Six games on for today's hockey, beginning in...
Philadelphia, as the Flyers host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Steve Mason are in the blue paint. Philadelphia opened in the first period with a Vincent Lecavalier goal, his seventeenth of the season, assisted by Adam Hall. Boston tied it on a Andrej Meszaros goal, his seventh of the year, via Brad Marchand and Dougie Hamilton. The Flyers retook the lead on a Kimmo Timonen goal, his fifth of the season, with a lone assist by Jakub Voracek. The Bruins tied it in the second period with a Zdeno Chara power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, powered by Jarome Iginla and David Krejci. Boston took the lead with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, passed from Reilly Smith and Matt Bartkowski. Philadelphia tied it on a Lecavalier goal in the third period, his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, made possible by Voracek and Timonen. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Bergeron was matched by Claude Giroux before Smith won it 4-3 for the Bruins. The three stars went to Lecavalier, Bergeron, and Smith, while Voracek and Timonen get the honorable mentions.
Up in Ottawa, the Senators welcome the Calgary Flames. Karri Ramo and Robin Lehner are the mediocre goalies. Ottawa was first to score in the first period on a Milan Michalek goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Erik Karlsson and Ales Hemsky. Calgary tied it with a Matt Stajan goal, his twelfth of the year, made possible by Jiri Hudler and Curtis Glencross. The Senators retook the lead on another Michalek goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the season, assisted by Jason Spezza and Hemsky. The Flames tied it on a second period Paul Byron goal, his seventh of the year, guided in by Mikael Backlund and Michael Cammalleri. Calgary took the lead on Sean Monahan goal, his twentieth of the season, with assists provided by Hudler and Joe Colborne. Ottawa tied it on a Kyle Turris goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, helped along by Clarke MacArthur. The Senators took the lead in the third period on a Jared Cowen goal, his sixth of the season, via Mika Zibanejad. Ottawa added on with a MacArthur goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, with a lone helper from Turris. The Senators extended the lead as Turris scored his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the campaign into the empty net, going in unassisted. This was it for the scoring, with the final being 6-3, and the three stars went to Turris, Michalek, and MacArthur, while Hemsky and Hudler get the honorable mentions.
Down in Detroit, the Red Wings bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop faces a lesser foe in Jonas Gustavsson in goal. Tampa Bay began in the first period with a Valtteri Filppula goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, an unassisted goal. Detroit tied it on a Joakim Andersson goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Darren Helm and Daniel Alfredsson. The Red Wings took the lead on a Gustav Nyquist goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, passed from David Legwand. Detroit added on as Legwand scored his thirteenth of the year in the second period, a power play goal powered by Johan Franzen and Niklas Kronwall. The Lightning pulled back in the third period with a Sami Salo goal, his fourth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Nikita Kucherov. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars being Legwand, Nyquist, and Gustavsson (26 for 28 in saves).
Back east a little, the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Marc-Andre Fleury tend the twines. Pittsburgh struck first in the first period with a James Neal goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, assisted by Jussi Jokinen and Robert Bortuzzo. The Penguins added on as Lee Stempniak scored his eleventh of the year, thanks to Matt Niskanen and Chris Kunitz. Chicago got on the board in the second period with a Sheldon Brookbank goal, his second of the season, fueled by Patrick Sharp and Nick Leddy. Pittsburgh answered in the third period on a Sidney Crosby goal, his thirty-fifth of the year, with a lone assist by Kunitz. The Penguins iced it at 4-1 with a Crosby empty net goal, his second of the game and thirty-sixth of the campaign, set up by Olli Maatta and Beau Bennett. The three stars were Fleury (25 for 26 in saves), Crosby, and Kunitz.
Down in Nashville, the Predators welcome the Washington Capitals. Jaroslav Halak and Carter Hutton are set to start. Washington started in the first period with a Troy Brouwer goal, his twenty-second of the season, assisted by Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom. Nashville tied it on a Patric Hornqvist goal, his sixteenth of the year, via Shea Weber and Mike Fisher. The Predators took the lead with an unassisted goal by Hornqvist, his second of the game and seventeenth of the season. The Capitals retied it in the second period on a Brouwer power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-third of the year, powered by Marcus Johansson and Backstrom. Nashville took the lead back in the third period on a Weber goal, his twenty-first of the season, via Fisher and Matt Cullen. Washington evened the score again with a Backstrom power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by John Carlson. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Craig Smith's goal gave the Predators a 4-3 win. Hornqvist, Weber, and Brouwer get the three stars, while Backstrom and Fisher are given the honorable mentions.
Finally, in Edmonton, the Oilers bring in the New York Rangers. Cam Talbot and Ben Scrivens are the young goalies. New York led off in the first period with a Mats Zuccarello goal, his sixteenth of the season, via Anton Stralman and Benoit Pouliot. The Rangers added on in the second period with a Derick Brassard power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Raphael Diaz and Zuccarello. New York extended the lead with a Rick Nash goal, his twenty-fourth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Derek Stepan. The Rangers padded the lead on a shorthanded Nash goal, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the season, set up by Stepan. New York struck again in the third period on a Zuccarello shorthanded goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, thanks to Stepan, who got a sock trick, and Marc Staal. This proved enough for a 5-0 win, with the three stars going to Zuccarello, Talbot (26 save shutout), and Nash, while Stepan gets an honorable mention.
