NHL 2021 - Day 62

Ten games on an unusually busy Monday, beginning with...

The Tampa Bay Lightning hosting the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne faces a lesser foe in Curtis McElhinney in goal. Nashville got going in the second period with an Eeli Tolvanen goal, his sixth of the season, passed from Ryan Johansen and Calle Jarnkrok. The Predators added on with a Viktor Arvidsson power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Erik Haula and Jarnkrok. Nashville extended the lead on a Jarnkrok shorthanded goal, his seventh of the season, set up by Mattias Ekholm and the goalie Rinne. Tampa Bay got on the board with a Steven Stamkos goal, his thirteenth of the year, coming off of Yanni Gourde and Alex Killorn. The Predators finished it at 4-1 with an Ekholm empty net goal, his fifth of the campaign, with helpers from Dante Fabbro and Jarnkrok. The three stars were Jarnkrok, Ekholm, and Rinne (38 for 39 in saves). 

Up in Ottawa, the Senators welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Thatcher Demko and Joey Daccord are the young goalies. Vancouver opened in the first period with a Jayce Hawryluk goal, assisted by Brandon Sutter and Jordie Benn. The Canucks added on with an unassisted Tanner Pearson goal, his sixth of the season. Ottawa got on the board in the second period with a Josh Norris goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Tim Stutzle and Artem Zub. The Senators tied it in the third period with a Colin White goal, his eighth of the season, via Brady Tkachuk. Vancouver won 3-2 in overtime with a J.T. Miller goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Quinn Hughes and Bo Horvat. The three stars were Miller, Pearson, and Demko (44 for 46 in saves). 

Back stateside, the Buffalo Sabres bring in the Washington Capitals. Vitek Vanecek and Carter Hutton man the nets. Washington led off in the first period with an Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Justin Schultz and Conor Sheary. The Capitals added on in the second period with a Nicklas Backstrom goal, his eleventh of the year, assisted by T.J. Oshie and Nick Jensen. Washington extended the lead as Richard Panik scored his third of the season, thanks to Dmitry Orlov. The Capitals padded the lead on a Daniel Sprong goal, his sixth of the year, made possible by Jensen. Washington kept going in the third period with a Garnet Hathaway goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Schultz and Carl Hagelin. The Capitals iced it at 6-0 with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his eleventh of the year, via Sheary. The three stars were Vanecek (23 save shutout), Jensen, and Schultz, while Sheary gets an honorable mention. 

In Manhattan, the New York Rangers host the Philadelphia Flyers. Carter Hart and Keith Kinkaid are in the creases. Philadelphia began in the first period with a James van Riemsdyk goal, his thirteenth of the season, coming off of Joel Farabee and Sean Couturier. The Flyers added on with an Ivan Provorov goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Couturier. New York got on the board in the second period with an Artemi Panarin goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Tarmo Reunanen and Ryan Strome. The Rangers tied it on a Colin Blackwell goal, his sixth of the year, assisted by Panarin and Brendan Smith. New York took the lead with a Julien Gauthier goal, his second of the season, fueled by Filip Chytil and Panarin. Philadelphia retied it on a Farabee power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek. The Rangers regained the lead in the third period with a Kevin Rooney goal, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Brendan Lemieux and Brett Howden. The Flyers tied it again with a Giroux power play goal, his sixth of the year, with assists provided by Voracek and Provorov. Philadelphia won 5-4 in overtime with an unassisted Voracek goal, his fourth of the campaign. The three stars were Voracek, Panarin, and Giroux, while Provorov, Farabee, and Couturier get the honorable mentions. 

West to Pittsburgh, as the Penguins welcome the Boston Bruins. Jaroslav Halak and Tristan Jarry patrol the creases. Boston struck first in the first period with a Matt Grzelcyk power play goal, powered by Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. Pittsburgh tied it on an Evan Rodrigues goal, his second of the season, made possible by Kasperi Kapanen and Evgeni Malkin. The Penguins took the lead with a Sidney Crosby goal, his eleventh of the year, helped along by Jake Guentzel and Brian Dumoulin. Pittsburgh added on in the second period with a Malkin power play goal, his eighth of the season, with assists provided by Crosby and Kris Letang. The Penguins iced it at 4-1 in the third period with a Guentzel empty net goal, his eleventh of the year, set up by Bryan Rust and Crosby. The three stars were Crosby, Jarry (42 for 43 in saves), and Malkin, while Guentzel gets an honorable mention. 

Down in Florida, the Panthers bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Kevin Lankinen and Sergei Bobrovsky draw the starts in goal. Chicago kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Patrick Kane goal, his twelfth of the season, via David Kampf. Florida tied it on an Owen Tippett power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Gustav Forsling and Alex Wennberg. The Blackhawks took the lead again in the second period on a Philipp Kurashev goal, his seventh of the season, coming off of Mattias Janmark and Calvin de Haan. Chicago added on with a Brandon Hagel goal, his third of the year, guided in by Dominik Kubalik and Duncan Keith. The Panthers got one back with an Aaron Ekblad power play goal, his tenth of the season, made possible by Keith Yandle and Jonathan Huberdeau. Florida tied it on a Forsling goal, helped along by Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe. The Panthers pulled ahead in the third period with a shorthanded Barkov goal, his twelfth of the year, set up by Noel Acciari and MacKenzie Weegar. Florida extended the lead as Verhaeghe scored an empty net goal, his eleventh of the season, with the help of Barkov. The Panthers iced it at 6-3 with a Wennberg empty net goal, with helpers from Huberdeau and Patric Hornqvist. The three stars belonged to Barkov, Forsling, and Verhaeghe, while Wennberg and Huberdeau get the honorable mentions. 

