Twelve games on today, with three of them playing as matinees. We begin in...
Boston, as the Bruins host the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Tuukka Rask receive the starting nods. Carolina was first to score in the first period on a Jiri Tlusty goal, his seventh of the season, courtesy of Justin Faulk and Eric Staal. Boston tied it on a Seth Griffith goal, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. The Bruins took the lead as Patrice Bergeron scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Brad Marchand and Dennis Seidenberg. This held up for a 2-1 win, with the three stars being Rask (33 for 34 in saves), Bergeron, and Griffith.
Down in Dallas, the Stars welcome the Minnesota Wild. Darcy Kuemper and Kari Lehtonen are the reliable goalies. Dallas got going in the second period on an Antoine Roussel goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Vernon Fiddler and Ales Hemsky. Minnesota tied it on an Erik Haula goal, his second of the year, via Ryan Carter. The Wild took the lead in the third period on a Mikael Granlund goal, his second of the season, assisted by Charlie Coyle. This was good for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Kuemper (27 for 28 in saves), Granlund, and Haula.
West to Los Angeles for the last matinee, as the Kings bring in the Anaheim Ducks. Frederik Andersen and Jonathan Quick protect the nets. Anaheim dented the scoreboard in the second period on an Emerson Etem goal, his second of the season, courtesy of Patrick Maroon and Ryan Getzlaf. Los Angeles tied it on a shorthanded Tyler Toffoli goal, his eighth of the year, set up by Jarret Stoll. The Ducks took the lead back with a Ryan Kesler goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Bryan Allen and Sami Vatanen. The Kings tied it in the third period on an Anze Kopitar power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin. Los Angeles won 3-2 in overtime with a Stoll power play goal, fueled by Justin Williams and Muzzin. The three stars were given to Stoll, Muzzin, and Kopitar.
Back east, the Buffalo Sabres host the Toronto Maple Leafs. James Reimer and Michal Neuvirth are the backups in goal. Buffalo began in the first period on a Tyler Ennis power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Drew Stafford and Matt Moulson. The Sabres added on with a shorthanded goal by Zemgus Girgensons, his fifth of the year, set up by Brian Flynn and Tyson Strachan. Buffalo extended the lead in the second period on a Stafford goal, his fourth of the season, via Nicolas Deslauriers and Andrej Meszaros. Toronto got on the board with a David Clarkson goal, his fifth of the year, made possible by Cody Franson and Nazem Kadri. The Sabres shot back on a Moulson goal, his second of the season, fueled by Ennis and Mike Weber. The Maple Leafs replied as Phil Kessel scored his eleventh of the year, thanks to James van Riemsdyk and Morgan Rielly. Buffalo countered in the third period on a Tyler Myers goal, coming off of Moulson and Ennis. The Sabres wrapped it up at 6-2 with a Girgensons goal, his second of the game and sixth of the campaign, helped along by Cody McCormick. The three stars went to Girgensons, Ennis, and Moulson, while Stafford gets an honorable mention.
Up in Montreal, the Canadiens welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Ray Emery and Carey Price are in the creases. Montreal struck first in the first period with a P.A. Parenteau power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Max Pacioretty and Andrei Markov. The Canadiens added on with a David Desharnais power play goal, his second of the year, passed from Pacioretty and Markov. Montreal extended the lead in the second period as P.K. Subban potted his fourth of the season, a power play goal guided in by Alex Galchenyuk and Tomas Plekanec. Philadelphia got on the board as Brayden Schenn scored his fifth of the year, with a lone assist by Jakub Voracek. The Flyers pulled closer on another Schenn goal, his second of the game and sixth of the season, coming off of Claude Giroux and Voracek. The Canadiens shot back in the third period with another Parenteau goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, via Sergei Gonchar and Desharnais. Philadelphia answered with a Matt Read power play goal, his second of the season, fueled by Carlo Colaiacovo and Sean Couturier. Montreal countered on a Dale Weise goal, his second of the year, made possible by Galchenyuk and Gonchar. The Canadiens finished it at 6-3 with another Weise goal, his second of the game and third of the campaign, helped along by Plekanec and Galchenyuk, the latter getting a sock trick. The three stars went to Parenteau, Galchenyuk, and Weise, while Pacioretty, Markov, Desharnais, Plekanec, Schenn, Voracek, and Gonchar get the honorable mentions.
Back stateside, the New Jersey Devils bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Cory Schneider are the above-average goalies. New Jersey opened in the first period with a Martin Havlat goal, his second of the season, guided in by Michael Ryder and Patrik Elias. Colorado tied it on a John Mitchell goal, his third of the year, coming off of Gabriel Landeskog and Jarome Iginla. The Devils took the lead in the third period as Eric Gelinas scored his second of the season, thanks to Elias. The Avalanche tied it on an Erik Johnson goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. Colorado took the lead with a Matt Duchene goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Tyson Barrie and Alex Tanguay. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Duchene, Johnson, and Elias.
