Nine games for your viewing tonight. We begin with...
The New York Islanders hosting the Washington Capitals. Michal Neuvirth and Evgeni Nabokov are the Russian goaltenders. New York opened with a Matt Moulson goal, his thirtieth of the season, assisted by Andrew MacDonald and Kyle Okposo. The Islanders added on with a Travis Hamonic power play goal, his second of the year, guided in by Tavares and Frans Nielsen. New York kept going in the second period on another Tavares goal, his of the twenty-ninth season coming on the power play from Mark Streit and Hamonic. Washington got one back twenty-eight seconds later as Mike Knuble put away his fourth of the year, via Dennis Wideman and Keith Aucoin. The Islanders later replied with a Tavares goal, his second of the game and thirtieth of the season, set up by Okposo and Hamonic. The Capitals answered again with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, made possible by Brooks Laich and Marcus Johansson late in the frame. Washington pulled even closer in the third period as Dmitry Orlov sank his third of the season, thanks to Johansson and Aucoin. The Capitals tied it with another Ovechkin goal, his second of the game and twenty-ninth of the year, via Aucoin, who got a sock trick, and Joel Ward. The game went to a shootout, where Tavares and Ovechkin exchanged goals before Washington got a Matt Hendricks tally as the deciding goal for a 5-4 win. The three stars went to Ovechkin, Tavares, and Hamonic, while Aucoin, Johansson, and Okposo got the honorable mentions.
Crossing over to Philadelphia, as the Flyers welcome the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Ilya Bryzgalov started in goal. Philadelphia struck first in the second period on a Sean Couturier goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible Braydon Coburn. The Flyers added on in the third period when Jakub Voracek potted his thirteenth of the year, assisted by Danny Briere. Philadelphia iced it at 3-0 with a Briere empty net goal, his fourteenth of the season, fueled by Voracek and Coburn. The three stars ended up as Bryzgalov (17 save shutout), Voracek, and Eric Wellwood, while Briere and Coburn get the honorable mentions.
Farther south, the Florida Panthers bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. James Reimer and Jose Theodore guarded the cages. Florida opened the scoring early with a Sean Bergenheim goal, his fifteenth of the season, fueled by Mikael Samuelsson and Keaton Ellerby. The Panthers extended their lead in the second period on a Jason Garrison tally, his fifteenth of the year, made possible by Marcel Goc and Wojtek Wolski. Toronto got on the board as Tyler Bozak netted his fifteenth of the season, thanks to Clarke MacArthur and Phil Kessel. Florida got it back in the third period with a Tomas Kopecky goal, his seventh of the year, a power play goal powered by Garrison and Ed Jovanovski. The Panthers kept going with a Goc power play goal, his ninth of the season, guided in by Wolski. The Maple Leafs finally answered back again on Mikhail Grabovski's twenty-second of the year, via Luke Schenn and MacArthur. Florida iced it at 5-2 with another Bergenheim goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the campaign finding the empty net after being passed from Kopecky. Garrison, Goc, and Kopecky got the three stars while MacArthur and Bergenheim get the honorable mentions.
A little farther north in the state, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Boston Bruins. Marty Turco and Dustin Tokarski got the starting nods. Tampa Bay led off with a Tom Pyatt goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Ryan Malone and Brett Connolly. The Lightning added on with a Nate Thompson goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Adam Hall and J.T. Wyman. Tampa Bay chased Turco when Ryan Shannon's fourth of the season went down on the power play, powered by Victor Hedman and the goalie Tokarski. Tim Thomas came on in relief. The Lightning extended the lead again with an unassisted Hedman goal, his fourth of the year. Tampa Bay continued the blitz in the second period with the forty-ninth of the season for Steven Stamkos, pushed through by Teddy Purcell and Brian Lee. taking Thomas out of the game and reinstating Turco. Boston got on the board in the third period with a Jordan Caron goal, his seventh of the year, thanks to Johnny Boychuk and Zdeno Chara. Stamkos shot back for the Lightning with his second of the game and fiftieth of the season, made possible by Martin St. Louis and Lee. Earning the three stars were Stamkos, Tokarski (33 for 34 in saves), and Hedman, while Lee earns an honorable mention.
