Appropriately enough, eleven games will be played this Veteran's Day. We begin in...
New Jersey, as the Devils host the Minnesota Wild. Darcy Kuemper and Cory Schneider are the young goalies. New Jersey got going in the second period on a Tuomo Ruutu goal, his third of the season, via Seth Helgeson and Adam Larsson. The Devils added on with a Michael Cammalleri, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Jaromir Jagr and Andy Greene. Minnesota got on the board with a shorthanded and unassisted Ryan Carter goal in the third period. New Jersey answered on a power play empty net goal by Travis Zajac, his third of the campaign, powered by Jagr and Marek Zidlicky. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars going to Schneider (23 for 24 in saves), Jagr, and Cammalleri.
Out on Long Island, the New York Islanders welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Jaroslav Halak protect the nets. New York struck first in the first period on a Nick Leddy goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Johnny Boychuk and Ryan Strome. The Islanders added on with an unassisted power play goal by Anders Lee, his second of the year. New York extended the lead in the second period with a Travis Hamonic goal, his second of the season, assisted by John Tavares and Nikolay Kulemin. The Islanders padded the lead as Kulemin scored his second of the year, a shorthanded goal set up by Frans Nielsen. New York struck again on a third period goal by Casey Cizikas, via Lubomir Visnovsky and Cory Conacher. The Islanders finished it at 6-0 on a Strome goal, with a lone assist by Brock Nelson. The three stars went to Kulemin, Strome, and Halak (20 save shutout).
Staying in New York, the Rangers bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Henrik Lundqvist tend the twines. New York was first to score in the first period on a Mats Zuccarello goal, his third of the season, helped along by Derek Stepan. The Rangers added on with a Martin St. Louis goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Rick Nash and Marc Staal. New York extended the lead on a Kevin Klein goal, his third of the season, fueled by Kevin Hayes and Lee Stempniak. The Rangers padded the lead in the second period as Derick Brassard scored a power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Nash and Dan Girardi. New York continued in the third period on a shorthanded goal by Nash, his twelfth of the campaign, set up by Stepan and Staal. This made it 5-0, the final, with the three stars going to Lundqvist (33 save shutout), Nash, and Stepan, while Staal gets an honorable mention.
Down in DC, the Washington Capitals host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Curtis McElhinney and Braden Holtby are called on to start in goal. Washington opened in the first period on a Marcus Johansson goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Troy Brouwer and Andre Burakovsky. The Capitals added on with an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom. Columbus got on the board with a Cam Atkinson goal, his sixth of the season, with a lone assist by Boone Jenner. Washington shot back with another Ovechkin goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, passed from Jay Beagle and Backstrom. The Blue Jackets got one back in the second period as David Savard scored his third of the season, thanks to Fedor Tyutin and Jenner. The Capitals answered in the third period with a Johansson goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, coming off of Burakovsky and Nate Schmidt. This made it a 4-2 final, with the three stars going to Johansson, Ovechkin, and Burakovsky, while Backstrom and Jenner get the honorable mentions.
North to Montreal, as the Canadiens welcome the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Carey Price are in the blue paint. Montreal dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Lars Eller goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Jiri Sekac and Mike Weaver. The Canadiens added on in the third period with an Alex Galchenyuk goal, his fifth of the year, made possible by Brendan Gallagher and Tom Gilbert. Montreal iced it at 3-0 with a shorthanded empty net goal by Tomas Plekanec, his sixth of the campaign, set up by Max Pacioretty. The three stars were handed to Price (29 save shutout), Eller, and Galchenyuk.
Way south to Florida, where the Panthers bring in the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi and Roberto Luongo are between the pipes. Florida started in the first period with a Jimmy Hayes goal, his second of the season, courtesy of Vincent Trocheck and Jussi Jokinen. The Panthers added on with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his second of the year, assisted by Scottie Upshall and Tomas Kopecky. Florida extended the lead in the second period on a Derek MacKenzie goal, his second of the season, passed from Aaron Ekblad. The Panthers padded the lead in the third period on a Tomas Fleischmann goal, made possible by Shawn Thornton and Ekblad. San Jose got on the board as Joe Thornton buried his fifth of the year, with the help of Brent Burns and Tomas Hertl. This only made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars given to Ekblad, Luongo (21 for 22 in saves), and Barkov.
