The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Robin Lehner are the masked men. Los Angeles opened in the first period with a Michael Amadio goal, his third of the season, coming off of Andy Andreoff. The Kings added on in the second period with an Anze Kopitar goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, via Dustin Brown. Los Angeles extended the lead as Kopitar scored his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the season, thanks to Alex Iafallo and Brown. The Kings padded the lead on an Amadio goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, helped along by Jonny Brozinski and Drew Doughty. Chad Johnson replaced Lehner for the third period. Buffalo got on the board with a Marco Scandella goal, his second of the season, going in unassisted. The Sabres got closer with an unassisted Rasmus Ristolainen goal, his fifth of the year. This only made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars given to Amadio, Kopitar, and Brown.
In Canada, the Ottawa Senators welcome the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Craig Anderson make the starts in goal. Ottawa started in the first period with a Mark Stone goal, his nineteenth of the season, passed from Derick Brassard and Zack Smith. The Senators added on with a Johnny Oduya goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Erik Karlsson and Matt Duchene. New York got on the board with a Michael Grabner goal, his twenty-fourth of the campaign, made possible by Ryan Sproul and Pavel Buchnevich. Ottawa answered in the second period on a Duchene goal, his fifteenth of the season, assisted by Cody Ceci and Thomas Chabot. The Rangers pulled one back on a Mika Zibanejad power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, powered by Mats Zuccarello and J.T. Miller. The Senators replied on a Brassard goal, his seventeenth of the campaign, guided in by Mark Borowiecki and Smith. Ottawa extended the lead in the third period as Chabot scored his fifth of the season, with the help of Brassard and Stone. Brandon Halverson replaced Lundqvist in goal. New York got one back with a Grabner goal, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the year, with a lone helper from Kevin Hayes. The Senators capped it at 6-3 with a Magnus Paajarvi goal, his fourth of the campaign, fueled by Ceci and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. The three stars were given to Brassard, Duchene, and Stone, while Chabot, Ceci, Grabner, and Smith get the honorable mentions.
Over in Minnesota, the Wild bring in the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson and Devan Dubnyk guard the cages. Anaheim led off in the first period with a Corey Perry power play goal, his twelfth of the season, powered by Adam Henrique and Hampus Lindholm. Minnesota tied it on an unassisted Mikko Koivu goal, his ninth of the year. The Wild took thelead in the second period with a Jason Zucker goal, his twenty-third of the season, via Nate Prosser. The Ducks tied it in the third period with an Ondrej Kase goal, his seventeenth of the year, assisted by Lindholm and Nick Ritchie. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Ryan Getzlaf, Kase, and Ritchie lifted the Ducks 3-2 over Zach Parise, Nino Niederreiter, and the Wild. The three stars were Ritchie, Kase, and Lindholm.
The last matinee has the Arizona Coyotes hosting the Edmonton Oilers. Cam Talbot and Antti Raanta are the former Rangers in goal. Arizona drew first blood in the first period with a Christian Dvorak goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Christian Fischer. This stood for a 1-0 win in the end, with the three stars awarded to Raanta (40 save shutout), Dvorak, and Talbot (31 for 32 in saves).
Back northeast, the Pittsburgh Penguins welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen and Matt Murray protect the nets. Pittsburgh began in the first period with a Carl Hagelin goal, his seventh of the season, coming off of Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin. Toronto tied it on a Connor Brown goal, his thirteenth of the year, helped along by James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak. The Maple Leafs took the lead with a Bozak goal, his ninth of the season, via Travis Dermott and Roman Polak. The Penguins tied it on a Malkin goal, his thirty-third of the year, assisted by Rust and Hagelin. Pittsburgh retook the lead in the second period with a Zach Aston-Reese goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Ian Cole and Kris Letang. Toronto retied it on a Patrick Marleau power play goal, his twentieth of the year, powered by Brown and Auston Matthews. The Penguins pulled ahead in the third period on an Olli Maatta goal, his fourth of the season, guided in by Matt Hunwick and Ryan Reaves. Pittsburgh added on with a Rust goal, his ninth of the year, with helpers from Malkin and Letang. The final held from here at 5-3, with the three stars being Malkin, Rust, and Hagelin, while Letang, Brown, and Bozak get the honorable mentions.
Down in Florida, the Tampa Bay Lightning bring in the New Jersey Devils. Eddie Lack is mismatched with Andrei Vasilevskiy in goal. New Jersey struck first in the first period with a Ben Lovejoy goal, his second of the season, going in unassisted. Tampa Bay tied it on a Chris Kunitz goal, his ninth of the year, made possible by Ryan Callahan. The Lightning took the lead in the second period with a Brayden Point power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, powered by Yanni Gourde and Mikhail Sergachev. The Devils tied it on a Nico Hischier goal, his twelfth of the year, courtesy of Taylor Hall and Sami Vatanen. New Jersey took the lead with a shorthanded Pavel Zacha goal, his fifth of the season, set up by Vatanen and Lovejoy. The Devils added on in the third period with a Miles Wood goal, his sixteenth of the year, with a lone assist by Stefan Noesen. Tampa Bay got one back on a Steven Stamkos power play goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, with assists provided by Victor Hedman and Nikita Kucherov. The final held at 4-3, with the three stars being Lovejoy, Vatanen, and Lack (48 for 51 in saves).
