NHL 2017-18 Day 120

Only three games on tonight, beginning with...

The Toronto Maple Leafs hosting the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Frederik Andersen are the goalies. Toronto led off in the first period with a James van Riemsdyk goal, his twenty-first of the season, via Connor Brown and Travis Dermott. The Maple Leafs added on in the second period with a Kasperi Kapanen shorthanded goal, his fourth of the year, set up by Dominic Moore and Ron Hainsey. Nashville got on the board with a Colton Sissons goal, his sixth of the season, guided in by Pontus Aberg and Ryan Ellis. The Predators tied it in the third period with a Viktor Arvidsson goal, his eighteenth of the year, going in unassisted. The tie went to a shootout, where Tyler Bozak and van Riemsdyk lifted the Maple Leafs 3-2 over Ellis and the Predators. The three stars were Van Riemsdyk, Andersen (44 for 46 in saves), and Ellis.

Down in New York, the Rangers welcome the Boston Bruins. Anton Khudobin and Henrik Lundqvist man the nets. New York began in the first period with a Rick Nash goal, his sixteenth of the season, going in unassisted. Boston tied it on a Riley Nash goal, his eighth of the year, via David Backes and Danton Heinen. The Bruins took the lead with a Zdeno Chara goal, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Jake DeBrusk. Boston added on in the second period with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his twenty-third of the year, passed from David Pastrnak and Torey Krug. The Bruins extended the lead as Tim Schaller scored his eighth of the season, thanks to Matt Grzelcyk and the goalie Khudobin. Ondrej Pavelec replaced Lundqvist in goal. Boston padded the lead on a shorthanded Bergeron goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the year, set up by Brad Marchand and Chara. The Bruins continued in the third period with a Sean Kuraly goal, his fifth of the campaign, helped along by Austin Czarnik and Grzelcyk. The three stars of the 6-1 game were Bergeron, Chara, and Grzelcyk.

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Cam Talbot and Darcy Kuemper make the starts in goal. Los Angeles struck first in the first period with a Kyle Clifford goal, his second of the season, assisted by Trevor Lewis. The Kings added on in the second period with an Adrian Kempe goal, his sixteenth of the year, coming off of Drew Doughty. Edmoton got on the board with a Leon Draisaitl power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, powered by Connor McDavid and Oscar Klefbom. The Oilers tied it in on a McDavid goal, his twenty-second of the year, guided in by Michael Cammalleri. Los Angeles took the lead in the third period on a Paul LaDue power play goal, his second of the season, with assists provided by Lewis and Kevin Gravel. The Kings extended the lead as Alex Iafallo scored an empty net goal, his sixth of the year, with the help of Anze Kopitar and Doughty. Los Angeles iced it at 5-2 with a Kopitar empty net goal, his twenty-first of the campaign, set up by Dustin Brown. The three stars were Lewis, McDavid, and Kopitar, while Doughty gets an honorable mention.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 119

Eleven games on tonight, beginning with...

The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Anaheim Ducks. Ryan Miller faces his former team and Robin Lehner in goal. Buffalo opened in the first period with a shorthanded Zemgus Girgensons goal, his sixth of the season, set up by Casey Nelson. Anaheim tied it on a second period Rickard Rakell power play goal, his twenty-second of the year, powered by Ryan Getzlaf and Cam Fowler. The Sabres took the lead back with a Jack Eichel power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, with assists provided by Sam Reinhart and Kyle Okposo. The Ducks retied it on an Ondrej Kase goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by Josh Manson and Nick Ritchie. Anaheim took the lead on a Corey Perry goal in the third period, his tenth of the season, going in unassisted. Buffalo tied it on a Ryan O'Reilly goal, his fifteenth of the year, made possible by Eichel and Reinhart.

Down in Carolina, the Hurricanes welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Brian Elliott and Cam Ward are the veteran goalies. Carolina began in the first period with an Elias Lindholm power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Teuvo Teravainen and Justin Faulk. Philadelphia tied it in the second period with a Wayne Simmonds goal, his eighteenth of the year, via Jakub Voracek and Nolan Patrick. The Flyers won 2-1 in overtime with a Jordan Weal goal, his seventh of the campaign, helped along by Shayne Gostisbehere and Valtteri Filppula. The three stars belonged to Weal, Simmonds, and Elliott (27 for 28 in saves).

