Eleven games on throughout the day today, spanning over twelve hours. We begin in...
Boston, as the Bruins host the Philadelphia Flyers. Ray Emery and Tuukka Rask draw the starts. Boston opened in the first period with a David Krejci goal, his seventeenth of the season, guided in by Loui Eriksson and Milan Lucic. Philadelphia tied it in the second period on a Wayne Simmonds power play goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, powered by Mark Streit and Claude Giroux. The Bruins took the lead back on a Lucic goal, his twenty-third of the season, via Krejci and Eriksson. The Flyers tied it again with a Jay Rosehill goal, his second of the year, assisted by Michael Raffl and Andrew MacDonald. Boston regained the lead in the third period on a Johnny Boychuk goal, his fifth of the season, with a lone assist by Patrice Bergeron. The Bruins added on with a Lucic goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the year, coming off of Torey Krug and Eriksson, the latter getting a sock trick. Boston finished it at 5-2 with a Chris Kelly goal, his ninth of the campaign, passed from Eriksson and Zdeno Chara. The three stars were Lucic, Eriksson, and Krejci.
Out west, the St. Louis Blues welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Ryan Miller tend the twines. Colorado dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Paul Stastny power play goal, his twenty-second of the season, passed from Nathan MacKinnon and Max Talbot. The Avalanche added on as MacKinnon scored his twenty-fourth of the year, thanks to Jamie McGinn and Nate Guenin. Colorado extended the lead with a Nick Holden goal, his tenth of the season, with assists provided by Stastny and John Mitchell. The Avalanche padded the lead in the third period on a Ryan O'Reilly power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, powered by Stastny and Gabriel Landeskog. This made it 4-0, the final, with the three stars being Stastny, Varlamov (31 save shutout), and MacKinnon.
Back east, the New York Islanders bring in the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Evgeni Nabokov are in goal. New York began in the first period with a Cal Clutterbuck goal, his twelfth of the season, fueled by Casey Cizikas and Michael Grabner. Washington tied it in the second period on an Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, his third of the year, coming off of Marcus Johansson and Troy Brouwer. The Islanders retook the lead on a John Persson goal, made possible by Travis Hamonic and Calvin de Haan. New York added on as Frans Nielsen scored his twenty-fourth of the season, a power play goal powered by Josh Bailey and Matt Donovan. The Capitals pulled back with a Nicklas Backstrom goal, his fifteenth of the year, guided in by Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson. Washington retied it with an unassisted goal by Joel Ward, his twenty-third of the campaign. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Kuznetsov had the only goal for a 4-3 Capitals win. Kuznetsov, Backstrom, and Ward get the three stars.
Into Canada, where the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and James Reimer are the unpopular goalies. Toronto led off in the first period with a Phil Kessel goal, his thirty-seventh of the season, assisted by Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk. Winnipeg tied it on a Bryan Little goal, his twenty-third of the year, courtesy of Michael Frolik and Mark Stuart. The Maple Leafs took the lead back on an unassisted Nazem Kadri power play goal, his twentieth of the season. The Jets retied it again on a Jacob Trouba goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Frolik and Andrew Ladd. Winnipeg took the lead with a second period Tobias Enstrom power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Ladd and Blake Wheeler. The Jets added on in the third period with an Olli Jokinen goal, his eighteenth of the year, guided in by Wheeler and Eric O'Dell. This was all they needed for a 4-2 win, with the three stars being Frolik, Ladd, and Wheeler.
Over in Quebec, the Montreal Canadiens welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jonas Gustavsson is mismatched with Carey Price in goal. Montreal started in the first period with a Michael Bournival goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Ryan White. The Canadiens added on in the second period on a Max Pacioretty goal, his thirty-ninth of the year, coming off of Mike Weaver and Jarred Tinordi. The Canadiens extended the lead with a Brian Gionta goal, his sixteenth of the season, with assists provided by Lars Eller and Tinordi. Detroit got on the board in the third period with a Pavel Datsyuk power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, powered by Niklas Kronwall and Johan Franzen. The Red Wings pulled closer with a Luke Glendening goal, made possible by Justin Abdelkader and Drew Miller. Detroit tied it with a Kronwall power play goal, his eighth of the season, fueled by Franzen and Gustav Nyquist. The Canadiens took the lead back as Gionta scored his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, thanks to Eller and Alexei Emelin. Montreal iced it at 5-3 with an Alex Galchenyuk goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, helped along by Tomas Plekanec and Brendan Gallagher. Gionta, Tinordi, and Eller received the three stars, while Kronwall and Franzen get the honorable mentions.
