NHL 2021 - Day 12

Eleven games on for a busy Sunday, beginning with...

The Chicago Blackhawks hosting the Detroit Red Wings. Jonathan Bernier and Kevin Lankinen are in goal. Chicago led off in the first period with a Pius Suter goal, assisted by Calvin de Haan and Patrick Kane. The Blackhawks added on with a Suter power play goal, his second of the game, powered by Mattias Janmark and Dominik Kubalik. Detroit got on the board in the second period with a Tyler Bertuzzi power play goal, his second of the season, coming off of Dylan Larkin and Filip Hronek. Chicago responded on an unassisted Connor Murphy goal, his second of the year. The Blackhawks extended the lead in the third period as Janmark scored his second of the season, with the help of Kane and Murphy. The Red Wings answered with a Bertuzzi power play goal, his second of the game and third of the year, with assists provided by Bobby Ryan and Hronek. Chicago countered on a Suter goal to complete his hat trick, with helpers from Alex DeBrincat and Duncan Keith. The Blackhawks finished it at 6-2 with a Philipp Kurashev goal, his second of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars belonged to Suter, Bertuzzi, and Murphy, while Janmark, Kane, and Hronek get the honorable mentions. 

Along to DC, where the Washington Capitals welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Linus Ullmark and Vitek Vanecek are in the blue paint. Washington began in the first period with an unassisted Justin Schultz goal. Buffalo tied it in the second period with a Colin Miller power play goal, powered by Rasmus Ristolainen and Casey Mittelstadt. The Capitals retook the lead on a T.J. Oshie power play goal, his second of the season, fueled by Schultz and Nicklas Backstrom. The Sabres tied it again on a Victor Olofsson power play goal, his third of the year, guided in by Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel. Buffalo gained the lead in the third period with an Eric Staal power play goal, his second of the season, passed from Ristolainen and Miller. Washington retied it on a Backstrom power play goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Jakub Vrana and John Carlson. The tie went to a shootout, where Eichel gave the Sabres a 4-3 win. The three stars were Ristolainen, Miller, and Eichel, while Backstrom and Schultz get the honorable mentions. 

Out west, the Calgary Flames bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jack Campbell and Jacob Markstrom man the creases. Toronto opened in the first period with a Jake Muzzin goal, fueled by Mitchell Marner and Morgan Rielly. Calgary tied it in the second period with a Sean Monahan goal, his second of the season, assisted by Noah Hanifin and Johnny Gaudreau. The Maple Leafs regained the lead on a Wayne Simmonds power play goal, powered by Marner and Rielly. Toronto added on in the third period with an Auston Matthews goal, his third of the year, helped along by Jason Spezza and Rielly. The Flames got one back on a Matthew Tkachuk power play goal, his third of the campaign, with assists provided by Elias Lindholm and Rasmus Andersson. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars given to Rielly, Monahan, and Marner. 

The last matinee sees the Arizona Coyotes host the Vegas Golden Knights. Marc-Andre Fleury and Darcy Kuemper guard the cages. Vegas dented the scoreboard in the third period with a William Karlsson goal, his second of the season, via Jonathan Marchessault and Alex Tuch. This stood for a 1-0 win, with the three stars given to Fleury (16 save shutout), Karlsson, and Kuemper (26 for 27 in saves). 

Back east, the New Jersey Devils welcome the New York Islanders. Ilya Sorokin and Scott Wedgewood are the backups in goal. New Jersey started in the first period with a Jack Hughes power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Ty Smith and Kyle Palmieri. The Devils added on with a Pavel Zacha goal, assisted by Nikita Gusev and Smith. This stood for a 2-0 win, with the three stars awarded to Wedgewood (28 save shutout), Smith, and Hughes.

Over in Pittsburgh, the Penguins bring in the New York Rangers. Igor Shesterkin and Tristan Jarry draw the starts in goal. New York struck first in the first period with a Colin Blackwell goal, via Adam Fox and Brett Howden. Pittsburgh tied it on a Bryan Rust goal in the second period, his second of the season, assisted by Sidney Crosby. The Rangers retook the lead with a Ryan Strome goal, passed from Jacob Trouba and Artemi Panarin. The Penguins tied it on a Jared McCann goal in the third period, his second of the year, going in unassisted. Pittsburgh took the lead with a Jake Guentzel goal, his second of the season, made possible by Kris Letang and Crosby. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Guentzel, Crosby, and McCann.

