The Boston Bruins hosting the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Tuukka Rask guard the cages. Boston led off in the first period with a David Krejci goal, his ninth of the season, made possible by Jake DeBrusk and Ryan Spooner. The Bruins added on in the third period with a Patrice Bergeron power play goal, his twenty-first of the year, powered by David Pastrnak and Spooner. St. Louis got on the board with a Jaden Schwartz goal, his fifteenth of the season, via Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko. Boston iced it at 3-1 with an empty net goal by David Backes, his ninth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Rask (32 for 33 in saves), Spooner, and Allen (43 for 45 in saves).
Over in Buffalo, the Sabres welcome the Florida Panthers. Harri Sateri and Chad Johnson are the backups in goal. Buffalo began in the first period with a Ryan O'Reilly power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, powered by Sam Reinhart and Kyle Okposo. Florida tied it on a Keith Yandle power play goal, his sixth of the year, with assists provided by Aleksander Barkov and Vincent Trocheck. The Panthers took the lead on a Mike Matheson power play goal, his sixth of the season, with a lone assist from Nick Bjugstad. Florida added on with a Denis Malgin goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Yandle and Jonathan Huberdeau. The Sabres got one back in the second period with a shorthanded Zemgus Girgensons goal, his fifth of the season, set up by Johan Larsson. The Panthers countered in the third period with a Colton Sceviour goal, his seventh of the year, helped along by Jared McCann and Yandle. The three stars of the 4-2 game were Yandle, Malgin, and Sceviour.
Next up, the Carolina Hurricanes bring in the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Cam Ward are the veterans in goal. Carolina got going in the second period with a Brett Pesce goal, via Elias Lindholm and Marcus Kruger. The Hurricanes added on in the third period with a Brock McGinn goal, his eighth of the campaign, made possible by Justin Williams and Victor Rask. This stood for a 2-0 win, with the three stars being Ward (27 save shutout), Pesce, and McGinn.
Back north, the New Jersey Devils host the Philadelphia Flyers. Alex Lyon and Keith Kinkaid are the inexperienced goalies. New Jersey opened in the first period with a Kyle Palmieri power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Pavel Zacha and Taylor Hall. Philadelphia tied it on a Claude Giroux power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, assisted by Jakub Voracek and Wayne Simmonds. The Devils retook the lead with a Drew Stafford power play goal, his eighth of the season, coming off of John Moore and Sami Vatanen. The Flyers tied it again on a Simmonds power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, fueled by Voracek and Shayne Gostisbehere. Philadelphia pulled ahead in the second period with a Gostisbehere goal, his tenth of the season, made possible by Valtteri Filppula and Taylor Leier. New Jersey tied it in the third period with a Damon Severson goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Zacha and Palmieri. The Devils took the lead on a Nico Hischier goal, his ninth of the campaign, guided in by Blake Coleman and Ben Lovejoy. This made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars given to Palmieri, Zacha, and Simmonds, while Voracek and Gostisbehere get the honorable mentions.
Along to New York, as the Rangers welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Curtis McElhinney is mismatched with Henrik Lundqvist in goal. Toronto started in the first period with a Justin Holl goal, his second of the season, with a lone assist from Travis Dermott. The Maple Leafs added on with a James van Riemsdyk goal, his twentieth of the year, guided in by Connor Brown and Tyler Bozak. Toronto extended the lead in the second period as Patrick Marleau scored his seventeenth of the season, thanks to Nazem Kadri. The Maple Leafs padded the lead on a Zach Hyman goal, his tenth of the year, made possible by William Nylander and Auston Matthews. Ondrej Pavelec replaced Luundqvist in goal. The final stood at 4-0, with the three stars being McElhinney (25 save shutout), Holl, and Hyman.
In Canada, the Ottawa Senators bring in the Anaheim Ducks. Ryan Miller and Mike Condon are in the creases. Ottawa dented the scoreboard in the third period with a Bobby Ryan power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Mike Hoffman and Erik Karlsson. Anaheim tied it on a Ryan Kesler goal, his fifth of the year, via Rickard Rakell and Cam Fowler. The Senators won 2-1 in overtime with a Karlsson goal, his fifth of the campaign, a power play goal assisted by Matt Duchene and Hoffman. The three stars were awarded to Karlsson, Condon (30 for 31 in saves), and Hoffman.
West to Winnipeg, where the Jets host the Vegas Golden Knights. Marc-Andre Fleury and Connor Hellebuyck protect the nets. Winnipeg struck first in the first period with a Joel Armia goal, his tenth of the season, courtesy of Matt Hendricks and Kyle Connor. Vegas tied it on a second period goal by shorthanded and unassisted Reilly Smith goal, his fourteenth of the year. The Golden Knights took the lead with an Erik Haula power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, powered by David Perron and Colin Miller. The Jets tied it in the third period with a Connor goal, his seventeenth of the year, assisted by Armia and Josh Morrissey. Vegas won 3-2 in overtime with a Perron goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, with a lone assist by James Neal. The three stars went to Perron, Armia, and Connor.
