Twelve games on today, split cleanly between matinees and evening games. Speaking of evening games, I will be out tonight seeing the Seattle Thunderbirds play the Portland Winterhawks, so the latter half of this post won't be written until tomorrow morning. First up today...
The Boston Bruins welcome the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Tim Thomas are the masked men. Boston led off with a Patrice Bergeron shorthanded goal, his sixteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Brad Marchand. Nashville tied it as Shea Weber notched his eleventh of the year in the second period, courtesy of Ryan Suter on the power play. The Bruins retook the lead in the third period as Daniel Paille registered his ninth of the season, with the help of Shawn Thornton and Johnny Boychuk. The Predators evened the score again on a Patric Hornqvist goal, his seventeenth of the year, guided in by Sergei Kostitsyn and the goalie Rinne. Nashville took a lead on a Mike Fisher goal, his seventeenth of the season, fueled by Hornqvist and Francis Bouillon. Boston tied it back up late in the period when Milan Lucic's twentieth of the year went in on the power play, powered by Rich Peverley and Zdeno Chara. The Bruins beat the Predators 4-3 in the shootout with tallies from Tyler Seguin and Bergeron. The three stars were awarded to Bergeron, Lucic, and Seguin, while Hornqvist earns honorable mention.
To Long Island, where the New York Islanders host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Evgeni Nabokov get the green light to start. New York struck first on a Michael Grabner goal, his fifteenth of the season, going in thanks to Mark Eaton and Kyle Okposo. Los Angeles tied it in the second period with an Andrei Loktionov goal, made possible by Dustin Brown and Rob Scuderi. The Islanders took the game in overtime with a Mark Streit goal, his fifth of the year, fueled by Matt Moulson and Andrew MacDonald, good for a 2-1 win. The three stars belonged to Nabokov (34 for 35 in saves), Quick (23 for 25 in saves), and Streit.
Crossing a state border to New Jersey, as the Devils host the Florida Panthers. Scott Clemmensen and Martin Brodeur are in the blue paint. New Jersey opened with a Steve Bernier goal, made possible by Alexei Ponikarovsky and Dainius Zubrus. Florida tied it with a Sean Bergenheim power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Erik Gudbranson and Marcel Goc. The Panthers took the lead in the second period on Kris Versteeg's twenty-first of the year, assisted by Stephen Weiss and Tomas Fleischmann. Florida iced at 3-1 when Mikael Samuelsson scored his seventh of the campaign, an empty net goal with Goc getting the lone assist. The three stars were given to Clemmensen (27 for 28 in saves), Bergenheim, and Brian Campbell, while Goc gets honorable mention.
Staying in the division, the Philadelphia Flyers play host to the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Sergei Bobrovsky are in net. New York started the scoring with a Ryan Callahan power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, coming off of Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards. Philadelphia answered with a Wayne Simmonds goal, his eighteenth of the year, pushed through by Andrej Meszaros and Braydon Coburn. The Rangers took the lead back as Gaborik recorded his twenty-seventh of the season, a power play goal set up by Richards and Derek Stepan. The Flyers retied it in the second period with Claude Giroux putting away his twenty-second of the year, thanks to Simmonds and Scott Hartnell. New York retook the lead once again with Callahan's second of the game and twentieth of the season, a power play goal powered by Michael Del Zotto and Gaborik. The Rangers padded their lead with a third period Artem Anisimov goal, his ninth of the year, fueled by Stepan and Gaborik, the latter clinching a sock trick. Shortly afterwards, Simmonds fought with Brian Boyle to complete his Gordie Howe Hat Trick. New York extended the lead further with a Callahan goal to complete his hat trick, his twenty-first of season, guided in by Carl Hagelin and Richards, the latter getting a sock trick as well. The final sat at 5-2, and the three stars were awarded to Callahan, Gaborik, and Simmonds, while Richards and Stepan earn the honorable mentions.
Up north in Ottawa, the Senators welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Nikolai Khabibulin and Craig Anderson wear the pads. Daniel Alfredsson opened the scoring for Ottawa with his nineteenth of the season, courtesy of Erik Karlsson and Jason Spezza. Edmonton tied the game in the second period as Magnus Paajarvi scored, thanks to Ales Hemsky and Shawn Horcoff. Milan Michalek reclaimed the lead for the Senators with his twenty-fourth of the year, fueled by Spezza and Bobby Butler. The Oilers got another equalizer with Ben Eager recording his sixth of the season, and Jeff Petry and Anton Lander tallied the helpers. Edmonton took the lead in the third period as Horcoff put away his tenth of the year, with the help of Hemsky and Paajarvi. Ottawa tied it as Karlsson sank his ninth of the season, an unassisted goal. The Oilers took the game 4-3 in overtime with a Taylor Hall goal, his nineteenth of the year, and Horcoff and Tom Gilbert got the helpers. The three stars went to Khabibulin (39 for 42 in saves), Michalek, and Hall, while Horcoff, Hemsky, Paajarvi, Spezza and Karlsson got the honorable mentions.
