Wednesday, December 30, 2015

2015-16 NHL Season - Day 81

Only five games tonight, beginning with...

The Pittsburgh Penguins hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jonathan Bernier and Matt Murray draw the starts in goal. Toronto opened with a Dion Phaneuf goal, his third of the season, via Nazem Kadri and Leo Komarov. Pittsburgh tied it on a Chris Kunitz power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The Maple Leafs took the lead back in the second period with a Jake Gardiner goal, his third of the season, assisted by James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak. The Penguins tied it on a Crosby goal, his eighth of the year, with a lone assist from Brian Dumoulin. The tie went to a shootout, where David Perron of Pittsburgh got topped by Peter Holland and P.A. Parenteau as the Maple Leafs won 3-2. The three stars went to Bernier (39 for 41 in saves), Crosby, and Murray (34 for 36 in saves).

Over in DC, the Washington Capitals welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Chad Johnson and Braden Holtby man the nets. Buffalo started in the first period on a Brian Gionta goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Jack Eichel and Zemgus Girgensons. Washington tied it in the second period on an unassisted Justin Williams goal, his eleventh of the year. The Sabres took the lead back with a Girgensons goal, his third of the season, passed from Eichel. The Capitals tied it again in the third period with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his nineteenth of the year, guided in by Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie. Washington gained the lead on a Marcus Johansson power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Kuznetsov and Matt Niskanen. The Capitals added on with an Andre Burakovsky goal, his third of the year, made possible by Johansson. Washington finished it at 5-2 with an Ovechkin empty net goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars belonged to Ovechkin, Johansson, and Kuznetsov, while Girgensons and Eichel get the honorable mentions.

Up in Ottawa, the Senators host the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider faces a lesser foe in Andrew Hammond in goal. New Jersey struck first in the first period on a Mike Cammalleri power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Devils added on with another Cammalleri goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the year, with a lone assist by Travis Zajac. New Jersey extended the lead in the third period on a Lee Stempniak shorthanded goal, his ninth of the campaign, going unassisted into the empty net. The final was 3-0, with the three stars handed to Cammalleri, Schneider (36 save shutout), and Stempniak.

South to Tampa Bay, with the Lightning bringing in the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Ben Bishop are the masked men. New York drew first blood in the first period with a Dan Boyle goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Keith Yandle and Dominic Moore. Tampa Bay tied it on a Jonathan Marchessault power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Anton Stralman and Nikita Kucherov. The Rangers took the lead back in the second period on a Mats Zuccarello goal, his sixteenth of the season, via J.T. Miller and Boyle. The Lightning tied it again on a Stralman power play goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Valtteri Filppula and Kucherov. New York pulled ahead in the third period with a Moore goal, his fourth of the season, passed from Viktor Stalberg. The Rangers added on with a Stalberg empty net goal, his fourth of the year, going in unassisted. New York iced it at 5-2 on a Rick Nash empty net goal, his twelfth of the campaign, set up by Jesper Fast. The three stars were handed to Moore, Boyle, and Stralman, while Stalberg and Kucherov get honorable mentions.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Philadelphia Flyers. Steve Mason and Martin Jones man the nets. San Jose got going in the second period with a Joe Thornton power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture. Philadelphia tied it on a Claude Giroux goal, his twelfth of the year, going in unassisted. The Flyers took the lead in the third period with a Sean Couturier goal, his sixth of the campaign, via Wayne Simmonds. The Sharks retied it as Brent Burns scored his fifteenth of the season on the power play, thanks to Couture and Thornton. San Jose took the lead with a Joe Pavelski goal, his nineteenth of the year, made possible by Justin Braun and Tomas Hertl. The Sharks finished it at 4-2 on a Pavelski power play goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the campaign, with assists provided by Marleau and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. The three stars went to Pavelski, Thornton, and Couture, while Marleau gets an honorable mention.

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