Full slate of games, with every team playing tonight. We begin in...
Boston, as the Bruins host the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Tuukka Rask are the masked men. Washington led off with an Alexander Ovechkin power play goal, powered by John Carlson and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals added on with another Ovechkin goal, courtesy of Backstrom and Karl Alzner. Washington extended the lead on a second period Mike Green power play goal, made possible by Evgeny Kuznetsov and Andre Burakovsky. The Capitals padded the lead in the third period on a Joel Ward goal, coming off of Carlson and Burakovsky. This was good for a 4-0 win, with the three stars going to Ovechkin, Holtby (29 save shutout), and Backstrom, while Carlson and Burakovsky get the honorable mentions.
West to Columbus, as the Blue Jackets welcome the New York Rangers. Cam Talbot and Sergei Bobrovsky receive the starting nods in goal. Columbus began in the first period with an Artem Anisimov goal, his second of the season, assisted by Scott Hartnell and Marko Dano. The Blue Jackets added on with a Nick Foligno goal, passed from Ryan Johansen and David Savard. New York got on the board in the second period as Lee Stempniak scored, thanks to Anthony Duclair and Marc Staal. Columbus answered with a Cam Atkinson goal, his second of the year, coming off of Foligno and Johansen. The Blue Jackets extended the lead in the second period with a Dano goal, via Dalton Prout and Michael Chaput. The Rangers replied with a Rick Nash goal, his third of the season, with a lone assist by Duclair. Columbus finished it at 5-2 with an empty net goal by Atkinson, his second of the game and third of the year, set up by Hartnell. The three stars went to Atkinson, Dano, and Duclair, while Hartnell, Johansen, and Foligno get the honorable mentions.
South to Tampa Bay, as the Lightning bring in the Ottawa Senators. Robin Lehner and Ben Bishop are the former teammates in net. Tampa Bay struck first in the first period with a Victor Hedman power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Steven Stamkos and Valtteri Filppula. Ottawa tied it in the third period on an Erik Karlsson goal, courtesy of Alex Chiasson and Bobby Ryan. The Senators took the lead on a Mark Stone goal, with a lone assist by Kyle Turris. The Lightning retied it on a Brett Connolly goal, guided in by Brian Boyle. The tie went to a shootout, where Turris and Mika Zibanejad lifted Ottawa to a 3-2 win over a lone tally from Nikita Kucherov. The three stars were handed to Turris, Lehner (38 for 40 in saves), and Bishop (32 for 34 in saves).
Way north in Toronto, the Maple Leafs host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Jonathan Bernier guard the cages. Pittsburgh was first to score in the first period with a Patric Hornqvist goal, his second of the season, assisted by Christian Ehrhoff. The Penguins added on as Sidney Crosby scored a power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Hornqvist and Kris Letang. Pittsburgh extended the lead with a power play goal from Chris Kunitz, guided in by Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Toronto got on the board in the second period with a power play goal by Joffrey Lupul, via Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner. The Penguins shot back on a Malkin power play goal, passed from Letang and Crosby. Pittsburgh padded the lead on a Brandon Sutter goal in the third period, his second of the season, coming off of Paul Martin and Malkin. The Maple Leafs got one back with a power play goal by Tyler Bozak, his second of the year, with a lone assist by Stuart Percy. This made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars belonging to Crosby, Malkin, and Hornqvist, while Letang gets the honorable mention.
A little to the south, the Detroit Red Wings welcome the Anaheim Ducks. Frederik Andersen and Jimmy Howard are in the blue paint. Anaheim got going in the second period on a Ryan Getzlaf goal, courtesy of Corey Perry and Patrick Maroon. Detroit tied it with a Luke Glendening goal, helped along by Justin Abdelkader and Niklas Kronwall. The Red Wings took the lead in the third period with a Gustav Nyquist goal, his second of the season, made possible by Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen. The Ducks tied it with a Matt Beleskey goal, via Ryan Kesler. Anaheim took the lead again on an unassisted Getzlaf goal. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars being Getzlaf, Beleskey, and Andersen (27 for 29 in saves).
