NHL 2021 - Day 56

Nine games on today, beginning with...

The Pittsburgh Penguins hosting the New York Rangers. Keith Kinkaid and Tristan Jarry are in goal. New York began in the first period with a Jack Johnson goal, coming off of Julien Gauthier and Chris Kreider. Pittsburgh tied it on a Jake Guentzel goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Sidney Crosby. The Penguins took the lead in the second period with a Teddy Blueger shorthanded goal, his fourth of the year, set up by Brandon Tanev and Brian Dumoulin. Pittsburgh added on with a Kasperi Kapanen goal, his seventh of the season, via Evgeni Malkin and Evan Rodrigues. The Rangers got one back in the third period with a Ryan Strome power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Pavel Buchnevich and Adam Fox. The Penguins iced it at 4-2 with a Crosby empty net goal, his ninth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Crosby, Kapanen, and Blueger.

Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs welcome the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Frederik Andersen tend the twines. Toronto started in the first period with a Zach Hyman goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by T.J. Brodie. Winnipeg tied it on an Andrew Copp power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Neal Pionk and Nikolaj Ehlers. The Maple Leafs took the lead back with an Auston Matthews power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, with assists provided by Morgan Rielly and Mitchell Marner. The Jets retied it in the second period with a Josh Morrissey goal, fueled by Pionk and Mark Scheifele. Winnipeg took the lead with a Kyle Connor goal, his twelfth of the year, passed from Ehlers and Adam Lowry. The Jets added on with a Mason Appleton goal in the third period, his seventh of the season, guided in by Copp.. Toronto pulled one back with a Matthews goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the year, assisted by William Nylander. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars given to Copp, Matthews, and Pionk, while Ehlers gets an honorable mention.

Back stateside, the New York Islanders bring in the Boston Bruins. Jaroslav Halak and Semyon Varlamov protect the nets. Boston struck first in the first period with a David Pastrnak power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Brad Marchand and Matt Grzelcyk. New York tied it in the second period with a Brock Nelson power play goal, his tenth of the year, with assists provided by Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Mathew Barzal. In the shootout, Jordan Eberle and Anthony Beauvillier lifted the Islanders 2-1 over Pastrnak and the Bruins. The three stars were Varlamov (32 for 33 in saves), Pastrnak, and Halak (26 for 27 in saves).

Down in Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes host the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Alex Nedeljkovic draw the starts in goal. Nashville got going in the second period with a Matt Benning goal, via Eeli Tolvanen. The Predators added on with a Ryan Johansen goal, his second of the season, assisted by Dante Fabbro and Filip Forsberg. Carolina got on the board with a Jordan Staal power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Sebastian Aho and Vincent Trocheck. The Hurricanes tied it on an Aho power play goal, his tenth of the season, with helpers from Dougie Hamilton and Trocheck. Carolina won 3-2 in overtime with a Staal goal, his second of the game and tenth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Staal, Aho, and Trocheck.

Over in Columbus, the Blue Jackets welcome the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Joonas Korpisalo are in the creases. Florida led off in the first period with a Juho Lammikko goal, his third of the season, courtesy of MacKenzie Weegar. The Panthers added on in the second period with a Patric Hornqvist power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Aaron Ekblad and Jonathan Huberdeau. Columbus got on the board with a Michael Del Zotto goal, his second of the season, fueled by Eric Robinson and Alexandre Texier. Florida shot back with an Owen Tippett power play goal, his second of the year, with assists provided by Gustav Forsling and Alex Wennberg. The Blue Jackets got one back with an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal in the third period, his eighth of the season, helped along by Zach Werenski. The Panthers iced it at 4-2 with a Carter Verhaeghe empty net goal, his ninth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Tippett, Hornqvist, and Lammikko.

