Eleven games on tonight, beginning with...
The New Jersey Devils hosting the Ottawa Senators. Robin Lehner and Cory Schneider are in the blue paint. Ottawa got going in the second period on a Curtis Lazar goal, his second of the season, coming off of Mike Hoffman and Mark Borowiecki. New Jersey tied it on an Adam Henrique goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from Marek Zidlicky and Andy Greene. The Devils took the lead in the third period as Michael Cammalleri scored his seventeenth of the campaign, helped along by Jaromir Jagr. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Schneider (19 for 20 in saves), Cammalleri, and Henrique.
Over on Long Island, the New York Islanders welcome the Florida Panthers. Al Montoya and Jaroslav Halak are set to start. New York led off in the first period on an Anders Lee goal, his fourteenth of the season, courtesy of Josh Bailey and John Tavares. Florida tied it on a Jimmy Hayes goal, his fourteenth of the year, coming off of Nick Bjugstad and Jussi Jokinen. The Panthers took the lead in the second period as Erik Gudbranson scored his third of the season, thanks to Tomas Fleischmann and Brandon Pirri. The Islanders retied it on a Lee power play goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the year, powered by Travis Hamonic and Nick Leddy. Florida retook the lead on a Hayes power play goal in the third period, his second of the game and fifteenth of the season, fueled by Bjugstad and Aaron Ekblad. The Panthers iced it at 4-2 on a Pirri empty net goal, his eighth of the year, set up by Jonathan Huberdeau. The three stars were Hayes, Lee, and Pirri, while Bjugstad gets an honorable mention.
Continuing to DC, where the Washington Capitals bring in the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Braden Holtby are the reliable goalies. Washington began in the first period on a Troy Brouwer goal, his fourteenth of the season, assisted by Evgeny Kuznetsov and Karl Alzner. The Capitals added on with Brouwer's second of the game and fifteenth of the year in the second period, a power play goal powered by Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom. Washington extended the lead with a third period goal by Backstrom, his sixteenth of the season, via Marcus Johansson and Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals finished it at 4-0 on an Eric Fehr goal, his sixteenth of the year, with a lone assist by Joel Ward. The three stars went to Brouwer, Holtby (27 save shutout), and Backstrom.
West to Columbus, where the Blue Jackets host the Arizona Coyotes. Mike Smith and Anton Forsberg are the weak goalies. Arizona opened in the first period on a Lucas Lessio goal, his second of the season, fueled by B.J. Crombeen and Brendan Shinnimin. Columbus tied it in the second period as James Wisniewski scored his sixth of the year, a power play goal powered by Jack Johnson and Scott Hartnell. The Coyotes took the lead back on an Oliver Ekman-Larsson power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Keith Yandle and Antoine Vermette. Arizona added on with a power play goal by Shane Doan, his eleventh of the year, helped along by Lauri Korpikoski and Yandle. The Coyotes finished it at 4-1 with a Tobias Rieder empty net goal, his eighth of the campaign, set up by Vermette. The three stars belonged to Smith (30 for 31 in saves), Yandle, and Vermette.
North to Montreal, as the Canadiens welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Jhonas Enroth is mismatched with Carey Price in goal. Buffalo struck first in the first period on a Drew Stafford goal, his eighth of the season, courtesy of Cody Hodgson and Tyler Myers. Montreal tied it on a Brandon Prust goal, his fourth of the year, via David Desharnais. The Sabres regained the lead on a Matt Moulson goal, his eighth of the season, passed from Nikita Zadorov and Torrey Mitchell. Buffalo added on with a Brian Gionta goal, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. The Canadiens got one back in the third period as Desharnais scored his eighth of the campaign, with the help of Dale Weise and Max Pacioretty. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Gionta, Desharnais, and Moulson.
Back stateside, the St. Louis Blues bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Brian Elliott are both former Senators goalies making the starts here. Tampa Bay was first to score on a first period goal by Cedric Paquette, his eleventh of the season, guided in by Alex Killorn and Jonathan Drouin. St. Louis tied it in the third period as Vladimir Tarasenko scored his twenty-sixth of the year, thanks to Paul Stastny. The Blues won 2-1 in overtime with a Jaden Schwartz goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, coming off of Chris Butler and the goalie Elliott. The three stars were awarded to Elliott (30 for 31 in saves), Schwartz, and Tarasenko.
