Toronto, with the Maple Leafs welcoming the Boston Bruins. Tim Thomas and Jonas Gustavsson get the starts in goal. Toronto began with a Carl Gunnarsson goal, his third of the season, assisted by Tim Connolly and Nikolai Kulemin. Boston answered with a Jordan Caron goal, his fifth of the year, pushed through by Benoit Pouliot and Joe Corvo. The Maple Leafs retook the lead with a John-Michael Liles power play goal in the second period, his fifth of the season, powered by Joffrey Lupul and Phil Kessel. The Bruins shot back with a Tyler Seguin goal, his twenty-third of the year, guided in by Zdeno Chara and David Krejci. Boston took the lead on a Chris Kelly goal, his sixteenth of the season, thanks to Caron and Pouliot. Toronto retied it on a Kessel power play goal, his thirty-third of the year, set up by Liles and Dion Phaneuf. The Bruins regained the lead on another Caron goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Chara and Patrice Bergeron. Boston got some breathing room with another Seguin goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the year, via Milan Lucic and Krejci. The Maple leafs got one back in the third period as Mikhail Grabovski recorded his twenty-first of the season, with assists provided by Clarke MacArthur and Jake Gardiner. The Bruins held on from here to win 5-4, and the three stars were given to
Down to Washington, D.C., where the Capitals bring in the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Michal Neuvirth are in the creases. Washington began with a Troy Brouwer goal, his eighteenth of the season, made possible by Keith Aucoin. The Capitals extended the lead in the second period on a Jay Beagle goal, with helpers from Dmitry Orlov and Dennis Wideman. Carolina got one back with a Jiri Tlusty goal, his fifteenth of the year, set up by Jerome Samson and Eric Staal. The Hurricanes tied it on a Chad LaRose goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Tim Gleason and Bryan Allen. Carolina grabbed the lead as Brandon Sutter potted a power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, powered by Gleason. Washington tied it on a Brooks Laich goal, his twelfth of the season, fueled by Marcus Johansson and John Carlson. The Hurricanes won the game in overtime as Justin Faulk sniped his eighth of the year, with help from Sutter. The three stars were awarded to Faulk, Beagle, and Laich, while Gleason and Sutter get honorable mentions.
Into Philadelphia, where the Flyers host the Detroit Red Wings. Joey MacDonald and Ilya Bryzgalov are in front of the nets. Henrik Zetterberg got Detroit on the board first with his sixteenth of the season, made possible by Valtteri Filppula and Jiri Hudler. Philadelphia tied it as Jakub Voracek sank his twelfth of the year, an unassisted goal. The Flyers took the lead with Claude Giroux potting his twenty-fourth of the season, guided in by Braydon Coburn. Philadelphia added on when Max Talbot made his eighteenth of the year in the second period, a shorthanded goal, with Giroux providing the only assist. The Red Wings pulled closer in the third period as Johan Franzen deposited his twenty-fifth of the season, with help from Brendan Smith and Kyle Quincey. This was as close as it got, leaving the final at 3-2, with the three stars being Bryzgalov (37 for 39 in saves), Giroux, and Talbot.
Heading over to Columbus, where the Blue Jackets host the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Steve Mason were all padded up. Columbus struck first as R.J. Umberger made his eleventh of the season, thanks to Derick Brassard and Jack Johnson. Johnson chased Smith by adding on for the Blue Jackets, registering his ninth of the year, with the help of Vinny Prospal and Mark Letestu. Jason LaBarbera came on in relief. Phoenix got one back as Antoine Vermette potted his ninth of the season, assisted by Ray Whitney and Shane Doan. Columbus got it back in the second period when Derek MacKenzie sank his seventh of the year, courtesy of Derek Dorsett and Colton Gillies. The Coyotes shot back on a Keith yandle goal, his ninth of the season, guided in by Taylor Pyatt and Mikkel Boedker. Phoenix fell short of tying the game, losing 3-2, and the three stars went to Johnson, Mason (38 for 40 in saves), and MacKenzie.
