NHL 2017-18 Day 143

Nine games as Hockey Weekend Across America kicks off its three-day celebration. We begin with...

The New York Islanders hosting the Montreal Canadiens. Charlie Lindgren and Jaroslav Halak are the goalies. Montreal opened in the first period with a Brendan Gallagher goal, his twenty-second of the season, assisted by Alex Galchenyuk and Jonathan Drouin. New York tied it on a Tanner Fritz goal, his second of the year, via Brock Nelson and Thomas Hickey. The Canadiens retook the lead in the second period with a Galchenyuk goal, his thirteenth of the season, coming off of David Schlemko. The Islanders tied it with a Josh Bailey goal, his sixteenth of the year, fueled by Nick Leddy. Montreal regained the lead on another Galchenyuk goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Mike Reilly. New York pulled even on a Nelson power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Anthony Beauvillier and Andrew Ladd. The Canadiens retook the lead with a Paul Byron goal, his sixteenth of the season, courtesy of Gallagher and Jacob De La Rose in the third period. Montreal added on with a Noah Juulsen goal, made possible by Artturi Lehkonen and Reilly. The Canadiens iced it at 6-3 with an unassisted empty net goal by Galchenyuk, his fifteenth of the year finishing his hat trick. The three stars were Galchenyuk, Gallagher, and Reilly, while Nelson gets an honorable mention.

Down in Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the New Jersey Devils. Keith Kinkaid and Cam Ward make the starts in goal. Carolina got going in the second period with a Derek Ryan goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Victor Rask and Noah Hanifin. New Jersey tied it on a Taylor Hall power play goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, powered by Sami Vatanen and Kyle Palmieri. The Hurricanes took the lead back in the third period with a Teuvo Teravainen goal, his eighteenth of the season, via Brett Pesce and Elias Lindholm. Carolina capped it at 3-1 with an empty net goal by Justin Williams, his thirteenth of the year, set up by Jordan Staal. The three stars belonged to Teravainen, Ward (25 for 26 in saves), and Ryan.

Further to the south, the Florida Panthers bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Robin Lehner and James Reimer are between the pipes. Florida started in the first period with a Mike Matheson goal, his ninth of the season, guided in by Jamie McGinn and Jared McCann. Buffalo tied it on a Sam Reinhart goal, his fifteenth of the year, passed from Ryan O'Reilly and Victor Antipin. The Panthers retook the lead with an Aaron Ekblad goal, his thirteenth of the season, courtesy of Keith Yandle and Evgenii Dadonov. Florida added on in the second period with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, assisted by Nick Bjugstad and Dadonov. The Panthers extended the lead as Colton Sceviour scored his eighth of the season, thanks to Bjugstad and Derek MacKenzie. This held up for the 4-1 win, with the three stars being Dadonov, Bjugstad, and Reimer (24 for 25 in saves).

Northwest to Winnipeg, where the Jets host the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Connor Hellebuyck are the masked men. Detroit led off in the first period with a Niklas Kronwall power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader. Winnipeg tied it on a Patrik Laine goal, his thirty-second of the year, with a lone assist by Tyler Myers. The Jets took the lead with a Ben Chiarot goal, passed from Bryan Little and Jack Roslovic. Winnipeg added on in the second period with a Dustin Byfuglien goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Josh Morrissey and Joel Armia. The Red Wings got one back on an Anthony Mantha goal, his twenty-first of the year, guided in by Gustav Nyquist. The Jets responded with a Laine goal, his second of the game and thirty-third of the season, coming off of Nikolaj Ehlers and Morrissey. Detroit pulled back with a Trevor Daley goal, his eighth of the year, fueled by Kronwall and Tyler Bertuzzi. The Jets held on for a 4-3 win, with the three stars given to Laine, Morrissey, and Kronwall.

Over in Alberta, the Calgary Flames welcome the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist faces a lesser foe in Jon Gillies in goal. New York began in the first period with a Kevin Hayes goal, his eighteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Ryan Spooner. Calgary tied it on a Brett Kulak goal, his second of the year, fueled by Michael Frolik and Matthew Tkachuk. The Rangers retook the lead in the second period with a Pavel Buchnevich goal, his fourteenth of the season, guided in by Chris Kreider and Neal Pionk. New York added on with a Spooner goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Tony DeAngelo. This stood for a 3-1 win, with the three stars going to Spooner, Lundqvist (50 for 51 in saves), and Buchnevich.

