Twelve games for today, including three matinees. They begin with...
The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Robin Lehner man the nets. Winnipeg started in the first period with a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his fourteenth of the season, coming off of Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele. Buffalo tied it on a Ryan O'Reilly goal, his eighth of the year, assisted by Sam Reinhart. The Jets retook the lead in the second period with a Drew Stafford goal, his third of the season, a power play goal powered by Blake Wheeler and Mathieu Perreault. Winnipeg added on with a Joel Armia goal, his second of the year, via Adam Lowry and Josh Morrissey. The Sabres got one back with a Marcus Foligno goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Cody Franson. Buffalo tied it with a Zemgus Girgensons goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Matt Moulson. The Sabres took the lead on a Brian Gionta goal, his eighth of the campaign, guided in by O'Reilly. The three stars were O'Reilly, Gionta, and Girgensons in the 4-3 Sabres win.
Down in Philadelphia, the Flyers welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Michal Neuvirth are the goalies. Tampa Bay opened in the first period with a Nikita Kucherov goal, his sixteenth of the season, coming off of Vladislav Namestnikov and Nikita Nesterov. Philadelphia tied it in the second period with a Travis Konecny goal, his sixth of the year, helped along by Jakub Voracek and Andrew MacDonald. The Flyers took the lead on a Sean Couturier goal, his seventh of the season, courtesy of Ivan Provorov and Voracek. Philadelphia added on with a Michael Raffl goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Claude Giroux and Nick Schultz. The Lightning got one back on an Alex Killorn goal, his thirteenth of the season, assisted by Nesterov and Jonathan Drouin. The Flyers replied with a Radko Gudas goal, his second of the year, with a lone helper by Brayden Schenn. This stood for a 4-2 with, with the three stars going to Voracek, Nesterov, and Raffl.
Out in Los Angeles, the Kings bring in the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Peter Budaj are in goal. Minnesota led off in the first period with a Mikko Koivu goal, his twelfth of the season, going in unassisted. The Wild added on with a Charlie Coyle goal, his thirteenth of the year, passed from Jason Pominville. Los Angeles got on the board in the second period with a Jeff Carter goal, his twenty-second of the season, via Jake Muzzin. The Kings tied it with a Marian Gaborik goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Carter and Drew Doughty. Los Angeles took the lead in the third period with a Muzzin power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Doughty and Carter. Minnesota tied it on a power play goal by Zach Parise, his eighth of the year, coming off of Eric Staal and Koivu. The Kings won 4-3 in overtime with a Tanner Pearson goal, his eleventh of the campaign, helped along by Alec Martinez and Anze Kopitar. The three stars went to Carter, Muzzin, and Doughty, while Koivu gets an honorable mention.
Back east at the usual time, the New Jersey Devils host the Edmonton Oilers. Cam Talbot and Cory Schneider are given the starting nods in goal. New Jersey began in the first period with a Miles Wood goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Travis Zajac and Steven Santini. Edmonton tied it in the third period on a Matthew Benning goal, via Andrej Sekera and Anton Lander. The Oilers won 2-1 in overtime with a Mark Letestu power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Oscar Klefbom and Connor McDavid. The three stars were Talbot (19 for 20 in saves), Letestu, and Benning.
Up in Canada, the Ottawa Senators welcome the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Mike Condon are in the creases. Washington struck first in the first period with a T.J. Oshie goal, his thirteenth of the season, assisted by Nicklas Backstrom and Nate Schmidt. This was the only goal in the game, a 1-0 final, with the three stars given to Holtby (30 save shutout), Oshie, and Condon (19 for 20 in saves).
Staying in Ontario, the Toronto Maple Leafs bring in the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Frederik Andersen protect the nets. Montreal was first to score in the first period with a Max Pacioretty goal, his nineteenth of the season, passed from Alexander Radulov and Shea Weber. The Canadiens added on with a Artturi Lehkonen goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Tomas Plekanec and Jeff Petry. Toronto got on the board with a Tyler Bozak power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Mitchell Marner and James van Riemsdyk. The Maple Leafs tied it on a Nazem Kadri goal, his sixteenth of the year, a power play goal coming off of Marner and van Riemsdyk. Montreal retook the lead with a Nikita Scherbak power play goal, with assists provided by Petry and Phillip Danault. The Canadiens extended the lead in the second period as Radulov scored his tenth of the season, thanks to Weber and Nathan Beaulieu. Toronto pulled back on a van Riemsdyk goal, his fourteenth of the year, fueled by Marner, who got a sock trick, and Nikita Zaitsev. Montreal responded in the third period with a Michael McCarron goal, with a lone assist by Daniel Carr. The three stars of the 5-3 game were Radulov, van Riemsdyk, and Marner, while Petry and Weber get the honorable mentions.