Back in Canada, the Winnipeg Jets host the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Connor Hellebuyck tend the twines. Montreal was first to score in the first period with a Jesperi Kotkaniemi goal, his fourth of the season, via Jonathan Drouin and Josh Anderson. The Canadiens added on in the second period with an Anderson power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Tyler Toffoli and Nick Suzuki. Wininpeg got on the board with a Kyle Connor power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, with assists provided by Josh Morrissey and Paul Stastny. Montreal replied with a Toffoli goal, his sixteenth of the year, going in unassisted. The Jets got one back in the third period with a Connor power play goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, with helpers from Morrissey and Mark Scheifele. The Canadiens capped it at 4-2 with a Toffoli empty net goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, set up by Joel Edmundson. The three stars were Toffoli, Connor, and Anderson, while Morrissey gets an honorable mention. 

Westward to Calgary, as the Flames welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Mike Smith and Jacob Markstrom protect the nets. Calgary dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Dillon Dube goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Elias Lindholm. The Flames added on with a Lindholm goal, his seventh of the year, guided in by Oliver Kylington and Dube. Edmonton got on the board with an Adam Larsson goal, his third of the season, helped along by Kailer Yamamoto and Tyler Ennis. Calgary replied with an Andrew Mangiapane goal, his ninth of the year, assisted by Milan Lucic and Mikael Backlund. The Oilers got one back with a Josh Archibald goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Devin Shore and Ethan Bear. Edmonton tied it in the third period with a Leon Draisaitl goal, his seventeenth of the year, coming off of Connor McDavid. The Flames retook the lead with a Noah Hanifin goal, his third of the season, with helpers from Mangiapane and Backlund. The Flames held on for a 4-3 win, with the three stars going to Lindholm, Mangiapane, and Dube, while Backlund gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights bring in San Jose Sharks. Devan Dubnyk and Marc-Andre Fleury are the veterans in goal. Vegas started in the first period with a Max Pacioretty power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, powered by Mark Stone and Shea Theodore. The Golden Knights added on in the third period with a Stone goal, his tenth of the year, via Pacioretty and Nicolas Hague. San Jose got on the board with a Timo Meier goal, his sixth of the campaign, assisted by Brent Burns. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Stone, Pacioretty, and Fleury (23 for 24 in saves). 

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NHL 2021 - Day 61

Six games on this Sunday, beginning with...

The Minnesota Wild hosting the Arizona Coyotes. Antti Raanta and Cam Talbot protect the nets. Arizona began in the first period with a Phil Kessel goal, his ninth of the season, going in unassisted. Minnesota tied it in the second period with a Victor Rask goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Mats Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov. The Wild took the lead in the third period with a Nick Bonino goal, his third of the season, passed from Kevin Fiala and Zach Parise. Minnesota added on with a Fiala power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Matt Dumba and Jonas Brodin. The Wild iced it at 4-1 with an unassisted Joel Eriksson Ek goal, his eleventh of the campaign. The three stars were Fiala, Talbot (21 for 22 in saves), and Bonino. 

East to Columbus, as the Blue Jackets welcome the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Joonas Korpisalo are set to start in goal. Dallas led off in the first period with a Joe Pavelski goal, his fourteenth of the season, assisted by Joel Kiviranta and Rhett Gardner. Columbus tied it in the third period with a Zach Werenski goal, his third of the year, passed from Seth Jones and Jack Roslovic. The Stars won 2-1 in the shootout with a lone tally by Alexander Radulov. The three stars were Oettinger (29 for 30 in saves), Korpisalo (34 for 35 in saves), and Pavelski.

Up in Detroit, the Red Wings bring in the Carolina Hurricanes. Alex Nedeljkovic and Jonathan Bernier are the masked men. Carolina got going in the second period with a Dougie Hamilton shorthanded goal, his third of the season, going in unassisted. The Hurricanes added on in the third period with a Nino Niederreiter goal, his twelfth of the year, fueled by Sebastian Aho. Detroit got on the board with an Anthony Mantha goal, his eighth of the campaign, coming off of Filip Hronek and Luke Glendening. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Nedeljkovic (25 for 26 in saves), Niederreiter, and Hamilton.

Further east to New Jersey, as the Devils host the New York Islanders. Ilya Sorokin and Scott Wedgewood are the backups in goal. New York opened in the first period with a Kieffer Bellows goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Sebastian Aho and Jordan Eberle. New Jersey tied it with a Janne Kuokkanen power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Kyle Palmieri and Damon Severson. The Islanders retook the lead with a Brock Nelson goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Nick Leddy and Josh Bailey. The Devils tied it again with a Yegor Sharangovich goal, his fifth of the year, assisted by P.K. Subban and Dmitry Kulikov in the second period. New Jersey won 3-2 in overtime with a Subban goal, his third of the campaign, helped along by Jesper Bratt and Pavel Zacha. The three stars went to Subban, Sharangovich, and Kuokkanen.

Out west, the Colorado Avalanche welcome the Los Angeles Kings. Calvin Petersen and Philipp Grubauer are in the creases. Columbus started in the first period with a Nazem Kadri goal, his seventh of the season, via Andre Burakovsky and Dan Renouf. The Avalanche added on with a Burakovsky goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Kadri and Brandon Saad. Colorado extended the lead as Joonas Donskoi scored his seventh of the season, thanks to Renouf and Valeri Nichushkin. Los Angles got on the board with a Kurtis MacDermid goal, his second of the year, assisted by Anze Kopitar and Alex Iafallo in the third period. The Avalanche iced it at 4-1 with a Nathan MacKinnon empty net goal, his seventh of the campaign, set up by Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog. The three stars were Kadri, Burakovsky, and Renouf.

Finally, the Ottawa Senators bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Michael Hutchinson and Joey Daccord are the backups in goal. Ottawa struck first in the first period on a Brady Tkachuk goal, his eleventh of the season, going in unassisted. The Senators added on with a Ryan Dzingel goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Clark Bishop and Mike Reilly. Frederik Andersen replaced Hutchinson in goal. Toronto got on the board with a Zach Hyman goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Auston Matthews and Morgan Rielly. Ottawa replied in the second period with a Drake Batherson power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Tim Stutzle and Tkachuk. The Senators extended the lead as Batherson scored his second of the game and eleventh of the season, thanks to Christian Wolanin and Chris Tierney. The Maple Leafs got one back in the third period with another Hyman goal, his second of the game and tenth of the year, fueled by William Nylander and John Tavares. Toronto pushed closer on a Tavares goal, his ninth of the campaign, helped along by Mitchell Marner and Rielly. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars going to Batherson, Tkachuk, and Hyman, while Tavares and Rielly get the honorable mentions. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 60

We've got 12 games on Saturday, with two matinees. First up...

