NHL 2021 - Day 58

Ten games on tonight, beginning with...

The Toronto Maple Leafs hosting the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Frederik Andersen tend the twines. Winnipeg kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Pierre-Luc Dubois. Toronto tied it in the second period with a Mitchell Marner goal, his eleventh of the year, guided in by Auston Matthews and T.J. Brodie. The Jets retook the lead with another Ehlers goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, via Kyle Connor. The Maple Leafs tied it in the third period with a William Nylander goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from John Tavares and Morgan Rielly. Toronto took the lead with an Ilya Mikheyev goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Alexander Kerfoot and Pierre Engvall. Winnipeg tied it on a Paul Stastny goal, his eighth of the year, fueled by Ehlers and Neal Pionk. The Maple Leafs won 4-3 in overtime with a Matthews goal, his twenty-first of the campaign, with assists provided by Rielly and Marner. The three stars were Matthews, Ehlers, and Marner, while Rielly gets an honorable mention.

Stateside, the Philadelphia Flyers welcome the Washington Capitals. Ilya Samsonov and Brian Elliott are the goalies. Washington started in the first period with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his ninth of the season, going in unassisted. Philadelphia tied it with a Travis Konecny power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Kevin Hayes and Shayne Gostisbehere. The Capitals took the lead back with a Conor Sheary goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Daniel Sprong. Washington added on in the second period with a John Carlson goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Jakub Vrana and Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Capitals extended the lead as Nic Dowd scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Zdeno Chara. The Flyers got one back in the third period with an Ivan Provorov goal, his third of the year, guided in by Sean Couturier and Erik Gustafsson. Philadelphia got closer with a Scott Laughton goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Hayes and Konecny. The Capitals iced it at 5-3 with a Dowd empty net goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, set up by the goalie Samsonov. The three stars were Dowd, Konecny, and Hayes.

Down in Carolina, the Hurricanes bring in the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and James Reimer man the nets. Carolina struck first in the first period on a Morgan Geekie power play goal, via Jake Bean and Jesper Fast. The Hurricanes added on with a Brock McGinn goal, his eighth of the season, coming off of Warren Foegele. Carolina extended the lead as Dougie Hamilton scored his second of the year, thanks to Andrei Svechnikov and Fast. The Hurricanes padded the lead on another Geekie goal, his second of the game, powered by Bean and Brett Pesce. Carolina continued in the third period with a Martin Necas power play goal, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Svechnikov and Hamilton. Kasimir Kaskisuo replaced Rinne in goal. Nashville got on the board with a Nick Cousins goal, his third of the year, assisted by Mattias Ekholm. This only made it 5-1, the final, with the three stars being Geekie, Hamilton, and Svechnikov, while Bean gets an honorable mention.

Along to Columbus, as the Blue Jackets host the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Elvis Merzlikins draw the starts in goal. Columbus got going in the second period with an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Max Domi and Jack Roslovic. The Blue Jackets added on with another Bjorkstrand goal, his second of the game and tenth of the year, via Riley Nash and Patrik Laine. Florida got on the board with a Patric Hornqvist goal, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Gustav Forsling and Carter Verhaeghe. Columbus countered in the third period with a Laine power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Zach Werenski and Cam Atkinson. The Blue Jackets extended the lead as Max Domi scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Bjorkstrand. The Panthers got one back on a Ryan Lomberg goal, coming off of Noel Acciari and Radko Gudas. Florida got closer with an Owen Tippett goal, his third of the year, with helpers from MacKenzie Weegar and Mason Marchment. The Panthers tied it with an Aleksander Barkov power play goal, his ninth of the season, with assists provided by Keith Yandle and Jonathan Huberdeau. Florida won 5-4 in overtime with a Frank Vatrano goal, his ninth of the year, fueled by Huberdeau and Aaron Ekblad. The three stars were Bjorkstrand, Laine, and Huberdeau, while Domi gets an honorable mention.

North to Boston, as the Bruins welcome the New York Rangers. Alexandar Georgiev and Jaroslav Halak are the masked men. Boston led off in the first period with a David Pastrnak goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. The Bruins added on with a Bergeron shorthanded goal, his tenth of the year, set up by Marchand. Boston extended the lead on a David Krejci power play goal in the second period, powered by Matt Grzelcyk and Marchand. The Bruins padded the lead as Jake DeBrusk scored his second of the season, thanks to Krejci. Keith Kinkaid replaced Georgiev in goal. This stood for a 4-0 win for the Bruins, with the three stars awarded to Halak (27 save shutout), Bergeron, and Marchand, while Krecji gets an honorable mention.

