NHL April 21st 2013

Eight more games today, beginning in...

Boston, as the Bruins host the Florida Panthers. Jacob Markstrom and Tuukka Rask are the young goalies. Boston began in the first period with a Jaromir Jagr goal, his sixteenth of the season, coming off of Chris Kelly and Carl Soderberg. The Bruins added on in the second period when Dougie Hamilton scored his fifth of the year, courtesy of Shawn Thornton. Boston iced it at 3-0 with an empty net goal by Brad Marchand in the third period, his eighteenth of the campaign, fueled by Tyler Seguin and Patrice Bergeron. Rask (28 save shutout), Jagr, Hamilton received the three stars.

Down in New York, the Rangers host the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Henrik Lundqvist tend the twines. New York quickly struck first in the first period with a Ryan Callahan goal, his thirteenth of the season, assisted by Carl Hagelin and Derek Stepan. The Rangers added on as Stepan scored his sixteenth of the year, coming off of Ryan McDonagh and Anton Stralman. New York extended the lead when Taylor Pyatt scored his fifth of the season, with the help of Brad Richards. The Rangers padded the lead in the third period as Callahan scored his second of the game and fourteenth of the year, thanks to Richards and Michael Del Zotto on the power play. New Jersey got on the board as Andrei Loktionov scored his eighth of the season, via Ilya Kovalchuk and Peter Harrold. This only made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars going to Callahan, Richards, and Stepan.

To the west, the Minnesota Wild host the Calgary Flames. Joey MacDonald and Nikls Backstrom are called on to start. Calgary opened with a Mark Cundari goal, power play goal, powered by T.J. Brodie and Michael Cammalleri. Minnesota tied it with the seventeenth of the season by Zach Parise, fueled by Charlie Coyle and Mikko Koivu. The Flames regained the lead in the second period as Mikael Backlund scored his eighth of the year, via Lee Stempniak and Sven Baertschi. Calgary extended the lead in the third period when Cammalleri scored his thirteenth of the season, a power play goal set up by Cundari and Brodie. The Flames iced it at 4-1 with a Jiri Hudler empty net goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Maxwell Reinhart and Mark Giordano. The three stars were given to MacDonald (34 for 35 in saves), Parise, and Ryan Suter, while Cundari, Cammalleri, or Brodie could all take the third slot.

Southeast to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning bring in the Carolina Hurricanes. Dan Ellis and Anders Lindback are the backups making spot starts. Carolina led off in the first period with an Alexander Semin goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Eric Staal. The Hurricanes extended the lead when Jiri Tlusty notched his twentieth of the year, with helpers provided by Semin and Joe Corvo. Carolina padded the lead as Tlusty scored his second of the game and twenty-first of the season, via Eric Staal and Semin. Tampa Bay got on the board with the twenty-eighth of the year by Steven Stamkos, a power play goal powered by Sami Salo and Martin St. Louis. The Lightning pulled closer in the third period on a St. Louis goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, with a lone assist from Vincent Lecavalier. They failed to tie the game, losing 3-2, with the three stars going to Tlusty, St. Louis, and Ellis (35 for 37 in saves), while Semin and Eric Staal receive the honorable mentions.

Out west, the Colorado Avalanche host the St. Louis Blues. Brian Elliott and Jean-Sebastien Giguere stand in the creases. Colorado was first to score in the first period on a Jamie McGinn goal, his tenth of the season, passed from Aaron Palushaj and Paul Stastny. St. Louis tied it with a David Backes goal, his sixth of the year, thanks to Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Pietrangelo. The Avalanche took the lead back on a Cody McLeod goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Stefan Elliott and Gabriel Landeskog. Colorado extended the lead as McGinn scored his second of the game and eleventh of the year, a power play goal powered by Ryan O'Reilly. The Blues answered on a Jaden Schwartz goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Backes. The Avalanche chased Elliott when Matt Duchene scored his seventeenth of the year, an unassisted goal. Jake Allen came on in relief. St. Louis got one back in the third period when Kevin Shattenkirk scored his fifth of the season, with assists provided by Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Tarasenko. Colorado answered on a Chuck Kobasew goal, his fifth of the year, via McGinn and Shane O'Brien. This stood for a 5-3 win, with the three stars belonging to McGinn, Jan Hejda, and Duchene, while Backes could take the second slot.

Into California, where the San Jose Sharks host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Antti Niemi protect the nets. Columbus started in the first period with a Mark Letestu goal, his eleventh of the season, thanks to Jack Johnson and Vinny Prospal. The Blue Jackets added on as Prospal scored his twelfth of the year, with the help of Letestu. San Jose got on the board with a Martin Havlat goal, his eighth of the season, set up by Logan Couture and Justin Braun. Columbus replied on another Letestu goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the year coming on the power play via Fedor Tyutin and Brandon Dubinsky. The Sharks shot back as Andrew Desjardins scored his second of the season in the third period, assisted by Matt Irwin. San Jose tied it on a Joe Pavelski power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Scott Gomez and Irwin. The Blue Jackets pulled back ahead on a Ryan Johansen goal, his fifth of the campaign, fueled by R.J. Umberger. This held up for a 4-3 win, with the three stars handed to Letestu, Johansen, and Desjardins, while Prospal and Irwin get the honorable mentions.

Northeast to Alberta, with the Edmonton Oilers welcoming the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Devan Dubnyk are between the pipes. Edmonton struck first in the first period with a Taylor Hall goal, his fifteenth of the season, with assists provided by Jordan Eberle and Jeff Petry. Anaheim tied it as Cam Fowler scored a power play goal, powered by Nick Bonino. The Ducks took the lead in the second period on a Kyle Palmieri goal, his tenth of the year, coming off of Bonino and Tony Lydman. Anaheim extended the lead in the third period when Corey Perry scored his fifteenth of the season, thanks to Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars awarded to Hiller (27 for 28 in saves), Bonino, and Hall.

Back in California, we end with the Los Angeles Kings hosting the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Jonathan Quick guard the cages. Los Angeles led off in the first period with a Mike Richards goal, his twelfth of the season, guided in by Dustin Penner and Jeff Carter. The Kings added on in the second period as Dustin Brown recorded his seventeenth of the year, assisted by Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. Dallas got on the board with a Loui Eriksson goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Ray Whitney and Jamie Benn. The Stars tied it on an Antoine Roussel goal, his seventh of the year, helped along by Ryan Garbutt and Alex Goligoski. Dallas took the lead in the third period when Goligoski scored his third of the season, coming off of Cody Eakin and Reilly Smith. Los Angeles retied it with a Brown goal, his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Carter and Kopitar. The Kings won 4-3 in overtime with a Carter goal, his twenty-fifth of the campaign, passed from Richards and Drew Doughty. Brown, Goligoski, and Carter were awarded the three stars, while Richards and Kopitar get honorable mentions.

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