NHL 2023-24 - Day 178

There's 13 games on for the last Saturday of the regular season. First up...

The New York Rangers host the New York Islanders. Ilya Sorokin and Igor Shesterkin tend the twines. The Rangers got going in the second period with a Braden Schneider shorthanded goal, his fifth of the season, set up by Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. The Islanders tied it on a Brock Nelson goal, his thirty-first of the year, courtesy of Kyle Palmieri and Hudson Fasching. The Islanders took the lead with another Nelson goal, his second of the game and thirty-second of the season, passed from Fasching and Palmieri. The Rangers tied it in the third period with an Artemi Panarin goal, his forty-eighth of the year, assisted by Vincent Trocheck. The tie went to a shootout, where Panarin and Trocheck lifted the Rangers to a 3-2 win. The three stars were Panarin, Trocheck, and Nelson, while Palmieri and Fasching get the honorable mentions. 

Down in Dallas, the Stars welcome the Seattle Kraken. Philipp Grubauer and Jake Oettinger man the nets. Dallas opened in the first period with a Craig Smith goal, his eleventh of the season, via Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen. The Stars added on in the second period with a Robertson power play goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, powered by Jamie Benn and Heiskanen. Dallas extended the lead in the third period as Heiskanen scored his ninth of the season, thanks to Joe Pavelski and Thomas Harley. Seattle got on the board with a Kailer Yamamoto goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Tomas Tatar. This only made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars given to Heiskanen, Robertson, and Oettinger (26 for 27 in saves).

Along to Colorado, as the Avalanche bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Alexandar Georgiev guard the cages. Winnipeg started in the first period with a Sean Monahan goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, made possible by Nikolaj Ehlers and Neal Pionk. The Jets added on with a Gabriel Vilardi power play goal, his twenty-first of the year, powered by Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey. The Jets extended the lead as Morrissey scored his tenth of the season on the power play, thanks to Monahan. The Jets padded the lead on an Adam Lowry goal, his eleventh of the year, coming off of David Gustafsson and Dylan DeMelo. Justus Annunen replaced Georgiev in goal. Winnipeg continued in the second period with a Tyler Toffoli goal, his thirty-second of the season, guided in by Connor. The Jets kept going with a Monahan goal, his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the year, helped along by Morrissey and Ehlers. Winnipeg struck again with a Lowry goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the season, passed from Gustafsson. The final held at 7-0, with the three stars awarded to Hellebuyck (31 save shutout), Monahan, and Morrissey, while Lowry, Connor, Ehlers, and Gustafsson receive the honorable mentions.

Back east, the Philadelphia Flyers host the New Jersey Devils. Kaapo Kahkonen and Samuel Ersson are set to start in goal. Philadelphia dented the scoreboard in the second period with a shorthanded Travis Konecny goal, his thirty-third of the season, set up by Scott Laughton and Nick Seeler. The final stood at 1-0, with the three stars being Ersson (20 save shutout), Konecny, and Kahkonen (20 for 21 in saves).

Down in Florida, the Panthers welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Sergei Bobrovsky are the masked men. Buffalo led off in the first period with a Rasmus Dahlin goal, his twenty-first of the season, assisted by Henri Jokiharju and Lukas Rousek. Florida tied it on an Anton Lundell goal, his thirteenth of the year, fueled by Matthew Tkachuk and Nick Cousins. The Panthers took the lead with a shorthanded and unassisted Kevin Stenlund goal, his eleventh of the season. The Sabres retied it on a Jack Quinn power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Bowen Byram and Owen Power. Florida won 3-2 in overtime with a Sam Reinhart goal, his fifty-fifth of the campaign, helped along by Aleksander Barkov. The three stars were Reinhart, Stenlund, and Lundell.