The Boston Bruins host the New York Rangers. Keith Kinkaid and Jaroslav Halak man the nets. New York led off in the first period with a K'Andre Miller goal, his second of the season, assisted by Pavel Buchnevich and Mika Zibanejad. The Rangers added on in the second period with a Chris Kreider goal, his fourteenth of the year, via Zibanejad and Jacob Trouba. New York extended the lead in the third period as Ryan Strome scored his tenth of the season, thanks to Artemi Panarin and Colin Blackwell. The Rangers capped it at 4-0 with a Buchnevich goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Kreider. The three stars were Kinkaid (18 save shutout), Kreider, and Buchnevich, while Zibanejad gets an honorable mention. 

Over in Columbus, the Blue Jackets welcome the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Elvis Merzlikins patrol the creases. Columbus began in the first period with a Max Domi goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Jack Roslovic and Emil Bemstrom. Dallas tied it on an Andrew Cogliano goal, his third of the year, guided in by Radek Faksa and Jamie Oleksiak. The Stars took the lead in the second period with an Andrej Sekera goal, via Cogliano and Blake Comeau. The Blue Jackets retied it on a Cam Atkinson goal, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Domi and Roslovic. Columbus took the lead with a Nick Foligno goal, his fifth of the year, with a lone helper from Zach Werenski. Dallas tied it again in the third period with a Denis Gurianov goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Jason Dickinson and Jamie Benn. The Blue Jackets won 4-3 in overtime with a Werenski goal, his second of the year, passed from Oliver Bjorkstrand and Roslovic. The three stars were Werenski, Roslovic, and Domi, while Cogliano gets an honorable mention. 

Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Laurent Brossoit is mismatched with Frederik Andersen in goal. Winnipeg dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Mason Appleton goal, his eighth of the season, courtesy of Adam Lowry and Andrew Copp. Toronto got on the board with a Jake Muzzin shorthanded goal, his second of the year, set up Mitchell Marner. The Maple Leafs took the lead with a William Nylander goal, his twelfth of the season, fueled by Joe Thornton and Justin Holl. The Jets tied it again with a Paul Stastny goal, his ninth of the year, passed from Mark Scheifele and Logan Stanley. Winnipeg took the lead with a Lowry goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Appleton and Dylan DeMelo. The Jets added on with a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his fourteenth of the year, helped along by Neal Pionk and Copp. Winnipeg extended the lead as Scheifele scored his twelfth of the season on the power play, thanks to Josh Morrissey and Blake Wheeler. The three stars were Appleton, Lowry, and Scheifele, while Copp gets an honorable mention.

Back stateside, the Philadelphia Flyers host the Washington Capitals. Ilya Samsonov and Brian Elliott draw the starts in goal. Washington opened in the first period with a Daniel Sprong goal, his fifth of the season, guided in by Jakub Vrana and Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Capitals added on with a Carl Hagelin goal, his third of the year, via Nick Jensen and Garnet Hathaway. Philadelphia got on the board in the second period with a James van Riemsdyk goal, his twelfth of the season, going in unassisted. Washington replied with a Jensen goal, his second of the year, coming off of Hagelin. Carter Hart replaced Elliott in goal. The Flyers got one back with a Nolan Patrick goal, his third of the season, assisted by Jakub Voracek and Travis Sanheim. The Capitals shot back with an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Nicklas Backstrom and John Carlson. Washington extended the lead as Nic Dowd scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Hathaway and Carlson. Philadelphia countered with a Shayne Gostisbehere power play goal, his fifth of the year, with assists provided by Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny. Flyers got closer on a Claude Giroux goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Voracek and Sanheim. This only made it 5-4, the final, with the three stars going to Jensen, Hagelin, and Carlson, while Hathaway, Voracek, and Sanheim get the honorable mentions.

South to Florida, as the Panthers welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Kevin Lankinen and Sergei Bobrovsky are in the blue paint. Chicago got going in the second period with a Brandon Hagel goal, his second of the season, guided in by Dominik Kubalik and David Kampf. Florida tied it on an Aleksander Barkov goal, his tenth of the year, assisted by Anthony Duclair and MacKenzie Weegar. The Panthers took the lead with a Carter Verhaeghe goal, his tenth of the season, fueled by Duclair and Barkov. Florida added on with a Frank Vatrano goal, his tenth of the year, via Owen Tippett and Radko Gudas. The Panthers extended the lead as Barkov scored his second of the game and eleventh of the season, with the help of Duclair and Verhaeghe. The Blackhawks got one back on an Adam Boqvist goal, his second of the year, coming off of Duncan Keith and Patrick Kane. This only made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars going to Barkov, Verhaeghe, and Duclair.

Staying in the state, the Tampa Bay Lightning bring in the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Andrei Vasilevskiy are the veterans in goal. Tampa Bay started in the first period with a Tyler Johnson goal, his sixth of the season, helped along by Erik Cernak and Blake Coleman. The Lightning added on with a Mathieu Joseph goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Cernak and Steven Stamkos. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Alex Killorn scored his seventh of the season on the power play, powered by Ondrej Palat and Victor Hedman. Nashville got on the board with a Yakov Trenin goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Viktor Arvidsson. The Lightning replied with a Brayden Point goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Mikhail Sergachev. The Predators got one back in the third period with an Alexandre Carrier goal, with assists from Trenin and Mathieu Olivier. Nashville got closer with an Erik Haula power play goal, his third of the year, guided in by Calle Jarnkrok and Nick Cousins. Tampa Bay fired back on a Coleman goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Barclay Goodrow and Johnson. The Lightning iced it at 6-3 with an empty net goal by Ryan McDonagh, his third of the year, set up by Palat. The three stars were Johnson, Palat, and Cernak, while Trenin gets an honorable mention.

