NHL 2021 - Day 104

Eight games on for a busy Monday, beginning with...

The Calgary Flames hosting the Montreal Canadiens. Jake Allen and Jacob Markstrom are the goalies. Montreal started in the first period with a Shea Weber power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Tomas Tatar and Jeff Petry. Calgary tied it with an Elias Lindholm power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, with assists provided by Johnny Gaudreau and Andrew Mangiapane. The Canadiens took the lead in the second period with a Tyler Toffoli goal, his twenty-fifth of the campaign, made possible by Joel Armia and Nick Suzuki. This held for the eventual 2-1 final score, with the three stars going to Toffoli, Weber, and Allen (21 for 22 in saves).

Southeast to St. Louis, as the Blues welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Jonas Johansson is mismatched with Jordan Binnington in goal. St. Louis opened in the first period with a Vladimir Tarasenko power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Torey Krug and Mike Hoffman. The Blues added on with a Brayden Schenn goal, his thirteenth of the year, fueled by Ryan O'Reilly and David Perron. St. Louis extended the lead in the second period as Perron scored his fourteenth of the season, thanks to Justin Faulk and O'Reilly. Colorado got on the board with a Nathan MacKinnon power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, with assists provided by Gabriel Landeskog and Andre Burakovsky. The Blues replied with a Robert Thomas goal, his second of the campaign, made possible by Perron and Marco Scandella. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the the three stars belonging to Perron, O'Reilly, and Binnington (31 for 32 in saves).

Back in Canada, the Ottawa Senators host the Vancouver Canucks. Braden Holtby and Marcus Hogberg start in goal. Ottawa led off in the first period with a Josh Norris goal, his fourteenth of the season, via Brady Tkachuk. Vancouver tied it with an Olli Juolevi goal, his second of the year, coming off of Tyler Myers and Brandon Sutter. The Senators retook the lead in the second period with a Drake Batherson goal, his seventeenth of the season, passed from Tkachuk. This held for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Tkachuk, Batherson, and Hogberg (25 for 26 in saves). 

Way down in Dallas, the Stars bring in the Carolina Hurricanes. James Reimer and Jake Oettinger are the backups in goal. Dallas began in the first period with a Joe Pavelski power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, powered by Jason Robertson and Jamie Benn. The Stars added on with a Jason Dickinson goal, his sixth of the year, via Esa Lindell and Benn. Carolina got on the board in the second period with a Max McCormick goal, assisted by Morgan Geekie and Cedric Paquette. The Hurricanes tied it on a Jaccob Slavin goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Sebastian Aho and Nino Niederreiter. Dallas reclaimed the lead with a Denis Gurianov goal, his eleventh of the year, helped along by Benn. Carolina tied it again in the third period with a Jani Hakanpaa goal, his second of the season, made possible by Geekie and Jordan Staal. The Stars won 4-3 in overtime with a Benn goal, his eleventh of the year, guided in by Robertson. The three stars went to Benn, Robertson, and Geekie. 

Backtracking to Nashville, as the Predators host the Florida Panthers. Chris Driedger and Juuse Saros are set to start in goal. Florida struck first in the first period with a Sam Bennett goal, his eighth of the season, coming off of Anthony Duclair and Markus Nutivaara. Nashville tied it with a Mikael Granlund power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Roman Josi and Calle Jarnkrok. The Predators took the lead in the second period with a Nick Cousins goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Erik Haula and Mattias Ekholm. Nashville added on in the third period with a Haula goal, his seventh of the year, passed from Matt Duchene and Erik Gudbranson. The Predators extended the lead as Yakov Trenin scored his fifth of the campaign, thanks to Tanner Jeannot and Colton Sissons. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars being Saros (39 for 40 in saves), Haula, and Cousins. 