Back north, the Pittsburgh Penguins bring in the Vegas Golden Knights. Marc-Andre Fleury faces his former understudy Matt Murray in goal. Vegas led off in the first period with a William Karlsson power play goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, powered by Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith. The Golden Knights added on in the second period with a James Neal goal, his twenty-third of the year, fueled by Nate Schmidt and David Perron. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Ryan Reaves goal, his third of the season, guided in by Riley Sheahan. The Penguins tied it on an Ian Cole goal, his third of the year, passed from Bryan Rust and Sidney Crosby. Pittsburgh took the lead with a Jake Guentzel goal, his sixteenth of the season, via Crosby and Brian Dumoulin. The Penguins extended the lead in the third period as Evgeni Malkin scored his thirtieth of the year, thanks to Phil Kessel. Pittsburgh padded the lead on a Kessel goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, coming off of Malkin and Carl Hagelin. Vegas got one back with a Ryan Carpenter goal, his second of the year, made possible by Alex Tuch and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. The Golden Knights got closer with a Marchessault goal, his nineteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Smith. The final held at 5-4, with the three stars given to Malkin, Kessel, and Marchessault, while Crosby and Smith get the honorable mentions.

West to Columbus, where the Blue Jackets host the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Sergei Bobrovsky tend the twines. Columbus started in the first period with a David Savard goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Alexander Wennberg. Washington tied it on a John Carlson power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Capitals took the lead with a Tom Wilson goal in the second period, his seventh of the season, via Alex Ovechkin and Christian Djoos. The Blue Jackets tied it in the third period with a Brandon Dubinsky goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Markus Nutivaara and Matt Calvert. Washington won 3-2 with a Backstrom goal, his twelfth of the campaign, passed from T.J. Oshie and Ovechkin. The three stars were Backstrom, Holtby (37 for 39 in saves), and Ovechkin.

Up in Detroit, the Red Wings welcome the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Jimmy Howard are the masked men. Detroit got going in the second period with a Martin Frk power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Niklas Kronwall and Henrik Zetterberg. Boston tied it on a Sean Kuraly goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of David Pastrnak and Danton Heinen. The Bruins took the lead with a David Krejci goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Jake DeBrusk and Ryan Spooner. Boston added on in the third period with a Heinen goal, his twelfth of the year, courtesy of Kuraly and Austin Czarnik. The Red Wings got one back with a Frans Nielsen goal, his twelfth of the campaign, helped along by Frk and Dylan Larkin. The three stars of the 3-2 game were Heinen, Kuraly, and Frk.

Over to Ontario, as the Ottawa Senators bring in the New Jersey Devils. Keith Kinkaid and Craig Anderson are in the creases. New Jersey struck first in the first period with a Travis Zajac goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Stefan Noesen. Ottawa tied it on a Mike Hoffman power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, powered by Matt Duchene and Erik Karlsson. The Senators took the lead with a Christopher DiDomenico goal, his fifth of the season, via Cody Ceci and Ryan Dzingel on the power play. Ottawa added on with a Duchene goal, his thirteenth of the year, fueled by Hoffman and Frederik Claesson in goal. The Senators extended the lead as Colin White scored in the second period, thanks to Thomas Chabot and Duchene. Eddie Lack replaced Kinkaid in goal. The Devils got one back with a Taylor Hall power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, with helpers provided by Pavel Zacha and Kyle Palmieri. Ottawa responded with a Zack Smith goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Alexandre Burrows. New Jersey pulled one back in the third period with a Palmieri goal, his eleventh of the season, assisted by Zacha and Miles Wood. This only made it 5-3, the final, with the three stars being Duchene, Hoffman, and Palmieri, while Zacha gets an honorable mention.

South to Florida, where the Panthers host the Vancouver Canucks. Jacob Markstrom and Harri Sateri are between the pipes. Florida was first to score in the first period with an unassisted Jamie McGinn power play goal, his seventh of the season. Vancouver tied it with a shorthanded Markus Granlund goal in the second period, his eighth of the year, set up by Brandon Sutter. The Panthers retook the lead with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his seventeenth of the season, via Mark Pysyk and Nick Bjugstad. Florida iced it at 3-1 with a Barkov empty net goal in the third period, his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, set up by Vincent Trocheck. The three stars were Barkov, McGinn, and Sateri (26 for 27 in saves).