Over in Buffalo, the Sabres bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Jonas Johansson are in the blue paint. Pittsburgh began in the first period with an Evgeni Malkin goal, his seventh of the season, fueled by Kasperi Kapanen. Buffalo tied it on a Tage Thompson goal, guided in by Kyle Okposo and Cody Eakin. The Penguins took the lead back in the second period with a Brandon Tanev goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Teddy Blueger. The Sabres retied it on a Victor Olofsson goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Riley Sheahan and Eric Staal. Pittsburgh took the lead again with a Jake Guentzel power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Sidney Crosby and Malkin. The Penguins added on in the third period with an Anthony Angello goal, going in unassisted. Pittsburgh iced it at 5-2 with an empty net goal by Bryan Rust, his ninth of the campaign, set up by Jarry. The three stars were Malkin, Angello, and Guentzel.

Staying in New York, the Islanders host the New Jersey Devils. MacKenzie Blackwood and Ilya Sorokin patrol the creases. New York opened in the first period with a Matt Martin goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Scott Mayfield and Nick Leddy. The Islanders added on with an Adam Pelech goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Ryan Pulock and Anders Lee. New York extended the lead as Noah Dobson scored his third of the season, thanks to Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Andy Greene. The Islanders padded the lead on a Josh Bailey goal, his third of the year, via Casey Cizikas. New Jersey got on the board in the third period with a Janne Kuokkanen goal, his third of the season, assisted by P.K. Subban and Travis Zajac. The Devils got one back with a Mikhail Maltsev goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Michael McLeod. New York replied with a Brock Nelson goal, his eleventh of the season, guided in by Pulock. New Jersey fired back with a Jack Hughes goal, his sixth of the year, assisted by Andreas Johnsson. This only made it 5-3, the final, with the three stars given to Bailey, Pulock, and Nelson.

West to Detroit, where the Red Wings welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Curtis McElhinney and Jonathan Bernier are between the pipes. Detroit drew first blood in the first period with a Troy Stecher goal, via Sam Gagner and Filip Zadina. Tampa Bay tied it on a Mikhail Sergachev goal, his second of the season, assisted by Ondrej Palat and Anthony Cirelli. The Red Wings retook the lead on a Dylan Larkin goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Filip Hronek and Anthony Mantha. The Lightning retied it on a Steven Stamkos power play goal, his twelfth of the season, powered by Alex Killorn and Palat. Detroit took the lead again with a Mantha goal, his seventh of the year, going in unassisted. The Red Wings added on with a Luke Glendening goal, his third of the season, helped along by Michael Rasmussen and Zadina. Detroit extended the lead as Robby Fabbri scored his fifth of the year, thanks to Jon Merrill. Tampa Bay got one back in the third period on a Brayden Point goal, his ninth of the season, guided in by Palat and Sergachev. The Lightning got closer with a Palat goal, his eleventh of the year, dished from Point and Stamkos. The Red Wings iced it at 6-4 with a Vladislav Namestnikov empty net goal, his fifth of the campaign, set up by Mantha and Hronek. The three stars belonged to Mantha, Point, and Palat, while Sergachev, Zadina, and Hronek get the honorable mentions.

Down in Dallas, the Stars bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Kevin Lankinen and Anton Khudobin guard the cages. Chicago was first to score in the first period on a Dominik Kubalik goal, his tenth of the season, made possible by Brandon Hagel and David Kampf. The Blackhawks added on in the second period with a Carl Soderberg power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Adam Boqvist and Patrick Kane. Chicago extended the lead as Duncan Keith scored an unassisted goal. The Blackhawks padded the lead as Alex DeBrincat scored his fifteenth of the season on the power play, with the help of Kane and Boqvist. Jake Oettinger replaced Khudobin in the third period. Dallas got on the board in the third period with a Roope Hintz goal, his seventh of the year, via Jamie Oleksiak and Andrew Cogliano. The Stars got closer with a John Klingberg goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by the goalie Oettinger. This only made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars given to Keith, Boqvist, and Kane.

Finally, the Calgary Flames host the Montreal Canadiens. Jake Allen and Jacob Markstrom protect the nets. Calgary dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Josh Leivo goal, his second of the season, via Derek Ryan and Sam Bennett. The Flames added on with another Leivo goal, his second of the game and third of the year, coming off of Ryan and Bennett. Montreal got on the board with a Corey Perry goal in the third period, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Shea Weber. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being Leivo, Ryan, and Bennett. 

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