NHL April 25th 2013

Eleven big games on tonight, beginning in...

Raleigh, where the Carolina Hurricanes host the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist faces a lesser foe in Dan Ellis in goal. New York started with a Derek Stepan goal, his seventeenth of the season, fueled by Carl Hagelin and Ryan Callahan. The Rangers added on as Derick Brassard scored his twelfth of the year, thanks to Hagelin and Michael Del Zotto. Carolina got on the board in the second period with a power play goal by Jiri Tlusty, his twenty-second of the season, powered by Jeff Skinner and Marc-Andre Bergeron. The Hurricanes tied it as Tuomo Ruutu scored his third of the year, via Kevin Westgarth. Carolina took the lead in the third period on a Tlusty goal, his second of the game and twenty-third of the season, made possible by Eric Staal. New York tied it as Brad Richards scored his eleventh of the year, a power play goal set up by Del Zotto. The Rangers won 4-3 in overtime as Callahan scored his fifteenth of the campaign, courtesy of Stepan and Ryan McDonagh. The three stars went to Callahan, Tlusty, and Del Zotto, while Stepan gets an honorable mention.

Up in Philadelphia, the Flyers host the New York Islanders. Kevin Poulin and Ilya Bryzgalov are set to start. Philadelphia struck first on a power play goal by Danny Briere in the first period, his sixth of the season, powered by Brayden Schenn and Simon Gagne. New York tied it in the second period when John Tavares notched his twenty-eighth of the year, assisted by Matt Carkner. The Flyers took the lead in the third period on an Oliver Lauridsen goal, his second of the season, via Brandon Manning. This made it 2-1, a final, with the three stars going to Lauridsen, Claude Giroux, and Tavares, while any point earner can take the second slot.

Backtracking to Washington, where the Capitals welcome the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Michal Neuvirth receive the starting nods. Ottawa got going in the second period as Jakob Silfverberg scored his tenth of the season, with helpers provided by Erik Karlsson and Milan Michalek. Washington tied it in the third period when Alex Ovechkin scored his thirty-second of the year, coming off of Marcus Johansson and Mike Green. The Senators won 2-1 in overtime on a Sergei Gonchar goal, his third of the campaign, helped along by Karlsson and Daniel Alfredsson. The three stars were handed to Neuvirth (39 for 41 in saves), Gonchar, and Silfverberg, while Karlsson gets an honorable mention.

South to Florida, as the Panthers host the Toronto Maple Leafs. James Reimer and Jacob Markstrom are the young goalies. Toronto began in the first period with a Leo Komarov goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Jay McClement and John-Michael Liles. The Maple Leafs added on as Clarke MacArthur scored his eighth of the year, guided in by Matt Frattin and Carl Gunnarsson. Toronto extended the lead in the second period with a Phil Kessel goal, his eighteenth of the season, assisted by Nazem Kadri. The Maple Leafs padded the lead as Kessel scored his second of the game and nineteenth of the year, with the help of Kadri and Joffrey Lupul. They coasted from here to a 4-0 win, with the three stars awarded to Kessel, Reimer (34 save shutout), and Kadri.

Back north, the Boston Bruins bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Anders Lindback and Tuukka Rask are in the creases. Boston opened in the second period as Dennis Seidenberg scored his third of the season, courtesy of Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin. The Bruins extended the lead with a Daniel Paille goal, his tenth of the year, via Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton. This was good for a 2-0 win, with the three stars going to Rask (30 save shutout), Seidenberg, and Milan Lucic, while any point earner can take third slot.

Over in Detroit, the Red Wings host the Nashville Predators. Chris Mason is mismatched with Jimmy Howard in goal. Nashville led off with a first period Mike Fisher goal, his tenth of the season, via Richard Clune and Craig Smith. Detroit tied it as Valtteri Filppula scored his ninth of the year, thanks to Johan Franzen and Daniel Cleary. The Predators took the lead back on a power play goal by Smith, his fourth of the season, powered by Fisher and Shea Weber. The Red Wings retied the game in the second period as Franzen potted his fourteenth of the year, assisted by Damien Brunner and Pavel Datsyuk. Detroit took the lead on a Patrick Eaves goal, his second of the season, with a lone assist by Jordin Tootoo. The Red Wings added on as Datsyuk scored his fifteenth of the year, a power play goal set up by Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall. Detroit iced it at 5-2 on a third period goal by Justin Abdelkader, his tenth of the campaign, fueled by Zetterberg and Datsyuk. The three stars were awarded to Filppula, Datsyuk, and Franzen, while Zetterberg, Fisher, and Smith get the honorable mentions.

