NHL April 11th 2013

Nine games going tonight, with playoff implications becoming clearer every day. We begin in...

Boston, as the Bruins host the New York Islanders. Evgeni Nabokov and Tuukka Rask are set to start. New York opened in the first period with a Josh Bailey goal, his eighth of the season, fueled by Mark Streit and Kyle Okposo. Boston tied it in the second period as Tyler Seguin scored his fourteenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Gregory Campbell and Jaromir Jagr. The Islanders took the lead back as Bailey scored his second of the game and ninth of the season, with assists provided by Frans Nielsen and Streit. This held up for a 2-1 win, with the three stars being Bailey, Rask (34 for 36 in saves), and Nabokov (30 for 31 in saves), while Streit gets an honorable mention.

Down in Washington, the Capitals host the Carolina Hurricanes. Justin Peters and Braden Holtby are in the creases. Carolina started in the first period as Jeff Skinner scored his eleventh of the season, a power play goal made possible by Eric Staal and Joe Corvo. Washington tied it in the second period when Troy Brouwer scored his fourteenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Mike Ribeiro and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals took the lead on a Mike Green goal, his ninth of the season, coming off of Jay Beagle and Wojtek Wolski. Washington finished it at 3-1 with an empty net goal by Brouwer, his second of the game and fifteenth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were awarded to Holtby (43 for 44 in saves), Brouwer, and Peters (28 for 30 in saves).

Back north a bit, the Philadelphia Flyers bring in the Ottawa Senators. Robin Lehner and Ilya Bryzgalov are given the starting nods. Ottawa was first to score in the first period on a Zack Smith goal, his fourth of the season, via Marc Methot. Philadelphia tied it on a Claude Giroux goal, his twelfth of the year, a shorthanded goal set up by Simon Gagne. The Senators took the lead in the third period on a Colin Greening power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Patrick Wiercioch. Ottawa iced it at 3-1 with a Daniel Alfredsson empty net goal, his tenth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were handed to Greening, Smith, and Bryzgalov (31 for 33 in saves).

West to Detroit, where the Red Wings host the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi and Jimmy Howard guard the cages. San Jose began in the first period with a Patrick Marleau goal, his seventeenth of the season coming shorthanded from Joe Pavelski. Detroit tied it in the second period as Justin Abdelkader netted his eighth of the year, with the help of Johan Franzen and Brendan Smith. The Red Wings took the lead in the third period on a Jakub Kindl power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk. The Sharks tied it with a Logan Couture goal, his sixteenth of the year, coming off of Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle on the power play. The game went into a shootout, where Datsyuk and Couture traded goals before Marleau sealed a 3-2 San Jose win. The three stars were Marleau, Howard (28 for 30 in saves), and Couture.

Back to the east, with the Buffalo Sabres hosting the Montreal Canadiens. Peter Budaj and Ryan Miller stand in the blue paint. Montreal struck first in the first period with a Rene Bourque goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Brian Gionta Tomas Plekanec. The Canadiens added on as Alex Galchenyuk scored his sixth of the year, with a lone assist by Michael Ryder. Montreal struck again in the second period with a Brendan Gallagher goal, his twelfth of the season, fueled by David Desharnais and Max Pacioretty. The Canadiens padded the lead with a power play goal by Andrei Markov, his eighth of the year, powered by P.K. Subban and Ryder. Jhonas Enroth relieved Miller for the third period. Buffalo got on the board in the third period with a shorthanded goal by Brian Flynn, his fifth of the season, set up by Kevin Porter and Andrej Sekera. Montreal wrapped it up at 5-1 as Subban scored his eleventh of the year, a power play goal made possible by Markov and Pacioretty. The three stars belonged to Subban, Ryder, and Gallagher, while Markov and Pacioretty get honorable mentions.

