Ten games for the viewing pleasure tonight. We begin with a naturally large Atlantic Division battle as...
The Philadelphia Flyers host the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Ilya Bryzgalov tend the twines. New York was first on the board as Ryan McDonagh shelved his seventh of the season, thanks to Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards. The Rangers added on with a Brian Boyle goal, his tenth of the year, courtesy of McDonagh and Ruslan Fedotenko. New York kept going with an Artem Anisimov power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Dan Girardi and Brandon Dubinsky. The Rangers extended their lead as Ryan Callahan notched his twenty-ninth of the year, another power play goal, set up by Richards and Derek Stepan. Philadelphia got one back when Jakub Voracek sank his eighteenth of the season, with the help of Kimmo Timonen and Claude Giroux in the second period. New York answered with Gaborik's forty-first of the year, a power play goal powered by Anton Stralman and Marc Staal. The Flyers struck again with a Wayne Simmonds power play goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, from Giroux and Voracek. Philadelphia continued the comeback in the third period with an Andreas Lilja goal, guided in by Giroux, who got a sock trick, and Jaromir Jagr. New York held on from here for a 5-3 win, with Gaborik, Lundqvist (37 for 40 in saves), and Giroux earning the three stars, and McDonagh, Voracek, and Richards getting the honorable mentions.
Speaking of New York, the Buffalo Sabres bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ben Scrivens and Ryan Miller are in the blue paint. Toronto led off with a Tyler Bozak goal, his seventeenth of the season, fueled by Matt Frattin and Phil Kessel. Frattin then dropped the gloves with Marcus Foligno. The Maple Leafs added on with another Bozak goal, his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, assisted by Kessel and Luke Schenn. Toronto kept going with a Frattin goal to complete his Gordie Howe Hat Trick, his eighth of the season, helped along by Bozak and Kessel, the latter getting a sock trick. Buffalo got going in the second period on a Tyler Ennis power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Alexander Sulzer and Foligno. Sulzer helped the Sabres get closer with his unassisted second of the season. The Maple Leafs took it back in the third period with a Clarke MacArthur goal, his twentieth of the year, via Joey Crabb. Buffalo responded with a power play goal off the tape of Derek Roy, his sixteenth of the season, guided in by Cody Hodgson and Jason Pominville. Toronto shot back with a Jake Gardiner goal, his sixth of the year, helped along by Tim Connolly and Joe Colborne. The Sabres pulled closer again with another Sulzer goal, his second of the game and third of the season, made possible by Thomas Vanek and Brayden McNabb. Buffalo tied it when Jordan Leopold registered his tenth of the year, thanks to Ennis and Foligno. The Sabres completed the comeback with another Roy power play goal in the overtime period, his second of the game and seventeenth of the campaign, with helpers provided by Vanek and Pominville for a 6-5 win. Foligno, Bozak, and Sulzer had the three stars, while Frattin, Roy, Vanek, Pominivlle, Ennis, and Kessel had the honorable mentions.
Down in New Jersey, the Devils host the New York Islanders. Al Montoya and Johan Hedberg get the starting nods. New Jersey struck early on a Patrik Elias goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, assisted by Petr Sykora and Mark Fayne. New York evened it with a Matt Moulson goal, his thirty-fifth of the year, courtesy of Mark Streit and John Tavares. The Devils regained the lead as Travis Zajac netted a second period power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Zach Parise and Elias. New Jersey iced it with a third period empty net goal by Ilya Kovalchuk, his thirty-fifth of the year, coming off of Parise for a 3-1 win. Zajac, Elias, and Parise got the three stars.
Rounding out the fifth active Atlantic team, the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Boston Bruins. Backups Brent Johnson and Marty Turco are in goal. Pittsburgh was first on the board with a Sidney Crosby goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Pascal Dupuis and Kris Letang. The Penguins extended the lead on a Paul Martin goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Tyler Kennedy and Letang. Boston got going with a Benoit Pouliot goal, his fifteenth of the season, made possible by Chris Kelly and Brian Rolston. The Bruins tied it in the second period on a Milan Lucic goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, with assists by David Krejci and Rich Peverley. Pittsburgh regained the lead when James Neal scored his fortieth of the season, a power play goal powered by Chris Kunitz and Crosby. The Penguins re-established a two-goal lead as Crosby put down his second of the night and seventh of the year, another power play goal, set up by Letang, who got a sock trick, and Evgeni Malkin. Pittsburgh padded their lead in the third period with an Arron Asham goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Craig Adams and Joe Vitale. Boston shot back on a Peverley goal, his eleventh of the year, guided in by Lucic and Krejci. The final was 5-3, and Crosby, Lucic, and Letang had the three stars, while Peverley and Krejci get the honorable mentions.
