Saturday, March 14, 2015

NHL March 14th, 2015

Twelve games on a big and important Saturday, beginning with three matinees, the first of which has...

The Philadelphia Flyers hosting the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Steve Mason are in the creases. Philadelphia struck first in the first period on a Wayne Simmonds power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, powered by Brayden Schenn and Mark Streit. The Flyers added on with a Nicklas Grossmann goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Sean Couturier and Simmonds. Detroit got on the board with a second period Justin Abdelkader goal, his nineteenth of the season, via Henrik Zetterberg and Danny DeKeyser. Philadelphia shot back on a Schenn power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, assisted by Simmonds and Claude Giroux. The Flyers extended the lead in the third period on Schenn's second of the game and fourteenth of the season, helped along by Jakub Voracek and Giroux. Philadelphia padded the lead on a Pierre-Edouard Bellemare goal, his fifth of the year, passed from Zac Rinaldo and Vincent Lecavalier. The Red Wings got one back with an Erik Cole power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, with helpers from Marek Zidlicky and Pavel Datsyuk. The Flyers answered on a Matt Read power play goal, his seventh of the year, made possible by Andrew MacDonald and Carlo Colaiacovo. Philadelphia finished it at 7-2 on a Rinaldo goal, dished from Ryan White and Michael Raffl. The three stars went to Schenn, Simmonds, and Rinaldo, while Giroux gets an honorable mention.

Across Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Penguins welcome the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask faces a lesser foe in Thomsa Greiss in goal. Boston was first to score in the first period on a Milan Lucic goal, his fifteenth of the season, fueled by David Pastrnak and Dougie Hamilton. The Bruins iced it at 2-0 with a Zdeno Chara empty net goal, his seventh of the year, set up by Gregory Campbell. The three stars were Rask (30 save shutout), Lucic, and Chara.

Out west, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford faces former Blackhawk Antti Niemi in goal. Chicago started in the first period on a Patrick Sharp goal, his eleventh of the season, guided in by Antoine Vermette and Brent Seabrook. San Jose tied it on a Melker Karlsson goal, his twelfth of the year, via Joe Pavelski and Matt Irwin. The Blackhawks retook the lead in the second period on a Duncan Keith power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Marian Hossa and Brandon Saad. The Sharks tied it again with a Joe Thornton power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, helped along by Logan Couture and Brent Burns. Chicago regained the lead in the third period on a Saad goal, his twenty-first of the season, assisted by Teuvo Teravainen and the goalie Crawford. The Blackhawks added on with a Bryan Bickell goal, his twelfth of the year, guided in by Brad Richards and Michal Rozsival. Chicago extended the lead on a Sharp power play goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the season, with assists provided by Seabrook and Vermette. The Blackhawks padded the lead as Hossa scored an empty net goal, his nineteenth of the year, set up by Niklas Hjalmarsson and Jonathan Toews. The final was 6-2, with the three stars being Sharp, Saad, and Hossa, while Seabrook and Vermette get the honorable mentions.

Back east, the Buffalo Sabres host the New York Rangers. Mackenzie Skapski and Anders Lindback are the unknown goalies. New York dented the scoreboard in the third period on a Keith Yandle goal, his fifth of the season, guided in by Martin St. Louis and Chris Kreider. The Rangers added on with a St. Louis empty net goal, his twentieth of the year, going in unassisted. The final stood at 2-0, with the three stars going to Skapski (20 save shutout), St. Louis, and Yandle.

Down the coast, the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Florida Panthers. Dan Ellis and Cam Ward are the experienced goalies. Florida got going in the second period on a Brandon Pirri power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, powered by Jimmy Hayes. The Panthers iced it at 2-0 in the third period on an empty net goal by Dave Bolland, his fourth of the year, set up by Jussi Jokinen and Derek MacKenzie. The three stars were given to Ellis (27 save shutout), Pirri, and Ward (20 for 21 in saves).

North again to New York, as the Islanders bring in the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Michal Neuvirth occupy the creases. Montreal opened in the second period on a Tomas Plekanec goal, his twentieth of the season, fueled by Alex Galchenyuk and P.A. Parenteau. The Canadiens added on with a Max Pacioretty goal, his thirty-fourth of the year, a shorthanded goal set up by Lars Eller. New York got on the board in the third period on a Josh Bailey goal, his fifteenth of the season, going in unassisted on the power play. Montreal finished it at 3-1 in the third period with an empty net goal by Eller, his eleventh of the year, with a lone assist from Brendan Gallagher. The three stars were Price (35 for 36 in saves), Eller, and Pacioretty.

