Opening day is late, but better late than never. Thirteen games to get you back into the hockey mood North American style. As always, goalies are listed road then home, the first player under assist has the primary, and the second has the secondary. We begin with...
The Los Angeles Kings hosting the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Jonathan Quick are in goal. Chicago started with a Patrick Kane power play goal, powered by Marian Hossa. The Blackhawks added on as Hossa scored a goal of his own, thanks to Dan Carcillo and Brent Seabrook. Chicago padded the lead with a Michael Frolik goal, fueled by Marcus Kruger and Nick Leddy. The Blackhawks extended the lead in the second period as Jonathan Toews scored, via Kane. Los Angeles got on the board with a Rob Scuderi goal, with a lone assist from Colin Fraser and Kyle Clifford. The Kings got another in the third period with a Jordan Nolan goal, coming off of Matt Greene and Clifford. Chicago quickly replied as Hossa scored his second goal of the game, and Toews picked up the only helper. This made it a 5-2 final score, with the three stars being Hossa, Seabrook, and Clifford, while Kane and Toews get the honorable mentions.
Northeast to Winnipeg, as the Jets host the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Ondrej Pavelec make the starts. Winnipeg opened with a first period Dustin Byfuglien goal, coming on the power play via Tobias Enstrom and Andrew Ladd. Ottawa tied the game with a Milan Michalek goal, made possible by Patrick Wiercioch. The Senators took the lead in the second period as Chris Neil scored, with Erik Karlsson and Colin Greening recording the helpers. Ottawa added on in the third period with a Karlsson power play goal, powered by Sergei Gonchar. The Senators extended the lead as Kyle Turris scored, and Marc Methot and Karlsson had the assists. This made it 4-1, a final, with the three stars awarded to
Southeast to Philadelphia, where the Flyers host their cross-state rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Ilya Bryzgalov are all padded up. Pittsburgh led off with a first period Tyler Kennedy power play goal, powered by Paul Martin and Matt Niskanen. The Penguins extended the lead as James Neal potted the puck, with a lone assist from Evgeni Malkin. Philadelphia got on the board in the second period with a Claude Giroux goal, passed from Scott Hartnell and Brayden Schenn. Pittsburgh iced it at 3-1 with an empty net power play goal by Chris Kunitz, set up by Martin. The three stars were given to Neal, Giroux, and Fleury (26 for 27 in saves), while Martin gets the honorable mention.
Later on, the New York Islanders host the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Evgeni Nabokov will be called on for the starts. New Jersey got going in the second period as Travis Zajac scored, courtesy of Ilya Kovalchuk and Henrik Tallinder. New York tied it in the third period with a Travis Hamonic power play goal, powered by Michael Grabner and Kyle Okposo. The Devils took the lead back as David Clarkson scored, with the help of Patrik Elias and Matias Tedenby. This was the final score, with the three stars handed to Zajac, Brodeur (18 for 19 in saves), and Nabokov (26 for 28 in saves).
Up in Boston, the Bruins host the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Tuukka Rask tend the twines. Boston began with a first period Milan Lucic goal, assisted by David Krejci and Andrew Ference. The Bruins added on in the second period as Daniel Paille scored a goal, with a lone assist from Gregory Campbell. New York got on the board as Brad Richards scored a goal, guided in by Rick Nash and Dan Girardi. Boston shot back in the third period on a Johnny Boychuk goal, made possible by Patrice Bergeron. The final stood here at 3-1, with the three stars being Zdeno Chara (for reasons unknown), Rask (20 for 21 in saves), and Bergeron, while any goal scorer would be welcomed in Chara's spot.
North to Montreal, as the Canadiens welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ben Scrivens and Carey Price have the green light to start. Toronto struck first in the first period on a Nazem Kadri power play goal, powered by Phil Kessel and Mike Kostka. The Maple Leafs added on in the second period when Tyler Bozak scored a power play goal, passed from Kessel and Dion Phaneuf. Montreal got on the board in the third period with a Brian Gionta power play goal, guided in by Raphael Diaz and Rene Bourque. This was as close as it got, with Toronto holding on to win 2-1, with the three stars belonging to Kadri, Scrivens ( 21 for 22 in saves), and Gionta, while Kessel gets the honorable mention.
Back south, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Anders Lindback are in the blue paint. Tampa Bay was first to score in the first period as Eric Brewer scored a goal, via Matt Carle and Martin St. Louis. Washington tied it with a Joel Ward power play goal, made possible by Wojtek Wolski and Tom Poti. The Lightning took the lead back when Vincent Lecavalier scored, with Keith Aulie getting the only assist. The Capitals tied it again in the second period as Ward put down his second of the night, thanks to Jason Chimera and John Carlson. Tampa Bay edged ahead again as St. Louis potted a power play goal, powered by Lecavalier and Cory Conacher. Washington retied it as Wolski scored, courtesy of Mike Ribeiro and Roman Hamrlik. The Lightning gained the lead once more in the third period as St. Louis scored his second of the game, assisted by Steven Stamkos and Teddy Purcell on the power play. Tampa Bay padded the lead as Conacher scored, with Purcell picking up the lone assist. The Lightning kept going as Brewer scored, with assists provided by Purcell, who got a sock trick, and Stamkos on the power play goal. This made it 6-3, the final, with the three stars being St. Louis, Lecavalier, and Conacher, while the honorable mentions include Purcell, Brewer, Stamkos, Ward, and Wolski.
