NHL April 23rd 2013

Ten games going on tonight, with many playoff implications. We begin in...

Raleigh, as the Carolina Hurricanes host the New York Islanders. Evgeni Nabokov and Dan Ellis are the veteran goalies. Carolina was first to score in the first period as Alexander Semin scored his thirteenth of the season, via Eric Staal and Jamie McBain. New York tied it on a Brad Boyes goal, his tenth of the year, coming off of Mark Streit and Matt Moulson. The Hurricanes took the lead back as Jordan Staal recorded his tenth of the season, thanks to Jay Harrison and Jiri Tlusty. The Islanders retied it in the second period when Josh Bailey potted his eleventh of the year, courtesy of Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen. Carolina pulled ahead again with a Patrick Dwyer goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Jordan Staal and Tuomo Ruutu. New York tied it in the third period on an Okposo goal, his fifth of the year, set up by John Tavares and Moulson. The Hurricanes won 4-3 in the shootout with goals by Riley Nash and Jeff Skinner. The three stars were handed to Jordan Staal, Semin, and Okposo, while Moulson gets an honorable mention.

Up in DC, the Washington Capitals bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Braden Holtby receive the starting nods. Washington opened with a Matt Hendricks goal, his fifth of the season, with a lone assist by Jay Beagle. The Capitals added on as Jason Chimera scored his third of the year, with the help of Mathieu Perreault and Mike Green. Winnipeg got on the board in the second period as Evander Kane scored his seventeenth of the season, a power play goal set up by Dustin Byfuglien. The Jets tied it on a Blake Wheeler goal, his eighteenth of the year, with a lone helper by Nik Antropov. Washington regained the lead when Nicklas Backstrom scored his eighth of the season, fueled by Alex Ovechkin and John Erskine. The Capitals padded the lead with a Perreault goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Jack Hillen and Chimera. Winnipeg got one back when Antropov scored his sixth of the season, passed from Ron Hainsey. Washington iced it at 5-3 with an empty net goal by Ovechkin, his thirty-first of the year, coming from Backstrom and Marcus Johansson. The three stars were awarded to Hendricks, Chimera, and Erskine, while Ovechkin, Backstrom, Perreault, and Antropov receive the honorable mentions,

Moving along to New Jersey, where the Devils host the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Martin Brodeur guard the cages. New Jersey started with a Patrik Elias power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, powered by Travis Zajac and Marek Zidlicky. The Devils added on when Jacob Josefson scored, thanks to Dainius Zubrus and Steve Sullivan. New Jersey extended the lead in the second period with a Sullivan power play goal, his seventh of the year, made possible by Zidlicky and Ilya Kovalchuk. Montreal got on the board with a Max Pacioretty goal, his fourteenth of the season, coming on the power play from Raphael Diaz and David Desharnais. The Canadiens pulled closer on a Lars Eller goal, his seventh of the year, guided in by Alex Galchenyuk and Rene Bourque. They failed to tie the game, losing 3-2, with the three stars being given to Sullivan, Elias, and Eller, while Zidlicky gets an honorable mention.

Crossing into Philadelphia, where the Flyers host the Boston Bruins. Anton Khudobin and Steve Mason are the backup-level goalies. Philadelphia struck first in the first period on a Scott Hartnell goal, his eighth of the season, going in unassisted. Boston tied it with a Wade Redden goal, his third of the year, passed from Jaromir Jagr and Carl Soderberg. The Flyers took the lead back in the second period as Matt Read netted his eleventh of the season, with a lone assist by Wayne Simmonds. Philadelphia extended the lead as chased Khudobin with an unassisted goal by Oliver Lauridsen. Tuukka Rask came on in relief. The Flyers padded the lead in the third period as Jakub Voracek scored his twenty-first of the year, with a lone helper by Claude Giroux. The Bruins got one back as David Krejci potted his tenth of the season, an unassisted goal. Philadelphia quickly responded as Simon Gagne scored his fifth of the year, with the help of Giroux and Luke Schenn. This was good for a 5-2 win, with the three stars belonging to Mason (39 for 41 in saves), Luke Schenn, and Voracek, while Giroux gets the honorable mention.