North to DC, as the Washington Capitals bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Charlie Lindgren are between the pipes. Washington began in the first period with a Sonny Milano goal, his fourteenth of the season, via Max Pacioretty and Hendrix Lapierre. Tampa Bay tied it on an Anthony Duclair goal, his twenty-third of the year, guided in by Brayden Point and Darren Raddysh. The Capitals retook the lead with a Milano goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Lightning tied it on a Brandon Hagel goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, courtesy of Steven Stamkos and Anthony Cirelli. Washington gained the lead on a John Carlson power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson. The Capitals added on with a Nic Dowd goal, his eleventh of the year, fueled by Beck Malenstyn and Trevor van Riemsdyk. This made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars given to Milano, Carlson, and Dowd.

In Canada, the Ottawa Senators host the Montreal Canadiens. Cayden Primeau and Joonas Korpisalo are the goalies. Montreal struck first in the first period with a Mike Matheson shorthanded goal, his eleventh of the season, going in unassisted. Ottawa tied it on a Brady Tkachuk power play goal, his thirty-sixth of the year, powered by Jake Sanderson and Claude Giroux. The Canadiens took the lead in the second period with a Cole Caufield goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, assisted by Jayden Struble and David Savard. The Senators tied it again with a Shane Pinto power play goal, his ninth of the year, with assists provided by Giroux and Tkachuk. Montreal retook the lead with a Caufield power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-seventh of the season, guided in by Matheson and Alex Newhook. Ottawa tied it again with another Tkachuk goal in the third period, his second of the game and thirty-seventh of the year, with helpers from Drake Batherson and Sanderson on the power play. The Canadiens took the lead again with a Newhook goal, his fourteenth of the season, helped along by Brendan Gallagher and Savard. The Senators tied it on a Thomas Chabot goal, his ninth of the year, made possible by Batherson and Sanderson. The Senators won 5-4 in the shootout with a Batherson goal. The three stars were Tkachuk, Batherson, and Caufield, while Sanderson, Giroux, Newhook, Matheson and Savard get the honorable mentions.

To Toronto, as the Maple Leafs welcome the Detroit Red Wings. James Reimer and Ilya Samsonov start in goal. Toronto was first to score in the first period with a Mitchell Marner power play goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, powered by William Nylander and Morgan Rielly. Detroit tied it on an Alex DeBrincat goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, fueled by Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin. The Red Wings took the lead with a Simon Edvinsson goal, assisted by David Perron and Jeff Petry. Detroit added on with a DeBrincat goal, his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the season, courtesy of J.T. Compher and Robby Fabbri on the power play. The Red Wings extended the lead as Perron scored his sixteenth of the year, passed from Patrick Kane and Compher. The Maple Leafs got one back in the second period with a Nicholas Robertson goal, his fourteenth of the season, going in unassisted. Toronto got closer with an Auston Matthews goal, his sixty-ninth of the year, made possible by Marner and Rielly. The Maple Leafs tied it on a John Tavares goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, with helpers from Marner. Detroit won 5-4 in overtime with a Larkin goal, his thirty-third of the year, coming off of Kane and Shayne Gostisbehere on the power play. The three stars were DeBrincat, Larkin, and Perron, while Marner, Kane, and Compher get the honorable mentions.

Back stateside, the Nashville Predators bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jet Greaves and Juuse Saros are the goalies. Columbus kicked off the scoring in the first period with a James Malatesta goal, via Justin Danforth. Nashville tied it on a Tommy Novak goal, his seventeenth of the season, fueled by Luke Evangelista and Roman Josi. The Predators pulled ahead with a Josi power play goal, his twenty-second of the year, powered by Gustav Nyquist and Ryan O'Reilly. Nashville added on with a Novak goal, his second of the game and eighteenth of the season, passed from Anthony Beauvillier and Ryan McDonagh. The Predators extended the lead in the second period as Cody Glass scored his sixth of the year, thanks to Alexandre Carrier and Mark Jankowski. The Blue Jackets fired back with an Alexandre Texier goal, his twelfth of the season, guided in by Damon Severson. Nashville replied with a Filip Forsberg goal, his forty-seventh of the year, assisted by Josi and Nyquist. The Predators padded the lead on a Josi goal, his second of the game and twenty-third of the season, helped along by Evangelista and Novak. Columbus got one back with a Trey Fix-Wolansky goal, courtesy of Danforth and Erik Gudbranson. The Blue Jackets got closer with a Fix-Wolanski goal, his second of the game, with helpers from Danforth and Malatesta. The final was 6-4 and the three stars were Josi, Novak, and Fix-Wolansky, while Nyquist, Evangelista, Danforth, and Malatesta get the honorable mentions.

