Monday, March 9, 2020

NHL 2019-20 - Day 153

Five games today, beginning with...

The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Linus Ullmark are the goalies. Buffalo opened in the first period with a Victor Olofsson goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Marcus Johansson and Rasmus Dahlin. The Sabres added on with a Jack Eichel power play goal, his thirty-sixth of the year, powered by Dahlin and Rasmus Ristolainen. Washington got on the board in the third period with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his forty-eighth of the season, via Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Capitals tied it on a Dmitry Orlov goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Ovechkin and Tom Wilson. The tie went to a shootout, where Dahlin and Dominik Kahun lifted the Sabres 3-2 over Kuznetsov and the Capitals. The three stars were Dahlin, Ovechkin, and Kuznetsov.

Along to St. Louis, as the Blues welcome the Florida Panthers. Chris Driedger and Jordan Binnington are in the creases. St. Louis got going in the second period with a Colton Parayko goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Robert Thomas. Florida tied it with a Mike Hoffman power play goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, powered by Aleksi Saarela and Evgenii Dadonov. The Panthers took the lead in the third period with a Brett Connolly goal, his nineteenth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Saarela. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars given to Driedger (26 for 27 in saves), Saarela, and Connolly.

Up in Winnipeg, the Jets host the Arizona Coyotes. Darcy Kuemper and Connor Hellebuyck guard the cages. Arizona started in the first period with a Nick Schmaltz goal, his tenth of the season, passed from Phil Kessel and Carl Soderberg. The Coyotes added on with a Schmaltz goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, assisted by Kessel and Jason Demers. Winnipeg got on the board with a Nikolaj Ehlers goal in the second period, his twenty-fifth of the season, fueled by Tucker Poolman and Nathan Beaulieu. The Jets tied it on a Poolman goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Cody Eakin and Ehlers. Winnipeg gained the lead in the third period with an Eakin goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Ehlers and Patrik Laine. The Jets iced it at 4-2 with a Mark Scheifele empty net goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, set up by Blake Wheeler and Andrew Copp. The three stars went to Ehlers, Poolman, and Eakin, while Schmaltz and Kessel get the honorable mentions.

Over to Edmonton, as the Oilers bring in the Vegas Golden Knights. Marc-Andre Fleury and Mikko Koskinen are the masked men. Edmonton began in the first period with an Alex Chiasson goal, his eleventh of the season, courtesy of James Neal and Oscar Klefbom. Vegas tied it on a Nicolas Roy power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Nate Schmidt and Alec Martinez. The Oilers took the lead in the third period with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal, his twenty-second of the season, via Kailer Yamamoto. The Golden Knights retied it with a Jonathan Marchessault goal, his twenty-second of the year, fueled by Reilly Smith. Vegas won 3-2 in overtime with a Shea Theodore goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, with a lone helper by Marchessault. The three stars went to Marchessault, Theodore, and Roy.

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Colorado Avalanche. Pavel Francouz and Jonathan Quick draw the starts in goal. Los Angeles led off in the first period with an Austin Wagner goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Nikolai Prokhorkin and Sean Walker. The Kings added on with a Mikey Anderson goal, via Martin Frk and Gabriel Valardi. Colorado got on the board in the third period with a Pierre-Edouard Bellemare goal, his ninth of the year, courtesy of Ian Cole. Los Angeles replied with an Alex Iafallo goal, his seventeenth of the season, passed from Ben Hutton and Drew Doughty. This stood for a 3-1 win, with the three stars being Quick (21 for 22 in saves), Anderson, and Iafallo.

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Sunday, March 8, 2020

NHL 2019-20 - Day 152

There's seven games on for a busy Sunday, beginning with...

The Pittsburgh Penguins hosting the Carolina Hurricanes. Alex Nedeljkovic and Tristan Jarry are the goalies. Pittsburgh started in the first period with a Patrick Marleau goal, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Conor Sheary. Carolina tied it on a Morgan Geekie goal, via Jake Gardiner and Trevor van Riemsdyk. The Penguins retook the lead on an Evgeni Malkin power play goal, his twenty-third of the year, powered by Justin Schultz and Bryan Rust. The Hurricanes retied it in the second period with a Jaccob Slavin goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Jordan Martinook and Geekie. Carolina took the lead with a Gardiner power play goal, his fourth of the year, with assists provided by Martin Necas and Nino Niederreiter. The Hurricanes added on with a Justin Williams goal in the third period, his sixth of the season, helped along by Haydn Fleury and Jordan Staal. Carolina extended the lead as Williams scored his second of the game and seventh of the year, thanks to Staal. The Hurricanes padded the lead on Geekie's second goal of the game, guided in by Martinook and Fleury. This made it 6-2, the final, with the three stars going to Geekie, Williams, and Gardiner, while Fleury, Staal, and Martinook get the honorable mentions.

Over in Detroit, the Red Wings welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Curtis McElhinney and Jonathan Bernier are set to start in goal. Detroit opened in the first period with a Robby Fabbri goal, his fifteenth of the season, via Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha. Tampa Bay tied it in the second period with a Brayden Point power play goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, powered by Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov. The Lightning took the lead with an unassisted Carter Verhaeghe goal, his ninth of the season. The Red Wings retied it with a Dylan Larkin goal, his nineteenth of the year, passed from Mantha and Bertuzzi. Detroit pulled ahead in the third period with a Mantha power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, with helpers from Larkin and Bertuzzi. The Red Wings added on with a Bertuzzi goal, his twentieth of the year, helped along by Mantha and Larkin. Tampa Bay answered with a Point goal, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the season, with a lone assist from Yanni Gourde. The Lightning tied it on a Pat Maroon goal, his ninth of the year, fueled by Luke Schenn and Gourde. The tie went to a shootout, where Larkin and Fabbri lifted the Red Wings 5-4 over Mikhail Sergachev and the Lightning. The three stars were Bertuzzi, Mantha, and Larkin, while Point, Fabbri, and Gourde get the honorable mentions.

