We've got a 13-game slate this Saturday, beginning with...
The Detroit Red Wings hosting the Colorado Avalanche. Alexandar Georgiev and Ville Husso protect the nets. Colorado started in the first period with a Devon Toews goal, his fifth of the season, via J.T. Compher and Cale Makar. Detroit tied it on a Pius Suter goal, his twelfth of the year, passed from Dylan Larkin. The Avalanche took the lead in the second period with a Nathan MacKinnon goal, his thirtieth of the season, coming off of Denis Malgin and Makar. Colorado added on with a Bowen Byram power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Makar and MacKinnon. The Avalanche extended the lead in the third period as Lars Eller scored his ninth of the season, a shorthanded goal set up by Valeri Nichushkin and Jack Johnson. Colorado padded the lead as Mikko Rantanen scored his forty-sixth of the year, thanks to Evan Rodrigues and MacKinnon. The final held at 5-1, with the three stars being MacKinnon, Makar, and Georgiev (33 for 34 in saves).
Over in Minnesota, the Wild welcome the Boston Bruins. Linus Ullmark and Filip Gustavsson guard the cages. Minnesota opened in the first period with a Marcus Johansson goal, his fifteenth of the season, via Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek. Boston tied it on a Jake DeBrusk goal, his twenty-first of the year, courtesy of Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. The Bruins took the lead in the second period with a David Pastrnak power play goal, his forty-seventh of the season, powered by Hampus Lindholm and Marchand. Boston added on with a David Krejci goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by Pavel Zacha and Pastrnak. The Wild got one back on an Oskar Sundqvist power play goal in the third period, his ninth of the season, with assists provided by Frederick Gaudreau and Johansson. The Bruins shot back with a Bergeron goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, fueled by Marchand. Boston iced it at 5-2 with a Trent Frederic empty net goal, his sixteenth of the campaign, set up by Charlie Coyle. The three stars belonged to Marchand, Pastrnak, and Bergeron, while Johansson gets an honorable mention.
Down in Nashville, the Predators bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Juuse Saros are between the pipes. Nashville led off in the first period with a Cody Glass goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Philip Tomasino and Cal Foote. Winnipeg tied it on a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his eighth of the year, via Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele. The Predators retook the lead with a Luke Evangelista goal, his third of the season, fueled by Thomas Novak and Tyson Barrie. The Jets retied it with an Adam Lowry goal, his ninth of the year, passed from Morrissey and Vladislav Namestnikov. Winnipeg won 3-2 in overtime with a Neal Pionk goal, his ninth of the campaign, assisted by Pierre-Luc Dubois and Ehlers. The three stars were Ehlers, Morrissey, and Pionk.
Out west, the Seattle Kraken host the Edmonton Oilers. Stuart Skinner and Philipp Grubauer are the masked men. Edmonton began in the first period with an Evander Kane goal, his eleventh of the season, via Zach Hyman and Darnell Nurse. Seattle tied it with a Jaden Schwartz goal, his seventeenth of the year, made possible by Vince Dunn and Matty Beniers. The Oilers took the lead back with a Kailer Yamamoto goal, his ninth of the season, coming off of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl. Edmonton added on with another Kane goal in the second period, his second of the game and twelfth of the year, passed from Connor McDavid and Mattias Ekholm. The Kraken got one back with a Jordan Eberle goal, his sixteenth of the season, fueled by Jared McCann and Adam Larsson. Martin Jones replaced an injured Grubauer in goal. The Oilers shot back with a Hyman goal, his thirtieth of the year, courtesy of McDavid and Ekholm. Edmonton extended the lead as Kane completed his hat trick on his thirteenth of the season, thanks to Draisaitl and Brett Kulak. The Oilers padded the lead on a McDavid goal, his fifty-eighth of the year, helped along by Ekholm and Draisaitl on the power play. The Kraken got one back with an Eeli Tolvanen goal, his fifteenth of the season, passed from Morgan Geekie and Oleksiak. The three stars of the 6-4 game were Kane, McDavid, and Draisaitl, while Ekholm, Hyman, and Oleksiak get the honorable mentions.
