NHL February 1st 2013

Welcome to February, with seven games here to greet us today. We begin in...

Raleigh, as the Carolina Hurricanes host the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Dan Ellis are between the pipes. Carolina led off in the first period with the fifth of the season for Eric Staal, assisted by Alexander Semin and Joe Corvo. This held up for a 1-0 final score, with Ellis (33 save shutout), Staal, and Semin getting the three stars, and Anderson (34 for 35 in saves) earns an honorable mention.

Up in Washington, the Capitals host the Philadelphia Flyers. Ilya Bryzgalov and Braden Holtby are given the starting nods. Philadelphia got going in the second period as Bruno Gervais scored, thanks to Danny Briere and Tye McGinn. Washington tied it as Nicklas Backstrom scored, with help from John Carlson. The Capitals took the lead in the third period on a Troy Brouwer goal, his third of the season, fueled by Mike Green and Backstrom. Washington padded the lead as Wojtek Wolski scored his second of the year, an unassisted goal. The Flyers shot back with a Brayden Schenn goal, coming off of Matt Read and Kurtis Foster. They failed to tie the game, losing 3-2, with the three stars being Backstrom, Wolski, and Holtby (29 for 31 in saves).

Northwest to Detroit, as the Red Wings host the St. Louis Blues. Jaroslav Halak and Jimmy Howard play in the creases. Detroit began with a first period Henrik Zettetberg power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Damien Brunner and Niklas Kronwall. The Red Wings added on as Zetterberg scored his second of the game and fourth of the year, set up by Jonathan Ericsson and Johan Franzen. St. Louis got on the board as Kevin Shattenkirk scored a power play goal, with the help of Alex Steen and Patrik Berglund. The Blues tied it as Matt D'Agostini scored a goal, with assists provided by Vladimir Tarasenko and Roman Polak. Brian Elliott relieved Halak due to injury later in the period. St. Louis took the lead in the second period on a Berglund power play goal, his fifth of the season, via David Backes and David Perron. Detroit retied it in the third period as Ericsson scored, courtesy of Zetterberg and Franzen. The Red Wings gained the lead on a Pavel Datsyuk power play goal, his third of the year, thanks to Zetterberg and Franzen, the latter getting a sock trick. Detroit iced it at 5-3 with a shorthanded and unassisted Zetterberg goal into the empty net. The three stars were given to Zetterberg, Ericsson, and Shattenkirk, while the honorable mention goes to Franzen.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Anders Lindback make the starts. Tampa Bay started with a first period Cory Conacher power play goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Matt Carle and Benoit Pouliot. The Lightning added on as Steven Stamkos scored a power play goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Teddy Purcell and the goalie Lindback. Tampa Bay extended the lead on a Vincent Lecavalier power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Martin St. Louis and Stamkos. The Lightning padded the lead in the second period with Conacher's second of the game and fifth of the year, assisted by Eric Brewer and Lecavalier. Tampa Bay struck again with a Nate Thompson goal, fueled by B.J. Crombeen and Brewer. Al Montoya relieved Pavelec at this time. The Lightning kept going with a Purcell goal, his second of the season, via Stamkos. Winnipeg got on the board in the third period with a Tobias Enstrom goal, his second of the year, guided in by Paul Postma and Andrew Ladd. The Jets got another back as Postma scored a power play goal, set up by Bryan Little and Enstrom. Tampa Bay responded with the fourth of the season for Ryan Malone, pushed through by Lecavalier and Conacher. Winnipeg shot back on a Ladd power play goal, his third of the year, with assists provided by Postma and Enstrom. The Lightning replied with a Pouliot goal, his second of the campaign, with helpers from Tom Pyatt and Victor Hedman. The final stood at 8-3, with the three stars being Conacher, Stamkos, and Brewer, while the honorable mentions include Lecavalier, Purcell, Pouliot, Enstrom, Postma, and Ladd.

Westward to Dallas, where the Stars host the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Kari Lehtonen are the masked men. Dallas was first to score in the first period as Antoine Roussel scored, with assists provided by Ryan Garbutt and Brenden Dillon. The Stars added on as Dillon scored an unassisted goal. Phoenix got on the board as Radim Vrbata scored, with the help of Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Mikkel Boedker. The Coyotes tied it in the second period when Martin Hanzal put away his second of the year, thanks to Ekman-Larsson and Vrbata. Dallas took the lead back on a Michael Ryder goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Cody Eakin and Ray Whitney. Phoenix tied it on a Hanzal goal, his second of the game and third of the year, made possible by David Moss. The game went to a shootout, where Jamie Benn matched Vrbata so that Jaromir Jagr could win the game in the fourth round with his shootout tally. The final was 4-3, and the three stars went to Dillon, Hanzal, and Roussel, while Vrbata and Ekman-Larsson pick up the honorable mentions.

Northwest to Vancouver, as the Canucks bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Roberto Luongo guard the cages. Vancouver opened in the first period on an Alexander Edler goal, his third of the season, assisted by Zack Kassian and Henrik Sedin. Chicago tied it in the third period as Patrick Kane recorded his third of the year, courtesy of Andrew Shaw and Patrick Sharp. The Canucks took the game 2-1 in the shootout as Jordan Schroeder scored. The three stars were Luongo (27 for 28 in saves), Crawford (21 for 22 in saves), and Schroeder.

Down the coast, we end in Anaheim, with the Ducks hosting the Minnesota Wild. Niklas Backstrom and Viktor Fasth will protect the nets. Minnesota struck first in the first period as Marco Scandella scored, with a lone assist by Matt Cullen. Anaheim tied it in the second period as Kyle Palmieri scored his second of the season, thanks to Bobby Ryan and Teemu Selanne. The Ducks took the lead in the third period on another Palmieri goal, his second of the game and third of the year, made possible by Selanne and Ryan. Anaheim iced it at 3-1 with a Ryan power play goal, powered by Selanne, who got a sock trick, and Ryan Getzlaf. The three stars were handed to Palmieri, Ryan, and Selanne.

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