Northwest to St. Louis, as the Blues host the Buffalo Sabres. Michal Neuvirth is mismatched with Jake Allen in goal. St. Louis led off in the first period on a Jori Lehtera goal, his fourth of the season, via Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz. The Blues added on as Lehtera scored again in the second period, his second of the game and fifth of the year, passed from Tarasenko and Schwartz. St. Louis extended the lead on with Lehtera completing his natural hat trick on his sixth of the season, a shorthanded goal set up by Schwartz, who got a natural sock trick, and Barret Jackman. Buffalo got on the board with a third period Tyler Ennis power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Matt Moulson and Drew Stafford. The Blues shot back on a David Backes power play goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Kevin Shattenkirk and Alexander Steen. St. Louis padded the lead as Joakim Lindstrom potted his second of the year, a power play goal made possible by Steen and Magnus Paajarvi. The Blues finished it with another Lindstrom goal, his second of the game and third of the campaign, again on the power play, guided in by Steen, who got a sock trick, and Shattenkirk. The three stars of the 6-1 game were Lehtera, Lindstrom, and Schwartz, while Tarasenko, Steen, and Shattenkirk get the honorable mentions.
Over in Nashville, the Predators welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Viktor Fasth and Pekka Rinne occupy the creases. Nashville began in the first period on a Mike Ribeiro goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of James Neal and Filip Forsberg. The Predators added on with a Matt Cullen goal, his second of the year, via Seth Jones and Craig Smith. Nashville extended the lead as Forsberg netted his seventh of the season, with a lone assist by Ribeiro. Ben Scrivens replaced Fasth in the second period. Edmonton got on the board in the second period on a Benoit Pouliot goal, his third of the year, guided in by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle. The Oilers pulled closer with a Nail Yakupov goal, his third of the campaign, assisted by David Perron and Mark Arcobello. This was as close as it got, with the final being 3-2. The three stars belonged to Forsberg, Ribeiro, and, Cullen.
Continuing to Chicago, as the Blackhawks bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Corey Crawford are the goalies exemplifying alliteration in their names. Tampa Bay struck first in the first period on a Cedric Paquette goal, his fourth of the season, a shorthanded goal set up by Ondrej Palat and Eric Brewer. Chicago tied it in the second period with a Brad Richards goal, his third of the year, guided in by Kris Versteeg and Brandon Saad. The Blackhawks took the lead in the third period on a Marcus Kruger goal, his second of the season, passed from Niklas Hjalmarsson and Marian Hossa. The Lightning tied it with a Nikita Kucherov goal, his sixth of the year, made possible by Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Drouin. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Patrick Kane scored to give Chicago a 3-2 win. The three stars belonged to Richards, Kruger, and Kane.
Southwest to Arizona, where the Coyotes host the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Mike Smith are the veteran goalies. Arizona was first to score in the first period on an unassisted Connor Murphy goal, his second of the season. The Coyotes added on in the second period on a Joe Vitale goal, via Kyle Chipchura and Murphy. Dallas got on the board with a Tyler Seguin goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from Patrick Eaves and Jordie Benn. The Stars tied it on a power play goal by Seguin, his second of the game and twelfth of the season, powered by Jason Spezza and Antoine Roussel. Dallas took the lead with a third period goal by Erik Cole, his fourth of the year, coming off of Colton Sceviour and Shawn Horcoff. Arizona tied it again with a Mikkel Boedker goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Michael Stone and Lauri Korpikoski. The Stars regained the lead on a shorthanded and unassisted goal by Ryan Garbutt, his second of the year. They held on for a 4-3 win, with the three stars going to Seguin, Murphy, and Garbutt.
Finally, the Vancouver Canucks host the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Ryan Miller received the starting nods. Vancouver got going in the second period on a Shawn Matthias goal, his second of the season, passed from Linden Vey and Brad Richardson. Ottawa tied it with a Mike Hoffman goal, his fifth of the year, via Curtis Lazar and Jared Cowen. The Canucks took the lead back with an Alexandre Burrows goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Nick Bonino and Chris Higgins. The Senators tied it on a Kyle Turris goal, his third of the year, assisted by Clarke MacArthur and Alex Chiasson. Vancouver retook the lead in the third period on a Kevin Bieksa goal, coming off of Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin. Ottawa tied it on a Mark Stone goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Turris. The Canucks won 4-3 in overtime on a Daniel Sedin goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Henrik Sedin and Dan Hamhuis. The three stars were Daniel Sedin, Turris, and Henrik Sedin.
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