NHL 2017-18 Day 56

Four games on tonight, beginning with...

The Boston Bruins hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Tuukka Rask protect the nets. Boston led off in the first period with a Charlie McAvoy goal, his third of the season, coming off of David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand. The Bruins added on with a Riley Nash goal, his second of the year, via Danton Heinen and Marchand. Boston extended the lead as Torey Krug scored his fourth of the season in the second period, thanks to Ryan Spooner and McAvoy. Tampa Bay got on the board with an Andrej Sustr goal, passed from Braydon Coburn and Chris Kunitz. The Lightning got closer in the third period with a Steven Stamkos power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Nikita Kucherov and Mikhail Sergachev. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars given to McAvoy, Krug, and Marchand.

Up in Quebec, the Montreal Canadiens welcome the Ottawa Senators. Mike Condon is mismatched with former mentor Carey Price in goal. Ottawa began in the first period with a shorthanded and unassisted Mark Stone goal, his fourteenth of the season. Montreal tied it on a Jonathan Drouin penalty shot goal in the second period, his fifth of the year. The Canadiens took the lead with a Phillip Danault goal, his fourth of the season, guided in by Andrew Shaw and Max Pacioretty. This stood for a 2-1 win eventually, with the three stars going to Price (27 for 28 in saves), Danault, and Drouin.

Back stateside, the St. Louis Blues bring in the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson and Jake Allen guard the cages. Anaheim opened in the first period with an Antoine Vermette goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Kevin Roy and Francois Beauchemin. The Ducks added on with a Roy power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Cam Fowler and Sami Vatanen in the second period. Anaheim extended the lead as Vermette scored his second of the game and fifth of the season, thanks to Chris Wagner and Kevin Bieksa on the power play. St. Louis got on the board with a Kyle Brodziak goal in the third period, his fourth of the year, via Dmitrij Jaskin and Joel Edmundson. The Blues got closer with a Brodziak goal, his second of the game and fifth of the campaign, helped along by Vladimir Sobotka and Colton Parayko. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars given to Vermette, Brodziak, and Roy.

Finally, the Colorado Avalanche host the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Semyon Varlamov draw the starts in goal. Winnipeg started in the first period with a Josh Morrissey goal, his third of the season, fueled by Mark Scheifele and Brandon Tanev. Colorado tied it on an Alexander Kerfoot power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by J.T. Compher and Nathan MacKinnon. Winnipeg retook the lead in the third period on a Bryan Little goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Nikolaj Ehlers and Dustin Byfuglien. The Avalanche tied it again with a Nikita Zadorov goal, his third of the year, via Blake Comeau and Gabriel Bourque. Colorado won 3-2 in overtime with a MacKinnon power play goal, with assists provided by Kerfoot and Tyson Barrie. The three stars went to MacKinnon, Kerfoot, and Varlamov (31 for 33 in saves).

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NHL 2017-18 Day 55

Ten games on today, beginning with...

The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Robin Lehner are the goalies. Tampa Bay opened in the first period with a Mikhail Sergachev power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat. The Lightning added on in the second period with a Dan Girardi goal, via Vladislav Namestnikov and Nikita Kucherov. The final remained at 2-0, with the three stars awarded to Vasilevskiy (34 save shutout), Sergachev, and Girardi.

Down in Brooklyn, the New York Islanders welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Anders Nilsson and Jaroslav Halak draw the starts in goal. New York started in the first period with an Andrew Ladd shorthanded goal, his sixth of the season, set up by Adam Pelech and John Tavares. Vancouver tied it on a Thomas Vanek power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Loui Eriksson and Sam Gagner. The Islanders retook the lead on a Calvin de Haan goal, via Joshua Ho-Sang and Alan Quine. New York added on with a Jordan Eberle goal, his tenth of the season, guided in by Mathew Barzal and Johnny Boychuk. The Islanders extended the lead in the second period as Anders Lee scored his thirteenth of the year, an unassisted goal. The Canucks got one back with a shorthanded Bo Horvat goal, his tenth of the season, with a lone assist by Christopher Tanev. New York replied in the third period with a Tavares goal, his sixteenth of the year, passed from Lee and Pelech. The final held at 5-2 with the three stars being Tavares, Lee, and Pelech.

Also in New York, the Rangers bring in the Florida Panthers. James Reimer and Henrik Lundqvist are in goal. Florida led off in the first period with an Aleksander Barkov power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Jonathan Huberdeau and Keith Yandle. The Panthers added on with a Jamie McGinn goal, his fourth of the year, fueled by Nick Bjugstad. Florida extended the lead as Micheal Haley scored, thanks to Yandle and Colton Sceviour. Ondrej Pavelec replaced Lundqvist in goal. New York got on the board with a J.T. Miller goal in the second period, his fourth of the season, guided in by Mats Zuccarello and Brady Skjei. The Panthers replied with a Huberdeau goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Mike Matheson and MacKenzie Weegar. The Rangers got one back with a Pavel Buchnevich goal, his ninth of the season, helped along by Chris Kreider and David Desharnais. New York got closer with a Kreider goal, his ninth of the year, via Buchnevich and Desharnais. The Rangers tied it in the third period with a Kreider goal, his second of the game and tenth of the season, passed from Desharnais, who got a sock trick, and Buchnevich. Florida regained the lead with a Denis Malgin goal, made possible by Mark Pysyk and Huberdeau. This stood for a 5-4 win, with the three stars handed to Huberdeau, Kreider, and Yandle, while Buchnevich and Desharnais get the honorable mentions.

Over in Philadelphia, the Flyers host the San Jose Sharks. Aaron Dell and Michal Neuvirth are the backups in goal. Philadelphia began in the first period with a Claude Giroux goal, his eleventh of the season, passed from Jakub Voracek and Andrew MacDonald. San Jose tied it on a Chris Tierney goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Brent Burns and Brenden Dillon. The Sharks took the lead with a Joe Thornton power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski. San Jose added on in the second period with a Marc-Edouard Vlasic goal, his second of the year, helped along by Couture and Justin Braun. The final held at 3-1, with the three stars being Couture, Thornton, and Dell (22 for 23 in saves).

