Ten games are going on today, beginning in...
Boston, as the Bruins host the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi and Tuukka Rask are the Finnish goalies. Boston got going in the second period with a Jarome Iginla goal, fueled by David Krejci and Dennis Seidenberg. San Jose tied it in the third period as Patrick Marleau scored his eighth of the season, assisted by Marc-Edouard Vlasic. The Bruins took the lead back in the last second of regulation, where Krejci scored his second of the year, courtesy of Adam McQuaid and Milan Lucic. The final was 2-1, and the three stars were Krejci, Rask (38 for 39 in saves), and Iginla.
Down in New Jersey, the Devils welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider are the rival goalies. New Jersey opened in the first period with a Patrik Elias goal, his third of the season, assisted by Andrei Loktionov and Jaromir Jagr. Vancouver tied it with a Ryan Kesler goal, his fifth of the year, via Henrik Sedin. The Devils took the lead back with a Eric Gelinas power play goal, powered by Travis Zajac and Marek Zidlicky. The Canucks retied it in the second period as Daniel Sedin potted his fourth of the campaign, with the help of Henrik Sedin and Kesler. The tie lasted into a shootout, where a Mike Santorelli goal lifted the Canucks to a 3-2 win, with the three stars being Kesler, Henrik Sedin, and Luongo (28 for 30 in saves).
To the west, the Philadelphia Flyers bring in the New York Rangers. Cam Talbot is mismatched with Steve Mason in goal (yes, Steve Mason is better than a goalie who has never played before). Philadelphia began in the first period with a Matt Read goal, going in shorthanded and unassisted. New York tied it with a Brad Richards goal, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Chris Kreider and John Moore. The Flyers took the lead back in the third period as Braydon Coburn potted his second of the year, thanks to Read and Nicklas Grossmann. They held on for a 2-1 win, with the three stars being Read, Mason (30 for 31 in saves), and Talbot (25 for 27 in saves).
Into Canada, where the Montreal Canadiens host the Anaheim Ducks. Jonas Hiller and Carey Price are the masked men. Montreal was first to score in the first period on a Michael Bournival goal, his second of the season, passed from Nathan Beaulieu and Josh Gorges. The Canadiens added on as Tomas Plekanec scored his fifth of the year, with a lone assist by Bournival. Montreal extended the lead in the second period on a Brian Gionta goal, his third of the season coming on the power play via Plekanec and Alex Galchenyuk. Anaheim got on the board in the third period with a Pat Maroon goal, with assists provided by Nick Bonino and Devante Smith-Pelly. The Canadiens replied with a Rene Bourque power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Plekanec and Gionta. This was it for the scoring resulting in a 4-1 final, with the three stars being Plekanec, Price (31 for 32 in saves), and Bournival, while Gionta gets an honorable mention.
Way to the south, the Tampa Bay Lightning welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Nikolai Khabibulin and Ben Bishop are in the blue paint. Tampa Bay started in the first period with a Matthew Carle power play goal, fueled by Valtteri Filppula and Richard Panik. The Lightning added on with a second period shorthanded goal by Nate Thompson, set up by B.J. Crombeen and Andrej Sustr. Chicago got on the board with the third of the season by Bryan Bickell, via Marcus Kruger and Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks tied it as Marian Hossa potted his fourth of the year, assisted by Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews. Tampa Bay took the lead on a Steven Stamkos goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Victor Hedman. Chicago retied it on an unassisted Kane goal, his fifth of the year. The Blackhawks took the lead as Andrew Shaw scored a power play goal, with assists provided by Kane and Duncan Keith. The Lightning pulled even again as Victor Hedman scored, with helpers from Martin St. Louis and Stamkos. Tampa Bay took the lead with the second of the game and seventh of the season by Stamkos, a power play goal powered by Filppula. Chicago got an equalizer when Toews was credited with his fourth of the year, technically unassisted, but occurring because of an own goal from a pass by Carle to Radko Gudas that wasn't handled well and slipped through Bishop's pads. The Lightning avoided utter humiliation by winning the game 6-5 in overtime on a St. Louis goal, his fifth of the campaign, thanks to Stamkos and Gudas. The three stars were Stamkos, St. Louis, and Hedman, while Toews, Kane, and Filppula were given the honorable mentions.
