NHL 2021 - Day 2

It's time for a 10-game Thursday, leading off with...

The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Washington Capitals. Ilya Samsonov and Carter Hutton are in goal. Washington led off in the first period with a Nicklas Backstrom goal, via Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie. Buffalo tied it on a Taylor Hall power play goal, powered by Victor Olofsson and Jack Eichel. The Capitals retook the lead on an Oshie power play goal, with assists provided by Ovechkin and John Carlson. Washington added on in the second period with a Carlson goal, via Oshie and Backstrom. The Capitals extended the lead as Brenden Dillon scored on the power play, thanks to Conor Sheary and Lars Eller. The Sabres got one back with a Tobias Rieder goal, passed from Dylan Cozens and Jake McCabe. Buffalo pulled closer with a McCabe goal, guided in by Eichel and Tage Thompson. Washington replied on a Jakub Vrana goal, going in unassisted. The Sabres pulled one back with an Olofsson goal, with helpers from Hall and Sam Reinhart. The Capitals iced it at 6-4 with an empty net goal by Garnet Hathaway, set up by Nick Jensen. The three stars were Oshie, Backstrom, and Carlson, while Ovechkin, Hall, Olofsson and Eichel get the honorable mentions.

Down in New Jersey, the Devils welcome the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and MacKenzie Blackwood are the goalies. Boston began in the first period with a power play goal by Brad Marchand, powered by David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron. New Jersey tied it on a Miles Wood goal in the third period, set up by Jack Hughes. The Bruins retook the lead with a Nick Ritchie power play goal, with assists provided by Marchand and Matt Grzelcyk. The Devils retied it on a Ty Smith goal, helped along by Matt Tennyson and Hughes. In the shootout, Marchand tallied to give the Bruins a 3-2 win. The three stars were Marchand, Hughes and Rask (20 for 22 in saves).

Into New York, where the Rangers bring in the cross-town rival Islanders. Semyon Varlamov and Igor Shesterkin are the Russian goalies. The Islanders opened in the first period with a Brock Nelson power play goal, powered by Anthony Beauvillier and Nick Leddy. The Islanders added on with an Anders Lee goal, fueled by Leddy. The Islanders extended the lead as Mathew Barzal scored, thanks to Cal Clutterbuck. The Islanders padded the lead in the second period with a Lee power play goal, his second of the game, assisted by Jordan Eberle and Noah Dobson. This stood for a 4-0 win, with the three stars being Varlamov (24 save shutout), Lee, and Leddy.

Westward to Detroit, as the Red Wings host the Carolina Hurricanes. Petr Mrazek and Thomas Greiss are set to start in goal. Carolina started in the first period with a Nino Niederreiter goal, via Sebastian Aho. The Hurricanes added on in the third period with a Ryan Dzingel power play goal, powered by Martin Necas and Jake Gardiner. Carolina iced it at 3-0 with an empty net goal by Andrei Svechnikov, going in unassisted. The three stars were Mrazek (14 save shutout), Niederreiter, and Dzingel.

Down in Nashville, the Predators welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and Juuse Saros are the Finnish goalies. Columbus was first to score in the first period with a Boone Jenner goal, going in unassisted. Nashville tied it in the second period with a Luke Kunin goal, coming off of Erik Haula. The Predators took the lead with a Filip Forsberg goal in the third period, made possible by Brad Richardson. Nashville iced it at 3-1 with a Calle Jarnkrok empty net goal, set up by Rocco Grimaldi and Roman Josi. Saros (29 for 30 in saves), Forsberg, and Korpisalo (32 for 34 in saves) earned the three stars.

