Bye weeks are over, and we've got thirteen games today, the first four played as matinees. We begin with...
The Philadelphia Flyers hosting the New Jersey Devils. Keith Kinkaid and Michal Neuvirth are the backups in goal. Philadelphia led off in the first period with a Travis Konecny goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Shayne Gostisbehere and Scott Laughton. The Flyers added on with a Valtteri Filppula goal, his tenth of the year, courtesy of Michael Raffl and Radko Gudas. Philadelphia extended the lead as Ivan Provorov scored his ninth of the season, thanks to Konecny and Claude Giroux. Ken Appleby replaced Kinkaid in goal. New Jersey got on the board in the second period with a Jesper Bratt power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by Will Butcher and Taylor Hall. This led to the eventual 3-1 final, with the three stars given to Konecny, Neuvirth (28 for 29 in saves), and Filppula.
Over in Buffalo, the Sabres welcome the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Robin Lehner make the starts in goal. Dallas began in the first period with a Remi Elie goal, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Mattias Janmark and Jason Spezza. The Stars added on with a Janmark power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Esa Lindell and Devin Shore. Dallas extended the lead in the second period as Janmark scored his second of the game and twelfth of the season, thanks to John Klingberg and Spezza. Buffalo got on the board with a Sam Reinhart power play goal, his eighth of the year, with assists provided by Jack Eichel and Rasmus Ristolainen. The Stars chased Lehner on a Jamie Benn goal, his nineteenth of the season, passed from Klingberg and Lindell. Chad Johnson came on in relief. Dallas padded the lead with a Lindell goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Alexander Radulov and Benn. The Stars continued on a Radek Faksa goal, his twelfth of the season, helped along by Stephen Johns and Antoine Roussel. Dallas made it 7-1 in the third period with a Tyler Pitlick goal, his eighth of the year, fueled by Klingberg, who got a sock trick, and Faksa. The three stars were Janmark, Klingberg, and Lindell, while Benn, Spezza, and Faksa get the honorable mentions.
West to Calgary, as the Flames bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Mike Smith are the masked men. Calgary opened in the first period with a T.J. Brodie goal, his third of the season, made possible by Troy Brouwer. Winnipeg tied it on a second period Mathieu Perreault goal, his fourteenth of the year, assisted by Bryan Little and Nikolaj Ehlers. In the shootout, Little and Blake Wheeler carried the Jets to a 2-1 win. The three stars went to Little, Hellebuyck (30 for 31 in saves), and Smith (34 for 35 in saves).
Down in Colorado, the Avalanche host the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Jonathan Bernier are the goalies. Colorado started in the first period with an Erik Johnson goal, his seventh of the season, coming off of Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche added on in the second period with a MacKinnon goal, his twenty-third of the year, passed from Johnson and Mark Barberio. New York got one back with a Pavel Buchnevich power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Mats Zuccarello and Ryan McDonagh. Colorado iced it at 3-1 with a Rantanen empty net goal in the third period, his seventeenth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars belonged to Johnson, MacKinnon, and Rantanen.
Back east at the usual times, the Detroit Red Wings welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Jimmy Howard are the experienced goalies. Carolina struck first in the first period with an Elias Lindholm power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Jordan Staal and Justin Faulk. Detroit tied it on a Tomas Tatar power play goal, his twelfth of the year, passed from Mike Green and Dylan Larkin. The Hurricanes retook the lead in the third period with a Lindholm power play goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, assisted by Teuvo Teravainen and Faulk. Carolina added on with a Justin Williams goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Brock McGinn and Victor Rask. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars given to Lindholm, Ward (23 for 24 in saves), and Faulk.
In Quebec, the Montreal Canadiens bring in the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Carey Price tend the twines. Montreal got going in the second period with a Max Pacioretty goal, his fifteenth of the season, via Paul Byron. Boston tied it on a David Pastrnak goal, his nineteenth of the year, courtesy of Patrice Bergeron and Torey Krug. The Bruins took the lead with a Krug goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Pastrnak and Brad Marchand. Boston added on in the third period with a Pastrnak goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the year, helped along by David Krejci and Krug. The Bruins iced it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Riley Nash, his sixth of the campaign, set up by David Backes and Marchand. The three stars were named as Pastrnak, Krug, and Marchand.
Next up, the Battle of Ontario sees the Ottawa Senators host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen and Craig Anderson are the similarly-named goalies. Toronto was first to score in the first period with a Zach Hyman goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Auston Matthews and Jake Gardiner. Ottawa tied it on a second period Erik Karlsson power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel. The Senators took the lead with a Mike Hoffman goal, his twelfth of the season, passed from Cody Ceci and Bobby Ryan. Ottawa added on with a shorthanded Tom Pyatt goal, his sixth of the year, set up by Zack Smith and Stone. The Maple Leafs got one back in the third period with a Matthews goal, his twentieth of the season, via Hyman and Gardiner. Toronto tied it on a Mitchell Marner power play goal, his sixth of the year, with a lone assist by Gardiner, who got a sock trick. The Maple Leafs took the lead on a Connor Carrick goal, his third of the campaign, helped along by Leo Komarov and Nazem Kadri. The final was 4-3, with the three stars being Matthews, Gardiner, and Hyman, while Stone gets an honorable mention.
Way out west, the San Jose Sharks welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Casey DeSmith and Aaron Dell are the little-known goalies. Pittsburgh kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Conor Sheary goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Dominik Simon and Sidney Crosby. San Jose tied it on a Timo Meier goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns. The Sharks took the lead in the third period with a Tomas Hertl power play goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, powered by Pavelski and Burns. This held up for a 2-1 win, with the three stars awarded to Dell (31 for 32 in saves), Pavelski, and Burns.
