A fairly long slate of games today, beginning with 4 matinee matches, the first of which is in...
Boston, as the Bruins host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Tim Thomas tend the twines. Pittsburgh opened the scoring with nine seconds remaining in the opening frame as Evgeni Malkin recorded his twenty-eighth of the season on the power play, powered by Chris Kunitz and James Neal. The Penguins added on in the third period with a Matt Cooke goal, his ninth of the year, courtesy of Dustin Jeffrey and Pascal Dupuis. Boston got one back when Joe Corvo sank his third of the season, with the help of Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. They never tied it, losing 2-1, with Fleury (28 for 29 in saves), Zdeno Chara, and Neal taking the three stars, and any point earner could slide into the second slot.
Also, the Philadelphia Flyers welcome the New Jersey Devils. Johan Hedberg and Sergei Bobrovsky get spot starts ahead of their usual mentors. Kurtis Foster got New Jersey ahead early with his third of the season, a power play goal powered by Patrik Elias and Ilya Kovalchuk. The Devils added on with a Kovalchuk shorthanded goal, his twenty-first of the year, with a lone assist by Dainius Zubrus. New Jersey rolled along with a Zubrus goal on the power play, his fourteenth of the season, made possible by Anton Volchenkov and Alexei Ponikarovsky. The Devils extended the lead with a second period Zach Parise goal, his nineteenth of the year coming on the power play from David Clarkson and Foster. Ponikarvosky kept New Jersey moving with his ninth of the season, fueled by Steve Bernier and Jacob Josefson. Foster added on again for the Devils with his second of the game and fourth of the year, coming off of Elias and Kovalchuk. This chased away Bobrovsky, and Ilya Bryzgalov came on in relief. Philadelphia finally scored in the third period as Wayne Simmonds netted his sixteenth of the season, thanks to Zac Rinaldo and Marc-Andre Bourdon. The Flyers got another back as Jaromir Jagr registered his thirteenth of the year, assisted by Matt Carle and Claude Giroux. After this, a fight between Philadelphia's Brayden Schenn and New Jersey's Kovalchuk broke out, resulting in a Kovalchuk Gordie Howe Hat Trick. Giroux kept Philadelphia's crazy charge up, notching his twentieth of the season on the power play, set up by Jagr and Jakub Voracek. The Flyers inched closer when Voracek scored his ninth of the year, guided in by Carle and Sean Couturier. The comeback ended when the score said 6-4, and the three stars went to Kovalchuk, Elias, and Jagr, while the numerous honorable mentions include Foster, Ponikarovsky, Zubrus, Giroux, Voracek, and Carle.
Up to Montreal, where the Canadiens host the Washington Capitals. Tomas Vokoun and Peter Budaj played in the blue paint. Dennis Wideman started the scoring in Washington's favor, with his tenth of the season, helped along by Brooks Laich. The Capitals added on in the third period with a Matt Hendricks goal, his third of the year, assisted by Laich and Alexander Semin. Semin iced it at 3-0 for Washington with his thirteenth of the campaign coming on a penalty shot. Vokoun (30 save shutout), Wideman, and Semin were the three stars, with honorable mention for Laich.
Out west a bit, the Colorado Avalanche end the matinee sessions with their hosting of the Vancouver Canucks. Roberto Luongo and Jean-Sebastien Giguere will get the starting nods. Vancouver opened as Ryan Kesler potted his sixteenth of the season, thanks to Alexander Edler and David Booth. Colorado tied it with a Ryan Jones goal, his tenth of the year coming on the power play from Paul Stastny and Ryan O'Reilly. The Avalanche gained the lead with Jay McClement's seventh of the season in the second period, set up by Daniel Winnik. The Canucks tied it with thirty-five seconds left in regulation on Kevin Bieksa's fifth of the year, with a lone helper by Henrik Sedin. The game required a shootout to determine the winner, which was Vancouver on a lone tally by Mason Raymond. The three stars of the 3-2 game were Giguere (27 for 29 in saves), Luongo (44 for 46 in saves), and Gabriel Landeskog, while any point earner or Raymond would be just as good to pick.