Northward to Winnipeg, as the Jets welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Mike Smith and Connor Hellebuyck tend the twines. Edmonton kicked off the scoring in the first period with an Alex Chiasson goal, his eighth of the season, via Adam Larsson and Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers added on with a Connor McDavid goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, made possible by Tyson Barrie. Edmonton extended the lead in the second period as McDavid scored his second of the game and twenty-seventh of the season, with the help of Dominik Kahun. The Oilers padded the lead on a Draisaitl goal, his twenty-third of the year, coming off of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Edmonton continued with a Darnell Nurse goal, his fourteenth of the season, assisted by Jesse Puljujarvi and McDavid. Winnipeg got on the board with a Mark Scheifele power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, powered by Paul Stastny and Blake Wheeler. The Oilers responded with McDavid completing his hat trick on his twenty-eighth of the season, an unassisted goal. This held for a 6-1 win, with the three stars going to McDavid, Draisaitl, and Smith (36 for 37 in saves).

To California, where the Los Angeles Kings host the Anaheim Ducks. Anthony Stolarz and Jonathan Quick draw the starts in goal. Los Angeles was first to score in the first period with a Sean Walker goal, his second of the season, assisted by Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar. The Kings added on with a Mikey Anderson goal, via Andreas Athanasiou and Brendan Lemieux. Anaheim got on the board in the second period with a Jamie Drysdale goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Danton Heinen and Cam Fowler. Los Angeles replied in the third period with an unassisted Brown empty net goal, his seventeenth of the season. The Kings iced it at 4-1 with a Trevor Moore empty net goal, his ninth of the year, set up by Adrian Kempe. The three stars were Brown, Quick (21 for 22 in saves), and Anderson.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Darcy Kuemper and Josef Korenar are in the blue paint. San Jose drew first blood with an unassisted Noah Gregor goal, his fifth of the season. The Sharks added on with a Brent Burns goal, his seventh of the year, via Tomas Hertl and Evander Kane. San Jose extended the lead in the second period as Logan Couture scored his sixteenth of the season, thanks to Greg Pateryn and Timo Meier. The Sharks padded the lead with an Erik Karlsson goal, his sixth of the year, with a lone helper by Kane. Arizona got on the board with a Michael Bunting goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Jakob Chychrun and Nick Schmaltz. The Coyotes got closer with a Clayton Keller goal, his fourteenth of the year, fueled by Schmaltz and Bunting. Arizona chipped closer in the third period with a Chychrun goal, his fifteenth of the season, with helpers from Alex Goligoski and John Hayden. San Jose shot back with an Alexander Barabanov goal, helped along by Kane and Hertl. The Coyotes pulled one back on a Chychrun goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, courtesy of Dryden Hunt. The Sharks iced it at 6-4 with a Kane empty net goal, his nineteenth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Kane, Hertl, and Chychrun, while Bunting and Schmaltz get the honorable mentions. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 103

Four games on for a Sunday, beginning with...

The Pittsburgh Penguins hosting the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Tristan Jarry are the goalies. Pittsburgh dented the scoreboard in the third period with a Jake Guentzel goal, his twenty-first of the season, assisted by Sidney Crosby and Brian Dumoulin. This stood for a 1-0 win, with the three stars given to Jarry (30 save shutout), Guentzel, and Swayman (28 for 29 in saves). 

Across Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Flyers welcome the New Jersey Devils. MacKenzie Blackwood and Brian Elliott are the masked men. New Jersey opened in the first period with a Michael McLeod goal, his eighth of the season, via Nathan Bastian and Miles Wood. Philadelphia tied it on a Sean Couturier goal, his fourteenth of the year, courtesy of Philippe Myers and Ivan Provorov. The Devils retook the lead in the second period with a Wood goal, his sixteenth of the season, assisted by Bastian and Damon Severson. New Jersey added on with a Pavel Zacha goal in the third period, his eleventh of the year, guided in by Jesper Bratt and Nico Hischier. The Flyers got one back with a Claude Giroux goal, his twelfth of the season, passed from James van Riemsdyk and Jakub Voracek. Philadelphia tied it on a Giroux goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, coming off of van Riemsdyk and Voracek. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Giroux, Couturier, and Kevin Hayes lifted the Flyers 4-3 over Yegor Sharangovich and Bratt. The three stars belonged to Giroux, Couturier, and Wood, while van Riemsdyk and Voracek get the honorable mentions.