South to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Andrei Vasilevskiy are the backups in goal. Tampa Bay led off in the third period on a Nikita Kucherov goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, assisted Jonathan Drouin and Matthew Carle. Winnipeg tied it on a Drew Stafford power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, powered by Lee Stempniak and Jiri Tlusty. The Jets took the lead on a Blake Wheeler goal, his twentieth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The final stood at 2-1, with the three stars going to Pavelec (15 for 16 in saves), Wheeler, and Stafford.

All the way across the continent, the Vancouver Canucks welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jonathan Bernier and Eddie Lack are the masked men. Vancouver began in the first period on a Chris Higgins goal, his ninth of the season, fueled by Brad Richardson and Derek Dorsett. The Canucks added on in the second period on a Dorsett goal, his sixth of the year, via Nick Bonino. Vancouver extended the lead as Jannik Hansen scored, his fourteenth of the season, thanks to Ronalds Kenins and Bo Horvat. Toronto got on the board with a third period penalty shot goal by Phil Kessel, his twenty-fourth of the year, coming after he was hooked by Henrik Sedin. The Canucks wrapped it up at 4-1 with a Shawn Matthias empty net goal, his seventeenth of the campaign, set up Dorsett and Kevin Bieksa. The three stars went to Dorsett, Lack (28 for 29 in saves), and Hansen.

Backtracking to St. Louis, the Blues bring in the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Brian Elliott guard the cages. St. Louis got going in the second period on a David Backes goal, his twenty-third of the season, fueled by Alexander Steen and Paul Stastny. Minnesota tied it on a Thomas Vanek goal, his seventeenth of the year, coming off of Justin Fontaine and Charlie Coyle. The Wild took the lead on a Nino Niederreiter goal, his twenty-second of the season, coming in the third period via Mikko Koivu and Jared Spurgeon. Minnesota added on with a Kyle Brodziak goal, his ninth of the year, going in unassisted. The final stood at 3-1, with the three stars given to Dubnyk (41 for 42 in saves), Niederreiter, and Brodziak.

Southwest to Arizona, as the Coyotes host the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider and Mike Smith are the veteran goalies. New Jersey dented the scoreboard in the second period on an Adam Henrique power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Travis Zajac and Damon Severson. The Devils added on in the third period as Stephen Gionta scored his fifth of the year, thanks to Jordin Tootoo and Jon Merrill. Arizona got on the board with a Shane Doan goal, his thirteenth of the season, via Mark Arcobello and Tobias Rieder. New Jersey shot back with a Tootoo goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Michael Cammalleri and Zajac. The Devils extended the lead with a Cammalleri goal, his twenty-fifth of the campaign, helped along by Andy Greene and Adam Larsson. The final was 4-1, and the three stars belonged to Tootoo, Cammalleri, and Schneider (30 for 31 in saves), while Zajac gets an honorable mention.

West to Los Angeles, as the Kings welcome the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Jonathan Quick tend the twines. Los Angeles opened in the first period on a Jeff Carter power play goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, powered by Andrej Sekera and Drew Doughty. Nashville got on the board in the third period on a Craig Smith power play goal, his twenty-second of the year, coming off of Ryan Ellis and Seth Jones. The Predators took the lead on a Viktor Stalberg goal, via Roman Josi and Matt Cullen. This was all they needed for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Rinne (23 for 24 in saves), Stalberg, and Smith.

Finally, the Colorado Avalanche bring in the Calgary Flames. Karri Ramo and Semyon Varlamov have the green light to play goal. Colorado started in the second period on an Alex Tanguay power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, powered by Jarome Iginla and Tyson Barrie. The Avalanche added on with a Ryan O'Reilly goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from Tanguay and Nate Guenin. Calgary got on the board in the third period on a David Jones goal, his twelfth of the season, via Mikael Backlund and Lance Bouma. Colorado shot back on a John Mitchell goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Matt Duchene and Barrie. The Flames pulled back on a Bouma goal, his thirteenth of the season, fueled by Jones and Backlund. The final was 3-2, with the three stars given to Tanguay, Bouma, and Jones, while Barrie and Backlund get the honorable mentions.

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