NHL 2021 - Day 107

Ten games on for Thursday's slate, beginning with...

The Washington Capitals hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Vitek Vanecek are the goalies. Washington led off in the first period with a T.J. Oshie power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, powered by Justin Schultz and Nicklas Backstrom. Pittsburgh tied it on a Kasperi Kapanen goal, his ninth of the year, going in unassisted. The Penguins took the lead in the second period with a Frederick Gaudreau goal, his second of the season, coming off of Jason Zucker and Colton Sceviour. The Capitals retied it with a Dmitry Orlov goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Backstrom. Washington took the lead with a Daniel Sprong goal, his eleventh of the season, via Schultz and Orlov. Pittsburgh tied it again with a Zach Aston-Reese goal, his ninth of the year, passed from Sceviour. The Penguins took the lead with a Kapanen goal, his second of the game and tenth of the season, made possible by Jared McCann and Jeff Carter. The Capitals tied it again with a Tom Wilson goal, his twelfth of the year, helped along by Evgeny Kuznetsov and Backstrom. Pittsburgh won 5-4 in overtime with a Jake Guentzel goal, his twenty-second of the campaign, with helpers from John Marino and McCann. The three stars were Kapanen, McCann, and Sceviour, while Backstrom, Orlov, and Schultz get the honorable mentions.

Onward to New York, as the Rangers welcome the New York Islanders. Semyon Varlamov and Igor Shesterkin are the Russian goalies. The Islanders began in the first period with a Leo Komarov goal, guided in by Jordan Eberle and Nick Leddy. The Islanders added on with an Oliver Wahlstrom power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Brock Nelson and Josh Bailey. The Islanders extended the lead in the second period as Anthony Beauvillier scored his eleventh of the year, thanks to Scott Mayfield and Nelson. The Islanders iced it at 4-0 with a Mathew Barzal empty net goal in the third period, his fourteenth of the campaign, set up by Mayfield. The three stars were Varlamov (25 save shutout), Nelson, and Mayfield.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning bring in the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Andrei Vasilevskiy are the masked men. Tampa Bay struck first in the first period with an Ondrej Palat goal, his fifteenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Lightning added on in the third period with a Blake Coleman shorthanded penalty shot goal, his twelfth of the year. Tampa Bay iced it at 3-0 with a Brayden Point empty net goal, his twenty-second of the campaign, set up by Vasilevskiy. The three stars were Vasilevksiy (20 save shutout), Palat, and Coleman.

Back north, the Boston Bruins host the Buffalo Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Tuukka Rask are the Finnish goalies. Boston opened in the first period with a David Pastrnak goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. Buffalo tied it with a Casey Mittelstadt goal, his tenth of the year, via Arttu Ruotsalainen and Rasmus Asplund. The Bruins retook the lead with a David Krejci power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Charlie McAvoy and Craig Smith. The Sabres retied it in the third period with a Sam Reinhart goal, his twenty-third of the year, guided in by Victor Olofsson and Jeff Skinner. Boston retook the lead with a Charlie Coyle goal, his sixth of the season, going in unassisted. The Bruins added on with a Taylor Hall goal, his seventh of the year, fueled by Krejci and Smith. Boston iced it at 5-2 with a Marchand empty net goal, his twenty-seventh of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Krejci, Marchand, and Smith.

Backtracking to Raleigh, as the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer are set to start in goal. Carolina got going in the second period with a Brady Skjei goal, his third of the season, assisted by Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen. The Hurricanes added on with a Warren Foegele goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by Brett Pesce. Detroit got on the board with a Jakub Vrana goal, his seventeenth of the season, going in unassisted. Carolina replied in the third period with a Teravainen goal, his third of the year, fueled by Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars going to Teravainen, Aho, and Reimer (16 for 17 in saves).

