NHL 2017-18 Day 140

Nine games on a busy night tonight, beginning with...

The Boston Bruins hosting the Carolina Hurricanes. Scott Darling and Tuukka Rask man the nets. Carolina opened in the first period with a Brock McGinn power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Jeff Skinner and Justin Faulk. Boston tied it on a Rick Nash goal, his nineteenth of the year, via David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk. The Hurricanes retook the lead on a Teuvo Teravainen power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, with assists provided by Faulk and Victor Rask. Carolina added on with a Sebastian Aho goal, his twenty-second of the year, coming off of Teravainen and Derek Ryan. The Bruins got one back with a Riley Nash goal, his eleventh of the season, helped along by Tommy Wingels and Torey Krug. Boston tied it with a Wingels goal, his eighth of the year, passed from DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy in the second period. The Bruins won 4-3 in overtime with a McAvoy goal, his seventh of the campaign, with a lone assist by Riley Nash. The three stars went to McAvoy, Riley Nash, and Wingels, while DeBrusk, Tervainen, and Faulk get the honorable mentions.

Over in Pittsburgh, the Penguins welcome the New Jersey Devils. Keith Kinkaid and Casey DeSmith make the starts in goal. Pittsburgh started in the first period with a Sidney Crosby goal, his twenty-first of the season, courtesy of Brian Dumoulin and Jake Guentzel. New Jersey tied it on a Kyle Palmieri goal, his seventeenth of the year, via Damon Severson and Taylor Hall. The Devils took the lead in the second period with a Hall power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, powered by Severson and Travis Zajac. The Penguins retied it on a Matt Hunwick goal, his fourth of the year, with a lone helper from Guentzel. New Jersey pulled ahead again with a Stefan Noesen goal, his ninth of the campaign in the third period, made possible by Andy Greene and Zajac. The three stars of the 3-2 game were Hall, Severson, and Zajac, while Guentzel gets an honorable mention.

In DC, the Washington Capitals bring in the Ottawa Senators. Mike Condon and Philipp Grubauer are the backups in goal. Washington led off in the first period with an Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, his eighteenth of the season, assisted by T.J. Oshie and Matt Niskanen. The Capitals added on in the second period with a Tom Wilson goal, his eleventh of the year, guided in by Nicklas Backstrom. Ottawa got on the board with a Mike Hoffman power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, powered by Erik Karlsson and the goalie Condon. Washington replied on a Kuznetsov goal, his second of the game and nineteenth of the year, via Niskanen and Jakub Vrana. The Senators got one back in the third period with a Karlsson goal, his sixth of the campaign, helped along by Fredrik Claesson and Mark Stone. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars given to Kuznetsov, Niskanen, and Karlsson.

To the south, the Florida Panthers host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Curtis McElhinney is mismatched with Roberto Luongo in goal. Florida began in the first period with an Aleksander Barkov power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, powered by Jonathan Huberdeau and Vincent Trocheck. The Panthers added on in the second period with a Huberdeau goal, his nineteenth of the year, made possible by Trocheck and Radim Vrbata. Toronto got on the board with a Dominic Moore goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Leo Komarov and Kasperi Kapanen. The Maple Leafs tied it on a Zach Hyman goal, his twelfth of the year, with a lone helper from William Nylander. Florida won 3-2 in overtime with a Jared McCann goal, his seventh of the campaign, via Aaron Ekblad. The three stars belonged to Huberdeau, McCann, and Trocheck.

Way up north, the Winnipeg Jets welcome the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Connor Hellebuyck tend the twines. Winnipeg got going in the second period with a Matt Hendricks goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Joel Armia and Andrew Copp. Nashville tied it on a Craig Smith goal, his nineteenth of the year, coming off of Roman Josi. The Jets retook the lead with a Mark Scheifele goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Jack Roslovic and Kyle Connor. Winnipeg added on with a Scheifele power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-first of the year, powered by Paul Stastny and Blake Wheeler. The Predators got one back with a Kyle Turris goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Viktor Arvidsson and Josi. Nashville tied it with a Mattias Ekholm power play goal, his ninth of the year, with assists provided by Calle Jarnkrok and Josi, the latter earning a sock trick. The Jets regained the lead on a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, guided in by Patrik Laine and Ben Chiarot. Winnipeg extended the lead in the third period as Stastny scored his thirteenth of the year, with the help of Ehlers and Laine. The Predators chipped back on a Smith goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the season, with a lone helper from Yannick Weber. Nashville tied it as Ryan Johansen scored his ninth of the year, thanks to Arvidsson and Josi. The Predators gained the lead with a Ryan Hartman goal, his ninth of the campaign, dished from Josi. This stood for a 6-5 win, with the three stars awarded to Josi, Smith, and Scheifele, while Ehlers, Laine, Stastny, and Arvidsson get the honorable mentions.

