NHL January 31st 2013

Nine games on today, and I'll be typing these while I play pool for the first time in forever. We begin in...

New York City, as the Rangers host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tomas Vokoun and Henrik Lundqvist are the goalies. Pittsburgh quickly opened in the first period with an Evgeni Malkin goal, his second of the season, assisted by Simon Despres and Kris Letang. The Penguins added on in the third period as James Neal scored his fifth of the year, a power play goal powered by Sidney Crosby and Malkin. Pittsburgh padded the lead with a Despres goal, passed from Pascal Dupuis and Craig Adams. This produced the 3-0 final score, with Vokoun (28 save shutout), Malkin, and Despres getting the three stars.

Up in Boston, the Bruins bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller and Tuukka Rask are between the pipes. Buffalo got going in the second period with a Thomas Vanek goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Cody Hodgson and Jason Pominville. Boston tied it on a Rich Peverley goal, made possible by Daniel Paille and Chris Kelly. The Bruins took the lead as Brad Marchand potted his fourth of the year, with a lone assist from Patrice Bergeron. Boston added on as Marchand scored again, his second of the game and fifth of the season, coming off of Bergeron and Tyler Seguin. The Sabres shot back with a Vanek power play goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, powered by Christian Ehrhoff and Tyler Ennis. Buffalo tied it as Ennis scored his second of the season, via Vanek and Marcus Foligno. The Bruins took the lead back in the third period with a David Krejci goal, his second of the year, passed from Nathan Horton. The Sabres quickly tied it with an Alexander Sulzer goal, courtesy of Mikhail Grigorenko and Jochen Hecht. Buffalo regained the lead on a Hodgson goal, his fourth of the season, set up by Vanek and Pominville. The Sabres padded the lead as Vanek finished his hat trick with his sixth of the year, and Hodgson had the lone assist. Buffalo iced it at 7-4 with a Pominville empty net goal, his fifth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Vanek, Marchand, and Miller (38 for 42 in saves), while Pominville, Hodgson, Ennis, and Bergeron get the honorable mentions.

Back to the south, the New Jersey Devils host the New York Islanders. Evgeni Nabokov and Martin Brodeur are the veteran netminders. New York began with a first period power play goal by John Tavares, his third of the season, assisted by Brad Boyes and Frans Nielsen. The Islanders added on in the second period with a power play goal by Keith Aucoin, his fourth of the year, powered by Travis Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald. New Jersey got on the board with a Steve Bernier goal, passed from Stephen Gointa and Ryan Carter. The Devils tied it as Carter scored a goal, guided in by Matt Anderson and Gionta. New York took the lead back as Tavares scored his second of the game and fourth of the season, helped along by Matt Moulson and the goalie Nabokov. New Jersey tied it again with a Henrik Tallinder goal, set up by Travis Zajac. The Islanders regained the lead in the third period as Mark Streit scored his third of the year, with a lone David Ullstrom assist. The Devils quickly retied the game on an Adam Henrique goal, coming off of David Clarkson. New York won 5-4 in overtime as Boyes scored a power play goal, with the help of Nielsen and Tavares. The three stars were handed to Boyes, Carter, and Tavares, while the honorable mentions were Nielsen and Gionta.

North to Canada, where the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Washington Capitals. Michal Neuvirth and James Reimer will attempt to stop the puck. Washington led off in the first period as Joel Ward scored his fourth of the season, made possible by Mike Ribeiro and Jason Chimera. Toronto tied it as James van Riemsdyk netted his fourth of the year, a power play goal, coming off of Phil Kessel and Tyler Bozak. The Capitals took the lead back in the second period on an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Ribeiro and Nicklas Backstrom. The Maple Leafs tied it as Nikolai Kulemin scored, via Mike Kostka and Jay McClement. Toronto took the lead with a Matt Frattin goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Nazem Kadri. This held up for a 3-2 win, and the three stars were van Riemsdyk, Frattin, and Neuvirth (37 for 40 in saves), while Ribeiro gets the honorable mention.

