NHL 2021 - Day 100

The 100th day of NHL play this season is here. First up...

The Florida Panthers host the Carolina Hurricanes. Alex Nedeljkovic and Sergei Bobrovsky are the goalies. Florida started in the first period with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his twentieth of the season, helped along by Patric Hornqvist and Nikita Gusev. Carolina tied it in the second period with a Jordna Martinook goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Jordan Staal. The Hurricanes took the lead with a power play goal by Nino Niederreiter, his seventeenth of the season, powered by Brett Pesce and Martin Necas. Carolina added on with a Sebastian Aho shorthanded goal, his nineteenth of the year, set up by Necas. The Panthers got one back with a Barkov power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-first of the season, with assists provided by Keith Yandle and Jonathan Huberdeau. The Hurricanes iced it at 4-2 with an Aho empty net goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the year, guided in by Necas. The three stars were Aho, Necas, and Barkov.

Up in New York, the Islanders welcome the Washington Capitals. Ilya Samsonov and Semyon Varlamov are the Russian goalies. The game was scoreless into the shootout, where Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov locked in a 1-0 win for the Capitals over Anthony Beauvllier and the Islanders. The three stars were Samsonov (26 save shutout), Varlamov (28 save "shutout"), and Kuznetsov.

Northwest to Winnipeg, as the Jets bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jack Campbell and Connor Hellebuyck are the masked men. Toronto led off in the first period with an Auston Matthews goal, his thirty-fourth of the season, assisted by Mitchell Marner. The Maple Leafs added on with a Wayne Simmonds goal, his seventh of the year, guided in by John Tavares and Justin Holl. Winnipeg got on the board with a Mark Scheifele goal, his eighteenth of the season, fueled by Andrew Copp and Mason Appleton. The Jets tied it on a Copp goal, his fifteenth of the year, via Appleton. Toronto retook the lead with a Jason Spezza goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Joe Thornton and Jake Muzzin. Laurent Brossoit replaced Hellebuyck in the second period. The Maple Leafs extended the lead in the second period as Marner scored his fifteenth of the year, thanks to Matthews. Winnipeg got one back with a Kyle Connor goal, his twenty-second of the season, helped along by Blake Wheeler and Scheifele. Toronto capped it at 5-3 with an empty net goal by Marner, his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, set up by Nick Foligno. The three stars were Marner, Matthews, and Scheifele, while Copp and Appleton get the honorable mentions.

Back stateside, the Buffalo Sabres host the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Dustin Tokarski are the backups in goal. Boston opened in the first period with a Brad Marchand goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, assisted by Mike Reilly and Patrice Bergeron. Buffalo tied it in the second period with an Arttu Ruotsalainen goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Anders Bjork and Dylan Cozens. The Bruins retook the lead with a Matt Grzelcyk goal, his fourth of the season, via Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak. Boston added on in the third period with a Pastrnak goal, his eighteenth of the year, fueled by Marchand. The Bruins extended the lead as Nick Ritchie scored his eleventh of the season, thanks to Jake DeBrusk and Charlie Coyle. Boston padded the lead on a David Krejci goal, his sixth of the year, helped along by Jeremy Lauzon and Taylor Hall. The final stood ad 5-1, with the three stars given to Pastrnak, Marchand, and Swayman (29 for 30 in saves).

Along to New York again, as the Rangers welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Brian Elliott and Igor Shesterkin are in the blue paint. New York kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Brendan Smith goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by K'Andre Miller and Filip Chytil. Philadelphia tied it in the second period with a James van Riemsdyk power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov. The Flyers took the lead in the third period with another van Riemsdyk power play goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the season, assisted by Provorov and Kevin Hayes. Philadelphia added on with a Jakub Voracek goal, his ninth of the year, with helpers from Sean Couturier and Shayne Gostisbehere. The Rangers got one back on an Artemi Panarin goal, his seventeenth of the season, made possible by Adam Fox and Mika Zibanejad. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars given to van Riemsdyk, Provorov, and Voracek.

Over in Pittsburgh, the Penguins bring in the New Jersey Devils. Aaron Dell and Tristan Jarry receive the starting nods in goal. Pittsburgh began in the first period with a Sidney Crosby goal, his nineteenth of the season, made possible by Bryan Rust and Kris Letang. New Jersey tied it on a Matt Tennyson goal, fueled by Ryan Murray and Jesper Boqvist. The Penguins regained the lead with a Cody Ceci goal, his fourth of the year, passed from Brian Dumoulin and Kasperi Kapanen. Pittsburgh added on in the second period with a Rust goal, his nineteenth of the season, guided in by Jake Guentzel and Crosby. The Penguins extended the lead as Kapanen scored his eighth of the year, thanks to Teddy Blueger and Zach Aston-Reese. Scott Wedgewood replaced Dell in goal. Pittsburgh padded the lead on a shorthanded goal by Blueger, his seventh of the season, set up by Letang and John Marino. This made it 5-1, the eventual final score, with the three stars going to Crosby, Blueger, and Rust, while Kapanen and Letang get the honorable mentions.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins and Curtis McElhinney play in goal. Columbus struck first in the first period with a Seth Jones power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Patrik Laine and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Tampa Bay tied it in the second period with a Blake Coleman goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Yanni Gourde. The Lightning took the lead in the third period on an Ondrej Palat goal, his thirteenth of the season, made possible by Alex Killorn and Erik Cernak. Tampa Bay iced it at 3-1 with a Coleman empty net goal, his second of the game and tenth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Coleman, McElhinny (24 for 25 in saves), and Palat.

