There are seven games being played tonight. We begin with the Washington Capitals hosting the Phoenix Coyotes. Jason LaBarbera opposes Tomas Vokoun in goal. Phoenix opened on a shorthanded and unassisted Radim Vrbata goal, his ninth of the season. The Coyotes added on in the second period with a penalty shot by Lauri Korpikoski, good as his fourth of the year. Washington got on the board with a John Carlson goal, his third of the season, going down unassisted. The Capitals tied it with Cody Eakin potting his second of the year, and Jeff Schultz had the lone assist. Washington took the lead in the third period when Nicklas Backstrom scored his sixth of the season off of Joel Ward and Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals extended the lead on a power play goal by Brooks Laich, his fourth of the year, with help from Backstrom. Phoenix got one back when Korpikoski netted his second of the night and fifth of the season, guided in by Ray Whitney and Boyd Gordon. They couldn't get the equalizer, and lost 4-3. The three stars were awarded to Backstrom, Korpikoski, and Ward.
Next up, the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Calgary Flames. Backups Henrik Karlsson and Curtis Sanford will play goal. Jeff Carter got Columbus going first with his second of the season, via Vinny Prospal and Nikita Nikitin. The Blue Jackets kept it up with an Antoine Vermette goal, his second of the year, made possible by Derek Dorsett and Fedor Tyutin. Columbus extended the lead again in the second period on Carter's second of the game and third of the season, thanks to Prospal and James Wisniewski on the power play. Calgary got on the board with a Mark Giordano power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Alex Tanguay and Rene Bourque. The Blue Jackets iced it on an empty net goal by Rick Nash, his fifth of the campaign, and Prospal got the lone helper to clinch a sock trick. The three stars were Carter, Sanford (27 for 28 in saves), and Prospal.
And now, the moment you've all been waiting for... The Pittsburgh Penguins hosting the New York Islanders. Anders Nilsson and Marc-Andre Fleury are in goal. Pittsburgh opened with a goal by Sidney Crosby, his first of the season, assisted by Pascal Dupuis and Deryk Engelland. The Penguins added on with a Brooks Orpik goal, his second of the year, fueled by Crosby and Dupuis. Pittsburgh kept on the attack with an Evgeni Malkin power play goal in the second period, his sixth of the season, powered by Kris Letang and Crosby. The Penguins stayed relentless as Steve Sullivan drained his second of the year, with the help of Malkin and James Neal. Pittsburgh went back to work in the third period, as Crosby potted his second of the night and the year, thanks to Dupuis, who got a sock trick, and Zbynek Michalek. The final was 5-0, and the three stars were Crosby, Dupuis, and Fleury (29 save shutout) while Malkin earns an honorable mention.
Staying in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Flyers hosted the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Ilya Bryzgalov got the starting nods. Carolina opened with Alexei Ponikarovsky sinking his fourth of the season, with the help of Chad LaRose and Jussi Jokinen on the power play. The Hurricanes added on with a Jeff Skinner goal, his ninth of the year, thanks to Tuomo Ruutu and Jay Harrison. Philadelphia got on the board with an unassisted James van Riemsdyk goal, his eighth of the season. Carolina replied on a LaRose goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Tomas Kaberle and Ponikarovsky. The Flyers answered back on a Matt Read power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by van Riemsdyk and Kimmo Timonen. The Hurricanes got it back on the power play when Ponikarovsky's second of the night and fifth of the year found twine, coming off of LaRose and Jokinen. The third period was silent, leaving a 4-2 final on the board, and the three stars were Ponikarovsky, LaRose, and van Riesmdyk, while Jokinen gets the honorable mention.
Up to Montreal, where the Canadiens host the Boston Bruins. Tim Thomas and Carey Price tend the twines. Boston led off on an Andrew Ference goal, his second of the season, made possible by Rich Peverley and Chris Kelly. This held up to the end, for a 1-0 final in the Bruins favor. Thomas (33 save shutout), Price (17 for 18 in saves), and Alexei Emelin were the official three stars, although Ference probably has a good case.
Down to Florida, where the Panthers host the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Jose Theodore will be stopping the puck tonight. New Jersey was first to score on the fourth of the season by Ilya Kovalchuk, assisted by Henrik Tallinder and Andy Greene. The Devils added on with Petr Sykora recording his fourth of the year, thanks to Adam Larsson and Greene. New Jersey surged further ahead when Dainius Zubrus sent his sixth of the season into the twine, helped along by Patrik Elias and the goalie Brodeur. Florida pulled within one in the second period on two consecutive Kris Versteeg goals, his tenth and eleventh of the year, and the assists were spread amongst Stephen Weiss, Dmitry Kulikov, and Jason Garrison. The Panthers tied it in the third period with a Stephen Weiss shorthanded goal, his eighth of the season guided in by Garrison and Mike Weaver. Florida took the lead late at 4-3 when Tomas Fleischmann netted his ninth of the year, with assists provided by Weiss and Versteeg. This was a final, and the three stars were given to Weiss, Fleischmann, and Versteeg, while Garrison and Greene had good games too.
Lastly, the Dallas Stars welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Nikolai Khabibulin and Kari Lehtonen will be in the blue paint. Dallas led off when Toby Petersen scored off of Tom Wandell and Eric Nystrom. The Stars extended the lead in the second period with a Steve Ott goal, his third of the season, thanks to Mike Ribeiro and Brenden Morrow. Edmonton got on the board with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins putting his eighth of the year into the cage, courtesy of Jordan Eberle and Ryan Smyth. Dallas got it back with Michael Ryder notching his seventh of the season, guided in by Nicklas Grossman and Loui Eriksson. The Stars wrapped it up 4-1 with Radek Dvorak netting an empty netter, helped along by Vernon Fiddler. This was a final, with Ott, Jamie Benn, and Petersen collecting the three stars and all point earners getting honorable mention.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Fantasy Hockey All-Stars week 6
Center: Tomas Plekanec, 1 G, 5 A, +2, 2 PIM, 4 PPP, 14 SOG
Left Wing: Joffrey Lupul, 1 G, 5 A, -1, 6 PIM, 4 PPP, 13 SOG
Right Wing: Erik Cole, 3 G, 3 A, 0 +/-, 2 PIM, 4 PPP, 11 SOG
Defenseman: Shea Weber, 1 G, 4 A, +8, 2 PIM, 1 PPP, 13 SOG
Defenseman: Ryan Suter, 1 G, 3 A, +7, 6 PIM, 1 PPP, 11 SOG
Utility: Evander Kane, 3 G, 2 A, +5, 8 PIM, 0 PPP, 15 SOG
Goaltender: Carey Price, 2 W, 0.65 GAA, 72 SV, .973 SV%, 2 SO
Goaltender: Niklas Backstrom, 2 W, 1.00 GAA, 70 SV, .972 SV%, 1 SO
Left Wing: Joffrey Lupul, 1 G, 5 A, -1, 6 PIM, 4 PPP, 13 SOG
Right Wing: Erik Cole, 3 G, 3 A, 0 +/-, 2 PIM, 4 PPP, 11 SOG
Defenseman: Shea Weber, 1 G, 4 A, +8, 2 PIM, 1 PPP, 13 SOG
Defenseman: Ryan Suter, 1 G, 3 A, +7, 6 PIM, 1 PPP, 11 SOG
Utility: Evander Kane, 3 G, 2 A, +5, 8 PIM, 0 PPP, 15 SOG
Goaltender: Carey Price, 2 W, 0.65 GAA, 72 SV, .973 SV%, 2 SO
Goaltender: Niklas Backstrom, 2 W, 1.00 GAA, 70 SV, .972 SV%, 1 SO
Sunday, November 20, 2011
NHL Day 46 2011-2012
Four games of hockey on today, beginning with...
The Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ben Scrivens and Cam ward play between the pipes. Carolina got on the board late in the first period with the second of the season by Jay Harrison, assisted by Jeff Skinner and Eric Staal. The Hurricanes added on in the second period with a Jussi Jokinen power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Justin Faulk and Alexei Ponikarovsky. Toronto got on the board in the third period with Phil Kessel notching his fifteenth of the season, thanks to Joffrey Lupul and Dion Phaneuf. Carolina got it back on a Skinner goal, his eighth of the campaign, coming off of Staal and Bryan Allen. The Maple Leafs made it 3-2 late on the second of the game and sixteenth of the year by Kessel, set up by John-Michael Liles and Tim Connolly. Skinner, Staal, and Faulk got the three stars, while the surprisingly consistent Kessel picked up an honorable mention.
Next up, the Colorado Avalanche host the San Jose Sharks. In net are Thomas Greiss and Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Colorado opened with the ninth of the season by Matt Duchene, assisted by Ryan Wilson and Gabriel Landeskog. San Jose answered with the seventh of the year for Patrick Marleau, courtesy of Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Joe Thornton. Marleau gave the Sharks the lead in the second period with his second of the game and eighth of the season, with the help of Vlasic and Ryane Clowe. San Jose extended the lead with Joe Pavelski notching his eleventh of the year, thanks to Thornton and Logan Couture. The Sharks ended it at 4-1 with Marleau getting an empty net goal for a hat trick, with the help of sock trick earning assists by Vlasic and Thornton. The three stars were Marleau, Vlasic, and Duchene, although Thornton had a good game too.
Westward farther as the Anaheim Ducks welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Jonas Hiller will be in front of the nets. Detroit led off with the fourth of the season for Henrik Zetterberg, assisted by Jiri Hudler and Brendan Smith. The Red Wings added on with a second period Johan Franzen goal, his tenth of the year, made possible by Pavel Datsyuk. Detroit stayed strong with a Brad Stuart goal, his second of the season, with the help of Franzen and Datsyuk. Anaheim got on the board with a Saku Koivu goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Cam Fowler and Andrew Cogliano. The Ducks continued to pull back with a power play goal by Teemu Selanne, his seventh of the season, powered by Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. The Red Wings held on to win with a Stuart empty net goal, his second of the game and third of the year, aided by Niklas Kronwall and Zetterberg. Koivu, Howard (32 for 34 in saves), and Cogliano were the three stars, while Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen, and Stuart all had good games.
Up the west coast for the last game of the day, the Vancouver Canucks hosting the Ottawa Senators. Alex Auld and Cory Schneider get the starting nods. Vancouver got on the board with a power play goal by Henrik Sedin, his seventh of the season, powered by Daniel Sedin and Ryan Kesler. Ottawa tied it in the third period on a Colin Greening goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Jason Spezza and Sergei Gonchar. The Canucks would take it 2-1 in overtime on a Chris Higgins goal, his seventh of the campaign via Dan Hamhuis and Sami Salo.
The Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ben Scrivens and Cam ward play between the pipes. Carolina got on the board late in the first period with the second of the season by Jay Harrison, assisted by Jeff Skinner and Eric Staal. The Hurricanes added on in the second period with a Jussi Jokinen power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Justin Faulk and Alexei Ponikarovsky. Toronto got on the board in the third period with Phil Kessel notching his fifteenth of the season, thanks to Joffrey Lupul and Dion Phaneuf. Carolina got it back on a Skinner goal, his eighth of the campaign, coming off of Staal and Bryan Allen. The Maple Leafs made it 3-2 late on the second of the game and sixteenth of the year by Kessel, set up by John-Michael Liles and Tim Connolly. Skinner, Staal, and Faulk got the three stars, while the surprisingly consistent Kessel picked up an honorable mention.
Next up, the Colorado Avalanche host the San Jose Sharks. In net are Thomas Greiss and Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Colorado opened with the ninth of the season by Matt Duchene, assisted by Ryan Wilson and Gabriel Landeskog. San Jose answered with the seventh of the year for Patrick Marleau, courtesy of Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Joe Thornton. Marleau gave the Sharks the lead in the second period with his second of the game and eighth of the season, with the help of Vlasic and Ryane Clowe. San Jose extended the lead with Joe Pavelski notching his eleventh of the year, thanks to Thornton and Logan Couture. The Sharks ended it at 4-1 with Marleau getting an empty net goal for a hat trick, with the help of sock trick earning assists by Vlasic and Thornton. The three stars were Marleau, Vlasic, and Duchene, although Thornton had a good game too.
Westward farther as the Anaheim Ducks welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Jonas Hiller will be in front of the nets. Detroit led off with the fourth of the season for Henrik Zetterberg, assisted by Jiri Hudler and Brendan Smith. The Red Wings added on with a second period Johan Franzen goal, his tenth of the year, made possible by Pavel Datsyuk. Detroit stayed strong with a Brad Stuart goal, his second of the season, with the help of Franzen and Datsyuk. Anaheim got on the board with a Saku Koivu goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Cam Fowler and Andrew Cogliano. The Ducks continued to pull back with a power play goal by Teemu Selanne, his seventh of the season, powered by Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. The Red Wings held on to win with a Stuart empty net goal, his second of the game and third of the year, aided by Niklas Kronwall and Zetterberg. Koivu, Howard (32 for 34 in saves), and Cogliano were the three stars, while Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen, and Stuart all had good games.
Up the west coast for the last game of the day, the Vancouver Canucks hosting the Ottawa Senators. Alex Auld and Cory Schneider get the starting nods. Vancouver got on the board with a power play goal by Henrik Sedin, his seventh of the season, powered by Daniel Sedin and Ryan Kesler. Ottawa tied it in the third period on a Colin Greening goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Jason Spezza and Sergei Gonchar. The Canucks would take it 2-1 in overtime on a Chris Higgins goal, his seventh of the campaign via Dan Hamhuis and Sami Salo.
Sunday Night game week 11
Huge matchup from the NFC East this week, as the New York Giants welcome the Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia opened the scoring in the second quarter on an Alex Henery field goal of 33 yards. The Eagles added on wit ha 14 yard touchdown pass from Vince Young to Steve Smith, and Henery added the extra point. New York made it 10-3 at halftime with a Lawrence Tynes 48 yard field goal. The Giants tied it when Eli Manning threw a 24 yard touchdown to Victor Cruz, and Tynes supplied the extra point. Philadelphia retook the lead late in the fourth quarter as Young passed 8 yards to Riley Cooper for a touchdown, and Henery added the PAT. This made it 17-10, the final, with the Eagles going up to 4-6 and the Giants down to 6-4.
NFL Late Games week 11
Four more games this afternoon.
Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers. San Francisco opened with a pair of David Akers field goals, from 22 and 43 yards out. Akers and the 49ers made it 9-0 at the half with a 29 yard field goal. San Francisco got serious in the third quarter with Alex Smith throwing a pair of touchdowns, 8 yards to Kyle Williams and 18 yards to Vernon Davis (Akers made both extra points). Arizona got on the board in the fourth quarter with Richard Bartel tossing a touchdown of 23 yards to Larry Fitzgerald (Jay Feely made the PAT). The 49ers are now 9-1 and the Cardinals fell to 3-7.
Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams. St. Louis opened with Sam Bradford tossing a 30 yard touchdown to Brandon Lloyd (Josh Brown makes extra point). Seattle answered in the second quarter with Tavaris Jackson finding Sidney Rice for a 14 yard touchdown (Steven Hauschka makes the extra point). The Seahawks made it 10-7 at halftime when Hauschka kicked a 19 yard field goal. Seattle stayed strong in the third quarter with a touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch, a 3 yard run (Hauschka handled the PAT). The Seahawks wrapped it up 24-7 with a 22 yard Justin Forsett touchdown run (Hauschka added the extra point). Seattle is now 4-6 while the Rams go to 2-8.
San Diego Chargers at Chicago Bears. San Diego was first to score as Nick Novak kicked a 28 yard field goal. Chicago replied with Robbie Gould hitting a 42 yard field goal. The Bears took the lead in the second quarter with a 1 yard touchdown run by Marion Barber, (Gould extra point is good). The Chargers retied the game with Philip Rivers finding Antonio Gates for an 8 yard touchdown (Novak makes the extra point). Chicago made it 17-10 at the half when Jay Cutler threw 4 yards for a touchdown to Kellen Davis (Gould makes PAT). San Diego tied it with a Rivers touchdown pass of 5 yards to Vincent Jackson (Novak added the PAT). The Bears replied with Cutler rushing 1 yard and throwing 24 yards to Johnny Knox for a pair of touchdowns (Gould made both extra points). Novak added a 48 yard field goal in the fourth quarter for the Chargers. This was a final score of 31-20, knocking San Diego back to 4-6 and Chicago up to 7-3.
Tennessee Titans at Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta got going on a Matt Ryan touchdown of 17 yards to Tony Gonzalez (Matt Bryant makes the extra point). The Falcons extended the lead with Bryant nailing field goals of 19 and 33 yards in the second quarter. The score was 13-3 as the teams went into the locker rooms when Rob Bironas got Tennessee on the board with a 46 yard touchdown. Atlanta attacked again in the third quarter with a 4 yard touchdown run by Michael Turner (Bryant extra point is good). Bryant added a 24 yard field goal for the Falcons. The Titans got going with Jake Locker throwing a 40 yard touchdown to Nate Washington (Bironas made the extra point). Tennessee made a valiant late attempt, getting within a touchdown when Locker tossed a 4 yard touchdown to Washington (Bironas again made the extra point). The ywould lose 23-17, and fall to 5-5 while the Falcons jump to 6-4.
Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers. San Francisco opened with a pair of David Akers field goals, from 22 and 43 yards out. Akers and the 49ers made it 9-0 at the half with a 29 yard field goal. San Francisco got serious in the third quarter with Alex Smith throwing a pair of touchdowns, 8 yards to Kyle Williams and 18 yards to Vernon Davis (Akers made both extra points). Arizona got on the board in the fourth quarter with Richard Bartel tossing a touchdown of 23 yards to Larry Fitzgerald (Jay Feely made the PAT). The 49ers are now 9-1 and the Cardinals fell to 3-7.
Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams. St. Louis opened with Sam Bradford tossing a 30 yard touchdown to Brandon Lloyd (Josh Brown makes extra point). Seattle answered in the second quarter with Tavaris Jackson finding Sidney Rice for a 14 yard touchdown (Steven Hauschka makes the extra point). The Seahawks made it 10-7 at halftime when Hauschka kicked a 19 yard field goal. Seattle stayed strong in the third quarter with a touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch, a 3 yard run (Hauschka handled the PAT). The Seahawks wrapped it up 24-7 with a 22 yard Justin Forsett touchdown run (Hauschka added the extra point). Seattle is now 4-6 while the Rams go to 2-8.
San Diego Chargers at Chicago Bears. San Diego was first to score as Nick Novak kicked a 28 yard field goal. Chicago replied with Robbie Gould hitting a 42 yard field goal. The Bears took the lead in the second quarter with a 1 yard touchdown run by Marion Barber, (Gould extra point is good). The Chargers retied the game with Philip Rivers finding Antonio Gates for an 8 yard touchdown (Novak makes the extra point). Chicago made it 17-10 at the half when Jay Cutler threw 4 yards for a touchdown to Kellen Davis (Gould makes PAT). San Diego tied it with a Rivers touchdown pass of 5 yards to Vincent Jackson (Novak added the PAT). The Bears replied with Cutler rushing 1 yard and throwing 24 yards to Johnny Knox for a pair of touchdowns (Gould made both extra points). Novak added a 48 yard field goal in the fourth quarter for the Chargers. This was a final score of 31-20, knocking San Diego back to 4-6 and Chicago up to 7-3.
Tennessee Titans at Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta got going on a Matt Ryan touchdown of 17 yards to Tony Gonzalez (Matt Bryant makes the extra point). The Falcons extended the lead with Bryant nailing field goals of 19 and 33 yards in the second quarter. The score was 13-3 as the teams went into the locker rooms when Rob Bironas got Tennessee on the board with a 46 yard touchdown. Atlanta attacked again in the third quarter with a 4 yard touchdown run by Michael Turner (Bryant extra point is good). Bryant added a 24 yard field goal for the Falcons. The Titans got going with Jake Locker throwing a 40 yard touchdown to Nate Washington (Bironas made the extra point). Tennessee made a valiant late attempt, getting within a touchdown when Locker tossed a 4 yard touchdown to Washington (Bironas again made the extra point). The ywould lose 23-17, and fall to 5-5 while the Falcons jump to 6-4.
NFL Early Games week 11
Busy day so far, rearranging the decor at my keyboard. Quick intros again this week as I try to catch up. Also of note to the readers, I will be at the Tacoma Dome watching the WIAA High School Football Semifinals next Friday and Saturday, so all programming over that weekend will be delayed by a total of 2-4 days. It will mark the one year anniversary of my blogging, and I'd like to thank everyone for the readership from across the globe. Here's hoping for many more years of blogging.
Oakland Raiders at Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota led off with a 12 yard touchdown run by Adrian Peterson (Ryan Longwell makes extra point). Oakland got on the board with a Sebastian Janikowski field goal of 29 yards. The raiders take the lead in the second quarter with Carson Palmer tossing an 11 yard touchdown to Chaz Schilens (Janikowski makes extra point). Oakland added on with a 2 yard Michael Bush touchdown run (Janikowski extra point good). The Raiders made it 24-7 at the half with Palmer running a yard for a touchdown (Janikowski makes PAT). Oakland tacked on a few more in the third quarter as Janikowski nailed a 26 yard field goal. The Vikings tried to pull back in the fourth quarter with Christian Ponder finding Percy Harvin for a 26 yard touchdown (Longwell makes PAT). Minnesota got it to 27-21 with Ponder finding Kyle Rudoplh for a yard and a touchdown (Longwell converts extra point). This was a final, and Oakland is now 6-4 while the Vikings drop to 2-8.
Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins. Buffalo led off with Dave Rayner kicking a 30 yard field goal. Miami took the lead on a Matt Moore 1 yard touchdown to Anthony Fasano (extra point good from Shayne Graham). The Dolphins extended the lead on a 5 yard Reggie Bush touchdown run (Graham extra point is good). Moore threw two more touchdowns for Miami in the second quarter, 12 yards to Charles Clay and 4 yards to Davone Bess (Graham good on both PATs). The Bills made it 28-6 at halftime on a 56 yard Rayner field goal. The Dolphins got a special touchdown in the third quarter, blocking a punt and having Lex Hilliard return it for a touchdown (Graham extra point is good). Buffalo got a couple more points with Daniel Thomas rushing for a 1 yard loss, good for a safety. The final was 35-8, and Miami jumped up to 3-7 while the Bills plummeted to 5-5.
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens. Cincinnati opened with a 7 yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson (Mike Nugent makes extra point). Baltimore tied it in the second quarter as Joe Flacco found Anquan Boldin for a 35 yard touchdown (Billy Cundiff converts extra point). The Ravens took control with a 1 yard Ray Rice touchdown (Cundiff extra point is good). The score was 14-7 at halftime, and Cundiff put Baltimore a little farther ahead in the third quarter with a 22 yard field goal. The Bengals replied with another Benson touchdown run, a 3 yard play (Nugent extra point is good). Rice kept pace for the Ravens on his second touchdown, a 2 yard rush (Cundiff makes the PAT). Baltimore pulled farther ahead as Flacco threw 38 yards for a touchdown to Torrey Smith (Cundiff again makes extra point). Cincinnati got Andy Dalton to connect with Andre Caldwell, a 49 yard touchdown (Nugent makes the extra point). Nugent added a field goal to make it 31-24, but the 27 yard kick would not be enough for the Bengals, who fell to 6-4 while the Ravens jump to 7-3.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Cleveland Browns. The scoring began with Jacksonville in the second quarter as Maurice Jones-Drew ran 6 yards to get a touchdown (Josh Scobee makes extra point). Cleveland tied it on a Chris Ogbonnaya touchdown run, just 1 yard to find the end zone (Phil Dawson had the extra point). The teams started scoring again in the fourth quarter, with the Browns breaking the halftime 7-7 tie on a Colt McCoy touchdown pass to Joshua Cribbs of 3 yards (Dawson makes the extra point). The Jaguars only got to 14-10, losing by that mark, after a Scobee field goal of 42 yards. Cleveland is now 4-6 while Jacksonville goes to 3-7.
Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins. Tony Romo got Dallas going early with a 22 yard touchdown to Dez Bryant (Dan Bailey extra point is good). Bailey added a field goal in the second quarter, golden from 37 yards. Washington got going with Rex Grossman rushing 4 yards and later throwing 16 yards to Jabar Gaffney, both plays going for touchdowns to take a 14-10 lead into the locker rooms (Graham Gano made both extra points). Gano helped extend the Redskins lead in the third quarter with a field goal of 40 yards. Romo did his own two-step in the fourth quarter, passing to Laurent Robinson for 7 yards and Jason Witten for 59 yards, both touchdowns (Bailey had tow PATs). Washington tied it on a late Grossman touchdown to Donte' Stallworth (Gano makes the extra point). The 24 all tie lasted into overtime, and Bailey took the game for the Cowboys with a 39 yard field goal. Dallas is now 6-4 and the Redskins fell to 3-7.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers. Green Bay opened with a B.J. Raji touchdown run of a yard (Mason Crosby makes the extra point). The Packers add on in the second quarter with Aaron Rodgers throwing a 5 yard touchdown to Tom Crabtree (Crosby extra point is good). Tampa Bay got going with a Marshawn Lynch-esque touchdown run of 54 yards by LeGarrette Blount (Connor Barth makes extra point). The Buccaneers got closer on a Barth field goal of 23 yards. Rodger and Jordy Nelson met up for 5 yards to push Green Bay a little further ahead (Crosby makes the extra point) and the halftime score was 21-10. Tampa Bay tried to get a little closer with another Barth field goal in the third quarter, good from 32 yards. The fourth quarter brought the Buccaneers even closer as Josh Freeman tossed a 9 yard touchdown to Mike Williams but they did not tie the game as Freeman's two-point attempt to Kellen Winslow was failed. The Packers got a little more protection on a 2 yard touchdown run by John Kuhn (Crosby makes the PAT). Tampa Bay got back within two as Freeman found Dezmon Briscoe for a 2 yard touchdown reception (Barth makes extra point). Green Bay put it away with Rodgers and Nelson connecting on a 40 yard touchdown to make it 35-26 (Crosby had an extra point). The Packers jumped up to 10-0 while the Buccaneers fell to 4-6.
Carolina Panthers at Detroit Lions. Carolina struck first with a 27 yard Olindo Mare field goal. The Panthers continued the attack with Cam Newton throwing a 15 yard touchdown to Steve Smith (Mare makes extra point). Detroit got on the board when Matthew Stafford threw a 28 yard touchdown to Kevin Smith (Jason Hanson added the extra point. On the kickoff, Carolina's Kealoha Pilares ran the kick 101 yards for a touchdown (Mare makes extra point). The Panthers continued the strong attack with a Newton touchdown run for 11 yards (Mare makes another PAT). The Lions pull back as Stafford finds Titus Young for a 3 yard touchdown (Hanson makes extra point). The halftime score was 27-14 as Carolina tacked on a field goal of 31 yards. Detroit got busy in the third quarter, edging up to a small lead as Stafford passed 16 yards to Nate Burleson and 17 yards to Tony Scheffler, both for touchdowns (Hanson makes two extra points). The Lions size the lead a bit more with a 4 yard K. Smith run in the fourth quarter (Hanson gain makes PAT). The Panthers tied the game on a Newton rush of 6 yards for a touchdown, and a two-point conversion from Newton to S. Smith. The Lions closed out on a Stafford touchdown to Brandon Pettigrew, a 7 yard play, and a K. Smith touchdown run of 19 yards just thirty-two seconds later (Hanson makes both extra points). The final was 49-35. Detroit goes to 7-3 and Carolina falls to 2-8.
Oakland Raiders at Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota led off with a 12 yard touchdown run by Adrian Peterson (Ryan Longwell makes extra point). Oakland got on the board with a Sebastian Janikowski field goal of 29 yards. The raiders take the lead in the second quarter with Carson Palmer tossing an 11 yard touchdown to Chaz Schilens (Janikowski makes extra point). Oakland added on with a 2 yard Michael Bush touchdown run (Janikowski extra point good). The Raiders made it 24-7 at the half with Palmer running a yard for a touchdown (Janikowski makes PAT). Oakland tacked on a few more in the third quarter as Janikowski nailed a 26 yard field goal. The Vikings tried to pull back in the fourth quarter with Christian Ponder finding Percy Harvin for a 26 yard touchdown (Longwell makes PAT). Minnesota got it to 27-21 with Ponder finding Kyle Rudoplh for a yard and a touchdown (Longwell converts extra point). This was a final, and Oakland is now 6-4 while the Vikings drop to 2-8.
Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins. Buffalo led off with Dave Rayner kicking a 30 yard field goal. Miami took the lead on a Matt Moore 1 yard touchdown to Anthony Fasano (extra point good from Shayne Graham). The Dolphins extended the lead on a 5 yard Reggie Bush touchdown run (Graham extra point is good). Moore threw two more touchdowns for Miami in the second quarter, 12 yards to Charles Clay and 4 yards to Davone Bess (Graham good on both PATs). The Bills made it 28-6 at halftime on a 56 yard Rayner field goal. The Dolphins got a special touchdown in the third quarter, blocking a punt and having Lex Hilliard return it for a touchdown (Graham extra point is good). Buffalo got a couple more points with Daniel Thomas rushing for a 1 yard loss, good for a safety. The final was 35-8, and Miami jumped up to 3-7 while the Bills plummeted to 5-5.