Back stateside, the Minnesota Wild bring in the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Devan Dubnyk are in the creases. Minnesota struck first in the first period with a Jason Zucker power play goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, powered by Ryan Suter and Eric Staal. The Wild added on with a Mikael Granlund goal, his eighteenth of the year, via Staal and Zucker. St. Louis got on the board with a Vladimir Tarasenko goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, assisted by Brayden Schenn and Alexander Steen. Minnesota replied with another Granlund goal, his second of the game and nineteenth of the year, passed from Nick Seeler and Nate Prosser. Carter Hutton replaced Allen in goal. The Blues pulled back on an Alex Pietrangelo goal in the second period, his tenth of the season, made possible by Jaden Schwartz and Jay Bouwmeester. The Wild shot back with a Staal power play goal, his thirty-first of the year, with assists provided by Zucker and Suter. Minnesota extended the lead as Mikko Koivu scored his tenth of the season, thanks to Charlie Coyle and Zach Parise. St. Louis got one back with a Tarasenko power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the year, guided in by Schwartz and Steen. The Wild answered with a Jared Spurgeon goal, his ninth of the season, fueled by Granlund and Suter, the latter earning a sock trick. Minnesota padded the lead in the third period on a Staal goal, his second of the game and thirty-second of the year, with helpers from Zucker and Koivu, the former earning a sock trick. The Wild kept going as Staal finished his hat trick on his thirty-third of the campaign, with the help of Zucker and Granlund. The game ended at 8-3, with the three stars handed to Staal, Zucker, and Granlund, while Suter, Koivu, Tarasenko, Schwartz, and Steen get the honorable mentions.

South again to Dallas, as the Stars host the Calgary Flames. Jon Gillies and Ben Bishop are between the pipes. Dallas was first to score in the first period with a Devin Shore goal, his eighth of the season, courtesy of Remi Elie and Dan Hamhuis. The Stars added on in the second period with a Tyler Seguin power play goal, his thirty-second of the year, powered by Jamie Benn and Brett Ritchie. This stood for a 2-0 win, with the three stars being Bishop (38 save shutout), Shore, and Seguin.

Out in California, the San Jose Sharks welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Cam Talbot and Martin Jones protect the nets. Edmonton drew first blood in the first period with a Connor McDavid goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, with a lone assist by Andrej Sekera. San Jose tied it in the second period with a Joe Pavelski goal, his sixteenth of the year, via Evander Kane and Joakim Ryan. The Sharks took the lead with a Justin Braun goal, his third of the season, coming off of Pavelski and Kane. San Jose added on with a Timo Meier goal, his sixteenth of the year, assisted by Pavelski and Joonas Donskoi. The Sharks extended the lead as Logan Couture scored his twenty-sixth of the season, thanks to Mikkel Boedker. The Oilers got one back in the third period with a Jesse Puljujarvi goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by Pontus Aberg and Ryan Strome. San Jose iced it at 5-2 with a Chris Tierney empty net goal, his sixteenth of the campaign, set up by Eric Fehr and Pavelski, the latter earning a sock trick. The three stars were Pavelski, Kane, and Meier.

Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the Los Angeles Kings. Jack Campbell and Maxime Lagace are the little-known goalies. Vegas kicked off the scoring in the first period with a William Karlsson goal, his thirty-fourth of the season, assisted by Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith. Los Angeles tied it on an unassisted Kyle Clifford goal, his fourth of the year. The Kings took the lead with a Tyler Toffoli goal in the second period, his twenty-first of the season, going in unassisted. Los Angeles added on with an Anze Kopitar goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, helped along by Alex Iafallo. The Kings extended the lead as Jeff Carter scored a power play goal in the third period, his second of the campaign, powered by Kopitar and Dion Phaneuf. The final held at 4-1, with the three stars being Kopitar, Campbell (41 for 42 in saves), and Toffoli.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 139

Five games go today after the trade deadline passed earlier. We begin with...

The Columbus Blue Jackets hosting the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Sergei Bobrovsky tend the twines. Columbus opened in the first period with an Artemi Panarin power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, powered by Seth Jones and Cam Atkinson. Washington tied it on an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his thirty-ninth of the year, guided in by John Carlson and T.J. Oshie. The Blue Jackets retook the lead with a Sonny Milano goal, his ninth of the season, passed from Alexander Wennberg and Jones. Columbus added on with a Mark Letestu goal, his ninth of the year, coming off of Matt Calvert and Lukas Sedlak. The Blue Jackets extended the lead as Jones scored a power play goal, his ninth of the season, with the help of Cam Atkinson and Panarin. Philipp Grubauer replaced Holtby in goal. Columbus iced it at 5-1 with a shorthanded empty net goal by Atkinson, his twelfth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Jones, Panarin, and Atkinson.

Up in Montreal, the Canadiens welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Petr Mrazek and Charlie Lindgren are set to start in goal. The game stayed scoreless into a shootout, where Jakub Voracek and Sean Couturier lifted the Flyers over Paul Byron and the Canadiens by a 1-0 score. The three stars were Mrazek (28 save shutout), Lindgren (33 save "shutout"), and Couturier.

Down in Florida, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen and Andrei Vasilevskiy guard the cages. Tampa Bay started in the first period with a Chris Kunitz goal, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Andrej Sustr and Steven Stamkos. Toronto tied it on a James van Riemsdyk goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, via Ron Hainsey and Morgan Rielly. The Maple Leafs added on with a Mitchell Marner goal, his seventeenth of the season, fueled by Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev. The Lightning retied it on a Tyler Johnson goal in the second period, his eighteenth of the year, courtesy of Yanni Gourde. Tampa Bay regained the lead with an unassisted Adam Erne goal, his second of the season, going in unassisted. Toronto retied it in the third period with a Tyler Bozak power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Marner and Rielly. The tie went to the shootout, where Brayden Point's lone tally gave the Lightning a 4-3 win. The three stars were Marner, Rielly, and Point.

