Wednesday, January 3, 2024

NHL 2023-24 - Day 81

There's two games on this Wednesday, beginning with...

The Washington Capitals welcoming the New Jersey Devils. Nico Daws and Hunter Shepard are the backups in goal. New Jersey led off in the first period with a Nico Hischier goal, his ninth of the season, via Colin Miller and the goalie Daws. The Devils added on with a Hischier power play goal, his second of the game and tenth of the year, powered by Luke Hughes and Jack Hughes. Washington got on the board with a Connor McMichael power play goal, his seventh of the season, with assists provided by Rasmus Sandin and Anthony Mantha. New Jersey replied in the second period with a Dawson Mercer goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from Erik Haula and Hischier. The Capitals got one back with an Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, his sixth of the season, guided in by Alex Ovechkin and Martin Fehervary. Washington tied it on a John Carlson power play goal, his second of the year, helped along by Kuznetsov and Ovechkin. The Devils took the lead back with a Michael McLeod goal, his eighth of the season, coming off of Alexander Holtz. New Jersey extended the lead as Mercer scored his second of the game and twelfth of the year, courtesy of Haula and Nathan Bastian. The Devils padded the lead on a McLeod goal, his second of the game and ninth of the season, made possible by Holtz and Curtis Lazar. This made it 6-3, the final, with the three stars going to Hischier, Mercer, and McLeod, while Kuznetsov, Haula, Holtz, and Ovechkin get the honorable mentions.

Out west, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Martin Jones and Lukas Dostal man the nets. Anaheim got going in the second period with a shorthanded Frank Vatrano goal, his eighteenth of the season, set up by Mason McTavish and Jamie Drysdale. Toronto tied it in the third period with a John Tavares power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by Morgan Rielly and William Nylander. The Maple Leafs won 2-1 in overtime with an Auston Matthews goal, his thirtieth of the campaign, via Mitchell Marner and Rielly. The three stars were Dostal (55 for 57 in saves), Rielly, and Matthews. 

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