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens. Cincinnati opened with a 7 yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson (Mike Nugent makes extra point). Baltimore tied it in the second quarter as Joe Flacco found Anquan Boldin for a 35 yard touchdown (Billy Cundiff converts extra point). The Ravens took control with a 1 yard Ray Rice touchdown (Cundiff extra point is good). The score was 14-7 at halftime, and Cundiff put Baltimore a little farther ahead in the third quarter with a 22 yard field goal. The Bengals replied with another Benson touchdown run, a 3 yard play (Nugent extra point is good). Rice kept pace for the Ravens on his second touchdown, a 2 yard rush (Cundiff makes the PAT). Baltimore pulled farther ahead as Flacco threw 38 yards for a touchdown to Torrey Smith (Cundiff again makes extra point). Cincinnati got Andy Dalton to connect with Andre Caldwell, a 49 yard touchdown (Nugent makes the extra point). Nugent added a field goal to make it 31-24, but the 27 yard kick would not be enough for the Bengals, who fell to 6-4 while the Ravens jump to 7-3.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Cleveland Browns. The scoring began with Jacksonville in the second quarter as Maurice Jones-Drew ran 6 yards to get a touchdown (Josh Scobee makes extra point). Cleveland tied it on a Chris Ogbonnaya touchdown run, just 1 yard to find the end zone (Phil Dawson had the extra point). The teams started scoring again in the fourth quarter, with the Browns breaking the halftime 7-7 tie on a Colt McCoy touchdown pass to Joshua Cribbs of 3 yards (Dawson makes the extra point). The Jaguars only got to 14-10, losing by that mark, after a Scobee field goal of 42 yards. Cleveland is now 4-6 while Jacksonville goes to 3-7.
Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins. Tony Romo got Dallas going early with a 22 yard touchdown to Dez Bryant (Dan Bailey extra point is good). Bailey added a field goal in the second quarter, golden from 37 yards. Washington got going with Rex Grossman rushing 4 yards and later throwing 16 yards to Jabar Gaffney, both plays going for touchdowns to take a 14-10 lead into the locker rooms (Graham Gano made both extra points). Gano helped extend the Redskins lead in the third quarter with a field goal of 40 yards. Romo did his own two-step in the fourth quarter, passing to Laurent Robinson for 7 yards and Jason Witten for 59 yards, both touchdowns (Bailey had tow PATs). Washington tied it on a late Grossman touchdown to Donte' Stallworth (Gano makes the extra point). The 24 all tie lasted into overtime, and Bailey took the game for the Cowboys with a 39 yard field goal. Dallas is now 6-4 and the Redskins fell to 3-7.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers. Green Bay opened with a B.J. Raji touchdown run of a yard (Mason Crosby makes the extra point). The Packers add on in the second quarter with Aaron Rodgers throwing a 5 yard touchdown to Tom Crabtree (Crosby extra point is good). Tampa Bay got going with a Marshawn Lynch-esque touchdown run of 54 yards by LeGarrette Blount (Connor Barth makes extra point). The Buccaneers got closer on a Barth field goal of 23 yards. Rodger and Jordy Nelson met up for 5 yards to push Green Bay a little further ahead (Crosby makes the extra point) and the halftime score was 21-10. Tampa Bay tried to get a little closer with another Barth field goal in the third quarter, good from 32 yards. The fourth quarter brought the Buccaneers even closer as Josh Freeman tossed a 9 yard touchdown to Mike Williams but they did not tie the game as Freeman's two-point attempt to Kellen Winslow was failed. The Packers got a little more protection on a 2 yard touchdown run by John Kuhn (Crosby makes the PAT). Tampa Bay got back within two as Freeman found Dezmon Briscoe for a 2 yard touchdown reception (Barth makes extra point). Green Bay put it away with Rodgers and Nelson connecting on a 40 yard touchdown to make it 35-26 (Crosby had an extra point). The Packers jumped up to 10-0 while the Buccaneers fell to 4-6.
Carolina Panthers at Detroit Lions. Carolina struck first with a 27 yard Olindo Mare field goal. The Panthers continued the attack with Cam Newton throwing a 15 yard touchdown to Steve Smith (Mare makes extra point). Detroit got on the board when Matthew Stafford threw a 28 yard touchdown to Kevin Smith (Jason Hanson added the extra point. On the kickoff, Carolina's Kealoha Pilares ran the kick 101 yards for a touchdown (Mare makes extra point). The Panthers continued the strong attack with a Newton touchdown run for 11 yards (Mare makes another PAT). The Lions pull back as Stafford finds Titus Young for a 3 yard touchdown (Hanson makes extra point). The halftime score was 27-14 as Carolina tacked on a field goal of 31 yards. Detroit got busy in the third quarter, edging up to a small lead as Stafford passed 16 yards to Nate Burleson and 17 yards to Tony Scheffler, both for touchdowns (Hanson makes two extra points). The Lions size the lead a bit more with a 4 yard K. Smith run in the fourth quarter (Hanson gain makes PAT). The Panthers tied the game on a Newton rush of 6 yards for a touchdown, and a two-point conversion from Newton to S. Smith. The Lions closed out on a Stafford touchdown to Brandon Pettigrew, a 7 yard play, and a K. Smith touchdown run of 19 yards just thirty-two seconds later (Hanson makes both extra points). The final was 49-35. Detroit goes to 7-3 and Carolina falls to 2-8.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
NHL Day 45 2011-2012
Okay, big day in hockey, with twelve games played and all of them being moderate to high in scoring. Buckle up for a long reading, beginning in the cold, park-less environment of...
Winnipeg (Bryzgalov pronunciation of Vinny-Peg), as the Jets host the Philadelphia Flyers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Ondrej Pavelec attempt to stop the puck. Winnipeg opened the scoring on a pair of Bryan Little goals, his third and fourth of the season, and the first was a power play goal. Assists went to Blake Wheeler twice, and Dustin Byfuglien and Evander Kane once each. The Jets added on with a power play goal from Andrew Ladd, his sixth of the year, via Kyle Wellwood and Byfuglien. Philadelphia got on the board with a Scott Hartnell power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Chris Pronger and Claude Giroux. Winnipeg went and got going again in the second period with a shorthanded and unassisted Jim Slater goal, his sixth of the year. The Jets stayed strong as Byfuglien potted his fourth of the season, another power play goal, fueled by Ladd and Wellwood. The Flyers got one back as Hartnell put away his second of the game and eighth of the year, with the help of Danny Briere and Pronger on the power play. Philadelphia pulled within one as Matt Read sank two in a row his seventh and eighth of the season, courtesy of Giroux twice (a sock trick total on the night), and Hartnell and Matt Carle once each. The final was 6-4 Winnipeg after an unassisted empty net goal by Nik Antropov, his fourth of the year. Byfuglien, Little, and Hartnell were the three stars, and honorable mentions go to Giroux, Read, Pronger, Ladd, Wheeler, and Wellwood.
