NHL 2022-23 - Day 74

We head into the holiday break with 11 games. First up...

The Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Philadelphia Flyers. Samuel Ersson and Antti Raanta are set to start in goal. Carolina led off in the first period with a Jesper Fast goal, his third of the season, assisted by Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal. Philadelphia tied it on a Travis Sanheim goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Morgan Frost and Tony DeAngelo. The Hurricanes retook the lead with a Martin Necas power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Andrei Svechnikov and Stefan Noesen. Carolina added on with a Fast goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, helped along by Martinook and Staal. The Flyers got one back in the second period with a DeAngelo goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Joel Farabee. The Hurricanes replied with a Svechnikov goal, his eighteenth of the year, fueled by Necas and Paul Stastny. Carolina extended the lead as Martinook scored his eighth of the season, thanks to Brett Pesce and Staal. Ersson was replaced by Carter Hart in goal. The Hurricanes padded the lead on a Jesperi Kotkaniemi power play goal, his fifth of the year, with assists provided by Teuvo Teravainen and Pesce. Hart was injured and Ersson reentered the game before the end of the period. Philadelphia got one back in the third period with a Nick Seeler goal, his third of the season, guided in by Rasmus Ristolainen and Noah Cates. The Flyers got closer with a shorthanded Scott Laughton goal, his seventh of the year, with a lone assist by Travis Konecny. Philadelphia pulled closer on a Konecny shorthanded goal, his fifteenth of the campaign, set up by Laughton and Cam York. This only made it 6-5, the final, with the three stars handed to Fast, Martinook, and Staal, while Svechnikov, Necas, Pesce, Konecny, DeAngelo, and Laughton get the honorable mentions.

Up in New Jersey, the Devils welcome the Boston Bruins. MacKenzie Blackwood and Linus Ullmark are the masked men. New Jersey began in the first period with a Jack Hughes power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, powered by Dougie Hamilton and Nico Hischier. Boston tied it in the second period with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his thirteenth of the year, guided in by Jake DeBrusk. The Bruins took the lead on a David Pastrnak goal, his twenty-third of the season, assisted by David Krejci and Pavel Zacha. Boston added on with a Pastrnak goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the year, coming off of Krejci and Connor Clifton. The Bruins extended the lead as DeBrusk scored his thirteenth of the season, thanks to Brad Marchand. The Devils got one back in the third period with a Tomas Tatar goal, his ninth of the year, helped along by Hischier and Brendan Smith. New Jersey got closer on a Yegor Sharangovich goal, his tenth of the campaign, with helpers from Hamilton and Tatar. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars being Pastrnak, DeBrusk, and Tatar, while Krejci, Hischier, and Hamilton get the honorable mentions.

To DC, as the Washington Capitals bring in the Winnipeg Jets. David Rittich and Charlie Lindgren are the goalies. Washington opened in the first period with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his twenty-first of the season, via Dylan Strome and Conor Sheary. The Capitals added on in the second period with a Sonny Milano goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Sheary and Ovechkin. Washington extended the lead in the third period as Nic Dowd scored his eighth of the season, thanks to Garnet Hathaway and Erik Gustafsson. Winnipeg got on the board with a Kevin Stenlund goal, his second of the year, assisted by Karson Kuhlman and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby. The Capitals finished it at 4-1 with an Ovechkin empty net goal, his second of the game and twenty-second of the campaign, set up by Evgeny Kuznetsov. The three stars were Ovechkin, Sheary, and Lindgren (25 for 26 in saves).

In New York, the Islanders host the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Ilya Sorokin are the Russian goalies. Florida started in the first period with a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his fifteenth of the season, guided in by Brandon Montour. New York tied it in the second period with an Anthony Beauvillier goal, his seventh of the year, assisted by Noah Dobson and Brock Nelson. The Islanders took the lead with a Ryan Pulock goal, his second of the season, coming off of Jean-Gabriel Pageau. New York added on in the third period with an Aatu Raty goal, via Anders Lee and Beauvillier. The Islanders extended the lead as Zach Parise scored his eleventh of the year, thanks to Alexander Romanov. New York finished it at 5-1 with a Beauvillier empty net goal, his second of the game and eighth of the campaign, set up by Lee. The three stars were Beauvillier, Sorokin (22 for 23 in saves), and Lee.

Next up, the Nashville Predators welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Alexandar Georgiev and Juuse Saros guard the cages. Nashville struck first in the first period with a Ryan Johansen power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Thomas Novak and Roman Josi. The Predators added on in the second period with a Matt Duchene goal, his tenth of the year, via Cody Glass and Nino Niederreiter. Colorado got on the board with a Mikko Rantanen goal, his twenty-third of the season, passed from Logan O'Connor. The Avalanche tied it in the third period with a J.T. Compher goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Artturi Lehkonen and Rantanen. Colorado won 3-2 in overtime with a Samuel Girard goal, his second of the campaign, coming off of Evan Rodrigues. The three stars went to Rantanen, Girard, and Compher.

