There's nine games set for today, beginning with...
The Boston Bruins hosting the New Jersey Devils. MacKenzie Blackwood and Jaroslav Halak get the starts in goal. New Jersey got going in the second period with a Kyle Palmieri goal, coming off of Jack Hughes. The Devils added on with a shorthanded Palmieri goal, his second of the game, set up by Jesper Bratt and Damon Severson. Boston got on the board with a Jake DeBrusk power play goal, going in unassisted. New Jersey replied with a Pavel Zacha goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Andreas Johnsson and Will Butcher. The Bruins got one back on a Charlie McAvoy power play goal, his second of the year, powered by David Pastrnak and Nick Ritchie. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars handed to Palmieri, Zacha, and Blackwood (25 for 27 in saves).
Along to Philadelphia, where the Flyers welcome the New York Rangers. Alexandar Georgiev and Carter Hart start in goal. Philadelphia opened in the first period with a Nicolas Aube-Kubel goal, his second of the season, via Michael Raffl and Kevin Hayes. New York tied it in the second period on a power play goal by Colin Blackwell, his third of the year, powered by Pavel Buchnevich and Anthony Bitetto. The Rangers took the lead in the third period on a Brendan Smith goal, assisted by Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome. The Flyers tied it on a Joel Farabee goal, his seventh of the season, coming off of Hayes and Sean Couturier. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Kaapo Kakko and Panarin tallied, besting Couturier's lone tally as the Rangers beat the Flyers 3-2. The three stars were Panarin, Hayes, and Couturier.
Across Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Penguins bring in the New York Islanders. Semyon Varlamov and Tristan Jarry are in the creases. Pittsburgh started in the first period with a Sidney Crosby goal, his sixth of the season, via Kasperi Kapanen. The Penguins added on in the second period with a Teddy Blueger goal, his third of the year, fueled by Mike Matheson and Zach Aston-Reese. Pittsburgh extended the lead in the third period as Jason Zucker scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin. New York got on the board with a Brock Nelson power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Josh Bailey and Nick Leddy. The Penguins iced it at 4-1 with a Rust empty net goal, his sixth of the campaign, set up by Zucker and Malkin. The three stars went to Zucker, Rust, and Jarry (31 for 32 in saves).
Up in Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Ottawa Senators. Marcus Hogberg and Michael Hutchinson are the backups in goal. Toronto began in the first period with an Auston Matthews power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Morgan Rielly and Joe Thornton. Matt Murray replaced an injured Hogberg in goal. The Maple Leafs added on with a Thornton goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Jake Muzzin and Mitchell Marner. Ottawa got on the board with a Tim Stutzle goal, his fifth of the season, via Chris Tierney. Toronto replied on a Matthews goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, helped along by Marner and Thornton. The Maple Leafs extended the lead in the second period as Ilya Mikheyev scored his second of the season, thanks to William Nylander and Alexander Kerfoot. Toronto padded the lead on a Marner goal, his eighth of the year, made possible by Matthews and Rielly. The Senators got one back with a Connor Brown goal, his fourth of the season, with helpers from Matthew Peca and Mike Reilly. The Maple Leafs countered with a Nylander power play goal, his fifth of the year, with assists provided by Jason Spezza and Matthews. Ottawa pulled one back with a Drake Batherson goal, his third of the season, passed from Stutzle and Derek Stepan. Toronto shot back on a John Tavares goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Marner and Kerfoot. This produced the 7-3 final score, with the three stars awarded to Matthews, Marner, and Thornton, while Nylander, Kerfoot, Rielly, and Stutzle get the honorable mentions.
Back stateside, the Columbus Blue Jackets welcome the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Elvis Merzlikins are set to start in goal. Columbus struck first in the first period with a Cam Atkinson goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Patrik Laine and Vladislav Gavrikov. The Blue Jackets added on in the second period with a Max Domi goal, his third of the year, via Seth Jones and Riley Nash. Columbus iced it at 3-0 with an Eric Robinson empty net goal in the third period, his third of the campaign, set up by Mikhail Grigorenko and Andrew Peeke. The three stars were Merzlikins (32 save shutout), Atkinson, and Domi.
Over in DC, the Washington Capitals bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Linus Ullmark and Vitek Vanecek are between the pipes. Washington led off in the first period with a Nicklas Backstrom power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by T.J. Oshie and Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals added on in the second period with a Tom Wilson shorthanded goal, his sixth of the year, going in unassisted. Washington extended the lead in the third period as Conor Sheary scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Lars Eller and Justin Schultz. Buffalo got on the board with a Victor Olofsson power play goal, his sixth of the year, with assists provided by Jack Eichel and Kyle Okposo. This only made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars going to Vanecek (22 for 23 in saves), Wilson, and Backstrom.
In St. Louis, the Blues host the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones is mismatched with Jordan Binnington in goal. St. Louis kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Mike Hoffman power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Oskar Sundqvist and David Perron. San Jose tied it in the second period with a Noah Gregor goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Nicolas Meloche and Dylan Gambrell. The Sharks took the lead with a John Leonard goal, his second of the season, assisted by Ryan Donato and Patrick Marleau. The Blues tied it in the third period with a Brayden Schenn goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Hoffman and Perron. St. Louis won 3-2 in overtime with a Perron power play goal, his sixth of the campaign, set up by Torey Krug and the goalie Binnington. The three stars belonged to Perron, Hoffman, and Binnington (30 for 32 in saves).
Southwest to Arizona, as the Coyotes welcome the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Darcy Kuemper are the masked men. Los Angeles was first to score in the first period with a Dustin Brown goal, his eighth of the season, coming off of Anze Kopitar and Alex Iafallo. The Kings added on with a Jeff Carter goal, his third of the year, via Drew Doughty and Gabriel Vilardi. Arizona got on the board in the second period with a Conor Garland goal, his seventh of the season, passed from Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. The Coyotes tied it on a Phil Kessel goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Tyler Pitlick and Dryden Hunt. In the shootout, Kopitar, Adrian Kempe and Vilardi topped Schmaltz and Christian Dvorak for a 3-2 Kings win. The three stars were Vilardi, Kopitar, and Schmaltz.
Finally, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Minnesota Wild. Kaapo Kahkonen and John Gibson occupy the creases. Minnesota drew first blood in the first period with a Ryan Hartman goal, his second of the season, going in unassisted. The Wild added on with a Kevin Fiala goal, his fourth of the year, via Mats Zuccarello. Anaheim got on the board in the second period with a Sam Steel goal, his second of the season, helped along by Danton Heinen. Minnesota iced it at 3-1 with a Marcus Foligno power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Zach Parise and Nick Bonino. The three stars were Kahkonen (16 for 17 in saves), Fiala, and Hartman.
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