Along to New Jersey, as the Devils bring in the Philadelphia Flyers. Alex Lyon and MacKenzie Blackwood are in the blue paint. New Jersey started in the first period with a Yegor Sharangovich power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, made possible by Will Butcher and Damon Severson. The Devils added on with another Sharangovich power play goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the year, with helpers from Severson and Janne Kuokkanen. Philadelphia got on the board in the second period with a shorthanded Scott Laughton goal, his eighth of the season, going in unassisted. New Jersey replied with a Jesper Boqvist goal, his third of the year, guided in by Nicholas Merkley and Mikhail Maltsev. The Flyers got one back with a Sean Couturier goal, his fifteenth of the season, assisted by Justin Braun and Jakub Voracek. The Devils fired back in the third period with a Pavel Zacha goal, his thirteenth of the year, coming off of Will Butcher and Jesper Bratt. New Jersey extended the lead with a Bratt empty net goal, his sixth of the campaign, set up by Zacha and Ryan Murray. Philadelphia got one back with a Travis Konecny power play goal, his tenth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Voracek. This made it 5-3, the final, with the three stars being Sharangovich, Zacha, and Severson, while Butcher, Bratt, and Voracek get the honorable mentions.

In Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Vancouver Canucks. Braden Holtby and David Rittich received the starting nods in goal. Toronto kicked off the scoring in the first period with a William Nylander goal, his sixteenth of the season, assisted by Alex Galchenyuk and John Tavares. The Maple Leafs added on in the second period with an Auston Matthews goal, his thirty-sixth of the year, made possible by Mitchell Marner and Joe Thornton. Toronto extended the lead as Pierre Engvall scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Rasmus Sandin and Jason Spezza. Vancouver got on the board with a J.T. Miller power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Quinn Hughes and Bo Horvat. The Maple Leafs continued with a Marner goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, fueled by Alexander Kerfoot. The three stars of the 4-1 game were Marner, Matthews, and Rittich (15 for 16 in saves).

Stateside to Chicago, as the Blackhawks welcome the Florida Panthers. Spencer Knight and Kevin Lankinen patrol the creases. Chicago was first to score in the first period with an Adam Gaudette goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Dylan Strome and Dominik Kubalik. Florida tied it in the second period with an Alex Wennberg power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by MacKenzie Weegar and Jonathan Huberdeau. The Blackhawks retook the lead on a Vinnie Hinostroza goal, his third of the season, via Brandon Hagel and Kirby Dach. The Panthers tied it again with an Anthony Duclair goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Brandon Montour and Grigori Denisenko. Florida pulled ahead on a Montour goal, his seventh of the season, helped along by Wennberg and Markus Nutivaara. Chicago tied it again with an Alex DeBrincat goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, made possible by Patrick Kane and Wyatt Kalynuk. The Panthers won 4-3 in overtime with a Sam Bennett goal, his ninth of the campaign, courtesy of Weegar. The three stars were Weegar, Wennberg, and Montour.

Up in Minnesota, the Wild bring in the St. Louis Blues. Ville Husso and Cam Talbot are between the pipes. St. Louis drew first blood in the first period with a Sammy Blais goal, his seventh of the season, fueled by Torey Krug and Jaden Schwartz. The Blues added on in the second period with a Tyler Bozak shorthanded goal, his fourth of the year, going in unassisted. St. Louis extended the lead as Marco Scandella scored his third of the season, with the help of Jordan Kyrou. Minnesota got on the board with a Joel Eriksson Ek goal, his seventeenth of the year, via Marcus Foligno and Jordan Greenway. The Wild got closer in the third period with a Kevin Fiala goal, his eighteenth of the season, helped along by Victor Rask. The Blues shot back with a Ryan O'Reilly power play goal, his twenty-first of the year, powered by David Perron and Krug. Minnesota shot back on a Rask goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Fiala and Carson Soucy. The Wild tied it on a Kirill Kaprizov goal, his twenty-third of the year, with helpers from Fiala and Jared Spurgeon. St. Louis won 5-4 in overtime on an O'Reilly goal, his second of the game and twenty-second of the campaign, helped along by Kyrou. The three stars were O'Reilly, Fiala, and Kyrou, while Krug and Rask get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Edmonton Oilers host the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Mike Smith tend the twines. Calgary cracked the scoresheet in the first period with an Elias Lindholm goal, his sixteenth of the season, via Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau. Edmonton tied it on a James Neal goal, his fourth of the year, passed from Kris Russell and Josh Archibald. The Flames retook the lead in the second period on a Lindholm goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the season, assisted by Rasmus Andersson and Tkachuk. Calgary added on in the third period with a Dillon Dube goal, his ninth of the year, coming off of Milan Lucic and Andersson. This stood for a 3-1 win, with the three stars handed to Lindholm, Markstrom (30 for 31 in saves), and Tkachuk, while Andersson gets an honorable mention. 

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