Down in Florida, the Panthers host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and James Reimer are called on to start. Boston opened in the first period with a shorthanded and unassisted Brad Marchand goal, his eleventh of the season. The Bruins added on with a David Backes goal in the second period, his tenth of the year, passed from David Krejci and Zdeno Chara. Boston extended the lead as Marchand scored his second of the game and twelfth of the season, thanks to Torey Krug and David Pastrnak on the power play. The Bruins padded the lead with a third period Riley Nash goal, his second of the year, with a lone assist by Kevan Miller. The game ended at 4-0, with the three stars handed to Marchand, Rask (25 save shutout), and Backes.
Back north, the Columbus Blue Jackets welcome the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist faces a lesser foe in Curtis McElhinney in goal. Columbus started in the first period with a Markus Nutivaara goal, his second of the season, made possible by Josh Anderson. The Blue Jackets added on with a Cam Atkinson power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, powered by Sam Gagner and Nick Foligno. New York got on the board with an Oscar Lindberg goal, helped along by Michael Grabner and Nick Holden. Columbus shot back with a Scott Hartnell goal, his tenth of the season, via Gagner. The Blue Jackets extended the lead in the second period as Lukas Sedlak scored his fourth of the year, with the help of Hartnell and Jack Johnson. The Rangers pulled back with a Grabner goal, his seventeenth of the season, going in unassisted. New York got closer in the third period with an Adam Clendening power play goal, assisted by J.T. Miller and Kevin Hayes. The Rangers tied it on another Clendening goal, his second of the game, fueled by Lindberg and Jesper Fast. New York won 5-4 with a Grabner goal, his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars belonged to Grabner, Clendening, and Lindberg, while Gagner and Hartnell get the honorable mentions.
Out to St. Louis, where the Blues bring in the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Carter Hutton occupy the creases. Dallas led off in the first period with a Lauri Korpikoski goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Jordie Benn. St. Louis tied it on a Paul Stastny goal, his eighth of the year, via Brad Hunt and Hutton. The Blues took the lead with a Vladimir Tarasenko power play goal, his twentieth of the season, powered by Stastny and Alexander Steen. The Stars tied it in the second period on a Patrick Eaves power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, with assists provided by Jason Spezza and John Klingberg. St. Louis retook the lead with a Stastny goal, his second of the game and ninth of the season, courtesy of Steen and Kevin Shattenkirk. Antti Niemi replaced Lehtonen in goal. Dallas retied it on a Klingberg goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Korpikoski and Radek Faksa. The Blues took the lead in the third period with a Patrik Berglund goal, his seventh of the campaign, assisted by Shattenkirk and Kyle Brodziak. This stood for a 4-3 win, with the three stars going to Stastny, Steen, and Shattenkirk, while Klingberg and Korpikoski get the honorable mentions.
In Arizona, the Coyotes host the New York Islanders. Thomas Greiss and Louis Domingue are the little-known goalies. New York got going in the second period with an Alan Quine goal, his third of the season, assisted by Johnny Boychuk. Arizona tied it on a Brendan Perlini goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Connor Murphy and Peter Holland. The tie went to a shootout, where Anthony Duclair and Radim Vrbata lifted the Coyotes to a 2-1 win. The three stars were Domingue (27 for 28 in saves), Perlini, and Greiss (24 for 25 in saves).
Up in Calgary, the Flames welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Jacob Markstrom and Chad Johnson are set to play goal. Calgary began in the first period with an Alex Chiasson goal, his seventh of the season, via Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau. The Flames added on with a Matt Stajan goal, his fourth of the year, made possible by Garnet Hathaway and Dougie Hamilton. Vancouver got on the board in the second period with a Bo Horvat goal, his thirteenth of the season, coming off of Alexander Edler and Troy Stecher. Calgary replied in the third period with a Michael Frolik goal, his tenth of the year, helped along by Matthew Tkachuk and Jyrki Jokipakka. This stood for a 3-1 win, with the three stars being Stajan, Johnson (28 for 29 in saves), and Frolik.
Finally, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Detroit Red Wings. Jared Coreau and Martin Jones get the starts in goal. Detroit struck first in the first period with a Thomas Vanek goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Frans Nielsen and Andreas Athanasiou. San Jose tied it on a Joonas Donskoi goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Tommy Wingels and Mirco Mueller. The Sharks took the lead with a Mueller goal, via Dylan DeMelo and Joel Ward. San Jose added on with a Patrick Marleau goal, his twelfth of the season, helped along by Ward and Paul Martin. The Sharks extended the lead in the third period as Joe Pavelski scored his fourteenth of the year, assisted by Brent Burns and Timo Meier. San Jose padded the lead with a Mikkel Boedker goal, his third of the season, guided in by Burns and Martin. The Red Wings answered with an Anthony Mantha goal, his eleventh of the year, fueled by Drew Miller and Luke Glendening. The Sharks countered on Pavelski's second of the game and fifteenth of the season, made possible by Joe Thornton and DeMelo. Detroit replied with an Athanasiou goal, his seventh of the year, with helpers from Xavier Ouellet and Vanek. This only made it 6-3, the final, with the three stars going to Pavelski, Mueller, and DeMelo, while Athanasiou, Vanek, Ward, Burns, and Martin get the honorable mentions.
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