The Carolina Hurricanes hosting the New York Islanders. Thomas Greiss and Cam Ward are the goalies. Carolina opened in the first period with a Joakim Nordstrom goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Lee Stempniak and Lucas Wallmark. The Hurricanes added on in the second period with an Elias Lindholm goal, his seventh of the year, going in unassisted. New York got on the board with a Joshua Ho-Sang goal, his third of the season, passed from Nikolay Kulemin. The Islanders tied it on a Jason Chimera goal, his seventeenth of the year, coming off of Cal Clutterbuck and Calvin de Haan. New York won 3-2 in overtime with a John Tavares goal, his twenty-sixth of the campaign, helped along by Ho-Sang and Nick Leddy. The three stars were Ho-Sang, Tavares, and Greiss (30 for 32 in saves).
Up the coast, the Washington Capitals welcome the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Braden Holtby tend the twines. Washington started in the first period with a Nate Schmidt goal, his second of the season, assisted by Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie. The Capitals added on in the second period with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, guided in by John Carlson and Backstrom. Washington extended the lead as Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, his sixteenth of the season, a power play goal coming off of Backstrom, who got a sock trick, and Carlson. Minnesota got on the board in the third period with a Matt Dumba goal, his eighth of the year, with a lone assist by Mikael Granlund. The Wild got closer with an Eric Staal power play goal, his twenty-third of the season, powered by Mikko Koivu and Ryan Suter. The Capitals replied with a Jay Beagle goal, his twelfth of the year, made possible by Dmitry Orlov. This made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars being Backstrom, Carlson, and Kuznetsov.
In Canada, the Montreal Canadiens host the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Carey Price are the similarly named goalies. Chicago struck first in the first period with a Patrick Kane goal, his thirty-first of the season, guided in by Artem Anisimov and Niklas Hjalmarsson. The Blackhawks added on in the second period with a Johnny Oduya goal, his second of the year, going in unassisted. Chicago extended the lead in the third period as Artemi Panarin scored his twenty-third of the season, thanks to Nick Schmaltz and Kane. Montreal got on the board with a Paul Byron goal, his nineteenth of the year, made possible by Brendan Gallagher and Brandon Davidson. The Canadiens got closer with a Shea Weber goal, his sixteenth of the season, helped along by Alex Galchenyuk and Alexander Radulov. The Blackhawks iced it at 4-2 with a Jonathan Toews empty net goal, his eighteenth of the year, set up by Kane and Duncan Keith. The three stars were handed to Kane, Panarin, and Oduya.
Over in Ontario, the Ottawa Senators bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Mike Condon are in goal. Tampa Bay began in the first period with a Brayden Point goal, his twelfth of the season, passed from Jake Dotchin and Braydon Coburn. Ottawa tied it on a Tommy Wingels goal in the second period, his seventh of the year, going in unassisted. The Lightning won 2-1 in overtime with a Victor Hedman goal, his fourteenth of the campaign, coming off of Ondrej Palat. The three stars were Hedman, Vasilevskiy (31 for 32 in saves), and Point.
Back south, the Florida Panthers host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen and James Reimer are in the blue paint. Florida led off in the first period with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his eighteenth of the season, assisted by Jonathan Huberdeau. The Panthers added on with a Colton Sceviour shorthanded goal, his ninth of the year, set up by Derek MacKenzie and Michael Matheson. Toronto got on the board with a Leo Komarov power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by William Nylander. Florida replied with a Jonathan Marchessault goal, his twenty-first of the year, fueled by Thomas Vanek. Curtis McElhinney replaced Andersen in goal for the second period. The Panthers extended the lead in the second period as Marchessault scored his second of the game and twenty-second of the season, with the help of Barkov and Vanek. Florida padded the lead on a Reilly Smith goal, his eleventh of the year, with a lone assist by Keith Yandle. The Maple Leafs pulled back with a Nikita Soshnikov goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Matt Martin and Brian Boyle. The Panthers responded with a Jussi Jokinen power play goal, his tenth of the year, with assists provided by Vanek, who got a sock trick, and Vincent Trocheck. Florida continued in the third period with a Yandle goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Vanek and Trocheck. This produced the 7-2 final, with the three stars going to Marchessault, Vanek, and Barkov, while Trocheck and Yandle get the honorable mentions.
Way northwest to Edmonton, where the Oilers welcome the Dallas Stars. Antti Niemi and Cam Talbot are in the creases. Edmonton was first to score in the first period with a Benoit Pouliot goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Zack Kassian. The Oilers added on with an Oscar Klefbom power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by Milan Lucic and Leon Draisaitl. Edmonton extended the lead in the second period as Darnell Nurse scored his fourth of the season, an unassisted goal. Dallas got on the board with a Brett Ritchie goal, his twelfth of the year, via Curtis McKenzie and Adam Cracknell. The Oilers replied with a David Desharnais goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Anton Slepyshev and Andrej Sekera. Edmonton padded the lead with a Patrick Maroon goal, his twenty-second of the year, helped along by Draisaitl. The Oilers continued in the third period with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal, his fourteenth of the season, courtesy of Lucic and Jordan Eberle. Edmonton iced it at 7-1 with a Connor McDavid goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, coming off of Maroon and Kassian. The three stars went to Maroon, Lucic, and Draisaitl, while Kassian gets a honorable mention.
In California, the Los Angeles Kings host the Arizona Coyotes. Louis Domingue and Ben Bishop are called on to start in goal. Los Angeles got going in the second period with a Tyler Toffoli goal, his thirteenth of the season, assisted by Jake Muzzin and Anze Kopitar. Arizona tied it on a Max Domi goal, his eighth of the year, via Christian Dvorak and Jakob Chychrun in the third period. The Kings retook the lead on a Toffoli power play goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, powered by Jeff Carter and Kopitar. The Coyotes tied it again with a Domi goal, his second of the game and ninth of the year, passed from Shane Doan and Radim Vrbata. In the shootout, Brendan Perlini and Anthony DeAngelo lifted the Coyotes over Carter and the Kings by a 3-2 final. The three stars were Domi, Toffoli, and Kopitar.
Finally, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Robin Lehner and Martin Jones protect the nets. Buffalo opened in the first period with a Jack Eichel goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Matt Moulson and Josh Gorges. San Jose tied it on a Joe Pavelski power play goal in the second period, his twenty-seventh of the year, powered by Logan Couture and Joe Thornton. The Sharks took the lead on an unassisted Micheal Haley goal, his second of the season. San Jose added on in the third period with a Pavelski goal, his second of the game and twenty-eighth of the year, coming off of Jannik Hansen and Dylan DeMelo. The Sharks extended the lead as Couture scored his twenty-fourth of the season, helped along by Joel Ward and Patrick Marleau. This made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars awarded to Pavelski, Couture, and Jones (22 for 23 in saves).
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