NHL 2021 - Day 23

Eight games on today, beginning with...

The Toronto Maple Leafs hosting the Vancouver Canucks. Thatcher Demko and Frederik Andersen are the goalies. Toronto led off in the first period with an Auston Matthews goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Mitchell Marner and Jake Muzzin. Vancouver tied it on a Tanner Pearson goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander. The Maple Leafs retook the lead with a Jason Spezza power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Morgan Rielly and William Nylander. Toronto added on in the second period with another Matthews goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, helped along by Marner. The Canucks pulled one back on a Bo Horvat goal, his sixth of the season, via J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser. The Maple Leafs answered with another Spezza goal, his second of the game and third of the year, guided in by Nic Petan and Travis Boyd. Toronto extended the lead as John Tavares scored his fifth of the season, thanks to Nylander and Rielly. The Maple Leafs padded the lead in the third period with a Spezza goal to complete his hat trick on his fourth of the year, with helpers from Muzzin and Nylander. Vancouver got one back with a Miller power play goal, his third of the season, with an assist from Quinn Hughes. Toronto countered on a Marner goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Zach Bogosian and Boyd. This stood for a 7-3 win, with the three stars going to Spezza, Matthews, and Marner, while Nylander, Boyd, Rielly, Muzzin, and Miller get the honorable mentions.

Over in Montreal, the Canadiens welcome the Ottawa Senators. Matt Murray and Carey Price protect the nets. Montreal began in the first period with a Brendan Gallagher goal, his fifth of the season, guided in by Tomas Tatar and Phillip Danault. Ottawa tied it with a Thomas Chabot goal, his third of the year, via Chris Tierney and Tim Stutzle. The Senators took the lead on a Stutzle power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Drake Batherson and Chabot. Ottawa added on in the second period with a Connor Brown goal, coming off of Erik Brannstrom and Stutzle. The Canadiens got one back in the third period with a Josh Anderson shorthanded goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Danault. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars handed to Stutzle, Chabot, and Danault.

Stateside, the New York Rangers host the Washington Capitals. Vitek Vanecek and Igor Shesterkin are the young goalies. New York opened in the first period with a Ryan Strome goal, his third of the season, coming off of Adam Fox and Artemi Panarin. The Rangers added on in the second period with an Anthony Bitetto goal, via Kevin Rooney. Washington got on the board with a Carl Hagelin goal, made possible by Garnet Hathaway and Michael Sgarbossa. New York replied in the third period with a Strome goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, assisted by Panarin and Kaapo Kakko. The Capitals got one back on an Alex Ovechkin goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Nicklas Backstrom. The Rangers iced it at 4-2 with a Pavel Buchnevich empty net goal, his third of the year, set up Mika Zibanejad and Panarin. The three stars were Strome, Panarin, and Shesterkin (31 for 33 in saves).

Down in Florida, the Panthers bring in the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Sergei Bobrovsky draw the starts in goal. Florida started in the first period with a Jonathan Huberdeau goal, his second of the season, going in unassisted. Nashville tied it on a Filip Forsberg power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Ryan Ellis and Ryan Johansen. The Panthers retook the lead on a Huberdeau goal, his second of the game and third of the season, made possible by Markus Nutivaara and Patric Hornqvist. The Predators tied it again with a Calle Jarnkrok goal, his second of the season, coming off of Forsberg. Florida retook the lead on an Aaron Ekblad power play goal in the second period, his third of the year, with assists provided by Aleksander Barkov and Huberdeau. Nashville tied it again with a Matt Duchene goal, via Forsberg and Ellis. The Panthers went ahead again on a Barkov power play goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Huberdeau and Keith Yandle. Florida added on with a Huberdeau goal to complete his hat trick with his fourth of the season, going in unassisted. Pekka Rinne replaced Saros in goal for the third period. The Predators pulled one back in the third period on a Roman Josi goal, his second of the year, passed from Mattias Ekholm and Forsberg. Nashville tied it with Duchene's second goal of the game, an unassisted goal on the power play. The Predators won 6-5 in overtime with a Forsberg goal, his second of the game and sixth of the campaign, set up by Viktor Arvidsson. The three stars were Forsberg, Huberdeau, and Duchene, while Ellis and Barkov get the honorable mentions.

