Today we have six games to work with,
beginning in...
Buffalo, as the Sabres host the Ottawa
Senators. Craig Anderson and Ryan Miller are set to start. Ottawa got
going in the third period with an Erik Karlsson goal, assisted by
Clarke MacArthur and Kyle Turris. This was it for the scoring,
resulting in a 1-0 final score, with the three stars being Anderson
(35 save shutout), Karlsson, and Miller (45 for 46 in saves).
Down in Carolina, the Hurricanes welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Cam Ward will be in the creases. Carolina started in the first period as Radek Dvorak scored, with the help of Jeff Skinner and Justin Faulk. The Hurricanes added on in the second period as Nathan Gerbe scored a power play goal, powered by Faulk and Jay Harrison. Detroit got on the board in the third period with a Justin Abdelkader goal, via Henrik Zetterberg and Jonathan Ericsson. The Red Wings tied it on a Zetterberg goal, fueled by Daniel Alfredsson and Johan Franzen. Detroit ended up winning 3-2 with a Stephen Weiss goal, guided in by Franzen and Niklas Kronwall. The three stars of the game were Zetterberg, Franzen, and Faulk.
Back north, the New Jersey Devils bring in the New York Islanders. Evgeni Nabokov and Martin Brodeur are the veteran goalies. New Jersey was first to score in the first period with a Damien Brunner goal, coming off of Dainius Zubrus and Alexei Loktionov. New York tied it with a Michael Grabner goal with a lone assist from Travis Hamonic. The Devils took the lead in the second period with a Michael Ryder goal, assisted by Bryce Salvador and Marek Zidlicky. The Islanders pulled even as Grabner scored his second of the game, thanks to Josh Bailey. New York gained the lead in the third period as Frans Nielsen scored, via Grabner and Matt Donovan. New Jersey pulled even on Brunner's second of the game, passed from Ryane Clowe and Anton Volchenkov. The tie lasted into a shootout, where the lone tally from Matt Moulson gave the Islanders a 4-3 win. The three stars belonged to Grabner, Brunner, and Moulson.
West to Columbus, with the Blue Jackets hosting the Calgary Flames. Joey MacDonald and Sergei Bobrovsky are called on to start. Calgary struck first in the first period with a Sean Monahan goal, assisted by Lee Stempniak and Sven Baertschi. Columbus tied it on a Jack Johnson power play goal, powered by Marian Gaborik and James Wisniewski. The Flames took the lead back as T.J. Galiardi scored an unassisted goal. The Blue Jackets retied it on a Gaborik goal, guided in by Brandon Dubinsky and Blake Comeau. Calgary retook the lead in the third period as Jiri Hudler notched his second of the season, thanks to Galiardi and Mikael Backlund. The Flames added on with a Curtis Glencross goal, with assists provided by David Jones and Mark Giordano. Columbus got one back as Artem Anisimov scored, set up by David Savard and Johnson. They failed to get an equalizer, with the final reading 4-3, and the three stars went to Galiardi, Gaborik, and Johnson.
Crossing into Canada, the Winnipeg Jets welcome the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Ondrej Pavelec are in the blue paint. Los Angeles opened in the first period with an unassisted goal by Matt Greene. Winnipeg tied it on an Evander Kane goal, helped along by Devin Setoguchi and Mark Scheifele. The Jets took the lead on an Olli Jokinen goal, passed from Michael Frolik and Tobias Enstrom. Winnipeg added on as Devin Setoguchi scored a power play goal, powered by Kane and Dustin Byfuglien. The Jets extended the lead as Setoguchi scored his second of the game, made possible by Kane and Jokinen. The Kings took one back on a Jeff Carter power play goal, his second of the season, pushed through by Jake Muzzin and Anze Kopitar. Los Angeles pulled closer as Justin Williams scored a power play goal, with helpers provided by Matt Frattin and Willie Mitchell. Winnipeg iced it at 5-3 with the second of the year by Bryan Little coming from Andrew Ladd. The three stars were given to Setoguchi, Kane, and Jokinen.
Finally, in Colorado, the Avalanche bring in the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Semyon Varlamov guard the cages. Colorado led off in the first period with a P.A. Parenteau goal, via Jamie McGinn and Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche added on in the second period when Patrick Bordeleau scored, thanks to Nate Guenin and Marc-Andre Cliche. Nashville got one back as Paul Gaustad scored, with the help of Mike Fisher and Craig Smith. Colorado iced it at 3-1 as Parenteau scored an empty net goal, set up by Paul Stastny and John Mitchell. The three stars were Parenteau, Varloamov (26 for 27 in saves), and Rinne (33 for 35 in saves).
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.