NHL 2021-22 - Day 3

We've got nine games on for tonight's slate as more teams begin their seasons. First up...

The Buffalo Sabres host the Montreal Canadiens. Samuel Montembeault and Craig Anderson are the goalies. Buffalo led off in the first period with a Kyle Okposo power play goal, powered by Jacob Bryson and Colin Miller. The Sabres added on with a Zemgus Girgensons goal, guided in by Miller and Cody Eakin. Montreal got on the board in the second period with a Chris Wideman goal, via Joel Armia and Mathieu Perreault. Buffalo replied with a Victor Olofsson power play goal, courtesy of Bryson and Jeff Skinner. The Sabres extended the lead as Anders Bjork scored, thanks to Girgensons and Vinnie Hinostroza. Buffalo padded the lead in the third period with a Tage Thompson goal, coming off of Skinner and Olofsson. This stood for a 5-1 win, with the three stars given to Olofsson, Girgensons, and Skinner, while Miller and Bryson get the honorable mentions.

Down in Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the New York Islanders. Ilya Sorokin and Frederik Andersen are set to start in goal. New York struck first in the first period with a Mathew Barzal goal, fueled by Kyle Palmieri and Andy Greene. Carolina tied it on an Andrei Svechnikov goal, courtesy of Teuvo Teravainen and Ethan Bear. The Hurricanes took the lead with a Jesper Fast goal, via Jaccob Slavin and Jordan Staal. The Islanders tied it in the second period on a Brock Nelson goal, assisted by Anthony Beauvillier and Josh Bailey. Carolina regained the lead with a Jordan Martinook goal, helped along by Steven Lorentz and Derek Stepan. The Hurricanes added on with a Nino Niederreiter goal, going in unassisted. New York got one back with an Anders Lee goal, with helpers from Noah Dobson and Palmieri. Carolina responded with a Teravainen power play goal, powered by Tony DeAngelo and Svechnikov. The Hurricanes iced it at 6-3 with a Svechnikov empty net goal, his second of the game, set up by DeAngelo and Sebastian Aho. The three stars went to Svechnikov, Teravainen, and DeAngelo, while Palmieri gets an honorable mention.

Back north, the New York Rangers bring in the Dallas Stars. Braden Holtby and Igor Shesterkin are the masked men. Dallas kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Jacob Peterson goal, going in unassisted. The Stars added on in the second period with a Radek Faksa power play goal, powered by Miro Heiskanen and Ryan Suter. New York got on the board with an Adam Fox goal, guided in by Ryan Lindgren and Artemi Panarin. The Rangers tied it with a Chris Kreider goal, his second of the season, assisted by K'Andre Miller and Mika Zibanejad. Dallas won 3-2 in overtime with a Heiskanen goal, set up by Jamie Benn. The three stars were Heiskanen, Faksa, and Peterson.

In Canada, the Ottawa Senators host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Petr Mrazek and Anton Forsberg are in the blue paint. Ottawa began in the first period with a Chris Tierney goal, via Nick Paul and Tyler Ennis. The Senators added on with an Ennis power play goal, powered by Thomas Chabot and Tim Stutzle. Ottawa extended the lead as Alex Formenton scored, thanks to Victor Mete. Toronto got on the board in the third period with a Jason Spezza power play goal, assisted by Morgan Rielly. The Maple Leafs got closer with a William Nylander power play goal, his second of the season, helped along by Spezza and John Tavares. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Ennis, Spezza, and Forsberg (46 for 48 in saves).

Way south to Florida, as the Panthers welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Sergei Bobrovsky receive the starting nods in goal. Florida started in the first period with a Carter Verhaeghe goal, coming off of Aleksander Barkov. The Panthers added on in the second period with an Anthony Duclair goal, courtesy of Frank Vatrano and Gustav Forsling. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Danton Heinen power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Dominik Simon and John Marino. The Penguins tied it with a Jeff Carter power play goal, with assists provided by Kasperi Kapanen and Kris Letang. Pittsburgh pulled ahead in the third period on a Jake Guentzel goal, guided in by Carter and Letang. The Penguins extended the lead as Evan Rodrigues scored his second of the year, thanks to Jason Zucker and Mark Friedman. Florida got one back with an Aaron Ekblad goal, going in unassisted. The Panthers tied it on another Ekblad goal, his second of the game, helped along by Owen Tippett and Jonathan Huberdeau. Florida won 5-4 in overtime with a Verhaeghe goal, his second of the game, assisted by Barkov and MacKenzie Weegar. The three stars belonged to Verhaeghe, Ekblad, and Carter, while Barkov and Letang get the honorable mentions.