South to Colorado, as the Avalanche bring in the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Semyon Varlamov protect the nets. Colorado struck first in the first period with a Gabriel Landeskog goal, his twenty-first of the season, made possible by Mikko Rantanen and Samuel Girard. The Avalanche added on with a Nathan MacKinnon power play goal, his thirtieth of the year, powered by Rantanen and Tyson Barrie. Colorado extended the lead in the second period as Barrie scored his eighth of the season, thanks to Rantanen, who got a natural sock trick, and MacKinnon. The Avalanche padded the lead with another MacKinnon goal, his second of the game and thirty-first of the year, passed from Girard and Patrik Nemeth. Colorado chased Dubnyk with a Carl Soderberg goal, his twelfth of the season, with a lone helper by Gabriel Bourque. Alex Stalock came on in relief. The Avalanche continued with a Rantanen goal, his twenty-first of the year, assisted by MacKinnon and Nemeth. Minnesota got on the board with a Mikko Koivu goal, his twelfth of the season, helped along by Zach Parise and Mikael Granlund. Colorado replied in the third period with a Matt Nieto goal, his twelfth of the year, fueled by Blake Comeau and MacKinnon, the latter earning a sock trick. This made it 7-1, the final, with the three stars going to MacKinnon, Rantanen, and Barrie, while Nemeth and Girard get the honorable mentions.

Northwest to Vancouver, where the Canucks host the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Jacob Markstrom occupy the creases. Vancouver drew first blood in the first period with a Bo Horvat power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, powered by Alexander Edler and Daniel Sedin. The Canucks added on in the second period with a Brandon Sutter goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Brock Noeser and Darren Archibald. Nashville got on the board with a Mike Fisher goal, passed from Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson. The Predators tied it on a Kevin Fiala goal in the third period, his twenty-first of the season, via Kyle Turris and Mattias Ekholm. Vancouver regained the lead with a Daniel Sedin power play goal, his twenty-first of the year, with assists provided by Henrik Sedin and Edler. Nashville tied it again with a Ryan Ellis goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by P.K. Subban and Calle Jarnkrok. The Predators won 4-3 in overtime with a Jarnkrok goal, his sixteenth of the year, fueled by Arvidsson and Ellis. The three stars went to Jarnkrok, Ellis, and Arvidsson, while Daniel Sedin and Edler get the honorable mentions.

In California, the Anaheim Ducks welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and John Gibson guard the cages. Columbus kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Sonny Milano goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Oliver Bjorkstrand and Zach Werenski. Anaheim tied it on a Rickard Rakell goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, guided in by Corey Perry and Cam Fowler. The Ducks took the lead in the second period with a shorthanded and unassisted Andrew Cogliano goal, his seventh of the season. Anaheim added on with a Josh Manson goal, his fifth of the year, via Francois Beauchemin. The Ducks extended the lead in the third period as Fowler scored his eighth of the season, thanks to Adam Henrique and Rakell. The Blue Jackets got one back on a Werenski goal, his twelfth of the year, with a lone helper from Bjorkstrand. This only made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars being Rakell, Fowler, and Werenski, while Bjorkstrand gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Marc-Andre Fleury are in the blue paint. Vegas was first to score in the first period with a Reilly Smith goal, his twenty-second of the season, passed from Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson. Ottawa tied it on a Mark Stone goal, his twentieth of the year, helped along by Bobby Ryan. The Golden Knights retook the lead with a Colin Miller power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Brad hunt and Erik Haula. The Senators tied it on a Ryan goal in the second period, his eighth of the year, via Stone and Erik Karlsson. Ottawa gained the lead with a Matt Duchene power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, assisted by Thomas Chabot and Mike Hoffman. The Senators added on with a Jean-Gabriel Pageau goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Erik Karlsson and Ryan. Vegas got one back with a William Karlsson goal, his thirty-fifth of the season, made possible by Marchessault and Smith. The Golden Knights tied it on a shorthanded Ryan Carpenter goal, his seventh of the year, set up by Miller and Tomas Nosek. Ottawa regained the lead on an Alexandre Burrows goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Erik Karlsson, who got a sock trick, and Max McCormick. This made it 5-4, the final, with the three stars given to Ryan, Erik Karlsson, and Stone, while Smith, William Karlsson, Miller, and Marchessault get the honorable mentions.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 142

Eight games on tonight, beginning with...