Circling back to New York, where the Rangers are hosting the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Martin Biron are in the blue paint. New York got the early lead on the thirty-fourth of the season for Marian Gaborik, courtesy of Dan Girardi and John Mitchell. The Rangers extended the lead with a Brad Richards goal, his twenty-second of the year, fueled by Carl Hagelin and. Richards added on again for New York with his second of the game and twenty-third of the season, set up by Hagelin and Gaborik. Carolina got on the board with a Tim Brent power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner. The Hurricanes pulled closer on a Drayson Bowman goal, his third of the season, helped along by Brandon Sutter and Patrick Dwyer. The Rangers got a little separation back with a Hagelin goal, his thirteenth of the year, guided in by Gaborik and Richards. The final here was 4-2, with the three stars going to Richards, Hagelin, and Gaborik.
Westward to Minnesota, where the Wild bring in the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Matt Hackett are under the masks. Dallas started the scoring in the third period on a Jamie Benn goal, his twenty-first of the season, assisted by Brenden Morrow. This was all the scoring this game would see, and Lehtonen (25 save shutout), Hackett (24 for 25 in saves), and Marco Scandella got the three stars while Benn or Morrow deserve the third slot.
A tad south, the Chicago Blackhawks host the St. Louis Blues. Jaroslav Halak and Ray Emery are between the pipes. Chicago struck first on an Andrew Brunette goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane. St. Louis answered quickly with a Jamie Langenbrunner goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Jason Arnott. Andy McDonald gave the Blues a lead with his ninth of the season, thanks to David Perron and Patrik Berglund. St. Louis kept going with a Berglund goal, his sixteenth of the year, helped along by Barret Jackman and McDonald. Corey Crawford relieved Emery for the second period onward. The Blackhawks got one back in the second period as Viktor Stalberg notched his seventeenth of the season, assisted by Marcus Kruger and Johnny Oduya. Chicago tied it on a Brent Seabrook power play goal in the third period, his sixth of the year, powered by Hossa and Patrick Sharp. The Blackhawks won with a lone Kane tally in the shootout, propelling them to a 4-3 win. The three stars went to Seabrook, McDonald, and Dave Bolland, while Kane, Berglund, or Hossa would also earn attention for the third star.
Up into Canada, with the Calgary Flames hosting the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi and Miikka Kiprusoff are the Finnish goalies. San Jose scored early with a Logan Couture goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, assisted by Brent Burns and Joe Thornton. Calgary tied the game in the second period on a Sven Baertschi goal, his second of the year, guided in by Jarome Iginla and Roman Horak. The Flames took the lead with Iginla potting his thirtieth of the season, thanks to Mark Giordano. Couture tied it back up in the third period for the Sharks with his second of the game and thirtieth of the year, a power play goal powered by Patrick Marleau and Thornton. Calgary won it in the overtime with a Matt Stajan goal, his fifth of the campaign, with a lone helper by Blake Comeau. The three stars were awarded to Iginla, Couture, and Giordano, while Thornton got an honorable mention.
Finally, in southern California, the Los Angeles Kings welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Jonathan Quick tend the twines. Justin Williams led off for Los Angeles with his seventeenth of the season, helped along by Drew Doughty and Dustin Brown. The Kings extended the lead with an Anze Kopitar shorthanded goal, his twenty-first of the year, with a lone Brown assist. Jiri Hudler put Detroit on the board in the second period with his twenty-first of the season, thanks to Henrik Zetterberg and Valtteri Filppula. Doughty shot back for Los Angeles on his ninth of the year, guided in by Dwight King and Jeff Carter. The Kings added on in the third period with a Slava Voynov goal, his sixth of the season coming on the power play, powered by Jarret Stoll and Williams. The Red Wings took one back with a Johan Franzen goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, fueled by Brad Stuart and Danny Cleary. Los Angeles iced it at 5-2 with a Carter empty netter, his twentieth of the campaign, coming off of Kopitar. The three stars were handed out to Doughty, Williams, and Zetterberg, while Carter, Kopitar, and Brown get the honorable mentions.
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