North to Detroit, where the Red Wings welcome the Dallas Stars. Anton Khudobin and Thomas Greiss are between the pipes. Detroit was first to score in the first period with a Jakub Vrana goal, his thirteenth of the season, via Filip Zadina. The Red Wings added on with a Luke Glendening goal, his sixth of the year, assisted by Marc Staal and Adam Erne. Detroit extended the lead as Richard Panik scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Sam Gagner. Jake Oettinger replaced Khudobin in goal for the second period. Dallas got on the board in the second period with a Radek Faksa power play goal, his sixth of the year, with assists provided by Tanner Kero and Esa Lindell. The Red Wings replied on a Vrana goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, made possible by Danny DeKeyser and Gustav Lindstrom. The Stars got one back with a Joe Pavelski goal, his twentieth of the year, fueled by John Klingberg and Roope Hintz. Detroit countered in the third period with a Vrana goal to complete his hat trick with his fifteenth of the season, going in unassisted. Dallas got one back with a Denis Gurianov power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Jason Roberson and Kero. The Red Wings fired back with yet another Vrana goal, his fourth of the game and sixteenth of the season, coming off of DeKeyser and Zadina. Detroit iced it at 7-3 with a Gagner empty net goal, his sixth of the year, set up by Lindstrom. The three stars were Vrana, Zadina, and DeKeyser, while Gagner, Lindstrom, and Kero get the honorable mentions.

Next up, the St. Louis Blues bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Devan Dubnyk and Jordan Binnington protect the nets. St. Louis drew first blood in the first period with a Jaden Schwartz power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Tyler Bozak and Vince Dunn. Colorado tied it on a Brandon Saad goal, his fifteenth of the year, via Tyson Jost. The Avalanche took the lead in the second period with an Andre Burakovsky power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, with assists provided by Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. Colorado added on with another Burakovsky goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the year, helped along by Gabriel Landeskog and MacKinnon. The Blues got one back with a Schwartz goal, his second of the game and sixth of the season, made possible by Bozak and Vladimir Tarasenko. The Avalanche replied with a Pierre-Edouard Bellemare empty net goal, his seventh of the year, set up by Landeskog and MacKinnon. This made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars being Burakovsky, MacKinnon, and Schwartz, while Landeskog and Bozak get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Vancouver Canucks host the Ottawa Senators. Matt Murray and Thatcher Demko are the young goalies. Ottawa got going in the first period with a Tim Stutzle power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Nick Paul and Drake Batherson. The Senators added on with a power play Batherson goal, his sixteenth of the year, with assists provided by Josh Norris and Brady Tkachuk. Ottawa iced it at 3-0 with a Connor Brown empty net goal, his seventeenth of the campaign, set up Nikita Zaitsev. The three stars were Murray (31 save shutout), Batherson, and Stutzle. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 99

Four games on this Wednesday, beginning with...

The Chicago Blackhawks hosting the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Malcolm Subban are the goalies. Chicago led off in the first period with a Pius Suter goal, his thirteenth of the season, via Brandon Hagel. Nashville tied it on an Eeli Tolvanen goal, his eleventh of the year, coming off of Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Johansen. The Predators took the lead in the second period with a Colton Sissons goal, his eighth of the season, going in unassisted. Nashville added on with a Mikael Granlund goal, his twelfth of the year, made possible by Mattias Ekholm. The Predators extended the lead in the third period as Luke Kunin scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Granlund and Roman Josi. The Blackhawks got one back with a Wyatt Kalynuk goal, his third of the year, helped along by Patrick Kane and Hagel. Chicago got closer with a Vinnie Hinostroza goal, coming off of Kirby Dach and Nikita Zadorov. The Blackhawks tied it as Dominik Kubalik scored his fifteenth of the season, with the help of Suter. Chicago won 5-4 in overtime with a Hagel goal, his seventh of the year, assisted by Hinostroza and Dach. The three stars were Hagel, Hinostroza, and Suter, while Dach and Granlund get the honorable mentions.

Out in Arizona, the Coyotes welcome the Minnesota Wild. Cam Talbot and Darcy Kuemper are the masked men. Arizona began in the first period with a Christian Dvorak power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Phil Kessel and Lane Pederson. Minnesota tied it in the second period with a Kevin Fiala goal, his sixteenth of the year, guided in by Nico Sturm and Ian Cole. The Wild took the lead in the third period with a Marcus Foligno goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Joel Eriksson Ek and Jordan Greenway. Minnesota added on with a Kirill Kaprizov goal, his nineteenth of the year, assisted by Mats Zuccarello. The Wild iced it at 4-1 with a Sturm empty net goal, his seventh of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Foligno, Talbot (39 for 40 in saves), and Sturm.

In Nevada, the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the San Jose Sharks. Josef Korenar is mismatched with Marc-Andre Fleury in goal. San Jose opened in the first period with a Timo Meier goal, his ninth of the season, fueled by Joel Kellman. Vegas tied it on a Jonathan Marchessault goal, his twelfth of the year, via William Karlsson and Alec Martinez. The Sharks took the lead in the second period with a Tomas Hertl goal, his fourteenth of the season, courtesy of Patrick Marleau and Erik Karlsson. The Golden Knights tied it again with a Mark Stone power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Max Pacioretty and Shea Theodore. Vegas took the lead with an Alex Tuch goal, his seventeenth of the season, made possible by Theodore and Marchessault. The Golden Knights added on in the third period with a Marchessault goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, with helpers from Mattias Janmark. Vegas extended the lead as Janmark scored an empty net goal, his eleventh of the campaign, set up by Marchessault. The three stars were Marchessault, Janmark, and Theodore.