Back up north, the Buffalo Sabres host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Casey DeSmith and Carter Hutton are set to start in goal. Pittsburgh cracked the scoresheet in the second period with a Jake Guentzel power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. The Penguins added on in the third period with a Sidney Crosby empty net goal, his tenth of the year, set up by Ketang. Pittsburgh iced it at 3-0 with a Mark Jankowski empty net goal, his second of the campaign, helped along by Teddy Blueger and Brandon Tanev. The three stars belonged to DeSmith (24 save shutout), Guentzel, and Letang.

Over in New Jersey, the Devils welcome the New York Islanders. Semyon Varlamov and MacKenzie Blackwood are the masked men. New Jersey struck first in the first period with a Pavel Zacha goal, his seventh of the season, fueled by Kyle Palmieri and Ryan Murray. New York tied it on an Oliver Wahlstrom goal, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. The Devils retook the lead in the second period with a Janne Kuokkanen goal, his fourth of the season, via Yegor Sharangovich and Travis Zajac. The Islanders tied it in the third period with a Kieffer Bellows goal, assisted by Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle. New York took the lead on another Bellows goal, coming off of Eberle. The final stood at 3-2, with the three stars being Bellows, Eberle, and Wahlstrom.

Out west, the Calgary Flames bring in the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Jacob Markstrom tend the twines. Calgary kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Sean Monahan goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Brett Ritchie. The Flames added on with a Monahan power play goal, his second of the game and seventh of the year, powered by Matthew Tkachuk and Elias Lindholm. Calgary extended the lead in the second period as Mikael Backlund scored his fifth of the season, with the help of Andrew Mangiapane and Milan Lucic. Montreal got on the board with a Jeff Petry goal, his eleventh of the year, guided in by Jonathan Drouin and Joel Edmundson. Calgary won 3-1, with the three stars being Monahan, Markstrom (24 for 25 in saves), and Backlund.

Backtracking to St. Louis, as the Blues host the Vegas Golden Knights. Marc-Andre Fleury faces a lesser foe in Ville Husso in goal. Vegas drew first blood in the first period on a Shea Theodore goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson. The Golden Knights added on with a Mark Stone goal, his eighth of the year, via Max Pacioretty and Theodore in the third period. St. Louis got on the board with a Sammy Blais goal, his third of the season, coming off of Vladimir Tarasenko and Justin Faulk. Vegas replied with a Pacioretty goal, his thirteenth of the year, fueled by Chandler Stephenson and Brayden McNabb. The Golden Knights replied with a Stone goal, his second of the game and ninth of the season, courtesy of Pacioretty and Stephenson. Vegas iced it at 5-1 with an Alex Tuch empty net goal, his thirteenth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Pacioretty, Stone, and Fleury (34 for 35 in saves), while Theodore and Stephenson get the honorable mentions.

In Anaheim, the Ducks welcome the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Ryan Miller are the goalies. San Jose was first to score in the first period with an Evander Kane goal, his eleventh of the season, going in unassisted. Anaheim tied it with a Max Jones goal, his fourth of the year, fueled by Kevin Shattenkirk and Isac Lundestrom. The Sharks retook the lead with a Kevin Labanc goal, his seventh of the season, via Tomas Hertl and Mario Ferraro. San Jose added on with a Dylan Gambrell goal, courtesy of Ryan Donato and John Leonard. This held for a 3-1 win, with the three stars going to Jones (26 for 27 in saves), Labanc, and Gambrell.

Finally, the Vancouver Canucks bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Mikko Koskinen and Thatcher Demko protect the nets. Vancouver got on the board in the second period with a Bo Horvat power play goal, his twelfth of the season, going in unassisted. Edmonton tied it on a Leon Draisaitl power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, powered by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid. The Canucks took the lead with a Tyler Myers goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Jordie Benn and Nils Hoglander in the third period. The Canucks won 2-1, with the three stars given to Demko (34 for 35 in saves), Myers, and Horvat. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 59

Five games on for Friday night, beginning with...

The St. Louis Blues hosting the Vegas Golden Knights. Marc-Andre Fleury and Jordan Binnington tend the twines. Vegas opened in the first period with a Mark Stone goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Chandler Stephenson and Max Pacioretty. The Golden Knights added on with a Jonathan Marchessault goal, his eighth of the year, via Reilly Smith. St. Louis got on the board in the second period with a Ryan O'Reilly goal, his ninth of the season, fueled by Justin Faulk and Zach Sanford. Vegas replied with a Tomas Nosek goal, his second of the year, passed from Dylan Coghlan and Nicolas Roy. The Blues fired back with a Vladimir Tarasenko goal, helped along by Sammy Blais and Robert Bortuzzo. St. Louis tied it in the third period with a Sanford power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Mike Hoffman and Jordan Kyrou. The Blues took the lead on a David Perron power play goal, his eleventh of the year, with assists provided by Brayden Schenn and Tarasenko. The Golden Knights retied it on an Alec Martinez goal, his second of the season, guided in by Shea Theodore and Roy. Vegas won 5-4 in overtime with a Smith power play goal, his sixth of the year, with helpers from Marchessault and Martinez. The three stars were Smith, Marchessault, and Tarasenko, while Martinez, Roy, and Sanford get the honorable mentions. 

Up in Minnesota, the Wild welcome the Arizona Coyotes. Adin Hill and Cam Talbot are in the blue paint. Minnesota dented the scoreboard in the third period on a Kirill Kaprizov goal, his eighth of the season, coming off of Mats Zuccarello and Jared Spurgeon. The Wild added on with a Kaprizov goal, his second of the game and ninth of the year, via Nick Bjugstad and Matt Dumba. Minnesota extended the lead on a Jonas Brodin empty net goal, his fifth of the season, set up by Zuccarello. The Wild padded the lead as Kaprizov finished his hat trick with his tenth of the year, thanks to Zuccarello and Carson Soucy. The three stars of the 4-0 game were Talbot (25 save shutout), Kaprizov, and Zuccarello. 