Back east, the Philadelphia Flyers welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Frederik Andersen faces a lesser foe in Felix Sandstrom in goal. Carolina struck first in the first period with a Sebastian Aho goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, courtesy of Martin Necas and Brady Skjei. The Hurricanes added on with a Skjei goal, his fifteenth of the year, going in unassisted. Philadelphia got on the board in the second period with a Tyson Foerster goal, made possible by Morgan Frost and Brendan Lemieux. Carolina replied an Aho goal, his second of the game and twenty-ninth of the season, assisted by Stefan Noesen and Shayne Gostisbehere. The Flyers got one back with a Noah Cates power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Foerster and Owen Tippett. Philadelphia tied it in the third period with a Joel Farabee goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Tippett and Cates. The Flyers pulled ahead on a Lemieux goal, his second of the year, coming off of Frost. The Hurricanes tied it on a Necas power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, with assists provided by Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns. Carolina won 5-4 in overtime with Aho completing his hat trick on his thirtieth of the year, an unassisted goal. The three stars were Aho, Skjei, and Necas, while Foerster, Lemieux, Cates, Tippett, and Frost get the honorable mentions.
Down in Florida, the Panthers bring in the New Jersey Devils. Akira Schmid and Sergei Bobrovsky are in the blue paint. New Jersey got going in the second period with a Nico Hischier shorthanded goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, set up by John Marino and Ryan Graves. The Devils added on with a Jesper Boqvist goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Damon Severson. Florida got on the board in the third period with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his eighteenth of the season, helped along by Marc Staal and Brandon Montour. The Panthers tied it on a Sam Reinhart power play goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, powered by Montour and Carter Verhaeghe. Florida took the lead on a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his thirty-second of the season, coming off of Verhaeghe and Radko Gudas. The Panthers finished it at 4-2 with a Reinhart empty net goal, his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Reinhart, Verhaeghe, and Montour.
Also in the state, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Montreal Canadiens. Sam Montembeault and Brian Elliott are the backups in goal. Montreal kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Mike Hoffman goal, his twelfth of the season, via Nick Suzuki and David Savard. Tampa Bay tied it on a Victor Hedman goal, his seventh of the year, coming off of Nick Paul and Zach Bogosian. The Lightning took the lead in the second period with a Brandon Hagel goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, made possible by Nikita Kucherov and Mikhail Sergachev. The Canadiens retied it on a Denis Gurianov goal, his seventh of the year, guided in by Josh Anderson and Suzuki. Montreal pulled ahead with a Jesse Ylonen power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Hoffman and Justin Barron. Tampa Bay tied it in the third period with a Steven Stamkos power play goal, his thirtieth of the year, with assists provided by Kucherov and Alex Killorn. The Lightning took the lead with another Hagel goal, his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the season, fueled by Sergachev and Brayden Point. Tampa Bay iced it at 5-3 with a Hagel empty net goal to complete his hat trick on his twenty-seventh of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Hagel, Kucherov, and Sergachev, while Hoffman and Suzuki get the honorable mentions.
Up in Ottawa, the Senators welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Matt Murray and Mads Sogaard draw the starts in goal. Toronto drew first blood in the first period with a Jake McCabe goal, his third of the season, assisted by Mitch Marner and John Tavares. Ottawa tied it on a Julien Gauthier goal, his eighth of the year, via Shane Pinto and Erik Brannstrom. The Senators took the lead in the second period with a Tim Stutzle shorthanded goal, his thirty-fifth of the season, set up by Travis Hamonic. The Maple Leafs tied it on a Marner power play goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, powered by Morgan Rielly and Tavares. Toronto went ahead with a Calle Jarnkrok goal, his sixteenth of the season, fueled by Auston Matthews and Timothy Liljegren. The Maple Leafs added on with a Jarnkrok goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, guided in by Matthews and Alexander Kerfoot. Ottawa got one back on a Brady Tkachuk goal, twenty-ninth of the season, coming off of Stutzle and Hamonic. The Senators retied it on another Tkachuk goal, his second of the game and thirtieth of the year, courtesy of Claude Giroux and Thomas Chabot on the power play. The tie went to a shootout, where the Maple Leafs won with William Nylander, Matthews, and Kerfoot all tallying to beat the Senators' two tallies from Alex DeBrincat and Drake Batherson. The three stars of the 5-4 game were Jarnkrok, Marner, and Matthews, while Tkachuk, Tavares, Stutzle, and Hamonic get the honorable mentions.
