NHL February 24th 2013

Eight games to go with today, beginning in...

Florida, as the Panthers host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Jacob Markstrom are the young goalies. Boston started in the first period as Milan Lucic scored his fourth of the season, courtesy of David Krejci. The Bruins added on with a Zdeno Chara goal, his third of the year, passed from Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin. Florida got one back as Tomas Kopecky scored his fifth of the season, with helpers provided by Drew Shore and Tomas Fleischmann. Boston replied in the second period as Chris Kelly scored a power play goal, powered by Daniel Paille and Chris Bourque. The Bruins iced it at 4-1 in the third period on a Paille empty net goal, his third of the year, set up by Adam McQuaid. Rask (34 for 35 in saves), Chara, and Markstrom (28 for 31 in saves) receive the three stars, while Paille gets an honorable mention.

Up in Detroit, the Red Wings welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Roberto Luongo and Jimmy Howard tend the twines. Vancouver struck first in the first period on a Daniel Sedin goal, his sixth of the season, helped along by Henrik Sedin. Detroit tied it on a Jordin Tootoo goal, his second of the year, going in unassisted. The Red Wings gained the lead with the third of the season by Niklas Kronwall, passed from Pavel Datsyuk and Daniel Cleary. The Canucks tied it again as Daniel Sedin scored his second of the game and seventh of the year, fueled by Henrik Sedin and Alexandre Burrows. Vancouver took the lead with a Chris Higgins goal, his fourth of the season, an unassisted goal. Detroit retied it in the second period on a Cleary power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Damien Brunner and Henrik Zetterberg. The Red Wings took the lead again as Zetterberg put away his sixth of the season, a power play goal made possible by Datsyuk and Kronwall. Detroit extended the lead on a Brunner power play goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Kronwall and Zetterberg. The Red Wings struck again in the third period as Brunner scored his second of the game and tenth of the season, set up by Valtteri Filppula and Jonathan Ericsson. Detroit padded the lead as Joakim Andersson scored his second of the year, via Tomas Tatar and Jakub Kindl. The Red Wings iced it at 8-3 with another goal by Andersson, his second of the game and third of the campaign, with assists provided by Brunner and Ericsson. Kronwall, Brunner, and Andersson receive the three stars, while Zetterberg, Cleary, Datsyuk, Ericsson, Daniel Sedin, and Henrik Sedin all pick up honorable mentions.

Back east, the New Jersey Devils host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Johan Hedberg receive the starting nods. Winnipeg was first to score in the first period as Zach Bogosian scored, with the help of Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little. New Jersey tied it on a Travis Zajac goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Patrik Elias and David Clarkson. The Devils took the lead with Steve Bernier scoring his fifth of the year, courtesy of Andrei Loktionov and Alexei Ponikarovsky. The Jets tied it in second period on a Grant Clitsome power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Paul Postma. Winnipeg gained the lead as Evander Kane netted his seventh of the year, via Alex Burmistrov. The Jets added on in the third period as Ladd recorded his tenth of the season, thanks to Little and Wheeler. This produced a 4-2 final score, with the three stars being Kane, Wheeler, and Little.

Westward to Chicago, as the Blackhawks bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Steve Mason and Corey Crawford are the masked men. Chicago got going in the second period with an Andrew Shaw goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Bryan Bickell and Johnny Oduya. This was the game's only goal, with the final being 1-0. The three stars were awarded to Crawford (28 save shutout), Shaw, and Mason (26 for 27 in saves).