Into the North, as the Winnipeg Jets bring in the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Connor Hellebuyck tend the twines. Calgary struck first in the first period with a Matthew Tkachuk goal, assisted by Rasmus Andersson and Mark Giordano. Winnipeg tied it on a Patrik Laine goal, coming off of Kyle Connor and Derek Forbort. The Flames retook the lead with a Johnny Gaudreau goal, made possible by Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan on the power play. Calgary added on with an Lindholm goal, via Dillon Dube and Christopher Tanev. The Jets got one back in the second period on a Mark Scheifele goal, fueled by Nikolaj Ehlers. Winnipeg tied it with a power play goal by Connor, powered by Laine and Blake Wheeler. The Jets won 4-3 in overtime with a Laine goal, courtesy of Neal Pionk and Connor. The three stars belonged to Laine, Connor, and Lindholm.

West to Edmonton, as the Oilers host the Vancouver Canucks. Thatcher Demko and Mike Smith are in the blue paint. Edmonton cracked the scoresheet in the first period with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins power play goal, powered by Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. The Oilers added on with a McDavid goal, assisted by Kailer Yamamoto and Draisaitl. Vancouver got on the board in the second period with a Nate Schmidt goal, courtesy of Alexander Edler. Edmonton replied with a McDavid goal, his second of the game, fueled by Draisaitl and Tyson Barrie on the power play. The Canucks pulled one back with a Tyler Motte goal, via Travis Hamonic and Quinn Hughes. The Oilers fired back with another McDavid goal, completing his hat trick with the help of Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins. Edmonton extended the lead in the third period as Nugent-Hopkins scored his second of the game, thanks to Yamamoto. This stood for a 5-2 win, with the three stars going to McDavid, Draisaitl, and Nugent-Hopkins, while Yamamoto gets an honorable mention.

Back stateside, the Arizona Coyotes welcome the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones faces Darcy Kuemper in goal. San Jose drew first blood in the first period with a Tomas Hertl power play goal, powered by Evander Kane and Logan Couture. The Sharks added on with another Hertl goal, his second of the game, guided in by John Leonard and Kane. Arizona got on the board in the second period with a Conor Garland power play goal, with assists provided by Christian Dvorak and Jakob Chychrun. San Jose responded in the third period with a Kane goal, via Leonard and Hertl. The Coyotes pulled one back with a Clayton Keller goal, helped along by Garland and Chychrun. Arizona tied it on a Phil Kessel goal, made possible by Alex Goligoski and Keller. The tie lasted into a shootout, where Donato and Couture lifted the Sharks 4-3 over Nick Schmaltz and the Coyotes. The three stars were Hertl, Kane, and Keller, while Leonard, Garland, and Chychrun get the honorable mentions.

In California, the Los Angeles Kings bring in the Minnesota Wild. Cam Talbot and Jonathan Quick are the masked men. Minnesota got going in the first period with a Jonas Brodin goal, made possible by Kirill Kaprizov and Greg Pateryn. Los Angeles tied it with a Jeff Carter goal, guided in by Anze Kopitar. The Kings took the lead with an Andreas Athanasiou goal, via Carter and Matt Roy. Los Angeles added on with a Dustin Brown power play goal, powered by Alex Iafallo and Kopitar. The Wild responded in the third period with a Victor Rask goal, fueled by Kaprizov and Matt Dumba. Minnesota tied it as Marcus Foligno scored, thanks to Ryan Suter. The Wild won 4-3 in overtime with a Kaprizov goal, going in unassisted. The three stars were Kaprizov, Carter, and Kopitar.

Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights host the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson and Robin Lehner protect the nets. Vegas dented the scoreboard in the first period with a Jonathan Marchessault goal, via Alec Martinez and Shea Theodore. The Golden Knights added on with a Tomas Nosek goal, passed from Ryan Reaves. Anaheim got on the board with a Max Comtois goal, assisted by Sam Steel. The Ducks tied it on another Comtois goal, his second of the game, fueled by Ryan Getzlaf. Vegas regained the lead in the third period with a Mark Stone goal, coming off of Chandler Stephenson and Alex Pietrangelo. The Golden Knights extended the lead as Max Pacioretty scored, thanks to Stone. Vegas iced it at 5-2 with an Alex Tuch empty net goal, set up by Nicolas Roy and Cody Glass. The three stars went to Stone, Lehner (20 for 22 in saves), and Pacioretty. 

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