Ten games to go with tonight, beginning in...
Ontario, as the Toronto Maple Leafs host the New York Islanders. Kevin Poulin and Jonathan Bernier are set to start. Toronto started in the first period with a Trevor Smith goal, his third of the season, with a lone assist by Joffrey Lupul. The Maple Leafs added on in the second period as Phil Kessel potted his eleventh of the year, a power play goal powered by Lupul and Dion Phaneuf. New York got on the board with a Casey Cizikas goal, his third of the season, going in unassisted. Toronto replied in the third period when Mason Raymond potted his eighth of the year, via Jay McClement. The Maple Leafs extended the lead on a David Clarkson goal, fueled by Smith and Lupul, the latter getting a sock trick. The Islanders got one back with a Frans Nielsen goal, his tenth of the season, passed from Josh Bailey. Toronto shot back as Kessel scored his second of the game and twelfth of the year, guided in by James van Riemsdyk and Smith. This resulted in a 5-2 final, with Kessel, Smith, and Lupul getting the three stars.
Down in Philadelphia, the Flyers welcome the Ottawa Senators. Robin Lehner and Steve Mason are in the blue paint. Philadelphia was first to score in the first period on a Claude Giroux power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Jakub Voracek and Kimmo Timonen. The Flyers added on as Sean Couturier scored in the second period, with a lone assist from Timonen. Ottawa got on the board as Clarke MacArthur scored his fourth of the year, a power play goal, guided in by Erik Karlsson and Chris Phillips. The Senators tied it in the third period as Kyle Turris notched his fifth of the season, a power play goal helped along by Marc Methot and MacArthur. Philadelphia took the lead back as Timonen scored, thanks to Matt Read and Steve Downie. The Flyers extended the lead as Wayne Simmonds scored his third of the year, coming off of Vincent Lecavalier and Brayden Schenn. Philadelphia iced it at 5-2 with an empty net goal by Adam Hall, set up by Nicklas Grossmann. The three stars went to Timonen, MacArthur, and Simmonds.
Back to the north, the Buffalo Sabres host the St. Louis Blues. Jaroslav Halak and Ryan Miller protect the nets. Buffalo opened ten seconds into the first period with a Tyler Ennis goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Ville Leino and Henrik Tallinder. St. Louis quickly tied it as Brenden Morrow scored his third of the year, guided in by Chris Stewart and Roman Polak. The Blues took the lead on a Vladimir Tarasenko power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by T.J. Oshie and Jaden Schwartz. St. Louis added on in the second period as Morrow scored his second of the game and fourth of the year, via Stewart and Derek Roy. The Blues extended the lead in the third period as Magnus Paajarvi scored, with helpers provided by Ryan Reaves and Jay Bouwmeester. This was good for a 4-1 win, with the three stars handed to Morrow, Halak (23 for 24 in saves), and Stewart.
To the west, the Detroit Red Wings bring in the Nashville Predators. Marek Mazanec is mismatched with Jimmy Howard in goal. Nashville got going in the second period as Shea Weber scored a power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by David Legwand. The Predators added on in the third period as Gabriel Bourque scored his third of the year, with a lone assist by Viktor Stalberg. This made it 2-0, the final, with the three stars being Mazanec (27 save shutout), Weber, and Bourque.
Eastward to New York, as the Rangers host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Henrik Lundqvist tend the twines. Boston dented the scoreboard in the second period as Shawn Thornton scored his third of the season, via Brad Marchand and Chris Kelly. The Bruins added on as Daniel Paille scored his third of the year, a shorthanded goal set up by Gregory Campbell. New York got on the board as Derick Brassard put away his fourth of the campaign, a power play goal powered by John Moore and Chris Kreider. This was as close as it got, with the final being 2-1, and Rask (43 for 44 in saves), Paille, and Thornton received the three stars.