Northwest to Colorado, as the Avalanche bring in the Vancouver Canucks. Jacob Markstrom and Semyon Varlamov are in the creases. Colorado led off in the first period with a Mikko Rantanen power play goal, his twentieth of the season, powered by Nathan MacKinnon and Tyson Barrie. The Avalanche added on with a MacKinnon goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, via Gabriel Landeskog and Nikita Zadorov in the third period. Vancouver got on the board with a Daniel Sedin goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Alexander Edler and Henrik Sedin. Colorado iced it at 3-1 with a MacKinnon empty net goal, his second of the game and twenty-eighth of the year, set up by Rantanen. The three stars were MacKinnon, Rantanen, and Varlamov (31 for 32 in saves).

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Vegas Golden Knights. Marc-Andre Fleury and Jonathan Quick protect the nets. Vegas began in the first period with an Erik Haula goal, his twenty-third of the season, coming off of James Neal and Luca Sbisa. The Golden Knights added on in the third period with a Reilly Smith goal, his twenty-first of the year, assisted by Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson. Los Angeles got on the board with a Jeff Carter power play goal, powered by Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown. The Kings tied it on a Kopitar goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, passed from Dion Phaneuf and Drew Doughty. Los Angeles won 3-2 in overtime with a Brown power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, with assists provided by Tyler Toffoli and Kopitar. The three stars were Kopitar, Brown, and Quick (37 for 39 in saves).

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NHL 2017-18 Day 138

Six games on for today, beginning with...

The Nashville Predators hosting the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Pekka Rinne are the masked men. Nashville led off in the first period with a Colton Sissons power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Kyle Turris and Roman Josi. The Predators added on with a Kevin Fiala goal, his twentieth of the year, via Craig Smith. Nashville extended the lead as Scott Hartnell scored his eleventh of the season in the second period, thanks to Calle Jarnkrok and Ryan Ellis. The Predators padded the lead with a shorthanded Austin Watson goal, his eighth of the year, set up by Ryan Johansen. This stood for a 4-0 win, with the three stars given to Rinne (27 save shutout), Sissons, and Fiala.

Up in Buffalo, the Sabres welcome the Boston Bruins. Anton Khudobin and Chad Johnson are the backups in goal. Buffalo began in the first period with a Benoit Pouliot goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Victor Antipin and Nicholas Baptiste. The Sabres added on with a Kyle Okposo power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Ryan O'Reilly and Evan Rodrigues. Boston got on the board in the second period with a Charlie McAvoy goal, his sixth of the season, via David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand. Buffalo replied with a Rodrigues goal, his fifth of the year, passed from Sam Reinhart and Rasmus Ristolainen. The Sabres extended the lead in the third period as Marco Scandella scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Jason Pominville and Antipin. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars being Rodrigues, Antipin, and Johnson (34 for 35 in saves).

In New York City, the Rangers bring in the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Henrik Lundqvist guard the cages. Detroit opened in the first period with an Andreas Athanasiou goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Nick Jensen and Dylan Larkin. The Red Wings added on in the second period with an unassisted Darren Helm goal, his eighth of the year. New York got on the board with a J.T. Miller power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Ryan Spooner and Tony DeAngelo. The Rangers tied it in the third period with a Jesper Fast goal, his tenth of the year, helped along by Kevin Hayes and Spooner. Detroit won 3-2 in overtime with a Trevor Daley goal, his seventh of the campaign, assisted by Frans Nielsen and Tomas Tatar. The three stars were Spooner, Daley, and Howard (36 for 38 in saves).

Out west, the Anaheim Ducks host the Edmonton Oilers. Al Montoya and Ryan Miller draw the starts in goal. Edmonton started in the first period with a Leon Draisaitl goal, his twentieth of the season, made possible by Michael Cammalleri. Anaheim tied it on a Rickard Rakell goal, his twenty-third of the year, via Cam Fowler and Ryan Getzlaf. The Oilers retook the lead on an Anton Slepyshev goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Connor McDavid and Cammalleri. The Ducks retied it in the second period with an Adam Henrique power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, powered by Brandon Montour and Getzlaf. Edmonton restored their lead on a Ryan Strome goal, his eleventh of the season, guided in by Draisaitl and the goalie Montoya. The Oilers added on in the third period with a Strome goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the year, helped along by Jesse Puljujarvi and McDavid. Anaheim pulled back on a Getzlaf goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Corey Perry and Hampus Lindholm. Edmonton responded with an Iiro Pakarinen goal, his second of the year, with helpers from McDavid, who got a sock trick, and Milan Lucic. The Ducks pulled closer with a Rakell goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the season, fueled by Getzlaf, who got a sock trick, and Perry. Anaheim tied it as Rakell scored his twenty-fifth of the year to complete his hat trick, with the help of Perry, who earned a sock trick, and Derek Grant. In the shootout, Draisaitl and McDavid overcame Rakell to give the Oilers the 6-5 win. The three stars were Rakell, Draisaitl, and McDavid, while Strome, Cammalleri, Getzlaf, and Perry receive the honorable mentions.

Backtracking to Minnesota, where the Wild welcome the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Devan Dubnyk tend the twines. San Jose struck first in the first period with a Joakim Ryan goal, his third of the season, fueled by Jannik Hansen and Barclay Goodrow. The Sharks added on in the second period with a Chris Tierney goal, his fifteenth of the year, helped along by Kevin Labanc. Minnesota got on the board with a Matt Cullen goal, his seventh of the season, via Jared Spurgeon and Marcus Foligno. The Wild tied it in the third period with an Eric Staal goal, his thirtieth of the year, guided in by Ryan Suter and Jason Zucker. Minnesota won 3-2 in overtime on a Spurgeon goal, his eighth of the campaign, with a lone assist from Zucker. The three stars went to Spurgeon, Zucker, and Staal.

