Eleven games on today, beginning in...
Philadelphia, as the Flyers host the St. Louis Blues. Ryan Miller and Steve Mason are set to start. St. Louis opened in the first period on a Jaden Schwartz goal, his twenty-second of the season, a shorthanded goal set up by Kevin Shattenkirk and Vladimir Sobotka. Philadelphia tied it on a power play goal in the second period from Scott Hartnell, his nineteenth of the year, powered by Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux. The Flyers took the lead on a Brayden Schenn goal, his eighteenth of the season, via Wayne Simmonds. Philadelphia added on in the third period with a Voracek goal, his nineteenth of the year, fueled by Giroux and Hartnell. The Flyers extended the lead with a Simmonds empty net goal, his twenty-fourth of the campaign, with assists provided by Vincent Lecavalier and Brayden Schenn. This made it 4-1, a final, with the three stars going to Hartnell, Voracek, and Mason (32 for 33 in saves), while Giroux, Simmonds, and Brayden Schenn get the honorable mentions.
Across Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Penguins welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Backups Anders Lindback and Jeff Zatkoff are in goal. Pittsburgh got going in the second period with a Sidney Crosby power play goal, his thirty-fourth of the season, guided in by Evgeni Malkin and the goalie Zatkoff. Tampa Bay tied it on a Valtteri Filppula power play goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, powered by Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman. The Lightning took the lead on a Stamkos goal, his twentieth of the season, via Alex Killorn and Radko Gudas. The Penguins tied it on a Malkin goal, his twenty-second of the year, a power play goal made possible by Matt Niskanen and Crosby. Pittsburgh took the lead on a Malkin goal, his second of the game and twenty-third of the season, passed from Jussi Jokinen. Tampa Bay tied it again on an Ondrej Palat goal, his nineteenth of the year, coming off of Gudas and Matthew Carle. The Penguins won 4-3 in overtime as James Neal scored a power play goal, his twenty-third of the campaign, thanks to Malkin and Crosby. The three stars were Malkin, Crosby, and Stamkos, while Gudas gets an honorable mention.
Westward again to Minnesota, as the Wild bring in the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Darcy Kuemper are given the starting nods. Minnesota led off in the first period with a Mikko Koivu power play goal, his ninth of the season, courtesy of Ryan Suter and Matt Moulson. Detroit tied it on a Brendan Smith power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by David Legwand and Jakub Kindl. The Red Wings took the lead in the second period with a Legwand power play goal, his twelfth of the season, guided in by Riley Sheahan and Kindl. The Wild retied it in the third period on a Charlie Coyle penalty shot goal, his eighth of the year. Detroit took the lead on a Gustav Nyquist goal, his twenty-first of the season, fueled by Sheahan and Smith. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Smith, Kindl, and Sheahan.
Down in Dallas, the Stars host the Ottawa Senators. Robin Lehner and Kari Lehtonen are between the pipes. Ottawa began in the first period with an Erik Karlsson goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Colin Greening. Dallas tied it in the second period as Cody Eakin notched his fourteenth of the year, thanks to Valeri Nichushkin and Jordie Benn. The Stars got the lead in the third period with a Trevor Daley goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Ray Whitney and Colton Sceviour. Dallas extended the lead with a Jamie Benn goal, his thirtieth of the year, made possible by Tyler Seguin and Jordie Benn. This was good for a 3-1 win, with the three stars going to Jordie Benn, Jamie Benn, and Daley.
Further to the west, the Los Angeles Kings welcome the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Jonathan Quick guard the cages. Los Angeles started in the first period with a Trevor Lewis goal, his fifth of the season, guided in by Kyle Clifford and Willie Mitchell. The Kings added on with a Mike Richards goal, his tenth of the year, made possible by Lewis and Drew Doughty. Los Angeles extended the lead in the second period with a Dustin Brown goal, his thirteenth of the season, fueled by Jarret Stoll and Dwight King. The Kings padded the lead in the third period with an Alec Martinez power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Slava Voynov and Jeff Carter. This made it 4-0, the final, with the three stars being Quick (24 save shutout), Lewis, and Richards.
