Wednesday, October 4, 2017

NHL 2017-18 Day 1

The NHL is back in action beginning tonight. We have four games for the season debut, beginning in...

Winnipeg, as the Jets host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen and Steve Mason play in goal. Toronto led off in the first period with a Nazem Kadri power play goal, powered by James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak. The Maple Leafs added on with a van Riemsdyk goal, via Bozak. Toronto extended the lead as William Nylander scored, thanks to Jake Gardiner and Auston Matthews. The Maple Leafs padded the lead in the second period with a Patrick Marleau goal, courtesy of Matthews and Mitchell Marner. Toronto chased Mason early in the third period with another Marleau goal, helped along by Kadri and Leo Komarov. The Maple Leafs continued with a Marner power play goal, with assists provided by van Riemsdyk and Morgan Rielly. Winnipeg got on the board with a Mark Scheifele goal, made possible by Patrik Laine and Dustin Byfuglien. Toronto shot back with a Matthews goal, guided in by Connor Carrick and Andreas Borgman. The Jets replied with a Mathieu Perreault goal, with a lone assist by Bryan Little. The final was 7-2, with the three stars going to van Riemsdyk, Matthews, and Marleau, while Marner, Kadri, and Bozak get the honorable mentions.

Back stateside, the Pittsburgh Penguins welcome the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Matt Murray protect the nets. Pittsburgh began in the first period with a Justin Schultz goal, coming off of Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel. St. Louis tied it on a Brayden Schenn goal, via Carl Gunnarsson and Jaden Schwartz. The Blues took the lead with a Colton Parayko power play goal, going in unassisted. The Penguins tied it again in the second period with an Olli Maatta goal, courtesy of Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin. St. Louis retook the lead with an Alex Pietrangelo goal, helped along by Vladimir Sobotka and Paul Stastny. The Blues added on in the third period with a Stastny goal, assisted by Sobotka and Vladimir Tarasenko. Pittsburgh pulled back on a Crosby power play goal, powered by Guentzel and Malkin. The Penguins tied it on a Conor Sheary goal, with helpers from Greg McKegg and Rust. St. Louis won 5-4 in overtime with a Pietrangelo goal, his second of the game, fueled by Schenn and Schwartz. The three stars went to Pietrangelo, Schenn, and Stastny, while Crosby, Schwartz, Sobotka, Guentzel, Malkin, and Rust receive the honorable mentions.

Out west, the Edmonton Oilers bring in the Calgary Flames. Mike Smith and Cam Talbot man the creases. Edmonton opened in the first period with a Connor McDavid goal, fueled by Leon Draisaitl and Patrick Maroon. The Oilers added on in the third period with another McDavid goal, going in unassisted. Edmonton iced it at 3-0 as McDavid completed his hat trick on an empty net goal set up by Draisaitl and Milan Lucic. The three stars were McDavid, Talbot (26 save shutout), and Draisaitl.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Philadelphia Flyers. Brian Elliott and Martin Jones draw the starts in goal. Philadelphia started in the first period with a Claude Giroux goal, courtesy of Jakub Voracek. The Flyers added on with a Jordan Weal power play goal, powered by Travis Konecny and Shayne Gostisbehere. San Jose got on the board with a Kevin Labanc goal, via Brenden Dillon and Joe Pavelski. The Sharks tied it with another Labanc goal, coming unassisted on the power play. Philadelphia retook the lead in the second period with a Wayne Simmonds power play goal, coming off of Gostisbehere and Voracek. San Jose retied it in the third period with a Logan Couture power play goal, with assists provided by Joe Thornton and Brent Burns. The Flyers regained the lead with a Simmonds power play goal, his second of the night, fueled by Voracek and Gostisbehere, both of whom earned sock tricks. Philadelphia iced it at 5-3 with a Simmonds empty net goal to complete his hat trick, set up by Sean Couturier. The three stars went to Simmonds Voracek, and Gostisbehere, while Labanc gets an honorable mention.

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