NHL February 21st 2013

Ten games on today, filling a busy schedule. We begin in...

Carolina, as the Hurricanes host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Cam Ward receive the starting nods. Winnipeg began in the first period with a Blake Wheeler goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Andrew Ladd. Carolina tied it on a Jiri Tlusty goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Alexander Semin and Eric Staal. The Jets took the lead back in the third period when Evander Kane potted his fifth of the season, with the help of Nik Antropov. The Hurricanes retied it with a Jordan Staal goal, his third of the year, made possible by Jay Harrison and Patrick Dwyer. Winnipeg regained the lead with a Ladd goal, his ninth of the season, an unassisted goal. Carolina quickly tied it again with another Tlusty goal, his second of the game and seventh of the year, going in unassisted. The Jets took the lead on Wheeler's second of the night and sixth of the campaign, pushed through by Ladd and Bryan Little. This held up for a 4-3 win, with the three stars being Ladd, Wheeler, and Tlusty.

Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs host the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller faces a lesser foe in Ben Scrivens in goal. Buffalo opened in the first period with a Tyler Ennis goal, his sixth of the season, passed from Drew Stafford. Toronto tied it in the second period with Dion Phaneuf's third of the year, a power play goal powered by Phil Kessel and Cody Franson. The Maple Leafs took the lead when James van Riemsdyk put away his tenth of the season, thanks to Kessel and Mike Kostka. Toronto iced it at 3-1 with a third period van Riemsdyk power play goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, courtesy of Franson and Phaneuf. The three stars were awarded to van Riemsdyk, Kessel, and Scrivens (31 for 32 in saves), while Franson and Phaneuf pick up the honorable mentions.

Back in the states, the Philadelphia Flyers bring in the Florida Panthers. Scott Clemmensen and Ilya Bryzgalov will be between the pipes. Florida started with a first period Peter Mueller goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Jonathan Huberdeau and Mike Weaver. The Panthers added on as Tomas Kopecky scored his fourth of the year, with a helper from Weaver. Florida extended the lead as Huberdeau scored his seventh of the season, coming on a penalty shot. The Panthers padded the lead in the second period as Huberdeau scored his second of the game and eighth of the year, a power play goal powered by Drew Shore and Erik Gudbranson. Philadelphia got on the board in the third period as Luke Schenn scored his second of the season, via Danny Briere and Wayne Simmonds. Florida shot back with another Mueller goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, guided in by Shore and Huberdeau. The Flyers chipped back as Jakub Voracek scored his seventh of the campaign, with assists provided by Erik Gustafsson and Claude Giroux. This only made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars going to Huberdeau, Clemmensen (32 for 34 in saves), and Mueller, while Weaver and Shore get the honorable mentions.

Over in Washington, the Capitals host the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Braden Holtby man the creases. Washington got going in the second period with a Mathieu Perreault power play goal, his second of the season, with a lone assist by Troy Brouwer. New Jersey tied it on a shorthanded goal from Patrik Elias, his fifth of the year, set up by Adam Henrique. The Capitals took the lead back as Mike Ribeiro netted his sixth of the season, a power play goal powered by Brouwer and Nicklas Backstrom. The Devils tied it in the third period when Andrei Loktionov scored, with the help of Adam Larsson. New Jersey took the lead on an Ilya Kovalchuk goal, his sixth of the year coming on the power play via Elias and Marek Zidlicky. This was all they needed to win 3-2, with the three stars being given to Kovalchuk, Elias, and Brouwer.

South to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning welcome the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Anders Lindback are the young starting goalies. Boston struck first in the first period as Nathan Horton scored his fifth of the season, via Dougie Hamilton. The Bruins added on as Patrice Bergeron scored his third of the year, thanks to Brad Marchand. Tampa Bay got on the board when Steven Stamkos notched his eleventh of the season, assisted by Teddy Purcell and Marc-Andre Bergeron. The Lightning tied it in the second period on a Cory Conacher goal, his sixth of the year, made possible by Purcell and Stamkos. Boston retook the lead as Marchand recorded his ninth of the season, with the help of Tyler Seguin and Bergeron. The Bruins padded the lead in the third period with Horton's second of the night and sixth of the year, coming off of Zdeno Chara and Hamilton. This produced a 4-2 final score, with the three stars going to Horton, Purcell, and Patrice Bergeron, while Hamilton, Marchand, and Stamkos receive the honorable mentions.