Finally, the Edmonton Oilers host the Montreal Canadiens. Jake Allen and Mike Smith guard the cages. Montreal started in the first period with an Artturi Lehkonen goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jeff Petry. Edmonton tied it in the second period with a Connor McDavid goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, guided by Caleb Jones. The Canadiens retook the lead with a Josh Anderson goal, his sixteenth of the season, via Tomas Tatar and Petry. Montreal added on in the third period with a Tyler Toffoli power play goal, his twenty-second of the year, going in unassisted. The Canadiens extended the lead as Anderson scored his second of the game and seventeenth of the season, thanks to Tatar and Alexander Romanov. The Oilers got one back with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Edmonton got closer with a Jesse Puljujarvi goal, his twelfth of the campaign, helped along by McDavid and Tyson Barrie. The three stars of the 4-3 game were Anderson, McDavid, and Petry, while Tatar gets an honorable mention. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 98

Eight games on tonight, beginning with...

The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Dustin Tokarski man the nets. Boston led off in the first period with a Brad Marchand goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, assisted by David Pastrnak and Mike Reilly. The Bruins added on in the second period with a Connor Clifton goal, coming off of Sean Kuraly and Curtis Lazar. The final was 2-0, with the three stars given to Rask (32 save shutout), Marchand, and Clifton.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Alex Nedeljkovic and Andrei Vasilevskiy are in the blue paint. Carolina got going in the second period with a Nino Niederreiter goal, his sixteenth of the season, assisted by Vincent Trocheck and Martin Necas. The Hurricanes added on with a Jordan Staal goal, his fourteenth of the year, fueled by Dougie Hamilton and Niederreiter. Carolina extended the lead as Steven Lorentz scored his second of the season, thanks to Morgan Geekie. Tampa Bay got on the board with a Brayden Point goal, his twentieth of the year, via Ondrej Palat and Ryan McDonagh. The Hurricanes iced it at 4-1 in the third period with an unassisted Jordan Martinook empty net goal, his third of the campaign. The three stars were Niederreiter, Nedeljkovic (26 for 27 in saves), and Staal.

Back north to Long Island, as the New York Islanders host their crosstown rivals, the New York Rangers. Igor Shesterkin and Semyon Varlamov are the masked men. The Islanders started in the first period with a Josh Bailey goal, his seventh of the season, coming off of Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anthony Beauvillier. The Islanders added on in the second period with a Brock Nelson goal, his sixteenth of the year, via Nick Leddy and Kyle Palmieri. The Islanders extended the lead on a Beauvillier power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Noah Dobson and Jordan Eberle. The Rangers got on the board with a Kevin Rooney goal, his seventh of the year, guided in by Brendan Smith and Vitali Kravtsov. The Islanders replied in the third period with a Pageau goal, his thirteenth of the season, passed from Beauvillier and Bailey. The Islanders padded the lead on a Bailey goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, with helpers from Beauvillier and Andy Greene. The Islanders kept going with an Eberle goal, his fifteenth of the season, helped along by Travis Zajac. The final stood at 6-1, with the three stars being Beauvillier, Bailey, and Pageau, while Eberle gets an honorable mention.

Over in Pittsburgh, the Penguins bring in the New Jersey Devils. Scott Wedgewood and Tristan Jarry are set to start in goal. Pittsburgh began in the first period with a Mike Matheson goal, his fifth of the season, via Cody Ceci and Jared McCann. The Penguins added on with a Bryan Rust goal, his eighteenth of the year, fueled by Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel. Pittsburgh extended the lead as Brian Dumoulin scored his third of the season, thanks to the goalie Jarry. The Penguins padded the lead on a Jeff Carter goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by McCann and Kris Letang. Aaron Dell replaced Wedgewood in goal. Pittsburgh continued in the second period with a Teddy Blueger goal, his sixth of the season, with helpers from Evan Rodrigues and Zach Aston-Reese. The Penguins struck again with a Rodrigues power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Jason Zucker and John Marino. New Jersey got on the board in the third period with a Nico Hischier power play goal, his fourth of the season, with assists provided by Nicholas Merkley and Will Butcher. The Devils pulled closer with a Yegor Sharangovich shorthanded goal, his eleventh of the year, going in unassisted. New Jersey chipped closer with a Nathan Bastian goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Butcher and Miles Wood. Pittsburgh replied with a Crosby goal, his eighteenth of the year, assisted by Guentzel and Rust. The Devils fired back with a Jack Hughes goal, his tenth of the season, dished from Sharangovich and Janne Kuokkanen. New Jersey kept climbing back with a Nolan Foote goal, passed from Merkley and Damon Severson. The Devils came within one on an Andreas Johnsson goal, his fourth of the year, going in unassisted. The final stayed at 7-6, with the three stars being Crosby, Rodrigues, and Rust, while Sharangovich, Guentzel, McCann, Merkley, and Butcher get the honorable mentions.

