Seven games to keep us busy on Martin Luther King, Jr./Inauguration Day in the fine United States. First up...
The Boston Bruins host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Tuukka Rask are the young goalies. Winnipeg opened in the first period with a Chris Thorburn goal, fueled by Paul Postma and Jim Slater. Boston tied it with a Brad Marchand goal, made possible by Tyler Seguin. The game went to a shootout, where tallies from the Bruins' Seguin and Patrice Bergeron lifted them 2-1 over a single tally by Blake Wheeler for the Jets. The three stars were given to David Krejci, Bergeron, and Rask (26 for 27 in saves), while Pavelec (26 for 27 in saves) or Seguin are more deserving of the first spot.
Out to Long Island, with the New York Islanders welcoming the Tampa Bay Lightning. Anders Lindback and Evgeni Nabokov receive the starting nods. New York got going in the second period as Michael Grabner scored a power play goal, powered by Mark Streit and the goalie Nabokov. The Islanders added on with a Matt Martin goal, via John Tavares. New York struck again when Kyle Okposo scored, thanks to Tavares and Matt Moulson. The Islanders extended the lead in the third period as David Ullstrom scored, with the help of Keith Aucoin and Travis Hamonic. Tampa Bay got one the board with a Martin St. Louis goal, his third of the season, coming off of Steven Stamkos and Cory Conacher. The Lightning pulled back with a Benoit Pouliot, with assists provided by B.J. Crombeen and Adam Hall. Tampa Bay chipped away with a Stamkos goal, guided in by Conacher and St. Louis. They couldn't get an equalizer, falling 4-3, with the three stars being Tavares, Martin, and St. Louis, while Stamkos and Conacher get the honorable mentions.
A bit west to Nashville, as the Predators host the St. Louis Blues. Jaroslav Halak and Pekka Rinne are in the creases. Nashville led off with a first period Colin Wilson goal, via Patric Hornqvist and Ryan Ellis. St. Louis tied it with a Vladimir Tarasenko goal, his third of the season, made possible by Andy McDonald and Kevin Shattenkirk. The Blues took the lead as McDonald scored, a power play goal powered by Tarasenko and Shattenkirk. The Predators tied it again with a Mike Fisher power play goal, set up by Martin Erat and Hornqvist. Nashville took the lead in the second period as Hornqvist scored a power play goal, assisted by Erat and Fisher. Brian Elliott relieved Halak here. St. Louis tied it again in the third period on an Alex Pietrangelo goal, with assists provided by Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz. The Blues completed the comeback with goals by T.J. Oshie and Alex Steen in the shootout for a 4-3 victory. The three stars were awarded to Tarasenko, Oshie, and Hornqvist, while Elliott (13 for 13 in saves in relief), Fisher, Erat, Shattenkirk, and McDonald get the honorable mentions.
To the north, the Toronto Maple Leafs welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller and Ben Scrivens are between the pipes. Buffalo started with a first period Cody Hodgson goal, his second of the season, fueled by Christian Ehrhoff and Jason Pominville. The Sabres added on in the second period as Pominville potted the puck, and Thomas Vanek picked up the lone helper. Toronto got on the board late in the third period as Nazem Kadri scored his second of the year, thanks to Mike Kostka and Tyler Bozak. They failed to tie it, losing 2-1, with the three stars being Miller (34 for 35 in saves), Pominville, and Dion Phaneuf, while any other point getter could slide into the third slot.
Staying in Ontario, the Ottawa Senators host the Florida Panthers. Jose Theodore and Craig Anderson protect the nets Ottawa was first to score in the first period as Kyle Turris scored his second of the season, a power play goal powered by Patrick Wiercioch and Daniel Alfredsson. The Senators added on in the second period as Turris potted his second of the game and third of the year, thanks to Guillaume Latendresse and Andre Benoit. Ottawa got another in the third period as Jim O'Brien sank an unassisted goal. The Senators iced it at 4-0 with Jakob Silfverberg scoring a goal, made possible by Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek. The three stars went to Turris, Anderson (31 save shutout), and Marc Methot, while Silfverberg gets the unofficial third star for his first career goal.
To the south, the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Sergei Bobrovsky are the goalies. Detroit struck first in the second period as Brian Lashoff scored, with helpers from Mikael Samuelsson and Niklas Kronwall. The Red Wings extended the lead as Ian White scored, courtesy of Johan Franzen and Pavel Datsyuk. Columbus got one back as Cam Atkinson scored, thanks to Ryan Johansen and Derek Dorsett. The Blue Jackets tied it in the third period with a James Wisniewski goal, coming on the power play via Derick Brassard and R.J. Umberger. Columbus gained the lead as Vinny Prospal put down a power play goal, with assists provided by Nikita Nikitin and Fedor Tyutin. Detroit retied the game with a Datsyuk goal, fueled by Kronwall and Henrik Zetterberg. The Red Wings won it 4-3 in overtime with a lone tally by Damien Brunner. The three stars were given to Datsyuk, Bobrovsky (39 for 42 in saves), and Wisniewski, while Kronwall gets the honorable mention.
Finally, in Calgary, the Flames host the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Miikka Kiprusoff tend the twines. Anaheim began early in the first period as Ryan Getzlaf scored, with assists from Toni Lydman and Corey Perry. The Ducks added on as Saku Koivu scored a goal, guided in by Andrew Cogliano and Daniel Winnik. Anaheim kept going as Winnik scored his third of the season, assisted by Sheldon Souray and Koivu. Calgary got on the board with a Curtis Glencross power play goal, powered by Dennis Wideman and Alex Tanguay. The Flames pulled closer as Tanguay potted the puck, with the help of Jarome Iginla and Glencross. Calgary tied it in the second period as Glencross potted his second of the night, another power play goal, set up by Michael Cammalleri and Wideman. The Ducks retook the lead in the third period as Winnik potted his second of the game and fourth of the year, via Cogliano and Koivu. Anaheim extended the lead with another Getzlaf goal, his second of the game, helped along by Perry and Kyle Palmieri. The Flames chipped back as Lee Stempniak scored his second of the season, pushed through by T.J. Brodie and Roman Horak. They got no closer, losing 5-4, with the three stars handed to Winnik, Glencross, and Koivu, while Getzlaf, Cogliano, Perry, Tanguay, and Wideman receive the honorable mentions.
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