Back to Florida, where the Panthers bring in the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider faces his former mentor, Roberto Luongo, in goal. New Jersey opened in the first period with a Tuomo Ruutu goal, assisted by Eric Gelinas and Jon Merrill. The Devils added on with a power play goal by Martin Havlat, powered by Gelinas and Patrik Elias. New Jersey extended the lead on a Michael Cammalleri power play goal, his third of the season, guided in by Marek Zidlicky and Damon Severson. The Devils padded the lead on an unassisted Severson goal. New Jersey kept going in the second period, chasing Luongo with a Ryane Clowe goal, fueled by Michael Ryder and Adam Henrique. Al Montoya came on in relief. Florida got on the board with a Derek MacKenzie goal, helped along by Scottie Upshall and Brian Campbell on the power play. The final stood at 5-1 from here on, with the three stars named as Severson, Gelinas, and Schneider (28 for 29 in saves).
North once again to Philadelphia, where the Flyers host the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Ray Emery have the green light to start in goal. Philadelphia started in the first period with a Michael Raffl goal, passed from Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek. The Flyers added on as Wayne Simmonds scored his third of the season, thanks to Brayden Schenn and Michael Del Zotto. Philadelphia extended the lead with a second period power play goal by Simmonds, his second of the game and fourth of the year, powered by Vincent Lecavalier and Mark Streit. Montreal got on the board in the third period with an Andrei Markov goal, assisted by Brendan Gallagher and P.K. Subban. The Canadiens pulled closer with a Tomas Plekanec goal, his fourth of the season, guided in by P.A. Parenteau and Markov. Montreal tied it on an Alex Galchenyuk goal, fueled by Plekanec and Markov. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Parenteau had the only tally to complete the Canadiens comeback to a 4-3 win. The three stars were handed to Markov, Plekanec, and Simmonds.
A little east to New York, where the Islanders welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Backups Anton Khudobin and Chad Johnson are called on to start. New York dented the scoreboard with a John Tavares power play goal in the first period, powered by Brock Nelson and Johnny Boychuk. Carolina tied it on a Jiri Tlusty power play goal, guided in by John-Michael Liles and Alexander Semin. The Islanders retook the lead on a Cory Conacher goal fueled by Tavares and Kyle Okposo. The Hurricanes pulled even as Tlusty scored again, thanks to Eric Staal and Semin on the power play. New York retook the lead in the second period with a Nelson power play goal, his third of the season, assisted by Boychuk and Okposo. The Islanders added on with a Josh Bailey goal, helped along by Frans Nielsen and Nikolay Kulemin. Carolina got one back in the third period with an unassisted Tlusty goal. They failed to tie it, losing 4-3, with the three stars going to Tlusty, Tavares, and Nelson, while Boychuk, Okposo, and Semin get the honorable mentions.
Out to St. Louis, where the Blues bring in the Calgary Flames. Jonas Hiller and Brian Elliott are the veteran goalies. St. Louis quickly opened in the first period with a Joakim Lindstrom goal, assisted by Paul Stastny and Alexander Steen. The Blues added on as David Backes scored a power play goal, powered by Kevin Shattenkirk and Stastny. St. Louis extended the lead in the second period on an Alex Pietrangelo power play goal, made possible by Shatternkirk and Stastny, the latter getting a sock trick. The Blues padded the lead on a Vladimir Tarasenko goal, fueled by Jaden Schwartz and Shattenkirk, the latter getting a sock trick. Calgary got on the board in the third period with a Curtis Glencross goal, coming off of Mark Giordano and T.J. Brodie on the power play. The final was 4-1, and the three stars were given to Stastny, Shattenkirk, and Elliott (23 for 24 in saves).
A tad east to Nashville, where the Predators host the Dallas Stars. Anders Lindback faces a former teammate in Pekka Rinne in goal. Dallas was first to score in the first period with an Antoine Roussel goal, via Trevor Daley and Ryan Garbutt. Nashville tied it with a Shea Weber goal in the second period, his second of the season, fueled by Filip Forsberg and Derek Roy. The Predators took the lead in the third period on a Paul Gaustad goal, coming off of Taylor Beck and Eric Nystrom. Nashville added on with a Nystrom goal, his second of the year, guided in by Gaustad. The Predators iced it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Roman Josi, set up by Nystrom and Weber. The three stars went to Nystrom, Gaustad, and Weber.