Well to the south, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tomas Vokoun and Ben Bishop are between the pipes. Pittsburgh led off with a first period goal by Jussi Jokinen, his eighth of the season, fueled by Brenden Morrow and Pascal Dupuis. The Penguins extended the lead as Dupuis scored his twentieth of the year, a power play goal powered by Tyler Kennedy and Matt Niskanen. Tampa Bay got on the board with a Teddy Purcell power play goal, his ninth of the season, set up by Steven Stamkos and Sami Salo. Pittsburgh answered in the second period as Chris Kunitz scored his twenty-first of the year, courtesy of Jarome Iginla and Kris Letang. The Lightning shot back with a power play goal by Brett Connolly, made possible by Richard Panik and Alex Killorn. The Penguins replied in the third period on an Evgeni Malkin goal, his eighth of the season, an unassisted goal. Pittsburgh added on as Jokinen scored his second of the game and ninth of the year, via Douglas Murray and Dupuis. The Penguins struck again with a Tanner Glass power play goal, thanks to Jokinen and Iginla. Tampa Bay got one back on another Purcell goal, his second of the game and tenth of the campaign, assisted by Martin St. Louis and Matt Carle on the power play. The final stood at 6-3, with the three stars going to Dupuis, Jokinen, and Malkin, while Purcell and Iginla got the honorable mentions.

Northwest to Winnipeg, as the Jets welcome the Florida Panthers. Jacob Markstrom and Ondrej Pavelec are all padded up. Winnipeg got going in the first period as Aaron Gagnon scored his second of the season, thanks to Blake Wheeler and Andrew Ladd. Florida tied it with a T.J. Brennan goal, his third of the year, via Tomas Fleischmann and Marcel Goc. The Jets took the lead back on an Evander Kane goal, his fifteenth of the season, assisted by Olli Jokinen. The Panthers tied it again as Fleischmann recorded his ninth of the year, with the help of Brennan. Winnipeg regained the lead as Ladd scored his sixteenth of the season, courtesy of Bryan Little and Dustin Byfuglien. The Jets extended the lead in the second period with a Grant Clitsome power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Little. Winnipeg padded the lead when Byfuglien scored his seventh of the season, an unassisted goal. The Jets struck again on another Kane goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, made possible by Kyle Wellwood and Zach Bogosian. Scott Clemmensen relieved Markstrom at this time. Winnipeg added on with a third period goal by Chris Thorburn, his second of the season, fueled by Ron Hainsey and Bogosian. This made it 7-2, the final, with Kane, Byfuglien, and Little getting the three stars, while Ladd, Brennan, Fleischmann, and Bogosian get the honorable mentions.

Stateside again, with the Minnesota Wild hosting the St. Louis Blues. Brian Elliott and Niklas Backstrom protect the nets. St. Louis opened with a first period Roman Polak goal, helped along by Chris Stewart and Chris Porter. The Blues added on in the third period as Andy McDonald scored his fifth of the season, thanks to Vladimir Tarasenko and David Backes. This was all they needed for a 2-0 win, with the three stars being Elliott (23 save shutout), Polak, and Jonas Brodin, while any point-earner can take the third slot.

Finally, in Los Angeles, the King host the Colorado Avalanche. Sami Aittokallio is mismatched with Jonathan Quick in goal. Los Angeles started in the first period with a Jeff Carter power play goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, powered by Mike Richards. The Kings added on as Richards scored his tenth of the year, courtesy of Jake Muzzin and Dustin Penner. Colorado got on the board in the second period with a Paul Stastny goal, his ninth of the season, via David Jones. The Avalanche tied it in the third period with a Patrick Bordeleau goal, with a lone assist by Stefan Elliott. The game went to a shootout, where Los Angeles won on goals by Carter, Dustin Brown, and Anze Kopitar to top a lone tally by Colorado's P.A. Parenteau. The three stars of the 3-2 game were Richards, Elliott, and Quick (26 for 28 in saves), while Carter gets an honorable mention.

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