To the west coast, where the Los Angeles Kings host the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Jonathan Quick will pick up the starts. Los Angeles opened the scoring with Mike Richards scoring shorthanded and unassisted for his eighth of the season. Detroit tied it with a Pavel Datsyuk goal, his third of the campaign, a power play goal, powered by Tomas Holmstrom and Nicklas Lidstrom. The Red Wings took the lead in the second period with a Niklas Kronwall goal, his sixth of the year, also on the power play and guided in by Holmstorm and Johan Franzen. Detroit extended the lead on a Justin Abdelkader goal, his second of the season, assisted by Brendan Smtih and Jonathan Ericsson. The Red Wings made it a 4-1 final as Datsyuk put away his second of the game and fourth of the year, while Franzen picked up the lone assist. The three stars were awarded to Datsyuk, Kronwall, and Richards, while Franzen and Holmstrom also had good games.
Heading east again, as the Buffalo Sabres host the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Jhonas Enroth were in the blue paint. Phoenix opened up with a Shane Doan goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Keith Yandle and Derek Morris. Buffalo answered on a Luke Adam goal, also his sixth of the year, via Jordan Leopold and Nathan Gerbe. The Sabres took the lead as Patrick Kaleta scored in the second period, his second of the season, fueled by Paul Gaustad and Leopold. Radim Vrbata retied it for the Coyotes on his seventh of the year, made possible by Rostislav Klesla and David Schlemko. Phoenix took the lead as Twitter superstar Paul Bissonnette scored, and he got his help from Kyle Chipchura and Adrian Aucoin. Vrbata iced it in the third period with his eighth of the campaign, an empty net goal, with Yandle and Morris providing the helpers. The three stars were Smith (43 for 45 in saves), Vrbata, and Adam, while Morris, Yandle, and Leopold were the honorable mentions.
Staying in the state of New York as the Islanders host the Boston Bruins. Tim Thomas and Rick DiPietro collected the starts, but the latter was replaced by Anders Nilsson after the first period. For those of you keeping count, the Islanders have now exercised use of four goaltenders this season. Boston opened on a Patrice Bergeron goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand. The Bruins added on with an unassisted power play goal by Nathan Horton, his sixth of the year. Chris Kelly also recorded his sixth of the season for Boston, and he did this in the unassisted fashion. The game was steady until the third period, as the Bruins got back to work when Andrew Ference scored, and he received the puck from Joe Corvo and Kelly. Boston kept strong on another Kelly goal, his seventh of the campaign, guided in by Milan Lucic and Horton. The Bruins finished the game ahead 6-0 with Zdeno Chara's goal being the last to go in, his second of the year, made possible by Marchand and Gregory Campbell. The three stars were Kelly, Thomas (23 save shutout), and Horton. Marchand earns honorable mention.
Down to Florida, where the Tampa bay Lightning host the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Dwayne Roloson put on the goalie masks. The scoring began in the second period with a Dainius Zubrus goal, his fifth of the season, from Ryan Carter. Patrik Elias extended the lead for the Devils with his eighth of the year, a power play goal, set up by David Clarkson and Adam Larsson. Clarkson pushed New jersey further ahead with his power play goal, good for his seventh of the season, powered by Zach Parise and Adam Henrique. Tampa Bay got going in the third period with a Martin St. Louis goal, his fifth of the year, thanks to Ryan Shannon and Pavel Kubina. The Lightning got within one as Shannon potted a goal off of Steve Downie and Eric Brewer. The Devils would win 4-2 with Carter sinking his second of the campaign, an unassisted goal. The three stars were Zubrus, Parise, and Shannon, while honorable mentions go to Carter and Clarkson.
Crossing into Canada, as the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Washington Capitals. Tomas Vokoun took on Jonas Gustavsson in goal, although Vokoun was well in over his head and replaced by Michal Neuvirth in the second period. Toronto led off with a Tim Connolly goal, his second of the season, assisted by Joffrey Lupul. Washington replied with a Brooks Laich goal, his third of the year, fueled by Jason Chimera and John Carlson. The Maple Leafs took the lead back before the period was over on a Matt Frattin goal made possible by Joe Colborne and Cody Franson. Toronto struck again in the second period with a power play goal from Tyler Bozak, his second of the season, thanks to Lupul and Dion Phaneuf. The Maple Leafs chased Vokoun on Phil Kessel's fourteenth of the year, and Bozak and Lupul had the helpers, the latter finishing a sock trick. Toronto kept rolling with Lupul scoring his tenth of the season, courtesy of Phaneuf and Kessel on the power play. The Maple Leafs were unstoppable as Franson netted a power play goal, powered by Connolly. The final would sit at 7-1 after a third period shorthanded goal by Dave Steckel, his fourth of the year, and Nikolai Kulemin was responsible for the assist. The three stars were Lupul, Gustavsson (40 for 41 in saves), and Frattin. The long list of honorable mentions includes Franson, Bozak, Connolly, Phaneuf, and Kessel.
Staying north of the border, as the Montreal Canadiens host the New York Rangers. Martin Biron and Carey Price took to the cages. Montreal dented the scoreboard first on an Erik Cole goal, his sixth of the season, a power play goal, powered by Yannick Weber and Tomas Plekanec. The Canadiens extended the lead in the second period on Brian Gionta's sixth of the year, assisted by Scott Gomez and Raphael Diaz. Montreal kept rolling with Plekanec's third period goal, his fifth of the season, set up by Cole and Max Pacioretty on the power play. Gionta finished it at 4-0 with his second of the game and seventh of the year, fueled by Gomez and Michael Cammalleri. Gionta, Cole, and Price (17 save shutout) were the three stars, while Plekanec and Gomez earn honorable mention.
Back down to Florida, as the Panthers host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Brent Johnson and Jose Theodore got the starting nods. Pittsburgh opened on a Chris Kunitz goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Pascal Dupuis. Florida tied it with the second of the year by Brian Campbell, assisted by Kris Versteeg and Stephen Weiss. The Panthers took the lead on the eighth of the season by Tomas Fleischmann, courtesy of Weiss and Dmitry Kulikov on the power play. The Penguins retied it when Jordan Staal registered his tenth of the campaign, and the assists were recorded by Dupuis and Matt Niskanen. Florida would take the game 3-2 in the third period with a Weiss power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Versteeg and Fleischmann. Weiss, Fleischmann, and Versteeg were the three stars, while Dupuis gets the honorable mention.
Northwest to Minnesota, as the Wild welcome the St. Louis Blues. Jaroslav Halak stood 200 feet from josh Harding. St. Louis began with David Backes netting his seventh of the season, fueled by T.J. Oshie and Alex Steen. Minnesota tied it in the second period with an unasssited and shorthanded Mikko Koivu goal, his second of the year. The Blues regained the lead in the third period with an Oshie goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Steen and Backes. Koivu tied it again for the Wild on his second of the game and third of the year, a power play goal powered by Jared Spurgeon and Cal Clutterbuck. The tie lasted into a shootout, where Koivu and Matt Cullen lifted Minnesota over the lone tally by Oshie for St. Louis. The three stars in the 3-2 game were Koivu, Cullen, and Halak (30 for 32 in saves). The Oshie-Backes-Steen line gets the honorable mention.