Northwest a bit to Nashville, as the Predators bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec faces a lesser foe in Carton Hutton in goal. Nashville struck first in the first period as Shea Weber scored his third of the season, a power play goal, powered by David Legwand and Filip Forsberg. Winnipeg tied it in the second period as Anthony Peluso scored, thanks to Olli Jokinen and Michael Frolik. The Predators took the lead back in the third period as Patric Hornqvist scored his fourth of the year, guided in by Mike Fisher and Seth Jones. The Jets tied it again as Blake Wheeler notched his third of the season, with the help of Zach Bogosian and Andrew Ladd. Nashville won 3-2 in overtime on a Craig Smith goal, his second of the year, assisted by Legwand. The three stars were Smith, Hutton (34 for 36 in saves), and Legwand.
Up in Minnesota, the Wild host the Carolina Hurricanes. Niklas Backstrom and Cam Ward made the starts. Ward was later pulled in favor of Justin Peters after being injured in the first period. Minnesota dented the scoreboard in the first period as Nino Neiderreiter scored his second of the season, a power play goal, assisted by Mikael Granlund and Mathew Dumba. The Wild extended the lead with a Zach Parise goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Jared Spurgeon and Ryan Suter. Josh Harding relieved an injured Backstrom for the second period. Carolina got on the board in the second period as Alexander Semin potted his third of the season, a power play goal, powered by Eric Staal and Andrej Sekera. Minnesota iced it at 3-1 with an empty net power play goal by Dany Heatley, set up by Matt Cooke and Nate Prosser. The three stars were given to Harding (20 for 21 in saves in relief), Neiderreiter, and Parise.
Back to the south, the Dallas Stars welcome the Calgary Flames. Karri Ramo and Kari Lehtonen are the similarly named goalies. Dallas led off in the first period with the fourth of the season by Alex Chiasson, assisted by Ray Whitney and Cody Eakin. Calgary tied it in the second period as Lee Stempniak scored his fourth of the year, thanks to Matt Stajan and Dennis Wideman. The Stars took the lead back as Chiasson scored his second of the game and fifth of the season, with a lone assist by Whitney. Dallas added on with a Jamie Benn goal, his second of the year, via Rich Peverley and the goalie Lehtonen. The Stars extended the lead on a Brendon Dillon goal, his third of the season, passed from Shawn Horcoff. Dallas wrapped it up at 5-1 in the third period with another Benn goal, his second of the game and third of the year, set up by Chiasson. The three stars were Chiasson, Benn, and Whitney, while Lehtonen (28 for 29 in saves) gets an honorable mention.
North again, as the Edmonton Oilers bring in the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Devan Dubnyk are between the pipes. Washington began in the first period with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his tenth of the season, fueled by Marcus Johansson and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals added on with a Joel Ward goal in the second period, his third of the year, coming off of John Carlson and Karl Alzner. Washington extended the lead in the third period on a Backstrom goal, his second of the season, passed from Johansson and Ovechkin. The Capitals padded the lead on the second of the year by Jason Chimera, guided in by Mikhail Grabovski. Edmonton got on the board when Justin Schultz scored a goal, assisted by David Perron and Anton Belov. They got no closer, losing 4-1, with the three stars going to Ovechkin, Holtby (30 for 31 in saves), and Backstrom, while Johansson gets an honorable mention.
Finally, in Los Angeles, the Kings host the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike Smith and Jonathan Quick guard the cages. Los Angeles quickly opened in the first period with an Anze Kopitar power play goal, powered by Justin Williams and Dustin Brown. The Kings added on as Dwight King scored his second of the season, via Kopitar. Los Angeles extended the lead with a Jordan Nolan goal, his second of the year, thanks to Colin Fraser and Brown. The Kings padded the lead on another King goal, his second of the game and third of the season, made possible by Robyn Regehr and Williams. Phoenix got on the board in the second period as Jeff Halpern scored, with the help of Zbynek Michalek and David Schlemko. The Coyotes pulled closer as Martin Hanzal scored his third of the year, with assists provided by Mikkel Boedker and Radim Vrbata. Phoenix chipped closer on another Hanzal goal in the third period, his second of the game and fourth of the season, coming on the power play with helpers from Keith Yandle and Vrbata. The Coyotes tied it with a Shane Doan goal, his second of the year, guided in by Derek Morris and Yandle. Los Angeles took the lead again on a shorthanded and unassisted Mike Richards goal. The Kings got another with a Matt Frattin goal, pushed through by Drew Doughty and Jeff Carter. Los Angeles iced it at 7-4 with an empty net goal by King, completing his hat trick on his fourth of the campaign, an empty net goal dished from Kopitar. The three stars were given to King, Kopitar, and Hanzal, while Brown, Williams, Vrbata, and Yandle get the honorable mentions.
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