Another seven games to see today. We begin in...
Columbus, where the Blue Jackets host the Edmonton Oilers. Devan Dubnyk and Steve Mason play in goal. Columbus opened with a Mark Letestu goal, his tenth of the season, fueled by Aaron Johnson. Edmonton tied it in the second period on a Ryan Jones goal, his seventeenth of the year, coming off of Ryan Whitney and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for an all Ryan scoring combination. The Blue Jackets took the lead again on a Rick Nash goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, in the form of a successful penalty shot due to a Linus Omark hook. The Oilers tied it again as Chris VandeVelde scored, with the help of Jordan Eberle and Jeff Petry. Edmonton gained the lead with a Ladislav Smid goal, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Nugent-Hopkins and Jones. The Oilers extended the lead with an unassisted Ben Eager goal, his eighth of the year. Edmonton continued their attack with a Sam Gagner power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, powered by Eberle and Whitney. Aaron York relieved Mason from here on. Columbus got one back with a Derick Brassard goal, his thirteenth of the season, set up on the power play goal R.J. Umberger and Nash. The Oilers iced it with an Eric Belanger goal, his fourth of the year, going into the empty net off of Jones and Smid. Jones, Nash, and Smid had the three stars in the 6-3 game, while Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins, and Whitney got the honorable mentions.
Down in Florida, the Panthers host the New York Islanders. Evgeni Nabokov and Jose Theodore are in front of the nets. Stephen Weiss put Florida ahead early with his nineteenth of the season, fueled by Tomas Fleischmann and Tomas Kopecky. New York tied it on a Matt Moulson power play goal in the second period, his thirty-fourth of the year, powered by John Tavares and P.A. Parenteau. The Panthers took the lead again in the third period with Fleischmann's twenty-fourth of the season, coming off of Kopecky. The Islanders retied it on a Kyle Okposo goal, his seventeenth of the year, made possible by Frans Nielsen and Josh Bailey. The game was decided in New York's favor in the shootout with Nielsen's lone tally toppling Florida. The three stars were given to Nabokov (33 for 35 in saves), Fleischmann, and Theodore (35 for 37 in saves), while Nielsen and Kopecky get the honorable mentions.
Back up the coast, with the Washington Capitals welcoming the Minnesota Wild. Matt Hackett and Braden Holtby are the young goaltenders. Washington got on the board with a second period Jason Chimera goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Alexander Semin. The Capitals added on with a Mathieu Perreault power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, powered by Troy Brouwer and Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin iced it at 3-0 for Washington with a third period goal, his thirty-sixth of the season, set up by Marcus Johansson and John Carlson. Holtby (28 save shutout), Ovechkin, and Semin had the three stars.
Into Pennsylvania, where the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Marc-Andre Fleury tended the twines. Pittsburgh opened with a Chris Kunitz goal, his twenty-third of the season, with a lone Evgeni Malkin assist. New Jersey tied it on a Zach Parise goal, his thirtieth of the year going in unassisted. The Penguins got the lead back with a Jordan Staal goal, his twenty-third of the season, via Matt Cooke. Pittsburgh extended the lead with a second period Pascal Dupuis goal, his twenty-third of the year, courtesy of Sidney Crosby and Craig Adams. The Devils got one back in the third period as Ilya Kovalchuk registered his thirty-second of the season, with the help of Travis Zajac and Alexei Ponikarovsky. The Penguins quickly answered on the fourth of the year for Crosby, made possible by Zbynek Michalek and Dupuis. Pittsburgh finished with a 5-2 win, as Malkin put his forty-sixth of the campaign into the empty net, passed from Staal and Kunitz. Crosby, Dupuis, and Malkin earned the three stars, while Kunitz and Staal get the honorable mentions.
Out west, the Chicago Blackhawks welcome the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Corey Crawford play between the pipes. Matt Halischuk started things for Nashville on his fourteenth of the season, assisted by Brandon Yip and Paul Gaustad. The Predators extended the lead with an Andrei Kostitsyn goal, his sixteenth of the year, fueled by David Legwand and Patric Hornqvist. Nashville kept going in the second period as Hornqvist potted his twenty-fifth of the season, a power play goal powered by Alexander Radulov and Shea Weber. Francis Bouillon added on in the third period for the Predators with his second of the year, courtesy of Ryan Ellis and Halischuk. Ray Emery relieved Crawford from here on. Chicago finally got on the board as Viktor Stalberg shelved his nineteenth of the season, with the help of Nick Leddy and Andrew Shaw. Nashville struck back on a Weber goal, his sixteenth of the year, with a lone helper by Mike Fisher. The Predators iced it at 6-1 with a Fisher goal, his twenty-fourth of the campaign, with the goalie Rinne getting the only assist. The three stars were named as Rinne (24 for 25 in saves), Weber, and Hornqvist, while Halischuk and Fisher get the honorable mentions.
Farther to the west, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Boston Bruins. Marty Turco and Jonas Hiller play in the blue paint. Boston got on the board in the second period with the twelfth of the season for Zdeno Chara, an unassisted goal. The Bruins quickly padded the lead with a Benoit Pouliot goal, his thirteenth of the year, passed from Chris Kelly and Brian Rolston. Anaheim got one back as Teemu Selanne potted his twenty-fourth of the season, a power play goal powered by Cam Fowler and Ryan Getzlaf. Boston got it back in the third period as Rolston notched his seventh of the year, thanks to Kelly and Pouliot. The Ducks pulled back on a Lubomir Visnovsky goal, his sixth of the season, going in unassisted. The Bruins held on to win 3-2, with the three stars being Rolston, Selanne, and Chara, while Kelly and Pouliot get the honorable mentions.
Finally we backtrack east a tad, as the Phoenix Coyotes host the St. Louis Blues. Brian Elliott and Jason LaBarbera get the starting nods. St. Louis was first on the board as Alex Pietrangelo netted his twelfth of the season, a second period power play goal powered by Kevin Shattenkirk and David Backes. The Blues added on in the third period when Backes scored on the power play, his twenty-third of the year, guided in by Shattenkirk and Pietrangelo. St. Louis added on when Patrik Berglund put down his eighteenth of the season, via Shattenkirk, who got a sock trick, and Chris Stewart. The Blues made it 4-0 with the third of the year by Ryan Reaves, fueled by Scott Nichol and Kent Huskins. This was a final, and the three stars were Elliott (20 save shutout), Pietrangelo, and Backes, while Shattenkirk earns an honorable mention.
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