It's another combined post, led by a single KHL game and with eight more NHL games. We begin in...
Moscow, with Dynamo hosting Jokerit Helsinki. Henrik Karlsson and Alexander Yeryomenko are the solid goalies. Moscow opened in the first period with a Denis Kokarev goal, fueled by Alexei Tereshchenko and Vladimir Bryukvin. Dynamo added on with a Konstantin Gorovikov goal, coming off of Maxim Pestushko on the power play. Moscow extended the lead in the second period as Gorovikov scored again, thanks to Pestushko and Ansel Galimov. Helsinki got on the board with a Niko Kapanen power play goal, powered by Niklas Hagman. Jokerit got closer with another Kapanen goal, made possible by Hagman and Jesper Jensen. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars given to Gorovikov, Kapanen, and Pestushko, while Hagman gets an honorable mention.
In North America, the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Cam Ward are the veteran goalies. Carolina got going in the second period on an Eric Staal goal, his ninth of the season, guided in by Kris Versteeg and Elias Lindholm. The Hurricanes added on with a Versteeg goal, his seventh of the year, via Lindholm and Staal. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Kris Letang goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Olli Maatta and Sidney Crosby. The Penguins tied it in the third period as Chris Kunitz scored his sixth of the year, assisted by Crosby and Patric Hornqvist. Carolina won 3-2 in overtime on a Jeff Skinner goal, his sixteenth of the campaign, a power play goal powered by Lindholm, who got a sock trick, and Justin Faulk. The three stars went to Lindholm, Staal, and Versteeg, while Crosby gets an honorable mention.
Up in Brooklyn, the New York Islanders bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anton Forsberg and Thomas Greiss are the backups in goal. New York struck first in the first period on a Ryan Strome goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas. Columbus tied it on a William Karlsson goal, his fourth of the year, with a lone helper from Jack Johnson. The Islanders retook the lead on a Brock Nelson goal, his fifteenth of the season, helped along by Thomas Hickey and Josh Bailey. The Blue Jackets retied it in the second period on an unassisted David Savard goal. New York pulled ahead as Nelson scored his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, thanks to Anders Lee. The Islanders added on with a Brian Strait goal, coming off of John Tavares and Nelson. New York iced it at 5-2 with a Nelson empty net goal, completing his hat trick on his seventeenth of the campaign, going in unassisted on the power play. The three stars belonged to Nelson, Strait, and Strome.
Out west, the St. Louis Blues host the New Jersey Devils. Keith Kinkaid and Brian Elliott occupy the creases. St. Louis started in the first period on a Patrik Berglund power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Alexander Steen and Colton Parayko. New Jersey tied it on a Bobby Farnham goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Stephen Gionta and Adam Larsson. The Devils gained the lead with a Lee Stempniak goal, his tenth of the campaign, made possible by Larsson and Joseph Blandisi. The Blues retied it in the second period as Scottie Upshall scored his fifth of the season, with the help of Troy Brouwer and Steen. St. Louis pulled ahead on a Berglund power play goal, his second of the game and third of the year, with assists provided by Alex Pietrangelo and Jori Lehtera. The Blues added on in the third period with a Ty Rattie goal, guided in by Kevin Shattenkirk and Robby Fabbri. St. Louis iced it at 5-2 with a David Backes empty net goal, his twelfth of the campaign going in unassisted. The three stars were Berglund, Steen, and Rattie.
Up in Winnipeg, the Jets welcome the San Jose Sharks. Alex Stalock and Connor Hellebuyck are the young goalies. San Jose was first to score in the first period on a Chris Tierney shorthanded goal, his fourth of the season, going in unassisted. Winnipeg tied it on a Nikolaj Ehlers power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Drew Stafford. The Sharks retook the lead on an unassisted Joe Thornton goal, his ninth of the season. San Jose added on in the third period with a Joe Pavelski power play goal, his twenty-second of the year, powered by Logan Couture and Brent Burns. The Sharks finished it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Joel Ward, his thirteenth of the campaign, set up by Tierney and Paul Martin. The three stars went to Tierney, Stalock (21 for 22 in saves), and Thornton.
Back stateside, the Minnesota Wild bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Linus Ullmark and Devan Dubnyk draw the starts. Buffalo led off in the first period with a Jamie McGinn goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Evander Kane and Ryan O'Reilly. The Sabres added on with a Rasmus Ristolainen goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Brian Gionta. Buffalo extended the lead as Gionta scored his fifth of the campaign, with the help of Josh Gorges and Marcus Foligno. Minnesota got on the board in the second period on a Ryan Suter shorthanded goal, his sixth of the season, set up by Erik Haula and Jared Spurgeon. The Wild got closer in the third period with a Thomas Vanek goal, his fourteenth of the year, coming off of Suter and Mikael Granlund. They failed to tie it, losing 3-2, with the three stars being Gionta, Suter, and Ristolainen.
A little more south, the Chicago Blackhawks host the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Corey Crawford guard the cages. Chicago began in the first period on an Andrew Shaw goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews. The Blackhawks added on with a Shaw goal in the second period, his second of the game and eighth of the year, via Hossa and Dennis Rasmussen. Chicago extended the lead as Brent Seabrook scored his seventh of the season, thanks to Patrick Kane and Erik Gustafsson. Nashville got on the board with a Mike Ribeiro goal, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. The Predators got closer in the third period on a Filip Forsberg power play goal, his twelfth of the campaign, powered by Ryan Johansen and Ribeiro. This produced the 3-2 final, with the three stars given to Shaw, Ribeiro, and Hossa.
Westward to Colorado, with the Avalanche welcoming the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Semyon Varlamov protect the nets. Tampa Bay dented the scoreboard in the first period on an Ondrej Palat goal, his third of the season, via Victor Hedman and Alex Killorn. The Lightning added on in the second period with a Steven Stamkos goal, his nineteenth of the year, courtesy of Vladislav Namestnikov and Palat. Tampa Bay extended the lead on another Stamkos goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the season, assisted by Palat and Namestnikov. The Lightning padded the lead in the third period on a Tyler Johnson goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Hedman and Kucherov. The final held at 4-0, with the three stars awarded to Stamkos, Palat, and Bishop (21 save shutout), while Hedman and Namestnikov get the honorable mentions.
Finally, the Arizona Coyotes bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Anders Nilsson and Louis Domingue are the underrated goalies. Edmonton drew first blood in the first period on a Leon Draisaitl goal, his tenth of the season, fueled by Jordan Eberle and Benoit Pouliot. The Oilers added on in the second period with a Justin Schultz goal in the second period, his third of the year, a power play goal powered by Draisaitl and Eberle. Arizona got on the board with a Max Domi goal, his eleventh of the season, via Michael Stone and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Edmonton replied with a Pouliot power play goal, his tenth of the year, helped along by Schultz and Eberle, the latter getting a sock trick. The Coyotes replied on a Domi power play goal, his twelfth of the season, courtesy of Anthony Duclair and Ekman-Larsson. Arizona tied it on a Domi power play goal, completing his hat trick on his thirteenth of the year, with assists provided by Mikkel Boedker and Ekman-Larsson. The Coyotes won 4-3 in overtime on an Ekman-Larsson goal, his twelfth of the campaign, fueled by Stone on the power play. The three stars went to Ekman-Larsson, Domi, and Pouilot, while Draisaitl, Eberle, Schultz, and Stone get the honorable mentions.
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