Nine games to go with today, beginning in...
New Jersey, as the Devils host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Martin Brodeur guard the cages. New Jersey was first to score in the first period as Andy Greene scored his second of the season, an unassisted goal. Pittsburgh tied it in the second period with a Chris Kunitz goal, his ninth of the year, going in unassisted. The Devils took the lead back as Adam Larsson scored, thanks to Travis Zajac and Dainius Zubrus. New Jersey added on in the third period with the sixth of the season by Jaromir Jagr, with a lone assist by Zubrus. The Devils wrapped it up at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Jagr, his second of the game and seventh of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Brodeur (27 for 28 in saves), Jagr, and Zubrus.
Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Jhonas Enroth and James Reimer are the backups making spot starts. Toronto began in the first period on a James van Riemsdyk goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Cody Franson and Jake Gardiner. The Maple Leads added on as van Riemsdyk scored his second of the game and ninth of the year, a power play goal powered by Franson and Dion Phaneuf. Toronto extended the lead in the second period on a Nikolai Kulemin goal, fueled by Mason Raymond and Paul Ranger. Buffalo got on the board in the third period as Jamie McBain scored his second of the season, via Zemgus Girgensons and Marcus Foligno. The Sabres pulled closer with a Tyler Ennis power play goal, his third of the year, passed from Matt Moulson and Cody Hodgson. The Maple Leafs responded with a power play goal by Raymond, his seventh of the campaign, courtesy of Trevor Smith and David Clarkson. This was good for a 4-2 win, with the three stars going to van Riemsdyk, Franson, and Raymond.
Over in Quebec, the Montreal Canadiens bring in the New York Rangers. Cam Talbot is mismatched with Carey Price in goal. New York dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Ryan Callahan goal, his sixth of the season coming on the power play with the help of Brad Richards and Derek Stepan. This proved to be the game's only goal, resulting in a 1-0 Rangers win. The three stars were Talbot (22 save shutout), Callahan, and Price (33 for 34 in saves).
Speaking of New York, the Islanders host the Detroit Red Wings. Jonas Gustavsson and Evgeni Nabokov draw the starts. New York led off in the first period with the ninth of the season by John Tavares, assisted by Josh Bailey. Detroit tied it quickly with a Darren Helm goal, his second of the year, passed from Jonathan Ericsson and Niklas Kronwall. Nabokov was pulled for Kevin Poulin at this time. The Red Wings took the lead on a Pavel Datsyuk power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Mikael Samuelsson and Henrik Zetterberg. The Islanders retied it with a Casey Cizikas goal in the second period, his second of the year, coming off of Colin McDonald and Matt Martin. Detroit retook the lead on a Johan Franzen goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Helm and Tomas Tatar. New York retied it as Brock Nelson potted his third of the year, with helpers provided by Tavares and Andrew MacDonald on the power play. The Islanders regained the lead in the third period on a Cal Clutterbuck goal, his second of the season, coming off of Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Aaron Ness. The Red Wings got another equalizer on a Datsyuk goal, his eleventh of the year and second of the game, guided in by Danny DeKeyser and Zetterberg. The tie lasted to a shootout, where New York won 5-4 with a Frans Nielsen goal. The three stars were Tavares, Datsyuk, and Helm, while Zetterberg gets an honorable mention.
Out west, the St. Louis Blues welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Justin Peters and Brian Elliott are in the blue paint. St. Louis got going in the second period on a Roman Polak goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Chris Stewart and Alexander Steen. The Blues added on as David Backes notched his eighth of the year, with the help of Brenden Morrow and Jay Bouwmeester. Carolina got on the board with a shorthanded goal by Eric Staal, his fifth of the season, set up by Manny Malhotra. The Hurricanes tied it with another shorthanded goal, Nathan Gerbe's fifth of the year, with a lone assist by Riley Nash. St. Louis took the lead back in the third period as Steen scored his seventeenth of the season, coming off of Polak and Ian Cole. The Blues iced it at 4-2 with a T.J. Oshie empty net goal, his third of the year, thanks to Alex Pietrangelo and Bouwmeester. The three stars were given to Steen, Polak, and Bouwmeester.