West to Columbus, where the Blue Jackets welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Scott Darling and Joonas Korpisalo man the nets. Columbus was first to score in the first period with a Josh Anderson goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Pierre-Luc Dubois and Zach Werenski. Carolina tied it on a Noah Hanifin goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Derek Ryan and Jeff Skinner. The Blue Jackets retook the lead in the second period with a Werenski goal, his seventh of the season, passed from Alexander Wennberg and Sonny Milano. The Hurricanes tied it in the third period with a Brock McGinn goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Brett Pesce and Josh Jooris. Columbus won 3-2 in the shootout with tallies by Cam Atkinson and Artemi Panarin. The three stars went to Werenski, Panarin, and Darling (36 for 38 in saves).

Up in Detroit, the Red Wings bring in the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Jimmy Howard protect the nets. Detroit struck first in the first period with a Mike Green goal, his second of the season, assisted by Frans Nielsen and Darren Helm. Los Angeles tied it in the second period with a Dustin Brown goal, his tenth of the year, fueled by Anze Kopitar and Christian Folin. The Kings took the lead with a Kopitar power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Drew Doughty and Alec Martinez. Los Angeles added on in the third period with an Adrian Kempe goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Oscar Fantenberg and Trevor Lewis. The Kings extended the lead as Kopitar scored his second of the game and twelfth of the season, with the help of Doughty and Jake Muzzin. The final stayed at 4-1, with the three stars given to Kopitar, Doughty, and Quick (23 for 24 in saves).

South to Nashville, where the Predators host the Chicago Blackhawks. Anton Forsberg is mismatched with Pekka Rinne in goal. Nashville led off in the first period with a Filip Forsberg goal, his twelfth of the season, guided in by Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Johansen. Chicago tied it on a Tommy Wingels goal, his second of the year, assisted by Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Sharp. The Predators took the lead back in the second period with an Austin Watson goal, his third of the season, coming off of Matt Irwin and Anthony Bitetto. Nashville added on in the third period with a Roman Josi power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Kyle Turris. The Blackhawks got one back with a Lance Bouma goal, his second of the season, via John Hayden and Jan Rutta. This made it 3-2, which wasn't enough for them in the loss. The three stars were Rinne (37 for 39 in saves), Josi, and Watson.

In Alberta, the Calgary Flames welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen and Mike Smith guard the cages. Toronto opened in the first period with an unassisted Roman Polak goal. The Maple Leafs added on with a Nikita Zaitsev goal in the second period, his fourth of the season, assisted by Zach Hyman and Auston Matthews. Toronto extended the lead in the third period as Nazem Kadri scored his twelfth of the year, thanks to William Nylander. Calgary got on the board with a Michael Stone goal, his second of the season, made possible by Sam Bennett and Troy Brouwer. The Maple Leafs iced it at 4-1 with a Leo Komarov empty net goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Zaitsev, Kadri, and Polak.

Staying in the province, the Edmonton Oilers bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Scott Wedgewood and Cam Talbot are in the blue paint. Arizona started in the first period with a Christian Fischer goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Christian Dvorak and Max Domi. Edmonton tied it on a Zack Kassian goal, made possible by Mark Letestu. The Coyotes took the lead in the second period with an Oliver Ekman-Larsson power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Domi and Clayton Keller. The Oilers tied it in the third period with a Matt Benning goal, his third of the season, fueled by Kris Russell and Milan Lucic. Edmonton won 4-3 in overtime with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal, his ninth of the year, via Benning. The three stars were Benning, Nugent-Hopkins, and Domi.

Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights host the Dallas Stars. Ben Bishop and Malcolm Subban are given the green light in goal. Dallas got going in the second period with a Radek Faksa goal, his sixth of the season, via Dan Hamhuis and Greg Pateryn. The Stars added on with another Faksa goal, his second of the game and seventh of the year, coming off of Gemel Smith and Brett Ritchie. Dallas extended the lead as Faksa finished the natural hat trick with his eighth of the season, thanks to Antoine Roussel and Tyler Pitlick. The game ended at 3-0, with the three stars being Faksa, Bishop (34 save shutout), and Hamhuis.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 54

We've got five games on tonight, beginning with...

The New Jersey Devils hosting the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider are the former teammates in goal. Florida got going in the second period with a shorthanded Aleksander Barkov goal, his seventh of the season, set up by Mike Matheson. New Jersey tied it on a third period Nico Hischier goal, his fifth of the year, with a lone assist by Pavel Zacha. The Panthers took the lead on an unassisted Vincent Trocheck goal, his tenth of the season. The Devils retied it as Jesper Bratt scored his seventh of the year, going in unassisted. Florida retook the lead with a Jared McCann goal, his fourth of the campaign, helped along by Dryden Hunt and Matheson. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Matheson, McCann, and Trocheck.

In Pittsburgh, the Penguins welcome the Philadelphia Flyers in a battle of Pennsylvania. Brian Elliott and Matt Murray are the goalies. Pittsburgh opened in the first period with a Jake Guentzel goal, his tenth of the season, passed from Justin Schultz and the goalie Murray. Philadelphia tied it on a Shayne Gostisbehere goal in the second period, his third of the year, a power play goal powered by Nolan Patrick and Claude Giroux. The Flyers took the lead with a Travis Konecny goal, his third of the season, guided in by Brandon Manning and Michael Raffl. Murray exited the game injured, replaced by Tristan Jarry. Philadelphia added on with a Sean Couturier goal, his fourteenth of the year, via Ivan Provorov and Giroux. The Penguins pulled back with a Patric Hornqvist power play goal in the third period, his eighth of the season, with assists provided by Guentzel and Sidney Crosby. Pittsburgh tied it as Bryan Rust scored an unassisted goal, his fourth of the year. The Flyers retook the lead with a Raffl goal, his second of the season, going in unassisted. The Penguins retied it on a Guentzel goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, helped along by Schultz and Crosby. Pittsburgh won 5-4 in overtime with a Crosby goal, his tenth of the campaign, assisted by Kris Letang and Phil Kessel. The three stars were Crosby, Guentzel, and Schultz, while Raffl and Giroux get the honorable mentions.

Up in Quebec, the Montreal Canadiens host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Carey Price tend the twines. Montreal started in the first period with an unassisted Brendan Gallagher goal, his tenth of the season. The Canadiens added on with a Jonathan Drouin power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Jeff Petry and Alex Galchenyuk. Columbus got on the board in the second period with a Pierre-Luc Dubois goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Josh Anderson and Artemi Panarin. Montreal iced it at 3-1 with an Andrew Shaw empty net goal in the third period, his fifth of the year, set up by Max Pacioretty and Tomas Plekanec. The three stars went to Price (37 for 38 in saves), Drouin, and Gallagher.

