Big day today, with thirteen games on to fill the time. We begin in...
Pittsburgh, as the Penguins host the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Marc-Andre Fleury tend the twines. Pittsburgh led off in the first period as Beau Bennett scored his second of the season, assisted by Dsutin Jeffrey and Tyler Kennedy. The Penguins added on in the third period as Kennedy scored a power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Kris Letang and Paul Martin. Pittsburgh extended the lead as Pascal Dupuis scored his fourteenth of the season, via Jeffrey and Matt Cooke. This stood for a 3-0 win, with the three stars being Fleury (23 save shutout), Kennedy, and Jeffrey.
Over in Boston, the Bruins host the Washington Capitals. Michal Neuvirth and Anton Khudobin are the backups making spot starts. Boston was first to score in the first period on a Nathan Horton goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Milan Lucic and Zdeno Chara. The Bruins added on with a David Krejci goal, his seventh of the year, passed from Lucic and Horton. Washington got on the board in the second period as Marcus Johansson scored his second of the season, officially unassisted but with help from a poor clearing attempt by the Bruins. Boston responded as Andrew Ference scored, with helpers provided by Horton and Krejci. The Bruins extended the lead in the third period with a Rich Peverley power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Lucic, who got a sock trick, and Krejci. This was it for the scoring, resulting in a 4-1 final, with the three stars being Horton, Khudobin (32 for 33 in saves), and Lucic, while Krejci gets an honorable mention.
West to Colorado, as the Avalanche host the Minnesota Wild. Niklas Backstrom and Jean-Sebastien Giguere make the starts. Minnesota opened in the first period with a Ryan Suter power play goal, his second of the season, set up by Jared Spurgeon and Zach Parise. The Wild added on as Devin Setoguchi scored his eighth of the year, thanks to Matt Cullen and Clayton Stoner. Minnesota extended the lead with a Cal Clutterbuck goal, his third of the season, with a lone assist from Dany Heatley. Colorado got on the board when John Mitchell notched his ninth of the year, with Aaron Palushaj getting the only assist. The Wild shot back as Kyle Brodziak scored his fourth of the season, via Heatley and Setoguchi. The Avalanche chipped back in the second period with a P.A. Parenteau goal, his twelfth of the year, assisted by Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog. Colorado pulled closer as Landeskog netted his fourth of the season, with assists by Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly. Minnesota replied on an unassisted Pierre-Marc Bouchard goal, his third of the year. The Wild padded the lead in the third period as Setoguchi scored his second of the game and ninth of the season, helped along by Bouchard and Justin Falk. The Avalanche got one back with a Chuck Kobasew goal, his third of the year, coming off of Cody McLeod and Greg Zanon. This only made it 6-4, the final, with the three stars belonging to Setoguchi, Bouchard, and Parenteau, and the honorable mentions went to Suter, Heatley, Duchene, and Landeskog.
Back in the east, the Buffalo Sabres welcome the Ottawa Senators. Ben Bishop and Ryan Miller receive the starting nods. Buffalo began with a first period Mike Weber goal, coming off of Ville Leino and Steve Ott. The Sabres added on as Drew Stafford scored his third of the season, with helpers from Nathan Gerbe and Jordan Leopold. Ottawa got on the board in the second period as Patrick Wierioch scored his fourth of the year, thanks to Sergei Gonchar and Kyle Turris. The Senators tied it with the fourth of the season by Chris Phillips, made possible by Jim O'Brien. Ottawa took the lead as Turris potted his sixth of the year, courtesy of Guillaume Latendresse and Wiercioch. Buffalo retied it on a third period goal by Stafford, his second of the game and fourth of the season, passed from Christian Ehrhoff and Jochen Hecht. The Senators won 4-3 in overtime with a goal by Turris, his second of the game and seventh of the year, a power play goal guided in by Daniel Alfredsson and Gonchar. The three stars were handed to Stafford, Turris, and Wiercioch, while Gonchar gets an honorable mention.