Out west, the Calgary Flames bring in the Vegas Golden Knights. Robin Lehner and David Rittich are the masked men. Vegas led off in the first period with a Tomas Nosek goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Ryan Reaves and Nick Holden. The Golden Knights added on with a Holden goal, his sixth of the year, via Nick Cousins and Brandon Pirri. Vegas extended the lead in the second period on a Max Pacioretty power play goal, his thirty-second of the season, powered by William Karlsson and Paul Stastny. Calgary got on the board with an unassisted Milan Lucic goal, his eighth of the year. The Flames got closer with a Dillon Dube power play goal, his sixth of the season, with assists provided by Mikael Backlund and Lucic. Calgary tied it in the third period as Matthew Tkachuk scored his twenty-third of the year, thanks to Andrew Mangiapane and Erik Gustafsson. The Golden Knights retook the lead with a Shea Theodore goal, his twelfth of the season, helped along by Alec Martinez and Chandler Stephenson. Vegas iced it at 5-3 with a Jonathan Marchessault empty net goal, his twenty-first of the year, set up by Reilly Smith and Karlsson. The three stars belonged to Holden, Karlsson, and Lucic.

Back in Chicago, the Blackhawks host the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Corey Crawford protect the nets. St. Louis got going in the second period with a Robert Bortuzzo goal, his second of the season, passed from Brayden Schenn and Jaden Schwartz. The Blues added on with an Alex Pietrangelo goal in the third period, his fourteenth of the year, via Schwartz and Sammy Blais. This stood for a 2-0 win, with the three stars awarded to Allen (29 save shutout), Schwartz, and Bortuzzo.

To California, as the Anaheim Ducks welcome the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Ryan Miller are the veteran goalies. Anaheim began in the first period with a Jakob Silfverberg goal, his nineteenth of the season, courtesy of Rickard Rakell and Jacob Larsson. Minnesota tied it with a Mats Zuccarello goal, his fifteenth of the year, coming off of Alex Galchenyuk and Marcus Foligno. The Wild took the lead with a Kevin Fiala power play goal, his twenty-second of the season, powered by Zach Parise and Jared Spurgeon. The Ducks tied it on a Danton Heinen goal, his tenth of the year, assisted by Sonny Milano and Ryan Getzlaf. Anaheim pulled ahead with a Silfverberg goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the season, passed from Rakell. Minnesota tied it in the third period with a Victor Rask goal, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. The Wild pulled ahead with a Galchenyuk goal, his eighth of the season, an unassisted goal. The Ducks tied it again with a Christian Djoos goal, helped along by Silfverberg and Rakell. Minnesota won 5-4 win overtime with a Fiala power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-third of the year, with helpers from Luke Kunin and Ryan Suter. The three stars were Fiala, Galchenyuk, and Silfverberg, while Rakell gets an honorable mention.

Up in San Jose, the Sharks bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Pavel Francouz and Martin Jones are the goalies. San Jose kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Joe Thornton power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Evander Kane and Timo Meier. Colorado tied it on a Nathan MacKinnon power play goal, his thirty-fifth of the year, courtesy of Gabriel Landeskog and J.T. Compher. The Avalanche took the lead in the second period with a Landeskog goal, his twenty-first of the season, via MacKinnon and Vladislav Namestnikov. The Sharks retied it on a Melker Karlsson goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Marcus Sorensen. Colorado regained the lead with a Namestnikov goal, his sixteenth of the season, coming off of Landeskog and MacKinnon. The Avalanche added on in the third period with a Joonas Donskoi goal, his sixteenth of the year, assisted by Compher and Erik Johnson. San Jose pulled one back with a Noah Gregor power play goal, his third of the season, fueled by Meier and Kevin Labanc. The final held at 4-3, with the three stars going to MacKinnon, Landeskog, and Namestnikov, while Compher and Meier get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Vancouver Canucks host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins and Thatcher Demko are the goalies with interesting names. Columbus dented the scoreboard in the second period with an Emil Bemstrom goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Pierre-Luc Dubois and Alexander Wennberg. The Blue Jackets added on with an Eric Robinson goal, his seventh of the year, via David Savard and Vladislav Gavrikov. Vancouver got on the board in the third period with an Elias Pettersson goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, going in unassisted. This stood for a 2-1 final score, with the three stars being Merzlikins (26 for 27 in saves), Robinson, and Bemstrom.

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Saturday, March 7, 2020

NHL 2019-20 - Day 151

Another ten-game day is up, including four early games. First up...

The New York Islanders host the Carolina Hurricanes. Anton Forsberg and Thomas Greiss are the goalies. Carolina began in the first period with a Justin Williams goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Haydn Fleury. New York tied it in the second period with a Ryan Pulock goal, his tenth of the year, courtesy of Anders Lee. The Hurricanes took the lead back in the third period with a Joel Edmundson goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Teuvo Teravainen and Andrei Svechnikov. The Islanders retied it on a Josh Bailey goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by Noah Dobson and Andy Greene. Carolina won 3-2 in overtime with a Vincent Trocheck power play goal, his eleventh of the campaign, powered by Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho. The three stars were Trocheck, Svechnikov, and Edmundson.

