Another full day of action awaits this Saturday, with 14 games on. Five are matinees, beginning with...
The Boston Bruins hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins. Casey DeSmith and Jeremy Swayman are the goalies. Boston led off in the first period with a Trent Frederic goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Craig Smith. The Bruins added on with an Erik Haula goal, his fifteenth of the year, via Mike Reilly. Pittsburgh got on the board in the second period with a Danton Heinen goal, his seventeenth of the season, courtesy of Teddy Blueger and Brock McGinn. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being Swayman (23 for 24 in saves), Haula, and Frederic.
Along to New York, as the Rangers welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Thomas Greiss and Igor Shesterkin are in the blue paint. New York began in the first period with a Mika Zibanejad power play goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, powered by Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider. The Rangers added on in the second period with a Frank Vatrano goal, his seventeenth of the year, guided in by Zibanejad and Adam Fox. New York extended the lead in the third period as Alexis Lafreniere scored his sixteenth of the season, thanks to Barclay Goodrow and Filip Chytil. The Rangers padded the lead on another Lafreniere goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, made possible by Patrick Nemeth and Goodrow. This stood for a 4-0 final score, with the three stars given to Shesterkin (20 save shutout), Lafreniere, and Zibanejad, while Goodrow gets an honorable mention.
Down in Nashville, the Predators bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Kevin Lankinen and Juuse Saros are the Finnish goalies. Nashville opened in the first period with an Eeli Tolvanen goal, his tenth of the season, made possible by Philip Tomasino and Cody Glass. Chicago tied it on a Patrick Kane goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, courtesy of Dylan Strome and Alex DeBrincat. The Blackhawks took the lead with a Dominik Kubalik goal, his thirteenth of the season, assisted by Jake McCabe and Lukas Reichel. The Predators retied it on a Roman Josi goal, his twentieth of the year, via Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg. Nashville took the lead with a Matt Duchene power play goal, his thirty-ninth of the season, powered by Mikael Granlund and Forsberg. The Predators added on in the third period with a Granlund goal, his tenth of the year, with helpers from Mattias Ekholm and Dante Fabbro. Chicago got one back with a Riley Stillman goal, his second of the campaign, coming off of Kane and DeBrincat. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars going to Granlund, Kane, and Forsberg, while DeBrincat gets an honorable mention.
Along to St. Louis, as the Blues host the Minnesota Wild. Cam Talbot and Ville Husso protect the nets. St. Louis started in the first period with an Ivan Barbashev goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, fueled by Nathan Walker and Brayden Schenn. Minnesota tied it in the second period with a Ryan Hartman goal, his thirtieth of the year, via Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello. The Blues took the lead with a Vladimir Tarasenko goal, his thirty-second of the season, assisted by Colton Parayko and Pavel Buchnevich. St. Louis added on with a David Perron goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, guided in by Schenn and Torey Krug. The Blues extended the lead as Brandon Saad scored his twenty-second of the season, with the help of Ryan O'Reilly and Marco Scandella. The Wild got one back in the third period with another Hartman goal, his second of the game and thirty-first of the year, with helpers from Zuccarello and Alex Goligoski. Minnesota pulled closer with a Frederick Gaudreau goal, his thirteenth of the season, coming off of Kevin Fiala and Matt Boldy. St. Louis replied with a Buchnevich goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, courtesy of Robert Thomas and Parayko. The Wild countered with a Marcus Foligno power play goal, his twenty-second of the season, powered by Hartman and Jonas Brodin. Minnesota tied it on a Kaprizov goal, his forty-third of the year, helped along by Zuccarello. The Blues won 6-5 in overtime with a Schenn goal, his twenty-second of the campaign, passed from Buchnevich and Justin Faulk. The three stars were Schenn, Buchnevich, and Parayko, while Hartman, Kaprizov, and Zuccarello get the honorable mentions.
Out in Edmonton, the Oilers welcome the Vegas Golden Knights. Logan Thompson and Mike Smith are set to start in goal. Edmonton struck first in the first period with a Kris Russell goal, guided in by Zack Kassian and Ryan McLeod. The Oilers added on in the third period with a Cody Ceci goal, his fifth of the season, via Darnell Nurse and Evander Kane. Edmonton extended the lead as Warren Foegele scored his twelfth of the year, going in unassisted. The Oilers padded the lead on a shorthanded Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal, his eleventh of the campaign, set up by Derek Ryan. This made it 4-0, the final, with the three stars being Smith (39 save shutout), Russell and Ceci.