The Boston Bruins hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins. Casey DeSmith is mismatched with Tuukka Rask in goal. Pittsburgh led off in the first period with an Olli Maatta goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Evgeni Malkin. Boston tied it on a David Krejci goal, his twelfth of the year, via Rick Nash and Zdeno Chara. The Bruins took the lead with a David Pastrnak goal, his twenty-third of the season, assisted by Brad Marchand and Riley Nash. Boston added on with a Rick Nash power play goal, his twentieth of the year, powered by Torey Krug and Marchand. Tristan Jarry replaced DeSmith in goal. The Penguins got one back with a Phil Kessel goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, courtesy of Patric Hornqvist and Malkin. The Bruins answered on a David Backes goal, his eleventh of the year, with a lone assist by Brian Gionta. Boston extended the lead as Krug scored his eleventh of the season, with helpers from Pastrnak and Riley Nash. Pittsburgh replied with an unassisted Riley Sheahan goal, his ninth of the year. The Bruins countered in the second period with a Krejci power play goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, with assists provided by Nick Holden and Jake DeBrusk. Boston padded the lead on another Krejci power play goal, completing his hat trick on his fourteenth of the year, fueled by Charlie McAvoy and Holden. The Bruins continued with a Pastrnak goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the season, dished from Chara and McAvoy. The Penguins chipped back in the third period with a Maatta goal, his second of the game and seventh of the year, passed from Kessel and Derick Brassard. This only made it 8-4, with the three stars going to Krejci, Pastrnak, and Rick Nash, while Krug, Marchand, Chara, McAvoy, Gionta, Riley Nash, Maatta, Kessel, and Malkin all get honorable mentions.

Along to Philadelphia, as the Flyers welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Petr Mrazek are in the creases. Carolina began in the first period with a Justin Williams goal, his eleventh of the season, assisted by Jeff Skinner and Jaccob Slavin. The Hurricanes added on in the second period with a Teuvo Teravainen goal, his seventeenth of the year, guided in by Sebastian Aho and Justin Faulk. Carolina extended the lead as Williams scored his second of the game and twelfth of the season, thanks to Brett Pesce and Jordan Staal. Philadelphia got on the board in the third period with a Travis Konecny goal, his sixteenth of the year, passed from Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux. The Hurricanes answered with an Aho goal, his twenty-third of the season, fueled by Williams. This produced the 4-1 final score, with the three stars being Williams, Aho, and Ward (21 for 22 in saves).

Down in Florida, the Panthers host the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider faces former mentor Roberto Luongo in goal. Florida opened in the first period with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his twenty-second of the season, made possible by Evgenii Dadonov and Alexander Petrovic. New Jersey tied it on a second period with a Taylor Hall power play goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, powered by Patrick Maroon and Sami Vatanen. The Panthers retook the lead in the third period with a Maxim Mamin goal, his second of the season, helped along by Jared McCann and Aaron Ekblad. Florida added on with a Barkov goal, his second of the game and twenty-third of the year, guided in by Dadonov and Nick Bjugstad. The Devils pulled back with a Jesper Bratt goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, coming off of Maroon. The final held from here at 3-2, with the three stars given to Barkov, Dadonov, and Maroon.

West to Dallas, as the Stars bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Louis Domingue and Ben Bishop draw the starts in goal. Tampa Bay started in the first period with a Brayden Point goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, courtesy of J.T. Miller. Dallas tied it on a Tyler Seguin power play goal, his thirty-third of the year, powered by Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov. The Stars took the lead in the second period with a Seguin goal, his second of the game and thirty-fourth of the season, assisted by John Klingberg and Esa Lindell. The Lightning retied it on an Anthony Cirelli goal, passed from Victor Hedman and Chris Kunitz. Tampa Bay took the lead with an Alex Killorn goal, his twelfth of the year, fueled by Cedric Paquette and Cirelli. The Lightning added on with a Steven Stamkos goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, via Miller. Dallas got one back in the third period with a Brett Ritchie goal, his fifth of the year, made possible by Jason Dickinson and Remi Elie. The Stars tied it with a Mattias Janmark goal, his seventeenth of the season, guided in by Seguin and Radek Faksa. Tampa Bay won 5-4 in overtime with an unassisted Cory Conacher goal, his eighth of the year. The three stars were Cirelli, Seguin, and Miller.

