After today, there's only a week of games left for the regular season. Fear not, for I will dutifully cover the playoffs with additional editorials throughout as well. Today, there are five games, beginning with...
The Chicago Blackhawks hosting the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask faces a lesser foe in Scott Darling in goal. Chicago led off in the first period with an Artem Anisimov power play goal, his twentieth of the season, powered by Artemi Panarin and Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks added on with an unassisted Patrick Kane goal, his forty-first of the year. Chicago extended the lead as Kane scored his second of the game and forty-second of the season in the second period, with the help of Anisimov and Panarin. The Blackhawks chased Rask with a Jonathan Toews goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, assisted by Marian Hossa and Andrew Ladd. Jonas Gustavsson replaced Rask in goal. Chicago padded the lead on a Panarin goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, helped along by Kane and Anisimov. The Blackhawks continued as Kane finished his hat trick with his forty-third of the year, a power play goal made possible by Panarin, who got a sock trick, and Seabrook. Boston got on the board with a David Pastrnak goal, his thirteenth of the season, with helpers from David Krejci and Zdeno Chara. The Bruins pulled closer with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his thirty-first of the year, guided in by Adam McQuaid and Brad Marchand. Boston edged closer in the third period with a Bergeron goal, his second of the game and thirty-second of the season, coming off of Loui Eriksson and Torey Krug. The Bruins kept charging with a Marchand goal, his thirty-sixth of the year, driven in by Krug and Bergeron. The final held at 6-4, with the three stars going to Kane, Panarin, and Bergeron, while Marchand, Anisimov, Seabrook, and Krug get the honorable mentions.
Into a Battle of Pennsylvania, as the Pittsburgh Penguins welcome their eastern neighbors, the Philadelphia Flyers. Steve Mason and Matt Murray receive the starting nods in goal. Pittsburgh began in the first period with a Sidney Crosby power play goal, his thirty-third of the season, powered by Phil Kessel and Kris Letang. The Penguins added on with a Beau Bennett goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Conor Sheary and Justin Schultz. Pittsburgh extended the lead as Patric Hornqvist scored his twenty-first of the season in the second period, an unassisted goal. Philadelphia got on the board with a Wayne Simmonds goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, via Claude Giroux and Andrew MacDonald. The Penguins replied in the third period with a Carl Hagelin goal, his twelfth of the season, helped along by Nick Bonino and Letang. The Flyers answered with a Jakub Voracek goal, his eleventh of the year, with assists by Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Couturier. Pittsburgh countered with an Eric Fehr goal, his seventh of the season, fueled by Matt Cullen and Tom Kuhnhackl. The Penguins iced it at 6-2 with a shorthanded empty net goal by Fehr, his second of the game and eighth of the year, set up by Cullen. The three stars were Fehr, Letang, and Cullen.
Westward to Colorado, as the Avalanche host the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Semyon Varlamov are the masked men. St. Louis opened in the first period with a David Backes power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, powered by Vladimir Tarasenko and Kevin Shattenkirk. The Blues added on with a Magnus Paajarvi goal, his third of the year, fueled by Paul Stastny and Troy Brouwer. St. Louis extended the lead as Colton Parayko scored his ninth of the season, with the help of Alexander Steen and Tarasenko. Calvin Pickard replaced Varlamov for the second period due to performance, as did Anders Nilsson for Allen, but for injury in this case. The Blues padded the lead with an Alex Pietrangelo goal in the second period, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Kyle Brodziak. Colorado got on the board with a Matt Duchene goal, his thirtieth of the season, passed from Mikkel Boedker and Mikhail Grigorenko. St. Louis shot back with a Brouwer empty net goal, his seventeenth of the year, set up by Backes and Pietrangelo. This made it a 5-1 final, with the three stars going to Backes, Pietrangelo, and Tarasenko, while Brouwer gets an honorable mention.
Up in Canada, the Winnipeg Jets bring in the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Ondrej Pavelec are in the blue paint. Winnipeg started in the first period with a Mark Scheifele power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, powered by Nikolaj Ehlers and Alex Burmistrov. The Jets added on with a Chris Thorburn goal, his sixth of the year, made possible by Matt Halischuk. Minnesota got on the board with a Mikael Granlund goal, his thirteenth of the season, guided in by Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise. Winnipeg answered with an Andrew Copp goal, his fifth of the year, assisted by Nic Petan and Ben Chiarot. The Jets extended the lead as Drew Stafford scored a power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, thanks to Jacob Trouba and Marko Dano. Winnipeg iced it at 5-1 with a Blake Wheeler empty net goal, his twenty-third of the year, set up by Ehlers. The three stars were handed to Pavelec (28 for 29 in saves), Ehlers, and Thorburn.
Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the Dallas Stars. Antti Niemi and John Gibson are between the pipes. Anaheim got going in the second period with a shorthanded goal by Nate Thompson, his third of the season, going in unassisted. The Ducks added on with a shorthanded Ryan Kesler goal, his nineteenth of the year, set up by Jakob Silfverberg in the third period. Dallas got on the board with a Radek Faksa goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Jason Spezza. Anaheim iced it at 3-1 with a Ryan Getzlaf empty net goal, his thirteenth of the year, with a lone helper by Kesler. The three stars went to Kesler, Gibson (24 for 25 in saves), and Thompson.
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