At a more normal time, the New York Islanders hosted the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller and Al Montoya were wearing the pads. New York struck first as Frans Nielsen sank his eighth of the season, assisted by Michael Grabner. Nathan Gerbe answered for Buffalo by nailing his fifth of the year, with help from Drew Stafford. The Islanders took the lead back with a Josh Bailey goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Nielsen. Nielsen added on for New York with his second of the game and ninth of the year, courtesy of Kyle Okposo and Mark Streit. The Sabres got one back in the second period when Derek Roy found twine with his tenth of the season, coming off of Ville Leino and Jason Pominville. Buffalo tied it in the third period with a Paul Gaustad goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Tyler Myers and Brad Boyes. The game went to the shootout, where the Sabres used Boyes and Pominville goals to down the Islanders 4-3. The three stars were Nielsen, Gaustad, and Montoya (34 for 37 in saves).
Southward to Carolina, where the Hurricanes host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Bernier and Cam Ward will be in the blue paint. Los Angeles led off with an Anze Kopitar goal, his sixteenth of the season coming on the power play, powered by Justin Williams and Jack Johnson. Carolina tied it in the second period on a Jiri Tlusty tally, his eleventh of the year, an unassisted goal. The Hurricanes gained a 2-1 lead they wouldn't let go in the third period as Jeff Skinner potted his fifteenth of the campaign, with helpers provided by Jussi Jokinen and Drayson Bowman. The three stars belonged to Skinner, Ward (24 for 25 in saves), and Tlusty.
Farther to the south, the battle of Florida is in the northern region of the state, where the Tampa Bay Lightning welcome the Florida Panthers. Scott Clemmensen and Mathieu Garon took care of the nets, but Clemmensen was removed from the net in the third period due to injury, and Brian Foster took over. Tampa Bay opened with a Nate Thompson goal, his seventh of the season, going in unassisted. Florida answered with a Tomas Fleischmann goal, his seventeenth of the year, courtesy of Kris Versteeg and Mike Weaver. The Lightning regained the lead in the second period when Vincent Lecavalier scored his twentieth of the campaign, another unassisted tally. Tampa Bay extended the lead with a Martin St. Louis goal, his fourteenth of the season, fueled by Ryan Shannon and Lecavalier. The Panthers got one back as Mikael Samuelsson notched his sixth of the year, with a helper from Sean Bergenheim. The Lightning answered when Steven Stamkos recorded his thirty-fourth of the campaign, via Steve Downie and Victor Hedman. St. Louis added on for Tampa Bay with his second of the game and fifteenth of the season, thanks to Lecavalier and Shannon. Bergenheim helped Florida claw one back with his ninth of the year, set up by Marcel Goc and Tyson Strachan. The Lightning iced it 6-3 in the third period as St. Louis finished off his hat trick with his sixteenth of the campaign, an empty net goal moved along by Stamkos and Lecavalier, the latter earning a sock trick. The three stars were St. Louis, Lecavalier, and Hedman, while Stamkos, Shannon, and Bergenheim earn honorable mentions.
Well to the north, the Ottawa Senators host the Toronto Maple Leafs. James Reimer and Craig Anderson took to the cages. Phil Kessel got Toronto going with his twenty-seventh of the season, thanks to Tyler Bozak and Jake Gardiner. The Maple Leafs added on with a Dion Phaneuf power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Kessel and Joffrey Lupul. Toronto extended the lead again in the second period with Bozak depositing his ninth of the campaign, with the help of Kessel and Cody Franson. The Maple Leafs rolled on in the third period as Luke Schenn sank his second of the season, courtesy of Lupul and Bozak. Toronto iced it at 5-0 with a power play goal by Franson, his fourth of the year, assisted by Mikhail Grabovski and Clarke MacArthur. The three stars went out to Reimer (49 save shutout), Kessel, and Bozak, with Franson and Lupul getting the honorable mentions.