Northwest to Alberta, as the Edmonton Oilers host the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Cam Talbot are the masked men. Edmonton struck first in the first period with a Connor McDavid goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, assisted by Anton Slepyshev and Matt Benning. The Oilers added on with a Leon Draisaitl power play goal, his twenty-first of the year, powered by McDavid and Ryan Strome. Nashville got on the board in the second period with a Scott Hartnell goal, his twelfth of the season, guided in by Nick Bonino and Calle Jarnkrok. The Predators tied it on a Viktor Arvidsson goal, his twenty-third of the year, with a lone assist by Filip Forsberg. Nashville gained the lead in the third period with an Arvidsson goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the season, passed from Forsberg. The Predators extended the lead as Austin Watson scored his ninth of the year, with the help of Ryan Hartman and Colton Sissons. The three stars belonged to Arvidsson, Forsberg, and McDavid in the 4-2 final.

Back south, the Arizona Coyotes welcome the Minnesota Wild. Alex Stalock and Antti Raanta are in the blue paint. Minnesota was first to score in the first period with a Zach Parise goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Nino Niederreiter and Joel Eriksson Ek. Arizona tied it on a Jakob Chychrun power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Clayton Keller and Max Domi. The Coyotes took the lead with a Christian Dvorak goal, his eleventh of the season, via Christian Fischer and Domi in the third period. The Wild tied it on a Mikko Koivu power play goal, his eleventh of the year, with assists provided by Matt Dumba and Charlie Coyle. Arizona regained the lead on a Richard Panik goal, his seventh of the season, helped along by Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Fischer. The Coyotes added on with a Kevin Connauton goal, his seventh of the year, with helpers from Domi, who got a sock trick, and Dvorak. Minnesota got one back with a Matt Cullen goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno. Arizona iced it at 5-3 with a Jordan Martinook empty net goal, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Dvorak, Domi, and Fischer.

In California, the San Jose Sharks host the Chicago Blackhawks. Jean-Francois Berube and Martin Jones are between the pipes. Chicago kicked off the scoring in the first period with an Artem Anisimov goal, his eighteenth of the season, via Duncan Keith and Patrick Kane. San Jose tied it on a Joe Pavelski goal, his seventeenth of the year, helped along by Brent Burns and Joonas Donskoi. The Sharks took the lead with a Logan Couture goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, guided in by Mikkel Boedker and Tomas Hartl. San Jose added on in the second period with a Kevin Labanc goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Chris Tierney and Dylan DeMelo. The Sharks extended the lead as Timo Meier scored his seventeenth of the season, thanks to Brenden Dillon and DeMelo. San Jose padded the lead on another Pavelski goal, his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, coming off of Donskoi and Evander Kane. The Sharks chased Berube with a Marc-Edouard Vlasic goal, his tenth of the season, going in unassisted. San Jose continued in the third period with a Barclay Goodrow goal, his sixth of the year, with helpers from Marcus Sorensen and DeMelo, the latter earning a sock trick. The Blackhawks got one back with a Nick Schmaltz goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, courtesy of Alex DeBrincat. San Jose won 7-2, with the three stars awarded to Pavelski, DeMelo, and Donskoi.

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and Jonathan Quick make the starts in goal. Columbus drew first blood in the first period with a Cam Atkinson goal, his thirteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Artemi Panarin. The Blue Jackets added on with a Seth Jones goal, his tenth of the year, via Matt Calvert and Zach Werenski. Los Angeles got on the board with a Nate Thompson goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Christian Folin and Dion Phaneuf in the second period. The Kings tied it on an Alex Iafallo goal, his seventh of the year, passed from Folin and Jake Muzzin. Los Angeles took the lead with a Tanner Pearson power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Drew Doughty and Tyler Toffoli. The Kings added on with a shorthanded Jeff Carter goal, his third of the year, set up by Folin. Los Angeles extended the lead as Iafallo scored his second of the game and eighth of the campaign, an unassisted goal. The final stood at 5-2 with the three stars being Folin, Iafallo, and Carter.

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NHL 2017-18 Day 141

Five games on tonight, beginning with...

