NHL March 14th 2013

I hope the math nerd holiday, Pi Day, finds you all doing well. We have eleven hockey games to get us through the day, beginning in...

Boston, as the Bruins host the Florida Panthers. Scott Clemmensen and Tuukka Rask are in goal. Boston opened in the first period with a Zdeno Chara goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by David Krejci and Nathan Horton. The Bruins added on with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his seventh of the year, coming off of Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin. Florida got on the board in the second period as Shawn Matthias scored his eighth of the season, a shorthanded goal going in unassisted. Boston replied in the third period as Shawn Thornton scored his third of the year, via Daniel Paille and Gregory Campbell. The Bruins iced it at 4-1 with a Bergeron empty net goal, his second of the game and eighth of the campaign, passed from Marchand. Rask (29 for 30 in saves), Bergeron, and Matthias got the three stars, while Marchand gets an honorable mention.

Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury faces a lesser foe in Ben Scrivens. Toronto was first to score in the second period as Tyler Bozak scored his seventh of the season, fueled by Cody Franson and Phil Kessel. Pittsburgh tied it in the third period on a Pascal Dupuis goal, his twelfth of the year, courtesy of Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz. The Penguins took the lead as Dupuis scored his second of the night and thirteenth of the season, with a lone Kunitz helper. Pittsburgh finished the scoring at 3-1 with a Craig Adams empty net goal, his third of the year, going down unassisted. Crosby, Dupuis, and Fleury (28 for 29 in saves) received the three stars, while Kunitz gets an honorable mention.

Back stateside, the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Sergei Bobrovsky guard the cages. Chicago got going in the second period with a Johnny Oduya goal, set up by Patrick Kane and Niklas Hjalmarsson. Columbus tied it with a power play goal by Jack Johnson, his fourth of the season, powered by Derick Brassard and Brandon Dubinsky. The Blackhawks won 2-1 in the shootout as Jonathan Toews and Kane scored to topple a lone tally by Artem Anisimov. The three stars were awarded to Bobrovsky (39 for 40 in saves), Crawford (29 for 30 in saves), and Kane.

East to Carolina, as the Hurricanes welcome the Washington Capitals. Michal Neuvirth and Dan Ellis receive the starting nods. Carolina started with a first period Alexander Semin goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Eric Staal and Jiri Tlusty. The Hurricanes added on as Patrick Dwyer scored his sixth of the year, thanks to Tim Gleason and Joe Corvo. Washington got on the board as Joey Crabb scored his second of the season in the second period, via Aaron Volpatti and Karl Alzner. The Capitals tied it in the third period with an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Troy Brouwer and Nicklas Backstrom. Washington took the lead as Mike Ribeiro scored his tenth of the campaign, courtesy of Ovechkin and John Carlson. This stood for a 3-2 win, with Ribeiro, Neuvirth (36 for 38 in saves), and Ovechkin getting the three stars.

Down south, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the New York Islanders. Evgeni Nabokov and Anders Lindback are called on to start. New York began in the second period with a John Tavares power play goal, his seventeenth of the season, powered by Matt Moulson and Brad Boyes. The Islanders finished it at 2-0 with a Boyes empty net goal, his seventh of the year, with a lone assist from Andrew MacDonald. Nabokov (18 save shutout), Tavares, and Lindback (27 for 28 in saves) receive the three stars, while Boyes is the honorable mention.

Northwest to Winnipeg, with the Jets hosting the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Ondrej Pavelec tend the twines. Winnipeg struck first in the first period on a power play goal by Nik Antropov, his third of the season, assisted by Dustin Byfuglien and Kyle Wellwood. New York tied it in the second period when Ryan Callahan scored his ninth of the year, thanks to Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh. The Jets took the lead back as Antti Miettinen scored, with the help of Byfuglien and Grant Clitsome. Winnipeg iced it at 3-1 with an Andrew Ladd empty net goal, his fourteenth of the campaign, set up by Blake Wheeler and Olli Jokinen. Pavelec (28 for 29 in saves), Byfuglien, and Lundqvist (30 for 32 in saves) got the three stars.

