Eight games on tonight in the beginning of a short week due to the Christmas break. The first game is...
The Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Washington Capitals. Philipp Grubauer and Cam Ward are the middling goalies. Washington opened in the first period on a Michael Latta goal, his third of the season, passed from Andre Burakovsky and Dmitry Orlov. The Capitals added on with a Jason Chimera goal in the second period, his ninth of the year, courtesy of John Carlson and Jay Beagle. Carolina got on the board with a Kris Versteeg goal in the third period, his fifth of the campaign, assisted by John-Michael Liles and Eric Staal. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Grubauer (31 for 32 in saves), Chimera, and Latta.
Up in Brooklyn, the New York Islanders welcome the Anaheim Ducks. Frederk Andersen and Jaroslav Halak are the solid goalies. Anaheim was first to score in the first period on a Carl Hagelin goal, his third of the season, via Andrew Cogliano. New York tied it on a Cal Clutterbuck goal, his seventh of the year, assisted by Thomas Hickey and Casey Cizikas. The Islanders took the lead on a Travis Hamonic goal, his second of the season, fueled by John Tavares and Ryan Strome. New York added on with a Brock Nelson goal, his twelfth of the year, guided in by Tavares and Johnny Boychuk. John Gibson replaced Andersen at the start of the second period. The Ducks got one back on a Josh Manson goal in the third period, his second of the season, courtesy of Sami Vatanen and Ryan Getzlaf. The Islanders replied on a Josh Bailey goal, his seventh of the year, with a lone assist by Anders Lee. New York iced it at 5-2 on a Matt Martin goal empty net goal, his fourth of the campaign, set up by Cizikas. The three stars were Nelson, Tavares, and Cizikas.
Over to Philadelphia, where the Flyers host the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Steve Mason occupy the creases. St. Louis led off in the first period on a Robby Fabbri goal, his sixth of the season, via Dmitrij Jaskin. The Blues added on with a Kevin Shattenkirk power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Vladimir Tarasenko and Paul Stastny. St. Louis extended the lead as Magnus Paajarvi scored his second of the season, thanks to Stastny in the second period. Philadelphia got on the board with a Chris VandeVelde shorthanded goal, his second of the year, set up by Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. The Flyers pulled closer on a Wayne Simmonds goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Jakub Voracek and Shayne Gostisbehere. Philadelphia tied it on a Simmonds power play goal in the third period, his second of the game and ninth of the year, helped along by Voracek and Gostisbehere. The Flyers took the lead with an Evgeny Medvedev goal, his second of the campaign, courtesy of Ryan White and VandeVelde. This made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars being Simmonds, VandeVelde, and Voracek, while Gostisbehere and Stastny get the honorable mentions.
Across Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Penguins bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and Matthew Murray are the unknown goalies. Columbus struck first in the first period on an Alexander Wennberg goal, his third of the season, assisted by Fedor Tyutin and Brandon Saad. Pittsburgh tied it on a second period Evgeni Malkin power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, powered by David Perron and Trevor Daley. The Penguins took the lead on a Phil Kessel goal, his tenth of the season, guided in by Scott Wilson and Nick Bonino. Pittsburgh added on with Kessel's second of the game and eleventh of the year, via Bonino and Olli Maatta. The Penguins extended the lead as David Warsofsky scored a power play goal, thanks to Chris Kunitz and Perron. The Blue Jackets got one back on a Boone Jenner goal in the third period, his thirteenth of the season, coming off of Ryan Johansen and Andrew Bodnarchuk. Pittsburgh iced it at 5-2 on a Malkin empty net goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, made possible by Patric Hornqvist and Matt Cullen. The three stars went to Kessel, Malkin, and Bonino, while Perron gets an honorable mention.