The Montreal Canadiens hosting the New York Islanders. Jaroslav Halak and Antti Niemi are the veteran goalies. New York led off in the first period with a Mathew Barzal goal, his eighteenth of the season, assisted by Jordan Eberle and Thomas Hickey. Montreal tied it on a Paul Byron goal, his fifteenth of the year, passed from Artturi Lehkonen and Jonathan Drouin. The Canadiens took the lead in the second period with a Drouin power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Jeff Petry and Alex Galchenyuk. Montreal added on with a Nikita Scherbak goal, his second of the year, fueled by Brendan Gallagher and Jacob De La Rose. This stood for the eventual 3-1 final, with the three stars given to Niemi (27 for 28 in saves), Drouin, and Scherbak.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Chad Johnson and Andrei Vasilevskiy make the starts in goal. Tampa Bay began in the first period with a Cory Conacher goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Dan Girardi and Yanni Gourde. Buffalo tied it in the third period with an Evan Rodrigues goal, his sixth of the year, helped along by Jason Pominville. The Sabres won 2-1 in overtime with a Pominville power play goal, his tenth of the campaign, powered by Rasmus Ristolainen and Ryan O'Reilly. The three stars went to Pominville, Johnson (21 for 22 in saves), and Rodrigues.

Northwest to St. Louis, as the Blues host the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Carter Hutton are in the creases. St. Louis got going in the second period with a Scottie Upshall goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Colton Parayko and Kyle Brodziak. The Blues added on in the third period with an Alex Pietrangelo goal, his eleventh of the year, assisted by Jaden Schwartz and Brayden Schenn. Detroit got on the board with an Andreas Athanasiou goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, passed from Tyler Bertuzzi. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Hutton (35 for 36 in saves), Pietrangelo, and Upshall.

West to Colorado, with the Avalanche bringing in the Calgary Flames. David Rittich and Semyon Varlamov are the goalies. Calgary started in the first period with a shorthanded and unassisted Mikael Backlund goal, his twelfth of the season. The Flames added on in the second period with a Michael Frolik goal, his tenth of the year, via Matthew Tkachuk and Backlund. Colorado got on the board with a Nathan MacKinnon power play goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, powered by Gabriel Landeskog and Tyson Barrie. The Avalanche tied it on a Nikita Zadorov goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Blake Comeau and Carl Soderberg. Colorado took the lead with a Barrie goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Mikko Rantanen and MacKinnon. The Avalanche extended the lead as Matt Nieto scored his eleventh of the year, with the help of Soderberg and Comeau. Colorado iced it at 5-2 with a Duncan Siemens empty net goal, going in unassisted. The three stars were MacKinnon, Barrie, and Soderberg, while Comeau and Backlund get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Vancouver Canucks host the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Jacob Markstrom are between the pipes. New York opened in the first period with a Kevin Hayes goal, his sixteenth of the season, coming off of Ryan Spooner and Brady Skjei. The Rangers added on with a Jimmy Vesey goal, his twelfth of the year, helped along by Neal Pionk and Vladislav Namestnikov. New York extended the lead as Hayes scored his second of the game and seventeenth of the season, thanks to Pionk and Spooner. Anders Nilsson replaced Markstrom in goal. Vancouver got on the board with a Brock Boeser goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, via Bo Horvat. The Canucks got closer with a Horvat power play goal, his seventeenth of the season, powered by Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. Vancouver tied it on a Daniel Sedin goal in the second period, his twentieth of the year, going in unassisted. The Rangers retook the lead on an unassisted Namestnikov goal, his twenty-first of the season. The Canucks tied it again in the third period with a Nikolay Goldobin goal, his fourth of the year, made possible by Brendan Leipsic and Derrick Pouliot. New York regained the lead on a Mika Zibanejad goal, his eighteenth of the season, passed from Chris Kreider and Jesper Fast. Vancouver tied it once again on a Boeser goal, his second of the game and twenty-ninth of the year, with helpers from Leipsic and Horvat. The Rangers won 6-5 in overtime on a John Gilmour goal, his second of the campaign, with a lone assist by Spooner to complete his sock trick. The three stars went to Hayes, Boeser, and Namestnikov, while Spooner, Pionk, Horvat, Leipsic, and Daniel Sedin earn honorable mentions.

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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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