Six games in the slowest weeknight this week, beginning in...
Ottawa, where the Senators host the Montreal Canadiens. Dustin Tokarski and Andrew Hammond are the backups making spot starts. Ottawa got going in the second period on a Milan Michalek goal, his eleventh of the season, via Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone. Montreal tied it on a Max Pacioretty goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, assisted by Andrei Markov and David Desharnais. The Senators retook the lead on a Jean-Gabriel Pageau goal, his third of the season, guided in by Erik Karlsson and Erik Condra. Ottawa added on in the third period as Mark Stone scored his fourteenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Karlsson and Michalek. The Canadiens got one back on a Nathan Beaulieu goal, passed from P.K. Subban and Michael Bournival. The Senators iced it at 4-2 on a Kyle Turris empty net goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, set up by Stone. The three stars were Stone, Michalek, and Karlsson.
Down in Chicago, the Blackhawks welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Corey Crawford guard the cages. Detroit dented the scoreboard on a second period goal by Tomas Tatar, his twenty-fourth of the season, via Darren Helm and Riley Sheahan. Chicago tied it on a Brandon Saad goal, his eighteenth of the year, coming off of Marian Hossa. The Red Wings retook the lead in the third period on a Helm goal, his thirteenth of the season, made possible by Pavel Datsyuk. The Blackhawks retied it as Kris Versteeg scored his eleventh of the year, guided in by Duncan Keith. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Gustav Nyquist and Tatar combined to top Jonathan Toews and give the Red Wings the 3-2 win. The three stars were Helm, Tatar, and Howard (32 for 34 in saves).
Back in Canada, the Calgary Flames bring in the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Jonas Hiller are the underrated goalies. Minnesota began in the first period on a Justin Fontaine goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Thomas Vanek and Charlie Coyle. The Wild added on with a Matt Dumba goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Jonas Brodin and the goalie Dubnyk. Calgary got on the board with a Jiri Hudler goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Dennis Wideman and Sean Monahan. The Flames tied it on a third period goal by Lance Bouma, his eleventh of the year, via Wideman and Mikael Backlund. Minnesota won 3-2 with an overtime goal from Mikko Koivu, his ninth of the campaign, with helpers from Coyle and Marco Scandella. The three stars went to Koivu, Coyle, and Wideman.
Staying in Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask faces a lesser foe in Ben Scrivens in goal. Edmonton opened in the first period on a Nail Yakupov goal, his ninth of the season, coming off of Derek Roy and Oscar Klefbom. The Oilers added on with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, powered by Teddy Purcell and Jordan Eberle. Boston got on the board with a Loui Eriksson power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, guided in by Dougie Hamilton and Torey Krug. Edmonton shot back in the second period on a Purcell goal, his seventh of the year, with a lone assist by Eberle on the power play. The Bruins replied on a Reilly Smith goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Brad Marchand and Dennis Seidenberg. Boston tied it on a David Pastrnak goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Zdeno Chara and Hamilton. The tie lasted to the twelfth round of the shootout, where Martin Marincin scored to give the Oilers a 4-3 win. The three stars belonged to Purcell, and Eberle, and Hamilton.
Back stateside, the Colorado Avalanche welcome the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Semyon Varlamov guard the cages. Colorado led off in the first period on a Gabriel Landeskog goal, his fourteenth of the season, via Nathan MacKinnon. Los Angeles tied it in the second period on a Jeff Carter goal, his seventeenth of the year, guided in by Tyler Toffoli and Dwight King. The Kings took the lead with a Toffoli goal, his nineteenth of the season, courtesy of Trevor Lewis and Drew Doughty. Los Angeles added on as Dustin Brown scored his tenth of the year, thanks to Doughty and Anze Kopitar. The Kings extended the lead in the third period on a Carter empty net goal on the power play, his second of the game and eighteenth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars of the 4-1 game belonged to Carter, Quick (42 for 43 in saves), and Toffoli, while Doughty gets an honorable mention.
