Saturday, January 17, 2015

NHL January 17th, 2015

Twelve games on today, beginning with...

The Boston Bruins hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets. Curtis McElhinney is mismatched with Tuukka Rask in goal. Columbus opened in the first period on a Ryan Johansen goal, his seventeenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Jack Johnson and Scott Hartnell. Boston tied it on a Carl Soderberg goal, his tenth of the year, coming off of Loui Eriksson and Chris Kelly. The Blue Jackets took the lead back with a Matt Calvert goal in the third period, his fifth of the season, assisted by Cam Atkinson and Brandon Dubinsky. Columbus iced it at 3-1 with a Calvert empty net goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, set up by Johansen and James Wisniewski. The three stars went to McElhinney (34 for 35 in saves), Calvert, and Johansen.

Over to Buffalo, where the Sabres welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Rob Zepp and Michal Neuvirth are the little-known goalies. Buffalo struck first in the first period on a Zemgus Girgensons goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Chris Stewart and Brian Flynn. Philadelphia tied it in the second period with an R.J. Umberger power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Matt Read and Michael Del Zotto. The Flyers took the lead on a power play goal by Mark Streit, his sixth of the season, via Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek. The Sabres retied it on a Tyler Ennis goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Matt Moulson and Rasmus Ristolainen. Philadelphia took the lead again in the third period on a Chris VandeVelde goal, his fourth of the season, guided in by Vincent Lecavalier and Carlo Colaiacovo. The Flyers added on with a Michael Raffl goal, his twelfth of the year, with assists provided by Del Zotto and Luke Schenn. Buffalo got one back on Girgensons' second of the night and thirteenth of the campaign, helped along by Moulson and Stewart. This only made it 4-3, with the three stars going to Girgensons, Moulson, and Del Zotto, while Stewart gets an honorable mention.

Northwest to Detroit, as the Red Wings bring in the Nashville Predators. Carter Hutton and Petr Mrazek are the unknown goalies. Detroit quickly started in the first period on a Gustav Nyquist goal, his seventeenth of the season, assisted by Riley Sheahan and Tomas Tatar. The Red Wings added on with a Kyle Quincey goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Pavel Datsyuk. Detroit extended the lead with a Tatar goal, his nineteenth of the season, made possible by Nyquist and Niklas Kronwall. Hutton was pulled for Marek Mazanec. Nashville got on the board with a Mattias Ekholm goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Colin Wilson. The Red Wings answered on a Henrik Zetterberg power play goal in the second period, his eleventh of the season, powered by Datsyuk and Kronwall. Detroit padded the lead as Tatar scored his second of the game and twentieth of the year, with the help of Sheahan and Stephen Weiss. The Predators got one back in the third period on a Mike Fisher goal, his ninth of the campaign, driven in by Roman Josi and Shea Weber on the power play. This only made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars going to Tatar, Nyquist, and Datsyuk, while Sheahan and Kronwall get the honorable mentions.

Up in Montreal, the Canadiens host the New York Islanders. Jaroslav Halak and Dustin Tokarski are called on to start. Montreal was first to score in the first period on a P.K. Subban power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Andrei Markov and Tomas Plekanec. The Canadiens added on in the second period on a Dale Weise goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Plekanec and Max Pacioretty. New York got on the board with a Kyle Okposo goal, his fourteenth of the season, guided in by John Tavares and Josh Bailey. Montreal shot back on a Plekanec power play goal, his twelfth of the year, assisted by Markov and Pacioretty. The Islanders replied on a Nikolai Kulemin goal, his ninth of the season, via Brock Nelson and Bailey. The Canadiens answered with a third period Alex Galchenyuk goal, his eleventh of the year, made possible by Brendan Gallagher and David Desharnais. Montreal padded the lead on a Desharnais goal, his seventh of the year, going in unassisted. The Canadiens extended the lead on a Plekanec goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, fueled by Markov, who got a sock trick, and the goalie Tokarski. Chad Johnson replaced Halak in goal. New York countered with an Anders Lee goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Ryan Strome. The Islanders edged closer with a Tavares power play goal, his twentieth of the year, with helpers provided by Frans Nielsen and Okposo. The final stood from here at 6-4, with the three stars going to Plekanec, Markov, and Desharnais, while Okposo, Tavares, Pacioretty, and Bailey get the honorable mentions.

Over to Ontario, as the Ottawa Senators welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Anton Khudobin and Craig Anderson occupy the creases. Carolina led off in the first period on a Brad Malone goal, his second of the season, fueled by Patrick Dwyer and Jay McClement. Ottawa tied it on a Cody Ceci goal in the second period, his third of the year, coming off of Erik Condra and David Legwand. The Senators took the lead in the third period on a Mark Stone goal, his eleventh of the season, going in unassisted. The Hurricanes tied it with a Justin Faulk goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Nathan Gerbe and Victor Rask. Carolina took the lead on a Gerbe goal, his fourth of the campaign, guided in by Faulk and Tim Gleason. This was good for a 3-2 win, with the three stars going to Gerbe, Faulk, and Khudobin (30 for 32 in saves).

Back stateside, the St. Louis Blues bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jonathan Bernier and Brian Elliott are between the pipes. St. Louis began in the first period on a Kevin Shattenkirk goal, his eighth of the season, courtesy of Ryan Reaves and Maxim Lapierre. The Blues added on in the third period on an Alexander Steen goal, his fifteenth of the year, coming off of David Backes and Alex Pietrangelo. St. Louis made it 3-0, the final, with a T.J. Oshie goal, his twelfth of the campaign, with helpers by Steen and Backes. The three stars were Elliott (27 save shutout), Steen, and Backes.