Finally, the Arizona Coyotes bring in the Vancouver Canucks. Jacob Markstrom and Darcy Kuemper are in the creases. Vancouver kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Daniel Sedin power play goal, his seventeenth of the season, powered by Derrick Pouliot and Henrik Sedin. Arizona tied it on a third period Alex Goligoski power play goal, his ninth of the year, with assists provided by Derek Stepan and Brendan Perlini. The Canucks retook the lead with another Daniel Sedin goal, his second of the game and eighteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Brock Boeser. Vancouver added on with a Darren Archibald shorthanded goal, his second of the year, set up by Brandon Sutter and Troy Stecher. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars given to Daniel Sedin, Markstrom (41 for 42 in saves), and Archibald.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 137

We've got twelve games today, but only two matinees. First up...

The Ottawa Senators host the Philadelphia Flyers. Petr Mrazek and Craig Anderson are in goal. Philadelphia led off in the first period with an Ivan Provorov goal, his eleventh of the season, via Claude Giroux and Shayne Gostisbehere. The Flyers added on with an unassisted Robert Hagg goal, his second of the year. Ottawa got on the board with a Mike Hoffman power play goal, his seventeenth of the season, powered by Thomas Chabot and Bobby Ryan. Philadelphia answered in the third period with a Giroux goal, his twenty-second of the year, with a lone assist by Brandon Manning. The Flyers extended the lead as Nolan Patrick scored his ninth of the season, thanks to Manning and Jakub Voracek. Philadelphia padded the lead on a Manning goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Radko Gudas. The Senators got one back on a Ryan Dzingel goal, his seventeenth of the season, helped along by Zack Smith and Mark Stone. Ottawa pulled closer with a Matt Duchene goal, his seventeenth of the year, passed from Stone and Hoffman. This only made it 5-3, the final, with the three stars given to Manning, Giroux, and Hoffman, while Stone gets an honorable mention.

Out west, the Calgary Flames welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Jon Gillies are called on to start in goal. Calgary began in the first period with a Michael Frolik goal, his ninth of the season, with a lone assist by Mikael Backlund. The Flames added on with a Mark Giordano goal, his tenth of the year, coming off of Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk. Colorado got on the board with a Nathan MacKinnon goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, made possible by Tyson Barrie and Duncan Siemens. Calgary replied in the second period with a Sean Monahan power play goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, powered by Michael Stone and Tkachuk. The Flames extended the lead as Troy Brouwer scored his fourth of the season in the third period, thanks to Matt Stajan and T.J. Brodie. Calgary padded the lead on a Backlund power play goal, his eleventh of the year, with assists provided by Brouwer and Brodie. The Flames won 5-1, with the three stars given to Backlund, Brouwer, and Gillies (27 for 28 in saves), while Tkachuk and Brodie get the honorable mentions.

Back east, the Detroit Red Wings bring in the Carolina Hurricanes. Scott Darling and Jimmy Howard are set to start in goal. Detroit opened in the first period with a Danny DeKeyser goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Dylan Larkin and Xavier Ouellet. Carolina tied it in the second period on a Noah Hanifin goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Victor Rask. The Red Wings took the lead back with a Henrik Zetterberg power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Gustav Nyquist and Niklas Kronwall. Detroit added on with a Trevor Daley goal, his sixth of the year, via Andreas Athanasiou. The three stars were Howard (28 for 29 in saves), Zetterberg, and Daley.

Down in Dallas, the Stars host the Winnipeg Jets. Michael Hutchinson and Kari Lehtonen are the backups in goal. Dallas started in the first period with a Tyler Pitlick goal, his twelfth of the season, with a lone assist by Radek Faksa. Winnipeg tied it in the second period with a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, coming off of Dustin Byfuglien. The Jets took the lead with a Toby Enstrom goal, fueled by Jack Roslovic and Byfuglien. Winnipeg added on with a Mark Scheifele power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, powered by Blake Wheeler and Byfuglien, the latter earning a natural sock trick. The Jets extended the lead as Patrik Laine scored his thirtieth of the year, thanks to Ehlers and the goalie Hutchinson. Ben Bishop replaced Lehtonen in goal. Winnipeg padded the lead on another Laine goal, his second of the game and thirty-first of the season, made possible by Ehlers. The Stars got one back with a Tyler Seguin goal, his thirty-first of the year, helped along by Alexander Radulov and Jamie Benn. Dallas got closer in the third period with a Radulov goal, his twenty-third of the campaign, with a lone helper from Seguin. This only made it 5-3, the final, with the three stars given to Ehlers, Laine, and Byfuglien, while Seguin and Radulov get the honorable mentions.

Way northeast to Quebec, as the Montreal Canadiens welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy faces a lesser foe in Antti Niemi in goal. Montreal struck first in the first period with a Byron Froese goal, his second of the season, coming off of Jordie Benn and Daniel Carr. Tampa Bay tied it on a Brayden Point goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, with a lone assist by Alex Killorn. The Lightning took the lead with a second period Nikita Kucherov power play goal, his thirty-third of the season, powered by Victor Hedman and Tyler Johnson. The Canadiens retied it on a Joe Morrow goal, his fifth of the year, via Charles Hudon and Max Pacioretty. Montreal took the lead on a Pacioretty power play goal, his seventeenth of the season, assisted by Jeff Petry and Jonathan Drouin. Tampa Bay retied it in the third period with a Ryan Callahan power play goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Kucherov and Steven Stamkos. In the shootout, Point had the lone tally to give the Lightning a 4-3 win. The three stars were Kucherov, Point, and Pacioretty.