Down in Dallas, the Stars bring in the Montreal Canadiens. Jake Allen and Jake Oettinger are the similarly named goalies. Montreal kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Jake Evans power play goal, powered by Michael Pezzetta and Jordan Harris. The Canadiens added on in the second period with a Pezzetta goal, his second of the season, via Arber Xhekaj. Dallas got on the board with a Roope Hintz power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, with assists provided by Jason Robertson and Jamie Benn. The Stars tied it with another Hintz power play goal in the third period, his second of the game and sixteenth of the season, coming off of Robertson and Joe Pavelski. Dallas took the lead with a Wyatt Johnston power play goal, his tenth of the year, with a lone helper by Ryan Suter. The Stars iced it at 4-2 with a Joel Kiviranta empty net goal, his fifth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Hintz, Robertson, and Pezzetta.

North to Chicago, as the Blackhawks host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Daniil Tarasov and Alex Stalock are in the creases. Chicago was first to score in the first period with a Patrick Kane goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Jonathan Toews. The Blackhawks added on with a Max Domi goal, his eleventh of the year, courtesy of Kane and Tyler Johnson. Chicago extended the lead in the second period as Andreas Athanasiou scored his seventh of the season, thanks to Sam Lafferty and Ian Mitchell. The Blackhawks padded the lead on a Taylor Raddysh goal, his tenth of the year, via Toews and Philipp Kurashev. Joonas Korpisalo replaced Tarasov in goal. Columbus got on the board with a Kirill Marchenko power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Marcus Bjork and Jack Roslovic. The Blue Jackets got closer in the third period with a Bjork goal, his third of the year, passed from Gustav Nyquist and Roslovic. Chicago fired back with a Toews power play goal, his eleventh of the campaign, with assists provided by Kane and Domi. This stood for a 5-2 win, with the three stars being Kane, Toews, and Bjork, while Roslovic gets an honorable mention.

Along to Edmonton, where the Oilers welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Collin Delia and Stuart Skinner receive the starting nods in goal. Edmonton drew first blood in the first period with a Derek Ryan goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Warren Foegele. The Oilers added on with a Connor McDavid goal, his thirtieth of the year, via Zach Hyman and Leon Draisaitl. Vancouver got on the board in the second period with a J.T. Miller goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Conor Garland and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Canucks tied it on a Miller power play goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, powered by Elias Pettersson and Bo Horvat. Vancouver took the lead in the third period with a Horvat goal, his twenty-third of the season, made possible by Tyler Myers and Garland. The Canucks extended the lead as Ilya Mihkeyev scored his eleventh of the year, thanks to Horvat. Vancouver iced it at 5-2 with an empty net goal by Horvat, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the campaign, set up by Pettersson and Myers. The three stars were Horvat, Miller, and Pettersson, while Myers and Garland get the honorable mentions.

Stateside, the Arizona Coyotes bring in the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Karel Vejmelka are between the pipes. Arizona got going in the first period with a Nick Schmaltz power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Clayton Keller and Shayne Gostisbehere. Los Angeles tied it on an Alex Iafallo power play goal in the second period, his fourth of the year, with assists provided by Sean Durzi and Phillip Danault. The Coyotes won 2-1 in the shootout with a lone tally by Nick Bjugstad. The three stars were Vejmelka (26 for 27 in saves), Schmaltz, and Quick (23 for 24 in saves).

To Nevada, as the Vegas Golden Knights host the St. Louis Blues. Jordan Binnington and Logan Thompson protect the nets. Vegas dented the scoreboard in the first period with an Alex Pietrangelo goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Chandler Stephenson and Michael Amadio. St. Louis tied it in the second period with a Pavel Buchnevich goal, his twelfth of the year, via Robert Thomas and Vladimir Tarasenko. The Golden Knights retook the lead on a Mark Stone goal, his fifteenth of the season, courtesy of Amadio and Stephenson. The Blues tied it again with a Tarasenko power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Buchnevich and Torey Krug. St. Louis pulled ahead on a Justin Faulk goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Tarasenko and Krug. Vegas retied it on an Amadio goal, his third of the year, with helpers from Stone and Stephenson. The Blues retook the lead in the third period with a Noel Acciari goal, his ninth of the season, helped along by Brandon Saad and Brayden Schenn. The Golden Knights retied it on a Stephenson power play goal, his ninth of the year, with assists provided by Pietrangelo and William Karlsson. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Stephenson and Stone lifted Vegas to a 5-4 win over Tarasenko and St. Louis. The three stars were Stephenson, Amadio, and Tarasenko, while Pietrangelo, Stone, Buchnevich, and Krug get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom faces a lesser foe in Lukas Dostal in goal. Calgary cracked the scoresheet in the first period with a Michael Stone goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Adam Ruzicka and Nikita Zadorov. Anaheim tied it on a Mason McTavish power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Cam Fowler and Troy Terry. The Flames regained the lead with a Brett Ritchie goal, his sixth of the season, going in unassisted in the second period. The Ducks tied it in the third period on a Jakob Silfverberg power play goal, his fifth of the year, with assists provided by Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome. Calgary won 3-2 in overtime with a Rasmus Andersson goal, his fifth of the campaign, made possible by Tyler Toffoli and Jonathan Huberdeau. The three stars were Andersson, Ritchie, and Stone. 

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