NHL March 5th 2013

Eleven games on tonight, resulting in a very busy evening for me as Fantasy Baseball drafting season begins as well. We start in...

Columbus, as the Blue Jackets host the Edmonton Oilers. Devan Dubnyk and Steve Mason are set to start. Edmonton opened in the first period on a Jeff Petry goal, his third of the season, set up by Eric Belanger and Ryan Jones. Columbus tied it as Derek MacKenzie scored his third of the year, with helpers Jared Boll and Tim Erixon. The Blue Jackets added on with a Vinny Prospal goal, his ninth of the season coming on the power play via Ryan Johansen and Mark Letestu. The Oilers tied it as Ryan Whitney scored his second of the year, courtesy of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Taylor Hall. Edmonton took the lead in the second period on a Magnus Paajarvi goal, his fourth of the season, passed from Sam Gagner and Jordan Eberle. Sergei Bobrovsky relieved Mason at this time. Columbus tied it again as Jack Johnson scored his second of the year, assisted by Derick Brassard and Prospal. The Blue Jackets won in the shootout with tallies from Artem Anisimov and Letestu for a 4-3 victory. The three stars were handed to Prospal, Letestu, and Bobrovsky (21 for 21 in saves in relief).

East to New Jersey, as the Devils bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Anders Lindback and Johan Hedberg make the starts due to circumstances. Tampa Bay started in the first period as Nate Thompson recorded his fourth of the season, with the help of Cory Conacher and Ondrej Palat. The Lightning added on in the second period as Martin St. Louis scored his sixth of the year, guided in by Alex Killorn and Vincent Lecavalier. Tampa Bay extended the lead with a Killorn goal, his fourth of the season, set up by St. Louis and Lecavalier. Keith Kinkaid relieved Hedberg at this time. The Lightning padded the lead in the third period as Thompson scored his second of the game and fifth of the year, assisted by Conacher and Sami Salo. New Jersey got on the board as Adam Henrique scored his sixth of the season, a shorthanded goal, passed from Ryan Carter. The Devils pulled closer with a Patrik Elias power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Travis Zajac and Ilya Kovalchuk. Tampa Bay iced it at 5-2 with an empty net goal by B.J. Crombeen, coming off of Adam Hall and Thompson. The three stars went to Thompson, Lindback (25 for 27 in saves), and St. Louis, while Killorn, Lecavalier, and Conacher get the honorable mentions.

Down in D.C., the Washington Capitals host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Braden Holtby are the young goalies. Boston began in the first period as Brad Marchand potted his twelfth of the season on a penalty shot for having been obstructed on a breakaway by Alex Ovechkin.. The Bruins added on with the fourth of the year by Zdeno Chara, assisted by David Krejci and Milan Lucic. Boston extended the lead as Dougie Hamilton scored a power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Nathan Horton and Krejci. Washington got on the board in the second period with a Mike Ribeiro goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Ovechkin and Steven Oleksy. The Capitals pulled closer as Tomas Kundratek scored, with helpers provided by Eric Fehr and Nicklas Backstrom. Washington tied it in the third period on a Wojtek Wolski goal, his third of the season, passed from Fehr and Backstrom. The Capitals capped off the 4-3 comeback win with an overtime goal by Fehr, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars belonged to Fehr, Chara, and Kundratek, while Backstrom and Krejci pick up the honorable mentions.

Further south, the Carolina Hurricanes host the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller faces a lesser foe in Justin Peters in goal. Carolina led off with a Jiri Tlusty goal, his eleventh of the season, assisted by Eric Staal and Alexander Semin. The Hurricanes added on in the second period with a Joe Corvo power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Bobby Sanguinetti and Jussi Jokinen. Buffalo got on the board in the third period as Cody Hodgson scored his ninth of the season, coming off of Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville. Carolina replied as Jokinen scored his fifth of the year, with the help of Eric Staal and Semin. The Sabres pulled back with a T.J. Brennan power play goal, via Pominville and Tyler Ennis. The Hurricanes quickly shot back as Semin scored his sixth of the season, made possible by Eric Staal, who got a sock trick, and Tim Gleason. Buffalo made it interesting late as Hodgson scored his second of the game and tenth of the year, a shorthaned goal going in unassisted. They failed to tie the game, losing 4-3, with the three stars going to Semin, Peters (37 for 40 in saves), and Eric Staal, while Hodgson, Pominville and Jokinen pick up the honorable mentions.

Back north, the New York Islanders welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Evgeni Nabokov guard the cages. Montreal was first to score in the first period as Tomas Plekanec scored his tenth of the season, with the help of Michael Ryder and Alex Galchenyuk. New York tied it on a second period power play goal from Matt Moulson, his eleventh of the year, powered by Mark Streit and Frans Nielsen. The Islanders took the lead on a Matt Martin power play goal, his second of the season, set up by Brad Boyes and John Tavares. New York padded the lead as Michael Grabner scored his ninth of the year, via Thomas Hickey and Colin McDonald. The Canadiens got one back with a P.K. Subban power play goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Andrei Markov and Ryder. Montreal tied it in the third period when Brian Gionta scored his seventh of the year, a power play goal made possible by Subban and Ryder, the latter getting a sock trick. The Islanders regained the lead on a Radek Martinek goal, guided in by Kyle Okposo and Hickey. New York extended the lead as Tavares scored his fourteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Boyes. The Islanders iced it at 6-3 on an empty net goal from McDonald, his fourth of the year, fueled by Martin and Casey Cizikas. Martinek, Martin, and Ryder received the three stars, while Tavares, Subban, Boyes, Hickey, and McDonald pick up the honorable mentions.