In Ontario, the Toronto Maple Leafs bring in the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Frederik Andersen protect the nets. Boston was first to score in the first period with a Brad Marchand goal, his twenty-third of the season, made possible by David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron. Toronto tied it on a Mitchell Marner goal, his sixteenth of the year, courtesy of William Nylander and Roman Polak. The Maple Leafs took the lead with a Nazem Kadri power play goal, his twenty-second of the season, powered by James van Riemsdyk and Marner. The Bruins retied it on a Marchand goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the year, via Pastrnak and Bergeron. Boston took the lead in the second period with a Jake DeBrusk goal, his twelfth of the season, fueled by Ryan Spooner and David Krejci. Toronto retied it with a Kadri power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-third of the year, with assists provided by Marner and Jake Gardiner. The Maple Leafs gained the lead with a Ron Hainsey third period goal, his fourth of the campaign, assisted by Nylander and Marner, the latter earning a sock trick. This stood for a 4-3 win, with the three stars given to Marner, Kadri, and Marchand, while Pastrnak, Bergeron, and Nylander get the honorable mentions.

Back stateside, the Washington Capitals host the Buffalo Sabres. Robin Lehner and Philipp Grubauer are in the creases. Washington drew first blood in the first period with an Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, his seventeenth of the season, coming off of Brett Connolly and Dmitry Orlov. The Capitals added on in the second period with an Andre Burakovsky goal, his eighth of the year, assisted by Kuznetsov and Matt Niskanen. Buffalo got on the board in the third period with a Sam Reinhart goal, his fourteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Casey Nelson. Washington replied with an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his thirty-seventh of the year, powered by John Carlson and Kuznetsov. The Capitals extended the lead on a Lars Eller empty net goal, his fourteenth of the season, set up by Alex Chiasson and Niskanen. Washington capped it at 5-1 as Ovechkin scored his second of the game and thirty-eighth of the year, thanks to Carlson and Kuznetsov, the latter earning a sock trick. The three stars were awarded to Kuznetsov, Ovechkin, and Niskanen, while Carlson gets an honorable mention.

South to Florida, as the Panthers welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Roberto Luongo are in the blue paint. Florinda kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Vincent Trocheck goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, via Denis Malgin and Keith Yandle. Pittsburgh tied it on a Carl Hagelin goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Evgeni Malkin and Jamie Oleksiak. The Panthers retook the lead on an Evgenii Dadonov goal, his sixteenth of the season, assisted by Aleksander Barkov and Nick Bjugstad. Florida added on with a Jamie McGinn goal, his ninth of the year, courtesy of Jared McCann and Alexander Petrovic in the second period. The Panthers extended the lead as Derek MacKenzie scored his third of the season, with the help of Colton Sceviour and Petrovic. Matt Murray replaced Jarry in goal. The Penguins got one back with a Malkin goal, his thirty-fifth of the year, helped along by Bryan Rust and Matt Hunwick. Pittsburgh got closer in the third period with another Malkin goal, his second of the game and thirty-sixth of the season, made possible by Hagelin. Florida countered on a Dadonov goal, his seventeenth of the year and second of the game, guided in by Barkov and Yandle. The Penguins pulled back on a Patric Hornqvist power play goal, his seventeenth of the season, powered by Phil Kessel and Sidney Crosby. Pittsburgh tied it as Rust scored his tenth of the year, thanks to Brian Dumoulin. The Panthers retook the lead on a Dadonov goal, completing his hat trick on his eighteenth of the campaign, fueled by Barkov, who got a sock trick, and Jonathan Huberdeau. The three stars of the 6-5 game belonged to Dadonov, Barkov, and Malkin, while Yandle, Petrovic, Rust, and Hagelin receive honorable mentions.

Back north, the Columbus Blue Jackets bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Anton Forsberg and Sergei Bobrovsky are between the pipes. Chicago led off in the first period with a David Kampf goal, his third of the season, helped along by Ryan Hartman and Vinnie Hinostroza. Columbus tied it on a Cam Atkinson power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Seth Jones and Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Blackhawks retook the lead in the second period with a Tomas Jurco goal, assisted by Patrick Kane and Erik Gustafsson. The Blue Jackets tied it again with a Dubois goal, his fourteenth of the season, guided in by Artemi Panarin. Columbus took the lead in the third period with a Josh Anderson goal, his eighteenth of the year, with a lone assist by Boone Jenner. The three stars went to Dubois, Anderson, and Bobrovsky (31 for 33 in saves).

Over in New Jersey, the Devils host the New York Islanders on Patrik Elias night. Jaroslav Halak and Keith Kinkaid are the masked men. New York got going in the second period with a Jordan Eberle goal, his twenty-second of the season, via Anthony Beauvillier and Mathew Barzal. New Jersey tied it on a Kyle Palmieri goal, his fifteenth of the year, courtesy of Taylor Hall in the third period. The Devils took the lead with another Palmieri goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the campaign, assisted by Sami Vatanen and Hall. The final held at 2-1, with the three stars given to Palmieri, Hall, and Kinkaid (30 for 31 in saves).

Way to the southwest, the Arizona Coyotes welcome the Anaheim Ducks. Ryan Miller and Antti Raanta guard the cages. Arizona began in the first period with a Jason Demers goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Josh Archibald and Kevin Connauton. The Coyotes iced it at 2-0 in the third period with a Max Domi empty net goal, his fifth of the year, set up by Archibald and Niklas Hjalmarsson. The three stars went to Raanta (26 save shutout), Demers, and Archibald.

