Daniel Alfredsson. Florida tied it in the second period with Michal Repik making a power play goal, with help from Tomas Fleischmann and Kris Versteeg. The Senators grabbed the lead again in the third period, as Alfredsson netted his tenth of the year, a power play goal made possible by Neil. The Panthers got another equalizer with Shawn Matthias netting his sixth of the season, another power play goal, fueled by Brian Campbell and Mike Santorelli. Ottawa grabbed the lead back with Karlsson registering his fourth of the year, as Alfredsson and Colin Greening picked up the helpers. Florida got a late equalizer again with Tomas Kopecky potting his fifth of the season, first having seen the tape of Versteeg and Matt Bradley. The Senators took the game 4-3 in overtime on the third of the year for Bobby Butler, via Kyle Turris and Jared Cowen. The three stars were given to Alfredsson, Neil, and Butler, while Versteeg and Karlsson are given honorable mention.
Back to the states, where the Nashville Predators are hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets. Curtis Sanford and Pekka Rinne get the starting nods. Nashville led off by a power play goal off the tape of Mike Fisher, his seventh of the season, with helpers provided by Sergei Kostitsyn and Ryan Suter. Columbus tied the game when Jeff Carter recorded his eighth of the year, and the lone assist came from Vinny Prospal. The Blue Jackets took the lead on another Carter goal, his ninth of the season, a power play goal from Rick Nash and Fedor Tyutin. Columbus kept on the attack with a power play goal by Ryan Johansen, his sixth of the year, fueled by R.J. Umberger and Derick Brassard. Carter completed the hat trick and added on to the Blue Jackets lead with his tenth of the season, another power play goal, made possible by Nash and Nikita Nikitin. The Predators got one back in the second period as Patric Hornqvist put away his ninth of the year, assisted by Shea Weber and David Legwand. Columbus replied with the second of the game and seventh of the season for Johansen, coming off of Umberger and Brassard on the power play. Nashville shot back with a Nick Spaling goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Colin Wilson and Jordin Tootoo. The Predators clawed back with Roman Josi netting his second of the season, thanks to Francis Bouillon and Martin Erat. Nashville tied it late in the third period when Legwand scored on the power play, his ninth of the year, pushed through by Wilson and Weber. The Predators struck again later in the third period to take a 6-5 lead with the seventh of the campaign by Erat, set up by Suter and Weber, the latter tallying a sock trick. They weathered on to the end nine seconds later and won, with the three stars being Erat, Carter, and Legwand, while honorable mentions include Johansen, Brassard, Nash, Umberger, Weber, Suter, and Wilson.
Back into Canada again, as the Winnipeg Jets welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Ondrej Pavelec will try to stop the puck. Blake Wheeler got Winnipeg on the board first with his fourth of the season, a power play goal guided in by Dustin Byfuglien and Tobias Enstrom. The Jets added on with a Tanner Glass goal, his fourth of the year, thanks to Nik Antropov and Kyle Wellwood. Winnipeg extended the lead in the second period on another Wheeler goal, his second of the game and fifth of the season, assisted by Ron Hainsey and the goalie Pavelec. The Jets iced it at 4-0 in the third period with a Tim Stapleton goal, set up by Wheeler and Zach Bogosian. The three stars were awarded to Wheeler, Pavelec (27 save shutout), and Glass.
To the southwest a tad, as the Calgary Flames host the Detroit Red Wings. Ty Conklin and Miikka Kiprusoff are manning the cages. Calgary drew first blood with a power play goal by Curtis Glencross, his twelfth of the season, powered by Olli Jokinen and T.J. Brodie. The Flames added on in the second period with a Blake Comeau goal, his second of the year, fueled by Brendan Morrison and Tim Jackman. Calgary extended the lead with Glencross striking again, his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, assisted by Jay Bouwmeester. Detroit got on the board when Jiri Hudler struck in his eighth of the year in the third period, thanks to Jonathan Ericsson. The Red Wings made it interesting with an Ian White goal, his fifth of the campaign, made possible by Pavel Datsyuk for a 3-2 score. The Flames held on to this score as a margin of victory, and the three stars were Glencross, Datsyuk, and Jackman.
In northern Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers host the Minnesota Wild. Niklas Backstrom and Nikolai Khabibulin get the starting nods. Edmonton led off with a Jordan Eberle goal, his fourteenth of the season, an unassisted power play goal. The Oilers added on with Ryan Smyth recording his thirteenth of the year, thanks to Ladislav Smid and Tom Gilbert. Edmonton extended the lead again with Lennart Petrell notching his third of the season, shorthanded and unassisted. The Oilers attacked again with Eberle potting his second of the night and fifteenth of the year, courtesy of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Corey Potter. Minnesota got on the board with the tenth of the season for Dany Heatley, fueled by Jared Spurgeon and Matt Cullen. The final was 4-1 and the three stars were given to Eberle, Khabibulin (30 for 31 in saves), and Smyth.
Finally, the Battle of California is fired up again when the Los Angeles Kings host the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Jonathan Quick are called on to play goal. Niklas Hagman got things started for Anaheim in the second period with his sixth of the season, assisted by Lubomir Visnovsky and Luca Sbisa. Los Angeles tied it with the twelfth of the year by Mike Richards, courtesy of Drew Doughty. The Kings took the lead with Dustin Brown recording his eighth of the season in the third period, thanks to Anze Kopitar and Doughty. Visnovsky got a late equalizer for the Ducks on his third of the year, made possible by Hagman and Toni Lydman. The tie lasted into a shootout, where Jarret Stoll and Brown led Los Angeles to a 3-2 victory over Anaheim, whose one tally from Corey Perry wasn't quite enough. The three stars were Doughty, Visnovsky, and Brown, while Hagman also played well.
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