Next up, the Philadelphia Flyers bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Jonas Johansson and Carter Hart play in goal. Philadelphia opened in the first period with a James van Riemsdyk goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Joel Farabee and Sean Couturier. Buffalo tied it on a Sam Reinhart goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Dylan Cozens and Taylor Hall. The Sabres took the lead on a Riley Sheahan goal, his third of the season, made possible by Eric Staal and Victor Olofsson. Buffalo added on with a Reinhart goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, guided in by Hall and Rasmus Dahlin. Brian Elliott replaced Hart in goal to start the second period. The Flyers got one back in the second period with a Kevin Hayes goal, his ninth of the season, courtesy of Scott Laughton and Justin Braun. The Sabres replied with a Brandon Montour goal, helped along by Kyle Okposo and Tobias Rieder. Philadelphia pulled one back on a Claude Giroux goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Jakub Voracek and Ivan Provorov. The Flyers tied it on a Shayne Gostisbehere power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Couturier and Farabee. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Couturier and Nolan Patrick tallied to give the Flyers a 5-4 win. The three stars were Couturier, Reinhart, and Farabee, while Hall gets an honorable mention.

Moving on to DC, as the Washington Capitals host the New Jersey Devils. Scott Wedgewood and Vitek Vanecek are the backups in goal. Washington kicked off the scoring in the first period with a T.J. Oshie power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Justin Schultz and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals added on in the second period on a Jakub Vrana goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by John Carlson and Backstrom. Washington extended the lead as Daniel Sprong scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Evgeny Kuznetsov. New Jersey got on the board with a Janne Kuokkanen goal, his second of the year, fueled by Travis Zajac. The Capitals replied with a Dmitry Orlov goal, his third of the season, made possible by Richard Panik. The Devils got one back in the third period with a Miles Wood goal, his eighth of the year, helped along by Jesper Bratt and Ryan Murray. New Jersey got closer with a Yegor Sharangovich goal, his fourth of the season, via Kuokkanen and Zajac. The Devils tied it on a Damon Severson goal, his second of the year, passed from Ty Smith and Zajac. Washington won 5-4 in overtime with a Vrana goal, his second of the game and tenth of the campaign, assisted by Kuznetsov. The three stars belonged to Vrana, Zajac, and Kuznetsov, while Backstrom and Kuokkanen get the honorable mentions.

Westward to Detroit, as the Red Wings welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Thomas Greiss are in the blue paint. Detroit drew first blood in the first period with an Adam Erne power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Filip Zadina and Filip Hronek. Tampa Bay tied it with a Brayden Point power play goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Ondrej Palat and Victor Hedman. The Lightning took the lead with a Tyler Johnson goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Blake Coleman and Erik Cernak. The Red Wings tied it again in the second period with a Patrik Nemeth goal, his second of the year, helped along by Sam Gagner and Vladislav Namestnikov. Detroit took the lead on a Dylan Larkin goal, his fifth of the season, guided in by Robby Fabbri and Hronek. Tampa Bay tied it in the third period on a Cernak goal, made possible by Pat Maroon. The Lightning won 4-3 in overtime with a Coleman goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Johnson. The three stars were Coleman, Cernak, and Johnson, while Hronek earned an honorable mention.

Finally, the Dallas Stars bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Malcolm Subban and Anton Khudobin are the masked men. Dallas dented the scoreboard in the first period with a Joel Kiviranta goal, his third of the season, assisted by Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson. The Stars added on with a Jamie Oleksiak goal, his third of the year, passed from Jamie Benn and Denis Gurianov. Chicago got on the board in the second period with a Mattias Janmark goal, his ninth of the season, courtesy of Lucas Carlsson and Calvin de Haan. Dallas replied with a John Klingberg power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Ty Dellandrea and Radek Faksa. The Stars extended the lead as Joe Pavelski scored his thirteenth of the season, coming off of Robertson. Dallas padded the lead as Esa Lindell scored his third of the year, thanks to Robertson and Kiviranta. The Stars continued with a Hintz goal, his sixth of the season, helped along by Robertson. The final held at 6-1, with the three stars given to Robertson, Hintz, and Kiviranta. 

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