Southwest to Colorado, as the Avalanche host the Los Angeles Kings. Calvin Petersen and Philipp Grubauer are the masked men. Colorado got going in the second period with a Mikko Rantanen goal, his thirteenth of the season, courtesy of Ryan Graves and Devon Toews. The Avalanche iced it at 2-0 with a Nathan MacKinnon empty net goal in the third period, his sixth of the year, set up by Rantanen. The three stars were Grubauer (18 save shutout), Rantanen, and Petersen (44 for 45 in saves).

Back north, the Edmonton Oilers bring in the Ottawa Senators. Joey Daccord and Mike Smith are between the pipes. Edmonton started in the first period with a Connor McDavid goal, his seventeenth of the season, fueled by Leon Draisaitl and Kailer Yamamoto. Ottawa tied it on a Thomas Chabot goal, his fourth of the year, made possible by Nikita Zaitsev and Austin Watson. The Oilers retook the lead with a Tyson Barrie goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by McDavid. The Senators tied it again in the second period with a Brady Tkachuk power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson. Edmonton regained the lead on a Darnell Nurse goal, his eighth of the season, guided in by Patrick Russell. The Oilers added on with a Draisaitl power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, with assists provided by McDavid and Barrie. Edmonton extended the lead in the third period as Tyler Ennis scored his third of the season, thanks to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Oilers padded the lead on a Gaetan Haas goal, his second of the year, coming off of Ennis and Adam Larsson. This stood for a 6-2 win, with the three stars given to McDavid, Draisaitl, and Barrie, while Ennis gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the San Jose Sharks. Devan Dubnyk and John Gibson are the veterans in goal. San Jose struck first in the first period with a Tomas Hertl power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Brent Burns and Timo Meier. The Sharks added on in the second period with an Evander Kane goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by Burns and Kevin Labanc. San Jose extended the lead as Erik Karlsson scored his second of the season on the power play, thanks to Labanc and Logan Couture. The Sharks padded the lead with a Meier goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Matt Nieto and Hertl. San Jose continued with a Labanc goal, his sixth of the season, via Kane. Ryan Miller replaced Gibson in goal. The Sharks kept going with a Fredrik Handemark goal, going in unassisted. The final stood from here at 6-0, with the three stars being Labanc, Dubnyk (34 save shutout), and Kane, while Hertl, Meier, and Burns get the honorable mentions. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 58

Ten games on tonight, beginning with...

The Toronto Maple Leafs hosting the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Frederik Andersen tend the twines. Winnipeg kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Pierre-Luc Dubois. Toronto tied it in the second period with a Mitchell Marner goal, his eleventh of the year, guided in by Auston Matthews and T.J. Brodie. The Jets retook the lead with another Ehlers goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, via Kyle Connor. The Maple Leafs tied it in the third period with a William Nylander goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from John Tavares and Morgan Rielly. Toronto took the lead with an Ilya Mikheyev goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Alexander Kerfoot and Pierre Engvall. Winnipeg tied it on a Paul Stastny goal, his eighth of the year, fueled by Ehlers and Neal Pionk. The Maple Leafs won 4-3 in overtime with a Matthews goal, his twenty-first of the campaign, with assists provided by Rielly and Marner. The three stars were Matthews, Ehlers, and Marner, while Rielly gets an honorable mention.

Stateside, the Philadelphia Flyers welcome the Washington Capitals. Ilya Samsonov and Brian Elliott are the goalies. Washington started in the first period with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his ninth of the season, going in unassisted. Philadelphia tied it with a Travis Konecny power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Kevin Hayes and Shayne Gostisbehere. The Capitals took the lead back with a Conor Sheary goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Daniel Sprong. Washington added on in the second period with a John Carlson goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Jakub Vrana and Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Capitals extended the lead as Nic Dowd scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Zdeno Chara. The Flyers got one back in the third period with an Ivan Provorov goal, his third of the year, guided in by Sean Couturier and Erik Gustafsson. Philadelphia got closer with a Scott Laughton goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Hayes and Konecny. The Capitals iced it at 5-3 with a Dowd empty net goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, set up by the goalie Samsonov. The three stars were Dowd, Konecny, and Hayes.

Down in Carolina, the Hurricanes bring in the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and James Reimer man the nets. Carolina struck first in the first period on a Morgan Geekie power play goal, via Jake Bean and Jesper Fast. The Hurricanes added on with a Brock McGinn goal, his eighth of the season, coming off of Warren Foegele. Carolina extended the lead as Dougie Hamilton scored his second of the year, thanks to Andrei Svechnikov and Fast. The Hurricanes padded the lead on another Geekie goal, his second of the game, powered by Bean and Brett Pesce. Carolina continued in the third period with a Martin Necas power play goal, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Svechnikov and Hamilton. Kasimir Kaskisuo replaced Rinne in goal. Nashville got on the board with a Nick Cousins goal, his third of the year, assisted by Mattias Ekholm. This only made it 5-1, the final, with the three stars being Geekie, Hamilton, and Svechnikov, while Bean gets an honorable mention.

Along to Columbus, as the Blue Jackets host the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Elvis Merzlikins draw the starts in goal. Columbus got going in the second period with an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Max Domi and Jack Roslovic. The Blue Jackets added on with another Bjorkstrand goal, his second of the game and tenth of the year, via Riley Nash and Patrik Laine. Florida got on the board with a Patric Hornqvist goal, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Gustav Forsling and Carter Verhaeghe. Columbus countered in the third period with a Laine power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Zach Werenski and Cam Atkinson. The Blue Jackets extended the lead as Max Domi scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Bjorkstrand. The Panthers got one back on a Ryan Lomberg goal, coming off of Noel Acciari and Radko Gudas. Florida got closer with an Owen Tippett goal, his third of the year, with helpers from MacKenzie Weegar and Mason Marchment. The Panthers tied it with an Aleksander Barkov power play goal, his ninth of the season, with assists provided by Keith Yandle and Jonathan Huberdeau. Florida won 5-4 in overtime with a Frank Vatrano goal, his ninth of the year, fueled by Huberdeau and Aaron Ekblad. The three stars were Bjorkstrand, Laine, and Huberdeau, while Domi gets an honorable mention.

