We have only nine games, a very low amount for a Saturday, beginning with a lone matinee in...
Boston, as the Bruins host the New York Islanders. Evgeni Nabokov and Tuukka Rask are in goal. Boston got going with a Milan Lucic goal, his twenty-second of the season, set up by Brian Rolston and Joe Corvo on the power play. Josh Bailey tied it for New York with his tenth of the year, guided in by Frans Nielsen and David Ullstrom. Rask came out of the game midway through the second period with an injury, and Tim Thomas relieved him. The Islanders took the lead with a Matt Moulson power play goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, powered by Nielsen and John Tavares. The Bruins tied it in the third period with Tyler Seguin notching his twenty-second of the year, courtesy of Zdeno Chara and David Krejci. New York regained the lead when Tavares potted his twenty-sixth of the campaign, via Moulson and Andrew MacDonald. This held up for a 3-2 win, with the three stars being Nabokov (32 for 34 in saves), Tavares, and Seguin, while Moulson and Nielsen get the honorable mentions.
Starting the games at the usual times, the Carolina Hurricanes hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mathieu Garon and Cam Ward had the starts. Tampa Bay got things going on a Tim Wallace goal, set up by Ryan Shannon. Carolina answered in the second period with an Anthony Stewart goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Eric Staal and Jaroslav Spacek. The Hurricanes took the lead with an unassisted Jussi Jokinen goal, his tenth of the year. Carolina extended the lead on another Stewart goal, his second of the game and ninth of the season, with helpers provided by Staal and Jiri Tlusty. The Lightning got one back when Steven Stamkos netted his forty-sixth of the year, an unassisted goal. Tampa Bay tied it on a third period Teddy Purcell power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, powered by Martin St. Louis and Ryan Malone. The Lightning completed the come-from-behind victory in the overtime, as Stamkos notched his second of the game and forty-seventh of the year, with a lone assist by Purcell. The three stars in the 4-3 game were Stamkos, Stewart, and St. Louis, while Purcell and Staal get the honorable mentions.
Up to Canada, where the Montreal Canadiens welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jonas Gustavsson and Carey Price received the starting nods. Montreal led off on an Erik Cole goal, his twenty-third of the season, fueled by David Desharnais and Max Pacioretty. Toronto answered in the second period when Matt Frattin notched his sixth of the year, via Mikhail Grabovski. The Maple Leafs gained the lead in the third period when Grabovski scored his nineteenth of the season, thanks to Clarke MacArthur and Carl Gunnarsson. Toronto iced it at 3-1 with another Grabovski goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the year, a power play goal powered by Frattin and Dion Phaneuf. Grabovski, Cole, and Price (39 for 42 in saves), had the three stars, while Frattin gets an honorable mention.
South to Florida, where the Panthers bring in the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Scott Clemmensen played between the pipes. Andrei Kostitsyn gave Nashville an early lead with his thirteenth of the season, fueled by Paul Gaustad and Hal Gill (the all-trade scoring combo). The Predators added on in the second period with a Mike Fisher tally, his nineteenth of the year, guided in by Martin Erat. Florida got one back when Wojtek Wolski potted his second of the season, courtesy of Marcel Goc and Tomas Fleischmann. Nashville iced it at 3-1 in the third period with a David Legwand goal, his fifteenth of the year, made possible by Andrei and Ryan Suter. Rinne (39 for 40 in saves), Kostitsyn, and Wolski.
Out to the west, the Phoenix Coyotes host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Steve Mason and Mike Smith took care of the nets. Columbus opened the scoring with a Rick Nash shorthanded goal, his twenty-third of the season, assisted by Derek MacKenzie and John Moore. The Blue Jackets added on in the second period with another Nash goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the year, guided in by Derick Brassard. Phoenix got going on a Ray Whitney power play goal, his twentieth of the campaign, powered by Shane Doan and David Rundblad. The Coyotes tied it on a Lauri Korpikoski goal, his fourteenth of the season, thanks to Doan. Columbus got the lead back in the third period with Nikita Nikitin registering his fourth of the year, with a lone R.J. Umberger assist. Brassard gave the Blue Jackets a bit of breathing room with his twelfth of the season, courtesy of Nash. Columbus iced it at 5-2 with Colton Gillies putting his second of the year into the empty cage, and Jack Johnson collected the assist. The three stars ended up going to Nash, Brassard, and Chris Summers (fight with Gillies in second period), while Doan gets an honorable mention.