Way south to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning bring in the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Ben Bishop guard the cages. Dallas quickly struck first in the first period with a Jamie Benn goal, his thirty-first of the season, via Alex Goligoski and Tyler Seguin. The Stars added on with another Jamie Benn goal, his second of the game and thirty-second of the year, guided in by Ryan Garbutt and Vernon Fiddler. Dallas extended the lead as Tyler Seguin potted his thirty-fifth of the season, thanks to Jordie Benn and Jamie Benn. Tampa Bay got on the board in the second period with a Steven Stamkos goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, made possible by Ondrej Palat and Victor Hedman. The Lightning chipped closer with an Andrej Sustr goal, fueled by Ryan Malone and Nate Thompson. The Stars shot back in the third period on a Fiddler goal, his sixth of the season, going in unassisted. Dallas finished it at 5-2 with an Antoine Roussel goal, his fourteenth of the year, helped along by Garbutt and Cody Eakin. The three stars were Jamie Benn, Fiddler, and Garbutt.
Backtracking to New York, where the Rangers host the Ottawa Senators. Robin Lehner and Henrik Lundqvist draw the starts. Ottawa was first to score in the first period with a Mark Stone goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Clarke MacArthur and Chris Phillips. The Senators added on with a Mika Zibanejad goal, his sixteenth of the year, made possible by Zack Smith. New York got on the board in the second period with a Mats Zuccarello goal, his eighteenth of the season, fueled by Benoit Pouliot and John Moore. Ottawa shot back on a Jason Spezza goal, his twentieth of the year, with the help of Erik Karlsson. The Rangers answered with a Zuccarello goal, his second of the game and nineteenth of the campaign, assisted by Marc Staal and Derick Brassard. This was it for the scoring, with the final being 3-2. The three stars went to Zuccarello, Lehner (41 for 43 in saves), and Spezza.
South to Raleigh, as the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider and Anton Khudobin are the young goalies. New Jersey opened in the first period with a Dainius Zubrus goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Michael Ryder and Mark Fayne. Carolina tied it in the second period with a Jeff Skinner goal, his thirty-first of the year, assisted by Jay Harrison and Riley Nash. The Devils took the lead back on a Travis Zajac goal, his seventeenth of the season, fueled by Marek Zidlicky and Tuomo Ruutu. New Jersey added on with a third period empty net goal by Zubrus, his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, set up by Stephen Gionta. Zubrus, Schneider (26 for 27 in saves), and Zajac received the three stars.
Northwest to Minnesota, as the Wild bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jeff Zatkoff and Ilya Bryzgalov are the below-average goalies. Minnesota started in the first period on an Erik Haula goal, his fifth of the season, via Matt Moulson and Jason Pominville. The Wild added on with a Mikko Koivu goal, his eleventh of the year, fueled by Zach Parise and Charlie Coyle. Minnesota extended the lead on a Stephane Veilleux goal, his third of the season, with a lone assist by Cody McCormick. The Wild padded the lead in the second period on a McCormick goal, his second of the year, assisted by Parise and Coyle. This was it for the scoring, with the final being 4-0, and the three stars were handed to Bryzgalov (20 save shutout), McCormick, and Parise, while Coyle gets an honorable mention.
Westward to Vancouver, as the Canucks host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Eddie Lack are the masked men. Los Angeles got going in the second period on a Slava Voynov power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Jeff Carter and Marian Gaborik. Vancouver tied it on a third period goal by Alexander Edler, his seventh of the year, coming off of Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. The Canucks took the lead on a Brad Richardson goal, his eleventh of the campaign, assisted by Zack Kassian and David Booth. This made it 2-1, with the three stars being Lack (25 for 26 in saves), Richardson, and Edler.
Finally, in San Jose, the Sharks host the Nashville Predators. Carter Hutton and Antti Niemi are in the creases. Nashville dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Patric Hornqvist goal, his nineteenth of the season, coming off of Matt Cullen and Colin Wilson. The Predators added on as Hornqvist scored his second of the game and twentieth of the year, thanks to Nick Spaling and Calle Jarnkrok. Nashville extended the lead on a Roman Josi goal, his twelfth of the season, courtesy of Shea Weber and Hornqvist. This was it for the scoring, with the final being 3-0, and the three stars were Hornqvist, Hutton (35 save shutout), and Josi.
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