South to Florida, where the Panthers welcome the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist faces a lesser foe in Jacob Markstrom in goal. Florida got going in second period with a Tomas Fleischmann goal, his tenth of the season, via Filip Kuba and Mike Weaver. New York tied it in the third period as Taylor Pyatt recorded his sixth of the year, coming off of John Moore and Mats Zuccarello. The Panthers took the lead back on a Marcel Goc power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Fleischmann and Brian Campbell. Florida added on with a Drew Shore empty net goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. The Rangers got one back with a Derick Brassard goal, his eleventh of the campaign, assisted by Brad Richards and Ryan Callahan. The final was 3-2, and the three stars went to Markstrom (36 for 38 in saves), Fleischmann, and Goc.

Back north in Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller and Marc-Andre Fleury are the masked men. Buffalo led off in the first period with a Thomas Vanek goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Cody Hodgson and Drew Stafford. Twenty seconds later, Pittsburgh tied it when Chris Kunitz scored his twenty-second of the year, with the help of Brandon Sutter and Matt Cooke. The Sabres took the lead in the third period on a Jochen Hecht goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Vanek and Mark Pysyk. The Penguins tied it again as Jarome Iginla scored his fourteenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin. Buffalo took the lead late as Steve Ott notched his ninth of the season, via Pysyk. The Sabres wrapped it up at 4-2 with a Vanek empty net goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the year, set up by Hodgson and Stafford. The three stars were awarded to Vanek, Miller (40 for 42 in saves), and Iginla, while Pysyk, Hodgson, and Stafford receive the honorable mentions.

Southwest to St. Louis, with the Blues hosting the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Brian Elliott are in the creases. St. Louis began in the first period with a power play goal by Chris Stewart his eighteenth of the season, assisted by Jordan Leopold and Andy McDonald. The Blues added on in the second period when Patrik Berglund scored his sixteenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Jay Bouwmeester and Leopold. St. Louis struck again with a McDonald goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Vladimir Sobotka and Stewart. Colorado got on the board with a Cody McLeod goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Paul Stastny and Greg Zanon. This only made it 3-1, a final, with Alexander Steen, Leopold, and Adam Cracknell being handed the three stars, while Stewart and McDonald could overtake the first and third slots.

Backtracking to Nashville, where the Predators host the Calgary Flames. Miikka Kiprusoff and Pekka Rinne are the Finnish goalies. Calgary opened in the first period on a T.J. Brodie goal, his second of the season, fueled by Paul Byron and Mark Cundari. Nashville tied it as David Legwand scored his twelfth of the year, via Shea Weber and Filip Forsberg. The Flames took the lead back in the second period with a Roman Cervenka goal, his eighth of the season, coming off of Sven Baertschi and Chris Butler. The Predators tied it again as Nick Spaling potted his ninth of the year, a power play goal powered by Weber and Roman Josi. Nashville took the lead in the third period when Austin Watson scored, thanks to Craig Smith and Kevin Klein. The Predators added on with a Matt Halischuk goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Bobby Butler and Chris Mueller. Calgary got one back as Cervenka scored his second of the game and ninth of the year, guided in by Chris Butler and Baertschi. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars being Weber, Cervenka, and Halischuk, while Chris Butler, and Baertschi were the honorable mentions.

North to Minnesota, with the Wild welcoming the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Bernier and Niklas Backstrom are set to start. Minnesota started in the first period on a Charlie Coyle goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Zach Parise and Tom Gilbert. The Wild added on as Cal Clutterbuck scored his fourth of the year, thanks to Devin Setoguchi and Jonas Brodin. Los Angeles got on the board in the second period with a Jeff Carter goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, helped along by Brad Richardson. They couldn't get an equalizer, losing 2-1, with the three stars named as Clutterbuck, Coyle, and Backstrom (22 for 23 in saves).

Finally, in San Jose, the Sharks bring in the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi tend the twines. San Jose led off with a Raffi Torres power play goal in the first period, his seventh of the season, powered by Scott Gomez and Martin Havlat. Dallas tied it as Antoine Roussel scored his eighth of the year, guided in by Cody Eakin and Ryan Garbutt. The Stars took the lead as Loui Eriksson scored his twelfth of the season, a power play goal made possible by Alex Goligoski and Ray Whitney. The Sharks tied it in the third period on a Joe Pavelski goal, his sixteenth of the year, fueled by Brad Stuart and Joe Thornton. San Jose took the lead as Logan Couture scored his twentieth of the campaign, via Patrick Marleau and Justin Braun. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Couture, Pavelski, and Dan Boyle, while any point-earner can take the third slot.

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