NHL March 23rd 2013

Nine games on to entertain us throughout the day, beginning in...

Minnesota, as the Wild host the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi and Niklas Backstrom are in the creases. Minnesota got going in the second period as Zach Parise scored his twelfth of the season, made possible by Mikko Koivu and Ryan Suter. The Wild added on in the third period as Jared Spurgeon scored his fourth of the year, a power play goal powered by Suter and Koivu. This was good for a 2-0 win, with the three stars belonging to Backstrom (33 save shutout), Suter, and Parise, while Koivu gets an honorable mention.

Over in Ottawa, the Senators host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mathieu Garon and Robin Lehner receive the starting nods. Ottawa led off in the first period as Jakob Siflverberg scored his eighth of the season, assisted by Marc Methot. The Senators added on as Eric Gryba scored, with the help of Kyle Turris and Methot. Ottawa chased Garon as Guillaume Latendresse scored his fourth of the year, fueled by Silfverberg and Mika Zibanejad. Cedrick Desjardins relieved Garon. The Senators struck again on a power play goal by Daniel Alfredsson, his seventh of the season, powered by Patrick Wiercioch and Sergei Gonchar. Tampa Bay got on the board in the third period as Tyler Johnson scored his second of the year, coming off of Eric Brewer and Richard Panik. The Lightning pulled closer as Johnson scored his second of the game and third of the season, with a lone helper from Matt Carle. Tampa Bay chipped closer as Teddy Purcell recorded his seventh of the year, guided in by Victor Hedman and Sami Salo. Ottawa iced it at 5-3 with another Alfredsson goal, his second of the game and eighth of the campaign, set up by Turris and Colin Greening. The three stars went to Alfredsson, Methot, and Johnson, while Turris and Silfverberg get the honorable mentions.

Southwest to Los Angeles, with the Kings hosting the Vancouver Canucks. Cory Schneider and Jonathan Quick are set to start. Vancouver was first to score in the first period as Mason Raymond scored his eighth of the season, thanks to Jordan Schroeder and Jannik Hansen. The Canucks won 1-0 with this goal, and the three stars were Schneider (20 save shutout), Quick (12 for 13 in saves), and Raymond.

Back northeast, the Montreal Canadiens bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller and Carey Price guard the cages. Buffalo started in the second period as Thomas Vanek scored his fifteenth  of the season, a power play goal made possible by Christian Ehrhoff and Cody Hodgson. The Sabres added on with another Vanek goal, his sixteenth of the year, guided in by Tyler Ennis and Ville Leino. Montreal got on the board in the third period as Michael Ryder scored his tenth of the season, a power play powered by Andrei Markov. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being handed to Miller (38 for 39 in saves), Vanek, and Ryder.

Into Ontario again, as the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Boston Bruins. Anton Khudobin and James Reimer are the inconsistent goalies. Toronto struck first in the first period with a Nazem Kadri goal, his fourteenth of the season, assisted by Clarke MacArthur and John-Michael Liles. The Maple Leafs added on in the second period as Mikhail Grabovski scored his eighth of the year, via Ryan Hamilton and Matt Frattin. Toronto extended the lead in the third period on a Frazer McLaren goal, his third of the season, coming off of Colton Orr and Jay McClement. Tuukka Rask came on in relief of Khudobin at this time. Boston got on the board with a Dennis Seidenberg goal, his second of the year, with a lone assist by Brad Marchand. The Bruins got one back as Andrew Ference scored his second of the campaign, passed from David Krejci and Rich Peverley. This produced a 3-2 final, with the three stars being given to Reimer (31 for 33 in saves), Orr, and Grabovski.

Stateside, we have the New Jersey Devils hosting the Florida Panthers. Scott Clemmensen and Martin Brodeur draw the starts. New Jersey opened in the second period with a Patrik Elias goal, his tenth of the season, with a lone assist from Travis Zajac. The Devils extended the lead as David Clarkson notched his twelfth of the year, helped along by Zajac. Florida got on the board as Peter Mueller scored his seventh of the season, thanks to Tomas Fleischmann. They failed to get an equalizer, falling 2-1, with the three stars given to Zajac, Brodeur (17 for 18 in saves), and Clarkson.

Down in Dallas, the Stars host the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Kari Lehtonen protect the nets. Dallas began in the first period as Derek Roy scored his fourth of the season, with a lone assist from Loui Eriksson. The Stars added on with a Jordie Benn power play goal, powered by Roy and Alex Goligoski. Dallas extended the lead in the second period as Eric Nystrom potted his fourth of the year, thanks to Jamie Benn and Jaromir Jagr. The Stars struck again with a Cody Eakin goal, his fifth of the season, via Jamie Benn. Jean-Sebastien Giguere relieved Varlamov at this time. Colorado got on the board with a P.A. Parenteau power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, pushed through by Ryan O'Reilly and Paul Stastny. The Avalanche pulled closer in the third period as Stastny scored his eighth of the season, with a lone helper from John Mitchell. Dallas answered with a Jagr goal, his thirteenth of the year, passed from Nystrom and Jamie Benn, the latter getting a sock trick. This produced the 5-2 final, with the three stars handed to Roy, Jordie Benn, and Jagr, while Jamie Benn, Stastny, and Nystrom receive the honorable mentions.

Backtracking to Nashville, as the Predators welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Pekka Rinne tend the twines. Nashville led off in the first period with a Taylor Beck goal, coming off of Gabriel Bourque and Jonathon Blum. The Predators added on as Shea Weber scored his sixth of the season on the power play, with the help of Bobby Butler and Martin Erat. Columbus got on the board when R.J. Umberger scored a power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Tim Erixon. Nashville answered on a David Legwand goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Bourque and Beck. The Predators extended the lead with a Matt Halischuk goal, his second of the year, fueled by Butler and Chris Mueller. Steve Mason relieved Bobrovsky at this time. The Blue Jackets got one back in the second period with an Artem Anisimov goal, his eighth of the season, helped along by Cam Atkinson and Matt Calvert. Nashville finished it at 5-2 with a third period empty net goal by Roman Josi, his fifth of the year, set up by Mike Fisher and Erat. The three stars were awarded to Beck, Bourque, and Butler, while Erat gets an honorable mention.

Finally, in Edmonton, the Oilers host the St. Louis Blues. Jaroslav Halak and Nikolai Khabibulin are all padded up. St. Louis started in the first period with a Chris Stewart goal, his fifteenth of the season, assisted by Alex Steen and the goalie Halak. The Blues extended the lead in the third period as Steen scored his sixth of the year, thanks to Roman Polak. St. Louis iced it at 3-0 as T.J. Oshie scored his sixth of the campaign, fueled by Andy McDonald and Patrik Berglund. The three stars were named as Stewart, Steen, and Halak (19 save shutout).

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.