Backtracking to Nashville, with the Predators hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets. Curtis Sanford and Pekka Rinne will be in goal. Nashville led off with a Colin Wilson power play goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by David Legwand and Craig Smith. Columbus replied in the second period on a Jeff Carter goal, and Rick Nash had the lone assist. The Predators reclaimed the lead with a power play goal by Mike Fisher, his third of the year, fueled by Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. The Blue Jackets tied it again on a power play goal by Vinny Prospal, his sixth of the campaign, powered by Nash and Fedor Tyutin. Columbus took the lead on an R.J. Umberger goal, his second of the season, a power play goal set up by Ryan Johansen and James Wisniewski. Nashville got the equalizer as the second of the year by Nick Spaling found twine, thanks to Weber and Suter. The tie lasted into overtime, where the Blue Jackets won 4-3 over the Predators on a Wisniewski goal, made possible by Antoine Vermette. Wisniewski, Spaling, and Weber were the three stars, while Suter and Nash had honorable mentions for performance.
Down to Texas, where the Dallas Stars hosted the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi went up against Andrew Raycroft in goal. San Jose struck first with a Brent Burns power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. The Sharks kept it up in the second period with another power play goal, the seventh of the year by Logan Couture, and Thornton and Marleau had the helpers again. San Jose extended the lead with Brad Winchester netting his second of the season, via Andrew Desjardins. The Sharks kept rolling with a third period goal from Jamie McGinn, his second of the campaign, courtesy of Michal Handzus and Martin Havlat. Dallas made it 4-1, the eventual final, with Mike Ribeiro sinking his second of the year off of Loui Eriksson. The three stars were Couture, Thornton, and Marleau, while Niemi's 30 for 31 performance in saves was also good.
Finally, in Edmonton, the Oilers host the Chicago Blackhawks. Both Ray Emery and Corey Crawford suffered against Nikolai Khabibulin's team. Edmonton struck first with an Ales Hemsky goal, made possible by Jeff Petry. Chicago tied it on a Patrick Sharp power play goal, his seventh of the season, thanks to Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane. The Oilers took it back with Ryan Jones notching his fifth of the year, with the help of Shawn Horcoff and Tom Gilbert. Edmonton continued with the eleventh of the season for Ryan Smyth, courtesy of Jordan Eberle and Petry. The Oilers continued to attack with the fourth of the year by Taylor Hall, a power play goal guided in by Horcoff and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Eberle pushed Edmonton further ahead with his fifth of the season, and Nugent-Hopkins and Petry got the assists, the latter finishing a sock trick in one period. The Oilers pushed on in the second period with a power play goal by Gilbert, his third of the year, and Nugent-Hopkins collected the natural sock trick while the other helper was credited to Eberle. Edmonton stayed relentless when Hall drained his second of the game and fifth of the season, and Gilbert and Nugent-Hopkins again had assists. The Blackhawks finally replied with a power play goal by Dave Bolland, his sixth of the year, fueled by Nick Leddy and Steve Montador. Horcoff got the Oilers back on track with yet another power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Eberle and Gilbert, who both completed sock tricks. Edmonton made it 9-2 as Hall finished off a hat trick in the third period, his sixth of the year, and Nugent-Hopkins tallied his fifth assist of the game here. The three stars were Hall, Nugent-Hopkins, and Gilbert, while Eberle, Petry, and Horcoff all had three or more points.
Winnipeg (Bryzgalov pronunciation of Vinny-Peg), as the Jets host the Philadelphia Flyers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Ondrej Pavelec attempt to stop the puck. Winnipeg opened the scoring on a pair of Bryan Little goals, his third and fourth of the season, and the first was a power play goal. Assists went to Blake Wheeler twice, and Dustin Byfuglien and Evander Kane once each. The Jets added on with a power play goal from Andrew Ladd, his sixth of the year, via Kyle Wellwood and Byfuglien. Philadelphia got on the board with a Scott Hartnell power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Chris Pronger and Claude Giroux. Winnipeg went and got going again in the second period with a shorthanded and unassisted Jim Slater goal, his sixth of the year. The Jets stayed strong as Byfuglien potted his fourth of the season, another power play goal, fueled by Ladd and Wellwood. The Flyers got one back as Hartnell put away his second of the game and eighth of the year, with the help of Danny Briere and Pronger on the power play. Philadelphia pulled within one as Matt Read sank two in a row his seventh and eighth of the season, courtesy of Giroux twice (a sock trick total on the night), and Hartnell and Matt Carle once each. The final was 6-4 Winnipeg after an unassisted empty net goal by Nik Antropov, his fourth of the year. Byfuglien, Little, and Hartnell were the three stars, and honorable mentions go to Giroux, Read, Pronger, Ladd, Wheeler, and Wellwood.
To the west coast, where the Los Angeles Kings host the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Jonathan Quick will pick up the starts. Los Angeles opened the scoring with Mike Richards scoring shorthanded and unassisted for his eighth of the season. Detroit tied it with a Pavel Datsyuk goal, his third of the campaign, a power play goal, powered by Tomas Holmstrom and Nicklas Lidstrom. The Red Wings took the lead in the second period with a Niklas Kronwall goal, his sixth of the year, also on the power play and guided in by Holmstorm and Johan Franzen. Detroit extended the lead on a Justin Abdelkader goal, his second of the season, assisted by Brendan Smtih and Jonathan Ericsson. The Red Wings made it a 4-1 final as Datsyuk put away his second of the game and fourth of the year, while Franzen picked up the lone assist. The three stars were awarded to Datsyuk, Kronwall, and Richards, while Franzen and Holmstrom also had good games.
Heading east again, as the Buffalo Sabres host the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Jhonas Enroth were in the blue paint. Phoenix opened up with a Shane Doan goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Keith Yandle and Derek Morris. Buffalo answered on a Luke Adam goal, also his sixth of the year, via Jordan Leopold and Nathan Gerbe. The Sabres took the lead as Patrick Kaleta scored in the second period, his second of the season, fueled by Paul Gaustad and Leopold. Radim Vrbata retied it for the Coyotes on his seventh of the year, made possible by Rostislav Klesla and David Schlemko. Phoenix took the lead as Twitter superstar Paul Bissonnette scored, and he got his help from Kyle Chipchura and Adrian Aucoin. Vrbata iced it in the third period with his eighth of the campaign, an empty net goal, with Yandle and Morris providing the helpers. The three stars were Smith (43 for 45 in saves), Vrbata, and Adam, while Morris, Yandle, and Leopold were the honorable mentions.
Staying in the state of New York as the Islanders host the Boston Bruins. Tim Thomas and Rick DiPietro collected the starts, but the latter was replaced by Anders Nilsson after the first period. For those of you keeping count, the Islanders have now exercised use of four goaltenders this season. Boston opened on a Patrice Bergeron goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand. The Bruins added on with an unassisted power play goal by Nathan Horton, his sixth of the year. Chris Kelly also recorded his sixth of the season for Boston, and he did this in the unassisted fashion. The game was steady until the third period, as the Bruins got back to work when Andrew Ference scored, and he received the puck from Joe Corvo and Kelly. Boston kept strong on another Kelly goal, his seventh of the campaign, guided in by Milan Lucic and Horton. The Bruins finished the game ahead 6-0 with Zdeno Chara's goal being the last to go in, his second of the year, made possible by Marchand and Gregory Campbell. The three stars were Kelly, Thomas (23 save shutout), and Horton. Marchand earns honorable mention.