South again to Florida, as the Panthers host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Jacob Markstrom are between the pipes. Florida struck first in the first period on a Tomas Kopecky goal, his ninth of the season, fueled by Marcel Goc and Tomas Fleischmann. Winnipeg tied it as Kyle Wellwood scored, with the help of Andrew Ladd. The Panthers took the lead back as Shawn Matthias scored his fifth of the year, courtesy of Colby Robak and Fleischmann. Florida extended the lead on a Jonathan Huberdeau goal, his eleventh of the season, going in unassisted. The Panthers added on in the third period as Mike Santorelli scored, thanks to Brian Campbell and Erik Gudbranson. The final stood at 4-1, with the three stars belonging to Matthias, Markstrom (20 for 21 in saves), and Huberdeau, while Fleischmann earns an honorable mention.

Northwest to Detroit, as the Red Wings host the Colorado Avalanche. Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Jimmy Howard protect the nets. Detroit got going in the second period as Johan Franzen scored his fourth of the season, helped along by Damien Brunner. The Red Wings added on as Niklas Kronwall potted his third of the year, thanks to Jonathan Ericsson and Pavel Datsyuk. Colorado got on the board late in the third period with a Paul Stastny goal, his sixth of the season, passed from P.A. Parenteau and Matt Hunwick. They failed to tie the game, falling 2-1, with Howard (36 for 37 in saves), Kronwall, and Franzan being awarded the three stars.

Eastward to New York again, where the Rangers bring in the Philadelphia Flyers. Ilya Bryzgalov and Henrik Lundqvist tend the twines. New York started in the first period as Ryan Callahan scored his sixth of the season, a power play goal set up by Derek Stepan and Marian Gaborik. Philadelphia tied it with a power play goal by Wayne Simmonds, his tenth of the year, powered by Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek. The Flyers took the lead as Voracek scored his tenth of the season, a power play goal made possible by Simmonds and Kimmo Timonen. The Rangers pulled even again as Callahan scored his second of the game and seventh of the year, passed from Ryan McDonagh. New York took the lead in the third period on a Rick Nash goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Dan Girardi. The Rangers added on as Nash scored his second of the game and seventh of the year, guided in by Stepan and Callahan. This produced the 4-2 final score, with the three stars being given to Nash, Callahan, and Voracek, while Simmonds and Stepan are the honorable mentions.

Back in the west, the Chicago Blackhawks host the Minnesota Wild. Niklas Backstrom and Corey Crawford are the masked men. Minnesota began in the first period with a Devin Setoguchi goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Matt Cullen and Jason Zucker. Chicago tied the game as Brandon Saad scored his fourth of the year, passed from Jonathan Toews and Niklas Hjalmarsson. The Blackhawks took the lead as Bryan Bickell netted his fourth of the season, with helpers provided by Viktor Stalberg and Andrew Shaw. Chicago extended the lead on another Bickell goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, assisted by Saad and Marcus Kruger. The Blackhawks padded the lead as Marian Hossa scored his tenth of the season, made possible by Saad and Toews. Darcy Kuemper relieved Backstrom for the second period. The Wild got one back in the third period as Ryan Suter scored a power play goal, powered by Dany Heatley and Mikko Koivu. Minnesota pulled closer as Kyle Brodziak scored his third of the year, courtesy of Torrey Mitchell and Mike Rupp. Chicago shot back as Patrick Kane scored his twelfth of the season, via Patrick Sharp and Dave Bolland. This held up for a 5-3 win, with the three stars awarded to Bickell, Saad, and Hossa, while Toews gets an honorable mention.

Way northwest to Vancouver, where the Canucks host the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi and Cory Schneider occupy the creases. San Jose led off with a Scott Gomez goal, via Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Brad Stuart. The Sharks added on in the second period with a shorthanded goal by Adam Burish, set up by Stuart. Vancouver got on the board when Henrik Sedin potted his fourth of the season, with the help of Daniel Sedin and Alexandre Burrows. The Canucks tied it as Jannik Hansen scored his sixth of the year, fueled by Mason Raymond and Dan Hamhuis. The game went to a shootout, where Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski's goals lifted San Jose 3-2 over a lone tally by Vancouver's Chris Higgins. The three stars were handed to Hamhuis, Stuart, and Hansen.

Finally, down in Los Angeles, the Kings welcome the St. Louis Blues. Jaroslav Halak and Jonathan Bernier are in the blue paint. St. Louis opened in the first period on an Alex Pietrangelo power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Chris Stewart. Los Angeles tied it with Jake Muzzin scoring his third of the year, with the help of Drew Doughty and Justin Williams. The Blues took the lead back as Vladimir Sobotka scored his third of the season, passed from Barret Jackman and Matt D'Agostini. St. Louis extended the lead in the second period on a David Perron goal, his eighth of the year, assisted by Pietrangelo and Jackman. Jonathan Quick relieved Bernier at this time. The Blues added on with Stewart scoring his eighth of the season, with assists provided by Perron and Patrik Berglund. The Kings got one back as Slava Voynov scored his fourth of the year, thanks to Anze Kopitar and Williams. Los Angeles pulled closer on a Mike Richards goal, his sixth of the season, set up by Dustin Penner. The Kings tied it as Muzzin scored his second of the game and fourth of the year, via Doughty and Trevor Lewis. Los Angeles stormed ahead on the fifteenth of the season by Jeff Carter, helped along by Muzzin and Richards. Brian Elliott relieved Halak at this time. The Kings iced it at 6-4 with a Kopitar goal, his seventh of the year, with assists provided by Williams, who got a sock trick, and Dustin Brown. The three stars were awarded to Muzzin, Doughty, and Williams, while Richards, Kopitar, Stewart, Perron, Pietrangelo, and Jackman all get honorable mentions.

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