Out to the west, where the Phoenix Coyotes host the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi and Mike Smith play in the creases. San Jose opened everything up in the second period with a Logan Couture goal, his twenty-second of the season, assisted by Ryane Clowe and Patrick Marleau. Phoenix tied it with a Raffi Torres goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Michal Rozsival and Daymond Langkow. The Coyotes gained the lead with a Lauri Korpikoski goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Shane Doan and Boyd Gordon. The Sharks retied it with a Jamie McGinn power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Brent Burnsand Clowe. Phoenix stole the lead back with Martin Hanzal's sixth of the season, set up by Ray Whitney and Radim Vrbata. The Coyotes added some space in the third period with another Korpikoski goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, helped along by Gordon and Doan. San Jose got one back as Marleau made his twentieth of the season, with assists provided by Clowe for a sock trick and Joe Thornton. Phoenix iced it at 5-3 with an empty netter by Vrbata, his twenty-fourth of the year, passed through by Whitney and Hanzal. The three stars were given to Korpikoski, Smith (32 for 35 in saves), and Doan, while honorable mentions include Clowe, Marleau, Hanzal, Vrbata, Whitney, and Gordon.
Backtracking east a bit, as the Dallas Stars hosted the Minnesota Wild. Niklas Backstrom and Kari Lehtonen guarded the cages. Dallas opened the scoring in the second period with a Mike Ribeiro power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Alex Goligoski and Stephane Robidas. Minnesota tied it in the third period with a Kyle Brodziak goal, his fifteenth of the year, with a lone assist from Nick Johnson. The game was decided in favor of the Stars as Loui Eriksson and Jamie Benn overpowered Matt Cullen in the shootout. The three stars were Lehtonen (33 for 34 in saves), Ribeiro, and Dany Heatley, while any other poing earners or Backstrom (25 for 26 in saves) get honorable mentions.
A little to northeast, as the Nashville Predators welcome the St. Louis Blues. Jaroslav Halak and Pekka Rinne were sent out to stop the puck. Nashville led off with a Martin Erat power play goal, his twelfth of the season, powered by Patric Hornqvist and Ryan Suter. The Predators added on with a Mike Fisher goal, his fifteenth of the year, assisted by Sergei Kostitsyn and Erat. St. Louis got on the board in the third period with an unassisted Chris Porter goal, his third of the season. Nashville iced it at 3-1 with an empty net goal by Kostitsyn, his thirteenth of the year, guided in by David Legwand and Erat. Rinne (42 for 43 in saves), Erat, and Halak (34 for 36 in saves) were the three stars, while Kostitsyn earns an honorable mention.
Finally, the Edmonton Oilers host the Detroit Red Wings. Ty Conklin and Devan Dubnyk were between the pipes, but Joey MacDonald replaced Conklin after one period of play. Edmonton led off with a Sam Gagner goal, his tenth of the season coming on the power play from Ryan Whitney and Ales Hemsky. The Oilers added on with a Jordan Eberle goal, fueled by Gagner as his twenty-first of the year. Detroit got one back with a Valtteri Filppula shorthanded goal, his sixteenth of the season, set up by Henrik Zetterberg. Edmonton took it away when Gagner struck again, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, another power play goal, assisted by Ryan Smyth and Whitney. The Red Wings took one back in the third period as Todd Brtuzzi scored his eleventh of the season, with the help of Zetterberg and Johan Franzen. Detroit tied it on a Drew Miller goal, his tenth of the year, courtesy of Darren Helm and Danny Cleary. The Red Wings gained the lead with another Bertuzzi goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the season, guided in by Ian White. The Oilers got a late equalizer with Eberle notching his second of the game and twenty-second of the year, with assists by Hemsky and Smyth (and no Gagner). The game was decided in the shootout after Gagner and Bertuzzi matched goals, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored to give Edmonton the 5-4 win over Detroit. The three stars were Gagner, Zetterberg, and Eberle, while Smyth, Hemsky, Bertuzzi, and Whitney get honorable mentions.
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