Back east, the New Jersey Devils bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Johan Hedberg are the goalies. Pittsburgh was first to score as Matt Cooke netted his seventh of the season in the first period, with the help of Brenden Morrow and Brandon Sutter. The Penguins added on in the second period with a Jussi Jokinen power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Kris Letang and the goalie Fleury. New Jersey got on the board as Travis Zajac potted his seventh of the season, fueled by Patrik Elias and Anton Volchenkov. The Devils tied it in the third period with a David Clarkson power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, set up by Elias and Ilya Kovalchuk. New Jersey took the lead on a Kovalchuk goal, his eleventh of the season, via Steve Sullivan and Andy Greene. This held up for a 3-2 win, with the three stars belonging to Kovalchuk, Elias, and Clarkson.

Up in Winnipeg, the Jets host the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Ondrej Pavelec receive the green light to start. Winnipeg struck first in the first period as James Wright scored his second of the season, assisted by Chris Thorburn. Montreal tied it in the second period with a Rene Bourque goal, his seventh of the year, made possible by Alex Galchenyuk and Lars Eller. The Jets took the lead back when Blake Wheeler scored his nineteenth of the season, fueled by Bryan Little and Dustin Byfuglien. The Canadiens tied it again with a third period goal by Brendan Gallagher, his fourteenth of the year, via Eller and Jarred Tinordi. Montreal took the lead with a David Desharnais goal, his tenth of the season coming on the power play from P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov. The Canadiens padded the lead as Desharnais scored his second of the game and eleventh of the year, guided in by Max Pacioretty and Subban. They held on for a 4-2 win, with the three stars named as Desharnais, Wheeler, and Gallagher, while Eller and Subban receive the honorable mentions. 

Back stateside, the St. Louis Blues host the Calgary Flames. Joey MacDonald and Brian Elliott are all padded up. St. Louis got going in the second period on a Ryan Reaves goal, his third of the season, coming off of Adam Cracknell and Jay Bouwmeester. Calgary tied it as Sven Baertschi scored his third of the year, with a lone assist by Jiri Hudler. The Blues took the lead back as Andy McDonald recorded his seventh of the season, via Chris Stewart and Roman Polak. St. Louis added on as Alexander Steen potted his eighth of the year, a power play goal, courtesy of Stewart. The Blues kept going in the third period on another Reaves goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, assisted by Chris Porter and Cracknell. The final stood from here at 4-1, with the three stars being Reaves, Bouwmeester, and Elliott (18 for 19 in saves), while Stewart and Cracknell get the honorable mentions.

Further to the south, the Dallas Stars welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets in the game-to-watch tonight. Sergei Bobrovsky and Kari Lehtonen protect the nets. Columbus quickly started in the first period with a Cam Atkinson goal, his seventh of the season, passed from Blake Comeau and Brandon Dubinsky. Dallas tied it in the second period on a Jamie Benn power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by Erik Cole and Ray Whitney. The Blue Jackets took the lead in the third period on a Mark Letestu goal, his thirteenth of the season coming on the power play from Dubinsky. Columbus added on as Atkinson scored his second of the game and eighth of the year, with helpers provided by Jack Johnson and Dalton Prout on the power play. This held up as a 3-1 final score, with the three stars handed to Atkinson, Dubinsky, and Bobrovsky (31 for 32 in saves).

Finally, in Vancouver, the Canucks host the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Roberto Luongo are the veteran goalies. Anaheim was first to score in the second period with a Matt Beleskey power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Cam Fowler and Kyle Palmieri. The Ducks added on with a Brad Staubitz goal, fueled by Dave Steckel and Ben Lovejoy. Vancouver got on the board in the third period as Jason Garrison potted his eighth of the year, a power play goal set up by Ryan Kesler and Henrik Sedin. Anaheim answered with an empty net goal by Andrew Cogliano, his thirteenth of the campaign, passed from Toni Lydman. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars given to Beleskey, Garrison, and Fowler.

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