Back west, the Columbus Blue Jackets bring in the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Sergei Bobrovsky are in the blue paint. The game went sixty-five minutes scoreless, and was determined in the shootout. Columbus prevailed here with Artem Anisimov and Mark Letestu scoring for a 1-0 win. The three stars were Bobrovsky (39 save shutout), Letestu, and Smith (23 save "shutout").
Southeast to Tampa Bay, as the Lightning host the Carolina Hurricanes. Justin Peters and Mathieu Garon are called on to start. Tampa Bay struck first in the first period with a Tyler Johnson goal, assisted by Alex Killorn and Cory Conacher. The Lightning added on in the second period when Ondrej Palat scored, thanks to Sami Salo and Johnson. Tampa Bay extended the lead on a Nate Thompson goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of B.J. Crombeen and Matt Carle. The Lightning padded the lead in the third period with a Teddy Purcell goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Martin St. Louis and Victor Hedman. Carolina got on the board as Eric Staal scored his thirteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Alexander Semin. This only made it 4-1, a final, with the three stars going to Hedman, Johnson, and Thompson.
Back up the coast, the New Jersey Devils host the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Johan Hedberg will be between the pipes. Montreal started in the first period with an unassisted Colby Armstrong goal. New Jersey tied it in the second period as Peter Harrold scored a power play goal, powered by Ilya Kovalchuk. The Canadiens retook the lead in the third period as Tomas Plekanec netted his twelfth of the season, via Jarred Tinordi. This was good for a 2-1 win, with Plekanec, Price (32 for 33 in saves), and Harrold receiving the three stars.
Crossing into Canada, as the Toronto Maple Leafs bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Ben Scrivens have the green light to start. Toronto was first to score in the first period as Joffrey Lupul scored, with a lone assist from Nazem Kadri. Winnipeg tied it in the second period on a James Wright goal, fueled by Kyle Wellwood and Nik Antropov. The Jets took the lead as Antti Miettinen scored his second of the season, thanks to Dustin Byfuglien and Olli Jokinen. Winnipeg extended the lead on a Blake Wheeler goal, his eleventh of the year, made possible by Bryan Little and Andrew Ladd. The Jets padded the lead as Wheeler scored again, his second of the game and twelfth of the season, coming off of Ladd and Zach Bogosian. The Maple Leafs shot back on a Nikolai Kulemin goal, his third of the year, guided in by Jay McClement. Toronto pulled closer as Lupul scored his second of the game, and Kadri again had the only helper. James Reimer relieved Scrivens for the third periodThe Maple Leafs tied it in the third period with a Phil Kesel goal, his tenth of the season, passed from Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk. Winnipeg won it 5-4 in the shootout as Wheeler was matched by Bozak, and then in the tenth round Bogosian sealed it for the Jets. The three stars were awarded to Wheeler, Lupul, and Bogosian, while Ladd and Kadri got the honorable mentions.
Back south to Florida, where the Panthers host the New York Islanders. Evgeni Nabokov and Scott Clemmensen are all padded up. New York began in the first period with a Kyle Okposo goal, his third of the season, fueled by Frans Nielsen and Andrew MacDonald. The Islanders added on as Radek Martinek scored his second of the year, thanks to Mark Streit and Marty Reasoner. New York extended the lead in the second period on a Brad Boyes goal, his eighth of the season, coming off of John Tavares and Matt Moulson. Florida got on the board in the third period with a T.J. Brennan goal, his second of the year, with assists provided by Mike Santorelli and Jonathan Huberdeau. The Panthers quickly chipped in another as Marcel Goc potted his third of the season, courtesy of Tomas Fleischmann and Tomas Kopecky. Florida tied it on a Santorelli goal, his second of the year, guided in by Jack Skille and Brian Campbell. The Islanders took the lead back on a Casey Cizikas goal, his fourth of the season, with assists provided by Colin McDonald and Keith Aucoin. This held up for a 4-3 win, with the three stars given to Cizikas, Brennan, and Santorelli.