North to Boston, as the Bruins welcome the New York Rangers. Alexandar Georgiev and Jaroslav Halak are the masked men. Boston led off in the first period with a David Pastrnak goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. The Bruins added on with a Bergeron shorthanded goal, his tenth of the year, set up by Marchand. Boston extended the lead on a David Krejci power play goal in the second period, powered by Matt Grzelcyk and Marchand. The Bruins padded the lead as Jake DeBrusk scored his second of the season, thanks to Krejci. Keith Kinkaid replaced Georgiev in goal. This stood for a 4-0 win for the Bruins, with the three stars awarded to Halak (27 save shutout), Bergeron, and Marchand, while Krecji gets an honorable mention.

Over in Buffalo, the Sabres bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Jonas Johansson are in the blue paint. Pittsburgh began in the first period with an Evgeni Malkin goal, his seventh of the season, fueled by Kasperi Kapanen. Buffalo tied it on a Tage Thompson goal, guided in by Kyle Okposo and Cody Eakin. The Penguins took the lead back in the second period with a Brandon Tanev goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Teddy Blueger. The Sabres retied it on a Victor Olofsson goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Riley Sheahan and Eric Staal. Pittsburgh took the lead again with a Jake Guentzel power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Sidney Crosby and Malkin. The Penguins added on in the third period with an Anthony Angello goal, going in unassisted. Pittsburgh iced it at 5-2 with an empty net goal by Bryan Rust, his ninth of the campaign, set up by Jarry. The three stars were Malkin, Angello, and Guentzel.

Staying in New York, the Islanders host the New Jersey Devils. MacKenzie Blackwood and Ilya Sorokin patrol the creases. New York opened in the first period with a Matt Martin goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Scott Mayfield and Nick Leddy. The Islanders added on with an Adam Pelech goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Ryan Pulock and Anders Lee. New York extended the lead as Noah Dobson scored his third of the season, thanks to Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Andy Greene. The Islanders padded the lead on a Josh Bailey goal, his third of the year, via Casey Cizikas. New Jersey got on the board in the third period with a Janne Kuokkanen goal, his third of the season, assisted by P.K. Subban and Travis Zajac. The Devils got one back with a Mikhail Maltsev goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Michael McLeod. New York replied with a Brock Nelson goal, his eleventh of the season, guided in by Pulock. New Jersey fired back with a Jack Hughes goal, his sixth of the year, assisted by Andreas Johnsson. This only made it 5-3, the final, with the three stars given to Bailey, Pulock, and Nelson.

West to Detroit, where the Red Wings welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Curtis McElhinney and Jonathan Bernier are between the pipes. Detroit drew first blood in the first period with a Troy Stecher goal, via Sam Gagner and Filip Zadina. Tampa Bay tied it on a Mikhail Sergachev goal, his second of the season, assisted by Ondrej Palat and Anthony Cirelli. The Red Wings retook the lead on a Dylan Larkin goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Filip Hronek and Anthony Mantha. The Lightning retied it on a Steven Stamkos power play goal, his twelfth of the season, powered by Alex Killorn and Palat. Detroit took the lead again with a Mantha goal, his seventh of the year, going in unassisted. The Red Wings added on with a Luke Glendening goal, his third of the season, helped along by Michael Rasmussen and Zadina. Detroit extended the lead as Robby Fabbri scored his fifth of the year, thanks to Jon Merrill. Tampa Bay got one back in the third period on a Brayden Point goal, his ninth of the season, guided in by Palat and Sergachev. The Lightning got closer with a Palat goal, his eleventh of the year, dished from Point and Stamkos. The Red Wings iced it at 6-4 with a Vladislav Namestnikov empty net goal, his fifth of the campaign, set up by Mantha and Hronek. The three stars belonged to Mantha, Point, and Palat, while Sergachev, Zadina, and Hronek get the honorable mentions.

Down in Dallas, the Stars bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Kevin Lankinen and Anton Khudobin guard the cages. Chicago was first to score in the first period on a Dominik Kubalik goal, his tenth of the season, made possible by Brandon Hagel and David Kampf. The Blackhawks added on in the second period with a Carl Soderberg power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Adam Boqvist and Patrick Kane. Chicago extended the lead as Duncan Keith scored an unassisted goal. The Blackhawks padded the lead as Alex DeBrincat scored his fifteenth of the season on the power play, with the help of Kane and Boqvist. Jake Oettinger replaced Khudobin in the third period. Dallas got on the board in the third period with a Roope Hintz goal, his seventh of the year, via Jamie Oleksiak and Andrew Cogliano. The Stars got closer with a John Klingberg goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by the goalie Oettinger. This only made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars given to Keith, Boqvist, and Kane.

Finally, the Calgary Flames host the Montreal Canadiens. Jake Allen and Jacob Markstrom protect the nets. Calgary dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Josh Leivo goal, his second of the season, via Derek Ryan and Sam Bennett. The Flames added on with another Leivo goal, his second of the game and third of the year, coming off of Ryan and Bennett. Montreal got on the board with a Corey Perry goal in the third period, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Shea Weber. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being Leivo, Ryan, and Bennett. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 57

We're getting closer to the season's midpoint, and we'll have five games today. First up...