Over in Pittsburgh, the Penguins welcome the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Matt Murray protect the nets. Washington led off in the first period with a Nic Dowd goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Garnet Hathaway and Richard Panik. The Capitals added on with a Nicklas Backstrom goal, his twelfth of the year, via Jakub Vrana and T.J. Oshie. Washington extended the lead as Panik scored his ninth of the season, thanks to Nick Jensen and Dowd. The Capitals padded the lead in the third period with a shorthanded Dowd goal, his second of the game and seventh of the year, set up by Carl Hagelin. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Sidney Crosby goal, his sixteenth of the season, guided in by Conor Sheary. The Penguins got closer with an Evgeni Malkin power play goal, his twenty-second of the year, powered by Jason Zucker and Crosby. Washington countered with a T.J. Oshie goal, his twenty-sixth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Backstrom. This stood for a 5-2 win, with the three stars going to Dowd, Backstrom, and Panik, while Crosby gets an honorable mention.

Down in Dallas, the Stars bring in the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Ben Bishop are in the blue paint. Nashville got going in the second period with a Ryan Ellis power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Matt Duchene and Viktor Arvidsson. This stood for the 1-0 win, with the three stars awarded to Saros (37 save shutout), Ellis, and Bishop (22 for 23 in saves).

Out west, the Los Angeles Kings host the Minnesota Wild. Alex Stalock and Calvin Petersen are the lesser-known goalies. Los Angeles started in the first period with an Anze Kopitar goal, his twenty-first of the season, coming off of Dustin Brown and Alex Iafallo. Minnesota got on the board in the second period with a Marcus Foligno goal, his eleventh of the year, with a lone helper by Mats Zuccarello. The Kings took the lead back with a Blake Lizotte shorthanded goal, his sixth of the season, set up by Adrian Kempe. Los Angeles added on with a Trevor Moore goal, his sixth of the year, going in unassisted. The Kings extended the lead in the third period as Brown scored his fifteenth of the season, thanks to Ben Hutton and Kopitar. The Wild pulled back with a Jared Spurgeon goal, his twelfth of the year, courtesy of Zuccarello and Foligno. Minnesota got closer with a Luke Kunin goal, his fifteenth of the season, via Jonas Brodin and Jordan Greenway. Los Angeles shot back with a Brown goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, passed from Iafallo and Drew Doughty. The Kings padded the lead on a Brown empty net goal to complete his hat trick on his seventeenth of the season, guided in by Kopitar. Los Angeles iced it at 7-3 with a Gabriel Valardi goal, his second of the year, made possible by Kurtis MacDermid. The three stars were Brown, Kopitar, and Iafallo, while Foligno and Zuccarello get the honorable mentions.

At the regular time, the Boston Bruins welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Tuukka Rask tend the twines. Tampa Bay opened in the first period with a shorthanded and unassisted Anthony Cirelli goal, his sixteenth of the season. The Lightning added on with a shorthanded Mikhail Sergachev goal, his tenth of the year, set up by Yanni Gourde. Tampa Bay extended the lead in the second period as Cedric Paquette scored his seventh of the season, thanks to Zach Bogosian and Braydon Coburn. Boston got on the board with a Charlie McAvoy goal, his fifth of the year, via Charlie Coyle and Matt Grzelcyk. The Bruins got closer with a Sean Kuraly power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by McAvoy and Ondrej Kase. The Lightning responded in the third period on an Alex Killorn goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, coming off of Sergachev and Brayden Point. The Bruins pulled back on a David Pastrnak power play goal, his forty-eighth of the season, with assists provided by Torey Krug and Brad Marchand. Tampa Bay iced it at 5-3 with a Nikita Kucherov empty net goal, his thirty-third of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars belonged to Sergachev, McAvoy, and Killorn.

Along to Philadelphia, where the Flyers bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Carter Hutton and Carter Hart are the similarly named goalies. Philadelphia dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Claude Giroux goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Jakub Voracek and Travis Sanheim. Buffalo tied it on a Dominik Kahun goal, his twelfth of the year, fueled by Victor Olofsson and Marcus Johansson. The Flyers retook the lead in the third period with a Giroux goal, his second of the game and twenty-first of the season, helped along by Voracek and Sanheim. Philadelphia added on with an unassisted Joel Farabee goal, his eighth of the year. This stood for a 3-1 win, with the three stars being Giroux, Hart (38 for 39 in saves), and Voracek, while Sanheim gets an honorable mention.

Next up, the New York Rangers host the New Jersey Devils. MacKenzie Blackwood and Igot Shesterkin are the young goalies. New York struck first in the first period with a Filip Chytil goal, his fourteenth of the season, coming off of Julien Gauthier and Adam Fox. New Jersey tied it with a Kyle Palmieri goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, passed from Dakota Mermis and Damon Severson. The Rangers reclaimed the lead on a Mika Zibanejad goal, his thirty-ninth of the season, made possible by Fox and Pavel Buchnevich. The Devils tied it again in the second period with a Palmieri goal, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the year, via Miles Wood and Mermis. New Jersey retook the lead on a Fredrik Claesson goal, helped along by Nikita Gusev. The Devils added on with a Travis Zajac power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Nico Hischier and P.K. Subban. New Jersey extended the lead as John Hayden scored his third of the year, thanks to Severson. New York got one back in the third period with a Greg McKegg goal, his fifth of the season, guided in by Brendan Smith and Buchnevich. The Devils replied with a Zajac empty net goal, his second of the game and ninth of the year, going in unassisted. The Rangers chipped back on a Tony DeAngelo goal, his fifteenth of the campaign, set up by McKegg and Brett Howden. This only made it 6-4, the final, with the three stars given to Palmieri, Zajac, and McKegg, while Severson, Mermis, Fox, and Buchnevich get the honorable mentions.