Over in New York, the Rangers bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Dustin Tokarski and Igor Shesterkin man the nets. New York started in the first period with a Mika Zibanejad goal, his seventeenth of the season, fueled by Alexis Lafreniere and Ryan Lindgren. Buffalo tied it on a Jeff Skinner goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Colin Miller and Jacob Bryson. The Rangers took the lead back with a Kaapo Kakko goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Adam Fox and Filip Chytil. New York added on with a Zibanejad power-play goal, his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, powered by Artemi Panarin and Fox. The Rangers extended the lead as Zibanejad scored his nineteenth of the season to complete his hat trick in the second period, thanks to Pavel Buchnevich and Fox. The Sabres got one back with a Victor Olofsson power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, with assists provided by Sam Reinhart and Casey Mittelstadt. New York fired back with a Kakko power play goal, his second of the game and eighth of the season, with helpers from Buchnevich and Zac Jones. Buffalo responded with a Reinhart goal, his twenty-first of the year, assisted by Rasmus Dahlin and the goalie Tokarski. The Rangers iced it at 6-3 with a Kevin Rooney shorthanded empty net goal, his eighth of the campaign, set up by Brett Howden. The three stars were Zibanejad, Fox, and Kakko, while Buchnevich and Reinhart get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and Andrei Vasilevskiy guard the cages. Tampa Bay struck first in the first period with an Ondrej Palat goal, his fourteenth of the season, coming off of Brayden Point. Columbus tied it on a Mikhail Grigorenko goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Vladislav Gavrikov and Mikko Lehtonen. The Blue Jackets took the lead on an Eric Robinson goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Oliver Bjorkstrand and Max Domi. The Lightning tied it in the second period with a Mathieu Joseph goal, his twelfth of the year, made possible by Point and Palat. Columbus pulled ahead with a Robinson goal in the third period, his second of the game and seventh of the season, assisted by Domi and Bjorkstrand. Tampa Bay tied it again with an Alex Barre-Boulet power play goal, powered by Palat and Victor Hedman. The Lightning won 4-3 in overtime with a Hedman goal, his ninth of the year, helped along by Point. The three stars belonged to Palat, Point, and Hedman, while Robinson, Bjorkstrand, and Domi get the honorable mentions.

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NHL 2021 - Day 102

Eleven games on for Saturday, beginning with...

The Pittsburgh Penguins hosting the New Jersey Devils. MacKenzie Blackwood and Casey DeSmith are the goalies. Pittsburgh opened in the first period with a Jeff Carter goal, his tenth of the season, fueled by Jason Zucker and Mike Matheson. The Penguins added on with a Jared McCann power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Jake Guentzel and Kris Letang. Pittsburgh extended the lead in the second period as Bryan Rust scored his twentieth of the season, thanks to Guentzel and Cody Ceci. New Jersey got on the board with a Jack Hughes goal, his eleventh of the year, guided in by Yegor Sharangovich and Will Butcher. The Devils got closer in the third period with a Miles Wood goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Ryan Murray and Damon Severson. The Penguins iced it at 4-2 with a Sidney Crosby empty net goal, his twentieth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Guentzel, Rust, and DeSmith (34 for 36 in saves). 

Out in St. Louis, the Blues welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Devan Dubnyk and Jordan Binnington receive the starting nods in goal. Colorado started in the first period with a Cale Makar power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Andre Burakovsky and Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche added on with a Gabriel Landeskog goal, his seventeenth of the year, via Makar and MacKinnon. St. Louis got on the board with a Ryan O'Reilly goal, his eighteenth of the season, assisted by Brayden Schenn. The Blues tied it with another O'Reilly goal, his second of the game and nineteenth of the year, helped along by Schenn and Colton Parayko. St. Louis took the lead with an Ivan Barbashev goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Torey Krug and Sammy Blais. Colorado retied it in the second period with a MacKinnon power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, with assists provided by Makar and Burakovsky. The Blues regained the lead on a Mike Hoffman power play goal in the third period, his fourteenth of the season, coming off of Krug and O'Reilly. St. Louis iced it at 5-3 with an O'Reilly empty net goal, his twentieth of the year, set up by Tyler Bozak. The three stars were O'Reilly, MacKinnon, and Schenn, while Makar, Krug, and Burakovsky get the honorable mentions. 

