Another day with twelve games on, beginning in...
Buffalo, as the Sabres host the Vancouver Canucks. Roberto Luongo and Ryan Miller protect the nets. Vancouver struck first in the first period as Chris Higgins scored his second of the season, via Mike Santorelli. The Canucks added on in the second period with a Brad Richardson shorthanded goal, his second of the year, set up by Jason Garrison and Santorelli. Vancouver iced it at 3-0 in the third period as Ryan Stanton scored, with the help of Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. The three stars were Luongo (25 save shutout), Richardson, and Santorelli.
Down on Long Island, the New York Islanders welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Devan Dubnyk and Evgeni Nabokov are in the blue paint. New York started in the first period on a Josh Bailey goal, his third of the season, assisted by Travis Hamonic and Pierre-Marc Bouchard. Edmonton tied it as Taylor Hall scored his second of the year, thanks to Justin Schultz and Mark Arcobello. The Oilers took the lead eight seconds later as Hall scored his second of the game and third of the season, passed from Arcobello and Jordan Eberle. The Islanders retied it in the second period with a Kyle Okposo power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Matt Moulson and John Tavares. New York took the lead on a Tavares goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Okposo and Michael Grabner. They would hold on for a 3-2 win throughout the scoreless third period, and the three stars were Tavares, Hall, and Okposo, while Arcobello gets an honorable mention.
A bit west, the battle of Pennsylvania is renewed, as the Philadelphia Flyers bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury faces a lesser foe in Steve Mason in goal. Pittsburgh opened in the second period with a Jussi Jokinen goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Evgeni Malkin. The Penguins added on as Chris Kunitz scored his third of the year, thanks to Pascal Dupuis and Matt Niskanen. Philadelphia got on the board as Wayne Simmonds scored a power play goal, powered by Claude Giroux and Brayden Schenn. Pittsburgh replied in the third period as Sidney Crosby notched his sixth of the season, assisted by Dupuis. The Penguins iced it at 4-1 with a Malkin empty net goal, his third of the year, set up by Craig Adams and Crosby. The three stars were Fleury (24 for 25 in saves), Crosby, and Malkin, while Dupuis gets an honorable mention.
Up in Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and James Reimer are the average goalies. Toronto got going with a second period goal by Joffrey Lupul, his sixth of the season, coming off of Paul Ranger. The Maple Leafs added on as Josh Leivo scored, thanks to Dave Bolland and Morgan Rielly. Carolina got on the board with a Ryan Murphy power play goal in the third period, powered by Jeff Skinner. The Hurricanes tied it on an Eric Staal goal, his third of the year, with a lone assist by Justin Faulk. Carolina took the lead as Ron Hainsey scored his second of the season, and the goalie Ward had the only helper. This was good for a 3-2 win, with Ward (24 for 26 in saves), Hainsey, and Staal getting the three stars.
Over in Quebec, the Montreal Canadiens welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Carey Price guard the cages. Montreal was first to score in the first period on a Rene Bourque power play goal, his second of the season, powered by P.K. Subban. The Canadiens added on with a Michael Bournival goal, guided in by Andrei Markov and Subban. Montreal extended the lead in the second period on a shorthanded goal by Markov, going in unassisted. Columbus got on the board as Boone Jenner scored a power play goal, via Ryan Johansen and David Savard. The Blue Jackets pulled closer as Johansen scored, with a lone assist by Fedor Tyutin. Columbus tied it in the third period as Jenner scored his second of the game, another power play goal, made possible by Mark Letestu and Artem Anisimov. The Canadiens took the lead back as Tomas Plekanec scored his second of the year, thanks to Brian Gionta and Josh Gorges. Montreal wrapped it up at 5-3 with an empty net goal by Plekanec, his second of the game and third of the campaign, a shorthanded and empty net goal fueled by Brandon Prust and Raphael Diaz. The three stars were Plekanec, Jenner, and Subban, while Johansen and Markov get honorable mentions.
Back in Ontario again, the Ottawa Senators bring in the New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur and Craig Anderson are manning the creases. Ottawa led off in the first period with an Erik Karlsson, his second of the season, assisted by Bobby Ryan. The Senators added on as Ryan scored his fourth of the year, with the help of Kyle Turris and Clarke MacArthur. Ottawa extended the lead in the second period on a Zack Smith goal, his second of the season, fueled by Karlsson and Jason Spezza. New Jersey got on the board in the third period with a Travis Zajac power play goal, powered by Marek Zidlicky and Patrik Elias. The Devils pulled closer as Steve Bernier scored, with a lone assist by Stephen Gionta. The Senators replied on a Milan Michalek goal, his second of the year, passed from Spezza and Karlsson. Ottawa finished it at 5-2 with a Spezza empty net goal, set up by Erik Condra. The three stars were given to Karlsson, Anderson (40 for 42 in saves), and Ryan, while Spezza gets an honorable mention.
