For the first time this season, over half the teams in the league are in action, with eight games scheduled. We begin the night in...
Boston, where the Bruins host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Anders Lindback and Tuukka Rask receive the starting nods. Boston began in the first period with a Chris Kelly goal, coming on a shorthanded penalty shot. Tampa Bay tied it in the second period as Valtteri Filppula scored, courtesy of Eric Brewer and Alex Killorn. The Bruins took the lead back with a Milan Lucic goal, passed from David Krejci. Boston wrapped it up in the third period on a shorthanded and unassisted goal by Patrice Bergeron. The three stars of the 3-1 game were Kelly, Rask (32 for 33 in saves), and Bergeron.
West to Pittsburgh, where the Penguins welcome the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider and Marc-Andre Fleury are called upon to start. Pittsburgh led off in the first period with a Chuck Kobasew goal, assisted by Brandon Sutter and Beau Bennett. The Penguins added on as Sidney Crosby scored, with helpers provided by Pascal Dupuis and Matt Niskanen. Pittsburgh extended the lead in the third period with a Craig Adams goal, coming off of Evgeni Malkin and Tanner Glass. This resulted in a 3-0 final, with Fleury (27 save shutout), Kobasew, and Adams getting the three stars.
Back near the Atlantic coast, the Washington Capitals bring in the Calgary Flames. Karri Ramo (formerly of Avangard Omsk in the KHL) and Braden Holtby will be in the creases. Calgary was first to score in the first period with a David Jones goal, coming off of Sean Monahan. The Flames added on as Lee Stempniak scored, with the help of Mark Giordano and Mikael Backlund. Calgary extended the lead as Jiri Hudler scored a power play goal, powered by T.J. Brodie and Giordano. Michal Neuvirth relieved Holtby at this time. Washington got on the board in the second period with a Connor Carrick goal, coming off of Marcus Johansson and Karl Alzner. The Flames replied with a Lance Bouma goal, set up by Brian McGrattan and Ben Street. The Capitals took one back as Alex Ovechkin scored his second of the season, a power play goal, fueled by Mike Green and Johansson. Washington pulled closer as Ovechkin scored his second of the game and third of the year, with assists provided by Johansson, who got a sock trick, and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals tied it in the third period on a Backstrom power play goal, guided in by Mikhail Grabovski and Ovechkin. The game went to a shootout, where tallies from Grabovski and Ovechkin led to a 5-4 Capitals victory. The three stars were awarded to Ovechkin, Johansson, and Backstrom, while Giordano gets an honorable mention.
To the northwest, the Minnesota Wild host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Niklas Backstrom protect the nets. Minnesota started in the first period with a Matt Cooke goal, guided in by Kyle Brodziak and Mikael Granlund. Los Angeles tied it on a Drew Doughty power play goal, powered by Slava Voynov and Anze Kopitar. The Wild took the lead back as Jonas Brodin scored a power play goal, assisted by Nino Niederreiter. The Kings tied it in the third period on a Jeff Carter goal, passed from Matt Frattin and Robyn Regehr. The tie lasted into a shootout, where Kopitar and Carter scored to lift the Kings to a 3-2 victory. Carter, Kopitar, and Quick (27 for 29 in saves).
Way to the south, the Dallas Stars welcome the Florida Panthers. Tim Thomas and Kari Lehtonen are the veteran goalies. Florida opened in the first period on a Scott Gomez goal, assisted by Scottie Upshall and Brian Campbell. Dallas tied it in the second period as Alex Chiasson scored, thanks to Ray Whitney and Brenden Dillon. The Stars took the lead in the third period on a Dillon shorthanded goal, set up by Vernon Fiddler and Antoine Roussel. The Panthers retied it with an Aleksander Barkov goal, guided in by Tom Gilbert and Jonathan Huberdeau. Florida took the lead on a Marcel Goc goal, coming off of Tomas Fleischmann and Campbell. The Panthers iced it at 4-2 with an unassisted empty net goal by Goc, his second of the night. The three stars were Goc, Dillon, and Barkov, while Campbell gets an honorable mention.
Backtracking to St. Louis, where the Blues bring in the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Jaroslav Halak are the masked men. St. Louis struck first in the first period with a David Backes power play goal, powered by Alex Pietrangelo and Patrik Berglund. The Blues added on when Vladimir Sobotka scored, thanks to Jay Bouwmeester and Pietrangelo. St. Louis chased Rinne with a T.J. Oshie goal, made possible by Alexander Steen and Backes. Carter Hutton relieved Rinne. Nashville got on the board as Mike Fisher scored, with the help of Nick Spaling and Eric Nystrom. The Predators pulled closer in the second period on a David Legwand goal, with a lone assist by Patric Hornqvist. The Blues replied as Steen scored a power play goal, coming off of Derek Roy and Kevin Shattenkirk. The scoring ended here, with the Blues winning 4-2, and the three stars were Steen, Pietrangelo, and Backes.
Out west, the San Jose Sharks host the Vancouver Canucks. Roberto Luongo and Antti Niemi guard the cages. Vancouver led off in the first period with a Jason Garrison goal, assisted by Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin on the power play. San Jose tied it in the second period with a Brent Burns goal, via Tomas Hertl and Joe Thornton. The Sharks took the lead with a Justin Braun goal, fueled by Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Logan Couture. San Jose added on in the third period when Patrick Marleau scored, with the help of Couture. The Sharks got another on a Tommy Wingels goal, guided in by Andrew Desjardins. This was good for a 4-1 win, with the three stars being Niemi (21 for 22 in saves), Couture, and Braun.
Finally, in Phoenix, the Coyotes welcome the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Mike Smith are in the blue paint. Phoenix was first to score in the first period with a Kyle Chipchura goal, coming off of Rob Klinkhammer and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. New York tied it in the second period as Marc Staal netted a power play goal, powered by Rick Nash and Derek Stepan. The Coyotes retook the lead with a Radim Vrbata goal, assisted by Martin Hanzal and Derek Morris. Phoenix extended the lead with another Vrbata goal in the third period, fueled by Keith Yandle and Antoine Vermette on the power play. The Coyotes added on as Vrbata completed his hat trick with his third of the game, passed from Hanzal. They went on to win 4-1, with the three stars awarded to Vrbata, Hanzal, and Smith (23 for 24 in saves).
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.