Eleven games packed into about five hours time tonight, as we go blitz-mode with hockey. First up...
The Philadelphia Flyers bring in the New York Islanders. Evgeni Nabokov and Ilya Bryzgalov are the Russian netminders. The game was decided in New York's favor in the shootout, as Frans Nielsen and John Tavares tallied to down Philadelphia 1-0. The three stars went out to Nabokov (45 save shutout), Nielsen, and Bryzgalov (18 save "shutout" shootout loss).
Out west a bit, the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Minnesota Wild. Niklas Backstrom and Curtis Sanford will be in the creases. Columbus led off with a David Savard goal, made possible by Vinny Prospal and Grant Clitsome. Minnesota tied it with a Nate Prosser goal, courtesy of Justin Falk and Carson McMillan. The Blue Jackets retook the lead in the second period as Antoine Vermette notched his seventh of the season, a power play goal powered by Rick Nash and Fedor Tyutin. Columbus extended the lead in the third period on a Jeff Carter goal, his twelfth of the year, coming off of Colton Gillies and Savard. This left the score at 3-1, a final, with the three stars being Savard, Sanford (28 for 29 in saves), and Vermette.
Eastward to New York, where the Rangers host the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Henrik Lundqvist tended the twines. New Jersey opened with David Clarkson recording his twenty-first of the season, a power play goal coming off of Zach Parise and Patrik Elias. This was the only goal, so the Devils won 1-0 and the three stars were Brodeur (30 save shutout), Lundqvist (21 for 22 in saves), and Clarkson.
In the national capital, the Washington Capitals hosted the Florida Panthers. Scott Clemmensen and Tomas Vokoun played in the blue paint. Washington struck first with a Mathieu Perreault goal, his ninth of the season, set up by Jason Chimera and Alexander Semin. The Capitals added on with an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his twenty-first of the year, powered by Dennis Wideman and Marcus Johansson. Washington kept going in the second period as Chimera registered his fifteenth of the season, a shorthanded goal passed along by John Carlson and Matt Hendricks. The Capitals extended the lead with Ovechkin's second of the game and twenty-second of the year, going down unassisted. The third period was silent, and the final was 4-0. The three stars were awarded to Vokoun (42 save shutout), Ovechkin, and Chimera.
South to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning welcome the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Dwayne Roloson will be in goal. Los Angeles opened the scoring on an Anze Kopitar goal, his seventeenth of the season, assisted by Matt Greene and Justin Williams. Tampa Bay tied it in the second period as Steven Stamkos put away his thirty-fifth of the year, thanks to Teddy Purcell and Eric Brewer. The Kings regained the lead with a Kyle Clifford goal, his fourth of the season, going in with a lone Rob Scuderi assist. Los Angeles added on with a Dustin Penner goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Mike Richards and Jarret Stoll. This was the last goal, resulting in a 3-1 final. The three stars went out to Kopitar, Quick (24 for 25 in saves), and Stamkos.
Crossing into Canada, where the Montreal Canadiens bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Carey Price get the starting nods. Montreal struck first in the second period as Louis Leblanc made his third of the season, thanks to Andrei Kostitsyn and Chris Campoli. Pittsburgh tied it in the third period with a Pascal Dupuis shorthanded goal, his twelfth of the year, made possible by Joe Vitale. The Canadiens took the lead back with a Lars Eller goal, his eleventh of the season, guided in by Alexei Emelin. James Neal gave the Penguins another equalizer with his twenty-eighth of the year, fueled by Evgeni Malkin and Paul Martin. The game went to a shootout, where Rene Bourque and Malkin traded goals before Eller and Chris Kunitz did the same. Tomas Plekanec eventually scored the winner for Montreal, beating Pittsburgh 3-2. The three stars were Plekanec, Leblanc, and Price (32 for 34 in saves).
