Saturday, December 21, 2013

NHL Day 82 2013-2014

Twelve games to play today, beginning with three matinees. The first is in...

Pittsburgh, as the Penguins host the Calgary Flames. Karri Ramo and Marc-Andre Fleury are between the pipes. Pittsburgh opened in the first period with a Pascal Dupuis goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz. The Penguins added on as Henry Zolnierczyk scored, with the help of Robert Bortuzzo and James Neal. Calgary got on the board in the second period as Paul Byron scored his second of the year, thanks to Joe Colborne and Chris Butler. Pittsburgh answered as Crosby scored his twentieth of the season, courtesy of Kunitz and Simon Despres. The Penguins extended the lead on a Neal goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from Matt Niskanen and Crosby. The Flames got one back as Michael Cammalleri scored his eleventh of the season, with a lone assist by Mark Giordano. Calgary pulled closer in the third period on a Jiri Hudler goal, his tenth of the year, coming off of Matt Stajan and T.J. Brodie. They failed to tie it, losing 4-3, with the three stars being Crosby, Neal, and Kunitz.

Up in Ottawa, the Senators welcome the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Craig Anderson are the veteran goalies. Ottawa began in the first period on a Marc Methot power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Bobby Ryan and Kyle Turris. The Senators added on in the second period with a Zack Smith goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Eric Gryba. Phoenix got on the board when Antoine Vermette scored his tenth of the season, courtesy of Lauri Korpikoski and Mikkel Boedker. The Coyotes tied it as Radim Vrbata scored his tenth of the year, a power play goal guided in by Martin Hanzal. Ottawa took the lead back as Methot scored his second of the game and fourth of the season, a shorthanded goal set up by Milan Michalek. Phoenix tied it in the third period as Vermette scored his second of the game and eleventh of the year, a power play goal coming off of David Moss and Boedker. The Coyotes won 4-3 in overtime as Vermette finished his hat trick with his twelfth of the campaign, made possible by Derek Morris. The three stars were Vermette, Methot, and Boedker.

Way southwest to Los Angeles, as the Kings bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Martin Jones protect the nets. Los Angeles started in the first period with a Jeff Carter goal, his eleventh of the season, assisted by Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar. The Kings added on in the second period as Justin Williams scored his twelfth of the year, fueled by Jarret Stoll and Dustin Brown. Colorado got on the board with an Erik Johnson goal, his fifth of the season, a power play goal powered by Matt Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly. The Avalanche tied it in the third period on an O'Reilly goal, his twelfth of the year, passed from Duchene and Tyson Barrie. Los Angeles won 3-2 in the shootout as Kopitar scored the only goal. The three stars were Kopitar, O'Reilly, and Duchene.

Back east, the Boston Bruins host the Buffalo Sabres. Jhonas Enroth is mismatched with Tuukka Rask in goal. Boston was first to score in the first period on a Reilly Smith goal, his tenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Carl Soderberg and Ryan Spooner. Buffalo tied it as Zemgus Girgensons scored his fourth of the year, via Matt Moulson and Henrik Tallinder. The Bruins took the lead back in the second period on a David Krejci goal, his seventh of the season, with a lone helper by Jarome Iginla. Boston added on in the third period with a Milan Lucic goal, his twelfth of the year, assisted by Krejci and Zdeno Chara. The Bruins iced it at 4-1 with a Smith empty net goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the campaign, set up by Johnny Boychuk and Patrice Bergeron. The three stars were Smith, Rask (34 for 35 in saves), and Krejci.