The Minnesota Wild host the Vegas Golden Knights. Marc-Andre Fleury and Kaapo Kahkonen are the masked men. Minnesota opened in the first period with a Joel Eriksson Ek goal, his ninth of the season, going in unassisted. Vegas tied it with a Dylan Coghlan goal, via Nicolas Roy. The Wild took the lead in the third period with a Kirill Kaprizov power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Mats Zuccarello and Nick Bjugstad. Minnesota added on with an Eriksson Ek goal, his second of the game and tenth of the season, helped along by Jordan Greenway and Marcus Foligno. The Wild extended the lead as Carson Soucy scored, thanks to Nico Sturm and Kyle Rau. Logan Thompson replaced Fleury in goal. The Golden Knights got one back with a Coghlan goal, his second of the game, coming off of Alec Martinez and Chandler Stephenson. Vegas got closer as Coghlan completed his hat trick, with the help of Shea Theodore and Mark Stone. The final stood at 4-3, with the three stars going to Coghlan, Eriksson Ek, and Soucy.

Over in Edmonton, the Oilers welcome the Ottawa Senators. Matt Murray and Mike Smith man the nets. Edmonton started in the first period with a Darnell Nurse goal, his seventh of the season, passed from Leon Draisaitl and Tyson Barrie. The Oilers added on with a Jujhar Khaira goal, his third of the year, made possible by Devin Shore. Edmonton extended the lead on a Draisaitl power play goal, his twelfth of the season, powered by the goalie Smith and Barrie. The Oilers padded the lead as Connor McDavid scored his sixteenth of the year, thanks to Draisaitl and Nurse. Edmonton continued in the second period with another Draisaitl power play goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, with assists provided by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and McDavid. The Oilers kept going with a James Neal goal, his third of the year, helped along by Alex Chiasson. Edmonton struck again in the third period with a Draisaitl goal to complete his hat trick on his fourteenth of the season, assisted by McDavid and Barrie. Ottawa got on the board with an Evgenii Dadonov goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Austin Watson and Mike Reilly. The final was 7-1, with the three stars going to Draisaitl, McDavid, and Barrie, while Nurse gets an honorable mention.

Back stateside, the Colorado Avalanche host the Arizona Coyotes. Antti Raanta and Philipp Grubauer patrol the creases. Colorado led off in the first period with a Brandon Saad goal, his ninth of the season, courtesy of Andre Burakovsky and Devon Toews. Arizona tied it in the second period with a Tyler Pitlick goal, his sixth of the year, coming off of Jakob Chychrun and Clayton Keller. The Avalanche won 2-1 in overtime with a Gabriel Landeskog goal, his seventh of the campaign, set up by Samuel Girard. The three stars were Landeskog, Saad, and Raanta (44 for 46 in saves).

Out in California, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Los Angeles Kings. Troy Grosenick is mismatched with John Gibson in goal. Los Angeles began in the first period with an Adrian Kempe power play goal, his tenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Kings added on in the second period with an Anze Kopitar power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Drew Doughty and Matt Roy. Anaheim got on the board with a Sam Steel goal, his third of the season, assisted by Nicolas Deslauriers and Kevin Shattenkirk. Los Angeles replied with a Kempe goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, passed from Trevor Moore and Blake Lizotte. The Kings extended the lead in the third period as Andreas Athanasiou scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Jeff Carter and Gabriel Vilardi. Los Angeles padded the lead on an unassisted Alex Iafallo goal, his sixth of the year. This stood for a 5-1 win, with the three stars being Kempe, Grosenick (33 for 34 in saves), and Kopitar.

Finally, the Vancouver Canucks host the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Thatcher Demko protect the nets. Montreal kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Jesperi Kotkaniemi goal, his third of the season, coming off of Tyler Toffoli. The Canadiens added on with a Corey Perry goal, his fourth of the year, via Paul Byron and Jake Evans in the second period. Vancouver got on the board with a Brock Boeser power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, powered by Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller. Montreal replied with a Shea Weber power play goal, his fifth of the year, with assists provided by Jonathan Drouin and Josh Anderson. The Canadiens extended the lead in the third period as Jeff Petry scored his tenth of the season, thanks to Kotkaniemi and Toffoli. Montreal padded the lead on a Phillip Danault goal, courtesy of Joel Edmundson and Joel Armia. This made it 5-1, the final, with the three stars being Kotkaniemi, Price (23 for 24 in saves), and Toffoli. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 56

Nine games on today, beginning with...

The Pittsburgh Penguins hosting the New York Rangers. Keith Kinkaid and Tristan Jarry are in goal. New York began in the first period with a Jack Johnson goal, coming off of Julien Gauthier and Chris Kreider. Pittsburgh tied it on a Jake Guentzel goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Sidney Crosby. The Penguins took the lead in the second period with a Teddy Blueger shorthanded goal, his fourth of the year, set up by Brandon Tanev and Brian Dumoulin. Pittsburgh added on with a Kasperi Kapanen goal, his seventh of the season, via Evgeni Malkin and Evan Rodrigues. The Rangers got one back in the third period with a Ryan Strome power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Pavel Buchnevich and Adam Fox. The Penguins iced it at 4-2 with a Crosby empty net goal, his ninth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Crosby, Kapanen, and Blueger.

Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs welcome the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Frederik Andersen tend the twines. Toronto started in the first period with a Zach Hyman goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by T.J. Brodie. Winnipeg tied it on an Andrew Copp power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Neal Pionk and Nikolaj Ehlers. The Maple Leafs took the lead back with an Auston Matthews power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, with assists provided by Morgan Rielly and Mitchell Marner. The Jets retied it in the second period with a Josh Morrissey goal, fueled by Pionk and Mark Scheifele. Winnipeg took the lead with a Kyle Connor goal, his twelfth of the year, passed from Ehlers and Adam Lowry. The Jets added on with a Mason Appleton goal in the third period, his seventh of the season, guided in by Copp.. Toronto pulled one back with a Matthews goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the year, assisted by William Nylander. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars given to Copp, Matthews, and Pionk, while Ehlers gets an honorable mention.