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Philadelphia, as the Flyers host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Steve Mason are in the blue paint. Philadelphia opened in the first period with a Vincent Lecavalier goal, his seventeenth of the season, assisted by Adam Hall. Boston tied it on a Andrej Meszaros goal, his seventh of the year, via Brad Marchand and Dougie Hamilton. The Flyers retook the lead on a Kimmo Timonen goal, his fifth of the season, with a lone assist by Jakub Voracek. The Bruins tied it in the second period with a Zdeno Chara power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, powered by Jarome Iginla and David Krejci. Boston took the lead with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, passed from Reilly Smith and Matt Bartkowski. Philadelphia tied it on a Lecavalier goal in the third period, his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, made possible by Voracek and Timonen. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Bergeron was matched by Claude Giroux before Smith won it 4-3 for the Bruins. The three stars went to Lecavalier, Bergeron, and Smith, while Voracek and Timonen get the honorable mentions.
Up in Ottawa, the Senators welcome the Calgary Flames. Karri Ramo and Robin Lehner are the mediocre goalies. Ottawa was first to score in the first period on a Milan Michalek goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Erik Karlsson and Ales Hemsky. Calgary tied it with a Matt Stajan goal, his twelfth of the year, made possible by Jiri Hudler and Curtis Glencross. The Senators retook the lead on another Michalek goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the season, assisted by Jason Spezza and Hemsky. The Flames tied it on a second period Paul Byron goal, his seventh of the year, guided in by Mikael Backlund and Michael Cammalleri. Calgary took the lead on Sean Monahan goal, his twentieth of the season, with assists provided by Hudler and Joe Colborne. Ottawa tied it on a Kyle Turris goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, helped along by Clarke MacArthur. The Senators took the lead in the third period on a Jared Cowen goal, his sixth of the season, via Mika Zibanejad. Ottawa added on with a MacArthur goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, with a lone helper from Turris. The Senators extended the lead as Turris scored his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the campaign into the empty net, going in unassisted. This was it for the scoring, with the final being 6-3, and the three stars went to Turris, Michalek, and MacArthur, while Hemsky and Hudler get the honorable mentions.
Down in Detroit, the Red Wings bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop faces a lesser foe in Jonas Gustavsson in goal. Tampa Bay began in the first period with a Valtteri Filppula goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, an unassisted goal. Detroit tied it on a Joakim Andersson goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Darren Helm and Daniel Alfredsson. The Red Wings took the lead on a Gustav Nyquist goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, passed from David Legwand. Detroit added on as Legwand scored his thirteenth of the year in the second period, a power play goal powered by Johan Franzen and Niklas Kronwall. The Lightning pulled back in the third period with a Sami Salo goal, his fourth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Nikita Kucherov. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars being Legwand, Nyquist, and Gustavsson (26 for 28 in saves).
Back east a little, the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Marc-Andre Fleury tend the twines. Pittsburgh struck first in the first period with a James Neal goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, assisted by Jussi Jokinen and Robert Bortuzzo. The Penguins added on as Lee Stempniak scored his eleventh of the year, thanks to Matt Niskanen and Chris Kunitz. Chicago got on the board in the second period with a Sheldon Brookbank goal, his second of the season, fueled by Patrick Sharp and Nick Leddy. Pittsburgh answered in the third period on a Sidney Crosby goal, his thirty-fifth of the year, with a lone assist by Kunitz. The Penguins iced it at 4-1 with a Crosby empty net goal, his second of the game and thirty-sixth of the campaign, set up by Olli Maatta and Beau Bennett. The three stars were Fleury (25 for 26 in saves), Crosby, and Kunitz.
Down in Nashville, the Predators welcome the Washington Capitals. Jaroslav Halak and Carter Hutton are set to start. Washington started in the first period with a Troy Brouwer goal, his twenty-second of the season, assisted by Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom. Nashville tied it on a Patric Hornqvist goal, his sixteenth of the year, via Shea Weber and Mike Fisher. The Predators took the lead with an unassisted goal by Hornqvist, his second of the game and seventeenth of the season. The Capitals retied it in the second period on a Brouwer power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-third of the year, powered by Marcus Johansson and Backstrom. Nashville took the lead back in the third period on a Weber goal, his twenty-first of the season, via Fisher and Matt Cullen. Washington evened the score again with a Backstrom power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by John Carlson. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Craig Smith's goal gave the Predators a 4-3 win. Hornqvist, Weber, and Brouwer get the three stars, while Backstrom and Fisher are given the honorable mentions.
Finally, in Edmonton, the Oilers bring in the New York Rangers. Cam Talbot and Ben Scrivens are the young goalies. New York led off in the first period with a Mats Zuccarello goal, his sixteenth of the season, via Anton Stralman and Benoit Pouliot. The Rangers added on in the second period with a Derick Brassard power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Raphael Diaz and Zuccarello. New York extended the lead with a Rick Nash goal, his twenty-fourth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Derek Stepan. The Rangers padded the lead on a shorthanded Nash goal, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the season, set up by Stepan. New York struck again in the third period on a Zuccarello shorthanded goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, thanks to Stepan, who got a sock trick, and Marc Staal. This proved enough for a 5-0 win, with the three stars going to Zuccarello, Talbot (26 save shutout), and Nash, while Stepan gets an honorable mention.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.