Heading east again, stopping in New Jersey to see the Devils host the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Brodeur tend the twines. New Jersey opened with an Ilya Kovalchuk goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, assisted by Zach Parise and Andy Greene. New York tied it in the second period as Derek Stepan put away his fifteenth of the year, thanks to Carl Hagelin and Dan Girardi. The Devils took the lead back in the third period as David Clarkson notched his twenty-sixth of the season, via Petr Sykora and Patrik Elias. New Jersey added on as Ryan Carter sank his third of the year, courtesy of Jacob Josefson and Kovalchuk. Elias iced it at 4-1 for the Devils with his twenty-second of the campaign, an empty net goal with helpers by Dainius Zubrus and Bryce Salvador. The three stars belonged to Kovalchuk, Brodeur (25 for 26 in saves), and Carter, while Elias gets an honorable mention.
Farther to the south, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Ottawa Senators. Ben Bishop and Mathieu Garon started off in the blue paint, but Garon was replaced by Dwayne Roloson early, likely due to injury. Ottawa pounced on the opportunity, as Sergei Gonchar started the scoring with his third of the season, pushed through by Colin Greening and Jared Cowen. Greening extended the Senators lead with his thirteenth of the year, set up by Milan Michalek and Filip Kuba. Ottawa rolled on with an unassisted Kyle Turris goal, his seventh of the season. Tampa Bay got on the board in the second period with a Ryan Shannon goal, his third of the year going in off of Tom Pyatt and Brett Connolly. The Lightning pulled closer as Tim Wallace made his second of the season, thanks to J.T. Wyman and Pyatt. Things got scrappy when Greening fought with Keith Aulie midway in the period, and this gave Greening a Gordie Howe Hat Trick. The Senators shot back with an Erik Karlsson goal, his sixteenth of the year, an unassisted power play goal. Tampa Bay pulled back when Steven Stamkos put down his forty-eighth of the season, a power play goal powered by Teddy Purcell and Ryan Malone. Ottawa re-extended their lead as Michalek recorded his thirtieth of the year, a power play goal passed off the tape of Daniel Alfredsson and Kuba. Michalek added on for the Senators with an empty net goal, his second of the game thirty-first of the season, an unassisted tally. Michalek finished the cheap hat trick with his thirty-second of the year, another empty netter, again unassisted for a 7-3 Ottawa. Greening, Kuba, and Pyatt claimed the three stars, while Michalek gets the honorable mention for being the best janitor.
Northwest a bit, to St. Louis, as the Blues welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Ray Emery and Jaroslav Halak are between the pipes. St. Louis got going with a T.J. Oshie goal, his seventeenth of the season, set up by Carlo Colaiacovo. The Blues extended the lead with an Andy McDonald power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk. St. Louis kept going in the second period on a shorthanded Vladimir Sobotka goal, his fifth of the season, passed off the tape of Scott Nichol. Andrew Brunette put Chicago on the board in the third period with his tenth of the year, thanks to Brent Seabrook. The Blues kept going with a McDonald goal, his second of the game and eighth of the season, via Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk. St. Louis iced it at 5-1 as Jason Arnott made his sixteenth of the year, courtesy of Chris Stewart. The three stars were given to McDonald, Pietrangelo, and Halak (19 for 20 in saves), while Shattenkirk gets the honorable mention.
Backtracking to Nashville, as the Predators bring in the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Pekka Rinne are your stud netminders of the game. Los Angeles struck first with a Justin Williams goal, his fourteenth of the season, made possible by Willie Mitchell. Nashville answered with a Patric Hornqvist goal, his nineteenth of the year, coming off of Andrei Kostitsyn and Ryan Suter. Williams gave the Kings the lead back on his second of the game and fifteenth of the season, via Slava Voynov and Mitchell. The Predators tied it in the second period when Martin Erat registered his fifteenth of the year, thanks to Mike Fisher and Roman Josi. Drew Doughty restored the Los Angeles lead with his eighth of the season, guided in by Jordan Nolan and Colin Fraser. Nashville retied it again on a Sergei Kostitsyn goal, his sixteenth of the year, going in unassisted. The Kings retook the lead when Matt Greene netted his fourth of the season, assisted by Dustin Penner and Trevor Lewis. Los Angeles added on with Lewis making his third of the year, with assists by Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown. Anders Lindback relieved Rinne at this time. The Predators got one back with another Hornqvist goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the season, helped along by Andrei and Suter. The Kings held on to win 5-4, and the three stars went out to Williams, Hornqvist, and Lewis, while Mitchell, Andrei, and Suter get the honorable mentions.