Down in Nashville, the Predators host the Montreal Canadiens. Dustin Tokarski and Pekka Rinne draw the starts. Nashville started in the first period on a Shea Weber goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Roman Josi and Calle Jarnkrok. The Predators added on in the second period on a Josi power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Weber and Filip Forsberg. Nashville extended the lead in the third period as Ryan Ellis scored his third of the season, thanks to Colin Wilson and Mike Ribeiro. Mike Condon replaced Tokarski. The Predators padded the lead on a Jarnkrok goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Wilson and James Neal. Montreal got on the board with an Alex Galchenyuk goal, his eighth of the season, via Max Pacioretty and P.K. Subban on the power play. Nashville finished it at 5-1 with a Wilson empty net goal, his second of the year, set up by Weber. The three stars went to Weber, Josi, and Jarnkrok, while Wilson gets an honorable mention.
Way north to Minnesota, where the Wild welcome the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Devan Dubnyk are between the pipes. Minnesota began in the first period on a Jared Spurgeon goal, his fifth of the season, going in unassisted. The Wild added on with a Charlie Coyle goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Justin Fontaine and Nino Niederreiter. Antti Niemi replaced Lehtonen in goal. Dallas got on the board in the second period on a Jordie Benn goal, with a lone helper by Jason Spezza. The Stars tied it on a Vernon Fiddler power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Patrick Eaves and Alex Goligoski. Dallas took the lead as Tyler Seguin scored his nineteenth of the year, with the help of Patrick Sharp and Jamie Benn. The Stars extended the lead in the third period on an Antoine Roussel goal, his sixth of the season, helped along by Johnny Oduya. Minnesota pulled back on a Niederreiter goal, his seventh of the year, with helpers provided by Coyle and Fontaine. Dallas shot back on a Cody Eakin empty net goal, his eighth of the season, an unassisted goal. The Stars wrapped it up at 6-3 on a Fiddler empty net goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, coming off of Seguin. The three stars went to Fiddler, Seguin, and Niederreiter, while Coyle and Fontaine get honorable mentions.
West to Edmonton, with the Oilers hosting the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Cam Talbot are the inexperienced goalies. Edmonton drew first blood in the first period on a Teddy Purcell goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Taylor Hall and Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers added on with another Purcell goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, courtesy of Draisaitl and Hall. Edmonton extended the lead in the second period as Justin Schultz scored, thanks to Purcell and Hall, the latter getting a sock trick. Winnipeg got on the board with a Bryan Little goal, his thirteenth of the season, passed from Blake Wheeler and Tyler Myers. The final held at 3-1, with the three stars being Purcell, Hall, and Talbot (44 for 45 in saves), while Draisaitl gets an honorable mention.
Finally, the Colorado Avalanche bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jonathan Bernier and Semyon Varlamov protect the nets. Colorado dented the scoreboard on a first period goal by Jack Skille, his fifth of the season, made possible by Erik Johnson and Cody McLeod. Toronto tied it on a Leo Komarov power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, powered by Jake Gardiner and Nazem Kadri. The Maple Leafs took the lead on a Joffrey Lupul power play goal, his ninth of the season, via Komarov and Gardiner. The Avalanche tied it in the second period on a John Mitchell goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Alex Tanguay and Jarome Iginla. Toronto took the lead back on Komarov's second of the game and fifteenth of the season, another power play goal helped along by Peter Holland and Gardiner, the latter getting a sock trick. Colorado tied it as Johnson scored his sixth of the year, a power play goal coming off of Gabriel Landeskog and Tyson Barrie. The Maple Leafs took the lead on a third period Tyler Bozak goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by James van Riemsdyk and P.A. Parenteau. Toronto added on with a Bozak goal, his second of the game and seventh of the year, going in unassisted. The Maple Leafs extended the lead as van Riemsdyk scored his eleventh of the season, thanks to Gardiner and Dion Phaneuf. Toronto padded the lead on a Bozak empty net goal, his eighth of the year to complete his hat trick, dished from van Riesmdyk. The Avalanche shot back on a Skille goal, his second of the game and sixth of the campaign, with assists from Zach Redmond and Nick Holden. The final was 7-4, with the three stars going to Komarov, Bozak, and Skille, while Gardiner, Johnson, and van Riemsdyk get the honorable mentions.
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