NHL 2021 - Day 46

There's a big slate of 14 games on today, beginning with...

The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Philadelphia Flyers. Brian Elliott and Carter Hutton are the backups in goal. Philadelphia started in the first period with a Sean Couturier goal, his fourth of the season, via Travis Sanheim. The Flyers added on in the second period with a Shayne Gostisbehere goal, his second of the year, fueled by James van Riemsdyk and Couturier. Philadelphia extended the lead as Scott Laughton scored his fifth of the campaign, thanks to Oskar Lindblom and Jakub Voracek. This made it 3-0, the final, with the three stars going to Couturier, Elliott (23 save shutout), and Gostisbehere. 

Along to New Jersey, where the Devils welcome the Washington Capitals. Vitek Vanecek and MacKenzie Blackwood play in goal. Washington opened in the first period with a Garnet Hathaway goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Justin Schultz and Carl Hagelin. The Capitals added on with a Daniel Sprong goal, his third of the year, passed from Brenden Dillon and John Carlson. Washington extended the lead as Lars Eller scored his fourth of the season, with the help of Conor Sheary. New Jersey got on the board with a Nico Hischier power play goal, his second of the year, powered by P.K. Subban and Jack Hughes. The Devils got closer in the second period with a Pavel Zacha goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Hischier and Ty Smith. The Capitals answered in the third period with a Jakub Vrana goal, his sixth of the year, helped along by Carlson and Tom Wilson. Washington iced it at 5-2 with a Nic Dowd empty net goal, his third of the campaign, set up by Hagelin. The three stars were Carlson, Hagelin, and Hischier. 

Up in Ottawa, the Senators bring in the Calgary Flames. David Rittich and Matt Murray receive the starting nods in goal. Calgary led off in the first period with a Juuso Valimaki goal, assisted by Johnny Gaudreau and Mark Giordano. The Flames added on with a Mikael Backlund goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Andrew Mangiapane and Matthew Tkachuk. Calgary extended the lead as Elias Lindholm scored an unassisted goal, his sixth of the year. Ottawa got on the board with a Drake Batherson power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Thomas Chabot and Tim Stutzle. The Flames replied in the second period with a Sean Monahan power play goal, his fourth of the year, with a lone helper from Gaudreau. Calgary padded the lead on a Mangiapane shorthanded goal, his eighth of the season, set up by Backlund. The Senators pulled one back on a Colin White power play goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Nick Paul. The Flames countered on a Tkachuk goal, his seventh of the season, passed from Backlund and Rasmus Andersson. Joey Daccord replaced Murray in goal in the third period. Ottawa got one back with a Brady Tkachuk power play goal in the third period, his ninth of the year, with assists provided by Batherson and Chabot. This only made it 6-3, the final, with the three stars handed to Backlund, Mangiapane, and Matthew Tkachuk, while Gaudreau, Batherson, and Chabot get the honorable mentions. 

Back stateside, the Nashville Predators host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and Juuse Saros are the Finnish goalies. Columbus began in the first period with a Cam Atkinson goal, his ninth of the season, made possible by Boone Jenner and Jack Roslovic. Nashville tied it on a Mattias Ekholm goal in the second period, via Dante Fabbro and Filip Forsberg. The Predators took the lead with another Ekholm goal, his second of the game, going in unassisted. This stood for a 2-1 final score, with the three stars being Ekholm, Saros (29 for 30 in saves), and Korpisalo (31 for 33 in saves). 

At the regular time, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Dallas Stars. Anton Khudobin and Andrei Vasilevskiy tend the twines. Tampa Bay struck first in the first period with an Ondrej Palat power play goal, his eighth of the season, going in unassisted. The Lightning added on in the second period with an Anthony Cirelli shorthanded goal, his fifth of the year, set up by Steven Stamkos. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Brayden Point scored his seventh of the season, with the help of Tyler Johnson and Mikhail Sergachev. The Lightning padded the lead on a Pat Maroon power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Johnson and Sergachev. Tampa Bay continued in the third period with a Stamkos goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Cirelli. Jake Oettinger took over in goal for Khudobin. The final stood at 5-0, with the three stars going to Vasilevskiy (20 save shutout), Stamkos, and Cirelli, while Johnson and Sergachev get the honorable mentions.