Down in Florida, the Panthers bring in the Carolina Hurricanes. Alex Nedeljkovic and Chris Driedger are the goalies. Carolina began in the first period with a Dougie Hamilton goal, his seventh of the season, via Andrei Svechnikov and Steven Lorentz. Florida tied it on a MacKenzie Weegar goal, his fourth of the year, assisted by Jonathan Huberdeau and Sam Bennett. The Hurricanes retook the lead in the second period with a Hamilton power play goal, his second of the game and eighth of the season, powered by Sebastian Aho and Vincent Trocheck. Carolina added on in the third period with a Svechnikov goal, his fourteenth of the year, helped along by Brett Pesce and Jake Gardiner. The Panthers got one back with a Gustav Forsling goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Huberdeau and Weegar. Florida tied it on an Alex Wennberg shorthanded goal, his twelfth of the year, set up by Weegar and Anthony Duclair. The Panthers won 4-3 in overtime with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his twenty-second of the campaign, passed from the goalie Driedger. The three stars were Weegar, Huberdeau, and Hamilton, while Svechnikov gets an honorable mention.

North to Long Island, as the New York Islanders host the Washington Capitals. Ilya Samsonov and Ilya Sorokin are the Russian goalies. Washington led off in the first period with a Garnet Hathaway goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Nick Jensen. The Capitals added on with a T.J. Oshie goal, his seventeenth of the year, passed from Nicklas Backstrom and Anthony Mantha. New York got on the board with an Anthony Beauvillier power play goal, his tenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Islanders retied it on an Adam Pelech shorthanded goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. Washington regained the lead on a Nic Dowd goal, his ninth of the season, coming off of Trevor van Riemsdyk and Brenden Dillon. The Capitals extended the lead as Daniel Sprong scored his eighth of the year, thanks to Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dillon. New York pulled one back on a Jean-Gabriel Pageau power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, with assists provided by Noah Dobson and Mathew Barzal. Washington answered in the third period with a Kuznetsov goal, his ninth of the year, going in unassisted. The Capitals padded the lead with a Sprong goal, his second of the game and ninth of the season, via Tom Wilson and Kuznetsov. This made it 6-3, the final, with the three stars going to Kuznetsov, Sprong, and Dillon.

Moving on to Winnipeg, as the Jets welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jack Campbell and Connor Hellebuyck are the masked men. Winnipeg struck first in the first period with a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his twenty-first of the season, via Paul Stastny and Pierre-Luc Dubois. Toronto tied it with a Joe Thornton goal, his fourth of the year, assisted by Jason Spezza and Adam Brooks. The Maple Leafs took the lead with a Mitchell Marner goal, his seventeenth of the season, coming off of Jake Muzzin and Nick Foligno. Toronto added on in the second period with a John Tavares goal, his seventeenth of the year, passed from William Nylander and Rasmus Sandin. The Maple Leafs iced it at 4-1 in the third period with an Alexander Kerfoot empty net goal, his eighth of the campaign, set up by Ilya Mikheyev and Justin Holl. The three stars were Marner, Campbell (25 for 26 in saves), and Tavares.

Over in Calgary, the Flames bring in the Montreal Canadiens. Cayden Primeau is mismatched with Jacob Markstrom in goal. Montreal kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Nick Suzuki goal, his ninth of the season, made possible by Jake Evans and Erik Gustafsson. Calgary tied it on a Johnny Gaudreau goal, his sixteenth of the year, guided in by Matthew Tkachuk and Christopher Tanev. The Flames took the lead in the second period with a Milan Lucic goal, his ninth of the season, via Derek Ryan. Calgary added on with a Gaudreau goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, fueled by Andrew Mangiapane. The Canadiens got one back with a Tyler Toffoli power play goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, powered by Corey Perry and Gustafsson. The Flames fired back in the third period with a Brett Ritchie goal, his third of the year, assisted by Ryan and Joakim Nordstrom. Calgary iced it at 5-2 with a Rasmus Andersson empty net goal, his fourth of the campaign, going in unassisted.