South to Florida, as the Panthers welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Charlie Lindgren and Chris Driedger are the backups in goal. Florida cracked the scoresheet in the second period with a Lucas Wallmark goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Noel Acciari and Aaron Ekblad. The Panthers added on in the third period with a MacKenzie Weegar goal, his seventh of the year, via Ekblad and Frank Vatrano. Florida extended the lead as Jonathan Huberdeau scored his twenty-third of the season, thanks to Erik Haula and Mike Hoffman. Montreal got on the board with a Jake Evans goal, his second of the year, going in unassisted. The Panthers capped it at 4-1 with a Hoffman empty net goal, his twenty-eighth of the campaign, an unassisted goal. The three stars went to Driedger (33 for 34 in saves), Hoffman, and Ekblad.

Westward again to San Jose, where the Sharks bring in the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Aaron Dell are between the pipes. Ottawa drew first blood in the first period with a Nick Paul goal, his ninth of the season, via Anthony Duclair and Jayce Hawryluk. San Jose tied it on an Evander Kane power play goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, powered by Brent Burns and Timo Meier. The Senators won 2-1 in overtime with a Chris Tierney goal, his eleventh of the campaign, fueled by Duclair and Thomas Chabot. The three stars were Anderson (31 for 32 in saves, Tierney, and Duclair.

Finally, the Edmonton Oilers host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and Mikko Koskinen receive the starting nods in goal. Edmonton kicked off the scoring in the first period with an Alex Chiasson goal, his tenth of the season, via Jujhar Khaira and James Neal. The Oilers added on in the third period with a Caleb Jones goal, his fourth of the year, assisted by Kris Russell and Chiasson. Edmonton extended the lead as Connor McDavid scored his thirty-third of the campaign, thanks to Zack Kassian and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Columbus got on the board with a Gustav Nyquist goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Zach Werenski and Alexander Wennberg. The Oilers iced it at 4-1 with a Riley Sheahan empty net goal, his eighth of the year, set up by Josh Archibald. The three stars were Koskinen (46 for 47 in saves), Chiasson, and Jones.

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Friday, March 6, 2020

NHL 2019-20 - Day 150

We've got six games on a relatively busy Friday, beginning with...

The New Jersey Devils hosting the St. Louis Blues. Jordan Binnington and Cory Schneider are in the blue paint. New Jersey opened in the first period with a Jesper Bratt goal, his sixteenth of the season, via P.K. Subban. St. Louis tied it on a power play goal by Vince Dunn, his ninth of the year, powered by Tyler Bozak and Robert Thomas. The Devils took the lead in the second period with a Dakota Mermis goal, coming off of Damon Severson and the goalie Schneider. New Jersey added on with a Connor Carrick goal, courtesy of Fredrik Claesson and Travis Zajac. The Blues pulled one back in the third period on a Jaden Schwartz goal, his twenty-second of the season, helped along by Brayden Schenn. The Devils capped it at 4-2 with a Joey Anderson empty net goal, his fourth of the year, set up by Pavel Zacha and Mirco Mueller. The three stars were Carrick, Mermis, and Schneider (31 for 33 in saves).

Next up, the Detroit Red Wings welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Jonathan Bernier draw the starts in goal. Detroit got going in the second period with a Tyler Bertuzzi goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Dylan Larkin and Trevor Daley. The Red Wings added on with a Robby Fabbri power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, powered by Gustav Lindstrom and Frans Nielsen. Chicago got on the board with a Patrick Kane goal, his thirty-first of the season, fueled by Brandon Saad and Jonathan Toews. The final score stood at 2-1 Red Wings, with the three stars going to Bernier (32 for 33 in saves), Fabbri, and Bertuzzi.

Along to Winnipeg, where the Jets bring in the Vegas Golden Knights. Marc-Andre Fleury and Connor Hellebuyck guard the cages. Winnipeg started in the first period with a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, guided in by Patrik Laine and Cody Eakin. The Jets added on with a Laine power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, powered by Neal Pionk and Blake Wheeler. Winnipeg extended the lead as Kyle Connor scored his thirty-sixth of the season, with the help of Jack Roslovic. The Jets padded the lead on a Mathieu Perreault power play goal, his seventh of the year, with assists provided by Josh Morrissey and Ehlers in the second period. The final held at 4-0, with the three stars going to Hellebuyck (29 save shutout), Ehlers, and Laine.

Over in Calgary, the Flames host the Arizona Coyotes. Darcy Kuemper and Cam Talbot are between the pipes. Arizona led off in the first period with a Taylor Hall goal, his sixteenth of the season, made possible by Clayton Keller. Calgary tied it on a Johnny Gaudreau power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Matthew Tkachuk and Sean Monahan. The Flames took the lead with a T.J. Brodie goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Tkachuk. Calgary added on in the second period with a Mikael Backlund goal, his sixteenth of the year, courtesy of Andrew Mangiapane and Tkachuk. The Coyotes got one back with a Carl Soderberg goal, his seventeenth of the season, via Hall and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. This only made it 3-2, the eventual final score, with the three stars given to Tkachuk, Backlund, and Hall.