Northwest to St. Louis, where the Blues welcome the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Carter Hutton draw the starts in goal. St. Louis drew first blood in the first period with a Jaden Schwartz goal, his sixteenth of the season, made possible by Colton Parayko and Jay Bouwmeester. Minnesota tied it on a Nino Niederreiter goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by Gustav Olofsson and Eric Staal. The Wild took the lead with a Marcus Foligno goal, his fifth of the season, via Daniel Winnik. Minnesota added on with a Mikko Koivu goal, his seventh of the year, a power play goal powered by Mikael Granlund and Ryan Suter. Jake Allen replaced Hutton in goal. The Wild extended the lead in the second period as Jason Zucker scored his twenty-second of the season, with the help of Granlund. Minnesota padded the lead on a Matt Dumba goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by Zucker and Koivu. The Wild continued in the third period with a Zach Parise power play goal, his third of the season, with assists provided by Staal and Jared Spurgeon. The Blues got one back with a Dmitrij Jaskin goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Alexander Steen and Parayko. This only made it 6-2, the final, with the three stars given to Zucker, Koivu, and Staal, while Granlund and Parayko get the honorable mentions.

North to Winnipeg, where the Jets bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Antti Raanta and Connor Hellebuyck are in the blue paint. Winnipeg cracked the scoresheet in the first period with a Jack Roslovic goal, his third of the season, coming off of Toby Enstrom and Dustin Byfuglien. Arizona tied it on a Kevin Connauton goal, his third of the year, fueled by Josh Archibald and Christian Dvorak. The Jets took the lead back on a Byfuglien goal, his third of the season, helped along by Bryan Little and Mathieu Perreault. Winnipeg added on with a Nic Petan goal, passed from Ben Chiarot and Marko Dano. The Coyotes got one back with a Dvorak power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Derek Stepan and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Jets replied in the second period with a Dmitry Kulikov goal, his third of the season, made possible by Kyle Connor and Andrew Copp. Arizona pulled back in the third period with a Stepan goal, his tenth of the year, with a lone assist by Alex Goligoski. They couldn't tie it, falling 4-3, with the three stars being Byfuglien, Dvorak, and Stepan.

Back stateside, the Chicago Blackhawks host the Calgary Flames. Mike Smith faces a lesser foe in Jeff Glass in goal. Chicago kicked off the scoring in the first period with an Alex DeBrincat power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, powered by Jordan Oesterle and Jonathan Toews. Calgary tied it in the second period with a Dougie Hamilton goal, his ninth of the year, coming off of Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau. The Flames took the lead in the third period with a Michael Stone goal, his third of the season, passed from T.J. Brodie and Micheal Ferland. Calgary added on with a Monahan empty net goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, set up by Gaudreau. The Blackhawks got one back with a Patrick Kane goal, his twenty-first of the campaign, helped along by Artem Anisimov and Nick Schmaltz. The three stars of the 3-2 game were Monahan, Gaudreau, and Smith (34 for 36 in saves).

Finally, the Colorado Avalanche host the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Jonathan Bernier are the goalies. Colorado dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Gabriel Bourque goal, his third of the season, passed from J.T. Compher and Tyson Jose. The Avalanche added on with a Jost goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Nail Yakupov and Samuel Girard. San Jose got on the board with a Joel Ward goal, his fifth of the season, via Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Barclay Goodrow. Colorado iced it at 3-1 with a Compher empty net goal, his eleventh of the year, set up by Patrik Nemeth in the third period. The three stars were Jost, Bernier (38 for 39 in saves), and Compher.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 118

Four games on tonight, beginning with...

