The Boston Bruins hosting the Colorado Avalanche. Calvin Pickard and Anton Khudobin are the backups in goal. Colorado opened in the first period with an unassisted Matt Duchene goal, his tenth of the season. The Avalanche added on with a shorthanded and unassisted Nathan MacKinnon goal, his seventh of the year. Colorado extended the lead with a John Mitchell goal in the second period, going in unassisted. Boston got on the board with a David Pastrnak goal, his seventeenth of the season, helped along by Tim Schaller. The Bruins got closer with another Pastrnak goal, his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, assisted by Brad Marchand and Torey Krug. The Avalanche replied with a Carl Soderberg goal, his fourth of the season, guided in by Mikhail Grigorenko and Francois Beauchemin. This made it 4-2, the eventual final, with the three stars being Pastrnak, Mitchell, and Soderberg.
In Brooklyn, the New York Islanders welcome the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Thomas Greiss draw the starts in goal. St. Louis led off in the first period with a Robby Fabbri goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Vladimir Tarasenko. New York tied it on an Anders Lee power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Nick Leddy and Brock Nelson. The Islanders took the lead with a John Tavares goal, his eighth of the season, going in unassisted. The Blues retied it in the second period on a Kyle Brodziak goal, his third of the year, via Fabbri and Joel Edmundson. New York regained the lead in the third period with a Lee goal, his second of the game and eighth of the campaign, helped along by Casey Cizikas. The three stars of the 3-2 game were Lee, Fabbri, and Tavares.
Next up, the Philadelphia Flyers bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Jonas Gustavsson and Steve Mason are the goalies. Edmonton started in the first period with a Leon Draisaitl goal, his twelfth of the season, passed from Jesse Puljujarvi. The Oilers added on in the second period with a Connor McDavid power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by Draisaitl and Mark Letestu. Philadelphia got on the board with a Mark Streit goal, his fifth of the season, via Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov. The Flyers tied it on a Pierre-Edouard Bellemare goal, coming off of Andrew MacDonald and Roman Lyubimov. Philadelphia took the lead with a Claude Giroux goal, his eighth of the year, with a lone assist from Jakub Voracek. Edmonton retied it on a shorthanded goal by Andrej Sekera, his fourth of the season, set up by Letestu and McDavid. The Oilers pulled ahead with a Benoit Pouliot goal in the third period, his fifth of the year, made possible by Draisaitl and Sekera. Edmonton extended the lead as Oscar Klefbom scored his fourth of the season on the power play, with the help of Jordan Eberle and Drake Caggiula. The Flyers chipped back with a Voracek power play goal, his tenth of the year, with helpers from Shayne Gostisbehere and Giroux. Philadelphia tied it as Giroux scored his second of the game and ninth of the season, thanks to Radko Gudas and Voracek. The Flyers took the lead on a Michael Raffl goal, his sixth of the year, dished from Voracek, who earned a sock trick, and Streit. This stood for a 6-5 win, with the three stars being Voracek, Giroux, and Draisaitl, while Streit, Sekera, and McDavid get the honorable mentions.
In Canada, the Montreal Canadiens host the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider and Carey Price tend the twines. Montreal began in the first period with a Phillip Danault goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Nathan Beaulieu and Andrew Shaw. New Jersey tied it with an Adam Henrique goal, his sixth of the year, passed from P.A. Parenteau and Taylor Hall. The Canadiens regained the lead with a Torrey Mitchell goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Brendan Gallagher and Zach Redmond. Montreal added on with an Artturi Lehkonen goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Shaw and Danault in the second period. The Canadiens extended the lead as Max Pacioretty scored his eighth of the season, an unassisted goal, in the third period. The Devils got one back with a Hall power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Henrique and Kyle Palmieri. Montreal iced it at 5-2 with a Mitchell goal, his second of the game and seventh of the campaign, via Gallagher and Paul Byron. The three stars belonged to Mitchell, Danault, and Hall, while Henrique, Gallagher, and Shaw get the honorable mentions.