Further to the west, the Vancouver Canucks welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Pavel Francouz and Thatcher Demko are the lesser-known goalies. Vancouver struck first in the first period with a Troy Stecher goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by J.T. Miller and Alexander Edler. The Canucks added on with a Miller goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, via Elias Pettersson and Tyler Toffoli. Colorado got on the board with an Erik Johnson goal, his third of the season, coming off of Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog. Vancouver responded in the second period with a Zack MacEwen goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. The Avalanche pulled back with a Landeskog goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by MacKinnon and Johnson. Colorado tied it on a Valeri Nichushkin goal, his thirteenth of the year, fueled by Matt Nieto. The Canucks reclaimed the lead on an Antoine Roussel goal, his seventh of the season, with helpers from Adam Gaudette and Oscar Fantenberg. Vancouver extended the lead as MacEwen scored his second of the game and fourth of the year, thanks to Roussel and Gaudette. The Canucks padded the lead with a Tanner Pearson goal, his twenty-first of the campaign, passed from Loui Eriksson and Christopher Tanev. This held for a 6-3 win, with the three stars handed to MacEwen, Miller, and Roussel, while Gaudette, Landeskog, Johnson, and MacKinnon get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jack Campbell and John Gibson receive the starts in goal. Anaheim began in the first period with a Carter Rowney goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by David Backes and Michael Del Zotto. The Ducks added on in the third period with an Adam Henrique goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, going in unassisted. Gibson had to leave due to an injury during the third period. Toronto got on the board with a William Nylander unassisted goal, his thirtieth of the season. The final remained at 2-1, with the three stars given to Henrique, Rowney, and Gibson (26 for 26 in saves).

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Thursday, March 5, 2020

NHL 2019-20 - Day 149

There's ten games on today, beginning with...

The Philadelphia Flyers hosting the Carolina Hurricanes. Alex Nedeljkovic and Carter Hart are the young goalies. Philadelphia opened in the first period with an Ivan Provorov goal, his thirteenth of the season, coming off of Scott Laughton and Derek Grant. The Flyers added on in the second period with a Michael Raffl goal, his eighth of the year, via Tyler Pitlick and Laughton. Carolina got on the board in the third period with a Justin Williams goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Jordan Staal and Brock McGinn. Philadelphia replied with a Nicolas Aube-Kubel goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Nate Thompson. The Flyers extended the lead as Sean Couturier scored his twenty-second of the campaign, thanks to Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars being Hart (28 for 29 in saves), Laughton, and Raffl.

Over in New York, the Rangers welcome the Washington Capitals. Ilya Samsonov and Alexandar Georgiev are the young goalies. Washington began in the first period with a Carl Hagelin goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Nick Jensen and Ilya Kovalchuk. New York tied it with a Mika Zibanejad power play goal, his thirty-fourth of the year, powered by Artemi Panarin and Tony DeAngelo. The Rangers took the lead in the second period with another Zibanejad goal, his second of the game and thirty-fifth of the season, assisted by Adam Fox and Pavel Buchnevich. The Capitals tied it on a Kovalchuk goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Lars Eller and Richard Panik. New York retook the lead on a DeAngelo goal, his fourteenth of the season, coming off of Panarin and Marc Staal. Washington evened it with a Garnet Hathaway goal, his ninth of the year, with helpers from Michal Kempny and Panik. The Rangers regained the lead in the third period with Zibanejad completing his hat trick on his thirty-sixth of the season, guided in by Buchnevich and Phillip Di Giuseppe. The Capitals retied it on an Alex Ovechkin goal, his forty-sixth of the year, fueled by John Carlson and Nicklas Backstrom. New York surged ahead on a Zibanejad power play goal, his fourth of the game and thirty-seventh of the season, with assists provided by Kaapo Kakko and Brendan Lemieux. Washington tied it as Ovechkin scored his second of the game and forty-seventh of the year, thanks to Carlson and Backstrom. The Rangers won 6-5 in overtime with a Zibanejad goal, his fifth of the night and thirty-eighth of the campaign, set up by Panarin and DeAngelo. The three stars belonged to Zibanejad, DeAngelo, and Panarin, while Buchnevich, Kovalchuk, Backstrom, Carlson, and Panik get the honorable mentions.

Down in Florida, the Panthers bring in the Boston Bruins. Jaroslav Halak and Chris Driedger make the starts in goal. Florida got going in the second period with a MacKenzie Weegar goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Brett Connolly and Lucas Wallmark. Boston tied it with a Patrice Bergeron power play goal, his thirtieth of the year, powered by Torey Krug and Brad Marchand. The Bruins won 2-1 in overtime with a Krug goal, his ninth of the campaign, guided in by David Pastrnak and David Krejci. The three stars went to Krug, Halak (32 for 33 in saves), and Bergeron.

Staying in the state, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Andrei Vasilevskiy tend the twines. Tampa Bay started in the first period with a Victor Hedman goal, his tenth of the season, made possible by Nikita Kucherov and Erik Cernak. The Lightning added on with an Alex Killorn goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, helped along by Anthony Cirelli. Tampa Bay extended the lead in the second period as Kucherov scored his thirty-second of the season, with the help of Pat Maroon and Brayden Point. The Lightning padded the lead on a Hedman power play goal in the third period, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, powered by Kevin Shattenkirk and Yanni Gourde. This stood for a 4-0 win, with the three stars awarded to Vasilevskiy (32 save shutout), Hedman, and Kucherov.