Also in Florida, the Panthers welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. James Reimer and Sergei Bobrovsky are in the creases. Carolina was first to score in the first period with a Vincent Trocheck power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Dougie Hamilton and Andrei Svechnikov. The Hurricanes added on in the third period with a Jake Bean power play goal, with assists provided by Brett Pesce and Martin Necas. Florida got on the board with a Jonathan Huberdeau power play goal, his eighth of the year, with a lone helper by Aleksander Barkov and Patric Hornqvist. The Panthers tied it on a Frank Vatrano goal, his sixth of the season, via Mason Marchment and Kevin Connauton. Carolina retook the lead with a Warren Foegele goal, his fourth of the year, passed from Pesce. Florida tied it again with a Hornqvist goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by MacKenzie Weegar and Anton Stralman. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Hamilton, Trocheck, and Necas lifted the Hurricanes 4-3 over Barkov, Hornqvist, and the Panthers. The three stars were Hornqvist, Trocheck, and Necas, while Hamilton, Pesce, and Barkov get the honorable mentions.

Back north, the New York Islanders bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Semyon Varlamov get the starting nods in goal. New York kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Brock Nelson power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Oliver Wahlstrom and Nick Leddy. The Islanders added on in the second period with a Mathew Barzal goal, his eighth of the year, via Anders Lee and Scott Mayfield. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Sidney Crosby power play goal, his seventh of the season, helped along by Kris Letang. The Penguins tied it with a Letang goal, his third of the year, with helpers from Kasperi Kapanen and Jake Guentzel. New York retook the lead with a Josh Bailey goal, his second of the season, passed from Anthony Beauvillier and Nelson. Pittsburgh tied it in the third period with a Jared McCann goal, his third of the year, helped along by Evgeni Malkin. The Penguins won 4-3 in overtime with a Letang goal, his second of the game and fourth of the campaign, set up by Crosby. The three stars were Letang, Crosby, and Nelson.

Out west, the Edmonton Oilers host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jack Campbell and Mike Smith protect the nets. Toronto drew first blood in the first period with a William Nylander power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Mitchell Marner and John Tavares. The Maple Leads added on with a Marner goal, his tenth of the year, via Tavares and Joe Thornton. Toronto extended the lead in the second period as Jason Spezza scored his fifth of the season, thanks to Jimmy Vesey and T.J. Brodie. The Maple Leafs padded the lead in the third period with a Zach Hyman goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Pierre Engvall and Jake Muzzin. This stood for a 4-0 win, with the three stars going to Campbell (30 save shutout), Marner, and Tavares.

Backtracking to Minnesota, as the Wild welcome the Los Angeles Kings. Calvin Petersen and Kaapo Kahkonen man the nets. Minnesota began in the first period with a Joel Eriksson Ek goal, his eighth of the season, courtesy of Kevin Fiala and Jordan Greenway. The Wild added on with a Nico Sturm goal, his third of the year, coming off of Nick Bjugstad and Matt Dumba. Minnesota extended the lead in the second period as Kirill Kaprizov scored his sixth of the season, with the help of Victor Rask and Ryan Suter. Los Angeles got on the board with a Drew Doughty power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar. The Kings got closer in the second period with an Austin Wagner goal, his third of the season, going in unassisted. Los Angeles tied it in the third period with a Kempe power play goal, his fifth of the year, with assists provided by Doughty and Kopitar. The Wild won 4-3 in overtime with a Dumba goal, his fourth of the campaign in the final second, fueled by Mats Zuccarello and Greenway. The three stars were Dumba, Greenway, and Doughty, while Kempe and Kopitar receive the honorable mentions.

South to Chicago, as the Blackhawks bring in the Detroit Red Wings. Jonathan Bernier faces a lesser foe in Malcolm Subban in goal. Detroit led off in the first period with a Bobby Ryan goal, his sixth of the season, helped along by Robby Fabbri and Danny DeKeyser. Chicago tied it in the second period with an Alex DeBrincat goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by Calvin de Haan and Adam Boqvist. The Red Wings took the lead back with a Darren Helm goal, via Luke Glendening and Adam Erne. Detroit added on with a Christian Djoos power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Fabbri and Filip Zadina. The Red Wings extended the lead in the third period as Evgeny Svechnikov scored, thanks to Frans Nielsen and Valtteri Filppula. The Blackhawks fired back with a Mattias Janmark goal, his seventh of the year, assisted by Carl Soderberg and Boqvist. Detroit replied with Nielsen goal, fueled by Svechnikov and Filppula. Chicago chipped back with a Dominik Kubalik goal, his seventh of the campaign, assisted by Brandon Hagel and David Kampf. This only made it 5-3, the final, with the three stars being Svechnikov, Nielsen, and Fabbri, while Filppula and Boqvist get the honorable mentions.

