NHL April 2nd 2013

This post detailing last night's games is delayed because I was at the Sounders game. There are seven games on, beginning on...

Long Island, as the New York Islanders host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Kevin Poulin are the weak starters. New York began in the first period as Anders Lee scored, thanks to Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas. Winnipeg tied it with a Paul Postma goal, his second of the season, fueled by Eric Tangradi and Kyle Wellwood. The Jets added on in the second period with another Postma goal, his second of the game and third of the year, helped along by Chris Thorburn and Tangradi. The Islanders tied it on a Colin McDonald goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Michael Grabner and Mark Streit. New York took the lead back with a Frans Nielsen power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Josh Bailey and Streit. The Islanders extended the lead in the third period on a Matt Moulson goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by John Tavares and Brad Boyes. New York iced it at 5-2 as Tavares put his twenty-third of the year into the empty net, and Boyes and Moulson provided the assists. The three stars were given to Nielsen, Lee, and Postma, while Moulson, Tavares, Streit, Boyes, and Tangradi receive the honorable mentions.

Over in Boston, the Bruins host the Ottawa Senators. Robin Lehner and Anton Khudobin are given the starting nods. Ottawa started in the first period with a Colin Greening goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Zack Smith and Marc Methot. Boston tied it on a David Krejci goal, his ninth of the year, courtesy of Zdeno Chara and Milan Lucic. The Bruins took the lead with a Tyler Seguin goal, his twelfth of the season, passed from Brad Marchand. The Senators retied it in the third period as Andre Benoit scored his third of the year, coming off of Jakob Silfverberg and Mika Zibanejad. Boston took the lead back as Nathan Horton recorded his twelfth of the campaign, fueled by Lucic and Krejci. This held up for a 3-2 win, with the three stars belonging to Seguin, Lucic, and Khudobin (45 for 47 in saves), while Krejci and Lehner (47 for 50 in saves) get the honorable mentions.

South to Raleigh, where the Carolina Hurricanes bring in the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Dan Ellis are in the creases. Carolina struck first in the first period as Jiri Tlusty scored his fifteenth of the season, assisted by Bobby Sanguinetti and Alexander Semin. The Hurricanes added on as Tlusty scored his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, courtesy of Marc-Andre Bergeron and Eric Staal on the power play. Washington got on the board with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his nineteenth of the season, passed from Nicklas Backstrom and John Carlson. The Capitals tied it in the second period with a Mike Green power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Backstrom and Ovechkin. Carolina took the lead back as Tlusty finished his hat trick with hims seventeenth of the season, guided in by Eric Staal and Semin on the power play. Washington pulled even again as Green scored his second of the game and seventh of the year, thanks to Backstrom, who got a sock trick. Justin Peters relieved Ellis at this time. The Capitals took the lead as Ovechkin notched his second of the night and twentieth of the season, with assists provided by Backstrom and Marcus Johansson. Washington padded the lead as Joel Ward scored his seventh of the year, a shorthanded goal with a lone assist from Johansson. This was it for the scoring, producing a 5-3 final, with the three stars being Backstrom, Tlusty, and Ovechkin, while Green, Johansson, Semin, and Eric Staal all earn honorable mentions.

Further to the south, the Tampa Bay Lightning host their in-state rivals, the Florida Panthers. Jacob Markstrom and Mathieu Garon are between the pipes. Florida led off in the first period on a power play goal by Tomas Kopecky, his thirteenth of the season, powered by T.J. Brennan and Tomas Fleischmann. The Panthers added on in the second period as Greg Rallo scored a power play goal, set up by Brennan and Filip Kuba. Tampa Bay got on the board in the third period with a Tom Pyatt goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Teddy Purcell and Matt Carle. The Lightning tied it with an Alex Killorn goal, his sixth of the campaign, coming off of Victor Hedman and Purcell. The game went to a shootout, where Florida won 3-2 on a lone tally by Peter Mueller. The three stars were awarded to Markstrom (39 for 41 in saves), Hedman, and Purcell, while Brennan gets an honorable mention.

Back in the north, the Pittsburgh Penguins welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller and Tomas Vokoun have the green light to start. Buffalo was first to score in the first period as Kevin Porter scored a shorthanded and unassisted goal. Pittsburgh tied it with a Jarome Iginla power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Chris Kunitz and Evgeni Malkin. The Sabres took the lead back with a Steve Ott goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Jason Pominville and Adam Pardy. Buffalo extended the lead in the second period when Cody Hodgson put away his thirteenth of the campaign, with the help of Pominville and Mark Pysyk. The Sabres added on with another Porter goal, his second of the game, made possible by Brian Flynn and Andrej Sekera. Marc-Andre Fleury relieved Vokoun at this time, and from here both goalies were perfect. The final was 4-1, and the three stars were given to Porter, Pominville, and Ott.

Southwest to Nashville, where the Predators host the Colorado Avalanche. Jean-Sebastien Giguere is mismatched with Pekka Rinne in goal. Colorado got going in the third period on a Matt Duchene goal, his fifteenth of the season, assisted by P.A. Parenteau and Matt Hunwick. Nashville tied it with a Patric Hornqvist power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Taylor Beck and Shea Weber. The Predators took the lead on a David Legwand goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Beck and Hornqvist. Nashville iced it at 3-1 with a Paul Gaustad empty net goal, his second of the year, with assists from Kevin Klein and Legwand. Legwand, Rinne (25 for 26 in saves), and Hornqvist were named the three stars.

Finally, in Phoenix, the Coyotes host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Jason LaBarbera tend the twines. Phoenix opened in the first period with a Keith Yandle goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Kyle Chipchura and Raffi Torres. Los Angeles tied it as Justin Williams scored his eighth of the year, an unassisted goal. The Coyotes took the lead back in the second period as Matthew Lombardi registered his fourth of the season, thanks to Rob Klinkhammer and Mikkel Boedker. Phoenix padded the lead in the third period with another Yandle goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, helped along by Chipchura and Torres. This was good for a 3-1 win, with the three stars being LaBarbera (39 for 40 in saves), Yandle, and Klinkhammer, while Chipchura and Torres receive the honorable mentions.

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