Back north, the Buffalo Sabres welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Matt Murray and Jonas Johansson are the alliterative goalies. Pittsburgh led off in the first period with a Patric Hornqvist goal, his sixteenth of the season, coming off of Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann. Buffalo tied it on a shorthanded and unassisted Jake McCabe goal, his third of the year. The Penguins retook the lead with a Marcus Pettersson goal, his second of the season, made possible by Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin. Pittsburgh added on in the second period with a Hornqvist power play goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, powered by Malkin and Justin Schultz. The Sabres pulled one back in the third period with a Marcus Johansson goal, his ninth of the season, fueled by Dominik Kahun and Rasmus Dahlin. The Penguins answered on a Sidney Crosby goal, his fifteenth of the year, with a lone helper by Jason Zucker. This made it 4-2, the final score, with the three stars handed to Hornqvist, Malkin, and Crosby.

In Ontario, the Ottawa Senators bring in the New York Islanders. Semyon Varlamov and Craig Anderson are the experienced goalies. New York struck first in the first period with an Anders Lee power play goal, his twentieth of the season, powered by Mathew Barzal and Derick Brassard. Ottawa tied it on a Connor Brown goal, his sixteenth of the year, via Nikita Zaitsev and Mike Reilly. The Islanders retook the lead in the second period with a Barzal goal, his nineteenth of the season, coming off of Jordan Eberle and Devon Toews. The Senators retied it with a shorthanded Mikkel Boedker goal, his second of the year, set up by Chris Tierney. Ottawa gained the lead on an Anthony Duclair goal, his twenty-third of the season, passed from Jayce Hawryluk and Colin White. The Senators added on in the third period with an unassisted Brady Tkachuk goal, his twentieth of the year. New York pulled back with a Ryan Pulock goal, his ninth of the campaign, helped along by Barzal and Toews. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars being Barzal, Tkachuk, and Toews.

Back stateside, the Nashville Predators host the Dallas Stars. Anton Khudobin and Juuse Saros are in the creases. Nashville was first to score in the first period with a Filip Forsberg power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, powered by Roman Josi and Kyle Turris. The Predators added on in the second period with a Matt Duchene power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, with assists provided by Calle Jarnkrok and Viktor Arvidsson. This held for the eventual 2-0 final, with the three stars doled out to Saros (33 save shutout), Forsberg, and Duchene.

Up in Chicago, the Blackhawks welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Mike Smith and Corey Crawford are the veteran goalies. Chicago kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Patrick Kane goal, his thirtieth of the season, assisted by Dylan Strome and Alex Nylander. The Blackhawks added on in the second period with a Jonathan Toews goal, his eighteenth of the year, via Dominik Kubalik and Adam Boqvist. Chicago extended the lead as Alex DeBrincat scored his seventeenth of the season, thanks to Boqvist and Duncan Keith. Edmonton got on the board with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal, his twenty-first of the year, fueled by Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse. The Blackhawks responded with a DeBrincat goal, his second of the game and eighteenth of the season, with helpers from Olli Maatta and Kirby Dach. Mikko Koskinen replaced Smith in goal. The Oilers got one back in the third period with a Josh Archibald goal, his twelfth of the year, guided in by Zack Kassian. Edmonton pulled closer on a Kailer Yamamoto goal, his eleventh of the campaign, helped along by Draisaitl and Nurse. They fell short at 4-3, with the three stars being DeBrincat, Boqvist, and Draisaitl, while Nurse gets an honorable mention.

Out in California, the Los Angeles Kings bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen and Jonathan Quick man the nets. The scoreless tie lasted to a shootout, where Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe lifted the Kings 1-0 over William Nylander and the Maple Leafs. The three stars were Quick (36 save shutout), Andersen (30 save "shutout"), and Kempe.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Minnesota Wild. Alex Stalock and Martin Jones are the former teammates in goal. Minnesota drew first blood in the first period with a Ryan Suter goal, his eighth of the season, coming off of Ryan Hartman and Mikko Koivu. San Jose tied it on a Stefan Noesen power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Noah Gregor and Tim Heed. The Wild retook the lead in the second period with an Alex Galchenyuk goal, his seventh of the season, courtesy of Zach Parise and Suter. Minnesota added on with a Parise goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, passed from Luke Kunin and Kevin Fiala. The Sharks got one back in the third period with a Joe Thornton goal, his sixth of the season, helped along by Marcus Sorensen and Timo Meier. This stood for a 3-2 Wild win, with the three stars handed to Parise, Suter, and Galchenyuk.

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Wednesday, March 4, 2020

NHL 2019-20 - Day 148

Four games on for Wednesday, beginning with...

The Washington Capitals hosting the Philadelphia Flyers. Brian Elliott and Braden Holtby are the veterans in goal. Washington began in the first period with a Lars Eller goal, his sixteenth of the season, coming off of Richard Panik and Carl Hagelin. Philadelphia tied it on a Travis Konecny power play goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, powered by Ivan Provorov and Claude Giroux. The Flyers took the lead with a Kevin Hayes goal, his twenty-third of the season, assisted by Derek Grant and Nicolas Aube-Kubel. Philadelphia added on with a Tyler Pitlick goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Michael Raffl and Grant. The Capitals got one back with a Garnet Hathaway goal, his eighth of the season, fueled by Tom Wilson and Nic Dowd. The Flyers responded with a Provorov goal, his twelfth of the year, courtesy of Jakub Voracek. Philadelphia extended the lead as Scott Laughton scored his thirteenth of the season, helped along by Hayes. This stood for a 5-2 win, with the three stars going to Provorov, Hayes, and Grant.