Backtracking to St. Louis, as the Blues bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Antti Raanta and Carter Hutton are the middling goalies. Arizona led off in the first period with a Zac Rinaldo goal, his third of the season, via Christian Fischer and Max Domi. The Coyotes added on with a Christian Dvorak goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Jason Demers and Clayton Keller. Arizona extended the lead as Dvorak scored his second of the game and seventh of the season, thanks to Tobias Rieder and Keller. Jake Allen came on in relief of Hutton. The Coyotes padded the lead with a Brendan Perlini goal, his twelfth of the year, fueled by Richard Panik and Luke Schenn. Arizona continued in the second period with a Fischer power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Jakob Chychrun and Domi. St. Louis got on the board with a Brayden Schenn power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, going in unassisted. The Blues got closer in the third period with an Alexander Steen power play goal, his ninth of the campaign, with helpers from Patrik Berglund and Vince Dunn. This only made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars given to Dvorak, Fischer, and Keller, while Domi gets an honorable mention.
East again to Nashville, where the Predators host the Florida Panthers. Harri Sateri and Pekka Rinne are the Finnish goalies. Nashville began in the first period with a Kevin Fiala goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Calle Jarnkrok and Nick Bonino. Florida tied it on a Vincent Trocheck power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Evgenii Dadonov and Jonathan Huberdeau. The Panthers took the lead with a Derek MacKenzie goal, his second of the season, via Colton Sceviour and MacKenzie Weegar. The Predators retied it in the second period with a Bonino goal, his seventh of the year, helped along by Jarnkrok. Nashville pulled ahead on another Fiala goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, assisted by Bonino and Jarnkrok. The Predators added on with a P.K. Subban goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Craig Smith and Kyle Turris. Florida got one back in the third period with a Keith Yandle goal, his fourth of the campaign, fueled by Aaron Ekblad and Dadonov. This wasn't enough to avoid the 4-3 loss, with the three stars going to Fiala, Jarnkrok, and Bonino, while Dadonov gets an honorable mention.
Up in Chicago, the Blackhawks welcome the New York Islanders. Jaroslav Halak and Anton Forsberg are in the creases. Chicago opened in the first period with a Patrick Kane goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Erik Gustafsson and Nick Schmaltz. New York tied it on an Anthony Beauvillier goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Brock Nelson and Ryan Pulock. The Islanders took the lead with a Jordan Eberle goal, his sixteenth of the season, passed from Pulock and Mathew Barzal. New York added on with a Pulock goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Alan Quine and Nelson. The Islanders extended the lead in the second period as Beauvillier scored his second power play goal of the game, his tenth of the season, with the help of Josh Bailey and Pulock, the latter earning a sock trick. The Blackhawks got one back with a Gustafsson goal, made possible by Kane and Brent Seabrook. New York responded in the third period with a Nelson goal, his tenth of the year, via Ross Johnston and Pulock. Chicago pulled back with a Kane goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the season, going in unassisted. The Islanders countered on an Anders Lee goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, with helpers from John Tavares and Nick Leddy. New York capped it at 7-3 with a Tavares goal, his twenty-sixth of the campaign, with a lone assist provided by Bailey. The three stars were Pulock, Nelson, and Beauvillier, while Tavares, Bailey, Kane, and Gustafsson get the honorable mentions.
Further north, the Minnesota Wild bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Devan Dubnyk protect the nets. Minnesota started in the first period with a Jared Spurgeon power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Eric Staal. The Wild added on with a Zach Parise goal, via Ryan Suter and Staal. Minnesota extended the lead in the second period as Nate Prosser scored his second of the year, thanks to Joel Eriksson Ek and Kyle Rau. Tampa Bay got on the board with a Brayden Point goal, his eighteenth of the season, assisted by Mikhail Sergachev and Tyler Johnson. The Wild replied in the third period with a Marcus Foligno goal, his fourth of the year, helped along by Matt Cullen and Tyler Ennis. The Lightning got one back with a Point power play goal, his second of the game and nineteenth of the season, with assists provided by Johnson and Steven Stamkos. Minnesota iced it at 5-2 with a Jason Zucker empty net goal, his eighteenth of the year, set up by the goalie Dubnyk. The three stars were Point, Staal, and Johnson.
Finally, the Edmonton Oilers host the Vancouver Canucks. Jacob Markstrom and Cam Talbot are in the blue paint. Edmonton struck first in the first period with a Patrick Maroon goal, his twelfth of the season, with a lone assist by Connor McDavid. The Oilers added on with a Jujhar Khaira goal, his eighth of the year, via Jesse Puljujarvi and Leon Draisaitl. Vancouver got on the board in the second period with a Daniel Sedin power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Alexander Edler and Brock Boeser. The Canucks tied it on a Brandon Sutter goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Sven Baertschi and Christopher Tanev. Edmonton retook the lead on a Puljujarvi goal, his ninth of the season, made possible by Adam Larsson and Milan Lucic. The Oilers extended the lead in the third period as Draisaitl scored his twelfth of the year, thanks to Puljujarvi. Edmonton capped it at 5-2 with an unassisted empty net goal by Maroon, his second of the game and thirteenth of the campaign. The three stars were Puljujarvi, Maroon, and Draisaitl.
Follow me on Twitter
@OutsiderSports0.