Back north, the Detroit Red Wings host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Jimmy Howard are the masked men. Detroit was first to score in the first period as Damien Brunner scored his eighth of the season just eighteen seconds into the game, an unassisted goal. The Red Wings added on with a Valtteri Filppula goal, his fourth of the year, passed from Brian Lashoff and Henrik Zetterberg. Columbus tied it as R.J. Umberger scored his second of the season, a power play goal powered by Cam Atkinson and Jack Johnson. The Blue Jackets tied it in the third period as Derek Dorsett scored his second of the year, with a lone helper from Derick Brassard. Columbus completed the comeback with a Vinny Prospal goal, his sixth of the campaign, guided in by James Wisniewski and Dorsett. The three stars of the 3-2 game were Prospal, Pavel Datsyuk, and Dorsett.

Into Canada again, with the Montreal Canadiens hosting the New York Islanders. Evgeni Nabokov and Carey Price are in the blue paint. Montreal led off in the first period with a Travis Moen goal, his second of the season, made possible by Colby Armstrong. The Canadiens added on with a Max Pacioretty power play goal, his third of the year, powered by David Desharnais and P.K. Subban. New York got on the board in the second period as Matt Moulson potted his eighth of the season, a power play goal set up by Mark Streit and Lubomir Visnovsky. Montreal shot back with another Pacioretty goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, coming off of Desharnais. The Islanders replied as Moulson scored his second of the game and ninth of the season, another power play goal with assists provided by John Tavares and Brad Boyes. New York pulled even in the third period as Frans Nielsen scored his second of the year, with the help of Josh Bailey. The Islanders won 4-3 in overtime on a Thomas Hickey goal, passed from Michael Grabner and Tavares. The three stars were awarded to Hickey, Pacioretty, and Desharnais, while Moulson and Tavares get the honorable mentions.

Over in Ontario, the Ottawa Senators bring in the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Craig Anderson tend the twines. Ottawa opened in the first period as Jakob Silfverberg scored his third of the season, a shorthanded goal set up by Daniel Alfredsson. New York tied it in the third period on a Ryan Callahan power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Marc Staal and Derek Stepan. The Rangers took the lead with a Ryan McDonagh goal, his second of the season, assisted by J.T. Miller and Jeff Halpern. The Senators tied it as Mika Zibanejad scored his second of the year, a power play goal made possible by Colin Greening and Patrick Wiercioch. The game went into a shootout, where Callahan and Silfverberg matched each other early on before Ottawa took the game 3-2 on a Kaspars Daugavins tally. Anderson (21 for 21 in saves before injury, Silfverberg, and Lundqvist (35 for 37 in saves) received the three stars.

Way to the south, the Dallas Stars host the Vancouver Canucks. Cory Schneider and Christopher Nilstorp will protect the nets. Dallas began in the first period with Jamie Benn's fifth of the season, courtesy of Aaron Rome and Brenden Morrow. Vancouver tied it with an Alexandre Burrows power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Alexander Edler and Ryan Kesler. The Stars took the lead in the second period as Michael Ryder potted his fifth of the season, via Antoine Roussel and Jordie Benn. The Canucks tied it again as Kevin Bieksa put away his fifth of the year, with the help of Dan Hamhuis and Jordan Schroeder. Vancouver took the lead in the third period when Jason Garrison scored his second of the season, thanks to Kesler and Zack Kassian. The Canucks padded the lead as Henrik Sedin notched his second of the year, with the help of Burrows and Daniel Sedin. Dallas got one back with a Morrow goal, his fourth of the season, going in unassisted. They failed to tie the game, losing 4-3, with the three stars going to Burrows, Jamie Benn, and Henrik Sedin, while Morrow and Kesler receive the honorable mentions.

Finally, we end in Edmonton, as the Oilers welcome the Minnesota Wild. Niklas Backstrom and Devan Dubnyk will guard the cages. Edmonton got going in the second period on a Ryan Smyth goal, his second of the season, fueled by Eric Belanger and his derivative, Ben Eager. Minnesota tied it as Matt Cullen recorded his second of the year, thanks to Ryan Suter. The Wild took the lead in the third period with a Devin Setoguchi goal, his third of the season, with a lone assist from Cullen. Minnesota extended the lead as Cullen scored his second of the game and third of the year, via Cal Clutterbuck and Tom Gilbert. This was all they need for a 3-1 win, with the three stars awarded to Cullen, Smyth, and Backstrom (27 for 28 in saves).

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