Westward to Colorado, with the Avalanche hosting the Minnesota Wild. Matt Hackett and Semyon Varlamov are between the posts. Colorado started off with a Jay McClement goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Cody McLeod. Jamie McGinn then dropped the gloves with Kyle Brodziak. The Avalanche extended their lead in the second period as McGinn notched his fifteenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Peter
Back up in Canada, the Calgary Flames host the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Miikka Kiprusoff guard the cages. Calgary started off with a David Moss goal, his second of the season, courtesy of Mark Giordano and Curtis Glencross. The Flames added on when Jarome Iginla deposited his twenty-sixth of the year, thanks to Matt Stajan and T.J. Brodie. Montreal struck late with a Tomas Plekanec power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Lars Eller and Tomas Kaberle. The Canadiens tied it in the second period when Max Pacioretty scored his twenty-seventh of the year, via Chris Campoli and Yannick Weber. Calgary took the lead again on a Giordano goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Glencross and Olli Jokinen. The Flames extended their lead with another Iginla goal, his second of the game and twenty-seventh of the year, guided in by Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Tanguay. Calgary kept going in the third period on a Glencross goal, his twenty-third of the season, an unassisted goal. Montreal got one back as Eller deposited his fourteenth of the year, and Alexei Elemin had the only helper. The Canadiens pulled even closer with another Pacioretty goal, his second of the night and twenty-eighth of the season, pushed through by P.K. Subban and Erik Cole. The Flames held on from here to win 5-4, with Iginla, Glencross, and Pacioretty getting the three stars, while Giordano and Eller get the honorable mentions.
Heading to the west coast, with the Vancouver Canucks bringing in the Dallas Stars. Richard Bachman and Roberto Luongo get the starting nods. Vancouver busted open the scoring in the second period as Chris Higgins scored his thirteenth of the season, via Jannik Hansen and Samuel Pahlsson. Dallas tied it on a Loui Eriksson goal, his twenty-third of the year, guided in by Trevor Daley and Mike Ribeiro on the power play. The Stars gained the lead with a Ribeiro goal, his fifteenth of the season, made possible by Eriksson and Michael Ryder. Dallas extended the lead in the third period as Jamie Benn sank his nineteenth of the year, thanks to Steve Ott. The Canucks took one back as Alexander Edler netted his ninth of the season, with the help of Kevin Bieksa and Higgins. The Stars took it away as Ribeiro scored again, his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, pushed through by Ryder and Stephane Robidas. Robidas iced it with his fifth of the campaign, an empty goal set up by the goalie Bachman. Ribeiro, Eriksson, and Higgins got the three stars while Robidas and Ryder earned the honorable mentions.
Finally we head to Silicon Valley, as the San Jose Sharks welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Devan Dubnyk and Antti Niemi take care of the goals. Edmonton scored first with the thirtieth of the season by Jordan Eberle, assisted by Sam Gagner and Ryan Whitney. San Jose tied it with a Jim Vandermeer goal, via Dan Boyle. The Sharks took the lead in the second period with a Ryane Clowe goal, his twelfth of the year, thanks to Logan Couture. The Oilers quickly retied a Ryan Smyth goal, his eighteenth of the season, made possible by Jeff Petry and Ladislav Smid. The tie lasted into a shootout, where Gagner finished it for a 3-2 Edmonton win. The three stars belonged to Dubnyk (28 for 30 in saves), Niemi (24 for 26 in saves), and Clowe, while Gagner gets an honorable mention.
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