Back stateside, the New York Islanders bring in the Boston Bruins. Jaroslav Halak and Semyon Varlamov protect the nets. Boston struck first in the first period with a David Pastrnak power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Brad Marchand and Matt Grzelcyk. New York tied it in the second period with a Brock Nelson power play goal, his tenth of the year, with assists provided by Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Mathew Barzal. In the shootout, Jordan Eberle and Anthony Beauvillier lifted the Islanders 2-1 over Pastrnak and the Bruins. The three stars were Varlamov (32 for 33 in saves), Pastrnak, and Halak (26 for 27 in saves).

Down in Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes host the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Alex Nedeljkovic draw the starts in goal. Nashville got going in the second period with a Matt Benning goal, via Eeli Tolvanen. The Predators added on with a Ryan Johansen goal, his second of the season, assisted by Dante Fabbro and Filip Forsberg. Carolina got on the board with a Jordan Staal power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Sebastian Aho and Vincent Trocheck. The Hurricanes tied it on an Aho power play goal, his tenth of the season, with helpers from Dougie Hamilton and Trocheck. Carolina won 3-2 in overtime with a Staal goal, his second of the game and tenth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Staal, Aho, and Trocheck.

Over in Columbus, the Blue Jackets welcome the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Joonas Korpisalo are in the creases. Florida led off in the first period with a Juho Lammikko goal, his third of the season, courtesy of MacKenzie Weegar. The Panthers added on in the second period with a Patric Hornqvist power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Aaron Ekblad and Jonathan Huberdeau. Columbus got on the board with a Michael Del Zotto goal, his second of the season, fueled by Eric Robinson and Alexandre Texier. Florida shot back with an Owen Tippett power play goal, his second of the year, with assists provided by Gustav Forsling and Alex Wennberg. The Blue Jackets got one back with an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal in the third period, his eighth of the season, helped along by Zach Werenski. The Panthers iced it at 4-2 with a Carter Verhaeghe empty net goal, his ninth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Tippett, Hornqvist, and Lammikko.

Next up, the Philadelphia Flyers bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Jonas Johansson and Carter Hart play in goal. Philadelphia opened in the first period with a James van Riemsdyk goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Joel Farabee and Sean Couturier. Buffalo tied it on a Sam Reinhart goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Dylan Cozens and Taylor Hall. The Sabres took the lead on a Riley Sheahan goal, his third of the season, made possible by Eric Staal and Victor Olofsson. Buffalo added on with a Reinhart goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, guided in by Hall and Rasmus Dahlin. Brian Elliott replaced Hart in goal to start the second period. The Flyers got one back in the second period with a Kevin Hayes goal, his ninth of the season, courtesy of Scott Laughton and Justin Braun. The Sabres replied with a Brandon Montour goal, helped along by Kyle Okposo and Tobias Rieder. Philadelphia pulled one back on a Claude Giroux goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Jakub Voracek and Ivan Provorov. The Flyers tied it on a Shayne Gostisbehere power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Couturier and Farabee. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Couturier and Nolan Patrick tallied to give the Flyers a 5-4 win. The three stars were Couturier, Reinhart, and Farabee, while Hall gets an honorable mention.

Moving on to DC, as the Washington Capitals host the New Jersey Devils. Scott Wedgewood and Vitek Vanecek are the backups in goal. Washington kicked off the scoring in the first period with a T.J. Oshie power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Justin Schultz and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals added on in the second period on a Jakub Vrana goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by John Carlson and Backstrom. Washington extended the lead as Daniel Sprong scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Evgeny Kuznetsov. New Jersey got on the board with a Janne Kuokkanen goal, his second of the year, fueled by Travis Zajac. The Capitals replied with a Dmitry Orlov goal, his third of the season, made possible by Richard Panik. The Devils got one back in the third period with a Miles Wood goal, his eighth of the year, helped along by Jesper Bratt and Ryan Murray. New Jersey got closer with a Yegor Sharangovich goal, his fourth of the season, via Kuokkanen and Zajac. The Devils tied it on a Damon Severson goal, his second of the year, passed from Ty Smith and Zajac. Washington won 5-4 in overtime with a Vrana goal, his second of the game and tenth of the campaign, assisted by Kuznetsov. The three stars belonged to Vrana, Zajac, and Kuznetsov, while Backstrom and Kuokkanen get the honorable mentions.

Westward to Detroit, as the Red Wings welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Thomas Greiss are in the blue paint. Detroit drew first blood in the first period with an Adam Erne power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Filip Zadina and Filip Hronek. Tampa Bay tied it with a Brayden Point power play goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Ondrej Palat and Victor Hedman. The Lightning took the lead with a Tyler Johnson goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Blake Coleman and Erik Cernak. The Red Wings tied it again in the second period with a Patrik Nemeth goal, his second of the year, helped along by Sam Gagner and Vladislav Namestnikov. Detroit took the lead on a Dylan Larkin goal, his fifth of the season, guided in by Robby Fabbri and Hronek. Tampa Bay tied it in the third period on a Cernak goal, made possible by Pat Maroon. The Lightning won 4-3 in overtime with a Coleman goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Johnson. The three stars were Coleman, Cernak, and Johnson, while Hronek earned an honorable mention.

Finally, the Dallas Stars bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Malcolm Subban and Anton Khudobin are the masked men. Dallas dented the scoreboard in the first period with a Joel Kiviranta goal, his third of the season, assisted by Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson. The Stars added on with a Jamie Oleksiak goal, his third of the year, passed from Jamie Benn and Denis Gurianov. Chicago got on the board in the second period with a Mattias Janmark goal, his ninth of the season, courtesy of Lucas Carlsson and Calvin de Haan. Dallas replied with a John Klingberg power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Ty Dellandrea and Radek Faksa. The Stars extended the lead as Joe Pavelski scored his thirteenth of the season, coming off of Robertson. Dallas padded the lead as Esa Lindell scored his third of the year, thanks to Robertson and Kiviranta. The Stars continued with a Hintz goal, his sixth of the season, helped along by Robertson. The final held at 6-1, with the three stars given to Robertson, Hintz, and Kiviranta. 

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