NHL March 4th 2013

Four games for the fourth day of the month, beginning in...

Toronto, as the Maple Leafs host the New Jersey Devils. Johan Hedberg and James Reimer receive the starting nods. Toronto began in the first period with a Nazem Kadri goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Clarke MacArthur and Leo Komarov. New Jersey tied it in the second period on a Marek Zidlicky goal, his second of the year, passed from Ryan Carter. The Devils took the lead as Zidlicky scored his second of the game and third of the season, with the help of Carter. The Maple Leafs tied it with a third period Jay McClement goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. Toronto took the lead as MacArthur scored his sixth of the season, a power play goal powered by Kadri and Cody Franson. The Maple Leafs padded the lead as Phil Kessel scored his fifth of the year, with assists provided by James van Riemsdyk and Carl Gunnarsson. This stood for a 4-2 final, with Reimer (28 for 30 in saves), Kadri, and Zidlicky getting the three stars, while MacArthur and Carter got the honorable mentions.

Down in Pittsburgh, the Penguins host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mathieu Garon and Marc-Andre Fleury are between the pipes. Pittsburgh led off as Chris Kunitz scored his twelfth of the season, via Sidney Crosby. Garon left the game with an injury early in the second period, and Anders Lindback came on in relief. Tampa Bay tied it as Steven Stamkos scored his sixteenth of the year, courtesy of Victor Hedman and Martin St. Louis. The Lightning took the lead on a Tom Pyatt goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Nate Thompson and Ondrej Palat. The Penguins retied it in the third period with Evgeni Malkin scoring his fifth of the year, an unassisted goal. Pittsburgh took the lead as Crosby scored his eleventh of the season, with a lone helper from Kris Letang. The Penguins added on with a James Neal empty net goal, his fourteenth of the year, set up by Malkin and Letang. Tampa Bay got one back as Stamkos scored his second of the game and seventeenth of the campaign, with assists from Vincent Lecavalier and St. Louis. The three stars of the 4-3 game went to Crosby, Malkin, and Stamkos, while St. Louis and Letang earned the honorable mentions.

Southwest to Phoenix, as the Coyotes welcome the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Mike Smith protect the nets. Anaheim opened in the first period with a Matt Beleskey goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Ryan Getzlaf and Ben Lovejoy. Phoenix tied it in the second period on an Antoine Vermette goal, his sixth of the year, coming off of David Moss and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Coyotes took the lead as Keith Yandle potted his fourth of the season, a power play goal powered by Ekman-Larsson and Steve Sullivan. The Ducks tied it on a Getzlaf goal, his eighth of the year, coming shorthanded with a lone assist from Corey Perry. Anaheim took the lead in the third period as Perry potted his sixth of the season, a power play goal set up by Getzlaf and Cam Fowler. Phoenix retied it as Shane Doan scored his sixth of the year, passed from Kyle Chipchura and Matthew Lombardi. The Ducks gained the lead again on a Bobby Ryan goal, his sixth of the season, guided in by Nick Bonino and Andrew Cogliano. The Coyotes got another equalizer on a Lombardi goal, his third of the season, helped along by Michael Stone and Chipchura. Phoenix won 5-4 in the shootout as Sullivan matched Getzlaf, allowing Ekman-Larsson to later pot the winner. The three stars were awarded to Ekman-Larsson, Lombardi, and Stone, while Getzlaf, Chipchura, and Perry get the honorable mentions.

Finally, we end with the Los Angeles Kings bringing in the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Jonathan Bernier are the masked men. Los Angeles got going in the second period with a Jeff Carter power play goal, his twelfth of the season, powered by Jarret Stoll and Slava Voynov. The Kings added on as Carter scored again in the third period, his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, assisted by Colin Fraser and Voynov. Los Angeles padded the lead as Carter finished his natural hat trick with his fourteenth of the season, an unassisted goal. The Kings extended the lead with a Mike Richards power play goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Voynov, who got a sock trick, and Dustin Penner. Los Angeles got another with a Dwight King goal, fueled by Stoll and Rob Scuderi. Chris Mason replaced Rinne at this time. Nashville got on the board as Gabriel Bourque scored his sixth of the campaign, with the help of Shea Weber and Martin Erat. This only made it 5-1, a final, with the three stars being Carter, Bernier (18 for 19 in saves), and Voynov, while Stoll gets an honorable mention.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.