NHL April 18th 2013

Ten games tonight with the playoff push being a huge factor in most of them. We begin in...

New York City, as the Rangers host the Florida Panthers. Scott Clemmensen and Henrik Lundqvist receive the starting nods. New York struck first in the first period as Derick Brassard scored his ninth of the season, a power play goal passed from Rick Nash and Ryan Callahan. The Rangers extended the lead when Nash scored his eighteenth of the year, powered by Callahan and Derek Stepan. Florida got on the board with a Jonathan Huberdeau goal, his fourteenth of the season, coming off of Shawn Matthias and T.J. Brennan. New York answered in the second period with a Mats Zuccarello goal, his second of the year, assisted by Ryane Clowe. The Rangers added on as Zuccarello scored again in the third period, his second of the game and third of the season, set up by Brad Richards. New York padded the lead with another Brassard goal, his second of the game and tenth of the year, guided in by Michael Del Zotto and Nash. The Rangers struck again as Richards recorded his seventh of the campaign, via Taylor Pyatt and Ryan McDonagh. This made it 6-1, the final, with the three stars going to Lundqvist (34 for 35 in saves), Brassard, and Zuccarello, while Nash, Richards, and Callahan receive the honorable mentions.

Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs bring in the New York Islanders. Evgeni Nabokov and James Reimer man the creases. Toronto was first to score in the first period when Joffrey Lupul notched his ninth of the season, courtesy of Phil Kessel and Jake Gardiner. The Maple Leafs added on with a power play goal by Cody Franson, his fourth of the year, powered by Tyler Bozak and Kessel. New York got on the board with a Brad Boyes goal, his ninth of the season, via John Tavares and Lubomir Visnovsky. The Islanders tied it on a power play goal by Matt Moulson, his fifteenth of the year, made possible by Boyes and Visnovsky. New York gained the lead when Tavares scored his twenty-fifth of the season, with the help of Moulson and Andrew MacDonald. The Islanders padded the lead with another Tavares goal in the second period, his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the year, guided in by Boyes and Mark Streit. New York extended the lead in the third period as Frans Nielsen scored his fifth of the season, assisted by Kyle Okposo. The Maple Leafs got one back late as Dion Phaneuf scored a power play goal, his ninth of the year, with assists provided by Kessel, who got a sock trick, and Gardiner. This only made it 5-3, the final, with the three stars being Tavares, Moulson, and Boyes, while Kessel, Visnovsky, and Gardiner receive the honorable mentions.

Back stateside, the Philadelphia Flyers welcome the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Ilya Bryzgalov protect the nets. New Jersey got going in the second period when Ryan Carter scored his fifth of the season, with a lone assist from Stephen Gionta. The Devils added on in the third period as Matt D'Agostini scored his third of the year, thanks to Jacob Josefson. New Jersey iced it at 3-0 with an empty net goal by Adam Henrique, his eleventh of the campaign, passed from Dainius Zubrus. The three stars belonged to Brodeur (23 save shutout), Carter, and Bryzgalov (28 for 30 in saves).

North to Ottawa, with the Senators hosting the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Craig Anderson are between the pipes. Ottawa began in the second period with a Kyle Turris goal, his ninth of the season, guided in by Milan Michalek and Chris Phillips. Washington tied it with a Mike Ribeiro goal, his thirteenth of the year, coming off of Martin Erat and Jack Hillen. The Senators retook the lead as Cory Conacher potted his eleventh of the season, an unassisted goal. Ottawa wrapped it up as Turris scored his second of the night and tenth of the year, an empty net goal set up by Phillips and Colin Greening. The three stars of the 3-1 game were Holtby (35 for 37 in saves), Anderson (18 for 19 in saves), and Turris, while Phillips gets an honorable mention.

Over in Quebec, the Montreal Canadiens host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Carey Price stand in the blue paint. Montreal led off in the second period with an Alex Galchenyuk goal, his ninth of the season, fueled by Brendan Gallagher and Davis Drewiske. The Canadiens added on with a Brian Gionta goal, his thirteenth of the year, made possible by Tomas Plekanec and Max Pacioretty. Tampa Bay got on the board with a Richard Panik power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Victor Hedman and Alex Killorn. The Lightning tied it in the third period with a Vincent Lecavalier goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by Benoit Pouliot and Hedman. Montreal took the lead late with another Gionta goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the campaign, assisted by Yannick Weber and Michael Ryder on the power play. They held on to win 3-2, with Gionta, Price (32 for 34 in saves), and Galchenyuk getting the three stars, while Hedman gets an honorable mention.

