NHL March 18th 2013

Seven games on for a slightly busier-than-usual Monday. We begin in...

Madison Square Garden, as the New York Rangers host the Carolina Hurricanes. Dan Ellis is mismatched with Henrik Lundqvist in goal. Carolina began in the first period as Eric Staal scored his fourteenth of the season, assisted by Joni Pitkanen and Alexander Semin. New York tied it in the second period as Derek Stepan scored his eighth of the year, thanks to Carl Hagelin and Ryan Callahan. The Rangers won 2-1 in the shootout as Rick Nash and J.T. Miller scored. The three stars went to Lundqvist (29 for 30 in saves), Michael Del Zotto, and Stepan, while any point-earner can take the second slot.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Ilya Bryzgalov and Anders Lindback are set to start. Tampa Bay struck first in the first period as Ondrej Palat scored his second of the season, via Dana Tyrell and Sami Salo. Philadelphia tied it on a Max Talbot goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Andrej Meszaros. The Lightning took the lead back with a Tom Pyatt goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Tyler Johnson and Victor Hedman. The Flyers retied it in the second period as Claude Giroux netted his ninth of the year, an unassisted goal. Tampa Bay took the lead again in the third period as Teddy Purcell put away his sixth of the season, with the help of Keith Aulie and Steven Stamkos. The Lightning iced it at 4-2 as Stamkos scored his twenty-first of the year, an empty net goal passed from Alex Killorn and Martin St. Louis. Ryan Malone, Lindback (28 for 30 in saves), and Talbot get the three stars, and Stamkos gets an honorable mention.

To the west, the Dallas Stars host the Calgary Flames. Joey MacDonald and Kari Lehtonen are given the starting nods. Dallas was first to score in the first period as Erik Cole netted his fifth of the season, with helpers provided by Jordie Benn and Jamie Oleksiak. The Stars added on as Eric Nystrom scored his third of the year, with the help of Antoine Roussel and the goalie Lehtonen. Dallas extended the lead with Loui Eriksson's eighth of the season, made possible by Ray Whitney and Derek Roy. Calgary got on the board in the second period as Jiri Hudler scored his sixth of the year, a power play goal powered by T.J. Brodie and Michael Cammalleri. The Flames pulled closer as Jay Bouwmeester scored his sixth of the season, a power play goal set up by Curtis Glencross and Lee Stempniak. The Stars replied in the third period on another Eriksson goal, his second of the game and ninth of the year, fueled by Jamie Benn and Whitney. Calgary got one back with Alex Tanguay recording his ninth of the campaign, assisted by Cammalleri and Jarome Iginla. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars belonging to Eriksson, Whitney, and Nystrom, while Cammalleri gets an honorable mention.

Up in Colorado, the Avalanche host the Chicago Blackhawks. Ray Emery and Semyon Varlamov are the masked men. Chicago started in the first period as Jimmy Hayes scored, with Patrick Kane getting the lone assist. The Blackhawks added on as Andrew Shaw scored his seventh of the season, assisted by Viktor Stalberg and Bryan Bickell. Colorado got on the board as Gabriel Landeskog scored a shorthanded goal, his fifth of the season, set up by Matt Duchene. Chicago answered in the second period on a Kane goal, his sixteenth of the year, guided in by Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith. The Blackhawks extended the lead as Brent Seabrook scored his fifth of the year, passed from Kane and Toews. The Avalanche took one back as Milan Hejduk potted his fourth of the season, via John Mitchell and the goalie Varlamov. Chicago finished the scoring at 5-2 with a Toews goal in the third period, his fourteenth of the year, courtesy of Brandon Saad and Seabrook. Kane, Toews, and Landeskog got the three stars, while Seabrook gets an honorable mention.

Southwest to Anaheim, as the Ducks host the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi and Viktor Fasth play in the blue paint. Anaheim led off in the first period as Francois Beauchemin scored his third of the season, helped along by Dave Steckel and Kyle Palmieri. San Jose tied it on a Jason Demers goal, fueled by T.J. Galiardi and Scott Gomez. The Ducks took the lead back in the second period as Peter Holland scored his second of the year, coming off of Andrew Cogliano and Bobby Ryan. Anaheim added on as Emerson Etem scored, thanks to Daniel Winnik and Bryan Allen. The Ducks padded the lead as Ryan Getzlaf scored his eleventh of the season, a shorthanded goal set up by Etem. The Sharks got one back as Patrick Marleau potted his fifteenth of the year, via Martin Havlat and Douglas Murray. San Jose chipped closer in the third period with a Matt Irwin goal, his fifth of the season, with a lone helper by Brent Burns. Anaheim iced it at 5-3 with a Beauchemin empty net goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, via Getzlaf and Winnik. The three stars went to Etem, Beauchemin, and Getzlaf, while Winnik gets an honorable mention.

Up in Vancouver, the Canucks bring in the Minnesota Wild. Niklas Backstrom and Roberto Luongo tend the twines. Vancouver got going in the second period on a Henrik Sedin goal, his eighth of the season, passed from Daniel Sedin and Jason Garrison on the power play. Minnesota tied it with a Jonas Brodin power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Dany Heatley and Pierre-Marc Bouchard. The Wild took the lead in the third period on a Charlie Coyle goal, his third of the season, coming off of Clayton Stoner and Mikko Koivu. Minnesota extended the lead as Matt Cullen notched his fourth of the year, made possible by Devin Setoguchi and Bouchard. This stood for a 3-1 win, with the three stars being Ryan Suter, Henrik Sedin, and Backstrom (35 for 36 in saves), while Bouchard could take the second slot.

Back in California, we end with the Los Angeles Kings hosting the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Jonathan Quick tend the twines. Los Angeles opened in the first period as Jake Muzzin scored his sixth of the season, a power play goal powered by Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. The Kings extended the lead in the second period as Tyler Toffoli scored a power play goal, made possible by Jeff Carter and Slava Voynov. Los Angeles padded the lead in the third period with a Kopitar goal, his ninth of the year, assisted by Williams and Drew Doughty. The Kings iced it at 4-0 on a Carter goal, his eighteenth of the season, passed from Toffoli and Rob Scuderi. The three stars were awarded to Quick (27 save shutout), Kopitar, and Toffoli, while Carter and Williams receive the honorable mentions.

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