Staying in the state, the Florida Panthers host the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Jose Theodore are the veteran goalies. Florida led off with a first period Jonathan Huberdeau goal, coming off of Peter Mueller and Alex Kovalev. The Panthers added on as Brian Campbell scored an unassisted power play goal. Florida extended the lead as Campbell scored another power play goal, powered by Kovalev and Stephen Weiss. The Panthers padded the lead as Scottie Upshall notched a power play goal, via Huberdeau and Tomas Fleischmann. Dan Ellis relieved Ward to begin the second period. It didn't help, as Florida struck again on a Kovalev goal, guided in by Huberdeau and Filip Kuba. Carolina got on the board with a Patrick Dwyer goal, set up by Joni Pitkanen and Justin Faulk. They didn't score again, losing 5-1, with the three stars awarded to Huberdeau, Campbell, and Kovalev, while Theodore (41 for 42 in saves) gets the honorable mention.
To the west, the Dallas Stars welcome the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Kari Lehtonen are standing in the creases. Dallas started in the first period with a Jaromir Jagr goal, coming off of Loui Eriksson. Phoenix tied it in the second period as Lauri Korpikoski scored a power play goal, powered by Radim Vrbata and Matthew Lombardi. The Coyotes took the lead as Vrbata scored a power play goal, made possible by Martin Hanzal and Keith Yandle. The Stars tied it with a Jagr's second of the game, a power play goal set up by Stephane Robidas and Ray Whitney. Dallas got the lead in the third period as Whitney scored a power play goal, from Jagr and Robidas. Phoenix tied it again as Vrbata put down his second of the game, an unassisted goal. The Stars got the lead back as Eriksson found twine, with helpers provided by Jagr and Derek Roy. This was good for a 4-3 win, with the three stars going to Jagr, Vrbata, and Eriksson, while Robidas and Whitney get the honorable mentions.
Moving north, as the St. Louis Blues bring in the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Jaroslav Halak will guard the cages. St. Louis opened with a Vladimir Tarasenko goal, made possible by Ian Cole and Alex Steen. The Blues added on as Chris Stewart scored a power play goal, powered by Andy McDonald and Steen. St. Louis struck again with Tarasenko's second goal of the game, fueled by Kevin Shattenkirk on the power play. The Blues padded the lead as T.J. Oshie scored a shorthanded goal, set up by Alex Pietrangelo and David Backes. St. Louis extended the lead in the third period on Stewart's second goal of the night, via
Shattenkirk and Oshie on the power play. Jonas Gustavsson relieved Howard at this time. The Blues kept going as Patrik Berglund scored a power play goal, courtesy of Pietrangelo and Oshie. They held on for a 6-0 shutout victory, with the three stars being Tarasenko, Stewart, and Halak (14 save shutout), while Oshie, Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk, and Steen get honorable mentions.
Back south a bit, the Nashville Predators host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Pekka Rinne are the prepared goalies, having played in the KHL at times during the lockout. Nashville got going in the first period as Martin Erat scored, thanks to Sergei Kostitsyn and the goalie Rinne. Columbus tied it with a Nick Foligno power play goal, powered by Fedor Tyutin and Vinny Prospal. The Predators took the lead back as Ryan Ellis scored a power play goal, passed from Kostitsyn and Patric Hornqvist. The Blue Jackets evened the score in the second period as Artem Anisimov potted the puck, with the help of Tyutin and Nikita Nikitin. Columbus took the game 3-2 in the shootout with tallies from Anisimov and Derick Brassard overpowering Nashville's only goal by David Legwand. The three stars were given to Kostitsyn, Erat, and Tyutin, while the honorable mentions include Anisimov and Rinne (26 for 28 in saves with an assist).
Farther north, the Minnesota Wild bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Niklas Backstrom will be between the pipes. Colorado was first to score in the first period as John Mitchell scored, thanks to Steve Downie and Milan Hejduk. Minnesota tied it in the second period as Dany Heatley scored a power play goal, powered by Zach Parise and Mikko Koivu. The Wild took the lead on a Mikael Granlund goal, fueled by Jared Spurgeon and Devin Setoguchi. Minnesota struck again as Heatley netted another power play goal, his second of the night, coming off of Parise and Koivu. The Avalanche shot back in the third period as Cody McLeod scored, with the help of Malk Olver and Greg Zanon. The Wild ended up winning 4-2 after a Pierre-Marc Bouchard goal, passed from Cal Clutterbuck and Kyle Brodziak. The three stars were given to Heatley, Granlund, and Parise, while Koivu gets an honorable mention.
Finally, we end the opening day in Vancouver, as the Canucks host the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Cory Schneider will be given the starting nods. Anaheim began with a first period goal by Daniel Winnik, made possible by Saku Koivu and Andrew Cogliano. Vancouver tied it on a Dan Hamhuis goal, set up by Jannik Hansen and Chris Higgins. The Canucks took the lead on a Daniel Sedin power play goal, powered by Hansen and Alexander Edler. The Ducks tied it with a Sheldon Souray power play goal, via Teemu Selanne. Anaheim took the lead in the second period as Winnik scored his second of the night, with helpers provided by Koivu and Cogliano. The Ducks padded the lead as Corey Perry scored a power play, thanks to Selanne. Anaheim chased Schneider on a Kyle Palmieri goal eleven seconds later, assisted by Ryan Getzlaf and Toni Lydman. Roberto Luongo came on in relief. The Ducks extended the lead as Selanne scored a goal, guided in by Getzlaf on the power play. Vancouver shot back in the third period as Edler notched a power play goal, helped along by Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin. Anaheim iced it at 7-3 with a Selanne goal, his second of the game, passed from Nick Bonino and Souray. The three stars were handed to Selanne, Winnik, and Koivu, while Cogliano, Getzlaf, Daniel Sedin, Hansen, and Edler get the honorable mentions.
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