South again to Florida, as the Panthers host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and Spencer Knight are between the pipes. Florida opened in the first period with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Nikita Gusev and Mason Marchment. The Panthers added on with a Sam Bennett goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Anthony Duclair and Jonathan Huberdeau. Columbus got on the board with a Jack Roslovic power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Cam Atkinson and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Florida answered with a Bennett goal in the second period, his second of the game and seventh of the year, helped along by Huberdeau and Duclair. The Panthers extended the lead as Ryan Lomberg scored his second of the season, with the help of Frank Vatrano and Markus Nutivaara. Florida padded the lead on a Huberdeau goal, his sixteenth of the year, fueled by Duclair and Radko Gudas. This stood for a 5-1 win, with the three stars belonging to Bennett, Huberdeau, and Duclair.

Westward to Dallas, as the Stars welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jonathan Bernier and Jake Oettinger are the goalies. Dallas struck first in the first period with a Tanner Kero goal, his third of the season, fueled by Jamie Benn. The Stars added on with a Jason Robertson goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by Jason Dickinson and Joel Hanley. Dallas extended the lead as Joe Pavelski scored his nineteenth of the season, with the help of Robertson and Dickinson. The Stars padded the lead on a Jamie Oleksiak goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Denis Gurianov in the second period. Detroit got on the board with a Valtteri Filppula goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Jakub Vrana. The Red Wings got one back in the third period with a Dylan Larkin goal, his ninth of the year, via Filip Hronek and Sam Gagner. Dallas iced it at 5-2 with a Blake Comeau empty net goal, his fourth of the campaign, set up by Andrew Cogliano. The three stars were Robertson, Dickinson, and Pavelski.

Up in Vancouver, the Canucks host the Toronto Maple Leafs. David Rittich and Braden Holtby are set to start in goal. Toronto kicked off the scoring in the first period with a John Tavares goal, his fifteenth of the season, via William Nylander and Alexander Kerfoot. Vancouver tied it on a Brandon Sutter goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Brock Boeser and Travis Hamonic in the second period. The Canucks took the lead with a Quinn Hughes goal, his third of the season, coming off of J.T. Miller. The Maple Leafs tied it with a Tavares power play goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, powered by Nylander and Auston Matthews. Toronto took the lead in the third period with an Adam Brooks shorthanded goal, his second of the season, set up Mitchell Marner and Justin Holl. Vancouver tied it on a Nils Hoglander goal, his ninth of the year, passed from Boeser and Hughes. The Canucks took the lead with a Tanner Pearson power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Miller and Hughes. Vancouver added on with a Pearson goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, going in unassisted. The Canucks iced it at 6-3 with a shorthanded empty net goal by Sutter, his second of the game and eighth of the campaign, with a lone helper from Nate Schmidt. The three stars belonged to Pearson, Sutter, and Hughes, while Boeser, Miller, Tavares, and Nylander get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings bring in the Anaheim Ducks. Anthony Stolarz and Calvin Petersen are between the pipes. Los Angeles was first to score in the first period with a Carl Grundstrom goal, his sixth of the season, via Andreas Athanasiou and Blake Lizotte. The Kings added on in the second period with an Anze Kopitar goal, his tenth of the year, assisted by Drew Doughty and Dustin Brown. Los Angeles extended the lead as Athanasiou scored his tenth of the season, thanks to Olli Maatta and Lizotte. The Kings padded the lead in the third period as Lizotte scored his third of the year, with the help of Grundstrom and Athanasiou. Anaheim got on the board with a Cam Fowler goal, his fourth of the season, passed from Rickard Rakell and Max Comtois. The three stars of the 4-1 game were Athanasiou, Lizotte, and Grundstrom. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 97

Eight games on today, beginning with...

The Tampa Bay Lightning hosting the Carolina Hurricanes. Petr Mrazek and Andrei Vasilevskiy are the goalies. Tampa Bay led off in the first period with an Alex Killorn goal, his twelfth of the season, via Tyler Johnson and Anthony Cirelli. The Lightning added on in the second period with a Brayden Point power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, powered by Ondrej Palat and Victor Hedman. Carolina got on the board with an Andrei Svechnikov power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Dougie Hamilton. The Hurricanes tied it in the third period with a Brady Skjei goal, his second of the year, going in unassisted. Tampa Bay won 3-2 in overtime with a Yanni Gourde goal, his sixteenth of the campaign, helped along by Killorn. The three stars were Killorn, Gourde, and Point. 

Also in Florida, the Panthers welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins and Sergei Bobrovsky start in goal. Florida began in the first period with a Frank Vatrano goal, his sixteenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Panthers added on in the second period with a Sam Bennett goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Jonathan Huberdeau and Anthony Duclair. Columbus got on the board with an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal, his fifteenth of the season, made possible by Cam Atkinson and Seth Jones. Florida replied with a Radko Gudas goal, his second of the year, coming off of Duclair and Gustav Forsling. The Blue Jackets pulled one back in the third period with a Zac Dalpe goal, his second of the season, passed from Eric Robinson and Andrew Peeke. The Panthers iced it at 4-2 with a Vatrano empty net goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, set up by Alex Wennberg and Patric Hornqvist. The three stars were Vatrano, Duclair, and Gudas. 

