There's thirteen games on a big day in the final week of the season. First up...
The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Detroit Red Wings. Alex Nedeljkovic and Jack Campbell protect the nets. Toronto dented the scoreboard in the second period with an Auston Matthews goal, his fifty-ninth of the season, guided in by Jason Spezza and Colin Blackwell. The Maple Leafs added on in the third period with a John Tavares goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, via William Nylander and Ilya Lyubushkin. Toronto extended the lead as Matthews scored his second of the game and sixtieth of the season on the power play, thanks to Nylander and Morgan Rielly. The final held at 3-0, with the three stars awarded to Matthews, Campbell (20 save shutout), and Nylander.
Stateside, the Boston Bruins welcome the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Linus Ullmark are the goalies. Florida started in the first period with a Gustav Forsling goal, his tenth of the season, going in unassisted. Boston tied it with an Erik Haula goal, his eighteenth of the year, via David Pastrnak and Taylor Hall. The Bruins took the lead with a Hall goal, his nineteenth of the season, passed from Pastrnak. The Panthers tied it on a power play goal by Sam Reinhart, his thirty-second of the year, powered by Claude Giroux and Anthony Duclair. Boston retook the lead in the second period with a Jake DeBrusk goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, helped along by Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. The Bruins added on with a Marchand empty net goal, his thirty-second of the year, set up by Bergeron. This made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars going to Hall, Marchand, and Pastrnak, while Bergeron gets an honorable mention.
Back in Ontario, the Ottawa Senators bring in the New Jersey Devils. MacKenzie Blackwood and Anton Forsberg are to start in goal. Ottawa struck first in the first period with a Thomas Chabot power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle. The Senators added on in the second period with a Drake Batherson goal, his sixteenth of the year, courtesy of Tkachuk and Travis Hamonic. New Jersey got on the board with a Nolan Foote goal, via Fabian Zetterlund and Reilly Walsh. Ottawa shot back with a Stutzle power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, with assists provided by Tkachuk and Josh Norris. The Devils replied with another Foote goal, his second of the game, coming off of Pavel Zacha and Ty Smith. The Senators answered in the third period with a shorthanded Stutzle goal, his second of the game and twenty-second of the year, going in unassisted. New Jersey pulled back with a Zacha goal, his fifteenth of the season, made possible by Jesper Bratt. The Devils tied it on a Yegor Sharangovich goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, fueled by Damon Severson. Ottawa won 5-4 in overtime with Batherson's second goal of the game and his seventeenth of the campaign, with a helper from Stutzle. The three stars were Stutzle, Batherson, and Tkachuk, while Foote and Zacha get the honorable mentions.
Down in Florida, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins and Andrei Vasilevskiy are in the blue paint. Tampa Bay opened in the first period with a Nikita Kucherov goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, assisted by Steven Stamkos and Nick Paul. Columbus tied it on an Oliver Bjorkstrand power play goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, powered by Jack Roslovic and Zach Werenski. The Lightning retook the lead with a Stamkos power play goal, his thirty-eighth of the season, with assists provided by Kucherov and Victor Hedman. Tampa Bay added on in the second period with another Stamkos goal, his second of the game and thirty-ninth of the year, helped along by Kucherov. The Lightning extended the lead in the third period as Ondrej Palat scored his eighteenth of the campaign, thanks to Kucherov and Stamkos. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars going to Stamkos, Kucherov, and Vasilevskiy (20 for 21 in saves).
North again to New York, where the Rangers welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Pyotr Kochetkov is mismatched with Igor Shesterkin in goal. Carolina got going in the second period with a Vincent Trocheck goal, his twenty-first of the season, made possible by Brady Skjei and Nino Niederreiter. The Hurricanes added on with a Jordan Martinook goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Derek Stepan and Martin Necas. New York got on the board with a Chris Kreider goal, his fifty-second of the season, assisted by Frank Vatrano. Carolina replied with a Teuvo Teravainen goal, his twenty-first of the year, passed from Trocheck and Skjei. The Hurricanes extended the lead in the third period as Sebastian Aho scored his thirty-seventh of the season, with the help of Seth Jarvis and Jaccob Slavin. The Rangers got one back with a Jacob Trouba goal, his eleventh of the year, with helpers from K'Andre Miller and Mika Zibanejad. New York got closer on an Alexis Lafreniere goal, his eighteenth of the season, helped along by Kreider and Adam Fox. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars given to Trocheck, Skjei, and Kreider.