Southwest to St. Louis, with the Blues hosting the Phoenix Coyotes. Chad Johnson and Brian Elliott have the green light to start. St. Louis opened in the first period with a David Perron goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by David Backes and Alex Pietrangelo. Phoenix tied it in the third period when Radim Vrbata scored his eighth of the year, a power play goal, powered by Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Blues won it 2-1 with a lone tally by Andy McDonald in the shootout. The three stars belonged to Elliott (33 for 34 in saves), Roman Polak, and Barret Jackman, while any point earner or McDonald could take the second or third slot.

Into Canada again, with the Winnipeg Jets welcoming the Carolina Hurricanes. Justin Peters and Ondrej Pavelec are the average starters. Winnipeg started in the first period with a Zach Bogosian goal, his fourth of the season, via Bryan Little and Andrew Ladd. The Jets added on in the second period as Paul Postma scored his fourth of the year, courtesy of Blake Wheeler and Bogosian. Carolina got on the board as Tuomo Ruutu scored, thanks to Justin Faulk and Tim Gleason. Winnipeg responded in the third period as Wheeler scored his seventeenth of the season, assisted by Little and Ladd. The Hurricanes got one back as Ruutu scored his second of the game with helpers provided by Marc-Andre Bergeron and Jordan Staal. Carolina tied it with an Alexander Semin goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from Jiri Tlusty and Jordan Staal. The Jets won in overtime with a Dustin Byfuglien goal, his eighth of the campaign, set up by Ladd, who got a sock trick, and Wheeler. The three stars were handed to Wheeler, Pavelec (24 for 27 in saves), and Ruutu, while Ladd, Little, Bogosian, and Jordan Staal receive the honorable mentions.

Way to the south, the Dallas Stars host the Vancouver Canucks. Cory Schneider and Kari Lehtonen guard the cages. Vancouver got going in the second period as Derek Roy scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Ryan Kesler and Jannik Hansen. Dallas tied it on a Vernon Fiddler goal, his fourth of the year, made possible by Eric Nystrom and Cody Eakin. The Stars took the lead in the third period when Eakin scored his seventh of the season, guided in by Reilly Smith and Philip Larsen. Dallas added on with a Jamie Benn goal, his eleventh of the year, an unassisted goal. The Stars padded the lead as Ray Whitney recorded his eleventh of the season, with the help of Benn and Brenden Dillon. Dallas extended the lead as Erik Cole potted his ninth of the year, a power play goal powered by Stephane Robidas and Loui Eriksson. This produced the 5-1 final, with the three stars awarded to Eakin, Fiddler, and Lehtonen (37 for 38 in saves), while Benn gets an honorable mention.

Northwest to San Jose, as the Sharks bring in the Minnesota Wild. Niklas Backstrom and Antti Niemi tend the twines. San Jose struck first in the first period on a Martin Havlat goal, his sixth of the season, set up by Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau. The Sharks added on in the second period when Couture scored his eighteenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Marleau and Joe Thornton. Minnesota got on the board in the second period with a Pierre-Marc Bouchard goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Jason Pominville and Tom Gilbert. San Jose answered as Havlat scored his second of the game and seventh of the year, fueled by Couture. The Sharks extended the lead when Raffi Torres scored his sixth of the season in the third period, via Joe Pavelski. San Jose padded the lead on a Pavelski goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by Torres and Jason Demers. Darcy Kuemper relieved Backstrom at this time. The Sharks iced it at 6-1 with a Couture goal, his second of the game and nineteenth of the campaign, coming off of Havlat. The three stars were Couture, Havlat, and Torres, while Pavelski and Marleau get the honorable mentions.

Finally, in Los Angeles, the Kings host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Jonathan Quick are the masked men. Los Angeles was first to score in the first period with a Drew Doughty power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Mike Richards and Anze Kopitar. Columbus tied it in the second period when Dalton Prout scored, with the help of Blake Comeau and Fedor Tyutin. The Kings took the lead back on a Kyle Clifford goal, his fifth of the year, set up by Jordan Nolan and Brad Richardson. This was all they needed for a 2-1 win, with the three stars being given to Quick (20 for 21 in saves), Clifford, and Prout.

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