Over in Winnipeg, the Jets bring in the Minnesota Wild. Alex Stalock and Connor Hellebuyck draw the starts in goal. Minnesota led off in the first period with a Jason Zucker goal, his thirteenth of the season, guided in by Charlie Coyle and Gustav Olofsson. The Wild added on with a Chris Stewart goal, his seventh of the year, fueled by Matt Cullen and Marcus Foligno. Winnipeg got on the board with a Joel Armia goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Matt Hendricks and Josh Morrissey. The Jets tied it on a Mark Scheifele power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor. Winnipeg took the lead in the second period with a Jacob Trouba goal, his second of the season, via Scheifele and Andrew Copp. The Jets extended the lead as Mathieu Perreault scored his sixth of the year, thanks to Armia. Winnipeg padded the lead with a Connor power play goal in the third period, his seventh of the season, with helpers from Wheeler and Scheifele. The Jets continued with a Bryan Little goal, his fourth of the year, helped along by Ben Chiarot and Nikolaj Ehlers. Winnipeg capped it at 7-2 with a Wheeler goal, his sixth of the campaign, passed from Connor and Dmitry Kulikov. The three stars were Scheifele, Connor, and Wheeler, while Armia gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Chicago Blackhawks host the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson and Corey Crawford guard the cages. Chicago began in the first period with a Patrick Sharp goal, his third of the season, via Ryan Hartman and Alex DeBrincat. The Blackhawks added on with a DeBrincat goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Nick Schmaltz and Brent Seabrook. Chicago extended the lead as Brandon Saad scored his ninth of the season, with the help of Jan Rutta and Richard Panik. The Blackhawks chased Gibson with an Artem Anisimov power play goal in the second period, his eleventh of the year, powered by Schmaltz and Patrick Kane. Ryan Miller came on in relief. Anaheim got on the board with a Jakob Silfverberg goal, his sixth of the season, going in unassisted. Chicago answered with a DeBrincat goal, his second of the game and ninth of the year, fueled by Hartman and Sharp. The Ducks replied on a Chris Wagner goal, his third of the season, guided in by Andrew Cogliano and Silfverberg. The Blackhawks countered with a DeBrincat goal, completing his hat trick on his tenth of the year, a power play goal with assists from Kane and Duncan Keith. Anaheim responded with a Wagner power play goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, with helpers from Hampus Lindholm and Nick Ritchie in the third period. Chicago shot back with a Schmaltz goal, his fourth of the year, dished from Kane, who got a sock trick, and Connor Murphy. This made it 7-3, the final, with the three stars being DeBrincat, Wagner, and Kane, while Schmaltz, Hartman, Sharp, and Silfverberg get the honorable mentions.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 53

Just three games on today to end the weekend, all of which are at earlier times. We begin with...

The Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Scott Darling man the nets. Carolina led off in the first period with a Josh Jooris goal, his third of the season, made possible by Marcus Kruger and Trevor van Riemsdyk. Nashville tied it on a Viktor Arvidsson goal, his ninth of the year, coming off Mattias Ekholm and the goalie Saros. The Predators took the lead in the second period with an Ekholm power play goal, his sixth of the season, helped along by Roman Josi and Kyle Turris. The Hurricanes tied it on a Victor Rask goal, his fourth of the year, via Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin. Carolina took the lead back in the third period with a Justin Williams power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Derek Ryan and Rask. Nashville retied it on a Craig Smith goal, his eighth of the year, with a lone assist by Kevin Fiala. The tie went to the shootout, where Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen tallied to give the Hurricanes a 4-3 win, with the three stars going to Rask, Ekholm, and Williams.

Up in New York, the Rangers welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Jacob Markstrom and Henrik Lundqvist are the in creases. Vancouver began in the first period with a Loui Eriksson goal, his third of the season, with a lone assist by Henrik Sedin. The Canucks added on in the second period with a Jake Virtanen goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. New York got on the board with a Jesper Fast goal, his fourth of the season, passed from Nick Holden and Brendan Smith. The Rangers tied it in the third period with a Michael Grabner goal, his tenth of the year, assisted by Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Shattenkirk. Vancouver retook the lead on a Sam Gagner goal, his third of the season, coming off of Thomas Vanek. New York retied it on a Jimmy Vesey goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Rick Nash and Kevin Hayes. The Rangers won 4-3 with shootout tallies from Vesey, Nash, and Shattenkirk topping Brock Boeser and Sven Baertschi. The three stars were Vesey, Bash, and Shattenkirk.

Finally, the Boston Bruins bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Cam Talbot and Tuukka Rask guard the cages. Boston was first to score in the first period with a David Pastrnak power play goal, his twelfth of the season, powered by Torey Krug and the goalie Rask. Edmonton tied it on a Patrick Maroon goal in the second period, his seventh of the year, with a lone assist from Zack Kassian. The Oilers took the lead with a Milan Lucic goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Michael Cammalleri and Connor McDavid. The Bruins tied it on a David Krejci goal, his third of the year, fueled by Riley Nash and Krug. Edmonton took the lead in the third period with a Ryan Strome goal, his fourth of the season, passed from Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers iced it at 4-2 with a Draisaitl empty net goal, his seventh of the year, set up by McDavid and Lucic. The three stars were Drasaitl, Lucic, and McDavid, while Krug gets an honorable mention.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 52

Eleven games on today as the holiday weekend remains healthy on the hockey schedule. We begin with...

The Detroit Red Wings hosting the New Jersey Devils. Keith Kinkaid and Petr Mrazek are the backups in goal. Detroit led off in the first period with a David Booth goal, passed from Luke Glendening and Xavier Ouellet. New Jersey tied it on a Brian Boyle goal, his third of the season, helped along by Steven Santini and Miles Wood. The Devils took the lead with a Taylor Hall power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Will Butcher. New Jersey added on in the second period with a Nico Hischier goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Hall and Adam Henrique. Jimmy Howard replaced Mrazek in goal. The Red Wings got one back with an Anthony Mantha goal, his eleventh of the year, assisted by Dylan Larkin. Detroit tied it on a Booth goal, his second of the game, via Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader. The Devils won 4-3 in overtime with a Brian Gibbons goal, his eleventh of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Hall, Booth, and Gibbons.

