Eight games on this Saturday, a surprisingly low amount that will be compensated for tomorrow. We begin with an ample dose of matinees, starting in...
Columbus, where the Blue Jackets host the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Steve Mason will be in front of the goals. Columbus led off with a Derick Brassard goal, his tenth of the season, requiring no assistance. Chicago got on the board with a Jonathan Toews goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, coming off of Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith. Viktor Stalberg gave the Blackhawks a lead with his sixteenth of the season, fueled by Bryan Bickell and Dylan Olsen. Sharp helped Chicago extend the lead in the second period with his twenty-fourth of the year, guided in by Patrick Kane and Toews. Kane added on for the Blackhawks with his thirteenth of the season, courtesy of Toews and Sharp. This prompted Allen York to relieve Mason. Chicago stayed relentless heading into the third period as Marcus Kruger potted his sixth of the year, with the help of Andrew Brunette and Marian Hossa. The Blackhawks kept going when Sami Lepisto scored, thanks to Dave Bolland. They held on from here on out for a 6-1 win, and the three stars went to Toews, Sharp, and Keith, with an honorable mention for Kane.
Back east a bit, the Battle of Pennsylvania is renewed with the Philadelphia Flyers hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Ilya Bryzgalov tended the twines. Pittsburgh opened with a Matt Cooke goal, his tenth of the season, an unassisted goal. Philadelphia tied it when Jaromir Jagr netted his fourteenth of the year, via Danny Briere. The Flyers took the lead on another Jagr goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the season, powered by Claude Giroux and Kimmo Timonen on the power play. The Penguins retied the game in the second period as Jordan Staal scored his eighteenth of the year shorthanded, with the help of Craig Adams. Pittsburgh gained the lead when Cooke busted loose for his second of the game and eleventh of the season, another shorthanded goal while down 5-on-3, an unassisted goal. Bryzgalov was pulled in favor of Sergei Bobrovsky at this time. Eric Wellwood helped tie things back up for the Flyers, and his goal also needed no assists. The Penguins took the lead back in the third period with the fourth of the year by Dustin Jeffrey, assisted by Cooke. Pittsburgh got some breathing room when Pascal Dupuis netted his thirteenth of the season, set up by Staal and Steve Sullivan. The Penguins were unstoppable, with James Neal depositing his thirtieth of the year, guided in by Evgeni Malkin and Chris Kunitz. The Flyers did get a late goal to end at 6-4, with Wayne Simmonds putting his twenty-first of the campaign in the cage, and the lone helper belonged to James van Riemsdyk. The three stars ended up as Cooke, Jagr, and Staal.
Finishing off the matinee games, the St. Louis Blues bring in the Minnesota Wild. Josh Harding and Brian Elliott will try to stop the puck. St. Louis led off on a Ryan Reaves goal, made possible by Scott Nichol and Kevin Shattenkirk. The Blues added on in the second period as Barret Jackman scored, with the help of Patrik Berglund and Jamie Langenbrunner. St. Louis extended the lead with an Andy McDonald power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Alex Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk. The Blues kept going in the third period as Vlaidmir Sobotka nailed his third of the year, guided in by David Perron and Pietrangelo. This was all for the scoring with a final sitting at 4-0. The three stars were Jackman, Sobotka, and Reaves, while Elliott (13 save shutout), Pietrangelo, and Shattenkirk all deserve honorable mentions.
At the regular times, the Tampa Bay started us off by hosting the Washington Capitals. Tomas Vokoun and Mathieu Garon were in the creases. Tampa Bay opened with a Tom Pyatt goal, his sixth of the season, with a lone assist by Teddy Purcell. The Lightning added on in he second period as Steven Stamkos netted his fortieth of the year, an unassisted goal. Washington cut it to 2-1 with a Brooks Laich goal, his eleventh of the campaign, made possible by Mathieu Perreault and Alexander Semin. There was no scoring in the third period, so this was a final, and Stamkos, Garon (23 for 24 in saves), and Purcell got the three stars.
Up to New York, with the Islanders welcoming the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Kevin Poulin began the game in goal, but Justin Peters relieved Ward for the third period. New York began with a Kyle Okposo goal, his thirteenth of the season, guided in by Michael Grabner and Mark Streit. Carolina tied it with a Brandon Sutter goal, his thirteenth of the year, set up by Patrick Dwyer. The Hurricanes took the lead fifteen seconds into the second period as Jiri Tlusty sank his fourteenth of the season, via Jerome Samson. The Islanders tied it again with John Tavares making his twenty-third of the year, thanks to Andrew MacDonald and P.A. Parenteau. New York gained the lead with Frans Nielsen netting his twelfth of the campaign on the power play, powered by Tavares and Parenteau. Carolina got another equalizer with Jaroslav Spacek scoring his third of the season, with a lone assist by Eric Staal. The Islanders made it 4-3 just thirty-eight seconds into the third period, as Tavares scored his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the year, assisted by Matt Moulson and Streit. This was a final score, with the three stars being Tavares, Parenteau, and Sutter, while honorable mention is in place for Streit.
Out to the west, where the Vancouver Canucks host the Toronto Maple Leafs. James Reimer and Roberto Luongo guarded the cages. Vancouver opened with an Alexandre Burrows goal, his twenty-first of the season, assisted by Daniel Sedin. The Canucks added on with Manny Malhotra potting his sixth of the year, thanks to Maxim Lapierre and Byron Bitz. Burrows kept Vancouver in charge in the second period with his second of the game and twenty-second of the season, fueled by Daniel and Henrik Sedin. Toronto got one back as Dion Phaneuf recorded his ninth of the year, with the help of Phil Kessel and John-Michael Liles. The Canucks took it back with a Daniel goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, on a lone Henrik helper, chasing Reimer in favor of Jonas Gustavsson. Vancouver extended the lead with a Sami Salo power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Daniel and Henrik, both of whom collected sock tricks. The Canucks stayed strong in the third period as Kevin Bieksa netted his sixth of the season, via Jannik Hansen and Henrik. The Maples Leafs cut the loss down to 6-2 with just twenty seconds left in the game as Nikolai Kulemin put away his sixth of the year, with assists provided by Luke Schenn and Clarke MacArthur. The three stars here went to Daniel, Henrik, and Burrows.
Down in Phoenix, the Coyotes welcomed the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Mike Smith are between the pipes. Phoenix led off with a Mikkel Boedker goal, his eighth of the season, fueled by Lauri Korpikoski and Keith Yandle. Dallas tied it in the second period when Michael Ryder scored his twenty-second of the year, a power play goal powered by Loui Eriksson and Mike Ribeiro. The Coyotes took the game by a 2-1 score in overtime as Radim Vrbata made his twenty-eighth of the campaign, and Ray Whitney had the only assist. The three stars were Smith (30 for 31 in saves), Vrbata, and Boedker.
Finally, in Los Angeles, the Kings host the Calgary Flames. Miikka Kiprusoff and Jonathan Quick are in the blue paint. Calgary gained a 1-0 lead in the third period as Michael Cammalleri potted his fourteenth of the campaign, with Tom Kostopolous getting the only helper. This was all for the scoring, and Kiprusoff (28 save shutout), Quick (17 for 18 in saves), and Cammalleri had the three stars.
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