Over in Pittsburgh, the Penguins bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Mike Smith and Casey DeSmith receive the starts in goal. Edmonton began in the first period with an Evan Bouchard goal, his twelfth of the season, via Connor McDavid and Evander Kane. Pittsburgh tied it on a Jeff Carter goal in the second period, his nineteenth of the year, passed from Mike Matheson and Kasperi Kapanen. The Oilers took the lead back with a Kane goal, his twenty-second of the season, assisted by Kailer Yamamoto and McDavid. Edmonton added on in the third period with a Zach Hyman power play goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, powered by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and McDavid. The Oilers extended the lead as McDavid scored his forty-fourth of the season on the power play, with the help of Leon Draisaitl and Tyson Barrie. Edmonton iced it at 5-1 with an empty net goal by Zack Kassian, his sixth of the year, set up by Brett Kulak and Cody Ceci. The three stars were McDavid, Kane, and Smith (33 for 34 in saves).
To DC, as the Washington Capitals host the New York Islanders. Ilya Sorokin and Ilya Samsonov are the Russian goalies. Washington led off in the first period with a Conor Sheary goal, his nineteenth of the season, courtesy of Marcus Johansson and Nick Jensen. New York tied it on a Ryan Pulock power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Kieffer Bellows and Kyle Palmieri. The Islanders took the lead with a Noah Dobson power play goal in the third period, his thirteenth of the season, with assists provided by Josh Bailey and Mathew Barzal. New York added on with a Casey Cizikas shorthanded goal, his tenth of the year, going in unassisted. The Islanders extended the lead as Anders Lee scored his twenty-seventh of the season, an unassisted goal. The final stood at 4-1, with the three stars being Sorokin (32 for 33 in saves), Dobson, and Cizikas.
Along to Nashville, where the Predators welcome the Calgary Flames. Dan Vladar and Juuse Saros patrol the creases. Calgary kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Dillon Dube power play goal, his seventeenth of the season, powered by Mikael Backlund and Rasmus Andersson. Nashville tied it in the second period with a Roman Josi goal, his twenty-second of the year, via Philip Tomasino and Ryan Johansen. The Predators took the lead with a Matt Duchene goal, his forty-second of the season, fueled by Mikael Granlund and Josi. The Flames tied it on another Dube goal, his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, passed from Calle Jarnkrok and Oliver Kylington. Nashville took the lead with a Filip Forsberg power play goal, his forty-first of the season, with assists provided by Duchene and Granlund. Calgary tied it again with a Noah Hanifin goal, his tenth of the year, made possible by Brett Ritchie and Milan Lucic. The Predators took the lead back with another Forsberg power play goal, his second of the game and forty-second of the season, with helpers from Granlund and Duchene. The Flames tied it again on a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his forty-first of the year, guided in by Hanifin and Johnny Gaudreau. Calgary won 5-4 in overtime with an Elias Lindholm goal, his forty-first of the campaign, coming off of Andersson and Gaudreau. The three stars were Dube, Hanifin, and Andersson, while Gaudreau, Duchene, Forsberg, Granlund, and Josi get the honorable mentions.
Up in Minnesota, the Wild bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Karel Vejmelka and Marc-Andre Fleury are the masked men. Minnesota drew first blood in the first period with a Ryan Hartman goal, his thirty-fourth of the season, helped along by Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov. Arizona tied it on an Anton Stralman goal in the second period, his seventh of the year, via Nick Schmaltz and Barrett Hayton. The Coyotes took the lead in the third period with a Jack McBain goal, assisted by Stralman and Shayne Gostisbehere. Arizona added on with an Antoine Roussel goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Gostisbehere and Stralman. The Wild got one back with a Joel Eriksson Ek goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, passed from Marcus Foligno and Kaprizov. Minnesota tied it on a Foligno goal, his twenty-third of the season, courtesy of Eriksson Ek and Jordan Greenway. The Coyotes retook the lead with a Travis Boyd power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Gostisbehere and Phil Kessel. Arizona iced it at 5-3 with a Kessel empty net goal, his eighth of the campaign, set up by Schmaltz. The three stars belonged to Stralman, Kessel, and Gostisbehere, while Schmaltz, Eriksson Ek, Foligno, and Kaprizov get the honorable mentions.