Westward to Columbus, as the Blue Jackets welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Ray Emery and Curtis McElhinney make the spot starts. Columbus led off in the first period with a Ryan Johansen goal, his thirteenth of the season, coming off of Nick Foligno and Marian Gaborik. The Blue Jackets added on with an R.J. Umberger power play goal in the second period, his ninth of the year, powered by James Wisniewski and Ryan Murray. Philadelphia got on the board as Wayne Simmonds scored his seventh of the season, via Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell. The Flyers tied it on a Sean Couturier goal, his seventh of the year, assisted by Matt Read and Vincent Lecavalier. Columbus took the lead in the third period on a David Savard goal, his second of the season, made possible by Nikita Nikitin and Corey Tropp. The Blue Jackets extended the lead as Boone Jenner scored his fourth of the year, assisted by Nikitin and Savard. Columbus padded the lead as Johansen scored his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, courtesy of Tropp and Fedor Tyutin. Philadelphia shot back with a Simmonds goal, his second of the night and eighth of the year, pushed through by Jakub Voracek and Mark Streit. The Blue Jackets iced it at 6-3 with an Unmberger empty net goal, set up by Artem Anisimov and Jack Johnson as his second of the game and tenth of the campaign. Johansen, Simmonds, and Umberger get the three stars, while Savard, Nikitin, and Tropp get the honorable mentions.

South to Nashville, as the Predators bring in the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Marek Mazanec are sent out to start. Montreal struck first in the first period as P.K. Subban scored his fifth of the season, assisted by Lars Eller. The Canadiens added on with a Max Pacioretty goal, his fifteenth of the year, fueled by Brendan Gallagher and Alexei Emelin. Montreal extended the lead on a Tomas Plekanec goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Brian Gionta. Carter Hutton replaced Mazanec at this time. Nashville got on the board in the second period with a Gabriel Bourque goal, his fifth of the year, made possible by Matt Cullen and Viktor Stalberg. The Predators pulled closer as Nick Spaling netted his sixth of the season on the power play, powered by Shea Weber and Craig Smith. Nashville tied it in the third period on a Weber power play goal, his ninth of the year, courtesy of Mike Fisher and Patric Hornqvist. The Canadiens won 4-3 in overtime as David Desharnais scored his fourth of the campaign, an unassisted goal. Weber, Desharnais, and Spaling get the three stars.

Backtracking to DC, as the Washington Capitals host the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Braden Holtby are given the starting nods. New Jersey began in the first period with a power play goal by Marek Zidlicky, his fourth of the season, powered by Andy Greene and Jaromir Jagr. Washington tied it in the second period on a Jason Chimera goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Martin Erat and Joel Ward. The Capitals took the lead as Mikhail Grabovski scored his tenth of the season, passed from Eric Fehr and Troy Brouwer. Washington added on with a Ward goal, his eleventh of the year, assisted by Mike Green and Erat. The Devils got one back in the third period as Jagr scored a power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, via Greene and Patrik Elias. The Capitals shot back on an Alex Ovechkin goal, his thirtieth of the year, guided in by Karl Alzner. New Jersey pulled back with a Zidlicky goal, his second of the game and fifth of the season, thanks to Travis Zajac and Dainius Zubrus. The Devils tied it on a Zubrus goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Zajac. New Jersey won 5-4 in overtime as Greene put away his sixth of the campaign, with the help of Jagr and Elias. The three stars were Jagr, Greene, and Zidlicky, while Ward, Zubrus, Zajac, Elias, and Erat all get honorable mentions.

North to Toronto, as the Maple Leafs welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jonas Gustavsson faces his former team, who plays James Reimer in goal. Toronto was first to score as Cody Franson potted his second of the season, an unassisted goal. Detroit tied it in as Pavel Datsyuk scored his fourteenth of the year, via Riley Sheahan and Danny DeKeyser. The Red Wings took the lead on a Joakim Andersson goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Daniel Alfredsson and Brendan Smith. Detroit added on with a Tomas Jurco goal, his second of the year, fueled by Sheahan and Jordin Tootoo. The Maple Leafs pulled back on a second period Dion Phaneuf goal, his third of the season, assisted by Joffrey Lupul. Toronto tied it with a Lupul power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk. The Maple Leafs took the lead in the third period on a David Clarkson goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Jay McClement and Nikolai Kulemin. The Red Wings retied it with a Tomas Tatar goal, his seventh of the year, passed from Jurco and Niklas Kronwall. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Alfredsson and Datsyuk's goals gave the Red Wings a 5-4 win. The three stars were Datsyuk, Alfredsson, and Lupul, while Jurco and Sheahan get the honorable mentions.