East to Nashville, where the Predators host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jonathan Bernier and Carter Hutton are the goalies. Nashville started in the first period on a shorthanded and unassisted goal by Seth Jones, his fourth of the season. The Predators added on with a Shea Weber power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Filip Forsberg and Mike Fisher. Toronto got on the board in the second period with a Daniel Winnik goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Mike Santorelli and Joffrey Lupul. The Maple Leafs tied it in the third period on a Nazem Kadri goal, his fourteenth of the year, via David Booth and Cody Franson. Toronto took the lead on a Santorelli goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Lupul and Morgan Rielly. Nashville retied it as Fisher scored his thirteenth of the year, thanks to Colin Wilson and Roman Josi. The Predators pulled ahead on a Wilson goal, his sixteenth of the campaign, with assists provided by Fisher and James Neal. Bernier couldn't finish the game after an injury, so James Reimer came on to finish the 4-3 loss. The three stars went to Fisher, Wilson, and Santorelli, while Lupul gets an honorable mention.
Up in Minnesota, the Wild welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Devan Dubnyk occupy the creases. Minnesota led off in the first period on a Mikko Koivu goal, his eighth of the season, going in unassisted. The Wild added on with a Jason Zucker goal, his eighteenth of the year, coming off of Marco Scandella and Koivu. Minnesota extended the lead in the second period on a Mikael Granlund goal, his fifth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Zach Parise. This led to the eventual 3-0 final, with the three stars given to Dubnyk (24 save shutout), Koivu, and Zucker.
Way south to Dallas, where the Stars bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Kari Lehtonen are the inconsistent goalies. Dallas began in the first period as Patrick Eaves scored a power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Jamie Benn and Jason Spezza. The Stars added on with an Erik Cole goal in the second period, his thirteenth of the year, courtesy of Ales Hemsky. Colorado got on the board in the third period with a Ryan O'Reilly goal, his tenth of the season, made possible by Brad Stuart and Nick Holden. The Avalanche tied it on a Tyson Barrie goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Gabriel Landeskog and O'Reilly. In the shootout, Nathan MacKinnon of Colorado was matched by Tyler Seguin of Dallas, followed by Daniel Briere canceling out Antoine Roussel and Landeskog matching Colton Sceviour before Max Talbot won it 3-2 for the Avalanche. The three stars went to O'Reilly, Landeskog, and Talbot.
Northwest again to Vancouver, as the Canucks host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Eddie Lack are the backups in goal. Winnipeg started in the first period with a Blake Wheeler goal, his fifteenth of the season, guided in by Ben Chiarot and Bryan Little. Vancouver tied it on an Alexandre Burrows goal, his eleventh of the year, via Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. The Jets took the lead on a Little power play goal in the third period, his twentieth of the season, powered by Andrew Ladd. The Canucks tied it on a Ronalds Kenins goal, his second of the year, passed from Bo Horvat and Adam Clendening. Vancouver won 3-2 with a Luca Sbisa goal in overtime, his third of the campaign, set up by Radim Vrbata and Dan Hamhuis. The three stars were Little, Sbisa, and Kenins.
Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the Carolina Hurricanes. Anton Khudobin and Frederik Andersen are the young goalies. Anaheim dented the scoreboard in the second period as Corey Perry scored his twentieth of the season, with a lone assist by Ryan Getzlaf. Carolina tied it on an Alexander Semin goal, his second of the year, helped along by Victor Rask and John-Michael Liles. The Hurricanes took the lead on a Jay McClement goal, his second of the campaign, guided in by Elias Lindholm and Andrej Sekera. The Ducks tied it on a Ryan Kesler power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, powered by Hampus Lindholm and Kyle Palmieri. Carolina retook the lead in the third period on a Brad Malone goal, his fifth of the year, a penalty shot goal he received after a hook from Cam Fowler. The Hurricanes added on with a Jordan Staal goal, his second of the campaign, with a lone helper by Eric Staal. Anaheim got one back with a Devante Smith-Pelly goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Jakob Silfverberg and Ben Lovejoy. The Ducks tied it on a Perry goal, his second of the game and twenty-first of the year, assisted by Kesler and Sami Vatanen. Anahein won 5-4 on a Getzlaf goal in overtime, his sixteenth of the campaign, passed from Perry and Francois Beauchemin. The three stars were Perry, Getzlaf, and Kesler.
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