Friday, April 3, 2015

NHL April 3rd, 2015

Five games on tonight, beginning in...

Buffalo, as the Sabres host the Chicago Blackhawks. Scott Darling and Anders Lindback are the unknown goalies. Chicago started in the first period on a Duncan Keith goal, his tenth of the season, courtesy of Brandon Saad and Andrew Shaw. The Blackhawks added on with a Patrick Sharp goal, his fifteenth of the year, coming off of David Rundblad and Brad Richards. Buffalo got on the board in the second period with a Marcus Foligno goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Rasmus Ristolainen. The Sabres tied it in the third period on a Johan Larsson power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Ristolainen and Tyler Ennis. Buffalo gained the lead with a Foligno goal, his second of the game and eighth of the season, via Brian Gionta and Ristolainen, the latter getting a sock trick. Chicago tied it as Jonathan Toews scored his twenty-sixth of the year, assisted by Shaw. The Blackhawks pulled ahead on Toews' second of the game and twenty-seventh of the campaign, helped along by Saad and Marian Hossa. This made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars going to Toews, Foligno, and Ristolainen, while Shaw and Saad get the honorable mentions.

Down in New Jersey, the Devils welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Dustin Tokarski and Keith Kinkaid are the backups in goal. New Jersey began in the first period on a Stefan Matteau goal, assisted by Adam Larsson and Andy Greene. Montreal tied it on a Tomas Plekanec power play goal, his twenty-third of the season, powered by Sergei Gonchar and Brendan Gallagher. The Canadiens took the lead with a Jeff Petry goal, his seventh of the year, going in unassisted. The Devils tied it in the second period as Reid Boucher scored, thanks to Jon Merrill and Steve Bernier. In the shootout, Jacob Josefson and Patrik Elias scored to give the Devils a 3-2 win. The three stars belonged to Kinkaid (31 for 33 in saves), Matteau, and Boucher.

Further southwest, the Dallas Stars host the St. Louis Blues. Brian Elliott and Kari Lehtonen are the experienced goalies. St. Louis led off in the first period as Patrik Berglund scored his eleventh of the season, coming off of Zbynek Michalek and David Backes. Dallas tied it on a Travis Moen penalty shot goal, his second of the year, coming after he was tripped by Michalek. The Blues retook the lead in the second period with a Berglund goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the campaign, via Kevin Shattenkirk and Dmitrij Jaskin. St. Louis added on with a Jaden Schwartz goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, assisted by T.J. Oshie and Jay Bouwmeester. The Stars got one back with a Jamie Benn goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, passed from Tyler Seguin. Dallas tied it again wit ha Seguin goal, his thirty-sixth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Benn. The Stars took the lead as Benn scored his second of the game and thirtieth of the season, with the help of Seguin and Valeri Nichushkin. Dallas extended the lead as Antoine Roussel scored his thirteenth of the year, thanks to Ryan Garbutt and Cody Eakin. The Blues pulled back on a Schwartz goal, his second of the game and twenty-seventh of the campaign, guided in by Alex Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk. St. Louis evened the score in the third period on a Michalek goal, his fourth of the season, with helpers from Oshie and Bouwmeester. The Blues gained the lead on an unassisted Pietrangelo goal, his seventh of the year. St. Louis iced it at 7-5 on an empty net goal by Schwartz, completing his hat trick on his twenty-eighth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Schwartz, Benn, and Pietrangelo, while Berglund, Michalek, Shattenkirk, Oshie, Bouwmeester, and Seguin all receive honorable mentions.

Out in San Jose, the Sharks bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Louis Domingue is mismatched with Antti Niemi in goal. San Jose opened in the first period with a Logan Couture goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, coming off of Tomas Hertl and Patrick Marleau. The Sharks added on with a Joe Pavelski goal, his thirty-seventh of the year, assisted by Marleau and Couture. Arizona got on the board in the second period as Mark Arcobello scored his sixteenth of the season, an unassisted goal. San Jose answered in the third period on a Matthew Nieto goal, his ninth of the year, passed from Chris Tierney and Matt Irwin. The final stood at 3-1, and the three stars were Couture, Niemi (20 for 21 in saves), and Marleau.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the Colorado Avalanche. Reto Berra and John Gibson are between the pipes. Colorado struck first in the first period on a John Mitchell goal, his eleventh of the season, via Jarome Iginla and Matt Duchene. Anaheim tied it on a Jiri Sekac goal, his ninth of the year, going in unassisted. The Ducks took the lead with a Rickard Rakell goal, his ninth of the season, passed from Corey Perry and Sekac. The Avalanche tied it in the second period as Gabriel Landeskog scored his twenty-third of the year, a power play goal powered by Alex Tanguay and Tyson Barrie. Colorado took the lead in the third period with a Duchene goal, his twenty-first of the season, made possible by Dennis Everberg and Barrie. The Avalanche iced it at 4-2 on an Everberg empty net goal, his third of the year, set up by Brad Stuart. The three stars were handed to Duchene, Sekac, and Everberg, while Barrie gets an honorable mention.

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