In Quebec, the Montreal Canadiens welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Robin Lehner and Carey Price draw the starts in goal. Montreal began in the first period with a Jeff Petry power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Jonathan Drouin and Alex Galchenyuk. The Canadiens added on in the second period with a Galchenyuk goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Paul Byron and Drouin. Montreal extended the lead in the third period on a shorthanded and unassisted Byron goal, his sixth of the campaign. This made it 3-0, the final, with the three stars awarded to Price (36 save shutout), Byron, and Galchenyuk, while Drouin gets an honorable mention.

Over to Ottawa, where the Senators bring in the New York Islanders. Jaroslav Halak and Craig Anderson are the veteran goalies. New York got going in the second period with an Anders Lee power play goal, his twelfth of the season, powered by Josh Bailey and Nick Leddy. The Islanders added on with a Jordan Eberle goal, his ninth of the year, assisted by Leddy and Mathew Barzal. Ottawa got on the board with a Matt Duchene power play goal, his fifth of the campaign, with assists provided by Mark Stone and Mike Hoffman. This wasn't enough to avoid the 2-1 loss, with the three stars of the Islanders win being Halak (31 for 32 in saves), Leddy, and Eberle.

Stateside, the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Peter Budaj and Tristan Jarry are the lesser known goalies. Pittsburgh opened in the first period with a Bryan Rust shorthanded goal, his third of the season, set up by the goalie Jarry. The Penguins added on with a Phil Kessel power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Sidney Crosby and Patric Hornqvist. Pittsburgh extended the lead as Crosby scored his eighth of the season on the power play, thanks to Kessel and Justin Schultz. The Penguins padded the lead in the second period with a Kessel goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, with a lone assist by Riley Sheahan. Tampa Bay got on the board with an Ondrej Palat power play goal, his seventh of the season, helped along by Mikhail Sergachev and Yanni Gourde. Pittsburgh replied in the third period with a Crosby power play goal, his second of the game and ninth of the year, guided in by Kessel and Schultz. The Lightning got one back with a Cory Conacher goal, passed from Alex Killorn and Tyler Johnson. This made it a 5-2 game, with the three stars given to Crosby, Kessel, and Schultz.

Back in Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs welcome the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby faces a lesser foe in Curtis McElhinney in goal. Washington started in the first period with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his sixteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals added on with an Ovechkin power play goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, powered by T.J. Oshie. Washington extended the lead as Jakub Vrana scored his seventh of the season in the second period, with the help of Oshie and Matt Niskanen. Toronto got on the board in the third period with a Jake Gardiner goal, his second of the year, via Auston Matthews. The Maple Leafs got closer with a Nikita Zaitsev goal, his third of the season, fueled by William Nylander and Dominic Moore. The Capitals iced it at 4-2 with an Ovechkin empty net goal to complete his hat trick on his eighteenth of the year, set up by Oshie, who got a sock trick, and Backstrom. The three stars were Ovechkin, Oshie, and Backstrom.

South to Florida, as the Panthers bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Roberto Luongo tend the twines. Chicago struck first in the first period with a John Hayden goal, his third of the season, with a lone assist by Tommy Wingels. The Blackhawks added on with a Brandon Saad goal, his eighth of the year, via Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith. Florida got on the board in the second period with a Jared McCann goal, his third of the season, helped along by Evgenii Dadonov and Jonathan Huberdeau. Chicago replied with a Patrick Kane goal, his ninth of the year, passed from Toews and Saad. The Blackhawks extended the lead as Toews scored his sixth of the campaign, an unassisted goal. This led to the eventual 4-1 final score, with the three stars being Toews, Crawford (37 for 38 in saves), and Saad.

Northwest to St. Louis, as the Blues host the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Jake Allen guard the cages. St. Louis was first to score in the first period with a Paul Stastny power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Vladimir Sobotka and Alexander Steen. The Blues added on with a Dmitrij Jaskin goal, his third of the year, fueled by Chris Thorburn. St. Louis extended the lead as Jaden Schwartz scored his twelfth of the season, thanks to Vladimir Tarasenko. Minnesota got on the board in the second period with a shorthanded and unassisted Charlie Coyle goal. The Blues replied with a shorthanded Kyle Brodziak goal in the third period, his third of the year, going in unassisted. The Wild chipped back on a Zack Mitchell power play goal, his second of the year, assisted by Daniel Winnik and Tyler Ennis. Minnesota got closer with an Eric Staal power play goal, his eighth of the season, with assists provided by Matt Dumba and Jason Zucker. St. Louis answered on a Schwartz power play goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the campaign, coming off of Colton Parayko and Tarasenko. The Blues finished it at 6-3 with a Sammy Blais power play goal, with helpers from Steen and Parayko. The three stars were Schwartz, Tarasenko, and Steen, while Parayko gets an honorable mention.

In the desert, the Arizona Coyotes welcome the Vegas Golden Knights. Malcolm Subban and Scott Wedgewood are the little-known goalies. Vegas dented the scoreboard with a shorthanded and unassisted Tomas Nosek goal, his third of the season. The Golden Knights added on with a William Karlsson goal, his thirteenth of the year, made possible by Jonathan Marchessault. Vegas extended the lead as Erik Haula scored his seventh of the season on the power play, with the help of Marchessault and Shea Theodore. Arizona got on the board with an Oliver Ekman-Larsson goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Derek Stepan in the third period. The Coyotes got closer with a Brendan Perlini goal, his eighth of the season, guided in by Stepan and Max Domi. The Golden Knights iced it at 4-2 with a Marchessault empty net goal, his eighth of the year, set up by Karlsson and Reilly Smith. The three stars went to Marchessault, Karlsson, and Stepan.

Up in Colorado, the Avalanche bring in the Calgary Flames. David Rittich and Jonathan Bernier are in the creases. Calgary opened in the first period with a Dougie Hamilton power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Matthew Tkachuk and Mikael Backlund. Colorado tied it on a Mikko Rantanen power play goal in the second period, his seventh of the year, going in unassisted. The Flames retook the lead with a Micheal Ferland goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Sean Monahan. Calgary added on with a Backlund goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Travis Hamonic and Michael Frolik. The Avalanche pulled back in the third period on a Nikita Zadorov goal, his second of the campaign, with a lone assist by Mark Barberio. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Backlund, Rittich (24 for 26 in saves), and Ferland.

