NHL 2021-22 - Day 187

It's a nine-game day as we wind the season down. First up...

The Boston Bruins host the Buffalo Sabres. Dustin Tokarski and Linus Ullmark are set to start in goal. Boston got going in the second period with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his twenty-third of the season, going in unassisted. The Bruins added on with a Bergeron goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the year, coming off of Jake DeBrusk and Brad Marchand. Boston extended the lead in the third period on a power play goal by David Pastrnak, his fortieth of the season, powered by Taylor Hall and Marchand. The Bruins padded the lead on a power play goal by Hall, his twentieth of the year, with assists provided by Pastrnak and Bergeron. Boston continued as Bergeron finished his hat trick on his twenty-fifth of the campaign, helped along by Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm. The final was 5-0, with the three stars awarded to Bergeron, Ullmark (37 save shutout), and Pastrnak, while Hall and Marchand get the honorable mentions.

In Ottawa, the Senators welcome the Florida Panthers. Spencer Knight and Filip Gustavsson patrol the creases. Florida began in the first period with a Sam Reinhart goal, his thirty-third of the season, via Sam Bennett. The Panthers added on in the third period with a Bennett goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, courtesy of Anthony Duclair and Reinhart. Florida extended the lead as Carter Verhaeghe scored his twenty-third of the season, thanks to Eetu Luostarinen and Maxim Mamin. The Panthers padded the lead on another Verhaeghe goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the year, assisted by Mamin and Luostarinen. The final was 4-0, with the three stars awarded to Knight (27 save shutout), Reinhart, and Bennett, while Verhaeghe, Luostarinen, and Mamin get the honorable mentions.

Down in Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes bring in the New Jersey Devils. Andrew Hammond and Antti Raanta are in the blue paint. Carolina led off in the first period with an Ethan Bear goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Brendan Smith and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The Hurricanes added on with a Martin Necas goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by Ian Cole and Kotkaniemi. Carolina extended the lead as Kotkaniemi scored his twelfth of the season, thanks to Necas. New Jersey got on the board with a Fabian Zetterlund goal, his second of the year, assisted by Pavel Zacha and Damon Severson. The Hurricanes replied in the second period with a Teuvo Teravainen goal, his twenty-second of the season, coming off of Vincent Trocheck. Carolina padded the lead in the third period with a Steven Lorentz goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho. The Hurricanes continued in the third period with a Jordan Martinook goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Brady Skjei and Derek Stepan. Jon Gillies replaced Hammond in goal. The Devils got one back with a Jesper Bratt goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, with helpers from Nolan Foote and Zacha. New Jersey got closer with a Jimmy Vesey goal, his eighth of the season, fueled by Nathan Bastian. The final held at 6-3, with the three stars going to Kotkaniemi, Necas, and Zacha.

Along to Columbus, as the Blue Jackets host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Brian Elliott and Elvis Merzlikins receive the starts in goal. Columbus started in the first period with a Jakub Voracek goal, his sixth of the season, via Kent Johnson and Gabriel Carlsson. Tampa Bay tied it in the second period with a Nikita Kucherov power play goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, powered by Victor Hedman and Steven Stamkos. The Blue Jackets took the lead back on a Cole Sillinger goal, his sixteenth of the season, coming off of Oliver Bjorkstrand and Dean Kukan. Columbus added on in the third period with a Jack Roslovic power play goal, his twenty-second of the year, with assists provided by Gustav Nyquist and Jake Bean. The Blue Jackets extended the lead as Bjorkstrand scored his twenty-seventh of the season, going in unassisted. The Lightning got one back with a Corey Perry power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, with helpers from Stamkos and Hedman. Columbus finished it at 5-2 with an Andrew Peeke empty net goal, his second of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Bjorkstrand, Stamkos, and Hedman.

East to New York, as the Islanders welcome the Washington Capitals. Vitek Vanecek and Semyon Varlamov protect the nets. New York opened in the first period with a Brock Nelson power play goal, his thirty-seventh of the season, powered by Mathew Barzal and Noah Dobson. The Islanders added on with an Anders Lee power play goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, with assists provided by Barzal and Dobson. New York extended the lead in the third period as Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored his seventeenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Islanders padded the lead on a Kyle Palmieri power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, guided in by Josh Bailey and Robin Salo. New York continued with a Bailey goal, his thirteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Barzal. Washington got on the board with an Axel Jonsson-Fjallby goal, his second of the year, fueled by Anthony Mantha and Martin Fehervary. The three stars went to Bailey, Barzal, and Dobson in the 5-1 game.