Down in the states again, where the Columbus Blue Jackets host the St. Louis Blues. Brian Elliott and Sergei Bobrovsky will protect the nets. St. Louis struck first in the first period with a Barret Jackman goal, his second of the season, pushed through by Ryan Reaves and Jamie Langenbrunner. The Blues added on with Patrik Berglund recording his fourth of the year, a power play goal powered by T.J. Oshie and David Backes. St. Louis extended the lead when Vladimir Tarasenko put away his fifth of the season, thanks to Alex Steen and Alex Pietrangelo. Steve Mason relieved Bobrovsky at this time. Columbus got on the board as Derick Brassard scored a power play goal in the second period, set up by Brandon Dubinsky and James Wisniewski. The Blues finished it at 4-1 with a Backes empty net goal in the third period, passed from Vladimir Sobotka and Oshie. The three stars were Berglund, Tarasenko, and Mason (13 for 13 in saves in relief), while Backes and Oshie get the honorable mentions.

Southeast to Florida, where the Panthers welcome the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Jose Theodore receive the starting nods. Florida started in the second period on a Brian Campbell power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Tomas Fleischmann and Tomas Kopecky. Winnipeg tied it as Grant Clitsome scored a goal, with assists provided by Andrew Ladd and Paul Postma. The Jets took the lead in the third period on an Olli Jokinen goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Blake Wheeler. The Panthers tied it on a Kris Versteeg goal, made possible by Fleischmann and Dmitry Kulikov. Winnipeg took the lead back with a Tobias Enstrom goal, passed from Evander Kane and Wheeler. Florida tied it again as Peter Mueller scored his third of the season, a power play goal, coming off of Filip Kuba and Jonathan Huberdeau. The Panthers took the lead as Alex Kovalev scored his second of the year, a power play goal, assisted by Fleischmann, who got a sock trick, and Kopecky. Florida kept going on a Huberdeau unassisted goal, his second of the season The Panthers padded the lead as Kopecky put his second of the year into the empty net, with no assistance. The final was 6-3, and Kovalev, Fleischmann, and Mueller got the three stars, while Kopecky, and Wheeler get the honorable mentions.

Northwest to Calgary, as the Flames host the Colorado Avalanche. Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Miikka Kiprusoff stand in the blue paint. Calgary was first to score in the first period with a Jiri Hudler goal, made possible by Matt Stajan. Colorado tied it on a John Mitchell goal, his third of the season, going in unassisted. The Flames took the lead back in the second period as Hudler scored his second of the night, and Stajan and Roman Cervenka supplied the assists. The Avalanche retied it with P.A. Parenteau scoring his fourth of the year, thanks to Jamie McGinn and Matt Duchene. Colorado took the lead as Mitchell scored his second of the game and fourth of the season, with the help of Chuck Kobasew and Cody McLeod. Calgary tied it as Alex Tanguay potted his third of the year, courtesy of Hudler and Dennis Wideman. The Avalanche took the lead back on a Paul Stastny power play goal, going in unassisted. Colorado added on with Stastny's second of the game, with a lone assist from Mitchell. The Avalanche iced it at 6-3 as Parenteau scored his second of the game and fifth of the season into the empty net, coming off of Matt Duchene. The three stars were awarded to Hudler, Mitchell, and Stastny, while Parenteau, Duchene, and Stajan get the honorable mentions.

Down in San Jose, the Sharks host the Edmonton Oilers. Devan Dubnyk and Antti Niemi man the creases. San Jose opened in the first period with a Logan Couture goal, his fifth of the season, going in unassisted. The Sharks added on as Joe Pavelski potted his fourth of the year, with no assists needed. Edmonton got on the board with the third of the season by Sam Gagner, assisted by Mark Fistric and Nail Yakupov. The Oilers tied it in the third period as Taylor Hall put away his second of the year, coming off of Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The game went to a shootout, where San Jose came away with a 3-2 win after two unanswered tallies by Michal Handzus and Dan Boyle. The three stars were Niemi (26 for 28 in saves), Dubnyk (36 for 38 in saves), and Handzus.

Finally, we end in Los Angeles, where the Kings welcome the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Jonathan Quick tend the twines. Nashville quickly got going in the first period as Brandon Yip scored his second of the season, via Gabriel Bourque and David Legwand. Los Angeles tied it as Dustin Brown scored a power play goal, powered by Drew Doughty and Mike Richards. The deadlock lasted into shootout, where Legwand was matched by Richards, Craig Smith was paced by Brown, and Bourque covered an Anze Kopitar tally before the eighth round, Sergei Kostitsyn's goal gave the Predators a 2-1 win. Jeff Carter, Shea Weber, and Doughty got the three stars, while the top two slots could go to Richads, Legwand, Brown, or Bourque very easily, and Kostitsyn also deserves accolades for ending it.

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