Staying in the country, we head to Ottawa, with the Senators welcoming the St. Louis Blues. Brian Elliott and Craig Anderson were sent out to play goal. St. Louis scored early with a Chris Porter goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Roman Polak. The Blues added on and chased Anderson with David Perron netting his fifth of the year, via Patrik Berglund and Barret Jackman. Ottawa got one back in the second period as Daniel Alfredsson potted his eighteenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Sergei Gonchar and Jason Spezza. St. Louis responded on another Perron goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, with assists from David Backes and T.J. Oshie. The third period was silent, leaving the final at 3-1, and the three stars belonged to Perron, Oshie, and Alfredsson.
Back stateside, the Nashville Predators take on the Vancouver Canucks. Roberto Luongo and Pekka Rinne are the masked men. Ryan Kesler got things going for Vancouver with his seventeenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Alexandre Burrows and Dan Hamhuis. Nashville evened the score with a Colin Wilson goal, his eleventh of the year, courtesy of David Legwand and Patric Hornqvist. The Canucks regained the lead as Byron Bitz scored, with the help of Henrik Sedin. Vancouver extended the lead as Daniel Sedin notched his twenty-third of the season, assisted by Bitz and Henrik. The Predators got one back in the second period with a Sergei Kostitsyn goal, his fourteenth of the year, made possible by Kevin Klein and Martin Erat. Nashville evened the score again on Mike Fisher's sixteenth of the season, with a lone Shea Weber assist. The game was decided in the shootout, where Burrows traded tallies with David Legwand before Alexander Edler clinched a 4-3 Canucks victory over the Predators. The three stars went to Henrik, Wilson, and Bitz.
Farther southwest, the Dallas Stars take on the Phoenix Coyotes from American Airlines Center. Mike Smith and Kari Lehtonen padded up to stop pucks. Keith Yandle opened the scoring for Phoenix with his seventh of the season, assisted by Kyle Chipchura and Gilbert Brule. Dallas tied it in the second period on Michael Ryder's nineteenth of the year, with a lone assist Philip Larsen. The Coyotes gained the lead when Radim Vrbata put away his twenty-fifth of the season, thanks to Rostislav Klesla and Ray Whitney. Phoenix took the lead with a Raffi Torres goal, his ninth of the year, set up by Mikkel Boedker and Michal Rozsival. The Coyotes made it 4-1 with a Derek Morris goal, fueled by Vrbata and Whitney. The three stars were Vrbata, Torres, and Smith (28 for 29 in saves), while Whitney gets honorable mention.
Back in Canada, the Winnipeg Jets hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jonas Gustavsson and Ondrej Pavelec protected the cages. Toronto opened with Phil Kessel netting his thirtieth of the season, and Joffrey Lupul and Tyler Bozak had the assists. Winnipeg evened the score with a Chris Thorburn goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Zach Bogosian and Jim Slater. The Jets took the lead in the second period with Bryan Little's thirteenth of the season, thanks to Blake Wheeler and Johnny Oduya. This was the last goal when the third period was silent, and the three stars went to Wheeler, Little, and Kessel.
Finally, the Colorado Avalanche host the Chicago Blackhawks. Ray Emery and Jean-Sebastien Giguere got the green light to play goal. Chicago got on the board first in the second period as Brent Seabrook recorded his fifth of the season, assisted by Viktor Stalberg and Duncan Keith. Peter Mueller tied it for Colorado with his fifth of the year, courtesy of Ryan O'Reilly. The Avalanche gained the lead on a David Jones goal, his eleventh of the season, coming off of Milan Hejduk. The Blackhawks shot back to tie with a Patrick Kane goal, his twelfth of the year, made possible by Patrick Sharp and Keith. Colorado retook the lead in the third period as Gabriel Landeskog put away his twelfth of the season, thanks to Paul Stastny. Jones extended the Avalanche lead with his second of the game and twelfth of the year, pushed through by Stastny. Colorado iced it at 5-2 with Kyle Quincey's fifth of the campaign, an empty net goal going down unassisted. The three stars were given to Jones, Stastny, and Landeskog, and Keith gets the honorable mention.
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