North again to Columbus, as the Blue Jackets bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Carter Hutton and Elvis Merzlikins are between the pipes. Columbus opened in the first period with an Alexandre Texier goal, assisted by Max Domi and Vladislav Gavrikov. The Blue Jackets added on with an Oliver Bjorkstrand power play goal, powered by Zach Werenski and Jakub Voracek. Columbus extended the lead as Boone Jenner scored in the second period, thanks to Domi. Arizona got on the board with an Anton Stralman goal, guided in by Lawson Crouse and Johan Larsson. The Blue Jackets shot back with another Bjorkstrand goal, his second of the game, helped along by Jack Roslovic and Gavrikov. Columbus padded the lead on a Jake Bean goal, fueled by Voracek and Patrik Laine. The Blue Jackets continued in the third period with a Werenski power play goal, with assists provided by Laine and Bjorkstrand. Columbus struck again with a Domi goal, passed from Cole Sillinger and Andrew Peeke. The Coyotes got one back with a Clayton Keller power play goal, with helpers from Phil Kessel and Shayne Gostisbehere. The Blue Jackets responded with a Gustav Nyquist goal, via Bjorkstrand and Roslovic. This made it 8-2, the final, with the three stars awarded to Bjorkstrand, Domi, and Werenski, while Laine, Voracek, Roslovic, and Gavrikov get the honorable mentions.

Next up, the Detroit Red Wings host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Alex Nedeljkovic protect the nets. Detroit was first to score in the first period with a Dylan Larkin goal, fueled by Robby Fabbri and Filip Zadina. The Red Wings added on with a Tyler Bertuzzi goal, courtesy of Nick Leddy and Moritz Seider. Detroit extended the lead as Bertuzzi scored his second of the game, assisted by Adam Erne and Gustav Lindstrom. Tampa Bay got on the board with an Ondrej Palat goal, guided in by Victor Hedman and Nikita Kucherov. The Red Wings shot back with a Bertuzzi power play goal, completing his hat trick with the help of Fabbri and Lucas Raymond. The Lightning fired back with a Steven Stamkos power play goal, with assists provided by Kucherov and Mikhail Sergachev. Tampa Bay got closer with another Stamkos power play goal, helped along by Sergachev and Kucherov. Detroit answered with Bertuzzi's fourth goal of the game in the third period, coming off of Seider. The Red Wings padded the lead on a Vladislav Namestnikov goal, made possible by Michael Rasmussen and Leddy. The Lightning got one back on a Ross Colton goal, with a lone helper from Erik Cernak. Tampa Bay inched closer with a Kucherov power play goal, dished from Hedman and Stamkos. The Lightning tied it on an Alex Killorn goal, his second of the season, set up by Hedman. Tampa Bay finished with a 7-6 win on a Palat goal in overtime, with helpers from Hedman and Brayden Point. The three stars went to Kucherov, Hedman, and Bertuzzi, while Stamkos, Palat, Sergachev, Fabbri, Seider, and Leddy get the honorable mentions.

To Nashville, where the Predators welcome the Seattle Kraken. Philipp Grubauer and Juuse Saros patrol the creases. Nashville drew first blood with an Eeli Tolvanen goal, passed from Luke Kunin and Mikael Granlund. Seattle tied it on a Jared McCann power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Mark Giordano and Jordan Eberle. The Kraken took the lead with a Brandon Tanev power play goal, with assists provided by Alexander Wennberg and Joonas Donskoi. The Predators tied it in the second period with a Roman Josi power play goal, assisted by Filip Forsberg and Matt Duchene. Seattle regained the lead with a Wennberg goal, made possible by Alex Barre-Boulet. The Kraken added on in the third period with an empty net goal by Tanev, his second of the game, set up by McCann and Mason Appleton. Nashville got one back on a Granlund goal, helped along by Alexandre Carrier and Forsberg. The final stood at 4-3, with the three stars handed to Tanev, McCann, and Wennberg, while Granlund and Forsberg get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings bring in the Vegas Golden Knights. Robin Lehner and Calvin Petersen guard the cages. Vegas got going in the first period with a Shea Theodore goal, made possible by Keegan Kolesar and Brayden McNabb. Los Angeles tied it on a Dustin Brown goal, via Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar. The Kings took the lead with a Kopitar power play goal, guided in by Vladimir Tkachev and Doughty. Los Angeles added on in the second period with a Phillip Danault goal, assisted by Doughty and Alex Iafallo. The Kings extended the lead as Kopitar scored his second of the game, thanks to Adrian Kempe and Iafallo. Los Angeles padded the lead in the third period with a Doughty power play goal, with helpers from Tkachev and Kopitar. The Kings kept going as Kopitar completed his hat trick, with the help of Viktor Arvidsson and Brown. The Golden Knights got one back on a Chandler Stephenson goal, his second of the season, helped along by Evgenii Dadonov and Alec Martinez. The final stood at 6-2, with the three stars handed to Kopitar, Doughty, and Brown, while Tkachev and Iafallo get the honorable mentions. 

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