South to Florida, where the Tampa Bay Lightning welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan Miller and Ben Bishop are the reliable goalies. Vancouver struck first in the first period with a Jack Skille goal, with a lone assist from Erik Gudbranson. The Canucks added on with an unassisted Gudbranson goal. Vancouver extended the lead in the second period as Jayson Megna scored his second of the season, with the help of Alex Biega and Nikita Tryamkin. Tampa Bay got on the board with a Jonathan Drouin goal, his fourth of the year, via Valtteri Filppula and Luke Witkowski. The Canucks answered on Megna's second of the game and third of the season, assisted by Daniel Sedin and Markus Granlund. Andrei Vasilevskiy replaced Bishop for the third period. Vancouver padded the lead in the third period on another Skille goal, made possible by Brendan Gaunce. Jacob Markstrom replaced Miller late in the game. This produced the 5-1 final, with the three stars going to Megna, Skille, and Gudbranson.
Staying in the state, the Florida Panthers bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Matt Murray and Roberto Luongo protect the nets. Pittsburgh was first to score in the first period with a Sidney Crosby goal, his eighteenth of the season, made possible by Patric Hornqvist and Conor Sheary. The Penguins added on with a Sheary goal, his seventh of the year, via Crosby and Justin Schultz. Pittsburgh extended the lead as Tom Kuhnhackl scored his second of the season, thanks to Scott Wilson. Florida got on the board in the second period with a Jaromir Jagr power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Aleksander Barkov and Keith Yandle. The Penguins shot back in the third period with a Matt Cullen goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Wilson and Schultz. Pittsburgh finished it at 5-1 with a Carl Hagelin empty net goal, his third of the year, set up by the goalie Murray. The three stars went to Sheary, Crosby, and Murray (28 for 29 in saves), while Schultz and Wilson get the honorable mentions.
Back to Canada, where the Winnipeg Jets host the New York Rangers. Antti Raanta and Michael Hutchinson are given the starting nods in goal. New York opened in the first period with a Chris Kreider power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Derek Stepan and Mats Zuccarello. Winnipeg tied it on a Mark Scheifele goal in the second period, his fourteenth of the year, via Paul Postma and Dustin Byfuglien. The Rangers retook the lead in the third period with a Kevin Hayes power play goal, his eleventh of the campaign, assisted by Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being Hayes, Raanta (17 for 18 in saves), and Kreider.
Down in Dallas, the Stars welcome the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Kari Lehtonen are the Finnish goalies. Dallas started in the first period with a Jamie Benn goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza. The Stars added on with a Brett Ritchie goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Antoine Roussel and Radek Faksa. Nashville got on the board with a Viktor Arvidsson shorthanded goal, his ninth of the season, set up by Austin Watson. Dallas replied with a Spezza goal in the second period, his fifth of the year, passed from Dam Hamhuis and Benn. The Stars extended the lead as Roussel scored his fifth of the season, thanks to Lauri Korpikoski and John Klingberg. Marek Mazanec replaced Rinne in goal. Dallas padded the lead on a Seguin power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Benn and Spezza. The Predators got one back in the third period with a Calle Jarnkrok goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Mike Ribeiro and the goalie Mazanec. This only made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars going to Benn, Spezza, and Roussel, while Seguin gets an honorable mention.
Westward to Arizona, where the Coyotes bring in the Calgary Flames. Chad Johnson and Mike Smith play in the blue paint. Arizona led off in the first period with a Max Domi goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Christian Dvorak and Shane Doan. Calgary tied it on a Mark Giordano power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. The Flames won 2-1 in overtime with a Dougie Hamilton goal, his fourth of the campaign, guided in by Gaudreau. The three stars went to Gaudreau, Johnson (27 for 28 in saves), and Hamilton.
Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Jeff Zatkoff play in the creases. Carolina began in the first period with a Derek Ryan goal, his second of the season, assisted by Andrej Nestrasil and Justin Faulk. The Hurricanes added on in the second period on a shorthanded Ryan goal in the second period, his second of the game and third of the year, set up by Brock McGinn and Jaccob Slavin. Carolina extended the lead in the third period as McGinn scored, thanks to Victor Rask and Phillip Di Giuseppe. Los Angeles got on the board with a Drew Doughty goal, his fifth of the campaign, fueled by Marian Gaborik and Tyler Toffoli. The three stars of the 3-1 game went to Ryan, McGinn, and Ward (21 for 22 in saves).
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