Backtracking to Nashville, as the Predators bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Nikolai Khabibulin and Marek Mazanec are between the pipes. Nashville opened in the first period with a Matt Cullen goal, his third of the season, via Craig Smith and Seth Jones. The Predators added on as Nick Spaling scored his second of the year, courtesy of Smith and Ryan Ellis. Khabibulin was removed for Corey Crawford. Nashville extended the lead in the second period on a Patric Hornqvist power play goal, his sixth of the campaign, powered by Roman Josi and Shea Weber. The Predators padded the lead with a Smith goal, his fourth of the season, with a lone assist from Cullen. Chicago got on the board with Patrick Kane's eleventh of the year, fueled by Brandon Bolling and Duncan Keith. The Blackhawks got closer in the third period as Brandon Pirri potted his fifth of the campaign, with assists provided by Brent Seabrook and Kris Versteeg. Nashville responded with a Viktor Stalberg goal, his second of the season, guided in by Gabriel Bourque and David Legwand. The Predators got another with a Mike Fisher goal, his third of the year, via Hornqvist. Nashville wrapped it up at 7-2 on a Weber power play goal, his fifth of the campaign, helped along by Josi and Legwand. The three stars were handed to Smith, Hornqvist, and Cullen, while Weber, Josi, and Legwand get the honorable mentions.
Southwest to Phoenix, as the Coyotes host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Mike Smith are the masked men. Phoenix struck first in the first period with a Michael Stone goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Mike Ribeiro and David Rundblad on the power play. The Coyotes added on as Martin Hanzal scored his sixth of the year, with a lone assist by Lauri Korpikoski. Phoenix extended the lead in the second period on the sixth of the campaign from Ribeiro, a power play goal powered by Hanzal and Radim Vrbata. Tampa Bay got on the board with a Richard Panik goal, fueled by Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn. The Coyotes answered with a Connor Murphy goal, coming off of Vrbata and Korpikoski. The Lightning shot back as J.T. Brown scored, thanks to Teddy Purcell and Andrej Sustr. Phoenix replied on a Shane Doan goal, his tenth of the season, passed from Hanzal and Vrbata, with the latter getting a sock trick. Tampa Bay chipped back as Killorn scored his sixth of the year, via Martin St. Louis and Sustr. The Coyotes iced it at 6-3 with an empty net goal by Korpikoski, his fourth of the campaign, with a lone helper from Hanzal, who got a sock trick. The three stars were awarded to Hanzal, Vrbata, and Korpikoski, while Ribeiro, Killorn, and Sustr get the honorable mentions.
Up to Denver, as the Colorado Avalanche welcome the Florida Panthers. Tim Thomas and Semyon Varlamov are the goalies familiar with publicity issues. Florida started in first period with a Brad Boyes goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Scottie Upshall and Tom Gilbert. The Panthers added on in the second period as Brian Campbell scored his third of the year, a power play goal powered by Gilbert and Upshall. Colorado got on the board as Ryan O'Reilly scored his eighth of the campaign, with the help of P.A. Parenteau and Cory Sarich. Florida replied with a Tomas Kopecky goal, his second of the season, via Gilbert, who got a sock trick, and the goalie Thomas. The Panthers extended the lead in the third period as Jonathan Huberdeau scored his fifth of the year, guided in by Nick Bjugstad. This made it a 4-1 final, with Thomas (32 for 33 in saves), Gilbert, and Campbell getting the three stars while Upshall gets an honorable mention.
Finally, we end in Calgary with the Battle of Alberta, as the Flames bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Devan Dubnyk and Reto Berra are the unreliable goalies. Calgary led off in the first period as Sean Monahan scored his eighth of the season, fueled by Jiri Hudler. The Flames added on with a second period goal by Dennis Wideman, his second of the year, passed from Matt Stajan and Sven Baertschi. Edmonton got on the board in the third period with a Jordan Eberle goal, his fifth of the season, via Taylor Hall and Anton Belov. The Oilers tied it with an Ales Hemsky goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Sam Gagner and Nail Yakupov. Edmonton took the lead as David Perron potted his fifth of the season, with the help of Boyd Gordon and Ryan Smyth. The Oilers won 4-2 with a Gordon empty net goal, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. Gordon, Perron, and Monahan get the three stars.
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