Out in California, the San Jose Sharks host the Winnipeg Jets. Steve Mason and Martin Jones are between the pipes. San Jose started in the first period with a Tim Heed power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Kevin Labanc and Joe Thornton. The Sharks added on with a Logan Couture goal, his twelfth of the year, via Justin Braun and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Connor Hellebuyck replaced Mason in goal. San Jose extended the lead in the second period as Couture scored his second of the game and thirteenth of the season shorthanded, set up by Tomas Hertl and Vlasic. The Sharks padded the lead with a Hertl empty net goal in the third period, his fifth of the year, helped along by Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns. The three stars were Couture, Jones (38 save shutout), and Hertl, while Vlasic gets an honorable mention.

Finally, a battle of California ends the day with the Los Angeles Kings hosting the Anaheim Ducks. Ryan Miller and Jonathan Quick are the American goalies. Anaheim struck first in the first period with a Nick Ritchie goal, his third of the season, helped along by Corey Perry and Cam Fowler. Los Angeles tied it in the third period with a Dustin Brown goal, his ninth of the year, assisted by Trevor Lewis and Drew Doughty. The tie went into a shootout, where Perry got topped by Anze Kopitar and Lewis as the Kings won 2-1. The three stars were Lewis, Perry, and Miller (33 for 34 in saves).

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NHL 2017-18 Day 51

It's the 51st game day of the season, with fourteen games played on Black Friday. We begin with...

The Boston Bruins hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins. Matt Murray and Anton Khudobin are the goalies. Boston started in the first period with a David Krejci goal, his second of the season, made possible by Jake DeBrusk and Peter Cehlarik. The Bruins added on with a Sean Kuraly goal, his third of the year, passed from Charlie McAvoy. Pittsburgh got on the board in the second period with a Jake Guentzel power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Kris Letang and Sidney Crosby. Boston answered with a Matt Grzelcyk goal, assisted by Krejci and DeBrusk. The Penguins countered with a Phil Kessel goal, his ninth of the year, coming off of Riley Sheahan and Justin Schultz. Pittsburgh tied it with a Crosby goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Patric Hornqvist and Matt Hunwick. The Bruins won 4-3 in the third period with a David Pastrnak goal, his eleventh of the year, via Riley Nash and Ryan Spooner. The three stars went to Krejci, DeBrusk, and Crosby.

In Philadelphia, the Flyers welcome the New York Islanders. Thomas Greiss and Brian Elliott are the average goalies. New York began in the first period with a Mathew Barzal goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Andrew Ladd and Scott Mayfield. Philadelphia tied it in the second period with a Claude Giroux goal, his tenth of the year, via Robert Hagg. The Flyers took the lead with a Wayne Simmonds goal, his seventh of the season, passed from Shayne Gostisbehere and Nolan Patrick. The Islanders retied it on a Cal Clutterbuck goal, his fourth of the year, assisted by Dennis Seidenberg and Mayfield. Philadelphia regained the lead with a Gostisbehere goal, his second of the season, coming off of Giroux and Sean Couturier. The Flyers added on with a Couturier goal, his thirteenth of the year, fueled by Jakub Voracek and Giroux. New York got one back with a Jordan Eberle power play goal, his eighth of the season, helped along by Josh Bailey and Adam Pelech. The Islanders tied it as Ladd scored his fifth of the year, thanks to Eberle and Barzal. New York won 5-4 in overtime with a Nick Leddy goal, his sixth of the campaign, with helpers from Joshua Ho-Sang and John Tavares. The three stars were Eberle, Ladd, and Barzal, while Mayfield, Giroux, Couturier, Gostisbehere. and Voracek get the honorable mentions.

Out west, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and John Gibson are between the pipes. Winnipeg opened in the first period with a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Patrik Laine and Bryan Little. The Jets added on with an Ehlers power play goal, his second of the game and tenth of the year, powered by Tyler Myers and Little. Anaheim got on the board in the second period with a Francois Beauchemin goal, coming off of Mike Liambas and Dennis Rasmussen. Winnipeg replied with a Little power play goal, his third of the season, with assists provided by Myers and Ehlers. The Jets iced it at 4-1 in the third period with a Kyle Connor empty net goal, his sixth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were given to Ehlers, Little, and Myers.

Backtracking to Minnesota, where the Wild host the Colorado Avalanche. Jonathan Bernier and Alex Stalock are the backups in goal. Minnesota led off in the first period with a Jason Zucker goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Eric Staal and Mike Reilly. Colorado tied it on a shorthanded J.T. Compher goal, his third of the year, set up by Gabriel Landeskog. The Avalanche took the lead with a Blake Comeau goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Carl Soderberg and Tyson Barrie. The Wild retied it on a Nino Niederreiter power play goal in the second period, his ninth of the year, powered by Mikko Koivu and Mikael Granlund. Minnesota won 3-2 in the shootout with tallies by Charlie Coyle and Chris Stewart. The three stars went to Niederreiter, Zucker, and Coyle.

East to DC, where the Washington Capitals welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy faces a lesser foe in Philipp Grubauer in goal. Tampa Bay struck first in the first period with a Vladislav Namestnikov power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman. Washington tied it on an Alex Ovechkin goal, his fifteenth of the year, coming off of Tom Wilson and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals took the lead in the second period with a Devante Smith-Pelly goal, his third of the season, passed from Jay Beagle and Dmitry Orlov. Washington capped it at 3-1 with a Beagle empty net goal, his third of the year, set up by Matt Niskanen. The three stars were Beagle, Smith-Pelly, and Grubauer (25 for 26 in saves).