Back east, the Buffalo Sabres bring in the Philadelphia Flyers. Martin Jones and Craig Anderson are the experienced goalies. Philadelphia kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Joel Farabee goal, his seventeenth of the season, made possible by Bobby Brink and Keith Yandle. The Flyers added on with an Owen Tippett goal, his ninth of the year, going in unassisted. Buffalo got on the board in the second period with a Kyle Okposo power play goal, his twentieth of the season, powered by Peyton Krebs and Henri Jokiharju. The Sabres tied it on a Rasmus Dahlin goal, his eleventh of the year, courtesy of Jeff Skinner and Victor Olofsson. Philadelphia retook the lead with a Travis Konecny goal, his fourteenth of the season, assisted by Noah Cates and Travis Sanheim. Buffalo tied it again with a Vinnie Hinostroza goal, his twelfth of the year, coming off of Zemgus Girgensons and Casey Fitzgerald. The Sabres took the lead with a Tage Thompson power play goal, his thirty-fourth of the season, with assists provided by Casey Mittelstadt and Dahlin. The final stood at 4-3, with the three stars being Dahlin, Thompson, and Hinostroza.
In Montreal, the Canadiens host the Washington Capitals. Vitek Vanecek and Sam Montembeault are in the blue paint. Washington drew first blood in the first period with a Nic Dowd goal, his tenth of the season, via Dmitry Orlov and Anthony Mantha. Montreal tied it in the second period on a Jake Evans goal, his eleventh of the year, courtesy of Christian Dvorak and David Savard. The Capitals took the lead with a Mantha goal, his eighth of the season, passed from Orlov and Lars Eller. Washington added with another Mantha goal, his second of the game and ninth of the year, assisted by Eller. The Canadiens got one back on a Ryan Poehling goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Jeff Petry and Mike Hoffman. The Capitals replied with an Alex Ovchkin goal, his forty-seventh of the year, made possible by Evgeny Kuznetsov. Montreal got one back with a Poehling goal, his second of the game and eighth of the season, with helpers from Tyler Pitlick and Alexander Romanov. Washington fired back with a Garnet Hathaway goal, his thirteenth of the year, helped along by Dowd and Johan Larsson. The Capitals extended the lead as Orlov scored his twelfth of the season, thanks to Mantha. Washington padded the lead on a Justin Schultz power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Orlov and Marcus Johansson. The Canadiens got one back with a Nick Suzuki goal, his twentieth of the season, fueled by Petry. The Capitals replied with a T.J. Oshie power play goal, his tenth of the year, with assists provided by Kuznetsov and John Carlson. The final was 8-4, with the three stars going to Mantha, Orlov, and Dowd, while Poehling, Kuznetsov, Eller, and Petry get the honorable mentions.
Over in Ottawa, the Senators welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Erik Kallgren and Anton Forsberg make the starts in goal. Ottawa cracked the scoresheet in the first period with a Tim Stutzle goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Brady Tkachuk and Michael Del Zotto. The Senators added on with a Del Zotto goal, his third of the year, guided in by Connor Brown and Josh Norris. Toronto got on the board in the second period with a Kyle Clifford goal, coming off of Justin Holl and Mark Giordano. Ottawa replied with a Dylan Gambrell goal, his third of the season, fueled by Austin Watson and Erik Brannstrom. The Maple Leafs pulled one back with a Michael Bunting goal, his twenty-third of the year, courtesy of Giordano. Toronto tied it on a Mitchell Marner goal, his thirty-second of the season, passed from T.J. Brodie. The Senators retook the lead in the third period with Stutzle's second goal of the game and his twentieth of the year, going in unassisted. The Maple Leafs tied it again with a Marner goal, his second of the game and thirty-third of the season, coming off of Bunting and Auston Matthews. Toronto won 5-4 in overtime with a Giordano goal, his eighth of the year, made possible by William Nylander and John Tavares. The three stars were Giordano, Marner, and Stutzle, while Bunting and Del Zotto get the honorable mentions.
Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Brian Elliott draw the starts. Winnipeg was first to score in the first period with a Paul Stastny goal, his twenty-first of the season, via Nikolaj Ehlers and Kyle Connor. Tampa Bay tied it on Alex Killorn power goal, his twenty-third of the year, powered by Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman. The Jets retook the lead with a Connor goal, his forty-third of the season, assisted by Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Lightning tied it on a Pierre-Edouard Bellemare goal, his ninth of the year, coming off of Jan Rutta and Hedman. Winnipeg took the lead back in the second period with a Josh Morrissey goal, his twelfth of the season, courtesy of Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton. The Jets added on with a Blake Wheeler power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, with an assist by Neal Pionk and Dominic Toninato. The Lightning got one back with a Nick Paul goal, his fourteenth of the season, made possible by Nikita Kucherov. Tampa Bay tied it on a Kucherov goal, his seventeenth of the year, helped along by Hedman and Paul. The Lightning pulled ahead with a Stamkos goal, his thirty-third of the season, guided in by Ondrej Palat. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Kucherov scored his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, thanks to Hedman. Tampa Bay padded the lead with a Mikhail Sergachev goal, his seventh of the season, with helpers from Erik Cernak and Kucherov. Eric Comrie replaced Hellebuyck in goal. The final stood at 7-4, with the three stars given to Kucherov, Hedman, and Stamkos, while Paul and Connor get the honorable mentions.
