The New York Rangers hosting the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Henrik Lundqvist are the veterans in goal. Carolina led off in the first period with a Viktor Stalberg goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Matt Tennyson and Joakim Nordstrom. The Hurricanes added on with another Stalberg goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, coming off of Jay McClement. New York got on the board in the second period on a Nick Holden goal, his third of the season, going in unassisted. The Rangers tied it in the third period on an unassisted Rick Nash goal, his tenth of the year. New York took the lead with a Jimmy Vesey power play goal, his eighth of the campaign, powered by Nash and Brady Skjei. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Nash, Vesey, and Stalberg.
Over in Columbus, the Blue Jackets welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Sergei Bobrovsky are the Russian goalies. Columbus opened in the first period with a William Karlsson goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Josh Anderson and Ryan Murray. The Blue Jackets added on with an Alexander Wennberg goal, his fifth of the year, made possible by Seth Jones in the second period. Columbus extended the lead as Anderson scored his seventh of the season, thanks to Scott Hartnell and Markus Nutivaara. The Blue Jackets padded the lead in the third period on a Hartnell goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of David Savard and Anderson. Columbus struck again with a Sam Gagner goal, his eighth of the season, going in unassisted. Tampa Bay got on the board with a Valtteri Filppula goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Brayden Point and Andrej Sustr. This only made it 5-1, the final, with the three stars handed to Anderson, Hartnell, and Bobrovsky (26 for 27 in saves).
Up in Detroit, the Red Wings bring in the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Petr Mrazek are in the blue paint. Dallas started in the first period with an Esa Lindell goal, his second of the season, via Tyler Seguin. Detroit tied it on a Dylan Larkin power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Mike Green and Frans Nielsen. The Red Wings took the lead in the second period on an Anthony Mantha power play goal, his third of the season, assisted by Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall. Detroit iced it at 3-1 in the third period with an empty net goal by Steve Ott, his second of the year, set up by Thomas Vanek. The three stars were Mrazek (34 for 35 in saves), Mantha, and Larkin.
Into Ontario, where the Ottawa Senators host the Buffalo Sabres. Robin Lehner faces his former team and Craig Anderson in goal. Buffalo began in the first period with a Kyle Okposo power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Jack Eichel and Rasmus Ristolainen. The Sabres added on with an Eichel power play goal, via Ryan O'Reilly and Ristolainen. Ottawa got on the board with a Mike Hoffman goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Mark Borowiecki and Derick Brassard. Buffalo replied with an O'Reilly goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Josh Gorges and Cody Franson. The Senators chipped back with a Mark Stone power play goal in the second period, his seventh of the year, helped along by Kyle Turris and Hoffman. The Sabres responded on a Sam Reinhart goal, his fifth of the season, guided in by Evander Kane. Ottawa countered with a Hoffman goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, fueled by Erik Karlsson and Stone. Buffalo answered on an O'Reilly power play goal in the third period, his second of the game and sixth of the season, with assists provided by Reinhart and Okposo. The Senators fired back with a Hoffman power play goal to complete his hat trick on his seventh of the year, with helpers from Dion Phaneuf and Karlsson. The final held at 5-4, with the three stars given to O'Reilly, Hoffman, and Eichel, while Stone, Okposo, Reinhart, Ristolainen, and Karlsson receive the honorable mentions.
Back stateside, the Philadelphia Flyers welcome the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Steve Mason are the masked men. Philadelphia struck first in the first period with a Michael Del Zotto goal, his second of the season, coming off of Wayne Simmonds and Travis Konecny. The Flyers added on with a Claude Giroux power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Jakub Voracek and Brayden Schenn. Boston got on the board in the third period with a David Krejci goal, his third of the season, passed from Torey Krug. The Bruins tied it on a Brad Marchand goal, his seventh of the year, assisted by Krug and Brandon Carlo. The tie went to a shootout, where Voracek and Marchand exchanged goals before Shayne Gostisbehere won it for the Flyers by a 3-2 score. The three stars were given to Mason (45 for 47 in saves), Voracek, and Marchand.
Into Canada again, where the Winnipeg Jets bring in the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider and Connor Hellebuyck are the young goalies. Winnipeg got going in the second period on a Mark Scheifele goal, his thirteenth of the season, guided in by Dustin Byfuglien and Nikolaj Ehlers. The Jets added on with a Blake Wheeler goal, his eighth of the year, via Andrew Copp and Jacob Trouba. New Jersey got on the board in the third period with a Miles Wood goal, made possible by Adam Henrique. Winnipeg answered with a Patrik Laine goal, his thirteenth of the season, assisted by Scheifele and Ben Chiarot. The Devils got one back on a Nick Lappin goal, his fourth of the year, helped along by Damon Severson. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Scheifele, Laine, and Wood.
