Ten games this evening, beginning in...
Raleigh, as the Carolina Hurricanes host the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Cam Ward are in the creases. Carolina started in the first period on a Jeff Skinner goal, his sixth of the season, via Andrej Nestrasil and John-Michael Liles. The Hurricanes added on with a third period goal by Victor Rask, his fourth of the year, with a lone assist by Skinner. Nashville got on the board with a Mike Ribeiro goal, his seventh of the campaign, passed from Roman Josi. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Skinner, Ward (32 for 33 in saves), and Rask.
Up in New York, the Islanders welcome the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Jaroslav Halak are the masked men. Ottawa opened in the first period with a Mike Hoffman goal, his eighth of the season, passed from Mika Zibanejad and Alex Chiasson. New York tied it on a Brock Nelson goal, his eleventh of the year, with a lone assist by Kyle Okposo in the second period. The Islanders took the lead on a Ryan Strome goal in the third period, his fifth of the season, assisted by Thomas Hickey and Brian Strait. The Senators tied it on a Clarke MacArthur goal, his ninth of the year, coming off of Mark Stone and Kyle Turris. New York won 3-2 in overtime with a Hickey goal, his second of the campaign, guided in by Matt Donovan and Nelson. The three stars went to Hickey, Nelson, and Strome.
Over to Pittsburgh, where the Penguins bring in the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider and Marc-Andre Fleury guard the cages. Pittsburgh dented the scoreboard in the third period on an Evgeni Malkin goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Blake Comeau and Jayson Megna. This held up for a 1-0 win, with the three stars given to Fleury (29 save shutout), Malkin, and Schneider (22 for 23 in saves).
Back east, the Washington Capitals host the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan Miller and Braden Holtby make the starts. Vancouver struck first in the first period with a Derek Dorsett goal, his third of the season, coming off of Bo Horvat and Jannik Hansen. Washington tied it in the second period as John Carlson scored his third of the year, thanks to Nicklas Backstrom. The Canucks took the lead on a Daniel Sedin goal, his fifth of the season, coming on the power play from Henrik Sedin and Radim Vrbata. Vancouver added on with a Vrbata power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Alexander Edler and Daniel Sedin. The Capitals got one back with Carlson's second of the game and fourth of the season, made possible by Jason Chimera and Joel Ward. Washington tied it on a Brooks Laich goal, guided in by Eric Fehr and Carlson. The Canucks took the lead back with a Daniel Sedin power play goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, helped along by Henrik Sedin. This made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars going to Daniel Sedin, Carlson, and Vrbata, while Henrik Sedin gets an honorable mention.
Out in Buffalo, the Sabres welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Evgeni Nabokov and Jhonas Enroth are in the creases. Tampa Bay got going in the third period on an Ondrej Palat goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov. Buffalo tied it on a Zemgus Girgensons goal, his eighth of the year, via Tyler Myers and Josh Gorges. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Cody Hodgson and Tyler Ennis scored to give the Sabres a 2-1 win. The three stars went to Enroth (26 for 27 in saves), Nabokov (21 for 22 in saves), and Girgensons.
Westward to Detroit, where the Red Wings bring in the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Jimmy Howard protect the nets. Detroit was first to score in the first period on a Tomas Tatar goal, his tenth of the season, courtesy of Pavel Datsyuk and Stephen Weiss on the power play. Florida tied it with a Jimmy Hayes goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Vincent Trocheck and Dmitry Kulikov. The Panthers took the lead in the second period on a Sean Bergenheim goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Jussi Jokinen and Brad Boyes. Florida added on with a third period Trocheck goal, his second of the year, fueled by Hayes. The Panthers extended the lead on an Aaron Ekblad goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Jonathan Huberdeau and Trocheck. The Red Wings got one back with an unassisted Datsyuk goal, his tenth of the year. Detroit pulled closer with a Gustav Nyquist goal, his twelfth of the campaign, assisted by Johan Franzen and Henrik Zetterberg. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars being Trocheck, Hayes, and Datsyuk.
Along to Toronto, where the Maple Leafs host the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Jonathan Bernier are between the pipes. Toronto led off in the first period with a Tyler Bozak goal, his twelfth of the season, courtesy of Dion Phaneuf. The Maple Leafs added on as Nazem Kadri scored his sixth of the year, with the help of Mike Santorelli and Cody Franson. Toronto extended the lead in the second period on a Phil Kessel power play goal, his twelfth of the season, powered by Phaneuf and Kadri. Dallas got on the board with a Jason Spezza goal, his fifth of the year, via Erik Cole and Jamie Oleksiak. The Maple Leafs answered as Joffrey Lupul netted his fourth of the season, thanks to Franson and Santorelli. The Stars shot back in the third period with a Ryan Garbutt goal, his fourth of the year, made possible by Alex Goligoski and John Klingberg. Toronto replied with Lupul's second of the game and fifth of the season, assisted by Kadri and Santorelli, the latter getting a sock trick. Dallas got one back on an Ales Hemsky goal, his second of the year, coming off of Shawn Horcoff and Goligoski. This produced the 5-3 final, with the three stars going to Kadri, Lupul, and Santorelli, while Phaneuf, Franson, and Goligoski get the honorable mentions.
Way out west, the Calgary Flames welcome the Arizona Coyotes. Mike Smith and Karri Ramo receive the starting nods. Calgary began in the first period on a David Jones goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Curtis Glencross and Mark Giordano. Arizona tied it on an Oliver Ekman-Larsson goal, his fifth of the year, passed from Martin Erat and Brandon McMillan. The Flames took the lead back with a Josh Jooris goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Kris Russell and Dennis Wideman. The Coyotes tied it again in the second period on a Sam Gagner goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Martin Hanzal and Keith Yandle. Calgary regained the lead on another Jooris goal, his second of the game and seventh of the season, made possible by Johnny Gaudreau and Jiri Hudler. The Flames added on with a third period Sean Monahan goal, his ninth of the year, helped along by Wideman and Glencross. Calgary iced it at 5-2 with a power play empty net goal by Jooris, completing his hat trick on his eighth of the campaign, set up by Gaudreau and Hudler. The three stars belonged to Jooris, Wideman, and Glencross, while Gaudreau and Hudler get the honorable mentions.
Down in San Jose, the Sharks bring in the Philadelphia Flyers. Steve Mason and Antti Niemi are the veteran goalies. Philadelphia started in the first period with a Sean Couturier power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Scott Laughton and Andrew MacDonald. San Jose tied it with a second period goal by Marc-Edouard Vlasic, his third of the year, fueled by Tommy Wingels and Logan Couture. The Sharks took the lead in the third period on a Matthew Nieto goal, his third of the campaign, with a lone assist by Patrick Marleau. This produced a 2-1 final, and the three stars went to Nieto, Niemi (28 for 29 in saves), and Vlasic.
Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Boston Bruins. Niklas Svedberg is mismatched with Jonathan Quick in goal. Los Angeles opened with a Tanner Pearson goal in the first period, his tenth of the season, assisted by Anze Kopitar and Brayden McNabb. The Kings iced it at 2-0 with a Tyler Toffoli empty net goal, his tenth of the year, set up by Kopitar. The three stars were awarded to Quick (31 save shutout), Pearson, and Kopitar.
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