Eight games on over here in North America today. The first is a matinee from...
San Jose, where the Sharks play host to the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Thomas Greiss are given the starting nods. San Jose led off with a first period Patrick Marleau goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Joe Pavelski and Dan Boyle on the power play. The Sharks added on as Marleau scored another power play goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, powered by Joe Thornton and Boyle. San Jose extended the lead as Thornton scored in the second period, his second of the season, a power play goal coming off of Ryane Clowe and Marleau. The Sharks kept going with Matt Irwin scoring a goal, with assists provided by Martin Havlat and Clowe. Jean-Sebastien Giguere relieved Varlamov at the start of the third period. This made it 4-0, a final, with the three stars going to Marleau, Irwin, and Greiss, while Thornton and Clowe got the honorable mentions.
To the east, the New York Rangers host the Toronto Maple Leafs. James Reimer and Henrik Lundqvist will play in the creases. Toronto began in the first period as Mikhail Grabovski scored his third of the season, thanks to John-Michael Liles and Nikolai Kulemin. The Maple Leafs added on as James van Riesmdyk notched his third of the year, a power play goal, set up by Liles and Clarke MacArthur. New York got on the board in the second period with Brad Richards' second of the season, fueled by Marian Gaborik and Rick Nash. The Rangers tied it in the third period as Marc Staal scored a goal, coming off of Michael Del Zotto and Gaborik. New York took the lead as Gaborik put down his fourth of the year, courtesy of Staal and Richards. The Rangers extended the lead with a Brian Boyle goal, fueled by Del Zotto and Derek Stepan. New York finished it at 5-2 with a Gaborik empty net goal, his second of the game and fifth of the campaign, with a lone assist from Nash. Gaborik, Staal, and Richards got the three stars, while Del Zotto and Liles get the honorable mentions.
Back west a bit, the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Steve Mason will be sent out to start. Columbus was first to score in the first period as Mark Letestu potted the puck, with the help of Nick Foligno and Derek Dorsett. Chicago tied it with a Dave Bolland's third of the season, made possible by Patrick Kane. The Blackhawks took the lead as Bryan Bickell scored, via Niklas Hjalmarsson and Michael Frolik. Chicago padded the lead in the third period as Jonathan Toews scored his third of the year, courtesy of Kane and Marian Hossa. The Blue Jackets got one back as Artem Anisimov scored his second of the season, assisted by Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Johansen. They got no closer, falling 3-2. Kane, Anismov, and Hjalmarsson were given the three stars.
Down in Florida, the Panthers welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Ilya Bryzgalov and Jose Theodore have the green light to start. Philadelphia struck first in the first period as Wayne Simmonds scored his second of the season, with the help of Kimmo Timonen and Claude Giroux on the power play. The Flyers added on as Matt Read scored, courtesy of Giroux and the goalie Bryzgalov. Philadelphia extended the lead with a Tye McGinn goal, coming off of Braydon Coburn and Ruslan Fedotenko. Scott Clemmensen relieved Theodore for the second period onward. The Flyers struck again in the second period as Read scored his second of the game, with assists provided by Coburn and Luke Schenn. Florida got on the board with a Peter Mueller goal, assisted by Ed Jovanovski. Philadelphia shot back as Luke Schenn scored an unassisted goal. The Flyers padded the lead in the third period as Read finished his hat trick with a power play goal, powered by Brayden Schenn and Mike Knuble. Philadelphia got another as Fedotenko scored a goal, guided in by Max Talbot and McGinn. This made it 7-1, a final, with the three stars being Read, Fedotenko, and Bryzgalov (30 for 31 in saves), while Luke Schenn, McGinn, Giroux, and Coburn also had very good games.
Well to the west, the Phoenix Coyotes bring in the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Jason LaBarbera are all padded up. Los Angeles finally got going in the second period as Anze Kopitar scored, with the help of Dustin Brown. Phoenix tied it on a Mikkel Boedker power play goal, powered by Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Radim Vrbata. The Kings took the lead back as Kopitar netted his second of the game, assisted by Justin Williams and Jake Muzzin. Los Angeles extended the lead as Jeff Carter scored his second of the season, with a lone assist by Simon Gagne. The Coyotes chipped back in the third period as Shane Doan put away his second of the year, fueled by Lauri Korpikoski. The Kings answered as Muzzin scored a goal, guided in by Kyle Clifford and Davis Drewiske. This was good for a 4-2 win, with the three stars awarded to Kopitar, Boedker, and Carter, while Muzzin gets the honorable mention.
Backtracking to Dallas, with the Stars hosting the St. Louis Blues. Jaroslav Halak and Christopher Nilstorp will protect the nets. St. Louis started in the first period on a Wade Redden goal, assisted by Alex Pietrangelo and Vladimir Sobotka. Dallas replied on a Tomas Vincour goal, fueled by Vernon Fiddler and Eric Nystrom. The Stars took the lead as Michael Ryder scored a power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Alex Goligoski and Ray Whitney. The Blues tied it in the second period when David Perron found twine, with the help of Kevin Shattenkirk. St. Louis gained the lead with a Chris Stewart goal, his third of the year, helped along by Patrik Berglund and Perron. The Blues added on as Perron scored his second of the game, and Vladimir Tarasenko recorded the only assist. Dallas pulled back in the third period as Ryan Garbutt scored, and Brenden Morrow and Colton Sceviour were credited with the assists. They failed to get the equalized, losing 4-3, with the three stars going to Perron, Stewart, and Garbutt.
Up in Alberta, the Calgary Flames host their provincial rivals, the Edmonton Oilers. Devan Dubnyk and Miikka Kiprusoff are called on for the starts. Calgary opened with a first period Mikael Backlund goal, his second of the season, assisted by Michael Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. The Flames added on with a Jay Bouwmeester goal, fueled by Mark Giordano and Stempniak. Edmonton got on the board as Justin Schultz scored his second of the year, a power play goal made possible by Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall. Calgary responded in the second period as Curtis Glencross netted his third of the season, coming off of Jarome Iginla and Alex Tanguay. The Oilers pulled back as Eberle scored a power play goal his second of the year, guided in by Schultz and Shawn Horcoff. The Flames replied as Stempniak scored his third of the season, a power play goal, via Bouwmeester and Jiri Hudler. Edmonton chipped away with a Sam Gagner goal, his second of the year, passed from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Schultz. They failed to tie the game, falling 4-3, with the three stars awarded to Bouwmeester, Stempniak, and Eberle, while Schultz gets an honorable mention.
Finally, we end with the Anaheim Ducks hosting the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Viktor Fasth guard the cages. Nashville got going in the first period as Brandon Yip scored an unassisted goal. Anaheim tied it in the second period with a Bobby Ryan goal, passed from Cam Fowler and Teemu Selanne. The Predators retook the lead in the third period as David Legwand scored his second of the season, assisted by Kevin Klein and Gabriel Bourque. The Ducks retied it on a Daniel Winnik goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Corey Perry and Saku Koivu. The game was decided in the shootout with a lone Perry tally to lift Anaheim over Nashville by a 3-2 margin. The three stars were given to Fasth (19 for 21 in saves), Rinne (20 for 22 in saves), and Ryan, while Perry gets an honorable mention.
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