Down in Nashville, the Predators welcome the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Pekka Rinne tend the twines. Nashville was first to score in the first period with a Craig Smith power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, powered by Ryan Johansen and P.K. Subban. The Predators added on with a Filip Forsberg power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, with helpers from Kevin Fiala and Johansen. Nashville extended the lead as Calle Jarnkrok scored his eleventh of the season, going in unassisted. The Predators padded the lead in the second period with a Colton Sissons goal, his fourth of the year, via Miikka Salomaki. Nashville capped it at 5-0 with a Viktor Arvidsson goal in the third period, his sixteenth of the campaign, helped along by Forsberg and Johansen, the latter earning a sock trick. The three stars were given to Forsberg, Johansen, and Rinne (19 save shutout).
Northwest to Calgary, the Flames bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Mike Smith are the masked men. Calgary drew first blood in the first period with a Micheal Ferland power play goal, his twentieth of the season, powered by Mikael Backlund and Dougie Hamilton. Tampa Bay tied it on a Braydon Coburn goal, passed from Andrej Sustr and Matthew Peca. The Lightning took the lead in the second period with an Alex Killorn power play goal, his sixth of the year, with helpers from Yanni Gourde and Brayden Point. The Flames retied it on a Backlund goal, his tenth of the season, helped along by Matthew Tkachuk and T.J. Brodie. Calgary took the lead with a Sean Monahan goal, his twenty-third of the year, coming off of Johnny Gaudreau and Hamilton. The Flames added on with a Matt Stajan goal, his second of the season, via Garnet Hathaway and Brodie. Tampa Bay got one back with a Peca goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Killorn and Anton Stralman. The Lightning tied it in the third period with a Killorn goal, his second of the game and seventh of the season, guided in by Gourde. Tampa Bay took the lead with a Cory Conacher goal, his fourth of the year, with helpers from Peca and Killorn. The Lightning extended the lead as Steven Stamkos scored his nineteenth of the season, thanks to Chris Kunitz. David Rittich replaced Smith in goal. Tampa Bay padded the lead on a Conacher goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, fueled by Ryan Callahan. This stood for a 7-4 win, with the three stars awarded to Killorn, Peca, and Conacher, while Gourde, Backlund, Hamilton, and Brodie get the honorable mentions.
Also in Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers host the Colorado Avalanche. Jonathan Bernier and Al Montoya have the green light to play in goal. Colorado cracked the scoresheet in the second period with a Nikita Zadorov goal, his fourth of the season, going in unassisted. The Avalanche added on with a Samuel Girard power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog. Edmonton got on the board with a Connor McDavid goal, his sixteenth of the season, coming off of Leon Draisaitl and Michael Cammalleri. Colorado replied with a shorthanded and unassisted Blake Comeau goal, his tenth of the year. The Oilers pulled back in the third period on a Drake Caggiula goal, his seventh of the season, via Ryan Strome and Matt Benning. Edmonton tied it on a McDavid goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, courtesy of Draisaitl and Kris Russell. The Avalanche won 4-3 in overtime with a J.T. Compher goal, his tenth of the campaign, assisted by Tyson Barrie and Landeskog. The three stars were given to Landeskog, McDavid, and Draisaitl.
South to Arizona, as the Coyotes welcome the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Scott Wedgewood are in the creases. Arizona kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Kevin Connauton goal, his second of the season, coming off of Max Domi and Christian Fischer. Dallas tied it in the second period with a Devin Shore goal, his seventh of the year, via Jason Spezza and Dan Hamhuis. The Stars took the lead with a Tyler Seguin power play goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, powered by Shore and John Klingberg. Dallas added on with a Mattias Janmark goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by Radek Faksa and Greg Pateryn. The Stars iced it at 4-1 with an Esa Lindell empty net goal in the third period, his sixth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars went to Shore, Lehtonen (17 for 18 in saves), and Seguin.
Finally, the Vancouver Canucks bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Anton Forsberg and Jacob Markstrom are the goalies. Chicago got on the board first in the first period with a Nick Schmaltz goal, his fourteenth of the season, made possible by Brandon Saad and Duncan Keith. Vancouver tied it in the second period with a Brendan Gaunce goal, his third of the year, via Troy Stecher. The Canucks took the lead with a Bo Horvat goal, his twelfth of the season, helped along by Stecher and Alexander Edler. Vancouver added on in the third period with a Daniel Sedin goal, his thirteenth of the year, assisted by Jake Virtanen and Henrik Sedin. The Blackhawks got one back with an Alex DeBrincat goal, his eighteenth of the season, passed from Jonathan Toews and Keith. The Canucks replied with another Gaunce goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, with assists provided by Loui Eriksson. This made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars given to Gaunce, Stecher, and Keith.
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