Back east, the Detroit Red Wings host the Dallas Stars. Anton Khudobin and Jonathan Bernier are between the pipes. Detroit was first to score in the first period with a Dennis Cholowski goal, coming off of Evgeny Svechnikov and Richard Panik. Dallas tied it in the third period with a Mark Pysyk goal, his second of the season, via Jason Robertson and Jamie Oleksiak. The Stars won 2-1 in overtime with a Jamie Benn goal, his tenth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Benn, Bernier (50 for 52 in saves), and Pysyk.

Across the country, the San Jose Sharks welcome the Minnesota Wild. Kaapo Kahkonen and Martin Jones man the nets. Minnesota cracked the scoresheet in the first period with a Ryan Suter goal, his second of the season, via Jordan Greenway. The Wild added on with a Marcus Foligno goal, his ninth of the year, coming off of Joel Eriksson Ek. Minnesota extended the lead as Jared Spurgeon scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Ryan Hartman and Mats Zuccarello. Josef Korenar replaced Jones in goal. The Wild padded the lead in the second period with a Kevin Fiala goal, his seventeenth of the year, made possible by Marcus Johansson and Spurgeon. San Jose got on the board in the third period with a Logan Couture goal, his fifteenth of the season, fueled by Timo Meier and Rudolfs Balcers. Minnesota shot back with a Kirill Kaprizov power play goal, his twenty-second of the year, powered by Fiala and Nick Bonino. The Sharks replied with an Evander Kane goal, his eighteenth of the season, helped along by Tomas Hertl and Nikolai Knyzhov. San Jose got closer with a Joachim Blichfeld unassisted goal. The Wild capped it at 6-3 with a Bonino empty net goal, his seventh of the year, set up by Ian Cole. The three stars went to Spurgeon, Fiala, and Blichfeld.

Down in Anaheim, the Ducks bring in the Vegas Golden Knights. Robin Lehner and John Gibson tend the twines. Vegas drew first blood in the first period with a Chandler Stephenson goal, his eleventh of the season, assisted by Max Pacioretty. The Golden Knights added on with another Stephenson goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the year, via Shea Theodore. Vegas extended the lead in the second period as William Carrier scored his fifth of the season, with the help of Alex Pietrangelo. Anaheim got on the board in the third period with a Sam Steel goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Troy Terry and Alexander Volkov. The Golden Knights shot back with a William Karlsson goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Jonathan Marchessault and Pietrangelo. Vegas padded the lead on a Theodore goal, his seventh of the year, with helpers from Brayden McNabb and Stephenson. The final stood at 5-1 with the three stars going to Stephenson, Theodore, and Pietrangelo.

In Los Angeles, the Kings host the Arizona Coyotes. Darcy Kuemper and Calvin Petersen protect the nets. Arizona got going in the first period with a John Hayden goal, made possible by Derick Brassard and Lane Pederson. The Coyotes added on in the second period with a Lawson Crouse goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Alex Goligoski and Phil Kessel. Arizona extended the lead in the third period on a Jakob Chychrun power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, powered by Goligoski. The Coyotes padded the lead with a Kessel goal, his seventeenth of the season, going in unassisted. This made it 4-0, the final, with the three stars awarded to Kuemper (26 save shutout), Kessel, and Goligoski.

Finally, the Vancouver Canucks host the Ottawa Senators. Matt Murray and Braden Holtby draw the starts in goal. Vancouver dented the scoreboard in the first period with a Nate Schmidt goal, his fourth of the season, going in unassisted. Ottawa tied it on a Colin White goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Josh Brown and Evgenii Dadonov. Marcus Hogberg replaced an injured Murray in the second period. The Canucks took the lead back in the second period with a Brock Boeser power play goal, his seventeenth of the season, powered by Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller. The Senators tied it in the third period with a Dadonov goal, his thirteenth of the year, going in unassisted. Vancouver reclaimed the lead on a Tanner Pearson goal, his ninth of the season, helped along by Bo Horvat and Travis Hamonic. The Canucks added on with an empty net goal by Miller, his tenth of the year, set up by Tyler Motte and Horvat. This made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars going to Miller, Horvat, and Dadonov. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 101

Five games on Friday, beginning with...

