NHL April 16th 2013

Eight games tonight, starting in...

DC, with the Washington Capitals hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ben Scrivens and Braden Holtby are the young goalies. Washington struck first in the first period with a Jack Hillen goal, his third of the season, fueled by Jason Chimera and Eric Fehr. The Capitals extended the lead in the second period as Martin Erat scored his fifth of the year, with the help of Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson. Washington padded the lead on a Troy Brouwer goal, his seventeenth of the season, coming off of Carlson and Erat. The Capitals added on as Ovechkin scored his twenty-eighth of the year, a power play goal powered by Mike Green and Mike Ribeiro. Toronto got on the board in the third period with a Mikhail Grabovski goal, his ninth of the season, passed from Ryan Hamilton and Leo Komarov. Washington replied with a Marcus Johansson power play goal, his sixth of the year, set up by Green and Ribeiro. This made it 5-1, the final, with the three stars going to Ovechkin, Erat, and Carlson, while Green and Ribeiro get the honorable mentions.

Over on Long Island, the New York Islanders host the Florida Panthers. Jacob Markstrom and Evgeni Nabokov are set to start. New York opened in the first period as Matt Moulson scored his fourteenth of the season, assisted by Matt Martin and Thomas Hickey. The Islanders added on with a power play goal by Mark Streit, his sixth of the year, powered by Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen. New York extended the lead as Michael Grabner potted his fourteenth of the season, a power play goal coming off of Andrew MacDonald and the goalie Nabokov. Florida got on the board as Dmitry Kulikov scored a power play goal, his third of the year, set up by Tomas Fleischmann and Marcel Goc. The Islanders answered in the second period as Radek Martinek scored his third of the season, via Jesse Joensuu and Streit. New York padded the lead with another Grabner goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the year, an unassisted goal. Scott Clemmensen relieved Markstrom at this time. The Panthers got one back when Goc scored his sixth of the season, with the help of Tomas Kopecky and Fleischmann. This was as close as it got, with the final being 5-2, and the three stars went to Grabner, Moulson, and Nabokov (26 for 28 in saves and an assist), while Streit, Goc, and Fleischmann get the honorable mentions.

A little to the west, the Philadelphia Flyers bring in the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist faces a lesser foe in Steve Mason in goal. Philadelphia began with a first period goal by Brayden Schenn, his eighth of the season, via Brandon Manning and Danny Briere. The Flyers added on as Erik Gustafsson scored his third of the year, courtesy of Sean Couturier and Matt Read. New York got on the board in the second period with a Mats Zuccarello goal, assisted by John Moore. Philadelphia shot back with a Kimmo Timonen power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Claude Giroux. The Rangers pulled back in the third period when Derek Stepan scored his fifteenth of the year, thanks to Ryan Callahan and Derick Brassard. The Flyers iced it at 4-2 with an empty net goal by Jakub Voracek, his nineteenth of the campaign, set up by Timonen and Giroux. The three stars were handed to Mason (38 for 40 in saves), Timonen, and Jay Rosehill, while the third slot should be Giroux.

Up in Canada, the Ottawa Senators host the Carolina Hurricanes. Justin Peters and Craig Anderson receive the starting nods. Ottawa started in the first period with a Mika Zibanejad goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Cory Conacher and Sergei Gonchar. The Senators added on in the second period as Milan Michalek notched his fourth of the year, thanks to Patrick Wiercioch and Gonchar. Carolina got on the board when Justin Faulk scored his fourth of the season, courtesy of Eric Staal. Ottawa answered with a Chris Neil goal, his fourth of the year, passed from Guillaume Latendresse. The Hurricanes got one back in the third period when Eric Staal scored his seventeenth of the campaign, a power play goal powered by Jiri Tlusty and Faulk. They failed to get an equalizer, falling 3-2, with the three stars being Anderson (32 for 34 in saves), Jared Cowen, and Michalek, while Gonchar, Faulk, and Eric Staal could take the second slot.

Southwest to St. Louis, where the Blues host the Vancouver Canucks. Cory Schneider and Brian Elliott protect the nets. Vancouver got going in the second period when Alexander Edler scored his seventh of the season, a power play goal powered by Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin. St. Louis tied it in the third period on a Jay Bouwmeester goal, his seventh of the year, guided in by David Perron and Alex Pietrangelo. The Blues won 2-1 in the shootout with goals by Andy McDonald and Alexander Steen. The three stars went to David Backes, Bouwmeester, and Elliott (21 for 22 in saves), while Schneider (35 for 36 in saves) could take the first slot.

North again to Winnipeg, with the Jets hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Ondrej Pavelec are in the creases. Winnipeg was first to score in the first period on an Andrew Ladd goal, his seventeenth of the season, made possible by Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little. Tampa Bay tied it as Martin St. Louis scored his twelfth of the year, an unassisted goal. The Jets regained the lead in the second period with a Wheeler goal, his sixteenth of the season, with assists provided by Zach Bogosian. Winnipeg added on as Ladd scored his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Wheeler and  Bogosian. The Lightning answered with a third period goal by Pierre-Cedric Labrie, his second of the season, going in unassisted. Tampa Bay tied it with a Steven Stamkos goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, helped along by Matt Carle. The Jets won 4-3 in the shootout as Mike Santorelli and Ladd scored. The three stars were awarded to Ladd, Wheeler, and Stamkos, while Bogosian gets an honorable mention.

West to Edmonton, where the Oilers host the Minnesota Wild. Niklas Backstrom and Devan Dubnyk guard the cages. Minnesota led off in the first period when Kyle Brodziak scored his seventh of the season, an unassisted goal. Edmonton tied it on a Nail Yakupov goal, his eleventh of the year, going in unassisted. The Wild took the lead in the second period as Charlie Coyle scored his seventh of the season, with a lone assist by Clayton Stoner. Minnesota extended the lead on a Mikael Granlund goal, his second of the year, passed from Torrey Mitchell and Stoner. The Wild padded the lead in the third period as Zach Parise scored his sixteenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Jason Pominville and Ryan Suter. Minnesota struck again as Brodziak scored his second of the game and eighth of the year, courtesy of Pominville and Pierre-Marc Bouchard. The Oilers got one back as Shawn Horcoff scored his seventh of the season, a shorthanded goal set up by Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Edmonton pulled closer with a Magnus Paajarvi goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Yakupov and Jeff Petry. This was all they could muster, falling 5-3. The three stars belonged to Brodziak, Yakupov, and Stoner, while Pominville picks up an honorable mention.

Finally, we end in San Jose, as the Sharks bring in their rivals from the south, the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Antti Niemi tend the twines. San Jose began with a second period goal by Brent Burns, his eighth of the season, an unassisted goal. The Sharks added on with a T.J. Galiardi goal, his fourth of the year, with assist provided by Burns and Joe Thornton. Los Angeles got on the board with a Jake Muzzin power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Slava Voynov and Justin Williams. The Kings tied it on a Dustin Brown goal, his sixteenth of the year, assisted by Robyn Regehr and Anze Kopitar. San Jose won 3-2 in the shootout on a lone goal by Raffi Torres. The three stars went to Niem (41 for 43 in saves), Burns, and Quick (33 for 35 in saves).

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