Back in the east, the New York Islanders host the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward faces a lesser foe in Kevin Poulin in goal. New York opened in the first period with a Matt Moulson goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Brad Boyes and John Tavares. The Islanders added on as Tavares notched his thirteenth of the year, courtesy of Moulson. Carolina got on the board in the second period as Eric Staal scored his ninth of the season, a power play goal powered by Alexander Semin and Jiri Tlusty. The Hurricanes tied it as Jordan Staal notched his fourth of the year, thanks to Patrick Dwyer and Justin Faulk. Carolina took the lead with a third period goal by Bobby Sanguinetti, coming off of Dwyer and Jordan Staal. The Hurricanes iced it at 4-2 as Semin scored his fourth of the campaign into the empty net, an unassisted goal. Sanguinetti, Tavares, and Jordan Staal got the three stars, while Semin, Moulson, and Dwyer receive honorable mentions.

Over in Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Anders Lindback and Marc-Andre Fleury guard the cages. Pittsburgh led off in the first period as Sidney Crosby notched his eighth of the season, via Chris Kunitz. The Penguins added on as Crosby scored again, his second of the game and ninth of the year, courtesy of James Neal and Paul Martin. Pittsburgh extended the lead when Martin scored his third of the season, with a lone Matt Cooke assist. Mathieu garon relieved Lindback for the second period onward. Tampa Bay got on the board in the second period with an Eric Brewer goal, his fourth of the year, passed from Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn. The Lightning chipped closer as Stamkos scored his thirteenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Teddy Purcell and Martin St. Louis. The Penguins shot back as Beau Bennett scored a power play goal, set up by Crosby and Kris Letang. Tampa Bay replied in the third period as Cory Conacher netted his seventh of the year, coming off of Victor Hedman and Stamkos. Pittsburgh finished it at 5-3 with a Matt Cooke empty net goal, his third of the campaign, fueled by Brandon Sutter and Letang. The three stars were handed to Crosby, Stamkos, and Bennett, while Cooke, Letang, and Martin get the honorable mentions.

Out in California, the Anaheim Ducks welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Jonas Hiller are the qualified backups making spot starts. Colorado began in the first period with a Cody McLeod goal, his third of the season, assisted by Matt Hunwick and Ryan O'Byrne. The Avalanche added on with a P.A. Parenteau power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Tyson Barrie and Paul Stastny. Anaheim got on the board in the second period with a Corey Perry goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Ryan Getzlaf and Francois Beauchemin. The Ducks tied the game as Teemu Selanne scored his eighth of the year, via Beauchemin and Saku Koivu on the power play. Colorado retook the lead on a John Mitchell goal, his sixth of the season, guided in by Milan Hejduk and O'Byrne. Anaheim tied it again in the third period as Getzlaf put away his sixth of the year, a power play goal made possible by Beauchemin, who got a sock trick, and Cam Fowler. The Ducks won in overtime on another Perry goal, his second of the game and fifth of the campaign, coming on the power play from Getzlaf and Beauchemin. The three stars were given to Perry, Getzlaf, and Beauchemin, while O'Byrne gets an honorable mention.

Finally, we end in Calgary, as the Flames host the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Joey MacDonald man the creases. Calgary started with a Tim Jackman goal, made possible by Roman Cervenka and Chris Butler. Phoenix tied it in the second period as Michael Stone scored a power play goal, going in unassisted. The Coyotes took the lead with a Raffi Torres goal, his third of the season, passed from Matthew Lombardi and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Flames tied it again as Jarome Iginla potted his second of the year, courtesy of Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Tanguay. Calgary took the lead when Michael Cammalleri scored his fifth of the season, with the help of Curtis Glencross and Lee Stempniak. Phoenix tied it again in the third period as Torres scored his second of the game and fourth of the year, via Zbynek Michalek and Shane Doan. The Coyotes took the lead on a Nick Johnson goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Ekman-Larsson and Paul Bissonnette. The Flames pulled even as Iginla scored his second of the game and third of the year, helped along by Tanguay and Matt Stajan. Calgary gained the lead with a Glencross goal, his seventh of the campaign, with assists provided by Stempniak and Butler. This stood up for a 5-4 win, with the three stars going to Iginla, Torres, and Bouwmeester, while, Glencross, Tanguay, Stempniak, Butler, and Ekman-Larsson receive the honorable mentions.

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