Way out west, the Vegas Golden Knights host the Montreal Canadiens. Antti Niemi and Marc-Andre Fleury occupy the creases. Vegas was first to score in the first period with a Reilly Smith power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, powered by Nate Schmidt and Jonathan Marchessault. Montreal tied it on a Charles Hudon goal, his eighth of the year, via Max Pacioretty and Joe Morrow. The Golden Knights retook the lead on a Brad Hunt goal, his third of the season, with a lone helper by Luca Sbisa. Vegas added on with a Tomas Nosek goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Erik Haula and Ryan Carpenter. Carey Price replaced Niemi in goal. The Canadiens got one back with a Nikita Scherbak goal, made possible by Alex Galchenyuk and Karl Alzner. The Golden Knights replied in the second period with a Carpenter goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Colin Miller and Marchessault. Vegas extended the lead as Smith scored his second of the game and nineteenth of the year, thanks to Deryk Engelland and Marchessault, the latter earning a sock trick. The Golden Knights padded the lead in the third period on a Schmidt goal, his fifth of the season, with a lone assists provided by Smith. Montreal pulled one back with a Jonathan Drouin power play goal, his ninth of the year, with helpers from Jeff Petry and Brendan Gallagher. This only made it 6-3, the final, with the three stars belonging to Smith, Marchessault, and Schmidt, while Carpenter gets an honorable mention.
Back east, the Nashville Predators welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Petr Mrazek and Juuse Saros get the green light to play in goal. Detroit cracked the scoresheet in the first period with a Luke Witkowski goal, assisted by Anthony Mantha and Justin Abdelkader. The Red Wings added on with a Gustav Nyquist goal, his sixteenth of the season, via Nick Jensen and Danny DeKeyser. Nashville got on the board with a Craig Smith power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, powered by P.K. Subban and the goalie Saros in the third period. Detroit iced it at 3-1 with a Darren Helm empty net goal, his seventh of the campaign, set up by Frans Nielsen. The three stars went to Mrazek (31 for 32 in saves), Nyquist, and Witkowski.
Up in Chicago, the Blackhawks bring in the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby faces a lesser foe in Anton Forsberg in goal. Chicago kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Jonathan Toews goal, his sixteenth of the season, helped along by Brandon Saad. Washington tied it on a Tom Wilson goal, his tenth of the year, with a lone assist from Matt Niskanen. The Blackhawks retook the lead on a Saad goal, his fifteenth of the season, guided in by Vinnie Hinostroza and Toews. Chicago added on with a Nick Schmaltz goal, his sixteenth of the year, via Carl Dahlstrom and Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks extended the lead as Patrick Kane scored his twenty-second of the season in the second period, with the help of Toews. Chicago padded the lead on a Ryan Hartman goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Michal Kempny. The Blackhawks continued with an Artem Anisimov power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Hinostroza and Kane. Philipp Grubauer replaced Holtby for the third period. Chicago struck again on an Alex DeBrincat goal, his twenty-second of the year, passed from Hartman and Patrick Sharp. The three stars were Toews, Kane, and Saad, while Hartman and Hinostroza get the honorable mentions.
In Alberta, the Calgary Flames host the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo returns to action against David Rittich in goal. Florida opened in the first period with an unassisted Mike Matheson goal, his seventh of the season. Calgary tied it on a Dougie Hamilton power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Mark Giordano and Sean Monahan. The Panthers retook the lead on a Vincent Trocheck power play goal in the second period, his twenty-second of the season, made possible by Aleksander Barkov. Florida added on with an Evgenii Dadonov power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, with assists provided by Keith Yandle and Trocheck. The Panthers extended the lead as Barkov scored his nineteenth of the season, thanks to Dadonov and Aaron Ekblad. Jon Gillies replaced Rittich in goal. The Flames got one back with another Hamilton power play goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the year, with helpers from Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk. Florida answered with a third period Matheson goal, his second of the game and eighth of the season, courtesy of Mark Pysyk and Barkov. The Panthers padded the lead on a Jared McCann goal, his sixth of the year, via Alexander Petrovic and MacKenzie Weegar. Calgary got one back on a Hamilton goal, his thirteenth of the season completing his hat trick with an unassisted goal. This only made it 6-3, the final, with the three stars being Matheson, Hamilton, and Barkov, while Trocheck, Dadonov, and Monahan get the honorable mentions.
Finally, the Vancouver Canucks host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Anders Nilsson are between the pipes. Vancouver started in the first period with a Loui Eriksson goal, his ninth of the season, courtesy of Daniel Sedin and Alexander Edler. The Canucks added on with a Daniel Sedin goal, his fifteenth of the year, coming off of Thomas Vanek and Henrik Sedin. Vancouver extended the lead as Bo Horvat scored his fifteenth of the season, thanks to Troy Stecher and the goalie Nilsson. The Canucks padded the lead on an unassisted Sven Baertschi goal, his thirteenth of the year. Vancouver continued against Anton Khudobin in the second period with a Nic Dowd goal, his second of the season, helped along by Jake Virtanen and Derrick Pouliot. Boston got on the board in the third period with a Tim Schaller goal, his tenth of the year, helped along by Torey Krug. The Canucks replied with an Eriksson goal, his tenth of the season, a shorthanded goal set up by Pouliot. The final held at 6-1, with the three stars being Eriksson, Daniel Sedin, and Pouliot.
Follow me on Twitter