Down to Minnesota, with the Wild bringing in the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Niklas Backstrom are the masked men. Minnesota led off in the first period with a Torrey Mitchell goal, his second of the season, assisted by Matt Cullen. Colorado tied it on a power play goal by P.A. Parenteau, his eleventh of the year, powered by Matt Duchene and Paul Stastny. The Wild took the lead in the second period with a Devin Setoguchi goal, his seventh of the season, with assists provided by Cullen and Pierre-Marc Bouchard. Minnesota added on as Jonas Brodin scored, with the help of Ryan Suter. The Avalanche got one back with a Gabriel Landeskog goal, his third of the year, passed from Ryan O'Reilly and Erik Johnson. The Wild answered on a Mikko Koivu goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Zach Parise and Suter. Colorado chipped back on a Parenteau goal in the third period, his second of the game and twelfth of the year, guided in by Johnson and Greg Zanon. Minnesota wrapped it up as Koivu scored his second of the game and sixth of the campaign, an empty net goal helped along by Parise and Suter, the latter getting a sock trick. The three stars were given to Brodin, Cullen, and Suter, while Koivu, Parise, Parenteau, and Johnson get the honorable mentions.

Further to the south, the St. Louis Blues host the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Jake Allen are between the pipes. St. Louis got going in the second period as Chris Stewart scored his twelfth of the season, made possible by David Backes and Alex Steen. The Blues added on in the third period as Steen scored his fifth of the year, passed from Stewart and Backes. St. Louis extended the lead as Stewart scored his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, with a lone assist from Steen. This was it for the scoring, resulting in a 3-0 final, with the three stars belonging to Allen (28 save shutout), Stewart, and Steen, while Backes gets an honorable mention.

Continuing on to Dallas, where the Stars host the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Kari Lehtonen are the veteran goalies. Dallas opened with a first period goal by Ray Whitney, his third of the season, assisted by Loui Eriksson and Alex Goligoski. Anaheim tied it on an Andrew Cogliano goal in the second period, his tenth of the year, guided in by Peter Holland and Daniel Winnik. The Ducks won 2-1 in the shootout with goals from Bobby Ryan and Ryan Getzlaf. The three stars went to Hiller (33 for 34 in saves), Lehtonen (29 for 30 in saves), and Getzlaf.

Up in Canada again, the Vancouver Canucks host the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Roberto Luongo are in the creases. Vancouver began in the first period as Andrew Ebbett scored, thanks to Jannik Hansen. Nashville tied it as Matt Halischuk scored, an unassisted goal. The Canucks took the lead back with an Alexander Edler goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Chris Tanev and Henrik Sedin. Vancouver extended the lead with a Mason Raymond goal, his seventh of the year, passed from Ebbett and Hansen. The Canucks padded the lead with a second period goal by Maxim Lapierre, his second of the season, guided in by Dale Weise and Raymond. Chris Mason relieved Rinne at that time. The Predators got one back with a Nick Spaling goal, his fifth of the year, via Zach Boychuk. Vancouver shot back on a Hansen goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Ebbett and Edler. Nashville took one back in the third period as Mike Fisher netted his fifth of the year, courtesy of Halischuk. The Predators got closer with a Gabriel Bourque goal, his eighth of the season, via David Legwand. The Canucks shot back as Henrik Sedin scored his seventh of the year on a penalty shot. Vancouver iced it at 7-4 with an empty net goal by David Booth, with assists coming from Lapierre and Weise. The three stars went to Ebbett, Hansen, and Henrik Sedin, while Halischuk, Raymond, Edler, Lapierre, and Weise get the honorable mentions.

Finally, we end in San Jose, where the Sharks host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Antti Niemi are in the blue paint. San Jose started in the first period with a Brent Burns goal, his second of the season, made possible by Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau. The Sharks added on in the second period with a Matt Irwin power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Ryane Clowe and Scott Gomez. San Jose extended the lead with a power play goal by Couture, his eleventh of the season, set up by Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle. Jonathan Bernier replaced Quick at this time. Los Angeles got on the board as Dustin Brown scored a power play goal, his tenth of the year, coming off of Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. The Sharks shot back in the third period as Couture scored his second of the game and twelfth of the season, assisted by Burns. The Kings answered with Brown's second of the game and eleventh of the year, guided in by Williams and Scuderi. Los Angeles got closer with a Dwight King goal, his second of the campaign, fueled by Scuderi and Keaton Ellerby. This was as close as it got, with the final being 4-3 and the three stars going to Burns, Couture, and Brown, while Williams and Scuderi get honorable mentions.

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