Tuesday, December 10, 2013

NHL Day 71 2013-2014

Twelve games on a busy Tuesday night, beginning in...

Buffalo, as the Sabres host the Ottawa Senators. Robin Lehner and Ryan Miller are in the creases. Ottawa started in the first period on a Milan Michalek goal, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Cory Conacher. Buffalo tied it in the second period on a Zemgus Girgensons goal, his third of the year, assisted by Christian Ehrhoff. The tie lasted to a shootout, where the Sabres got goals from Matt Moulson, Brian Flynn, Steve Ott, and Girgensons to top the Senators goals by Mika Zibanejad, Kyle Turris, and Michalek. The final was 2-1, with the three stars going to Girgensons, Miller (35 for 36 in saves), and Lehner (35 for 36 in saves), while Michalek gets an honorable mention.

Over in Columbus, the Blue Jackets welcome the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Curtis McElhinney receive the starting nods. New Jersey began in the first period as Travis Zajac scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Reid Boucher and Jaromir Jagr. Columbus tied it on a Cam Atkinson goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Brandon Dubinsky. The Devils retook the lead on a Michael Ryder goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Adam Henrique and Steve Bernier. New Jersey added on in the second period as Damien Brunner scored his fifth of the year, courtesy of Patrik Elias and Dainius Zubrus. The Blue Jackets pulled back with a Dubinsky goal, his sixth of the season, via Atkinson and Jack Johnson. Columbus tied it with Atkinson's second of the game and ninth of the year, again with assists provided by Dubinsky and Ryan Murray. The Blue Jackets took the lead in the third period on a Matt Calvert goal, his third of the season, with helpers from Dubinsky, who got a sock trick, and Atkinson. The Devils got another equalizer as Brunner scored his second of the game and sixth of the year, with the help of Elias and Andy Greene. Columbus retook the lead with a Nick Foligno goal, his ninth of the season, made possible by Ryan Johansen and R.J. Umberger. This stood up for a 5-4 win, with the three stars being Dubinsky, Atkinson, and Brunner, while Elias was the honorable mention.

Up in Montreal, the Canadiens bring in the Los Angeles Kings. Martin Jones and Carey Price are in front of the nets. Los Angeles struck first in the first period on a Jordan Nolan goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Anze Kopitar and Willie Mitchell. The Kings added on as Kopitar scored his ninth of the year, via Mike Richards. Los Angeles extended the lead when Alec Martinez scored in the second period, thanks to Tyler Toffoli and Kyle Clifford. The Kings padded the lead on a Toffoli goal, his eighth of the season, passed from Clifford and Richards. Peter Budaj relieved Price at this time. Los Angeles struck again with a Jake Muzzin power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Jarret Stoll and Slava Voynov. The Kings got another with a Justin Williams goal, hi eleventh of the season, assisted by Stoll and Martinez. This was all they needed for a 6-0 win, with the three stars being Jones (30 save shutout), Toffoli, and Kopitar, while Martinez, Richards, Stoll, and Clifford get the honorable mentions.

Back stateside, the Washington Capitals host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Braden Holtby are the young goalies. Tampa Bay opened in the first period on a Martin St. Louis goal, his thirteenth of the season, coming on the power play from Sami Salo and Tyler Johnson. The Lightning added on as Nikita Kucherov scored his second of the year, a power play goal powered by Teddy Purcell and Matthew Carle. Tampa Bay chased Holtby with a Nate Thompson goal, his third of the season, made possible by J.T. Brown and B.J. Crombeen. Philipp Grubauer relieved Holtby. Washington got on the board with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his twenty-third of the year, assisted by Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals got one back in the second period on a Backstrom power play goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Mikhail Grabovski and Troy Brouwer. The Lightning replied on a Johnson goal, his seventh of the year, coming off of Ondrej Palat and St. Louis. Washington pulled back with another Ovechkin goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the season, fueled by Marcus Johansson and Backstrom on the power play. The Capitals tied it when Ovechkin finished his hat trick with his twenty-fifth of the year, a power play goal set up by Mike Green and Backstrom, the latter getting a sock trick. Tampa Bay took the lead again in the third period on a Palat goal, his fifth of the season, pushed through by Johnson and St. Louis. Washington tied it as Ovechkin scored his fourth of the game and twenty-sixth of the year, with helpers from John Carlson and Backstrom. The Capitals capped the comeback with Eric Fehr cancelling out Kucherov in the shootout, followed by Grabovski doing the same to Purcell before Brouwer scored to seal a 6-5 victory. The three stars were Ovechkin, Backstrom, and St. Louis, while Johnson, Palat, Brouwer, Purcell, Kucherov, and Grabovski all get honorable mentions.

South to Florida, as the Panthers welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Tim Thomas are the veteran goalies. Detroit led off in the first period as Todd Bertuzzi scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Pavel Datsyuk and Johan Franzen on the power play. The Red Wings added on in the second period with a Datsyuk goal, his thirteenth of the year, assisted by Jonathan Ericsson and Franzen. Florida got on the board in the third period as Sean Bergenheim scored his third of the season, passed from Dmitry Kulikov and Aleksander Barkov. The Panthers tied it with a Nick Bjugstad goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Erik Gudbranson and Dylan Olsen. Florida won in overtime as Barkov cancelled out Tomas Tatar so Brad Boyes could pot the winner. The three stars of the 3-2 game were Barkov, Franzen, and Dasyuk.

