NHL 2021 - Day 9

Another schedule was shortened by postponements, leading to just six games today. First up...

The Boston Bruins host the Philadelphia Flyers. Carter Hart and Tuukka Rask tend the twines. Philadelphia got going in the second period with a Claude Giroux power play goal, powered by Ivan Provorov. The Flyers added on with a James van Riemsdyk goal, his second of the season, courtesy of Jakub Voracek and Kevin Hayes. Boston got on the board in the third period with a Jack Studnicka goal, via David Krejci and Nick Ritchie. The Bruins tied it with a Charlie Coyle goal, made possible by Craig Smith and Kevan Miller. Philadelphia retook the lead on a Travis Sanheim goal, assisted by Voracek and Nolan Patrick. Boston retied it on a Ritchie power play goal, with assists provided by Patrice Bergeron and Krejci. The Bruins pulled ahead on a Brandon Carlo goal, fueled by Matt Grzelcyk and Brad Marchand. The Flyers evened the score as van Riemsdyk netted his second of the game and third of the year on the power play, with helpers from Voracek and Hayes. The tie went to a shootout, where Jake DeBrusk's lone tally lifted the Bruins to a 5-4 win. The three stars were Ritchie, Voracek, and van Riemsdyk, while Krejci and Hayes get the honorable mentions.

West to Columbus, as the Blue Jackets welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Joonas Korpisalo guard the cages. Columbus led off in the first period with an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal, his second of the season, via Max Domi. Tampa Bay tied it in the second period with a Blake Coleman goal, his second of the year, assisted by Ryan McDonagh and Yanni Gourde. The Lightning took the lead on a Mathieu Joseph goal, his second of the season, passed from McDonagh and Anthony Cirelli. The Blue Jackets tied it in the third period with a power play goal by Nick Foligno, his second of the year, powered by Bjorkstrand and Cam Atkinson. Tampa Bay won 3-2 in overtime with a Brayden Point goal, his second of the campaign, helped along by Victor Hedman and Steven Stamkos. The three stars were Bjorkstrand, McDonagh, and Point.

Back east, the New York Islanders bring in the New Jersey Devils. Scott Wedgewood and Semyon Varlamov are the goalies. New York began in the first period with a Mathew Barzal goal, his second of the season, courtesy of Josh Bailey and Noah Dobson. The Islanders added on with a Jordan Eberle goal, via Anders Lee and Barzal. New Jersey got on the board in the second period with a Nathan Bastian goal, assisted by Ty Smith. New York replied in the third period with an Eberle power play goal, his second of the game, powered by Dobson and Barzal. The Islanders extended the lead as Brock Nelson scored his second of the year on the power play, thanks to Nick Leddy and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. This made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars awarded to Eberle, Barzal, and Dobson.

Up in Canada, the Ottawa Senators host the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Matt Murray protect the nets. Winnipeg opened in the first period with a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his second of the year, assisted by Andrew Copp and Nathan Beaulieu. The Jets added on in the second period on a Mark Scheifele goal, his second of the season, coming off of Kyle Connor and Ehlers. Winnipeg extended the lead as Adam Lowry scored his second of the year, thanks to Trevor Lewis and Derek Forbort. The Jets padded the lead on a Blake Wheeler goal, his second of the season, made possible by Scheifele and Connor. Marcus Hogberg replaced Murray in goal to start the third period. Ottawa got on the board with a Chris Tierney goal, guided in by Nikita Zaitsev and Connor Brown. This only made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars going to Ehlers, Scheifele, and Hellebuyck (28 for 29 in saves), while Connor gets an honorable mention.

Out west, the Vancouver Canucks welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Jake Allen and Thatcher Demko are the backups in goal. Montreal started in the first period with a Tyler Toffoli goal, his fourth of the season, via Joel Armia. Vancouver tied it on a Bo Horvat goal, his fourth of the year, assisted by Tyler Myers and Nils Hoglander. The Canadiens retook the lead with a shorthanded Armia goal, set up by Toffoli. The Canucks tied it again with another Horvat power play goal, his second of the game and fifth of the season, courtesy of J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes. Montreal regained the lead on a shorthanded Toffoli goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, with a lone assist by Armia. The Canadiens added on with a Josh Anderson goal, his third of the season, guided in by Nick Suzuki and Jonathan Drouin. Montreal extended the lead as Jake Evans scored his second of the year, thanks to Paul Byron and Artturi Lehkonen. The Canadiens padded the lead as Armia scored his second of the game, with the help of Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Vancouver got one back in the third period with a Brandon Sutter goal, helped along by Myers and Brogan Rafferty. Montreal responded with a Ben Chiarot power play goal, with helpers from Jeff Petry and Tomas Tatar. This stood for a 7-3 win, with the three stars going to Armia, Toffoli, and Horvat, while Myers gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Hunter Miska and Jonathan Quick draw the starts in goal. Colorado struck first in the first period with a Mikko Rantanen goal, his third of the season, coming off of Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche added on with a MacKinnon power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Cale Makar and Rantanen. Los Angeles got on the board with a Drew Doughty power play goal, with assists provided by Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter. The Kings tied it on a power play goal by Gabriel Vilardi, his second of the season, made possible by Sean Walker and Andreas Athanasiou. Los Angeles took the lead in the third period with an Adrian Kempe goal, his second of the year, guided in by Kopitar and Alex Iafallo. The Kings iced it at 4-2 with a Blake Lizotte empty net goal his second of the year, set up by Trevor Moore. The three stars went to Kopitar, Kempe, and MacKinnon, while Rantanen gets an honorable mention. 

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