2023 NHL All-Star Game

It's All-Star weekend in the NHL, with the best of the best facing off in the annual 3-on-3 tournament. First up...

The Pacific Division faces the Central Division. Connor Hellebuyck and Logan Thompson make the starts in goal. The Central began with a Nathan MacKinnon goal, via Mikko Rantanen. The Pacific answered with a Connor McDavid goal, coming off of Erik Karlsson. The Central retook the lead on a Seth Jones goal, courtesy of Vladimir Tarasenko. The Pacific tied it again with an Elias Pettersson goal, helped along by Bo Horvat and Kevin Fiala. The Central gained the lead with another MacKinnon goal, fueled by Rantanen and Cale Makar. Juuse Saros and Stuart Skinner took over in goal in the second half of the game. The Central added on with a Clayton Keller goal, coming off of Tarasenko and Jones. The Central extended the lead as Tarasenko scored, thanks to Keller and the goalie Saros. The Pacific got one back with a Pettersson goal, his second of the game, guided in by Fiala and the goalie Skinner. The Pacific pulled closer with a Karlsson goal, with a lone assist by Leon Draisaitl. The Central answered with a Keller goal, his second of the game, with helpers from Jones and Tarasenko. This made it a 6-4 win for the Central, who will face the winner of the next game in the finals. 

In the other semifinal, the Atlantic Division takes on the Metropolitan Division. Igor Shesterkin and Linus Ullmark start in goal. The Atlantic led off with a Matthew Tkachuk goal, via Aleksander Barkov and Brady Tkachuk. The Atlantic added on with a Dylan Larkin goal, courtesy of Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk. The Metropolitan got on the board with a Johnny Gaudreau goal, made possible by Artemi Panarin. The Metropolitan tied it on another Gaudreau goal, coming off of Panarin and Kevin Hayes. The Metropolitan took the lead with a Sidney Crosby goal, helped along by Alex Ovechkin. The Atlantic retied it on a Brady Tkachuk goal, assisted by Matthew Tkachuk and Barkov. The Atlantic retook the lead with a Nick Suzuki goal, fueled by Mitch Marner and the goalie Ullmark. Ilya Sorokin and Andrei Vasilevskiy took over in goal in the second half. The Metropolitan pulled even on a Gaudreau goal to complete his hat trick, with helpers from Panarin and Hayes. The Metropolitan went ahead on a Crosby goal, his second of the game passed from Ovechkin. The Metropolitan extended the lead as Ovechkin scored, thanks to Adam Fox and Crosby. The Atlantic shot back on a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his second of the game, guided in by Marner and Larkin. The Atlantic evened the score on a Nikita Kucherov goal, passed from Marner. The Atlantic took the lead again on a Suzuki goal, his second of the game, with assists from David Pastrnak and Rasmus Dahlin. The Atlantic padded the lead as Matthew Tkachuk completed his hat trick, with the help of Barkov and Brady Tkachuk. The Atlantic kept going with a Larkin empty net goal, his second of the game, going in unassisted. The Atlantic finished it at 10-6 with an unassisted Pastrnak goal. 

The finals see the Central Division meet the Atlantic Division. Linus Ullmark and Juuse Saros opened the game in goal. The Atlantic struck first with a Matthew Tkachuk goal, via Brady Tkachuk. The Atlantic added on with a Nikita Kucherov goal, passed from Mitch Marner and Matthew Tkachuk. The Atlantic extended the lead as Dylan Larkin scored, thanks to Marner. In the second half, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Connor Hellebuyck played in goal. The Atlantic padded the lead on a Larkin goal, his second of the game, made possible by Marner and Kucherov. The Central got on the board with a Mikko Rantanen goal, fueled by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. The Atlantic replied with a David Pastrnak goal, going in unassisted. The Central shot back with a Jason Robertson goal, with a helper from Josh Morrissey. The Atlantic responded on a Larkin goal, completing his hat trick on an unassisted goal. The Central countered with a Clayton Keller goal, going in unassisted. The Atlantic fired back with a Rasmus Dahlin goal, passed from Aleksander Barkov. The Central fired back on a MacKinnon goal, dished from Makar. The Central got closer on a Makar goal, set up by Rantanen. The final stood at 7-5, with the All-Star Game MVP title going to Matthew Tkachuk. 

