Eleven games on a busy night tonight, beginning in...
Buffalo, as the Sabres host the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider faces a lesser foe in Nathan Lieuwen in goal. New Jersey dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Dainius Zubrus goal, his eleventh of the season, passed from Michael Ryder and Damien Brunner. Buffalo tied it on a Tyler Ennis goal in the third period, his twentieth of the year, guided in by Ville Leino and Drew Stafford. The Sabres took the lead with an Ennis power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-first of the season, powered by Cody Hodgson and Stafford. The Devils tied it on a Tuomo Ruutu power play goal, his seventh of the year, helped along by Andy Greene and Marek Zidlicky. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Ennis was matched by Jacob Josefson, followed by Jaromir Jagr doing the same to Stafford before Leino gave Buffalo a 3-2 win. Ennis, Stafford, and Leino were named the three stars.
Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs welcome the Calgary Flames. Karri Ramo and Jonathan Bernier are the goalies. Toronto got going in the second period on a Jay McClement goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Cody Franson. Calgary tied it with a Matt Stajan goal, his thirteenth of the year, via T.J. Brodie and Mark Giordano. The Maple Leafs took the lead back in the third period on an unassisted goal by Dave Bolland, his eighth of the season. Toronto added on with a David Clarkson goal, his fifth of the year, made possible by Mason Raymond. The Flames got one back with a Kris Russell goal, his sixth of the campaign, guided in by Joe Colborne and Chris Butler. They failed to tie it, losing 3-2, with the three stars being Clarkson, Bolland, and McClement.
Back in the States, the New York Islanders bring in the Florida Panthers. Scott Clemmensen and Evgeni Nabokov are called on to start. Florida led off with a shorthanded and unassisted goal by Quinton Howden, his fourth of the season. New York tied it on a power play goal by Travis Hamonic, his third of the year, powered by Josh Bailey. The Islanders took the lead as Bailey scored his seventh of the season, thanks to Colin McDonald and Ryan Strome. New York added on with a Matt Martin goal, his eighth of the year, made possible by McDonald. The Islanders extended the lead in the third period with a Mike Halmo goal, coming off of Casey Cizikas. The Panthers got one back with a Brandon Pirri power play goal, his eleventh of the campaign, assisted by Brian Campbell and Dmitry Kulikov. This only made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars being Bailey, McDonald, and Halmo.
West a bit to Pittsburgh, as the Penguins host the Carolina Hurricanes. Anton Khudobin and Marc-Andre Fleury protect the nets. Pittsburgh struck first in the first period with a Chris Kunitz goal, his thirty-fifth of the season, assisted by Lee Stempniak and Sidney Crosby. Carolina tied it with a Justin Faulk goal, his fourth of the year, going in unassisted. The Hurricanes took the lead in the second period with an Elias Lindholm power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Jeff Skinner and Andrei Loktionov. Carolina added on with another Lindholm goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, passed from Skinner. The Hurricanes extended the lead on an Eric Staal goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, via Loktionov. This was good enough for a 4-1 final, with the three stars going to Lindholm, Skinner, and Loktionov.
Over in DC, the Washington Capitals welcome the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Jaroslav Halak are the masked men. Dallas opened in the first period with a Tyler Seguin goal, his thirty-third of the season, via Jamie Benn. The Stars added on in the second period with a Ray Whitney goal, his ninth of the year, with the help of Alex Chiasson and Alex Goligoski. Dallas extended the lead as Dustin Jeffrey scored, thanks to Chiasson and Trevor Daley. Braden Holtby came on in relief halfway throuh the game. The Stars padded the lead in the third period on another Jeffrey goal, his second of the game, made possible by Whitney and Chiasson, the latter getting a sock trick. Dallas iced it at 5-0 with a shorthanded goal by Ryan Garbutt, his sixteenth of the campaign, set up by Vernon Fiddler. The three stars were Jeffrey, Lehtonen (35 save shutout), and Chiasson, while Whitney gets an honorable mention.