Westward to Dallas, as the Stars host the San Jose Sharks. Kaapo Kahkonen and Jake Oettinger are the young goalies. Dallas dented the scoreboard in the first period with a Tyler Seguin goal, his twenty-third of the season, via Ryan Suter and Jamie Benn. The Stars added on with a Michael Raffl shorthanded goal in the second period, his seventh of the year, set up by Luke Glendening and Esa Lindell. San Jose got on the board with a Timo Meier goal, his thirty-third of the season, assisted by Ryan Merkley and Mario Ferraro. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Raffl, Oettinger (23 for 24 in saves), and Seguin.
Northwest to Colorado, as the Avalanche welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Frederik Andersen and Darcy Kuemper tend the twines. Carolina got going in the first period with a J.T. Compher power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Alex Newhook and Andre Burakovsky. The Avalanche added on with a Nathan MacKinnon goal, his thirtieth of the year, assisted by Valeri Nichushkin and Mikko Rantanen. Colorado extended the lead in the second period as Compher scored his second of the game and sixteenth of the season on the power play, thanks to Burakovsky and Devon Toews. The Avalanche padded the lead with a Ben Meyers goal, via Logan O'Connor. Carolina got on the board with a Jordan Staal goal, his fifteenth of the year, helped along by Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce. The Hurricanes got closer with another Staal goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the season, made possible by Nino Niederreiter and Jaccob Slavin. Colorado replied with a Newhook goal, his thirteenth of the year, guided in by Nicolas Aube-Kubel. Carolina answered with a Sebastian Aho goal, his thirty-fifth of the season, coming off of Jordan Martinook and Seth Jarvis. The Avalanche countered in the third period with a Rantanen goal, his thirty-sixth of the year, with a lone assist by Nichushkin. The Hurricanes got one back with an Andrei Svechnikov power play goal, his thirtieth of the season, with assists provided by Teuvo Teravainen and Tony DeAngelo. Colorado fired back with a MacKinnon goal, his second of the game and thirty-first of the year, with helpers from Rantanen and Toews. Antti Raanta replaced an injured Andersen. The final was 7-4, with the three stars given to MacKinnon, Compher, and Rantanen, while Newhook, Burakovsky, Nichushkin, Staal, and Toews get the honorable mentions.
North to Calgary, as the Flames bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Harri Sateri and Jacob Markstrom are in the creases. Arizona started in the first period with a Nick Ritchie goal, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Jay Beagle and Jack McBain. Calgary tied it in the second period with a Dillon Dube goal, his twelfth of the year, going in unassisted. The Flames took the lead with an Andrew Mangiapane goal, his thirty-second of the season, passed from Nikita Zadorov. Calgary added on with a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his thirty-eighth of the year, assisted by Johnny Gaudreau and Adam Ruzicka. The Flames extended the lead as Dube scored his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, an unassisted goal. Karel Vejmelka replaced Sateri in goal. Calgary padded the lead as Blake Coleman scored his fifteenth of the year, thanks to Mikael Backlund and Mangiapane. The Flames kept going with an Elias Lindholm goal, his thirty-ninth of the season, with helpers from Zadorov and Tkachuk. Calgary continued in the third period with a Gaudreau goal, his thirty-fifth of the year, helped along by Noan Hanifin and Lindholm. The Flames struck again with a Tkachuk goal, his second of the game and thirty-ninth of the season, fueled by Lindholm and Gaudreau. Calgary got another with a Gaudreau goal, his second of the game and thirty-sixth of the year, with assists from Lindholm and Tkachuk. This made it 9-1, the final, with the three stars awarded to Tkachuk, Gaudreau, and Lindholm, while Dube, Mangiapane, and Zadorov get the honorable mentions.
Back stateside, the Seattle Kraken host the New Jersey Devils. Nico Daws and Philipp Grubauer are given the green light to start in goal. New Jersey opened in the first period with a Jesper Bratt goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, coming off of Andreas Johnsson and Michael McLeod. Seattle tied it on a Will Borgen goal, his second of the year, via Victor Rask and Karson Kuhlman. The Devils retook the lead with a Jesper Boqvist goal, his eighth of the season, fueled by Pavel Zacha and Janne Kuokkanen. The Kraken tied it on a Carson Soucy goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Jared McCann and Yanni Gourde. Seattle gained the lead with a Matty Beniers goal, helped along by McCann and Vince Dunn on the power play. New Jersey tied it in the third period on a Damon Severson goal, his eleventh of the season, courtesy of McLeod and Nathan Bastian. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Ryan Donato had the lone tally for a 4-3 Kraken win. The three stars were McCann, Beniers, and McLeod.
Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins and Jonathan Quick are the starting goalies. Los Angeles struck first in the first period with a Dustin Brown goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Blake Lizotte. The Kings added on with a Phillip Danault goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, passed from Viktor Arvidsson and Trevor Moore. Columbus got on the board in the second period with a Sean Kuraly goal, his thirteenth of the season, guided in by Carson Meyer and Gustav Nyquist. The final held at 2-1, with the three stars going to Quick (21 for 22 in saves), Danault, and Brown.
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