Finally, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and John Gibson are in the creases. Anaheim started in the first period with a Patrick Maroon goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Rickard Rakell and Kyle Palmieri. Tampa Bay tied it on an Anton Stralman goal in the second period, his fourth of the year, via Brian Boyle and Jonathan Drouin. The Lightning took the lead with a Tyler Johnson goal, his twenty-second of the season, coming off of Ondrej Palat and Jason Garrison. Tampa Bay added on with a Nikita Kucherov goal, his twenty-second of the year, assisted by Stralman and Palat. The Lightning extended the lead on a Steven Stamkos goal, his thirty-first of the campaign, with helpers from Alex Killorn and Andrej Sustr. This produced the eventual 4-1 final, with the three stars being Stralman, Bishop (24 for 25 in saves), and Palat.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Ottawa, where the Senators host the Montreal Canadiens. Dustin Tokarski and Andrew Hammond are the backups making spot starts. Ottawa got going in the second period on a Milan Michalek goal, his eleventh of the season, via Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone. Montreal tied it on a Max Pacioretty goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, assisted by Andrei Markov and David Desharnais. The Senators retook the lead on a Jean-Gabriel Pageau goal, his third of the season, guided in by Erik Karlsson and Erik Condra. Ottawa added on in the third period as Mark Stone scored his fourteenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Karlsson and Michalek. The Canadiens got one back on a Nathan Beaulieu goal, passed from P.K. Subban and Michael Bournival. The Senators iced it at 4-2 on a Kyle Turris empty net goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, set up by Stone. The three stars were Stone, Michalek, and Karlsson.
Down in Chicago, the Blackhawks welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Corey Crawford guard the cages. Detroit dented the scoreboard on a second period goal by Tomas Tatar, his twenty-fourth of the season, via Darren Helm and Riley Sheahan. Chicago tied it on a Brandon Saad goal, his eighteenth of the year, coming off of Marian Hossa. The Red Wings retook the lead in the third period on a Helm goal, his thirteenth of the season, made possible by Pavel Datsyuk. The Blackhawks retied it as Kris Versteeg scored his eleventh of the year, guided in by Duncan Keith. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Gustav Nyquist and Tatar combined to top Jonathan Toews and give the Red Wings the 3-2 win. The three stars were Helm, Tatar, and Howard (32 for 34 in saves).
Back in Canada, the Calgary Flames bring in the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Jonas Hiller are the underrated goalies. Minnesota began in the first period on a Justin Fontaine goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Thomas Vanek and Charlie Coyle. The Wild added on with a Matt Dumba goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Jonas Brodin and the goalie Dubnyk. Calgary got on the board with a Jiri Hudler goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Dennis Wideman and Sean Monahan. The Flames tied it on a third period goal by Lance Bouma, his eleventh of the year, via Wideman and Mikael Backlund. Minnesota won 3-2 with an overtime goal from Mikko Koivu, his ninth of the campaign, with helpers from Coyle and Marco Scandella. The three stars went to Koivu, Coyle, and Wideman.
Staying in Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask faces a lesser foe in Ben Scrivens in goal. Edmonton opened in the first period on a Nail Yakupov goal, his ninth of the season, coming off of Derek Roy and Oscar Klefbom. The Oilers added on with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, powered by Teddy Purcell and Jordan Eberle. Boston got on the board with a Loui Eriksson power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, guided in by Dougie Hamilton and Torey Krug. Edmonton shot back in the second period on a Purcell goal, his seventh of the year, with a lone assist by Eberle on the power play. The Bruins replied on a Reilly Smith goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Brad Marchand and Dennis Seidenberg. Boston tied it on a David Pastrnak goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Zdeno Chara and Hamilton. The tie lasted to the twelfth round of the shootout, where Martin Marincin scored to give the Oilers a 4-3 win. The three stars belonged to Purcell, and Eberle, and Hamilton.
Back stateside, the Colorado Avalanche welcome the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Semyon Varlamov guard the cages. Colorado led off in the first period on a Gabriel Landeskog goal, his fourteenth of the season, via Nathan MacKinnon. Los Angeles tied it in the second period on a Jeff Carter goal, his seventeenth of the year, guided in by Tyler Toffoli and Dwight King. The Kings took the lead with a Toffoli goal, his nineteenth of the season, courtesy of Trevor Lewis and Drew Doughty. Los Angeles added on as Dustin Brown scored his tenth of the year, thanks to Doughty and Anze Kopitar. The Kings extended the lead in the third period on a Carter empty net goal on the power play, his second of the game and eighteenth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars of the 4-1 game belonged to Carter, Quick (42 for 43 in saves), and Toffoli, while Doughty gets an honorable mention.
Finally, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and John Gibson are in the creases. Anaheim started in the first period with a Patrick Maroon goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Rickard Rakell and Kyle Palmieri. Tampa Bay tied it on an Anton Stralman goal in the second period, his fourth of the year, via Brian Boyle and Jonathan Drouin. The Lightning took the lead with a Tyler Johnson goal, his twenty-second of the season, coming off of Ondrej Palat and Jason Garrison. Tampa Bay added on with a Nikita Kucherov goal, his twenty-second of the year, assisted by Stralman and Palat. The Lightning extended the lead on a Steven Stamkos goal, his thirty-first of the campaign, with helpers from Alex Killorn and Andrej Sustr. This produced the eventual 4-1 final, with the three stars being Stralman, Bishop (24 for 25 in saves), and Palat.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.