On to Pittsburgh, as the Penguins host the Boston Bruins. Linus Ullmark and Alex Nedeljkovic have the green light to start in goal. Boston cracked the scoresheet in the second period with a Jake DeBrusk goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Andrew Peeke and Charlie Coyle. The Bruins added on with a Pavel Zacha goal, his twentieth of the year, passed from Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Bryan Rust goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, via Drew O'Connor and Sidney Crosby. Boston answered with a Kevin Shattenkirk goal, his sixth of the year, coming off of David Pastrnak and Zacha. Tristan Jarry replaced Nedeljkovic in goal. The Bruins extended the lead as Brad Marchand scored a shorthanded goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, set up by Coyle. The Penguins shot back with a Michael Bunting power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, powered by Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson. Pittsburgh pulled closer with an O'Connor shorthanded goal, his sixteenth of the season, courtesy of Lars Eller. Boston shot back with a Morgan Geekie goal, his seventeenth of the year, with helpers from Jakub Lauko and Trent Frederic. The Bruins padded the lead with a Danton Heinen empty net goal, his seventeenth of the season, dished from Pastrnak. The Penguins got one back with a Bunting goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the year, helped along by Rickard Rakell and Marcus Pettersson. The final held at 6-4, with the three stars given to Zacha, Bunting, and O'Connor, while Pastrnak and Coyle get the honorable mentions.

Out west, the Edmonton Oilers welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Casey DeSmith and Stuart Skinner are in the blue paint. Vancouver drew first blood in the first period with a Sam Lafferty goal, his thirteenth of the season, coming off of Nikita Zadorov and J.T. Miller. The Canucks added on in the second period with a Pius Suter goal, his fourteenth of the year, via Tyler Myers. Edmonton got on the board with an Evander Kane goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, assisted by Connor Brown and Darnell Nurse. Vancouver replied with a Dakota Joshua empty net goal, his seventeenth of the year, set up by Elias Lindholm and Conor Garland. The final stood at 3-1, with the three stars going to DeSmith (32 for 33 in saves), Suter, and Lafferty.

Down in California, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Minnesota Wild. Jesper Wallstedt and MacKenzie Blackwood play in goal. Minnesota began in the first period with a Matt Boldy goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, via Kirill Kaprizov and Jake Middleton. San Jose tied it on a Jan Rutta goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Mario Ferraro and Mikael Granlund. The Wild took the lead back with a Declan Chisholm goal, his third of the season, assisted by Jon Merrill and Liam Ohgren. Minnesota added on with an Ohgren goal, with helpers from Jonas Brodin and Marat Khusnutdinov. The Sharks got one back with a Ferraro goal, his third of the year, guided in by William Eklund and Granlund. The Wild answered with a Kaprizov goal, his forty-third of the season, coming off of Brock Faber and Brodin. Minnesota extended the lead on a Kaprizov power play goal, his second of the game and forty-fourth of the year, powered by Joel Eriksson Ek and Boldy. The Wild padded the lead in the third period with a Marcus Johansson goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Merrill and Alex Goligoski. The final held at 6-2 with Kaprizov, Ohgren, and Boldy receiving the three stars, while Ferraro, Brodin, Merrill, and Granlund get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Anaheim Ducks. Lukas Dostal and David Rittich are the backups in goal. Los Angeles got going in the second period with a Pierre-Luc Dubois power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, powered by Viktor Arvidsson and Adrian Kempe. The Kings added on with a Matt Roy goal, his fifth of the year, passed from Blake Lizotte and Akil Thomas. Anaheim got on the board with a Trevor Zegras goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Olen Zellweger and Cam Fowler. Los Angeles replied with a Kevin Fiala goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, courtesy of Trevor Lewis and Drew Doughty. The final stood at 3-1, with the three stars handed to Rittich (28 for 29 in saves), Roy, and Fiala.

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