Friday, December 18, 2015

2015-16 NHL Season - Day 72

Six games on tonight, beginning with...

The Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Cam Ward are the veterans in goal. Florida dented the scoreboard in the third period on a Willie Mitchell goal, coming off of Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov. The Panthers iced it at 2-0 with an unassisted empty net goal by Reilly Smith, his eleventh of the campaign. The three stars went to Luongo (24 save shutout), Mitchell, and Ward (16 for 17 in saves).

Up in Pittsburgh, the Penguins welcome the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask faces a lesser foe in Jeff Zatkoff in goal. Pittsburgh began in the first period with a Conor Sheary goal, made possible by Sidney Crosby. Boston tied it on a Frank Vatrano goal, his third of the season, assisted by Ryan Spooner and Landon Ferraro. The Bruins took the lead in the second period on a shorthanded goal by Patrice Bergeron, his tenth of the year, set up by Brad Marchand. The Penguins tied it on a Trevor Daley goal, via Crosby and Sheary. Boston took the lead back on a Loui Eriksson power play goal, his twelfth of the campaign, powered by Spooner and David Krejci. The Bruins added on with a Bergeron goal in the third period, his second of the game and eleventh of the season, coming off of Zdeno Chara and Marchand. Boston extended the lead as Vatrano scored his second of the game and fourth of the year, thanks to Spooner, who got a sock trick, and Jimmy Hayes. The Bruins iced it at 6-2 with a Vatrano goal, completing his hat trick on his fifth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Spooner. The three stars went to Vatrano, Bergeron, and Spooner, while Sheary, Crosby, and Marchand get the honorable mentions.

Over to DC, where the Washington Capitals bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Braden Holtby guard the cages. Tampa Bay led off in the first period on an Alex Killorn goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Jonathan Marchessault and Braydon Coburn. The Lightning added on in the second period with an Andrej Sustr goal, passed from Nikita Kucherov. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Steven Stamkos scored his twelfth of the year, thanks to Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman. Philipp Grubauer replaced Holtby in goal. Washington got on the board with an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by T.J. Oshie and John Carlson. The Capitals pulled closer on an unassisted Oshie goal in the third period, his eleventh of the year. Washington tied it on an Ovechkin power play goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the season, via Jason Chimera and Justin Williams. The Capitals gained the lead on a Marcus Johansson power play goal, his sixth of the year, made possible by Oshie and Ovechkin. Washington iced it at 5-3 with an Oshie empty net goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the campaign, set up by Nicklas Backstrom and Ovechkin. The three stars were awarded to Ovechkin, Oshie, and Johansson.

Along to Detroit, with the Red Wings hosting the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan Miller and Jimmy Howard are the experienced goalies. Vancouver struck first in the first period on a Jared McCann goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Jannik Hansen. The Canucks added on in the second period with a Sven Baertschi goal, his third of the year, assisted by Bo Horvat and Radim Vrbata. Detroit got on the board with a Joakim Andersson goal, passed from Danny DeKeyser and Luke Glendening. The Red Wings tied it on a Pavel Datsyuk goal, his third of the season, coming off of Brendan Smith and Alexey Marchenko in the third period. Vancouver took the lead back on a Vrbata goal, his tenth of the year, with helpers provided by Christopher Tanev and Baertschi. Detroit tied it with a Henrik Zetterberg goal, his sixth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Datsyuk. The tie went to a shootout, where Vrbata was matched by Brad Richards before Linden Vey scored to give the Canucks a 4-3 win. The three stars went to Vrbata, Datsyuk, and Baertschi.

In Ontario, the Ottawa Senators welcome the San Jose Sharks. Alex Stalock and Craig Anderson draw the starts in goal. San Jose got going in the second period on a Joe Thornton power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski. Ottawa tied it on an unassisted Bobby Ryan goal, his eleventh of the year, going in unassisted. The Senators took the lead on a Jean-Gabriel Pageau goal in the third period, his ninth of the campaign, passed from Dave Dziurzynski and Cody Ceci. Ottawa added on as Chris Wideman scored his fourth of the season, with the help of Curtis Lazar and Shane Prince. The Senators extended the lead as Erik Karlsson scored his eighth of the year, assisted by Mike Hoffman and Ryan. The Sharks got one back with an unassisted Burns goal, his twelfth of the campaign. This made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars handed to Ryan, Burns, and Wideman.

Finally, the Winnipeg Jets bring in the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Connor Hellebuyck are the masked men. Winnipeg was first to score in the first period on a Bryan Little goal, his eleventh of the season, via Blake Wheeler. The Jets added on with a Little goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the year, courtesy of Wheeler and Andrew Ladd. New York got on the board with a J.T. Miller goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Kevin Hayes and Keith Yandle. Winnipeg replied with a Dustin Byfuglien goal, his ninth of the year, passed from Mark Scheifele. The Rangers answered on a Dan Boyle power play goal in the second period, his third of the season, powered by Ryan McDonagh and Derick Brassard. The Jets countered with a Tyler Myers goal, his third of the year, helped along by Wheeler, who got a sock trick, and Little. Winnipeg iced it at 5-2 with a Ladd empty net goal in the third period, his ninth of the campaign, set up by Wheeler. The three stars were handed to Little, Wheeler, and Ladd.

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