The New York Islanders hosting the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Jaroslav Halak are the masked men. New York led off in the first period with a John Tavares power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, powered by Josh Bailey and Anders Lee. Nashville tied it on a Kevin Fiala goal, his sixteenth of the year, assisted by Kyle Turris and Craig Smith. The Predators added on with another Fiala goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the season, made possible by Nick Bonino and Ryan Ellis. The Islanders tied it on a Ryan Pulock goal, his fifth of the year, passed from Andrew Ladd and Brock Nelson. New York regained the lead with a Casey Cizikas goal, his sixth of the season, via Jason Chimera. The Islanders added on with a Nick Leddy goal in the second period, his eighth of the year, fueled by Ladd and Nelson. Nashville pulled back on a Calle Jarnkrok goal, his twelfth of the season, helped along by Scott Hartnell and Mattias Ekholm. The Predators tied it in the third period with a Ryan Johansen goal, his sixth of the year, with helpers from P.K. Subban and Viktor Arvidsson. Nashville won 5-4 in overtime with a Roman Josi goal, his ninth of the campaign, coming off of Bonino. The three stars were Fiala, Bonino, and Ladd, while Nelson gets an honorable mention.

Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs welcome the Anaheim Ducks. Ryan Miller and Frederik Andersen man the nets. Toronto began in the first period with an Auston Matthews goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, coming off of Zach Hyman and William Nylander. Anaheim tied it on a Ryan Getzlaf goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Rickard Rakell and Corey Perry in the second period. The Maple Leafs took the lead back with a Nylander goal, his eleventh of the season, via Jake Gardiner. The Ducks tied it again with a Rakell goal, his twentieth of the year, guided in by Getzlaf and Perry. Anaheim took the lead with an Ondrej Kase power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Perry, who got a sock trick, and Jakob Silfverberg. Toronto retied it with a Mitchell Marner power play goal, his tenth of the year, with assists provided by Nazem Kadri and James van Riemsdyk. The Maple Leafs pulled ahead on a Leo Komarov goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Gardiner and Kadri. The Ducks tied it again in the third period with a Rakell goal, his second of the game and twenty-first of the year, with helpers from Perry and Josh Manson. Toronto regained the lead on a Nylander goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the season, made possible by Gardiner, who got a sock trick. The Maple Leafs added on with a Matthews goal, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the year, fueled by Kasperi Kapanen. Toronto iced it at 7-4 with a Hyman empty net goal, his eleventh of the campaign, set up by Connor Brown and Matthews. The three stars were Nylander, Matthews, and Hyman, while Rakell, Perry, Getzlaf, Gardiner, and Kadri get the honorable mentions.

Down in Dallas, the Stars bring in the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Ben Bishop protect the nets. New York opened in the first period with a David Desharnais goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Vinni Lettieri and J.T. Miller. Dallas tied it in the second period with a Tyler Seguin goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, via Jason Spezza and Alexander Radulov. The Stars took the lead in the third period with a Martin Hanzal power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Julius Honka and Esa Lindell. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the three stars being Bishop (31 for 32 in saves), Hanzal, and Seguin.

Finally, the Edmonton Oilers host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Cam Talbot are between the pipes. Edmonton started in the first period with a Connor McDavid power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, powered by Ryan Strome and Oscar Klefbom. Tampa Bay tied it on an Alex Killorn goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Yanni Gourde. The Oilers took the lead back on a Leon Draisaitl power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, with assists provided by Strome and McDavid. Edmonton added on in the second period with a McDavid goal, his second of the game and nineteenth of the year, made possible by Draisaitl and Matt Benning. Edmonton extended the lead as Iiro Pakarinen scored, thanks to Anton Slepyshev and Mark Letestu. The Lightning got one back with a Gourde power play goal in the third period, his nineteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Tyler Johnson. The Oilers answered as McDavid completed his hat trick on his twentieth of the year, an unassisted goal. The Oilers capped it at 6-2 with a McDavid goal, his twenty-first of the campaign, set up by Draisaitl and Michael Cammalleri. The three stars were McDavid, Draisaitl, and Strome, while Gourde gets an honorable mention.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 117

Just three games on early today before the Super Bowl takes over the airwaves. We begin with...