North a tad, with the Colorado Avalanche hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Jean-Sebastien Giguere are the French-Canadian goalies. Pittsburgh got thing started on an Arron Asham goal, his third of the season, set up by Craig Adams and Brooks Orpik. The Penguins added on with a Deryk Engelland goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Jordan Staal and Steve Sullivan. Pittsburgh extended the lead again in the second period with the thirty-eighth of the season by Evgeni Malkin, with assists provided by James Neal and Paul Martin. The Penguins rolled on with a Richard Park goal, his sixth of the year, made possible by Zbynek Michalek. Colorado got going in the third period when Matt Hunwick scored his second of the season, via Paul Stastny and Gabriel Landeskog. Pittsburgh iced it with a Sullivan empty net goal, his thirteenth of the year, with Martin and Orpik collecting the assists. The three stars were awarded to Malkin, Asham, and Orpik, while Martin and Sullivan get the honorable mentions.
Northward again, as the Vancouver Canucks welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller and Roberto Luongo were the masked men. Buffalo opened with a Ville Leino goal, his fifth of the season, with assists from Patrick Kaleta and Nathan Gerbe. The Sabres added on with another Leino goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, guided in by Kaleta and Tyler Myers. Buffalo kept going, chasing Luongo when Brad Boyes sank his fifth of the season, with the help of Corey Tropp. Cory Schneider came on in relief. Vancouver finally got a goal in the second period, coming off David Booth's tape, his twelfth of the year, thanks to Alexandre Burrows and Kevin Bieksa. The Sabres replied in the third period when Christian Ehrhoff put his fifth of the season away, with helpers provided by Boyes and Matt Ellis. The Canucks shot back with another Booth goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, made possible by Zack Kassian. Vancouver pulled closer when Kassian put his fourth of the season in the twine, courtesy of Ryan Kesler and Dan Hamhuis. Buffalo iced it 5-3 with a Tyler Ennis empty net goal, his seventh of the year, fueled by Drew Stafford and Andrej Sekera. Leino, Booth, and Kassian claimed the three stars, while Boyes and Kaleta got the honorable mentions.
Down the west coast, the San Jose Sharks bring in the St. Louis Blues. Jaroslav Halak and Antti Niemi will be in the blue paint. St. Louis started the scoring on an Andy McDonald power play goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Kevin Shattenkirk and Alex Pietrangelo. San Jose tied it on a Torrey Mitchell goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Dominic Moore and Daniel Winnik. The Blues answered on a T.J. Oshie goal, his sixteenth of the season, with helpers from Carlo Colaiacovo and Vladimir Sobotka. St. Louis extended the lead in the second period with a Shattenkirk power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Oshie and Pietrangelo. The third period was quiet, so the final was at 3-1, with the three stars being Oshie, Pietrangelo, and McDonald, with Shattenkirk taking an honorable mention.
We finish the games with a Battle of California match, as the Los Angeles Kings host the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Jonathan Quick tend the twines. Los Angeles struck first when Dustin Brown potted his nineteenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Alec Martinez and Slava Voynov. Anaheim tied it on a Sheldon Brookbank goal, his third of the year, made possible by Bobby Ryan and Teemu Selanne. The Kings took the lead back in the second period with a Jeff Carter power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, guided in by Dwight King and Mike Richards. Los Angeles added on with another Carter goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, pushed through by Richards and King. The Ducks took one back thirteen seconds later when Devante Smith-Pelly recorded his fourth of the season, assisted by Andrew Cogliano and Toni Lydman. The Kings iced it in the third period as Anze Kopitar sank his nineteenth of the year, an empty net goal, courtesy of Richards, who clinched a sock trick. The three stars went to Carter, Richards, and Francois Beauchemin (Anaheim infected Los Angeles with poor selection of the third star), while King gets an honorable mention.
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