Tuesday, March 18, 2014

NHL Day 169 2013-2014

Big night tonight, with twelve games on. We begin with the...

New Jersey Devils hosting the Boston Bruins. Chad Johnson and Martin Brodeur are in the blue paint. Boston led off in the first period with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his twentieth of the season, made possible by Reilly Smith and Andrej Meszaros. New Jersey tied it in the second period on a Patrik Elias power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, powered by Travis Zajac and Michael Ryder. The Bruins retook the lead on a shorthanded Brad Marchand goal, his twenty-second of the campaign, set up by Bergeron and Zdeno Chara. Boston added on with a Jarome Iginla goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, coming off of David Krejci and Torey Krug. The Bruins extended the lead with a third period Chris Kelly goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Carl Soderberg and Loui Eriksson. The Devils got one back on a Zajac goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, fueled by Eric Gelinas and Jaromir Jagr. This only made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars going to Bergeron, Zajac, and Iginla.

Over on Long Island, the New York Islanders welcome the Minnesota Wild. Ilya Bryzgalov and Anders Nilsson are the backups making spot starts. Minnesota opened in the first period on a Matt Moulson goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Justin Fontaine and Mikko Koivu. The Wild added on as Jared Spurgeon scored his fourth of the year, with the help of Dany Heatley and Nino Neiderreiter. Minnesota extended the lead in the second period with a Mikael Granlund goal, his seventh of the season, passed from Jason Pominville and Zach Parise. The Wild padded the lead in the third period on a Clayton Stoner goal, with a lone assist by Koivu. Minnesota kept going on a Fontaine goal, his thirteenth of the year, guided in by Moulson and Koivu, the latter getting a sock trick. The Wild finished it at 6-0 with another Moulson goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the campaign, a power play goal powered by Matt Cooke and Kyle Brodziak. The three stars belonged to Moulson, Koivu, and Fontaine, while Bryzgalov (36 save shutout) gets an honorable mention.

West a little to Pittsburgh, as the Penguins bring in the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen returns from injury to the crease, opposing Jeff Zatkoff. Pittsburgh was first to score in the first period with a Sidney Crosby goal, thirty-second of the season, assisted by Craig Adams. Dallas tied it on a Tyler Seguin goal, his thirty-first of the year, fueled by Trevor Daley. The Penguins retook the lead on a Chris Kunitz goal, his thirty-second of the campaign, coming off of Lee Stempniak. Pittsburgh added on with a second period Stempniak goal, his ninth of the season, courtesy of Kunitz and Crosby. The Penguins extended the lead in the third period with Crosby's second of the game and thirty-third of the year, passed from Stempniak and Matt Niskanen. Pittsburgh wrapped it up at 5-1 with a Brandon Sutter shorthanded goal, his eleventh of the campaign, set up by Brian Gibbons and Robert Bortuzzo. The three stars were given to Crosby, Stempniak, and Kunitz, while Zatkoff (32 for 33 in saves) picks up the honorable mention.

Crossing into Ohio, as the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Carolina Hurricanes. Anton Khudobin and Sergei Bobrovsky are between the pipes. Carolina struck first in the first period on a Nathan Gerbe goal, his fifteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Patrick Dwyer. The Hurricanes added on in the second period with a power play goal by Andrei Loktionov, his fifth of the year, powered by Jay Harrison and Riley Nash. Carolina extended the lead as Dwyer notched his seventh of the season, with the help of Loktionov and Harrison. Curtis McElhinney relieved Bobrovsky for the third period. Columbus got on the board in the period with a Boone Jenner goal, his thirteenth of the year, with helpers from Ryan Johansen and Nathan Horton. This only made it a 3-1 final, with the three stars going to Khudobin (46 for 47 in saves), Dwyer, and Loktionov, while Harrison gets an honorable mention.

Up in Montreal, the Canadiens welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Jean-Sebastien Giguere is mismatched with Carey Price in goal. Colorado started in the first period with a Nathan MacKinnon goal, his twenty-third of the season, helped along by Paul Stastny and Erik Johnson. Montreal tied it in the second period on a Thomas Vanek goal, his twenty-second of the year, guided in by David Desharnais. The Avalanche retook the lead on a Max Talbot goal, his eighth of the campaign, made possible by Matt Duchene and Jamie McGinn. The Canadiens pulled even on a Travis Moen goal, his second of the season, passed from Brandon Prust and Mike Weaver. Montreal took the lead in the third period with a Prust goal, his sixth of the year, assisted by Andrei Markov and Alexei Emelin. Colorado retied it on a McGinn goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, fueled by Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly. The Canadiens took the lead again as Vanek netted his twenty-third of the season, a power play goal powered by Max Pacioretty and Desharnais. Montreal added on with another Vanek power play goal, completing his hat trick on his twenty-fourth of the year, thanks to Emelin and Pacioretty. The Canadiens wrapped it up at 6-3 with a Dale Weise goal, his fifth of the campaign, courtesy of Tomas Plekanec. The three stars were Vanek, McGinn, and Desharnais, while Pacioretty, Emelin, Prust, and Duchene were named as honorable mentions.