The Washington Capitals hosting the Vegas Golden Knights. Marc-Andre Fleury faces a lesser foe in Philipp Grubauer in goal. Washington led off in the first period with a Chandler Stephenson goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Jay Beagle and Matt Niskanen. Vegas tied it on a Ryan Carpenter goal, via Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Nate Schmidt. The Capitals retook the lead in the second period with a Niskanen goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov. The Golden Knights tied it on a Reilly Smith power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Alex Tuch and Jonathan Marchessault. Washington pulled ahead in the third period with a Nicklas Backstrom goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from Christian Djoos and Andre Burakovsky. Vegas tied it again with a Smith goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the season, assisted by Marchessault and William Karlsson. The Golden Knights gained the lead on a Tuch goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by Carpenter and Bellemare. This stood for a 4-3 win, with the three stars given to Smith, Tuch, and Carpenter, while Bellemare, Marchessault, and Niskanen get the honorable mentions.

Down in Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the San Jose Sharks. Aaron Dell and Cam Ward take the creases. San Jose began in the first period with a Timo Meier goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Joonas Donskoi and Brent Burns. Carolina tied it on a Sebastian Aho goal, his nineteenth of the year, courtesy of Jordan Staal. The Sharks reclaimed the lead with a Chris Tierney goal, his thirteenth of the season, made possible by Melker Karlsson and Mikkel Boedker. San Jose added on in the second period with a Burns goal, his ninth of the year, fueled by Joel Ward and Joakim Ryan. The final held at 3-1, with the three stars going to Burns, Dell (29 for 30 in saves), and Tierney.

Finally, the Montreal Canadiens bring in the Ottawa Senators. Mike Condon faces former mentor Carey Price in goal. Ottawa got going in the second period with an unassisted Mike Hoffman goal, his thirteenth of the season. Montreal tied it on a Jeff Petry power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Max Pacioretty and Alex Galchenyuk. The Canadiens took the lead with an Artturi Lehkonen power play goal, his third of the season, with assists provided by Nikita Scherbak and Victor Mete. Montreal added on with another Lehkonen goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, passed from Tomas Plekanec and Brendan Gallagher. The Canadiens iced it at 4-1 with a Plekanec goal in the third period, his fifth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Lehkonen, Plekanec, and Price (25 for 26 in saves).

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NHL 2016-17 Day 116

We've got thirteenth games on a big Saturday schedule, with two matinees. The first is in...

Montreal, as the Canadiens host the Anaheim Ducks. Ryan Miller and Antti Niemi are the veteran goalies. Montreal opened in the first period with a Logan Shaw goal, his third of the season, via Byron Froese. The Canadiens added on with a Joe Morrow power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Victor Mete and Nikita Scherbak. Montreal extended the lead as David Schlemko scored, thanks to Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher. Reto Berra replaced Miller in goal. The Canadiens padded the lead in the second period on a Jeff Petry power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Max Pacioretty and Galchenyuk. Anaheim got on the board with a Corey Perry power play goal, his ninth of the year, with assists provided by Rickard Rakell and Cam Fowler. The Ducks got on the board with a Rakell goal, his nineteenth of the season, passed from Nick Ritchie and Fowler. Montreal iced it at 5-2 in the third period with another Petry power play goal, his second of the game and seventh of the year, with helpers from Morrow and Gallagher. The three stars went to Petry, Morrow, and Gallagher, while Galchenyuk, Rakell, and Fowler get the honorable mentions.

Down in Philadelphia, the Flyers welcome the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Alex Lyon are set to start in goal. Ottawa started in the first period with a Matt Duchene goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Mike Hoffman and Colin White. The Senators added on with a Derick Brassard goal, his thirteenth of the year, via Cody Ceci and Ryan Dzingel. Philadelphia got on the board in the second period with a Sean Couturier goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, made possible by Radko Gudas and Travis Konecny. Ottawa replied with a Christopher DiDomenico goal, his fourth of the year, helped along by Dzingel. Michal Neuvirth replaced Lyon in goal for the third period. The Flyers got one back in the third period with a Claude Giroux goal, his sixteenth of the season, assisted by Brandon Manning and Konecny. Philadelphia tied it on a Nolan Patrick goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Shayne Gostisbehere and Konecny. The tie went to a shootout, where Hoffman's lone tally gave the Senators a 4-3 win. The three stars were Hoffman, Konecny, and Dzingel.