Over in Dallas, the Stars host the Detroit Red Wings. Thomas Greiss and Anton Khudobin patrol the creases. Dallas opened in the first period with a Roope Hintz power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, powered by Miro Heiskanen and John Klingberg. Detroit tied it on a Luke Glendening goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Evgeny Svechnikov and Alex Biega in the second period. The Stars retook the lead with a Jason Robertson goal, his thirteenth of the season, passed from Hintz and Heiskanen. The Red Wings tied it again with a Glendening goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, fueled by Biega and Darren Helm. In the shootout, Robertson and Denis Gurianov lifted the Stars 3-2 over Dylan Larkin and the Red Wings. The three stars were Hintz, Heiskanen, and Robertson, while Glendening and Biega get the honorable mentions. 

Along to Nashville, as the Predators bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Kevin Lankinen and Juuse Saros are the Finnish goalies. Nashville started in the first period with a Matt Duchene goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Erik Haula and Matt Benning. Chicago tied it with an Alex DeBrincat power play goal, his twenty-third of the year, powered by Pius Suter and Patrick Kane. The Predators took the lead in the second period with a Calle Jarnkrok goal, his twelfth of the season, via Mikael Granlund and Luke Kunin in the second period. Nashville added on with a Mattias Ekholm goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Ryan Johansen. The Blackhawks got one back with a David Kampf goal, with a lone assist by Adam Gaudette. The Predators responded in the third period on a Tanner Jeannot goal, his second of the season, assisted by Ryan Ellis. Nashville struck again on a Kunin goal, his fifth of the year, with helpers from Granlund and Jarnkrok. This stood for a 5-2 win, with the three stars given to Kunin, Jarnkrok, and Granlund. 

Southwest to Arizona, as the Coyotes host the Minnesota Wild. Cam Talbot and Darcy Kuemper guard the cages. Minnesota struck first in the first period with a Kirill Kaprizov power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, powered by Nick Bonino and Kevin Fiala. Arizona tied it on a Christian Fischer goal, going in unassisted. The Wild retook the lead in the second period with a Jordan Greenway goal, his sixth of the year, helped along by Marcus Foligno and Joel Eriksson Ek. Minnesota added on with a Marcus Johansson power play goal, his sixth of the season, with assists provided by Matt Dumba and Ryan Suter. The Coyotes got one back in the third period with an Alex Goligoski goal, his third of the year, guided in by Jakob Chychrun and Clayton Keller. The Wild answered on a Fiala goal, his fifteenth of the season, fueled by Carson Soucy and Ian Cole. Minnesota iced it at 5-2 with a Jonas Brodin empty net goal, his sixth of the year, set up by Dumba and Bonino. The three stars were Fiala, Bonino, and Dumba.

Up in Edmonton, the Oilers welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Mike Smith start in goal, but Jake Allen took over for the Canadiens in the second period. Montreal got going in the second period with an Eric Staal goal, his fifth of the season, via Corey Perry. Edmonton tied it in the third period with an Ethan Bear goal, assisted by Connor McDavid and Jesse Puljujarvi. The Oilers took the lead on an unassisted McDavid goal, his twenty-fourth of the year. Edmonton added on with a Puljujarvi goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by McDavid. The Oilers iced it at 4-1 with a Devin Shore empty net goal, his fifth of the year, set up by Kailer Yamamoto and Kris Russell. The three stars belonged to McDavid, Puljujarvi, and Smith (22 for 23 in saves).

Also in Alberta, the Calgary Flames host the Ottawa Senators. Matt Murray and Jacob Markstrom protect the nets. Ottawa kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Brady Tkachuk goal, his fifteenth of the season, fueled by Josh Norris. Calgary tied it on an Elias Lindholm goal, his thirteenth of the year, assisted by Johnny Gaudreau and Mark Giordano. The Senators retook the lead in the second period with a Connor Brown shorthanded goal, his fifteenth of the season, set up by Nick Paul. Ottawa added on in the third period with a Norris power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Erik Brannstrom and Drake Batherson. The Flames countered with a Michael Stone goal, his second of the season, with a lone helper by Mikael Backlund. The Senators finished it at 4-2 with a Brown empty net goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Brown, Norris, and Tkachuk.

Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Robin Lehner draw the starts in goal. San Jose was first to score in the first period with a Nikolai Knyzhov goal, his second of the season, going in unassisted. The Sharks added on in the second period with a Noah Gregor unassisted goal, his fourth of the year. Vegas got on the board with a Mark Stone power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, powered by Shea Theodore and Max Pacioretty. The Golden Knights tied it in the third period with a Stone power play goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, helped along by Pacioretty and Theodore. Vegas won 3-2 in the shootout with a lone tally by Alex Tuch. The three stars were Stone, Theodore, and Pacioretty. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 96

Six games on today, beginning with...

The Boston Bruins hosting the Washington Capitals. Vitek Vanecek and Tuukka Rask are the goalies. Boston led off in the first period with a Patrice Bergeron shorthanded goal, his seventeenth of the season, set up by Brad Marchand. The Bruins added on with a David Krejci goal, his fourth of the year, fueled by Connor Clifton and Craig Smith. Washington got on the board with a T.J. Oshie goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals tied it in the second period with an Oshie power play goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, powered by Evgeny Kuznetsov and Backstrom. Washington took the lead with an Anthony Mantha power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, with assists provided by Dmitry Orlov and Lars Eller. Boston retied it on a Marchand goal, his twenty-second of the year, courtesy of Bergeron and Charlie McAvoy. The Bruins pulled ahead with a Krejci goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Smith. Boston extended the lead as Bergeron scored his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, with the help of David Pastrnak and Marchand. The Bruins iced it at 6-3 with a Marchand empty net goal in the third period, his twenty-third of the campaign, set up by Pastrnak. The three stars were Marchand, Bergeron, and Krejci, while Pastrnak, Smith, Oshie, and Backstrom get the honorable mentions. 