Back south, the Dallas Stars host the Vegas Golden Knights. Logan Thompson and Jake Oettinger are the young goalies. Vegas was first to score in the first period with a William Carrier goal, his ninth of the season, via Brayden McNabb. Dallas tied it on a Jason Robertson goal, his thirty-ninth of the year, assisted by Thomas Harley and Roope Hintz. The Golden Knights took the lead back with a Chandler Stephenson power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, powered by Mark Stone and Jack Eichel. The Stars tied it in the third period with a Robertson goal, his second of the game and fortieth of the year, guided in by John Klingberg and Joe Pavelski. The tie went to a shootout, where Miro Heiskanen's lone tally lifted the Stars to a 3-2 win. The three stars were Robertson, Oettinger (33 for 35 in saves), and Stephenson.
Northwest to Colorado, as the Avalanche welcome the St. Louis Blues. Jordan Binnington and Darcy Kuemper tend the twines. Colorado cracked the scoresheet in the second period with a Valeri Nichushkin goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, assisted by Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche added on with an Erik Johnson goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of J.T. Compher and Alex Newhook. Colorado extended the lead as Josh Manson scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Newhook and Samuel Girard. St. Louis got on the board with a Brandon Saad power play goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, powered by Jordan Kyrou and Ryan O'Reilly. The Avalanche fired back with an Artturi Lehkonen goal in the third period, his eighteenth of the season, made possible by Nichushkin. The Blues got one back on an O'Reilly goal, his eighteenth of the year, helped along by Kyrou and Torey Krug. St. Louis pulled closer on another O'Reilly goal, his second of the game and nineteenth of the season, guided in by Pavel Buchnevich and Kyrou. Colorado iced it at 5-3 with a Nazem Kadri empty net goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, set up by Compher. The three stars were Nichushkin, Compher, and Newhook, while O'Reilly and Kyrou get the honorable mentions.
Continuing along, the Vancouver Canucks bring in the Seattle Kraken. Joey Daccord and Spencer Martin are the backups in goal. Vancouver opened in the first period with a Sheldon Dries goal, his second of the season, passed from Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Canucks added on with a J.T. Miller goal, his thirty-first of the year, guided in by Conor Garland and Quinn Hughes. Vancouver extended the lead on an Ekman-Larsson power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Garland and Nic Petan. Seattle got on the board with a Jordan Eberle power play goal, his twentieth of the year, with assists provided by Matty Beniers and Jared McCann. The Kraken got closer with a Morgan Geekie goal, his seventh of the season, helped along by Riley Sheahan and Adam Larsson. The Canucks replied in the third period with a Luke Schenn goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Matthew Highmore and Hughes. Vancouver padded the lead on a Hughes goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Garland. The final stood at 5-2, with the three stars being Hughes, Garland, and Ekman-Larsson.
Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Anaheim Ducks. Anthony Stolarz and Kaapo Kahkonen man the creases. Anaheim started in the first period with a Trevor Zegras power play goal, his twenty-third of the season, powered by Adam Henrique. The Ducks added on in the second period with a Max Comtois goal, his fifth of the year, via Kevin Shattenkirk and Simon Benoit. Anaheim extended the lead as Sonny Milano scored his fourteenth of the season, thanks to Troy Terry and Dominik Simon. San Jose got on the board with a Brent Burns power play goal, his tenth of the year, with assists provided by Logan Couture and Thomas Bordeleau. The Sharks got closer with a Scott Reedy goal, his sixth of the season, passed from Jaycob Megna and Sasha Chmelevski. The Ducks fired back in the third period with a Josh Mahura goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Milano and Comtois. Anaheim iced it at 5-2 with a Zach Aston-Reese empty net goal, his fifth of the campaign, set up by Stolarz. The three stars were Milano, Comtois, and Stolarz (31 for 33 in saves).
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