Saturday, December 10, 2016

NHL 2016/17 - Day 58

Six games on tonight, beginning with...

The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Washington Capitals. Philipp Grubauer and Robin Lehner draw the starts in goal. Washington dented the scoreboard in the second period on a T.J. Oshie goal, his ninth of the season, via Jay Beagle and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals added on with a Jakub Vrana power play goal, powered by Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov. Buffalo got on the board with a power play goal by Kyle Okposo in the third period, his ninth of the year, with assists provided by Rasmus Ristolainen and Ryan O'Reilly. Washington replied with a John Carlson power play goal, helped along by Backstrom and Marcus Johansson. The Capitals iced it at 4-1 with a Johansson empty net goal, his tenth of the campaign, set up by Oshie and Orlov. The three stars went to Oshie, Backstrom, and Johansson, while Orlov gets an honorable mention.

Over in Detroit, the Red Wings welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Petr Mrazek are in the blue paint. Columbus started in the first period with a shorthanded and unassisted Cam Atkinson goal, his ninth of the season. Detroit tied it with a Dylan Larkin power play goal in the second period, his ninth of the year, powered by Thomas Vanek and Frans Nielsen. The Blue Jackets retook the lead on a Brandon Dubinsky goal, his third of the season, coming off of Atkinson and David Savard. Columbus added on with a Lukas Sedlak goal, passed from Sam Gagner and Markus Nutivaara. Jimmy Howard replaced Mrazek in goal. The Blue Jackets finished it at 4-1 with a third period empty net goal by Gagner, his eleventh of the year, set up by Sedlak and Seth Jones. The three stars were handed to Atkinson, Sedlak, and Gagner.

Back east, the New Jersey Devils bring in the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen faces a lesser foe in Keith Kinkaid in goal. St. Louis opened in the first period with a Robby Fabbri goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Brad Hunt and Vladimir Tarasenko. The Blues added on with a second period Ryan Reaves goal, passed from Alex Pietrangelo and Kyle Brodziak. New Jersey got on the board with a P.A. Parenteau goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Taylor Hall and Adam Henrique. St. Louis replied with a Jaden Schwartz power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Alexander Steen and Tarasenko. The Blues iced it at 4-1 with a Fabbri goal in the third period, his second of the game and eighth of the year, made possible by Tarasenko, who got a sock trick, and Jori Lehtera. The three stars were Fabbri, Tarasenko, and Allen (20 for 21 in saves).

Up in Minnesota, the Wild host the Edmonton Oilers. Cam Talbot and Devan Dubnyk are set to start in goal. Edmonton led off in the first period with a Leon Draisaitl goal, his thirteenth of the season, fueled by Benoit Pouliot and Tyler Pitlick. Minnesota tied it in the second period with a Matt Dumba goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Nino Niederreiter and Jason Pominville. The Wild took the lead back with a Jason Zucker goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Mikael Granlund in the third period. The Oilers retied it on a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Oscar Klefbom and Jordan Eberle. The tie went to a shootout, where Pominville and Draisaitl exchanged goals before another exchange between Chris Stewart and Eberle, and then Eric Staal gave the Wild the 3-2 win. The three stars were Pominville, Draisaitl, and Eberle.

Down to Chicago, where the Blackhawks welcome the New York Rangers. Antti Raanta and Scott Darling are in the creases. New York won 1-0 in overtime with a Nick Holden goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh. The three stars were awarded to Raanta (26 save shutout), Holden, and Darling (36 for 37 in saves).

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones faces a lesser foe in Jonathan Bernier in goal. Anaheim began in the first period with a Rickard Rakell goal, his eleventh of the season, via Shea Theodore and Corey Perry. The Ducks added on with an Antoine Vermette goal, his fifth of the year, passed from Theodore and Nick Ritchie. San Jose got on the board with a Brent Burns goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski. The Sharks tied it on a Kevin Labanc goal, his third of the year, coming off of Logan Couture and Joel Ward. Anaheim retook the lead with a Hampus Lindholm goal in the third period, made possible by Ritchie and Ryan Kesler. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars given to Theodore, Ritchie, and Lindholm.

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