West to Pittsburgh, as the Penguins host the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Marc-Andre Fleury tend the twines. Pittsburgh led off in the first period on a Blake Comeau goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Patric Hornqvist and Christian Ehrhoff. New York tied it with a Lee Stempniak goal, his fourth of the year, via Dan Girardi and Carl Hagelin. The Rangers took the lead with a Martin St. Louis goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Derick Brassard and Rick Nash on the power play. The Penguins tied it in the second period on an Evgeni Malkin goal, his seventh of the year, helped along by Nick Spaling. Pittsburgh took the game in the shootout with goals from Sidney Crosby and Brandon Sutter to top a Derek Stepan tally for a 3-2 win. The three stars went to Fleury (29 for 31 in saves), Lundqvist (36 for 38 in saves), and Sutter.
Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning welcome the New York Islanders. Chad Johnson and Ben Bishop are in the blue paint. New York started in the first period on a Brock Nelson goal, his eighth of the season, passed from John Tavares and Kyle Okposo. Tampa Bay tied it on a Ryan Callahan goal, his sixth of the year, assisted by Jason Garrison and Valtteri Filppula. The Islanders retook the lead as Josh Bailey scored his third of the season, thanks to Johnny Boychuk and Nick Leddy. The Lightning tied it again with a Filppula power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Steven Stamkos and Garrison. Tampa Bay gained the lead on a Cedric Paquette goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Vladislav Namestnikov and Alex Killorn. The Lightning added on in the second period with a Tyler Johnson goal, his sixth of the year, coming off of Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov. Tampa Bay extended the lead on a third period goal by Radko Gudas, helped along by Callahan. This made it 5-2, with the three stars being Callahan, Filppula, and Garrison.
Northwest to Nashville, as the Predators bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Pekka Rinne are the masked men. Winnipeg got going in the second period on a shorthanded Blake Wheeler goal, his eighth of the season, set up by Evander Kane. Nashville tied it with a James Neal goal, his ninth of the year, passed from Mike Ribeiro. The Predators took the lead on a third period goal by Craig Smith, his sixth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Calle Jarnkrok. This gave them a 2-1 win, and the three stars belonged to Rinne (21 for 22 in saves), Smith, and Neal.
Up in Columbus, the Blue Jackets host the San Jose Sharks. Antti Niemi and Sergei Bobrovsky guard the cages. Columbus struck first in the first period on a David Savard goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Adam Cracknell and Artem Anisimov. The Blue Jackets added on as Cam Atkinson scored his seventh of the year in the second period, a power play goal powered by Jack Johnson and Boone Jenner. San Jose got on the board with a Joe Pavelski goal, his eighth of the season, guided in by Joe Thornton and Tomas Hertl. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Bobrovsky (36 for 37 in saves), Atkinson, and Savard.
Over in St. Louis, the Blues welcome the Washington Capitals. Justin Peters and Brian Elliott are set to start in goal. St. Louis was first to score in the first period on a Jori Lehtera goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Jaden Schwartz and Kevin Shattenkirk. Washington tied it in the second period on a Joel Ward goal, his eighth of the year, via Mike Green and Nate Schmidt. The Blues took the lead back as Schwartz netted his seventh of the season, made possible by Shattenkirk and Carl Gunnarsson. St. Louis added on in the third period as David Backes scored his fifth of the year, thanks to Patrik Berglund. The Blues extended the lead with a Berglund goal, his second of the season, passed from T.J. Oshie and Backes. This made it 4-1, and the three stars of the game were Schwartz, Backes, and Berglund, while Shattenkirk gets an honorable mention.
Finally, the Calgary Flames bring in the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson faces a lesser foe in Karri Ramo in goal. Ottawa led off in the first period with a Clarke MacArthur goal, his eighth of the season, courtesy of Erik Karlsson and Kyle Turris. Calgary tied it in the second period on a Paul Byron goal, his fourth of the year, via Sven Baertschi and Josh Jooris. The Flames took the lead in the third period on a Markus Granlund goal, his third of the season, assisted by Lance Bouma. Calgary added on with a Jooris goal, his fourth of the year, a power play goal powered by Curtis Glencross and Mark Giordano. The Senators got one back on a Bobby Ryan goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Milan Michalek and Eric Gryba. The Flames replied with a Bouma goal, his fifth of the year, with a lone assist by Granlund. This made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars going to Jooris, Bouma, and Granlund.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.