Northwest to St. Louis, where the Blues host the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Jake Allen guard the cages. Anaheim struck first in the first period on a Saku Koivu goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Bryan Allen and Cam Fowler. St. Louis tied it as Kris Russell scored a power play goal, powered by Vladimir Tarasenko and Chris Stewart. The Blues won 2-1 in overtime as Stewart potted his fourteenth of the year, with a lone assist by Vladimir Sobotka. The three stars went to Allen (27 for 28 in saves), Russell, and Tarasenko, while Stewart gets an honorable mention.
Down in Dallas, the Stars host the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Kari Lehtonen the masked men. Chicago opened in the first period with a Jonathan Toews goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Nick Leddy and Brandon Saad. The Blackhawks added on as Toews scored again, his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, set up by Saad and Duncan Keith. Chicago extended the lead with a Leddy goal, his third of the season, coming off of Viktor Stalberg and Bryan Bickell. The Blackhawks struck again in the second period on a Johnny Oduya goal, his second of the year, fueled by Stalberg and Bickell. Richard Bachman relieved Lehtonen at this time. Chicago padded the lead with Marian Hossa scoring his twelfth of the season, guided in by Patrick Kane and Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks got another as Hossa scored his second of the night and thirteenth of the year on the power play, powered by Toews and Kane. Chicago kept going in the third period as Keith scored his second of the season, with helpers from Bickell and Stalberg, who each got sock tricks. Dallas got on the board as Trevor Daley scored his second of the year, a power play goal, made possible by Jamie Benn and Ray Whitney. The Blackhawks answered with a Kane power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, helped along by Dave Bolland and Leddy. This made it an 8-1 final score, with the three stars awarded to Toews, Hossa, and Kane, while Bickell, Stalberg, Leddy, Keith, and Saad all get honorable mentions.
Back in Canada again, the Vancouver Canucks host the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Roberto Luongo protect the nets. Six seconds into the first period, Vancouver led off with an Alexandre Burrows goal, his sixth of the season, guided in by Daniel Sedin and Alexander Edler. Detroit tied it with a Justin Abdelkader goal, his second of the year, coming off of Pavel Datsyuk and Johan Franzen. The Red Wings took the lead in the second period as Henrik Zetterberg scored his seventh of the season, a power play goal powered by Datsyuk and Franzen. Detroit struck again in the third period with another Zetterberg goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, set up by Valtteri Filppula and Niklas Kronwall. The Red Wings padded the lead as Daniel Cleary scored his sixth of the season, with the help of Joakim Andersson and Damien Brunner. Detroit extended the lead as Abdelkader scored his second of the game and third of the year, passed from Datsyuk and Jakub Kindl. The Canucks got one one back as Burrows scored his second of the game and seventh of the campaign, courtesy of Edler and Kevin Bieksa. This only made it 5-2, a final, with the three stars going to Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Burrows, while Abdelkader, Franzen, and Edler get the honorable mentions.
Finally, we end with the battle of California, as the Los Angeles Kings welcome the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi faces a lesser foe in Jonathan Bernier in goal. Los Angeles started in the first period on a Kyle Clifford goal, his third of the season, coming off of Slava Voynov and Rob Scuderi. The Kings added on with a Justin Williams goal, his fourth of the year, fueled by Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar. San Jose got on the board in the second period as Patrick Marleau scored his fourteenth of the season, via Joe Thornton and Brent Burns. Los Angeles replied with a Jarret Stoll goal, his fifth of the year, assisted by Trevor Lewis and Alec Martinez. The Kings extended the lead on another Clifford goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, passed from Dustin Penner and Colin Fraser. Alex Stalock relieved Niemi at this time. Los Angeles padded the lead on a Dwight King goal, his third of the year, set up by Stoll and Lewis. The Sharks got one back in the third period when Matt Irwin scored his fourth of the campaign, a power play goal powered by Burns and Scott Gomez. This produced the 5-2 final, with the three stars given to Clifford, Bernier (20 for 22 in saves), and Stoll, while Lewis and Burns receive the honorable mentions.
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