Out in Calgary, the Flames welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and Cam Talbot draw the starts in goal. Columbus led off in the first period with a Devin Shore goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Andrew Peeke and Scott Harrington. The Blue Jackets added on with a Gustav Nyquist goal, his fourteenth of the year, coming off of Nick Foligno and Pierre-Luc Dubois. Calgary got on the board in the third period with an Elias Lindholm goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, via Andrew Mangiapane and Mikael Backlund. The Flames tied it on a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his twenty-second of the year, guided in by Mark Giordano and Rasmus Andersson. Calgary won 3-2 in overtime with a T.J. Brodie goal, his third of the campaign, helped along by Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau. The three stars were Brodie, Tkachuk, and Lindholm.

Down in Colorado, the Avalanche bring in the Anaheim Ducks. Ryan Miller and Pavel Francouz are set to start in goal. Colorado opened in the first period with a Vladislav Namestnikov goal, his fifteenth of the season, via Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog. Anaheim tied it on an Andrew Agozzino goal, courtesy of Carter Rowney and Matt Irwin. The Ducks took the lead with a Brendan Guhle goal, his fourth of the year, passed from Jakob Silfverberg and Rickard Rakell. The Avalanche retied it on a Landeskog power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, powered by Samuel Girard and Tyson Jost. Anaheim reclaimed the lead with a Sam Steel goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Ryan Getzlaf. Colorado retied it with a MacKinnon power play goal, his thirty-fourth of the season, with assists provided by Landeskog and Jost. The Ducks won 4-3 in overtime with a Rakell goal, his fourteenth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Rakell, Landeskog, and MacKinnon, while Jost gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Vancouver Canucks host the Arizona Coyotes. Darcy Kuemper and Thatcher Demko are in the blue paint. Arizona started in the first period with a Carl Soderberg power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, going in unassisted. Vancouver tied it in the third period with a Tyler Toffoli power play goal, his twenty-third of the year, powered by J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes. The Canucks took the lead with a Tanner Pearson goal, his twentieth of the season, coming off of Jake Virtanen. The Coyotes tied it with a Nick Schmaltz goal, his ninth of the year, via Soderberg. Arizona gained the lead with a Lawson Crouse goal, his fifteenth of the season, passed from Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Vinnie Hinostroza. The Coyotes iced it at 4-2 with an Ekman-Larsson empty net goal, his ninth of the year, set up by Niklas Hjalmarsson and Derek Stepan. The three stars were Ekman-Larsson, Soderberg, and Crouse.

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Tuesday, March 3, 2020

NHL 2019-20 - Day 147

We'll run with ten games today, beginning with...

The New York Rangers hosting the St. Louis Blues. Jordan Binnington and Alexandar Georgiev are in the blue paint. New York began in the first period with a Mika Zibanejad power play goal, his thirty-third of the season, powered by Ryan Strome and Pavel Buchnevich. St. Louis tied it in the second period with an unassisted Colton Parayko power play goal, his ninth of the year. The Blues took the lead in the third period with a Brayden Schenn goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, coming off of Jaden Schwartz and Parayko. St. Louis iced it at 3-1 with a Schwartz empty net goal, his twenty-first of the year, set up by Ryan O'Reilly and Schenn. The three stars were Parayko, Schenn, and Binnington (25 for 26 in saves), while Schwartz gets an honorable mention.

Next up, the New York Islanders welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Thomas Greiss are the rhyming goalies. Montreal led off in the first period with a Brendan Gallagher goal, his twenty-second of the season, assisted by Ben Chiarot and Phillip Danault. The Canadiens added on with a Jeff Petry goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from Gallagher and Danault. Montreal extended the lead as Charles Hudon scored, going in unassisted. Semyon Varlamov replaced Greiss in goal to start the second period. The Canadiens padded the lead on a shorthanded Paul Byron goal, his fourth of the season, set up by Joel Armia. New York got on the board with a Brock Nelson goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, with a lone helper by Josh Bailey. Montreal responded with a Jordan Weal goal, his eighth of the season, helped along by Artturi Lehkonen. The Islanders fired back with a Ryan Pulock power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Nelson and Jordan Eberle. The Canadiens capped it at 6-2 with an Armia shorthanded empty net goal, his sixteenth of the campaign, an unassisted goal. The three stars belonged to Gallagher, Danault, and Armia, while Nelson gets an honorable mention.

