Coming from Madison Square Garden, with the New York Rangers hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Martin Biron got the starts. Pittsburgh started with a
Also in New York, the Islanders hosted the Philadelphia Flyers. Ilya Bryzgalov and fellow Russian Evgeni Nabokov were in goal. Philadelphia opened on a Zac Rinaldo goal, his second of the season, fueled by Sean Couturier and Nicklas Grossmann. The Flyers added on when Claude Giroux notched his twenty-sixth of the year, thanks to Jaromir Jagr and Scott Hartnell. Philadelphia struck again in the second period as Hartnell made his thirty-third of the season, with the help of Kimmo Timonen and Giroux. New York got on the board when Michael Grabner shelved his sixteenth of the year, guided in by Mark Streit and Dylan Reese. Thirty-five seconds later, the Islanders made it 3-2 with a John Tavares goal, his thirty-first of the campaign, assisted by Streit. This was a final, with the three stars as Giroux, Hartnell, and Streit.
Down south a bit, the Carolina Hurricanes welcomed the St. Louis Blues. Brian Elliott and Cam Ward are the masked men. Carolina was first on the board in the third period with a Chad LaRose goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Andreas Nodl and Tim Brent. The Hurricanes made it 2-0 with a Jeff Skinner goal, his twentieth of the year, made possible by Bryan Allen. Ward (40 save shutout), LaRose, and Skinner got the three stars.
Back to the Atlantic area, with the New Jersey Devils hosting the Colorado Avalanche. Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Martin Brodeur were playing in the creases. The game was scoreless going into the shootout, where Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise lifted New Jersey to a 1-0 win. The three stars were awarded to Brodeur (28 save shutout), Giguere (33 save shootout loss shutout), and Kovalchuk.
Back south again, the Tampa Bay Lightning bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. James Reimer and Dustin Tokarski will be between the pipes. Toronto got the scoring started with a John-Michael Liles power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Mikhail Grabovski and Phil Kessel. The Maple Leafs added on with a Joey Crabb goal in the second period, his ninth of the year, thanks to Matthew Lombardi and Tim Connolly. Toronto kept going with a Jake Gardiner goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Lombardi. Dwayne Roloson relieved Tokarsi at this time. Tampa Bay avoided the shutout with a late Martin St. Louis goal, his twenty-third of the year, made possible by Brett Clark. The final was 3-1, and the three stars ended up with Reimer (34 for 35 in saves), Gardiner, and Grabovski, while Lombardi earns an honorable mention.
Staying in the state, the Florida Panthers welcome the Boston Bruins. Tim Thomas and Jose Theodore received the starting nods. Florida led off on a Mikael Samuelsson goal, his tenth of the season, coming on the power play from Brian Campbell and Stephen Weiss. The Panthers extended their lead as Marcel Goc netted his tenth of the year, with the help of Campbell and Samuelsson. Boston got on the board with the fourth of the season for Joe Corvo, fueled by Benoit Pouliot and Brian Rolston. Florida got it back as Weiss put down his seventeenth of the year, helped along by Tomas Fleischmann and Campbell, the latter getting a sock trick. The Panthers kept up the attack on a John Madden goal, with assists provided by Jerred Smithson and Krys Barch. The Bruins got one back in the third period as Rolston made his fifth of the season, a power play goal powered by Zdeno Chara. Florida shot back on a Tomas Kopecky goal, his eighth of the year, an unassisted goal. The Panthers iced it as Wolski nailed his third of the campaign, assisted by Fleischmann and Jason Garrison for a 6-2 Florida win. The three stars belonged to Campbell, Samuelsson, and Weiss, while Rolston and Fleischmann get the honorable mentions.
Way northwest, the Calgary Flames host the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Miikka Kiprusoff tend the twines. Calgary opened just seventeen seconds into the game with a Sven Baertschi goal, his third of the season, an unassisted goal. The Flames added on in the second period as Jarome Iginla netted his thirty-first of the year, fueled by Mark Giordano and Scott Hannan. Phoenix got one back as Oliver Ekman-Larsson potted his eleventh of the season, with the help of Ray Whitney and Rostislav Klesla. Calgary quickly took it back with Matt Stajan's sixth of the year, with a lone Cory Sarich assist. The Flames iced it at 4-1 with a shorthanded Alex Tanguay goal, his twelfth of the campaign, passed up by Curtis Glencross. The three stars went to Giordano, Kiprusoff (27 for 28 in saves), and Iginla.
Finally, we end in San Jose, with the Sharks welcoming the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Antti Niemi played in the blue paint. Nashville drew first blood with a Patric Hornqvist goal, his twenty-second of the season coming on the power play from Mike Fisher and Martin Erat. San Jose evened the score in the third period when Joe Thornton put down his sixteenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Patrick Marleau and Dan Boyle. The Sharks ended up winning in the shootout with a lone Ryane Clowe tally for a 2-1 victory. The three stars were handed to Niemi (32 for 33 in saves), Rinne (34 for 35 in saves), and Justin Braun, while any point earner can take the third slot, as well as Clowe.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
No comments :
Post a Comment