Tuesday, April 7, 2015

NHL April 7th, 2015

Nine games on today, beginning with...

The New Jersey Devils hosting the New York Rangers. Cam Talbot and Cory Schneider are in the blue paint. New York started in the first period with a Kevin Hayes goal, his sixteenth of the season, assisted by Martin St. Louis and Carl Hagelin. The Rangers added on with a Ryan McDonagh power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Keith Yandle and Hayes. New Jersey got on the board with a Patrik Elias goal, his twelfth of the season, a power play goal coming off of Steve Bernier and Scott Gomez. New York answered in the third period on a James Sheppard goal, his seventh of the year, guided in by Dominic Moore and Marc Staal. The Devils pulled back on a Bernier goal, his fourteenth of the season, made possible by Travis Zajac and Michael Cammalleri. The Rangers iced it at 4-2 with a Hagelin empty net goal, his seventeenth of the year, via Hayes. The three stars went to Hayes, Bernier, and Hagelin.

Over in Philadelphia, the Flyers welcome the New York Islanders. Jaroslav Halak and Steve Mason are the solid goalies. Philadelphia struck first in the first period on a Claude Giroux power play goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, powered by Mark Streit and Jakub Voracek. The Flyers added on with another Giroux goal, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the year, guided in by Streit and Voracek. New York got on the board with a John Tavares power play goal in the second period, his thirty-sixth of the season, via Ryan Strome and Nick Leddy. Philadelphia shot back on a Pierre-Edouard Bellemare goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Vincent Lecavalier and Nicklas Grossmann. The Flyers extended the lead in the third period on a Carlo Colaiacovo goal, his second of the season, with a lone helper by Zac Rinaldo. The Islanders replied with an Anders Lee goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, helped along by Josh Bailey and Lubomir Visnovsky. New York chipped closer with a Johnny Boychuk goal, his ninth of the season, fueled by Tavares. The Islanders tied it on another Lee goal, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the year, driven in by Tavares. Philadelphia won 5-4 with a Brayden Schenn goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, assisted by Sean Couturier and Streit, the latter getting a sock trick. The three stars went to Giroux, Lee, and Streit, while Voracek and Tavares get the honorable mentions.

West to Detroit, as the Red Wings bring in the Carolina Hurricanes. Anton Khudobin is mismatched with Jimmy Howard in goal. Detroit dented the scoreboard in the second period as Henrik Zetterberg scored his seventeenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Stephen Weiss and Darren Helm. Carolina tied it on a Nathan Gerbe goal, his tenth of the year, courtesy of Victor Rask and Chris Terry. The Hurricanes took the lead with a Terry goal, his eleventh of the season, passed from Justin Faulk and Rask. The Red Wings retied it in the third period as Gustav Nyquist netted his twenty-seventh of the year, thanks to Pavel Datsyuk and Danny DeKeyser. Detroit took the lead back with a Datsyuk goal, his twenty-fifth of the campaign, helped along by Zetterberg and Marek Zidlicky. This held up for a 3-2 win, with the three stars being Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Terry, while Rask gets an honorable mention.

Into Ontario, as the Ottawa Senators host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Andrew Hammond man the nets. Pittsburgh led off in the first period with a Sidney Crosby goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, passed from Patric Hornqvist and Paul Martin. The Penguins added on with a Beau Bennett goal, his fourth of the year, fueled by Ian Cole. Pittsburgh extended the lead with a Hornqvist goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, made possible by Crosby and Rob Scuderi. Ottawa got on the board in the second period as Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored his eighth of the year, a shorthanded goal going in unassisted. The Senators pulled closer in the third period as Mark Stone scored his twenty-third of the season, thanks to Clarke MacArthur. Ottawa tied it on a Mike Hoffman goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, with helpers from Mika Zibanejad and Kyle Turris. The Senators won 4-3 in overtime on a Stone goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the campaign, set up by Erik Karlsson and Turris. The three stars went to Stone, Crosby, and Hornqvist, while Turris gets an honorable mention.

Back south, the St. Louis Blues welcome the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Jake Allen are set to start in goal. Winnipeg began in the first period with a Chris Thorburn goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Jim Slater and Adam Pardy. This stood for a 1-0 win, with the three stars going to Pavelec (30 save shutout), Thorburn, and Allen (30 for 31 in saves).

North a little to Chicago, as the Blackhawks bring in the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Corey Crawford are between the pipes. Minnesota got going in the third period on a Mikael Granlund goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Zach Parise and Jason Pominville. The Wild added on with a Jason Zucker goal, his nineteenth of the year, guided in by Chris Stewart and Ryan Suter. Chicago got on the board with a Bryan Bickell goal, his fourteenth of the campaign, fueled by Patrick Sharp and Niklas Hjalmarsson. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars handed to Dubnyk (32 for 33 in saves), Zucker, and Granlund.

Northwest to Calgary, as the Flames host the Arizona Coyotes. Mike Smith and Jonas Hiller protect the nets. Calgary was first to score in the first period on a Johnny Gaudreau power play goal, his twenty-third of the season, powered by Dennis Wideman and Kris Russell. Arizona tied it on a second period goal by B.J. Crombeen, his third of the year, passed from Craig Cunningham. The Flames reclaimed the lead in the third period on a David Jones goal, his fourteenth of the season, coming off of Michael Ferland and Matt Stajan. The Coyotes tied it again with a Cunningham goal, his third of the year, with a lone assist by Kyle Chipchura. Calgary pulled ahead on a Sean Monahan goal, his thirty-first of the season, made possible by Jiri Hudler and Wideman. This was all they needed for a 3-2 win, with the three stars handed to Wideman, Cunningham, and Monahan.

Back south, the Colorado Avalanche welcome the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Semyon Varlamov tend the twines. Nashville opened in the first period with a Calle Jarnkrok goal, his seventh of the season, courtesy of Matt Cullen and Viktor Stalberg. Colorado tied it in the second period as Jarome Iginla scored his twenty-seventh of the year, thanks to Tyson Barrie and Matt Duchene. The Avalanche took the lead on a Ryan O'Reilly goal, his seventeenth of the season, fueled by Gabriel Landeskog. The Predators retied it in the third period with a Ryan Ellis power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Colin Wilson and Craig Smith. Colorado took the lead back with a Joey Hishon goal, passed from Marc-Andre Cliche. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Hishon, O'Reilly, and Iginla.

Finally, the Edmonton Oilers bring in the Los Angeles Kings. Martin Jones and Richard Bachman are the backups in goal. Edmonton got going in the second period as Matt Fraser scored his seventh of the season, with the help of Martin Marincin and Anton Lander. Los Angeles tied it on a Jake Muzzin goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty. The Oilers took the lead back as Benoit Pouliot scored his eighteenth of the season, an unassisted goal. Edmonton added on in the third period with a Tyler Pitlick goal, his second of the year, with assists provided by Oscar Klefbom and Lander. The Kings pulled back with a Doughty power play goal, his seventh of the season, with a lone assist by the goalie Jones. The Oilers iced it at 4-2 with a Fraser empty net goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, set up by Nail Yakupov. The three stars went to Fraser, Lander, and Doughty.

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