Well to the south, the Florida Panthers take on their Southeast Division rivals, the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Jose Thoedore are in between the pipes. Florida began as Marco Sturm potted his third of the season, with the help of Dmitry Kulikov. The Panthers added on when Kris Versteeg recorded his twenty-third of the year, a power play goal powered by Tomas Fleischmann and Brian Campbell. Florida struck again in the second period as Fleischmann deposited his twenty-seventh of the season, thanks to Versteeg. Winnipeg finally got on the board with an Evander Kane goal, his thirtieth of the year, helped along by Spencer Machacek and Zach Bogosian. The Jets pulled a little closer with a Bogosian goal, his fourth of the season, going in unassisted. Andrew Ladd tied it for Winnipeg in the third period as he made his twenty-sixth of the year, guided in by Dustin Byfuglien and Bryan Little. The Jets took the lead with Little's twenty-fourth of the season, a power play goal set up by Blake Wheeler and Byfuglien. The Panthers got an equalizer on a Tomas Kopecky goal, his tenth of the year, with a lone Sturm assist. Winnipeg took the game in overtime with another Ladd goal, his second of the game and twenty-seventh of the season, fueled by Wheeler for a 5-4 win. The three stars of the game were Ladd, Kopecky, and Bogosian, while Fleischmann, Versteeg, Byfuglien, Wheeler, Little, and Sturm get honorable mentions.
Up in Canada, the Ottawa Senators bring in the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Craig Anderson are in the blue paint. Carolina was first on the board with a Brandon Sutter goal, his seventeenth of the season coming in the second period off of Tim Gleason. The Hurricanes extended their lead on a Tuomo Ruutu power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Jussi Jokinen and Joni Pitkanen. Jason Spezza cut the deficit to 2-1 with thirteen seconds to play, as Ottawa avoided being shut out with his thirty-third of the campaign, via Colin Greening and Daniel Alfredsson. The three stars were named as Ward (38 for 39 in saves), Chris Neil, and Bryan Allen, while better choices would be anyone who actually contributed to the scoring.
Southwest of there, the Nashville Predators welcome the Minnesota Wild. Niklas Backstrom and Anders Lindback are the masked men. Nashville dented the scoreboard first in the second period with a Gabriel Bourque goal, his seventh of the season, helped along by Nick Spaling. Minnesota tied it as Dany Heatley put away his twenty-third of the year, courtesy of Nate Prosser and Mikko Koivu. The Predators won it with a lone Alexander Radulov shootout tally for a 2-1 victory. The three stars were awarded to Lindback (25 for 26 in saves), Bourque, and Heatley.
Continuing the path, we go to a tornado-hit Dallas (thoughts and prayers with those in the big D) as the Stars host the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen guard the cages. San Jose opened the scoring with a Daniel Winnik goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Andrew Desjardins and Brent Burns. Dallas tied it up on a Brenden Morrow goal, his eleventh of the year, coming off of Mike Ribeiro and Mark Fistric. The Stars took the lead in the second period on an Alex Goligoski goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Jamie Benn and Philip Larsen. The Sharks retied it with a T.J. Galiardi goal, his ninth of the year, courtesy of Dominic Moore and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. San Jose grabbed the lead on a Logan Couture power play goal, his thirty-first of the season, powered by Martin Havlat and Dan Boyle. The Sharks added an insurance marker in the third period as Joe Thornton made his seventeenth of the year, thanks to Joe Pavelski and Patrick Marleau. San Jose iced it at 5-2 with a Ryane Clowe empty net goal, his sixteenth of the campaign, passed from Couture. Couture, Benn, and Galiardi got the three stars.
Northwest from there, the Vancouver Canucks host the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Roberto Luongo tend the twines. Anaheim led off with a Ryan Getzlaf goal, his tenth of the season, helped along by Corey Perry. Vancouver tied it on an Alexandre Burrows goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, coming off of Henrik Sedin and Marc-Andre Gragnani. The Ducks got the lead back with a Perry power play goal, his thirty-seventh of the season, powered by Bobby Ryan and Teemu Selanne. The Canucks retied it on a Chris Higgins goal, his eighteenth of the year, courtesy of Dan Hamhuis and Jannik Hansen. Anaheim took the lead again with a Rod Pelley goal, his second of the season, set up by Ryan and Devante Smith-Pelly. The Ducks extended their lead on a Smith-Pelly goal, his seventh of the year, via Ryan, who got a sock trick, and Saku Koivu. Cory Schneider relieved Luongo from here on out. Vancouver got one back as Burrows put down his second of the night and twenty-seventh of the season, with the help of Hamhuis and Alexander Edler. The Canucks tied it again with a Maxim Lapierre goal, his ninth of the year, pushed through by Sedin and Mason Raymond. The game went to a shootout, where Vancouver won with Burrows, Edler, and Lapierre tallies, all overwhelming Teemu Selanne's lone goal for Anaheim. The three stars of the 5-4 win were Burrows, Ryan, and Sedin, while Edler, Lapierre, Perry, Smith-Pelly, and Hamhuis get the honorable mentions.
Finally, in the desert the Phoenix Coyotes welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets. Allen York and Mike Smith are protecting the nets. Phoenix opened the scoring in the second period with a Boyd Gordon goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Lauri Korpikoski and Taylor Pyatt. The Coyotes added on as Gilbert Brule made his fifth of the year, with the help of Michal Rozsival and Daymond Langkow. This was it for the scoring, with the three stars going to Smith (54 flippin' save shutout), Gordon, and Korpikoski.
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