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings bring inthe Edmonton Oilers. Cam Talbot and Jonathan Quick are the goalies. Edmonton struck first in the first period with an Anton Slepyshev goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Ryan Strome and Michael Cammalleri. The Oilers added on with a Leon Draisaitl goal, his nineteenth of the year, via Cammalleri and Adam Larsson. Los Angeles got on the board with a Tyler Toffoli goal, his twentieth of the season, with a lone assist by Nate Thompson. Edmonton replied with a Jujhar Khaira goal, his tenth of the year, helped along by Drake Caggiula and Darnell Nurse. The Kings got one back with a Tobias Rieder goal, his ninth of the season, coming off of Derek Forbort and Anze Kopitar in the third period. The Oilers answered with a Strome empty net goal, his tenth of the year, set up by Cammalleri, who got a sock trick. Los Angeles pulled back on a Dustin Brown goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, courtesy of Drew Doughty and Adrian Kempe. The three stars were given to Cammalleri, Strome, and Khaira.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 136

Five games fill tonight's schedule, beginning with...

The New York Rangers hosting the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk faces a lesser foe in Alexandar Georgiev in goal. Minnesota led off in the first period with a Mikael Granlund goal, his sixteenth of the season, courtesy of Eric Staal. The Wild added on with a Staal goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, passed from Zach Parise and Granlund. New York got on the board in the second period with a Jesper Fast goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by J.T. Miller. Minnesota replied with a Staal power play goal in the third period, his second of the game and twenty-ninth of the year, powered by Ryan Suter and Granlund. The Wild iced it at 4-1 with a Granlund goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the campaign, helped along by Jason Zucker and Staal. The three stars were Granlund, Staal, and Dubnyk (22 for 23 in saves).

Down in Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Matt Murray and Cam Ward are in the creases. Pittsburgh began in the first period with a Jake Guentzel goal, his twentieth of the season, made possible by Phil Kessel. The Penguins added on in the second period with an Olli Maatta goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Evgeni Malkin. Carolina got on the board with a Teuvo Teravainen goal, his fifteenth of the season, passed from Elias Lindholm and Sebastian Aho. Pittsburgh replied with a Kessel goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, assisted by Guentzel and Brian Dumoulin. The Penguins extended the lead as Kessel scored his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the season, thanks to Riley Sheahan and Guentzel. Pittsburgh padded the lead on a Sidney Crosby power play goal in the third period, his twentieth of the year, powered by Kris Letang and Malkin. The Penguins capped it at 6-1 with a Malkin goal, his thirty-fourth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Zach Aston-Reese. The three stars were given to Kessel, Malkin, and Guentzel.

Over in St. Louis, the Blues host the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Jake Allen are the masked men. Winnipeg started in the first period with a Nic Petan goal, his second of the season, via Mark Scheifele. The Jets added on with a Blake Wheeler goal, his eighteenth of the year, coming off of Kyle Connor and Scheifele. Winnipeg extended the lead as Connor scored a power play goal, his twenty-second of the season, powered by Wheeler and Dustin Byfuglien. The Jets padded the lead in the second period with a Patrik Laine goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, guided in by Nikolaj Ehlers and Andrew Copp. This produced the eventual 4-0 final, with the three stars awarded to Hellebuyck (34 save shutout), Wheeler, and Connor, while Scheifele earns an honorable mention.

Along to Chicago, as the Blackhawks bring in the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Jean-Francois Berube draw the starts in goal. Chicago got going in the second period with a Jan Rutta goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Anthony Duclair and Nick Schmaltz. The Blackhawks added on with a Schmaltz goal in the third period, his seventeenth of the year, via Duclair. San Jose got on the board with a Timo Meier goal, his fifteenth of the season, assisted by Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski. Chicago iced it at 3-1 with an Artem Anisimov empty net goal, his seventeenth of the year, set up by Tomas Jurco and Rutta. The three stars were Schmaltz, Berube (42 for 43 in saves), and Rutta, while Duclair gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights host the Vancouver Canucks. Anders Nilsson is mismatched with Marc-Andre Fleury in goal. Vegas opened in the first period with a Tomas Hyka goal, with helpers by Deryk Engelland and Ryan Carpenter. Vancouver tied it on a Sven Baertschi goal, his fourteenth of the season, helped along by Sam Gagner. The Canucks took the lead with a Thomas Vanek goal, his seventeenth of the year, via Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. The Golden Knights tied it on a William Karlsson goal, his thirty-second of the season, courtesy of Reilly Smith and Brayden McNabb. Vegas took the lead in the second period with a Karlsson goal, his second of the game and thirty-third of the year, passed from Jonathan Marchessault and Smith. The Golden Knights added on with a Marchessault power play goal, his twenty-second of the season, powered by Karlsson and Smith, the latter earning a natural sock trick. Vegas extended the lead as Tomas Nosek scored his seventh of the year, thanks to David Perron and the goalie Fleury. Vancouver got one back with a Daniel Sedin power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, with assists provided by Alexander Edler and Brock Boeser. Vegas iced it at 6-3 with a Perron empty net goal, his fifteenth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Karlsson, Marchessault, and Smith, while Perron and Daniel Sedin get the honorable mentions.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 135

Eleven games on a busy schedule tonight, beginning with...