South to Dallas, as the Stars host the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Anton Khudobin are the masked men. Dallas kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Denis Gurianov power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz. The Stars added on in the second period with a Hintz power play goal, with assists provided by Pavelski and the goalie Khudobin. Nashville got on the board with a Filip Forsberg power play goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson. Dallas countered in the third period with a Pavelski power play goal, his third of the season, with helpers from Hintz and John Klingberg. The Predators got one back on a Mikael Granlund goal, fueled by Arvidsson. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars being Pavelski, Hintz, and Arvidsson.

Back north, the St. Louis Blues welcome the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick faces a lesser foe in Ville Husso in goal. St. Louis cracked the scoresheet in the first period with a Brayden Schenn goal, his third of the season, via Jordan Kyrou and Jaden Schwartz. Los Angeles tied it on an Alex Iafallo power play goal, powered by Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar. The Kings took the lead with a Carl Grundstrom goal, coming off of Trevor Moore. Los Angeles added on in the second period with a Gabriel Vilardi goal, his third of the year, made possible by Dustin Brown. The Kings extended the lead as Kopitar scored, with the help of Kempe and Kale Clague. Los Angeles padded the lead on a Lias Andersson goal, fueled by Kopitar and Matt Roy. The Blues got one back in the third period with a Schenn goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, assisted by Colton Parayko and David Perron. St. Louis pulled closer on a Ryan O'Reilly goal, guided in by Kyrou. The Kings iced it at 6-3 with a Drew Doughty empty net goal, his second of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were handed to Kopitar, Schenn, and Kempe, while Kyrou gets an honorable mention.

Out in California, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Philipp Grubauer and John Gibson are between the pipes. Anaheim drew first blood in the first period with a Jakob Silfverberg goal, assisted by Adam Henrique. The Ducks added on in the second period with a Rickard Rakell goal, coming off of Ryan Getzlaf and Jacob Larsson. Colorado got on the board in the third period with a Mikko Rantanen goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Nathan MacKinnon. Anaheim answered with a Hampus Lindholm empty net goal, his second of the year, set up by Carter Rowney and Derek Grant. The three stars of the 3-1 game were Gibson (32 for 33 in saves), Rakell, and Silfverberg.

Northeast to Minnesota, as the Wild host the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Kaapo Kahkonen receive the starting nods in goal. Minnesota was first to score in the first period with a Zach Parise goal, his second of the season, courtesy of Kirill Kaprizov. San Jose tied it on a Ryan Donato goal, his second of the year, passed from Kevin Labanc and Erik Karlsson. The Sharks took the lead with an Evander Kane power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Timo Meier and Donato in the second period. San Jose added on with a Noah Gregor goal, via Mario Ferraro. The Wild got one back with a Nick Bjugstad goal, assisted by Jared Spurgeon and Ryan Suter. Minnesota tied it in the third period with a Kevin Fiala goal, his third of the year, coming off of Suter and Parise. San Jose took the lead back with a Brent Burns goal, his second of the season, guided in by Tomas Hertl. The Sharks iced it at 5-3 with a Matt Nieto empty net goal, his second of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars went to Donato, Parise, and Suter.

Finally, the Winnipeg Jets host the Edmonton Oilers. Mikko Koskinen and Laurent Brossoit occupy the creases. Winnipeg got going in the first period with an Adam Lowry goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Mathieu Perreault and Mason Appleton. Edmonton tied it in the second period with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal, his third of the year, assisted by Connor McDavid and Jesse Puljujarvi. The Oilers took the lead with a Kyle Turris goal, passed from Zack Kassian and James Neal. The Jets tied it in the third period with a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Paul Stastny. Winnipeg took the lead on a Blake Wheeler power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey. Edmonton tied it again with a Kailer Yamamoto goal, his third of the season, fueled by McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers won 4-3 with a last-second goal from Draisaitl, his third of the year, guided in by McDavid and Darnell Nurse. The three stars were McDavid, Draisaitl, and Yamamoto. 

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