Southwest to Arizona, as the Coyotes host the Colorado Avalanche. Philipp Grubauer and Antti Raanta are called on for the starts in goal. Colorado started in the first period with a Nathan MacKinnon goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Andre Burakovsky and Ryan Graves. Arizona tied it in the second period with a Clayton Keller goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Niklas Hjalmarsson. The Avalanche retook the lead with a Jacob MacDonald goal, via Joonas Donskoi and Burakovsky. Colorado added on in the third period with a Gabriel Landeskog power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Mikko Rantanen and Samuel Girard. The Avalanche extended the lead as Donskoi scored his sixth of the year, with the help of Valeri Nichushkin and Girard. Colorado padded the lead with a Tyson Jost goal, coming off of Rantanen. The Coyotes got one back with a Johan Larsson goal, his second of the campaign, fueled by Lawson Crouse and Jordan Oesterle. The Avalanche shot back with a Pierre-Edouard Bellemare empty net goal, set up by J.T. Compher. This made it 6-2, the final, with the three stars given to Donskoi, Rantanen, and Girard, while Burakovsky gets an honorable mention.

West to Anaheim, where the Ducks welcome the Vegas Golden Knights. Marc-Andre Fleury and John Gibson guard the cages. Anaheim opened in the first period with a Rickard Rakell goal, his second of the season, via Cam Fowler. Vegas tied it on an Alex Pietrangelo goal, his second of the year, assisted by Shea Theodore and Keegan Kolesar. The Golden Knights took the lead in the second period with a William Karlsson goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Pietrangelo. The Ducks tied it in the third period with an Adam Henrique goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Rakell and Sam Steel. Vegas won 3-2 in overtime with a Karlsson goal, his second of the game and fifth of the campaign, passed from Reilly Smith and Theodore.

Northeast to Winnipeg, as the Jets bring in the Montreal Canadiens. Jake Allen and Connor Hellebuyck patrol the creases. Winnipeg got going in the second period with a Nikolaj Ehlers power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Andrew Copp. Montreal tied it on a Nick Suzuki goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Joel Armia and Ben Chiarot. The Jets won 2-1 in overtime with a Paul Stastny goal, his fourth of the campaign, set up by Ehlers. The three stars were Hellebuyck (40 for 41 in saves), Ehlers, and Stastny.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the St. Louis Blues. Jordan Binnington and Devan Dubnyk handle the goaltending duties. San Jose dented the scoreboard in the first period with a Timo Meier goal, his third of the season, passed from Rudolfs Balcers and Dylan Gambrell. St. Louis tied it on a Marco Scandella goal, an unassisted goal. The Sharks retook the lead with an Evander Kane power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Logan Couture and Brent Burns. The Blues tied it in the second period with a Sammy Blais goal, his second of the season, helped along by Vince Dunn. San Jose took the lead back with another Meier goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, guided in by Kevin Labanc on the power play. St. Louis tied it again with a Brayden Schenn goal, his tenth of the season, via David Perron. The Sharks restored the lead with Kane's second of the game and seventh of the year, going in unassisted. Ville Husso replaced Binnington in goal. The Blues tied it again on a Zach Sanford goal, his fourth of the season, with a lone helper by Jordan Kyrou. St. Louis took the lead in the third period with a MacKenzie MacEachern shorthanded goal, set up by Sanford. San Jose retied it with a Labanc goal, his third of the year, with helpers from John Leonard and Meier. The Blues pulled ahead with an O'Reilly goal, his seventh of the season, fueled by Justin Faulk. The Sharks evened the score on a Couture goal, his eleventh of the year, dished from Burns and Mario Ferraro. St. Louis pulled ahead on a Scandella goal, his second of the game, made possible by Oskar Sundqvist and Mike Hoffman. This made it 7-6, the final, with the three stars going to Scandella, O'Reilly, and Sanford, while Meier, Kane, Couture, Labanc, and Burns get the honorable mentions. 

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