Stateside again to New York, as the Rangers bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Igor Shesterkin are the goalies. New York was first to score in the first period with a Mika Zibanejad goal, his thirty-sixth of the season, guided in by Jacob Trouba and K'Andre Miller. The Rangers added on with an Artemi Panarin power play goal, his twenty-first of the year, powered by Adam Fox. New York extended the lead in the second period as Vladimir Tarasenko scored his fifteenth of the season, thanks to Zibanejad and Miller. The Rangers padded the lead on a Chris Kreider goal, his thirty-first of the year, passed from Patrick Kane and Vincent Trocheck. Casey DeSmith replaced Jarry in goal. New York continued with a Trouba goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Tarasenko and Zibanejad. The Rangers kept going with a Panarin goal, his second of the game and twenty-second of the year, with helpers from Kane and Filip Chytil. The final held at 6-0, with the three stars awarded to Shesterkin (34 save shutout), Panarin, and Zibanejad, while Tarasenko, Trouba, Kane, and Miller get the honorable mentions.
To the west, the Calgary Flames host the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Jacob Markstrom receive the starting nods in goal. Dallas started in the first period with a Joe Pavelski goal, his nineteenth of the season, via Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz. The Stars added on with a Radek Faksa goal, his eleventh of the year, courtesy of Hintz. Calgary got on the board with an Elias Lindholm goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Andrew Mangiapane and Tyler Toffoli. Dallas replied with a Wyatt Johnston goal, his twentieth of the year, with helpers from Miro Heiskanen and Jamie Benn. The Flames got one back in the second period with a MacKenzie Weegar goal, his third of the season, made possible by Lindholm. Calgary tied it on a Blake Coleman goal, his seventeenth of the year, coming off of Rasmus Andersson and Weegar. The Flames took the lead on a Nick Ritchie goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Andersson and Noah Hanifin. The Stars retied it on a Robertson goal, his fortieth of the year, guided in by Heiskanen and Colin Miller. Calgary took the lead back in the third period with an Andersson goal, his tenth of the season, with helpers from Walker Duehr and Weegar. Dallas retied it on a Jani Hakanpaa goal, his sixth of the year, helped along by Pavelski and Benn. The Stars won 6-5 in overtime with a Robertson goal, his second of the game and forty-first of the campaign, passed from Pavelski.
South to Los Angeles, as the Kings welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Thatcher Demko and Joonas Korpisalo start in goal. Vancouver opened in the first period with a Brock Boeser goal, his thirteenth of the season, fueled by J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes. Los Angeles tied it on an Alexander Edler goal, his second of the year, via Gabriel Vilardi. The Kings took the lead with a Carl Grundstrom goal, his ninth of the season, coming off of Rasmus Kupari and Arthur Kaliyev. The Canucks tied it on an Elias Pettersson power play goal, his thirty-second of the year, powered by Hughes and Miller. The tie went to a shootout, where Andrei Kuzmenko and Miller tallied to lift the Canucks to a 3-2 win over the Kings. The three stars were Miller, Hughes, and Demko (38 for 40 in saves).
Over in Arizona, the Coyotes bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex Stalock and Ivan Prosvetov are in the blue paint. Chicago led off in the first period with a Jujhar Khaira goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Jarred Tinordi and Boris Katchouk. Arizona tied it in the second period with a Barrett Hayton goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by Clayton Keller and Juuso Valimaki. The Blackhawks retook the lead in the third period with a Caleb Jones power play goal, his fourth of the season, going in unassisted. The Coyotes tied it again with a Keller goal, his thirty-second of the year, passed from Valimaki and Travis Boyd. Arizona pulled ahead with a Valimaki goal, his third of the season, fueled by Keller and Nick Schmaltz. The Coyotes iced it at 4-2 with an empty net goal by Matias Maccelli, his seventh of the year, set up by Jack McBain and J.J. Moser. The three stars were handed to Valiamki, Keller, and Prosvetov (32 for 34 in saves).
Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the New York Islanders. Ilya Sorokin and Kaapo Kahkonen patrol the creases. San Jose began in the first period with a Kevin Labanc goal, his twelfth of the season, courtesy of Logan Couture and Nico Sturm. New York tied it on a Jean-Gabriel Pageau shorthanded goal, his twelfth of the year, set up by Casey Cizikas. The Islanders pulled ahead in the second period with a Kyle Palmieri goal, his twelfth of the season, guided in by Scott Mayfield and Noah Dobson. New York added on with a Ryan Pulock power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Hudson Fasching and Pierre Engvall. The Islanders extended the lead in the third period as Zach Parise scored his eighteenth of the season, thanks to Alexander Romanov and Pageau. The final stayed at 4-1, with the three stars going to Pageau, Sorokin (29 for 30 in saves), and Palmieri.
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