Nine games on a busy night tonight, beginning in...
Buffalo, as the Sabres host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Curtis McElhinney and Robin Lehner play in goal. Toronto led off in the first period with a James van Riemsdyk goal, his thirtieth of the season, assisted by Morgan Rielly and Connor Brown. The Maple Leafs added on with a van Riemsdyk goal, his second of the game and thirty-first of the year, courtesy of Roman Polak and Jake Gardiner. Buffalo got on the board with a Sam Reinhart power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, powered by Scott Wilson and Evan Rodrigues. Toronto replied with a Connor Carrick goal in the second period, his fourth of the year, guided in by Patrick Marleau and William Nylander. The Maple Leafs extended the lead as Tyler Bozak scored his eleventh of the season on the power play, thanks to van Riemsdyk and Mitchell Marner. The Sabres got one back on a power play goal by Jason Pominville, his twelfth of the year, fueled by Rasmus Ristolainen and Rodrigues. Toronto iced it at 5-2 with an empty net goal by Marleau in the third period, his twenty-third of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were van Riemsdyk, Marleau, and Rodrigues.
In Brooklyn, the New York Islanders welcome the Washington Capitals. Philipp Grubauer and Christopher Gibson are the lesser-known goalies. New York began in the first period with a Brock Nelson goal, his sixteenth of the season, assisted by Tanner Fritz and Ryan Pulock. Washington tied it on a Lars Eller goal, his sixteenth of the year, passed from Jakub Vrana and Brett Connolly. The Capitals took the lead with a T.J. Oshie goal, his thirtieth of the season, coming off of Andre Burakovsky and Nicklas Backstrom. The Islanders retied it on an Andrew Ladd goal, his tenth of the year, via Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle. Washington gained the lead with a Dmitry Orlov goal, his ninth of the season, made possible by Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson. The Capitals added on in the second period with a Burakovsky goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Jakub Jerabek and Matt Niskanen. Washington extended the lead as Backstrom scored a power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, powered by Kuznetsov and Orlov. Jaroslav Halak replaced Gibson in goal. The Capitals padded the lead in the third period as John Carlson scored his thirteenth of the year, with the help of Alex Ovechkin and Kuznetsov, the latter earning a sock trick. New York got one back with a Pulock goal, his seventh of the season, with a lone assist by Fritz. Washington iced it at 7-3 with an empty net goal by Oshie, his second of the game and fourteenth of the year, set up by Orlov and Backstrom. The three stars were given to Backstrom, Kuznetsov, and Orlov, while Oshie, Burakovsky, Pulock, and Fritz get the honorable mentions.
Over in Philadelphia, the Flyers bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Petr Mrazek are the veterans in goal. Columbus opened in the first period with an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal, his eleventh of the season, coming off of Seth Jones and Sonny Milano. The Blue Jackets added on with a Boone Jenner goal, his ninth of the year, via Jack Johnson and Thomas Vanek. Philadelphia got on the board with a Claude Giroux goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, fueled by Travis Konecny and Andrew MacDonald. Columbus replied with a Cam Atkinson goal, his fourteenth of the year, helped along by Zach Werenski and Artemi Panarin. The Flyers got one back with a power play goal by Shayne Gostisbehere, his eleventh of the season, powered by Ivan Provorov and Sean Couturier. The Blue Jackets chased Mrazek on an Atkinson goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the year, guided in by David Savard. Alex Lyon came on in relief. Philadelphia pulled one back on a MacDonald goal, his sixth of the season, passed from Travis Sanheim and Konecny. Columbus capped it at 5-3 with an empty net goal by Atkinson to complete his hat trick on his sixteenth of the year, set up by Panarin and Savard. The three stars went to Atkinson, MacDonald, and Panarin, while Savard and Konecny get the honorable mentions.
In Canada, the Montreal Canadiens host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Antti Niemi are between the pipes. Montreal started in the first period with an Artturi Lehkonen goal, his ninth of the season, courtesy of Jeff Petry and Alex Galchenyuk. The Canadiens added on with a Paul Byron goal, his seventeenth of the year, powered by Brendan Gallagher and Galchenyuk. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Phil Kessel goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, assisted by Bryan Rust and Derick Brassard. The Penguins tied it with a Patric Hornqvist goal, his twenty-first of the year, fueled by Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. Pittsburgh took the lead in the third period with a Malkin power play goal, his fortieth of the season, with assists provided by Letang and Sidney Crosby. Montreal retied it on a Nicolas Deslauriers goal, his eighth of the year, helped along by Daniel Carr and Jonathan Drouin. The Penguins took the lead back in the third period with a Hornqvist goal, his second of the game and twenty-second of the season, with helpers from Carl Hagelin and Brian Dumoulin. Pittsburgh finished it at 5-3 with a Rust empty net goal, his twelfth of the year, set up by Hornqvist and Jamie Oleksiak. The three stars were awarded to Hornqvist, Malkin, and Letang, while Rust and Galchenyuk get the honorable mentions.
