We're set for 10 games this Saturday, beginning with...
The New York Islanders hosting the St. Louis Blues. Jordan Binnington and Ilya Sorokin are the goalies. New York led off in the first period with an Oliver Wahlstrom goal, his eleventh of the season, coming off of Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock. The Islanders added on in the second period with a Brock Nelson power play goal, his twentieth of the year, powered by Noah Dobson. St. Louis got on the board in the third period with a Robert Thomas goal, his eighth of the season, guided in by Jordan Kyrou. This only made it 2-1, with the three stars going to Nelson, Sorokin (27 for 28 in saves), and Wahlstrom.
Along to Philadelphia, as the Flyers welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Kevin Lankinen and Martin Jones are the backups in goal. Philadelphia began in the first period with an Oskar Lindblom goal, his ninth of the season, coming off of Travis Sanheim and Kevin Hayes. Chicago tied it in the second period with an Alex DeBrincat goal, his thirty-first of the year, via Jonathan Toews. The Blackhawks took the lead with a Dylan Strome goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Patrick Kane and Dominik Kubalik. The Flyers retied it on a Cam Atkinson goal, his nineteenth of the year, courtesy of Joel Farabee. Chicago retook the lead with an unassisted Dylan Strome goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the season. Philadelphia tied it again in the third period with a Derick Brassard goal, his fifth of the year, fueled by Atkinson and Farabee. The Flyers gained the lead with an Atkinson goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the season, made possible by Farabee. The final held at 4-3, with the three stars being Atkinson, Farabee, and Strome.
Southwest to Arizona, as the Coyotes bring in the Ottawa Senators. Matt Murray and Scott Wedgewood are the masked men. Arizona opened in the first period with a Nick Schmaltz power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Shayne Gostisbehere. The Coyotes added on with a Clayton Keller goal, his twenty-second of the year, via Gostisbehere and Schmaltz. Arizona extended the lead as Schmaltz scored his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Coyotes padded the lead on a Matias Maccelli goal, assisted by Phil Kessel and Gostisbehere. Ottawa got on the board with a Parker Kelly goal, his third of the year, guided in by Thomas Chabot and Nikita Zaitsev. The Senators got closer with a Josh Norris power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, with assists provided by Chabot and Tim Stutzle. Ottawa pulled closer on a Kelly goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, helped along by Connor Brown and Chabot. The Senators tied it in the third period with an Alex Formenton goal, his twelfth of the season, passed from Stutzle and Adam Gaudette. Ottawa pulled ahead on a Nick Paul goal, his tenth of the year, made possible by Nick Holden and Zach Sanford. Arizona retied it on another Keller goal, his second of the game and twenty-third of the season, coming off of Schmaltz. The Coyotes pulled ahead with a Lawson Crouse power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, with helpers from Keller and Schmaltz. Arizona continued with a Gostisbehere goal, his tenth of the season, fueled by Schmaltz and Mayo. The Coyotes struck again with a Dysin Mayo goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Keller and Schmaltz. The final was 8-5, with the three stars going to Schmaltz, Keller, and Gostisbehere, while Kelly, Chabot, Mayo, and Stutzle get the honorable mentions.
Back east, the Florida Panthers host the Detroit Red Wings. Thomas Greiss and Sergei Bobrovsky make starts in goal. Florida started in the first period with a Mason Marchment goal, his thirteenth of the season, fueled by MacKenzie Weegar and Aleksander Barkov. Detroit tied it on a Robby Fabbri goal, his sixteenth of the year, assisted by Danny DeKeyser and Gustav Lindstrom. The Panthers took the lead back with an Anthony Duclair goal, his twenty-first of the season, powered by Sam Reinhart and Barkov on the power play. Florida added on with an Anton Lundell power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, via Sam Bennett and Brandon Montour. The Panthers extended the lead in the second period as Bennett scored his twenty-fourth of the season, with the help of Jonathan Huberdeau and Weegar. Florida padded the lead on a Lucas Carlsson goal, his third of the year, guided in by Carter Verhaeghe and Barkov. Alex Nedeljkovic replaced Greiss in goal. The Panthers continued with another Lundell goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, with helpers from Frank Vatrano and Reinhart. The Red Wings got one back in the third period with a Tyler Bertuzzi goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, coming off of Joe Veleno. The final stood at 6-2, with the three stars being Lundell, Barkov, and Bennett, while Reinhart and Weegar get the honorable mentions.
Up north, the Columbus Blue Jackets welcome the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Elvis Merzlikins are set to start in goal. Boston drew first blood in the first period with a Jake DeBrusk goal, his fifteenth of the season, courtesy of Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy. Columbus tied it on a Gustav Nyquist goal, his fourteenth of the year, via Boone Jenner and Patrik Laine. The Blue Jackets took the lead with a Vladislav Gavrikov goal, his third of the season, going in unassisted. The Bruins tied it in the second period with an Erik Haula goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Marchand. Columbus retook the lead with a Zach Werenski power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Jakub Voracek and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Boston tied it in the third period with a Craig Smith goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by Connor Clifton and Nick Foligno. The Bruins took the lead on a Patrice Bergeron power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, with assists provided by Taylor Hall and David Pastrnak. The Blue Jackets tied it on a Voracek power play goal, his third of the year, with helpers from Laine and Sean Kuraly. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Pastrnak's lone tally gave the Bruins a 5-4 win. The three stars were Marchand, Laine, and Voracek.
