Wednesday, February 21, 2024

NHL 2023-24 - Day 126

There's five games on tap Wednesday. First up...

The Montreal Canadiens host the Buffalo Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Sam Montembeault patrol the creases. Montreal started in the first period with an Arber Xhekaj goal, his third of the season, assisted by Joshua Roy and David Savard. Buffalo tied it on a Zemgus Girgensons goal in the second period, his fifth of the year, via Henri Jokiharju and Rasmus Dahlin. The Canadiens retook the lead with a Jayden Struble goal, his third of the season, coming off of Roy and Alex Newhook. The Sabres retied it on a Jeff Skinner power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Dylan Cozens and Tage Thompson. Buffalo pulled ahead with an Alex Tuch shorthanded goal, his sixteenth of the season, going in unassisted. The final stood at 3-2, with the three stars given to Tuch, Skinner, and Girgensons.

Southwest to Chicago, as the Blackhawks welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Samuel Ersson and Arvid Soderblom are the young goalies. Philadelphia opened in the first period with a Travis Sanheim goal, his sixth of the season, via Scott Laughton and Joel Farabee. Chicago tied it on a Colin Blackwell goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Joey Anderson. The Flyers pulled ahead in the second period with a Travis Konecny goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, going in unassisted. Philadelphia added on with a Garnet Hathaway goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Noah Cates and Ryan Poehling. The final held at 3-1, with the three stars being Ersson (22 for 23 in saves), Konecny, and Hathaway.

Out west, the Anaheim Ducks host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Daniil Tarasov and John Gibson are in the blue paint. Columbus led off in the first period with a Zach Werenski goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Johnny Gaudreau and Jack Roslovic. The Blue Jackets added on with a Gaudreau goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Jake Bean. Columbus extended the lead as Werenski scored his second of the game and fourth of the season, thanks to Boone Jenner and Roslovic. The Blue Jackets padded the lead in the second period on a Sean Kuraly goal, his eighth of the year, fueled by Alexandre Texier. Anaheim got on the board with a Troy Terry goal, his seventeenth of the season, helped along by Urho Vaakanainen and Frank Vatrano. The Ducks got closer with a Mason McTavish goal, his sixteenth of the year, passed from Terry and Pavel Mintyukov. Elvis Merzlikins relieved an injured Tarasov. Anaheim marched on with a McTavish goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the season, with helpers from Terry and Mintyukov. The Ducks tied it on an Alex Killorn goal, his seventh of the year, assisted by Leo Carlsson and Mintyukov. Tarasov returned in the third period. Columbus regained the lead in the third period with a Yegor Chinakhov goal, his fifteenth of the season, passed from Gaudreau and Jenner. The Blue Jackets continued with a Kuraly goal, his second of the game and ninth of the year, made possible by Cole Sillinger and Texier. Columbus iced it at 7-4 with an empty net goal by Jenner, his eighteenth of the season, set up by Damon Severson. The three stars were Gaudreau, Jenner, and Werenski, while Kuraly, Roslovic, Texier, Terry, McTavish, and Mintyukov get the honorable mentions.

Over in Arizona, the Coyotes bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ilya Samsonov and Karel Vejmelka are the goalies. Toronto began in the first period with a Bobby McMann goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by T.J. Brodie and Timothy Liljegren. The Maple Leafs added on with an Auston Matthews power play goal, his fiftieth of the year, powered by Liljegren and Mitchell Marner. Toronto extended the lead as William Nylander scored his thirtieth of the season on the power play, with the help of Marner and John Tavares. Arizona got on the board in the second period with a Matias Maccelli goal, his ninth of the year, courtesy of Nick Bjugstad. The Coyotes got closer with a Barrett Hayton goal, his third of the season, made possible by Alexander Kerfoot and Josh Brown. The Maple Leafs replied with a Matthews goal, his second of the game and fifty-first of the year, coming off of Marner and Brodie. Arizona replied with a Dylan Guenther power play goal, his sixth of the season, with assists provided by Clayton Keller. Toronto answered with a Nylander goal in the third period, his second of the game and thirty-first of the year, guided in by Brodie. The Maple Leafs padded the lead with a Tavares goal, his sixteenth of the season, helped along by Nicholas Robertson and McMann. The final held at 6-3, with the three stars given to Matthews, Nylander, and Marner, while Tavares, McMann, Liljegren, and Brodie get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Edmonton Oilers host the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Stuart Skinner tend the twines. Boston struck first in the first period with a Morgan Geekie power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Mason Lohrei and Charlie Coyle. Edmonton tied it on a Warren Foegele goal, his twelfth of the year, helped along by Connor McDavid. The Bruins took the lead in the second period with a Brad Marchand goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, fueled by Danton Heinen and Lohrei. Boston added on with a Trent Frederic goal, his sixteenth of the year, guided in by Jesper Boqvist and Charlie McAvoy. The Bruins extended the lead as Jake DeBrusk scored his thirteenth of the season, thanks to David Pastrnak and Parker Wotherspoon. The Oilers got one back with a Foegele goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, assisted by Zach Hyman and Brett Kulak. Edmonton pulled closer on a Mattias Janmark goal, his third of the season, coming off of Cody Ceci. The Oilers retied it on a Corey Perry goal, his seventh of the year, with helpers from Darnell Nurse and Ceci. Boston retook the lead with a Pastrnak goal, his thirty-sixth of the season, passed from Lohrei. Edmonton tied it again with a Hyman goal, his thirty-fourth of the year, with assists provided by Mattias Ekholm and McDavid. The Bruins won 6-5 in overtime with a McAvoy goal, his ninth of the campaign, made possible by DeBrusk and Pavel Zacha. The three stars were McAvoy, Lohrei, and Pastrnak, while DeBrusk, Foegele, Hyman, McDavid, and Ceci get the honorable mentions. 

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0 and on Bluesky @outsidersports0.bsky.social.

No comments :

Post a Comment