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NHL 2022-23 - Day 111

There's two games on to wrap up the pre-All-Star Game schedule. First up...

The Buffalo Sabres welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Antti Raanta and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are the Finnish goalies. Carolina opened in the first period with a Sebastian Aho power play goal, his twenty-third of the season, powered by Teuvo Teravainen and Andrei Svechnikov. The Hurricanes added on with a Stefan Noesen goal, his ninth of the year, courtesy of Martin Necas and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Carolina extended the lead as Brent Burns scored his tenth of the season, thanks to Kotkaniemi and Jalen Chatfield. Buffalo got on the board with an Alex Tuch goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, via Henri Jokiharju. The Hurricanes replied in the third period with a Derek Stepan goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Noesen and Chatfield. Carolina iced it at 5-1 with a Jordan Martinook shorthanded empty net goal, his eleventh of the year, set up by Jordan Staal. The three stars were Noesen, Chatfield, and Kotkaniemi.

Over in Toronto, the Maple Leafs bring in the Boston Bruins. Linus Ullmark and Ilya Samsonov are the masked men. Boston dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Derek Forbort shorthanded goal, his fourth of the season, set up by Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic. Toronto tied it on a Mitch Marner power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, powered by the goalie Samsonov and Morgan Rielly. The Bruins took the lead back with a Brandon Carlo goal, his second of the season, assisted by Hampus Lindholm and Coyle. Boston added on in the third period with an A.J. Greer goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Jakub Lauko. The Maple Leafs got one back with a Calle Jarnkrok goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Mark Giordano and Justin Holl. The Bruins fired back with a Pavel Zacha goal, his tenth of the year, courtesy of Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk. Boston extended the lead as Zacha scored his second of the game and eleventh of the season, thanks to David Krejci and David Pastrnak. This made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars going to Zacha, Coyle, and Ullmark (33 for 35 in saves). 

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NHL 2022-23 - Day 110

There's three games on today, beginning with...

The Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Los Angeles Kings. Pheonix Copley and Frederik Andersen man the nets. Carolina struck first in the first period with a Brent Burns goal, his ninth of the season, made possible by Andrei Svechnikov. Los Angeles tied it in the second period with an Adrian Kempe goal, his twenty-first of the year, courtesy of Anze Kopitar. The Kings took the lead with a Kevin Fiala goal, his eighteenth of the season, guided in by Blake Lizotte. Los Angeles added on with another Kempe goal, his second of the game and twenty-second of the year, passed from Drew Doughty and Kopitar. The Kings extended the lead as Kopitar scored his sixteenth of the season on the power play, powered by Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Doughty. The Hurricanes got one back in the third period with a Paul Stastny goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Derek Stepan and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Carolina pulled closer with a Jordan Staal goal, his fourteenth of the season, assisted by Brett Pesce and Jesper Fast. The Hurricanes tied it on a Teuvo Teravainen power play goal, his fifth of the year, with assists provided by Brady Skjei and Svechnikov. Carolina won 5-4 in overtime with a Sebastian Aho goal, his twenty-second of the campaign, set up by Martin Necas and Burns. The three stars were Burns, Svechnikov, and Kempe, while Kopitar and Doughty get the honorable mentions.

Up in Columbus, the Blue Jackets welcome the Washington Capitals. Charlie Lindgren and Joonas Korpisalo are set to start in goal. Washington led off in the first period with a Garnet Hathaway goal, his eighth of the season, guided in by Lars Eller and Nick Jensen. The Capitals added on with a Trevor van Riemsdyk goal, his fifth of the year, via Nicolas Aube-Kubel. Columbus got on the board with an Andrew Peeke goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Patrik Laine. Washington replied in the second period with another van Riemsdyk goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, courtesy of Evgeny Kuznetsov and Erik Gustafsson. The Blue Jackets got one back with an Eric Robinson goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Mathieu Olivier. Columbus tied it in the third period with a Johnny Gaudreau goal, his fourteenth of the year, fueled by Gavin Bayreuther. The Capitals won 4-3 in overtime with a Kuznetsov goal, his seventh of the campaign, made possible by Marcus Johansson and Gustafsson. The three stars were van Riemsdyk, Kuznetsov, and Gustafsson.

