NHL February 18th 2013

Today, we have seven games, including three matinees for those lucky enough to be off for President's Day in the United States. We begin in...

New Jersey, with the Devils hosting the Ottawa Senators. Ben Bishop is mismatched with Martin Brodeur in goal. New Jersey led off in the first period with a Stephen Gionta goal, his second of the season, assisted by Steve Bernier. Ottawa tied it in the third period as Daniel Alfredsson scored his fourth of the year, coming off of Jakob Silfverberg and Kyle Turris. The Senators won 2-1 in the shootout with a lone tally by Silfverberg. Brodeur (29 for 30 in saves), Bishop (30 for 31 in saves), and Gionta got the three stars, while Silfverberg gets an honorable mention.

Over on Long Island, the New York Islanders host the Philadelphia Flyers. Ilya Bryzgalov and Evgeni Nabokov are the Russian goalies. Philadelphia opened in the first period as Claude Giroux scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Matt Read and Jakub Voracek. The Flyers added on with a Read goal in the second period, his seventh of the year, made possible by Giroux and Voracek. Philadelphia padded the lead as Brayden Schenn scored his fourth of the season, a power play goal set up by Voracek, who got a natural sock trick, and Danny Briere. The Flyers extended the lead as Giroux scored his second of the game and fifth of the year, thanks to Read and Voracek. Philadelphia kept going in the third period on a Zac Rinaldo goal, passed from Harry Zolnierczyk and Luke Schenn. The Flyers struck again as Briere scored his fourth of the season, a power play goal powered by Sean Couturier and Erik Gustafsson. Philadelphia iced it at 7-0 with a Briere goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, guided in by Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds. The three stars were awarded to Giroux, Voracek, and Read, while Briere, Brayden Schenn, and Bryzgalov (19 save shutout) get the honorable mentions.

West to Colorado, with the Avalanche hosting the Nashville Predators. Chris Mason and Semyon Varlamov receive the starting nods. Colorado began in the first period with an Aaron Palushaj goal, his second of the season, coming off of David Jones and Jan Hejda. The Avalanche added on as Tyson Barrie scored a power play goal, powered by Matt Duchene and P.A. Parenteau. Nashville got on the board as Sergei Kostitsyn scored his second of the year, a power play goal made possible by Craig Smith and Colin Wilson. Colorado answered in the second period on a Duchene goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Parenteau. The Predators pulled back with a Mike Fisher goal, his third of the year, pushed through by Shea Weber and Kostitsyn. The Avalanche replied with a Chuck Kobasew goal, assisted by Paul Stastny and Palushaj. Nashville shot back on a Wilson goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Martin Erat and Jonathon Blum. Colorado responded as Stastny scored sixteen seconds later, his fourth of the year, set up by Jones and Palushaj. The Avalanche struck again thirteen seconds later on a Jamie McGinn goal, his third of the season, with a lone Duchene helper. Mason was pulled in favor of Pekka Rinne at this time. The Predators got one back later with a Blum goal, an unassisted goal. Nashville got one back in the third period as Shea Weber scored his second of the year, via Fisher and Patric Hornqvist. They failed to tie the game, losing 6-5, with the three stars belonging to Duchene, Palushaj, and Weber, while Stastny, Wilson, Blum, Fisher, Kostitsyn, Jones, and Parenteau all got honorable mentions.

At the normal hour, the Montreal Canadiens host the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Peter Budaj are in the creases. Montreal got going in the third period on a Brandon Prust goal, his second of the season, coming off of Alex Galchenyuk and Lars Eller. The Canadiens added on as Tomas Plekanec scored his eighth of the year, thanks to Max Pacioretty and Alexei Emelin. Montreal extended the lead on a Pacioretty goal, via David Desharnais and Raphael Diaz. This made it 3-0, a final, with the three stars being Budaj (19 save shutout), Prust, and Pacioretty.

To the south, the Florida Panthers welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ben Scrivens and Jose Theodore are the masked men. Toronto struck first in the first period with a Phil Kessel goal, his third of the season, set up by James van Riemsdyk. The Maple Leafs added on in the second period with a Nazem Kadri power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Dion Phaneuf and Clarke MacArthur. Toronto struck again as MacArthur scored his third of the season, via Kadri and Cody Franson. This was all they needed to win 3-0, with the three stars going to Scrivens (37 save shutout), Kadri, and Kessel, while MacArthur gets an honorable mention.

Westward to Phoenix, with the Coyotes bringing in the Calgary Flames. Danny Taylor and Mike Smith are between the pipes. Phoenix was first to score in the first period as Keith Yandle scored his second of the season, assisted by David Moss and Raffi Torres. The Coyotes extended their lead in the third period as Mikkel Boedker scored his third of the year, thanks to Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Antoine Vermette. Phoenix padded the lead with a Vermette goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Shane Doan and Ekman-Larsson. The Coyotes iced it at 4-0 with a Torres goal, his second of the year, fueled by Moss and Boyd Gordon. Smith (29 save shutout), Vermette, and Yandle received the three stars, while Torres, Moss, and Ekman-Larsson receive the honorable mentions.

Finally, in Anaheim, the Ducks host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Jonas Hiller protect the nets. Columbus started in the first period with a Vinny Prospal goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Mark Letestu and Derek Dorsett. Anaheim tied it as Peter Holland scored a power play goal, powered by Bobby Ryan and Ben Lovejoy. The Ducks took the lead with a Ryan Getzlaf goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Matt Beleskey. Anaheim padded the lead in the third period as Corey Perry scored his third of the season, with the help of Getzlaf and Sheldon Souray on the power play. The Blue Jackets got one back on a Derick Brassard goal, his third of the year, coming off of James Wisniewski and R.J. Umberger. This was as close as the got, falling 3-2, with the three stars awarded to Hiller (25 for 27 in saves), Perry, and Getzlaf.

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