NHL April 9th 2013

Nine games on tonight, beginning in...

Columbus, with the Blue Jackets hosting the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi and Sergei Bobrovsky are the surprisingly good goalies. Columbus led off in the first period with a Matt Calvert goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Cam Atkinson and Mark Letestu. The Blue Jackets added on in the second period as James Wisniewski scored his fifth of the year, thanks to Adrian Aucoin and Derek MacKenzie. Columbus extended the lead with the third of the season from Ryan Johansen, fueled by Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal. The Blue Jackets padded the lead in the third period as Gaborik scored his eleventh of the year, with the help of Artem Anisimov and Jack Johnson. Thomas Greiss relieved Niemi at this time. The final stood at 4-0, with the three stars being Bobrovsky (30 save shutout), Gaborik, and Wisniewski.

Back east, the Carolina Hurricanes host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Justin Peters receive the starting nods. Carolina struck first in the first period on a Joe Corvo power play goal, his fifth of the season, with a lone assist from Jordan Staal. Pittsburgh tied it as Robert Bortuzzo scored his second of the year, via Pascal Dupuis and Craig Adams. The Penguins took the lead on a Brendan Morrow goal, his seventh of the season, coming off of Jussi Jokinen and Dupuis. The Hurricanes retied it as Bobby Sanguinetti scored his second of the year, with the help of Eric Staal. Carolina took the lead in the third period as Riley Nash scored his fourth of the season, courtesy of Tuomo Ruutu and Chad LaRose. Pittsburgh tied it on a Beau Bennett goal, his third of the year, passed from Adams and Tanner Glass. The Penguins took the lead again with an Evgeni Malkin goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Jarome Iginla. Pittsburgh wrapped it up at 5-3 with an empty net goal by Dupuis, his nineteenth of the year, going in unassisted. Dupuis, Malkin, and Nash received the three stars while Adams gets an honorable mention.

Up on Long Island, the New York Islanders bring in the Philadelphia Flyers. Steve Mason and Evgeni Nabokov are in the creases. Philadelphia was first to score as Jakub Voracek put away his seventeenth of the season, with helpers provided by Claude Giroux and Kimmo Timonen. New York tied it with a Matt Moulson goal, his thirteenth of the year, coming off of Brad Boyes and John Tavares. The Islanders took the lead on a Michael Grabner goal in the second period, his thirteenth of the season, made possible by Colin McDonald and Keith Aucoin. New York padded the lead in the third period as Tavares scored his twenty-fourth of the year, via Moulson and Boyes. The Islanders iced it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Casey Cizikas, his sixth of the campaign, set up by Matt Martin and McDonald. The three stars were given to Moulson, Grabner, and Nabokov (26 for 27 in saves), while Tavares, McDonald, and Boyes get the honorable mentions.

North to Montreal, with the Canadiens hosting the Washington Capitals. Michal Neuvirth is mismatched with Carey Price in goal. Montreal began in the first period with a Lars Eller goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Brandon Prust and Alex Galchenyuk. Washington tied it in the second period on an Alex Ovechkin goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, courtesy of John Carlson and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals took the lead with an Eric Fehr goal, his seventh of the season, set up by Jack Hillen and Steve Oleksy. Washington extended the lead when Hillen scored, thanks to Marcus Johansson and Nicklas Backstrom. The Canadiens got one back in the third period on another Eller goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, passed from Nathan Beaulieu and Galchenyuk. They failed to tie it, losing 3-2, with the three stars going to Ovechkin, Eller, and Neuvirth (27 for 29 in saves), while Hillen, Backstrom, and Galchenyuk get the honorable mentions.

Way to the south, the Tampa Bay Lightning welcome the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson faces former teammate Ben Bishop between the pipes. Ottawa opened in the first period with a Daniel Alfredsson goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Kyle Turris and Chris Phillips. Tampa Bay tied it in the second period as Pierre-Cedric Labrie scored, thanks to Nate Thompson and B.J. Crombeen. The Lightning took the lead on Vincent Lecavalier's ninth of the year, courtesy of Teddy Purcell and Martin St. Louis on the power play. The Senators tied it in the third period on a Guillaume Latendresse power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Turris and Patrick Wiercioch. Tampa Bay took the lead back as Steven Stamkos scored his twenty-sixth of the year, a power play goal, set up by Lecavalier and St. Louis. They held on to win 3-2, with the three stars going to Lecavalier, Sami Salo, and Labrie, while Turris or St. Louis would be a better choice for the second slot.

Northwest to Nashville, with the Predators hosting the St. Louis Blues. Brian Elliott and Pekka Rinne are the masked men. St. Louis got going in the second period with an Alexander Steen goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Vladimir Sobotka and David Perron. This was the only goal in the game, resulting in a 1-0 final. The three stars were handed to Steen, Rinne (25 for 26 in saves), and Elliott (15 save shutout).

Moving along to Minnesota, where the Wild host the Chicago Blackhawks. Ray Emery and Niklas Backstrom guard the cages. Chicago started in the second period as Marian Hossa scored his fourteenth of the season, an unassisted goal. This stood as the only goal in the 1-0 game, with the three stars being Hossa, Backstrom (30 for 31 in saves), and Emery (20 save shutout).

Crossing into Canada again, as the Winnipeg Jets host the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller and Ondrej Pavelec play in the blue paint. Winnipeg began in the second period on a Kyle Wellwood goal, his fourth of the season, with a lone assist by Evander Kane. The Jets added on as Aaron Gagnon scored, thanks to Dustin Byfuglien. Winnipeg extended the lead as Andrew Ladd potted his fifteenth of the year, via Bryan Little. Buffalo got on the board in the third period as Kevin Porter scored his third of the season, an unassisted goal. The Jets finished it off at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Blake Wheeler, his fifteenth of the year, set up by Ladd and Little. Ladd, Pavelec (29 for 30 in saves), and Gagnon were the three stars, while Little gets an honorable mention.

Finally, in Dallas, the Stars host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Kari Lehtonen tend the twines. Los Angeles led off in the first period with a Drew Doughty power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Anze Kopitar and Mike Richards. Richard Bachman relieved Lehtonen midway through the period after the latter left with an injury. Dallas tied it with an Alex Goligoski goal, his second of the year, fueled by Aaron Rome and Vernon Fiddler. The Stars took the lead in the third period on a Ray Whitney goal, his eighth of the season, passed from Alex Chiasson and Trevor Daley. Dallas added on with a Fiddler goal, his second of the year, coming off of Stephane Robidas. The Stars extended the lead when Whitney scored his second of the game and ninth of the season, via Loui Eriksson and Cody Eakin. Dallas padded the lead with Fiddler's second of the game and third of the year, made possible by Eric Nystrom and Daley. This produced a 5-1 final, with the three stars awarded to Whitney, Fiddler, and Robidas, while Daley gets an honorable mention.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.