NHL April 22nd 2013

Five games going tonight, beginning in...

Buffalo, where the Sabres host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Jhonas Enroth are called on to start. Winnipeg got going in the second period as Aaron Gagnon scored his third of the season, thanks to Derek Meech and Dustin Byfuglien. Buffalo tied it on a Thomas Vank power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Tyler Ennis and Drew Stafford. The Jets took the lead back in the third period when Antti Miettinen scored his third of the season, with the help of James Wright and Mark Stuart. This was good for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Enroth (37 for 39 in saves), Miettinen, and Ennis.

West to Detroit, with the Red Wings welcoming the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Jimmy Howard tend the twines. Detroit started in the first period with a Johan Franzen power play goal, his eleventh of the season, assisted by Damien Brunner and Henrik Zetterberg. The Red Wings added on as Brunner scored his twelfth of the year, a power play goal powered by Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall. Detroit extended the lead in the second period when Valtteri Filppula scored his eighth of the season, a power play goal set up by Zetterberg, who got a sock trick, and Kronwall. The Red Wings iced it at 4-0 in the third period with an empty net goal by Franzen, his second of the game and twelfth of the year, with a lone assist by Jonathan Ericsson. The three stars were awarded to Brunner, Zetterberg, and Howard (34 save shutout), while Franzen and Kronwall get the honorable mentions.

Up in Ottawa, the Senators bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tomas Vokoun and Craig Anderson are given the starting nods. Pittsburgh was first to score in the first period on a Dustin Jeffrey goal, his third of the season, assisted by Brendan Morrow and Pascal Dupuis. The Penguins added on with the thirteenth of the year by Jarome Iginla, passed from Morrow and Jeffrey. Ottawa got on the board in the third period when Patrick Wiercioch scored his fifth of the season, a power play goal powered by Sergei Gonchar and Daniel Alfredsson. Pittsburgh made it 3-1 with a Tyler Kennedy goal, his sixth of the year, with a lone helper by Matt Cooke. This was a final, with Morrow, Douglas Murray, and Dupuis receiving the three stars, while Jeffrey would be a better choice for the second slot.

Over in Edmonton, the Oilers host the Anaheim Ducks. Viktor Fasth and Nikolai Khabibulin are in the creases. Anaheim struck first in the first period as Ryan Getzlaf scored his fifteenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Corey Perry and Francois Beauchemin. The Ducks added on as Radek Dvorak scored his fourth of the year, courtesy of Emerson Etem and Dave Steckel. Anaheim extended the lead in the third period with a Sami Vatanen goal, his second of the season, assisted by Matt Beleskey and Perry. They held on for a 3-0 win, with the three stars being Fasth (24 save shutout), Perry, and Getzlaf.

Finally, in Vancouver, the Canucks host the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Cory Schneider are the similarly-named goalies. Vancouver opened in the first period with a power play goal by Jannik Hansen, his tenth of the season, coming off of Jason Garrison and Dan Hamhuis. The Canucks padded the lead in the second period as Zack Kassian scored his seventh of the year, guided in by Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. Vancouver added on when Daniel Sedin notched his twelfth of the season, via Henrik Sedin. Chicago got on the board as Dan Carcillo scored his second of the year, an unassisted goal. They got no closer, losing 3-1, with the three stars being Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, and Frank Corrado.

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