Westward to Nevada, as the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Maxime Lagace make the starts in goal. Vegas was first to score in the first period with a Shea Theodore goal, assisted by Cody Eakin and Brendan Leipsic. The Golden Knights added on with a James Neal power play goal, his twelfth of the season, powered by Erik Haula and Jonathan Marchessault. San Jose got on the board with a Tomas Hertl goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Joonas Donskoi and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Vegas replied with a William Karlsson power play goal in the second period, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Alex Tuch and Reilly Smith. Aaron Dell replaced Jones in goal. The Golden Knights extended the lead as Karlsson scored his second of the game and twelfth of the year, with a lone assist by Marchessault. The Sharks got one back with a Brent Burns goal, helped along by Joe Thornton. San Jose got closer with a Chris Tierney goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Justin Braun and Joel Ward. The Sharks tied it with a Mikkel Boedker power play goal, his third of the year, with assists provided by Joe Pavelski and Thornton. Vegas won 5-4 in overtime with a Marchessault goal, his seventh of the campaign, via Theodore and Neal. The three stars were Marchessault, Karlsson, and Neal, while Theodore and Thornton get the honorable mentions.

East again to Buffalo, where the Sabres host the Edmonton Oilers. Laurent Brossoit and Robin Lehner are in the blue paint. Buffalo got going in the second period with a Jacob Josefson goal, passed from Kyle Okposo and Jordan Nolan. The Sabres added on with a Jack Eichel goal in the third period, his seventh of the season, assisted by Evander Kane and Rasmus Ristolainen. Buffalo extended the lead as Okposo scored an empty net goal, his third of the year, set up by Ristolainen and Kane. Edmonton got on the board with a Yohann Auvitu goal, going in unassisted. The three stars of the 3-1 game were Lehner (29 for 30 in saves), Okposo, and Kane, while Ristolainen gets an honorable mention.

Down in New Jersey, the Devils welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Jacob Markstrom and Cody Schneider are the solid goalies. New Jersey dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Taylor Hall goal, his seventh of the season, going in unassisted. Vancouver tied it on a Daniel Sedin goal, his fifth of the year, via Alexander Edler and Henrik Sedin. The Devils retook the lead with a Brian Boyle power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Will Butcher and Hall. New Jersey added on with a Damon Severson goal, his third of the year, helped along by Hall and Nico Hischier. The Canucks got one back in the third period with a Bo Horvat power play goal, his ninth of the campaign, with helpers from Daniel Sedin and Brock Boeser. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars given to Hall, Daniel Sedin, and Severson.

In Manhattan, the New York Rangers bring in the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Henrik Lundqvist protect the nets. Detroit cracked the scoresheet in the third period with a Tomas Tatar power play goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Niklas Kronwall and Henrik Zetterberg. New York tied it on a Chris Kreider goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Pavel Buchnevich and Brady Skjei. The Rangers won 2-1 in overtime with a Mats Zuccarello goal, his fourth of the campaign, via Skjei and J.T. Miller. The three stars were Lundqvist (40 for 41 in saves), Zuccarello, and Skjei.

A little west to Columbus, where the Blue Jackets host the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Sergei Bobrovsky guard the cages. Ottawa drew first blood in the first period with a Tom Pyatt goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Derick Brassard and Mark Stone. Columbus tied it on an unassisted Cam Atkinson goal, his fifth of the year. The Blue Jackets took the lead with a Markus Nutivaara goal in the second period, made possible by Josh Anderson and Ryan Murray. The Senators tied it on a Mike Hoffman goal, his eighth of the season, helped along by Ryan Dzingel. Columbus regained the lead in the third period with an Atkinson goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, via David Savard. The Blue Jackets added on with a Nick Foligno goal, his fourth of the season, guided in by Sonny Milano. Columbus iced it at 5-2 with a Tyler Motte empty net goal, his third of the year, set up by Oliver Bjorkstrand and Lukas Sedlak. The three stars belonged to Atkinson, Foligno, and Nutivaara.

On the east coast again, the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen and Cam Ward are the average goalies. Toronto got going in the second period with a Zach Hyman goal, his fifth of the season, via Jake Gardiner and Nazem Kadri. The Maple Leafs added on with a Josh Leivo goal, assisted by Andreas Borgman. Toronto extended the lead as Ron Hainsey scored his second of the year, thanks to James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak. Carolina got on the board with a Derek Ryan goal, his fifth of the season, guided in by Jeff Skinner and Justin Williams. The Maple Leafs answered with a van Riemsdyk goal, his twelfth of the year, helped along by William Nylander and Hainsey. The Hurricanes got one back in the third period with a Jordan Staal goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Justin Faulk and Teuvo Teravainen. Toronto countered with a Patrick Marleau power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Auston Matthews and Gardiner. Carolina pulled back with an Elias Lindholm goal, his sixth of the season, with helpers from Noah Hanifin and Brock McGinn. The Hurricanes got closer with a Hanifin goal, his third of the year, passed from Skinner and Williams. This only made it 5-4, the final, with the three stars given to van Riemsdyk, Hainsey, and Gardiner, while Hanifin, Skinner, and Williams get the honorable mentions.

Westward to Missouri, where the St. Louis Blues bring in the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne faces a lesser foe in Carter Hutton in goal. Nashville led off in the first period with a Ryan Johansen goal, his third of the season, coming off of Filip Forsberg and P.K. Subban. The Predators finished it at 2-0 in the third period with an Austin Watson empty net goal, his second of the year, set up by Johansen. The three stars went to Johansen, Rinne (34 save shutout), and Hutton (26 for 27 in saves).

Down in Dallas, the Stars host the Calgary Flames. Mike Smith and Ben Bishop are the veteran goalies. Dallas began in the first period with an Antoine Roussel goal, his third of the season, helped along by Tyler Pitlick. Calgary tied it on a Micheal Ferland goal in the second period, his ninth of the year, with a lone assist by Sean Monahan. The Flames took the lead with an unassisted Johnny Gaudreau goal, his eleventh of the season. The Stars retied it on a Tyler Seguin goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Mattias Janmark and John Klingberg. Calgary regained the lead with a Monahan power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Gaudreau. Dallas tied it again with an Alexander Radulov goal, his eighth of the year, made possible by Devin Shore. The Flames pulled ahead in the third period with another Monahan goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, with helpers from Gaudreau and the goalie smith. The Stars tied it on a Gemel Smith goal, his second of the year, with a lone helper from Brett Ritchie. Dallas took the lead with a Seguin goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the season, going in unassisted. The Stars won 6-4 with a Seguin empty net goal to complete his hat trick on his twelfth of the year, set up by Radulov. The three stars Seguin, Monahan, and Gaudreau, while Radulov gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Arizona Coyotes host the Los Angeles Kings. Darcy Kuemper and Scott Wedgewood are the lesser-known goalies. Arizona struck first in the first period with an Oliver Ekman-Larsson power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Christian Fischer and Derek Stepan. Los Angeles tied it on an Anze Kopitar goal, his tenth of the year, via Marian Gaborik and Jake Muzzin in the second period. The Coyotes retook the lead with a Brendan Perlini goal, his seventh of the season, passed from Alex Goligoski and Tobias Rieder. The Kings tied it on a Trevor Lewis goal, his seventh of the year, coming off of Andy Andreoff and Drew Doughty. Arizona won 3-2 in overtime with a Fischer goal, his sixth of the campaign, assisted by Christian Dvorak and Jason Demers. The three stars were Fischer, Perlini, and Ekman-Larsson.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 50

A big day of games, with fifteen on, is up before tomorrow's break for Thanksgiving. We begin with...