The New Jersey Devils hosting the Minnesota Wild. Alex Stalock and Eddie Lack are the backups in goal. New Jersey opened in the first period with a Taylor Hall power play goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, powered by Sami Vatanen and Kyle Palmieri. The Devils added on with a second period Stefan Noesen goal, his eighth of the year, via Travis Zajac and Miles Wood. Minnesota got on the board with a Mike Reilly goal, his second of the season, passed from Nino Niederreiter and Matt Dumba. The Wild tied it on a Joel Eriksson Ek, his third of the year, guided in by Daniel Winnik and Mikael Granlund. Minnesota took the lead with a Chris Stewart goal, his ninth of the season, helped along by Nick Seeler. The Wild iced it at 4-2 with an empty net goal by Eric Staal in the third period, his twenty-seventh of the year, set up by Charlie Coyle. The three stars were Stewart, Stalock (38 for 40 in saves), and Eriksson Ek.

Over in Philadelphia, the Flyers welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Petr Mrazek draw the starts in goal. Columbus got going with an unassisted Artemi Panarin, his seventeenth of the season. Philadelphia tied it in the third period with a Claude Giroux goal, his twenty-first of the year, fueled by Sean Couturier and Shayne Gostisbehere. The Flyers took the lead on a Nolan Patrick power play goal, his eighth of the campaign, powered by Gostisbehere and Giroux. The three stars were Giroux, Patrick, and Gostisbehere.

Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs bring in the New York Islanders. Jaroslav Halak and Frederik Andersen. New York started in the first period with a Ryan Pulock goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Thomas Hickey and Mathew Barzal. The Islanders added on with a Barzal goal, his seventeenth of the year, guided in by Anthony Beauvillier and Sebastian Aho. Toronto got on the board with a Mitchell Marner goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Nazem Kadri and Patrick Marleau. The Maple Leafs tied it in the third period with a Morgan Rielly goal, his sixth of the year, via Connor Brown and James van Riemsdyk. New York retook the lead with a Jordan Eberle goal, his twenty-first of the season, assisted by Barzal and Beauvillier. Toronto tied it on an Auston Matthews goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, courtesy of Jake Gardiner and Zach Hyman. The Maple Leafs won 4-3 with a lone tally by Tyler Bozak in the shootout. The three stars were Barzal, Beauvillier, and Matthews.

In Michigan, the Detroit Red Wings host the Buffalo Sabres. Robin Lehner and Jimmy Howard are in the blue paint. Buffalo led off in the first period with a Rasmus Ristolainen goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Nathan Beaulieu and Johan Larsson. Detroit tied it in the second period with an unassisted Jonathan Ericsson goal, his third of the year. The Sabres retook the lead on an Evander Kane power play goal, his twentieth of the season, powered by Jason Pominville and Ristolainen. The Red Wings tied it on a third period Justin Abdelkader power play goal, his tenth of the year, with assists provided by Frans Nielsen and Henrik Zetterberg. Buffalo won 3-2 in overtime with a Marco Scandella goal, his third of the campaign, guided in by Larsson and Sam Reinhart. The three stars were given to Ristolainen, Larsson, and Scandella.

Back in Canada, the Montreal Canadiens welcome the New York Rangers. Alexandar Georgiev and Antti Niemi play in goal. Montreal began in the first period with a Tomas Plekanec goal, his sixth of the season, guided in by Paul Byron and Brendan Gallagher. The Canadiens added on in the second period with a Jeff Petry goal, his tenth of the year, via Charles Hudon and Nicolas Deslauriers. New York got on the board in the third period with a Kevin Hayes power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Tony DeAngelo and David Desharnais. Montreal capped it at 3-1 with a Phillip Danault goal, his eighth of the year, with a lone assist by Plekanec. The three stars were Plekanec, Petry, and Niemi (31 for 32 in saves).

Crossing into Ontario, as the Ottawa Senators bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Louis Domingue and Craig Anderson. Tampa Bay struck first in the first period with a Tyler Johnson goal, his seventeenth of the season, helped along by Chris Kunitz and Yanni Gourde. Ottawa tied it on a Ryan Dzingel goal, his sixteenth of the year, coming off of Mark Stone and Derick Brassard. The Lightning retook the lead with a Victor Hedman goal, his ninth of the season, courtesy of Nikita Kucherov and Vladislav Namestnikov. Tampa Bay added on in the second period with a Namestnikov goal, his twentieth of the year, passed from Kucherov and Steven Stamkos. The Lightning extended the lead as Brayden Point scored his twenty-fourth of the season, thanks to Gourde and Alex Killorn. The Senators got one back in the third period with a Mark Borowiecki goal, his third of the year, fueled by Bobby Ryan and Cody Ceci. Ottawa got closer with a Brassard power play goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, powered by Stone and Erik Karlsson. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars Namestnikov, Kucherov, and Gourde, while Brassard and Stone get the honorable mentions.

Way down south, as the Florida Panthers host the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Roberto Luongo tend the twines. Florida was first to score in the first period with a Maxim Mamin goal, assisted by Colton Sceviour and Ian McCoshen. Washington tied it on a Lars Eller goal, his thirteenth of the season, passed from Brett Connolly and Andre Burakovsky. The Capitals took the lead in the second period with a Burakovsky power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Alex Ovechkin. The Panthers tied it in the third period with a Nick Bjugstad goal, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Aleksander Barkov and Evgenii Dadonov. Florida took it with a Vincent Trocheck power play goal, his twenty-third of the year, with assists provided by Jonathan Huberdeau and Keith Yandle. The three stars of the 3-2 game went to Trocheck, Bjugstad, and Burakovsky.