Southwest to Arizona, where the Coyotes welcome the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick faces a lesser foe in Devan Dubnyk in goal. Los Angeles started in the first period with an unassisted Tanner Pearson goal. The Kings added on with a Jeff Carter goal, via Tyler Toffoli. Arizona got on the board with a power play goal by Antoine Vermette, powered by Keith Yandle. The Coyotes tied it in the second period as Mikkel Boedker scored, thanks to Yandle and Michael Stone for his second of the season. Arizona ended up winning 3-2 in overtime with an Oliver Ekman-Larsson power play goal, assisted by Vermette and Yandle, the latter getting a sock trick. The three stars were given to Vermette, Yandle, and Ekman-Larsson.
Up to Colorado, where the Avalanche bring in the Minnesota Wild. Darcy Kuemper and Semyon Varlamov are between the pipes. Minnesota struck first in the first period with a Charlie Coyle goal, made possible by Jonas Brodin and Ryan Suter. The Wild added on with a second period Jason Zucker goal, via Thomas Vanek and Matt Dumba. Minnesota iced it at 3-0 with a Zach Parise empty net goal, his second of the season, set up by Matt Cooke and Jared Spurgeon. The three stars were Kuemper (30 save shutout), Coyle, and Zucker.
Eastward again to Chicago, where the Blackhawks host the Buffalo Sabres. Jhonas Enroth and Corey Crawford are given the starting nods. Chicago led off in the first period with an Andrew Shaw goal, via Niklas Hjalmarsson and Brandon Saad. The Blackhawks added on as Duncan Keith scored his second of the season, going in unassisted. Buffalo got on the board with a Zemgus Girgensons goal, his second of the year, guided in by Andrej Meszaros and Drew Stafford. The Sabres tied it on a shorthanded goal by Tyler Ennis, set up by Stafford. Chicago retook the lead in the third period on a Patrick Kane goal, assisted by Shaw and Saad. The Blackhawks extended the lead with a Marian Hossa shorthanded goal, fueled by Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook. Chicago padded the lead as Patrick Sharp scored his second of the season, a power play goal powered by Toews and Kane. The Blackhawks finished it at 6-2 on a Dan Carcillo goal, with a lone assist by Saad, who got a sock trick. The three stars were Saad, Kane, and Shaw, while Stafford and Toews get the honorable mentions.
Northwest to Vancouver, where the Canucks welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Viktor Fasth is mismatched with Ryan Miller in goal. Edmonton began in the first period with a Brad Hunt power play goal, powered by Teddy Purcell and David Perron. The Oilers added on as Mark Arcobello scored, with the help of Purcell and Perron. Vancouver got on the board with a Henrik Sedin goal, his second of the season, thanks to Daniel Sedin and Alexander Edler. Edmonton shot back in the second period with a Nail Yakupov goal, with a lone assist by Benoit Pouliot. The Canucks pulled back on a Nick Bonino goal, made possible by Dan Hamhuis and Alexandre Burrows. The Oilers replied with a shorthanded goal by Jesse Joensuu, set up by Arcobello and Mark Fayne. Vancouver answered with a power play goal by Radim Vrbata, his second of the year, assisted by Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. The Canucks tied it in the third period on a Linden Vey power play goal, with helpers from Daniel Sedin, who got a sock trick, and Vrbata. The tie went to a shootout, where a Chris Higgins tally put Vancouver in the win column with the 5-4 decision. The three stars were handed to Daniel Sedin, Vrbata, and Henrik Sedin, while Arcobello, Purcell, and Perron get the honorable mentions.
Finally, the fifteenth and final game of the day has the San Jose Sharks bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Alex Stalock are the unappreciated goalies. San Jose dented the scoreboard in the first period on a Marc-Edouard Vlasic goal, made possible by Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau. The Sharks added on as Tomas Hertl scored, thanks to Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski. San Jose extended the lead in the second period on a Marleau goal, his second of the season, fueled by Matthew Nieto and Brent Burns. This was good for a 3-0 win, with the three stars being Marleau, Stalock (30 save shutout), and Vlasic.
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