Out to Long Island, where the New York Islanders bring in the Anaheim Ducks. Frederik Andersen and Evgeni Nabokov occupy the creases. New York struck first in the first period on a Thomas Vanek goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Kyle Okposo and Andrew MacDonald. Anaheim tied it in the second period on a Ryan Getzlaf goal, his seventeenth of the year, passed from Corey Perry and Kyle Palmieri. The Islanders retook the lead as Vanek scored his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, an unassisted goal. New York added on as Frans Nielsen potted his twelfth of the year, via Josh Bailey and Thomas Hickey. The Ducks answered in the third period as Getzlaf scored his second of the game and eighteenth of the season, with the help of Perry and Bryan Allen. Anaheim tied it on a Mathier Perreault goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Daniel Winnik and Matt Beleskey. The Ducks took the lead with a Palmieri goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Getzlaf. Anaheim wrapped it up at 5-3 with a Getzlaf empty net goal, completing his hat trick with his nineteenth of the year, set up by Perry, who got a sock trick, and Ben Lovejoy. The three stars were Getzlaf, Vanek, and Palmieri, while Perry gets an honorable mention.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning host the Carolina Hurricanes. Justin Peters and Ben Bishop guard the cages. Carolina opened in the first period with a Jiri Tlusty goal, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Patrick Dwyer and Riley Nash. Tampa Bay tied it as Victor Hedman scored his seventh of the year, via Valtteri Filppula and Alex Killorn. The Hurricanes retook the lead in the second period as Tlusty scored his second of the game and sixth of the season, a shorthanded goal set up by Eric Staal and Ron Hainsey. The Lightning tied it again in the third period on a Martin St. Louis power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Hedman and Filppula. Tampa Bay won 3-2 in overtime as Radko Gudas scored his second of the campaign, assisted by Nate Thompson. The three stars were Tlusty, Hedman, and Filppula.

Northwest to Edmonton, as the Oilers welcome the St. Louis Blues. Brian Elliott and Ilya Bryzgalov are the masked men. St. Louis started in the first period with a Chris Stewart goal, his eleventh of the season, courtesy of Jaden Schwartz. The Blues added on in the second period as Brenden Morrow scored his sixth of the year, via Stewart and Derek Roy. St. Louis extended the lead as Stewart scored his second of the game and twelfth of the season in the third period, assisted by Patrik Berglund and Barret Jackman. The Blues padded the lead as Schwartz scored his tenth of the year, coming off of T.J. Oshie. St. Louis got another when Stewart finished his hat trick on his thirteenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Roy and Kevin Shattenkirk. The Blues kept going as Berglund scored his third of the year, a shorthanded goal set up by Alex Pietrangelo and Magnus Paajarvi. This held up for a 6-0 shutout, with the three stars being Stewart, Elliott (23 save shutout), and Berglund, while Schwartz and Roy get the honorable mentions.

Finally, in San Jose, the Sharks bring in the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen faces a lesser foe in Alex Stalock in goal. Dallas led off in the first period with a Ray Whitney goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Shawn Horcoff. The Stars added on in the second period as Antoine Roussel scored his eighth of the year, via Alex Goligoski and Alex Chiasson. San Jose got on the board with a Jason Demers goal, fueled by Tyler Kennedy and Andrew Desjardins. The Sharks tied it in the third period as Joe Pavelski scored his fourteenth of the season, assisted by Joe Thornton and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. San Jose won 3-2 win a lone tally by Thornton in the shootout. Thornton, Stalock (44 for 46 in saves), and Pavelski got the three stars.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

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