Northwest to Nashville, as the Predators welcome the San Jose Sharks. Aaron Dell is mismatched with Pekka Rinne in goal. Nashville drew first blood in the first period with a Nick Bonino goal, his ninth of the season, courtesy of Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis. The Predators added on with a Scott Hartnell goal, his tenth of the year, assisted by Bonino and Calle Jarnkrok. San Jose got on the board in the second period with a Logan Couture goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, passed from Kevin Labanc and Justin Braun. Nashville replied with a Kevin Fiala goal, his nineteenth of the year, coming off of P.K. Subban and Ryan Johansen. The Predators extended the lead in the third period as Viktor Arvidsson scored his twenty-second of the season, a power play goal with the help of Subban and Craig Smith. Nashville padded the lead with a Johansen goal, his eighth of the year, via Josi. The Predators continued with a Mattias Ekholm goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Filip Forsberg and Arvidsson. Nashville finished it at 7-1 with an unassisted Jarnkrok goal, his fifteenth of the year. The three stars were Bonino, Johansen, and Arvidsson, while Jarnkrok, Josi, and Subban receive the honorable mentions.

In Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Cam Talbot are in the creases. Edmonton dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Leon Draisaitl his eighteenth of the season, coming off of Matt Benning and Connor McDavid. The Oilers added on with a Zack Kassian goal, his seventh of the year, with a lone assist by Mark Letestu. Colorado got on the board with a Samuel Girard goal, his third of the season, passed from Carl Soderberg. The Avalanche tied it on a Colin Wilson goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Tyson Jost and Alexander Kerfoot. Edmonton won 3-2 in overtime with a McDavid goal, his twenty-seventh of the campaign, assisted by Draisaitl and Oscar Klefbom. The three stars were awarded to McDavid, Draisaitl, and Kassian

Down in Arizona, the Coyotes host the Calgary Flames. Jon Gillies and Antti Raanta make the starts in goal. Arizona kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Derek Stepan goal, his eleventh of the season, assisted by Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jason Demers. Calgary tied it on a Sam Bennett goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Johnny Gaudreau and Mark Giordano. The Flames took the lead with a Gaudreau goal, his twentieth of the season, via Sean Monahan and Bennett. Calgary added on in the second period with a Monahan power play goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, powered by Dougie Hamilton and Gaudreau. The Flames extended the lead as Mark Jankowski scored a shorthanded and unassisted goal in the third period, his eleventh of the season. Calgary padded the lead on a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, coming off of Hamilton and Giordano. The Coyotes got one back with a Kevin Connauton goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Nick Cousins and Jordan Martinook. This only made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars given to Gaudreau, Monahan, and Bennett, while Giordano and Hamilton get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Jonathan Quick are between the pipes. Dallas cracked the scoresheet in the third period with a Tyler Seguin goal, his thirtieth of the season, with a lone assist by Greg Pateryn. The Stars added on with an Alexander Radulov empty net goal, his twenty-second of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Lehtonen (18 save shutout), Seguin, and Radulov.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 134

Three games on for tonight, with the first being...

The Chicago Blackhawks hosting the Ottawa Senators. Mike Condon and Anton Forsberg are the backups in goal. Chicago led off in the first period with a Patrick Kane goal, his twenty-third of the season, passed from Vinnie Hinostroza and David Kampf. Ottawa tied it on a Zack Smith goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Derick Brassard and Mark Stone. The Blackhawks took the lead with a second period Artem Anisimov goal, his sixteenth of the season, made possible by Kane and Erik Gustafsson. The Senators retied it on a Matt Duchene goal, his sixteenth of the year, coming off of Stone and and Fredrik Claesson. In the shootout, Kane, Alex DeBrincat, and Nick Schmaltz lifted the Blackhawks 3-2 over Duchene, Mike Hoffman, and the Senators. The three stars were given to Kane, Stone, and Duchene.

Out in Anaheim, the Ducks welcome the Dallas Stars. Ben Bishop and Ryan Miller are the experienced goalies. Anaheim began in the first period with a Hampus Lindholm power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Ryan Getzlaf and Brandon Montour. The Ducks added on with a shorthanded Getzlaf goal in the third period, his eighth of the year, set up by Francois Beauchemin and Derek Grant. The three stars of the 2-0 game were Getzlaf, Miller (41 save shutout), and Lindholm.

Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the Calgary Flames. David Rittich is mismatched with Marc-Andre Fleury in goal. Vegas struck first in the first period with a Ryan Carpenter goal, his sixth of the season, going in unassisted. Calgary tied it on a T.J. Brodie goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Travis Hamonic and Matt Stajan. The Golden Knights took the lead with a William Karlsson power play goal, his thirty-first of the season, powered by Reilly Smith and Nate Schmidt. The Flames retied it on a Dougie Hamilton goal in the second period, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by Mikael Backlund and Mark Giordano. Vegas retook the lead on a Reilly Smith goal, his twentieth of the season, passed from Colin miller and Jonathan Marchessault. Calgary retied it on a Matthew Tkachuk power play goal, his twenty-third of the year, with assists provided by Hamilton and Johnny Gaudreau. The Golden Knights retook the lead on an Alex Tuch goal, his eleventh of the season, via David Perron and Erik Haula. Vegas added on with a Luca Sbisa goal, his second of the year, helped along by Tuch. The Golden Knights extended the lead as Haula scored his twenty-third of the season, thanks to Sbisa and Perron. Vegas iced it at 7-3 with a Cody Eakin goal, his seventh of the year, fueled by Carpenter. The three stars were given to Sbisa, Smith, and Haula, while Tuch, Carpenter, Perron, and Hamilton get the honorable mentions.

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