The Pittsburgh Penguins hosting the Vancouver Canucks. Anders Nilsson and Matt Murray draw the starts in goal. Vancouver opened in the first period with a Brock Boeser goal, his tenth of the season, passed from Sven Baertschi and Michael Del Zotto. Pittsburgh tied it on a Jake Guentzel power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Phil Kessel and Kris Letang. The Canucks retook the lead with a Loui Eriksson goal, his second of the season, with a lone assist by Thomas Vanek. Vancouver added on in the second period with a Derrick Pouliot goal, assisted by Del Zotto and Vanek. The Canucks extended the lead as Boeser scored his second of the game and eleventh of the year, a power play goal, with the help of Alexander Edler and Henrik Sedin. The Penguins got one back in the third period with a Guentzel power play goal, his second of the game and eighth of the season, helped along by Kessel and Sidney Crosby. Vancouver iced it at 5-2 with a Brandon Sutter empty net goal, his second of the year, set up by Brendan Gaunce and Sam Gagner. The three stars went to Boeser, Guentzel, and Del Zotto, while Vanek gets an honorable mention.

In Buffalo, the Sabres welcome the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Chad Johnson start in goal. Buffalo started in the first period with a Jack Eichel goal, his sixth of the season, passed from Jason Pominville and Evander Kane. Minnesota tied it on a Tyler Ennis goal, his fourth of the year, via Marcus Foligno and Charlie Coyle. The Wild took the lead with a Mikael Granlund goal, his fourth of the season, going in unassisted. Minnesota added on with a Nino Niederreiter power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Mikko Koivu and Ryan Suter. Robin Lehner replaced Johnson to start the second period. The Sabres got one back with a Jordan Nolan goal, guided in by Kyle Okposo and Jacob Josefson. The Wild answered on another Niederreiter goal, his second of the game and eighth of the season, fueled by Eric Staal and Jason Zucker. Minnesota extended the lead as Granlund scored a power play goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, thanks to Koivu and Suter. Buffalo pulled back with a Sam Reinhart goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Jake McCabe and Johan Larsson. The Sabres got closer in the third period with a Nolan goal, his second of the game, with a lone assist by Nathan Beaulieu. This only made it 5-4, the final, with the three stars given to Niederreiter, Granlund, and Nolan, while Koivu and Suter get the honorable mentions.

Over in Detroit, the Red Wings bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Cam Talbot and Jimmy Howard are in the blue paint. Detroit led off in the first period with a Tomas Tatar power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader. Edmonton tied it on a Darnell Nurse goal, his second of the year, via Connor McDavid and Milan Lucic. The Oilers took the lead with a Patrick Maroon goal, his sixth of the year, coming off of Leon Draisaitl and Yohann Auvitu. The Red Wings retied it on a Niklas Kronwall goal, his second of the season, made possible by Gustav Nyquist and Abdelkader. Edmonton retook the lead in the second period with a Jujhar Khaira goal, his second of the season, courtesy of Ryan Strome and Auvitu. The Oilers added on with a Mark Letestu goal, his fourth of the year, helped along by Michael Cammalleri and Zack Kassian. Edmonton extended the lead as Drake Caggiula scored his fourth of the season, thanks to McDavid and Kris Russell. The Oilers padded the lead in the third period with a Jesse Puljujarvi goal, his second of the year, with a lone assist by Strome. This made it 6-2, the final, with the three stars being McDavid, Strome and Auvitu, while Abdelkader gets an honorable mention.

Down in Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes host the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Scott Darling man the nets. New York began in the first period with a Chris Kreider goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Brendan Smith and J.T. Miller. The Rangers added on with a Mika Zibanejad goal, his eleventh of the year, courtesy of Brady Skjei. Carolina got on the board with a Sebastian Aho power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Teuvo Teravainen and Justin Faulk. New York replied with a Paul Carey goal, passed from Jimmy Vesey and Nick Holden. The Rangers extended the lead in the third period as Kreider scored his second of the game and seventh of the year, a power play goal, with the help of Mats Zuccarello and Zibanejad. New York padded the lead with a Jesper Fast goal, his second of the season, via Kevin Hayes and Rick Nash. The Rangers continued with another Fast goal, his second of the game and third of the year, helped along by Steven Kampfer. The final stood at 6-1, with the three stars awarded to Kreider, Fast, and Zibanejad.

Back north, the New Jersey Devils welcome the Boston Bruins. Anton Khudobin and Cory Schneider are between the pipes. Boston struck first in the first period with a Jake DeBrusk goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Matt Grzelcyk. The Bruins added on with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his fifth of the year, assisted by David Pastrnak and Danton Heinen. New Jersey got on the board with a Jesper Bratt power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Brian Boyle and Adam Henrique. The Devils tied it in the third period with a Brian Gibbons goal, his tenth of the year, with a lone assist by Damon Severson. The tie went to a shootout, where Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy beat Taylor Hall for a 3-2 Bruins win. The three stars were Pastrnak, Khudobin (40 for 42 in saves), and Grzelcyk.