Along to Buffalo, as the Sabres welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Casey DeSmith and Dustin Tokarski are set to start in goal. Buffalo began in the first period with an Arttu Ruotsalainen goal, his second of the season, passed from Dylan Cozens and Rasmus Dahlin. The Sabres added on in the second period with a Sam Reinhart goal, his sixteenth of the year, guided in by Victor Olofsson. Buffalo extended the lead in the third period on a Reinhart power play goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the season, powered by Olofsson and Dahlin. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Jason Zucker goal, his seventh of the year, helped along by Jeff Carter. The Sabres replied with a Rasmus Asplund empty net goal, his sixth of the season, set up by Casey Mittelstadt. The Penguins got one back with a Teddy Blueger goal, his fifth of the year, assisted by Evan Rodrigues and Cody Ceci. The final stood at 4-2, with the three stars being Reinhart, Olofsson, and Dahlin.

Next up, the New Jersey Devils bring in the New York Rangers. Alexandar Georgiev and MacKenzie Blackwood are in the blue paint. New York opened in the first period with a Chris Kreider power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, powered by Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin. The Rangers added on with a Vitali Kravtsov goal, courtesy of Brett Howden. New York extended the lead in the second period as Alexis Lafreniere scored his eighth of the year, thanks to Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko. New Jersey got on the board with a Mikhail Maltsev goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Yegor Sharangovich and P.K. Subban. The Devils got closer in the third period with a Marian Studenic goal, with helpers from Maltsev and Andreas Johnsson. New Jersey tied it as Nico Hischier scored his third of the year, with the help of Nicholas Merkley. The Rangers reclaimed the lead with a Zibanejad power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, with assists provided by Ryan Strome and Adam Fox. New York iced it at 5-3 with a Strome empty net goal, his fourteenth of the year, set up by Colin Blackwell and Panarin. The three stars were Zibanejad, Strome, and Maltsev, while Panarin gets an honorable mention.

Out west, the Anaheim Ducks host the Vegas Golden Knights. John Gibson and Marc-Andre Fleury tend the twines. Vegas started in the first period with a Max Pacioretty goal, his twenty-second of the season, assisted by Alec Martinez and Mark Stone. Anaheim tied it on a Max Comtois goal, his thirteenth of the year, via Josh Manson and Rickard Rakell. The Golden Knights retook the lead with an Alex Pietrangelo goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Pacioretty and Martinez. Vegas added on in the second period with a Nicolas Roy goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of William Carrier and Zach Whitecloud. The Ducks got one back with a Danton Heinen goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Adam Henrique and Jakob Silfverberg. The Golden Knights countered with a Stone power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Shea Theodore and the goalie Fleury. Vegas iced it at 5-2 with an Alex Tuch empty net goal, his sixteenth of the campaign, set up by Roy and Tomas Nosek. The three stars were Stone, Pacioretty, and Martinez, while Roy gets an honorable mention.

Back east, the Philadelphia Flyers welcome the New York Islanders. Ilya Sorokin and Brian Elliott patrol the creases. New York won in overtime with a Nick Leddy goal, his second of the season, assisted by Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Jordan Eberle. The three stars were Sorokin (30 save shutout), Leddy, and Elliott (27 for 28 in saves).

Finally, the Vancouver Canucks bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jack Campbell and Braden Holtby are the masked men. Toronto struck first in the first period with a William Nylander goal, his fourteenth of the season, via John Tavares. The Maple Leafs added on in the second period with an Auston Matthews power play goal, his thirty-third of the year, powered by Nylander and Tavares. Vancouver got on the board with a Bo Horvat goal, his fifteenth of the season, helped along by Nils Hoglander. The Canucks tied it with a Hoglander goal in the third period, his eighth of the year, coming off of Jalen Chatfield and Horvat. Vancouver won 3-2 in overtime with a Horvat goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the campaign, fueled by Tyler Myers and Brock Boeser. The three stars were Horvat, Hoglander, and Nylander, while Tavares gets an honorable mention. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 95

Eleven games grace the schedule today, with four matinees. First up...

The Philadelphia Flyers host the Washington Capitals. Ilya Samsonov and Alex Lyon are set to start in goal. Washington led off in the first period with an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his twenty-third of the season, powered by John Carlson and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Philadelphia tied it on an Ivan Provorov goal, his seventh of the year, guided in by Claude Giroux and Joel Farabee. The Capitals took the lead back in the second period with a Dmitry Orlov goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Carlson and Ovechkin. The Flyers tied it again with a James van Riemsdyk goal, his fourteenth of the year, fueled by Nicolas Aube-Kubel. Washington retook the lead with an Ovechkin power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the season, with assists provided by Carlson and Kuznetsov. The Capitals added on with a Kuznetsov goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Tom Wilson and Carlson. Philadelphia got one back in the third period with a Wade Allison power play goal, with helpers from Kevin Hayes and Giroux. Washington answered on a Conor Sheary goal, his twelfth of the season, fueled by Justin Schultz and Lars Eller. The Capitals capped it at 6-3 with an Anthony Mantha empty net goal, his fourteenth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Ovechkin, Carlson, and Kuznetsov, while Giroux gets an honorable mention.