At the regular time, the Boston Bruins bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen and Tuukka Rask are the masked men. Boston led off in the first period with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his twenty-second of the season, made possible by Danton Heinen. Toronto tied it on a Mitchell Marner power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Morgan Rielly and Nazem Kadri. The Bruins retook the lead on a David Pastrnak power play goal in the second period, his twenty-first of the season, via Torey Krug and Heinen. Boston added on with a Krug power play goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Austin Czarnik and David Krejci. The Bruins iced it at 4-1 with a Tim Schaller empty net goal, his seventh of the campaign, set up by the goalie Rask and Zdeno Chara in the third period. The three stars were given to Krug, Rask (23 for 24 in saves), and Heinen.

Over to Buffalo, where the Sabres host the St. Louis Blues. Carter Hutton and Robin Lehner make the starts in goal. St. Louis dented the scoreboard in the third period with a Carl Gunnarsson goal, his fifth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Paul Stastny. This was the only goal in the Blues' 1-0 win, with the three stars awarded to Hutton (27 save shutout), Gunnarsson, and Lehner (32 for 33 in saves).

In New Jersey, the Devils welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Casey DeSmith and Keith Kinkaid are the backups in goal. New Jersey got going in the second period with a Travis Zajac goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Blake Coleman and Stefan Noesen. The Devils added on with a Coleman goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Noesen and Zajac. Pittsburgh got on the board in the third period with an Evgeni Malkin goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, coming off of Ian Cole and Phil Kessel. New Jersey replied with a Zajac goal, his second of the game and seventh of the year, via Damon Severson and Taylor Hall. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars given to Zajac, Coleman, and Noesen.

Along to Brooklyn, as the New York Islanders bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and Jaroslav Halak receive the starting nods to play in goal. Columbus began in the first period with a Josh Anderson power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, powered by Pierre-Luc Dubois and Jussi Jokinen. New York tied it on a Nick Leddy power play goal, his seventh of the year, with assists provided by John Tavares and Mathew Barzal. The Islanders took the lead in the second period with a Josh Bailey goal, his thirteenth of the season, courtesy of Anthony Beauvillier and Ryan Pulock. The Blue Jackets retied it on a Cam Atkinson goal, his eighth of the year, helped along by Artemi Panarin. Columbus took the lead with a Nick Foligno goal, his tenth of the season, with a lone assist by Oliver Bjorkstrand. New York retied it in the third period on a Jordan Eberle goal, his eighteenth of the year, via Barzal and Casey Cizikas. The Islanders pulled ahead with a Brock Nelson goal, his eleventh of the campaign, made possible by Andrew Ladd and Pulock. This stood for a 4-3 win, with the three stars given to Nelson, Barzal, and Pulock.

Way south to Florida, as the Panthers host the Detroit Red Wings. Petr Mrazek and Harri Sateri are in the creases. Florida struck first in the first period with an Aaron Ekblad goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Jonathan Huberdeau and Keith Yandle. Detroit tied it in the second period on a Danny DeKeyser goal, his third of the year, passed from Frans Nielsen and Darren Helm. The Panthers retook the lead with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his sixteenth of the season, guided in by Evgenii Dadonov and Nick Bjugstad. The Red Wings retied it in the third period with a DeKeyser goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, helped along by Helm and Nielsen. Florida won 3-2 with a Huberdeau goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, fueled by Yandle and Ekblad. The three stars were awarded to Huberdeau, DeKeyser, and Ekblad, while Yandle, Helm, and Nielsen get the honorable mentions.

Up in Winnipeg, the Jets welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov is mismatched with Connor Hellebuyck in goal. Winnipeg was first to score in the first period with a Patrik Laine power play goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, powered by Blake Wheeler and Dustin Byfuglien. The Jets added on with a Jack Roslovic goal, his second of the year, via Wheeler and Ben Chiarot in the third period. Winnipeg iced it at 3-0 with a Nikolaj Ehlers empty net goal, his twentieth of the campaign, set up by Mathieu Perreault. The three stars belonged to Wheeler, Hellebuyck (25 save shutout), and Laine.

