Saturday, April 18, 2015

NHL Division Semifinals, Day 4

Four more game 2s for the day, beginning with a pair of noon games, the first in...

St. Louis, as the Blues host the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Jake Allen man the creases. St. Louis started with a Vladimir Tarasenko goal in the first period, made possible by Alexander Steen and Kevin Shattenkirk. The Blues added on with another Tarasenko power play goal, his second of the game, powered by Steen and Shattenkirk. Minnesota got on the board with a third period goal by Marco Scandella, assisted by Thomas Vanek and Charlie Coyle. St. Louis replied with a Patrik Berglund goal, with a lone helper by Jaden Schwartz. The Blues finished it at 4-1 with a Tarasenko empty net goal, securing a hat trick, set up by Jori Lehtera. The three stars went to Tarasenko, Steen, and Shattenkirk. The series is now tied at 1 and heads to Minnesota.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Petr Mrazek and Ben Bishop are called on to start. Tampa Bay led off in the first period with a Tyler Johnson goal, via Nikita Nesterov and Nikita Kucherov on the power play. The Lightning added on with an Alex Killorn goal in the second period, fueled by Ryan Callahan and Steven Stamkos. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Andrej Suster scored, with the help of Valtteri Filppula and Vladislav Namestnikov. The Lightning padded the lead on Johnson's second of the game, with a lone assist by Victor Hedman. Jimmy Howard replaced Mrazek in the third period. Detroit got on the board in the third period with a Tomas Tatar goal, coming off of Kyle Quincey and Gustav Nyquist. Tampa Bay answered with a Filppula power play goal, powered by Stamkos and Nesterov. The final was 5-1, and the three stars went to Johnson, Filppula, and Nesterov, while Stamkos gets an honorable mention. The series is now tied at 1 heading to Detroit.

Up in New York, the Rangers bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Henrik Lundqvist guard the cages. New York began in the first period with a Derek Stepan goal, assisted by J.T. Miller and Ryan McDonagh. Pittsburgh tied it on a Brandon Sutter power play goal, powered by Steve Downie and Chris Kunitz. The Penguins took the lead with a Sidney Crosby goal, coming off of Patric Hornqvist and Ian Cole. Pittsburgh added on with Crosby's second of the game, via Kunitz and Paul Martin. The Rangers got one back with a Derick Brassard power play goal in the third period, his second of the postseason, made possible by Mats Zuccarello and Keith Yandle. The Penguins replied on a Kunitz power play goal, with helpers provided by Sutter and David Perron. New York got one back with a Rick Nash goal, dished from Stepan and Dan Boyle. The final stood at 4-3, with the three stars going to Crosby, Kunitz, and Sutter, while Stepan gets an honorable mention. The teams travel to Pittsburgh tied at 1 in the series.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Frederik Andersen protect the nets. Winnipeg dented the scoreboard on a second period Adam Pardy goal, coming off of Mathieu Perreault and Adam Lowry. Anaheim tied it on a Patrick Maroon power play goal in the third period, powered by Cam Fowler and Ryan Getzlaf. The Ducks took the lead on a Jakob Silfverberg goal, passed from Ryan Kesler and Simon Despres. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the three stars handed to Silfverberg, Andersen (28 for 29 in saves), and Pavelec (37 for 39 in saves). The Ducks leave home comfortably ahead 2-0 in the series.

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