Over in New York, the Rangers welcome the New Jersey Devils. Aaron Dell is mismatched with Igor Shesterkin in goal. New York began in the first period with a Pavel Buchnevich goal, his seventeenth of the season, assisted by Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin. The Rangers added on with a Ryan Strome power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Zibanejad and Panarin. New York extended the lead as Buchnevich scored his second of the game and eighteenth of the season on the power play, thanks to Colin Blackwell and K'Andre Miller. The Rangers padded the lead in the second period with a Panarin goal, his sixteenth of the year, coming off of Strome and Ryan Lindgren. New Jersey got on the board with a Michael McLeod goal, his seventh of the season, helped along by Nathan Bastian and P.K. Subban. The Devils got closer in the third period with a Subban goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Jack Hughes and Yegor Sharangovich. New Jersey pulled closer on a Sharangovich goal, his tenth of the season, via Hughes. New York replied with a Buchnevich empty net goal to complete his hat trick on his nineteenth of the year, set up by Zibanejad and Panarin. The Rangers iced it at 6-3 with a Chris Kreider empty net goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, passed from Strome and Lindgren. The three stars were Buchnevich, Panarin, and Strome, while Zibanejad, Lindgren, Subban, Sharangovich, and Hughes get the honorable mentions. 

Along to Buffalo, as the Sabres bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Dustin Tokarski are in the blue paint. Pittsburgh opened in the first period with a Jared McCann goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Mike Matheson and Cody Ceci. The Penguins added on in the second period with an Evan Rodrigues goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Teddy Blueger. Buffalo got on the board with a Tage Thompson goal, his sixth of the season, going in unassisted. Pittsburgh replied with a Bryan Rust power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, powered by Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel. The Sabres got one back in the third period with a Casey Mittelstadt power play goal, his eighth of the campaign, with assists provided by Rasmus Ristolainen and Sam Reinhart. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars being Rust, Rodrigues, and McCann. 

In Canada, the Montreal Canadiens host the Ottawa Senators. Matt Murray and Carey Price are the masked men. Ottawa started in the first period with an Artem Zub goal, his third of the season, coming off of Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle. The Senators added on with a Batherson goal in the second period, his fourteenth of the year, via Brady Tkachuk and Josh Norris. Ottawa extended the lead in the third period as Batherson scored his second of the game and fifteenth of the season on the power play, thanks to Tkachuk and Norris. The Senators padded the lead on a Nikita Zaitsev empty net goal, his second of the year, set up by Shane Pinto. The final held at 4-0, with the three stars going to Batherson, Murray (23 save shutout), and Tkachuk, while Norris gets an honorable mention. 

Southwest to Arizona, as the Coyotes welcome the St. Louis Blues. Jordan Binnington and Darcy Kuemper guard the cages. St. Louis struck first in the first period with a Sammy Blais goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by David Perron and Colton Parayko. The Blues added on with a Tyler Bozak power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Mike Hoffman and Vince Dunn. Arizona got on the board with a second period goal by Alex Goligoski goal, his second of the season, fueled by Nick Schmaltz and Conor Garland. The Coyotes tied it on a Clayton Keller power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, with assists provided by Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Christian Dvorak. Arizona took the lead in the third period on a Michael Bunting goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Jakob Chychrun and Christian Fischer.  The final held at 3-2, with the three stars going to Bunting, Keller, and Goligoski.

Back north to Winnipeg, as the Jets bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Mike Smith and Connor Hellebuyck tend the twines. Edmonton got going in the second period with a Tyson Barrie power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Connor McDavid and Kailer Yamamoto. The Oilers added on with a Jesse Puljujarvi goal in the third period, his tenth of the year, guided in by McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Edmonton extended the lead as Alex Chiasson scored his seventh of the season on the power play, with assists provided Barrie and Draisaitl. The final remained at 3-0, with the three stars handed to Smith (26 save shutout), Barrie, and McDavid, while Draisaitl gets an honorable mention.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning host their in-state rivals, the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Andrei Vasilevskiy are the Russian goalies. Florida kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Brandon Montour goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Sam Bennett. The Panthers added on with an Aleksander Barkov power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, powered by Patric Hornqvist and  Nikita Gusev. Tampa Bay got on the board with a Brayden Point goal, his eighteenth of the season, passed from Mikhail Sergachev and Ondrej Palat. Florida replied with a Jonathan Huberdeau goal, his fifteenth of the year, with helpers from Markus Nutivaara and Bennett. The Panthers extended the lead as Frank Vatrano scored his fifteenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Lightning got one back with an Erik Cernak goal, his third of the year, with helpers from Blake Coleman and Victor Hedman. Tampa Bay got closer in the third period with a Mathieu Joseph goal, his eleventh of the season, guided in by Hedman and Point. Florida iced it at 5-3 with an Anthony Duclair empty net goal, his sixth of the year, set up by Radko Gudas. The three stars belonged to Point, Bennett, and Hedman.

Up to Carolina, as the Hurricanes welcome the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Alex Nedeljkovic are between the pipes. Carolina was first to score in the first period with a Jaccob Slavin goal, his second of the season, helped along by Morgan Geekie and Steven Lorentz. Nashville tied it on a Roman Josi goal in the second period, his sixth of the year, going in unassisted. The Hurricanes took the lead in the third period with a Jani Hakanpaa goal, courtesy of Vincent Trocheck. Carolina added on with an Andrei Svechnikov empty net goal, his twelfth of the season, set up by Sebastian Aho and Dougie Hamilton. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars going to Nedeljkovic (27 for 28 in saves), Hakanpaa, and Slavin.