West again to Columbus, as the Blue Jackets bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Sergei Bobrovsky are the Russian goalies. Columbus was first to score in the second period on a Cam Atkinson goal, his twentieth of the season, with a lone assist by Brandon Dubinsky. The Blue Jackets added on as Blake Comeau scored his fourth of the year, thanks to Nick Foligno and Fedor Tyutin. Colorado got on the board in the third period with a Brad Malone goal, his second of the season, assisted by Marc-Andre Cliche and Nick Holden. The Avalanche tied it with a Gabriel Landeskog goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, fueled by Nathan MacKinnon and Paul Stastny. Colorado won 3-2 in overtime as Landeskog scored his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the campaign, a power play goal powered by Tyson Barrie and MacKinnon. The three stars were Landeskog, MacKinnon, and Malone.
South to Tampa Bay, as the Lightning host the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Ben Bishop guard the cages. Montreal started in the first period with a Brendan Gallagher goal, his nineteenth of the season, coming off of Alex Galchenyuk and Mike Weaver. Tampa Bay tied it in the second period with a Ryan Callahan power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, powered by Ondrej Palat and Victor Hedman. The Lightning took the lead on a shorthanded and unassisted Tyler Johnson goal, his twenty-third of the season. Tampa Bay iced it at 3-1 with an Alex Killorn power play goal into an empty net, his seventeenth of the year, set up by Palat and J.T. Brown.
Northwest to St. Louis, where the Blues welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Ray Emery and Ryan Miller are the veteran goalies. There was no scoring in 65 minutes of hockey, so the scoreless tie went to the shootout. Tallies by T.J. Oshie and Kevin Shattenkirk sealed a 1-0 victory for St. Louis. Miller (31 save shutout), Emery (28 save "shutout"), and Oshie.
Continuing along to Vancouver, as the Canucks bring in the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Eddie Lack are in the creases. New York began in the first period with a Daniel Carcillo goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Derek Dorsett and Brian Boyle. The Rangers added on with a power play goal by Benoit Pouliot, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello. Vancouver got on the board in the second period with a Ryan Kesler goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, with a lone assist by Daniel Sedin. New York finished it with a shorthanded goal by Martin St. Louis, his thirtieth of the year, set up by Rick Nash. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars being St. Louis, Pouliot, and Lundqvist (34 for 35 in saves).
Way south to Phoenix, where the Coyotes host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Thomas Greiss are the underwhelming goalies. Winnipeg was first to score in the first period on an Andrew Ladd goal, his twenty-third of the season, fueled by Bryan Little. Phoenix tied it in the second period on a Zbynek Michalek goal, his second of the year, guided in by Antoine Vermette and Mikkel Boedker. The Jets won 2-1 with a shootout goal by Ladd. The three stars went to Ladd, Pavelec (28 for 29 in saves), and Greiss (21 for 22 in saves).
Finally, in San Jose, the Sharks host the Edmonton Oilers. Ben Scrivens is mismatched with Antti Niemi in goal. San Jose struck first in the first period with an Andrew Desjardins goal, his third of the season, passed from Tyler Kennedy and Jason Demers. Edmonton tied it on a Taylor Hall goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, a power play goal powered by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle. The Sharks shot back with a Dan Boyle goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Joe Thornton. San Jose added on in the second period as Tommy Wingels scored his sixteenth of the year, thanks to Brad Stuart and Justin Braun. The Oilers answered in the second period on a Nugent-Hopkins goal, his seventeenth of the season, via Anton Belov and Hall. Edmonton tied it with an Eberle goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, assisted by Oscar Klefbom and Hall. The Oilers gained the lead in the third period on Nugent-Hopkins' second of the game and eighteenth of the season, made possible by Eberle and Hall, the latter getting a sock trick. The Sharks retied it with a Brent Burns goal, his twenty-second of the year, helped along by Thornton and Joe Pavelski. San Jose took the lead on a Patrick Marleau power play goal, his thirty-second of the campaign, with assists from Burns and Boyle. This held up for a 5-4 win, with the three stars being Burns, Hall, and Nugent-Hopkins, while Boyle, Eberle, and Thornton get the honorable mentions.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.