Over in Pittsburgh, the Penguins bring in the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Matt Murray draw the starts in goal. Pittsburgh opened in the first period on a John Marino goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Evgeni Malkin and Jason Zucker. The Penguins added on with a Conor Sheary goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Brian Dumoulin and Kris Letang. Ottawa got on the board with a Jayce Hawryluk goal, his second of the season, made possible by Mike Reilly and Colin White. Pittsburgh responded with a Bryan Rust power play goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, powered by Malkin and Sidney Crosby. The Penguins extended the lead in the second period as Crosby scored his fourteenth of the season, thanks to Zucker. Pittsburgh padded the lead in the third period on a Zucker goal, his twentieth of the year, helped along by Sheary and Crosby. The Senators got one back on a Brady Tkachuk goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Nikita Zaitsev and White. Ottawa pulled closer with a Connor Brown goal, his fifteenth of the year, guided in by Thomas Chabot. Pittsburgh countered with a Rust goal, his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the season, with helpers from Patrick Marleau and Malkin. The Penguins continued with another Rust goal to complete his hat trick on his twenty-seventh of the year, made possible by Malkin. This held up for a 7-3 win, with the three stars given to Rust, Malkin, and Crosby, while Zucker and White get the honorable mentions.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Andrei Vasilevskiy tend the twines. Boston started in the first period with a Brad Marchand goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, coming off of Torey Krug and David Pastrnak. The Bruins added on in the second period with a Jake DeBrusk goal, his nineteenth of the year, guided in by Charlie Coyle. Tampa Bay got on the board with a Mitchell Stephens goal, his third of the season, passed from Tyler Johnson and Barclay Goodrow. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being Rask (20 for 21 in saves), DeBrusk, and Marchand.

Way up north, the Winnipeg Jets welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Carter Hutton and Connor Hellebuyck are set to start in goal. Winnipeg struck first in the first period with a Kyle Connor goal, his thirty-fourth of the season, assisted by Blake Wheeler. The Jets added on with a shorthanded Tucker Poolman goal, his third of the year, set up by Connor and Andrew Copp. Winnipeg extended the lead as Connor scored his second of the game and thirty-fifth of the season on the power play, thanks to Mark Scheifele and Wheeler. Buffalo got on the board with a Rasmus Ristolainen goal, his sixth of the year, via Kyle Okposo and Johan Larsson. This produced the 3-1 final score, with the three stars going to Connor, Hellebuyck (25 for 26 in saves), and Wheeler.

Back stateside, the Minnesota Wild bring in the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Alex Stalock are the underrated goalies. Minnesota kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Luke Kunin goal, his fourteenth of the season, guided in by Joel Eriksson Ek. The Wild added on with a Kevin Fiala goal, his twenty-first of the year, via Ryan Suter. Minnesota extended the lead in the third period as Zach Parise scored his twenty-fourth of the season, thanks to Eric Staal and Fiala. Nashville got on the board with a Craig Smith power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi. This only made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars going to Fiala, Stalock (37 for 38 in saves), and Parise.

Moving along to Chicago, as the Blackhawks host the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson and Corey Crawford guard the cages. Chicago drew first blood in the first period with a Drake Caggiula goal, his ninth of the season, made possible by Adam Boqvist and Kirby Dach. The Blackhawks added on in the second period with a Dylan Strome goal, his eleventh of the year, fueled by Duncan Keith and Boqvist. Anaheim got on the board with a Danton Heinen goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Christian Djoos and Sonny Milano. Chicago replied with another Strome goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the year, guided in by Patrick Kane and Lucas Carlsson. The Blackhawks extended the lead as Alex Nylander scored his ninth of the season, going in unassisted. Chicago padded the lead as Kane scored his twenty-ninth of the year, thanks to Nylander and Strome. Ryan Miller replaced Gibson in goal. Early in the third period, Crawford left with an injury, and Malcolm Subban came on in relief briefly before Crawford returned. The Ducks pulled one back with a Carter Rowney goal, his seventh of the season, with assists by Jacob Larsson and Nicolas Deslauriers. The Blackhawks countered on a David Kampf goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Matthew Highmore. This counted for a 6-2 win, with the three stars given to Strome, Kane, and Nylander, while Boqvist gets an honorable mention.

South to Dallas, as the Stars welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Mikko Koskinen and Anton Khudobin are the backups in goal. Edmonton got going in the second period with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins power play goal, his twentieth of the season, powered by Darnell Nurse and Leon Draisaitl. Dallas tied it in the third period with a John Klingberg power play goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov. The Oilers won 2-1 in overtime with an Alex Chiasson power play goal, his ninth of the campaign, with assists provided by Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid.

Out in Nevada, the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the New Jersey Devils. MacKenzie Blackwood and Robin Lehner protect the nets. Vegas dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Max Pacioretty goal, his thirty-first of the season, assisted by William Karlsson. The Golden Knights added on with a Karlsson goal in the third period, his fifteenth of the year, via Nicolas Roy and Pacioretty. Vegas extended the lead as Ryan Reaves scored his eighth of the season, thanks to William Carrier and Tomas Nosek. The final held at 3-0, with the three stars being Lehner (27 save shutout), Pacioretty, and Karlsson.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jack Campbell and Martin Jones receive the starting nods in goal. San Jose cracked the scoresheet in the first period with an Evander Kane power play goal, his twenty-third of the season, powered by Brent Burns and Logan Couture. Toronto tied it on an Auston Matthews goal, his forty-sixth of the year, guided in by Martin Marincin. The Sharks retook the lead with an Antti Suomela goal, coming off of Stefan Noesen and Melker Karlsson. The Maple Leafs tied it on a Mitchell Marner goal, his sixteenth of the season, helped along by Matthews and Calle Rosen. San Jose took the lead on a Noesen goal in the third period, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Suomela. The Sharks added on with a Kane goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the season, assisted by Marc-Edouard Vlasic. San Jose iced it at 5-2 with a Radim Simek empty net goal, his second of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Kane, Noesen, and Suomela, while Matthews gets an honorable mention.

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