Further along to Detroit, as the Red Wings bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Malcolm Subban and Jonathan Bernier draw the starts in goal. Chicago drew first blood in the first period with a Patrick Kane goal, his fifteenth of the season, via Vinnie Hinostroza. The Blackhawks added on in the second period with an Alex DeBrincat goal, his twenty-second of the year, passed from Connor Murphy and Brandon Hagel. Chicago extended the lead in the third period as Wyatt Kalynuk scored his second of the season, thanks to Hinostroza and Kane. The Blackhawks padded the lead on a Pius Suter empty net goal, his twelfth of the year, going in unassisted. This made it 4-0, the final, with the three stars being Kane, Hinostroza, and Subban (29 save shutout).

West to Minnesota, as the Wild host the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Kaapo Kahkonen are the goalies. San Jose dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Brent Burns goal, his sixth of the season, via Rudolfs Balcers and Tomas Hertl. Minnesota tied it on a Mats Zuccarello power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Marcus Johansson and Ryan Hartman. The Wild took the lead with a Joel Eriksson Ek goal, his fourteenth of the season, assisted by Jordan Greenway and Marcus Foligno. Minnesota added on with a Zach Parise goal, his seventh of the year, helped along by Jonas Brodin and Nick Bonino. The Wild extended the lead in the second period as Kirill Kaprizov scored his seventeenth of the season, thanks to Zuccarello. Minnesota padded the lead with a Nico Sturm goal, his sixth of the year, helped along by Carson Soucy. Josef Korenar replaced Jones in goal in the third period. The Sharks got one back with a Joel Kellman goal, guided in by Kevin Labanc and Ryan Donato. The final stayed at 5-2, with the three stars handed to Zuccarello, Parise, and Talbot (26 for 28 in saves).

Finally, the Dallas Stars host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and Jake Oettinger are given the starting nods in goal. Columbus cracked the scoresheet in the first period with a Vladislav Gavrikov goal, his second of the season, assisted by Oliver Bjorkstrand and Cam Atkinson. Dallas tied it on a Jamie Benn goal, his ninth of the year, coming off of John Klingberg and Denis Gurianov. The Stars took the lead in the second period with a Gurianov goal, his ninth of the season, via Benn. Dallas added on with a Joe Pavelski goal, his eighteenth of the year, courtesy of Jason Robertson and Esa Lindell. The Stars extended the lead as Klingberg scored his seventh of the season, with the help of Robertson and Roope Hintz. Elvis Merzlikins replaced Korpisalo in goal. Dallas padded the lead with a Lindell goal, his fifth of the year, made possible by Hintz and Pavelski. This held up as the eventual 5-1 final score, with the three stars going to Gurianov, Benn, and Klingberg, while Pavelski, Lindell, Hintz, and Robertson get the honorable mentions. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 94

After postponements, only four games remain on the schedule. First up...

The Montreal Canadiens host the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen are in the creases. Montreal got going in the second period with a Tyler Toffoli goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Nick Suzuki and Brett Kulak. Calgary tied it on an Elias Lindholm goal in the third period, his twelfth of the year, passed from Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk. The Canadiens retook the lead with another Toffoli goal, his second of the game and twenty-first of the campaign, via Joel Armia and Suzuki. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Toffoli, Suzuki, and Allen (28 for 29 in saves). 

In Boston, the Bruins welcome the New York Islanders. Ilya Sorokin and Jeremy Swayman are the young goalies. Boston led off in the first period with a David Pastrnak goal, his seventeenth of the season, guided in by Mike Reilly and Patrice Bergeron. The Bruins added on in the second period with a Taylor Hall goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of David Krejci and Steven Kampfer. Boston iced it at 3-0 with a Curtis Lazar empty net goal, his sixth of the campaign, set up by Chris Wagner. The three stars were Swayman (25 save shutout), Pastrnak, and Hall. 

Over in Minnesota, the Wild bring in the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Cam Talbot draw the starts in goal. San Jose began in the first period with a Tomas Hertl goal, his thirteenth of the season, courtesy of Radim Simek and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Minnesota tied it on a Nick Bonino goal, his sixth of the year, going in unassisted. The Wild took the lead in the second period with a Mats Zuccarello goal, his ninth of the season, with a lone assist by Victor Rask. Minnesota added on with a Zach Parise goal, his sixth of the year, helped along by Matt Dumba and Bonino. The Sharks got one back in the third period with an Evander Kane shorthanded and unassisted goal, his seventeenth of the campaign. This left it at 3-2, with the three stars being Bonino, Parise, and Zuccarello. 

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the Vegas Golden Knights. Robin Lehner and John Gibson tend the twines. Vegas dented the scoreboard in the second period with a William Karlsson goal, his eleventh of the season, via Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault. The Golden Knights added on with Chandler Stephenson goal, his tenth of the year, coming off of Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty. Vegas extended the lead as Nicolas Roy scored his fourth of the season, an unassisted goal. The Golden Knights padded the lead in the third period with a Brayden McNabb goal, his second of the year, with the help of Stephenson and Stone. The final held at 4-0, with the three stars given to Stephenson, Lehner (16 save shutout), and Stone. 

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