NHL 2021 - Day 93

Nine games on tonight, beginning with...

The Toronto Maple Leafs hosting the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Jack Campbell are the goalies. Toronto began in the first period with an Alex Galchenyuk goal, his third of the season, made possible by Mitchell Marner and John Tavares. Winnipeg tied it with a Nikolaj Ehlers power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, powered by Neal Pionk and Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Jets took the lead on a Kyle Connor goal, his twentieth of the season, via Mark Scheifele and Pionk. Winnipeg added on with a Scheifele goal, his seventeenth of the year, fueled by Connor. David Rittich replaced Campbell in goal. The Maple Leafs got one back in the second period with a Tavares goal, his fourteenth of the season, helped along by Jason Spezza and Nicholas Robertson. The Jets answered in the third period with an Ehlers goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the year, going in unassisted. Winnipeg iced it at 5-2 with a Connor power play empty net goal, his second of the game and twenty-first of the campaign, set up by Scheifele and Paul Stastny. The three stars were Connor, Ehlers, and Scheifele, while Tavares and Pionk get the honorable mentions.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning welcome in-state rivals in the Florida Panthers. Chris Driedger and Andrei Vasilevskiy are set to start in goal. Florida started in the first period with a Patric Hornqvist goal, his thirteenth of the season, coming off of Alex Wennberg and Markus Nutivaara. Tampa Bay tied it in the second period with an Alex Killorn power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by the goalie Vasilevskiy. The Panthers took the lead in the third period with an Anthony Duclair goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Jonathan Huberdeau and Nutivaara. The Lightning tied it again with a Ross Colton goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Mikhail Sergachev and Blake Coleman. Tampa Bay won 3-2 in overtime with a Victor Hedman goal, his eighth of the season, via Killorn. The three stars were Killorn, Hedman, and Nutivaara.

Back north, the Carolina Hurricanes bring in the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Petr Mrazek are the masked men. Carolina struck first in the first period with a Warren Foegele goal, his ninth of the season, guided in by Jordan Staal and Nino Niederreiter. The Hurricanes added on in the second period with an Andrei Svechnikov goal, his eleventh of the year, assisted by Dougie Hamilton and Jaccob Slavin. Carolina extended the lead as Vincent Trocheck scored his seventeenth of the season, thanks to Brett Pesce and Martin Necas. Nashville got on the board in the third period with an Erik Haula shorthanded goal, his fifth of the year, set up by Colton Sissons and Ben Harpur. Carolina replied with a Sebastian Aho power play goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, powered by Trocheck and Svechnikov. The final remained at 4-1, with the three stars given to Trocheck, Svechnikov, and Mrazek (19 for 20 in saves).

Further north to Boston, as the Bruins host the New York Islanders. Semyon Varlamov and Tuukka Rask tend the twines. Boston led off in the first period with a Brad Marchand goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Patrice Bergeron and Mike Reilly. The Bruins added on with a Craig Smith power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by David Krejci and Charlie McAvoy. New York got on the board in the second period with a Travis Zajac goal, his eighth of the season, guided in by Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle. Boston replied in the third period with a Taylor Hall goal, his third of the year, coming off of David Pastrnak. The Bruins iced it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Marchand, his second of the game and twenty-first of the campaign, set up by Pastrnak. The three stars were Marchand, Pastrnak, and Rask (22 for 23 in saves).

To Pennsylvania, where the Pittsburgh Penguins welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Carter Hart and Tristan Jarry are in the creases. Pittsburgh got going in the second period with a Sidney Crosby goal, his seventeenth of the season, via Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin. Philadelphia tied it in the third period with a Jakub Voracek goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Philippe Myers. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier lifted the Flyers 2-1 over Jake Guentzel and the Penguins. The three stars were Hart (31 for 32 in saves), Voracek, and Jarry (26 for 27 in saves).

Next up, the New York Rangers bring in the New Jersey Devils. MacKenzie Blackwood and Igor Shesterkin guard the cages. New York opened in the first period with a Jacob Trouba goal, his second of the season, via Colin Blackwell and Mika Zibanejad. The Rangers added on with a Ryan Lindgren goal, fueled by Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox. New York extended the lead as Panarin scored his fourteenth of the year, thanks to Ryan Strome and Blackwell. The Rangers padded the lead in the second period with another Panarin goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the season, guided in by Strome and Blackwell. This stood for a 4-0 win, with the three stars going to Panarin, Blackwell, and Strome, while Shesterkin (16 save shutout) gets an honorable mention.

Moving along, the Washington Capitals host the Buffalo Sabres. Dustin Tokarski is mismatched with Vitek Vanecek in goal. Buffalo kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Sam Reinhart goal, his fifteenth of the season, assisted by Dylan Cozens and Henri Jokiharju. Washington tied it on a Dmitry Orlov goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by T.J. Oshie. The Sabres took the lead in the second period with a Victor Olofsson goal, his twelfth of the season, going in unassisted. Buffalo added on with a Casey Mittelstadt shorthanded goal, his seventh of the year, set up by Anders Bjork. The Capitals got one back with an Anthony Mantha goal, his thirteenth of the season, coming off of John Carlson and Nicklas Backstrom. The Sabres fired back with a Bjork goal, his third of the year, helped along by Cozens. Vanecek was replaced by Craig Anderson in goal. Buffalo capped it at 5-2 with a Tage Thompson empty net goal, his fifth of the campaign, set up by Rasmus Asplund. The three stars belonged to Bjork, Cozens, and Mittelstadt.

Over in Detroit, the Red Wings welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Kevin Lankinen and Thomas Greiss patrol the creases. Chicago was first to score in the first period with a Duncan Keith goal, his third of the season, via Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome. Detroit tied it in the second period with a Troy Stecher goal, his second of the year, assisted by Marc Staal and Luke Glendening. The Red Wings took the lead with a Jakub Vrana goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Gustav Lindstrom. Detroit added on with another Stecher goal, his second of the game and third of the year, guided in by Danny DeKeyser and Vladislav Namestnikov. The Red Wings finished it at 4-1 with a Michael Rasmussen goal, his third of the campaign, set up by Adam Erne and Staal. This made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars being Stecher, Greiss (24 for 25 in saves), and Staal.

Finally, the Dallas Stars bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins and Jake Oettinger are the backups in goal. Columbus drew first blood in the first period with a Jack Roslovic goal, his ninth of the season, courtesy of Michael Del Zotto and Mikhail Grigorenko. Dallas tied it in the second period with a Denis Gurianov goal, his seventh of the year, assisted by Jason Dickinson and Joel Hanley. The Stars pulled ahead with a Miro Heiskanen goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Jamie Oleksiak and Gurianov. Dallas added on in the third period with a Gurianov goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, guided in by Esa Lindell and John Klingberg. The Stars extended the lead as Joe Pavelski scored his seventeenth of the season, thanks to Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars going to Gurianov, Heiskanen, and Oettinger (17 for 18 in saves). 

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