Way to the south, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Minnesota Wild. Josh Harding and Ben Bishop receive the starting nods. Tampa Bay began in the first period as Tyler Johnson scored his second of the season, a power play goal, powered by Valtteri Filppula and Richard Panik. Minnesota tied it in the third period with a Mikko Koivu goal, with assists provided by Nino Neiderreiter and Ryan Suter. The Lightning retook the lead with the fifth of the year from Steven Stamkos, set up by Matthew Carle and Radko Gudas. Tampa Bay iced it at 3-1 with an empty net goal by Sami Salo, going in unassisted. The three stars were Stamkos, Bishop (25 for 26 in saves), and Harding (27 for 29 in saves).
Staying in the south, the Florida Panthers welcome the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask faces his old mentor, Tim Thomas, in goal. Boston was first to score in the first period with a Daniel Paille goal, fueled by Dennis Seidenberg and Matt Bartkowski. The Bruins added on as Dougie Hamilton scored a power play goal, powered by David Krejci and Zdeno Chara. Florida got on the board in the second period on a Kris Versteeg goal, his second of the season, via Jonathan Huberdeau and Tom Gilbert. The Panthers tied it with a Jesse Winchester goal in the third period, passed from Nick Bjugstad. Boston took the lead late on a Reilly Smith goal, assisted by Patrice Bergeron and Torey Krug. They held on for a 3-2 win, with the three stars awarded to Smith, Hamilton, and Paille.
Northwest to Chicago, where the Blackhawks bring in the St. Louis Blues. Jaroslav Halak and Corey Crawford tend the twines. Chicago struck first in the first period as Brandon Pirri scored, with a lone assist from Marian Hossa. St. Louis tied it with a David Backes goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Pietrangelo on the power play. The Blackhawks retook the lead in the second period as Hossa scored his third of the season, thanks to Niklas Hjalmarsson. The Blues tied it again as Alexander Steen scored his fifth of the year, courtesy of Bouwmeester and T.J. Oshie. The tie lasted into a shootout, where Oshie's lone tally lifted the Blues to a 3-2 win. The three stars were Oshie, Hossa, and Bouwmeester.
Backtracking to Nashville, as the Predators host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Pekka Rinne are the star goalies. Nashville opened with a first period Matt Cullen goal, fueled by Craig Smith and Gabriel Bourque. Los Angeles tied it on a Slava Voynov goal, his second of the season, passed from Mike Richards and Kyle Clifford. The tie lasted all the way to a shootout, where Anze Kopitar provided the only tally the Kings needed for a 2-1 win. The three stars were Quick (34 for 35 in saves), Rinne (29 for 30 in saves), and Kopitar.
Southwest to Dallas, as the Stars welcome the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi and Dan Ellis are all padded up. San Jose quickly led off nine seconds into the first period with an unassisted goal by Tyler Kennedy. Dallas tied it on a Tyler Seguin goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Jamie Benn and Stephane Robidas. The Sharks took the lead back on a Matthew Nieto goal, his second of the year, assisted by Joe Pavelski and Tommy Wingels. The Stars pulled even again in the second period as Trevor Daley scored, with the help of Cody Eakin and Ray Whitney. San Jose took the lead back on a Patrick Marleau goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Marc-Edouard Vlasic and the goalie Niemi. Dallas quickly retied it on an Eakin goal, his second of the year, set up by Alex Chiasson and Whitney. The tie lasted into a shootout, where Chiasson had the only goal to lead the Stars to a 4-3 win. Chiasson, Eakin, and Whitney were named the three stars.
Finally in Denver, the Colorado Avalanche bring in the Detroit Red Wings. Jonas Gustavsson and Semyon Varlamov handle the goaltending duties. Detroit started in the first period with a Johan Franzen power play goal, powered by Henrik Zetterberg and Jakub Kindl. The Red Wings added on as Pavel Datsyuk recorded his third of the season, with the help of Danny DeKeyser and Daniel Alfredsson. Colorado got on the board in the second period as Erik Johnson scored a power play goal, fueled by the goalie Varlamov. The Avalanche tied it on a Gabriel Landeskog goal, with a lone assist from Paul Stastny on the power play. Detroit took the lead back in the third period as Franzen scored his second of the game, another power play goal, guided in by Justin Abdelkader and Alfredsson. The Red Wings extended the lead as Datsyuk scored his second of the game and fourth of the year, thanks to Alfredsson, who got a sock trick. The final score was 4-2 from here on, and the three stars were Franzen, Datsyuk, and Alfredsson.
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