In Toronto, the Maple Leafs bring in the Vancouver Canucks. Thatcher Demko and Jack Campbell guard the cages. Vancouver struck first in the first period with a J.T. Miller goal, his twenty-second of the season, courtesy of Tanner Pearson and Travis Hamonic. Toronto tied it on a John Tavares power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Mitchell Marner and Morgan Rielly. The Canucks regained the lead with a Hamonic goal, his second of the season, via Brad Hunt and Bo Horvat. Vancouver added on in the second period with a Brock Boeser power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, with assists provided by Miller and Quinn Hughes. The Maple Leafs got one back with a Nicholas Robertson goal, coming off of William Nylander and Tavares. Toronto tied it on an Auston Matthews goal, his thirty-eighth of the season, going in unassisted. The Maple Leafs took the lead with another Matthews goal, his second of the game and thirty-ninth of the year, with helpers from Timothy Liljegren and Michael Bunting. The Canucks tied it again in the third period with a Pearson goal, his twelfth of the season, fueled by Tyler Myers and Boeser. Vancouver took the lead on an Alex Chiasson goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Horvat and Vasily Podkolzin. The Canucks iced it at 6-4 with a Tyler Motte empty net goal, his seventh of the campaign, set up by Elias Pettersson. The three stars were Pearson, Miller, and Boeser, while Hamonic, Horvat, Matthews, and Tavares get the honorable mentions.
Back stateside, the Washington Capitals host the Seattle Kraken. Chris Driedger and Vitek Vanecek patrol the creases. Washington kicked off in the first period with a Tom Wilson goal, his eighteenth of the season, via Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Capitals added on with a Dmitry Orlov goal, his ninth of the year, courtesy of Nic Dowd and Nick Jensen. Seattle got on the board with a Joonas Donskoi goal, his second of the season, assisted by Riley Sheahan and Jamie Oleksiak. The Kraken tied it in the second period with a Colin Blackwell goal, his seventh of the year, fueled by Mason Appleton and Adam Larsson. Washington regained the lead on a Conor Sheary power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Wilson and Ovechkin. The Capitals extended the lead in the third period on an Ovechkin power play goal, his thirty-fourth of the year, with the help of John Carlson and Nicklas Backstrom. Washington iced it at 5-2 with a Sheary empty net goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Ovechkin, Sheary, and Wilson.
Out west, the Edmonton Oilers welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Samuel Montembeault and Mike Smith are in the blue paint. Montreal was first to score in the first period with a Cole Caufield goal, his eighth of the season, going in unassisted. Edmonton tied it on an Evander Kane goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Leon Draisaitl. The Canadiens retook the lead with a Brendan Gallagher power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Nick Suzuki and Chris Wideman. The Oilers tied it on a Ryan McLeod goal, his sixth of the year, via Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard in the second period. Montreal took the lead with a Suzuki power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, with assists provided by Wideman and Caufield. The Canadiens added on with an Artturi Lehkonen shorthanded goal, his eleventh of the year, set up by Brett Kulak and Suzuki. Montreal extended the lead as Mike Hoffman scored his eleventh of the campaign into an empty net, helped along by Gallagher and Ben Chiarot. The final was 5-2, with the three stars being Suzuki, Caufield, and Gallagher, while Wideman gets an honorable mention.
Down in San Jose, the Sharks bring in the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Alex Stalock are between the pipes. Nashville dented the scoreboard in the first period with a Michael McCarron goal, his third of the season, fueled by Philip Tomasino and Dante Fabbro. The Predators tied it on a Matt Duchene goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, assisted by Roman Josi and Ryan Johansen. Nashville extended the lead as Matt Luff scored his second of the season, thanks to Tomasino and Josi. The Predators padded the lead on a Luff goal, his second of the game and third of the year, passed from Tomasino and McCarron. Nashville continued in the third period with a Duchene goal, his second of the game and twenty-seventh of the season, coming off of Filip Forsberg and Mattias Ekholm. The Predators struck again with a McCarron goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, via Luff and Josi. Zach Sawchenko replaced Stalock in goal. Nashville kept going with a Yakov Trenin goal, his thirteenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Predators piled on with a Mikael Granlund power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by McCarron and Josi. The final held at 8-0, with the three stars awarded to McCarron, Luff, and Duchene, while Josi and Tomasino get the honorable mentions.
Finally, the Colorado Avalanche host the Calgary Flames. Daniel Vladar is mismatched with Darcy Kuemper in goal. Colorado got going in the first period with a Gabriel Landeskog goal, his thirtieth of the season, assisted by Nazem Kadri and Valeri Nichushkin. Calgary tied it on an Elias Lindholm power play goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, powered by Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau. The Avalanche retook the lead with an Andre Burakovsky power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, with assists provided by Alex Newhook and Nichushkin. The Flames tied it again with a Lindholm goal, his second of the game and twenty-seventh of the year, passed from Tkachuk and Nikita Zadorov. Calgary took the lead in the second period with an Erik Gudbranson goal, his fifth of the season, guided in by Gaudreau and Tkachuk. Colorado tied it again with a Nathan MacKinnon goal, his seventeenth of the year, via Kadri and Cale Makar. The Flames won 4-3 in overtime with a Gaudreau goal, his twenty-second of the campaign, set up by Lindholm. The three stars were Lindholm, Gaudreau, and Tkachuk, while Kadri and Nichushkin get the honorable mentions.
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