Down to Florida, where the Tampa bay Lightning host the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Dwayne Roloson put on the goalie masks. The scoring began in the second period with a Dainius Zubrus goal, his fifth of the season, from Ryan Carter. Patrik Elias extended the lead for the Devils with his eighth of the year, a power play goal, set up by David Clarkson and Adam Larsson. Clarkson pushed New jersey further ahead with his power play goal, good for his seventh of the season, powered by Zach Parise and Adam Henrique. Tampa Bay got going in the third period with a Martin St. Louis goal, his fifth of the year, thanks to Ryan Shannon and Pavel Kubina. The Lightning got within one as Shannon potted a goal off of Steve Downie and Eric Brewer. The Devils would win 4-2 with Carter sinking his second of the campaign, an unassisted goal. The three stars were Zubrus, Parise, and Shannon, while honorable mentions go to Carter and Clarkson.
Crossing into Canada, as the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Washington Capitals. Tomas Vokoun took on Jonas Gustavsson in goal, although Vokoun was well in over his head and replaced by Michal Neuvirth in the second period. Toronto led off with a Tim Connolly goal, his second of the season, assisted by Joffrey Lupul. Washington replied with a Brooks Laich goal, his third of the year, fueled by Jason Chimera and John Carlson. The Maple Leafs took the lead back before the period was over on a Matt Frattin goal made possible by Joe Colborne and Cody Franson. Toronto struck again in the second period with a power play goal from Tyler Bozak, his second of the season, thanks to Lupul and Dion Phaneuf. The Maple Leafs chased Vokoun on Phil Kessel's fourteenth of the year, and Bozak and Lupul had the helpers, the latter finishing a sock trick. Toronto kept rolling with Lupul scoring his tenth of the season, courtesy of Phaneuf and Kessel on the power play. The Maple Leafs were unstoppable as Franson netted a power play goal, powered by Connolly. The final would sit at 7-1 after a third period shorthanded goal by Dave Steckel, his fourth of the year, and Nikolai Kulemin was responsible for the assist. The three stars were Lupul, Gustavsson (40 for 41 in saves), and Frattin. The long list of honorable mentions includes Franson, Bozak, Connolly, Phaneuf, and Kessel.
Staying north of the border, as the Montreal Canadiens host the New York Rangers. Martin Biron and Carey Price took to the cages. Montreal dented the scoreboard first on an Erik Cole goal, his sixth of the season, a power play goal, powered by Yannick Weber and Tomas Plekanec. The Canadiens extended the lead in the second period on Brian Gionta's sixth of the year, assisted by Scott Gomez and Raphael Diaz. Montreal kept rolling with Plekanec's third period goal, his fifth of the season, set up by Cole and Max Pacioretty on the power play. Gionta finished it at 4-0 with his second of the game and seventh of the year, fueled by Gomez and Michael Cammalleri. Gionta, Cole, and Price (17 save shutout) were the three stars, while Plekanec and Gomez earn honorable mention.
Back down to Florida, as the Panthers host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Brent Johnson and Jose Theodore got the starting nods. Pittsburgh opened on a Chris Kunitz goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Pascal Dupuis. Florida tied it with the second of the year by Brian Campbell, assisted by Kris Versteeg and Stephen Weiss. The Panthers took the lead on the eighth of the season by Tomas Fleischmann, courtesy of Weiss and Dmitry Kulikov on the power play. The Penguins retied it when Jordan Staal registered his tenth of the campaign, and the assists were recorded by Dupuis and Matt Niskanen. Florida would take the game 3-2 in the third period with a Weiss power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Versteeg and Fleischmann. Weiss, Fleischmann, and Versteeg were the three stars, while Dupuis gets the honorable mention.
Northwest to Minnesota, as the Wild welcome the St. Louis Blues. Jaroslav Halak stood 200 feet from josh Harding. St. Louis began with David Backes netting his seventh of the season, fueled by T.J. Oshie and Alex Steen. Minnesota tied it in the second period with an unasssited and shorthanded Mikko Koivu goal, his second of the year. The Blues regained the lead in the third period with an Oshie goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Steen and Backes. Koivu tied it again for the Wild on his second of the game and third of the year, a power play goal powered by Jared Spurgeon and Cal Clutterbuck. The tie lasted into a shootout, where Koivu and Matt Cullen lifted Minnesota over the lone tally by Oshie for St. Louis. The three stars in the 3-2 game were Koivu, Cullen, and Halak (30 for 32 in saves). The Oshie-Backes-Steen line gets the honorable mention.
Backtracking to Nashville, with the Predators hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets. Curtis Sanford and Pekka Rinne will be in goal. Nashville led off with a Colin Wilson power play goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by David Legwand and Craig Smith. Columbus replied in the second period on a Jeff Carter goal, and Rick Nash had the lone assist. The Predators reclaimed the lead with a power play goal by Mike Fisher, his third of the year, fueled by Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. The Blue Jackets tied it again on a power play goal by Vinny Prospal, his sixth of the campaign, powered by Nash and Fedor Tyutin. Columbus took the lead on an R.J. Umberger goal, his second of the season, a power play goal set up by Ryan Johansen and James Wisniewski. Nashville got the equalizer as the second of the year by Nick Spaling found twine, thanks to Weber and Suter. The tie lasted into overtime, where the Blue Jackets won 4-3 over the Predators on a Wisniewski goal, made possible by Antoine Vermette. Wisniewski, Spaling, and Weber were the three stars, while Suter and Nash had honorable mentions for performance.
Down to Texas, where the Dallas Stars hosted the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi went up against Andrew Raycroft in goal. San Jose struck first with a Brent Burns power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. The Sharks kept it up in the second period with another power play goal, the seventh of the year by Logan Couture, and Thornton and Marleau had the helpers again. San Jose extended the lead with Brad Winchester netting his second of the season, via Andrew Desjardins. The Sharks kept rolling with a third period goal from Jamie McGinn, his second of the campaign, courtesy of Michal Handzus and Martin Havlat. Dallas made it 4-1, the eventual final, with Mike Ribeiro sinking his second of the year off of Loui Eriksson. The three stars were Couture, Thornton, and Marleau, while Niemi's 30 for 31 performance in saves was also good.
Finally, in Edmonton, the Oilers host the Chicago Blackhawks. Both Ray Emery and Corey Crawford suffered against Nikolai Khabibulin's team. Edmonton struck first with an Ales Hemsky goal, made possible by Jeff Petry. Chicago tied it on a Patrick Sharp power play goal, his seventh of the season, thanks to Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane. The Oilers took it back with Ryan Jones notching his fifth of the year, with the help of Shawn Horcoff and Tom Gilbert. Edmonton continued with the eleventh of the season for Ryan Smyth, courtesy of Jordan Eberle and Petry. The Oilers continued to attack with the fourth of the year by Taylor Hall, a power play goal guided in by Horcoff and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Eberle pushed Edmonton further ahead with his fifth of the season, and Nugent-Hopkins and Petry got the assists, the latter finishing a sock trick in one period. The Oilers pushed on in the second period with a power play goal by Gilbert, his third of the year, and Nugent-Hopkins collected the natural sock trick while the other helper was credited to Eberle. Edmonton stayed relentless when Hall drained his second of the game and fifth of the season, and Gilbert and Nugent-Hopkins again had assists. The Blackhawks finally replied with a power play goal by Dave Bolland, his sixth of the year, fueled by Nick Leddy and Steve Montador. Horcoff got the Oilers back on track with yet another power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Eberle and Gilbert, who both completed sock tricks. Edmonton made it 9-2 as Hall finished off a hat trick in the third period, his sixth of the year, and Nugent-Hopkins tallied his fifth assist of the game here. The three stars were Hall, Nugent-Hopkins, and Gilbert, while Eberle, Petry, and Horcoff all had three or more points.
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