In Brooklyn, the New York Islanders bring in the Philadelphia Flyers. Brian Elliott and Thomas Greiss are the average goalies. Philadelphia was first to score in the first period with a Taylor Leier goal, assisted by Travis Sanheim and Scott Laughton. New York tied it on a Mathew Barzal power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Josh Bailey and Nick Leddy. The Flyers took the lead with a Michael Raffl goal, coming off of Sean Couturier and Ivan Provorov in the second period. The Islanders tied it again with a Johnny Boychuk power play goal, his third of the year, with assists provided by Bailey and John Tavares. New York took the lead with a Joshua Ho-Sang goal, his second of the season, courtesy of Adam Pelech and Anthony Beauvillier. Philadelphia tied it on a Jakub Voracek power play goal, his seventh of the year, with helpers from Wayne Simmonds and Claude Giroux. The Islanders won 4-3 in overtime with a Bailey goal, his fifth of the campaign, guided in by Tavares and Leddy. The three stars were Bailey, Leddy, and Tavares.

South to DC, where the Washington Capitals host the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Braden Holtby guard the cages. Washington opened in the first period with a Jakub Vrana goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie. The Capitals added on with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his fourteenth of the year, via Alex Chiasson and Nicklas Backstrom. Washington extended the lead in the second period as Kuznetsov scored his sixth of the season on the power play, thanks to Oshie and John Carlson. The Capitals padded the lead with a Vrana goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, helped along by Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov. Ottawa got on the board with a Ryan Dzingel goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Alexandre Burrows and Thomas Chabot. The Senators got closer in the third period with a Mike Hoffman goal, his seventh of the year, guided in by Mark Stone and Derick Brassard. Washington iced it at 5-2 with an empty net goal by Chiasson, his third of the campaign, set up by Brooks Orpik. The three stars were Vrana, Kuznetsov, and Chiasson, while Oshie gets an honorable mention.

Down in Florida, the Panthers welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen and Roberto Luongo are in the creases. Florida got going in the second period with a Nick Bjugstad goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Vincent Trocheck and Henrik Haapala. Toronto tied it in the third period with a Nazem Kadri goal, his eleventh of the year, guided in by Connor Brown and Patrick Marleau. The tie went to a shootout, where Aleksander Barkov and Bjugstad lifted the Panthers over Marleau and the Maple Leafs 2-1. The three stars were Bjugstad, Luongo (43 for 44 in saves), and Andersen (42 for 43 in saves).

North again to Columbus, where the Blue Jackets bring in the Calgary Flames. Mike Smith and Sergei Bobrovsky protect the nets. Columbus won 1-0 in overtime with a Josh Anderson goal, his eighth of the season, with a lone assist by Nick Foligno. The three stars were Bobrovsky (22 save shutout), Anderson, and Smith (40 for 41 in saves).

Returning to the south, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Andrei Vasilevskiy tend the twines. Chicago started in the first period with a Patrick Kane goal, his seventh of the season, coming off of Artem Anisimov and Jan Rutta. The Blackhawks added on with a Kane power play goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, powered by Cody Franson and Duncan Keith. Tampa Bay tied it on a second period shorthanded goal by Ondrej Palat, his sixth of the season, set up by Ryan Callahan and Victor Hedman. The Lightning tied it in the third period with a Chris Kunitz goal, his third of the year, assisted by Braydon Coburn and Callahan. Tampa Bay won 3-2 in overtime with a Brayden Point power play goal, his ninth of the campaign, with helpers from Steven Stamkos and Vladislav Namestnikov. The three stars went to Callahan, Point, and Kane.

Backtracking to Nashville, where the Predators welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Antti Niemi and Pekka Rinne are the Finnish goalies. Montreal led off in the first period with a Jordie Benn goal, his second of the season, coming off of Charles Hudon and Phillip Danault. Nashville tied it on a Filip Forsberg power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Ryan Johansen and P.K. Subban. The Predators took the lead in the third period with another Forsberg power play goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the season, via Craig Smith. The Canadiens tied it on an unassisted Joe Morrow goal, his third of the year. In the shootout, Kyle Turris won it 3-2 for the Predators. The three stars were Forsberg, Rinne (27 for 29 in saves), and Morrow.

West to Colorado, as the Avalanche bring in the Dallas Stars. Ben Bishop and Jonathan Bernier occupy the creases. Colorado dented the scoreboard in the second period with an Erik Johnson goal, his second of the season, via Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. The Avalanche added on with a Nail Yakupov goal, his seventh of the year, coming off of MacKinnon. Colorado extended the lead in the third period as Gabriel Landeskog scored his ninth of the season, thanks to Rantanen and MacKinnon, the latter earning a sock trick. The final held at 3-0, with the three stars given to MacKinnon, Rantanen, and Bernier (28 save shutout).

Next up, the Arizona Coyotes host the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones faces a lesser foe in Scott Wedgewood in goal. San Jose began in the first period with a Joe Thornton goal, his third of the season, made possible by Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski. The Sharks added on in the second period with a Logan Couture goal, his eleventh of the year, guided in by Joonas Donskoi and Justin Braun. Arizona got on the board in the third period with a Brendan Perlini goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Derek Stepan and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. San Jose iced it at 3-1 with an empty net goal by Joel Ward, his fourth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars went to Jones (26 for 27 in saves), Couture, and Thornton.

In California, the Los Angeles Kings welcome the Winnipeg Jets. Steve Mason and Jonathan Quick are the masked men. Winnipeg struck first in the first period with an Adam Lowry goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Andrew Copp and the goalie Mason. The Jets added on in the second period with a Patrik Laine power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Nikolaj Ehlers and Mathieu Perreault. Los Angeles got on the board in the third period with a Tyler Toffoli power play goal, his tenth of the season, via Oscar Fantenberg and Anze Kopitar. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars given to Mason (38 for 39 in saves), Laine, and Lowry.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Vegas Golden Knights. Maxime Lagace and John Gibson are the goalies. Anaheim was first to score in the first period with a Josh Manson goal, his third of the season, helped along by Brandon Montour. The Ducks added on in the second period with a Derek Grant power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Hampus Lindholm and Cam Fowler. Vegas got on the board with a Jonathan Marchessault goal, his sixth of the season, coming on the power play from David Perron and Shea Theodore. The Golden Knights tied it in the third period with a Colin Miller goal, his third of the year, via Perron and James Neal. Vegas took the lead with a Neal goal, his eleventh of the season, assisted by Marchessault and William Karlsson. The Golden Knights added on with a Karlsson goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Reilly Smith and Marchessault. This made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars handed to Neal, Marchessault, and Karlsson, while Perron gets an honorable mention.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0; NHL action resumes on Friday.