Over in Ontario, the Ottawa Senators bring in the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Robin Lehner are called on to start. Ottawa began in the first period with a Mike Hoffman goal, his second of the season, assisted by Erik Condra and Marc Methot. New York tied it on a shorthanded and unassisted Rick Nash goal, his twenty-first of the year. The Senators retook the lead with a Mika Zibanejad power play goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, powered by Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson. The Rangers retied it in the second period on a Derick Brassard goal, his fourteenth of the season, guided in by Carl Hagelin and Kevin Klein. New York took the lead with a Benoit Pouliot goal, his twelfth of the year, going in unassisted. The Rangers added on with an unassisted goal by John Moore, his third of the campaign. New York extended the lead as Ryan McDonagh scored his twelfth of the season, thanks to Brassard and Dan Girardi. Ottawa got one back in the third period with a Milan Michalek goal, his twelfth of the year, going in unassisted. The Rangers shot back on a Derek Stepan goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Mats Zuccarello. New York padded the lead on a Brassard goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the season, with assists provided by Zuccarello and Martin St. Louis. The Senators replied on a Bobby Ryan goal, his twenty-third of the year, fueled by Eric Gryba and Clarke MacArthur. The Rangers finished it at 8-4 on Nash's second of the game and twenty-second of the campaign, helped along by Chris Kreider and Dominic Moore. Brassard, Nash, and Zuccarello earned the three stars.

Moving along to Detroit, as the Red Wings host the Toronto Maple Leafs. James Reimer and Jimmy Howard are the masked men. Detroit opened with a first period goal by Gustav Nyquist, his eighteenth of the season, courtesy of Kyle Quincey. The Red Wings added on in the third period as Nyquist netted his second of the night and nineteenth of the year, an unassisted goal. Toronto got on the board with a Jake Gardiner power play goal, his ninth of the campaign, powered by Morgan Rielly. Detroit shot back as Daniel Alfredsson scored his fifteenth of the season, with the help of David Legwand and Niklas Kronwall. The Maple Leafs pulled back on a James van Riemsdyk goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, coming off of Dion Phaneuf and Joffrey Lupul. This only made it 3-2, the final, with Nyquist, Howard (31 for 33 in saves), and Alfredsson receiving the three stars.

Back east to Philadelphia, where the Flyers welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Antti Raanta and Ray Emery have the green light to start. Chicago struck first in the first period with an Andrew Shaw goal, his seventeenth of the season, assisted by Michal Handzus and Patrick Sharp. The Blackhawks added on as Duncan Keith scored his fourth of the year, thanks to Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa. Philadelphia got on the board with a Scott Hartnell goal, his seventeenth of the season, passed from Braydon Coburn. The Flyers tied it on another Hartnell goal, his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, courtesy of Claude Giroux and Matt Read. Philadelphia won 3-2 with five seconds left in overtime on a Giroux goal, his twenty-fourth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Mark Streit. The three stars went to Hartnell, Giroux, and Emery (23 for 25 in saves).

Way out west, the Calgary Flames bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Nathan Lieuwen and Joni Ortio are the completely unknown goalies. Buffalo began in the first period with a Drew Stafford goal, his fourteenth of the season, going in unassisted. Calgary tied it on a second period Joe Colborne goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Sean Monahan and T.J. Brodie. The Flames took the lead in the third period on a Michael Cammalleri goal, his twentieth of the season, made possible by Chris Butler and Mikael Backlund. Calgary added on with a Paul Byron shorthanded goal, his fifth of the year, set up by Butler. This was good for a 3-1 win, with the three stars being Butler, Cammalleri, and Byron.

Staying in Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers host the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne faces a lesser foe in Viktor Fasth in goal. Edmonton led off in the first period with a Sam Gagner goal, his eighth of the season, via Martin Marincin and David Perron. The Oilers added on in the second period with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, powered by Jordan Eberle and Philip Larsen. Edmonton extended the lead on a Taylor Hall goal, his twenty-third of the campaign, fueled by Gagner and Andrew Ference. Nashville got on the board as Gabriel Bourque scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Patric Hornqvist and Shea Weber. The Oilers shot back in the third period on an Eberle goal, his twenty-second of the year, guided in by Anton Lander and Nugent-Hopkins. Edmonton wrapped it up at 5-1 with another Eberle goal, his second of the game and twenty-third of the campaign, assisted by Nugent-Hopkins. Carter Hutton closed out the game instead of Rinne. The three stars went to Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins, and Gagner.

Down in Anaheim, the Ducks welcome the Washington Capitals. Jaroslav Halak and Jonas Hiller guard the cages. Washington was first to score in the first period with a Joel Ward goal, his twenty-first of the season, assisted by Jason Chimera and Patrick Wey. Anaheim tied it on a Ben Lovejoy goal, his fifth of the year, passed from Andrew Cogliano and Hampus Lindholm. The Capitals took the lead back with a Troy Brouwer power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, powered by Marcus Johansson and Nicklas Backstrom. The Ducks retied it in the third period on a Mathieu Perreault goal, his fourteenth of the year, via Lindholm and Ryan Getzlaf. Washington took the lead again on an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his forty-sixth of the campaign, made possible by John Carlson and Backstrom. This held up for a 3-2 win, with the three stars being Halak (43 for 45 in saves), Ovechkin, and Backstrom, while Lindholm gets an honorable mention.

Finally, in San Jose, the Sharks bring in the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Antti Niemi tend the twines. San Jose started in the second period with a Martin Havlat goal, his eighth of the season, coming on the power play from Brent Burns and Matthew Nieto. Florida tied it on a Brandon Pirri goal, his ninth of the year, going in unassisted. The Panthers took the lead with a Quinton Howden goal, his third of the season, via Pirri and Jimmy Hayes. Florida added on as Scottie Upshall netted his fourteenth of the year, thanks to Joey Crabb and Nick Bjugstad. The Sharks got one back in the third period on a Burns goal, his nineteenth of the campaign, coming off of Joe Thornton. This only made it 3-2, with the three stars being Pirri, Upshall, and Burns.

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