Crossing into Canada, as the Montreal Canadiens host the Minnesota Wild. Josh Harding and Carey Price are the masked men. Montreal struck first in the second period as Max Pacioretty scored his third of the season, assisted by David Desharnais and P.K. Subban. The Canadiens added on as Pacioretty scored his second of the game and fourth of the year, via Desharnais and Brendan Gallagher. Montreal extended the lead when Pacioretty finished his natural hat trick with his fifth of the season, a power play goal powered by Gallagher and Subban. The Canadiens padded the lead with a Michael Bournival goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Travis Moen. Montreal got another in the third period on a Daniel Briere goal, his third of the season, coming off of Brian Gionta and Tomas Plekanec. Minnesota got on the board as Nino Neiderreiter scored his fourth of the year, passed from Kyle Brodziak and Matt Cooke. The Canadiens shot back on an Alex Galchenyuk power play goal, his fifth of the season, pushed through by Andrei Markov and Brandon Prust. The Wild got one back as Dany Heatley scored his third of the year, with assists provided by Ryan Suter and Jonas Brodin on the power play. They got no closer, losing 6-2, with the three stars going to Pacioretty, Desharnais, and Gallagher, while Subban gets an honorable mention.
Southwest to Colorado, as the Avalanche welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Semyon Varlamov guard the cages. Colorado led off in the first period with a Paul Stastny goal, his eighth of the season, going in unassisted. The Avalanche added on as Gabriel Landeskog scored his seventh of the year via Andre Benoit and Ryan O'Reilly. Colorado extended the lead with a John Mitchell goal, his third of the season, coming off of Max Talbot and Tyson Barrie. Antti Raanta replaced Crawford at this time. The Avalanche padded the lead with a P.A. Parenteau scored his seventh of the year, guided in by Stastny and Jan Hejda. Colorado got another in the third period as Cody McLeod scored, with helpers provided by Barrie and Talbot. Chicago got on the board as Brandon Saad scored his sixth of the campaign, fueled by Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith. This produced a 5-1 final, with the three stars being Stastny, Varlamov (36 for 37 in saves), and Talbot, while the honorable mention went to Barrie.
Up in Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Devan Dubnyk are the unappreciated goalies. Edmonton began in the first period as Jordan Eberle scored his sixth of the season, assisted by Corey Potter and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Oilers added on as David Perron scored his sixth of the year, a power play goal powered by Nail Yakupov and Nugent-Hopkins. Edmonton extended the lead with a power play goal by Ryan Smyth, his fourth of the season, coming off of Sam Gagner and Ales Hemsky. The Oilers chased Bobrovsky in the second period with another Perron goal, his second of the game and seventh of the year, fueled by Smyth and Boyd Gordon. Curtis McElhinney came on in relief. Edmonton padded the lead on a Yakupov power play goal, his fourth of the season, with a lone assist by Perron. The Oilers got another with a Justin Schultz goal, his second of the year, passed from Perron and Smyth. Edmonton finished it at 7-0 in the third period as Taylor Hall scored his sixth of the campaign, with a lone helper by Eberle. The three stars went to Perron, Smyth, and Yakupov, while Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins, and Dubnyk (14 save shutout) are given honorable mentions.
Over in British Columbia, the Vancouver Canucks bring in the Florida Panthers. Tim Thomas and Roberto Luongo are the veteran goalies. Florida opened in the first period with a Brad Boyes goal, his eighth of the season, a power play goal powered by Aleksander Barkov and Scottie Upshall. Vancouver tied it in the second period on a Chris Higgins goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Mike Santorelli and Dan Hamhuis. The Canucks took the lead in the third period with a Jannik Hansen goal, his third of the season, going in unassisted. The Panthers tied it on a Shawn Matthias goal, his third of the year, passed from Nick Bjugstad and Tomas Kopecky. Florida won 3-2 in the shootout as Jonathan Huberdeau scored the only goal. The three stars went to Matthias, Luongo (34 for 36 in saves), and Huberdeau.
Finally, in Los Angeles, the Kings host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Ben Scrivens are the young goalies. Los Angeles started in the first period on an Anze Kopitar goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Drew Doughty and Justin Williams. The Kings added on as Matt Frattin scored his second of the year, a power play goal, powered by Slava Voynov and Jarret Stoll. Los Angeles extended the lead in the second period as Williams scored his eighth of the season, a power play goal set up by Doughty and Kopitar. The Kings padded the lead with a Dwight King goal, his seventh of the year, with a lone helper by Linden Vey. Tampa Bay got on the board as Valtteri Filppula scored his ninth of the season, a power play goal, made possible by Victor Hedman and Martin St. Louis. Los Angeles answered with a Dustin Brown goal, his fourth of the year, fueled by Frattin. The Lightning got one back as Hedman scored his fourth of the season, with a lone assist provided by Tyler Johnson. This was as close as it got, with the final being 5-2, and the three stars were Kopitar, Frattin, and Hedman, while Doughty got an honorable mention.
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