Southeast to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning host the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Ben Bishop are the talented goalies. Tampa Bay was first to score in the first period on a Ryan Callahan power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Alex Killorn and Anton Stralman. Colorado tied it in the second period with a Ryan O'Reilly goal, his eighth of the year, via Nathan MacKinnon and Jan Hejda. The Lightning took the lead back in the third period on a Stralman goal, his third of the season, passed from Valtteri Filppula. The Avalanche tied it again on a MacKinnon goal, his ninth of the year, coming off of Gabriel Landeskog and Erik Johnson. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Nikita Kucherov and Callahan topped Matt Duchene to give Tampa Bay the 3-2 win. The three stars went to Stralman, Callahan, and MacKinnon.

Staying in the state, the Florida Panthers welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Viktor Fasth and Roberto Luongo are in the blue paint. Edmonton dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Jordan Eberle goal, his twelfth of the season, with a lone assist by Matt Fraser. Florida tied it on an Erik Gudbranson goal, his second of the year, fueled by Jussi Jokinen and Nick Bjugstad. The Panthers took the lead on a Jonathan Huberdeau goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Aleksander Barkov and Dmitry Kulikov. The Oilers tied it in the third period as Matt Hendricks scored his sixth of the year, a shorthanded goal, set up by Boyd Gordon and Mark Fayne. In the shootout, Nail Yakupov had the only tally so Edmonton won 3-2. The three stars went to Fasth (35 for 37 in saves), Luongo (32 for 34 in saves), and Hendricks.

Westward to Dallas, where the Stars bring in the Washington Capitals. Justin Peters and Kari Lehtonen will play in goal. Dallas opened in the first period on a Tyler Seguin power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, powered by Jason Spezza and Cody Eakin. The Stars added on with an Erik Cole, his eleventh of the year, via Jyrki Jokipakka and Ales Hemsky. Dallas extended the lead in the second period on a Spezza goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Cole and Jokipakka. Washington got on the board with an Eric Fehr goal, his fourteenth of the year, passed from Joel Ward and Brooks Laich. The Capitals pulled closer on an Andre Burakovsky goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Matt Niskanen and John Carlson. Washington tied it in the third period on an Alex Ovechkin goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, with a lone assist by Nicklas Backstrom. The Stars regained the lead on an Antoine Roussel goal, his eleventh of the season, guided in by Ryan Garbutt and John Klingberg. Dallas padded the lead with a Jamie Benn goal, his thirteenth of the year, made possible by Seguin and Colton Sceviour. The Capitals chipped back on a Backstrom goal, his fourteenth of the campaign, helped along by Ovechkin and Karl Alzner. This made it 5-4, the final, with the three stars going to Seguin, Spezza, and Cole, while Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Jokipakka getting the honorable mentions.

Way north to Minnesota, where the Wild host the Arizona Coyotes. Mike Smith faces former job-stealer Devan Dubnyk in goal. Minnesota started in the first period on a Charlie Coyle goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Nino Niederreiter and Christian Folin. The Wild added on in the second period with a Jason Zucker goal, his sixteenth of the year, guided in by Justin Fontaine and the goalie Dubnyk. Arizona got on the board with an Antoine Vermette goal, his eleventh of the season, a power play goal powered by David Moss and Keith Yandle. Minnesota iced it at 3-1 with a third period empty net goal by Zach Parise, his sixteenth of the year, set up by Mikko Koivu. The three stars were handed to Dubnyk (25 for 26 in saves), Zucker, and Coyle.

Southwest to Los Angeles, as the Kings welcome the Anaheim Ducks for a Battle of California. Frederik Andersen and Jonathan Quick tend twines. Los Angeles got going on an Alec Martinez goal in the second period, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Jeff Schultz and Kyle Clifford. Anaheim tied it on a Ryan Getzlaf goal, his fourteenth of the year, assisted by Patrick Maroon and Corey Perry. The Kings took the lead back on an Anze Kopitar goal, his eleventh of the season, a power play goal powered by Marian Gaborik and Jake Muzzin. The Ducks tied it in the third period on a Sami Vatanen power play goal, guided in by Cam Fowler and Maroon. Anaheim won 3-2 in the shootout on a Jakob Silfverberg goal. The three stars went to Maroon, Vatanen, and Getzlaf.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Calgary Flames. Joni Ortio and Antti Niemi are the Finnish goalies. Calgary struck first in the first period on a Dennis Wideman goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Joe Colborne and Mason Raymond. The Flames added on with a Colborne shorthanded goal, his fourth of the year, set up by Matt Stajan. San Jose got on the board in the second period as Logan Couture scored his sixteenth of the season, thanks to Patrick Marleau and Justin Braun. The Sharks tied it on a Joe Thornton power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Joe Pavelski and Marleau. San Jose took the lead on a Melker Karlsson goal, his seventh of the season, via Pavelski and Braun. Calgary retied it on a Jiri Hudler goal, his fourteenth of the year, assisted by Mikael Backlund and Mark Giordano. The Flames won 4-3 in overtime on a Sean Monahan goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, with assists provided by Giordano and Paul Byron. The three stars were given to Colborne, Giordano, and Pavelski, while Marleau and Braun get the honorable mentions.

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