Finally, the Montreal Canadiens bring in the Ottawa Senators. Anton Forsberg and Jake Allen protect the nets. Ottawa began in the first period with a Claude Giroux goal, his twentieth of the year, via Nikita Zaitsev and Thomas Chabot. The Senators added on with a Tim Stutzle goal, his twenty-first of the season, assisted by Mathieu Joseph and Brady Tkachuk. Montreal got on the board with a Kirby Dach power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Nick Suzuki and Mike Hoffman. Ottawa answered in the second period with an Alex DeBrincat power play goal, his seventeenth of the season, with assists provided by Stutzle and Chabot. The Canadiens got one back with a Mike Hoffman power play goal, his ninth of the year, fueled by Mike Matheson. Montreal tied it in the third period with a Rafael Harvey-Pinard goal, his fourth of the season, guided in by Suzuki and Josh Anderson. The Senators retook the lead with a Stutzle goal, his second of the game and twenty-second of the year, helped along by Chabot and Drake Batherson on the power play. The Canadiens retied it with another Harvey-Pinard goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, passed from Anderson and David Savard. Ottawa gained the lead on a Tkachuk goal, his twentieth of the season, with helpers from Stutzle and Joseph. The final held at 5-4, with the three stars going to Stutzle, Tkachuk, and Chabot, while Harvey-Pinard, Hoffman, Joseph, Suzuki, and Anderson get the honorable mentions. 

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NHL 2022-23 - Day 109

Just one game on today, as the Winnipeg Jets host the St. Louis Blues. Jordan Binnington and Connor Hellebuyck protect the nets. St. Louis got going in the second period with a Jake Neighbours power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Torey Krug and the goalie Binnington. The Blues added on in the third period with a Nikita Alexandrov goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Josh Leivo and Neighbours. Winnipeg got on the board with a Josh Morrissey goal, his ninth of the season, helped along by Saku Maenalanen and Neal Pionk. The Jets tied it on a Mark Scheifele goal, his thirtieth of the year, coming off of Nikolaj Ehlers and Kyle Connor. Winnipeg pulled ahead with another Morrissey goal, his second of the game and tenth of the season, assisted by Morgan Barron and Maenalanen. The Jets iced it at 4-2 with a Scheifele empty net goal, his second of the game and thirty-first of the year, set up by Blake Wheeler and Connor. The three stars were Morrissey, Scheifele, and Neighbours, while Maenalanen and Connor get the honorable mentions. 

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NHL 2022-23 - Day 108

We've got a two-game Sunday. First up...

The Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Boston Bruins. Linus Ullmark and Frederik Andersen are the masked men. Carolina led off in the first period with a Sebastian Aho goal, his twenty-first of the season, going in unassisted. The Hurricanes added on in the second period with a Paul Stastny power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Martin Necas and Brent Burns. Carolina extended the lead as Seth Jarvis scored his eighth of the season, going in unassisted in the third period. Boston got on the board with a Taylor Hall goal, his fifteenth of the year, via Pavel Zacha and Charlie McAvoy. The Hurricanes replied with a shorthanded empty net goal by Jordan Staal, his thirteenth of the campaign, set up by Jordan Martinook. This made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars going to Andersen (24 for 25 in saves), Stastny, and Jarvis. 

Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs bring in the Washington Capitals. Darcy Kuemper and Ilya Samsonov are between the pipes. Washington began in the first period with a Nicklas Backstrom power play goal, powered by Marcus Johansson and Conor Sheary. Toronto tied it in the second period with a Michael Bunting power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, with assists provided by John Tavares and Mitch Marner. The Maple Leafs took the lead with a Morgan Rielly goal, coming off of Bunting and Tavares. Toronto added on with a William Nylander goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, guided in by Calle Jarnkrok and Rasmus Sandin. The Maple Leafs extended the lead as Pierre Engvall scored his tenth of the season, thanks to T.J. Brodie and David Kampf. Charlie Lindgren replaced Kuemper in goal. Toronto finished it at 5-1 in the third period with a Zach Aston-Reese goal, his fifth of the year, with helpers from Pontus Holmberg and Mark Giordano. The three stars were Bunting, Tavares, and Samsonov (23 for 24 in saves). 

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