Back stateside, the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Marc-Andre Fleury are tasked with stopping the puck. Winnipeg opened on a Kyle Wellwood goal, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Tobias Enstrom and Dustin Byfuglien. The Jets extended the lead with a Alex Burmistrov goal, his tenth of the year, courtesy of Antti Miettinen and Tim Stapleton. Pittsburgh got one back when Dustin Jeffery sank his third of the season, thanks to Jordan Staal and Kris Letang. The Penguins evened the score on a James Neal goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, with a lone helper by Evgeni Malkin. Pittsburgh took the lead in the second period as Chris Kunitz netted his fifteenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Malkin and the goalie Fleury. Letang added on for the Penguins with his sixth of the year, with assists provided by Malkin, who gets a sock trick, and Kunitz. Winnipeg finally got one back as Stapleton put his eighth of the season away, coming off of Blake Wheeler. Pittsburgh replied quickly with a Malkin goal, his thirtieth of the year, fueled by Kunitz and Neal. The Jets answered with a third period Byfuglien goal, his eighth of the season, with Bryan Little and Wheeler touching the puck previously. The Penguins quickly shot back with a Richard Park goal, his fifth of the year, made possible by Craig Adams and Brooks Orpik. Pittsburgh kept going with a Staal goal, his sixteenth of the season, assisted by Pascal Dupuis and Matt Cooke. Winnipeg got another one back with Little netting his fourteenth of the year, via Ron Hainsey and Zach Bogosian. The Penguins made it 8-5 with Letang putting his second of the game and seventh of the campaign in the net, a power play goal with assistance coming from Malkin and Kunitz, the latter getting a sock trick. The three stars of the game were Malkin, Letang, and Kunitz, while the honorable mentions include Neal, Staal, Little, Byfuglien, Stapleton, and Wheeler.
In the afternoon sessions, we begin with the Toronto Maple Leafs hosting the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and James Reimer earned the starts, but Reimer was replaced by Jonas Gustavsson in the third period. Montreal opened the scoring in the second period as Erik Cole nailed his twentieth of the season, with a lone assist by David Desharnais. The Canadiens added on when Rene Bourque potted his sixteenth of the year, thanks to Tomas Plekanec and Mathieu Darche. Montreal padded their lead with a Max Pacioretty power play goal, his twenty-third of the campaign, powered by P.K. Subban and Desharnais. The Canadiens struck again with Lars Eller converting his twelfth of the season, an unassisted goal. Montreal iced it at 5-0 in the third period when Darche put away his fourth of the year, coming off of Plekanec and the goalie Price. The three stars were Price (32 save shutout), Plekanec, and Desharnais, while Darche also played a strong game.
Down south a tad, the Buffalo Sabres host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mathieu Garon and Ryan Miller tend the twines. Tampa Bay led off with a Steve Downie goal in the second period, his ninth of the season, assisted by Victor Hedman and Steven Stamkos. The Lightning added on with a Stamkos goal, his thirty-seventh of the year, with a lone helper provided by Teddy Purcell. Buffalo got one back in the third period when Jason Pominivlle notched his twentieth of the campaign, fueled by Thomas Vanek and Mike Weber. They never got the equalizer, losing 2-1, and the three stars went to Stamkos, Garon (26 for 27 in saves), and Pominville.
Out west, the St. Louis Blues welcomed the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Brian Elliott were guarding the goalmouths. Colorado opened with a Shane O'Brien goal, his second of the season, courtesy of David Van der Gulik. St. Louis answered as David Perron netted a power play goal, his eighth of the year, made possible by T.J. Oshie and David Backes. The Blues took the lead on another Perron power play goal, his second of the game and ninth of the season, powered by Alex Pietrangelo and Oshie. The Avalanche retied it on a power play goal of their own, the second of the year for Erik Johnson, powered by Ryan O'Reilly and Gabriel Landeskog. The tie lasted into overtime, where Carlo Colaiacovo took the game in favor of St. Louis with his second of the campaign, fueled by Patrik Berglund and Perron. The three stars of the 3-2 game were Perron, Chris Porter, and B.J. Crombeen, while Oshie gets the honorable mention and St. Louis gets a rebuke for lousy three stars picking.
Northward to Minnesota, as the Wild host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Steve Mason and Niklas Backstrom will attempt to stop the puck. Minnesota led off with a Devin Setoguchi goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Mikko Koivu and Marek Zidlicky. Columbus answered with an R.J. Umberger goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Rick Nash and Derick Brassard. The Blue Jackets gained the lead in the second period on a power play goal by Umberger, his second of the game and ninth of the season, powered by James Wisniewski and Nash. Columbus iced it at 3-1 with an unassisted empty net goal in the third period off the tape of Wisniewski, his third of the year. The three stars went to Mason (34 for 35 in saves), Umberger, and Setoguchi, while Nash and Wisniewski take the honorable mentions.
Well to the southwest, the Phoenix Coyotes take on the Chicago Blackhawks. Ray Emery and Mike Smith will play in the blue paint. Phoenix led off when Radim Vrbata notched his twenty-sixth of the season, and Ray Whitney had the only assist. The Coyotes added on with a Boyd Gordon goal, his seventh of the year, pushed through by Gilbert Brule and Lauri Korpikoski. Phoenix made it 3-0 in the second period, a score that would hope when the rest of the game went scoreless, on a Kyle Chipchura goal, his second of the campaign, helped along by Brule and Raffi Torres. The three stars of the game were Smith (38 save shutout), Chipchura, and Brule.
Finally, in Calgary, the Flames host the Vancouver Canucks. Roberto Luongo and Miikka Kiprusoff did battle from the creases. Calgary led off with a Michael Cammalleri goal, his twelfth of the season, courtesy of Blake Comeau and Scott Hannan. The Flames extended the lead in the second period when Roman Horak potted his third of the year, thanks to Lance Bouma and Cory Sarich. Vancouver got one back with a Cody Hodgson goal, his fifteenth of the season, made possible by Mike Duco and Alexander Edler. The Canucks tied it in the third period with a David booth goal, his ninth of the year, helped along by Dan Hamhuis. The game went to a shootout, where Calgary overpower Vancouver as Olli Jokinen and Jarome Iginla scored to beat Alexandre Burrows lone tally for a 3-2 win. The three stars were awarded to Kiprusoff (29 for 31 in saves), Hamhuis, and Horak.
No comments :
Post a Comment