Out west, the Minnesota Wild bring in the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Cam Talbot guard the cages. Calgary dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Johnny Gaudreau goal, his fortieth of the season, assisted by Matthew Tkachuk and Nikita Zadorov. Minnesota tied it on a Jonas Brodin power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Frederick Gaudreau and Jordan Greenway. The Wild took the lead with a Frederick Gaudreau goal, his fourteenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Flames tied it on an Elias Lindholm goal, his forty-second of the year, passed from Zadorov and Johnny Gaudreau. Minnesota won 3-2 in overtime with a Kirill Kaprizov power play goal, his forty-sixth of the campaign, with assists provided by Kevin Fiala and Ryan Hrtman. The three stars went to Frederick Gaudreau, Johnny Gaudreau, and Zadorov.

Next up, the Colorado Avalanche host the Nashville Predators. David Rittich is mismatched with Darcy Kuemper in goal. Colorado struck first in the first period with a Cale Makar power play goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, powered by Nazem Kadri. The Avalanche added on with an Artturi Lehkonen goal, his nineteenth of the year, passed from Josh Manson and Andre Burakovsky. Nashville got on the board with a Matt Duchene goal, his forty-third of the season, assisted by Mikael Granlund and Roman Josi. Colorado answered with a Logan O'Connor goal, his eighth of the year, made possible by Nicolas Aube-Kubel. The Predators got one back in the second period on a Ryan Johansen goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, guided in by Filip Forsberg and Mattias Ekholm. The Avalanche answered on a J.T. Compher goal, his eighteenth of the year, helped along by Bowen Byram and Darren Helm. Nashville got closer on a Josi power play goal, his twenty-third of the season, going in unassisted. The Predators tied it in the third period with an Ekholm goal, his sixth of the year, via Alexandre Carrier and Granlund. The tie went to a shootout, where Duchene's lone tally gave Nashville a 5-4 win. The three stars were Duchene, Ekholm, and Josi, while Granlund gets an honorable mention.

North to Edmonton, as the Oilers welcome the San Jose Sharks. James Reimer and Mikko Koskinen are between the pipes. San Jose kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Noah Gregor goal, his seventh of the season, via Sasha Chmelevski. The Sharks added on with another Gregor goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, fueled by Thomas Bordeleau. Edmonton got on the board with a Ryan McLeod power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Kailer Yamamoto and Evan Bouchard. The Oilers tied it on a Yamamoto goal, his twentieth of the year, passed from Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman. San Jose took the lead on a power play goal by Scott Reedy, his seventh of the season, with assists provided by Brent Burns and Logan Couture. Edmonton tied it on a Derek Ryan goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by Tyson Barrie. The Sharks retook the lead with a Nick Bonino goal, his sixteenth of the season, coming off of Couture and Matt Nieto. The Oilers retied it on a Philip Broberg goal, made possible by Connor McDavid and Jesse Puljujarvi. Edmonton won 5-4 in overtime with a Hyman goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, with helpers from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Brett Kulak. The three stars were Hyman, Yamamoto, and Gregor, while Couture gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Vancouver Canucks bring in the Los Angeles Kings. Cal Petersen and Spencer Martin occupy the creases. Los Angeles cracked the scoresheet in the second period with a Gabriel Vilardi goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Rasmus Kupari and Brendan Lemieux. The Kings added on with an Adrian Kempe goal, his thirty-fifth of the year, via Anze Kopitar and Olli Maatta. Vancouver got on the board in the third period with a Brock Boeser power play goal, his twenty-second of the season, powered by Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller. The Canucks tied it on an Alex Chiasson goal, his thirteenth of the year, guided in by Quinn Hughes and Brad Richardson. Vancouver won 3-2 in overtime with a Boeser goal, his second of the game and twenty-third of the campaign, passed from Pettersson. The three stars were Boeser, Pettersson, and Chiasson. 

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