South to Chicago, where the Blackhawks host the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Corey Crawford tend the twines. Chicago was first to score in the first period with a Richard Panik goal, his seventh of the season, passed from Dennis Rasmussen and Marcus Kruger. Florida tied it in the third period with a Jaromir Jagr goal, his fourth of the year, a power play goal powered by Jonathan Marchessault and Aaron Ekblad. The tie went to a shootout, where Artemi Panarin and Panik scored to make it a 2-1 Blackhawks win. The three stars were Crawford (38 for 39 in saves), Panik, and Luongo (32 for 33 in saves).
Northwest to Edmonton, where the Oilers welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen and Cam Talbot are set to start in goal. Toronto led off in the first period with an Auston Matthews goal, his tenth of the season, helped along by William Nylander and Nikita Zaitsev. The Maple Leafs added on in the second period with a James van Riemsdyk goal, his tenth of the year, courtesy of Tyler Bozak and Mitchell Marner. Edmonton got on the board with an Andrej Sekera goal, his third of the season, made possible by Kris Russell and Connor McDavid. Toronto replied with a Nazem Kadri goal, his tenth of the year, via Leo Komarov. The Maple Leafs extended the lead as Zach Hyman scored his third of the season, going in unassisted. The Oilers got one back in the third period with a McDavid goal, his eleventh of the year, assisted by Milan Lucic. The final held at 4-2, with the three stars going to McDavid, Kadri, and Hyman.
Down in Colorado, the Avalanche bring in the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne faces a lesser foe in Calvin Pickard in goal. Nashville began in the first period with a Mike Fisher goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Austin Watson and Anthony Bitetto. Colorado tied it on a Mikko Rantanen goal, his third of the year, passed from Rene Bourque and Fedor Tyutin. The Predators retook the lead in the second period with a Viktor Arvidsson goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by P.K. Subban and Ryan Johansen. Nashville added on with a Kevin Fiala goal, his third of the year, guided in by Roman Josi and Mike Ribeiro. The Avalanche got one back with a Bourque goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Nikita Zadorov and Rantanen. The Predators shot back on a Johansen goal in the third period, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. Nashville extended the lead as Watson scored, thanks to Josi and Frederick Gaudreau. Colorado chipped back on a Mikhail Grigorenko goal, his third of the campaign, with helpers from Tyson Barrie and Matt Duchene. This made it 5-3, the final, with the three stars going to Watson, Bourque, and Rantanen, while Josi gets an honorable mention.
In California, the San Jose Sharks host the Arizona Coyotes. Mike Smith and Martin Jones receive the starting nods in goal. Arizona dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Max Domi goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Radim Vrbata and Luke Schenn. San Jose tied it with a Chris Tierney goal, his second of the year, via Mikkel Boedker and Justin Braun. The Sharks won 2-1 in overtime with a Brent Burns power play goal, his ninth of the campaign, powered by Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture. The three stars were Jones (18 for 19 in saves), Burns, and Tierney.
Up to Vancouver, where the Canucks welcome the Minnesota Wild. Darcy Kuemper and Ryan Miller are the sub-par goalies. Minnesota opened in the first period with a Jason Pominville goal, his fourth of the season, via Nino Niederreiter and Marco Scandella. The Wild added on in the second period with another Pominville goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, courtesy of Erik Haula and Jason Zucker. Vancouver got on the board with a Brandon Sutter power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Troy Stecher and Henrik Sedin. The Canucks tied it on a Ben Hutton power play goal, his third of the year, with assists provided by Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. Vancouver took the lead in the third period with a Loui Eriksson goal, his sixth of the season, passed from Michael Chaput and Hutton. The Canucks extended the lead as Bo Horvat scored his eighth of the year, with the help of Luca Sbisa and Sutter. Minnesota pulled back with a Zucker goal, his third of the season, going in unassisted. The Wild tied it on a Haula goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon. Vancouver won 5-4 with a Sven Baertschi goal, his third of the campaign, made possible by Stecher and Alexandre Burrows. The three stars went to Sutter, Hutton, and Pominville, while Zucker, Haula, Henrik Sedin, and Stecher get the honorable mentions.
Finally, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and John Gibson guard the cages. Anaheim started in the first period with a Rickard Rakell power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Ryan Kesler and Sami Vatanen. The Ducks added on in the second period with a Cam Fowler goal, his seventh of the year, via Jakob Silfverberg and Kesler. Montreal got on the board in the third period with an Andrew Shaw goal, his fifth of the campaign, assisted by Max Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being Gibson (39 for 40 in saves), Kesler, and Price (36 for 38 in saves).
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