Back to the north, the New York Rangers bring in the Nashville Predators. Carter Hutton and Henrik Lundqvist are between the pipes. Nashville was first to score in the first period with a Nick Spaling goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Patric Hornqvist and David Legwand. The Predators added on in the second period when Rich Clune scored, with the help of Matt Hendricks and Paul Gaustad. New York got on the board with a Rick Nash goal in the second period, his sixth of the year, guided in by Brad Richards and Derick Brassard. Nashville shot back in the third period with a Hendricks goal, his second of the season, guided in by Clune and Gaustad. The Predators wrapped it up at 4-1 as Gaustad scored his fourth of the year, an empty net goal set up by Legwand and Roman Josi. The three stars belonged to Gaustad, Clune, and Hendricks, while Legwand and Hutton (28 for 29 in saves) get the honorable mention.

Northwest to Winnipeg, as the Jets host the St. Louis Blues. Brian Elliott and Ondrej Pavelec are the masked men. St. Louis got going in the second period as Alexander Steen scored his twenty-first of the season, with the help of T.J. Oshie and David Backes. Winnipeg tied it in the third period with a Bryan Little power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Andrew Ladd and Olli Jokinen. The Blues took the lead back with a Kevin Shattenkirk power play goal, his third of the season, made possible by Derek Roy. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being Elliott (20 for 21 in saves), Shattenkirk, and Steen.

Down in Dallas, the Stars welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Antti Raanta and Kari Lehtonen are the Finnish goalies. Chicago began in the first period with a Michael Kostka goal, his second of the season, passed from Marcus Kruger and Ben Smith. The Blackhawks added on with a Patrick Kane goal, his seventeenth of the year, assisted by Brent Seabrook. Chicago extended the lead in the second period as Brandon Saad scored his tenth of the season, thanks to Andrew Shaw and Kostka. The Blackhawks padded the lead on a Patrick Sharp power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Kane and Duncan Keith. Dan Ellis relieved Lehtonen at this time. Chicago got another as Sharp scored his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, via Keith and Jonathan Toews. Dallas got on the board with an Antoine Roussel goal, his sixth of the year, coming off of Ryan Garbutt and Dustin Jeffrey. The Blackhawks answered with another Saad goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the season, made possible by Seabrook and Kane. The Stars got one back in the third period as Roussel scored his second of the game and seventh of the year, with assists provided  by Sergei Gonchar and Garbutt. This only made it 6-2, the final, with Kane, Sharp, and Roussel getting the three stars, while Saad, Kostka, Seabrook, Keith, and Garbutt all get honorable mentions.

Up a little to Colorado, as the Avalanche bring in the Phoenix Coyotes. Thomas Greiss opposes Semyon Varlamov in goal. Phoenix dented the scoreboard in the second period as Antoine Vermette scored a power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Keith Yandle and Mike Ribeiro. The Coyotes added on with a Jordan Szwarz goal, his second of the year, coming off of Jeff Halpern and Paul Bissonnette. Colorado got on the board as Patrick Bordeleau scored his fourth of the season, via Cody McLeod and Cory Sarich. Phoenix responded on a Vermette goal, his ninth of the year, assisted by Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Mikkel Boedker. This was good for a 3-1 win, with the three stars being Vermette, Greiss (29 for 30 in saves), and Szwarz.

Further north to Calgary, as the Flames host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask faces a lesser foe in Reto Berra in goal. Calgary was first to score in the second period on a Jiri Hudler goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Sven Baertschi and Mark Giordano. Boston tied it in the third period on a David Krejci power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Torey Krug and Zdeno Chara. The Bruins took the lead as Reilly Smith scored his seventh of the campaign, with a lone helper by Ryan Spooner. They went on to win 2-1, with the three stars going to Smith, Rask (26 for 27 in saves), and Krejci.

Staying in Alberta, as the Edmonton Oilers welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Devan Dubnyk are set to start. Edmonton struck first in the first period with a Taylor Hall goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Sam Gagner and Nail Yakupov. Carolina tied it on a Tuomo Ruutu goal, his fourth of the year, thanks to Jeff Skinner and Andrej Sekera on the power play. The Oilers took the lead back on a Yakupov goal, his fifth of the season, guided in by Hall and Andrew Ference. Edmonton added on as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored his seventh of the year, assisted by Jordan Eberle and Ference. The Oilers extended the lead in the second period with a Jesse Joensuu goal, his second of the season, helped along by Mark Arcobello and Anton Belov. The Hurricanes got one back on a Jordan Staal goal, his seventh of the year, coming off of Nathan Gerbe and Sekera. Carolina pulled closer in the third period as Eric Staal scored his eighth of the season, a shorthanded goal going in unassisted. The Hurricanes tied it with a Skinner goal, his tenth of the year, an unassisted goal. Edmonton won 5-4 in overtime as Eberle scored his eleventh of the campaign, a power play powered by Nugent-Hopkins and Gagner. Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins, and Hall got the three stars, while Yakupov, Skinner, Sekera, Ference, and Gagner get the honorable mentions.

Finally, in San Jose, the Sharks bring in the New York Islanders. Kevin Poulin and Antti Niemi are in the creases. San Jose led off in the second period on a Patrick Marleau power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, powered by Dan Boyle and Logan Couture. The Sharks added on with a Joe Pavelski goal, his tenth of the year, via Boyle and Marleau. New York got on the board in the third period as Thomas Vanek scored his tenth of the season, thanks to Kyle Okposo and John Tavares. The Islanders tied it late as Okposo scored his ninth of the year, with the help of Tavares. In the shootout, Vanek and Couture traded goals before Okposo's tally gave the Islanders a 3-2 win. The three stars were handed to Okposo, Vanek, and Tavares, while Couture, Marleau, and Boyle get the honorable mentions.

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