Back stateside, the Dallas Stars bring in the Minnesota Wild. Alex Stalock and Kari Lehtonen are between the pipes. Dallas drew first blood in the second period with a Mattias Janmark power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by John Klingberg and Jason Spezza. The Stars added on with an unassisted Stephen Johns goal, his sixth of the year. Dallas extended the lead as Jamie Benn scored his twenty-first of the season on the power play, with the help of Devin Shore and Tyler Seguin. The Stars padded the lead with a Seguin goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, made possible by Benn and Alexander Radulov. Devan Dubnyk replaced Stalock in goal for the third period. Minnesota got on the board in the third period with a Jason Zucker goal, his twenty-first of the season, via Mikael Granlund and Jared Spurgeon. Dallas answered with a Radulov goal, his twenty-first of the year, with a lone helper from Seguin. The Stars capped it at 6-1 with a Dan Hamhuis goal, his second of the campaign, guided in by Greg Pateryn and Brett Ritchie. The three stars were handed to Seguin, Benn, and Radulov.

Northeast to Nashville, as the Predators host the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Pekka Rinne are the Scandinavian goalies. Nashville cracked the scoresheet in the second period with a P.K. Subban goal, his thirteenth of the season, fueled by Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson. The Predators added on with a Kevin Fiala goal, his fourteenth of the year, coming off of Craig Smith. New York got on the board in the third period with a J.T. Miller power play goal, his twelfth of the season, with assists provided by Mats Zuccarello and Ryan McDonagh. Nashville responded with a Colton Sissons goal, his fifth of the year, with a lone assist from Subban. The Rangers pulled back on a Mika Zibanejad power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by McDonagh and Miller. The Predators shot back on an Arvidsson goal, his seventeenth of the year, guided in by Ryan Johansen and Forsberg. Nashville capped it at 5-2 with a Fiala power play empty net goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the campaign, set up by Roman Josi and Kyle Turris. The three stars were Fiala, Arvidsson, and Subban, while Forsberg, Miller, and McDonagh get the honorable mentions.

Way to the northwest, the Vancouver Canucks welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jacob Markstrom protect the nets. Tampa Bay kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Chris Kunitz goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Anton Stralman and Nikita Kucherov. The Lightning added on with a Victor Hedman goal, his seventh of the year, via Steven Stamkos and Kucherov. Tampa Bay extended the lead in the second period as Yanni Gourde scored his eighteenth of the season, thanks to Mikhail Sergachev and Matthew Peca. Vancouver got on the board in the third period with a Thomas Vanek goal, his fifteenth of the year, coming off of Troy Stecher and Brock Boeser. The Canucks got closer with a Boeser goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, with a lone assist by Brandon Sutter. The Lightning answered on a Cory Conacher power play penalty shot goal, his sixth of the year. The three stars belonged to Boeser, Kucherov, and Conacher in this 4-2 game.

Backtracking to Alberta, where the Calgary Flames bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff Glass and Mike Smith are in the blue paint. Chicago started in the first period with a Nick Schmaltz goal, his fifteenth of the season, passed from Patrick Kane. The Blackhawks added on with a Vinnie Hinostroza power play goal in the second period, his sixth of the year, powered by Kane and Brent Seabrook. Calgary got on the board with a Matt Stajan goal, his third of the season, via Travis Hamonic and T.J. Brodie. The Flames tied it on a Johnny Gaudreau goal, his sixteenth of the year, helped along by Micheal Ferland and Mark Giordano. Chicago retook the lead on an unassisted Anthony Duclair goal, his eleventh of the season. Calgary tied it in the third period on a Michael Frolik goal, his eighth of the year, made possible by Mikael Backlund. The Flames won 4-3 in overtime with a Sean Monahan goal, his twenty-fourth of the campaign, with a lone assist from Brodie. The three stars went to Monahan, Brodie, and Kane.

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Arizona Coyotes. Scott Wedgewood and Darcy Kuemper are the lesser-known goalies. Los Angeles opened in the first period with an Alex Iafallo goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Tyler Toffoli and Adrian Kempe. The Kings added on in the second period with a shorthanded Trevor Lewis goal, his thirteenth of the year, set up by Torrey Mitchell and Jake Muzzin. Los Angeles extended the lead as Kempe scored his fifteenth of the season, thanks to Dustin Brown. The Kings padded the lead with a Jake Muzzin power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar. Los Angeles continued in the third period with a Kopitar goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Kevin Gravel and Iafallo. The Kings iced it at 6-0 with a Brown goal, his sixteenth of the year, passed from Paul LaDue and Muzzin. The three stars were given to Kopitar, Iafallo, and Kuemper (27 save shutout), while Brown, Kempe, and Muzzin get the honorable mentions.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 115

Four games on tonight, beginning with...

The Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Detroit Red Wings. Petr Mrazek and Scott Darling man the nets. Carolina started in the first period with a Sebastian Aho power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, powered by Justin Faulk and Teuvo Teravainen. Detroit tied it on a Danny DeKeyser goal, his second of the year, via Darren Helm and Tomas Tatar. The Red Wings took the lead in the second period with a Trevor Daley goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Helm. Detroit added on in the third period with a Gustav Nyquist goal, his fifteenth of the year, courtesy of Henrik Zetterberg. The Red Wings extended the lead as Helm scored his fifth of the campaign, thanks to Luke Glendening. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars given to Helm, Mrazek (36 for 37 in saves), and Daley.

Up in Pittsburgh, the Penguins welcome the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Matt Murray guard the cages. Pittsburgh opened in the first period with a Phil Kessel goal, his twenty-second of the season, coming off of Riley Sheahan and Jake Guentzel. The Penguins added on with an unassisted Carl Hagelin goal, his fifth of the year. Washington got on the board with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his thirty-first of the season, with a lone assist by Christian Djoos. Pittsburgh answered with a Patric Hornqvist power play goal in the second period, his sixteenth of the year, powered by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The Capitals got one back with a Dmitry Orlov goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Lars Eller and Matt Niskanen. Washington tied it on an Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by Tom Wilson and Ovechkin. The Penguins reclaimed the lead with a Malkin goal in the third period, his twenty-seventh of the season, assisted by Kessel and Olli Maatta. The Capitals tied it again with Ovechkin's second of the game and thirty-second of the year, helped along by Kuznetsov and Orlov. Pittsburgh took the lead with a Bryan Rust power play goal, his seventh of the season, with assists provided by Kris Letang and Sheahan. The Penguins extended the lead as Kessel scored his second of the game and twenty-third of the year, thanks to Malkin and Hagelin. Philipp Grubauer replaced Holtby in goal. Pittsburgh padded the lead as Malkin scored a power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-eighth of the campaign, with the help of Crosby and Guentzel. This stood for a 7-4 win, with the three stars given to Kessel, Malkin, and Ovechkin, while Hagelin, Crosby, Sheahan, Guentzel, Kuznetsov, and Orlov get the honorable mentions.

Over in Columbus, the Blue Jackets bring in the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Sergei Bobrovsky protect the nets. San Jose led off in the first period with a Logan Couture power play goal, his twenty-second of the season, powered by Kevin Labanc and Tomas Hertl. Columbus tied it on a second period Boone Jenner goal, his fifth of the year, via Cam Atkinson and Dean Kukan. The Sharks retook the lead on a Labanc power play goal, his seventh of the season, helped along by Joe Pavelski. San Jose added on in the third period with a Marc-Edouard Vlasic goal, his ninth of the year, coming off of Justin Braun and Couture. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars given to Labanc, Couture, and Jones (28 for 29 in saves).

Finally, the Minnesota Wild host the Vegas Golden Knights. Malcolm Subban and Devan Dubnyk draw the starts in goal. Minnesota began in the first period with an Eric Staal power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, powered by Mike Reilly and Matt Dumba. The Wild added on with a Charlie Coyle goal, his sixth of the year, helped along by Jonas Brodin and Joel Eriksson Ek. Minnesota extended the lead in the second period as Tyler Ennis scored his seventh of the season, with the help of Brodin. Vegas got on the board with an Erik Haula power play goal, his twentieth of the year, coming off of Colin Miller and David Perron. The Wild replied with a Jared Spurgeon power play goal, his seventh of the season, with assists provided by Ryan Suter and Staal. The Golden Knights got one back with a Nate Schmidt power play goal in the third period, his fourth of the year, passed from Perron and Haula. Minnesota iced it at 5-2 with a Staal empty net goal, his second of the game and twenty-second of the campaign, set up by Dumba and Brodin, the latter earning a sock trick. The three stars were Staal, Brodin, and Dumba, while Haula and Perron get the honorable mentions.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 114

We've got another twelve-game day today, beginning with...

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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