Back north, the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Dallas Stars. Anton Khudobin and Joonas Korpisalo man the nets. Columbus struck first in the first period with an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Mikhail Grigorenko and Seth Jones. The Blue Jackets added on with a Jack Roslovic goal, fueled by Eric Robinson and Zach Werenski. Dallas got on the board in the second period with a Roope Hintz power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Denis Gurianov and Alexander Radulov. Columbus replied with a Patrik Laine goal, his third of the season, made possible by Max Domi and Alexandre Texier. The Stars pulled back on a Jason Dickinson goal, his second of the year, passed from Radulov and Miro Heiskanen. The Blue Jackets responded in the third period with a Cam Atkinson goal, his second of the season, guided in by Bjorkstrand and Roslovic. Dallas chipped back on a Jamie Benn goal, his third of the year, helped along by Radulov and Joe Pavelski. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars given to Bjorkstrand, Radulov, and Roslovic.

West to Chicago, as the Blackhawks welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. James Reimer and Kevin Lankinen are set to start in goal. Carolina drew first blood in the first period on a Sebastian Aho goal, his second of the season, guided in by Dougie Hamilton and Andrei Svechnikov. Chicago tied it on a Mattias Janmark power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Dominik Kubalik and Philipp Kurashev. The Blackhawks took the lead with a Kubalik power play goal, his third of the season, with assists provided by Nicolas Beaudin and Janmark. Chicago added on with a power play goal by Andrew Shaw, his second of the year, passed from Patrick Kane and Kubalik. The Hurricanes got one back with a Nino Niederreiter goal, his fourth of the season, via Martin Necas and Jaccob Slavin. Carolina tied it on a Svechnikov goal, his sixth of the year, coming off of Hamilton. The Blackhawks took the lead in the third period on a Kane goal, his sixth of the season, helped along by Carl Soderberg. The Hurricanes retied it with a Brock McGinn goal, his second of the year, with helpers from Aho and Brett Pesce. Chicago reclaimed the lead with an Alex DeBrincat goal, his third of the season, fueled by Pius Suter and Kane. The Blackhawks finished it at 6-4 with a DeBrincat empty net goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, set up by Kane. The three stars were Kane, Kubalik, and Janmark, while DeBrincat, Aho, Svechnikov, and Hamilton get the honorable mentions.

South to St. Louis, as the Blues host the Arizona Coyotes. Antti Raanta and Jordan Binnington are between the pipes. Arizona kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Tyler Pitlick goal, his second of the season, assisted by Drake Caggiula and Christian Dvorak. The Coyotes added on with a Nick Schmaltz goal, his fifth of the year, via Conor Garland and Jordan Oesterle. Arizona extended the lead in the second period as Garland scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Jason Demers and Oesterle. St. Louis got on the board in the third period with a Mike Hoffman goal, his third of the year, passed from Torey Krug and Brayden Schenn. The Coyotes responded with a Dvorak empty net goal, his sixth of the season, going in unassisted. The Blues chipped back with a Ryan O'Reilly goal, his third of the year, helped along by Jaden Schwartz and David Perron. St. Louis got closer with a Hoffman goal, his second of the game and fourth of the campaign, guided in by Perron and Krug. The three stars were Garland, Dvorak, and Oesterle, while Hoffman, Perron, and Krug get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Winnipeg Jets bring in the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Connor Hellebuyck tend the twines. Calgary was first to score in the first period with an Andrew Mangiapane goal, his second of the season, courtesy of Juuso Valimaki. Winnipeg tied it on a Mason Appleton goal in the second period, his second of the year, via Adam Lowry and Mathieu Perreault. The Jets took the lead with a Kyle Connor goal, his seventh of the season, an unassisted goal. Winnipeg added on with a Mark Scheifele goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Neal Pionk and Perreault. The Jets iced it at 4-1 with an Appleton empty net goal, his second of the game and third of the campaign, set up by Perreault. The three stars were Appleton, Perreault, and Hellebuyck (23 for 24 in saves). 

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