The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are the Finnish goalies. Boston led off in the first period with a Steven Kampfer goal, his second of the season, fueled by Taylor Hall and the goalie Rask. Buffalo tied it on a Sam Reinhart power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Rasmus Dahlin and Victor Olofsson. The Sabres took the lead in the second period with a Dahlin goal, his fifth of the season, via Riley Sheahan and Tobias Rieder. Buffalo added on with a Casey Mittelstadt goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Tage Thompson and Mattias Samuelsson. The Sabres extended the lead as Arttu Ruotsalainen scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Dylan Cozens and Samuelsson in the third period. Jaroslav Halak replaced Rask in goal. Buffalo padded the lead with another Reinhart power play goal, his second of the game and nineteenth of the year, going in unassisted. The Bruins got one back with a Nick Ritchie goal, his twelfth of the season, helped along by Kampfer and Jake DeBrusk. Boston got closer with a Kevan Miller goal, assisted by Kampfer and Sean Kuraly. The Bruins pushed closer with a Hall goal, his fifth of the year, passed from Charlie McAvoy and David Krejci. The Sabres iced it at 6-4 with an unassisted Reinhart empty net goal to complete his hat trick on his twentieth of the campaign. The three stars were Reinhart, Kampfer, and Dahlin, while Samuelsson and Hall get the honorable mentions. 

Along to New York, as the Rangers welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Alex Lyon and Alexandar Georgiev are the backups in goal. New York began in the first period with a Chris Kreider power play goal, his twentieth of the season, powered by Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox. Philadelphia tied it on an Oskar Lindblom goal, his seventh of the year, coming off of Jakub Voracek and Sean Couturier. The Rangers retook the lead on a Pavel Buchnevich goal, his twentieth of the season, fueled by Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere. New York added on in the third period with a Lafreniere goal, his ninth of the year, via Buchnevich and Zibanejad. The Rangers capped it at 4-1 with a Filip Chytil goal, his eighth of the campaign, made possible by Kaapo Kakko and Panarin. The three stars belonged to Buchnevich, Lafreniere, and Zibanejad, while Panarin gets an honorable mention. 

West to Chicago, where the Blackhawks host the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Malcolm Subban draw the starts in goal. Nashville got going in the second period with a Ryan Johansen goal, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Ryan Ellis and Eeli Tolvanen. The Predators added on with a Luke Kunin goal, his seventh of the year, helped along by Mikael Granlund and Calle Jarnkrok. Nashville extended the lead in the third period as Erik Haula scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Ellis and Nick Cousins. Chicago got on the board with a Vinnie Hinostroza goal, his second of the year, passed from Wyatt Kalynuk and Nicolas Beaudin. This only made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars being Ellis, Saros (29 for 30 in saves), and Kunin. 

Up in Calgary, the Flames bring in the Montreal Canadiens. Jake Allen and Jacob Markstrom protect the nets. Calgary opened in the first period with a Dillon Dube goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Andrew Mangiapane and Derek Ryan. Montreal tied it with a Tyler Toffoli goal, his twenty-third of the year, going in unassisted. The Canadiens took the lead with a Joel Armia goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Phillip Danault. The Flames tied it again with a Mangiapane power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Noah Hanifin and Sean Monahan. Calgary took the lead with a Monahan goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Johnny Gaudreau and Joakim Nordstrom in the third period. The Flames iced it at 4-2 with an Elias Lindholm empty net goal, his fourteenth of the year, set up by Monahan. The three stars were Monahan, Mangiapane, and Dube.

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Minnesota Wild. Cam Talbot and Calvin Petersen are in the blue paint. Minnesota started in the first period with a Kirill Kaprizov goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Jared Spurgeon. Los Angeles tied it on an unassisted Trevor Moore goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Gabriel Vilardi and Sean Walker. The Wild took the lead in the second period with a Kaprizov power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-first of the season, powered by Victor Rask and Kevin Fiala. Minnesota added on in the third period with a Nico Sturm goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Nick Bonino and Carson Soucy. The Kings got one back with an Anze Kopitar goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Drew Doughty and Tobias Bjornfot. The Wild iced it at 4-2 with a Joel Eriksson Ek empty net goal, his fifteenth of the year, set up by Ryan Suter. The three stars were Kaprizov, Sturm, and Talbot (40 for 42 in saves). 

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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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