Northeast to Toronto, as the Maple Leafs bring in the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and James Reimer man the creases. Montreal struck first in the first period with a Max Pacioretty goal, his thirty-first of the season, assisted by David Desharnais. The Canadiens added on with a Rene Bourque goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Brian Gionta and Mike Weaver. Toronto got on the board with a Joffrey Lupul goal, his twentieth of the season, passed from Mason Raymond. The Maple Leafs tied it with a Tyler Bozak goal, his sixteenth of the year, with a lone assist from Phil Kessel. Montreal retook the lead on a Gionta goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Bourque. Toronto tied it again in the third period on a Nazem Kadri power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Lupul and Raymond. The Canadiens retook the lead on a Tomas Plekanec goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, via Andrei Markov and P.K. Subban. This held up for a 4-3 win, with the three stars going to Bourque, Gionta, and Lupul, while Raymond gets an honorable mention.
Back stateside, the New Jersey Devils host the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Brodeur are the future Hall of Fame goalies. New York dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Rick Nash goal, his twenty-third of the season, fueled by Derek Stepan and Chris Kreider. The Rangers added on in the third period as Stepan scored a power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by the goalie Lundqvist and Ryan McDonagh. This produced the 2-0 final, with the three stars being Lundqvist (21 save shutout), Stepan, and Nash.
Into Canada again, as the Winnipeg Jets welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Al Montoya are the mediocre goalies. Winnipeg was first to score in the second period on a Jim Slater goal, with a lone assist by Mark Stuart. Carolina tied it on an Eric Staal goal, his seventeenth of the season, coming off of Jiri Tlusty and Andrej Sekera. The Hurricanes took the lead with a Jordan Staal power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Sekera and John-Michael Liles. Carolina added on as Riley Nash potted his ninth of the season, thanks to Jeff Skinner and Patrick Dwyer. The Jets got one back in the third period on a Bryan Little goal, his twenty-first of the year, pushed through by Michael Frolik. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Sekera, Jordan Staal, and Eric Staal.
South to Arizona, as the Phoenix Coyotes bring in the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Mike Smith will have the green light to play goal. Boston opened in the first period with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his twenty-second of the season, made possible by Andrej Meszaros. Phoenix tied it on a Shane Doan goal, his twentieth of the year, guided in by Brandon McMillan and Mike Ribeiro. The Coyotes took the lead in the second period with a power play goal by Oliver Ekman-Larsson, his twelfth of the season, powered by Mikkel Boedker and Keith Yandle. The Bruins retied it in the third period on a Jarome Iginla goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, fueled by Zdeno Chara and Dougie Hamilton. Boston took the lead as Shawn Thornton netted his fifth of the season, thanks to Daniel Paille and Gregory Campbell. The Bruins iced it at 4-2 with an Iginla empty net goal, his second of the game and twenty-eighth of the year, set up by Milan Lucic. Iginla, Thornton, and Bergeron received the three stars.
Up in Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers host the Calgary Flames for a Battle of Alberta. Karri Ramo and Viktor Fasth are set to start. Edmonton started in the first period with a Jeff Petry power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle. Calgary tied it on a Mark Giordano goal, his twelfth of the year, via Michael Cammalleri and T.J. Brodie. The Flames took the lead in the second period on a Cammalleri goal, his twenty-third of the season, helped along by Mikael Backlund. Calgary added on with a Matt Stajan penalty shot goal for his eleventh of the year. The Flames extended the lead as Paul Byron scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Cammalleri and Brodie. Calgary padded the lead with a Curtis Glencross goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Stajan and Giordano. Ben Scrivens replaced Fasth at this time. The Flames kept going in the third period on another Glencross goal, his second of the game and ninth of the season, assisted by Stajan and Jiri Hudler. Calgary struck again with a Kevin Westgarth goal, his second of the year, passed from Tyler Wotherspoon and Ladislav Smid. The Flames wrapped it up at 8-1 as Glencross finished his hat trick with his tenth of the campaign, coming off of Stajan, who got a sock trick, and Chris Butler. Glencross, Stajan, and Cammalleri were the three stars, while Brodie and Giordano got the honorable mentions.
Finally, in San Jose, the Sharks host the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Antti Niemi are the masked men. Washington led off in the first period with an unassisted Eric Fehr goal, his twelfth of the season. San Jose tied it on a Patrick Marleau goal, his thirtieth of the year, coming off of Logan Couture and Matthew Nieto. The Sharks took the lead with a James Sheppard third period goal, his third of the season, going in unassisted. The Capitals retied it on a Chris Brown goal, via Dustin Penner and Tom Wilson. Washington won 3-2 in the shootout with goals by Evgeny Kuznetsov and Nicklas Backstrom to overwhelm Marleau's lone tally. The three stars were Brown, Marleau, and Backstrom.
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