We're ready to go for seven games on a light slate for a Saturday. First up...
The Buffalo Sabres host the Colorado Avalanche. Darcy Kuemper and Dustin Tokarski are in goal. Buffalo led off in the first period with a Tage Thompson goal, his seventeenth of the season, assisted by Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch. Colorado tied it on a Nathan MacKinnon goal, his eleventh of the year, guided in by Cale Makar and Devon Toews. The Avalanche took the lead on a J.T. Compher goal, his ninth of the season, made possible by Nicolas Aube-Kubel. The Sabres tied it again with another Thompson goal, his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, via Skinner and Rasmus Dahlin. Colorado pulled ahead again with a Nazem Kadri goal, his twenty-first of the season, coming off of Valeri Nichushkin. Buffalo tied it in the second period as Thompson completed his hat trick on his nineteenth of the year, courtesy of Mattias Samuelsson. The Avalanche regained the lead in the third period on an Alex Newhook goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Mikko Rantanen. Colorado iced it at 5-3 with a Rantanen empty net goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Thompson, Rantanen, and Skinner.
Westward to Winnipeg, as the Jets welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Mikko Koskinen and Connor Hellebuyck are the goalies. Edmonton began in the first period with a Zach Hyman power play goal, his seventeenth of the season, powered by Tyson Barrie and Connor McDavid. The Oilers added on in the second period with a Kailer Yamamoto goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by McDavid. Edmonton extended the lead as McDavid scored his twenty-sixth of the season, thanks to Leon Draisaitl and Barrie. Winnipeg got on the board in the third period with an Adam Lowry shorthanded goal, his fourth of the year, set up by Dominic Toninato. The Jets got one back with a Kyle Connor power play goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, with assists provided by Josh Morrissey and Blake Wheeler. The Oilers iced it at 4-2 with a Darnell Nurse shorthanded empty net goal, his sixth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were McDavid, Barrie, and Koskinen (22 for 24 in saves).
Over in Ottawa, the Senators bring in the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Anton Forsberg draw the starts in goal. Boston got going in the second period with a Jake DeBrusk goal, his eighth of the season, courtesy of Jack Studnicka. Ottawa tied it on a Tim Stutzle goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Austin Watson and Artem Zub. The Bruins took the lead back with a Brandon Carlo goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Charlie Coyle and Mike Reilly. The Senators tied it in the third period with a Nick Holden goal, his fourth of the year, made possible by Connor Brown and Nick Paul. Boston won 3-2 in overtime with a David Pastrnak goal, his twenty-fifth of the campaign, helped along by Taylor Hall. The three stars were Pastrnak, Carlo, and DeBrusk.
Also in Ontario, the Toronto Maple Leafs host the St. Louis Blues. Ville Husso and Jack Campbell are the masked men. St. Louis opened in the first period with a Pavel Buchnevich goal, his seventeenth of the season, courtesy of Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas. The Blues added on with a Klim Kostin goal, his fourth of the year, via Tyler Bozak and Jake Walman. Toronto got on the board with a William Nylander goal, his eighteenth of the season, assisted by Alexander Kerfoot and John Tavares. The Maple Leafs tied it in the second period with a Nylander goal, his second of the game and nineteenth of the year, coming off of Kerfoot and Justin Holl. St. Louis retook the lead with a Brayden Schenn goal, his fourteenth of the season, guided in by Justin Faulk and Oskar Sundqvist. Toronto tied it on a T.J. Brodie goal, his fourth of the year, fueled by David Kampf and Ondrej Kase. The Blues regained the lead in the third period with a Brandon Saad goal, his sixteenth of the season, helped along by David Perron and Colton Parayko. St. Louis extended the lead as Ryan O'Reilly scored his eleventh of the year, passed from Niko Mikkola and Perron. The Blues padded the lead on a Buchnevich empty net goal, his second of the game and eighteenth of the campaign, set up by Thomas. The final held at 6-3, with the three stars given to Buchnevich, Perron, and Nylander, while Thomas and Kerfoot get the honorable mentions.
Way down in Arizona, the Coyotes welcome the Los Angeles Kings. Cal Petersen and Karel Vejmelka man the nets. Arizona started in the first period with an Anton Stralman goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Janis Moser and Loui Eriksson. Los Angeles tied it with an Adrian Kempe goal, his twenty-second of the year, assisted by Anze Kopitar and Tobias Bjornfot. The Coyotes took the lead in the second period with a Lawson Crouse goal, his thirteenth of the season, passed from Alex Galchenyuk and Phil Kessel. Arizona added on with a Clayton Keller goal, his nineteenth of the year, guided in by Travis Boyd and Shayne Gostisbehere. The Kings got one back with a Drew Doughty power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Kempe and Dustin Brown. Los Angeles tied it on a Trevor Moore goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Viktor Arvidsson and Phillip Danault in the third period. The Kings pulled ahead with a Doughty goal, his second of the game and seventh of the season, going in unassisted. Los Angeles extended the lead as Kempe scored his second of the game and twenty-third of the year, thanks to Doughty and Kopitar. This made it 5-3, the final, with the three stars going to Kempe, Doughty, and Kopitar.
Up in Vancouver, the Canucks bring in the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson and Thatcher Demko are the American goalies. Anaheim struck first in the first period with a Troy Terry goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, fueled by Hampus Lindholm and the goalie Gibson. The Ducks added on with a Nicolas Deslauriers goal, his third of the year, via Derek Grant and Sam Carrick. Anaheim extended the lead as Rickard Rakell scored his twelfth of the season on the power play, powered by Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras. The Ducks padded the lead on an Adam Henrique power play goal in the second period, his eighth of the year, with assists provided by Jakob Silfverberg and Terry. Anaheim continued with a Sam Steel goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Zegras and Sonny Milano. Jaroslav Halak replaced Demko in goal. Vancouver got on the board with a Tanner Pearson goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Conor Garland and Elias Pettersson. The Canucks got closer with a Pettersson power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, helped along by Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller. The Ducks fired back on a Henrique goal, his second of the game and ninth of the year, assisted by Zegras and Simon Benoit. Anaheim struck again in the third period with a Deslauriers goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, passed from Carrick. Vancouver got one back with a Garland goal, his thirteenth of the year, with helpers from Pearson and Pettersson. The Canucks pulled closer with a Hughes goal, his fourth of the season, dished from Tyler Motte. The final stood at 7-4, with the three stars given to Zegras, Deslauriers, and Henrique, while Pettersson, Hughes, Garland, Pearson, Terry, and Carrick get the honorable mentions.
Finally, the Calgary Flames host the Seattle Kraken. Philipp Grubauer and Jacob Markstrom guard the cages. Calgary kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, assisted by Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov. Seattle tied it on a Calle Jarnkrok goal, his tenth of the year, going in unassisted. The Flames took the lead in the third period with a Lindholm goal, his twenty-second of the season, passed from Christopher Tanev and Tkachuk. The final stood at 2-1, with the three stars handed to Lindholm, Tkachuk, and Markstrom (22 for 23 in saves).
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