Way south to Florida, where the Panthers welcome the Boston Bruins. Anton Khudobin and James Reimer make the spot starts in goal. Florida struck first in the first period with an Aaron Ekblad goal, his fourteenth of the season, coming off of Nick Bjugstad and Evgenii Dadonov. The Panthers added on with a Bjugstad goal, his sixteenth of the year, assisted by Dadonov and Mike Matheson. Florida extended the lead as Vincent Trocheck scored his twenty-second of the season on the power play, with the help of Keith Yandle and Aleksander Barkov. The final held at 3-0, with the three stars awarded to Reimer (46 save shutout), Bjugstad, and Dadonov.
Northwest to St. Louis, as the Blues bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Jake Allen protect the nets. Colorado was first to score in the first period with a Nathan MacKinnon goal, his thirty-fourth of the season, made possible by Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog. The Avalanche added on with another MacKinnon goal, his second of the game and thirty-fifth of the year, via Tyson Barrie and Rantanen. St. Louis got on the board with a Joel Edmundson goal, his seventh of the season, helped along by Colton Parayko and Dmitrij Jaskin. Colorado replied on a Rantanen goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, courtesy of Landeskog. The Avalanche ended it at 4-1 with a Rantanen empty net goal, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the campaign, set up by Landeskog, who got a sock trick, and MacKinnon. The three stars were Varlamov (44 for 45 in saves), MacKinnon, and Rantanen, while Landeskog gets an honorable mention.
Further to the north, the Winnipeg Jets host the Chicago Blackhawks. Anton Forsberg is mismatched with Connor Hellebuyck in goal. Chicago kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Brandon Saad goal, his sixteenth of the season, coming off of Patrick Kane and Connor Murphy. Winnipeg tied it on a Paul Stastny goal, his fifteenth of the year, assisted by Nikolaj Ehlers and Patrik Laine. The Jets took the lead with a Joel Armia goal, his twelfth of the season, passed from Jacob Trouba and Andrew Copp. Winnipeg added on with an unassisted Jack Roslovic goal, his fourth of the year. Jean-Francois Berube replaced Forsberg in goal. The Jets extended the lead as Bryan Little scored his fourteenth of the season, thanks to Trouba and Roslovic. Winnipeg padded the lead on a Kyle Connor goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, via Little and Blake Wheeler. The Blackhawks got one back in the second period with a Patrick Sharp goal, his ninth of the season, fueled by Nick Schmaltz and John Hayden. The Jets finished it at 6-2 with a Connor empty net goal in the third period, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the year, set up by Josh Morrissey and Tyler Myers. The three stars were Roslovic, Little, and Trouba, while Connor gets an honorable mention.
Southwest to Los Angeles, as the Kings welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jared Coreau and Jonathan Quick are in the blue paint. Los Angeles drew first blood in the first period with a Paul LaDue goal, his third of the season, made possible by Alex Iafallo and Anze Kopitar. Detroit tied it in the third period with a Gustav Nyquist power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Niklas Kronwall and Frans Nielsen. The Kings took the lead back on a Kopitar goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, assisted by Drew Doughty and Dustin Brown. Los Angeles added on with a Tyler Toffoli goal, his twenty-third of the year, passed from Doughty and Kopitar. The Kings iced it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Brown, his twenty-first of the campaign, set up by Kopitar and Doughty, both of whom earned sock tricks, on the power play. The three stars went to Kopitar, Doughty, and Brown.
Finally, the Arizona Coyotes bring in the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Darcy Kuemper are between the pipes. Arizona got going in the second period with a Christian Dvorak goal, his fifteenth of the season, passed from Max Domi. Nashville tied it on a Ryan Ellis goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Craig Smith and Kyle Turris. The Coyotes retook the lead with an Oliver Ekman-Larsson goal, his eleventh of the season, coming off of Clayton Keller and Derek Stepan. The Predators retied it on a Turris goal, his thirteenth of the year, assisted by Kevin Fiala and Smith in the third period. Nashville took the lead with a Fiala goal, his twenty-third of the season, guided in by Turris. This stood for a 3-2 win, with the three stars given to Turris, Fiala, and Smith.
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