Wednesday, April 1, 2015

NHL April 1st, 2015

Four games tonight, with the first in...

Buffalo, as the Sabres host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jonathan Bernier and Anders Lindback are in goal. Buffalo started in the first period with a Zac Dalpe goal, coming off of Matt Ellis and Andrej Meszaros. Toronto tied it on an Eric Brewer goal, his third of the season, passed from Phil Kessel and Tyler Bozak. The Maple Leafs took the lead on a James van Riemsdyk goal in the second period, his twenty-fifth of the year, via Kessel and Bozak. Toronto added on with a Nazem Kadri goal, his eighteenth of the season, assisted by Richard Panik. The Sabres got one back with a Cody Hodgson goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Andre Benoit and Philip Varone. Buffalo tied it in the third period with a Matt Moulson power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Johan Larsson and Brian Gionta. The Sabres gained the lead on an Ellis goal, helped along by Nikita Zadorov and Gionta. This stood for a 4-3 win, with the three stars given to Ellis, Gionta, and Kessel, while Bozak gets an honorable mention.

Down in Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Penguins welcome their cross-state rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers. Steve Mason and Marc-Andre Fleury are the masked men. Pittsburgh opened in the first period on a Sidney Crosby goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, fueled by Patric Hornqvist and Ian Cole. Philadelphia tied it on a Vincent Lecavalier goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. The Flyers took the lead in the second period as Brayden Schenn scored his fifteenth of the season, thanks to Brandon Manning and Sean Couturier. Philadelphia added on with a third period Schenn goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, guided in by Jakub Voracek and Mark Streit on the power play. The Flyers extended the lead with an unassisted shorthanded goal by Carlo Colaiacovo. This made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars given to Schenn, Mason (24 for 25 in saves), and Colaiacovo.

Out west, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Ben Scrivens and Frederik Andersen are in the creases. Anaheim struck first in the first period on a Francois Beauchemin goal, his eleventh of the season, assisted by Jakob Silfverberg and Hampus Lindholm. The Ducks added on with a Nate Thompson goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Silfverberg. Anaheim extended the lead with a Corey Perry goal in the second period, his thirty-third of the season, guided in by Tomas Fleischmann and Beauchemin. The Ducks padded the lead on a Simon Despres goal, his third of the year, via Andrew Cogliano and Silfverberg, the latter getting a sock trick. Edmonton got on the board with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, coming off of Jordan Eberle. Anaheim shot back with a Cogliano penalty shot goal, his fifteenth of the year, after he was slashed by Oscar Klefbom. This produced the 5-1 final, with the three stars given to Beauchemin, Cogliano, and Silfverberg.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Colorado Avalanche. Reto Berra and Alex Stalock are the backups in goal. San Jose got going in the second period on a Scott Hannan goal, his second of the season, courtesy of Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski. The Sharks added on with a third period goal by Chris Tierney, his fifth of the year, via Matthew Nieto and Taylor Fedun. Colorado got on the board with a Matt Duchene power play goal, his twentieth of the season, powered by Zach Redmond and John Mitchell. San Jose shot back with a Patrick Marleau goal, his eighteenth of the year, guided in by Logan Couture. The Sharks extended the lead on an empty net goal by Couture, his twenty-sixth of the season, set up by Melker Karlsson and Burns. San Jose finished it at 5-1 on a John Scott empty net goal, his third of the year, with a lone assist by Ben Smith. The three stars went to Couture, Stalock (19 for 20 in saves), and Burns.

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